Eri Esittäjiä: Provinssi-rock & Provinssi-rock '80 live

Eri Esittäjiä: PROVINSSI-ROCK

Various Artists: Provinssi-rock (1979)

FinnArctic-esittely:

V/A compilations are always fun, because you get a lot of bands for the price of one, and very little - if any - filler. So I'll introduce two more of them.

"Provinssi-rock" was compiled and released by Vaasan läänin kehittyvän musiikin yhdistys, KEMU. That's Finnish for Association of Developing Music in the Vaasa Province. Both the association and this LP were intended to bring some air into the stifled local music scene and make it easier for pop groups to practice and play their music for live audiences.

The live venues had been dominated by schlager and dance bands for many years, while pop groups had extreme difficulties in getting work. Musicians frustrated with this situation formed KEMU in the autumn of 1978. This association started arranging concert and club activities, and eventually realized their idea of a compilation LP introducing local pop and rock bands who had had some success in contests but hadn't yet made any records.

Bands performing their own songs was also one important criteria when choosing suitable acts for the "Provinssi-rock" LP, although one exception had to be made...

The recordings were made in the Botniasound Studio in Seinäjoki. The groups themselves had the final word about the song selections, the production, mixing, sound nuances and so on. Since KEMU had hardly any money to finance the record, the local arts committee was asked to provide the necessary money, and KEMU received a grant of 3000 Finnish marks with which the LP could be produced. Artist Timo Saari agreed to do the LP and cassette sleeve layouts without receiving any reimbursements.

So, here are the seven bands who each introduce two of their songs:

TRIKOO
Nopea Väinämöinen
Vaikea maanantai

Trikoo was formed in the summer of 1977. The material, mainly originals, incorporated influences from as many genres as possible, with emphasis on melodic music. The members played with self-made string instruments, manufactured by their leader Jussi Ala-Kuha, who worked at the kantele workshop in Kaustinen.

"Nopea Väinämöinen" is a great fast country rock instrumental, a good opener for this comp. "Vaikea maanantai" leans more towards progressive pop.

Jussi Ala-Kuha, guitar and vocals
Pasi Penttilä, drums and vocals
Kimmo Känsälä, bass
Pasi Peltoniemi, guitar
(+ Ari Peltoniemi on bass in "Vaikea maanantai")


ST. PETERSAARI
Tuonelan neito
Ihana tuuli

St. Petersaari hardly needs any introduction after my earlier post about them. The 20-page booklet that came with the LP introduces them as a band who based their music on jazz, classical music and rock'n'roll. The group strived for a musically and lyrically pure, clear and over-melodic sound. Acoustic instruments were used, with electric bass as the cohesive element.

The lineup is quite different from the ones who played on the two LP's "Miehen tie" and "Tämänkin laulun jälkeen". Only Ilmonen and Riihimäki stayed to cut those later records.

Kari Ilmonen, guitar, harmonica and vocals
Heimo Riihimäki, guitar, mandolin, flute and vocals
Jalli Wikman, guitar, flute and vocals
Hannu Pirttimaa, electric bass


ULTIMA THULE
Pikku Janne
Tämä syksy

Ultima Thule was formed in Seinäjoki in autumn '76. The lineup who played here had worked since autumn '78. The group split temporarily in the autumn of 1979, when three members moved away from Seinäjoki to study.

Ultima Thule based their style on trad jazz, which was the main hobby of these guys. Their repertoire also contained playful pop funk ("Pikku Janne") and fast, loose rockers ("Provinssi-rock"). They consciously avoided the seriousness that so often characterized prog music, so their style could be called lite prog. Both selections on this LP are instrumentals.

Heikki Nikula, saxophone and clarinet
Seppo Myllymäki, drums
Timo Hietala, piano
Timo Marttila, electric bass and double bass
Pertti Pitkäkoski, guitar


KAMELEON
Jore ja minä
Outo lähiö

Kameleon consisted mainly of music devotees from Lappajärvi. They had gathered experience from numerous dance bands, and playing melodic country pop in Kameleon provided a welcome relief from the light dance music the boys usually played.

