Interview with The Jade
The Pope in the Gaybar
The Jade was our last interview during our Finlandtrip in July 2006. After a while of see-saw we knew two days before the interview, that we really will meet for the dated time and the dated place. All the time before we knew, that we will meet, Finnish loose ... let's talk about when and where later. But this is not so easy, when you only communicate via mail and you don't know if you will have Internet at your next residence.
While dating the interview, the team feared that it might possible be a little to loud in that bar. We have been there before and the music is loud, so how to have an interview if you don't understand your own word? Nevertheless Wille, Jann, Pekko and Sirpa sat down at the table next to Cat and Niina. But very fast Jann realized that it might be a little loud in the bar and we should go somewhere else for the interview. So we drank up, chatted a bit and got to know each other before we left to another bar around the corner.
Wille: Ok, this band is about two years old. They were looking for a lead singer in 2004, I think it was spring 2004. So after that we have been doing gigs around Helsinki and somewhere around the neighbourhood area. And then we have done our fist EP. And we are doing Hard Rock with... I think we have some kind of pop melodies. We are not a Metal Band.
Pekko: Yes, it's kinda combination, I'd say. It's a bit like retro stuff, sort of like sixties / seventies music and thrown in some disco. Yeah, I still like some disco music as well, and it can be heard on our next album definitely. And what else?
Jann: It's a bit like Black Sabbath on speed meeting T.Rex on stage with Mick Ronson on guitar. Something like that. And at the same time there would be something like Ratzinger ... the pope in a gaybar. So that's what it sounds like... I don't know.
Pekko: Yeah, something like that, yeah!
Jann: So it's very colourful and energetic. And it also got a lot of depth so…it's still rocking and upbeat. But there is lots depth to it.
Pekko: Yeah, something, yes. *looking at Sirpa* Do you want to say something about it?
Sirpa: I think that's about it! *smiles*
finnbands: And what do you think what is so special in your music compared to bands that maybe do same or similar...
Pekko: I ....
Jann: You can't compare our music. Like I just said: the pope in the gaybar. Not too many bands are saying that. We are saying that. At least I am... *laughs*
Wille: I think we have more melodies.
Jann and Wille talking at the same time.
Wille: I think today many rockbands are like... really straight ahead rock which is like... they do these guitar riffs but they forget the melody.
Pekko: Yeah, in many cases that is true. Yeah.
Wille: And we concentrate on the melody.
Pekko: Yeah
Jann: ….Which is cool for them but this works for us....
Pekko: And that comes from this sixties and seventies things. Definitely. It's, you know, like I said... there is a little bit retro thrown in. So how should I say? Or even fifties. Course we know this kind of instrumental music because we were playing Rock'n'Roll, original Rock'n'Roll as well and Blues way back. And things like that so...
Sirpa: There is not really another band that you can compare us.
Pekko: Yeah, that is true!
Jann: No no no.
Wille: Think we have got certain feedback which has been like our music is something different, it sounds different! Everybody says, but in a positive way!
Jann: Yeah! So I would say but... the difference with other bands is that Wille has got quite a unique voice, Peck's guitar playing is different….
Wille: It's a strange combination.
Pekko: ... so it is ....
Jann: ...And there's two guys... and we *looking at Sirpa* keep the beat behind it.
Sirpa: Yes.
Pekko: And of course three of us are like songwriters as well ... so, I mean that brings something for the band as well. Definitely.
Jann: Pekko still does most of the songs so....
Pekko: Yeah, at the moment...
Jann: Then a couple of them we have done together, me and Pekko and then Wille's done a couple of songs as well on his own.
Wille: Yeah... and you too...
finnbands: Why did you start this band in the early beginning? Due to a special reason or just for fun?
Jann: It's that sort of a thing: it all starts with the idea of having fun, of course. Yes, certainly. But of course we had a goal back then...'cos we don't wanna mess around and loose too much time, you know. So, let's say, it was like ... for both... for fun and the serious side of it. To get it going and get the things further. So....
Wille: And just for fun doesn't sound very professional I think.
finnbands: The name "The Jade" does it have any special meaning?
Pekko: It's just a good word, a nice word.
Wille: Jade... jewellery made from the jade are beautiful. Just The Jade is really catchy and simple name. I think it sounds good.
Sirpa: I don't think nobody was thinking anything about the name. Jann came up with it. I don't know. Propably you didn't have any idea of the meaning, of the name.
