Music & Media Bigger and Better than Ever!

FI News October 2007 -
MUSIC & MEDIA SHOWED THE FINNISH TALENTS

- Feature 
     * Music & Media Bigger and Better than Ever!
- Highlights
- Business News
- Live News
     * Finns Around the Globe
- Behind the Numbers & Scenes


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MUSIC & MEDIA BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER!

A record number of over 850 delegates and 70 Finnish bands attended Music & Media / Lost in Music festival
18-21 October, Tampere, Finland

Music & Media conference and the Lost in Music showcase festival is gathered the whole Finnish music industry alongside with special international guests last weekend at Tampere. The programme was filled with quality showcases by over 70 artists and fascinating seminar and panel discussions. The seminar was attended by over 850 industry professionals - an increase of 200 compared to previous years.

The celebrity guest was Seymour Stein, who - as some of you might know - has signed through his Sire Records artists such as Madonna, The Ramones, Talking Heads, and Depeche Mode. Also Gerd Leonhard, known for his futuristic ideas regarding music and the business, shared his thoughts on the future of music.

With nearly 100 international guests from all over the world, the Music & Media conference showed to be an important event for the Finnish music exports and imports.

List of international guests and pictures soon at www.musex.fi/mm2007

 
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Highlights

The Finnish super-albums by HIM (SIRE/HMC) and Nightwish (SPINEFARM) have had a busy fortnight at the international charts. 

Nightwish‘s album Dark Passion Play has been leading the charts in Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Hungary, and Croatia. In addition, they have also sold gold in Austria and Poland. Nightwish is currently touring US and then Europe.

HIM and the album Venus Doom have entered the charts as No. 2 in Finland, No, 3 in Germany, No. 5 in Switzerland, No. 12 in the US, No. 14 in Sweden, No. 31 in the UK. No. 32 in Australia. No. 36 in Ireland, No. 36 in Holland and No. 38 in New Zealand.


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Business News

Naked (BLUE BUDDHA MANAGEMENT) has signed a world-wide publishing deal with Air Chrysalis. Ben Malén from Air Chrysalis states the deal as follows: “We have been following the development of Naked over the last couple of years and with their new album they’ve turned into a real rock band that we think have potential to reach outside the Scandinavian borders. We’re looking much forward to be a part of that journey”. 
 
Don Johnson Big Band (UNIVERSAL) releases a new fan-based clothing line in co-operation with Globe Hope. Internationally known Globe Hope is a Finnish award-winning clothing design and production company which concentrates on sustainable development by recycling and re-using different materials. The band has been heavily involved with designing the collection that involves products such as T-shirts, bags, belts, iPod-baggies, and wallets. Don Johnson Big Band is currently working on with their new album and it is planned to come out in 2008. Check the clothes at www.shop.donjohnsonbigband.com

Lovex (EMI) has signed with Japanese Toshiba EMI. Their debut album Divine Insanity was released in Japan on September 17 and the band has been a common face in several Japanese magazines. They are currently preparing a new album which will come out early next year.


The hit series Grey’s Anatomy‘s spin-off series Private Practice has placed Pepe Deluxé‘s (CATSKILLS) track Mischief of Cloud Nine in the episode called In Which Addison Finds The Magic. The episode had 12,2 million viewers on ABC network in USA when it aired on October 10. The show is currently being aired also in Spain, Canada, Malaysia, UK and Australia.


The new Uusitalo (HUUME RECORDINGS) album Karhunainen (“Bear Woman”) was released on October 12, featuring artwork worth waiting and watching for. The album is available digitally as of now via iTunes (with exclusive bonus track) eMusic, Beatport and all other platforms including the Huume web shop.


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Live News

Club For Five (UNIVERSAL) performs at Miss China final in Hong Kong at November 1. They are also  having a mini-tour in China during the first weeks of November. This is partly result from the recently agreed agency contract with the LongStream Culture & Arts Ltd, and it contains four Asian countries.


Finland’s funkiest party animals Eternal Erection (EAT THIS MUSIC) will play two shows in the hottest place on earth - Cuba. The band will take the stage in Santiago on October 23 and in Havanna on October 25. Rick Lover and his cohorts will also begin the recording of their fourth studio album on their visit to the land of rythms and cigar fumes. The new Eternal Erection album will be released in 2008.


Punk rockers No Shame (FULLSTEAM) are about to come home after touring throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland with their german buddies Bitume. The band will be featured in the German punk magazine Wahrschauer, whose next issue will focus on Finnish bands, and No Shame will be presented alongside other hardcore/punk bands such as Endstand, Anal Thunder and many others.


