Fugazi

Ex-NIGHTWISH Singer ANETTE OLZON Slams Former Bandmates: 'I Was Fired' December 26, 2013 From <https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ex-nightwish-singer-anette-olzon-slams-former-bandmates-i-was-fired/> Ex-NIGHTWISH singer Anette Olzon has slammed her former bandmates, claiming that she had "no say" during her time with the band and insisting she was fired from the group shortly after announcing that she was pregnant with her third child. Olzon, who will release her debut solo album, "Shine", in February, gave an extensive interview to Finland's largest women's weekly magazine, Me Naiset, in which she spoke about the circumstances that led to her split with NIGHTWISH. A few excerpts from the chat follow below (translated from Finnish). On how her experience may be similar to what former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen went through years earlier: "It would be interesting to [speak] with Tarja and talk about our experiences [while we were members of the band]." "What happened to Tarja happened to me — I was fired." On splitting with NIGHTWISH after coming down with a stomach flu and becoming hospitalized in September 2012 during the band's North American tour: "No one from the band visited me while I was in the hospital." "I suggested we cancel shows until I was well enough to return to the road but the boys didn't want to even consider that. [Former AFTER FOREVER and current REVAMP singer] Floor Jansen had replaced me before I had recovered." On the emotions she went through — first shock, then anger and sorrow — after her departure from NIGHTWISH, which she compared to a divorce: "I wondered what I had done wrong to deserve this. I was also, of course, worried that I wouldn't be able to support my family." On how her marriage to her now-ex-husband suffered as a result of the pressure she felt during NIGHTWISH's heavy touring schedule after she joined the band: "[Travelling between shows] in Brazil and Argentina was scary. People were pulling my cheeks, grabbing and pulling my hair. It was causing so much anxiety that I had panic attacks." "I was stressed out over my personal life while we were on tour, but I didn't want to take it out on the band. I believe the boys saw I was falling apart, but I didn't get much support from them." "Emotionally, the toughest part was that the boys decided everything for me. I had no say. If Tuomas [Holopainen, NIGHTWISH keyboardist/mainman] decided that we would go to Africa, off we went." On how the finances in NIGHTWISH were split (Anette claims the four men in NIGHTWISH controlled millions of euros in revenue through their company Scene Nation, which she wanted to be an employee of, but she had to start her own company, Momma Anka AB, instead. She also claims her company had a loss of 72,800 euros in 2010. During the same period, Scene Nation had a profit of 351,000 euros): "The concert salaries and royalties were divided evenly, but other income went directly to the men. "Running a company alone was expensive. I had to borrow money from the boys to start it up." On not being bitter about how things ended with NIGHTWISH and unresolved feelings she has from the split with the band: "I've often thought about calling Tuomas to get some closure. "I don't think this is over yet." On leading a normal family life in Helsingborg, Sweden and readying her first solo album: "Only now I can say I am happy. "Bad experiences have a meaning too. "I am no longer that overly self-conscious girl who tries to please others and pretend that everything is always right." In response to Olzon's Me Naiset interview, the members of NIGHTWISH released a statement (translated from Finnish) via their official web site in which they disputed many of the claims made by their former singer, insisting that the article was "full of twisted truths and defamation." NIGHTWISH's statement reads as follows: [19.12.2012] "Welcome to the laundry room... "The interview of our former vocalist Anette in Me Naiset magazine is full of twisted truths and defamation. This 'one woman vs. the Neanderthals' scenario is an easy to way to take advantage of our media history. "The split with Anette wasn't because of pregnancy or illness. We discovered her personality didn't fit this work community, and was even detrimental to it. "These claims we can invalidate right away: "Claim: Moments [before being fired], Anette had told Tuomas Holopainen of her pregnancy "Truth: Anette told of her pregnancy to the whole band already a week earlier in Montreal [19 sept 2012]. Everyone was congratulative, and Anette herself offered an option of hiring a replacement vocalist if she can't manage everything, which was already agreed on. Later she took back her decision, and the difficulties really started. Fear of losing money and position seemed obvious. "Claim: The boys of the band decided everything for me "Truth: Neither Tuomas nor any other of the boys of the band can singlehandedly decide where we take off to and when. There have been discussions inside the band and support of people on a personal level. Also Anette. Managers and promoters discuss about possible concerts, record releases, etc., and wishes of all the band members have been taken into account. All these details have been negotiated with Anette and her manager. We have the e-mails. "To keep the touring life bearable, it's reasonable and right to make things comfortable on a personal level. Based on these discussions, Anette was given liberties from interviews and fan meetings. She and her family got an own tour bus and driver in both Europe and America. The expenses were paid by the organization, not Anette or her company. Others of the band didn't use similar benefits. "Claim: Other income went directly to the men "Truth: Anette and her company has been paid a fifth of everything that was done during her time and with her. We have no reason to lie, because this cake has provided enough slices for us all. The finances of the band have always been handled openly, honestly and even-handedly. The books exist. How individual members spend their share is up to their own responsibility. "We neither want to nor intend to comment this more now. "Doing the laundry is tiring. Remember to help your ladies with that occasionally." https://web.archive.org/web/20131229011807/http://nightwish.com:80/fi/news http://www.nightwishonline.com/index.php?/forums/topic/3305-anette-olzon/&do=findComment&comment=206672

