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Hanoi Rocks was a Finnish rock band formed in 1979. They were the first Finnish band to chart in the UK and they were also popular in Japan. The band broke up in June 1985 after drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley died in a drunk driving accident with
Vince Neil Vincent Neil Wharton (born February 8, 1961), best known by the stage name Vince Neil, is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist and occasional rhythm guitarist of heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, which he fronted from their 1981 format ...
behind the wheel during their first US tour in December 1984. After their initial break-up, Michael Monroe was the first Finnish artist to chart on the American
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in 1989. Original vocalist Michael Monroe and guitarist Andy McCoy reunited in 2001 with a new lineup that lasted until 2009. Although musically closer to traditional rock n' roll and punk, the band have been cited as a major influence in the
glam metal Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal that features pop-influenced hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat rock anthems, and slow power ballads. It borrows heavily from the fashion and image of 1970s glam ...
genre for bands such as
Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff ...
, Skid Row and
Poison Poison is a chemical substance that has a detrimental effect to life. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figuratively, with a broa ...
. According to Finnish radio and TV personality
Jone Nikula Antti Joonas "Jone" Nikula (born 30 March 1970) is Finnish television and radio personality and a jack-of-all-trades in the music industry. He became well known as a judge in the TV show Idols. Before his TV popularity, Nikula has – among o ...
, who was the band's tour manager in the 2000s, Hanoi Rocks's albums have sold between 780,000 and 1,000,000 copies around the world, mostly in Scandinavia and Japan. The 1982 line-up of the band (Monroe, McCoy, Suicide, Yaffa and Casino) reunited at Monroe's 60 year birthday concert on 23 September 2022 at the Helsinki Ice Hall.


History


Formation and early days (1979–1980)

Hanoi Rocks were formed in
Helsinki Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the Capital city, capital, primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Finland, most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of U ...
in 1979 by Michael Monroe (Matti Fagerholm) and his friend, guitarist Andy McCoy (Antti Hulkko). McCoy did not join the band immediately, because he was the guitarist for the Finnish punk band Pelle Miljoona Oy. McCoy allowed Monroe to form the band with an agreement that McCoy would join later. The original line-up of Hanoi Rocks was Michael Monroe on vocals, former Pelle Miljoona Oy guitarist Stefan Piesnack, Monroe's guitarist Nasty Suicide, bassist Nedo Soininen, and drummer Peki Sirola. The band toured Finnish clubs, playing McCoy and Monroe's own songs and covers like
Cheap Trick Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen a ...
's "He's a Whore",
The Police The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For most of their history the line-up consisted of primary songwriter Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussion). The Polic ...
's "Born in the 50s" and MC5's "Looking at You". At one of the band's first shows was Seppo Vesterinen, who had brought big-name artists like
Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter and actor. Called the " Godfather of Punk", he was the vocalist and lyricist of proto-punk band The Stooges, who w ...
and
Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity and satire of ...
to Finland. Vesterinen soon became the band's manager after speaking with McCoy and Monroe. In late 1980 Andy McCoy left Pelle Miljoona Oy to join Hanoi Rocks, and was later joined by another former Pelle Miljoona Oy member, bassist Sami Yaffa. McCoy replaced Stefan Piesnack, who had been arrested for drug possession, and Yaffa replaced Nedo. By then Peki had left the band, and when they relocated to
Stockholm Stockholm () is the capital and largest city of Sweden as well as the largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people live in the municipality, with 1.6 million in the urban area, and 2.4 million in the metropo ...
, they hired an old friend of Monroe and McCoy's, drummer Gyp Casino.


Stockholm, early recordings and London (1980–1981)

When they moved to Stockholm, the bandmembers lived mostly on the street, begging for money, except Andy McCoy, who lived with his wealthy girlfriend. In November 1980, the band struck a deal with
Johanna Kustannus Johanna Kustannus Oy (Ltd) has been the name of two Finnish record labels. has been a founding member for both companies, and Pekka Aarnio has also been involved with both. The first company using the name used the sublabel Johanna, while the sec ...
and released its debut single, " I Want You / Kill City Kills". "I Want You" was a new version of the Swedish song "Vill ha dej" by Heartbreak. McCoy had translated the song, whose title means "I Want You" in Swedish, into English and claimed it as his own. "Kill City Kills" was one of McCoy's oldest songs, which he had written when he was hanging around at a Finnish apartment block called Kill City. Gyp Casino was the band's drummer but did not play on the single as he was recording with another band in Stockholm. The band launched a 102-day tour in January 1981, which is believed to be the longest rock tour in Finnish history. The tour developed the band's energetic and wild playing style, which audiences were slow to find pleasing but later praised the band for. The second single " Tragedy / Café Avenue", written by McCoy when he was fifteen or sixteen years old, was released in February 1981. That same month, the band released its debut album, '' Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks'', produced by Michael Monroe and Andy McCoy, calling themselves "The Muddy Twins." The album was well-received, reaching number five on the Finnish album charts. In September 1981, after extensive tours in Sweden and Finland, the band moved to London, where they recorded their second album. On 19 September 1981, the band made their debut at the
Marquee Club The Marquee Club was a music venue first located at 165 Oxford Street in London, when it opened in 1958 with a range of jazz and skiffle acts. Its most famous period was from 1964 to 1988 at 90 Wardour Street in Soho, and it finally closed ...
in London. In late November they returned to Finland and released the single " Desperados / Devil Woman". Another single, " Dead by X-Mas / Nothing New", was released in December.


