Guitarist Rane Raitsikka moved to L.A. 20 years ago
By Markus Nordenstreng
“Epe of the band Lama came up with the name after I had pushed some small explosives that I had found at the construction site of [the music and cultural centre] Lepakko between the tracks from a tram.
Rane Raitsikka (“Rane the Tram”), or as he is known by his real name, Harri Jäntti, sips coffee and recalls the birth of his unique artistic name, nearly 30 years after the event. Now he is not in Ruoholahti in Helsinki, but rather east of Hollywood in the Los Feliz neighbourhood.
The former guitarist of the band Smack moved permanently to Los Angeles 20 years ago. His most recent visit to Finland was in 1992.
“ Seppo Vesterinen, an old family friend, organised gigs for Smack in California in the summer of 1987. We flew to the States the first time and ended up being taken straight from the airport to a stage.”
During Smack’s first gig in Los Angeles, future members of Guns N’ Roses and the Foo Fighters were in the audience. Soon the Finnish band was offered recording contracts in the United States.
“However, Smack had a valid deal with Finnish CBS. We went back to Finland to do the same Finnish stages. as before.”
At about that time Guns N’ Roses hit number one on US charts with their aggressive street rock, which was similar to what Smack was playing. Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain also owned the Finnish band’s records, and the group would perform pieces from Smack’s Run Rabbit Run album.
Vesterinen urged his countrymen to return to California, where two other Helsinki bands, Nights of Iguana, and Havana Black had settled.
The second trip to Los Angeles was full of setbacks. Already before they left, the band lost its bass player and drummer. Then harder stimulants came in, and a year later the band broke up. The story of Smack ended finally in 1996 when vocalist Claude died at the age of 30.
Rane Raitsikka stayed behind in Los Angeles.
Not even the death of his fellow band member kept him from falling deeper and deeper into the city’s underworld. The drug-addled life of the homeless guitarist came close to ending, either from the bullets of a Mexican dealer, or from withdrawal symptoms, which aggravated his arrhythmia. In spite of his use of intoxicants, Rane continued playing in bands and giving guitar lessons.
“The wrong circles always used to seem like the right circles. I was in the front car pulling the roller coaster up and down, because I liked roller coasters. I was also lucky, and my guardian angel was always with me.”
Another problem stemmed from the tough immigration rules of the United States. Rane lived in California for years without a valid residence permit.
In the early 1990s he managed to get a journalist’s visa by sending interviews of NHL players to Finnish newspapers under the pseudonym Leo Lahti.
“I’ve been a hockey fan since I was a kid, so Leo Lahti became a dream job of mine. I was able to interview legends such as Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey.”
His money dried up when a strike hit the NHL in 1995, and lasted for months. He also lost his journalist’s visa. A new downfall meant that the guitarist was homeless again.
When Rane finally sobered up at the turn of the millennium, help came from musical circles. He joined the rehabilitation programme of the Musician’s Assistance Program, and he was sent straight from the interview into detox.
In the institution Rane met Ivan Neville, the musicial son of singer Aaron Neville.
Band projects of the Finnish guitarist also included other well-known players, such as Steven Adler and Izzy Stradl of Guns N’ Roses, vocalist Mike Ness of Social Distortion, and Lenny Kravitz’s guitarist Craig Ross.
Currently Rane plays rock in a band called The Hangmen, and blues in a group called Moneymakers. In addition he is part of the Human Horse comedy group, and he is working on a country rock recording with the Cheters band of Foo Fighters guitarist Steve Schifflet.
After sobering up, the hyperactive guitarist met his present wife, Shannon Campbell. It was through the marriage that he managed to get US citizenship.
Although Rane dies not expect to move back to the Nordic region from Los Angeles, he has maintained his ties with his old home city. Rane, who speaks fluent Helsinki slang, remembers the days of Lepakko with warmth, and he is proud, that his grandfather, architect Toivo Jäntti designed the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.
“When we go on a European tour with The Hangmen in the autumn, Helsinki needs to be on the calendar.”
Rane’s sister Manna, who is trying to make a career out of singing in Finland, regularly gets advice from her older brother about the cutthroat music business.
He also remains interested in hockey. On the day before the interview, the Droogs fought their way into the finals in the first division.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 7.3.2009
MARKUS NORDENSTRENG / Helsingin Sanomat
markus.nordenstreng@radiohelsinki.fi
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| 10.3.2009 - THIS WEEK |
 Guitarist Rane Raitsikka moved to L.A. 20 years ago |
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