The Finnish Photographer of Rock

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Ville Akseli Juurikkala is the most important rock photographer in Finland nowadays. His work can be seen in recent albums and official promotion material of top Finnish bands such as H.I.M. Nightwish, Hanoi Rocks, Apocalyptica, The Rasmus or 69 Eyes. International stars such as American actress and musician Juliette Lewis or Colombian singer Juanes had been also targets for Ville´s shootings. Discover with us a bit more about this fan of rock music who decided one day to exchange the electric guitar for the camera. 

Ville,you are mostly known for your work with rock bands. Are you a rock music fan yourself?

I used to play guitar and sing in various rock bands since I was 10. I was very serious about it. One of my bands even played in Tavastia. Then I got into photography about 10 years ago. And I liked more than playing. The band had to go. And I’ve never regretted that I did it.

It looks lately that every top Finnish music artist must be photographed by you. Is this the best moment of your career?

This is the best moment on my career by far, of course.  Five years ago this was my goal, what I wanted to achieve on my life. But then everything went just faster than I thought. And now I think that this all was just the start.

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Who takes the decisions before planning a photo session? It is done what you want, what the artists want, or you try to find a middle point?

All mentioned above, but I’d like add the client (record company A&R) on the list as well. But this all it depends so much about the band and the record company and all. There’s no one way.

Do you need a lot of preparation before a session, or do you enjoy more to take pictures on the spur of the moment?

I enjoy taking pictures on the field but sometimes it’s really nice to create ideas beforehand with the band.

Is there any particular picture you have taken that you feel especially proud of?

There are many, you should always be proud of your work, what ever you do. But it’s really impossible to raise some of them above others. One really good is that where Jussi 69 has collapsed on the floor of Tavastia after the show. It is “very rock’n’roll”… and very real.

You published during last year Route 69, the book you did with pictures of 69 Eyes during their American Tour. How was the experience to be on the road with them? Are you a friend of the band?

It was great to tour with them. We had a lot of fun, maybe even too much some may think. It was crazier than with Nightwish. I’m still good friends with those guys, especially with Jussi.

Do you do other projects apart from your photography side?

I’ve done 2 music videos. Hanna Pakarinen: Black Ice and 51koodia: Mustat sydämet.

You have been on tour with Nightwish. Can you tell us a bit more about the project?

It’s going to be a somewhat like the Route69 but this will concentrate not only on the band but also on the things behind, the roadies etc. On their Europe tour they had 56 people working for them, 3 busses and 4 trucks. It’s interesting to show some of that side as well.

Usually Finnish artists are quite down to earth, but has there been any artist or band that turned difficult to work with? And the easiest one?{mosimage}

Actually I was surprised the way that this one American rock band treated me when I was touring with them. People might think that they are some kind of big divas since their albums are selling millions. But then actually they treated me a lot better than any Finnish bands I’ve worked with.

What are your challenges for the future?

As I told I was working with this one American band right now. I’m sorry I don’t want to tell you the name before everything is sure. And we still have negations going on. I had one week trip with them on their UK tour and all went great. They asked me on their US tour later this year but I don’t want to tell too much before it’s all certain.

Do you have any advice for those young photographers who are starting now and could read this?

Use your soul. Let it help your eyes in your work. Don’t pay too much attention on how to use photo shop or things like that. That’s not what great photography is about.  

All Photos taken by Ville Akseli Juurikkala and extracted from his personal website.

For more information visit:

http://www.villejuurikkala.com

Helsinki Day becoming more multicultural

At an extensive free event, there will be music by among others afro-beat/soul singer Mad Ice (UGA) and soothe-voiced Brazilian singer-songwriter Thais Morell.
The evening programme will also showcase dances from Britain to Tahiti
and from Indonesia and China to the Balkans and the Middle East.

The taste buds can be pampered with the ethnic food available at the
market outside, which will also offer lots of non-Finnish handicrafts.

The cultural event at Rastis is free of charge and starts at 15.00 (music and dance from 17.30).

More information at www.rastis.fi

Long-time Editor-in-Chief of Finnish Donald Duck magazine dies

During his time as Editor, Kivekäs innovated the magazine drastically,
among other things by developing it with more varied use of the Finnish
language (with lots of wordplays, references and synonyms). He also
started printing the names of the illustrators that worked on the
stories, which had been taboo until then.