Anette Olzon separated from Nightwish: "The tour was so oppressing that I got panic attacks" Me Naiset, 19Dec2013 http://web.archive.org/web/20160620103102/https://www.menaiset.fi/artikkeli/joka_paiva/ihmiset/nightwishista_erotettu_anette_olzon_kiertueilla_oli_niin_ahdistavaa Translation and comment from <http://www.nightwishonline.com/index.php?/forums/topic/3305-anette-olzon/&page=6> ”The boys in the band decided everything for me” says Anette Olzon, former singer of Nightwish who was kicked out of the band. “It would be interesting to exchange experiences with Tarja Turunen” Anette confesses. Anette Olzon thought she had gotten the dream job as a singer for Nightwish. When she was kicked out of the band, same kinds of emotions were risen as in a divorce. “I thought what had I done to deserve this.” Five years ago metal band Nightwish hired Swedish vocalist Anette Olzon to replace soprano Tarja Turunen. In last year’s October the band announced on their website that Anette’s employment in the band was over because of differing views. After the hassle Anette returned silently to Sweden. Now she’s ready to tell her version of what happened. “The same thing happened to me that happened to Tarja. I was fired”, Anette says. The dismissal didn’t happen at a convenient time. Nightwish was on tour in the US, Denver when Anette got sick with a stomach flu and had to go to hospital for intravenous treatment. A bit before Anette had told the leader of the band, keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen about her pregnancy. “Nobody from the band came to see me at the hospital. I had suggested that we’d cancel some shows until I get better but the boys wouldn’t negotiate about it. I was still recovering when Floor Jansen was flown to replace me.” Anette says she’s been going through same feelings as in a divorce during the time after her dismissal. First weeks she was stunned and after that came anger and sorrow. “I was thinking what had I done wrong to deserve this. Of course I was also worried I wouldn’t be able to support my family.” Anette married her musician husband Johan Husgafvel last summer. The couple has a 3-year-old son Nemo and 8-month-old son Mio. From her previous marriage Anette also has a 12-year-old firstborn son Seth. Death threats and sickness The start in Nightwish wasn’t easy for Anette. The boys in the band took her in well but critics were mocking her voice and fans were yelling Tarja Turunen’s name at the gigs. In South America Anette even got a death threat where she was threatened to be murdered in front of her son. “Moving around in Brazil and Argentina was scary. People were pulling my cheeks, grabbing and pulling my hair and in all the ways came to my skin. It was causing so much anxiety that I had panic attacks”, she tells. Anette tried to push the negative feedback behind but the pressure became unreasonable. She started having issues in her then intimate relationship. “When I was on tour I was stressing the issues in my personal life but I didn’t want to take it on the band. I’m sure the boys saw that I was broken but I didn’t get much support from them.” The situation wasn’t easy for Tuomas Holopainen either. During the tour in 2008 Nightwish had to cancel shows because Anette got sick. The continuous stress came out as reoccurring flus and caused the singer vocal issues. Anette thinks the touring program was made too difficult. “Emotionally the toughest part was that boys made all the decisions for me. I didn’t have a say. If Tuomas invented that we’ll go to Africa now, then we went”, Anette tells. Millions to the men Economical imbalance also caused challenges in Nightwish. The four men in the band governed millions of worth of sales through a common company, Scene Nation. Anette would’ve wanted to be paid by the company as a worker but she had to start up her own company, Momma Anka AB. “Payments for gigs and royalties were divided equally to all of us but other income went straight to the men’s cashbox. Running a company became expensive. I had to loan money from the boys to start up the company.” Anette Olzon’s company made 72800 euros worth of loss during year 2010. At the same time Nightwish’s men’s Scene Nation made 351000 euros income. Even though Anette wished for another kind of end in the band she is not bitter. “Many times I’ve felt like calling Tuomas just because I would like to get a closure for everything. I think this hasn’t been dealt with yet.” In her own life she has moved forward already. She enjoys normal family life in Southern Sweden’s Helsingborg and is preparing her first solo album. “It’s no until now I can say I am happy. Bad experiences have their meaning too. I am not that over-conscientious girl who tries to please everyone and pretends that all is well anymore.” (In the actual article she tells why she broke down in Brazil in 2008.) Just read the whole interview. It has a few additional things. I though it was pretty nice interview. I'm sure some of the stuff has just been written more radically to get sales. Just the "normal" journalism. (Again, fast writing. Don't mind mistakes.) -in the beginning she jokes about her hair colo and how she can now dye it how she wants it because in the beginning of Nightwish she had to try to accommodate to a darker style that wasn't hers. Black hair and gothic clothes weren't her thing. -it seems from the interview that her posts in her blog were the last straw for the guys which caused them to kick her out. -she talks about the beginning times and how everything was nice and dandy and Tuomas was asking her constantly does she realize where she's gotten herself into because he worried for her because of her son. She was sure about what she wanted 'cause she had been searching for the right band or musical roles from all over Europe. -she says she still listens to Nightwish songs when she runs and is proud of every song she's gotten the chance to sing -she hadn't prepared for the huge publicity and when the reporters started coming to her home she thought for the first time what have i gotten myself into. -she was much liked in the beginning and was perfect for the mood of the band since she was a nice and outgoing, social personality. she also said she was a dream fit for the guys cause she did everything as they told her to do and didn't dare to say anything against since she was scared of being labeled as difficult. -she was very adamant since the beginning that she wasn't like Tarja and when she now thinks about it, she says she shouldn't have maybe been so adamant about it and the fans might've hated her less if she was more like her. (i assume she refers to singing? or everything? i don't know though.) -she felt whatever she did people were not happy. touring was so fast that she couldn't remember where she was when she woke up in the mornings. -the problems in her first marriage were due to her becoming a celebrity. -she fell apart in Brazil, Belo Horizonte because she noticed already in the beginning of the set that her voice was not "flowing" properly and when you added to that the continuous criticism, missing home and a song that talked about motherhood she just fell apart. -Afterwards she was very embarrassed by her escape and she was crying in the tour bus and apologizing the guys for her behavior but she could still see that it wasn't making the mood in the bus any better. The band was furious. She says the guys had a good reason to get mad at her but she was secretly hoping they would've been more graceful towards her and understood that everyone makes mistakes sometimes. Instead the guys suggested that she would leave home the next day. She was dumbfounded. The feeling didn't ever go back to what it was after that but she did tour until the end of that tour. She says this is when the first big crack came between them. When trust has been broken once it can't be gotten back to what it was. She wished they would've cleared the air by fighting but that's not Nightwish's way of dealing with issues. -she tells that before Nightwish she hadn't been sick in years but the rough schedule, stress and anxiety, criticism etc. caused her to have health issues which caused her to have voice issues. Her body was trying to tell her to slow down but she didn't listen. She felt guilty causing harm to the band. -she's noticed that friendship is kept in a band as long as there is no talk about money. the rules for that have to be very clear from the beginning, otherwise it causes issues between the band members. -she says Nightwish has brought a lot of good things too. she says Tuomas Holopainen is a real matchmaker for making Tarja & Marcelo meet and then having his hand in Anette's and Johan's start of a relationship. -the band wasn't as happy about the second pregnancy as the first one because the world tour was still going on. -she sent Floor a message because she knows her and wished her good luck and told her to be aware of the boys. She says she really hopes they don't make the same mistake a third time. -she says it would be interesting to meet Tarja now that she's also become a mother and is in the same record label. -she's been trying to take back some of the time she's lost while touring with her kids. She says it's rough when she practices singing and Nemo will yell shut up mom and Mio wants to be in her lap. her oldest son Seth thinks that her blue-violet hair is embarrassing. -when her solo album will be out she will be taking her whole family with her on tour. she really enjoys that she can now decide her own schedules. -she knows she wouldn't be here without Nightwish. when she was younger she complained about her life being boring but now she can say it's been all but that. She's stronger because of Nightwish. -Even though she wished for another kind of ending in the band she still hopes that some day she and all the band members can sit down together and forgive each other. She misses their friendship and the good times they had in the band in the beginning.

For a time after splitting from Nightwish in 2012, Anette kept a low profile and didn't comment on the split. Eventually though she did return with some virulent criticism of how things went south between her and the band...

Thanks for the tip, one of the better reactions indeed! It's nice to see an old connoisseur notice Tuomas' progressive (like in prog rock) songwriting. Songs like GLS, Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean, TGSOE and many others lean heavily into the progressive rock/metal influence (key changes, mood changes, long-winded songs with chapters or movements, atypical instruments...)

