A SEVEN INCH SPECIAL, VOL. 3: Hard & heavy

 UPPÅT VÄGGARNA – Jag hatar politik / Jag färdas (Efel, 1971)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

One of the best Swedish heavy rock singles ever! No wonder originals are dead expensive. ”Jag hatar politik” was also on the third volume of ”Who Will Buy These Wonderful Evils” as well as ”The Essence Of Swedish Progressive Music 1967-1979”, the 4CD box set released in conjunction with Tobias Peterson's progg encyclopedia. But the B side is almost as good with an inescapable riff and great soloing. Thankfully, the single was reissued in 2022 by Regain Records as a 12”. Not only that, Regain also unearthed two previously unreleased tracks, doubling Uppåt Väggarna's frustratingly slim discography. The two ”new” tracks, one sung in English, are from a radio session, and while the second of those aren't up to snuff, it's great seeing them out. Let's hope someone will find more archival material soon – Subliminal Sounds?

AFTER LIFE – Help Me / Into The Fire (Playback, 1971)
English vocals
International relevance: ***

Another classic single and another ”Who Will Buy These Wonderful Evils, Vol III” selection, namely ”Help Me”. It's a decent track, not on the same level as Uppåt Väggarna, but it's better than the unnecessary and pretty tame Deep Purple cover ”Into The Fire” on the flip.

ZANE – Step Aside / Damage (MM, 1976)
English vocals
International relevance: ***

If After Life found their inspiration in Deep Purple, then Malmö's Zane are closer to Black Sabbath. With their seedy underground vibe, both tracks were comped on different volumes in the often great ”Brown Acid” series successfully exhuming obscure raw and rare hard rock singles from near and far. Both tracks are good, especially ”Step Aside”. A third track was recorded in 1980 and released on ”Vykort från Malmö”, an Amalthea V/A compilation of wildly disparate bands. The song, ”Malmö City”, shows a Zane then a wee bit closer to punk. Still OK though. 

BARON BULT – 75 ton stål / Gamla hjältar (PETCLA, 1979)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Baron Bult came from Stockkholm but sounds more like a Gothenburg band. ”75 ton stål” has some heavy aspirations but is essentially just dull rock typical to the turn of the decade. The B side is too close to youth center disco. It's not particularly expensive but I wouldn't pay even a small sum for it. They had another single out on RCA Victor in 1980 before fading into well-deserved obscurity. Prior to Baron Bult, main man Peter Wartin made an album with Claes Nordenskiöld in 1978, also on private label PETCLA.

E.F. BAND – Night Angel / Another Day Gone (Aerco, 1979)
English vocals
International relevance: **

E.F. Band, where E stands for bassist Pär Ericsson and F stands for guitarist/singer Bengt Fisher, became a rather successful band with some longevity, releasing three albums and as many singles during their lifetime. They were part of the FWOSHM, i.e. The First Wave Of Swedish Heavy Metal, the domestic equivalent to NWOBHM, the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. Only their debut 45 ”Night Angel” is remotely relevant to this blog, simply because it's a pretty effective track with an unexepected almost-Hawkwind drive to it. B side ”Another Day Gone” isn't too exciting though.

THE WAGABOND – This Is Life! / Wagabond (Grisbäck, 1979)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Released on Ulf Bejerstrand's Grisbäck label, a fact that should put you off immediately. ”This Is Life!” is a clumsy attempt at hard rock with faint punk elements. B side ”Wagabond” seems to aim for a more progressive style with tempo changes that they handle with the same elegance as if they were a poo snake in their hands. Terrible.

TIDEN LIDER / IMPULS – Norrland Export / Andetag (Manifest, 1979)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

A split single on the Northern Manifest label. ”Norrland Export” by Tiden Lider is a rather ambitious track perfectly ruined by Helena Tewolde Berhan's painfully piercing vocals. She sounds like Savage Rose's Anisette on 78 rpm. ”Andetag” by Impuls may or may not have a Pink Floyd influence, depending on what you're references are. Non-descript vocals are a relief after Tewolde Berhan's ear assault, but the entire track is uninteresting with an overlong guitar solo that leads nowhere.

