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© Imperiumi MMVII
Interview and article: Mape Ollila
Pics: Nightwish, Remedy, Planet Mosh, Solar Films
http://www.imperiumi...erviews&id=1401



Nightwish: "Imaginarium"


The same familiar old song: Nightwish will make the most expensive record ever in Finland. The CD and movie both carrying the name "Imaginarium" are, like we have heard before from Tuomas Holopainen, "the most ambitious project ever made in the Finnish music".

According to Tuomas the idea for making "Imaginarium" was born when Dark Passion Play was finished in spring 2007. By the time there weren't a single song made for "Imaginarium", but Holopainen was thinking about already, what would be the next natural step on Nightwish's path. While we know Tuomas's lifetime enthusiasm towards the cinema, a film wouldn't really become as a surprise for anyone.

- With Nightwish everything has been done already, we have grown so big that there won't be much new to gain along that path. I started thingking which would be our thing, a thing which also would bring something fresh into our concept. I had this moment of "enlightment", like why don't we take another dimension into use: the image. Our music has always been cinematic, so let's concretize it now. I startred creating a sountrack for a film which would hopefully be realeased in one day. I am ambitious and crazy, I want to do something that has never been done before. Even though The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Lordi have made films linked to their music, we are still about to make something innovative, which is unseen and unheard before.

- From the beginning I had it clearly in my mind that if the film ever got real, it would be Stobe Harju who directed it. I was convinced about that along making of "The Islander" -video, and therefore I knew that it is possible to make such quality in Finland that my visions for "Imaginarium" will become real.


Tuomas told his bandmates about his idea around the New Year 2007/2008. It was received with enthusiasm but soon after the first intense moments the reality hit back in the face in the form of questions about how to fianace this huge project. The last needed euros were confirmed in the 'chest' only last week. Only then began the promotion campaign of this huge project.


The lion's share of the funds will come, like for the last two albums, from the band itself.

- We have started with the mentality that if we are ever able to get our investments back, we will be more than happy. It has been very comforting and sweet, when the bandmates believe in this project so much that they agreed to go for it financially.





DRIVEN BY DREAMS

The healthily sceptical bandmembers were finally convinced about the power of the idea behind "Imaginarium" only after they had heard the first "Röskö demo" aka the demo recordings made during the Röskö Summer Camp and after they had gotten to read the manuscript of the film. Director Stobe Harju reveals that he and Tuomas had withheld the manusscript from the other bandmembers for the fear of their possible reactions to it. It is an extraordinary expensive project, though.

- Foremost my concern is that it's gambling with my friends' money. The consultant of the project Marcus Selin says that his biggest concern is the director exceeding the budget and while I am a debutant director, it has created me some stress. However, we have been aware of our resources all the time and we will constantly try to make the most out of it. It's also great because the project was not started from the commercial origins, but from the desire to make this "thing". For the past two and half years we have agreed with Tuomas on most everything.


Also, the fundraising is done. Tuomas tells that they set a ceiling for the budget and it has to hold. Meaning "we will work on the resources we've got". Only the final support from The Finnish Film Foundation remains yet undecided.

The project has been received well until now, but understandably with scepticism, as it can be compared to Lordi's Dark Floors in the recent past which didn't quite succeed according to the expectations set by the band and the production company. Tuomas and Stobe do symphatize Dark Floors because it's appearance, direction and camera work is excellent. Stobe also raises his hat to Solar Films who, despite the modest success of Dark Floors still show faith in "Imaginarium". Stobe thinks that the reason for their faith lies in the strength of the band and the storyline of "Imaginarium", which isn't tied to a certain time. Dark Floors might have come out somewhat late when the Lordi-hype had peaked already. But Nightwish has a long set of successes under their belt. Self-ironically Tuomas says that maybe now it's about the time to fail.


The huge task of the "Imaginarium" project will raise the question whether the new music has been aimed only for the film project, and if the film project didn't catch up the necessary funding, would Tuomas then rather have written completely new music for the upcoming CD. Tuomas answers that not making the film was never an option. Yet he stresses that from the very beginning it was important for him that the music shall work on it's own alone on the CD without the visual back-up of the film.

- I didn't want in any phase start making "Sweeney Todd", a musical where the story is told by singing. The lyrics on the CD will not mention the main charachters' names nor do consist of parts of the film's dialog. Thematically they do swim in the same waters and the CD will tell the same story, but in "more universal spirit".


