Finland isn't a place one thinks of when thinking about power pop, but why not, if a band as good as the Bablers are from there? Those were my thoughts when I listened the first time, and as I heard this album more, I really liked it more each time. I think you will too.
Arto from the band was kind enough to answer a few question for me.
Andrea Weiss: I hear a lot of late 60s Beatles here, which I like. Were they an inspiration for this album?
Arto Tamminen: Not particularly. But of course, The Beatles, being the most influential band ever in pop rock, have affected all musicians of our age and are more or less part of our life’s soundtrack. However, we have never played their songs, and they are not a particular reference point for us.
We don’t talk much about other bands while working on our own music. We just try to execute every song the best possible way we can, regardless of the genre. We are a “song performing band,” not “genre band” formed to execute the aesthetics of x, y, z… genre. I find it more interesting.
AW: Were there other bands you drew on for this album?
AT: I guess we are all influenced by different sets of bands. Everyone has their own favorites. Janne (drummer) has done a lot of instrumental surf music in his previous bands (Laika and the Cosmonauts) and solo projects, Hannu (guitar) also plays drums in a free jazz band, Pekka (bass) is a much-used keyboardist in Finland and plays almost every genre imaginable… and I have a classical, jazz, folk and 60s “guitar heroes” background. When we come together, we bring our own history and background to the table. You can hear echoes of many influences on our albums.
AW: These are such happy love songs. Do you find them easy to write?
AT: Writing songs has remained a genuine mystery to me – why certain notes in a certain order and timing resonate with us emotionally. I guess no one knows. But they do, and when they do, they are powerful stuff and can have a profound effect on a person.
When it comes to my songwriting, it seems there is a constant flow of melodies from which I can start writing a song almost any time. But is it easy to complete a song that “has that something” – an emotion, spirit… something? That can come easily, within a few minutes, or last a decade. Like “Sometimes” from our new album – it took about 20 years to find a chorus for the song, and it’s so simple! Why didn’t it occur to me earlier? It’s a mystery. :)
AW: Even the ones that aren’t as happy still have some good cheer to them. Was it your intention to cast them that way?
AT: I don’t premeditate the outcome when I write songs. They come as they are. But I guess they reflect one’s personality. I’m not a gloom-and-doom sort of guy. I like to understand what’s going on in the world, but I always try to see and keep the hope and positive side of things on top. Like in “In This World,” which is full of reflections on the grim realities we are living in, but… “the change is on its way!” Maybe that’s why.
AW: What’s the scene like in Finland?
AT: Vibrant! There are a lot of highly skilled musicians, producers, and engineers in Finland. The young guys are phenomenal! But the Finnish market is quite small, with only a few major labels and a strong focus on the domestic market sung in Finnish, so not many outside Finland have heard of our best artists.
AW: Have you played any gigs outside of Finland?
AT: We have been asked… but not yet!
AW: Would you like to tour the US at some point?
AT: But of course! However, the politics and mood in the US are not particularly “inviting” to foreigners at the moment. I wouldn’t like to run into masked ICE officials when walking back to the hotel after a gig.
AW: What do you hope for with this album?
AT: That everyone who would like these songs would have a chance to find them! Like “You Are The One For Me,” “Where the Wind Blows Free,” and others. I guess many would like them if they had a chance to hear them. I hope they do! :)
