METAL HELL: How does it feel to see your US fan base getting bigger?

JANNE WARMAN: It’s really cool. We’ve been working a lot on this whole US market thing, touring a lot here, fucking 5 tours in 2 years or whatever. We’ve been trying to get the whole U.S. market thing going on. Everything looks good so far, so we’re happy.

MH: What initially inspired you to play keyboards in a metal style?

JW: It was a funny situation, I was asked to try it out, (to see) if it would work and then I got stuck with it but nowadays we have a pretty unique way to do it so it’s pretty cool.

MH: Were you more inspired by keyboard or guitar players?

JW:  I do enjoy listening to a lot of good guitar players as well. They have their great licks and solos so I draw a lot of inspiration from guitar players as well.

MH: Do you have room to improvise live?

JW: Most of the solos are how it is on the album but some of my solos are totally improvised every night. I like to keep a little open window for some improvising shit. There’s always this hazard with improvising cause some nights it might sound like shit, but whatever.

MH: Do you ever learn guitar scales & licks?

JW: No, but when I listen to a lot of music & guitar players I pick up things here & there.

MH: Are you into Yngwie? Who are your favorite players?

JW: Yeah, but he’s more into this neo classical harmonic minor thing that I’m not so excited about nowadays, but (I like) Steve Vai & Zakk Wylde & stuff like that.

MH: How do you go about getting a good metal sound on keyboards?

JW: It takes a lot of work with keyboards nowadays because their sounds are so high end-ish & sound weird, so I would prefer a little bit older more analog type of keyboard sounds.

MH: What are some of your favorite keyboard sounds on albums?

JW: I’m a big fan of Jens Johansson’s sound which he used back in Yngwie Malmsteen’s band (on the) Rising Force albums & later using it on Stratovarious albums. He still has the best metal lead keyboard sound around.

MH: Do you play any other instruments?

JW: I used to play drums a little. Nowadays I don’t have a drum set anymore but I would like to still have the opportunity to have a drum set. I live in an apartment nowadays & I can’t have it over there. Back in the day I had a drum set & it’s really good for your timing & as a therapy as well to beat the crap out of the drums & relax, it’s cool.

MH: How does the writing process usually start?

JW: Alexi comes up with the riffs & shit & then at the rehearsal place we do the whole arranging thing & try out different things.

MH: Are you still doing the Warmen project?

JW: Yeah, but right now nothing is happening with that. I’m so busy with C.O.B. I’ve been thinking about what to do because I don’t actually wanna do the kind of thing we’ve been doing so far. I would like to do something different for a change, so let’s see what’s gonna happen.

MH: Does Sinergy still exist at all?

JW: I don’t really know. They had a new album they were working on but I don’t know what’s happened with that.

MH: With a different line-up?

JW: Yeah somewhat, actually I don’t remember what the last official line-up was, but yeah.

MH: What have been your favorite cover songs?

JW: Cover songs are a lot of fun. Some of my favorites were the Alice Cooper (“Bed Of Nails”) & Andrew W.K.’s “She Is Beautiful” is a cool cover version. They’re all really fun for us to make.

MH: What did you think of “Shot In The Dark”?

JW: For us nowadays it sounds like shit. We could have somehow done it better or just not do it at all.

MH: How about “Rebel Yell”?

JW: Yeah, that’s okay, but the “Shot In The Dark” cover is something we’re not very happy with.

MH: Was the band involved with the Japanese best of CD:’ Bestbreeder’?

JW: No, we had changed record labels in Japan & we gave the old label the okay that they could do a collection of the best of the albums that were released so far. That’s why it’s a bit weird. We had actually nothing to do with the album.

MH: Has the band started working on anything for the next album?

JW: Yeah (but) I think we still have a lot of touring to do. Almost the whole rest of the year we’re on the road. We have a short break but I don’t think we’re gonna start writing any new material then. In the beginning of next year we are gonna start writing new songs and working on the new album.

MH: Would you like to keep the same direction?

JW: I mean, we don’t think about it at all. We just start writing the songs & everything just happens. We don’t think about the direction that’s gonna happen but I’m really happy how the band has been doing now. The past 2 albums are my favorites so I’m pretty sure that we’re gonna come up with something good.

MH: Would you say the albums have captured all sides of the band or are there things to explore?

JW: I think that the new thing we’re doing, that there’s not so big of a variety, is better. On the first album there was all this neo-classical stuff that nobody gives a shit about anymore. I’m happier with the new style, there’s not so much bullshit going on. We were 17-18 years old when we recorded the first album so we didn’t know shit about anything.

MH: Does Something Wild remind you of that?

JW: Yeah, I can’t listen to it. It sounds like shit, but you have to start from somewhere.

MH There’s some good songs though. “Lake Bodom” is still in the set list.

JW: Yeah totally & we play a lot of the second album’s songs live still. Hatebreeder was a huge step forward from Something Wild in many ways.

MH: Do you hear an improvement live compared to how they were recorded then?

JW: Yeah, & also we make some small changes & try to arrange some of the old songs to make it more interesting for us to keep playing, and for the audience. They don’t need to hear the same version for 10 years in a row so we do a little arranging sometimes on the old songs before we tour. I think our playing has improved so some of the old songs sound better now live than they did on the album.

MH: How long has COB been planning the DVD?

JW: We’ve been gathering stuff & we recorded this show in Stockholm in February & that’s gonna be the main live thing but there’s gonna be a lot of stuff on the DVD. We wanted to release a big package & not just one show & a few funny clips of Roppe being drunk. There’s gonna be a lot of stuff on it that I hope people are gonna like.

MH: Any chance of re-releasing Tokyo Warhearts, the live album?

JW: Actually I saw emails of our management & record labels talking about that so it might be happening.

MH: Do you meet fans that play keyboards?

JW: Yeah sometimes, it’s cool.

MH: It seems the trend is going towards better musicianship.

JW: Right, cause for a while it was the whole grunge thing & nobody was allowed to know how to play their instrument, which kind of sucks ass (laughs).

MH: Any other future plans?

JW: We’re also doing the Slayer tour in Europe. After the touring we’re gonna start concentrating on the new album.

* Interview by Joe Degraffenreid / Metal Hell 2006 (c)