September 2005
- Features:
* Finnish delegates @ Popkomm, September 14-16
* Music & Media October 21-23: impressive international participation
- Business
- Live News
- Behind The Scenes
MEET FINNISH MUSIC BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS AT POPKOMM
25 Finnish companies - over 50 Finnish music-business professionals - welcome you to our stand 107, Hall 17 to get to know the top Finnish artists and products. (For the 16 Finnish showcases at Popkomm, see www.musexfinland.fi/popkomm2005)
A1 Music Mr. Vesa Vähäsarja, MD, vesa(at)a1music.net
Production company specializing in commercial entertainment production and developing innovative digital music moods for mobile humans.
Beats and Styles Recordings / AJ Records Mr. Jaakko Manninen, MD, info(at)beatsandstyles.com
Innovative, versatile, fresh independent music producer/label producing quality crossover pop music with an edge. Full packages, from artwork to MTV-quality music videos.
Dynamic Arts Records Mr. Markus Povelainen, markus(at)dynamicartsrecords.com
Label focusing mainly on metal music. Current artists include Behexen, Calvarium, Deathbound, Deathchain, Machine Men, Scorngrain and Sear.
Exogenic Records Mr. Jacob Ehrnrooth, MD, jacob(at)exogenic.com
Independent label group, publisher and management company. The premiere electronic-music company in Finland. Labels: Exogenic (Psytrance), Exogenic Breaks (Downtempo, Lounge), XO Records (Hip Hop), Terra Recordings (Soulful pop). LS Management Ltd. manages artists and producers. Artists include: Texas Faggott, Squaremeat, Haltya, Accu, Koneveljet, Fat Beat Sound System, Brothomstates, LAU and Crumbland.
Fullsteam Records Mr. Juha Kyyrö, Manager, juha.kyyro(at)welldone.fi
Independent record company with sub-label 1000 Records. Current bands: Abduktio, Antero Lindgren, Callisto, Ceebrolistics, Damn Seagulls, Deep Insight, Disco Ensemble, Flogging Molly, Koma, Lapko, No Shame, Pedestrian’s Motor, Sela.
Hitmedia Mr. Jussi Alaputto, Export Director, jussi.alaputto(at)hitmedia.fi
Hitmedia provides services for distributing copy-protected content, music and video, for personal mobile use.
Helsinki Music Company Mr. Niko Nordström, MD, niko.nordstrom(at)hmc.fi
New company founded by Niko Nordström and Asko Kallonen. Three main fields: record label, publishing and booking agency.
Johanna Kustannus/Megamania Mr. Sami Rikala, sami.rikala(at)johannakustannus.fi
Independent record company releasing Finnish rock and pop such as Leningrad Cowboys, Melrose, Ben Granfelt, The Blaster Master, Tigerbombs and Naked.
Love Music Publishing Ms. Sini Perho, MD, sini.perho(at)lovemusic.fi
Independent music publisher working with Finnish rock, pop and film music: Melrose, Tigerbombs, The Blaster Master, Marko Haavisto, Anssi Tikanmäki and Antero Jakoila.
Merceedees Mr. Paavo Bäckman, MD, paavo.backman(at)merceedees.fi
In six years, Merceedees has become one of the most talked-about independent rock/pop record labels in Finland. Sublabel: Beemvees. Key artists: Bloodpit, Maryland and Wax Real Time Orchestra.
Next Big Thing Recordings Mr. Jere Leskinen, MDl, info(at)nextbigthing.fi
Electronic indie pop label from Helsinki. Artists include Gris, Lbj, Pooma, Regina, and Roshi.
Parole Records Mr. George Jackson, MD International, george(at)parolemusic.com
Parole Records combines British music-business know-how and contacts with Finnish musical talent. Genre: pop/rock with darkwave sublabel Futurecords. Current artists include Flylow and Iconcrash
Poplandia Music / Gaga Goodies Mr. Epe Helenius, Managing Director, epe(at)poko.fi
One of the oldest and best independent Finnish publishing companies specializing in pop and rock. Major artists: Diablo, Bitch Alert, Nerdee, Feiled, Creamstar and The 69 Eyes.
Ricky-Tick Records Mr. Antti Eerikäinen, MD, antti(at)ricky-tick.com
Ricky-Tick Records aims to release top-notch jazz, especially dancefloor, soul and latin jazz. Key artists: The Five Corners Quintet, Dalindeo, Timo Lassy and Jukka Eskola.
Rockadillo Records Mr. Tapio Korjus, MD, records(at)rockadillo.fi
One of Finland’s best-established and most globally recognized independent labels, specializing in electronica, world music, jazz, experimental and progressive. Artists include: Kimmo Pohjonen, RinneRadio, Jarmo Saari Solu.
