Hilselp - Hilse II

Eri Esittäjiä: HILSELP

Eri Esittäjiä: HILSE II

Various Artists: Hilselp (1979)

Hilse II (1979)

FinnArctic-esittelyt:

Hilse (Dandruff) was a DIY punk fanzine that was entirely handwritten. Chief editor Kimmo Miettinen and a number of other writers published the first crude-looking issue in 1977, and did 12 more before Miettinen had grown tired of the whole thing and quit in 1980. Hilse basically carried the Finnish punk flag single-handedly, at least in the world of publications.

When Hilse had reached its seventh issue, it had grown from a sloppily edited schoolboy-made hand-out with articles copied from foreign magazines into a thick and relatively regularly published magazine with a regular working staff, but still it didn't bring any profit to anybody. To help finance future issues, the editorial staff - or actually mainly one man, Jusa Sipilä - produced a compilation with the cream of Finnish punk bands introducing never-before released recordings. The recording sessions were accompanied by a concert held in 25th of May 1979. The 18 bands who appeared on the LP did their recording job in May 11th (Ratsia), 26th and 31st. Studios used were Microvox (Pekka Nurmikallio again) and MSL with Mika Sundqvist.

The front cover mocked the hugely popular "Finnhits" compilations of pop and schlager hits.

1. EPPU NORMAALI: Cock in My Pocket

One of Finland's greatest punk bands. Their first albums "Aknepop" (1978), "Maximum jee & jee" (1979), "Akun tehdas" (1980) and the live double "Elävänä Euroopassa" (1980) represent Finnish punk rock at its best and most individual. After that they abandoned punk rock, but kept on as one of our most successful rock bands of the 1980's. They're still active and doing real fine, although after 15 albums and numerous best-of's and rarities comps they're not nearly as productive as they used to be.

This Iggy Pop cover kicks butt, nothing more needs to be said about it.

2. MAUKKA & NAHKATAKIT: Kun sä tuomitset mut (When You Condemn Me)

The only song that should have been left off this LP. A sloppy demo version (or that's what it sounds like) of a song that later became one of the highlights of Maukka Perusjätkä's debut album "Säpinää".

3. TINNERI: Mustavalkoinen maailma (Black and White World)

Vocalist Seppo Seppälä and guitarist Kari Hakala are the only surviving members of Tampere-based Tinneri. Guitarist Kari Seppälä, bassist Reijo Laine, drummer Jari Salmela and manager Jusa Sipilä met more or less tragic deaths in the course of a few years after 1981. This is their best-known song, and they did not do many more recordings after this. "HilseLP 2" has three other songs, Johanna Records' "3 vuotta myöhemmin" compilation carried two songs.

4. POP-IDOLIT: Go Go koululaitos (Go Go School System)

Pop-idolit from Ylöjärvi (same place as Eppu Normaali, located near Tampere) present their only recording. Members later worked in Mäds (two singles for Poko Rekords in 1981) and Pasi & Pantterit (one single in 1990).

5. KOHU-63: Just Like Eddy, I Hate Teddy

Gosh, can this really be Kohu-63??? They later became the HC punk band we all know and love them for. Although "Just Like Eddy..." isn't bad as a fit of anger towards the 50's rockabilly movement that swept over Finland side by side with the punk and new wave crazes.

6. KOLLAA KESTÄÄ: Adverts Blues

7. SE: Punk on typerää (Punk Is Stupid)

Se (=It) got, not undeservedly, labelled as "art punk", although in reality they were rarely truly "punk". A few early singles and the second LP "Pahaa unta" (1980) carried some punk sound, but otherwise singer-songwriter Jari "Yari" Knuutinen was rather a melancholic, world-weary, pensive type who wrote songs about boy-girl relationships and difficult inner feelings.

Eleven singles, one EP and four albums, of which all but the last album ("Lasi kirkasta vettä", 1984) have been made available on CD.

"Punk on typerää" is a very exceptional song by this band. A fast song that hilariously and cleverly trashes punk music with lines like "Punk, punk, punk is stupid / the record just keeps spinning in a circle / being electric means collecting dust" and "The songs are so damn boring / they lack chords, rhythm, melody / all kinds of musical touch and beauty".

8. BRIARD: Philosophy

The first Finnish punk record was made by this band: "I Really Hate Ya / I Want Ya Back" was released late 1977 by Pete Malmi, Antti Hulkko (Andy McCoy), Sidi Vainio and Ilkka Hulkko.

9. PELLE MILJOONA 1980: Ketään ei kiinnosta mitään (Nobody Is Interested in Nothing)

Punk king of Finland and his then-current band decided to do a piece of art for this compilation. A hypnotic mantra: "Nobody is interested in nothing interests nobody is interested in nothing..." You can hear they had difficulties in keeping a straight face in the studio.

10. SEHR SCHNELL: Mongoloidi (Mongoloid)

11. RATSIA: Ihohygieniaa (Skin Hygiene)

Ratsia covered Buzzcocks' "Breakdown" and turned it into a song about the zit problem. Fun.

