Interview Nightwish: Tuomas Holopainen

So first of all, how are you today? Did you have a nice journey?

Yes, our flight landed some hours ago and then we just came here by bus. I’m really good now, I just had a four hour nap, a really good meal, a really small sip of red wine… I’m feeling in top form.

How did the festival tour go so far?

It’s been excellent, really good! When you’re doing festivals, it’s kind of like this: you travel for two days, then you play a show and then you go back, then you spend some days at home. I kind of prefer the long tours in a tourbus because this is so segmented throughout the summer.

So you really go home for some days?

Yeah, we always go home in between, because it’s always just for some days. So I just go home and mow the lawn, pay the bills and stuff like that and then go back.

Are you looking forward to tonight’s performance? Any expectations here on Belgian soil?

Not really, this is the first time that we play at this festival, so we don’t really know what to expect. There are only two more shows to go for the whole tour, we’ve been going on for about a year and a half. So there is some blues in the air, because it’s all about to end tomorrow.

So it’s M’era Luna the last show. How do you feel about that, the fact that it’s the last show?

Sort of mixed feelings. I’m really happy to get back home, take a little breather and start working on the new  album… But of course there is the blues, because I’m not going to see these people for a long time after this, at least not in this way. We’re going to have a little tour-ending party on Monday, say farewell, reminiscence the past and just have a good time.

So that’s really going to be the last show?

It really will be, yes. The next show will be in spring 2015 at the earliest.

You recently played at Wacken Open Air, how did you experience the concert?

We just tried not to think about the fact that it was going to be filmed for the live dvd or whatever it’s going to be called. So it went exceptionally well. I believe it was the biggest show that we ever did when it comes to audience attendance, there were about 75.000 people there.

But you’ve been to Wacken in the past?

Yeah we have.

It was a bit different than before?

I think there were more people than before. It looked incredible from the stage, so I hope that the cameras were able to film that as well. It was one of the best shows of this summer, so good timing.

Why did you decide to record the show at Wacken specifically?

I think one of the reasons was because the camera crew was already there. Everything was just set up so we just needed to hire our own crew. For practical reasons it was the easiest to do there an also it’s a legendary festival and has the biggest attendance so it looks good with all the people.

Any idea when we can expect the Imaginaerum world tour documentary including the concert?

If everything goes as planned, before Christmas this year. I would say November/December. The idea is to try to get it out before Christmas.

With so many fans always present at your gigs, do you recognize the people who are often there in front of the stage, you know, those crazy fans always at the front row?

Quite often yeah. They are crazy in a very good way. There is for example this Finnish bunch that you get to see.

Yeah, I know them.

You know them? Eliel, Maria, Krista. These are wonderful people, we have met them many times after the show. They have kinda become like semi-friends even, it’s always a heartwarming feeling to see these people at the front row. They will be there tomorrow at M’era Luna.

I know, I’m going to pick them up and bring them there!

You will?! Oooh, ok that’s excellent! That’s sweet, very nice!

Of all the shows of the Imaginaerum tour, is there a specific one that you liked the most or will remember for some reason?

It’s really impossible to put one show on a pedestal, but the two last Finnish festivals, Ilosaarirock and Sotkamon Syke, were something really exceptional for some reason. Also Wacken Open Air because of many reasons. But there have been so many that I can’t just mention one.

So about Imaginaerum, how do you compare it to previous albums?

Well, it’s special in a way that it included the movie. We kinda went for the movie first into the project, that was the main thing of the release. The album is kind of a soundtrack to the film, so that was really special. It is the most theatrical, most orchestral album that we have ever done, it felt like the right thing to do at the time. I don’t really know what we’re going to do next. I have a gut feeling that it is going to be something a bit more simple, a bit back in time.

So a bit back to the roots.

Yeah, a bit more like a band album, because we have kinda searched this orchestral, really varied spectrum to its maximum now, that how I feel. But maybe, you never know how the mind works… But I have three new songs done already, it’s again something a bit different.

Did you write those songs during the tour?

During the past month I’d say. Whenever I go back home I just write stuff and I have three new songs now.

How are the reactions on the movie? Both in general and from the fans?

Quite mixed. Some people have really understood what it’s all about. When they say it looks like the band, that’s a big compliment, that’s what we were after. It definitely is not a commercial film, we never thought it would be, so it wasn’t a big commercial success, especially in Finland, there it was a big flop actually.

Especially in Finland? I would have expected the opposite.

Yeah well, something happened in Finland, I don’t know. But then again in Germany and Russia it was received much better. I get people all the time coming to me saying “it really touched me” and “I really enjoyed it”, “it was really weird but I liked the scenery and the music and the story”, … I’m really proud of the result, the whole band is. No regrets at all, we did the best we could with the time and money and resources that we have. But I haven’t really thought about the film at all for months. I was looking forward already.

What are the plans for the near future for Nightwish?

Well, we all have our side projects. I have this solo album about Scrooge McDuck coming up, so the next two months I’m going to be busy with that one. Floor is going to go on with ReVamp, Marco is going to do his own projects, Emppu has Brother Firetribe. Maybe take some time off, spend time with the family. I’m going to have a little vacation in new Zealand next spring. So all this kinda stuff is going to load the batteries to write songs and be ready for next summer. The first of July we will enter the rehearsal room.

So about that music around the Disney character Scrooge McDuck. How is that going so far?

