Scandinavian Music Group

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Scandinavian Music Group
Scandinavian Music Group - Ilosaarirock 2008.jpg
General information
Genre (s) Folk music
founding 2002
Website [1]
Current occupation
Terhi Kokkonen
Joel Melasniemi
Pauliina Kokkonen
Anssi Vaxby
Antti Lehtinen
Kyösti Salokorpi

Scandinavian Music Group (abbreviation: SMG) is a Finnish folk group that was founded in Helsinki in 2002 .

overview

The band has seven members, four of whom have been with us from the start. Before SMG was formed, these four artists were part of the Finnish band Ultra Bra , who played political art rock. Most of the songs are written by singer Terhi Kokkonen and composed by guitarist Joel Melasniemi. To date, seven albums have been released, the last in 2014. SMG is one of the most popular groups at Finnish rock festivals with many fans.

Band history

Ultra Bra, one of the most successful Finnish pop bands, broke up in 2001. Four band members (Joel Melasniemi, Terhi Kokkonen, Antti Lehtinen and Tommi Saarikivi) had already discussed a new band before the official breakup and visited a studio together several times. In February 2002 Scandinavian Music Group came out with a debut single Kun tuuli oli viilee / Kun puut tekee seittiä (When the wind was cool / When the trees make spider webs). It made it to third place in the official Finnish hit list. The band had their first appearance on February 15th in a club in the western Finnish city of Tampere . The debut album Onnelliset kohtaa (The lucky ones meet), which was already finished in the spring, was released on September 6th and took first place on the official Finnish hit list. A radio single Minne katosi päivät (Where did the days disappear to) from the album was the band's first hit. One reason for the successful debut single was the festival summer and the debut tour, which lasted from the beginning of October to the end of November. Onnelliset kohtaa won gold before Christmas , which means 15,000 records sold in Finland .

In the spring of 2003 Scandinavian Music Group announced that bassist Tommi Saarikivi was leaving the band because of his family and studies. Anssi Växby, who soon became a full member, took his place. Kyösti Salokorpi also replaced Mikko Kosonen as guitarist for the tours. In the same spring the single Letitä tukkani ( Braid my hair) was released, but it did not have its own album. In the summer of 2003 the band again attended numerous festivals, for example Provinssirock , Raumanmeren juhannus, Ruisrock and Tammerfest .

The next album was released on March 24, 2004 and was called Nimikirjaimet (The Initials). From the album, produced by the record label Cortison Records, the singles 100 km Ouluun (100 km to Oulu), Säälittävä syksy (Unfortunate Autumn) and Huomisen sää (The weather of tomorrow) were released. The somewhat acoustic piece Talvipuutarhaan (Zum Wintergarten) reached number 1 on the list of the Finnish radio station YleQ. Scandinavian Music Group made their new acoustic sound known to the public with mini tours in autumn 2004 and spring 2005. In 2004 Scandinavian Music Group also made a promotional tour for their album, which included 15 cities. In the summer of 2005, the band concentrated on editing a new album. The third album Hölmö rakkaus ylpeä sydän (Stupid love, proud heart) was released on March 1st, 2006, received excellent reviews and stayed in the top 10 of the official Finnish hit list for a month. The single Hölmö rakkaus (Doofe Liebe) was one of the biggest Finnish hits in spring 2006. The album was produced by Kyösti Salokorpi, who also played in the group as a guitarist.

The big hit Hölmö rakkaus (Doofe Liebe) was the theme song in the spring of 2007 in the Finnish television program Kaikki kunnossa (Everything in order). Already in the summer of 2007 a new single, Vieläkö soitan banjoa (Do I still play the banjo?) Was released with a video shot in the USA. The next and fourth album Missä olet Laila? (Where are you, Laila?) Came out October 7, 2007. The album sold well and stayed in the top 10 for a long time. Scandinavian Music Group had taken two new members into the studio: Pauliina Kokkonen sang in the background and Miikka Paatelainen played lap steel guitar. The new seven-person line-up quickly sold out their album tours.

In the autumn of 2008 a tribute album Melkein vieraissa - Nimemme on Dingo (Almost strangers - Our name is Dingo) was recorded for the legendary Finnish band Dingo , for which SMG recorded a new version of the piece Levoton tuhkimo (The restless Cinderella). Palatkaa Pariisiin (Return to Paris!) Was the name of album number five, which was released on April 1st and which SMG had been working on since autumn 2008. The record was a candidate for the renowned Finnish Teosto Culture Prize. In the same spring the band contributed to a cover album Syvissä vesissä (In deep waters), for which they covered the piece Kaikki nuoret tyypit (All young guys) by the Finnish band Tehosekoitin . The first compilation by SMG Näin minä vihellän matkallani (This is how I whistle on my trip) was released in autumn 2009. The album included selected songs from old albums and some new versions. At the same time, SMG also took part in a Finnish collecting project Onnen laulut (The songs of happiness). The year 2010 was not very productive for the band due to private family growth, but on April 27, 2011 SMG released a new album, Manner (The Continent). The single Hautojen yli (About Graves) had already been heard on the radio in February. The long awaited sixth album brought the band a busy touring year.

