Stratovarius aren't dead after all...

Looks like the Strato guys have picked up a new guitarist to replace Timo Tolkki and have decided to keep on keepin' on... seems kind of strange since Stratovarius has long been considered Tolkki's band and he was the main songwriter/head froot loop/tyrannical overlord... it'd be like Iced Earth continuing on without Jon Schaffer or somethin'.


STRATOVARIUS: First Photos With New Guitarist Released - Aug. 22, 2008

As BLABBERMOUTH.NET first reported yesterday, remaining STRATOVARIUS members Timo Kotipelto (vocals), Jens Johansson (keyboards), Lauri Porra (bass) and Jörg Michael (drums) have officially recruited Finnish guitarist Matias Kupiainen to replace the group's founding member and main songwriter Timo Tolkki. The news of Kupiainen's addition to the band was broken exclusively by Petri Silas of Finland's Soundi magazine, who spoke to both Kotipelto and Kupiainen for the publication's August 2008 issue (available on newsstands as of August 20).[/size]

Writing on the band's official web site, Jens Johansson said, "Earlier this summer, Timo K, Jens and Lauri got together with a guitar player in a forest cottage in west Finland and wrote and arranged some songs. It went extremely well, and we are very happy with the material, the direction, and the general vibe in the band.

We now have over 15 songs written and demoed already, but probably not all of these will make it to the actual album.

"We are happy to confirm that our new guitar player is Matias Kupiainen. He was the only guy we even considered seriously. This interesting fellow was born May 11th, 1983 and is a native of Helsinki, Finland.

"Next week, Jörg and Jens will come to Finland as we have booked three weeks of rehearsals and recordings in another cottage. We will then work more intensely on the songs in a real band rehearsal type of situation."

Timo gave them the rights. But Timo is also releasing one last Strato album himself.

kmorg wrote:

Timo gave them the rights. But Timo is also releasing one last Strato album himself.

I thought his "Revolution Renaissance" album was the stuff that was supposed to be the last Stratovarius album...

...but with this band, who knows? Over the past few years the soap opera drama surrounding them has been more interesting than the music

Fat Freddy wrote:

kmorg wrote:

Timo gave them the rights. But Timo is also releasing one last Strato album himself.

I thought his "Revolution Renaissance" album was the stuff that was supposed to be the last Stratovarius album...

...but with this band, who knows? Over the past few years the soap opera drama surrounding them has been more interesting than the music

He's gonna continue the Revolution Renaissance thing too. But he said he'll record one last Strato album, with older members, and himself singing!

kmorg wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

kmorg wrote:

Timo gave them the rights. But Timo is also releasing one last Strato album himself.

I thought his "Revolution Renaissance" album was the stuff that was supposed to be the last Stratovarius album...

...but with this band, who knows? Over the past few years the soap opera drama surrounding them has been more interesting than the music

He's gonna continue the Revolution Renaissance thing too. But he said he'll record one last Strato album, with older members, and himself singing!

So it's going to be a power metal version of the "Tracii Guns' L.A. Guns" Vs. "Phil Lewis' L.A. Guns" huh? Interesting.

They still dont know if they will keep the name or not. And the thing with Tolkki doing another Strato album with the other members might not happen. This was from yesturday

Kotipelto goes on to correct some rumors that have generated from and around Tolkki:

1) Contrary to what Tolkki has said, there will not be a new album release from STRATOVARIUS this fall featuring the band's early lineup.

2) The band's deal with Sanctuary was not worth the three million Tolkki claimed it was upon its signing.

3) Kotipelto's reluctance to do a "STRATOVARIUS farewell world tour" didn't stem from any resentment towards Tolkki, but from the fact that without consulting anyone, Tolkki allegedly decided by himself that the farewell jaunt should be done with Jari Kainulainen, not Lauri Porra, on bass.

please....please...stop..please...........

Man, I use to love this band, but haven't listened to them in years. Not sure why.

Even if they did continue with the name whats the big deal? There are still people in the band that we are familiar with since Forth Dimension. So what if Tolkki isnt there? The only thing that counts is that they make good music regardless whos in the band. Tolkki wasnt the greatest song writer in the world.

if Sepultura, Napalm Death, & Gorgoroth can do it, so can Stratovarius.

mc666 wrote:

if Sepultura, Napalm Death, & Gorgoroth can do it, so can Stratovarius.

eggzactlee

Molly Hatchet has been releasing new studio albums for almost two decades with one or less original members in the band!

KISS will continue to release compilation albums long after Gene & Paul are gone. Peter Criss died years ago and was replaced with a cardboard cut-out. Ace returned to his home planet and is just a hologram now.

This band has been dead to me for years.

Fat Freddy wrote:

it'd be like Iced Earth continuing on without Jon Schaffer or somethin'...

This would have been the best thing that has happened to Iced Earth since 1981



Regarding STRATO, I was hoping the new guitar player would be Jani Liimatainen...

stormspell wrote:

Regarding STRATO, I was hoping the new guitar player would be Jani Liimatainen...

Me too, but supposedly this guy is reallly good. funny thing is though he says he used to listen to power metal years ago. So he stopped listening to it but joins this band? doesnt make much sense. but possibly someone quoted him wrong and he probably said he started listening to power metal years ago. either way he does play good