New year, new tricks…

New year, new tricks…
… different strokes for different folks. It begins again. This year, more music will be consumed, more music will play a huge role in the lives of more people than ever before in the history of our species. I know everywhere you turn, you’re confronted by foreboding news, so remember this little fact everywhere you go. There’s more music and more people who love it than ever before.
Now. Go find them. They’re out there, but they’re sure as hell not going to come knocking on your door with wads of money. You have to go knock on their door with oodles of heart and soul.

First he takes US, then he takes UK  
Ercola‘s smash track “Every Word” (ft. Daniella), has spent more than 20 weeks on the US Hot Dance Airplay chart and when looking at the yearly chart of 2008, “Every Word” is the 5th most played track!
After all the radioplay in US, the song sees a release in UK via Cayenne Recordings on January 26. Good luck, mate!

Indica joins Nightwish in Europe
Popular Finnish band Indica (SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT FINLAND) will join Pain as a opener for Nightwish (SPINEFARM RECORDS) on the symphonic metal band’s European tour. Indica toured with Nightwish once before, in late 2007, in Scandinavia and the reception was very positive.
The band released its fourth album, Valoissa, last September. It was produced by Tuomas Holopainen of Nightwish.
Check the end of this newsletter for dates.
 
Korpiklaani gets pagan on the USA
There’s a word in Finnish, ‘pelimanni’. Very hard to translate… Officially, I suppose it’s like ‘musician’, but really the word has many additional dimensions to it. It denotes a musician who’s into playing, comfortable doing it in many different environments and on an off the cuff basis. It’s often used in conjunction with folk musicians, musicians of the people. A ‘pelimanni’ is a free spirit fo sorts.
Korpiklaani (SPINEFARM RECORDS) is ‘pelimanni’-metal band, drawing on old Finnish and European traditions for inspiration and now they are finally, after countless nights of driving people into a frenzy all over Europe, set to hit the American shores as a part of Paganfest USA: Part 2. They’re headlining. This is an early warning. The tour kicks off in Chicago, at Powerfest, May 7th.
Bring your tankard!
 
KTU goes way out there
The six-armed, three-headed genre-busting monster that is KTU (pronounced K2) (ROCKADILLO RECORDS) will be releasing its new album, Quiver, in February in Finland. Dates for release in the US and Europe will follow shortly. Japan release is set for March 6th.
Quiver features all new music composed, arranged and produced by KTU, recorded at The Zone studios in Texas and mixed at Seawolf Studios, Helsinki.
The trio featuring accordion master Kimmo Pohjonen along with legendary King Crimson members Warr guitarist Trey Gunn and rhythmatist Pat Mastelotto will once again cause jaws to drop at dangerous speeds among all discerning and adventurous music lovers, as they mix virtuosity with heart and a fearless sense of adventure. There is no flab to be found here. This is one highly tuned man-machine.
Quiver features a guest appearance by former band member Samuli Kosminen, who left the band to pursue other interests back in 2007. 

Darude on the run again
Flock of Seagulls may have had some seriously crazy hair, but that melody lives on. You know the one… You may not know you know it, but you know it. Or if you don’t yet, you will soon.
Darude has just released a cover version of I Ran (So Far Away), featuring vocalist Blake Lewis. The song has gained a good amount of airplay in the States and even peaked at number 4 on the US iTunes Dance Chart, number 5 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Singles Chart and 21 on the Hot Singles Sales Chart. Not too shabby at all.
 
Värttinä 25 released in Europe
Värttinä‘s 25th anniversary compilation album entitled 25 is released in Europe in February via Westpark Music. The European edition featured the song Marilaulu replacing Miinan Laulu. Värttinä are now composing and rehearsing material for their upcoming concerts in April 2009 by the new six-piece line-up.

The 69 Eyes into the studio with Slayer and Monster Magnet Producer
The 69 Eyes (EMI) will start recording their next, ninth studio album with the Grammy awarded producer Matt Hyde. He is most known from his works with Slayer, Monster Magnet and Fu Manchu. The recording process will take place both in Helsinki and Los Angeles. The still unnamed album will come in this September, a possible video & single cut earlier early summer.
“We used Slayer’s “God Hates Us All” for long to wake us up before the shows on tour back then, I guess that’s where the name Matt Hyde came into our mind. It’ll be very interesting to work with him. We have so good material at the moment!” says drummer Jussi69.

