Introduce yourself briefly, what kind of music do you make and what you do in the band?
My name is Jussi Kahola. I used to play guitar and lead vocals in Tryer, now I just jump around with a mic. Tryer is a hardcore punk band with kick-in-your face heavy metal riffs.
If Tryer was an animal, which would it be and why?
We have used many animals and in our album cover art and shirts, but I think what represents the most is a scorpion. Lethal, fast and deadly.
How did the band originally come together?
I have always wanted to do something different with my musical projects and hadn’t tried “skate-punk”, so… I wanted to do something that would be related to that. Sure enough, we failed like a proper Tryer does and stumbled onto our own sound.
How have the surroundings shaped the sound of the band? Although you are also a bit spread around Finland?
Tampere is a city with vasts types of art that has given us creative freedom. Maybe it was Lamminpää school, where I spent my youth, that was built next to a graveyard. I grew up thinking there’s no time to spend on frivolous activities. I made fast music that reflects lifes pace.
What drives you to make the art that you do?
Pain is always the reason for good art, art should never cause pain.
How do you balance between the recording process and live performing? Does either play a bigger part for the band?
I think we balance it pretty well. The recording process is like planting a seed, live shows are where we bloom and flourish as flowers.
What is going on in the Tryer camp at the moment / do you have some future plans?
If we are not doing shows, we are making new music. The process is a bit slower as we live in different cities now, but it’s always the same. You can’t harvest if you haven’t planted the seeds. The reaps of the harvest should be now in everyone's ears as we just did our new TUHO-EP.
Photo by Jan Trygg.
Photo by Jan Trygg.
What would you name as the biggest highlights or hardships in the band's history?
Biggest highlight might have been just the realization that we can do this on a level that is both enjoyable and it moves people. The biggest hardship was when our previous bass player left. The break up part was hard. All things considered, we are going faster and stronger and we sound better than before.
How do the visual aspects of the band come together and what kind of a role does it have in Tryer?
I think the visual aspect is important for supporting the music you do. Every band has one, even if they don't emphasize it. You can’t combine black metal and sunshine, maybe you can, but it wouldn't be right. Tryer’s music is fast and we have combined that with my youthful lust for fantasy roleplaying and games in general. It’s nice to be able to hide deep, dark, political, philosophical or personal matters behind cover art that is fantasy related.
Was the Finnish language a clear decision for you in the beginning?
We had English and Finnish in our first record, so no. It just sounded a bit better in Finnish and I had done all my previous bands in English, so I wanted to give it a try. Still trying, I might do some English lyrics if I feel like it in the future.
If you could collaborate with any past or present artist/band which would it be?
Collaboration with Jesus Lizard would make me happy and should sound interesting enough.
Recommend three artists everyone should know?
Let’s start with Circle Takes the Square. It was a mind blowing experience when I heard them for the first time. Japanese I Excuse is one of my all time favorite punk bands and they even visited Finland once. I was lucky enough to see them live and love their records. Then I have to mention Hour of the Wolf as it is one of the bands that has always had a place in my heart. I have even done one song just as an honor to them, cheers to Addison Matthew. And and and…the best band in the world, Jesus Lizard… was that three?
Last words of wisdom.
Never get so busy making a living, that you forget to make a life - Dolly Parton
Photo by Jan Trygg.
Photo by Jan Trygg.