Good morning…(Please listen to “Green Day – Peacemaker” while reading this blog. To get into the right mood. Or after reading, it’ll make your day better!)I woke up today in Asch… wait, I need to check the town name… Aschaffenburg. It’s near Frankfurt in Germany. Actually I woke up as Osmo had his hands in my bus bed (“Put your hand on me!”) and he was looking for something. From my bed??? I guess the fact that he is leaving us after tomorrow’s show; he is feeling a bit sad and wants to maximize the moments together. I kind of told him to F**k off! Hope I didn’t hurt his feelings, but I think it’s good to be honest and straight with these things….;)This trip has been far better than I expected. When we started this trip, I was a bit worried how people might taker the show with so many slow songs and us mainly sitting down. You have been great every evening!! On the ”rock shows” there are so many moving parts in the show that it’s hard for us on stage to really “sit back” and enjoy the show. These acoustic shows are perfect in that way. I have had every hair up in my body many times a night. Especially in “Dream like A Child” and “Forever Yours.” It’s so great how you have the patience to listen to the song until the very end and then the room explodes. That feels good on my shake barstool. Now after almost a ten shows, Ihave learnt to sit down more during the show. Especially in Hamburg (1st show) I was still so nervous with the whole setup that I guess I went around my chair a hundred times. It’s at least down to 50 now ;)I am so proud of my boys. Sure we have played a lot during these years and I knew that Sami can count to four without losing the rhythm, but the way how great the instruments and stuff fit together has surprised me. Last year when we played the acoustic radio show on a very short notice, it was more about hanging out on stage and making jokes and singing loud. Now there are so many cool little special guitar / key / drum stuff that make it fresh and new even for me. Some of the songs are on a brand new level. Especially “Dream Like A Child” is one of the songs that are better than the original to me. Osmo is leaving us tomorrow. Even though he really would seem to stay, he has to take care of his own career. He has some own shows (Go check him out!) and he is also going to Philadelphia to write / produce some new music. I can’t describe the value he brings to the band on and off stage. I really hope there will be space for Sunrise Avenue in Osmo’s calendar in the future too. But thumbs up for Osmo’s world domination too for sure. I hope he hires me as something, a security guard or a dancer when he is a world class super star.I remember worrying about the keyboard situation a year ago. Our dear producer and musical genius Jukka Backlund had to leave the band because his real passion is somewhere else than being a band member. He is a music producer and if you travel with a band, you just don’t have energy to do another job when you get back home. Jukka has been the biggest factor in Sunrise Avenue from the whole beginning and I would not sit here in Aschaffenburg or anywhere without Jukka’s huge talent & work during these years. Jukka was also a very important backbone for me when I had to start growing towards being a musician and a kind of a public person a few years ago. I’m still on the way – steady she goes... We have had our ups and downs with Jukka and even though he is probably not the easiest person on the planet, I love and respect him very much. So the reunion is about to happen on Wednesday in Mannheim and I really hope you al give him a warm welcome. We recorded the shows with Osmo and we sent Jukka the songs / versions and he was really blown away. It has been a while since we have played together outside studio, but Jukka is one of the most talented guys on this planet and with a little rehearsal session it will be great. I am sure it will be fun!I must admit that I checked some tagged pictures on my MySpace and I started missing the bigger stage shows, but hey, summer is on it’s way and soon we’ll be jumping more again ;) It’s so nice that we get to do all different stuff from Acoustic and clubs shows to TV-shows and festivals. Can’t complain about my life. No kettle bell (Girya) training today. We are still following the 3-times-a-week program like scout boys ;)Maybe it’s just this tour and you angels inside the clubs singing with us every evening, but honestly, I don’t remember feeling this happy and relaxed ever. Sound check in 30 minutes, I gotta eat something before that. Love, SamuPS: Way to go IFK!
14-03-10 Sunrise Avenue's Diary
Good morning…(Please listen to “Green Day – Peacemaker” while reading this blog. To get into the right mood. Or after reading, it’ll make your day better!)I woke up today in Asch… wait, I need to check the town name… Aschaffenburg. It’s near Frankfurt in Germany. Actually I woke up as Osmo had his hands in my bus bed (“Put your hand on me!”) and he was looking for something. From my bed??? I guess the fact that he is leaving us after tomorrow’s show; he is feeling a bit sad and wants to maximize the moments together. I kind of told him to F**k off! Hope I didn’t hurt his feelings, but I think it’s good to be honest and straight with these things….;)This trip has been far better than I expected. When we started this trip, I was a bit worried how people might taker the show with so many slow songs and us mainly sitting down. You have been great every evening!! On the ”rock shows” there are so many moving parts in the show that it’s hard for us on stage to really “sit back” and enjoy the show. These acoustic shows are perfect in that way. I have had every hair up in my body many times a night. Especially in “Dream like A Child” and “Forever Yours.” It’s so great how you have the patience to listen to the song until the very end and then the room explodes. That feels good on my shake barstool. Now after almost a ten shows, Ihave learnt to sit down more during the show. Especially in Hamburg (1st show) I was still so nervous with the whole setup that I guess I went around my chair a hundred times. It’s at least down to 50 now ;)I am so proud of my boys. Sure we have played a lot during these years and I knew that Sami can count to four without losing the rhythm, but the way how great the instruments and stuff fit together has surprised me. Last year when we played the acoustic radio show on a very short notice, it was more about hanging out on stage and making jokes and singing loud. Now there are so many cool little special guitar / key / drum stuff that make it fresh and new even for me. Some of the songs are on a brand new level. Especially “Dream Like A Child” is one of the songs that are better than the original to me. Osmo is leaving us tomorrow. Even though he really would seem to stay, he has to take care of his own career. He has some own shows (Go check him out!) and he is also going to Philadelphia to write / produce some new music. I can’t describe the value he brings to the band on and off stage. I really hope there will be space for Sunrise Avenue in Osmo’s calendar in the future too. But thumbs up for Osmo’s world domination too for sure. I hope he hires me as something, a security guard or a dancer when he is a world class super star.I remember worrying about the keyboard situation a year ago. Our dear producer and musical genius Jukka Backlund had to leave the band because his real passion is somewhere else than being a band member. He is a music producer and if you travel with a band, you just don’t have energy to do another job when you get back home. Jukka has been the biggest factor in Sunrise Avenue from the whole beginning and I would not sit here in Aschaffenburg or anywhere without Jukka’s huge talent & work during these years. Jukka was also a very important backbone for me when I had to start growing towards being a musician and a kind of a public person a few years ago. I’m still on the way – steady she goes... We have had our ups and downs with Jukka and even though he is probably not the easiest person on the planet, I love and respect him very much. So the reunion is about to happen on Wednesday in Mannheim and I really hope you al give him a warm welcome. We recorded the shows with Osmo and we sent Jukka the songs / versions and he was really blown away. It has been a while since we have played together outside studio, but Jukka is one of the most talented guys on this planet and with a little rehearsal session it will be great. I am sure it will be fun!I must admit that I checked some tagged pictures on my MySpace and I started missing the bigger stage shows, but hey, summer is on it’s way and soon we’ll be jumping more again ;) It’s so nice that we get to do all different stuff from Acoustic and clubs shows to TV-shows and festivals. Can’t complain about my life. No kettle bell (Girya) training today. We are still following the 3-times-a-week program like scout boys ;)Maybe it’s just this tour and you angels inside the clubs singing with us every evening, but honestly, I don’t remember feeling this happy and relaxed ever. Sound check in 30 minutes, I gotta eat something before that. Love, SamuPS: Way to go IFK!