The Micragirls
Encyclopedia
The Micragirls are an all-female Finnish garage rock
trio formed in 2001. The characteristic sound of The Micragirls is based on primitive beat
, howling organ, and fervent vocal performances. Along their career the band has developed from sheer fun-having towards more soulful musical expression. The group has a cult following
both in Finland and abroad.
There is a strong contrast between the looks and the sound of The Micragirls, especially during their fast-paced songs and notably when all the ladies are screaming simultaneously. The group usually wears 60s style uniforms on stage. The Micragirls are often compared to the Japanese band The 5.6.7.8's
.
outdoor rock festival in June 2001. Four young ladies from Kuopio
listened to garage rock compilation cassettes for the whole weekend in a Nissan Micra car, and decided to form a band. Their friends' band Aavikko
dedicated one of their songs to "Micratytöt", which was then translated to the English name of the newborn group.
Right after coming home from the festival the ladies walked into the rehearsal room of their friends and selected their instruments. Kristiina took on the drums as she had sat behind a drum kit
a couple of times, Katariina chose a career with keyboards
and petite Elina picked up the bass guitar
. Mari became the guitar
player and lead vocalist, being the only one with any previous musical experience – on classical violin
.
The first private gig
of The Micragirls was already that August, and they had seven public performances during 2001. Their first gigs abroad were in Saint Petersburg
, Russia, before the group had published any records. The band members had been enthusiastic music consumers and had even organized some gigs for other groups. This had provided them with good contacts within the Finnish music circles, and it was easy for The Micragirls to get gigs. With help from the band Aavikko they also got the chance to make their first record.
Are You Insane, Girls? was published in August 2002. The EP consists of five songs, which were recorded at the rehearsal room on single takes, with no overdubbing
. The method provided a gig-like sound and atmosphere to the record.
The second EP Mind Twistin' Weekend with the Micragirls was recorded and mixed in a home studio of a Finnish fellow band The Slideshaker. The four-song 7" was released in April 2003. Around that time bass player Elina decided to leave the group. The Micragirls had a lot of concerts scheduled and the remaining trio rearranged and rehearsed the songs to be performed without a bass guitar. A little later Katariina furnished the band with a Hohner
Basset keyboard bass
that she plays in addition to a combo organ, her main instrument.
The Micragirls did around 30 gigs per year in 2002 and 2003. In addition to Finland they performed in Russia, Estonia and Sweden.
In the end of 2003, back in the rehearsal room, The Micragirls recorded new material for their third 7" Primitive Homeorgan Blast. The four-song EP came out in the beginning of April 2004. Coinciding with the record release The Micragirls toured Sweden, Germany and Switzerland with The Slideshaker on their sixteen-gig Surrender Tour. In 2004 The Micragirls had 35 gigs, of which 20 abroad.
Next year was mostly spent on maternal leave. There were only seven gigs in 2005 but the group wrote new music even during their leave. The Micragirls were back at full speed in 2006: gigging and also working on the long-aspired 10-inch album.
in the beginning of 2006. Bone Voyage Recording Company, co-owned by members of the band 22-Pistepirkko
, signed the group based on demo
tapes from the sessions.
"Feeling Dizzy Honey!?", a ten inch vinyl album was published in November 2006. The nowadays rare 10" format was at that time considered by the trio as maximum dose of micramusic. In January 2007 the eight songs from the 10" were reissued on a double CD version of "Feeling Dizzy Honey!?", packed together with disc 2 containing the eight earlier songs from the group's second and third EP. The CD release helped The Micragirls to reach a larger audience, and their annual gig rate rose to about fifty.
A Japanese domestic market one-disc CD edition of "Feeling Dizzy Honey!?" was published in end of 2007, containing the 16 songs and a bonus
animated video of the song "Teenage Tiger". Yet another version of "Feeling Dizzy Honey!?" emerged in early 2008, this time a 12" vinyl LP album
.
After extensive rereleasing of earlier recordings, three completely new Micragirls songs were published in June 2008 on the 7" EP Haunted Heart. Guest bassist Minna Kortepuro from the Finnish band Risto plays her double bass
on two of the songs. She has occasionally played also onstage with The Micragirls.
The Micragirls have toured in Europe on many occasions, most notably in Germany and Switzerland. During 2007–2009 the ladies have supported for example Heavy Trash
, The Go! Team
and Boss Hog
on their European tours. The Micragirls did not perform in their home country between September 2008 and September 2009. The first domestic gigs of 2009 coincided with the release of a new album.
