Tuomas Holopainen InterviewPerformed in November 2013 As the saying goes, all things go in cycles, and so it was for me in regards to Nightwish’s Imaginaerum tour. I began the journey at the same time as they did: at the opening shows in Los Angeles, where fans heard the new songs live for the first time. It was also where I conducted my first interview with Tuomas Holopainen; he answered fan-submitted questions and did not shy away from anything his audience wanted to know. I found him charming, pleasant, and easy to talk to; he knows how to put people at ease and there is a way about him to where you do not feel as though you are giving an interview. You just get to talking and there is a natural flow to things that each answer gives way to another, and then another after that until your time is up.So I found it an honor to be able to end the voyage in the same place where it began: interviewing Tuomas for the Showtime, Storytime DVD; which chronicles the Imaginaerum tour from beginning to end, but mostly the latter 10 months of the tour when vocalist Floor Jansen stepped in after the abrupt departure of the band’s second vocalist, Anette Olzon. It was great to get another chance to talk to Tuomas and hear his thoughts on the tour now that it was all over, as opposed to his thoughts when he was first starting out. A year and a half had elapsed since then, and there have been a lot of changes in the Nightwish universe. But for all the hard times, the band is now on top of the world; officially procuring Floor Jansen as the band’s full-time vocalist and finally declaring Troy Donockley, “the master of the Uilleann pipesâ€, as a certified bandmember too.Tuomas called me from Nuclear Blast headquarters in Germany to talk a little about the DVD, the two newest additions to the band, his upcoming “solo album†based on Scrooge McDuck, his plans for the future of Nightwish, and a few other interesting things. I am usually not one to get up at 7:30 on a Saturday morning; but for Tuomas, I will make an exception!(Interview conducted on October 12th, 2013.)C.: Congrats on the new DVD, and congratulations to your two new additions to the band! Everyone seems to be happy about that.Tuomas: It seems like that; the band definitely is. I mean, it’s really good to finally come out with this, because we already decided this thing back in June. Well, in June, we had the courage to go and ask Floor and Troy whether they would be willing to continue in the band, and we got an immediate ‘yes’ from both of them. Then we decided that maybe we should just keep this quiet and come out with the information next year. But then, because of the release of this DVD and all of these interviews that we are doing; it’s just easier for everybody [to announce this now]. We announced this thing a few days ago [October 9th].C.: Yes, I interviewed Floor about 2 months ago, and she sort of hinted that it would be a major life-decision for her; but she already knew at that point. She’s really good at keeping secrets!Tuomas: Well, that was the agreement that we had, to keep it a secret, until three days ago.C.: Any reason why it took so long to officially recruit Troy?Tuomas: [laughs] We just thought it wouldn’t make any difference if he was an official member of the band or not, because he was gonna be with us anyway all the time. I mean, he’s such a wonderful personality and musician…there was no way we could do the shows without him anymore, so it was just a formality to make him an “official†member.C.: You’d think that, but there was some confusion among fans as to whether or not he was in the band…â€should I ask for an autograph?â€, etc.Tuomas: Actually, that’s a good point. There was some confusion, because he would only be onstage for 3, 4, 5 songs, and we would never introduce him [onstage] or anything like this. So he was a bit of a mystery, but now it’s clear for everybody.C.: Did you know you wanted Floor to stay from the beginning, or was there a particular moment when you remember thinking to yourself, “this is going to workâ€?Tuomas: She grew on us, week by week. When she first came, in the beginning of October of last year, there was something going on immediately. Well, we had known each other for over 10 years anyway; but still, there was something going on. I think it was sometime during last spring that we started to talk aloud, me and the other bandmembers: “What do you think about Floor? Should we ask her to stay in the band?â€, and all of that. It took a few months, and we just came to the conclusion that she’s as perfect as it gets, in every single way.C.: And everyone seems to like her, too.Tuomas: Yeah, the transition was incredibly smooth, and the fans were so incredibly supportive from the very beginning. I mean, I couldn’t believe how easy it was. I think that had to do with the fact that she already had a reputation and a long history; people knew her and respected her from her previous bands.C.: Since you decided to announce Floor officially a little earlier than originally planned, can we hope that means the new album will come sooner too?Tuomas: I think we need to stick to the original plan, because I don’t really have any songs done just yet. Just a few ideas, a few demos. What I’m gonna do is go into “deep hibernation†within a few weeks and stay there until June, because we have the rehearsal place reserved for July, August, and September. So I need to have all the songs done by then. But, if everything goes as scheduled, and everything goes smoothly, we should have the ready