A P.A.W.S. Page
Bengan remembers: "Autumn '77 we went to a concert with the Muddy Waters band:
Muddy himself, Luther Johnson, Pinetop Perkins, Bob Margolin, Jerry Portnoy a.o.
It was a huge kick, leading me back towards my musical home again: the blues.
77-78: formation years of the
first edition of Totta's Bluesband, originally just a hobby band centered
around Thorsten "Totta" Näslund (vocals), Bengt "Bengan" Blomgren
(guitar), Bernt Andersson (keyboards, harp, vocals), Nikke Ström
(bass) and Gunnar Pettersson (drums).
Bengan
tells: "In '79 me and Bernt travelled the U.S., digging the music scene. Visited
Graceland and actually met Elvis' uncle.
I found a Gibson 355 quite cheap in a pawnshop. A bit trashy, garishly decorated
- but a good guitar when I had worked it over. Later on I sold the guitar itself
but kept the pickups. Today one of them is mounted in bridge position in my
Fender Telecaster Thinline. That pickup is my most important piece of equipment!".
79:
Click here for neat
b/w photography of Nationalteatern sometime in 1979. Kurt
Bünz in the lineup.
79: Tomas Forsell, vocalist/guitarist and founding member of
Nynningen, records impressive album "Nya Tider" (i.e.
"New Times") with the help of a.o. Totta Näslund, Bernt
Andersson, Nikke Ström and Niels Nordin (drums). Bengt
Blomgren involved as one of the two engineers only. However, Tomas
Forsell is a fiery guitarist in his own right. Album is released in 1980. And
is re-released in 2006 on CD. Well worth checking out.
80 July 1-17: Recording of "Globetrotter",
an album by Björn Afzelius. Bernt Andersson is featured on
keyboards, accordion, harp and vocals. Bengt Blomgren contributes in
the role of recording engineer and part producer.
 |
Picture of Bernt left from "Globetrotter"
album cover. Note posters in background, advertising Göteborg bands
Svartvitt (a.o. feat. drummer Tomas Olsson, later on figuring
frequently in this saga) and Motvind. (Photograph © Björn Afzelius or Carina Uvholm or Lena Lundvall or Jesper Lindberg.) |