Sweden's Beatles! ABBA the albums Hep Stars discography by John Bernhardt Hep Stars (Updated as of 2010. There have been a couple of compilations album since then-notably Like You Used To Do, a and a 5CD Set of the Hep Stars Olga albums.) DISCOGRAPHY
Benny Andersson & THE HEP STARS (also a Svenne & Lotta discography and Hep Stars/Gummmibandet, thanks to Bjorn Henning Halvorsen
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ALBUMS REVIEWED ON THIS PAGE...
INTRODUCTION and Hep stars singles
WE AND
OUR CADILLAC 1965 Available on Swedish Cd
The Heps
Stars -HEP STARS ON STAGE-1965 Available on Swedish CD
The Hep Stars -The Hep Stars 1966 Available on Swedish CD
The Hep Stars- Malaika and .... 1968 Reel to Reel Tape...\
Svenne Hedlund-Svenne Sings Elvis 1970
Swedish LP.
The Hep Stars -Jul Med Hep Stars 1967
Swedish LP
The Hep Stars-It's
Been a Long Long Time 1968 Japanese Cd
Hep Stars -Songs We Sang '68 1968 Available
on Swedish CD.
The Hep Stars-Pa
Svenska 1969 Swedish LP
Hep Stars- How It All Started 1970 Swedish LP
Hep Stars-Basta 1970 Swedish LP
Svenne Hedlund-Svenne Sings Elvis 1970 Swedish LP
Svenne & Lotta: Compromise 1970 Swedish LP
*Hep Stars -Hep Stars Again 1970 SWedish LP
Hep Stars- California Maiden 1971 Swedish LP
Svenne & Lotta: Tillsammans 1971 Swedish LP
Hep Stars- SVENNE & LOTTA MED HEP STARS 1966-1968" 1973 swedish LP
Svenne & Lotta-Oldies but Goodies 1973 Swedish LP out of print
HEP STARS BÄSTA DEL 1" (EMI.s Stjärnserie Vol. 13) 1974 Swedish LP
Svenne & Lotta 2 1975 Swedish LP Out of print
Svenne & Lotta-Letters 1976 Swedish LP out of print
Svenne & Lotta-20 Golden Hits 1977 Swedish LP out of print
The Gummibandet/ Hep stars era
Svenne & Lotta- Bring it on home-1978 Swedish LP out of print
HEP STARS -BÄSTA 2" 1978 Swedish LP
Svenne & Lotta-Rolls-Royce 1980 Swedish LP Out of print
Svenne & Lotta-
Det är en härlig feeling 1980 Swedish
LP out of print..
****The Hep
Stars-Hep Stars 1964-1969 Re. 1983 Available on Swedish Cd.
Hep Stars
-ACT II Out of print Swedish album 1989
*Hep Stars
& Svenne and Lotta-Fran Cadillac to Rolls Royce 1991 Available
on Swedish Cd
***Hep Stars-Nastan
Bara PA Svenska -1992 Swedish CD
***Hep Stars-Basta 1990 Released on Swedish Cd.
**Hep Stars- Juke Box Hits 1995 Swedish Cd
***Hep Stars- The Collection August 2001 swedish cd
**Svenne & Lotta - Tio Gyllene År 1973-1983 Swedish CD Early 2002
Hep Stars-KLASSIKER -2002 Available on Swedish Cd
****HEP STARS- Cadillac Madness - 40 Years * 40 Hits * 1964-2004 Swedish CD MArch 2004
Benny Andersson's time with THE HEP STARS (1964-1969)
Benny Andersson
was born in Stockholm on December 16, 1946. He began his recording
career as a member of the Hep Stars,. Although he did sing as
a backing vocalist , Benny has always been first and foremost
a keyboardist. What Benny did with the Hep Stars was play keyboards,write
songs, and sing background vocals. Benny played with Hep Stars
till mid- 1969. In late 1969 Benny started working regularly with
Björn Ulvaeus .(SEE Björn & BENNY).
The Hep Stars
sang a majority of their songs in English. They also recorded
in Swedish and German.Their early material was straight out rock
and roll but their later work is more middle of the road. The
Hep Stars lead singer, the very capable Svenne Hedlund was equally
good at ballads and rock and roll numbers. Most of Benny's work
with THE HEP STARS
is preserved on Swedish CD. Generally, it's Benny's songwriting that
makes the Hep Stars of interest to us today. Benny was a good
songwriter even in the 1960's, though the lyrics for his Hep Stars
songs (written by him or other Swedes) are often grammatically
challenged.
For some reason,
even serious ABBA fans tend to ignore the music of the Hep Stars
even
though they were the most commercially successful of the various
acts that were progenitors of ABBA.
The Post Benny Andersson Hep Stars
The Hep Stars continued on at various times, and in various lineups, as you will see in this discography, but Benny Andersson never played with them, after 1969. Not surprisingly, The Hep Stars recorded little of interest after Benny left., Svenne and Lotta Hedlund also left the Hep Stars in 1969, but they have reunited with the Hep Stars a few times....,but they mainly have just worked as duo since 1969.
