Interview with Jan Kuehnemund of Vixen

In the rock scene, there are women who have really made history and it would be nice just to remember them a bit since media does it only when there is something to get and never takes it as just a matter of rock & roll.

Women and their bands that are part of the rock history? Girlschool, Doro, Lita Ford, Joan Jett, Heart, L7, among others of course. All of them are important and unforgettable. We bring you a bit of this history, talking about a band that was worldwide famous in the 80's as the "hard rock queens", "the female Bon Jovi" in a time when, although it may seem a little out of date nowadays, it was REALLY a big thing. Our fireworks go to VIXEN and its "man", the wonderful woman who's been leading it and keeping the band alive, Jan Kuehnemund, band leader and guitarist of this 100% female rock representative Hard Rock band who's got to a stage and to a level only a very few women got in rock business when talking of an 100% female band.

Vixen

You founded Vixen in the 80´s and very fast the band got to a level only a few women´s band got to. Nicknames such as the Hard Rock Queens, the Female Bon Jovi were adjectives all rock fans agreed to give you. Could you tell us a bit of what it has represented to you as a musician and as a woman? Was it more special, a better victory for the fact of being a “woman in a man´s world” according to society patterns?

Actually, I just wanted to mention that we worked very hard for quite a long time, before we got signed, and had any success. In the beginning, the original band from Minnesota played all around the USA for several years, then one by one 3 of the 4 original members left the band and were replaced, eventually ending in the lineup with Janet, Roxy, Share and me. Once that lineup got signed, things came together more quickly, and that’s the story most people know! When we started to have some success in the late 80’s and heard the band being called the “Female Bon Jovi”, etc., we were honored and thrilled!! It did feel like it was an accomplishment both as musicians and as women, playing rock & roll in a mostly (back then) man’s world. I don’t know if it was a better victory, but we were enjoying the ride, and doing what we loved doing, and we just happened to be women!

In the band´s official website I read a new album is coming out. What kind of changes can we expect for the coming album and what hasnt´s changed at all in the bands attitude and music? When is it going to be ready and debuted?

We learned a lot while recording Live & Learn, and we certainly hope to put all that we’ve learned into our next record!What has NOT changed, is our love & respect for each other, our vision for Vixen, and our love of music, and our attitude about wanting the band to progress, and make more records and continue writing and touring, and keep getting better and better at all of it! We don’t have a release date as of yet for the new record, but we will post updates on our website as we have them – www.vixenrock.com

Have you ever stopped working with music? What have you done in your career and in your life besides Vixen?

No, I’ve never really stopped working in music! When Vixen broke up, I worked with a guy band, POULATION 361, for the first time in my life and I really enjoyed that, also!! I also worked with some other female friends and songwriters, and our band was called DRAWING DOWN THE MOON. We released a CD called Angel In My Dream.

What made you decide to go back with the band and how did you choose the new line-up?

My manager that I was working with in 2000, came to me and asked if I’d consider working with the old lineup again, even though we’d just been through a lawsuit and weren’t on the best of terms. I said yes, so then he asked the other girls if they’d consider working with me again, and Roxy & Janet said yes. Share had her band Bubble going and so she declined, so Janet, Roxy & I, along with bassist Pat Holloway did a “reunion” tour in 2001 called The Voices of Metal Tour with Vince Neil, Ratt and Slaughter. Part way through the tour, things on the road were not working out so well, as it was a really rough tour. So when I saw it all falling apart, I had to decide if I wanted to call it quits, or try to find new members to replace all 3, and finish out the tour. I chose the latter, and miraculously I found Jenna, Lynn & Kat, and we finished out that tour and we’ve been together and going strong ever since!! I truly feel that was a miracle!!

Can you remember your first gig? How old you were? Who were you playing with? How did you feel? What memories from this day you carry until now?

