Marko Syrjala: Senior Staff

Email: | Location: Helsinki, Finland

Responsibilities
Photography, interviews, concert reviews.

Current Top 5 Spins
1. Judas Priest: Firepower
2. Ace Frehley: Spaceman
3. Uriah Heep: Living the Dream
4. Red Dragon Carten: Patina
5. Voivod: The Wake

Classic Pick

KISS: Revenge

Recommended Viewing

Recommended Reading

KK Downing: Heavy Duty

Extended Profile
Metal Rules Nickname:
KISSFINLAND

Real Name:
MARKO SYRJALA

E-mail address:
marsyrja@gmail.com

Age/Birthdate:
02/07

Birthplace:
Somero

Present location:
Helsinki

Height:
189 cm

Weight:
about 90 kg

Hair Color:
Usually black

Eye Color:
A mix of green, brown and black.

Tattoos/Piercings:
One single tattoo on left arm

Non-MR Job:
Technology consultant at IndeoOy.

Job(s) @ Metal Rules:

Photographer, Interviewer, Concert reviewer

Length of Time with MR:

I started my work with Metal-Rules in the year 2000.

A brief description of how you came to MR:

The best thing about working for MR:

A friend recommended Metal-Rules.com for me.

The worst thing about working for MR:

Sometimes deadlines, sometimes the attitude of management/labels for web-based media.

How/when you first got into metal:

FOR ME IT STARTED WHEN I SAW PICTURE OF GENE SIMMONS IN MAGAZINE COVER BACK IN 1980. I WAS SOLD RIGHT AWAY! I WENT TO LOCAL MARKET AND MANAGED TO FIND KISS’ FIRST ALBUM IN A CASSETTE FORMAT. THAT SOUNDED SO BRILLIANT FOR ME… AFTER THAT EXPERIENCE I STARTED TO SPEND MOST OF MY (lITTLE) MONEY FOR RECORDS. KISS WAS AND STILL IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BAND FOR ME, AND FINALLY, IN 1983 I SAW THEM LIVE IN OULU. THAT WAS MY FIRST REAL GIG EXPERIENCE. BESIDES KISS I STARTED TO LISTEN TO SOME OTHER METAL BANDS THEN: IRON MAIDEN, RAINBOW, SAXON, Y&T, WHITESNAKE, BLACK SABBATH, HANOI ROCKS, DEEP PURPLE, ACCEPT, SCORPIONS, DIO ETC… AND SOON IT STARTED, “A HARD/GLAM ROCK INVASION” WITH LOADS OF GREAT BANDS: WASP, TWISTED SISTER, MÖTLEY CRUE, RATT, DOKKEN, LOUDNESS, KROKUS …

Favorite Metal Genre(s):
1.HARD ROCK: WITH NO DOUBT, MY FAVOURITE HAS ALWAYS BEEN HARD ROCK.

2.TRASH/SPEED/DEATH: THERE ARE LOT’S OF GREATS BANDS THERE.

3.POWER METAL: I USED TO LIKE POWER METAL A LOT WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT. HELLOWEEN DID REALLY SOMETHING ORIGINAL IN THE BEGINNING … AT THE MOMENT THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY SIMILAR BANDS IN THIS GENRE.

Least favorite Metal Genre(s):

1. Nu-metal, grunge, etc… the crap that almost killed hard rock in the ’90s!

First Metal CD ever bought:

Like mentioned earlier: KISS s/t

First Metal concert:

KISS IN OULU, 1983

Band or other music experience:

Read the previous answer…

Favorite bands/artists:
KISS, Motley Crue, Ratt, Deep Purple, WASP, Iron Maiden, Anthrax, Ratt, Anthrax, Testament, AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, Guns’n Roses, Ace Frehley, Judas Priest, Alice Cooper, Dio, Whitesnake, Rainbow, Saxon, Krokus, Stone, Megadeth, King Diamond, Hardcore Superstar, L.A Guns, Manowar, Loudness, UFO, Twisted Sister, Scorpions, Accept, Carcass, Slayer etc etc

Least favorite bands/artists:

Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Bon Jovi, Black Metal etc…

Most overrated bands/artists:

Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Bon Jovi

Favorite album cover:

KISS: Destroyer

Ten favorite albums:

I just picked one album per band. These are the albums I’ve listened to most !

1. KISS: Destroyer
2. GUNS’N ROSES: Appetite For Destruction
3. ACCEPT: Metal Heart
6. DIO: Holy Diver
4. W.A.S.P: “S/T”
5. TWISTED SISTER: Stay Hungry
7. ANTHRAX: Among the Living
8. WHITESNAKE:1987
9. IRON MAIDEN: Powerslave
10.MOTLEY CRUE: Dr.Feelgood

CD you hate to admit is part of your collection:

KIRKA: R.O.C.K !!!!!!

Spoken Languages:

Finnish, English, Swedish

Hobbies:

Music, hunting, floorball, ice hockey, fishing

Pet peeves:

English spaniel Ozzy

Favorite films:

SCHINDLER’S LIST, NATURAL BORN KILLERS, LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY

Favorite books:

BEHIND THE MASK (KISS)
WHITE LINE FEVER (Lemmy)
PAUL DI’ANNO’S LIFESTORY