the DARKLIFE fanzine - current issue extras

Issue n. X Summer 05
ii
[ ^{issue: n. X summer 05 - web-only extras:}^{To
Die For interview}]

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ii

Bilborock, Bilbao (ES) 12.06.05

ii
After several rumors of dissolution, the Finnish gothic-rock band TO DIE FOR are back and with their last album IV they rock more than ever! Their European tour brought them to 'Bilborock', a small venue in the north of Spain, on the 12th of June, where I had the chance to talk to Jape, the singular vocalist and Josey, their new bass player...
DARKLIFE: First of all, could you introduce briefly the current formation of the band? Since it has suffered a lot of changes, now for example, you have a keyboard player...

JOSEY: I am the new bass player, my name is Josey. Then we have a new guitarist called Antza who still plays in a band called SOULRELIC but joined TO DIE FOR recently when our guitarist decided to quit because of his work. Juska, the keyboard player, was in MARY-ANN long time ago, which was a kind of first form of TO DIE FOR, then he joined H.I.M (Note: the band that started in the dark underground scene and finished conquering the pop charts of half Europe), and he has come back to play with us. And there is naturally our vocalist, Jape, Alli, the guitarist who played also on Jaded, our previous album and Santtu who used to play with me in NEW DAWN FOUNDATION, and here we are. The former guitarist, bass player and drummer, J-P, Mükka and Tonmi have now a band called HATEFRAME.

DL: What was the reason that made you, Jape, change you mind and come back to TO DIE FOR after announcing you were leaving the band?

JAPE: First we were going to make a new band, with a new name, and release an album but they called me from the record company...

JOSEY: They wanted to release our album but they said we should do it with the name TO DIE FOR because it's much better known and as TO DIE FOR has always been Jape's band, why changing the name?

DL: With IV, your last album, I think we're in front of a new step on the band's sound. Do you feel it so? Have the new members influence these new sound, or do you think it's the result of a natural evolution?

JOSEY: Yes, I do. I think it's both, a natural change and because of us, the new members as we all have brought something new to the sound.

DL: And is this the sound you were looking for?

JOSEY: Yes, all of us decided that this record should sound more straight, with not that much programmed stuff, this techno kind of sound like on Jaded. And we're quite happy with what we got.

DL: What differences do you find between old compositions and new ones?

JOSEY: Now they are more straightforward.

JAPE: Yes, this album rocks more!

DL: You have released Little Deaths as a single. Do you think this is the best song to represent what people can find at IV?

JAPE: Well, there are songs that I personally like more, but they may be too long for a single. Little Deaths is great and is probably the most catchy one so that's why it was chosen as single.

DL: About the covers of 80's songs: songs like In the Heat of the Night, New Years Day... it's like a trademark on your albums. Do these songs have any special meaning for you?

JAPE: Oh, no.

JOSEY: It's only that we were youngsters back at the 80's and we listened to those songs.

DL: Are you rehearsing any new covers, or one you haven't published yet? Maybe something by DEPECHE MODE next time...

JAPE: No, not yet. Who knows, maybe we don't even do a cover song for the next record... We can almost do one album from our cover songs.

DL: Tell me something about the song Last Breath. How did you decide to include this song composed by Juska, your keyboard player? (I think it's a very personal song, Juska has the ability to leave his trace in his keys)

JAPE: He just wanted to do it.

JOSEY: It's a good song, so why not? I think it's a very old song, he wrote it while he was playing with H.I.M.

DL: In this last album Jape, you have been the one to write all the music and the lyrics, something you did not us to do on the first albums.

JAPE: It's all I can do when I'm at home...just touring and writing lyrics. But for the next album Josey is going to do some lyrics and also Juska.

JOSEY: For this record we hadn't much time, we just came into the band, took some time to get into the mood and know what to do...and he had already done most of the music and lyrics, so that was the faster way to do it.

DL: The lyrics of TO DIE FOR, are always very romantic and melancholic, except in this last record where there are less lovesongs. These themes seem to some people just a cliché for gothic rock bands. What do you think? Where do you find inspiration for these lyrics?

JAPE: These lyrics are just from our real life. That's why there are no lovesongs in IV... we had no love in 2004.

