Gas Lipstick
Gas Lipstick | |
---|---|
![]() Karppinen performing in 2007 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Mika Kristian Karppinen |
Also known as | Kaasu |
Born | Eskilstuna, Sweden | 8 February 1971
Genres | |
Occupation | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Drums, vocals, guitar |
Years active | 1983–present |
Mika Kristian Karppinen (born 8 February 1971), better known as Gas Lipstick, is a Swedish-Finnish musician, best known as the previous drummer of the Finnish gothic rock band HIM. He is also a drummer for other bands currently on hiatus, such as deathgrind group To Separate the Flesh from the Bones, heavy metal group Bendover, punk group Valvontakomissio, and punk group Ääritila.
Biography
[edit]Born in Eskilstuna, Sweden to Finnish parents, Karppinen moved to Finland with his family at age 13.[1] He was a session drummer for one tour with the Finnish band Tarot. Before joining HIM, he was also a member of Kyyria, which included Santeri Kallio and Niclas Etelävuori from the Finnish band Amorphis and singer Ville Tuomi of Suburban Tribe. He sang and played guitar in a thrash metal band called Dementia which featured guitarist Roope Latvala of Children of Bodom. He also was a drum tech for Stratovarius at one point and played on the Stratovarius DVD. He quit Flat Earth and started a Doom Metal band called Solitude together with Janne Parviainen of Ensiferum, Ville Pelkonen of Jimson Weed and singer Aleksi Parviainen. He plays guitar in a band for the first time since Dementia disbanded 1996. He recorded drums for pop/rock artists Leo Stillman's 3rd record that will be released in Spring 2023. Ääritila is currently working on a mini-LP and they are working on new songs.
In March 2011, the game company SongHi released an internet music game with Karppinen's drum loops.[2]
In January 2015, Karppinen announced his departure from HIM, feeling that he needed to move on as a musician.
Karppinen married Croatian photographer and influencer Natali at Temppeliaukio church in Helsinki on 30 August 2008. It appears that the couple are no longer together. [3]
List of bands
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/Gas_Lipstick_of_HIM.jpg/260px-Gas_Lipstick_of_HIM.jpg)
- Valvontakomissio – vocals, composition, lyrics, drums (1984–present)
- Dischange – drums (1991)
- Kyyria – lyrics, composition, drums (1992–1998)
- Dementia – vocals, lyrics, composition, guitar (1986–1996)
- HIM – drums (1999–2015)
- Hallatar – drums (2016–present)
- We Sell the Dead – drums (2017–2018)
- Flat Earth – drums (2018–2022)
- Solitude - guitars (2022-present)
Drum set
[edit]Gas is an endorser of Ludwig drums, Paiste cymbals, Aquarian drum heads and Vic Firth drum sticks. He is an open-handed drummer, meaning he plays the hi-hat with his left hand and the snare with his right, opposite to many rock drummers.
Drums
[edit]LUDWIG Legacy Classic (color: Black sparkle)
SHELL SIZES:
- 16" x 22" Bass Drum
- 6.5" x 14" Black Beauty Snare
- 12"x9" Rack Tom
- 14"x12" Rack Tom
- 16"x16" Floor Tom
- 16"x18" Floor Tom
HARDWARE: LUDWIG Atlas Pro
- 1 x Hi-Hat stand PRO LAP16HH
- 1 x Snare stand PRO LAP22SS
- 3 x Boom Cymbal Stand LAP37BCS
- 1 x Straight Cymbal Stand LAP27CS
- 1 x Drum Throne SADDLE LAP50TH
- 1 x Bass Drum Pedal LAP15FP
- 1 x Tom Holder Stand
CYMBALS: PAISTE
- 1 x 15" Big Beat Hi-hatt
- 1 x 18" Formula 602 Crash
- 1 x 19" Formula 602 Crash
- 1 x 20" Formula 602 Crash
- 1 x 22" Formula 602 Crash
- 1 x 22" Dark Crisp ride
Vic Firh American Classic Metal drum sticks
DRUM HEADS:
- Aquarian 12" Reflector black top head
- Aquarian 12" Classic clear bottom head
- Aquarian 14" Reflector black top head
- Aquarian 14" Classic Clear bottom head
- Aquarian 16" Reflector black top head
- Aquarian 16" Classic clear bottom head
- Aquarian 18" Reflector black top head
- Aquarian 18" Classic clear bottom head
- Aquarian 14" Hi-Energy top snare head
- Aquarian 14" Hi-Performance bottom snare head
- Aquarian 22" Force II bass drum eater head
References
[edit]- ^ Synnin viemää: Chapter Thirteen (pp. 116-121)
- ^ YouTube. Retrieved 19 March 2015.[dead YouTube link]
- ^ Katri Utula. "HIM:n Kaasu naimisiin – Ville Valo ensi kertaa häissä!". Ilta-Sanomat. Archived from the original on 2 September 2008. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Gas Lipstick at IMDb
- Gas Lipstick at AllMusic