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Greetings guys! Despite his tough schedule Tony Kakko managed to find time to talk with NIGHTCOM about his plans on future album, and also about his undying love to Donald Duck and sweets
1) Since 2013 you have new blood in the band: Pasi Kauppinen, who took the roll of a bass player after Marko Paasikoski had decided to leave. And now after recording “Pariah’s Child” and “Ecliptica – Revisited” with Pasi and touring with him for some time, how do you feel he fits in with the band?
TK: He was a perfect fit from the first moment. He brings so much new enthusiasm, professionalism and good energy in the band. I could not possibly be any happier with Pasi.
2) You and Pasi knew each other for a while: he had mixed both DVD's and recorded parts of your last 3 albums, before he became an official member of the band. Has your relationship with him changed since he became a part of the band?
TK: Well, it has gotten naturally much closer and more personal, spending that much more time with him.
3) This November you have concerts in Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg and St. Petersburg. It's not your first time you give concerts in Russia: do you have any expectations from fans? Maybe, even different expectations from different city?
TK: Yeah, been to Moscow and St. Petersburg only before this round. I hope and expect Nizhny Novgorod and Yekaterinburg be on the same page with the first two, really. How could I expect any less! Going in a new place is always an adventure. I’m really looking forward to this.
4) At the moment is “Sonata Arctica – kirja” being translated in English. And according to the messages on Facebook, it contains your story named "The Key". Could you tell us about it?
TK: Read the book. Haha! It’s the longest story I have ever written. Haven’t really done much writing, other than song lyrics, since I was in school. The publisher asked if I would be interested in writing something like that. What else can I say than hell yeah! Loved writing it, although I was more or less forced to do it on the road. Would one day love to write something like that again, or even a longer story, and be able to concentrate on it 100 percent.
5) In the end of October is “Ecliptica – Revisited” released, and fans already have a chance to listen to 'Kingdom for a Heart'. And what does the band think about the rerecorded album? Have you achieved the result you wanted to?
TK: We like it really. It was a fun experience to go back there and relive those moments. For Tommy and me, that is. For the others it was more or less the first bite. I think, the album came out pretty ok. From certain parts it’s surely better than the original, but then again there are so many great elements in that early work that cannot be re-produced, that it would be heresy to say it actually is better. Even I don’t think it really is. The innocence and rumble of the young man, that is impossible to redo after doing this for 15 years professionally. The idea was to simply celebrate the 15th anniversary of our debut album and see and hear how it would sound with this line-up if we recorded it today without doing any major changes. Nothing more, nothing less. Simple as that.
6) It's been a long time since we've heard anything about Northern Kings. Are there any plans for the band? May your fans hope to have a new album in the nearer future?
TK: Northern Kings are by most parts the same group of people as this Raskasta Joulua -project in Finland. It has become a pretty big deal in Finland in the past years. It has grown to a point where it actually consumes so much time that the guys who make those wheels turn don’t have time for much other things. We’ve talked about getting something done with NK one day, someday, but at the moment it’s not really a priority project for none of us. But the hope is alive. We’ve talked about it from time to time.
7) Your latest album, Pariah’s Child, in style reminds more of the "old Sonata", rather than your previous later albums. Is there any reason for that?
TK: We just felt we’ve now explored enough in these different directions and it would be actually fun to see if we still can do it. I see PC in a way continuing from where Reckoning Night left off. The previous album “Stones Grow Her Name” was a great album, we love it, but it was very slow paced. It had many hard-rock styled songs, which were live friendly and fun to do live, but at the same time those songs started to take too much room from that one thing we are known for. The uptempo stuff. The shows became kind of boring even for us. The idea for this more metallic album was slowly born during that tour. We just needed more action on stage.
8) And what should your fans expect from the next album? Do you have any ideas already?
TK: I think we shoul force ourselves to continue on this path we’re on now, no matter what. So it will be a metal album, that’s pretty sure. I have a lot of material that did not make it on PC, but it’s mostly slower stuff. So I think, I’ll be starting more or less from a clean table. I love it!
