While he has certainly been a rollercoaster for the last several years, I still enjoy most of his material, and would hate to see him not recording.....
Timo Tolkki's Retirement?
- Thread starter Sir Exar Kun
- Start date
While he has certainly been a rollercoaster for the last several years, I still enjoy most of his material, and would hate to see him not recording.....
I think Tolkki read the writing on the wall. He has burned so many bridges that i do not think he had a choice but to walk away. But, at least he had FINALLY realized that his career was shot to hell. It will be sad, but for the best.
Justin G
Member
I sympathize with the guy's situation, but I'm also well past the point where I believe anything he says in an interview or press release.
AngraRULES
Member
Part of me feels bad for him - the guy has truly suffered enough.
The other part of me is actually happy that he's done. Almost for his own sake. His career is victorious - he wrote some music that's still regarded as some of Power Metal's greatest songs. Symfonia was good (bias, maybe because of Andre), but Revolution Renaissance was awful. I'd rather him retiring on a positive note (Symfonia's album) than with a dud.
The other part of me is actually happy that he's done. Almost for his own sake. His career is victorious - he wrote some music that's still regarded as some of Power Metal's greatest songs. Symfonia was good (bias, maybe because of Andre), but Revolution Renaissance was awful. I'd rather him retiring on a positive note (Symfonia's album) than with a dud.
Can't say that I argue with him after reading what he's been through. At some point, you have to say, "I'm too old for this shit", and just move on.
TribunalRecords
Record Label(s)/Vocalist
hahahaha. Lesson for everyone in the industry, no matter how big you think you are there will always be the day when it comes to an end. This is a sad attempt to get his fans to say "no Timo don't do it!!" just so he can get one more ego boost. Just fucking walk away already, Mr. Tolkki. He is beyond irrelevant at this point.
To each his own...
Me - I personally always looked forward to Tolkki's output. Not everything was good or the same level as his peak days - but I still enjoyed a decent chunk of it. Revolution Renaissance was just starting to hit a stride I thought when he shut that down. The third album was actually pretty solid for what it was... Tolkki knew the power metal formula well and how to write songs that were catchy.
Yes - Tolkki made an embarrasment of himself, his career, and his legacy. I think part of the problem is he felt after Stratovarius he should have instant levels of fans and success like Stratovarious, but was frustrated when he was basically having to start at square 1 again with getting fans (such as he said in his statement when he quit RR). Coming to mind are Jon Oliva's Pain and Circle II Circle - good bands with good output who basically had to start over and still haven't reached the level of prestige of Savatage.
But to all the haters (not necessarily here) - get over it. If you don't want to listen to the new music - don't... I never understood such the hate for him to stop making music. As long as people still got something out of it, what's it to you?
I don't blame Tolkki for walking away after seeing his reputation and career lately (though the only one he can really blame is himself). But the fans and haters took it to another level (especially if you saw comments on the STRATO forums at time - it's unreal the hateful comments people make)
Me - I personally always looked forward to Tolkki's output. Not everything was good or the same level as his peak days - but I still enjoyed a decent chunk of it. Revolution Renaissance was just starting to hit a stride I thought when he shut that down. The third album was actually pretty solid for what it was... Tolkki knew the power metal formula well and how to write songs that were catchy.
Yes - Tolkki made an embarrasment of himself, his career, and his legacy. I think part of the problem is he felt after Stratovarius he should have instant levels of fans and success like Stratovarious, but was frustrated when he was basically having to start at square 1 again with getting fans (such as he said in his statement when he quit RR). Coming to mind are Jon Oliva's Pain and Circle II Circle - good bands with good output who basically had to start over and still haven't reached the level of prestige of Savatage.
But to all the haters (not necessarily here) - get over it. If you don't want to listen to the new music - don't... I never understood such the hate for him to stop making music. As long as people still got something out of it, what's it to you?
I don't blame Tolkki for walking away after seeing his reputation and career lately (though the only one he can really blame is himself). But the fans and haters took it to another level (especially if you saw comments on the STRATO forums at time - it's unreal the hateful comments people make)
AeonicSlumber
srs
- Aug 14, 2008
- 4,893
- 0
- 36
Srsly. Some horrible "acting-like-a-rockstar" BS from that post. Shit is unreal!
He has had a very successful career but sad to say that if you aren't willing to spend money taking ANY band off the ground (especially a power metal one) and not tour with it then it ends up like this right? I think the Firewind 'headliner' thread is a good example of this. Just because your old band or the other band you play in is or was huge, your solo project is not.
granted:
"I guess most of you know that I am suffering from bipolar disorder, one of the worst mental disorders, but with medication and non-stressful lifestyle, this illness can be controlled but never cured. Playing in a touring band is far from 'non stressful lifestyle' and in fact the rock 'n' roll life itself is manic with its highs and lows.
does not help one bit. matter of fact, Im sure that would be just a pain in the ass for anyone to deal with on the road. Its time for him to do something else. Today it seems that any band is starting from scratch, regardless of who is in it, it needs to start much lower than they think and work twice as hard to make it happen. I mean look at ratt, they sold lots of records and had a huge one hit wonder. 7 people in st pete on his solo tour got his "I do it for the party, the pussy and the paycheck" speach. That's just sad considering the male to female ratio was like 4:1, with most of the 'pussy' being venue bar tenders. hahaha
Its a labor of love and hopefully one day you can make (a little) money on it. He shouldn't be too terribly sad though, if Stratovarius was never around to pave the way, bands like mine never would be here.
granted:
"I guess most of you know that I am suffering from bipolar disorder, one of the worst mental disorders, but with medication and non-stressful lifestyle, this illness can be controlled but never cured. Playing in a touring band is far from 'non stressful lifestyle' and in fact the rock 'n' roll life itself is manic with its highs and lows.
does not help one bit. matter of fact, Im sure that would be just a pain in the ass for anyone to deal with on the road. Its time for him to do something else. Today it seems that any band is starting from scratch, regardless of who is in it, it needs to start much lower than they think and work twice as hard to make it happen. I mean look at ratt, they sold lots of records and had a huge one hit wonder. 7 people in st pete on his solo tour got his "I do it for the party, the pussy and the paycheck" speach. That's just sad considering the male to female ratio was like 4:1, with most of the 'pussy' being venue bar tenders. hahaha
Its a labor of love and hopefully one day you can make (a little) money on it. He shouldn't be too terribly sad though, if Stratovarius was never around to pave the way, bands like mine never would be here.
