Pop dreams

In the indie rock and pop scene in Finland, there is an exciting buzz about Pintandwefall. Four young girls behind a Zorro mask, who never intended to become a band, but have already released two albums of “direct, spontaneous, dangerously sticking, wild and conquering music”, as they describe it. Get to know Finland’s funniest band.

In 2006, these young girls from Vantaa renamed themselves to Crazy Pint, Tough Pint, Dumb Pint and Cute Pint and grab an instrument they would not have played before. “I always played bass in others bands, so I wanted to play some guitar. It would be easier to play and sing”, tells Dumb Pint. She is the main guitarist in Pintandwefall, but enjoys shifting to bass or drums. “We all want to do everything”, admits Tough Pint. “It’s harder to sing and play drums or bass at the same time, so singing is a reason to change instrument”.

Pintandwefall was supposed to be a one time thing. Just one gig in a school competition. “The original plan was that we would have broken up because of musical disagreements”, says Dumb. To their surprise, the band is still around three years later and performs regularly to an enthusiastic and growing audience.

After a successful debut, the always difficult second album, Hong Kong, Baby, was released earlier this year. It has been so well received by reviewers that even the band is still puzzled about it. “I thought it would have a worse reception”, admits Dumb Pint. “It was a difficult album to make. We couldn’t sound the same, because that would have meant that we didn’t move, and we couldn’t sound much different because then that could have meant that we had sold ourselves or something. But now it’s done and it’s doing pretty well, even we thought everyone would hate it”, she explains.

The band radiates a charming innocence on and off stage. The girls are enjoying their big moment. And so they show during the interview, talking cheerfully at the same time and replying with candid keenness to several questions. “Nooooo!”, they all shout when asked if they ever thought to get this far with the band. It is the rock and roll dream made true. “This is the day I have dreamt since I was a teenager, but I never thought it would come. I am very happy”, summarizes Dumb Pint.

The Pints not only play different instruments -in a better or worse manner-, but also each of them writes songs. The themes are pretty crazy and can be related to strange characters, like an octopus or include references to Jeff Buckley and other pop icons. Crazy Pint explains that “sometimes ideas come from something a friend has said”. “We get ideas from everyday life”, continues Tough, “and I always write about someone. It can be a person, an animal or something else”. Dumb has a different approach, “my stories are written from the rhymes. Everything has to rhyme, the whole song depends on those rhymes”.

Pintandwefall has already done a few shows abroad. “We played in Moscow and Saint Petersburg”, recalls Tough. “They were maniacs. We thought that nobody would know us. But the venues we played were full and the people were excited and screaming. We did TV and radio interviews. It was a lot of fun”. The band is soon going back to Russia and will play in Germany.

But there is one thing these girls still want to do. “We should be in Eurovision. That’s what we always wanted. We would win”, claims Dumb Pint. “But it is all about the big record companies and their bands, so I don’t think we have much chance. I’m so mad at YLE because they don’t select us. They are so mean”.

Tour dates

2.4 – Sochi, St.Petersburg
3.4 – Vernissa, Vantaa
4.4 – Semifinal, Helsinki
9.4 – Klubi, Tampere
10.4 – Blue Pool, Forssa
11.4 – Kultakala, Kalajoki
25.4 – Catwalk Binz, Binz
28.5 – Klubi, Turku
30.5 – Korjaamo, Helsinki