I can remember one of the first gigs for sure. It was at a roller rink, with the original members from MN, Cindy, Gayle & Laurie, and the audience age was from about 4 – 16 years old, and we were about 15 or 16 ourselves! We signed autographs at that show, so we felt really excited about that! Then when we were all done playing and our equipment was packed up, I called my dad, who was our very first roadie, to come pick us up! He had built a little trailer especially for us and our equipment, to haul us around town! I still carry all those great memories with me, to this day!

Vixen

Unfortunately we cannot see a large number of women really working as musicians in the rock scene. Why do you think most of women don´t get attracted by rock ´n roll? What do you call rock attitude? Any example?

There are definitely more females in rock & roll today, as players/musicians than there were in the past. I think women ARE attracted by, and to rock & roll, in the role of playing it themselves, more and more every day. I think that is really great!! I would call a “rock attitude” a feeling, a vibe, a love of music and sometimes including the rock & roll “style” that goes with it. Examples that come to mind are: Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Pat Benatar, Ann & Nancy Wilson, to name just a few. Pure “rock attitude” – all of them!

“If somebody could write my biography, the title could be Vixen: A Little Girl’s Big Dream"”

What has attracted you?

The love of music – creating it, playing it, listening to it, living it, loving it!

Do you think a woman has a more difficult path to walk on and has to “prove” more than men to achieve goals?

I think it’s easier today because there are more proven successful female artists/musicians in rock. From past experience, yes, we did sometimes feel like we had to “prove” ourselves. There were times when we were asked if there were really guys behind the curtain on stage playing our parts!

Do you like to listen to your past stuff, watch pictures, read articles and interviews, do you listen to your own music a lot? Does it feel good?

I don’t listen to our old stuff very often, or read old interviews, etc., very often. But if I happen to hear or see one of our videos on VH1 or hear a song on satellite radio or something, I still do get excited and it makes me smile, and yes it feels good!

Among all your stuff, which one do you consider the best and why? And what has been the best moment for you so far? Why?

Edge of A Broken Heart is still one of our best songs, I think, because that song was our first single, and it put us on the charts and on MTV, and is the song people know us best for! One of my favorite and best moments and one of my best memories, is still, the night we heard our 1st album – “Vixen” – had gone gold!! We were in France on tour with the Scorpions, and we had the night off, and our manager called us at the hotel, to tell us our record had gone gold!!! I remember thinking and feeling that we, at this moment, had accomplished something big!! It was a feeling of – wow – we “did it” and it was like my original dream was coming true!

If you leave behind “Jan the rock star” for a moment, what do you have to say about and how would you describe “Jan, the regular woman” who goes shopping, does the laundry. Do you enjoy it?

Haha! Yes! I enjoy it! I love shopping, being at home, cleaning to my favourite CD’s, reading, going for a walk, just going about my day, etc… it’s certainly a lot different from being on the road, but I love both, and I like to have a balance between the two…

Tell us something you cannot spend a day without doing.

I cannot easily spend a day without drinking coffee!

You have a long career and probably a lot to tell. If somebody wrote your Biography, how would its name be?

Hmmm….maybe something like, Vixen: A Little Girl’s Big Dream

If you hadn´t become a musician, what do you think you would have been?

Wow, I’m not sure! I believe it would have been something that involves being creative, though…

Vixen

Which other female rock stars do you admire? Is there any actual band with female members you like to listen to?

I admire Ann & Nancy Wilson, Pat Benatar, Lita Ford, Joan Jett, and many more…I like Evanescence!

I don´t know if you´ve got a play list but could you tell us your moment top 5?

1. FOO FIGHTERS (any of their CD’s)

2. I will be getting the new U2 record – No Line on the Horizon, I think it’s called. I just heardone of their new songs and loved it!

3. FUEL ( I still listen to their 1st 2 CD’s)

4. GAVIN DeGRAW5.

I need something else NEW to complete my top 5! 

Leave us a message!

