Opel Bastards was formed in the middle of 90’s by two musical and visual geniuses from Helsinki, Finland. My home town. Timo Kaukolampi and Mikko “Vilunki 3000″ Viljakainen. Later they got third person, Tuomo Puranen in the gang. I’ve known Timo and Vilunki for over a decade now and I have many memories of them playing in different groups during these years. Such as And The Left Handed, Motiivi:Tuntematon and Uusi Fantasia, which is also really really great band and their debut album was ranked the best Finnish album of 00’s. But personally I’ve always loved Opel Bastards the most. For just an example, the song Scorpius (Video on Youtube) from their first album The Job (2000) – is still totally amazing banger! In my opinion that rarely ever happens in music genre like this. Anyway… Timo is also known from producing Annie and doing remixes by alias Kilogram or T.A. Kaukolampi or what ever he pleases to use.

But let’s get to the point. Opels just released their second album II, on december 2009. It’s a 31 minute piece of hypnotic, dark, fat and scary new wave electronic kraut rock sex awesomeness (at least I feel it is) and they will release another 31 minute follow up for it on some point of this year.

At first I could not help waiting for mega hits like Scorpius on this album, but instead of disappointment for the lack of those bangers I got an very intemaresting and fascinating journey to somewhere deep where the band was having an 24 hour jamming session in a very dark cellar, where the heaters were on the highest, where the guys were drinking beer and Suentassu vodka in a candle light and smoking something that I don’t even know what it is. Where they all were on the verge of killing themselves slowly by leaning on a kitchen knife, yet being very confident and cool about it at the same time.
Not very bright image, but that’s exactly why I loved it.

I asked my friend Timo few questions about what’s up and such.

Timo, you guys are a delight. Do you recognize your music at all in what I just wrote up there or do you have a totally different perspective of seeing it?

- Sounds good to me. This record was recorded actually totally sober. Also the Scorpius was. Pretty 9 to 5. Way we see it Drugs and booze makes you afraid of things. It makes music lame. Compromise. We found the material from piles and piles of songs. These ones suited together. This record is almost like audio sculpture. Its perfect. Every second is perfect.

As you’ve been producing pretty straight forward, but respectable pop music for Annie and succeed on it, why to make not so radio friendly stuff with your own bands?

- I see no difference in it. There is no compromise I do with Annie music because of radio. Like “Take you home” on new record. Thats really dark and sexy. I love pop and experimental stuff. Its all music.

You recently played live on a subway here in Helsinki. Sad I didn’t know about it. I would’ve came and danced. How was it?

- It was fun. There was Russian violin player playing xmas chorals. She got angry and left even that we gave her lots of euros. Somebody complained about the noise. Most liked it. Reverb was huge!! There is clip of audio in our myspace playlist.

Any plans for the future with Opels?

- We have new songs ready for our next release. We record it more or less live this time. Few gigs happening in Finland. Next release will be in some exiting format, vinyl, of course. Maybe book? Maybe dvd?
You can’t plan the future. And actually we live in it: NOW!!

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That’s it. Thanks Timo 4 this.
Order your electronic copy of the Opel Bastards II -album by clicking here or support them on Myspage.