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Sami Yaffa
Sami Yaffa (born Sami Lauri Takamäki; 4 September 1963) is a Finnish bass guitarist best known for his work in New York Dolls, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Pelle Miljoona Oy, Michael Monroe's bands, and Hanoi Rocks. He is currently the bassist for the Michael Monroe band and is also concentrating on his solo career.
Yaffa first began playing music in 1977, when he was fourteen years old, with a band called The Bablers. He went along with another member of the Bablers (Pepe Seivo) and formed a punk rock band, Suopo, in 1979. They did not record any material and stayed relatively unknown even in the Finnish punk rock scene. Around this time Yaffa also played with another Finnish punk rock band, Pohjanoteeraus.
In 1980 Yaffa joined future Hanoi Rocks bandmate Andy McCoy in Finnish punk rock band Pelle Miljoona Oy. The two of them took part in the band's most successful album "Moottoritie on kuuma". Both left the group after 9 months to join Hanoi Rocks.
Hanoi Rocks became the biggest band in Finland at the time, releasing a string of successful albums. The group moved from Helsinki to Stockholm in 1980 and then to London in 1982 and continued to gain fans and influence the music scene there. Yaffa played bass in all the Hanoi Rocks albums released in 1980s. In London, Yaffa, along with Hanoi Rocks bandmates Nasty Suicide and Razzle, as well as Knox of the Vibrators, recorded an album under the name Fallen Angels. Knox continued to perform as Fallen Angels after, though the Hanoi Rocks members including Yaffa never played with the band on stage.
After Razzle's death in 1984, Yaffa left Hanoi Rocks and formed Chain Gang with Pelle Almgren in Stockholm. They recorded one EP under the name Pelle Almgren & Sam Yaffa. The year 1987 saw Yaffa doing a couple of gigs with then London-based Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan, both of the legendary group New York Dolls.
In April 1987 he was asked to join San Francisco-based band Jetboy. He joined the band and stayed with them until 1990. He recorded two albums with Jet Boy: "Feel The Shake" and "Damned Nation". Although Jetboy toured all over the States, Yaffa still found time to play with Johnny Thunders' band on his US tour and with a group called Stronzo with Timo Kaltio, Marc Ford of the Black Crowes and Craig Ross of Lenny Kravitz's band. While living and working in Los Angeles he got reconnected with Michael Monroe and played a show with Michael Monroe's in Los Angeles in 1988 featuring Marc Ford and Craig Ross.
In 1989 Yaffa briefly joined a Finnish band, Smack, who had moved to Los Angeles. He played bass on tracks "Can You Dig It" and "Crazy River". He was credited as Ulan Bator for contractual reasons with Jetboy who was at the time signed to MCA records and was asked not to use his real name.
Yaffa moved to New York City in 1990 to join Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe and started a new band Jerusalem Slim. The group also featured Billy Idol's guitarist, Steve Stevens. The band broke up in 1992, because of Michael Monroe's and Sami's musical disagreements with Steve Stevens. Jerusalem Slim released one album.
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Sami Yaffa
Sami Yaffa (born Sami Lauri Takamäki; 4 September 1963) is a Finnish bass guitarist best known for his work in New York Dolls, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Pelle Miljoona Oy, Michael Monroe's bands, and Hanoi Rocks. He is currently the bassist for the Michael Monroe band and is also concentrating on his solo career.
Yaffa first began playing music in 1977, when he was fourteen years old, with a band called The Bablers. He went along with another member of the Bablers (Pepe Seivo) and formed a punk rock band, Suopo, in 1979. They did not record any material and stayed relatively unknown even in the Finnish punk rock scene. Around this time Yaffa also played with another Finnish punk rock band, Pohjanoteeraus.
In 1980 Yaffa joined future Hanoi Rocks bandmate Andy McCoy in Finnish punk rock band Pelle Miljoona Oy. The two of them took part in the band's most successful album "Moottoritie on kuuma". Both left the group after 9 months to join Hanoi Rocks.
Hanoi Rocks became the biggest band in Finland at the time, releasing a string of successful albums. The group moved from Helsinki to Stockholm in 1980 and then to London in 1982 and continued to gain fans and influence the music scene there. Yaffa played bass in all the Hanoi Rocks albums released in 1980s. In London, Yaffa, along with Hanoi Rocks bandmates Nasty Suicide and Razzle, as well as Knox of the Vibrators, recorded an album under the name Fallen Angels. Knox continued to perform as Fallen Angels after, though the Hanoi Rocks members including Yaffa never played with the band on stage.
After Razzle's death in 1984, Yaffa left Hanoi Rocks and formed Chain Gang with Pelle Almgren in Stockholm. They recorded one EP under the name Pelle Almgren & Sam Yaffa. The year 1987 saw Yaffa doing a couple of gigs with then London-based Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan, both of the legendary group New York Dolls.
In April 1987 he was asked to join San Francisco-based band Jetboy. He joined the band and stayed with them until 1990. He recorded two albums with Jet Boy: "Feel The Shake" and "Damned Nation". Although Jetboy toured all over the States, Yaffa still found time to play with Johnny Thunders' band on his US tour and with a group called Stronzo with Timo Kaltio, Marc Ford of the Black Crowes and Craig Ross of Lenny Kravitz's band. While living and working in Los Angeles he got reconnected with Michael Monroe and played a show with Michael Monroe's in Los Angeles in 1988 featuring Marc Ford and Craig Ross.
In 1989 Yaffa briefly joined a Finnish band, Smack, who had moved to Los Angeles. He played bass on tracks "Can You Dig It" and "Crazy River". He was credited as Ulan Bator for contractual reasons with Jetboy who was at the time signed to MCA records and was asked not to use his real name.
Yaffa moved to New York City in 1990 to join Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe and started a new band Jerusalem Slim. The group also featured Billy Idol's guitarist, Steve Stevens. The band broke up in 1992, because of Michael Monroe's and Sami's musical disagreements with Steve Stevens. Jerusalem Slim released one album.