Flying Norwegians - Norwegian country-rock from the 70s

The first real country-rock band from Norway was formed January 1974 in Bergen. They ended their carrier in the early 80s as a new wave band singing in Norwegian, but had a reunion in the 90s where they where back to the country-rock roots.

Guitarist Rune Walle and drummer Gunnar Bergstrøm had both been playing in the folk(-rock) band Hole in the Wall, and had just been playing with the band Saft when they grouped with Cato Sanden (vocals, guitar), Johannes Torkelson (bass) and Jarle Zimmerman (vocal, keyboards) to make a Norwegian country-rock act inspired by what had been going on in the US (eg. Flying Burrito Brothers, Eagles, Poco etc). The quintet moved to Denmark, where they where living in the countryside making songs for their first LP, recorded in Oslo. ”New Day” was released in ’74 and ”Wounded Bird” in 1976.  A&M Records long considered a release of the second album in the states, but it never happened.

The original lineup of Flying Norwegians fell apart when Rune Walle joined the american band Ozark Mountain Daredevils in june 1976. A last concert were held the 10th of January ’77 (with Jan Ove Hommel on bass) and was released as the Norwegian's third album the same year. A great concert album this is.

A fourth album, ”This Time Around” was released  by Sanden, Zimmerman and Bergstrøm with a new lineup in 1979, which has its moments. After another lineup change Zimmerman and Bergstrøm released the last album under the bandname ’82 called ”Du står i veien”.  A new wave rock album in Norwegian. Never heard it and guess it can’t be considered a Flying Norwegians’ album.

...and I almost forgot. The reunited Flying's "Still Riding" was released in 1996. Some kind of "old-man's" country-rock. 

So now as you’ve read a quick biography of maybe the only country-rock band from Norway in the 70s – I present you a selection of clips! 

"Old Lady" originally released on Wounded Bird, here from the live album.

Jingle-jangled-space-rock from Wounded Bird, 1976 :-)

It would be unfair not including "On a day like this" from the 1979 album.


"Young Man" from the first album, New Day, 1974.

Cover of Gram Parson's "Brass Buttons".

Another cover, "Pamela Brown".

"Time's Drawing Circles", first released on the first album.

..and if we end it with "White Line Fever", I guess we had most of what was available (on the tube). Wha'wa'we'va.
A hint if you want the MP3s of the first two albums is www.soundike.com . You're gonna have problems finding the LPs or the split-CD (New Day/Wounded Bird 1994).