Interview: Hannu Leiden, Havana Black

LONE JUSTICE

"Everyone in Hollywood is trying to copy or steal something that might be valuable for their careers. They don't realise you have to create to be able to do something."

So says Hannu "Guts" Leiden down the line from his home in Finland. He's discussing HAVANA BLACK's latest creation, Exiles in Mainstream, the band's latest release on the newly formed Hollywood Records label. They also have a new manager in the shape of Alan Niven (GREAT WHITE). Everyone deserves some luck, it seems, Havana Black were fortunate in the managerial stakes.

"A guy from EMI Germany took our tape among 50 or 60 others out to LA with him and gave the bag to Alan. He picked out ours as it had an Indian on the cover and he's into Indians."

This was the Indian Warrior album released only in Europe.

"Alan played it in his car for three months. The song stuck, so one night he gave me a call to say he'd got tickets ready for us if we'd like to go over and sign the papers."

Which they subsequently did.



The album Exiles boasts of production by Eddie Kramer. Quite a catch?

"That was really down to the record company, Hollywood. They heard he was interested, which is really impressive."

But given his track record, did he try to influence your work?

"His influence was mainly in keeping with the good mood. He did edit some two or three tracks, though, just to make them more accessible."

I must confess to being a bit of a philistine when it comes to Havana Black's back catalogue, but Exiles should change that. It's as diverse as it is interesting. The opening cut, "Faceless Days," hints at a folk influence.



Hannu recognises the source.

"At the time of writing, I saw THE CHIEFTAINS and THE DUBLINERS and was impressed by the feeling.

"I wanted the feeling of hope-giving. Irish bands always seem sad, but there's a joy there too."

Also aiding the trans-global sound is the employment of sitars and bagpipes.

"Actually, the meaning was to make it a little odd," admits Hannu. "In Finland, we can listen to folk music from all over the world. No one in LA had heard it or Oriental music -- I was horrified."

One track, to use Hannu's own words, that is a little odd, is "Café Interpol."

"It was on our first album, which is only in Scandinavia and is only a short instrumental. It was Eddie (Kramer)who listened to it and wanted to make a song out of it. It's completely different, except that the melody lines are the same."

Hannu then reveals his favourite track is "Make My Day," citing LED ZEP as an influence, but it's the PETER GREEN-penned "Oh Well" which singed my ears.

"That's a nice story," relates Leiden.

I'm sitting comfortably, I assure him.

"We were touring with MSG and had the complete 'Oh Well Part 1' rehearsed, which we planned to do one night. But..."

Tales of double dealing I fear are about to be told!

"We were watching MTV's Unplugged one night when MSG were on and somehow they managed to play the same version. We thought, 'fuck you,' as we felt they'd stole it."

Every story has a silver lining, though.

"I listened over and over to THE WHO's Live at Leeds, and 'Young Man's Blues' reminded me of 'Oh Well.' So it was very easy to combine the two. We recorded it completely live, bar one guitar at the end. When we do it live, we play around with it. Sometimes it's five minutes, sometimes 15 minutes."

Which gets us nicely onto the topic of live work. The band apparently didn't play any seedy LA clubs.

"Alan (Niven) didn't want us to, as if we got stuck in LA, then that's only a small part of the States. It's far more important to get on a good tour."

And therein lies the problem with the recession still biting. Havana Black find themselves back at home, considering another Eurotrek, with Britain still a remote possibility.

"Britain is expensive to get to," reasons Hannu.

He's not sure of their welcome either.

"Does anybody listen to this kind of music?" he queries.

On answering it in the affirmative, he's quick to respond.

"Oh, we'll have to come then. I hope we can get some support from the record company."

Hollywood, it's time to stretch those short arms to the bottom of those long pockets.

Joe Mackett
Riff Raff
January 1992

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