DRÖMPOJKARNA – Drömpojkarna (Grisbäck, 1979)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: -

Featured here mainly because of the label Grisbäck run by Ulf Bejerstrand, and because it's included in the '100 bands that didn't make the cut' in The Encyclopedia of Swedish Progressive Music. Very little here could possibly be called progg, although there's a couple of references to the Music Movement mentality in one of the lyrics. Mostly "Drömpojkarna" is just straightforward pop, or perhaps 'rural new wave' if such a thing exists. I suspect it was some of the lyrics that appealed the most to Beijerstrand's prepubescent toilet humour.

The album was reputedly recorded in just 17 hours and it's probably true. If you can ignore the weak vocals and some of the most embarrassing lyrics (which is hard if you're a Swede), some of the songs are in fact rather good and wouldn't have been out of place on some early outing on the seriously amiable Svenska Popfabriken label. (As a matter of fact, Drömpojkarna went to the village of Klippan in Skåne after this debut album was released to record their final two 45s in the Svenska Popfabriken's legendary Studio Bombadill.) "Vagabond” is a catchy enough psuedo-country number, and the band's theme song ”Drömpojkar” is a nice slow garage rock inspired track, while a basement organ adds an ethereal, almost psychedelic touch to ”Äppelpaj med vaniljsås”. But the flat production and the general uniformity of the songs makes the album too one-dimensional to sit through in a single session. And, like I said, there's not much here for the progg-head.

However, a completely remixed version of the album appeared in 2023. The remix is so different it also turns "Drömpojkarna" into a new and better album. There's more depth to the new mix, and the narrow soundstage, previously more or less mono, has widened to great benefit.

After releasing the two aforementioned singles, Drömpojkarna members went on to join other Svenska Popfabriken bands (including the obscure Hugh Scott Band who re-recorded "Vagabond") and Aston Reymers Rivaler.

Full album playlist
Full remixed album playlist

KUNG TUNG – Kung Tung på ”Redit”! (Ljudcenter Recordings, 1977) / Det är ett kort liv – det är våra liv! (MNW, 1978) / Demos och live 1974-1975 (Plätt, 1995)

Ulf Bejerstrand's original band Kung Tung was better than his solo albums but that doesn't say much. Then again, he was only the bass player – main songwriter and singer was Thomas Svensson (later Stålberg) and that probably saved Kung Tung from the worst Bejerstrand facepalm embarassments. Still they were a pretty crappy band, aiming at an Ensamma Hjärtan kind of satire but ending up with more attitude than substance where Ensamma Hjärtan had both. 

Kung Tung på ”Redit”! (Ljudcenter Recordings, 1977)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

”På 'Redit'!” was recorded live with inferior sonics to match the equally insufficient quality of their punky blues rock stumblings through original material and translated covers by Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan and Eddie Cochran. Plus one Gudibrallan cover. Excessively boring.

Det är ett kort liv – det är våra liv! (MNW, 1978)
Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

 

After their self-released debut, Kung Tung hooked up a deal with MNW, releasing ”Det är ett kort liv – det är våra liv!” in 1978. It obviously helped them direct their energy into something a little more consistent. But they're still as dull as watching an old bicycle rust. Peter Bryngelsson's guitar playing is good though but one wonders why he hung around with these nincompoops when he already had his own outfit, the initially magnificent Ragnarök.

Demos och live 1974-1987 (MC, Plätt, 1995)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

A self-released cassette compilation of previously unreleased archival recordings, including some made right at the beginning of Kung Tung's career. The early tracks are in a sound quality's just below basement level. The music's as lousy as usual. For Kung Tung completists only (if there are any).

2001 career overview ”Imperfekt” has a couple of non-album tracks including Kung Tung's only really good recording, their cover of Thomas Tidholm's ”Två blodröda segel” (originally on Hot Boys' ”Varma smörgåsar”).

Kung Tung disbanded in 1980, but had a continuation of sorts in Thomas Svensson/Stålberg formed Prins Lätt in the late 80's. Kung Tung reunited in 2013 and released a comeback album in 2014, ”Längre bort på livets väg”.

From Det är ett kort liv, det är våra liv

Fotogen

Du är min korvkiosk

The Arbetslös Blues

Tevelåten

Sa du nåt?

Dröm eller verklighet

Varm snö - Ge mig ett glas vatten

Marlon Brando

På "Redit"! and Demos och live 1974-1987 no links found

ULF BEJERSTRAND – Ett spel i röven (Grisbäck, 1978)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: **

Even before the dissoluton of Kalmar band Kung Tung in 1979, bassist Ulf Bejerstrand released solo albums – this is his second. ”Ett spel i röven” sometimes sound like a proper album but too often Bejerstrand gives in to his sense of anal humour making him sound like a five-year-old with access to record equipment. A lot of ”Ett spel i röven” (the title may be translated to ”a freak-out in your ass”) sounds impertinent for the sake of impertinence only. Some people probably get off on burps and farts – Bejerstrand obviously do – but my humour isn't quite that infantile. But he payed for the release and if he enjoyed wasting his money on nonsense, that's up to him. (He used to toss his albums into the audience after 60 second guerilla gigs when he hijacked the stage after the headliners had left, so at least not to many people had to pay for his albums.)

The album isn't very good even if you don't understand his puerilities, but at least it has two good tracks, both instrumental. But it should be said that ”Min låt” and ”Mjäll i tårtan” aren't good only because Bejerstrand is kind enough to keep his mouth shut on those tracks.

Min låt
Ett spel i röven