St. Helena -

St. Helena was a Norwegian folk-rock/psych band that recorded roughly an album’s worth of material circa 1973/74 that appeared on the archival discs Hello Friend and Early Daze.

Members: Fezza Ellingsen (guitar, flute), Rolf Andersen (vocals, acoustic guitar), Kjell Are Playm (keyboards, vocals), Ray Briseid (bass), Willy Bendiksen (drums)

Background

St. Helena formed in Hammerfest around 1971–72 with drummer Willy Bendiksen and guitarist-singer Stein Johannes Olsen among the early lineup.

Odd Fredrik “Fezza” Ellingsen was born in 1955 in Borge, Lofoten, and grew up in Bodø. In late 1972, Ellingsen played briefly with Bodø group April Morning. He joined the St. Helena road crew in early 1973 in Hammerfest, then joined the stage lineup on flute, piccolo, percussion, and vocals. The 1973 lineup also included bassist Tore Stefanussen and keyboardist Halvdan Nedrejord. St. Helena recorded “Salvase,” “Vi Vet,” and “Hva Nå” that summer in a Senja basement with a Tandberg recorder and one microphone.

Rolf Mareno Andersen and Kjell Arne Pleym grew up in Bjørnevatn, Sør-Varanger, and attended school together from the fifth grade. Pleym played bass in the Ghosts at fourteen and piano in Snappy Swingers. Andersen and Pleym later joined the local dance orchestra Pleyms under guitarist Sverre Pleym. Andersen won the Talent 70 singing competition in Kirkenes. The pair made NRK recordings in Vadsø and Bodø, then self-financed the 1971 LP Have Your Own Feeling, Have Your Own Way from seven days of sessions at Kirkenes gymnasium. Harmoni pressed 250 copies of the album.

Ellingsen regrouped in Bodø in early 1974 with Bendiksen and bassist Bjørn Haldorsen under the name Foppen. Andersen and Pleym met Ellingsen in Bodø and joined the new configuration. Foppen restored the St. Helena name in April 1974 and moved to Oslo the following month. Oslo bassist Ray Briseid replaced Haldorsen. St. Helena used a basement room at Henie-Onstad Kunstsenter in Høvikodden as a rehearsal space. Festival organizer Paul Karlsen took on management and secured the group an August booking at Kalvøya Festival. St. Helena entered Scanax Studio in Oslo in July 1974 for a one-day live-in-studio demo that formed the basis of Hello Friend.

Discography: