Category Archives: Records

Swedish musical excellence

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In the latest post we could forward the joy in reading the world class drummer Anders Johansson in his book ‘Trumslagarpojken (BokFab, 2017, freely translated: The Drummer boy) describing a colorful time touring and living together with Yngwie Malmsteen. Yngwie, born June 30, 1963, was elected into the Swedish Music Hall of Fame in 2015.

Yngwies excellent guitar playing leads us Swedes further on to Janne Schaffer, who turns 75 years today, Happy Birthday!! Janne is indeed still active as a solo artist and a stable band member in bands like Electric Banana Band. Janne has played with ABBA, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz and members from Toto. As the ikon and the super skilled guitar player he is young artist like Leslie Tay and Daniel Adams-Ray want Janne to play on their albums. Janne has also played together with Ted Gärdestad and Björn J:son Lindh. Janne and Björn had the band Hörselmat (freely translated: ‘Hearing foods’) together and co-operated on each others albums (source: Helsingborgs Dagblad, Malin Eijde, Sept. 24, 2020).

Björn J:son Lindh, flute-and keyboard player and a strong song writer, took a great part in my upbringing. His very particular flute playing became his brand and who can forget his composed film music in the police thriller ‘The Man On The Roof’ (SF, 1976). A great movie, by the way, based upon the book ‘Den Vedervärdige Mannen från Säffle’ by Sjöwall/Wahlöö, whose 10 police thrillers formed the base and inspiration of todays Nordic Noir.

Säffle is not far from Karlstad, which is the biggest town in the Värmland district in Sweden. According to my dear mother Björn J:son Lindh (born Oct. 25, 1944, dead Dec. 21, 2013) and family lived in the same apartment house and even in the same entrance in Karlstad, as the newly born undersigned and parents. Björn must have been 17-18 years old and probably set his plans of becoming one of Swedens most appreciated musicians. The undersigned was too young to become friends with Björn, but is lifelong starstruck!

metalsouth takes the opportunity to pay tribute to these fantastic Swedish musicians by offering their work in the form of used, but good quality records (LPs, vinyl) at:

http://www.discogs.com/seller/metalsouth/profile

We also congratulate Discogs for passing 13 million releases in the database of which metalsouth contributes with 150…but there is more to come!

Blues rock and Jazz in Swedish

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Record Store Day is tomorrow August 29, 2020. We pay tribute to record store owners, who supply us listeners and collectors with not only the vinyl, as a media, but also the intense joy attached. To visit  a local record store is great fun. Always a good cup of coffee and a nice talk about a new release or an upcoming concert (these days mainly digital).

For a continued support of the musicians, we would like to strongly recommend Larkin Poe‘s latest album Self Made Man (Tricky-Woo Records, 2020). The two sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell are so greatly talented, that we have to apologize for not discovering their music until only recently. The blues rock coming out of the speakers is heavy and joyful. We are on our way to listen through and collect their previous albums.

Sky High, from Borlänge (SE), founded by Swedish guitar legend Clas Yngström celebrates 40 years with the gatefold double album 20 från 40 (Pike Records AB, 2020). A bit in the same style as Larkin Poe and the comparison is fun. Long experience contra not so long, but both bands sound so well, are fully comparable and world class.

A summer not like other summers with the home, as the base and with only day trips in the local area. In a way really nice, since it has led to a slower pace, more spontaneous meetings and nice talks…still with two metres distancing. I took the opportunity to read Trummslagarpojken (the Drummer boy, freely translated) by Anders Johansson (Bokfabriken, Malmö, 2017). Anders is one of two sons of legendary Swedish Jazz pianist Jan Johansson. He sadly died in a car crash 1968, when Anders was 6 and his brother Jens 5 years old. Jan Johansson’s Jazz på svenska together with Georg Riedel (AB Megafon,1964) is a rarity, found on a flee market trip this summer. Piano and base only, so balanced and simple and the starting track Visa från Utanmyra moves us back to our early years during the 1960s. Anders and Jens are today highly respected musicians. Anders: Yngwie Malmsteen, Hammerfall, Manowar and more. Jens: Stratovarius, Rainbow, Dio, Yngwie Malmsteen and more. Anders has formed and now runs the power metal band Tungsten together with his two sons Karl (bass guitar) and Nick (guitar), and Mike Andersson (song). The book, in case you are fluent in Swedish, is highly recommended. Anders here tells unbelivable stories from the co-operation with Yngwie Malmsteen. How can so good music come from so rowdy circumstances? Great fun!

Keep an eye on the Record Store Day drops 2020. There are a lot of interesting objects for an extended collection and a really great and joyful time!!

metalsouth goes 100!

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We are very proud to present that we now have reached 100 used vinyl album titles for sale at our Discogs site. We have hopes to reach various tastes and used records of different genres can be acquired. These are from many countries and not only Swedish, Synth-pop from the 80’s, folklore, soul, rock, hard rock, heavy metal and much more. It gives us joy that a couple of Swedish Metal albums from early 1990’s have reached new owners/listeners on the other side of the globe.

For this happy event we hereby present more rock and hard rock albums for sale.

Rush, Joe Cocker, Rolling Stones and Caledonian soul of Van Morrison. Don’t miss the Swedish rarities of Little Gerhard, Jerry Williams and the guitar hero Lasse Wellander.

Sure, our roots are hard rock and metal, but still, we must present a 3 album box of the giant singer and actor Sven-Bertil Taube, who sings songs written by his father Evert Taube, Swedish national troubadour (sven-bertil taube sjunger evert taube, EMI, 1978).

