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Biography
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SHORT BIOGRAPHY
• Lost Spectacles founded 1999, first line-up:
Päivi Kylmänen: vocals
Aki Laakso: lead guitar
Kimmo Lähteenmäki: drums
Jouni Salmijärvi: bass
Mikko Uusi-Oukari: guitar, flute, keyboards
- The band recorded “Tuulee Niin” to Tuonen Tytär, 2 CD tribute to Finnish progressive music
released by Colossus and Mellow Records (2000)
• 2nd line-up (2001-2002):
Päivi Kylmänen: vocals
Kimmo Lähteenmäki: keyboards
Jouni Pusa: drums
Jouni Salmijärvi: bass
Mikko Uusi-Oukari: guitar, flute
• 3rd line-up (2003-2005):
Päivi Kylmänen: vocals
Jarmo Kataja: bass
Kimmo Lähteenmäki: keyboards, drums
Mikko Uusi-Oukari: guitar, flute
- Recording of ”Ajatuksia maailman laidalta”, release of the record in 2006 after changing band name to Viima
• 4th line-up (2005-2011):
Hannu Hiltula: vocals, soprano sax, flute
Aapo Honkanen: bass
Kimmo Lähteenmäki: keyboards
Mikko Uusi-Oukari: guitar
Mikko Väärälä: drums
- Release of the record "Kahden Kuun Sirpit" in March 2009 and participation in several concept and tribute albums
• 4b. line-up (2011-2015):
Hannu Hiltula: vocals, soprano sax, flute
Aapo Honkanen: bass
Eric Marquis: keyboards (Eric was a member for about a year, then Viima continued as a quartet)
Mikko Uusi-Oukari: guitar
Mikko Väärälä: drums
• 5th line-up (2016-):
Hannu Hiltula: vocals, flute
Aapo Honkanen: bass
Risto Pahlama: vocals, keyboards
Mikko Uusi-Oukari: guitar
Mikko Väärälä: drums
- Release of the record "Väistyy Mielen Yö" in January 2024
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LONG BIOGRAPHY
This is the story of the Lost Spectacles and their transformation into Viima
The origin of the band goes back to year 1998. I had moved from Helsinki to Turku and had no
connection to local players. I started to play with a workmate of mine, guitarist Aki Laakso.
After long planning and ground work we started to look for other players to form the band.
Our ad in Soundi magazine resulted in two contacts, The keyboard player and drummer Kimmo
Lähteenmäki and the folk singer Päivi Kylmänen. The bass player Jouni Salmijärvi was found
through his own ad in Rumba. So we had the first line-up of the band in the beginning of 1999:
Päivi Kylmänen: vocals
Aki Laakso: lead guitar
Kimmo Lähteenmäki: drums
Jouni Salmijärvi: bass
Mikko Uusi-Oukari: guitar, flute, keyboards
The band rehearsed in the bottom of our house in a room of about 15 m3. Along developing our own material,
we rehearsed a Jethro Tull cover set consisting of ten songs from Tull albums Stand Up, Benefit and Aqualung.
Our name originated from there as none of the various suggestions satisfied everyone in the band.
Jouni suggested the name Lost Spectacles for our Tull cover band name.
The band participated in the making of Tuonen Tytär, 2CD tribute to Finnish progressive music
released by Colossus and Mellow Records (2000). We covered Matti Järvinen’s “Tuulee Niin” from his album "Matin levy" (Hi-Hat, 1976).
The name Lost Spectacles was used for the record, so we decided to keep it. The line-up performed
live in Kansanravintola 16th September 2000.
During this period six compositions saw their first appearance: Marimba, A Saint on the Water,
and Shopping (music by Aki, words by Päivi), Twilight Symphony and Legend of the Sea (words and
music by Kimmo) and ILTWYT (music by Mikko, words by Päivi). The lyrics at this 1st phase of
the band were in English.
In autumn 2000 Aki Laakso moved to US for several years. The line-up was radically changed:
Päivi Kylmänen: vocals
Kimmo Lähteenmäki: keyboards
Jouni Pusa: drums
Jouni Salmijärvi: bass
Mikko Uusi-Oukari: guitar, flute
The band decided to switch into Finnish words. Kimmo wrote lyrics to his songs, while the words
for my songs are written by Petri Hyytiä and Olli Valtonen. Kimmo’s new song “Ajatuksia maailman
laidalta” started its development from this 2nd phase of the band. Along with our own material
we played some Pentangle and Curved Air cover songs. The band performed live at Brinkkala stage
(July 10th, 2001) and at Espa stage (August 16th, 2001). In summer 2001 Päivi moved to Stockholm,
but continued coming to rehearsals from there.
In the beginning of 2002 Jouni Salmijärvi wanted a wider view of the world. He went to Brazil for
half a year. He was replaced by the bass player Jarmo Kataja. The band played live in Espa stage
(August 10th, 2002).
I went Germany for a month in October 2002. The activity of the band declined at this point. There was
half-a-year period without any rehearsals. We decided that the music made thus far should be recorded
to harvest the fruits of several years work. This led to the 3rd phase of the band, working in
studio to record “Ajatuksia maailman laidalta”.
