‘My dad had sort of the same attitude toward music like a plumber would say to his son, “don’t become a plumber.”  It was an attitude that you couldn’t earn a living from it.  Of course, it turned out that I was in a good situation, and HIM later had great luck.  My father didn’t give any bad advice, but on the other hand people should do what interests them even though it might not turn out very well.  It’s better than not trying at all.’ – (in Synnin Viemaa)

Mikko Henrik Julius Paanannen,  better known as Migé Amour or just Migé, is HIM’s bassist.

Born on December 19, 1974 in an artistic family, Migé didn’t exactly follow his family’s footsteps – well, at least not in the traditional way!

Migés mother was a freelance actress and Migé’s father played (and still plays) the oboe and English horn and has been playing in the city orchestra for a long time. But Migé wasn’t interested in classical music – ‘As a boy, break dance sounded like better music to my ears’ – states Migé.  Still, he would hang out sometimes with his father at ‘Finlandia House’ where there were a lot of instruments.

‘They were like toys and I played with them’ – Migé admits – ‘We also had a piano in our home and other instruments, but still it didn’t influence the fact that I became interested in music.’

 So what did influence him?

‘Perhaps it was as a result of my mom’s side that I decided to go in the direction of music, not the theatre.  Musicians, my father’s friends, were in my opinion the cool types.’

Migé lived in Oulunkyla, until he was 13 years old.  After that, his mom and dad divorced, and he moved with his mom to Tuusula – the rehearsal place where the first HIM actually got started.

 VOCALS – GUITAR – BASS – DRUMS – KEYBOARDS

 

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Source: SYNNIN VIEMAA by J. K. Juntunen (translated by Lugene Chicks)

 

Photo by Avelina de Moray. Posted with permission.