PIERRE STRÖM & FINN ZETTERHOLM – Första maj: 11 socialistiska sånger (YTF, 1973)

   

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Neither Pierre Ström nor Finn Zetterholm are strangers to this blog, but this is the only album they did together. Not that I mourn that fact, because I'm not a fan of any of them and this one double bill effort is more than enough.

The album title means ”First of May (11 Socialist Songs)”, and it's entirely dedicated to songs associated with Labour Day and the labour movement. And it sounds just like a political rally, with Ström & Zetterholm predictably opening with ”L'Internationale” before yelping their way through Swedish versions of Socialism's Greatest Hits like ”Bandiera Rossa”, ”The Partisan” and ”Warschawjanka” (one of the better songs in this field). Despite utilizing the talents of usual suspects Janne Schaffer, Göran Lagerberg, Jan Bandel and a handful of other experienced studio faithfuls, most of it sounds pretty much like any album of this ilk. "Warschawjanka" has some wah-wah guitar colour and there's somewhat unusual drum pattern at the end of ”Bandiera Rossa”, but it's only details that can't save the album.

Cover variations exist, some with a sticker with album title and the artists' names on front, some with no such info at all on the front sleeve.

Första maj / Partisansången / Bandiera Rossa / Världens alla slavar vakna  / Komintern  / Warschawjanka / Riegohymnen/ Socialisternas marsch 

ZETA – 1974 (Mimo Sound, 2019; rec. 1974) / Svart Dag (Mimo Sound, 2024; rec. 1977) / Speleman/Walking Down The Starway (Sonet, 7", 1978)

After drummer Björn Malmros's stint in Alexander Lucas, he formed his own band Zeta in 1974. Originally a four-piece, they went through a couple of line-up changes before debuting for Sonet with single ”Speleman” in 1978, followed by a second 45 ”Vicken tjej” in 1979. By that time, the sound had changed fundamentally to a mainstream kind of AOR of no interest to this blog. However, very different sounding recordings by previous incarnations of the band exist and have trickled out on streaming platforms over the years. 

1974 (Mimo Sound, 2019; rec. 1974)
Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental
International relevance: ***

From their formation year of 1974 comes this 26 minute studio session. Three tracks are untitled instrumentals, and as they don't really hold up as such, my guess is they are unfinished backing tracks supposed to have vocals overdubbed at a later stage. That leaves five tracks that reveal a band surprisingly mature in their fledgling year. The vocals are a bit weak (especially on the only English speaking track ”Burning”), but the music is good-to-great early hard rock that surely would be in high demand among collectors had it only been released back in '74. Some tracks are straight up excellent, such as ”Jag går genom staden” and most notably ”En alvkung” – a classic had it been given the chance to become one. The tapes are a bit hissy, but if someone took the time to clean them up, most of these tracks are well worthy of a proper release.

 

Svart dag (Mimo Sound, 2024; rec. 1977)
Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: ***

Three years later, and Zeta had become a power trio with only Björn Malmros left from the original incarnation. Despite being recorded in 1977, this nine-track tape – only 21 minutes long – is quite unaffected by the burgeouning heavy metal sound of the era and is much closer to old school hard rock, with the possible exception for the closing instrumental ”Fantasia”. ”En alvkung” makes a reappearance here in a version standing up for itself not needing any comparisons to the original take. Again, some careful noise removal and sensible remastering is all it takes, and then this is ready for vinyl. Make it side 2 of an album with an accurately trimmed down version of the 1974 session on side 1 and you'll have a pretty brilliant slice of long-lost underground hard rock from the classic era.

 

Speleman / Walking Down The Starway (Sonet, 7". 1978
Swedish vocals, English vocals
International relevance: *

The first proper release from Zeta was this 7”, but the last to warrant inclusion here. The decline into a very uninteresting mainstream sound had already begun, even though it's not as bad as it soon would be. ”Speleman” is decidedly the better track of the two, with some light progressive touches, but compared to ”1974” and ”Svart dag”, this is ignorable. Issued in red vinyl in Sonet's "Swedish Tracks" series.

