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Last Active 01-20-22 12:57 pm
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| Estonian Punk 101
So here’s a brief overview of Estonian punk (that is, local stuff). I tried to write this list up a few weeks ago here on Sputnik but while submitting, it shit the bed and somehow the entire list disappeared. So this time I’m writing in a doc first so I have a backup in case something goes wrong again. I usually write these lists hung over, so if something doesn’t make sense, chalk it off on that. It is weird to fit such a long history to a list so it’ll look like this - every post has a link to a Estonian punk track and then when we get to the actual list of bands itself, there’ll be an overview and one (maybe two) tracks I think are most representative of them.
The Estonian punk scene has gone through quite a bit of change. The influence of western rock music did always exist even in the Soviet Union, but anything more extreme than simple arena rock rarely found any mainstream acceptance, although this was more because of the oppressive regime rather than it not being accepted by the populace. Still, the first big rock bands in Estonia would form in the early 70s and by the end of the decade, rock and disco had quite a hold in the music scene as the youth took a step away from the crooners that had been popular in the 50s-60s.
In this situation, punk in Estonia was created in the late 70s from two fairly different societal groups - the “elite” musicians who emulated western punk with their rock and jazz friends and the outcasts, who turned to punk simply because it was easy, anarchistic and countercultural. That is not to say the cultural aspect did not appeal to the elite however. The biggest distinction between Estonian punk and western punk is that ours was decidedly anticommunist, which makes sense, considering there was a foreign totalitarian regime in power. Then again, the mainline of anti-authoritarianism was always there, although the connection with what would become the local cultural “elite” was stronger, as said elite was also anti-Soviet. | | 1 | Part 2
The initial wave of punk in the turn of the 70s-80s would mostly center around juvenile-isms as their way of protest, although some would have more direct, sometimes thinly veiled anti-Soviet messages as well. In the very beginning, the late Breznhev thaw (as well as the 1980 Olympics) would also bolden the punk bands to come more into the mainstream, but a legendary Propeller gig in 1980 during a football match would spark a citywide anti-Soviet riot that motivated the Soviet powers to repress the punk scene more actively. Recordings of the game and the gig were quickly destroyed, but a few pictures still remain (https://p.ocdn.ee/53/i/2015/9/21/bhplwdqw.n2b.jpg) | | 2 | Part 3
The punk scene would still continue to actively resist the authorities and differ from society as much as possible. They would colour their hair with watercolours as there wasn’t any real hair colourings out there, especially for men to buy. Funnily enough, Estonian punks would often be contacted by Mosfilm (Moscow Film, obviously) creators if they needed someone “western-looking” to play in their films. There was an anarchistic DIY sense that couldn’t be replicated ever again - for example, instead of fog machines, they once used fire extinguishers and bags of flour. The fact that most of those bands would usually perform only one live show in their lifetime before splitting up probably also had an effect. | | 3 | Part 4
The gerontocracy era wasn’t particularly fruitful for the punk scene, as it was very underground, but Perestroika had a huge effect on it. The punk scene would almost entirely join the drive for regaining independence from the Soviet occupation (bar a few of the most true asocial lot who would continue burning the candle of life without regard to much else). Various punk legends would become known all over the country very quick as “freedom fighters” simply because they liked cussing at the Soviet regime a lot. | | 4 | Part 5
Thus, when independence was regained in 1991, the punk scene had a bit of a personality crisis. Freedom had been gained, there was no authoritarian regime to rebel against, what now? As said before, some punks, now ten years older, would become part of the cultural establishment (the members of Propeller, Vennaskond), while others (JMKE, Psychoterror especially, etc) would continue to rebel against nothing in particular. Over time, this would lead to a rejection of capitalist values as well - the aggressive drive to shun the middle-class and the safe and conservative. They would never have as big of an impact on society as the punks of the 80s did, though. | | 5 | Part 7
Present day, the punk scene is alive and thriving (the first moment I wanted to type this list up was this summer when I saw some high school punk band do a pretty bitching gig next to some big names). But generally any hits in the mainstream would usually be quick blips at most and the punk scene remains known for the populace, but still fairly underground. Old bands can command quite big audiences and generally, their gigs aren’t just cash grabs off the old fat (although that also happens). The young bands are angry and fun, though, but there is less of a drive towards societal change and more of a nihilistic acceptance of metamodernism. Some pull it off better than others. Anyway, here’s 12 Estonian punk bands you should check out: | | 6 | Propeller
Propeller is, for me, the granddaddy of Estonian punk. They were present in that very first wave and their members would have enormous influence on the punk and rock scenes in general. Not to mention that their stuff was pretty ahead of its time back in 1980. The poetry of the singer Prince Volkonski (not a joke, he’s nobility of the Rurikid dynasty) would lead in songs and have a following of its own. Their only album was recorded in 1980 but only given an official release in 1995. I saw them live this summer, by the way, and they’re still excellent. Even had the prince throw up in front of me.
Propeller - Pankrott - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq7bWl7485c
A song with the usual Propeller word play (the title “pankrott” is a portmanteu of pankrot/bankrupt and rat/rott) and a love of the asocial. | | 7 | Kurjam
Kurjam is my favorite “modern” punk band in the Estonian scene and one of the biggest ones too. Often called both ghetto punk and office punk, their music speaks to both the camps of Estonian punks - the still antisocietal ones and the white collar ones. Their music tends to be more crossoverish than classic punk, except for some more experimental tracks. Their lyrics meanwhile are dripping with sarcasm, often to the point that a lot of their fans don’t even get the irony (something their bassist has lamented to me).
