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The KBEAR dudes interviewing your favorite artists!
The Artist Interrogations podcast. You hear me well? Yeah. How are you doing? That's good.
Very good. Nice to hear from you. Nice to soundcheck. How did it all go? Well, it it was long.
We we have a little, Frank is a bit sick. So, the singer from the first band, the opening band is, is, replacing him for tonight, so we had to go through Kaido. Few songs. Oh, I get you, man. I was just trying to Got it.
Was it back in January? I saw Ghost and Volbeat, and Volbeat had the asymptomatic case of COVID, COVID, and Ghost only performed. And so it was kind of it's kinda like that time where, like, you never know really if there's a guarantee with concerts nowadays, really. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. It's always the same. You know? Okay. People are so cautious with COVID that they kind of stop the thing when somebody gets COVID, but even, you know, it doesn't make any difference.
You know, if somebody on stage has COVID or not, you know, it's for the audience. It doesn't make any any difference. So so peep but they those are the time that people were so all were cautious. You know? So you guys, just started a 5 week tour, and it's so far off to a rocky start, isn't it?
Yeah. It's it's it's been a good start. It's been a good start. Yeah. I play we played, like, 7 shows so far, in US.
We actually started already week before in the in, Europe and played 6 shows in there. But, it's been a good it's been a good run so far. You guys are planning to perform at Louder Than Life and Aftershock when it comes to these big festivals. I mean, I got I got to ask you the question. Like, do you guys still get kinda nervous going on stage, or does that kinda, like, dwindle down as time goes on?
You've been doing it for so long. I personally I don't get nervous, but, some might get. You know? But, I think it's very personal thing, and so I can't say for on behalf of everybody. But I don't get really nervous, because I know we we do our thing and, you know, whatever happens.
Like, we had bad luck, and and we played the Blue Ridge, rest festival last week. And, we kind of the PA dropped 3 times. There was some bad master audio cable or something. And, you know, all kind of can happen in the festival. But, of course, sometimes you feel the pressure, especially when the the sets are very short, like 40 minutes or so, and you are used to play at least 90 minutes.
And, so it's a little bit different different energy and different structures. So sometimes you you tend to kind of start to speed up things. You know? Do you think you're in a terrible rush all the time? And but I think we I don't know.
For me, it's I I know we we we know what we are doing. So I'm always going to the States to have fun and not really to perform. And I I think about it too. I mean, I was listening somewhere in a conversation with you, and you were talking about how you started out at 9 years old playing the cello and performing Christmas songs for your family and then also classical songs. I mean, what was the, origin what was the way you got to the cello itself?
Like, what made you go to that specific instrument? Yeah. You know, I'm a I'm a second oldest kid of, of a family of 5 children. So, my older sister and older of my younger sisters, they played piano and violin. And, so the music was in the house, and I I just wanted to play something as well.
And, cello was an axe not not an accident, but, you know, it wasn't really particular. I just told my dad when he was putting the papers into the application to the music school that, okay, put cello as a first option and maybe trumpet and trombone as the next one. So, for me, it was more like just, you know, to get to play. Actually, at the same time, I started to play drums like the drums. And, so it is more about the music than the instrument in the beginning for me.
And I think you started off, like you said, with with classical and the Christmas tunes, and then all of a sudden, you found out about Jimmy Hendrix. You found out about, Metallica as well. What age was that when you discovered rock and metal? I discovered the metal on the age of 13. So, I'm especially metallic.
I was 13. But before that, like, when I was 10, 11, I was listening to Jimi Hendrix, Billy Idol. I was also a big fan of Duran Duran. Oh, it is, nothing to do with metal, but, it's a it's a band with extremely great songs. But, yeah, when I was 13, that was first time I heard, the the master of puppets album.
And and the first song, actually, I really it really caught me was that Orion, the instrumental. And, that was kind of my gateway into metal, and there was no return after that. I know. How does it feel for you now to to see us, TV show like Stranger Things and seeing these kids kinda like the same age as you being introduced in Metallica as well with Master of Puppets being in the show? I think it's great, and it just shows that, it's it's a timeless music.
And, it doesn't matter, you know, in in which era the music is played, and it still still reaches people. That's what the what what the great music does. You know? It's timeless. Pretty much when you started to go into rock and metal, was it kind of like you wanted to cover it on the cello originally?
Or how did you like, did you look at the sheet music and discover you could play some of these Metallica songs almost classically? Yeah. It's like, you know, the cello was the instrument that I was able to play. You know? And and, at Sibelius Academy, when I was studying there as a teenager, we had also 6 this group of 6 cellos, and we played all kind of stuff with that.
And, up to Jimi Hendrix pub Bubblehead was the heaviest what we played. And and I was thinking, okay. If we can play that, why would it be able to play for whom the bell tolls or something? And and, I went to and bought this, guitar, sheet music, the tablature book, for ride the lightning album. And that's I all the first songs with our instruments were from that album because I didn't have money.
