Categories
Albums Music

The Cult – Born into This

{mosimage}After more
than 20 years in the business, The Cult don’t have anything to demonstrate with
their eight album. They have delivered already their top 3 albums and we
shouldn’t expect a masterpiece from them in 2007. However, this does not mean
that they cannot record very good albums. Born into This is a great one.

This new
album is also announced a back-to-basics record for the band of Ian Astbury and
Billy Duffy. Indeed, Born into This is a hard rock album. Nothing less, nothing
more. The experiments of “the goat album” (1994) or the metal sounds of Beyond
Good and Album (2001) are put aside and the band returns to the dirty hard rock
sounds of Electric (1987) and Sonic Temple (1989) with a little bit of the dark
gothic textures of Love (1984). Four-minute songs, guitar riffs

Still, it’s
2007 and fortunately the band does not repeat itself. Always, every new The
Cult album has been different from the previous ones and Born into This is not
an exception. The new songs sound fresh and current, like the single Dirty
Little Rockstar that brings a techno bass line and effects (and a riff similar
to The Rolling Stones’ Undercover of the Night) or Diamonds that uses mild
programming into the mix.

The
production excellent production and it benefits Astbury. Ian really shines and
his voice is strong as usual. Billy Duffy delivers a good amount of typical The
Cult riffs and he even allows himself to rip off the guitar riff of The Who’s
Substitute in Illuminated, which by the way, is one of the best songs of the
set. And of course, the melodies are The Cult 100%.

The only
weak moment is the crooner type of ballad Holy Mountain. It is not an inspired
moment and it breaks the strong rocking pace of the album.

This new
album is also released as a 2-cd edition, named Savage Edition and presented in
a beautiful digipack. The second cd includes two songs not included in the
album, which are outstanding and not leftovers. It also includes the demos of the
songs I Assassin and Sound of Destruction and the extended version of Savages.

Born into
This does not top classic The Cult, but it is worthy and very enjoyable. Recommended.

Rating: 4/5

Categories
Albums Music

Brothers of a Feather – Live at the Roxy

{mosimage}Although
not as popular as other contemporaries, The Black Crowes have grown up to the
status of a classic rock band. After a 4-year hiatus, brothers Chris and Rich
Robinson got together again in 2005 and offered some of the band’s most
outstanding performances ever. In 2006, besides touring with the Crowes, the
Robinson brothers also offered a few special shows as an acoustic duo .(electric sometimes) The cd / dvd
Brothers of a Feather: Live at the Roxy offers the highlights of a series of
concerts in Los Angeles.

Coming from
artists with a good amount of hits behind, one might expect an unplugged
greatest hits type of album. Not quite right. As a matter of fact, this Live at
the Roxy hardly includes Black Crowes hits or songs. The set is a very
interesting mix of few Black Crowes originals, unreleased songs, b-sides,
covers, songs from the solo albums and even two new songs.

This way the
set remains fresh and new, discovering a new side of the Robinsons’ music. They
dig deep into traditional American folk music. The covers include songs by Gene
Clark (Polly), John Martyn (Over the Hill) or David Wiffin (Driving Wheel), and
a little bit more known are Lowell George’s Roll Um Easy and Bob Dylan’s
Forever Young.

The album
keeps a laid back pace, bringing an intimate and warm feeling. There are not
loud guitar riffs by Rich or screams by Chris, but there’s no need. The music
speaks by itself and it is soulful. Both brothers deliver very good harmonies.
Even the guitarist sings a couple of songs.

If the
rarities and the covers are not enough, the brothers also present two new
songs: Cold Boy Smile and Magic Rooster Blues. These are probably the best
songs both have written together in ten years. There will be a new Black Crowes
album next year. If these new songs can be a hint, one of the best Black Crowes
can be expected.

Brothers of
a Feather is released a in cd/dvd combo. The film brings even a more intimate
feeling. Maybe it’s the bare stage in small theater, with just rack next to the
brothers to places the hat and the coat. Of course, they feel like home on
stage. The dvd includes six more songs. Some of them feature the guest
appearance of sax player Dave Ellis, who adds some nice extra sounds to the
mix. So the female backing vocalists do. They add the extra “black sound” that
The Black Crowes music needs.

Most likely
this set will not sell much, apart of the regular fan base. In spite of their
early success, the Robinson brothers have alienated themselves too much from
wide audiences. However, Brothers of a Feather is a testimony of two of the most talented rock artists to come up in the last
20 years in their most intimate space. Two grown up artists, with many shows behind and a deep love and
knowledge about music. Not just another live album, but a unique collection of songs. Superb.

Rating 5/5 

Categories
Albums Music

RATT – Tell the world

{mosimage}Do you remember the eighties? And how the glam scene was dominating the
charts?

