Beat a Go Go

It was pure pleasure to talk with Perttu after a year.  (first interview with Perttu) I was simply happy to see this mysterious  artist and gallant man from Finland in my hometown of Ljubljana. He said he was tired, but my feeling was that he was not only tired.....I am not sure, but maybe he had some summer flu, we were smoking and he was coughing and losing his voice and we were laughing a lot (again) and we didn't have enough time (again), but we were sharing his interesting thoughts and unusual philosophy for a short while.

Taisija:  Can you tell me how it is on the tour this time?

Perttu: Yeah.  This was really South/Eastern Tour  -- we have seen a lot of nice cities and nice audiences.And it was like first really -real Eastern or South-Eastern -Balkan tour that we have played. It was a pleasure to know that those people were so enthusiastic to hear us in this countries.  Wild shows - it is always a pleasure losing yourself in madness....

(laughing)

Taisija:  Is it different to tour in this part of Europe? Some of these countries were living for a long time under very bad conditions.  I mean for political and economic reasons... is it recognised ....

Perttu: Yes, of course.

Taisija:  In shows when you were playing for them - do they respond to music in a different way?

Perttu:  Not in different....you know, music is really the same everywhere, people are really thankful that we came there and this is the main thing for you.....but you can see immediately people really love to eat hamburger....and maybe all this conditions like equipment are not yet built up to the highest possible level, but that is of course understandable, because like you said, these countries are just like beginning to build up the system, even though bad things, even horrible things were happening there, not such a long time ago.  But, yes, it is really great to know this, how polite and humble and great are the people who are living there.

Taisija: This is great....I love to hear this.  

How did you choose the songs for Apocalyptica-Amplified: A Decade Of Reinventing The Cello - the new album. What was the key to choosing the songs?

Perttu: For »the best of« album we wanted to pick up the kind of songs which mean the most to ourselves - which were the biggest steps which were bringing Apocalyptica always to the next level, or finding something new when recording those songs. They are most important for ourselves and also enjoyable for our listeners as well.  In this meaning, the best of / the greatest hits album, or whatever (laughing) -  Then those two new tracks we wanted to have, of course there is Slayer's »Angel Of Death«, has been always number one on the band's top list.  It was mine, and Eicca's, favorite song and we wanted to record it. And we did it with really live old style, what Apocalyptica was ten years ago - only cellos and horrible sound (laughing)

And than this newest song with Max Cavalera/Matt Tuck, »Repressed«, was - because we have done, of course, a lot of these vocal cooperations in the past....but this time we wanted something more aggressive than, let's say, last time.  The idea about Cavalera was of course, he is one of the greatest heavy-metal screamers of all time.  He was interested in working with us and of course, then you'll do it.  If there is that kind of possibility, it's obvious that you just keep that one.  But that song also had not a melody - if I could call it so, Sepultura singing isn't like full singing melody .  So, melody can stop and that is the reason why we had this other guy.  Part of it is the fact is that it - the song-  becomes too heavy.  Matt from Bullet For My Valentine was also a natural choice, because we had made this new record deal with Sony this spring and Valentine people have a deal as well at the same company.... Everything is so natural (sarcastic voice).

Taisija: Well, I was not so long ago at Sepultura concert here in Ljubljana .... you know it was a great concert, but it is something completely different than Sepultura was before...The things are changing...


What is your opinion about classical music in metal and rock?  Apocalyptica comes, in a way, from the classical realm of music.  And how do you feel - can you express in heavy metal and classical stuff all that you want to express in music ?

Perttu:  First of all, of course that is how everything began -from classical music four hundred years ago.  So, heavy metal and everything like that is a continuous thing in music history.  In my opinion, let's say, popular music or classical music are not too far from each other because still we are talking always about music. And music is art, and art - it means to be this kind of thing, to touch people's hearts -  it is creating emotions.... . And we can have those things- similar emotions when we listen to whatever....Basically - for me, listening to Robbie Williams or Mozart, it makes me happy ...

(At that moment he leaned against the wall at his back, stopped talking for a short moment and yeah, closed his eyes behind his sunglasses . He just escaped or sank into his own world  for a while....and then he continued with quiet husky voice)

..... If ever I am happy at all ....Well, the atmosphere, emotions are similar - both -all the harder rock bands and the harder classical composers - they both make aggressive emotions....So, emotions are the same.  Sometimes it is even boring to categorize something as classical music - and even why?  How is it possible to say what classical music is, because there is not like such a thing as classical music, but this is still like a clause - rule - axiom in people's brains, that's why......symphonic music or modern music or older music - opera ...OK, we can say that everything is classical music, but it's too narrow!  »Narrow« is said when something is irrelevant..... All the music is quite close to each other, because they reach the some kind of moods and emotions in mind.