The Micragirls (BONE VOYAGE) are touring Europe with their favourite band, Jon Spencer’s Heavy Trash in October. The tour consists of 11 dates in UK, Belgium, France, and Spain. 



The highly selective showcase programme of Womex (Sevilla, Spain, October 24 - 28) will feature the proficient harmonica quartet Sväng and the vigorous punk-klezmer group Alamaailman Vasarat (BACKSTAGE ALLIANCE). Finland-related topics will be discussed in two panel sessions dealing with the Sibelius Academy Folk Music Department and the Finnish-Indian collaboration in composing music for the Lord of the Rings stage adaptation. Last but not least, Finnish stand will host a record number of more than 20 attending companies and organizations.


The British hype band Muse is going to have Finnish Stalingrad Cowgirls (WARNER) as a warm-up act during their tour in Scandinavia on October 21-23. Another Finnish act, Manboy (DRIVER 8) opened up for the band at the Helsinki gig on October 17.


On a very short notice, Lapko (FULLSTEAM) had to replace beat-punks Sweatmaster to perform at this year’s Popkomm in Berlin. Even though it was more of a spontaneous action, Lapko received the best quotes out of the numerous Frannz Club visitors that night! Their third longplayer Young Desire will be released in Germany and other European countries in the beginning of 2008.


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Finns Around the Globe

Europe

- Amorphis (KING FOO), Insomnium (CANDLELIGHT) and Swallow The Sun (SPINEFARM):
European tour, November 13 - 29 (metal)
- Doina Klezmer (ALBA):
Sweden, Stockholm, October 27 (world)
- Endstand and Lighthouse Project (COMBAT ROCK):
European tour, October 25 - November 18 (ardcore)
- Islaja (FONAL):
European tour, October 22 - November 6 (experimental)
- Jarmo Saari (ROCKADILLO):
Hungary, Budapesti Östzi Festival, October 20 (jazz)
- Jarmo Savolainen (KSJAZZ):
Austria tour, October 15 - 20 (jazz)
- Jimi Tenor (SÄHKÖ):
Poland, Free Form Festival, October 13 (eclectic)
- Kalle Kalima (ENJA):
Germany, JazzFest Berlin, November 1 - 4 [festival’s feature artist with his groups K18, Klima Kalima, Soi and Johnna La Marama] (jazz)
- Knucklebone Oscar (BLUELIGHT):
Germany tour, November 30 - December 15 (garage/blues)
- Lovex (EMI):
GAS and Czech Republic tour, November 5 - 12 (rock)
- Moonsorrow (SPINEFARM):
Switzerland, Paganfestival, October 27 + Germany, Ultima Ratio Festival, November 3 (metal)
- Sonata Arctica (NUCLEAR BLAST):
European tour, October 31 - November 26 (metal)
- The Flaming Sideburns (SPINEFARM):
Norway tour, October 10 - 14 (rock)
- The Micragirls (BONE VOYAGE):
European tour, October 7 - 18 (garage)
- Thunderstone (KING FOO):
European tour, October 27 - November 11 (metal)
- Turisas (CENTURY MEDIA):
European tour, October 8 - November 10 (metal)
- Tuomo (TEXICALLI):
Germany tour, November 17 - 23 (soul)
- Värttinä (HOEDOWN):
European tour, October 31 - November 10 (world)
- Wentus Blues Band (Try Angle):
Sweden tour, October 12 - 13, 26 - 27 (blues)



Russia
 
- Negative (HYPE PRODUCTIONS):
Russia, St. Petersburg, Moscow and Krasnodar, Oct 26 - 28 (rock)

Asia
 
- Poets of the Fall (SAM AGENCY):
India, IIT Kanpur, October 27 (pop/rock)


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Behind the Numbers & Scenes
If you don’t already know who’s who, the latest issue of music magazine Rumba offers the answer. The people in the Finnish music business have voted Mr. Juhani Merimaa as the most influential person in the biz for the 110th consectuive year. He runs two major rock festivals as well as the most important rock venue Tavastia in Helsinki. The hot breakthrough comes at No. 4 where Fullsteam Records & Agency’s 25-year old founder and overall main man Juha Kyyrö is – within three years his chart position has gone from No. 18 to No. 8 to No. 4. Usual suspects filled the top three: promoter & agency Welldone’s managing director Risto Juvonen at No. 2 and Sony BMG Finland’s MD Kimmo Valtanen at No. 3.