Nationalteatern

Few Swedish acts of the 1970s wore their politics as openly as Nationalteatern, whose progg rock carried leftist lyrics into the country's youth centres. The group began life as a travelling theatre ensemble with a long roster of members, among them Ulf Dageby, Anders Melander, Totta Näslund, Nikke Ström, Hans Mosesson and Pale Olofsson. Their plays were built around young people in trouble, and the songs written for them often carried an anti-drug message, giving the music a clear purpose.

The group moved from Lund, where it began as a free theatre group in 1969, to Gothenburg, where the music took centre stage. Anders Melander led early on and played most instruments on the debut, while Ulf Dageby, given more room on Livet är en fest, became the driving force. Barn av vår tid in 1978 was the first album with Totta Näslund, and after 1980 the group called itself a rock orchestra. Reunions and tours have continued, even after Näslund's death in 2005, though no new material has been recorded. A 2002 tribute album, Nationalsånger, saw The Hellacopters, The Ark and others perform their songs.