Scandinavian Indie Digest Vol.1 Issue #08
Scandinavian Indie Digest Sun Apr 24, 1994 Volume 1 : Issue 08
There are 13 messages totalling 678 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Info on groups (fwd) (2)
2. List Thoughts (2)
3. FTP Update [04-Apr-94]
4. Muflon 5 Concert Note
5. Bob Hund / Eggstone Concert Review
6. Wow! I've Contributed
7. list of bands
8. Mufflon 5
9. vaartina, ottopasuna (2)
10. om|jligt eller...?
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Date: Mon, 4 Apr 1994 15:26:49 +0200
From: chief@lysator.liu.se
Subject: Info on groups (fwd)
Forwarded message follows:
>>From: mazzi@merle.acns.nwu.edu
>>Subject: Can Someone Help With Reviews
>>To: chief@lysator.liu.se
>>Date: Sun, 3 Apr 94 13:04:10 CDT
> About a month ago, pstopfo@atss.calstatela.edu wrote:
Could anyone give reviews (type of music, instruments, comparison...)
of any of these Swedish bands. Thanks a lot. Either post them to the list,
or send them to my e-mail : mazzi@nwu.edu
> Bands
> -----
> Baby Lemonade - Richard Karstrom, Sigfridsv. 7, 126 50 Hagersten
> Bandits - Oskar Svensson, Akerg. 21, 388 30 Ljungbyholm
> Bear Quartet - Nuottaniemi, Tunastigen 105, 951 58 Lulea
> Beetroots - Beetroots, c/o Edvin Wallnas, Bergsgatan 2A, 413 01 Goteborg
> Blithe - Blithe, Sodra Ersmarksg. 11, 903 36 Umea
> Blue - Blue, Furug. 7, 690 50 Vrettorp
> Brain - Lars Auby, Ulvasav. 9, 582 47 Linkoping
> Brainpool - Rooster Rock Prod., Hansi Friberg, Sodra Esp. 10, 223 54 Lund
> Bramleys - Patrik Heurlin, Osterg. 8, 261 32 Landskrona
> Burst - Mats Samuelsson, Vistv. 32B, 582 63 Linkoping
> Chunks - Martin Johansson, Jarnakrav. 13C, 222 25 Lund
> Clawfinger - MVG Records, Box 19003, 104 32 Stockholm
> Cloudberry Jam - Jorgen Warnstrom, Vasav. 27, 582 33 Linkoping
> Crush - Anders Lindgren, Ostra Kanalg. 18, 652 20 Karlstad
> Curfew - Johan Aspberg, Stenaldersg. 64, 582 68 Linkoping
> Doris Days - Hammarstrom, Kungsg. 6, 582 22 Linkoping
> Dream - Liljesson/Fritzon, Tycho Brahes g. 6, 415 17 Goteborg
> Easy - Johan Holmlund, Kastellg. 11, 413 07 Goteborg
> Embarrasing Wednesday - Tommy Sorensen, Ekerodsvagen 8, 241 33 Eslov
> Funhouse - Mikael Hartle, Disponentg. 27, 211 57 Malmo
> Ginko Biloba - David Mortimer-Hawkins, Kristinebergsv. 16, 183 44 Taby
> Gluebellies - Ole Andersson, Nobbelovs Torg 25:1202, 226 52 Lund
> Green - Green, c/o Lars Wirtn, Sodra Esplanaden 30E, 223 52 Lund
> Hardy Nilsson - Janne Pettersson, Kopmansg. 16A, 931 31 Skelleftea
> Honeyman - Jocke Forsemalm, Vasag. 26D, 573 31 Tranas
> Honeymoons - Honeymoons, Radhusesplanaden 1, 902 38 Umea
> Justine Ahead - Jorgen Westergren, Osterleden 52F, 352 42 Vaxjo
> Lick The Dog - Peter Westman, Hantverksg. 6B, 737 48 Fagersta
> Moulin Noir - Anders Wikholm, Kopmansg. 47, 831 30 Ostersund
> My Favourite Martians - Jesper Jansson, Nyg. 29, 602 34 Norrkoping
> Nooners - Nooners, Stobyg. 20, 281 39 Hassleholm
> Page - Marina Schiptjenko, Kungsholmsg. 58, 112 30 Stockholm
