Melamory: Let’s start from the beginning. Tell the Russian audience about Charon’s history, just briefly.

Juha-Pekka: From my aspect, we started in 1995, but the whole band started in 1992. When the guys got together, it was… erm… progressive death metal or something like that. In 1994 they wanted something different for Charon’s music and they decided to take a lead singer, who would sing pure vocals and do some more melodies for the fifth instrument of the band in a way making different kind of music. They wanted to develop. And they asked me, ‘cos it’s a very small town, where we live, and *laughs* I was almost the only one who sang pure vocals. So, that’s why. We made our first promo Pilgrimage in 1995. The Danish label Emanzipation Productions first then wrote to us and asked if we are interested in making a record deal with them. And we said “Of course, it’s our first chance, let’s go to a foreign country, let’s make that fucking deal and we’re gonna be fucking famous!” *laughs*

M: So, you’re now. *laughs*

JP: No, no! We are NOT! *laughs* And… we sent… we made a rehearsal tape of the new songs which were horrible. Just horrible songs. And we didn’t get the deal at all. Then we made Serenity, which was on our first album. We also made a video and we sent it to Emanzipation and to a lot of other companies. Emanzipation contacted us and we made a fucking deal with them. And we were trapped for like three years with them. We are not that blue-eyed anymore.

There was heard the rustle of Pasi’s boots. He wanted to walk off with Juha-Pekka’s lighter, but got a fag end instead %)

JP: On our second album Spinefarm proposed to license our album in Finland, ‘cos nobody was licensing at that time in Finland, Spinefarm wanted us. Then they started to pay. I’ve understood they paid to Emanzipation and Die Hard Productions to buy us out. Then we made Tearstained and then we made Downhearted and now we are here.

M: Are you happy now?

JP: Yes, now I’m happy! I can do what I want. And I’m able to do what I want, ‘cos this is what I’ve always dreamed of.

M: I know you’re making your new album now…

JP: Yeah, it’s recorded and it’s mixed. We’re waiting for it. After Ilosaarirock we’re gonna master the album.

M: When will it be released?

JP: We’re gonna release a new single next month.

M: The second one?

JP: Yes, the second single. It has songs which we are not going to include in the album. It’s one cover song and…

M: Wow! Which one?

JP: *laughs* You would never believe! Do you know Swedish band called Kent?

M: Yes…

JP: It’s Kent’s cover, the song is called “The King is Dead”. It’s a wonderful piece of shit. It’s wonderful.

M: I believe you will make it perfect!

JP: Yeah! It’s great! And one unreleased song that we’re gonna include. And we’re gonna release a digi-pack. I think it’s 3.000 copies ofit, so it’s limited edition. And then we’re gonna make the album. Also on a digi-pack. There will be a few songs that aren’t on the album. You’ll get to buy it! *laughs*

M: We’ll surely do it! *laughs*

JP: This it not a commercial. *laughs*

M: And what is the name of the album?

JP: We don’t know yet. We have plenty of names and we haven’t decided yet. The work name that we like to call the album is Dead Man Walking. We’ll see.

M: You mentioned Serenity video. I know it’s kinda secret, ‘cos you don’t want to show it. Why?

JP: *laughs* It’s horrible. It’s awful. We made it ourselves. What else can it be? It’s awful.

M: Do you like Little Angel?

JP: I don’t think… Let’s wait for about five years, when we can release DVD or something, if we ever are gonna make DVD. Maybe then we’re not ashamed of it.

M: Are you planning to make a new video now for a new album?

JP: We decided… or I decided… and our drum-player… we decided not to make a video, ‘cos we suggested that our record-company use the money for something - like tour, or making digi-packs and more merchandise and things like that, because those are more important. You only watch the video once. In Finland we have no media to show the videos any more. That’s why we decided, it’s better. We can use it for Christ’s sake 80 thousand Finnish marks. It’s so expensive, it’s a lot of money, I respect money and I don’t wanna waste it. Of course I’m gonna drink free beer as much as possible here at the festivals and everything what’s free for us. But if there’s money, you can spend it on something that’s worth it, so why not?

M: What did you do before Charon?

