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Here's my translation of Jonsu's radio interview in YleX Iltapäivä in April 15, 2010. I means the male interviewer Ile and J means the female interviewer Jenny.


I: Our guest is… Or let’s put it this way… If this happened in 1500s I would be scared because there are two redheaded wit… women in the studio. So, our guest is Jonsu from Indica. Welcome.
- You should be scared of us also in 2000s.

J: I’ll give you a pen, so you can throw it at Ile when he gets too annoying. I: Jenny likes to throw things. Yesterday she threw scissors at me. It was a bit scary.
- Oh!

J: The blade in front. I: Fortunately it was the other end of the scissors that hit me. Otherwise there would be someone else instead of me in the studio today. J: But Jonsu, hi!
- Hi.

J: Welcome. I: And now you have the pen firmly in your hand. Soon you’ll throw it…
- Are you aggressive towards women too, Jenny?

J: No I’m not. He’s just…
- So the red ones are allies?

J: And so are the ones who wear a cap. Wait a minute… you’re not wearing a cap. I: So you’re not allies after all. But hey, you switched to English. *In English*: So should we just do this all in English? Jonsu from Finland, how has your spring gone in this fine day?
- *In Finnish*: Let’s not do this in English because right now I remember only about ten English words, so I would have to repeat myself a lot. I’ve given a lot of interviews in English lately, so let’s do this one in Finnish.

I: Okay, we’ll do this in Finnish, but you’ve started to make songs in English. In my opinion, it’s great that Indica is trying something new. Why in English?
- Actually… Damn these headphones are annoying. I hear my own voice as an echo.

I: Adjust the volume lower.
- Okay... Actually when we formed the band about eight years ago, we made songs both in Finnish and in English, if the language of the early lyrics can be called English. But we had to choose which language we will use, and we chose Finnish. We started to consider English again when Nightwish asked us to support them in their Scandinavian and European tours (in 2007). We got more foreign fans and they demanded us to make material in a language that they understand.

I: So earlier you needed a dictionary in order to write English lyrics. J: And the result was probably something like a Google translation, not very understandable.
- Our dear fans have translated some lyrics to English and you may still find some of the translations on our website. I have to admit that it’s difficult to translate lyrics. If you do it word by word, the result will probably be tragicomic.

I: So you haven’t always been completely satisfied to your English lyrics. How about old songs? Have you translated them to English for concerts outside Finland? Or will you sing some of the songs in Finnish?
- The concerts outside Finland will probably be completely in English. Our first completely English concert will be in Berlin in May 5, 2010. Welcome there all hardcore fans, we’ll need you there. In Finland the album release concert is at On the Rocks in June 3, 2010. So, when in Rome do as the Romans do.

J: Have you translated any of your Finnish hits to English?
- Yes we have. Many of them are in the forthcoming English album.

I: What’s, for example, Linnansa vanki in English? J: Prisoner in her castle?
- We have performed Linnansa vanki in English during the tour and the song is called Snow White and Her Stalker. But unfortunately this song won’t be in the forthcoming album.

I: So that song won’t become on sale now?
- No it won’t, but you may find some low-quality video of it on YouTube.

- - -

I: So, our guest in YleX Iltapäivä is Indica’s Jonsu. What’s your biggest goal right now with Indica? You switched to English, so what kind of dreams does the band have?
- We’d like to be able to tour in many countries and let as many as possible to hear the evangel of our music. And things like that. We’ll start from scratch outside Finland and we have to work hard. This year we’ve probably spent more days outside Finland than in Finland. Next Monday we’ll go to Zurich in order to perform on radio. We’ll see. It’ll be interesting.

I: And people are anxious to see you in German. Being the supporter of Nightwish probably helped you become famous in German.
- I wouldn’t say that we are famous in German, but we released the single there a couple of weeks ago and the album will be released in June. But of course the tour with Nightwish was a big opportunity for us. We had a chance to reach a lot of people. And now we’ve already been signed to some big festivals in Europe.