''Oriental Beat'' and Razzle joins (1982)

In January 1982, Hanoi Rocks recorded their first music videos at the
Lepakko Lepakko or Lepakkoluola was a self-managed social centre in Ruoholahti, Helsinki, Finland, functioning from 1979 to 1999. History The building was a paint company warehouse located at Porkkalankatu 1 in the Ruoholahti district of Helsinki, whi ...
, a concert venue and centre of independent youth culture, for the songs "Tragedy", "Oriental Beat", and "Motorvatin'". That same month, the band released their second album ''
Oriental Beat ''Oriental Beat'' is the second studio album by the Finnish glam punk band Hanoi Rocks, recorded in London and released in 1982. ''Oriental Beat'' also opened markets in the UK and Japan, where Hanoi eventually became very popular. Background R ...
''. The album was mostly well received by critics and magazines, including '' Sounds'' and ''
Kerrang! ''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication '' Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a on ...
'', whose Dave Dickson continued to extensively cover Hanoi Rocks's career in the 1980s. The band spent the spring of 1982 touring in Sweden, and had their first Japanese breakthrough with "Tragedy." In May, the single "Love's an Injection / Taxi Driver" was released. By June 1982, the band had permanently moved to London. Monroe met a Hanoi Rocks fan called Razzle at a
Johnny Thunders John Anthony Genzale (July 15, 1952 – April 23, 1991), known professionally as Johnny Thunders, was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He came to prominence in the early 1970s as a member of the New York Dolls. He later played wit ...
show. When Razzle, who was the drummer for London punk band The Dark, found out that Monroe was the singer for Hanoi Rocks, he attended some shows, showed up backstage, and asked to be the band's drummer. McCoy and Monroe fired Gyp Casino for his drug use, depression, and suicidal thoughts, and Razzle was hired as the new drummer. In August 1982, Hanoi Rocks released their third studio album, ''
Self Destruction Blues ''Self Destruction Blues'' is the third album by the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks, released in 1982. Although often listed as a studio album, ''Self Destruction Blues'' is a compilation of singles and B-sides that the band recorded in 1981 and ...
''. The album featured old singles like "Love's an Injection". Razzle had yet to join the band when the songs were recorded, but he is credited on the album. The album was released in October in Finland, with "Love's an Injection" spending a week at number one on the Finnish singles charts. The band also signed a contract with the Japanese record company Nippon Phonogram.


Tour in Asia, ''Back to Mystery City'' and a deal with CBS (1983)

By January 1983, the band was touring outside of the UK, Finland, and Sweden. The Asian tour was largely covered by British magazines, and the band was featured on the cover of ''Sounds''. The tour started in
Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...
, continuing in Hong Kong and Japan. In Japan the band was very popular, with fans breaking into hotels to see the musicians. The ticket prices for the show were as high as for stadium-fillers, and some phone booths in Tokyo played Hanoi Rocks songs. The tour continued from Tokyo to Vietnam. In April, the band returned to London for the recording of their fourth album, and went to Israel, where they were not well received. Monroe could not leave the hotel because of his somewhat unconventional appearance: local people thought he was an improperly-dressed woman and would gather around and spit on him. Also, Nasty Suicide broke his ankle; and people did not like the band's loud playing style. In late spring, Hanoi Rocks toured London and Norway, and released a single before the new album, " Malibu Beach / Rebel On The Run". The band's fourth album, ''
Back to Mystery City ''Back to Mystery City'' is the fourth studio album by the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks, released in 1983. It was produced by ex-Mott the Hoople members Dale Griffin and Pete "Overend" Watts, and was the first with Razzle on drums. Besides Han ...
'', was released shortly afterward. It reached number 87 on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
. Hanoi Rocks toured the UK and in Finland until June 1983, when the band made a deal with CBS worth £150,000.


Bob Ezrin and ''All Those Wasted Years'' (1983–1984)

In August 1983, Hanoi Rocks released the 7" single " Until I Get You / Tragedy", and the 12" maxi-single "Until I Get You / Tragedy / Oriental Beat." On 13 August, Lick Records released Hanoi Rocks's first three albums in Britain for the first time. The next day, the band played a show at the
Ruisrock Ruisrock is a rock festival held annually on the island of Ruissalo in Turku, Finland. Ruisrock, founded in 1970, is the second oldest rock festival in Europe (after Pinkpop) and the oldest in Finland. The festival has attracted international ...
festival in Turku, Finland. Before the show, Michael Monroe stated in an interview with the Finnish television station YLE that McCoy and Suicide's alcohol use had gotten out of hand, and that he did not drink or use drugs. In October 1983, producer Bob Ezrin flew from the US to see Hanoi Rocks live in London, and in December he was confirmed as the producer for the next album. Their December shows at Marquee were recorded and released as a live album and an accompanying live video, both titled ''
All Those Wasted Years ''All Those Wasted Years'' is the first live album by the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks, released in 1984. In initial pressing of this album's name was misspelled as "All Those Waisted Years", while correct spelling has been used with later relea ...
''.