TONVIKT – Samma batonger / Morgontankar (HRM, 1979)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Somewhat expensive 45, possibly because of the guitar playing which probably is the best thing about it. The A side is an anti-police brutality statement with clichés well-known from a plethora of punk songs of the same era. ”Morgontankar” is a kind of a ballad which is better than ”Samma batonger” but still not very good. An album's worth of 1978-80 material, some of it better than the 45, has been added to the single on guitarist Hans Hogedahl's Youtube channel. The band came from Kungälv outside Gothenburg.

FROZEN FIRE – Den mogna kvinnan / Eller hur (Pang, 1982)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Released on the shady Pang Records. ”Den mogna kvinnan” is little less than a revamp of ”Ballroom Blitz” and the B side is a bit too much boogie rock. Most surprising feature is an organ rarely associated with this kind of music. Pang had a few hard rock releases out, some more sought after than others. 

VAMPA – Plugget E.P. (BMP Produktion, 1982)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

An extremely rare three-track EP with an adolescent take on punk inclined hard rock/heavy metal but not without progressive touches. Title track ”Plugget” is a hate song to school and the weakest song on the seven-inch. ”Tåget” is pretty effective with a couple of tempo changes which is a far cry from anything Yes plus an endearingly bad guitar solo. Best track is the 6/8 instrumental ”Blackout”. Not for everyone but I find it all pretty charming. Reissued with new cover art in 2021 by Swedish reissue label On The Dole Records. 

CHRISTER NAHRENDORF 
 Sju minuter kvar (Återblick på år 2003.2) / En existensiell blues (Musiklaget, 1978)
Då e're alright / Hard Rock (Metronome, 1982)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **/*

Solen Skiner frontman Christer Nahrendorf made three solo singles between 1978 and 1986. None of these two here is that interesting but ”Sju minuter kvar” and ”En existensiell blues” both have a a slight symphonic vibe to them that might attract some listeners. At least if you can stand Nahrendorf reciting the dystopic lyrics of ”Sju minuter kvar”.

His second single has back-up band Hårt Regn (=”hard rain”) and is entirely ignorable. ”Då e're alright” sounds like a blatant attempt to get airplay. The B side's ”Hard Rock” in turn sounds like a parody ot exactly that.

Baron Bult full single
E.F. Band full single playlist
The Wagabond full single
Tiden Lider - Norrland Export full single
Impuls - Andetag full single
Tonvikt full single playlist + bonus
Frozen Fire full single playlist
Uppåt Väggarna full single playlist + bonus tracks (Bandcamp)
Vampa full single playlist (Bandcamp)
After Life:
Help Me
Into The Fire
Zane:
Step Aside
Damage
Christer Nahrendorf:
Sju minuter kvar / En existensiell blues full single playlist
Då e're alright / Hard Rock full single playlist

BRÖDERNA LÖNN – Säg det i toner... (Musiklaget, 1980)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Here's an album with a rather unusual back story. Swedish radio legend Kjell Alinge wanted an album of old Swedish evergreens from the 30's and 40's performed as rock music. A one album only studio project for which several progg luminaries were recruited: from the Blå Tåget camp we have Mats G. Bengtsson; from International Harvester there's Thomas Tidholm; Ove Karlsson came from in Arbete & Fritid; Thomas Svensson (later Stålberg), Anders Åborg and Thomas Wiegert joined in from Kung Tung, and to round things off, there's the omnipresent Sigge Krantz. They chose the collective name of Bröderna Lönn (literally: The Maple Brothers, Lönn being a fairly common Swedish family name) to make it sound like an old-fashioned combo. The result is curious to say the least. Thomas Tidholm takes the lead vocals, and never one found on any lists of the best ever singers, it's odd to hear him struggle his way through interwar hits. His trying vocals work in some formats like Hot Boys, but here it just sounds bizarre, even touching on what's known as 'incredibly strange music'. Thing is, the backing musicians don't sound as they enjoy much of it either, providing a stiff and uninspired backdrop to Tidholm's roller coaster croon. The only track that has some life in it is the seven minute take on ”Regntunga skyar” which manages to sounds eager and oddly desperate.

The idea behind this album was eccentric to begin with, and the results are abnormal. It wouldn't surprise me if ”Säg det i toner” adds a blush to the faces of the involved. I certainly hope they at least got a decent paycheck for the embarassment, but I doubt that since no well endowed people appear to have been involved in this dud.