You can leave your porkpie hat on
The Helsinki-based 8-piece ska/reggae orchestra The Capital Beat is the first artist to be signed by Stupido Records during the 20th year in this most volatile of businesses. It takes two to ska, at least in this case, so Stupido is cooperating with Break A Leg Entertainment, a company that is a true expert of skanking in all its forms. The band´s MySpace page has already caused a stir and resulted in the band popping up on a bunch of radio stations and snowboarding movie soundtracks.
Now the band is set to release a single and then head out to support Reel Big Fish from the US on their Scandinavian jaunt. The forthcoming full length has already secured a German release with the formidable ska powerhouse Pork Pie. Check the end of this missive for dates…

Heartbreak Stereo to release their debut album in Europe, UK and Japan
After the release of their debut full-length album “Inspiration (Back from the Dead)” in Finland it’s now time for the energetic punk rock trio Heartbreak Stereo (MISTRICK RECORDS) to release the album in Europe, UK and Japan. The album will be released in Europe trough Rookie Records while the releases in UK and Japan are handled by Boss Tuneage. The European release in march will be followed by a European tour starting April 16th.

Nem Booking hits the road
As a part of its 20-year anniversary in the music business, Tampere-based booking & promotion agency Nem-Booking Oy is opening an office in Birmingham, England in January 2009. The company represents local acts such as Kolmas Nainen, Ultra Bra, Miljoonasade, Lovex and Maj Karma, and represents foreign acts like LostAlone (UK), Die So Fluid (UK), Paprika Korps (POL) and Delinquent Habits (USA) in Finland.
“Opening a company in the UK has always been a dream for our M.D. in Finland, Harri. This has been something that we have been planning for a couple of years now, but it was only in the last year that we have had the resources and contacts that enable us to do so. The idea is not to compete for the local market, but more to help the local market into Finland and the surrounding Baltic countries. Hopefull, we can also help Finnish bands expand into the UK at some point,” states Managing Director of Nem-Booking UK Rowan Rafferty.
Nem-Booking Oy was formed in 1987 by current M.D. Harri Karvinen , but it was only in 1988 that the company signed contracts with their first performing artists, namely Kolmas Nainen and Miljoonasade, who are still on Nem’s artist roster today. Now, 20 years later, the company employs six office employees (four agents, one production manager and an accounting manager), as well as over 70 musicians and performing artists.
 
International Major Label
Major Label’s (ELEMENTS MUSIC) new album will be released abroad. “When I am with you you are safe” takes the band to Norway, playing two dates at the By:Larm festival in Oslo on February 21st (Rockefeller) & 22nd (Folkets Hus).
The album will be released in Finland February 25th, followed by a Scandinavian release in March-April.
 
Industry may be thin on the ground in Los Angeles…
… but luckily, industrial metal is about to receive a small boost.
Industrial/metal/folk band Neverdice is lighting off to LA to work on their next album with producer Jim Oakley. The band has previously released a free EP on the Internet and about 70% of downloads were in the States. They are particularly popular on the West Coast.
Neverdice will be playing at Extreme Weekend in Tallinn on Feb 7th. 




Live is live
 
Lordi (STUPIDO RECORDS)
29.01.09 GER-Hamburg - Docks
30.01.09 GER-Herford - X
31.01.09 GER-Oberhausen - Turbinenhalle
01.02.09 NED-Purmerend - P3
03.02.09 GER-Nuernberg - Loewensaal
05.02.09 GER-Muenchen - Tonhalle
06.02.09 GER-Stuttgart - Filharmonie
07.02.09 GER-Saarbruecken - E-Werk
10.02.09 GER-Bremen - Aladin
12.02.09 GBR-London - Carling Academy
13.02.09 GBR-Dudley - JB´s
15.02.09 IRE-Dublin - Button factory
16.02.09 GBR-Sheffield – Carling Academy
18.02.09 FRA-Paris - Elysee Montmartre
20.02.09 ES-Barcelona - Apolo
21.02.09 ES-Bilbao – Rock Star Live
22.02.09 ES-Madrid - Heineken
24.02.09 FRA-Toulouse - Havana
25.02.09 FRA-Lyon - Transbordeur
26.02.09 ITA-Milan - Rolling Stone
27.02.09 ITA-Rom - Alpheus
02.03.09 FRA-Mulhouse - Moumatrouff
04.03.09 SWI-Zürich – Rohstofflager
06.03.09 BUL-Sofia- Hristo Botev Hall
07.03.09 SER-Belgrade – SKC
09.03.09 AUT-Wörgl – Komma
11.03.09 HUN-Budapest – Petöfi Hall
12.03.09 AUT-Wien – Gasometer
16.03.09 CZE-Pardubice - Small Arena
17.03.09 CZE-Ostrava - CEZ Arena
18.03.09 CZE-Plzen - Halla Locomotiva
22.03.09 FIN-Ylläs – Taiga
23.03.09 FIN-Levi – Hullu Poro Areena
27.03.09 SWE-Lund – Mejeriet
28.03.09 SWE-Stockholm – Klubben
29.03.09 SWE-Gothenburg – Traedgarn

