HASSE BRUNIUSSON – Mannaminne (Alternativ, 1983; rec. 1982)

Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental
International relevance: -

Recorded with Kaipa's Roine Stolt, this was the first and for almost 20 years only solo album from Samla Mammas Manna's drummer, although you could hardly tell unless you knew. I'm not a huge Samla fan, but I wish there was more of them in ”Mannaminne”. The only trace of Bruniusson's past is ”En sked för alla”, but that too is bad beyond belief. The rest is unbelievably crappy synth pop. ”Mannaminne” is a grotesque mishap, not for progg fans and not for synth fans either. I can't imagine who would possibly like this at all. A Samla or Kaipa fan with a full hearing loss perhaps.

Autodidakt
I Sing

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Alternative Instrumental Music (Caprice, 1980; rec. 1970-1978)

Featured artists: Kebnekaise / Arbete & Fritid / Bo Hansson / Fläsket Brinner / Tillsammans / Samla Mammas Manna / Spjärnsvallet / Iskra / Archimedes Badkar / Anita Livstrand / Ramlösa Kvällar

Instrumental 

International relevance: ***

An excellent if redundant compilation in Caprice Records' ”Music In Sweden” series. This is volume 7 and just like the title says, focusing on instrumental progg. All tracks are taken from previously released albums so there's nothing exclusive here. But, as a cream-of-the-crop overview, it's carefully selected and sequenced, with great numbers from the likes of Kebnekaise (from their second, invincible album and before their changed their spelling to Kebnekajse), Arbete & Fritid, Fläsket Brinner, Archimedes Badkar, Anita Livstrand, Spjärnsvallet and Bo Hansson. Pretty much the go-to album for a progg newbie interested in the non-vocal side of Swedish progg, as well as a thoroughly enjoyable disc to the ears of the already converted.

An LP sized multilingual booklet with short pieces on the participating groups as well as a introduction to the Swedish progg scene is included.

Kebnekajse - Barkbrödslåten
Arbete & Fritid - Två grekiska låtar
Bo Hansson - De svarta ryttarna/Flykten till vadstället
Fläsket Brinner - Gunnars dilemma
Samla Mammas Manna - Oförutsedd förlossning
Spjärnsvallet - Pojkarna
Archimedes Badkar - Darkpen
Anita Livstrand - Didjeridoo/Kulning
Ramlösa Kvällar - Maskulina mystiken 

TEDDYBJÖRN BAND – Teddybjörn Band (Piglet, 1980)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

A late-coming wannabe progg band based in Uppsala with a stupid name to boot ('Teddybear Band'). Teddybjörn Band released their sole folk shaded progressive styled album on the baffingly inconsistent and diverse Piglet label, home to Jonas Palm and others.

Opening track ”Toradans” is half decent as a lead-foot Samla Mammas Manna rip-off, but marred by stiff drumming and a synth sounding as if it was nicked from ABBA. The drumming is in fact a problem to the entire album, which is perplexing once you realize there are three different drummers playing here; Hasse Bruniusson (Samla Mammas Manna), Ingemar Bergman (Kaipa), and Per Gulbrandsen (Sub-gruppen, Störningen). It's not easy to tell them apart as all of them offer up such stiff performances they make a pile driver sound like a James Brown 45.

The vocals are mostly overwrought and overbearing and the worst singer of them all is Ann Chabaan who appeares on a couple of tracks. She takes the lead on ”Du har gett upp”, sounding like a bad dream to ruin even vibrato wobbler Jan Hammarlund's sleep.

To top it off, the production is clinical, almost sounding like a Nacksving album.

Teddybjörn Band tries contortionally to come up with something worthwhile but constantly lose themselves in a morass of clichéd pretentiousness.

One of the singers in the band, Frans Mossberg, did the cover painting and released 1982 solo album "Tystnader", also on Piglet.

