Swedish analogue synthpop band consisting of
Eddie Bengtsson and
Matts Wiberg.
SMPJ started playing together in the 1980's (in the spring of 1986, actually), but none of the members saw the band as really serious, it was more of a sideproject; Eddie was at the time involved with the legendary (in Sweden!) synthpop band Page, and later on with Alexander Hofman and Finn Albertsson in S.P.O.C.K.
Sista Mannen På Jorden first played live in Malmö in June 1986, but their first record was not released until March 1998; it was the five-track CD EP "Först i rymden" ("First In Space" would be a decent translation), limited to 500 copies. It contained only old material, but after selling out in just a few weeks (hey, that's not bad for obscure analogue synthpop with Swedish vocals!), SMPJ decided to also record and release a full-length CD with new material.
The CD was finished later that year, and released on electronic music label Subspace Communications in November 1998.
The CD was called "Ligg tyst ett tag med..." (in English that would be "Lay Quiet Awhile With..."), with the text "Sista Mannen På Jorden" appearing below the title. The name supposedly comes from the Kubrick motion picture "A Clockwork Orange", where a record with that name appears in the background in one of the scenes.
"Ligg tyst ett tag med..." was an excellent CD with many good tracks; and it was -- after a few successful live performances by SMPJ all over Sweden -- eventually followed by a second full-length album, called "Luft" ("Air") and released on SSC in March 2000.
"Luft" was, if possible, even better than "Ligg tyst ett tag med...", but nothing beats the "Först i rymden" EP.
In September 2001 Sista Mannen På Jorden released their third full-length album, titled "OK, OK, OK"; a lovely production with many great tracks. A few weeks before the album release, an "electronical single" (MP3s) was released on Swedish music site Vitaminic. This so-called "single" consisted of the old "Luft" song, and "Hur lång tid kan det ta" (that would be "How long can it take?" in English) from the "OK, OK, OK" album. The latter is also outstanding (IMHO); it's undoubtedly the best track on "OK, OK, OK".
SMPJ has during the years recorded no more than three songs with lyrics in English, and are therefore not very likely to ever reach beyond the borders of Scandinavia (except for Germany of course; the Germans really seem to enjoy Swedish synthpop!).
Their lyrics are often very simplistic and naïve, and usually concern such things as space and lone space travellers far from home. One instrumental track has also been known to be included on each and every album.
Sista Mannen På Jorden discography
EP's
Först i rymden (March 1998)
Albums
Ligg tyst ett tag med... (November 1998)
Luft (March 2000)
OK, OK, OK (September 2001)