Vanity Ink

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Music
Interview : Anabella and Juha from Vanity Ink

When and how was your band created?
Juha Bandit: Vanity Ink was formed at the end of 2002 to have a good time with few friends. We all had our own main bands at the time. Soon none of us had either time nor interest for anything else than Vanity Ink.

Where is the name of the band coming from?
Juha Bandit: Vanity is for us being vain, Ink is for body art.

What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
Annabella: Kate Bush, Ismo Alanko, Claude from Smack, Jim Morrison, Peer Günt, Chris Cornell, Scott Weiland.
Juha Bandit: Every good friend, enemy and rock n´roll album ever made.

What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician in Finland?
Annabella: Finland is a small country where everyone knows everybody, and what comes around goes around in good and bad. There´s maybe too many wanna-be eyeliner bands hanging around at the moment...wish them all good luck though!
Juha Bandit: Finland is the land of rock n´roll and I´m proud to be a part of that, although you tend to freeze in latex at wintertime.

How could you define your style of music?
Annabella: Attitude, rock, punkish, fuckable, loveable...
Juha Bandit: Streetrock n´roll.

During the years how has your musical style changed?
Annabella: Better and better.
Juha Bandit: Not in any way.

How do explain these changes?
Annabella: Everyone in this band knows their places and so do I, therefore I don´t have to worry about things being undone.
Juha Bandit: Everything works so much better nowadays when there are no assholes around compared to my previous bands.

What are topics you treat in your songs?
Annabella: Rock n´roll way of life. What you do, why you cry, why you love, why you hate.
Juha Bandit: The life of bandits and vagabonds.

What is your favorite song in your repertoire and why?
Annabella: I am impatiently looking forward to our forthcoming album, there are some new songs I´m so in love with! Meanwhile I enjoy playing Had Enough of Acting Nice because it´s an attitude bomb and so me.
Juha Bandit: Living a Dream because it´s been the opening song on our gigs and therefore an adrenaline kick. Confused because it starts the medley that ends the gig and you decide to squeeze the last drop of sweat from your body ´til the show is done and gone.

Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Annabella: I prefer performing live to satisfy the vanity inside of me and to rock the hell out of you. I enjoy being in a studio as well, where I can fullfill myself by trying different variations and harmonies. And I could keep on trying on and on and on until the boys get bored as fuck :)
Juha Bandit: I am at home when I am on stage.

During the process of making a song, what is the moment that you prefer?
Annabella: When the song comes out of nowhere and it´s not planned in any way.
Juha Bandit: The moment when you forget you´re working on a song and you´re jumping around touching yourself.

A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST song?
Annabella: Weezer: Say It Ain´t So, Sublime: Santeria, Davy Vain: Push Me Over, Pretty Boy Floyd: Shut Up, Rachel Stamp: Monster of a New Wave...
Juha Bandit: Sebastian Bach: (I´ll Never Turn My Back On) Rock n´Roll, ´cause I won´t...

What is your opinion, as a musician, regarding internet?
Annabella: I know I´m stuck to internet with all the mailing and promoting and that kind of stuff. But I never keep it open all the time ´cause I´ve got lots to do with my quality free-time and you can only guess what it is...
Juha Bandit: I have struggled without internet as long as possible, since I prefer snail mail and writing with Ink and feathers, says the boy who just got connected.

What are your projects?
Annabella: I would like to get to know more about using audio equipments. And of course pushing the band forward.
Juha Bandit: To come up with my guitarparts for the new Vanity Ink songs before my bandmates realize I´ve been lazy.

What "image" do you have of French music?
Annabella: A sympathetic kind old man with an accordion playing a sad song at the square café...
Juha Bandit: ...wearing a beret next to Vanessa Paradis! Hey the guys from Baby Strange sent me their CD, does the band still exist?

Is there one French song that you prefer? If so, what song is it?
Annabella: Edith Piaf with her voice... she has this song called... was it: Milord?
Juha Bandit: Joan Jett´s the French Song from the album called Album.

Interview by Vincent Lefrançois - 2006