• I think most of the metalheads more or less are aware of Sonata Arctica, liking them or not, so I don't think there is much to be said in this prologue. Continue...

• TK: Check your dictionary. =) It means tricky means, tricky ways. It was just a name, it didn't mean really nothing to be honest.

2) Recently Mikko Harkin, made an announcement, that he is leaving the band, saying that he is having personal problems. What do you think was the main reason for leaving the band and how this loss will effect the group?

•  TK: I have othing to say to this Mikko thing anymore. It was his personal choise. It/s all there in his message. Taking that we find a new one before the next show, there/s really no effect. We cn do studio without him easily since I am keyboardist and played most of the keys on "Silence" and for solos we have Jens Johansson for the job. I am looking forward to it. Naturally we would have liked Mikko to stay but what can you do if he's out of motivation and interest.

 3) Which subjects do Sonata Artica(ARCTICA)  like to hurt with their lyrics?

• TK: Hurt? I am not trying to HURT anyone.(I think you meant "handle" or something, right? Hurt is a bit absurd. Heh.)  I like to write about things in everybodys life, sad relationships, imaginary stories etc. I get lot of inspirations from movies and TV and IMO the best lyrics are the ones you can see as a mini-movie, picture what's happening in the lyrics.

 4) One Of My favourite song from Ecliptica Album, was Letter To Dana, I found it very amazing. Is Dana a real person (did you realy saw her pictures in a filthy magazine, as you describe in the lyrics?)

• TK: Haha! No, Dana is just a name, like is Tallulah too. I needed a name for that song and I am a big fan of X-Files and there's this Dana Scully. Like all my lyrics, this one is just a tale. This is actually one of the most ASKED QUESTION EVER!!!  Hah!

5) What are your favorite musicians and bands? Are you planning to make a project in the future? Are you planing to participate to another tributes?

• TK: Fave musicians..hard. I like so many, world is full of great players so it's unfair to name just few. Lot of them are in my fave bands though: Nightwish, Stratovarius, Queen, Midnight Oil, Children of Bodom...

 6) Do you watch movies? If yes what's your favorite and If someone told you to be the director of a movie, what movie would you like to make?

•  TK: Too much! My all time favourite movie is Forrest Gump, no question about it. If I got to direct a movie that is already made, I'd rather not stick my fingers on it since I don't know a shit about diretiong movies! Hahaa! If I was up to it though, I'd like to direct Forrest Gump II, if they ever make it.

7)Let's play a game of words, I will tell you 10 words and I want you to tell me the very first think that comes up to your mind

•  a) Sonata Arctica = Us
• b) Y.J.Malmsteen = ...fat? No,no,no! He was starting this thing we are now doing, kind of.
• c) Melancholy = Finland
• d) Women = Love and sex
• e) Religion = perverted the whole thing. Today on the gameshow: Whose God is  the best -competition!
• f) Friends = Home
• g) Ecliptica = green
• h) Lies = make the world go around, believe it or not...
• i) Globalization = Inevitable
• j) Unopened = "oh my God, it's spinning on the wrong speeeddd!!!!!AAARGH!" I got traumatized by the first pressing.

8) If you had an opportunity to write a concept story with other artists, what concept will you choose and what artists besides Sonata Artica?

• TK: I'd like to work with Tuomas from Nightwish and subject would be something sad and twisted I'm sure. I hope we find time to do it some day.

9) If you had to spend your life in a desert island, and the only thing you could take with you, (besides the supplies J)!!) was 10 albums, what  will be those?

•  TK: Oh shit.... :) I'd take 5 foto albums to keep me sane, I'd pick 2 random Queen albums(Love them all!), Midnight Oil/s "Diesel and Dust" and Blue "Sky Mining", all our own albums to remind me that I used to be alive once...maybe I'd then throw away few of those photo albums and take Nightwish's "Century Child" and absolutely "Forrest Gumb - Soundtrack", Crash test Dummies "God Shuffled His Feet"...I think I'd spare the last photo album.=)

10) What was the most peculiar dream you ever had?

•  TK: I am not going to share that with you.

 11) What do you do on your spare time? Do you have any hobbies?

• TK: I used to have. It was music... Now I try to do sports, I go swimming and gym, play computer games and just relax. At the moment I don't  have any spare time...

12) Back in the music business.What do you think is the main problem, that a newcomer artist is facing when he makes the big leap to the music scene?

•  TK: There's not enough information about this business anywhere to learn.So new bands usually all make the same mistakes. One big problem is how to make your self noticed and different from the rest. there's maybe a bit too many bands like this these days and that makes it very hard. Being an excellent musician is not enough.

13) What is your opinion about other Finnish Bands like Stratovarius, Sentenced, etc?

•  TK: I have the most high respect for Stratovarius. They are the  reason we started to make music like this and got this far. Sentenced has never been my kind of band, really, but their latest album really hit me! It's great! In Finland generally there are sooo many great bands that are internationally known in their own genre and that totally kicks ass!

14) How do you see the course of the Metal genre in regard with other genres.

• TK: Metal has always been a bit in the margin. I'm not even starting with this nu-metal crap...I hope metal gets more foothold in countries like USA, because the market is HUGE but it's filled with R/n/B and rap and that stuff... I hope to be there if metal someday becomes generally acceptable and you can hear our songs on MTV. That would be a day...

15) Are you satisfied from the production of Songs Of Silence?

• TK: I don't know, I suppose. Compared to the live songs on  "Successor" this one is marvellous! I haven't really listened to any live albums made lately. This one is not studiolive(like some are...), and you can hear it.

16) What are your future plans after the release of the new live album? Will you go on tour with some band, as a main band or supporters?

•  TK: No, not gonna tour with a live. That would be absurd since there are only songs from albums we've already toured with. We are in studio at the moment recording the next album.It's going to be a rock! Faster in general than "Silence" was and more fun. Atleast we think so. It should be out during the spring and then we go touring again. Now we have to make this album and then find a new keyboardist. Lot of work in our hands. Great!

17)Thank you for your time and for the interview, don't forget that we expect you guys to come to Greece.

• TK: I hope we can come there too! Greece is one place we have not had pleasure of visiting yet and I've heard EVERYONE should tour there! ; ) Hope to see you there!!!!
• Rock! ~Tony
• Take Care and Keep up the good work