NIGHTWISH - Going Dutch: "Floor Jansen Owns The Stage And The Audience" October 23, 2013 By Carl Begai The day after it was announced that NIGHTWISH touring vocalist Floor Jansen (REVAMP, ex-AFTER FOREVER) had been made an official band member, BW&BK; was given the opportunity to speak with keyboardist/mastermind Tuomas Holopainen about the band's forthcoming live/tour documentary DVD Showtime, Storytime. Good thing they took care of business before press began, because if they hadn't most of this conversation would have consisted of yours truly telling Holopainen he would have to be a special kind of insane to let Jansen slip away. But really, it's no surprise that Jansen was asked to stay considering her monumental efforts since coming on board at the last minute to replace the booted Anette Olzon back in October 2012. "I know it didn't come as a surprise to anybody," Holopainen says of the news. "We wanted to make it official at this point because we knew we were going to do a lot of promotion for the upcoming DVD. It's just easier to do things this way; we don't need to keep our mouths shut." The documentary portion of the DVD begins appropriately with footage from Denver, Colorado as Nightwish makes a mad scramble to put together some semblance of a setlist in the wake of Olzon falling ill. With their singer unable to perform and an audience willing to stick around for whatever the band can come up with, Nightwish enlist support band KAMELOT's backing singers Elize Ryd (AMARANTHE) and Alissa White-Gluz (THE AGONIST). The rest is a pretty amazing piece of history. Holopainen is caught on camera after the show stating that he'd never been as scared as he was two hours earlier. "That was the truth," he admits. "The whole day is just a hazy dream to me now. It was such an awkward moment. A big hand to Elize and Alissa... they were amazing. But that's what doing live shows is all about. Sometimes these things happen and it's really memorable stuff; a mass karaoke with those two lovely girls joining us, doing some instrumental stuff as well. It was something different and I don't think anybody left the venue upset or annoyed." Olzon, on the other hand, was genuinely upset and took to her official website to air her feelings. She made it clear she thought the band was wrong to go ahead without her. On October 1st the band released a statement announcing Olzon's departure and that Jansen would be filling in for the rest of the tour. "We got quite a bit of criticism for doing the show without Anette," Holopainen reveals. "Some people asking us how we could be so selfish and do the show without her. It was quite the opposite. We had to think about the 1,600 fans, the promoter, the crew, everybody. Seriously, if something happened to me or any of the other band members, I'd do anything to still make the show happen. We offered the money back from the tickets. We told the fans how the show was going to be, so of course if they wanted to leave they should get their money back. It was seven refunds out of 1,600 so that was pretty good." Nightwish haven't elaborated on the reasons for firing Olzon and it's doubtful they ever will, even as they move on with Jansen. "The split is like a divorce and nobody likes to talk about a divorce publicly. We released a statement, with Anette, and that should be enough for everyone." Suffice to say, there's a certain amount of bad blood still floating around. The documentary begins with a disclaimer stating that "due to the circumstances surrounding her departure, the former vocalist insisted that she would not be seen or heard in the documentary." "That's something I can clarify," says Holopainen. "It did come as a surprise to all of us. The documentary was about 80% finished and Anette was in it giving interviews, there was nice live footage of her, but in March this year we got an email from her manager saying that we needed to cut her out of the documentary, audio and visual. That's something we didn't expect, so we had to decide if the documentary was even worth doing anymore because it was an essential part of the tour. The director, Ville, told us to give him a chance. He wanted to take a few weeks to see what he could do with the editing. And now when I see the footage I've got to give it to the guy, he's a wizard. It's beautifully crafted. The drama is there, the beauty is there. Occasionally you might think 'Okay, where's the vocalist?' but when Floor comes in you can really enjoy it." Jansen has fronted Nightwish since October 2012 and has had a much easier job winning over the band's legion of fans than Olzon did. Take a cruise through the library of live footage on YouTube and you can watch her grow into the role of being front and center on the Nightwish stage. "I have to agree. The first couple of weeks that we did with her were good and she was really impressive, especially with the time that she had to prepare. Looking at her now - and I only saw the Wacken Open Air footage for the first time only two weeks ago - I'm thinking 'Wow!' Watch the DVD and you can see that Floor owns the stage and the audience." Asked if he remembers when the band came to the conclusion Jansen should be fronting Nightwish permanently.... "Yes I do. It was spring, about six months after Floor came in. We agreed that she was a lovely person and that she really could sing, but I was wondering if we really needed to be talking about all that stuff just yet because I was having such a good time on tour. It eventually got to the point where we said 'Why not?' It was after the Sauna Open Air Festival in Finland at the beginning of June, after the show in the hotel lobby, where we encouraged ourselves to go to Floor and ask her how she would feel about continuing with us in the future. She gave us an immediate 'Yes.' We didn't think it was going to be an 'of course' answer, though. We didn't take anything for granted, but she was really happy and really motivated. And right after that we asked Troy Donockley (uilleann pipes, low whistles, vocals) about joining the band as well. He said yes too, so it was a happy evening (laughs)." Donockley's confirmation as a full band member may seem odd considering he's "only" been a backing musician on tour. Holopainen will tell you different. "He's been part of the band for the past 18 years, not only because of his musical abilities but also because of his personality. What does it mean to be in a band? I think Troy is a prime example of that because he brings a lot of light and joy and musical abilities to the band, so why not make it official as well." Taking nothing away from Donockley, Jansen is the focus for the moment and has been since she stepped foot on the Nightwish stage. Her vocal range gives them the chance to perform old material from the Tarja-era, something that was hit-and-miss with Olzon up front. "There's definitely some potential to do that," Holopainen agrees. "When I listen to Floor sing songs like 'She Is My Sin', it's quite grand. I really like how she does the old songs, so yeah, I've been toying with the idea that we might dig up some of the older stuff on the next tour and see how it works. If it doesn't feel then we won't do it, but we could give some of the songs a chance. Maybe something from Oceanborn..." Bottom line is Jansen can sing anything from the Nightwish catalogue. "Pretty much so, I have to agree. At the same time I want to give Anette some credit because when you listen to Dark Passion Play and Imaginaerum, I don't think there's another person on this planet that could have done a better job on those songs. They still sound really, really good. But, like you said, Floor can do every song we've ever written so that they sound good at the very least (laughs). Usually they sound phenomenal when she does them. When Floor sings 'Ghost Love Score' and 'She Is My Sin', they're pretty out there." For the future, we'll have to wait until late 2014 or early 2015 for the next Nightwish album. The ball is already rolling, however, at least in Holopainen's mind. "From the beginning of November on I'm going to go into very deep hibernation and work on new Nightwish material until next summer. It'll be about seven months of just staying at home and writing songs with a vacation in between. On July 1st we'll gather together in the Nightwish camp and start working on the next album." As to what direction the next record will take, it's anybody's guess. Go bigger than Imaginaerum (which would be a bloody epic task) or go back to vocals/guitars/bass/keyboards/drums basics? "The gut feeling I have at the moment would be somewhere in between those two places," says Holopainen. "It's never the purpose to be bigger and bigger and bigger. It doesn't need to be bigger as long as it's interesting and brings something new to the show. The 'being bigger' issue is just nonsense. We just do the things we feel and the way we want to do them. When we did Imaginaerum, we wanted to do a big orchestral theatrical album and take down the guitars and bass a little bit. At the moment, I and I think the rest of the band would like to take a step back and do things in an old school band-orientated way. That's how I would like to do things. We're never going to get rid of the orchestra or the choirs because they compliment the music so beautifully and we love that, but maybe the next one will be a bit more of a band album." From <http://bravewords.com/features/nightwish-going-dutch-floor-jansen-owns-the-stage-and-the-audience>