Wow – that’s a tall order! ; )I would first like to say THANK YOU to all who have supported Vixen, back then, all through the years, and now!! We love you and thank you all for your very loyal support!!! : ) Follow your dreams, believe in miracles, believe in yourself, stay true to yourself, don’t give up on your dreams, no matter how tough it seems, try to smile even when you don’t feel like it, live each day to the fullest, tell your family and friends often – how much you love them, try to love even those you don’t really want to, forgive (it will make you feel better!), and at the end of every day, pause and think about as many things as you can, that you have to be grateful for! Much Love, Peace & Rock & Roll!! 

For more information about Vixen visit:

www.vixenrock.com

Read more articles from Maila Kaarina at:

www.hardblast.com

Päätalo

The movie narrates a biographical period in the life of the most famous Finnish writer of the last century: Kalle Päätalo.

Päätalo

Päätalo, as a good Finnish movie, is the kind that starts slow but attracts you in its website silently and steadily. This is due mainly to the great performances by the trio of main Finnish actors: both Susanna Anteroinen and Nina Jääskelainen are great in the roles of both wives of Päätalo, but undoubtedly, for me Jai Lehtinen is the absolute star of the movie. He owns the character, portrays all his virtues but also all his faults and defects that probably can make you hate him in several moments of the movie, so in general he turns his character into a very natural human being, strong and weak, creative and impulsive, that is really credible for the audience.

Päätalo ´s own biography is very well documented in his work, so director Hannu Kahakorpi was well covered in that sense, but the actors really deliver a great performance here. Do not expect a movie of great rhythm; there are not even so many visual shocking moments, but all in all, it is a great chance to get to know a bit better the human side of one of the biggest Finnish writers of all time before being able to achieve his child dream of become a novelist.

Rating 4/5

The best: The great performance of Kai Lehtinen. And yes, this time there are English subtitles in the DVD!!!

The worst: The attitude of many Finnish men towards their women has not changed much through the decades.

The detail: Päätalo published his first book Ihmisiä telineillä in 1958.

Twilight

{mosimage}Here comes the first film adaptation of the saga created by the writer Stephenie Meyer. Be ready for a strong mix of teenage love and vampires… 

I must admit I have not read the Twilight saga books by Meyer yet, but I read a few months ago The Host by the same author, and it did disappoint me. From my point of view, Meyer writes for female audiences, and obviously I am not a woman. Here in Twilight you can find a bit of the same, a love history that will make half teenagers of the planet fall in love with the adorable character of Edward Cullen. Certainly Robert Pattinson makes a good performance, although I get a bit annoyed by Kristen Steward as Bella.

All in all, although I do not share the attraction that many girls (and boys) have for Edward´s character, I find that the movie has quite many good strong points. The script is clever, although with same flaws, and the rhythm increases after a slow beginning to a final good climax of tension. The sense of humour is maybe the best part of the movie, there are some funny quotes and it is good how the vampires can joke about their own condition. 

Although in some ways Twilight is just another teenage love movie portrayed in the typical American high school, it has also a few details that make it pretty refreshing.  I must praise how they were able to combine the elements to make a vampire movie that could be attractive for both male and female audiences, although maybe for the non-so teenage men, the final product can be a bit corny sometimes. In any case, not a bad effort, and let´s see what is going on when the next adaptation of the saga hits the screens around the world. 

Rating 4/5 

The best: The sense of humour in the dialogues.

The worst: It sucks when you are a horny teenager but you cannot have sex, doesn´t it?

The detail: Author Stephenie Meyer makes a cameo at the restaurant in Forks ordering a sandwich.

The detail: Author Stephenie Meyer makes a cameo at the restaurant in Forks ordering a sandwich.

Official trailer:

My name is Bruce

Bruce Campbell is back in an exhilarating movie that parodies all the clichés of Series B movies!

What you have here is Bruce Campbell making fun of him. The actor is well known, overall in USA, for his participation in a lot of classic B Series movies as well as collaborating with Sam Raimi or the Cohen brothers.What you have here is a film with low budget, so do not expect any great special effects.

