Jouni`s Interview with schMuRzi metal & rock magazine summer 2010

First of all: Who are you? Give a short introduction of yourself and the band.

My name is Jouni Rantanen and I sing lead vocals in the FINNISH band chILL. It's pretty hard to give a short description of chILL's musical style but we like to mix catchy grunge driven rock and modern metal in a slightly progressive way. You really have to hear it for yourself and make up your own mind. I also sing and play guitar in a band called Saasta. Saasta plays finnish grunge influenced rock acoustically on guitar and keyboards and we`re recording our first EP. chILL has released a couple of EP's, one full-length album "controlled chaos" and now we're promoting our upcoming sophomore album with a FREE two song promo single "In your spine". The original artwork and songs are available for download FREE at the band's official website: www.chillinyourspine.com

What was your first personal contact with music like, and which are your most important influences?

The first artist I remember listening to was Michael Jackson when I was like seven or so but music wasn't yet really that important to me until I was fourteen and I heard Nirvana's song "rape me" and the album "in utero" for the first time. It hit me so hard that suddenly everything changed. It was something I had never heard before and it just totally blew me away. I somehow now knew what I wanted to do with my life. It was actually Miska, chILL's guitarist who introduced me to Nirvana. We had been best friends since babies and both started playing guitar about the same time but always had our own musical projects cause both wanted to be the next Kurt Cobain and there can be only one! Of course other grunge labeled bands of that era were a huge influence too and still are.

The next huge thing for me was KoRn, again something totally different from what I had heard before and just really weird. For me It was Somehow a logical transition from grunge to nu-metal. I had always thought metal was somehow too testosterone-filled, too serious or narrow minded but now it was suddenly something interesting and new for me and I started getting more into metal. At that time I started developing an interest towards hip-hop too (for obvious reasons). Marilyn Manson's "anti-christ superstar" album was a huge influence too, especially lyrically. Nowadays I pretty much try to listen to, as well as let myself be influenced by all types of music. If the song is good it doesn't matter in what category someone has placed it.

Where does the band’s name come from?

chILL`s name comes from the sensation that makes the hair in the back of your neck stand up and sends cold chills running down your spine and of course the cold conditions of Finland had something to do with the name choice too.


How did you all get together as a band?

The first line-up of the band was formed in 95, me on guitar and vocals, eero on bass (chIll's guitarist) and Tomi Rantakangas (chILL's former drummer) on drums. We were fifteen and none of us really knew how to play our instruments yet but we just started playing and writing songs. Very dark grunge with a definite punk attitude to it. At that point we were still calling ourselves "hateburn". I can't remember the exact time we changed our name to chILL but our first gig was at a local band contest in 97, which we won! Our music had took a step towards a more heavier, KoRn influenced sound and it totally blew everyone away cause in Finland no one had heard or seen anything like that before... atleast not yet.

At that time the line-up was the following: me on vocals, Eero on guitar, Tomi on drums and my very good childhood friend Jussi Helminen on bass. Soon after the contest an another old friend Miska joined the group on guitar two, which brought a lot more melody to band`s sound. We we're doing small shows and succesful band contests here and there until 2000 we finally recorded our first official demo "chILL" in a "real" studio. That familiar KoRn influenced sound is still very recognizable on the first demo. Soon after the demo we slowly started acquiring recording equipment, recording material and released an EP "the brighter the nights" in 2002. The EP could be described as melodic rap metal with some electronic elements added to it. In 2004 while recording the EP "what counts" we had to let our drummer and dear friend Tomi go (one of the hardest things we've had to do) who was replaced by Miska's little brother Mika, although much younger than the rest of us, already a pro and a totally unique style of playing. The critically acclaimed "what counts" had three songs of catchy and melodic hard rock / metal /punk.

In 2006 our bass player and long time friend Jussi announced that he just doesn't have enough time for the band anymore... I kinda had seen it coming so we departed in total understanding without any hard feelings and we're still best friends. After testing out a bunch of bassists we eventually found the perfect one, Helend Jantsikene who was a familiar face in the local music scene. "Hellu" brought some much needed enthusiasm and new creative force to band. Hellu's backing vocals were also a welcomed addition to chILL's sound. We instantly clicked and found the same note and this finally perfected line-up meant a new beginning for chILL…
We found ourselves training a lot harder and doing a LOT more shows than before. All in all 2000-2006 was pretty quiet, almost a silent time for chILL but it was time to break the silence with an explosion. It was time to activate and put some real effort into our art. We had gotten tired of knocking on record label's doors a long time ago so it was time to put the wheels in motion ourselves. We started writing and recording material for our debut album "controlled chaos" which we ended up releasing ourselves through our own label "Twisted Entertainment" in 2008.
chILL's sophomore album is currently in pre-production.

