This obscure Christian band recorded an album with some progressive moves and socially conscious Swedish lyrics, like the track "Våldets spiral".
| 1977 | ■ | Testa | OBLP-01 | ★★2 |
This outfit from Kalmar was formed in 1969 by the late Ronny Olsson, who had previously played in Electric Children. His new band released two singles, each with a different spelling of the their name. Edlund was replaced by Möller for the second single. The raw blues music is characterized by in-your-face fuzz guitar, especially on the psychedelic "Strange Infection". Rhythm guitarist Bo Wilson formed the successful blues-rock act Bo Wilson Band in 1980. For a while it included Lars-Göran Andersson, who was also an early member of Kung Tung.
| 1971 | ■ | One Bourbon One Scotch And One Beer/ One More Mile (S) | NCS NS0397 | ★★★★★★★★8 |
| 1971 | ■ | Live In The Studio Boogie / Strange Infection* (S) | NCS NS0400 | ★★★★★★★★8 |
This band was formed in Värnamo in 1975 and recorded this privately distributed maxi single with a mobile studio in a storage room. The music is late 70's rock with some progressive moves It's sung in both English and Swedish, with lyrics about love and politics. Omar continued well into the 80s.
| 1978 | ■ | Omar (S12) | Lucas Records LUC00001 | ★★★★4 |
Opponer was formed in the spring of 1973 when Arbetets Söner Och Döttrar split in two parts. The others became Löpande Bandet. Opponer played music that drifts from traditional folk to fuzz guitar rock - sometimes both styles at the same time - with political Swedish-language lyrics. Highlights on the album include the folk-psych of "Det kan väl hända" and the anti-drug, but still psychedelic, "Lasse Liten och spindeln". The single was a collaboration with the workers at Alfa-Laval's factory in Tumba, who provided the lyrics to "Alfa Blues". The band toured extensively throughout Sweden from 1973 to 1975. Leader Slim Lidén was previously a member of Diddlers and Låt & Trail while several members also played on Kenneth Thorstensson's album.
| 1974 | ■ | Gårdslåtar | Opponer OPP1 | ★★2 |
| 1975 | ■ | Alfa Blues / Till min make (S) | Opponer OPP2 | ★1 |
Legendary guitarist Janne Schaffer started his professional career already in the early 60's, but has often claimed that Opus III was the place where he first became a real musician. He had previously played with Ola Brunkert in Grapes Of Wrath. Brunkert, in turn, played with Björn Stolt in 60's pop band Science Poption. Opus III performed at the first Gärdet Festival and recorded one album featuring long jazzy instrumental pieces as well as some progressive vocal numbers. The friends referred to in the album title are the five guest vocalists hiding behind the aliases Richard Camembert, Troy Dunne, A.C.Tenderfoot, Herbert Reberstack and Simon Hair. In real life they were, in no particular order, Björn Skifs (Slam Creepers'), Ted Åström (Sleepstones), Janne Önnerud (Hounds), Bruno Wintzell (Hår) and the album's producer Claes af Geijerstam. Also playing on the album were Björn J:son Lindh and Johannes Olsson (Ola & The Janglers). Schaffer and Brunkert went on to become two of Sweden's most acclaimed studio musicians and played together on many ABBA recordings. Schaffer, Brunkert, Geijerstam and Skifs were also in the short-lived super group Marsfolket.
| 1970 | ■ | Opus III & Friends | Sonet SLP-2508 | ★★★★★★★7 |
This band was formed in Stockholm in 1965 and evolved into the first heavy power trio of the country. Their début single "Don't Fight It" appeared in three different versions. Initially, the vocals were mixed too low on the A-side (matrix 7540) but this was soon corrected on the second version (matrix CU 7541 2). There also exists a mispressing, featuring the original low mix, backed with a third version (matrix CU 7541 3) of "Don't Fight It" - although the label states that "From Four Until Late" is the B-side. Outsiders aimed for the charts with the light weight second single "So You're My Sister's Boyfriend" written by 50's rocker Little Gerhard. The contrast to the prototype stoner rock of the B-side's "Kinda Dead" couldn't be greater. Their third and last single was produced by Adrian Moar (Baltik) and is generally considered one of the all-time classic releases of the Swedish 60's, with both sides on the heavy side of psychedelia. Championed by Jimi Hendrix, the trio was considered hot stuff and went off to London to record an album. However, the tapes were subsequently lost and the band's steam was lost as well. With new drummer Börje Welén in tow, Hermelin and Larsson backed American country rocker Jack Downing on his 1970 album Now & Then. The album also featured guest appearances from Kris Kristofferson and Zal Yanowski (Lovin' Spoonful), but by now the Outsiders were all over.
| 1967 | ■ | Don't Fight It / From Four Until Late (S) | Reprise RS203 | ★★★★★★★7 |
| 1967 | ■ | So You're My Sister's Boyfriend / Kinda Dead (S) | Nashville NS 860 | ★★★★★★★7 |
| 1968 | ■ | On My Magic Carpet / Inside Of Me (S) | Polydor NH 59767 | ★★★★★★★★8 |