SkiBumMSP
Member
I have to agree with this. Damn shame that in recent years, it became such a cluster-fuck for him, but I have to give him credit for basically creating the modern power metal as pretty much know and love.
I actually quite enjoyed the last RR album (when that band was actually starting to get good, only for him to kill it off), and I also quite enjoyed the Symfonia album as well. I guess this means no more Symfonia (damn!).
I got to personally meet Timo Tolkki the couple of times that I saw Stratovarius play here in this area, and he came off really cool.
Instead of bashing on the guy, I am going to take the high road and wish him luck in whatever he decides to do in the future. Perhaps, after taking some time off for a couple of years to get his personal health in better order and seeing what the picture is like, he may decide to pick up guitar again and make an album.
This actually reminds me of something I was wondering about around 1998. If the current generation of power metal bands didn't become big, would they keep on going into their 40s, or hang it up? It's one thing to tour clubs for audiences of 300 and live on Ramen noodles when you're in your 20s, but at 46? It's gotta be hell, even if he didn't have bipolar disorder.
A band can tour in their old age if they get comfy hotels and plush tour buses and make tons of money, but I can't imagine many bands with members in their 40s or greater are going to want to tour the same little clubs they did in their 20s. It's just gotta feel like you're spinning your wheels.
At least some bands emerged from the power metal genre to do well enough to not have to rough it so bad and can live off their music. Not many, unfortunately. I was really pulling for all these guys to make millions and be on the cover of Tiger Beat.
A band can tour in their old age if they get comfy hotels and plush tour buses and make tons of money, but I can't imagine many bands with members in their 40s or greater are going to want to tour the same little clubs they did in their 20s. It's just gotta feel like you're spinning your wheels.
At least some bands emerged from the power metal genre to do well enough to not have to rough it so bad and can live off their music. Not many, unfortunately. I was really pulling for all these guys to make millions and be on the cover of Tiger Beat.
AMBR
Metal Grandma
labrekk
Member
I didn't care much for Tolkki's stuff since a while and I can understand most of his points, but what bugs me in this statement is the story about Uli Kusch...This guy is ready to rent his name to appear on an album he didn't play on at all for cash? I know that 10,000 or 13,000 euros is fine money, but from now, whenever I'll see a band with Uli Kusch in the line-up, I won't believe it's his drumming that I'll hear...
Claus / Intromental
20 years of uniting the powers of metal
That's nothing new - from the "rumors" out there, Uli hasn't played on an album for years.
AeonicSlumber
srs
- Aug 14, 2008
- 4,893
- 0
- 36
I think renting someone's "name" for that much money is some rockstar bullshit for sure (although as other people have noted in this thread, not everything this dude says is entirely to be believed to begin with). But let's be real man, whenever you hear drums on an album these days it's never the original drums anyways - someone's going to quantize and edit the kit in pro tools, throw samples over it, etc.
Dominick_7
Member
I feel bad for him. Bi polar is very difficult to deal with for those who have it and those around it. Then add age to the equation with all the frustrations he mentioned.. he sounds like a very sad and broken man. Agree with a lot if these responses. God bless him. Sucks there will or may not be any more Symfonia. Glad Andres been resting some he sounded tired and strained on the CD. Didn't know he lost his voice and it was as bad as he stated.
DemonOfTheWoods
Your option out of here
I've heard that, too.
But according to Steinar & Jorn Viggo, Uli DID actually play on the Beautiful Sin album
I would have thought the metal genre would be immune from the Milli Vanilli crap. It also makes me think that if Tolkki was willing to use Kusch's name despite him not playing on the Symfonia album, then he'd also be willing to use his own name on the last RR album and not play on it as has been alleged.
Virtual Scott
Allroundniceguy™ and Musical Mastermind.
He says this as if it's a BAD thing...
Ok, I am being a little (but JUSt a little there) facetious, but like others have mentioned before, he's been half-assing it for sometime, and the other times, he's been madassing it. So sometimes, it's just better to go out while you still can, what little dignity and musical integrity is intact (of course that's up for debate and measurement by the Official Musical Integrity Meter).
I'm thinking a LONG break (hiatus) might be a good thing. Then come back, perhaps, when the passion and creative spark is there? Then again, that's just my surmising of the situation I know nothing more about than what Timo's recent musical output alludes too...
Ok, I am being a little (but JUSt a little there) facetious, but like others have mentioned before, he's been half-assing it for sometime, and the other times, he's been madassing it. So sometimes, it's just better to go out while you still can, what little dignity and musical integrity is intact (of course that's up for debate and measurement by the Official Musical Integrity Meter).
I'm thinking a LONG break (hiatus) might be a good thing. Then come back, perhaps, when the passion and creative spark is there? Then again, that's just my surmising of the situation I know nothing more about than what Timo's recent musical output alludes too...
Similar threads