Stobe thinks that "Imaginarium" is an unseen way of telling a story because it can't be considered to be a music video nor a musical due the lack of direct elements from both aforementioned styles.

- Yes, I would like to think that nobody has done this before because Pink Floyd's "The Wall" only maybe walks far in the same regions. "Moulin Rouge" walks also in the same regions. Same with "Sweeney Todd". We will hear the whole album contents in the film and it will tell the same story, but there will be dialog over the music and between the music as well. Part of the music will be re-arranged so that maybe some intros get dropped or chorus parts will lack the sung lyrics and other such alterations like some parts might get elongated. Arrangements will be made according the demands set by the narrative.




I recall hearing Tuomas say a couple of years ago that "on the next CD there will be a video from every song". The original idea of "Imaginarium" was to shoot 12 thematically connected music videos or short movies to form a whole.

- My original idea was to make it without dialog and without too clear featured storyline. Ideas for those came from Stobe.


First Stobe was interested in making a film without dialog, but during the writing process it became clear that this idea will not hold. Tuomas admits that even he himself is unable to watch a film without dialog much past the half an hour mark. One has to ask if the becoming film can be applied as a promotional tool for the traditional music industry or even modified for commercial use so that any song could be cut out for a stand alone music video? The aswer is no. Stobe reveals that Nightwish will play at least on one but no more than on three music videos.

- The idea in the beginning was that any song could be cut out for a standalone music video, but the storyline has developed and formed so solid that it's hard to imagine any part of the movie be viewed as a music video any more. The band has been written in the storyline to appear playing when the story needs it, not just "playing in the meantime". In music videos it's important that the band is clearly shown, but in the movie there are songs without a sight of the band. If we make music videos from this film material, editing them will take some special decisions.




WHAT, WHERE, WHEN AND WITH WHOSE MUSCLES?

The project was aimed to release the CD and film as closely as possible, but making the CD has proceeded so far that it's release can't be postponed any more. The first sigle from "Imaginarium" will come out in late 2011 and the album right in the beginning of the year 2012. According to Tuomas the film will hit the theaters "a month or three" after the CD release date, but definitely during the first half of 2012.

- We played with the idea that we would let the film out first, then the fans would have been forced to go to cinema on order to hear new NW-music. Unfortunately it was impossible, because we must start touring and it takes time to hire tecnicians and book the gigs. Original plan was to release the CD in September 2011 but now it's been postponed to next January. For practical reasons the CD must come out first.



Let's play some more with the idea that the film would have come first. If it would have succeeded it had really turned the music industry's earning logig upside down. The most eager fans would have wanted to watch it several times in theaters and paid a ticket for each view. Pirating the music would have been difficult: who'd want to listen to a pompous metal symphony recorded with crappy camcorder microphones for bootlegging. At the best case the movie would have earned the invested money back at the box-office even before anything physical was available for pirating. Now when thinking this idea when it's come to public knowledge, one has to wonder why any of the huge bands or artists haven't realized this concept yet?



"Imaginarium" is a co-production of Nightwish's Scene Nation, Tuomas's own Potoska Publishng and Finnish film production company Solar Films. Like Tuomas said already: not making the film wasn't an option - not even if Tuomas had to gamble on all his property. Fortunately he didn't have to go that far.

- We have lived this dream so many years already that I couldn't have let off of it even at some point raising the funds seemed quite a desperate effort. I heard someone say that it'll not work, just go and make the plain album. But I couldn't have been able to live with myself if we didn't do this. I was about to mortgage my property to finance this project. The others would not let me, though.


Stobe says that he remebers exactly the moment when the manuscript was finished and he and Tuomas finally understood how good it actually turned out. Tuomas went straight from the spot to tell the managers that it was the time for everybody to understand the fact that this album cannot be made without the film. Simultaneously Stobe became aware of the stress of the project.

- Only then I realized all the pressures involved. It was about the band's own money and film budgets tend typically never remain in their frame. Even the manual of The Finnish Film Foundation for professionals of the trade begins with the sentence: "Film making is a risky busiess." Hence we took so long time for the pre-planning and hence we were forced to make extremely careful plans. Every possible hurdle that may occur must be predicted and resolved in advance.