First versions of three tracks, ”Leijonan syksy” (ILTWYT), ”Johdatus” (Twilight Symphony) and ”Meri”
(Legend of the Sea) were recorded and preliminary mixed during summer 2003 at Valtone Studio, Turku.
Timo Haanpää and Jonne Valtonen were the main recording engineers throughout the work. The tracks
were preliminary mixed in autumn 2003.
In the year 2004 we made demos of several new songs with Kimmo. Two of them, “Luuttomat” (The Boneless Ones)
and “Ajatuksia maailman laidalta” (Thoughts from the Edge of the World) found their way to the
record. The last song for the record, Ilmalaiva Italia, was written at the start of the year 2005.
The main work of the record was done at Valtone Studio during the year 2005: the three earlier
tracks were upgraded, three new ones recorded, and the whole record mixed.
Because the lyrics were in Finnish, the name Lost Spectacles did not fit to the band anymore.
The name was changed to Viima.
The record was mastered by Rogi Renvall in DVCenter, Tammisaari, at the end of the year 2005.
The covers were made using the artwork of Jukka Kinanen. The record “Ajatuksia maailman laidalta”
was released at the end of February 2006.
The 4th and current phase of the band (that overlapped phase 3) started already in the beginning
of summer 2005. Kimmo and me rented a rehearsal room. I asked a workmate of mine, Aapo Honkanen to play bass in
the band. The singer-flute/sax player Hannu Hiltula joined in autumn 2005 followed by drummer Mikko Väärälä
at the end of 2005.
Hannu Hiltula: vocals, soprano sax, flute
Aapo Honkanen: bass
Kimmo Lähteenmäki: keyboards
Mikko Uusi-Oukari: guitar
Mikko Väärälä: drums
The new line-up has been performing all the material released in ”Ajatuksia Maailman Laidalta”. In addition, the
band has several new songs in the repertoire, and is working with several new ones in the studio.
The new line-up released the 2nd Viima album ”Kahden Kuun Sirpit” (”Two Crescents”) 20th March 2009.
Compositions of the Finnish-singing Viima contain large instrumental parts (one of the tracks is entirely
instrumental), but the lyrics also play an important role. Part of the texts are Finnish poetry from
the early 20th century, the rest of them are rock lyrics of today. The title track of the spacious
sounding album, ”Kahden Kuun Sirpit” (”Two Crescents”), combines the history of the city of Turku with
story of the character’s life in the city and in the archipelago. The title refers to the way the story
handles and modifies the truth. Part of the text is based on reality and the rest reflects it in it’s
own way. On the other hand the name also refers to a perfect moment by the warm and calm sea when the
moon is shining and is reflected from the glassy sea.
The sound world on the record is enriched with a violin quartet and nature sounds. The band has also
used some original keyboards, like the Mellotron, Rhodes-piano, Hammond-organ and analog synthesizers.
The recording of ”Kahden Kuun Sirpit” took two years. The reason for the long period is mainly due to
scheduling. The recordings were interrupted by the band’s other projects, like participation to concept
and tribute albums (”Kalevala”, ”Inferno” ja ”Tuonen Tytär II” by Colossus/Musea Records), and in general
the so-called real life, work etc. The album was recorded in parts, but the majority of final takes were
recorded between June-November 2008.
During the years 2009-2011 we made several gigs and concentrated in rehearsing and recording our 3rd album.
In 2011 the keyboard player Kimmo Lähteenmäki made his decision to leave the band. You can read
Kimmo's farewell below:
"I have decided to leave Viima. The final decision came months ago but now it’s time to make it official.
Earlier this year we decided to finish the next album together but my live-performing days with the band
were over. I want to thank all the present and also former band members and especially those who took part
in the making and funding of Viima’s important first album. I will leave you with a song and it wraps up my
visions for Viima."
"We part our ways as friends and I have nothing bad to say about our journey of more than 10 years of music
together. I can proudly say that I was a part in the making of a band whose music might just stand the test
of time and are not to be merely taken as light entertainment. I just really need to step down now because
my life needs some bigger adjustments. Music in its many forms will always be a big part of my life but I
won’t reveal more about my plans for the future. Only time will tell".
"I thank you all – especially the listeners who enjoy Viima’s music. It was nice to have that feedback. I
enjoyed reading the various album reviews we got. I’m thankful for the interest that the band has around
the world. The positive reviews are bringing hope for the future and I do believe that Viima will continue
as strong as ever. I sincerely and with all my heart wish good luck for the future for Viima. It might
still be needed for its journey of progressive rock".
Kimmo Lähteenmäki
Following a period of 4-membered band the keyboardist Eric Marquis joined Viima thus fullfilling our usual
quintet line-up.
Eric played in the band about one year. After that Viima continued a few years as a quartet.
The singer/keyboardist Risto Pahlama joined Viima in 2016 completing again the quintet form into line-up:
Hannu Hiltula: flute, keyboards, background vocals
Aapo Honkanen: bass
Risto Pahlama: lead vocals, keyboards
Mikko Uusi-Oukari: guitars
Mikko Väärälä: drums
Viima released the album "Väistyy mielen yö" in January 2024
Page updated 1st January 2024
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