Jorma Elovaara Interview @ Ylioppilaslehti

Namechecking also pHinnWeb's Jorma Elovaara tribute page, Ylioppilaslehti of 15 May 2009 features a brand new Elovaara interview by Perttu Häkkinen (a.k.a. Randy Barracuda of Imatran Voima):

http://www.ylioppilaslehti.fi/2009/05/15/saapasjalkamies/

Oletko sinä...? (1969)

Oletko sinä...? Part 1 ("Are You...? Story of Homosexuality", 1969) [In Finnish with English subtitles.]

[Part 2] [Part 3]

Oletko sinä...? ("Are You...?") is a dramatized documentary film on homosexuality directed by Matti Lehti in 1969 for Finnish TV. The film was immediately banned and shown for the first time only in 1999. Seen these days, it's full of unintentional humour (a dismayed middle-aged female neighbour to the gay protagonist's mother: "Sun poikas on kuin tytöt!" -- "Your son is like girls!") but also some interesting late-60s long-haired Zeitgeist from the time homosexuality was considered at least a mental disease if not a downright criminal offence.

What's also interesting is that one of the film's contributors is Jorma Elovaara, a Finnish underground personality best known for his psychedelic radio show Vesimiehen aika ("Age of Aquarius") and later on Tähti ("Star") magazine on all things counterculture: Elovaara was also one of the early Finnish gay activists. Alongside Elovaara, Rauno Vinermo was part of the group who wrote the original script; as a medical consultant was Claes Andersson, a doctor and musician who later became Finnish Minister of Culture.

Info in Finnish @ YLE

Another Vesimiehen Aika Radio Show @ YLE Areena

YLE Areena offers another episode of Jorma Elovaara's legendary psychedelic counterculture radio show Vesimiehen aika ("Age of Aquarius"), available online until 21 December 2008 (it can be listened only in Finland). The sound quality is low, only 32 kbps:

http://areena.yle.fi/toista?id=1720688

(Thanks for the info: J.H.)

More Vesimiehen Aika audioclips @ YLE Elävä Arkisto

Jorma Elovaara 1970 Radio Show For A Limited Time

Jorma Elovaara in 1968

An April 1970 episode of Jorma Elovaara's legendary psychedelic/counter-culture radio show Vesimiehen Aika ("The Age of Aquarius") can be heard for a limited time of one week (sorry, Finland only, it seems) at:

http://lotta.yle.fi/ijulkaisu.nsf/sivut/olipakerranradio?opendocument&pageid=Content134902B463C

(Thanks for the tip: J.H.)

Maanalaista menoa - Finnish Underground 1967 - 1971

The notorious Mattijuhani Koponen performing with The Sperm, 1968

I missed the documentary series Maanalaista menoa (might translate as something like "Underground Happenings") on Finnish underground culture approximately during the years 1967-1971 (and beyond) when the digital channel YLE Teema showed it for the first time around last year, but gladly they now re-run it. You can also find the holy video and audio scrolls relating to the subject at YLE Elävä Arkisto archive:

http://www.yle.fi/elavaarkisto/?s=h&n=maanalaista+menoa&k=&m=

More:

FinnScene - The Early Years @ pHinnWeb