Melamory: Guys, did you prepare any surprises for the show?

Pasi: Yes, we will play few songs we didn't do last time. *laughs*

Melamory: For example?

Pasi: Grail's Mysteries from The Karelian Isthmus for example.

Melamory: Any covers?

Pasi: No. The rest is secret.

Melamory: It's your second time in Moscow. What has changed since the last time?

Pasi: Well, it's summer time now almost. And last time it was winter. So everything is a bit different.

Niclas: We came in the morning, so we didn't have much time.

Pasi: Yeah, it was more like to take shower and get some sleep. But we'll do some sight-seeing tomorrow, when we have plenty of time.

Minor: Two years have past since your last time in Moscow. What has changed in your lives?

Pasi: Not much. *laughs*

All: Yeah, not much *all laugh*

Esa: Well, I turned thirties. I'm getting older. I'm the oldest.

Pasi: Yes, the rest of us are 23. *all laugh*

Minor: Do you like getting older, getting new experience? What does it mean for you?

Esa: To get older…

Pasi: To become wiser.

Esa: We try to avoid the thoughts about getting older. I think everyone of us has come through 30-year crysis.

Journalist: My question is to Niclas. What impressions did you get working with Moonspell? Is the way they are working in the studio different from the way you, guys, work?

Niclas: Well, for me it was different, 'cos we've never played together. I just worked in the studio. But these guys are good friends and it was great to work with them.

Journalist: So, nothing different from the way you work?

Niclas: Well, I just played bass. I did it only in one day. We didn't have any time to rehearse together. I just got their demo and said ok.

Melamory: Pasi and Niclas, I have to ask you about To Separate The Flesh From The Bones. How did it happen? *all laugh* The album For Those About To Rot was just released, so what is the reaction?

Pasi: Well, the response *laughs* is pretty good. Maybe Niclas can say something about it.

Niclas: Well, actually, me and Pasi formed the band last time we came here. I think it was in the hotel lobby bar.

Pasi: Yeah-yeah! We had two years for planning.

Niclas: And we did it in one day.

Melamory: Too much Russian booze?

Niclas: It might have helped a bit. *all laugh*

Melamory: And how happened Gas from HIM entered the band?

Niclas: We played with Gas for eight year before he joined HIM [In a band called Kyyria. - Melamory.]. It was just fun thing to do.

Melamory: And is the album successful enough?

Pasi: Well, I don't know how you can measure success of the album. But the response is really-really great so far.

Melamory: And do you plan any gigs for To Separate The Flesh From The Bones?

Niclas: Yes, we will play at Tuska-Festivaali in the club afterwards.

Melamory: And do you think this project can last any longer? Will you record next album?

Niclas: Yes, we've made a deal that we record a long-play later this year.

Melamory: If I can ask – where did you get inspiration for To Separate The Flesh From The Bones from?

Niclas: Well, we just have to look at ourselves in the mirror. *all laugh*

Pasi: And then try to run away.

Minor: Isn't it difficult for you to manage being in different bands for you?

Niclas: Not really.

Pasi: The styles are so different, so it's not that difficult.

Niclas: And this is just something really for fun. And we do it very fast when we do it.

Melamory: And how are the things going with Ajattara and Shape of Despair?

Pasi: With Shape of Despair we are just recording a new album. It will be out later this year. And with Ajattara I go to the studio next month. So, there's something coming.

Journalist: How did you like to work with EMI? And why your latest album was released in USA one year later than in Europe and it comes out by Nuclear Blast?

Pasi: Because they had to think for one year if they wanted to release it or not. *all laugh* Which is kinda stupid.

Journalist: And what do you think of this situation?

Pasi: Why not? We worked with Nuclear Blast before and it was obvious choice for releasing partner. It's very easy to work with them. At some territories we had problems with EMI releasing-wise. But I guess it is something we had to do with.

Journalist: What about sound-check in this venue? What can you say about sound and about venue?

Esa: Nice venue, and it's interesting it has two levels. Other guys are three meters over us there.

Journalist: Do you have any plans of recording DVD?

Jan: Yes, we have had plan for what we have had for many years. We have lots of stuff that we could release. But I don't know. Perhaps we are too lazy to provide all things together. We would like to do a good package.

