1982

As HIM was getting ready to embark on their massive US TOUR, days after the release of their latest albun, Venus Doom, I was able to sit down and talk with  the band's frontman Ville Valo. I've done more then a few intervews in my life, but I've never felt so touched by the person I was talking to.

Ville Valo's intelligent and witty way with words, as well as his thought process, really leaves an impact-

What follows is one of the most genuine and heartfelt intervews I have ever had the honor to conduct.

Pixie: Congratulations on debuting at #12 on the billboard with the new albun Venus Doom

Ville Valo : thank you.

Pixie: Were you expecting that kind of success to happen?

Ville Valo:  Well...no.Obviously we were hoping to get higher on the charts with Dark Light, but you never expect anything to happen.  That would be terrible, and a pain in the ass  expect too much.That 's the best way, and the easiest  way , to ruin a day, expect anything to happen. We just go with the flow and hope for the best . But we 're super psyched about it. That, and the ticket sales being really good for the upcoming tour. We  can't wait to get over there.

Pixi:e How are you dealing with all the new fans, with the new influx after the success of the single and Project Revolution?

Ville Valo:  Well .. we have been playing music since we were less then ten years old and my first gig that I got paid for was more then 15 years ago. It was in a small pub and I got, meybe twenty dollars. Since then , it's been a long way and a lot of hard work,  so I am really happy we have made it so far.

I'm just happy about the hole thing. We spent a lot of time and energy on the whole thing. We fucking wept and laughed and bled all we could with Venus Doom, so I'm really glad we're finally grabbing some attention for it.

Pixie: You deserve it. The albun is amaizing.What inspired the sound? Some songs are very hard - sounding.

Ville Valo:  Well.. you know the  albun  before, it was really straightforword and would even call it "polished", production-wise, at least. That was we wanted to do at the time. After we were touring that albun for a year, a year and a half, we got bored with that kind of stuff and wanted to try out something different and a bit more challenging. A more in your face kind of sound with extended songs.We want a little bit more music in  there. It was a chellenge for us, but we were happy , we accomplished everything we wanted to with the new albun. We were also listening to a lot of Black Sabbath . So they are the ones to blame. If somebody doesn't like the new album? It's all Black Sabbath's fault.

Pixie: They could thank them as well..Either way.

Ville Valo: Well, you know , I'm a big fan. They are one of the  main reasons we atrted this whole band back in the day.  We were listening a lot of Sabbath, as well as Monster Magnet and Type O Negative and going back to the roots of bands that influenced us in the beginning.That 's why it's a little bit more of doom of gloom album. It felt natural to do something ...meybe the write word would be ..dangerous? It'sa bit more spooky and creepy. I like my music like I like my women.

Pixie: Youl know you look a little bit Unhappy!

Ville Valo: It doesn't fit with our music. It just takes away  so much from the mystical, whatever you want to call it..the moodiness of the whole performance. In the sun we're acting what we can be in the dark club with the lights and audience being really close.I'm not complaining ... we had a great time

That's  where I feel more at home  I'm not complaining ...we had the opportunity to play to a lot of people that didn't know who we were , all the gigs were good . But I'm anxiously   awaiting for our own shows,

Pixie: I think that's so funny because you guys, Placebo, My Vhemical Romance, all looked so out of pace in the sun. And you had on all this clothing..it looked painful.

Ville Valo: It was fucking wierd! We haven't payed in a years and occasionally, it might to be good, but I'm not a big fan from tans and I don't like to be tanned up. And it was way too hot . Again I'm not complaining...it was a great experience for the band and we had fun . But it was wierd. A lot of our songs are very long  and we only had 40 minutes , so we only had time to play 9 songs per day, then travel  500  or 600 miles  to the next city. We were used to playing five nights  in a row, doing an hour and 20 minutes every night in the dark and moody club. It was deffenitly different.

Pixie: So do you have some expectations for your headlining tour?

Ville Valo: As I was saying before, about expectations and all..lets just say that  I'm hoping that everybody in the band is going to be well, noboby is going to be feverish and«ill  though the tour.- which usually happens  when everybody is travelling in the same bus with germs fluing about and all that I don't know to expect . I'm hopping to see some new faces and just play some good gigs.

It's great to be touring a new album.The new songs are pretty good live. I never know what to expect.