What is the composing/writing process like and how do songs in chILL, all in all, come to life?

There`s not one certain way of writing a chILL song. Everyone writes riffs, rhythms and melodies and we just toss ideas back and forth. Sometimes we might start building a song based on one killer riff or melody and other times someone might have nearly finished structure for a song which we then start playing around with and adding stuff into. Some of the best stuff are just pure accidental. The songs evolve constantly and no song is really finished until it's recorded. I handle the lyrical and vocal side of the songs and write a lot of choruses for chILL with an acoustic guitar.

Where do you find inspiration?

Lyrically I can find inspiration and ideas from almost anything and anywhere. I'm constantly writing down thoughts and ideas for songs on my cell phone. A lot of stuff I talk about with my friends might end up in a song just as easily as something I've seen on the news or in my dreams even. Just things I feel strongly about and things that touch me in a way I feel the need to write about them. It's not exactly hard to find subjects to write about in this fucked up world, just gotta keep your eyes and ears open.

What are your personal favourite topics, things you cling to in some way, or things/topics that keep you coming back to every now and then?

Writing is great way of getting out all the excess package of your head but some stuff is stuck there pretty hard and you just keep writing and writing about these issues till you`ve dealt with them completely. Basically just bad experiences and memories, for example violence and betrayal would seem to be recurring themes in my lyrics.

Which plans do you have for the near and the further future? What will be next?

We've gathered live footage from almost all of our this year's shows so we have easily enough video material for both songs of "In Your Spine". I`m editing the videos myself. Also at some time this year we start recording material for our sophomore album.

What do you want to achieve with your music?

I guess something that everyone wants: leave our mark in the world. It would be great to create something immortal, something that would keep on living a life of it`s own long after our time has passed… a classic album for example.

Regarding your songs’ contents, your interest is on more than the usual “shallow&selling” policy that can be found almost everywhere in nowadays’ music. What would you say is the biggest problem the common music policy suffers from, and do you see a chance to change that?

There are so many bands around these days and many that sound so much alike, that a lot of great music just gets lost in the grey mass. Everything sounds the same and everyone loses interest. For many it feels like there's only one right way, standard or formula of making music and when they hear something different they automatically reject it. In my opinion people should listen to all types of music without prejudice or pre-conceptions and just form their own opinion about it. It really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, it's enough if you like it.

Now and then someone succesfully creates something different, original and innovative and everyone else starts copying it and just wear it out and soon it becomes the same grey mass as all the rest... but I guess that goes with all entertainment. Also the music considered mainstream is the only music most people hear and it barely manages to scratch the surface. There are great bands and shitty bands in all types of music, you just gotta find the ones that work best for you. Most people are happy just recycling the same old melodies and styles without even trying to add something of their own to it, something original. Also a lot of people's motives towards making music would seem to be all wrong from the start: just for fame, just for the money or just to score chicks... what do you expect the songs' content to be? If you`re not in it for the music then stop abusing it. I'd like my music with real feelings and a deeper meaning, please.

You are also singer/guitarist in SAASTA. Tell us about this part of your musical dedication…


I like to keep myself busy with many different types of projects in many different styles of music and Saasta is something of a side project with Teemu Källi who also played the keyboard parts of "in your spine". I like to describe Saasta as finnish grunge acoustically on guitar and keyboards. We've played some gigs together with chILL and Saasta's gigs are a nice variety to chILL's intense body breaking and voice shattering shows. Saasta is currently recording it's first EP "harmaaseen hukkumassa", which will be released throug Twisted Entertainment. If you like Nirvana, Alice In Chains, Muse, Deftones or even Linkin Park then you should love Saasta..

What would you say is most important for the music you’re involved in?

The artistic freedom to do what we love and doing it our way and just to open people's minds a bit for different types of music than just the basic (mostly) shit they see and hear on the mainstream media. Individuality is in my opinion very important but the sad truth is that many people are programmed creatures of habit that follow the other sheeps to the slaughter`s. We'd like to raise the blinders a bit and get people questioning what's really going on with the world instead of just swallowing everything whole. Musically we'd like to break the formula a bit more and create something totally outside the box that truly stands out and shines.

Now getting to “the other kind of” questions: The best/worst habits of yourself and your band mates?

Alcohol is a bad habit if you're too drunk to play. I don't think anyone wants to watch someone fucking up on stage cause he's too wasted. I don't usually drink that much maybe a couple beers after a show and I don't usually smoke either but when we`re on gigs I'm always bumming cigarettes from my band mates. Some "bad" habits are perhaps better left unsaid out loud.


