Hannu Lepistö was born to a Lutheran
priest’s family in 1979 in a small country village Hausjärvi
about 80 kilometers north of Helsinki, Finland. Because of
his father’s profession and big brother’s irritating and
continuous piano practicing, music was always present in the
home. Thank God Hannu’s big brother also brought home
classic albums by Bruce Springsteen, J.J. Cale, Tom Petty,
Johnny Cash, and Dire Straits.... Those had a great
influence on Hannu. Big influence and idol too for Hannu was
and still is his godfather Tapani and his guitar playing in
Finnish band Nummisuutarit which was very popular in Finland
in late ‘70s. And when the old school rap reached the little
country village’s school in the late 80’s Hannu was sold.
Before and during high school Hannu was a drummer
playing mostly in small local post- punk/grunge/noise bands.
At the age of sixteen he bought his first guitar and
realized he could write better songs than many of the
vocalists in his earlier bands. Soon he found a
partner-in-crime and an excellent excuse to skip classes
with guitarist and music enthusiast Petteri Mård. Petteri
became Hannu’s right hand, producer, lead guitarist,
songwriter associate and best friend. Together they formed
The Matt Pistol Project - band and signed a management deal
with successful Finnish company Koetinkivi Oy and a
publishing deal with a Stockholm based MarSongs, (now
defunct). Apart from breathing music Hannu has studied
Theology in the University of Helsinki and a Master’s degree
is thesis away.
The group played as an opening act for Bonnie Tyler,
Lauri Tähkä, Poets Of The Fall as well as in Finland’s
rock’n’roll clubs and venues. During that time, American
percussionist/ record producer Michael Blair made a four
song Matt Pistol Project EP that received lots of airtime
all over the globe, especially in the U.S.A.
But soon it was clear that The Matt Pistol Project would not
survive. Hannu’s reaction to his divorce and constantly
worsening personal problems nearly took his life. With the
help of his friends Petteri Mård, Michael Blair, brother
Markku, new fiancee, parents and family he found the support
and solutions he needed to move forward.
Hannu wrote songs about his journey from divorce to
his addictions, to his knocks on heaven’s door and finding
new love in his life. Then he decided to let go of the band.
It was time to fulfill his biggest dream and go solo.
So he started working in the studio with his
ever-loyal companion Petteri Mård, recording acoustic based
tracks and soundscapes. Later in 2009 he signed to a newly
formed Helsinki based family label Homeward Records Oy.
For the drums, percussion and bass Hannu
wanted the best and got the best. The legendary Michael
Blair (Tom Waits, Lou Reed, Elvis Costello) came back on
board, as well as Ulf Rockis Ivarsson (Thåström, Nicolai
Dunger, Thea Gilmore...). They jumped on the wagon as rhythm
section and producers for this new batch of personal and
emotionally direct songs.
The Helsinki-Stockholm-New York connection
strengthened already when Ollie Olson took a mixing
engineer’s hard job. The process of these two years of
making Hannu’s debut has been pure delight in it’s ups and
downs and heavens and hells.
And as a climax Howie Weinberg has mastered the
tracks at the legendary Masterdisk, N.Y.C
Music: Hannu Lepisto> Lyrics: Hannu Lepisto Arrangement: Hannu Lepisto / Petteri Mård /
Michael Blair /
Ulf Rockis Ivarsson
There Is An Angel For Everyone
Say you'll stay and never ever go away
Say you don't let anything bad come into my life -
into my
life
Spread your wings and let me sleep by your side
There is an angel for everyone
There is an angel for everyone
And every night when I look out of the window
I see those blinking streetlights and I can't get any sleep
I remember how you changed, changed my life
for better just being there for me
There is an angel for everyone
There is an angel for everyone
There is an angel for everyone
There is an angel for everyone
The Team of The "Run Away With Me" - EP
Hannu Lepistö:
lead vocals, acoustic
guitars, mandolin,
Petteri Mård:
electric and acoustic guitars (including solos),
mandolin, mandolin banjo, keyboards,
programming
Markku Lepistö:
Piano, keyboards/synths
Ulf Rockis Ivarsson:
basses, keyboards/synths, treatments,
Michael Blair:
Drums, metal plates, tambourines, shakers,
glockenspiel, pump organ,
backing vocals,
Produced by:
Michael Blair, Ulf Rockis Ivarsson, Hannu
Lepistö, and Petteri Mård
Mixed by:
Ollie Olson, Ulf Rockis Ivarsson and Michael Blair
Mixed at:
The O2 Sonic Salon (Stockholm, Sweden)
Recorded by:
Ulf Rockis Ivarsson and Petteri Mård
Recorded at:
BUC Centre of Sound (Stockholm, Sweden) and Mård
Studio (Helsinki, Finland),
Mastered by:
Howie Weinberg (and Matthew Agoglia) at
Masterdisk, (New York City, U.S.A.),
Executive producers:
Michael Blair and Markku J. Lepistö
(P) (C) Homeward Records 2010. All rights reserved.
Hannu Lepisto's solo debut : New batch of
personal and emotionally direct songs
”There Is An Angel For Everyone”-single OUT NOW in iTunes as a
pre-release from the forthcoming ”Run Away With Me” - EP.
Featuring the legendary Michael Blair (Tom Waits,
Lou Reed,
Elvis Costello) and Ulf Rockis Ivarsson (Thåström, Nicolai
Dunger) as rhythm section and producers for this new batch of
personal and emotionally direct songs.
Produced, recorded and lead-guitared by ever-loyal companion
Petteri Mård.
Executive Producers Michael Blair and Markku J. Lepistö.
Mixed by Ollie Olson (Ice-T, Coolio, Teddybears STHLM, Robyn,
Christian Falk, Christian Walz....), Michael Blair and Ulf
Rockis Ivarsson.
And mastered by The Man himself Howie Weinberg (Nirvana:
Nevermind, Beastie Boys,:Licensed to Ill, Red Hot Chili Peppers:
Blood Sugar Sex Magik, U2: Pop, Jeff Buckley: Grace, Tom Waits:
Rain Dogs....) with Matt Agoglia at Masterdisk studios New York.