> Paragraf 6 - Fredrik Kylberg, Furirg. 5, 583 47 Linkoping
> Pimps & Pikes - Ecke Jonsson, Bokbindareg. 4, 227 36 Lund
> Pleasurehouse - Bobo Brunnberg, Petter Swartzg. 8, 602 35 Norrkoping
> Poodle - Mattias Ulmner, S:ta Gertruds v. 169, 593 41 Vastervik
> Pooneil - Martin Carlsson, Frimastareg. 24, 415 07 Goteborg
> Prank - Peter Swedenhammar, Konstruktorsg. 74, 582 66 Linkoping
> Puppyfield - Fredrik Hakansson, Kloxhultsv. 32, 343 34 Almhult
> Pure Pain - Tango Train Productions, Langv. 24, 752 56 Uppsala
> Rain - Martin Aamot, Mossv. 5B, 441 40 Alingsas
> Rhinos - Mats Arbing, Blasgatan 2, 414 63 Goteborg
> Rust - Patrik Andersson, Norra Promenaden 129B, 602 19 Norrkoping
> Scents - Micael Boss, Viderupsv. PL 268, 240 32 Flyinge
> Send No Flowers - Goran Gruber, Nya Tanneforsv. 29B, 582 31 Linkoping
> Seventh Wave - Mikael Westerlund, Idrottsg. 21A, 593 50 Vastervik
> Shivering Spines - Sven-Ake Svensson, Hallmansv. 30, 554 48 Jonkoping
> Shoplifters - Info Service, Lars Wivallius v.8, 291 46 Kristianstad
> Sinners - Sinners, Box 1673, 221 01 Lund
> Soapflakes - Lasse Bjorn, Styrmansg. 3, 593 32 Vastervik
> Spoon - Spoons Prylservice HB, Agren, Skarpskyttev. 26B, 226 42 Lund
> Staffan Hellstrand - Staffan Hellstrand, Musikalv. 61, 142 43 Trangsund
> Suredo - Ulf Stenport, Bantorget 1B, 582 21 Linkoping
> Surreal - Martin Wegeland, Box 8, 430 20 Veddinge
> Teabags - P. Lindn, Kloverv. 31, 161 36 Bromma
> Teddybears - Pat Scab, Sagarg. 15, nb, 116 36 Stockholm
> Tipping Cows - Adam Starck, Stattutg. 45, 554 47 Jonkoping
> Trampsquad - Jonas Flyckt, Ryds All 7:115, 582 51 Linkoping
> Tulip - Pia Persson, Platav. 24, 191 50 Sollentuna
> Wagon - Ulf Ekerot, Sandgardsg. 1, 352 33 Vaxjo
> Wannadies - Par Wiksten, Asg. 31C, 931 40 Skelleftea
> Waterbug - Pelle Hedlund, c/o Hogdin, Mattssonsliden 8, 413 18 Goteborg
> Watermelon Men - Imre von Polgar, Karlbergsv. 47A, 113 35 Stockholm
> Wirehead - Fredrik Kjellin, Granby Tvarg. 2, 754 32 Uppsala
> Zoobox - Glenn Halvarsson, Kalgardsg. 4C, 414 69 Goteborg
Forwarded message ends
--------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Apr 1994 17:38:34 +0200
From: chief@lysator.liu.se
Subject: List Thoughts
List thoughts...
1) I'd like to follow the advice I got from Kimmo recently and include
the Baltic countries for this list (ie. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania).
There are several indie bands coming from these countries, and some
of them are _really_ good.
I know Sami (trsaro@uta.fi) and Kimmo (trkisa@uta.fi) have a lot to say
about bands like Bizarre, Morningrise, The Chance, FM Violet and |[K
(all from Estonia) etc, and actually me too. :) I've gotten a lot of
info on esp. Bizarre from these guys plus a couple of tapes, and I'm
sure the rest of you on the list would be as surprised as me if you
heard how good they are. If you like Slowdive for example, you wouldn't
want to miss Bizarre for the world.