JP: I had some kind of projects, like… we played grunge-music, Nirvana *laughs* Faith No More, Pearl Jam and… *laughs* also some Lenny Kravitz. M-m-m… Led Zeppelin, Kiss, bands like that. My first band was called Pure Faith. *laughs* It wasn’t gospel, but we didn’t know the meaning, we were so little. It was just fancy logo on it, that’s why the name. We had a couple of our own songs.

M: Do you have music education?

JP: Not any. Only a few months of singing lessons. But otherwise I learned everything myself. But I don’t know what are notes. I don’t know anything about them except they are black. *laughs*

M: On the lines…

JP: Yeah, the lines. *laughs*

M: And now tell us please about Poisonblack. How did this project come to your mind or to Ville’s mind?..

JP: It was Ville’s idea to form Poisonblack. First the name was Shadowlands. We just came home from the tour with Charon and Sentenced in Finland. Was it 3 months? 16 gigs with them. That’s when we got to know each other with Ville. It was a few months later that Ville invited me to sing in their project. At that moment I thought it was Ville, my little brother, who was calling to ask me to join their band. I said “Of course! Why not? What are you talking about? Of course, we always play together, why not now?” “It’s Ville Laihiala from Sentenced. Who do you think I am?” *laughs* Yeah, of course I wanted to try something new.

M: When was it?

JP: I don’t remember. Two years ago.

M: I’ve heard you had some gigs before you recorded the album.

JP: Yes, we had. Some kind of rehearsal gigs in Jyvaskyla, “Lutakko”. Was it in Oulu, “Voodoo”?.. The name has changed, but anyway. We did some rehearsal tapes. It sounded nice to me. I really wanted to do it. First it was only supposed to be a project that would not do gigs. We were just gonna record a few songs, which Ville wanted to tape somewhere. Then it started to grow and grow. Then we noticed “Fuck, we’re gonna get a record deal from a big label and what the fuck we are gonna do”. I have Charon, Ville has Sentenced. We just decided: “Let’s arrange everything - the gigs and things like that - with Sentenced and Charon, we can do it”. So, we started it and tried it for one and a half year. And now we’re doing the gigs also. We have three gigs next month, I don’t remember when and where. *laughs*

M: At some festivals…

JP: Yeah, at Pellavarock in Lammi. And now I’ve decided I’m not gonna do the next Poisonblack album. I have so much rush with Charon right now. It’s really hard to be torn between two bands which are rising names and doing their own stuff. You do only 50/50 in each. And I wanna do 100% in one. It’s better for me, ‘cos I wanna develop as a musician. In the middle of the two bands I won’t.

M: And do you think that Ville will try to find someone else for the vocals?

JP: No. We talked about it with Ville. He wasn’t upset. He knew it, ‘cos I was so busy. We discussed it. He made a decision that he’s gonna sing on the next album himself. And I think it’s gonna be good. I didn’t want to slow Poisonblack anymore. They had to cancel a few gigs because of me. I don’t wanna do that. I think Poisonblack has much to gain anyway.

M: Who are the other guys who play in Poisonblack?

JP: Tarmo Kanerva on drums. He once played drums when Vesku broke his leg. He was replacing Vesku on five gigs. So, that’s how Ville knows Tarmo. Marco Sneck on keyboards. Really talented guy. He has an old weird band called Chamelion which is like nights and magic. *laughs* And, of course, Janne Kukkonen, bass player, the other founding member of Poisonblack.

M: And who is the girl who does female vocals on Charon’s albums?

JP: Jenny Heinonen. She’s from the same town as we are. She’s studying already in Helsinki in Sibelius Academy. Singing, jazzing and things like that. We decided to ask her for the album in the time of Tearstained. She’s always come along. It’s really easy to work with her in a studio. You don’t have to say what you want. She’s always on time.

M: As I told you already, I represent a website which is dedicated to the Finnish metal culture. So, could you tell us something about Finnish metal bands? What you like, what you don’t like…

JP: I don’t like… *laughs* I don’t like… Let’s start from here. I don’t like bands like... Negative. *all laugh ;)* Have you ever heard this fucking shit? Guys whose balls haven’t even grown yet are singing about true love and a loss in the fucking love and things like that. It doesn’t improve me. But of course I envy. *laughs* I’m jealous. *laughs* I would lie if I didn’t admit that. But bands that came up with some kind of fucking billboard or some magazines that are rising them up before players… I wanna be a player, but not a fucking pop-star. I wanna be a musician, but not a fucking pop-star.

