HIM Frontman: 'Nobody Is Buying Albums Anymore'

April 23, 2010

Vocalist Ville Valo of Finnish "love" metallers HIM was interviewed prior to the band's April 10, 2010 concert at The Rave in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Watch the chat below.

When asked how HIM's new CD, "Screamworks: Love In Theory And Practice", is being received by the band's fans, Ville replied, "People are liking the album, but nobody's really buying it, because nobody's buying albums anymore, and that sucks."

He continued, "A lot of people expect us to behave like rock stars, but we can't afford it. So I'm really glad that I did all the Jim Morrison-type stupidity in the late '90s and early 2000s — that's when we still had money. Now I'm just drinking water and writing sentimental, miserable songs.

"We just toured a couple of countries in Europe and we played a lot of the new songs. And everybody in the audience was singing along to the lyrics — in countries where the album had only sold, officially, like, five copies. It's kinda unsexy in that sense, but I can't be complaining in a way that we still do have the opportunity of travelling around, and there's a lot of people who wanna see us live, so that's great."

HIM will take part in a signing session at Hot Topic (Hollywood & Highland Center) in Los Angeles, California on Friday, April 23 at 4 p.m. Purchase any t-shirt and or the band's latest record, "Screamworks: Love In Theory and Practice", and receive a wristband that guarantees the opportunity to meet the band.

6801 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028-6139
323.462.2590

"Screamworks: Love In Theory And Practice" sold 26,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 25 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The band's previous CD, "Venus Doom", opened with 38,000 units back in September 2007 to land at No. 12.

HIM is currently touring North America in support of "Screamworks: Love In Theory And Practice", which was released by Sire Records on February 9. The headlining trek kicked off on March 26 in Philadelphia and is criss-crossing the continent before finishing up in New York City on May 8. WE ARE THE FALLEN, DOMMIN, and DRIVE A are providing support.

Recorded at The Lair in Los Angeles, "Screamworks: Love In Theory And Practice" was produced by Matt Squire (TAKING BACK SUNDAY, THE USED, SAOSIN) and mixed by Neal Avron (LINKIN PARK, WEEZER, FALL OUT BOY).

"Screamworks: Love In Theory And Practice" is HIM's seventh studio album and the follow-up to 2007's "Venus Doom", which was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Boxed/Special Limited Edition Packaging". In 2007, HIM, which is Ville Valo (vocals),Mige (bass),Linde (guitar),Burton (keyboards),and Gas (drums),supported METALLICA in Europe before joining the LINKIN PARK-headlined Projekt Revolution tour across America, and headlined its own U.S. theater tour. The band's 2005 album, "Dark Light", has the distinction of being the first album by a Finnish band to be certified gold in the U.S.

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