My name is Bruce

The strong point is to see the performance of Campbell, and how he makes fun of the cinema industry. The plot does not make sense, but that is exactly the goal of the movie, more focused on Campbell´s dialogues. There are quite a few good moments, although I honestly thought that it would be funnier than it turned to be. It is also nice to see how in the end they change the final result.

If you like low budget movies and you are a fan of Campbell, probably you are going to enjoy this one, but if you were expecting something “bigger”, this maybe can disappoint you a bit

Rating 3/5

The best: Campbell going through all the empty liquor bottles at his caravan and his dog not recognizing him anymore.

The worst: The final fight with the Chinese demon could have been a bit better.

The detail:  Ted Raimi, brother of Sam Raimi, plays different roles along the movie, like Bruce´s agent, the Sign Painter of the old Chinese man.

Iron Maiden: Flight 666

As a die-hard Maiden fan since the age of thirteen, it certainly is a thrill to see one of your favourite bands on the big screen in thunderous 5.1 surround sound. Yes, I’m talking about the new film Iron Maiden: Flight 666, which captures the band onstage, backstage, and everywhere in between, during the first leg of their 2008 Somewhere Back in Time Tour.

Flight 666

Released worldwide on the 21st of April, the documentary film chronicles probably the most logistically challenging undertaking in Rock history: outfitting a 757 aircraft (complete with Maiden logo) to fit the entire band, crew, and all their equipment; fly them to play 23 concerts, in 13 countries, on 5 continents (that’s 70,000 km or 50,000 frequent flier miles if you’re counting), and do this all within the span of 45 days. Oh … and I forgot to mention, the plane was flown by none other than Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson (who is a licensed airline pilot in his own right).

Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen, are the same team who made the fantastic 2005 documentary film: Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey. Considering the fact that Iron Maiden are well known for protecting their privacy and eschewing the typical trappings of celebrity, the filmmakers were given unprecedented access to the band on tour. We get to see affable drummer Nicko McBrain chatting (always with a slice of pizza!) with band mates on the bus moments after a show; the suffocating atmosphere brought on by mobs of fans in South America;  Bruce in the pilot’s seat flying “Ed Force One”; the famously brusque band manager Rod Smallwood asleep on the plane; a moment of crisis brought on by an innocuous golf ball.

In all, over 500 hours worth of film was taken by Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen and then edited down to the movie’s final running time of 112 minutes. Of course, in addition to all the behind-the-scenes moments, we get to see the reason why Iron Maiden is renowned the world over: the band is a monster live act. The performance footage is mixed throughout the film and the band has never sounded better thanks to producer Kevin Shirley who mixed the sound for the film. Since the set list remained essentially the same, the filmmakers chose to show clips of the band playing one song from each city on the tour. Two songs are played in their entirety: “Aces High” and the perennial classic “Hallowed Be Thy Name” which is performed at the final show in Toronto, Canada, and closes the film. 

As much as Iron Maiden: Flight 666 is about the band, it is (even more so) a film about the fans. Across continents and cultures: India, Japan, Australia, Central & South America, the U.S., and Canada, we see the impassioned reactions of fans the world over. Watching the Colombian fans as they camp out for NINE days in a make-shift tent city before a show, leaves the viewer in awe of the devotion and loyalty shown by the band’s fans.  

Flight 666

I was actually at the Iron Maiden show in New Jersey in the U.S., so one personal highlight was to see some of the live performance from that particular show in the movie. I strained to see myself in the audience but trying to pick yourself out in a crowd of 20,000 can be a bit futile. I guess I could get myself a magnifying glass and wait for the DVD release! 

For a band that has made such an indelible impact on its fans around the world (and rock music in general), Iron Maiden is, astonishingly, not in the institution known as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But Iron Maiden has never courted mainstream acceptance and that suits the band and its fans just fine. The band has made it on its own terms and without compromise. One particular moment in the film, I think, says it all: the camera zooms in on a Colombian fan who is overtaken by emotion and literally breaks into tears after capturing Nicko’s drum stick. This is what Iron Maiden means to its fans and no admission into an exclusionary club such as the R&R Hall of Fame can match that. 

