A P.A.W.S. Page 

A brave attempt at history writing

BTW: It seems as if the Swedish Embassy thought the above website title was a good name for Totta's band:
Check out this pdf file copied from their website during Totta's US Tour in May 2005.
Forward - into the story
When I moved to Göteborg in the late 1970s I did not know that a band named Totta's Bluesband just had started to rear its collective head. But being a fan of the blues, I was soon to learn.

To me, coming from the outside, Totta's Bluesband always appeared to be the 'elder statesmen' of Göteborg's blues scene. It had nothing to do with age, but with two other facts:

They had a solid image, perhaps some of them even 'cult' status. Gruff, powerful Totta Näslund as a symbol of the 'politically progressive' music scene of the city. Street cred you would say today. Bengt 'Bengan' Blomgren, the total guitarist, who (the saying goes) told off Stikkan Andersson ("I don't play that shit!") when he tried to hire Bengan for an ABBA tour. Nikke Ström, the bassplayer: a Mr. Cool, clenching his cigarette between his teeth, squinting through the smoke under his peaked cap. Bernt Andersson, looking like the happiest man alive when pummelling the keys with an impish grin. And the drummers of course, Gunnar Pettersson and Niels Nordin: different in style but perfecting the solid beat behind the others.

And they had their own music scene to rely on: the "C von" restaurant & bar in the corner of Linnégatan and Prinsgatan. Nobody else had that! Me and my friends spent many hours there at the stainless steel bar, having a beer and digging live music. It was a hangout for guesting international musicians too, which didn't lessen the image...

Building other pages for my website I suddenly realized that there was hardly any info at all on these guys on the Internet. Some cover of their 'progg scene' years, certainly, but not much on their later activities. So this is my brave attempt.

When you find links in my pages they refer to 'subpages' in my own web. External web pages are specified as such (http://etcetera).

Corrections and additions are most welcome (and I mean it!). I can already say a warm 'Thank You!' to Nikke Ström, who kindly leafed through these pages in the early stages: correcting, advising and adding stuff. And to Bengt Blomgren who gracefully accepted several hours of inquisitive Christer one fine evening late in May 2001, also lending me a fabulous photo from the Gin House era. So please send your mails to christer@fridhammar.com

I hope you will enjoy the trip! I know I did.
Christer Fridhammar


Totta Näslund sadly died on Sunday June 19 2005 after a long fight with cancer.
Rest In Peace.
Forward - into the Totta's Bluesband story