Tonight's show is two features. The first is a look at the evolution of punk is Estonia. This part of the show is hosted by Andres Kasekamp, the Chair of Estonian Studies at the University of Toronto. Andres was a punk growing up in Toronto and moved to Estonia when Estonia declared independence to become a Professor at University in Tartu. Andres also does a weekly piece on Estonian radio named after the "Voice of America" show called "Kanada hääl". The show features international commentary from a Canadian perspective, a fun fact and then a song by a Canadian artist.
The second part of tonight's show will feature bands with women in contemporary punk bands to honour International Women's Day.
You can download the show here.
NOTES FROM BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN - ESTONIA
J.M.K.E. - Tere Perestroika (Stupido Twins)
PROPELLER – Punker (Unknown label)
GENERATOR M - Disko lugu (Bulldozer)
PARA TRUST – Voidumees (Punk Fu) (MFM)
PARA TRUST were a punk band from 1979 – 1983. They would become a band called “Turist” after that and would get in trouble from the Soviet Estonian Ministry of Culture for the name so they they got around that by changing it to SINGER VINGER and the mainstay in the band was the singer Hardi Volmer.
GENERATOR-M were a band from Tallinn that started up in 1980 and existed until 1982. They were inspired by seeing the SEX PISTOLS on Finnish TV and their biggest show was a gig with PARA TRUST and PUNK T. They had a song called “Disko lugu” which appeared on a posthumous collection of Estonian punk called “Disko Pole Oluline, Punk On Põhiline (Eesti Pungi Varajased Aastad)”. The song title translated to mean "Punk is important".
PUNK T were around in the early 80’s and Punk on Lahe was recorded in 1981 and means "Punk is Cool" which fits into this theme.
PUNK T - Punk on lahe! (Bulldozer)
VERINE PUHAPAEV – Põrguline (Bulldozer)
VELIKIJE LUKI - Tallinn Põleb (Hyper)
"Tallinn Põleb" translates to mean Tallinn's Burning" which is borrowed from the Clash's "London's Burning". VELIKIJE LUKI were a band that got their start in 1982, but really started in 1984 which is when this is recording is from. The name of the band takes it's name from a battle where the Estonians fought on the side of the Red Army, but they latched onto these historical themes to make ridicule them. The band featured Tõnu Trubetsky.
VERINE PUHAPAEV means "Bloody Sunday" in reference to the failed revolution in 1905. They were a band I found out about through a compilation called “Soviet Punk Rock Anthology 1980 – 1991, Volume 2”. But this song was taken from one of the best collection of early Estonian punk called “Disko Pole Oluline, Punk on Pohline (Eesti Pungi Varajased Aastad). It’s a 3 CD collection of the earliest punk bands from Estonia.
VENNASKOND is Estonian for Brotherhood" and harkens to Tõnu's interest in French anarchism. In 2003 Tõnu would publish a book on anarchism and two books on Estonian punk a few years later:
- Anarhistid. Anarhia agendid. Maailmarevolutsiooni prelüüd. Anarhistliku liikumise ajalugu (The Anarchists: Agents of Anarchy. Prelude of World Revolution: A History of Anarchist Movement)
- Eesti punk 1976–1990. Anarhia ENSV-s (Estonian punk 1976–1990. Anarchy in The ESSR);
- Eesti punk 1972–1990. Haaknõela külm helk
VENNASKOND - Uimane ja väsinud (Self-Released / Mumm)
ABS - Õpetaja Kiusab
AVE LUNA - Tule Lahme Ara
OSAKOND 79 - Mütsid viltu
OSAKOND 79 were a band from Tallinn around between 1985 and 1987. Oskond means "Department and "Mutsid Viltu" means "Tilted Hats".
ABS from 1985. "Õpetaja Kiusab" is a song about a "teacher teasing a student. The person is a national conservative in parliament currently
AVE LUNA were an all girl band that started up in 1988, but there was another all girl band called ANTI in 1986 that I could not find anything by.
UUESTISÜND were a band around in 1988 and this is their theme song.
UUESTISÜND – Uuestisünd
PAHAD PAEVAD – Head ja halvad
ALICE TISLER - TV Starr
PMV - Käed (ShitSounds Co)
PMV are from Parnu, which is known as the summer town best known for their beaches. This was recorded in 1988 and the song means "Hands".
PAHAD PAEVAD means "Bad Days" and is slang for the period. PAHAD PAEVAD were a band from Tartu active between 1986 and 1989.
Using historical references, ALICE TISLER was another example of using irony to twist the Russian meaning behind these historical benchmarks. Alice Tisler was a fighter for the Tallinn Red Army. The band is from Kohtla Jarve which is in the North east-industrial area known for oil shale mining.
The Singing Revolution was the first revolution to take place in the former Soviet Republics. The Singing Revolution was a spontaneous call for the hard line leaders in the ESSR to deliver the promise of "Perestroika". Heinz Valk said about the singing revolution that "most revolutions are known for their blood and violence. Ours is known for a song and a smile." The singing revolution lead the way for a number of succession movements throughout the former U.S.S.R.
As is mentioned in the broadcast Estonians are known for their singing. The first ever Punk song festival took place in 2008 in a place called Rakvere. Here is a clip of everyone singing "Anarchy in the UK".
So this is the next wave of punk from Estonia. PAHA VARK appeared on an Estonian compilation put out by a Swedish label called Delrium Tremens and this appeared on “Delerium Tremens, Volume 25” compilation which was an all Estonia compilation released by a Swedish label in the mid 90’s. They were from Tallinn.
PAHA VARK - Gorbatsovin Maffia (Delirium Tremens)
PSYCHOTERROR - Ära Maksa Maksu (Fucking Cunt)
Ü.R.O. - Militsionääri (Matta Fond)
"Militsionääri" is a made up word and U.R.O. is Estonian for the U.N.
In 1991 in Tallinn, Psychoterror start up but they wouldn’t release anything until 1995. PSYCHOTERROR are probably the face of punk today. The singer takes his name from Freddy Kreuger and is the subject of a new movie called "Enam Kui Elu / More Than Life". The song we heard translates to mean "Don't Pay Your Taxes". Here's the film:
WINNY PUHH referred to as the weirdest band in the world had a chance to represent Estonia in a Eurovision contest, but the country chickened out. They were a favourite among the local population and the country probably regrets it now so here is a song by them.
WINNY PUHH - Korsakov (Clockwork)
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
International Women's Day started out in 1909 as part of a garment workers strike and it was called National Woman's Day. The goals of equal pay, the vote, and equal opportunity may not have been completely met but the goals of the day continue to evolve with this year's theme "I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women's Rights". In honour of International Women's Day here are some punk bands that feature women in them. These are bands from the last few years.
LUX – Manâna (La Vida es Un Mus)
SOGA – Fiambre (Iron Lung)
MALDITA – Abajo (Self-Released)
BLIX - Computer World (No Just Cause)
ESTORBO – El Corte (Self-Released)
EAT MY FEAR - Sick Of (Emancypunx / Refuse)
JOCK – Everyone, Everywhere (Walk a Mile)
WORDPLAY – High (Self-Released)
DEATHSTICKS - (Something) I Don't Know (Self-Released)
BUG BITES - Fake Ally (Self-Released)
BRANDY AND THE BUTCHER - Pretty Girls (River Monster)
PHONE JERKS – U-Turn to Janes (Alien Snatch)
SOAKIE – Boys on Stage (La Vida Es Un Mus)
CONTENDERS - The Heat (Self-Released)
RED MASS – Life is a Cabaret (Self-Released)