WHAT TO GET FIRST : THE HEP STARS BEST |
Studio album-The Hep Stars (1966) |
compilation album-HEP STARS- Cadillac Madness - 40 Years * 40 Hits * 1964-2004 |
Hep Stars SINGLES 1964-1969 with highest Svenkstoppen chart position if any... | |
1964 | Kana Kapila/I Got A Woman (Benny joined after this single) June |
1965 |
A Tribute To Buddy Holly/Bird Dog (#5 )February Summertime Blues/If You Need Me March Farmer John/ Donna (#1)March Cadillac/Mashed Potatoes (#1) March Bald Headed Woman/Lonesome Town June No Response/ Rented Tuxedo (#2) So Mystifying/ Young And Beautiful (#5) Should I/ I'll Never Quite Get Over You (#2) |
1966 |
Sunny Girl/ Hawaii #1 Wedding/When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again#1 I natt Jag Dromde/Jag Vet #2 Consolation /Dont #1 |
1967 |
Malaika/It's Nice To Be Back Again #1 Christmas on My Mind/Jingle Bells Mot okänt land/Nagonting Har Hant #1 She Will Love You/ Like You Used To Do#7 |
1968 |
It's Been A Long Long Time/Musty dusty #14 Det Finns En Stad/sagan Om Lilla Sofi #4 Let it Be Me (studio vers.)/Groovy Summertime #4(studio vers.) I Sagans Land/Tanda PA Varaan #3 |
1969 |
Holiday For Clowns/Flower in My Garden Speleman/Precis Som all Andra #10 Speedy Gonzales/Är det inte kärlek/ säg? #2 |
The Hep Stars were founded and led by their Bass
Player Lelle Hegland in late 1963. The original band also included
Christer Petersson and Janne Frisk. In mid 1964 they recruited
Svenne Hedlund. to be the group's lead singer. They made just
one single ( "Kane Kapila") with their first organist,
Hasse Ostlund
Benny Andersson joined the Hep Stars in November
1964. With their new lineup-feature Svenne Hedlund on Lead Vocals,
Janne Frisk on Guitar and Vocals ,Benny on Keyboards, Christer
Pettersson on drums and Lelle Hegland on Bass they recorded their
second, third and fourth singles in early 1965 . The group made
a wild Who-like TV debut on the Swedish TV show Drop-In on March
25, 1965. Soon after that the Hep Stars topped the top Sweden's
charts with" Farmer John", "Cadillac", and
"Bald Headed Woman" and hit the top five with "Tribute
to Buddy Holly". These are exciting ,energetic almost garage
rock styled rock records."Cadillac" is a particulary
powerful recording even if it only a cover of a song by the Renegades.
"Bald Headed Woman" has a stupid lyric but is a good rocker that shows what Benny can do with a Hammond Organ.
This album,the Hep Stars debut album was not to be released till October.1965, An album version of "Cadillac" and , the single version of "Bald Headed Woman'" were included on the original LP, but the singles "Farmer John", "Summertime Blues" "Kana Kapila" and "Triibute to Buddy Holly"were not included. on the original LP version of this album. The Hep Stars would continue to release throughout their career many singles that would not be included on their studio albums.
The group's early recordings are more group efforts -Janne Frisk and Christer Petersson sing lead vocals on some of the songs, Petersson's drums are important on many of the early records., and Lelle actually plays bass (on later 1960's records the group's road manager, Felle Fernholme would often play bass) and Benny and Svenne do not dominate the group as much as on the later records.
Almost all of the songs on this album are covers of American and English rock songs. It's clear that the Hep Stars listened to the first Kinks album, since they two of the songs found on that album were recorded by the Hep Stars... This album is OK, but the album tracks are not as good as the singles they recorded in the same period. Benny gets some good keyboard work in on " Then she (he) kissed me" and on "That's When Your Heartaches Begin"
This album also features Benny Andersson's first released composition; a Kinks like rocker (with bad lyrics written by Benny), called "No Response". "No Response" was supposedly the last song recorded for the album. It was also released as a single. The rest of the tracks on the album were hastily recorded and are not as exciting as the singles.. This album was released by EMI-Sweden's Olga label.
The CD reissues of Hep Stars five main albums include non -album A and B sides as bonus tracks. The bonus tracks here are the A&B sides of the Hep Stars first four singles...
Original album- Cadillac, Be my baby, That's when your heartaches begin, Send me some lovin', Young and beautiful, Rockin' love, No response, I'll never quite get over you, Sweet little sixteen, Oh! Carol, Then she (he) kissed me, Bald headed woman
CD Bonus tracks: Kana Kapila, I got a woman, A tribute to Buddy Holly, Bird dog, If you need me, Summertime blues, Farmer John, Donna
CHRILLE! JANNE! LELLE! BENNY! SVENNE!-THE HEP STAARS!"That's how this album starts. A very Swedish announcer (road manager Felle Fernholm) pronounces all the Hep Stars names with same ending syllable, (Krill-lee was the nickname of the Heps' drummer -Christian Peterson. )
ON STAGE is a highly vigorous live album recorded on the Swedish folk park circuit in the August of 1965. It is actually regarded now as bit of a cult favorite for fans of 1960's garage rock. The early Hep Stars were not overly expert players, but they were enthusiastic performers.
The early Hep Stars were not known for restraint on stage. The fan screaming on here is not manufactured and it's not totally without some justification. The early Hep Stars were very exciting showman .This album is more exciting than ABBA's live album, albeit, with worse sound, and musicianship.
Like the Hep stars' first studio album, this is a more of a group effort than some of the later recordings by the group since the album features lead singing by Svenne, Janne and Chrille
Most of the material played here are covers
-a limitation which would drive Benny to write material for the
group. Benny mainly plays electric organ here.
At one point Svenne asks the Swedish audience to "clap your
hands" but he does it in English, as if saying such things
in Swedish wouldn't be cool. The finale "Whole Lot-Ta Shak-In
Goin On" is perhaps the best of of the tracks -it features
excited if not overly expert playing on this track with emphasis
on Krille's drums and lots of electric organ...
All the CD reissues of Hep Stars
main albums include non -album A and B sides
as bonus tracks. The bonus tracks here include "So Mystifying"
, the single
version of "Cadillac" and" Should I" (originally
by Chad and Jeremy) ." Should I" blind sides with a
blistering organ solo at 1:33. Although this is a good live album,
it is of less interest to ABBA fans simply because
there is only one song written by Benny here, but it is certainly
of interest to fans of garage rock or the Swedish rock scene.
TRACK LISTING
1. Cadillac
2. What'd I Say 3. Donna 4. What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes For? 5. So Mystifying 6. Only You 7. Wear My Ring Around Your Neck 8. Surfin Bird 9. Tallahasse Lassie 10. No Response |
11. If You Need Me Bonus tracks |
The Hep Stars -The Hep Stars December 1966 Available on Swedish CD. Released on CD 1996
An important album. The Hep stars have a slightly mellower sound here. This is probably the most consistently good Hep Stars album.The main drawback of this album is it lacks the manic rock and roll energy and group effort found on the group earlier recordings.