Solar Films in the role of professional consultant posesses a large expertise in the film making business, unlike this work team. The support from Solar will ease their pressure. Stobe gives an example:

- Anything can happen, but for those situations we have Solar, who try to prevent surprises. Unpredicted situations may occur and there goes the budget blown in the air. For example, two main role actors may get sick simultaneously causing the schedule extend for a week because all weekdays have been booked for shooting other scenes. This may create a snowball phenomenon. These are issues for the production company to mind.


According to Tuomas, as an amateur he can not comprehend how this kind of project can be completed in one year, but he has full faith in Stobe and Markus Selin. His trust has a strong base: Selin has produced about 30 feature films and Stobe has completed earliear some "impossible" projects. Harju produced 90 minutes of cinematic material for the award winning videogame "Alan Wake" in an astonishing schedule.

- We were told that "Alan Wake" must be done without cinematics. Those can't be finished within the schedule. The executive director looked at me and asked: Stobe, will we get it done? In a second I replied "yeah". It took exactly 30 weeks to accomplish the task. We made some fine looking, even award-winning cinematics for the game. Success in that task makes me feel confident in front of this project. We began planning "Imaginarium" with Tuomas even before I started working with "Alan Wake". In the last months we have shared the full belief in completing this project according to the scedule as well.




CLUB OF COMMON THINKING

You will not get huge spoilers out of this article, because despite my best effort the couple refrain from exposing the storyline of the film in words. Tuomas only says that he had a clear vision of the general themes which should appear in the originally planned short movies. Those can be discussed now.

- Dark Passion Play was gloomy, but the subjects of this theme album are the beauty of the world and it's good sides and the power of imagination and memories. Very un-metal'ish themes, without forgetting the dark side and melancholy. This will become a good heavy metal album, there will be heavyness and hard blasting, but I wanted to present more of the better side of life. I want that when the crowds come out of the cinema, everyone will be filled with good feeling and lust for life.


In practice during the existence of Nightwish Tuomas has told us that his songs are his way of writing his diary. Can "Imaginarium", a fantasy film, still represent the pages of the same diary, and how?

- After the hard times on the previous album I might have understood something about life and become... not necessarily "more posotive", because it is such an awful word and "positivity" sucks ass, but I am maybe... more life-happy. This feeling I want to bring to others, too, so it's still the same old diary I'm writing. I don't know, it may happen that soon my life might seem to look like going down the sewer and the next CD will be black metal, but this is my current feeling.


Stobe agrees that all said above by Tuomas will be visible in the film: despite how low a person falls in life, there will always appear the ray of light which usually comes from the person's own imagiantion. Always a small thing that brings strength. Stobe even opened the story a little:

- For the main charachter of the film, the old composer, music is the most important part of life, but the most importand rays of light still come from other directions. After watching the film understanding those little things will hopefully be much clearer to the viewer. The composer has had quite a wild imagination when he was a child, and by returning to his childhood fantasies he will learn to understand his current situation in life. Fantasies will help him to remember the most important things along his past life and surprisongly not all are about music. Fans may detect very familiar references to some familiar persons.


Writing the storyline has been a special challenge for Harju, because he has known the members of Nightwish for a relatively short time and they haven't discussed about what has happened in everyones' lives. So Harju has been forced to re-write the band members' history with the means of fantasy. The musicians have received Stobe's visions with good spirits, and at lest in Tuomas's head has Stobe dug so deep already that their connection partially reminds me of telepathy. They don't even need to speak everything aloud. According to Stobe their preferences in many things like in literature, cinema and music are sometimes disturbingly similar.

- In the beginning or the project I was occasionally afraid of Tuomas to consider me a yes-man, because there didn't seem to be found a single thing to disagree. Even our subjects of disgust were similar.


The mental connection between the two interests me to the degree that I ask Tuomas how well another person like Stobe or the storyboard drawer of the movie, Arto Harju-Autto at Lapland Studios or the concept artist "ToxicAngel" Janne Pitkänen, will be able to transcribe someone's imagination into images.

- The images are as close to my visions as ever possible. With Pitkänen we have created this connection years ago and Stobe has taken it to other dimensions, because all I had in mind was the 12 songs, each with an attached image.


Even when the progress of the project via the participants mirroring each other's minds could be called some kind of positive whirlwind, Stobe compares it to a hen vs. an egg situation.

- I have had access to listen to the band's demos at every stage and every time I had my hair standing up, even with the first demos Tuomas declared plain shit. Of course I didn't reveal the shivers I got, but when every new demo tops my all expectations, it drives me to do my part better, too. Everyone has visions in their head when listening to Nightwish's music, but when the songs grow while the work progress towards the final mix, it builds up my challenge as well.