Full album playlist

ASTON REYMERS RIVALER – Complete albums 1979-1981

While a first glance may not reveal any overt progg credentials, Aston Reymers Rivaler were in fact cut from the same cloth as Peps (especially in his later years), Ronny Åström and Dag Vag. Mixing African influences, reggae and other Caribbean styles with elements of both cajun music and old-timey Swedish dance tunes, it's no wonder that several Dag Vag members occasionally sat in with the band, and that the ever so open-minded Per Tjernberg, fresh from Archimedes Badkar and then known as Per Cussion, was a permanent member for a while. Also, their first two albums were released by Musiklaget, the very same label responsible for Bättre Lyss, Solen Skiner, Underground Failure and other certified proggsters.

Aston Reymers Rivaler were originally a street band, and a continuation of obscure rock outfit Rockslusk who subsequently had two tracks on a Sista Bussen tape compilation entitled ”Mediokra hjärnor” in 1982. Aston Reymers Rivaler released several albums in the 80's, but only the first three fit in with this blog's timeframe.

Från myggjagare till foträta (Musiklaget, 1979)
Swedish lyrics, instrumental
International relevance: *

The debut LP immediately defined Aston Reymers Rivaler's eclectic musical mix and demonstrated their penchant for exuberant tongue-in-cheek performances. But if the humourous element seemed fresh and catchy back in the day, it unfortunately sounds dated today, a bit like those 'funny' hats you see in 40 years old pictures of your parents at parties that seemed cheerful then but cringe-worthy today. Still it has a couple of OK tracks, namely ”Sambo” (although the possibly ironic jungle themed lyrics are relentlessly dated) and the bittersweet instrumental Russian traditional ”Metsäkukkia”. The track ”Bruno och Vera” was chosen for a single and gave the band a minor hit.

Kräål (Musiklaget, 1980)
Swedish lyrics, instrumental
International relevance: *

Second album ”Kräål” (= the word ”creole” with a made-up Swedish spelling) was a bit more polished than its predecessor, but similar in style. The track ”Stockholms ström” was never released as a single, but it quickly became a massive radio success nonetheless. A Swedish cover of Millie's early ska hit ”My Boy Lollipop” entitled ”(Min tjej) Sockertopp” is this album's cringe peak, while their first full-on foray into reggae ”(Vi bygger om) Hela Stockholm” is surprisingly credible with its mild use of dub effects. Fittingly enough, it features Peps on backing vocals, clavinet and tambourine. Thinking of it, it wouldn't have been out of place on Peps' own album ”Spår”.

A non-album single from around this time brought the band another hit, as the anti-nuclear power calypso ”Godis är gott” was released with the March 1980 nuclear power referendum in mind. ”Godis är gott” and ”Stockholms ström” are probably Aston Reymers Rivaler's still best known tracks.

Tvål (Metronome, 1981)
International relevance: *
Swedish vocals, instrumental

For their third album ”Tvål”, the band switched labels from the independent Musiklaget to major label Metronome which may partly explain why it suffers from a duller sound. Also, their patented gumbo of styles began wearing thin at this point. You may not like the first two albums, but they were nevertheless bubbling with joy whereas ”Tvål” sounds predictable and lacklustre. Album opener ”Jakten på amazonkvinnornas guld” is a decent stab at New Orleans rhythm & blues (with some nice harmonica work to boot), but again, the best track is another brooding extended reggae number called ”Det går”.

Från myggjagare till foträta full album playlist
Kräål full album playlist
Tvål full album playlist

JEMERTON JÖNSSONS – Kaffesump och kärlek (Musiklaget, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Jemerton Jönssons apparently have some 'cult following', at least in the Skåne region which could be explained by the fact they came from Lund. The band featured two future music journalists, best known for their Swedish Radio work, Kalle Oldby and Stefan Wermelin. Wermelin was also one of the guys behind the Musiklaget label that released ”Kaffesump och kärlek” in 1975, as is one of his Musiklaget cohorts, album cover designer Lasse Ermalm. One Agneta Klingspor also appears, and with such an usual name, it's a safe bet that she's the same person that later became an author and an art/literary critic.

Jemerton Jönssons released this album only, sometimes compared to Anna Koka Fem Ägg Jag Är Värd I Huset and even Philemon Arthur & The Dung. While indeed a whacky acoustic album, the comparisons may lead you to believe that ”Kaffesump och kärlek” is a much better effort than it is. Don't fall for it. If there are any good songs here, I certainly haven't found them beneath the thick layers of contrived quirkiness and the outdated and simpleminded attempts at humour. The album is very bad, plain and simple.

Full album playlist

SOLEN SKINER – Solen Skiner (MNW, 1976) / Strålande tider (Musiklaget, 1977)

Solen Skiner changed their name from Hamlet just in time for their appearance at the first Gärdet festival in 1970. After losing a couple of members and recruiting for instance Christer Nahrendorf, they released their first album ”Solen Skiner” in 1976. They gigged extensively between 1974 and 1978 when they disbanded. performing at youth clubs, music forums, and in prisons. They made several TV and radio appearences – a 1975 Tonkraft recording is available in ”Progglådan”.

Solen Skiner (MNW, 1976)
Swedish vocals 

International relevance: ***

 

Definitely one of the better blues based heavy rock efforts of the era, this easily puts albums in the three-four figure range to shame. ”Solen Skiner” has a certain inherent coolness to it and features some jammy parts with good guitar playing and Lennart Holmgren's blues harmonica. The lyrics are politically inclined but never so overbearing they detract from the music. Tore Berger's production could have been better though. The sound's a bit lusterless and doesn't really capture the heaviness of the songs the way it could have.

Strålande tider (Musiklaget, 1977)
Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

 

Solen Skiner left MNW and hooked up with smaller label Musiklaget with releases from The Underground Failure, Ragnar Borgedahl and Bättre Lyss under their belts. ”Strålande tider” has a unglamourous sound that fits the music better than the somewhat uninspired production of their maiden work. The songs are not quite on the level of their debut but the aural grittiness matches Solen Skiner's intrinsic qualities much more to the point, so in a way, ”Strålande tider” is a better representation of the band.

After the band's demise, several of their members continued working in the music business, and the band has reunited several times for the occasional gig. In 2013, Solen Skiner drummer Håkan Agnsäter released a book with progg posters from his vast collection, ”Affischerna 1967-1979 från den svenska musikrörelsen”. A beautiful volume essential to anyone interested in how progg sounded but also looked like.

Solen Skiner full album playlist
From Strålande tider:

Jag vill leva

Tre människor i city

Ta hand om ditt liv

BÄTTRE LYSS – Bättre lyss till den sträng som brast än att aldrig spänna en båge (Musiklaget, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

One of many one-off outfits to feature the prolific Anders Nordh of Life. The album has a ponderous title but the music is thankfully a lot more fluent. It's heavy and mellow at the same time in a pleasing way. The lyrics are political but never get in the way of the the enjoyment. Rolf Hammarlund's high voice is a bit overstretched in places, but it actually adds a certain tension and urgency to the songs. An album worthy of more attention than it got upon its initial release.

Full album playlist

RAGNAR BORGEDAHL – Hum, hum från Humlegårn (Musiklaget, 1974) / Sagan om verkligheten (1976)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: */**

Ragnar Borgedahl had a hit of sorts already before he had released a record. He sent a demo tape to radio show ”Bandet går” that on a regular basis played contributions from unsigned musicians, and his largely Dylan inspired song ”Hum, hum från Humlegårn” soon became a favourite song on the show. An album with highlights from the programme – including Borgedahl's track – was released on various artists compilation ”Blandat band” on Musiklaget (known for putting out Underground Failure featuring a young John Holm). The popularity of ”Hum, hum från Humlegårn” prompted the label to release a full Borgedahl album, aptly named after his signature song. The album became a smash hit.

Few can deny that ”Hum, hum from Humlegårn” is a catchy song (when Swedish pop artist Lars Winnerback revived it in 2003 it became a hit for the second time), but it's a fluke and the album's indisputable peak. ”Flugan” is a decent track, but the remainder of the LP is helplessly caught in a web of Dylanisms.

Borgedahl's second and final album arrived in 1976, and while Dylan still passes through the songs like a uneasy ghost, it's a bit different to Borgedahl's debut. ”Hum, hum från Humlegårn” was predominantly acoustic where ”Sagan om verkligheten” was recorded with a full band including studio guitarist Thommie Fransson who also worked with John Holm and Ola Magnell. Richer arrangements can't conceal the fact that Borgedahl was a mediocre songwriter at best and a below average singer.

Borgedahl had one less than inspiring 45 out in 1979, ”Mullvaden” c/w ”Fula kulor i pungen”, also on Musiklaget, before leaving the music business for good to run a video store in his native Stockholm. Borgedahl died in 2017 at the age of 67.