album in our hands by the end of the year [2014]; which means an April/May 2015 release.C.: That actually opens up the discussion a little bit about your Scrooge project and what you’re doing with that. Will you be touring or doing any live shows for the album?Tuomas: No; this is just a one-time side-project. I have no ambitions at all to go solo or do any live shows for Scrooge. Just the album release, and that’s it.C.: Would you ever consider another album like this or another “solo†project?Tuomas: I think it might be just a one-time thing. It kinda depends, because so far we’ve been able to fulfill a lot of those musical ambitions that we have under the name “Nightwishâ€. But this Scrooge [project] just felt like we can’t do it as Nightwish because it’s such a personal thing. So that’s why I decided to do it under my own name. If in the future, there comes a similar thing that we can’t realize under the name “Nightwishâ€, so then maybe yes. But I think this might be one-time only.C.: You already announced some guest vocalists/musicians for the Scrooge album. Would you like to reveal any other guests right now?Tuomas: can’t do that just yet, unfortunately, because I think we’re gonna have some kind of press statement coming up.C.: I had to try!Tuomas: Yeah, I know you did. [Laughs] But I have to say no, at this point.C.: Now about the DVD: it’s a chronicle of the Imaginaerum tour, which was really unique because you not only started it outside of your home country, but you ended it the same way. I didn’t ask you back then, but what was the reason for opening the tour in Los Angeles?Tuomas: Let me think; I’m not even sure I remember. I think it had to do with the fact that we still have the most to achieve in the U.S. I think that made a nice little extra boost for the band, for the album, for everything; to start off the tour in L.A.C.: On the same token, why did you choose to end the tour on the festival circuit, as opposed to doing the big send-off at Hartwall, like you’ve done on previous tours?Tuomas: Well, we didn’t want to be typical this time.C.: I’m going to ask you a question…you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but I was curious to know…back when you named your previous singer in 2007, you said it came down to her and another singer that was well-known on the scene. Was it Floor?Tuomas: No, it was not Floor. I have to be honest about that, we never even considered her because she was very busy with After Forever, and we didn’t want to steal anybody!C.: I’ll never ask who the other person was, then.Tuomas: Thank you for that.C.: With the two new bandmembers, this has given Nightwish a sort of “international flavor†now. Is it a new challenge for you, or are you already brimming over with ideas for songs?Tuomas: The whole world is open now. Troy, with his musicianship, he’s also a third singer in the band. We now have Floor with her versatility; able to do pretty much everything, even growl. So the table is pretty well-set.C.: Fans have come to expect certain things from your DVDs, like the bandmembers goofing around. What sorts of Nightwish standards can we expect on this DVD? More Marco pranks?Tuomas: [Laughs] What we really wanted to do with this documentary was to be a bit more serious; to give people an impression of the more serious side of touring, and of our personalities. Of course you need to have the occasional comic relief there; which, if you have seen the documentary, you know what I’m talking about. But, it’s definitely more serious than the stuff we have done before.C.: What are some of your favorite moments on the Showtime, Storytime DVD?Tuomas: Well, out of the documentary, it’s really difficult to mention just one, because it’s a 2-hour story. You need to watch it from beginning to end. I don’t know, I don’t really have any personal favorites from the show either. I really like the ending, “Last Ride of the Dayâ€, because of all the fireworks and the explosions and stuff. But every song is a diamond.C.: I was really impressed by how fast the finished product came together; you did the show in August and now we’re into October and it’s already finished and ready for release.Tuomas: Yeah, I’m really surprised too; but I wasn’t involved in any way. I saw the live concert for the first time about two weeks ago.C.: The Imaginaerum movie has since been released to DVD, but I’ve noticed that some countries are still having theatrical releases, etc. Are there any other countries that might be showing the movie in theaters, or has it sort of run its course?Tuomas: The weird thing is that I have absolutely no idea what’s going on with the film. I haven’t heard anything about it for months. I don’t know where it’s being presented; whether the DVD/Blu-Ray has sold any copies, or any of that.C.: The movie was a once-in-a-lifetime thing, but if a similar opportunity ever came up again, would you consider doing something like that?Tuomas: Yeah; I’m not, like, traumatized by the experience, even though it was a bit more difficult a task than I originally expected it to be. But no; why not? Not on the next album, that’s for sure!C.: Now for sort of an “off-the-cuff†question…a while back, you mentioned that you’re working on a book that you’ve had in mind for a long time. How is that going? Any plans to do anything with it in the foreseeable future?Tuomas: I do have some plans, yeah. The publisher is actually really keen on publishing it, but I need a few more years. I have about 10 stories written down now, and the publisher really enjoys