I
Ulf Lundell

About:

20 November 1949

Born in Södermalm, Stockholm, out of a blacksmith workers family. The family first lived in Stockholm but moved to Saltsjö-Boo in 1958. At the age of ten he got his first guitar. During the years 1967-1975 had Ulf Lundell many miscellaneous jobs, including as a postman. During these years he wrote songs and poems inspired by the prog movement in Sweden who were active since 1968. He sent a demo to the leading prog-labels MNW and Silence that refused it, telling him "the material was not strong enough". Eventually he recorded his debut Vargmåne (Wolf Moon) for EMI in 1975. The following year he also launched his career as an author with the novel ‘Jack’. Musically he released a string of albums gradually moving towards a rocksound. On his third he sings a duet with Agnetha Fältskog, "Snön faller och vi med den" ("Snow Falls And We With It"). His biggest selling album was released in 1982. ‘Kär och galen’ (In love and crazy) features his most famous song "Öppna landskap" ("Open landscapes"). While waiting for a proper sequel to Kär och galen Lundell released two records, one in which he interpreted the English songs with Swedish lyrics (Sweethearts) and a completely acoustic album (12 sånger). Ulf wrestled with severe alcohol problems during this time, which among other things, led to the postponing of his upcoming album several times. A disastrous gig in Borgholm in 1985 which Lundell performs completely drunk marks the lowpoint he has reached at that time. In the fall Lundell released Den vassa eggen (The Sharp Edge), an album heavily influenced by his divorce from Barbro Zackrisson. In 1988 he joined the AA after which he stated that he had met God and was baptized shortly thereafter in the Ebeneser Church. His newfound Christian faith came to color in the album Evangeline, which was released the same year. On it he gets help from several Swedish artists amongst whom Marie Frederiksson. In 1989 he released his autobiography En varg söker sin flock ("A Wolf in Search of his Pack") and became active as a visual artist. In 1993 he returns with the album Måne över Haväng, which contains songs Isabella written for poet Isabella Nerman. This was the first album that Lundell produced entirely by himself. In 1995 Lundell celebrated 20 years as an artist. The following year he released double album På andra sidan drömmarna and the live album Bosnia. In a steady pase Lundell continued to record albums after the millenium. Inspired by Bob Dylan he starts a neverending tour in 2008. In the summer of 2010 he performs for 22 827 people at Gröna Lund. A concert tour that would have been implemented in the spring of 2011 was completely cancelled due to sickness.

On the web:

- Ulf's official website: http://www.ulflundell.com/

What do we think:

DB: The Bruce Springsteen of Scandinavia, the Bob Dylan who plugged in Swedish prog, the working class hero of Stockholm. Ulf earns all these titles and also the hardest working songwriter in the region with an impressive list of songs and books on his record. His albums from his early period upon his rehab period are actually the most intense, honest and, in my opinion, the ones most worthy of seeking out. Expect some classic Swedish log-rock. Get your hiking gear, get Ulf on your Ipod and head off into those endless forests. With his catalogue you can walk for miles.

If you like this, you probably like.. / european counterparts:

De Dijk (Netherlands)

Ramoncin (Spain)

Albums:

♪♪♪♪♪ - Vargmåne (1975)

♪♪♪ - Törst (1976)

♪♪♪ - Längre inåt landet (1980)

♪♪♪♪ - Kär och galen (1982)

♪♪♪ - 12 sånger (1984)

♪♪♪ - Den vassa eggen (1985)

♪♪♪ - Evangeline (1988)

Further listening: Nådens år (1978), Ripp rapp (1979), Det goda livet (1987), Utanför murarna (1989), Måne över Haväng (1993), Xavante (1994), På andra sidan drömmarna (1996), Män utan kvinnor (1997), Slugger (1998), Fanzine (1999), I ett vinterland (2000), Club Zebra (2002), En eld ikväll (2003), Ok Baby Ok (2004), Högtryck (2005), Lazarus (2005), Omaha (2008), En öppen vinter (2010)

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♪♪♪♪♪ = outstanding album, an absolute must-have
♪♪♪♪ = great album, highly recomended
♪♪♪ = nice album
♪♪ = be careful, requires listening before buying
♪ = best to be avoided