Full album

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Bygg ett eget musikforum (Upsala Musikforum, 1973) / 018/Tio grupper (Svenska Love Records, 1980)

The music forums were the backbone of the 70's progg movement, not only providing places to play for nationally established acts but for local bands executing their talents (or lack thereof) as well. Many of the music forums (well, some at least) were rather well organized units with plenty of people involved in booking, budget issues etc, all on a non-profit basis where the money earned went back into the independent operations that apart from music in several cases also included other social activities. The two best known and as far as I know also longest running music forums were the one in Uppsala and Gothenburg's Sprängkullen. Uppsala Musikforum was the archetype, the blueprint for other music forums to come. In 1973, Uppsala Musikforum recorded several bands associated with them, and self-released the double album ”Bygg ditt eget musikforum”. 

 Bygg ett eget musikforum (Upsala Musikforum, 1973)

Featured artists: Samla Mammas Manna & Uppsala Kammarorkester / Rio Brazzaville / Simon Simonsson, Kristina Ståhl & Bengt Cedervall / Lön För Mödan / Tom Thomason / King Kinos / Hederskompaniet / Björnligan / Music Inn Big Band

Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental
International relevance: **

Most of the featured acts on ”Bygg ett eget musikforum” remain unknown outside a small circuit of local friends, and it's no wonder as most of them are mediocre at best. The style varies from the Mikael Ramel inspired prog rock of Rio Brazzaville (it sounds a lot better than it actually is); traditional fiddlers Simon Simonsson, Kristina Ståhl and Bengt Cedervall, and Lön För Mödan's political folk pop horribly similar to Fria Proteatern, to the decent but unspectacular acoustic blues of Tom Thomason and the urban sounding electric run-of-the-mill variant of King Kinos, the guitar-driven snooze jazz of Björnligan and Music Inn Big Band that sounds just like you expect from a combo of that name. Hederskompaniet's two tracks would have been OK had they kept their music instrumental, not spoiling it with an incredibly grating singer with a Jesus freak vibe.

That leaves us with the sole track of any real interest. Followers of this blog know I'm not a Samla Mammas Manna fan, but this ten minute version of ”Den återupplivade låten” (its standard incarnation can be found on ”Måltid”) is by far the best selection in this overlong exposé of Uppsala's music scene in the early 70's. Recorded with Uppsala Chamber Orchestra, it's a singular piece in Samla's ouvre with interesting timbres not found elsewhere in their discography. Furthermore, the track has never been reissued why ”Bygg ett eget musikforum” is essential to Samla die-hards – but hardly to anyone else.

 018/Tio grupper (Svenska Love Records, 1980)

Featured artists: The Stain / N-Liners / Rune Strutz / Automania / Rävjunk / Caiza / Olle Morgon / Lepra / Allan Ball / Original Rummies / Lars Garage

Swedish vocals, English vocals
International relevance: *

As progg waned at the tail end of the decade and punk took over, the surviving music forums changed accordingly. In Gothenburg, punk legends cum blue collar rock band Göteborg Sound became a crucial force to Sprängkullen, while Rävjunk (with one foot in stoned out progg jams and one foot in punk and new wave) played an important part in Uppsala. ”018/Tio grupper” was recorded in its entirety at Rävjunk's head quarters (referred to as ”studio” on the album cover; the quotation marks suggest it's really the band's rehearsal space). It was released by Svenska Love Records in collaboration with Uppsala Musikforum.

The Rävjunk connection is the only thing that make this release vaguely interesting to progg aficionados. It should be mentioned that their only contribution to this album, ”Slå tillbaka”, is along the lines of the punk/new wave dominating ”018/Tio grupper”, i.e. more akin to Rävjunk's 45's and the straight-forward 1-2-3-4! tracks on the ”Uppsala Stadshotell brinner” album. It's only two minutes long, so that should give a hint what it sounds like as well.

A couple of tracks move away from the traditional punk format, most notably Caiza's synth punk number ”Ångestskri” and Dag Vag clones Olle Morgon's ”Se mig”, but obviously none of these do anything to elevate the album's minimal progg credentials. Its value as a punk document cannot be questioned though.

And in case you wonder: The 018 of the album title is the Uppsala area code.

A documentary on Uppsala Musikforum was in the making in the 70's but abandoned. Thanks to one of the forum's driving forces, Anders Folke, the surviving footage is now up on Youtube. Taken for what it's worth – i.e. a time capsule and not a finished piece – it's worth a watch, especially to progg interested Swedes.

