GEORG LAAKSO LEAVES TURISAS

[Mr. Lapin Kulta]

Georg Laakso, the guitarist of Turisas, who was badly injured in a severe car-accident in October 2005 has left the band.

"Nearly nine months has passed since the accident took place, and after six years in the band, I have now come to the point where I am forced to leave Turisas.

I have been diagnosed with spinal cord injury which has an effect on all the functions in my body. In practice it means that nothing from my chest and below is working properly or at all, and I am now tied to a wheelchair - most likely for the rest of my life. Unfortunately my fingers are not working either and it is very unlikely that I will be able to play the guitar - or any instrument for that matter - ever again. To avoid sounding too gloomy I would like to point out that considering the circumstances I should have been dead many times already. Thanks to hard rehabilitation, zest for life and persistency I have already made some progress and I am slowly re-learning the basics of life. I have a hard battle of my own ahead of myself, but battles are meant to be won.

I would like to thank all of you for the support you have given me during these hard months. All the letters, cards and greetings have gladden my heart enourmously. A big thank you to everyone of you! I would have wanted to inform you much sooner, but my constitution and the unclarity in things have made it impossible for me to give any kind of a reasonable statement earlier than now. I know that also this is still pretty vague, but I am hoping to be able to give you more information when things first come clear to myself. There is no such thing as giving up!"

Turisas is not looking for a replacing guitarist at the moment, but will continue doing all upcoming shows with only one guitarist as the band has already done since the accident took place. The band is currently concentrating on the work for a new album with a release tentatively scheduled for first early 2007. Witness Turisas in battle this summer:
14.07.2006 Dong Open Air, Neukirchen-Vluyn, D
15.07.2006 Bloodstock Open Air, Derbyshire, UK
11.08.2006 Party San Open Air, Bad Berka, D
18.08.2006 Summerbreeze Festival, Dinkelsbühl, D
19.08.2006 Hörnerfest 2006, Brande-Hörnerkirchen, D

 

[Feel_The_Force]

 

[melchen]

so those speculations and rumors were true.. however, i wish you all the best for the further rehabilitation to come. i know how hard it is to accept to make "only" those small steps towards (so called..) normal life, but the way behind you was much longer than the street to go! never forget about this.. i hope you can find much motivation to go ahead and hopefully you get better one day.. and thanks a lot for all the input/music/etc. work you've done with turisas (and cadacross)..!!

 

[son_of_northern_darkness]

Georg our hearts are with you and the other members of Turisas - it must be like losing a member of the family having had Georg playing with Turisas for six years..

Thanks for all your work with Turisas and I hope you carry on to live as full a life as you can...like you say, battles are meant to be won!!

This Saturday at Bloodstock I will raise my horn in your honour and I'm sure Mathias will say something special about you from the stage.

Hope you get to read this, many regards Georg!
Ben

 

[eva_dolly]

damn poor guy. I hope things so not get any worst for him in the long run.

 

[kieblack]

cannot say nothing else..

I do hope that Georg gets better, it may be slow but I know he can do it.

 

[CliffBurton]

Good luck to him and his family.

 

[Heavenscent]

Horrible news, since I hadn't even heard about the accident.
Good to see that he stays possitive, I don't know if I could if it would happen to me.
I'd love to see him back in action, but I would be glad for him if he manages to get his life on the road again altogether.

Much strength and fight your battle with pride, much sympathies from Holland.

 

[KristJaeger]

so those speculations and rumors were true.. however, i wish you all the best for the further rehabilitation to come. i know how hard it is to accept to make "only" those small steps towards (so called..) normal life, but the way behind you was much longer than the street to go! never forget about this.. i hope you can find much motivation to go ahead and hopefully you get better one day.. and thanks a lot for all the input/music/etc. work you've done with turisas (and cadacross)..!!

couldn't say it better!
thanks for everything!

 

[lunatic_cherry]

That's just too bad...

All the best for you!!! Never give up fighting!!!
Cherry

 

[El Diablo]

The main thing is that you get well someday, Georg!

 

[suns_recline]

due to an extreem lack of dialog right now....fuck, .

-e
xx

 

[CliffBurton]

fuck, .

no one could have said it better .

 

[suns_recline]

that was actually surprisingly sad when nyguard started saying all this at bloodstock.
bloody right though. least he's still alive. i drank to that.
freakin legend.

-e

 

[Turbo]

I was about to say it was confirmed at Bloodstock. Its a tragic loss for the band, but hes still alive and he is fighting. He is the true warrior.

 

[DaniMay]

I'm not a long time fan but I really liked Battle Metal... What a great sounding album... It was so sad knowing about the accident and the consequences it had on Georg... Besides all the suffering it can bring to him, there's the fact that he doesn't seem to will be able to play guitar, which I guess would've brought him a great relief from this terrible event. I wish you all the best, Georg. From the heart of a 24 wanna-be guitar player who got really impressed by the force of your music. Keep fighting, viking!

 

[Maaad]

had a bad day, when i heard what happened to him ... and even a more bader day, when i read, that he will be tied at a rollin chair ... also bad, that he left the band, but hey ... look at the positiv aspects ... he's alive and it seems, he will not give up, as well as turisas, i think.

 

[Feel_The_Force]

Yeah i'm just glad he survived, poor guy.

 

[WarLord Aden]

It really is horrible news... but Georg has taken it so well!... he has accepted it and that is truly great of him...his input in Turisas was fantastic...

...the best of luck to you Georg!