DL: I believe the layout of a CD is very important. For your last album you have chosen Travis Smith, a very talented artist, I really admire. Was it your choice or was it the labels choice?

JAPE: Someone at Spinefarm (their label) gave us Travis Smith's adress and we looked at his pictures. But we were the ones to choose the cover.

DL: The concept of the layout was yours, or did you let him on his own?

JOSEY: He had already done something but we told him what changes he could make.

DL: Are you happy with the result? Does the layout transmit what you wanted?

JOSEY: Yes, of course, it's great.

DL: What do you think of the gothic rock scene of you country (Finland)?

JAPE: It's quite big... hehe

DL: Is there any emerging band you'd like to highlight?

JAPE: Yes, SOULRELIC, it's Spinefarms' new band.

DL: Do you recommend it?

JAPE: Yes, absolutely.

DL: With so many finnish bands like, SENTENCED, H.I.M, ENTWINE, CHARON, FOR MY PAIN... do you find it difficult to shine, to outstand?

JOSEY: Oh, I think we are quite different from all those bands.

JAPE: Hehe... that's our opinion, of course.

DL: Just a couple of questions more about the tour. I've read you don't have special happy memories of your previous tours, specially of the one with LACRIMOSA. Is that the reason why you choose to tour by yourselves this time?

JAPE: Ahm, no... it was because they have so unique style, that it's not that easy to play in front of their audience.

DL: Maybe it was hard to get into that audience as their were expecting just to see the other band?

JAPE: Yes, it was hard to get into that audience. It will be the same if we played with NIGHTWISH, it wouldn't be that nice, because, you know what I mean, they have their own audience.

DL: And how is the tour going so far?

JAPE: Great! But tomorrow we are going back to Finland so we're a little pissed off.

DL: Are you finishing today?

JOSEY: No, then we are coming back to play in Istambul, in Malta and maybe in Las Palmas too, in the Canary Isles.

DL: What do you think about the Spanish audience?

JAPE: You are great! More emotional people...that's one of the biggest reasons why it's so great to play in Spain.

DL:Ok, thank you for everything, I wish you all the best for the future!

www.todieforlove.com

Tania Payó

(Photos © Tania Payó )