The group's second album Wild Girl Walk was released on 2009-09-09, somewhat later than originally planned. Members of 22-Pistepirkko acted as producers
and recording engineers
as well as technical consultants in the album sessions during 2008 and 2009.
EPs and singles
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
trio formed in 2001. The characteristic sound of The Micragirls is based on primitive beat
Beat (music)
The beat is the basic unit of time in music, the pulse of the mensural level . In popular use, the beat can refer to a variety of related concepts including: tempo, meter, rhythm and groove...
, howling organ, and fervent vocal performances. Along their career the band has developed from sheer fun-having towards more soulful musical expression. The group has a cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
both in Finland and abroad.
There is a strong contrast between the looks and the sound of The Micragirls, especially during their fast-paced songs and notably when all the ladies are screaming simultaneously. The group usually wears 60s style uniforms on stage. The Micragirls are often compared to the Japanese band The 5.6.7.8's
The 5.6.7.8's
The 5.6.7.8's are an all-female Japanese rock trio, whose music is reminiscent of American surf music, rockabilly and garage rock. They frequently cover songs from American rock and roll. Each member is from Tokyo, Japan....
.
Beginning, 2001-2002
The Micragirls got started during ProvinssirockProvinssirock
Provinssirock is one of the biggest rock festivals in Finland. It takes place in the city of Seinäjoki in Southern Ostrobothnia, Western Finland. The 3-day festival, which starts the busy Finnish rock festival season, has been held every June since 1979.The 2007 festival enjoyed a combined three...
outdoor rock festival in June 2001. Four young ladies from Kuopio
Kuopio
Kuopio is a city and a municipality located in the region of Northern Savonia, Finland. A population of makes it the ninth biggest city in the country. The city has a total area of , of which is water and half forest...
listened to garage rock compilation cassettes for the whole weekend in a Nissan Micra car, and decided to form a band. Their friends' band Aavikko
Aavikko
Aavikko is a Finnish synth music band, formed in Siilinjärvi in 1995. Their hallmarks include a campy, decidedly "East European" style and plastic-sounding synthesizer themes...
dedicated one of their songs to "Micratytöt", which was then translated to the English name of the newborn group.
Right after coming home from the festival the ladies walked into the rehearsal room of their friends and selected their instruments. Kristiina took on the drums as she had sat behind a drum kit
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
a couple of times, Katariina chose a career with keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and petite Elina picked up the bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. Mari became the guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
player and lead vocalist, being the only one with any previous musical experience – on classical violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
.
The first private gig
Gig (musical performance)
Gig is slang for a musical engagement in which musicians are hired. Originally coined in the 1920s by jazz musicians, the term, short for the word "engagement", now refers to any aspect of performing such as assisting with performance and attending musical performance...
of The Micragirls was already that August, and they had seven public performances during 2001. Their first gigs abroad were in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia, before the group had published any records. The band members had been enthusiastic music consumers and had even organized some gigs for other groups. This had provided them with good contacts within the Finnish music circles, and it was easy for The Micragirls to get gigs. With help from the band Aavikko they also got the chance to make their first record.
First seven-inchers, 2002-2006
The Micragirls' first 7" EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Are You Insane, Girls? was published in August 2002. The EP consists of five songs, which were recorded at the rehearsal room on single takes, with no overdubbing
Overdubbing
Overdubbing is a technique used by recording studios to add a supplementary recorded sound to a previously recorded performance....
. The method provided a gig-like sound and atmosphere to the record.
The second EP Mind Twistin' Weekend with the Micragirls was recorded and mixed in a home studio of a Finnish fellow band The Slideshaker. The four-song 7" was released in April 2003. Around that time bass player Elina decided to leave the group. The Micragirls had a lot of concerts scheduled and the remaining trio rearranged and rehearsed the songs to be performed without a bass guitar. A little later Katariina furnished the band with a Hohner
Hohner
Hohner Musikinstrumente GmbH & Co. KG is a company specialising in the manufacture of musical instruments. Founded in 1857 by Matthias Hohner , Hohner is identified especially with harmonicas and accordions. The Hohner company has invented and produced many different styles, and most of the...
Basset keyboard bass
Keyboard bass
The keyboard bass is the use of a low-pitched keyboard or pedal keyboard to substitute for the bass guitar or double bass in popular music.-1960s:The earliest keyboard bass instrument was the 1960 Fender Rhodes piano bass, pictured above...
that she plays in addition to a combo organ, her main instrument.
