| The Micragirls | |
|---|---|
Logo (2009) |
|
| Background information | |
| Origin | Kuopio, Finland |
| Genres | Garage rock |
| Years active | 2001- |
| Labels | Bone Voyage Recording Company |
| Website | Official website |
| Members | |
| Mari Halonen Katariina Haapalainen Kristiina Haapalainen |
|
| Past members | |
| Elina Hakkarainen | |
The Micragirls are an all-female Finnish garage rock trio formed in 2001. The characteristic sound of The Micragirls is based on primitive beat, howling organ, and fervent vocal performances. Along their career the band has developed from sheer fun-having towards more soulful musical expression. The group has a cult following both in Finland and abroad.
There is a strong contrast between the looks and the sound of The Micragirls, especially during their fast-paced songs and notably when all the ladies are screaming simultaneously. The group usually wears 60s style uniforms on stage. The Micragirls are often compared to the Japanese band The 5.6.7.8's.
Contents |
The Micragirls got started during Provinssirock outdoor rock festival in June 2001. Four young ladies from Kuopio listened to garage rock compilation cassettes for the whole weekend in a Nissan Micra car, and decided to form a band. Their friends' band Aavikko dedicated one of their songs to "Micratytöt", which was then translated to the English name of the newborn group.[1]
Right after coming home from the festival the ladies walked into the rehearsal room of their friends and selected their instruments. Kristiina took on the drums as she had sat behind a drum kit a couple of times, Katariina chose a career with keyboards and petite Elina picked up the bass guitar. Mari became the guitar player and lead vocalist, being the only one with any previous musical experience – on classical violin.[2]
The first private gig of The Micragirls was already that August, and they had seven public performances during 2001.[3] Their first gigs abroad were in Saint Petersburg, Russia, before the group had published any records.[1] The band members had been enthusiastic music consumers and had even organized some gigs for other groups. This had provided them with good contacts within the Finnish music circles, and it was easy for The Micragirls to get gigs.[2] With help from the band Aavikko they also got the chance to make their first record.[4]
The Micragirls' first 7" EP Are You Insane, Girls? was published in August 2002. The EP consists of five songs, which were recorded at the rehearsal room on single takes, with no overdubbing. The method provided a gig-like sound and atmosphere to the record.[1]
The second EP Mind Twistin' Weekend with the Micragirls was recorded and mixed in a home studio of a Finnish fellow band The Slideshaker. The four-song 7" was released in April 2003. Around that time bass player Elina decided to leave the group.[5] The Micragirls had a lot of concerts scheduled and the remaining trio rearranged and rehearsed the songs to be performed without a bass guitar.[6] A little later Katariina furnished the band with a Hohner Basset keyboard bass that she plays in addition to a combo organ, her main instrument.[7]
The Micragirls did around 30 gigs per year in 2002 and 2003. In addition to Finland they performed in Russia, Estonia and Sweden.[3]
In the end of 2003, back in the rehearsal room, The Micragirls recorded new material for their third 7" Primitive Homeorgan Blast. The four-song EP came out in the beginning of April 2004.[8] Coinciding with the record release The Micragirls toured Sweden, Germany and Switzerland with The Slideshaker on their sixteen-gig Surrender Tour. In 2004 The Micragirls had 35 gigs, of which 20 abroad.
Next year was mostly spent on maternal leave. There were only seven gigs in 2005[3] but the group wrote new music even during their leave.[8] The Micragirls were back at full speed in 2006: gigging and also working on the long-aspired 10-inch album.
The Micragirls recorded some new originals and cover songs in the beginning of 2006. Bone Voyage Recording Company, co-owned by members of the band 22-Pistepirkko, signed the group based on demo tapes from the sessions.[4]
"Feeling Dizzy Honey!?", a ten inch vinyl album was published in November 2006. The nowadays rare 10" format was at that time considered by the trio as maximum dose of micramusic.[5] In January 2007 the eight songs from the 10" were reissued on a double CD version of "Feeling Dizzy Honey!?", packed together with disc 2 containing the eight earlier songs from the group's second and third EP.[9] The CD release helped The Micragirls to reach a larger audience, and their annual gig rate rose to about fifty.[3]
A Japanese domestic market one-disc CD edition of "Feeling Dizzy Honey!?" was published in end of 2007, containing the 16 songs and a bonus animated video of the song "Teenage Tiger". Yet another version of "Feeling Dizzy Honey!?" emerged in early 2008, this time a 12" vinyl LP album.[10]
After extensive rereleasing of earlier recordings, three completely new Micragirls songs were published in June 2008 on the 7" EP Haunted Heart.[9] Guest bassist Minna Kortepuro from the Finnish band Risto plays her double bass on two of the songs. She has occasionally played also onstage with The Micragirls.[11]
The Micragirls have toured in Europe on many occasions, most notably in Germany and Switzerland.[3] During 2007–2009 the ladies have supported for example Heavy Trash,[12] The Go! Team[13] and Boss Hog[14] on their European tours. The Micragirls did not perform in their home country between September 2008 and September 2009. The first domestic gigs of 2009 coincided with the release of a new album.[3]
The group's second album Wild Girl Walk was released on 2009-09-09, somewhat later than originally planned.[15] Members of 22-Pistepirkko acted as producers and recording engineers as well as technical consultants in the album sessions during 2008 and 2009.[2]
Albums
EPs and singles