American bands coming mostly from the sleazy Los Angeles scene like Dokken,
Poison, Mötley Crüe, or Faster Pussycat,
with tons of make-up, an androgynous image and a lot ease on stage that was
able to turn male and female audiences crazy. And RATT was one of the
sexiest bands of that era; straight guitar riffs from the excellent Warren
DeMartini mixed with excellent lyrics that made them have a place in the
heart of millions of listeners.

For those of you who were too young to enjoy the “glammy” movement, now
you have the chance to rediscover the band, or just to jump a couple of decades
back in time with this greatest hits edited by Atlantic. 20 featured
tracks, material gathered mostly from their first and most successful four
albums although you can find also a couple of songs at the end from the latest
90s: Steel
River and Way Cool
Jr. from their MTV Unplugged).

Listen again to the catchy chorus
of Round and Round, the powerful lyrics in I want a Woman, the
killer opening riff in You are in Love or the sultry Nobody rides for
Free.  RATT continues alive nowadays
in 2007, but only two original members are left after continuous formation
changes over the last years and the death of the guitarist Robin Crosby
in 2002.

If you already had the 91 RATT´s compilation called Ratt ´n Roll 8191,
probably this album is not going to add much to your collection, since the
material is quite similar, but for fans and new incomers, this is an excellent
chance to get some taste from the fabulous eighties.

Rating 4/5

Categories
Albums Music

Nightwish – Dark Passion Play

{mosimage}Finally Nightwish´s
new album, featuring their new singer, the Swedish Anette Olzon, is out
in the streets. Worse or better than in the old era?

Nightwish´s Dark
Passion Play has been finally released, and the comparisons between the new
singer, Anette Olzon, and the previous one, the charismatic Tarja Turunen,
are impossible to avoid. Is the new singer better? Is she worse? Is the change
going to affect the quality of Nightwish?

Well, obviously
the first feeling when you listen to the album is that Anette´s voice is not
the same than Tarja´s voice. Anette sings with passion and sweetness, but in a
different register, while Turunen´s opera background made her one of a kind. Tuomas
Holopainen´s songwriting reaches here his best, clean and emotive lyrics
that really transport you to a new and fantasy world. The record is exquisitely
produced; the design of the cover and inside booklet is one of the best I have
seen so far during last year, and the option in the special edition of
listening in the CD 2 only the instrumental version of the full album is great.
The first track: The Poet and the Pendulum is one of my favorite ones,
together with Cadence of her Last Breath and Eva, where Nightwish
knows how to explode greatly the more intimate tone of their ballads. The
background vocals also acquired a bigger and better importance here than in
previous albums. But, and there is always one “but”… I cannot avoid missing Tarja´s
voice. It is almost impossible to forget the sound of (maybe together with Liv
Kristine) the best female voice in hard rock and heavy metal worldwide
scene. Some few bands achieved successfully the change of main singer (like ACDC
or Black Sabbath) but many others were never the same until they came
back to their roots (look at Iron Maiden, who remembers today Blaze
Bayley?).

For those who come
to listen to Dark Passion Play without prejudices and with an open mind,
undoubtedly this is a good metal album with strokes of quality all over it. But
for the others who were used to the old singer, maybe they can feel a bit
disappointed after the comparison. Time and more albums will tell if Nightwish
will be able to skip the shadow of Turunen´s voice that hangs over the band.

Rating 3/5

Categories
Albums Music

Mark Knopfler – Kill to Get Crimson

{mosimage}The charismatic
ex-leader and guitar player of Dire Straits, owner of an almost
unpronounceable surname, is back with his fifth solo album. 

We are not going
to discover at this point the great musical and composing skills of Mark
Knopfler, a man whose legend as creator of melodies for Dire Straits
as well as scoring music for classic soundtracks such as The Princess Bride,
Last Exit to Brooklyn or Call is
undeniable and has turned him into one of a kind.

Now, with his
fifth solo studio album, Kill to get Crimson, Knopfler achieves
his maybe more cohesive album. A record with fascinating lyrics and immaculate
guitar playing starting from the first couple of songs and spreading all over
the album. Good start with the more commercial True Love Will never Fade and
excellent guitar skills in The Scaffolder´s Wife. You will find again
excellent songwriting showing that Knopfler knows how to explore all the
greatness and miseries of humankind, turning them into simple beautiful
melodies with a touch of melancholy; perfect songs to listen in a dark corner
of a pub with a pint of beer in your hand or while relaxing in your favorite
sofa at home.

Here and there you
can perceive some glimpses to and old timely Celtic spirit in compositions
accompanied by accordions and fiddles. English pub rhythms mixed with waltzes
like In Heart Full of Holes or in Secondary Waltz, and catchy
chorus that will be part of your heart almost instantly once you listen to them.
And a tune with the exact dose of mischief that could perfectly have been
written during the Dire Straits times: Punish the monkey. Great stuff
from an unique composer and guitar player.

