Hanoi Rocks. Yes. That’s it. It is it’s Own Pun.
August 3, 2007
So, kids, it’s been a while. Sorry. Sometimes I get busy with having a job and friends and a life.
Anyway. I figure it’s about time I did another weird band from Finland post, so where we are.
Quick Background
Hanoi Rocks is a glam rock band from Helsinki, Finland formed in 1979. The original line up consisted of five members
Michael Monroe, vocals and saxophone
Nasty Suicide, guitar
Stefan Piesnack, guitar
Nedo, bass
Peki Sirola, drums
(We have discussed my penchant for stage names.)
Shortly thereafter, Piesnack was replaced by Andy McCoy, Sirola by Gyp Casino, and Nedo by Sam Yaffa. After moving to different cities including Stockholm and London, Casino was replaced by Razzle. In 1985 the band broke up following the death of their drummer but in 2002 was reformed by McCoy and Monroe. The current line up looks like this:
Michael Monroe, lead vocals
Andy McCoy, guitar and backing vocals
Conny Bloom, guitar
Andy “A.C.” Christell, bass
Lacu, drums.
Hanoi Rocks released seven full length albums between 1979 and 1985, and another two between 2002 and now, with a third album upcoming.
Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks (1981)
Oriental Beat (1982)
Self Destruction Blues (1982)
Back to Mystery City (1983)
All Those Wasted Years, live (1984)
Two Steps from the Move (1984)
Rock & Roll Divorce, live (1985)
And, more recently
Twelve Shots on the Rocks (2002)
Another Hostile Take Over (2005)
Street Poetry, expected sometime this year.
(I didn’t do best ofs this time. I’m a little short on time today.)
I love Hanoi Rocks
Reasons:
1. 1. Um, hello, look at how much shit they lasted through.
2. 2. Even without much mainstream commercial success, they’ve been around for nearly thirty years. (Admittedly, in many different forms, with rotating band members.)
3. 3. They paved the way for bigger bands from Finland including artists such as HIM and The 69 Eyes.
4. 4. Hanoi Rocks has been a huge influence on a lot of major bands and it’s unfortunate that they haven’t been able to experience the same kind of success.
5. Occasionally sleazy, occasionally cheesy, always awesome.
6. 6. They look glam rock. They sound like a real rock band.
7. 7. I adore Monroe’s ridiculously teased blonde hair. I have mad respect for that hairdo.
8. 8. Let’s face it. They changed the course of rock music history, even if you don’t know who the fuck they are.
9. 9. Gotta love a band that actually manages to have original lyrics. It gets tougher and tougher as more and more shit gets poured into what is quickly becoming the cesspool of ‘rock music.’ (Thanks Nickelback, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At the Disco, The Killers, etc, etc.)
10. It’s unfortunate that a band that’s been around as long as they have and done as much as they have doesn’t have the kind of success that they deserve. On the other hand, I’m not complaining about the fact that I don’t have to deal with a ton of douche bag Hanoi Rocks ‘fans.’
Here’s where the bitching starts
For Hanoi Rocks, I would put up with those fans. Honestly. They deserve more recognition from the music world than the dedicated cult following they have. Cult followings are awesome but everyone should know (and love) this band, if only for the changes and influence they brought to music.
Stupid European tour that doesn’t have any dates in the US, let alone on the East coast. I’m moving to Europe as soon as possible.
The older albums are mildly harder to find, although since they were rereleased on CD that makes life easier. Hanoi Rocks is a band that I refuse to download, though I’m sure that I could.
Razzle. December 8, 1984. Respect, love, and remembrance for a fantastic musician.
This isn’t bitching, I think it’s awesome. To promote Another Hostile Takeover, the boys started a concert in the middle of rush hour in Helsinki, bringing traffic to a screeching halt. You don’t fucking do better than that. Hanoi Rocks owns you. And buy a fucking album, for fucks sake. They need to stop being a rock and roll secret.