''Two Steps from the Move'' (1984)

In early 1984, Hanoi Rocks and Bob Ezrin recorded ''Two Steps from the Move'', in New York and Toronto. Ezrin had invited Ian Hunter of
Mott the Hoople Mott the Hoople were an English rock band formed in Herefordshire. Originally known as the Doc Thomas Group, the group changed their name after signing with Island Records in 1969. The band released albums throughout the early 1970s but fai ...
to help with the songwriting, and Hunter brought
Jack Bruce John Symon Asher Bruce (14 May 1943 – 25 October 2014) was a Scottish bassist, singer-songwriter, musician and composer. He gained popularity as the primary lead vocalist and ‍bassist ‍of British rock band Cream. After the group disband ...
(formerly of
Cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this process ...
), who in turn brought
Pete Brown Peter Ronald Brown (born 25 December 1940) is an English performance poet, lyricist, and singer best known for his collaborations with Cream and Jack Bruce.Colin Larkin, ''Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music'', (Muze UK Ltd, 1997), , p. 80 Br ...
, to the recording sessions. Brown wrote a lot of lyrics, but the only one the band used was "Smoked a lot of sky, drank a lot of rain", in "Million Miles Away". By the end of April the new album was almost ready for release, but Ezrin and the label thought that the album was missing a hit, so they recorded
Creedence Clearwater Revival Creedence Clearwater Revival, also referred to as Creedence and CCR, was an American rock band formed in El Cerrito, California. The band initially consisted of lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter John Fogerty; his brother, ...
's "
Up Around the Bend "Up Around the Bend" is a song by American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, written by the band's frontman John Fogerty. The song was composed and recorded only a few days prior to the band's April 1970 European tour and was included on the ...
", which was already a favorite of Michael Monroe and Nasty Suicide. In May 1984, Hanoi Rocks went on tour in Bombay and Japan. In Japan, excitement over the band led to sold-out concert halls and fans following the band everywhere. Even in Finland people were baffled by the extent of the band's popularity in Japan. The Japanese tour was followed by a tour across England and Scotland. British magazines raved about the band, and were certain that the next record would be their breakthrough. In June, the single "Up Around The Bend / Until I Get You" was released, but it also appeared as a double single and as an EP. A music video for "Up Around the Bend" was also produced. At the time it was the most expensive music video for any Finnish band. The song climbed to number 61 on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, and got radio airplay in America. After a July tour in England, ''
Two Steps From The Move ''Two Steps from the Move'' is the fifth studio album by the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks, released in 1984. This is their last album to feature drummer Razzle, before he was killed in a car accident on 8 December 1984. Album information Befo ...
'', whose title was changed from ''Silver Missiles and Nightingales'' at the last minute, was released. It was their most successful album in the UK Albums Chart, where it peaked at number 28. " Underwater World / Shakes" and "Two Steps From the Move" were released as singles in the UK, and right away the band went on tour with Johnny Thunders. In November the single " Don't You Ever Leave Me / Oil And Gasoline" was released, by which time the new album had sold 200,000 copies—most of them in the U.S. (60,000), Britain (50,000), and Finland (20,000). In the US the album sold 44,000 copies in its first two weeks. After a Swedish tour, the band toured America until Michael Monroe fractured his ankle onstage at USA Sam's in Syracuse, New York, on 29 November, resulting in some of the dates being canceled. Los Angeles shows were all sold out in less than half an hour.


Razzle's death, ''Rock & Roll Divorce'', and break-up (1984–1985)

