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| (c) Rudi Pohjaniemi |
Even though he is a certified finn, Simo hails from the coastal town of Pietarsaari in the most swedish-speaking region of Finland. The place has a history of conflict between the different ethnicities, so it was as good a place as any to keep indoors and learn to play the guitar instead of getting shitfaced drunk and into fights. He was influenced over the years by such players as Randy Rhoads, Yngwie Malmsteen, Guthrie Govan and Kiko Loureiro. After a few years doing gigs with local bands he got the opportunity to play in a varied 'cover club'-group that featured a number of national and international guest stars, performing with such artists as Doogie White (Yngwie Malmsteen, Rainbow), Mats Levén (Yngwie Malmsteen, Therion) and Jarkko Ahola (Teräsbetoni, Northern Kings) among others.
In 2009 Simo moved to Tampere, the 'rock capital' of Finland, to study music technology at the Tampere University of Applied Sciences, getting a fair basis in live sound engineering and modern studio work. And in the nightlife of the city and in countless jam sessions he got acquainted with the city's musician circles, and even earned the friendship of a few seasoned players. Having played the guitar for over 10 years, Simo has worked up a decent quantity of live performances despite his young age. However, the time has been well spent and has brought a ton of great memories, good friends and quite the humorous attitude towards life.
"No one truly in their right mind would try to make a career out of air vibrations, right?"
