Philemon Arthur & the Dung
Philemon Arthur & the Dung Biography
Philemon Arthur and the Dung is a group from Scania, Sweden. The band consists of two unidentified males known by the pseudonyms "Philemon Arthur" and "The Dung. The group's exact whereabouts and identities are known only by a select few representatives of their record label, Silence.
The two members were possibly brothers, or next-door neighbors, born in the early 1950s, and first began playing music together in 1962 – then known as The Popbeams. Philemon Arthur would play an accordion, or an old guitar he had borrowed, while The Dung would accompany him on a custom-built drum kit composed of household items, such as pots, pans, cookie jars, and radiators. Lead vocals were performed by both of them. They got influenced by the bands at the time (e.g. Larry Finnegan, Rolling Stones, Beatles, The Who), and after initially playing mostly covers they eventually passed on to write their own material. Philemon Arthur is credited with writing all of their songs, and their music was recorded on a lo-fi tape recorder owned by Philemon Arthur, at his grandma's attic.
In the late 1960s, the music scene in Sweden started to change radically. Influenced by the American underground Scene, there were bands playing progressive rock, folk rock, either instrumental or with lyrics in Swedish. This was a reaction against the stanhdardized commercial Music, and it was the source to the Swedish Music Movement, or "Progg", that was going to play a major role in the Swedish Music scene in the early 1970s. One motto was that "Anyone can play music". The time was right for Philemon Arthur & the Dung to promote their eccentric music. They sent demo tapes to several radio programs, e.g. "Bandet går" (Recording in progress), which gained them some exposure. The duo got contact with some prominent people from the music movement, just when the independent record label Silence was founded, to which progg bands were signed. In the summer of 1970, there were two music festivals illegally organized at Gärdet in Stockholm. "Träd, gräs & stenar" (Trees grass and stones) – one of the bands from Silence, performed Philemon Arthur & the Dung's song "In kommer Gösta". Soon, Philemon Arthur & the Dung was signed to a contract at Silence Records. The duo has said that the record company had to nag them to record their album.
Anders Lind worked as a studio engineer at Silence, and handed over a professional Revox tape recorder, as well as studio microphones, to be used by the duo when recording their album. However, he had to go buying some cheaper microphones, because they didn't want to achieve too good sound quality. In 1971, Philemon Arthur & the Dung released their self-titled debut album, and the opening track "In kommer Gösta" (Gösta enters) became a hit. In 1972 the album went on to win the award for "Best Group Production" at the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy Awards. People from the commercial music industry were upset by the jury's choice of such a low fidelity production, characterized by silly nonsense lyrics, and simple untuned instruments. Neither Philemon Arthur nor the Dung did show up at the ceremony to receive their prize, but they were representated by a tape recorder on stage. This unprecedented turn of events is cited to have been the cause for the music industry putting the awards ceremony down for 15 years.
Their successful debut album wasn't followed up until 15 years later, in 1987, when Silence released a music cassette containing 24 previously unreleased songs featuring the duo. These were recorded during the same sessions that would produce their first album, but on their own lo-fi tape recorder. Modern sound engineering had made it possible to filter some of the noise out. This cassette came in a tin can (much like those used for percussion by the group) that had to be opened using a can opener. The label on it said "Real Philemon Arthur-distortion". The duo had previously expressed dislike towards the high sound quality of their previous album, and claimed to have lost the feel and sound of what they were trying to accomplish. In 1992, 20 years after getting their music award, Philemon Arthur & the Dung's debut album was released on cd by Silence. 13 tracks from the 1987 cassette were included as bonus tracks. And in 2002, celebrating 30 years, a second cd was released, containing the remaining tracks from the cassette, along with 19 previosly unreleased tracks, still from the same sessions.
The group attained cult status in part due to their unique brand of homegrown, low fidelity music. Over 40 years later, they are consider pioneers and icons of progressive music, and remain a mysterious presence in the Swedish entertainment industry. Many groups, particularly fellow progg artists, have cited Philemon Arthur and the Dung as an influence. Bob hund is a Scanian band formed in 1991, that has been influenced by the duo. In fact, Philemon Arthur and the Dung were fans, and forwarded a demo tape to Silence, resulting in a recording contract for the band. A documentary film about Bob hund (titled "Filmen om Bob hund") from 1999, includes a scene accompanied by a newly recorded song by Philemon Arthur & the Dung – a cover of Bob hund's "Reinkarnerad exakt som förut". Falo & Ulla was a group that was inspired by Philemon Arthur & the Dung in the 1980s.
Many hypotheses regarding the duo's true identities have been made, a prevalent one being that they are Mikael and Thomas Wiehe, who would also become influential figures in progressive music, or fellow progg group "Risken finns". To maintain the confusion, Philemon Arthur & the Dung has, as well as these groups, neither denied nor verified these rumours. Their scanian dialect tells that they were living in the north of Scania, probably around Göinge. In 1987, The Swedish singer Magnus Uggla released a cover album , on which "In kommer Gösta" was included, and credited to "Mats Larsson". An 18 pages long thread on the Swedish internet forum Flashback, points out an unknown man in Helsingborg as one of the members.