I: According to the cover of your single In Passing, you play theremin in the song. And for the listeners who don’t know what it is: *quotes the Finnish Wikipedia* “Theremin is an electronic instrument designed by a Russian Léon Theremin in 1919. The instrument consists of a box that has typically two antennas.” How good a theremin player are you and how do you play this instrument?
- This makes me laugh, because if the Indica girls listen to this interview they’ll probably disagree, but in my opinion, I play it very well. I played it at Tavastia when we released our previous album. The girls tried to ban me from playing theremin, because in their opinion it sounded like a cat being tortured.

J: Could you demonstrate us how it sounds?
- It’s like *imitates the sound*. Actually it sounds like a musical saw.

J: It sounds beautiful. But do you need the instrument if you can produce the same sound yourself?
- Well, it’s the coolest instrument in the world. You’ll just move your fingers in the air and the sound somehow comes out of the box. Of course, I could try to sing like that my mouth closed and move my fingers in the air. Actually, this is a really good idea. If I won’t learn to play it correctly I can produce the sound this way.

I: Just keep humming and move your fingers. Where in Finland can you take theremin classes? Is this going to become a famous instrument in the future? If someone now wonders whether to start practising guitar playing or theremin playing, which one do you recommend?
- I recommend people to take theremin classes from me. The instrument will become very popular in Finland and I’ll promise to play it at On the Rocks, no matter what the girls say.

I: Excellent. So, the new single is In Passing. What’s passing, Jonsu?
- Probably my life. At least that’s how I feel right now. A while ago I said in an interview that it feels like we released the compilation album a week ago, although the album had been released four months ago. And I feel that I was 12 years old not so long ago. So, my life is passing.

J: So the childhood is over, as (the Finnish band) PMMP sings.

- - -

I: How did it sound like? The first time… Indica… Jonsu… in English?
- It wasn’t actually the first time I heard the song, if you meant the question for me.

I: But it was the first time for us. J: Ilkka and I almost started to cry. I: Or maybe it was your aching ear that made you wanting to cry. J: It’s true that my ear aches a lot right now, but not because of Indica. Actually, listening to Indica helped. It was like sappy nectar tricked to my ear in order to push the earwax away.
- Wonderful! I’ve always said that music has a healing power.

J: Yes it has. I: So, Jenny, did Indica heal you more than the garlic you tried before, the one that you pushed to your ear - when you were 23 years old - and needed a doctor to pull it away? J: In my opinion, they won’t neutralize each other. On the contrary, they support each other: Indica and garlic in the ear. I: Please send SMS messages and tell us what you think about the song. Jonsu will be here when we read your messages, so you can also send her questions.

- - -

J: “It sounded quite bright”, writes someone. I: “It works much better in English. In Finnish it sounds too much like Maija Vilkkumaa. Now you are more unique.” J: Vege writes: “Indica rules. I like this a lot. Jonsu, please come to play it in my 50 years birthday party.
- Of course we’ll come, any time. Just contact Popgram’s Jake and we’ll come.

J: By the way, Vege continues that the birthday party is in January 31, 2013. I: At least you’ll have a lot of time to practise.
- Okay. Well, if I’m still alive then, I’ll be there, Vege. I’ll do my best.

I: Antti from Hämeenlinna writes: “Indica sounds good in English, as good as in Finnish. Jonsu has a sexy voice”. J: “English Indica sounds like the great Finnish band LAB.
- Okay. This is the first time we’ve been compared to them.

J: What kind of comparisons have you heard earlier, besides Tori Amos and Uuno?
- Usually we’ve been compared to artists like Maija Vilkkumaa, and outside Finland to Kate Bush.

I: “The song was like fairies’ jingle. It was really beautiful just like other Indica songs, but not quite as beautiful as the singer herself. Regards: your secret admirer.”
- These comments make me blush.

J: Let’s try this one. I: Read some negative feedback for a change. J: This one is actually a bit critical: “I love Indica, but this one sounds a bit weird. If you improved your pronunciation a bit, it would be better. Indica has always had beautiful lyrics, but your English doesn’t seem to be fluent enough.” How do you reply to that?
- I just say that you should have heard me singing this BEFORE I improved my pronunciation a bit.

I: “Indica works in English too: another great song from Indica. Thank you Indica and YleX.” You’re welcome. “A wonderful song. I’ve passed the time of my life during which I was able to live without worries. Now I have to stress about everything. Greetings to Jonsu”, writes Eltsu.
- Oh.

