Lumo

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Interview : Lumo

When and how was your band created?
Our band was created four years ago. Ile (bass) and Toni (guitar) had been playing in various bands together and they decided to form a "real band" that would get a record deal and not just play cover songs in a garage.

Toni and I were room mates in the same school and as we discovered that we had a similar taste in music and that I could sing a little, Toni invited me to be the singer in their new band.

We played as a quartet for a couple or months but we found out soon that we wanted a thicker guitar sound. Most of our favourite bands had also two guitarists. Jani (drums) knew Heze from a previous band they`d been in together and so finally we had a line-up that could play the kind of
music we liked.

What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
If I had to choose one band that has had a major influence throughout my life it would be The Beatles. That`s the only band I`ve not gotten tired of. They just have superior pop-melodies. Radiohead was also a major influence when we started Lumo. I love the OK Computer-album and I know Toni does too. But I guess we have slightly moved away from those slow and melancholy type of songs...I know the 80`s heavy metal bands that we listened to when we were teenagers have also influenced us, even though we don`t always want to admit that...:)

What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Hmm...Are there any positive? Only kidding. I like touring. Especially in the summer when the weather is nice and warm. You get to meet interesting people and see the country.

The negative aspects I guess are the same as they are everywhere in the world. You have to be really successful before you earn any money by music. So most musicians have day-jobs which means you really have no spare time and that influences your social life a lot. But I`m not complaining, this is what I want to do! :)

How could you qualify your style of music?
In finnish it`s called suomirokki which translates roughly to Finnish rock. This means a certain type of rock that has finnish lyrics.

Have you ever considered the possibilty to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of music would you choose?
Not really. We have sometimes joked around of doing some songs in english. Maybe we would choose the type of music we listened to as kids, Heavy Metal!

What are stories/topics you tell/treat in your songs?
The lyrics are mainly about relationships. The startings and the endings of relationships and everything that falls in between. We have some songs that have more "serious" lyrics but mainly we are known as a fun-loving band.

What is your favorite song in your repertoire and why?
My personal favourite is a song called Juhlat. I like it`s melody and it`s always fun to play live. I guess I like it also because it`s quite personal to me.

Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
We tour quite regularly, although right now we are having a break from touring.

They both have their good sides. I like the interaction between the band and the audience when playing live but on the other hand you can also have some really magical moments in the studio. Anyway, a good response from an audience gives one of the best feelings I can think of so I
guess I prefer performing live.

During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
I like recording vocals. Then I can hear the base of the song that the rest of the guys have built and just sing on it. But the ultimate moment is when you hear the song for the first time after it has been mixed and mastered. That`s the moment when you face the truth, have you succeeded
in making a good song.

What kind of music / What artists do you currently listen?
I´m listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers` latest album. I´ve also found again my Pink Floyd albums. I know it`s quite different music from Lumo.

A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST song?
It´s not a stupid question, just a hard one. The best song changes almost everyday and depends on my mood. Maybe it`s something from The Beatles or U2 or Radiohead or...I`m sorry I really can`t say!

Internet is something interesting for musicians because it gives them the opportunity to touch a larger audience but it is also a threat for them (regarding the copyrights). What is your opinion regarding this medium?
I have quite mixed feelings about it. But I`m not pro or anti on this subject. I know there are mp3s of our music on the internet. On the other hand it gives many people who normally wouldn`t buy our records the opportunity to listen to our music and maybe we have even gained some extra fans because of mp3s. But on the other hand people who download mp3s are eating off record industry`s money. I know the industry is going through tough times at the moment and there`s going to be some changes.

Do you use computers or home studios during the process of making an album or a song?
Yes, we use computer all the way through making demos and an album even though you`re not propably always able to tell. We don`t use midi sequenzing but record everything as audio. It´s just so much faster and more flexible way of recording than the old analogue tapes. Toni and I
both have our own home studios which are built around a PC. Our producers use Pro Tools-system when we record in a "real studio".

What are your actual and future projects?
Right now we are writing new songs. Next month we`ll do some touring and hopefully at the end of the year we`ll start recording our second album and release it early next year.
Interview by Vincent Lefrançois - 2002