Interview with Teemu in Tampere Finland - English Version

(Uniklubi)

03.06.2006 von Diana Hartmann

After two albums (“Rakkautta Ja Piikkilankaa” [2004] and “Kehä” [2005]) MHQ decided it’s time to check out a band, who’ve had a lot of success in their home country Finland already. We got to hear that it’s very likely they can soon be seen on German stages as well – a good base for Uniklubi to start ‘conquering the world in the language of Finnish’

Before their show at Pakkahuone I meet Uniklubi’s bass player Teemu for some question and answer game (also called interview ;) Since the noise level at Klubi is a bit on the high side due to sound checks, a good-humoured Teemu suggests moving location and so I get to know the Uniklubi tour bus from the inside. Before we start the actual interview, Teemu fills out his shortcut while I sort all my stuff and suddenly lead singer Jussi pops in quickly. Probably the shyest person I’ve met for a long while, he manages to shyly mumble his name before speeding off again, leaving me giggling to myself, wondering if I really scared him off that much but at the same it makes me even more curious about the coming show and Jussi’s stage personality, which again was pretty much going to surprise me.

Teemu: Okay, so who is this interview for?

It’s for a German online mag. It’s nothing biiig, so don’t be scared!

Teemu: Yeah yeah, okay! (laughs)

So first of all, I want to start off with I tried to find some information about the band. I mean, I know a little bit of course, but for foreign fans it’s always very difficult to find information cos your website is all in Finnish. So, I would like to start off with you telling me just a little bit about the band, a little on how you got started. So a short history

Teemu: Yeah well, the band got started in 1999 and the original members are the lead singer Jussi and the other guitar player Pasi. And they started up with, you know, cover songs like Nirvana and Guns N’ Roses, but then quite soon Jussi started to write his own songs and Finnish language was quite, came quite natural. And then I joined the band at the end of 2001, I think. And then our other guitar player Janne joined, I think it was 2002, and Janne is Jussi’s big brother. And the last member was Antti, our drummer, who came at the beginning of 2003, I think. And then we started to record the first album and I wrote like two songs for the first one and it was like (laughs) I think we did it like two years.

The recording?

Teemu: Yeah! And when it was ready we collected this sample CD, I think it was like five songs, and then we got this small independent label here in Tampere and we sent it to all the major labels. And then Universal Music was really interested. Well, quite a few were interested, but Universal was, you know they gave the feeling that they’re gonna do their best to make us break through. So then we signed with Universal at the end of 2003 and then the first single went to the radios in February 2004. And then the first album came up (counts) January, February, March, April (laughter) in May 2004 and then we started touring and we’ve been touring since. Well, if I can say, we released two albums and both of them have sold platinum. So it’s been really great. And now we had our first gig last night for the summer tour and you know, everyone they are really excited.

Yeah, okay. The band name – how did you decide on that one? Because I believe you were called something else before?

Teemu: Yeah, the first name was Pincenez, which means these eyeglasses, without how do you say it (One of the crew guys just comes in and Teemu asks him in Finnish how to say it in English.) You know, these eyeglasses without the (points to his ears)

Spectacles?

Teemu: Yeah, spectacles! And then the Uniklubi (author’s note: engl. dream club) name came up, well I think it was the year 2000 and no-one knows until this day where it comes from. Even Jussi doesn’t know (laughs)

So, drunk idea, or?

Teemu: I don’t know! (laughter)

Okay And did you all grow up with musical influences?

Teemu: Yeah, sure. We are, you know everyone, of course everyone had this dream always of being a rock star, if you can say. But we the other ones, except Jussi and Pasi, have played in many different bands before this. So I started to play in a band like ten years ago. And well, the music has been really strong always. I remember like I was six years old and I sang at the living room table, you know (laughter) with the remote control as a microphone (shows how and pretends to sing) Yeah, it’s always been a great deal for us.

And do you think that growing up in Finland has maybe had an influence on the like an effect on the music you’re doing?

Teemu: Of course, always the Finnish melancholy, you know. Like if you listen to HIM and well, yeah, like other bands. But I know The Rasmus is a bit, they’re a bit ‘happier’ (laughter) Well, HIM, Nightwish, Negative, of course there is always this certain melancholy. So yes Cos you know, the winters are really long and dark and cold

I live in Norway, I know that! (laughter)

Teemu: Oh! Well you’re always a bit depressed, you know

Okay Could you describe each member of the band with one word? Seeing they’re not here, so you can (laughter) But be careful!

Teemu: F*ck, idiot, stupid, brat (laughter) No I think Antti is like, the drummer he is like the father. Cos he’s the oldest and has got the most of the brains.

Okay (laughter)

Teemu: The rest of us are a bunch of f*cking idiots, but Then well, Janne, the other guitar player, he’s a bit quiet, but I think he is the most errrm if one word I think rock’n’roll (laughs) Well there are three words, but anyway And then Pasi, he is, errrm well he comes along with the ladies, if you may say (laughter) And well, Jussi, he is the hmmm. He is shy.

I noticed! (laughter)

Teemu: And I am, I think I am like the one who is speaking all the time. And talking, blablabla, all the time, all the time (laughter)

Okay How does the music develop? Is it more a process in the band or is it the responsibility of one person? I believe you and Jussi write the lyrics

Teemu: Yeah. Well, we compose and write the lyrics, but they are you know, always when we go to the rehearsals, the song is like ‘a man with a guitar’, like lalalalala (pretends playing the guitar) and you know, the what’s the word... arrangements comes always with the band. Always when the song is ready, it’s like Uniklubi’s song, not mine or Jussi’s.

Yeah, okay. And do you have any patterns in the process, like lyrics first or music first?

Teemu: I always do the music first. Well, I don’t know, cos we don’t with Jussi we don’t do the songs together, so it’s like mine or his, you know, the first demo. But I always do the music first, then the lyrics.

And where do you get the inspiration, the ideas for the lyrics?

Teemu: From the depression (laughter)

Okay. I looked up the translations in the forums and stuff. I mean, I speak like three words Finnish, which are not very useful in conversations at least (laughter) and yeah, I can see that

Teemu: Well yeah, they’re like I think they’re like, you know, spoiled, tainted love stories. But erm, I think the coming up album will be a bit different. I think it’s more about us, than girls

Okay, good! I had a question about this later, but that one would be good now After having released don’t take this as like criticism or something now, I didn’t know how else to formulate the question but after having released two albums, which are pretty much ‘alike’, do you feel you’ve found your style or do you rather want to experiment a little bit?

Teemu: Oh well, we don’t think it that way. Cos what comes, it comes, you know. You never know if the fourth album will be black metal (laughter) Well, we don’t think it that way ‘what is our style’. Cos you are so much influenced by the music you listen that time when you are writing the songs. When I wrote the songs for the ‘Kehä’ album I was listening pretty much like Marilyn Manson and Alice In Chains. So I get more depressed, and depressed, and depressed, and depressed (laughs and pretends to sob) But I think, yeah, if I started now listen to like Cradle Of Filth (laughter) perhaps the songs would be more hasty.

Yeah, okay. Again about the lyrics Everything is in Finnish. You chose to write in Finnish obviously because it’s your language, but did you ever consider or do you consider writing in English too at some point?

Teemu: Well, I think no. But well, never say never, but You know, we’ve thought that what we did last summer we did gigs in Vienna, Austria and then Czech Republic, this Masters Of Rock festival. And you know, cos you don’t have any expectations when you sing in Finnish, so everything that comes abroad is positive. So, and now it seems that we are touring Germany next fall

Wow! That is cool!

Teemu: Yeah, but it’s not for sure, but it seems like. And you know, why should we change the language if they want us this way? So, I think that’s the point.

