A guy who needs no introduction around these parts is SAMI YAFFA, best known for his work with New York DollsMichael Monroe Band and Hanoi Rocks has announced the release of his first solo album “The Innermost Journey to Your Outermost Mind”, out on September 22nd, 2021. The first single “The Last Time” will be released on June 11th via Livewire/Cargo Records.

The Last Time is one of the first songs I wrote for this album when still living in Brooklyn NY back in 2015. It’s a story about two people whose communication is stuck. How hard it is to change one’s habits, no matter how much one wants it. It’s about the frustration and distress of addiction” – Sami Yaffa

 

 

Produced by Sam Yaffa. Mixed by Erno Laitinen. Mastered by Pauli Saastamoinen At Finnvox Studios. Recorded by Erno Laitinen / Sam Yaffa / Janne Haavisto / Jose “Puter” Puigserve.

Sami Yaffa has had a unique career as a musician. He joined the punk band Pelle Miljoona Oy at the tender age of 16 and played on the band’s now-legendary album Moottoritie On Kuuma. Pelle Miljoona Oy was Finland’s number one band at the time, but Yaffa and his future cohorts were aiming higher: as an original member of the band Hanoi Rocks, he spent the first half of the ’80s as an international rock musician with all its ups, downs and trappings. The band influenced many of the acts that would later become huge in the world of Rock n’ Roll – including Guns n` Roses.

After the break-up of Hanoi Rocks, Yaffa was asked to join some of the most notable artists in R’n’R history such as Joan Jett and The Blackhearts 2002-04, as well as one of Hanoi Rocks’ major influences, the New York Dolls 2004-10. In 2009 he started a band with the Hanoi Rocks singer Michael Monroe. This collaboration continues to this day, but now Yaffa is also releasing music under his own name.

 

The idea for the solo album started to take shape a few years back. Previously I had written music for the New York Dolls and the Michael Monroe Band, but now some of the songs that I was writing and had written started to sound more and more like my own stuff instead of what I would write for those bands.

What kind of music does Yaffa release under his own name then? Versatile. “I’ve always loved bands like The Clash and Rolling Stones. They could write country, funk, reggae, rock`n`roll or jazz without fear and make it their own. I wanted to have that same kind of versatility and freedom for my own record.

The album has wide influences, but that is hardly surprising to those who have followed Yaffa’s career: in addition to his own musical career, he has been getting to know the musical traditions from different parts of the world as the host and co-creator for the Sami Yaffa: Sound Tracker TV series. “However, my roots are deeply in punk and rock`n`roll. I don’t shy away from that.

Even though it’s a solo record, Sami has always been a member of bands and because of that, a team player. Yaffa mentions a couple of names without whom the record would not have come to completion – at least the way it finally became. The first to mention is a childhood friend, drummer Janne Haavisto with whom Sami made his first forays into the world of music. Sami and Janne created the basic tracks together and invited valued friends and musicians to collaborate on the album. Rich Jones, the guitarist from the Michael Monroe band helped pull together a lot of the songs lyrically, Christian Martucci from the band Stone Sour played guitar on half of the album, the other half was played by another old friend Rane from the cult band Smack and Sami’s old bro from the Hanoi days, Timo Kaltio.

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Dom Daley.

Close your eyes and imagine its 2005 Eduardo Martinez and Joe Klenner decided to record a few Smack and Fishfaces songs as a tribute to fallen frontman and underground legend Claude.  Well, those few songs turned into an album full and then it was released on the Argentine label ‘Bourbon Records’.  Buried and long out of print the good people at Alive & Kicking realised that a record this good shouldn’t stay buried so with a new track list and artwork they resurrected it and this is what I’m writing about today because like Alive & Kicking I agree this is just too good to be kicked to the long grass.  You want cool rock and roll motherfuckers playing songs that are every bit as good as some of the offerings from fellow Finns Hanoi Rocks but like their compatriots, they didn’t get the breaks their talents deserved.

Claude was the frontman for Smack and The Fishfaces and whilst ten of the tracks are the most popular songs from the bands catalogue the last two were songs Fishfaces wrote that gave a possible glimp[se as to where the band was heading musically.

Eduardo was a big fan and was instrumental in Fishfaces recording their second album and as a tribute to three former smack and Fishfaces members all sadly passing on this is more than a fitting tribute to two great bands that burnt out way too soon but Labels like Alive & Kicking are making sure that these songs aren’t lost and flicker on into the future.

We’ll turn this record upside down and look at the final track a sprawling eight-plus minute monster with roots undertones Juha Metsola can be heard on his last ever session before his untimely passing as the jam plays on. One thing you know for sure this Flaming Sideburn and co pay the utmost respect to the legacy of two great bands with the likes of the sleazy ‘Skin Alley’ loud and large before the classic ‘Good Morning Headache’ is played with as much heart and soul as you could possibly muster.

‘Cemetery Walls’ is haunting and timeless as it builds to its raucous conclusion.  ‘Through The Glass’ must have influenced many bands back in the day as the bass thuds the tempo is dark and menacing and the playing here is superb.  I always loved ‘Roses Have Faded’ and ‘Machine Gun Stoneage’ proper rock n roll with acoustic guitars written and performed by lifers who knew what it was to rock and roll from the heart. Fishfaces and Smack were great and could have and should have but sadly didn’t with three members resting in peace their tragic story does have a silver lining – knowing that there are people out there who loved these songs so much is a fitting tribute.  buy it and discover some of your new favourite old songs. Juha, Claude, and Saikki may you rest in peace – your music is being taken care of and Eduardo & The Thunderclouds I salute you for your sterling efforts. Rock and Roll!

Buy Here

 

Eduardo Martinez & The Thunderclouds album teaser

Teaser video for Eduardo J. Martínez & The Thunderclouds album "Hyena Planet Bites On You".Pre-order it now :http://www.aliveandkickinmusic.com/Claude-Tribute-pre-ordering/

Posted by Alive and Kickin' on Sunday, 5 March 2017