Pasi: I think we can make DVD with the next album. Hopefully.

Melamory: When will you release your next album?

Pasi: We were planning to make it later this summer, but we'll see.

Jan: We will definitely make it this year.

Niclas: Most of the songs are ready.

Journalist: Do you have enough money from your music, or you have to work?

Pasi: Sometimes we do something to get more money, but of course we get something out of this.

Jan: It depends on how many shows we have. When there are lots of shows after releasing the album, it's ok. But when you release albums once in a year and have a couple of shows, it might be very difficult.

Journalist: So most of money you are getting is from live shows, not from the albums?

All: Both!

Jan: But when you have shows, you know that money is… more stable.

Journalist: What Amorphis video you like most of all?

Pasi: Evil Inside is the only video which can be watched.

Jan: I like Into Hiding. *guys laugh* Never released.

Melamory: Why don't you play at summer festivals in Finland?

Esa: We played at lots of them last year, actually. And they don't really book bands like, you know, who don't have a new album. So…

Pasi: There're many festivals like Nummirock, which is a metal festival. I think we've been there for three years in a row, so…

Jan: For 10 years maybe… *laughs*

Journalist: A question to all musicians. Please, name your favorite band.

Pasi: Monster Magnet.

Santeri: Led Zeppelin.

Jan: Slayer.

Santeri: Sex Pistols.

Melamory: And Finnish bands?

Esa: Finnish bands? Eppu Normaali. *all laugh*

Melamory: And there are lots of young bands in Finland now. Do you like any of them? Maybe you support any of them?

Niclas: Yeah… some bands. There are so many bands now. We don't have time to see them all.

Melamory: Can you name any bands who, in your opinion, have a big future?

Pasi: That's a hard question.

Esa: There are lots of young bands who do basically the same with what other bands had done before. Lots of bands who want to sound like HIM. And lots of bands who want to sound like Stratovarius. I don't see any future for this kind of bands. Bands should have more own identities in music. There are definitely some good bands, but I don't want to name them 'cos it's only my opinion.

Journalist: What do you think of current situation with Stratovarius?

Esa: They are now together…

Pasi: They are doing a show in Helsinki today.

Esa: It was interesting to read all the newspapers, such big stories. It was funny to read. But I am personally not interested in what they do, 'cos they do the same songs since… '80s.

Pasi: And current situation is more like a joke.

Esa: It is definitely media promotion after all, it's quite obvious.

Journalist: Don't you think you can get in the same situation.

Pasi: We? *all laugh* We are not that big band, so - I don't think we can.

Melamory: Returning to Finnish young bands, lots of them look like a glam-musicians. How can you explain it? Does it mean glam comes back?

Esa: It's very easy. They've been in youth in '80s. It's like music from '70s is for us. The younger guys have been into '80s music, they like all this stuff like Motley Crue, unfortunately, I think that's how we can explain it. It was new for them and now they want to do something like it.

Pasi: There are not so many glam-bands anymore.

Melamory: Do you like any of them?

Esa: I never liked any glam-music, because this music is about something else, but not music.

Niclas: They've done for other purposes than music.

Pasi: Well, Hanoi Rocks is a very good rock band! It's the one I really appreciate personally.

Esa: They were good, but they are also like a national joke these days, because the weird guys are so wasted, they can't go anywhere.

Journalist: What do you think of SubUrban Tribe?

Esa: Yeah, the good band. We rehearsed in the same place. And they are on the same label as we are. And they definitely did their best record.

Journalist: And their singer did some back-vocals parts on Tales from The Thousand Lakes, didn't he?

Esa: Yeah.

Journalist: Question to Jan. You left the band in 1994. Why did you come back?

Jan: Well, that's a good question. I think that was something wrong with chemistry at that time between some members, so… And they just asked me to join again.

Journalist: Did the chemistry change?

Jan: Yeah, there are lots of new people in the band now. *all laugh* We are all good friends now.

Esa: Of course you have to develop and go forward rather than come back. But, yes, it was good to get some original members back.

Melamory: And how can you explain we all know only rock-bands from Finland and we don't know any pop-musicians? Is it easy to play rock-music in Finland? Do you have lots of support?