9) You said you loved Queen, and you even perform "We Will Rock You" on your shows from time to time. You've never thought about recording a cover for one of their songs? Or maybe the whole cover album for Queen? Your voice should be capable of doing that.
TK: Queen has always been a little bit of a holy cow for me. I fear touching those songs out of sheer respect. It would be one day fun to record something, but I have not really given it any serious thought.
10) And about your voice: do you take care of it, train it somehow? Do you have any secrets about keeping it in the best condition?
TK: Well, my job is pretty physical. Taking care of myself is vital. I took on running seriously a bit more than a year ago and it has already done some good, I’ve noticed. At the moment I’m pretty much the only one who has not gotten sick with flu in this bus while we’ve been touring North-America. Knock on wood…
When it comes to the voice itself, it’s just more or less a matter of doing what I’ve always done. Or have not done, actually. I don’t really drink alcohol and I try to sleep as much as possible.
11) Your fans know you as an inveterate traveller; that you love expeditions. Could you tell about your latest one?
TK: Last night we we’re in Albuquerque, New Mexico and took this this elevated tramway atop Sandia Peak. I believe it’s like 2.800 metres above sea level. It was a pretty nice experience. We try to see places while we’re there these days much more than we’ve done in the past. I love it!
12) And wouldn't you like to go on expedition somewhere in Russia? We have lots of beautiful places: Baikal lake, Kamchatka Peninsula, and many others.
TK: It’s always a matter of time. If we have a day off between shows, then we try to get something nice like that done. We really don’t usually have a chance to stay over for a “vacation”. It’s a shame really, but that’s how it is. I’d love to see those places!!
13) Are you aware for some unexpected situations, if such happen, during the expeditions or do they catch you unaware? Do any funny or silly situations happen during your travels? Could you tell us about some of them?
TK: I really did not get the first part of the question, sorry. I really cannot recall any spectacularly funny situation from these travels. We’re a traveling circus as it is and much of the goofiness is more or less an everyday thing. Some of those you can probably ready from the book.
14) During the years Sonata Arctica have already formed their own style. But would you like to write something completely different? Maybe even a solo project?
TK: I’ve been dreaming about a solo project for a loooong time, but Sonata seems to be taking so much of my time, I never got around it. And that’s not a bad thing, really. Sonata must be my priority. I can fill my musical perversions with Sonata quite nicely. But still, one day, I hope to get something extra special done under my own name. We’ll see.
15) By the way, not long ago your friend, Tuomas Holopainen, recorded a new album for which you participated. Could you tell us about your experience?
TK: These kinds of projects are always super easy for a singer. You know. The songs are ready and you’re more or less told what to do from the start. It’s very easy and pleasant compared to being responsible for the whole production. I was happy and honoured Tuomas asked me to join the adventure. The whole thing took me few hours at this beautiful countryside studio in southern Finland. I was there on vacation with my family, so it was perfect. We unfortunately had to leave something like 15 minutes before Don Rosa, the artist behind the story, my big hero, came there. It was one of those moments…damn..
16) Does the experience of working with Tuomas differ from your cooperation in 2001 for song Astral Romance?
TK: Well yeah. We’re both way more professional nowadays. I think anyway. Suppose that is the biggest difference. So not really.
17) And do you like comic books about Donald Duck? or maybe you have some other 'guilty pleasure'?
TK: Yes I do! I’m a Disney Duck fan. This particular story Tuomas composed is my all-time favourite Duck Tale. Don Rosa is a genius! I grew up with ducks, so I don’t really consider those a guilty pleasure. They’ve always been there. Moving it on the next generations now. I eat too many sweets. That’s something I’m trying to get rid off, actually. I really have a sweet tooth. Haha!
And the last one - we want to ask to send us a photo if you like to. Something that have never been seen in public before
TK: All I have is my private photos, haha! Can’t really share those. Currently I am anyway a bit handicapped when it comes to taking any decent pics. Sorry.
