- Features:
* UK 40 Rock Singles Chart chock-a-block with Finns!
* by:Larm and CMW to be conquered by top-notch Finnish music
* International Metal Meeting in Helsinki, February 16
- Business
- Live News
- Behind The Scenes
- Behind The Numbers
UK 40 Rock Singles Chart chock-a-block with Finns!
Midem was a definite success for the Finns this year, but that simply reflects what is happening everywhere. Check out the UK 40 Rock Singles Chart: seven positions held by Children Of Bodom (SPINEFARM RECORDS), Nightwish (SPINEFARM), The Rasmus (PLAYGROUND MUSIC) and HIM (HELSINKI MUSIC COMPANY/SIRE RECORDS)! Yes, “Finns are everywhere”, as we repeatedly heard at Midem…
by:Larm and CMW to be conquered by top-notch Finnish music
Probably (literally) the coolest music industry event in Europe, by:Larm, will be staged in Tromsø, Norway, February 9-11. Punk rockers Disco Ensemble (FULLSTEAM RECORDS) kick off the festival with attitude on Thursday, February 9, at Blårock. 2006 will be a busy year for the much-hyped Discos, with appearances at Eurosonic, by:Larm, CMW, SXSW, Great Escape, Hultsfred and Roskilde, on top of their normal touring schedule. More info on the by:Larm gig here>>>
Five Finnish bands are to play at the Finnish… sorry, we mean CANADIAN Music Week in Toronto, March 1-4. Alluring singer-songwriter Astrid Swan (DRIVER8RECORDINGS), drag/industrial/disco/rock (huh?) band Cleaning Women (BV2 PRODUKTIONS), punk rock squad Disco Ensemble (FULLSTEAM RECORDS), hard rockers Flylow (PAROLE RECORDS) and acerbic songstress Sara Nunes (RUBATO MUSIC) will further freeze Torontos already sub-zero temperatures with their cooler-than-cool sounds. Showcase times, venues and more info at: www.musex.fi/cmw2006
International Metal Meeting in Helsinki, February 16 
International Metal Meeting is a gathering of European metal professionals just before Finnish Metal Expo, which takes place at The Cable Factory, Helsinki, February 17-18. The event includes keynote speeches on Minimising the Withholding Tax in the UK and Focus on the Baltic Countries. There’s also an afterparty featuring up-and-coming Finnish bands, so be there if metal music is up your alley!
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BUSINESS
The clock is ticking to say its time to welcome Diablos (POKO REKORDS) fourth album into the world. In Diablos native Finland MIMIC47 immediately reached #1 in the charts, and is currently at #2. The German Drakkar Entertainment will release the album in the GSA countries on March 3, launching a European invasion by these Finnish metal punishers! MIMIC47 will put its stamp on your face.
Bloodpits (MERCEEDEES) highly acclaimed 2005 debut, Mental Circus, has now been released in nine countries, the latest being Australia and New Zealand. In Finland, Bloodpit earned the titles “newcomer of the year” from the biggest Finnish youth magazine, Suosikki, and “young power of the year” from rockzine Rumba. Bloodpit’s debut single, Out To Find You, was voted the freshest song of the year on national radio channel YleX. The bands debut video, Platitude, is on rotation on MTV. Bloodpit will also be playing live at Finnish Metal Expo on February 18.
The Frozen North Recordings’ next release, Jussi-Pekka‘s The Dead Serious EP, is soon to be released via InterGroove Germany. The album has got amazing feedback from many hi-class dj’s, such as: Martinez (who did a VIP review for Groove magazine 01/2006); Funk’d Void; Sasse aka Freestyle Man; Thomas Schumacher; Björn Wilke; and Jori Hulkkonen, to name but a few. This minimal tech house groover is scheduled for release by the end of March.
Exogenic Music Group (EMG) has signed an agreement with Playground Music Scandinavia for exclusive physical distribution of all EMG labels in Finland, Scandinavia, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. First releases through Playground will be a 12 from Finnish trance act KIWA and a 10 from Swedish lounge/electronica duo Velours Perfect.