This is the album where Benny emerges as a full fledged songwriter and his talent is already blossoming. The CD version of this has eight songs written by Benny and/or Björn. (Six of these songs were on the original LP.) The first song Björn and Benny ever wrote together,the exquisite "Isn't It Easy To Say" is here.
The oft-told legend has it that "Isn't It Easy to Say" was written in the office of Björn's father's paper mill after Björn and Benny had met at a party in Vastervik that both the Hep Stars and the Hootenanny's attended in June 1965.
My favorite track on the album is one of Benny's solo compositions,a #2 Swedish hit called "Consolation" -"Consolation" is seemingly the lament of a dead (or metaphorically dead) lover. Benny's organ melds well with the band here. The song's chorus -hook soars to the sky on the strength of the band performance.
Benny also wrote the haunting classically influenced "Sound of Eve" which features some lovely piano and actual birdsong .A promo biography of Benny at the time indicates that Benny already had developed an interest in bird-watching . The backing vocals on "Sound of Eve' are ambitious. This song has never been compiled elsewhere...It's good example of one of those cool obscurities you can find in ABBA's sixties solo work.
Two of the most famous Hep Stars songs are found on the CD version of this record. The Hep Stars biggest international hit-"Sunny Girl"(written by Benny) is found here as a bonus track. The other famous song is "Wedding" a wedding march written by Benny and Svenne that later was played by Benny at Björn and Agnetha's wedding in July 1971.
The Hep Stars version of the Hootenanny Singers song "No Time ' (written by Bjorn with Martin Dean) is done here at a less sleepy pace than the Hootz's original. The best of the non-Benny compositions is the anti-war song "Last Night I had the Strangest Dream" which like a lot of songs here has some solid three (or more) part harmony on which Svenne sings with Janne, Benny and or Felle . Lennart " Felle " Fernholm was the the Hep Stars road manager, who sometimes sang backing vocals and heLPed out on Bass Guitar. The Swedish version of the "Last Night I had the Strangest Dream" can also be found here. (The Hep Stars often did English and Swedish versions of the same song). The 1967 B-side recording of Benny's "It's Nice to Be Back Again" closes the CD, This song it was later recorded in a (better) Swedish version called "Min Egen Stad" by Frida in 1971.
All in all, this album stands up well against albums by British and American artists of the time. This is the probably best ABBA related of the pre-ABBA period . It is a must have for students of the songwriting of Björn and Benny.
HEP STARS original LP No time (Ulvaeus-Dean) |
Tracks not on original LP but added to CD reissue- Sunny girl (Andersson) |
Svenne Hedlund-Svenne Sings Elvis Early 1967 Swedish
LP
Svenne Hedlund's only solo album of the 1960's. It features covers of songs orginally recorded by Elvis Presley. It's not clear if any of the other Hep Stars played on the album. The focus on the album is mostly ballads, and because of that the backing is a orchestra and not a rock combo. Svenne would come back to the same theme for his 2010 solo album-Svenne Sings Elvis in Memphis.
.I Need Your Love Tonight /As Long As I Have You /Girl Of My
Best Friend/I Want To Be Free /Old Shep/A Fool Such As I /Kiss
Me Quick/Can't Help Falling In Love /Love Me Tender /One Night
/Are You Lonesome Tonight /I'm Comin' Home
The Hep Stars -Jul Med Hep Stars December 1967 Swedish LP AVAILABLE on CD November 2001
1967 had been a year in which the Hep stars had searched for various ways to break out internationally, but their career as megastars in Sweden had cooled down a bit....they went the whole year without releasing another studio album of new material, but did release three singles with new material and this Christmas album.
This is the first ABBA related Chistmas album. It featured a couple of Christmas songs that you might find on an American Christmas album , a new song, a couple of instrumentals recorded in a church and some Swedish language Christmas tracks. Also like some of the early Beach Boys albums this album featured some dialogue in between tracks... The album was out of print for a long time till it was finally reissued on CD for Christmas 2001 with a new less busy cover..The album was reissued with a new track listing that includes a couple of previously unreleased tracks as well as the inexplicable omission of three of the original tracks -( "Nu Är Det Jul Igen", "Johanssons Boogie-Woogie Vals" and "Hej Tomtegubbar" )..The CD opens with "Christmas On My Mind" a fairly good song that's also on the HEP STARS 1964-69 Cd. This album also includes "Nu tandas tusen juleljus" and a humourous version of "Jingle Bells".
The Swedish Christmas standard "Nu Tandas tusen julejus" would be later done by Björn's Hootenanny Singers and Agnetha & Linda Fältskog. It is the only song I believe to have been recorded by three different ABBA solo acts.
Track listing for original LP
Nu är det jul igen /Dialogue/ Christmas today/ Dialogue
/Alla sover uton jag /White Christmas/ Johanssons boogie woogie
vals (Instrumental) /Dialogue /Jingle Bells Hej Tomtegubbar/ Dialogue
/Christmas on my mind /Dialogue
The boy that Santa forgot/ Gläns över sjö och strand
/Nu tändas tusen juleljus/ Stilla natt(Instrumental/ Dotter
Sion (Instrumental)
Track listing for updated CD..
1. Christmas On My Mind
2. Pojken Som Jultomten Glömde
3. White Christmas
4. Alla Sover Utom Jag
5. Jingle Bells
6. Christmas Today
7. Good King Wencelas (previously unreleased)
8. The Boy That Old Santa Forgot
9. Det Strålar En Stjärna (previously unreleased)
10. Gläns Över Sjö Och Strand
11. Nu Tändas Tusen Juleljus
12. Stilla Natt
13. Dotter Sion
The Hep Stars- Malaika and .... 1968 Out of print Swedish Reel to Reel Tape...
This is a very obscure Hep Stars release... This tape was issued by Europafilm at some point in 1968....The cover of the reel to reel box features a picture of the Hep Stars on safari....Most of the songs found here were from the Hep Stars 1965 singles that had not been compiled as of this time on a vinyl album....Prerecorded Reel to Reel tapes were never widely commercially available, and essentially were no longer made by the 1980's.
