Elämäni soitetut keikat ja studiosessiot. Ajattelin laittaa nämäkin ylös niin kauan kuin vielä muistaa.

- Kaavin yläaste 1987. Ensimmäinen keikka. Soitimme kevätjuhlassa musiikinopettajan kanssa Edu Kettusen Lentäjän Pojan:) Minä komppasin kitaralla. Isäni, lentäjä, istui yleisössä. Lisättäköön vielä, että minä en ole kotoisin Kaavilta. Asuin siellä kaksi vuotta isäni mukana kun hän piti kahden vuoden virkavapaan. Tässä lehtijuttu ko. keikasta! Olen kuvassa oikeassa laidassa.

Jos keikkaelämäni olisi tapahtunut nykyaikana, niin kuvamateriaalia olisi paljon. Tuolloin elettiin kuitenkin aikaa ennen internettiä ja kännyköitä. Kuvan ottaminen vaati ns. cokiskameran ostamisen R-kioskilta, ja sitten filmin kehittämisen. Ei jäänyt Tavastian keikastakaan yhtään kuvaa.

 

Lämmittelijänä Tavastialla oli Cisse Häkkisen pojan bändi. Lepakossa soitimme Clauden Fishfacesin kanssa, ja Shadow Clubilla Backyard Babiesin kanssa. Fishfacesin kitaristi ehdotti Lepakon bäkkärillä minua kitaristiksi bändiin, mutta Claude sanoi no. Kävin viime kesänä Clauden haudalla Nurmeksessa. Haudassa on Häkkisenkin poika jo. En nuorena juuri koskaan jaksanut ostaa R-kioskilta kameraa, mutta omia keikkoja ja treenejä äänitin hyvälaatuisesti usein.

 

- The Old Farts - Kaavin nuorisotalo 1988. Keikka. Rumpali
- The Old Farts - Kaavi, Iloharju 1988. Keikka. Rumpali.
- The Old Farts - Kaavi 1989. Studiosessio. Rumpali.
- The Old Farts - Kuopio 1989. Studiosessio. Rumpali.
- The Crossroads - Polvijärvi 1990. Studiosessio. Kitaristi.
- The Crossroads - Joensuu 1990. Keikka. Kitaristi.
- The Crossroads - Ilomantsi, Ruhkaranta 1990. Keikka. Kitaristi.
- The Crossroads - Nurmes 1990. Keikka. Kitaristi.
- Ameeba - Joensuu, tori 1992. Keikka. Kitaristi-Laulaja.
- Ameeba - Joensuu, Ilosaarirock 1992. Keikka. Kitaristi-Laulaja.
- Ameeba - Joensuu 1992. Studiosessio. Kitaristi-Laulaja.
- The Plastic Tears - Helsinki 1993. Studiosessio. Kitaristi.
- The Plastic Tears - Helsinki, Tavastia 1993. Keikka. Kitaristi.
- The Plastic Tears - Turku 1994. Keikka. Kitaristi.
- The Plastic Tears - Kuopio 1994. Keikka. Kitaristi.
- The Plastic Tears - Helsinki, Lepakko 1994. Keikka. Kitaristi.
- The Plastic Tears - Helsinki, Tavastia Semifinal 1994. Keikka. Kitaristi.
- The Plastic Tears - Helsinki, Shadow Club 1994. Keikka. Kitaristi.
- The Gilgames - Joensuu, Kerubi 1995. Keikka. Kitaristi.
- The Gilgames - Joensuu 1995. Studiosessio. Kitaristi.
- Soolokeikka - Joensuu, tori. 1995.
- The Jailtown - Helsinki, Tavastia Semifinal 2003. Keikka. Kitaristi-Laulaja.
- The Jailtown - Riihimäki 2003. Studiosessio. Kitaristi-Laulaja.
- The Jailtown - Riihimäki 2005. Studiosessio. Kitaristi-Laulaja.


Ei nyt niin hirveän monta, mutta moniin paikkoihin se lapsuuden rämpyttely vei:)
Näiden lisäksi olen ollut mukana noin kymmenessä demosessiossa jossa on nauhoitettu koko bändin kanssa albumin verran biisejä. Samoin olen kiertänyt kaverien yhtyeen mukana valomiehenä Ivalosta Helsinkiin. Lisäksi toiminut Ilosaarirockissa lavaroudarina ja yleismiehenä. Olen myös soittanut parissa bändissä jonkin aikaa, jotka eivät koskaan keikkailleet tai tehneet demoa. 

