The 69 Eyes are a Gold selling
FinnishThe terms Finns and Finnish people are used in English to mean "a native or inhabitant of Finland". They are also used to refer to the ethnic group historically associated with Finland or Fennoscandia, and they are only used in that sense here....
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music....
band. They are currently signed to
EMIThe EMI Group is a British music company. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major publishing arm- EMI Music Publishing- based in New York City...
Finland. The band's albums are now distributed worldwide. The End Records acts as the band's official North American distributor, as Nuclear Blast Records provides distribution in Mainland Europe, Ireland and the UK. Australia will be handled by AmpHead Music. All Asia and Latin America releases are handled by
EMIThe EMI Group is a British music company. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major publishing arm- EMI Music Publishing- based in New York City...
affiliates.
Music style
Initially, the 69 Eyes' music style was of
glam metalGlam metal is a term used to describe the visual style or fashion of certain heavy metal music bands that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
and
hard rockHard rock or heavy rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music...
, influenced by acts such as
Motley CrueMötley Crüe is a American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The band was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
and
Hanoi RocksHanoi Rocks was a Finnish rock band formed in 1979, whose most successful period came in the early 1980s. The band broke up in 1985 largely due to the death of their drummer, Nicholas 'Razzle' Dingley...
. However, they began to incorporate more influence from
gothic rockGothic rock is a musical subgenre of Post-Punk and Alternative Rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
bands such as The Mission and
The Sisters of MercyThe Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band that formed in 1980. After achieving early underground fame in UK, the band had their commercial breakthrough in mid-1980s and sustained it until the early 1990s, when they stopped releasing new recorded output as a strike against their record company...
. Their sound was described as a mix of the gloominess of
gothic rockGothic rock is a musical subgenre of Post-Punk and Alternative Rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
with guitar-powered rock'n'roll. Their music continued to show influence from other rock artists such as
The DoorsThe Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California by vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger. They are considered a controversial and influential band, due mostly to Morrison's cryptic lyrics and unpredictable...
,
Elvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor. A cultural icon, he is commonly known simply as Elvis and is also sometimes referred to as The King of Rock 'n' Roll or The King....
,
Hanoi RocksHanoi Rocks was a Finnish rock band formed in 1979, whose most successful period came in the early 1980s. The band broke up in 1985 largely due to the death of their drummer, Nicholas 'Razzle' Dingley...
,
Billy IdolWilliam Michael Albert Broad , better known as Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. He first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X. He then embarked on a successful solo career, aided by a series of stylish music videos, making him one of the first MTV stars...
, and
The Sisters of MercyThe Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band that formed in 1980. After achieving early underground fame in UK, the band had their commercial breakthrough in mid-1980s and sustained it until the early 1990s, when they stopped releasing new recorded output as a strike against their record company...
as well as vampire films and literature. The term "goth 'n roll" is used by fans to describe their style.
In recent times with the release
Back in BloodBack in Blood is the tenth studio album from Finnish goth rock band The 69 Eyes and their first to be released via Nuclear Blast in Europe and The End Records in North America. The album was recorded in both Helsinki and Los Angeles and produced by Matt Hyde. The cover art was designed by Estevan...
, the 69 Eyes have moved back to a more guitar based sound, although gothic imagery and lyrical themes remain forefront in their style.
1989 - 1999
Formed by a group of friends in the bars of
HelsinkiHelsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the southern part of Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, by the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it the most populous municipality in Finland by a wide margin...
,
FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland
, is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
in the summer of 1989, a nod to illustrate the band's tight-knit friendship is that the lineup has stayed the same since creation. The band originally played
glam metalGlam metal is a term used to describe the visual style or fashion of certain heavy metal music bands that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
inspired music, different from their current gothic rock style.
The band released their first 7 inch EP, "Sugarman", in 1990, followed by another 7 inch, "Barbarella" in 1991. These releases paved the way for the bands first album
Bump 'n' GrindBump 'n' Grind is the debut album by the glam metal band The 69 Eyes, released in 1992 on Gaga Goodies / Poko Rekords. Recently Re-Released on Cleopatra Records for distribution within the US.- Track listing :# "Voodoo Queen"# "Juicy Lucy"# "Alive!"...
released in 1992 which contained some re-recorded versions of songs from the first 2 EP. This same year, the band released their final 2 7 inch EP's, titaled "Juicy Lucy" and "High Times Low Lives".
In 1994 through a Japanese Label the band's second CD release was unleased, the compilation album "
Motor City ResurrectionMotor City Resurrection is the second album by The 69 Eyes, released in 1994. It's a compilation of the band's early 7" singles and EPs. Recently re-released on Cleopatra Records for distribution within the US. It even features a cover of Gimme Some Head, originally by the cult shock rocker GG...
