April 2004
- ...From Where?: Column by Fran Latham
- Business
- Awards
- Live News
- Behind the Scenes / Behind the Numbers
...From Where?! by Fran Latham
If you are not already aware of the extensive web of Finns that have slowly infiltrated the international music scene over the years, you should be prepared for a surprise. I certainly was. The quiet race that have existed inconspicuously for centuries in the idyllic seclusion of the Northern Baltic sea have been sending forth their talented artists and musicians for sometime now. Some you can’t have failed to hear about through their groundbreaking storming of charts around the world: the freestyling Bomfunk MCs, dance anthem genius Darude, romantics HIM and more recently The Rasmus. But perhaps you’re not as aware of them all being Finnish!
Finland is a nation intrigued with developing technological innovations as Nokia’s major success in the telecommunications sector has demonstrated. Therefore, it is not surprising that a strong development in the area of Finnish music has been in the genre of electronic music. Artists such as hypnotic jazz artist Jimi Tenor, Op:l Bastards, Jori Hulkkonen, accordian terrorist Kimmo Pohjonen, Pan sonic, Levi’s ad famed Pepe Deluxé and Dallas Superstars have flourished and paved the way for many new up and coming electronic acts.
Finland’s rich folk music tradition has flowed gracefully into the international music scene. A few bands blossoming with their international success are ever evolving Värttinä and JPP. Another genre that the Finns excel in is metal; there must be something in the water, or perhaps the long harrowing winter nights bring out a melancholic darkness that finds its natural channel through the dark riffs of heavy rock and metal. Nightwish, Children of Bodom, Stratovarius, Sonata Arctica and headbanging cellists Apocalyptica to name a few, have compelled attention around the globe.
Some brand new, hot off the press acts making their way through the European music scene are MTV Nordic’s favourites The Crash who’s single star has featured heavily on Ebay commercials in Germany, pop-rockers Killer and hip-hop stars Redrama and Paleface, and finally rock n’ roll kings the Leningrad Cowboys and the surfing Laika and the Cosmonauts. So it is fair to say that Finland’s strong musical education has leaked into pretty much all the genres. Watch this space as the Finnish invasion continues!
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BUSINESS
Iiro Rantala has composed on commission the music for Radio France International’s new language program series with music performed by Rantala’s own group Trio Töykeät. L’affaire du Coffret, the twelve-part educational programme offering French instruction, will be broadcasted on RFI’s English programme transmitted all over the world via short-wave radio and Internet. Off the airwaves, you can catch Trio Töykeät live at jazz festivals in Stuttgart and Rome, among others.
Bitch Alert gained a strong foothold in the UK following their riotous and energetic gigs in London in the beginning of March. The British media loved them so much that a reporter and a photographer traveled to their wintery homeland to interview the band and their story will be published in the May issue of Metal Hammer. Bitch Alert’s latest album ..rriot will be released in the UK on May 17th.
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AWARDS
Finnish musical architects, Poets of the Fall picked up the Best Original Vocal Pop Song award for Late Goodbye, the theme for Max Payne 2, at the second annual G.A.N.G (Game Audio Network Guild) awards in San Jose, California on March 25th.
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LIVE
The Rasmus are continuing their tumultuous rockin of Europe with a mini-tour of France and the UK, April 23rd29th. Their channel hopping will include gigs in Paris, Manchester and London and an enthusiastic response is expected as their blockbuster album Dead Letters has already climbed to the #4 on the UK rock album charts. Tour info>>>
Heroic metal crew Children of Bodom will tour the U.S. and Canada with Iced Earth during April and May. The North American tour will be Bodom’s second in six months, they just can’t get enough! Tour info>>>
With industrial metal and alternative songwriting as their stated sources of inspiration, the vivacious Velcra continue their wild explorations of European clubs. Their two week German tour with Oomph! will begin later this month on April 22nd. The tour is preceded by the release of Velcra‘s riotous Consequences of Disobedience in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Tour info>>>
Finnish jazzsters invade Norway. Throughout this year a series of concerts has been scheduled in clubs and festivals across the country, which will include some fantastic names like Scorch Trio, Samuli Mikkonen, Juhani Aaltonen, U-Street All Stars and Jarmo Savolainen. The theme opens in Oslo during the Helsinki Week in April. The first performers are the dancefloor-friendly Five Corners Quintet and the young and serious hipsters Ilmiliekki.
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Behind the Scenes: The fruitful collaboration between Finnish pop-rock group The Crash and music video director Tommi Pietiläinen earned them their second golden Muuvi award for best Finnish music video. The Crash/Pietiläinen partnership has had previous success at the awards when Lauren Caught My Eye from Wildlife album won best video in 2001 and with Star, which earnt them a silver award in 2002. At the same time the bands latest seventies cop show themed video Still Alive continues its successful run in MTV Nordics Up North chart. 
Behind the Numbers: Globetrotters HIM are all revved up to start their first U.S. tour in April. Razorblade Romance was released in the States last autumn, and has sold over 100,000 copies even though promotion has been minimal. Guess it’s a bonus to have influential friends: two of the love metal groups videos were directed by singer Ville Valos buddy, Jackass skater-dude Bam Margera. At the same time the UK market has also discovered the romantic Finns. The album Love Metal has sold 60,000 copies and new compilation And Love Said No entered charts at No. 30.