On 8 December, Hanoi Rocks band members (except for Michael Monroe, who was recuperating from his fractured ankle) were partying with their friends
Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil. Mötley Crüe has sold over 100 million albu ...
, at lead singer
Vince Neil Vincent Neil Wharton (born February 8, 1961), best known by the stage name Vince Neil, is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist and occasional rhythm guitarist of heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, which he fronted from their 1981 format ...
's house. The party stopped when everybody noticed they were out of beer. Neil and Razzle, both drunk, went to a nearby liquor store in Neil's
Pantera Pantera () is an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas formed in 1981, and currently comprised of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, and touring musicians Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante. The group's best-known lineup cons ...
, with Neil driving. On the way back, they crashed into another car. Razzle was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead at 7:12 p.m.; he had died instantly in the collision. Both occupants of the other car were seriously injured, sustaining brain damage as a result of the crash. Andy McCoy and Mötley Crüe drummer
Tommy Lee Thomas Lee Bass (born October 3, 1962) is an American musician and founding member of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. As well as being the band's long-term drummer, Lee founded rap metal band Methods of Mayhem and has pursued solo musical ...
went looking for Neil and Razzle. They drove by the crash site and saw Neil handcuffed and put into a police car. They were informed that Razzle had been taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. McCoy informed the band's manager Seppo Vesterinen, who then told the rest of the band. The band returned to London. The only tour dates not canceled were two shows at Helsinki
Kulttuuritalo Kulttuuritalo ( fi, Kulttuuritalo, sv, Kulturhuset) is a building in Alppila, Helsinki, Finland. The building was designed by Alvar Aalto, and is considered to be one of his main works. The building The building combines a concert hall, a ...
on 3 and 4 January 1985, which were broadcast live under the title of "Europe A Go-Go" to a worldwide audience of 200 million viewers. Both shows became memorials to Razzle, with "Million Miles Away" dedicated to him. Former Clash drummer
Terry Chimes Terence Chimes (born 5 July 1956, Stepney, London, England) is an English musician, best known as the original drummer of punk rock group The Clash. He played with them from July 1976 to November 1976, January 1977 to April 1977, and again f ...
played the drums. In 1985, after the shows, Sam Yaffa left the group due to personal differences with Andy McCoy. The band returned to London to take a short break. Yaffa was replaced by bassist René Berg. Terry Chimes remained as the new drummer. Monroe planned to quit, but the record label convinced him to do a short tour in Poland, where "Don't You Ever Leave Me" was rising on the charts. Monroe agreed on the condition that no live record would be released, but a semi-official live album was released. Entitled '' Rock & Roll Divorce'', the album was panned by the managers, band members and critics. René Berg often stated that Hanoi Rocks was "his band", which led to his replacement by bassist
Timo Kaltio Timo is a masculine given name. It is primarily used in Finnish, Estonian, Dutch and German societies. It may be used as an abbreviation of Timothy. Arts and entertainment *Timo Alakotila (born 1959), Finnish musician *Timo Andres (born 1985), ...
. This line-up never performed live, and on 17 June 1985, Monroe officially left Hanoi Rocks, ending the band. At the same time, "Don't You Ever Leave Me" rose to number 6 on the Polish singles chart and Hanoi Rocks's popularity continued into the 1990s.


Rebirth and new success (2001–2007)

In February 2001, Monroe and McCoy performed together for the first time since 1985 in
Turku Turku ( ; ; sv, Åbo, ) is a city and former capital on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River, in the region of Finland Proper (''Varsinais-Suomi'') and the former Turku and Pori Province (''Turun ja Porin lääni''; ...
, Finland. They toured again in the summer of 2001, under the moniker "Hanoi Revisited". After the short tour, Monroe and McCoy agreed to reform the band. This would be (as the two put it), a "rebirth", not a reformation of Hanoi Rocks, mainly because none of the other members were able to join: Razzle was dead; Nasty Suicide had become a
pharmacist A pharmacist, also known as a chemist (Commonwealth English) or a druggist (North American and, archaically, Commonwealth English), is a healthcare professional who prepares, controls and distributes medicines and provides advice and instructi ...
; Sami Yaffa was a member of a New York-based group called Mad Juana and the bassist for the
New York Dolls New York Dolls were an American rock band formed in New York City in 1971. Along with the Velvet Underground and the Stooges, they were one of the first bands of the early punk rock scenes. Although the band never achieved much commercial suc ...
; and Gyp Casino was no longer active in music. "The Muddy Twins" chose Kari " Lacu" Lahtinen from Monroe's solo band to play the drums, Timpa Laine (also from Monroe's solo band) to play the bass, and Costello Hautamäki from the Finnish rock band
Popeda Popeda is a Finnish rock band hailing from Tampere and one of the staples of Manserock. Epe Helenius, who signed the band for Poko Rekords in 1977, called the band "Finnish Rolling Stones". Musically their style is a combination of rock 'n' ...
to play guitar. The new Hanoi Rocks toured. McCoy and Monroe made a deal that they would be equal writers on songs, and not just McCoy. By 2002, the two had written enough songs for an album, and ''
Twelve Shots on the Rocks ''Twelve Shots on the Rocks'' is the sixth studio album by the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks, released in 2002, however it was their first studio album since the band's break-up in 1985. Critical and commercial acclaim for the album exceeded ex ...
'' was released. Although the album was a hit in Finland and Japan, Monroe and McCoy were not present when the album was mixed, and when they heard the finished product they were not happy. The album was remixed in 2003, featuring two new songs, "Moonlite Dance" and "Bad News". Most of 2003 and 2004 consisted of touring, but Costello departed to continue his work with Popeda. Costello was replaced by guitarist Stevie Klasson, whose only recording with Hanoi Rocks was the " Keep Our Fire Burning" single. Klasson was fired from Hanoi Rocks in the fall of 2004 for not getting along with other members. Bassist Timpa left because of family issues. In 2004 the band (now consisting of Monroe, McCoy and Lacu) headed to the studio to record the album ''
Another Hostile Takeover ''Another Hostile Takeover'' is the seventh studio album by the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks, released in 2005. This was the second album, of the "reborn" Hanoi Rocks of the new millennium. When it was released, critics praised the album, but fa ...
''. With no bassist and no guitarist, Monroe had to play some of the bass and guitar parts, but in early 2005 the band was able to find a new guitarist,
Conny Bloom Conny Bloom is the stage name for Ulf Conny Blomqvist, (born 23 November 1964 in Stockholm) who is a Swedish guitarist and songwriter. He is best known as the frontman for the funk metal band, Electric Boys. Bloom also served a stint as a guita ...
. Bloom had played with Gyp Casino and the Electric Boys and fit well with Hanoi Rocks. He suggested that bassist Andy "A.C." Christell, who had also played with the Electric Boys, should join the band. The reaction to ''Another Hostile Takeover'' was mixed. Critics liked the album's diversity and braveness to try new things, but some of the old fans and hard rock fans thought that the album was weird and that Hanoi Rocks had changed too much since the 1980s. In 2005 and 2006, the band toured in Europe and Asia. On 18 August 2007 the band perform their new single 'Fashion' on Swedish Saturday live TV show Sommarkrysset ( TV4). For 2007's ''Street Poetry'' the band worked on some of the unfinished songs from the 1980s, such as "Teenage Revolution", which was first thought of during the ''Two Steps from the Move'' sessions in 1984. This album also marked the first time that other band members besides Monroe and McCoy were permitted to write songs. ''Street Poetry'' was released on 5 September 2007, and a music video was shot for the first single, "
Fashion Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. The term implies a look defined by the fash ...
".