Nightwish (SPINEFARM RECORDS) and
Indica (SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT FINLAND)
11.03.2009 Carling Academy Brixton, London, UK
14.03.2009 Forest National, Brysseli, Belgium
15.03.2009 Ahoy Arena, Rotterdam, Holland
17.03.2009 Palladium, Köln, Germany
18.03.2009 Emslandhallen, Lingen, Germany
20.03.2009 Europahalle, Karlsruhe, Germany
21.03.2009 Messehalle, Erfurt, Germany
23.03.2009 Zenith, Pariisi, France
24.03.2009 Zenith, Pariisi, France
26.03.2009 Zenith, München, Germany
28.03.2009 St. Jakobshalle, Basel, Switzerland
30.03.2009 Palabam, Mantova, Italy
31.03.2009 Palasport, Pordenone, Italy
02.04.2009 Cibona Hall, Zagreb, Croatia
04.04.2009 Fonix Hall, Debrecen, Hungary
 
Kimmo Pohjonen, Samuli Kosminen & Proton String Quartet
February 12: Tartu - Vanemuise Concert Hall
February 13: Jõhvi - Concert Hall
February 14: Pärnu - Concert Hall
February 15: Tallinn - Estonia Concert Hall
 
Kimmo Pohjonen (ROCKADILLO RECORDS)
Jan 29: Kirkenes, Norway – Borders Control or Rock and Roll festival
March 14: Linz, Austria - Stadtwerkstatt (solo)
 
Boomhauer (STUPIDO RECORDS) and
Black Magic Six (ÄHKY RECORDS)
21.01.2009 Klubb Zorch/Mitt Andra Hem, Örebro (SWE)
22.01.2009 Tivoli, Helsingborg (SWE)
23.01.2009 Loppen, Copenhagen/Christiania (DEN)
24.01.2009 St. Pauli Beat Club, Hamburg (GER)
25.01.2009 Rambler, Eindhoven (HOL)
26.01.2009 Bei Chez Heinz , Hannover (GER)
27.01.2009 Sonic Ballroom , Cologne/Köln (GER)
28.01.2009 Atelier Art & Cafe , Wohlen (GER)
29.01.2009 KuZeB, Bremgarten (GER)
30.01.2009 Sunny Red, Munich/München (GER)
31.01.2009 Kunstkeller o27 , Fürth (GER)

Capital Beat  (STUPIDO RECORDS)
03.03.2009 Vega / w REEL BIG FISH Copenhagen (DK)
04.03.2009 KB / REEL BIG FISH Malmö (SWE)
05.03.2009 Sticky Fingers / w REEL BIG FISH Göteborg (SWE)
06.03.2009 John Dee / w REEL BIG FISH Oslo (NOR)
07.03.2009 Tyrol / w REEL BIG FISH Stockholm (SWE)
09.03.2009 Nosturi / w REEL BIG FISH Helsinki (FIN)


The 69 Eyes (EMI) escapes from the studio for a while and tours in Europe with the Swedish fellow Goth metallers Tiamat:
08.02.09 SE – Stockholm – Klubben
10.02.09 DE – Hamburg – Markthalle
11.02.09 DE – Berlin – Columbia Club
12.02.09 DE – Leipzig – Werk 2
13.02.09 PO - Warsaw – Progresja
14.02.09 PO - Krakow – Studio
15.02.09 CZ – Prague – Abaton
17.02.09 HU – Budapest - Petofi Hall
18.02.09 DE – Munich - Backstage
19.02.09 AT – Vienna – Szene
20.02.09 IT – Bologna – Estragon
21.02.09 CH – Pratteln - Z7
22.02.09 CH – Lausanne – Docks
24.02.09 DE – Stuttgart – Die Röhre
25.02.09 BE – Leuven - Depot
26.02.09 DE – Frankfurt – Batschkapp
27.02.09 DE – Saarbrücken – Garage
28.02.09 NL – Zoetermeer - Boerderij
01.03.09 FR – Paris - La Locomotive
02.03.09 UK – London - Electric Ballroom