Bygg ett eget musikforum no links found
018/Tio grupper full album playlist

SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA – Ur sync (Slask, MC 1988; recorded 1976)

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

The rarest ever Samla Mammas Manna release, a cassette-only edition of 100 copies. Although it should be said it's Samla Mammas Manna as a three-piece before they changed their name to Zamla Mammaz Manna, with Eino Haapala on guitar, Hans Bruniusson on drums and Per Nordin on keyboards. That's right, no Lars Hollmer.

The tape is a one-sided release (side 'B' is blank) with the 25 minute jam ”Den ovala metern” in rehearsal room audio. It's better than the live portion of ”Schlagerns mystik/För äldre nybegynnare”, but only just. The trio builds up a certain tension during the first 5-6 minutes, but then it just drags on forever until dissolving into nothing at around 15 minutes. Rare yes, but no loss. 

Full tape

VON ZAMLA – Zamlaranamma (Urspår, 1982)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Samla Mammas Manna's first 'Z incarnation' Zamla Mammaz Manna disbanded following the marvellous ”Familjesprickor” in 1980. The year after, Lars Hollmer and Eino Haapala formed the second 'Z incarnation', Von Zamla, and recorded this album in the autumn of 1981. Von Zamla continued up until 1984, and put out two albums before disbanding, this one and ”No Make Up!” (1983).

Like ”Familjesprickor”, the much more synthesizer heavy ”Zamlaranamma” sits firmly in the RIO category but lacks the powerful tension and brilliance. Most of this album sounds like Lars Hollmer's solo music but with a more serious approach. A lot of it sounds like a bit too intrusive background music to a TV series you're not sure if you like.The album's OK but a far cry from "Familjesprickor".

An album of previously unreleased 1983 Von Zamla live recordings, simply called "1983", was eventually released in 1999 on Cuneiform.

Full album

SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA – Måltid (Silence, 1973) / Klossa knapitatet (Silence, 1974) / Snorungarnas symfoni (MNW, 1976)

It probably says more about me than about guitarist Coste Apetrea that the two Samla Mammas Manna albums I like the best don't have him in the line-up, the one they did before he joined the band, and ”Familjesprickor” by the Zamla Mammaz Manna incarnation. Most people would say that the 1972-1976 is their prime period and it's generally acknowledged as their most classic era.

Måltid (Silence, 1973)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

”Måltid” is the first album to feature Apetrea, and needless to say it's a much different album to the band's eponymous, guitarless debut. With Apetrea, the music lost most of the mysterious aura that surrounds their maiden work. Instead they developed their famed complexity and patented humour. Sometimes it's far too much of that make-a-funny-face sing-with-a-silly-voice thumbs-up tomfoolery. And sometimes, it's very good, as in "Folkvisa i morse". Often within the same song. And that's why I find ”Måltid” so frustrating to listen to.

Klossa knapitatet (Silence, 1974)

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

Coste Apetrea's influence on the band was really beginning to show here. A greater amount of fusion was beginning to creep into the slapstick music, with constant time changes (”heh heh, funny, eh?”) and over-complex compositions (”aren't we clever, eh?”). I can't shake off the feeling that they do it just because they can, to impress. It's peacock prog. Again, some good moments but on the whole, well, juvenile really.

Snorungarnas symfoni (MNW, 1976)

as Gregory Allan FitzPatrick/Samla Mammas Manna
Instrumental
International relevance: *** 

Greg FitzPatrick wrote ”Snorungarnas symfoni”, an extended work in four movements. Considering Samla Mammas Manna's considerable skills, it was a natural thing to let them perform it. Augmented by a horn section, they toured with ”Snorungarnas symfoni” and recorded it for MNW in 1976. Although it has parts that allow Samla Mammas Manna to show off and despite its grander scope, it's less overwrought and not as hysterical as Samla's regular albums. The downside is that it's not imaginative enough to warrant a 34 minutes playing time. Some parts could easily have been cut down to make for an overall more effective piece. 

After ”Snorungarnas symfoni”, Samla Mammas Manna took a break during which Coste Apetrea left the band (good riddance). Eino Haapala stepped in as his replacement, and the band officially reformed as Zamla Mammaz Manna.

