Since the grounding of Pori Area Friends Of The Earth one of the activists always remembered to propose as the last item in the meetings, that "Bytheway, let’s put up a band’’. At last in november 1999, as there was a national FOE meeting ahead in Pori, the idea was put into action. Ecopop band Vompatti (The Wombat) started to practise christmas melodies and translated the words into ecological messages.

The band started with keyboard wizard Rappana, guitar virtual Tapzan and drum machine carrier Karwin. The first singer was diploma accordionist Sanne, who also played keyboards. The first gig was hellofa success and the reputation spread quickly in local underground scene.

However, quite soon Sanne became fed up with the guys, "who played wrong’’ (it is: did not know at all how to play their instruments - birdman Rappana plays by notes, enviro activist Tapzan plays by chords and birdman Karwin plays by ear). Half an hour before the next appearance (FOE christmas party) she canceled and suddenly the boys had to sing themselves. That evening Vompatti twice expelled their audience, but on third try it (the audience) had gotten so drunk, that it did not escape.

In january 2000 the band got a new singer-guitarist Anni, who had seen the 1999 performance and hence moved 200 km to Pori. With this group Vompatti performed for the Environmental Society Of Pori in Reposaari Bridge Wind Park.

Most of Vompatti’s repertoire consists of wellknown melodies with new ecowords, for example Steppenwolf’s Born to be wild tells now about windpower. Vompatti also performs Viola hit song Ydinvoimaa ("Nukepower’’), Beta5 smash hit Joulu Porissa ("Christmas in Pori’’, originally recorded in the 1980’s and revisited by Motacilla in the 1990’s) and the hilarious Ruusulaulu ("Rose song’’) of finnish sitcom Pulkkinen.

Then Anni disappeared and next month saw a new Vompatti singer: former bass player Arya. Then disappeared Karwin... In a half year the band had explored all the cliches of a rockband from bluesbrotheresque beginning to...

Vompatti is not the first australanimalistic band rising from Cokemac River Delta. Ten years earlier Dingo achieved enormous success in Finland.

The scientists of INRI have lately reported wombat sightings in southern Louisiana. Is cajunwombat just a product of rotten imagination or not? Time will tell.

...and then: Energy & anarchy tour (2001)

...and then: Anarchy in the U.S. (2003)

...and den: White wedding (2003)

...update in Finnish: Pelastukoon ken voi (2006)

Vomppiuutiset (In Finnish)

Combat Wombat

...see the angry wombat below? It's guarding a secrect...