Totta Näslund
Encyclopedia
Erik Torsten "Totta" Näslund (1 April 1945 – 19 June 2005) was a Swedish rock and blues musician, with leftist political views.
and grew up in the small northern town Köpmanholmen, but moved to Gothenburg
in 1970 to find work. He was working in the Gothenburg docks when he joined Nynningen, a rock group with leftist political texts and inspired by the Russia
n Communist poet Mayakovsky
. Totta Näslund became the group's main singer.
In the mid-1970s, Nynningen fused with Nationalteatern
, a musical theater ensemble with many members. Totta Näslund joined the group as singer, guitar-player and actor. Nationalteatern developed away from the theater and became a straight rock group, a rock orchestra as they called themselves. Even though Totta never wrote any own songs for the band, he was probably the most prominent member, next to Ulf Dageby
.
Nationalteatern was one of the many leftist music and theater groups that came together in 1977 to form Tältprojektet
, The Tent Project, a musical theater performance on the history of the Swedish working class
, which toured the country that summer. Totta Näslund played the Beggar, the central story telling character of the play, and he sang some of the lead songs, like Aldrig mera krig (Never War Again) and Vi äro tusenden (We are legion). Tältprojekted, a non-profit making experiment financed by its members and supporters, was highly successful.
In the beginning of the 1980s, Nationalteatern
dissolved and Totta Näslund directed his full energy to his hobby project, Totta's Bluesband with lyrics in English and several smaller tours in the U.S.
.
In 1995, when Totta turned 50 years old, he decided to go for a solo career and has released 8 solo albums with mostly songs written directly for him by other artists, or covers of other songs.
One of Totta Näslund's main sources for inspirations was Bob Dylan
, and in May 2005 he went to Dylan's hometown Hibbing, Minnesota
despite his lethal cancer, where he performed his own interpretation of Bob Dylan songs. Totta had also started making an album together with Mikael Wiehe
, with Dylan songs translated to Swedish, but this was interrupted when he suddenly died.
Totta Näslund died on 19 June 2005 of liver cancer
. He was scheduled to perform in his hometown Köpmanholmen the next day. He was 60 years old.
With Tottas Bluesband
As a solo artist
Biography
Näslund was born in SandvikenSandviken
Sandviken may refer to:* Sandviken, a Swedish town and the seat of Sandviken municipality* Sandviken Municipality, a Swedish municipality around the town of Sandviken* Sandviken, Norway, a neighbourhood in Bergen, Norway...
and grew up in the small northern town Köpmanholmen, but moved to Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
in 1970 to find work. He was working in the Gothenburg docks when he joined Nynningen, a rock group with leftist political texts and inspired by the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Communist poet Mayakovsky
Vladimir Mayakovsky
Vladimir Vladimirovich Mayakovsky was a Russian and Soviet poet and playwright, among the foremost representatives of early-20th century Russian Futurism.- Early life :...
. Totta Näslund became the group's main singer.
In the mid-1970s, Nynningen fused with Nationalteatern
Nationalteatern
Nationalteatern is a Swedish progg rock group from the 1970s that featured leftist political lyrics. It was originally a traveling theater ensemble with many members, most notably Ulf Dageby, Anders Melander, Totta Näslund, Nikke Ström, Hans Mosesson and Pale Olofsson.-History:Initially formed as a...
, a musical theater ensemble with many members. Totta Näslund joined the group as singer, guitar-player and actor. Nationalteatern developed away from the theater and became a straight rock group, a rock orchestra as they called themselves. Even though Totta never wrote any own songs for the band, he was probably the most prominent member, next to Ulf Dageby
Ulf Dageby
Ulf Thorbjörn Dageby is a Swedish rock musician, singer and songwriter. Dageby is mostly known for his role in the leftist “rock orchestra” and theater ensemble Nationalteatern.-Biography:...
.
Nationalteatern was one of the many leftist music and theater groups that came together in 1977 to form Tältprojektet
Tältprojektet
Tältprojektet - The Tent Project was a huge musical theater performance on the history of the Swedish working class, which toured the country the summer of 1977 in a huge circus tent. The group included over 100 people, musicians, actors, and members of some of the biggest progg bands of Sweden at...
, The Tent Project, a musical theater performance on the history of the Swedish working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
, which toured the country that summer. Totta Näslund played the Beggar, the central story telling character of the play, and he sang some of the lead songs, like Aldrig mera krig (Never War Again) and Vi äro tusenden (We are legion). Tältprojekted, a non-profit making experiment financed by its members and supporters, was highly successful.
In the beginning of the 1980s, Nationalteatern
Nationalteatern
Nationalteatern is a Swedish progg rock group from the 1970s that featured leftist political lyrics. It was originally a traveling theater ensemble with many members, most notably Ulf Dageby, Anders Melander, Totta Näslund, Nikke Ström, Hans Mosesson and Pale Olofsson.-History:Initially formed as a...
dissolved and Totta Näslund directed his full energy to his hobby project, Totta's Bluesband with lyrics in English and several smaller tours in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In 1995, when Totta turned 50 years old, he decided to go for a solo career and has released 8 solo albums with mostly songs written directly for him by other artists, or covers of other songs.
One of Totta Näslund's main sources for inspirations was Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, and in May 2005 he went to Dylan's hometown Hibbing, Minnesota
Hibbing, Minnesota
Hibbing is a city in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 16,361 at the 2010 census. The city was built on the rich iron ore of the Mesabi Iron Range. At the edge of town is the largest open-pit iron mine in the world. U.S...
despite his lethal cancer, where he performed his own interpretation of Bob Dylan songs. Totta had also started making an album together with Mikael Wiehe
Mikael Wiehe
Mikael Christian Wiehe is a Swedish singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer. As the main songwriter and driving force of Hoola Bandoola Band he was also one of the most important people in the proggmovement.-Career:...
, with Dylan songs translated to Swedish, but this was interrupted when he suddenly died.
Totta Näslund died on 19 June 2005 of liver cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. He was scheduled to perform in his hometown Köpmanholmen the next day. He was 60 years old.
Selected discography
With Nationalteatern- 1974 - Livet är en fest
- 1976 - Kåldolmar och kalsipper
- 1978 - Barn av vår tid
- 1980 - Rövarkungens ö
- 1987 - Peter Pan
With Tottas Bluesband
- 1981 - Live at Renströmska
- 1983 - Saturday night boogie woogie
- 1985 - Combination boogie
- 1988 - Compilation boogie (1981–1986)
- 2003 - Sitting on top of the world
As a solo artist
- 1995 - Totta
- 1996 - Totta 2 - Hjärtats slutna rum
- 1999 - Totta 3 - En dåre som jag
- 2001 - Totta 4 - Duetterna
- 2002 - Totta 5 - Turnén
- 2002 - Totta 6 - Bortom månen & mars
- 2004 - Totta 7 - Soul på drift
- 2005 - Totta 8 - Greatest Hits - Bättre begagnat
- 2006 - Totta & Wiehe - Dylan, posthumous, songs by Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
translated to Swedish, together with Mikael WieheMikael WieheMikael Christian Wiehe is a Swedish singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer. As the main songwriter and driving force of Hoola Bandoola Band he was also one of the most important people in the proggmovement.-Career:...
Filmography
- Vildängel (1997) (film)
- Blueprint (1992) (mini-series)
- Som man ropar (1987) (TV series)
- Taxibilder (1984) (mini-series)
- Tryggare kan ingen vara (1984) (TV series)