Hassisen Kone

Hassisen Kone formed in Helsinki in the late 1970s, with Ismo Alanko as their frontman. Their early single "Älä syö liisteriä" ("Don't Eat the Wallpaper Paste") caught attention with its oddball humor and punk energy, becoming something of a national oddity. The band's lineup included Harri Kinnunen on bass, Jussi Kinnunen on drums, and Eero "Safka" Pekkonen on keyboards.

Their sound mixed punk with new wave touches and a dose of absurdity, heard on tracks like "Kupla kimaltaa" and "Rock ehkäisyvälineitä vastaan." They released albums like "Hassisen Kone" in 1979 and "Harsoinen Teräs" in 1981, building a catalog that felt both catchy and deliberately off-kilter. Alanko's vocals and the band's playful approach gave their music a distinct character that didn't quite fit with either straight punk or mainstream pop.

Some in Finland's punk scene found them too frivolous or lacking in political edge, but Hassisen Kone kept doing their own thing. They put out records through the early 1980s, including "Silmät Kiinni" in 1984, before eventually winding down.