Biography: Kollaa Kestää

Kollaa Kestää was a punk band from Tampere that played around 1976–1980.

Their best-known song of which is “Farewell to Arms” (Jäähyväiset aseille), of which Liisa Tavi later made a hit version.

Jyrki Siukonen, one of the band's musicians, was also the editor of Hilse-punk magazine. In the 1990s, Siukonen played drums for a while in the Tampere-based band Punk Lurex OK, which also included Juha Helminen. Mikko Nevalainen was Eppu Normaali's bassist in 1979–1989.

Juha Helminen (guitar), Jyrki Siukonen (drums), Kai Kivi (guitar) and Erkki Huhtamo (bass) formed Kollaa Kestää in Tampere in 1976. This was preceded by classmates Kivi, Siukonen and Kai Niemi's Hernia, which made two gig in 1975. The band is going to go to the Rock-Rally competition of Lemmikki magazine with this ensemble only in March 1977 (the second singer at that time was Kari Kohtamäki). The band finished last and got their picture in one Favorite number. Kai Niemi became the bassist.

The record company Poko Rekords was founded in 1977 in the hometown of the band Kollaa kestää in Tampere, and the members of the band were well acquainted with the owner Epe Helenius. Kollaa takes a long time, he recorded his first single at Lahti Microvox studio on the afternoon of November 28, 1977, the same day that Eppu Normaali recorded his own debut single “Police Bumps Again” in the morning. The result of the voting session was the song “Black, War Dog”. The band recorded the b-side of "Star Peace" in January of the following year. Jussi Niemi (watches) and Seppo Pietikäinen (statement), who worked in the Helenius store, were also on the B side. The single was released on March 30, 1978. Helminen and Siukonen's classmate Jouni Hirvonen acted as bassist in the song "Black, War Dog". Through an announcement in the sound, Mikko Nevalainen, older than the other members of the band and more skilled as a player, changed to a new bassist.

The new line-up recorded six songs for the first EP at Mika Sundqvist's MSL studio on August 24, 1978. Later, the song “Adverts Blues” was recorded for the Hilselp collection in the rehearsal room. Poko's promo Christmas album Cold Christmas! The song “Elf Army” made the song last. On March 19, 1979, the band recorded the single “Writings from the Basement” / “Hot Tracks” at MSL Studio, which was released the following month. In the record jury, Lenita Airisto refused to give the song any points. It was never possible to perform Kollaa takes on TV, so no videotapes were made of the band.

In the same year, the band surveyed Johanna's interest in releasing the band's first long play. The record company agreed to this and the band decided to leave Poko. The debut album Farewell to Guns was recorded at the top studio Finnvox and released during 1979. The album became a critical success, and its title track became a small success. The band's original drummer Jyrki Siukonen wanted to do something other than punk rock and left the band. Mikko Nevalainen moved to Eppu Normaal as a bassist. Kai Kivi and Juha Helminen were in favor of continuing and did a few more gigs as drummer Unohda Eila's band Heikki Nuora and bassist Vellu Saarinen. However, the band eventually disbanded. Composition In 1980, a female singer named Siukonen-Helminen-Kivi and Anne recorded a single for Johanna, “Night That Is Almost Afraid of Me” / “Between Hatred and Pity,” called Cenci. 

Mikko Saarela, who left Eppu Normaal as the bassist, performed a gig with Jyrki Siukonen at the Old Student House in Helsinki and performed Reunion at the Suistamaa Music Days in the summer of 1982.

Kai Kivi died on June 10, 2007 at his home at the age of 48 in Hanko's Tvärminne. Juha Helminen died in March 2013.