| Biography I was born on 17.09.1979. My earliest and nicest memory of music in my life happened when I was about 5 years old. We had been listening to Edward Grieg's "peer gynt" suite at my day nursery. I remember my mother coming to the bedroom and asking why I was crying. I said the music was so beautiful that I had to. A few years went on. I still regret that I didn't like piano lessons which I was forced to take. The problem wasn't in my ability to play, it was just so repulsive to me. I've recently been working on my piano playing. It was nice to practice the pieces that I had played in '85 originally. My initial desire to play something started when I heard my sister's Guns 'n Roses album "Appetite for Destruction". The energy and the bad boy attitude were perfect for a kid like me. I was hooked. After that I heard Sepultura on the radio and got their album "morbid visions" as a vinyl. I listened to it with my friend Jarmo repeatedly almost everyday and air drummed and headbanged to it. Nowadays, it's total rubbish but we didn't have a clue that there could even be better music. It was so intense and strong. At that time when I was about 12, we decided who would play what instrument in our neighbourhood. I don't know how we made the decision but I strongly suspect that no one of us has regrets about the result. Our parents got us the most cheap gear they could get to see if we were really interested. And we were. We played nonsense almost everyday and it still remains among the most exciting musical moments in our life, at least for me. The playing was pure. We didn't know anything about power chords or simple drum beats. I remember after playing for a year at least when a friend of my sister showed me power chords. It sounded absolutely awesome and I was stunned. Well, after that I started to become more confined to musical rules and the happy "free jazz" period started to end. We continued to play the most brutal music on earth (titled "sumo metal" for being sooo heavy). The songs told stories about most brutal and perverted subjects ("rotten brains" etc.) that could come to our minds (we didn't take ourselves seriously). We got better and better (And more def) each day. Finally we did our first gig at nelosteatteri in Kotka. The band was then called Urolagnia and our youngest member Harri was at 4. grade. After several more succesful gigs (some girls even danced to it!) and few demos the musical visions started to differ and diminish the happiness in the band and we finally broke up. I had got interested in to more progressive and softer stuff when I discovered Dream Theater when they released Images & Words. That inspired me to form Galactic Pulse. We made two demos as a three piece, which were pretty much us copying the styles Dream Theater and later on, Symphony X. What set us apart was that we had no singer. In retrospect, I think the main reasons for our failure was the lack of singer and totally rubbish production of our demos. The songs were also too chaotic. After the break up of GP I recorded a few nostalgic death metal projects (With Jarmo, Make & Timppa) and played several gigs in heavy metal tribute bands. Those things kept me attached to band environment while I was writing for "The Final Endless". Nowadays my ever increasing love for improvisation and more complex harmony has given me new life to practice music. I got totally burned out of practicing technique after I graduated from high school (I could easily practice for hours at that time). I hardly practiced for many years during my studies, but I'm now trying to concentrate on the right things to do to inspire me and get out of the rut. I'd like to form a real band also in the near future, since musical growth really needs communication. That I hardly have had. Nevertheless, my musical journey has a long way to go still. But it has to be fueled by the love for music and not the mechanics or demands of it, if I want to succeed. I played only guitars and some keyboards on the record. Everything else was programmed. I used Sonar software and audiophile card etc. Recording of the album terminated completely even the slighest self-esteem I had left in me. I had really hard time trying to play the music. The hardest were strumming parts, since if I couldn't execute even those I would have to be a really bad player. That's why I thank myself for not losing my mind during the sessions. I'm currently doing two projects: One heavy and twisted with the Hakuli brothers and J. Pikka. Other project is a duet with J. Pikka of more jazzy stuff. Stay tuned. Both should be ready in summer 2008 (or 2009). Hopefully I'll get to play live again soon too. TOP 27 albums (in no specific order) 1. Dream Theater "Images & Words" -No one (the band or it's imitators) has come even close to the quality of songwriting on this album. 2. Yes "Close to the edge" -The definitive progressive rock album of all time. 3. King Crimson "Discipline" -The best of KC's 80's albums. Great and very original mix of pop and progressive elements. 4. Judas Priest "Painkiller" -The most truest true metal album of all time. 5. Slayer "South of Heaven" -Slayer at their most best songwriting and viciousness. 6. Chick Corea Elektric Band "Beneath the mask" -Great commercial vibe with great musicianship and songs. 7. Chick Corea Elektric Band "Inside Out" -Virtuosity doesn't go any further. 8. Steely Dan "Aja" -Unbelievable good arrengements and songs on this one. 9. Steely Dan "Gaucho" -Spectacular vibe and songwriting. 10. Morbid Angel "Covenant" -Combines the best elements of Death Metal. Truly brutal package. 11. Pat Metheny & Charlie Haden "Beyond Missouri Sky" -Simply Beautiful. 12. Pat Metheny Group "The Way Up" -A recent classic of progressive jazz. 13. Mahavishnu Orchestra "The Inner Mounting Flame" -Mystic virtuoso fusion. The most dearest '70 jazz rock album to me. 14. Steve Vai "Sex And Religion" -Vai at his best. Devin Townsend really shines here. 15. Frank Gambale "Thinking Out Loud" -Great songs and flawless playing. 16. Tribal Tech "Illicit" -The band is simply on fire here. 17. Metallica "Master of Puppets" -This record is from the heart. 18. Allan Holdsworth "Secrets" -The ultimate guitar virtuoso does what he does best here. 19. Megadeth "Rust in Peace" -Technical and virtuostic thrash metal with great songs. 20. Allan Holdsworth "16 Men of Tain" - Maybe the greatest guitar record ever 21. Prince "Purple Rain" - Perfect pop/rock record 22. Peter Gabriel "Passion" - Breathtaking beauty and mysticism 23. Basil Poledouris "Conan the Barbarian" - The best traditional film score ever 24. Type O' Negative "World Coming Down" - A record that you can really relate to 25. Mahavishnu Orchestra "Apocalypse" - Most underrated record ever 26. Leevi & The Leavings "Keskiviikko - 40 ekaa hittiä" -Parasta suomalaista musiikkia ;) 27. Miles Davis "In a Silent Way" -Almost hypnotic. Great feeling throughout. Gear : Yamaha Pacifica 1511MS (Mike Stern model) guitar, Yamaha nylon and steel string acoustics, Epiphone hollow body Broadway electric, Ibanez electric 6 and 7 string guitars (FGM400QM, RG550, RG7string), Fender Stratocaster, Engl, Yamaha and Behringer amplification, Yamaha Effects, Morley Wah, Korg tuner, D'addario Strings, Yamaha DGX-620. Musicians of inspiration : Frank Gambale, J.S.Bach, Mozart, Chick Corea, Eddie Van Halen, Nuno Bettencourt, Randy Brecker, Michael Brecker, Wes Montgomery, Joe Diorio, George Benson, Allan Holdsworth, Scott Henderson, Pat Metheny, Steve Vai, Dave Weckl, Virgil Donati, Brett Garsed, John Patitucci, Gary Willis, Mikael Åkerfeldt, Shawn Lane, Dimebag Darrell, Chuck Schuldiner, John McLaughlin, Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, John Petrucci, Alex Skolnick, Prince, Steve Howe, Jason Becker, Neal Morse, Pete Steele, Fredrik Thordendal, Keith Richards, Bob Dylan, Joe Zawinul, Jeff Loomis, Raoul Björkenheim, Juice, Göstä Sundqvist, Mike Stern, Bruce Bartlett, John Scofield, Jimmy Bruno, Hiram Bullock, Miles Davis, Slash, Marty Friedman, Trey Azagthoth, Peter Gabriel, Devin Townsend, Lemmy. |