Tages were a Swedish rock band formed in Gothenburg in 1963. They were one of the most successful Swedish bands of the 1960s, achieving thirteen top-20 singles on the Swedish chart Kvällstoppen and having two albums certified gold.
History
The group began as a skiffle group in the summer of 1963, originally named Alberts Skifflegrupp after vocalist Tommy Blom's middle name. The founding members were Tommy Blom (vocals, guitar), Anders Töpel (guitar), Danne Larsson (guitar), and Göran Lagerberg (washboard). They renamed themselves Tages Skifflegrupp after Larsson's middle name, Tage. Drummer Freddie Skantze joined shortly after, and the group transitioned into a beat band influenced by the Beatles.
Their breakthrough came in August 1964 when they won a "Västkustens Beatles" (West Coast's Beatles) competition organized by Göteborgs-Posten, earning a free recording session. Their debut single, "Sleep Little Girl" (written by Blom), was released on 16 October 1964 on Platina Records. It reached number 3 on Kvällstoppen and topped the radio chart Tio i Topp.
Musical Development
Tages began as a Merseybeat-influenced group but quickly evolved, drawing inspiration from British mod artists such as the Small Faces and the Who. They covered songs by artists then little-known in Sweden, including John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon, and Muddy Waters. Their 1966 album Extra Extra is considered among the first psychedelic rock albums recorded. Later in their career, they pioneered a fusion of Swedish folk music with contemporary rock, culminating in their final studio album Studio (1967), which contains entirely original material and is regarded as one of the best Swedish albums of the 1960s.
Discography
Studio albums (as Tages):
- Tages (1965)
- Tages 2 (1966)
- Extra Extra (1966)
- Contrast (1967)
- Studio (1967)
As Blond:
- The Lilac Years (1969)
Personnel (Classic Line-up)
- Tommy Blom – vocals, guitars, harmonica (1963–1968; died 2014)
- Göran Lagerberg – vocals, bass (1963–1969)
- Danne Larsson – vocals, guitars (1963–1969)
- Anders Töpel – guitars, vocals (1963–1969; died 2014)
- Freddie Skantze – drums, percussion (1963–1966)
Later Years
In mid-to-late 1968, Blom departed the band, and the remaining members renamed themselves Blond. After further line-up changes left Lagerberg as the only original member, they released one album, The Lilac Years (1969), on the Fontana label before disbanding.