Heikki Isoniemi, guitars and vocals
Jarmo Kirsilä, drums and vocals
Heikki Viinamäki, bass and vocals
Pekka Viita-Aho, guitar and vocals


GABRIEL
Juureton puu
Rakastunut perhonen

Gabriel was formed in 1977 by rock devotees from Alavus, Kuortane and Töysä. The music sprung from personal feelings and experiences, and was characterized by a will to experiment. Many different genres influenced Gabriel's music, which could be called progressive, although the members themselves preferred the definition "spontaneous music".

Past groups included various dance bands, and pop groups like Hänen Leipänsä, Fogg and Liike. Both selections on this LP are instrumentals, but they also had songs with vocals. "Rakastunut perhonen" is a brill, slightly experimental tune that deserves attentive listening.

And yes, lead man Juhani Syrjälä is the same guy who was half of the duo Cinema, whose album I introduced earlier.

Juhani Syrjälä, guitar, keyboards, drums and vocals
Risto Kiilunen, bass and vocals
Jorma Lehtola, drums and keyboards
Jorma Hietamäki, guitar and vocals


STETSON
Tennessee
Draggin' the Bow

Stetson from Veteli was the one exception to the rule, that mainly bands with their own songs should be selected for the "Provinssi-rock" LP. This quartet specialized in American bluegrass music, which they had played since 1975. Stetson arranged the songs themselves and strived for authenticity when performing them. The boys had travelled to North America in 1978 to get an additional touch to the music they played.

Pekka Lampi, guitar and vocals
Osmo Leponiemi, violin and vocals
Markku Palola, banjo, mandolin and vocals
Pekka Saari, double bass and vocals


BINGOKSI LÄMMIN
Lempiä isäntä
Tappeli

The front cover calls this band Pingoksi Lämmin, but that's a typo. Bingoksi Lämmin was born in Sydänmaa, Alavus, a little before the Vaasa province semi-finals for the national pop band contest in spring 1979. The group made it to the finals as a new wave band, probably because they didn't fit into any other category.

Bingoksi Lämmin attempted to introduce old southern Pohjanmaa folk traditions to a larger audience with the aid of naive, rhythmic and catchy pop music. Traditional lyrics received melodies credited to the whole band. The visual side of the group consisted of funny masks and childish pogoing while the songs were performed. The band had plans of switching to more progressive music after getting rid of their guitarist.

The members, who all hid behind the pseudonym Lämmin (Warm), had past experiences from groups with names like Seppo Samppala 1918, Pure Tyynyä (Bite the Pillow), Armas Pönkä, Rett Saapas (Rett Boot), Pirjos Näkyy (Your Pirjo Is Showing - Pirjo is a female name) and Sydänmaan Pelimannit. Funny names for bands, which should tell you that you're in for a laugh or two when listening to these two Bingoksi Lämmin songs. Especially the hilarious yowling parts in the first song should either make you giggle or provoke nightmares, har har.

Personally I like the second song, "Tappeli", more. It has a good driving rhythm and nice rhythm guitar. Still it's hard to lavish praise on all this silliness.

Seppo Lämmin, vocals
Antti Lämmin, drums
Riku Lämmin, bass
Juhani Lämmin, guitar and vocals

Gabriel released a single in 1981: Etsimässä elämää / Jäätynyt maa. Other than that and St. Petersaari's later records, we heard nothing more of the groups featured here.


Minulla on kopio tuosta Etsimässä elämää -kappaleesta. Se soi jossain radio-ohjelmassa, ja äänitin siitä mp3-kopion YLE Areenasta. Suoraviivaista, hyvin soitettua nopeaa rokkia. Runsaasti kitarointia. Oikein hyvä biisi. Lauluraidassa on jokin erikoinen sävy, olisiko laulua ihan hiukan prosessoitu?