M: What do you like?

JP: What do I like? Kotiteollisuus. It’s honest. It’s really honest music. I love honesty in music. They are not fucking pop-stars. They are just normal human beings like everyone of us. What other bands? Of course I have to say that I appreciate the work that HIM has done very much. And I really like HIM’s first album. They’ve done great work when it comes to Finnish metal in foreign countries in Europe like Germany and places like that. It’s great work. And of course Hanoi Rocks, really old Finnish band, you know. And Per Gunt. *laughs*

M: Do you like Apocalyptica?

JP: Kind of… But… I can’t listen to one record at the same time. It’s exhausting to listen to music like this.

M: And The 69 Eyes?

JP: Before their new image. *laughs* They are such a fucking manufactured band, not anymore.

M: And you like the young band Sara?

JP: Sara? Yes! Very much! I met them in Tampere with Diablo singer Rainer. Diablo is also a really great Finnish band. Sara is a different kind of Finnish music. It’s like non-Finnish. It’s really… global, quite European.

M: And old stuff, like Agents?

JP: Of course I like Agents! Let’s say singers like Topi Sorsakoski, really great! Very melancholic songs. That’s what Finnish music culture is like, and I know your culture also. We have much similarities in our folk-music and traditional music.

M: And Sibelius?

JP: Not that much classic. *laughs* I try to avoid.

M: What non-Finnish music do you listen to?

JP: Cult. Always listened to since Sonic Temple. After every album they released there’s always some kind of retiring. And then they just surprise making a new album like “Beyond Good and Evil”.

M: What else?

JP: Of course Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Dio. Those are the oldest ones. Monster Magnet… I listen to a lot of music, different kinds of things.

M: And what can you say about Finnish festivals?

JP: If you wanna see drunk people, come to Finnish festivals, see how we puke. I like the festivals if the weather is like this. (Sun, no clouds, really warm and cool. - Melamory.) Nummirock is getting smaller and smaller every year. We played this year with Poisonblack there. They are always smaller and smaller. I hope they can rise again, ‘cos it was a good festival in 80’s. Really big bands like Iron Maiden came there.

M: Do you know why To/Die/For cancelled their gig at Nummirock?

JP: I don’t know, no. We were supposed to see them there, but the guys didn’t show up. Maybe they are breaking up again. *laughs* Sorry, guys. *laughs*

M: Do you like To/Die/For?

JP: Not very much. I have all their albums, ‘cos our record company is always sending me every new album. I’ve listened to them, of course. They have interesting stuff in the songs like… I mean computer stuff, a little bit 80’s. I don’t know. It’s not that much 80’s as they say it. It’s quite modern still. I can also say Jape has different kind of singing, not the style of mine. I prefer different kind of singers. Not like myself, but… Otherwise it’s great. And I really like Jape as a person.

M: And what do you know about Russian music? Do you know any names?

JP: Of course, I know names… but only one. *laughs* Now I don’t remember it. It’s a fucking girls duo.

M: Tatu!

JP: Yeah! The first single was great! *laughs* It wasn’t bad at all!

M: Don’t tell me this! *laughs*

JP: But this way only their image came up. But I don’t know Russian bands, you should teach me.

M: Tomorrow Tequilajazzzzz play at Ilosaarirock.

JP: At what time?

M: At 5pm.

JP: Too late. We go to Helsinki.

M: Wow, can you take us with you?

JP: You should ask the guys, ‘cos I don’t go by bus. I go to Helsinki by limo *laughs* Do you really think I travel by THAT bus? *laughs*

The bus talk gradually turned into idle blabbering. While we were having fun, Pasi appeared from the backstage and started gesticulating, urging that they begin the sound-check. Juha-Pekka couldn’t but leave the cosy lawn for the stuffy Kaarihalli club, where a couple of hours later we witnessed another great gig of a great band Charon.