GOD-EMPEROR OF SPLITS!!!
"Healthy Hands was Finland's first hardcore punk band. They achieved cult popularity in punk circles around the world. Sepultura musician Max Cavalera has said that they are still one of his favorites. They originated in Tornio in 1979, when Läjä Äijälä got the idea to form a band which would be influenced by the English group Discharge. By January 1980 they became an ensemble with Läjä singing, drummer Peedro, bassist Markus, and guitarist and principal composer Timo. Later that year, the band recorded and released their first EP on the IKBAL label founded by Läjä. The EP included three songs, each about 30 seconds long, and was released as a one-sided 7" in 200 copies. In 1981, the band's second EP was released, continuing the genre of the previous one. It was also printed in 200 copies and was again a one-sided 7".
In 1982 they signed a record deal with Poko and released the EP 'Infinite Christmas'. In the same year they gained visibility abroad with the collection 'Propaganda I - Russia Bombs Finland'. In 1983 they signed to Propaganda and underwent their first crew change when drummer Peedro resigned and was replaced by Walde, who had time to record on the self-titled MLP (released in West Germany as 'Halloween') and the 'Black God' LP released in West Germany and Brazil. He died by accident in 1984, so Läjä's little brother Tilli was appointed as the new drummer. Also in 1983, 'P. Production' released a compilation 7" which was the band's first two 1/2 EPs. In 1984, the split album with Chaos 'So Much Fun' was released in West Germany. They signed to Barabbas and recorded the album 'The Horse', which continued the old hardcore style, although the lyrics of the album were in English. The crew changed again in 1986 when original guitarist Timo left. He was replaced by Yrjänä and the EPs 'Oma Koloni' (1988) and 'Anno Domini' (1989) appeared. In 1989 original bassist Piäsky also left. They first disbanded completely in 1990, with Läjä assembling a new line-us just a few years later, and continuing the group in some fashion to this very day."
"Chaos was a hardcore punk band from Tampere. Formed in March 1980, they were one of the first hardcore bands in Finland to release a record (the first being Rattus). Only guitarist Jakke (who later became vocalist) remained as the original member throughout the years. Jakke started out as a guitar player in a band called 'Porttikielto' in 1978. They played a gig or two at the early Tampere punk club 'Safety Pins', which was the place where better known groups such as Eppu Normaali, Sensuuri, and Karanteeni got their start. Older punks from the band 'Nivelreuma' asked him to join a new project called 'Amiraali Nelson'. This band went on to record one song on a compilation album called 'Kolme Vuotta Myöhemmin' in 1980. Jakke threw out some of the members and renamed the band Kaaos ('Chaos'). The shift was to make sure that no new wave influences would be allowed. The group started to play faster and more chaotic and adopted the studded leather jacket, spikey haired, and mohawked image. This was unheard of in the Finnish scene at that time, as it was in the midst of evolving into new wave and corporate rock. This harsher sound and look was just not something anybody expected or wanted.
In the fall of 1981 they recorded a split 7" with Cadgers (who later evolved into Riistetyt). After many line up changes they released 'Totaalinen Kaaos' EP which is considered to be their finest release and one of the most definitive records of the '82-style of Finnish punk. At this point Kaaos also came to be known outside Finland, mostly because of tape trading and for the fact that their releases had decent distribution abroad. In 1984 they released their only full-length album 'Ristiinnaulittu Kaaos' ('The Crucified Chaos') and a split LP with Terveet Kädet. They also recorded their 'last' EP, Nukke ('The Doll'), which was released eight years later. In November 1999 Kaaos played a show in Lepakko, a former squat in Helsinki where they and many other legendary bands had shared the stage in the early eighties. The gig was the very last before the building was demolished. Even though the band shared the stage with such contemporaries as Riistetyt, Appendix, and Terveet Kädet, the original line up did not play well and was considered a novelty act at best and a disgrace by those who saw them [Jakke was beyond shitfaced according to Felix Havoc. --S] . Despite all this, the gig was a starting point of a revival of many old school Finnish hardcore bands. The last gig they ever played was at the release party of the book 'Parasta Lapsille' in October 2007. Jakke died in his sleep a little over a month later."