Well, what I wanted to ask was if this is okay with the rest of you
(I mean, to include the Baltic countries)? Maybe some of you (or all
of you, what do I know?) have heard something from these countries
as well?
2) There are loads of discographies on scandinavian indie bands out there.
For example Popsicle, Whipped Cream, 22 Pistepirkko etc. Maybe we
should collect these and include them in the scan-indie archive as
they _do_ belong together with this list? Could all of you please post
what discographies (and versions or dates) you have on scandinavian
indie bands to the list, and I'll make a list of what we have and
what can be done?
/Erik
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Date: Mon, 4 Apr 1994 17:38:22 +0200
From: chief@lysator.liu.se
Subject: FTP Update [04-Apr-94]
I have finally received word from Dave at ftp.uwp.edu about our own
directory on there, and here's what he said:
" Install things into incoming/lists/scan-indie and I will be moving the
files into /pub/music/lists as soon as I can."
So I have put all issues of the Scandinavian Indie Digest (1.01-1.07)
plus the two interviews (Pleasurehouse and Souls) in there a couple
of minutes ago.
Well, what all this means? We have a new ftp site for scan-indie! :)
Anonymous FTP: ftp.uwp.edu
Directory : /pub/music/lists/scan-indie
/Erik
--------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Apr 1994 17:39:03 +0200
From: chief@lysator.liu.se
Subject: Muflon 5 Concert Note
Just a note on the forthcoming Muflon 5 gig here in Linkoping on the 4th of
April I got in the mail today:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONCERT
M U F L O N 5
Herrgarn the 4th of april
Muflon 5 belongs to the new indie-wave, with influences from both
english and american indie. When DN:s [Dagens Nyheter, one of
sweden's largest morning papers] rock-columnist wrote about the
year of rock 1993, he listed these four Gothenburgers as some
of the most interesting. And not without reason. Muflon 5 makes
music far above the normal party-mangling-bands. Kalle Mogren
(vocals) is backed up by one of sweden's most exciting guitarrists
in a wonderous mix of the load of rock and the simpleness of pop.
Get Back Records [_the_ 'indie' record store in Linkoping] listed
the single 'Freewheeling' as "the best of 1993" and the rest of
the album is in the same spirit. This is a concert you can't miss
if you want to be where the next century of sweden's rock-scene
starts.
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Date: Mon, 4 Apr 1994 17:39:32 +0200
From: chief@lysator.liu.se
Subject: Bob Hund / Eggstone Concert Review
Here's a review of the premiere of the Bob Hund / Eggstone tour taken from
the evening paper "Expressen" 31 March 1994.
"Eggstone (2 out of 5) and Bob Hund (4 out of 5) - Gino, Stockholm
Eggstone is a nice band. They do things right, the play well and
they look the way they should look. But, hey, nothing happens!
Maybe it's because they want to re-live large parts of the history
of rock to get to be included in it themselves. Except in Japan.
That is something that makes you suspicious. One should be careful
with bands that sells most of their albums in Japan. Unfair, but
true. Eggstone's big problem on the other hand, is something else,
something more important. The songs. If they could do a whole concert
with songs like 'Against the sun', 'Wrong heaven' and 'Shooting time'
everything would be perfect. But they can't.
On their tour, Eggstone and Bob Hund take turns on who's playing
first each night. The audience at Gino can thank their lucky star
(or maybe the tour manager) that the second band this evening was
Bob Hund.
Five to twelve, they turn up on the stage and start off with two
instrumental songs. But with Bob Hund, everything is the other way
around, so instrumental or not, it doesn't matter. The audience
(Gino was packed at this time) sings along. The singer, Thomas
Oberg is everywhere. He jumps down into the crowd and claps his
hands to the music, he dives from the stage and walks on the
hands of the audience from the stage to the bar [at the very
back of the room] and back again to the stage, he climbs on
everything he sees. He is, like they say, not like anyone else.
A title like "It would be easy for me to say that I can't find
my way home, but I do, I think" says pretty much.