Kurjam - Mees sa ei tea kui kiiresti ma löön - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8l3xMEargU
A satirical track about a lad that considers himself hard. The title (“Dude, you have no idea how quick I punch”) came from a real dude who picked a fight with the guitarist in Tallinn once. This track used to attract the neo-nazi lot (well, this and one other track that I’m not getting into) that didn’t get the joke and actually started fights at gigs. Moshes like a motherfucker. | | 8 | Kurjam
Kurjam - Vanapaganist - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB_Zh3MmlWg
Another track from their modern albums, it (“The Old Paganists”, a joke on the fact that in Estonian, “pagan” also means “satan” for obvious crusade related reasons) makes fun of the kvlt black and folk metal scenes.
Kurjam is a band I see live a lot and have got free CDs from as review copies. To get money from drinking at punk gigs is a career I really wish was more lucrative. | | 9 | Vennaskond
Vennaskond is one of the big historic names, mostly distinctive for a more melancholy tone and often using a violin in their music. They’re maybe the most mainstream of the punk bands on this list and almost everyone's grandma has one of their tracks that they like.
Vennaskond - Täna me jälle joome bensiini - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbj7d2FCnfE
One of their big hits, “Today again we drink gasoline” is one of those lovely devil-may-care punk tracks that everyone knows and loves. | | 10 | Winny Puhh band
Winny Puhh is apparently the only band on this list with a sput database entry and thus probably the reason this list nuked itself last time. They’ve been a constant in the punk scene for over 20 years, but made it “big” internationally when they almost became our entry to Eurovision (we hate that thing and love sending stupid shit there). A real solid punk band that throws together everything from metal to hip-hop. | | 11 | Winny Puhh songs
Winny Puhh - Vanamutt - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOk3RJ4Jywg
A song about how they hate that “Old hag”.
Winny Puhh - Meiecundimees üks Korsakov läks eile Lätti - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dllo85ZSUk
The one that almost made it to Eurovision.
Winny Puhh - Peegelpõrand - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLlUXlE5ULc
One of the hip-hop crossover hits, it’s about a homophobic working class dude shocked by gay porn. | | 12 | JMKE
JMKE is one of the old school punk legends and one of the most true to that original English influence in the punk scene.
JMKE - Tere Perestroika - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDUFL_HW_7A
“Hello, Perestroika” is one of those slightly tongue in cheek tracks about societal change in the late 80s. JMKE would have an odd trajectory in their career once the 90s hit, making it big in Finland of all places for some reason. I’m going to a gig of them and Kurjam at the end of this month, by the way, really looking forward to it.
JMKE - Pohui, Pohui - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH6VfKvK96M
Titled from a russian word, basically “I don’t give a fuck”. Another pretty well known hit of theirs and a good representation of their stuff both musically and lyrically. | | 13 | Metro Luminal
Metro Luminal is one of the more post-hardcore punk bands, everything is drenched in melancholy and none of that punk machismo a lot of other bands on this have.
Metro Luminal - Isa Tuli Koju - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruZq27NgiYM
Kinda the most genuinely working class songs here in my opinion, it talks of how the “Father came home” to find mom has hung herself. | | 14 | Velikije Luki
Not much to say about Velikije Luki apart from the fact that they made of the biggest punk hits and were a bit of a supergroup with their members later going on to many of the bands on this list.
Velikije Luki - Tallinn Põleb - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzHYPNJ7vP4
“Tallinn is on fire” represents the WWII fixation this band had (the name comes from a Russian city where Estonian conscripts fought and died in the war) and the iconic intro riff has become auditory shorthand for Estonian punk. | | 15 | Puberteet
Puberteet is one of the very modern wave of punk bands. Fronted by my coursemate in uni, they have a suitably juvenile approach to their songs which I find endearingly childish yet funny.
Puberteet - Eile ma panin sinu pildi peale ona - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3yQUWYQ-Yc
Case in point, “Yesterday I jacked off to a picture of you”. | | 16 | Psychoterror
Psychoterror is an old band that kept to the anti-societal wing of punk all though the 90s and, well, to this day. For me, they’re also musically a great example of how Estonian punk has come through the ages. Defo not a band for mainstream radio play unlike some on this list.
Psychoterror - Esteet kusipea - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba0UO75o3Pk
“Pisshead Aesthete” suitably talks about how Freddy (the singer) will drink the booze and fuck the wives of the cultural elite. | | 17 | Vanemõde
Although Vanemõde was not strictly a punk band per se, their biggest hit is also considered an iconic Estonian punk song. Pretty much every Estonian musician has been a band member at some point.
Vanemõde - Mu aadress of NSV Liit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8nKlIPYGCQ
“My address is the USSR” is one of those ironic protest songs of the Perestroika era. | | 18 | Punkentsefaliit
Punkentsefaliit is a modern punk band, great live by the way. They have that “don’t-give-a-fuck” mentality down to a T.
Punkentsefaliit - Sügelised Sünnipäevaks - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHnBMVWyKS8
A fine example of that old juvenile peasant punk (“Scabies for your birthday”). | | 19 | Pära Trust
Finally, one of the ur-examples of Estonian punk from all the way back in 1979, Pära Trust was basically a shock punk band (their name is “Rear Thrust” in a way that I cannot express enough how anal it is in English).
Pära Trust - Pesnja Shutka - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2g80405Xmo
Russian for “Joke song”, it is full of profanities and frankly I’m amazed they managed to last as long as they did. | |
kkarron
09.15.22 | Turned out a bit more rambly than I wanted to but maybe someone finds it interesting. | WeepingBanana
09.15.22 | Punk from the eastern bloc tends to be up my alley. I’ll check some of these for sure | SlothcoreSam
09.15.22 | Oh sweet, nice write up.
Will check these bands for sure.
Thanks, and FEATURE THIS! | kkarron
09.15.22 | yeh defo do. some stuff is by the numbers, some actually good, but it's all worth a quick gander |
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