Uniklubi is considered as one of the biggest bands in Finnish rock scene. The band recently started working with producer Rauli Eskolin (Apocalyptica, CMX, Haloo Helsinki!) and together they’ve managed to create a new perspective to their songwriting. Their new album “Ajan piirtämät kasvot” will be released on September 25th via Playground Music. We had the opportunity to meet Jussi Selo, Teemu Mäntykorpi and Tuomas Lepistö before their show at Poristriimi Festival and talk about their music, the new album and much more.
-Hey guys, how are you doing?
Jussi: We’re doing great! Today we play at the Poristriimi Festival, this is our first festival of 2020.
Teemu: First and last for this summer.
Jussi: We are thrilled to be back on stage at a festival.
-In Finland you are one of the biggest bands in the rock scene, but for those outside Finland who don’t know Uniklubi, would you like to briefly introduce the band and give us some biographical hints?
Jussi: We play melodic rock, our songs are sung in Finnish and we are ready to release our eighth album. About 10 years ago we played in different European countries such as Germany, Austria and Czech Republic. When 2000 started, bands like HIM and The Rasmus became famous all over the world and people, mainly from central Europe, started traveling in Finland and they found us. I think Finland has a good rock scene.
-Your upcoming album “Ajan piirtämät kasvot” will be released on September 25th, what can you tell about it?
Tuomas: It’s excellent! (En. laughs)
Teemu: It’s a bit different from 2004 album “Rakkautta ja piikkilankaa”.
Tuomas: We have a new producer and the album sounds different from the previous ones, and I think it sounds better. We are satisfied with it.
Jussi: “Tulennielijä” came out 2 years ago and “Kultakalat” 10 years ago, over time you grow as a human, as an artist and as a band everything is different, your mind is different. So, we have grown as a band in a good way and you can hear that in our music. In the future I hope that we will do many albums and each album will be different from the previous one. Change is part of the artist’s growth process.
Tuomas: It is like for painters, they do not always paint the same canvas.
Jussi: The funny thing is that even though our album isn’t out yet, my mind is ready to move on and start working on new songs.
-From the upcoming album 3 singles have been released “Huojuva siltä”, “Bailaten koko elämä” and “Siipirikko”, they have all different moods, what can you tell about the lyrics?
Jussi: The lyrics are about a human being and his mind, about yesterday and tomorrow, and about being alone and with someone.
-The music video of “Siipirikko” is really intense, what can you tell about the making-off?
Jussi: Our good friends Timo Lepistö and Petri Kyttälä produced and filmed it. I told the producer I didn’t want to shoot it in Tampere, I wanted something different, so we went to Tenerife and found the right atmosphere.
-If you should choose one song to represent Uniklubi, which one would be? Or the one you enjoy most to play live?
Teemu: It’s a tough question because we’ve been making music for so long and a lot has changed.
Tuomas: Some songs are more fun to play than others, but when you listen to them it’s different. I cannot say.
Jussi: If I think about live shows, the ones that create the most synergy are “Rakkautta ja piikkilankaa”, “Huomenna” and “Kaikki mitä mä annoin”, people know the lyrics and sing along and it is cool.
Teemu: That’s old stuff, but I think from the newer stuff “Bailaten koko elämä” and “Huojuva siltä” are important for us in term of live shows.
Jussi: Yes, those songs from the upcoming album are working very well in live.
-What are your main influences?
Teemu: This is maybe the most interesting part because we are 6 guys and we all have different taste in music.
Tuomas: I would say Guns ‘n’ Roses, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys. I don’t have any specific music style, I like music from synth-pop artists to Rammstein.
Teemu: In my list I have Judas Priest and Iron maiden.
Jussi: I like all kinds of music, but I think I was mainly influenced by my older brother Janne (En. guitarist of Uniklubi). Music has always been present in our family but when, as little boy, I saw Janne and his friends playing at a small party in Hämeenkyrö, I saw how much fun they had and I wanted to do the same.
Teemu: But what about Michael Jackson?
Jussi: Yes, that’s right, but my brother introduced me to his music. As kids, we shared the room and he had some Michael Jackson posters and albums, so I started listening too.
-What’s on plan for the future?
Tuomas: We hope to play a lot of show but because COVID 19 we can’t be sure. I think we are gonna play for the coming year and after it we will release some music, not an album but maybe some singles.
Jussi: If you want to support us, buy the CD, LP or cassette, making an album is a lot of work and it’s a difficult time if nobody listens to it. For the future we will continue to make music.
We have done with this interview, thank you so much for your time! Would you like to say something to your fans?
Jussi: To our fans who continue to support us I want to send hugs and all the best, music is an amazing thing let’s go on!
Teemu: Hopefully we will see you at the gigs as the situation allowed.
Jussi: Peace & love!
