RHINO PROOF

💿 Hi, it’s a pleasure for us to have on Hardrockheavymetal RHINO PROOF (RANE RIIKONEN (GT), PASI NOUSIAINEN (BG), MAKE SALLINEN (GT), JANNE TIKKANEN (DR), JUKKA NUMMI (VC)), HARD ROCK band from FINLAND!

 Can you tell us somethin’about your early days of your career? When is this all begun? Which bands have influenced you and What’s the matter of your moniker?

Rane: At first I listen Slade, then Purple, Uriah Heep, Blackfoot, DIO etc.

Motörhead blows my mind! When I was young, I play my guitar all of time with record player so it is not surprise if these bands comes out to my music! I’ve been on many cover bands playing Purple, Rainbow, DIO, Zeppelin etc.

Pasi: started at 14 yrs old with schoolmates, influences: Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Iron Maiden, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Metallica, Stone, Peer Gunt etc.

Make: Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles are my influences 💿 From March 2nd will be out your self-titled debut album. Can you tell us somethin’about this platter and its composition process? We had the privilege to listening to it and we’re really impressed!

Rane: It was 2014 when my former band stopped, I decide to put up a new band because there was new songs almost ready. When Janne came to the band, he said he also had new songs. At first, our songs were completely different, but when we started playing them as a band, they fit well together. We both make music independently and in the reheasals we will see if there is something to change. Speaking of my style of composition process, I always try to find different, maybe weird hook. I’m not the one who make safe and ordinary music.

Jukka: I had a chance join with the band which allready had material for whole album and even had lyrics and demo vocals made for me to listen and perform at studio. I did change melodies and arragements little bit and made songs fit to my vocal range which was different in the demo vocal performances. I had chance to use my low range which i had never used before, actually some vocal parts goes so low that i had difficulties to sing those parts.

 But It was very nice to use my voice so many different ways.

Janne: I had composed 4 songs and Rane had composed 7 songs during 2015 and we both made rough demos. Our first impressions were that each of our songs sounded really, I mean really different from each other but we knew that there was something going on with these songs. After some rehearsals the songs started to sound more than a bunch of great songs. They started to sound whole and then we decided to record them and make an album. The first recordings were made later the same year with Drums, bass and rhythm guitar recorded live in the same room. After this recording session it took nearly two years of more recording and mixing until we were satisfied.

💿 The real “news” in music industry is the return of vinyl; What’s your feeling about this classic format and the current music “business”?

Pasi: I dig vinyl format, the size of album covers and art in them. Have myself somelike 200-250 hundred vinyls at home.

 Music business is "sounds" like that major labels are having cartell or too much power to tell what the radios are allowed to play. Indie stuff is not so often to be heard widely. 

Things Could be better and more exposed ."Money talks, bullshit walks" 

Jukka: Actually I had found a Facebook group here in Finland which focus vinyl format and have more than 10 000 members and I have been listening all my music on vinyl since 1981. I always have them and have never chosen to sell or give them away. For me vinyl is the best format because it´s real object and cover art is in bigger perspective , song order and whole experience is nicer and you really have to put some effort into it and you concentrate more to the music and album itself. Luckily more and more people thinks like me and renaissance of the vinyl have actually saved music business little bit. My big dream is to have my own music on vinyl and I think it´s gonna happen soon... I do have published one single but it was year 1993. 💿 Your album will be a self release..Is it a chance to be totally free?

Rane: With this kind of band it is impossible to get record deal in Finland. Record companies want only young, good looking pop-singers in these days. We got offer from France, but they say that we have to sound more powerfull and heavy. We have our own style and there is no reason to change it. So, because Janne is professional, we decide to record our album by ourself. 

After we had finished this album, I made a little promo-package and send it to few European independent companies. 

We got some offers and Pure Steel Promotion was the best from our point of view. 💿 Can you tell us somethin’about your next live projects? Are scheduled any gigs to promote the new album?

Rane: We have problem because record is coming out and we need a new gig seller! There is upcoming show in Tavastia Club in Helsinki 21.2, but otherwise future is totally open.

💿 Thank you so much for your time! See you soon on Hardrockheavymetal!

Pasi: Thank You for questioning! 

Rane: Thank you too. Yhis was a pleasure to us.

#rhinoproof #puresteel