Interview

Big day today! Two great Finnish bands are in town! Amorphis and Nightwish will hit the stage in a few hours and Tomi Joutsen agreed to answer some questions. It’s raining but I don’t care, the bus is comfortable, the beer is good and Tomi is cool.


SBM : Hello Tomi how are you ?

Tomi Joutsen: Pretty fine thank you!

We’re here to talk about AMORPHIS, about music etc… But before that I got a fashion question that I’m pretty sure everybody asks you: What happened to your hairs?

Oh I just got bored with them. I had those hairs for something like 15 years, it was a nice looking but I just wanted to do something else. (Laugh)

(Laugh) Yeah so nothing to do with a midlife crisis…

No it’s just that I like doing some sports like jogging, running and stuff like this and when you have hairs like that, during summer it’s a mess you know. (Laugh)
If you go to the lake to swim it takes like two hours to dry, but it’s pretty comfortable now when you’re on tour.

My girlfriend thinks you were sexier before but she’s also ok with your new style…

Yeah it’s cool… And sometimes I was feeling like I’m not the person I’m looking for when I’m looking into the mirror because guys who have long dreads that like to smoke pot, they are “hippies” and I felt that I’m not that guy anymore. I don’t smoke pot at all…

No drinking and no smoking? What an example! (Laugh)

Yeah... (Laugh)

Let’s start the musical part of the interview now. You’re back from Paris with Nightwish and Arch Enemy, how is the tour going so far?

It’s great! I didn’t know what to expect when we started the tour. I thought when we started to play that only a couple of guys would come to see us. And all the venues have been packed and that’s great you know, and it’s been a lot of people. Yesterday there were a thousand people; there were some sold-out shows, and of course it’s a big challenge to be opener but still there’s a lot of fans and the feedbacks have been great.

Is it more difficult to open for bands like Nightwish? It’s like Iron Maiden, they have a strong fan base and these fans are sometime not really tolerant, they want their band and don’t give a shit about openers.

Yeah it is (Laugh) but it’s been cool to tour with them, we knew the guys before, we’re friends and it’s really easy to tour with them, no ego bullshit or stuff like this, everything is really smooth. It’s been great, of course Nightwish is THE band on this tour, but at the same time we have a great opportunity to bring out our music and maybe get some new fans.

With “Under The Red Cloud” you have the best argument to get some fans. It’s really diversified, more than the other albums. How have worked on this record?

Basically it’s like that: Someone makes a demo at home and then he sends the songs to the other guys via email, we listen to it and then we gather at the rehearsing place and we start to play. Of course together we do a lot of arrangements and I have to work on the vocal lines but I think that the main idea, the melodies, the structure are already there, but we try to have a great democracy in the band: if someone has a great idea we can always try. That’s the main way of working.
On this record we had this producer, Jens Bogren, and he wanted to hear all the demos before we started to work and then we picked some of the songs and we thought that these ones are the most important, that’s one reason of why you have so different songs on the album.

Which is your favorite one?

Of course I like “The Four Wise Ones” because it’s very brutal and it’s kind of a different song on the album and it’s my favorite at the point.

So you’re more into death metal stuff than melodic ?

Hum… I like melodic stuff but not in metal! (Laugh)

What do you listen if you don’t listen to metal music?

I don’t know… I like some rock bands, some punk bands like Turbonegro, Eagles of death Metal of course! (Laugh) Queen of The Stone Age, Mastodon, Portishead, Massive Attack, Therapy !?, a lot of music from the nineties I think.
In metal I almost listen to death metal like old Swedish death metal, I like this Stockholm sounding in death metal, not the technical stuff, some grindcore. I try to be open minded but I’m not listening all kind of music you know (Laugh). I don’t like technical stuff, if there are too many notes I don’t understand it, I really like to keep things simple.

I like when you have a balance between technical skills and feelings. Feelings are the most important part.

Yeah.

On this record, Pekka wrote the lyrics again. On “Circle” he started to take some distances with his main source of inspiration, Kalevala, and wrote more personal stuff. What has he done on this album?

Actually all the ideas come from Pekka’s head and he’s really into myths and Kalevala of course, so yeah there are some reflections about Kalevala. It’s great to work with him because you never know what will come from his mind and he puts a lot of effort on his lyrics, he’s not only doing this for money you know. He’s not a music guy so it’s something totally different also for him, and I really respect this guy because every times he writes something it’s interesting and beautiful and not too masculine, not like “Let’s Fight with sword and kill everybody” (Laugh)
It’s more poetic stuff and beautiful emotions and a lot of things from nature or Finland and I think it’s a great mixture with our music.

So you’re also close to your culture…

Hum yeah… I think that it’s important that Pekka is from Finland because we share the same Finnish mood, what is family in Finland, history and stuff. It’s easy to find yourself in the lyrics in a way.

