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

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

SAN MICHAEL'S / KAIPA / ROINE STOLT – The 1970's albums

Kaipa is one of the most cherished Swedish progressive bands. They grew out of the fertile progg soil of Uppsala, but their roots go back to 1964 and cover band The Shakemen with future Kaipa keyboardist Hans Lundin in their line-up. The Shakemen soon changed their name to St. Michael's Sect and released a few singles before making their album debut in 1970 with their name shortened to San Michael's. As such, they also appeared as a tour band for a few popular artists.

SAN MICHAEL'S – San Michael's (California, 1970)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

For their first and for a long time only album, the band dropped the 'Sect' part from their name. It's an organ driven album with pop sensibilities and Swedish lyrics. The playing is tight but the album isn't too interesting in a British Procol Harum and The Fox vein with unimpressive vocals from Hans Lundin. ”Drömliv” most obviously points to the band's Kaipa future with multiple time signatures and an extensive use of dynamics, and is the best track in this lot.

SAN MICHAEL'S – Nattåg (Transubstans, 2009; recorded in 1972)
Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

San Michael's became a rather popular live act in Sweden and Norway, and in 1972 they recorded their second album with touring member Nane Kvillsäter now a permanent guitarist. However, the album went unreleased at the time but was unearthed almost 40 years later by Swedish label Transubstans. It's a more mature effort than ”San Michael's” showing that the band benefitted from Kvillsäter joining the band. The songs are better overall and the performances are heavier than on their debut. The thin vocals are still the weakest link though. All in all, it would have made perfect sense releasing ”Nattåg” in the early 70's, as intended.

KAIPA – Kaipa (Decca, 1975)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

In January 1973, San Michael's split up and Hans Lundin formed a new band with San Michael's bassist Tomas Eriksson, and drafted Thomas Sjöberg as a drummer. As Ura Kaipa they released the ingratiatingly catchy 45 ”För sent”, closer to San Michael's than later Kaipa in style, with The Nice/ELP inspired instrumental ”Bay-E, Bay-O” on the flipside, both originally recorded for San Michael's aborted second album. The original Ura Kaipa changed as Sjöberg was struck by cancer, and Ingemar Bergman took his place, and adding guitarist Roine Stolt. With a new line-up, Kaipa found their vision and the conditions to formulate it. With Lundin being a fan of Merit Hemmingson, ”Kaipa” displays a penchant for traditional Swedish folk melodies, tastefully incorporated with the band's strong symphonic leanings, most notably on ”Ankaret” and the beautiful ”Skogspromenaden”. Symph rock more often than not becomes unwieldy with its overblown ambitions, but ”Kaipa” is a nicely balanced piece of work that stands out as the band's best album. Reissued on CD with two bonus tracks.

KAIPA – Inget nytt under solen (Decca, 1976)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

”Inget nytt under solen” shares many of its characteristics with Kaipa's debut, but something has decidedly changed here. ”Skenet bedrar” is a side long suite and that sets my alarm off. And yes, it's as pompous as the scope suggests. Synthesizers crop up everywhere on the album, and the album lacks freshness that made their first outing as appealing as it is. ”Inget nytt under solen” sounds dull and calculated and the rare fine moments drowns in the pretentiousness that is the album's hallmark.

KAIPA – Solo (Decca, 1978)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

”Solo” (curious titel for a band effort) is as appealing as coming home from a five day trip realizing you forgot to take out the garbage before you left. You want to open the windows and let some fresh air blow into the music. If ”Inget nytt under solen” felt calculated, this is even worse. ”Solo” is cerebral to the max and the production is lifeless and stale. A textbook example of bad symph prog.

KAIPA – 1974 Unedited Master Demo Recording (Decca, 2005; recorded in 1974)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

Released as part of the 5CD Kaipa box set ”The Decca Years”, and recorded as demos in the summer of 1974 prior to their debut LP, with plenty of tracks unreleased elsewhere. The songs were recorded to two-track but it doesn't matter that the sound quality isn't professional because Kaipa never sounds this fiery on any other release. It's a pity this has never been released separately.

KAIPA – Live (Decca, 2005; recorded in 1976-1978)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

Another box set exclusive compiling selections from three Swedish Kaipa shows and one from Copenhagen, Denmark. It's better than both ”Inget nytt under solen” and ”Solo” but only marginally. Not a reason enough to fork out piles of cash for ”The Decca Years”.

ROINE STOLT – Fantasia (Svenska Love, 1979)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

Kaipa's rising popularity lead to extensive touring in the late 70's, in turn creating conflicts within the band. A failed attempt to write new music in 1979 led to Roine Stolt's and bass player Mats Lindberg's departure. Stolt soon began working on his first solo album which appeared in 1979. While the restructured Kaipa moved into radio friendly and sometimes semi new wavish territory with two absolutely horrendous albums ”Händer” and ”Nattdjurstid” in 1980 and 1982 respectively, Stolt stayed closer to the symphonic area with ”Fantasia” but with equally bad results as his former band. Appalling symph synths, underwhelming songs that sometimes sound like TV themes and a production so unhealthy sounding it needs medical care. Ugly album cover, ugly music.

A live Kaipa session recorded for radio show Tonkraft in 1978 was included in ”Progglådan”. Further Tonkraft recordings from 1974 and 1978 can be found in great sound quality on the Japanese bootleg ”Stockholm Symphonie”.

Kaipa reformed in the early 00's, and Roine Stolt has led a successful career, performing with for instance The Flower Kings and Kaipa off-shoot Kaipa DaCapo. Hans Lundin released two solo albums in the 80's and has one album out as Hagen with folk fiddler Anders Rosén.

San Michael's full album

Kaipa full album playlist

Inget nytt under solen full album playlist

Solo full album playlist

 

from Nattåg

Nattåg 

Främling i en främmande värld

Försent + Bay-E Bay-O

Aftonbön 1972  

Som ett ljus i mörka nätter

Live

Total förvirring 

Skenet bedrar 

Visan i sommaren

En igelkotts död/Ömsom sken

Inget nytt under solen 

Copenhagen House-Jam 

Flytet 

Musiken är ljuset 

Se var morgon gry 

Noise-Village-Stone-Frog 

Oceaner föder liv (End Part)

1974 Unedited Master Demo Recording
Saker har två sidor

Under stora gröna träd
På färd
Taktus

Folke 2

Allting har sin början genom solen  

Cirrus
Akrobaternas flykt

Akrobaternas dans

Nattens affär  

Karavan

from Fantasia

Nytt blod 

Som svalor mot skyn 

Silversurfaren

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