Why some people choose to play music
10. March 11/ An interview with the Greenlandic band "Small Time Giants"

On the 6. March 2011 Inuk and I went to a concert in Global, Copenhagen where they had arranged a "Greenlandic band night" in which they have invited two Greenlandic underground bands from Århus. The concert started out with a band called "Inuit Feet" and later on the other band "Small Time Giants" as last performers.

It was the moment Inuit Feet got off the stage I went straight to the front and waited for STG. The crowd in Global got riled up when STG went up on the stage and they rocked the building.  

Story:

Ejner Nielsen

"Small Time Giants", formerly (back in their highschool years) known as "The Bottom of The Little Transparant Septic Tank" originated in Qaqortoq, Southgreenland, the band consistant of Miki Jensen (Lead Guitar and Vocals), Pilutannguaq Hammeken (Drums, Keyboard, Backup Vocals), Anda Hendriksen (Guitar, Synth, backup vocals) and Jakob Skovaa (Bass), make different sounds with various effect pedals, drumpad sounds, synthesizer and so on.

The band was formed in highschool back in 2004 in Qaqortoq, with Miki and one of his best friends Anda as the founders of the band. The band started out with 7 members but the numbers fell drastically after some rehearsals to 3 members, Miki, Anda and Jakob(in Danish boarding at the time). In the years of 2005 - 2006 Jakob came back from Denmark and joined the band as a bass-guitarist (though he just learned to play the bass) and the fourth member, Pilutannguaq, was joined after they met him in a party. They've made several songs during their years in highschool. After the 3 years in highschool the members went to Århus, Denmark to continue their education and since then, they have been making new songs and they've played different places and want to continue their musical journey giving concerts around in Denmark. 

Their sound is like Indie-Rock/Alternative-Progressive rock, they have very emotional songs in their repertoire and both the lyrics and the choruses are catchy that everyone can like. Their concerts should be attended by everyone, it is a experience hard to forget.

The plans for the future is that they would like to play for people they haven't for before - thus becoming known. Their goal is to be accepted in the Danish Underground and of course to play in "Tivoli in Greenland". They continue setting new goals and making improvements to old songs and making new songs. 

"WE ARE MUSICIANS. WE ARE NOT ENTERTAINERS - THOUGH WE CAN BE ENTERTAINING. WE WRITE AND RECORD MUSIC BECAUSE IT'S THE EVIDENCE OF LIFE. WE ARE EITHER HOPELESSLY MISUNDERSTOOD OR FUCKING GENIUS. WE DON'T WANT TO BE THE GUYS IN 7-ELEVEN 

TRYING TO SELL YOU THINGS YOU DON'T WANT. WE CALL OURSELVES SMALL TIME GIANTS, BECAUSE LITTLE PEOPLE GROW..."

Listen to their songs by clicking on this link to their myspace-page:

>> http://www.myspace.com/smalltimegiants <<

Promo Picture

Performing in Global

Picture from an other concert

Miki Jensen - Lead guitarist and lead vocalist

Miki started out playing guitar back in 10. grade in elementary school and due to that he couldn't play cover songs he decided to make his own music instead of singing cover songs in a pub. Miki doesn't see himself as a musician but as a songwriter and leadsinger i the band due to lack of technical skills, instead he have friends that helps him tune his guitar and such. He is very delighted and happy that he has these friends as members in the band that have almost similar ways of thinking. The reason Miki plays music is the thrill and prospects of playing concerts. And the less-positive part of it is the making of new songs in the rehearsing studio due to making specific sounds but changes in the proces and disagreements, dicussions and sometimes arguments.

- "when you make your own songs with the band, the arguments are pointless because when you play the songs in the concerts in front of a great crowd, everything turns out great, better than great, fantastic or even awesome."

Jakob Skovaa - Bass Guitarist

Jakob's beginning of playing music was back in 7.-8. grade in elementary school when his parents gave him a small acoustic guitar as a present, he looked up to both his mother and grandmother who could play the guitar and he decided that he also wanted to play the guitar. At first he learned to play some bits of some songs but it was until he went to a boarding school in Denmark he started learning to play whole songs and some bass also. When he returned from boarding school it was decided that Jakob was to be the band with Miki and Anda and that's was the beginning for him to play bass. Jakob enjoys being with his friends and that is the motivator for him to play music in the band, to spend some time with his friends and making songs with them especially when they dim the lights and turn on their red lights he really feels the energy in their music. Another reason for Jakob is to go play in different cities and meet new people to play for.

- "Before a concert, you get this feeling of exitement, tension, thrill etc. not to mention the feeling of wanting to take crap the whole time playing. It's the KICK of playing in front of random people you don't know and get positive feedback of it. But what most is important is that you get to spend a good time with your friends on stage."

Pilutannguaq Løvstrøm Hammeken - Drummer

Pilutannguaq, or Pilu as he is called, started playing music at the age of 12 and at that time he lived in Nuuk, the capital city of Greenland where he received his first guitar and a small keyboard from his parents. His world changed when he received the instruments because now he has something that he could express himself with. Later on he joined the orchestra in Nuuk where he played the Baryton and played classical music. After two years in the city orchestra he discovered that some of his friends also were playing the guitar, he then decided to quit the orchestra and form a band in Nuuk.

In the year of 2006 he moved to Qaqortoq and there he met Miki, Jakob, Anda and Aqqalu in the former band "The Bottom of The Little Transparant Septic Tank" and they started talking with each other and became friends. He joined them in a rehearsing session and started jamming with them and he was "bitten" by making own songs with the band. In the beginning he switched between guitar and drums, but today he sits at the drums in Small Time Giants.

- "What's exciting about this band is, that we always challenge each other. We always have some kind of a goal to aim for, so that we don't "just practice" and make music for nothing. There has to be a purpose to what we are doing.

Anda Hendriksen - Guitarist

Anda started out as a musician at the age of 11 when his older sister got a keyboard though they never received any kind of lecture on playing it they learned playing it themselves. Some time went by when Anda picked up the guitar and started to play different songs. Back when he was in elementary school he and Miki didn't do anything else but listening to music then it hit them to play the songs with their guitars, then they've been competing about playing most original riffs and since then it just developed to making own songs today.

- "To me, music is nothing you plan to do, the music is a hobby and a tool for getting away from the reality, away from everything and everyone and just being who you are."

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