Heartbreak stereo

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Interview : Antte from Heartbreak Stereo

When and how was your band created?
Heartbreak Stereo was created in late 2004. Affo and I was looking for a new bassist. We wanted a new start for our band, fresh songs and a new sound. We heard that another local band also had some lineup issues so we pretty much just asked Robin from that band to join us. And here we are.. having fun, writing songs, playing shows.

Where is the name of the band coming from?
The band name is just something I came up with and I think it's pretty cool. Heartbreaking songs blasting out of your stereo speakers when slamming on our records! Something like that maybe.

What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I didn't really have a clue what I was doing musically (playing guitar, "singing") until I got into listening to punk rock in the early 90ees, so I'll probably have to name Tim Armstrong of Rancid, Lookout bands as well as Epitaph bands. That music really made me feel alive and like part of something.. you know.. like I found what I had somehow been searching for. Boston punk bands has also given me a lot of inspiration and ideas for sound and song struction.

What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
A positive aspect got to be that you can play any kind of music you want and people still show some kind of respect, as long as your band doesn't totally suck of course. The most negative thing about the music scene is that people don't dance or show that they like a show unless they're drunk as hell. So this means that all shows you do on a Monday or Tuesday might probably won't be the best show. Another negative thing is that the Finnish punkscene is pretty small that you keep on playing the same cities twice a month. But the rest of Europe is just around the corner which is another positive thing.

How could you define your style of music?
Well it definantly falls into the punk rock genre. It's energetic and really makes you want to kick something to pieces or just shout along.Instead of just writing a three chord song we through in some catchy riffs and a 4th or 5th chord to make it stand out more.

During the years how has your musical style changed?
I'd say to the better in all ways. With Heartbreak Stereo it's easier than ever to write songs as we all agree on what sound good and what sounds like shit. I used to write more pop punk music but that got boring and it really never did anything to me.. We just really needed to scream louder, play faster and sweat more to really feel and get everything possible out of us musically and mentally.

What are topics you treat in your songs?
I mostly write out of boredom and desperation - how I'm not really living the life I'm dreaming of. I write a lot of songs about my friends and other people that inspires me, or about people in my life who I really hate and couldn't care less for. So I guess I mostly write about people in my life.

What is your favorite song in your repertoire and why?
I think the newest song is always the best song. Cause if you write a song that is worse than the your previous songs than you might as well skip it. We want to improve in song writing, not taking steps backwards and maybe a step forward again with another new song.

Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
I love playing live more than anything cause that is when we improve the most as a band. On stage is the only place on earth that really feel secure. I can say and do whatever I please.. Studios are cool too.

During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
I like it all, from getting an idea in my head to writing down some lyrics. But the moment I like the best is when we finally make it through the hole song with the band and it sounds good to all of us.

A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST song?
Yeah that is a stupid question. And this was a stupid answer.

What is your opinion, as a musician, regarding internet?
It's great for rising bands like ourselves. It's easier than ever to spread music to people over the world an also to the right kind of people which is important. Yeah I like internet.

What are your projects?
For the moment we're just playing shows and writing songs and getting better. We're gonna do some kind of release this summer, maybe a split or an EP. We've also begun working on our first European tour for next winter.

What "image" do you have of French music?
A lot of disco? I honestly don't know anything about French music. I'll have to check into it.

Is there one French song that you prefer? If so, what song is it?
They're all good!

Interview by Vincent Lefrançois - 2006