Dear friend,
SPINEFARM RECORDS’ operatic metal jewel Nightwish, fronted by the fabulous Tarja Turunen, has confirmed tour dates for the summer. You can catch them in various European cities alongside gigs in Canada and Mexico with a headlining show at the Progpower festival in the US - if you book your tickets on time as some gigs are already sold out!
Accordion player/composer Kimmo Pohjonen of ROCKADILLO RECORDS has been nominated for the annual Nordic Council Music Award. Other nominees for the 47.000 euros price, to be awarded on June 3rd, include a.o. Sigur Rós (Iceland) Mari Boine (Norway). Another Rockadillo marvel, the composer and bass player Pekka Pohjola‘s life and music can be explored in a book (Bassokenraali ‘Bass General’ out May 2003). A must read for the many fans of this unique and original musician!
The Scandinavian launch of the EXOGENIC BREAKS RECORDS release Accu started well with the support of an add and video rotation of the single track Surrounding Love on MTV Nordic. Stay tuned for the trance label EXOGENIC RECORDS new releases from ambient mastermind Mac Mavis and extremely groovy Haltya!
POKO RECORDS, now market leader of domestic releases in Finland, is as assiduous as always. The hard rocking punk act Bitch Alerts new single Loveson will be released in Finland and in Germany. The band will also be spreading their ambitious riot bitch attitude by throwing some gigs in Russia. The beat is really going for Poko acts as Virgin International has chosen the breezy pop group Nerdee to priority development act and will release their upcoming album throughout Europe in spring 2004. The evergreen rock bunch Yö has received double platinum in just two months. Well, Poko Records new promotion manager Susanna Lehtonen will be joining a busy team…
STUPIDO RECORDS has released two up ‘n coming guitar based outfits. The garage rocking Boomhauer‘s debut album Wild Human Condition and the more classic indie rock a like Rollstons debut Our Grain Will Fill Your Stadium (out now in Finland and Scandinavia). Boomhauer will do its debut abroad in Tallinn, Estonia (May 29, Von Krahl Theather bar). The maniacal masters of Humppa (Oompah), Eläkeläiset, will do a short tour of Austrian festivals in June and continue their merrymaking at the biggest Finnish festivals.
LOVE PUBLISHING is releasing two re-mastered albums of the late, legendary Finnish Speed/Trash metal band Stone, whose members are still strongly influencing the scene. A DVD release follows from the cult band Leningrad Cowboys including the stunning Helsinki joint concert with The Red Army Choir and short films by Aki Kaurismäki (Leningrad Cowboys Go America, Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses). The unicorn hairdo characters are embarking on their European tour at Glastonbury Festival on June 29th with an exuberant Sunday main stage show. After some additional shows on the British Isles the tour will continue i.e. to Germany and Austria.
Pop comet Kemopetrols first album Slowed Down produced by MUSICMAKERS will receive their first gold record. Australia was the 13th country worldwide to release Kemopetrol’s Everything’s Fine in early May 2003. These achievements give Kemopetrol a good vibe to start recording their third album. Another Musicmakers talent pool success, the cross-over a cappella sextet Rajaton, started their busy summer season with a two-week concert tour in Canada. They can be heard i.e. at the SHARING THE VOICES Festival (May 21).
*And great to finish off with good news*
The statistics compiled by the Finnish Music Publishers Association (FMPA) show a remarkable growth of 18% in the Finnish music publishing business in 2002!