- The things will grow also while mine and Tuomas's preferences are so similar, we'd bounce ideas between us asking if this would sound good and the other would reply instantly that it's good but wouldn't this sound even better. It happens all the time. We have been able to compromize, too, which is very important.




SYRUP, S'IL VOUS PLAIT?

Stobe says that after reading the manuscript of "Imaginarium" it'll be appropriate to ask whether the story will be too sweet, but it's credibility lies on the synthesis of music and image. Tuomas considers these starting points a really big challenge for making a credible film.

- The concept sounds just as honey-filled and syrupy as anything can be. The challenge lies right there but we are on a good cause here. If we manage deliver it into people's ears and eyes with credibility, it will work!




It took some efforts from the musically uncompromising Tuomas to digest the fact that the flow of the movie demanded previously explained changes in the music, but now Tuomas agrees that it makes the project even more interesting and he can still publish his original visions of the songs on the CD.

Tuomas has good feeling about the CD. "Imaginarium" is ready except the vocals and mixing. Mixing will start on April 1st and they have reserved two months for it. You can make your conclusions about the tracks to work on at the mixing desk.

In addition to Tuomas's compositions the movie will include some more action related music, "in between score" created by Petri Alanko, who also worked in the "Alan Wake" -crew. Alanko appreciates Nightwish's music and knows the lines which the music by Tuomas follows, so Stobe considers him the only possible choice for the job.


Tuomas recalls his visit at the score recording sessions in London:

- We have so much of the choir and orchestra and whatnot bells and whistles and it will be impossible to put it all on the record. But we have to use it somewhere, it is so awesome material.

The cynic in me counts that a separate film release accompanied with an expanded version of the already released CD would make an additional bait to purchase the physical movie DVD when it will be released some day.





CYCNICS AS HANDBRAKES

Stobe thaks his luck for having the realist Markus Selin in charge of the production company connection. Harju considers himself a dreamer like Tuomas, one who can make the budget grow enormous in no time. For the luck the cold palm of the financial reality (in the form of Selin's hand) will slap occasionally on his face. Also Jukka Nevalainen works as an anchor when the feet of these two dreamers will get floating too high above the ground. Someone must be able to shut the window through which the dreamers keep shoveling money in the wind.

- We are the Ozzys and they are our Sharons laughs Tuomas.


Along his position as the rope holding the Stobe-balloon, Selin has taught Harju the realities which have to be in order before even starting to shoot the project.

- One must know how to select actors before delving into grand visions, because it'll be the actors who will cost really lots of money. How huge effects are necessary and which are genuinely important for the storyline. I would like to have everthing on the manuscript visible on the screen, but then again, it won't be a realistic option. Markus has an important role - someone has to conduct the magic pocket calculator.


We will not talk about actors because casting has only begun. Also the names of the actors won't be of importance.

- We don't want the film to culminate in any known actor/actress instead of Nightwish and the storyline.


According to Tuomas there are no roles available even if Cruise or Depp would want to work for free in this film. Stobe thinks that if for example highest on the poster would read Johnny Depp above Nightwish and "Imaginarium", it would be wrong. But there will not be any fear of such thing.





UNBELIEVABLE BUT CREDIBLE

The film will be fantasy and surrealistic by character but it's credibility is built with every detail. One aspect is that English pronounciation has to be credible. The cast must be native speakers of English. No additional fee for proper language, but costs will be followed intensively. "Even if we'd like to have a few flocks of whales floating in the sky but the sum would be the same to hire the main actor for a week, we rather have the main actor" explaíns Tuomas.

Shooting of Imaginary will begin in the spring with director of photography Hena Blomberg. Blomberg who photgraphed the Islander -video knows already the wawelegth of Stobe and Tuomas and will be familiar with the scenery of the film.


Currently music and storyboard are ready as well as part of concept art which should be all finished by June. I had a chance to listen to one instrumented and orchestrated track while watching a couple of hundreds frames of the storyboard, and I won't question the cofidence Tuomas and Stobe have on the project. Holopainen and Harju are definitely crazy, but the line between genius and crazy becomes maybe even more volatile by "Imaginarium".

