German Version here!
Michaela: Your new album „Black Weddings“ just got released and you got great response so far., How important is it for you what people think about your music?
Tommi: It’s very humbling when people appreciate your art and if the music you write speaks to them. But I think the best way to achieve that is to write for yourself, because if you think too much about the response, you end up losing the connection with your own deep rooted emotions.
Michaela: What´s the Story behind „We are here we are now“?
Tommi: It’s a song about obsessive love and thinking that someone will heal you with love. But all this “You make me whole” mentality is very dangerous, I think. If you try to fill the black hole inside you with someone else, you end up sucking love out of the other person, instead of sharing it.
Michaela: You’re on tour with Vlad in Tears. What have you enjoy most while touring with VIT?
Tommi: Our band is like a family so it’s great to spend time with people you love. And meeting people, old and new fans. I’m a shy person, but it’s very nice when someone comes to talk to you after the gig and you can connect with them. And the guys in Firstborn and Vlad in Tears, they’ve been great and helpful. We feel privileged to be part of this.
Michaela: I saw you playing at the Finnish sailor church in Hamburg, twice. Is it a special location for you guys?
Tommi: It’s like our home in Germany. For this tour we flew to Hamburg first, because we had to borrow some equipment from our friends in Lord of the Lost, so we spent the first night there. It makes things easier when you don’t have to spent too much time trying to find the accommodation and you know how everything works, where the nearest grocery store is etc. It’s a place for us to wind up and as I am quite spiritual person, I enjoy the idea of having a church in the same building where you sleep.
Michaela: Why did you start with playing music and how come that exactly you guys came together to start with the Rain Diary project?
Tommi: I used to do a lot of sports when I was a kid but I always thought how cool all the musicians are. It took me a while to actually develop an interest in making music and I was 18 when I formed my first band. I was never interested in playing covers, It was all about writing your own stuff for me. I think the emotional turbulence I was going through kinda forced me to find a way to channel all that in healthy way and music and art in general are a perfect tool for dealing with everything you’re going through. We met through an ad I had placed on the internet back in 2007 and found the same mentality very quickly. I remember thinking right away, that this might be the band I’ve been looking for my whole life. There’s been some changes in the line-up during the years, but I think right now with Lauri on drums we have a very special thing going on.
Michaela: Which part of Finland should be visited while traveling there the very first time?
Tommi: Tampere is my favourite city in Finland and there’s two beautiful lakes and many nice parks, where you can relax. The oldest still functioning public sauna in Finland, Rajaportin sauna is in Tampere, so it’s place worth checking out. And go out in the woods and let the nature calm you down.
Michaela: Which kind of music do you prefer at home?
Tommi: It tends to change from time to time but lately I’ve been into bands like Sonic Youth, the Smashing Pumpkins and two Finnish bands called Oranssi Pazuzu and Lasten Hautausmaa. But mostly I just spend my time in silence.
Michaela: Why should people particular listen to your music?
Tommi: If you enjoy darker tunes and sounds, we are a good band for that. I think we have a nice balance in our repertoire, as there are songs you can dance to and also songs that can help you find peace whenever you feel like the whole universe is against you.
Michaela: Have you had different approaches in the production of your two albums?
Tommi: We work slowly and usually do the recordings in small parts. On our new album we wanted to find a certain cohesion to make it feel more like a band album. I love the first album as well, but I think we reached a certain level of artistic maturity on ‘Black Weddings’, both production-wise and how be present the things we want to say.
Michaela: Your music is mostly melancholic, but still mixed with dance beats. Are you rather a melancholic person or do you like to have parties and fun?
Tommi: I wouldn’t call myself very melancholic but I’m not a party animal either. I like things that bring joy to my life and it might be having a few pints with my friends or focusing on transforming the darkness in me to more constructive energy. I like making people around me happy which can be hard sometimes because I might not be in a happy mood myself, but I’ve found that the best way to help yourself with your own struggles is spreading happiness around you by listening and letting others know that you care.
Feel free to say a few words to your fans!
Tommi: It’s been a nice ride, the first ten years of this band and it’s been very lovely to see our fanbase grow slowly but steadily. We really appreciate everyone supporting us on our journey and we hope you can take shelter in our music and find inner peace and love with it. You make us feel loved and we just hope we can give all that back to you. Never hesitate if you want to ask us anything, be it in social media or at gigs. Or if you just feel like you need a hug, we’re here for you. We would not be touring without you and we hope we can take this caravan to all corners of the world. Thank you for coexisting with us. <3
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