Pasi: No, not at all.

Jan: It's quite hard. There are not many places to play.

Niclas: If you only play in Finland, you can do maybe 20 shows twice a year or something like that.

Pasi: And for example with Amorphis and some other bands… they get known in the other countries first, and just then Finnish people say: "Hey, those Germans dig this band, we can do it also". That's how it goes in Finland. So, it's not so easy.

Melamory: And what do you like most of all in Helsinki?

Pasi: In summer it's great.

Esa: Sizes. It's not too big, but it's not too small. I don't like small cities like in Finland. There are only a couple of bars where you can go and only one market place. Helsinki is the only place worth living.

Pasi: And it's by the sea.

Melamory: And your favourite bars?

Esa: Tavastia.

Pasi: Loose.

Esa: We get old. We don't go to bars often. *all laugh*

Melamory: And when was the last time you've seen Sibelius monument? I ask because I know some people who live in Helsinki and had never seen it.

Pasi: Wow… not long time ago.

Esa: A few weeks ago I walked through the park.

Jan: I saw it three years ago.

Esa: It's a really strange place.

Niclas: It doesn't remind anything from Sibelius.

Minor: Do you have any music education?

All: No, not really.

Journalist: It's your second time in Moscow. Possibly, first time it was new for you, you've never been here. Can you say that this time it's just an ordinary concert for you?

Pasi: I can't say so. Actually we haven't played big shows for a long time. Last time was in Tavastia, I guess, a couple of months ago. And this is a new venue, it's gonna be interesting. And it's the only place where we can go from Helsinki by train. *all laugh*

Esa: Yes, we were very excited about coming here. Normally when we go to Germany or Austria, we go by plane, which is really boring. And here we can go by night-train.

Jan: Nice restaurant. *all laugh*

Pasi: We really enjoyed our last time here, we had a really good time. And now we have an opportunity to perform with a new show.

Esa: We are a bit disappointed, 'cos we would like to spend more time here, but we can't… because we have to go back.

Melamory: Do you have something special in your mind what you want to see tomorrow?

Pasi: We want to see War museum.

Jan: Yes, we will go to War museum.

Melamory: Esa, how is it going with Chaosbreed?

Esa: We have some shows in summer at the festivals, like Tuska, and some small festivals. It goes quite well, we've been having a good time. We actually record another album.

Journalist: How would you name your current music-style and which will be the next?

Pasi: Well… it's kinda psychedelic rock-music, maybe.

Esa: It's hard to say about future music. I think it's pretty much the same, I guess, no radical changes sound-wise.

Melamory: Listening to Amorphis' past albums, it's obvious that you are into Finnish culture, Kalevala and stuff, aren't you?

Pasi: Yes! Definitely! There are so many things to read.

Melamory: And what Finnish books and writers could you recommend?

Pasi: Tuntematon sotilas [Unknown soldier. - Melamory.] by Väinö Linna. It's a great book.

Esa: Juoppohullun päiväkirja. [Crazydrunk's Diary. - Melamory.]

Niclas: Yes, Juoppohullun päiväkirja!

Pasi: It's a book about rocker Finnish guy, his diary. It's strange translation, but it's very funny.

Esa: And one funny writer is Arto Paasilinna. He writes in really basic Finnish style. That's quite funny.

Journalist: Sorry for this question. What is your favorite music for making love?

Pasi: Actually I was asked this question before… Erm… Well… To Separate The Flesh From The Bones. *all laugh*

Malemory: By the way, are you going to make video for To Separate The Flesh From The Bones?

Pasi: Yes!

Niclas: When we have time to do it.

Melamory: Like Haureus? %)

Pasi: It's an Ajattara song.

Melamory: I know. So, how do you imagine this video?

Pasi: You'll see it. It's going to be funny, it's very-very good. *laughs*

Journalist: Do you have a portrait of marshal Mannerheim at home?

Pasi: No, there's a statue in Helsinki and it's enough. *laughs*

Minor: At your last gig in Moscow how did you like the audience?

Pasi: Great…

Esa: It was great!

Pasi: Yes, it was great!

Minor: How do you treat the fans usually?

Pasi: Well, we try to treat them nice. *laughs* It depends on how bad hangover you have. *laughs*

Niclas: It depends on how they behave as well.