During his life time, Kivekäs met both Walt Disney (1901-1966) and legendary Donald Duck illustrator Carl Barks (1901-2000). The latter he brought to Finland for a visit in 1994.

Aku Ankka, first published in 1951, is one of Finland’s most
popular magazines, both among children and adults. It is currently read
by over one million people a week, a huge number considering the
country's population of  just 5.2 million.

Aku Ankka (in Finnish)

The Charlatans – You Cross My Path

{mosimage}Veteran English band The Charlatans come again with their 10th studio album that could be purchased by fans totally for free!

The Charlatans have never had good luck, when compared to other contemporary bands that gained them in popularity or in bringing new fresh ideas (Oasis, Radiohead). No wonder that the title of their 10th studio album is You Cross My Path. After more than 20 years on the road, many circumstances have crossed the path of the guys from Birmingham, so it has a lot of merit not only that they gave the possibility to get their new album totally for free from their website, but overall, that the album is a little masterpierce exhaling quality.

Tim Burgess masters the lyrics and the vocals and pieces like Bad Days, The Misbegotten, the easy to dance Missing Beats or the raw and furious album´s homonymous You Cross My Path. A pity The Charlatans would barely climb to the top level of worldwide musical attention, but it is still a pleasure to see how well they keep themselves alive and kicking good pop-rock!

Rating 5/5.

Black Bile – Great Ape Language

{mosimage}Sakara Records, the same company behind Mokoma, features the debut album of Black Bile.

Black Bile is the personal project of Henri Kuittinen, who is behind the vocals, guitar and programming in both the album and live. On stage, Kuittinen has other 4 musicians supporting his project. It has been produced by Janne Saksa, and we have to say that the record sounds compact, professional and fresh.  From the first introductory song Earth Will Rise, the drums push steadily from behind while Kuittinen´s vocals evolve you; a nice first step that gets perfectly backed up by the second song, Valerian, a little jewel with powerful riffs and astonishing beautiful lyrics.

There cannot be missed the typical melancholic Finnish feeling in lyrics like Light that Failed or Divorced with the World. It is a pity I could not check the band on live during Sinamore and Animal Alpha´s concert in Tampere few weeks ago, as it was supposedly to be scheduled, but for being the first studio album, Black Bile sounds like a project that can reach very high in future years, if Kuittinen is consistent and is able to find musicians that will work with him on a permanent basis.

Rating 4/5.

Charlie Wilson´s War

{mosimage}The most powerful actor in the world, Tom Hanks, is back with a thriller that touches sticky topics such as the past Afghanistan war.

Based on true events, Tom Hanks masters again his character as Texas congressman Charles Wilson and his particular crusade to help Afghans during their war against Soviet Union. And if his presence alone would not be enough, he is flanked by Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman (this man never chooses a bad role) to shape a balanced and outstanding triangle of power, knowledge and political intrigue.

Some people surely will criticize his most political messages on the surface “pro-America”, but if you scratch a bit on the surface and assimilate what the film tells you in the end, you can see good doses of auto-critic against the reckless international intervention of USA in search of confirming their world supremacy and the consequences that balance very well the message of the movie. 

Dialogues are sharp, and the cynic approach to life of Wilson mixed with the brutal honesty and easiness for verbal attacks of Hoffman´s character work perfectly on screen. A good script, great acting skills by all the cast, and not a bad effort to understand a bit better the key factors behind the Islamic terrorist movements nowadays.

Rating 4/5.

Things We Lost in the Fire

{mosimage}Benicio del Toro and Halle Berry are a strange couple sharing the same house by sad circumstances.

I was intrigued before watching this film, having Benicio del Toro in it (just recent winner in Cannes), which usually is a symptom of good quality in whatever production. Nevertheless, although his acting skills as a heroin junkie are as good as ever, the plot of this Things We Lost in the Fire turned to be insipid, slow and with a big lack of interest.

Halle Berry´s character does not produce any friendly answer during all the movie and some situations seem to be too much pushed to force a sexual chemistry and attraction when both characters share the same roof that really never works out.  I could save a couple of details, like the charm of the young children, and the excellent interpretation as a luxury secondary actor of John Carroll Lynch, but in general, I just found the movie boring per se.

