Hootenanny Freaks is a hard drivin’ rock and roll band from Finland. The members of the band are Marko Kuurne (drums), Pepe Tamminen (vocals), Esko Kemell (guitar), Aapo Häyrinen (guitar and key boards) and Marko Leino (bass). The band’s music has been strongly influenced by both the domestic and foreign old school rock bands from 70’s and 80’s.
After 2 EPs and 20th anniversary single, “Full Steam Ahead” Hootenanny Freaks have released their first album, “Freakshow”. The album is mainly a selection of material made by the new line-up and singer during 2016-2018.
Songs like, “Breakaway” and “Two Down” have been prepared for many years but there are also songs which were made just before going to the studio in the summer of 2018. We wanted to test our limits musically and therefore you can find a power rock ballad and a piece with a tinge of Irish folk mixed amongst our traditional Rock’n Roll songs. In addition, you can also find influences of traditional heavy rock and even rockabilly. Most of the songs are based on 70’s and 80’s asskicking rock and include heavy guitar riffs, which are typical for Hootenanny Freaks. The album’s bonus track, “Mean Man Killer” represents the band’s older material and because it is been a success at our gigs, we included the live version to the album. Video of the, “Mean Man Killer” illustrates the energy of our band and it is our thank you note to our fans. Video consist of different gigs during 2016-2018.
The lyrics of the album vary from self-irony to more serious matters. However, the main focus has been the music itself and the lyrics support the chosen approach. Pepe Tamminen the lead singer and lyricist believes, if you like a hard driving rock and roll sound, this album is for you.