Journalist: What is your attitude towards bootlegging? Do you know that your previous gig in Moscow was taped and they sell it?

Niclas: I saw the video. It was terrible. It was horrible.

Journalist: The video? Or the way of making bootlegs?

Niclas: Well, if you film on VHS from behind of the audience and the sound is shitty, it's wrong for people who buy it and it's wrong for us, so I don't like it.

Pasi: But basically the idea is ok.

Niclas: It's better when people have decent sound and decent image, instead of what we saw in this video.

Pasi: The only thing that concerns us in this case is how good quality is.

Melamory: When you finally release DVD, what will you include there? Do you have any special material?

Santeri: We have some footage. But I think we should film a bit more.

Jan: It would be nice to have a good collection. For example, one concert and some stuff.

Pasi: There're really lots of bootlegs around. Be nice and send them to us also. Of course it's good for us to see them, to see how we manage the gigs.

Journalist: Do you have any contacts with ex-bandmembers?

All: Yeah…

Pasi: Esa plays with Oppu in the same band, Chaosbreed.

Esa: We see people once in a while. The guy we don't meet that often is our keyboard player Kim Rantala. He's doing some dj stuff.

Journalist: What can you say about Kasper Martenson?

Pasi: Kasper? He's studying in England. He's doing some master's degree, something with music-technology.

Esa: And he's doing the same band with Oppu, the band is called Mannhai. He's a nice guy.

Journalist: If you weren't rock-stars, what would you be?

Pasi: Professional soldier. *all laugh*

Niclas: A cosmonaut. *all laugh*

Santeri: A farmer, maybe.

Esa: Fisherman would be nice.

Journalist: Aren't you tired of making music?

Esa: Never.

Journalist: Aren't you tired of questions?

Pasi: Sometimes, maybe.

Esa: There're some ups and downs in this music business. But the best this is an opportunity to play shows. We just like to play together. And the rest of the things are behind.

Journalist: When you are on tour, do you change set-lists just not to be bored?

Niclas: We change it quite often actually.

Pasi: We have basic songs and we change some of the song all the time.

Minor: Guys, are you gonna play Shatters Within tonight?

Pasi: No, unfortunately. Maybe next time, if you remind.

Journalist: What about Light My Fire? *all laugh*

Pasi: I guess we never played it live, no?

Tomi: Once.

Pasi: Ah, yes. I remember.

Melamory: Do you think Amorphis is famous enough, or you want more? Are you totally satisfied with what you have?

Pasi: Well, it's more like we are satisfied. We can continue this traveling and doing shows around the world. That pleases us the most.

Esa: We realize that we are definitely not the band for teenagers. We are quite happy with the situation at the moment and with the fans who appreciate our music. And we know it's a band which definitely is not going to have any huge success. Our music is definitely not that commercial, it takes a good time for people to get it. *Pasi laughs*

Melamory: And do you have any bad memories from touring?

Esa: We had a bad trip to Macedonia. The plane couldn't land in that country because of thick fog in the air and the airport was too small. So we landed in Bulgaria, in Sofia. And we were the only people who were in the airplane there. Then we had to rent a van and drive for 10 hours though the mountains.

Pasi: We wrote some papers to flight company to get all the responsibility from ourselves.

Esa: And another thing was in Turkey. The floor of the venue broke down. It was like we asked people to stay calm near walls, 'cos otherwise the stage could crash.

Pasi: Yes, it was close to a major collapse.

Journalist: Would you prefer to live in 70s?

Esa: To become younger? Why not? *laughs* Well, there are lots of things which were better then.

Pasi: We were so young. *laughs*

Journalist: What is your favourite political system?

Pasi: System?

Journalist: Which one would you prefer for your country, for example?

Pasi: We like the way Finland goes, I mean our politic. I think it's good. We don't have any opinion about anything in Europe, 'cos it's dangerous. *laughs* So we are safe. We don't really care a fuck about politics.

Esa: Well, everything in Finland is very nice. But somehow nowadays all the news-reporters or sportsmen are going into politics. It started two years ago maybe.

