Jonny Bro

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Interview : Jonny Bro

When and how did you decide to become a musician?
I always wanted to become a musician but I really didn't decide that. Everything just happend.
First I just played guitar. After that I got into computers and made some tracks with it just for me. Then I started to copy tracks for my friends. Then one day I got change to make a remix for Giant Robot (they were signed on hawaii sounds / spinefarm back then). Now I'm producing for biggest hip hop -names in Finland and made also some tracks with Rza from Wu-Tang Clan, Tha Liks, Freestyle and so on. Everything just happend step by step. I also got my own Silver Club Studio now.

What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Three biggest got to be: Liam Howlett (from Prodigy), DJ Shadow and The Rza. Then comes DJ Krush, DJ Muggs, OutKast, Fatboy Slim and so on..

What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Positive is the music itself. Negative is that Finland is so small country that you gotta be almost the biggest star if you wanna eat and get paid. That's why I gonna go abroad with my shit. Sad thing is also those jelous mafuckas who don't even listen music. They just talk shit of you and your music.

How could you qualify your style of music?
Nah.. I don't do that. I just do what I do and let people decide. But I think if you ask people they would say it got to do something with hip hop.

Have you ever considered the possibilty to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of music would you choose?
I change my style all the time. Not that big changes tho but you always gotta go forward with your music. Otherwise you and listeners get bored. It's nothing to me to make a punk record. Actually that's one things that I wanna do someday.

What are stories/topics you tell/treat in your songs?
With my own solo shit it's mainly istrumental but when I'm rapping with my crew "Urbaanilegenda" it's all wordplay combined with real life experiences and imagenary world.

What is your favorite song in your repertoire and why?
You can't pick your favourite child. Others get pissed, ya know ;) And if would pick one it is definetly some track of my yet unreleased album.

Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Yeah I got gigs all the time with different people. I'm doing my own gigs, Ezkimo gigs, Skandaali gigs, Urbaanilegenda gigs etc.. Right now we're goin to RDN-Tour in Finland. Over 14 gigs.

During the process of making an album or a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
It's the moment when the whole world fades from your mind and only thing you got there is that track you're working with. That is a beautiful thing.

What kind of music / What artists do you currently listen?
Recently I've listened "Muggs - Dust", "Dido - No angel", "DJ Krush - The message at the depth", "Gravediggaz - 6 feet deep" and "Adam F - Colours". I would love to have more time to listen music but that's what you get when you try to make living out of music.

A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST song? Why?
Can't say the best. I would sit right here straight 24 hours listening dope songs and still I couldn't decide. But one song that moved me a lot recently is "The Last Emperor featuring Too Poetic & Esthero - One Life". That's one of the last songs Too Poetic did before he succumb to cancer.

Rest in peace, Too Poetic.

"Staying healthy comes first, look at me, things could be worst".
That really got me drop some of my deadly habits.

Internet is something interesting for musicians because it gives them the opportunity to touch a larger audience but it is also a threat for them (regarding the copyrights). What is your opinion regarding this medium?
It's all good as long it's for promoting artists. If you download something from internet and like it, make sure you buy it also!

What are your actual and future projects?
Right now we're making Urbaanilegenda's debut album. I also got my solo album basicly ready to be released. Actually it's been ready for couple of years. I just haven't find a right label to release it. If you right there who's reading this are working on some label and got intrested, hit me with an e-mail: jonny.bro@nic.fi Peace!
Interview by Vincent Lefrançois / 2003