Once in awhile there comes
a band of varied soul moving creation spinning a reality of musical
tempos across the surface of the listener glistening a memory
caught in an eye of contentment. Melodically from the get go BRANDED
WOMEN spin their web of catchy harmonies that are apparent
with the bands latest release Velvet Hours-Stolen Moments.
I quoted a line that holds true with the current album review
“refreshing, colorful and musically alert this album breaks
through” for in all aspects it does. Now breaking the ice
into serious milieu BRANDED WOMEN’s own
Salla, keyboardist gal gives me from her perspective of what brand
of women BRANDED WOMEN are and what makes these
women so branded.
Jussi: What was it like
to have your song Something To Hold On be apart of the
movie soundtrack of Aleksi Makelas "VARES"?
Salla: We’re laughing on our way to the bank ;)
Only joking. We’ve always considered our music to be somehow
cinematic. So it’s great. It was weird to see the actual
movie tough.
Jussi: Give me a brief
intro how the band came about?
(This is from our website. I’m feeling kinda lazy.)
Salla: In the end of the year 1999 Julle wanted to learn
how to play the bass and form a band around Katja’s beautiful
voice, which she had discovered in a karaoke bar. In a drunken
stupor I promised to learn how to play the organ and Joanna traded
her violin into guitar. After rehearsing for a few months, our
first drummer Vera joined the band. Unfortunately, in summer 2001
Vera announced that she would have to leave the band in order
to pursue her dancing career. The sad farewell to Vera didn't
have to mean a sad farewell to BRANDED WOMEN
though. Almost immediately after Vera’s departure we found
a new drummer Timo, whose contribution has been more than testosterone.
Along with him, our sound changed, now being groovier than ever!
Jussi: How would you describe
BRANDED WOMEN’s sound to those that have never heard the
bands music before?
Salla: Weird, yet compelling mixture of cinematic pop,
rock, garage, exotica and electronica. Night club music with smooth
feelings surrounded by the hypnotic beat. Gives you the shivers
and makes your mind drift to another place. All about emotion…
Jussi: Do you think the
band has a unique sound that is melodically different from most
bands from Finland?
Salla: I’d like to think so, tough people often
pay us a compliment by comparing our music with bands like Jolly
Jumpers, 22 Pistepirkko and Soul Tattoo.
Jussi: With the release
of Velvet Hours Stolen Moments do you feel that this
has brought more Finnish acts such as your style asides other
bands like Charon and The 69 Eyes, though they are another form
of music?
Salla: I don’t know…
Jussi: Any plans to play
any festivals or shows in the future?
Salla: Not too often, cause we still wanna keep it fun.
Next Saturday we’re playing at this happening called Music
& Media in Tampere. In January we’ll make a small tour
with Thee Ultra Bimboos and Micragirls. Hopefully next summer
there will be some festival gigs. We’d also like to do a
small tour in Europe.
Jussi: How writes most
of the lyrical concepts for this latest release?
Salla: Most often the songs are compressed together and
the singer Katja writes the lyrics. The information in the lyrics
is not as important as the sound and the groove of the words.
Mostly the lyrics deal with basic stuff…such as our fucked
up love affairs;)
Jussi: How did the band
name come about?
Salla: The name actually existed before the band. Joanna
had bought a cool "Five Branded Women" -movie poster
and everyone thought that would be a great name for a band, even
tough none of us had seen the actual movie.
Jussi: What are some of
BRANDED WOMEN’s influences?
Salla: Along the way we've come to notice that we share
one big idol: David Lynch.
Jussi: Any side projects
for any of the members asides BRANDED WOMEN?
Salla: Well, Timo plays in a Stooges cover band called
Prototype, but they’re not really that active anymore.
Jussi: Is there anything
that the band wanted to do differently from the original recording
of Velvet Hours Stolen Moments? How long did it take
to record the current material?
Salla: We started in spring 2003. The basic tracks were
recorded at Hästholmen-studio in two weeks. After having
a few months break during the summer we continued at the Kick
Out The Jams!-studio down town in Helsinki, were the album was
also mixed, finally getting it all together during February 2004.
Everything went well with our producer Jürgen. Don’t
think there’s much we’d like to change.
Jussi: Speaking openly
here when I reviewed the bands latest material I was surprised
on how the band conveyed the musical/lyrical spirit for which
I felt was extremely well done and written, was there anything
as far as emotions that were a sense of focus upon the recording?
Salla: Emotions are always involved with BRANDED
WOMEN. Hästholmen is a beautiful quiet place by
the sea where you can warm up the sauna, go swimming in a freezing
cold water, grill sausages in a fireplace, listen to the nightingales,
go fishing as Jukka from The Flaming Sideburns did when he came
for a visit... Joanna and I practically lived there during the
recording sessions. Feel might be one of the songs where
you can sense the atmosphere of Hästholmen. After that we’ve
never been able to catch the same laid back feeling again.
Jussi: Bands that BRANDED
WOMEN would like to share the stage with?
Salla: To name just a few examples: The Soundtrack of
our Lives, Chris Isaak, Weeping Willows, Agents, Cardigans, Lemonator,
Flaming Lips, Morrissey, P.J. Harvey, Stray Cats, Soul Tattoo,
Nick Cave, Nancy Sinatra, Calexico, Ed Harcourt, 22 Pistepirkko,
David Gray…
Jussi: Thank you BRANDED
WOMEN for your time with this interview. I wish you much success
in the future to all of you. Thanks for putting out a great record!
Salla: Thank you! Cheers! |