it and she wants to do something concrete about it. But I haven’t done a new story in about 2 years, so I need to find the motivation for that. For about 6 months, I was just writing and writing. I really enjoyed it, but then it just went away.C.: I understand what you mean; sometimes you get “in the zone†and want to write all kinds of stuff, and then suddenly you hit a block and it’s hard to get back into it.Tuomas: Being “in the zoneâ€; that’s very well-put. That’s how I felt, really being there; and then just, snap! I didn’t feel like writing anymore.C.: Fan-submitted question (Falyssa; Lawton, OK): Your lyrics are so meaningful to so many fans. Do you ever think about the impact that your lyrics will have on others when you write them?Tuomas: No. I don’t, I really don’t. This might sound more selfish than it actually is, but I never think about anybody else when I write music or lyrics; not even the other bandmembers. That’s the only way to keep the whole thing perfectly honest and “pureâ€.C.: Thank you so much! This has been great. Thank you for all your love and support towards us over the years. Good luck with the Scrooge album and the new DVD. Can’t wait to hear the new Nightwish stuff!Tuomas: Excellent. Thank you very much. Take care!
We want Floor – and so does Nightwish09 nov 2013 Anne BergshoeffMost metalheads know by now that Finnish people love metal music. Frome The Netherlands came some great metal bands, but most Dutch people don't know that. Although these bands are very popular abroad, us Dutch hardly notice that. ReVamp is an example and we talk about that with vocalist Floor Jansen, who became the new Nightwish vocalist. She knows that she is the new vocalist since the Summer, but kept it quiet for a few months and now it is official that the 100 % Dutch vocalist Floor is the Nightwish vocalist. Nightwish is a huge name in the metal scene, but for most Dutch people that means nothing. They even know less about the fact that the band sold over 8 million cd's and play in sold out stations in the small populated Finland. Mainstream The NetherlandsJansen doesn't like that situation."In The Netherlands metal doesn't get the credits that the genre deserves. People don't know what I am doing and people have a stereotypical view about metalmusicians and their fans. To many Dutch people metal music is seen as a hobby and therefore isn't taken seriously. In Finland there is more appreciation and therefore it is more an honour to be asked to join Nightwish." Unfortunately this new adventure brings along its problems. The language is a bigger barrier than expected, but Floor does think that travelling back and forth isn't a problem. "I want to buy a house for the Summer in East Finland. In The Netherlands it is to hard to keep up with the (Finnish) language. You really need to practice it daily. Also Nightwish is really a tight group of friends. It is nice that when you neclected other social contacts during the tour, that you still have people to fall back to. It is like a family, they go out together too besides making music." It is not a big issue, Floor will easily live in Finland and mandatory travelling back and forth isn't a problem since Finland isn't a bad place because there she can relax after an exhausting tour. "I am not a city person, even Helsinki is to big for me." Creative inputWe asked if Floor could use her creativity within Nightwish. Within Nightwish keyboardplayer Tuomas Holopainen is the creative brain behind the music, but within her own bands Floor is the one who wrote the most songs. Floor says that won't be an issue. "Nightwish is a band with a distinguise sound. It is more important that this stays, than that I also write songs." Floor will keep on writing songs for herself and for her own band ReVamp. Time for something heavyMany people feared that because of Nightwish the Revamp future is in jeopardy, but Revamp will continue. When asked how Floor will manage both bands, she can't give a precise answer. The future will deside. It will be busy, but am I am busy already anyway, but I don't know how much that will increase in the future. Revamp has just released a new album and we didn't do all the hard work in vain and it deserves a tour. For the fans it is an insurance that the heavy music of Revamp isn't lost due to the bombastisc more accessible Nightwish music. That is a reassurance many people needed.
The interview of our former vocalist Anette in the Me Naiset magazine is full of twisted truths and denigration. This "one woman vs. the Neanderthals" setting is an easy to way to take advantage of our media history.The split with Anette wasn't because of pregnancy or illness. We discovered her personality didn't fit this work community, and was even detrimental to it.These claims we can invalidate right away:-Claim: Moments earlier Anette had told Tuomas Holopainen of her pregnancy-Truth: Anette told of her pregnancy to the whole band already a week earlier in Montreal. Everyone was congratulative, and Anette herself offered an option of hiring a replacement vocalist if she can't manage everything which was already agreed on. Later she took back her decision, and the difficulties really started. Fear of losing money and position seemed obvious.