SCHWEEDEEN

Charlie Hart and I arrived in Gothenburg to be met by the amiable Nikke Strom who has arranged this little trip around the west coast. We load our gear into his vintage Volvo and have to tie my suitcase onto the roof as he has brought all the amps and piano along with him. Thus squashed in we drive out of town towards the small island of Bjorko and as we approach the water the ferry is pulling in; great timing.

Straight away we are made welcome and eat some excellent shellfish washed down with beer to the accompaniment of teachers having a sing song. This place is used for conferences and they are on one.

The next day we meet the band and start to run through the tunes. They are all excellent players and have even listened to the music and Nikke has prepared song sheets so we are well prepared. That night we drive to the big city –Gothenburg- and have a good meal around the corner from Linnegarta which is where Nikke lives. Back on the island we run some more tunes the next day and then play for everyone in the evening. It’s all very cosy and friendly with locals and fishermen getting drunk and dancing and listening to the music. There are usually a few Englishmen in Sweden and if you ask why they are there they reply, ‘I married a Swedish girl’, no surprises there. At this gig there is a carpenter from Bradford who has his dad with him too, a veteran of the Blitz to boot. I ask the carpenter, a jolly thicj set chap whay he is here and he replies ‘I have three girlfriends’ all this with a broad Bradford grin.

In the Wednesday morning I went down to the quay and met a couple aboard a smart sailing boat about to leave. We chat and they had been at the show last night. I ask for a passage heading up the coast and they readily agree, so we tell Nikke who arranges to meet us in Nosund instead of Mollesund which is where the boat was headed.

The trip along the inland waters amongst the islands is quiet as the water is calm and the weather chilly but still. The motor purrs along as we pass the small islands and inlets which make up the jigsaw pattern of the west coast. Sometimes we pass through narrow channels into a larger harbour and some of these channels have been blasted through. Finally we sail up towards the village of Nosund where Nikke’s friend and onetime father in law is there to greet us. He owns the hotel on the front all quite charming with its balconies overlooking the sea. We drink and beer and Nikke comes to collect us as though it was well arranged beforehand.

We then drive off north to Orust-Slussens, another charming seaside resort which is waiting for the season to begin proper. There is a small stage overlooking the waters and room to eat and chat. We set up with the band and run through some tunes before retreating in readiness for the evening. Again there were not so many punters but the show ended with a rousing chuck berry jam and the audience all joining in and dancing too. The picture was taken there.

The bedroom overlooked the bay where seals popped their head above the still waters. In the morning I took a kayak out along the coast which was nice skimming across the water and exploring. It’s too early in the season for holidaymakers and the weather too chill, that’s one problem.

After that we head up to a couple of dance halls in Amal and then Arvika, but it seems that people have stayed indoors as though we are the Third Reich invading the town so best to draw the curtains and pretend it’s not happening. Shame as the band are sounding better and better a point we prove when we return to the more cosmopolitan atmosphere of Gothenburg and the jazz café where Nikke and his musicians are well known. The place is jammed on the Sunday night and we all enjoy ourselves mixing the music with the food and drinks and people forever wandering past to go to the loo. A few crazy ladies get up to dance but there is hardly room to swing a cat. Bennie –real name is Bengt – swirls his guitar sounds across the room while Nikke stands and delivers and Charlie whips everyone up with his electric accordion playing. Johann is steady on the drums and has time to sing too. I tell the jokes.

It has been a great trip and the chance to meet new friends who will hopefully become old friends one day when we meet to play again. That’s down to market forces and the expertise of Nikke Strom.