Interview with Jonne for belarussian metalportal "Metalfront"
Russian version on site:
www.metalfront.org/intervu/intervyu-s-gruppoi-korpiklaaniEnglish version:
StWolf:Hello! We shall begin, probably, with traditional questions. In it to year you had album "Tales Along This Road". It is how much known, it was anticipated with strong enough changes of structure. It was complex to find suitable musicians to remain at height, to not lose as in comparison with the previous albums? And whether it is possible to tell, what black times for group already have remained behind?
Jonne: Yes, we came to the situations that who wants to do this really and who are just hanging on.
The problems started because we came to the situation that we have lots of more gigs than before.
After all all thouse changes in structure was just a good things because that's how we found the best men to the band who really want to play in Korpiklaani.
Now we have been the same line-up since 2005 and everything is more than fine. This current line up is actually longest line-up in this band and I really want to keep these guys. I think after the years just this will be the «classic» Korpiklaani line-up
StWolf:Whether difficultly it is so much years to devote itself folk metal? There was no desire to start to work in other musical direction?
Jonne:No, I'm worked with folk and rock combination since the year 1993 so this is what I know how to do and what I want to do. This is defenetly the most easy music to make money but I don't care about that.
StWolf:Small question on " working everyday lives ". If not the secret, what is the time group gives rehearsals?
Jonne: That time what we are spending in rehearsal room is far too little. We´ve been all together there in rehearsal room few times this year and few times last year but we work the songs out during the tour. Soundchecks are good times for spending for rehearsal the new songs.
StWolf:You very densely address to national Finnish creativity, however the majority of your songs - in English. How you will comment this fact?
Jonne: Actually on our new up-comimg album most of the songs are in Finnish because our friend Virva Holtiton helped me with the Finnish lyrics. I don't feel myself so good lyric writer. I'm more like the composer.
StWolf: On what you are guided in the creativity? Have you any standards?
Jonne: Actually I don't know from where the song are coming from. I just play the guitar at home and melodies and riffes are dropping from somewhere when playing.
Song writing is been always pretty easy too me.
StWolf: Will not slightly open a veil above your further plans? Whether costs to admirers hope on the prompt output of a following album, or you in the near future devote yourselves to concert activity?
Jonne: Our new album Tervaskanto will come out at June and our festival season is actually already going on. We will play again in Russia 28th of April in StPetersburg and 29th of April in Moscow. The summer is full of festivals around the Europe and at October we are going to start the tour again.
StWolf:Whether easily to exist in a shadow of such colleagues on musical shop, how FinnTroll? In fact at many expression " Finnish folk metal" associates with them as with arisen earlier, and you consider only as imitators though it and not so. You undertake what steps on change of a situation?
Jonne: I don't feel that kind of situation so we don't have to do anything with that. We are totally different kind of bands. Their music is based to black metal and they don't use any real folk instuments. They are using synthetisator with their folk elements. Our music is more folk than metal and we are using several folk instruments like fiddle, accordion, bagpipe and flutes.
Our musical roots and instrumentation is not from the same planet but I think boths of the bands folk roots are deep in the Finnish ground. Anyway Finntroll is a good band and I'm proud of my years with them. I was on their Jaktens tid album as a guest singer and I played acoustic guitar, yoik parts and background singing with them two years on the road as well. I was in Russia with them 2001.
StWolf:Album "Spirit Of The Forest" in comparison with the subsequent looks more serious, heavy. With what so obvious displacement of accent in creativity of group aside hummpa-like dance melodies and "beer" subjects is connected?
Jonne: Maybe it's because we drink more beer in these days, I don't know
StWolf:And in end - pair words to your admirers.
Jonne: I hope to see many of you dear Russian on the gigs soon in St Petersburg and in Moscow in April!
Thank you,
Jonne / Korpiklaani