-Claim: The boys of the band decided everything for me-Truth: Neither Tuomas nor any other of the boys of the band can singlehandedly decide where we take off to and when. There have been discussions inside the band and support of people on a personal level. Also Anette. Managers and promoters discuss about possible concerts, record releases, etc., and wishes of all the band members have been taken into account. All these details have been negotiated with Anette and her manager. We have the e-mails.To keep the touring life bearable, it's reasonable and right to make thibngs comfortable on a personal level. Based on these discussions, Anette was given liberties from interviews and fan meetings. She and her family got an own tour bus and driver in both Europe and America. The expenses were paid by the organization, not Anette or her company. Others of the band didn't use similar benefits.-Claim: Other income went directly to the men-Truth: Anette and her company has been paid a fifth of everything that was done during her time and with her. We have no reason to lie, because this cake has provided enough slices for us all. The finances of the band have always been handled openly, honestly and evenhandedly. The books exist. How individual members spend their share is up to their own responsibility.We neither want to nor intend to comment this more now. Doing the laundry is tiring. Remember the help your ladies with that occasionally.- All the boys of Nightwish
Special report by Maria Nayef Marco Hietala has always brought a kick-ass factor to NIGHTWISH since he joined the band in 2002, showcasing his brilliant musicianship on songs like The Islander as well as his versatile vocals that go from executing screams to the most tender of lyrics. Who can forget his wonderfully sinister singing on Scaretale, and that poignant ‘dream of me’ from the iconic Ever Dream? Hietala, who turns 48 in January, shows no signs of slowing down and he continues to rock-out with passion, and style. After a mammoth world tour on the back of Imaginaerum, he spent November and December taking part in Finland’s popular Heavy Christmas shows and there’s also new TAROT in the works. His charisma and sense of humour have made him a favourite amongst Nightwish fans, and BraveWords had the pleasure to speak with the talented composer about the band’s hit double Blu-ray, DVD and CD that was recently released, just in time for Christmas. Showtime, Storytime is a must-watch for any Nightwish fan, consisting of a spectacular live show and a revealing documentary. It is their first live DVD with new vocalist, Dutch diva FLOOR JANSEN, and was filmed at this year’s Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany in front of an audience of 85,000. The DVD has so far proved a great success for the band, cracking top ten charts around Europe upon its release, including Germany, France and the UK. BraveWords: I watched Showtime, Storytime today and have to say the live show is absolutely brilliant. The production is amazing and hearing Floor sing 'She Is My Sin' and 'Romanticide' is a treat, and 'Bless The Child' is a highlight. From the moment she approaches the microphone, she’s in total command. Marco Hietala: “Yes, I think her versatility is pretty exceptional, like a lot of things about her: the voice itself, her presence, and her ability to have such strength and willpower – I just love the way she does everything.†BraveWords: The great vibe of the band on stage is very exciting to watch. Do you feel that with new members Floor and Troy Donockley, this live performance epitomizes Nightwish as it was always meant to be? MH: “Yeah…it’s the first time, ever, that I’ve had such strong feelings. When we did the last show in M'era Luna in Germany, when the tour was over, I just hung around backstage for a while taking it all in, and then I was like, ‘Oh hell I have to go to the bus!’ It’s a personal chemistry thing, where different parts, different people, click very well.†BraveWords: The audience at Wacken is really something to behold and Nightwish fans are no doubt very attached to this band – but you’ve had some dramas, and now a third vocalist. What do you think it is about Nightwish that has seen fans stick by you so strongly? MH: “At least for my part, we’re very much aware of personal chemistry and how it affects people, and I think this chemistry that we have right now is worth something – and you’ve got to keep it, and keep it up. And then of course, there is the other side of the band, which is the musical side where it’s pretty much no compromise. On all the albums we’ve done, that I’ve been on of course, we do things that firstly we enjoy ourselves. There’s integrity there – but first this music has to please us. And then, the really great thing, is that it has also pleased a lot of people – and these are the kinds of things that we are not willing to give up.†BraveWords: End Of An Era is such an iconic DVD in symphonic metal, every die-hard Nightwish fan has it. How do you feel about Showtime, Storytime within regards to End Of An Era – not comparing the two of course – but just your personal thoughts about the two shows? MH: “I think this has a more down-to-earth approach. I mean End Of An Era was planned. We had figured out what kind of props we were going to have on stage – it was planned well, well far ahead. This time around, we actually only had the documentary in the works and we were only going to release that, and then at the start of the summer the Nuclear Blast guys came over and said: ‘Hey guys it would really be wonderful if you could have one of the live shows shot also’ and we were: ‘Aaah, who’s going to have the energy to put this together now? There’s only two months of shows left to go’ and in the end we thought, ‘OK, let’s try it, it would be nice to have this line-up immortalised, with the back catalogue and everything’ and in the end, it paid off. The surroundings at the festival, the audience, the show, everything was great. We got a really huge light show set up, pyros and screens and everything, and also, as a guy who was responsible for the sound production I thought: ‘OK, we have End Of An Era, this time around let’s make it so: concentrate on bringing the band really up-front, the guitar, the bass, the drums, the vocals, everything that happens live – and I think we managed to do that. And in my opinion – of course it might be because it’s us here and now – I like this more than End Of An Era.