Sam Agency Mr. Sami Peura, MD, sami.peura(at)samagency.fi
Sam Agency is an artist-management and agency representing Finnish top artists in rap, urban, dance and rock. Key artists: Don Johnson Big Band, Paleface, Poets of the Fall, Private Line and Redrama.
Spinefarm Songs Mr. Riku Pääkkönen, MD, riku(at)spinefarm.fi
Publishing company specializing in metal. Artists include Ensiferum, Charon, Finntroll, Entwine, Kius, Children of Bodom and many more.
Stupido Records Mr. Joose Berglund, A&R & Promotion Manager, joose(at)stupido.fi
Stupido Records, est. 1989, is one of the biggest and oldest totally independent Finnish record companies. Current roster includes: Eläkeläiset, Boomhauer, Giant Robot, Aavikko, Boy Novice, Hypnomen and Shadowplay.
Supersounds Music Distribution Mr. Karri Suksia, promo(at)supersounds.fi
Independent music distributor representing labels like: Rykodisc, PIAS, Warp, F-Communication, Def Jux, Sweet Nothing, Mascot/Provogue, Massacre, Varese Sarabande, Bad Vugum and Dynamic Arts. Also exports Finnish independent labels.
TUM Records Mr. Petri Haussila, MD, petri.haussila(at)welho.com
TUM Records is a new Finnish record company producing high-quality music recordings and selectively organizing concerts and events. Focuses on improvised, jazz-based music with particular emphasis on free expression and the performer’s own music.
Töölön Musiikkitukku Mr. Martti Heikkinen, MD, martti.heikkinen(at)toolonmusiikkitukku.com
The leading independent record distributor in Finland. Represents exclusively Bear Family, BGO, Compost, Sonar Kollektiv, Crammed, Greensleeves, Proper, Ipecac, Southern Lord, TriKont, Sähkö etc. In-house labels include Texicalli, Impala & Jupiter - jazz, folk, soul, rock, electro. Artists: Quintessence, Fly, Teddy Rok Seven, Q-Continuum, Korpi Ensemble, MP4, Uusi Fantasia, And The Lefthanded + several others.
UHO Production
Independent record company and publisher. Formed in January 2005. In the early roster bands from Finland and Russia: Morley, Amplifire, Lambs, Brüssel Kaupallinen, Dominia, New Dawn Foundation and MV&SA.
Warner/Chappell Music Finland Mr. Tom Frisk, Creative Director, tom.frisk(at)warnerchappell.com
Leading music publisher in Finland. A Warner Music Group Company. Acts, talents and catalogues include: The Latebirds, Laika and The Cosmonauts, The Farangs, K-System, FirmFist, JayDay, Crumbland, The Rasmus, The Crash and much more.
****
Finnish Music Information Centre (FIMIC) Ms. Jutta Jaakkola, Head of Popular Music, info(at)fimic.fi
Promotes Finnish composers and their music, spanning all genres from jazz and contemporary music to pop/rock, modern folk and electronica.
Music Export Finland Ms. Paulina Ahokas, Director, paulina(at)musexfinland.fi
Music Export Finland Association initiates, assists and facilitates promotion, marketing and sales of Finnish popular music abroad.
==== And don’t forget the Nordic Drinks Party on Thursday, September 15 at 5.30pm. If you still haven’t got an invitation, email our assistant asap. ====
MUSIC & MEDIA CONFERENCE SWARMING WITH INTERNATIONAL MUSIC INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS
An impressive number of international delegates will attend the (sweet) 16th edition of Music & Media in Tampere, Finland, October 21-23. The event boasts over 30 showcases by the créme de la créme of fresh Finnish talent and 500+ Finnish delegates in the very heart of Tampere.
Check out the list of confirmed international delegates and showcases (by September 8) at ww.musexfinland.fi/MM2005
********
BUSINESS
Having just successfully launched their new single No Fear on radio and TV all over the world, The Rasmus (PLAYGROUND MUSIC) will be releasing their 6th studio album Hide From The Sun on September 12.
Finnish danceduo DCXs (A1 MUSIC) single Flying High has become a favorite of numerous DJ’s; among them Darude (16 INCH RECORDS) has been playing it on his US and Canadian tour. The single contains three remixes, one made by a top Swedish producer Cid Inc, previously remixing e.g. Sonique. A1 MUSIC has also launched a new label for their rock and metal releases. A1 Metals first release is Am I Bloods The Truth Inside the Dying Sun, which is the band’s long-awaited fourth album. Their previous two albums were released through Nuclear Blast.
