Nightwish band: history of creation, composition, soloist, interesting facts

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

In today's world there are so many different kinds of music, so many different genres, directions and performers who work in them, that your eyes just run wide. And what is most surprising is that any musician finds his audience, regardless of the genre that he has chosen for himself. For example, the Finnish rock band Nightwish has been pleasing its fans with creativity for a couple of decades. But how did the band's history begin?

The start of the journey

Nightwish owes its existence to Finnish musician, lover of rock, metal and underground Tuomas Holopainen. When he was twenty years old (in the ninety-sixth year of the last century), he went on a night hike with his friends. By that time, he was already very fond of music, composed both melodies and lyrics, but most of them were sent "to the table". And all because Tuomas played the guitar in small local projects, but did not take it seriously enough.

In the forest, the guys kindledbonfire and, as always happens when you sit by the fire, they were probably singing songs. It was at that moment that Tuomas, who knew how to play the synthesizer, thought for the first time: "But it would be great to have your own band! And one that the whole world would know about it!"

It often happens that a thought flashes through the head and disappears, but this time with Tuomas this did not happen. The idea haunted him relentlessly even upon returning home, and the young man decided: he must act. The only thing left to do is to find like-minded people.

Group assembly

There is a saying "The eyes are afraid, but the hands are doing". Tuomas was the same way - he was worried that nothing would work out, but unexpectedly quickly found people with whom he was lucky to move in the same direction. The first to join him was his old friend Erno Vuorinen, a virtuoso guitarist who had been playing the guitar since the age of twelve. The bassist and keyboardist (that is, Tuomas himself) were found immediately, it was only necessary to get hold of a vocalist. And then Tuomas remembered a familiar girl named Tarja. She had a wonderful operatic voice and was educated in the direction of academic vocals. Tuomas thought that the combination of Tarja's voice with heavy guitar music and light synthesizers would be a feature of the group, thanks to which the band would become recognizable. No sooner said than done. He invited Tarja to cooperate, and she agreed. Finally, the band Nightwish came together.

First entries

The birth of a new team took place in the summer of the ninety-sixth year, and already less than six months later, inDecember, "Newborns" released their first acoustic album. Strictly speaking, it was difficult to call it an album in the real sense, because it contained only three songs. However, he became a landmark for the team: firstly, with his help, the guys declared themselves; secondly, the first song on this record - Nightwish - gave the name to the "gang" itself. This phrase can be translated in different ways, but perhaps the most appropriate option can be considered "Cherished desire". Given that the newly formed trio intended to make the whole world fall in love with them, such a name for the group is the most logical.

It was decided to sing immediately in the language of the British. After all, you can’t conquer the universe in Finnish, but English is still international. The Nightwish group sent the released disc to all major companies with an accompanying note. However, the reviews were not that critical, but not too laudatory either. The guys were told that although there are no complaints about the voice of the vocalist and the playing of the musicians, it is nevertheless very doubtful that eminent labels will want to take risks by collaborating with an unknown group with a "strange" sound. The first pancake came out lumpy, but it only inflamed aspiring stars of the world scale.

Changes

After receiving the first feedback, the guys took some steps to modify the group. Firstly, Erno changed the guitar - instead of acoustics, he took an electric one. Secondly, the "staff" was expanded to four people - Jukka Nevalainen, who owns the game ondrums. Now the team could rightfully call itself a rock band Nightwish. The time has come to record a full-fledged album, which the friends did. The ninety-seventh year was in the yard …

Promotion

In April 1997, the band's first full-length disc was ready. Angels Fall First - "Angels fall first" - that's what it was called. And in the same month, one of the Finnish labels became interested in the young band. They were given a chance by releasing their debut album with a circulation of eight and a half thousand copies, and for newcomers this is a very good result.

However, they did not rely on newly-minted artists, giving them, by and large, the right to make their own way to their listeners. That is why (after all, the Finnish group Nightwish did not receive proper promotion at that time) they still could not "shoot" abroad.

The disc was released not only in Finland, but also in other countries such as USA, Poland, Thailand. However, the inhabitants of the country of Suomi did not make a special impression on foreign connoisseurs of music. But on their fellow citizens - completely. It cannot be said that the guys woke up famous in their homeland, no - but they gained a certain weight.

First performance and music video

In the winter of 1997/1998, Jukka and Erno went to serve in the army, while Tarja studied. Along the way, she sang in the opera choir, which she came to work before the appearance of the Nightwish group. Therefore, the guys could not often perform. However, for their first performance, they all gathered together, despite being busy - this happened exactly on New Year's Eve. Then, at the first performance,the band has also acquired a fifth member - bassist Samppa Hirvonen.