†BraveWords: I wanted to ask about 'The Poet And The Pendulum' and if there was a particular reason why that song wasn’t performed? MH: “Oh man, yeah. It was because it was a festival show and you don’t want to do too many of the, you know, long, epic songs. And we had already received such a great reaction for Ghost Love Score, so we figured we would stay with that one. Poet and the Pendulum was talked about, but we decided ‘let’s not go that far yet’ – but I imagine when we get some new stuff done and go on tour again, it might be heard.†Please Learn The Setlist In 48 Hours is the title of the 120-minute documentary, which along with the live show, completes the Showtime, Storytime DVD. It chronicles the band’s massive world tour that began in January 2012, taking in trips to Europe, the US, South America and Australia, Jansen's arrival and her very first show. It is the first 15 minutes of the documentary however, that is brimming with emotion and drama, honing in on the now infamous gig in Denver in September 2012 where the band performed with Elize Ryd (AMARANTHE) and Alissa White-Gluz (THE AGONIST). Despite over a year having passed since that night, the raw emotions of that time still resonate highly with Hietala. BraveWords: The first part of the documentary is emotional to watch. Powerful stuff. MH: “Yeah, it was. It was pretty much like being in the pits of Hell. I like the whole honesty about the documentary. You don’t see fake people – it’s really raw – everyone is really raw with their emotions and that makes it even more real. We’ve all seen these gilded-up documentaries about things; I’m into the real thing.†BraveWords: How stressed-out everyone was backstage really took me aback. MH: “When Troy and Tuomas went on the stage to ask the audience what they wanted us to do, I was there, lurking in the shadows, and that was one of those moments where I had my heart in my mouth.†BraveWords: I didn’t fully realize the severity of the situation until I actually saw the footage on the documentary. MH: “It was priceless! I would not want to go through it again. When we got that raise of hands from the audience, the relief – it flooded everyone. There were 16–1700 people there that night, and only 6 or 7 left, so you could understand it was a pretty big boost of confidence.†BraveWords: You said in the documentary that during the time Anette (OLZON) left, you don’t know how you pulled through it, and I remember on the 2009 documentary ‘Made In Hong Kong’ Tuomas also questioned whether or not he was going to continue the band. You’ve had a few crises over the years, but you always manage to get through them. MH: “Yeah, that’s true.†BraveWords: How have you been able to do that: come back and re-group, and evidently, stronger than you were? MH: “Again it comes back to this personal chemistry. Of course people may say there might be some truth that there’s a nucleus for Finnish country boys (laughs) and I think Floor and Troy have come closest to being there already. I sort of found myself in a role where I had to look out for the other guys as well, but it’s no problem because that’s the kind of guy that I am. I like things to be easy and people to be happy. You also have to talk about things that matter to you. If someone has a problem it’s always better to talk about it rather than to let it lie and hope that it goes away. That way we pull together.†BraveWords: So the communication lines are really open right now in Nightwish? MH: “Pretty much, yeah. And I see people who have tremendous willpower to actually overcome obstacles and difficulties – and make things work. And I understand the value of keeping your feet on the ground and taking care of your friends.†BraveWords: Tell me something about Nightwish fans. What do they mean to you? MH: “Oh man (pauses) – it means that with the band we have made something worthwhile. And for a lot of people, we made something that actually made some of the moments in their life easier. So when they want to relax or want to get out and have some fun and go to one of our shows, it matters to them – and to some people it really matters a lot. So, what we’ve actually done together is something important for a lot of people, and it can actually, in some ways, seem more important to them than what it is at times to you, so it’s a mixed bag of feelings: it’s flattering, it’s wondrous, it’s also kind of scary sometimes, but it’s still absolutely great.†BraveWords: When I arrived at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney in January to attend your show, somebody was walking past and asked ‘Who’s playing tonight?’ and a guy replied: ‘It’s a gothic, symphonic, folk, power, opera metal band from Finland…’ and I’m sure he had a few more names in there too! MH: (laughs) BraveWords: Do you think it’s getting a bit out of hand, all these different terms in front of the word ‘metal’ to describe one band? MH: “Yeah, it is getting a bit out of hand. Of course there’s a need to categorize things, to give things definition that help you understand what it’s about and try to define it – sometimes with a billion different things.