Rating: 5/5

Categories
Misc News

Nightwish Nummer Eins in Germany

In Sweden the group currently stands at number 4, in Austria, the Netherlands and Greece at 5 and in Norway at number 7 of the official album charts.

In the UK, the album entered at number 25, a fact many newspapers and on line media in Finland have found worth dedicating separate articles to.

In their home country Finland, Dark Passion Play sold double platinum in record time and  went straight to the top of the album chart. Nightwish’s latest single "Amaranth" also tops the Finnish singles list.

The album has done less well in Belgium, Poland and Ireland, where it entered the charts at 36, 50 and 62 respectively.

The band from Kitee, southeast Finland, kicked off their first world tour with vocalist Annette with a sold-out concert in Tel Aviv last Saturday (6.10.2007). Next Monday the group will start the North-American leg of the tour in Springfield, USA.

Nightwish – official website

Categories
Outside Finland Travel

Turkey’s glittering Aegean jewels

In the south east of the country that has one foot in Europe and the rest of its body in Asia, lies a peninsular that has history and memorable panoramas in equal measure. The Anatolian coastline here is dotted with coves and bays, sites of picture-book villages, resort towns and property
development. Seek and you will find a your spot.

History lessons

Let’s call this whole area Bodrum after its main town. However, it’s immediately apparent that it doesn’t look traditionally Turkish. That’s because it isn’t – it’s been part of various empires since the 13th Century BC and was called Halikarnossos for centuries. Claims to fame are the birthplace of Hedorotos (‘Father of History’) and site of one of the original Seven Wonders of the World: the 3,000-year old last resting place of King Mausolus (from where the word mausoleum derives). This was ruined after a 1303 earthquake, but still worth seeing for history buffs.

Myndos Gate

From the Amphitheatre cut in the hillside, a Greco-Roman joint venture, there’s a magnificent view of the town, dominated by the 15th Century St Peter’s Castle built by The Knights of St John – sacrilegiously using stone from the mausoleum. This early example of recycling has proved durable, acting as a bastion of Christianity against heathen hordes and a testament to its German architect Heinrich Hegelholt.

The fortress contains the English, Spanish, French and Italian towers constructed and occupied by noble chevaliers from those countries witnessed by the 265 coats of arms carved in stone. Pious and devout they may have been, but still unwelcome occupiers and were driven out by Ottoman Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent in 1523. A French battleship bombarded the castle in 1915 believing there was artillery inside. The damage was repaired by 1963 illustrating how time stretches here.

It’s home to the Underwater Archeology Museum with exhibits of Bronze Age ships, cargoes, seafarers’ lives – and a video for those who prefer a compact glimpse. Of interest to female visitors is the nearby hall containing the model of Carian Queen Ada with copies of her, her clothes and restored
jewellery of finely worked gold.

Although historical sites abound, let’s finish with the Myndos Gate – the last remnant of the ancient city’s outer wall through which a triumphant Alexander the Great entered in 334BC. However, he was so ragged off by the stiff resistance, he ordered the city to be sacked, but spared the citizens
(and the Mausoleum) in a typical Alexandrian act.

Holidays, rest & relaxation

Enough of the past, most visitors nowadays go to lie and fry in the sun, of which there’s no shortage and/or enjoy the waterspouts. Offshore is a yachting (sailors can admire the local wooden yachts or gulat) and wind surfers’ paradise: the wind blows strongly and continuously, speeding craft and surfers alike over the water – and providing beach bums with a cool breeze.

Nearly half of holidaymakers reside in ‘all-inclusive’ hotels which have their own beachfront, boats and other playthings. This eliminates money changing hands and the local habit of hassling passers-by to eat at their restaurant and haggling prices. But convenience dulls the adventurous spirit, so it’s a choice that should be weighed carefully.

Experience gave the impression that the in-your-face marketing is less annoying than elsewhere in this country where it’s a way of life. For the bargain hunter and incurable dealer, a 30-minute negotiation (or hours sometimes) is ensured in a carpet shop or at a textile market where famous brand knock-offs can be had for around €10.

So what is there after a hard day’s lolling around on the beach or doing something in the sea? Hiring a car widens the options or taking a taxi (after setting the fare first) to visit one of the little waterfront gems like Bitez, Gümüslük, Gündogan and Ortakent-Yahşi or the bigger spots Yalikavak, Gümbet and Turgutreis.

