The Sounds is back!• The Number One guitar band in Finland, during the early 60s!

• The first export success for Finnish popular music!

• The guitar band which made ”Mandschurian Beat” famous in Japan’s hit charts!

• They made an instrumental ”Emma” – a song, which is”the must” for every guitar player in Finland!

• And now... The Sounds is back!

The SoundsOriginal Guitar Music From Finland

Their first record, “Emma”, was made in 1963 and it is now 51 years since the Finnish folk song was launched as a twist version for a guitar band. Finnish guitar music has been going strong ever since.

“Emma” quickly spread over the whole of Finland and that and other guitar instrumentals instantly won over the hearts of teenagers and revolutionized the music business.The record topped the charts and remained in the charts for over six months. The B-side of the single, “Mandschurian Beat”, became popular in Japan and entered the best-selling charts there. The record was the first export success for Finnish popular music.

A lot of effort was put into promoting The Sounds during the year 1963 and as a result their record company invited them to tour Japan. The group members were school children at the time and their parents concluded they are too young to travel to Japan. The Sounds often performed on television and their records were played regularly on the radio. This strengthened the group’s position as the number one band in Finland.

The next recordings in1963 were “Wanderer" and “Lonely Guitar”. Both entered the charts. The group appeared in a TV commercial for the “The Ricky Nelson Show”, which was very popular in those days, playing “Kulkuri”.

During 1963 The Sounds performed in most Finnish cities and “Emma” became the favorite hit of the young in Finland. Even today it is still heard on the radio and is played at all major guitar music festivals around the country. The Sounds stopped touring in 1965 because some of the guys went to do their mandatory national service and some continued studying, but after a long hiatus, The Sounds made a comeback in 2011.

The Sounds' current lineup is:Erkki Sutela, lead guitarBobi Söderblom, rhythm guitarPeter Ekman, bassEsa Helasvuo, keyboardsWille Granö, drums

The Sounds has now joined forces with the first ”Rock 'n' Roll King of Finland” (1959) Rock-Jerry (Kaj Järnström) and with this instrumental and genuine 50s and 60s rock 'n' roll mix, you can go back in time and dance to your heart's content!

More info: www.thesounds.fi

Youtube links:

Emma - 1963

Mandschurian Beat - 1963

Wanderer (Kulkuri) - 1963

Lonely Guitar (Yksinäinen kitara) - 1963

Golden Earring (Kultaiset Korvarenkaat) - 1965

Santa Claus likesthe hit records of

The Sounds!