Hauskana detaljina loppuun, että toimin lavaroudarina Ilosaarirockissa 90-luvun alussa. Samana päivänä siellä esiintyi muun Inspiral Carpets, jonka keikan näin ja jossa toimi roudarina muun Noel Gallagher. Emme tavanneet ja vaikka hän olisi lähestynyt minua niin olisin ehkä ignoorannut hänet. Joku nobody roudari Englannista selittämässä jotain. Vuonna 1994 päädyin asumaan Manchesterin Whalley Rangeen, joka on about kahden kilometrin päässä Burnagesta, josta Noel oli kotoisin. Elämä on jännää.

Näistä syistä seinälläni on Oasis-juliste, vaikka olen jo yli viisikymppinen.

Elämäni nähdyt keikat. Aloin miettiä, keitä kaikkia artisteja olen nähnyt livenä, missä ja kuinka monta kertaa, ja tein jonkinlaisen luettelon. Luetteloon ovat päässeet keikat, jotka olen nähnyt kokonaan alusta loppuun tai lähes kokonaan. Mitään kymmenen minuutin tsekkauksia ei lasketa. Jaettua ykköstilaa pitävät yhdessä Scandinavian Music Group sekä Kolmas Nainen.

- Kolmas Nainen  8
Tavastia (2), Vanha, Karjalantalo, Ilosaarirock, Ratina Stadion, Willy (Joensuu) (2)

- Scandinavian Music Group  8
Tavastia (4), Savoy, Linnanmäki, Ala-Malmin puisto, Musiikkitalo

- Ismo Alanko  5
Kaivopuisto, Senaatintori, Tavastia, Kerubi, Ilosaarirock

- Egotrippi  6
Tavastia (2), Kaivopuisto, Narinkkatori, Olympiastadionin parkkipaikka, Huvilateltta

- CMX  3
Tavastia (2), Nosturi

- Don Huonot  5
Tavastia (2), Kerubi, Kaisaniemi, Ankkarock

- Ultra Bra  5
Stockmann, Bio Rex, Kaisaniemi, Hartwall Areena (2)

- Wilma  3
Kerubi, Tavastia, Kaivopuisto

- Jonna Tervomaa  5
Senaatintori, Kaisaniemi, Tavastia, Linnanmäki, Ankkarock

- Eppu Normaali  4
Ilosaarirock (2), Ruisrock, Ratina Stadion

- Neljä Ruusua  4
Vanha, Törmä, Joensuun urheilutalo, Enon kanavaranta

- Kingston Wall  2
Public House (Joensuu), Ilosaarirock

- Roxette  2
Sheffield Arena, Helsingin jäähalli

- Zen Cafe  2
Ruisrock, Kaisaniemi

- U2  2
Tukholman stadion, Olympiastadion

- Miljoonasade  2
Ilosaarirock,Törmä

 - Kiss  2
Hartwall Areena, Helsingin jäähalli

- J.Karjalainen  2
Kaivopuisto, Ruisrock

- Demolition 23  Turku, Helsingin jäähalli

                                                                                                                                           Yksittäiskeikkoja:
Poverty Stinks Kerubissa, Havanna Black Kerubissa, Nasty Suicide Kerubissa, Kauko Röyhkä Karjalantalolla, Melrose Kerubissa, The Balls Public Housessa, Nirvana Ruisrockissa, Hanoi Rocks Helsingin jäähallissa, John Mellencamp Helsingin jäähallissa, Iron Maiden Helsingin jäähallissa, Mötley Crue Helsingin jäähallissa, Scorpions Helsingin jäähallissa, Aerosmith Hartwall Areenalla, Manic Street Preachers Helsingin jäähallissa, Midnight Oil Kulttuuritalolla, Tuomari Nurmio Savoyssa, Veeti&Elastic Family Bottalla, Kari Peitsamo Tavastialla, Samuli Edelmann Vanhalla, Smackin muistokonsertti Tavastialla, The Fishfaces Lepakossa, Värttinä Helsingin jäähallissa, Maustetytöt Linnanmäellä, PMMP Kaisaniemessä, Mega City Four Ilosaarirockissa, Andy McCoy Live Ammo Tavastialla, Tina Turner Olympiastadionilla, Bon Jovi Olympiastadionilla, The Pretenders Ruisrockissa, Backyard Babies Shadow Clubilla, Mick Taylor Rock'n'Roll Stationilla, Bruce Dickinson Töölönlahden puistossa, Steve Earle Savoyssa, Honey B&T-Bones Espan lavalla, The Milestones Turussa pubissa, Pauli Hanhiniemen Perunateatteri Tavastialla, Maija Vilkkumaa Tavastialla, Good Evening Manchester Ruisrokissa.

