Search - Gasolin :: Gas 5

The "Beatles" Of Denmark

Mike B. | 03/23/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Danish rock band Gasolin' is often compared to the Beatles. Other influences commonly cited are the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Jimi Hendrix. While they may contain elements of these artists, their sound is wholly their own. Before I go any further, let me provide the track list:



1. RABALDERSTRAEDE 5:00

2. FATHERLESS HILL 4:15

3. LONESOME AVENUE 3:25

4. SJAGGE 3:14

5. MASSER AF SUCCES 3:33

6. REFRAINET ER FRIT 4:15

7. KVINDE MIN 2:48

8. 1975 3:35

9. SCT. EMETRI 4:44

10.GOOD TIME CHARLIE 4:00



The Beatles references also pertain to their stature in Danish music history. Prior to them, Denmark didn't have rock music sung in their native language. Their impact was huge throughout all of Scandinavia.



I'm not really a collector of foreign language rock 'n' roll, but Gasolin' caught my attention. Throughout the 1970's I used to buy Billboard magazine, and was interested in their "Hits Of The World" charts (especially England's). Whenever I looked at Denmark's charts, I couldn't help but notice that Gasolin' almost always had the number one single and album. This went on for years. My interest piqued, I looked for them in a record store's import bin. When I saw that their albums were produced by Roy Thomas Baker (who produced all of Queen's best albums) - I took a chance and bought "Gas 5".



Did it sound like Queen? No. It wasn't as elaborate and ornate. They turned out to be more like Mott The Hoople (or Slade). But they weren't as screechy and relentlessly rocking as Slade. It rocked plenty, but also contained a few haunting slower songs with great melodies and a distinct European/Scandinavian air about them.



"Rabalderstraede" ranks right up there with Bowie's "Rebel Rebel" and Roxy Music's "Do The Strand" as one of the greatest rock hits of the 70's. Unbelievably fantastic. "Refrainet Er Frit" is another barnstormer. On other tracks lead vocalist Kim Larsen sings with the cool insouciance and swagger of Lou Reed, and Franz Beckerlee's guitar playing is consistently awesome. The band credits are: Kim Larsen-vocals and rhythm guitar; Franz Beckerlee-lead guitar and moog; Wili Jonsson-piano and bass; and Soren "Charlie" Berlev-drums and percussion. The latter three also do backing vocals. All songs are in Danish, except for a couple in English.



From 1971 until they disbanded in 1978, Gasolin' ruled the Scandinavian airwaves and played sold-out concerts in large arenas. The four musicians are as beloved in that part of the world as John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Promotional materials liked to point out that they sold more records over there than the Beatles and Led Zeppelin combined. During their reign they released a new studio album every year, and they were considered to be major events.



"Gas 5" (1975) - their 5th album - is my favorite by them, and is widely regarded as their best. It really is stunning. Some of their biggest hits were translated into English for albums that failed in the British and American markets, and are now available only on the 2-disc import CD's "A Foreign Affair" and "A Foreign Affair II". They also released a terrific concert recording called "Live Sadan" (1976) that captured all the excitement and hysteria surrounding the band. Their "greatest hits" album "Rabalderstraede Forever" (1991) was a big-seller that spanned their entire career and is well worth having. Though it contains hit singles from "Gas 5" - still I would urge you not to miss out on this classic. "Gas 5" hangs together beautifully and deserves to be heard on its own.



Kim Larsen went on to have a very successful career, both solo and with other bands. The other three were content to keep a lower profile, and have so far resisted offers to re-unite. Larsen's 1983 release "Midt Om Natten" ("In The Middle Of The Night") is the best selling album in Denmark EVER. In fact, there's a lot of "evers" with this group. The 2006 movie "Gasolin' 4-Ever" - in which all the band members plus Roy Thomas Baker discuss the groups' enduring phenomenon - is the most successful documentary ever shown in Denmark.



But you get the idea."