The Boppers
The Boppers at Gröna Lund 2004; from left to right Ingemar Wallén, Matte Lagerwall and Peter Jezewski
The Boppers at Gröna Lund 2004; from left to right Ingemar Wallén, Matte Lagerwall and Peter Jezewski
Background information
OriginHässelby, Sweden
Genres
Years active1977–present
Labels
Members
  • Matte Lagerwall
  • Ingemar Wallén
  • Kenneth Björnlund
  • Surjo Benigh
Websitewww.boppers.se

The Boppers are a Swedish band formed in 1977 who found fame with cover versions of 1950s and 1960s songs.[1]

History

The band was formed by two brothers, Michel and Peter Jezewski (then 22 and 20 years old) and Ville and Ingemar Wallén (then 19 and 22 years old respectively), as well as their friends Mats Lagerwall (then 20 years old) and Lasse Westerberg (then 18 years old). They soon got a large number of gigs. Their debut album Number 1 in 1978 was originally only a minor, but went on to become one of the best-selling albums in Sweden, selling over 420,000 copies. They gained mainstream success in 1979 with their second album Keep On Boppin', which topped the charts and has sold a similar number of copies.[1][2] At the same time, the group slimmed down and got their standard line-up in Ingemar Wallén (vocals, guitar), Mats Lagerwall (vocals, guitar), Peter Jezewski (vocals, bass) and Ville Wallén (vocals, drums).

Already from the second album, the Boppers started touring around the world. Their album was even released in Spanish and they had some success in Japan, where one of their albums, Live 'n' roll, was recorded there in 1981. However, soon Wallén left and was replaced by Kenneth Björnlundh, who has been performing with them since. The group's popularity waned in the mid-1980s . The album Black Label, which came out in 1983, for example, did not sell very well. Jezewski tried his hand at a solo career in the mid-1980s, but did not find success.[3]

However, the band returned to the limelight largely due to Jerry Williams. The Boppers performed at Williams' successful concert at the Hamburger Börs and accompanied him on his tour of Sweden in the late 1980s.  The band made a new record deal with Sonet and had a hit in 1991 with the song "Jeannie's Coming Back " and have since released several records. Their last album, Great Kicks, was released in 2017 on Warner Music.

In 1993, Peter Jezewski left the band shortly after the release of the album Tempted, to pursue his own solo career. In 2001, the Boppers got an unexpected collaboration in Markoolio whom they met on a tour. They recorded the song "Rocka på" together, and got their first big hit since "Jeannie's Coming Back". With the help of Markoolio's more youthful audience, the group gained more record buyers and a new wave of success. In 2002, all the original members, Ville Wallén, Mats Lagerwall, Ingmar Wallén, Peter Jezewski and Lasse Westerberg, were reunited in the television program Bingolotto. In the autumn of 2003, the Boppers played in the show Jerka at Stora Teatern, Gothenburg together with Jerry Williams.

Drummer Ville Wallén passed away on 26 November 2003.[4]

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
SWE
[5]
FIN
[6]
NOR
[7]
Number 1
  • Released: July 1978
  • Label: T-Bone
  • Formats: LP, MC
2 14
Keep On Boppin'
  • Released: October 1979
  • Label: Sound of Scandinavia
  • Formats: LP, MC
1 6 36
Fan-Pix
  • Released: November 1980
  • Label: Sound of Scandinavia
  • Formats: LP, MC
8
News
  • Released: February 1982
  • Label: Sound of Scandinavia
  • Formats: LP, MC
45
High Fidelity
  • Released: 1982
  • Label: Sound of Scandinavia
  • Formats: LP, MC
Black Label
  • Released: 1983
  • Label: RCA
  • Formats: LP, MC
The Boppers
  • Released: October 1991
  • Label: Sonet
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
4
Tempted
  • Released: October 1993
  • Label: Sonet
  • Formats: CD, MC
17
Back on Track
  • Released: November 1997
  • Label: EMBE
  • Formats: CD
På andra sidan stan
  • Released: May 2000
  • Label: Scranta
  • Formats: CD
Happy Birthday – 50 Years of Rock 'n' Roll
Jingle Bell Rock 21
30 19
Vibrations
  • Released: 22 April 2009
  • Label: Bonnier Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download
7
Great Kicks
  • Released: 30 June 2017
  • Label: Warner Music
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
17
White Lightning
  • Released: 1 July 2022
  • Label: Wild Kingdom
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
40
[8]
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Live albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
SWE
[5]
Live 'n' Roll
  • Released: 1982
  • Label: SOS Recording
  • Formats: LP
Unplugged Favourites
  • Released: June 1992
  • Label: Sonet
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
10
At the Hop! Live at Akkurat
  • Released: 7 November 2012
  • Label: Atenzia
  • Formats: 2xCD, digital download
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Compilation albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
SWE
[5]
20 Rock 'n Boppin' Greats
  • Released: March 1980
  • Label: Warwick
  • Formats: LP, MC
  • UK-only release
Special Selection
  • Released: 1981
  • Label: Sound of Scandinavia
  • Formats: LP
Best of the Boppers
  • Released: 1981
  • Label: Swedisc
  • Formats: LP
  • Japan-only release
Rock 'n' Roll Music
  • Released: 1982
  • Label: Swedisc
  • Formats: LP
  • Japan-only release
Greatest Hits
  • Released: 1984
  • Label: Moondisc
  • Formats: MC
The Best of the Boppers
  • Released: 1990
  • Label: Hawk
  • Formats: CD, 2xLP, MC
68 Songs with the Boppers
  • Released: 1990
  • Label: Hawk
  • Formats: 3xCD, 5xLP
The Best of the Boppers Volume 2
  • Released: 1991
  • Label: Hawk
  • Formats: CD, MC
The Best of the Boppers Volume 3
  • Released: 1992
  • Label: Hawk
  • Formats: CD
14 Ballads
  • Released: 1992
  • Label: EMI
  • Formats: CD, MC
Jukebox Hits
Det bästa med Jerry Williams & Boppers
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: Ravelli Music
  • Formats: 3xCD
The Very Best 1978–1996
  • Released: December 1996
  • Label: MIA Music
  • Formats: CD, MC
50
Goodnight Sweet Heart
  • Released: 1998
  • Label: Mariann
  • Formats: CD, MC
16 Hits
  • Released: 1998
  • Label: Sonnet
  • Formats: CD
Bästa
  • Released: 2000
  • Label: Sonnet
  • Formats: CD
25 Years Still Boppin'
  • Released: April 2002
  • Label: Bonnier Music
  • Formats: 2xCD
5
Pärlor
  • Released: 2007
  • Label: Bonnier Music
  • Formats: CD
Best of 40 Years 1977–2017
  • Released: 28 April 2017
  • Label: Bebopaluba
  • Formats: 2xCD
  • Peter Jezewski compilation album featuring his work with the Boppers
48
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Video albums