The Finnish pay-and-download music service Foryourears.com was launched in June 2004 and is now growing rapidly, following a strategy of concentrating on more marginal subgenres of electronic music. To date, over 30 distribution agreements have been signed with record labels from Scandinavian, Baltic and European countries, including also Finnish imprints such as Exogenic Breaks Records, Nine2five Recordings and Ural 13 Records.
Different Level is a new agency promoting Finnish world music with an impressive artist roster. Different Level calls its approach fair culture. Fair culture is also being researched by the companys Managing Director Ms. Katja Bloigu in cooperation with the Finnish Ministry of Education in The Ethics of Culture project.
The electro-duo Mr Velcro Fastener‘s (STARS-MUSIC) new full-lenght album will be released in January 2006; the first taster single The Flock will be out in October 2005. After some busy years remixing and touring, e.g. continental Europe and the US, they are ready to present their third CD/2LP Telemacho. Mr VF doesn’t give a shit about trends in electronic music - their new album is full of beautifully arranged modern electro flavored with solid robotic funk.
Siamese Sounds is acknowledged Finnish indielabel which has recently published celebrated albums by Astro Can Caravan, Kastor, Underwater Sleeping Society and Rubik. Now it has signed a promising new Finnish indierock act Silvio and will release the bands debut album Amass All You Can on October 21.
The Lost Tapes Of Finnish Jazz is a remastered compilation of guitar player Ilkka Rantamäki‘s (TERRAVOX) previous albums, which have been out for more than ten years and highly praised, especially in US publications. He has often been seen touring in the United States as well, as well as Zürich and Pihtipudas. An album containing new material is coming out as soon as before the end of 2005.
CandymanNFriends (CANDYMANMUSIC) single Sunshine is to get its release in 13 European countries, including the UK, Germany, the Benelux countries and Sweden during 2005. Sunshine is a massive vocal trance hit, first released in Finland in 2004. It has attracted huge interest among DJ`s and other professionals followed all over the world.
********
LIVE
Following the release of their sixth album Hide From The Sun on September 12, The Rasmus (PLAYGROUND MUSIC) will launch a full-blown tour of Europe, spanning the UK, Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary October 17 November 22.
The release of HIM‘s (HMC/SIRE) new album Dark Light on September 26 will be promoted with a wide-ranging tour of the US and Canada. The busy schedule so far includes almost forty dates between October 5 and November 24.
One of the most hard-working metal outfits in Finland, Children of Bodom (SPINEFARM) will tour overseas during October and November. The travelin’ band heads first to Australia with three gigs on October 24, then to Japan with eight performances on October 718, and finally to North America, playing there no less than thirty shows with Trivium and Amon Amarth on November 9December 14.
Appearing at the Live’N'Louder Rock Fests in Latin America will be Nightwish (SPINEFARM) (October 10 Mexico City, October 12 Santiago de Chile, October 15 São Paulo, Brazil) and The 69 Eyes (EMI) (October 8 Mexico City, October 12 São Paulo, Brazil and October 15 Porto Alegre, Brazil). Before their shows in Hispanoamérica, The 69 Eyes will perform at the MTV Russia Music Awards in Red Square, Moscow, on September 22.
Some of Finland’s most exciting electronica artists are being presented on the Sounds Like Suomi tour in China during September. Jori Hulkkonen, Cleaning Women, Huoratron and Ovali Virta will perform in discos, rock clubs and open-air festivals in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Kunming and Shenzhen. The tour was kickstarted at the EU-sponsored Europe Street park concert in Beijing on September 9.
Avantgardist psych rock band Circle (EKTRO RECORDS) make their first American jaunt since 2000, stopping at the Arthur Fest in L.A. and the 2005 CMJ Music Marathon in NYC. These dates coincide with the American release of their latest album Forest.
********
Behind the Scenes: Lodger (EMI) has had a strange start to its career as a band. The first most people heard of the band, was when the video to Doorsteps won the Oulu Music Video Festival in 2003. Since then the band’s videos, directed by bass player Hannes Häyhä, have been living a life of their own and getting prizes across the globe from London to Korea. Lodger‘s videos feature a simple, roundheaded animation figure, who leads a sleazy lifestyle. The figure and Lodger‘s music have also ended up in commercials in various countries. Lodger signed to EMI earlier this year, and are currently preparing for the rerelease of their debut album Hi-fi High Lights Down Low. 
Behind the Numbers: Rivalries are rare in the Finnish music scene. Since the scene is fairly small, most bands tend to encourage each other and wish each other success rather than compete. Whether they want to or not HIM (HMC/SIRE) and The Rasmus (PLAYGROUND) will experience a kind of rivarly this autumn, since both release an album within a month of each other. Both are also looking to continue the international success of previous records. In Finland HIM‘s previous album Love Metal sold 46 000 copies whereas The Rasmus’ Dead Letters has sold over 77 000 copies.