Hassisen Kone

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Hassisen Kone
Origin Joensuu, Finland
Genres New wave, punk rock
Years active1979–1982, 2001
Labels Poko Records
Associated acts Ismo Alanko, Sielun Veljet
Website poko.fi/hassisenkone/
Past members Ismo Alanko
Reijo Heiskanen
Jussi Kinnunen
Harri Kinnunen
Jukka Orma
Safka Pekkonen
Hannu Porkka
Antti Seppo

Hassisen Kone was a Finnish rock band, founded in 1979 in Joensuu. The young musicians rose to popularity in 1980 after winning the Finnish rock championship in the new wave category. They recorded three highly successful albums before disbanding in 1982. The singer-songwriter Ismo Alanko has led several bands since then and continues to be an influential name in Finnish rock music.

Contents

History

The idea of forming Hassisen Kone came to Ismo Alanko in 1979, when he heard the Eppu Normaali album Maximum Jee&Jee while working in Stockholm. Alanko returned to Finland and started the band with guitarist Reijo Heiskanen and drummer Harri Kinnunen. The band's name was based on a local home appliance store of the same name. The three men had earlier played together in a progressive rock group called Sight. Kinnunen's little brother Jussi was hired to play the bass. [1]

In March 1980, the newly formed Hassisen Kone won the Finnish rock championship, an annual competition for young musicians held since 1970. [2] The victory raised public interest for the band, and when their debut album Täältä tullaan Venäjä was released in June, it was an instant hit. The ironic lyrics of the song "Rappiolla" caused some reporters to start complaining about indecency in rock songs. [3] [4]

The band's follow-up album Rumat sävelet (1981) was considered a more serious and mature record than its predecessor. The album's harsh and sometimes personal lyrics reflected how the sudden rise to stardom had effected the then 20-year-old Alanko. [1] The same year Hassisen Kone took part on the Tuuliajolla tour on Saimaa, with Juice Leskinen and Eppu Normaali. Material of the tour was included in the Kaurismäki brothers film The Saimaa Gesture . [5]

For Harsoinen teräs (1982), Jukka Orma replaced Reijo Heiskanen on guitar and some additional members were hired to work on the more rhythmic and progressive album featuring saxophone, xylophone and keyboards. The classical and prog background of Alanko was more and more evident in the songwriting. [1] Harsoinen teräs was also translated into English and released as a promo album called High Tension Wire in 1982. [6]

Hassisen Kone disbanded in August 1982. Alanko and Orma went on to form Sielun Veljet shortly afterwards. Jussi Kinnunen had a six-month break from music, after which he has played in several bands, including Tiina Tiikeri, Pertti Neumann's band and Ismo Alanko Säätiö. [7] Harri Kinnunen has played, among others, for Sleepy Sleepers and Lapinlahden Linnut. [8] [9]

Hassisen Kone has played several nostalgic reunion concerts after they disbanded. In 2000, they reunited for a concert on midsummer at the Joensuu Laulurinne. The concert was filmed and released as a DVD titled 20 vuotta myöhemmin (20 years later). [7]

Discography

Studio albums

ReleasedTitleChart PeakCertification [10] Label
1980 Täältä tullaan Venäjä -Platinum (1997)Poko
1981 Rumat sävelet -Platinum (2005)
1982 Harsoinen teräs -Gold (1982)
High Tension Wire (English language promo LP)-

Compilations

ReleasedTitleChart PeakCertificationLabel
1982Historia 1980–1982-Poko
1987Poko-klassikko-
2000Tarjolla tänään1Gold (2000)
2009Jurot nuorisojulkkikset-

DVDs

ReleasedTitleLabel
200120 vuotta myöhemminPoko

Singles

ReleasedTitleLabel
1980"Hassisen Kone"Hilse
"Muoviruusuja omenapuissa"Poko
"Rappiolla"
"Kolumpia orkesteri"
1981"Jurot nuorisojulkkikset"
"On jouluyö, nyt laulaa saa"
"Pelkurit"
"Rajat"
1982"Levottomat jalat"
"Hiljaa virtaa veri"

See also

Related Research Articles

Finnish rock refers to rock music made in Finland. The initial rock and roll boom of the 1950s was preceded by a long tradition of popular culture. Suomirock may refer to Finnish rock music in general or more narrowly rock music sung in the Finnish language.