It’s going excellent. I’m really, really excited about the project. All the songs are done and then we’re gonna go to London in three weeks to record all the orchestra, percussions, choirs, singers, … Then we go back to Finland, do some guitars, painos, all that stuff, mix it, … It should be ready by the end of October. We are looking at an early April 2014 release.

It’s sounds really like a big project for you!

It’s a personal side-project, yeah. I’m not planning to do any live shows with this one, it’s just something that I had to get off my mind.

From what I’ve heard, there are still no plans to officially continue with Floor as vocalist. Do you have any comment on this or can you tell me something about that?

Yeah well… The thing is that we haven’t really thought about it in a concrete way, because there is no need to… It’s been such a mess once again, I feel I need a month or two just to not think about the vocal issue at all. Then by the end of this year we have to make some decisions. But everyone realizes that she is on top of the list, naturally. But I don’t want to do anything official, I don’t want to make this decision just yet.

Of course, I understand.

But she’s incredible, I have nothing bad to say about her.

So for the side projects, we had Marco, we had Emppu, … For example Troy, is he doing stuff in the meantime as well?

Yeah, he’s doing something for this English artist Barbara Dixon. He’s going to go on tour with her for a few months actually right after this tour finishes. He has like three different bands that he’s playing in, so he’s going to be busy during the break.

Do you perhaps know already if he will play a role in the next album as well?

He absolutely will, haha. He’s already a band member sort of, official or non-official, I don’t know. He’s a full-time instrumentalist, he can play almost anything. He’s a wonderful character. It’s just really hard to imagine doing any shows without him, like ever again.

And what about Jukka, what will he do in his spare time?

Well, he’s like the business man and the caretaker of the band, so he’s be busy with EMP and the band company taking care of all that stuff. I think he’s going to take a little break as well, he needs it and deserves it. But I don’t think he’s has any musical side-projects.

How can you keep reinventing yourself as a musician to not fall into repetition?

Wauw, ok, I’m not sure if I have not fallen into repetition already!

Well at some point everybody falls into repetition!

Well, there are only twelve notes in the world. You just have to find the right balance of not losing the soul of the music of the band, but still search for new territories, new ways of expressing yourself constantly. From different genres, from different instruments, different song structures, just be innovative in a good way and really work on it for months and months and months and always question yourself, question the stuff that you are doing, ask for advice from the other band members. Just try to make it feel right.

For example, if someone gives his opinion about something, do you then always agree and change the stuff or do you discuss it, how does that go?

There is a very special harmony within the band. A lot of respect. We listen to each other’s opinions. But some of them are good, some of them are bad. Sometimes I’ve been really blind to my own songs and then the other members come to me and say “this is not good, we should leave this out” and then I ask “why?” “Well listen to this we do it like that” and then I’m like “of course, why didn’t I think of that before”. It’s a collaboration.

The music business has changed a lot in the recent years. Digital downloads, the rise of vinyl, social media, … How do you experience this?

I’m not an expert on the issue, but I realize that something needs to be done because the trend is what it is. And the fact is that people will never stop listening to music, they want to have music but if that trend goes as it goes, we don’t have the resources of doing these kind of albums anymore because the record sales have just dropped phenomenally bad.

In comparison to the past?

Exactly, for like ten years ago. I mean, I feel that there are more people at our shows than ever before but still Imaginaerum sold about half of Dark Passion Play, but that’s how it goes these days, it’s the same for all the bands. We have to concentrate on the digital downloads and this side of music business because there is no fighting back, you just have to adapt. You have to find ways of making that so that you can profit from that as well. IF we don’t get anything back, we don’t get to do albums, a plain fact. So we have to work some ways, but it’s a good thing we have those big boys over there who know more.

How many kilograms of fireworks is used during a regular Nightwish show? And is the visual aspect of a show very important?

Wauw. I wouldn’t call it very important. I think it’s very important that a show works in very small clubs as it does on big stages. Both have their advantages but whenever we have the chance and the money to do a huge show, I really prefer that. I think this kind of music, it complements the stuff that we do really well. For example those two shows that we did in Finland, we had the biggest fireworks ever, we had a phenomenal feeling on stage with all that racket going on.

Can I compare those two shows in Finland with Sauna Open Air?

Sauna Open Air was much smaller. So it was the biggest show we ever did show-wise. But I wouldn’t know anything about kilo’s.

I have one more question. You’ll have a guest performance on Kari Rueslåtten’s new single of ‘The 3rd and the Mortal’, how did you get involved with this?

The song is actually called ‘Why so lonely’. It’s from a band called ‘The 3rd and the Mortal’ where she used to sing. It’s just an incredible thing because this album called ‘Tears laid in Earth’ from 1994 is my all time number one album. It’s my favorite album of all times and I’m not exaggerating when I say that listening to this album made me form Nightwish. I wanted to do something similar, that’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard, female voice, atmospheric metal, I want to do something similar. So I owe everything to this band and this album. And then Kari contacted me saying “I’m doing a cover of the song Why so lonely for my solo, would you like to come and play the piano and the keyboard for that song”. And I was like immediately, I mean this is an unbelievable coincidence, so I absolutely will. I did it last May and it’s going to be out September 10th.

Really nice!

A little fanboy, you know, yeey! *raises hands and cheers*

You can be fanboy as well for once!

I can! It’s a lovely feeling!

Haha! So, that was the last question, thank you very much.

Excellent! No worries!





Interview courtesy by Festivalblog.be