I'm going to be  as surprised as the audience ..I guess

 

Pixie: That's good though. So when you spend so much time in US what do you miss the most about home?~

Ville Valo:  Well you know we haven't seen a lot  of US. Usually, when you're on tour you drive into the city,  play the gig and hop into the bus to do the same again,  a couple of nights ina row

You don't have the chance to see that much . So basically the only places I know are LA and New York. Ihaven't time to explore all the cities and restaurants yet. But is agood reason to come back.

I like countries that are multi-cultural.It makes it fascinating because everybody has a diferent story to tell. The architecture is interesting and very diferent from Europe.

The whole cultural change is like a fresh breeze. It's  great.

Pixie: You guys have really dedicated fans too, Lot of Heartagram tatoos, things like that,  But what the crasiest thing a fan has done to show their love of your band?

Ville: Well .. it depends how you define "craziest". As you said , a lot of people who like what we do tend to be very loyal and dedicated. I have had a great chats and conversations with a lot of people, but we haven't really met a lot of nutcases.

 

Pixie:Then you will have crasy fans asking to sign  your own cock, you rialize?

Ville Valo: well, it wouldn't take much time, since we won't name them. It wouldn't be some guesswork as to which one is which. Except  for Burton's . He's got the biggest cock  in the band

You had the Plaster Caster back in the day, so it wouldn't be so diferent.

 Pixie:Do you have anything that you would like to say to the fans?

Ville Valo: Oh my God.It's the thoughest question in the world.

Pixie: is it?

Ville Valo: Well I would like to see  people treating eachother  with respect. And never forget their parents . Reading asa much as they can. Not being stuck logged on the internet 24/7 days . You can do it a bit, but go out! Enjoy the sunshine while you can.Because life unfortunatly, has to end some at point.

Pixie: Waw, Family is very important for you isn't it?

Ville Valo: I'm really glad to have great parents, who are really proud of what I do . We respect eachother and they are a fun couple. They have been together for a long time  36/37 years married.

They are a very good exemples. My daddy  has a sex shop for me to get in touch with tem as much as possible.

Pixie: You have mentioned your father's sex shop more then once, is it a taboo in Finland?

Ville Valo: What do you mean?

Pixie:well, people here can be a little bit uptight about sex, in general, but when it comes to sex shops, there are a lot of restrictions, They can't be within certainn proximity to schools, churches, diferent places..

 

Ville Valo: Oh .. really? I didn't know it. I thought that they were pretty liberal when it cames to all of that. But my parents are pretty liberal. I wasn't baptized when I was born . My parents thought that I must believe in church to be baptized, and decide myself.

Pixie: As a funny story, your band got me in trouble witha former neighbor. I had a heartagram in my door and the woman brock it and moved out because she was affraid of it and claimed that I was a satanist.

Ville Valo: well that's the same as to go to Nepal and claim that they are Nazis because you see Swastikas everywhere. In Nepal there are symbols of spirituality and all good things and good luck.

It's wierd to know that one symbol can be interesting in so diferent ways by so many diferent people.

Poeple shoul d read more or get a little more educated.

 

Pixie:Not everybody wants to be. I don't think . you know the saying "ignorance is a bliss"? I think many people want to live that way-

 

Ville Valo: Well, they probibly say that to make excuses for saying someone is satanic or Bullshit like that

Pixie: You're very well read, aren't you? What have you been reading lately?

Ville Valo: I'm readding a stunning book called... actually I'm reading several books at the same time, but the one I just started  is called "I have the write to destroy myself" by Young-ha, kim, and another called "Rat scabies and the holy Grail", which is about the  drummer from The Damned  looking for the Holy Grail in France" It's like a "Punck rock Da Vinci Code" Very funny and Intertaining.

Itry to read the serious  when I'm back home.

Pixie: Well thank you so much. I feel we have a lot . I think you spreed a very positive message, encouraging people to read and love...it's really good.

Ville Valo:well, ity's a strat. Life is never easy. But is good to know that as hard as it is. It is just as hard to everybody.There's always somebody feeling at least as horrible as you do.

Pixie;:that's the beauty of the music, isn't it?It's where people find the most solace. I think that they say that is music adn then animals confort people the most.

Ville : Could be...

Pixie:Generally , both couldn't turn your backs on you and loves you noo matter what. They are there always for you.

Ville : Music and Animals, oh come on!  I mean you must have to  trust people as well, Otherwise you will turn into a jaded bastard and that's a future that nobody wants to see for themseves.People are people. Fucking Hell. That's what Depeche Mode sang about back in the days right? people are bastards but they are lovely bastards

Pixie: I like that.

Ville Valo: thank you.