The film is on extended release in digital theatres around the world including Bio Rex cinemas in Finland. 

Flight 666Trailer

DAR – Dynamic Arts Records helping spread Finnish Metal to the world

 

{mosimage}Finnish Metal is undoubtedly worldwide respected and it´s surely not a fad. It didn´t happen out of the blue for no reason though, it is what it is for the extreme competence of the rock & metal bands that come from that tiny, isolated and cold country.

 

 

 

Doing the best you can on whatever you do, studying hard, researching and being extremely professional are cultural characteristics you see a lot in the entire Scandinavia and when the subject is Heavy Metal, let´s say that Finland and Sweden are at the top.

Dynamic Arts Records ( DAR ) – recording company from the city of Tampere – is a very respected company lead by people who really understand of rock & metal and help the scene be spread to the world. They´ve been doing a great job promoting their bands sending material and in this section Hard Blast will talk about 3 of these big metal promises.  

 

{mosimage}MASTERSTROKE – Melodic Power & Heavy Metal 

The band was formed in 2002 and has two albums released, Apocalypse (2006) and the great Sleep, released by DAR in 2007.You don´t need more than 30 seconds listening to realize what´s going on here – very good music, strong, powerful, with great melodies and guitar solos.The line-up is formed by Niko Rauhala ( v & g ), Janne Juutinen ( d ), Markus Kekoni ( g ), Jussi Kulomaa ( k ) and Marko Kolehmainen ( b ) and you can check them out on www.myspace.com/masterstrokefinland or on DAR homepage.

The album is composed by 10 tracks. Niko´s singing is different from what we are used to listening when the subject is melodic power metal, there aren´t very high notes. Vocals are melodic but heavy and it´s possible to feel a “Blaze Bailey´s atmosphere” in his tone but with a lot more power. Guitarist Markus also makes very different solos more focused on the melody than on the speed, which I consider a great advantage since in melodic power metal it´s usually more common to listen to very fast and exaggerated virtuous solos, .

The same happens to the keyboards, present 100% of the time showing great melodies and arrangements and not a 'keyboard X guitar duel'.Musicians who are able to play well saving notes, emphasizing melody to speed and paying attention to the musical environment of the work they want to show are very rare nowadays and I believe this is a great differential.

I recommend Masterstroke as one of the best bands I´ve heard recently. 

 

{mosimage}SILENTIUM – Goth/Dark Metal 

The band exists since 1995 and has a discography of 5 full-length albums and 3 singles. The most recent release, Amortean, came out in January of 2009 and have been getting great feedback from fans and press since then.The band´s career was full of ups and downs and line-up changes until 2003 but after this time the line-up was settled. Silentium is: Toni Lahtinen ( g ), Matti Aikio (b & groaning), Riina Rinkinen ( v ), Jari Ojala ( d ), Juha Lehtioksa ( g ), Sami Boman ( k ).

After signing with DAR in 2005 Silentium recorded Seducia, album of great success that could really make people pay attention to them. The most recent work, Amortean, shows very high quality female singing Goth Metal. Riina sings beautifully with a strong voice which does not follow the actual pattern of the ‘opera’ singing. She explores her natural tone and singing personality. Her voice is strong, deep and makes Silentium even more interesting.Songs are rich, full of keyboards and orchestral arrangements, there is a strong concern with climate and particularities that would make fans recognize their music right from the intro.

Drumming also deserves to be highlighted in Silentium´s work. Jari Ojala plays strong and fast being also a very creative drummer on his kickin´ arrangements. The album is very well produced it´s very musical having some 'taste' of pop that makes Riina´s voice fit even better on it. You could easily listen to them on the radio. Amortean shows melancholic and deep songs just as the style demands though. For those who enjoy heavy music with female singing, Silentium´s album is for sure a very good buy. Check them out at www.myspace.com/silentiumband or go to DAR homepage to get more info. 

