Baby Grandmothers
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Headquarters | Stockholm , Sweden |
| Products | Psychedelic rock music |
The Baby Grandmothers were a psychedelic rock ensemble from Stockholm, Sweden, established in 1967. Formed following the breakup of the R&B outfit the T-Boones, they developed a dedicated cult audience as the resident band at the psychedelic venue Filips. While their primary activities were centered in Sweden, they also toured alongside Jimi Hendrix in 1968 and produced recordings later featured on their self-titled album, now regarded as a seminal underground work in experimental psychedelia.
History
Emerging from the T-Boones, an R&B band founded in 1965, this group became a favored live act within Sweden’s club scene. Their first single, "At the Club," has since become a sought-after collector’s piece in Swedish garage rock. In 1966, Kenny Hakansson (vocals and lead guitar) joined forces with Pelle Ekman (drums) and Göran Malmberg (bass), resulting in their second single "Don't You Ever Leave Me," which presented a softer sound compared to their earlier releases.
During Hakansson’s military service, the band recorded an unreleased single. After his return, they launched "I Want You" in early 1967. Malmberg’s fascination with experimental electronics inspired the creation of custom amplifiers and a distinctive metal bass drum for Ekman. The group secured residencies at various clubs including Cobalibreé, Lärkan, and the jazz-rock venue Golden Circle. Late that year, Malmberg departed to pursue entrepreneurial ventures and was succeeded by Bengt “Bella” Linnarsson. In August 1967, coinciding with the opening of the psychedelic club Filips, Erik “Kapten” Dahlbäck joined as drummer, prompting the band to adopt the name Baby Grandmothers.
At Filips, Baby Grandmothers became known for lengthy improvisational instrumentals that alternated between slow and fast tempos, with Hakansson contributing occasional vocal elements. Producer M.A Numminen planned to record an album with them but only initiated sessions a year later. Filips emerged as a central venue for underground music, featuring acts such as Blossom Toes and the Mothers of Invention.
The club closed in December 1967 due to demolition plans. Subsequently, club manager Bill Öhrström arranged for Baby Grandmothers and fellow Swedish band Mecki Mark Men to join a Scandinavian tour supporting the Jimi Hendrix Experience. This tour is remembered partly for Hendrix’s notorious hotel room destruction in Gothenburg. In March 1968, Baby Grandmothers toured Finland and recorded their debut single "Somebody Keeps Calling My Name" with Numminen at a radio station.
Issued in May 1968 by Eteenpäin with a limited pressing of 300 copies, this single is now lost along with other unreleased tracks from those sessions. Upon returning to Sweden, Mecki Bodemark joined as keyboardist following the dissolution of Mecki Mark Men. Eventually, Baby Grandmothers transformed into the second incarnation of Mecki Mark Men—one of Sweden’s pioneering rock bands to tour the United States—recording two albums before disbanding in 1971.
In 2007, Subliminal Records issued Baby Grandmothers, a compilation featuring both studio and live recordings. Craig Hayes of PopMatters lauded it as "one of the finest heavy psych reissues of the last decade," emphasizing its raw energy and avant-garde fusion of drones with hard rock improvisations.
Singles
- "Somebody Keeps Calling My Name" paired with "Being Is More Than Life" – Released by Eteenpäin (Eteenpäin GN-5), 1968
Albums
- Baby Grandmothers – Issued through Subliminal Sounds (SUB-TILCD23), 2007