A dinner at one of these places nearby or overlooking the water watching the sunset is guaranteed to raise the romantic temperature or chill-out the stressed. The area boasts of its seafood (not cheap), lamb dishes
(cheaper) as well as fresh local fruit and vegetables (cheap and tasty). Once again the Greek influence is noticeable: hors d’oeuvres-type entrées, ‘meze’ dishes, feature chickpeas, aubergine, tomatoes and onions stewed or diced together with the region’s silky light olive oil.

A local speciality, kabak çiçeği dolmasi, combines unique appearance with taste. Its exoticness comes from the use of unusual ingredients; courgette flowers stuffed with rice, nuts and herbs.

Turkey

And the drinks list must start with a raki – the Turkish aniseed aperitif that hits the spot even if you don’t know where that is. After a couple, you won’t care anyway. With a meal the local reds are a mixed lot: from rough to ready, but light on the wallet at least, if not the palate. Turkish beer is an acquired taste, which I didn’t. Two will do.

If you are young or think you are, the nightlife can match the local wildlife. But if this includes clubbing, be prepared to cough up wads of notes. The main club in Bodrum takes its name from its Greek predecessor and it is obviously intended for noble patricians to hob-nob together as the prices appear (minimum €13 and up for anything) designed to keep the plebs out.

The door gorillas are ably supported by airport security equipment, which made me think who goes there and with what purpose in mind. A local waterside watering hole will serve much the same purpose without waking the dead and looking like a tacky unfinished film set.

Souvenirs

What to bring back from your trip can take some of the pleasure away from a trip. After all, if someone wants something, they can always go there themselves. Every town, but thankfully not the smaller spots, has markets and shops heaving with tat, claptrap and useless ‘objets d’arts’. Buy at your peril, as some of it may not last the journey back to the hotel, never mind home.

Textiles are a cheap memento and kids’ stuff especially as the little darling won’t be able to fit in it for long. For the discerning, pistachios are a must, the local herbs, honey and halva too. The olive oil comes in airport baggage-handler-proof metal drums and bars of olive soap with amazing skincare
claims are ideal as ladies’ gifts. Just potato cooked in the oil tasted exquisite and all soap cleans if not cures.

Cross-border travel

Much of the southern and western coastline overlooks islands, of which many are Greek. The one within touching distance twinkling the most lights off the south coast is Kos. Tensions between the two old rivals have lessened to the point that day-trips between Bodrum and Kos towns are possible by small ship or fast hydrofoil taking 20-60 minutes.

It operates on an exchange system: as it is usually for a day, Turkish operators provide the service one day and their Greek colleagues the next. This alternating system seems to work perfectly, but those travelling by slow ferry appeared more barbecued than the cooler-lookers on the faster mode.

So the options before travel are many: which resort and what lifestyle you want. Whether to rummage round Greek, Roman, Persian and other civilizations sites or lounge around or be active on, in or under the Med.
All-inclusive, B&B or a mixture? The alternatives are there:

Categories
Misc News

And the Nordic Council Film Prize goes to… Denmark

Kunsten at græde i kor, Schønau Fog’s directoral debut, tells about an 11-year-old boy’s attempts to keep his dysfunctional family together. The prize money will be shared between the director, scriptwriter Bo hr Hansen and the film’s producer, Thomas Stenderup.

The prize will be presented on the 31st of October during the annual session of the Nordic Council in Oslo.

Although member countries Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Finland can each choose two candidates for the Film Prize, the Finnish jury decided to only send in one film this year as it found Miehen Työ the clear candidate and couldn’t find another equally strong domestic film.

Earlier this year, Miehen Työ was also submitted as Finland’s selection for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and for the European Film Awards.

The Nordic Film Prize was awarded for the first time in 2002. The first – and so far only Finnish – winning film was Aki Kaurismäki’s Mies vailla menneisyyttä (The Man Without a Past).

Kunsten at græde i kor (The Art of Crying)

Miehen työ – Official site (in Finnish)
Miehen työ / Man's Job – Blind Spot Pictures

Nordic Council Film Prize

Related:

Miehen Työ up for Nordic film prize and Oscar

 

Categories
Albums Music

Yes – Symphonic Live

{mosimage}Re-release
in DVD in Finland of the classic show offered by Yes in Amsterdam during
their tour in 2001, when they fulfilled their dream of playing together with an
orchestra.

It seems
that symphonic rock is living a new golden era with new generations and old
fans rediscovering the mega bands that reached fame at the end of the 70s and
beginnings of the 80s. Recently we saw the appearance of a new DVD of Asia
featuring his old masterful guitarist Steve Howe, who stars again in
this re-release of the concert offered by Yes in Amsterdam during the 2001 tour: Yes
Symphonic Live.

This time
they enjoy the company on stage of the European Festival Orchestra, directed by
Wilhelm Keitel. Young and talented musicians who give a fresh note
backing the old monsters of rock. They provide dynamic introductions for the
songs, a lot of smiles and a good spirit that creates an excellent feeling on
stage and with the audience.