Måltid full album playlist
Klossa knapitatet full album playlist
Snorungarnas symfoni full album playlist

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

CONVALJEN, PELLE, CHRISTINA, JOJJE – Kåklåtar (MNW, 1972) / KONVALJEN – Konvaljen (MNW, 1975)

There was an ongoing debate over prisoners' conditions in Sweden in the early 70's. The correctional facilities were criticized for being too old-fashioned, even inhumane. MNW decided to make a record of inmates performing their own songs telling their own story, and the album ”Kåklåtar” became an important contribution to the public debate, bringing further attention to their cause.

CONVALJEN, PELLE, CHRISTINA, JOJJE – Kåklåtar (MNW, 1972)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

A number of progg luminaries help the "Kåklåtar" singers out including Tore Berger, Greg FitzPatrick, Hans Wiktorsson, Tomas Forssell, and Tord Bengtsson. But the important performers are interns Lennart 'Convaljen' Johansson, Pelle Lindberg, Christina Calldén and George 'Jojje' Olsson performing mostly their own songs (some traditional) with lyrics written by other inmates. The importance of the album lies with what's being said and not how it's said. Obviously none of the singers are professionals and it has to be taken into consideration when approaching ”Kåklåtar”. It's unconditionally context-depending; from a strictly musical point, there's nothing thrilling here.

KONVALJEN – Konvaljen (MNW, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Of the ”Kåklåtar” singers, Lennart "Konvaljen" Johansson became the most popular, and having spent around three decades in prison, he also became the informal spokesman of Swedish prisoners. In 1974, he began working on his solo album together with the likes of Slim Notini, Nikke Ström and Samla Mammas Manna (backing him up on dull blues track ”Resocialiseringsblues”). It was released the following year, with Convaljen's name now spelt Konvaljen. The songs are similar to his contributions to ”Kåklåtar” in an uncomplicated troubadour style with the lyrics being the most important element. You could almost say that the message is the medium. ”Konvaljen” is a wee bit better than ”Kåklåtar” but the songs are still in an uninteresting troubadour style, and there's not much here for foreign listeners to pick up on (unless you're a hardened Samla Mammas Manna completist).

A much better prison themed album is Hawkey Franzén's ”Visa från Djupvik”.

For those wanting to learn more about the tradition of Swedish prison songs, a book was published in 2017, ”Kåklåtar – Fängelsevisor som identitetsmarkör och kulturarv”, written by Dan Lundberg, published by Gidlunds Förlag. An English translation is currently in the making.

Kåklåtar full album playlist
from Konvaljen

Resocialiseringsblues 

Lazzaron 

En billig rymning + Porrblaskan

NYA LJUDBOLAGET – Nya Ljudbolaget (MNW, 1981)

International relevance: ***

Instrumental, Swedish vocals

Ranked #13 on the blog's Top 25

Nya Ljudbolaget's name means ”The New Sound Company” in English and implies there was an old Sound Company too and there was. Before the late and sorely missed cellist Ove Karlsson joined Arbete & Fritid, that was his band. With Arbete & Fritid's last album ”Håll andan” being released in 1979, Karlsson was free to resurrect his old outfit, now with Samla Mammas Manna drummer/percussionist Hans Bruniusson, Samla relative Kalle Eriksson on trumpet, saxophonist Ulf Wallander (Ramlösa Kvällar, Samla Mammas Manna, Renhjärta et al), and on one track, Marie Selander on vocals.

”Nya Ljudbolaget” is like an extension of late era Arbete & Fritid, with a drone foundation supporting the sometimes Eastern, sometimes Swedish sounding melodies. But the album has more on offer than just that; "Chal Chal Chal" and the three-part suite ”Cellohalling/Putenska marschen/Ramlösa mammas fritid” have a strong air of Samla Mammas Manna and other RIO bands; ”Continuum Prometheus” is Terry Riley styled minimalism, while ”Minnesvisa” sounds like an old mournful Swedish folk song (but isn't). The entire album is wrapped in a dark kind of shimmer, wonderfully evocative, and should be considered mandatory by Arbete & Fritid fans, particularly those with an admiration for their later post-Roland Keijser period.