Sweden Rock Magazine Oct 2013 As an introduction to the documentary "Please learn the setlist in 48 hours", we read a text that explains that Anette Olzon has requested that no visual or audio material with her may be used in the film. "Yes, of course it is very unfortunate," says Nightwish's founder, main composer and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen. "It was in March of this year we were told that Anette neither wanted to be seen or heard in the documentary. Then Ville Lipiäinen, who also made our previous tour documentary "Back in the day ... is now" (2009), had already edited and cut together more than 80 percent of it. The rest of us did not, of course, believe it would be possible to remove her when she had such a large and important role in the whole thing. Ville believed, however, that it was possible to redo without compromising quality. I saw the finished result at the end of September and I don't know how he did it. I don't even want to think about how much extra work it became for him in the end, but he succeeded anyway. The result is really good. But I still think it's too bad she's not in it. We wouldn't have shown her in a bad light, if that's what she was afraid of. She'd have had just as much to say about the material as the rest of us. But now it is as it is and we respected her wishes of course." If you compare the concert from Wacken Open Air from August 3rd this year with concerts from your previous DVD releases "From Wishes To Eternity" (2001), recorded in Tampere, and "End of an Era" (2006), recorded in Helsinki, the Wacken Open Air gig doesn't feels as exclusive as the others. Was it really supposed to be released originally? "Not originally. It was entirely our record label Nuclear Blast's idea. I was initially against it but they said they absolutely wanted to have a concert too. Tojust release the documentary would not do at all. When we got those news we were in the midst of the festival summer, so the recording options were then very few. That it turned out to be Wacken Open Air is of course because it is a very large and well known festival, but also because everything we needed to record was already at the place. But yes, for me it would have been more satisfying to maybe do a special concert at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki again with both guests and a symphony orchestra, but there was no time for something like that. Now, of course I don't think the Wacken Open Air concert is bad in any way and we played really well that night, but I also understand what you mean." You seem to be much happier and more at ease with yourself now than you did in the documentary "End of Innocence" (2003). "That is true, and I am also very much happier now than I was then. Why I am now is personal and nothing I want to talk to the press about. However, that I had a pretty rough time then and earlier around "Century Child" (2002) most people already know about. I don't regret that we did the documentary, but I honestly haven't been able to watch it since it was released. I also don't intend to ever watch it again. It wouldn't give me any joy or positive memories at all but just be strenuous. That feeling I had then is not something I want in my life now." Is your family's cottage, which is the main scene of the interview portions of the documentary, still your private hideaway? "No, I have my own house now and it satisfies all my needs." Is it your Disney-inspired wooden castle that you're talking about now? "What! I'm supposed to live in a Disney inspired wooden castle? That was a peculiar rumour. I don't think I've even ever heard that one before. Certainly, my house is made of wood, but some castle is it not. It's an ordinary house. This is where I create my music, but since I don't really get technology, I'll never get a home studio. I'd rather take my ideas and record them with people who understand and know what they are doing." The idea was that you wouldn't present your new singer until 2014, but October 9th you announced that both Floor Jansen (ReVamp) and Troy Donockley (Irish bagpipe and flutes) have permanent membership in Nightwish. What made you change your mind? "Well yes, that was the idea at first. But we get along extremely well together and we talked with both Floor and Troy about permanent membership already in June. Fortunately, we got the positive responses we wanted. Then it would have been pure idiocy and downright embarrassing if I had been sitting here and either kept silent or lied to you and the rest of the press right up in your face. I know how it all works. Even if the plan was that all the focus now would be on and about "Showtime, Storytime" the question "have we found a new singer" would have came up sooner or later anyway, right? Thus, we'd just as well make it official already now, at the same time, and see it as a fresh start and a good first release together." Have you already had time to start talking about a new album together as well? "Yes and no. I've started working with the very first song ideas for a new album. However, it is a long time to go until we have arrived at a new recording session. Anyway, the plan is we'll get together and start to record the material together in July 2014, and if everything goes as planned, the album will be released in spring 2015." Just a few days before the news came that Floor has become a permanent member, Elize Ryd (Amaranthe) put her audition tape (for Tarja's position) from 2006 on Youtube. Was she ever actual as replacement for Tarja or Anette? "Her and Kamelot's other backing vocalist Alissa White-Gluz (The Agonist) clearly did a great job when they together rescued us from having to cancel the show in Denver last autumn when Anette was forced to go to the hospital. For that she deserves all credit, but she has never been more that that. What then happened between Anette and Nightwish the days after the gig is our matter. As it also happened over a year ago, I don't want to talk about it. Floor was our first and fortunately only choice for replacement. At first only as a replacement for the remaining dates of the tour, but now, as we said, she is a permanent member." When Tarja was fired in 2005, you went off the grid and watched M Night Shyamalan's movie "The Village" (2004) about a dozen times a week as some sort of escapism. Did you do something similar this time as well? "The difference this time was that we were on tour and there was no time for self-pity or isolation, so the answer's no. The comfort that "The Village" gave then, I now found from the band members. Together we grew, and with joint strength we managed the entire tour, and subsequent tours, in a good way." How far along have you come with your solo album "Music inspired by the life and times of Scrooge McDuck"? Wasn't the vocals to be recorded now one of these days? "Actually, I'm already done with basically everything on the album. In the end, there will be four different singers, and it's done, all vocals are recorded. I could give you the names of them all, but prefer to wait a bit because the album isn't supposed to be released by Nuclear Blast until April." Considering that it's about Uncle Scrooge, how involved is Disney? "Not at all. There is nothing in either the music or the lyrics that they have any ownership to, and I have payed for everything myself with money from my own music publishing company. It is also apparent from the album title that it's just inspired by the comic book "The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck" (1993). It is my tribute to an immensely important book in my life. Each chapter will not have its own song, but the songs will follow the chronological order. The cover of the album is made by Don Rosa, who also has drawn and written the book. For me it doesn't get bigger than that. Or, well, yes, a while ago, he was in Finland to participate in a music video for one of the songs. I was terrified when he would get to hear the music for the first time. Afraid of what he would think and afraid that I hadn't been able to do his drawings and story justice. But the first time he heard the music, he wept. He wept over what I had done! Then a huge burden dropped off my shoulders. Can my music affect him as much as his comics affects me ... it doesn't get better than that." Your music publishing company, is that the same one that also financed the film "Imaginaerum" (2012)? "Yes, it's the same company. I will never go even on "Imaginaerum", financially speaking, it is a pure loss. I knew this in advance. But it is not about money, it's never been. For me, "Imaginaerum" is something quite different and much more important than that." Finally, tell us your best Floor joke.  "There are so many floor jokes. One time, Floor got a "caution wet floor" sign from out tour leader Ewo Pohjola. The joke was funny at first but became trite in the long run." From <http://www.nightwishonline.com/index.php?/forums/topic/3362-nightwish-anette-media/&page=7>

Nightwish lineup changes–read Marco Hietala’s fresh comments! 9 Oct 2013 Nightwish has officially hired their new vocalist and her name is Floor Jansen. A surprise? Hardly, at least not for many. Let’s think about it for a moment: When Tarja Turunen was fired from the band from Kitee back in the day, Nightwish decided to find a new figurehead on the ‘free market’. The band received more than two thousand demos of extremely varying quality from ladies aspiring to become the new main vocalist–and from a few men as well(!). But listening through two thousand demos is quite a job. An insane job in fact. And yet: a good voice is but one element in the selection process–what the vocalist is like ‘as a personality’ and how will she cope long tours? Just to mention a couple of examples. It turned out right from the start that Floor Jansen doesn’t budge under pressure and is highly skilled and adaptable singer, and the band has had nothing but positive surprises with her. Would Nightwish again, after the last few years’ experiences, plunge into a sea of demos and then ‘at some point’ start getting to better know the singer they have selected? Exactly. “Of course people have sent us some demos after Anette’s departure as well, even though we haven’t asked for them. We checked out some of them, simply out of curiosity, but those listening experiences certainly didn’t give us any particularly positive thoughts,” says the bass-player-*****-vocalist Marco Hietala. When did you decide Floor’s fate in the world of Nightwish? “We made a definitive decision last spring, in a band meeting at Tuomas’s place (Holopainen, keyboards). It was entirely obvious for all of us that it makes no sense whatsoever to force ourselves to fix something that isn’t broken at all,” Hietala says. “But we didn’t see any reason to hurry either. Maybe the history of the last few years has left us slightly traumatized, so the last thing we wanted was to rush a new serious relationship without first turning all the cards. [Translator’s note: No, it doesn’t say and I don’t know what he really means by ‘other cards’. You’re free to make anything you want out of this.] This was clear both to us and Floor–and oh yeah, fortunately also Floor was willing to join Nightwish!” What about Troy Donockley–the British magician who has toured with you the last few years is an official member of the lineup now instead of being an 'outside' member. “When we discussed the situation with Floor the status of Troy came up as well. The fact that we get along splendidly with Troy and also his multi-instrumentalist skills which would open up huge possibilities in future, both in terms of arranging old songs as well as working on new ones. The matter was decided then and there, we wanted to make the relationship official also with Troy. Luckily for us, also his response was positive,” Hietala says with a smile. Where and when did you inform Floor and Troy about your decisions? “In Tampere, in the bar of Hotel Ilves, during the after party of Sauna Open Air. We were sitting there in a corner, the whole bunch of us, and told Floor and Troy about our ideas. There’s no denying, the feeling was superb,” Hietala reminisces. I suppose the atmosphere is still great? The new lineup has been made public. The Showtime, Storytime package, consisting of the huge concert at Wacken and a long documentary, will come out shortly (fresh trailer here). And even the next Nightwish album is gathering momentum... “There’s no denying–the vibe is extremely good. The band will meet up next July to write and arrange the songs for the next album, and I can hardly wait actually,” Hietala says with a laugh. “We have already talked about a more down-to-earth Nightwish album. Sure, orchestrations and other big things will continue to be a part of this band’s soundscape, but it might well be that we’ll make the band sound a bit more prominent this time around. But let’s see–these things will be sorted out next summer!” From <http://www.nightwishonline.com/index.php?/forums/topic/3247-nightwish-lineup-changes-soundi-article/>

09 Oct I am the new singer of Nightwish! Dear reader, with great pride and emotions beyond words I can tell you I will stay in Nightwish!!!! My dear 'brother' Troy will as well!!!! This is the official press statement to be found on the website of Nightwish: Press release // October 9th 2013 09.10.2013 Ms. Floor Jansen is a keeper. Also, we will be a six-piece band from now on, as Mr. Troy Donockley (uilleann pipes, low whistles, vocals) will become a full-time member of NIGHTWISH. Originally we were going to wait until 2014 to make a decision about the future line-up of the band, but the past year has clearly shown us that Floor and Troy are perfect matching pieces to our puzzle, and we are really grateful of the bond that has grown between all of us. We love you guys. Tuomas Marco Jukka Emppu Commented vocalist Floor Jansen: "Words cannot describe what I feel! This union is beyond everything and I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to continue this amazing journey with my new brothers! Once I had a dream…and this is it!!!" Piper/whistleman, added vocalist Troy Donockley: "`Imaginaerum World Tour´was a revelation to me and in that time, I became aware of a growing unity and then, finally, a transcendence of all the usual nonsense that affects bands. A beautiful process. And since the idea, the musical dream that is NIGHTWISH has been a part of me since before I was born, I am delighted to officially sail into uncharted waters with my brothers and sister. Wondrous scenes Ahoy! " From <https://web.archive.org/web/20140714170617/http://floorjansen.com/blog/i-am-the-new-singer-of-nightwish>