Like I mentioned earlier, a revamped Zeta released one further 45 (in 1979), and there are more previously unreleased tapes available for streaming. But none of these are attention worthy, with very little left of what made them so good in the beginning.

1974 full album playlist 
Svart Dag full album playlist 
Speleman full single playlist 

FINN ZETTERHOLM & MARIE SELANDER – Lillfar och Lillmor (SR, 1970)

  
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

I wouldn't say that Finn Zetterholm's and Marie Selander's voices and vocal styles are a perfect match, but it's no wonder Zetterholm chose Selander as a singing partner on this album. It's a collection of old short folk songs, some almost like children's rhymes, and with no better female folk singer in Sweden than Marie Selander, few could do this better than her. It's also Zetterholm's best 70s album, much thanks to Bengt-Arne Wallin's interesting arrangements quoting both jazz and renaissance music. No wonder, as jazz players such as Palle Danielsson, Egil Johansen and Rune Gustafsson appears, plus the nation's prime advocate for renaissance music. multi-instrumentalist Sven Berger on instruments like dulcian, hurdy gurdy and bassoon, and Eric-Gustaf Brilioth adding the colourful timbre of crumhorn. It's not one of my regular spins, but Folk & Rackare fans may be interested in hearing ”Lillfar och Lillmor” at least once.

Full album playlist

BENGT SÄNDH & FINN ZETTERHOLM – Complete albums 1969-1977

 Hemtjörda visor (Sonet, 1969) with Finn Zetterholm
OBS. täxten (Sonet, 1969) with Finn Zetterholm
Världens minnsta LP (YTF, 1971, 33 rpm 7") with Finn Zetterholm
Folklår – våra allra fulaste visor (YTF, 1977) with Finn Zetterholm
Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

Bengt Sändh is a troubadour with a life story much more interesting than his music. He grew up in orphanages and foster homes where he was sexually assaulted by the carers before eventually moving to his grandfather. He went to nine different schools in three years, and was repeteadly held in custody and reformatories. He ran away from one of them, as did he from military service for which he spent a month in open prison. He reputedly stole 46 cars in ten days and had forty different jobs in the course of a few years, including pall bearer, locksmith and mannequin maker. His recording debut came in 1965 with an album together with fellow troubadours Stefan Atterhall and Finn Zetterholm. Zetterholm came to be Sändh's most frequent collaborator over the years, both being controversial figures with a taste for songs and subjects on and over the edge of the commonly morally acceptable. (He also released a couple of albums with two other troubadours, Rune Andersson and Jeja Sundström, plus two solo albums up to 1981 but they're not included here.) 

Rudeness and drinking were two regular characteristics. Always at odds with society and its norms as a person and a performer, his albums were honestly meant manifestations of his denial of acceptability rooted in a disappointment with social rules. But in the end, they're all about shock value. Once the effect wears off which it immediately does, they just sound pueril and empty to an outsider. And with the music being bad too it's absolutely nothing to waste your time on.

After leaving the music scene, Sändh became a snuff producer (not as in snuff movies, but as in tobacco).

Hemtjörda visor full album playlist
OBS. täxten full album playlist
Världens minnsta LP full 7"
Folklår full album playlist

FINN ZETTERHOLM & KABARETORKESTERN – Längtans blåa elefant (YTF, 1977)

 Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Visa singer Finn Zetterholm is more interesting as a troublemaker than a musician, and this album is
mostly academically interesting for having Mikael Wiehe's Kabaréorkestern as a backing band. It guarantees some good musicianship, if nothing else. It does have a few decent moments apart from that though, especially when Zetterholm gets a bit closer to folk melodies, as on ”Sven i Rosengård anno 1977”, and the melancholy ”Fågelns visa” and ”Vaggvisa vid Ekofisk”. They also try for a more creepy atmosphere on ”Flickan som skrek” without really succeeding. But too many songs are just silly, and all in all, this isn't a very memorable album at all.

