Neljä Ruusua (Four Roses) is a Finnish rock group formed in the city of Joensuu in 1982. The group consists of guitarist-singer Ilkka Alanko, guitarist Petteri Koistinen, bass guitarist Jari Laakkonen and drummer Kari Kämäräinen. Their style of music was influenced by punk in their earlier years, but changed over time to more conventional Finnish rock and pop music. The most popular albums of the band are Haloo (1992, Hello) and Pop-uskonto (1993, Pop Religion), which bought the band to a great popularity.

Neljä Ruusua
Neljä Ruusua at the 2011 Ilosaarirock festival.
Neljä Ruusua at the 2011 Ilosaarirock festival.
Background information
OriginJoensuu, Finland
Years active1982–2007, 2011–
LabelsEMI
MembersIlkka Alanko
Petteri "Kode" Koistinen
Jari "Lade" Laakkonen
Kari "Kämy" Kämäräinen
Websitewww.neljaruusua.fi

The band has released 12 studio albums, with two English albums, Mood (1996) and Not for Sale (1998), which were the band's attempt to break the English language market. After these two unsuccessful albums, the band returned to their native language and released their so-called comeback album Uusi aalto (1999, New Wave). On August 13, 2007, it was announced on the band's official website that the group retreats to spend a quiet life for an indefinite period, and they made their so far last public appearance on August 17. The band's future is completely open, any plans for recordings, concerts or other activities has not been established. In 2011 they played in the Ilosaarirock festival in Joensuu. On January 4, 2012, it was announced on the band's Facebook fan page that the group started recording their 13th album.

History edit

The group formed in 1982 under the name Talouskukkaro, and changed their name in 1985; in the late 1990s, they made an attempt to break the English language market, and released some albums under the name 4R.[1] The band's guitarist/vocalist Ilkka Alanko is brother of famous Finnish singer-songwriter Ismo Alanko.

Discography edit

Studio albums edit

Year Title Title translation
(in English)
FIN
Peak
position
[2]
Certification
1987 Neljä Ruusua Four Roses
1987 Kasvukipuja Growing Pains
1989 Hyvää päivää Good Day
1990 Hyvää yötä Bangkok Good Night Bangkok
1992 Haloo Hello
1993 Pop-uskonto Pop Religion
1996 Mood (4R)
1998 Not for Sale (4R)
1999 Uusi aalto New Wave 1
2001 Valuva taivas Flowing Sky 4
2004 Karelia Express 1
2006 Ensi-ilta Premiere 3
2012 Katkera kuu Bitter Moon 4
2015 Euforia Euphoria 2
2018 Mustia ruusuja Black Roses 12
2022 1000X 21
[3]

Compilation albums edit

Year Title Title translation
(in English)
FIN
Peak
position
[2]
Certification
1994 Energiaa Energy
2000 Popmuseo Pop Museum 1
2012 Haloo 20v. Juhlapainos Hello 20th Anniversary Edition 50
2012 Poplaulajan vapaapäivä – 20 suurinta hittiä Pop Singer's Holiday – 20 Greatest Hits 13
2022 40 31
[4]

EPs edit

Year Title Title translation
(in English)
2017 Mustia ruusuja – Osa I Black Roses – Part I
2018 Mustia ruusuja – Osa II Black Roses – Part II

Singles edit

Year Title Title translation
(in English)
FIN
Peak
position
[2]
Album
1987 "Sulje oveni" Close My Door Neljä Ruusua
"Itkupilli" Crybaby Kasvukipuja
1989 "Vastaa!" Answer! Hyvää päivää
"Joulun tähti" Christmas Star
1990 "Matkalla" En Route Hyvää päivää
"Sukellus" Diving Hyvää yötä Bangkok
"Hyvää yötä" Good Night
1991 "Elämä" Life
"06:00"
1992 "Juppihippipunkkari" Yuppie Hippie Punker Haloo
"Pullaa" Bun
"Sun täytyy mennä" (Remaster) You Must Go
1993 "Kuka näkee" Who Can See Pop-uskonto
"Poplaulajan vapaapäivä" Pop Singer's Holiday
1994 "Idänprinsessa" East Princess
"Meistä jokainen" Everyone of Us
"Energiaa" Energy Energiaa
1996 "Mood" (4R) Mood
"Loving the Alien" (4R)
"Come Down" (4R)
1997 "Gravitation" (4R) Not for Sale
"Sea of Love" (4R)
1999 "Varjo" Shadow 15 Uusi aalto
"Hunningolla" 3
"Luotsivene" Pilot Boat
"Olen niin pop" I'm So Pop
2000 "Uusi aika" The New Time
"Sun täytyy mennä" You Must Go Popmuseo
"Popmuseo" Pop Museum 19
"Yön yksinäinen" Lonely at Night
2001 "Missä vaan" Anywhere 12 Valuva taivas
"Valuva taivas" Flowing Sky
2002 "Nuoli ja sydän" Arrow and Heart
"Yhtyneet" United
2004 "Popstars" 4 Karelia Express
"Elän vain kerran" I Only Live Once
"Öisellä rannalla" In Nightly Beach
"Veri" Blood
2006 "Soudat – huopaat" You Row – You Back Ensi-ilta
"Tahdon" I Will 17
"Ensi-ilta" Premiere
2007 "En voi" I Can't
2012 "Seitsemän päivää selvinpäin" Seven Days Sober Katkera kuu
"Katkera kuu" Bitter Moon
"Nuori ikäisekseen" Young for His Age
2013 "Toiset saa" (feat. Elli Haloo) Others Get
2014 "Sininen sunnuntai" Blue Sunday Euforia
2015 "Ajelen" I'm Driving
"Esirippu" Stage Curtain
2016 "Saaronin lilja" Lily of Sharon Mustia ruusuja
2017 "Sähkökitara" Electric Guitar
"Mustia ruusuja" Black Roses
2018 "Älä luovuta (Noli cedere)" Don't Give Up
"Meidän maa" Our Country
2019 "Surutulitus" 1000X
2020 "Muuttolinnut" Migratory Birds
2021 "Viimeinen valssi" The Last Waltz
"Seuraan sua" I'm Following You
2022 "Tähdelliset"

References edit

  1. ^ "Neljä Ruusua biography". AllMusic. Retrieved April 9, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c "Neljä Ruusua discography". Finnishcharts.com. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  3. ^ "Albumit 7/2022" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  4. ^ "Albumit 49/2022" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved December 11, 2022.