Pandora (prog rock / Sweden)

Pandora was founded in Norrkoping, Sweden (1971) by drummer Bertil Jonsson and on guitar Urban Gotling. Later joinded by the singer Peter Hjelm and on keyboard Janne "Flojda" Dockner. Gotling was replaced by Åke Rolf (fd H2O) and Leif Hellqvist. This line up recorded "Measures of Time" 1974. 

Pandora had their workshop at this time on the top floor of Bergaskolan in Soderkoping. 1976 Hellqvist quit. He went over to play danceband-music (the rumour says that his girlfriend couldn't dance to Pandoras music, so..) At the same time also Bjorn Malmqvist quit. He started study music. New members came: On keyboard Uffe Stern and on base Gunnar Hermelin (fd Madeira). This line up where 1978 on swedish radio "Tonkraft" and recorded the single "Makten och Harligheten". 
They also did concerts in Horsalen Norrkoping together with bands like "Trettioariga kriget" and "Kaipa".


One goal of Lennart*s were to make the group sound the same, whether live on stage or recorded on disk, or vice versa. Over the years he refined their sound equipment and brought the mixing desk out in the audience, where he resided as sound master, later substituted by Göran Hanning. In 1979 Pandora released the single Makten och Härligheten, with lyrics in the Swedish language. The lyrics were written by Nils Lagnström. Nils was also Pandoras manager from 1977 until the group disintegrated in 1980.

The Band had under these years a record shop "Rockslag" Nygatan in Norrkoping. The shop became a little centrum of culture for recordfreaks, to gather in, have a coup of coffe and talk abouth music. The shop went bankrupt in 1980. Bands that inspirered Pandora was Genesis, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Camel, Wishbone Ash, Jethro Tull, Uriah Heep and Weather Report. 


From the start Pandora played harder rock but went over to more jazz-symfonic rock when Stern och Hermelin joined. The last demo was recorded in 1980 on Stage & Music in Norrkoping.

Pandora disbanded in 1981.

Pandora came to be an inspiration to the band Tribute, and their members Gideon Andersson and Per Ramsby often visited Pandoras concerts. Ramsby even played in some concerts as a replacement for Uffe Stern. Janne and Uffe and later Åke Rolf and Gunnar Hermelin continuied to play in "Flojd & The Boys" that was in -75.

The tapes from a recording session in Söderköping 1976 is found, migrated and mixed again with outmost care not to wash out the original sound. What was supposed to be a demo became a time document in the form of a new album with Pandora's music. Be seated in your favourite armchair, crank up the volume and enjoy the music made and recorded by seven youngsters in the year 1976 (33 years ago). This music have only been heard live before. It's unique.



Personnel:

- Peter Hjelm - Vocals
- Björn Malmqvist - Bass
- Åke Rolf-  Guitar
- Jan Eric Dockner - Keyboard, Piano
- Leif Hellqvist - Guitar
- Berra Jonsson - Drums
- Urban Gotling - Guitar
- Uffe Stern - Keyboard
- Gunnar Hermelin - Bass


Discography:


1974 - Measures of Time



Measures of Time (1974):