Tuomas - "This is a cliché, but I love the night and its magic and I love to wander around at nightime and let my thoughts fly. Often I dream and send wishes to the stars...Originally it was the title of one from our very first demo, which included 3 acoustic songs ("Nightwish", "The Forever Moments" and "Etiäinen"), and because of that, our demo was called "Nightwish-demo". I liked the name and thought that this name describes what our music is all about so that is why it also became the band's name"
Who are the members of Nightwish?
Anette Olzon - Vocals
Tuomas Holopainen - Keyboards, synths
Erno ‘Emppu' Vuorinen - Guitar
Jukka Nevalainen - Drums
Marco Hietala - Bass
Previous Members:
Sami Vänskä – Bass (1998 – 2002)
Tarja Turunen - Vocals(1996-2005)
Why is Emppu's name often listed as Erno?
Erno was actually his birth name. However, he has said that as this name can be very hard to pronounce for Finnish people, he was given the nickname ‘Emppu' which has stuck to this day.
Why did Sami leave the band?
Sami (Vänskä) was the bassist for Nightwish from 1998 to early 2002, at which point Marco (Hietala) joined. There were personal reasons which only the band knows, but we know that Tuomas and Sami had problems agreeing on things. Tuomas speaks about this on the ‘End of Innocence' DVD.
Who plays bass on Angels Fall First?
On many of the songs on Angels Fall First, there is no bass. However, where there is, Emppu plays bass aswell as guitar.
Have Nightwish ever broken up?
Technically, no, although they nearly did when Sami left the band. It is said that Tuomas had had enough by then and told the members to call it off, that Nightwish was coming to an end. He took some time off, walking the hills and hiking. However, after a year, the band regrouped with new bassist Marco Hietala. Since then, the band has been stronger than ever.
What equipment do the band members use?
Emppu - ESP Guitars.
Jukka - Tama Starclassic drums, Paiste cymbals, Pro Mark sticks and Remo drumheads. Full details of Jukka's drum setup can be found here.
Marco - Warwick Infinity bass, Kramer Forum 1 bass, Warwick Pro-tube IX amp.
Tarja - Not known.
Tuomas - Korg Triton Classic, Korg N354, Korg Karma.
Why is Tarja the 'face' of the band, if Tuomas writes the songs?
Each band has a 'face', someone who immediately comes to mind when a band is mentioned. Tarja is the singer of the band, and is at the front of the stage for the majority of the time during performances; when you listen to a piece of music, usually the vocals are one of the first things you pay most attention to (if the music has vocals).
Tarja has a strong voice that demands attention in the songs; Tuomas has the power to write the words she sings albeit he is still the keyboard player. Also, with Tarja being the only female of the band, she is often singled out; even more so for being one of few females in a male-lead 'metal' world.
What other projects do members of Nightwish work on?
Tarja has done vocals for Beto Vazquez Infinity, on their album 'Infinity', she has also been a part of Noche Escandinavia, an opera that has taken place in Chile and Argentina since June 2002.
Emppu has written music for a track on Beto Vazquez Infinity - Infinity. Until recently, he also played guitar for Altaria.
Tuomas plays keyboards for For My Pain, although has said he will not join the band for any live shows. In 2002 he also played keyboards at several live shows in Finland for Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus. You can also hear Tuomas playing keyboards on the debut Sethian album
Jukka plays drums for Sethian.
Marco still sings and plays bass in his original band, Tarot. He has also sung backing vocals for Altaria and played bass in Sinergy.
Are any Nightwish members married?
Tarja is married to Argentinian entrepreneur Marcelo Cabuli. They became engaged at the end of 2002 and were married in the summer of 2003.
Jukka is in a long term relationship with his girlfriend, Satu. In March 2003 they had a baby together, a girl named Luna.
Marco is married with children
Tuomas is believed to have a girlfriend, although he prefers to keep this information private.
There is currently no information about Emppu.
What kind of music do Nightwish play?
Everyone has a different opinion as to what genre of music Nightwish play. However, in an interview, Tuomas Holopainen once described their music as "Melodic heavy metal with a female voice".
What are the meanings behind Nightwish's songs?
All songs (music and lyrics), aside from the covers, are written by Tuomas and many of them have very personal meanings for him. No one will ever know the full meanings of all the songs, apart from Tuomas. Some songs are more 'obvious' than others, but each person has their own interpretation of each song and they are entitled to that. Tuomas may have reasons for not saying the meanings of his songs, and he of course, has the right to that.