I must admit
that I have never been a fan of rock concerts where you have to seat in front
of the stage. For me rock is often associated with sweating, standing, clapping
hands, jumping and forgetting yourself for a couple of hours, but nevertheless
here you can really see the audience, composed by old and young people quite
equally, quite excited standing continuously and cheering up the band. The
vocalist Jon Anderson looks a bit forced in his speeches to the public
(sometimes he is funny, sometimes he pretends to be) but the quality of his
voice is undeniable. My favourite parts of the show are at the beginning with Close
to the Edge, and later with the classics Gates of Delirium and Starship
Trooper. The new song Don´t go from Magnification album
released that same year also sounds excellent and harmonious with the
older hits. Roundabout puts the big end to the show with the orchestra
standing by the band, and although it was never one of my favourites, it is
still highly appreciated by the fans.

All in all,
what can you expect of a symphonic rock band accompanied by a symphonic
orchestra? Well, an overdose of symphonic music. The show sometimes feels
excessive, and although I am sure that many Yes fans will enjoy every
minute of it, I found myself a bit bored during some instrumental parts. Maybe
157 minutes of symphonic rock can turn to be too much if you don’t make pauses
or have a couple of bottles of wine while watching the show. The sound quality
is nevertheless excellent and the replacement keyboard player, the young Tom
Brislin connects perfectly with the rest of the band.

For many old
fans and unconditional followers of Yes, this could be probably the definite
DVD to be purchased. In my opinion, although with some brilliant parts, it
turns to be a bit too much excessive.

Rating 3/5

Categories
Misc News

PM Vanhanen to face former girlfriend in court

Vanhanen and (then) Kuronen had a nine-month relationship after the Prime Minister and his wife Merja had announced their divorce in April 2005. After their romance ended, Kuronen frequently appeared in the media to talk about the relationship.

Complaint
In February 2007 Kuronen published her tell-all book, in which she exposed intimate details about the romance and the Prime Minister’s private life. After the publication of the exposé, Vanhanen filed a complaint against its publisher Kari Ojala with the police, who investigated the case to see if charges could be filed.

Vanhanen himself announced on Friday on his web log that his complaint had led to charges and expressed satisfaction that there would be more clarity about “where the boundary of privacy runs”.

Principle
"I want to discuss the principle at stake here,” Vanhanen said to YLE News on Sunday. “Apparently some people think that the prime minister doesn't have the courage to go to court over this, and it seems that there are no limits to what is acceptable. Now we'll see whether these limits exist.”

Sensitive-skinned
Susan Ruusunen and her publisher have denied that they have broken the law by publishing the book. “Our defence will leave from the freedom of speech,” Ojala said in a reaction to Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. “Finns should surely continue to be able to write memoirs in which other people are mentioned.”

“But what do you do when there’s a sensitive-skinned Prime Minister,” the publisher added.

Susan Kuronen changed her last name to Ruusunen, the maidenname of her grand grandmother, earlier this year.

Categories
Concerts Music

No Sweet Home Chicago!

{mosimage}

"The
atmosphere was amazing! When I was playing, it felt like I was playing to my
friends – the crowd was really responsive and we were all riding a wave upon
which the distinction between performer and audience melted away," L.R.
Phoenix says of the first Floating Cockroach alt.blues festival, held on the
restaurant boat Wäiski in Helsinki on 29th September.

The
English-born Joensuu resident and his "aboriginal" drummer Mika
Vauhkonen kick off the proceedings with a celebration of their brand new EP, The Hypnotic Songs of The Forgotten Dead. The title of the record
being the last reminder of the duo's heavy metal history, they turn in an
energetic set of electric hill country blues; the crowd is gathering, the room
is getting hot.

Next
up is Bullfrog Brown, but as I have the good fortune to constitute 1/3 of that
group, I'm not going to voice an opinion here – festival organizer Jukka
Juhola's kind comment "the gentlemen's live show is great to watch"
will have to do. With Tuomari Nurmio next in line, people keep piling in, and
by the time we finish, there are actually more than 300 people crammed into a
room fit for 250 – that's including the performers and according to Juhola.

"Is
he… alone?!" a long-haired rocker gasps as the honorable Judge is taking
the stage. Yes he is, and has absolutely no problem filling the stage, the room
and the air with his raw and rugged electric blues that sounds positively
ageless. Spicing his set with a few mutilated cover versions ranging from Hank
Williams to the Beatles, Tuomari Nurmio must be the undisputed star of the
evening for many; I tend to agree. The boat is steaming.

