rok 2000 wywiad po Wacken open air

czarnycharakter

Since the release of their second album 'Oceanborn' in 1999, Nightwish are one of the most up-and-coming European Metal bands. With their latest effort 'Wishmaster', they made one more big step towards the great names of Melodic Speed Metal, like Stratovarius and Rhapsody. Another thing furthering their appreciation and success was certainly their appearance on the Main Stage of 2000's Wacken Open Air, though that day turned out to be a bit chaotic for them - there was fog in Finland, so Nightwish missed their connection flight and arrived at Hamburg a lot later than planned, so that they had to go on stage almost immediately when they finally arrived at Wacken. That delay killed the first scheduled interview appointment (which would have been before their show), but thanks to the efforts of their promoter Iris, I finally got the opportunity to do this long interview with keyboard player and the mastermind, Tuomas Holopainen who turned out to be absolutely nice and pleasant to talk to.

First, congratulations for the great show today...

Thanks!

I think that was your first really big festival appearance....

Actually, it was like the second outside Finland; we have done some big festivals in Finland, and I think this is the biggest so far outside Finland. And the show, it was okay until they came and told us that we have to quit; we would have played like three songs more. We ran out of time because the band before us played too long; that really sucked.

You had some trouble getting here today; you were late....

Yeah, the weather in Finland was so bad that the plane couldn't land, so we missed the connecting flight; but nothing more serious.

You got a new album out, 'Wishmaster', highly acclaimed; what do you expect that to do for Nightwish?

We wanted to make a natural sequel to 'Oceanborn'; we didn't want to change the style too much, just do everything a little better, and we expect just like good reactions from the critics and the audience, and that's it.

....and I think the reactions were really great.

Yeah, they have been so far really good.

'Oceanborn' was a very successful album, especially in Finland; how is 'Wishmaster' doing so far?

It's doing even better than 'Oceanborn', actually. We've sold like over 30.000 in Finland only, so we're doing very good, which is like a surprise to me.

How many sold records does it take to go gold in Finland?

20.000

So it's already gone gold there....

Yeah, both of them have.

And how many does it take to go platinum?

40.000

So it's possible for 'Wishmaster'....

Well, I guess it's possible, but I don't think so.

Maybe in a couple of years, when more people discover Nightwish and buy the records....

Yeah, that might happen.

Are there any singles out from 'Wishmaster'?

Yeah, we made one for Finland, 'Deep Silent Complete'.

How did that do?

Actually, not so well, because there's only like two songs on it.

It didn't go as high in the charts as expected?

No, it went only number three.

Well, that's still....

That's very good, but you know, all the other singles have gone, like one.

That would still be impossible for a Metal band here.

Yeah, I know, Finland is a crazy country. Children Of Bodom went number one, an extreme Metal band.

Your favorite track on the new album is 'Dead Boy's Poem'; it's pretty sad - is that a true story?

Yeah, it is; most of the lyrics on 'Wishmaster' are based on true stories, that's the difference to 'Oceanborn'. 'Dead Boys Poem' is like.... I wanted to make a song, like my own testimony for the world.

But it's not like a boy really wrote that letter and committed suicide....?

No, no, nothing like that; it's a symbolic thing.

It seems to me that on each Nightwish album, there is one song that really stands out; 'Elvenpath' on the first one, 'Stargazers' on the second one and 'Wishmaster' on the new one.... Because they're different from the rest of the stuff, in my opinion. You don't really think so, I suppose, because you know the whole process of writing, so you'll probably feel different about that; they're probably more equal for you.

Yeah, they are. 'Dead Boy's Poem' is one song that really stands out for me, but all the rest.... And there are some songs that I really don't like.

On the new one as well?

Not on the new one, but on 'Oceanborn', I don't like 'The Riddler', and on the first album there are many songs that I don't like.

I was really happy that you played 'Elvenpath'.

Yeah, I think it's the best song on the first album.

I didn't really expect it; I think hardly anyone really expected you to play that, because the first album is a little different from the other two. Nightwish have undergone a rapid development from 'Angels Fall First' to the current album; what would you say, how many % of the original 'Angels Fall First' Nightwish concept still remains today?

It's hard to say numbers, but I think the basic idea is still the same; I mean, we make songs about the same things, and I think that the melodies and the song structures remain, but we have gone more into the symphonic and Power Metal style.

So the intention is still the same but you chose other means to express it.

That's right, exactly.

You're doing the biggest part of the song writing; how much is coming from the others?

I do all the lyrics and 95% of the music; our guitar player has done some parts, but that's it.

Who develops the vocal lines?

I do. Most of the time that's the thing I start with.

That's a pretty peculiar thing, I think, to start with the vocal lines; because I know many bands write the songs, then write the lyrics and then think of vocal lines.

Well, I think it's very important for us because we have such a singer, so it's very important to concentrate on the vocals.

I think the vocals are the most significant trade mark of Nightwish.