The wild pop-music of Bob Hund touches every corner from punk
to go-to-sleep songs. About the time you think you know it,
something new and unexpected happens - but still completely
logical. Crystal clear descriptions aren't available when it
comes to Bob Hund. On the other hand, the following statement
fits perfectly: See them. They are too good to be missed."
-----------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Apr 1994 15:34:41 -0800 (PDT)
From: Kevin Carhart
Subject: info on groups
What was that long list of groups? Is the person with an address a contact
for that group?
--sorry I accidentally sent you one, Erik..
Kevin
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Date: Tue, 5 Apr 1994 12:06:15 +0300 (EET DST)
From: Kimmo S{{skilahti
Subject: Re: List Thoughts
According to chief:
* 1) I'd like to follow the advice I got from Kimmo recently and include
* the Baltic countries for this list (ie. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania).
* There are several indie bands coming from these countries, and some
* of them are _really_ good.
Right!
By the way, has anyone any idea when the Tallinn Rock Summer festival
will take place and who will be the headlining (and other) acts? I've
never been there yet, but from what I've heard it should be great!
The tickets are relatively cheap and the artists are everything from
big names to underground bands.
* 2) There are loads of discographies on scandinavian indie bands out there.
* For example Popsicle, Whipped Cream, 22 Pistepirkko etc. Maybe we
* should collect these and include them in the scan-indie archive as
* they _do_ belong together with this list?
I think what we could do is to ask Dave Datta (@cs.uwp.edu) to make a
'link' from the actual discography file (in the /pub/music/...
directory) to the /pub/music/lists/scan-indie/ directory. In this way
the files would not be duplicated as such and they wouldn't take more
of the valuable disk space there. At least I think this is possible.
I don't think there are many Finnish discographies in the archives
(yet), maybe the 22-Pistepirkko one is the first.
Kimmo
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Date: Wed, 6 Apr 94 12:43:40 BST
From: davidb@dbadmin2.amgen.com (David Bennison)
Subject: Wow! I've Contributed
As the stones once said, 'Tiiiiime. Is on my side. Yes It Is' and
I've got nothing much to do at the moment. So, as I've been
recently introduced to many new bands thro' this list I thought
I'd type out what is available through 'Bubblegum Mail Order', a
UK service who accept Visa/Mastercard orders over the phone and
are excellent with package and quick delivery. This is of interest
mainly to UK scan-indie listers who can't find the LPs/CDs in the
shops - I have nothing to do with Bubblegum by the way!
As well as the below stuff, they seem to pretty well cover
Xpressway, Shrimper, Majora, Nuf Sed, BoB, Smells Like, Shangrila,
Ajax, Forced Exp, Teenbeat, Merge, Sonic Bubblegum, K, Roadcone,
Public Bath, Twisted Village...everything really. Excellent Bad
Vugum list too.
TEL NO : 0444 230981 (Midday to 6.00pm Mon-Fri, Sat 9.00-1.00pm)
Following directly copied from latest catalogue (which seems in part
to be directly copied from other mags!):
7" Singles
----------
CIRCLE - Silver EP / Point EP (Bad Vugum, Finland) / Crawatt (VHF, USA)
------
Totally fucking incredible melding of Loop/Terminal Cheesecake dub drone
with the rock destruction of Skullflower/Scratch Acid that launches an
immensely enjoyable attack on the body senses. As with virtually all the
Bad Vugum acts they surpass all the run of the mill noise/rock/grunge
bollocks, that I can't believe this stuff isn't getting released
domestically. 'Silver' has one cut not on the 'Crawatt' release, but the
'Crawatt' version is so wonderfully packaged you'll need both!'
- 3.29 each (UK Pounds)
LIIMANARINA - Masilmann Tyisin Vittumaisuus (Bad Vugum, Finland)
-----------
Hailed as the misunderstood geniuses of the Finnish underground, you
really have to try this stuff.
