The bass player talks about the new album, the live shows in Sofia and his adventure with Sinergy

The Finnish metallers were forced to cancel two concerts in France, due toВ lead singer Timo Kotipelto's illness are hoping to get back on the track today in the Spannish city of Bilbao.

The information has ben reveiled by STRATOVARIUS bass player Lauri Porra on a hot telephone line on Tangra Mega Rock.

He said drummer Joerg Michael, who was diagnosed with cancerВ last November, is feeling OK and is now with the band, though he missed his return on stage twice due to the postponed shows in France.

STRATOVARIUS will play two show in Sofia, Bulgaria on 23 and 24 January as sepcial guests of HELLOWEEN.В В 

an interview conducted by Vassil VarbanovВ 

HEY, LAURI, HELLO!
I’m alright, I’m alright, thanks you.

YOU SHOULD BE SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE, RIGHT?
Yes, now in Lyon. Unfortunately, we had to cancel today because Timos' voice has gone. It’s a big disappointment for us and probably for the audience, but we are hoping to get it back on Friday in Spain. But now we had to cancel yesterday and today.

BUT NOW YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO ENJOY THE AMAZING FRENCH FOOD…
Yes, that’s true. You always have to try to make the best of a situation you have. And now we have Jorg back with us so this is good news I can share with the Bulgarian fans.

IS JORG PLAYING WITH YOU OR JUST SHOWED UP FOR COMPANY?
Oh, he’s playing. Just two sound checks so far ha ha ha as we haven’t play any concerts yet. That was really a sad thing for Jorg because he was ready for it. He was ready and hungry. And then alas we couldn’t do it.

YEAH, BUT THE BEST IS YET TO COME…
The best is yet to come, because we are going to Bulgaria.

YOU ALREADY PLAYED IN BULGARIA LAST YEAR…
In February I think…

SO WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM THIS ONE? I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE FIRST DATE IS SOLD OUT AND THERE WILL SURELY HAVE A SECOND ONE.
Oh, that’s great news. I’ve heard a little bit about that but I am expecting really energetic shows because last time it was already fantastic and now even with Helloween it can be even more fantastic. So it was great. It was the first time for us I think in Bulgaria. 
Very nice – a lot of people – maybe the most people we had on the last tour, so we are definitely looking forward to coming back.

IT’S NOT YOUR HEADLINE SHOW THIS TIME BUT A GUEST SPOT TO HELLOWEEN. SO, HOW LONG IS GOING TO BE YOUR SET AND WOULD YOU PUT ON IT MATERIAL FROM YOUR BRAND NEW STUDIO RECORD?
It’s gonna be sixty minutes and yes, we will play two or three songs from the new 'Elysium' album.

WILL YOU BE PLAYING ‘LIFETIME IN A MOMENT’?
We haven’t talked about it, but I think we might not play it yet. I of course hope we would because it’s my song…

THAT’S WHY I’M ASKING…
…But I  think we are going to play some of the faster tracks.

PROBABLY 'DARKEST HOURS' AND 'INFERNAL MAZE'?
Yeah, and maybe ‘Under Flaming Skies’ too. But let’s see.

TELL US MORE ABOUT THE ALBUM. YOU WROTE ONE OUT OF NINE SONGS. DID YOU HAVE ANY MORE MATERIAL THAT WASN’T VOTED BY THE REST OF THE GUYS TO BE INCLUDED INTO THIS ONE?
I actually had a lot. I have like six or eight tracks. Three of them went to be bonus material. So there is a 7 inch vinyl with two of my stuff and a Japanese bonus track. I thinks with this album we gave Matias more power.

And even though I’d love to have more of my songs sometimes, I do understand and support the decision we made. Because I think Matias did a terrific job on producing and composing like the main parts of the album.
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ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE RECORD?
I am actually very satisfied and I can even say I’m proud. Because if you let’s say compare it to the previous album - ‘Polaris’ – there has been some progress and we managed to get ourselves to the situation that we wanted. I think for me now it sounds like a band and I really like it actually. 

