Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
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Tigerbombs
Pepe from Tigerbombs
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Well, there's too many to be listed. From the Beatles to Entombed. We love
especially 60's and 70's cheesy pop music.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
The positive aspects are that there's not too much bands around, so there's room for everyone. There's also
a very good vibe between musicians in general.
The negative side is that there's a very small audience for indie type bands. The mainstream music is the
only way to get attention in Finland.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
It's the first glimpse of new melody, rhythm or whatever. The first moment when you know that something
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special is on it's way. Of course it is superfun to get a song finished with lyrics and all and then record it.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening
in your life the BEST song?
That's an impossible one to answer to. It changes daily depending on your mood. Today, for me the BEST
song would be "Everlong" by Foo Fighters. Yesterday it was "Hard to explain" by the Strokes.
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Phantom 409
Matti from Phantom 409
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment, when you start to feel that the song works!
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Let´s say... "Rumble" by Link Wray.
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Not much now. Taking it easy. Maybe some new songs in the near future.
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Takarivi
Jukka from Takarivi
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I have lots of influences from all decades. Very typical ones like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, CCR,
many Finnish bands... Nothing very special here. I also listen a lot of 50´s rock´n´roll and rockabilly. And
some classical too. And some new Finnish metal bands.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Positive: creative and open-minded athmosphere
Negative: unlikely to make a living out of your own music. For me it is not a big deal.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
I prefer the moment when the idea and athmosphere are in my head and I start to play and improvize it for
the first time.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
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song?
Deep Purple: Lazy
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Nazca
Karstein from Nazca
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
When it all clicks together and you can't stop playing it.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Impossible to answer, sorry.
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Magyar Posse
Harri from Magyar Posse
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
The positive thing is that the audience is very open minded, a lot of Finnish mainstream bands are actually
quite experimental. Also considering the population there are a lot good venues to play and most places
have good equipment + the staff knows how to use them. This is something that you don't notice until you go
abroad.
The bad thing is that with the kind of music that we play there no chance to make a living out of it. Not that
we would even try that. Other thing is that Finland is like an island, you always have leave the country by
boat unless you're going to Russia. That makes planning a little hard sometimes + it costs too much money.
In the studio you have time to think things over and try all kinds of neat things. It's a whole new world to start
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recording something that you've played live for a year or so.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
I always like the moment when things are almost done. When you have all the pieces that you need, you
know that, but you just don't know how to put it all together. You go to sleep thinking of one chord and what
to do with it... I just love that for some reason.
Another moment is when you hear or play a bit of song for the first time and you think to yourself "something
good will come out of this..."
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
It is a stupid question ;) I can only say what I like at the moment:
For us because we won't be making any money from it anyway it's good that people share it online. I can in a
way understand that major companies complain about piracy, but 22 euros for a shit CD is a lot of money.
They release Idols winners or something AND complain about record sales going down. HELLOO!!! I have
no principle against major labels, it just happens to be so that the stuff they release is not good in an any
standards. Usually they have no interest on building a long-term relationship with the artists. That's the great
thing about less-profit-oriented labels, they give the artist freedom and even they're not at their best all the
time they let them do as they wish and support that.
But when speaking of the "music industry" and people like us who are making music we are talking about
two different things. For the industry, the music and the artist are products, just as a pair of Nike sneakers or
a car. They are not making art or spiritual content, they want to make profit and the image of the artist along
with the copyrights are they key for doing it. I don't know but maybe there should be a list of labels that allow
people do share their stuff as they wish and list for those who don't. This is a tough question and it's hard to
draw the line.
Other than that, just random things here and there but nothing serious. It's enough work to keep this one
thing rolling in some way.
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Nerdee
Annu from Nerdee
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Everyone of us have very different individual influences and favourites artists/genres (e.g Alanis Morissette,
Pearl Jam, Opeth, Sarah McLachlan) so there is no one big influence for Nerdee. Our sound is all of our own
influences combined.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
For a band singing in english it's really hard to break it bigtime. Along the way a lot of people from the finnish
music industry have told us to sing in Finnish, just becouse it would be some much easier to gain bigger
success. The music business is still very small and only very few artists can actually make a living out of it.
Most people go to a day job aswell. Small can be positive too , in that sense, that once you get in to the
business you get to know people easy and get new contact. And music industry is still very much fair play.
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During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Hearing it grow while working in the studio, and finally hearing the finished song playing.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
That is a hard one! It variates from time to time... For now i'd have to say Frou Frou - Let Go
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The Dance
Olli from The Dance
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
The negative ones first. I think the size of population makes the feeling that the musical circles are too small,
you know the "I´ve seen this band too many times" –feeling. Although we´re a young band which has a lot to
achieve, so I can´t really complain yet. The positive side is that it´s still quite easy here to get your name. Of
course it requires hell lot of a work but in bigger cities (not to mention countries) you do that work in quiet
and only after that start hoping that someone right person could have an ear on you.
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along. It´s hard to explain the appeal of gigs.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
I prefer the one particular point where the first version has come out and song have found its first shape. It´s
funny how this can sometimes take few months, sometimes it happens within an hour.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
I can´t really pick the best one, but one song that nearly blew my head was the finnish skarockers´ Monica´s
lips` "Life gone wrong". I saw them live one day and I think the melodies did the trick.
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Louna
When and how did you become a musician?
I have play music since i was 6. I took piano, fluite and guitar
lessons. At age 15 I started my first band. It was i girlband
called Woozy and we played our own pop/rocksongs. I was
the singer and guitarplayer in the band. Since that i have
continued writing songs and performing. .
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment I prefer? When the song is ready and ready to be played to the band. Then you get the feeling:
I succeeded.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
This is a hard one. They change every day. But the song that has had a huge impact on me is John Lee
Hookers: Dimbles. That song just gets you going. It's amazing!
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What is your opinion, as a musician, regarding internet?
It's a good place to market yourself. I think it's almost the only way for me, because I dont have a record
label doing the marketing for me. So i like Internet. It spreads my music.
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Vanity Ink
Anabella and Juha from Vanity Ink
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Annabella: Finland is a small country where everyone knows everybody, and what comes around goes
around in good and bad. There´s maybe too many wanna-be eyeliner bands hanging around at the
moment...wish them all good luck though!
Juha Bandit: Finland is the land of rock n´roll and I´m proud to be a part of that, although you tend to freeze
in latex at wintertime.
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During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Annabella: When the song comes out of nowhere and it´s not planned in any way.
Juha Bandit: The moment when you forget you´re working on a song and you´re jumping around touching
yourself.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Annabella: Weezer: Say It Ain´t So, Sublime: Santeria, Davy Vain: Push Me Over, Pretty Boy Floyd: Shut
Up, Rachel Stamp: Monster of a New Wave...
Juha Bandit: Sebastian Bach: (I´ll Never Turn My Back On) Rock n´Roll, ´cause I won´t...
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Bedtime acoustics
Jukka from Bedtime acoustics
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I think everything Mark Lanegan, Luke Haines and Mark Eitzel have done. They have been in so many good
records and bands like Screaming Trees, Queens of the stone age, Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan, The
Auteurs, Black box recorder, Baader Meinhof, American Music Club. I have been listening a lot of old music
from the 60's and 70's like Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and Nick Drake and I was/am a big fan of the The Doors
and T-Rex. Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains and all that "grunge" scene were also very important to me in
my teens. Nowadays I'm listening mostly old and new "singer-songwriter" music (stoopid term, by the way). I
listen to a lot of music so the list is endless…
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
I think Finland is so small country that it is both good and bad.
Good is that you get to know all the musicians easily if you want to, bad thing is that even if you make a real
breakthrough here there are only a couple of towns and good places to tour around. Even if you are a big
underground name you don't sell enough records to quit your daytime job. We play quiet and quite soft music
so it's hard to find a place to play a gig, 'cause we don't want the play in rock clubs, where you can't play
quietly.
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What are topics you treat in your songs?
I think everything, all the feelings you have from love to fear and everything that you see, read or hear that
makes you think, makes you happy or sad. Usually I think of songs as paintings. I just get some picture into
my mind and then try to put it to words somehow.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The best moment is when for the first time you find the right chords and tempo and you have the first draft of
lyrics and you play the song with your guitar and it sounds good in your own ears. And you're excited to play
it to other guys in the band. Also a good moment is when everyone in the band have recorded their parts and
you hear the raw mix, there's always something you haven't heard live.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
I agree this is stupid question... well at least hard one and impossible to answer, cause there are so many
great songs in the world. I was looking through my record collection the other day to find an answer to this
and at that moment it was Day is done by Nick Drake. I love the words and the strings and his fragile voice…
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Komitea
Hannu from Komitea
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Negative things come to my mind first. The lack of training space is growing all the time and the prices go
higher. Second, the gigs start at insane hours which can be difficult, especially for artists that have long
tours.
Positive thing is that people here are really interested in music and we have a lot of good rising bands.
Actually we just finnished recording our upcoming EP "Keskiyön unelma" late last night. Maybe that is also
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why I would prefer playing live for a change.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
I prefer the moment when I can play the song first time from the beginning to the end. Of course after that
the structure still changes but at least I get an idea what the song should be like.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
You are right, this is a stupid question. It is very hard to say actually. I guess I would have to say King
Diamond's "the Invisible guests" but then again I could name 20 other songs too.
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Candy Cane
Marko from Candy Cane
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Every sound around me influence me. Sometimes even silence.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
I don't think things like that. Yesterday i thought i was Swedish. Or was it Danish? Heh. I consider myself as
a world musician. And that's that.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
When i figure out the idea where the song is going, and how it's going to be, and how can i twist it around
and so on...
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Yes, a stupid question.
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What is your opinion, as a musician, regarding internet?
Well, internet is a good thing for anykind of knowledge. You find everything from the internet. But spending
your lifetime in front a fucking computer, is a waste of talents (if you have one). You don't find real life or
experiences there. But hey, if you don't have a life. Go ahead.
Tomi plays also in Ionics, Miikka plays in Plain Fade, Raine plays...hmmm...i don't remember. But we all
have something else going on.
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Beacon St Radiants
Dawson and Zack from Beacon St Radiants
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Positive thing is that Finland is full of creative people and different styles of music and artists.
Negative aspect is that it´s hard to make a living making music, if you´re not playing radio friendly music.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Like I said finishing the songs at the first time. Also producing and putting the pieces together after recording
is mighty fine.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Impossible to anwser, but Zach tries: Myrskyluodon Maija by Lasse Mårtenson..well anyway it used to make
me cry as a small boy, my mom had to turn off the radio to make me stop.
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We´ve had great experiences about the internet. It´s easy to have people hear your music globally and make
friends who share the same taste in music..hence My Space.
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Fillip
Chris from Fillip
Tehosekoitin and Zen Cafe have been the most influental Finnish bands, and The Sounds from Sweden and
The Killers from U.S are definitely the best bands around right now.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
There's only five million people living in Finland. Therefore, musicians have to work very hard to sell records
here. Also, the country is pretty big and the distances are quite long, which makes it a bit harder to reach all
the fans around the country. Still, the audience in Finland is very active and loyal, which makes it lot easier to
jump into the bus and drive long distances to give them what they want. In Finland, the support for the
Finnish bands is great.
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Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We are definitely live band. For the debut album, "Kaikki Näyttää Kauniilta" we wanted to capture the same
energy and feeling that we have when we are playing live. The whole project took at least four months, and
we couldn't wait the album to be done and get on the road again.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The best moment is the time when you give the song for the band to play. That's the first time I feel the song
was made just for Fillip.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
I still remember when I saw Oasis on TV with "Live Forever". Since that moment, music has been the most
important thing in my life. Now, 12 years later, the song still sounds as great as it sounded back then.
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Häiriköt
Maukka from Häiriköt
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
There is lot of of bands that we all like: The Ramones, Rancid, The Clash, The Misfits and so on. I personaly
love all kinds of good bands: The Germs, Circle Jerks, first Agnostic Front album, Suicide, The Jesus And
Mary Chain, Pagans, Oasis, early Stones, QOTSA, The Smiths, J. Thunders, Death In Vegas, Prml Scrm,
MBV, The Velvet Underground etc etc.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Being in a (punk)band in Finland is kinda shitty thing, 'cause when you go to a gig, you have to usually fight
for basic things: food, beer and so on. Of course those things depend who's organizator of the gig. But in the
punk circles the DIY-attitude is alive and everything usually works out pretty good. You always have a place
to crash. And then there's always this "get a real job"-attitude, which comes across sometimes. But fuck 'em,
they're just jealous. But the good side is that people are pretty passionate about the bands and music, but
you have to be pretty big band to make a living out of it. And there's only 5 million people in Finland, so the
markets are very small.
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Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
I love playing live and i love being on the road. Cruising around Finland, drinking beer, meeting people and
playing gigs with your mates is just fucking awesome. But then again, being in the studio can be fun too. For
me it's kinda boring in the end, 'cause when the drumtracks are recorded, there's not much for me to do. But
i like the process, when the songs start to build their form from primitive things.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The best moment is when you have an idea and you realize it's going to be something special. I'm a
drummer so i don't write as much as our guitarist Erkko, but on our new record "Ratkaisu" there's one song
by me called "Me ollaan Häiriköt" For me it's very easy to write melodies, but to have lyrics to match, that's a
different story.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Oh fuck off, that's kinda impossible question to answer! There's so many. Right now i'm listening to The
Ramones "Outsider" and that's a hell of a tune. From the same record, "Subterranean Jungle", there's a
song called "Somebody Like Me", which pretty much sums me up.
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Heavenly groove
Pete from Heavenly groove
After this long enterprising period we still wanted to play together, but now in
the front of audience so we were wondering what should we do for having
nice gigs to play. We decided to continue as a cover-band, playing only the
best songs in the world.
It appears a huge amount of cover-bands in the beginning of 90's and somehow it was obvious every of
those were playing quite "matter of course" stuff, like CCR songs, Sweet Home Alabama etc etc . . . ! We
wanted to do this somehow different and a little bit more "sophisticated" if that's the right word in this case.
We wanted to do more "groovy" stuff and because of our great and proficient singer Kimi Sjöholm we knew
we have possibilities to do that . So, we started to practice playing songs from Toto, Earth Wind & Fire,
Simply Red, Terence Trent D'Arby…
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
We do not have a common inspirer with the group members. I do like myself hard-/heavy rock , Kimi likes
pop music in generally , our drummer Markku "Mäikkä" Tuomi is a huge Rolling Stones fan and also likes a
lot bluesy stuff etc etc . Keyboard player Pasi "Pännä" Lehtonen likes a lot 80's oriented aor-music like Toto .
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Playing music is always nice! I guess this is the global reason why people are playing. I don't know that
much about the negative things. Of course doing gigs in Finland the distances are quite long because this
country is so long from south to north. And maybe another negative thing is the playing time is often so late
here in Finland. It's not divergent if the band started to play 01 am.
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What is your favorite song in your repertoire and why?
Doobie Brothers song Long Train Running . It's so bloody groovy and song which brings good mood to
everyone's minds .
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Always when you go to bed there's a riffs and melodies popping up to your mind. Then you just need to
stand up from there and write it down. Otherwise you won't remember it in the morning.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Today I say Helloween : Sole Survivor …tomorrow it might be something else.
Actually, this is project for us all. Kimi has bands called Lemmenkipeet and Hitmen. Mäikkä playing in almost
every band from this area which making gigs etc etc …
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Puk
Jussi from Puk
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Just two days ago in Helsinki Morrissey stole my heart, again! Hard to think of anyone else so soon after that
gig, it was bloody brilliant. Well, back at the 80?s not just The Smiths but also The Cure did several
impressive albums: the trilogy Seventeen Seconds, Faith and Pornography still feels like opening a huge can
of melancholy? which is why I can rarely listen to those records. Joe Strummer and The Clash still give me
strength to fight for social justice. As musical influences, I should mention also David Bowie, New Order,
Radiohead, The Trash Can Sinatras, Pulp, perhaps some albums by The Manic Street Preachers and Kent,
and so on. During the last five years I?ve fallen in love with Neil Hannon, that is to say, The Divine Comedy.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Actually, I don?t think you can call me one. Perhaps that says it all.
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I will say Grönlanti, because for me it was a knock-out of our first album, an epic and symphony-like song I
always wanted to make. Johnny?s guitar in the end is majestic, reminding me of Mick Ronson in Bowie?s
Time. We are all very keen on the song and tend to play it as the last one in the set.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
While being in studio, the moment you know that the song you?re working with will turn out better than you
had ever thought.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Only a liar can pretend to know the answer. In My Life by The Beatles.
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Leningrqd Cowboys
Mauri from The Leningrad Cowboys
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
When the big idea has landed to the studio. After that everything goes easy.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening
in your life the BEST song?
Melekkalikki makka. A hawaian christmas song, means "Merry Christmas!"
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Robincosmos
Tarmo from Robincosmos
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I personally consider Tori Amos the best musician ever. Other great artists: Metallica, Doors, Muse...
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Finnish people tend to like humorous music... I don't know whether that's a good target for some serious
music or not. And the weather is usually bad.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment when the whole band realizes: "This works!"
It may be the first try or it may take some time.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
It depends on the mood. Probably it is a song from artists listed above.
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Soul Tattoo
Jussi from Soul Tattoo
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Uh, a long list... to mension a few: Charlie Feathers, Muddy Waters, Hank Williams, Billie Holiday, Nick
Cave, Bod Dylan, Jefferey Lee Pierce, Tom Waits...
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Positive - It's a small country with a lot woods, lakes, summer festivals and crazy creative people.
Negative - It's too small nation to live in the marginal.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
uuhhh...
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What is your opinion, as a musician, regarding internet?
It's ok.
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Laurila
Janne from Laurila
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Positive aspect is the open-minded audience not concentrated only on one type of music. But I don't like
being broke all the time, that's a bit of a bummer.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Night time is the right time, but usually it's any time when you're not near any instrument.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
As a song it's not the best, but Sonic Youth's "Schizophrenia" changed my life when I saw it in the film "in
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1991: The Year Punk Broke". It's the starter song and I was sold.
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The Cons
Ilkka from The Cons
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
There are more positive things then negative. Many Underground bands like us stick together and helps
each other, gigs and shit. There is also many Band competitions, which are good thing for Underground
bands. Negative things are that you wont get that easy gigs in the "Big stages" like Tavastia in the Finland.
But there is more good sides in music business here in Finland then bad sides.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
I like to do songs at night and maybe in a little deppression, it´s the best way to me to make song.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Smashing Pumkins-Bullet with butterfly wings
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Marble Frame
Kenneth from Marble Frame
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I have been hugely influenced by bands like Mr. Bungle, The Cooper Temple Clause, King Crimson etc...
well it's a pretty darn long list. Within the band we do mutually listen to the same bands like f.i Radiohead,
Sigur Rós, The Mars Volta and so on. But each of us has his (or her, not sure if they botched Petteris sex
change) own personal taste in music. I wouldn't want to admit what artists have directly influenced our music
because I don't know who we sound like. I'll let people complain later.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
What's positive? Well, first of all the underground music community produces far better music than that what
gets shipped outside our borders. Which is great because we have very talented musicians here and
fantastic bands. Sadly the finnish music industry doesn't give a shit. So the dreams of becoming something
in Finland are pretty limited.
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the most beautiful song we've produced so far.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment when it's still unfinished but you suddenly hear it for the first time and it just kicks your ass and
throws you down the stairs.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listeningin your life the BEST song?
Damn thats hard! I'll just say "carry stress in the jaw" by Mr. Bungle. It's nice.
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Below Me
Pete from Below Me
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
When a new idea comes up and gets stuck in the head, it's also interesting to see your ideas grow. The way
we do songs is mainly between Juhani and I, me bringing most of the ideas to the table.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
"Can't touch this" by MC Hammer :), seriously, can't narrow it to just one.
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Nosdrama
Ari from Nosdrama
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
First of all a small population in Finland affects that there are not so many musicians who could live with their
record selling. The same thing is also in live shows. The distances are long between towns and because
there are not so many good concert places, you can't get enough good rock gigs for the full time living.
The showtimes are usually very late. To starting a concert in the midnight is quite insanity for the day job
customer. That has been a habit, which is luckily nowadays changing to the more reasonable direction.
The positive thing is that in Finland we have a lot of high level bands. The competition and a big amount of
internationally excellent musicians push people to try harder and give a great starting point extend to abroad.
- 45 -
It's always a great feeling to record music in the studio. You really don't know what kind of pieces you'll get
when you walk inside the studio. It is also a funny feeling when you realize that the songs that you have
been doing for months or even years are finally ready and it is time to move on for the new adventures.
The playing live is a very different situation. There is the battle of yourself against excitement and the feeling
you get from the adrenalin is just great. Also immediate response for the work is refreshing. I really can't say
which I prefer. Maybe doing some improvising songs on live might be fun…if we could…and had the guts ;)
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Nights are working fine, the only problem is that you must not be too loud because of neighbors. Hangover
and every kind of situation when you can be surprised by your own subconscious are working fine.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening
in your life the BEST song?
Not stupid at all but very interesting. It changes all the time. In one part of my life it was Björk and Thom York
duet "I've seen it all". But let's say "Imagination", Lennon's song performed by A Perfect Circle. There is
excellent conflict between beautiful peace song and pessimistic mood.
- 46 -
Rytmihäiriö
Ande from Rytmihäiriö
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment when the pieces start finding their places, When the arrangement finds its final form.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Hey, this is impossible to say...I'd rather not say anything, I can't really pick just one song.
- 47 -
What are your projects?
Musical projects? Just this band, nothing else.
- 48 -
Murmansk
Olli from Murmansk
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
For a person who's been enthusiastically listening to music for his whole life you probably could not pose
more difficult question. Certainly several 90's bands that could be categorized as "alternative", such as Nine
Inch Nails, Faith No More, The Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth and Alice In Chains, but also some
shoegazing acts such as Ride or Slowdive. I personally think that the late 70's and 80's made loads of good
music. Let's say The Smiths, Bauhaus and The Jesus and Mary Chain. I've never been into very cheerful
music. The major newer bands I've been hyping for the last years are BRMC, Interpol and The Strokes.
Right now I'm listening to The National, one of the best albums last year.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
I would consider that being a "musician" requires an education for this, which I don't have. And without being
a professional musician, making a living with music would be very difficult -- at least with playing indie rock in
English. Small market and it's loaded with heavy metal, you see.
- 49 -
me on this... To be honest, I have no real clue what is she singing about.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment when all pieces just 'click' in their places and we all realise that this is good. If you get goose
bumps while playing a new son, you know that you're heading in the right direction.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
I refer what was said before. You shouldn't ask these kind of questions! By quickly shooting from the hip, the
first song that crosses my mind is Interpol's Leif Eriksson.
- 50 -
F.A.R.O
Sari from Faro
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Since there are five quite different personalities in the band, the musical influences are varied. Out of that
myriad, I could mention for example Toto, Kuha., Absoluuttinen Nollapiste, Jimi Hendrix, and other rock
culture classics.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Since we're not (yet) a household name in Finnish pop culture, it's difficult to say anything about Finland in
specific. The positive side of being a musician is naturally the chance to convey your emotions to other
people through writing and performing your own songs; the negative, because we're not professionals, might
be fitting five lives full of work and activities around the band (not the other way around...)
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
- 51 -
After we've put the parts together, after there's a melody and lyrics to match, and the first time we run
through the song and it rocks - no matter who played what wrong and if it still needs tweaking, if we got
through til the end without stopping, it's awesome. That's the moment when the song is born.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Besides our songs, you mean? Well... I would think it safe to say that if you look at the material from the
bands that have influenced us, you'll find a lot of good candidates for that one special song. Then again, the
goodness of a song depends on so many things that it's impossible to name just one song for all eternity.
- 52 -
Fork
Mia from Fork
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
When one of the members find the ultimate voice for a song.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Bohemian rhapsody.
- 53 -
Lady Escape
Teemu from Ladyescape
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
We all have been listening to alot of different types of music since little kids, so naming only a couple
influences would not be fair to the others. But let's try it anyway . Our common favourites : Elliott Smith,
Sielun Veljet, Moving Units , Refused , Lemonator , Downstairs , El Niklas, and The New Creation .
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Positive : Places like Semifinal .
Negative : Places like Factory .
- 54 -
Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Two different things . Playing live is more chaotic . Playing in studio is more inspiring . Both ways are as
great.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
When the lyrics start to fit the melody . Usually they dont.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Oh fudge ... one song... I'll have to say that "The Infanta" by The Decemberists really knocked me off my feet
when I first heard it.
- 55 -
Emmi
When and how did you become a musician?
I started to play quitar when I was about 14 years
old, and made my first `good` demo at the age of
18.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
In the studio, I like doing the finall vocals... althoug it can be very fustrating as well... :) When I first start
writing, I like it when the story starts to fall in to place...
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
I have absolutely no idea... there are so many great songs out there !
- 56 -
What are your projects ?
I`m working on new songs all the time (sometimes more... sometimes less) and I have a band in the making
as a side project.
- 57 -
Kometa
Olavi from Kometa
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
For me Kurt Cobain was the guy who changed my world. Before that the cool things were bands like Kiss or
Motley Crue but I was a brat then. After Nirvana I found out every kind of great bands I haven´t heard before.
Like Melvins. Also finnish bands like Radiopuhelimet or HC Andersen or Deep Turtle which are really original
and tight bands. After that I´ve found some great older bands like Captain Beefheart, Velvet Underground or
Shocking Blue for example.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
The one thing that matters and mattered is the long winter. I´m not into winter sports so it was much nicer to
spend time in rehearsal place practising. Nowadays it looks like there are only positive things. Finland seems
to be exotic around the world and people are focusing on finnish music a bit more than couple decades ago.
- 58 -
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment when I bring some riffs or ideas to the rest of the group and we start to try it. If the bits come
together and it start to sound good. Thet´s great feeling. It´s magic.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
For couple of years it´s been Captain Beefhearts "when I see a mommy I feel like a mummy" from Shiny
Beast. Especially If I listen to it drunk, it sends strong shivers down my spine. Also all Beatles recordings
after and including Revolver.
- 59 -
Heartbreak stereo
Antte from Heartbreak Stereo
When and how was your band created?
Heartbreak Stereo was created in late 2004.
Affo and I was looking for a new bassist. We
wanted a new start for our band, fresh songs
and a new sound. We heard that another local
band also had some lineup issues so we pretty
much just asked Robin from that band to join
us. And here we are.. having fun, writing songs,
playing shows.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
A positive aspect got to be that you can play any kind of music you want and people still show some kind of
respect, as long as your band doesn't totally suck of course. The most negative thing about the music scene
is that people don't dance or show that they like a show unless they're drunk as hell. So this means that all
shows you do on a Monday or Tuesday might probably won't be the best show. Another negative thing is
that the Finnish punkscene is pretty small that you keep on playing the same cities twice a month. But the
rest of Europe is just around the corner which is another positive thing.
- 60 -
I love playing live more than anything cause that is when we improve the most as a band. On stage is the
only place on earth that really feel secure. I can say and do whatever I please.. Studios are cool too.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
I like it all, from getting an idea in my head to writing down some lyrics. But the moment I like the best is
when we finally make it through the hole song with the band and it sounds good to all of us.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Yeah that is a stupid question. And this was a stupid answer.
- 61 -
Mamba
Tero from Mamba
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
This is a small country so you've seen all the clubs, pubs and concert halls pretty soon. I've been touring
over 20 years so there's not so many new places to conquire. The media is pretty narrow-minded and
concentrated mostly to rock music.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
When lyrics are done the song is ready.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
There's MANY of them. Sometimes I feel Billy Joel has wrote it or Sir Elton John or John Lennon. OK, let's
say 10cc - Dreadlock Holiday. Or Van Morrison - Summertime in England.
- 62 -
Feiled
Antti from Feiled
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
It´s constantly changing. The ones who have stayed are Jeff Buckley and Elliot Smith.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
It´s hard to survive by only doing music and writing songs even if you have a record deal. There´s also too
much band who sound the same. That´s something we try do break with the next record. Positive thing is
that you have to be serious if you want to make it so the "bad fruits" wither and die away!=)
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Every moment´s okay if it´s peace and quiet.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
- 63 -
Jeff Buckleys "Lover you should´ve come over!
- 64 -
Montevideo
Sam from Montevideo
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
All five of us obviously have our personal influences, but as a songwriter I've been impressed and
undoubtedly influenced by such people as Nick Drake, Neil Young, Jeff Buckley, John Lennon,
Simon&Garfunkel and Van Morrison. Examples of contemporary playlist toppers could be: Sufjan Stevens,
Rogue Wave, Teenage Fanclub, Turin Brakes, Ed Harcourt, I Am Kloot, and current favourite Sébastien
Schuller.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
I think both aspects are in principal the same everywhere in the world, except for the fact that coming from a
country like Finland I feel priviledged to be able to make music, and also being capable of supporting myself
financially. These two might not yet completely meet each other, but I wish in the future they might. Finnish
musicians are quite often complaining about their circumstances, but I think we have quite a lot to be happy
about - such as a pretty vibrant independent music scene. I think if one has talent, vision and passion it's
quite easy to establish oneself here, at least to some extent. It's not particularily hard to get gigs for example.
Making it abroad is of course another thing, but I don't think it's really any easier for - let's say a French band.
A lot of it comes down to perfect timing in the end - and of course, luck.
- 65 -
Many themes reflect personal observations and events from real life. A carrying theme for the album is
struggling to find one's true self, and one's place in the world.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The way I compose music is very intuitive - I cannot break it down to a systematic procedure. So I'd have to
say the best moment is that surprising and exhilarating moment when I realise that something of a jam or an
idea has transformed itself into a song. And usually at a later stage, when I come up with the right lyric, there
is another great moment when the original feeling and mood meet up with the logic and wit of the lyric to
complete the song.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Not a stupid question at all! For me there's only one answer to this one - 'Imagine' by John Lennon. I know
I'm one in a million to pick this song, but I believe the world would (really, really!) be a better place should
there be more of us.
- 66 -
Misty Shade of green
Niklas from Misty Shade of Green
- 67 -
at night has such a strong message given in a such a brutal and realistic way. Nothing is covered up.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
It just comes. Sometimes straightly as a result of something that has happened and sometimes just a story
that needs to be told.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Well... I have thought about that sometimes... It's a very hard one and cannot really be given an honestly
anwser, but I'd say... The End by The Beatles.
- 68 -
Lame Duck
Antti from Lame Duck
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Kelly Clarkson, Jessica Simpson...oh, you mean real musicians? Let's see...well, there are so many. I'm
mostly influenced by the early 90's Californian punk bands like Green Day, Crimpshrine, Mr. T Experience,
NOFX, etc...and one of my favorite bands at the moment is Rise Against. But I have a quite broad taste in
music, I like the Beatles and Queen and stuff like that too. Recently I've been listening to these classic punk
rock bands like the Clash, Ramones and Stiff Little Fingers. I guess everything I listen to influences me in
some ways.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Playing music is what I've always wanted to do, so even though there are not many positive things in being a
musician in Finland I still wouldn't like to do anything else. One of the most negative aspects in Finnish music
scene is the size of it. Finland is a small country and besides the Internet there aren't really any channels
through which underground bands could get some recognition. The same crappy songs are played over and
over on the radio and there aren't too many places where new bands could play live shows. Music industry is
very inbred everywhere in the world but in Finland that's really obvious.