A Question Of Balance – An Interview With ReVamp Posted on July 17, 2013 by News Team Floor Jansen already has a distinguished career as a singer for After Forever and ReVamp, but things went to another level after a text message from a certain Mr. Holopainen called for her services as replacement for Annette Olzon, who left Nightwish mid-tour. This may all seem like a fairytale, but not too long ago Floor suffered from a burn out. This had profound consequences for Wild Card, the latest ReVamp album. Her adventures with Nightwish proved to be another major, albeit more satisfying, distraction from finishing the record. It’s all about finding the right balance as Floor candidly points out to Ghost Cult. [...] How do you look back on your experiences as a stand in singer for Nightwish? It’s still too early for me to really reflect on the whole Nightwish adventure, because there are still a couple of tour dates pending, including some summer festivals. What can I say? It’s an incredible ride and it feels really good. Things went really well from day one. The timing was really awkward, because Annette Olzon just left the band and there wasn’t really time to rehearse with the other Nightwish members. Anxiety levels were running high, because replacing a female singer mid tour is a hazardous experience to say the least. They were running the gauntlet to make sure that none of the remaining tour dates had to be cancelled. They were scared and so was I. Things went surprisingly well. It doesn’t matter where you perform, Youtube will be plastered with movies of the gig the next day, so I really gave it my all. Everyone in the band and crew were really supportive and all the positive reactions and the warm acceptance by the Nightwish fanbase was beyond my wildest dreams. Some people would rather see someone else fronting the band, but you can’t please everyone. Would you be willing to sing for Nightwish permanently if they asked you? I’ve been asked to fill in for the current world tour and for a couple of festival dates, but what will happen after that is still unclear. Nightwish will take a break after the current touring cycle and they’ll make a decision next year. Until then everything is still up in the air. If they would ask me I would be very flattered and I would love to do it. It will be a major overhaul in my life and my career as a singer, but then again we’re not rushing things. Both the guys in Nightwish and I have experiences with previous band break ups and all emotions that come with it. It’s almost like dating. Things feel good and it’s going well, but we’re not in a rush to tie the knot so to speak. Raymond Westland From <http://www.ghostcultmag.com/a-question-of-balance-an-interview-with-revamp/>

#108: Floor Jansen, Nightwish – Towards The Unknown 18 Jun 2013 From <https://www.inferno.fi/108-floor-jansen-nightwish-kohti-tuntematonta-17391/> Last year Nightwish changed their singer for the second time. At the moment the band is in some sort of transitory state. But decisions about the future will not be made in a hurry. Nightwish, formed in 1996 is once again in their career in a strange situation. Last year Anette Olzon who replaced Tarja Turunen in 2005, was let go (actually it says she got fired). Floor Jansen who is known for being the singer of After Forever has been filling in Anette in on-going Imaginaerum tour. Her status as a full time member has not been confirmed yet. Wind of changes (haha) started to blow in september last year during the US leg of Imaginaerum tour when the band stated that Olzon is in a medical care. On friday september 28 at the show in Denver all the vocals were performed by the backup vocalists of Kamelot, Elize Ryd (Amaranthe) and Alissa White-Gluz (The Agonist). On the next day however Olzon had come back and sang at the gig in Salt Lake City. The band told that everything was fine but very quickly Olzon's comments started to appear in the press where she stated how disappointed she was when the band decided to replace her on that one gig. On October first an official press release was released which told about the departure of Olzon and Nightwish. As stated it had become clear that the goals (/direction and the needs of the band) between the band and the singer were in conflict. Even afterwards that's just about everything that has been heard of the matter. Already on the same day on October first in Seattle in a Showbox So-Do concert hall, the tallish Dutch amazon Floor Jansen was seen as the singer of Nightwish. What happened between September and October in 2012? --- Firstly all happened very quickly. The band contacted me in just a few days notice. They had problems with Anette and they asked if I was available, Floor says in the middle of May 2013 in Helsinki. --- At first I was in shock of course. Could I do it in such a short notice? Could I do all that anyway? Slowly the feeling of joining them got stronger. Nightwish send the set list to Floor, which the singer should master very quickly. --- I knew some lyrics and song structures of the older songs. However all the songs of the latest Imaginaerum album were completely unknown to me. Of course the set list had quite a few of them because the tour was promoting the album. As a whole I had to learn about 100 minutes long set that had some really challenging stuff in it. --- Few days later, on the day of the Denver's gig the band contacted me again and told that Anette will leave for sure and I was asked to fly to the USA immediately, Floor remembers. -- There I was, sitting in the airplane practicing the songs singing along with them. I sat between two people and I practiced for hours until I just couldn't anymore. I started to talk with a Dutch man sitting next to me and I apologized for the inconvenience. The situation was pretty odd, like two worlds colliding. Later this man looked me up in the social media and congratulate me about the job well done (/that everything went fine). Trial by Fire Floor arrived to Salt Lake City between saturday and sunday night, a few hours after when Anette had performed her last show with Nightwish. --- I arrived at 1.00 AM and I was picked up to the hotel. The situation was awkward. We were in the same hotel with Anette but given the circumstances us meeting would have not been smart. --- I didn't sleep at all that night, I was totally nerve-wrecked. Of course members of the band were extremely stressed-out too so the tension on our bus trip from Salt Lake City to Seattle were huge. However it gave me some time to adapt to the situation. On monday October 1. the band had a sound check in Seattle. At the same time it was the first and only rehearsal for the new lineup. --- We played the whole set. I had a flu already when I left home and on top of that I had jetlag and sleep debt. My voice was half gone, I could sing but not with full force. It turned out that I can do the show and the rest of the tour. After the show the atmosphere were incredible, we did it! --- My feelings during those first days were a mixture of horror and enthusiasm. Something like this happens once in a lifetime so it was a chance that had to be taken. If you truly believe in something you can do incredible things. --- What gave me extra strength was the knowledge that out of all people in the world the band had chosen me to the job. It's an incredible honor to fly from other side of the world to do something like that. I didn't want to let down such a trust. In the statement that Nightwish released stated that Jansen would do the rest of shows on Imaginaerum tour. At the time things weren't so sure. --- At the beginning nothing was certain. Only thing that was known was that things didin't work out with Anette and someone else was needed. It could have been the case that collaboration with me wouldn't have worked either. There has been rumours that Jansen had been considered for the job when Nightwish changed their singer last time. Was she asked to join in 2006-2007? --- No, and I don't know if I was even considered. I've known the band and the inner circle for a deade. After Tarja left I was in After Forever and at the time everything was working fine. We weren't as big as Nightwish but our popularity was getting bigger. --- I've heard rumours myself that I was asked to join or that I applied for the job but you hear those kind of rumours all the time. I was creating my own career and I didn't even consider anything else. I joined After Forever when I was 17 years old and at the time it was my thing. --- Surely I have my own band now, ReVamp, but the situation is different. The band is fairly new and it isn't as popular as After Forever was at the time Risks are a part of life (Taking chances are a part of life) Looking from the outside the situation between Nightwish and Jansen at the moment is strange. By the time this magazine hit the stores Nightwish has played 4 gigs in Japan, one in Switzerland and has been the main act in the Sauna Open Air festival. After the rest of the festival shows this summer everything is open again. Is it really so that a band that is internationally successful doesn't plan ahead more than two months? --- The official truth is that I replaced Anette and I'm in the band till august. We haven't agreed anything else. And even you don't know what happens after that? --- No. The future is open. Isn't it a big risk to commit yourself to a project that has no guarantees of the future? --- It is but who really knows what the future brings. I get that there is a lot of people who doesn't understand the current arrangements of Nightwish. I think it's good that the situation has calmed down and everyone involved has been able to think and learn about the past so that the same thing doesn't happen again. --- Of course everyone would like to know what's going to happen in their lifes but it's simply not possible. Especially on the emotional level it's important and wise that we concentrate only to the shows ahead of us. The time to make decisions about the future will be on a later date. --- I enjoy every second and live in the moment. We are a great team and everything works. I do have my own band and when Nightwish took 3 month break earlier this year we were in the studio making the second ReVamp album. I can also concentrate to other things and I don't have to just wait what Nightwish is going to do next. --- You can look at this as a trial period for both sides. It's a real possibility that in august we end up to a conclusion that we had fun but let's not do this ever again. Of course it's highly unlikely because things are going well but it's a real possibility. Is Jansen happy in the current state? --- Like I said it's an honor. The spirits are up and this is a great starting point if we decide to continue together, Jansen says in a rather diplomatic way. Dramatic music pleases (I can't really translate this) Jansen says that she is ready to sing any Nightwish song on stage. She has her own favorites though. ---Quite a few fans knows at this point that one of the biggest favorites of mine is Ghost Love Score. Some call it Ghost Love Floor which is really cute. I love the magic atmosphere of that song. --- I love especially the heavier songs and more dramatic songs. Planet Hell for example is a great song to perform live. Also it's great to sing with Marco on that particular song. The clips on Youtube shows that the chemistry between Jansen and Hietala works great. -- Indeed! We have a similar touch especially on parts that are more rock-ish. In Nightwish I can use that part of my voice more. Jansen's singing style has been said to be like a combination of her predecessors. She has Turunen's operatic voice but she also has the ability to sing more pop oriented material like Olzon. --- Maybe so but generally I think it doesn't make much sense to make those comparisons. Each singer has her own unique sound. Sure I have some common characteristics with both Tarja and Anette but still it doesn't cover everything I can do with my voice. --- I've been doing my own thing since the first After Forever album. People analyze the differences between me and the previous singers especially in web forums but I think it's a waste of time and energy. --- I don't want to sing Nightwish material exactly like it's on the album. I want to bring something of my own to the table and I'm using my natural voice. I don't imitate or copy what has been done before. --- I know that Anette had problems (dealing with it?) when the fans were comparing her to Tarja and demanded Tarja to come back. Now it's happening to me. At first I was too busy to even think about it but even since then I haven't really thought about it much. On the other hand the majority of the fans have accepted me really well and people seem to like my rock and metal influenced voice. [...] Emptying the hard drive with Scrooge McDuck Nightwish’s keyboards player and main composer Tuomas Holopainen confirms Floor’s words. They still haven’t decided if Jansen will continue as Nightwish’s singer after the summer festivals. At the time of the interview Nightwish is preparing to leave for Japan. Behind them is an intensive training period in the Helsinki metropolis area and Holopainen, interviewed in the lobby of a hotel in Helsinki, seems relaxed and content. - We are dating and having fun while we are still high. We are not in hurry to get married. It’s doing a world on good to every one of us, to get to play gigs without having to worry about the future. Last couple of years have been a quite rollercoaster [he uses the word zigzag here] ride and now it’s a really good situation when everything works splendidly. - At least I will need a clean break after the last show in August. I’m sure that in the early 2014 we will start thinking what we are going to do next. As an always doubtful reporter I’ve learned that they always know more behind the scenes than are letting the public know. - Of course I would be lying if I’d say that we have not though at all about Nightwish’s future. Nothing has been decided, though. We are in no hurry. It’s just that we could not think of a reason to make a public announcement about the issue. Or even decide between ourselves. - I must, however, that I have nothing negative to say about Floor not on any field. I’m talking on the behalf of the entire band. Her enthusiasm is a pleasure to view and it gives energy to you as well. I’m sure it’s reflecting to the audience as well. I have not been smiling this much on stage for a long time. - It was bewildering how smoothly the transition went. Naturally the media was all over the case at first, but after just a couple of day everyone seemed content in the singer change. This is how it’s supposed to go, we thought. Has the setlist changed after Jansen came on board? - At first we were just fighting to survive, we didn’t want to complicate thing by trying out new stuff. Further down the road, on her wishes, we included couple new songs, like 7 Days to The Wolves. First couple of sets were already decided well ahead. - We will include couple new songs for the summer shows. We asked Floor her favourite songs, what she would like to sing. Based on those wishes we’ve already included She Is My Sin, which was covered already by After Forever. It felt natural to include that now, with couple more wishes from Floor. Lifting the veil of secrets As the interview progresses it becomes clear that some plans have already been made for Nightwish - We have booked a training place for July-September 2014. During those three months the next album will be made. Now I have a whole year to compose new material. - Last few albums have been bigger and bigger and the projects have bloated. I have a feeling that things will be a bit different this time around. We took a year to make Imaginaerum (2011) and it was re-mixed for about ten times and mastered four times. If we can get rid of that, it’s good. - I can assure you that there will not be a movie included with the album. I think the new material will more simpler overall, although I don’t think we will ever let go of the orchestra. I also have pretty clear vision about the lyrical themes, but I think it’s too early to reveal those. In the end Nightwish had to invest their own funds to the movie that illustrated the Imaginaerum-album last year. - We have not broken even yet, simply because the numbers are not in yet. In project of this size it will take years to find out what’s the bottom line. - I spoke with our finance chief yesterday and (s)he told me the he didn’t have any numbers yet. The distributors or Solar Films have no information for us just yet if it’s a commercial success of a flop. What we know that in Germany 10 000 tickets were sold for the first day. I’m told that that is really good. Episodi-magazine, by the same publisher Pop Media that publishes Inferno as well, revealed earlier this year that during the first month of its release Imaginaerum was only seen by 7400 people in Finland, which makes it nationally a commercial flop. - We always knew that the movie will be in the marginal. But it would be nice to get some of the money back, if only to be used in the making of the next album. [...] From <http://www.nightwishonline.com/index.php?/forums/topic/1149-nightwish-floor-on-the-inferno-magazine-out-june-21st/>