J: “Oh, when Jonsu started to sing, I got chills. I like Indica in Finnish too, but this version reached on a new level. It reminds me from LAB’s singer Ana. Wonderful, wonderful. Regards: Jonsu-looking Mea from Turku”. You have a competitor in Turku.
- Okay. Thank you, listeners, you are really cute, wonderful and sweet today. Or maybe these guys have just picked the most positive comments.

I: No, we haven’t. “Don’t tell my wife, but this wasn’t total crap at all. My work day has gone surprisingly fast”, comments Niko from a Scania truck. So, he likes this too.
- Thank you. Hugs and kisses to everyone.

I: Here’s a good question for you: “Is Indica going to perform also Sergeant Carolina (Kersantti Karoliina) in English during the European tour”, asks Sami from Imatra.
- We haven’t planned to do so, but never say never.

J: “The Baseballs should cover Indica too. A nice song”, writes someone. I: We also received the following message: “Greetings to Jonsu. There is no way that you would be allowed to play theremin at Rocks, unless you start practising it quickly. We’ll see you soon in Kirkkonummi”, comments the rest of Indica.
- *Laughs*. I’ll definitely play theremin there. I don’t remember if I already said it, but I received the third and final master tape today, so I, Tuomas, Tero and the girls are going to celebrate it in Kirkkonummi.

I: Have a nice party. Please give my regards to Tuomas and the girls. Thank you for visiting, Jonsu. J: Thank you.
- Thank you.

Text: Indica was founded in 2002.

Host: Whew. It’s all I can say and laugh because Tortsu and I are in Espoo’s forest on a Saturday evening at nine o’clock. We intend to go to that direction. We just got instructions to the mobile phone and we should find Indica and their video shooting team there. We try to find out why Indica shoots their video at night in a forest. Let’s go.

Host: Well, we found Indica’s Heini and Jonsu from the forest. We have followed the shootings for a while, but we want more information. Why are we on a Saturday night in Espoo’s forest?
Jonsu: Oh, I have to say that I’ve no idea. The band doesn’t even know yet what we are supposed to do in the video.
Heini: We didn’t have anything else to do on this Saturday, so we wanted to check out what is it like in a forest of Espoo and Kauniainen.
Jonsu: And we intend to have a sober Saturday. But unfortunately the crew will probably take a few drinks soon, so the band members must probably be the drivers tonight. Otherwise no one can get away from this forest.

Text: The Pahinta tänään music video was directed by Jesse Hietanen.

Jesse: I have a small request for everyone. Please try to stay on this side in order to avoid accidents, because we have a lot of power cables there. So you’re not allowed to pass this border.

Host: This night will be long for you. It’s about ten o’clock now and the shootings will probably still take several hours.
Heini: We heard that we’re going to quit the shootings when the Sun rises. So this will take a few hours.
Jonsu: Wouldn’t it be awful to read a news tomorrow morning that someone had been frozen to death here? We wouldn’t have any friends after that.
Tortsu (the cameraman): “Frozen cameraman found in Espoo’s forest.”
Jonsu: We would get prosecuted for a homicide…
Heini: In addition to all this work.
Jonsu: …and exposure.
Heini: In that case this music video would be quite tragic.
Host: Then the music video would be remembered from something else than its fineness. It would have a great background story.

Text: Indica supported Nightwish on their Scandinavian tour in 2008.

Host: How are these masks related to the video?
Heini: We thought to include some Eyes Wide Shot theme here.
Jonsu: In fact, it was the marketing phrase the director used in order to sell the idea for us.
Heini: Yes it was indeed.
Jonsu: And I think we said: “It’s a very good idea, but the band won’t be naked under the robes. But the other can be if they want to.” But I think they are wearing quite a lot of clothes.
Heini: Yes they are, but who knows what’s going to happen this night.
Host: So when the Sun rises, who knows what kind of things you can find here.
Jonsu & Heini: Yeah.

Text: Valoissa is Indica’s fourth album.