12. VANDAALIT: Älä pilaa nuoruuttasi (Don't Ruin Your Youth)

13. VAAVI: Lällätys (Slop)

14. YPÖ-VIIS: Pelkään pimeää (I'm Afraid of the Dark)

Pogo pogo! Ypö-Viis represented the fun-loving, innocent side of punk rock. These boys were light-hearted, naive, good-natured and blessed with lots of energy and spirit of enterprise. Their debut single "Energia on A ja O" (1979) was Finland's first self-released punk rock record and caused numerous other bands to bravely release their own records. Ypö-Viis even founded their own label, Karva-Levyt, which put out a few singles by other bands.

Their own discography consists of two LP's and six singles. The first LP was a self-released live album, the second was a studio disc released by a real label (Poko Rekords) and cut in a real studio instead of in front of two tape recorders like the previous releases.

15. TV:N ORJAT: Sä et pysty irtautuu (You Can't Turn Yourself Loose)

TV:n orjat from Turku left behind a slightly unintentionally funny but catchy single "Tavallinen ihminen / Terve hulluus" (1980) and this song. Members later played in post-punk / art bands AD, Liikkuvat Lapset and 500 kg Lihaa, rock band Wrum, and instrumental avantgarde band Nylon 66'ers.

16. LOOSE PRICK: Mä en jaksa enää (I Can't Take It Anymore)

These tired boys from Kouvola had just finished their gig at the Hilse concert and suddenly they found themselves in the studio, supposed to cut something for some compilation LP. This song reflected their feelings in the studio rather well.

Loose Prick made two ambitious LP's for Poko Rekords: "Valkoiset sotilaat" (1980) and "Etkö rakastaisi, että joku rakastaisi" (1981), three singles and a classic EP called "Kaupunki EP". They also played on Veltto Virtanen's final album "Beibi" in 1982.

17. SENSUURI: Back in the USSR

Sensuuri was a group of 14-15-year-old boys who, on their first single "Kirjoitan seinään" sounded too much like Eppu Normaali. Unfortunately the decision to cover an older rock song in English did nothing to silence that criticism, as EN did just the same on this comp. Sensuuri made their only album "Hulinaa" later the same year, and by then they had found their own style. Sad that only the three singles they managed to put out after the LP represent truly classy punk rock. The album is infantile and tiresome.

Singer Pepe Lempinen made the solo single "Kun kellot soivat / Mä haluan aamun" (1982) before he was swallowed by the world of theatre. It was a true solo single, as he played all the instruments, and even drew the nice self-portrait that graced the sleeve.

Guitarist Vesa-Pekka "Costello" Hautamäki became a member of rising hard rock band Popeda. His newly-found songwriting skills and good looks were warmly welcomed, and he's stayed true to this five-man unit through their rise to fame, their glory days in 1983-1987, their setbacks, their later drop in popularity, and vocalist Pate Mustajärvi's much-publicized drinking problem which fortunately seems to be handled by now.

18. KAUKANA POISSA: Kalkki jäi mainitsematta (Chalk Was Left Unmentioned)

Kaukanapoissa has, as avid followers of this blog may have noticed, a strong connection to cult bands Kumma Heppu ja Lopunajan Voidellut and Vaaralliset Lelut. Ari Närhi and Jukka Mikkola from said bands worked with vocalist Pauli Heikkilä, although this blatant carbon copy of Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers' "Egyptian Reggae" is an instrumental.

Naturally a successful record release has to have a sequel. "HilseLP 2" was advertised as "4 EP's on the same record". Not considered as good as the first comp, but I wouldn't condemn it straight away. All except Hurskas do a fine job on this record, and besides, "HilseLP 2" introduced SIG to the Finns.

1. VANDAALIT: En ole nainen (I'm Not a Woman)
2. Rock'n'rollin juhlaa (Rock'n'Roll Celebration)
3. Kaikkein komein (The Most Handsome of All)
4. Pakkopaita (Strait-Jacket)

5. HURSKAS: Hurskaat putoo ylöspäin (The Pious Ones Fall Upwards)
6. Eduskuntasika (Parliament Pig)
7. Amerikkalainen painajainen (American Nightmare)
8. Työ on vapautta (Work Means Freedom)

I have to confess I hate the vocalist on these songs - their single "Isänmaa huumaa / Sätkyihminen" is more tolerable. Hurskas came from Hämeenlinna, a rather typical aggressive punk band.

9. TINNERI: Elämää valheiden keskellä (Life Amongst Lies)
10. Mustavalkoinen maailma
11. Takaisin sähkötuoliin (Back to the Electric Chair)
12. Sulla on se fiilis (You've Got That Feeling)

13. SIG: Väkivaltaa (Violence)
14. Tänä yönä (Tonight)
15. Kartsalla (On the Town)
16. Lauantaina (On Saturday)

These guys will be introduced in the next post. Stay tuned!