The indicator of a successful fantasy is it's ability to open doors in even the most cynical person's mind. It can peek throgh the shades of real world into places where miracles happen. Six minutes and 41 seconds of music from "Imaginarium" and the cartoon-like storyboard frames were enough to blow me out of the usual and the teardrop in the corner of my eye told me that we can expext huge things from the "Imaginarium". Only the short section from it's beginning include shaking, moving beauty, comfortably familiar to fans - and plenty of miracles.

The "brothers" seem to have enough visions, but which of them will turn into realty on the film will be seen. At first "Imaginarium" sounded like a "100 million euros -project" to Stobe but with careful planning and research they aren't too scared of the costs any more.



ENTER 2012 – IMAGINARIUM TOUR

Stobe begins to vision how incredible it would be to hear Nightwish play the music from the film with live orchestra in front the film running on the screen in the background. The idea of Nightwish playing with an orchstra has been tossed around since Century Child era, but wasn't there even more reason to do it now? It's another dream allright, but dreams have been the fuel for Nightwih for well over a decade. The band powered by dreams has gained a lot and there is a reason to presume that even bigger things are waiting in the future.

In the real world the band will start touring next Janyary and the whole year 2012 has been reserved for touring. How the "Imaginarium" will transfer on the stage is yet covered by twilight. Meetings with Teemu Koivistoinen, the man who has created stages for Lordi and other known Finnish acts, have been held and ideas tossed about how to fit selected film scenes on the concert stage. Tuomas says that the film demands video screens on the stage, but everything is still pending. They aren't taking the whole CD on the stage, even the idea of playing the full theme album plus three encores makes Toumas shiver in disapproval.

What will actually end on stage will be seen in January 2012


[ Translated by The Enigma, March 08. 2011 ]

A week or so ago I felt the Curse of the Mummy was cast upon us. The vocal recordings were set to begin on Monday March 7th but Anette fell at her home just a few days before that and broke her rib. Thinking positive, luckily just that, from the sound of it it could`ve been much worse. So now she just needs to rest and heal well before we continue, the new vocal recording date set to the beginning of April. We`ll take our time and do nothing half-way at this point.



So we called Marco to enter the studio for a couple of days before he left for winter holidays with his family. We figured we need to make the best of the booked studio time anyway. The first thing he told me on Tuesday was that he`d slipped on his front porch and hurt his rib, not sure if he`ll be able to sing. At the same time Mikko (Karmila, the recording engineer) was lying in bed, sick to the core.

On Wednesday Marco was still hurting, Anette hadn`t improved at all, Mikko was still sick in bed and Tero (Kinnunen, the other recording engineer) was run over by a horse and a cart (!)



There was 3 more weeks of studio time left and I was alone sipping some Shiraz by the studio`s mixing console trying to come up with a counter - spell to put the poor mummy`s soul to rest.



Now, a week later things are looking much brighter. Marco was actually able to sing a couple of tracks thanks to Mr. Burana, Tero hurt his pride worse than his body, Mikko is back from the dead, and I just heard Anette was able to go outside for the first time in two weeks. Wonderful news! I also got all my keyboard, piano & hammond - parts recorded, we got majority of the soundscapes a`la Mr. Jussi Tegelman put in place and Mikko already started the editing process. So no studio time wasted after all.

Now it`s all about waiting for Anette to get well, getting Marco to record the rest of his vocals, and flying Troy over to record his pipes and show us some of his legendary magic.



In the meanwhile, a beautiful springtime to everyone. I`ll write more soon.





Tuomas

Da ist von Hammond Parts die Rede, das fände ich ja mal richtig geil wenn Tuomas Orgel spielt...

Interview with Plamen

Tuesday, 22 March 2011 15:24


While speaking with Plamen recently, the idea came up to ask him some questions about Tuomas so he would have the chance to discuss one of his most talented student. We opened the questions up for our forum members to ask whatever they wanted to this man who inspired Tuomas at the very beginning.



What made you decide to pursue this idea to speak about Tuomas?

First of all the music that Tuomas makes speaks more than the words I will say about him. But the fact, that I was one of the first who understood really his abilities as a composer and a bandleader, makes me to want to talk about this wonder what we have here in the middle of the forest in Finland

What did you think of Tuomas when you met him for the first time? Did his musical ability stand out even back then?

First time when I met Tuomas he was a child, and we kept close relations between the families. The really first time was in the school, he was seated on the first bench in music class. Then he has glasses, behind the glasses were his eyes, and behind the eyes...a big world, maybe not ocean nor forest, but something that we will see in Imaginarium soon. His eyes told me then...you know, something more, he knew more like I know something that you don’t know.