". It has since been re-released with 8 bonus tracks worldwide. Though this release featured no new songs, it collected the majority of the bands early material and contributions to other compilations. It was followed in 1995 by
Savage GardenSavage Garden was the third studio album by the rock music band, The 69 Eyes in 1995, produced by Gaga Goodies / Poko Rekords. It also feature Andy McCoy from Hanoi Rocks on "Wild Talk"- Track listing :# "1-800-SLEAZORAMA" - 0:49# "Tang" - 3:27...
which featured Hanoi Rocks guitarist Andy McCoy on the track "Wild Talk". Also released during this time were 2 VHS tapes "Motor City Resurrection" and "Savage Tales" available only through the band's self-run fanclub which are seen rarely, if ever for sale online. In 1997,
Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams, which fans generally mark as the last "glam" album before the milestone success of 1999's goth rock infused,
Wasting the DawnWasting The Dawn is the fifth studio album by The 69 Eyes, released in 1999, produced by Gaga Goodies / Poko Rekords.It was released internationally on Roadrunner Records....
which was released internationally on Roadrunner Records and marked the band's major label debut. The album's hit single, the title track
Wasting the Dawn lyrically paid tribute to
The DoorsThe Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California by vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger. They are considered a controversial and influential band, due mostly to Morrison's cryptic lyrics and unpredictable...
'
Jim MorrisonJames Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American singer, songwriter, poet, writer and filmmaker. He was best known as the lead singer and lyricist of The Doors and is widely considered to be one of the most charismatic frontmen in rock music history. He was also the author of several books of poetry ...
and was released as a digipack CD, which is now a rare find for fans of the band. Jyrki 69 developed a concept video for this track which featured long-time friend and collaborator
HIMHIM is a Finnish rock band from Helsinki, formed in 1991 by vocalist Ville Valo, guitarist Mikko Lindström, and bassist Mikko Paananen. They have released six full length albums to date.-Early Days :...
member
Ville ValoVille Hermanni Valo , is a Finnish singer, songwriter, and frontman of the Finnish rock band HIM. Valo was also the drummer for the Daniel Lioneye project. Ville has a baritone vocal range.-Early life:...
posing at a snowy cemetery as the ghost of Jim Morrison. This video was released on VHS in Finland featuring a behind the scenes feature, both the video and feature were later added as extras on the Helsinki Vampires DVD.
2000 - 2002
Spring of 2000 brought the single
Gothic Girl which spent months on the Singles Top 10 and on Finnish nation radio playlists. It brought the band their first gold record. After recording their sixth studio album,
Blessed BeBlessed Be is the sixth studio album released in 2000 by the band The 69 Eyes. It was produced by Gaga Goodies/Poko Rekords.This album is more gothic metal influenced, leaving behind the "sleazy" lyrics seen in their earlier works. The first single was "Gothic Girl", followed by "Brandon...
, the band did their first short tour for
Wasting the DawnWasting The Dawn is the fifth studio album by The 69 Eyes, released in 1999, produced by Gaga Goodies / Poko Rekords.It was released internationally on Roadrunner Records....
in Germany which included a show at the
M'era Luna FestivalThe M'era Luna Festival is an alternative/dark music festival. It annually takes place in Hildesheim, Germany on the second weekend of every August.The show is held at Flugplatz Hildesheim-Drispenstedt, a former British Army airbase....
. Support for the tour was Norwegian rock band
ZeromancerZeromancer is a Norwegian Industrial rock band formed in 1999 by members of the band Seigmen. The current Lineup is Alex Møklebust , Kim Ljung , Noralf Ronthi Lorry Kristiansen and Dan Heide...
.
Released in September 2000,
Blessed BeBlessed Be is the sixth studio album released in 2000 by the band The 69 Eyes. It was produced by Gaga Goodies/Poko Rekords.This album is more gothic metal influenced, leaving behind the "sleazy" lyrics seen in their earlier works. The first single was "Gothic Girl", followed by "Brandon...
rose straight to number 4 on the Finnish Album Charts and stayed in the top 10 for over a month. The second single was
Brandon Lee, the third was
The Chair and
Stolen Season was the fourth. Videos were filmed for the first 3 singles.
In 2002 the band released
Paris KillsParis Kills is the seventh studio album by The 69 Eyes. It was released in 2002 on Gaga Goodies / Poko Rekords, and re-released in 2007 on Cleopatra records. The first single from this album was Dance d'Amour.-Track listing:# "Crashing High"...
, which would be known as their breakthrough album. It stayed for weeks as number 1 in Finland and went gold in a month, June 2002. In Germany it rose to number 35 in the first week. After touring Europe and Finland for months, a sold-out show at Helsinki's famous
Tavastia ClubThe Tavastia Club is a popular rock music club in Helsinki, Finland. The house is owned by the Tavastian student nation of the University of Helsinki, but since 1991 the club has been operated by a private enterprise renting the house from the student nation. It is located in central Helsinki...
was filmed and documented in November for use in the "Helsinki Vampires"
DVDDVD, also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc,is an optical disc storage media format, and was founded in 1995. Its main uses are video and data storage...
