Estonian rock
Encyclopedia
The Estonia
n rock music scene saw its beginnings in the mid-sixties during Nikita Khrushchev
's thaw in the Soviet Union
and the rise of British bands all over the world. The first Estonian rock-groups were primarily high school bands playing cover versions of the current UK Top 10. Despite the lack of official support from Soviet authorities (rock music was seen as undesirable Western influence) some of these groups, posing as dance music bands in various clubs, gained a large underground following. Some groups managed to make proper studio recordings and appear a couple of times on television.
The most notable groups of the sixties were Juuniorid (the very first), Optimistid, Mikronid, Kontrastid and Virmalised.
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, as both rock and roll and the young Estonian musicians aged, the music became much more complex. Progressive rock
, with hard rock influences, began to become more prevalent in Estonia. Musicians from the sixties, who continiued their musical career either became established pop-stars or became interested in progressive rock. So called progressive or intellectual rock could be an indulgence, a way to prove the Soviet authorities that rock music could have a deeper meaning. Because of the lack of proper gear some young engineers like Härmo Härm started to make equipment like synthesizers for rock bands. During the seventies Estonian bands began touring in the Soviet Union
, some of them becoming quite popular. The first EPs and LPs were released under the Melodiya
label.
The most notable groups of the seventies were Ruja
, Gunnar Graps Group
, Meie, In Spe and Apelsin
.
The early eighties saw the rise of punk rock
in Estonia. This rise could be described as back to the basics. Much like early Estonian rock music was a copy of the UK Top 10 back in the sixties, the new Estonian punk music was highly influenced by UK77 and UK82 raw punk rock. American bands were unreachable. And like rock music in the sixties punk rock was highly disliked by the Soviet authorities. Besides punk rock, the Estonian rock scene in the eighties had its own answer to everything that was going on in the free world - heavy metal
, new romantics, and synthpop
. However there was a few years of delay between the Estonian scene and the rest of the world. Despite this, Estonia remained a step ahead of the rest of the Soviet Union and during the perestroika
period a few underground bands like J.M.K.E.
and Röövel Ööbik became well-known in Finland
.
The most notable bands of the 1980s were: Generator M, Radar, Rock Hotel, Vitamiin, J.M.K.E., and Singer Vinger
.
The nineties saw the fall of music and musicians from previous decades. Youth, looking for something new as usual, got the first taste of electronic. In the early 1990s there were simultaneous small-scale outbreaks of indie rock and metal. A punk survivor from the 1980s - Vennaskond
saw mainstream popularity and gained a large following, becoming arguably the most influential Estonian rock band ever. The late 1990s were the lowpoint of the Estonian rock scene. Acts from the first half of the decade continued with minor success, and no new big acts appeared.
The most notable bands of the nineties were: Vennaskond
, Terminaator
, The Tuberkuloited
, Blind
, Smilers
and Psychoterror
.
The new millennium has seen the slow but continuous rise of rock music. Currently strong metal and indie scenes exist.
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n rock music scene saw its beginnings in the mid-sixties during Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
's thaw in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the rise of British bands all over the world. The first Estonian rock-groups were primarily high school bands playing cover versions of the current UK Top 10. Despite the lack of official support from Soviet authorities (rock music was seen as undesirable Western influence) some of these groups, posing as dance music bands in various clubs, gained a large underground following. Some groups managed to make proper studio recordings and appear a couple of times on television.
The most notable groups of the sixties were Juuniorid (the very first), Optimistid, Mikronid, Kontrastid and Virmalised.
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, as both rock and roll and the young Estonian musicians aged, the music became much more complex. 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...
, with hard rock influences, began to become more prevalent in Estonia. Musicians from the sixties, who continiued their musical career either became established pop-stars or became interested in progressive rock. So called progressive or intellectual rock could be an indulgence, a way to prove the Soviet authorities that rock music could have a deeper meaning. Because of the lack of proper gear some young engineers like Härmo Härm started to make equipment like synthesizers for rock bands. During the seventies Estonian bands began touring in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, some of them becoming quite popular. The first EPs and LPs were released under the Melodiya
Melodiya
Melodiya is a Russian record label. It was the state-owned major record company/label of the Soviet Union.-History:It was established in 1964 as the "All-Union Gramophone Record Firm of the USSR Ministry of Culture Melodiya"...
label.
The most notable groups of the seventies were Ruja
Ruja
Ruja was one of the foremost Estonian rock bands of the 1970s and 1980s. The name of the band comes from a neologism "ruja", for science fiction, though there are people who believe that "ruja" is actually made up of the first letters of the band's important members...
