Wigwam (progressive rock)
Encyclopedia
Wigwam is a Finnish
progressive rock
band formed in 1968.
Wigwam was founded after the split of the seminal Blues Section
, with whom drummer Ronnie Österberg had played before. He formed the band as a trio, but soon brought in British expatriate singer/songwriter Jim Pembroke
(also in BS) and organist Jukka Gustavson. A year later, Pekka Pohjola
joined on bass. Kim Fowley
produced Wigwam's second album Tombstone Valentine (1970). This album also featured an excerpt of Erkki Kurenniemi
's electronic composition 'Dance of the Anthropoids'. The 1974 album Being is often called Wigwam's masterpiece. After its release, though, Pohjola and Gustavson quit the band. Commercially the most successful Wigwam album must be the more pop-oriented Nuclear Nightclub that followed in 1975, with new members Pekka Rechardt on guitar and Måns Groundstroem on bass.
For a time in the 1970s Wigwam seemed poised to break through in Europe, along with bands like Tasavallan Presidentti
, but even though they were highly praised by the UK press large-scale international fame eluded them, and by 1978 they had disbanded. Jim Pembroke and Ronnie Österberg formed the Jim Pembroke Band in late 1979, but following health problems with diabetes, Österberg committed suicide
on December 6, 1980.
Wigwam reformed in the 1990s with the Pembroke-Rechardt-Groundstroem core intact, and has been active to the present. In Finland they have a lasting (although limited) following, and their influence on Finnish rock music
is widely recognised.
's solo albums, which are played by Wigwam
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...
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...
band formed in 1968.
Wigwam was founded after the split of the seminal Blues Section
Blues Section
Blues Section are a Finnish rock music group. They started in 1967, formed around the vocalist Jim Pembroke, a British expatriate song-writer now living in Finland. The other members of the band were Eero Koivistoinen , Ronnie Österberg , Hasse Walli , and Måns Groundstroem...
, with whom drummer Ronnie Österberg had played before. He formed the band as a trio, but soon brought in British expatriate singer/songwriter Jim Pembroke
Jim Pembroke
James Francis Pembroke is the vocalist of Finnish progressive rock band Wigwam. A British expatriate, Pembroke had played with London group Taverners' Guild before arriving in Finland in 1965. He immediately found himself in some demand, gigging on an ad hoc basis with various lineups , until...
(also in BS) and organist Jukka Gustavson. A year later, Pekka Pohjola
Pekka Pohjola
Jussi Pekka Pohjola was a Finnish multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer. Best known as a bass player, Pohjola was also a classically trained pianist and violinist...
joined on bass. Kim Fowley
Kim Fowley
Kim Vincent Fowley is an American record producer, impresario, songwriter, musician, film maker, and radio actor. He is best known for his role behind a string of novelty and cult rock pop singles in the 1960s, and for managing The Runaways in the 1970s...
produced Wigwam's second album Tombstone Valentine (1970). This album also featured an excerpt of Erkki Kurenniemi
Erkki Kurenniemi
Erkki Kurenniemi is a Finnish designer, philosopher and artist, best known for his electronic music compositions and the electronic instruments he has designed. He is considered one of the leading early pioneers of electronic music in Finland...
's electronic composition 'Dance of the Anthropoids'. The 1974 album Being is often called Wigwam's masterpiece. After its release, though, Pohjola and Gustavson quit the band. Commercially the most successful Wigwam album must be the more pop-oriented Nuclear Nightclub that followed in 1975, with new members Pekka Rechardt on guitar and Måns Groundstroem on bass.
For a time in the 1970s Wigwam seemed poised to break through in Europe, along with bands like Tasavallan Presidentti
Tasavallan Presidentti
Tasavallan Presidentti is a Finnish progressive rock band. It was founded in 1969 by guitarist Jukka Tolonen and drummer Vesa Aaltonen. Other founder members were Måns Groundstroem and Frank Robson , previously of Blues Section...
, but even though they were highly praised by the UK press large-scale international fame eluded them, and by 1978 they had disbanded. Jim Pembroke and Ronnie Österberg formed the Jim Pembroke Band in late 1979, but following health problems with diabetes, Österberg committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
on December 6, 1980.
Wigwam reformed in the 1990s with the Pembroke-Rechardt-Groundstroem core intact, and has been active to the present. In Finland they have a lasting (although limited) following, and their influence on Finnish rock music
Finnish rock
Finnish rock refers to rock music made in Finland. The initial rock and roll boom of the 1950s was preceded by a long tradition of popular culture...
is widely recognised.
Current lineup
- Jim Pembroke (1969- ) (vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
) - Pekka "Rekku" Rechardt (1974- ) (guitarGuitarThe 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...