This is as a close as the world would ever
come to a "HABARI SAFARI" album! What is Habari Safari,
you ask? In 1967 The Hep Stars worked on aborted
film project- Habari Safari- some of which was filmed
in Africa, but because there was no plot the footage filmed proved
to be useless. (Reminds one of the Beatles' 1967 Magical
Mystery Tour TV movie.) The Hep Stars'
Spring 1967 African folk music single "Malaika" was
a direct result of the film project...and the only thing of value
to come of their trip to Africa...The non-LP B-side of "Malaika'
was a song called "It Nice to Be Back Again" also shows
up on this tape-its was the only song written by Benny Andersson
on this tape... There was also another reel to reel tape by the
Hep Stars titlled the Hep Stars Oh!, but I do not have the track
listing for that one.....
..
1. Malaika
2. It's Nice To Be Back Again
3. Tribute To Buddy Holly
4. Donna
5. Farmer John
6. If You Need Me
7. Summertime Blues
8. Bird Dog
9. That's When Your Heartaches Begin
10. Rockin' Love
The Hep Stars-It's Been a Long Long Time-February 1968- Swedish LP Out of Print 1986 Japanese Cd
I haven't
actually held this CD in my hands. It was reissued on CD by M&M
Records in Japan .EMI did most of the other Hep Stars
reissues. For financial reasons , this album originally was released
not on the Olga label but on the Cupol label... This was the first
of the Hep Stars studio albums to be reissued on CD. But
the CD is no longer easily available .
This album was recorded in late 1967 largely in London. They were no longer the new hip thing, and were regarded by this time to becoming too middle of the road.
On this album session musicians filled in for Janne, Christer and Lennart (a common,often unnecessary and cruel practice of the 1960's). An American producer, Steve Clark, was brought in to produce the album. There were no rock and roll covers and few self-written tunes. So, in a lot of ways this really isn't a Hep Stars album. This album was not as successful as previous Hep Stars albums.
The original album featured a lot of songs mainly written by American songwriters supposedly in the soft rock vein. Benny did write the uninteresting title track which also was released as a single....The bonus tracks included many of the songs found on Songs We Sang 68 CD-(if by some miracle you have this CD you could probably get by without Songs We Sang 68).
Enter the young/Hope/5 am/It's Time
For A change/Changing Away From You/It's Been a Long Long Time
/Musty Dusty/Spinging,Spinging,Spinging/There Is love/ Would
You Like To Go /It's now A Winters' Day /Another
Time/
Bonus tracks found on CD issue
Det Finns En Stad/ Sagan Om Lilla Sofi /Let It BE me/Groovy
Summertime/Holiday For Clowns/A Flower In My Garden/Save Your
Heart For me/I Sagans Land/Bilden Av/Suddenly Tommorow Is Today/Warten
Auf Den Tag/Songs We sang
Hep Stars -Songs We Sang '68 -December 1968 Swedish LP -Available on Swedish CD. Released on CD in 1996
Finally, another studio album wholly recorded
in Sweden. In
between this album and the last they had released the non album
single Det Finns En Stad/sagan Om Lilla Sofi. The Hep Stars
now included Svenne's future wife, Charlotte (Lotta) Walker ,a
African-American singer from
an American pop-soul group called the The Sherry's. Svenne and
Lotta had actually been a couple for awhile
In Lotta's honor, the album starts out with a medley of Pop/Soul cover numbers (mostly) recorded at Swedish folkparks in 1968. Among the covers are "You Keep Me Hanging On", "Let It be Me" and two versions of Sam Cooke's "Shake". This live stuff is so-so, most interesting is "Groovy Summertime" which has a lot of cool vocal effects and backing vocals. The song "We Say Yeah" actually features Benny as the prominent backing vocalist. Overall, the Hep Stars as soul band is kind of bizarre concept and so side one doesn't really work,
The second side of the album features original studio material produced by Bengt Palmer (who would later produce Blue Swede). The second side included three songs co-written by Benny. It's good but it lacks direction. The second released Björn and Benny composition is here and it's called "A Flower in My Garden". It's a good two minute song sung by Svenne with a Carl Wilson-esque slur which end with a cool two note effect. The title cut ("Songs We Sang") is sung by Lotta (one of the earliest songs that Benny would write to be sung soley by a woman). It also sounds like late sixties Beach Boys
This being the late sixties, there was also some nauseating stuff creeping into the like "Holiday for Clowns", and "Save your heart For Me' this trend would reach it's nadir in 1969 with "Speedy Gonsales".
The title cut ("Songs We Sang") is sung by Lotta (one of the earliest songs that Benny would write to be sung soley by a female singer into 1969. The bonus tracks include the folksy B&B song, "Speleman" .Also included are The b-side to "Speleman" - B&B's "Precis Som Alla Andra" ,and two 1967 single sides written by Benny with Svenne called "Like You Used To Do" and "She Will She love You" .
ORIGINAL LP-LIVE SIDE A (LIVE)Shake/Svenne I love you/We say yeah, Let it be me, Going out of my head/Can't take my eyes off you, You keep me hangin' on, Svart-vit, caLPyso/Natursbarn/Pata pata/Charlotte's children game, Groovy summertime/Shake
SIDE B (STUDIO) Holiday for clowns, A flower in my garden, Save your heart for me, Bilden av dej, Suddenly tomorrow is today, Warten auf den Tag, Songs we sang
CD Bonus tracks: Mot okänt land, Någonting har hänt, She will love you, Like you used to do, Let it be me, Groovy summertime, Tända på varann, I sagans land, Speleman, Precis som alla andra, Speedy gonzales, Är det inte kärlek, säg ?
