Laika and the Cosmosnauts

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Interview : Matti from "Laika and the Cosmonauts"

When and how was your band created?
The idea of Laika & the Cosmonauts was basically born by the bar of the famous Helsinki rock club, Tavastia, where Janne and myself accidentally met through a mutual friend. Mikko was a long time buddy of Janne`s and Tom and I had played together in a party band in the mid 80`s and have been friends since then.
The quartet played the first practise session together in October 1987.

Where is the name of the band coming from?
Janne and Mikko had a short-lived avantgardist instro-surf cover band in the mid 80`s called Pluto and the Astronauts.

As the new band (L&TC) emerged we decided to pay tribute to the `prototype` of the band (Pluto et al) and to jump over the Berlin wall at the same time. This equation naturally produced the name Laika & the Cosmonauts

What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
All of the Laikas have always listened to a wide spectre of music ranging from Classical to Country, from Funk via Folk to Film music, from Ska to Soul, from Roots to Reggae, from Polka to Punk, from Latin to Lederhosen, etc....

Significant early influence to the Laika-world came from The Ventures, Joe Meek, Dick Dale The Surfaris, The Pyramids etc....

What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Positive: The Finnish music scene in general has quite a supportive atmosphere for personal styles and sounds.

Negative: The domestic market is very small, as there are only five million Finns, with a strange language of our own, which no-one else speaks.

Of course, if You`re an instrumental band, You do not have to worry about any language barriers! :)

How could you qualify your style of music?
Melodic instrumental rock with furious and atmospheric visual vibes.

During the years how has your musical style evolved?
The songs are, since a couple of albums, all original. Our song-writing has improved both melodically and harmonically and is now better reflecting many of the different muscial styles we like, while we still sound like ourselves.

How do explain these changes?
Age and experience combined with a continuos enthusiasm for trying to improve and create new things.

What are stories/topics you tell/treat in your songs?
Since we write and play instrumental music and have no lyrics, I guess the songs reflect different moods, emotions, inner rhythmic impulses and visual landscapes.

Have you ever considered the possibilty to change totally your style of music?
No.

What is your favorite song in your repertoire and why?
Again, I can`t speak here for all of us, but I don`t have a particular all-time favorite. It changes from day to day. The preferences also vary depending on wheter you`re listening to the recorded songs or playing live.

Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We have just finished a two year studio period during which we did not preform live very much.

Now that the new album, Local Warming, is ready and will be released on January 16th in Finland and January 13th in the US and Canada, we expect to escalate the frequency of touring and live performances in general. We`d also love to be able to finally tour in France and Spain.

During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
To me composing and making the home demos is normally the most spiritual and elevating part of the process. When we move further to band practises and demo sessions, all becomes more social and public, but it can be a lot fun during the energetic and creative days (there are usually some slower and difficult days too, but you just ave to endure through them, it`s all part of the process) The actual recording sessions vary from fun and explosive to desperate and tedious.

When the album finally is in the mixing and mastering phase, I tend to become quite excited about the new `baby`. The creative stress - in good and bad - won`t ease until the very day the album comes out of the `owen` and is in my hand.

What kind of music / What artists do you currently listen?
Quite a lot of jazz (50-60`s) , some etno music, some Frank Zappa, vintage hillbilly music and country, Anglo-American singer-songwriters.

A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST song? Why?
It`s not a stupid question. For me it`s just an impossible one. :)

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?
No matter, what the medium, the authors`rights should be respected and protected.

While the Internet opens up new possibilites, it has become a great challenge to the entire music community.

Most people seem to agree, that it`s wrong to steal or plagiate an industrial patent, but when it comes to an immaterial piece of art, too many people stop thinking. They don`t see it as the end product of someone`s intellectual work.

What are your actual and future projects?
As I write this, I`m in Toronto Canada (soon heading for New York) for a vacation, but I`m also simultaneously doing some pre-planning and networking for our May-June US-Canada tour.

On January 16th we`ll play a record release show in Helsinki (at Vanha Ylioppilastalo - Old Studens`House).

During the spring we`ll perform in various cities in Finland and in mid June we`ll play at the International Midnight Sun Film Festival in Sodankyla, Finland.

For more information and news about the band, keep monitoring www.laikaandthecosmonauts.com
Interview by Vincent Lefrançois - 2003