Was Tuomas a good music student?

Yes. He was playing saxophone in the first school band called Brass Band, 1995 formed the first Chameleon project, and 1996 Play that Funky-Humppa Music. So he was playing then jazz, jazz-rock, funk...but I am very glad that I didn’t mix his ideas, visions and plans that he has in his own mind. For me the best that any teacher can do is to listen to also what the students want. What they wish for and what they are going to do, and to give them the chance to go ahead to create their new thing, the thing that does not belong to the previous generation.

Was there anything in particular that Tuomas had trouble with as a student?

Tuomas is that kind of person. As a child, if you take from his hands the toy, he will give you another one. Really peaceful character, charming soul, deep thoughts and a pilgrim of his huge inside world.

What did you think when you heard Tuomas' own compositions for the first time?

It was 1996. I got call to go to the place where the studio was, Huvikeskus, and listen to the song called “Nightwish” A never recorded piece since at the time. There was another one, I don’t remember exactly...but think it was the start of “The Carpenter” from the first album “Angels Fall First”. My thoughts were for the first time I am listening operatic vocal with rock based playing. First thing I saw was the melancholic, carefully made lyrics, and something that was never heard before. Actually I was listening to many and different kinds of music. But if I say that I saw the elements of the becoming heavy monster, no-way. I am not sure but I saw the very unique style, very unique way to represent music, and let’s say philosophical way of thinking. Maybe now we see that things such as Ocean Soul, Century Child, Wishmaster. Names with meaning, pieces with deep sense and human value.

What do you think of Tuomas when he keeps saying he's out of practice?

Very rare moments in our relationship, he was almost always practicing. Since the day when he started to believe to his own ideas, his own visions and start of the beginning of the new era not only in his life, but also in the worlds rock music, in the world’s heavy music.

How do Nightwish/Tuomas fans react to you, knowing that you played a role in the life of NW/Tuomas?

The fans want to be near to their heroes. Tuomas is very busy, he is just only one Tuomas and he is not enough to all his fans. He also belongs to his family, his own life, to the band. So many fans contact I think the manager, his website, me as a teacher and close to him. So of course there are questions about the early years and so on.

What is your general opinion on Tuomas' work?

First of all he is visionary; he is genius composer/poet/creator of music. He feels the time; he makes music not only for the time were we live but for years ahead. His weapon is the water, the thing that united the people and thing that touches every one of us. The music of Tuomas and the lyrics can influence everyone also in separate way...only as music, and only as poems.

After all success Nightwish has had musically, what's the feeling about the ambitious project of making a movie? Did you support the idea since the beginning?

Tuomas has always had huge ideas. In one speech about him in Kitee Hall, I said words that now I can say again. The great John Lennon was talking; Imagine all the people living life in peace. So as I said the very very big ocean is the thing that touches us, and thing that is in Tuomas’ mind for the peaceful world. We don’t know yet what Imaginarium will say to us.

How do you feel when you think one of your students is one of the most famous people in Finland?

I am very proud of that!!!! I am too proud to explain to you it’s just like a fairy-tale.

Do you think all this fame has affected Tuomas and his family routine lives?

They are all still ordinary people as before, Tuomas too. Maybe it is a bit difficult with the media. You know media is waiting not only for good news, but they can make from a little bad news a huge problem and huge discussion. Newspapers need to sell more and more copies.

What do you believe makes Tuomas so unique as a person and musician?

Modesty. If he one day takes 12 Grammys home, he will be the same boy as the good old times. In very simple terms...genius.

Are there any other past students that you really think could have made and impact in the music world but didn't go for it?

They are many who impressed me then with rock-blues, soul styles that belong to me. However the new style, new sound, new visions made by Tuomas. The new sound always impressed me.

Which is your favourite instrument to teach and which do you find easiest to teach in general?

Keyboards but I also play violin, bass: I am very good in the slap-bass technique. I also play guitar, drums, and do arranging. Remember 1998 on Oceanborn sessions at school time Tuomas told me that “you play Plamen, but I don’t have notes for you for every piece” I said that’s why we are here, because we don’t need too many notes, as a joke. Up to now, I have put together more than 80 bands. For every band i say “Listen, there is two ways to play on the gigs. From notes or from banknotes” Maybe doesn’t sound as good in English as in Finnish, and my abilities are limited.