.
2003 - present
At the end of 2003, The 69 Eyes were signed to
EMIThe EMI Group is a British music company. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major publishing arm- EMI Music Publishing- based in New York City...
Finland, as they geared up to record their highly successful
Devils album. The well-timed "Lost Boys" single was released in Finland at this time, paying homage to the film of the same name as anticipation for the full length album grew.
2004 saw the release of
Devils, their 8th album, to which they toured the UK in support of
Wednesday 13Wednesday 13 is a horror punk band, fronted by the Murderdolls frontman of the same name. The group formed in 2004 and continue to perform together.-Music and recordings:...
. Once again the album was number one in their native Finland and reached gold in a month. It was their first release on a big major label Virgin/EMI. Released in their native Finland in October 2004 later on in Europe through Virgin/EMI and in October 2005 in USA through 456 Entertainment it is also their 4th album to reach gold status and again another number one position on the Finnish TOP 40 album charts.
In 2005 The 69 Eyes played nearly one hundred shows around the world in fifteen countries, from Mexico to Japan.
Devils was also released in the USA. The band filmed their video for their biggest ever hit single "Lost Boys" in Hollywood and the Philadelphia area, directed by the band's friend and
MTVMTV is a cable television network based in New York City and launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs...
superstar
Bam MargeraBrandon Cole "Bam" Margera is a professional skateboarder, television and radio personality, and daredevil. He released a series of videos under the CKY banner and came to prominence after being drafted into MTV's Jackass crew...
.
In 2006, The 69 Eyes toured for the first time in the USA in March with Program The Dead &
DamoneNot to be confused with singer Vic Damone.Damone is an American rock band with distinct elements from power pop in their sound. The band originated in Waltham, a city located just west of Boston, Massachusetts, and contains members Noelle LeBlanc , Mike Woods , Vazquez , and Dustin Hengst .-...
, appearing on
Last Call with Carson DalyLast Call with Carson Daly is an American late night variety show that is broadcast on NBC. Hosted by Carson Daly, the half-hour show features celebrity interviews, comedy, and musical performances. Last Call airs weeknights at 1:36 a.m. Eastern / 12:36 a.m...
.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0785491/ Their new album
AngelsAngels is the name of the ninth album by gothic metal band The 69 Eyes. It is the sequel to The 69 Eyes's last album Devils. The first single from the album is called "Perfect Skin", and a video was released in 2006. Also, another single, titled "Never Say Die", was released and a video was also...
, the sequel to their 2004 album Devils, was released in March 2007. Shortly after their Early 2007 tour with
Cradle of FilthCradle of Filth are an English Extreme metal band from Suffolk, formed in 1991. They have been embraced and disowned with equal fervour by various metal communities, and their particular subgenre has provoked a great deal of discussion....
&
3 Inches Of Blood3 Inches of Blood is a Canadian heavy metal band from Vancouver, British Columbia, formed in 1999. They are mostly influenced by the bands involved with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Before 3 Inches of Blood, Pipes and Hagberg were in a black metal band...
. Their latest album
Angels was released on the 25th of June 2007 in the UK. The first single from the album is "Perfect skin" which went straight to number 1 on the Finnish singles chart. The second single is "
Never Say Die"Never Say Die" is the second single off the album Angels by Finnish rock band The 69 Eyes, which was released in 2007 through Virgin Finland....
".
Angels debuted at number 1 in Finland and has since gone gold.
The band did a summer 2007 US tour with
Wednesday 13Wednesday 13 is a horror punk band, fronted by the Murderdolls frontman of the same name. The group formed in 2004 and continue to perform together.-Music and recordings:...
, Night Kills The Day, &
Fair To MidlandFair to Midland is an American art rock and progressive metal band formed in 1998. They are currently signed to Serj Tankian's Serjical Strike label. According to the band's official website, their name comes from "...an old Texan play on the term 'fair to middling'." The band produced two...
, and supported
Within TemptationWithin Temptation is a Dutch rock/metal band. The band was founded in 1996 by vocalist Sharon den Adel and guitarist Robert Westerholt. Their music is described as symphonic metal, gothic metal , although in an interview, Den Adel said they fell into a symphonic rock genre with various influences,...
on tour in the UK in November. They played 125 shows world wide in 2007.
In 2008 they released their first live album titled
The 69 Eyes: Hollywood KillsThe 69 Eyes: Hollywood Kills - Live at the Whisky a Go Go: is a live album, released by Finnish band The 69 Eyes. It was released January 16 2008 through Virgin Finland. This is the first live album the band has made...
. The album was recorded at the
Whisky a Go GoThe Whisky a Go Go is a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard, on the Sunset Strip....
in West Hollywood in March of 2006.