Tavastialla siis 20 kertaa plus kolme omaa keikkaa, yhteensä 23 kertaa.
Helsingin jäähallissa 9 kertaa.

Tekee yhteensä aika tasan 100 keikkaa, plus omani. Pari voi olla unohduksissa.
Monia keikkapaikkoja ei ole enää ollut olemassa pitkiin aikoihin. Willy Joensuussa, Public House Joensuussa, vanha Kerubi Joensuussa, Törmä Joensuussa, Shadow Club Helsingissä, Rock'n'Roll Station Helsingissä, Lepakko Helsingissä, Nosturi Helsingissä. Omituisin keikoista oli ehkä Bruce Dickinson Töölönlahden puistossa. 

Bruce esiintyi pelkän kitaristin kanssa duuona rekan lavalla keskellä puistoa, yleisöä oli noin 50 henkeä ja vuosi oli muistaakseni 1994 tai niitä seutuja. Parhaita keikkoja olivat Kolmas Nainen Karjalantalolla 1991, Iron Maiden Helsingin jäähallissa 1988 ja U2 Tukholman stadionilla 1993. Kaikki upeita kokemuksia jolloin bändi oli liekeissä alusta loppuun. Kaksi keikkaa jäi kaduttamaan, eli olisin saanut niihin lipun mutta en ostanut/oli muuta menoa eli The Black Crowes Tavastialla ja Emmy-Lou Harris Tavastialla. Lähes kaiken olen nähnyt mitä olen halunnutkin. Dar Williams olisi hienoa nähdä.

Honda CB250RS. I have always had a kind of soft spot for quarter-liter bikes. Yamaha RD250LC example was a great little bee. Honda CB250N was bit boring, but still a two-fifty. Honda CB250RS is in my opinion the best 250cc four-stroke bike ever made. It looks marvellous, and is extremely light for it's size. It weighs a kilo less, than Honda CB125T. Basically it feels like 125cc four-stroke with 26hp, and almost 500cc level of torque.

Using Wiseco high-comp piston you can upgrade it easily to 28hp or so. It handles like 125cc bike. Torque is very good for it's size, there's not much difference to Honda FT500, not even on top speed. Fuel consuption is way less than on FT500. Engine bottom-end is the same than on FT500, so it's basically 500cc engine with 250cc bore. Conrod, crank bearings, etc are the same than on 500cc engine. The stroke is only shorter. Which all means you can pretty safely fit it with high-comp piston, it won't get overstressed.

It really likes 100% alkylate gas, which is available on pump around here. What amazes me is how rev-happy it is, thumpers are usually not like that. On city riding you have to keep your eye on rev counter that you don't go on the red zone. It's a screaming little thumper, which is part of it's appeal. Engine has a very over-square, short-stroke bore, that's why it loves revs. Despite it's low power it does not feel as boring and dull like some other 250cc four-strokes. Engine behavior is bit uncivilized and agricultural, which is good. It feels more like old british single to ride, it's not too smooth for it's own good.

There's no electronic bells or whistles on it, it's just old-fashioned honest motor. Even the ignition advance is provided by the centrifugal mechanical unit with springs like on the distributor of old cars. Which is bit funny. It has CDI ignition, but still uses mechanical advance unit so the CDI box does not basically work that much. A coil provides the spark, and mechanical unit the timing.

It has enough power that a grown-up man can tour with it without feeling like he's riding a moped, like on them 125cc bikes he would. Vibration levels are very low, lower than on CBR1000F example. Balancers do their job very well. Mechanical sounds are non-existent when it has warmed up. it purrs like a kitten. Fuel consumption is 4-5 liters per 100km, depending on throttle. If you stay on speed limit speeds it burns around four litres. Fuel tank is tad too small for cruising comfort and front suspension is too soft as a standard. You can beef it up with short extra tubes under the caps.

Kawasaki GPZ1000RX. I bought this bike back in 2002 from Riihimäki from a guy that had just imported it from Germany. We had a long bargain talk before the decision. It was so-called tax-free bike, so i paid the taxes after i bought it for the government but it was still cheaper than our local bikes were. Despite it's announced 126hp it was fast! Faster than CBR1000F with a margin.

This is the bike i made my personal speed record with, 270 km/h steady. I did that on our Janakkalan suora, and the thing was screaming. That thing about old Kawasaki's... They might be rough, sound like a concrete mill on idle, but boy do they go when you push them hard. Honda's are sweet and well thought but these Kawasaki's have the edge definitely when the performance is all that matters.

After that mentioned high speed run i decided to change the oil, and found it's viscocity was pretty close to that of the water. I dunno was it that or something else but after that bike pushed slight black smoke always when accelerated hard no matter the new oil or carb overhaul. These kinda things do happen when you buy old imported bikes, they are like box of cholocates, you never know what you are gonna get. But yeah, it was fast. Faster than the impression you get reading the specs.

Handling was not very good on corners. I did not like it's feel on cornering. Honda CBR1000F example is way, way better on that respect. With GPZ1000RX you always had a feel that you never knew where you front end was exactly. It feels like it has high center of gravity on corners, you feel like you are gonna fall on corners, it oversteers probably because of that 16-inch front wheel dunno, not good. But on straights...loved that engine. Kawasaki's engines keep what they promise, and it was also very easy engine to service. Changing the cam chain and starter chain was piece of cake. It was thirsty bike too, never managed to get it under seven litres per 100km.

I did have kind of emotional connection to this bike too from the past. My father's brother¨'s son had this bike during the eighties, and he loaned it for me one day. Man, that was something back then. When you were like eighteen this bike felt like a missile:) A king of the road. I have not forgotten that feeling. This is one of those bikes that will stay in my heart.

Yamaha RD250LC. I bought this bike back in 2001, and it went through quite of transformation on my hands during the year. It also almost killed me, but lot of that was my fault. It is funny how you just forget where and from who you bought all your bikes after two decades. I have had 26 bikes, but when i try to remember, i recall like eight bikes where i bought them. With rest of them i have no idea anymore. Faces, places, travels by bus or train to pick them up...pretty much gone from my head.

I loved this bike as it was right from the start. It was 100% original and very cheap considering how their value has improved now. I think i paid something like 800 euros, in 2001. I opened up the engine but there was pretty much nothing to repair. It was nicely sporty bike for it's size, did 140 km/h on flat pretty easily. Simple and reliable engine without the YPVS. I adjusted the oil pump to the max, as i always did these two stroke Yamahas. During the summer i did one 800km trip with it, almost all the time riding it WOT. No problems.

After riding it few months i got this brilliant idea of giving it a new look:) I bought that fairing from one motorcycle scrapyard, it was aftermarket fairing for Yamaha RD125LC YPVS. Clip-ons i found too, as you can see. That fine seatcover i made myself:) You can see also that there is silencers hanging from it, but that was just a quick idea that did not work. This look did not last long, before the bike became full-blown experimental build, as the picture shows below.

That tank is from RD125LC. Ducktail is from some scrapyard if i remember correctly. The engine is RD350LC YPVS, which i bought in pieces very cheaply from some bloke and rebuild it.  That double bubble i made myself heating the piece of plastics in kitchen oven and then forming it very quickly. RD350LC engine did not work very well with those RD250LC pipes. It accelerated well though.
From that RD350LC YPVS-engine i removed them YPVS valves totally and we welded their places over on cylinders, and it worked well. I also built a special tool to keep the clutch drum in place when tightening the primary drive sprocket nut on the crankshaft.

On 25 of May in 2003, i decided to make a wheelie. It did wheelies just with a throttle on first and second. Middle of that wheelie i noticed that i was drifting to the left badly, i kicked the rear brake to pull the front down. Front came down but it was too late, i was heading straight to the sidewalk edge on angle. I managed to steer bike straight before it, but by then both rear and front wheels were touching the sidewalk edge, so i could not steer and i lost the balance and i fell on the sidewalk. That was not a bad fall at all, quite soft landing but then my both knees hit the steel light pole middle of the sidewalk when i was rolling. That was it. Both kneejoints broke in pieces, so i have titanium knees now partly. Loved the bike anyway.

Honda CB250N. I bought this last summer, because i have always kind of liked these small Honda twins from the eighties. This particular bike was museum registered and pretty cheap considering how cheap the insurance gets when bike has a museum status. Bike was originally brought to Finland from Sweden, which is logical because these bikes were never sold in Finland. We have something like 3-4 of these bikes here in Finland. Our Honda importer Otto Brandt chose CB250RS instead of this model part of their catalog back in the eighties.

I travelled to see the bike by train, and it was bit rough. Rusty spots here and there, etc despite it's museum registration. It was owned by the old man living on the Finnish archipelargo, and it was pretty neglected aesthetically. I did quite a bit of work to make it look like in the picture. Lots of elbow grease. I liked the bike when i rode it as it was though. A nice little buzzer.

Average fuel consumption was 5 litres per 100km. Around one liter less than CBR1000F example.
It was great bike to ride around the town. Very agile. There's definitely something i love on these little twins. I could buy one again if i would see a really nice running one. Economically there's not a lot of idea to ride these because they guzzle almost as much gas as the bigger ones do. Possibly partly because most of the time you ride them flat out. You can tour with them too, if you are not in a hurry. I did one 700km small tour with this bike, and it was nice. I sold the bike after two months of riding.