The Micragirls did around 30 gigs per year in 2002 and 2003. In addition to Finland they performed in Russia, Estonia and Sweden.
In the end of 2003, back in the rehearsal room, The Micragirls recorded new material for their third 7" Primitive Homeorgan Blast. The four-song EP came out in the beginning of April 2004. Coinciding with the record release The Micragirls toured Sweden, Germany and Switzerland with The Slideshaker on their sixteen-gig Surrender Tour. In 2004 The Micragirls had 35 gigs, of which 20 abroad.
Next year was mostly spent on maternal leave. There were only seven gigs in 2005 but the group wrote new music even during their leave. The Micragirls were back at full speed in 2006: gigging and also working on the long-aspired 10-inch album.
Time of the albums, 2006-
The Micragirls recorded some new originals and cover songsCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
in the beginning of 2006. Bone Voyage Recording Company, co-owned by members of the band 22-Pistepirkko
22-Pistepirkko
22-Pistepirkko is a Finnish popular music band formed in 1980. It was formed in a small rural village of Utajärvi in Northern Finland but moved to Helsinki, the capital of Finland, in 1985...
, signed the group based on demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
tapes from the sessions.
"Feeling Dizzy Honey!?", a ten inch vinyl album was published in November 2006. The nowadays rare 10" format was at that time considered by the trio as maximum dose of micramusic. In January 2007 the eight songs from the 10" were reissued on a double CD version of "Feeling Dizzy Honey!?", packed together with disc 2 containing the eight earlier songs from the group's second and third EP. The CD release helped The Micragirls to reach a larger audience, and their annual gig rate rose to about fifty.
A Japanese domestic market one-disc CD edition of "Feeling Dizzy Honey!?" was published in end of 2007, containing the 16 songs and a bonus
Bonus track
In terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. This is most often done as a promotional device, either as an incentive to customers to purchase albums they might otherwise not, or to repurchase albums they already...
animated video of the song "Teenage Tiger". Yet another version of "Feeling Dizzy Honey!?" emerged in early 2008, this time a 12" vinyl LP album
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
.
After extensive rereleasing of earlier recordings, three completely new Micragirls songs were published in June 2008 on the 7" EP Haunted Heart. Guest bassist Minna Kortepuro from the Finnish band Risto plays her double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
on two of the songs. She has occasionally played also onstage with The Micragirls.
The Micragirls have toured in Europe on many occasions, most notably in Germany and Switzerland. During 2007–2009 the ladies have supported for example Heavy Trash
Heavy Trash
Heavy Trash is an American rockabilly band based in New York City, formed by Jon Spencer of The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Matt Verta-Ray . The band's music draws from an eclectic mix of genres, including rock & roll, blues, alternative country, Americana and garage punk...
, The Go! Team
The Go! Team
The Go! Team are a six-piece band from Brighton, England. They combine indie rock and garage rock with a mixture of blaxploitation and Bollywood soundtracks, double dutch chants, old school hip hop and distorted guitars similar to the style of Sonic Youth. Their songs are a mix of live...
and Boss Hog
Boss Hog
Boss Hog is an American punk blues band including the husband and wife duo of Jon Spencer and Cristina Martinez along with Jens Jurgensen , Hollis Queens and Mark Boyce...
on their European tours. The Micragirls did not perform in their home country between September 2008 and September 2009. The first domestic gigs of 2009 coincided with the release of a new album.
The group's second album Wild Girl Walk was released on 2009-09-09, somewhat later than originally planned. Members of 22-Pistepirkko acted as producers
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and recording engineers
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
as well as technical consultants in the album sessions during 2008 and 2009.
Personnel
- Mari Halonen - lead vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Katariina "Kata" Haapalainen - keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Kristiina "Risu" Haapalainen - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, backing and lead vocals
Discography
Albums- "Feeling Dizzy Honey!?", 10" mini LP, 2006
- "Feeling Dizzy Honey!?", 2CD, 2007
- "Feeling Dizzy Honey!?", CD Japan, 2007
- "Feeling Dizzy Honey!?", 12" LP, 2008
- Wild Girl Walk, CD and LP, 2009
EPs and singles
- Are You Insane, Girls?, 7" EP, 2002
- Mind Twistin' Weekend with The Micragirls, 7" EP, 2003
- Primitive Homeorgan Blast, 7" EP, 2004
- Haunted Heart, 7" EP, 2008
- "Summer's Gone" / "Girl Go Crazy", downloadable singleSingle (music)In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, 2009 - "C'mon Dance With Santa Claus", downloadable single, 2009