The final break-up (2008–2009)

On 25 January 2008 Lacu suddenly announced that he was going to leave Hanoi Rocks to join Popeda. On 20 March, the band started their first acoustic tour, titled “Hanoi Rocks Steppin’ Out Acoustically”, during which the band's drum technician played drums. On 25 May, it was announced that the band's new drummer would be Swedish drummer George Atlagic. By this time Monroe and McCoy had come to the decision that Hanoi Rocks's time had come to an end, as they no longer had collaborated since 2007 and things were getting stale. Eventually Monroe and McCoy released a statement that they had taken the band as far as they could and that the band would break up. In late 2008 an autobiography titled ''All Those Wasted Years'' was released. It mainly covered Hanoi Rocks's career in the 1980s and included rare photos of the band and its members and new interviews with Monroe, McCoy, Nasty Suicide, Gyp Casino, Seppo Vesterinen, Richard Bishop and countless others. Hanoi Rocks announced that they would play eight farewell shows over six days at the Tavastia Club in Helsinki. All the shows were sold out, and the band's original guitarist Nasty Suicide appeared as a special guest in three of the last gigs, and Lacu also appeared at the final show. The last show was released as a DVD in late 2009, titled '' Buried Alive''.


Legacy

Although Hanoi Rocks never achieved huge commercial success, they have a very big
cult following A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...
and they have received critical acclaim for their musical style and energetic live performances. On 5 January 1985, Hanoi Rocks was featured in almost every category in a poll cast by '' Sounds'', including Best Album (5th), Best Band (2nd) and Best Live Act (3rd). Hanoi Rocks's influence can be seen in various bands, including
Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff ...
, and their glam look has been used by many bands, including Poison, L.A. Guns and Ratt. Other bands like
Manic Street Preachers Manic Street Preachers, also known simply as the Manics, are a Welsh Rock music, rock band formed in Blackwood, Caerphilly, Blackwood in 1986. The band consists of cousins James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, lead guitar) and Sean Moore (musician ...
, Murderdolls, Skid Row and the
Foo Fighters Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Foo Fighters was initially formed as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Following the success of the eponymous debut album, Grohl (lead vocals, guitar) ...
have acknowledged being Hanoi Rocks fans.
Alice in Chains Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who later recruited bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne ...
also often played Hanoi Rocks's "Taxi Driver" live in their early days. Other Finnish rock groups that were influenced by Hanoi Rocks include
The 69 Eyes The 69 Eyes are a Finnish rock band. It was founded in 1989 in Helsinki by vocalist Jyrki 69 (who also writes the band's lyrics), guitarists Bazie, Timo-Timo and bassist Archzie, joined in 1992 by drummer Jussi 69; the lineup never changed sin ...
(with whom McCoy has also worked) and Negative. In Finland, Hanoi Rocks is known as the
Finnish rock Finnish rock ( Finnish: ''suomirock'' or ''suomirokki''—also known as Finnsrock, Finnrock or Finrock) 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. ''Suomiroc ...
band who, at their time, had come closest to real international fame, only much later giving way to such groups as HIM,
Nightwish Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee. The band was formed in 1996 by lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former lead singer Tarja Turunen. The band soon picked up drummer Jukka N ...
, Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius,
Children of Bodom Children of Bodom was a Finnish melodic death metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993 as Inearthed, the final line-up of the group upon their split in 2019 consisted of Alexi Laiho (lead guitar, lead vocals), Jaska Raatikainen (drums), Henkka Se ...
and
Turisas Turisas is a Finnish metal band from Hämeenlinna. They were founded in 1997 by Mathias Nygård and Jussi Wickström, and named after an ancient Finnish god of war. Turisas are a folk metal band, incorporating elements of power metal and s ...
. Hanoi Rocks also brought the glam rock look of the 1970s back into style. In 2003, when Nasty Suicide was asked about the band's look, he said that he and Michael Monroe decided to keep the punk leather jackets but bring a kind of "''transvestite vibe to it''". Even though Hanoi Rocks influenced many 1980s glam bands, some feel that these bands ripped off Hanoi Rocks. In 2008
Joe Elliott Joseph Thomas "Joe" Elliott (born 1 August 1959) is an English–Irish rock singer, best known as the lead singer and one of the founding members of the hard rock band Def Leppard. He has also been the lead singer of the David Bowie tribute ba ...
, frontman of English hard rock band