'Noisy and reckless, unlike anything you have ever heard, except if
you combine maybe early Half Japanese and vintage Fall on acid' -
Forced Exp
A full length coming out on Drag City in '94 too
- 2.99
LIIMANARINA - Juutaiaiset (Bad Vugum, Finland)
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'Almost noise, almost music...Great' - Flipside
'I'd declare this the best ruckus of the issue' - Forced Exp
- 2.99
LIIMANARINA - Lantinen Pornokatu (Bad Vugum, Finland)
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'Anyone worth their salt will tell you the blurred vision and racket
of Liimanarina is pretty tremendous' - Superdope
- 2.99
DONKEY - You're Under Contract (Wormer, Holland) Double 7"
------
These guys share a house over in Holland with the Ex, and musically
this totally rips in the very same way as their housemates do. If
you get off on the Ex or Dog Faced Hermans this should knock your
socks off. Adventurous, intense and not a hint of repetition. Easily
on the top shelf. Packaged in a dandy full colour gatefold sleeve.
- 4.99
SWEETHEART - Mr Cocktail EP / Forestside EP (Bad Vugum, Finland)
----------
Two supremely innovative singles from Bad Vugums 'great new hopes'.
Sweetheart crank out some of the most weird but efficient garage
dementia, and give it that extra edge of hypnotic urgency, transform
it in a hypnotic cement mixer - without forgetting clarity, dynamics
and even pop sense. Check out the mindblasting debut LP too. Sweetheart
are true faith healers.
- 3.29 each
DEEP TURTLE - Satanus Uranus Tetanus/Snakefish EP (Bad Vugum, Finland)
-----------
Staggering example of just how far Scandinavian music has come over the
last four or five years, and just why this stuff won't be ignored for
much longer. Championed by john Peel...the genius exhibited by this band
is nothing short of mindblowing. Deep Turtle are a one-off. Nothing
touches them in terms of originality, energy and astonishing non-
conventional musicianship. Difficult to pin this stuff down entirely
(a good thing, no?) but there's elements of jazz, funk, rock and noise
intricately fused, played breakneck, and bellowed over. In all, a totally
consuming experience, that if you had an ouce of outsider spirit, you'll
die for. Highly recommended
- 3.29 each
LPs/CDs
-------
SWEETHEART - Well Dressed Meat (Bad Vugum, Finland)
----------
The debut LP and followup to their three supremely noisy singles.
Acclaimed from all directions by many writers, this full-lengther sees
Sweetheart at their warped out best, taking 'garage dementia' to it's
beautiful extreme. Like four Syd Barrets with electrified wires up their
asses. Fantastically fucking Finnish ?!?!?!
- 7.99 LP / - 11.99 CD
RADIOPUHELIMET - 2 1/2 / K.O / Pian Pian / Jaameri / Maalla
--------------
The reason the Bad Vugum label came into being. A whole page could be
given to the positive reviews this band has generated over the last few
years, so rather than waffle ...
'All their albums explain in a mighty clear way why Rapeman, Jesus
Lizard and Big Black always sounded candyass to me...This might be the
hottest noise rock band the world has seen in a sea slugs age' - SPIN
'One could walk the road to Peru and mention how they make Jesus Lizard
sound like small regular pieces of aluminium, but why bother' - Forced
Exp.
'Excellent, excellent. One of my favourite records this year.' - John
Peel
'Like a sawed off shotgun in your face, don't ya just love it? Am Rep
fans would die for this' - Flipside
- 6.99 or 7.99 LPs / Jaameria & Maalla on CD for 9.99
VARIOUS - Dumbstriking Incidence (Bad Vugum, Finland)
-------
Groundbreaking compilation of some of the weirdest acts on the Bad
Vugum roster. Keukhot, Deep Turtle, The Vaccum Cleaners, The Leo
Bugariloves, Dr Gunni and Oak. What's more, it's almost all new
material.
- 7.99 LP / 10.99 CD
THE BEAR QUARTET - Penny Century/Family Affair/Cosy Den (AWSF,Sweden)
----------------
Listeners to John Peels show should be familiar at least with the name,
if not the Bear Quartets music as they're one of his favourite bands
and already have a couple of great Peel Sessions to their credit. A
pretty prolific release rate over the last year has spawned the three
releases listed above, every one of which is absolutely first class, and
naturally a consistent theme dominates given the short space between
releases. Musically, it's kind of intricate guitar pop rock, slightly
noisy, though not in the least bit abrasive. I'd struggle to compare
them to any band currently knocking around our shores, I don't think we
are producing any bands over here that come anywhere near these Swedish
bands. The output of this band and their label mates is totally fucking
top-notch. A kind of nice outsider feeling knowing that the lame Brit
music press isn't writing about this stuff, hell they don't even know
it exists. All very highly recommended.
