Welcome to the LOUDEST DOT COM ON THE PLANET!
KNAC.COM News Reviews and More Watch The Latest Videos Buy KNAC T-shirts and More


Former STRATOVARIUS Guitarist Retires From Music Business

By Tokemaster General, Contributor
Saturday, January 14, 2012 @ 9:13 AM


- advertisement -

- advertisement -

Guitarist Timo Tolkki (SYMFONIA/ex-STRATOVARIUS) has issued the following statement:

"As I am writing this on Friday (January 13th) morning sipping my coffee, many thoughts and feelings enter my mind. Ever since I published the blog about retiring from music business, many people have contacted me and asked me not to do so. That is why I decided to clarify some things and write some more about it.

First of all, if someone got the picture that I am blaming the fans about the current situation in music business, I am really sorry. That is not at all how I think. I cherish and thank each and everyone that have given me and my music the amazing support in good and bad times.

Secondly there have been some criticism about my decision, even some people have called me a coward. I know it is hard to understand what is really going on in the business at the moment. I mean globally in the whole world. Not just in your city. The signs have been there already about 10 years and of course this was expected. People don’t buy records anymore. Before you rush to say: 'but I do', let me tell you that I have a better vantage point to the whole music business globally to say this. There are reasons for me to act the way I do. This is not even about the quality of music in the vein of if I make bad records and people don’t want to buy them. It really is true that the records sales are down and are going down and more and more changes will happen and they will not be for the better. The remaining record companies are extremely careful what kind of bands and music they will sign and if they sign, they will control the music and the style very aggressively.This will result to a controlled and boring system musically and ultimately could even kill the music as a physical or digital format. In the times of BACH and BEETHOVEN there were no records. The music was only heard live. But also live music suffers from declining sales because people don't have the money to see all those 30 bands in a month that come to the city.

All this made me to think really hard about my future and the next 10-15 years. Having worked extensively in the last 20 years I simply think it is time to evaluate what it is that I have left to say. I always said that I will play as long as people want to listen. But one thing has dawned me in the last few months: it doesn’t matter to me if people want to listen to my music anymore. This means the ultimate freedom musically.

Another thing is that although I have written about retirement from music business. But I haven’t written about retiring from music. I believe music is a gift. And this gift must be used. But sometimes it is not easy. I believe that my 22 years in Stratovarius and five CD’s I have released after that, the music seminars I have held all over the world, the productions and all that goes with it are a lot. How much can you give after you have given it all?

Anyway, I haven’t given up music. I look at the scene and understand that I have nothing to do with what used to be so important to me for example when I was 30 years old. I believe in evolution in music and musical career. Evolution as a whole. Not picking a random record and say: “that sucks”. The whole body of work. I think that every record I ever made, has its place in the discography of my life. As I grow older, soon being 46, I can envision my music evolving towards goals and themes that are closer to my soul than the music I wrote when I was 32. I don’t believe in singing about Legions of the Twilight when I am 50, but that’s just me. I think I have a lot of music developing in me but what kind of music it is, not even I know. The future will tell but I think you will hear from me still one day. My intuition is telling me this."


Back to Top

 

 