A
change of pace, and 22-Pistepirkko's PK Keränen and the Gambian percussionist
Janko Manneh embark on a journey deeper into the vast treasure trove we know as
the blues. Paradoxically, while their set is the most primal and blatantly
African in nature, it is also the most distinctly Finnish-sounding performance
of the night. The people appreciate that, and the house keeps rocking.

Midnight
tolls. By now, it is obvious that this is a festival unlike any other I've
witnessed. The bands are on schedule. The sound is great. The audience seems
happy and genuinely thrilled, and not once has anyone shouted: "Play Paranoid!" Also, and perhaps most strikingly, there is no
banner advertising drinks or newspapers or anything else on the stage – no,
Katja Juhola's fantastic blues paintings provide the perfect backdrop for the
show.

It's
time for Black River Bluesman & The Croaking Lizard, the latest and
greatest of Jukka Juhola's own alt.blues quartets, fresh from the Himalayan
Blues Festival in Kathmandu. Possibly the heaviest act on the bill, the
audience reaction is best illustrated by the fact that this is where the
schedule finally fails: Black River Bluesman's encores make Cosmo Jones late
for the stage.

Towards
the end of the good Bluesman's footstomping set, the rows of the audience seem
to thin somewhat: some have been rocking since 8 p.m. and simply drop, others
run to catch the first thing smoking or – to put it less poetically and more to
the point – to catch the last bus home. But there's plenty to remain, and the
joint is still jumping as Cosmo Jones Beat Machine hits the stage in the wee
hours of the morning. It's a big band, and a loud band, and the crowd is
spellbound by their mixture of eastern melodies, atonal cartoon-soundtrack
sounds and, yes, the blues.

"I think we were successful in creating a whole: each
set fit the spot perfectly, no two bands were alike, and the audience seemed to
dig every performer without reservation," Jukka Juhola says a few days
later. "I think the biggest difference compared to a regular blues
festival was that we didn't get to hear Sweet Home Chicago not once
during the evening – and there were NO wailing guitar solos!"

Indeed, at a time when the Blues In London e-zine is
marketing T-shirts with the happily dyslexic and heartfelt slogan "Clapton
Is Dog", Finland is right on the ball. As plans for next year's fest are being
discussed, the non-profit organization behind it, Alt.Blues Finland ry, will be
putting together a Finnish tour for the Italian Papa Leg Acoustic Duo featuring
Stefania Calandra in February 2008. According to Juhola, that just might
include a Floating Cockroach club night with 3-4 bands; if
not, the alt.blues boat is due to set sail again next September. 

Photos by Mira Kumpulainen

Front page: Bullfrog Brown

Inside: PK Keränen, Tuomari Nurmio, Janko Manneh

Categories
Books Features

Once upon a time in America

The first couple of decades of the 20th century saw a melting pot of people arriving
to Michigan’s Copper Country in USA in search of a better life and work in the mines: Polish, Swedish, Scottish…and Finns, many Finns.

The search of hope turned into disaster for many families, mostly with Finnish roots, with the
death of more than six dozen people in 1913 at the Italian Hall in Calumet, a small village in Michigan that was at the center of the mining industry of the Upper Peninsula.

American-Finnish author Steve Lehto narrates in his new book: Death’s
Door. The truth Behind Michigan’s Largest Mass Murder, how there were many circumstances and inaccurate stories around the tragedy that, even almost one century ago, in need of getting an appropriated explanation.

Death Door

“My family is from the area where the story took place: Michigan’s "Copper Country."  There is a large Finnish community there, even to this day, and this story is legend in that community.  My family was not directly involved in the story but I had always heard about it growing up” says Steve to FREE! Magazine. And no wonder that many decades ago, the Italian Hall tragedy is still very present in the minds of the Finnish community of Michigan.

If you take a look at the list of victims, Finnish names appear in the biggest proportion. Adding the special dramatic circumstance that the majority of victims were just little children who were crushed to death in the stairs of the Hall, were a Christmas Party was being celebrated for the families of the mine workers on strike and presents and candies were handed to the smaller ones.

The main mysteries around the case turn around topics like: did somebody cried fire and provoked
the tragedy or not? Were the doors open or close? Was somebody from the Citizens Alliance the responsible of what happened? Questions with no categorical answers in the book. Lehto recognizes that one of his main goals was to solve some mistakes that he considers appeared before in another book loved by many inhabitants of Michigan area: Rebels on the Range, as well
as solving a historical debt with his community: “The ones I did speak to — about more recent events in the story — were very receptive to the idea.  It seems that everyone thought it was long overdue".

Steve Lehto

But more fascinating than trying to find a guilty person, the book turns to be extremely interesting for having a deeper knowledge of American history, and the worker’s movements and strikes against the power of the proletarians and the mine companies´ owners during the first decades of 19th century. A great effort of
documentation and historical research is clearly poured in the pages of the book. The author reckons: "I cannot begin to estimate the time spent — it would be countless hours.  I know it was about a year or a year and a half from when I first thought of the book until the book was finished.  The research is the hard part; the writing is the easy part".

