Saa Kiljua is a really good finnish punkband. They sent me their records and after a long time they answered my questions for an interview. April 2026.

Hello thanks for the records….please tell me a short history on why and when you started to play?

-We started in the summer of 2019, when Jyrki and Ilkka were watching some punk gig and started to think that they should also start a punk band.

Please tell me a little about every member, name, what you play, age and if you have been in any other bands before and have any on the side?

-Jyrki Niemelä, guitar, fortysomething, bands: The George Double Use, Warbird Over Waikiki, Rock The Party

Ilkka Immonen, bass, fortysomething, bands: The George Double Use, Warbird Over Waikiki, Rock The Party

Tiina Vaattovaara, vocals, fortysomething, bands: Grand Manoeuvre, Tiina Vaattovaara, Rock The Party

Matias Haapaniemi, drums, thirtysomething, bands: Mutafunkers, Warbird Over Waikiki, Rock The Party

You are not teenagres I can see, what is the best with playing punk when you have come up in age?

-The best thing is you don’t give a f*ck anymore what anybody thinks of you so you can do whatever you want.

What does punk mean to you? Is it only a word orh what is it?

-Punk for us is basically freedom of creativity, saying things as they are and being deadserious yet playful at the same time.

Can Shout your name means I saw, is punk a good way to shout?

-Yes, definitely.

What are you shouting in the lyrics?

- Would you please shut the f*ck up - Put your tongue back to your mouth and your d*ck back to your trousers, I won’t touch you, I’d rather die - It’s quite strange that the poor and the sick ones have to pay our debts and the rich are just getting more advantages - Let’s destroy this government - etc

Who does the lyrics?

-Our singer Tiina does all the lyrics.

Please tell me a little about following lyrics

Kuusi Öljää

Tilttiin

Isi musta tulee is on a punkkari

-Kuusi pöljää is a happy song about friendship, it’s like ”Six Dorks” and there’s a true story about how we spent time together at summer cabin.

-Tilttiin is about burnout, basically.

Isi musta tulee isona punkkari

-daddy, I’m going to be a punk rocker when I grow up) is about society’s expectations and our answer to that.

Why do you have so many vowels in your words so many double vovewls, is there any explanation on that?

-I don’t know, it’s Finnish.

Was it finnish which was the only language that you have thought of singing on?

-Yes. This was just something fun we wanted to do so we didn’t think about it very closely. But we think the lyrics are more powerful when you say them in your mother tongue.

The finnish punkscene have always been good, any favorites from the past and from the new punkbands?

-We’ve toured with Pelle Miljoona, he’s one of our idols. Ratsia, No Shame, Real Vacation

Any swedish favorites?

-Not from punk scene, but others In Flames, Ghost, Europe, Opeth

You play som sort of very melodic punk without being a USHC-band, I think you sound like Vice Squad sometimes, what other bands are you being compared to?

-Pelle Miljoona, Bad Religion

How is it to play this sort of music in Finland right now? Many places to play?

-Well, we have had a great pleasure to travel around Finland in many different kind of places from small pubs and clubs to quite big venues. In general the situation is not that good, many places have gone down.

You give out your music physically, is that important?

- Yes, it’s very important part of our DIY. We release our music independently and our last album Ihmisroska sold-out the first edition, 300 LP’s and 300 CD’s, so we printed another right away.

Would i have feel like you have released an album if you only released it digitally?

-It’s not the same, no.

I love beer and do some brews myself, if Saa kiljua have done a beer with the band what have it been called and which style have it been. Or maybe you´re straight edge?

-”Saa kiljua” has a double meaning: ”you’re allowed to scream” but also ”(here) you can have some kilju”. Kilju is homemade alcohol made out of yeast and sugar and it’s popular among Finnish punks. So we’re not beer, we’re ”kiljua”.

How is it to live in Finland right now, the nearness to Russia and all othe shit which happens in the world?

-The shit is so large that in any part of the world there’s a crisis going on at the moment. War-crazy people anywhere you lay your eyes on, also in Finland.

Are you politically involved yourself?

-Not really, even though we do share our thoughts of politics in our lyrics.

Music and politics are that important to do?

-It seems that people love that we speak very directly about politics and other issues as well, there’s definitely a need for that kind of music, too.

Which type of people comes to your concerts? Any type of people you´re missing?

-We have very heterogeneous audience, different ages, different sexes. We are very pleased with that and hope that also younger generations will find punk and it’s furious strength.

What is the most peculiar which have happened during a concert with you?

-Nothing much, sometimes the guitar is silent, sometimes the singer is mixed up, one time the basist flew on the drums… Basic stuff, I guess.

Do you play any covers live?

-No, not really. We had one NOFX-song for our first gig ever but they didn’t shout us back, so.

Is it boring with interviews? Is it much interviews? What do you prefer Telephoneinterviews, face to face or as this one via e-mail?

-Not too much, no. Face to face is best of course.

Futureplans for the band?

-We have around 20 gigs booked this summer, so we’ll tour in Finland a lot. Our first international show will take place in Tallinn Music Week in April, which is really nice. We’ll tour also in Rakvere and Viljandi. Maybe Sweden next?

Futureplans for yourself?

-To stay healthy and happy and punky.

Wisdomword?

-Go. To. See. Punk. LIVE! It will make you feel better.

Something more to add?

-Everything else you want to know about us will be found on www.saakiljua.fi ! And social media, of course.