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Band page - Excalion
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Band Profile
What is your name and your current position in the band?
I´m Tero Vaaja, the bass player of Excalion.
Tell us about the history of the band. More specifically, when was the band formed, how did you meet, and have there been any particular highlights or low points in your career, any crucial events that have taken you where you are today?
Excalion was founded in December 2000 by the keyboardist and songwriter Jappe Myllyvirta, drummer Henri Pirkkalainen, the original Excalion bassist Timo Sahlberg, and myself, then as guitarist, when some of the guys were still in high school age. Very soon Jarmo Pääkkönen joined the band as vocalist, and after a couple of more months Kimmo Hänninen joined as an additional guitarist. That was the line-up that made our first album Primal Exhale, released in 2005. Maybe the most notable single moment for the band happened early in 2005, some months after recording of Primal Exhale, when Timo and Kimmo left the band because of the lack of time and motivation for this kind of music. After our current guitarist Vesa Nupponen joined the band in spring 2005, we decided to form a new five-member line-up with me playing bass, and it felt like the band was born again. Early in 2007 our second album Waterlines was released.
Was there ever a time when you wondered if your band would remain just a local outfit and never make it in the industry?
After the initial start, not really. We knew that if we kept practicing and developing our thing, we would get noticed, of course we did not know how long that would take. After all, we then got a record deal even a bit sooner than we expected.
What is your latest album and why should people buy it?
Waterlines, released worldwide in spring 2007, is a package of ten songs of solid, modern-sounding melodic metal/hard rock, plus bonus tracks. It is a mixture of fast, mid-tempo and slower songs, beautiful melodies, heavy guitarwork and some great arrangements. We are extremely satisfied with our work on that album.
How would you categorize the style of the band? And did you ever consider or try playing other styles of music than the one(s) you are playing now?
Strict categories are a bit unpleasant, we prefer just to call it melodic metal, or heavy rock. Our style was a bit different in the earlier years, on our first album there are still elements of progressive metal and pure power metal. Those don´t have such a prominent position anymore.
Can you share with us one or two of your favourite moments with the band?
First, I have to mention the recording sessions of Waterlines. I am sure all the guys of the band have great memories of those weeks. The making of the album proved to us that we are on the right tracks, that the band has reached a completely new level, and that we have learned much of studio work. And then there is one moment which was big for me personally: there is a certain rock club, one of the best in Finland, where I have myself visited for many years and saw many great big metal bands there. Recently we had the opportunity to play there ourselves, and being on that stage and seeing in the audience people wearing Excalion T-shirts was something great. It felt good.
How is the writing process in the band?
Jappe constantly writes new music. Usually it goes like this: when he has a new song he is happy with, he brings it to the rehearsals. The song typically has the chords and melodies, the structure of the different parts of the song, and some initial ideas about rhythm and arrangement. Sometimes Jappe has a clear vision of the whole, and we just start to play it together, and it falls into place quickly. On the other hand, sometimes a song goes through many different stages with different arrangement ideas, and the end result might be very different from the first versions. Everyone contributes to the arrangements. It sometimes happens that Jappe comes up with lyrics at the same time when he writes the music, but usually lyrics come last.
What brought you on the path to becoming a musician? Did you ever consider or take any other paths through life besides music?
I guess it was just the general interest in music and playing. It really started in the teenage years. Later I was lucky to have friends who shared the same interests, so we could form a band. Music has never filled my whole life anyway, you must have other things too in your life for the sake of balance. That is true of other guys of Excalion too, everyone in the band has studies or daily work going on, some have families.
Do you have any idols? If yes, who?
There are really, really lots of people, musicians and others, that I respect enormously. But I really like to call that respecting, not idolizing, if you know what I mean. Generally I like everyone who puts his heart in whatever he or she is doing.
Do you have any regrets looking back at your career? For example any songs or even full albums that you regret recording? If so, what made you regret it?
No, at least not yet. We have released two albums now, and I think that with each of them, we did the best work then possible. Especially with our first album, of course, there are some little things than could have been done slightly better in retrospective, but that is just inevitable.
