An in-depth selection of documentaries about the most notable names in Manserock from the 1970's to the 2010's.
As a musical phenomenon, Manserock provided a rich soil for many bands to sprout forth from and this resulted in Tampere becoming the undisputed capital of Finnish rock music in the 1980s. The Manserock screening curated by the National Audiovisual Institute offers an audiovisual experience introducing the audience to the most pivotal bands and figures that made the phenomenon possible. In this screening, central names include Juice Leskinen, Mikko Alatalo, Veltto Virtanen, Tabula Rasa, Alwari Tuohitorvi, Eppu Normaali and Popeda. Also many more recent bands get their share of screen time along with such important venues and organisations as Tampereen yo-talo, Tullikamari and record label Poko Rekords fronted by Epe Helenius.
Tommi Partanen & Sami Hantula
National Audiovisual Institute
NOTE: The tenth film in the screening, Virtanen: Elektroninen Xtaasi, contains flashing lights that may cause discomfort or seizures for those with epilepsy.
Language: Fin Duration: 76 min Age Limit: For All Ages
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Wed 6.3. -
15:00 -
Niagara -
12
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Sat 9.3.
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10:00
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Niagara
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12
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Erään sävelmän synty
The Birth of a CompositionDirector: Erkki AaltoCountry: FinlandYear: 1974Genre: DocumentaryDuration: 10 minThis TV documentary by Erkki Aalto depicts the doings of Juice Leskinen, Mikko Alatalo and Harri Rinne’s band Coitus Int and the genesis of the song “Odysseus” in the year 1974. The band play the song, written by Juice Leskinen, for the first time at Yo-talo in Tampere and ponder critically about its message.
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Pauli ”Pate” Mustajärvi
Director: Elina KivihalmeCountry: FinlandYear: 1985Genre: DocumentaryDuration: 21 minIn the profile by Elina Kivihalme, Pate Mustajärvi, the frontman of Popeda, talks about being a musician and a father, among other things. The documentary is also peppered with appearances by numerous central figures of the Manserock scene, such as other Popeda members and Epe Helenius, as well as iconic places like the office of Poko Rekords and the hotel bar Leena ja Pekka, which became known as the lounge of Tampere-based bands.
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Eppupopedanormaali: 20 vuotta sikana
Director: Sirpa TeräsCountry: FinlandYear: 1987Genre: DocumentaryDuration: 4 minAs a way to celebrate their ten-year-long journey, the bands Eppu Normaali and Popeda launched a common project in the autumn of 1987, and one of the results was the single “20 vuotta sikana”. The recording is from Mainostelevisio channel’s Suomi soikoon programme.
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Kari Peitsamon Skootteri: Pakko päästä Helsinkiin
Director: Jouko Konttinen, Tommi LiuhalaCountry: FinlandYear: 1990Genre: DocumentaryDuration: 2 minThe Nokia-born artist Kari Peitsamo rose to fame in 1977 with his hit song “Kauppaopiston naiset”. By the early 1990s, Peitsamo’s naivistic style had morphed into a more rocking form with the band Kari Peitsamon Skootteri. The group performed in the Suomi soi programme on the Kolmoskanava channel.
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Ilona: Tuhma poika
Director: Jouko Konttinen, Tommi LiuhalaCountry: FinlandYear: 1990Genre: DocumentaryDuration: 3 minTampere-based Ilona was one of the most popular female-fronted bands of the 1980s. Ilona became famous after placing third in the Rock SM competition in 1986. In Kolmoskanava TV channel’s Suomi soi programme, the band performed their song “Tuhma poika” from the album Ilotulitus (1989).
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Alivaltiosihteeri: Mainio seuramies
Director: Jouko Konttinen, Tommi LiuhalaCountry: FinlandYear: 1992Genre: DocumentaryDuration: 4 minKnown for their radio sketch shows, the Alivaltiosihteeri group was also a prominent Tampere-based rock band, which recorded six albums and played 400 shows between 1985–1995. In the Suomen lista programme, Alivaltiosihteeri perform a playback version of their popular song, “Mainio seuramies”.
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Eppu Normaali: Jee jee
Director: Petri KyttäläCountry: FinlandYear: 2016Genre: DocumentaryDuration: 4 minIt is only right that the Manserock screening ends with Ylöjärvi’s very own Eppu Normaali, as the band celebrate their 40th anniversary in a big concert at the Ratina Stadium.
