In late 1979, Christer Dahlbäck replaced Kjell Rehnberg as the lead singer of the band Chorus, hailing from Öjebyn, near Piteå, Sweden. The following year, the lineup—consisting of Ola Bergman (electric guitar), Mikael Sjöberg (piano), Lennart Nordwall (drums), Peter Klein (electric guitar), Christer Dahlbäck (vocals and acoustic guitar), and Harri Karlsson (electric bass)—recorded four tracks and began performing under the name The Rockin’ Chorus. Following these recordings, they were contacted by Hans Larsson of Mill Records, who offered to record a few songs on the condition that the band change its name. Christer proposed the name Sun Cats. Under this new name, they recorded their first single, featuring Tear It Up and an original composition, Long Black Cadillac, as the B-side. The following year, they released Lonesome Train still on Mill Records, with Blue Feelings—a song written by Christer—on the B-side. The band then shifted toward a style that was more rockabilly and less rock ‘n’ roll, notably marked by Klein switching to the upright bass. In 1985, the Sun Cats recorded their debut album, Jailhouse Rockabilly, but the band split up before its release (the album eventually came out in 1987 on Rockhouse Records).
Christer, who had already begun playing with The Moondogs, continued with that group. Joining Dahlbäck were Paul Epailys (lead guitar), Jens Norstrand (upright bass), and Jan Nordstrand (drums).
The Moondogs – Long Blond Hair
Rainbow Music – – RMS 111 [1986]
Long Blond Hair / Teach Me Baby
The quartet wasted no time and, shortly after forming, recorded an uneven debut single for the Rainbow Music label, released in 1986.
The A-side features an uninspired cover of Johnny Powers’ Long Blonde Hair that fails to impress. However, the record is redeemed by its B-side: a far more successful and hard-hitting composition by Dahlbäck.
The Moondogs – Teenage Blues
Rainbow Music – RMLP 2015 (also on Rockhouse) [1987]
Rock Crazy Baby – Broken Heart – Teenage Blues – Please Don’t Leave Me – Slap That Good Ol’Way – I Love Ma’Babe – Bourbon By The Moon – Nothing Wrong – When My Baby Left Me – Ain’t Got A Thing – Don’t Look Now – Move On Back – Long Blond Hair – Teach Me Baby
In 1987, the Moondogs released Teenage Blues, which would be their one and only album.
The result sounds like an extended version of their single. It contains numerous covers, some of which prove rather superfluous. Rather than revisiting classics popularized by Burnette, Sid King, or Art Adams, it would have been preferable for them to follow the spirit of their version of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Don’t Look Now, which is far more original.
On the other hand, their original compositions are highly successful. Slap That Good Ol’ Way—as the title suggests—is driven by a powerful double bass and features two excellent guitar solos (all in under two minutes). I Love Ma Babe, featuring harmonica by Mats Wallstrom, joyfully blends hillbilly and blues styles. The harmonica also features on the effective Rockin’ Blues Move On Back. All three of these tracks were penned by the lead singer. Nothing Wrong is credited to the duo Nillson/J. Norstrand (was it Jens or Jan?) and adopts a much more neo-rockabilly sound, in the vein of Levi Dexter. As for Paul Epailys, he composed Bourbon By The Moon, the album’s hillbilly-tinged instrumental track. The record was also released on Rockhouse Records and included the two tracks from their single.
Unfortunately, the Moondogs split up in 1988. Dahlbäck did not remain idle for long; by the spring of 1988, he had relaunched a new lineup of the Suncats with Håkan Eriksson and Per-Erik Karlsson. Epailys played with the Go-Getters for a time and was recently seen performing with a band called Cyclone alongside Marcus Olsson (of the Toneflyers).
Fred “Virgil” Turgis