Where do you see yourself in about ten years? Which wishes need to be fulfilled until then?


Hopefully releasing great records and doing bigger shows. Hopefully we'll be making our living through music and "Twisted Entertainment" is a globally succesful record label. We've perfected our skills as musicians and raised our art into whole different level... not necessarily re-invented the wheel but improved our own unique style of spinning it into perfection. Up till now We've only been touring in Finland and it would be great to do shows in other countries too, in Germany for example.


Imagine the world would end tomorrow: what would you do?

(CENSORED)


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schMuRzi

PekiloRok 2010 w/ Klamydia & Rattus

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PekiloRok 2010 w/ Klamydia & Rattus

chILL buukattiin Pekiloon aika viime metreillä vain viikkoja ennen tapahtumaa. Yllätys oli iloinen sillä Pekilossa on aina ollut hyvä meininki, en edes muista monta kertaa chILL on soittanut pekilossa (enkä kerkee tarkistaan) mutta jos olisi pakko veikata sanoisin että tämä on joku viides? Edellinen kerta oli kumminkin 2008 chILL'n debyyttilevyn "controlled chaos" julkaisun aikoihin. Tästähän alkaa pikkuhiljaa tulla tapa eikä se haittaa meitä ollenkaan! Olemme tämän vuoden keikoilta kuvanneet materiaalia musiikkivideota varten ja PekiloRokissahan on loistavat puitteet myös tähän tarkoitukseen.