Philemon Arthur & the Dung have given some interviews in connection to their album releases, but not without hiding their faces behind masks. The truth value of their answers is always questionable. They claim that they want to remain anonymous to avoid affecting the residents of their small town. In 2010 a documentary film about the duo was made by Jonas Johannesson and Martin Snygg, titled "Jakten på Orkestern utan ansikte". (Seeking the faceless orchestra). Their purpose was not to unmask the duo, but to unravel stories by interviewing people who had been connected to them somehow, and tell all the anecdotes.
Photo: Bengt Eriksson, Birgitta Olsson
Links: musiclogy.net | Philemon Arthur & the Dung Wikipedia | Returkultur | Interview SvD 1987 | Interview Sydsvenskan 2002 | Tango för enbenta | Orkestern utan ansikte, Sydsvenskan 2007 | Orkestern utan ansikte, HD 2007
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LP PHILEMON ARTHUR AND THE DUNG
1972 Silence Records SRS 4607
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1. In kommer Gösta (3:17)
2. Du är min enda vän (3:08)
3. Missan spinner (0:22)
4. Subjekt och predikat (0:48)
5. Dyngan rinner i takt (1:37)
6. Om ni tycker jag undviker er (3:10)
7. Ingenting i din hjärna (2:22)
8. Stanna där ni är (1:20)
9. Naturen (1:44)
10. Scoutvisan (2:06)
11. Jag vill va i fred (1:44)
12. En liten stuga (0:54)
13. Lille Pelle (2:11)
14. Goddag Gösta (0:25)
15. Min hund (0:50)
16. Blomman (2:43)
17. Mor anka (2:31)
18. Men va fanken (3:56)
19. Henning i sin presenning (2:27)
20. Hedersmannen (0:54)
21. All makt åt Folke (4:41)
22. Den sista veckan (6:21)
MC ÄKTA SKÅNSKA NATURLJUD / SKISSER ÖVER 1914 ÅRS BADMÖSSOR
1987 Silence Records SRSK 4705
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1. Låt den hänga ute (2:30)
2. Var är flugsmällen? (1:42)
3. Ödesvalsen (2:53)
4. Polismannen (0:50)
5. Skolsången (2:03)
6. Vår och sommar (1:32)
7. Tandställningvals (0:50)
8. Får jag spy? (2:13)
9. Plocka päror (2:25)
10. Meningslösan (1:58)
11. På toaletten (1:22)
12. Allt detta heter Fille (0:48)
13. Villaägarens visa (1:11)
14. Jag mår så illa (2:15)
15. Goda grannar (1:58)
16. Djurvisa (1:16)
17. Dromedarvisan (1:42)
18. Min kära gamla soppeskål (0;36)
19. Det femte hjulet (2:08)
20, Waltzing Mathilda (3:04)
21. Urmak är tiden (2:00)
22. Evighetsmaskinen (1:31)
23. En förtorkad kaffeböna (2:33)
24. Om jag hade pjäxor (0:15)
CD MUSIKENS HISTORIA DEL 1 OCH 2
1992 Silence Records SRSCD 3607
1–22. All tracks from the album "Philemon Arthur and the Dung" released in 1972.
23–35. 13 tracks from the cassette "Skisser över 1914 års badmössor" released in 1987.
CD FÅR JAG SPY I DITT PARAPLY? – THE VERY PEST OF PHILEMON ARTHUR & THE DUNG
2002 Silence Records SRSCD 3627
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2. Lille Arthur svängde (3:44)
3. Polismannen (0:52)
4. Skolsången (0:24)
5. Vår och sommar (1:34)
6. Får jag spy? (2:14)
7. Goda grannar (1:56)
8. Min anteckningsbok (3:28)
9. Djurvännen (1:01)
10. Med nyckeln i nyckelhålet (1:36)
11. Mummelsnusklåten (0:39)
12. Vals i fel dur (2:57)
13. Du är en idiot! (2:02)
14. Felrimmad fritid (1:50)
15. Meningslösan (2:03)
16. På toaletten (1:25)
17. Damm i hans säng (2:15)
18. Kvart i fem (0:50)
19. Antiloop -68 (1:18)
20. Min cykelnyckel (1:40)
21. Dromedarvisan (1:47)
22. Sadisten (2:39)
23. Fed spargris (0:38)
24. Min kära gamla soppeskål (0:42)
25. Tandställningsvals (0:49)
26. Var det du som kom? (2:48)
27. Äckelvisan (1:15)
28. Varför lyssnar du? (1:13)
29. Waltzing Mathilda (3:06)
30. Goodbye (1:40)
19 previously unreleased tracks.
11 tracks taken from the cassette "Skisser över 1914 års badmössor" released in 1987.
