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Vintage Méga utilisateur
STRATOVARIOUS ON THE VERGE OF A MELTDOWN?:
Stratovarious seem to have caught Circle II Circle disease, with the band's guitarist Timo Tolkki looking to kick three guys out of the band. He posted this message on the band's official web site:
"I am in the process of talking seriously with each band member about the future of Stratovarious. 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 Stratovarious 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 Stratovarious sounds like. Stylists might decide how Stratovarious 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 Stratovarious 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 [singer Timo] Kotipelto and [bassist Jari] Kainulainen here in Finland at the moment and next week I fly to New York to talk to [keyboardist Jens] Johansson. Then I fly to Germany to talk to [drummer Jörg] 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 band members 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 Stratovarious 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."
Keyboardist Jens Johansson followed up that message with one of his own:
"Within the band we made the agreement that [guitarist/mainman] Timo [Tolkki] will decide who plays in the band, I mean on the records, live etc. I actually drew up the agreement myself, so that none of us would be able to entertain any illusions of 'hijacking' the band by a democratic majority vote or something. To me, I think this is a useful arrangement, I would say even if I get booted out as a result, believe it or not! I am a man of principles. And anyone is free to leave on their own volition too, of course. It's a band, not a concentration camp, like Yngwie used to say.
I can assure you, nobody feels like leaving voluntarily. But what goes on in the hearts and minds of Finns is sometimes difficult to detect. Especially if they don't answer their phone!!!! If Timo wants to have new people in the band I would of course be very sad, because I quite enjoy working with these guys. But there is nothing I can do about how people feel. Either musically or about other things. Timo is a stubborn guy, or he wouldn't have gotten this far!"
Stratovarious seem to have caught Circle II Circle disease, with the band's guitarist Timo Tolkki looking to kick three guys out of the band. He posted this message on the band's official web site:
"I am in the process of talking seriously with each band member about the future of Stratovarious. 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 Stratovarious 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 Stratovarious sounds like. Stylists might decide how Stratovarious 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 Stratovarious 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 [singer Timo] Kotipelto and [bassist Jari] Kainulainen here in Finland at the moment and next week I fly to New York to talk to [keyboardist Jens] Johansson. Then I fly to Germany to talk to [drummer Jörg] 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 band members 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 Stratovarious 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."
Keyboardist Jens Johansson followed up that message with one of his own:
"Within the band we made the agreement that [guitarist/mainman] Timo [Tolkki] will decide who plays in the band, I mean on the records, live etc. I actually drew up the agreement myself, so that none of us would be able to entertain any illusions of 'hijacking' the band by a democratic majority vote or something. To me, I think this is a useful arrangement, I would say even if I get booted out as a result, believe it or not! I am a man of principles. And anyone is free to leave on their own volition too, of course. It's a band, not a concentration camp, like Yngwie used to say.
I can assure you, nobody feels like leaving voluntarily. But what goes on in the hearts and minds of Finns is sometimes difficult to detect. Especially if they don't answer their phone!!!! If Timo wants to have new people in the band I would of course be very sad, because I quite enjoy working with these guys. But there is nothing I can do about how people feel. Either musically or about other things. Timo is a stubborn guy, or he wouldn't have gotten this far!"
Listen, smile, agree, and then do whatever the fuck you were gonna do anyway.