The Hep Stars-Pa Svenska -Autumn? 1969 Out of print Swedish LP
The Songs We Sang 1968 album was followed up in 1969 by three more singles I Sagans Land/Tanda PA Varaan Speleman/Precis Som all Andra (recorded in March 1969) and Speedy Gonzales/Är det inte kärlek/ säg? . Some of these tracks would be compiled on Pa Svenska . The Hep Stars were having troubles staying whole at this point. Their main problem was that they owed money to the Swedish taxing authorities , but also Benny, Svenne and Lotta were itching to try something new. The group was fracturing-Janne Frisk was fired in early 1969 (though we would come back) and a majority of the group wanted to replace Lelle on Bass Guitar (which didn't happen when Chrille balked at the idea. ). So a totally new studio album wasn't in the offing for 1969.
The Three singles mentioned above though were recorded , and some of these tracks were used to fill up this compilation of the Hep Stars Swedish tracks. Thus this album included included both recent and older material and most of the songs had not been yet been made available on LP by this time...An actual photo from Svenne and Lotta's wedding is on the cover. This album was never released on CD.
This was the last Hep Stars album before Svenne, Lotta and Benny to leave the band. The last concert with Benny was August 31, 1969. The rest of the Hep Stars continued on for a bit , they would bring back Janne Frisk and bring in with a new singing duo replace Svenne and Lotta.
Svenne and Lotta continued to occasionally work with Benny in concert till 1973. Benny never worked with the Hep Stars again. There wasn't necessarily any animosity towards his old band mates it was more that Benny always found it necessary to move on to the next thing.
Björn & Benny would also have some involvement with Svenne & Lotta's albums when Stig Anderson signed Svenne and Lotta to the Polar label in 1973.
Svenne and Lotta would get together for reunion album with Janne, Krille, and Lelle in 1989 for a Hep Stars album called ACT II
I natt
jag drömde
A side Mot Okänt Land A-side Bilden av dej -Songs we Sang Är det inte kärlek, säg? B-side Speleman A side |
Sagan
om lilla Sofi B-side Precis som alla andra B-side Någonting har hänt B-side Jag vet B-side I sagans land A-side Tända på varann A-side |
Hep Stars- How It All Started 1970 Swedish LP
This album features a very strange drawing that looks like a photographic negative on a blue cover.This is a compilation album seems to feature mainly songs found on early Hep Stars singles, that were not necessarily released on the Hep Stars studio albums . All of the songs were later released on CD...This album would have made a lot more sense had it been released in 1965 0r 1966..Oddly enough most of the lead vocals on this particular album are not actually sung by Svenne Hedlund, since these mostly early Hep stars tracks also featured Janne Frisk and Christer Petersson on lead vocals..
1. KANA KAPILA /2. I GOT A WOMAN
/3. A TRIBUTE TO BUDDY HOLLY /4. BIRD DOG /5. HAWAII
1. SUMMERTIME BLUES2. SHOULD I 3. MASHED POTATOES
/4. LONESOME TOWN 5. Rented Tuxedo
Hep Stars-Basta 1970 Swedish LP
The original LP version of this title had yet another cover with Svenne and Lotta getting married on it..The later CD's with this title do not have the same track listing... Indeed trying to sort all the Hep Stars albums that use the "BASTA" title takes a long time.... There seem to be at least five, perhaps even six different Hep stars albums that utilize this title...."Basta" is the Swedish equivelent of a "Best of album"...
Cadillac /Farmer John/ Malaika
/Consolation /Donna /I Natt Jag Drömde /Mot Okänt Land
/Wedding /Sunny Girl /Let It Be Me /Tända På Varann
/Speleman /Är Det Inte Kärlek, Säg? /Bald Headed
Woman
Svenne Hedlund-Svenne Sings Elvis 1970 Swedish LP
The 1970 reisssue of this 1967 solo album , strange career move at this point but well i'd would like a Big Mac now.....
Svenne & Lotta: Compromise 1970 Swedish LP
Their first album as a duo...A album released on their own record private label,ROMANCE) it features a striking photo of Svenne and Lotta nude above chest level, with collars on their necks...Lotta looks particularly cute -one of the few flaterring photos of her with her early 1970's afro..This album includes tracks in English and Swedish. According to Hep Stars expert, Karl Dan this is one of Svenne and Lotta's best albums. Note that they recorded a version of "Barnen Sover' a song also recorded by Frida..
1. Små små ord
2. Fancy
3. Världen e´ nog som den e´
4. Barnen sover
5. I want you back
6. I will bring you flowers in the morning
7. Minns du
8. Black sheep of the family
9. Bara vi
10. Västerbron
11. Rain of love
12. Våratlandet
THE HEP STARS in the early 1970's -WITHOUT SVENNE , BENNY or EVEN LOTTA! The Hep Stars -Hep Stars Again -Released Late? 1970 Swedish LP out of print
Benny and Svenne, yes even Lotta left the Hep Stars in August 1969. However the Hep Stars continued on. Sort of the like the Doors continuing without Jim Morrison,the difference being that the remaining Hep Stars were not graced with lots of talent..The remaining Hep stars-Janne, Christer, and Lelle brought in a brother/sister Indonesian singing duo-Kookie and Josephine Tian. .IThe band even brought in a second guitarist.... The idea at this point was go back to a more rock and roll direction. The first release by the new Hep Stars was a single called LITTLE BAND OF GOLD / ANOTHER DAY in September 1969.. There were two or three more singles released before this HEP STARS AGAIN album finally came out.... Although this album does include covers of rock songs along the lines of "Blue Suede Shoes", and "Down on the Corner" -there is still a cover of a middle of the road song- "Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head". Sadly,or not the album did not chart... Be
Hep Stars -California Maiden- Late 1971 Swedish LP...out of print, very out of print... The cover features a bird of some kind... A second album with Kookie and Josephine,. seemingly new original material-., no rock and roll covers this time, Once again, no great success ... and Kookie and Josephine left. to run a pancake restaurant, TV repair shop, cell phone store or something....
Some Information on this very obscure part of Hep stars history is sourced from Elmar's ABBA Site. |
Svenne & Lotta: Tillsammans 1971 Swedish LP
The second Svenne and Lotta album-the last before they got signed by Polar records...This one features their version of B&B's "Lycka".
