368:, the only record company in the entire USSR. Distribution of the record was very high. At the time, GGG consisted of Gunnar Graps (drums, percussion, vocals, keyboards), Juri Stihhanov (lead guitar), Andres Aak (now known as Angela Aak, rhythm guitar), JĂŒri Roosa (bass guitar) and Tiit Altosaar (drums on some songs, as Graps tended to perform most drumming (along with singing) himself). They performed in Estonia and many locations over the former Soviet Union and were popular until their fade in the end of decade. Their most popular songs were "PĂ”lemine" (Burning), "Valgus" (Light), the ballad "Mosaiik" (Mosaic), "Raudmees" (Iron Man) â a song which gave Graps his nickname.
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used to have, which was essentially trying to sing from the throat to produce a raspier sound. A very busy schedule contributed to the development of his signature rasp. It was not uncommon for Graps to perform even 3 shows per day and 25 days in a month. He was still able to produce very high notes,
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thanks to their hit "Lady Blues" and became the stars of
Yerevan-81 international pop-rock-festival. "Garbed in fire-engine red pants and white shirt decorated with a splashy 7-Up emblem, Graps sang: "Since we have nowhere else to make love/we do it out in the open/And sometimes the rain washes away
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Also, numerous tribute events have spawned, paying homage to the early departed musician. These events take place around Graps' birthday month and death month. A string of local bands usually perform at the event along with incarnations of GGG or
Magnetic Band, with people Graps used to play with.
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and was imprisoned for two months in Sweden. Graps reportedly did not complain about his imprisonment and praised the jail as being better than restaurants in
Estonia. After his release, Graps came back to Estonia. Financial problems arose once more and he was compelled to work at local radio
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After the end of the Soviet occupation, when
Estonia had been restored into a fully independent country in 1991, Graps returned to his homeland. In the summer of 1993, he was caught, while working as a DJ at the nightclub on the ferryboat "Estonia", trying to cross the border to Sweden with
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A cover band â Gunnar's Roses â was also active at some point during 2005â2006, performing at Hard Rock Laager in 2005 (a heavy metal festival created by Hard Rock Club) and at smaller pubs. The band was put together by Henri "Suss" Hinno (drummer of
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In
December 2005, Hard Rock Club started collecting funds to erect a memorial headstone at Graps' grave. A fund-rising concert was held on 5 March 2006 at Rock Cafe in Tallinn. The stone was designed by Graps' son Jan Graps and placed on his grave at
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influence. In one of his last interviews Graps promised to go on tour in Russia, because he was disappointed in the local music scene. Three months before his death he was still looking forward to continue his career and in an interview for
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In 1989 Gunnar Graps moved to the United States in the hopes of reaching new heights with his musical career but, alas, failed to reach those previous lofty heights and was compelled to work as a repairman â to "make ends meet".
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pension fund commercials. The commercials included a word play of "TĂŒhjad pihud" (Empty Hands) record. In 2002, a 3 CD collection of Gunnar Graps' music, from all his tenures with past bands, was released as part of
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conductor, cellist and musical pedagogue Igors GunÄrs Graps-GrÄfs and his
Estonian wife Salme (née Pluum). Graps was inspired to turn to music by his father at the age of six when he started to learn
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Gunnar Graps was inducted into the Hall Of Fame of Rock Cafe, a local pub (operated by the owners of Radio Mania, also the place where the tribute events take place), on 17 May 2005.
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dedicated a whole page to Gunnar Graps and the
Magnetic Band. It was no surprise that in 1983 Magnetic Band got banned by the Soviet authorities, which led to creation of
450:, an Estonian newspaper, he promised to release a new album by the end of 2004 and another record in 2005. On 17 May 2004, at the age of 52, Gunnar Graps died of a
349:(Gunnar Graps Group). The change also marked a shift towards straightforward hard rock and heavy metal, genres which Magnetic Band were already flirting with (
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became the new leader of the Soviet regime, GGG experienced less obstruction from the Soviet authorities. In 1988, they released their only LP entitled
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Despite his health problems, Graps did not want to give up on music and in 2003 he released "Rajalt maas" (Off the Track), which had a strong
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422:" (Estionian Gold Fund) series. In 2003, Gunnar Graps performed at one of his last big concerts before death. An incarnation of
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494:) who took the role of the drummer. Hinno is known to be a big fan of Graps' work and sang "Mosaiik" live with Gunnar's Roses.
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stations and night-clubs as a DJ, playing music he hated. In 1995, Graps released "TĂŒhjad pihud" (Empty Hands) and reformed
249:, where he played drums for the next six years. In 1970â1972 he was in the army and during that period he performed with
312:. Soon Magnetic Band became one of the most popular heavy-music bands in the Soviet Union. They won first prize at the
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Note: all the musical groups in Soviet Union had to be evaluated before they were allowed to perform or exist at all
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200:. He has sold hundreds of thousands of records all over the world and in 2004 Graps was given a lifetime award at
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253:. He spent another year behind the drums in Mikronid after his return from military service. In spring 1968
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Starting in the 21st century, Graps was still having financial troubles and performed in a series of
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recorded about ten
Mikronid's songs which also included Graps' creation for his show "Pobifo RevĂŒĂŒ".