 

 

 

ANGEL BLAKE – Metal 

Angel Blake is the solo project of guitarist Marko Tervonen ( The Crown ) and besides himself it counts on the musicians Tobias Jansson ( v ), Anders Edlund ( g ), Örjan Wressel ( acoustic bass) and Janne Saarenpää ( d ).

 

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Although Marko and Janne are Finns, the band is based in Sweden, where the other members are from. The album The Descended, released in 2008, shows what could be called 'real nordic metal' with all specific characteristics that make those who research about the style recognize the bands. I don´t mean it´s cliché cause it´s not. It´s particular, there is a specific personality when you listen to the base guitar with its fast palm mutting, the creative drumming and vocals that can vary from clean and high to groaning, always very strong and present.

It´s perfect music for head banging, air punching and stage diving. The kind of atmosphere that puts you really into a metal mood.It´s curious that bassist Örjan plays the acoustic bass giving a special sound to the lows of the songs making them even heavier and fuller of punch. Angel Blake is a band that surely deserves to be heard.

Check them out at www.angelblake.com and find the true Scandinavian metal into their heavy riffs.   

 

Photos: www.dynamicartsrecords.com

Body of Lies

With Ridley Scott in the direction and Di Caprio and Russell Crowe as main stars, this is one of the strongest American DVD releases of the year.

Body of Lies

Well, it seems that there is no director able to resist the charm of Di Caprio. Here again, the golden boy (well, ok, not a boy anymore) of the American cinema displays another great acting performance, very well backed up by an unusually fat and unattractive-looking Crowe. But undoubtedly, for me the nicest touch of the movie is Mark Strong as Hani Salaam, the chief of the secret services at Jordania.

Although acting is good, the plot is weak. After watching it, I just found it predictable, one more movie in the American chain of movies dealing with Muslim terrorism that counts with The Kingdom or A Mighty Heart as latest examples of how to teach the Western spectator the difference between good and bad Arab citizens. Although the smart spectator can easily find layers of criticism to the American external policy here, it is still a deplorable collection of clichés, being not everything as black and white as Scott wants to portray here. The warfare tension of some other of his movies like Black Hawk Down is missing here, and checking how the American military technology works is something shown in every one of three releases during the last moths, so there is nothing surprising or shocking for the spectator.

All in all, Body of Lies is not a bad movie, but maybe I start to feel a bit oversaturated with these kinds of products. I usually love Ridley Scott, but this is one got me disappointed.

Rating 2/5

The best: Mark Strong as Hani Salaam

The worst: The portray of Muslims as the westerner´s enemies.

The detail: Many of the actors portrayed as Iraquis actually speak Arab with Moroccan accent all over the movie.

Body of Lies Trailer

L.R. Phoenix & Mr. Mo’Hell – Wrecked

{mosimage}Blues is alive in North Europe! From North Karelia comes a duo that exhales pure genuine good old Blues! 

L.R. Phoenix is an English musician who decided not only to switch from playing heavy metal to Mississippi Blues, but also from living in the south of England to the East of Finland. Lately we have had the luck to review in FREE! Magazine a bunch of good records from independent artists that, although often forgotten by the mainstream media, are able to release records of excellent quality. We saw it with the Finnish artists Matti the Random Guy and recently we also reviewed the excellent last releases of the young Estonian blues magicians Bullfrog Brown, who also keep the tradition of Mississippi Blues alive in the neighbouring Baltic country.  

If you enjoy the music of Bullfrog Brown, probably you will also like what the duo Phoenix (guitar and vocals) – Mo'Hell (drums) has to offer:  a good collection of blues songs rooted in the old American tradition. But actually in some ways, this is even an easier album to listen than the ones produced by Bullfrog Brown: the voice of L.R. is clean, powerful and catchy while the guitar riffs are edgy but feel “light” at the same time. 