Taisija: Hmmm, yes ....  Apocalyptica's live gigs are powerful shows -and strongly emotional....Do you create a concept before the show and do you have enough space on the stage to be spontaneous ...?

Perttu: It is definitely spontaneous.... because the songs are always played in different style or technique, but you always find something new up there, the feeling and atmosphere of each specific show and ...yes, emotions are really variable and they are not like planning - this and this is now the moment that we smile...if it is a smile, it is a spontaneous smile...somebody has to play wrong..... or whatever..... (laughter)...


To be inside and leave the art - to be inside the art, it is maybe like stripping your soul in front of audience and being naked playing - full meaning - fieriness  ...... It is very strong living in this emotional world during performing....Then it becomes like some kind of mental multiorgasmus ... or whatever....you can get.......

Taisija:  Yes, music  is always emotional thing for me... It is also led by emotions to smash the cello on the stage.

Perttu:  Nowadays it is not really anymore like a habit.  First of all, why, because they are expensive and second ....(changing the voice) Why should we do it ? (both laughing)This breaking stuff is already done....people have done it so many times, like Nirvana -so, who should break it, if somebody have already done it like in the extreme way ....We were laughing that we should bring some pieces of wood on the stage and try to build up a cello.  That would be more interesting nowadays (laughing).

Taisija: (laughing) OK.This would be interesting...I can  imagine the situation....well...


 Do you have any news on your solo project ? How it is developing ?

Perttu: No, I have to wait with it, because of this new record deal. Apocalyptica album is much more in rush than we were planning. .First of all we planned to have like really an off year on this year, but then (change voice again-low) suddenly came but, yes, we have to play thirty shows! Then we will make the record in autumn and then release the album next spring.  And that is like a lot of work all the time...you know, no rest ... But I will do it one day! Like in little pieces if there is just enough time.

Taisija: And you will sing there ?

Perttu: More like scream....

Taisija: And how is with your lyric ?

Perttu:  It is quite depressive....(with sad husky voice)

Taisija: Yeah ...

Perttu: Yeah, it will definitely be really dark moody metal ....Maybe it will take even years before I get it done, because there is still a lot to do. It is a huge mammoth project - three albums.  I listen to things, and little by little recording something here, something there....Apocalyptica is now taking so much time with recording, preparing ....

Taisija: And you are preparing/composing new things for the new Apocalyptica album...

Perttu: Yes, and now we play all these summer festivals till middle of July and immediately we should begin to compose and start to work like hell to get the songs ready, because already we should be ready to go to the studio and the cd will be relased in March - April and after that we will have huge tours again . You know....

Taisija: (laughing) Yes, I know what you mean......but you know, it is so cool and really a great pleasure always, to see you on the stage.

Perttu: Yeah?

Taisija: Yes....  Did you compose a lot of music already, for the new cd or you are still working?

Perttu:  Still working.....

At that moment the organizer of the interview came for the second time to remind us that the time for the interview had ended.... So, we shook hands and said goodbye to each other.

I left Križanke.  On my way home I was passing The Triple Bridge in the center of Ljubljana, across the Ljubljanica river (built by the very famous Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik who designed The Devil's Courtyard), and I went to the old part of the city.  I was a bit nervous and worrying if everything was recorded as it had to be on my recorder.  It is always a big challenge after the interview.....

Then it went through my mind what Perttu and I were talking about.  Again about opera - and his feelings about opera, how it makes him happy.  I saw him again in front of my eyes when he was talking about opera.....and at once a picture from my youth was growing up in front of me.  When I was a really small girl, every Sunday when my parents didn't go for a walk before lunch - my stepfather, who was a professor of art history, was listening to a lot of operas.  His favorite singers were Mario Lanza and Maria Callas.  I remember as a very strong memory that their music was everywhere in our house -when you were entering in the dining room or anywhere in the house.  I was astonished by its force and beauty - I was really very small (about three or four years old) and I was listening to it with open mouth and wide open eyes.  I remember my stepfather's face - his expression of his joy, and every time as the first time, his total celebration of the sound and voices.  I had the same feelings in opera only once again in this way, when I was already an adult.  It happened in Trieste, Italy in Verdi's Theatre. My uncle was playing horn in the orchestra.  In Italy everybody enjoys the operas....It was very hot and all ladies had folding fans, but  this is another story... I think that I love music because of this first experiences from my youth - ....because of my stepfather , I don't know but maybe even more important than the music itself was the expression of his face, and the whole atmosphere in our house.

When I came home I checked my recorder.  There was a very loud noise of an airconditioner at the back, but Perttu's interview was there, fortunately...