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Issue n. X Summer 05	ii	[ *^{issue: n. X summer 05 - web-only extras:}*^{To Die For interview}]
		-
	ii	Bilborock, Bilbao (ES) 12.06.05
	ii	After several rumors of dissolution, the Finnish gothic-rock band TO DIE FOR are back and with their last album IV they rock more than ever! Their European tour brought them to 'Bilborock', a small venue in the north of Spain, on the 12th of June, where I had the chance to talk to Jape, the singular vocalist and Josey, their new bass player... DARKLIFE: First of all, could you introduce briefly the current formation of the band? Since it has suffered a lot of changes, now for example, you have a keyboard player... JOSEY: I am the new bass player, my name is Josey. Then we have a new guitarist called Antza who still plays in a band called SOULRELIC but joined TO DIE FOR recently when our guitarist decided to quit because of his work. Juska, the keyboard player, was in MARY-ANN long time ago, which was a kind of first form of TO DIE FOR, then he joined H.I.M (Note: the band that started in the dark underground scene and finished conquering the pop charts of half Europe), and he has come back to play with us. And there is naturally our vocalist, Jape, Alli, the guitarist who played also on *Jaded, our previous album and Santtu* who used to play with me in NEW DAWN FOUNDATION, and here we are. The former guitarist, bass player and drummer, J-P, Mükka and Tonmi have now a band called HATEFRAME. DL: What was the reason that made you, Jape, change you mind and come back to TO DIE FOR after announcing you were leaving the band? JAPE: First we were going to make a new band, with a new name, and release an album but they called me from the record company... JOSEY: They wanted to release our album but they said we should do it with the name TO DIE FOR because it's much better known and as TO DIE FOR has always been Jape's band, why changing the name? DL: With IV, your last album, I think we're in front of a new step on the band's sound. Do you feel it so? Have the new members influence these new sound, or do you think it's the result of a natural evolution? JOSEY: Yes, I do. I think it's both, a natural change and because of us, the new members as we all have brought something new to the sound. DL: And is this the sound you were looking for? JOSEY: Yes, all of us decided that this record should sound more straight, with not that much programmed stuff, this techno kind of sound like on *Jaded. And we're quite happy with what we got. DL: What differences do you find between old compositions and new ones? JOSEY: Now they are more straightforward. JAPE: Yes, this album rocks more! DL: You have released Little Deaths* as a single. Do you think this is the best song to represent what people can find at IV? JAPE: Well, there are songs that I personally like more, but they may be too long for a single. *Little Deaths* is great and is probably the most catchy one so that's why it was chosen as single. DL: About the covers of 80's songs: songs like In the *Heat of the Night, New Years Day... it's like a trademark on your albums. Do these songs have any special meaning for you? JAPE: Oh, no. JOSEY: It's only that we were youngsters back at the 80's and we listened to those songs. DL: Are you rehearsing any new covers, or one you haven't published yet? Maybe something by DEPECHE MODE next time... JAPE: No, not yet. Who knows, maybe we don't even do a cover song for the next record... We can almost do one album from our cover songs. DL: Tell me something about the song Last Breath. How did you decide to include this song composed by Juska, your keyboard player? (I think it's a very personal song, Juska* has the ability to leave his trace in his keys) JAPE: He just wanted to do it. JOSEY: It's a good song, so why not? I think it's a very old song, he wrote it while he was playing with H.I.M. DL: In this last album Jape, you have been the one to write all the music and the lyrics, something you did not us to do on the first albums. JAPE: It's all I can do when I'm at home...just touring and writing lyrics. But for the next album Josey is going to do some lyrics and also Juska. JOSEY: For this record we hadn't much time, we just came into the band, took some time to get into the mood and know what to do...and he had already done most of the music and lyrics, so that was the faster way to do it. DL: The lyrics of TO DIE FOR, are always very romantic and melancholic, except in this last record where there are less lovesongs. These themes seem to some people just a cliché for gothic rock bands. What do you think? Where do you find inspiration for these lyrics? JAPE: These lyrics are just from our real life. That's why there are no lovesongs in IV... we had no love in 2004. DL: I believe the layout of a CD is very important. For your last album you have chosen Travis Smith, a very talented artist, I really admire. Was it your choice or was it the labels choice? JAPE: Someone at Spinefarm (their label) gave us Travis Smith's adress and we looked at his pictures. But we were the ones to choose the cover. DL: The concept of the layout was yours, or did you let him on his own? JOSEY: He had already done something but we told him what changes he could make. DL: Are you happy with the result? Does the layout transmit what you wanted? JOSEY: Yes, of course, it's great. DL: What do you think of the gothic rock scene of you country (Finland)? JAPE: It's quite big... hehe DL: Is there any emerging band you'd like to highlight? JAPE: Yes, SOULRELIC, it's Spinefarms' new band. DL: Do you recommend it? JAPE: Yes, absolutely. DL: With so many finnish bands like, SENTENCED, H.I.M, ENTWINE, CHARON, FOR MY PAIN... do you find it difficult to shine, to outstand? JOSEY: Oh, I think we are quite different from all those bands. JAPE: Hehe... that's our opinion, of course. DL: Just a couple of questions more about the tour. I've read you don't have special happy memories of your previous tours, specially of the one with LACRIMOSA. Is that the reason why you choose to tour by yourselves this time? JAPE: Ahm, no... it was because they have so unique style, that it's not that easy to play in front of their audience. DL: Maybe it was hard to get into that audience as their were expecting just to see the other band? JAPE: Yes, it was hard to get into that audience. It will be the same if we played with NIGHTWISH, it wouldn't be that nice, because, you know what I mean, they have their own audience. DL: And how is the tour going so far? JAPE: Great! But tomorrow we are going back to Finland so we're a little pissed off. DL: Are you finishing today? JOSEY: No, then we are coming back to play in Istambul, in Malta and maybe in Las Palmas too, in the Canary Isles. DL: What do you think about the Spanish audience? JAPE: You are great! More emotional people...that's one of the biggest reasons why it's so great to play in Spain. DL:Ok, thank you for everything, I wish you all the best for the future! *www.todieforlove.com* Tania Payó (Photos © Tania Payó )
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