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Punatähdet - The Red Stars!

Punatähdet soettamassa

At Laulu palaa cruise on Silja Lines ferry Europa
Sat-Sun Feb 9.-10. 2002

More info: Laulu palaa

New pictures:
At Kirvesmiehet tv-show, summer 2001

New lyrics [fin]: Vietcong-sissit and Pukkipartio

About the Red Stars

The Finns have a colourful and fascinating political history. During the Cold War the Finns had a unique role as a western democracy balancing in the pressures of the Iron Curtain. These circumstances nurtured some extraordinary indigenious phenomenas like the small but loud minority of Finnish communists. Also during the latter half of the 60's and first half of the 70's, many progressive artists of the era embraced the high and noble ideals of communism. Too bad that these ideals only lived in songs and speeches and not in real life.

The warm-hearted humour and irony of the band Punatähdet (the Red Stars) rises from these historical circumstances. This insightful humour also allows people to relieve the national traumas associated to the highly political eras of 60-70's. A pioneer of this musical humour genre was perhaps the Finnish band Leningrad Cowboys, also internationally known. Now Punatähdet are following their footsteps and far beyond. The band is playing the roles of eight red-spirited cousins from the 70's with some affectional irony and delightful crazyness!

The lead singers of the band, mr. Jan Erola and mr. Jaakko Lyytinen, are journalists who write for the leading economical journals in Finland. They have both studied political history in the University of Helsinki. In the summer 2001 they hosted a talk show Kirvesmiehet on the national television. The talk show also featured Punatähdet as the house band.

Contact information:

Picture: Nico Backström
Logo: Saku Heinänen
Web design: Marjut Mutanen

Updated 29.12.2001