Matti "Makke" Antero Kristian Fagerholm (born 17 June 1962), also better known by the stage name Michael Monroe, a Finnish rock musician best known as the lead vocalist and saxophonist for the glam punk band Hanoi Rocks. He has also fronted several side projects, including Demolition 23. (sic) and Jerusalem Slim (with Steve Stevens).
Monroe was born Matti "Makke" Fagerholm on 17 June 1962. His father Pentti Fagerholm (1935–2015) was a well-known Finnish radio personality and reporter.
Monroe has said that one of the first times he was exposed to rock and roll was when he saw Black Sabbath's 1970 Paris performance on television. Other favourite bands of his at the time included Alice Cooper, The New York Dolls, Led Zeppelin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Little Richard.
From 1976 to 1979 Monroe played in a band called Madness. While rehearsing with Madness in the basement of a church in Töölö, Monroe met guitarist Andy McCoy – then known as Antti Hulkko – whose band Briard was also rehearsing there at the time. Later, Monroe and McCoy briefly played together in a band called Bolin before Monroe went on to play saxophone in Maukka Perusjätkä's band, where he met guitarist Nasty Suicide.
Monroe and his guitarist friend Andy McCoy came up with the idea for the band Hanoi Rocks, but since McCoy was already playing in the Finnish punk band Pelle Miljoona Oy he told Monroe to start the band without him. At one stage, Monroe had auditioned to be the bassist for Pelle Miljoona Oy, and while the audition had gone well the band ultimately chose bassist Sami Yaffa. But when Andy McCoy left Pelle Miljoona Oy and joined Hanoi Rocks in 1980 he brought Yaffa with him. The band later recruited drummer Gyp Casino and Nasty Suicide, the latter staying in the band until 1985.
In 1981 Hanoi Rocks released their first album titled Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks, with most of the songs written by McCoy. The album was produced by McCoy and Monroe, who were known as "The Muddy Twins."
In 1982 Hanoi Rocks moved to London and released their second studio album, Oriental Beat. The band later deemed the release a failure, stating that the album was mixed badly by the producer Pete Woolcroft. The band later fired drummer Gyp Casino and hired Nicholas Dingley, better known as Razzle. Later that year the band released Self Destruction Blues, and although it had Razzle on the cover he didn't play on the album since it was actually a compilation of old singles. The tour for the album took the band to Asia for the first time.
In 1983 the band released Back to Mystery City.
In 1984 the band began working with producer Bob Ezrin on their fifth studio album Two Steps from the Move, which was the first recording deal that would introduce them into US markets. The original title of the album was Silver Missiles and Nightingales, but this was changed before release.
Also in 1984, readers of Sounds magazine voted Hanoi Rocks as the second best band in the world after Marillion. The Hanoi Rocks album Two Steps from the Move and single "Underwater World" were voted album of the year and fifth best single of the year. A televised concert recorded in England was voted as the second best concert video, and the group was voted number three as stage performers. Michael Monroe was voted "The Sex Symbol of the Year".
While on their first large tour in the US Monroe fractured his ankle. Some dates had to be pushed back and the band traveled to Los Angeles to prepare for their two upcoming sold-out gigs. Though Monroe decided to stay in his hotel room and rest, some of the band members attended a party at the house of Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil. At some point Razzle and Neil left the party and were involved a car crash that resulted in Razzle's death.
After Razzle's death the band performed in Helsinki, Finland at a concert televised throughout Europe as part of the Europa Go Go project. The show had over 500 million viewers across Europe and was Hanoi Rocks' first public concert with their new drummer Terry Chimes. It was also their last performance with Sami Yaffa, who left the band due to personal differences with McCoy. The band tried to record demos with new members Rene Berg and Terry Chimes, but according to Michael Monroe things "didn't feel the same any more," and the band disbanded after a short tour of Poland. One of the shows in Poland was recorded and later became the Rock and Roll Divorce album, released after the band had already split up.
Solo years and other bands (1985–2001)
After Hanoi Rocks broke up in 1985 Monroe decided to start his solo career. But first he got to work with his good friend Stiv Bators, for in the fall of 1985 Bators and Monroe were asked by Steven Van Zandt to record backing vocals in London for his song "Sun City", and then fly to New York to appear in the music video. Both agreed.
In December 1985 Monroe announced that he would move to New York, and in 1986 he founded his first solo band.
In 1987 he released his first solo album, Nights Are So Long. The album was a moderate hit, but it attracted big record labels, and in 1988 Monroe signed to Mercury Records.
In 1989, Monroe's second solo album was released, titled Not Fakin' It. The album featured guest appearances by Monroe's friends and fellow musicians, including Steven Van Zandt, Ian Hunter and Nasty Suicide. The album reached number 161 on the US Billboard Chart and was Monroe's first album to be distributed internationally. The album also got good reviews from critics. Music videos were shot for the singles "Dead, Jail or Rock 'N' Roll" and "Man With No Eyes". Axl Rose appeared in the music video for "Dead, Jail or Rock 'N' Roll", and the video was also screened at MTV's Headbangers Ball, which Monroe hosted.
At the time Not Fakin' It was released, Guns N' Roses' record label UZI Suicide was re-releasing Hanoi Rocks' albums in America. Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash also made a guest appearance at Monroe's Los Angeles shows in December 1989, performing the song "Looking at You". Aerosmith's lead singer Steven Tyler had also taken notice of Monroe and asked him to perform with Aerosmith at Les Paul's 75th birthday at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York, where Monroe played saxophone on the song "Big Ten Inch Record."