- 69 -
Alien invasion, bladder infections, pillow fight casualties...you know, basic stuff. No, just kidding...For me
lyrics are actually one of the most important things in a song so I put a lot of work and thought into them. I
mostly write about things I feel or see around me. It's not always nice and pretty but you have to be honest
with yourself. That's the only way. Recently I've gotten more and more aware of what's going on in the world.
I don't consider Lame Duck as a highly political band but on the other hand, when you think about the state
of the world today, how can you not be political? We have a few politically charged tunes and I believe we're
going to continue that way in the future too.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
It's a mind blowing experience from beginning to end. Well, to be honest with you, it's sometimes a little
frustrating 'cause I'm a sort of perfectionist, especially when it comes to lyrics. But when all the pieces come
together it's an amazing feeling. Also, the initial enthusiasm when you get some great idea, find a riff or
rhythm, is something I can't describe. If you can maintain that enthusiasm till the end you know you've done
a good job.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Wow, that IS a stupid question! No, just impossible to answer to. I can't name just one. I could possibly tell
you my all time top 20 but trying to put them in some order wouldn't make any sense.
- 70 -
Moto
Kalle from Moto
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Norman Blake, Gene Simmons, J. Mascis, Thurston Moore, Andy Warhol, Ramones, Stray Cats, Demented
Are Go, Curtis Mayfield, MC5, Corduroy, Ben Folds, Beatles.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Negative: There's only five million people in Finland.
Positive: There's only five million people, but still so many great bands. It's easy to get to know everyone and
make good contacts. It makes it easier to help and get help in this difficult business.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
When the new songs starts to work with the whole band.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
The Beatles, Don't Let Me Down
- 71 -
Oka
Ville from Oka
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
I don't consider myself as "real" musician since I have non-musical day job. But if I were, I would need to
work really hard to make a living. That might, however, be common problem with musicians around the world
no matter what country they are living in. Positive about Finland is that domestic music is still highly
appreciated here even when globalization seems to drive the music charts and radio stations homogeneous
everywhere.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
When you get that feeling of inspiration and you start working on some idea or sketch hoping that it will
develop into a great song.
- 72 -
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Today it's Destroy Everything You Touch by Ladytron. I don't know what tomorrow brings along…
- 73 -
Naama
Sebastian from Naama
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Nirvana, Kent, Metallica. For me.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
If one stays as underground band as we, there's no big problems. Nor there are any benefits though.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The recording. Then i really know what I'm doing. When I start to compose it's a bit different situation. I don't
really know where the songs are coming out from. I just crab my guitar and try to hum a bit... Sometimes
- 74 -
there's a song, sometimes not.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Yes.. You're right. It's a stupid question. Well... The Doors - Riders on the storm.
- 75 -
Kevin
Ville from Kevin
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Positive: a pretty good vibe within the music circles, I should say. No crippling rivalry between anybody.
Somehow over here people develop original ways of doing stuff coz there's no pressure from record
industry's side to become another Kent or Franz Ferdinand. People have the courage to do crazy stuff. Like
ZZ Top meets Kraftwerk-like boogie electro! Also, the government are slowly getting a grasp of rock music
as something to export.
Negative: Basically all the aforementioned have a downside to them as well. It's really hard to get record
execs from abroad to come and see your gig. It basically never happens. And big record companies here are
very conservative. They're rarely bold enough to sign anybody really special. Of course there are exceptions
to the rule. And radio's crap like anywhere else. They're so afraid of doing anything that might cause a bump
in the listener rates.
- 76 -
What is your favorite song in your repertoire and why?
Now that we're in the studio it seems to change each day. The new ones are faves, naturally. There's a song
called The World Outside The Window that has a dark and merciless vibe. It's also some of the heaviest stuff
we've ever done. And most psychedelic...
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Well, I tend to write songs with a pretty clear idea of the sound and feeling I want to achieve. And getting it
just right together with the band is nice. Also, when we play a song live for the first time and it goes right and
people dig it, that's one of the key moments.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Come on, you can't ask that! But I can mention some songs that I recall listening to over and over and over
again during the past year: Couldn't I Just Tell You by Todd Rundgren, Wichita Lineman by Glen Campbell,
Care Of Cell 44 by The Zombies, September Gurls by Big Star, Edith And The Kingpin by Joni Mitchell...also
Waiting For The Man by The Velvet Underground coz we did a couple of gigs playing V.U.
- 77 -
Rijnswand
Mikko and Jari from Rijnswand
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
As kids Bamse and I were huge Metallica fans, but it is definitely not Metallica who has had a major influence
on Rijnswand heh heh. Lately I have been listening to bands like Nick Cave & Bad Seeds, Morphine, A
Perfect Circle, CMX and Led Zeppelin.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
If we had to make our living out of this band that would be a negative thing. Rijnswand is a serious hobby
and that way it remains fun. If I have to think of negative aspects I´d say being in the band is sometimes very
time-consuming. So fitting our schedules together is sometimes a pain in the ass. Pretty recently I had to
deal with this one booking agent or what ever her title was. Talking to her was each time a slow suicide but
sometimes you just have to deal with idiots like her in order to book a gig or two.
Writing and playing our music, playing gigs, meeting new people, seeing new places, seeing people enjoying
the music etc. are the positive aspects in playing in this band. When I compare our experiences to what my
foreign friends have told, it seems playing in a band is pretty okay here in Finland, not necessarily so much
better, but definitely not more difficult.
- 78 -
What are topics you treat in your songs?
The usual rock lyrics but also lyrics with a twist of humor and hints at social issues.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Arranging the songs, it´s like a puzzle that you have to put together in order to complete the song.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Hah hah, I bet anyone dealing with music would start with the words "oh, there´s too many to choose
from...". I actually thought about this a few weeks ago when I was driving and listening to the radio. As said,
there´s way too many great songs to choose from but if I have to pick one I´ll say Stairway to Heaven by Led
Zeppelin. It´s a perfect rock song and the first one that popped on to my mind.
- 79 -
Plain Dust
Axel from Plain Dust
- 80 -
that but there's nothing wrong with slower songs either.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
You can't beat a good riff or a good drumbeat that gets things rolling. Once you've got things rolling and
everyone starts thinking about their own contributions to the new song and that's where the fun starts. The
fine tuning and thorough thinking about the structure is also fun but nothing beats the original thrill.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening to in your life the BEST
song?
Well, it is a stupid question, but unfortunately I can't even give you a stupid answer. It's just not possible to
give you even one song at the moment that I like most of all. There's just too many...
- 81 -
The Sugarrush
When and how was your band created?
Our band was created the moment the three of
us were born, unfortunately we didn't find each
other until a bit later, but from there on, it was
clear we had been brought to this world to
ROCK...
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Well, the question is kind of misleading, 'cause I think none of us think of ourselves as MUSICIANS, we're
rockers, and there's a big difference... But on to the actual question, positive aspects, hmm... Well I guess
the "scene" if you could call it that it pretty small and tight-knit, it's easy to know everybody involved. The
most negative aspect is that we are so darn few and widely spread in this country of ours, there aren't that
many places to play and if you happen exist outside the current mainstream, the audience you'll reach isn't
too big.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
That magical first time when the three of us play a new song and it just CLICKS. Getting the arrangement
right, singing the right harmony lines, everythings just falls into place during those magical moments.
- 82 -
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Not a stupid question, but impossible to answer! Today I'd like to say "Be My Baby" by The Ronettes, but as
it's only MY favorite, and the other two would probably kill me if tey saw that printed, I'll go with "Please
Return It" by The Posies
- 83 -
Stella
Marja from Stella
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Being a musician in Finland is hard if you want to make a living. The market in Finland is just so small
because the whole country is so small. There are very few people who make a living just by being a rockstar
in Finland, almost everyone, including of course us need to work or study at the same time to be able to pay
rent. Positive things in being a musician Finland are numerous! It´s great, it´s fun, you get to travel and
perform and you get to do what you love to do with a bunch of friends!
- 84 -
I´m not sick and tired of it yet! :)
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
I become a part of the process when Janne has lyrics and melodies to offer to me. The guys have been
composing and I always enjoy the part when we are at rehearsels and playing the new song for the first time
and noticing that hey, this could actually become a song!
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Not a stupid one, just a VERY VERY hard one. There are SO many good songs, but if I have to name only
one I would say...hmmm...Walk by Blind Melon.
- 85 -
Space Bar
Passi from Space Bar
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I have always tried to make timeless songs and combine many different styles. I think influences start back in
60's continuing to nowadays: The Beatles, The Who, Thin Lizzy, Cheap Trick, The Cure, Duran Duran,
Depeche Mode, Def Leppard, Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails, Paradise Lost, Muse. Those are the
bands I can admit to have influence in my music. But major influence is still my old band Jumalainen
Näytelmä ("Divine comedy" in english, or divina commedia) there are lot of similarities in JN and Space Bar
music. I wrote music for both bands, so it is unavoidable...
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Finland is small country and there are not so many people to buy records, possibility to get a record deal is
tough job. We still keep trying. Positive is that people here are open-minded and always looking for a new
bands, so we might have a chance to get through.
- 86 -
love and hate, faith and joy, fame and its consequences, just a few to mention. I just wrote about invisible
man - and oh my man, it's a sad and relieving song.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
There are also many moments that make songwriting TO-LIVE-FOR process. First is the moment you play
the guitar and play something new and then it just happens. Then there is lot of work and playing, and
playing is always nice.... Second great moment is when you have taught the song to the rest of the band and
we have played the song fully through. Best part is absolutely when you hear your song first time in radio. I
have had chance to experience it few times, I'd like to experience it many times in the future.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
It's not a stupid question, answer may change. Now I think it is The Beatles song "Day in a life". There is just
everything in one song, whole life in four minutes.
- 87 -
Pukka
Lauri from Pukka
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Impossible to answer. I dont know if "your" is plural or not in the question, but our age group is on the range
of 12 years so by that you can figure out something - what "strange, alternative, punkish" music were hot on
years 1980-1992...hmmmm...
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
As many say, Finland is quite much a country for "a one thing at a time". The culture for underground music
is really, REALLY small, and in Helsinki also. At the moment the big thing still seems to be gothic rock and so
called hair rock from the 80's. We try not to care of those issues. People smell good music, and sometime
even hear it.
- 88 -
Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
6-0 for Live when the atmosphere and real "Magic" is there! Studio when not. ;)
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The whole "Tetris", i'd say. Making songs is like Tetris. You can't stop the pieces from falling down (a
reflection of an artists' DRIVE to make music), and with the band you just concentrate on moving the new
piece to right or left. Usually left.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Yeah...
- 89 -
Sister Manik
Pinja from Sister Manik
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Almost everything between the music I like and don't like. I've always loved Ozzy, Whitesnake, Tina Turner,
Kiss, Iron Maiden, Mötley Crüe, Dio, Madonna, Wham and a few Finnish artists... and Mozart, Vivaldi, I could
go on forever!
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Positive is that Finland is a small country. If we're going to a gig the trip is not that long. Everything here is
quite near, in comparison to USA for example.
Positive is that you can walk in the streets without a bodyguard even if you're a big star. Hope we can keep it
that way.
This smallness is also a negative thing. Towns are small, so there are few gigplaces for our kind of music.
Not enough people!
The thruth is that about 5 people decide what you can hear on the radio. That's not fair. Listeners can always
make a request. That's good, but it's a different thing if anyone will listen to it. Unfortunately there are a lot of
negative things, but it doesn't matter. We just don't care!
Maybe we've been in the cold weather for too long 'cause we don't get cold so easily anymore. I mean, good
mood is better than eternal melancholy and sad things can be said from a positive point of view.
Our own songs -Maybe all in a different order. Depends on the mood I'm in.
- 90 -
Live is always live. You can't compare them.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment is when I fall into my own personal world. I can't hear or see anything else. Everything is so
real, but at the same time so unreal. It's kind of a trance, but without any drugs.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Hmmm...I can't name the one, but there are few songs which are so good I could die and be reborn while
listening.
Those are: Still of the night/Whitesnake, Mama I'm coming home/Ozzy Ozbourne, Show must go on/Queen,
Don't talk to strangers/Dio and New Year's day/U2.
The bad thing is that anybody can do what ever they want. Too often it costs too much, like children who've
lost their childhood somehow. That's sad! I'm saying this because as a musician I'm worried about these kind
of things too.
And then there's piratism. Internet makes it very easy. Few people seem to respect the music enough to buy
it. In their opinions CDs cost too much. If I've made a song how can anybody think that it's always free? I
have to eat too and pay my rent too. Maybe we should ask those who do it if they pay their plumber? It's the
same thing, paying for the work that's done.
- 91 -
Replika
Tommi from Replika
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
There are hundreds of bands and artists that the boys in our band like so it's hard to name some certain
bands. First common major musical influence for Replika must have been Kent from Sweden, sometimes we
were named as a Finnish Kent J Since then we have changed quite much.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
+ Definitely open air gigs on nice and warm summer days. The band and the audience are at their best then.
- Small markets, geographically long distances, low salaries for semi-unknown band like us. Luckily this is
only part-time job for us so we don't feed us with the band.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
It's the moment when the new song is played through nicely and with no bigger mistakes for the first time in
our training room.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Bobby Womack's Across 110th street. Not our style but should be considered as a perfect song..
- 92 -
promote music for the band at our level. With the help of the internet we have also made contacts to different
bands that we have later played gigs with. At the moment we are creating new pages, so our pages
www.replika.fi are very simplified now.
- 93 -
Zero Nine
Kepa from Zero Nine
During the process of making a song or an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
First time you put the headphones on after getting the first copy to your hands is the ultimate moment. I can
sure you the volyme is more than normal people can stand.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Don`t wanna name only one song. The list is long – world is full of good music
- 94 -
Sonic Roots
Sonic from Sonic Roots
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
For me, Zakk Wylde, Stevie Ray, Hendrix, Gallaher, 80`s Metallica, Black Sabbath, Alice in Chains and
Pantera
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Positive: People goes Grazy in our gigs..
Negative: Cold winters and the money is not so good.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
When song is played out with the guys and it really works.
- 95 -
Its really helps the fans to get information of bands, but it has allso bad impact to the record selling markets.
- 96 -
Skin Deep
Anton from Skin Deep
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I was a huge Kiss fan as a child (our bass player Micci is even more so). I was completely blown away by the
totalness of their thing; their catchy songs, makeup & clothing, their impressive stageshow with huge
pyrotechnic effects and stuff like that. They were the spark that made me pickup the guitar at the age of 12.
When I grew older there came others; Led Zeppelin for instance. If you go further than the obvious greatness
of this band it is the incorporation of folk and ethnic music influences - while still maintaining that intense,
emotional attitude - that really sets this band apart from other rock bands of that time.
I also love U2, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and a lesser known band called
Hedningarna. Easy, relaxed vocal jazz is also great at times.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Okay: first I have to remind you that I have absolutely no idea how it is like to be a musician somewhere
else. The small size of the country of course is a fact that comes to mind first as a limiting factor.
Opportunities can be scarce. Even for very good musiscians it can be difficult to make a living out of music.
- 97 -
I get tired of all of them once in a while. We have 35-40 songs to choose from and rotation keeps them fresh.
Perhaps "It's My Life" by Gene Simmons can be mentioned as one of my favourites.
Recording on the other hand is more like exploring new territory: when things go well it is a pleasure in
discovery. For instance you find your self playing harmonica or bottle-neck guitar - though you had no
intention to do so :)
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment when you feel that finally all the pieces have fallen in place and that you honestly feel that you
can consider it a finished piece of work.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
This is a tough one. There are so many good songs that it is impossible to answer that. Mabe "Hats off to
Roy Harper" by Led Zeppelin :-)
If you are interested on my stance on "internet piracy" I could go for hours on that topic alone. To keep a long
story short:
a) In my opinion, the recording industry should have by their own initiative tried to find ways to distribute legal
music over the internet. This should have happened long before Napster and Kazaa and likes, and without
the awful, cumbersome DRM copy protection systems.
In my opnion, the industry gave unauthorized internet distribution an advantage situation for perhaps
decades to come by not offering any practical, top-quality - and legal - alternative, and they are now reaping
the results of their reluctant attitude. The likes of iTunes is a first step, yes, but like proper, physical records
adequate digital files shouldn't contain so called "copy protection". The irony is that the crap they are
offerening is quality-wise even inferior to the copies distributed without authorization, let alone the real boxed
package with physical media, cover art, booklets etc.
b) they should have given their customers the benefit of doubt and instead educated them on the issue of
royalties and immaterial rights for artists and producers. The witch-hunt tactics they chosen instead have
backfired for the advocates of rights of immaterial work. People are not dumb nor do they enjoy exploiting
others work for free, but since consumers are often given the impression that they are regarded as criminals
by default it is a stretch to try to convince the public that the industry is in fact acting with good intentions.
The problem is however, that being a family man and having a day time job it is difficult to really find the time
to really work on that material. I'm also a very modest talent-wise in writing lyrics, so I could use some
outside help there.
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Scandinavian Music Group
Joel from Scandinavian Music Group
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Sonic Youth would unquestionably be the band after which I knew I had to be a musician. I'd been listening
to a lot of heavy metal in all of it's myriad forms, but always sensed there was something a little too comical
about it to be doing it grown up and for real (I still do, though, play in a fairly successful Iron Maiden tribute
band, and yes, it's still comical).
In recent years some huge influences have been Johnny Cash, John Frusciante, Brian Eno, Aphex Twin,
Underworld and a lot of other electronic artists, Sufjan Stevens right now is the artist I'm completely
immersed in.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
There's not a lot of star culture, I guess that counts as both a negative and positive thing. On the other hand
the times i've gotten a limo ride have been way too few and far between, but seriously thinking, it brings the
musicians and the audiences a lot closer to each other. You get direct feedback and you are more likely to
be respected as an equal - instead of a feared and distant icon.
- 99 -
have no idea. I think a true confidence has started to emerge after all the chest banging of the past.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
When i know somebody else will love it - which can happen early on strumming some chords. For me there
is no "doing things for yourself", like art for artist's sake. it's always the moment when I know somebody else
will "get it", that I've made a connection.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Quite simply, right now, it is Sufjan Stevens' "For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti".
It seems to be a sort of a consolation for the underprivileged dwellers of these two cities, written from Jesus'
perspective - I can't be sure about this. Four chords to it, two banjos, a piano and a trumpet and it's the most
breath taking piece oif art I know of.
- 100 -
The Flaming Sideburn
Jay from The Flaming Sideburns
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
"I could probably namedrop something like 17 000 names so I better try to make this short. Let me think...
yeah, Little Richard. He's the originator, the original rock'n'roll madman. That's where it really began. He's
been an influence to everyone, they just don't realise it!"
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
"Well, it's easier to get a top ten hit! But making it to top ten doesn't make you a millionaire, far from it.
Y'know, it's such a small country only a few artists will be financially successful. A lot of bands play because
of their love to the music, not because they wanna get rich. And that's good. That's a big difference
compared to, let's say, America. Over there a lot of bands are just aiming for that billion dollar record deal."
- 101 -
later on and we are still trying to get adjusted to working there."
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
"Once it's finished, in the can and it sounds like the best piece of music ever done. Up until that point it's
more or less hard work... but it can be rewarding in the end."
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
"Today I say, let me think... Roky Erickson's Starry Eyes. Ask me again tomorrow and I'll give you a different
answer... but it's very likely that it's one of Roky's songs.
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Pore
Jussi from Pore
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
As a teenager when I started playing I used to listen a lot of guitar based rock like Metallica, Iron Maiden,
Yngwie Malmsteen and Led Zeppelin, and I think that Led Zeppelin and Metallica were the most influential in
those early days. Later on I stated to get into pop artists like Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell, Suzanne Vega and
Paul Simon. I also learned to listen Rush, which is Pasi's and Pete's all time favourite band. Nowadays I
listen and enjoy all kinds of music that I find meaningful in some way.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
I suppose that the negative aspects are related to the fact that there are only about five million people living
here, so the local market for professionally produced music is quite small. On the other hand there are lots of
talented semi-professional musicians and bands doing what ever kind of music they want, which I think is
valuable and very positive.
Also I think that our few internationally known bands like HIM, The Rasmus, Nightwish and Children of
Bodom have opened some doors for other bands too. And the Finnish education system is also very good,
giving chances to study classical music, jazz and pop/rock at a very high level.
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During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
I like the moment when all the pieces seem to fall in to the right places. Sometimes it happens during the
song writing, sometimes it happens when the band begins to work on a new song, and sadly with some
songs it doesn't happen at all.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
This is not a stupid question at all, the best song ever has got to be "Let there be rock" by AC/DC.
We've had our homepages since 1998 and we have tried to actively use the internet as a tool to promote our
music and I think it has worked quite well for us. For example I wouldn't be giving this interview without the
internet.
But of course there is also the difficult question about copyrights and piracy that has to be dealt with
somehow. In my opinion services like Apple's iTunes and Microsoft's MSN Music are steps to right direction,
as they offer a legal channel to buy music files.
I'm also a great admirer of Mr Robert Fripp and I like the way he and he's company Discipline Global Mobile
use the internet to promote and sell music directly to the consumers.
- 104 -
Terho
Kai from Terho
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Well, we all went to high school in the 90's, so naturally music from that decade still plays a big role in our
lives. First it was Guns N' Roses, Nirvana and grunge, later came along finnish rock music like Ismo Alanko,
Yup and CMX and brit-pop bands like Suede, Oasis and Radiohead. Some of us were even listening to Iron
Maiden and Metallica and most horrifying stories tell, that some madmen even enjoyed some Slayer. But
that's something I don't even dare to remember. Later on, we discovered older stuff as well: Beatles, Doors,
Bowie etc. I guess we are a bunch of music lovers with wide spectre of musical influences. Latest BIG
discovery in the field of music has been swedish The Soundtrack of Our Lives, which simply is one of the
greatest bands on earth.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
I think that music is a very nice hobby in Finland. If we had to make a living out of it, for, let's say, 30 years, I
think that we simply wouldn't have the guts.
- 105 -
lyrics.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
For me it is the initial inspiration, when the lock to the song opens. Often it is a good chord progression, or a
good line in the lyrics, a feeling that you can do almost everything with the song (even if you couldn't).
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
It is impossible to name just one. It has so much to do with the mood and, for example, the time of the year.
It might be something from The Beatles, Bowie or The doors, but it might as well be "Smells like teen spirit"
or "Animal Nitrate" because they happened to shake my world in my wildest youth. I simply can't name one
song.
- 106 -
The Scanditones
Teenu & Tuomas from The Scanditones
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
All the guys have pretty different taste of music. However we all like distortion guitars :) Well, Depeche Mode,
David Bowie, Beatles, Slayer and Hellacopters are some of the bands we like.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
The negative side is the marketing area is quite small and the volumes could be a bit higher. Positive thing is
that the record companies are putting more effort to exporting Finnish bands to international markets. Hmm...
and maybe making music in Finland you get more unique sound in your music than in other areas of Europe.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
When the song is ready and everything has found its place and it's late when you finally get into the nearest
bar and lift the first(?) pint on your lips... That's one of the greatest moments!
- 107 -
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Teemu: I think that Pink Floyd`s "High Hopes" is one of the great ones.
Tuomas: I must say two; Lennon's "Instant Karma" and Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence". (well, at least
today)
- 108 -
Roihu
Kelju from Roihu
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
The positive thing is the freedom of being yourself and being able to express your feelings with your music.
The negative side is the fact that we have only 5 million people here so you really don't have a much of
change of making a living out of this kind of marginal music. when you sing in finish I mean. The radio
channels are boring as hell with their one-sided playlists because of the marginal audience.
- 109 -
This is a hard one. It's really difficult to say because my opinion changes all the time. Because I'm the one
who composes most of the songs, I kind of have a new favorite every day. That's why my today's favorite
isn't even in our live repertoire yet. From our older stuff you should check out songs like "Kruunu" or
"Perjantai 13." - you can actually download them from our website www.roihu.com.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
There really aren't any particular moments to mention. The songs make them selves - kind of just pop out.
So I don't do songs in that meaning. But when I think of it, of course the greatest moment is when you hear
the whole band playing the song.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Not a stupid question, but a really, really hard one. I can mention one song that really made a difference in
my life and that is a Norwegian band Gluecifer performing "I Got a War". That's pretty much the song that
made us form Roihu and also the song that made me interested of everything about rock'n'roll.
- 110 -
Jermaine
Pete from Jermaine
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
The positive aspect is that it's quite easy to have your music heard around the country, thanks to free mp3's
and various webzines. I think that because of the success of bands such as Disco Ensemble and Lapko, the
Finnish mainstream audience has become interested in alternative and indie music. The downside is that
due to the small population, the scene is really small. You can tour your ass off, but at some point you won't
gain any new listeners. That's why Finnish bands, especially punk rock groups, head to Europe relatively
soon. I remember that in the end of last millenium, if you ever dreamed of success in the States or UK,
everyone would've thought you were out of your mind. Now we have HIM, Nightwish and The Rasmus,
which finally are putting Finland in the map of music industry.
- 111 -
a song we're all very proud of. It combines solid bass line with aerial guitars and it has a catchy chorus, too :)
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment we all smile at the same time and realize we've done a good job. After that, we usually head to
local fast-food restaurant to congratulate ourselves.
What is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST song?
I can't really say. There is one though, which makes me shiver everytime I hear it. It's "When One Eight
Becomes Two Zeros" by Glassjaw. Absolutely amazing.
- 112 -
The Jade
Wille from The Jade
- 113 -
Ouch, this is difficult. Ok, I will say: The Flame, since I wrote it mostly. It really depends on the mood, for
example Bitter Life is great too. No, forget what I just said, I love them all.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The best moment is when all the pieces come together and you realize that the song is ready. Or, when you
discover a brilliant new melody and you go: This is the best I have ever made! Many times it is not the best
song you made but it's still rewarding.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Ok, I am gonna give you a stupid answer: Go To Hell, by Alice Cooper.
- 114 -
Varjo
Antti from Varjo
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
There are many artists and bands who have a major influence in my life and in my work. To name a few,
maybe the biggest musical influence in my life is Glenn Danzig, he exploded my mind when I was 12 years
old. That happened in the late 80's, the first time I heard The Misfits. After that nothing was how it used to be.
From that day started my fanatical collecting for the stuff by Misfits, Samhain and Danzig. Especially The
Misfits (the original one, NOT the 90's re-union version) and Samhain are huge influences to me as a person
and as a mucisian. Glenn Danzig's bands influences are not so clearly heard from Varjo's music, but they
haunt there in the background. There's a lot of other bands and artists who are in a way or another a major
influences into Varjo's music too. To list a few of those important acts: The Cure, Cocteau Twins, Brian Eno,
Slowdive, Durutti Column, Southern Death Cult / Death Cult / (early) The Cult, The Church, Bauhaus, The
Stooges, Danse Society, Joy Division, Amebix, Killing Joke, Monster Movie, The Smiths, Danse Society, The
Chameleons.and many more.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
The negative aspect is that it's very hard to play in a band as a job in Finland. There's only the most popular
ones who really get payed that much of playing gigs that they don't have to go to daily work. It's very usual
that people who play in a band are in daily jobs somewhere else and in the weekends play gigs with the
band.
- 115 -
How could you define your style of music?
We play music that is influenced by 80's gothic rock/post punk movement mixed with Brian Eno's
atmospheric landscapes and ethereal guitars and thundering tribal beats.
Our music operates in the same ways like ambient music. We build atmospheres. All the instruments are
equal and all of them concentrate in the atmosphere of the song.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
It's a fantastic feeling when you have made a song at home and then go to rehearsals. The first time when
you play the song through and all the guys know what are their places in the song. It's a great feeling to hear
the song that has haunted in your head. Similar feeling is the moment when you mix a new song in a studio
and you make the final changes and hear that all the things just click. It's finally ready and kicks ass! That's
fantastic.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
There are so many songs I could call the best song. It's absolutely impossible to just name one. So, I'll
mention couple of songs which I could call the best. Slowdive's cover version of Syd Barrett's "Golden Hair."
Durutti Column's "Never known", Brian Eno's "An Ending (ascent), The Cure's "The Figurehead", The
Church's "Under the milky way". I could go on with this list forever. But anyway here's few songs I think are
worth of listening.
- 116 -
I think internet is kind of a revolution. It's so much easier to get in contact to people all over the world. It's
also an easy way of hearing new music in a good and bad way. It can be a good way of promoting your
band, but it can also be ripping off. If people just download music to their computers for free and don't buy
records. As an artist I think the music is much more than just a mp3 at your computer. I think the record and
sleeves and all the songs there is, is the complete thing and that should be taken as a piece of art. Not as an
icon in your desktop.
- 117 -
Rendez-vous
When and how was your band created?
Rendez-Vous was created by juffi (the king) and
Kilmister (Kimmo) at halloween 2002, They had
talked about forming a band sooner but halloween
was the first time possible to have first rehersals and
they recorded the song "viime yönä" at Kilmisters
home studio..The drummers have changed along the
way were on our third now..Juffi & Kimmo had Iwor
along next who brought his old friend Fabio along on
keyboards and our drummer came in the band
last..Tommy had played with Iwor on other bands
and came to rendez-vous march 2005...
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Juffi: Tehosekoitin, Mötley crue, pyhät nuket, destination X, etc.
Kimmo: Guns n' roses and many finnish old school punk bands
Fabio: White shit, väliliha girls and all other tribute bands
Tommy: Kingston wall,pohja + tieteen kuvalehti
Iwor: D.A.D, Nick cave, Thee aerodynamics, Alice Cooper and The Lords Of The New Church..Amongst
others
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Positives are that finland is very popular now on the music bizzz but that doesen't actually help us very
much, we singing in finnish and so on...I think that may be the negative side..Nobody really understands
finnish in other countries do they?
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Kimmos best songs come in one day prosess but Juffi and Iwor prefer making songs together tired or
hyperactive.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Right now? hard question.. Iwor says "kikkelinpoistoblues", nobody else responds...
- 118 -
What is your opinion, as a musician, regarding internet?
Easy to do things and get them done much quicker than without..
- 119 -
Scaramangas
When and how was your band created?
We have known each other since we were
teenagers from school.We all shared similar
taste in music and got together as a band.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
We´re pretty isolated up here in Finland and there's alot of water surrounding us. This means that it is more
difficult for us to go abroad to play shows and it also means that all the great bands that play shows in
Sweden don't necessarely come here. But that can hopefully be turned in to a positive thing, now we have to
make greater music so we can fill the void.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
We use recording as part of the composing process. This means that sometimes a song can be finished on a
demo before the band knows how to play it. The best moment is of course when we play it together and you
realize that everything works out even better than you expected.