1. Leva tillsammans
2. Lycka
3. Fågel blå
4. House of the rising sun, the
5. I ett ghetto
6. Lärkan
7. Nu får vi vara tillsammans
8. Jag vaknade av solen
9. Varför inte börja dan me lite kärlek
10. De e inte långt till Stockholm
11. Att älska livet är att älska ig
12. Stopp, stopp
Hep Stars- SVENNE & LOTTA MED HEP STARS 1966-1968" 1973 Swedish LP
A 1973 compilation of the mostly soft rock work done by the late 1960's Hep Stars.
Side 1 1. Let It Be Me /2. Speedy
Gonzales /3. Holiday For Clowns /4. Lilla Sofi
/5. A Flower In My Garden
/6. Är Det Inte Kärlek, Säg (Little Green Apples)
Side 2 /1. Tända På Varann` (Save Your Heart For Me)
/2. Wedding /3. Songs We Sang /4. Precis Som Alla
Andra /5. Speleman /6. Sunny Girl
Svenne & Lotta-Oldies but Goodies Late ?1973 Swedish LP out of print
This was their First LP with Polar Records, among the oldies were"Be My Baby' and Do You Want To Dance". The album was produced by Bjorn and Benny and Svenne and B&B play on it. Svenne had also contriibuted two vocals to Polars' Christmas album -När Juldagsmorgon Glimmar in late 1972
HEP STARS BÄSTA DEL 1" (EMI.s Stjärnserie Vol. 13) 1974 Swedish LP
This is the same ugly "Star Series' that featured Frida in Volume #7.. Thus the garish blue cover with a picture of the Hep Stars in the center...
Side a 1. Cadillac
2.37 2. Bald Headed Woman 2.06 3.
Save Your Heart For Me 2.29 4. Farmer
John 1.145.Speedy Gonzales
2.25 6. Speleman 3.44 SIDE B 1.
Wedding 2.47 2. I Natt Jag Drömde
2.18 3. Consolation 3.25 4. Oh!
Carol 2.13 5. Holiday For Clowns
2.13 6. I Sagans Land 2.30
Svenne & Lotta 2 Early to Mid 1975 Swedish LP Out of print
This was S&L's scond Polar label album it featured "Bang-A-Boomerang" which was originally going to be only their song, but ABBA ended up having to use their own version as well. Two other B&B songs were included "Roly -Poly Girl" -A English version of "Kara Gamla Sol' and Dance (while the music still goes on) B&B just produced the songs they wrote on this one. This album included more 1960's oldies as well.
Svenne & Lotta-Letters Late 1976 Swedish LP out of print
Includes B&B's disco song -"Funky Feet" and a English version of B&B"s 1971 song-"Tänk Om Jorden Vore Ung" which here is called "If We only Had the Time".
Svenne & Lotta-20 Golden Hits 1977 Swedish LP out of print
A hits compilation.., the first of three Svenne and Lotta compilations that have been issued...
The Gummibandet/ Hep stars era This is a version of the Hep Stars that put out three albums between 1976-1978. Those albums were called Gummibandet ., .ur spindelväv och damm and Hep Stars music shop. These were all released on the EMI Columbia. At this point the band seems to have included Janne Frisk , Lelle Hegland, Chrille Peterson (singing and drumming again) and two other newer members..guitarist Bernt Liljegren and Tony Walter on Drums on just the third album. Bernt hailed from The Maniacs, a sixties band that featured Tommy Korberg. Tony worked with the Lee Kings. See Bernt Lijegren's homepage for photos from this era... http://www.berntliljegren.se/bl_1970.htmGummibandet (Hep Stars): Gummibandet 1976 Swedish LP 1. Personality Gummibandet (Hep Stars): ...ur spindelväv och damm
1977 Swedish LP Gummibandet (Hep Stars): Hep Stars music shop 1978 Swedish LP Side A 1. Buddy is the king Side 2 |
Svenne & Lotta- Bring it on home- Mid 1978 Swedish LP out of print
Little if any involvement from B&B -sort of a disco album...Their last album on Polar records..
HEP STARS -BÄSTA 2" 1978 Swedish LP
The cover features an interesting 1967 photo of the Hep Stars in twilight....The songs all seem to be largely from the pre-Lotta period -1964-1968 of the Hep Stars career.
1. No Response
1.37 /2. Malaika 2.48 /3.
The Birds In The Sky 3.11 /4. When
My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again 2.45
/5. Like You Used To Do 2.59 /6.
She Will Love You 2.42 /7. Lonesome
Town 3.14
1. A Tribute To Buddy Holly 2.48 /2. Should I 2.56 /3. Donna 2.50 /4. Mot Okänt Land 3.04 5. It`s Nice To Be Back 2.35 6. Bird Dog 1.54 7. Don`t 3.06
Svenne & Lotta-Rolls-Royce 1980 Swedish LP Out of print
Svenne and Lotta now recorded for the Gazell label..The title track is an irritating song, a cliched song about rock and roll stardom.
Svenne & Lotta- Det är en härlig feeling 1980 Swedish LP out of print..
Svenne and Lotta recorded yet another album as a duo. This album features ABBA sidemen -Rutger Gunnarsson, Mike Watson, and Roger Palm.
Track listing: Det är en härlig feeling/ /Om jag fick leva om mitt liv
/Du tror att jag mår bra/Utan dig/Precious to me
/Jag minns/Svart natt/Du ger mig liv/Vakna upp
The
Hep Stars-Hep Stars 1964-1969 Rel. 1983 Available on Swedish Cd.
Released on 1990's
Released on LP in 1983 and on Cd in the early 1990's this is one of the best compilations of the Hep Stars music. . It's 32 tracks make a persuasive case for the band's importance as "the Swedish Beatles" . All the songs here except for one include Benny on keyboards . The Hep Stars first hit (included on this CD) "Kana Kapila" had a different organist. Most of the important EMI Hep Stars A&B sides are included on this Cd.
Some of the LP liner notes seem
to have written in Swedish by Roxette's Per Gessle (before there
was a Roxette!). The sleeve reminds me of one of those old Beatles
Parlophone LP sleeves of the 1960's.