Are there particular songs in your catalogue that the fans love but you're not particular fond of yourself?
Heh, maybe there is one... On Primal Exhale, there is a bonus track sung in Finnish called Luopio. It is a reworking of an old song which appeared already on our first demo tape. It is a simple and fast song, and people seem to love hearing it live, and I have wondered why... But I seem to be the only person on earth who does not like that song that much, other guys of the band love it and the audience loves it!
How important do you rate the lyrical side of your albums?
Well, since I´m one of the guys who writes lyrics in Excalion, they are important to me. At least there is some real time and effort put in Excalion lyrics. Not all the guys of the band pay attention to the lyrics that much, but everyone agrees that we should stay clear of the worst heavy metal cliches.
What do you think about the state of the music industry today?
I´m not really an expert on that. But I am sure that the new technology, I mean the easy distribution of music files in the internet, and the chances to get potentially large audiences by putting music online, will surely change the business somehow in the future. Maybe there comes a time when independent music-makers are in a better position to achieve success than today.
What do you think is the best way to fight music piracy?
Well, that is a tough one. I don´t have a good answer. There will surely always be some piracy around, but these days internet makes the troubles more difficult than ever before. I guess there is not an easy solution, because you cannot really control everything that happens in the net. It is open for everyone, you cannot restrict it.
Do you have a life philosophy? If yes, what is it?
If I have one, it cannot be summed up in one or two sentences. I´d rather live according to my life philosophy than talk about it.
Can you describe a typical day in your life?
These days it would be quite a boring description, my days are mostly filled with studying for my Master´s Degree and things related to the band. But every day has music in it, either I play it or listen to it.
What do you like to spend your time with besides music?
Being with the people I love, and reading good books and exercising when I have the time. My special way of relaxing is going to sports events.
What's the craziest thing that has ever happened on a tour?
Our ex-guitarist Kimmo is the subject of many funny stories, here´s one of them... There was one remarkable gig in the city of Kajaani in northern Finland where we were playing as the supporting act for a certain bigger name. It was a concert organized by the local army garrison for conscripts who were doing their last days in service, that was a big venue and a big audience, all dressed in camouflage, it was a memorable gig. There was a particularly good catering in the backstage, with lots of extra food... Kimmo had come in his own car, and he had some of his hometown buddies with him. Then, at some point after we had finished our set, these guys apparently realised: "Hey! There is lots of FREE FOOD in here!" Soon Kimmo and his mates were busy packing foodstuff in big black plastic bags and happily hauling them in the trunk of their car... We watched and laughed, and wondered if those guys were starving at home... Cheers to Kimmo, he is a great guy.
You're heading off to live on a deserted island for a couple of years with your portable entertainment system... Which albums, movies or books would you bring? (Max. 3 of each)
Wow, I had to think about this quite a while... I think I would take some Hayao Miyazaki´s films, Defoe´s Robinson Crusoe to tell me how one should survive on an island, and William Golding´s Lord of the Flies to remind me how it is more likely to turn out to be, heh... Albums are difficult to choose. Maybe I would take The Chemical Wedding by Bruce Dickinson, Rain Dogs by Tom Waits, and the Forever Delayed compilation of Manic Street Preachers.
What is your favourite joke?
Heh, I guess I´ll tell a joke about us Finns... About the idea that Finns have low self-esteem. I like this one. People of different nationalities see an elephant: what are they thinking?
An American thinks about how much money he could make by displaying the elephant.
A German thinks about how he could use the elephant most efficiently doing work.
A Finn thinks: "I wonder what that elephant is thinking about me?"
Can you tell us about any future plans for you and your band?
Right now we are rehearsing some new music and making demos of new songs. We are already preparing for our third release and we hope to play many great gigs this year and next year. The details for next year´s activities are not clear yet, but Excalion is surely going forward now.
Thanks for answering these questions. Now you are free to write a few lines to our readers.
Thanks to you! Hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed reading this. Excalion´s albums are waiting for you in the record stores, check them out, if you like melodic heavy metal, remember our name. We have passion for the music!
Added by Steen - 6/25/2007
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