FLIPPIN BEANS

-------- finnish dynamite--------

Flippin Beans is a fucking good punkrockband from Finland. Alex took some months to answer the interview but here it is at last. Please read it and first of all buy their record. 31/7-07

When and why did you start to play?
-We started in 1996. I have listen punkrock allmost my whole life so it 
was kinda obvious when we started play something it was punkrock.

Please tell me a little about every member in the band,
age, family, interests, work and something bad about every one?
Both new and old members? What do they do nowadays?
-Alex (answering to your questions) lead singer and bass player, 
29years old father of one daughter (other one coming soon hahah).
I run a company called FastRockFactory here in Finland. Check out 
www.astrockfactory.fi . basicly we´re doing shows/tours, releasing 
records, distributing records and running own store called Tulipyörä 
Shop in Lahti Finland. Bad thing´s about me huh there´s too many to 
mention hahaha.
other members are
Antti: Guitar and backups, 27years old, lives in Lahti, has dayjob in 
a factory which makes air-condition parts (shitty job heh)
Tero: guitar and backups, 30years old, Lives in Lahti, plays guitar, 
passion for hockey...
Eppu: drums, 22years old, Our latest member. Joined the band this year 
after our old drummer left the band. Likes alcohol, girls and 
tattoos...too many bad thing´s to mention haha..
Old members:
Lari: drums. Left the band 2007 haven´t heard anything about him since 
then. Good drummer and still a friend (I guess).

Finland as a punk country how is that?
-Yeah Finland is a punkrock country. We got really active scene here. 
Lot of shows and lot of DIY thing´s going on...In Finland punkrock 
scene is not a fashion thing so that´s the one thing what makes scene 
real here.

What does punk mean to you? Is it only a music style or is it a lifestyle?  But after your lyrics I understand that it is really important to you?
-Yeah Punkrock is my everyday life. To me it´s not what you look like  as clothes doesn´t make you a punkrocker. To me it´s how you think of  everything!
In the same time it´s a music style which I really enjoy.
one of the best thing in this whole punkrock thing is to meet new  people and bands. I´ve got lot friends who share the same passion  about punkrock and life in general...

Which is the difference between playing nowadays if you compare with the beginning of your career?
-The gigs has turned to be kinda professional. It´s still as fun as it  use to be but we´re lot more better band than in the beginning which  is obvious hahaha...
When we started to play live shows in the 90´s we didin´t know  anything about anything but we still have the same idea of live shows  which is that we don´t care if there´s 1 or 1000 people who has paid  the ticket we´ll rock always 110% that´s the one thing you can count 
on.

Is there any good bands around ....in Finland?
-Yeah there´s shitloaded of good bands around!! Few to mention you  should check out finnish bands like: The Heartburns, Anal Thunder, One  Hidden Frame, Endstand, St.hood, Down My Throat, Ratface, Relentless,  Testicals etc etc etc...

What do you know about Sweden?
-As you know we finns have love/hate relationship with you guys hahahaha...
Actually I like Sweden and swedes a lot I got so many friends in Sweden.

Have you heard any good Swedish bands?
-Oh boy lot of them...in the mid 90´s I use to listen a lot of Swedish  bands like Millencolin, Asta Kask, No Fun At All, Satanic Surfers,  Venerea, Raised Fist etc etc...now I really dig the Venera/Satanic Surfers guys new band called Enemy Alliance and oh yeah  The  Indecision Alarm, Adhesive (RIP) etc etc...You got lot of good bands.

What..s the best and what?s the worst of being in a punkrock band?
-The best thing is definitely meet new people and make new friends. Worst hmmm there isn´t any bad things being a punkband heh.

 How would you describe your music in three words?
-Melodic, melodic, melodic hahahah check out the record and you´ll find out.

Which type of people comes to your concerts?
-There is no certain type of people in our shows there´s always  oldschool punks, college kids, rockers, HCkids etc etc...

Which type of people do you miss on your concerts?
-Girls hahahaha...

When you do a song, which is most important, is it to have a good lyrics, a good melody or to have a refrain that people remembers?
-Basically all of those! There´s always good melodies in our songs. 
About lyrics those are usually something from my life or things that I  see or thing’s that pisses me off!

Politics and music, does it go hand in hand?
-Not always. I dig both ways of doing music. I mean that there´s lot  of good politic punkbands and lot of good bands without of any  message. Both are ok to me...I don´t consider us as political band  even if we have some politics in our lyrics.

Best political band/artist?
-Anti-Flag

Please rank your five favourite records, five favourite concerts and five most important things in life?
-Damn man this is hard there´s so many good records, concerts and  important things in life.
records:
Ramones: everything what they´ve done!
Bad Religion: No control and Suffer
NOFX: everything they´ve done!
The Clash: London Calling
Rancid: Everything they´ve done!

There´s too many records to mention...
and shows...

Most important thing´s in my life:
1. my daughter & family
2. punkrock in general
3. friends

First, last and most expensive record ever bought?
-Huh I don´t buy that much records I run a record store hahaha...
Really can´t remember...

Most embarrassing record in your collection?
-There aren´t any.

 Is it much violence on your concerts?
-No I don´t think so. at least I haven´t seen any fights.

How is it to live in Finland otherwise, I mean politically?
-We got high taxes on everything but Finland is a welfare country or  at least use to be I got nothing bad to say about Finland as a country  but new government sucks big time...I guess you got the same situation  in Sweden too. I´m a working class kid so...we´ll see how thing´s will  go down to sewer in here.

What do you think about the government?
-I hate it!

I compare you to as different bands like a tougher Millencollin and  less harder Bad Religion. Comment?
-I guess your opinion is quite good...something like that yeah. altough the new songs we´ve just done sounds bit harder than before.

 I understand that you being compared to other bands, which are those bands?
Bad Religion, Millencolin, Rise Against...those are what I´ve seen in  record reviews...

Do you care about reviews? Which do you trust the most,the good or the bad ones?
-Actually I do read some reviews but it´s always just one persons opinion.
Of course if the review has made good I mean if there´s arguments why  the record sucks or is good then I´ll take it more seriously. if  someone write something like "They sound like Bad Religion, there´s  one Bad Religion already" It´s not that good review is it?

Which are the most peculiar you have got?
-German review where was a quote from our lyrics and in the end it said  Flippin`Shit and nothing else hahahaha...

Which is the biggest audience you have played for? The amount of people I mean?
-Around 1000people (maybe more) in this years Ilosaarirock in Finland.

Which is the biggest band you have been a support act to and which is the biggest one you have had as a support act?
-Have to say Lagwagon. We support them this year in Helsinki..We don´t take support bands we share the stage with bands there´s a  difference heh...we´re not that big band.

Futureplans for the band?
-There´s gonna be 7" split with Decreto77 from Portugal. It contains 3  previously unreleased songs from us. after that lot of shows/tours and  new full lenght album in 2008.

For yourself as a human being?
-For myself...being good father to my daughter and just trying to enjoy  my life.

Wisdomword?
-Treat people as you would like them to treat you!!

Something to add?
-First of all thanx for interview and hopefully we get shows in Sweden too!
See you in the pit...Cheers Alex/FB