Jonsu: Our feelings about the album?
Heini: We had a great crew making the album. They all were fully committed. We allowed Tuomas to keep two laundry days, but otherwise everyone promised to dedicate fully to the album until it’s ready.
Jonsu: I told Janne - our A&R - that I have to record vocals in that particular studio, because the atmosphere is the most important while singing. Without a good atmosphere your soul wouldn’t be fully in it. But bass and guitar can be recorded in Kerava.
Heini: Yeah.
Host: Isn’t the atmosphere as important with those instruments?
Heini: Apparently not. Damn it.
Jonsu: But we’ve always been there entertaining them and watching them behind the door.
Heini: Just like we entertained you. At Petrax we watched horror movies. So we had a great atmosphere there.
Jonsu: Yeah.
Heini: There, in a dark forest in the middle of nowhere.
Host: Did you also watch Eyes Wide Shot there at night?
Heini: No we didn’t. Let’s watch it when it’s time to record the vocals.
Jonsu: During the vocal recordings we have decided to watch at least Village and…
Heini: We also decided to watch the Orphanage.
Jonsu: Yeah, the Orphanage.
Host: Oh dear.

Text: The band was born in Northern Helsinki’s band school. Also Tiktak, Rasmus and Haloo Helsinki’s singer Elli have come from the same school.

Host: Let’s talk about the producer whose identity has been a big secret, but your record label revealed it to me. So Tuomas Holopainen from Nightwish has apparently produced your whole album.
Heini & Jonsu: Yeah.
Host: How on earth did Tuomas want to… I mean did you ask him to…
Jonsu: How on earth did he want to do it?
Heini: What a polite question!
Host: I meant that he hasn’t produced many albums for other people. That’s why I asked this.
Jonsu: Well, the idea was born during our Scandinavian tour where we supported Nightwish. We talked then and realized that our band and Tuomas had very similar visions. And we thought that our co-operation could work well.

Text: Earlier Tuomas Holopainen has produced only Nightwish and Silentium albums.

Host: The crew is walking towards us. Espoo’s night is getting even darker. We let you continue the shootings. Or actually you’ll begin the shootings with the band. Thank you very much for this interview and for letting us to follow your shootings. I wish the Sun doesn’t rise until you’ve managed to shoot everything you need.
Heini: Let’s hope for the best.
Jonsu: Now you guys could take a mask and a robe and join in.
Host: Who knows, who knows.
Jonsu: So watch the video closely.
Heini: Watch it closely.

Host: We managed to get out of the forest where Indica was shooting the video, but I got so interested about the Tuomas Holopainen case that I had to try to find him. Tuomas is in Hollola at Petrax studio, so the cameraman and I are driving to Hollola in order to find out why Tuomas decided to produce the album and what he thinks about all this.

Text: Holopainen has also composed the theme song for the Lieksa! movie, While Your Lips Are Still Red.

Host: When you’ve listened to Indica’s earlier albums as a fan, have you noticed something that you would have done differently as a producer? And did you want to implement some of those things on this album?
Tuomas: Of course. Everyone has their own opinions and everyone does things in their own way. I joined in this project because I felt that I might have something to give to the band. I mean that I’m not going to ruin their very unique soul landscape, but I try to bring something that in my opinion has been missing on their earlier albums. I don’t know if this will be a good or a bad thing, but I try to add my ideas to it.

Here’s a similar documentary of Valokeilojen vampyyri. And here’s my translation:

Host: Indica has arrived to the shootings. It rains a lot, but the video shootings are going on anyway. Why are we here in Kauniainen at this cottage?

Heini: We’ve arrived to this love nest where we shoot the love scene of Sirkku and Jasse from Hybrid Children.

Host: A love scene? I was told that you are shooting outdoors. Does the love scene happen outdoors?

Jonsu: The love scene happens indoors, but we have to see how much of it we dare to include to the final video. But at least Heini and I are going to watch it.

Heini: We want to see the situation.

Host: Okay. I heard that you started the shootings in the morning in Seurasaari. Apparently it rained then too.

Jonsu: Yes it did. We had a wild gig and big audience there.

Heini: There were at least three people watching us. It was wild: it rained a lot and we played in the rain.

Host: So it was a performance scene?

Heini: Yeah.

Host: So you’ll have a gig there in this video?

Heini: Yes. It will be the last scene of the video, but we started the shootings there.

Jonsu: And Heini swam in a mud puddle.

