KORPIKLAANI – Interview with Haastis

I am Andrew. How are you?

I`m fine thank you. Winter is coming so here is cold and dark but otherwise good thanks.

By the time you are a new band and not many people know you especially here in Greece I would like you to tell me in brief the history of your band

We were earlier band named Shaman and we make two albums Idja (1999) and Shamaniac (2002)emerged that here is another same named band we came to the situation that we have to change our name so that`s why we are Korpiklaani now.

I am curious to know what does Korpiklaani mean?

Korpiklaani means in translated Clan of the woods and I think that this name collect perfectly our music and our way to do this.

Where did you record “Spirit of the forest” and who was the producer? Did anything unexpected or funny happened during the recordings that you would like to tell us?

It was one unexpected the whole recording time. Between our work we have to change our record company and I had a very hard job in front of me to proof everybody including our producer Jay Bjugg that everything works out because I don`t even known it for sure myself then. But I trusted our material and this band so it was simple anyway. Now when I think it after all of what is happened that we was just lucky when we get record company like Napalm Records.it`s done and album is good so from this point is good to continue.

Your music reminds me a lot of Skyclad. And some other people who listened to your album had the same opinion with me. Do you believe it is good for a new band to have similarities with a famous one is good?

I think that our and Skyclad`s way to do composers is not similar because our musical roots is so far from theirs. Skyclad is good band and they have violins and good folk atmosphere too so it would be great to do gigs with them someday. But my opinion is that new band have to be individual.

The 10th song of the album, “Juokse sina humma”, is a cover of a traditional one. Why did you decide to cover this song?

äIt means in translated “Run you my horse”. knows how is composer of the song but Tapio Rautavaara make very famous version from it sometime in 50`s. Song emerged to me so often that I thought that I must make my own kind of version from the song… so there it is now.

Tell me a few words about the lyrics. What are they talking about general and what is their connection with your music?

I like to write old kind of things because it fit our music. Not lyrics from fast red cars or big tits blondes but nature, trees and forest and animal related shit. And that`s what we live here in the middle of the forest all the time. Of course lot of beer drinking, partying and imagination world we can never forget from the lyrics.

Do you think that progress for a metal band is good even if it comes to a different style not necessarily metal? Bands like Anathema or Paradise Lost have moved to different styles since their beginning.

It doesn`matter which musical style it is if the music is good and honest. Everybody can hear if you try to do something what is not really you and it shines on the stage too. So if members of the band change and grow it`s pretty normal that their music will change and grow with them too.I never grow up so Korpiklaani won`t change.

What are the reviews you have received up till now?

Only one what I have heard so far is that German magazine METAL HEART gived to Spirit of the forest album 9/10`s only so far but here is few weeks left until the cd is out.

Why should someone prefer to buy your album than any other release of our days?

Because this is totally different than any other album. Main reason would be that we want to see lot of people who sing with us on gigs and if noone buy our records we don`t even get gigs and that thing makes us sad. If we are sad we are very bad and we are always in the bar, it drives us alcoholic and we die. buy our album or we die!

So, we are approaching the end. I want to thank you for your time and wish you good luck for the future. Closing is yours…

Thank you! See you on gigs and rise your wooden pints `till the morning 🙂

Photos & logo taken from the band website.