I REMEMBER THAT YOU PERSONALLY, WERE INVOLVED SOME YEARS AGO WITH THE “BITCH”…KIMBERLY GOSS…
Yes!

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO HER? IS SHE BACK IN THE STATES? WE HAVEN’T HEARD MUCH OF SINERGY RECENTLY…
I believe “The Bitch” is back in the States. But I’m not really sure, unfortunately. I don’t keep touch. It’s a bit sad really, because we almost finished one album, but then everybody got so busy – I went to Stratovarius, Roope went to Children of Bodom and the drummer went to Ensiferum, so we just didn’t have time for it.

BUT STILL, SINERGY WAS A GREAT BAND…
Yeah, I really loved it. And I was really proud of being able to play with those guys. So you know, sometimes I get really sad, because I would have may be do a couple of more shows. Of course you can never say never, but it was a great band and I was proud to be part of it. When we played, we killed!

WELL, ONE DAY, YOU MAY HEAR THE SCREAM “…BECAUSE THE BITCH IS BACK” AND RESTART THE GAME?
Yeah, I hope so, but I would count on it to happen in the next few years, at least.

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WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HELLOWEEN…IS THIS YOUR CUP OF TEA KIND OF BAND?
Yeah, in may ways. And I also think that STRATOVARIUS in the early days has been influenced also by HELLOWEEN. So yes, in many ways, I respect and like melodic music with strong songs and I think HELLOWEEN has some very strong songs.

WHEN WE LOOK INSIGHT MANY BANDS, IT TURNS THAT THE BASS PLAYER IS THE BOSS – TAKE A LOOK AT IRON MAIDEN OR FAITH NO MORE. YOU ONLY JOINED THE BAND IN 2005, SO CAN’T BE THE BOSS, BUT PLEASE TELL US, WHAT IS THE VIBE INSIDE. DO YOU CONSIDER THE OTHER GUYS TO BE FRIENDS OR JUST GOOD COLLEAGUES?
Oh, good friends. I mean we do stuff also outside of the band. It’s a cool feeling. We are all a little bit difficult sometimes. A band is like a marriage but I do consider these people my friends.

I’VE HEARD THIS THING ABOUT THE BAND BEING LIKE A MARRIAGE, BUT A MARRIAGE IS KEPT TOGETHER WITH SEX…AND MARI AGES ARE BROKEN UP BECAUSE OF BAD SEX, ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD SEX WITHIN THE BAND?
No, actually we don’t have, ha ha ha, but we try to keep the relationship good by having sex with others, ha ha ha. You know, you do a solo album or something, you are going to be with another band for a while and then it feels good again.

WELL IT’S A LOGICAL QUESTION THEN, WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU AS A MUSICIAN, OUTSIDE OF STRATOVARIUS?
I’m finishing a film score for a Finnish movie. Now in the Spring and them finishing my third solo album. So that’s basically what I’m doing outside of Stratovarius at the moment. And I do a little bit of session works. I play on some pop albums in Finland.

WHAT KIND OF MOVIE IS IT?
It’s a drama. A Finnish drama called ‘Home peace’. It’s a film by Alexi Nakkele, a Finnish director.

IS IT TELLING THE STORY OF A FATHER WHO’S KILLING HIS SORROWS WITH VODKA AND HIS WIFE IS THEN COMMITTING SUICIDE, OR SOMETHING?
No, but it’s a story about a father of a family who’s having some trouble and is probably lying a bit to his family and having trouble keeping it together. It’s a movie about that. May be a movie about lying and the consequences of lying.

SO IT’S NOT STRICTLY FINNISH, HUH. YOU HAVE LIARS ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
Yeah, of course, the theme is all around the world but they do talk in Finnish and the cast is Finnish.

rights Tangra Mega Rock