At least, I have to thank director Susanne Bier that the final has not the typical “happy ending” of most of the mainstream romantic movies, so from that point, the film gains in honesty although lacks in general of a strong script to keep the spectator´s interest.  If you are a fan of any of the main actors, maybe it is worthy you rent it and take a look at it. If not, give a try to some other movie.

Rating 2/5.

Children of Bodom – Blooddrunk

{mosimage}Led by guitar wizard Alexi Laiho, the metal wandering souls from Lake Bodom are back on the road!

Children of Bodom has become one of the most exportable Finnish metal band worldwide. Now it is about time to see released a new studio album: Blooddrunk. Being considered as one of the top black metal bands, it is not an easy task to please die-hard fans and more classic metal fans equally. This album is definitely a compromise for COB, trying to spread their music to all kind of publics.

The result is easier to swallow than previous darker albums, so that can be good and bad at the same time. Probably many old fans can feel a bit disappointed with the noise developing to more “thrashy”, but personally I like a lot the new album. It is full of power and great  guitar riffs, with the unmistakable voice of Laiho reigning in every song, but it has also some keyboards that can remind you good old classic metal from the 80s, like in the second track Blooddrunk or in One Day You Will Cry (that counts also with a brutal guitar solo).

A good step for COB to consolidate and amplify his market around the world. If you are thirsty to see the band live, you will have a good chance at the beginning of June during Sauna Open Air Festival in Tampere.

Rating 4/5.

HB – Frozen Inside

{mosimage}You thought that catholic metal did not exist in Finland? Then listen this Frozen Inside and feel the glory of metal surrounding you…

Well, if you have any doubt about the religious preferences of HB, just take a look at the song list that forms their album Frozen Inside, with names like God Has All Glory or Holy Secret, and you can have an idea. I have never been a great fan of mixing religion and heavy metal, but since this is a free world, same than others are devoted to devil, there seems to be also place for God and Love in the heavy metal church.

In the album you can find a bunch of lyrics with poetic messages and good wishes of love widespread for the Finnish guys. Musically the album sounds correct although nothing out of the hook compared to other metal bands; not a bad effort though, and listening to the sweet voice of Johanna Aaltonen is certainly a delight.

If you enjoy bands like Within Temptation or Evanescence, with a touch of religious message, then this album is for you. Not so recommended to people who wear pentagrams, Hell-sinki vampires and blood drinkers…

Rating 3/5

The Damned Are Ready to Thrash!

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Veteran American Thrash metal band Testament is back stronger than ever with a new powerful studio album: The Formation of Damnation, which during these initial weeks is selling a real bunch of copies. 25 years of existence in the metal scene is not anything many achieve. Chuck Billy, his vocalist, is a clear example of this spirit of survival: a man who was able to go through cancer and come back to the music business reborn and still kicking ass. FREE! Magazine talked to him and he kindly explained all what has been going around Testament during the past years.

Finally, after the last studio album for Testament in 1999, The Gathering, here comes the release in 2008 of this new The Formation of Damnation. Chuck, please, could you tell us a bit more about what circumstances were around the band for such a long time waiting?

In 2001 I discovered I had cancer, and then I did not play music in 2 years.  In 2003 we came back again and in 2004 we started working again playing music doing some songs. We knew we had to make a better record than The Gathering and I did not think they were up this good yet so we just kept touring. And we were not very happy with what Spitfire, the record company, was doing.

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And what were they doing?

Nothing, they did just nothing. That is the problem. They never set interviews; they never claimed we were their artists. We were recording a DVD in London and nobody showed up from the company…

So basically lack of interest from them…

Yeah, lack of interest! We were not too excited, working so hard, with a record company that was going to do nothing worthy. Then they were sold to a company called Sheraton Squares, so when we call to Sheraton Squares it was like “hello, good afternoon, so what is the plan?” and they said “well, we are not signing any new bands, we are only going to release gospel music”. So we had to go for the next step, and the next step was the “bye bye step”.

Are you happy now with Nuclear Blast?

Oh yeah! Nuclear Blast had been talking for us for 10 years. They were like “we can be your label, we can do things for you guys” So we signed the papers and released the contract with the old company and we said “hey, we are free”. Nuclear Blast came to the table with the best offer, much better than everybody by the way. We knew we wanted to be with Nuclear Blast so it made sense. They were the best company and they made the best offer so we went for it, and it has been great! We started right away working on the new record after signing with them.