You can however read Tuomas' notes on the meanings behind the songs on ‘Wishmaster' on this page of the official website.
Tuomas and Tarja also spoke about the meanings behind the songs on ‘Century Child' in a German goth magazine. You can read the transcription (in English) at on the Nightwish Fansite.
The Russian fansite (in English) also provides some explanations as to the meanings of many Nightwish songs.
What are Nightwish's influences?
Tuomas once said that he was highly inspired by metal bands such as Stratovarius. He has also been inspired by fantasy, especially Lord Of The Rings and the Dragonlance series. Disney is also a big part of Tuomas's life.
Who sings the male vocal parts for Nightwish?
From Century Child onwards (including ‘Once') the male vocal duties in Nightwish have been handled by Marco Hietala, the bands bassist. A number of different vocalists have featured on earlier recordings however. The following is a list of all Nightwish tracks featuring male vocals and who performs them.
Angels Fall First – 1997
Beauty And The Beast - Tuomas Holopainen (Nightwish)
The Carpenter - Tuomas Holopainen (Nightwish)
Astral Romance - Tuomas Holopainen (Nightwish)
Oceanborn – 1998
Devil And The Deep Dark Ocean - Wilska (Sethian, Finntroll)
The Pharaoh Sails To Orion - Wilska (Sethian, Finntroll)
Wishmaster – 2000
The Kinslayer - Ike Vil (from 'Babylon Whores' – appearing thanks to Necropolis Records)
Dead Boy's Poem - Sam Hardwick
Over The Hills And Far Away - 2001
Over The Hills And Far Away - Tony Kakko (Sonata Arctica)
10th Man Down - Wilska (Sethian, Finntroll)
Astral Romance (Remake 2001) - Tony Kakko (Sonata Arctica)
Century Child – 2002
Bless the Child - Sam Hardwick
Beauty of the Beast – Sam Hardwick
All other male vocals on Century Child by Marco Hietala.
You may also see Tony Kakko (Sonata Arctica) performing Beauty and the Beast with Nightwish on the ‘From Wishes to Eternity' DVD. On this DVD and at most Nightwish shows, Wilska performs on the live version of ‘Pharaoh Sails to Orion'.
Why does each album sound so different?
Every band progresses through different sounds, as do songwriters. Experimenting with different effects and sounds, trying new things with the instruments. If you listen to each album in order they were made, you can hear how Nightwish have progressed through, from having some acoustic tracks on 'Angels Fall First' to having heavier tracks as on 'Oceanborn' and 'Century Child'.
Why don't Nightwish play "Ocean Soul" live?
Nightwish have agreed as a band never to play this song live because this song is very personal to Tuomas and he would prefer not to play it live.
Have Nightwish ever made a soundtrack or had songs used on a soundtrack?
'End Of All Hope' and 'Slaying The Dreamer' are used in a Finnish movie called 'Kohtalon Kirja' (The Book Of Fate).
How many Nightwish videos have been made?
Videos have been made for:
- The Carpenter
- Sacrament of Wilderness
- Sleeping Sun
- Over The Hills And Far Away
- Bless The Child
- End Of All Hope
- Nemo
- Wish I Had An Angel
You can see all pre-Once videos split between the two DVDs ('From Wishes to Eternity' and 'End Of Innocence') and on the Drakkar version of 'Over The Hills And Far Away'.
Which album should I buy first?
Any Nightwish album can be bought first, but it has been recommended on the official message board to buy them in chronological order, that way you can listen to the progression the band have made over the years. Many fans also recommend ‘Wishmaster' as a good starting point.
Will Nightwish ever play in my country?
It's always best to check out the tour page on the Official Nightwish Homepage, or the tours section of our site. If it's not there, then Nightwish aren't coming at this time.
Where can I buy official Nightwish merchandise?
Official merchandise for the band is available from the Nightwish Shop. All merchandise sold here is official and goes directly towards supporting the band. You can also visit our merchandise page for a list and further details of online stores stocking Nightwish merchandise.
Where can I find the fonts used for the Nightwish logo and Once logo and tracklist?
The font used for the Nightwish logo is Shelley Volante Script. The font used on Once and also Nemo is Tension. In order to use either font, you must first purchase a license. You can do this by visiting the links provided, the fonts are priced at $25.99 and $29 respectively.
