line up 1 (1966-67)

- Mecki Bodemark -- vocals, organ, flute

- Björn Fredholm -- drums, percussion

- Thomas Mera Gartz (RIP 2012) -- drums, vibraphone, sitar

- Hans Nordström -- sax, flute

- Clas Svanberg -- lead guitar

  line up 2 (1967-68)

- Mecki Bodemark -- vocals, organ, flute

- Thomas Mera Gartz (RIP 2012) -- drums, vibraphone, sitar

- Hans Nordström -- sax, flute,

- Clas Svanberg -- lead guitar

  line up 3 (1968-71)

- Mecki Bodemark -- vocals, organ, vocals, flute

NEW - Bella Fehrlin (aka Bengt Linnarsson) -- bass 

NEW - Kenny Håkansson -- lead guitar (replaced Clas Svarberg)

NEW - Pelle Ekman -- drums, percussion (replaced Thomas Gartz)

  line up 4 (1979-80)

- Mecki Bodemark - vocals, keyboards, flute

NEW - Jan Kullhammar-- drums, percussion (replaced Pelle Ekman)

NEW - Staffan Lindros -- vocals, lead guitar (replaced 

   Kenny Hakansson)

NEW - Anders Sjöstedt -- trumpet t

NEW - Bo Svensson -- sax

- Arbete och Fritid

- Baby Grandmothers (Bella Fehrlin, Kenny Håkansson, and 

  Pelle Ekman)

- Dag Vag

- Dyngrak

- Fruit 

- Harvester (Thomas Mera Gartz)

- International Harvest (Thomas Mera Gartz)

- Kebnekajse (Bella Fehrlin, Kenny Håkansson, and  Pelle Ekman)

- Parson Sound (Thomas Mera Gartz)

- T-Boones  (Bella Fehrlin, Kenny Håkansson, and  Pelle Ekman)

- Träd, Gräs och Stenar (Thomas Mera Gartz)

Genre: progressive

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  Mecki Mark Men

Company: Limelight

Catalog: LS-86054
Year: 1968

Country/State: Stockholm, Sweden

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: gatefold sleeve

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 1060

Price: $100.00

I've always wondered how this Swedish obscurity ended up being released on ABC's jazz and experimentally oriented Limelight subsidiary.   Musically I could see the link, but how did a bunch of American highbrow marketers stumble across the Swedish hippies ?

Mecki Mark Men came together in 1966.  Lead by singer/keyboardist Mecki Bodemark, the original line-up featured twin drummers in the form of Björn Fredholm and Thomas Mera Gartz, along with sax player Hans Nordström, and lead guitarist Clas Svanberg.   Bodemark and Gartz had known each other in college and most of the members had previously played in local pop and jazz groups.  The group's then unique mix of psych, jazz, and progressive moves found them signed to Philips Records, which released their debut single in 1967:

- 'Got Together' b/w Midnight Land' (Philips catalog number 350322PF)

The single introduced the band's mixture of freak-outs and horn powered R&B-influences and was followed by their self-titled debut LP later in the year.  With different artwork, the album saw an American release the following year.

Philips catalog number PY 842.560

So let me warn you that even though  'Mecki Mark Men" was a truly psychedelic album, it was also  what a lot of folks will consider an acquired taste.  As mentioned, most of the band had previous jazz experience and those roots were reflected throughout the collection, occasionally giving the album a disjointed, almost discordant feel.  That, or these guys were just mega stoned when they recorded the album.  The jazz roots also frequently collided with what appeared to be a Hendrix fascination; particularly on the part of lead guitarist Clas Svanberg and singer/keyboardist Bodemark who seemed to go out of his way to echo some of Hendrix's vocal maneuvers.   Technically these guys were quite impressive, showcasing a nice collective groove, but I'll readily admit that it took awhile for me to warm up to the album.   Yes, the album carried a strong reputation (or hype), but the first dozen or so times I played it, the results just seemed cold and distant.  Very much like a Scandinavian winter ...   With the possible exception of 'I Got It', there simply wasn't much in the way of playfulness, or fun across these grooves, while tracks like the acid soaked 'Free' were actually a bit disconcerting.  Elsewhere, tracks like the jazzy 'Enlightment' were just too self-centered and pompous to be enjoyable.

