It really not happens too often that one may have the whole band for an
interview. To the topical state of the things I would like to announce that
the boys had brought the prevailing large part of all concerts (up to the last)
behind themselves. It was their second headliner tour and the boys of Lovex
presented themselves quiet, humorously and relaxing to us. Rather they were
occupied to still make notes on the notebook for themselves when we took a seat.
Now so thus a comfortable “sitting room atmosphere” we did not really
expect. And I may betray, we warmly laughed the one or other time...
Finnrock Corner: This is your second headliner tour outside Finland. Did something change in review to your last tour?
Theon: Fortunately we had the opportunity to tour again outside Finland. The first tour leads us through some German cities.
Finnrock Corner: Are there differences to your tour last year?
Theon is thinking a little time: Sure, there are differences. Among the rest we developed ourselves as band. Our second album was released and for that reason we had the possibility to choose from more song material for our shows this time. Also the preparations for the tour were more comprehensive and we play better and also longer this time.
Finnrock Corner: From your opinions – how was the tour so far?
Theon: It made really lots of fun to us. We travelled from city to city and played many concerts in one row. By now the tour was great.
Finnrock Corner: I am quite sure that you noticed that your audience here in German-speaking countries is much older than your fans in Finland. Is this leading you to a higher challenge?
Theon: Hard to say. I noticed that the audience here is more relaxed than in Finland. People lay worth to have fun. In Finland people have to drink to relax and have fun.
Finnrock Corner: Have you contrived something special for this last show? At least it is your last show here before you go back to Finland.
Theon: We will give our best this evening for sure. Not thinking about tomorrow. We will wait and see what is happening.
Finnrock Corner: Who of you is writing the most songs?
Theon is looking to Julian and smiles: Julian, would you please raise your hand? No, this was a little joke. In that case I cannot name a special or just one name because we are all writing songs. We all introduce ourselves into the band, we function as a team.
Finnrock Corner: After successful work with Inkfish Studios in Helsinki for the album “Divine Insanity” you decided again to work with them for “Pretend Or Surrender”. Why?
Theon: First of all because it is one of the best studios in Finland. And working with all the people there is very professional. Out of that the decision was really easy for us to make.
Finnrock Corner: Can you tell us when you will return to the studio to record your third album?
Theon: As soon as we will be back in Finland we will begin to write new songs. And if things go smooth we will record our third album in spring 2009.
Finnrock Corner: Are you still excited before entering the stage?
Vivian: Yes, for sure.
Theon: Of course, we are. Finally every concert is different,
other locations, other audiences etc...
Finnrock Corner: Is there some kind of ritual before you go on stage?
Theon: A ritual? (Theon has to think a moment) No, we do not have a special ritual. We just get ready for the show. I mean, we are styling ourselves and then – up to the stage!
Finnrock Corner: Are you especially excited when you know that you do a show that is broadcast live? As for example the live stream on the Internet from Hamburg?
Theon: Quite much, yes. Well, if we have a live taping it is all a bit hectic before because this is mostly really short decided. So it was in Hamburg and all the cameras around you are not to be made to calm you down. Over all that we formerly knew that the sound would not be the best, so you are a little bit more under pressure. On doing a live taping vocals are main thing. To perform live and always hit the correct tone – within exists art.
Finnrock Corner: Which was your greatest show or festival you ever played?
Theon: Biggest show? I would say around 70.000 people...
Vivian: I would say, there were less.
Theon: That was “Sound Of Energy” and I would say
we overcome to have performed for around 20.000 people.
Vivian: We played there on one Sunday for around 20 minutes.
It really was not that you would call a great gig, but it was the biggest crowd
we ever performed for.
Finnrock Corner: Last year you took part on pre-decisions for Eurovision Song Contest. Would you like to be part of such a mega event again?
Theon shaking his head: Not again.
Vivian also shaking head: No.
Finnrock Corner: Because it was too stressful for you?
Theon: It was indeed a unique experience, but that’s it. The attention for our band was quite enormous. But we do not want to be a Eurovision Band. It is not up to what we want to be and what we are.
Finnrock Corner: Do you plan to do a DVD-release in the near future?