As some highlights in the album, listen for example to On The Run, Dark Clouds or My Leaving and be ready to enjoy. Good blues that can also easily catch the attention of not so blues-hardcore fans.

Well made effort, good lyrics and a little feeling of sloppiness that provide the album with a suitable “underground” touch; perfect to listen with a cigarette in your mouth and a glass of whisky in your hand. 

Rating 4/5.

Revolution Renaissance – Age of aquarius

{mosimage}After leaving Stratovarius, Timo Tolkki, the Finnish magician with the guitar, is back with his new project and the second studio album. 

A second studio album that could perfectly be catalogued as debut one, since the previous one was made up with the material that should have gone originally for Stratovarius. With people like Gus Monsanto on the vocals or Bruno Agra as drummer, Tolkki seems to have formed a more stable project. At least, the band sounds like a band, not just Tolkki trying to impose his guitar solos over the rest of the instruments, and the final result is quite a good work of heavy metal. Let´s see if the formation remains in the future, because there are rumours that Tolkki will count with some old members of Stratovarius for the following full length. 

If it would be any other band, many people would catalogue this as an excellent heavy metal album. But being Tolkki´s new project, it will be loved and hated equally. The album does not provide with any special surprise, actually, almost “surprisingly”, it sounds too much “Stratovarius” in songs like Sins of my beloved or the beautiful ballad Ghost of fallen grace. But in general, all the tracks are pretty enjoyable, especially the flamboyant Ixion´s Wheel or the final folk-metal oriented Into the future. 

Tolkki shows that he still keeps the magic in his fingers, let´s see if his head can also work so fine in the future! For those of you who loved the first albums of Stratovarius and want to listen to more of the same, you are going to enjoy this. For the ones that wanted a more experimental or surprising album, better go somewhere else. 

Rating 3/5.

Klamydia – Rujoa Taidetta

{mosimage}The Finnish punkers are back with a new album full of speed.

 

Making studio albums is not a problem for the Finnish punk rockers. Formed 20 years ago, they have releases almost one album per year, being this their 15th full length record. So we are not exactly talking about a group of high school students doing bullshit here. It is not easy to remain for so many years in the demanding Finnish market, so certainly Klamydia has gained with effort their position as one of the strongest Finnish underground band of the circuit.

 

Hated by many and adored by their followers due to their straight and gross language and their blowing live performances (that can perfectly end up with the singer puking on stage or the concert cancelled due to the ethylic state of the members), the point is that every country needs a band like this. Raw energy, catchy lyrics (in Finnish) and basically, good punk rock “in your face” with some highlights like Miljoonan Kiisan Tennarit or the homonymous Rujoa Taidetta. I have read in some Finnish media that this is the most boring Klamydia`s album in many years, but from my point of view, it is certainly entertaining, accessible also for listeners who are not punk-rock fans and perfect to listen to as background music at the office when you want to isolate your ears from annoying job mates…

 

Rating 4/5.

99 Frangia

{mosimage}Here you have a visually shocking French movie that will reveal all the dirty secrets of marketing and PR Business.

 

Yes! Finally I find a French movie I like! (ok, Amelie is another exception to the rule). 99 Francs is funny, irreverent, it always has a high rhythm, it is visually shocking and innovative, and the acting skills of the main characters are just superb. Jean Dujardin looks credible the same when he is snorting kilograms of cocaine or when he is in an isolated island looking like a lost rugby player.  

The plot is good, and shows the cynic aspect of the industry at the same time that you can have some good laughs. The sticky moments involving violence, sex or use of hard drugs are mastered in a way that do not result too much uncomfortable for the spectator, and on top of that the couple of female characters involved with Dujardin are sexy and with a great presence on screen. But undoubtedly, the best parts are during the monotonous business meetings, when you can see hypocrisy working at his top!

 

An intelligent movie that really got me surprised. If I can say something bad, this goes again for the distributors of the DVD, that once more forget to add English subtitles. So if your knowledge of French, Swedish or Finnish is not high, be ready to get a bit lost in translation.