Chuck, having gone through such a traumatic experience as having cancer, how do you see life nowadays? Do you see things with a different perspective?

Well, of course I go through life with a different perspective. I mean, when I was sick, I was not playing music for over a year. I thought “ok, it is done with music. My career is over.” I did not think about music that much, I was making efforts to feeling better and being with my family, so music was not so important for me at that time.

Spitfire, our old record company, did nothing for us!" -Chuck Billy. Vocalist of Testament-

So now, when you are on stage, do you enjoy the same or more than before, having this “second chance” to play?

Well, I enjoy it more than then. When I started playing again with the group it was such a good feeling!  We were on tour again playing in places we had not been before, and that made it so exciting again! We are playing better than ever, we are better musicians than we ever were, we enjoy the company out there and a lot of things look better than it used to be.

How does it feel to have Alex (Skolnick) in the guitar again?

Oh, it is a great feeling, to have Alex and Eric. They have a special unique style together. They always have a special formula when they play together.

And in Testament you have also had along your career great drummers, which have been good luck and bad luck at the same time, since you changed them quite often. Now, you have Paul Bostaph. Why is not Nick Barker playing with you?

Well, Nick Barker wanted to be in this record, but he had different issues in America. We could not wait for Nick. so we actually had to make a decision about what we wanted to do, so at first we thought to invite Paul just to play with us, and he did a great job, so we decided that he did such a good job and worked so hard and we asked him if he was interested to do the record with us. We needed him because Nick was not going to come back for about six months, so at that point it made sense. Paul was close and he used to be in the band.

About the new album, is there any song you would have any favorite song to recommend to our readers?

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I like all of them. I would not be able to recommend just some.  I think all the record is very strong, all the songs stand on their own.

Last year you also created other project called Dublin Death Patrol, playing together with your brothers and with Zetro Sousa collaborating there too. Are there going to be more DDP´s albums in the future?

For the time being, it is just done for it. With the record just done, I have to focus a bit more about Testament. Maybe next year, you know, or in the end of the year, Dublin Death Patrol could come with something. Dublin Death Patrol is not such a big project, we sell the record through our own website, and… that is really.

Was it fun to play all in family, with your brothers?

Last year we had the chance to go to play some gigs to Holland and England, and the other guys of the band had not been there before. We had the lucky chance in one festival to play in the main stage after Heaven and Hell, we were the last band on the main stage, and I was so glad to be there with my brothers and friends! It was a real great feeling!

How do you see the thrash metal scene lately?

I have heard many new bands that I think are better than the last Exodus album. It is a good album but I enjoy more new thrash metal.

Selected Testament Discography commented by Chuck Billy

{mosimage}-The Legacy (1987) It is a classic thrash metal record. I was starting to be fascinated really by what thrash really was, it was very influential to me to be bound as thrash metal singer.

{mosimage}-The New Order (1988). It was when I really started finding my own voice with my own style. ; learning a more natural style, singing the high speeded songs, feeling very comfortable playing thrash,  bringing my style and my songs to Testament. That is where we started crossing to lyrics about the environment, politics…  getting more involved with the environment around.

{mosimage}-The Ritual (1992). It wasn´t a good time for us.  It ended our career together for a time. We had different opinions on music and different music taste at that time. That affected when doing the music It was also the time of new styles, of grunge music, with better companies, radio stations, MTV, so that album did not come at a very good time.

{mosimage}-The Gathering (1999) It was totally a revival. It exploded with energy.  We had Steve DiGiorgio, James Murphy and Dave Lombardo; an outstanding band, a great band! We were inspired by our feelings. Andy Smith did a good job with that record. Testament started to get popular again. I was reborn. It was one of the best Testament records.

{mosimage}-The Formation of Damnation (2008). The best is that we have Alex and Eric playing together again. The structure of the songs is like the old days, what we used to do. It is really a combination of all the music we have created all over our career.    

Testament will be playing in Finland the 6 of June at Sauna Open Air metal festival in the city of Tampere.

For more information:

http://www.testamentlegions.com

http://www.sauna-open-air.fi

Teräsbetoni through to Eurovision final

During the first semi-final, held on Tuesday night (21.5), frontman J. Ahola
and the other members of the warrior-style metal group brought
explosions, flames, leather, muscles and warrior weaponry to the
Belgrade Arena.

