The Nomads - Sonically Speaking (1991)

"Kings of garage"… "Modern acid-drenched psychotic r&b"… "Amphetamined r&b hellfire fusion" … "What the Heartbreakers might've sounded like as acidheads instead of heroin addicts"… Just a few selected quotes to describe the sound of Sweden's THE NOMADS, but since you bothered to look up their homepage I guess you're already familiar with their crucial brand of guitarcrazed rawk'n'roll?

The band started out in Solna (a suburb of Stockholm) in January 1980 and that first early line-up featured Hans Östlund (guitar), Nick Vahlberg (bass, guitar & vocals) and Joakim Tärnström (guitar & bass). Hans and Nick were the members who would survive as original members all through the following incarnations. As "MIKE NOMAD" in 1980, they used various drummers and played local gigs. When drummer Ed Johnson became member in 1981, the name was changed to THE NOMADS and they recorded their first 7" - "Psycho" (Noon -81). Not their best record by far, but today a collector's item as only 500 were pressed. By this time THE NOMADS' repertoir mostly consisted of obscure garage, punk and r&b covers that normal Swedish people never had heard of. And if they had, they wouldn't have recognized the songs after they went through the psychotic fuzzed-out noise-treatment THE NOMADS gave them. (Some evil people even dare to say that in the beginning THE NOMADS' live act was a disaster. Raw, energetic, noisy and un-compromising but, still, a sonic disaster…Not like the great liveband they are today).

On their first mini-LP "Where the Wolfbane Blooms" (Amigo -83) the band's spiritual guide and producer 4-Eyed Thomas (Ulf Lindqvist) managed to give them the sound they deserved though. A record that started a growing number of fans and reviewers all over the world to praise the fantastic Swedish garage band. Among the brilliant choice of covers, THE NOMADS also showed they could write excellent songs themselves. A classic record, if you ask me.

Tärnström soon left THE NOMADS to join THE SHOUTLESS (great band, also part of the same "Solna- scene") and Tony Carlsson replaced him as bass player 1981-85 (Tärnström would return in -85). 1984 Frank Minarik started playing organ and percussion in the group and they released their second mini-album, "Temptation Pays Double", another fine blast of sonic garage mayhem. Well, call it garage or call it whatever - THE NOMADS' favorite names to bring up and drop as sources of inspiration when they started always included ROBERT JOHNSON, BLIND WILLIE McTELL, THE SONICS, MC 5, THE STOOGES, ALEX CHILTON, ROKY ERICKSON & THE 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS, THE CRAMPS, DEAD MOON, GUN CLUB, JOHNNY THUNDERS, THE SAINTS, THE ("early") BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, LINK WRAY, THEM, MOTÖRHEAD, THE RAMONES… And today you would have to add names like SONIC YOUTH, THE NEW BOMB TURKS, JON SPENCER, MUDHONEY and a whole bunch of others - the list would be too long. But even though all these references are somehow reflected in their music - THE NOMADS have always stayed true to their underground rock'n'roll roots - whatever they've done to develop their sound, if ever so little, you will never miss the NOMADS' trademarks; the raw and wild guitar genius of Hans Östlund and that voice of Nick Vahlberg (who always claimed he "can't sing" but still manages to sound like a pissed-off Rob Younger with a bad cold…and what could be better?).

The third album ("Outburst!") was a compilation of material from the two mini-LPs, released in England and the U.S. by What Goes On Records in -84. THE NOMADS was now steadily gaining a well-deserved reputation among serious rock'n'roll fans here and everywhere. More touring in Europe with a much improved live act helped as well. Between -85 and -87 THE NOMADS appeared on various compilations, bootlegs and seven inches (see Discography for more details). The cover of THE LYRES' until then unreleased song "She Pays the Rent" came out as a single and here you can hear THE NOMADS complete with a horn-section. That song were on the indie-top-chart in NME for a while in -85, among names like THE CRAMPS, NEW ORDER, THE CULT, THE FALL, SCIENTISTS, HÜSKER DÜ, THE SMITHS and (!) DEPECHE MODE…

After the recording of "Hardware" (Amigo LP-87), Ed Johnson and Joakim Tärnström were replaced by Jocke Ericson (drums) and Björne Fröberg (bass). A few recordings were made as THE SCREAMING DISBÜSTERS ("we wanted to do a heavy metal single with a phony name, but as it turned out it just sounded like plain old NOMADS'- Jocke E.). One of them was the DICTATORS-cover "The Next Big Thing", released as a 7" with the Scottish fanzine by the same name.

THE NOMADS made two more records for Amigo ("All Wrecked Up", LP-89, and "Fire and Brimstone", 12"-89) and then signed for the Sonet label. "Sonically Speaking" was the first album released on Sonet and as it came out in -91 it showed THE NOMADS were still a force to count on. Actually they sounded as good as ever, this time produced by Chips K. (guitarist and singer in SATOR). That year and the following THE NOMADS were busy playing many festivals and opening up for THE RAMONES and IGGY POP. They also made a tour on their own that included most of the European countries. Jocke Ericson and Nick Vahlberg played for a while in LEDFOOT, a punkband featuring two of the guys from THE ENTOMBED. Only one of their recordings made it onto record and can be found on a HÜSKER DÜ-tribute-album ("There's A Boy Who Lives On Heaven Hill", Burning Heart cd - 94).

Frank Minarik left in -93 and since then the foursome have released a new full-length ("Powerstrip", Sonet cd-94/ lim. ed. vinyl LP Munster Records-94), a live album ("Made In Japan - Recorded In Sweden", 1+2 cd -95) and in 1994 Amigo released a very fine cd box -"Showdown!(1981-1993)" - compiled by 4-Eyed Thomas himself. Not to mention all the one off-singles on various labels…(Estrus, Man's Ruin etc).

1995 it was finally time to tour the U.S.. THE NOMADS hooked up with THE MONOMEN for a westcoast-tour which included the famous ESTRUS GARAGESHOCK festival in Bellingham. According to THE NOMADS themselves, it was the best thing ever! This year THE NOMADS celebrates their 15th birthday and threw a fabulous great party here in Stockholm. Did they rock? They rocked!! (And so did the other bands that was playing that night, their friends ROBERT JOHNSON & THE PUNCHDRUNKS, THE HELLACOPTERS and SATOR).

In 1996 Estrus released a cd and a 10" entitled "Raw and Rare" with early recordings mostly from the "Stagger in the Snow"-cassette. September the same year the NOMADS went back to the U.S. and toured around the west coast with the "Estrus Invitationals" which featured other cool bands such as the MONO MEN, LORD HIGH FIXERS, INSOMNIACS and the MAKERS. Their new record "The Cold Hard Facts of Life" (CD/10") was released at the same time by Lance Rock in Canada (Swedish label Birdnest released the CD over here). A totally great record filled with butt-kicking cover versions of Canadian 60s & 70s garage punk bands (songs by TEENAGE HEAD, the UGLY DUCKLINGS and LUKE & THE APOSTLES, to name but a few).

Back in Sweden in October the ever-so-great New Yorkers DICTATORS was touring with THE HELLACOPTERS, and THE NOMADS joined the party for a couple of very successful gigs in Scandinavia.

At the moment - February 1997- the NOMADS are about to release a 7" on Estrus ("Pack of Lies/Graveyard") and will record and release a 7" on Danish label Bad Afro. In October they're going back to America to play their second Garage Shock Festival in Bellingham WA (shit rock Mecca) on Halloween weekend-97. They will also do shows in New York. See ya there!
Gittan Öhman thenomads.se