) - Esa Kotilainen (1974–75, 1977, 2001- ) (keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
) - Mats Huldén (1968–70, 2004- ) (bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) - Jari "Kepa" Kettunen (1993- ) (drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
)
Bass guitar
- Pekka PohjolaPekka PohjolaJussi Pekka Pohjola was a Finnish multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer. Best known as a bass player, Pohjola was also a classically trained pianist and violinist...
(1970–1974) - Måns "Måsse" Groundstroem (1974–2003)
- Jussi Kinnunen (2003–2004)
Keyboards
- Jukka "Gutsi" Gustavson (1969–1974)
- Heikki "Hessu/Pedro" Hietanen (1975–1977, 1991–1992, 1999–2000)
- Mikko Rintanen (1992–1993)
Guest musicians
- Jukka TolonenJukka TolonenJukka Tolonen is a Finnish jazz guitarist. Tolonen became famous as guitarist for the band Tasavallan Presidentti...
, guitar (1970–1974) - Esa Kotilainen, keyboards (1974–1975, 1977)
- Ilmari Varila, oboe
- Tapio Louhensalo, bassoon
- Hannu Saxelin, clarinet
- Risto Pensola, clarinet
- Unto Haapa-aho, bass clarinet
- Eero KoivistoinenEero KoivistoinenEero Koivistoinen is a Finnish jazz musician and saxophone player, who started his career in the mid-1960s. Koivistoinen has worked as a musician, composer, arranger, conductor, producer and educator. He first heard jazz from the records his sailor brother had brought in from his travels...
, soprano saxophone - Pekka Pöyry, soprano saxophone
- Pentti Lasanen, clarinet, flute
- Paavo Honkanen, clarinet
- Aale Lindgren, oboe
- Juhani Tapaninen, bassoon
- Juhani AaltonenJuhani AaltonenJuhani Aaltonen is a Finnish jazz saxophonist and flautist.Born in Kouvola, Finland, he began playing professionally at the end of the 1950s. He played in a sextet led by Heikki Rosendahl during that time, and then studied flute performance at the Sibelius Academy and in the U.S. at the Berklee...
, flute - Seppo Paakkunainen, flute
- Erik Dannholm, flute
- Pentti Lahti, flute
- Kari Veisterä, flute
- Taisto Wesslin, acoustic guitar
- Erkki KurenniemiErkki KurenniemiErkki Kurenniemi is a Finnish designer, philosopher and artist, best known for his electronic music compositions and the electronic instruments he has designed. He is considered one of the leading early pioneers of electronic music in Finland...
, VCS3 synthesizer - Jukka Ruohomäki, VCS3 programming assistant
- Heikki Laurila, guitar, banjo
- Kalevi Nyqvist, accordion
Albums
- Hard 'n' Horny (1969)
- Tombstone ValentineTombstone ValentineTombstone Valentine is a studio album released by Wigwam in 1970. While the previous album Hard 'n' Horny was more of a jazz influenced album, Tombstone Valentine in one of their more pop-ish albums...
(1970) - FairyportFairyportFairyport is a double LP by Wigwam, which was released in 1971.-Side B:# "Gray Traitors" – 2:48# "Cafffkaff, the Country Psychologist" – 5:22# "May Your Will Be Done, Dear Lord" – 5:28# "How to Make It Big In Hospital" – 3:03-Side C:...
(1971) - BeingBeing (album)Being is a 1974 album by the Finnish progressive rock group Wigwam.- Track listing :# "Proletarian" - 2:10# "InspiRed Machine" - 1:28# "Petty-Bourgeois" - 2:58...
(1974) - Nuclear Nightclub (1975)
- The Lucky Golden Stripes and Starpose (1976)
- Dark Album (1977)
- Light AgesLight AgesLight Ages is a 1993 album by the Finnish rock group Wigwam.- Track listing :# "Borders to Be Crossed" - 4:32# "Talking Brought Me Here" - 5:55# "Hard Top Lincoln" - 3:35...
(1993) - Titans Wheel (2002)
- Some Several Moons (2005)
Compilations & live albums
- Wigwam (1972)
- Live Music from the Twilight Zone (1975)
- Rumours on the Rebound (1979)
- Classics - The Rarest (1990)
- Highlights (1996)
- Fresh Garbage - Rarities from 1969-1977 (2000)
- Wigwam Plays Wigwam - Live (2001)
Jim Pembroke (& Wigwam)
These are Jim PembrokeJim Pembroke
James Francis Pembroke is the vocalist of Finnish progressive rock band Wigwam. A British expatriate, Pembroke had played with London group Taverners' Guild before arriving in Finland in 1965. He immediately found himself in some demand, gigging on an ad hoc basis with various lineups , until...
's solo albums, which are played by Wigwam
- Hot Thumbs O'Riley: Wicked Ivory (1972)
- Jim Pembroke & Wigwam: Pigworm (1974)
- Jim Pembroke: Corporal Cauliflowers Mental Function (1977)