Tiefgang: Tarja, first of all my congratulations. Somehow you always manage to fulfill the high expectations of your fans.

Tarja: Thank you. I gladly will pass it on, because actually it is Tuomas who writes the music. So the compliment is for him.

Tiefgang: Well, I see this differently. Ok, he writes the music, but without such a good band these results won´t be possible. But now let´s talk about your new album, or is it more a EP ?

Tarja: It actually is as long as an album, but I hope it will be sold with an EP price because it only has three songs on it.

Tiefgang: Ok, let´s call it an album. As you already said there´re three songs on it. One of them is a cover version of Gary Moore´s old hit "OTHAFA". Why did you decide to cover this song ?

Tarja: Well, we love this song. It has everything in it what a metal song needs: beautiful melodies, a lot of power, and there´s a lot potential for experimenting with it. Somehow it was clear that we wanted to do a cover, but nobody actually knew which one. When somebody mentioned this song everybody was enthusiastic about it. I know that it sounds strange to hear this song with my voice, because in the original version Gary Moore sings it and one could think that it doesn´t fit to a female voice. But it really was fun to sing it.

Tiefgang: Considering the lyrics it also would have been interesting to sing it as a duet.

Tarja: We didn´t even thing about this possibility...it surely would have been interesting, since it is the story of a woman and a man, but we it really didn´t come to our minds. I´m sorry if you´re dissapointed now.

Tiefgang: I´m not dissappointed at all ! I needed some time till I really liked this version 150% but now it´s just gorgeous in my opinion.

Tarja: Thank you, I love to hear that. (Tiefgang: I actually could see her friendly smile through the phone!!)

Tiefgang: The Finnish version of the album is different from the one we have here, right ?

Tarja: Yes, because actually it should have been a "thank you" for the Finnish people. We released the studio songs separately on a single and they also have 15 live songs we played at the final gig of the Wishmaster tour.

Tiefgang: Will the three new songs also be played at future live shows ?

Tarja: Well, "Over the Hills" and "10th Man Down" for sure. "Away" is difficult to interpret in a live concert, that why it won´t be played there. Am I dissapointing some fans now ??

Tiefgang: I gues, you do, haha. But I think they will understand that it is not possible. I don´t think they will throw tomatoes and bad eggs at you during the shows...(laughs)

Tarja: Ok then (laughs)

Tiefgang: Uwe was wondering how you are able to interpret your quite complex songs live without any mistakes.

Tarja: The songs were just reworked in the studio a bit. But there´re also a few mistakes in them. Maybe it´s just me who hears them. I always hope then that the people won´t realize how bad I sing....(laughs)

Tiefgang: Oh, come on. It can´t be so bad. There many songs of you that only have been released as bonus tracks Also komm, so schlimm können die ja nicht sein. Anderes Thema...es gibt viele Songs von Euch, die nur als Bonustracks erschinen sind, like Nightquest, Sleepwalker, Once upon a troubadour. Are you going to release these songs official in the future ?

Tarja: No, I don´t think so. These are bonus tracks on the albums for Japan and they should be exclusive for them. I hope that this doesn´t sound arrogant, but it has something to do with the situation in these counries. In Japan people have to pay much more money for the music and so they get some bonus material.

Tiefgang: Anyway, the internet is a great possibility for everyone to download these songs...from where do you think I got them...

Tarja: Right, so in this context it is good that there´s the possibility to download them from the net. But it´s not ok that an album is already available in the internet before its release.

Tiefgang: Did this happen to you, too ?

Tarja: Well, I recorded some songs for a band in South America together with Candice Night. And this album is already available in the internet. That´s not fair to the band, because the album is quite good and if everybody is able to download it for free already before its release, nobody will buy it afterwards.

Tiefgang: This of course is a bad thing. So here the black sheep among the journalists are suspicious again, who have the albums already before their release. These people obviously have a wrong opinion about their job. If you are lucky enough to have a job in the music biz and to be able to support the bands, you shouldn´t misuse this privilige. But now let´s talk about something else. Isn´t it terrible that Nightwish is reduced only to you by most of the people ?

Tarja: How do you mean that?

Tiefgang: I mean when Nightwish is mentioned everybody says at once: Yes that´s the band with Tarja!

Tarja: Well yes, I heard that too. That´s a pity, of course. All members of the band are important. Besides Nightwish is Tuomas´s baby. He alone is responsible for the sound, he writes the lyrics, and he has all firmly in his hands. If they want to reduce the band to one person they should take him.

Tiefgang: Sure, you´re right. But many people have the opinion that a drummer or a guitarist are replaceable, but not you.

Tarja: I´ve never thought about that. Of course the people got used to my voice and that´s why they can´t imagine Nightwish without me. But don´t worry, I´ll stay...(laughs). But they should see the band as a whole and not only me.

Tiefgang: I´ve read on your homepage that you also have recorded songs from other bands like Children of Bodom etc. ?

Tarja: Really ? This is on our homepage? Now I´m really surprised because we never did something like that. I also wouldn´t be able to sing like that (laughs). Either it is a mistake on our website, or you misread something.

Tiefgang: In our last conversation you said that you would like to move to Germany.

Tarja: Yes, that´s right.

Tiefgang: Why?

Tarja: Well, I really like your country. The people are very friendly and I just like it. Of course I understand if you say that in Finland the nature is very beautiful. But Finland is a very cold country. In winter it is really bloody cold there and even in summer we are freezing (laughs). I also will move to Germany soon to go on with my singing studies. I would like to go to other schools and gather some experiences and impressions of other countries.

Tiefgang: But wouldn´t that be difficult for Nightwish ?

Tarja: No, because I can go to Finland for the recordings, or he band will do the recordings in Germany. You also have some very good studios.

Tiefgang: Ok then. Are there any news about the new album ?

Tarja: Yes, there are. Tuomas has already written 6 songs for it and they have more classical influences. Besides they are more complex than the ones before. But I can´t say more about it. It also can be that the songs will change once again, because at the moments Tuomas travels around the world in a kind of self-discovery mission. Maybe he will get so many new impressions that he will knock everything on the head again.

Tiefgang: Have you ever listened to metal before you got involved with Nightwish ?

Tarja: Actually I didn´t really listen to it before. But I´m happy that I got in touch with this music now because there are many similarities with classical music. I try to listen tdn´t really listen to it before. But I´m happy that I got in touch with this music now because there are many similarities with classical music. I try to listen to as much as possible and I really like it, especially when the singers are good.

Tiefgang: Then you should listen to Falconer from Sweden, because their singer usually sings musicals and doesn´t care about metal.

Tarja: Falconer? Ok, I will keep this name in mind. Thanks for the hint.

Tiefgang:You´re welcome. Is there anything you want to tell our readers ?

Tarja: Yes. I want to thank all fans for their support and I hope that we still will have a nice time with you. No matter in what country we are, everbody is always so nice to us and I really appreciate that.