SEO

July 1, 2007

the spotnicks: tillägnad för herr dante fontana, rockin' lee bonnie bakely och baikanange

tillägnad för rockin' lee bonnie bakely och baikanange (bacon och äggen) och, för flera viktigt, Herr dante fontana, utan vem...
















adapted from Russian folk song, Polyushko Polye or The Cossack Patrol.

Long before Abba was said to be the first Swedish band to chart in the UK these guys made it. They were a sort of 'Swedish Shadows'.

In 1961, the group changed its name from The Frazers to The Spotnicks and they signed a contract with Karusell Records. The Spotnicks spent a lot of time at Casa Leon in Berlin and they also performed in France and Spain.

In 1962, The Spotnicks began to get airplay on the influential Radio Luxembourg. The Spotnicks toured England. As a gimmick they wore space-suits while on stage. In the Autumn The Spotnicks recorded their first LP in London, 'The Spotnicks in London Out-a-space'. The whole album was recorded in 17 hours! Single releases from this LP reached quite high spots in the English charts.

In 1963 The Spotnicks reached high positions in the charts in France, England and the USA. 'Amapola' stayed in the Swedish chart 'Tio i topp' for eight weeks and was later followed by 'Just listen to my heart' and 'Spanish Gypsy Dance'. The single 'Hava Nagila' reached a creditably high spot in the English charts and the LP got into the upper echelons of the LP chart in The New Musical Express. The Spotnicks appeared in the music movie 'Just for fun' and they also performed on several TV and radio shows. The Spotnicks also performed in the show 'Musicorama' on the famous stage of The Olympia in Paris. During the rehearsals the transmitter on Bo Winbergs guitar came through on the Paris police radio, which caused great confusion!

While in France, they recorded the rest of the songs for their second LP 'The Spotnicks in Paris'. 'Orange blossom special' reached number one in the Australian chart! The Spotnicks recorded their third LP 'The Spotnicks in Spain', which was released in many countries.

Over the next few years, The Spotnicks recorded several more LPs, charted in Japan, jammed with The Shadows , and even made it to Mexico! Although largely forgotten by the general public now, The Spotnicks were Sweden's first musical export, and in their day they were a major international act.

The Spotnicks are an instrumental rock group from Sweden, formed in 1961. They were famous for wearing "space suits" on stage, and for their innovative electronic guitar sound. They have since released 42 albums, selling over 18 million records, and still tour.

The Spotnicks originated from "Rock-Teddy and The Blue Caps", a group formed in 1957 in Gothenburg by guitarist Bo Winberg (b. March 27, 1939), with Bo Starander (b. March 11, 1942) (rhythm guitar), and Björn Thelin (b June 27, 1942) (bass). In 1958 they added Ove Johansson (drums), changed their name to "The Frazers", and began playing regularly in local clubs. They won a recording contract in 1961, and changed their name to "The Spotnicks", a name taken from the Russian satellite Sputnik and suggested by their manager. Starander was later known as Bob Lander.

They soon became the first Swedish group to have significant international success, in a similar style to The Shadows and The Ventures. They toured Europe, and one of their early records, "Orange Blossom Special", became their first big international hit, making the top 30 in the UK in 1962 and reaching # 1 in Australia. Around this time they began wearing their trademark "space suits" on stage, and recorded their first LP, The Spotnicks in London - Out-a-space, in 1962. Further hits included "Rocket Man" (no relation to the Elton John song), and "Hava Nagila" (their biggest UK hit, where it made # 13). Winberg also recorded solo, credited as "The Shy Ones".

In 1963, the single "Amapola" became one of their most successful in their home country, staying at # 1 in Sweden for eight weeks. They appeared in the movie Just For Fun, continued to tour widely, and recorded their second album, The Spotnicks in Paris. That year, drummer Ove Johansson left and was replaced by Englishman Derek Skinner. Two years later, Skinner himself was replaced briefly by Jimmy Nicol, who had previously toured with The Beatles while Ringo Starr was getting his tonsils removed.

