TERHI SKANIAKOS
1. Hurriganes, “Get on”
Live performance recorded at the Tavastic club in Helsinki in 1974, archives of the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE.
Cisse Häkkinen: bass, vocals; Remu Aaltonen: drums, lead vocals; Albert Järvinen; guitar.
Hurriganes is a Finnish rock band that was formed in 1971. They started by performing old ”roots” rock’n’roll classics and wrote their own songs in a similar vein. They were very popular in Finland and Sweden, especially in the 1970s and the so called first wave of Finnish rock. Hurriganes paved the way and acted as a model for thousands of teenagers and musicians in Finland at the time and inspired them to play rock. The song is credited to all band members. The lyrics are decribed as ”rock esperanto”, as they were mostly improvised in the studio. The song is from the album Roadrunner, Love Records, LRLP 117, 1974.
2. Juice Leskinen & Cointus Int, “Jyrki Boy”
From: Tv-performance from the year 1975, Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) archive material.
Eetu Tuominen: guitar, vocals; Harri Rinne; Heikki Jokela; Juice Leskinen: vocals; Jukka-Petteri Aronen; Juuso Nordlund (bass); Mikko Alatalo: vocals; Pentti Penninkilampi: organ and vocals; Juke Aronen: drums and cow bell.
Juice Leskinen (1950-2006) was a signifiant figure in the emergence of Finnish rock music and especially the use of Finnish on rock lyrics. Cointus Int was his first band located in Tampere and the song is from his early career. Song is written by Juice Leskinen and it was originally recorded on Love Records Vinyl, 7″, Single LRS 2061, 1974.
3. Pelle Miljoona Oy, “Moottoritie on kuuma”
From: Studio live at Toivotaan, toivotaan TV-show at the commercial Finnish TV-channel, MTV in 1980.
Pelle Miljoona: lead vocals; Ari Taskinen: keyboard, guitar, vocals; Andy McCoy: guitar, vocals; Sami Takamäki: bass, vocals; Tumppi Varonen: drums, percussion, vocals.
The band Pelle Miljoona OY started in 1980. It was formed around the lear singer called Pelle Miljoona, a.k.a. Petri Tiili (born 1955). The most important musical influence was punk and in Finland it took the form of uusi aalto (new wave), which started from the British punk leftovers, but soon merged into mainstream rock music. ”Moottoritie on kuuma” (Highway is hot) is the title song from the first album of Pelle Miljoona Oy, but the fifth album of Pelle Miljoona. Music is written by Ari Taskinen, lyrics by Pelle Miljoona.
4. Hassisen Kone, “Oikeus on voittanut taas”
From: Rumat sävelet (LP, album), Poco Records PÄLP 24, Finland 1981.
Ismo Alanko: lead vocals, guitar; Reijo Heiskanen: vocals, guitar; Jussi Kinnunen: bass, vocals; Harri Kinnunen: drums.
The original recording of the song ”Oikeus on voittanut taas” (Justice has won again, written by Ismo Alanko) on the album Rumat sävelet, which was the second album released by Hassisen Kone. The lyrics of the band were stand taking and critical and the band represented a counter-cultural attitude. As many bands at the time, also Hassisen Kone came from the regional areas, from Joensuu located in Eastern Finland.
This is a live performance of the song “Oikeus on voittanut taas” captured on Saimaa ilmiö rock documentary by Aki and Mika Kaurismäki, performed at May 31st 1981 in Lappeenranta. Several bands were performing at this open summer theatre venue and the event was organised by the local live music association (elävän musiikin yhdistys).
5. Eppu Normaali, “Murheellisten laulujen maa”
From: TV show Levottomat palat, YLE2, 1982.
Pantse Syrjä: guitar; Martti Syrjä: lead vocals; Safka Pekkonen: piano, vocals; Mikko Nevalainen: bass; Aku Syrjä: drums; Juha Torvinen: guitar.
Eppu Normaali is a Tampere region based band, which was formed at 1976. It started as a punk band but became one of the main representatives of the Finnish new wave in the early 1980s. “Murheellisten laulujen maa” was published in 1982 on the record Tie Vie. The song has become one of the most popular in the band’s repertoire and iconic in suomirock, even though it was written as a parody for the sad ”self-pity” iskelmä songs and pessimistic male history of alcoholism and failing. In the video the band members are dressed in black suites, as being in a funeral.