Santeri: We are a part of European community now. And now there's again one vote in Finland for people who represent Finland in the community. And there are just celebrities, there're sport people and TV-hosts, people who don't know anything about politics. It's pretty scary.

Journalists: Would you like to try to be presidents?

All: Yeah! Probably! *all laugh*

Esa: We'll see!

Niclas: We can probably make it if it goes that far.

Santeri: Our current president used to be kinda boss of gays and lesbians. She's really cool. But all the rest are really fucked up. It's boring.

Journalists: Which bands would you like to play with?

Pasi: Moonspell, for example. They are very good guys, very easy going.

Journalist: Who would be supporting then?

Esa: Well… *laughs* We got festivals with them. We did a tour in States where they supported us. I think it's better to be not the main headline band. Because you have time to see the places, you only play for one hour, you see the main band and you can go and talk to people. If you start to play at 11pm, you can play hour and half or two hours, and you don't have any time to do anything. It's head confusion.

Niclas: There are good sides in both situations.

Jan: It would be nice to do a supporting tour. Since we've been headliners for long time in America and two tours in Europe. It would be nice to support.

Journalist: Have you been to Japan only once? And have you ever been to Australia?

Pasi: We haven't been to Australia.

Esa: We've been once in Japan. It would be nice to go to Australia or to New Zealand. Those are the countries nice to see.

Pasi: And touring in South America would be nice. We've been to Mexico-City, but we didn't go any further.

Santeri: We will play in Egypt, in Cairo. In July.

Pasi: It will be quite exciting.

Journalist: And what about Albania?

Pasi: We're quite open. Normally we don't say "no".

Esa: It depends on local organization as well. When we were in Turkey, it was organized by son of local police chief. It's weird.

Journalist: And the floor broke…

Pasi: *laughs* Exactly.

Melamory: And what is your favourite Finnish festival? And do you like this festival culture in Finland?

Jan: I like Ilosaarirock.

Santeri: Provinssi.

Pasi: Tuska is maybe the best for us, 'cos it happens in Helsinki and you can get home for the night, then wake up in the morning, go there again, take beer and stuff.

Journalist: Have you ever played at Wacken?

Pasi: Yes, we have.

Esa: We played at Wacken maybe four years ago. It wasn't that big as it's nowadays. It's a very good festival. It was very good. Motorhead played there.

Journalist: Have you ever practiced any pop-music?

Esa: M-m-m… No.

Melamory: For how long will you play tonight?

Esa: We have seventeen songs for the set.

Journalist: Seventy?

Pasi: *laughs* Yes, let's play seventy. For hour and a half.

Melamory: What is your favourite song from the last album, the one you are proud of?

Niclas: Days of Your Belief is… pretty graphic.

Journalist: Was it you who made a song for hockey-team?

Niclas: It was Sentenced.

Journalist: What do you think of this idea?

Jan: It's a great idea.

Niclas: They played it once, I guess.

Pasi: Yes, then it was forbidden.

Niclas: Yes, the lyrics weren't suitable for the hockey-club and they banned it.

Pasi: Yes, it's sad.

Niclas: But the club won this year.

Melamory: Do you support any sport team?

Pasi: I'm not into sport, but I think the rest of the guys like football and stuff like that.

Jounalist: You can play Drowned Maid at the hockey-match. *all laugh*

Journalist: What about writing a song in Russian on the next album?

Journalist: For a special Russian edition.

Niclas: Interesting idea.

Melamory: Do you know any Russian songs?

Santeri: Kaalinkka.

Journalist: Please, make a cover on Kalinka.

Pasi: *laughs* Why not?

Melamory: My favourite weird question. Which ring-tones do you use on your mobile phones?

Santeri: I have church bells from Rome. I was on holiday in Rome and there were huge bells in the streets, so I recorded them.

Tomi: I have church bells.

Jan: I have Das Boot, it's a German movie about the submarine.

Esa: I have something from mobile phone. *all laugh*

Pasi: I have something default too.

Melamory: Do you all use Nokia?

Pasi: No.

Niclas: No.

Esa: Why should we? We started campaign against Nokia. They don't use our songs as ring-tones.

Santeri: Nokia is good. They pay good taxes for Finland.

Press-attaché: Thanks for the press-conference, for the question and the answers.

All guys: Thank you!