Von Gam -- Hasse Parasit/Mode
Hasse Parasit/Mode
GAM Produktion, 1980
With the exception of 1981's Ung & Söt, a 7-song cassette that was limited to two hundred copies and a pair of compilation appearances ("Mode" can be found on Bloodstains Across Sweden #3 and both "Hasse Parasit" and "Mode" appear on Killed By Death Vol. 41), Von Gam's recorded output is limited to this little artifact.
Although Von Gam's lineup for most of the band's 100+ shows consisted of Anders Karlsson on guitar, Bo Lindberg on bass, and Jan Vestergren on drums and vocals, Per Åke "Sticky Bomb" Holmberg (better known in punk circles as the drummer for Kriminella Gitarrer) appears on the recording as a backing vocalist. Holmberg's sonic signature is perhaps most noticeable, however, in the considerable amount of reverb he added to the disk during the mixing process.
The A-side, a two-minute, six-second scorcher, features a recurring bit of jangling lead guitar, a driving, mid-tempo rhythm section, and gritty vocals punctuated by the chant-like refrain of "hasse, hasse parasit." Despite the lo-fi recording, the listener gets the distinct impression that the track would kick ass live. The B-side, while not as memorable as "Hasse Parasit," is a pretty solid bit of straight-forward (and totally danceable) 77-style punk. Well worth a listen.
Sobriquet Grade: 78 (C+).
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