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 Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 8:27 am
This sticky is just for information on the band so DON'T POST HERE!!!! scream
Use these posts to find your way around:
1st Post: A Biography
2nd Post: Discography (Just albums, too many singles have been released)
3rd Post: Current Members and their biographies.
4th Post: Side Projects.
5th Posts: Useful Links
More will be added when I find it, so DON'T POST HERE!!!! Any posts will be deleted.
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Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 8:29 am
A Biography. (Taken from Rock Sound's 10th Anniversary Tour Special)
"I've always loved horror movies; it's just sort of natural for us to have a sort of similar vibe too. That's where it all comes from... my strange fascination towards Black Sabbath and all things evil," smiles Ville Valo, recalling the origins of HIM. United by their love of Iron Maiden's Steve Harris and letting rip on the bass, Ville met fellow four stringer Mige at school and His Infernal Majesty was born in '91
"I played all the guitar parts with a six-string bass," recalls the frontman. "It sounded like King Diamond meets Black Sabbath." The band recorded their first demo, the seven track 'Witches And Other Night Fears' (named after a book on the occult), made one live appearance and temporarily split so Mige could complete military service. Reforming in '94 with the addition of axeman Linde, the band were yet to solve the two bassists, no singer problem.
"I wasn't supposed to be the singer," the man with the fine croon asserts, "we couldn't find a singer and because I wrote the lyrics, I sang on the first couple of demos and it accidentally stuck."
With drummer Patka in place, getting their first gig was easy. Mige's older brother owned Teatro, a club in Helsinki. "He had loads of metal happenings - loads of young bands doing cover sets of their favourite bands. We played Type O Negative but we didn't have a keyboard player - that's where Burton came in. He did that one gig with us then split." Recording two demos, it was the latter, which included an early version of the Chris Issac classic 'Wicked Game' that not only defined their brooding metal with a David Lynch-ian twist, but most importantly caught the attention of RCA records in '96.
"That was one of the happiest days of my life," grins Ville. "It happened on a sunny spring day, three hours before our rehearsal. I was getting ready and all of a sudden the phone rang. It was someone from RCA. I thought it was a prank call and I couldn't believe my ears, I was like, 'It can't be true!' I went to rehearsal and didn't tell anbody. They were like, 'Why are you laughing? Why are you smiling that much?' So I had to tell them. After that, we just went to the bar and drank booze - although we didn't even need the booze because that was the greatest thing a band could wish for. We were just one of the 10,000 bands in Helsinki trying to make it. After that there have been loads of incredibly good moments"
Heading into the studio to write their first EP shortly after, the love metallers embraced a life on the road with such "luxuries" as a fully ventilated tour bus and communal sleeping arrangements. "We wanted to get to a level where we could but a proper tour bus, especially when the heater was broken and it was -25 degrees Celsuis in the winter. We had to hug each other at night because it was so cold." Band-bonding aside, conditions inside their mobile refridgerator weren't their only brush with the darkside. At an early festival, police recieved threats from a reveller hell-bent on burning down a wooden church and a set of Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses took rock 'n' roll to be the devil's music literally and blessed the stage before HIM played.
Finding people assumed His Infernal Majesty to be a Satanic concern, the band promptly shortened their moniker. HIM were on the rise, working hard and partying even harder! "We did what every band does when they get to a certain level of recognition - start tearing hotel rooms apart!" laughs the singer. "Our guitarist tried to throw a television set out of a hotel window until he noticed the window was too small for the televison to fit. He ended up throwing a miniature vodka bottle out instead - very Spinal Tap. Hopefully it didn't hit any grandmas!" Spinal Tap moments are very common on the road - particularly getting lost inside a big venue... "Especially when you do four or five gigs in a row. You're always thinking about different things so it's actually very reasonable to be in a situation where you get lost every ******** day. We're not pissed off, we're always laughing about it like, 'Oh my God, it's happened again!' We still haven't had the collective herpes, which is one part of the film - we're close but not that close!"
Going from strength to strength, HIM are now a multi-platinum concern but there's no rest for the wicked, as they say... "I've been working on some new songs. The past two years have beenso busy for us, I've got plenty of ideas for new stuff but I need to chill down a bit and see what sort of monster I've created. Our next album will be something different," reveals one of rock's most focussed frontmen. "I'm focussed on smoking cigarettes!" he quips before adding, "Of course, we hope that we can play 666 nights at Wembley Stadium - that would be cool."
Phew, that took bloody ages. If you can find any spelling mistakes or errors, please PM me so I can change them.
