Negative, Herbroner Echo 9/2005
The Finns are coming - totally Negative
From Scandinavia new to German stages - an interview with the glam rock band
Wetzlar/Tampere. On September 1st the new Album "Sweet & Deceitful", last night the start to the Germany tour in Berlin - the next big export from Finland is called Negative and finally comes to the stages of the world - It's time to! Founded in 1997 Negative, Negative have soon become #1 in Finnish single charts, got a gold record and a huge fan base through live shows and their debut "War of Love".
The great mixture of Nordic-melancholic Rock with dirty, distorted riffs as well as the extraordinary voice of Lead singer Jonne Aaron confirm that Negative is a versatile band that has a promising future.
Even before their new CD and their tour to Germany, X-Family met Negative's Jonne Aaron, Antti and Snack at home in Finland and talked to them about good looks, Rammstein, and why you need to bullets on a desert island.
Why's your name Negative? Does the name have a deeper meaning?
Jonne: It's from "Negative Creep", the song by Nirvana. We're creeps. The name is simple, easy to remember and looks got on a paper. I think it represents what we are. Deep inside, we're sooo negative.
What has changed since you have become famous?
Antti: Actually nothing... I don't have to work anymore!
Snack: And we're travelling more than before.
In with countries have you been with the band?
Jonne + Snack: In Japan, Russia, Sweden, Germany. But we didn't play shows there; we have shot the Video in Berlin.
Jonne We'll make a bigger tour through Germany in autumn. I can't wait to go to Germany because I've heard so many great stories. There are so many fans of Rock'n'Roll. Germans do understand a lot of good music, and that's no arse licking!
What music do you listen to yourselves?
Antti: I'm listening to a lot of Finnish Rock music, bands you probably don't know in Germany. Moreover, I like Guns'n'Roses, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Skid Row... out of the newer bands I only like Limp Bizkit and Slipknot.
Snack: I listen to everything from reggae to The Doors, just everything. I have a big record collection with a lot of different music.
Jonne: I think there are some bands that are heroes for all of us. Bands like Guns'n'Roses. And Nirvana as well! Kurt Cobain has helped me realize that you don't have to be as good as Jimmy Hendrix to play the guitar.
Antti: I like Rammstein as well!
Jonne: They are very famous in Finland.
Antti: They have these great concerts, live shows, fireworks, that's why I like them. They really have a great show.
Jonne: They are so masculine, real men.
But the Scorpions are good as well! Klaus Mein, „Wind of Change“.
I heard that Sir Christus only made it into the band because he looks so cute.
Antti: Not cute, but good. That’s great difference. He wasn't cute at all.
But is it true? Is Negative like one of these boy bands where it's all about looking good?
Jonne: No, Christus was the exception.
Antti: He looked like a whore, actually.
Jonne: He was like something from space, like an alien. I thought 'what the fuck?! I want this guy to be in my band. And all the girls were standing around him.
Snack: There was something about him...
What's the worst thing that happened to you on stage?
Snack: In 2003, my keyboard-stand broke down, that was horrible! I was playing and suddenly everything fell down. And once I was almost hit by a mike-stand.
Jonne: Yes, I just threw it to the back...
Snack: …I saw that there was a microphone stand flying right next to my head. There's always a certain danger...
Jonne: That's the interesting thing, you never know what happens on stage.
Describe a normal day in your life.
Jonne: When we're not touring and don't give interviews or something like that, we practise a lot. I usually awake in the afternoon, make tea and sandwiches and watch movies.
Snack: We often go to bars and have fun.
Jonne: Normal things you do. The best thing for me if I want to relax is to watch a movie with a beer. You don't have to think if you're just lying on the sofa.
Antti: We often see performances by other bands.
Jonne: And I do songwriting, play the guitar, for about 3 to 4 hours a day.
Jonne, you have worked in a kindergarten for some time.
Jonne: I quit school and had to earn money, because we didn't earn enough with the band. So I've been working in a kindergarten for one and a half year and it was really nice. It was so funny to be surrounded by kids 6 hours a day. They always asked me: 'Jonne, are you a girl?' or: 'Jonne, where's your ship? Are you a pirate because you wear these earrings?' It really was fun, that would be something I'd do if the band didn't exist. But there was one thing I didn't like about that job. When we had a show and I went back to work the next day with a hangover and smelled of beer the kids noticed that. They always said: 'Jonne, you smell like my dad!'
Antti and Snack, what have you done before you joined Negative?
Antti: I've sold vegetables and telephones, for about six months. Then I was fired because I'd been to the band's rehearsals for too many times. I had to decide whether to play in the band or to sell phones for the rest of my lifetime. So I decided to become a rocker!
Snack: I've always had something to do with music. But I also worked as a chef and in a record store and so on.
Antti: And Christus used to work as a porno model!