Nightwish Peter Hodgson, Jan 2013 [...] The band is currently in Australia to promote the album and its attendant feature film. Of course nothing in the world of Nightwish is permanent; just as their music evolves, so has their lineup, and they recently bade farewell to vocalist Anette Olzon (who replaced Tarja Turunen). Stepping up to the mic on short notice is Floor Jansen (After Forever, ReVamp), who is doing an incredible job, as YouTube clips reveal. "She's exceptional," lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen says on the phone from Brisbane. "We're not going to go into details [about Olzen's departure]. The main thing is that everybody's happier at the moment - Anette, Floor and the band. And that's the thing that really matters." Jansen was the band's only choice when they were forced into a decision about whether to continue with the Imaginaerum world tour or to cancel. "When she came along it was like a sledgehammer into the face," Holopainen says without irony or smirk. "It was like, 'wow'. We knew her skills and everything, but she's just incredible. To this day we've never had a rehearsal yet. We just haven't had the time, and still she's doing such an amazing job. So really thumbs up for her." With a new lead vocalist perfuming material that has already been established with another voice, it's almost like a new chance for the band itself to get to know Imaginaerum. Holopainen says he's very happy with the sound as it stands now, but can't wait to see where it's going to go in the future. "It just sounds really brilliant overall, but I would like to get some relaxed time with her and the band in the studio or in the rehearsal room to go deep into what we could do, because for the last few months it's been more like doing shows and coping with the tour. I don't quite know the whole potential yet!" [...] From <https://web.archive.org/web/20130119082034/http://www.beat.com.au/music/nightwish>

Floor officially became Nightwish's singer in October 2013, but the decision had been made some time before. Here are a few chosen texts (press articles, reactions, etc) from that pivotal period. And for starters, an interview at the Sauna Open Air in Tampere on June 8, 2013, mere hours before Floor and Troy would be invited to join the band!

Hilarious! My favourite part: "Fuck knows what I'm on about, but I'll go up a key! " 😆 Sort of reminds me of what Crewish is doing, only those guys have an original song!

