THE BAND

Every now and then a band slips in under the indie radar and just knocks you off your feet. FINKA however, regularly bounce gig goers on and off their feet with their frantic intimacy at emotionally charged gigs.

FINKA have been stockpiling buzz from many credible sources from the www.world, Manchester and London for months now. They, according to the likes of XFM, Virgin and the BBC, are on the verge of something big and that’s no surprise given their indisputable music talents.

With an already impressive track record of gigs including Glastonbury and headline slots at Manchester’s Academy 3, FINKA have now developed a strong following in London with their crowd mix ranging from young indie upstarts to people old enough to remember that Morrissey used to be in a band.

Finka can be currently found touring up and down the country and writing for their upcoming release in 2007.

Interview

Let's get this out of the way, where did your band name originate?

JEP: Jimmy.
JIMMY: At least two of the band are massive fans of The Charlatans and ‘finka’ spelt ‘finker’ as it was originally means a collection of imposters, or nasty people. We liked the symmetry this shared with one of the best bands in the world and we are bad men.
ADAM: Finland. The word finka means both "Finnish woman" and "knife".
JIMMY: Really, does it?! Cool.

You wear Manchester like a badge of pride but what is your first conscious memory of living in Manchester?

JEP: We don't wear Manchester like a badge of pride at all! We’re not a Manchester band. We formed in Manchester, we practise in Manchester, but I'm the only one of us from Manchester and we don't like to say we're a "Manchester Band" because we're not. I expect that if we “made it” some people would refer to us as a "Manchester Band", but to be honest; it's all a bit up its own arse this Manchester scene stuff.

Do you think your Manchester connection shows in your music? If so, how?

JEP: No. Some of the songs may have a bit of a Manchester sound, but we also have a bit of an Echo and the Bunnymen sound and we don't have a Liverpool connection. We sound a bit like the Doors too but we don't have an L.A. connection.

"You know you've made it when..."

JIMMY: Someone saying, “When’s your next album out”.
ADAM: You’re not getting to gigs in a Nissan Sunny.
BEN: Your gear is setup and sound checked by someone else.

"It'll be time to pack up the gear for good when…"

JEP: Adam sells all his guitars to fund his crack addiction, or becomes a porn star.
BEN: We are gigging for money and not the love of being in a band.
JIMMY: Adam is left on his own to do an interview and I'm told to wait outside.
ADAM: Jimmy becomes Prime Minister.

"I'll never forget the first time I…"

JIMMY: Heard our tune Bodies live and specifically, the drum beat to it.
BEN: Gigged for FINKA. It was in the first round of ULU's battle of the bands. I was shaking like a shitting dog but managed to hold it together for the band to win the heat and progress to the final.

What came first, the music or the misery?

JEP: Same time I expect, but it was probably shit music back then, which would've compounded the misery.
JIMMY: The Bends, go and buy it.
BEN: The music.
ADAM: The music. Ben joined afterwards.

If you could play at any venue here, which would it be (past, present...)?

JEP: The Apollo.
JIMMY: Blackpool Empress Ballroom.
ADAM: Magna, Rotherham (glorious homecoming).
BEN: Glasto main stage. Seeing a wave of thousands bounce in time to your music would be amazing (if they were in time).

What was the first/last album you bought on the day it was released?

JEP: Supergrass - I Should Coco/Dirty Pretty Things – Waterloo.
JIMMY: Blur - Parklife/The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers.
BEN: Too lazy to buy them on release day.

All bands make T-shirts, some bands make action figures, KISS makes coffins (and everything else under the sun). What piece of FINKA merchandise would YOU like to see on the market?

JIMMY: A Jimmy doll not prone to weight fluctuation.
JEP: I look no further than T-Shirts.
BEN: A Coy voodoo doll.

What’s next for FINKA? Do you have any exciting plans for 2007?

JEP: Lots of gigs, festivals would be good...Releasing an album would be nice given
the chance.
JIMMY: It depends on who is reading this, and why.
ADAM: Finka have lots planned for 2007. Watch this space.

Is there anything else you would like to say?

JIMMY: If you need it, you should stop at nothing!!!