Full album

LARS HOLLMER – XII sibiriska cyklar (Silence, 1981) / Vill du höra mer? (Krax, 1982)

International relevance: ***/***

Instrumental, Swedish lyrics

Lars Hollmer was the most prolific ex-Samla Mammas Manna member, with several different projects and collaborations going while maintaining his solo career. He quickly became a much heralded part of the RIO scene, but also scored a surprise radio hit with the loveable ”Boeves psalm” from his first album ”XII sibiriska cyklar”, forcing Silence to release at as a single in 1983, two years after the LP was released. A lot of Swedes know the song without having a clue of Hollmer's past as a Samla Mammas Manna member or later activities.

”XII sibiriska cyklar” is an amiable collection of humorous vocal tracks and shrewd instrumentals, weaving together multiple musical traditions from different parts of the world into what can only be described as 'Hollmer music'. No-one can possibly question his significance to Samla Mammas Manna, but with his ideas isolated on a true solo album (he plays all the instruments himself), it becomes even more evident how crucial he was to the group's sound. ”XII sibiriska cyklar” is an endearing album which serious playfulness/playful seriousness is destined to make you feel nice and comfortable within.

”Vill du höra mer?” follows along the same lines, only with a broader soundstage, but it doesn't sound quite as fresh as the debut. It's good, but it would be even better if ”XII sibiriska cyklar” didn't already exist. The title track is the album's high mark, with lyrics about the life of a pained teenager making it one of the darkest tracks on any of these two albums.

”Vill du höra mer?” was the first of many releases on Lars Hollmer's own Krax label which stayed in business until Hollmer's untimely death in 2008.

XII sibiriska cyklar full album playlist
Vill du höra mer? full album playlist

ZAMLA MAMMAZ MANNA – Schlagerns mystik/För äldre nybegynnare (Silence, 1978)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

This sounds like a band lost, and they pretty much were exactly that in 1978. Having lost Coste Apetrea after Samla Mammas Manna collaborative album with Greg FitzPatrick in 1976, ”Snorungarnas symfoni”, the band reformed as Zamla Mammaz Manna with Eino Haapala in Apetrea's place. The first outing from this 'new' band was this double set, actually combining two separate albums.

I've always thought that the slapstick side of Samla Mammas Manna's music is incredibly annoying, even a bit embarassing. The first disc here, entitled ”Schlagerns mystik”, takes all that silliness and inflates it to the size of a weather balloon. Parts of the overlong ”Ödet” (17 minutes, bad idea) are OK, but the rest of the album has a seriously high suckitude level.

”För äldre nybegynnare” is the title of the second disc and is a collection of jams recorded live at various locations in Sweden. It's even worse than ”Schlagerns mystik”. There's no direction, no plan, no substance, no idea, no clue, no point, no nothing. It's like a kindergarten on steroids while the teachers are zonked out on prescription drugs. This is exactly the kind of (un)musical bunkum that gives avantgarde music a bad name.

Bring those two idiocies together and you get the worst ever release under the Samla/Zamla banner.

Well, that's not quite true because in 1979, they released a reggae parody 45 called "Lejonet av Ljuga" and that stinks so bad you have to breathe menthol for eighteen days straight after listening to it.

Full album playlist

GREG FITZPATRICK – Det persiska äventyret (MNW, 1977) / Bildcirkus (Mistlur, 1978)

 

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***/***

Beverely Hills born Gregory Allan FitzPatrick was the son of director and documentary maker James A. Fitzpatrick who began making movies in the 20's and whose career spanned five decades. He left the States in 1966 and spent a year in Finland before settling down in Sweden. He earned his living as a street musician, and eventually formed a band with Jan Bandel and Sten Bergman. They turned into Atlantic Ocean and recorded one album in 1969 (released the following year), then FitzPatrick left for Asia. Upon returning to Sweden, he initiated Handgjort that in turn spawned the Tillsammans project with a line-up large as a small city. In 1976 he teamed up with Samla Mammas Manna for ”Snorungarnas symfoni”. His first solo album appeared in 1977.