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Kaseva: Vanha mies
Director: Jarmo Porola, Jouko KonttinenCountry: FinlandYear: 1974Genre: DocumentaryDuration: 3 minProduced by Yle TV2, Iltatähti was one of the most well-liked popular music programmes back in the day. The band Kaseva, known for their melodic music and vocal harmonies, visited the programme in September 1974 and performed their song “Vanha mies”.
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Keskustelua Manserockista
Conversation About ManserockDirector: Jarmo Porola, Jouko KonttinenCountry: FinlandYear: 1974Genre: DocumentaryDuration: 6 minIn November 1974, the programme Iltatähti featured a conversation between Juice Leskinen of Coitus Int, Jukka Rautiainen of Alwari Tuohitorvi, and Tapio Suominen of Tabula Rasa. They talk about and analyse the music scene in the Tampere Region, the age distribution of the audience and Tampere as a university town.
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Virtanen: Elektroninen xtaasi
Director: Jarmo Porola, Jouko KonttinenCountry: FinlandYear: 1975Genre: DocumentaryDuration: 3 minThe band Virtanen, fronted by Pertti ”Veltto” Virtanen and Mauri ”Moog” Konttinen, is considered the progenitor of Finnish punk music. Writing about this new, colourful Tampere-based band in 1974, Waldemar Wallenius of Musa magazine first brought the word punkrock into the Finnish language. The playback performance in the Iltatähti programme is also a milestone of Finnish television technology with its brightly colourful backgrounds.
NOTE: This film contains flashing lights that may cause discomfort or seizures for those with epilepsy. -
Alwari Tuohitorvi: Älä iske Tuijaa
Director: Jarmo Porola, Jouko KonttinenCountry: FinlandYear: 1976Genre: DocumentaryDuration: 3 minAlwari Tuohitorvi started out as a progressive rock band, but in the performance televised in TV2’s programme Iltatähti, the group had already shifted gears: now the stage of Yo-talo in Tampere shakes and rattles to a heavier sound. In the programme, shot in the autumn of 1976, the band perform their hit song “Älä iske Tuijaa”. At the height of their popularity, Alwari Tuohitorvi was second only to the band Hurriganes. Also, in the summer of 1975 together with Coitus Int, the group did a tour named Manserock, and from there the term is considered to have spread into more popular usage.
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Tabula Rasa: Omantunnon rukous
Director: Uolevi TaskinenCountry: FinlandYear: 1976Genre: DocumentaryDuration: 4 minThe Pirkanmaa prog rock giant and the pride of Kangasala, Tabula Rasa, perform their song “Omantunnon rukous” live in the studio of the programme Pop-Liisa hosted by Vesa-Matti Loiri. The band was one of the most important groups of the second generation of Finnish progressive rock and a central influencer in the early years of Manserock. Remembered as the band’s guitarist and composer, Heikki Silvennoinen later became famous as a comedian.
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Iltatähti Special: Maalaispojan hasardi
Iltatähti SpecialDirector: Jarmo Porola, Jouko Konttinen, Matti RosvallCountry: FinlandYear: 1977Genre: DocumentaryDuration: 4 minDue to his popularity, Mikko Alatalo, the host of the Iltatähti programme, also got his own special show on Yle TV2. In it he performs a medley of his songs “Maalaispoika oon”, “Saara” and “Hasardi” with the band Tabula Rasa providing the accompaniment.
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Eppu Normaali: Rääväsuita ei haluta Suomeen
Director: Jouko Konttinen, Matti RosvallCountry: FinlandYear: 1978Genre: DocumentaryDuration: 4 minThe future mammoth of Finnish rock, Eppu Normaali, make their debut television performance in the Kemut 78 event, which the Iltatähti programme recorded for posterity. The band, however, do not impress the show’s host, Tapani Ripatti, who criticises them for aping the Sex Pistols and for their ”nouveau shabby” appearance. To Eppu Normaali’s credit Ripatti mentions the fact that the band ”make noises” in Finnish.
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Veltto Virtanen: Ilonsanomako?
Director: Eija SaavalainenCountry: FinlandYear: 1984Genre: DocumentaryDuration: 1 minAs a troubadour, Veltto Virtanen has been invited to lighten up the mood of the stolid Kansalaisen kyselytunti programme hosted by Erno Paasilinna on Yle TV2. The theme of the programme is ”the church as a religious and societal institution”. Virtanen cuts his performance short after only a few notes due to the panellists’ ”impersonal and cold delivery”.