Def Leppard Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1976 in Sheffield. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drums, backing vocals), Phil Collen (guitar, backing vocals), ...
, described his dislike of 1980s glam metal bands like
Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil. Mötley Crüe has sold over 100 million albu ...
and
Poison Poison is a chemical substance that has a detrimental effect to life. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figuratively, with a broa ...
, and said this about Hanoi Rocks:
''"The only band — and I'm not saying it because we're here (Sweden Rock Festival) — the only band that did pull it off was Hanoi Rocks. I thought Hanoi Rocks were a good band, and they looked… Michael Monroe (Hanoi frontman) was one of the best… I would have shagged him. aughsI like Michael, I think he's sexy, and I'm not gay. And I think Andy McCoy (Hanoi guitarist) does the best kind of Keith Richards... so much better than Mötley Crüe or Poison or any of those bands. They (Hanoi Rocks) were real — the rest of the guys, it was all a bit fake for me."''
Michael Monroe and Hanoi Rocks have influenced many rock'n'roll artists and bands:
Slash Slash may refer to: * Slash (punctuation), the "/" character Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Slash (Marvel Comics) * Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'') Music * Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band * Nash ...
and
Duff McKagan Michael Andrew "Duff" McKagan (born February 5, 1964), sometimes credited as Duff "Rose" McKagan, is an American musician. He played bass for twelve years in the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late ...
had bought tickets to the sold-out gigs in Los Angeles, which were canceled because of the death of Razzle. In the Hanoi Rocks autobiography "
All Those Wasted Years ''All Those Wasted Years'' is the first live album by the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks, released in 1984. In initial pressing of this album's name was misspelled as "All Those Waisted Years", while correct spelling has been used with later relea ...
" Foo Fighters guitarist
Chris Shiflett Christopher Aubrey Shiflett ( ; born May 6, 1971) is an American musician. He is most recognizable as lead guitarist for the American rock band Foo Fighters. He was previously a member of the punk rock bands No Use for a Name (1995–1999) an ...
says "The Hollywood scene changed in just one night after people saw the pictures of Hanoi Rocks. After that everyone was wearing the same kind of hair, clothes and make up as Monroe". Michael Monroe and Hanoi Rocks have often been mentioned as the starters of the Hollywood's glam-rock scene, which was then adopted and developed by many 1980s glam, punk, and hard rock bands like Mötley Crüe, Jetboy, LA Guns and Poison. Hanoi Rocks is cited as one of the most influential glam metal bands of all time in the Metal: A Headbanger's Journey documentary movie. American TV Channel VH1 named the top "hair bands" of all time, and Hanoi Rocks was at number 40. When Sam Yaffa was asked about it, he replied: "We were a hat band, not a hair band!". In 2013, American newspaper
LA Weekly ''LA Weekly'' is a free weekly alternative newspaper in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Jay Levin, who served as president and editor until 1991. Voice Media Group sold the paper in late 2017 to Semanal Media LLC, whose par ...
listed Hanoi Rocks at number 1 on their list of the "15 Best Hair Metal Bands of All Time". Andy McCoy has said that the Guns N' Roses song " Paradise City" is a compilation of a few riffs of Hanoi Rocks. He said the chorus is the same as the riff in " Lost in the City", just slowed down. Nasty Suicide can also be seen in the music video for "Paradise City". The Guns N' Roses song " Right Next Door to Hell" was co-written by former Hanoi Rocks bassist Timo Kaltio. Hanoi Rocks is mentioned in the
Bret Michaels Bret Michael Sychak (born March 15, 1963), known professionally as Bret Michaels, is an American singer and musician. He gained fame as the frontman of rock band Poison who has sold over 50 million albums worldwide and 15 million records in the ...
song "Human Zoo" on his 1998 soundtrack album, '' A Letter from Death Row''. Hanoi Rocks is mentioned in the
NOFX NOFX () is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. Vocalist/bassist Fat Mike, guitarist Eric Melvin and drummer Erik Sandin are original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on ever ...
song "We Got Two Jealous Agains" on their 2003 album The War on Errorism. Hanoi Rocks is mentioned in the Red House Painters song "Cruiser" on their 2001 album Old Ramon. The fictional character
Peacemaker Peacemaker or The Peacemaker (in various forms) may refer to: Individuals and groups * UN Peacemaker, a project of the UN to support international peacemakers and mediators * Peace makers, a list of contemporary individuals and organizations inv ...
mentions Hanoi Rocks as "only the greatest band of all time" in the eponymous 2022
TV series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed b ...
. The same episode also features Hanoi Rocks songs "11th Street Kids" and "Fallen Star".


