1. Hails! How’s it hanging? Any news concerning Jääportit?

– A ye. Concerning that it’s the greatest moments of the season, I’m all right. Jääportit have been quite frozen whole summer as always..

2. So your first album “Kauan Koskematon” is out, I understand that it was delayed for some time, what happened? Normendahl told me that they rushed you with it, did that have any affect on the outcome of it? Are you satisfied with it?

– I think that record haves four good songs and four not that good ones but altogether I’m satisfied to it as a cassette album. To be exact, Normendahl did rush me a bit but it didn’t have that much effect on the songs, except that mixing was done too quickly.

3. Your song are quite short compared to f.ex. Mortiis, why is this? Don’t you like to make long songs or are they boring to play or something?

– I have my own ways of making music and I don’t think that length of a song should matter that much. Any song can’t last forever. There’s a start and an end: what’s between is the most important.

4. There’s not much lyrics on “Kauan Koskematon” is that because you don’t have anything to say or is Jääportit more about music or feeling or something? Is there somekind of ideology or something behind Jääportit?

– Actually I wrote more lyrics for the record but I didn’t find any use for them because music tells enough. Jääportit represents gates and two different sides of it. One is this side which is known by many: the essence feeling of todays nature of Finland, especially on the winter. Another side is about stories of my mind and emotions. Both of these sides are told musically at the same time, on the top of another.

5. Jääportit? Does it have somekind of meaning behind it or is it just a name? Since you don’t have much lyrics on “Kauan Koskematon” I don’t really have a clue what you mean with “Kauan Koskematon”, are you talking about your genital or does it have something to do with your miserable sex life? Do you have a sex life? (Normendahl forced me to ask this! Don’t blaim me!!)

– And Normendahl strikes again! Sex life? Miserable sex life? What’s that and where is it? There’s one and another. Still they are so lost and apart from each other. Be it whatever, Kauan koskematon is a name for a story which tells about the man who opens the gates after a very long time and haves an access to enter the other side of it. What he finds is what you hear.

6. Where do you get inspiration for your music? Wandering around in forest?! And how do you compose a Jääportit song? Is there somekind of pattern to it or is every song a different story?Btw why/how did you start making this kind of music?

– Nature, winter, life, novels, stories, movies and music are my inspiration to compose music. I haven’t got any exact process how to make it but mostly what I feel is what I play. What I try to do, is music of today and music of hundred years ago at the same time. Melodies have always been the same but the way and space where and how they are introduced differs. About the start I can say that I began to make this music in the spring 97 but it have been part of me always and still is.

7. What about future plans, what’s going to be the next Jääportit release and when it’s going to be released? Will there be any changes in the music, perhaps more lyrics or longer songs? Will you ever perform live like Mortiis? Have you been in any touch with any labels (except Noitavasara if you can call it a label)? Has there been any interest in Jääportit? What kind of deal do you have with Noitavasara anyway?

– I haven’t been planing next release that much yet but it’s going to be Talvenkaltainen-like soft and very emotinal music with more ambientic soundscapes and “professionality”. I haven’t bothered to contact any other labels because there haven’t been any need to do that so far. Noitavasara handles the job very well even it is so small label. Our future sounds something like a split single/collection album with some other band and a full length album at some point of the future. If there would be an opportunity for a live performance, I could consider it but it should be in right circumstances. Maybe a happening like a techno-party but playing my music instead of that everbeating bassdrum.

Well, I think that’s it. Thanks for the interview you may end it any way you wish.

– I’ll just let the nothingness float – tuli jää maa ilma.

Written by RAVENCLAW ‘ZINE, 2000.