1) Since 2013 you have new blood in the band: Pasi Kauppinen, who took the roll of a bass player after Marko Paasikoski had decided to leave. And now after recording “Pariah’s Child” and “Ecliptica – Revisited” with Pasi and touring with him for some time, how do you feel he fits in with the band?
TK: He was a perfect fit from the first moment. He brings so much new enthusiasm, professionalism and good energy in the band. I could not possibly be any happier with Pasi.
2) You and Pasi knew each other for a while: he had mixed both DVD's and recorded parts of your last 3 albums, before he became an official member of the band. Has your relationship with him changed since he became a part of the band?
TK: Well, it has gotten naturally much closer and more personal, spending that much more time with him.
3) This November you have concerts in Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg and St. Petersburg. It's not your first time you give concerts in Russia: do you have any expectations from fans? Maybe, even different expectations from different city?
TK: Yeah, been to Moscow and St. Petersburg only before this round. I hope and expect Nizhny Novgorod and Yekaterinburg be on the same page with the first two, really. How could I expect any less! Going in a new place is always an adventure. I’m really looking forward to this.
4) At the moment is “Sonata Arctica – kirja” being translated in English. And according to the messages on Facebook, it contains your story named "The Key". Could you tell us about it?
TK: Read the book. Haha! It’s the longest story I have ever written. Haven’t really done much writing, other than song lyrics, since I was in school. The publisher asked if I would be interested in writing something like that. What else can I say than hell yeah! Loved writing it, although I was more or less forced to do it on the road. Would one day love to write something like that again, or even a longer story, and be able to concentrate on it 100 percent.
5) In the end of October is “Ecliptica – Revisited” released, and fans already have a chance to listen to 'Kingdom for a Heart'. And what does the band think about the rerecorded album? Have you achieved the result you wanted to?
TK: We like it really. It was a fun experience to go back there and relive those moments. For Tommy and me, that is. For the others it was more or less the first bite. I think, the album came out pretty ok. From certain parts it’s surely better than the original, but then again there are so many great elements in that early work that cannot be re-produced, that it would be heresy to say it actually is better. Even I don’t think it really is. The innocence and rumble of the young man, that is impossible to redo after doing this for 15 years professionally. The idea was to simply celebrate the 15th anniversary of our debut album and see and hear how it would sound with this line-up if we recorded it today without doing any major changes. Nothing more, nothing less. Simple as that.
6) It's been a long time since we've heard anything about Northern Kings. Are there any plans for the band? May your fans hope to have a new album in the nearer future?
TK: Northern Kings are by most parts the same group of people as this Raskasta Joulua -project in Finland. It has become a pretty big deal in Finland in the past years. It has grown to a point where it actually consumes so much time that the guys who make those wheels turn don’t have time for much other things. We’ve talked about getting something done with NK one day, someday, but at the moment it’s not really a priority project for none of us. But the hope is alive. We’ve talked about it from time to time.
7) Your latest album, Pariah’s Child, in style reminds more of the "old Sonata", rather than your previous later albums. Is there any reason for that?
TK: We just felt we’ve now explored enough in these different directions and it would be actually fun to see if we still can do it. I see PC in a way continuing from where Reckoning Night left off. The previous album “Stones Grow Her Name” was a great album, we love it, but it was very slow paced. It had many hard-rock styled songs, which were live friendly and fun to do live, but at the same time those songs started to take too much room from that one thing we are known for. The uptempo stuff. The shows became kind of boring even for us. The idea for this more metallic album was slowly born during that tour. We just needed more action on stage.
8) And what should your fans expect from the next album? Do you have any ideas already?
TK: I think we shoul force ourselves to continue on this path we’re on now, no matter what. So it will be a metal album, that’s pretty sure. I have a lot of material that did not make it on PC, but it’s mostly slower stuff. So I think, I’ll be starting more or less from a clean table. I love it!
