Rubik – 04/08/2007

Artturi Taira and Samuli Pöyhönen – 04/08/2007
By: Sabine van Gameren

Those who have read the review from Ankkarock, will probably remember this band. Rubik took some time to answer our questions.

– How are you?

Artturi: “Good! Thanks!”

– Did you enjoy playing at Ankkarock?

Artturi: “Really nice, I like the weather and this is a nice place to play. It
has been raining recently when we played gigs, so it’s nice!”

– How would you describe your music to people who have never heard of you before?

Artturi: “Actually, It is pop music. It has pretty much pop elements in it. It
is well arranged pop music I would say”

– What makes Rubik unique?

Artturi: “I think that would be the arrangements. We play normal pop music, but
we take much time to arrange stuff and make it more interesting.”

– When we want to get know you, we want to know more about your personality.
If you would be an animal, what animal would you be, and why do you think this
animal matches your personality?

Artturi:“My god, that’s a good one…”
Samuli: “I am a dog! I follow people around”
Artturi: “Well I am nice on the outside, fucked up inside and impressive… a controlfreak.
I don’t know what animal that would be…”

Samuli: “A lazy cat!”
Artturi: “Yeah.. a lazy cat… probably a lazy cat”

– Your debut album “Bad conscience patrol” has been released under
full stream records. Are you satisfied with the results?

Artturi: “Yeah.. actually I don’t know what the results are so far, but right
now it has been released outside of Finland too and hopefully it is still going
up. There are things we would differently with the next one, but it is always
a process. It’s all about the process. You write songs and then you arrange
them. You work together pretty closely and then you move that feeling into a
record form. It’s a trip. We like it. I am happy with it.”

– You have played on the Dutch Eurosonic festival and the French Eurovox festival.
These festivals are both major festivals for introducing yourself to the press.
How was this opportunity?

Artturi: “Well, they were both pretty well organised. The Dutch gig in Groningen
was our first gig abroad. It was different in a way, because we did not have
our own equipment. But those two gigs were different. But they were great! I
loved it. Especially the French one. But then, we consider playing gigs, just
gigs. We don’t really think about the results. It is always fun playing.”

Samuli: “Whatever happens after that is just not up to us. We just go there and
play and don’t think about what happens after that.”

– Some bands told that they did not like the fact that like 70% in there are
professionals and not too much fans.

Artturi: “Yeah, It is like that it is not directed straight to the fans. I am not
saying that those people are not fans of our music, but it might have a different
vibe. Then again if you are there and just start playing.. It doesn’t matter,
it is all about the music.”

– In September you are doing a few shows in England, what do you expect from
these?

Artturi:“I look forward to see the countryside of Wales again. We did a couple
of gigs in England before and now we are going to make a little tour. It’s
not like we have big expectations. We realise it takes hard work and this is
the first step. We are looking forward to it!”

– Do you have any other upcoming plans for touring?

Artturi:“Not right now… we don’t really know what the plans are. I think
we are going to do something in Europe this year, but I am not sure. The record
is out so then again we toured with this album for a long time, at least in
Finland. We played this songs and maybe we jus go and write new material. I
don’t know what is going to happen, but i am looking forward to write new
songs.”

– Did you ever have any doubts about continuing playing music in the way you
are doing now?

Artturi:“No, I like the music we are playing! We go with it. I could not live
without it. It is not an option to do something else the music. At least, not
for me. I am always playing and I will always write songs. I will always want
to play music with people I like, so no doubts about that.”

– Who is the craziest guy in your band?

Artturi: “Our bassplayer Arvi. He likes to get naked. In a crowd… he suddenly
drops of all his clothes. It happens all the time. I don’t think it is
crazy, I am saying this only cause is see people think it is a little crazy.
You know, everyone is having a great party, having a great time and then that
guys shows up.. everything is fine… and then suddenly he get rid of his clothes.
I don’t see anything in it.. It is not weird for me, but I see the look
at peoples faces”

– Where do you get inspiration from when writing songs?

Artturi:“From everything what is going on. Things which are going on in the world.
It’s difficult to be quiet about everything what is going on. And also
inspiration comes from other guys in the band. When we are playing together
I listen to the other guys and try to get inspiration from the other guys. You
can’t be forced to create something all the time. I just like to sit at
a piano and get something out of it. It comes naturally.

– Do you have plans for releasing a video?

Artturi: “We actually have a video from “city and the streets” but I
am not sure if MTV showed it.”
Samuli: “We have been on the Finnish MTV a couple of times. We have our own MTV
here in Finland and in Sweden they have their own. It is hard to get out there.

– How would you define success, when are you satisfied?

Artturi: “The only success I think about it playing a good gig or making good songs.
I don’t know how success would be defined.”

Samuli: “Succes comes from outside. I don’t want to think about it too much.
It takes you away from what we are doing in the beginning. I don’t think
about it at all. If people respond good on our music.. that is good. I don’t
know… That is all. When I can continue making music like this… That is success.”

– What effect do you think that the new media as Internet, Myspace and Forums
have on the fame of Rubik?

Artturi: “It is a really good thing. Myspace and internet have really opened up
possibilities to get your music out of Finland. From every country you can listen
to our music. It is only a positive thing for me I think. But it is not a free
market. It is commanded by the businesspeople. They really can choose what they
want to bring up. That is the downside to it. It is not a democracy… the youtube
and myspace stuff. If you pay it you will make it to the front page. But then
again, it has been good to us, of course it has been good to us, but it is about
the ethics of it.”

Samuli: “Before we would only have been connected to the Finnish music market
and now we are connected tot he global industry. I am not complaining, but then
again there are downsides too. “

Artturi: “I feel like I am taking part of this… I am a part of this machine.
It tries to force music to the people and that is not right. They have to find
the music their selves.”

– Where do you see the band in 5 years?

Artturi: “I don’t even see ourselves somewhere in 5 months! It is so hard
to say. It’s hard to say where I am going to be… where are you going
to be… It’s not about the band, it’s about all of us personally.”

– Do you have any future dreams?

Artturi: “It is directed by others. Of course I like to play somewhere… I can’t
get up with anything now. Of course we want to have the widest audience as possible
but it is not about that. I like people to remember us from our songs. Like…
I am listening to your songs when I fell in love… that all what matters.”

– When thinking of the future, is there anyone you want to collaborate with?

Artturi: “We never thought about that. Probably not a musician. We know a Finnish
composer he is a friend of us actually and he would probably the one. And probably
some other people who are not from the music scene. With some people you can
just connect. A mental connection. It can be anyone. It might be with you!”

– I like that idea!

Artturi: “It should be someone which shares the same ideas. And then it will work
out.”

– Thank you for the interview… do you have any message for the readers of Tempelores?

Samuli: “Listen to our music!”
Artturi: “Yeah listen to our music and… That is it!”