Näktergalen
Fridas klagan över snön 
Fången på Hall 
Flickan som skrek
Bröllopet i hönsgården
Sven i Rosengård anno 1977
Balladen om Sussie
Jimmy Carters Rag
Barnvisa
Vaggvisa vid Ekofisk
Sång till fars dag
Sång i lönearbetestakt eller Nyaste grottesången
Fågelns visa

FINN ZETTERHOLM – Joe Hill på svenska (Intersound, 1969)

 Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Joe Hill's real name was Joel Hägglund but he changed his name after emigrating to America in 1902. There he became an early Woody Guthrie kind of figure, a union activist writing songs that became anthems for the American labourers movement. Sometimes he wrote new words to old revival hymns, much like Guthrie did with traditional material. Needless to say, Hill's songs were also popular among the progg alumni, and a few albums of Joe Hill songs were released in Sweden including one by Mora Träsk (who, like Joe Hill himself, originated from the city of Gävle).

Troubadour and provocateur Finn Zetterholm might seem well equipped for interpreting Joe Hill's outspoken songs, but the result isn't very good. ”Joe Hill på svenska” (later reissued as ”Finn Zetterholm sjunger Joe Hill”) is annoyingly perky and some tracks border on dixieland jazz. And to be honest, Joe Hill's songs simply aren't on the level of Woody Guthrie's. This is just another album existing for political reasons more than musical ones.

Hill's fate was more interesting albeit a gruesome one. He was accused for murdering a police officer but wouldn't defend himself having been in bed with another man's woman. It was his alibi but not wanting to reveal the true circumstances, Hill was sentenced to death. He had an option: being hanged or shot. He chose the latter and was executed 1 October, 1915 in Salt Lake City. As a side note, country singer Lefty Frizzell's murder ballad ”Long Black Veil”, written by Marijohn Wilkin and Danny Dill and later covered by numerous artists, is very similar to the story of Joe Hill's death.

Full album playlist

ZTHÜREHZ – Zthürehz (Sill Y, 1981)

Instrumental, English vocals, Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

A very rare half symphonic, half new wave private pressing released in 500 copies locally in the band's hometown Vimmerby. Very rare yes and in the multi-hundreds region pricewise, but – you know where I'm going with this – incredibly bad. Even the band name is stupid. Not that 'Zthürehz' means anything in Swedish, it isn't a proper word, but it sounds completely moronic anyway.

It's all cheesy synths galore, crappy vocals, stupid lyrics, and twee songs on one hand pretending to be Kaipa 'ambitious', on the other some kind of punk/new wave. Well, OK, ”I'm Rich” could possibly have been a decent power pop number in the hands of anyone except these wannabe nobodies.

But the worst track by far and further still is ”I träsket”, a reggae attempt so horrendous I wouldn't blame Jamaica if they want to declare war on Sweden.

I suppose Zthürehz were pretty young when they recorded this album, and you could say that ought to work for the benefit of their questionable honour but the album still sucks mammoth genitalia. At best it sounds like a very embarassing school project some untalented kids force their poor parents to sit through in pain and boredom.

They named their label Sill Y and well, at least they got that right. Silly it is.

Nice album cover though, if you scratch out the band's name.

They (I can't make myself spell out their name again) also released a 7” in 1984. I haven't heard it, and I have no wish whatsoever to do so either.

Full album

FIENDENS MUSIK – Fiendens Musik (Bellatrix, 1979) / Häftiga hästen och andra äventyr (Bellatrix, 1980) / ZETTERBERG & CO – Z (Tredje Tåget, 1982)

Fiendens Musik (Bellatrix, 1979)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Formed in Lund by singer Mats Zetterberg and saxophonist Mats Bäcker in 1977, Fiendens Musik was a transitional band with their roots in progg and the energy of punk and UK pub rock. After a couple of singles, this debut album appeared in 1979. An very good effort that deserves a lot more attention than it seems to get. ”En spark rätt i skallen” is a classic though, and among the other great tracks are ”Snutbil” (a translation of Larry Wallis' brilliant ”Police Car”), the frantic ”Mer eller mindre (mot din vilja)”, and the chilling album closer ”Sista skriket”. One of the greatest albums with one foot in progg and the other in the new, loud sonds of the late 70s.

Häftiga hästen och andra äventyr (Bellatrix, 1980)
Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

The second album isn't quite on par their debut album, with less energy. Or rather with more pop energy and less punk ditto. Best tracks: ”Unga så länge vi vill”, ”Jag kommer” and ”En våning upp”.

