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| On May 4, 2008, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Trocadero Theatre, I was fortunate enough to sit down with Perttu Kivilaakso and interview him for almost half an hour! It was only supposed to be for 15 minutes, but luckily for me, he was ignoring his manager's hints to end! Following is a transcript of the interview. Enjoy! |
I called Apocalyptica’s manager, Ulysses, as requested, and was directed on where to enter the venue. The FA (Fruitcake Army) accompanied me, and we entered the venue. Jen videotaped, Kristina took stills, and Steph watched the whole thing, carefully. Ulysses was trying to find a place for us to conduct the interview, but wasn’t sure where to take us. Finally, we just went directly to the stage. The venue itself was filthy – Ulysses pointed out the curtain hanging over the stage, and there was a layer of grime an inch thick. It suddenly became apparent what was contributing to the members of the band getting sick so often while on tour. But who cared – this was where Apo played! He told me to sit, and I sat in Eicca’s chair, thinking Perttu would sit in his own. Ulysses asked that I move to Perttu’s chair – Eicca’s was more delicate. So I sat and waited. Within just a few minutes, Perttu Kivilaakso joined us on stage. He was playing with his phone, and trying to get the scores for the Germany/Finland game of the World Hockey Championship played the day before. Gleefully, he turned to Ulysses (who is German), stuck his fingers in his ears and wiggled them at him, saying, “We won, 5 – 1! But you won 5 – 1 in football.” Ulysses replied, “How do you know?” Perttu: “I don’t know, just guessing.” He wandered over to us in that little-boy lost way. We all greeted him. P: “So what are we supposed to do?” K: “We’re supposed to talk…but, we have gifts for you!” Jen: “No, we can do that at the meet and greet.” K: “You want to do it at the meet and greet?” P: “No, because than the other guys will take them.” K: “Well, we have stuff for them, too. I have questions for you.” (Perttu is pacing…) “Are you okay with me sitting in your chair?” P: “Yes...you are the first person ever to sit there except me, so…” (starts to shake and act nervous) (in falsetto voice) ”I’m okay with it!” K: “That’s what I thought! Is it safe to sit in? What’s on the seat? I’m worried about what’s on there!” P: “What’s on there?” (he lifts up the seat of Antero’s chair) ”…hiding place…” K: “Oh, secret things under there…” P: (excitedly) “Yeah!” K: “What’s in yours? Secret?” P: “Yes. What should I do now?” K: “Do you want to sit?” Steph and Kristina suggested that he sit on the floor (“Sit on the floor!” “Like story-time”), which he did. K: “Ooooh, I like this – the mom and the child.” (Perttu takes my water bottle and starts to play with it) K: “Do you want some water?” P: “No, I need to do something…” (shakes water bottle) K: “How are feeling?” P: “Rhetorically, or, like, really…” K: “Both.” P: “I guess, okay.” K: “And really?” P: “Good, okay.” K: “How’s the finger?” P: “Good, yeah.” K: “Playing better?” P: “No, no…” K: “No? Drugs aren’t working?” P: “I don’t use them, because they were too strong.” K: “They were too strong? Gave you funny dreams and all that?” P: “Kind of strange, yeah. And it’s not too good to play a concert with the painkillers. ‘Cause then I wouldn’t realize how much it truly hurts and probably hurt it worse. But to be really honest, I can’t play extra-long notes.” K: “Really. Does it hurt more to do the solos?” P: “I can’t play like before. Of course, you know about cello bowing technique, so there is just no simple way to get any pressure on there, and of course, it is the most important thing about playing, especially the long notes. But, that’s not very good…” K: “Are you going to last the rest of the tour?” P: “Sorry?” K: “Are you going to be okay the rest of the tour?” P: “I don’t know!” K: “We’ll find out?” P: “But, yeah. Somehow, I don’t feel like going home – too nice to be here in the States. Anyhow, I still can bring something to the performances.” K: “Your presence alone! Well, I’ll tell you, we didn’t notice it in Toronto, not at all.” P: “Are you deaf?” K: (laughs) “No!” P: ”I would question that…” K: “Well, I noticed a few wrong notes, but I can’t always tell who it is…” P: (whispers) “It was Paavo!” (laughter) “No, me, actually…normally.” K: “Is it usually you with the wrong notes?” P: “At least, you normally hear my mistakes the most. Normally, mine are the higher register what they are playing for the melody, so you realize much more the wrong notes, that is, who/whatever.” (high voice again) “But, I try my best!