HEP STARS/IT'S BEEN A LONG LONG TIME CLPNS 342 (-68) SWEDEN

In 1967, at the same time the band was enjoying Scandinavian success with big sales and a gang of list toppers, management decided it wasn't enough and that they also should aim for an international breakthrough. Not sure who was in charge of the project, but it moved on fast hiring the experienced US producer Steve Clark, a couple of American song-writers and a British studio including musicians and engineers. As the story goes it was also agreed that only singer Svenne Hedlund and keyboard player Benny Andersson were needed for the recordings so the rest of the group stayed at home. If so you could argue that though billed as a Hep Stars album it isn't, instead you get Svenne Hedlund with a backing slightly including Benny Andersson. Considering the circumstances the final result is no surprise. This is far from the mix of US inspired rock'n'roll and catchy melodic ballads you otherwise got from the band. Instead you're presented a blend of British 1968 psych-pop and orchestrated baroque pop. Nothing wrong with that though here it most of all sounds like a stressed-out bread job for all of the involved. Backing is sufficiant, but as played by an unadjacent studio crew for money rather uninspired. Arrangements as they should, still lacking emotional belonging. Songs well written, but nothing with a hit feeling. Add some clumsy mixing to all that and it could be called a small disaster. But to my ears it's not all bad. To say something positive - "Enter The Young" and "It's Time for A Change" are quite good pop-psych and the audio is superb. Visually the front sleeve is somewhat psychedelic and the arty label design uniqe for the issue. Back then everyone hated it - fans, reviewers, Cupol executives and even the band itself. It didn't sell at all and soon disappeared, mourned by non. However as the years went by and sixties revival came on, Hep Stars became hot stuff in Sweden again. Former and new fans started to complete their collections and as this was the one that got away initially it is now considered highly collectible and sold for big bucks. To my knowledge this was the only vinyl release. Japan 1996 CD (M&M Enterprises MMCD 1022) came with twelve bonus tracks. Swedish 2013 CD (RPM Records Retro 935) added two bonus tracks. Premiere release had label as shown here and fully laminated cover. (HÄH*) (SCÄ*) (CCÖ*) (ÄBBÖ*)