Mika Vainio
{{short description|Finnish electronic musician}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Mika Vainio
| image = Mika Vainio (Pan Sonic).jpg
| caption =
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_name = Mika Tapio Vainio
| alias = {{hlist|Ø|Kentolevi|Philus|Tekonivel}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1963|05|15}}
| birth_place = Helsinki, Finland
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|04|12|1963|05|15}}
| death_place = Trouville-sur-Mer, France
| origin = Turku, Finland
| genre =
| occupations = Musician
| instrument =
| years_active = 1991–2017
| associated_acts = Pan Sonic
| label = Sähkö, Blast First, Elektro Music Department
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}
Mika Tapio Vainio (May 15, 1963 – April 12, 2017) was a Finnish electronic musician. He was best known as a member of Pan Sonic. In addition to his real name, he recorded under the aliases Ø, Kentolevi, Philus, and Tekonivel.{{cite web |title=Mika Vainio | Discography & Songs |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/4725-Mika-Vainio |website=Discogs |access-date=2 August 2019}}
He has worked with artists such as Alan Vega, Barry Adamson, Charlemagne Palestine, Alva Noto, Peaches, Kevin Drumm, Björk, Stephen O'Malley, Keiji Haino, Michael Gira, Chicks on Speed, Merzbow, and many others.{{cite web |last1=Young |first1=Rob |title=Mika Vainio 1963–2017: Finland's great stone-faced sonic violator remembered by Rob Young |date= April 2017 |url=https://www.thewire.co.uk/in-writing/essays/mika-vainio-rob-young |website=The Wire |accessdate=2 August 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Strauss |first1=Matthew |title=Pan Sonic's Mika Vainio Dead at 53 |date=13 April 2017 |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/72848-pan-sonics-mika-vainio-dead-at-53/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=2 August 2019}}
Life and career
Mika Vainio was born on May 15, 1963, in Helsinki, but grew up in Turku.{{cite web |last1=Karemo |first1=Tuomas |title=Mika Vainio – A Quiet Life |date=18 December 2017 |url=https://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2017/12/18/mika-vainio-a-quiet-life |website=Yle |access-date=2 August 2019 |language=Finnish}}{{cite web |title=Mika Vainio has died |url=https://www.thewire.co.uk/news/46460/mika-vainio-1963-2017 |date=13 April 2017 |website=The Wire |access-date=2 August 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Grönlund |first1=Tommi |title=Tommi Grönlund of Sähkö Recordings remembers Mika Vainio |date=May 2017 |url=https://www.thewire.co.uk/in-writing/essays/tommi-gronlund-of-sahko-recordings-remember-mika-vainio |website=The Wire |access-date=2 August 2019}} In the early 1980s, he played in the group Gagarin-Kombinaatti while also working at a slaughterhouse.{{cite web |last1=Freeman |first1=Parker |title=Mika Vainio's early Gagarin-Kombinaatti recordings get first ever release |url=https://www.factmag.com/2016/01/19/gagarin-kombinaatti-83-85-sahko-mika-vainio/ |date=16 January 2016 |website=Fact |access-date=2 August 2019}}
In the late 1980s, Vainio began DJing and organizing parties, playing acid house. It was here that he met Tommi Grönlund, who would later found Sähkö Recordings.{{cite web |last1=White |first1=Michelle |title=Sähkö 20 Years Anniversary Special Interview with Mika Vainio & Tommi Grönlund |date=February 2014 |url=https://cargocollective.com/mosaictheory/Sahko-20-Years-Anniversary-Special-Interview-with-Mika-Vainio-Tommi |website=Mosaic Theory |access-date=2 August 2019}} Sähkö would release much of Vainio's music.
In the mid-1990s, he formed the group Pan Sonic with Ilpo Väisänen and later Sami Salo (who would soon leave). Pan Sonic disbanded in December 2009, playing their final concert on December 18.{{cite web |title=Pan Sonic News |url=http://www.phinnweb.org/panasonic/news/ |date=1 December 2009 |website=pHinnWeb |access-date=2 August 2019}}
Vainio died on April 12, 2017, in Trouville-sur-Mer, France,{{cite book |title=Notice de personne "Vainio, Mika (1963–2017)" |url=https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb14027874k |access-date=2 August 2019}} after falling six meters off a cliff into the sea.{{cite web |title=About |url=https://www.facebook.com/pg/Mika-Vainio-41778502407/about/ |website=Facebook |accessdate=2 August 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Vainio |first1=Kalle |title=Mika Vainio – A Quiet Life |date=18 December 2017 |url=https://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2017/12/18/mika-vainio-a-quiet-life |website=Yle |access-date=3 August 2019 |language=Finnish |quote=Seuraavana päivänä Mika kuoli pudottuaan kuusi metriä jyrkänteeltä mereen. Kuolinsyy on edelleen tuntematon, vaikka ruumiinavaus on tehty kahdesti, Ranskassa ja myöhemmin Suomessa.}} The exact circumstances of his death are unknown.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.mikavainio.com Mika Vainio] official site
- [http://www.phinnweb.org/vainio/ Mika Vainio] fansite on pHinnWeb
- {{Discogs artist|artist=Mika Vainio}}
- {{MusicBrainz artist|id=e65a7ef7-9e4b-4351-9531-927793bf7276}}
- [https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2017/04/mika-vainio-rip Mika Vainio] remembered by Blast First boss Paul Smith
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vainio, Mika}}
Category:Experimental musicians
Category:Finnish electronic musicians
Category:Finnish techno musicians