Viiden maissa saavumme pääkallopaikalle Pekilolle ja siinä kamoja roudatessa tunnistan tutun naaman: se on malli, se on VJ, se on PekiloRokin 2010 kuvankaunis juontaja Janika Nieminen
joka oli juontamassa pekiloa myös vuonna 2008.
Röökin pituinen kuulumisien vaihto ja aika roudaa loput kamat. Rattus ja Klamydian porukkakin kantaa jo kamojaan sisään ja about seiskan maissa Rattus aloittaa soundcheckin. Saamme hoidettua chILL'n sounditarkistuksen pois alta juuri ennen ovien aukaisua 20.00. Pakko kyllä myöntää että Pekilon betonihalli ei ole akustiikaltaan paras mahdollinen paikka rock-konsertille mutta toivotaan että ihmismassa vähentää salin kaikuisuutta. Tunnelma ennen keikkaa lavan takana on erittäin hyvä ja oudon rento. Noin yhdeksältä Janika spiikkaa meidät sisään ja miska painuu ekana lavalle.
Uuden biisin "the last time (till the next time)" alkuriffi leijailee ilmoille ja pojat kiipeävät lavalle järjestäen perässä yhtyen soittoon. Biisin instrualku on kohta loppumaisillaan ja juoksen kiireellä lavalle huomatakseni että mikkitelineessäni ammottaa tyhjä paikka mikin tilalla. Painun takaisin lavan taakse hakemaan Janikan mikin ja palaan pikaseen lavalle kun huomaan että säätövastaava on taikonut jostain mikrofonin kadonneen tilalle. Säätöjumalalle kiitos mikit ovat langattomia (ei tarvii taas sählätä sitä pirun piuhaa irti!). Perussäätöä taas eikä keikka olisi keikka ilman pientä (alku)sähläystä. Perisuomalaisin tavoin homma lähtee käyntiin kirosanoin: "PERKELE!" ja sitten mennään.
Lavalle soundit kuulostavat selkeältä ja potkuakin löytyy juuri sopivasti. Paikoitellen pieniä vaikeuksia kuulla omaa laulua mutta ei mitään vakavaa. Fiilis on hyvä ja porukkaakin todella hyvin heti keikan alusta lähtien.Setti jatkuu brutaalina sillä seuraavaksi progeileva ja kaunis "Rotten Apples" uudelta "In Your Spine"-promolta sekä hieman hektinen "Shallow Waters" chILL'n debyyttilevyltä "Controlled Chaos".
"Morreal" on chILL'n tuoreempaa, raskaampaa materiaalia ja biisi joka vyöryy armotta yli jos ei ole varuillaan. Ehkä vielä vähän hiomaton mutta jo puhdas timantti "Pure Hearts And Dirty Minds" on chILL'n tyylille uskollista sinkoilua suuntaan jos toiseen: rankkaa, melodista, progressiivista, koukukasta ja puhdasta hittiainesta.
Mitäs helvettiä? Jengi ilmiselvästi nauttii näkemästään/kuulemastaan ja tunnelma on tiivis vaikka bändin ja yleisön erottaa aita + pari metriä tyhjää. Mukava tunne kun tekee mitä rakastaa, tietää mitä tekee ja tekee sen täysin omalla tyylillä.
Homma tuntuu luonnolliselta ja aivan helvetin hyvältä. Tänä vuonna heitetyt keikat ovat parantuneet kaikin puolin keikka keikalta ja nyt selkeästi heitetään vuoden parasta. Kaikkihan on ihan vitun liekeissä! Bändin soitto on tiukkaa ja virheetöntä tänään ja fiilis tuntuu
jokaisella olevan kohillaan eli katossa.
Vanha tuttu ja aina takuuvarma livebiisi "Manipulator" ei petä tänäänkään ja laittaa muurahaispesään lisää kuhinaa. Sitten joku huutaa jotain omaperäistä anniskelualueen suunnalta (kai): "Soittakaa Paranoidi!" ja mehän tehdään mitä yleisö toivoo ja potkaistaan käyntiin meidän oma "Paranoid Like Me", hieman kornimainen ja erittäin raskas biisi.
Oli keikalla sitten kuinka hauskaa hyvänsä, sitä useasti huomaa keikan loppupäässä ajattelevan: "huh, pari biisiä enää". Kunto kestää kyllä mutta siinä lähes tunnin räyhätessä tuppaa ääni kulumaan välillä vähän liiaksikin. Liian vähän hengähdystaukoja setissä. vielä vanha hitti "Below", uusi astetta progressiivisempi mestariteos "Break Some More" ja tuore hitti "Madluck" sopivat täydellisesti keikan loppuun.
"Madluck" vaikuttaisi olevan keikoilla se biisi joka viimeistään tempaa mukaansa ja saadaanhan me sen aikana porukka tosi hyvin messiin. Jaksaa, jaksaa! Vielä viimeinen rutistus ja se on siinä!
Wau! Sehän oli kaikin puolin aivan loistokeikka! Huippua kuvamateriaalia nauhalla jos toisellakin ja palautteesta päätellen yleisökin diggasi täysillä eli ei voi olla kuin tyytyväinen ja heittää puhtain sydämin ja kevein mielin perseet olalle. Vähäksi aikaa rentoutumaan bäkkärille ja sen jälkeen katsomon puolelle.
Rattus on jo aloittanut settinsä ja porukkaa paikalla tosi hyvin. Rattuksen paahtoa seuratessani huomaan keskittyväni eniten Vellun rumputyöskentelyyn (näin käy usein jos huomaan että bändissä on erityisen hyvä rumpali), vellun jotenkin Joey Jordisonmainen tyyli iskee kyllä meikäläiseen ihan kympillä.
Klamydian aloittaessa settinsä tupa onkin jo aivan täynnä ja meininki sen mukainen. Yllätyn kuinka selkeän hyvät soundit klamydialla onkaan. Jengi diggaa ihan täysillä ja se on oikein se, väki sai juuri sitä mitä tilasi. Pekilon valojen väriloiste on tänä vuonna aivan toista luokkaa, häikäisevän upeaa ja se näkyy kuvissa ja videolla. Mielestäni erittäin onnistunut PekiloRok ja uskon että jokainen paikalla ollut on samaa mieltä. Ja harvemmin sitä oman äitinsä löytää eturivistä rokkaamasta.

Illan setti:

The Last Time (Till The Next Time)
Rotten Apples
Shallow Waters
Morreal
Pure Hearts And Dirty Minds
Manipulator
Paranoid Like Me
Break Some More
Below
Madluck

ERITYISKIITOKSET VIELÄ:
Jani Heittola
Tuomas Sirola
Iiro Koskelainen / Ironmedia
PIRAMK
Pekilon porukka
Sutemi
+
kaikki paikalla olleet.

TARPEELLISIA LINKKEJÄ:

chILL OFFICIAL
chILL MYSPACE
chILL YOUTUBE
chILL FACEBOOK

Nähdään seuraavan kerran livenä:
On the rocks, Helsinki. 12.4.
Varjobaari, Tampere 24.4.

Vilpittömästi,
Jouni Rantanen / chILL


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PekiloRok 2010 w/ Klamydia & Rattus

chILL was booked to PekiloRok in the last minute, just weeks before the event. It was a very pleasant surprise indeed for Pekilo's vibe has always been awesome. I can't even remember how many times chILL has played in PekiloRok (and too busy to check) but if I had to guess I would say that this is the fifth time. The last time was in 2008 at the time of chILL's debut album's "controlled chaos" release. So chILL playing in Pekilo is gradually becoming a tradition and we don't mind at all! We've also been shooting material for a music video on shows this year and PekiloRok has an excellent stage and some beautiful lights for one.

