Biography
Stormwing is an AOR/hard rock band from Pietarsaari, Ostrobothnia, Finland, that was formed in 1986. The band split up in 1997.
Stormwing was formed in October 1986 in Pietarsaari, North Finland. Bands original members were Ken Brainstorm (Kenneth Brännström, drums, backg. voc.), Jay Matthew (Johan Mattjus, lead vocals, bass), Jimmy Wance (Sven Wannäs, keyboards, backg. vocals), Jess Blake (Göran Fellman, lead guitar, backg. vocals) and Cari Michael (Kari Björn, slide guitar, backg. vocals). They made a few single recordings in late 1980`s & in the year 1991 a demo cassette, but they had to wait till year 1993 when they made a deal with finnish label Top Records. Cari Michael had left band in the year 1989 and Kim Hightower (Kim Enholm, bass) came along when Jay Matthew concentrated only to singing. New record company released their CDEP Awakening that contained two songs: Unchain my heartbeat & Angel whose were in editors' playlist of Japanese Burrn!-magazine, at places 1 & 2. Soon they made a new deal with japanese label Panasonic. They appeared a lot on TV and radio & made more public performings. In September 1994 when Estonia tragedy happened in Finland and 800 people died, like many others, also Ken Brainstorm followed the news and soon he got an idea of song about that accident. They recorded a title tune for Estonia that became a very big radiohit tune in Finland. It was a charity song: all money went to relatives of casualties. In spite of the good meaning and the song`s success, the band had to receive much negative feedback, especially by the Finnish-Swedish media. In late 1994 Panasonic had released their one remaining album Stormwing that wasn`t released in Finland however because of the record label`s marketing problems. This recording reached the 12nd place in Japan`s album chart. In year 1995 when Finland won gold in ice-hockey made songwriter-musician-producer-recorder-mixer Mika Sundqvist a song about that delight happening called Me teimme sen with Stormwing. They got claims for plagiation about that tune but they were not sued however - in the final record version of that song was a little changed melody in the chorus part. In the same year came their other hit song Hjallis kuka hiton Hjallis?. That was dedicated to ice-hockey boss Harry "Hjallis" Harkimo. Yet they recorded in the year 1996 ice hockey tune named Den glider in in swedish and after that they rested for a pause. A single was released next year. Ken Brainstorm started to work & perform music for the children and other members have been in different bands, Jay Matthew in Altaria for a short time in the beginning of the 2000`s, Jess Blake has been a part of Kaos Krew since the mid 2000`s, Kim Hightower plays in the dance band Odeos today and Jimmy Wance performs the classic rock songs in the band Solid Faces. Ken Brainstorm said in an interview later that it´s not impossible that the band makes a comeback, to do only with the members` other operation/ hurries/ excitement - the changed life situations had broken the band before, even in Japan the second album was signed already. There would be a demand for the band today still.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zek6t5K3KQQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4PtDLUqEsI&feature=related
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