Swedish new-music, folk, jazz and rock group of the 1970's. Arbete Och Fritid means Work And Play. They were an extremely influential and seminal band, a meeting ground for musicians from many other bands before and after, especially as a link between Harvester and Archimedes Badkar.
Early recordings cross-bred traditional Swedish folk themes with systemic and contemporary styles, with vaguely rock rhythms and jazz instruments. They were never easy to classify, running through many styles, encompassing melody, fury and dissonance, through to almost straight folk, and all other bases.
They also recorded albums with other musicians, sometimes in collaboration or just as the backing band, played at folk, jazz and rock festivals. Their final album Håll Andan "Keep the spirit" from 1979 was a no-holds-barred exploration in innovation, pushing the envolope in a manner similar to the German band Faust.
All the musicians in Arbete Och Fritid have gone onto other projects, many still active 30+ years on.
Early recordings cross-bred traditional Swedish folk themes with systemic and contemporary styles, with vaguely rock rhythms and jazz instruments. They were never easy to classify, running through many styles, encompassing melody, fury and dissonance, through to almost straight folk, and all other bases.
They also recorded albums with other musicians, sometimes in collaboration or just as the backing band, played at folk, jazz and rock festivals. Their final album Håll Andan "Keep the spirit" from 1979 was a no-holds-barred exploration in innovation, pushing the envolope in a manner similar to the German band Faust.
All the musicians in Arbete Och Fritid have gone onto other projects, many still active 30+ years on.
ultimathulerecords
February 17, 2014by Alan & Steve Freeman, first published in Neumusik, issue 5 (August 1981)