It's about 5 pm hicksville time when we arrive at Pekilo and while carrying the gear I recognize a familiar face... she's a model, she's a host, she's a VJ and she's a very beautiful woman. it's Janika Nieminen, the host of pekilorok 2010! Janika hosted PekiloRok back in 2008 too and now she's back... just like we.
A quick catching up and it's time to carry the rest of the shit in. Rattus and Klamydia's crew start carrying their stuff in and at about 7pm Rattus start their soundcheck. We get chILL's soundcheck out of the way just before the doors open at 8pm. I gotta say that Pekilo's concrete hall`s acoustics aren't actually ideal for a rock concert but let's hope the mass of people will reduce the echoing a bit. The vibe behind the stage before the show is very good and strangely loose. About 9pm Janika announces us in and Miska heads for the stage first.
The intro riff of the new song "The Last Time (Till The Next Time) starts floating around the air while boys climb the stage one by one and join the song. The song's mellow instrumental intro is almost over as I rush the stage just to notice that there's an empty spot on the microphone stand just where my microphone should be. I head back behind the stage to get Janika's mic and hurry back when I see that the stagehand has magically retrieved a fresh microphone to replace the missing one. All hail the stage gods! The microphone is wireless (no chance of unplugging the mic this time!). Basic messing around again and a show wouldn't be a show without some minor fumble. We start things of in a very finnish manner and that's by cursing of course: "PERKELE!" and it's game time.
The sounds on stage are pretty clear and they got just enough kick to them. At times I have a little trouble hearing my vocals though nothing serious. The vibe is good and there's a lot of people in the crowd right from the start.The set stays brutal for the next songs are the progressive and beautiful "Rotten Apples" from the new promo "In Your Spine" and the slightly hectic "Shallow Waters" from chILL's debut album "Controlled Chaos".
"Morreal" is one of chILL's new, heavier songs and will roll over you mercilessly if you're not careful. Still maybe a little rough on the edges but already a pure diamond "Pure Hearts And Dirty Minds" is faithful to chILL's hectic style: brutal, melodic, progressive, catchy and pure hit potential.
What the hell is going on here? The crowd is obviously loving what they see/hear and although there's a fence and couple meters of empty space between the band and the audience the ambiance is dense. It's a great feeling doing what you love, knowing exactly how it's done and doing it with a style that's completely your own.
It's all so organic and feels fucking fantastic. The shows we've done this year have gradually gotten better and better and this is clearly the best one yet.
The old reliable "Manipulator" is a guaranteed crowd pleaser and won't let anyone down this time either. Then someone from the alcohol area (I think) shouts something original "play Paranoid!". We like to do what the audience asks so we kick off our own "Paranoid Like Me", a little KoRn like, and a very heavy song.
No matter how fun the shows are, at the end of the set you find yourself thinking: "Whew, just a couple more songs". Body can take suprisingly much but after almost an hour of making different noises my voice starts to lose it's edge a little. Not enough breaks in the set to catch your breath. The older hit "Below", the new progressive masterpiece "Break Some More" and the fresh hit "Madluck" end the gig perfectly.
"Madluck" would seem to be the song that at the latest gets the crowd moving and we do get the people going pretty pretty wild. Come on, come on! One last push and there it is!
Whoa! That was an awesome gig in every way! Great video and photo footage and based on the feedback from the audience they were totally loving it. Can't help but feel satisfied and with a pure heart and a light mind it's easy to relax at the backstage for a while before heading out to the crowd.
Rattus has already started the set and the place is filled with people. While watching Rattus' set I can't help notice I'm concentrating more on vellu's drum action (this happens every time I see an exceptional drummer in a band). Vellu's style at times reminds me a little bit of joey jordison's stuff and I'm totally loving it.
When Klamydia start their set the place is packed and people are going wild. I'm surprised at how clear and good Klamydia's live sound is. People are loving it and that's how it should be, they got just what they ordered. This years Pekilo's stage lights are in a league of their own. The blaze of colors is just dazzling and it shows on the pictures and video. A very succesful PekiloRok indeed and I don`t think anyone attending disagrees. And it's very rare to find your own mother rocking out in the front row.(!)

The night`s set:
The Last Time (Till The Next Time)
Rotten Apples
Shallow Waters
Morreal
Pure Hearts And Dirty Minds
Manipulator
Paranoid Like Me
Break Some More
Below
Madluck

SPECIAL THANKS:
Jani Heittola
Tuomas Sirola
Iiro Koskelainen / Ironmedia
PIRAMK
Pekilo`s people
Sutemi
+
everyone who attended.