The band began 2009 by touring in Europe as a part of Hellhounds Fest with
TiamatIn Babylonian mythology, Tiamat is a goddess who personifies the sea. Tiamat is considered the monstrous embodiment of primordial chaos. Although there are no early precedents for it, some sources identify her with images of a sea serpent or dragon...
and
Ava InferiAva Inferi was created in Almada, Portugal, by guitarist and songwriter Rune Eriksen .The debut album, Burdens, was released in January 2006....
. The band started recording their tenth studio album with Grammy award winning producer Matt Hyde. He is most known from his works with Slayer, Monster Magnet and Fu Manchu. The recording process took place both in Helsinki and Los Angeles. The new album has been titled
Back in BloodBack in Blood is the tenth studio album from Finnish goth rock band The 69 Eyes and their first to be released via Nuclear Blast in Europe and The End Records in North America. The album was recorded in both Helsinki and Los Angeles and produced by Matt Hyde. The cover art was designed by Estevan...
will be released on the 28th of August in Europe and the 15th of September in the USA. In early June,
Bam MargeraBrandon Cole "Bam" Margera is a professional skateboarder, television and radio personality, and daredevil. He released a series of videos under the CKY banner and came to prominence after being drafted into MTV's Jackass crew...
directed the music video for the first single from the album, "Dead Girls Are Easy." The video premiered on
playboy.comPlayboy Online is the internet business segment of Playboy Enterprises. It produces some original content that differs from print editions of the publications produced by Playboy Publishing, one of the three business segments of Playboy Enterpises...
on 17 of July 2009. The 69 Eyes also toured Australia for the first time in mid June, playing in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
Studio Albums
- Bump 'n' Grind
Bump 'n' Grind is the debut album by the glam metal band The 69 Eyes, released in 1992 on Gaga Goodies / Poko Rekords. Recently Re-Released on Cleopatra Records for distribution within the US.- Track listing :# "Voodoo Queen"# "Juicy Lucy"# "Alive!"...
(1992)
- Motor City Resurrection
Motor City Resurrection is the second album by The 69 Eyes, released in 1994. It's a compilation of the band's early 7" singles and EPs. Recently re-released on Cleopatra Records for distribution within the US. It even features a cover of Gimme Some Head, originally by the cult shock rocker GG...
(1994)
- Savage Garden
Savage Garden was the third studio album by the rock music band, The 69 Eyes in 1995, produced by Gaga Goodies / Poko Rekords. It also feature Andy McCoy from Hanoi Rocks on "Wild Talk"- Track listing :# "1-800-SLEAZORAMA" - 0:49# "Tang" - 3:27...
(1995)
- Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (1997)
- Wasting the Dawn
Wasting The Dawn is the fifth studio album by The 69 Eyes, released in 1999, produced by Gaga Goodies / Poko Rekords.It was released internationally on Roadrunner Records....
(1999)
- Blessed Be
Blessed Be is the sixth studio album released in 2000 by the band The 69 Eyes. It was produced by Gaga Goodies/Poko Rekords.This album is more gothic metal influenced, leaving behind the "sleazy" lyrics seen in their earlier works. The first single was "Gothic Girl", followed by "Brandon...
(2000)
- Paris Kills
Paris Kills is the seventh studio album by The 69 Eyes. It was released in 2002 on Gaga Goodies / Poko Rekords, and re-released in 2007 on Cleopatra records. The first single from this album was Dance d'Amour.-Track listing:# "Crashing High"...
(2002)
- Devils (2004)
- Angels
Angels is the name of the ninth album by gothic metal band The 69 Eyes. It is the sequel to The 69 Eyes's last album Devils. The first single from the album is called "Perfect Skin", and a video was released in 2006. Also, another single, titled "Never Say Die", was released and a video was also...
(2007)
- Back in Blood
Back in Blood is the tenth studio album from Finnish goth rock band The 69 Eyes and their first to be released via Nuclear Blast in Europe and The End Records in North America. The album was recorded in both Helsinki and Los Angeles and produced by Matt Hyde. The cover art was designed by Estevan...
(2009)
Live Albums & Compilations
- Framed in Blood - The Very Blessed of the 69 Eyes
Framed In Blood - The Very Blessed of the 69 Eyes is a compilation album, released by the Finnish band The 69 Eyes in 2003 through Gaga Goodies / Poko Rekords. The album was released in the U.S. on August 29, 2006 by Cleopatra Records...
(2003)
- The 69 Eyes: Hollywood Kills
The 69 Eyes: Hollywood Kills - Live at the Whisky a Go Go: is a live album, released by Finnish band The 69 Eyes. It was released January 16 2008 through Virgin Finland. This is the first live album the band has made...
(2008)
- Goth'N'Roll Box Set (2008)
External links