Ex-NIGHTWISH
front woman Tarja Turunen has
commented on her former band
mates' decision to fire her
following the final show of
their "Once" world
tour, which took place on Friday,
October 21 in Helsinki, Finland.
Writing to the fan site Tarja
Turunen Fan , Tarja said, "I
don't have words to express
my feelings at the moment. I
am devastated. This thing happened
in a way that I didn't have
a slight chance to give my opinion
about it. I got fired out of
a band that represents the last
nine years of my life and I
am very sad about it. It has
been very cruel the way the
band handled this in public.
This doesn't change the fact
that we were doing amazing music
together, but I will never forget
the fact that they didn't give
me the chance to say goodbye
for the people as a NIGHTWISH
singer.
"I love you and I really
hope to see you soon in my
concerts. Thank you very much
for your kind words and support.
I will never forget you."
NIGHTWISH recorded the final
show of the "Once"
world tour for an upcoming
live release, appropriately
titled "End of an Era".
A NIGHTWISH book, which promises
to reveal in greater detail
the circumstances behind Tarja's
departure, is scheduled to
be published in May.
Dear Tarja,
It’s time to choose
whether the story of Nightwish
ends here or whether it will
still continue an undetermined
period of time. We’ve
been working with this creation
for 9 years and we are not
ready to give up yet. Nightwish
is a way of life, something
to live for, and we’re
certain we can’t let
it go.
Equally certain are the fact
that we cannot go on with
you and Marcelo any longer.
During the last year something
sad happened, which I’ve
been going over in my head
every single day, morning
and night. Your attitude and
behaviour don’t go with
Nightwish anymore. There are
characteristics I would never
have believed to see in my
old dear friend.
People who don’t talk
with each other for a year
do not belong in the same
band.
We are involved in an industry
where the business-side of
things is a necessary evil
and something to worry about
all the time. We are also
a band which has always done
music from the heart, because
of friendship and the music
itself. The mental satisfaction
should always be more important
than money! Nightwish is a
band, it’s an emotion.
To you, unfortunately, business,
money, and things that have
nothing to do with those emotions
have become much more important.
You feel that you have sacrificed
yourself and your musical
career for Nightwish, rather
than thinking what it has
given to you.
This attitude was clearly
shown to me in the two things
you said to me in an airplane
in Toronto:”I don’t
need Nightwish anymore.”
and ”Remember, Thomas,
that I could leave this band
at any time, giving you only
one day’s warning in
advance”.
I can’t simply write
any more songs for you to
sing.
You have said yourself that
you are merely a ”guest
musician” in Nightwish.
Now that visit ends and we
will continue Nightwish with
a new female vocalist.
We’re sure this is an
equally big relief to you
as it is for us. We have all
been feeling bad long enough.
You told us that no matter
what, the next Nightwish album
will be your last one. However,
the rest of us want to continue
as long as the fire burns.
So there’s no sense
in doing that next album with
you, either.
The four of us have been going
over this situation countless
times and we have realized
that this is the thing we
want to do in life. It´s
all we can do. In December
2004, in Germany, you said
that you will never tour again
for more than two weeks at
a time. You also said that
we can forget about U.S. and
Australia because the fees
and the sizes of venues are
too small.
In interviews I’ve mentioned
that if Tarja leaves, that
would be the end of the band.
I understand that people will
think this way. Nightwish
is, however, a scenery of
my soul and I’m not
ready to let go because of
one person. A person who wants
to focus her creativity to
somewhere else, a person whose
values don’t match mine.
We were never bothered by
the fact that you didn’t
participate in writing/arranging
songs, you never in 9 years
came to rehearse the songs
with us before going to the
studio. Not the fact that
whiles on tour you always
wanted to fly, separately
from us with your husband.
Not the fact that you are
an undisputable front image
of the band.
We accepted and felt ok about
everything except greed, underestimating
the fans, and breaking promises.
It was agreed by the five
of us that Nightwish would
be the priority in everything
that we do during 2004-2005.
Still so many things were
more important to you. The
ultimate example being the
already sold-out show in Oslo,
which you wanted to cancel
because you needed to rehearse
for your solo concerts, meet
friends and go to the movies.
Those were the words Marcelo
used in an e-mail explaining
the cancellation. This being
just one example of so many.
I couldn’t think of
a worse way of being selfish
and dismissing our fans.
Nightwish is a way of life
and a job with many obligations.
To each other and to the fans.
With you we can’t take
care of those duties anymore.
Deep within we don’t
know which one of you drove
us to this point. Somehow
Marcelo has changed you from
the lovely girl you were into
a diva, who doesn’t
think or act the way she used
to. You are too sure of your
irreplaceable ness and status.
It’s obvious that you
blame your stress and misery
on us four. And you think
we don’t respect or
listen to you. Believe us;
We have always had the uppermost
respect towards you as a wonderful
vocalist and as a friend.
And very often during the
past couple of years the plans
were made according to your
decisions only. You were always
the only one who wanted more
money from the shows.
This ”compensation and
more money from everything”
–attitude is the fact
that we are most disappointed
of!
We wish that from now on you
will listen to your heart
instead of Marcelo. Cultural
differences combined with
greed, opportunism and love
is a dangerous combination.
Do not wither yourself.
This decision is not something
we are especially proud of
but you gave us no choice.
The gap between us is too
wide. And the decision is
made by us four unanimously.
We are beyond the point where
things could be settled by
talking.
All the best for your life
and career,
Tuomas
Emppu Jukka Marco |
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