NECESSARY LINKS:

chILL OFFICIAL
chILL MYSPACE
chILL YOUTUBE
chILL FACEBOOK

See you next time live:
On the rocks, Helsinki. April 12th
Varjobaari, Tampere April 24th

Sincerely,
Jouni Rantanen / chILL

KATKAISE SÄHKÖT / TURN OFF THE POWER

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chILL "In Your Spine"-promojulkkarikeikka w/ SAASTA & Lines Of Leaving

05.02.2010 Morgan Kane, Mänttä.

Päivä alkaa huonoilla uutisilla Vilppulasta. chILL`n treenikämpillä, rumpali Mika ilmoittaa onnistuneensa rikkomaan basarinsa kalvon. Onneksi SAASTAn kosketinsoittaja Teemu toimii osa-aikarumpalina ja onnistuu kaivamaan jostain lähes uuden veroisen. Asiastahan olisi voinut kehkeytyä isompikin ongelma, sillä eihän tästä kyläpahaisesta löydy enää minkäänlaista musiikkiliikettä (huom. kaksi kyläpahaista yhdessä ei tee vielä suurkaupunkia). Mutta ongelma hoidossa ja vielä aikaa viime hetken pikatreeneille.

Homma toimii kuten tapana on ja "pääsemme" pakkamaan kamoja autoon ja ottamaan suunnan kohti Mäntän Morgan Kanea. About kuuden maissa saapuu paikan päälle miksaaja, sekä PA:sta vastaava Harri Mikkonen. Kamojen kasaamisen ja pakollisen säädön jälkeen päästään viimein tarkistamaan chILL`n soundeja.

"Miksaaja Harri Mikkonen & kaivosmiehen lamppu (tulee vielä tarpeeseen)"

"Morgan Kanen lava kaikessa komeudessaan"

Pakko kyllä myöntää että poikien seiskakieliset murisee taas aikas mukavasti. Rummut potkii niinku pitääkin eikä bassotaiteilija Hellun UUSI bassokaan pahalta kuulosta (mies varmaan vaihtaa bassoa useammin kuin pikkuhousuja). Miksaaja-Mikkonen saa mielestäni säädettyä chILL`n soundeista melko tuhdin ja tasapainoisen seoksen.

"Eero & Hellu - chILL"

"Jouni - chILL / SAASTA"

"Miska - chILL"

"Mika - chILL"

SAASTAn soundeja ei tietyn minimalistisuuden takia tarvitse kauaa hakea ja lopputulos on jotain kirkasta, kaunista ja kieroa.

"Teemu - SAASTA"

Lines Of Leavingin poikia ei vielä näy, joten päätämme lähteä viereiseen Cantina Carambaan safkaamaan. Lines Of Leaving saapuu paikalle about yhdeksän maissa, jolloin pojat pääsevät hakemaan soundiaan ja kyllähän se sieltä aika helposti löytyykin.

"Timo "Nipa" Nyman - Lines Of Leaving"

Ovet avataan melko pian tsekin jälkeen ja väkeä rupee pikkuhiljaa valumaan sisälle. Puolen yön aikoihin Lines Of Leaving aloittaa settinsä, mikä koostuu lähinnä bändin uudesta materiaalista. Uudet biisit kuulostavat vähintäänkin mielenkiintoisilta ja Nipan screamit / korinat / huudot / (whatever the fuck you wanna call it) kuulostavat helvetin hyvältä... odotan kyllä innolla bändin uutta tuotantoa. Yleisökin tuntuu nauttivan, jota tulee koko ajan lisää tasaisen tappavaan tahtiin. Kun kello lyö yksi on aika kiivetä Teemun kanssa lavalle ja aloittaa SAASTAn setti.

SAASTA on chILLiin verrattuna lähes lomailua kun ei tarvitse riehua ja huutaa pää punaisena itseään rikki. SAASTAn musiikkia voisi kutsua (ken uskaltaa) akustiseksi Suomigrungeksi kitaralla & koskettimilla. Setti koostuu tulevan "Harmaaseen hukkumassa"-EP:n biiseistä: "Pinnan Alla", "Usva", "Ihmisten Silmissä" ja "Pelkkää Pintaa".

Mahtuupa mukaan pari coveriakin: Nine Inch Nailsin "Hurt" ja SAASTAn setin päättävä chILL`n vanha biisi "While", minkä lopussa chILL`n puuttuvat pojat kapuavat lavalle ja yhtyvät soittoon. Siihen perään heti uuden promon "In Your Spine" biisi "Rotten Apples" ja keikka lähteekin ihan tosissaan käyntiin.

