From: bjornl@sics.se (Bj|rn Lisper)
Subject: Re: Scandinavian progressive rock bands
Followup-To: alt.music.progressive,soc.culture.nordic
Organization: Swedish Institute of Computer Science, Kista
	<martem-190892141748@sv-mac06.uio.no>
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 14:24:31 GMT

In article <martem-190892141748@sv-mac06.uio.no> martem@uio.no (Marte Nolet)
writes:
>chrisley@oxford.ac.uk (Ronald L Chrisley) wrote:
>> In a month or so (yes, I'm planning ahead) I will be back in
>> Scandinavia for a week or two.  This time I plan to track down some
>> cheap (I know, dream on), obscure progressive rock.  I would like some
>> suggestions as to what to look for.

>I dont know were to look for second handshops in Sweden, a normal record
>in Norway is between 10 and 15 dollars.  
>You certanly should try to get some of the newer music by Mikael Wiehe and
>Bjoern Afzelius. But they might not be so interesting if you dont read
>Scandinavian. Also the old records of Hoola Bandoola and Cabareorkestern is
>great for those still having a maoist in his/her stomach. ...

Hope Ronald hasn't travelled yet... let me give some additional suggestions.
First, we should be aware that "progressive rock" means a different thing
here in Scandinavia than the rest of the world: here it refers to a brand of
rock music with political lyrics that was quite common in the early
seventies. I believe Marte assumed this interpretation. On the other hand,
to further add to the confusion, progressive rock in the usual
(non-Scandinavian) meaning often coexisted on the same labels as the
political progressive rock. I speak in the past tense since most of this
music was produced back in the seventies, or early eighties. So, some
"conventionally progressive" Scandinavian music to look for (no ambition to
be complete here):

Swedish: Flasket Brinner. Bo Hansson. Kebnekajse, if you like rock mixed
with traditional Swedish folk music. The different incarnations of Samla
Mammas Manna/Von Zamla etc. Solo albums by Lars Hollmer (member of Samla
Mammas Manna); wonderful ethnocraze in odd meters. Kaipa, fairly symphonic.
Dice, very symphonic (and obscure). Trettioariga Kriget (later just Kriget),
reminiscent of Rush but actually predated them with a couple of years, also
very obscure today.  Algarnas Tradgard, made only one album with very
psychedelic/electronic flavor. Made in Sweden, jazzy, several incarnations
exist (all led by jazz/rock guitarist Georg Wadenius). Especially good is
the live album "Live at The Golden Circle" where they are a trio playing
various covers (yes, it IS great! Believe me!)  Pop Workshop, grossly
underrated (and obscure) fusion collaboration with Swedish, American and
Polish musicians, sounds a lot like Weather Report. Different bands with
Lars Bryngelsson (?)  (Triangulus, ...). Isildurs Bane. Cosmic
Overdose/Twice a Man, synth-based, somewhat later.  Boojwah Kids, if you
like Beefheart-inspired music. Myrbein, a couple of music college students
who formed a fairly crazy (but musically apt) band. Flaskkvartetten, VERY
interesting electrified string quartet w. percussion: check especially for
their work with singer Freddie Wadling. This is more recent and available on
CD.

Denmark: Burnin' Red Ivanhoe is what comes to mind.

Finland: Tassavallan Presidentti, great early seventies prog-jazz-fusion
with monster guitarist Jukka Tolonen. Get this by any means, especially
Lambert Land. Also check out Jukkas early solo albums (the later ones are
quite bland). Wigwam. Anything with the great bassist Pekka Pohjola. I think
most of the above is reissued on CD.

Norway: sorry, no idea!

Much of the above is not available in ordinary record stores (unless recent
or reissued on CD, but most isn't): thus, second-hand stores are the places
to begin with. In Stockholm you should check out Skivix at Barnhusgatan,
Wasa Skivbors at Halsingegatan, and S:t Eriks Skivbors at S:t Eriksgatan not
far from the S:t Eriks bridge. The latter has limited hours. There are
several others, the best you can do is to get a yellow pages telephone book
and check under "Grammofonskivor".  Stores that have "skivbors" in their
names or advertise with "begagnat" will have second-hand records. The YP
telephone book also has a good street map with street register.

Hope this helps!

Bjorn Lisper

PS. All the above, names etc, is modulo umlaut. DS.
Newsgroups: alt.music.progressive,alt.rock-n-roll,rec.music.misc