When the band arrived in London, they were the antithesis of what was going on in the music scene. Perhaps the most famous song off the record was a track called “Tragedy” which would foreshadow the band’s future.įollowing their debut album’s release, the band eventually found their way to London to promote the album and record their follow-up album, 1982’s Oriental Beat. Monroe claims he can’t listen to the record since he wasn’t a fan of his voice on the album. While the album is held in high regard by the public, both McCoy and Monroe have had mixed feelings about the record. The album was produced by McCoy and Monroe under the name The Muddy Twins. Originally released only in the Scandinavian countries, the album became a top 5 hit in Finland. Later that year, the band headed into the studio to record their debut record titled Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks. In 1980, the band struck a deal with a Finnish record label who helped he band put out their first single titled “I Want You / Kill City Kills”. That’s when they finally started to make money.īangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks He was so impressed, that he decided to become their manager and began booking shows for the group. Monroe revealed that Andy McCoy lived with his girlfriend during this time and Gyp had an apartment during their time in Sweden.Īfter the band had been in Sweden for 6 months, Seppo, who had previously expressed an interest in managing the band, came to Sweden to check out the band. I’d say, do you mind if my friends come along? Then when we got to the house we’d head straight for the fridge.” We’d sometimes go to a bar and I’d chat up some girl, and she’d invite me to her house. We’d beg enough to get a hamburger to share, or a bottle of wine to forget about the hunger. So for me, Sami Yaffa and Nasty Suicide were living on the streets for the first 6 months, begging for change. I had a few hundred Finnish marks, not much, when I left home and ended up in Stockholm. Monroe revealed to Loudersound, “When we started Hanoi Rocks, we were homeless. Most of the members were literally living on the street. “When we started Hanoi Rocks, we were homeless.” – Mike Monroe This is where things got difficult for Hanoi Rocks. When McCoy was ready to join the group they relocated to Sweden and drummer Gyp Casino and bassist Sami Yaffa joined the band. At one of the band’s early shows, a man named Seppo showed some interest in managing the band. The band hit the Finnish club circuit playing a mix of Cheap Trick, MC5 and The Police covers along with songs Monroe and McCoy had written. The only members of the classic lineup who were in the first incarnation of the band were Mike Monroe and Nasty Suicide. McCoy wasn’t in the first incarnation of the group because he was still playing in his other band but McCoy had an understanding with Monroe that he would eventually join Hanoi Rocks. Andy was in a new band at the time but was still interested in forming a band with Monroe. That’s how Hanoi started.”īy the summer of 1979, Monroe met future Hanoi Rocks rhythm guitarist Nasty Suicide in Sweden, through Andy McCoy. Me and Andy talked about putting a real band together, the way we thought a cool rock band should be. What? To be in punk fashion? I’m not going to be a slave to fashion. He told LouderSound, “The punk thing was great, but you can join our punk band if you cut your hair. While Monroe was against cutting his hair, the seeds of Hanoi Rocks were being carefully planted. “I’m not going to be a slave to fashion.” – Mike Monroe Monroe almost joined McCoy’s band but was told he had to cut his hair. The two musicians started talking and hit it off. In 1976, Monroe played in a band that shared rehearsal space with drummer with guitarist, Andy McCoy, who played in a punk rock band. Monroe revealed in his autobiography that his real first exposure to rock n’ roll was seeing Black Sabbath perform a show in Paris on TV and that memory stayed with him for the rest of his life. Hanoi Rocks frontman Mike Monroe was born as Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm in 1962 in Finland. Hanoi Rocks could’ve gone on to become one of the biggest bands of the 80s had it not been for a terrible tragedy that served as the catalyst to derail the band. Someone had to show those bands the way and Hanoi Rocks were up to the challenge. While they did play an important role in the hair metal scene of the 80s, it was more having to do with who they influenced including Guns N’ Roses, Skid Row and Poison. Formed in Finland in 1979 by singer Mike Monroe and guitarist Andy Mccoy, Hanoi Rocks shared more in common with traditional rock n’ roll, glam and punk than the LA hair metal scene that they are sometimes associated with.
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