Interview: The Impersonators talk latest single

The retro vibe is going strong and the masses are flocking to follow the vintage sound. The Impersonators from Finland are preeminent in this classic, inspired vibeology. Their 60s flavoured alternative pop/rock takes you back to the creativity and warmth of the pop music of yesteryear. This Top-of-the-Pops alternative pop/rock duo of Tommi Tikka and Antti Autio, supported by producer Janne Saksa, write tunes that will remind you of Chad & Jeremy infused with the Beatles, infused with modern tones, creating a new fusion in music. There may be new music genres in the 21st century, however, retro sounds and styles will always have their place in the music industry. The Impersonators add great retro-flavoured music to this mix.

Their single Burning Blue is an instant hit. Deep and intense, it will have you feel what it is like to walk around aimlessly with your heart broken, trying to make sense of what happened, missing the person you thought was going to stick around. Check it out below!

We managed to catch up with the band as they talked about their latest track and more!

So how has the release of Burning Blue gone down with fans so far?

It’s gone down real well. Actually, we’re pleasantly surprised. The previous singles “You Are the One” and “Universe of Steel” were well-liked also but “Burning Blue” has gotten the best response by far. This might be partly because quite a few blogs have written reviews of “Burning Blue” and the song’s been picked up by several radio stations. And obviously, we have a kick-ass publicist working for us.

What’s been very cool is that we’ve gotten quite a few messages from folks all over the world saying very complimentary things about the song, the video and the band. One person from Italy said the song helped her get over a breakup, which was just about the best compliment in the world. If something that Antti and I write in Helsinki can reach a person thousands of miles away and give them solace, then what we’ve done actually matters. Anyway, we’re stoked that the response has been encouraging. At the end of the day, we do this in the hope of finding an audience, a few people who will nod their heads to what we are doing. We’re not doing this to make money or to become stars; we’re doing this because we love music.

Can you tell us something about the release no one else knows?

Yes, there’s actually one amusing thing that popped into my head when I was listening to the track the other day. I hadn’t heard it in a while and wasn’t intending to listen to it then either but I accidentally clicked on the track in Spotify and it came on. As I heard it, I remembered a funny incident that happened when I was doing the vocals for “Burning Blue.” I have a studio at home, and the day that I was recording the lead vocal for “Burning Blue” we were looking after a friend’s dog, a German Shepherd, who began to howl for some reason when he heard me sing. How he was able to hear me sing I’ll never know. The studio is soundproof and on a different floor. Vibrations maybe? However, somehow he heard me and gave the concert of his life to the rest of the family who were attempting to have lunch downstairs. I couldn’t hear the dog until my wife came into the studio and opened the door. It sounded insane. This dog was howling at the top of his lungs and our youngest kid was crying because the howling scared him. The whole situation cracked me up completely and whenever I hit “record” and began singing after that, I started laughing hysterically. The door was shut and I couldn’t hear the dog or my son Henri but just the thought of it all was too much for me. I had to continue the next day.

What was your favourite moment creating the music video for this?

It was all very, very exciting because we knew it was going to be slightly different than your usual music video. I think there were two incredibly funny and surreal moments. The first one was when they were shooting the bit where the female protagonist runs in the snow with a wedding dress on. It was absolutely freezing that day and I kept thinking how cold she must be, wearing practically nothing. We shot that bit for a good thirty minutes. The other moment was when I was having dinner with the mannequin head. It was rather difficult to keep a straight face and act the part of a guy who’s gone a bit nuts. I kept thinking, “Thank God my own life is in rather good order.”

What’s the alternative music scene like in Finland at the moment?

I must disappoint you here a bit. I don’t really know. I don’t follow the Finnish music scene at all. Never have. Most music recorded in Finland is sung in Finnish these days and I listen to music sung in English. I grew up in the States and have spent most of my life there, so the music I like is stylistically very different from Finnish music. I do rate Hanoi Rocks, who came from Finland, as one of the best groups in the world. HIM was rather good as well. In terms of alternative, I’d imagine there is a scene here but most radio stations in Finland play generic, synthesized pop music, which means that there cannot really be a big outlet for alternative rock.

If you could work with any band on a new song, who would it be and why?

I’d work with either Paul McCartney or Brian Wilson because they are musical geniuses and my biggest heroes. The stuff they’ve written and produced is out of this world. People call Brian Wilson the “Rachmaninov of Pop” and for a good reason. He is brilliant. McCartney is just as good. If I ever got to even meet these fellows, I’d be a very fortunate man. To work with them would be a dream come true.

What’s it like working with Janne Saksa on the music?

Janne is by far one of the most talented people I’ve ever met. He is top notch and we are very lucky to have him working with us. He is always full of ideas and it seems that he always knows exactly where to take a song. For instance, the strings on our previous single “You Are the One” are phenomenal. When I first heard them, I was floored – they were brilliant. I think Janne wrote that string arrangement very much with the late George Martin/Pet Sounds type of feel in mind. And he did a fantastic job with that. On “Burning Blue,” Janne’s keybord work is awesome. It’s very subtle. If you listen to the Beach-Boys influenced middle eight, you’ll hear a very cool Hammond bit there amidst the vocal harmonies that’s fantastic. The drums on “Burning Blue” are pretty spectacular as well, very hypnotic. Janne is such a huge part of this puzzle we call The Impersonators, a truly irreplaceable guy, one of a kind.

Will you be touring at all in 2018?

No, most likely not. You see, The Impersonators is a group of two songwriters (Antti Autio and myself), which means it has always been a studio project. At first, it was just me recording and producing and now, starting with “You Are the One” released last November, I’ve shared the production duties with Janne, so going on tour would mean assembling a touring band. I’m not saying never, though. If there’s a real good reason and a need to go on tour, I’ll do it.

Another thing is that playing live, although I have done that a lot, has never been my favorite cup of tea. I love making records and I love using the studio as an instrument of its own. This is probably why I love the work of the Beatles and the Beach Boys so much. Phil Spector is awesome as well. You know what? I just realized that while I own a few thousand CDs, there isn’t even one live album among them. I guess that speaks volumes. But like I said, never say never.

Will you be working on an EP/Album this year?

We’ll be working on more singles. The next one, “Broken Snow,” is ready and we’re all very excited about it. It’s coming out most likely in August. We’re hoping to release an album in 2019. Let’s see how these plans pan out. You know the saying: “Man makes plans and God laughs.” I try not to plan too far ahead but yes, having an album out is the definitive goal. We have enough songs to make an album. I was just talking to Antti about this the other day. We were toying around with the idea of an album. You know, what to call it and which tracks should be on it and so on. I’ve never met anyone who takes writing lyrics as seriously as Antti. This is probably why his work is so strong.

What do you get up to in your spare time when not working on music?

I have six kids, so that answers your question. They’re all boys, so this means a lot of football, soccer, floorball, basketball, tennis etc. I am insanely busy when I am not working on music. I also love spending time with my wife. We’ve always gotten on very well and that hasn’t changed over the years. She and the kids are everything to me.

What was the first gig you ever went to?

Bob Dylan on tour with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in 1987. Just the memory of it still takes my breath away. The surprise guest that night was Roger McGuinn of The Byrds. For me, it doesn’t get better than that. I wish I could return to that night and experience it all again. It was magical. I guess my argument for not owning any live albums just went out the window.