Daily Herald /heraldextra.com/
/november 2007/

Finn vogue Scandinavian bandleader stays ahead of the curve despite personal demons

Ville Valo doesn't deny that his life tends to have a degree of chaos coming in and out of it.

That's not necessarily a bad thing, especially since as lyricist and singer for the band HIM, turmoil can be a useful source of inspiration for lyrics. But even though Valo -- who will be appearing with HIM on Saturday at In The Venue in Salt Lake City - is known for writing decidedly dark lyrics and music, he disputes any notion that he willingly invites chaos into his life to benefit his music.

"I kind of naturally find myself in situations like that," Valo said in an early October phone interview from his home in Finland. "I've never been into the idea that artists must suffer or must find a way to suffer. I actually find it really cleansing and really cathartic to write a song. To get rid of the demons or whatever you want to call it, you don't necessarily get rid of them, but you kind of can see them outside of yourself. So you get something ugly outside from yourself in front of you, on a piece of paper or in a song or whatever. At least that makes it easier for me to come to grips with it."

Valo has certainly had a good deal of upheaval in his life in recent times. A chief contributor to his situation was an ongoing drinking habit that had seen Valo drinking upwards of two cases of beer on a daily basis.

But this past summer, after completing the new HIM album, Valo took control of his problem and checked himself into rehab in Malibu, Calif.

"I've been off booze for about four and a half months now, and it's just, I don't believe that alcohol in itself would be a reason for anything evil to happen," Valo said. "The bottle doesn't turn you into a monster. You were a monster before, but the bottle unleashes the monster. So it's just like I had my problems before, which I hadn't dealt with, but you know, people should be having problems. You can't be sunshine every day. Life has to be a roller coaster ride."

By all accounts, Valo was in rough shape before he finally chose rehab. Today, he appears to be a picture of health, and Valo himself says he is having no problems living a healthier life.

"It's real easy for me to stay off of the bottle," he said.

Valo's return to health comes at a good time for HIM's career. Formed in Finland in 1991, the group, which also includes guitarist Mikko "Linde" Lindstrom, bassist Mikko "Mige" Paananen, drummer Mika "Gas" Karppinen and keyboardist Janne "Burton" Puurtinen, had already gained major stardom in Europe before many people in the United States even knew the band's name.

In fact, the group released four CDs overseas before finally signing with Sire Records and having the 2005 CD, "Dark Light," become its American debut.

By that time, word about the group's darkly hued "love metal" music had spread to these shores - thanks in part to high-profile support from skateboard icon and MTV show host Bam Margera - and "Dark Light" sold more than 500,000 copies in the United States.