The band has cultivated its frenetic sound for over a dozen years. Three guys, friends since they were kids in the small town of Harjavalta, have welded into a tight-knit unit. Every piece holds the others together. Lapko's perfect trio of Malja (guitar and vocals), Anssi Nordberg (bass) and Janne Heikkonen (drums) first pricked ears with energetic live shows. Then the release of the EP Your Special K.O. (2003) and debut album The Arms (2004) introduced a hungry band.
The music's evolution from punk to explosive yet heart-wrenching rock still continues. The basics remain: sharp drumming and tight basslines are the steady spine with dizzying guitars and desperate vocals branching out like the nervous system. Second album Scandal (2006) took LAPKO to number two in the Finnish album charts. The reputation as a fierce live band continued to grow in Finland, around Europe and in the US. Third album Young Desire (2007) added more depth and vulnerability to Lapko's aggressive melancholy.
In 2009 Lapko crossed the Atlantic and set camp in Woodstock, New York Producer D. James Goodwin was trusted with focusing the trio's buzzing inspiration and ambition to create A New Bohemia (2010), and a year after this fruitful cooperation the band returned to Woodstock record their next album, the hard hitting LOVE (2012).
In 2013, the band’s founding member & drummer Janne Heikkonen moved on to play the guitar and the band recruited Jussi Matikainen to play drums, and so LAPKO MK2 was born.
After 5 top ten albums, countless live shows and a new member in the band, LAPKO camped at the E-Studio in Helsinki to record their new album with producer David Bottrill (TOOL, Placebo, Muse), and enlisted D. James Goodwin again to mix the new album called Freedom, which will be out in spring 2015.
LAPKO
Ville Malja (guitar and vocals)
Anssi Nordberg (bass)
Janne Heikkonen (guitar)
Jussi Matikainen (drums)
Links:
www.lapko.com
www.facebook.com/lapkolapko
www.twitter.com/lapkomusic
www.instagram.com/lapkogram
Bad Boy
Lapko Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blustered 'Leather, forever'
Nothing gave you more than
Surface
Your old fashion bicycle was
Stolen from you stepfather's
You inhaled smoke
Bragging day by day
It gave you super force and
Rutting dates of course
I don't want to feel fear anymore
The King loves black so I say
'Leather, forever'
I see the light at the end of the
Tunnel
I don't have fear anymore
So, I say 'Leather, forever'
I adored your coat
It gave you super force and
Rutting dates of course
I bet you were sad but never
Showed it
You hid it all in the forest
During lunch break
Now the magic is gone and you
Can't get it back
All religions are boring as fuck
The song "Bad Boy" by Lapko seems to be an ode to a person who used to live life on the edge and was carefree. The lyrics describe the past of this person, back in the rattling days, when they used to bluster about leather and how it gave them power. The person seems to have been a rebel, stealing bicycles and inhaling smoke while bragging about it day by day. The singer seems to have been in awe of this person, admiring their coat which they believe gave them super force and helped them get dates.
As the song continues, the singer declares that they no longer want to feel fear, and that they see the light at the end of the tunnel. They proclaim their love for black and leather forever, indicating that they are embracing the once-reckless lifestyle of the person they admire. The singer seems to have been inspired by this person, and is now trying to follow in their footsteps.
The song takes a melancholic turn towards the end, as the singer acknowledges that the magic of the past is gone and cannot be reclaimed. The person they once admired seems to have been hiding their sadness in the forest during lunch breaks. The final line of the song is a blunt declaration that all religions are boring as fuck, which could be interpreted as the singer rejecting the idea of finding solace in a higher power, and instead seeking inspiration from the wild and rebellious spirit of the person they admire.
Line by Line Meaning
Back in the rattling days you
In the past, during unsettled times, you
Blustered 'Leather, forever'
You boasted about your love for leather as a way of showing off
Nothing gave you more than Surface
You were more interested in superficial things
Your old fashion bicycle was
The bike you rode
Stolen from you stepfather's
Was taken from your stepfather's possession
You inhaled smoke
You smoked cigarettes
Bragging day by day
You boasted frequently
I adored your coat
I really liked your coat
It gave you super force and
You believed it gave you power and strength
Rutting dates of course
It helped you get dates easily
I don't want to feel fear anymore
I want to stop feeling afraid
The King loves black so I say
I like black because the King likes it
'Leather, forever'
I still love leather and will always love it
I see the light at the end of the
I see a way out of my troubles
Tunnel
Difficult situation
So, I say 'Leather, forever'
I'll continue to love leather
I bet you were sad but never
I think you were sad but didn't show it
Showed it
Displayed your sadness
You hid it all in the forest
You tried to keep your sadness hidden
During lunch break
While at lunch
Now the magic is gone and you
The charm or special quality you had is now gone and you
Can't get it back
Cannot regain it
All religions are boring as fuck
You think all religions are extremely dull
Contributed by Maya O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.