" Dungen is the best thing that has happened to music in the last ten years"

What was the first record you bought? When, where and why? Where was it the last time you saw it?
It was either "Duran Duran" by Duran Duran or "Stay Hungry" by Twisted Sister. I'm not 100 % certain which one it was, but both bands were a defining part of my musical evolution in my pre-teens (this was around '84 when I was 9 years old). Got some money from my mom and dared to venture into a local record store in Tampere, Finland. Why did I buy them? Because I was blown away by good, catchy music. Still got them both in my vinyl collection, never gonna part with them.

What was the first gig you remember going to?
There's this rather legendary rock band in Finland called Popeda who have been around since the late 70's and still going at it, I believe. My dad took me to see them -- this was in the summer of '83 or '84, I think. Memories are hazy, but I'm pretty sure it was my first proper rock concert. I was 8 or 9.

What was the first band/solo artist you obsessed about?
Duran Duran. They meant the world to me around '84-'85. Had to get all their releases and wore out a concert VHS from them that was taped from Finnish television. I just couldn't get enough of them.

What was the first gig you played? what was the name of the band and what kind of stuff did you play?
We had this band with a few of my best friends from the 7th until the 9th grade in elementary school. The band never had a name - we just could not agree on one - but we used to rehearse ALL the time at our school (who provided the equipment -- thanks to the Finnish school system and our awesome music teacher at the time). It really was the band in which I learned so very much about music and about playing in a group. I mean, we played EVERYTHING and just tried to learn as much about music and as many songs as possible. Our first gig was at a school party where we played all sorts of covers, ranging from Bon Jovi to Uriah Heep to various Finnish bands.

What was the name of the first song you wrote/recorded/released?
I think the first "official" release was a song called ‘Zavudi’, which was a song we wrote and recorded together in a band called Coo. This was in 1994, if I'm not mistaken. The song was released on a cassette compilation in the USA. The compilation was called ‘DroneOn’ and it was put together by people who ran this Spacemen 3-inspired discussion board on the internet. Those were some far out times...

Other than the people you currently play with, describe your dream backing band
Bill Kreutzmann and Nick Mason (two drum kits), Phil Lesh (bass), David Crosby (vocals), Rick Wright (keyboards and vocals), Gustav Ejstes (flute, acoustic guitar, vocals + any instrument he would like to play), Reine Fiske (guitar). Or wait…let's just say I'd be forever happy to play with Dungen as my backing band.

If you were stranded on a desert island with a record-deck, which three albums would you want with you?
Ask me today, you get these three. Ask me tomorrow, you might get something totally different.
Grateful Dead - Live/Dead
Spiritualized - Lazer Guided Melodies
David Crosby - If I Could Only Remember My Name


What is your favourite era/genre of music?
No such thing. Mind-blowing stuff coming from all times and dimensions. I find it uninteresting when people get stuck in a particular rut or fly a certain-coloured flag for too long.

...and your favourite band/artist/album of the last five years?
Dungen is the best thing that has happened to music in the last ten years, period. I can crank up any of their albums at any time. Would follow them on tour indefinitely if I had the time and money.

Who do you regret never seeing live?
The Grateful Dead. I was too young and too not aware of them when they were still around.

11. Which artists/labels have you collected over the years, if any?
Some artists I've obsessed on for certain periods of time over the years: e.g. The Grateful Dead, Spacemen 3, Spiritualized, Phish, The Who, The Beach Boys. The Dead obsession was possibly the most serious one -- I don't even want to venture out to guess how much money I've spent on them. Nowadays I take it easier and spend most of my little money on other things than records.



Beatles or The Stones or Dylan or Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin? why?
I'll take all of them anytime. I mean, this kind of thing is like having to choose between travelling to Barbados or the Bahamas. It's all good, man.

What is the most embarrassing record in your collection? why is it there? No such thing. I honestly stand by every record I've ever accumulated, even if some of them sound unlistenable today. There's a reason behind every musical acquisition, and denying an album on your shelf is denying a part of your personal history.

Is there anyone 'out there' who you're into?
Anyone who ventures out of their comfort zone to try and make interesting art gets my vote. I mean, Finland alone has so much great music going on these days. Death Hawks, Rättö ja Lehtisalo, Saimaa, Kyyn Eleet -- there's a whole lot of turning on and tuning in going on.

Your favourite movies and/or TV shows?
There's this Swedish gem from some years back called ‘Let the Right One In’ (not the US remake, mind you) which is easily one of the best movies I've ever seen. ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’? Of course. Hmm. The Wire? Yeah, count me in. Oh, and this fairly unnoticed, recent American TV series called ‘Braindead’ was totally awesome.

Which do you prefer - on-stage or in the studio? and why?
On-stage. Improvising and giving birth to music in the moment is just something I never get tired of. I mean, with our band, I'm fairly certain we've never played a song the same way. There's always something new, something different, something that makes you go "whoa". And that's what makes me tick as a musician. Don't get me wrong, I love the studio and layering together pieces of art, but ultimately those are projects that begin and then eventually just end. On stage I really feel I'm able to tap into the void of the timeless eternal now with my fellow musicians -- and of course the audience. I mean, there are unfathomable energies moving around at all times when people gather together to play and experience live music. It's... magic.

Describe your current/typical recording set-up (where and what)
When doing stuff by myself -- and this could be at home or e.g. at our rehearsal space -- I mainly use Logic on a Mac and a simple 8-channel Presonus interface. That's basically it. After that, it all depends on what I record. Mics, amps, particular instruments, it all depends on what I want to achieve. I'm not a purist in any way -- whatever it takes to come up with a certain sound or mood. That said, I'm looking forward to utilizing a proper professional recording studio for the next Superfjord album (as opposed to producing the first one myself) and handing out the engineering duties to someone who REALLY knows what they're doing.

What are your recording/release/gig plans for the next six months?
The main objective this year is to finally get around to recording the next Superfjord album. A few gigs here and there -- quality before quantity. Fingers crossed we'll hit the studio after summer and finish the album by the end of the year. Oh, and the "Zappa" split 7-inch with Sendelica is of course out on Fruits de Mer this spring. Cheers for that one Keith!

What do you see in front of you at the moment, other than your computer screen?
Mambo, our 15-year old Jack Russell terrier who's fast asleep. Gotta go for a walk soon.

What's your favourite surf spot?
That one beautifully peeling one in certain warm waters not too many people know of.

Do you think psychedelic substances play a role in the evolution of homo sapiens? Do you really have to ask?