- 10.49 CD only (damn - I don't have a CD player)
BLITHE - Head Is Mighty (AWSF, Sweden)
------
These four guys from Umea, Sweden, have just recorded a Peel Session
(only the 3rd Swedish band to do so). It's so difficult to route a
favourite from this bunch of swedish bands, as all have blown me away in
one way or another, but if I was to put my neck on the line right now
I'll go for Blithe. Undoubtedly yank influenced, they come over as a
unique fusion of Pavement meets Pixies 'alternative rock'...In all, a
totally cool release, which quite frankly, nothing coming out of out
lame country could touch, and fewer things from the USA are even half
as interesting. Recommended, obviously.
- 10.49 CD only
PUFFIN - Carnivore (AWSF, Sweden)
------
Pretty much follows on from what has been said about the Bear Quartet
and Blithe. Puffin are out of the north university city of Umea too and
this is the followup to their self released 'A Dream' mini-LP from last
year. Aside from that I don't really know a lot about them 'cept
Westside believe they are the most exciting new act in Sweden right now.
Who am I to argue?
- 10.49 CD only
MUFFLON FIVE - Boca Juniors (AWSF, Sweden)
------------
A Gothenberg fourpiece who've let rip with an astonishing debut, that
has knocked out critics all over, and has dominated the playlist of
the Swedish alternative station 'Slammer'. You may have heard a couple
of tracks during the recent Peel feature on the Swedish underground,
for those who haven't Mufflon Five are I guess Swedens answer to the best
moments in Dinosaur Jnrs early material minus the lethargy in the Dinosaur
stuff. So, basically what you have here is a continuation of the Westside
'sound', with the most noticable American influence out of all of them.
But remember, this IS Swedish. It's refreshing, original, dead cool and
the lazy Brit music press aren't telling you to buy it, which in itself
is enough...It WILL NOT dissapoint you. That's a promise.
- 10.49 CD only
A SHRINE - Glace / Friendly Friends (?, Sweden)
--------
A new Swedish band from the very north of Sweden, not yet with a full
length to their name, but a couple of dead good mini-CDs which should
get you dribbling for more. I'm really going to be pushing the point if
I combine the words 'Swedish' and 'guitar' in another description, so
I'll leave it at that. Needless to say, I highly recommend this.
- 4.99 & 7.99 CD only respectively
Back to me talking...all I can add is that I ordered some
Radiopuhelimet, Liimanarina and Deep Turtle and wow these three bands
are onto something - blisteringly raw, chaotic and pure. I'd suggest
snatching everything you can get ahold of by these bands. Also,
there's no excuse for not catching them live - they're playing all
round Europe, the UK the natural exception of course!
David...
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Apr 1994 04:39:21 +0200
From: chief@lysator.liu.se
Subject: re: list of bands
Kevin Carhart wrote:
> What was that long list of groups? Is the person with an address a contact
> for that group?
Yes, that's right. Someone asked about addresses to bands in Sweden (ie.
where to write if one wanted demo tapes, info etc.) and I typed in some
addresses I found in magazines and from what I knew. The left column is
the group's name, and the right is the address where to contact them.
All of them are in Sweden, I better say, so each address should end with
"Sweden".
> --sorry I accidentally sent you one, Erik..
No problem. I only got an empty message by the way.
/Erik
-----------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Apr 1994 04:45:44 +0200
From: chief@lysator.liu.se
Subject: Mufflon 5
The date on that note I got about the Mufflon 5 gig was wrong (just a
small note about that) - they played here tonight, and I interviewed
them afterwards. I'll type in the interview later today/tomorrow and
post it (in case anyone's interested that is).
