WildliW

When the Kalix-based rock band WILDLIW saw the light of day, prog music was the dominant musical style.

It was not considered clean, especially not in Norrbotten, to write the lyrics and play the music WILDLIW wanted to play. The band therefore also did not get a record deal at Manifest, which had its office in Luleå.
The band had to start looking for a record company in Stockholm instead, but we’ll start from the beginning…WILDLIW were active between 1976-1983. The members changed over the years

The first set was this

  • Base – Per Väppling
  • Drums – Mikael Nergård
  • Keyboard – Lars Björnfot
  • Guitar – Thomas Jakobsson
  • Guitar – Peter Karlsson
They didn’t do many gigs with this line-up, they were missing a singer. At WILDLIW’s first gig, however, they were helped by the singer Jan Häggbom, from Luleå.
It was the only time that Jan Häggbom sang with the band. After that, the band played only one gig before the members changed

Då blev uppsättningen såhär…

  • Bass – Kurt-Erik Fors
  • Vocals – Anders Nyström
  • Drums – Sven Wallgren
  • Keyboard – Lars Björnfot
  • Guitar – Thomas Jakobsson
  • Guitar – Peter Karlsson
With this line-up, we could bet harder, because now we had a singer.
Folkets Hus Kalix
Folkets Hus Kalix
Amiralen i Luleå
Manhemsskolans aula i Kalix

The band recorded a vinyl single in Skellefteå with the songs, “Young and Crazy” and “Loser”. WILDLIW got to participate in radio, locally and also in national radio where they had their own program. They now played in large parts of North and Västerbotten.
But their dreams were bigger than that.

Then it was time to change members again…

Those who got on the train this time were…

  • Bass – Bernt Ek
  • Vocals – Seppo Härkönen
  • Drums – Kenneth Nelson
  • Keyboard – Lars Björnfot
  • Guitar – Thomas Jakobsson
  • Guitar – Peter Karlsson
WILDLIW Unfortunately, Kenneth Nelson is missing from the picture.
This set got a record deal with the hippest record company at the time, SOS (Sound Of Scandinavia) All the popular Swedish artists were there, and now also the Kalix band WILDLIW. The songs “We drive through the night” and “Ladies in black” were recorded in the historic Decibel Studio in Stockholm, where many artists recorded their music
Decibel Studio. Staffan Birkenfalk från bandet Strix Q var på plats och lyssnade… På denna bild ser man även Kenneth (blå skjorta)

We Drive Through the Night on Spotify

Orup was in Decibel Studio and wrote an alternative text for “Ladies in black”, which the band rejected. But it is saved on cassette with Orup on vocals.
WILDLIW got to play twice on Gröna Lund’s big stage.
WILDLIW at Gröna Lund
WILDLIW got to stand on Grönan’s stage twice.

WILDLIW also made recordings in ABBA’s Polar studio. At the same time, in the studio room next door was Tomas Ledin, who had just recorded “Summer is short”.

Demo recording in the Polar Studio. “We drive through the night”
Björknäsparken in Boden. The next day the stage was demolished.
WILDLIW often played on Children’s Day. Here in Luleå.

For the next album recording, there was a new drummer, Janne Lundberg.
Janne Lundberg had previously played in the band GRACE together with Bert Ek. Now they played together again in WILDLIW.

The band’s new single was called “All are looking for someone”.
The English version “Night Games” ended up on the single’s B-side.
The recording was also this time at Decibel Studio in Stockholm.

WILDLIW’s three singles.
Lasse Björnfot, Janne Lundberg, Peter Karlsson, Bernt Ek, Seppo Härkönen, Thomas Jakobsson.

The trips to Stockholm came more and more often, the band got several gigs there.
Their record label and recording studio were also located there. So they chose to move there. Simultaneously with the move, the group changed their name and shifted to a harder style of their music.

Now they called themselves – BEDLAM
WILDLIW has reunited on a few occasions, like here when IFK Kalix turned 75.
Then there was a singback performance, because the band hadn’t seen or rehearsed together for ages.

Keyboard: Peter Karlsson. Gitarr: Thomas Jakobsson. Bas: Kurt-Eric Fors. Sång: Seppo Härkönen. I Kalix Ishall

After a 30-year hiatus, WILDLIW reunited for a gig at Strandängarna in Kalix. The memory of the band still seemed to linger.

Strandängarna Kalix

The last thing WILDLIW recorded was this song…