†(laughs) BraveWords: So if you were out and somebody asked you ‘What do you do?’ and you said: ‘I’m in a band called Nightwish,’ and they said: ‘what kind of music do you play?’ what would be the shortest answer you would give? MH: “Well I would say it’s a symphonic rock band, that’s what I like to think of it as. It can be really sensitive, and then it can be really hard-hitting with parts that will sorely kick your buttocks (laughs).†BraveWords: Can you tell us anything about the new record yet or is that something that will be revealed after you head to the summer camp next year? MH: “Well basically we’ve only got the raw structure of the timetable. We’ve got the place booked for next summer in order to get there and before that we’re going to be demoing our stuff at our own places in the wintertime. Then we’ll get together next summer and start to rehearse, arrange and record. And we’re going to be bringing in a hell of a lot of equipment to that place! I’m pleased about the whole idea and prospect of doing new stuff.†BraveWords: What are your plans for Christmas and are there any traditions in the Hietala household during the holidays? MH: “Well, when the true holiday season comes around like Christmas Eve and Christmas day, I’m going to shut off the phone, lock the doors and stay with my clan. There’s also the usual thing of bringing in the tree – and hanging some huge red balls on it (laughs).†BraveWords: Any Tarot news? MH: “Actually later today I was planning on going over to Janne’s, the keyboard player’s studio, to go over some new riffs that we have, and work on some songs, so maybe after New Years it’s possible that we will start recording a new Tarot album as well.†BraveWords: You’ve just only recently finished a gigantic world tour, and 2014 is already shaping up to be one busy year for you! MH: “I’m already missing it. I wish the next summer will come soon so we can start rehearsals and the new stuff!†BraveWords: And with Floor at the microphone, the possibilities for Nightwish are positively endless. MH: “That’s for sure.†For all things Nightwish visit Nightwish.com.
Hart to Hart[TL: This is probably a reference to the US detective series from the early 80s. “Hart aber herzlich†literally translates to something like “Hard but affectionate.†And no, I'm not a fan of “Hart to Hart†- that was way (waaaaaaaaaaaaaay) before my time.]The speculations remained until the end, but now it is official: FLOOR JANSEN is the new singer of NIGHTWISH! In a cloak-and-dagger operation, she threw herself into the breach, adopted the Finns' live repertoire in record time and, 48 hours after receiving the call from the states that would change everything for her, she took the stage, together with the possibly most successful symphonic metal band of all time. She came, she sang and she conquered, taking the hearts of the band and of all NIGHTWISH fans by storm. The brand new live package “Showtime, Storytime†is dedicated to her and contains the breathtaking headlining performance at this year's Wacken Open Air, as well as a brilliant two-hour documentary, aptly named “Please Learn The Setlist In 48 Hoursâ€. Additions to the family“The decision was an obvious one for us,†begins mastermind and exceptional composer Tuomas Holopainen. “We deliberately left it open, but after the fantastic time with Floor, we had no reason to look for a new vocalist. We discussed this within the band after the US tour and all agreed on this matter. We did this again after we completed some festivals. Again, all were in favor, and finally, we asked Floor if she wanted to join the band as a permanent member. I admit, I knew how she would decide, because she was highly motivated from the get-go, noticably happy and did her job wholeheartedly. Originally, we wanted to wait with the public announcement till Christmas, yet, in the light of the »Showtime, Storytime« release, where Floor took the center stage, there was no reason anymore to keep word from getting out.†On tour, there was no plan B. From the beginning, the Dutchwoman was the preferred candidate and she proved to everyone that she was up to the role and that she wouldlead NIGHTWISH to a new dimension with her powerful soprano. Meanwhile, the keyboardist has already begun writing songs for a new CD, where the words “back to the roots†were also dropped – it was not, however, his intention to indicate a regression. “Together with Tarja, we made five wonderful, operatic metal albums, which we are unbelievably proud of and which will forever be a part of our history, but this is not where want to go back to. Floors voice is incredibly versatile, which will open up new possibilities. Time will tell, for we are currently only starting out with the songwriting process.