Being an attorney, Lehto cannot avoid finding a special fascination about the legal aspects that surrounded not only the Italian Hall massacre, but all the happenings around the miners` strikes beforehand. A story that has its own heroes and villains personified by characters like the prosecuting attorney Lucas or the president of the company Calumet & Hecla James MacNaughton.

For those readers interested, this is not the first book written by the author. Previous works include a biography about the fascinating car driver Bobby Isaac and other related to Chrysler’s Turbine Car project of the 1960s. But as he admits about the present work on the facts happened in Calumet
“This book is more of a straight forward history book”.

And indeed it is. For those who are expecting to find a final and definitive answer to the dark sides
of the Italian Hall story, the book can maybe result not as enlightening as they would hope.

Face the book more like a history lesson, easy and entertaining to read, where you can look back
at the past and see old stories of emigrations and memories of your grandparents and how they believed in a better life and the power of workers, but where (as it remains until nowadays) there was also a dark side in the American dream with a lot of space for conspiracies and corruption.

Categories
Articles Misc

Call a doctor

There must
be something wrong with me. Maybe I should go to the doctors. Or have a
lobotomy. I’ve often suspected it but now I’m quite sure that something is not
quite right with me. Or then there’s something wrong with everybody else.

The reason
for my pondering lies in the fact that I hated The Producers musical yet it is
one of the most popular musicals of all times. Why, oh why? Why does everybody
like it so much? I’m obviously missing the point. There must be something wrong
with me.

I saw the
opening night at the biggest theatre in Finland, the Helsingin
Kaupunginteatteri and that’s all I have to base my opinion on. I haven’t seen
the film, which I hear is a masterpiece in satire, my favourite form of comedy.
The stage production didn’t make me laugh at all. Not once.

In my
opinion The Producers should only be performed at the theatre museums as a cute
relic from the good old times. Why should the tragedy of Nazi Germany still be
given so much time and money on stage when there are tragedies happening at our
doorsteps this very moment?

And don’t
get me started on the way The Producers portrays women. Bloody hell. The long
legged blonde lead is drooling all over any man that cares to show interest in
her. And they all do as she’s well proportioned and giggles happily when the
men call her intelligent when she can answer the phone correctly. The army of
horny old ladies on the other hand chase the men as fast as they can with their
walking frames. They are to be ridiculed and taken an advantage of. They are
happy to depart from their hard earned cash in return to some silly sexual
favours by the leading men. The gay men are promiscuous, superficial and they
all seem to have weak wrists but strong lips. How ever so inventive!

I found The
Producers frightfully tedious and old fashioned. First I suffered from a severe
attack of theatre narcolepsy. It hits me quite often as soon as my bum hits the
red velvet cushions and normally lasts through the whole show only to be helped
by a refreshing walk during the interval. After a while The Producers didn’t
let me sleep though. It was slapping me in my face with its world view that was
not in focus. I simply couldn’t stand it and sneaked out before the end. I went
to the loos to squeeze the mighty pimple throbbing on my chin. Obviously that
was a big no-no as the gods of theatre punished me by making the pimple
infected. The morning after I woke up with a red crusty area the size of an old
man’s ego on my chin. Serves me right for not liking the Producers. 

Categories
Misc News

Bob Geldof in Helsinki: trade vital for end to poverty

The world-famous activist also heavily criticized the ‘subsidies of surpluses’ in Europe, which, according to him, have a huge negative effect on the development of certain African countries. Geldof also stressed the importance of corporate social responsibility.

The seminar was aimed at business executives in Finland and was also attended by Finland’s President Tarja Halonen.

Watch video footage of Geldof’s speech

Categories
Interviews Music

She’s not an idols star

{mosimage}Janita is
one of the most sensual Finnish singers. A teenage star in Finland, she moved
to New York when she was 17. During eleven years there, Janita has built a
solid career based on an elegant R&B of soulful and jazzy sounds. While on
holidays in Helsinki, the singer took a bit of time to speak with FREE! about her
career and future plans.

How do you
remember your first years in the music business?

I was a
kid, 13-14 years old and I grew up very fast. When I was 17 I felt like an
adult. I wasn’t, though. This time was one of the best parts of my life. I met
a lot of people. Everybody was older than me so I learned a lot from them.
Getting into touring, performing, having an 11 piece band… That was pretty
amazing for such a young age. I was able to fulfill my dreams.

And you
didn’t need to participate in Idols.

No, no.
This happens a long time ago. 15 years ago!

