Once upon a time, in a far-away galaxy somewhere around '96, a grunge band named Teddybeer was founded by three guys, Lari, Juha and Jyrki. The common musical influences, Nirvana, Alice In Chains, Therapy? and so on, were easily audible in the guys' music which was some sort of grunge or alternative rock.
Shortly after, a bass guitarist Jouna Karsi joined the band. The biggest problem was that the band had three guitar players and no drummer. This dilemma was solved by Lari, Juha and Jyrki constantly switching between the drums and guitars. A couple of demos were recorded and a couple of gigs were played (in Kalajoki NälkäpäiväRock '99 and Kempele Nuorisoseura '99).
When Juha was replaced by a drummer Ville Väisänen, the band name was changed into Mambo. Mambo also made a couple of demos but no live performances were ever made. The closest they came to that was in Rotuaari, Oulu where heavy rain caused the singer Lari an electric shock and the performance was cancelled (not by the players, though, but the organizers). When the guys finished their senior high, they all went their separate ways and it was time to wave good-bye to Mambo.
In the fall of 2001, a new band was founded by Lari, Ville and Jyrki. Many names, such as "Enormous Cock" and "Rapid Rape" were proposed for the band but after having some thought it was named "Charade". The guys were short of a bass guitar player and after some seeking, a stranger named Hannu Kari joined band. A demo with three legendary songs, Human, Inside and Scars was recorded. Shortly after, the name of the band was changed once again and yet another great three-track demo, "Garcias!", was made with a new band name, "August 8th". In the spring of 2003, the breaks between rehearsals grew longer and longer and in the summer it was time to finally put the band into rest.
After a few months break, Hannu and Jyrki decided to continue the story of August 8th. Time passed, all sorts of singers, bass guitar players and drummers came and went. In the fall of 2003, the guys found themselves in the rehearsal place with Mikko Kukkohovi, the singer, Mika Heinola, the bass guitar player, Ville Väisänen, the drummer and guitarists Hannu Kari and Jyrki Niemelä. August 8th played some dozen gigs around the Oulu area. However, the musical style of the band had changed quite a bit during the past eight years and so in the spring of 2004 Ville and Jyrki decided that it was time to get back to the roots. An idea of a new 90's style alternative rock band popped up in the guys' heads. When Lari and Hannu promised to join this great new band, The George Double Use was founded.
It's been a long and colourful journey of nearly a decade from the Teddybeer times to the present. Lots of new friends have come into the way, some of them already lost and forgotten, but it must be said that we've had lots and lots of fun with great people, experiencing new things and playing all kinds of music.
- J.N., 23.08.2004, Oulu