†The NIGHTWISH family, however, gained another addition, because besides Floor, flute player Troy Donockley has been accepted into the band as a permanent member. “Troy spent the whole 18-month »Imaginaerum« tour cycle with us. He became such an important part of the band, thus making it natural to accept him as an official band member. Right now, he is not playing many songs live, but I expect that his share will increase significantly on the new tracks. He plays the most diverse sorts of flutes and he is a very good singer, so besides the backing vocals he can also take on one or two lead vocal passages. He also plays acoustic guitars and other, exotic instruments in an excellent way. Aside from all that, he has a great character and brings loads of warmth and light into the band. And he is a magician, who baffles us with his tricks again and again,†smirks the charismatic keyboardist, who is notably glad that the turbulent line up changes took a turn for the better. Collegial love declarationThe now 32-year-old lead singer started her vocal career at the tender age of 16 with AFTER FOREVER, with whom she recorded five studio albums until the breakup in 2009. “I still remember the AFTER FOREVER debut album »Prison of Desire« well, especially the song 'Follow In The City', which appealed to me in an incredible way,†reminisces Tuomas. “Two years later, AFTER FOREVER joined us on our tour, so I could watch them live on every evening. Already back then, Floor was a confident, grandiose vocalist with charisma. Because of this, we knew her as a person as well – and when we came to the point to replace Anette, she was our first and, admittedly, only choice. I knew that she liked NIGHTWISH, that she was familiar with our material and that she even covered our number “She Is My Sin†with AFTER FOREVER. When we asked for her help in the middle of our US tour, she agreed immediately and flew over to us." For Floor, the decision didn't take even a second. “It was simply unbelievable. I got the call on the day of my sister Irene's wedding. So I also came to tie the knot, with the band.†It was an emotional decision. “Declining was out of the question. Yet, after my commitment, I started to think, and I realised what kind of big challenge the whole thing would become. However, it was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.†All these secrets will be revisited on the thrilling documentary “Please Learn The Setlist In 48 Hoursâ€. “What a fitting title,†laughs the powerful-voiced chanteuse. “This DVD brings back all feelings and also shows the mental condition which everybody was in. I spent these 48 hours booking a flight, packing my bags, printing the lyrics and dragging the songs onto my mobile phone and computer. So, armed with my headphones and the lyrics, I drove to the airport and spent the time on the plane in a similar manner. I touched down in the states at 1 o'clock in the morning, it was impossible to think of sleeping. At 4AM, I was picked up by the nightliner, still too stressed to sleep. So I met the first band members who stayed awake to greet me. During the journey, we rehearsed non-stop until my head got heavy at some point. Yet, I couldn't sleep or eat. In my head, there was one thought: Do this show and don't mess it up! That is what I did – and I was never more nervous than in that moment." The H-hour Band leader Tuomas wasn't any less tense but tried to transfer his outward calm to Floor. “When we arrived at Seattle, we rehearsed for 2 hours before the lot of us had to take the stage. Despite being nervous, I was also optimistic enough to think that all would go well. Floor tried to hide her tension, but you could tell by looking at her just what was going on in her head. When we started the rehearsal with “I Want My Tears Backâ€, a weight was lifted off our minds, because from that moment we knew that we would make it. Maybe it didn't sound perfect, but the difference wasn't that great. After the rehearsal and the first show with her, everybody was totally happy and loved the prospect of how good we would sound after some weeks together with Floor. The thing that made me happy the most was that nobody returned their concert tickets and that all our fans gave Floor such a warm welcome. Right now, at this moment, one year later, when I think back to all these things, it all appears like a dream, with its fulfillment seeming unbelievable to me.†Floor has to take a deep breath when thinking back to that day. “A cold was advancing, then there was the jet lag and a bronchitis virus that was circulating in the tour bus. Because of this, my voice lost some of its power and I could only sing with my head voice, which increased the challenge even further. Additionally, I had to bring some of the lyrics with me on stage, because it was nearly impossible to learn them all in such a short time. Despite all the stress and the inevitable pressure, I think that, in hindsight, it was great show that progressed splendidly.†It all came how it should and they got off to a dream start, especially the power woman from Holland. “I had to plunge in at the deep end, but there are also many positives when you don't have the time to think about pleasing everyone, if you live up to all the expectations, how the fans would react or if you even fit in the band. Only over time I realized how I lucky I was that I was received so warmly by all sides. The encouragement gave me an extra push of energy and motivation.†Holy groundsThe third to last show of the extraordinary »Imaginaerum« cycle took place at the world's biggest Heavy Metal festival; at the Wacken Open Air in Northern Germany. “It is the metal paradise – for the fans as well as the bands,†gushes the front lady. “It was not the size of the festival that made me nervous, but knowing that the show would be recorded for a DVD release. The gig itself just flew past me, but I enjoyed every single moment. During the show, I changed my outfit repeatedly, which is a thing I don't like to do normally, because it gives me the feeling that I lose the flow. So I was all the more happy that everything worked flawlessly. We stood in the midst of a thunderstorm of pyros, which, as a musician on stage, I can't see all, but you feel them, and this pushes your adrenaline levels upwards immensely.