Argon & Organ: FinnScene Early - Synthpop


Organ

Organ, maybe the pivotal Finnish synth act, was the answer of Poko Records and Mikko Saarela to the futu (as the "futurist" synth pop was called in Finland) craze. Organ was the outcome of the creative minds of Saarela (formerly of the popular Finnish punk band Eppu Normaali) and the synthetic Argon duo -- who had already released one album, Kone kertoo -- joined together.

Organ's most famous song was 'Kärpästen juhla' ("The Feast of Flies") with its anti-war theme, mocking the clichés of some traditional Finnish patriotic hymns -- Mikko Saarela's witty, humorous lyrics held some social concern in them, dealing with the rights of test animals, helping the third world countries, bureaucracy and so on, in the best punk tradition.

There is one Organ album, Nekrofiilis (POKO PÄLP 33, 1982), and some singles; a cover version of a Mauno Paajanen song, 'Kundi meikkaa' ("A Guy Makes Up") being the best known of them.

  • Organ @ Discogs

  • Organ: 'Kundi meikkaa' @ Mikko Saarela's 50th birthday party, 16 January 2008 @ Tavastia, Helsinki

    Thanks to Jarkko Kuivanen, Kalle Ahonen & Mikko Ojanen for additional info and Mikko Niemelä, Tuomo Hotakainen & Kalle Ahonen for scans.

    Discography

    NOTE: by clicking some images, you can see larger versions of them.

    ARGON

    /early/synth/organ/pic/argon7-b.jpg /early/synth/organ/pic/argon7-f.jpg

    Argon
    San Salvador
    Q QUUS-101 (7", 1981)

    A1. San Salvador (2:36)
    B1. Kummajaislaulu (3:23)

    /early/synth/organ/pic/argon.gif /early/synth/organ/pic/argoback.gif

    Argon
    Kone kertoo
    Q QUUL-201 (LP, 1981)

    A1. Venuksesta itään
    A2. Hongkong
    A3. Kummajaislaulu
    A4. Taksi
    A5. Zombi
    A6. Kone kertoo
    A7. (untitled) (backsleeve text: "HUOM! Raita A7 on Applesoft tietokoneohjelma. Jos sinulla on tietokone, voit itse tehdä levyn sanoituksia.")
    B1. San Salvador
    B2. Täysikuun aikaan
    B3. Aurinkolaulu
    B4. Videotwist
    B5. Takapihan kautta
    B6. Kesä '84

    Press notes (in Finnish)

    ORGAN

    /pic/kundi1.jpg /pic/kundi2.jpg

    Poko Rekords PIS-091 (7", November 1981) (Mikko Saarela & Organ)

    A1: Kundi meikkaa (written & lyrics by Paajanen, arr. Organ)
    B1: Kaavakekauhu (written & lyrics by Mikko Saarela, arr. Organ)

    NOTE: 'Kundi meikkaa' also appears on Poko Rekords' Suomirokkia compilation CD (1998).

    /pic/organ1.jpg /pic/organ2.jpg

    Poko Rekords PIS-112 (7", November 1982)

    A1. Suajele mua vähän jostakin päin
    B1. Neekerisuukkoja

    /pic/orgnekro.jpg /pic/orgataka.jpg

    Organ
    Nekrofiilis
    Poko Rekords PÄLP-33
    (LP: February 1982; CD: late 2001, incl. also all singles)

    A1. Organ
    A2. Kaavakekauhu
    A3. Itäväylä
    A4. Kolme pennin kymmenystä
    A5. Kolme prinsessaa
    A6. Kani kertoo
    B1. Kärpästen juhlat
    B2. Peilimorsian
    B3. Aknebobbin
    B4. Regina Linnanheimon silmät
    B5. For next
    B6. Nekrofiilis

    Band image from the album back sleeve

    Band image & single sleeves from press notes

    Press release notes in Finnish

    (There are some mistakes here: there is no "ADSL" envelope generator, it should be ADSR; also, no "VCF3" synthesizer but VCS3 (a.k.a. Putney) - Mikko Ojanen)

    NOTE: there's a 2001 CD re-release (Poko Rekords) including Organ's all singles. Supposedly mastered from vinyl since some scratches are there.

    MIKKO SAARELA

    POKO REKORDS (Tampere, Finland)

    /pic/saarela.jpg /pic/saarela2.jpg

    Poko Rekords PIS-081 (7", 1981)

    A1. Kärpästen juhlat
    B1. Robotti

    Mikko Saarela
    Poko Klassikot Nro. 5 (Mini-LP, 45 rpm)
    KLASS 5
    28 October 1987
    A1. Mikko Saarelan Siivet: Lili Marleen (3:05)
    A2. Mikko Saarela: Kärpästen juhlat (3:51)
    A3. Eppu Normaali: James Dean (off Aknepop LP) (1:51)
    B1. Mikko Saarela & Organ: Kundi meikkaa (4:51)
    B2. Organ: Suajele mua vähän jostakin päin (3:50)

    Credits:
    A1. Written/arr./lyrics: N. Schulze - H. Leip, Finnish lyrics: Mikko Saarela
    (p) Unitor Oy 1980 © Apollo Verlag
    Producer: Mikko Syrjä.
    A2. Written/arr/lyrics: Mikko Saarela
    (p) Unitor Oy 1981 © Jee-Jee Music Oy
    Producer: Mikko Saarela & Risto Hemmi.
    A3. Written/arr./lyrics: Mikko Saarela. arr.: Eppu Normaali
    (p) Unitor Oy 1978 © Jee-Jee Music Oy
    Producer: Huovinen - Helenius.
    B1. Written/lyrics: Paajanen, arr.: Organ
    (p) Unitor Oy 1981 © J.V.I. Kustannus
    Producer: Organ.
    B2. Written/arr./lyrics: Mikko Saarela
    (p) Unitor Oy 1982 © Jee-Jee Music Oy
    Producer: Pantse Syrjä.



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