Band members

;Former members * Michael Monroe
lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of the ...
,
saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...
,
harmonica The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica in ...
, keyboards, piano, drums (1979–1985, 2001–2009, 2022) * Nasty Suicide
rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...
and
lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the fe ...
, backing and lead vocals (1979–1985, guest appearances in the 2000s, 2022) *Peki Sirola – drums (1979–1980) *Nedo Soininen – bass (1979–1980) *Stefan Piesnack – lead and rhythm guitar (1979–1980) * Andy McCoy – lead and rhythm guitar, keyboards, piano, backing vocals (1980–1985, 2001–2009, 2022) * Sami Yaffa – bass (1980–1985, 2022) *Tumppi Varonen – drums (1980) * Gyp Casino – drums (1980–1982, 2022) * Razzle – drums, backing and lead vocals (1982–1984; died 1984) *
Terry Chimes Terence Chimes (born 5 July 1956, Stepney, London, England) is an English musician, best known as the original drummer of punk rock group The Clash. He played with them from July 1976 to November 1976, January 1977 to April 1977, and again f ...
– drums (1985) * René Berg – bass (1985; died 2003) *Timo Kaltio – bass (1985; died 2021) * Lacu – drums (2002–2008) *Timppa Laine – bass (2002–2004) *Costello Hautamäki – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals (2002–2004) *Stevie Klasson – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals (2004) *
Conny Bloom Conny Bloom is the stage name for Ulf Conny Blomqvist, (born 23 November 1964 in Stockholm) who is a Swedish guitarist and songwriter. He is best known as the frontman for the funk metal band, Electric Boys. Bloom also served a stint as a guita ...
– rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals (2004–2009) * Andy "A.C." Christell
bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...
, backing vocals (2005–2009) *George Atlagic –
drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks ...
,
percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
(2008–2009) ;Timeline
ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:110 bottom:120 top:0 right:30 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1979 till:01/01/2023 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Colors = id:vocals value:red legend:Lead_vocals id:bvocals value:pink legend:Backing_vocals id:w-ins value:gray(0.5) legend:Saxophone,_harmonica id:keys value:purple legend:Keyboards,_piano id:lguitar value:teal legend:Lead/rhythm guitar id:rguitar value:brightgreen legend:Rhythm/lead guitar id:bass value:blue legend:Bass id:drums value:orange legend:Drums id:Lines value:black legend:Studio albums Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:2 ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:2 start:1979 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1979 BarData = bar:Michael text:Michael Monroe bar:Nasty text:Nasty Suicide bar:Costello text:Costello Hautamäki bar:Stevie text:Stevie Klasson bar:Conny text:Conny Bloom bar:Stefan text:Stefan Piesnack bar:Andy text:Andy McCoy bar:Nedo text:Nedo Soininen bar:Sami text:Sami Yaffa bar:René text:René Berg bar:Timo text:Timo Kaltio bar:Timpa text:Timpa Laine bar:A.C. text:A.C. Christell bar:Peki text:Peki Sirola bar:Tumppi text:Tumppi Varonen bar:Gyp text:Gyp Casino bar:Razzle text:Razzle bar:Terry text:Terry Chimes bar:Lacu text:Lacu bar:George text:George Atlagic PlotData= width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Michael from:01/01/1979 till:17/06/1985 color:vocals bar:Michael from:01/01/1979 till:17/06/1985 color:w-ins width:3 bar:Michael from:01/01/1979 till:08/12/1984 color:keys width:7 bar:Michael from:01/11/1982 till:08/12/1984 color:drums width:7 bar:Michael from:01/11/1982 till:08/12/1984 color:keys width:5 bar:Michael from:08/12/1984 till:17/06/1985 color:keys width:7 bar:Michael from:10/08/2001 till:12/04/2009 color:vocals bar:Michael from:10/08/2001 till:12/04/2009 color:keys width:7 bar:Michael from:10/08/2001 till:12/04/2009 color:w-ins width:3 bar:Michael from:01/07/2022 till:01/01/2023 color:vocals bar:Michael from:01/07/2022 till:01/01/2023 color:keys width:7 bar:Michael from:01/07/2022 till:01/01/2023 color:w-ins width:3 bar:Nasty from:01/01/1979 till:17/06/1985 color:rguitar bar:Nasty from:01/01/1979 till:17/06/1985 color:bvocals width:7 bar:Nasty from:01/01/1979 till:17/06/1985 color:vocals width:3 bar:Nasty from:01/07/2022 till:01/01/2023 color:rguitar bar:Nasty from:01/07/2022 till:01/01/2023 color:bvocals width:7 bar:Nasty from:01/07/2022 till:01/01/2023 color:vocals width:3 bar:Costello from:01/03/2002 till:01/02/2004 color:rguitar bar:Stevie from:21/02/2004 till:03/09/2004 color:rguitar bar:Conny from:17/01/2005 till:12/04/2009 color:rguitar bar:Costello from:01/03/2002 till:01/02/2004 color:bvocals width:3 bar:Stevie from:21/02/2004 till:03/09/2004 color:bvocals width:3 bar:Conny from:17/01/2005 till:12/04/2009 color:bvocals width:3 bar:Stefan from:01/01/1979 till:10/10/1980 color:lguitar bar:Andy from:10/10/1980 till:17/06/1985 color:lguitar bar:Andy from:10/08/2001 till:12/04/2009 color:lguitar bar:Andy from:10/10/1980 till:17/06/1985 color:bvocals width:3 bar:Andy from:10/08/2001 till:12/04/2009 color:bvocals width:3 bar:Andy from:10/10/1980 till:17/06/1985 color:keys width:7 bar:Andy from:10/08/2001 till:12/04/2009 color:keys width:7 bar:Andy from:01/07/2022 till:01/01/2023 color:bvocals width:3 bar:Andy from:01/07/2022 till:01/01/2023 color:lguitar bar:Andy from:01/07/2022 till:01/01/2023 color:keys width:7 bar:Nedo from:01/01/1979 till:10/10/1980 color:bass bar:Sami from:10/10/1980 till:15/01/1985 color:bass bar:Sami from:01/07/2022 till:01/01/2023 color:bass bar:René from:20/01/1985 till:05/06/1985 color:bass bar:Timo from:11/06/1985 till:17/06/1985 color:bass bar:Timpa from:01/03/2002 till:01/10/2004 color:bass bar:A.C. from:01/02/2005 till:12/04/2009 color:bass bar:A.C. from:01/02/2005 till:12/04/2009 color:bvocals width:3 bar:Peki from:01/01/1979 till:20/11/1979 color:drums bar:Tumppi from:21/11/1979 till:09/09/1980 color:drums bar:Gyp from:17/11/1980 till:01/11/1982 color:drums bar:Gyp from:01/07/2022 till:01/01/2023 color:drums bar:Razzle from:01/11/1982 till:08/12/1984 color:drums bar:Razzle from:01/11/1982 till:08/12/1984 color:bvocals width:7 bar:Razzle from:01/11/1982 till:08/12/1984 color:vocals width:3 bar:Terry from:11/01/1985 till:17/06/1985 color:drums bar:Lacu from:01/03/2002 till:26/01/2008 color:drums bar:George from:25/05/2008 till:12/04/2009 color:drums LineData = at:21/02/1981 color:black layer:back at:29/01/1982 color:black layer:back at:17/08/1982 color:black layer:back at:23/05/1983 color:black layer:back at:23/08/1984 color:black layer:back at:29/11/2002 color:black layer:back at:30/03/2005 color:black layer:back at:05/09/2007 color:black layer:back


