Murmansk

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Interview : Olli from Murmansk

When and how was your band created?
This is still a pretty new thing. Me and our guitar player Jari were sipping beers during summer 2002 in Kallio, when the idea emerged. Few phone calls later we pretty much had the guys needed, but no rehearsal space. It took something like six months more to get one from the outskirts of Helsinki -- an old garage without central heating and amazingly difficult public transportation connections. But I guess the real founding year is 2003, when our drummer Sebastian joined the band. Elisabeth replaced our first singer Lauri in fall 2004 and I guess that's the point when our music really started to take form.

Where is the name of the band coming from?
By checking a map you'll find a city of Murmansk from North-Western Russia, beyond The Arctic Circle. Naturally our band has no connection whatsoever with the city... Except the rugged spirit.

What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
For a person who's been enthusiastically listening to music for his whole life you probably could not pose more difficult question. Certainly several 90's bands that could be categorized as "alternative", such as Nine Inch Nails, Faith No More, The Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth and Alice In Chains, but also some shoegazing acts such as Ride or Slowdive. I personally think that the late 70's and 80's made loads of good music. Let's say The Smiths, Bauhaus and The Jesus and Mary Chain. I've never been into very cheerful music. The major newer bands I've been hyping for the last years are BRMC, Interpol and The Strokes. Right now I'm listening to The National, one of the best albums last year.

You shouldn't be asking these kind of questions, really...

What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
I would consider that being a "musician" requires an education for this, which I don't have. And without being a professional musician, making a living with music would be very difficult -- at least with playing indie rock in English. Small market and it's loaded with heavy metal, you see.

How could you define your style of music?
Indie rock with a dark undertone.

During the years how has your musical style changed?
In the beginning we were leaning a bit on the heavier side, but later on the music was shaped to its current form. As an example, a lot of references was made to Kyuss that time...

How do explain these changes?
Changing vocals from male to female had of course a lot of effect. Maybe it was also because Jari was doing most of the song-writing in the very beginning, and he's into heavier music than I am. Or maybe we've just grown soft over the last two years. Go figure.

What are topics you treat in your songs?
Elisabeth makes the lyrics, so there's naturally a strong female perspective in the texts. If I'd have to guess three topics, I'd say relationships/love, bitterness and mental disorders. She probably would not agree with me on this... To be honest, I have no real clue what is she singing about.

What is your favorite song in your repertoire and why?
My favourite song is always the newest one. There's no point in taking steps back, or is there? Current project name of the newest song we are crafting is "Murmansk".. The song has great guitar tunes by Jari, and I guess it will be an instrumental. Our most shoegazing kind of track to date.

Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Live, most definitely. Playing your stuff live is the biggest reason to do this.

During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
The moment when all pieces just 'click' in their places and we all realise that this is good. If you get goose bumps while playing a new son, you know that you're heading in the right direction.

A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST song?
I refer what was said before. You shouldn't ask these kind of questions! By quickly shooting from the hip, the first song that crosses my mind is Interpol's Leif Eriksson.

What is your opinion, as a musician, regarding internet?
One of the most important marketing channels, and certainly the most important for smaller bands like us. About piracy, well, that is a two-edged sword -- the losses (if such exist) with record sales is compensated when more people show up to see the gigs. So there is a swift of income, the loosing party being the record company. Personally, I'd be almost taken if our stuff would be pirated, at least at this point... If someone likes the music enough, he/she will buy a real album. But of course, stealing is not right and the decision what is freely distributed should not be made by the consumer.

What are your projects?
Just this. I think it is better to concentrate and focus the creativity in one project instead of several.

What "image" do you have of French music?
The concept of "French rock music" does not really exist, at least outside France and in the extent it should, taking the size of France in concern. Why is that? Of course there are some big ones I know, such as Noir Désir and Phoenix, but in general I think major acts coming from France are electronic music. The newest French bands I really like are M83 and Nouvelle Vague. I would guess that underneath exists a good punk-scene also.

Is there one French song that you prefer? If so, what song is it?
I guess Manu Chao does not qualify as a French artist? If not, let's say Playground Love by Air.

Interview by Vincent Lefrançois - 2006