Okay, there’s once again one thing again don’t take it as offence (laughter) or something, because I personally think that I like the Finnish. And I don’t know. if it’s in English it wouldn’t be the same. But I just want to know your statement to this, because Jonne from Negative once said in an interview: ‘Personally I couldn’t write in Finnish cos it might feel too naked. I think Finnish is not such a good language for poetry, compared to English.‘ What do you say to this?

Teemu: Well, I think (laughs) Well, that’s his opinion. He’s a good friend of mine, and erm I think, you know, cos our lead singer Jussi thinks that it’s more easier to come with Finnish lyrics than with English lyrics, so I think that is just a point of view, nothing more.

Okay. The next album I read about it in the forums that you’re gonna start working on it soon?

Teemu: Yeah, next fall.

Okay, and when do you plan to release? Do you know anything?

Teemu: No. No, we don’t. (laughs)

So it’s not connected with this possible tour in Germany or something?

Teemu: No. Nononononono, not at all. It’s gonna be next in 2007 when it comes out.

Okay. And what do you prefer, actually – touring or working in the studio?

Teemu: (immediately) Touring! I think if you gather a band around you, I think the most the reason for it is to play alive. Alive? Live! (laughter) So I think like the albums are a necessary evil to just perform live. I think Backyard Babies said that once. And it was a good statement.

Okay!

Teemu: Of course I really do like working in the studio, and everyone always comes up with better and better ideas, so it’s great. But you know, basically it’s like you just want to release the album so you can go out on tour

Yeah, go out Okay. Erm, you have anything funny to tell, like a tour story, something embarrassing that happened or so?

Teemu: Well (laughter) Quite a lot, but (more laughter) What would be something you can print Hmmm (thinks) Well, last summer we were playing at this festival in Finland, and my friends came with their own bus, you know, just to see the bands and have a good time and drink some alcohol. And after our show I went with them to have a party. And then me and one of my friends, we drank vodka like we stopped drinking like 8 o’clock in the morning (laughter) and the next gig that we had was like, I don’t know what like 400 km away and the leaving time was I think it was 11 o’clock, and I woke up like 12 o’clock and they were like 100 km away already (laughter) And I got one well, the battery was really low on my phone and I called to our mixer. He had called me like 37 times and I was really wasted, you know. Cos I slept like three hours, I’d been drinking like a thousand years or something. And he just yelled at me like ‘F*cking idiot, where the f*ck are you??!’ (laughter) ‘We are really long far away from there already!’ And you know, then the guy who does our lights nowadays, he was living at that town where that festival was and he like, picked me up and drove me to the bus and everyone was quite pissed off (laughter) And then the show the next day was like, I think it was like 6pm, and I hadn’t drunk nothing but water and slept like three hours and I was really drunk when we went on stage (laughter)

But you made it then!

Teemu: I made it! (more laughter)

Okay! Festivals or clubs – what do you prefer?

Teemu: Both! I think when you do the club tour, I think we did now like 60 or 70 gigs in clubs, so after that it feels like heaven to go and play festivals. But then after the summer you just you feel like, let’s just release the album and go touring clubs again. So there, you know both have their goods and their bads, I think.

I have a fan question to that, which actually was sent to me Do you have a different attitude to performing on stage in summer than in winter, like at festivals and stuff?

Teemu: Well, of course there is this thing that when you play in big festivals and there is like thirty or forty thousand people yelling, of course it is a bit different than when you play in a club that is like five or six hundred people. So I think that is the biggest difference. But no, I think we always do it doesn’t matter where the show is or the gig. We always give everything that we can.

Okay, I’m gonna see that tonight. Cos I actually haven’t seen you live before

Now the crew guys just has come into the bus again and adds: ‘Like, on the 1^st of May there was like 40 people, and they did their best as well!’

Teemu: Yeah!