Juuri kun biisin vokaalit alkavat (tai niiden pitäisi alkaa), onnistun sähläämään mikin piuhan irti (tapahtuu muuten vähintään kerran joka keikalla). Teemun soitettua biisin kosketinsoitin-osuudet, on mies hoitanut tämän illan urakkansa kunnialla ja poistuu lavalta aplodien saattelemana. Tokan biisin "Shallow Waters", jälkeen nokkelimmat pokkelimmat yleisöstä jo huomaavatkin, että chILL`n lippu on vieläkin rullattuna ylös. Jengi huutaa: "Lippu Alas!", Hellu tekee työtä käskettyä (ehkäpä liiankin kirjaimellisesti) ja repii koko lipun alas. Vitut siitä. Kaikki tietää ilman lippuakin mikä bändi on lavalla.

Homma jatkuu hektisenä ja on hauska huomata 9 kuukauden keikkatauon jälkeen, että bändi toimii livenä edelleen ja vielä paremmin kuin ennen. Juna kulkee kunnes about puolessa välissä settiä, juuri biisin loputtua yllättäen katkeaa sähköt koko mestasta (nyt tuli Mikkosen kaivosmiehen lampulle käyttöä).

Täydellinen pimeys ja täydellinen lopetus biisille. Yleisö on samaa mieltä ja antaa raikuvat aplodit... ehkä siksi, että lopetimme möykkäämisen tai ehkä siksi, että luulivat sähkökatkoksen olevan suunniteltu juttu... mitä se oikeasti olikin. Parin minuutin hengähdystauon jälkeen oli aika palauttaa virta ja jatkaa settiä.

Uudet biisit toimivat livenä erittäin hyvin ja vaikka suvantokohtiakin löytyy paljon, setti on todella hengästyttävä (propsit vaan kaikille, ketkä jaksoivat riehua koko keikan eturivissä). chILL`n keikat sujuvat yleensä omalla raskaalla painollaan, ilman liikaa sunnittelua, musiikin ehdoilla ja täydellä heittäytymisellä. Koska musiikki sanelee käytöksen lavalla, meininki voi kehkeytyä keikoilla paikoitellen melko hektiseksi ja hyvä niin. Kroppa kyllä yleensä kertoo seuraavana aamuna keikan kovuudesta ja olo on vähintäänkin rikkinäinen.


Illan biisilista näytti seuraavalta:

Rotten Apples
Shallow Waters
Paranoid Like Me (miska korn)
A Beautiful Mess (hullubassoproge)
Fear
Manipulator
Morreal (eero uus)
Pure Hearts and Dirty Minds (hellu uus)
The Last Time Till The Next Time (miska vanha uus)
Break Some More (miska uus)
Madluck
-------------------------
+ Below (encore)

(Ps. suomenkieliset nimet ovat listassa siksi, että bändin muutkin pojat tietävät missä mennään)

Mukava huomata että paikkakuntalaisia vielä kiinnostaa hyvä livemusiikki ja saapuihan paikalle paljon porukkaa muualtakin mm. Tampereelta. Kaikille paikalle päässeille iso kiitos ja kaikki kunnia... varsinkin kaikille, ketkä raahautuivat eturiviin asti riehumaan meidän kanssa. Nähdään seuraavan kerran 12.3 Tampereella, Ravintola Rumassa. Livenä chILL + SAASTA.
Hajotaan vähän lisää.

-Jouni Rantanen

Erityiskiitokset vielä seuraaville tahoille:

Lines Of Leaving
Morgan Kane, omistajat & henkilökunta
Harri Mikkonen
Lilli / Vilppulan nuorisotoimi
Juho Loijas
Jani Heittola

Tarpeellisia linkkejä:

chILL In Your Spine

chILL myspace

SAASTA myspace

Lines Of Leaving

Morgan Kane

**********************************************************

ENGLISH VERSION


chILL "In Your Spine"-record release party w/ SAASTA & Lines Of Leaving
05.02.2010 Morgan Kane, Mänttä.

The day starts with bad news from Vilppula. At chILL`s rehearsal space, chILL`s drummer Mika has managed to break his bass drum head. Luckily SAASTA`s keyboardist Teemu is a part-time drummer and is able to get Mika a barely used bass drum head. This virtually small problem could have easily evolved into a bigger one, considering this small town doesn`t have any kind of music gear store anymore (two small towns put together don`t make a big city). Problem solved and there`s still time for a quick last minute rehearsal.