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Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 8:44 am
Discography. Album information taken from HIMonline.tvGreatest Lovesongs Vol. 666 HIM's debut album Greatest Lovesongs, Vol. 666 was released in the autumn of 1997, introducing their sound, a vibrant mix of metal and bittersweet pop melodies. This remarkable debut paved way for Razorblade Romance, a 21st century foray into the crimson-coloured landscape of love and death, with a few of the tracks on 'Greatest Lovesongs' reworked to give them an extra rocking 'edge'. Tracklisting:1. Your Sweet 666 2. Wicked Game 3. The Heartless 4. Our Diabolikal Rapture 5. It's All Tears (Drown In The Love) 6. When Love And Death Embrace 7. The Beginning Of The End 8. (Don't Fear) The Reaper 9. For You Hidden Track: HIM 666. To find this hidden track, go to track 66, and fast-forward to 6 minutes. Razorblade Romance Razorblade Romance was recorded at Rockfield Studios, the birthplace of such classics as Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, Oasis' (What's The Story) Morning Glory and, as the band are keen to point out, the debut album of Black Sabbath! Razorblade Romance was produced by John Fryer who has previously worked with White Zombie, Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode. The one (reworked from the 'Greatest Lovesongs' album) cover version on Razorblade Romance is of Chris Isaak's 'Wicked Game'. Their version has layers of hard-edged guitars on it, yet the soul-searching inner qualities of the original song are left intact. "I could see the image of the movie poster of Gone with the Wind in front of me", Valo smiles. "With Lemmy embracing Madonna in the sunset." Who can argue with that? Tracklisting:
European version:1. I Love You 2. Poison Girl 3. Join Me 4. Right Here In My Arms 5. Gone With The Sin 6. Razorblade Kiss 7. Bury Me Deep Inside 8. Heaven Tonight 9. Death Is In Love With Us 10. Resurrection 11. One Last Time UK Version:1. Your Sweet 666 2. Poison Girl 3. Join Me 4. Right Here In My Arms 5. Bury Me Deep Inside Your Heart 6. Wicked Game 07. I Love You 08. Gone With The Sin 09. Razorblade Kiss 10. Resurrection 11. Death Is In Love With Us 12. Heaven Tonight Deep Shadows And Brilliant Highlights. Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights', was the enchanting third album from Finland's most beguiling rockers. The album, produced by Kevin Shirley (Aerosmith, Iron Maiden). The third millennium proved that the cosy days of cult status were a thing of the past for HIM. For the inquisitive, they toured with passion across Europe all 2001/2 selling vast quantities of 'Deep Shadows' along the way. Valo, the enigmatic half-suffering poet half-sneering front man, wrote straight from the dark and mysterious heart of rock. Songs such as 'Pretending' and 'In Joy And Sorrow' flaunted their scorching yin and yang concoction of goth rock. Tracklisting:1. Salt In Our Wounds 2. Heartache Every Moment 3. Lose You Tonight 4. In Joy And Sorrow 5. Pretending 6. Close To The Flame 7. Please Don't let It Go 8. Beautiful 9. Don't Close Your Heart 10. Love You Like I Do Love Metal Seven months of song writing and rehearsals followed by two months of recording led to the making of HIM's brilliant, fourth album "LOVE METAL" which will be released on the 14th April by RCA Records/ BMG . Ville Valo was touched to find out first hand that even some of Kelly Osbourne's friends proudly wore their 'heartagram' {band logo} tattoos. Now one has to bear in mind that Kelly's dad is pretty much responsible for the HIM guys being in the business in the first place... Love Metal? - For sure! Tracklisting:1. Buried Alive By Love 2. The Funeral of Hearts 3. Beyond Redemption 4. Sweet Pandemonium 5. Soul on Fire 6. The Sacrament 7. The Fortress of Tears 8. Circle Of Fear 9. Endless Dark 10. The Path And Love Said No... (Greatest Hits 1997 - 2004)
Tracklisting:1. And Love Said No 2. Join Me 3. Buried Alive By Love 4. Heartache Every Moment 5. Solitary Man 6. Right Here In My Arms 7. The Funeral Of Hearts 8. In Joy And Sorrow 9. Your Sweet 666 10. Gone With The Sin 11. Wicked Game 12. The Sacrament 13. Close To The Flmae 14. It's All Tears 15. Poison Girl 16. Pretending 17. When Love And Death Embrace Bonus Live DVD:1. Soul On Fire 2. The Funeral Of Hearts 3. Beyond Redemption 4. Sweet Pandemonium 5. Buried Alive By Love Dark Light Tracklisting:1. Vampire Heart 2. Rip Out The Wings Of A Butterfly 3. Under The Rose 4. Killing Lonliness 5. Dark Light 6. Behind The Crimson Door 7. Face of God 8. Drunk On Shadows 9. Play Dead 10. In The Night Side Of Eden
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Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 9:24 am
Current Members. Information taken from Heartagram.comVille Valo. Instrument: Vocals Birthday: 22.11.1976 Scorpio
Brothers/Sisters: Mige&Linde
Pets: Gas&Burton
Favourite film: Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas
Lucky number: 0
Favourite city: Necropolis
Favourite dish: Body of Christ
Favourite drink: Blood of Christ
Special interest: 1980's, Mige's photography, The Origin of the Blues, Eastern European Folklore, Enochian, Malleus maleficarum
What I don't like: The Beatles, red meat, the misuse of mind altering substances
Idols: Gene Simmons, Edgar Allen Poe, Rauli Somerjoki, Clint Eastwood
Best song ever: Sininen uni by Tapio Rautava
Linde
Instrument: Guitar
Birthday: 12.8.1976
Sign: Leo
Brothers/Sisters: Little brother
Favourite film: From Dusk Till Dawn
Favourite colour: Green
Favourite city: Luxor
Favourite dish: Italian food
Favourite drink: Beer
Special interest: Selibacy, meditation
What I don't like: Strangers
Idols: John Lee Hooker, Steve Vai
Best song ever: HIM: Borellus
Mige.