That's right, that's what makes us kinda different.

In a couple of songs, there's hints at Tolkien - you're a big Tolkien fan - like 'Elvenpath' or 'Wishmaster'; why don't you make a real complete Tolkien song?

That's just the way I like to.... like tease people, use just those little things, because Tolkien is so used already by so many bands, so I don't think it would be meaningful to make it anymore.

To someone who has not heard Nightwish, how would you describe your music?

Melodic Heavy Metal band with operatic female vocals. I leave the categorizing to other people; I have found some so funny descriptions of our music, like Neoclassical Progressive Speed, Melodic Heavy Atmospheric Alternative Metal....

There's really a lot of different ideas and elements in Nightwish's tracks, and the arrangements are pretty complex; how do you think other people who are not as creative as you are and just listen to the music, how do you think they perceive it, what do you think happens within their minds when they listen to Nightwish?

Well, actually I never think about that. It's a corny thing to say, but I make all the songs for myself, just the way that I like them; I never think about other people. In this kind of music it's just natural that many people think 'this is too complicated, this is too weird'.

What I meant was that when I listen to music, I often think 'how could they get that idea? I would never have come to that, and I would never have done it that way'. Do you think that Nightwish is attracting a lot of people that aren't really into Metal?

I think so, I really do. Because we have had some response from especially older people, adults, who seemed to appreciate our music because of the ballads and because of the vocals.

How is Nightwish's music received in other parts of the world? You're doing very well in Europe, especially in Finland and Germany.

That's right; all of Europe is very good for us, also Southern America is very good.

How are you doing in Japan?

So far it has been a little disappointment; we expected a lot from 'Oceanborn', and it didn't sell, almost nothing. We're selling very well in South Corea - really! 'Oceanborn' has almost sold 10.000 copies in South Corea, that's amazing. And 'Wishmaster' has just been released in Japan, so we're expecting something.

Are Nightwish records available in America?

Actually, no. They have not been licensed there, not released officially.

Have you got any responses from there?

Yeah, we have got some, but according to our label they're so bad that it's no use releasing the records there.

You got a pretty decent Internet website in even three languages - Finnish, English and German - with a lot of information, a lot of pictures and some sound files; how important do you think it is to have a good Internet appearance nowadays?

Actually, I think it's pretty important. When we started the whole thing, I was really suspicious if this is a good idea to make an Internet page, but we went for it, and I think it's a very important thing; fans can talk with each other and talk with us....

Do you have someone doing it?

Yeah, he's a friend of ours, he's like a computer and Internet professional, and he maintains the page. I don't understand anything about computers.

You're going to do your first headlining tour this fall; what can we expect in respect of the show you'll put on?

The support acts will be Sinergy and Eternal Tears Of Sorrow, and I think we're gonna have something special, like maybe an hour and a half show with some effects....

....and a special stage setting....

Maybe something, nothing really massive; we can't simply afford that.

I read that right after the tour, you want to enter the studio again and do the next album, is that right?

No.

Oh? I read that.

Really? Where?

I don't know, some interview.

No, we're gonna go into the studio like maybe March or something, to record an EP.

What actually is it that you're gonna do after the tour?

After the tour, we're gonna go to Canada, actually, for three shows, and maybe Japan after that, but after that, we have nothing planned, it's all open; maybe I'll start doing some songs.

Have you thought of doing a Metal opera? Many bands are doing Rock operas, concept albums, but for Nightwish it would be possible to do a real Metal opera with a story throughout, and really mixing opera and Metal?

Yes, I've actually been thinking about it a lot; a concept album is a very realistic thing for the next album, some kind of concept and story, so we'll see.

That would be a good opportunity to even work with an orchestra.

With an orchestra, with a choir.... I think it would fit our concept really well.

What are the Nightwish members doing for a living? Tarja is studying at the Sibelius Academy, and what are the others doing?

We are doing nothing; Jukka is gonna start computer school, but the rest of the guys, we're doing nothing except the music.

You've been in various bands before Nightwish, like Darkwoods My Betrothed and Nattvindens Grat; in which way is the way you're doing things in Nightwish different?

This is much harder, because I have to maintain the band and do all the songs; in the other bands I'm just playing what the other guys tell me to play.

Are you still in any of those bands?

I play as a session musician in Darkwoods My Betrothed, but Nattvindens Grat doesn't even exist anymore.

Are there any questions you've learned to hate, you're always being asked?

Always been asked is if the song 'The Carpenter' is about Jesus Christ; I never wanted it to be about that.

A question you probably haven't heard too often before and thus can't hate yet - if Nightwish was an animal, what would that be?

A wolf.

What aspects of a wolf does Nightwish have?

Everything that a wolf is. It's mysterious, a symbol of loneliness; a very majestic animal.... A night animal - Nightwish.

The howling of Nightwolf....

Yeah, that's right.

Well then, thanks a lot for your patience with me, a great show and great music, and we'll meet again on the tour!