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  • Home
  • About
  • Artists
    • Arthur Alexander
    • Amoeba Teen
    • The Armoires
    • The Bablers
    • Anton Barbeau
    • The Brothers Steve
    • Dolph Chaney
    • Chris Church
    • The Condors
    • The Corner Laughers
    • Crossword Smiles
    • The Cyrkle
    • Kai Danzberg
    • The Flashcubes
    • Lannie Flowers (SpyderPop Records)
    • The Forty Nineteens
    • Nick Frater
    • In Deed
    • The Jack Rubies
    • Blake Jones & The Trike Shop
    • Librarians With Hickeys
    • Bill Lloyd (SpyderPop Records)
    • Addison Love
    • The Lunar Laugh
    • Maple Mars
    • mylittlebrother
    • Richard Öhrn
    • Graham Parker
    • Irene Peña
    • Leslie Pereira & the Lazy Heroes
    • Plasticsoul
    • Popsicko
    • Popular Creeps
    • Allyson Seconds
    • Shplang
    • Michael Simmons
    • Sorrows
    • Sparkle*Jets U.K.
    • The Speed Of Sound
    • The Spongetones
    • Spygenius
    • The Stan Laurels
    • Steve Stoeckel
    • Trip Wire
    • Tony Valentino
    • Walker Brigade
    • Danny Wilkerson (SpyderPop Records)
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THE BABLERS (Finland)

THE BABLERS have been hailed as “the Finnish Supergroup of Pop” for a good reason. Each individual band member – songwriter/vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Arto Tamminen, Janne Haavisto (drums, vocals), Pekka Gröhn (bass, keyboards, vocals), and Hannu Pikkarainen (guitar, vocals) - holds at least one Finnish Grammy for their musical work outside the band. Their chemistry as a band has a long, rich history, though. The original band kicked off their career as teenagers storming the late-'70's power pop and new wave scene in their native land, standing out from the crowd by singing their Merseybeat-inflected originals in English. They would go on to release an LP, 1980's What's All About (a delightful live video for the title track can be found on YouTube for a look at our heroes in their early days) and a few now-highly-sought singles before separating. A literally-big-in-Japan reunion record in 1998, Like The First Time, proved resoundingly that the band's sound transcends any single era and set the stage for future endeavors. And in the past few years, a series of singles have hinted at yet a third wave of BABLERS activity. 

Their new album PSYCHADILLY CIRCUS  more than delivers on the promise of the decades past. Bookended by versions of the recent, Lennon-esque hit “Love Is Everything!” (the latter a period-perfect Sixties-stereo-spread remix), the album shows is tinged in places by the melancholia of the years. Tamminen is, after all, no longer the “Angry Young Man” of whom he slyly sings on the tune of that name, and the lovely, jangling “When You Were Growing” is a cross-generational conversation of true maturity. But there's ample youthful joie-de-vivre in the title track, which is just as giddily dense and trippy as one might hope, and the heavy waltz “Queen Of Yesterday” takes a swipe at those who live in the past to the exclusion of today. All of which is to say that this album is the work of a band moving its remarkable legacy forward. 

THE BABLERS of today remain a no-nonsense pop band with an attitude. What you hear is what you get, they insist: “If you hear drums, guitars and pianos, they are drums, guitars and pianos, played by the members of the band. No autotune. No samples. Just 100% genuine handmade organic pop music.” The band's philosophy and modus operandi are simple. The songs are in the center. Everything's done in the name of a good pop song. Creativity and boldness are cherished. But most of all, Tamminen says, “It’s always great fun and a privilege to be able make music with good friends – the most talented and crazy bunch!” You can hear it on the album, and it's why you'll want a front row seat when PSYCHADILLY CIRCUS comes to town.

Thinking Of You by The Bablers

Thinking Of You

The Bablers

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Thinking Of You

The Bablers
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Finnish guitar pop supergroup THE BABLERS continue their blockbuster series of new singles with “Thinking Of You,” out October 20. The new track is a true rocker and a major shifting of gears from the contemplative piano ballad “Mr. King” that marked the previous standalone track from the band that's been defining Finnish power pop since the late

Finnish guitar pop supergroup THE BABLERS continue their blockbuster series of new singles with “Thinking Of You,” out October 20. The new track is a true rocker and a major shifting of gears from the contemplative piano ballad “Mr. King” that marked the previous standalone track from the band that's been defining Finnish power pop since the late '70s.