Discography

* '' Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks'' (1981) * ''
Oriental Beat ''Oriental Beat'' is the second studio album by the Finnish glam punk band Hanoi Rocks, recorded in London and released in 1982. ''Oriental Beat'' also opened markets in the UK and Japan, where Hanoi eventually became very popular. Background R ...
'' (1982) * ''
Self Destruction Blues ''Self Destruction Blues'' is the third album by the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks, released in 1982. Although often listed as a studio album, ''Self Destruction Blues'' is a compilation of singles and B-sides that the band recorded in 1981 and ...
'' (1982) * ''
Back to Mystery City ''Back to Mystery City'' is the fourth studio album by the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks, released in 1983. It was produced by ex-Mott the Hoople members Dale Griffin and Pete "Overend" Watts, and was the first with Razzle on drums. Besides Han ...
'' (1983) * ''
Two Steps from the Move ''Two Steps from the Move'' is the fifth studio album by the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks, released in 1984. This is their last album to feature drummer Razzle, before he was killed in a car accident on 8 December 1984. Album information Befo ...
'' (1984) * ''
Twelve Shots on the Rocks ''Twelve Shots on the Rocks'' is the sixth studio album by the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks, released in 2002, however it was their first studio album since the band's break-up in 1985. Critical and commercial acclaim for the album exceeded ex ...
'' (2002) * ''
Another Hostile Takeover ''Another Hostile Takeover'' is the seventh studio album by the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks, released in 2005. This was the second album, of the "reborn" Hanoi Rocks of the new millennium. When it was released, critics praised the album, but fa ...
'' (2005) * ''
Street Poetry ''Street Poetry'' is the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks's eighth and final studio album. The album reached the top 10 on the Finnish charts, and succeeded very well elsewhere in Europe too. The first single spawned was "Fashion (Hanoi Rocks song) ...
'' (2007)


Videography

*''
All Those Wasted Years ''All Those Wasted Years'' is the first live album by the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks, released in 1984. In initial pressing of this album's name was misspelled as "All Those Waisted Years", while correct spelling has been used with later relea ...
'' –
The Marquee Club The Marquee Club was a music venue first located at 165 Oxford Street in London, when it opened in 1958 with a range of jazz and skiffle acts. Its most famous period was from 1964 to 1988 at 90 Wardour Street in Soho, and it finally closed whe ...
*''
The Nottingham Tapes ''The Nottingham Tapes'' is the second concert video released by the Finnish glam punk band Hanoi Rocks. The first video released by the band was '' All Those Wasted Years'', recorded at the Marquee Club in London. As stated in the title, this v ...
'' – Nottingham Rock City *'' Buried Alive'' – Last show at the Tavastia Club


References


Further reading

* Christe, Ian (2003). ''Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal''. HarperCollins. *


External links


The first Hanoi Rocks website - online since 1995Official Hanoi Rocks webshopOfficial website, currently offline
{{Authority control Finnish glam metal musical groups Finnish hard rock musical groups Finnish heavy metal musical groups Glam rock groups Musical groups established in 1979 Musical groups disestablished in 1985 Musical groups reestablished in 2001 Musical groups disestablished in 2009 Musical groups from Helsinki Musical quintets Liquor and Poker Music artists Columbia Records artists