In 1964 and 1965, The Spotnicks expanded their popularity in Germany and Japan, reaching # 1 in Japan in 1966 with "Karelia". Elsewhere, however, they became less successful as new styles of music took over. The group - having undergone many personnel changes - split up in 1969, but reformed under Winberg's control in 1972 as a result of pressure from Japanese fans.

Winberg has continued to lead versions of The Spotnicks, occasionally including Lander and/or Thelin, on tour and in recordings since then.

June 2007

The Visual Guidance for June 2007


(Not included are the entries posted by guest blogger The Perfect American)



Herb Alpert - The Magic Trumpet


The Sid Presley Experience - Hup 2 3 4


Shox Lumania - Russia


Big Black - Kerosene


Matt Munro - Pop Gear Theme


La Bionda - One For You One For Me


KLF- It's Grim Up North


Excrementory Grindfuckers - Stayin' alive / Playin...


PiL - Poptones / Careering


Tammy Wynette - Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad


Merle Travis - Lost John


Joe Dassin - A Toi


The Adverts - Gary Gilmore's Eyes


Chet Baker - Love For Sale


Julian Cope - Trampolene / Space Hopper


Marianne Rosenberg - Marleen


Plastics - Top Secret


Sonic Youth - Shadows of Doubt


Stereolab - The noise of carpet


Bill Evans Trio - Elsa


The Midnight Movers - Soulfinger


Eric Dolphy - 245


Joni Anderson (Mitchell) - Born to Take the Highwa...


Serge Gainsbourg - Sea sex and sun


Phillip Boa & The Voodoo Club - Kill Your Ideals


The Jesus and Mary Chain - Never Understand


Babian - Hela världen i givakt


Public Image Ltd - Public Image


Lauryn Hill - Ex Factor


Harmonica Frank - Shake A Little Shimmy


Staple Singers - I Wish I Had Answered


Dolly Parton - Gypsy, Joe and Me


Povel Ramel - Ittma Hohah (Självplågarvisa från Ch...


Frank & Nancy Sinatra - You Make Me Feel So Young


Lesley Gore - Wonder Boy


Sci-Fi Skane - Falla Hårt, Landa Mjukt


Erroll Garner - Thanks For The Memory


The Temptations (feat. Rick James) - Standing On T...


Sonic Youth - Silver Rocket


Union Carbide Productions - Glad To Have You Back


Herbie Hancock & Grandmaster Flash - Rock it (live...


George Jones - Honky Tonk Song


Rahsaan Roland Kirk & the bird flute audience


Pink Floyd - Astronomy Dominee / Flaming


King Kobra - Breakin' Out


Reverend Gary Davis - If I Had My Way


Aretha Franklin - Rock Steady


Madeleine Peyroux - Between The Bars


Traci Lords - Fallen Angel


Dr.John, Professor Longhair, Earl King, The Meters...


Cobra Killer - Mund Auf Augen Zu


Bill Evans Trio - Beautiful Love


Serge Gainsbourg - Cargo Culte


Two Man Sound - Charlie Brown


Steely Dan - Do It Again


Kenny Rogers and the First Edition - Ruby


The Meditation Singers - Jesus, Be A Fence


Black Flag - Six Pack (live)


Plastic Bertrand - Tout petit la planète


Throwing Muses - Fish


George Jones & Tammy Wynette - The Wedding


Diana Ross, Diana!, tv Special


Luscious Jackson - Daughters of the Kaos


A Tribe Called Quest - Bonita Applebum


Taj Mahal - Tomorrow Will Not Be Another Day


Baccara - Venus


Billy Taylor Trio - Who Can I Turn To


Soft Machine - Hope For Happiness


Johnny Bond - Kansas City Kitty


The Drinkard Singers - Lift Him Up

Pippi Långstrump (Pippi Longstocking), original theme song


Song performed by: Inger Nilsson.
Music: Jan Johansson and Georg Riedel

Added by jagvetej

Stan Getz - We'll be together again


"This clip was recorded in Stockholm Sweden in 1983
Next to Stan Getz on tenor sax we see Jim McNeely piano, George Mraz bass and Victor Lewis drums. "