Host: Just for fun or for the video?

Heini: I decided to swim in that mud puddle just for fun. *grins*

Host: Okay. Now I dare to guess what this video is about. That Volkswagen bus is your tour bus and your journey begins here and ends up to the gig in Seurasaari. Or I suppose the video doesn’t tell where the gig is…

Heini: Exactly.

Host: …but you shot it in Seurasaari.

Jonsu: Yes. I’d say that this is a quite realistic description of our regular weekend concert trip. It goes more or less like this.

Heini: Yes it does. All these scenes have happened a few times in real life too.

Jonsu: The video is like a documentary.

Host: So the band members are picked up from their love nests when it’s time to go somewhere to play?

Heini: Only Sirkku is picked up from a love nest, definitely not the rest of us.

Jonsu: The others would rather belong in a nunnery.


Text: The Valokeilojen vampyyri video was directed by Jesse Hietanen who has already worked with the band before.


Laura: Am I covering the Volkswagen sign?

Host: Did Jesse have some visions you didn’t want to implement? Or on the contrary, did you suggest some kind of potty humour he didn’t want to implement?

Jonsu: Yes we did.

Heini: Naturally the band would have wanted to include some potty humour to the video. But Jesse had made several different scripts, but our potty humour wouldn’t have suited to any of them. *laughs*

Host: So you didn’t think about lyrics?

Heini: Yes we did. Potty humour would have suited well to those lyrics.

Jonsu: The song is… Actually we have had quite a struggle with both the song itself and the video. I wrote this song when I was about 13 years old. And when we were making the compilation album - which by the way includes three new songs - and were considering which songs to put there, I suggested a bit more serious song and the band members definitely wanted this one and we had a long struggle. We decided to record both and choose the song later, and I have to agree that the band members’ choice is more suitable as our first single.

Heini: Yay, we were right. We managed to talk Jonsu round and in the end she agreed with us on the verge of tears. In my opinion the result is good. It’s comic, but good.

Jonsu: Yes it is. They asked me that do I take myself too serious, because I thought that I couldn’t sing the lyrics I wrote as a 13-years-old, but the result is funny.

Host: You will publish this song on your compilation album. So Jonsu didn’t have to write many new songs, because she found this old unreleased song.

Heini: Actually we all remember this song well from our early years and we thought that we definitely have to publish this on the compilation album.

Jonsu: The best thing about this is that when I told a couple of people that we’ll release this song, they were like “Oh my god, will you really record Valokeilojen vampyyri? Wonderful!”

Heini: Old fans definitely know this song.

Host: Usually when a band releases a compilation album, it means that they are buying time in order to keep a small break. Does this mean that you’re not going to publish a new album at least for a year?

Heini: Well, we haven’t planned yet when we are going to make a new album.

Jonsu: We’re not going to keep a break. One of the reasons for this compilation album was that most shops no longer have our old albums available … wait… Can I rephrase my answer?

Host: Just keep going and we’ll edit this later.

Jonsu: I wonder what I was going to say.

Heini: Are you having a blackout?

Jonsu: Are they called “back catalogs”?

Host: Yeah, if you mean the records that the band has released earlier.

Jonsu: Can I say that “most shops no longer sell back catalogs”?

Laura: Yes.

Heini: Say what you want.

Jonsu: We’re definitely not going to keep a break, but at this point the compilation album was a good…
*laughter*

Jonsu: This is difficult.

Heini: What do you try to say?

Host: So you’re not going to keep a break, but you released the compilation album anyway.

Jonsu: Our f…king recording contract says that after the fourth album there will be a compilation album!

Heini: We didn’t have a choice.

Jonsu: Just kidding. We would have had a choice, wouldn’t we?

Heini: No. *laughs*

Host: So how do you want to phrase this?

Heini: We signed the recording contract when we were kids and it includes this compilation album.

Laura: We were f…king stupid!

Host: But let’s look on the bright side. You didn’t have to make more than two or three new songs.

Host: I think it’s time to let you shoot this scene. I’m so interested about the love scene that I’m now looking forward to see it.

Heini: I’m interested about it too. Let’s unleash Jasse and Sirkku.

Jonsu: Thanks to you, and you.

Host: Thank you too.