NIGHTWISH: North American Tour Postponed

[NoPolitics]

Do you guys by any chance know why Nightwish's singer got fired?

 

[osiru$]

Here`s band`s letter for Tarja:

Dear Tarja,

It`s time to choose whether the story of NIGHTWISH ends here or whether it will still continue an undetermined period of time. We`ve been working with this creation for 9 years and we are not ready to give up yet. Nightwish is a way of life, something to live for, and we`re certain we can`t let it go.

Equally certain is the fact that we cannot go on with you and Marcelo any longer. During the last year something sad happened, which I`ve been going over in my head every single day, morning and night. Your attitude and behavior don`t go with NIGHTWISH anymore. There are characteristics I would never have believed to see in my old dear friend.
People who don`t talk with each other for a year do not belong in the same band.

We are involved in an industry where the business-side of things is a necessary evil and something to worry about all the time. We are also a band which has always done music from the heart, because of friendship and the music itself. The mental satisfaction should always be more important than money! Nightwish is a band, it`s an emotion.

To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with those emotions have become much more important. You feel that you have sacrificed yourself and your musical career for NIGHTWISH, rather than thinking what it has given to you.

This attitude was clearly shown to me in the two things you said to me in an airplane in Toronto: ”I don`t need NIGHTWISH anymore.” and ”Remember, Tuomas, that I could leave this band at any time, giving you only one day`s warning in advance”. I can`t simply write any more songs for you to sing.

You have said yourself that you are merely a ”guest musician” in Nightwish. Now that visit ends and we will continue NIGHTWISH with a new female vocalist.

We`re sure this is an equally big relief to you as it is for us. We have all been feeling bad long enough.

You told us that no matter what, the next Nightwish album will be your last one. However, the rest of us want to continue as long as the fire burns. So there`s no sense in doing that next album with you, either.

The four of us have been going over this situation countless times and we have realized that this is the thing we want to do in life. It´s all we can do. In December 2004, in Germany, you said that you will never tour again for more than two weeks at a time. You also said that we can forget about U.S. and Australia because the fees and the sizes of venues are too small.

In interviews I`ve mentioned that if Tarja leaves, that would be the end of the band. I understand that people will think this way. NIGHTWISH is, however, a scenery of my soul and I`m not ready to let go because of one person. A person who wants to focus her creativity to somewhere else, a person whose values don`t match mine.

We were never bothered by the fact that you didn`t participate in writing/arranging songs, you never in 9 years came to rehearse the songs with us before going to the studio. Not the fact that while on tour you always wanted to fly, separately from us with your husband. Not the fact that you are an undisputable front image of the band.

We accepted and felt ok about everything except greed, underestimating the fans, and breaking promises. It was agreed by the five of us that Nightwish would be the priority in everything that we do during 2004-2005. Still so many things were more important to you. The ultimate example being the already sold-out show in Oslo, which you wanted to cancel because you needed to rehearse for your solo concerts, meet frieds and go to the movies. Those were the words Marcelo used in an e-mail explaining the cancellation. This being just one example of so many. I couldn`t think of a worse way of being selfish and dismissing our fans.

NIGHTWISH is a way of life and a job with many obligations. To each other and to the fans. With you we can`t take care of those duties anymore.

Deep within we don`t know which one of you drove us to this point. Somehow Marcelo has changed you from the lovely girl you were into a diva, who doesn`t think or act the way she used to. You are too sure of your irreplaceableness and status.

It`s obvious that you blame your stress and misery on us four. And you think we don`t respect or listen to you. Belive us; We have always had the uppermost respect towards you as a wonderful vocalist and as a friend. And very often during the past couple of years the plans were made according to your decisions only. You were always the only one who wanted more money from the shows.
This ”compensation and more money from everything” –attitude is the fact that we are most disappointed of!

We wish that from now on you will listen to your heart instead of Marcelo. Cultural differences combined with greed, opportunism and love is a dangerous combination. Do not wither yourself.

This decision is not something we are especially proud of but you gave us no choice. The gap between us is too wide. And the decision is made by us four unanimously. We are beyond the point where things could be settled by talking.

All the best for your life and career,

Tuomas
Emppu Jukka Marco

Ps. This is an open letter for everybody.

