Sami Yaffa

Sami Yaffa (born Sami Lauri Takamäki; 4 September 1963) is a Finnish bass guitarist best known for his work in New York Dolls, Michael Monroe's bands, and Hanoi Rocks.

He is currently the bassist for the Michael Monroe band and The Compulsions.

He also plays guitar in his own band Mad Juana.

Yaffa first began playing music in 1977, when he was fourteen years old, with a band called The Bablers.

He went along with another member of the Bablers (Pepe Seivo) and formed a punk rock band, Suopo, in 1979.

They did not record any material and stayed relatively unknown even in the Finnish punk rock scene.

Around this time Yaffa also played with another Finnish punk rock band, Pohjanoteeraus.

In 1980 Yaffa joined future Hanoi Rocks bandmate Andy McCoy in Finnish punk rock band Pelle Miljoona Oy.

The two of them took part in the band's most successful album "Moottoritie On Kuuma".

Before the group toured they both decided to leave and to join Hanoi Rocks.

Hanoi Rocks became the biggest band in Finland at the time, releasing a string of successful albums.

The group moved from Helsinki to London and continued to gain fans and influence the music scene there.

Yaffa played bass in all the Hanoi Rocks albums released in 1980s.

In London, Yaffa, along with Hanoi Rocks bandmates Nasty Suicide and Razzle, as well as Knox of the Vibrators, recorded an album under the name Fallen Angels.

Knox continued to perform as Fallen Angels after, though the Hanoi Rocks members including Yaffa never played with the band on stage.

After Razzle's death in 1984, Yaffa left Hanoi Rocks and formed Chain Gang with Pelle Almgren in Stockholm.

They recorded one EP under the name Pelle Almgren & Sam Yaffa.

1987 saw Yaffa doing a couple of gigs with then London based Johnny Thunders.

Another member of the New York Dolls, Jerry Nolan, was also in the group.

Around this time he was asked to join San Francisco-based band Jetboy.

While living and working in Los Angeles he got together again with Michael Monroe again and Yaffa even played a gig with Michael Monroe's solo band in Los Angeles in 1988.

In 1989 Yaffa briefly joined a Finnish band Smack who had moved to Los Angeles.

He played bass on tracks "Can You Dig It" and "Crazy River".

He was credited as Ulan Bator because he was still in Jetboy at the time and had been asked not to use his real name.

He joined the band and stayed with them until 1990.

He recorded two albums with Jet Boy: "Feel The Shake" and "Damned Nation".

Although Jetboy toured all over the States, Yaffa still found time to play with Johnny Thunders' band on his US tour and with a group called Stronzo with Marc Ford of the Black Crowes and Craig Ross of Lenny Kravitz's band.

Yaffa moved to New York City in 1990 to join Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe in a new band, Jerusalem Slim.

The group also featured Billy Idol's guitarist, Steve Stevens.

From 1990 to 1993 Yaffa played in a band called Love Pirates with Gass Wylde of the Pretenders.

Between 1991–1994 Yaffa also played in Alison Gordy's band.

Gordy had earlier played with Johnny Thunders.

Yaffa played on Gordy's album Blonde and Blue.

Demolition 23 saw Yaffa in another band with Michael Monroe.

This group also featured Jay Henning (Star Star) and drummer Jimmy Clark.

Henning was later replaced with Nasty Suicide.

Demolition 23 recorded one album produced by Little Steven.

The group broke up with only one album after Nasty left in the middle of a European tour.

The band broke up in 1992, because of Michael Monroe's and Steve Stevens' strong musical disagreements.

Jerusalem Slim released an album and did a tour as Jerusalem Slim although Steve Stevens was no longer in the band and the band refused to play any songs out of the actual Jerusalem Slim album.