Nationalteatern – Livet Är En Fest 1974 (Sweden, Progressive,Folk Rock)

Nationalteatern – Livet Är En Fest 1974 (Sweden, Progressive,Folk Rock)

Finally, the National Theatre's second album has arrived. Here too, all the songs are taken from previous plays, with songs like "Jack the Ripper" where capitalism creeps around the factory and where advertising rapes your mother, and the classic "Life is a Party" about the three friends Greven, Plast and I, where "I" refers to the third one called Clown.

There is also the song about "Hanna från Arlöv" who fights to get new fans for the laundry where she worked, the song is inspired by an article in the newspaper Proletären.

All the songs are taken from plays except for the song "Mr John Carlos" which was written on commission for the youth editorial team's radio program on P3 about sports and politics.

The difference from the previous album is big. This album became a pure rock LP compared to the first album which was a wild but still charming album with varied musical styles. "Ta det som ett løfte..." was a distinct "add-on album". It could start with Anders adding drums and bass and then it was built afterwards.
On "Livet är en fest" more natural basic takes were desired, i.e. to record the basics with drums, bass, keyboard and guitar live. Then add what was needed.

Everyone had also become a little better musician compared to last time, not least because they always had live music in the pieces. In addition, the sound is several light years better on "Livet är en fest".

During the recording, only a few were in the studio the whole time to produce a pure rock album. The other members were called in from time to time for spot contributions. The similarities from the previous LP are also great, same studio (MNW in Waxholm), same setup, people fought over the most fun jobs, like playing electric bass or drums. The same result of the fights: whoever played bass in the play versions got to play bass on the album, etc.

The album was an incredible success and was on the Kvällstoppen chart for a long time.



Tracks:

01. Jack The Ripper — 0:00

02. Plast’s Sång — 4:47

03. Stena Olsson’s Compagnie — 8:31

04. Mr. John Carlos — 11:38

05. Innerst Inne — 18:20

06. Livet Är En Fest — 21:36

07. Speedy Gonzales — 25:52

08. Paradisets Berg — 30:01

09. Lägg Av! — 32:02

10. Hanna Från Arlöv — 34:31

11. Bängen Trålar — 38:13


Personnel:

Håkan Wennberg — guitar, vocals
Ulf Dageby — electric guitar, guitar, bass, vocals
Peter Wahlqvist — piano
Lars Jakobsson — bass
Hans Mosesson — musician
Paul Olofsson — bass, harmonica, vocals
Anders Melander — vocals, piano, electric guitar, accordion, drums
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Jussi Larnö — clarinet (05)
Kurt Bünz — bass (06)
Torbjörn Falk — drums (06)
Peter Guttorp — cello (08)
Tord Bengtsson — violin (10)