ABOUT
The origins
STORY of SERPICO
The band:
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Jani Serpico - Drums
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Matt Gee - Bass
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Vee Dour - Lead vocals
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Snage - Guitars
Serpico started in late 2005. Originally, Serpico consisted of 4 members (just like the current line-up): Vee Dour (Lead vocals), Snake (Guitars), Turo Sinkkonen (Bass) and Jaakko Kakko (Drums). They were the original four. But other interests entered Jaakko's life, and so shortly after he had left the band in 2008, Vee Dour called Jani and asked him to step in as the substitute drummer until Serpico could find a permanent one. We can only guess that Jani is, and always will be, the substitute drummer 'til they'll find a permanent one.
Serpico recorded a couple of demos with the original lineup and with the lineup made after Jani crashed in.
In the same year when Jani joined the band, Kimmo Hautamäki (Vee Dour's and Jani's old friend) joined and invaded the rhythm guitar. So, from then on, the group had 5 members with two guitarists. Serpico recorded one full-length album "Utopia +358" in 2009-2010 (that was never released) and EP in 2011 "Bad commercial" with this line-up.
The next year 2009, Turo left the band due to lack of interest and focused on other projects in music.
Jani met Andy at his friend's parties, hanging out, having a good time, drinking 'n' listening to some music. Andy told Jani to come and try out and see what happens. When Andy had played his very first rehearsals with Serpico, it was obvious that Andy was destined to be the new bass player. Everybody in the band was crazy about his rough 'n' cool sound. Yeah, he's definitely in!
2011 Jan. Serpico got a great chance to warm up for legendary Sami Yaffa's band (Former Hanoi rocks bass player) Mad Juana from the States, NYC.
In 2014, Serpico released a full-length album called "Shallow Mistress", featuring the titular single/music video, "Shallow Mistress". The "Shallow Mistress" album got Serpico 5th place on Levykauppa Äx's newbie chart of the year. The band was touring alot in this particular year, with their friends Bloody Heels, Rust N' Rage & Princess, across Sweden, Latvia, Viro and Finland.
In 2015, the first single "Shout" from the album "Rock Tattoo" was released with music video full of hot girls and Harleys. It brought significant attention and focus to the band. The band flew to England to do a 2-week tour with Rust n' Rage (Fin) and a couple of other bands.
Serpico had a great opportunity to warm up the stage for another Hanoi Rocks legend, Michael Monroe. His band included former Hanoi Rocks bass player Sami Yaffa and also former Hanoi guitarist Nasty Suicide. This was in 2015 at MotoRockFest, Porin Kirjurinluoto, Finland. At the same time as doing the warm-up gig for Monroe and his band, Serpico did a collaboration with the Finnish reality TV star Aki Manninen as he released his handmade custom Harley on stage as the band was playing.
Kimmo Hautamäki resigned from Serpico and played his last gig with the band at Pori Rock bar monttu. Kimmo is a great guy and we are still good friends!
After Kimmo left the band, Jani was going to a Motörhead show in Helsinki Jäähalli with his friends. One of them was Eddy (bass) from Rust n' Rage band. Eddy and Jani started talking about Eddy stepping into Serpico as a guitarist and well, he did, and we can tell you that Eddy is a kickass rock n' roll guitarist also.
2016 is when the 2nd single from "Rock Tattoo" album, "Ain't better to leave" came out with this, full of cool scenes holding music video! (Btw, that is the band's real touring van and the real driver, Rauno "Rammy" Jalonen). The music video's budget was under 300€. February 22nd, Serpico got a great chance once again, to warm up the stage for yet another Hanoi Rocks legend, Andy McCoy. Jani met Nicky Rothen from the band Flesh Roxon. Replacing the drummer in the same show, for the band Mr Rebel And The Stompers. After that, Nicky and Jani became friends. Serpico got the chance to warm up the stage for Flesh Roxon, featuring Andy McCoy for two more gigs. First in Pori at the Rock bar Monttu, and secondly in Tampere, YO-Talo.
