NIGHTWISH

Interview with Tuomas Holopainen and Tarja Turunen – respectively keyboardist and lead vocalist with NIGHTWISH. (Took place inside band’s touring bus on 4.8.2001 moments before their performance at W:O:A 2001).

masters, not apprentices!

THE FINNISH METAL EXPLOSION HAD A DEVASTATING EFFECT ON SCEPTICS OF QUALITY EUROPEAN METAL. FOUR YEARS INTO ITS AFTERMATH, NIGHTWISH EMERGED AS A MAJOR EXPONENT OF THIS FAST GROWING SCENE.

THIS IS AN INTERVIEW I MADE WITH TUOMAS AND TARJA, KEYBOARDIST AND VOCALIST OF THIS BAND.

Imagine a world you didn’t even know (or refused to admit) existed. Now imagine 5 horsemen which dominated it. Well, you needn’t imagine any more because these warriors now really exist and they ride on success under the name of NIGHTWISH. That was an introduction to Nightwish for those few not yet familiar with this band. But to get to know them better, I strike on a conversation with this band’s keyboardist/composer/songwriter, Tuomas Holopainen, and lead vocal virtuoso Tarja Turunen.

To begin, I ask Tuomas to very briefly give the band’s history.

Tuomas - The band started out in 1997, and at first it was an acoustic project band with only acoustic guitar, keyboard and her (Tarja, vocals). We just made one demo with 3 songs then, after which we changed our style into metal.

Then we did the 2^nd demo which was called "Angels Fall First" and the quality was so good that we put it straight on C.D.. This was released towards the end of 1997.

About a year after came "Oceanborn". We didn’t do much touring or shows in between but after "Oceanborn" we started to do some heavy touring and the summer after that was really hard. We had about 60 or something shows in 3 months. So that was kind of building up the pace.

Then came "Wishmaster", about a year and a half later, and well……...now here we are!

Chris - Do you miss your homeland and families while touring?

Tarja - Well, nowadays the situation is not so bad – we are not touring so much so we do have a chance to see our families, friends and relatives. Of course it has been nice and a huge experience to see all the countries we have been to and meet many people.

Chris - Where have you enjoyed yourself most, until now, performing live?

Tarja - (laughs) Well, it’s getting better I think!

Chris - How do you explain the recent explosion of the metal scene of Finland?

Tuomas - That’s one of the question everybody asks and we actually never know the answer. (Tarja here nods her head in agreement with Tuomas). We can just say that the Finnish metal scene is one of the best in the whole world!

While Tuomas continues to calmly talk with me, a subtle thought crosses my mind. I’ve noticed that all genuinely dedicated followers of metal I’ve met, especially those originating from countries `underestimated` for their metal potential (ex. Israel, Malta, Italy, Finland…..) are particularly attached to and proud of their local scene.

Tuomas (continues) - If you can compare the size of the country, 5 million people, with the amount of good bands which all sound very original, like Apocalyptica, HIM, Children Of Bodom, us…..we all have our own `thing`. I think that’s what’s special about Finnish metal bands.

Chris - Tarja, when you (Nightwish) decided to amalgamate your (Tarja’s) style of singing with the metal the band now plays, did you feel uneasy about it and did you ever imagine this mix of styles would be so successful?

Tarja - We didn’t even expect anything like this. Nightwish started as a project and I didn’t even think I would sing in any gigs and here we are in Wacken-Open-Air for the second time and we have seen the world around already. For me it has been a huge step as a singer.

This step has been more important than one can imagine since Tarja is a classically trained singer experimenting in Metal/Rock. Therefore difficulties to overcome are to be expected, as Tarja remarked.

Tarja - There was no-one to help me.

Therein, Tarja proceeds to describe her upbringing as a vocalist.

Tarja - Before I got in the band I was already studying classical singing at the Sibelius Academy , the music university in Finland. I had been singing classical before that, but not in a university.