Isn’t it hard to work that way? I mean how do you work with him, does he have any idea of the kind of songs you’re composing?

No, no. I like the feeling of freedom; it would be stupid to say “I want you to write something about my emotions” because… Well he cannot know my emotions (Laugh). So it’s better that he has free hands to write whatever he wants and as a singer I also have free hands to do whatever I want: if I want to growl, I growl, if I want to be dramatic or sensitive I can do it.
It’s not the easiest way to do because it takes a lot of time, it’s a difficult way because he writes all the lyrics in Finnish and we have to translate and to put all these elements together and it takes a lot of time, it’s really stressful. But I think it’s a good way still.

Have you ever consider to record it also in Finnish, to keep the essence of the lyrics? Like Sabaton did with “Carolus Rex”.

Hum I don’t know, it feels kind of weird you know. I don’t say that we’ll never do this but at this point no. I just think that it sounds better in English, that’s the reason.

Actually it’s better for me too because I understand English and I don’t speak a word of Finnish…

(Laugh) Yeah! Of course it would be nice to do one song just because it would be an exotic thing but it would sound weird for people from Finland too.

So why not!

Yeah why not, but it’s not my cup of tea! (Laugh)

And isn’t it frustrating to not write the lyrics? As a musician you express your feelings via music but it’s also important to express it with words too. So have one of you maybe wanted to write a song on his own?

Of course it would be nice but I think that I can’t write any lyrics, it’s not my thing. I tried when I was younger and it really… sucked. (Laugh)
I think that the best thing to do to make a song is to compose everything, write lyrics and put all the emotions together; it’s the one way, maybe the purest. But we’re a band and we’re composing stuff, we’re working as a team so it’s a total different thing.

Well you can’t be a hell of a singer and a hell of a writer! (Laugh)

(Laugh) Yeah of course, and I totally understand some fans that are really into lyrics because most of the people just like the melodies and the feelings, they don’t understand the lyrics. It’s also ok, because music is more emotion than brain.

You are still a hell of a singer when it comes to growl. You always were. But records after records you have improve your clean singing. Have you worked with Marco this time?

Oh no no no…

Oh… Definitely over?

It’s over because he is so busy… (Laugh)
It was really great to work with him because it’s a great singer and a funny guy, so fast and talented. But he’s so busy you know, it’s impossible to find a good schedule with him.
I’m really happy if there are some developments in my singing, of course it’s really easy to hear it by myself, I just try to do my best.

As I said you’ve always been a great singer, but according to me, on the record, you’ve come to a higher level.

Thank you man I really appreciate…

How do you practice your singing? At home or on tour.

I don’t practice. I’ve started as a death metal growl when I was 17, we had some local bands, but I never studied music at all. I know some notes and chords with guitars but that’s it. I’m more a band guy who wants to go to the rehearsing place and play, that’s my thing, I don’t rehearse at home.

As you play guitars, and drums, and sing for different bands, have you ever considered to make your own project?

Oh non it’s not my thing… I’m more like a team player you know. I like to be with the guys and play. I’m not the kind of guy who wants to hang around in the living room, doing some demos and stuff, I think it’s really boring. I like the smell of sweat, of fart and cigarettes and this kind of stuff.

Man stuff!

Yeah! I totally respect the guys who are doing all the music alone but it’s not my thing. I used to play football when I was a kid, and being in a band is the same you know.

And the team is bigger on this record, you have Aleah Standbridge, Chrigel Glanzmann etc… How have you chosen them?

This idea came from our producer, he knew Aleah and Chrigel so it was easy to ask them and they just said yes of course. They did a great job on this album and it’s a nice little spice on the music, I think it’s nice to have some guests, it’s more interesting in that way.

Totally, female vocals fit perfectly, on a song like “White Night” there’s some poetry, you bring some brutality, and the two combine is just perfect.

Yeah it’s one of my favorite one also.

Refrain is awesome.

Yeah it’s sad that we can’t play it on stage.

Because?

Because the female vocal part is so important…

We don’t you ask to Floor Jansen?

(Laugh) They are playing like… two hours in the evening so I think that’s enough for her.
I don’t know; let’s see… maybe in the future it would be nice to share the stage with Aleah.

Yeah or maybe on a date in Finland?

Yeah but she lives in Sweden so…

So when you play in Sweden!

(Laugh) But she lives in the middle in the forest.

Well go on a gig there, it would be cool!

Yeah maybe in the wood!

And have you considered inviting Marco on the album as guest vocalist?

Well it was fun when we did these albums with Marco, he did some backing vocals, and he has a really unique voice so you can immediately hear when he is singing (Laugh).
But why not. It’s always fun to listen when Marco is singing because I think he’s always in a good shape when you hear him singing, it’s brilliant.

Hoping for it on the next record! (Laugh)
Tell me, you turned 40 this year. Do you sometimes look behind you? If you could, would you change some things? In music or personally?