Ismo Alanko Finnish musician

Ismo Kullervo Alanko is a Finnish musician. He is known as the frontman of several bands, most famously Hassisen Kone, Sielun Veljet and Ismo Alanko Säätiö, as well as a successful solo artist.

Sielun Veljet

Sielun Veljet was a Finnish rock band of the 1980s. They were formed soon after the disbanding of Hassisen Kone by its former frontman Ismo Alanko. Sielun Veljet never achieved the fame or the record sales figures of Hassisen Kone, but they became famous for their powerful stage presence and aggressive, shamanistic post-punk musical style. Most of the band's recorded material is sung in Finnish, except for their 1989 album Softwood Music Under Slow Pillars. They have also recorded English-language versions of their songs under the moniker L'amourder. In 2011, they released a new song, "Nukkuva hirviö".

Ismo Alanko Säätiö

Ismo Alanko Säätiö (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈismo ˈʔɑlɑŋko ˈsæːtiø]) was a Finnish rock group led by Ismo Alanko. The band featured an ever-changing lineup of musicians and can be considered an extension of Alanko's solo career. The band's name is Finnish for "Ismo Alanko Foundation".

<i>Täältä tullaan Venäjä</i> 1980 studio album by Hassisen Kone

Täältä tullaan Venäjä is the debut album of Hassisen Kone. It was released in 1980, shortly after the newly formed band had won the Finnish Rock championship. The outspoken lyrics of the opening track "Rappiolla" shocked, among others, Yleisradio reporters Anneli Tempakka and Maija Dahlgren, who started protesting against indecency in rock lyrics. In response to this, the band humorously dedicated their 1981 Christmas song "On jouluyö, nyt laulaa saa" to the reporters. "Rappiolla" became one of Hassisen Kone's biggest hits.

<i>Rumat sävelet</i> 1981 studio album by Hassisen Kone

Rumat sävelet is the second album of Finnish rock band Hassisen Kone. It was a successful follow-up to the group's debut Täältä tullaan Venäjä, and was certified platinum in 2005.

<i>Harsoinen teräs</i> 1982 studio album by Hassisen Kone

Harsoinen teräs is the third and final album of Hassisen Kone, released in 1982. Musically, the album has a progressive twist to it. The songs are more complicated than on the group's two previous albums, and the band's lineup was expanded to seven people for this album, featuring a new guitarist Jukka Orma, saxophonist Antti Seppo, keyboardist Safka Pekkonen and percussionist Hannu Porkka.

<i>Sielun Veljet</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Sielun Veljet

Sielun Veljet is the 1983 debut album of the band of the same name. "Huda huda", a Tuomari Nurmio cover, was later included on the band's tribute album Otteita Tuomari Nurmion laulukirjasta.

<i>Hei soturit</i> 1984 studio album by Sielun Veljet

Hei soturit is the second studio album by the Finnish rock group Sielun Veljet. The CD release of the album is titled Hei soturit/Lapset, as it also includes the 1983 EP Lapset.

<i>Lamourha</i> 1985 studio album by Sielun Veljet

L'amourha is the third album of Sielun Veljet. It was their breakthrough album, gaining much of its success from the hit single "Peltirumpu". It is the only Sielun Veljet album to come close to the sales figures of Ismo Alanko's previous group, Hassisen Kone, and remains one of Alanko's most popular works. The album was named the fourth greatest Finnish rock album by Soundi magazine in 2005.

<i>Kuka teki huorin</i> 1986 studio album by Sielun Veljet

Kuka teki huorin is the fourth album of Finnish rock band Sielun Veljet. It is written in a style similar to their breakthrough album L'amourha, and the band was criticized by Soundi magazine for repeating itself. The album maintains the fiercely energetic and repetitive style of Sielun Veljet with some funk influences, while at the same time being considered one of their more accessible recordings.

<i>Suomi-Finland</i> 1988 studio album by Sielun Veljet

Suomi-Finland is the sixth studio album of the Finnish rock band Sielun Veljet. It was released in 1988 between two English language albums, Shit-Hot and Softwood Music Under Slow Pillars. Suomi-Finland has a more acoustic sound than earlier Sielun Veljet material, anticipating the psychedelic, all-acoustic Softwood Music Under Slow Pillars.