”Det persiska äventyret” is an unintentionally funny album. FitzPatrick sings in Swedish – or he thinks he does. With an American accent so thick you could chop bricks out of it to build a house with, it's sometimes almost impossible to understand what he says. You've got to admire his linguistical braveness though, more than the album itself. It's more peculiar than good due to his lack of proper Swedish. For some reason the album has a several cover versions of songs by Hoola Bandoola Band, Bo Hansson/Fläsket Brinner, Stenblomma, Robert Broberg, Gläns Över Sjö Och Strand and Philemon Arthur & The Dung's ”Du var min enda vän”. His passion for Sweden and the then contemporary music is endearing for sure but ”Det persiska äventyret” is actually rather dull apart from the curious pronounciation.

For his second album ”Bildcirkus”, released under his full birthname, he dropped the lyrics altogether in favour of an all instrumental semi-symphonic music that's closer to ”Snorungarnas symfoni” than ”Det persiska äventyret”. His pioneering infatuation with synthesizers shows. He uses them a lot on the album, making it sound dated and sterile. Parts of it remind me of Samla Mammas Manna member Lars Hollmer's solo albums, but ”Bildcirkus” isn't as heartfelt as say ”XX sibiriska cyklar”.

Greg Fitzpatrick later became an in-demand session player, and opened a synthesizer shop in Stockholm in the 80's. He then turned to jingles making for commercials, and he's also worked in the field of music pedagogy.

Det persiska äventyret full album playlist
Bildcirkus full album playlist

DE GLADAS KAPELL – Spelar Nilsson (Svenska Love, 1978)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

With Kornet's Stefan Nilsson, Samla Mammas Manna's Coste Apetrea, Jojje Wadenius of Made In Sweden and Peter Sundell from new age synth guru Ralph Lundsten's Andromeda All Stars forming this super group, it's pretty obvious from the start what ”De Gladas Kapell spelar Nilsson” is about: über competent fusion with all tracks written by Stefan Nilsson. Those who want impeccable musicianship first and foremost will love it. And yes, it's better than anything Kornet ever released and yes, it's a little more lively than Coste Apetrea's devastatingly boring solo albums but I had low school grades in math so De Gladas Kapell's many intricate equations and complex calculations mean absolutely nothing to me.

Coste Apetrea made sure to include De Gladas Kapell when he compiled ”Progglådan”.

Cover art by Tage Åsén who painted several albums for the Samla Mammas Manna clan and others.

Full album playlist
Tonkraft 1978
Rio dejavu
Lösnäsor
Ockhams rakkniv

ZAMLA MAMMAZ MANNA – Familjesprickor (Silence, 1980)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

After the tour for Samla Mammas Manna's Greg FitzPatrick composed ”Snorungarnas symfoni” released in 1976, the band took a break which led to guitarist Coste Apetrea leaving the band. As influential as he was to Samla's style, it was inevitable that their sound would change with him out of the group. Eino Haapala filled the void, and as the band took on a more improvisational approach, they also changed the spelling of their name to Zamla Mammaz Manna. The first album released as such was the confused double set ”Schlagerns mystik/För äldre nybegynnare”, and it wasn't until 1980's ”Familjesprickor” that the new line-up had matured. By then, drummer Hans Bruniusson had left as well – he appears only briefly on ”Familjesprickor”, with Vilgot Hansson now mainly handling the drum sticks.

Zamla Mammaz Manna soon became a vital part of the Henry Cow initiated Rock in Opposition movement, and ”Familjesprickor” shares some features with for example Belgian RIO outfit Univers Zéro. While their music still had some of the energetic playfulness that made the earlier Samla Mammas Manna favourites among some, the album revealed new and darker undercurrents. The music sounds threatening even in its most cheerful moments, as if it leans towards the listener slightly from above, mouth half open as about to tell you something unsettling or simply chew you up.

If you ignore the fact that ”Familjesprickor” pretty much is a different band and count Samla, Zamla and later Von Zamla as one, the album comes in as second best after their brilliant eponymous 1971 debut album.

Full album playlist

COSTE APETREA – Nyspolat (MNW, 1977) / COSTE APETREA & STEFAN NILSSON WITH JUKKA TOLONEN – Vänspel (Svenska Love, 1979)

Instrumental

International relevance: *** / ***

Of course there's a whole lot to be said about former Samla Mammas Manna member Coste Apetrea, He's been involved in so many things over the years. But I can't muster up enough enthusiasm for his solo work to bother. I can't think of many musicians as boring as him on his own.