Jann: Yeah, *laughs* yeah, if you put it like other way round, like E D A J it's like extremely deep anal job but
everybody: *laughing*
Jann: but I wouldn't use it in a serious way, so it's not ... No, we just like the sound of it. So basicly, that's it.
Wille: What does it mean if you say "The Beatles" or "The Cure"? That sounds good actually. That is the most important thing for a bandname.
Jann: Yeah, keep it short and....
Pekko: Simple!
Jann: It's a good thing to remember.
Pekko: In a way we are democratic but in a way we are ... I don't know. Sometimes we are not, sometimes we are.
everybody: *laughing*
Jann: Yeah, yeah, it's mostly like... yeah, it depends. Usually ... when the song is written it's done by one person only and if there is
Wille: *interupts* something to be....
Jann: a need for lyrics or something like that, then you might ask another person: Here is the melody, it goes like this *plays airbass*. 'I show you the melody and have you got some lines for this one.' And you start to think. Maybe you come up with the lines or maybe something else.
Wille: Yeah!
Jann: Never know what happens. Basicly, usually when the song is done, it's done by one person, yeah.
Wille: yeah, in the beginning
Jann: In the beginning. And later on, after all this is done, so the rest of the band kicks in and we figure out the way how we gonna play it.
Wille: Yeah!
Jann: Usually the songwriter already has the idea how to do it...
Wille: ... *at the same time* …but of course we have changes after that.
Jann: Yeah, usually, yeah, minor changes afterwards.
Pekko: So we don't work, we don't do the songs just like…
Jann: jamming or ....
Pekko: Yeah, just jamming .. that won't work for us. No way.
Wille: I don't know about the future but we don't do that....
finnbands: So you sit at home on your sofa or what ever and write your song?
Pekko: Yeah, that's how it goes. Or usually on the floor actually ... with a bottle of wine.
Jann: I've only done a couple of songs but what happens with me is like I go home and this melody bobs into my head. So I try to figure out the chords. I guess it's pretty much the same with Pekko I think ....
Pekko: Yeah!
Jann: and Wille as well. Well actually, I don't know. It's a big secret!
Wille: *smiles* Oh, how I do my songs?
Jann: Yeah *smiles*
Wille: Ok that's a secret!
everybody: *laughing*
finnbands: So you are going to studio next week.
Pekko: Yeah! Got to finish the album. I mean, it's like forever delayed at the moment so .....
Jann and Pekko talking at the same time
Pekko: The tracks we recorded about three months ago... and the guys in the studio... they fucked up the mixing totally so we had to take our music back from the studio and take it to another place. And that guy unfortunately hadn't time because he's working with another band at the moment so now we have to take a trip to Joensuu and hopefully we'll get a good outcome of it.............
finnbands: What will it sound like? Like the songs on myspace? The Heatwave CD?
Pekko: No no, it's gonna be different. It's gonna be more like... hm, I would say it's gonna be more hard rock orientated in a way but
Wille: The songs we have will have so much melody.
Pekko: yeah, it's not like classic hard rock, not like Aerosmith ... or you can't compare it with Aerosmith and Guns'n Roses and bands like that. It's still ... It's gonna sound like The Jade, definitely.
Yeah, I guess that's it, yeah! It's gonna sound different, that's what I know.
Jann: Yeah,and the songs are really good.
Pekko: And also we did rehearsling a lot. So...
Jann: It's getting better. That's what happens.
Pekko: I mean, it sounds like cliché that this is gonna be better but this is gonna be better. I am sure about it, yeah!
Wille: Yeah, me too.
Pekko: It's all about the mixing anyway but you know...
Jann: Yeah, it's all about the mixing but....
Pekko: the guy should be very good at it, so ....
Jann: Yeah, the producer in the studio, he is pretty good so the outcome should be a pretty fucking good one, yeah.
Pekko: Hopefully, I reckon.
Wille: Next question?!
everybody: *laughing*
The guys of the band look at each other, Sirpa still laughs, ah, she is still there!
Wille: In a month.........
Pekko: In January..........
Wille: Noho! *laughs* In a month, maybe....
Jann: Late August, early September.
Wille tells anything with the hand in front of his mouth....
Jann: In the mid September,the latest, I would say. Still there's still a couple of months before it so I'd say....
Wille: Yeah!
Pekko: I hope it's gonna happen earlier anyway.
