"Tarja Turunen? We're not gonna talk about this anymore."

A short yet direct conversation with Tuomas Lauri Johannes Holopainen - main songwriter and keyboard player for Finland's metal superstars Nightwish. Naturally, the reason for this interview was the release of "End of an Era" - the quintet's double live CD and DVD recorded in Helsinki, Finland on October 21, 2005. This date shall be remembered as a real end of an era, as shortly after vocalist Tarja Turunen was fired...

Vassil Varbanov: Good evening, Tuomas. How are you?

Tuomas Holopainen: I'm doing pretty fine, thanks for asking.

V. V.: Let's start with the most obvious question: Why are you not with Tarja anymore?

T. H.: The thing is that we're not gonna talk about this thing anymore. Past is past, so let's look at the future. That's the reason we came out with that open letter - evetrything that has to be said is said there, and there's nothing else we can add.

V. V.: Actually, the reason we're talking right now is not Tarja, but the release of your DVD "End of an Era", so let's focus on it. You advertise it as the best Nightwish show ever. Is this right?

T. H.: Absolutely. There were so many little different factors that made it the best show we ever did - the audience, the surroundings, all the visual effects that we had, screens and pyrotechnics, extra lighting and all that stuff... It was just awesome, and also this really bittersweet feeling we had inside, because we knew what was going to happen...

V. V.: Tell us more about that night.

T. H.: The funny thing was that during the show - about two hours on stage - I didn't think about that matter for once. Maybe some psychologist could explain why, but I was just enjoying the show and playing the music like never before. Yes, it was definitely the best show we've done... so far. I hope there are better ones to come.

V. V.: What is the tomorrow for Nightwish?

T. H.: Well, at the moment we're trying to get this DVD released. There's also a book, like a biography of Nightwish, coming out in a few weeks - first in Finnish, afterwards in English and German, too. Those are the most important near future releases.

V. V.: How about a new album?

T. H.: We're actually concentrating already on the next album at a full scale. I have done all the songs for it - 15 to 17 - and we'll start rehearsing with the whole band in the beginning of June. The studio time has also been booked, starting next September. Naturally, during all this time we'll be looking for a new singer. So far I've been listening to something like 400 or 500 demos, but absolutely nothing has been decided yet.

V. V.: Is this mandatorily going to be a female vocalist?

T. H.: It will definitely be a female voice. That's something I wouldn't compromise with, because since day one Nightwish has been associated with a female-fronted metal band, and this is the way I want it to be in the future as well. Sure, Marco Hietala (bass and backing vocals) will sing in the future as well, but his part will be pretty much the same as before, so we're definitely looking for a female singer.

V. V.: Are there any restrictions on where this singer should come from?

T. H.: No. I think we were really clear in the application we put on our website - she can be from anywhere in the world.

V. V.: Can she be coloured?

T. H.: Of course, ha-ha! So far, of all the hundreds of demos sent, I've got at least one from each continent. There are lots of demos from South America, one from Egypt, many from Australia, Japan...

Copyright: Tangra Mega Rock