†The Wacken gig was the grandest show with the biggest audience and thus predestined for a live recording. “Originally, we only wanted to release the tour documentary, but our label made it palatable to top the package off with a big show, which we cottoned up to gradually. The first two days I was still against it, because I wanted an extraordinary show at a special location for a live release, with an orchestra, guests and a myriad of protagonists – which we couldn't do in the short of time, however. A 'normal' festival showed didn't seem enough to me, yet, when viewed in the whole package, it rounds off the documetary and shows where we stood – together with Floor – at the end of this particular journey. This is why the DVD is entitled »Showtime, Storytime« – because it is both: a story and a concert.†Most of all, it rounds off the exceptional total work of art »Imaginaerum«, which started with an effortful, time-consuming and expensive studio production and ended in a motion picture that, while consuming several millions, reflects visions so complex yet dreamlike. The film was accompanied by an innovative soundtrack and this history-charged tour that culminated in the engagement of Floor Jansen. “You want to know if I had the nerves to do this all again? I think yes, because actions like this are what distinguishes the band. There is drama and emotion, but we always follow our heart and instinct. If we planted it in our mindes that we want to do a movie, then we would do it. This also why it is hard for me to tell where the journey for the next CD is headed. At the moment, I have four songs done that have indeed an OldSchool feeling to them and are designed to be less orchestral. But there is so much that could happen, so many things that even I cannot anticipate. At any rate, I feel really good, my head is clear and it can focus fully on the music, without having to think about movies and soundtracks.†Before NIGHTWISH will please us with the next LP in the coming year, Tuomas Holopainen's first solo album will be released, where he devotes himself to Scrooge McDuck's story, the rich comic duck from Duckburg. Tuomas made no pretence of the fact that the comic books shaped his childhood and that he likes, to this day, to immerse himself in these stories – he always emphasizes that he is an advocate of the ducks, not the mice. “Right now while we are talking to each other, I'm in the control room of the studio, where we are recording the banjos and acoustic guitars. We progress beautifully. The orchestra and the choirs are already recorded and I have finished my piano parts, too. I expect that we are finished in, roughly, a month and that we release the disc possibly a the end of April, 2014. What I brought to reality with this is a dream that I carried with me since the »Oceanborn« tour in 1999. Whenever I read this special book titled »The Lift And Times Of Scrooge McDuck«, a music hovers in my head, a music that desperately desires to be brought out.†In Germany, the book was released under the title: Onkel Dagobert – Sein Leben, seine Milliarden. “I liked the idea of wrting a soundtrack for a book, instead of a movie. It isn't something that happened very frequently in music history. I was also very delighted that the book's author, Mr. Don Rosa, found the idea to be very welcome and that he will visit us in the studio in the coming week. I'm very excited about his reaction and what he has to say about the final version.†NIGHTWISH fans may also look forward to this; while the metal aspect may be missing for the most part, the composer's handwriting is unmistakable. “It is film music with folk and classical elements. There are no drums, bass or electric guitars – most parts are based on orchestra, acoustic guitars and piano. These are, however, also important parts of NIGHTWISH's sound cosmos. "When Pip Williams, who is writing the orchestra arrangements for NIGHTWISH, heard the songs for the first time, he described it as being different from NIGHTWISH but with the clear handwriting of me. He believed, that the composer is immediately recognizable. I take that as a compliment.†The album will be mostly instrumental, but there also some renowned guest singers. “All in all it is a great story that shaped me and that has so much to tell about life and the beauty of the world. Additionally, the character is incredibly interesting, because he doesn't just incorporate wealth, but also love for the family and many other stories.†Leopold Lukas
"I got the call on the day of my sister Irene's wedding."Floor showed a picture of the wedding couple on her Instagram on 20 September 2012. She also wrote on Twitter on 20 September 2012: "My sister Irene marries her John to-day!!!"So, Nightwish contacted Floor for the first time on 20 September 2012. According to the Nightwish guys' statement on nightwish.com on 19 December 2013 Anette informed the band members about her pregnancy in Montreal. The gig in Montreal was on 19 September 2012. It is believable that Nightwish contacted Floor the next day they had learned about Anette's pregnancy. There was no time to be wasted. The guys did not know whether Floor was willing or able to come. If she had turned down the offer they would have needed to ask someone else, and the replacement singer also needed time to rehearse the songs.