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After leaving the group
Mikronid Graps created Ornament in 1973, which was one of the pioneers of
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His popularity peaked in the 1980s. Magnetic Band constantly toured the Soviet Union. In 1982,
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375:, in 1987, a choir composed of well-known Estonian singers, Gunnar Graps among them, recorded
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273:(Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1944â1991). Ornament's music was influenced by
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the next year, performing about once a month. Graps was becoming more and more depressed.
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Gunnar Graps is considered a rock idol by many
Estonians. Another popular Estonian band
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as Graps and a musical score that consisted of many of Graps' most well-known songs.
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department. Soon after that he reformed his group and they started leaning towards
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667:"Moscow's 'Mick Jagger' Delights Fans, Perplexes Officials", by Michael Dobbs //
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have said that Gunnar Graps means the same to Estonian metal as
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Gunnar Graps' singing style was somewhat similar to the style
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In 1977 Graps graduated from Tallinn Music School, from the
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Gunnar Graps & Magnetic Band â "Selles meeletus ilmas"
631:"Rokikuningas Grapsi isa elab tÀnini LÀti laante vahel"
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TĂ€na avatakse Gunnar Grapsi mĂ€lestuskivi â SL Ăhtuleht
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241:. In 1964, being only 13, he joined his first band
281:. In 1976 Graps put together a new outfit called
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821:Gunnar Graps & Magnetic Band â "Hingeleegid"
778:(in Russian) A. Alexeev, A. Burlaka, A. Sidorov
245:as a guitarist. In spring of 1967 Graps joined
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184:(27 November 1951 â 17 May 2004) was a popular
597:(Off the Track) (2003, CD/MC) Issued by Elwood
563:(Roses for Papa) (1981, LP) Issued by Melodija
765:27 November 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
532:song "Gethsamen", which is included on the
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321:the makeup/from her faceâand mine", wrote
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591:(Empty Hands) (1995, CD) Issued by Elwood
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454:at his home on Mooni street in Tallinn.
316:of the Soviet Union which took place in
848:Alo Mattiisen â "Ei ole ĂŒksi ĂŒkski maa"
578:(Burning) (1988, LP) Issued by Melodija
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903:Tallinn Georg Ots Music School alumni
497:In 2011, dramatist Ivar PÔllu's play
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188:musician and one of the pioneers of
383:", a patriotic song about Estonia.
364:(Burning). The vinyl was issued by
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893:Estonian people of Latvian descent
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658:magazine, Monday, October 12, 1981
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654:"Tired? Nyet!", by G. Russell //
526:as is evident from his songs and
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763:Raudmees. Odysseuse eksirÀnnakud
609:Gunnar Graps â Eesti kullafond 4
535:Gunnar Graps â Eesti kullafond 4
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204:. He has been compared to
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428:Green Christmas Festival
878:Estonian rock musicians
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529:Jesus Christ Superstar
306:percussion instruments
41:Background information
731:Hard Rock Club Online
381:Ei ole ĂŒksi ĂŒkski maa
202:Estonian Music Awards
883:Musicians from Tartu
470:means to the world.
542:Partial discography
269:in Estonia and the
758:2017-02-11 at the
718:2007-09-17 at the
700:2011-07-20 at the
373:Singing Revolution
335:Gunnar Graps Group
325:magazine in 1981.
182:Gunnar Graps-GrÄfs
51:Gunnar Graps-GrÄfs
35:Gunnar Graps, 1974
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329:At the top, 1980s
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210:Alice Cooper
198:Soviet Union
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168:Years active
84:(2004-05-17)
23:Gunnar Graps
873:2004 deaths
868:1951 births
797:MusicBrainz
640:25 December
602:Compilation
595:Rajalt maas
507:Juss Haasma
371:During the
243:Satelliidid
206:Mick Jagger
123:Heavy metal
82:17 May 2004
862:Categories
753:Uus Teater
617:References
492:Must Missa
409:Last years
333:See also:
285:which was
111:Beat music
62:1951-11-27
47:Birth name
713:Metsatöll
523:Metallica
464:Metsatöll
415:Hansapank
379:'s song "
310:hard rock
287:Jazz-rock
267:hard rock
255:JĂŒri Lina
251:Ivo Linna
224:Biography
190:hard rock
172:1963â2004
161:Harmonica
153:Keyboards
756:Archived
716:Archived
698:Archived
576:PÔlemine
488:Manatark
366:Melodiya
362:PÔlemine
247:Mikronid
218:Iron Man
214:Raudmees
186:Estonian
107:Pop rock
853:YouTube
837:YouTube
826:YouTube
815:YouTube
436:Estonia
432:Rakvere
318:Tbilisi
235:Latvian
194:Estonia
93:Estonia
89:Tallinn
73:Estonia
803:Videos
695:Sakala
458:Legacy
448:Sakala
356:After
291:reggae
145:Guitar
133:Vocals
99:Genres
841:Tartu
503:Tartu
443:blues
239:cello
157:Piano
141:Drums
137:Cello
119:Blues
69:Tartu
656:Time
642:2015
583:Solo
490:and
323:Time
299:soul
295:funk
293:and
277:and
271:USSR
208:and
149:Bass
115:Rock
103:Jazz
79:Died
56:Born
851:on
835:on
824:on
813:on
635:ERR
569:GGG
521:of
430:in
403:GGG
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347:GGG
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