New book and album!
In November 2020, Staffan released the epic album called ”Mordet i Nürnbergbryggeriet” which is a story about a murder that occured in his very own house in 1836.
-To describe it briefly, the story is about ploughman Carl Pehrsson who came to Stockholm from Horns parish, Östergötland in 1835. He ended up working at the Nürnberg brewery which was owned by lieutenant Johan Gustaf Wertmüller and was run by his son Carl Johan Wertmüller. The latter was a very strict employer. At the time, flogging was still allowed according to law which young Wertmüller exerted constantly by physically abusing his employees. Besides that, they weren´t given enough food to eat. The ploughmen were very dissatisfied with these working conditions but due to the current legislation, the workers couldn´t terminate their employment contract until their contractual time was completed.
Carl Johan Wertmüller was very interested in music and culture and at the same time frustrated from having to run his father´s brewery so maybe that was the reason for him lashing out at his employees and at Carl Pehrsson in particular. On January 18th, 1836 he returned home after participating in a music soaré with Fredrik Berwald at Börssalen, Stockholm. It was just before midnight and he could see that a lantern was lit inside the brewery. When Carl Johan went to see what was happening, Carl Pehrsson who´d had it with the abuse was waiting for him by the staircase. He then beat his employer to death with a bludgeon, lowered his body into a brewing boiler. Shortly thereafter, he fled town. Six days later he was arrested in Norrköping, taken back to Stockholm and sentenced to death by decapitation.
His sentence was executed on August 6th at the Skanstull execution ground in front of 5000 spectators. ”...at foot, horse or a carriage to witness this mind boggling, gruesome act” as reported by the newspaper. His destiny led to an agitated debate regarding the abuse of employees and flogging was later abolished after a proposal from Lars Johan Hierta (founder of Aftonbladet) in 1858.
The concert ”Mordet i Nürnbergbryggeriet” will give you chills, tears, laughter and depicts Sweden during a transiatory era where injustice and class-distinction were apparent. The audience will experience a show where the story is told from beginning to end with dramatic dialogues in between and 13 songs in total.
In autumn 2020, the book ”Du går alltid ensam”was released. It is an anthology comprised of all Staffan´s lyrics from 1995-2020 with autobiographical elements and a prologue written by Lars Norén. 1995-2020
Having a 30 year long music career behind him, Staffan has become one of our most stable and noteable acts over the years. His music has resulted in Grammis & Rockbjörnen awards and several immortal classics as ”Fanfar”, ”Lilla fågel blå” & ”Fiskarna i haven”. Yes, the latter is Staffan´s as well. Aside from his solo career, Staffan Hellstrand has written songs for and with a number of artists - from Lasse Winnerbäck & Olle Ljungström via Latin Kings & The Nomads to Lena Nyman, Bodil Malmsten, Lisa Nilsson, Sven-Ingvars, Uno Svenningsson and many more. As well as a song for the Swedish national soccer team.
During the corona summer of 2020 Staffan performed a streaming concert at the Sonika Studios that was viewed by over 20,000 people and recieved great reviews.