Okay! Cool! 40 people! But this is kinda like nice as well in a way for the fans, I mean like it’s very intimate

Teemu: Yeah

The crew guy continues: ‘You should tell her more about that’ (says something that goes down in laughter)

Teemu: We can’t... we can’t. But it was fun, it was fun! (more laughter)

When you are on tour it always means you’re separated from friends and family, even if you just touring your own country. So, how are you dealing with that?

Teemu: Well, of course we try when we are not on the road we try to see, you know, meet our friends and families as much as we can. But when you’re touring Finland, as a Finnish band, you are always like even at the minimums you are like two days in a week at home, so it’s not that intense, the touring.

Yeah, okay. Is there anything you hate when being on tour?

Teemu: I hate the wake-ups and the hangovers (laughter)

Are you actually thrown out of the bed by your manager?

Teemu: Yeah!

Oooh... that’s nasty!

Teemu: Every f*cking time! (laughter) And you know, the wakings are not like (puts on soft voice) ‘C’mon sweetheart, wake up...’ Cos it’s like, you know, they’re hitting us and ‘F*cking idiots, time to run, get up! (shouts and demonstrates)

So it’s a bit army-like

Teemu: Yes!

Okay. I heard that all of you some of you or all of you have like little side projects going on next to Uniklubi when you’re not on tour?

Teemu: Well no, not all of us. I think our drummer and Janne, the other guitar player, they have, but

My friends just told me like, Jussi does these acoustic sets

Teemu: Yeah! They are like, yeah, yeah we do yeah, but that it’s not like a project. It’s just like you go into a bar and play acoustic, like cover songs and that’s it. (author’s note: Which is great, as I could see for myself the next night, where Teemu and Pasi played a couple of songs at the jam session in the fully packed Amadeus bar.) Nothing, you know, composing for another band, nothing like that

Okay. There’s always different opinions about bands, albums, concerts that are produced by the press. Do you actually read a lot of this or don’t you just bother?

Teemu: Well

You know like, if there’s something critic

Teemu: Of course I read, and it’s funny, you know. It’s always fun when people dislike you (laughter) Cos I think it’s better if they hate you or love you than they don’t mind, I think it’s better to be hated than ignored.

So bad criticism is good

Teemu: Yeah. I think Andy McCoy said it once like ‘Any publicity is good publicity’.

Yeah, okay! (laughter) Erm, the weirdest question you were ever asked in an interview? And don’t come up with any of those (laughs)

Teemu: Hmmm (thinks a while) Well, I really don’t recall.

Nothing?

Teemu: Well, I think nothing. Perhaps you should ask me something weird!

Okay! Well, later (laughter) Erm, yeah future plans. Where do you see Uniklubi in five years? Or two, or three?

Teemu: Well, I hope in this bus, of course. Naturally. But I don’t know We try to take it like an album at the time, so well, it’s really hard to say, you know. This could end like tomorrow, you never know but hopefully I see us doing our seventh album! (laughs)

Okay, good. I hope so!

Teemu: And I think were gonna cos we don’t change the language to English so we’re gonna do it like Rammstein, you know conquer the world in the language of Finnish (laughs)

So you’re planning on releasing and touring, well touring we had that already, but releasing abroad as well?

Teemu: Well, of course that would be nice but I think that it’s not so simple just to release, cos you know, there are many labels and many... many suited people

Errrr, okay

Teemu: who make the decisions, so

There are also suited people in the music business then

Teemu: Yep

Okay... I just see that I actually jumped over some question here (laughter) Okay, erm, it doesn’t really fit in now, but well Finnish bands are getting more and more popular these days, also abroad. Why do you think that is?

Teemu: Why, I think cos Finnish music is really good these days. Well, if you look at HIM, I think Well, I really do appreciate Ville Valo, cos he’s been he’s a singer-songwriter and he’s done like, they’ve done like what, four, five albums now. And he writes and composes all the songs, so Good songwriters come from Finland. And I think there is this how do you say it, like everyone in Finland has got this flame inside, you know, that we want it, we want it so bad And nothing like in the US for example, cos there’s like the record labels, they gather the good-looking people, and ‘here is a song, sing it’. And you know, where’s the spirit, like, the music doesn’t have soul that much, I think, than in well, in Finnish music.

