1988-89: the early days

The Fools started when Björn Roth and Jens Månsson was allowed to borrow the keys to "Musicum" on Friday evenings in the autumn of 1988. Musicum was a former chapel used for rehearsal and teaching by the music school in Sölvesborg. Among other musical gadgets there was a four-track cassette "portastudio" (Tascam PortaTwo) and some microphones, as well as drums, guitars and amplifiers, and the recording sessions started instantly.

The first evening produced the garage sound of BOP's chokladsaft, and soon more followed. The portastudio allowed the duo to record drums, bass guitar, synth, and vocals all by themselves. Sometimes, they were joined by guitar ace Staffan Johansson for an occasional overdub or two.

The first promo photos, each taken by the other.
Jens shows off his new Roland Alpha-Juno I, while Björn plays some attack bass.

The "studio", at Musikskolan

The songs recorded during these early sessions were mostly simple 12-bar blues run-throughs, with vocals and overdubs added afterwards. Lyrics were written on the spot, with mixed results.

Björn's AKAI reel-to-reel, used as mix machine

Notes for BOP's chokladsaft. The first session was well prepared,
but the notes were wrong. The holes were punched to remove extraoneus bars.
No Tipp-Ex at hand, obviously.

The talented long-time BOP '73 collaborator Henrik Persson was encouraged to write lyrics for new Fools songs. Björn had written some western-sounding material he felt would be suitable as backing. The result was however not what was expected, but all new songs were welcome anyway. The lyrics were instead written to familiar Swedish tunes, and with Henrik as guest vocalist these ripoffs of Evert Taube and Cornelis Vreeswijk became quite hilarious. The pitch setting on the portastudio was used to get the "Cornelis" voice.

The lyrics to "John och Pärs fest", to the tune of "Elvira Madigan"

The comedy was taken to its logical conclusion with the recording of a 6-minute spoof of a radio show where stupid "children" called in to talk to the cynical host "Jerker". The music numbers were performed live during the "program" (and all seemed to be based on the Beatles' Let it be!).

Other highlights from the spring '89 sessions are the "Hunted to death"-trilogy recorded as soundtrack for the BOP '73-made short film, and the Eldkvarn imitation Bara elände i Stockholm, featuring the guitar and drums ace Staffan Johansson.

Sessions continued almost every week until about May. Then, the new manager of Musikskolan's facilities suddenly didn't approve of these unscheduled activities anymore. One of the last songs recorded also pointed to the future Fools sound, Jens's dreamy Ocean of synth which was recorded entirely with sounds from his new Roland D-10.

Björn jumps for the camera!

"The Fools still rocks on", with guitar and LM Ericsson amplifier

In the autumn of 1989 both Björn and Jens entered gymnasiet (high school). The Fools made their first gig, sort-of anyway, at the school Christmas show under the name of "T-sump". Some covers were performed featuring Per "Pepps" Persson as solo vocalist. The line-up also included Magnus Robertsson on keyboard (and a total of two amps for all instruments and vocals). Soon, they would both be members of the new Fools called the Foolz. The amps, however, belonged to the school and did not join the line-up.

As "T-sump", with a future Fools line-up

A few more (mercy?) visits to Musicum during late '89 with Patrik Sonestad yielded some more songs, including the last "classic" Fools song, Patrik's Piano break.

Late 1989 sessions

1990: the Fools becomes the Foolz

In 1990 things began to change. The Fools line-up now included Patrik Sonestad, who had arrived in Sölvesborg some years earlier, and keyboard whiz Magnus Robertsson. The influence of the new members led the band towards mostly sequenced synthesizer-based pop, with Magnus as a prolific songwriter. Lyrics still remained a constant problem, as well as the lack of recording equipment and facilities.

Proposed cassette cover shot.
From left: Björn, Jens, Magnus and Patrik.

The Fools' first gig (under that name) was at "Bokelundsskolans dag" 1990, where the members of the Fools helped out Patrik with some musical equipment demonstrations (the Ensoniq Mirage-DSK sampler, for instance).

This was done with the promise of getting to perform during the afternoon's show. However, when the band was finally let onto the stage after mostly dismal performances by the other assembled acts, the stage hands started to dismantle the stage.

The gig was quite uninspired anyway, with songs relying heavily on Magnus's sequenced backings - a favorite being the theme from the C=64 classic "The Last Ninja". Samples made on the Mirage earlier in the day was featured prominently, leaving the group member who "sang" this particular snippet not very happy...

In the summer of 1990 the Musicum sessions were briefly resumed. They produced a very varied collection of songs, from the ambient wind noise of Deep forest green to the space rock spoof Läjzer. The final song to be recorded at Musicum was Mirage theme, an unfinished song idea built around a sequenced Mirage electric piano ostinato.

The last Musicum sessions, summer 1990

During the year some full band rehearsals were held in Hörvik, and preparations were made for the Christmas show of 1990. Per "Pepps" Persson was now also a member, on bass guitar and vocals. The band renamed themselves the Foolz, the name became a parody of typical names of dance bands in Sweden.

Björn's guitar, customized for maximum show-off effect

The Christmas show finally came around, and the Foolz played a troubled set, with faulty cables, arguments over the number of songs to be played, and a guitar player with knife-injured fingers. While not a total catastrophe, it wasn't among the best of experiences. With precious little gig experience together, it should have been no surprise.

Magnus busy painting a poster just before the Christmas show

1991: A new life?

As 1991 came around the Fools now was the Foolz, a five-piece band ready for live gigs as well as recordings. However, the grand plans always seemed to come to nothing.

These promo photos were taken by Henrik Persson during a cold day in the winter of 1990-91.

The main goal was to make a cassette of all-original material, called "New Life" after the song Life, by Robertsson (there might have been some Depeche Mode influence as well). A 45 rpm single was also considered, but ultimately deemed too expensive.

Most of the songs were written by Magnus, who also programmed the synth backings on his new Ensoniq SQ-1. However, to record vocals and guitar a multitrack recorder was still needed.

The "freak" cover. A draft cover printout decorated mostly by H.P.

Using Musikskolan's facilities was still out of the question, but eventually another Portastudio was borrowed for a weekend or two. The backing tracks were quickly recorded, but there was no time to finish more than Goodbye old Kawai, which was the catchy supposed hit record. Björn had worked on lyrics for most of the songs, but only some were finished and many proved too hard to sing.

Typical rehearsals, with Patrik and Jens totally occupied with MIDI problems

Some lazy riffing at home, caught by Jens

Ultimately, the management at Musikskolan changed again and during the summer of 1991 the last sessions were recorded, but at this point the interest in the group had disappeared. The "New Life" tracks were never finished.

In 1992 all group members graduated from gymnasiet and were quickly scattered. They have not performed or recorded together again as a group since.

Music-X tracking at Magnus's... or do I see a joystick? Notice Kawai K-1 in the background

This might have been a good cover image?