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AXS ENTERTAINMENT / ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT / MUSIC
Exploring melancholy and darkness of 'Tearson Tape' with HIM's Ville ValoApril 25, 2013
10:11 AM MST
Even though Finnish band HIM have had great success in America ever since they hit the mainstream
in the mid-2000s, singer/songwriter Ville Valo is humble about it. Though the band has sold millions
of records internationally and in their homeland, Valo still counts the band's success on whether or
not their fans enjoy the music and it's the same with this time around. “Tears on Tape” is their eighth
studio album and starting next month they'll embark on a Spring North American Tour to support the
record. In this exclusive interview, singer/songwriter Ville Valo talks about the recording process, the
upcoming tour, and the meaning behind “Tears on Tape.”
You released your last album in 2010 and after the remix album released the same year, we didn't
hear much from the band. Why the long absence and what was going on during that time?
HIM releases their new album 'Tears on Tape' April 30Photo from Paul Harries
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Ville Valo: We actually weren’t gone too long. We toured Europe, did the States, and did some
festivals. Then we took a break and (guitarist) Linde recorded his solo album under the name
Lionheart and began touring for that. In May of 2011, we started working on the new album, but the
s*** hit the fan when our drummer Gas Lipstick got a strain injury in his wrist and we didn't know how
long it would take for him to recover. We ended up waiting 8 months for him to get better. During the
meantime, we jammed for the new album and I played the drums during rehearsals. It only felt longer
because I'm not into Twitter and Facebook. I'd rather sit with an acoustic guitar.
News of your return sparked massive excitement and hype in the HIM fan community. Did you
expect that kind of response? How did it feel to find out that so many people still cared about the
band and were so hungry for new music?
VV: Yeah, it's exciting that people want new music and are so loyal. But the thing is we have to please
ourselves first with the new music and we'll be touring with the album til the end of the year. The real
test is to see how fans will react to the new songs when we start the tour.
A lot of the material on the new album is reminiscent of the sound found on your earlier album.
Was this your intent to get back to classic HIM or did it happen by accident?
VV: Its kind of both. Basically, we got better at working properly in a studio, so the first single “All Lips
Go Blue” has these melancholic vocals on it like our past material. We worked with (Hiili Hiilesmaa)
the guy who previously produced and mixed “Love Metal.” He's the best guy to record crunchy guitar
sounds. We hadn't been in touch with Hiili for two years and we realized that we've grown over time.
Actually, “Love Metal” is my favorite album and the new one can be considered sort of a follow up to
that one.
The new album is called “Tears on Tape.” Is there a significance the album title?
VV: Now, albums are recorded digitally and you can't really pour your heart into 0's and 1's. So, the
title is a nod to the past, to the tears our idols shed on tape in the 50's and 60's. People like Black
Sabbath and Roy Orbison because without those albums we wouldn't be here now. Some of the
songs on the album were actually recorded on tape to get that warbly sound and feeling.
What's the album about? What was going on while you were writing songs for this record?
VV: Well, I'm slow when it comes to writing songs. I can work on ideas for four years, so the album is
based more on moods rather than one specific thing. The only recurrent theme has to do with
seasons changing. It was the end of summer when the lyrics were done and at the end of summer in
Finland the leaves are falling and the ground is red. It was like a final chapter.
Do you have a favorite song from the new album?
VV: No, I don't have a favorite one yet. I like them all and I feel that they're all important. They all feed
off of each other. The real test is playing them live; it's the audience decision to say which is the best
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because we think they're all great, otherwise they wouldn't be on the album.
What can we expect from HIM on tour this year?
VV: Honestly, I don't know. We're not big on pyro or smoke bombs or anything like that. We're just
starting to rehearse for these shows. We'll probably be pulling songs we haven't played in a long time
and maybe I'll play some acoustic guitar. The thing is we have to drop some songs from the setlist
since this is our eighth album; there are just so many to choose from now. We're still trying to figure
out what's going to keep the show going.
You guys left your original record label Sire/Warner in America and recently signed on with Razor
& Tie. How did you guys make the decision to go with this label? What about them appealed to
you?
VV: We were trying to figure out if people were interested in what we do and if they get what we're
about; that we're not just a rock band or a melancholy band or a pop band. Also, Mike Gitter works for
the label and we've known him for years and we get along with him really well. He used to work at
Roadrunner Records and before he left he invited me to sing at their 25 year celebration party. We
also wanted to go for a large indie label as opposed to a large conglomerate; it feels more intimate
this way.
Does being on a large indie give you more creative control when it comes to music?
VV: We've never really given record companies any power when it comes to our music. They just
handled the business end of music because we're not business men. We do the tunes, they try to
make the buck.
What about this album makes it different from your past records?
VV: It flows better; it's not as disjointed. The songs have all aspects of the band; the heaviness, the
bittersweet, the melancholy melody. Past albums have had more mellow songs then hard rocking
songs and then something in between. On this album, all parts are better represented in all songs.
You guys were recently shooting a video for the single “All Lips Go Blue.” How soon will the video
get released?
VV: Eugene is doing the editing and the effects and it should be released in a week or so. We
actually did three different videos for the songs “Tears on Tape,” All Lips Go Blue,” and “Into the
Night.” We're releasing different singles in different countries and that way the fans can go on Vimeo
or Youtube, watch them all and then decide whether or not they like the music. Videos are weird
because you never know what you're going to get. I've seen one of them, but I haven't seen the other
two yet.
Tears on Tape is your eighth album. Did you ever think your band would make it to this point and
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have so much success in America?
VV: We had no clue. I never thought I would be a part of that scene and we certainly never thought it
would be possible to make it internationally. It's actually a hard question to answer because we don't
know how the album is going to do. It's better to go with the flow instead of thinking about the past. I
just know that when I first picked up a guitar that I wanted to make music.
HIM will embark on their North American tour in May with the first date being May 3 in LA. They'll be in
Chicago May 8 at the House of Blues. “Tears on Tape” comes out April 30. You can pre-order the
album in normal and special bundle editions, which include various goodies, such as t-shirts, hoodies,
and posters. They also recently released the music video for their single "Tears on Tape." To see
where HIM is headed on tour, watch the video, and to pre-order the album, make sure to visit their
website.
North American Tour
3 LA, House of Blues
4 LA, House of Blues
5 San Francisco, Fillmore
8 Chicago, House of Blues
9 Toronto, Danforth Music Hall
10 New York, Irving Plaza
11 New York, Irving Plaza
12 Philadelphia, Theatre of Living Arts
Ashley PerezChicago Music Examiner
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