Despite making some of the jauntiest pop music you're ever likely to hear, Arne Hansen & the Guitarspellers have somehow only gained 927 plays in the history of Last FM (approximately a hundred of which have come from yours truly). To filch a bit of Private Eye vernacular - shome mishtake shorely?
But no, it seems the band really are that obscure, even at home in Norway, where they formed back in 1986. During the subsequent two decades they've released six albums full of songs which bridge the gap between Jilted John and the multi-talented and versatile Sheffield singer-songwriter John Shuttleworth.
To illustrate this comparison, here are some random Arne Hansen song titles: Brand New Parka, Dr. Hansen Goes Pop!, No Fish On Christmas Eve, Internet Girl, Has Anybody Seen My Girlfriend?, Thank You For Rewinding Me, and Iris In Short(s) - to name but several. Not bad for someone for whom English isn't even his first language!
The AHATG songs I've included today are a real pair of gems: (Iris Is) Drop Dead Gorgeous and Barbara Eden, a paean to the star of legendary 60s sitcom I Dream of Jeannie. If you like what you hear here (hey, who let that echo in here here?) then there are another 10 of Arne Hansen's personal favourite songs available for free download at the Perfect Pop website, the link to which you can find at the bottom of this 'ere ('ere) entry.
Arne Hansen & The Guitarspellers - Barbara Eden mp3 (right click and 'Save Target As' to download)
Arne Hansen & The Guitarspellers - (Iris Is) Drop Dead Gorgeous mp3 (right click and 'Save Target As' to download)
Perfect Pop's Arne Hansen Page
Buy Arne Hansen & The Guitarspellers stuff
here (CDs/records) or here (downloads)
3 comments:
That reminds me...I must buy an Arne Hansen and the Guitarspellers album. They are superb and (Iris Is) Drop Dead Gorgeous is absolutely ace!
Hi! I came across the blog today (I read a comment of John in "I am not always stupid") and I really like it!
I love Arne Hansen! The world has to know his songs. It is a one man band actually.
By the way thanks for the link of Mira el Pendulo, I am going to add you also.
Romina
Hi Romina. Thanks for the kind words - and the link! Much appreciated. We like your blog very much too! It's good to know we're not the only Arne Hansen fans out there as well.
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