 

Rating 4/5.

 

{mosimage}The best: the final yoghourt ad leaked on TV.

 

The worst: At the end of the movie you will feel like loving or hating yoghourt.

 

The detail: Porn actress Anita Blond appears shortly in the porn videos that Octave watches at home.

Son of Rambow

{mosimage}A delicious English comedy about the friendship of two young children who get absolutely fascinated by Stallone in First Blood!

Although the movie has a slow start, I certainly enjoyed it more and more. Bill Milner as Will develops his character steadily all over the movie, although it is the young Will Poulter as Lee Carter, the school terror, the one who steals the show with a great performance. 

Added to the good chemistry of the two young new friends, the movie gains in intensity and sense of humour once the bus with the French exchange students arrive to the English school. Jules Sitruk as Didier is a nice fresh of air in the script, and he adds a colourful palette of connotations to the movie, from the fashion and new trends of the 80s to the melancholy of the outcast who is beloved more abroad than at his own home.Added to this, the religious resistance of Will against his community or the final scene at the cinema are some other great highlights of an entertaining movie. If you want to come back to the magic of childhood, this movie is a must see!

Rating 3/5

 

{mosimage}The best: The final scene at the movie featuring the final short movie finished.

The worst: Why English subtitles continue being “forgotten” in most of the DVD releases in Finland?

The detail: Director Garth Jennings makes also his debut as writer of the script.

Pineapple Express

{mosimage}James Franco and Seth Rogen are brothers in arms with a common goal: to smoke the best marijuana in town!

Well, let´s try to forget the polemic surrounding the movie about if marijuana should be legalized or not, trying to focus on what this product offers. Obviously, not an easy task, if you are totally against the use of marijuana, you probably are not going to find funny this. Luckily that is not my case… so after having laughed quite a lot in some of last Rogen´s movies, I was interested about this new one, with a James Franco in quite an atypical role for him as a drug dealer.

The point is that I was a bit disappointed in the end. Do not misunderstand me, the action is good, there are some good jokes… but I was expecting “something” more.  After watching the movie, I have the impression that it was more about milking the fame that Rogen and Franco have nowadays in Hollywood instead of creating a really cool new comedy.

The soundtrack is one of the strongest points of the movie, but the script is certainly a bit weaker than other Rogen´s ones.; all in all, not a bad comedy if you like the “stoner” genre, but it could have been better with a little more of sharpness in the direction.

Rating 3/5

{mosimage}The best:  watching James Franco stoned.

The worst: That Seth Rogen´s comedy style is starting to become a bit repetitive.

The detail: The script was written by Rogen in 2001. 

A complete history of my sexual failures

{mosimage}Chris Waitts is an independent English filmmaker who puts himself in a vulnerable position interviewing all his ex-girlfriends.

Documentaries are a genre that always brings new surprises every year. For example, recently we could see the splendid Irreligious about religion and now this movie from Waitts that touches the always sticky topic of couple relations.

Our Kurt Cobain look alike friend is not afraid to appear on camera like a loser, trying to analyze the misfortune of his relations with the opposite sex while recording a documentary at the same time. His family also appears in the movie, and although the girlfriends are mostly reluctant at the beginning to appear on screen, in the end he gets a good collection of testimonies.

The idea is good and fresh, but he happens to be such a loser than instead of provoking laugh in the spectator, ends up provoking pity. As well, some situations seem to be “pushed” too far, acted up having the camera in front of, and do not result in being too natural.

Certainly Waitts achieves an interesting movie with almost no budget, and surely this will indulge in a bulk of new female contacts at his MySpace page that could bring some light to his notoriously bad history with women, but it could have turned a bit better with a different perspective.

Rating 3/5

 

{mosimage}The best: The most gorgeous ex-girlfriend happens to be a nymphomaniac…

The worst: … and he did not have sex with her.

The detail: The book by his ex-girlfriend Vicky Allan mentioned in the documentary is titled Stray.