…” K: “Now, you had said in another interview that you’re democratic as a group, and that you vote when you have something you don’t all agree on, right? You said it’s usually three against one. What happens if it’s two against two? Is Antero the tie-breaker?” P: “No, it depends, of course, lot of times, we have to also be like a company, then, of course, the manager is involved when we have a tie. We vote, and there is no responsibility for tie…actually, no – there might be two against two situation, and the last one kind of decides, and you can just imagine who that would be!” (smiles slyly) “But, um, musical or band, artistically, means when we vote. Many times, three against one, which is easy – Eicca decides. No, two against two many times. Coolest thing is when there is two against one against one, or one-one-one-one, which is the ultimate solution for everything. But everybody has their own opinion, and they are just not able to adapt to change. And it’s not a question about yes and no, but yes/no/maybe, and some mystical force besides…” K: “And, what would that be?” P: “Well, let’s say that Eicca says “Yes” or something, Mikko says, “No,” Paavo says, “mmm, I don’t know, maybe,” and I have other solution:” (high voice)”Let’s all get naked! or something.” K: “And that solves everything, I guess?” P: “Yes. And therefore, we are really slow in making decisions.” (laughs) K: “That’s why - the real reason it took so long to get Worlds Collide. All those decisions…” P: “Yes.” K: “Your solo project – have you had any chance to work on that?” P: “No.” K: “Just been too busy?” P: “No, no chance. Because, it was horrible – or, no, very pleasant – to work with Worlds Collide; but just really, really long time to do. And after that I needed holiday in January, and now we are touring and touring. So, basically I have had no time to think about it. Actually, I have felt much more fire inside me on doing something completely else than rock, and therefore, I haven’t so much time to play on those things.” K: “I think you had mentioned during composing for Worlds Collide that you had written some works for symphonies.” P: “Mmmm, yes.” K: “What’s going to happen with those works?” P: “Probably shit will happen, but my ultimate dream at the moment is to perform my own cello concert – that would be in a year or two.” K: “Solo?” P: “No, with an orchestra.” K: “That would be wonderful.” P: “Yes, that is one thing I have been actually, like, kind of studying or learning – not in school – but trying to read overtures and scores written by a lot of different composers how they have used for symphony orchestras, ‘cause that’s really tricky in many kinds of ways to compose for an orchestra. It will really challenge me, so…it’s a lot to learn.” K: “Excellent.” P: “Yes.” K: “Now, you’re turning 30!” P: “Uh-oh!” K: “How do you feel about that? Is it different?” P: “No different. I had my own crisis already about five years ago, which could be unpleasant. Actually, a person gets a 30s crisis, but I got then already through [mine].” K: “So this is no different – just another birthday.” P: “And I also had very early puberty. And the sound hasn’t changed in me, yet! (high voice again) K: “So we’re still waiting for that?” P: “Yes, and I have almost 16 hairs on my chest; I am becoming a man.” K: “I’m really glad to hear that!” P: (laughs) “Not too many years ago, I still had names for all my hairs, because they were so…; I feel lucky about that; they are really long hairs, but just a couple of them.” K: “What are their names?” P: “They were Parti, Paavo, Pettri…and you know, all these kind of Finnish names with ‘P,’ that starts with a ‘P’…” K: “Do you name…other parts?” P: (smiles then smirks) “Maybe…” K: “Okay!” P: “No, there is nothing to name…there are no other parts!” (laughs) K: “Okay, well, I meant, fingers…” P: “Oh, okay, yes.” K: “Do you have any plans for your birthday? I know you’re playing.” P: “I think I am going to perform a concert in Houston.” K: “And then?” P: “I expect everything will go smoothly, and nothing bad happens. Actually, no other incidents. Actually, I’m really happy - there was this weird coincidence in the world. One of my good friends, who is a conductor, and we almost never have time to meet. And he has a concert in Houston on my 30th birthday. We are together in the same place on earth, which never happens. Which is insane, because I was really, like, sad that I have to be on tour when I have a big party and not with my friends…so, funny!” K: “In Rochester, YoYo Ma is playing.” P: “Where?” K: “In Rochester, New York – where we’re from – YoYo Ma.” P: “Yes.” K: “But we’re here with you…” P: (giggles) “I would rather YoYo Ma!” K: “Well, we couldn’t get tickets, so we decided the next best thing would be here.” P: “What does he play?” K: “I don’t know. I think he’s playing Bach. I hoping he does the “Unaccompanied Cello Suite” – for one cello – it’s my favourite of his. So, what other types of songs did you write for Worlds Collide? They weren’t part of Jacob Hellner’s vision, I know, but…” P: “In the beginning, I think I had kind of - not strong – maybe harder – vision about it, even still harder then what was the result of, let’s say, more from the sight of the last album than “I Don’t Care,” therefore, I made a lot of songs that were quite extreme, maybe even yet harder than “Betrayal,” so…” K: “Do you think we’ll see them on the next album, or another album?” P: “I don’t know. Of course, I’m sure that we all will have some for the new album, but albums, there are always things that affect the material. But when we began to plan the Worlds Collide CD, really, in the beginning we didn’t have any clear idea of how it should be; what kind of album we wanted to do, and therefore, we had to form an opinion. And everybody kind of saw a different way, and the final result was, uh…how do you say…picture of all compromise, kind of. Of course, we were, and I was, also glad we actually were surprised and pleased about the fact it didn’t turn out to be a “light” album at all. That was my concern during the process; that many of the songs had…the songs, they felt…not “poppy,” but kind of “poppy.” But in the production, they turned out to be serious, more serious all the time, so that’s actually really a good thing. But in the composing process, I thought we needed something more powerful, maybe, and dark – but that was not the situation. K: “And the next album – are you going to go with a producer again? Or produce it yourselves?” P: “Yes, I guess that absolutely we are going to. It’s good to have also the vision outside the band.” K: “Will you try another producer, or did you enjoy working with Jacob enough to stay with him?” P: “I think we will probably try another producer, and probably a couple of different ones, even on one album. I don’t know…but, we have not thought about the next one too much yet, but little bit of thinking if there is a lot of material which is even closer to classical music than what has been. Songs like “Deathzone” or these type of songs, have acoustical sound or whatever. We should maybe try to use some other producer than those to make a hit, or let’s hope that there will be a hit or whatever. And if there is ever going to be any will to play away from Apocalyptica, I would like to play still mostly metal music, in my opinion. K: “I think that’s the best part – thrash metal, but also ballads and a little bit of everything/ P: “I think that it ‘s not, like, impossible to have different producers for different stuff. K: “Any people that you would like to work with, still? P: “Sure.” K: “Like…” (Perttu drums fingers) “Tori Amos, we heard, was somebody you considered…” P: “Yeah! She’s nice.” K: “A little strange, too, so I think that would be a nice collaboration. “ P: “Absolutely.” K: “Well, we’ve heard you’ve given up smoking.” P: “Do Not Smoke. Do Not Drink. Do Not Use Drugs. Do everything which is healthy, so don’t follow my steps.” K: “Well, you’ve made it this far…” P: “Far? Oh, well, it’s just the beginning.” K: “That’s right. Anything special you do when you have an urge to smoke?” P: “Ummm…” (grins) “Yessss…” (laughs) “But you don’t want to know that!” K: “Actually, yes, we do! But we won’t ask.” P: “I’m highly addicted to the gum.” K: “Oh, yes – you were saying…” [note: nicotine gum] P: “All the time.” K: “Do you get it caught, when you go to bed, in your hair?” P: “Yes, the first time I fell asleep, it got in my hair. That’s dangerous – my mother told me…” K: “Yes, it is. Do you know how to get gum out of your hair?” P: “Yes.” (yanks on his hair) K: “No, without cutting it.” (Perttu nods) “You CUT it? No, you can freeze gum.” P: “Freeze it?” K: “Yes, put ice on it, and it will come right out. What else can I ask you?” P: “I’ll play, but I’m scared of the stage because it’s going down. .. I will fall today…” K: “No. Please don’t!” P: “Therefore, we make a lot of marks on here.” (points to the yellow tape marking the front of the stage) K: “That’s what the yellow is for, so you don’t go too far? They need to put mattresses down there so if you fall off the stage…Do you know what bubble wrap is?” P: “What is it?” K: “Plastic with little bubbles in it, of air.” P: “Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.” K: “There’s talk that we should wrap you up in bubble wrap – in between shows.” P: “It’s one of my fetishes, actually…” (laughs) K: “Okay, we had some for you, but…” P: “Oh, please…” (laughs) K: “We should have brought the bubble wrap! I’ll send you some…” P: “I ran out my bubble wrap…it’s horrible…” K: “So you’re suffering withdrawal of bubble wrap?” P: “Bubble wrap…yes.” K: “Any difference in your popularity or people’s attitudes since you’ve played Eurovision?” P: “No.” K: “A lot of people watched you. Do you think more people notice, or know who you are now?” P: “I don’t think so, or at least, I don’t feel so, because in Finland, nobody cares