Gas Biography

Mika Kristian Karppinen, better known as Gas Lipstick, is the current drummer in the Finnish rock band, HIM. (He is also the drummer for Finnish deathgrind band, To Separate the Flesh from the Bones.)

He was born 8, February, 1971, in Eskilstuna,Sweden. Gas is from Finnish parents who moved to Sweden before he was born. His father worked for Volvo and his mother worked in a bakery.

Gas's drumming started at an early age. He began to pound on different things when he was only 2 years old. His father played an accordion at a club in Sweden and Gas would follow him there. Young Mika began to play drums at the club & he looked forward to the times he could return with his father.

Gas attended school in Sweden. He was in Finnish school in Eskilstuna, but he also learned to speak Swedish because half of his friends spoke it.

Gas joined the band after HIM had been experimenting with drum machines for the 'Razorblade Romance' album which had been recorded again after Gas joined. He is well known in the Finnish metal scene and used to be in the band Kyyria.

Gas lists Darius Kasparaitis, Krzysztof Oliwa, Herra no.66, Daniel Lioneye and Dave Lombardo as his idols

Gas has listed his favourite songs as 'all' from the bands Discharge and Slayer.

He has said he likes movies, motorbikes & Cigars and dislikes early wake-up calls as well as bad food & people.

He is an open handed drummer, meaning he plays the hi-hat with his left hand and the snare with his right; opposite to most current drummers.

During some festivals, Gas's drums consists of 3 bass drums with 'HIM' spelled across or a Heartagram in the middle and the Tama logo on the left and right bass drum. However, on their headlining tours, he will only have 1 bass drum with a Heartagram on it.

Mika married his girlfriend Natali in Temppeliaukio church, Helsinki, on 30 August 2008. Mika became a father to a daughter on 16 January 2009.

"...I am just a stupid drummer, I am happy when I can play my drums."

"I would buy one plane ticket to see an ice-hockey game of the Pittsburgh Penguins!" (what he would do with his millions)
- German magazine RockHard 03/2000

"Put on your lipstick and step on the gas...like a boss."
(via Matt Squire's Twitter, Aug. 2009)