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TO DIE FOR
München 2005

(Photo by Ville Juurikkala)

“We never said that we are gothic”

Suiciderock: People describe your music as a mix of gothic, rock and metal with very personal sign, heavy guitars, keyboards and melancholic sounds and lyrics. How would you describe it?
Jape: We never said we are Gothic, that’s not the way I would describe it. We are more a melodic and melancholic rock band.

Suiciderock: The Band has a long history with many changes regarding the line-up. Can you tell us a bit about ToDieFor nowadays?
Jape: Yeah, we had some problems with the line-up. Our last drummer was very difficult, he was always drunk. We also had musical differences, but now we are friends again. There have been a few more problems, so we stopped for some time. The current line-up consists of 3 old and 3 new members. Also our keyboard player, Juska, came back, which is really cool. It's great the way it is now.

Suiciderock: You covered a lot of songs like "In the heat of the night" by Sandra or "(I just) died in your arms tonight" by Cutting Crew. Why do you cover so many songs from the 80s?
Jape: Just because I like those plastic songs. That's the whole reason. I think it would make no sense to cover newer songs, and I really like the 80s sound.

Suiciderock: You are about to release your next album ”4”. What inspired you for this album?
Jape: My life. Every Song, every lyric is about my life in 2004. It was a very painful year for me, so I had a lot to write about. The songs are my way to get over it. I hope 2005 is getting better.

Suiciderock: Who produced the album and how long did the work on the album take?
Jape: Actually I don’t remember how long it took. Nearly one year. We produced in our hometown in Finland. This was very important for us and of course it was great that we could sleep in our own beds every night. So even it was work, we spent a lot of time at home.

Suiciderock: Are you satisfied with this album?
Jape: Yes, absolutely!

Suiciderock: In April you will be touring with "Paradise Lost". Are there more plans for live performances e.g. some festivals?
Jape: We are not touring with Paradise Lost. Don't ask me why, you better ask the record company. But we are trying to settle a new tour for late summer. Going to Istanbul, Spain, Canada, Russia....let's see what happens. As we are on tour at the moment, we can't check our mails frequently, but we try to fix everything.

Suiciderock: Was it always your dream to become a musician?
Jape: Since I was 12 I have always been in any bands. I also grew up with a lot of music around me, so it was not really a decision. I just saw nothing else to do for me.

Suiciderock: If you haven’t become a musician, what would you do today?
Jape: I have really no idea. Never thought about something like that. It was always clear for me what I wanted to do.

Suiciderock: What's the difference between the German and the Finnish Metal scene in your opinion?
Jape: I'm not sure if there is still a big difference. Germany has a lot of Death Metal bands, which we don’t have in Finland anymore. Otherwise I don’t see any differences.

Suiciderock: What is worth for you to die for?
Jape: My daughter. I have a 8 year old daughter, who doesn’t live with me, but she’s the only one I would die for.

Suiciderock: Your private wishes for the future?
Jape: A long life, happiness, a great future for my daughter and a long and great time with ToDieFor.