 Recent News
Official, Special, Limited Edition, KNAC Heritage Item On Sale Now!
NIGHTWISH Return With New Album Yesterwynde
ARMORED SAINT Announce L.A. Hometown Headline Show
GHOST Set To Release Debut Feature Film, Rite Here Rite Now, To Cinemas Worldwide
HAMMERFALL Reveal New Album Avenge The Fallen
SLIPKNOT Announce 'Here Comes The Pain' Summer Tour
THE DEAD DAISIES Unveil New Album, Single, Tour
DARKTHRONE Stream New Single "The Bird People Of Nordland"
70000TONS OF METAL Announces First Bands For 2025
NIGHT LASER Set For Call Me What You Want Album
RICHIE SAMBORA Returns With "I Pray" Single
TESTAMENT, KREATOR Join For "Klash Of The Titans" 2024 North American Tour
SAXON Share Lyric Video For "Witches Of Salem"
2024 SUMMER SLAUGHTER Tour Announced, Co-Headlined By VEIL OF MAYA And BRAND OF SACRIFICE
SEBASTIAN BACH Launches Video For New Single "(Hold On) To The Dream"
NARCOTIC WASTELAND Announces 2024 Summer Tour Dates
THE WARNING Release Cinematic Video For "Que Mas Quieres"
KITTIE Announce Exclusive Run Headline Shows On The 'Fire 2024' Tour
ACCEPT Stream New Single "Frankenstein"
200 STAB WOUNDS Return With Manual Manic Procedures Album
KURT DEIMER Confirms New Tour Dates With TEXAS HIPPIE COALTION
STAIND Launch Animated Video For Track "Better Days", Featuring DOROTHY
WEEDEATER Announce More Spring/Summer Shows
UNLEASH THE ARCHERS Are "Seeking Vengeance" With New Video
OPETH Announces North American Headlining Tour
LEAGUE OF DISTORTION Release "My Hate Will Go On" Video
EVERCLEAR Announces Fall Headlining Tour
DEAD MAN'S HAND Release Second Single, Video For "Bobblehead Jesus"
ZEAL & ARDOR Set For With New Album Greif
LACUNA COIL Share New Video "In The Mean Time", Featuring ASH COSTELLO Of NEW YEARS DAY
BARONESS Announce U.S. Summer Tour
FROZEN SOUL Drop WHITE ZOMBIE Cover Video For "Creature Of The Wheel"
SUNBOMB, Featuring MICHAEL SWEET And TRACII GUNS, Set To Release Sophomore Album Light Up The Sky
BABYLON A.D. Unleash "Wrecking Machine" Video
Current, Former Members Of ICE NINE KILLS And FROM ASHES TO NEW Form New Band HILLHAVEN
Former DISCIPLES OF BABYLON Singer ERIC KNIGHT Releases First Solo Single "Out Of This World"
GWAR Announces 'Age of Entitlement Tour'
MILLENIAL REIGN Ready New Album World On Fire
MEMPHIS MAY FIRE Return With New Video For Single "Chaotic"
MEGADETH Announce Summer 'Destroy All Enemies' Tour
ICE NINE KILLS, IN THIS MOMENT Join For Co-Headline "The Kiss Of Death Tour Part 2"
CANDLEMASS To Release Tritonus Nights Live Deluxe Triple Colored LP Set
'20 YEARS OF TEARS TOUR', Featuring HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS, THURSDAY, SAOSIN And ANBERLIN Announced For Summer 2024
SIX FEET UNDER Drops "Ascension" Lyric Video
UNDEROATH Announces They're Only Chasing Safety Album 20th Anniversary Tour
CRYSTAL VIPER Unleash "Fever Of The Gods" Video
LEFT TO SUFFER Ready New Album Leap Of Death
HEADBANGERS CON Sets Dates, Location For 2024 Edition
XANDRIA Releases New Single, Video For "Universal"
CHEVELLE Announce Summer 2024 Headline Tour
HIGH ON FIRE Release New Album Title Track Video For "Cometh The Storm"
GBI - DAVE GROHL, CHARLIE BENANTE, SCOTT IAN Ready BAD BRAINS' Cover Of "The Regulator" For Record Store Day 2024
DEMON Announce New Album Invincible
SONIC TEMPLE ART & MUSIC FESTIVAL Announces Music Set Times, Additional Onsite Activations And Food & Beverage Options
NOTHING MORE Return With New Album Carnal
OCEANS OF SLUMBER Share New Single, Video For "Where Gods Fear To Speak"
WAGE WAR Unveil New Album Stigma
KERRY KING Unleashes New Video For "Residue"
EVERGREY Ready New Album Theories of Emptiness
THE CONVALESCENCE Announce Summer Tour Dates
MILWAUKEE METAL FEST 2024 Announces Daily Set Times
WAR BABIES To Release Never-Before-Heard Tracks In The Form Of Vault Album
SEVEN SPIRES Drop New Video For "Architect Of Creation"
ANVIL Reveal New Album, One And Only
EXODUS Set To Release Live Album British Disaster: The Battle of '89 (Live At The Astoria)
CROWNSHIFT Drop New Video For "My Prison"
THROWDOWN AT THE CAMPGROUND Reveals Daily Lineups & Onsite Experiences
BLEED FROM WITHIN Unleash "Killing Time" Video
FRANK MARINO & MAHOGANY RUSH News, Health Update
