Harri Rinne Escapes Tampere for the Tranquility of Hiiumaa, Estonia
Harri Rinne expresses interest in becoming Estonia's president, yet notes a possible hesitation.
Harri Rinne, the Finnish rock ace, is living it up in Estonia's tiny island county of Hiiumaa, leaving behind the noise and commotion of Tampere. With an Estonian sweetheart at his side, he spends his downtime snapping wildlife shots, putting together melodies, and laughing off the icy winters.
Known as a musician and songwriter, Rinne can lay down seriousness when called upon, but his words usually come out dripping with humor and sarcasm. Just ask him if he's the secret force behind every hit Finnish song from the last fifty years, and he'll chuckle, "Nah, just about half of 'em I didn't make."
A Multifaceted Career
It's hard to believe one person could keep such a torrent of creativity flowing, but beyond music, Rinne has also penned books, like one about Estonia's Singing Revolution, told from the musical perspective. When pondering his past, he muses about the things he never got to do, such as mountain climbing, surfing, and motorcycling. "Guess those, and plenty of others, just didn't pan out," he says wistfully. But don't ask him about art - painting or remembering faces, that is. "Takes me meeting someone fifteen times before they're etched in my memory," he admits, chuckling.
As for the present, Rinne explains that he's sent off a jaunty English text for a tune in Mika Kaurismäki's movie The Clan, and he's also worked on some lyrics for the Hauli Bros band, which rocked the 50th anniversary tour of his band Coitus Int Revival (formed in 1972 alongside Mikko Alatalo and Juice Leskinen). In addition to that, he's written a grant application for a possible book, putting himself in the running for the pinnacle of literary artistry.
Two Neighboring Nations Compared
Rinne sees Estonia and Finland as quite distinct, but he appreciates the estonians' caution, politeness, and cleverness. "Thanks to history, Estonians are both polite because they didn't want to be associated with their occupiers and clever because, well, they needed to be if they were going to survive," he reckons.
On the topic of Estonians as a whole, Rinne notes their main fear isn't death, but leaving work unfinished, calling them "always in a terrible rush." However, he's grateful for his Estonian sweetheart, whom he adores. He even jokes that, if Hiiumaa were to vanish, he'd move to Tartu or Viljandi, as he finds those cities equally appealing.
A Finn at Heart
Despite spending years in Estonia, Rinne still feels like a Finn through and through. When asked if he feels Estonian, Finnish, or something else entirely, he reasons that his "hardware" is too deeply ingrained to be replaced. After all, most Finns trace their ancestry back to Estonia.
Rinne often speaks about Hiiumaa's natural beauty, stating that true contentment can only be found by those comfortable with themselves. He believes Estonians are inherently close to nature, while Finns might be too, but a growing urbanization amongst the younger generations is causing them to lose touch with the countryside.
A Paradise Surrounded by Nature
Rinne describes his life on Hiiumaa as a paradise, filled with friends across Estonia and even a few in Finland. He admits that laziness and comfort may have kept him from achieving even greater things, but he finds solace in the friendships he's made. As for future aspirations, Rinne quips that since his classmate became Finland's president, becoming Estonia's president would be quite a hoot. "So I could say, 'Look, Sauli, what I've achieved!'" he laughs, before continuing his delightful life in Estonia sans political office.
A Life Inspired by a Change in Scenery
Rinne's move to Estonia reflects a search for peace and tranquility. Relocating to a calmer environment and immersing himself in a new culture can provide fresh perspectives and inspiration for his music. Only time will tell what melodies the enchantment of Hiiumaa will evoke from this Finnish legend.
The article is part of the media programme "Estonia with many faces," which highlights the complexity and diversity of Estonian culture. The programme is sponsored by the Estonian Ministry of Culture and co-funded by the European Union.
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- People from all over Estonia have formed friendships with Harri Rinne, the Finnish rock ace, who now lives on the tranquil island of Hiiumaa.
- In Estonia's tiny island county of Hiiumaa, Harri Rinne captures wildlife shots, creates melodies, and enjoys laughter, even during the icy winters.
- Despite his Finnish roots, Harri Rinne admires the Estonians' caution, politeness, and cleverness, attributing these qualities to their historical experiences.
- Estonians, according to Harri Rinne, fear leaving work unfinished more than death, making them "always in a terrible rush."
- Harri Rinne's Estonian sweetheart, whom he adores, is a source of gratitude for him, as he jokes about moving to Tartu or Viljandi if Hiiumaa were to vanish.
- Beyond music, Harri Rinne has penned books about Estonian culture, such as one about Estonia's Singing Revolution, told from a musical perspective.
- In addition to his music and book-writing endeavors, Harri Rinne has sent a jaunty English text for a tune in Mika Kaurismäki's movie The Clan and written lyrics for the Hauli Bros band.
- Harri Rinne's lifestyle in Estonia is surrounded by the natural beauty of Hiiumaa, where he finds true contentment, especially among friends.
- Rinne's move to Estonia has provided fresh perspectives and inspiration for his music, as he seeks peace and tranquility in a calmer environment and a new culture.
- From fashion-and-beauty to food-and-drink, home-and-garden, relationships, pets, travel, and cars, Harri Rinne's life in Estonia reflects a range of interests, beyond just music and literature.
