Friday, July 21, 2006
It's my last few moments in Helsinki, I'm sat at the brilliant internet cafe mbar just opposite the main post office. They actually have "whole computers" here, not just shells. I can connect all my equipment, download files, edit photos etc. Great little bar. And thanks for the free internet time! Another option is to go to the library in the post office building across the road, where you can queue up for a free half an hour slot... as many times as you like. BUT, their machines are very inflexible.
Helsinki cathedral
The Russian church next to one of the many concrete slabs...
I've had an absolutely fabulous time here, it's difficult to sum everything up in a few sentences... Finns can seem a bit serious-minded, but they're very approachable. Even the death-metal-goth-dudes are all sweet and cuddly. Which is nice, because they're everywhere.
Helsinki Hallelujah: The goth vs. the die-hard Christian. The latter won the discussion, I think. "You're so lost, so lost..." was all I could hear.
I met up with Mervi again, and she introduced me to Janne, the sound-designer on the documentary she is editing... I hope Janne will enlighten the world with a post-industrial-noise-rock (his words) contribution to the GMC!
Mervi to Janne: "Oh, are you just passing by? Come and say hi!"...
...which he did.
I asked Girilal from Uppsala if he wanted me to pass on the musical challenge to someone in Helsinki. Following his instructions I went to Digelius record store...
Just to prove it.
...was helped by Emu (if I remember correctly)...
Emu passing me the phone to talk to Phillip.
...to hook up with the celebrated accordion player Kimmo Pohjonen's manager Philip...
Philip listening to "FD_in_sequence.mp3"...
Kimmo was unfortunately going on vacation the day after, but I'm welcome to try to hook up with him later if my travels coincide with his European tour. We'll see!
I've been to so many gigs I've actually lost count. I've seen punk, blues and various harder types of metal, of varying quality. Live music really is everywhere here, I love it. I was aimlessly walking around when I heard somebody tearing apart Jimi Hendrix. I ran over to find Jukka Tolonen (widely regarded as the best Nordic blues player ever, particularly in the 80s) in mid finger-breaking action. The recording session at his place in the suburbs a few days later was one of the strangest experiences of my life, I will try to put it into words (and photos!) later. Let me just say that Jukka and his mates are absolute sweethearts. His friend Jarmo, a guy who would probably scare you shitless if you met him and his five remaining teeth in a dark alleyway, is for me the epitomy of... something. Of how one should never judge. Of what one can learn if one actually listens. He donated a few songs to the documentary in a living room jam. I particularly liked "Asshole fuckers". No, that sounds crude, it will give you the wrong idea - he really did have some interesting lyrics, lots to say and charm galore. Jukka, Jarmo, Sampo, Marika - thank you, I'll never forget that day.
Jukka tuning up for a couple of hours... and I thought I was a perfectionist?
Take it away, Jukka!
A little time to reflect...
...before Jarmo (and Sampo) burst through the door on his rollerblades, picked up one of Jukka's guitars and started singing and playing!
Quite an animated character in his "10 - Totti" shirt. I want to be the mother of this man's children.
We also had time for a little pan-European cultural exchange from another planet.
I'm not going to start listing the names of all the people I met, it'll get boring. But I should mention the Gothenburg-based rock band Cousin Bill playing covers and their own really excellent songs at Molly Malone's - a high-spirited place full of Finns and travellers.
I got my 30 seconds of fame when Cousin Bill played in G especially for me and my mouth harp! I of course seized the moment and jumped up on stage with them - great fun! They're releasing an album in the autumn, check them out...
It's getting late, and I have to get going. I've been told that hitchhiking in Finland is very difficult, or that it's very easy. I've been told that hitching in Russia is unsafe, or that it shouldn't be too much of problem if I'm careful. I guess I'll find out - I'm heading east towards St. Petersburg, I hope to arrive there by tomorrow. I really don't know how difficult this leg is going to be - will my camera cause problems at the border, for example? Will my feet be grateful for their new sandals? (Have posted my shoes and some other stuff back to Norway...) Is hitching even possible in Russia? Upwards and onwards.
Most useful phrase: Olen maailman mukkavin mies. (I'm the nicest man in the world.) It got me free internet, cheaper accommodation...
...and some free raindeer and rice stew at the Kaupatori (fish market)!
Finally, just in case you didn't know:
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