September 2003:
- Features:
1) Export research released
2) Helsinki Export Showcase a success
- Business news
- Live news
- Behind the Scenes / Behind the Numbers
FEATURES:
Finnish Music Exports Grow Four-fold in Two Years
A comprehensive new study has revealed that Finnish music exports grew four-fold between 1999 and 2001 and that the total value for 2001 was 15,5 million euros. According to the report the strongest markets for Finnish music remain the Nordic countries however the biggest growth area has been GSA. There are no signs of this growth slowing with six Finnish bands entering the German charts within the last year.
Between 1999 and 2001 the sales of goods increased by a staggering 370 percent and, based on the answers given by the Finnish companies in this study, the growth is expected to sustain. The study was conducted in co-operation with all key industry organsations and embraces the entire earning logic of the industry from sales of goods and services to copyright royalties.
>> Further information and full report presentation here.
Ten bands celebrated at the Helsinki Export Showcase
Over 30 international music industry professionals from the Nordic Countries, the UK, Ireland and Germany were treated with Finnish hospitality and kick-ass music performances by the local artists in the sunny autumn warmth of Helsinki between 4th - 5th September.
The guests from various European agencies, festivals and medias were delighted to meet each other and Finnish music industry head honchos over a relaxed atmosphere. Two nights were filled with live performances by acts such as Accu, Rinneradio, The Flaming Sideburns, The Latebirds and Kimmo Pohjonen. Connections and agreements created by this meeting will generate even broader possibilities of seeing Finnish music all over Europe.
**********
BUSINESS:
ROCKADILLOS Sámi joiku-meister Wimme climbed straight to number 15 on the EBU World Music Charts Europe with his latest outing called Bárru. Sales of his fusion of ancient shaman vocals and electro-acoustic soundscapes have been especially strong in France where cds have been flying from the shelves better than ever. Wimme is also heading for his concert tour in India in November, 26th in New Delhi and 28th in Calcutta.
STUPIDO RECORDS will release the DVD by the infamous oompah-group Eläkeläiset in November. Nakedness, madness, drunkenness..and even some of the best oompah-music in the world! Furthermore, the beatmasters Giant Robot are currently recording their 3rd album (first one for Stupido) which will be out in early 2004.
POKO RECORDS Goth-rockers The 69 Eyes will release their anticipated compilation in Blood - The Very Blessed of the 69 Eyes as well as a live dvd called Helsinki Vampires Live on 26th September in Finland. Both the cd and the dvd will be available in Germany later this year. The band will embark on a domestic tour starting November until Christmas.
Another upcoming act from POKO is NERDEE whose album Diamond Station is out in Finland on 19th September. Their single Broken Glass became a cross-over smash and its been played by the biggest commercial stations as well as the national YLEX channel. Later this fall, Nerdee will be joining Radio NRJs city tour and Broken Glass will be known as the tune of Radio Novas national tv campaign.
After a successful domestic release of the extremely groovy Haltya 12 Hero and the analog ambient mastermind Mac Mavis album Gatefinder, both releases are finally available outside Finland. EXOGENIC RECORDS autumn release schedule will be fairly busy with upcoming albums from artists like Texas Faggott, Haltya, Squaremeat and Eraser vs Yöjalka.
*********
LIVE:
The Rasmus tours extensively in Germany winged by the brilliant chart topping GSA sales of their Dead Letters album. Their show in Berlin on August 13 is further strengthened by heavy metal celloists Apocalyptica. More>>>
Trio Töykeät charms in Benelux, Germany and Denmark in September and November. The adventurous jazz group will perform tunes from their forthcoming album High Standards, licensed on EMI Finland, and will be released through the famous Blue Note label. The album includes Töykeät-styled cover versions jazz of standards as well as versions of Black Sabbath’s Paranoid and Bowie’s Starman. More>>>
Amorphis will tour Europe this Autumn starting from their native soil Finland. Having released their praised Far From The Sun album during the summer and having spent the summer season playing festivals at home and abroad, Amorphis are now ready to take their music to a club tour of Europe. After Finland, the tour will span Scandinavia where they will warm up for Paradise Lost and then move to Germany, London and Greece. More>>>
The joint European tour of HIM, Ozzy Osbourne and Godsmack has been postponed until late October. The rescheduling is due to Ozzy’s foot surgery, says report. HIM’s headlining Love Metal tour in Spain, Portugal, Italy and France had to be moved to January and February 2004. More>>>
**********
Behind the Scenes: The rocknroll lifestyle isnt dead! Hard rocking Finnish sensations Negative got up to enough rock clichés to rival Spinal Tap this summer. Theyve already thrown a TV out of a hotel window, stage-dived with bone-crushing consequences, and given comments in interviews such as this ghastly image from singer Jonne Aaron: “If I werent living the rocknroll dream Id probably have a wife, two kids, a car and a house”. Um, Jonne, youre only 20… Thankfully, their rock show lives up to the lifestyle. More>>>
Behind the Numbers: The campaign to reduce VAT is heating up in Finland with several major retailers already committed to dropping prices if the EU allows a VAT cut on recordings. In a campaign organised with the local IFPI-affiliate ÄKT, department stores Anttila and Stockmann sold, for one weekend, CDs at prices that would follow from a VAT cut from the current 22% to 8%, a reduction of 2,5-3 euros on full-priced products. More>>>