You were
also very young when you decided to move to New York

New York was
something exciting and new. I had some interests from record labels. There was
something going on there. But it has been a struggle to find my place there.
There are so many artists and everybody has to struggle for his existence. I
felt that I had the freedom to really find my own voice. New York gives you the
opportunity to find who you are as a person.

Why did you
decide to go there?

Finland is
a small place. After a while in the business, you know everybody. Everybody is
expecting certain things from you. Growth is harder. Everybody thinks you are
one kind of person, but in reality one is changing all the time. Sometimes when
people expect something from you, you stop growing. In a place like New York
you have to keep growing, to try to find new things. You have to evolve. It’s
lovely to know everyone here in Finland. I love that aspect but it can be
restricting too.

How was
playing live for the first time there?

It was very
liberating. Here everybody knew my face, my name and there I had freedom. Nobody
knew me. Fame can complicate your life.

How do you
feel when you come back to Finland?

It’s great.
I love this country. My roots are here, although I have spent already almost half
of my life in the States. I feel part American, part Finnish. Honestly. But my
roots and my family are here. But I love coming back and spending time in
Finland.

Do you know any
Finnish people there?

I have some
friends and my partner in crime is Finnish. We speak Finnish all the time of
course. I haven’t forgotten it. I speak it perfectly still. And I read books in
Finnish too. I am proud of it. I would hate to lose part of it.

In New
York, you had an accident that it was a turning point for you. What did it
happen?

It was in
my first years there. I was walking down the street and scaffolding fell and
hit my neck and back. It made me realize some things. I used to be very shy.
Typical Finnish: very humble, introverted, trying not to make a big thing about
myself. Finns are brought up that way. But it’s tough when you are too shy to
start creating. For me songwriting was something I only dreamt about it. I
didn’t have the balls to do it. After the accident, I realized how fragile life
is. I needed to express myself and do everything I want to do. You don’t know
how long you are going to be here. Things can change in one moment. That’s when
I started to get over my shyness.

What was
the first song you wrote?

I’ve been
writing some things here and then, but the first real song I wrote was Heaven.
It’s a very easy song, but it has a deeper meaning for me and I know. People
might not realize it or find other meanings.

It must be
funny when people give a different meaning to your songs.

I think
it’s great that you write a song about something that happened to your life and
somebody else finds a different meaning. That’s the whole point of it.
Everybody has their own life and his own way of thinking. That’s very positive.
Nobody has to thinks in the same terms as I do.

Are you afraid
of critics and reviews?

No, because
so far they have been pretty good. There’s no need to be scared. I’m still
finding my way, my audience. I think there are more and more people listening
to my music, but I still have lot of work to do.

Were you in
New York when the 9/11 happened?

I was in
Brooklyn. I heard of it because my mother called me. Everybody was awake in
Finland, but I was sleeping in New York. I turned on the TV and saw what was
happening. I felt it. I felt when the towers came down. All the smoke came to
Brooklyn. The smell of it lasted for four months. You couldn’t escape it. It
stayed in your mind.

Do you
follow Finnish music?

A little
bit. I checked Iltalehti and Ilta-Sanomat from time to time. I feel proud when
a Finnish band do well. But I don’t listen to the radio that much. I discover
new music from friends, recommendations.

Any favourite
Finnish singers?

I saw Risto
at the Flow festival. It was great. Also Tuomo. And Jaana is my friend and a
wonderful singer. There are many

Your last
album so far is from last year, Seasons of Life. How did it do?

Fine. I’ve
performed around the States a bit and I went to Japan twice. I get emails from
people who really reacted to the album and felt the music. That’s wonderful. I
always wanted to do music that it’s meaningful for people. How many people? It
does not really matter.

How was
Japan?

I loved it.
I’ve only been to Tokyo, though. But for a Finn, it feels pretty easy, almost
like home. The culture, the quite and shy style of the Japanese people… It
feels easy for me.

In that
album you did a cover of Depeche Mode’s Enjoy the Silence. Was it your choice?

The label
wanted a cover and luckily I could decide which one. Normally covers are
no-brainers. You usually choose something easy. I could have done something
from Stevie Wonder, for example. But this time I wanted to do something
different and Depeche Mode has always been one of my favorite bands, so I
thought it would be a good idea to make this cover. It’s a beautiful song.

Are you
working on new music?

I keep on
doing new music, but it is going to be more edgy. I’ve been listening to a lot
of alternative rock and some folk music. I feel like those things are
influencing me. Before I was more into soul and jazz. Now I’m expanding my
horizons.

What are
your favourite bands and artists at the moment?

Death Cab
For Cutie, Keen, Jeff Buckley, Crosby, Stills & Nash and one Brazilian
singer from the seventies, Milton Nascimento.

 

Photos by Eduardo Alonso