Ex-HIM Frontman VILLE VALO Explains Why He Doesn't Perform Cover Of CHRIS ISAAK's 'Wicked Game' At His Solo Shows

In a new interview with MoreCore.TV conducted at this past weekend's Rock Am Ring festival in Nürburgring, Germany, former HIM frontman Ville Valo was asked why he doesn't perform a cover version of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" with his solo band, despite the fact that HIM's rendition of the track is reportedly the most streamed HIM song out there. Ville responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It could be. But I thought that would be fair for TENACIOUS D; they just released [their cover of 'Wicked Game'] as a single.

"I thought that 'Wicked Game' was such an essential piece for HIM; it was one of the first songs that we played together as a band that helped us out to figure out the sound of the band. It's usually easier to figure out the sound of the band by playing somebody else's numbers. You don't have to think about the lyrics or whatever; you know the song by heart anyway, so it's easier like that. So it was a very helpful and emblematic tune for HIM, but not so much for me on a personal level. Plus we played quite a bit of cover tunes with HIM, so I thought that this time around it's nicer to concentrate on the… I'm becoming more and more egocentric as I get older."

Valo played his first solo concert in the U.S. under the VV banner on March 31 at TLA (Theatre For The Living Arts) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Joining Ville on stage as part of his backing band are Mikko Virta on guitar, Risto Rikala on drums, Sampo Sundström on guitar and Juho Vehmanen on bass.

VV's debut album, "Neon Noir", was made available on January 13 via Heartagram Records, distributed by UMG/Spinefarm.

In April 2022, Valo released the first single from "Neon Noir", a song called "Loveletting", which marked his first new music in over two years, following the release of the three-track "Gothica Fennica Vol. 1" EP, also released under the VV banner, in March 2020.

Like "Neon Noir", "Gothica Fennica Vol. 1" bore a strong musical resemblance to HIM and featured the tracks "Salute The Sanguine", "Run Away From The Sun" and "Saturnine Saturnalia".

HIM completed a farewell tour in 2017, closing the final chapter on the band's 26-year career. At the time, Ville explained to Kerrang! magazine why the band decided to call it a day. "We were tired of the same shit," he said. "When you've done it for a long time, at some point it doesn't taste good anymore. We started working on some stuff, it didn't sound good enough, and we didn't get the teenage buzz you're supposed get."

Formed in 1991 by Valo, guitarist Mikko "Linde" Lindström and bassist Mikko "Migé" Paananen, HIM offered the world a new take on the metal genre, which became known as "love metal" (also the title of their fourth album).

HIM in 2015 parted ways with its longtime drummer, Mika Kristian Karppinen (a.k.a. Gas Lipstick),and replaced him with Jukka "Kosmo" Kröger (formerly of HERRA YLPPÖ & IHMISET).

Four years ago, Valo teamed up with guitar legend Esa Pulliainen to record an album based on songs by the late, legendary Finnish singer Rauli "Badding" Somerjoki. The self-titled album by VILLE VALO & AGENTS was released in February 2019 and was followed by a short tour.