Bsky
Unfortunately there is still not really an option for artists to stay connected with their audience and fans outside of Facebook and Instagram. They’re still the monopolists in the business when it comes to stay visible on social media. I do hope Bsky manages to grow quickly and will rather sooner than later become an alternative. X is definitely out being run by an openly fascist moron. I’d highly appreciate you following me on Bsky. They’ve got still some way to go, but I figure it might work out in the end. Here’s the link to my profile @maekkelae.bsky.social.
Next shows
Fri 25 Apr - Weiden, Kulturbahnhof Parapluie (GER)
Sun 27 Apr - Flachslanden, Kunstmühle, Matinee 11.00am (GER)
Thu 01 May - Castelfranco Veneto, Textival 2025 (IT) THE TRÈS BIENS Show
Fri 02 May - Padova, Circolo Nadir (IT) THE TRÈS BIENS Show
Fri 09 May - Viechtach, Tante Erna (GER)
Sat 10 May - Wildeck-Obersuhl, Pauly Scheune (GER)
Motorway adventures 2024
It’s been long enough up here and I’m a bit tired of coming across that whole thing each time I’m checking my website. In case you’re anyway or still interested in reading about my adventures on the AP-7 in Catalonia last autumn, please proceed to the blog entry. Don’t feel obliged to donate. It’s all over, there has been a massive wave of support then which helped me to continue playing the tour. Again and again and again THANKS to everyone who donated!
The Tres Biens
That noisy little, much loved, punk rock, pub rock, side project I’m involved in for many years now with dear old friends of mine got surprisingly active last year and even more surprisingly still is. Means we’re about to release a full-length album in 2025. After fifteen years… well matured I’d say. Prior to the album there’ll be three digital singles out on the streaming services you all know. Last of those three to be released 26 April 2025. Want to follow up on this? Easiest will be on Bandcamp or Insta if you fancy doing so.
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 digital singles out on all the digi channels, so feel free to have a listen on Spotify and the likes. “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. That’s it for Spotify and the likes, if you want a digital version of the full album please proceed to my Bandcamp site. As I pointed out earlier - when it comes to paying artists for their work Spotify and the likes couldn’t care less about us DIY- solo artists. Of course there is that point of advertising your shows on social media through free streaming services. Sure, makes some sense, but I think three songs on Spotify, Deezer and their buddies should do . Some might say you have to play the game, you really don’t have a choice, all that kind of thing. I don’t agree. I think having not much to lose gives you quite some choices.
Some nice reviews of the album can be found on Keywest Magazin, Mangowave Reviews and Frizz.
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, 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
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.
Some video links
Mäkkelä with Folk’s Worst Nightmare - Loni-Übler Haus March 2022
Mäkkelä live at Loft LoFi, March 2021
Merch-Shop
Reward yourself or your loved ones with some of the strangely sweet music available in the Mäkkelä webshop!
