Unknown Japanese magazine
/12.2005/

"All of my songs are for my fiancee"

First, tell us about your family.
Ville: Both of my parents are Finnish. But my mother's family is originally from Hungary. When I was a kid, my grandmother always told me that Finnish were from East Europe, namely, Swedish, Norwegian and Danish were viking, but we Finnish weren't. It means we are outsider, or freak.

Well, are you fascinated with fantastic stuff like vampire?
Ville: All of our music are based on reality, thouth. Poetic, romantic and realistic...

So, you draw the line between reality and fantasy?
Ville: Yes. Fantasies are for sleeping and dreaming time only. But I think music should be realistec. I love real music very much. If the music is real, you don't have to put on a mask on stage.

Most of your songs have mysterious title like "Vampire Heart", "Drunk on Shadows" and "Face of God".
Ville: Yeah, I like reading books and watching movies. Maybe that's the reason why our titles are mysterious. Themes of music are real, but I aim at something more meaningful.

Tell us about "Face of God".
Ville: The message is, you can be strong when you are in love. Religion , politics and rules are meaningless for you then. And the love is like the face of god reflected on the wall.

You dedicate that song to your fiancee?
Ville: Yes, in a word, all of my songs are for her.

All of your songs? So romantic!
Ville: Sure, I'm a romantic guy.

Congratulations on your engagement! When are you going to marry?
Ville: I'm very busy with my band at the time moment, so marriage is future issue. We even don't have enough time for honeymoon. Yeah, I'd like to marry soon, but we don't have to be in hurry so much.

Tell us your background.
Ville: We are four. Parents and my little brother Jesse. My mother works in Helsinki. My father used to be a taxi driver, now he's an owner of porno shop, selling sex toys.

Really? Have you been effected by that fact?
Ville: I worked for there before. Of course, I was curious about such kind of stuff! My parents are always supportive to my dream to play music. I was a KISS fan and I adored Gene Simmons. That's why I played the bass at first. When I was sixteen, I quitted the school to focus on music and started a band with Linde and Mige. We've known each other since I was nine years old. Also I've known Gas and Burton Since thirteen. We all are like brothers. We each had a career in some bands and we started HIM in 1994 since we'd like to play more successful and real music...it's simple and boring biography, isn't it?

Not at all. Now, I heard that you did recording in condominium in California and that place was haunted?
Ville: Though everyone said so, I didn't feel anything. My band member said "I feel someone on my back!", but I didn't. My fiancee is a very spiritual person. When she lived in her apartment in NY, she felt existance of spirits there. It's kind of strange, but I think it's not negative thing. It's only a spirit, left on earth, just wants to contact with human. Isn't it positive thing to some extent?

Umm...well, does she still live in NY?
Ville: No, we live together in Helsinki. She's also Finnish. She has lived in NY for few years and worked for a bar. I flew there to take her back.

I know a certain musician (Bensi from Good Charlotte), he is fascinated with gothic stuff and painted his room black, and never turns on the light in his room.
Ville: Well, he'd be happy if he move to Finland!

Are you also fascinated with that kind of stuff?
Ville: No, I think it should be more moderate. Not always being in dark side, sometimes go outside under the sun. Dark doesn't mean negative, light doesn't mean positive. To take middle stance between them, holding the balance is important, I think.

What do you think of the reason why you are charismatic figure in UK?
Ville: Well...I owe it to my parents. My eyes are inherited from my mother. The sense of humor is from my father. Or scandinavian band is unusual for UK people. And our music has poetic feeling. Say, these days we have simple or extrime music like "baby, I love you" or "fxxk you". I shoot for the vibes like Charles Burton.