Theon: At a certain point of our career we will certain release a DVD. But for that moment we do not have enough material for it. That’s up to years.
Finnrock Corner: Did anyone of you ever happen something embarrassing on stage?
Theon: Let me think. It was while a live show on television when Sammy fell down and landed unluckily on his back. Or that I wear my fly open or false. Just little things – nothing exciting...
Finnrock Corner: You always make a lot of efforts to produce videos which are very picture intense or should provide any message. How important is that for you in view to other bands that produce videos just to satisfy their label?
Vivian: It would just be boring if we would do the same with our videos. It makes a lot more fun to us when you are an active part of the video.
Finnrock Corner: How did you just get to the idea to cover “Larger Than Life” from the Backstreet Boys?
Theon: First of all because this is a very catchy song that spreads good feelings. And second we wanted to cover it because it is not a typical Rock song.
Finnrock Corner: What do you think – on which thing a good song cannot renounce?
Vivian: Heavy and intense feelings.
Theon describes his sight of a good song: Singer Aimee
Mann wrote a song which’s name is “Wise Up”. It handles a
completely turn over in life – one of that kind where you do not know
further anymore. So you are forced to think about yourself – who you are
and what you are going to do with your further life. A good song always needs
a good theme.
Finnrock Corner: What bands have influence to your music at the moment?
Theon: That’s quite hard to tell because we are all listening to very different bands. I think there are hundreds I have in mind. I personally prefer to listen to Rage Against The Machine and Killswitch Engage.
Finnrock Corner: (We then tried to discuss a problem with Lovex that many fans of Finnish rock bands deal with since end of 2006. Namely that some bands don’t want to do the usual line-up together anymore – such as Bloodpit, Negative, etc.) What do you do to strengthen the connections inside the band?
(First of all we had a huge laughing before getting the answer)
Theon: We drink all we find backstage in the fridges.
Lovex united once again: And even more if this should
not last.
Finnrock Corner: (We incredulous ask again) That’s all?
Theon: That’s all Finnish men need indeed.
Finnrock Corner: Lovex are counted to the so called romantic styled bands. What was the most romantic thing one of you ever did to impress a woman or girl?
Vivian: I bought someone a bottle of champagne.
Finnrock Corner: Do you think it is a disadvantage that there are so many talented bands in Tampere?
Theon: I am quite sure that the other bands are just approximately as talented as we are. No, just joking! Tampere is in my opinion the centre of Rock’n’Roll in Finland and there are really many good bands. It makes it harder on one side but on the other side it motivates us to get better and better.
Finnrock Corner: (We tell Lovex that we are very much impressed concerning the good climate in and around the band. No smokers, no empty beer cans on the ground floor. Lovex are telling us the reasons for it.)
Theon: We just drink after done work. We make a lot of effort to concentrate just on doing a good show.
Finnrock Corner: A few months ago Theon and Julian did a model job for Finnish magazine „Suosikki“. Would that be a kind of job you can imagine to work in beside the band?
Theon: No, not really. It was an opportunity for us to try it and we tried. We also got some clothes as a present. But I don’t think that I am preferred to be a model. I also cannot think of taking my clothes off completely before the cameras. (The whole band is laughing after the last answer of Theon)
Finnrock Corner: What was the strangest job some of you ever did?
Sammy Black: I once worked at a cemetery.
Finnrock Corner: What kind of feeling was it for you as you noticed that you got more and more attention as musicians?
Theon: On one hand it was a very exciting thing that happened around us and on the other hand it was frightening too. But it is also that kind of thing we ever wanted for us and we ever dreamed of. By now we can surely handle the situation better than before... (Our last question disappeared more and more in the noisiness of the outside starting concert of White Flame)
After that question we stopped the interview because it did not make sense to
go further with the high level of noise in the background. The band apologized
for it but we were thankful to have to be able to ask nearly all questions we
were interested in. We took some photos and with preview to the concert of Lovex
we joined the audience and listened to White Flame.
On that point we would like to thank Lovex for this amusing interview. Further thanks goes to Markko Tetri and the record labels EMI Finland & Gun Records who were responsible for making that interview possible!