- 120 -
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Jeppe: My opinion keeps changing every week or so but I think Glen Campbells Wichita Lineman takes just
a close victory over Nancy Sinatras and Lee Hazelwoods Summer Wine
Joonas: I used to have a ritual that on every new years eve i'd put on a
song. And the song that i've played three times is Smashing Pumpkins - 1979
Marvin: Russian Hill by Jellyfish is one of my all time favourites and There is a light that never goes out by
The Smiths probably one of the best pop songs written.
- 121 -
Rattus
Jake from Rattus
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
First there was The Damned, Sex Pistols, The Stranglers, The Clash, Stiff little fingers and so on. When we
heard the band called Discharge we found our spirit from HC punkrock.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Our kind of band cannot live only for music. There is not enought crowd for buying records or come to see
gigs. Good point is cos of that we can do the music we want to and we don´t have to think of our living. We
couldn´t live with our music. So we have the money for living somewhere else and our music we can do as
we want to.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
When i have got the lyrics ready for the song and found out that the music and lyrics fits well together.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
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song?
Yeah, heh heh... I have to say two: Led Zeppelin -Black Dog and The Sex Pistols -Bodies. There are about
hundred of more for to say.
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Poets of the fall
Mark from Poets Of The Fall
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Uh, a load of them, Pink Floyd, Steve Vai, Metallica, the whole Seattle grunge thing, classical composers,
thank you very much... Live, Madonna, Tori Amos... even Def Leppard in the Hysteria days, and of course
U2 has had great influence on us... does that answer your question... I'd also like to thank Bill Watterson for
the Calvin & Hobbes comics. After reading them I was ok with myself, since I knew I wasn't the only six year
old in the world... ha ha ha...
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
It's a small market.
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Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Both have their perks. In the studio I like it because I get to hear the tone of voice you're singing in and the
music you're singing to a lot better than in any live concert, but the live situation has a completely different
set of perks, the energy, the atmosphere, the audience to name but a few.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The very beginning, when the song seems to well up from the depths of my soul, new and striking. Then
there's the completion, when if successful, I'll hear exactly what I've meant when I wrote the song.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
No such thing as a stupid question, but neither is there's such a thing as the best song... I can name great
songs that have meant a lot to me, some still do...
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Rainbowcrash
Tommi from Rainbowcrash
When and how was your band
created?
We have played together since we were
kids. Me And Teemu started to play
Nirvana covers in the early 90's. The
story why the three of us started to play
together was kinda strange. In 1998, Me
and Teemu were offered a big arena
sized gig in Kuopio and we needed a
bass player. That's how Markus joined
the group. The band was called
Operation spirit back then. I think
Rainbowcrash was formed somewhere
during year 2000. Last two years have
been the most busiest and musically
creative, definetely.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Well, we all lived our teenage years in the early 90's so the influences from that period can't be denied. To
me, the biggest influences have been early 90's Seattle rock bands. As a trio, we all have very different kinda
influences which is cool thing when you are in a band. Allways three different perspective on things...
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
The road of a musician is very rocky here. We are short on venues where to play. Only few clubs per city
here so it's quite hard to get gigs, especially for the smaller bands like us. Another negative thing is the radio
stations which are very commercial. Therefore it's hard to get your songs on air.
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Live, for sure. The people in the audience is the reason why we are doing this. You see their reaction to our
music immediately
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
I usually sit in my room, playing and suddenly something useful comes out. I have no special moment or
mood when writing songs. Some songs have written after long jam together. That's always great feeling to
write songs by jamming together.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Nutshell by Alice in Chains. There's some magigal in it...
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Silvio
Ilmari from Silvio
When and how was your band created?
Silvio is originally a traditional teenage garageband. Jyrki and I
created it together with Mikko Toiviainen (no longer a band
member) in 1996 when I was 16 and Jyrki was 13. We played
straight rock music influenced by especially Nirvana.
However what's more important the "attitude" of the music has changed. In the beginning the music and the
lyrics were mainly anxious and the band took itself maybe too seriously. Nowadays we tend to have more
variety in the attitude. We like to tell stories and play with roles. We sometimes like to "be serious" but not to
"take ourselves too seriously". You can still hear a lot of anxiety in our music but we don't like to have the
tone of claiming anyone. And the anxiety is just one shade in the moods of our songs eventhough there are
not much songs "in major" in Silvio's compositions.
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Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
I really like both and can't put them in order. Sorry!
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Usually there comes a certain point where you find the idea. And then you play it and if it works you usually
go wild and play it again and again. It's very similar to the feeling when you get into someone else's song.
You want to hear
it over and over again.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
I can answer only to the question: "What currently feels to be the ALL TIME best song?" And the answer
could now be: "I Will (Radiohead, from the album "Hail To The Thief")" It is a very simple, short and singable
song but it makes me feel as I was a 600-year-old calm but sad oracle who owns the greatest wisdom of life.
Concidering selling records I think for the bands like Silvio internet is a gift. Maybe the major labels fear it,
maybe not. I really don't know because I use internet mainly for writing mail.
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Willycranes
Billy Hill from Willycranes
When and how was your band
created?
The bunch of loons that was to become
Willycranes started in 1994 by Dixon,
The Rev. and me under the name Spud
because we were bored I guess.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
The biggest influence of all comes from bands like The Ramones, Motörhead and AC/DC because they
made me see that good rock 'n' roll is not complicated.
Also every band who do what they do with a smile on their face, bands like Supersuckers, Dropkick Murphy's
and Turbonegro gives me inspiration .
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
One big positive aspect is the fans, Finland has great rock 'n' roll fans who really knows how to get down.
The negative aspect for us islanders (The Aland Islands) is the time consuming and costly distance to the
mainland.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Making the final adjustments and hear them become Willycranes songs during rehearsal with the boys is
always a treat.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Today I'd have to go with ''Riff Raff'' with AC/DC, but ask me again tomorrow and it's most certainly a
completely different song.
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What is your opinion, as a musician, regarding internet?
Internet is a great tool for spreading information easy and fast to a lot of people. When it comes to the
downloading issue...I don't know, maybe I'm an old fashioned country boy but to me it's with music as it is
with booze you either make it yourself or you buy it.
On the other hand I don't think that people who download illegally do it out of cheapness, they're just lazy
and the laziness of the world is a bigger problem then illegal downloads.
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Soulstab
Juho and Pekka from Soulstab
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Getting it together with the whole band. Arranging the song and making it sound like Soulstab. Each band
member brings his own flavour to the song.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Kirka's R.O.C.K.
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What are your projects?
At the moment Soulstab is the main project of each of us. We are eagerly trying to get a record deal at the
moment. So, "Hi!" to all French record labels and if you are in need of an unique and extremely motivated
band, please do contact us.
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Valerian
Olli from Valerian
When and how was your band
created?
I had an ad in a local music magazine
looking for other musicians, Tipi
contacted me and we started jamming
together. That´s how it all began, in the
winter of 1997. Toni hooked up with us a
couple of months later and Janne & Matti
joined the band right after the turn of the
new millenium.
So we´ve been around for 9 years now.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Well, I grew up listening the usual stuff kids listened back in the day when I was young, bands like AC/DC,
W.A.S.P, Guns N´Roses, Iron Maiden, Van Halen, Kiss, that sorta thing. Later on I started to find the 60´s
and the 70´s, you know, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Doors. Nowadays I don´t really
listen to that much music, radio occasionally. And Tori Amos, she´s absolutely great!
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
A decade ago it was a bad thing to come from Finland, today it seems like it´s Finland people are keeping
their eyes on. For example a lot of people have contacted us from the USA telling us they can´t find any
decent rockbands back home and they really are digging acts coming from Finland. I guess we keep it "pure"
here, whatever that means. But it´s really hard to say what´s positive and negative, a musician as a
profession is a tough job in itself.
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Well, it depends: sometimes it´s great to play live and sometimes you absolutely hate it. Other times it´s
great to get back to the studio but sometimes the studio work is so frustrating, you need to be in top shape in
studio. On stage, if you´re feeling great and the athmosphere is good, you can get away with certain things,
like not singing in key from time to time:)
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
When I´m just starting out, I got a few chords and maybe a guitar intro and I start to really work them. It´s like
a journey with a destination unknown to me. It´s a sort of an adventure, what happens next, what are the
lyrics all about, where is this stuff coming from. I think at that moment I´m the most creative. Later on it´s just
mathematics and figuring out where to find the proper sound, really.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Yeah, that really is a stupid question!!:) No..let me think...there are so many great songs but here´s few:
"Sympathy for the devil" by The Rolling Stones, "Welcome to the jungle" by Guns N´Roses, "I´m the walrus"
by The Beatles.
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So Called Plan
When and how was your band
created?
So Called Plan started up in 2003, when
previously in bands, like LongBall Pride
and Sidewalk played Eero Saarikoski
(vocals, guitar), Ville Asp (drums.
vocals), Joni Saarinen (bass) and Jussi
Bang (guitar) got to know each other
and started to make music together.
In 2005, the band´s guitarist Jussi had
to start focusing more on his future
career, which resulted in him leaving the
band. Fortunately So Called Plan found
a new guitar player very soon, when an
old friend Sauli Sipilä joined the group.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
The list would be endless so let´s just say a few: nofx, bad religion, propagandhi, good riddance, green day,
alkaline trio, nirvana, deftones, blink 182….
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
There´s nothing negative in being a musician cause it´s something that we have dreamed about since we
were kids.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The whole process of composing the songs is very fun. that´s when you forget everything else..
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Not so stupid question but impossible to answer.
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What is your opinion, as a musician, regarding internet?
what the hell is "internet"
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The Props
Antti from The Props
But those aren't the only bands we like or take influences from. We listen to lots of different stuff, from death
metal to alt-country...
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Here's a time for a reality check. You most likely can't make a living with playing this kind of music in Finland.
We have a small population here, so you have to really be big if you want live just by making music.
But I see that as positive thing in a sense that now we can concentrate on making just the music we like. We
don't have to think: "Will this make the charts?". We don't have to compromise. The downside is that we also
have to have a "normal" job besides music.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment you realise that this song really works. In some cases you know it instantly but sometimes it
may take while to arrange the song properly.
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A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Motorcycle Emptiness by Manic Street Preachers.
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The knob
Tapani from The Knob
When and how was your band created?
The band was formed in Summer 2001, I (Tapani, LEad
singer and guitar player) heard that Jami (The bass
player) was thinking about forming a FinnishPunk band,
so i called Jami and said that i want to be in that band!
Since i had some history with my "older" band in this kind
of music style. Then we called Jonne (the drummer) who
Jami knew and he also joined the band. Them i knew
Tuomo (the backing vocals singer and Guitar) and called
him. I knew Tuomo from my childhood, and i knew he
played guitar. So then we went to our rehearsalplace and
started playing, then we decided to sing in english! it
seemed easier, actually in the first rehearsals we made
this song RUBBERDUCK which is actually included as
re-make in our first full lenght album that came last year
called "Something for nobody" So that is where the
journey began!
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Well personally i like all kinds of music from ABBA to ZEPPELIN but major influences for The Knob would
probably be The Offspring (i have always been a huge fan) then bands like, Nofx, Pulley, Blink182, Green
Day, LAgwagon, Millencolin...punk bands from the "nineties" that are still going on strong! but of course there
is influences from the new punk wawe also! We like to use lots of different punk styles and combine them to
a one THE KNOB sound.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Well positive things...hmm...well it is always cool to play Shows here! it is nice to hear that people like your
music. It is always nice to have honest feedback about your work. And Live situations are usually the cool
ways to get it, the people are jumping and singing and having fun! But the negative aspects would be that
Finland is pretty small country, so there is not so much places to play shows, and it is harder to find a record
label and contacts to foreign countries. But overall the underground scene is so intense that this kind of
music goes from hand to hand. But hopefully we can someday tour all over Europe! and maybe other
countries also.
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"happier tunes" and new ones are faster and more "minor chord" songs. But of course there is always the
Roots to the older stuff, and in the next album there will be also the happier songs, but also the more serious
and sadder songs.
During the process of making a songs, what is the moment that you prefer?
hmm.this is a tough one...i would have to say that there is two moments, the one is when the songs are
"ready" and you have the lyrics ready and you start to påractice them and play them more as SONGS not
just practicing the playing, but practicing the FULL SONG. And start to work with different ideas for vocals
and drumlines etc...the other bets part is when you get that CD from the pressing and it is FINALLY READY!
and you put it to your cd player and listen it for the first time! Of course after that there comes the part when
you get to hear what the people think of it.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Oh My God! That`s not stupid, it is just SO HARD! THERE IS SO MANY! as i mentioned before i like all
music...but i am kind of a METAL HEAD myself and i have another band also,called CELESTY (it is Fantasy
Power Metal http://www.celesty.net ) so i would have to say that one of the most important songs in my life is
Ace`s High from IRON MAIDEN that is the main reason i started to play guitar, i hear that song first time
when i was like 4 years old and i started to play guitar when i was 12. But other songs that have meant a lot
to me are OFFSPRING songs...ALL OF THEM...and then there is a very beautiful metal ballad from
MANOWAR called Heart of steel. That is the song that will play in my funeral.
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also my friend bought the album and threw the burned cd away!
So how should i put this...the internet listening and downloading is ok, just to find out that DO YOU LIKE
THE BAND, BUT if you like the band and want to support them in the future, YOU SHOULD BUY THE
ALBUM! but then there is of course the illegal printings of CD`S and the mass production piracy which
SUCKS because it is just a way to make money for criminal purposes like drug sales etc.
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The Blossoms
Aki from The Blossoms
When and how was your band created?
Olli and Wesa got the idea in 1992, then lost it
and found it again with Aki, Jussi and Jarkko in
2003. That´s when five os us got together - more
or less by coincidence.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
There´s not a process that I could see happening with each song. Songs come in a different situations from
different places in a different forms. It´s always a suprise. It´s always very pleasing. It´s a joy from the start till
the end.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
If I would be honest I´d say Johnny Cash performing ´Lucky old sun´ but I ain´t gonna be honest. So I say:
Duran Duran ´The Reflex´.
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Blossoms would be working for one.
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Overhead
Jaakko from Overhead
When and how was your band created?
The three of us, me, Tarmo (piano) and Janne
(bass) had played in the same band when we
lived in Joensuu in Eastern Finland. We got
together one summer day and started writing
and jamming new music just for fun at that point.
We liked the results and when we moved to
Helsinki-area to study, we wanted to continue
that project. After finding a drummer and Alex as
our singer was Overhead finally formed.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
We all have our own favourites, and some that we all like. I like for example Deep Purple, Sabbath and Pink
Floyd. As a guitarist Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Stevie Ray Vaughan were big influences for me. Also for
example Angelo Badalamenti is a composer that I really like.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Well Finland isn't a very big country population-wise. And as we are an artistic rather than a commercial
band, there are somewhat limited possibilities in some ways.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Coming up with a new idea and hearing that it works very well, whether in the composing or recording state.
And hearing as each of us deliver our contributions and great new ideas and then hearing the finished song
for the first time.
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A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
So many songs have had an effect or moved me for different reasons. To name a few, live versions of
Sabbath's Heaven and Hell and Rainbow's Catch the Rainbow are really big for me.
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Pikku kukka
Emilia from Pikku Kukka
When and how was your band
created?
Pikku Kukka was born in January 2002.
Me and Lotta were spending the
evening in a pub in Kouvola. For some
reason we had got fed up with all the
noise and angst that almost every band
produces. We wanted to do something
different: make music that doesn't tell
sad stories or make you cry and above
all isn't noisy! At that time we played in a
band called Womb, which was an all-girl
rock group. That didn't satisfy our needs
and we wanted to do something
completely different from anything we had done before. So we started to make songs together and recorded
them by ourselves. After a while we wanted to try the songs out with a band and it sounded quite good!
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Me and Lotta write all the songs for Pikku Kukka and quite often we compile both of our ideas and a fine
song is born. I'm influenced by powerful female artists such as PJ Harvey, but I don't think it affects my own
songwriting. Our music is so different from hers. Most of all I'm interested in different kinds of melodies and
creating harmonies between them. I like music that's not too straightforward: there should always be
something going on below the surface. We both also like Finnish composers such as Chydenius and
Merikanto.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
In Finland it's quite easy to get contacts with people in the music business, because the scene really isn't
that big. Still it's hard to get your songs played for example in the radio because of the playlists. Luckily there
are still a few playlist-free radio stations. Also the gig culture is a bit odd: even on Monday evenings it is hard
to make people understand that our gig starts at nine o'clock in the evening! Everyone comes in late
because they're used to bands starting to play before midnight. If we can do anything about it, we'll definately
start playing early.
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songs in finnish. We just couldn't do the same job in english.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The first moment when I start to hear a melody in my head with all the instruments. That's when I know there
is a good song trying to get out. If I just sit down and start forcing a song it won't work. Quite often a song
starts to play in my head at school, so I have created a way to write the melodies down with different kinds of
dots and curves.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
That's just impossible to say, I enjoy different things in different compositions. For example, there is
something in classical music that moves me the way pop music never does. Right now I'd tell you to listen to
one classic and one pop tune: Vivaldi's Nulla in mundo pax sincera, because I think it's breathtakingly
beautiful and Matti Johannes Koivu's Automiesten rahat, because Koivu is a wonderful songwriter and I love
his voice.
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Ultranoir
Anton from Ultranoir
When and how was your band created?
UltraNoir started with a classic formula: being
frustrated the music around, being frustrated the
things around, being frustrated of no-one staying
aloud of such frustrations. This happened in early
2000, the current frontline started gathering during
the autumn 2003
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
The only positive is that no-one is censoring what you're doing. Negative things are countless list, but let's
say people here are stuck with braindead hairdo-hard rock and Finnish record companies are totally
unwilling to try anything brave. Finland is always three years delayed.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The need to make the song, when you think that song with that context must exist. It's a moment when you
feel yourself somehow needed -no matter it's probably illusion.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
That is a good question, actually. From all, let's say "True faith" by New Order, it is passionate enough to
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make five years old dance and cry (been there, done that)
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Pestida
Jari from Pestida
When and how was your band created?
In a sense it started already sometime in 1995 through a
need to create music for the poems that I was writing.
However, Pestida as a band was formed in 2000, and
since then it has gone through numerous line-up
changes. The current line-up, which finally feels like the
right one, dates from 2005.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
In a small country where there is almost an oversupply of bands, it's not easy to get gigs, let alone make a
living with music. On the other hand, because of this, the overwhelming majority of the bands are not "in it for
the money", and thus many find the courage to try to do something interesting instead of playing it safe.
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on a more general level.
Ultimately, I like to leave space for the interpretation of the listener, because that is what kind of songs I like
myself.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
It varies, it can be the lyrical inspiration when you come up with an idea, or just a few lines of lyrics and start
working on the whole. Or it can be the moment when the lyrics and the music suddenly "fit" together even
though when you started it seemed like there was no way to combine the two. Or, and nowadays this is quite
often the case as the band has become a tight unit capable of creative cooperation, it can be a moment
when a jam suddenly evolves into a complete song and it just all makes sense.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
That's a really hard one, and again I'd have to say it varies depending on the day, time of the day, your
mood, etc. But I'll just say that "Soma" by Smashing Pumpkins is one brilliant song.
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Sick Nancy
Johnny from Sick Nancy
When and how was your band created?
Somewhere in mid 90's i met a very drunk girl in a bar. She
was claiming to be a great guitar player, so she became to
be our vocalist...??? I found few more guys for the band
and that was a starting point. After that, many changes in
members, but now it looks fine.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I guess all of them. For example: Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Neil Young, Dream Theater, Spock's Beard,
Iron Maiden... you name it. And of course our parents.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Finland is small country. So, the circle around music business is small also.
That could be a positive or a negative thing.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Making lyrics. Always a blast!
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
There's so many...The Who - Baba O'Riley?
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Verner
Toni from Verner
When and how was your band created?
I started singing and writing lyrics about four
years ago. When I started I did songs for my
lyrics by myself. the music that i did was not so
good or "rich" so I thought that It would be better
to try and find some real musicians to do the
difficult job like composing and playing the music.
I wanted to focus to the lyrics and singing. So I
put a application to the internet to find players.
And I found them. It didn`t take so long when we
had the whole band together.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I like Atomic Swing, The Flaming Sideburns, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, The Doors and some finnish
bands like Tehosekoitin. I don`t want to copy them but if you hear the influence of those bands in our music
it`s okay.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
We have only 5 million people here so there aren`t so many record buyers or listeners. It`s hard to make a
living out of that, but it also means that it`s easier to get to the top.
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During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment when you have a brand new song. Just when the whole consept is clear. You can perform it but
every time it`s something different. That is the best part.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Back Door Man performed by the Doors.
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KIA
Joonas from KIA
When and how was your band created?
Kia formed in the spring of 2001. Our first lead guitarist
Sami and me had been playing together in a band at
school but it didn't really go anywhere so we asked our
friend Matti to help us put together a demo with him on
bass and drums. He'd always liked the songs we were
messing around with at school so he was into the idea
but added his personal touch to the whole thing and
brought another friend of his, Karza along to play
drums. When Sami left to study abroad another friend
of ours, Tuukka was drafted in as first guitarist before
we played our first gig in the fall of 2001.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Loads, but the first person to make me pick up a guitar and try and write songs as cool as his was Noel
Gallagher of Oasis. That doesn't really reflect in the music of Kia though, I think far more significant
songwriting influences would have to be nowadays people like Billy Corgan of the Smashing pumpkins, Dave
Grohl from the Foo Fighters and Billy Gould of Faith no more. I'm actually influenced a lot by the people I
play in a band with, too. It's important for me to keep an open mind and try out new things and the guys I'm in
a band with add a lot to the mix. They all got their personal musical preferences and I love to try and
combine those a little in my songwriting.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Haha, where to start... Well, for starters, everyone we've met on the road and on gigs have been nothing but
cool to us, it's always been a blast to do gigs and a bit of touring, there's always a definite positive vibe going
on when we're out to play a gig. There's always plenty of negative aspects too of course, one in Finland's
case being money which is the primary thing every finnish musician I know moans about too. But I don't
really mind about the money as right now music's not my primary source of income. The first thing that
springs to mind here is rather that there is a definite lack of chance for a lot of bands, especially in musical
genres that are not the most hip at the moment.
It's really really difficult for a band to get a good gig for example where there's actually people other than your
closest friends attending. It takes a lot of hard work and endurance but that still necessarily won't get you any
further. In Finland the frustration when trying to accomplish your dream can easily wear you down and make
you want to quit.
During the years how has your musical style changed? /How do explain these changes?
The major shift in our musical style I think was when Tuukka joined as lead guitarist. He's more of a rocker
than Sami, and is always churning out these ultracool rock riffs. When he joined something in my head just
clicked and I went "Aaah, this is where it's gotta go". Before we used to just play through our songs paying
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more attention to vocal and guitar harmonies but nowadays it's a bit more edgy, there's less chord
sequences and more pure riffage. It's taken us a while to get our own sound down as well, but recently we've
finally started to get it right I think. There's more of our own uniqueness in the music now.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
There's plenty. The writing in itself just ends up being a total blur to me afterwards, but just sitting on the
edge of the sofa messing about on the guitar and then suddenly there's something there that immediately
fires up the immagination. It's one of the greatest feelings in the world when that happens. Usually I then
rush to the computer to record it so I won't forget it and maybe put a bit of an arrangement together. Still I
think the best feeling has to be when we really get a song down at rehearsals with the guys. When
everything just finally falls into place and it takes up a life of it's own. I don't like keeping songs to myself
really, I put them all out there. If the guys turn it down I'll forget about it or try and make something else out of
it.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
Not a stupid question at all, just a very very very difficult one! I don't think I can restrict myself to one though;
I'll go with Porcupine tree's "Collapse the light into Earth", Filter's "I'm not the only one" and because I don't
want to come across as too much of a softy I'll go with the Foo fighters' "Wattershed". There's probably 10
that would still make that list, but hey, what can you do?
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our myspace-account at http://myspace.com/kiainfo . Furthermore we're probably going to start recording our
debut album later this year and are currently searching for labels interested in publishing us and that sort of
jazz. You're also more than welcome to check out our website http://kia.salaisuus.fi for further updates on
projects and stuff like that!
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Takuumiehet
Pablo from Takuumiehet
When and how was your band created?
10 years ago with my work mate
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
when you know that words & music match really well together
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
From the other artists...? this is difficult...but anyway...Free : Wishing Well"
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The Slideshaker
Jani from The Slideshaker
When and how was your band created?
We were friends already and been playing
together for awhile and it was around 2001 when
we picked up the name Slideshaker for us and
that's about it.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
I would say that for the size of Finland there are a lot of people who like rock 'n' roll music but negative thing
is that you really can't make it here if you are in a underground band. Magazines, radios and festivals are
very much oriented by mainstream music.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
I think the best moment is when you realize that this song is going to be great. It's usually after the first time
we've played it through.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening
in your life the BEST song?
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I think this is impossible question to answer but I'll try. Well… It's a tie between "Jumping Jack Flash" by
Rolling Stones and "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan. Or maybe "Blizkrieg Bop" by Ramones…
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Teräsbetoni
Jarkko from Teräsbetoni
When and how was your band created?
Well, I think it was a spring of 2003 when we first talked
together about music and what kind of stuff we all would
like to do. Then, after few talks, we saw what we had to
play Heavy Metal and sing in finnish, 'cause there was
no such band in Finland at the time. We thought that the
idea was fresh and the songs we soon wrote sounded
fresh, too. That's how it all started.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
A good question! I think many times the positive and negative sides are the same. Finland is a small country,
so lots of musicians can't be famous or/and succesful, which is a shame. In larger countries underground
bands can be very succeful in certain groups and that is often pretty good situation already. Here in Finland
you have to be almost everybody's favourite before you can say that your job pays back something. We are
lucky in this case. Our albus has sold platinum and our gigs are often sold out. So, because Finland is a
small country, you could say that we are doing well, ha! 32 000 sold albums in France wouldn't be that big I
guess?
Also the finnish circle of musicians and music field generally is pretty small. You meet the same faces in
summer festivals and happenings etc. You could say, that it's a good thing to know people but easily these
people start working together and they close new faces out from the circle. It's good to see that few new
small record labels are doing well here, though.
There are not too many good places to play in, 'cause Finland is packed with small towns that have small
population and no rock clubs. Rock music seems to be new thing here even today! Finland used to have a
big tradition of "lavatanssi" - which had nothing to do with rock music, but with dance music like tango, walz
etc. Those "lavatanssi" places used to be big and popular but that tradiotion is almost dead I think.
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How do explain these changes?
I think every musician wants to bring something new into their music every now and then. There are no
dramatic changes coming but our expression will sound wider. Finnish people want strong Metal music and
we will give it to them.
During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
I love the moment of discovering something new. While composing a new song you just might come up with
this "Whoa! This is it!". You can find the same feeling while playing your instrument or just during the live
perfomance. I also like making the demos. I like to make them well in my small home"studio". That is the last
phase when I can invent something new to the song.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST
song?
I can't tell for sure. I have always loved Deep Puple's Burn. It is a perfect song and a perfect performance.
Rainbow's Gates Of Babylon is wonderful, too. ...Damn. So much great music, but those songs I heard when
my ears were fresh and I those I will always remember.
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The Rasmus
Lauri from The Rasmus
When and how was your band created?
We started -94 as a high school band playing
metallica, nirvana, etc. we rehearsed in pauli's
parent's basement. we also had about 5 songs
of our own. we worked together putting up
posters on the walls to collect money to record
our first cd-demo. by accident we got the song
on the radio and people went crazy at the gigs.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
First of all i'm very happy to be able to live and get along with just playing in this band. i never had to work in
a hamburger restaurant and i'm very proud of that. the negative side is that same thoughtless fans disturb
my private life by camping just outside my front door.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
"A Goog Life" - Weezer, Pinkerton. it just IS! ( a good guestion i think)
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Myself i really enjoy the lunch breaks, but to be honest i think the best thing is to travel to another country for
5 weeks with my best friends, live in the same flat, stink, laugh and just play rock 12 hours a day.
The Rasmus is really famous and appreciated in Finland, does it mean that you're not affraid any
more of the reaction of the public when you release a new album?
Releasing a new album is always very exiting cause we never know how people will react to it. kill me if i'm
wrong but i think every band needs an audience.
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Apocalyptica
Eicca from Apocalyptica
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Actually I think the new album Reflections is already new direction. We don't want to be only "metal"-band,
we like so many different styles of music.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We need both, studiowork and live shows. Good balance... Studiowork is somehow more creative in a
certain way, live shows are propably more fun.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
All moments.
Why?
You can find new things and ideas in every moment of the studio process.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Shostakovits symphony nro 11. It is part of me somehow.
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Unleagal copying is UNLEAGAL!!!!
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Mokoma
Br. Kuisma from Mokoma
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
80% of us is born in the 70's so we were in our teens in mid to late 80's.
That means that music of that era meant lot to us, since we were eagerly looking to be influenced. We all
found heavy metal -music mid 80's (WASP, KISS etc) and the we grew up with faster and more aggressive
genre of metal, thrash metal. Bands like Anthrax, Slayer, Metallica and Kreator were a huge bands for us
back then. In early 90's we pretty much listended to extreme death-metal acts such as Entombed, Sepultura,
Napalm Death etc... In 90's some of us went a bit "grunge" for a while and listened to Soundgarden, Alice In
Chains, Rage Against The Machine etc... We also have listened to Finnish underground acts such as early
work by CMX, YUP, Kauko Röyhkä etc. That gives us the touch to Finnish melancholy. That totals Mokoma.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Positive thing is that our "fans" are Finns. Negative thing is that you need to travel a lot to go gigs.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
I don't think so. There is no substitution to Heavy Metal. Personally I could do electronic music that has
aggressive elements in it, like... well let's say Prodigy.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
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We have gigs occasionally, not too many at the moment... We like to record music in studio but the live gigs
are definitely the most rewarding thing is this kind of music business.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
The best moments are in the reheasal room when wre are composing news songs and everyone gets for
example the same arrangement idea to the song.
Then we really feel that when we work together our band is stronger that the individuals themselves!
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
A very good question and very easy to answer. Slayer: "Angel Of Death". That song pretty much defined the
thrash metal genre in 1986. Fast & furious music, two guitars, fast drumming, high pitch screaming... It made
a huge impact on early teen kid who is trying to understand what happening out there. Been on that road
since then. Beautiful song :-)
Do you use computers or home studios during the process of making an album or a song?
Yes we do. We record with Pro Tools -system in studio, and we also make some demo tapes in home
studios. The technology is nowadays so good that you can make decent quality demo tapes very easily.
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CMX
Janne from CMX
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style
of music? If so, what style of music would you choose?
Well, our 'style' has probably changed considerably from the beginning
but to us it's always been more natural growth than anything
premeditated.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
This is our first tour in four years. When I am in the studio, I miss playing live. Not that we're on tour, I
sometimes miss the comfort of the studio sofa.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
The last two albums we've basically written and rehearsed in the studio and the best part is the beginning
when the songs really start to take shape. The writing, arranging and multitracking layers of sound on to
tape, or hard disk on this case. I normally won't interfere with the mixing. Normally!
