Sweets For My Swedes: The Searchers in Sweden 1964-1967 by Bjorn Eriksson and Peter R. McCormack

"Sweets For My Swedes"
The Searchers in Sweden 1964-1967

Bjorn Eriksson with Rickenbacker Model 360/12V64

Peter McCormack with Rickenbacker Model 4003

by Björn Eriksson and Peter McCormack

Part 2: Music Pirates - Radio Nord and Radio Syd

L to R: Wyman, Jones, Wadner, Jagger, Richards, Watts

"Tell Me Radio Syd"
Britt Wadner and the Rolling Stones

Part 2: "Music Pirates" - Radio Nord and Radio Syd

The 1960s was a time of protest worldwide. In Sweden one of the many protests would be about who owns the media. In an effort to obtain freedom of expression, a group of individuals began to broadcast news and music outside of the official country limits of Sweden. This generated much conflict within mainstream society and would eventually be banned by the Swedish government.

Radio Nord

The off-shore radio station "Radio Nord" went on the air on March 8, 1961. Its purpose was to provide music to citizens of Sweden on a 24 hour a day basis. This was in violation of existing rules governing Sweden's radio monopoly. This radio operated on a small ship of the coast of northern Sweden and won the love of listeners far and wide. It was eventually forced to close on June 30, 1962. An interesting finding is that Radio Nord was the first European radio station to use jingles in their programming. A further comment on the power and persuasiveness of music.

Radio Syd

Another off-shore station, Radio Syd (South) emerged nad started in the south of Sweden on March 6, 1962. Its manager Britt Wadner carried the torch for "free radio" until the station closed under the pressure of the Swedish government on January 19, 1966. To highlight the importance of music, and to bolster their own promotion no doubt, The Rolling Stones visited Radio Syd as part of a protest. Ms. Wadner would eventually spend a month in jail for violating the Swedish Laws surrounding the operation of a radio station. The impact of these off-shore stations on politics and music of the early to mid-1960s cannot be over-stated. They drew attention to the music of the day, and certainly heightened the enthusiasm for musicians from the United Kingdom. The Searchers visit to Sweden would have them arrive on the crest of this new wave.

Part 3: The Swedish Radio Sessions

References

Allen, Frank- Personal Communication March 2003

Allen, Frank - The Travelling Man - On The Road With The Searchers Aureus Publishing, 1999

Bolton, Rob - The Searchers - Bolton's USA Site November 2003

Eriksson, Björn - The 1993 Inventory December 2003.

Knot, Hans - Rare Pictures From Radios Past December 2003.

Larsen, Holger - Swedish Music Exports August 8, 2004.

Leach, Sam - The Rocking City: The Explosive Birth of the Beatles Gwynedd: Pharoh Press, 1999.

McCormack, Peter - John McNally's Guitar Influences April 2000

McCormack, Peter - Rebel With A Cause: Tony Jackson Remembers April 2000

McCormack, Peter - Mike Pender's Rickenbackers August 2000