BABLERS founder, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Arto Tamminen – who's led the band, now alongside Janne Haavisto (drums, vocals), Pekka Gröhn (bass, keyboards, vocals), and Hannu Pikkarainen (guitar, vocals) since those early days – explains how the energy of the new song is an important side of the band's multifaceted identity. “After our last live performance, a fellow artist came from the stage and told us, 'You guys take no prisoners!' That’s one side of us as a versatile band: pure rock with lots of power. We can be the most personal and intimate band playing pop waltzes or acoustic songs with cellos, or the most hard-driven pop, rock or power pop act…or anything in between. We always put the songs in the center. That’s the key: doing whatever is needed to execute every song on its own terms.”

And indeed, this track is gloves-off time for The Bablers. “Thinking Of You” is a pure rocker with energy to spare. The band is on fire with an instantly memorable riff worthy of 007, and the song is executed with roaring guitars and rocking bass and drums. The melody is the kind of earworm that listeners have come to expect over the recent run of singles since the band returned with the new 2021 album PSYCHADILLY CIRCUS and set about dominating the global pop rock airwaves of the 21st Century (scoring a “Coolest Song In The World” nod from Little Steven's Underground Garage for “You Are The One For Me”). The intensity of vocals on “Thinking Of You” is the final ingredient making it another sure-fire favorite among their fans, and destined to grab the attention of pop rock enthusiasts who haven't caught on just yet.

“The story is an about the demanding period after the relationship is ended that almost everyone has experienced -- but with a forward-looking attitude and hope,” says Tamminen. “With The Bablers, hope is always present. It's the secret ingredient in every song.” That connection is there across all of the band's latest single releases: “Thinking Of You” is the fourth track to preview the album LIKE THE FIRST TIME, a record previously only available in Japan and Finland and slated for eventual reissue at a future date. But for now, the new single shows off the most energetic side of Finland's national pop-rock treasures, THE BABLERS. “Enjoy the ride and fasten your seat belts!” says Arto. “We're taking no prisoners with this one!”

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Mr. King by The Bablers

Mr. King

The Bablers

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Mr. King

The Bablers
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Finnish guitar pop supergroup THE BABLERS continue their blockbuster series of new singles, shifting gears for a contemplative piano ballad that's as timely as today's headlines. “Mr. King” sees release as a single streaming everywhere worldwide May 5, just one day before the coronation of King Charles in the UK, and is up for pre-order/pre-save

Finnish guitar pop supergroup THE BABLERS continue their blockbuster series of new singles, shifting gears for a contemplative piano ballad that's as timely as today's headlines. “Mr. King” sees release as a single streaming everywhere worldwide May 5, just one day before the coronation of King Charles in the UK, and is up for pre-order/pre-save now at www.bigstirrecords.bandcamp.com and all major streaming platforms. It follows the hits “You Are The One For Me” (which reigned as The Coolest Song In The World on Little Steven's Underground Garage last year) and “Holding You Tight Tonight” as the latest track to hit the international airwaves from the out-of-print album LIKE THE FIRST TIME, previously released to great acclaim only in Japan and slated for international reissue by Big Stir.

BABLERS founder, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Arto Tamminen – who's led the band, now alongside Janne Haavisto (drums, vocals), Pekka Gröhn (bass, keyboards, vocals), and Hannu Pikkarainen (guitar, vocals) since its late '70s genesis – tells us about the track and how it differs from the boisterous guitar pop of the two prior single. “It's built to be a classic big piano pop ballad, the kind you've rarely heard since the golden days of pop.” And that's exactly what “Mr. King” delivers: intimate, intense, bold, confident, and powerful, the tune has a million dollar melody that sticks in your mind, and a timeless message. As with all of the tracks from the LIKE THE FIRST TIME sessions, the song is played 100% live with original instruments: upright piano, electric guitar, bass and drums. The band’s sound is glued together, tight yet flexible, and the take heard here has a magic and a mood you can almost touch. It makes you listen, demanding attention that will be rewarded.

Tamminen lays out the backstory behind the emotive lyrics, offering insight into the choice to release the song as the English monarchy – and so much of the world – enters a new era. “It’s been a long day. A lot of public activities. Horses and soldiers. Roaring audiences. Applause. Flags. Smiling faces,” explains Arto. “Finally, at the castle, someone is knocking at the door. It's troubadour asking permission to sing a song, crafted especially for the occasion. Permission is granted. He starts to sing, and in the chorus asks the most important question...”

