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The obvious question would be why? What is behind Hanoi's rebirth? Mike: About a year ago we played a few festivals in Finland only Hanoi songs as Hanoi Revisited and it was really fun. So we started writing some material and went in to the studio and it turned out so great we decided to call it HANOI ROCKS! Andy: As usual we even surprised ourselves… Mike: Yeah, how brilliant we were, what magic and genius, wow… (laughs). No, really it turned out so great we figured it deserves a name we came up with Hanoi Rocks. We started Hanoi Rocks the two of us before all the other guys came so it was us for a few years before we actually got it going so... and now it just happened, it's like a rebirth, this is amazing… It's not a reunion? Mike: No, Sammy left Hanoi Rocks when Razzle died and Nasty doesn't even play anymore, he's a pharmacist now. I want to protect the name Hanoi Rocks which I have for years and we would never do just a reunion to get the old guys together and just to make a quick buck. It's not about that. Andy: We were offered a lot of money a few years ago but both me and Michael turned it down immediately. Did you try and convince Nasty to play with you? Andy: I called him out of courtesy and told him what was happening and he was happy about this. Mike: Nasty came to see our show in Helsinki and came backstage and said that we played the Hanoi songs better that Hanoi ever did.
Andy: Of course we've grown as people, both of us. Michael's also grown a lot as a songwriter. Mike: Over the years you get experience and both of us have grown a lot as people and as an artists and songwriters. It's pretty exciting actually. How did you find the new musicians? Mike: The bass player and the drummer are from my solo band, I've been playing with them for a couple of years. It's been a lot of fun and the other guitarist Costello joined in the beginning of the year. There's a good chemistry there, you'll see.
Mike: Yeah, that's pretty much the style. The next single is called "In My Darkest Moment" which is a slow one but it is really one of the best songs we ever wrote together, it's gonna be in the album. There's some rockers in the album, good melodies, good music… all killers no fillers. Bands tend to say that their new album is always the best they've ever done. Is that the case with your new album? Mike: I'd say you're only as good as your last album. Of course the sound is going to be better, the studios are so different these days. A lot of the Hanoi albums don't have great sound, but the songs carry themselves. When will the full album be released? Andy: August - September, we've already recorded part of it. Mike: I'm working on a solo album right now for SPV in Germany. I have a contract with them so I'm obligated to make a studio album. I've recorded about nineteen tracks in the studio before we left here and a few of the will be in the Hanoi album. Andy, any plans after The Real McCoy movie? Andy: Making the movie was a gruesome experience, it lasted for three and a half years and making a film is just shit load of work. I've been offered a few films but I've turned them down, I'd rather play the guitar. What's the rock scene like in Finland at the moment? Mike: Well Hanoi Rocks is back so that's pretty big news… there's some good rock bands, Flaming Sideburns, there's a cool funky band called Eternal Erection. The Rasmus has one good song but I've forgotten what it's called. What can we expect from a Hanoi show? Andy: We're just gonna play good rock music and hope people enjoy it.
Mike: "Radio and MTV, you need people like me!" At least this band has a place in the world, especially now that rock 'n' roll seems to have totally vanished from the face of the earth. MTV calls itself Music Television so it is their obligation to show people where good music comes from. Kids these days don't even know what rock 'n' roll is. It's a good time for us to remind people about it so that the name Hanoi Rocks won't be forgotten. All that has happened with Hanoi recently has been really amazing… but I haven't broken any previous promises. I've said that there will not be a reunion. This is not a reunion, this is a rebirth with new people. And it was me and Andy who started it in the first place and this just happened. Andy: It was always me and Mike… Mike: Yeah, then Nasty came along, then Sammy… If I have understood right after the break up Sammy has been active and has tried to reunite Hanoi Rocks. Andy: He did it only for the money. It wouldn't have been right… money does not motivate me to make art. Mike: A short tour with guys who don't get along with each other, staying in separate hotels and flying separate flights just to meet on the stage just to make a lot of money. Hanoi was never a bad band and I wanted to make sure that there's at least one band in the world that will not do anything for money. Some people say that were together now because of the money but that is not true, we're doing this because of music.