This compilation was a companion of two other collections showcasing
1960's Swedish rock
groups-The Tages and the Shanes.
The only flaw with this set is that it leaves out two of the four of the songs that B&B wrote together for the Hep Stars.
Track listing:
Kana kapila / A
tribute to buddy holly /. Bird dog/
If you need me/ Farmer John/ Donna / Cadillac / Bald
headed woman / No response / So mystifying /Young
and beautiful / Should I /. Sunny girl / Wedding/ When
my blue moon turns to gold again / I natt jag drömde / Consolation / Don't/No
time
/ Isn't it easy to say / Malaika / It's
nice to be back / Christmas on my mind / Mot
okänt land / She will love you / Let
it be me / Tända på varann / Holiday
for clowns /Speleman / Speedy gonzales /
Hep Stars -ACT II Out of print Swedish album 1989
This time the original Hep Stars (Janne Frisk , Christer Pettersson Lelle Hegland) reformed with Svenne and Lotta but without Benny... Lasse Wallender of ABBA plays guitar on the record., and is pictured on the cover...Supposedly, a fan of Benny's named Benneth Fagerlund plays keyboards on the album...The group does a new,REVISED version of Benny's song "Sunny Girl". Benny's original 1965 dictionary lyrics -"she is is domestic, she is property " were finally revised by Lotta to the more grammatically correct "she is fantastic, she is beautiful".
Track listing: 1. you're by my side 2. don't throw it away 3. tears on my pillow 4. sky diver 5. i wanna know 6. i'll never be the one 7. breakin up 8. sunny girl 9. close to danger 10. time 11. surfin bird Eagle Records ELP 017
Hep Stars-Basta September ? 1990 Swedish
CD (reissued again 1995 with different cover) Available
on Swedish Cd.
A one disc compilation of their hits in a blue cover ....Not
the same track listing as the pervious vinyl album that had been
callled Basta.
Cadillac, Farmer John, Bald
headed woman, No response, A tribute to Buddy Holly, So mystifying,
Should I, Sunny girl, Wedding, Consolation, No time, Speedy gonzales,
Malaika, She will love you, Let it be me, Save your heart for
me, Mot okänt land, Inatt jag drömde
Hep Stars & Svenne and Lotta-Fran Cadillac to Rolls Royce 1991 Available on Swedish Cd
I think I'd rather go from Waterloo
to Duvemala.
This Cd includes some 1960's Hep Stars tracks along with Svenne
and Lotta recordings. This set doesn't do either group justice.
This Cd does at least include Svenne & Lotta's Swedish version
of "Bang-A-Bommerang' which uses the same backing track as
ABBA's. This also has S&L's Swedish version of "Dance
(While Music Goes On). Annoyingly the handful of other( non-
ABBA )Anderson-Ulvaeus songs Svenne & Lotta recorded such
as "Funky Feet" and" If We Only had the Time"
are not to be found here. Instead
,we get Svenne & Lotta's
later 1980's work such as the absymal "Rolls Royce".
Hep Stars-Nastan Bara Pa Svenska -1992 Available on Swedish Cd
A cd compilation featuring mostly songs that the Hep Stars sang in Swedish..
1. Natt Jag Dromde
2. Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream
3. Mot Okant Land
4. Four Strong Winds
5. Sagan Om Lilla Sofi
6. Tanda Pu Varann
7. Save Your Heart For Me
8. Ar Det Inte Karlek Sag
9. Little Green Apples
10. I Sagans Land
11. Die Spielhur
12. Bilden Av Dig
13. Visions
14. Precis Som Alla Andra
15. Nagonting Har Hant
16. Songs We Sang
17. Speleman
18. Je Tappertiens
19. A Flower In My Garden
20. Speedy Gonzales
Hep Stars-Basta 1995 Available on Swedish Cd.
A one disc compilation of their hits. A new cover, but the same track lisitng as the 1990 CD by this name...
Cadillac, Farmer John, Bald headed woman, No response, A tribute to Buddy Holly, So mystifying, Should I, Sunny girl, Wedding, Consolation, No time, Speedy gonzales, Malaika, She will love you, Let it be me, Save your heart for me, Mot okänt land, Inatt jag drömde
Hep Stars- Juke Box Hits April 1995 Hard to find Swedish Cd
A cd compilation mostly of the Hep Stars early Rock and Roll covers.
1. Young And Beautiful
2. Lonesome Town
3. That's When Your Heartaches Begin
4. Donna
5. I Got A Woman
6. Shake
7. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
8. If You Need Me
9. Summertime Blues
10. Wear My Ring Around You Neck
11. Tribute To Buddy Holly
12. Don't
13. Oh Carol
14. Rocking Love
15. Be My Baby
Various Artists-Stora popboxen - Svensk Pop 1964 - 1969 Swedish 3CD
A n EMI three disc compilation of the mid-sixties Swedish pop scene that includes four Hep Stars tracks.
Hep stars EMI CD reissues December 1996 Swedish CD's
Four of The Hep Stars EMI- Olga albums were issued for the first time on CD .nin late 1996 -The HEp Stars 1966 studio album, -HEP STARS ON STAGE .WE AND OUR CADILLAC and Songs We Sang 68. The reissues all featured plentiful bonus tracks.
..
Svenne & Lotta - The Very Best of Available Swedish CD 1997
A compilation of Svenne and Lotta's tracks.
1. Sandy 2. Do You Wanna Dance Medley 3. Can't Stop Myself
From Loving You 4. Little Yellow Aeroplane 5. Breaking Up Is Hard
To Do 6. Bang A Boomerang 7. All I Have To Do Is Dream8. If We
Only Had The Time 9. Dance While The Music Still Goes On 10. Tell
Laura I Love Her 11. Save The Last Dance For Me 12. Chapel Of
Love 13. Extra Extra 14. Let It Be Me 15. Be My Baby 16. Take
Good Care Of My Baby
Hep Stars- The Collection August 2001 Available on Swedish cd
Yet another one disc Hep Stars compilation of music from the 1960's . It includes, " Är det inte kärlek sä" a rare Swedish version of "Little Green Apples". This album includes most of the Hep Stars Swedish top ten hits, this set includes four songs cowritten or written by Benny.