Both the deft handling of the subject matter and the richness of the music mark a true change of pace after the previous two singles from THE BABLERS. That versatility won't surprise longtime fans or anyone who's heard the band's thrillingly eclectic and lovingly crafted 2021 Big Stir Records album PSYCHADILLY CIRCUS. But it's all too rare to hear a new work of this depth and purity of sound on the radio these days, and that alone is reason to celebrate another triumph from THE BABLERS, who are rapidly ascending to the throne they have long deserved: the Kings of Finnish Guitar Pop, and royalty on the global stage as well. Long may they reign!

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Holding Me Tight Tonight by The Bablers

Holding Me Tight Tonight

The Bablers

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Holding Me Tight Tonight

The Bablers
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BIG STIR RECORDS announces the next single in the amazing comeback story of Finnish guitar pop supergroup THE BABLERS! “Holding Me Tight Tonight” will see release Friday, November 25, streaming everywhere worldwide, and is up for pre-order/pre-save now at www.bigstirrecords.bandcamp.com. It's the followup to the runaway success of “You Are The One

BIG STIR RECORDS announces the next single in the amazing comeback story of Finnish guitar pop supergroup THE BABLERS! “Holding Me Tight Tonight” will see release Friday, November 25, streaming everywhere worldwide, and is up for pre-order/pre-save now at www.bigstirrecords.bandcamp.com. It's the followup to the runaway success of “You Are The One For Me”, the single from earlier this year that became The Coolest Song In The World on Little Steven's Underground Garage and has enjoyed months of worldwide airplay as Big Stir's most-streamed single ever.

It would be an understatement to say that THE BABLERS are going stronger than ever, decades after their late '70s beginning as the leading lights of the Finnish power pop scene. Their 2021 album PSYCHADILLY CIRCUS – their third overall, first this century, and the band's debut for Big Stir Records – introduced the band to a new global audience and landed on music critics' “Best Of The Year” lists from the US to Spain, Germany, Brazil and beyond. This year's release of the wonderful “You Are The One For Me”, a track from THE BABLERS' intriguing middle-period album LIKE THE FIRST TIME (which to this day has only been released in Japan) raised the band's profile still higher. A hit on guitar-pop-leaning radio outlets both terrestrial and online upon its May 2022 release, the single showed remarkable staying power, eventually catching the ears of Little Steven himself, who personally selected it as the Coolest Song In The World in mid-October, with a week of featured airplay from all of the DJs in the Underground Garage (including the likes of LA radio legend Rodney Bingenheimer).

The followup, “Holding Me Tight Tonight”, is equally terrific and looks set to follow in its predecessor's footsteps. Taken from the same sessions as “You Are The One For Me” – and furthering the buzz for LIKE THE FIRST TIME's first global release as an album in 2023 – the song showcases the same mix of hooks and heart that made the last single so beloved. BABLERS main man Arto Tamminen says of the track:

“'Holding Me Tight Tonight' is a song about distance, longing, and love! Being far away from the one you love, and the sweet feeling of being blessed with having someone to miss. How love can make distances to disappear - and suddenly noticing the smile on your face while thinking about that special someone, thousands of miles apart. Having that warm and most precious feeling inside knowing that you have someone one to love and to go back to! It’s also about mixing power pop and country rock, and all the heartfelt yearning they can both express at their best!”

Enjoy the ride, with a band that rocks, guitars that chime and slide, and sweetly-sung melodies with the unique Bablers sound that's exploding well beyond Finland, beyond Japan, and beyond even Big Stir's home in America. THE BABLERS are quickly becoming inescapable on the global pop-rock stage... and fans of that classic sound wouldn't have it any other way.

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You Are The One For Me by The Bablers

You Are The One For Me

The Bablers

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You Are The One For Me

The Bablers
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The hit single from the Finnish guitar pop supergroup, chosen as The Coolest Song In The World by Little Steven's Underground Garage on SiriusXM!

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Psychadilly Circus by The Bablers

Psychadilly Circus

The Bablers

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Psychadilly Circus

The Bablers
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CD Download

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Psychadilly Circus: CD

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BIG STIR RECORDS is proud to announce the upcoming release of a brand new album from Finnish guitar pop legends THE BABLERS. PSYCHADILLY CIRCUS is out May 28 on CD and all digital formats, and is up for pre-order now at www.bigstirrecords.com/store (and streaming everywhere as of the street date). The album features 15 new tracks, including the

BIG STIR RECORDS is proud to announce the upcoming release of a brand new album from Finnish guitar pop legends THE BABLERS. PSYCHADILLY CIRCUS is out May 28 on CD and all digital formats, and is up for pre-order now at www.bigstirrecords.com/store (and streaming everywhere as of the street date). The album features 15 new tracks, including the recent singles “Love Is Everything!” and “Queen Of Yesterday”, and brings their time-tested talent with hooks and studio savvy into the 21st century.

