Vaurio was founded in the small southwest town of Naantali, Finland in June 1981 by vocalist Sauke, bass player Sidi, guitar player Masa, and drummer Brando. In 1982 Brando didn't fit the band anymore, and was replaced by Minni. This was the line-up that played in all Vaurio recordings and formed the core of the band; other people who played in the group were either visitors or more or less temporary. Most notable of these was of course Kepa, who replaced Sauke in vocals for a few months in 1984. The band was active through the vigorous Finnish hardcore punk scene of the early and mid 80's.
The band has not been active for a long time - the last live performance was actually as long a go as 1990 in Turku, Finland. Our vocalist Sauke sadly passed away in 2003 at the age of 38, and we would like to make this MySpace Profile a small tribute to him. You probably never get better friends than those who are closest to you when you are in those chaotic and bloody great years between the ages 15 to early 20's. That's how we were, closer than family.
Three of the songs here, "Petos" ("Deceit"), "Musta unelma" ("Black Dream"), and Huuto yöstä ("A Shout from the Night") are from our only LP. "Sortoa ja vainoa" ("Oppression and Persecution") is from the EP by the same name, as well as "Jeesus on herra" ("Jesus is Lord" - make no mistake, this song is anti-religion). "Kunnian kentät" ("Fields of Glory") is a live performance recording from 1984. Sound quality in the live track is what it is, but we thought this might interest someone out there.
Vaurio recorded an EP, "Sortoa ja Vainoa" in 1983, which was to be released by Propaganda Records that same year. For reasons unknown, Propaganda failed to do its part as had been agreed, and the EP never came out as planned (even the f*cking record covers had already been printed!). In 1996, it was released as bonus tracks on Kraklund Records CD reissue of Propaganda's Hardcore '83 compilation. In 2007, a vinyl edition of the the EP was released by U.S. label Feral Ward.
In 1984 Vaurio recorded their only LP, originally titled "Huuto Yöstä", which was licenced to and released by German Rock-O-Rama label in 1985, with the title translated (without our consent) into English as "A Shout from the Night". The record is nevertheless sung completely in Finnish. At that time Rock-O-Rama was not yet the right wing crap label it was later known as. Finnish 1980's hardcore punk was, as you would expect, very much anti-right wing - it just so happened that several Finnish hc bands (including such frontline names as Terveet Kadet and Riistetyt) released through Rock-O-Rama, for reasons probably known only by Propaganda Records which licenced Finnish titles to them. An extended vinyl reissue of the LP is scheduled to be out in 2009 on Blackwater Records (Portland, OR).
Apart from these two recordings, Vaurio had two songs in the compilation LP "Finnish Spunk - Hard Beat" released by Rock-O-Rama in 1984.
Vaurio effectively split up in 1985. There was a brief reunion in 1990 at the former Auran Panimo squat 6th anniversary party, which was the last live performance by the group.
... and, in the highly unlikely case that someone doesn't understand Finnish, "Vaurio" is Finnish for "Damage". Guess which Black Flag album inspired the name...
Vaurio - Sodanjulistus
Live at Lepakko, Helsinki, Finland, 18 May 1985