”Nyspolat” was his first solo album and it's so dull it could bore the wallpapers off Carlos Santana's wall. This is guitar acrobatics ad nauseam, both acoustic and electric, set to a fusion backdrop that could bore the wallpapers off John McLaughlin's wall. I don't even understand why this music exists apart from satisfying Apetrea's inflated ego.

”Vänspel” was made with keyboard player Stefan Nilsson featuring ultrabore Jukka Tolonen. A tiny bit more exciting than ”Nyspolat”, thanks to Nilsson's piano, but it's still a pain to sit through. It's so cerebral and dull that it could bore the wallpapers off Al DiMeola's wall.

It's albums such as these that almost make me regret I started this blog.

By the way, Apetrea was responsible for the booklets accompanying the massive 40 CD ”Progglådan” release, with previously unreleased radio recordings by a large number of progg bands. Had he been as pedantic with his liner notes as he is with his music, then they wouldn't have been littered with so many spelling mistakes to make them more or less impossible to read without breaking something in frustration. Frankly the worst example of an insulting lack of proof reading I've ever seen in a published piece of writing I've ever seen. Sometimes he obviously just don't care when he should have, other times he cares way, way, way too much when he shouldn't.

Nyspolat full album playlist

Vänspel full album

RAMLÖSA KVÄLLAR – Ramlösa Kvällar (Silence, 1978)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Recorded in 1977 and 1978, and a much appetizing entry to the vast Samla Mammas Manna related catalogue, featuring Coste Apetrea and centered around the maverick talent of Lars Hollmer. Their name translates into ”nights without frames”, and frameless the music certainly is, blending a wide array of musical traditions into one highly appealing mix that those who accepts today's terminology would call world music. 

”Ramlösa Kvällar” is one of those albums that not unlike Anita Livstrand's "Mötet" transcends musical borders and shrinks the world into one strong unit. In other words, an album to teach us that different traditions are basically only different expressions of the same thing and that people can co-exist perfectly fine if only we'd give it a serious try. (Yes, I'm naïve enough to believe that music can bring us at least a little closer together.)

The album cross-pollinates Klezmer, Balkan, Oriental and Romani music but the very best track in this collection is the slow but tense seven minute Swedish traditional ”Vallåten” that would have been a high point even on an Arbete & Fritid album. 

Selections from a show recorded at Gärdet in Stockholm in 1977 are included in ”Progglådan”, and a longer radio recording (from the same show?) circulates in great sound quality and should be released officially. ”Ramlösa Kvällar” was reissued on CD in 1993 with an uglier cover design.

Full album playlist

 

Tonkraft 1977 full album playlist (tracks 4-8)

SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA – Samla Mammas Manna (Silence, 1971)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

Ranked #14 on the blog's Top 25 list

There's something special about debut albums, sometimes showing artists in their fledgling phase while still trying to find their identity. At best they capture a certain spirit lost already at the second try, for better or for worse. Or that's how it used to be. Nowadays, record labels more often than not expect artists to be fully finished, marketable units already before the release of their first single (or iTunes file). There's not a huge difference between artists and genetically engineered crops anymore.

Their eponymous debut album would likely not be the first choice of the regular Samla Mammas Manna fan, but it's the one that remains my personal favourite. Recorded before percussionist Henrik ”Bebben” Öberg left the group and before guitarist Coste Apetrea joined them, the sound is very different to and more easy-going than that of second and third albums ”Måltid” and ”Klossa knapitatet”, more reliant on Lars Hollmer's keyboards, particularly his music box electric piano.

With less emphasis on intricacy, it relies more on mood and atmosphere. The well-known Samla playfulness is already evident (albeit in a not yet fully developed form), but the recordings have an almost basement-like ambience to them, making the album peculiarly ambiguous, charming yet oddly spooky. Although not similar in style, the feel of the album somehow reminds me of Czech underground band Plastic People Of The Universe. It's like peeking through the secret keyhole and what you see in there sets the album apart from more or less every other album there is.

”Samla Mammas Manna” is definitely a progressive album, but with less of the fireworks complexity typical to the later Apetrea line-up, I find it a more enduring listen.

Full album playlist with bonus tracks