Tonight would have been the Toronto show. Next chance to see NW within a 1000 km range is now October 2021... 😭

Imaginaerum (2011) Track list (with relevant threads when available) Taikatalvi (lyrics) Storytime (lyrics) 🎞️ official video Ghost River (lyrics) Slow, Love, Slow (lyrics) I Want My Tears Back (lyrics) Scaretale (lyrics) Arabesque (instrumental) Turn Loose The Mermaids (lyrics) Rest Calm (lyrics) The Crow, The Owl And The Dove (lyrics) Last Ride Of The Day (lyrics) Song Of Myself (lyrics) From A Dusty Bookshelf All That Great Heart Lying Still Piano Black Love Imaginaerum (instrumental) Bonus Tracks: The Heart Asks Pleasure First (Michael Nyman cover; B-side of "The Crow, The Owl And The Dove") (lyrics) From the band: The cover artwork "Originally, this was supposed to be the centerfold image of the album but once I and some mates saw the final image, we immediately knew that the hunt for the actual cover artwork was over. I believe this is Toxic Angel's finest piece of work yet, capturing the deepest essence of what Imaginaerum is all about. The power of imagination and places of wordless wonders, magic and awe, of longing and the surreal. I emphasized from the start that not a single living thing should be seen in the picture, and Toxic was able to create that sublime but desolate, "all this waiting for you, and you only" - feeling. All you need is the courage to enter." - Tuomas Track-by-Track teasers "Men profess to be lovers of music, but for the most part they give no evidence in their opinions and lives that they have heard it." - Henry David Thoreau 1. TAIKATALVI This world is but a canvas for our imagination. 2. STORYTIME How would it feel to take a midnight flight with a snowman through the most wondrous landscapes, like in the classic animated Yuletide film? The meaning of our very existence is created though stories, tales and imagination. They are at the very core of humanity. 3. GHOST RIVER LIFE is the ultimate privilege; a river filled with wonders and horrors. Love, sorrow, beauty, evil and temptation. And we need them all to survive and enjoy the journey. Good, Evil, Pain and Pleasure - members one of another. 4. SLOW, LOVE, SLOW Truest love needs no words, demands or promises. It is wordless territory, and thoroughly unconditional. 5. I WANT MY TEARS BACK Longing for things long gone, but still possible to bring back. 6. SCARETALE Monsters in the closet, squealing pigs, hordes of spiders and flesh-ripping harpies. A peak into childhood´s unforgettable nightmares- a vivid and twisted circus sideshow. 7. ARABESQUE A catharsis to a nightmare. Giving birth through a death-dance. 8. TURN LOOSE THE MERMAIDS We quietly witness as her dying loved one takes his last journey...forever now, a haunting moment of beauty and comfort. 9. REST CALM Memories and hope are two things no-one can ever take away from you. The sweetness of my own past is a bottomless chest of comfort and inspiration. 10. THE CROW, THE OWL AND THE DOVE "Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me Truth" - Henry David Thoreau. Love is everything, and only Truth is our guide to a deeper state. 11. LAST RIDE OF THE DAY The theme park is just about to close, but the rollercoaster runs one more time and you get to take the last ride by yourself. It`s dark and the fireworks have just started. Moments such as these are portals to infinite dreams, of deep realisation, and ultimately the thrilling awareness of being a speck of dust in this vast swirling cosmos. 12. SONG OF MYSELF Our homage and version of Walt Whitman`s transcendental celebration of life and existence, delving deep into a personal catharsis. 13. IMAGINAERUM Thank you for sharing the ride and we hope to welcome you back soon. The stage is lit, and the Magnificent Play is beginning... - Tuomas (from https://www.nuclearblast.de/en/label/music/band/news/details/518491.70948.nightwish-imaginaerum-release-date.html NIGHTWISH EXCLUSIVE: Tuomas Holopainen’s Track-By-Track Guide To ‘Imaginaerum’! (14/09/2011) From <https://web.archive.org/web/20110927234552/http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/news/nightwish-exclusive-tuomas-holopainens-track-by-track-guide-to-imaginaerum/> We’re so excited about new Nightwish opus ‘Imaginaerum’ that we got band mastermind Tuomas Holopainen to give us a track-by-track guide to the whole album! Nightwish will release their long-awaited new album ‘Imaginaerum’ on December 5 via Nuclear Blast, so we grabbed band writer-in-chief Tuomas Holopainen for an exclusive track-by-track guide! The album is the Finnish quintet’s follow-up to their awesome 2007 full-length, ‘Dark Passion Play’, and will be accompanied by a movie that’ll see a release some time in early 2012. Read on for Tuomas’ guide to the album… Taikatalvi “Since we’re doing the movie thing, every song on this album is composed to a certain story, so that’s how it all sounded. The movie needed an intro of winter landscapes and all that, and I wanted to give it an exotic touch of being in Finnish!” Storytime “That’s the first single, and it’s all about the [1982] animated classic ‘The Snowman’. It’s such cool stuff, and I think that ‘Walking In The Air’ is the best piece of music ever composed, so [I thought], ‘let’s do a remake of that’! It can be seen in the movie as well – not quite as I imagine it, but in a different way. Will we film a new video for the single? We will film something separate, but also [use] some exerts from the film.” Ghost River “Since this is a dramatic album about the celebration of life and existence, you need the dark side as well. I love the dark side and I love all kinds of evil stuff, so we needed a few songs to describe those. ‘Ghost River’ and ‘Rest Calm’ are the two songs that are talking about the dark side of life. It’s very Van Halen-ish!” Slow, Love, Slow “You want to challenge yourself to do something that you have absolutely no idea about, and none of us know anything about jazz! Our drummer even had to take some lessons to learn how to use the brush! It all started when I started watching ‘Twin Peaks’ again. I just loved the soundtrack and thought, ‘Could we do something like that?’, and this is the result.” I Want My Tears Back “It’s maybe one of the easiest songs on the album to approach, and it’s one of the only songs on the album that doesn’t include an orchestra or choir. I love the sea part with the pipes and violin!” Scaretale “This is our version of ‘Enter Sandman’. When it comes to the lyrics, it’s all about childhood nightmares.” Arabesque “‘Arabesque’ is a catharsis to ‘Scaretale’, and it’s one of the scenes that the movie desperately needed, so that’s why it’s there.” Turn Loose The Mermaids “One thing that I like to do is pay a little homage to certain things that I really respect – for example, the My Dying Bride album ‘Turn Loose The Swans’ is one of my all-time favourites, which is why this is called ‘Turn Loose The Mermaids’. It’s nothing to do with My Dying Bride other than the title, but it was born in the moment when I saw my grandfather die, and my grandmother was giving him the final message. It was one of the most emotional experiences of my life – it was so dark and beautiful at the same time. I had to make a song about it – the last thing she did was check his teeth, warm his toes, and then [say] ‘Good journey my love, see you soon’. She was 93 back then, and 15 minutes after, he died. I’d never seen a dead person before, and it was an emotional moment, so I wanted to do a song about it. The album’s all about life and the power and beauty of imagination, and I thought that we needed to include the final chapter of life, which is death. When you see the movie, you can understand why it’s there.” Rest Calm “It reminds me of Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride a little bit. Again, it’s one of those crucial scenes in the movie that needed a song like this.” The Crow, The Owl And The Dove “I have to admit it’s a bit of a rip-off, because I’m a big fan of Henry David Thoreau, the poet from the 19th Century. I read his book ‘Walden’, where he said, ‘I don’t care about the love, the beauty, the pride or anything, just give me the truth. I thought there was a big philosophy behind that, and I started to think I could make a song about it. The crowd represents pride, the owl wisdom and the dove love and peace.” Last Ride Of The Day “I’m a fanatic when it comes to theme parks and roller-coasters. I’ve been to Disney World eight times now! Hollywood, Universal Studios, all this kinda stuff – it’s so, so, so good and you feel like a kid again. Also, it’s the perfect metaphor for life.” Song Of Myself “‘Song Of Myself’ is a book from Walt Witman, another one of my heroes. I wanted to pay homage to him and do the lyrics in a way that he would possibly write. It’s a real, open, thorough, personal catharsis – especially the spoken-word part. I don’t think it’s even going to be in the film because it’s so weird.” Imaginaerum “This is a medley for the end credits of the movie!” Marko about some tracks : (from https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-10-best-nightwish-songs-marco-hietala-once-dark-passion-play-imaginaerum-endless-forms-most-beautiful) SCARETALE “This would have to be one of my favourite songs off the Imaginaerum record, because of the bonkers stuff we managed to do there with the middle part. We haven’t played the song on this tour but I’d like it to come back, so we’ll see what happens on the next tour.” LAST RIDE OF THE DAY “I like the easy going punch that this song has. It’s a nice rock song and it’s always fun to do live. It’s a simple song, and I like the more straightforward rocking songs as well as the longer ones. Speaking of which, I managed to see Axl/DC a few weeks back and I thought they were great!” Tuomas again: (from https://metal.hu/tuomas-holopainen-nightwish-interview-2022-budapest-eng/) The song Last Ride of the Day was inspired by the rollercoaster Hulk (The Incredible Hulk) in Islands of Adventure, Orlando. It’s a massive rollercoaster. I was able to get in on the very last ride of the day. The Sun had already set, not many people left, everybody was leaving, but they made one more round and I got in there. There was just something really magical about it and that is how the song was born.