Right now: Queens of the Stone age: Songs for the deaf
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What are your actual and future projects?
I've been messing with some Black Sabbath songs with a few friends. We'll see what happens with that. But
other than that, trying to enjoy the current tour with CMX. It's been great so far. Sold out venues, great
audiences and too much alcohol.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Huh! One cannot really answer a question like that. One song is the best because it's the most moving, the
other because it kicks some serious ass and so on... And emotions fluctuate.
But when it comes to distribution of music, there's the problem. As long as there's no convenient means to
distribute music legally, online piracy will prevail. And once people get used to getting stuff free (by
STEALING!), it's very difficult to get them to pay for things. But I hope that there will be some kind of solution
before all bands (especially in Finland, a small music industry nation is the most vulnerable) have to stop and
get a proper job. A tough issue, but it's up to the music listener to make the decision. NO ONE distributes
his/her mp3-files by mistake!
But one thing I am very suspicious about: the copy protection on cd's.
There's always going to be ways to crack protection and there's always a cracker who prides in cracking the
code.
I am hopeful though. There'll be a change for the better. For everyone, not just for the artist but for the fan as
well.
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Nightwish
When and how was your band created?
In 1996 Tuomas was playing in some other groups and
he felt that he qould like to have a project band which
plays a little bit different kind of music. That's when the
idea of Nightwish was born. He made some acoustic
songs and at the end of 1996 those songs were
recorded. In that time band was Tuomas - keyboards,
Tarja - vocals and Emppu - acoustic guitar. That was the
very first demo and the demo was called Nightwish -
demo named after one song of the demo. When Tuomas
heard the result he wanted to add drums, bass and
electric guitar in his music and that's when band
Nightwish got started.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Positive is definately the silence. That might sound odd but it's very nice to come from a tour (which often are
opposite of silence) and go to the cottage and just relax and listen to the silence. But negative aspect is
definately envy. We come from a very small town and after we got success we have heard and saw many
things that would had rather left unseen / unheard.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
No. I'm definately always be playing music which has some heavy / metal elements. No jazz, no pop no
reggae,... Of course there is many ways to play music which has heavy / metal element so propably I'll play
some bands which are very different to Nightwish but there will always be this thin line which defines the
music.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
I definately prefer playing live. Before this year I actually hated playing in studio buut little by little I've learned
to enjoy it and last week when I recorded a one project I actually had much fun. Nowadays we don't tour that
much because of Tarjas studies. We just came back from 2,5 month world tour and there will be some time
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until next real tour.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Hearing the final version for the very first time. We always gather with my friends in some place to listen to
the new album and to celebrate. It's so nice to hear the songs mixed because it makes the song what it is.
For the first time you can hear all the instrument in perfect balance and for the first time you'll get the whole
picture of the song.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Very difficult question!!! Very difficult question!!! One of the best is song called Gift from Kyyria (Finnish
band).
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Pool
When and how was your band created?
POOL was founded in 1995 by three ambitious
young guys living in the city of Joensuu, Finland.
The decision was made in a warm summer night
in a fishing trip at the lake of Pielinen... Years
has passed and now 2002 there's two of those
guys remaining with three newer guys forming
together POOL.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
As a band we couldn't name many or even one particular influence, but individually the scale of
music/bands/artists we listen to varies quite dramatically from "softer" rock like Oasis and Kent(SWE) to
much heavier combos like Megadeth. Personally my interest for music and making
music came from the 70's-80's monsterrockers Kiss, Iron Maiden and others. But of course, it is as
impossible to find even hints of Maiden in our music as it is impossible for me to speak French(bad one,
sorry!). But seriously, I could mention one really important band for me and that is the Smashing Pumpkins.
The music is also much closer to ours...
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Well, first of all we have a GREAT country to tour, beautiful cities, great rock-clubs in almost every bigger city
with great audiences everywhere, really passionate ones. No doubt, the audiences are great in any country,
but of course we think our own crowds are the best. So the touring is VERY rewarding.
Second, the national radio stations play a lot of domestic material, not just the hit music from the charts, but
also upcoming talents too, who wouldn't get any airplay if there were only these so-called commercial-
stations (which we also naturally have quite a few, who play only the chart-shit(sorry... no... I'm not sorry!))
like Britney, Christina...you know what I mean!).
Speaking for ourselves it is good to be a musician in Finland.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Yeah, sure, of course, why not... how about hip-hop... that would be quite fun(-ny). In fact there's a rap-
project going on that includes two of our guys. Can't wait to hear that!
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particular day of writing lyrics. Then there are these fictional lyrics, that tells a story, which isn't true for us but
definitely real for many or at least possible. A lot of the lyrics are quite dark and many times maybe too hard
to understand(thanks to Hannu, our singer/writer)), but my opinion is that we have to put our listeners to think
what could be happening around you and those things are not always easy to handle. Also the lyrics can't be
too "easy" to understand, 'cause I want to leave some things open for different minds to fill those voids with
their own imagination and also leave some things behind riddles for those different minds to solve'em.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We tour regularly, yes. And of course mostly then, when we got something new to perform. Next spring we
are going to Russia for the first time for a week. Now that'll be an adventure...
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Maybe the time when those songs we have been rehearsed for so long are getting the form in the tape that
was in our heads before the recordings.
That's the moment when we get together and say to each other "congratulations, we have done it again!"
'Cause we don't want to leave anything middle ground.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Well, I go way back with that Megadeth-stuff, so I would have to say...Symphony Of Destruction by them!
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Manboy
When and how was your band created?
As Manboy the band started in 1998. We had known each other for years and
played together for a few times.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
All sorts of music have of course influenced our writing and working. We all have
listened to so many different styles of music that it would be basically impossible
to point out just one artist or music style. To mention some: Pink Floyd,
Radiohead, The Cure...
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in
Finland)?
Well...positive aspects are yet to come. The main problem is the money, the
market is small so naturally the incomes are rather small. And then there is
always the fact that the style of music that we represent is not the most popular in
Finland. Hope to release stuff and tour abroad as soon as possible.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
We don´t think about these things really. We just wright music we like, without the boundry of genres.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
No, we only tour when necessary. Usually after the release of an album. We enjoy both studio and live
situations, though they both have their compromises.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer? Why?
Well... the basic recording phase is usually pretty tiring and demands a lot of concentration. Everything after
that is great. That’s when you really get to be creative in a totally different way than for example during the
rehearsal and writing process.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Completely impossible to answer.
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KMA
Jaakko from KMA
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Well it´s totally possible, our next album can be electro folk 74 minutes. But seriously, we just play what it
feels good at one particular moment and try to capture that.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Both have good sides, and I like em both. I like to be precise in studio and to try all different things.
Gigging is having fun and losing presure that you get when you wrote music.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer? Why?
The moment when it feels that now we have all the material to record,and it´s time for studio.
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What are your actual and future projects?
Right now we are writing new songs. We have no schedual on that, we just try to make good songs.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Hmmm tricky question...I quess it could be The beatles Strowberry fields forever. Song that couldn´t manage
into studio album.
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Sonata Arctica
Tony Kakko from Sonata Arctica
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
I pretty much love all music, not all extremes though, but there´s good music in every genre. Sonata won´t
change, there´s no chance for that. It should another band. I´d love to try my wings on some pop music.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
I like studio more. I get to spend my nights home when recording here in Tico-Tico Studio and I love being
home. Touring is sometimes nice, usually after a long studio sessions. We tour IMO too long a time with
each album and too loosely. The ideal thing would be touring 6 months and have 20 shows a month and
then end it there and start with the next album. Nowadays we have 3-4 shows in 2 weeks, or less, but we
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tour more than a year with one album. I hate that.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
I don´t have one. There so much beautiful music in the world that if I named one now, I´d remember another
even greater song in a minute.
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Dreamtale
When and how was your band created?
Dreamtale was born in 1999, when our guitarist Rami
Keränen broke-up with his previous band. He started
gathering some musicians around him and finally this
band become Dreamtale. Rami is also the only original
member of the band.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Positive aspect is definately the fact that in Finland metal music is a very big phenomenon, metal bands can
enter finnish charts as number 1. And metal bands sell quite well in Finland. Audience is also great. Negative
side is that you can't make too good living in Finland by being a musician, unless you play "humppa" or other
dancemusic (I don't mean techno or that kind of dance music, but these more traditional dances like waltz
etc.). The money you get from the record sales and gigs is far too little to support you financially.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
If have considered it sometimes, but I think I never leave metal music. I can do other projects from time to
time, but I always come back to metal sooner or later. I love playing folk music, especially irish. I also enjoy
medieval/early reneissance music a lot...
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Well it's quite different to work in a studio than to play to live audience. I love both of them. In studio you can
do the songs in a way you have always wanted to do them, if you want to have 13 guitars on a song, you can
do it in a studio. But in live performances the adrenaline what you get from playing for people is intoxinating.
I love performing to audience. Unfortunately at the moment we are unable to do live performances due the
fact that we have a new singer who has to learn to songs before we can tour.
During the process of making an album, what is the stage that you prefer? Why?
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You can't beat that feeling when you hear the songs first time mixed and mastered. The album is ready and
you can hear the complete versions of the songs finally. It is something that makes it worth while.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Helloween - How many tears. It is amazing song, I would have wanted to write it. Structurally it's ingenious
and lyrically very adept for a Helloween song. You'll have to listen it to know what I mean.
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Flylow Organization
Luke & Wilson from Flylow Organization
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
All the band members have their own influences. While the bassist Mikey and the singer/guitarist Wilson
have been heavily influenced by the grunge bands like Pearl Jam, the singer/guitarist Luke trendily names
Kiss and Mötley Crüe as his nostalgic all time favourites. The drummer Jayrock is a product of mixed liking of
aggressive hardcore metal and electronical music. Currently the songwriting of the two singers has been
influenced by Bon Jovi style AOR hit music, Coldplay and modern rock music.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
It is pretty easy to get your voice heard in a small country like Finland, altough there are pretty many people
trying to make it in music business. Unfortunately the trends in Finnish music scene have been following the
U.S. trends and pretty seldomly something really original comes through. Sometimes it feels that in order to
certain bands to make a breakthrough in Finland they have to find some ground outside Finland first. This is
especially the case with the bands that sing in english, for example Hanoi Rocks had to move to Sweden in
order to have a chance with their music.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Naturally when a band makes new music it constantly goes through style changes. These changes can be
really clear and total to the members of the band, but to a outside listener they may just seem to be small
adjustments. FlyLow Organization will most probably stay as a rock band as long as it lasts, but Luke and
Wilson have their "therapy electronic music project" DonkiKonki to let out their creative overpressure.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Studiosessions are nice because they always make the songs even more ready than before and they are
needed to get our music to the ears of faraway listeners. Still the live performances are where FlyLow
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Organization excels and being up on stage in a spotlight is one of the biggest reasons for us to keep on
playing. We've been touring regularily with another Finnish band Defuse on SuperGrunge-tour and wish to
extend our tour also to foreign countries.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Luke: The first studioday, when everything is possible and the expectations are high. There is just so much
positive energy in the air that it is amazing.
Wilson: Those magical moments when things don´t go as planned, for example a wrong note or a mistake in
the right place that takes the song to a whole new level.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Beating of the mothers heart just after birth, soft whisper of a beloved one in your ear and a roaring of a
crowd after a successfull concert. It´s more about the feeling that the song can create in your soul, than one
particular piece of music.
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Alamaailman Vasarat
Jarno from Alamaailman Vasarat
When and how was your band created?
Alamaailman Vasarat was founded spring 1997. I
had just bought soprano sax and wanted to play it
right away, in a band. My old friend Teemu
Hänninen (drummer) liked the idea and together
we formed the core which expanded to quartet
with Miikka Huttunen (pump organ, piano) and
Marko Manninen (cello).
Trombone player Erno Haukkala joined a year
later and latest addition, Tuukka Helminen (cello)
joined the band last year.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I don't know about the others, but I listen to all kinds of music, although I try to stay away from too complex
or "artsy" stuff these days. From heavy metal to film scores to Madonna, anything goes.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Well, it's hard to make ends meet here as a musician or composer so it's almost necessary to do something
else on the side. If you're ready to accept that, there's no pressure to satisfy anyone but yourself and that's
the real key to create interesting music.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Probably something like Bryan Adams plays, he's so cool and all-American.
Seriously speaking, our style is in constant evolution anyway so there's no need to actually think about it.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We do some twenty gigs per year, some of them abroad. Live concerts are always very intensive and we're
surely at home on stage, but there's also some magic in the studio work. It's hard to say which one to prefer
over the other.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
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Why?
I think the finest moment is when the little details shape the song in a way you never expected. I'm not
necessarily referring to improvisation but more how the notes are played, sometimes nicely out of tune, off-
rhythm or dynamically interesting. That's when you know you're doing something unique and personal, never
to be repeated exactly the same way again.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
It must be Bryan Adam's Summer of '69. You can't beat that song, ever.
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Rapture
Aleksi Ahokas from Rapture
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
What got me started was Black Sabbath, Gnr, Metallica... Later I got into Death- and Black metal, Gorefest
etc. But for me the most important releases have been about 97 anathema, katatonia, my dying bride & Type
o negative.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Well I think other things in Finland are still well. So that it helps. Finnish metal is highly praised in other
countries. What I don´t like is the competition and envy of bands. Many bands aim for perfect radio hit or
something. You can really notice that the arrangements of songs sound the same. And the comparison to
other bands or musicans.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Not totally. I hope it never happens. Ofcourse my music is constantly progressing/changing and I have lots of
bands so I get to play lot of different styles. But only to take one of 'em, it would have to be something
completely new. As people say everything has been done, they are wrong in a way. The world is full of
rythyms and sounds. Many players have just been slaved by the music theory. It doesent matter if some
style has been used before, music belongs to everybody.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Well we have to see after these first gigs are over. We have new line up but all of us have experience of
studios & live performances. The last work in studio were painless of the same reason.
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Calendar still looks merciful for rest of the year, but it'll look much different in next month, I'm sure.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Im sure we all sometimes comment that "this is the best song ever". It's impossible to answer, but this year
I've listened The Cure's "Disintegration" a 1000 times for sure!
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Velvetcut
When and how did you decide to become a
musician / singer?
Well, it came naturally. I remember when I first saw
Twisted sister's "We're not gonna take it" on TV and I
was stuned. I was really young and I wanted to wear
Twisted sister T-shirt all the time.. I wasn't very tall kid,
so it looked just like a skirt on me. After that came KISS,
W.A.S.P., IRON MAIDEN and all the normal stuff.. I
formed my first band when I was 10 years old. I have
been in different bands, but it took a long time to put all
the pieces to its right place.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I have had so many favourites over these years, but rationally thinking maybe I woudn't be here without my
early favourites like KISS and TWISTED SISTER. It a cliche to say, but that's the way it is. After few years I
got really hooked with METALLICA. James Hetfield is a great composer. In the beginning of 90's I was really
into "Grunge" movement and bands like ALICE IN CHAINS, NIRVANA, PEARL JAM, STONE TEMPLE
PILOTS. Basicly I'm still a big fan of those bands. In the past years the biggest things for me has been bands
like NINE INCH NAILS and RADIOHEAD. Trent Reznor is a genious and RADIOHEAD's OK computer has
been almost like a bible to me. Well, I quess I have to mention also HIM, that I consider one of the best
things that has happened in the Finnish music industry.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Music is way of life for me. Making music is like my privat room where to escape from the outside world. It's a
possiblity to create something new with your mind and emotions.A secret friend that you share everything.
Sometimes I may succeed in my work and the feeling is fantastic. I may come up with the song I really like
and would like to the whole world to hear it. Of course the world don't always agree with me. That's the shitty
part. Sometimes you have put your heart and mind into something and people come to you and tell this is
total crap. And sometimes you can tell that they have already judged you before hearing a thing. But I think
Finland isn't an exception in this.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
You'll never know;) I try to listen to music without prejudice, so I like several kind of acts. My CD collection
includes all kind of acts from Tori Amos to Slipknot, from Black Sabbath to Sigur Ros. My roots are in rock
and metal but I'm always willing to try something new as an artist. As long as it comes from the heart it's
Okay.
I have also planned a totally new way of making music, but that's very ambitious project. If that will one day
come to reality, quess that would be the new music style I chose. It just don't have a name yet:)
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What is your favourite song in your repertoire and why?
At the moment it may be the song called "Dominoes".. It will be introduced first time on our web site
(www.velvetcut.com) next week.. Of course you get tired of old songs and new ones seems the best, but I
really like Dominoes because of its unik nature.. It's warm, melodic and catchy but is still rocks and has lot of
edge.. And that's what Velvetcut is mainly about. Combination of warm and edgy elements. Our goal is to
create the own sound and "Dominoes" are pretty close to what we are searching for. That warms me a lot.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Our band is quite young, so we haven't done any bigger tours yet. I hope we will one day tour in Central
Europe and enjoy the magic atmosphere of Paris.. Maybe it will be in tittle of our album then;)
Studio and playing live are two worlds... Music is like a empty painting when you come to a studio.
Sometimes you find all the right colours and the feeling is fantastic.. Sometime you seem to be lost and
nothing satisfies you. In general I love to be in studio. I'm quite a perfectionist what comes to my music, so
sometimes it costs me all my fingernails.. But after good studio session I'm mister smile. After founding the
final shape for the song in studio, it's pleasure to play them live. The feedback from the songs comes right
away, so after good gig feeling is great. Other hand if the sounds are bad or we have to play to the walls, it
doesn't make me feel very comfortable.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
There are lot of good songs, but if I had to name just one, probably it would be "Smells like teen spirit". Not
very clever answer, but NIRVANA charged the course of whole music industry with that song. Kurt was
genious writing simple songs with those same chords that had been used million times before. He managed
to do something new and unik with it and with his amazing warm voice. And could you honestly say that the
song doesn't rock?
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Ben Granfelt
When and how did you decide to become a musician /
singer?
When I was 11 I started playing and I started singing about
20 years later
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
No ! I'm all the time pendling between rock,blues and pop
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Yes , I tour a lot with Wishbone Ash and I try to sneak in some gigs with my own band here and there. I
definitely prefer playing live
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
There are so many BEST songs that it's impossible to answer with out leaving something good out... I need
a best song for every week !
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Alliance
When and how was your band created?
I formed Alliance way back in 1999 with
Anssi Nummi, the another guitar player in a
band back then. I called it a day with my
previous band and suddenly ran to Anssi
who has just returned to Finland from
Austin, Texas. We knew each others
because of some band projects in the past
and we thought that we should finally put
up a real band together.
We were located in Helsinki and we are still
located in Helsinki minus Anssi who moved
to Vancouver, Canada after our first CD
and tour way back in 2000. Since then he
has been replaced by guitarist Tomi
Sundström.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I grew up listening to the bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Kiss to name a few. Now I listen to lots of
different bands and artists but I'm always been into the 80's style melodic rock, hard rock and heavy metal.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
I think that it's quite easy to be a heavy metal musician here because that music style is very popular in
Finland. In the other hand, it's sometimes hard to get attention to your band because there's so many metal
bands around here.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
I don't think that Alliance's style would ever change very radically. If I released my own album some day It'd
probably be more progressive metal or rock. At the moment I consentrate on Alliance 100%.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We tour quite regulary. The latest dates we played this summer were in Helsinki. At the moment we are
taking a break from touring and heading into studio later this autumn. I think it's cool to get into the studio
again but I enjoy the gigs as well.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer? Why?
It's the songwriting. For me it's the main reason to be in a band. I got lots of ideas and I also think that those
ideas are good enough to gain people's interest. I'm always very curious to find out what pepole think about
our music.
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What kind of music / What artists do you currently listen?
The latest album by Red Hot Chili Peppers has been in powerplay in my stereo. I'm also very much into the
older material by Jethro Tull. "Broadsword And The Beast" is great album. I've listened a lot to Yngwie J.
Malmsteens CD's lately. The new album "Attack" is great!
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
This is impossible to answer. Ten years ago I'd probably have named some Iron Maiden song but now I have
way too large archive to choose. Yesterday it was "Ship Of Fools" from Yngwie J. Malmsteen's new album.
Today it will probably be something else.
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Apezone
K. Popp from Apezone
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Mr. K. Popp: In Finland the first positive aspect that comes to mind is that live gigs are guite easy to get,
even for small and guite unknown alternative bands but at the same time the venues , audiences and
demand for obvious reasons remain guite modest. The general atmosphere amongst musicians is relatively
supportive and here in Finland are a lot of good unknown bands but the possibility of major breakthrough is
very limited due to tough competition and the fact that the finnish record companies tend to stay on the safe
side and follow the commercial trends of the USA and the hit lists in general., and often several years
behind. However, this situation has recently slightly changed, thanks to the commercial breaktroughs of a
few Finnish bands like HIM and Bom Funk MC´s.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Mr. K. Popp: Once again, we are not strictly committed to any style of music, we might sometimes in our live
performances even slip into reggae jam sessions, to tell one example. But if we were to change the style
completely, I can only say that the change would be guite radical, something totally different.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Mr. K. Popp: We definitely enjoy more playing live and We play gigs regularly. We have toured in Finland all
bigger cities and rock venues, but We haven´t however reached the stadium arena level yet.
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During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Mr. K. Popp: When it comes to play in the studio, to be a bit sarcastic, the best phase is when the album is
ready. For critical musician as ourselves, playing in the studio can sometimas be painfull but somehow it is
also rewarding.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Mr. K. Popp: Again, this is impossible, My opinion is that good music is good music and bad music is bad, no
matter if it´s folk or heavy metal.
Do you use computers or home studios during the process of making an album or a song?
Mr. K. Popp: We are our own producers, We have our own studio equipment which gives us the possibility to
experiment more and without any strict time tables. Computers are a natural part of studio processes these
days, also for us.
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Aeroflop
When and how was your band created?
Me(Rami,vox) and Matte(guitar) were listening to
something very cool music on a nice cloudy summer day
and we just decided to wrote something beautiful and
something that wasn't on the charts at the
time.Something that was arrogantly rocknroll but at the
same time sensitively pretty.Then we gathered the guys
and started a band. Our first rehearsal with the whole
band was in May 2001.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Well, musically our basic influences are Brittish or European, but rarely anything American. I think American
music (of course there are exceptions like Smashing pumpkins,Foo Fighters,RATM or the Strokes etc...) is
pretty sugared and it's usually too poppy too, not always the music but the attitude is pretty poppy.
Recently I have been listening to Pink Floyd,Led Zeppelin,The Verve,Coldplay and the Beatles.But those are
not all the bands that have inspired us, if I would have to count them all, my head would explode. Let's just
say that there's a lot of good music and a lot of shit.We dig the good ones and try to make ours the best.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Well it's positive that I can do what I want and I can express my feelings and share my thoughts with people.
I think all of our band agree with that statement.
It's pretty negative if people labels us assholes or if they make rumors or treats us and adores us just like we
are somekind of gods..But we haven't noticed anything like that so that's not a problem yet and hopefully it
will never be.
Also touring in other countries is much more harder to organize and it really is a negative thing. The venues
are also pretty small usually in Finland, but that just makes our concerts more intimate and that's the way we
want it to be. So we see the small venues as a positive thing.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Well we've thought about it, yeah.But in fact we would like to be only a band that is constantly improving and
changing their style just a little bit. For example now I'm pretty excited about progressive rock and music that
is made with samplers and machines. So our musical interests can be heard from our music. An example of
a good band that grows musically all the time is Radiohead. In that way Radiohead is also among our
greatest influences but you can't really find anything similar between us and Radiohead. It's just a good
band.They've got the vibe.
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Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Live is better.We don't actually tour but we do a few gigs in a month.Yeah, usually two gigs in a month or
so.Touring in some part of Europe is still in our dreams, but maybe it will come true someday in the near
future.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Maybe when everything is done.It's so great when you feel how all the stress falls down on the floor as you
hear the first chords of the first song on the album.I like it when it's all done and you hear your very own CD
from your own stereo.But in fact we haven't made any official records except our 8-track demo yet! So our
stress about a full length album is just in the near future.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Hard question. Not stupid, but hard. Maybe A Day in the life by the Beatles or the complete Wall-album by
Pink Floyd. Instant Karma is also a fine masterpiece and Queen has some good tunes also. So I just have to
pick A Day in the life, but tomorrow it will be different again.=)
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Velcra
When and how was your band created?
Velcra was born in late 1999. Me and OD found
each other to be the perfect musical partners, so
we started to write songs together.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
What are the positive and negative aspects of anything in general? Every trade has their ups and downs.
Our attitude is that if something bugs us, then we are gonna do something about it. It is important that we
know what we want, otherwise we are just going with the flow, and the flow usually goes nowhere.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
The style takes shape somewhere along the way. Some of it is conscious, some of it is not. It is important for
us to keep our music fresh and interesting, so it is possible, even probable, that over the years our music will
evolve. Where it will go, I couldn't say yet. Hopefully to some interesting unexplored way.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Yes we do. We stopped gigging while working on the album, but now that the album is finished we are hitting
the road again.
Working in the studio is one thing and gigging is another and I enjoy doing both. Studio work is about paying
attention to detail and creating an entity that works on an album. On stage it is about energy, enjoying the
moment and creating a party where everybody is having a good time.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Making the album was a long and sometimes very tiring process, but at the same time very rewarding. I
suppose the best moment is to hear the finished tracks and be happy with what we did and realise how
much we learned during that long process.
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We are currently touring Finland and will probably be touring more during the following months. We are
currently shooting a video for Can't Stop Fighting and the album is out sometime in October. That is all I
know for now, the future will show the rest.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
I wonder how many songs I have heard in my life.? Quite a few. I don't have an all time favourite. Many
songs have inpired me and I see no point in trying to put them in any order.
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Stigma
When and how was your band created?
1996. Accidently few friends decided to form a band.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
No.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Yes we tour now and then. I definitely like performing live.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
When the work is done, because then you can relax and enjoy.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Smells like teen spirit (Nirvana), because it changed th eworld of rock`n`roll.
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Impaled Nazarene
When and how was your band created?
We formed in November 1990 as our old band
Mutilation split-up. Mutilation was not getting
anywhere and there were other Mutilations
popping up everywhere so me and my brother
decided to carry on with a new band name and
new members.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Sodom, Venom, Kreator, Violent Force, Exciter, Extreme Noise Terror, Suicidal tendencies, D.R.I., S.O.D.,
Driller Kller etc etc
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
The most negative aspect is definitely taxation of musicians, it is ridiculous to say the least. Secondly, we do
not get any support from goverment at all, only popular "music" gets loads of money...and the biggest joke is
that they are all signed with major labels who already have money!!! If you are an underground band, you
have to survive by your own!! As for positive things...I don´t know what could be positive to be a musician
here.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Never. If we would want to change our style, we would split-up and start a new band. I just wanna play
metal, nothing else.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Both are nice but I prefer touring/playing shows. You got to meet people, see new places, eat/drink local
food/booze. We do nowdays more one-off shows, thanks to the fact that most of us are working "normal"
jobs beside the band. We are finally having a real European tour in December, 15 shows in 7 countries,
including 3 shows in France. See www.impnaz.com for details.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
When you have the master cd burned!!
Why?
Because the ***** is ready and you know that all the hard work has paid off.
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What are your actual and future projects?
I am also member of Obscene Eulogy, two Canadian blokes and me. It is extreme black/death metal, our
debut album is out on 31st of October on Baphomet records. I am heading for studio on November to lay
down the vox on the 2nd album. As for Impaled Nazarene, we are rehearsing new shit (and rehearsing for
the tour as well). We are heading for thye Astia studio on March 2003!!!
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
It is definitely Venom´s Witching Hour. It changed my life!!!
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Waltari
Kärsty from Waltari
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
There has been/will always be some heroes in all times. When we started yer 86 we listened lot acts like PIL
and Cult, indie/hard rock kinda stuff, nowadays I enjoy most the acts like Rammstein, Clawfinger, Linkin
Park, latest Madonna...we listen to radio pretty much and we/I like most of todays hits. F.e.Destiny´s Child is
great.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Positive aspect is sure freedom of my own work and that you have no dying rhythm in your life.
Negative aspect is that you have no decent "pay-day" in month and you´ll never know which will happen
tomorrow.This is a very hard job, being an artist.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Of course we could change that, why not, who denies.This is the creative work! But sure we wouldn´t think
these things beforehand.Some kind of rock music we would still always play in some level.I personally would
like to play some day 100%electronic music.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
I prefer both. They are two totally different worlds. Studio is the place where you try to create something
immortal, and to play live is to achieve one single immortal experience which is just here and now in a VERY
intensive way, but gone after the moment. We love performing, and always tour after the new album as
much as we are able.
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During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
There is no specific moment: Like in our every day life, any moment can turn out to be surprising or special.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
I really can´t say best, but maybe the most remarkable one i can try to find.....Maybe Beatles´s Helter Skelter
and Revolution 9 from The White Double album: They totally blew my head off when I was 3 years old, and
really....for good. They showed the total, even scaring, intensity, what music/rock band can create in a young
boy´s mind.
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Azure
Mikko Pöllä from Azure
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
There are many musicians and artists that have influenced us. If I would have to name just one single band
that has had a major influence on all of us, I would name Iron Maiden.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
For a metal musician in Finland, the positive aspect must be the marginal, yet existing, group of metal
listeners. For any musician in Finland, the relatively small population means a relatively small potential
audience. This is a negative aspect with a certain touch of positivity in it.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Change totally? No. But we have considered many changes. For example, we have thought about having
some singing alongside the murmurring. There are many directions that the members of the band are taking
the band. Until now, we have chosen to put out "a compromised compilation" of our views. We are currently
expanding our musical minds, so you could expect a lot of things, maybe anything.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We don't actually tour. But we do play live, whenever we feel like it and get a chance to do so. I prefer
performing our music live. No alcoholic intoxication compares to the orgasmic euphoria I get on stage.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer? Why?
I like the sessions in which we try things out and "write songs". When recording, things don't always work out
as they should, and then I get frustrated. I love the moment, when everything is recorded, and can't be
changed anymore. It just is there, with all the failures and mistakes that make it our personal output.
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pretty much everything else, as well, according to my moods.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
This is not a stupid question, but a tough question that makes me poo-poo into my pants. Always.
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Kilpi
Pete Kilpi from Kilpi
And the KILPI album "Sähkönsinistä Sinfoniaa" came out in the beginning of June 2003 The album
raised immediatily to the official Finnish Top40 album chart and stayed there four weeks .
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
There's too many to mention . But as a rule the influence are coming from the hard/heavyrock bands from
80's. Judas Priest, Accept, TNT, Iron Maiden , Dokken , Queensryche, ...
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Never thought about this thing. Only thing at the moment which popped to my mind is in practise level when
bands are touring in Finland , the distances are quite huge because Finland is so long from south to north .
