"Promised Land of Heavy Metal" documentary online

The documentary of Kimmo Kuusniemi, "Promised Land of Heavy Metal", a journey into the phenomenon of heavy metal in Finland is online for a couple of weeks:

http://areena-beta.yle.fi/video/84672

Hanoi Rocks farewell at Tavastia, Thursday April 9th

BogFires checked the gig number four in the sold out series of Hanoi Rock’s eight farewell shows at the Tavastia club in Helsinki. The two hours midnight concert presented a charismatic band in a good form with solid playing and sounds, supported with impressive stage design dominated by the classy spotlight installation at the back wall. The song list was compiled quite evenly from the two Hanoi Rocks eras, the “original” (1979-1985) and the “rebirth” (2001-2009), the main focus being however on the latter.

Why stopping now, when the band’s success is at its peak since the rebirth and constantly increasing, has been the key question in recent interviews. In Iltalehti Plus magazine (28.3.2009), the main man and guitarist Andy McCoy comments that finishing at the top is what the band wants. According to him, they do not want to become a jukebox playing “re-union” gigs. Morever, Andy and Michael Monroe, the singer and accompanying main force behind the band, are reportedly lacking the needed creativity to write new Hanoi Rocks songs. “Now, when it doesn’t have a new spark in it anymore, it’s better to leave Hanoi the best kept rock ‘n’ roll secret of the world. The band must be finished with dignity”, comments Michael.

The magazine also reminds Hanoi Rocks being the first Finnish band in the 1980’s that focused on international markets from the beginning. The band’s 30 years career is also wrapped-up in a brand new (Finnish) book “All Those Wasted Years” (LIKE, written by Ari Väntänen) which presumably provides an amusing reading experience and an important historic review of these pioneers of Finnish rock export.

TMK

http://www.tavastiaklubi.fi/
http://www.hanoirocks.info/
http://www.iltalehti.fi/

Smack, Raitsikka and Los Angeles

Helsingin sanomat (Sat 7 2009) published an interview with Rane Raitsikka, the guitarist of the 80's Finnish rock bands Smack. The band was one of the early pioneers of Finnish rock export, who tried their wings in the city of angels, reportedly caught the attention Kurt Cobain and GN'R members, missed a promising record deal at the time when Appetite for Destruction shook the world with alike street rock, and quickly vanished into the sea of lost hopes... After gone through a true survival story, Rane is currently playing in several small groups in Los Angeles, ranging from rock to blues to country.