In Finland in the early 1980s two bands emerged, different in style but both of immense quality: Teddy & the Tigers (British rockabilly sound) and the extraordinary Hal Peter's trio, who released their first record for Rockhouse (Follow Thru) in 1988, with good covers and original songs recorded between 1985 and 1987. The band would release a second record in 1990, called "Rockin' the country", which is all right, although I find it more tedious than that fantastic first album. Very, very pure hillbilly and western swing, original songs and pretty obscure covers.
From that first band would come the brilliant Barnshakers, with Vessa Haja, Lester Peabody (Jussi Hutakangaas, a tremendous guitarist and an expert in the finger-pickin' technique), Mike Salminen and Mika Liharii, who were recently joined by the brilliant pianist Big Boy Harris. A band that, on top of that, have gone on to form side projects.
And in Norway, in the 1980s, along came the Teds Teen Cats, with songs like "Elizabeth" or their version of "Rockabilly guy" by The Polecats, "Hey Mr. Grogan", dedicated to Crazy Cavan, or "Teddy Bop" ... among many others.
In Sweden, the 1970s would bring bands and artists such as Jerry Williams, Hank C. Burnette (Sven Agde Högberg) or The Boppers (hugely successful with their first records, like "Back to the hop", "Number 1" or "Keep On Boppin'"), who set out to bring back the vintage sound of 1950s rock and roll, and then in the 1990s came bands of the calibre of Wildfire Willie (Jan Svensson) & the Ramblers, who released a first album in 1988 with original songs like "Dog my Cats" and several excellent covers, among which I would single out "Ruby Pearl" by Jackie Lee Cochran, "The Chicken & the Hawk" by Big Joe Turner, "Chocolate Drop" by Howlin' Wolf... etc.
That album was followed by "Roarin' to go" in 1993 and "Gettin my kicks" (1995), for the Tail label.
Also worth mentioning is Gustav Blacklund's band, Riley McOwen & the Sleazy Rustic Boys, who have conquered the whole world with their fresh, classic rockabilly, a band that featured the Wildfire Willie & the Ramblers guitarist, Jirki JJ Juvonen, also a member of Jack Baymoore & the Bandits, a band with a sound both wild and classic, with several records out since their debut in 1996 on the Tail label. Also worth mentioning are Jan Svensson's side bands, The Hi-Winders, alongside guitarist Per Thörsell (a member of other Swedish bands such as Surfin' Gorillas or Robert Johnson & the Punchdrunks).
In Denmark I would single out Vince Gordon's band, The Jime, who have been around a long time and have 3 records on the market: the first released in 1987, the second in 1999 and the latest, for Nervous, in 2003, called "It's Still rock and roll to me". Hard-hitting neo-rockabilly with big Stray Cats influences.
Alex Ruiz
Radio Funny