Wille: Yeah!
Pekko: I hope it's gonna happen in the August.
Wille: But of course we are searching for a distributor or a record company to release it because we attract a larger audience when we do that so we are looking for a good deal.
Pekko: Exactly......
finnbands: And hopefully outside of Finland?
Sirpa: Yeah!
The Jade: Yeah, of course, that's our aim! Yeah!
Pekko: Well, the situation.... well, this is the answer for the same question... The situation is: there are so many bands in Finland at the moment. So I'd say it could be better to find a deal from outside Finland.
Wille: Finland is just a small market also ....
Pekko: And there are so many fucking bands at the moment ....
Jann: It depends....
Jann and Pekko talk at the same time.
Jann: It depends, there are few good companies over here as well. So if you get a good deal out of a proper company it might work but it depends...
Wille: Many times they want a band to sing in Finnish and we are not a Finnish singing band so that's why we are looking from abroad.
Pekko: I couldn't see us doing that anyway, ever..
Jann: No no!
finnbands: Have you ever thought about coming to Germany for gigs?
whole band: Of course! We'd love to play everywhere!
Wille: We would love to do that.
Jann und Pekko reden durcheinander.
Wille: It depends on the money. It costs a lot money to travel so of course we would play everywhere.
Jann: What's up to us.. you know, we would play anywhere. Everywhere and anywhere. We don't care, even Greenland in the winter....
Pekko: Yeah, excately, yeah!
Jann: You know, we don't mind. The thing is up to the promoters, your local promoters and all that. So if you can pressure up them for The Jade ... we are very pleased.
everybody: *laughing*
Jann: But thing is, when the new release is out, we are gonna send it out to local promoters as well and I think something can be arranged. Yes, I think so because the stuff is pretty much good and pretty much professional. So, why not to get gigs? I don't see no reason for not getting a gig from Germany.
Pekko: It doesn't have to be a tour, but like a couple of gigs like ...
Jann: Yeah, something like 10 gigs in a row would be excellent.
finnbands: If you could wish to go on tour with a special band, which band would that be?
Wille laughs with big eyes
Pekko: Haha, you start *pointing to Wille*
Wille: Ok, we can say all different names. Ok, I can say ... alright, let me start: KISS, Alice Cooper, U2, *äh* ok, you can continue *meaning Jann* because I know you will say the same names!
Jann: *laughs*
Wille: You can continue about that.
Jann: I don't really mind, but fact is it wouldn't be Juice Leskinen for sure. It wouldn't be him anyhow so ... I mean anything... Kylie Minogue, Sugarbabes, I don't mind!
Spira laughs
Wille: We would be happy to tour with any... rockband maybe. As long as they wouldn't put us on the same bill with like Backstreet Boys maybe.
Jann: No, that would be cool!
Pekko: ...............
Jann: We love the Backstreet Boys *clinks glasses on this band* Yeah, especially Harry.
Wille: Oh, you know the names! *laughs*
Jann: Yeah!
Wille: That's scary!
Sirpa: And I'd say Led Zeppelin, but I don't see that happening really ... I would not mind going with HIM or 69 Eyes or these kind of bands.
Pekko: Oh yeah, that would be great!
Jann: Yeah, or Hanoi Rocks!
Sirpa: Aerosmith
Pekko: Oasis
Jann: Negative
Pekko: Rolling Stones, Negative!
Jann: Yeah, Oasis would be cool!
Pekko: Yeah, I think they are a bit just like us… those guys anyway. It would be nice to tour with them. Yeah, Oasis!
Pekko: Do you mean this band or like...
finnbands: your first concert ever...
Pekko: ever....
Wille: If I compare our... I mean, I think of The Jade, our first concert and our latest concert I think there is a huge difference. I mean, as far as we have arranged our songs and ... the whole package is a lot clearer. Of course it takes time for the band, you know, to be united on stage. You know, soundwise also. So I think, I mean, we were good but still ... if you think about it... I'd say we are really good now. Really good band on stage and that time we were just good. *zieht schnute* So in two years happens a lot because ... that's natural!
Jann: Yes. The first gig I ever played was when I was 14 years old. So I can't really compare that to Jade. So we are on a different level but still it was all about rock and rockmusic. You know, it's in your blood, either you got it or you don't. So you go with the flow but I think with this band, The Jade, the shows are getting better and better all the time cause we are getting tighter and tighter and get to know each other better all the time.