We cannot guarantee authenticity of the included autograph, but we cannot either resist the feeling and wish that Sven-Bertil actually signed this classical box.

Detailed information on the 100 used albums related to prices and condition can be found at:

https://www.discogs.com/seller/metalsouth/profile

 

 

Swedish Death Metal Rarity!

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In order to return to our roots we are also happy to post a Swedish death metal rarity from Desultory – Forever Gone (House of Kicks, HOK, 1992) at our Discogs seller page. Desultory was part of the Swedish death metal origins in the beginning of the 1990’s (source: Wikipedia). Entombed from this era and Entombed A.D. are other favorites at metalsouth and can here be studied further. The used Forever Gone album’s condition is described, priced and with shipping terms at:

https://www.discogs.com/seller/metalsouth/profile

1980’s LP’s at request!

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We have noticed the great interest in 1980’s music and we’re therefore letting a batch of 18 used albums go via our Discogs seller page, as linked below. Please, find albums from excellent artist and bands like:

Vitamin Z, T’Pau, Breathe, Big Trouble, Howard Jones, The Knack, Platinum Blonde, Then Jerico, Paul Hyde and The Payolas, Sheila E., Annabel Lamb, Soulsister, Blast, Laura Branigans, Scritti Politti and Rick Astley.

Albums are for sale, with individual LP conditions described, priced and with shipping terms at:

https://www.discogs.com/seller/metalsouth/profile

Pat Benatar, Nina Hagen and Anita Lindblom

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Pat Benatar (US), Nina Hagen (DE) and Anita Linblom (SE), what do they have in common? Completely different stiles, but having musical excellence effecting my upbringing and the time still living with my parents and two siblings. I was listening to Pat Benatar and Nina Hagen in my room in high volume with a closed door during the end of the 70s and the beginning of the 80s. My parents below in the living room listening to the Swedish popular music phenomenon Anita LIndblom with hits like ‘Sånt är livet’ (That’s the way life is; freely translated). That’s what these three have in common.

Used and a bit worn albums (reflected in the price), but still giving the good music experience of a a vinyl to be acquired at:

https://www.discogs.com/seller/metalsouth/profile

 

 

Ooga-chakka!

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‘Hooked On A Feeling’ with Björn Skifs & Blåblus (Blue Swede) on the album Pinewood Rally (Electric & Musical Industries Svenska AB, 1973) went no. 1 on the US Billboard singles chart on the same day as another Swedish music phenomenon, ABBA, won the Eurovision with ‘Waterloo’ in Brighton, UK. This magic day was April 6, 1974. ‘Hooked On A Feeling’ was originally written by Mark James and recorded by B.J. Thomas in 1968 and it became a no. 5 hit song. Jonathan King added the ‘ooga-chakka’ lines in his version in 1971. Blue Swede used it in their version and the famous lines pops up in any proud music loving Swede’s memory (and own singing) of a historical date when great Swedish musical victories were harvested.

Björn Skifs is still going strong and is today 72 years old. As late as yesterday evening he performed the song ‘Håll Mitt Hjärta’ (Hold My Heart, Peter Hallström, music, Björn Skifs, lyrics, 2002) in the SVT broadcasted ‘En kväll tillsammans’ (An evening together) TV gala to collect money to support various risk groups in the fight of the corona virus. About 15 MSEK was collected during the 2,5 hrs excellent audience free show. By the way, its still open for contributions via the Swedish Radiohjälpen (90 1950 6).

(source of dates and names: Wikipedia)

A good copy of the Pinewood Rally album and many more can now be acquired at:

https://www.discogs.com/seller/metalsouth/profile

 

 

Middle Of The Road and more!

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I was 10 years old and went to 3rd grade. Middle Of The Road songs like Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep were played at the last class hour of all Fridays. Dancing and popcorn. Days long gone!

Another batch of records are placed at Discogs, for sale. Just have a look and let us know if anything is of interest. Take care in really tough times.

https://www.discogs.com/seller/metalsouth/profile

Swedish Metal and more!

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The metalsouth record sales inventory is now extended with new titles representing different genres to satisfy different tastes.

We would for obvious reasons this time like to to direct attention to one LP in particular for the reason of more concretely spreading wonderful metal inspired music.

Excruciate / Epitaph (Infest records, 1991) can be acquired via the metalsouth sales page at Discogs. This famous split LP of Swedish death metal contributes to wonderful listening via the great combination of a record player, an amplifier, big speakers and vinyl.

https://www.discogs.com/seller/metalsouth/profile

It’s time to live, listen and reuse!

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In the name of good music and recycling metalsouth joins the record sales movement. We have internally discussed the ‘digital backlash’ to come. An online screen connected life creates finally an urge and return of the analog. After equipping our young ones with used and freshly repaired stereos from the early 90’s the response was overwhelmingly positive. Through the manual handling of the media, cover and the equipment it created a great feeling of here and now, they all said. Not to forget, is the sound normally better, if the media is in a fair shape.

metalsouth will from now on and again post a few records (vinyls, LP, EP) at Discogs.com for sale. The genres will reflect the upbringing and listening of us at metalsouth in a spontaneous way, i.e. all from pop, synth, blues, hard rock and heavy metal, i.e. no real structure , but just good music. If anything is of taste, please, feel free to make an order. Deliveries will be quick after payment.

https://www.discogs.com/seller/metalsouth/profile