FI | EN

The Story

The first sparks of inspiration, which would eventually lead to the founding of The Northquakes, took place during the summer of 2015. Although the temperature of the most ambitious mercury was modest compared to it's Jamaican cousins in 1969, the heat of genius was burning in Kari Starck. He was overflowing with new ideas for music to the brink of madness, and the growing pressure of creativity demanded a release. The seed was planted.

It was time for something new. Finding musicians to fill the band was easy. Robbie had to look no further than his current rehearsal studio to find his Sly, and from Northern Finland he found his guitarists and keyboard player. The right singer was more difficult to come by, but the band’s patience was eventually rewarded.

The Northquakes can be best described as contemporary rhythm music with a soul twist. Influences can be heard everywhere from reggae to funk to country to Britpop, without being constrained by any one genre or style. The musicians have backgrounds in other bands, including two of the forerunners of Finnish ska, The Valkyrians and The Blaster Master, and therefore the group has a long collective history in studying the groove.

The story behind the band’s name begins in Northern Ostrobothnia. In the spring of 2016 the band had it's first recording sessions in Liminka. Just as the amplifier blasted out the first bass notes into the air, a much bigger blast took place in the Bothnian Bay. A rare phenomenon at that latitude took place: an earthquake. Thus, by a modest Richter magnitude of 4.1, The Northquakes was born, but the aftershocks will be felt for a long time to come.

Tarina

The Northquakes-yhtyeen alkusysäys tapahtui kesällä 2015. Vaikka kunnianhimoisinkaan elohopea ei tavoittanut Jamaikan serkkujen vuoden 1969 lukemia, Kari Starckin päässä kiehui. Biisejä pulppusi jo riesaksi asti lähes riivatusta miehestä. Kasvava paine vaati purkautumistien. Siemen oli kylvetty.

Oli aika jollekin uudelle. Bändin rakentaminen ei tuottanut haasteita. Robbien ei tarvinnut hakea Slytaan nykyistä treenikämppää kauempaa. Pohjoisesta löytyi luottomiehet kitaroiden varteen ja koskettimien taakse. Oikea laulaja antoikin sitten odottaa itseään. Uskoa koeteltiin, mutta odotus palkittiin.

The Northquakesin musiikki on nykyaikaista rytmimusiikkia ripauksella soulia. vaikutteita voi kuulla reggaestä, funkkiin, countryn kautta brittipoppiin, joskaan rajoja ei ole ainakaan tietoisesti vedetty tiettyihin tyylilajeihin. Yhtyeen jäsenien taustoista löytyy suomalaisen skan kivijalkayhtyeitä, kuten The Valkyrians ja The Blaster Master, joten oppirahoja on matkalla makseltu ja sitä kuuluisaa groovea etsitty.

The Northquakes-nimen syntytarina alkaa Pohjois-Pohjanmaalta. Keväällä 2016 yhtye oli äänittämässä ensimmäisiä tahtejaan Limingassa. Kun alataajuuksien vahvistin laukaisi jyrähtelevät bassonuotit ilmoille, jyrähti myös Perämerellä. Kyseisillä leveysasteilla koettiin harvinainen luonnonilmiö: maanjäristys. The Northquakes oli syntynyt maltillisen 4,1 Richterin myötä, mutta jälkijäristykset tulevat jatkumaan vielä pitkään.

Live

The Northquakes tour dates

For booking please contact tommi@stupido.fi

Music

Tears In Rain (LP)

Released by Stupido Records
Tears In Rain cover

Killed By Dancing (single)

Released by Stupido Records
Killed By Dancing cover

Any news?

Debut album "Tears in Rain" release date (Stupido Records) is May 17 2019.

Debut single "Killed By Dancing" release date (Stupido Records) is Oct 11 2018.

For more up to date news follow us on social media.

Stay tuned.

The Band

  • Elisa Moonstomp

    lead vocals
  • Kari Starck

    producer, bass, guitar, keyboards
  • Iikka Winter

    drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Antti Sutela

    guitar, backing vocals
  • Veli-Matti Yli-Hukka

    guitar, bass
  • Miika Saarikoski

    keyboards, saxophone

Info & Contact

For booking please contact tommi@stupido.fi

Useful assets can be found from the following links: