NIGHTWISH Answers Fan-Submitted Questions

Finnish/Swedish symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH have posted a new "Nightmail" session featuring fan questions answered by various members of the band and crew. A couple of excerpts follow below.

Q: To Anette: I wonder if NIGHTWISH have any plans to record a new album but with a mix of the older songs?I also wonder which was your best moment with the band during 2009?

A: No, any album like that isn't something we have considered and I dont think it will happen since we all feel that Tarja and the guys already have done that. But maybe a live album some day where also the older songs are included.
My best moment during 2009 were two moments: the very first gig after our break in London in March. Great to see everyone and meet them after so many months break. I also felt physically and mentally so much stronger than during 2008. Then Hartwall arena [in Helsinki] was magical. Amazing with so great musicians playing with us and to sing "Walking In The Air" and "Meadows Of Heaven" finally was something I had longed for.

Q: To Tuomas: 1) How do you imagine yourself in the next twenty years? 2) Is there any dream that you especially want to come true?

A: 1) I never look too far into the future, all I need to know or want is here and now. I hope I'll still be alive, look like an old Walt Whitman, and that life would taste as sweet as it does at the moment.

2) Well, right now I wish that the upcoming album would end up being like I have imagined it to be during the past 3 years. I just finished with the last song yesterday, such exciting times!

Q: To Emppu: What kinds of books do you read? You told someone you read books to relax...what is, let's say, the book that impressed you most?

A: Yeah, on tour you'll have a lot of time on your hands, sitting in the plane or tour bus, and reading gives you some "private" time. There's always a lot of people buzzing around, so it's an easy way to get some privacy for a while. I pretty much read all kinds of books, currently mostly historical stuff that's based on actual fact. While I was younger, I never read anything. I don't think I read one single book while in high school. I had to start reading, because the battery in my Game Boy always died on me during the long flights. :D Biggest impression — Hmmm, there are so many great books. It's hard to pick just one.

Q: To Anette: Which place/country you've been on tour that you most liked? In aspects like culture, climate, people, natural landscapes..:)

A: Oh, there have been many;=) But I did love Japan a lot. So nice people and I felt really safe walking around there all by myself. I also love Japanese food so it suited me fine. Then seeing Australia was amazing and a dream came true. I also love the U.S. just because it is so totally different from Sweden. It's just so big and people are much more open and talkative there than in my country. And to be able to have a country with so many different sides and people is just amazing ;=)

Q: To Jukka: What is it according to you that makes NIGHTWISH so popular all over the world? What are your dreams for the future with the band?

A: Good songs and utmost honesty in everything to do with music. Those are the strengths of NIGHTWISH, at least that's how I'd like to see it. I have no big dreams left for future, because my original dreams have been surpassed many times already. I just hope that NIGHTWISH is still around in ten year's time and that we still get our kicks making music.

Q: To Anette: I read from a teletext that you're getting another child. Congratulations! Do you think this is going to have any affect to the next NIGHTWISH tour in couple of years?

A: No, I dont think it will influence the coming tours. If we all could manage the last huge tour even if we are three persons that have kids, I am sure that we can make the next one working too. It's all about planning and making everyone feel OK with the schedule and I know King Foo [the management] and me and the guys can make that happen.

Q: To Tuomas, It's been a while since the dark days of "Century Child". How do you think you have changed as a person since then? Are things a lot more brighter now?

A: I wish I have changed in some matters, and I wish I haven't changed in many matters. "Dark Passion Play" was made during the darkest days, even worse than "Century Child", but things have always been well, sometimes the darkness and its boogeymen just veil the good behind.

Q: Can we expect a soloalbum from Marco Hietala anytime? It would be great to have a whole album full of songs where the singer would be only Hietala.

A: Well... I've had this continuing work in progress over ten years now. The idea would be to have a distinct world of colliding musical elements, and the lyrics for the whole thing would be in Finnish and English both. Like I said: Over ten years in progress. Might happen sooner, later or never.

Chek out the entire question-and-answer session at this location.