Uniklubi, nowadays residing in Tampere, have finished their third album LUOTISADE. The album was recorded during a period of transition and now the band has found their very own sound. Both the highs and lows of Uniklubi's career this far can be heard on the album.
The first great moment of Uniklubi's career was the signing of a recording contract at the end of 2003. Next spring another dream of theirs was fulfilled, as the first single, Rakkautta ja piikkilankaa, started playing on the radio. Uniklubi started summer 2004 at Provinssirock festival where they'd been wishing to play since the very first rehearsal sessions.
After the release of album RAKKAUTTA JA PIIKKILANKAA Uniklubi played more than 120 gigs, the most distant ones in Central Europe. They also played at the Czech's biggest open-air festival, Masters of Rock, and were invited to return the following summer. Due to active touring and abundant radio play, the debut album firstly sold gold and then platinum. The band didn't have much knowledge about the domestic sales figures in general and as a result they didn't know at first how to react to those precious milestones.
"It was only after we'd talked with other bands when we realized that it's actually quite an achievement to sell platinum. Originally we thought that it's an everyday thing for most of the bands", says Uniklubi's bass player and songwriter Teemu Rajamäki.
All the hard work brought Uniklubi the Emma award of Newcomer of the Year but at the same time the band was on the verge of burnout. In between the gigs they spent short periods in the studio recording their second album KEHÄ, worrying about the lack of time and about the album possibly ending up in a fiasco.
"It was at Akun Tehdas, where we listened to the album, when we started to believe that KEHÄ actually worked well and we could carry on making music. The singles were successful, for example Huomenna was the most played song in Finland for three weeks in a row and the album sold gold very quickly. Then we realized that our fear of Uniklubi's career coming to an end had been in vain", Teemu recalls.
The video of Huomenna brought Uniklubi an Emma Award (based on the public voting). They also played more than a hundred gigs and started their first real gig break autumn 2006. The tour, which lasted about two and half years, ended in a spectacular way at Venetsialaiset festival in Kokkola, where Uniklubi had Lordi's pyrotechnics at their disposal. Despite the sparkling show Uniklubi couldn't start their holiday with peace of mind. Vocalist Jussi Selo's vocal cord problems had forced the band to cancel a dozen shows during the year as well as the German tour, which should haven taken place in autumn. They also skipped Masters of Rock festival.
"That would have been mostly a sort of vacation as our albums haven't been released outside Finland. Because of that we felt that the domestic festival gigs, which were during the same weekend, were more important", Teemu explains.
Jussi had his vocal cord operation right after the gig break began.
"At that time we had several worries. What if Jussi never sings again? Or if his vocal range changes considerably after the operation? When I'm thinking back these worries were unnecessary and today Jussi's voice sounds better than ever before", says Teemu.
After Jussi's recovery Uniklubi started recording their third album. The band spent the early weeks of 2007 in the middle of the forest at idyllic Petrax studios in Hollola and enjoyed the recording process more than ever. The result of those cheerful studio sessions is LUOTISADE, which has the darkest atmosphere of Uniklubi's releases.
"We've been laughing that it's a special achievement to make so dark an album despite the merry recording sessions. Perhaps it's because the songs originate from the worst and the blackest moments we've experienced during the past two years", Teemu thinks.
According to Uniklubi, LUOTISADE is most of all a band record. The whole band contributed to the songwriting process and the arrangements were finished already at their rehearsal place, without the producer's all-seeing eyes.
"I felt like I were still only 15 and just jamming in the rehearsal room. In the studio we were playing a lot because it was so fun and without any deadlines in sight we had the chance to write music without any external pressure", Teemu tells.
LUOTISADE echoes the influences, which Uniklubi has received from bands ranging from Guns N' Roses to Dingo and from Apulanta to Audioslave via Swedish metal.
"When there are several composers, each with his characteristic style, the music will also have more perspective and depth. We wanted to make an album, which has a distinctive Uniklubi sound. We wanted to find our niche in Finland's rock scene and I feel that we made it. There's no band similar to us", Teemu states.
LUOTISADE is released on August 22nd together with a release gig at Lux Nightclub. Starting from mid-September Uniklubi will be touring like crazy until spring 2008.
