The Boppers are a Swedish band formed in 1977 who found fame with cover versions of 1950s and 1960s songs.
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. 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.
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 died on 26 November 2003.
Discography Albums Studio albums Title Album detailsPeak chart positions SWE FIN NOR Number 1 Released: July 1978 Label: T-Bone Formats: LP, MC214— Keep On Boppin''' | Released: October 1979 Label: Sound of Scandinavia Formats: LP, MC |1 |6 |36 |- ! scope="row" |Fan-Pix| Released: November 1980 Label: Sound of Scandinavia Formats: LP, MC |8 |— |— |- ! scope="row" | News| Released: February 1982 Label: Sound of Scandinavia Formats: LP, MC |45 |— |— |- ! scope="row" | High Fidelity| Released: 1982 Label: Sound of Scandinavia Formats: LP, MC |— |— |— |- ! scope="row" | Black Label| Released: 1983 Label: RCA Formats: LP, MC |— |— |— |- ! scope="row" | The Boppers| Released: October 1991 Label: Sonet Formats: CD, LP, MC |4 |— |— |- ! scope="row" | Tempted| Released: October 1993 Label: Sonet Formats: CD, MC |17 |— |— |- ! scope="row" | Back on Track| Released: November 1997 Label: EMBE Formats: CD |— |— |— |- ! scope="row" | På andra sidan stan| Released: May 2000 Label: Scranta Formats: CD |— |— |— |- ! scope="row" | Happy Birthday – 50 Years of Rock 'n' Roll| Released: 2004 Label: Stockholm Formats: CD |— |— |— |- ! scope="row" | Jingle Bell Rock| Released: November 2006 Label: Bonnier Music Formats: CD |21 |— |— |- ! scope="row" | 30| Released: 25 April 2007 Label: Bonnier Music Formats: CD, digital download |19 |— |— |- ! scope="row" | Vibrations| Released: 22 April 2009 Label: Bonnier Music Formats: CD, digital download |7 |— |— |- ! scope="row" | Great Kicks| Released: 30 June 2017 Label: Warner Music Formats: CD, LP, digital download |17 |— |— |- ! scope="row" | White Lightning'' Released: 1 July 2022 Label: Wild Kingdom Formats: CD, LP, digital download40——"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Live albums Title Album detailsPeak chart positions SWE Live 'n' Roll Released: 1982 Label: SOS Recording Formats: LP— Unplugged Favourites Released: June 1992 Label: Sonet Formats: CD, LP, MC10At 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 detailsPeak chart positions SWE 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 Released: 1994 Label: Pickwick Music Formats: CD, MC— 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, MC50 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 |- ! scope="row" | Pärlor| Released: 2007 Label: Bonnier Music Formats: CD |— |- ! scope="row" | Best of 40 Years 1977–2017'' Released: 28 April 2017 Label: Bebopaluba Formats: 2xCD Peter Jezewski compilation album featuring his work with the Boppers48"—" 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 detailsPeak chart positions SWE 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 YearPeak chart positionsAlbum SWE "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''' |- ! scope="row" | "White Christmas" |11
! scope="row" | "TV Hop" / "Do That Boppin' Jive" | rowspan="4" |1980 |—16 |Fan-Pix|- ! scope="row" | "Tick Tock" (Spain-only release) |— | rowspan="3" |Keep On Boppin|- ! scope="row" | "Más, dáme más amor (I'm in Love All Over Again)" (Spain-only release) |— |- ! scope="row" | "Angela" (Japan-only release) |— |- ! scope="row" | "Listen to the Music" | rowspan="5" |1981 |— | rowspan="3" |Fan-Pix |- ! scope="row" | "Rama Lama Ding Dong" |— |- ! scope="row" | "C'-mon and Dance" (Japan-only release) |— |- ! scope="row" | "Umbrella" (Japan-only release) |— |Best of the Boppers |- ! scope="row" | "Turn Me Loose" |—
! scope="row" | "The Night for Love" (Japan-only release) | rowspan="4" |1982 |— |Rock 'n' Roll Music |- ! scope="row" | "She'd Rather Be with Me" (Netherlands-only release) |—
! scope="row" | "Holy Cow (What's Goin' On Around Here)" (Japan-only release) |— |Live 'n' Roll |- ! scope="row" | "Mr. Bassman" (Japan-only release) |— |Keep On Boppin''' |- ! scope="row" | "Kissing in the Moonlight" | rowspan="2" |1990 |— |The Boppers|- ! scope="row" | "The Mix" |—
! scope="row" | "Gonna Find My Angel" | rowspan="4" |1991 |29 |The Boppers|- ! scope="row" | "If You See Her" (with Jerry Williams) |28
! scope="row" | "Jeannie's Coming Back" |21 | rowspan="2" |The Boppers|- ! scope="row" | "All I Have to Do Is Dream" |— |- ! scope="row" | "Wake Up Little Susie" | rowspan="2" |1992 |— | rowspan="2" |Unplugged Favourites|- ! scope="row" | "Runaround Sue" |— |- ! scope="row" | "Hold Me Now" | rowspan="2" |1993 |— | rowspan="4" |Tempted|- ! scope="row" | "Tempted" |— |- ! scope="row" | "Your Sister Told Me" | rowspan="2" |1994 |— |- ! scope="row" | "Twang" |— |- ! scope="row" | "Why Did You Break My Heart" | rowspan="3" |1997 |— | rowspan="3" |Back on Track|- ! scope="row" | "Pretty Little Angel" |— |- ! scope="row" | "My Love 4 You" |— |- ! scope="row" | "Kärlek vill väl alla ha" (promo-only release) |1998 |—
! scope="row" | "Dagny" (promo-only release) | rowspan="3" |2000 |— | rowspan="3" |På andra sidan stan|- ! scope="row" | "Ge mig ett tecken" (promo-only release) |— |- ! scope="row" | "Himlen för mig" (promo-only release) |— |- ! scope="row" | "Rocka På!" (with Markoolio) |2001 |1 |Tjock och lycklig|- ! scope="row" | "Baby Come Back to Me (Morse Code of Love)" (promo-only release) |2002 |— |25 Years Still Boppin "Surfin' Bird" (promo-only release)2005— "Blue Blue Moon"2007—30 "They Never Know" (with Eva Eastwood)2015— "Wanna Be Your Man"2017—Great Kicks "2 Fools in Love"— "It's Christmas in Las Vegas"2019— rowspan="4" "Boom Boom"2020— "Please Come Home for Christmas"/"Dig That Crazy Santa Claus"— "I Surrender" (featuring Brolle & Rockabilly Fabulous)2021— "The Way"2024—"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
References