I had money only to buy the one one sheet music book. And, so we started to do it for fun. So for us, it was like, okay. We play the music we love with the instruments we can play. So simple as that.
So we never expected anything out of that. It was it was really for our own own fun, and, we were super surprised when we were offered, the the possibility to make an album, in beginning of 96. Because we played Metallica first time in 93 already, 29 years ago. And, even when we we released the album, we were super happy with the outcome the the result. And, we were thinking, if we sell 1,000 copies and get a few gigs, that's that's excellent.
You know? And then I think that album has sold maybe 2,000,000 copies or something like that. And and the this, you know, it opened a a totally new new gateway to music and and doing things. And was it, like, an extreme surreal moment to play 1 with Metallica on stage? I watched that clip because I was, like, I was intrigued how you guys started out as a Metallica tribute band in the beginning, but you're classically playing these songs.
And then I just see the footage from you, and I was, like, cheering you on. Yeah, they did it. They got to meet Metallica and play with them on the stage. Was that a surreal moment? Not surreal.
It's great. But, you know, because they had happened a lot of things prior that in week. We Metallica in already in November 96. You know, that was first time we met the guys, and we were back as opening band, for the show. So that was more surreal even.
You know? Like, putting out this, this album. I was, like, 21 year old kid and, you know, huge fan of Metallica. And suddenly like this, we are just opening for the guys meeting the guys. And and we've done a lot of things, since then.
So the 30th anniversary thing. Of course, it felt surreal when they asked us to come there and to play together. But once you are in the situation, then you just actually approach it as whatever, professional way of making music. You know? It was soup it it was super cool.
And it's like, I did such a thing. We had a rehearsal for 1, and I was suggesting, hey. Could we try guys this, that nobody else plays than just the cellos and and change the singing until the where where the double kick drum comes in with the legendary part, and and was like, I will go home then. You know? Just just joking about it.
And and they they they were open for that, and James was also like, I don't know. I don't usually sing without playing guitar and stuff. And but then guys still up up for it, and and it was great. In a way, it was surreal, but at at the same time, it was very real and, also very natural in a way once it was going on. I feel like you guys, like, partially inspired the Metallica S and M series, the symphony and Metallica series because you guys brought that classical sound.
They probably enjoyed it and then said years later, hey. Let's, let's bring the symphony to all the Metallica songs. Yeah. That's what I heard. That's what I heard.
And, actually actually, when there was the first premiere in 98, Metallica, they actually wanted to to bring us in to Frisco, and we were there at the premiere because they they felt that we have to be there. So I think it it sounds like that it was very much influenced by, by, what we did for their music. I think They actually made the final decision because what I heard that it was like Michael Kamin was suggesting that for them for a longer time. The guy said, we don't think we don't know if it's a cool thing to do. And, but I I think they changed out their mind after kind of hearing our interpretations of their songs.
Wow. I don't know how much is true, but that's what I heard. And one, one tour I was kind of, like, pleasantly surprised to see was you guys back in 2005 toured with Rammstein. And did did you know, like, how wild their live shows were before you even went on tour with them? Yeah.
For sure. Yeah. Yeah. I was a big fan of Ramstein, well, from pretty early stages. Yeah.
Well, of course, it was super cool. I I think that that that's been the coolest, stages I've ever been, like, at most massive massive things, you know, with so much power and force and energy in there and standing on the top of the riser with the drums on the side of the drums. And then, for example, we played one to Quebec. We played one to Quebec, and, it was, like, 90,000 people and, bloody ocean of, of of people and then this massive sound of Ram standing standing there on the on the stage and playing together with them. Them.
It was something very special as well. I can only imagine trying to be in front of 90,000 people. It just seems like a crazy, crazy experience. I did have a Yeah. We've we've we've done that.
You know? It it it's it's crazy experience, but especially to do that with Ramstein, That's even crazier. You know? That's few level of us. Let us Oh, no kidding.
Yeah. Because I know, like, me and my boss and, the rest of us here, in East Idaho, we've always wanted the opportunity to see Rammstein live because they perform such amazing live shows. And it seems like it's a nice road trip to go finally see one because you see these, clips on Twitter of, like, is this a war scene or is this a Rammstein concert? You find out sort of sort of situation. And, and one other thing too is, we actually have a DJ here in the building that, he has 2 friends over there in Finland, and he was telling me that it's considered the, like, happiest country in the world or or something like that.
Yeah. That's what they tell. You know? Somebody should tell the Finns as well. That's great.
When when, like when was the first time you guys came to the United States, to perform and all that? We actually came very first time. We we came with the first album already in 96, or beginning in 97. So somewhere there. We we we spent 1 week in New York, and we did some promotion and couple of showcases.