"Mecki Mark Men" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Opening (instrumental)   (Mecki Mark Men) - 2:45

The instrumental 'Opening' started the collection off with a fairly trippy sound collage complete with waves, sea gulls, fog horns, and other sound effects.  Bodemark eventually launched into some  Doors-styled organ moves accompanied by Svanberg's fat guitar chords.   rating: *** stars

2.) Get It Up    (Mecki Bodemark) - 3:02

Showcasing Bodemark's surprisingly nice voice and organ moves, 'Get It Up' sounded very much like mid-'60s English R&B being pursued by the likes of Brian Auger and Alan Price.   Kind of cocktail-jazzy to my ears, but not without a certain amount of charm (especially before it hit the freak out ending sequence).   rating: *** stars

3.) Free   (Thomas Mera Gartz) - 4:07

Penned by drummer Gartz, 'Free' captured the band at their most psychedelic ...   this was some seriously lysergic influenced material, complete with electric sitar and completely stoned vocals.   It also reminded me a bit of a good Jimi Hendrix tune; perhaps not a major surprise given the band had opened for Hendrix when he toured Sweden.   All of that made it one of the album standout performances.   rating: **** stars

4.) I Got It    (Mecki Bodemark) - 4:07

Probably the album's most conventional tune, I Got It' sounded a bit like a mash-up between Hendrix and Brian Auger.   That probably didn't sound very promising, but the tune actually had a pretty swinging melody.   Bodeman certainly sounded stoned on this one.   rating: **** stars

5.) Love Your Life    (Mecki Bodemark) - 4:12

Back to a pedestrian (and stoned) mix of cocktail jazz and English R&B moves.   Very mid-'60s sound that didn't do a great deal for me.   rating: *** stars

(side 2)
1.) I Had a Horse    (Mecki Bodemark) - 3:33

Geez, if you thought side one sounded stoned, check out 'I Had a Horse'.   Kicked along by 

Fredholm and  Gartz's frenetic drumming and with Bodemark trotting out his best Hendrix mannerisms ("I'm a cloud, I'm a cloud ...") , this was extremely strange mid-tempo rocker.    rating: *** stars

2.) Scream  (Thomas Gartz) - 3:43

Opening up with what sounded like organ burps and backward taped percussion moves, 'Scream' was a lysergic drone, more than a song.   rating: *** stars

3.) Sweet Movin'    (Mecki Bodemark) - 2:46

Hum, bunch of skinny, pale Swedish white guys trying to sound funky ?   Nah, didn't really work and Hans Nordström's screeching sax didn't exactly make this the album's most listenable performance.  Curiously that didn't stop Philips from tapping it as a Swedish single.  rating: ** stars

4.) Enlightment   (Thomas Gartz) - 3:44

Stoned swing jazz ?   Regardless, there was too much Hans Nordström sax on this one.  Imagine an English band like Centipede and you'd get a feel for this one.  rating: ** stars

5.) Love Feeling   (Lena Eidervall) - 3:42

Wow, a pretty ballad ...   a lysergic soaked ballad, but still a ballad.   rating: **** stars

6.) Please (instrumental)   (Mecki Mark Men) - 4:09

The instrumental 'Please' started out sounding like a piece of musique concrete experimentation - not exactly the most enjoyable musical genre known to mankind.  From there it exploded into a slice of fuzz guitar and organ powered freak-out that sounded like it was lifted off of one of those mid-'60s drug-exploitation "B" flicks.   Listening to this sound collage once is probably going to be enough for most folks.   rating: ** stars

As mentioned, the album spun off a Swedish single:

- 1968's 'Sweet Movin' b/w 'Love Feelin'' (Philips catalog number 350333PF)

Unfortunately, after touring in support of the album, including shows where they opened for Hendrix and Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, the second line-up called it quits.

Genre: progressive

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  Running In the Summer Night

Company: Limelight

Catalog: LS-86068
Year: 1969

Country/State: Stockholm, Sweden

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: gatefold sleeve

Available: SOLD

Catalog ID: SOLD 1061

Price: SOLD $100.00

inner sleeve photos; left to right: Mecki Bodemark -Pelle Ekman - Kenny Håkansson - Bella Fehrlin

With front man singer/keyboard player Mecki Bodemark the only holdover from the previous line-up (he was featured on the album cover), 1969's "Running In the Summer Night" brought in former T-Boones/Baby Grandmother members  Bella Fehrlin on bass, lead guitarist Kenny Håkansson, and drummer Pelle Ekman.  Bodemark and the others had apparently crossed paths while working on a Swedish version of Hair.  Produced by Anders Lind, musically the album found the band stepping away from the debut's combination of jazz, psych and experimental meanderings in favor of a more conventional rock orientation.  Judging by his manned vocals, Bodeman remained infatuated with Hendrix, while new guitarist Håkansson seemed to be an even bigger Hendrix disciple than his predecessor Clas Swanberg.  That said, the band seemed more interested in riding the Blue Cheer and Vanilla Fudge hard rock train this time around.  The debut album wasn't particularly subtle, but this time around there was no attempt to under sell anything - waves of Bodemark's organ and Håkansson's fuzz guitar pretty much covered the entire project.  That meant there wasn't a great deal of variety and the album quickly bogged down in a sounds-the-same mode. They'll be folks out there who find the results attractive, but with the possible exceptions of 'Future On the Road', 'Born', and the instrumental 'Being Is More than Life', the sophomore set didn't do a great deal for me.