THE BABLERS have been hailed as “the Finnish Supergroup of Pop” for a good reason. Each individual band member – songwriter/vocalist Arto Tamminen (bass, drums, guitars, keyboards, cello, percussions, vocals), Janne Haavisto (drums, vocals), Pekka Gröhn (bass, keyboards, vocals), and Hannu Pikkarainen (guitar, vocals) – holds at least one Finnish Grammy for their musical work outside the band. Their musical chemistry has a long, rich history, though. The original group kicked off their career as teenagers storming the late-'70's power pop and new wave scene in their native land, standing out from the crowd by singing their Merseybeat-inflected originals in English. They would go on to release an LP, 1980's What's All About (a delightful live video for the title track can be found on YouTube for a look at our heroes in their early days) and a few now-highly-sought singles before separating. A literally-big-in-Japan reunion record in 1998, Like The First Time, proved resoundingly that the band's sound transcends any single era and set the stage for future endeavors. And in the past few years, a series of singles have hinted at yet a third wave of BABLERS activity.

PSYCHADILLY CIRCUS more than delivers on the promise of the decades past. Bookended by versions of the recent, Lennon-esque hit “Love Is Everything!” (the latter a period-perfect Sixties-stereo-spread remix), the album presents a wide array of moods reflecting the span of the band's career. Tamminen is, after all, no longer the “Angry Young Man” of whom he slyly sings on the tune of that name, and the lovely, jangling “When You Were Growing” is a cross-generational conversation of true maturity dedicated to Arto's parents. But there's ample youthful joie-de-vivre here, as on the title track, which is just as giddily dense and trippy as one might hope, and the pop-rock waltz “Queen Of Yesterday” takes a nostalgic swipe at those who live in the past to the exclusion of today. All of which is to say that this album is the work of a band moving its remarkable legacy forward.

A laser-sharp focus on songcraft and the long history of collaborative experience color the variety of tunes on hand. Stately ballads like “All Because Of You” and “Some Tears” are delivered with the aching sympathy they demand. Harmony-laden rockers like “I Hope It Wouldn't Rain Tomorrow” and the aforementioned “When You Were Growing” practically levitate, as does the breezy stroll of “Walking On Sunny Beach”. Elsewhere, electric piano drives the groove-based “Unidentified” and “Love To Live” in the best '70s AM tradition, and nimbly fingerpicked acoustic guitar defines the immediacy of the longing “Where Were You My Friend”, the chilling “Child Of War”, and the optimistically benedictory “Singing With The Bluebird”. It all adds up to a heady brew, and an encyclopedic tour of the whole of rock and pop history, crafted by a band who knows it, chapter and verse – a kaleidoscope that keeps revealing new horizons with every spin.

THE BABLERS of today remain a no-nonsense pop band with an attitude. What you hear is what you get, they insist: “If you hear drums, guitars and pianos, they are drums, guitars and pianos, played by the members of the band. No autotune. No samples. Just 100% genuine handmade organic pop music.” The band's philosophy and modus operandi are simple. The songs are in the center. Everything's done in the name of a good pop song. Creativity and boldness are cherished. But most of all, Tamminen says, “It’s always great fun and a privilege to be able make music with good friends – the most talented and crazy bunch!”

For Tamminen, one key thing keeps THE BABLERS an ongoing concern. “All of us can do many different things,” he says. “We're all producers. We can play cross instruments on different tracks and there are no egos in the studio. The basic thing that keeps us going – besides mutual respect, odd humor and friendship – is the songs. We want to record them in the best possible way. We are suckers for a good song.”

On the new album, the band delivers one good song after another, each now imbued with the spirit of the teenagers who formed the band all those years ago, and the seasoned, sensitive musicians they are now. And they have plenty more to say and play. PSYCHADILLY CIRCUS has come to town... you're going to want a front row seat.

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    I Hope It Wouldn't Rain Tomorrow 2:43
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    All Because Of You 4:21
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    Unidentified 3:13
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    Some Tears 3:42
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    Angry Young Man 3:08
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    Love To Live 4:22
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Queen Of Yesterday (Big Stir Single No. 126) by The Bablers

Queen Of Yesterday (Big Stir Single No. 126)

The Bablers

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Queen Of Yesterday (Big Stir Single No. 126)

The Bablers
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The lead single from the new album "Psychadilly Circus" by Finland's pop rock supergroup THE BABLERS!

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    Queen Of Yesterday 4:05
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    Where Were You My Friend 1:54
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