- The Spotnicks
The Spotnicks are an
instrumental rock group fromSweden , who were formed in 1961. They were famous for wearing "space suit " costumes on stage, and for their innovative electronic guitar sound. They have since released 42album s, selling more than 18 million records, and still tour. [http://www.spotnicks.net/uk/index_uk.htm The Spotnicks web site ] ]History
The Spotnicks originated from "Rock-Teddy and The Blue Caps", a group formed in 1957 in
Gothenburg byguitarist Bo Winberg (born27 March 1939 ), with Bo Starander (born11 March 1942 ) (rhythm guitar ), and Björn Thelin (born27 June 1942 ) (bass guitar ). In 1958 they added Ove Johansson (drum s), changed their name to "The Frazers", and began playing regularly in local clubs. They signed arecording contract in 1961, and changed their name to "The Spotnicks", a play on the Russiansatellite Sputnik as suggested by their manager, Roland Ferneborg. [http://www.spotnicks.net/uk/index_uk.htm The Spotnicks web site ] ] Starander was later known as Bob Lander.They soon became the first Swedish group to have significant international success, in a similar style to
The Shadows andThe Ventures . They touredEurope , and one of their early records, "Orange Blossom Special", became their first big international hit, making the Top 30 in theUK Singles Chart in 1962 on the Oriole label, and reaching # 1 inAustralia . Around this time they began wearing their trademark "space suits" on stage. They recorded their firstalbum , "The Spotnicks in London - Out-a-Space", in 1962. Further hits included "Rocket Man" (no relation to theElton John song ), and "Hava Nagila " (their biggest UK hit, where it made # 13). Winberg also recorded solo, credited as "The Shy Ones".In 1963, "Amapola" became one of their most successful singles in their home country, staying at # 1 in Sweden for eight weeks. They appeared in the movie "Just For Fun", continued to tour widely, and recorded their second album, "The Spotnicks in Paris". That year, drummer Ove Johansson left and was replaced by an Englishman, Derek Skinner. Two years later, Skinner was replaced briefly by
Jimmy Nicol , who had previously toured withThe Beatles whileRingo Starr recovered from having histonsils removed. In 1964 and 1965, The Spotnicks expanded their popularity inGermany andJapan , reaching # 1 in Japan in 1966 with "Karelia". Elsewhere, however, they became less successful as popular music tastes changed. The group——having undergone many personnel changes——split up in 1970 after releasing their fifteenth album, "The Spotnicks Back in The Race". Yet the band was still popular in Japan and it soon reformed under Winberg's control in 1971 at the request of a Japanese record label. [http://www.spotnicks.net/story_uk/story70.htm The Spotnicks History, The '70s] ]Winberg has continued to lead versions of The Spotnicks, occasionally including Lander and/or Thelin, on tour and in recordings since then.
References
External links
* [http://www.spotnicks.net/uk/index_uk.htm Official Website]
* [http://www.spotnicks.net/disco/discography.htm Discography]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.