- Features:
* Finns create buzz in North America
* Juicy pre-event tasters at http://www.musex.fi
- Business
- Live News
- Behind The Scenes
- Behind The Numbers
Finns create buzz in North America
The plethora of Finnish showcases at international events reflects the current demand for Finnish music globally. While Canadians are still getting over the five Finnish artists’ strutting at Canadian Music Week, the Finns are moving on to Austins South By Southwest, March 15-19.
The Nordic Nights showcase is at The Drink On 6th on March 16. The Finnish contribution includes alluring singer-songwriter Astrid Swan (DRIVER 8 RECORDINGS), punk rock squad Disco Ensemble (FULLSTEAM RECORDS) and the alt. country trusting The Latebirds (GRANDPOP RECORDS). Nieminen & Litmanen (GRANDPOP RECORDS) will be serving up a tight package of action jazz at the Elephant Room on March 18, and Circle (EKTRO RECORDS), from the Finnish avant-rock underground will perform at EMO’s IV on March 17.
The Scandinavians will have your socks in a spin at the Nordic party on Thursday 16. Contact Ville at Music Export Finland office for more information.
The second edition of Musexpo in Los Angeles, April 30 June 3, is to present four stellar Finnish acts. No coast hip hop maverick Redrama (EMI FINLAND), grunge rockers Bloodpit (MERCEEDEES), pop-hip-hop ensemble Kwan (DYNASTY RECORDINGS) and high-octane rock outfit The Winyls (SAM AGENCY) will rock time-honored venues The Roxy, The Viper Room and The Key Club.
Juicy pre-event tasters at www.musex.fi 
You can hear the Finnish artists showcasing at industry events around the world via the integrated player on the re-launched Music Export Finland website. The no-hassle, on-demand, online radio lets you listen to some pre-event tasters. Visit www.musex.fi and click on an upcoming event to add tracks to the player. Try out the SXSW artists: Astrid Swan‘s Rock’n'Roll Blonde, Disco Ensemble‘s Drop Dead Casanova, Nieminen & Litmanen‘s Leo Jokela Rides Again and The Latebirds’ Set Free The Radio. It’s easy as ABC!
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BUSINESS
The Finnish cellists from hell Apocalyptica and American 20/20 Records have made a super-size record deal, spanning almost every continent in cooperation with SonyBMG. The deal means future recordings will have the best of the best producers and all the guest stars they could wish for. SonyBMG executive Martin Dodd was very pleased to win this battle between major record companies - they all wanted these heavy-cello champions.
Finnish hard rockers Blake (WOLFGANG RECORDS/PLAYGROUND MUSIC) and Private Line (BAD HABITS RECORDS/PLAYGROUND MUSIC) have inked licencing deals with the US label 456 Entertainment. Jonathan Rifkind, Carson Daly, Bam Margera... ring any bells? These 456 Entertainment executives expect this potent, energetic Finnish rock music to blast some fresh air into the somewhat fusty American rock scene. So watch out Americans - your tushies are in danger to be kicked!
The Seven Deadly Sins just got doubled to 14: the latest 14-track Impaled Nazarene (DYNAMIC ARTS RECORDS/OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS) album is ready to be unleashed! Pro Patria Finland will make all those nasty headbangers very happy with this death squad’s satanic nuclear metal. March 22 is D-day for the Finnish fans, and March 28 for the rest of the world; North American goat worshippers will have to wait until April 18. Taste the tumult yourself on the bands 10 week tour of Europe starting April 1: 63 gigs in 22 countries. Check out the tour dates here>>>.
In recent weeks, Hevein (SPINEFARM RECORDS) has been very busy inking contracts: a management deal with Blue Buddha Management Ltd and a publishing deal with Universal Publishing Germany/HalbeMiete Management. Hevein‘s first album Sound Over Matter will see daylight later this spring in the GSA and that’s only the beginning…
Following their triumphant performance at Midem 2006, Finland’s electronica pioneers RinneRadio (ROCKADILLO RECORDS) are riding high with their brand new album Plus. The album, released as a DualDisc, with live video and other extras on the DVD side, will be out March 20 in the UK, from Proper Distribution. Cologne’s Westpark Music has licensed the album for mid-April release in the GSA, while CDA will distribute Plus and other Rockadillo Records titles in Sweden.