Their song
in Finnish, with lots of “huh hahs“, will be among the 25 entries
participating to win this year‘s pan-European contest. The other
countries that managed to get through the first semi-final are Greece,
Romania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Russia, Israel, Azerbaijan, Armenia,
Poland and Norway.

Big financial contributors Spain, Germany, Britain and France and host
country Serbia are already certain of a place in the final, which will
be held on Saturday (24.5). The live broadcast will start at 10 p.m.
Finnish time (9 p.m. Central European Time).

UPDATE: The countries that got through the second semi-final on
Thursday (23.5) are: the Ukraine, Croatia, Albania, Iceland, Georgia,
Denmark, Sweden, Latvia, Turkey and Portugal. Finland's Teräsbetoni
will be the 8th to perform in Saturday's final.

The Bellrays – Hard Sweet and Sticky

{mosimage}Rock & Soul prophets are here, led by the beautiful and charismatic voice of Lisa Kekaula.

The Bellrays is a band made to be tasted in small clubs, with the smoke of cigarette, the sweat and the taste of alcohol mixed in the atmosphere with the hypnotic voice of Lisa Kekaula.

Some of you maybe were lucky to see them on live during their recent visit to Finland some days ago. For the others, you always have the chance to listen to their new album: Hard Sweet and Sticky, and get immersed in a particular musical experience where rock and soul seem to melt with no effort. After the starting track The Same Way, that is maybe not the best election to open the album, comes a festival of good music and vibes with little jewels like One Big Party, the Motown soul of Footprints on Water, the rockin´ Psychotic Hate Man that flirts with punk  or the sensual The Fire Next Time.

Maybe with guitarist Tony Fate, the band has lost some ferocity, but all in all, the album is a little masterpiece, mastered by the throat of Lisa, an ebony goddess able to steal your heart samely whispering or screaming into your ears.

Rating 5/5.

American Gangster

{mosimage}Based on true events, Ridley Scott narrates the story of Frank Lucas, the first afro-American who managed to become boss of a massive mafia organization.

Everybody expects every new Ridley Scott´s movie with high expectations, including me, and this time, I must say I was not disappointed. The work of both lead actors, Washington as Frank Lucas and Russel Crowe as the incorruptible detective Richie Roberts are immaculately superb, credible and well-measured.  

The action catches you immediately, and you really feel identified following the steps of Lukas while escalating in the crime American sphere and Crowe messing up his personal life, but never giving the back to honesty as policeman. Josh Brolin, although not the young guy from The Goonies anymore, seems to be living a second youth choosing successfully his last appearances (you may remember him from the recent Robert Rodriguez´s Planet Terror too) and is perfect for the balance of the film as the corrupted Detective Trupo. The trips of Lukas to Far East to deal with the importation of the drugs add an exotic note to the action, and help to develop the personality of the character, who will not step back against any difficulty. Also the shooting in the street when Lukas shoots his rival is a memorable cinema moment due to his rawness and realism.

If you like mafia and gangster movies do not miss this American Gangster. Scott was able to achieve a difficult task: to show that not everybody is already written in the genre.

Rating 5/5.

The Golden Compass

{mosimage} First of the three movies based on fiction writer Philip Pulman´s epic trilogy.

New Line Cinema studio is back with another fantasy trilogy (after Lord of the Rings). But this time, although also visually shocking, the essence from the books has been partly lost. Ingredients are good, the cast has been meticulously chosen and Nicole Kidman as Marisa Coulter, Dakota Blue Richards as young Lyra or Daniel Craig in the couple of moments he is on screen as Lord Asriel look perfect in their roles, but the result tastes insipid.

Nonetheless, the pace of the action seems a bit forced, like if things are pushed to happen around the film without a natural explanation, and in the end the adult spectator gets bored and the final is too predictable. A couple of glorious moments like the battle of the armored polar bears to become the king or the nice introduction of Oxford´s Jordan College where Lyra studies get melt with a product and a failed script that turns too much artificial and is not able to capture the magic of the original books.

By the way, the Finnish spectators will find a curious wink to their culture, since Eva Green´s witch character is named Serafina Pekkala (does it ring a bell such a surname?). 

Let´s wait if the following parts of the trilogy improve the general result. For the moment, surely the children will enjoy the display and plasticity of scenario and characters, but for the rest, it will be difficult to forget that Lord of the Rings is still our favorite fiction trilogy.

Rating 3/5.