But the first time we made anything that could be called a a tour was 2,005. We had with the Apocalyptic album, we had the first, it was just 1 week run. We played, though, just the biggest kiss it is with the media or media, and then then we started to tour regularly. But 2,005, since then, we've been coming pretty many times. And I always have to ask too, like, when people come internationally to the United States, what did, what did you think beforehand, and what was the reality of seeing a place like New York?
Of course, New York is magical. In first times being in America, it's surreal that the feeling that, oh, everything looks like I've seen all my life in the TV series and movies. You know? Because, it it felt as a kid, you know, it felt, kind of a distant world and totally different kind of world and everything. Everything was exactly like I've seen.
So that was kind of the first first surprise. But, maybe the biggest surprise has been also that how different the country is actually in different places and different states. So there is not just one United States of America. There are so many sides of it, and so many areas are so different from each other. So it's very, very interesting.
So is Finland essentially, like, I would say, like, what is it ideally? Because I would love to visit Finland someday. Like, what would you, recommend to do over there? I don't know. Hard to tell.
It's like, I think the biggest qualities in Finland is this kind of, peaceful feeling. Finland is a super safe country, and and there's a lot of space. Of course, you have in America. You have, like, in Idaho, you know, it's mainly areas. People are not living there, I guess.
But, so we have that, and it's, we have tons of, like, we have, almost 200,000 lakes even it's a small country, and, it's mainly forest. So the summertime, it's beautiful. Wintertime is pretty special. Lapland, North Finland is very unique. It's a very one of the kind.
That kind of landscape doesn't really exist in many places. And, we have beautiful archipelagos. For me, the the the the best thing in Finland is the clean very clean nature. And, what else could I say? It's hard to tell because, typically, you know, things we we say that, okay, this is this is great, but I've seen that there is very similar kind of things in in, in many other countries as well.
You know? It's best in the northern countries, in states and in Canada. But I think, of course, the Finnish vibe is different. Finnish mentality is very different. And, of course, the main thing is the sauna.
You know? The sauna culture is is something really worth, experience. Wow. I'll have to check that out. Well, thank you.
Lastly, I wanted to ask you because I did notice you guys already have 3 singles. You have Bolero, Beethoven's 5th, and Flight of the Bumblebee. When can we possibly expect a new album from Apocalyptica? Not very soon. Not not not this year.
Most likely not next year either. We we are releasing, we're making some releases all the time on the way. But, we we still kind of we are in, in between phase that we started the Cell 0 tour now this year because of COVID. And, even the album came, January 2020, it's still kind of a fresh touring wise for us. And as we are touring so much, it there's no right time or energy or motivation to make a full album, but we are starting to work.
We have some plans and some options what the next album will be like, and and we are just about to start to to work towards that. But I would say it's gonna be the full album is gonna be 2014. But there's gonna be a lot of, a lot of different release. There's gonna be songs with the vocalists that probably will be more, some classical covers, and there will be probably more original instrumental apocalyptica. So we are constantly working on stuff, but then then in today's world, making making the full album, it's a it's a little bit different kind of thing than in the past.
It seems like it really is. Will be. Yeah. Like, especially when you said that pause in 2020, now I can really see that. And, actually, one last thing I wanted to say here was that, I do a feature called Peach's Powerballot, and I kinda, like, do this, like, sappy little song on the air at 11:10 every day.
And pretty much, I played, your guys' song, I don't care, featuring Adam from 3 day formerly from 3 Days Grace. And it's actually the and I have the listeners' votes on how much they like it, and you guys are actually, like, in the top 3. And most people were like, I haven't heard that song in years. It's awesome. I'm so glad you played it.
So I just wanted to let you know that, you know, East Idaho supports you all the way. Thank you so much. I'm happy to hear that. Yeah. I don't care.
It's a great song. It's a it's a classic song. And then there there's can you do one last, theme for me before you go? Yep. Can you just say who you are, what band, and you're listening to Peaches?
My my my last name is Peach. I have to explain this because my last name is Peach. Peach is. Yeah. And Peach is on k Bear 101.
Oh, it's k bear. What is k? K bear. K and then bear like the animal and then 101. Yeah.
Perfect. 101. K bear 101. Hi there. This is Eika from Apocalyptica, and you are listening to peaches on K Bear 101.
Keep on rocking. Awesome. Thank you so much, Aika. You're awe it's great to get the chance to talk to you today, and I wish you the best on your tour and everything. Thank thank you very much for taking your time and sorry for, mixing up with the schedules, but it's been a little bit a stormy day.
So I get you. A lot of stuff to do. But I hope hope, probably, that you will make to a live show one day, you know, when we are around. Absolutely. The right place.
We'd love to have you. Okay. Alrighty. Okay. Thanks, Brandon.
Thank you. Take care. Have a great day. The artist's interrogations podcast is a production of Riverbend Media Group. For more information or to contact the show, visit riverbendmediagroup.com.