Is there any advice you would give to a talented student that don't trust his/her own aptitudes?

Very good question. I am teaching, but mine main point in the teaching process is to take from the inside-world of the student the stuff in there to the outside, and to show him. They are your resources that you can, and will work with. You can be 10 more people than now!! I’m always pushing them up and up, till my recourses finished. This is the greatest moment for me, when I see that the student is above me...and flying away with his future.

Did Nightwish’s success change your life in anyway?

Yes. That living legend is helping me much in my work. Maybe I am the happiest music teacher in whole Finland

Does Nightwish’s success affect your student’s ambitions in Kitee?

Very much, very much. 2 days ago I realised this is the 17th project in the last 20 years. The first was Chameleon with Tuomas. Some young lady recorded 7 ballads, and on the promotional gig the warm up band was...DAYWISH, from Kitee, 12 year old children :)J

Any final words

All worlds’ wonders are somewhere in the deep blue ocean, or into the deep dark forest. Here in Finland we have both.


Plamen Dimov

23.3.2011 Kitee

Finland

edit: Die schwarzen Tasten sind gar keine richtigen Tasten, darüber lassen sich Presets aufrufen.

nunja, Tuomas will nunmal vieles und großes ausprobieren...ich hoff der fliegt da ned auf die schnauze

Petrax Studio, März 2011, Teil 3

Während wir weiterhin auf Anettes Genesung warten, nutzen wir die Zeit für den letzten Feinschliff an Imaginarium. Damit meine ich die keltische Magie von Herrn Troy Donockley mit seinen Flöten & Bodhran und die flinken Finger von Herrn Pekka Kuusisto mit seiner Violine. Und für ein bisschen mehr Perkussion und Tribal Drums ist auch noch Platz.

Am Samstag Abend habe ich Troy vom Flughafen abgeholt. Zur gleichen Zeit waren Jukka und Kai (Hahto) in den Petrax Studios und haben neue perkussive Ideen geschmiedet und das ein oder andere Glas geleert. Als wir angekommen sind, hatten sie bereits alle Tamburine und Shaman Drums usw. im Kasten. Zufrieden mit der Arbeit des Tages haben wir die "Cumbrianisch-Karelische Dead Poets' Wiedervereinigung" gefeiert, indem wir den ultimativen Zaubertrank namens Salmari geöffnet haben. Jari (Sinkkonen von "Kotiteollisuus") ist für die Nacht auch zu uns gestoßen um Jukka ein neues Tattoo zu stechen.

Troy hat seine Flöten- und Bodhran-Parts in eineinhalb Tagen aufgenommen. Am Ende hat er sogar in einem Lied mitgesungen, was eine absolut geniale Idee in letzter Minute war. Diese besondere Stelle ist zu einem der absoluten Highlights des ganzen Albums herangewachsen. Am Samstag Abend konnten wir dann endlich die lang erwartete Show von Magier Troy bestaunen. Der Rest des Abends bestand aus Sauna und einem Youtube Medley aus unseren Favoriten wie z.B. "the ultimate tenor fail", "cat vs. printer w / translation", "Sony releasing a stupid piece of shit that doesn`t f...ing work", usw.

Pekkas Virtuosität an der Geige hat uns wieder einmal schlichtweg umgehauen. Er ist Montag Abend angekommen um ein paar Leads einzuspielen. Seine handgeschriebenen Noten lassen Rezepte von Ärzten wie Rembrandts Kunst aussehen. Ein wahres musikalisches Genie mit einem großen Herzen.

Ein riesengroßer Dank an Euch alle, die uns auf unserer Reise begleiten und ihren Beitrag zum Album geleistet haben! Ein besonderer Dank geht an Tiina und Petri, unsere Gastgeber, Betreuer und guten Freunde hier bei Petrax.

Im Moment nehmen wir gerade Anettes Gesang auf. Sieben Lieder sind schon geschafft. Sie ist noch nicht vollständig von ihrem Rippenbruch genesen, aber zum Glück beeinträchtigt es ihren Gesang nicht mehr. Sie hat nie besser geklungen! Jetzt ist es an der Zeit, ins Reich von Herrn Karmila aufzubrechen und Lied Nr. 8 zu bearbeiten.


Grüße aus dem verregneten und grauen Helsinki,

Tuomas

Geschrieben von Tuomas am 9. April 2011