Pre-order/order brand new “MÄKKELÄ -FOLK NOIR gegen Nazis” T-Shirt

Dee_X_Gee from Slovakia who took the fab sunset shot at my first ever concert in Spišská Nová Ves, which ended up being the front cover of the "Homeland" album, who made numerous poster designs for numerous bands and venues of the Slovak hardcore punk scene, this very dude created a t-shirt design for me! I'm still absolutely chuffed! Amazing work! Follow Daniel on Instagram to see more of his work. It's worthwhile!

The shirt will come as black print on "nature white" organic fabric, unisex shirt. Available here and as of #Bandcampfriday 5 December 2025 on my Bandcamp site! Xmas present with attitude! ORDERS ARE TAKEN HERE AS OF NOW! SHIPPING STARTS December 1st (5 December through Bandcamp).

If you want one of these beauties you may either order & pay directly here in my webshop (helps a lot to pay the production) or send me an email

To: maekkelae@gmail.com

Subject: NU SHIRT 2025

With your size/s and number of Shirts (if you want more) and of course your postal address. Once they're ready you'll get an email where to pay and I'll send them.

The Très Biens new album is out!

It’s out, it sounds great and it looks marvellous. Recorded in Italy and Germany I’m more than pleased with the outcome. Who’d have thought we’d ever find the time to make it and bang! - here it is. The Très Biens’ album “You Can’t Win” is finally available on all the digitals and in several webshops. Means: Bandcamp, Discogs and right here in the Mäkkelä Merch Shop. It’s a good one. Buy it! Make it an even better one by buying your copy in a real recordstore. Currently it’s in stock at Mono-Ton (Nuremberg/Germany), Toxic-Toast (Coburg/Germany), Tante Erna (Viechtach/Germany), as of mid-October at Discos Bloody Mary (Irun/Basque Country) and last but not least from late November on at Cougouyou Music (Perpignan/France).

MÄKKELÄ Tea Towels

Are back and available at the merch desk on tour. Shipping starts once I’m back for a few days on 1 November. Order HERE now to make sure yours will be sent when I’m back.

R.I.P. Ema Hurskainen

It's with the greatest sadness I heard of the passing of Ema Hurskainen today. From our first encounter on, when he was playing the drums in Eläkeläiset on one of their first German tours, which I was part of as their (probably totally useless) road manager and label representative of TUG/Humppa Records in the mid/late nineties, I've known him as an easy-going, wonderful person. Despite the chaos and utter madness that came with those early Eläkeläiset tours. Lost touch after major changes within the record label took place in the early 2000s. Took about a good decade until I met him again, when he lived for a brief period in/near the city of Bamberg. Being in need of a drummer for the record release show of my “Homeland” album, I asked whether he'd be up for playing a couple of shows, not expecting at all he would. Not least because he was commuting between Bamberg and Finland due to his commitments with Jarkko Martikainen at the time. What should I say - he agreed. Those few weeks of rehearsals and the shows in that full band line-up with him turned out a both inspiring and most enjoyable experience musically. Even more importantly, the time we shared at my old flat, waiting for the rest of the band, having coffee and talking, still reverberate today. All the time since then, I was hoping our tour schedules would make us cross paths again somewhere. For more coffee, more talks. It didn't happen and to my shame I must admit I didn't push for it enough. Another mark on my checklist of missed opportunities & fuck-ups. One of the good ones has left and I do miss him. Thanks Ema. Wherever you are. You won't be forgotten.

You may listen to a song from that mentioned record release show with him on drums here.

Next shows

MÄKKELÄ & NIGHTBIRD

29.10. D-München, Glockenbachwerkstatt
30.10. D-Marktoberdorf, KonterKaffee
31.10. D-Nordendorf, Walden Kulturwirtschaft
02.11. D-Giessen, ZIBB
04.11. D - Secret House Show @ L'Elephant (Nightbird only) RSVP
05.11. D-Landshut, Rocket Club
06.11. D-Wiesbaden, Kulturpalast
07.11. D-Zürbach, House Show
08.11. D-Hof, Kunstkaufhaus
12.11. D-Mannheim, Strümpfe - The Supper-Artclub
13.11. D-Fürth, Kaltscher
14.11. D-Crailsheim, 7180 Bar
15.11. D-Burgkunstadt, Zum Rösla
16.11. D-Darmstadt, Gute Stube

Škoda blue and the black legged Jesus

Has been released 4th October 2024 and is still what I consider one of my fave works. There are three singles out on all the digi channels, so feel free to have a listen. “Higher Germanie” is a traditional folk song in a remarkably different arrangement than the ones you might have heard so far. “Škoda blue” is sort of the title track of the album and “Xmas Meltdown” is available there too. Since 31 August 2025 it’s available for streaming everywhere except of Spotify, if you want a digital version of the full album please proceed to my Bandcamp site.

Here is what other people think about the album. Reviews can be found in Keywest Magazin, Mangowave Reviews, Frizz, Ox Fanzine, jpc’s mailorder or Folker.

Live videos from the 2024 European tour

“Forty or Eight” at La Muraz, France
”Snake Eyes In Paradise” from that same show, an unreleased new song based on words by Denis Johnson, video edited by Flora. Thanks for sharing!
Full show of Mäkkelä at Urgence Disk Geneva, 8 Oct 2024
”Golden Age Of Bloodshed” featuring Boucan live at L’Anthropo, Perpignan on 10 October 2024.

Interview with Rockstage Riot Rhein Main

In the beginning of my 2024 spring tour with Nightbird I had the pleasure to meet Stefan of Rockstage Riot Rhein Main music blog for an interview in some bizarre Chinese park in Frankfurt/M., Germany on one of the few sunny days we had the chance to enjoy on our tour. The whole thing is online now here!

Biel, Oct 2023

Here are some lovely shots from Patrick Principe who came to see my show at Café du Commerce in Biel, Switzerland. Have a look here, on his website.

Stupid & Innocent Years

Recorded this song with violinist Pavel Cingl in Svárov, Czech Republic with some minor adjustments and the final mix done in Nuremberg. I like the song a lot and I’m very, very glad EgoTherapie of Nuremberg made a wonderful little animated video for it. The only release that happened in 2023.

Gig review (in German) of our tour show at Dreikönigskeller Frankfurt/M

Read all about it…

One more about “Dog & Typewriter”

Unexpectedly a late but nonetheless amazing review of “Dog & Typewriter” came in. Peter Gruner wrote it for the German daily newspaper Nürnberger Nachrichten. As it’s been only in the print issue you have to read the scan here… Worthwhile. Cheers Peter!

Some reviews of “Trad & Anger”

Remembering that whole somewhat difficult process of making it feels good to read these. Seems like it was all worthwhile. German ones on Nordbayern.de, Ox Fanzine and blueprint-fanzine.de and an English one in Fatea Magazine.