if I’m walking somewhere, so... “ (laughs) “Basically, it didn’t change – at least, in the home country. I don’t know, for example, in Spain if it made any difference. At least, they didn’t show it, playing there.” K: “How about here in the United States? Do you think more people recognize you?” P: “Yes. One people - one person - came to ask an autograph in Salt Lake City, which I found out. It was weird. K: “What was weird?” P: “I was asked for my autograph in Salt Lake City, where we had never been. Except that there is nobody who should recognize me. So, I would say massive. Comparing to the previous tour, there was zero, so that’s certainly more than others. K: “No, not zero – we knew you. We recognised you back then.” P: “Actually, it has been amazing. Even though this tour is not, like, hitting the biggest arenas in the States, still reaction has been very positive, and there has been a lot of enthusiasm in the people.” K: “We’ve noticed it. You’ve been selling out; everywhere but Salt Lake City, I’ve heard.” P: “And Kansas.” K: “Oh, not in Kansas? Well, you’ll have to get to Kansas more.” P: “Next time.” K: “And you’re going to tour again in the fall.” P: “Sure.” K: “We’ll have some requests, of places for you to play.” P: “Yes, I want to go to this one funny place, which began with “W”…” K: “A state? Wisconsin?” P: “No, some Indian name…Wachinanooga?...” (laughs) K: (laughs) “Walla-Walla?” P: (laughs) “Actually…Florida.” K: “Yes, you haven’t been there…” P: “There we have to go, and…but, in general, we want to go everywhere. We need to get not only large cities, but also to get points.” [note: for going to the most places} K: “Well, we look forward to it. Then, what’s up for next year?” P: (grins slyly) “Everything’s up!” K: “In 2009?” P: “There shall be tours, still, and then there shall be some recording, as far as I have understood. Because I guess there is a plan, and kind of a need to get some albums done.” K: “With the new record company.” P: “So there is lots to do. But luckily, there is also time. You know, it’s funny – maybe this is something that comes now and again with turning three-oh, which is 30, that I feel that there IS time. Earlier in my life, it was always, ‘lots to do, no time for anything.’ Now there is lots to do, but there is time, you just take and do.” K: “So you’re more relaxed this time.” P: “Maybe. It is possible.” K: “Are you relaxed now?” P: “More.” K: “It’s healthier.,. to be relaxed.” P: “And everything has its own time.” K: “That’s right. That’s very deep! Are you meditating now?” P: “No. Sometimes you have to try and…actually, these words are Paavo’s choice that he just said to me to take in here so I would look more clever than I truly am.” K: “Is Paavo more clever than you?” P: “I wouldn’t say that, because it’s like, different kind. For example, I am a strong person, even [if] I would not be the strongest; there are different kinds of strengths.” K: “That’s right.” P: “So, therefore, Paavo’s cleverness – is that a word? - is different type than mine. I am really proud and happy to be a really stupid person. But maybe I’m smart in some other things than what people normally consider to be clever. K: “What are your strengths?” P: “Ummmm…” (laughs) “Many cases, I would say I have a good mental strength, even if that wouldn’t be, like, visible. There are some things I have gone through during my life where I have needed HUGE amounts of strength. That is the only thing that I am proud of.” K: “The ONLY thing?” P: “Of the many things I have ever done, it is the only thing that I am truly proud of, that I’ m still alive. That is the only thing.” K: “I would think you’d have a lot more to be proud of…” P: “There is different kinds of ‘proudness.’ I think you should still not be too proud of the work or any kind of success. Because, it’s more healthier, at least for me, once again. And obviously, we are here, you and me, so, at least for me, it is healthier to think only for true thankfulness and unfortunate for not to be really proud of the things you have gained. Because, many were broke, then. For example, to be famous, is challenging sometimes. A lot of work, really, and unfortunate thing in your personal life. K: “What do you think your weaknesses are?” P: “Women. And…um…” (laughs) K: “And…?” P: “Well, I don’t understand why, but I am so hazardous – that everything always happens to me. So maybe this mental thing is also the weakness. Some situations, I can’ t control myself. Therefore, incidents appear. K: “Accidents?” P: “Incidents.” K: “Broken fingers…” (Ulysses indicates that it’s time to end the interview). K: “Thank you very much, for your time. We learned a lot.” |
| Interview with Apocalyptica’s Perttu Kivilaakso The Trocadero – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – 4 May 2008 |
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