Here`s Tarja`s letter to fans, as an answer:

"Since last Sunday morning, I have been asked to express my position by
magazines, newspapers, radio and TV stations, fan clubs and fans from
Finland and from all over the world. So many in total that it is
physically impossible for me to find the time to reply to them all
individually. Hence I decided to put down a couple of words in this text
to let my fans, family and friends and the public know how I feel after
the recent events.

This is a moment of grief and pain and I find it very hard to speak.

At the moment I am in Argentina. I hope you can understand that after
this shocking life change comparable to a divorce, I didn’t want to stay
alone at home in Finland. My husband had booked his tickets to Argentina
many months ago and I decided to travel with him at the last minute.

But the fact that I am in Argentina and the long distance should of
course not be an excuse not to comment on the situation.

Last Friday 21st of October was a day the whole band had been waiting
for a long time.

Practice started early in the morning. I was very sick and nervous
because of the fact that I was not even able to sing during the rehearsals.

Also nervous because the concert programme was going to be longer than
usual for a Nightwish concert. Furthermore we were going to have a
special guest to perform with us, more wardrobe changes for myself than
usual and for the first time big screens and bigger production on stage.

Not to forget that the concert was going to be recorded and filmed.

The five of us had finally made it to play Hartwall Arena.

Even though every one of us knew in advance that the concert was sold
out, finally on stage, we saw that screaming, applauding and standing
people took every seat. The feeling was unbelievable.

I will never forget how amazing it was to experience the Finnish
audience’s gorgeous reception.

When the concert was over, I cried of happiness on stage. Happy tears
because I was able to do my best as always even though I was sick. Happy
tears because our long tour got the greatest possible ending and happy
tears because of the best recognition an artist can get: applause and
smiling faces.

At that moment I didn’t know that I was going to cry again soon.

After the concert, the guys of the band invited me backstage to join
them and asked me to hug altogether. This felt strange as it was the
same kind of hug we traditionally came together for before every
concert. That tradition remained between us, even though the tension and
increasing pressure already existed since a long period of time.

The immediate feeling in me was to thank them, which I did loudly but
without any reply.

After this, they gave me a letter and asked me to read it the following
day. The same letter that is now public.

I read it and was shocked.

I didn’t know what to say and still at the moment that I am writing
these lines, I don’t.

I sense great anger in that letter and I continue to have very confused
feelings about it, but I don’t want to reply to this anger with an even
greater anger. Private matters should never be taken to the public.

I know this moment we are going through is very sad for everybody,
including the guys.

While there would have been so many different possibilities and ways to
express what they wanted to tell me with the letter, I remain unable to
understand the way they chose to handle this. I am sorry that the guys
got me so wrong. I don’t recognize myself at all from the way they
described me.

They mentioned mean things about me, but the fact that they involved
Marcelo, my husband, crossed the line. He is the man I love, my friend
and has been my biggest support over the last years.

We have been band mates for 9 years, experienced good times and not so
good ones. I thought I knew them, but I was wrong.

Still everything that has happened is not enough to make them evil in my
eyes.

Now comes a time to calm down and reflect upon all of this.

I need to put my feelings together again and I promise to come back to
public soon.
I will announce a press conference where I will be talking about my
future plans. This doesn’t mean that you should expect this conference
to be an instrument to attack anybody. It won’t.

The wonderful music we created together won’t be touched by recent events.

Thanks a lot to all the people who are supporting me during these sad
times. My family, friends, colleagues, and the great number of fans. I
love you and I really feel I have not failed you.

Tarja"

 

[BlackViking666]

I WISH I HAD AN ANGEL
too

 

[McMutton]

Nightwish are technically astronomical, great band, great music

 

[Darkstone]

I've never been much of a fan of Nightwish.. Didn't go and see them when they came to Australia either, hehe.

 

[kaja]

I love Nightwish... I can se alot of people in here hates the way she sings, and so on, but I think they kinda started the whole thing with putting classical singing into metal, after them, alot of bands came and did the same, like Epica etc... hmmm, not that their wannabes... And I got both the letters, the guys wrote and Tarjas. hehe, I just had to keep that. It's seriously a must!

But my opinion is, I don't really think she would come back in the band, and somehow I hope she don't. Cause of her behavior, I definitely understand why they kicked her out. If she gets back in the band, thats fine, and if she dosen't, thats fine to... Theres plenty as good singers as Tarja out there, so why shouldn't they find a new. I ofcourse hope that her solo project will get some succes, but IT NEVER WILL get as much succes like Nightwish! Somehow I think she kinda used Nightwish just to get famous in someway, and that her chances therefore would be bigger to start something later, cause then people will know her so well, and be more interested in her solo project, like: "oh my god, it's Tarja Turunen! it only can be good". Thats just some few thoughts I had about it.