Apocalyptica at Križanke

Perttu and Eicca (photo by Taisija)

It was cold for a summer evening.  I took my camera and went to Apocalyptica concert in Križanke.  This summer theatre has a long history, which started somewhere in the years between 1167 and 1200 with the Knights Templars' post.  Later there was a monastery, church and school.  Everything was turned into the festival place in the middle of last century by the great Plečnik.

When I came to the entrance atrium of Križanke I noticed that the audience was very mixed.  Daughters with mothers, sons with fathers, fathers with daughters, all possible family combinations - and half of the Slovenian national theatre, orchestra, rock and metal crowd. People were drinking, chatting and waiting to enter into the open air theatre. The vibrations of big expectation were spilling all over the place.  

Thinking of Amplified - A Decade Of Reinventing The Cello and a bunch of Apocalyptica's concerts I saw them as fastmoving pictures in a rearview mirror...

The first time I saw Apocalyptica's  live show was during the Cult tour in 2001 in this same summer theatre.  It was impressive. Four guys-actually acting like members of an orchestra- were sitting there, playing metal on cellos and headbanging....preparing audience to go completely crazy.  This is what happens in Apocalyptica's shows.  Since that evening I haven't missed any opportunity to see them playing a live gig.  Each show was a unique experience.  The repertoire of songs changed during the years and there were sometimes four and other times three cellists, and they added the drums as well.

I remember the incredible feeling between the audience and the band at Metalcamp - how the crowd was singing all of Metallica's songs along with the band, and how at the end Eicca knocked the cello down to the floor.  It was an intense feeling - we didn't know if he would make love with the cello or kill it.

And the concert in Vienna - when Perttu was playing the wonderful solo parts of »Farewell«l - The air was loaded with emotions - you could touch it.  When the last tone faded away he laid his head on the cello and his hair was spread all over ... it was a mystical sentimental moment - crystal, frozen in time.

In the Rock Otocec summer festival in Slovenia, the guy next to me said with touched voice: »O my god, and now they will play classical after all, beauty ...« , and sighed in admiration, when they started with »The Hall Of The Mountain King«.

I remember how we missed nearly whole Apocalyptica show at their Apocalyptica/Rammstein concert in Ljubljana, because the security at the entrance was soooooo slow - we were standing in the line and from the hall came the sound which is unique only to one band - Apocalyptica.  We caught three or four songs and Eicca was changing a broken string in a few seconds.  It was an extremely powerful, energetic performance - they were running with the cellos wildly all over the stage... There were many people in the audience which came to the concert only because of Apocalyptica. We were a part of it. After listening to a few pieces by Rammstein we decided to leave the place. We were really pissed off and depressed. So, we left and went drinking somewhere and we didn't know that Apocalyptica will play few songs with Rammstein....so, we miss this part also.... We really had bad luck, but we decided after to go and see them in Vienna.

 Than there was the concert in Graz.  It was like a trip to a parallel world.  Perttu was into the »mood« so, Eicca yielded to Perttu's temptation and the whole band totally dropped into the cello metal Apocalyptica symphony... There were only flying cellos and flying hair on the stage .....incredible.

This time I will remember the concert maybe because of their virtuoso playing. What seems impossible is that with years they are even better. Perttu was playing nearly all solos with virtuoso nobility and passion unique for him . Eicca was playing all heavy riffs and pizziccatos - with power and sensibility - (even though he got cramp because of the cold weather)..... Paavo and Antero, great maestros on cellos, gave their best in each piece to build wild their elegant thundering sound   ...and Mikko added his fantastic drumming..... They painted a perfect picture of each song.  The sound was perfect and the concert atmosphere rose with each song.  They were playing a few new songs, among others a beautiful instrumental version of »Seemann«.  At one point Perttu said »I love Ljubljana...« and added some sentences maybe in Finnish, but an enormous big guy next to me started wildly jumping and screaming with hurricane-loudness voice :«Apocalyptica , nothing is like Apocalyptica!«

The crowd in Ljubljana is well known as hard to play for.  People are warmed up slowly, but when they finaly do they don't let the band go from the stage - this time exactly this happened.

After midnight I found myself with friends in a bar next to the summer theatre with an old fashioned drink, gin and tonic - it is too cold for beer in the middle of the summer. After a few hours, we passed by Apocalyptica's grey bus .... If you will see this graffitied grey bus in your city with four freaky cellists and a silky-blond-haired drummer - just don't miss the invitation to their headbanging-cellos ball.

In The Devil's Courtyard (photo by Jan)

Very special thanks to Perttu for the interview

   and "hvala" to :

    Jan for photographs from the interview

     to Slovenian promoters  - especially to Ziga

and to my dear friend and promoter Irena and her booking company Buba

links:

apocalyptica.com

Apocalyptica's MySpace page