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
I haven't considered.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
After the gigs we have made we are absolutely better on stage . Now we are going to make a tour during Oct
- Nov and visit in all the bigger cities in Finland and I guess we'll do that again on spring time . The some
- 206 -
festivals on the summer 2004....after this I think we are quite willing to perform in a studio again ;-)
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
I prefer to arrange songs by myself in my home studio . As well it's nice to record the first vocals into the
songs .
Why?
...because then you finally hear the song with it's moods and feelings.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Dokken - The Hunter . . . I think
Why?
...for my ears it's just complete . Beautiful guitar riffin' intro , so nice song melodies and harmonies , smooth
and enjoyable guitar solo by George Lynch.
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Tarot
Zachary from Tarot
When and how was your band created?
There was so many different metal bands, put up
together by me and Marco before Tarot and actually the
band called Purgatory was the original Tarot. Lineup was
Marco, Pecu, I and Harri Veteli. That was 1984. Harri left
the band by personal reasons until we got our first record
deal.
Later our second guitarist Mako.H. who played first two
albums decided to left the band because we didn't went
along very well anymore. In same year 1987 we met
Janne Tolsa in some gig and we ask him to join the band.
I think rest is history.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
We all stand for the heavy metal and I hope we don't ever have to play nothing else for the living.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We are touring as much as it is possible in Finland and if I know correctly everybody likes more playing live.
Studio work is always very stressing and sometimes even frustrating, you will never know how the new
songs are doing when record is out.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
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Composing the songs are hardest part, but when you have done the finishing touch, you can listen the whole
song and start to dig it. Normally after studio sessions you have to take some distance to the albums, but
with this Suffer our pleasures album the whole band loved the album straight after finishing it.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
I can't say only a one song, but there's couple of the best of the best, Deep Purple's Burn, Black Sabbath's
Heaven and hell, Rainbow's Kill the king, they all have the elements what good metal song have to have ,
great melodies, solos, lyrics and rage, what more you can need?
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Bloodpit
Matthau from Bloodpit
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Of course it´s a great thing being a musician and having fans and one of the greatest things is playing alive
and making people enjoy. Actually there are no negative things in being a musician you know.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Well, we´ve done now about 100 gigs and we have a tiny tour to do soon in Finland.
But we have also recorded three EPs.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Actually I don´t like being in studio at all... it´s so goddamn steril.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
The best song?... It really is a difficult question. I like "Rocket Queen" by Guns N´ Roses.
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Spiha
Bomber from Spiha
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
There´s a lot of influences, because we are six in the band. ac/dc, maiden, beatles, doors, alice in chains,
alice cooper, venom, stones, jeff buckley.. and to not forget the bluesy stuff, Hooker, Otis Redding.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
The winter is very long here in Finland. About half the year. At that time its good to spend a lot of time writing
songs, rehearsing and arranging them. Its very cold outside and not much to do. So there´s one positve
thing. Also its a pleasure to do some gigs during the winter.
The negative side is being poor and starving.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
We are constantly influenced by different music. At the moment I listen to a lot of old blues stuff, the new
type o negative is amazing. Bootsy Collins kicks too.Back in the 80´s I hated The Smiths. But know its a
different sound in the bell. Maybe we could be the most clumsiest disco act ever.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Both are very different environments. Impossible to compare the studio and the livestage. Except you have
to perform very good in both of them. It was a pleasure to record our new album and also it has been a blast
playing them live. We get better every time we enter the studio or the stage.
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Diablo
Marko from Diablo
When and how was your band created?
The roots of Diablo go back to 1987 when I met Rainer in Kalajoki
(our home town on the west coast of Finland). We started to play
together since the musical interests seemed to be the same. At
that time we played thrash-metal. After many years of rehearsing
and a couple of changes in the crew the style of Diablo developed
to what it is currently. The first album
Elegance In Black was recorded and released in 2000. On that
album we had Timo Kemppainen in drums. The latest change in
the crew happened then after Elegance In Black session. Heikki Malmberg replaced Timo. Currently we are
satisfied with the band and there's definitely no need to change the players.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I started to listen to metal at the age of 10 (in the early 80's). The first influences came from bands like Iron
Maiden. Then speed and thrash metal changed totally my understanding of good music. Bands like
Sepultura, Metallica, Slayer and Testament were among the favourites. I listened also some death metal
bands. The only good bands from that scene were actually
Death and Pestilence.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
To be honest, I don't know any positive things… Negative things in being a musician in finland is at least that
the market is so small that it's hard to make your living out of playing this kind of music.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
We've always played the kind of music that we've wanted. We haven't had to compromise on anything that is
related to the style of music we play. The purpose is not to try to play the music that is IN. We want to be
honest to ourselves and play the music that we like. So the answer is definitely NO.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
The best moment is, of course, when you work at home with guitar and PC and realize that you've just
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composed a good song.
Why?
The feeling is hard to describe. You'd just want everybody the hear the song immediately…
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
This is TOO DIFFICULT. There are too many good songs. It's impossible to try
to put them in order.
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Five Fifteen
Mika from Five Fifteen
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
NO
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Yes we do tour regularly, some of the songs are nicer to play live and the others...I prefer the studioversions
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
When it's over and done
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrghhhhhh. Monty Python "Always look on the bright side of life" If you have heard
that, you understand.
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What is your opinion, as a musician, regarding internet?
Copyrights as a songwriter are very important to me. As a matter of fact they are my biggest incomes...So I
really wanna keep copyright control rights in order.
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The 69 Eyes
Jyrki from The 69 Eyes
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
So many things: from Elvis Presley to The Doors to Billy Idol to Marilyn Manson, from Hugo Pratt to Neil
Gaiman, from Jacques Tati to The Wachowski Brothers.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Ten years ago I think it felt like Finland was too far from the international music markets but these days it
feels like Finland is the most interesting place for the new bands to come! Helsinki is "THE rock city" these
days. It's a great advantage be from Finland these days, also music is really appreciated here in Finland too,
so no negative aspects these days.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Over the years the style of our band has developed from snotty glam punk to this more mature sound but in
the end I would call our style as Rock ... it's played with 2 guitars, bass and drums with a Rock'n'Roll attitude.
That's The 69 Eyes. We can add some new flavours but in the end we'll always be Rock. Somewhere else I
visited last year on KWAN's (the most famous Finnish hip-hop group) album, that was cool!
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We've been touring for "Paris Kills" the album ever since May 2002 till now, in the end of August 2003, both
in Finland and other countries from the Central Europe to Russia. To perform live is a social happening and
you travel and meet people and finally see how your music affects people, to make music in a studio is a
very lonely situation and pretty much I walk alone by the sea thinking of the lyrics etc. It's like first work, then
party... I love both as much!
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer? Why?
I'm also involved not only creating the theme of the current record but also the graphical design ... that's
always exciting.
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Also the process of writing the lyrics, despite it's a VERY lonely part, is something really magical.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Maybe The Doors' "Light My Fire" because it has something magical which brings back my childhood
feelings and also some mystic, sounding like the voice of Jim Morrison knows something more than anyone
else. Almost for the same reason "Flesh For Fantasy" by Billy Idol, it brings me back the 80's and gives a
promise of the future...
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Oikosulku
Masa from Oikosulku
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I think that the major influences come from the late 60's and 70's. Bands like Led Zeppelin, Rolling stones,
Ac/dc etc. Off course we have some "new" influences like The Hellacopters. Our influences are mainly
rock'n'roll bands but it's nice to listen sometimes also different kind of music.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
How I see the situation, there are more positive than negative things. I think that when your band have been
playing 20 years in Finland, I bet that you have seen every stage and every pub in Finland. But Oikosulku
have been doing gigs only since the late year 2000, so we have still a lot to see. But the small size of this
country is propably one of the problems in here. And records doesn't sell that much either.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of
music? If so, what style of music would you choose?
No.. Maybe a bit but if we would change our style of music, it would still be rock'n'roll. But maybe a bit
different kind of rock'n'roll.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or
in a studio?
We are definitely a live band and we tour as much as we can. In this November and December we have had
a small break from gigs but in the next year we are going to tour a lot. From late January to April we have
now almost 15 gigs and there is still more to come!
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During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
I prefer the moment when I play myself, offcourse. And that is because I like playing. But when we are in
studio and I don't play myself I like to just watch television and play playstation and do things like that.
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening
in your life, the best song? Why?
It's impossible for me to answer that question. I listen some much music nowdays that is very hard to say
what is the best band.
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Turun Romantiikka
Pete from Turun Romantiikka
When and how was your band created?
Pete (guitar, vocals): Rami (vocals, guitar) and I were discussing
about the Finnish music scene and realised that there are no
bands here who have something to say. So we decided to be that
band. Niko (drums) and Mickan (bass) were found easily and we
were ready to provoke Finnish music industry, media and
audience.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Pete: Different members of the band have different influences. Hanoi Rocks hit me like a bomb when I was
about seven years old but there are also many other groups. I think people like to compare us to the Clash
and Manic Street Preachers because of our political and critical lyrics.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Pete: Being able to play music, make records and have a few people who like to listen to our music is always
positive. In Finland you just can't make a living out of it.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Pete: Not totally, but we have already done some pretty big changes. Who knows what kind of an album will
the next one be?
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Pete: Both are lots of fun, but I love the interaction with a good audience, even though it sounds like a big
cliché. I don't think we have actually ever toured, but we do all the gigs we get and there is always more
demand after an album release.
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During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Pete: When the drums and the bass are recorded and we start doing the guitars, the keys and later the
vocals. That's when you start to realise which direction the song is going after all. I also like doing the demos
before the actual studio time.
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song? Why?
Pete: Impossible to say but at the moment in the middle of the Finnish winter I really like Iggy's Perverts in
the Sun. It always makes me feel good. "Perverts in the sun, perving everyone."
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Bad Machine
Masa from Bad Machine
When and how was your band created?
Bad Machine has been together since 1999.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Nowadays I feel we have get over of all negative aspects, so everything's cool down here...
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
We won't change this "style", even if it's not popular. It's a matter of fact.
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Yes! We tour nowadays as much as possible. Like this year 2004, we have already played about 40 shows
at U.S/ West-coast, Germany, Belgium and of course Finland....We book more shows all the time. There's no
point to do releases if you don't play live!!!
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Best moment is when I have done my vocals and stuff. Then I can start serious drinking, you know!
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song?
Hawkwind/ Spirit of the age. Listen to it. Doesn't need more explanation.
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ChinaCat
Mertsa from ChinaCat
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
The Guns N' Roses are our mutual favourite. I've been listening to them for approximately 66,6% of my life
so you bet they have had an influence on me. It's very hard to say which artists have had an influence on my
work but if I must name a few bands we share some elements with, I usually say KISS, AC/DC and the
Stooges. I also believe that Motörhead has had a certain influence on us, but maybe that's just because I'm a
huge fan of Lemmy's. I would also like to thank our guardian angels (or demons?!) for all the help and effort
that has totally had an influence on everything.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Well, Finland is such a small country that you just can't be a huge star here. Which is both positive and
negative, I think. Positive because it's good to keep your feet on the ground and live a pretty normal life.
Negative because of financial issues, just like everywhere else, I guess.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
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music would you choose?
No. If we want to make some other kind of music, we do it somewhere else. ChinaCat is a rock band. The
end of subject.
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We don't tour regularly, we just play a show whenever we're lucky enough to get one. I prefer performing our
music live and I believe the whole band agrees: we have horrible, traumatic studio experiences. OK, we also
have some horrible live experiences... Anyway, we pretty much hate going to the studio. When you go on
stage you just give it a shot, but when you go to the studio you really have to concentrate and give it a million
shots if that's what it takes to make it sound good enough. And if you don't, you know you'll be sorry later.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
We haven't made any albums yet, but when it comes to making demo tapes, I prefer the moment when the
whole thing is ready and you can hear that you haven't seen all the trouble for nothing.
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song? Why?
There are a lot of great songs but if I only get to name one, it is definitely "Search And Destroy" by Iggy & the
Stooges. It just sounds so perfect to me. Every chord, every note, every word.
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Demonbaboons
Slatva from Demonbaboons
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
We don't think too much of that kind of stuff. It tends to change itself all the time.
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We have never toured. We have played way too little live shows, because it's really hard to get gigs at
decent clubs in Finland if you are rather unknown band which we are. But I prefer performing live.
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During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Heh, we haven't made any albums only three demos. But I like the phase when everything is recorded and
you can add effects, additional instrument and the whole post producing is interesting.
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song?
Stupid questions get no answer.
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Jerkem
Lappe from Jerkem
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
The one positive aspect is that there hasn't been a Finnish ''Beatles'' yet. So we can still be the first one's to
achieve the ultimate stardom. The negative aspect is that the markets over here are relatively small, and if
you sing in English you're competing with every big name coming from the U.K and U.S.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
No! Our style is who we are.
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer preformig your music live or in a studio?
We do gigs regularly. We like to play live but we like being in the studio as well. Working in a recording studio
gives you more control over the final product because especially nowadays, you can have countless retakes.
I like working on harmonies and my guitar solos. I don't like playing stuff "off the cuff". My solos are always
planned out.
During the process of making a song or an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
In that process, there really isn't a moment that I don't enjoy. But perhaps the most magical moment is when
you're listening back to what you've accomplished in the studio. The true spirit of Jerkem coming through the
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loudspeakers of my BMW always turns me on.
A stupid question but… what is, among all songs you've been listening in your life, the best song?
Impossible to say but "Until I Get You" by Hanoi rocks is definitely in my top-five. If you listen to that song,,
you'll know why - the lyrics, the melody…everything. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry and…well, it just
totally does it for me. To use an expression from the sixties – it blows my mind.
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Deep insight
Joachim from Deep insight
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
A negative and positive aspect is that everyone who's anyone in the music business knows each other. A
negative aspect is that it's hard to make music for a living in Finland unless you break the international
barrier like The Rasmus and HIM have done.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so,
Umm, not really, but if we did it would be true Norwegian black metal !
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We tour every now and then, probably a bit more now as we get the new cd out. I prefer to play live, because
im not the greatest musician so my minor mistakes can be forgiven and totally hidden when playd live, in the
studio you can't do that - you have to be precise, just need to practise a bit harder and more. =D
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During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment when you're sweating and tired at band practise trying to figure out how to fit the bass drum in
with the bass line or thinking out an perfect intro/chorus/verse for a song. I also like the moment when you
get the final product printed and you're wrapping up the plastic off the cd.
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song?
Oh, that's a tough one for sure! There's so many songs i could mention, but if i had to choose ONE I would
have to say "Creed" by a band called Petra. This was the first song i heard of this band when i was about 9-
10 years old, and ever since i've been a fan of the band and their ex-drummer Louie Weaver, who is my first
real drummer influence.
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Kerho
When and how was your band created?
Singer / guitarist Pauliina and drummer Sasu met in
London spring 2002. They started playing together,
writing songs and recorded first Kerho demo there.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
The music market is small so it's maybe easier for a band to break through but since the industry is so small
there is maybe no as much money to put in to the bands as elsewhere. Being a Finnish singing band makes
the market even more limited.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Probably it's not possible to totally change; it wouldn't be the same band anymore. But changes inside the
genre of rock'n'roll maybe…
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We would like to have gigs regularly. Our band might be even better live than in studio.
During the process of making a song or an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
When it's ready.
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song?
AC/DC "Back in black". It rocks.
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Extaasi
Make from Extaasi
When and how was your band created?
Band was created at spring 1995. We used to
play in different band earlier, just for fun. Then
two guys from the former band decided to set up
a new band that would do things more seriously.
They asked two other guys to join the band, and
after few changes in the line-up, the EXTAASI
band was created. During the years the line-up
has changed totally, and nowadays only the
singer has been in the band since the beginning.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Personally for me, it's mostly the punk bands in the 80's that have been influencing mostly in my life and my
way to make music, even though we aren't playing punk anymore. I think that mostly bands like The
Exploited, Sex Pistols, and several finnish punk bands like Appendix, Lama, etc. have been affecting mostly
at the beginning. But nowadays there are finnish bands like Kotiteollisuus that has a major influence in the
current sound.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
There aren't so many places in Finland where you could arrange gigs for alternative bands. You don't have
chance to play gigs as much as you would like to. And also the record labels don't make deals with new
bands so easily. Positive aspect is that it's quite easy and cheap to do it yourself. You could always release
your own records for your own label with quite small amount of money.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
Actually we just did. Well, not totally, but it was quite big change anyway.
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What is your favourite song in your repertoire and why?
It's the title song of our latest ep, called 'Kiveen kirjoitettu'. It just has the right kind of aggressive and
crushing drive in that song.
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Yes, we are trying to, but we do usually accept almost all gigs that there is available. Usually we have two or
three small tours during the year, and some occasional gigs besides. We prefer playing the music live,
because when we make new songs, we usually play it live before the songs are recorded. Our music works
the best in live situation, and in studio we are trying to catch the live energy and emotion.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Usually when all tracks have been recorded and the songs are starting to get the final form and starts to
sound like it should be. And of course when everything is ready and you can have the real record into your
hands.
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song?
What a question! There is so many great songs in the world that it's impossible to name one.
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Copter
Tommi from Copter
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
No, not really. But if we had to, it would probably be heavy metal =)
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has everything in right place.
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Not regularly, we do touring at our own pace. Touring is tedious and we don't want to stress about that too
much. Touring in Finland isn't that glamorous (long distances, small towns), so we have to be careful not to
get burn-out or otherwise lose interest to playing. This doesn't mean that we didn't like playing live, we do,
but studio work has its spirit which is
irreplacable.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
We haven't done a full album yet, but being in a recording studio is always nice. The coolest thing during the
recording might be when a song is starting to get some flesh on the bones. Then you are starting to get the
picture how it's going to sound when it's ready. The best thing in general in a studio is the time spent with the
rest of the band. At times things turn really crazy!
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song?
This is really tough question! Hard to tell what's the single best one, but surely one of the best is Street Spirit
by Radiohead. Maybe.
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Cold colours
When and how was your band created?
We started as the Cure covers band in 2001. We
only played The Cure songs written before 1980,
or was it -81... It was just for fun. We all knew
each other from before and we just decided to
start a band. After a year we got frustrated in
playing covers and started composing our own
material.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Sami: I would consider the small market for music sung in English a negative aspect. Positive aspects... are
there any? People are generally supportive towards new groups.. as long as they don't have to support the
bands financially.
Sanna: postpunkgaragegothpoprock'n'roll.
Sanna: My songs are mostly about personal inability to communicate with people. Whether they are total
strangers or dear friends. Real communication between any two persons is never truly possible.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
Jutta: No we haven't discussed about that. I would choose grunge... or reggae.
Sami: Then I would probably want to play something like glam rock... or something quiet with acoustic
instruments.
Sanna: I would switch to punk rock or perhaps to a solo career as a singer-songwriter pianist. When I'm 40 I
will start composing film scores.
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Jutta: Haunting bells...or actually it depends which day you ask.
Sami: All the songs in which I get to play loud (all the songs?).
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Jutta: Live, definitely. Music is something beetween people, a type of interaction. the same songs can
change completely depending of the situation, atmosphere, audience...
Sami: I get better kicks out of playing live, but working in a studio is inspiring in another way.
Sanna: Live. Studios can be really frustrating places. Though sometimes also inspiring.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Sami: The best part in recording is when you get to experiment with different things and when something
really good comes out of it.
Sanna: I prefer the moment when the first version of a song is taped in and you hear the song for the first
time as a listener.
Sanna: Tom Waits, Dead Can Dance, Dead Kennedys, Musta Paraati, Air, Magyar Posse, Finnish children's
songs...
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song?
Sami: Gary Moore "Over the Hills and Far Away"
Sanna: Right at the moment A-ha's "Take On Me", because it's the song playing in my mind right now. "take
on meeeeeeeeeeeeee..." If you ask me five minutes later it will be something else. Obviously.
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Laika and the Cosmonauts
Matti from Laika and the Cosmonauts
When and how was your band created?
The idea of Laika & the Cosmonauts was basically born by the
bar of the famous Helsinki rock club, Tavastia, where Janne and
myself accidentally met through a mutual friend. Mikko was a long
time buddy of Janne`s and Tom and I had played together in a
party band in the mid 80`s and have been friends since then.
The quartet played the first practise session together in October
1987.
As the new band (L&TC) emerged we decided to pay tribute to the `prototype` of the band (Pluto et al) and
to jump over the Berlin wall at the same time. This equation naturally produced the name Laika & the
Cosmonauts
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
All of the Laikas have always listened to a wide spectre of music ranging from Classical to Country, from
Funk via Folk to Film music, from Ska to Soul, from Roots to Reggae, from Polka to Punk, from Latin to
Lederhosen, etc....
Significant early influence to the Laika-world came from The Ventures, Joe Meek, Dick Dale The Surfaris,
The Pyramids etc....
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Positive: The Finnish music scene in general has quite a supportive atmosphere for personal styles and
sounds.
Negative: The domestic market is very small, as there are only five million Finns, with a strange language of
our own, which no-one else speaks.
Of course, if You`re an instrumental band, You do not have to worry about any language barriers! :)
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
No.
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Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We have just finished a two year studio period during which we did not preform live very much.
Now that the new album, Local Warming, is ready and will be released on January 16th in Finland and
January 13th in the US and Canada, we expect to escalate the frequency of touring and live performances in
general. We`d also love to be able to finally tour in France and Spain.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
To me composing and making the home demos is normally the most spiritual and elevating part of the
process. When we move further to band practises and demo sessions, all becomes more social and public,
but it can be a lot fun during the energetic and creative days (there are usually some slower and difficult days
too, but you just ave to endure through them, it`s all part of the process) The actual recording sessions vary
from fun and explosive to desperate and tedious.
When the album finally is in the mixing and mastering phase, I tend to become quite excited about the new
`baby`. The creative stress - in good and bad - won`t ease until the very day the album comes out of the
`owen` and is in my hand.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
It`s not a stupid question. For me it`s just an impossible one. :)
While the Internet opens up new possibilites, it has become a great challenge to the entire music community.
Most people seem to agree, that it`s wrong to steal or plagiate an industrial patent, but when it comes to an
immaterial piece of art, too many people stop thinking. They don`t see it as the end product of someone`s
intellectual work.
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Disco Ensemble
Mika from Disco Ensemble
When and how was your band created?
Our guitarist and drummer have played together since they were
ten years old, when they got their first instruments. I joined them
in 2000, when their old singer decided to leave. Along the years
we have had several bass-players but our current one looks like
he's gonna stick with us.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I believe a lot of influence and inspiration comes from unrecognizable sources. Many artists and bands or
songs affect us, though we won't really notice it. I guess everything i've ever listened to affects the way I
create music. My biggest influences propably come from the stuff I listened when I first started singing and
playing in bands, early skate-punk and hardcore bands like NOFX or Refused.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Positive? Maybe the long and depressing winter gives us inspiration for energetic music?
Negative aspects are definitively the music culture that is really mainstream-oriented and smaller
underground bands don't have any chances on getting their music heard in the media. You can't really make
a living with punk-rock in Finland.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Not really, I think loud rock will always be compelling to me. I love the aesthetics of a simple rock band. But I
do make noise/ambient music with my Windows Media-player and a cassette deck :)
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We are definitively a live band. Performing for an audience is the most rewarding point of being in a band.
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We have been touring Finland pretty much and finally this January we're heading up to Europe for a three-
week tour.It's going to be dangerous...
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
I guess getting your songs caught on tape.Hearing the final results is propably the best moment in the studio.
Personally I don't like to sing alone in a booth and we have always been in a terrible hurry recording, so the
process itself is painful, but getting it done is great.
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song? Why?
Impossible question. Jesus. Black Sabbath's "Paranoid"? ha ha ha ha ...I really don't know.Propably some
Guns'n'Roses song. They always bring back good memories of being young and unaware of the evil world
around us...ha ha!
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Audacity
When and how was your band created?
Audacity was created in 1999 by Ismo Mömmö and Heikki
Lesonen. At the first the meaning was to just jam and have fun,
but at the time being music just started to sound so damn good...
So, maybe the thing is that Audacity created itself.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Small markets to this kind of music and record companies don't have enough courage to sign bands of this
genre. Hard to get gigs and get paid of it too, which is the major problem to arrange gigs in other cities. But
still it is positive, that finnish music has it's own kind of vibe, that separates it from the other countries. So we
hope labels would find the courage that artists do posses.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
If so, what style of music would you choose?
Nope! We didn't choose our style of music, it just was our "drug of choice". Of course everyone of us have
it's own favourite bands from reggae to metal and if someone want to play reggae, then it would be a
separate band project. Oh yes, we could take some influences from other styles, but nothing more.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Not really, because we're an unsigned band and it would be too expensive to do so. Still there are plans, but
nothing solid yet. Of course studio and live have both good sides, we kick ass no matter where we are.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
When you find something by accident, improvisation. When the mood and atmosphere is right, then you just
have grab it and BANG!
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
This is easy, Suspicious Minds by Elvis Presley, the king still rules.
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Employee of The Month
Tommi from Employee of The Month
When and how was your band created?
We've had quite a few changes in line-up, so it's a bit
tricky. Originally Ville and I formed the band in late 1999.
The project was put on ice for more than a year at some
point, due to people moving across Finland. We dug it up
again in late 2001. It was not until the end of 2003 that
the current trio was formed.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
For my part, it was probably listening to Jeff Beck and Prince that actually got me playing in the first place,
but my biggest influences must be Rush, Soundgarden, David Sylvian and Uriah Heep, albeit it's still bloody
hard to name just a few. All three of us enjoy music from many different genres.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
There ain't that many gigs to play. That's a definite downside. Every time we have managed to land a gig, the
reception has been warm. Finnish rock-audiences are always excellent.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
We already have changed a lot, but totally? Nah, can't say that we have. If we would, we would most likely
play a mixture of progressive metal, opera and flamenco (who wouldn't!?)...or just go pop like everybody else
(well not everybody).
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We haven't had the chance to do a proper tour yet, but we will - eventually. We're all really into playing live. It
can give quite a rush if everything works out and the audience is enjoying the gig. On the other hand, I
consider myself bit of a gear-head, and perhaps (slightly) prefer working in a studio. It unleashes more
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creative options.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
The fulfilling closure when we are listening to the final mix. Can't beat that feeling, no sir!
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song?
There are no such things as stupid questions, only stupid questionnaires. But as for the best song
ever...hmm...if was really pressured into giving an answer, I might say Jacob's Ladder by Rush, 'cause of the
vast amounts of great ideas, the wonderful musicianship and the incredible analog synth-sounds in it.
Though, most probably my answer would vary depending on the day I was having. Tomorrow I might say
Michael Jackson's Beat It-or I might not.
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Tähtitarha
Teemu from Tähtitarha
When and how was your band created?
The band was founded in 1998. I was looking for players just to
try out my new songs, just to check out how they would work.
First I found Toni, he seemed to have same opinions about music
and other stuff, he had another band too then, so I stealed their
bassplayer and drummer too. Only in our first rehearsals we
found out that the songs worked, and the group worked too.
Since then I have played with Toni and bassplayer Kari, then Antti
came to drums and Sami to play rhythmguitar, so I could just
focus on singing on stage.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I`m interested in producing too, in fact we produced our first single by ourselves with Miitri Aaltonen. It´s
called "jäljet" and it´s coming out this month via Universal music.
I respect artists that have varied their career and can do many kinds of songs and styles, but you can
always hear something in common between the songs. Strong personalities like Bowie and Trent Reznor for
example.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Markets are quite small, so you can`t sell millions of records here, or tour for months.
But on our top album lists 50 per cent of the artists are Finnish, so that is good.
Finland is such a small country that if you do good music, you don´t have to promote your band and records
so much than maybe elsewhere in order to become known. But there are always same rules in the music-
business.. you can never know what people will think , you just have to write songs and hope they`ll like
them. It´s positive that so many Finnish band have made international careers these days. There are a lot of
good bands here.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
Not with this band now, but I like singer/songwriter kind of music too, so maybe a Jeff Buckley -kind of
project would be nice someday. But I like also industrial and metal, so maybe that would be nice too, some
day.. There are so many music styles that could be nice to work with someday. But at this moment I´m happy
with what we are doing.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We haven`t toured so much yet, only about ten, twenty gigs a year, but we have a short eight gig tour with
Nerdee, Beats and styles and Dallas superstars this month, We will tour the biggest cities in Finland.
Hopefully we can do more gigs next year.
I like studiowork a lot, but you can vary songs live and different audiences and moods have always different
effects on us. So I prefer playing live.
During the process of making an album or a single, what is the moment that you prefer?
We haven´t made an album yet, but we have studio experience with our earlier bands and demo/
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singlesessions with Tähtitarha.. Well, maybe the best part is when you`re listening to the song in studio, it`s
almost ready, you finish up your work and notice that it sounds just like you thought it should sound.
When you sit at home and a new song is ready, that can be the most exciting feeling too.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Impossible to say, I really can`t . I hope that i haven`t heard it yet:).
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Lumo
When and how was your band created?
Our band was created four years ago. Ile (bass) and Toni
(guitar) had been playing in various bands together and
they decided to form a "real band" that would get a record
deal and not just play cover songs in a garage.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Hmm...Are there any positive? Only kidding. I like touring. Especially in the summer when the weather is nice
and warm. You get to meet interesting people and see the country.
The negative aspects I guess are the same as they are everywhere in the world. You have to be really
successful before you earn any money by music. So most musicians have day-jobs which means you really
have no spare time and that influences your social life a lot. But I`m not complaining, this is what I want to
do! :)
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Not really. We have sometimes joked around of doing some songs in english. Maybe we would choose the
type of music we listened to as kids, Heavy Metal!
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Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We tour quite regularly, although right now we are having a break from touring.
They both have their good sides. I like the interaction between the band and the audience when playing live
but on the other hand you can also have some really magical moments in the studio. Anyway, a good
response from an audience gives one of the best feelings I can think of so I
guess I prefer performing live.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
I like recording vocals. Then I can hear the base of the song that the rest of the guys have built and just sing
on it. But the ultimate moment is when you hear the song for the first time after it has been mixed and
mastered. That`s the moment when you face the truth, have you succeeded
in making a good song.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
It´s not a stupid question, just a hard one. The best song changes almost everyday and depends on my
mood. Maybe it`s something from The Beatles or U2 or Radiohead or...I`m sorry I really can`t say!
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Amorhpis
Esa from Amorhpis
When and how was your band created?
Band was created 1990 by Jan and me at
Helsinki.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
I like Finland so there's no negative aspects here but temperature, people get stupid on winter time but that's
quite allright. Perhaps Finland is not the most well known country musicwise but I really don't care.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Nope. Well you are probably the first one who doesn't compare our old albums to previous ones, they are
quite different.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Yes we do, I like both.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Mixing, that's when you really start to hear results.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Jimi Hendrix version from All Along The Watchtower because Jimi was King.
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Battlelore
Jyri from Battlelore
When and how was your band created?
Battlelore was founded in 1999 when I, Jyri
Vahvanen, decided to quit his other band projects
where he was involved and started to create his
own kind of metal music which is based to Mr.