<i>Softwood Music Under Slow Pillars</i> 1989 studio album by Sielun Veljet

Softwood Music Under Slow Pillars is the seventh album of Sielun Veljet, released in 1989. It is the band's only English language album released as Sielun Veljet, although it was released in Sweden as L'amourder. The band had already released two English language recordings, the Ritual EP in 1986 and Shit-Hot in 1987, consisting of re-recorded versions of their songs with the lyrics translated to English, but this was the first time that the music was originally written in English.

<i>Musta laatikko</i> 1991 box set by Sielun Veljet

Musta laatikko is a box set by Sielun Veljet, released in 1991. The first one of its three CDs contains material that was supposed to become a studio album before the band broke up. The second CD is for the most part unreleased live material, and the third disc is a live performance by Kullervo Kivi & Gehenna-yhtye at Vanha Ylioppilastalo in Helsinki, March 1990.

<i>Otteita Tuomari Nurmion laulukirjasta</i> 2007 studio album by Sielun Veljet

Otteita Tuomari Nurmion laulukirjasta is a tribute album by Sielun Veljet to Tuomari Nurmio, recorded in 1990 but only released in 2007. It is the only Sielun Veljet recording to top the Finnish album charts.

<i>Kun Suomi putos puusta</i> 1990 studio album by Ismo Alanko

Kun Suomi putos puusta, also known as Kun Suomi putos puusta: ääniä vapaan pudotuksen aikakaudelta, and is Ismo Alanko's debut solo album. Released in 1990, it was originally commissioned for Helsingin Juhlaviikot, when Alanko was still a member of the band Sielun Veljet. The album's musical direction differed significantly from trademark Sielun Veljet material by exploiting a more acoustic and minimalist production style interspersed with foley-style atmospheric sound effects as typically used in film production. The album went on to sell over 30,000 copies in Finland and was certified gold in 1999.

<i>Pulu</i> (album) 1998 studio album by Ismo Alanko Säätiö

Pulu is the 1998 debut album of Ismo Alanko Säätiö. The newly formed band's sound has influences from Finnish folk music. An important part of the album's sound is reputed accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen. Pulu reached number one on the Finnish album charts.

<i>Luonnossa</i> 1999 live album by Ismo Alanko Säätiö

Luonnossa is the first live album of Ismo Alanko Säätiö, released in 1999. It contains songs from their debut album Pulu, as well as Ismo Alanko's earlier career with Hassisen Kone, Sielun Veljet and as a solo artist. The album was compiled of two concerts on the band's Tuulipuvun tuolla puolen tour, in Tampere and Joensuu. The Joensuu concert was also edited into a promotional video for the band.

The Saimaa Gesture is a 1981 film by Finnish directors Aki and Mika Kaurismäki. It is a documentary of three Finnish rock groups aboard the steamboat SS Heinävesi on their tour around Lake Saimaa.

Poko Rekords

Poko Rekords was an Finnish record label. It was established in 1977, but ceased operations in 2009. In the early years, Poko Rekords focused mainly on punk and rockabilly music and later expanded its artist range to heavier rock music. Poko Rekords released records by many successful Finnish artists and bands. Among others, Eppu Normaali, Popeda, Hassisen Kone, Sielun Veljet, J. Karjalainen, Yö, Ismo Alanko, Petri Nygård, The 69 Eyes and Diablo were at Poko Rekords.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Tero Valkonen on Pomus – Populaarimusiikin museo – Retrieved on 6 March 2008
  2. yle.fi – Elävä arkisto – Retrieved on 6 March 2008
  3. Suomipopin 99 suurinta, City magazine 21/1999
  4. yle.fi – Poppia kyydissä – Retrieved on 6 March 2008
  5. Saimaa-ilmiö on nyt.hs.fi – Retrieved on 6 March 2008
  6. Tero Alanko: Tarjolla tänään: Hassisen KoneSoundi magazine 04/2000
  7. 1 2 Pale Saarinen: Jussi Kinnunen – moni-ilmeinen muusikkopersoonaSELVIS 2/2002
  8. Matti Komulainen: Sleepy Sleepers vilautti snadisti anarkiaa Turun Sanomat 5 July 2003
  9. Lapinlahden Linnut hekotuttaa uusintanakin Turun Sanomat 21 July 1998
  10. ifpi.fi – Retrieved 5 March 2008