Eri Esittäjiä: PROVINSSI-ROCK '80 LIVE

Various Artists: Provinssi-rock '80 live (1980)

Kokoelma alkaa lintujen sirkuttelulla, ja Juicen ääni hiipii hitaasti esiin sieltä seasta. Hänen spiikkinsä heti alussa: "Seuraava kappale on omistettu eräälle lehdelle josta kaikki pidämme kovin. Lehti on nimeltään Suosikki... josta haluamme teidän muistavan tämän vanhan aforismin: "Jyrkin lehti on jyrkin lehti". Juicen käännös Dr. Hookin Cover of the Rolling Stonesta pärjää hyvin kilpailevan Jussi & The Boys -version rinnalla, mutta en välty ajatukselta, että tämä on paiskottu ilmoille vain, jotta Juice pääsisi vinoilemaan Mikko Alatalon Syksyn sävel -plagiointiskandaalista biisin jälkeen (Vicky Lee -hitinhän todettiin olevan kopio Shel Silversteinin kappaleesta Lemmebesomethin').

Crayola ja "Play Some Music", kunnon rokkia urkusooloineen, mutta sanoista ei saa selvää.

Kuuluu: Nurmikonlikaaja. Ihan kelpo jazzrockia.

Vaavilta ei onneksi kuulla omaa "sävellystä", mutta Wilson Pickett -klassikko In the Midnight Hour saa ikävän väkivaltaisen käsittelyn. Onneksi se on lyhyt.

Tervo & Gauriloff menee post-hippifolktrubaduurilaulelma -kategoriaan. Astronautsit laajentavat ja värittävät Vanha hippi -mestariteostaan aikamoisesti, raju esitys. Fabrics paiskoo myös oman biisinsä täysillä, hieno performanssi.

Brittiläiseltä reggae-ryhmältä Capital Letters on taltioitu kappale, jota ei löydy ryhmän omilta levyiltä. Haa, tällä tuplakokoelmalla on siis hiukan keräilyarvoa englantilaisille reggaen ystäville! National Service kestää vieläpä hulppeat 9 minuuttia ja on hieno tuokio. Tyly tuo loppupuhe: "...this is where everything finish... 'cause this country's called Finland... everything finish here... there's no ganja in your country. This country is boring, all you do is drink, drink, drink..."

Vanha Isäntä tarjoaa reipasta bluegrassia kai toiseksi viimeisellä julkaistulla äänityksellään (jos yhdellä kokoelmalevyllä oleva I'll Be There on myöhäisempi). Äijillä on hyvä vire päällä.

Kadonneen levyn metsästäjiin soitti kerran joku nainen, joka halusi kuulla Transfusionin jazzrock -palan Illuusio. En valitettavasti muista enää kovin hyvin tarinaa toiveen taustalla. Menikös se niin, että Transfusionin rumpali oli syystä tai toisesta estynyt tulemaan Provinssi-rockiin tuolloin vuonna 1980, joten bändi pyysi korvaajaksi vanhempaa miestä, jonka pääasiallinen homma oli soittaa armeijabändissä käyrätorvea? Nainen, joka soitti Kadonneen levyn metsästäjiin, oli ko. miehen tytär, ja hän halusi kuulla, miten käyrätorvensoittajaisänsä pärjäsi rumpujen parissa. No, oikein hienosti pärjäsi, rumputyöskentely on vauhdikasta. Vähän vain minua ärsyttävät jatkuvat haikaniskut.

Lena Maate soittaa asiallista bluesia, Kiinan Keisari tarjoaa vielä yhden annoksen jazzrockia. Kokoelman huipentaa hienosti Kalle Kiwes Blues Bandin Rollari-cover. Eihän tässä taida soittaa ihan se alkuperäinen KKBB, mutta Jussi Raittisen liidaamana meno on muhkeaa. Koko tupla päätetään sitten samalla lintujen liverrystuokiolla jolla se aloitettiinkin. Musiikki vaimenee hiljakseen, kun luonnon omat laulajat päästetään ääneen.