J.R.R.Tolkien's writings about fantasy world called
Middle-earth. It was and still is a true passion to
metal music and Tolkien's poetry. We just put those
two things together.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I can't speak behalf of all of us, but personally my (Jyri) major influences are the bands like Rammstein,
Runemagick, Rhapsody, Kotiteollisuus etc. I could continue the list forever but the one man who inspire me
most is Mr.Tolkien.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Positive aspects are that this is a really small country, so if you make the so called break-through as a
musician, then everybody knows you and then of course it's easier to get gigs, publicity etc. but the negative
thing is that you really can't do this for living. You have to have some other job 'cause the circles are so small
in Finland that you can't do your living by just being a musician.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
I play and listen a lot of different kind of music and I love to play songs
from here and there. But as long as Battlelore exists, we play metal.
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feeling is just amazing!
Touring and live playing is always great fun and definetily what we want to do, but the waiting when the show
starts is really pressing.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
The greatest moment in studio is when you here the final result and you are satisfied to it. Then you know
that you have created something what really affect in your mind and hopefully it affect in somebody else too.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
This question is impossible to answer but just to mention one song from my endless list I prefer a song
"Valtakunta" from the Finnish metal band called "Kotiteollisuus" because the feeling when you hear it is
incredible!
You heart starts bouncing and you just want to bang your head. It's very simple song but it really has its
feeling.
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Pop
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Aknestik
Kai from Aknestik
When and how was your band created?
The band was originally a therapeutic interlude from more serious band projects back in Haukipudas in
northern Finland in the 80's. After a couple of years we started to pursue Aknestik full-on.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Personally speaking, hundreds of different artists. U2, The Lemonheads, Kent to name three. But as a band
we were inspired by the work ethic of the Finnish new wave movement and mainly British guitar-driven pop
of the 80's.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
If you operate in Finnish it is evident you are in very limited market. And sometimes the equipment gets
snowed in during our fierce winters.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
When we first started playing we would have wanted to play heavy metal. Unfortunately we were far too
limited musicians to even consider it seriously. So, I'd say melodic heavy metal, big hair, tight pants, mouths
wide open- like The Scorpions or Whitesnake or Def Leppard in 1987.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment when you can hear or imagine what the song will sound like, when the main pieces fall into
place. It is something quite surreal, which you can only hear it in your head. Quite often the end result is
nothing like you imagined, but so what?
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
U2:The Unforgettable Fire. It just lifted me up and I never came down again. It changed my life.
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cds. Downloading is alright by me as long as you still buy albums. I still believe that the person with the most
records is the coolest guy.
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Creamstar
Kalle from Creamstar
When and how was your band created?
The pre-historical version of the band was created by the late-adolescent Teemu, Tuukka and Eero back in
the good old nineties. The music at that time was a perverse mixture of progressive funk, rock and
psychedelic lyrics.
Since Hannah joined, the music has growned a bit simpler and calmer and maybe a bit more melodic. I
joined the band about 3 years ago and the band's average IQ has fallen dramatically ever since..
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
One of the good sides (call me naive) is that to me it seems like there is a kind of sincerety about the
musicmaking here. Maybe it's because there really is'nt that much money to make in the finnish music
scene.
Which also is the negative aspect...at least one of them.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
I think we're too lazy for that.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
There are two sides to every story..At the moment, I would love nothing more than to tour with the band,
preferably the world and maybe beyond..But of course, the comforts of a studio like Petrax (silence, sauna
and sound) are enough to make one think about retiring from the concert circles.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Since we'we only made one album so far, I would have to say: When I got the finished album in my hand,
finally!!!!
Why?
I guess I'm an egomaniac.
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A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
It's not a stupid question but an incredibly hard one...impossible even. But I'll boldly answer, with the risk of
being ridiculed: Jethro Tull: "The cold wind to Walhalla." It's got everything. No, seriously, it just brings me
such memories and feelings, non of which actually have so much to do with the music in itself, that I can't
listen to it objectively. Therefore it must be the best song I've ever heard.
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Ultrasport
Juho from Ultrasport
When and how was your band created?
Sami and I formed the band in the spring of year 2000 'cause we though there wasn't enough music that we
liked in the world. Sami knew Samuli from school they went together... and we met Olli when we played a gig
on a club he's organizing (Marsu on Paras). We needed a drummer and he was willing.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Velvet Underground, Simon and Garfunkel, Belle and Sebastian, 22-Pistepirkko, Rob Hubbard(definitely!),
Bad Religion (not kidding here...) and Yo La Tengo. To name a few... It's actually quite hard to tell where all
our melodic and aesthetic ideas originate, but prementioned artists definitely have influenced to what we
perceive as "good" music.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
A very small music market makes it hard for indie musicians to get signed at all. The upside is that you really
don't have to worry about "selling out", there's no one to "sell out" to... :) But seriously, it's quite hard to be an
indie musician in Finland 'cause the scene is so small, the audiences are really small and there are only a
very few labels that even try to publish indie records. But then again you don't really have to worry about
pleasing the mainstream people, you got your friends, loved ones and the indie enthusiasts who'll come to
your shows and buy your cd-r's. Having said that, I really think the Finnish indie scene is currently VERY
lively with really good bands like Sister Flo, Bridget, Rollstons and Harry Hunks writing magnificent songs
and playing really inspired gigs and more people getting into indie pop again.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Definitely Goth Metal. ;) Finnish goth-metal bands seem to be doing very well in Germany at the moment...
must be something worth trying... :)
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
We've only made two EP's so far, so I don't know about making an album, but I really like arranging the
songs. The part where the song is still fresh and we're not sure how it's going to end up. Then someone
comes up with some great idea how the song should sound like, that's my favourite part.
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At the moment it's all old Bad Religion, Commodore 64 game tunes and 70's disco for me.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
It's not a stupid question... but quite impossible to answer. I'd say it's Wichita Lineman by Glenn Campbell,
that song always makes me feel like a better person than I really am. Or then it's The Magnetic Fields'
Luckiest Guy on The Lower East Side, it has the same effect on me.
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Firevision
Mikko & Arttu from Firevision
When and how was your band created?
Firevision was created about two years ago when Mikko and I (Arttu) decided to start making music together.
We found that our co-operation went well and was very successful, and since then we've worked with the
Firevision-album, which is now ready.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
We both have a long history with music, and we've played in different bands before nobody even had a clue
of Firevision. Music has been a great part of our lives from early teenage years. In the Firevision- sound you
can hear a lot of 80's influence, which we combine with our own vision of music to make great songs. That's
why it's quite hard to point out major influences, because there are just so many great bands, that have
helped us to discover our musical identity.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
At least not yet we have not considered to choose differently, because we simply love the stuff we're doing
now. But we've been planning to make a metal track for old times sake and just for fun! So maybe something
in that direction might be the answer if we'd ever decide to switch styles…
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We've done gigs in Finland during the summer and we're planning to throw a tour in here after the album has
been released later this year. Both performing music live and being in studio are great fun. Making music
should be fun, we always try not to take things too seriously. But still we're very dedicated and work hard,
because we believe that without hard work it's almost impossible to achieve anything at all.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer? Why?
I'd say it's the actual making of the songs. Usually it happens like this: Mikko comes to our studio with a
massive idea and we start developing it to a finished song (which usually takes all night, because we're too
excited to quit). But I also very much preferred our mixing sessions at Petrax studio, which is one of the
leading studios here in Finland, because it just was so nice to work in a fully professional studio with truly
professional people.
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In my opinion there are both good and bad things with music in the internet. It's great to be able to get your
music out in the open, so that everyone's free to listen to it. And it's also very useful to be able to find
information about new and interesting bands. It is also nice to be able to listen album previews before
making the actual decision whether to buy or not. But for the more famous artists I think it can be very
frustrating that your songs are spreading in the internet for free. If you download an album you like and don't
bother to buy it, it's in way like stealing from the artist you love. I think the least you can do, is that if you
prefer an artist then go buy his/her record. By doing so you're supporting the artist and giving him/her a kind
compliment of the work he/she has done.
Do you use computers or home studios during the process of making an album or a song?
Yes, very much. We have our own studio here in our hometown, Vaasa, where we have put together the
whole album. Only the final mixing of the album and mastering process we're done elsewhere. Computers
we're involved in the process from the beginning to the end. Computers form a great deal of the process of
making our record, and I think nowadays they are, or at least should be, every musicians helpful associate.
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Lemonator
When and how was your band created?
Midsummer -94, by the fire on an island in front of Helsinki. We decided we'll form a band that's loud,
melodic and has a lot of beautiful vocals. Sort of like The Posies. Preferably fast songs. The first time we
actually played was sometime in early -95.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Basically anything that's good. The Posies was the biggest inspiration for this band, but I mostly get inspired
by the old music: Beatles, Beach Boys, Tom Waits, Neil Young, Nick Drake, Elvis Costello, Stevie Wonder,
Big Star, Zombies, Left Banke, Jellyfish, anything from Jamaika, Motown... the list is endless.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
The bad thing is that the market is so small. It's hard to make a living as a musician in this country. Even the
most succesfull struggle once in a while. Also, it's a long way if you want to make it internationally. The good
thing is that people do this for the love of music, not because they're gonna be millionaire pop-stars.
Everything's very real and honest - and the people are friendly and supportive to one another.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Not this band. I'd love to do very quiet music, which I'm sure I one day will. Also, music for the films is
something that interests me, then again that's something we can do with the band.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We tour after every album. We've done about 200 gigs so far. I like both, the studio and touring. You need
both if you want to stay sane and get better at what you do.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer? Why?
When the album is finished. That's just the most purifying experience I know. It's happy, sad, exciting,
thrilling, you're full of expectations, very proud... all this and more at the same time. You can't believe it's
actually there. Can't wait for everyone to hear it!
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
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Why?
I have to name two: Caroline No by the Beach Boys and Nature Boy as Nat King Cole's version. They are
both simply beautiful, the lyrics are perfect. Every time I hear these songs, my world stops.
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The Latebirds
When and how was your band created?
We were born in Helsinki, Finland circa 1999. The Latebirds started out as singer/songwriter Markus
Nordenstreng's backing band but decided to become a proper band while recording an album named
'Fortune Cookies'. The band is still looking for a label to put this album out. Meanwhile, they've been touring
in the USA and Scandinavia plus recording more material (they have material for almost 3 albums while
writing this!).
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Elvis, The Beatles, the Stones, the Byrds, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Ramones, MC5, the Replacements,
Bruce Springsteen, Hank Williams, Gram Parsons, Stax soul music, Tom Petty, the Jayhawks, Uncle Tupelo,
The Eels, Wilco..
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
The posite ones:
-Finland is full of undiscovered talent, great music+great people, most of whom suffer from manic-depressive
symptoms. These features just happen to inspire me, along with the cold dark winters, heavy drinking and
crazy summers. Also, since Finnish people don't really spend much money on buying records playing music
isn't really a way of getting rich. Thus musicians in Finland really make music for the love of it instead of
wanting to become rich+famous.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Not really -- I don't have any doubts about our music..
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
I like the best of both of worlds, but nothing beats playing a great gig. We haven't played in a while because
we're waiting for somebody to put the album out..
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Finishing a song! There's nothing like the feeling of listening to something you've just created.
Why?
It's kinda like watching a baby being born -- amazing experience!
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Time Out Of Mind. They are just brilliant.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Right now I'd say it's The Band's 'Whispering Pines'. Why? Because it's so damn beautiful, makes me cry
everytime I hear it!
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The Crash
When and how was your band created?
In 1991 we met in school. Everyone immediately agreed on the evil plan for world domination.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Ziggy era David Bowie is the strongest influence in my work. Happily, he's not the only one but everything
else comes second best. Good bands are: Smashing Pumpkins, The Beatles, The Kinks, The Rolling
Stones, Air, Sigur Ros, Phoenix, U2 and Eppu Normaali.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
What's positive about Finland is that the music circles seem quite genuine. People are into music for the
music and not for the money -'cause there is none. Negative side is that there is really no income. This is a
two edged sword.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
I think music evolving all the time. It's essential for boosting the creativity. I've even written some jazzy things
recently, but I don't think they'll end up in our album.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
I prefer studio but live is good too. In studio you try to achieve something that lasts forever and on a gig you
try the opposite; when you're performing live you are aware of the fact that the performance passes you by if
you don't give 110%.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
The brief moment when I suddenly hear the music like I hadn't ever heard music before; as whole. No
distortion to tiny little professional fragments, just the music, THE SONG.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Life On Mars by David Bowie. It's a perfect song.
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Anssi Kela
When and how did you decide to become a musician / singer?
Since I was a child I always had a feeling, that when I´ll grow up, I´ll be a musician of some sort. Both my
parents were professional musicians so threre were always music in the house when I grew up. I couldn´t
think of anything else to do, so I don´t think that I actually had a choice! It was either music or sitting home
watching tv...
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
In recent years my main motivation has come from three sources: Neil Young is really my biggest hero and
has been a huge influence in my music. (I don´t know if one can actually hear that, but there is always some
Neil in my songs...) Bruce Springsteen has also influenced a great deal. Especially at the lyrical side -
listening to Springsteen´s lyrics has sparked many of my songs. Third major influence has been the work of
Raymond Carver, an american short story writer and poet. I´m in many ways a disciple of Carver´s and my
lyrics represent a same kind of "ragged realism".
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Propably it´s the same things that in every other country as well. Finland has of course a very small
population, being a nation of only a six millions, so the music business is pretty small also. There is no
Hollywood -style glamour; no red carpets and limousines (and no big money...). But at the same time Finland
is actually geographically quite big so when you go touring, the distances can be pretty long. A lot of sitting in
the tourbus...
I´ve been very succesful here in Finland so lot of people keep asking me if I´d like to change my lyrics to
english and have a go at different countries. But I´m very happy where I am right now. Finland is small, but
it´s enough for me!
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
I started playing and doing my own songs back in 1986. Since then I´ve tried out many different styles in
music. I´ve played heavy metal, funk, reggae, punk, ska, blues... You name it - Ì´ve played it! I think this is a
very healthy way for any young musician to develope and find own style and own way of expressing himself.
You try out different styles and as you mature as musician you can blend all these influences to make
something which is unique. I don´t know if you can hear any of those styles I mentioned in my music today,
but it´s all there - it´s useful information which I can always go back to when I´m searching for inspiration. But
to finally answer your question: no, I haven´t really thought about changing my style. It took me years to find
out where I´m good at and now I´m sticking to it!
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What is your favourite song in your repertoire and why?
I guess it´s a song called Nummela, because it´s so personal. It´s really my life story, wrapped in five
minutes... My childhood, the wild things I did growing up, the death of my father, meeting my wife, getting
married - it´s all there, so it´s a very special song to me.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
During the last 16 months I´ve toured quite much doing more than 200 shows. Now I´m having a break from
touring and preparing my next album. I like both; the work in the studio and performing my music live. These
are two very different worlds but I enjoy both of them.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
One of the best things is of course the moment when you see your album for the first time at the shelfs of a
recordstore. The making of an album is usually quite long and sometimes painful process and there are
moments when you tend to loose your faith thinking, that this record will never be finished!
But I also like those magical moments in the studio when something totally unexpected happens and it
sounds really good!
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Really an impossible question to answer! The favourites always keeps changing, but right now I would say
that Bruce Springsteen´s River is the greatest song of all times!
The problem is when people stop buying records ´cause they can get them free from the internet. If this
keeps happening, one day there won´t be any more music to download!
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Egotrippi
When and how was your band created?
Back in the 80's me, our singer Mikki and our former drummer Osku had a trash metal band called Vibration
that sort of started this whole thing. We quit playing in the beginning of the 90's. I guess we all just grew tired
of playing aggressive music. It wasn't really in our hearts anymore.
I wanted something completely different. So I started writing lyrics in finnish and trying to broaden my
songwriting as much as possible.
Me and a couple of guys from school, Thomas and Skele, started to try out the songs in our school's
bombshell. Soon Mikki and Osku started to get interested and joined the band.
We rehearsed and wrote songs for about two years. Our bassplayer Aakku joined the band a couple of
months before our first live show in the fall of 1993.
We made demos and did gigs as much as possible and got our record contract in 1994. Our debut album
was released in 1995
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
There are too many to mention really. I suppose I could name artists like Elvis, the Beatles and Dylan just
because they have had such an impact on almost everyone else I admire. I have a really wide taste in music.
You could say I admire anyone who does his/her own thing regardless of what other people may say.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
I can't really think of anything positive.
For example when you're an artist singing in finnish you can only sell a quite small amount of records even if
you're succesful.
There is no hope of ever getting your video to show on MTV and right now there are no programs on finnish
tv that show music videos.
For a rock group there are not that many venues to play in. You have toured the whole country in one or two
months (and that includes the pizzerias).
For artists that sing in english the chances are not that good either. The record industry are only now getting
some sort of contacts around the world and that is largely because of the work of independent labels, but it is
still small potatos. Also I think the record companys are too focused on the so called "hit music", I suppose it
is always going to be up to the small indie labels to do the ground work for "good music" that will last a little
bit longer than six months. I would love to see a finnish band that would actually have some artistic value
make it big.
So why do I still do it? I suppose it is a calling.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
No. The music I make is such a big part of who I am. I couldn't change that and I would't even want to.
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Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We usually tour regularly but now we've had this break that has lasted for more than a year and it is going to
last until the next album is finished. I don't compare touring and studiowork
I love them both.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer? Why?
When the album is finished and we have a party. I still haven't made an album that I didn't love at the time
and the feeling of making something good as a band is such a natural high.
It requires very hard work and tempers usually fly but if the result is good, it is worth it. Our aim has always
been to make our best album yet and I think we have succeeded everytime.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
That question is far too hard to answer. Sorry.
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Lapinlahden linnut
Heikki from Lapinlahden linnut
When and how was your band created?
We started playing in the street back in 1983. There were not very many streetmusicians or peformers at that
time. I Think there was one french guy, he was a mimer and couple other performers
Most of us were involved at Helsingin ylioppilasteatteri, and maybe the reason we started the band, because
we were dissopointed to theatre as an artform, and we wanted to try something different.No this is robish, I
really don´t know why. We never had any plans, all we wanted to have was few coins from the street to get
some money for the beer.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
The Band, Frank Zappa, Bob Dylan, CCR, Sibelius, Buster Keaton etc..
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Summer and winter
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
We are constantly fighting about our style. I don´t even know what style are we playing. Maybe there´s no
style at all.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We have been touring regularly almost 20 years, that´s why we are taking a little break from and we are now
consentrating on new album. Personally, I like both, studio and live performing. In studio you are creating
something complitely new, and on stage you are sharing the same experience with some people you have
never met before. That´s great.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
I think I don´t have any perticular moments. Maybe the end, when you get the new breadwarm album to your
home and you play it to your wife. Then you never play it after that.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
There are many songs which I could say. I name one. Loudon Wainright: Red guitar.
It´s an honest song.
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Suurlähettiläät
Jussu from Suurlähettiläät
When and how was your band created?
Our band developed during the late 80´s. Three of us had been playing together for a couple of years and
the rest joined little by little. We played our first gig as ´Suurlahettilaat´ sometime in -89
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I personally have always been a big fan of David Bowie, but I´ve always listened loads of all kind of music.
I´ve never really cared who or what band is playing as long as I like the song.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Well, the most positive aspect is that I´m now doing the thing I always wanted to do when I was a kid. The
travelling is not that hard inside Finland and I imagine the music business is not that rough as elsewhere.
The negative side is of course that we are working in a small business in a small country and nobody else
understands our language. Thus, it´s surely not very lucrative in anyway even for me as a song writer. So,
it´s hard work with not that much money.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Yes. I´ve actually written some songs that are totally different from Suurlahettilaat in other project I work on
whenever I have time to. It´s called ´Taxi´ and these songs are in english. Nothing have been published yet,
but I hope other people will hear of it sometime.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Yes, we tour regularly, making the total of approximately 80 gigs per year. Playing live is the greatest thing I
know of, not counting sex, of course.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
To listen the song fresh from the mixing table and knowing that you really don´t hear anything that should be
fixed or changed and feeling totally shure and confident about the song. That´s it. It does not happen often,
though.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Tough question. First that I can think of is `Space Oddity` by David Bowie. It´s just so great song. It has it all.
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your music from free downloading there, if you want to. It´s a powerful media and it´s getting bigger all the
time. I think in the future music business is even less about making albums than making just individual songs
and then selling them. More and more via the internet.
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Jore Marjaranta
When and how did you decide to become a musician / singer?
I quess I've always had a dream of becoming a musician, as long as I can remember, but my career as a
professional musician started in 1987.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
The most important musical influences go back to the 1970's and 80's. Most importantly it maybe was the
singers, not bands that affected me. I admire such singers as Freddie Mercury, Paul McCartney, Billy Joel
and Don Henley, and basically all male tenor singers with a good voice.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
On the positive side I could list that currently Finnish music has a strong postion in Finland, equal to foreign
music. Finnish bands make excellent music and are very professional. Music is like any other form of art,
which requires a lot of creative work. However, being a musician does not necessarily always pay off. It
would help us a lot if there were 10 million people more in Finland! Also, due to long distances in this
country, we must travel a lot and this travelling is even harder during the cold winter months.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
During the past 14 years, I have changed my style of music quite a number of times. I've been the lead
singer of the Leningrad Cowboys group, and Guitar Slingers and Albert Järvinen band. Changing a style or
or renewal is always good for you, I think. The future is uncertain, but I hope to be able to find something
new again when it feels like it.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
I enjoy touring very much. I've been touring all this year, and will continue till the end of October, after which I
will take a break and make a new record.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment when all the songs have been recorded and I know that from my part the record is finished, that
is my favourite moment.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
When I was a young boy I used to practise singing by singing along the various artists while listening to their
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recordings. The most important song for me was the Bohemian Rhapsody by the Queen, because it was so
challenging.
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Guava
Jari from Guava
When and how was your band created?
Our bass player Juhana formed a band called "Mundane" in 1996 with his friends from school.
they soon changed the name to Guava. I was playing in other bands at that time, but saw them live and
really liked them. later on they asked me to join. Juhana played guitar and sang
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Robert Pollard from Guided by Voices and Rivers Cuomo from Weezer
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Well since this is a small and narrow minded country, you can´t make your living doing what you like in music
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Yes I have, something like Elbow.. beats and really relaxed mood but still a structure of pop songs or some
sort of metal... I was a metal kid
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Usually after a release, there are some gigs, but now we´re just wating to make the next album
I prefer studio, cause there are more possibilites and you can always try
again
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Recording songs is like delivering babies.. (as cliché as it sounds) but when you see them grow and getting
flesh on their bones... weird.. :)
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
I can´t name one and they keep changing, but a recent song would be "you´re the storm" by Gardigans,
cause its sort of "our song" for me and my girlfriend
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Zoo 42
When and how was your band created?
The year was 1994. We started to play on our litle home village Noormarkku, near Pori. Everybody knew
each other from the school and there wasn`t too many musicians so we ended up playing together and form
a band. From the first tune the idea was to play our own songs instead of cover versions. We started to play
gigs and got our source of inspiration from bands like Guns n`roses, old black sabbath, U2 and Nirvana.
There were no intention to become anythig or to get anywhere, The idea was just to have fun.
World is just a big zoo for humans..got it?!..we felt like we need a name that dosen`t close us to any genre-
prison, under this name we can be musically whatever!
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
First real influence to me was Guns n`roses. "You could be mine" was THE SONG and that is why I started
to play the guitar and compose my own songs. I realised pretty soon that I`m not going to be Slash no matter
how hard I`d try Soon after this I found U2. There we`re something seriously cool about Edges delayed
guitars and melodies. Still is! Next big thing after these bands was Nirvana. One thing that I learned from this
band was that you don`t have to say ***** in order to sound hard! That was a very important lesson to me.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Negative…taxes! I have no experience of other countries so I can`t compare..Second negative thing is that
this country is quite small, so there really isn`t too many gig places. After some time you will find yourself
playing in the same place again! Positive side of being a musician in Finland is that there`s a lot summertime
festivals, a lot of opportunities to do gigs.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
I haven`t considered, but if ..I would choose to do music for other artists like Madonna or Laura Pausini. I
actually think that some of my songs would fit them. The music would be somethig between Prodigy and
Italian ballads!
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We do gigs but we can`t really say we`ve toured yet. We`re absolutely a live band! Live gigs are the reason
to our exsistance. We don`t hate to be in studio, it`s cool to see how songs take their final form and become
what they are, but on gigs there is allways ready songs, all you have to do is just play them and kick ass!
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
I prefer the first time when I hear the song when it`s ready. It`s all there, the work that you`ve done. It`s a
relief, it`s somehow more "official" when it`s recorded. You can`t change anything after it, so you can move
on and start to shape the next song.
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Lately I`ve been listening to Q.O.T.S.A, Weeping Willows, Hellacopters, Cardicans, Coldplay and U2. I tend
to listen a lot of music, it dosen`t matter what genre they represent. All good songs are good songs for me!
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
It has to be Guns n`roses "You could be mine" couse that`s the reason why I started to play, but I have to
mention that right now I think a live version of "Please" from U2 is the greatest song on earth. Edges killer
guitars, Bonos lyrics, Adams bass and Larrys drums…the whole package just works! Plus the big ideology
behind it. These two are both best songs for me!
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Bridget
Janne from Bridget
When and how was your band created?
When started playing together with Jamie (drums) somewhere 'round mid 90's with punch of different people.
Dino (bass) and Saku (git) came along later, sometime before the end of the last century. Four of us have
been "Bridget" ever since. We've always been friends first and after that band mates, if you know what I
mean. We'd see each other and hang around anyway, even if we weren't playing music together. It's just
something that happened: Hey, are we a Band? Nah! Really?
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I've always been a music fan more than a musician. I grew up in the 80's listening heavy metal like most kids
did at the time. My first LP was Destroyer by KISS, and I still think it's one of the best albums ever. Late 80's,
early 90's I heard Bad Religion for the first time wich was a real eye opener: simple, short songs with DIY
punk attitude and great melodies. So that kind of directed me from heavy rock towards more pop, song
oriented music where I've been ever since.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Like I said before, I don't really consider myself as a musician. I write songs and play them with my friends
and that's it. We'll one thing that comes to mind is the lack of rehearsal rooms. There isn't really gov.
sponsored rehearsal space at all in Finland, so you have to find and do everything yourself. Especially for
the young bands it's often difficult to find a place and to pay the rent from their weekly pocket money.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
We're not musicians enough to make that kind of choises. We just play what come's naturally. I know that's a
cliché but we've proved it to be true: we've tried some different styles but we always end up sounding like us.
What can you do?
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We're actually pretty lazy considering playing live shows. We should do that more often to push the band
forward musically. But somehow our musical ambitions lay purely in songs and not in technical virtuosity. It's
always fun to play live, especially because we do it so rarely, but working in a studio is great too. They are
two completely different worlds so you can't really compare them.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
In a studio we usually have the song and most of the arrangements ready in our minds. Still we are open for
new ideas and experimenting. So I guess inventing new tricks for old songs during the recording process,
the kinds of that really turn the piece into something different, unexpected and much better is unbelievably
rewarding.
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unbelievable, great tunes, beatiful lyrics, what more can you ask?
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Being a life long music fan I can't answer that. I'm about to flip just thinking about the question. But anyway
one of the greatest songs this year, especially lyrically is "Plea From A Cat Named Virtute" by the
Weakerthans. It's written from a cat's perspective to it's owner, and being a room mate of two cat's myself,
that song really made an impression.
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Miljoonasade
Heikki Salo from Miljoonasade
When and how was your band created?
My band, called Miljoonasade, was created in 1983 and our first single was published in 1986. It was called
"To my Childhood hero" and was telling about Juri Gagarin. We were young students in the University of
Jyväskylä .
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I like the 70´s. Slade , Sweet, T.Rex, Bowie. Black Sabbath, Uriah heep.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
I like writing lyrics. People in Finland respect high level lyrics.
Negative is that Filnland is so small country. You never get money enouhg to live in peace and you have to
work hard. But you can live as a songwriter.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
If so, what style of music would you choose?
I do it all the time. I have also a band for the children and then I have a band called "SaloRantala Soi" with
Iiro Rantala (jazz pianist, Trio Töykeät). Our music style is cabaree songs and comic songs. I also play
alone.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or
in a studio?
I try to tour less and less. I´ve seen those bars and hotels in Finland. But I like live because I can meet my
audience.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
First writing in peace at home. Then moments in studio where you can hear musicians play. we have so
many good musicians here in Finland.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
I can´t say that. There´s so many. Hooks, you know?
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Deadbabes
Lasse from Deadbabes
When and how was your band created?
I´d have to go back in time to remember exactly how it all got started. Been doing everything with music so
many years. Been singing in so many bands before this one that it´s impossible to even remember all of
them. Deadbabes has been my biggest and only dream for all that time. Main reason why we´ve been doing
this only a year and a half is that it seemed almost impossible to find THE guys to play with. You know I
really hate these kind of musicians who are like: "Yeah...let´s play rock´n´roll, let´s do it like -Motley or
G´n´R." ANd I can tell you that this country is full of that kind of crew. There´s nothing wrong with Motley
Crue or G´n´R (they used to inspire me a lot back in days) but I prefer do something which hasn´t been
already done. Thats why we are here...And I´m not saying we´re that unique, and it´s not even our goal, but
we´re trying to create something which sounds like us. Which sounds like Deadbabes.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Whitout my father who used to listen Alice Cooper when I was 4 or 5 years old or something, I think I´d never
fell in love with rock music. There´s something magical in AC`s 70´s records. But mr. Cooper hasn´t inspired
Deadbabes music so much. As a singer and performer I think I´ve been inluenced more by David Gahan,
Bono, Ian Astbury (the Cult) and maybe little bit Elvis Presley the king.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Positives first...there is not so many of them. After all it only depends on what you do and what you want to
do. I think finnish mainstream music scene is very, very pervert. Big less-talented red necks who sing old
favourites, sell like hell. And then, mostly because of format radio stations, there´s more and more worse
artists and bands, who are trying to sound like something which is done in US or somwhere else about 3-
4years ago. It´s very frightening... And then negatives...It´s very difficult to get airplay or anything else, even
gigs in festivals if you´re not in a major record label. Then other little thing which pisses me off a bit is that
there are no managers in Finland. Well there´s few who have some kind of connections to outside Finland,
but others have none. So they´re worth of nothing.
So we are looking for a Manager or management outside Finland right now. If you know any, let us know...
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
I´ve done it once or twice in my old bands. I tried to change their ways into something what we are doing
right now. But it was all useless... Of course you have to develope your music and yourself all the time. And
inprove your songs and only try to make them much better than ones you´ve already done. I´m looking
forward to combine styles and sounds and improve myself that way. Of course whatever we´ll do it always
has to sound Deadbabes.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We are perfoming live almost every weekend and after our debut ep "the Drug" was released we even did a
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little tour. Touring and performing live is the only thing why I´m making music. Of course we are trying to put
together the best dark pop album ever. But all the things which come along with touring are THE things that
keeps me going on and keeps me alive too. But for how long...I don´t know..guess I party far too hard when
touring.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Best moment is, of course, the moment when you´re holding new album in your hands. Everything before
that is just work, work and work..but I love it and I couldn´t live without it.
