A Confession of My Love for THE STROLLERS
*a short essay about my thoughts and love for The Strollers*
Contents
[Introduction]
[About The Strollers]
[Captain of My Ship]
[Conclusion]
[References]
Introduction
It was about April of last year that I heard The Strollers' songs for the first time. One day, I listened to a live compilation album Gearfest! which was recorded at Gearfest '98 - a garage/punk festival that was held in Stockholm in 1998. I didn't know about their music even their name so I didn't have any expectations for them. But, no sooner had I heard the sound of fuzz guitar and Farfisa organ on the introduction of "I'm Going Away", I was strongly tempted by them. I was very shocked and fascinated by their completely 60's oriented high energy garage punk sound with emotional vocals and I wanted to hear more their songs, but this album included only 2 songs from their show (the other is a cover), so I went on the internet and looked for their recordings. I found a record shop in Tokyo dealt in their Captain of My Ship album and I ordered it soon because I couldn't find any other shop in Japan dealing their albums.... Some days later I got it and loved it for the first time I heard it and decided to become a follower of them.
About The Strollers
The Strollers were originally formed by Mathias Lilja <vocal & guitar>, Henrik Wind <organ> and Martin Karlsson <drums> under the name of Free Force, in Orebro (a medium sized-town in the middle of Sweden) in 1992. At the time they were 13 years old and play mostly R&B stuff. At the age of 16, they moved more raw garage punk inspired by great American 60's bands. After some member changes, the older bassist Peter Kalin joined the band and The Strollers (named after from The Yardbirds' song "Stroll On") were born. In 1998, they signed on Orebro's independent garage punk label Low Impact Records and released their debut 7" EP The Strollers (limited 800 copies). This EP had a good reputation among garage fans all over the world and sold out immediately and following 7" single Bring Her Home was also sold out soon. They released first album Falling Right Down in 1999 and second album Captain of My Ship in 2000, and both of them had good reputations from the press. They toured Scandinavia and northern European countries like Germany and they became be recognized as one of the most exciting live acts. But, the time had come. In 2001, Martin and Peter quit the band. Mathias and Henrik would continue The Strollers as soon as they find new rhythm section, but they did their last farewell show in original line-up in Stockholm in December, and as I know, they split up and go their several ways.
Captain of My Ship
Captain of My Ship is their second album released in 2000. This album includes 11 exciting and high energy garage punk songs. These songs very seem like great 60's garage music, but all of them are their original. They are, so to speak, one of "Neo Garage" band. They reproduce 60's garage punk completely... in their music and in their look from they have started. Their sound is just like Music Machine (an American 60's garage band) gets more punk. They have big fuzz guitar sound, loud organ, emotional & soulful vocals and catchy melodies in common. They use 60's instruments and it also makes their music like 60's. Speaking of their looks, they seem like living in 1966-67. (Please look at the album cover above.) However, not only garage but also various music's influence (50's rock n' roll, American punk, hard rock/heavy metal etc.) appeared in this album, so this album has variety and it makes this album more interesting.
This album had more good reviews from the press than their first album Falling Right Down. For Falling Right Down, they were commented on as another garage revivalist, but for Captain of My Ship, they were praised as one of very few revival bands which could compare with original great 60's garage bands. "Just like Music Machine's first album and toilet paper, Captain of My Ship belongs to every decent garage punk household." (Gearhead Magazine)
My Impression
I think The Strollers' two albums are the masterpieces in Swedish garage history definitely. I love both very much but I like Captain of My Ship a bit more because in this album, they are obviously grow up from Falling Right Down as the band and in songwriting. In Falling Right Down, fuzz guitar and organ sound are quite big, a bit too much and the songs are similar so a bit one pattern. (I love them, though) But, in Captain of My Ship, they get more careful in their band sound and more variations on their songs, so I think this album succeeded in become more deeper than Falling Right Down. Of course, energy is still high. I'm totally enchanted by Mathias' vocal because his vocals are very emotional and make my heart flutter whenever I hear it. Plus, the booklet of this album includes many lovely photos of them! I also love them in their anachronistic look.... :-)
This album starts with an aggressive garage punk tune "There Ain't No Cheatin'" and following "Tears In My Eyes" and "I Don't Care" are also aggressive garage tunes featuring heavy fuzz guitar, loud Farfisa (organ) sound and tight and strong beat. These tunes give high impact to me. Next song "I'll Be Gone" is more pop than these tunes, but good R&R tune which has impressive melodies of organ. There are also some different feeling tunes in this album and they're all good. "Not Good Enough For You" is full of sorrow. Their songs have some sorrow feeling in common, but this song's sorrowful melody and grievous and soulful vocals move my heart. "She Ain't Nobody" is a light and easy R&R tune featuring good swingin' piano. I like simple R&R tune with rock n' roll piano. "She Can Get It" is a very sweet, but a bit sorrow acoustical pop tune featuring Mathias' beautiful vocal. I love his vocal very much and it fascinates me. Most of their song written by the singer/guitarist Mathias, but the last song "Captain Of My Ship" is written by the drummer Martin, and it is an imaginative tune. It has imaginative sound seems as if being in the ship on the sea. The sea is rough and he (the captain) cries painfully... "I don't wanna be like everybody else, I just wanna be left all by myself. I take my ship and sail away on the endless sea, cause I know, in this world I'll never be free." And, this song ends with chaotic psychedelic noises of instruments. I think this song has much meaning. When I hear this song I sometimes feel sad, because they split up after released this album.... Anyway, I love this album all very much and I often play over and over again.
Talk about their lyrics, they didn't print the lyrics on their recordings, so I can't understand their lyrics well. (I'm not good at English.) Most of their songs are seemingly love song as for song titles. It's maybe influenced by 60's garage bands. Mathias (main songwriter) said in an interview, "As we said before, influences are obvious. You can write about politics or all kind of stuff, but who gives a damn. I think we could release almost every song that is written, just because I'm not having any interest in writing love songs."
(http://www.oocities.org/SunsetStrip/Limo/3942/strollers.html) It confused me first but I understand it's a kind of joke now. How many times do you say "Baby" or "Babe" in your songs, Mathias?? He seems a funny person....
Conclusion
They have changed my life surely! After I've heard Captain of My Ship, I'm really into them and Swedish garage scene and I also began to dig 60's garage punk which they are influenced by. Soon after I contacted with Low Impact (record label) and got Falling Right Down, and more and more I'm into them. I searched information about them around, but I got news of their breakup in late autumn of last year. I was very shocked when I read an announcement of their last farewell show. If they didn't split up, they could be creating more great albums and more famous band! I'm very sorry that their split up, but I'm also very looking forward to their new bands and I finally made this small fan site which dedicate to them. Long live The Strollers! (2002.10.Revised)
References
The Strollers. Captain of My Ship. Orebro: Low Impact Records, 2000.
http://hem.passagen.se/thestrollers/
http://www.lowimpact.nu/
http://www.oocities.org/SunsetStrip/Limo/3942/strollers.html
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