Samla Mammas Manna
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Lars Hollmer |
| Defunct | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Uppsala , Sweden |
| Products | Progressive rock music |
Samla Mammas Manna was a Swedish progressive rock ensemble recognized for their exceptional instrumental skill, circus-themed motifs, and whimsical humor, drawing comparisons to Frank Zappa's approach. They played a pivotal role as founding participants of the late 1970s Rock in Opposition (RIO) movement and contributed as the backing group on Fred Frith's 1980 solo release, Gravity. Their musical style exhibited clear influences from the Canterbury scene.
The band’s initial formation included Lars Hollmer on keyboards, Hasse Bruniusson handling drums, Lars Krantz on bass guitar, and Henrik Öberg providing percussion. Guitarist Coste Apetrea joined the lineup during the recording of the album Måltid.
Although associated with Sweden’s "progg" movement, their lyrical content leaned toward playful and humorous themes rather than explicit political commentary. The album Klossa Knapitatet references the 1970s progg rallying cry krossa kapitalet ("crush the capital"), indicating cultural connections despite their lighter tone. This irreverence elicited criticism from some progg traditionalists.
Throughout the 1970s, they maintained an active touring schedule across Sweden and throughout Europe. Over time, the group underwent several personnel shifts and name variations—including releases under Zamla Mammaz Manna and von Zamla—continuously transforming their musical identity.
In 1999, they reassembled using their original name to produce the album Kaka. A subsequent reunion in 2002 featured Japanese drummer Tatsuya Yoshida, who joined them for live performances and their final studio recording, Dear Mamma. Their reach extended into the United States with concerts in Chicago and an appearance at the Progday festival in North Carolina in 2003.
Samla Mammas Manna was invited to inaugurate Moscow's international progressive rock festival InProg in 2005.
The band's founder, Lars Hollmer, died in December 2008.
Musical style
The sound of Samla Mammas Manna fuses progressive rock elements with diverse folk traditions from various countries. Their compositions are notable for intricate rhythmic structures and the use of atypical instruments such as marimba, bouzouki, veena, and accordion. Distancing themselves from strict political stances or conventional genre classifications, they crafted a unique musical identity that balanced between folk roots and avant-garde experimentation.
Discography
as Samla Mammas Manna
- Samla Mammas Manna (1971)
- Måltid (1973)
- Klossa Knapitatet (1974)
- Snorungarnas symfoni (1976)
- Kaka (1999)
- Dear Mamma (2002)
as Zamla Mammaz Manna
- För äldre nybegynnare (1977)
- Schlagerns mystik (1978)
- Familjesprickor (1980)
as von Zamla
- Zamlaranamma (1982)
- No Make Up! (1984)
- ... 1983 (live) (1999)
See also
References