Why?
Because mainly the whole process just gives us grey hair and makes us fight with each other. But that´s
life...
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
There´s no stupid questions... Oh, I can´t name you one ´cause I listen so many different styles and bands.
You can´t compare for example Depeche Mode and Outkast, or The Cure and Madonna. There´s load of
good songs when you just open up your ears and mind...
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Verenpisara
Santeri from Verenpisara
When and how was your band created?
The band was created at year 01 when signing a record deal with BMG Finland. I had been working with our
singer Rami Raski creating music to his poems since year 99. We started just with piano and vocals playing
very artistical and teatherical music. One point I started to arrange our music more rockier direction and
pretty soon after that we got that record deal.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I have always been exited about Led Zeppelin and David Bowie, I also like Finnish artist Vesa Matti Loiris
albums from 70s when he was singing the famous folk poets Eino Leinos poems. I´ve always liked the early
80s heavy rock a lot too.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Negative side: It´s hard to make a living in such a small country and Finnish people are always very
suspicious about everything, so it might take some time to get respect as a musician or as a band.
Positive side: It´s such a small scene here in Finland, so you can easily get to know a lot of people working
with music, and if you have a some talent to make music and you are ready to really work hard with it, it
should not be impossible to try to make it somehow as a musician.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
If so, what style of music would you choose?
Well we have made 2 albums and we are still doing the basic work (trying to find the big audience and play a
lot of shows) with this band so it´s not a time or a place to think about changing style of music. Maybe we
could explore a little bit to ambience music directions such as Portishead. Maybe use more keyboards too.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
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I like the moment when I get the single or the album to my own hand and I can put it in my CD shell. I think
it´s a ending point to one srtessfull period and after that the fun part with all the gigs (and hopefully tours)
start!
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
David Bowie: Space oddity.
I don´t know why, maybe because it such a good song and the idea of the lyrics is great! I was 7 years old
when my big-sister played it all day long, I was playing some small war scenario in my room and got exited
about that song for rest of my life.
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All Stars
Aksu Blackrider from All Stars
When and how was your band created?
It started almost 10 years ago, as Aksu Blackrider (that's me) met his future wife Mary Christmas. We
decided to do music together. Mary was one hell of a singer, and I am one hell of a guy.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
It is definitely the music that I heard when I was a little kid listening to the stuff that was listened at home by
my parents: that would be music by M.A. Numminen, Piirpauke, 60's pop/rock etc. Everything that had a bit
of an obscure and weird touch to it affected me the most. The situation has been the same ever since.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
I don't recommend this business to anybody. It sucks ass deeply. The only positive thing is band called
Negative, but it's not too positive thing either.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Our music changes all the time from one song to another. We cover pretty much all the music known to
mankind: we have reggae, heavy, pop, progressive and jazzy tunes. If we are about to change the music
completely, we'd need to change the line-up of All Stars, or get rid of all of us and let Mary Christmas
perform these songs with acoustic guitar alone.
That would mean certain change in the sound. The music changes only as we change. It does change all the
time because we are lost in the music business, and we are lost as human beings. We are the driving in the
lost highway of pop music. We are different every day. Yesterday I spotted our drummer wearing a wig and a
Mussolini-mask.
In my dreams I play with big orchestra behind us. You can spot a grand piano and a kettledrum on the stage.
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
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We don't do that much gigs. It is not possible at the time as most of us are working or studying. I would like
to play a bit more often, but to bigger audiences in more professional stages. Well, who wouldn't? To me All
Stars is a band that should play in bigger stages, so that we could fulfill our dreams that were mentioned in
the earlier answer.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
The best moment is to realize that something good has just happened with the song. Something that has just
been recorded kinda saves and justifies the whole song.
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song?
What a stupid question indeed!! I choose California dreamin` by the Mama's and the Papas. It has all in it:
nice composition, great lyrics performed by an excellent band. The vocals are rather amazing, and so are the
harmonies on the background.
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J. Karjalainen
When and how did you decide to become a musician?
In 1980 I just wanted to make a single record as a keepsake for myself and here we are! I didn´t decide
anything.Things just happened.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Maybe the old country bluesmen like Robert Johnson and Mississippi John Hurt. As a teenager I listened to
old recordings and tried to learn how to play guitar. J.J. Cale was another great influence.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Positive: A guy like me can hit the top of the charts.
Negative: -
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
If so, what style of music would you choose?
Sometimes I´ve tried, but it always sounds the same! Music is like hand writing. You can`t change it, not
even if you want to.
I don´t think about any styles when I`m playing or making new songs. I just do everything that sounds good
to me.
During the process of making an album or a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Maybe the greatest moment in the songwriting process is to come up with a good text idea which suits the
music. The music comes very naturally to me. The right words are harder to find.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listeningin your life the best song?
I´ve heard hundreds of the world's best songs in my life.
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Eläkeläiset
Onni from Eläkeläiset
When and how was your band created?
The band was created/invented 1993 while we were playing with our "main" band Kumikameli at Lapua,
which is a small patriotic hillbilly town in western Finland. After Kumikameli gig we were drinking heavily and
later tried to "jam" but were too drunk to play anything else than blues or humppa.
Blues is shit so played humppa. First song we tried was Kiss song "Rock'n roll all-night (party everyday)". We
noticed that it sounded very funny so played some more and more and more... First gig was in Provinssirock
festival the same year.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Of course old Finnish humppa-artists like Humppatyttö Berit, Humppaveikot, Pispalan laulava pystytukka
Pauli Räsänen and Solistiyhtye Suomi, but many modern punk, ska, heavy and speed metal bands have
influenced us too. That's where the energy, power, speed and attitude come from. We're the fastest
humppaband in the universe, or should we say humppaverse.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
There are no positive aspects of being a musician in Finland, at least when you're a humppa musician. The
backrooms are cold and dirty, no food except potatoes, 1 bottle of warm beer / musician and the money's no
good.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
No, not really. This style suits us perfectly. If we we're forced to change our style of music, probably we
would play heavy metal or reggae.
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We don't play so much in Finland anymore. The stadiums here are so small.
We tour twice a year in Europe, mainly in Germany, Austria, Holland and nowadays in Switzerland too.
Personally I like playing live, you play 2 hours and then you can go home or hotel to drink and party. In
studio you have to struggle for days and days, that's boring...
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
When the album reaches the top of album charts!
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There's five guys in the band and I don't know exactly what the other listen but we do have some common
favourites like Kiss, Kraftwerk, Aarne Tenkanen, Simo Salminen, Jaakko Teppo, Children of Bodom, Tarot,
Ramones, Motörhead, Die Komedie Harmonisten, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, SOD, Rammstein...
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song?
My all-time favourite might be old "Kiss" song "Going blind" or "Mutkattomat" song "Jätkän humppa" or
"B52's" song "Rock lobster".
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Elliot
Antti from Elliot
When and how was your band created?
Elliot was created year 1997 in a small factory town (in the west coast of Finland) called Raahe. A group of
friends just started to play for fun. There wasn't much else to do in that town at that time so we just played
and played. We borrowed guitars and stuff. Somehow we felt what we were doing was important straight
from the beginning.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
We all like so different kind of music that it isn't easy to say. One reporter said that we are illegitimate child of
U2 and Radiohead. Maybe there's some truth in that.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Finland is so small country that it isn't too hard to stand out as a potential newcomer. Maybe that's the most
positive part in Finland's music scene. On the other hand musicians are not as respected as they should be
in here. It comes out in everything. But it seems that we are slowly learning the possibilities of music industry
in global markets and I hope that will ease our work in local scenes too in near future.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Our style comes out pretty naturally. We don't much think that kind of things.
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Yes we tour. We prefer performing live. It's hard to capture all the sound in studio. It would be really nice to
play in France. It's one of our dreams.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
I think we prefer the moment when it's finished and we can play it out to the people.
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A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song?
I can't say. It depends of feelings. U2's "One" is one of my favourites.
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Cosmobile
Tuomas from Cosmobile
When and how was your band created?
The band started in 1996. The three of us had been jamming together for a while and then we just decided to
form a real band. We had known eachother for about ten years already, went to the same class in school
and stuff like that.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Well, there's a whole bunch of them! I try to keep my ears open to every direction, listening everything from
electronica to world music, from the 50's to today's new music. But if you think of Cosmobile, there are some
bands that have perhaps had more influence on our sound than others. I used to listen to bands like Fugazi
and Karate a lot a few years back. I guess that affected to what we did at that time, although we've always
been quite melodic. Recently, I've been listening to more danceable stuff, the early postpunk bands like
Liquid Liquid and Talking Heads for example, and some African popular music.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
The good thing about the Finnish scene being so small is that it's pretty easy to get to know everyone and
get yourself heard, at least in the underground scene. The negative thing is that Finland is so small that there
are only the few big cities where you can have shows and find people who will be interested in this type of
music. You can tour for a week or two and that'll be it.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
Hmm. Maybe it would be best to start another band in that case. I'd love to have at least 20 projects going on
at the same time, but I guess it's a matter of time and energy.
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We used to tour regularly. Now we're having a break. I like them both, although I've never been fully
comfertable in studio.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Well. I guess it should be the moment when you have the whole thing ready. But I think then you should feel
fully satisfied with it and I'm not sure if I've had that kind of feeling ever.
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What kind of music / What artists do you currently listen?
Well, as I said I try to listen to as many types of music as I can. I've been listening to different world musics a
lot recently. And the danceable stuff of the postpunk era, the wonderful "New York Noise" compilation from
Soul Jazz for example.
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song?
Argh! Too difficult to decide. There are so many good songs out there.
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Lullacry
Sami from Lullacry
When and how was your band created?
It was year 1997 when first Lullacry line-up got together. Lullacry has always been Helsinki- based band. We
had played five years before that with Sauli Kivilahti but the first Lullacry demo was came out in 1998. Since
that we we´ve changed line-up couple of times but now it seems to be strong enough to conquer the world,
hahhaa.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Bacically, 70´s and 80´s heavy rock, I think. I´ve always been a big fan of bands like Kiss, Wasp, Black
Sabbath, Cult, Motley Crue and so on. When it comes to guitarists that have influenced me, I would mention
THE Zakk Wylde, Steve Vai, Tony Iommi just to name couple cool six-string ( or seven like Vai).
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
You can get all the coolest chicks.. hahaha. Positive aspects are definitely that you can make lots of friends
when you are "hanging in the scene". Negative aspect is that you can´t make hardly any money by being a
musician, but that´s not a big thing If you just love what you do.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
We haven´t considered that, but If it would be A MUST, I would like to play some really heavy music like
Haunted, Soilwork or Entombed (all Swedish bands, shit, hahaha) or on the other hand one of the biggest
challenge would be to write a perfect pop song.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
I love both. maybe 60 % for the live. We haven´t toured in Europe so much yet, but hopefully in the near
future!! After every album we´ve made a big Finnish tour. Also we have done some festivals f.ex. in Italy and
USA.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Getting the Master CD on my hands is definitely the most enjoyable moment, but in general I have to admit
that I love every second when creating music. Sometimes it can be very frustrating but you have to turn that
negative energy to positive. And if that won´t help, then just go out and have a beer (or ten), haha.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Tough question, almost impossible to answer.. It can be Alice in Chains´s "Down In A Hole", Madonna´s
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"Live To Tell" or, Pride & Glory´s "Horse Called War" or some Black Sabbath or..or..or..or ***** this!!! It´s
"Heaven´s on Fire" by the almighty KISS!! or it can be... hahahaha.
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XL
Jarmo from XL
When and how was your band created?
Arttu (vibes) and I ran into each other around 1991 and became musical soulmates. All the four original
members of XL studied at the Sibelius Academy Jazz Department in the early nineties.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Wide variety: The music on Tim Burton and David Lynch films for sure. Also Sibelius, Pekka Pohjola, The
Police, DJ Shadow, Kent, Steps ahead, Mozart, the projects of Dave Grohl, early Genesis, the more
experimental side of U2. The career of Radiohead has also been an inspiration to follow. The result of these
"arty" yet at the same time mainstream influences is hopefully
unique.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Our (mainly) instrumental music has international potential on marginal scenes. We have some sort of cult
following in Finland and are happy to make albums and tour mainly here, but it would also be a thrill to
perform more outside Finland.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
If so, what style of music would you choose?
Every album and composition we have recorded has had some sort of theme or dogma to make it somehow
unique. The result may not have been obvious, but we have experimented with electronics, orchestral
arrangements, riffs, ambient music and just about anything we are interested in. Since we have freedom, we
want to use it. We still want to maintain certain "XL esthetics" in whatever we do. To be honest, I do not know
the next step yet.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Studio is great place to document our growth as a band and the albums will last basically forever, but we all
love doing concerts. The atmosphere is so concentrated, yet full of energy. We actually played in Paris in
1998 and it was magic. We hope to do it again some time. Tomi is our manager when it comes to gigs and
he has become very good at it!
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
I enjoy composing, but it is also great to bring the material to the other guys to hear and play. What I
REALLY like is to record little colorful details and effects just before mixing to create this other level of
sounds underneath the songs. We created such layers with Arttu on our latest VISUAL-album in a more
acoustic and experimental way than ever before.
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Wes Montgomery, Beach boys. You name it!
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
"Runaway boys" by Stray Cats. It is the reason I picked up guitar, formed my first band and started writing
music. It's even better than "Love Supreme" by John Coltrane! Listen to "Glam" on VISUAL and you will find
nice preference.
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Kitkerät Neitsyet
Leena from Kitkerät Neitsyet
When and how was your band created?
A group of us, Vappu, Eveliina, Leena and Katariina (left since) prepared some cover songs for a party in 97.
When we were looking for suitable numbers to perform, we ended up making a couple of songs of our own.
People asked to hear the new made songs, and the whole thing got out of hand. The year after we had a
version of our band together (Herzu, Juha, Markus and Perza, left since) and had our first official gig on
vappu-eve, 1st of May, at Tampere student house.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Vappu, Herzu, Antti, and Markus have been writing our songs, and we are burning to hear the songs coming
up from Juha and Ruttu. We all have a different set of favourite music. This brings us to a musical cocktail of
styles. Obviously, as children our ears bathed in the music of 70's and early 80's with all the pop and political
flavours there were.
When it comes to lyrics, bards such as Mikko Perkoila have set us a path to follow.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
For our generation it's definitely a plus that we have been able to follow a certain education in music, and
that it's relatively easy, cheap and popular to have music as a hobby. When it comes to breaking through, it's
probably easier to get heard in a small community. As for negative aspects, it would be quite a challenge to
make ends meet as a professional musician.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Well, since the style isn't fixed we do it all the time. If Markus, our guitarist got to decide, it would be all heavy
metal, our basist Herzu would make it all latino. Thank god for democracy.
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Touring and performing is the whole point of the show. Since it's more about lyrics and great atmosphere
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than sounds polished to their purest perfection, the gigs are definitely the most rewarding part of the process.
And it is absurd but hilarious to spend time with these fellows.
Regularity is not a word to use in context of the Bitter Virgins. Well yes, we do practice quite regularly, but
our gigs come following their own flow. That means there may be a couple of months with all week-ends and
some week nights booked in a row and then nothing for a long time. That does suite us most of the time,
since everybody in the band has their daily professions to pull through.
During the process of making a song or an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Personally, I love most the moment when a new song is first played to a live audience. Next best is the
moment when it is introduced to the band and it only starts to take form. Making an album takes enormously
time and effort, but nevertheless it is lovely to spend time with your friends in the studio and be totally
immersed in the process. It's everything around studio time that is totally nerve wracking.
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song?
This question remains open ended by its impossibility. So many songs have so much power that it is out of
reach to pick one.
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Jazz
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U Street All Stars
Timo from U Street All Stars
When and how was your band created?
Band was created during the late 2000 on the jam-sessions, which were held weekly in a loft in U-
Street(Uudenmaankatu= a street in a center of Helsinki).
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I´ve listened lot´s of 50-60 jazz. I think that major influences are coming from that era. Great masters like
Charlie Parker, Miles Davis(and his different bands which all included great musicians), Sonny Rollins,
Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Stanley Turrentine.
I also like a lot oldschool funk- and soulmusic, artist like James Brown, Stewie Wonder, Maceo Parker.. just a
pick few names.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Finland is such a small country that it´s very difficult to make a living as a jazzmusician. There isn´t too many
jazzclubs and not so much audience for jazz. So as a freelance-musician you have to do all kinds of gigs and
play all kinds of styles. If you don´t have problem with that, you can work a lot. I quess the average wege
level is also little bit higher than in the mid-europe in general.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Totally no, but I quess that I won´t be playing or making music at the same way after 10 years. I hope there
will be some progress also in a style.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Yes. Prefer doing it live in front of the audience.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Our album "Helsinki Session" was made so that we played 8 gigs tour and after that went straight to studio.
For us it was the best way to do it. Tunes were in good shape after tour and we succeeded to record some
live-feel to album.
What kind of music / What artists do you currently listen?
When ever I have time for listening it´s some old jazz or soul recording. Can´t really give any names, try to
keep my ears open for the new stuff as well.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
That´s really impossible question for me to answer. For me it´s been always difficult to put songs in order.
Music is not a race...
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Do you use computers or home studios during the process of making an album or a song?
Not for making music. In a process of mixing and editing an album only.
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Ahava
Mia Simanainen from Ahava
When and how was your band created?
Ahava was put together when rehearsing for our first concert in March 1999.
I collected the musicians.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
There are so many different influences and they have varied from time to time. First, I think, it was mainly
classical music that inspired me, then some pop singers and as I became more familiar with jazz I first
listened to Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Keith Jarrett.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Same than almost everywhere if you represent "minority music". In Finland we just don't have enough people
to listen to different styles of jazz and new music. In others, music-making can happen at very intimate
stages, which is nice.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
There is no possibility for that, because I am creating music which reflects my own personality -it's not easily
changeable. But I love e.g. soul music which is very different from my own style.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
I love to work in a studio and I love to perform. the possibilities for both are rare. So I would not say I tour
regularly but as often as possible.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
I love every moment, it really is a dream coming true, when I have a possibility to sing, perform and record
my own music.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
There is not such as the best song. But ten years ago I would have named Keith Jarrett's My Song to be
probably the best. Today it could be a Vince Mendoza-arrangement of Maurice Ravel's Pavane recorded by
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the WDR orchestra, solos played by David Liebman and Charlie Mariano!
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Rinneradio
Tapani Rinne from Rinneradio
When and how did you decide to become a musician / singer?
When I was a teenager, it just happened. I had been playing saxophone in school bands and also studying
clarinet at concervatoire. So, it was a natural decision. Sometimes, I think, it might be cooler to be a singer,
but on the other hand, I love instrumental music.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
There are so many: Rolling Stones, Weather Report, Mozart, Aretha Frankling, Jan Garbarek, Massive
Attack, Björk, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, Sibelius, Joni Mitchell, Johnny Cash, Underworld... and
hundreds of others, too many to mention in an interview.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Positive: Beautiful nature , even in Helsinki.
If you are good - have a name and reputation, at least - you have great possibilities to get grants. That helps
you to consentrade in your own work.
Negative: Because of small population, the market in Finland is very limited. Record sales are low and so on.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Well, I just do what I have to do - musically. And I hope that my music is changing and developing all the
time, little by little. But I would not choose the opera music, never.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
When I´m touring I miss working in the studio. When I´m working in the studio I miss playing live. It´s difficult
to reach the balance.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
It must be something from Massive Attack because they make so powerful and emotional songs. Tear Drops
or Risington or Unfinished...?
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Jenny Robson
When and how did you decide to become a musician?
I have always known that I would become a musician but to become a jazzmusician hit me in college when I
heard some jazz recordings. Then I knew that jazz is my music and that voice would be my main instrument.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
There are so many, but to mention few: Herbie Hancock, Sarah Vaughan, Keith Jarret, Wayne Shorter, Miles
Davis, Carmen McRae, Chick Corea, Cannonball Adderley, Nancy Wilson.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
There aren't that many jazz clubs to play in. But then again because the scene is pretty small, if you're active
you get gigs quite easily.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
I have an a cappella jazz group where I sing and that music is totally different. The group is called
JimJamMurMur and it is a group of four top Finnish jazz singers and our main thing is vocal improvisation. It
has more ethereal sounds and free-improvisational parts too. It is the total opposite of my own bands music.
I like all kinds of styles and music and if I get an idea of something new I just do a new project with new
musicians and see where it goes. That's the fun part of being a musician.
During the process of making an album or a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Actually the best moment is when I take my new song to the band rehearsals and I get to hear how it sounds
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with whole band. It always sounds better because the musicians are so good. Then I feel that I've done
something. It is really awarding.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
This is really impossible to answer. I love many songs because of many reasons.. Some songs have great
lyrics and some songs have great melodies and harmonies...so I can't say one particular.
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Soul
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Huba
Tuomas from Huba
When and how was your band created?
Our band was formed in the summer 2001. I started up with the pianist Tuomo Prättälä and saxophonist
Janne Huttunen, with whom I had been working earlier. Rests of the people to join were mainly their
musician friends and colleagues. First I wanted to have a little combo, but we ended up with a nonet or
sometimes even a tentet (the wonderful percussionist Zarkus Poussa often plays on our gigs).
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
In the genre we are involved with (soul-funk) my greatest idols are Sly Stone and Curtis Mayfield. In the
broader area of Afro-American music I love Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Muddy Waters, Ray Charles, Aretha
Franklin, Leon Thomas and many others. Outside the Afro-American genre I've been influenced by a lot of
stuff, maybe not always as far as making music is concerned, but when you slowly start understanding
something new, it always fills you with the feeling of wonder and inspiration. Indian classical music was such
a revelation to me, also the music of the great American modern composer Steve Reich. It also took a long
time for me to understand the beauty of a 'simple song' (there's a Sly Stone hit called Sing a Simple Song.)
For a long time I always wanted to hear something very original, but now days I can appreciate the beauty of
simplicity. My wife recently introduced me to the music of Cat Stevens; his stuff is a great example of
crystallized simplicity.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
I don't consider myself a professional musician, so I might not be the right person to answer this. There are
lots of wonderful musicians in Finland, and I'm proud that there are such musicians playing in Huba. There's
a vibrant musical scene going on (positive) but it's quite small (negative).
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
No, I don't think we would go that far, but it would be fun to do some Finnish tangos with the band some
day... There's a possibility that we could start taking more modern black music influences in our music,
though, hip-hop mainly. But to me jazz, soul and hip-hop are pretty much the same stuff.
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We've had some really nice gigs lately, the Funky Elephant-festival and Kerava-jazz the other Friday. Live
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performance is ideal for our kind of music, in the studio it's a challenge to get that live feeling.
During the process of making a song or an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
When you've just finished a song and you're satisfied with it. That lasts for about a week and afterwards it
starts to sound worse and worse... 'Why did I do it like this, why didn't I...?'
A stupid question but... what is, among all the songs you've been listening in your life, the best
song?
Aargh! Hard... the best song... it has to be a song that has moved me more than any other song, all other
things (melody, harmony, lyrics etc...) are irrelevant at the end of the day. I can't name one, I have to do a
top 5. And still, world is flooding with fantastic songs.
1) Mr. Bojangles (especially when sang by Nina Simone) - I get cold shivers just writing the name of this
song.
2) Silent Night, Holy Night - it's a Song with a HUGE S. The melody is so simple, yet there's no other melody
like this one, it's a very moving melody, not even corrupted by all the abuse of commercials and such.
3) Bob Marley: No Woman No Cry. This is a song that everybody seems to understand somehow. (Though
some think it means that no woman equals no crying).
4) Sly Stone: Sing a Simple Song. They use the word genius very lightly, but I think Sly Stone if anybody was
a genius. This is pure vitality and mirth.
5) Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: Allah Hu - This song means God Is. One gets quite convinced.
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Hip-hop
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Giant Robot
When and how was your band created?
Giant Robot started in the mid-90s, going through various names before settling on Giant Robot. It was just
three or four people jamming on simple hip hop riffs for 15 minutes at a time. Three of the original members
are still in the band: Petro, Tuomas & Aleksi. It used to be a loose collective with anything from 8 to 15
members...nowadays it's more of a band with 6 members and a couple of satellites.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Me personally...I started playing guitar because of the blues (Muddy Waters, Hound Dog Taylor, Albert
Collins, etc). Punk bands like Bad Brains, Clash, Black Flag were a major thing. Funkadelic/Parliament was
an important discovery, as was Public Enemy and, through them, hip hop in general. I also like a lot of older
country music, stuff like Tom Waits...this list could go on forever.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Positive: due to the relatively small and isolated nature of the market, musicians here tend to make music for
reasons other than a desire for stardom. We have no real rockstars. Maybe a few people will pretend, but
they are full of shit.
Negative: Making a living playing music is hard, which means that you can't concentrate on it as much as
you'd like.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
We don't consider anything in Giant Robot. We let the music take its course. We convey it. I do other things
that interest me in other bands, as does everyone else in Giant Robot. Robot is a very organic process.
The last album deals with the life cycle of a relationship within this frame. If you take out the first song, the
rest of them tell a cohesive story.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We don't tour much, though we like playing live. In the future we will try to play out more.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Those moments after 0200 when everyone is tired enough to free associate and just try crazy stuff.
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bands like Queens Of The Stone Age and Unida, a Finnish band called Sunride, some doom metal bands
like Electric Wizard and Reverend Bizarre.
So lots of heavy guitars.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
I think this changes a lot. Right now I'd say it's Billie jean by Michael Jackson:)
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Don Johnson Big Band
When and how was your band created?
There was never really a moment when we decided to "start a band". We met each other in the mid-to-late
90's, in high school and later through our studies, and just started making music together for fun. It was
something new to all of us and something we enjoyed. So there was no intention to "become professional" or
get into the music business -- just individual songs, one after another, that needed our attention. And
eventually there were enough for a whole album.
We proceeded to produce the album -- "Support de Microphones", a nice French name which can easily be
misread as a kind of slogan in English as well -- ourselves, from start to finish, hoping to cover the expenses
and sell maybe half of the first 500 copies to our friends. And their friends. And our families. And their
friends. We even found the courage to walk into some small record stores in Helsinki to ask them if they
would consider selling the album. Then, somehow, word slowly began to spread, and those same five record
stores called asking for five more copies. Ten more. Twenty more.
Now, a little over two years later, the album has sold close to 10,000 copies, and we've played close to a
hundred gigs all over Finland. So I guess now we have a band even though we never decided to start one.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
A great variety. We all have some similar tastes and some very different tastes in music. In terms of jazz or
classical music or hip hop, most of us can probably agree on some artists -- be it Miles Davis or John
Coltrane, Dmitri Shostakovich or Claude Debussy, The Roots or Gangstarr. But that's about it. We could go
on with a list of a hundred artists or bands varying from country to jazz, pop to hip hop, reggae to heavy
metal, blues to dub etc. etc.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
It's hard to make any comparisons with other countries, because we only know what it's like in Finland. On
the positive side, it's a small country, and even completely unknown or marginal bands can "break through"
and find an audience for their music. On the negative side, it's a small country, and it has its limits. There are
only so many clubs in a country of this size, and within a couple of years it's easy to get the feeling you've
seen them all. But for us it's definitely been a good place to grow. As people and as a band.
Teppo Mäkynen, who is a fantastic drummer and a good friend of the band, recently called our style "special
music". So I guess record stores will just have to put us in the "special music" section.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
All four of us would probably choose a different one and start our own bands. Then we could get back
together again when we're 60 years old and play country.
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What are stories/topics you tell/treat in your songs?
Anything at all, I hope. All stories are worth telling, no matter how small or insignificant. Some songs have a
kind of vague social message, and they can be seen very generally as defending human values over
material values. Some stories are distinctly "urban tales", or just random thoughts about what living in
Helsinki feels like.
A lot of songs don't have a story or theme, because they are all about word play, about form and not content.
On the first album, most of the writing consists of scattered images and thoughts with no clear aim. For me,
song writing has been more about sparking thoughts or images or emotions in the listener than it has been
about storytelling. In the future, we hope to be able to tell more stories too.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer? Why?
Maybe the phase in which a song is just beginning to find its final form and everybody is coming up with
crazy new ideas. Things happen fast, and different ideas are tried one after another. When that spontaneity
eventually fades out during the night, we're usually left with the most boring and certainly the hardest part:
going through the recorded tracks and trying to decide what to leave out from the final mix.
On a more general level, like most technology, it only offers you tools. The way those tools are being used is
another issue altogether. The copyright issues that have risen due to the birth of peer-to-peer application
infrastructures like Napster are of course an important topic of discussion, but the truth is that people have
made illegal copies of music performances for their own use for a long time -- be it cassettes, cd's, minidiscs
or mp3. You can't really blame the technology for all the different ways it can be used.
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Beats and Style
Dj Control from Beats and Style
When and how was your band created?
We're not a real band in the traditional sense. Beats and Styles is a project of two producers / DJs (DJ Alimo
and DJ Control). DJ Alimo started promoting underground drum'n'bass events and clubs in Helsinki in the
mid-90's. Me (DJ Control) was also playing at these parties and I hooked up with Alimo and started to work
in the promotion as well.
In 2000 we started to produce music together, though both of us had been doing it since the early 90's. After
releasing some underground 12'' material from UK dance labels, we wanted to get the drum'n'bass sound to
the radio airwaves in Finland. So, we did the first drum'n'bass with Finnish vocals on it. We got the whole
project signed to BMG Finland and we released it as Alimo&Control. The album got a really good response
and a lot of airplay in the radio.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
There's too many to list them all, but here's a few: Bob Marley, Afrika Bambaataa, King Tubby, Lee Perry,
Marvin Gaye... and about a million others!
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Good thing is that it's not so difficult to get your stuff out there and distributed. It's still relatively easy to get in
touch with the labels etc.
Bad thing is that because you're from Finland, it's 10 times harder to try to break through internationally than
it would be if you were for example from Sweden.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
With us this question is little bit irrelevant, since we're changing our style every five minutes. We just make
music out of inspiration and not thinking too much about the genre we'd have to follow - it's our own music
style after all, and we can do whatever we like!
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Both sides are good. We're in the studio all the time, making new music, creating new vibes. It's performing
when we really get to see the interaction with the people. But I think that in 20 years time I'll still be making
music in the studio, but I'm not so sure if I'll still go play out...
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer? Why?
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The best part is definately the part when we get an idea for a new song and we start working it. It's like we're
on fire. The best times are when we get the whole thing together really fast and all the blocks just seem to go
into the right places automatically - you know, we'll get the idea, make the rhythms, the melodies and the
harmonies, get the groove and get some good vocals on it.... even though the song still is going to go
through a lot of production, it's still great to hear your idea taking form on the spot.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Too many to mention. There's just some songs that give you some emotinal vibes. Usually it's not so much
about the song, but also about the memories that I get when I hear it. And I'm not talking about just ballads
or anything, it can be a really hard minimalistic drum'n'bass tune as well!
