Crossroader - Rolling Stones tribute band

CROSSROADER HISTORY 1974 - 2025

Crossroader comic sheet 1976
by Marja Lankinen

Formed in 1974 by 18-year old guitarist-vocalist Urpo Pakarinen, 17-year old guitarist Jari Arasola and 15-year old drummer-vocalist Petri Nummi. The band rehearsed in Arasola’s carage in Tapiola, a few miles west of Helsinki, Finland under the name Kroisos Pennonen (John D. Ruckerduck). They played songs by The Who, The Rolling Stones, Free and CCR and managed to get a few gigs in some private parties…

Line up 1974-75:

Urpo "Upa" Pakarinen – lead vocals and guitar
Jari Arasola – guitar
Ari "Leru" Heikkilä – bass
Petri "Pete" Nummi – drums and vocals

Kroisos Pennonen 1974
Urpo "Upa" Pakarinen voc. & gtr, Jari Arasola gtr,
Ari "Leru" Heikkilä bass, Pete Nummi drums

By 1975 Kroisos Pennonen turned into Crossroader and continued to play material from The Rolling Stones, Bad Company, The Who, Rod Stewart and Led Zeppelin. Crossroader played several gigs at high school parties in Helsinki and Espoo. Petri Nummi had given up the drums and focused on singing:

Petri Nummi – lead vocals
Jari Arasola - guitar
Pentti "Kena" Ukkonen – bass
Seppo "Sepa" Palonen - drums

Crossroader
Pena Ukkonen bass, Pete Nummi voc.,
Jari Arasola gtr, Seppo Palonen dr.

Newspaper advertisement 1976

In 1977 a promising drummer Jan Noponen subbed in drums until Seppo Palonen was finally replaced by Mika Saksela. Some gigs were played under the name Dalton. The band broke up in the fall of 1978 when most of the members had finished high school and went to serve in the armed forces for 11 months.

In the spring of 1979, Pete Nummi made a special appearance at his old high schools roof concert, with guitarist Martti Rechardt, drummer Ari Ilaskivi and Heikki Nuorteva on bass. Both Rechardt and Ilaskivi got their first taste of backing up "Finland’s Mick Jagger" on that day. Sadly, after just three songs (Jumping Jack Flash, Live With Me and Honky Tonk Woman) the concert was called off by the schools principal, due to noise complaints by the nearby residents. Pete’s sarcastic last words were: “Ok, we’re leaving but the sun will remain…”

By 1981 Pete and Jari formed a new line-up and started practicing and still using the name Dalton. Most songs were by the Stones, but a few own compositions were included. Soon the band would play local concerts and fraternity parties:

Pete Nummi – lead vocals
Jari Arasola – guitar
Petri Kokko – guitar
Juha Mieskonen – bass
Ari Ilaskivi – drums

ESO Party 1982
Juha Mieskonen bass, Ari Ilaskivi drums,
Pete Nummi voc., Jari Arasola gtr

By 1983 Ari Ilaskivi and Juha Mieskonen joined their old school buddies to form Baysix and the rest of the band went their own ways. Everyone remained active in music business.

In 1985-87 Crossroader made a few gigs in Helsinki, e.g. Vanha Poli. The musicians were from Arasola's other band called I5.

Pete Nummi - lead vocals
Jari Arasola - guitar
Jari Martikainen - keyboards
Ilpo Hausalo - bass
Raimo Henriksson - drums

In 1999 Ari Ilaskivi had invited Pete, Jari A. and Jari M. to celebrate his 40^th Birthday Party at High Light Cafe club in Helsinki. The guests were entertained by several bands, including the comeback gig by Baysix. But there was also another "reunion" in the air: At the stage Pete Nummi was joined by Ilaskivi, Arasola and Martikainen, this time backed up by Rami Hillilä on bass and Vesa Jurvakainen on guitar. Ilaskivi, Rechardt, Martikainen and Hillilä played at that time also in a band called Aurinkomaa (earlier called Via Roma). This lead to reforming Crossroader and the line-up included also the original bass-player…

High Light Cafe 1999
Jari Martikainen kbd., Vesa Jurvakainen gtr,
Jari Arasola gtr, Ari Ilaskivi drums,
Pete Nummi voc., Rami Hillilä bass

The 1999 line-up:

Pete Nummi – lead vocals
Jari Arasola – guitar
Martti Rechardt – guitar and bg. vocals
Jari Martikainen – keyboards
Pentti Ukkonen – bass and bg. vocals
Ari Ilaskivi – drums

Espa Stage 2007
Pena Ukkonen bass, Masa Rechardt gtr,
Ari Ilaskivi drums, Pete Nummi voc.,
Jari Arasola gtr, Jari Martikainen kbd.

In the summer 2010 Martti Rechardt had made the hard decision to leave the band. He played his last gig with the group on June the 14th at the Esplanade Stage in Helsinki. And exactly a year later - on June 14th 2011 - a new guitarist Reijo Saarainen was introduced, as Crossroader celebrated the 70th birthday of Charlie Watts at the On The Rocks. Reijo is also known of his work with Chelsea Hotel, a Helsinki-based band.

The 2011 line-up:

Pete Nummi – lead vocals
Jari Arasola – guitar
Reijo Saarainen – guitar and vocals
Jari Martikainen – keyboards and bg. vocals
Pentti Ukkonen – bass and bg. vocals
Ari Ilaskivi – drums

Charlie Watts' 75th Birthday Party
at On The Rocks Club 2.6.2016
Jari Martikainen kbd., Juhani Nummi bg. voc.
Jari Arasola gtr, Ari Ilaskivi drums,
Pete Nummi voc., Reijo Saarainen gtr,
Pena Ukkonen bass

By the summer of 2020 Reijo had made a decision to concentrate on his own music and therefore announced his resignation from the band. By November a new guitar player was recruited: Pasi "The Pastor" Kylliäinen, a guy who knew The Stones history and songs well and could play them flawlesly. What a relief!

The 2020 line-up:

Pete Nummi – lead vocals
Jari Arasola – guitar
Pasi Kylliäinen – guitar
Jari Martikainen – keyboards and bg. vocals
Pentti Ukkonen – bass and bg. vocals
Ari Ilaskivi – drums

Espa Stage 2021
Hanna Koukku bg. voc., Pete Nummi voc.,
Jari Arasola gtr, Ari Ilaskivi drums,
Pena Ukkonen bass, Pasi Kylliäinen gtr,
Jari Martikainen kbd.

In 2022 mr. Risto Schiray took over the role of the second guitarist, playing his first gig in November. Besides playing guitar, Risto can also play harmonica.

The 2022 line-up:

Pete Nummi – lead vocals
Jari Arasola – guitar
Risto Schiray – guitar
Jari Martikainen – keyboards and bg. vocals
Pentti Ukkonen – bass and bg. vocals
Ari Ilaskivi – drums

Crossroader 2023
Risto Schiray gtr, Pete Nummi voc.,
Ari Ilaskivi drums, Pena Ukkonen bass,
Jari Arasola gtr, Jari Martikainen kbd.

After 1999 Crossroader has performed live in private parties, clubs (Juttutupa, On The Rocks, Sture 21, Boothill Rock Club, Feltbay, Käpygrilli etc.), fairs and out-door concerts, including Nurmirock 2002 – playing only material recorded or played live by The Rolling Stones.

On stage Crossroader has often been seen with back-up singers Leonna Aho, Mari Suistola, Sanna Ukkonen, Ile Lahtinen, Tuuli Nummi, Seija Häkkinen, Wilma Vartiainen, Juhani Nummi, Elina Kemppainen and Hanna Koukku.