, Gunnar Graps Group
Gunnar Graps Group
The Gunnar Graps Group was an Estonian rock group formed by Gunnar Graps in January, 1984 in Tallinn after his previous Magnetic Band was banned by Soviet authorities. In 1980s the GGG achieved popularity also in Russia....
, Meie, In Spe and Apelsin
Apelsin
Apelsin is an Estonian band created in 1974 by Tõnu Aare. Their lyrics are in the Estonian and Russian languages. During the Soviet era their LP albums were issued by the Soviet music monopoly Melodiya. The Russian name of the band was Апельсин. In both Estonian and Russian, the band's name means...
.
The early eighties saw the rise of punk rock
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...
in Estonia. This rise could be described as back to the basics. Much like early Estonian rock music was a copy of the UK Top 10 back in the sixties, the new Estonian punk music was highly influenced by UK77 and UK82 raw punk rock. American bands were unreachable. And like rock music in the sixties punk rock was highly disliked by the Soviet authorities. Besides punk rock, the Estonian rock scene in the eighties had its own answer to everything that was going on in the free world - heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, new romantics, and synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
. However there was a few years of delay between the Estonian scene and the rest of the world. Despite this, Estonia remained a step ahead of the rest of the Soviet Union and during the perestroika
Perestroika
Perestroika was a political movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during 1980s, widely associated with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
period a few underground bands like J.M.K.E.
J.M.K.E.
J.M.K.E. is an Estonian punk rock band, which formed in Tallinn on January 18, 1986.- Biography :The original singer, Mati, left the band soon afterwards, leaving Venno on drums, Tarvo on bass, and Villu Tamme on vocals and guitar, sometimes working together with guest singers...
and Röövel Ööbik became well-known in 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...
.
The most notable bands of the 1980s were: Generator M, Radar, Rock Hotel, Vitamiin, J.M.K.E., and Singer Vinger
Singer Vinger
Singer Vinger is an Estonian punk rock band. It was founded in 1986, before that being named Pära Trust , Turist and Aken among others; the name Singer Vinger was picked by authorities, because "Turist" was deemed inappropriate by the Soviet Estonian ministry of culture...
.
The nineties saw the fall of music and musicians from previous decades. Youth, looking for something new as usual, got the first taste of electronic. In the early 1990s there were simultaneous small-scale outbreaks of indie rock and metal. A punk survivor from the 1980s - Vennaskond
Vennaskond
Vennaskond is an Estonian punk rock band founded in 1984. The band has toured in Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Romania, Sweden, Germany, France and the USA .-Members:...
saw mainstream popularity and gained a large following, becoming arguably the most influential Estonian rock band ever. The late 1990s were the lowpoint of the Estonian rock scene. Acts from the first half of the decade continued with minor success, and no new big acts appeared.
The most notable bands of the nineties were: Vennaskond
Vennaskond
Vennaskond is an Estonian punk rock band founded in 1984. The band has toured in Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Romania, Sweden, Germany, France and the USA .-Members:...
, Terminaator
Terminaator
Terminaator is an Estonian rock group formed in 1987 by Jaagup Kreem in Tallinn 10. High School . Kreem was in the 7th grade then. The first public performance was in Tallinn 47. High School in the schoolbands' festival. The first time in the studio was in 1989. First songs "Charleen" and "Meeletu...
, The Tuberkuloited
The Tuberkuloited
The Tuberkuloited was an Estonian punk rock band created in 1991 by Alar Aigro and Indrek "Summer" Raadik. In Estonia they had a few hits like "Lilleke rohus" and "Näkineiud" They were known for their melodic approach to punk rock...
, Blind
Blind (band)
Blind were a Christian rock band formed in Wollongong, Australia in 1999 and consisted of Greg Bell , Adrian Deck , Andrew Nicholls , Michael Molkentin and Chris Stewart .-Blind, 1999-2005:...
, Smilers
Smilers
Smilers is an Estonian rock band formed in 1991 by Hendrik Sal-Saller. The name comes from a Rod Stewart album, Smiler; first the band was named Lezer Brozers. In the early years they tried in Finland with two albums, but didn't find success, so they came to Estonia and became famous very fast....
and Psychoterror
Psychoterror
Psychoterror is a punk rock group from Estonia. It was formed in spring 1991.-Members:*Freddy – vocals *Liba – drums *Uims – bass guitar...
.
The new millennium has seen the slow but continuous rise of rock music. Currently strong metal and indie scenes exist.