When I started to play drums, I think it would have been wise to go to some music school. That’s the only thing I regret you know, it would be nice to understand something about the theory of music. Even if it’s going ok without it…

You never took any lesson, even with a personal teacher?

No…

That’s all by yourself.

Yeah!

Like real men!

(Laugh) Yeah!
I took some lessons in singing a few years ago, and before the first US tour with Amorphis I took one lesson but after that I realized that it was a kind of endless path: if you really want to know how to sing, you really have to do it. You have to learn and to study it for ten years or something, and I don’t have the time for that; I don’t have the passion for that, I just love to sing.
As we said, our music is not too technical so I think I can express myself good enough and that’s the thing; I don’t want to do acrobatic things with my voice you know. (Laugh)

Yep you’re doing a great job so far!

Oh thanks !

This year is also your tenth year with AMORPHIS; does the band want to do something for the occasion?

No… I think we’ve been quite busy all these years, we released some albums, we were touring all the time and we haven’t had any vacations. Of course we have one month off, stuff like this, but I think everyone is very motivated; we’re doing it for living so it’s a big part of our lives, it’s not just a band, it’s a family thing in a way.

And how do you see yourself in ten years? Still with AMORPHIS?

I would like to see myself still doing this; I’m trying to keep myself in a good shape, but you never know that could happen you know, we’re travelling a lot, some accident could happen you know…

Come on don’t say that, you gotta wish you luck!
As you’re travelling a lot, is it hard to council you private and professional life?

No it’s quite easy because we’re not touring this much, the average is something like 90 shows per year, so I have a lot of days at home, I have kids and a wife and I don’t feel guilty because I spend more time with them than the average guy in Finland. These guys work all day and they see their kids in the evenings whereas I see them 24/7 when I’m home so that’s a lot of time for kids.

And it’s important for you to stay close to your family?

Yeah of course, that’s the most important thing in my life. But it’s great that my wife understands what I’m doing, I’m been doing this all my life, I started as a teenager, it was my passion and it’s still is.

You’re doing this by passion and also for a living. Is it hard for a band like AMORPHIS to earn money and get comfortable?

Hum I think we’re lucky in a way, we have a good promoter and a manager, it’s really important to make things work, it’s not just the music it’s also how you sale the band. I think we’re not rich people for sure but we can do it for a living, have a holiday and we have some spare money you know, so it’s a perfect situation for me.
I think it’s really important to keep active, releasing albums, touring, but it’s also important to have some spare time to not put too much energy in the band because after a couple of years you’re burnt out.

About money and stuff… You released a beer recently; sadly I haven’t tasted it yet. Lot of bands are now doing these kinds of things, alcohol, Iron Maiden is a good example; Nightwish did some jewelry and so on.
How do you stand about it?

For us it’s not about money, it’s more that we know people who want to do something with bands it’s just like having fun you know, because for us the markets are so small that it’s not about the money.
We did some barbecue sauce a couple of years ago. (Laugh)

(Laugh) Yeah I remember!

So they are just something special for the fans who want to have an Amorphis beer to drink.
But for Iron Maiden it’s a huge business, for us it’s just a couple of euros, it’s not a big deal.
I can deal without those things, but if some people want to do it it’s ok.

Ten years ago people would have said that you’re not hardcore guys, you sold your soul etc… Things have changed now…

Yeah!

Well I think we’ve reached the end… Thank you once again for your time Tomi. I leave you the final words if you want to say something or conclude.

Thank you! I’d just like to thanks French fans; there are a lot of them. Tonight they are… Well I don’t know the capacity…

Well tonight it’s something like between 7000 or 9000…

Ok yeah that’s a lot!
We’ll be back in France next year and I hope some of the people who saw us here will come to our shows.

Actually you’re doing some smaller club on this tour, how do you live this experience?

I think it’s great in a way, it’s a little bit hard for me as a singer to do 9 shows in a raw, to have on day off and then 15 shows in a raw. It’s hard but it’s great to see different places. Of course some of them are not for us because Nightwish is the headliner but it’s good to be back in your own world, to play club shows and see the people very close to you, wearing Amorphis shirts, it’s great.

What kind of venue do you prefer? Great stadiums or clubs?

I like them both even if I prefer small clubs, it’s more intimate in a way and if I go to see a band I’d like it to be in a club. The atmosphere is more intense and people are really packed, it’s the rock’n roll spirit (Laugh)
No offences but sometimes, in these big arenas there’s a lot of business guys that are not into music and they just want to go there and see the show because someone gave them a ticket as a gift. They come because they have to and that’s really boring.
But when you go in clubs, you know that everyone’s there for music and for the show.

That’s true, that’s why I really hope to see you soon in a club!

Sure!

Have a nice afternoon and I wish you a great show! Kick our asses!

Thank you man! Enjoy!