written by Marko Jakob
Pix666: Hi Jyrki, Thanks for your time. How are you doing these days, are you alive and well? How are the other guys of The 69 Eyes?
Jyrki69: Vampires never die, so please do not worry! We are currently writing new music for the 13th 69 Eyes album. I am very excited of this, new music sounds very rocking! It is time to ROCK IN FULL POWER!
Pix666: The 69 Eyes were celebrating their 30th anniversary two years ago. Did you think 30 years ago that the band would last so long and be so successful without interruption?
Jyrki69: We really like to play in a rock band. This is the lifestyle we love!
Pix666: Your band has been for so long now. What memories do you have that have left the biggest impression on you and that you will never forget?
Jyrki69: It took us ten years to get our music on the radio and right after that people discovered us all over the world. So, I would like to tell that you have to work hard and keep on believing. Everything depends on yourself. So it is great to experience your rock dreams to come true. And they are still coming true all the time. Everytime we climb up on the stage and see our audience.
Pix666: What’s your secret about playing with the same line-up for so long? You have to get along really well, almost like in a marriage, right?
Jyrki69: We started as friends. Our band is based on being friends who like rock’n’roll. Then we were interested in being a rock band because so of us played instruments. All the bands that have been around long time are based on the fact that the members have been friends first.
Pix666: About 20 years ago you changed the style of your music and since then you are a (the best) Goth’n’Roll band. Have you ever regretted this step – or rather that you didn’t choose this style of music from the beginning?
Jyrki69: I think we just play rock. What changed the most was that I tried to sing lower and that was more exciting sounding. Then our producer Johnny Lee Michaels played keyboards on our songs which was new and made our music more melodic.
We started in 1989 so that can be heard as well as the whole 90’s in our sound. We were trying to find an unique sound for a decade and since we think we found it, we have been sounding pretty much the same. I really like all the records we have done!
Pix666: About 1 1/2 years ago you released your last studio album ‚West end‘. The album features the single ’27 & Done‘, among others.Is this song more a tribute to the great artists who left us at the age of 27, or a warning to young musicians to take care of themselves?
Jyrki69: It is more like an idea of the rat race of staying young forever.
Pix666: What memories do you have of when you were 27? Were there any difficult situations with depression, alcohol or drugs?
Jyrki69: The 69 Eyes was touring in the UK and we had good times. I had the longest hair I have ever had! It was the longest in the Helsinki rock scene!
Pix666: What are your musical plans for this year? Do you plan to release a new The 69 Eyes Album in 2021?
Jyrki69: We are writing new music now, probably releasing new music in the early 2022!
Pix666: Social media and music streaming are both a blessing and a curse for bands. From your point of view, what are the advantages and disadvantages of this development for your band, if you compare the 90s with the present?
Jyrki69: It seemed to be very important and helped us too but I am not that interested in that these days. Less is definitely more.
Pix666: As a musician, you certainly spend most of your time making music – but what else do you do in your free time when you want to distract yourself – are there any interesting hobbies you pursue?
Jyrki69: Reading, art, nature, physical activities – keeping my spirits up!
Pix666: Do you have any other news about The 69 Eyes or even about The 69 Cats, that you would like to share with the fans?
Jyrki69: The new 69 Cats album comes out in April 16 th and my second solo album in the fall.
Pix666: Thank you for the interview. Good luck for the future and stay healthy!
https://www.facebook.com/the69eyes/
photos © by Vilhelm Sjostrom and Christin Morris