Tarja is a big talent, and I love her singing, but after that episode in Nightwish, I think she deserved to be kicked out!

But maybe they should give her a try again, and I think they will!

 

[IAN442]

I just found this band after listening to 4URocknmetal.com here in the states.

at first i thought this band sounded like tiny tim on vocals with metal backup, upon further listening i was corrected by my fellow anthrax fans...

Im totally checking out the progessive metal scene and really enjoing it all over again becuase i was so into the thrash/punk scene that progressive metal hasn't been given a chance to me


THANK YOU SCANDANAVIA !!!!

 

[kaja]

okay ? heh

 

[the_coming_storm]

 

[MISCELLANY]

If u like "NIGHTWISH" then u will love the extreme obstruction that "MISCELLANY" can appear in our major melodic creations of good metal.

Please visit the home of this greate band.

www.miscellany.se

 

[Respect!]

Gah, I'm seeing such pathetic posts in this topic. "He shouldn't have fired her, and I hope he gets what he deserves. Blah". Don't you think Tuomas did it for a reason? I don't think he would have sacked her if nothing was wrong. If there had been another way, I think they would have chosen it.

Btw, Tarja once said to Tuomas: "Rembember Tuomas, that I don't need Nightwish for my career anymore". And she also said that she would quit Nightwish after the next cd anyways. They barely spoke together, and when they did, it happened over e-mail. The band would obviously not function if Tarja would have been in it still. Tuomas and the other guys did the right thing!

 

[Absint]

I'm am sooo glad that awful awful singer got fired. Now the band can finally progress without that burden. I think they do right to postpone touring. If I were them I'd do some more releases without the awful squealing before considering touring. Imo the musicians should've regrouped under a different name.

 

[Pessimism]

Tarja...awful and squeeling? You sir apparently have no real use for your ears...

 

[the_real_bitch]

Finland's NIGHTWISH have pushed back the launch of their previously announced North American tour to this fall. The rescheduled trek will most likely kick off in September prior to the band touring South America. "A bandmember has some pressing issues with some outside projects that directly impacted this time period," a representative from the group's booking agency told BLABBERMOUTH.NET.

"The band as a whole were looking forward to this tour and are truly sorry for their fans who already purchased tickets," the representative added. "Sometimes these things happen and it is unfortunate. However, the dates will be moved and put back on sale as soon as possible, and there will be some new cities added to the itinerary."

NIGHTWISH's North American tour with SONATA ARCTICA was scheduled to launch on April 20 in Chicago, Illinois.

 

[Rozenrot]

She doesn't squeel but she sure as hell wails.
I've seen her performing proper 'Opera' and she can't do it!

 

[Ginger Ninja]

hate to spoil the party guys but Nightwish sacked Tarja quite a few months back now and are supposedly in search of a new singer as we speak before going into the studio to record there new material they got planned which sounds good but doubt we will see Nightwish now for at least a year

 

[Zion7]

I think Tarja had a good voice, but Tuomas' genius is what really enabled the band to be so impactful and mesmerizing. A good singer in the hands of a master can make them even better. Hopefully, the next singer will be even better vocally and most of all, relationally with both the band and the fans.

 

[The lone wolf reckless]

While I liked Tarja I'm waiting to see what Nightwish's next move is. Will it be a guy or will they go with a woman again. And might they change their sound in anyway? Alot of questions for band that commercially was right on the edge of breaking out big. I think the move was probably for good reason but the timing was very wrong because of Nightwish's move to roadrunner and topping alot of overseas charts. Kind of takes awhile to import another singer. So momentum is now lost. Questions questions questions.

 

[Dark Sorceror]

hate to spoil the party guys but Nightwish sacked Tarja quite a few months back now and are supposedly in search of a new singer as we speak before going into the studio to record there new material they got planned which sounds good but doubt we will see Nightwish now for at least a year

Yep. I was pretty devastated by Tarja's release from the band, but its time to move on. I hope they get a female singer again, preferably operatic like Tarja is. Not sure as to whether a male vocalist would really elevate the band's musical quality like Tarja did.

 

[Deadeyeseenofuture]

wht if its was a male wiv a female vioce... and it actually worked! hey?