Some tight shit as always so we "get" to pack our stuff to the van and head for Mänttä`s Morgan Kane. About 6pm our mixer slash PA equipment provider Harri Mikkonen arrives at the scene of the crime. After all the equipment are in place we finally get to check chILL`s sounds.

"Mixer-Mikkonen and his miner headlamp (the lamp will come in handy later on)"

"Morgan Kane`s stage in all it`s glory"

I have to admit, as always the guys` 7-stringers got a really crunchy sound. Mika`s drums blast as they should and ain`t nothing wrong with Hellu`s NEW bass` sound either (I swear the man probably changes his bass more often than his panties). I think Mikkonen, our mixer for the night, is able to adjust a balanced, really full and thick sound for chILL.

"Eero & Hellu - chILL"

"Jouni - chILL / SAASTA"

"Miska - chILL"

"Mika - chILL"

Considering the certain minimalisticity of SAASTA, it doesn`t take too long to find a good sound and the outcome is something clear, beautiful and strange.

"Teemu - SAASTA"

The guys of Lines Of Leaving are nowhere to be seen so we decide to head out to eat to next door Cantina Caramba. About 9pm Lines Of Leaving arrive at the site and start to search for their sound, which they find pretty easily.

The doors are opened soon after the soundcheck and people start roaming in. At about midnight Lines Of Leaving start their set, which consists mostly of their new songs. The new songs are very interesting, to say the least and Nipa`s screams sound really good... looking forward to the new material with great anticipation. The audience too seems to enjoy, which is growing in numbers all the time. When the clock hits 1am it`s time to take the stage with Teemu and start SAASTA`s set.

It`s a nice variety to chILL`s gigs , almost like a vacation not needing to scream and mosh yourself sick. SAASTA`s music could be described (he who dares) as finnish grunge acoustically on guitar and keyboards. The set consists of songs from the upcoming EP "Harmaaseen Hukkumassa". Songs are "Pinnan Alla", "Usva", "Ihmisten Silmissä" and "Pelkkää Pintaa" plus a couple of covers: Nine Inch Nails "Hurt" and the last song of the set, chILL`s old song "While".

At the end of "While", the missing members of chILL climb the stage and join the song. Immediately on to the first song of chILL`s set "Rotten Apples" from the new promo " In Your Spine" and things get really heated up.

Just when the vocals of the song starts (or they should start) I manage to detach the microphone`s cord (happens atleast once on every show). Once Teemu has finished playing the keyboards for "Rotten Apples" his job for the night is over and he leaves the stage with loud applause. After the second song "Shallow Waters", the most perceptive people in the audience notice that the chILL-flag is still rolled up. Audience shouts: "Flag down!" and Hellu does what his told (perhaps too literally) and tears the flag down to the ground. Fuck the flag. Everybody knows what band is on stage.

It`s nice to notice after a 9 month break from shows, that the band is still rolling hard and heavy... even harder and heavier than before. It`s on until halfway through the set, at the end of a song, all the power suddenly goes out from the bar (Mikkonen`s miner headlamp comes in handy right about now).

Perfect darkness and perfect ending for a song. The audience agrees and responds with huge applause, maybe because we finally stopped making noise or maybe because they thought the blackout was part of the show... which it actually was. Just a few minute break to catch your breath and it`s time to restore the power and get on with the set.

The new songs work really well live and although they have lots of mellow parts, the set is really exhausting (props out to everyone who had the stamina to rock out in the front row the whole gig). Music dictates our behaviour on stage so our shows can get pretty hectic sometimes and it`s all good. chILL`s gigs usually live a life of their own, without too much planning, on music`s conditions and with total commitment. Your body usually tells you the next morning how rough the gig was and you feel broken, to say the least.

It`s nice to notice that the people of this town are still interested in good live music. The event attracted a lot of people from other towns too, like Tampere. A great big thanks and all the glory to everyone who attended... especially all of those who were at the front row going crazy with us. See you next time 13th of March in Tampere @ Restaurant Ruma. chILL + SAASTA live.
Let`s break some more.

The night`s setlist looked something like this:

Rotten Apples
Shallow Waters
Paranoid Like Me
A Beautiful Mess
Fear
Manipulator
Morreal
Pure Hearts and Dirty Minds
The Last Time Till The Next Time
Break Some More
Madluck
-------------------------
+ Below (encore)

Special thanks to:

Lines Of Leaving
Morgan Kane, owners and staff
Harri Mikkonen
Lilli / Palis
Juho Loijas
Jani Heittola

Necessary links:

chILL In Your Spine

chILL myspace

SAASTA myspace

Lines Of Leaving

Morgan Kane