"Running In the Summer Night" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Sweet Swede Girls   (Mecki Bodemark) - 4:00

Besides having a great title, 'Sweet Swede Girls' started out sounding tighter and more conventional than anything on the debut album, but when Bodemark started singing the results sounded like a cross between Jimi Hendrix and Vanilla Fudge.   As on the debut, hearing a skinny, pale white Swedish guy trying to channel Hendrix was a hoot.   rating: *** stars

2.) Playing Child  (Mecki Bodemark - Clas Swanberg) - 4:25

Apparently a leftover from earlier sessions (since it was co-written by Bodemark and former guitarist Swarberg), 'Playing Child' opened up with some Procol Harum-styled organ moves before plunging into a mid-tempo rocker that again brought out the Hendrix comparison , but never seemed to truly get its bearings.   Credit to Håkansson for turning in an impressive fuzz guitar lead throughout the tune.   rating: ** stars

3.) Is He Safe?   (Mecki Bodemark - Thomas Gartz) - 3:10

'Is He Safe?' had one of the album's better melodies with some nice heavy bass from Bella Fehrlin.  rating: *** stars

4.) I Don't Wanna Hurt You   (Mecki Bodemark) - 3:55

With a keyboard-powered R&B feel, 'I Don't Wanna Hurt You'' started out sounded like something off the debut album - another Alan Price flavored effort with those Hendrix-like vocals and some irritating flute moves thrown in.  The second half of the song went into a more rock oriented direction with plenty of  Håkansson's fuzz guitar.  rating: *** stars.  

5.) Future On the Road   (Mecki Bodemark) - 6:02

'Future On the Road' ended side one with a conventional blues-rocker that showcased an interesting combination of Håkansson's fuzz guitar and what sounded like vibraphone.   Clocking in at over six minutes it went on way too long, but was quite energetic.   rating: **** stars

(side 2)
1.) The Life Cycle

      a.) Born   (Mecki Bodemark) -3:55

One of the few tunes that wasn't overwhelmingly heavy, 'Born' had a pretty, catchy melody, coupled with some interesting Free Design--styled backing vocals.  Sounding relaxed, as if he wasn't trying too hard, Bodemark actually sounded great on this one.  Simply because it added a bit of variety to the proceedings, it was one of my favorites songs on the album.   rating: **** stars

      b.) Different Directions   (Mecki Bodemark) -2:50

Well, so much for not trying too hard - 'Different Directions' marked a return to prime Hendrix wannabe territory.   Kind of a 'Crosstown Traffic' vibe perhaps ?   rating: *** stars

      c.) Being Is More than Life (instrumental)   (Kenny Håkansson) - 2:30

Penned by guitarist Håkansson, 'Being Is More than Life' started out as a gentle, almost pastoral tune, but showcasing his fuzz guitar, gathered up more and more energy as it cruised along.   One of the album highlights.   rating: **** stars

2.) Help Me Somebody   (Mecki Bodemark) - 2:30

Probably the group's most commercial tune, 'Help Me Somebody' sounded a bit like a Nordic version of Vanilla Fudge.   Depending how you felt about the Fudge, that may not have been a strong recommendations.   YouTube has a clip of the band performing the song for a 1969 Swedish television show.   Not sure what the deal was with the silver outfits.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCM2uXn-eH4    rating: *** stars

3.) Butterfly   (Mecki Bodemark) -3:10

Is molten an adjective you can use with music ?   Not sure, but that would seem the be an apt description for this mid-tempo rocker. The combination of fuzz guitar and organ made Vanilla Fudge sound like a top-40 pop act.  rating: *** stars

4.) Running In the Summer Night   (Mecki Mark Men) - 6:10

Strong melodies were never one of the band's strengths, but to their credit, the title track wasn't bad.  The heavy organ and fuzz guitar song again lent credence to the Vanilla Fudge comparison.  Neither the sound, nor video quality are great, but YouTube has a clip of a 1969 promotional clip of the song with some segments showing the band lip-synching along.   The second half shows the band seemingly meditating in a forest to the tune 'Being Is More than Life'.   rating: *** stars

Depending on what reference materials you read, following their American tour, the band found themselves penniless and trapped in the States.  To cover their bills and get airfare back to Sweden they agreed to record a third album for their management team - released in Sweden as 1971's "Marathon" (Sonset catalog number SLP-2521t   Bodemark also fronted a one-shot 1979 comeback that saw the release of another studio album - 1979's jazz-rock oriented "Flying High" (Kompass catalog number KOLP-18).  In conjunction with their 40th anniversary, 2007 saw the release of "Livingroom" (Vesper catalog VESCD194619672007)

Only 68, drummer Gartz died in 2012.