9) You said you loved Queen, and you even perform "We Will Rock You" on your shows from time to time. You've never thought about recording a cover for one of their songs? Or maybe the whole cover album for Queen? Your voice should be capable of doing that.
TK: Queen has always been a little bit of a holy cow for me. I fear touching those songs out of sheer respect. It would be one day fun to record something, but I have not really given it any serious thought.
10) And about your voice: do you take care of it, train it somehow? Do you have any secrets about keeping it in the best condition?
TK: Well, my job is pretty physical. Taking care of myself is vital. I took on running seriously a bit more than a year ago and it has already done some good, I’ve noticed. At the moment I’m pretty much the only one who has not gotten sick with flu in this bus while we’ve been touring North-America. Knock on wood…
When it comes to the voice itself, it’s just more or less a matter of doing what I’ve always done. Or have not done, actually. I don’t really drink alcohol and I try to sleep as much as possible.
11) Your fans know you as an inveterate traveller; that you love expeditions. Could you tell about your latest one?
TK: Last night we we’re in Albuquerque, New Mexico and took this this elevated tramway atop Sandia Peak. I believe it’s like 2.800 metres above sea level. It was a pretty nice experience. We try to see places while we’re there these days much more than we’ve done in the past. I love it!
12) And wouldn't you like to go on expedition somewhere in Russia? We have lots of beautiful places: Baikal lake, Kamchatka Peninsula, and many others.
TK: It’s always a matter of time. If we have a day off between shows, then we try to get something nice like that done. We really don’t usually have a chance to stay over for a “vacation”. It’s a shame really, but that’s how it is. I’d love to see those places!!
13) Are you aware for some unexpected situations, if such happen, during the expeditions or do they catch you unaware? Do any funny or silly situations happen during your travels? Could you tell us about some of them?
TK: I really did not get the first part of the question, sorry. I really cannot recall any spectacularly funny situation from these travels. We’re a traveling circus as it is and much of the goofiness is more or less an everyday thing. Some of those you can probably ready from the book.
14) During the years Sonata Arctica have already formed their own style. But would you like to write something completely different? Maybe even a solo project?
TK: I’ve been dreaming about a solo project for a loooong time, but Sonata seems to be taking so much of my time, I never got around it. And that’s not a bad thing, really. Sonata must be my priority. I can fill my musical perversions with Sonata quite nicely. But still, one day, I hope to get something extra special done under my own name. We’ll see.
15) By the way, not long ago your friend, Tuomas Holopainen, recorded a new album for which you participated. Could you tell us about your experience?
TK: These kinds of projects are always super easy for a singer. You know. The songs are ready and you’re more or less told what to do from the start. It’s very easy and pleasant compared to being responsible for the whole production. I was happy and honoured Tuomas asked me to join the adventure. The whole thing took me few hours at this beautiful countryside studio in southern Finland. I was there on vacation with my family, so it was perfect. We unfortunately had to leave something like 15 minutes before Don Rosa, the artist behind the story, my big hero, came there. It was one of those moments…damn..
16) Does the experience of working with Tuomas differ from your cooperation in 2001 for song Astral Romance?
TK: Well yeah. We’re both way more professional nowadays. I think anyway. Suppose that is the biggest difference. So not really.
17) And do you like comic books about Donald Duck? or maybe you have some other 'guilty pleasure'?
TK: Yes I do! I’m a Disney Duck fan. This particular story Tuomas composed is my all-time favourite Duck Tale. Don Rosa is a genius! I grew up with ducks, so I don’t really consider those a guilty pleasure. They’ve always been there. Moving it on the next generations now. I eat too many sweets. That’s something I’m trying to get rid off, actually. I really have a sweet tooth. Haha!
And the last one - we want to ask to send us a photo if you like to. Something that have never been seen in public before
TK: All I have is my private photos, haha! Can’t really share those. Currently I am anyway a bit handicapped when it comes to taking any decent pics. Sorry.
