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theodyssey

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from stratovarius.com:

Statement: The Future of Stratovarius by Timo Tolkki
23.11.2003 / Author: WebmasterStratovarius Rating: 1.66 / 5 points (58 votes) Viewed: 28866 times

I am in the process of talking seriously with each band member about the future of Stratovarius.

There are lots of rumours circling around and this statement is issued to clear some of those.

The band is in a severe crisis at the moment.

Looking back now, it is very clear to me why the situation has catapulted into crisis.

I have my own way to lead Stratovarius and since being in this band since 84 (almost 20 years) I have had a very clear vision about the musical direction of Strato. To put it short and simple, this is my band.
I decide what Stratovarius sounds like. Stylists might decide how Stratovarius looks like. I don´t give a fuck about that though, I love music and we are not some fucking Backstreet Boys. We eat metal and shit chains.

Before some of you start shouting "dictator", I would like to tell you that we have always shared the income from the band equally. Everyone gets the same from all income. I can tell you many bands when it´s not like this.

Up until very last weeks I though things were fine, there have been arguments, but nothing fancy. At this point I feel that my vision of where to take Stratovarius next is threatened. Along with many other things, which I cannot tell you due to legal reasons. Let me just say this: when the things get so heated that some people in the band enter into fistfight, then something is wrong, wouldn´t you agree?

I am talking with Kotipelto and Kainulainen here in Finland at the moment and next week I fly to New York to talk to Johansson. Then I fly to Germany to talk to Michael. And then I have to think.

So you guys have to wait for some more time for some more news.

At this point it seems 95% sure that 3 bandmembers have to leave. I really hope I can work things out with them, but if not, then they will have to go.

And to those who say I should leave Stratovarius I say, hmmm well, perhaps it´s better that I don´t say anything, so I just say Fuck Off! I am not leaving anywhere, we just signed this new deal and I am going to continue writing new songs and there will be more albums, no matter what the line up
will be.

Stay tuned for more...

--------------------------------------------


Just my oppinion, but this has to be the most unprofessional fuckin' thing i have ever seen a band do. I hope Kotipelto and the other guys get out... let tolkki have his band and they should do their own thing. I mean, it's not like they need the songwriting... compare Kotipelto's solo album to tolkki's and see who's is better...
 
oh man, this stratovarious crap is everywhere. I enjoy alot of thier music, but latley Im saying to myself.....this shit sounds all the same. I think that Tolkki guy is a big dork and should be the one to leave "his" band if he ever wants the name Stratovarious to be respected again (everywhere i go ppl say they suck big ass)
 
Demonspell said:
I'm not sure if I believe this story...I just think the rest of Stratovarius bailed on him after getting blown off the stage by SX every night. Even Tolkki admitted in one interview that he thought MJR was a better guitarist than him.

I don't think a musician like Jens Johansson or Jari Kainualien (sp) needs to be intimidated by Symphony X, Jari is a pretty ripping bass player and Jens is just a god on keyboards (dare I say I like him better than Pinella), and has demonstrated he's at home with some pretty complex music (check his fusion stuff with Allan Holdsworth and Lane, for example). I really don't get the elitist attitude displayed by some people with the pairings of SyX with some very popular powermetal bands (arguably the two most popular in the world right now) which, I know for a fact, has generated a lot of new fans. Is it not possible that a band like Stratovarius (or Blind Guardian for that matter), despite how much you may think SyX own them, enjoy playing *THEIR* music, and are just out there to have fun and entertain their fans, and don't really give a shit how much more technical or prog the opening band is? I'm not jumping down your throat or anything but the fact is simple, SyX do what they do, Strato do what they do, and thats that. Whether one is better than the other is all in the eyes (er ears) of the beholder.
 
I agree with matt 100%. As for strato, i like them a lot and i think it would suck if they broke up, but at the same time i think kotipelto kicks ass and i know he can put out solid solo stuff, so i'm not too worried... they should just continue on without tolkki and see where they end up. I think tolkki was pissed that kotipelto wrote a better solo album then he could :p
 
oh, also read the jens interview. He says tolkki doesn't LIKE playing solo's, so i am sure that has something to do with him thinking MJR is better... that's the one thing i'm gonna defend Tolkki on... it's not really fair to say someone is better than him when he doesn't even seem to care.
 
theodyssey said:
oh, also read the jens interview. He says tolkki doesn't LIKE playing solo's, so i am sure that has something to do with him thinking MJR is better... that's the one thing i'm gonna defend Tolkki on... it's not really fair to say someone is better than him when he doesn't even seem to care.
Care to post a link?
 
I personally do not like Strato, and yes that was unprofessional but I have to give credit where credit is due....


I love music and we are not some fucking Backstreet Boys. We eat metal and shit chains.

That is a damned good quote.

:lol:
 
THIS IS MY BAND!!! MY BAND! MY BAND! And if you doesn't likes it, GO FUCK YOURSELFS!!! - Timo Toiletki



Sorry, I couldn't resist. I've never even heard a single Stratovarius song, so I can't comment on anything regarding the band members being better than each other. But his message, if authentic, is pretty immature.
 
Wow, you know I had already lost some respect for them when I heard that Strato wouldn't come to the states because venues won't pay them enough money, but now...man, that pretty much shatters it. I think the others should go off and do their own thing. I'd like to see what happens.
 
I was pretty amazed, when I first read that a few days ago... How can TT say that Stratovarius is HIS band?? First of all, one man doesn't make a band, they all make it together, and second, TT wasn't even the founder of Strato :rolleyes:

My guess is, that those 3 who has to leave are TK, Jörg and Jens. I bet Jörg wants to spend more time with his family, which is understandable. Jens said that he doesn't want to leave, but he suspects that he has to and TK has made a great solo album and the other one it's on it's way, maybe TT doesn't like the fact that the others can make even better music than he can.
 
I remember a statement from him about file sharing. The way he took things so personally (and directly insulted people) seemed very unproffesional and he has done the same thing again here. Direct insults in what seems like it's supposed to be a press statement sound childish and like they come from a garage band.
 
I don't think he's THAT out of line... he's just freaking out a bit because his band is splitting up. I'd be pissy, too. And if he's been the one who decided where the music went for almost twenty years, he has the right to call it his band.

Then again - I know nothing about Strato except the names of the members. Never even heard 'em... ha! :)
 
http://www.electricbasement.com/interview_stratovarius_november2003.htm
that's the jens interview... specifically looking at this line:

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"I think the biggest two guys are Yngwie and Timo. But they're really different. [/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]How?[/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Yngwie was basically happy to play solos. He is very much focused on that. It's almost like he gets possessed, whereas Timo hates to play solos?[/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Really?[/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Yeah, he's much more happy writing songs. With Yngwie, solos would be in rough demos and when we'd record, the solos would be the first tracks overdubbed even before rhythm guitar." [/font]