Lodger (EMI FINLAND/EASTBORDER PROMOTION) has inked a major publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing. Songs from their 2004 debut album were included in various worldwide marketing campaigns including New York based LeLabo Cosmetics and MTV’s Equalityzone. The band are currently working on their second album due out later on this year on EMI.
Värttinä‘s (REAL WORLD RECORDS/HOEDOWN) new album Miero is attracting high praise from UK publications: “at their wild and scary best” -London Evening Standard “by far their most experimental album” -The Times “another exhilarating concoction of wild female vocals, crisp, assymmetric rhythms and stirring Nordic melodies” - The Guardian
Zoice, an interactive radio station primarily for Internet distribution, was launched by Tezoma Solutions in Finland on February 1. Zoice lets listeners interact with the programme, skip songs and tag them as favourites. Zoice player shows visual content related to the current radio programme, such as track title and artist, cover art, news and advertisements.
At Midem ‘06 Finnish production company Provisual ltd. introduced a new product for mobile-music promotion: FanPOD is a mobile magazine that brings exclusive content and benefits right to the subscribers pocket, and makes ordering music and merchandise via any mobile phone a snip! The first FanPOD client is multi-platinum band Nightwish, while Provisual has made pre-agreements for several Europe-wide cases at Midem.
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LIVE
The 69 Eyes (EMI FINLAND) will play 17 gigs across the US, March 2-24. The tour kicks off at CBGB‘s, New York, and reaches its climax at the legendary Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood. On top of concert dates, The 69 Eyes will air live on the NBC talk show Last Call with Carson Daly. More details of tour dates here>>>
One of the most active Finnish bands on the North American scene, and last weeks leader of the UK Top 40 Rock Singles Chart, Children Of Bodom (SPINEFARM RECORDS), launch their headlining tour of the US and Canada on March 18. Live appearances by this hard-working melodic death-metal group continue until April 10. More details of tour dates here>>>
Since January 24, powerpop foursome Flylow (PAROLE RECORDS) have been touring widely in the UK. Aside from the British Isles, this Finland/UK-based Parole Records act is aiming further, for Canada and Central Europe, and has plans to stay on the road until late April. Some dates and venues are still to be announced.
The hilarious humppamen Eläkeläiset (STUPIDO RECORDS) will be touring Germany, Austria and Switzerland at the beginnig of April. So beware, people in the GSA countries: hide your alcohol, Eläkeläiset will drink it all! More details of tour dates here>>>
Last, but not least, some tour info on Fonal Record‘s pearls: Kemialliset Ystävät will be playing at the Fat Cat Festival, February 10-11. ES, Islaja and Kiila will be on the FONAL TOUR, March 22- September 4. That includes dates in the UK, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, France, The Netherlands, and more to be announced. More details of tour dates here>>>
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Behind the Scenes: It was all happening behind the scenes in Midem. The mix of good music, relaxed atmosphere and drinks worked wonders. One Finnish manager couldn’t remember his own name during the 42nd meeting the day after the Opening Night. Some artists were missing for meetings with ministers. Others were meeting ministers, and discussing Finnish music. But enough babbling, now we’ll the let pictures do the talking: the most hilarious photo gallery of Midem here>>> 
Behind the Numbers: “Finland is everywhere,” was a comment heard several times during Midem. No wonder, there were 57 companies represented (over a double from last year), 164 Finns selling their products as well as 10 bands and 4 djs performing. During the Opening Night cohosted by Finland, plenty of people experienced the Finlandization of Cannes: over 3 000 delegates took part in the festivities, and they were served 3 000 of the Finnish Karjalanpiirakka (Carelian Pies) by 87 bar staff who also served an unquantifiable number of drinks (we stopped counting at 3 000). We do know that during Finland’s Black Monday reception guests devoured 80 litres of “salmiakkikossu”, the black liqourice vodka-based Finnish drink. All of this was for a purpose: at least 11 artists have so far signed licensing deals after negotiations in Midem.