Mike: Yeah, I mean some people who weren't even born when Hanoi started who call themselves "Make Monroe" or something, even take their name from me, criticise me and my decisions about my career and my band. What business is it of theirs! A lot of shit was thrown at me on my website… Andy: The feedback that I got was only positive… Mike: I think it's because I've been a purist when it comes to music and Hanoi there were people saying that Michael has said this and this and now he's doing that… but mainly the feedback was positive. I am absolutely sure that we have a good thing going. After I made a decision, which was hard, knew that this is the way it is. I always try to keep an open mind. Andy: We both had the same problem with our solo careers… when you were looking for members to your solo band you could really see that there are many people who are in the music business for money. Mike: Some people wanted me to make an overnight sensation out of them and when that didn't happen they got bitter. Now, when I was not looking for a band, this happened. Andy: Yeah, it wasn't planned it just happened. Michael, you have a studio album coming out, what's the news on that? Mike: I spent 3 weeks in studio just before we left here and recorded nineteen new songs and few of them are covers, then my old songs and maybe three or four will end up in the Hanoi Rocks album. The working title for the album has been "12 last reasons to die", it has 12 songs but 'm changing the name to "Anything you want". Who played with you on the album? Mike: Lacu and Timpa so it's the same rhythm section as in Hanoi and Pink Gibson from New York is playing guitars and Andy will be probably in the few songs. It was cool to be able to write songs and then to be able to decide what's best for Hanoi and what's best for me. Andy's wife Angela has a solo album coming… Andy: At the moment it looks like it'll be out in January. I've written songs to it but the music is different from that of Hanoi, it's not suitable for Hanoi. You have also a keyboard player on stage? Andy: We wanted to have more colour to our music. Mike: Yeah, the sound is better that way. He has a supporting role in the band.
Andy: No, we don't hide anyone behind anything. When I was on tour with Kiss they told me that there's no one else other than them but there were to people behind the curtains singing background vocals. It was when I was playing with Shooting Gallery in 1996. Gene Simmons is a megalomaniac and very uncertain about himself. But he is rich… Mike:
That doesn't make him any better. But yeah he is a good business man.
John "Skinny" Reagan was playing with Ace Frehley's Comet and Gene went
to stage and said to Skinny: "Gimme your bass!" Gene was assuming that of course he would go "oh mr. Simmons, here is my bass" but instead Skinny said "fuck you man, who the fuck are you!" I thought that was great, perfect. The guy had to swallow his ego a little. Paul Stanley was very nice when I met him and Ace Frehley is a riot, he's the funniest man. Andy, you have released a book (Sheriffi McCoy). Will there be another one? Andy: There will be one longer version of that book and it will be published in several languages. Michael is also very talented verbally. He used to write to a Finnish magazine called "Suosikki" once a month and I would laugh my ass off. They should publish them again 'cause there are so many funny stories there. As
the interview was ending we asked about the new album. It will be released
on their own record label Akashic Rocks and then distributed internationally.
The latest single will also soon be released internationally, they are
finishing the contracts. Let's hope that their new album turns out great
and that the rest of the world would soon hear how the reborn Hanoi
Rocks sounds like!
Hanoi Rocks Website: hanoirocks.com
Text and
Pix by Petri Kautto, |
Hanoi
Rocks held a press conference in Sweden Rock and AOR-E was there to
witness it. Me and a few other reporters had also a change for a little
chat with the boys after the public press. I put together some Q&A's
from both of the interviews. So Michael and Andy, fire it away!
How's
writing songs different compared to the old days?
Is
the musical style in the single about the same that we'll hear in the
album?
Your
latest single is called "People Like Me". Was there a conscious message
that justified the rebirth of Hanoi Rocks?
I
read the guest book Michael's web page (www.michaelmonroe.com) and it
seemed that many people took it really personally when rebirth took
place. We're you surprised about that?
Is
he hidden behind some curtain?