Honda CBR1000F. I have owned 30 motorcycles over three decades, and i thought i may write somekind of blog about every one of them. Let's see how it goes.

Honda CBR1000F, the ultimate classic sport-touring bike. I have owned two. First one was that upper red one, 1991 model, originally sold in Finland when new. Odometer showed 70 000km, and i think it was on it's third way around, brake discs were badly worn out. Bike was pretty worn overall, alternator chain was very noisy and first gear slipped off under hard acceleration sometimes, and clutch kept slipping occasionally no matter i gave it new plates and tougher springs. Front end also vibrated uncomfortably above the ton. I still rode it over 10 000km though. Basic engine was still pretty sound, started fine and ran fine. I dismantled the upper fairing and repainted it to cover the sunburnt original color. It was rideable but not a rose anymore. Ixil racing can gave it quite spirited growl, and Corbin seat was comfortable.

Lower second CBR1000F i own now was imported from Germany 2007. It's 1993 model, last production batch before linked brakes and newer fairing. Odometer says 80 000km, and i dare to suspect it is on it's first way around, using the brake discs as indicator, example. Bike is pretty neat and feels still tight, stiff like new ones do. Camchain and tensioner has been replaced last year. Alternator chain gives some rattle when taking off from standstill, but is otherwise still quiet. Sixth gear made some noise when i bought it, but the noise has since surprisingly disappeared. Overall the bike is still in pretty damn good condition, likely because it's german import, which usually means low miles and good care. Alternator chain has to be replaced pretty soon if you want to keep it super quiet, purring like Honda. It is totally stock, original. Plastics are still very nice.

They don't make bikes like CBR1000F anymore. On CBR1000F Honda found perfect balance between the sport and touring. There are few things wrong, like cam chain tensioner and alternator chain tensioner, but so many things are just right. Riding position is very good, engine power band is very mid-rangey, and it looks great. Engine gives you a feeling of the engine that's cylinder head and cams are made to optimize mid-range flow. Red line is at 10500rpm, and it starts to run bit out of breath above the 9000rpm. It's not eager to scream on red. It pulls like a bull between 6000 and 9000rpm. That's where you stay when you want to ride it hard. It's not like the old GPZ900R, that just wants to scream it's heart out, it's mid-rangey bulldozer. Bit like turbo-diesel car engine. It's not super fast, but it feels muscular, powerful like some old american V8 car. A great big bike feel.

Honda CBR1000F is a motorcycle made for grown-up man. For a man between 40-60 years old.
It is heavy. European model of this year is 273kg wet. 50kg more than GPZ900R example. A man over sixty may feel his powers are not enough anymore to handle it on parking lots etc. Do not ever let it get it's head. It is very hard bike to pull on center stand, with that worn 180/55 rear tire that everybody uses on these and with old slightly compressed suspension. You have to give it all you've got. With new, stock tires it's propably bit easier. A man under forty may not respect it's touring nature enough. It's quite front heavy, eats more front tire than the rear. Not a bike for wheelies.

It's fairing says proudly SUPER SPORT, but it's not really, expecially by modern standards. It's a grand touring machine, a mile-eater, gentlemanly sport. Think about old Jaguar or Aston Martin. It's a sport-touring bike. It's not a touring-touring bike, it's not a sport-sport bike. Inbetweener. The frame is pretty unique design, a mix of old and new. It has modern E-box design and shape like Kawasaki's of the period, but it's steel! A modern E-box frame made of good old steel. That's where it's bulk comes, it is rigid like baserock. You can carry a buffalo and not notice. This type of frame also gives it very good cornering qualities in my opinion. It's a bike that feels at home on high lean angles. It's rock steady on high speed curves. It's one of those few bikes that make you lose your chicken strips without trying on lone country roads, it makes you confident. A perfect combination of sport and touring.

And a third one! I bought this a month ago. It's the best one of three i have had hands down. Engine runs sweet cold and warm without any rattles, and power is still there all the way. It does 250km/h with ease very rapidly. It would do more given a chance. My first two did not, they started to struggle above the 220 km/h. Clutch slipped a bit when i bought it. I replaced the clutch plates with Barnett kevlar plates and it grabs so well now it actually does not disengage completely well, neutral is sometimes bit hard to find but it's no biggie and i guess it goes away when those new plates start to wear. Kevlar plates rock, they grab like a hungry wolf. I did 4000km in a month with it now. Dual brakes are bit weird, i would prefer old conservative system.

And ladies and gentlemen, fourth one! Now i have to slow down. I will try to museum-register this one in spring.