 

Hum hum från humlegårs full album playlist  

Sagan om verkligheten

"Sagan om verkligheten"

"Tids nog"

"Louice"

"Mariana"

"En udda bricka"

"Korten på bordet"

"Tango i lodenrock"

MALARIA – Malaria (Tibet -46, 1970)

English vocals

International relevance: None whatsoever, to anyone, anywhere

 

To the utter dread of some of my dearest friends (my girlfriend in particular), I have a seriously developed fascination, actually liking, for outsider music. You know, those people with a strong urge to make music although they really don't know how to do it. Music many people call just plain bad. However, bad music to me is music that tries so hard to appeal ”everyone”. Music without a personality, music without an idea and a true creative drive. Simply put, music without a reason. I'd much rather listen to every Shaggs or every Kenneth Higney in the world, than sit through 2 minutes of any Rihanna song of your choice. I find these outsiders inspiring in all their whacked-out, no-clue glory.

But I do have limits to this interest. They're far off, but they exist.

Malaria is way, way, WAY beyond that limit.

Honestly, this isn't just the worst progg album I've ever heard. It's the worst album I've ever heard. Of all. And I have thousands and thousands of albums to choose from. In so many genres. There is no worse album than this in the entire world. I kid you not. I speak the truth.

So, I like people without a clue how to make music. Malaria don't even have a clue what they don't have a clue of. Pull a dictionary from your shelf. Look for every derogative word in there. Put them together and you have a positive, overrating description of this album.

I've listened to this album several times, just to figure out what the hell is going on here. But it's impossible; you can't figure it out and neither can Malaria. But here's what I think is the deal: They're trying to make a psychedelic folk album. Well, they did at least end up with an album... released in 20 copies back in 1970. I'd be surprised if they managed to unload the entire edition. If they did, only their sorry friends must have bought it. If so, Malaria likely lost the very same friends within an hour. And their parents.

The friends probably lost their parents too.

The folk medley on side 2 is, er, ”interesting”. It's so completely lost at sea with no boat in sight on the entire Northern hemisphere. Or the Southern hemisphere either. Picture a family of drunken monkeys trying to figure out whether this flute is supposed to be in your mouth or in your ass, or if you can eat this drum, and you come close to what it sounds like. Compared to that, the ”Scarborough Fair” cover that follows it is almost enjoyable...

The ”favourite” track on the album is possibly ”Hold On, Abraham” though. It has a bass solo. Or something you might want to describe as a bass solo if you're in a good mood and the sun is shining and you slept well for a good long night. I once sent a Malaria CD-R to a friend of mine, with the appropriate warning and a malicious cheer to go along with it. He replied to me, ”I went on a Mallorca holiday for a week, and upon my return, the bass solo was still playing...” And remember, when the bass solo ends, it's followed by a guitar solo...

To say that the three Malaria guys, whose names shall be kept in secret out of care of their possible children, don't know how to play is to give unnecessary credit to their... musicianship. It's as if they've never seen a musical instrument ever before in their entire lives. ”Look! Is this what they call a guitar? Oh, this hole here, I think you're supposed to shout into it! Golly gee, I'm a guitarist now! Girls like guitarists! Cool!”

There was a vinyl reissue of this album in the 90's. I think it was in an edition of 200 copies. I used to have one of those. I bought it second hand in the shop where I first heard it. I needed to have it as a reminder of the first experience. It made me laugh so hard I accidentally turned another customer over; he was squatting on his haunches and I was laughing so hysterically I wasn't aware of him. I just couldn't stop laughing.

The knocked over guy didn't return to the shop for several months.

Later I sold my copy. I explained to the guy behind the counter just how bad the album was. He doubled the price I asked for it. ”If it's that bad,” he said, ”someone will buy it before the end of the week.” He was right. That's record collecting for you, folks!

There was also a massively rare 10 copies edition of the reissue with the cover and the inner sleeve screenprinted by Jon McCafferty who did the cover of "Green" for R.E.M.

If I am to say something good about this album, how impossible it may seem, then I guess it has to be that it reputedly inspired The Underground Failure to record and release their album soon after. If it isn't true, then there's nothing good to say about Malaria.

The Tibet -46 label later evolved into Musiklaget who released a handful of albums in the 70's.

"Hold On Abraham"