The Hep Stars are a Swedish rock band formed in Stockholm in 1963. During 1965–1966 the band was the most successful of contemporary 1960s Swedish pop groups performing in the English language. Outside the Nordic countries the band is best known as a launching point for the keyboard player and composer Benny Andersson, who went on to enjoy worldwide success with ABBA.
Ted Arnbjörn Gärdestad was a Swedish singer, songwriter, musician and actor known internationally as Ted. Gärdestad began his acting career in 1966 and began playing music in 1971, signing with Polar Music. Assigned with in-house producers Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, Gärdestad released his first single, "Hela världen runt," in late 1971 and worked closely with the four members of ABBA to create his debut album Undringar (1972). As Polar Music's best-selling solo artist, he continued to work with the group members throughout the 1970s, releasing three more albums Ted (1973), Upptåg (1974) and Franska Kort (1976), which were moderately successful. In 1978, Gärdestad released his first English-language album, Blue Virgin Isles, which did not have success internationally, as his predecessor albums had in his home country.
Ring Ring is the debut studio album by the Swedish group ABBA, initially credited as Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida. It was released in Scandinavia on 26 March 1973, and later in a limited number of other territories, including West Germany, Australia, South Africa and Mexico, through Polar Music. It was a chart-topping album in Belgium, and a big success in the Netherlands, Norway and South Africa.
The Hep Stars is the eponymous second studio album by Swedish pop group Hep Stars, released on 19 December 1966 on Åke Gerhard's Olga Records, the catalogue number LPO 04. The album can be considered the band's musical breakthrough, as five out of twelve tracks are original compositions, and nine out of the twelve tracks had never previously been recorded by other bands.
Polar Music is a Swedish record company founded in 1963 by Stig Anderson and his friend Bengt Bernhag.
"He Is Your Brother" is a song recorded in 1972 by Swedish pop group ABBA, at the time known as "Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid".
"Bang-A-Boomerang" is a song by ABBA, first released by Svenne & Lotta. The track was first recorded as a demo with English lyrics in September 1974 by the ABBA musicians for their eponymous album ABBA. The song was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson and at one point had the working title "Stop and Listen to Your Heart". The lyrics compare the "message of love" with the returning boomerangs which the Aboriginal Australians developed.
Charlotte Jean "Lotta" Hedlund is an American-Swedish singer who has been living in Sweden since the late 1960s.
Sven Ove Hedlund was a Swedish pop singer who was a member of the music group Idolerna.
"Brand New Cadillac" is a 1959 song by Vince Taylor, and was originally released as a B-side. Featured musicians on the released recording were: Joe Moretti (guitars), Lou Brian (piano), Brian Locking (bass) and Brian Bennett (drums). While not successful in the UK, it got a huge surge in popularity in continental Europe, especially the Nordic countries, with acts such as The Renegades and Hep Stars bringing it to number one in Finland and Sweden respectively. Another Swedish act, the Shamrocks brought the song to number one in France.
Bo Michael Tretow is a Swedish record producer and audio engineer, musician and composer, best known for his work with the Swedish pop group ABBA (1970–1982), and with the musical Chess. Tretow experimented with different recording techniques, and played an essential part in creating the "ABBA sound". He has also composed several themes and jingles for Swedish national radio and television.
Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was originally released in Scandinavia on 17 November 1975 and in other parts of the world in 1976, notably the UK on 10 April, and on 18 September in the US and Canada. The 1976 version of the album included the band's most recent single "Fernando".
Lena Marianne Andersson is a Swedish singer, scoring several hits in the early 1970s. Andersson was signed at 17-years-old as a Polar recording artist in 1971. Benny & Björn of ABBA wrote a song for her which placed third in the 1972 Swedish Eurovision selection contest. Andersson also recorded as a backing singer for ABBA.
"Sunny Girl" is a song written by Benny Andersson, which was recorded and released as the Swedish rock group Hep Stars tenth single in March 1966. Their second original song after "No Response", it was the song which made Andersson believe in himself as a songwriter, with support from their manager Åke Gerhard. As a result, almost all singles by the Hep Stars following "Sunny Girl" are original compositions.
Hep Stars on Stage is the first live album and second overall release by Swedish rock band Hep Stars. Released in November 1965 on Olga Records, the album is composed of recordings made on 7 and 8 August 1965 at two separate Folkparks in Trollhättan and Västerås, Sweden. Hep Stars on Stage, although not the first live album by a Swedish artist, was the first live recording of a Swedish rock group released.
We and Our Cadillac is the debut album by Swedish beat group Hep Stars, released in September 1965. It was highly anticipated by fans, and succeeded their earlier hit singles, which turned Hep Stars into one of Sweden's top acts. It appeared on shows such as Drop-In and having three songs on Kvällstoppen simultaneously, a feat never achieved before. In Sweden alone, the Hep Stars had accumulated an ever-growing female fanbase, just like the Beatles did with Beatlemania just two years prior.
"No Response" is a song written by Benny Andersson, first recorded by Swedish rock group Hep Stars and released as a single in September 1965. The song was written in response to criticism drawn from other Swedish beat groups, including Shanes and Tages for their inability to write own material.
"Wedding" is a song written by Swedish musicians Benny Andersson and Svenne Hedlund, first recorded as the eleventh single by their group the Hep Stars in May 1966. "Wedding" was the second single in which the Hep Stars ventured into baroque pop, something that they'd done on their previous single "Sunny Girl" in March 1966.
"Consolation" is a song written by Swedish keyboardist Benny Andersson, first recorded as the Hep Stars thirteenth single in October 1966. The single largely left the baroque pop style sound which had dominated both their previous singles "Sunny Girl" and "Wedding", but continues the soft rock style of "I Natt Jag Drömde" and also ventures into the territory of psychedelic rock, a genre that would become prevalent the following year.
It's Been a Long Long Time is the fourth studio album by Swedish band the Hep Stars, released by Cupol Records in February 1968. Intended to be their international breakthrough, it was recorded in London with session musicians, with the only members of the Hep Stars to appear on the album being lead singer Svenne Hedlund, keyboardist Benny Andersson and tour manager Lennart Fernholm.