Yeah, that’s right. Okay, I think that’s it.

Teemu: Okay.

Now, weird questions

Teemu: Yeah (laughter)

You asked for it!

Teemu: All right

Okay, I just don’t know which one to pick Erm ok, cartoons. Chose one: Moomins, Simpsons, Winnie The Pooh. One where you know the characters.

Teemu: I go for Simpsons.

Simpsons, okay. Now put Uniklubi in the Simpsons. Who is who?

Teemu: Erm (thinks and laughs) Well, I think that Janne is Homer. And errrm Antti is Apu (laughs) and errrm Pasi is Barney. You know?

Barney?

Teemu: The drunk (imitates) ’Hey there!!’

Ah, okay there!

Teemu: That one! And Jussi is Maggie, cos he... she never speaks (laughter) and I am well, I am Bart.

Bart, ok the rebel!

Teemu: Okay, so that’s it Well, that was a weird question, I think!

Okay, so you have something for when you’re asked that question next time (laughter) Okay and any bad habits?

Teemu: Quite a lot!

Uh huh Tell me!

Teemu: Oh well (laughter) Well I think, you know, when you’re on tour and all the alcohol is for free, so

It’s tempting (laughs)

Teemu: You drink a lot and that’s, you know even though you don’t want to (laughs) but it’s like you’ve got nothing else to do than get wasted. And then well, of course cigarettes, they’re always a bad habit. And then I can’t, I really can’t wake up without a strong cup of coffee. And if I don’t drink coffee for like two days I’ll get these massive headaches. Cos I’ve been drinking coffee like when I was five years old, or four.

Oh, okay. Addicted?

Teemu: Yeah.

Okay. Yeah, and what are you doing when you’re on tour? There’s lots of waiting Apart from drinking?

Teemu: Yeah, lots of waiting But we don’t drink before the shows. Of course sometimes, if you are, you know if the tour has been lasting, if it feels like it’s been lasting forever, so sometimes you may get misleaded (laughs) and get drunk and play badly, but We think, about the drinking, that we don’t have... how do you say it we can’t afford to play bad shows. I think no-one has Cos you never know that, even though there would be like five people and you get wasted and play badly, it can be the thing when the downhill starts, you never know So, but we play a lot (points to the back of the bus) If you wanna take pictures, there is our entertainment room (laughter) We play a lot with Xbox 360 cos we’ve got a deal with them, and then we watch movies, and then we do something like go bowling or something like that if it is possible. And then waiting. You know, but this summer I think we can spend some time in the hotel room also, because the World Cup of football is starting, and we are quite big football fans.

I had this question, because I was told by my friends, who are here as well, that Jussi is a big football fan, but if you say you are all

Teemu: Well all, except Antti, he doesn’t mind so much.

Ok, so who wins?

Teemu: Brazil!

Okay. I will get back to you on that one!

Teemu: (laughs out loud)

Okay, so you had to say that, because Finland is not in the World Cup, aren’t they?

Teemu: No, never gonna be! (laughter)

Okay, so it think that’s it now Thank you very much for taking the time!

Teemu: Thank you!

Teemu is very easy to talk to and the interview just flies by. The 30 minutes that were initially set up have long been exceeded when Teemu still patiently poses for some pictures, lets me record a video greeting for the fans and sorts things out for me so I can take photos during the entire gig. He also takes care of getting the shortcuts filled out by the others – a big thank you for all this! :)

Many thanks to Mikko from Universal Music Finland, Esa from the crew and of course Teemu for making this interview happen!

Teemu’s video message to the fans can be watched here.

Watch the video HERE!