Deep Turtle
Encyclopedia
Deep Turtle was a Finnish band, active 1990–1996 and 2002–2003.
, Finland
. Deep Turtle's music fused the energy of hardcore punk
, the harmonies of jazz
, latin
rhythms, and the experimentalism of progressive rock
into a style, which was sometimes dubbed jazzcore
or weirdcore by listeners and reviewers. Signature elements of the band's music were an abundance of uncommon time signature
s; frantic and abrupt mood changes between soft jazz tones and blistering punk
assault; nimble bass guitar
work providing a counterpoint
to the guitar
attack; and often indecipherable lyrics delivered both in Spanish
and in English
. Some comparisons have been made to bands like Cardiacs
(Turtle's 1994 album in fact has a song titled Cardiako) and NoMeansNo
.
Deep Turtle broke up in 1996 but reformed again in 2002, only to disband again in 2004 due to drummer Erjossaari's insurmountable difficulties with tinnitus
, which forced him to quit the band.
Deep Turtle made Finnish music history by being the first Finnish band to be invited to do a John Peel
session in 1994. Contrary to public belief, Peel was not present at the studio, and he never managed to meet the band in person.
had a constant lineup:
Overview
Formed in 1990, Deep Turtle was a product of the burgeoning underground music culture of the city of PoriPori
Pori is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäenjoki river, which is the largest in Finland. Pori is the most important town in the Satakunta region....
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Deep Turtle's music fused the energy of hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
, the harmonies of jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
rhythms, and the experimentalism of progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
into a style, which was sometimes dubbed jazzcore
Punk jazz
Punk jazz describes the amalgamation of elements of the jazz tradition with the instrumentation or conceptual heritage of punk rock...
or weirdcore by listeners and reviewers. Signature elements of the band's music were an abundance of uncommon time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
s; frantic and abrupt mood changes between soft jazz tones and blistering punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
assault; nimble bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
work providing a counterpoint
Counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...
to the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
attack; and often indecipherable lyrics delivered both in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Some comparisons have been made to bands like Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
(Turtle's 1994 album in fact has a song titled Cardiako) and NoMeansNo
Nomeansno
NoMeansNo is a Canadian progressive punk rock music group originally from Victoria, British Columbia and now located in Vancouver.The band has never had, nor have they seemed to pursue, strong mainstream success, but they do have a devoted underground following in North America and Europe...
.
Deep Turtle broke up in 1996 but reformed again in 2002, only to disband again in 2004 due to drummer Erjossaari's insurmountable difficulties with tinnitus
Tinnitus
Tinnitus |ringing]]") is the perception of sound within the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound.Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom that can result from a wide range of underlying causes: abnormally loud sounds in the ear canal for even the briefest period , ear...
, which forced him to quit the band.
Deep Turtle made Finnish music history by being the first Finnish band to be invited to do a John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
session in 1994. Contrary to public belief, Peel was not present at the studio, and he never managed to meet the band in person.
Lineup
Throughout their career, the trioTrio (music)
Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:* A group of three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.* The performance of a piece of music by three people.* The contrasting section of a piece in ternary form...
had a constant lineup:
- Pentti Dassum - guitar, vocals
- Tapio Laxström - bass
- Mikko Erjossaari (formerly Saaristo) - drums
Recordings
All recordings except the Peel session were engineered by the band members themselves, resulting in inconsistent recording quality.- Deep Turtle 7" EP (1991)
- Snakefish 7" EP (1992)
- Satanus Uranus Tetanus 7" EP (1993)
- Ghoti 7" split EP with Uhrilampaat (1993)
- Riva! 2 x 7" EP (1993)
- There's A Vomitsprinkler In My Liverriver LP (1994)
- John Peel Sessions EP/MCD (1994)
- Rip-Off Dokumento CD (1995) - a compilation of the first four EPs and some bonus tracks
- Tungo/Born to Search Cheese 7" single (1995)
- Flutina 7" EP (1996)
- Tutina! MCD (2002) - Tungo and Flutina reissued on one disc
- VT/DT 7" split EP with Valse TristeValse TristeValse Triste may refer to:* Valse triste , a 1904 orchestral piece by Jean Sibelius* Valse triste , a 1977 ballet by Bruno Liberda* Valse Triste , a 1979 film by Bruce Conner...
(2003) - Turkele! MCD (2003)