VARIOUS ARTISTS – Festen på Gärdet (Silence, 1971; recorded 1970)

Featured artists: Original Homesick Band / Östan Sol, Västan Måne / Fire / Stockholms Spelmansgille / Love Explosion / Låt Tredje Örat Lyssna In & Tredje Benet Stampa Takten / 2000 Spenar / Det Europeiska Missnöjets Grunder / Turid / Samla Mammas Manna / Grönsakslandet / Solen Skiner / Charlie & Esdor / Fläsket Brinner / Gudibrallan / Brownsville Jug Band / Södra Bergens Balalaikor / Old Timey Stringband / NJA-gruppen / Handgjort / Träd, Gräs Och Stenar

Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental

International relevance: *** 

It's hard to imagine an album with a greater symbolic significance than the 2LP set ”Festen på Gärdet”, recorded at the second of the two festivals held at the Gärdet field in Stockholm in 1970, with Träd Gräs Och Stenar and especially Bo Anders Persson as the driving force behind them both.

Those festivals are often regarded as the starting point of the music movement. It's convenient having a fixed date of course, but as with any historical event, it was the product of a process, with one thing evolving into something else. So while the date isn't historically valid, the Gärdet festivals' importance to the music movement is unquestionable. This was the first time that several of the soon to be most important bands presented themselves to a larger audience. Most bands didn't have a record contact at the time, and some of them would never get one, such as Det Europeiska Missnöjets Grunder and Låt Tredje Örat Lyssna In & Tredje Benet Stampa Takten.

With the huge cultural impact of the festivals, it may be a bit hard to separate the actual music from the historical importance of the recordings included herein. How does ”Festen på Gärdet” actually sound if the layers of legend are peeled off and the music is judged solely on its own terms?

First of all, it's a lot more varied than one who's never heard it may think. It's not all Träd, Gräs Och Stenar, Fläsket Brinner and Samla Mammas Manna. For instance, the album suggests there was a pretty lively American old-timey music scene in Sweden during this period, here represented by The Original Homesick Band, Brownsville Jug Band and Old Timey Stringband.

Second of all, it's full of the joy of playing and pioneering spirit.

Third of all, the sound quality isn't very enjoyable.

Fourth of all, the music ranges from the unlistenable to the great. Love Explosion and NJA-gruppen/Fria Proteatern are crap as usual. Turid is more annoying than usual. Låt Tredje Örat Lyssna In... sounds like a drunk acoustic Velvet Underground. Träd, Gräs Och Stenar sound like they always do. Gudibrallan might not be featured with their finest hour but they're still as who-gives-a-shit anarchic as I want them to be. Samla Mammas Manna's in their infant stage and it's interesting hearing them this early on. Fläsket Brinner are great but their appearance (with ”Bosses låt”) unfortunately suffers a fair bit from the low fidelity. Etc.

So, all in all, the documentary value is impossible to deny, but the music often leaves a whole lot to be desired. It sure has its moments, but they are few and far between.

A radio documentary about the Gärdet Festival was broadcast in 1970 with otherwise unavailable performances and is included in "Progglådan". A 30 minute TV documentary was also made and can be seen on Youtube (part one, part two).

The album was released in two editions, the first in coloured vinyl with inner sleeves, the second in black vinyl and no innersleeves.

Fire - Nu är det sommar

Samla Mammas Manna - Tripp Harley

Fläsket Brinner - Bosses låt

RÖDA ROPET – Spänn bågen (Ungkommunisters Förlag, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance **

One of Gothenburg's better communist affiliated bands, featuring future Sky High main man Clas Yngström (also of Soffgruppen) on guitar. Some songs were written by Dennis Huntington of Love Explosion and Huntington Band, in addition to a couple of translated versions of Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry songs, plus ”En yngling” written by singer/songwriter Dan Berglund. 

The alternately male and female vocals are a bit overenthusiastic at times but never quite fall into the trap of smug conceit too many others got chewed up in. Sure it has its fair share of proselytizing, but ”Spänn bågen” is a pretty rocking thing, highlighted by the raging ”Ge mig sanningen” and closing track ”Pedro”. It's an OK album, taken for what it is.

Nynnat och sjungit 

Dom e dom 

Spring Lasse spring 

En yngling

Lite borta ska man va

Ge mig sanningen

Pedro

LOVE EXPLOSION – Love Explosions bästa låtar (MNW, 1971) / LAG & ORDNING - 51, Moderately Beat (Ramblin' UNLTD, 1975/1979)

 LOVE EXPLOSION – Love Explosions bästa låtar (MNW, 1971)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

LAG & ORDNING – 51, Moderately Beat (Ramblin' UNLTD, 1975/1979)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

It's impossible not to compare Gothenburg's Love Explosion and Uppsala's Gudibrallan. Both of them were first generation Gärdet proggers, both of them utilized a sense of vulgarity, and neither of them bothered too much with skills, as confirmed by the albums they released at the time. Classic albums at that, but with one major thing to set Gudibrallan and Love Explosion apart: Love Explosion's ”Bästa låtar” is a very bad album.

Love Explosion sound just like they're acting, dumbing themselves down, trying to dazzle people with their self-conscious incompetence: ”Listen to this! We can't play! We're so progg! Cool, eh? And we can say 'cock' on record too! Sooo subversive and daring, eh? Now dig us!” Rebels without a cause. Or giggly kids yelling ”poo!” at the dinner table.

I don't have an 'official' Worst of Progg list, but if I did, this would certainly be on it.

The entire album of puerile dross is available free for download from the band's website, including the original version of ”Djävulens patrask”, an unauthorized Swedish translation of Bob Dylan's ”Desolation Row”. The illicit use of Dylan's music prompted MNW to hastily replace the original edition of the album with a new issue including a rewritten all-original version of the controversial track. The website also offer albums by a later incarnation of the band.

The original Love Explosion disbanded in 1972. Singer Dennis Huntington went on to form Lag & Ordning who recorded an album in 1975 that went unreleased until 1979 when it appeared on private imprint Ramblin' UNLTD. ”51, Moderately Beat” is less folksy and more of a blues and rock'n'roll oriented effort, including Chuck Berry and Reverend Gary Davis covers in Swedish. Had it been a British album, it would probably have been lumped in with scruffier pub rock acts such as The Count Bishops. Still slapdash and raggedy but far more pertinent, ”51, Moderately Beat” is quite simply a much better album than ”Love Explosions bästa låtar”. Better yet, it stands out as an object lesson of the straightforward Gothenburg brand of progg.

Two tracks from "51, Moderately Beat" also appears on Röda Ropet's 1975 album "Spänn bågen", "Nynnat och sjungit" and "Rudolf e stark".

With ”51, Moderately Beat” trapped in limbo, Huntington started Huntington Band who released one underrated album in 1977, refining the down & dirty vibe of Lag & Ordning.

Love Explosion full album playlist

Lag & Ordning full album playlist