And in the coming year, in the spring, the time has come for filming the first video. For these purposes, they chose the song The Carpenter ("The Carpenter"). The clip appeared in May, however, except for the soloist of the Nightwish band Tarja against the backdrop of a stunning Finnish landscape, the audience did not see anyone else in it.

Second album

Nightwish's line-up couldn't settle down - only the guys got used to each other, like Samppa, the bass player, was taken to the army. It happened in the summer of 1998 - the group was just about to write a new album, leaving no hope of entering the world market. And what a surprise! I had to hastily look for a new bass player; fortunately, he was found quickly - Tuomas' old friend Sami Vänskä closed the gaping gap in the team.

The album Oceanborn ("Born by the ocean") appeared in October and unexpectedly hit the bull's-eye. Even the guys themselves, although hoping for recognition, did not expect that success would be so grandiose. The album peaked at number five on Finland's top forty albums and was certified platinum. They started talking about the group, the dream came true.

And away we go… concerts and performances began to be scheduled one by one. The guys went on a big tour, however, so far only in their native country - but this was just the beginning. And the "continuation" happened a year later, when the Nightwish group went on a big tour (twenty-five concerts) throughoutEurope, with a well-thought-out program of their own songs. This happened in the fall of 1999, so we can safely say that the artists met the New Year of 2000 "on horseback" - on the wave of real popularity that hit them like a tsunami.

What's next?

And then - on the rise: in the year 2000 - a new album with a tour and participation in the selection for the well-known "Eurovision"; a year later - another album and big concerts in other countries … And in between all this - interviews, shooting and, of course, recording new songs.

To date, Nightwish has released eight albums - this is not counting mini-LPs and individual singles. What can we say about the clips - the team has sixteen of them, and the concerts given by the guys cannot be counted at all!

Composition of the team

The composition of the gang was constantly changing for various reasons. So, due to disagreements that arose in the team, Tarja left the group thirteen years ago. Another soloist was invited to take her place, but she did not stay long in Nightwish either. Currently, the group already has a third vocalist, her name is Flor. In addition to her and the permanent Tuomas and Erno, there are four more in the team now. Thus, there are currently seven members in Nightwish.

Golden Trio: Brief Biography

To briefly tell about the trinity that launched this project, gave life to the band - Tuomas, Erno and Tarja.

Start with the leader. Tuomas was born in the seventy-sixth year of the last century inan ordinary average Finnish family, in which, in addition to him, two more children grew up - Susanna and Petro.

As a child, he learned to play several musical instruments at once. Tuomas fell in love with music from an early age and decided on his cherished desire - to become a musician. In the ninety-third year, he first began to play in a group. She enjoys Disney cartoons, Tolkien's books, fishing and loves to travel.

Erno is two years younger than the leader of the group. As mentioned earlier, from the age of twelve he learned to play the guitar and was very successful in this matter. In addition to him, five more children grew up in the family, and Erno (or Emppu, as they call him) turned out to be the eldest of them. And the lowest. He himself refers to this with humor, ironically calling himself a dwarf.

With all this, since childhood, Erno has been very active and mobile - all the time in action. As a teenager, he practiced judo, was a member of the national team, even thought that this sport was cooler than music.

Tarja Turunen is a year younger than Tuomas and a year older than Erno. She was born in a small village in the family of an administration employee and a carpenter. In addition to her, her parents had two more sons. She started singing in church at the age of only three.

Three years later Tarja learned to play the piano. She listened to and performed songs of various genres, but closer to the age of eighteen she chose opera.

Interesting facts

1. One of the possibleThe reasons for Tarja's departure from the team are Tuomas' disagreements with the girl's husband. She got married two years before she left the band.
2. The current soloist of the group Flor can play the guitar, keyboards and flute.
3. Tuomas' mother is a music teacher.
4. Tuomas learned to read very early - at 2-3 years old.
5. Tuomas' wife is also a singer.
6. The band's songs were used as soundtracks for some movies.
7. Nightwish recorded one of their albums with the London Symphony Orchestra, and one of the songs on it was performed with a real Indian.
8. Partly Tuomas is inspired by the poems of W alt Whitman. So, it was under the influence of this author that the entire last album of the guys, released in 2015, was recorded.

All songs of the Finnish rock band Nightwish, regardless of the year of their release, can be heard both on the band's official website and simply on the Internet. Listen and be impressed!