Wishmaster (2000) Track list (with relevant threads when available) She Is My Sin (lyrics) The Kinslayer (lyrics) Come Cover Me (lyrics) Wanderlust (lyrics) Two For Tragedy (lyrics) Wishmaster (lyrics) Bare Grace Misery (lyrics) Crownless (lyrics) Deep Silent Complete (lyrics) Dead Boy's Poem (lyrics) FantasMic (lyrics) Bonus track: Sleepwalker (lyrics) Note: Exceptionally for NW, no music videos were released with songs from this album. From the band: Tuomas comments the lyrics (From <https://web.archive.org/web/20080102113252/http://nightwish.com/en/article/7> ) She Is My Sin A song about the hidden sins that every one of us has, buried deep beyond comprehension. The Kinslayer On April 20th, 1999 two teenagers, Eric Harris & Dylan Klebold went to Columbine High School, in Colorado with handmade bombs and shotguns, with intention to kill as many of their schoolmates as possible. As they entered the school, they started shooting and throwing bombs everywhere, killing 9 boys, 4 girls and finally themselves. This was carefully planned for over a year, and these guys were determined to kill also themselves afterwards. They had no real motive. They made a videotape in the morning just before the massacre where they said: "We are going to kill you all. You have been giving us shit for years. We want to say our sorry for our parents; there's nothing you could have done. This is something we must do. We're sorry; we didn't like life very much..." The event is something I will never understand. If something as horrible as this can happen in this world, there's no sense, no truth to cling to anymore. I find there's a great deal of symbolism hidden in this happening. The dialogue in the middle of the song quotes the actual phrases between the killers and their schoolmates during the shooting. (According to those who survived) Come Cover Me A rather simple love song. The feeling of waiting is often more fulfilling than the happening itself. Wanderlust It's a cliché that life's a one big journey. But that's the way it is. And there's so much to discover and experience on this planet. I couldn't bear the thought that I would have to live my life with the biggest experience being a one-week trip to Canary Islands after working in an office for one year straight. Routine kills everything. I wish people would find the "wanderer within". Two For Tragedy The biggest tragedies always require two... Wishmaster This is my personal tribute to fantasy, especially the closest to me; Tolkien & Dragonlance. These worlds have become a sort of inverted reality for me, where the story of "The Kinslayer" can't become reality... Moreover, I don't believe in this thing called "destiny". We are the masters of our own wishes, beliefs and dreams. Whatever you desire enough, it can happen. Destiny is an excuse for those who don't have the strength to fulfil their wishes. Everything is possible. Even the impossible. Bare Grace Misery The dark side of the desire for love too often leads to tragedy. Crownless Arrogant, egoistic people make me sick! Those people who have been given a crown but can't carry it properly. Nothing is everlasting and the fall can be very sudden. I think we all should keep that in mind and be proud of the things we have achieved in a positive way. Deep Silent Complete A Tribute to the mighty power of the Oceans. Dead Boy's Poem This is the most personal song I've ever written. My testimony for the whole world. With this song I want to apologise everyone who deserves my apology. It also makes an "I don't care" -statement to them who deserve it. The song is also about what Nightwish means and has meant to me. It's all, without it I'm dead. I have created it and it has created me. When I pass away, this song's lyrics are of what I wish to be remembered. An Ocean Soul. FantasMic A tribute to the king of fantasy. This is something I owed for Him...

Shoemaker (Human. :||: Nature. 2020) Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjp_DfvJimg Lyrics: Now you've been tucked in For eternal earthrise and wonder A sailor through aeons Story unheard Howling at the Earth Yours the whole graveyard of heavens A ship that sailed home You're with us, face of the night Singing through the morn for mankind I want to sing with you You're home now, outward urge As with every dreaming creature We want to come with you Here I came to be Your reach into the far On the stellar sea Cut in little stars We all wait the due night Beauty which is worth the hurting We're coming to join you Hope revived for a lifetime To rekindle the human spark In love with the night Now you've been tucked in For eternal earthrise and wonder A sailor through aeons Story now heard Howling at the Earth Yours is the whole starmap of heavens Of myriad endings We came here to be A waypoint to the far On the stellar sea Cut into little Stars calling with the sound Of a dreamlike dulcimer We came here to stay With your guiding light “And when he shall die Take him and cut him out in little stars And he will make the face of heaven so fine That all the world Will be in love with the night And pay no worship to the garish sun” Laudato si Ad astra From the band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd2EYheiurU Floor says it's about Eugene Shoemaker, and that the song doesn't have a typical structure. Also that it's tricky to sing, she says she was properly challenged. The operatic part is about Eugene going up to the stars. That last bit is one of her personal highlights on the album. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrCeOfS2kM8 Johanna Kurkela's spoken Shakespeare quote was supposed to be only a guide vocal for Geraldine James, but eventually remained as such.

Noise (Human. :||: Nature. 2020) Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy29T7LBM_I Lyrics: Crave the machine Revere the screen Zoom in for flak and misery Bleed some pixels Shoot yourself Pose for the dead Have a near-life experience In a hot air matrix Now you're a star Vain avatar Feeding the beast In your loud Egoland You have become Tool of a tool Digital ghouls Telling you to Shut up and dance! Color a yarn and the crowds will gather Noise From a sunless world Your mirror is black, only a copy stares back At a slave of brave new world Noise To decoy the human voice Brain insomniac, paranoiac Endless noise Please love me See how I bleed Please endure I have such empathy in me Hum, noise, hum Beautifully numb Tapping the quiet air To have a meaning By a carrion Sad hologram Lost in the maze The real and human feel Sunset is free From this deity The Earth has a real voice Go out and get in I will follow Color a yarn and the crowds will gather Feast your eyes on the black mirror Feed the beast, join the gathering Tell a tale Feast of fears is drawing nearer Beyond the human horizon Something terrifying sleeps From the band:

Harvest (Human. :||: Nature. 2020) Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy29T7LBM_I Lyrics: My harvest will come A tiny valorous straw Among the millions Facing to the sun I will pause before a man Whose path has just begun Something unsung our way comes The quaternary code Gave mankind a rose So we could see the beautiful die The strange peace of storm Hovers over crops And a child's face aglow before the scythe Join the harvest of hundred fields Hearty and tame All going back to one single grain Offer light to the coming day Inspire a child Water the field, surrender to the earth They have beauty beyond all poetry But choose a silent misery The deeper their sea, the less remains They'll find the pretty words And tame flocks to herd There's that, or a carousal of dare Join the harvest of hundred fields Hearty and tame All going back to one single grain Offer light to the coming day Inspire a child Water the field, surrender to the earth Arrive alive From the band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EnvpRfsTPE Tongue-in-cheek, Troy comments that Harvest is a cypher, the secret to the whole album. According to him, lyrics point to the meaning of the album -- and the actual meaning of life!

First Crewish video is now online! It's actually a fun, heavier take on Sleeping Sun. Does anyone know who is singing? Two weeks left until the official release. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8uabMTbILw

Ok, so as mabla mentioned in the other thread all the remaining 2020 dates have now been cancelled and the European leg postponed to May 2021. There's no new date for the Oslo gig, and the Cardiff one was apparently replaced with Birmingham. Now the first planned shows are in South America in January 2021, in 4 months time.

Wow, now the Tour is running almost a year late. I'm glad that you could hold on to those cherished tickets though! 👍 "My" show in Toronto was cancelled outright.

This guy seems to have liked his first NW experience, even though he chose an unusual entry point: studio Nemo. He's a prog head, so I'm sure he will be blown away by NW (like I was) with his next reactions. Dicon Dissectional Reactions : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izAueNyt230

Welcome, LastofTheEmilys ! Feel free to poke around and join in the discussion! 👍 It would appear that band won't be spending much time in the US this time around, are you planning to see them in NY Boston or LA in 2021?

The China gigs have been rescheduled again, from November to March-April 2021. As of today, the tour looks like it might start in Europe in November.