Nerdee

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Interview : Annu from Nerdee

When and how was your band created?
The history of Nerdee begins with a band called Nerds, which was founded in high school in the year 1995. Of that group, only Annu is left these days. The members changed, and the singer Emily and bass player Riikka joined in. The music changed more toward rock, the language into English, and small ambitions into bigger ones. The next addition was Nuppu on the keyboards. Since Riikka left the group in 2004, bass had been played by Luis.

Where is the name of the band coming from?
The original name Nerds came from a costume competition that Annu won, and the name has been edited since then from Nerds to Nerdie, and finally Nerdee. The name discribes the band, not so much physically, but in that sense, that one doesn't have to break hotel rooms to be "rock", for us it's an attitude thing that comes thru the music.

What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Everyone of us have very different individual influences and favourites artists/genres (e.g Alanis Morissette, Pearl Jam, Opeth, Sarah McLachlan) so there is no one big influence for Nerdee. Our sound is all of our own influences combined.

What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
For a band singing in english it's really hard to break it bigtime. Along the way a lot of people from the finnish music industry have told us to sing in Finnish, just becouse it would be some much easier to gain bigger success. The music business is still very small and only very few artists can actually make a living out of it. Most people go to a day job aswell. Small can be positive too , in that sense, that once you get in to the business you get to know people easy and get new contact. And music industry is still very much fair play.

How could you define your style of music?
Nerdee is pop/rock with a edge. Our strenght is strong melodies, beautiful harmonies and a fresh sound.

During the years how has your musical style changed?
We've found more our own style and sound, we've focused on what we do best: pop. We had our "wild" hardrock period but gladly that was never recorded :)

How do explain these changes?
Over ten years people change, and ofcourse the way we do music too. Even though we might sound now more "clean", we still have that same Nerdee-sound we started with.

What are topics you treat in your songs?
Basic pop-stuff: feeling and everyday things. People and things that move us somehow.

What is your favorite song in your repertoire and why?
I think all of us have a different favourite. My personal favourites are Even, best song to play live and off stage: As You Are- which was part of a Amnesty Internationals campaigne to stop violence against women.

Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Live! That is when you get direct response from the audience. Ofcourse it feels great when you finally get a copy of a ready album, but playing live is what keep us going!

During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Hearing it grow while working in the studio, and finally hearing the finished song playing.

A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST song?
That is a hard one! It variates from time to time... For now i'd have to say Frou Frou - Let Go

What is your opinion, as a musician, regarding internet?
Its a good way to promote and find new listeners to your music. There are so many people out there who would never get to hear us if it wasnt for the internet. There is no way stopping the internet, so we just have to make the best of it. Selling pirate CD's, that i dont approve.

What are your projects ?
Now Nerdee is writing new songs and planning the future. And also playing gigs!

What "image" do you have of French music?
Haven't heard much. The image i have is, they have their own strong style, singing mostly in french. Maybe they have the same problems we have in Finland, making it by singing english is harder?

Is there one French song that you prefer?
If so, what song is it? Ive been listening to Camille who i saw playing on french tv. Dont remember the song titles, but i liked her style! Much like KT Tunstall!

Interview by Vincent Lefrançois - 2006