Title Album details
30 Years 'n Almost Grown – Live in Västerås
  • Released: 2008
  • Label: Prolounge
  • Formats: DVD

EPs

Title Album details Peak chart positions
SWE
[9]
Back to the Hop
  • Released: April 1979
  • Label: Sound of Scandinavia
  • Formats: 7"
5
4 Track EP
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: Bonnier Music
  • Formats: CD
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
SWE
[9]
"Remember Then" 1978 Number 1
"Who Put the Bomp" (Spain-only release) 1979
"At the Hop" (Germany-only release)
"I'm in Love All Over Again" Keep On Boppin'
"White Christmas" 11 Non-album single
"TV Hop" / "Do That Boppin' Jive" 1980
16
Fan-Pix
"Tick Tock" (Spain-only release) Keep On Boppin'
"Más, dáme más amor (I'm in Love All Over Again)" (Spain-only release)
"Angela" (Japan-only release)
"Listen to the Music" 1981 Fan-Pix
"Rama Lama Ding Dong"
"C'-mon and Dance" (Japan-only release)
"Umbrella" (Japan-only release) Best of the Boppers
"Turn Me Loose" Non-album single
"The Night for Love" (Japan-only release) 1982 Rock 'n' Roll Music
"She'd Rather Be with Me" (Netherlands-only release) Non-album single
"Holy Cow (What's Goin' On Around Here)" (Japan-only release) Live 'n' Roll
"Mr. Bassman" (Japan-only release) Keep On Boppin'
"Kissing in the Moonlight" 1990 The Boppers
"The Mix" Non-album single
"Gonna Find My Angel" 1991 29 The Boppers
"If You See Her" (with Jerry Williams) 28 Non-album single
"Jeannie's Coming Back" 21 The Boppers
"All I Have to Do Is Dream"
"Wake Up Little Susie" 1992 Unplugged Favourites
"Runaround Sue"
"Hold Me Now" 1993 Tempted
"Tempted"
"Your Sister Told Me" 1994
"Twang"
"Why Did You Break My Heart" 1997 Back on Track
"Pretty Little Angel"
"My Love 4 You"
"Kärlek vill väl alla ha" (promo-only release) 1998 Non-album single
"Dagny" (promo-only release) 2000 På andra sidan stan
"Ge mig ett tecken" (promo-only release)
"Himlen för mig" (promo-only release)
"Rocka På!" (with Markoolio) 2001 1 Tjock och lycklig
"Baby Come Back to Me (Morse Code of Love)" (promo-only release) 2002 25 Years Still Boppin'
"Surfin' Bird" (promo-only release) 2005 Non-album single
"Blue Blue Moon" 2007 30
"They Never Know" (with Eva Eastwood) 2015 Non-album single
"Wanna Be Your Man" 2017 Great Kicks
"2 Fools in Love"
"It's Christmas in Las Vegas" 2019 Non-album single
"Boom Boom" 2020
"Please Come Home for Christmas"/"Dig That Crazy Santa Claus"
"I Surrender" (featuring Brolle & Rockabilly Fabulous) 2021
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

References

  1. 1 2 "The Boppers Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  2. "swedishcharts.com - Swedish Charts Portal". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  3. Boppers, The. "The Boppers - Biografi". boppers.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  4. "The Boppers will keep on boppin' forever". www.angelfire.com. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  5. 1 2 3 "swedishcharts.com - Swedish Charts Portal". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  6. "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit BO - BOY". Sisältää hitin. 13 August 2015. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  7. "norwegiancharts.com - Norwegian charts portal". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  8. "Veckolista Album, vecka 29". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  9. 1 2 "swedishcharts.com - Swedish Charts Portal". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
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