Instrument: Bass
Birthday: 19.12.1974
Sign: Sagittarius
Brothers/Sisters: Big brother Helmut
Favourite film: Sleepy Hollow
Favourite colour: The colour of Saruman's robe
Lucky number: 666
Favourite city: Barcelona
Favourite dish: Soulfood
Favourite drink: Coffee, water, nectars
Special interest: Catholic churches, architecture, Charles Chaplin, exotic
instruments, meditation, Vedrana, pyramids, photography
What I don't like: Cruelty, hatred, aggression, ghosts & other night fears, wicked spirits, envy, modern shopping malls
Idols: Black Sabbath, Ville Valo, Lily Lazer, Suho Superstar
Best song ever: Black Sabbath: War Pigs
Message: Be careful with alcohol, sex, drugs & other temptations
Burton.
Instrument: Keyboards
Birthday: 17.10.1974
Sign: Libra
Brothers/Sisters: -
Pets: -
Favourite film: Charles Chaplin's City Lights
Lucky number: 7
Favourite city: Helsinki
Favourite dish: Pizza
Favourite drink: Coffee
Special interest: Everything
What I don't like: MacDonalds
Best song ever: Horst Mamerow: Klarinetten Polka
Message: Murskaa M䫫i
Gas.
Instrument: Drums
Birthday: 8.2.1971
Sign: Aquarius
Brothers / Sisters: -
Favorite film: Scarface
Favorite color: Jade Green
Lucky number: 11
Favorite City: New York
Favorite dish: Sushi & Japanese
Favorite drink: Beer, GT
Special interests: Movies, The Pens, Motorbikes and Cigars
What I don't like: Bad food, Bad people and early wake-up calls
Idols: Darius Kasparaitis, Krzysztof Oliwa, Herra no.66, Daniel Lioneye and Dave Lombardo
Best song ever: Discharge and Slayer (All)
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Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 9:25 am
Side Projects. (Taken from Rock Sound's 10th Anniversary Tour Special)To Separate The Flesh From the Bones.Featuring Gas and Amorphis members Pasi Koskinen and Niclas Etelavuori.Status: active. Renaming themselves Pus Sypope, Herr Arschtein and Rot Wailer, Gas and the gang have gone back to their old grind-core roots. "It's like old-school Carcass and Napalm Death," enthuses the drummer. "We've recorded a 10-song EP and we'll have to see what happens." Look out for a release on Finnish label Spikefarm Records in the future. To Separate The Flesh From the Bones website.MyrrhFeaturing Burton and Mige.Status: active. While most of us have forgotten Christmas, for the bassist and keyboard player, the festive spirit lives on! They're penning alternative Christmas Carols. "We've contacted some singers now and we've decided who we are going to use," says Burton, who's hoping to get an EP in the shops at the end of next year. "Maybe a whole album - it just depends how busy we are." Daniel Lioneye And the Rollers.Featuring Linde on guitar and vocals; Ville Valo on drums and Mige on bass together with members of The Skreppers and New Rose.Status: inactive. The band came about whilst sessions for Deep Shadows And Brilliant Highlights were taking place. Says Linde: "I had a couple of songs in the draw and three of us were jamming in the rehearsal place, came up with a couple of riffs and wanted to record them and that was it." Raiding the local charity shops for costumes consisting of army surplus gear, a bizarre Ali Baba-style turban and kaftan combo, and roping their PVC-and-stiletto-clad producer Hiili Hiilesmaa in on backing vocals, the band made a few appearances and attracted large crowds at Finland's Tuska Festival, 2001. They also released The King Of Rock 'N' Roll through BMG in '01. Although the project was a one-off, the album's title track makes and appearance as the theme tune to Bam Margera's new TV show.
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Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 9:28 am
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