Z (Tredje Tåget, 1982)

as Zetterberg & Co

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: **

Released as Zetterberg & Co on Mats Zetterberg's label Tredje Tåget, but this is effectively the third Fiendens Musik album. The songwriting is a bit stronger than on ”Häftiga hästen och andra äventyr”, with ”Ingen trygghet”, ”Alltid en öl i min hand” and ”Underläge/överläge” highlighting the set. ”När tuppen kacklar” is a Swedish version of traditional song ”Black Jack Davy” with vocal assistance from Monica Törnell.

Fiendens Musik released a couple of great singles to expand their all too small discography. Mats Zetterberg was also in Bluesblocket. A reunited Fiendens Musik has recorded a yet unreleased comeback album.

Fiendens Musik full album playlist
Häftiga hästen & andra äventyr full album playlist
Z full album playlist

TOM ZACHARIAS – Belinda (SB, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

The curious Tom Zacharias is said to have attended the same private school at the same time as Sweden's future monarch Carl XVI Gustav. He was predicted a future in tennis but wanted to become an actor. Instead he turned into a stand up comedian, a career that ended when he at one point peed on the audience... Zacharias then tried his luck as a pin-up boy (he didn't quite have the looks for it) and actually did some acting before scoring a record deal with MNW for one 45, released on their Green Light imprint. The single was a massive flop. Reputedly only a handful of copies were sold. MNW didn't renew the deal. Zacharias then had an album out on Grammofonverket in 1973, ”Är du ärlig – är du härlig”.

Trying hard to make it in the entertainment business and haphazardly taking whatever showbiz job he could get, Zacharias jumped at the chance when shady businessman and inventor Stefan Brydolf one day contacted him. He suggested Zacharias should write a book and record two albums with triple X rated content. Zacharias came up with the BDSM themed book ”Rebecka” in three weeks, released to no success and soon forgotten altogether. The material for the first of the two albums was written during the same intensive period, and then quickly recorded by an exhausted Zacharias together with session drummer Rolf Alex, bassist Lars Bergstrom (ex-Levande Livet) and guitarist Tommy Broman. For the female vocals, Esther Nordenbring (previously involved in the Tillsammans project) and Suzie Heine (whoappeared in the Swedish stage version of ”Hair”) were recruited, appearing on the album as Vera Fräsch and Helen Bed. The album's cover star is Tommy Broman's girlfriend at the time, Karin.

The first album was named ”Belinda” and sold anonymously in porn shops and through ads in porno mags. It's probably the most infamous Swedish album of the 70's, perhaps even of all time (and that includes Johnny Bode's scandalous ”Bordellmammans visor” which gave Stefan Brydolf the idea for the ”Belinda” albums to begin with). The lyrics certainly are hardcore, I assume way too coarse for the average listener – sadism, incest and enema are ingredients in this bizarre stew.

The story behind "Belinda" and the myth surrounding Zacharias are much better than the music itself. Yes, it's a bit more accomplished than one would suspect from the nature of the album and the circumstances under which it was recorded, but that has more to do with the session players than the songs. Some of them are OK, some pedestrian, some just bad. You could say ”Belinda” sounds like a technically more talented Erik Aschan album.

The follow-up album ”Belindas döttrar” was recorded three months later, and selections from both volumes were chosen for a projected album in English. New vocals were overdubbed but the English album went unreleased until Subliminal Sounds unearthed the recordings in 2004 and released them as a CD with bonus tracks from the Swedish versions. They also reissued it on double vinyl in 2011.

Tom Zacharias had another album out in 1975, ”Horar gör vi alla”, and a children's album (!) followed in 1979, ”Vi barn” that was awarded with the Swedish 'children's album of the year' Grammy (!!!). He also acted in children's TV series ”Katitzi” the same year, appearing alongside actor/drummer Janne Carlsson (i.e. the half of Hansson & Karlsson that's not Hansson). In 1984 he released ”Till frukost” on his own label, featuring 50 people including Turid Lundqvist whispering profanities. He continued looking for a breakthrough and participated in various strange projects over the years before passing away in 2010.

Full album playlist with bonus tracks

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

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