Laika & the Cosmonauts  | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Finland | 
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1987–2008 | 
| Labels | 
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| Past members | 
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Laika & the Cosmonauts were a Finnish rock band. They had the same lineup from the time they formed in 1987 until they stopped recording in 2008. The band was named after Laika, a Soviet space dog that died on board Sputnik 2 in 1957. Their sound was usually described as surf rock, but a Boston Globe review noted that the band's sound is "far beyond the limitations of any specific genre."[3] The band relied heavily on the Finnish rautalanka electric guitar tradition. They toured the United States and Europe several times. Al Jourgensen of Ministry called them "the best f**king band in the world".[4] In an email to the band's mailing list on 23 April 2008, Laika & the Cosmonauts announced they would be drawing their twenty-year career to a close with an American tour through the summer of 2008. The tour ended with shows at the Continental Club in Austin, Texas that fall. A compilation album, Cosmopolis, was released at the start of the tour.
Band members
- Mikko Lankinen – guitar
 - Matti Pitsinki – organ, guitar
 - Tom Nyman – bass
 - Janne Haavisto – drums
 
Discography
- C'mon Do the Laika (1988)
 - Surfs You Right (1990)
 - Instruments of Terror (1992)[5]
 - The Amazing Colossal Band (1995)
 - Zero Gravity (US compilation, 1996)
 - Absurdistan (1997)
 - Laika Sex Machine (live, 2000)[6]
 - Local Warming (2004)
 - Cosmopolis (compilation, 2008)
 
References
- ↑ "Laika & the Cosmonauts: profile and discography". Discogs.com. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
 - ↑ "Laika & the Cosmonauts". yeproc.com. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
 - ↑ Tomlinson, Sarah (6 February 2004). "Laika and the Cosmonauts: Local Warming". Boston Globe. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
 - ↑ "Laika & The Cosmonauts". Yep Roc Records. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
 - ↑ "Laika & the Cosmonauts – Instruments of Terror". allmusic.com. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
 - ↑ "Laika and the Cosmonauts – Laika Sex Machine". atomicmag.com. Retrieved 9 August 2021.