Wille: Yeah, my friend said after the last gig we are like a stadium rockband right now ... but we are not just playing the stadiums *looks in a misture of sadness and hope* but we look like one! *smiles* So that was a good feedback!
finnbands: The usual question: Describe each other, something about your character!
Wille: I am like a mixed bag I think. Mixed bag of everything that I have been listening to all my life. I mean my big influence wasn't my dad or my mother or my grandmother. I think I took all of my influences from the heroes I looked up when I was a little child, the musical heros. So I think I am like a mixed bag of those. And the basic attitude is like I am a rock'n'roll guy but that's too narrow to describe me. So maybe you should say who I am. *smiles*
Niina: Me? Oh, I know you since five minutes or something, I can't do that! *laughs*
Wille: *laughs and looks a lil disapointed* Yeah, ok.
Jann: So, do you mean describing myself or describing some other member?
Niina: Some other is easier. *smiles*
Jann: I think Wille is really outgoing lively energetic person. I am pretty much lively and energetic as well. But yeah, I don't know, I am still, you know, the guy behind …
Pekko: *laughs*
Jann: What?*laughs* The guy behind the library…
The Jade: *laughing*
Pekko: Tough one! I think you are not the guy behind, you are more like the guy in the front.
Jann: Yeah, then again what we are doing with Sirpa it's more like basic and what stands out musically it's more like Wille and Pekko. And I can rely on Sirpa any day, any minute, any second. Any time on stage and it's always been brilliant and that's why I love her a lot 'cos it takes a lot of pressure of yourself on stage when, you know, there is a reliable person behind the drums and everything is gonna work out smoothly. And you can trust on someone like that. It ain't the easiest job in the world to be a drummer at least on this band, or in any other band either. That's what I would say.
What I would say about Pekko is: he is maybe the most talented person I ever met. He certainly is the most talented person I ever met. A brilliant songwriter, an excellent guitar player, amazing style, unique, quite original in a rock'n'roll way. Which is like more like Mick Ronson sort of a way.
Wille: Give Pekko just bend over now?
Pekko: I am embaressed!
Jann: Ja. And Wille is an unique singer.
Wille: Yeah, I agree.
Jann looks into the camera and smiles, winkt mit der Hand ab I am done!
Sirpa: Ok, I wouldn't start describing us individually. We are all very different to each other. If everything works fine, that is ok.
Pekko: Yeah, that is true.
Wille: My ex-girlfriend said, when she saw us on stage, it was Oranssi club, she said that we are like...
Wille: ... that it is interesting to see us on stage because we are all so different characters. So different. So we all have our different style and ... no, I mean not the style but we are doing our own thing on stage. So it is interesting to look at each of us, so he is doing this, he is doing that, she is doing that. Ok, what is he doing?
Pekko: So on stage we are not like a group of four people. It's more like four individuals. Some people do this. This as one band like kissing each other and doing stuff like that but you know when we go on stage we go *playing air guitar* and we go, so that is more like.... you know
Jann: Yeah, we all are doing our own thing. But at the same time we do it together for the cause of one thing.
Pekko: There is actually some kind of chemistry.
Jann: Yeah, that is working,
Pekko: which is a good thing. It's all of us, like, you know, how can I say it? Each one of us is doing this job properly.
Jann: Ja.
Pekko: On every stage we know what we do. And that is what I like, and it is fucking great.
Jann: Yeah, I think to describe this band in one way is... one common thing about all of us is: where ever we go and what ever the situation is like, it might get though in some way. Like you are playing a gig in the middle of nowhere and there are two old men, you know, and ok, that is the cliché with the dog, but they certainly are there watching you and a couple of girls get excited so they gonna get jealous about it or whatever, so you get in a bad situation with them, all of us are sticking together so we can always rely on each other. Which is something.... well, I've never met before in my life. That way I think we are special.
Pekko: And of course we do argue. But it's never nothing serious anyway. I think we are going to stick together until like 100 years old or something...
Wille: Do you really think so?
finnbands: Yeah!
Wille: *smiles* Ok! I don't know. *looks down on himself* This is just something that just feels right. *points at his shoes* This comes from my KISS influences, these boots. This shirt comes from.... I mean, I don't even figure this out... *laughs and looks to Jann* You can explain!
Pekko: The thing is, you know, we ain't got no money to spend for the stylist or so....