2017 Serpico recorded the rest of the songs for the album "Rock Tattoo" and toured around Finland.
2018 3rd and last single "Lightning thunder baby" with a music video, was released on Jan 23rd from the upcoming album, "Rock Tattoo". The album was released on March 12th. Serpico did a mini tour in Latvia with Bloody Heels.
In 2019, Eddy left the band because he needed to concentrate on his own band R&R fully, and had lost interest in playing the guitar. Again, the band had four members and made the decision to stay that way. After Eddy left, Serpico started looking for a producer for the next album. The band mailed over 10 different producers and only one answered the following day, and said "yes!". That man was the legendary Finnish music producer, Anssi Kippo. Anssi Kippo is best known for working with Children of Bodom, on their first three albums, (Something wild, Hate breeder & Hate crew death roll). After 2 months when Anssi had selected the 1st single song "Midnight Cowboy" and second song, "Heat of the Moment" from the upcoming "Chosen four" album, Serpico hit the road, drove up to Astiastudio, Lappeenranta and started working like hell.
In Late 2019, Serpico sent the music to over 80 different record labels. One night, checking the junk mail folder of Serpico's email they found an offer from R.S.Music. It was the deal we'd been waiting for, the deal which is going to take the band globally further and closer to achieving the band's goals.
2020, the band got signed to a worldwide record deal with Rockshots Records, Italy and Anssi Kippo will produce the "Chosen Four" album. Serpico is now ready more than ever! As Serpico has always said: Rock 'n' Roll is not dead!
Andy left the band and Matt Gee joined to replace him in the summer 2021.
In 2021 Serpico signed with Metal Bookings (UK), which is an Internationally recognized Independent Booking Agency and Management Company representing legendary artists in the Heavy Metal and Rock music genres, covering the territories of Europe, the Far East, Japan, South America, Central America and the USA.
Serpico signed with Stupido Live Booking in 2022 (live booking in Finland only).
After the pandemic of COVID19, Serpico finally got 2 big shows booked in 2023. The first one was in Finland where they opened night for the Hellsinki vampires, THE 69 EYES. The second show was even bigger, which took place in legendary music venue The Garage in London Islington. Band had an honor of opening the night for the Geoff Tate's Operation Mindcrime 35th show. The place was packed!
Serpico is currenlty working on a new album with the Finnish platinum selling producer Anssi Kippo. Like the previous album "The Chosen Four", it will be recorded by full analog session on magnetic tape.
Vee Dour
Jani Serpico
Snage
DISCOGRAPHY
The Chosen Four, album (2022)
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Riverbanks
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Midnight Cowboy
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Rock Your Brain
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I Am A Rocker
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Dark Energy
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Silent Love
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Smokin’ Hot Mama
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Holy Rocks Outta Body
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The Last Days Of Monopoly
Dark Energy, single (2022)
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Dark Energy
I Am A Rocker, single 2022)
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I Am A Rocker
Dark Enery, single 2022
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Dark Energy
Midnight Cowboy, single (2020)
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Midnight Cowboy
Rock Tattoo (2018)
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Rock Tattoo
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Shout
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Irish Roots
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A.O.F.
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No Confusion
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This is What I Am
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Half Step
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July
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Ain't Better To Leave
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Lightning Thunder Baby
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Ex-Serpico
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Let It Burn
Lightning Thunder Baby, Digital Single (2018)
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Lightning thunder baby
Matt Gee
Ain't better to leave, Digital Single (2017)
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Ain't better to leave
SHOUT, Digital Single (2016)
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Shout
SHALLOW MISTRESS (Debut album, 2014)
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Intro
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Oriental clash
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Documents
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(I've got a hard on) drugs
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Supernatural outlaw #1
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Cozy
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Tie us down
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Mosquito
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Cabare'
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Shallow Mistress
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Always?
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Outro
BAD COMMERCIAL single-EP (2011)
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Bad Commercial
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Rainy day
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Well known risk