Singing, in my life, has always been the most important thing for me. When I was a kid I started to sing when I was 3 years old, in fact I think I started to sing even before I started to speak! (laughs) I don’t see myself in any other career other than classical singing and I want to continue with that. Singing with Nightwish has made me more open-minded nowadays and I don’t have anything to regret.

Tuomas, Chris and Tarya

Chris - Recently you released a cover version of Gary Moore (‘Over The Hills And Far Away’). Why cover Gary Moore and not anyone else?

Tuomas - Well it’s one of those epic ageless songs, that everybody likes I guess. It’s not because of that that we chose it but for me personally it was one of the first bands and one of the first songs I heard when I was a kid that I really liked. I remember it was 1985. And we thought that it would be a cool thing to make a cover out of it.

I ask Tuomas, who besides playing keys, is majorly influential in the writing/composition of Nightwish’s songs, to cite his sources of inspiration.

Tuomas - I do not really have idols or models from the metal industry but am inspired by film-music composers like Hans Zimmer who is probably the best one. I like him very much.

Likewise I ask the same question to Tarja.

Tarja - (laughs, cheerful as ever) I probably am the wrong person to answer that question if you’re referring to the heavy-metal scene! (then, with a more serious tone, continues…) If I want to learn something I need to learn it from the classical singers. At least that is my point of view.

Chris - Could you tell me something about the video-clip for ‘Sleeping Sun’, especially the place/s in Finland where it was filmed (which I think are very spectacular)?

Tarja - It was filmed in Lapland…..

Tuomas - That’s in the northern part of Finland. –There is actually a song in "Angels Fall First" (1997 debut C.D) about that place.

Chris - Is that from where you are?

Tuomas - No, we don’t live there. We live more south.

Chris - One thing that I personally consider quite an achievement is that Nightwish managed to ‘get together’ young music-fans, elder music-fans, classical music die-hards and heavy-metal die-hards – whether mainstream or underground…..well everyone. How do you feel about this…..proud?

Tarja - Of course we really feel happy about that!

Tuomas - Yeah, I think we have the largest scale of fans in the metal industry. It has to do primarily with her (points at Tarja) voice of course, but also because of the fact that we have a lot of ballads and melodic stuff.

Chris - What do you expect from the audience tonight?

Tuomas - Well, judging from the signing session it’s gonna be awesome!

At this point we all burst out laughing with satisfaction. In fact I will not be exaggerating when I say that, half an hour earlier, the number of fans that gathered on-site at to have their Nightwish memorabilia signed by the band was greater than the audience for some bands at Wacken fest.. This to give an idea of the expectancy for the band.

After the three of us then indulge in small-talk I round off this ‘improvised’ interview by further asking an open question.

Chris - Are there any immediate ambitions, any accomplishments, whose realisation Nightwish intends to pursue and what are they, if any?

Tarja - Well, we have to think about each day as a day after another day. Of course throughout these 4 years that we have been through together, as Nightwish, we have seen our success growing into this level. But we cannot afford to take anything for granted and have to keep our feet on the ground if we are to grow further.

Tarja’s next comment is an epitome of sincerity.

Tarja - Success is not a very easy thing to handle!

Tuomas - The priority should be to concentrate on making good music and better albums. After that, positive results should follow.

Chris - One final question – tonight you are going to perform in front of thousands (Wacken 2001 fest.). But are you willing, even now, to perform for just a handful of people or a small crowd made of elderly people?

To which question Tuomas unhesitantly answers:

Tuomas - Sure! Why not!

Readers, the fact that you are scrolling this web-page, is a strong indication that Nightwish really are your cup of tea!

DISCOGRAPHY:

‘Angels Fall First’ (1997)

‘Oceanborn’ (1998)

‘Wishmaster’ (2000)

‘Over The Hills And Far Away’ (mini-C.D. 2001)

‘From Wishes To Eternity’ (D.V.D., V.H.S., C.D. 2001)

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Chris Galea ( luciferlament@yahoo.com )

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Related sites:

New NIGHTWISH official site: www.nightwish.com

Hans Zimmer: www.lionking.org/~zimmer/

 

© Copyright Chris Galea/Solemn Music 2001 All Rights Reserved