Cadillac/Bald headed woman/Farmer John/Speleman/I sagans land/Malaika/Sunny girl/Wedding/Consolation/ Speedy gonzales/Mot okänt land/I natt jag drömde/ Är det inte kärlek sä
Hep Stars-KLASSIKER October?
2002 Available on Swedish Cd
Released by Emi this Cd has all the usual suspects. and covers
the entire 1960's...
1. Cadillac
2. Farmer John
3. Bald Headed Woman
4. No Response
5. Sunny Girl
6. Wedding
7. Consolation
8. Speedy Gonzales
9. Malaika
10. Let It Be Me
11. Save Your Heart For Me
12. Mot Okänt Land
13. I Natt Jag Drömde
14. It's Nice To Be Back
15. Holiday For Clowns
16. Speleman
17. Är Det Inte Kärlek, Säg?
18. Donna
Svenne & Lotta - Tio Gyllene År 1973-1983 Available Swedish CD Early 2002
Finally a fairly good compilation of the work of former's Hep Star's singers Svenne & Lotta. The title means "Ten Golden Years". Svenne & lotta continued to work on and off with Benny during the early 1970's and were signed to ABBA's label Polar music. Svenne And Lotta recorded some songs written for them, some oldies covers and a few B&B songs. They recorded the first Swedish versions of ABBA songs-"Bang A Boomerang" , "Dance (while the Music Goes On)" and "He Is Your Brother".-all of which are included here ...One of the more interesting recordings here is the B&B disco track "Funky Feet" which was attempted but never recorded by ABBA.
Track listing -Bang A- Boomerang/När dagen försvinner/Dance (While the music still goes on), Chapel of love/, Sandy/ Breakin' up is hard to do/ All I have to do is dream/ It's a real good feeling/Du ger mig liv,/Take good care of my baby/ He is your brother,/Broken hearts/ Om jag fick leva om mitt liv/ Precious to me/ Only you/Where were you/Can't stop myself from loving you/ If it's love/ Makin' love/Funky feet2
HEP STARS- Cadillac Madness - 40 Years * 40 Hits * 1964-2004 Available on Swedish 2CD March 2004
This new double CD compilation features all the Hep Stars hits from the 1960's, a few albums tracks as well as two new tracks recorded recently- 'Love Is Coming Back', and a new version of the Hep Stars 1965 hit, "Cadillac", not surprisingly Benny does not appear on the new tracks. Nor for that matter do original members Christer Pettersson and Lelle Hegland appear on drums and bass. Not surprisingly, there does not appear anything recorded between 1970 and 2002 on the set. This is probably as good or better than the previous 2 album set 1964-1969 .It might have been to cool to have included "Someday Someone" here instead of just in the Cadillac Madness book. This CD set does include "It's Been a Long Long Time" " ..
,CD 1- Intro/Cadillac, Kana Kapila, A Tribute To Buddy Holly, Farmer John, Donna, Bald Headed Woman, No Response, Rented Tuxedo, So Mystifying, Young And Beautiful, Should I, Sunny Girl, Hawaii, Wedding, Don't, Isn't It Easy To Say, When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again, Tallahassee Lassie, Surfin' Bird, Wear My Ring Around Your Neck
CD 2 -Love Is Coming Back, I natt jag drömde, Consolation,
It's Nice To Be Back, Malaika, Mot okänt land, She Will Love
You, Like You Used To Do, It's Been A Long Long Time, Sagan om
lilla Sofi, Det finns en stad, Groovy Summertime, Let It Be Me,
Tända på varann, The Music Box, Holiday For Clowns,
Speleman, Är det inte kärlek, säg?, Speedy Gonzales,
Cadillac 2004
HEP STARS-Someday Someone 2004 Bonus CD Available as part of Carl Magnus Palm's CADILLAC MADNESS BOOK
This features four previously unreleased studio recordings by The Hep Stars, recorded in 1966 and 1967. The title track is featured twice- first in a spinet version and then in a more ABBAesque version. Why hasn't this listenable track released before? Well the main reason is that the melody for "Someday Someone" was used again in a later Hep Stars track...The other tracks are a cover of the Four Seasons' hit "Rag Doll" and a psychedelic group written instrumental called, Massa's Mess.
HEP Svenne Hedlund-Svenne Sings Elvis In Memphis, HHR003, Swedish CD, March 24, 2010
A New Svenne Hedlund solo album that was recorded at Sun Studios Memphis& Nashville in May 2009. . Mostly INCLUDES songs originally recorded by Elvis. James Burton, DJ Fontana, and Mats Persson play on the CD. It reached # 23 on the Swedish album charts. • 1. Little Sister • 2. Follow That Rain • 3. Hey Let's Celebrate • 4. Always On My Mind • 5. Blue Moon Of Kentucky • 6. Don't Be Cruel • 7. He's Latest Flame • 8. Love Me Tender • 9. Teddy Bear • 10. Return To Sender • 11. Young And Beautiful • 12. All Shook Up • 13. She's Not You • 14. A King Like You • 15. Good Luck Charm • 16. Wooden Heart • 17. The Wonder Of You • 18. I Gotta Know • 19. It's Now Or Never • 20. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You • 21. Treat Me Nice • 22. Loving You • 23. Baby I Don't Care • 24. No More • 25. Don't Cry Daddy • 26. Don't Leave Me Now • 27. Wear My Ring Around Your Neck • 28. Can't Help Falling In Love • 29. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again • 30. Don't • 31. Cadillac..(This page was last updated in June 2010. ) For more recent albums visit our Latest RELEASES page, or if I have totally lost interest, have died or simply haven't bothered to update this site ,visit the ABBF record site , or the ABBAMAIL news page for info about latest releases.
ABBA the Albums mourns the loss of Christer "Krille" Petersson, drummer and co-founder for the Hep Stars.. He died 27 August 2006, in Sweden at age 63, of a liver ailment... |
To leave this Hep House click below.....To return to ABBA-THE ALBUMS Home click here
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