Wille: Yeah, we look for the cheap places to buy our things.
Pekko: The other guys, you know, the guys in the other bands they can go for their stylist or whatever but we find our clothes from the bins and…
Wille: Yeah, but that is the whole thing! I mean, if you look at Hanoi Rocks today the guys, they look totally like individuals and different persons although they are united and like really collective unit. But that is the thing... but otherwise if I look like Jann *points at Jann* ok, are you Wille? *points at himself* am I Jann? You have to see who are the members like individuals.
Pekko: If I think about a band like HIM, they are like individuals and that is what I like in that band. They are like five different characters and that is so great.
Wille: I don't think it would otherwise work!
Jann: I think it's the same thing with them than it is with us. Like we are individuals on our own in this world. You know, maybe ..... we are totally different from each other but there is a certain thing that unites us.
Pekko: Exactly.
Jann: And that thing is The Jade and our music. But clothes... they mean only like... you get warmer in the summer and in the winter over here you really need them.
Sirpa: Yeah, that is true. Just to cover yourself. I don't even like shopping.
Wille: In the winter we are like big eskimos with fur coats and big hats.
finnbands: Do you have an average job beside The Jade?
Jann: Yeah, I am on the dole so I've gotta go to the dole office every now and again to sign up so I am already signing autographs you know. That's my first step to rockstardom, baby! *laughs*
Wille: Yes, there are already people asking for autographs, yeah. That's cool! Why not! I don't know what it means to them but maybe it means something 'cos if I ask for an autograph from some of my heroes then it means something to me like ... I don't know, it's a statement of something.
Jann: .................
Wille: It's like a living proof that he was there and I was there.
finnbands: Another stupid question: Have you finished school or did you already know, when you were very young, that you wanted to be a rockstar and skipped school?
Pekko: I don't know. I just wanted to play music ........
Wille: But how can you actually know? I mean, I had big dreams when I was under 10 years old but as soon as you get along and you meet people and you start playing guitar you start thinking maybe I could do this and that. School is ok for somebody and for somebody else it is not so. But you never know what happens so you just have to look ahead and find the right people and make good music.
Pekko: Yeah, pretty much like that.
Jann: I really didn't like the school so to get rid of that was like a christmas present. So I don't see myself going back there.
Sirpa: I just didn't know what to do. I went to few schools and I quit them and I started working....
Jann: School's a bore!
Sirpa: ... and .. one year was enough school for me.
Pekko: It's pretty much the same for me as well. I started to play this violin when I was like seven years old. I saw Elvis on T.V when I was nine years old so it sounded and it looked cool. And when I was like 13 I saw Keith Richards playing guitar and that was the coolest thing I have ever seen, so I think that was it. And that was basicly when I knew that I've gotta go that way. So why stay at school? Yeah!
Jann: School of life, yeah. It teaches you more than the books.
Pekko: But it wasn't like the rock stardom I think .. not for me. It's more like I wanted to play the guitar. And that's it.
Jann: Yeah, for me it was like to get rid of the every day shit and that's when the music came in. I had no fun at all, no. I had no fun in anywhere so music kinda saved me, at least at that point. So…happy now..
finnbands: Wille, I read an interview with you, well, I don't know where, but in this interview in some questions you started to talk about politics but the question was a totally other topic.
Wille: *smiles* Yeah, that sometimes happens. *laughs* Sometimes questions are boring and you tend to think that I wanna say something else. And I watch the news and I want to like follow what happens in the world. So I think sometimes you are interested and you want to say something about the politics because you care about things. It's sometimes just boring like, ohhh we do this hard rock thing but I wanna say something else like what do I care about. I think it is like that for me. I am not a political guy I think. I am ... I just want to think that things will be alright in the world. So I wanna make a statement sometimes.
finnbands: Anything left to say? Something that you want to tell your German fans?
Wille: We have really good music coming on and really good hard rock tunes and I just mean this from the bottom of my heart.
Pekko: and some disco tunes as well *laughs*
Jann: What can I say? *laughs* no I won't say it anyhow! If this is gonna be on BBC World. But it's about the pope!
everybody: *laughs*
Jann: ... so maybe I leave it!
Wille: Yeah, you hear a lot of crappy music on the radio but this is not crappy, this is something different.
Pekko: Yeah, a good point!
finnbands: Thank you very much guys and girl for this interview!
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