TOMI JOUTSEN

I wanna be me

- Before you joined AMORPHIS you had been playing in other bands like FEELINGS, FUNERAL JACKET, KÄSI, CORPSE MOLESTER CULT, THE CANDLES BURNING BLUE or the best-known among them SINISTHRA. Which of these stages was the most important for you?
All of them were important, each of them influenced my life in a way. I started my “music career” as a drummer, I’d been playing drums for a few years. The first band which I started to sing in was KÄSI, a melodic death metal group. Few years later we changed name to FUNERAL JACKET. Later there was something more serious – I mean NEVERGREEN – which turned into SINISTHRA with time. And this was the first band in which I used clear vocals. In 2005 we released an album „Last of the Stories of Long Past Glories” thanks to which I was spotted by AMORPHIS. The remaining bands in which I got engaged weren’t that serious. For instance FEELINGS is a rock’n’roll group, we meet from time to time. Playing with these people is purifying for me; it’s a great therapy. Yeah, there’s much to do but I like to be busy with music. It only takes 2-day break for me to start getting nervous (laugh). As I live 1-hour drive from Helsinki I don’t play with AMORPHIS regularly, although this band is the most important for me now.

- You mentioned drums, do you play something else as well?
Yes, I also play guitar and bass. I’m not a virtuoso but I can thump something (laugh). Besides, sometimes I play this or that in the bands you mentioned.

- But you feel the best by the microphone?
Yes, definitely. Some time ago however, I was thinking about brushing up my playing skills but I came to a conclusion that I should keep focused on singing and I’d play only just for fun. You know, it’s impossible to do your best in two things in the same time. You can’t have it both ways. That’s why I’m likely to spend time perfecting my vocal cords. But it’s not that good in this case, as apart from several professional singing classes I haven’t done anything in this direction. I lack the time a bit and maybe a motivation, as I’m not going to sing in an opera (laugh). However, I do appreciate the ability of professional operating your voice also on the rock scene, it’s a really useful knowledge. I think I should think seriously about it some day, even just to feel comfortable.

- And generally, how did you start to sing?
Well, quite incidentally. Being kids we set up a death metal band but nobody wanted to become a vocalist. I felt I could do this and even if my voice totally sucked in those times, I was really proud leading the band. I remember I had serious problems with my voice condition then, I was screaming at the top of my voice and was suffering later but with time I gained some experience and it started to be far easier. The voice was becoming stronger, I started to make out it all and gradually started to develop my skills.

- Usually you are vocally compared to Peter Steel and…Jim Morrison. However, they are not among those who you call your idols.
I like both Peter’s and Jim’s vocal as they are fully recognizable. Besides, they are really charismatic vocalists. However, my unquestionable favourite is Joanitor from the old Finnish band XYSMA. You should know them, they were starting with grindcore and their latest album is more punk. Joanitor was a real beast, I love this guy. I also count among my favourite vocalists such personalities as Mike Patton, Glen Danzig, Nick Cave or Jörgen Sandström who has one of the best growlings in extreme music. Sometimes I like to listen to a good female voice as well and here PJ Harvey is unrivalled. Few days ago I had a chance to meet JULIETTE & THE LICKS where Julette Lewis is a singer - nice thing. I also love Beth Gibbons from PORTISHEAD. I’m open, however I definitely prefer darker voices.

- What music do you most often listen to? I don’t mean inspirational purposes but just a sheer pleasure...
I have loads of metal albums in my collection but you’ll also find there many softer ones. Starting with PORTISHEAD (a nice soft – D.K.) ending with Lenny Kravitz. I also listen to punk rock, things like RADIOHEAD, I have quite a large Finnish pop collection. I don’t like rap and r’n’b, they are definitely not my styles. I like alternative music, more independent playing. But if I feel like giving myself a kick I think metal is the best in this case.

- When I saw you for the first time you didn’t seem to be a metalhead to me. You rather look like a Bob Marley fan.
Yeah, I don’t look like a typical metalhead, I don’t wear leather jackets and don’t tense my muscles (laugh). It’s hard for me to say anything about my appearance, I see myself in the mirror everyday and I’m not much objective. But I know what you’re driving at. Once somebody told me that I rather resemble American metalcore guy than a Viking from Scandinavia. You know, tattoos, dreadlocks and additionally this brown skin tone. However, I assure I’m 100% Fin and my parents come from here. If somebody finds himself disappointed, I’m really sorry (laugh).

- Your dreadlocks are really impressive. But when I saw you rocking on scene I started to worry if you wouldn’t get tangled in your fellows’ guitars. It’s a problem in more confined clubs, I guess?
Yes, If a stage is small I need to watch out veeeery much (laugh). They are now so long that I need to have them shortened, I think. I started to grow my hair when I was a child. Later, unluckily, I was called up by the Army but when I served my time I started to grow it again. 8 years ago I had the dreadlocks done and it stayed like this to date…