RAT PAK RECORDS Set To Release New HALL AFLAME Album Amplifire, Featuring KURDT VANDERHOOF
New Supergroup CATEGORY 7, Featuring JOHN BUSH, PHIL DEMMEL, MIKE ORLANDO, JACK GIBSON, JASON BITTNER Forms
IS FOR LOVERS FESTIVAL Unveils Performers For Third Annual Summer Tour
DREAM THEATER Announce 40th Anniversary Tour 2024-2025
ARCHITECTS Stream New Single "Curse"
EDGE OF PARADISE Share "Rogue (Aim For The Kill)" Video
WELCOME TO ROCKVILLE Reveals Band Performance Times, Festival Experiences, Food & Beverage Offerings
BABYLON A.D. Return With New Studio Album Rome Wasn't Built In A Day
ALPHA WOLF Share Video For "Haunter"
SISTER KILL CYCLE Release New Album Blood. Money. Death
LEE AARON Launches HEART Cover Video For "Even It Up"
THE LONELY ONES Stream New Single "My God"
LITTLE MISS NASTY Release Debut Album Weapon Of Choice
THE WARNING Shine On New Single, Video For "Automatic Sun"
ORANGE GOBLIN Return With New Album Science, Not Fiction
ERRA Share New Video For "Slow Sour Bleed"
SOULBOUND Ready New Album ObsYdian, Release Video For "Saint Sinner"
ENTERPRISE EARTH Drop Video For "I, Divine"
THE HAUNT Release New EP Do Not Resuscitate
THE END MACHINE Release "Hell Or High Water" Video
FIREHOUSE Vocalist CJ SNARE Passes Away At 64
KITTIE Share New Single, Video For "We Are Shadows"
LORDS OF ACID Announce 2024 'Make Acid Great Again Tour'
SHARK ISLAND Ready New Live Album Memento Mori - Live On The Strip
FERRETT Drops "Don't Tell Jen" Video
ESCAPE THE FATE Hits The Road With EMO ORCHESTRA
TYR Unleash "Dragons Never Die" Video/Single
RFK Media Releases COLD SWEAT Album Unburied Alive
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY Drummer JEFF FABB Launches New Single, Video For "Love And War"
POWERWOLF Unveil New Album Wake Up The Wicked
FOREIGNER Announces More Farewell Tour Dates
CONEY HATCH Live Album Postcard from Germany Gets First-Ever Vinyl Pressing
EMERALD EYE Release Debut Album Night Without Day
THE RODS Share New Fan Collaboration Lyric Video For "Metal Highways"
NECROT Announces Massive North American Headlining Tour
ROCKLAHOMA Announces 2024 Performance Lineup
ALLEGAEON Releases New Video/Single, "Iridescent"
NEW ENGLAND METAL & HARDCORE FEST Reveals Dates, Band Lineup For 2024 Edition
ACCEPT Unleash New Video For "The Reckoning"
ISSA Returns With New Album Another World
NAESTVED METALFEST Completes Roster, Daily Lineups For 2024 Edition
BLACK SUN "Slay The Queen" With New Video, Band Lineup Featuring Vocalist NETTA LAURENNE
FOZZY Announce 25th Anniversary Tour
JOE SATRIANI, STEVE VAI Release New Video For "The Sea of Emotion, Pt. 1"
DROWNING POOL, SALIVA Announce 'SNAFU Le Tour' Dates
WITHERFALL Share New Video For "When It All Falls Away"
OCEANO Announce North American Tour Dates
HOLY MOTHER Reveal Rise Album Details
CANNIBAL CORPSE Announces European Fall Headlining Tour
PAUL DI'ANNO'S WARHORSE Releases New EP Stop The War In Advance Of New Full-Length Album
HIDEOUS DIVINITY Unleashes New Music Video For "More Than Many, Never One"
FU MANCHU Return With New Double Album, The Return of Tomorrow
RED VOODOO Drop Latest Single "Style"
KORN Announce 25-City North American Tour
SKID ROW, ERIK GRONWALL Amicably Part Ways
YES Unveil Talk 30th Anniversary Deluxe Box Set Edition
SAUL Release "More Of The Same" With New Video
RON KEEL BAND Drops New Single, "Hard On The Outside (Heart On The Inside)"
TROLLFEST Release 20 Years In The Wrong Lane Compilation Album
THE BLACK MOODS Share New Single, Video For "Heaven"
DAUGHTRY Shares New Single "Pieces"
WEEDEATER Announce Spring US Tour
WAGE WAR Unleash "Magnetic" Video
PUSCIFER, A PERFECT CIRCLE, PRIMUS Announce The Sessanta E.P.P.P.
KUARANTINE, Featuring CHRIS JERICHO, Drop New KISS Cover Of "Good Girl Gone Bad"
BILLY MORRISON, STEVE STEVENS, OZZY OSBOURNE Join Forces For New Track, "Crack Cocaine"
VISIONS OF ATLANTIS Ready New Album, Pirates II - Armada
HIGH ON FIRE Announces U.S. Headlining Tour Dates
SIX BY SIX (Featuring IAN CREICHTON, NIGEL GLOCKLER & ROBERT BERRY) Launch New Video For "Obiliex"
ECLIPSE Unleashes New Video For "Apocalypse Blues"



HOME | MAGAZINE | VIDS | STORE | HELP/POLICIES

©2024 KNAC.COM. All Rights Reserved.    Link to us    Advertise with us    Privacy policy
 Latest News