Members

  • Terhi Kokkonen: singer and lyricist (formerly with Ultra Bra) (since 2002). Terhi Kokkonen studied dramaturgy, religious studies and textile design. Her first play Norsunluunokkainen tikka (The Woodpecker with the Ivory Beak ) was released in 2008. Kokkonen was in 2009 with the album Palatkaa Pariisiin! (Returns to Paris!) Candidate for the Teosto Prize.
  • Joel Melasniemi: guitarist and composer (formerly with Ultra Bra) (since 2002). Joel Melasniemi studied art at Aalto University Helsinki. In 1994 he also won a comic book competition (Kemin sarjakuvakeskus, Kemi comic center ).
  • Antti Lehtinen: drums (formerly with Ultra Bra) (since 2002). In addition to Ultra Bra and Scandinavian Music Group, drummer Antti Lehtinen was also a drummer and background singer in the Don Huonot group from 2001 to 2003.
  • Kyösti Salokorpi: guitarist, keyboard instruments (since 2003). Kyösti Salokorpi is the unofficial fifth member. Salokorpi is both a musician and a writer. He used to be a singer in a group called Ihmepoika. He also had his own punk style group, Teenage Lesbians, and is a copywriter. He studied literature at the University of Helsinki .
  • Anssi Växby: Bass (formerly with Ultra Bra) (since 2003). Anssi Växby also has her own group, Icons of Elegance , along with his brother Henri Växby. The group plays melodic pop music with influences from indie, Americana and Beatles music.
  • Pauliina Kokkonen: background singer (since 2007)
  • Miikka Paatelainen: lap steel guitar (since 2007)

Former members were Tommi Saarikivi (bass 2002-2003) and Mikko Kosonen (guitar 2002-2003). Occasionally Pessi Levanto played on the keyboard.

Subjects, style and poetry

The themes of the songs by SMG vary greatly, but longing and lost love often play a role. A frequently asked question is how a woman can be strong and independent on her own. Regardless of whether a song is melancholy or enjoyable, the moody, high voice of singer Terhi Kokkonen is the most important element. The style of music can be described as folk rock. The band sometimes uses a banjo as well . While the first albums came up with a wide variety of musical elements and different instruments, the newer albums are simpler with emphatically lyrical content.

Discography

Albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
FI FI
2002 Onnelliset kohtaa FI1
gold
gold

(18 weeks)FI
2004 Nimikirjaimet FI11 (6 weeks)
FI
2006 Hölmö rakkaus ylpeä sydän FI5 (17 weeks)
FI
2007 Missä olet Laila? FI6 (10 weeks)
FI
2009 Palatkaa Pariisiin! FI2 (25 weeks)
FI
2009 Näin minä vihellän matkallani FI11 (10 weeks)
FI
2011 Men FI1 (17 weeks)
FI
2014 Terminal 2 FI1 (8 weeks)
FI
2015 Baabel FI11 (3 weeks)
FI

Singles

year Title
album 		Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements
(Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
FI FI
2002 Kun tuuli oli viilee FI3 (6 weeks)
FI
Tällaisena kesäyönä FI7 (6 weeks)
FI
2003 Letita tukkani FI13 (3 weeks)
FI
2004 100 km ouluun FI14 (1 week)
FI

More singles

  • Minne katosi päivät (2002) (Where did the days disappear)
  • Ei mun oo hyvä olla yksin / Mitä hyödyttää (2002) (I'm not good to be alone / What use is it)
  • Säälittävä syksy (2004) (Unfortunate Autumn)
  • Huomisen sää (2004) (Tomorrow's Weather)
  • Valmis (2005) (Done)
  • Hölmö rakkaus (2006) (Stupid Love)
  • Ylpeä sydän (2006) (Proud Heart)
  • Vieläkö soitan banjoa? (2007) (Do I still play the banjo?)
  • Mustana, maidolla, kylmänä, kuumana (2007) (black, with milk, cold, hot)
  • Naurava turskan kallo (2007) (The skull of the laughing cod)
  • Levoton tuhkimo (2008) (The Restless Cinderella)
  • Näin minä vihellän matkallani (2009) (That's how I whistle on my trip)
  • Casablanca / Ambulanssi tuli ja kaikki itki (2009) (Casablanca / The ambulance came and everyone cried)
  • 100 km Ouluun (2009) (100 km to Oulu)
  • Hautojen yli (2011) (About graves)
  • Kaunis Marjaana (2011) (The beautiful Marjaana)
  • Omenankukan terälehtiä (2011) (petals of an apple)

Music videos

  • Minne katosi päivät (where did the days go)
  • Ei mun oo hyvä olla yksin (it's not good for me to be alone)
  • 100 km Ouluun (100 km to Oulu)
  • Hölmö rakkaus (stupid love)
  • Ylpeä sydän ( proud heart)
  • Vieläkö soitan banjoa? (Do I still play the banjo?)
  • Kaunis Marjaana (The Beautiful Marjaana)
  • Montreal (Montreal)
  • Omenankukan terälehtiä - Matkalla Nashvilleen versio (Petals of an apple - On the way to Nashville version)
  • Omenankukan terälehtiä - Vaihtoehtoinen versio (petals of an apple - alternative version)
  • Melkein kuin uusi (almost like new)
  • Ruotsiin ja takaisin (To Sweden and back)
  • Mustarastas lauloi ooh la laa (The blackbird sang ooh la laa)

Trivia

  • Terhi Kokkonen and Joel Melasniemi used to be a couple for a long time.
  • Currently (2012) Kokkonen is in a relationship with Arto Halonen, a director of documentaries. They have one son.
  • Background singer Pauliina Kokkonen is Terhi Kokkonen's sister. They also have an older sister, Minna Puolanto, who is an actress.
  • Joel Melasniemi composed film music for the first time in 2011 for the film Elokuu (August).
  • Ultra Bra got together once again for an appearance, in January 2012, for a concert of support for the green presidential candidate Pekka Haavisto
  • Ten animals and seven place names are mentioned on the Manner album .

swell

  1. ↑ a b Chart discography Finland
  2. ↑ Music Sales Awards: FI

Web links