Anyway, the concert was great. :)
/Erik
-----------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Apr 1994 01:59:48 -0800 (PDT)
From: Kevin Carhart
Subject: vaartina, ottopasuna
Does anyone like the two Finnish releases on Green Linnet records, (better
known for their celtic/british isles music)-- Ottopasuuna and Vaartina?
I am probably messing up those names. One is traditional folk, and I
can't remember what the other is like. The folkey one (Vaartina, I think,)
is really cool, they have a sort of pipes instrument that I think is the
predecessor of the bagpipe.
Not exactly indie rock or pop, but Green Linnet is a pretty independent
label..
Kevin
ukevc@mcl.ucsb.edu
---------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Apr 1994 12:56:12 +0300 (EET DST)
From: Kimmo S{{skilahti
Subject: Re: Varttina & Ottopasuuna
According to Kevin Carhart:
* Does anyone like the two Finnish releases on Green Linnet records, (better
* known for their celtic/british isles music)-- Ottopasuuna and Vaartina?
* I am probably messing up those names. One is traditional folk, and I
* can't remember what the other is like. The folkey one (Vaartina, I think,)
* is really cool, they have a sort of pipes instrument that I think is the
* predecessor of the bagpipe.
*
Can't speak anything for Ottopasuuna, having never heard them, but
given their name (which is a pun about the Finnish name of the
instrument 'trombone') I suspect their music has something to do with
a brass band...?
Anyway, Varttina have been very popular here in Finland for some time,
especially a couple of years ago when their second album "Oi Dai" came
out. They are basically a bunch girls singing Fenno-Ugrian folk songs
with loud voices, backed by mostly acoustic instruments.
The songs have often a big 'naughty' lyrics.
They released their first album "Musta Lindu" sometime in the late
80's on a very small label, but were then picked up by Riku Mattila,
who runs the Spirit label (which is a sub-division of Sonet (and has
also 22-Pistepirkko, Radiopuhelimet, Electric Blue Peggy Sue... in its
roster) owned by Polygram nowadays, so they're not *very* indie here
in Finland, if one wants to think of it technically...I don't, by
the way :-)
As I said their major debut "Oi Dai" was hugely successful and they
toured a lot in Finland and abroad as well. There was some talk they
would get an international recording/distribution deal with Rykodisc,
but can't remember if it really happened or not.
Anyway, their second album, the name of which escapes me at the
moment, was not as huge a success as its predecessor.
As far as I'm concerned, I'm not a major Varttina fan, I think their
songs are OK, but their stage presence is a bit annoying, perhaps they
are a bit too pretentious for me, especially the leading lady, Sari
Kaasinen.
She is, by the way, running a record label with her husband. It's
called Mipu Music, and they release mainly (only?) Finnish ethno
music, some of which is great. Especially I like the Lappish group
Angelin Tytot (or Annel Nieiddat in Sami language, check out my .sig
for today!), who combine the traditional Lappish 'joiku' to a more
conventional folk songs. Especially their debut album "Dolla"
(released in 1992) is a wonderful piece of music! Sadly the best
joiku singer of them left the group, leaving only two girls and a male
guitarist in the band. Their second album "Giitu" (1993) leans less
to the joiku tradition, having some great 'conventional' songs, all in
the Lappish language.
Kimmo
--
* "Mus ollu muittasit ollu giitit ferten ustibiid
Kimmo Saaskilahti * ustitvuoda oaidne eat
trkisa@uta.fi * beare dovdat vaimmuineamet..."
* - Annel Nieiddat
-------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Apr 1994 17:34:09 +0100 (BST)
From: Robert Cumming
Subject: om|jligt eller...?
Hej/terve,
I'm going to be on the loose between 20 April and 3 May, armed with a
sawn-off interrail ticket (the long-awaited post-thesis holiday!
yip yip yip yip yip!!)... What I want to know is, are Bob Hund
playing live in south Sweden during that time?
[Yeah, I know if I was a real fan I'd come and see them even if they were
playing G{llivare, but I have to stay sane you know ;)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
vi har v{l mer {n s} gemensamt Robert
annars vore hela livet ensamt rjc@mail.ast.cam.ac.uk
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End of SI Digest #1.08
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Last updated Dec 07, 1994 by The Chief
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