Good day everyone!
It`s 9 am. and I`m sipping my morning coffee while reading the latest NHL news and writing this down. When did I turn into a blog-writing computer-geek?
It`s been very hot, we`ve been struck by a never-seen-before heat wave for the past few weeks and I can`t recall when was the last time I wore socks or slept under sheets. No complaints, though, water sports and boating never felt so glorious as during the past days.
We got something done in the arranging - the - new - songs - front, too, even though the 35 C - rehearsal room isn`t the most alluring place just now.
The "Nukkumatti" song, as we call it, is among my top favorites of the new stuff, a pounding, twisted and chorusless ghost train ride is sure to bring a smile to your face. At least it has done so to everyone who has heard it. Danny Elfman goes humppa.
Then we took over a song which was more or less tailor-made for Troy. Loads of pipes to battle / to jam with Emppu and a raving c-part which was born after 10 pints of ale and loads of Old Toby. One of the cheerier tunes of the album, and a nice little cloudbuster.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos!
Song #8 takes us to whole new territories. Something completely different from anything we`ve ever done. All of us need to find new ways to play our instruments and use vocals for that piece. A terrificly challenging and mind-expanding song. I can`t wait to hear Anette and Marco sing that one.
On Sunday night the fellas from Northern Kings took over the campsite. We had agreed they can come and share our rehearsal facilities since they have a couple of shows coming up. Tony (Kakko) and Kai (Hahto) greeted me with 2 bottles of Yellow Tail which we enjoyed by a still lake at dusk. Finnish hippie-geezer-national-scenery - romanticism at its best!
Thanks guys for visiting, we`ll meet soon again.
Time to dive into Marco`s vocals today. And maybe for song #9. And that 5kg trout that`s been avoiding us for the past week.
Will write more soon (or somebody will), all best!
Tuomas
TOP 5 / Week 3
1. The weather
2. Longhaired hippies naked in the nearby forest
3. Solving the mystery of where the hell all the fishes are
4. Epcot`s Illuminations - soundtrack
5. Zombieland - the movie
Written by Tuomas Holopainen on July 30, 2010
sábado, 31 de julio de 2010
Summer Camp 2010 Diary 3
Summer Camp 2010 Diary 2
The 1st week is almost through and we`re off to a fantastic start. Jukka, Emppu and me have 5 songs rehearsed so far, Marco joined the camp last night after a couple of festival shows he did with Tarot. We`ll start putting the low ends into those songs later today and maybe try out tune #6.
The first song put together ended up having one of the best choruses we`ve ever had and a classic Nightwishy c-part of heavy guitars, a massive string riff and everything louder than anything and everybody playing with full force at the same time.
Trademark stuff.
Song # 2 is a twisted marriage of Van Halen, Pantera and madhouse vocals. And Quentin Tarantino - guitars in the bridge. We weren`t overly bananas over this one after the demo I made alone, but now it`s finally coming alive.
In between the distorted racket we sat down with Emppu to complete one acoustic piece. A nice journey back to the roots! Sounds like a Moomin Valley - Christmas carol.
Then another song back to the roots. Everyone`s surprise favorite at the moment. I dug up my inner Paradise Lost / My Dying Bride fanboy and this funeral march is the result.
Music for the last song rehearsed so far is written by Marco. A wonderfully catchy track with the chorus repeated 5 times.(!!) Must be some sort of a record for us. Nice acoustic themes and a d-part which doesn`t quite still fit in.
We`ll enter The Haunted Mansion tomorrow.
Will write more soon, all the best to everyone meanwhile!
Good times, Tuomas
TOP 5 / Week 2
1. New songs, old gang
2. Fishing
3. Prestige - The movie
4. Hidden Rock, Quilmes & Cap`n Morgan
5. Winning all-in with 7-2
Written by Tuomas on July 21, 2010
domingo, 18 de julio de 2010
Summer Camp 2010 Diary: Noticias sobre el nuevo disco!
So again we are here in the deepest countryside of Finland beginning to create a follower for DPP. It`s just us guys for now, Anette will join the camp a bit later. We arrived yesterday and the reunion was celebrated with some water-skiing, bbq and Quilmes. I foresee the same trinity taking place more or less on a daily basis.
We just got the equipment and PA set up with the help of our legendary engineer / co-producer TeeCee Kinnunen and probably will start working with the songs in a couple of days. This campsite is so amazing we`ll let that sauna of a rehearsal room wait in silence for a while, and just concentrate on chilling out and catching up. And raising the official NW camp - flag high into the pole.
I have 12 songs completed now, but am still working with some lyrics. It`s been an immensely fruitful songwriting process, as well as very consuming and ponderous. But I feel more satisfied with the stuff than ever before. Don`t know if it`s a good sign or bad.
To me the album sounds like a rollercoaster ride in a theme park designed by Neil Gaiman, Tim Burton and Salvador Dali. That`s the best way I can put it at this point.
Like before, we will record a demo once the songs are arranged, to listen to and to perfect the material, and to give to Mr. Pip Williams so he can start with the orchestration process. The actual enter-the-studio-date is set for October 15th.
Again, the London orchestra and choir will be there, as well as Mr. Troy Donockley playing a slightly bigger part this time. And loads of new elements `n twists we haven`t tried before!
So things are finally rolling. We`ll keep you posted in written, as well as in visual form. Stay tuned for updates.
And thanks for sharing the journey once again!
You can find pictures from our summer-camp gallery -page!
Yours, Tuomas
TOP 5 / Week 28
1. Water sports
2. Dimebag Darrell biography
3. Alice In Wonderland dvd
4. Ihmebantu dvd
5. Amorphis: Tales From The Thousand Lakes
Written by Tuomas on July 17, 2010