Electro-duo Mr Velcro Fastener‘s (STARS MUSIC) new full-length album Telemacho will be released worldwide in March 2006! Telemacho combine beautifully arranged modern electro with a flavoring of solid robotic funk. Also available on iTunes & other selected MP3 stores!
The premiere Finnish music DVD production house Provisuals latest DVD Children of Bodom is soon to be released in the USA, Japan and the EU by Nuclear Blast. Other March DVD releases are the Finnish metal collection Inferno 2 in the Nordic countries and Leningrad Cowboys DualDisk in Germany and Italy.
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LIVE
Live treats will be on offer in New York City when the Finnish South By Southwest acts Astrid Swan (DRIVER 8 RECORDINGS), Disco Ensemble (FULLSTEAM RECORDS) and The Latebirds (GRANDPOP RECORDS) perform at the Sin-é club (150 attorney st @ stanton, NYC) Monday, March 13 at 8pm. For more info, contact Music Export Finland office.
One of the best-selling groups in Europe in 2004, The Rasmus (PLAYGROUND MUSIC), has grown big enough to fill stadiums far from their Helsinki studio complex. The group will be appearing in three arena concerts at South Africa’s Coca Cola Massive Mix Festival March 18-25, before crossing the ocean for stadium appearances in Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile, March 29 and 31.
Having just released their new record Eclipse, chosen as album of the month by German Metal Hammer Magazine, Amorphis (NUCLEAR BLAST) will co-headline the Neckbreaker’s Ball 2006 tour April 4-26 with Hypocrisy, Soilwork, One Man Army And The Undead Quartet and Scar Symmetry. This feast of headbanging supported by Nuclear Blast will hit 16 locations in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Austria and Belgium.
Helsinki-based death/thrash metal group Amoral (SPINEFARM RECORDS) are currently touring Europe supporting headliners Dark Funeral, with a total of 37 dates February 12-April 1. Amoral aside, Finland’s biggest metal-industry factory, Spinefarm Records, boasts two other groups from its artist roster heading for the old continent. Moonsorrow are giving European concerts April 5-16 and Ensiferum April 18-28.
On the world music front, Sámi yoik singer Wimme Saari (ROCKADILLO RECORDS) has been invited to perform at two concerts in Germany with the WDR Radio Choir and another Sámi vocalist Petra Birehas Magga. Major public broadcaster Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) will air the first concert in Essen live on April 8, and record the next day’s appearance in Cologne for later broadcast.
If you’re into totally unique, psychedelic sounds, you should definitely check out these Fonal Records artists: Kemialliset Ystävät will play at Terrastock 6, Providence, Rhode Island (USA ) April 21-23, and Es, Islaja and Kiila are touring the UK, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, France and the Netherlands between March 22 and April 9. More info on the gigs here>>>.
Last but not least, the infamous Eläkeläiset (STUPIDO RECORDS) will consume hectolitres of alcohol and play tongue-in-cheek humppa music in Germany, Austria and Switzerland between March 31 and April 15. Get ready for the ultimate party band!
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Behind the Scenes: One of Finland’s most skillful and entertaining djs Slow doesn’t quite live up to his name anymore with his current equipment. He’s been playing gigs in London, Cannes and Helsinki using only two Nokia N91 mobile phones instead of vinyls or cds. It looks like he’ll have to change his name to DJ Mobile or DJ I’ll get there faster than anyone else, because I can fit my 2 000 tracks into one briefcase. Well his new album’s title is already one step into the right direction: Pronto! 
Behind the Numbers: The second Finnish Metal Expo gathered 5 000 people at Helsinki’s Cable Factory to listen to fifteen bands, and ten times more guitar solos. The expo featured 60 companies with their own stands, and over 50 metal professionals gathered for the International Metal Meeting held in conjunction with FME. In Finland metal can be, and in FME’s case was, a family event shared by fathers and sons.