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Jonny Bro
When and how did you decide to become a musician?
I always wanted to become a musician but I really didn't decide that. Everything just happend.
First I just played guitar. After that I got into computers and made some tracks with it just for me. Then I
started to copy tracks for my friends. Then one day I got change to make a remix for Giant Robot (they were
signed on hawaii sounds / spinefarm back then). Now I'm producing for biggest hip hop -names in Finland
and made also some tracks with Rza from Wu-Tang Clan, Tha Liks, Freestyle and so on. Everything just
happend step by step. I also got my own Silver Club Studio now.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Three biggest got to be: Liam Howlett (from Prodigy), DJ Shadow and The Rza. Then comes DJ Krush, DJ
Muggs, OutKast, Fatboy Slim and so on..
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Positive is the music itself. Negative is that Finland is so small country that you gotta be almost the biggest
star if you wanna eat and get paid. That's why I gonna go abroad with my shit. Sad thing is also those jelous
mafuckas who don't even listen music. They just talk shit of you and your music.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
I change my style all the time. Not that big changes tho but you always gotta go forward with your music.
Otherwise you and listeners get bored. It's nothing to me to make a punk record. Actually that's one things
that I wanna do someday.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Yeah I got gigs all the time with different people. I'm doing my own gigs, Ezkimo gigs, Skandaali gigs,
Urbaanilegenda gigs etc.. Right now we're goin to RDN-Tour in Finland. Over 14 gigs.
During the process of making an album or a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
It's the moment when the whole world fades from your mind and only thing you got there is that track you're
working with. That is a beautiful thing.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Can't say the best. I would sit right here straight 24 hours listening dope songs and still I couldn't decide. But
one song that moved me a lot recently is "The Last Emperor featuring Too Poetic & Esthero - One Life".
That's one of the last songs Too Poetic did before he succumb to cancer.
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That really got me drop some of my deadly habits.
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Ritarikunta
Chyde from Ritarikunta
When and how was your band created?
I guess we started as a group sometime around the year 1999 -2000. We (at least most of us) first met
around '97 in a legendary club in Turku called Funky Kitchen. I was one of the resident DJ's there, and
Hopee was a regular guest on the open mic -sessions.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
That'd be a long list. Of course, there are the pioneering names in hiphop like KRS ONE, Gangstarr, PE...
Outkast, Snoop's earlier (and the latest) work, Masta Ace, Just Ice, Artifacts, AG&Showbiz, Del... Myself and
Hopee have been hardcore hiphop -fans for the most part of our lives, while Jesse for example has a history
of playing instruments even in heavy-metal bands, as well as having listened to reggae at a very young age.
I was also introduced to the sounds of reggae just a few years after I got into hiphop, and the last years have
brought a lot of reggae back in to my life again. I guess black music in general is the main influence in our
work, because hiphop itself is a melting pot of different rhythms and sounds, most of them from the african-
american background. Our last album had a strong dub-feeling to several of it's songs also.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
It's both positive and negative thing to have a fairly small music-industry. Although a few names have had
their "breaks" outside Finland in the last few years, the business can just barely be called "business" here.
The average finnish person buys about 1 record a year, and since we are nation of 5000 000, the sales can't
get too high.
Of course this leads to a situation where it's difficult to get a record-deal, but at the same time it works for the
artist's freedom of expression. It's not very common in Finland to have record -companies dictating their
artists style and so on..
Also if you have a contract with the finnish copyright -organisation TEOSTO, and get your material played on
major radio/TV -stations, you're pretty sure to get your share of the money also. There are problems to that
also, and many of the upcoming hiphop -artists for instance have not made a contract with TEOSTO, since
you won't get anything from them when your music is played by more independent radio -stations for
example.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
No, I've never really thought of that.. But it wouldn't sound bad to me to do a reggae -record, or even try
something like blues or folk... Well, maybe not those in the very near future anyway...
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with a dub -feeling, and the lyrics are about the ridiculous hassle we are living with nowadays. Everyone's in
a hurry to nowhere. You just have to run like hell all the time. No, we don't think you do.
We usually start the gigs with this song, like trying to calm the audience down, and at the same time getting
them introduced to our sound, and inviting them to a relaxed dance.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We do some gigs a month. It suits us well, as we all have quite a lot of other things goin' on in lives also,
which is nice. But I guess all of us love performing live, yes. There's so much feeling there every time, and
especially when you get to improvise a little, performing variations of the material. And a good hiphop -jam is
always worth a travel of 500miles...
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer? Why?
I think it's every moment I get a line working. So to me it's during the writing of the lyrics. The birth of a single
line that is working properly may feel better than the completion of a whole album.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
can NOT name just one. These are some:
Massive Attack: Unfinished Sympathy (the whole feeling, the sound)
Bob Marley&The Wailers: Redemption song (lyrics, Bob's vocal sound)
The Clash: Straight to hell (lyrics mostly)
Barry White: Can't get enough of your love
Funkdoobiest: Lost in thought
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Hamara
When and how did you decide to become a musician?
I have been making music with a computer since early 90's. It burst into flames when at the same time when
finnish hiphop made its second coming such as Fintelligence in late 90's.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Broad scale of musicians have had influence on my music like Cypress Hill, Run D.MC.
Also all the 80's heavy metal bands for example Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Wasp.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in
Finland)?
Finland was pretty distant place before Internet for independent musician to publish music. So www enabled
artist to reach wider audience and also be influenced by other artist.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
As I told before I´m a big fan of old school metal music, so I´d probably make some sort of move towards
fantasy metal with vxxxn edge.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
At the time, I am a "studioartist" and I prefer having a total control of my music hence I perform rarely live.
During the process of making an album or a song, what is the moment that you
prefer?
When the idea of the song evolves to its perfect form.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
"Kiss the ground" by Ben Dover
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Skandaali
When and how did you decide to become a musician?
That's a funny thing, because I never actually decided to become a musician. That is, before I already was
one. I was introduced to hiphop, thanks to my friends, when I was 13 years old. My interest in it grew all the
time, I started studying the culture and writing lyrics.
Then suddenly many many years later, music was the only thing I was doing.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Many Finnish artists that I used to listen to in my childhood, such as Mikko Perkoila, Juice Leskinen, Tuomari
Nurmio and Martti Syrjä. Back then I didn't know anything about hiphop, but those artists affected my ways of
thinking and what I considered as art and lyricism.
Later on, when I got into hiphop, artists that have had the most influence on my life and my work (which I
consider being the same) are Cypress Hill, Busta Rhymes, Eminem, Pharoahe Monch, Young Zee, Big Pun
and the list goes on. It's impossible to mention all of them here.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Well I don't know whether it's a positive or a negative thing, but Finland is so small, that it's easy to become
known here. There are a lot of negative aspects, first one being the radio stations. We only have a few
stations here, and they all compete for the same audience, playing the same pop songs in a heavy rotation.
Censorship is ridiculously strict and the piracy is a big problem too, especially with hiphop. Also because of
the small population, artists performing in finnish language can't sell a lot of units if they aren't totally
mainstream.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
To be honest I've never even thought of the possibility of changing my music. This is me right here and how I
do it best. Of course my music is changing by itself by time, but I'd never change my style on purpose.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
I'm also working on our Rockin' Da North project and the tour is just starting. Including my solo plus RDN
gigs, I'm propably gonna have about 2 or 3 gigs per week until the end of the year. I love being on stage, but
I also like recording at the studio. Depends a lot on the mood. At the studio I get to create and chill, and on
the stage I get to let the steams out.
During the process of making an album or a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Whether it's the making of a song or an album, the best moment is, when you've finished it and feel that the
result is perfect. After some time when you've performed it dozens of times or heard the tracks from the
radio, you start thinkin' which parts could have been better etc.
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A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
I can't say what song would be the best ever. I listen to a lot of different types of hiphop to fit my moods.
Some songs are perfect for some moment, but don't work at all in a different situation. Well, I'll just say one
of my favourites... Eminem's "Criminal" is dope.
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Yavis
When and how did you decide to become a musician?
I had toyed with the idea since I was a kid. I played a bit of piano, guitar and drums when i was younger but
for 13 years dancing was always my main intrest. In 1994 I started street dance lessons and got acquianted
with hiphop culture. Four years later I quit dancing and being fascinated with rhythm, picked up MCing.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
positive: In my case there wasn't that much competition so it was relatively easy to come out.
Also the audience that comes to see gigs doesn't change a lot so you have to think of new ways to keep
them interested in your show.
negative: The country is so big so it's hard to reach out to people of the otherside of the country with out
touring extensively.
Do you tour regularly? Do you prefer performing your music live or in the studio?
In the past 3 years I've had about 1-5 gigs per month concentrating in the southern part of the country.
During the process of making an album or a song what is the moment that you prefer?
We have a great production team and we have a great deal of laughs. Gigs stress me far too much, theres
practically no margin for mistakes and i cant relax the way i can in the studio.
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sales. but for artists like me, who dont have that much media exposure the internet has more significant
promotional value. Especially within the hiphop genre where artist might have several sideprojects it's a great
way to promote those.
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Sere
When and how did you become a musician?
I started making demos in 1998, and was the first to release a finnish-only rap EP (Edustaa edustaa, 1998)
and the first to release a full lenght finnish hiphop-album (Omin sanoin, 2000).
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Too many to mention, so here's just a few: James Brown, Rakim, and early Sting (Bring On The Night live!).
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Positive: a chance to let someone else pay for your hobby.
Negative: a very little market. I have a dayjob, which is not so bad after all.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
No. It would't be my music anymore.
But I'd love to do a whistling album a la Roger Whittaker!
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
I do about 20-25 gigs a year. That's enough for a working father of a little baby!
You really can't compare rapping in the studio and doing it live. I like both.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
A good, rare question! It must be the moment I hear a fat delicious beat (that is meant for me) for a first time!
Another great moment is to hear your own new album from start to finish in the mastering room. You realise
it's all been worthwile and it's a priviledge to have talented people working with you.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Living Colour: "This Is The Life". I listen to it maybe twice a year and cry every time.
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Vapaapudotus
Make from Vapaapudotus
When and how was your band created?
I got together with Pekka about four years ago, when we arranged a couple of hip-hop club nights. Our first
performances consisted mostly of freestyle rapping (improvising) and some party songs, but we soon found
out that we could write more serious material as well.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
It's hard to point out any artist in particular, it's much easier to name a place and an era: east coast of United
States, years between 1993 and 1999. I consider them as the golden years of hip-hop and it was also the
time I was most enthusiastic about it.
I also have to give credit to Fintelligens for starting the new wave of Finnish hip-hop few years ago. At first I
was sceptical about writing in Finnish, but they convinced me of our language's possibilities.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
It's possible to get nation-wide attention even without a huge marketing budget. The community spirit among
musicians is great and it's easy to see that people are truly doing it for the love of music and not for the
money.
Nearly all negative aspects are somehow money-related. Only the most successful artists can support
themselves financially with record sales, promotors can't afford to pay the artists enough, everything from
transportation to equipment is expensive… the list goes on. Music will never be more than just a hobby for
me, so fortunately the negative sides don't bother me so much.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
If so, what style of music would you choose?
Me and our third member Aki secretly dream about playing heart-breaking emotional rock with two acoustic
guitars. There's only a minor obstacle: neither of us can sing or play the guitar. I'm also sure that Pekka
would hate our music and label it as "hippie crap".
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We have about 10 to 20 gigs each year. I enjoy recording and writing sessions very much, but nothing beats
the boost you get from seeing live audiences that know your songs and love them.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
The exact moment I'm at the post office ready to send the master copy of the album to the record press. The
last few days of recording are always very stressful because we tend to leave things to the last minute, so
the sense of relief is just great when the album is finally finished and out of our hands.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
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Common Sense's hip-hop classic "I Used To Love H.E.R.", because the song is very beautiful and the lyrics
are just brilliant. I keep wondering why hip-hop songs that reminisce the past times always turn out so good?
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Redrama
When and how did you decide to become a musician?
when I was 10 years old I wanted to learn to play the guitar.I started doing that and later got into jazz and
funk(all sorts of black) music. when I heard Nas, mobb deep, epmd's first albums I just knew I wanted to
write lyrics and rhyme.So Hip Hop was the definte artform for me
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Nas, Mobb Deep, DITC, the fugees, epmd, redman, scientist, Bob marley.etc..
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
There's a positive scene here, lot of alternative stuff going on.people aren't that caught up in mainstream
formats of making music.In general there's a lot of original artists/ musician here.One negative thing is that
cause of the long, cold and dark winters some people tend to write very depressing music.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music?
If so, what style of music would you choose?
I want to keep my music changing and growing all the time.If i once decide to totally change it there's allways
gonna be a hip hop feel to it.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
I love being on stage but my favourite place in the world is the studio. The feeling I get when I write songs is
hard to top.
During the process of making an album or a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
When it all comes toghether.
When my rhymes and beat just click.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Mobb Deeps shook ones.I just love the dark feel of it. I havent lived the same life but you just feel the heart
and soul in the song.
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Avoliitto
Nyric from Avoliitto
When and how was your band created?
Avoliitto was created on the spring of the year 2001. Our first song 'Onnellinen ihminen' (Happy human) was
realesed throughout our website avoliitto.net on 1st of June 2001.
You can say that Avoliitto´s creater is Dj Huiske. He invited me, MC Vaisu and some other musicans to
create this 'musical collective', which idea was to bee free from forms and copyrights and costs. Me and most
of the other guys have played together ealier in the same band, so it was quite natural that Dj Huiske asked
us to play music with him.
If you translate Avoliitto straight to english the meaning is 'open union'. This describes our form, there are no
srtict form for our band - players come and go, we have visitors in our recording.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I cannot name any artist which have made a major influnece in my work in Avoliitto. Sometimes I might take
some influences from artists which Dj Huiske asks me to listen before the recordings. For example when we
were recording 'Petos' (Cheatment) Dj Huiske played some Destiny´s Child to me and told me that I should
sound like them. I asked which of them and he told me smiling 'every of them'. You can go an listen to that
song and tell me how I managed!
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Finland is so damn small. That means less listeners, but also less competition.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
It would be nice to do some acoustic popular music for a little bit older target group. Something like our only
acoustic song Se oikea. Maby we have to start a side project...
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During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Maybe the moment when you have managed to get something very difficult in, the feeling is then 'yes yes
yes!', I managed to do that thoug it seemed to be impossible. I love recording!
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Guava
Jari from Guava
When and how was your band created?
Our bass player Juhana formed a band called "Mundane" in 1996 with his friends from school.
they soon changed the name to Guava. I was playing in other bands at that time, but saw them live and
really liked them. later on they asked me to join. Juhana played guitar and sang
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Robert Pollard from Guided by Voices and Rivers Cuomo from Weezer
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Well since this is a small and narrow minded country, you can´t make your living doing what you like in music
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
Yes I have, something like Elbow.. beats and really relaxed mood but still a structure of pop songs or some
sort of metal... I was a metal kid
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Usually after a release, there are some gigs, but now we´re just wating to make the next album
I prefer studio, cause there are more possibilites and you can always try
again
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Recording songs is like delivering babies.. (as cliché as it sounds) but when you see them grow and getting
flesh on their bones... weird.. :)
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
I can´t name one and they keep changing, but a recent song would be "you´re the storm" by Gardigans,
cause its sort of "our song" for me and my girlfriend
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Kylmä Rinki
äNTee from Kylmä Rinki
When and how was your band created?
I think it was 1994 when we first met, although it took years before we started to make
music together. Kylmä Rinki was formed in 2002 so it's a very fresh project. We have listened hiphop-music
for years now, but our first own tracks were made only last year. Writing has always acted a big role in my
life, but for me this is the first music-project I'm involved in. Boxi has been playing various instruments during
years, but for him also this is the first more serious music-project.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I have to say that we listen so much different kind of music that it's impossible to pick just a few influences,
but here are some: 2Pac, Bob Marley, Lenny Kravitz, Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, The Neptunes,
Looptroop, Ritarikunta, Jukkapoika and so on. I think music is everywhere and it has a continuous effect on
you. When we hear something interesting it can give us an idea or a vision. Some ideas can be used
afterwards in our own tracks.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
I'm not sure if we consider ourselves real musicians, but generally we've been quite happy so far. Perhaps
because we've just started our own band and everything is quite new and fascinating for us. We don't have a
record deal. That gives us a total freedom of doing music exactly the way we want to, and when we want to.
We enjoy that! We can express ourselves with no limits. But there is also the other side of the coin. If we had
a record deal it would make many things easier. I think those things would be mainly non-musical, for
example the marketing of new album. But in the near future we have to decide whether we try to get a record
deal or not. Then there is ofcourse the everlasting money problem, and especially the lack of it. It would be
nice if some day you could do music for living! At the moment it's not possible. I have my studies, and Boxi
has his own things. Those things set a certain limit to our music making.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
For me it's all about hiphop. One reason could be that I don't consider myself a very good singer. Boxi (who
is also our producer) is a very good singer so he has more options when it comes to different music styles.
He has also been in theater projects, and he really enjoys acting. One great thing about modern hiphop is
that you can combine it with different music styles, and that's something we have tried to do.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Definitely live! There's no competition between live music and studio music. We try to do as many gigs as we
can, but at the moment we do only one or two gigs per month. We would like to do more.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
We enjoy the whole process, but the best moment is when you hold the finished album in your hands.
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Why?
When you have finished the album you can lay back for a while. The biggest part of the job is therefore done.
We've noticed that when the album is finished you have to take a little distance from your songs. It takes
some time until you are ready to listen those songs again.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Hard to say because there are too many good songs. One of the best for me is 2Pac's America's Most
Wanted featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg because it was one of the first songs that really hit me. I still enjoy that
song.
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Kemmuru
Jodarock and Askim from Kemmuru
When and how was your band created?
AKSIM: We're 2 ordinary guys from different corners of Finland. I'm from Tikkakoski (which is near
Jyväskylä) and Jodarok from Joensuu. We met few years back in Jyväskylä where I held this open-air hiphop
event called Main Ingredient. Jodarok came thru blazing with amazing drunken freestyles !
JODAROK: We kept in touch afterwards and the group was finally formed 2
years ago after both of us had moved to Helsinki.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
AKSIM: I remember Hector, Sielun Veljet, Tuula Amberla and Mikko Perkoila from my childhood. Plus
various communist ("taistolais") tunes. When I was 7, I listened to pimppi-heavy: KISS, WASP, Quiet Riot
and Twisted Sister. After that came 60's rock'n'roll.
The first touch i got in hiphop was in '91 when a friend gave me tapes of Public Enemy, N.W.A., Cube and
T. I was 13. Then in few years came others like Dre, The Roots, Gangstarr, Pharcyde, Del, Wu, 2Pac, Jeru.
The usual dope ones. Later I played bass in a school band and got some soul & jazz influence from the other
guys. Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" to mention a good soul record.
JODAROK: The early nineties hiphop had a big infiluence in my life, and even more so in my music. I was a
12 year old kid, trying to be so "HIPHOP"... my songwriting gets alot of influences ranging from rock or punk
thru murder-country to irish music. I have no idea if you can hear that or not, but that's the stuff I like.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
AKSIM: U know Finland is nowadays known for it's information technology. Our generation has had a
computer home since 80's. So I think that's why Finns have now blown up in electronic music across the
Europe. As you might know, our electronic music has been exported a lot since the audience in Finland is
too marginal (or the record industry too conservative.) The idea of exporting Finnish rap sounds difficult,
because of the language. Haven't tried it yet though !
JODAROK: Finland's music scene being small is good in some ways and, ofcourse, bad in others. It's good,
cause it's easy to get recognition for dope music, then again the recognition you get doesn't fill up stadiums
or even pay rent . . . but then again it doesn't matter that much cause we got such great social security !
no?haha.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
JODAROK: I've been meddling with different stuff a bit, trying to sing and varying my rap styles alot. My new
music would propably be some folkrocksouletc.., and it would sound like shit. Very bad.
AKSIM: I've reached the conclusion that I shouldn't try any other. This is what I do best. I've tried to make
instrumental music but everytime I make a beat I start writing to it. I was a rapper first, so rap comes first.
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JODAROK: Yeah, that one's great! My other favourite is "Häslää Soolona" (Solo Hustlin'), but it's not mixed
yet.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
JODAROK: When a song is finally done! we do everything by ourselves so the point when something is
ready and it sounds good, you know hours/days of work was worth it. Other than that writing the lyrics is the
best.
AKSIM: I like making the beats, of course. 'Cause I can do anything I wanna do. I just make a lot and some
end up to our songs. After that starts the work. I think the best moments are when I have a dope beat made
and when we have a whole song made.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
AKSIM: Hector's 'Ei Mittään (Työttömän arkiviisu)' A song I remember my dad singing when I was a kid. He
had a job though.
JODAROK: " Pair of brown eyes" great song, great lyrics, luv itluvit! Oh and it's by the Pogues, ofcourse.
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Fonaatio
Hex from Fonaatio
When and how was your band created?
It was 3.9.2001 when we created our band. That was a dream that I wanted to make true since I was born.
Rap was the thing that felt most real for me so we started simply with my, Heikki mäntylä´s, rap, Mikko
Lahtinen´s bass and Mikko Koskela`s drumm´s. Layter we got Jukka Nisula to play the bass and Tatu
Henttonen to play synths. at the same time Lahtinen moved to guitar.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your work / life?
First rap that I owned was Hedpe and I still love the band. They have their own sound and that is someting
I´m trying to atcieve in my music, my own sound. So I would have to say hedpe has the gratest influence to
my work.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We make a gig now and then but nothing regual. Ofcourse studio recorded music sounds usualy little betre,
but Playing music live beats everything.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Having my own great album in my own hands and thinking everything that it took to make the album. And the
feeling you have when you get a great idea to a new song and you get it working.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
oh no... impossible to say just one best song. But to name a few:
Busta Rhymes, Method Man, Redman - Simon says (Remix)
Metallica - Master of puppets
Cypress Hill - Tequila sunrice
Hedpe - Tired of sleeping
2pac - california love
Wyclef Jean - Gone Till November
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World
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Värttinä
Lassi from Värttinä
When and how was your band created?
The first version of Varttina was born in 1983. It was a small group of girls singing and playing kanetele in
Raakkyla, in Finnish Karelia. Next year 2003 will be our 20th anniversary.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Well, every player that is or has been involved in Varttina. We have a great relationship, musically and
socially, so we all influence each other.
Fiddlers that have influenced me are Ruthie Dornfelt from USA and Arto Jarvela from Finland's JPP group.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
The most negative thing is that there is such a small audience for folk music, but that also offers lots of
challenges which keep the work interesting. Fortunately, we have many concerts abroad and many fans who
seem to appreciate and understand our music.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
We haven't thought about that, I think there isn't any reason for that. Our music progresses naturally anyway,
so that each album sounds different than the previous and hopefully better. We make conscious effort to let
the music develop and progress from natural evolution of the band's chemistry.
So far, we are entirely confident that we have succeeded. We hope the fans and listeners can hear that in
the music.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We do tours and concerts yes... Personally, I prefer playing in front of live audience better than in studio. I
think the other band members agree.
However, after we finish making a new album, we all are very happy with the results. Especially in the case
of our next album entitled iki, which was the most exciting recording sessions we have ever done. We are
extremely proud of the new album.
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During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
When a new tune is finally ready after a long process and the arrangement works
in the best way, that is the moment.
Why?
Because of the organic process in arranging. We all contribute and shape new songs together from the
beginning. It is the only way we want to work and it is very rewarding for us as friends and musical
colleagues.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
Sorry but I can't answer that. There are so many.
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Gjallarhorn
Jenny from Gjallarhorn
When and how was your band created?
In 1994 in Vasa, Finland. Our former viola player and I gathered to play a few tunes together with a
didgeplayer. First of all we had so many tunes incomman that we played the whole night, and secondly we
just knew then that the didge was a perfect, powerful and acoustic drone for the nordic tunes (which were
based on drones to start with).
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I listened a lot to fusion jazz, world music and music from diffeent ethnic cultures in my teens, such as Björn
J:son Lindh (swedish fusion jazz flutist), Various Ale Möller projects and recordings (swedish folk fusion
guru) and Norwegian traditonal music as well as Balkan music. Important influences are the old archaive
recordings with people wh lived a hundred years ago.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
The positive aspect is that people can understand what we sing about, and that we have a good income
level, compared to musicians in i.e. the States, where musicians don't get payed very well. The negative
aspect is that we are so few people here, only 5 million, so the market is not big eough to support tours all
year around, most festivals take place in the summer. That's why we tour the rest of the year abroad. Also
there are so few people from other nationalities here that peolpe in the country side are not used to world
music, but they love it when they finally hear it.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
No, the concept is ideal for us and it supports the tunes and works very well on both big and small stages. If I
would do a solo project, I would combine jazz with the Nordic sound, they use the same modes a lot.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Yes we tour regulary, almost all the time.We are off to Usa and then Holland next, but we have a break from
November and onwards. Live and studio are totally different, I love to meet the audience and the music has
a different feeling live. In the studio on the other hand we get inspration from creating all the sound
landscapes and patterns, a very creative side of the work.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
All of it, from planning the songs, the layout and the recording. It is a circle closed, not separate bits and
pieces.
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
Why?
it changes depending on what goes on...can't tell. What I can tell though, is that all of the best songs for me,
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is when the musician in question is honest and clear and you can hear that it is music, not only produced
sound material. There is a blind fiddler from Cap Verde called Travadinha, have a listen, he's pretty much
him self.
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Electronic
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Ceebrolistics
When and how was your band created?
We started doing music in 1990, and took on our current name in 1995.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
In our early years it was purely underground hiphop, in the likes of living legends, eclipse427, blackalicious
and the project blowed mc's , and atmospheric jazz in the style of ecm. little by little the influences have been
drifting more and more to the electronic direction. and more and more experimental stuff like warp and berlin
dub artists.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Finland is small. which is both good and not-so-good. it's easy to be the
dopest.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
We're planning to do a hardcore dubmetal album after this one.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
They're fundamentally different. (for us) our own music works best in the studio, that's where we get closest
to the feeling intended. on some occations the live situations become something breathtakingly deep. this
has a lot to do with the audience, see we don't let our audience go easy. but when it works, it feels
overwhealming.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer? Why?
The first time you're holding your new vinyl... then again... making a record is a process with both good and
frustrating moments. both have-to-be's.
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Helsinki Nuspirit
When and how was your band created?
Me and Dj Ender started trying to produce dancefloor tracks together in late 1998 and soon asked musician
friends for sessions at our project studio. We wanted to produce stuff that would combine modern production
with top notch musicians that can be found in Helsinki. There has always been very strong jazz tradition
around here... Dj Lil Tony (the owner of the number one club in Finland, Kerma) joined a bit later on and
introduced me to Kim Rantala aka Kasio who again knows basically all the musicians in Helsinki area.
When we got some of the best musicians involved and me as the principle producer had some experience of
producing music, things started evolving to sort of the next level. Instead of tracks for djs, our focus moved
into composing actual songs and finding new ways of combining samples/programming with live
instrumentation.
I'm the only non-dj in the core group of five. Furthermore two of the members also run clubs in Helsinki. Lil
Tony has Kerma and Kasio runs a club called Mocambo. Kerma is one the best clubs for eclectic dancefloor
music (every name dj of the scene has visited it) and Mocambo a rather new place with interesting live act
guests (Azymuth, Marcos Valle played there this
summer). The fifth core member is Dj Eppu.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
50ies-60ies modern jazz (miles, art blakey, freddie hubbard, gil evans) and soul from the same era. I'm also
a huge fan of Astor Piazzola. We've been asked to do a remix of one of his songs for Milan Music / BMG. It
is a great honour for us.
The contemporaries in Europe I would name Nitin Sawhney, Herbert, Hefner, Basic Channel as inspiration.
In the US I really admire the quality of production&sound of likes of D'angelo, Philadelphia sound like Roots
or Jill Scott. Then we all love also the Detroit techno thing, I just heard Recloose's new album and it was
proper stuff.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Positive is the open minded athmosphere. We can collaborate with all the best artists/musicians, also the
older generation (including Eero Koivistoinen, Olli Ahvenlahti etc.).
Negative might be the fact that the scene is still quite small. We'll it's a small country... especially good
singers for what we do is quite hard to find in Finland.
As for the technological side of things... samplers have been around since 1980's. Then, in the beginning the
newly discovered postmodern way of producing music was very fresh and opened up a whole new world.
These days there's not much totally new to discover in production purely based on samples and
programming. The next level for us is to find fresh ways of combining electronic elements with live
intrumentation. There is a lot to discover still in this field. Also for the live band set this is very interesting and
challenging at the same time. It's not easy to combine jazz musicianship with samplers&sequencers in a way
that the musicians do not
feel their hands are a bit tied.
Of course the approach we have has very much to do with new technology. Still, I would say that what
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makes this special is the top quality musicians together with a fresh way of producing. Not the technology as
such. We're lucky to be able to work with some of the best musicians (for example the drummer, Teppo
Mäkynen (also part of a Blue Note recording band etcetc.) is
the number one jazz drummer in the country) you can find in Finland. I don't think this is usually the case
concerning so called "electronica" artists around. That's why we can really consider ourselves lucky here.
Have you ever considered the possibility to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of
music would you choose?
We do not consciously support one specific style of music. Basically just try to follow our heart... I guess our
musical basis will sustain in 50-70ies afroamerican music combined with more european flavors like string
sections and such. I mean, your artistic style is not just a simple choice or a selection. It just happens. And
your lucky if it does, as it is very rare to find contemporary artists with actually own established and unique
style.
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Of course for musicians playing live is ultimately what this thing is all about. Sharing. Getting instant
interaction with your audience. The feeling a good gig can give you is really something that can never be
achieved by recording music in a studio... definitely...
We will do a scandinavian tour + a tour in Finland in January. In February we'll do a full UK tour. Then after
that hopefully a tour in central europe... maybe around spring USA and next summer as many festivals as
possible.
During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment I walked out from the mastering studio, Metropolis in London and knew that it's all there. Finally.
For me, it was a hard process and in the end there were a lot of challenges...
A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the best song?
I cannot pick one song, but I would definitely pick Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" album. That's just taking things
to a level, people hardly ever achieve. It's not like jazz music to me first and foremost, but just good music
that touches even those who do not usually enjoy instrumental jazz and such stuff... He is concentrating and
focusing on producing interesting sounds, notes and melodies with his trumpet instead of trying to be a
masterful instrumentalist. The thing I hate about most contemporary jazz music coming out... Miles just got it
- he knew how to combine improvisation and pre-written arrangements in such a perfect way... like european
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and afroamerican traditions meeting. Yeh, Miles is my star. The first one for me, and I guess he will always
be that.
Heavy copying of cds with home cd-burners is another thing. I guess that has
seriously diminished cd sales worldwide... more than mp3s really...
Do you use computers or home studios during the process of making an album or a song?
We have our own project studio with computer based recording system... with
small protools and such. But we mix the final version in bigger commercial
studios... and record some bigger session such as strings.
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