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© 2006 - present, Sabrina

translated by Nessa Elensar

Going on with new dark passion

Tuomas Holopainen, the creative leader of Nightwish talks about upcoming shows, the new singer, old offences, movies and his need for soft ballads.

Nightwish will sound the 2nd time already in Slovenia with their symphonic gothic metal on 4.3 in Ljubljana's Tivoli Hall.
The last 2 years were full of ups and downs for the band. First they, in a middle of a painful public drama fired singer Tarja, then they continued their career with new singer Anette, with who they've recoreded Dark Passion Play. After the 1st show of the European tour we called in the hotel room 538 in Varsaw, evidently a goodhumoured Tuomas.

How are the preparations for the European tour going?
"Yesterday we played the 1st European concert in Villnius, Latvia. At the moment we are in Poland and tomorrow we are going to Czech Republic. It's great to be back on the road again and even better is to have a full arsenal of pyrotechnic, which we use on our shows. The production is much bigger than it was on the last European tour, when we were in Ljubljana too. This time we have a constant team of 55 people on board."

Wow! Is it the reason for such a massive production also that you don't want to hear reproaches about previous shows being better?
"Not really. This is just how we like to do things. Nightwish is a very visual band, so there's no reason not to take a step further considering our previous tours. You could say it's a travelling circus."

Last night you performed your 1st show of the European tour. What was the reaction of the audience to the new singer?
"Anette was really nervous before the show. Actually we all were, but she handels this great. Even for us a slight change like this was a smaller shock- especially because she didn't know what she was getting herself into (laugh). You have to understand, that she came in this position from a complete anonymity. The shoes, into which she stepped in, were really big. Anette is going through a personal hell- well, it is a nice hell, because this is something she wants to do... (laugh). The listeners accepted her really postive. Of course there are some who declined us, because she's not Tarja, but we could say that the reaction in 99% is good."

Do this negatively charged listeners come to the shows? Do you hear any shouts with Tarja's name?
"So far we had 16 shows and only once I heard shouts for Tarja- at home in Finnland. So the percentage is on our side (laugh). The ones who don't like her, aren't going to the shows. At the end of yesterday's show I went through a couple of forums and there were some comments about her not being "metal" enough on stage. That she is too happy, she's dancing all the time and she smiles. Personally I don't mind it. You don't have to be a true metalhead to effect serious."

You were recording Dark Passion Play for 9 months. That's a long time.
"Yeah, just mixing itself lasted 75 days. The album is so amuslingly ... big. There's a lot of things happening and it was a true challenge to put everything on a right place."

Anette played oboa for 8 years, but we don't hear it on the album. Is it maybe because it didn't fit in the music context?
"Something like that (laugh). She hasn't touched oboa for 10 years. In fact she doesn't like it at all. We will leave this and all similar instruments to the London philharmonics, when they'll be playing through our songs."

On the official website it says that Jack Sparrow makes you laugh. Did you ever met Johnny?
"No, never. We were trying to get Christina Ricci to perform in our video, but it didn't work out. But I do think, that Jack Sparrow is the coolest character in movie history."

Jack is almost a mystical character, who never appears without a hat. Do you have any amulets?
"I'm not a superstitious person. I do have some amulets, gifts from my friends. I have one chanlet and three stones, which I always carry with me. I don't wear them that much out of superstition, but more because they remind me I have friends who think of me."

It also says on the website that your worst nightmare is having to sing again on stage. You don't intend to sing again?
"No. Out of two reasons. First is I don't like to sing. Second is I'm completely useless as a singer. We have two good singers: Marco and Anette. I don't like my voice. I rather play keyboards."

Do you sing your own songs in the stage of demo recording?
"No, I just play the line on the keyboards. Sing? No!"

Your three favourite albums are Gladiator, Black Album and Vulgar Display of Power.
"Oh, yeah. This are all classics."

Nightwish were never as brutal as let's say Pantera. Did you ever wanted to do something more agressive?
"There are some more brutal songs on the new album. But at the same time I have a softer side of my personality, so I need my dose of soft ballads."

Was there ever a chance, during the auditions, to give the roll of the singer to a man?
"No, never. Nightwish was always a band with a female frontman and I want to keep it this way."

You talk about Tarja with reluctance, but did you by any chance put your anger and frustration because of her into the lyrics?
"Everything that happend can be found in the new songs. Bye Bye Beautiful is like a goodbye from Tarja, but in a positive way. I hope no one was offended by this song. The best is just to listen to the lyrics, there is easy to read this things."

Who is the most unexpected celebrity listener of Nightwish, you ever met?
"Who haven't met many celebrity listeners but I know that Joey DeMaio from Manowar is a big fan, because he told me that many times. I also heard that Matt Stone, the creater of South Park, is our fan."

Maybe you guys will appear in a episode.
"Wow, that would be a big honour! I really like the series."

How does Anette manage in a male gang Nightwish on social area?
"Surprisingly good. When we go party she is the last one standing! (laugh) But because she is the only lady in a male company, we have to be careful not to offend her too much with male humor. It is relieving that she grew up in almost exclusively male company."

And how do you party together? Scandinavians have a reputation as enthusiastic drinkers.
"Anette is not a big drinker. She doesn't drink at all before the shows, after the concert she occasionaly drinks a beer or two. We know her for a year and in this time I saw her completely drunk only once. But when things will get stressful... Well, we will see (laugh)."

You've mentioned internet forums before. Which joke about the group is your favourite?
"One of my favourite is the one that I'm gay. There's a lot of websites, where people discuss about me being homosexual. Some even say they know my boyfreind. I don't know why there is such a fuss about it. I'm not gay and I don't have anything against gays! But it did sound like a big joke."

When we talked in the past you mentioned that your inspiration often comes from Tolkien-Conan style epic poems. Did you saw the series Rome?
"No, I didn't."

The movie Pathfinder?
"I liked the idea, it had some good sceneries... but it didn't touch me. Maybe I was expecting something else."

Is it maybe too brutal?
"No, a movie can never be too brutal. I love movies which are all hostile and raw."

A thing you reproached Tarja was a disrespectful relation to Nightwish music, her fans and total idea. And than she puts out a solo album, which sounds very much like Nightwish. Your comment?
"I stick to a promise not to comment anything, because weird interpretations could come up. If it's ok to you, I wouldn't make any comments on the record."

I read an interview with her and she said she had send you a Christmas card. That's a lovely gesture.
"She send me a SMS for Christmas, than I send her a card. But we are not in contact. The last time we talked to each other was two years ago."

You are coming to Ljubljana. What is, after 16 shows, your favourite part of the concert in a new cast?
"My personal favourite is Poet and the Pendulum, that is for me the highlight of the show. Sahara became one of the highest points of the show."

Will Anette now, when she became a part of the band, be contributing to the music as well?
"I hope she will take a part in arrangments. In 11 years we didn't had a singer who would be taking part in this phase. I also encourage her to present her ideas to the band, the lyrics are the only thing I would would like to keep for myself