Hanoi Rocks Biography
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 This Finnish heavy rock band was distinguished by their leanings towards 70s glam rock, which they carried off with more style and conviction than any of their peers. Initially the brainchild of Andy McCoy (Antti Hulkko, 11 November 1962, Finland) and Michael Monroe (b. Matti Fagerholm, 17 June 1960, Helsinki, Finland) in 1975, the band was not formed until 1980 when singer Monroe enlisted Nasty Suicide (b. Jan Stenfors, 4 September 1963, Finland; guitar), Stefan Piesmack (guitar), Pasi Sti (bass) and Peki Senola (drums). By September, when they recorded their debut album, Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks (initially only released in Scandinavia), the line-up was Monroe, Suicide, McCoy (guitar), Sam Yaffa (b. Sami Takamaki, 4 August 1963; bass) and Gyp Casino (b. Jesper Sporre; drums). McCoy had previously played with two Finnish punk bands, Briard and Pelle Miljoona Oy. In addition, Suicide had played in Briard, while Yaffa had also been a member of Pelle Miljoona Oy at various times.
Hanoi Rocks’ debut single, ‘I Want You’, was released on the Finnish Johanna label in 1980 and preceded the album. The band then travelled to London where they began recording Oriental Beat. Soon after it was finished, Casino was sacked (and joined the Road Rats) and replaced by Razzle (b. Nicholas Dingley, 2 December 1960, Leamington Spa, England, d. 9 December 1984, Redondo Beach, California, USA), who had previously played with Demon Preacher and the Dark. In 1983, they were signed to CBS Records and started to attract attention in the British music press. They hit the UK charts for the first and only time in 1984 with a cover version of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Up Around The Bend’, but the year ended in tragedy. The band was in the USA when Razzle was killed following a car crash on 8 December. The car driver - Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe - was later found guilty of Vehicular Manslaughter. Former Clash drummer Terry Chimes was brought in as a replacement and when Yaffa left (to form Chain Gang, and then join Jetboy), Rene Berg (ex-Idle Flowers) also joined the band. However, Monroe never accepted the loss of Razzle and in early 1985 he informed the other members that he intended to quit. Hanoi Rocks played their final gig in May 1985. Monroe subsequently embarked on a solo career, Piesmack joined Pelle Miljoona Oy, then abandoned music, and Sti and Senola also left the music scene. McCoy, who had already formed a side-project in 1983 - the Urban Dogs - with Charlie Harper, Alvin Gibbs (UK Subs) and Knox (Vibrators), went on to form the Cherry Bombz with Suicide, Chimes and ex-Toto Coelo vocalist Anita Chellemah. The Cherry Bombz barely lasted a year and the members went on to play in various short-lived outfits, most notably Suicide (with Gibbs once more) in Cheap ‘N’ Nasty. A near-reunion of Hanoi Rocks, featuring Monroe with Nasty Suicide and Sam Yaffa, emerged as Demolition 23 in 1993. A more permanent reunion took place nine years later in March 2002, when Monroe and McCoy announced they were teaming up to record a new Hanoi Rocks album. They were joined on Twelve Shots On The Rocks by Costello Hautamäki (guitar), Lacu (drums), and Timpa (bass).
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
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This Finnish heavy rock band was distinguished by their leanings towards 70s glam rock, which they carried off with more style and conviction than any of their peers. Initially the brainchild of Andy McCoy (Antti Hulkko, 11 November 1962, Finland) and Michael Monroe (b. Matti Fagerholm, 17 June 1960, Helsinki, Finland) in 1975, the band was not formed until 1980 when singer Monroe enlisted Nasty Suicide (b. Jan Stenfors, 4 September 1963, Finland; guitar), Stefan Piesmack (guitar), Pasi Sti (bass) and Peki Senola (drums). By September, when they recorded their debut album, Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks (initially only released in Scandinavia), the line-up was Monroe, Suicide, McCoy (guitar), Sam Yaffa (b. Sami Takamaki, 4 August 1963; bass) and Gyp Casino (b. Jesper Sporre; drums). McCoy had previously played with two Finnish punk bands, Briard and Pelle Miljoona Oy. In addition, Suicide had played in Briard, while Yaffa had also been a member of Pelle Miljoona Oy at various times.