Which three things would you take to a desert island?
Snack: I think I'd take my keyboard, boxes and some nice girl.
Antti: I'd take a pistol with two bullets because you can't stay on a desert island for a long time.
Jonne: I would take these two because then I could eat them!
Antti: There's not much to eat...
Jonne: No, seriously, I'd take a helicopter, lots of petrol and a special human being, a beautiful Lady.
Original article by: N.N.
Published in: Herbroner Echo
From Scandinavia new to German stages - an interview with the glam rock band
Wetzlar/Tampere. On September 1st the new Album "Sweet & Deceitful", last night the start to the Germany tour in Berlin - the next big export from Finland is called Negative and finally comes to the stages of the world - It's time to! Founded in 1997 Negative, Negative have soon become #1 in Finnish single charts, got a gold record and a huge fan base through live shows and their debut "War of Love".
The great mixture of Nordic-melancholic Rock with dirty, distorted riffs as well as the extraordinary voice of Lead singer Jonne Aaron confirm that Negative is a versatile band that has a promising future.
Even before their new CD and their tour to Germany, X-Family met Negative's Jonne Aaron, Antti and Snack at home in Finland and talked to them about good looks, Rammstein, and why you need to bullets on a desert island.
Why's your name Negative? Does the name have a deeper meaning?
Jonne: It's from "Negative Creep", the song by Nirvana. We're creeps. The name is simple, easy to remember and looks got on a paper. I think it represents what we are. Deep inside, we're sooo negative.
What has changed since you have become famous?
Antti: Actually nothing... I don't have to work anymore!
Snack: And we're travelling more than before.
In with countries have you been with the band?
Jonne + Snack: In Japan, Russia, Sweden, Germany. But we didn't play shows there; we have shot the Video in Berlin.
Jonne We'll make a bigger tour through Germany in autumn. I can't wait to go to Germany because I've heard so many great stories. There are so many fans of Rock'n'Roll. Germans do understand a lot of good music, and that's no arse licking!
What music do you listen to yourselves?
Antti: I'm listening to a lot of Finnish Rock music, bands you probably don't know in Germany. Moreover, I like Guns'n'Roses, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Skid Row... out of the newer bands I only like Limp Bizkit and Slipknot.
Snack: I listen to everything from reggae to The Doors, just everything. I have a big record collection with a lot of different music.
Jonne: I think there are some bands that are heroes for all of us. Bands like Guns'n'Roses. And Nirvana as well! Kurt Cobain has helped me realize that you don't have to be as good as Jimmy Hendrix to play the guitar.
Antti: I like Rammstein as well!
Jonne: They are very famous in Finland.
Antti: They have these great concerts, live shows, fireworks, that's why I like them. They really have a great show.
Jonne: They are so masculine, real men.
But the Scorpions are good as well! Klaus Mein, „Wind of Change“.
I heard that Sir Christus only made it into the band because he looks so cute.
Antti: Not cute, but good. That’s great difference. He wasn't cute at all.
But is it true? Is Negative like one of these boy bands where it's all about looking good?
Jonne: No, Christus was the exception.
Antti: He looked like a whore, actually.
Jonne: He was like something from space, like an alien. I thought 'what the fuck?! I want this guy to be in my band. And all the girls were standing around him.
Snack: There was something about him...
What's the worst thing that happened to you on stage?
Snack: In 2003, my keyboard-stand broke down, that was horrible! I was playing and suddenly everything fell down. And once I was almost hit by a mike-stand.
Jonne: Yes, I just threw it to the back...
Snack: …I saw that there was a microphone stand flying right next to my head. There's always a certain danger...
Jonne: That's the interesting thing, you never know what happens on stage.
Describe a normal day in your life.
Jonne: When we're not touring and don't give interviews or something like that, we practise a lot. I usually awake in the afternoon, make tea and sandwiches and watch movies.
Snack: We often go to bars and have fun.
Jonne: Normal things you do. The best thing for me if I want to relax is to watch a movie with a beer. You don't have to think if you're just lying on the sofa.
Antti: We often see performances by other bands.
Jonne: And I do songwriting, play the guitar, for about 3 to 4 hours a day.
Jonne, you have worked in a kindergarten for some time.
Jonne: I quit school and had to earn money, because we didn't earn enough with the band. So I've been working in a kindergarten for one and a half year and it was really nice. It was so funny to be surrounded by kids 6 hours a day. They always asked me: 'Jonne, are you a girl?' or: 'Jonne, where's your ship? Are you a pirate because you wear these earrings?' It really was fun, that would be something I'd do if the band didn't exist. But there was one thing I didn't like about that job. When we had a show and I went back to work the next day with a hangover and smelled of beer the kids noticed that. They always said: 'Jonne, you smell like my dad!'
Antti and Snack, what have you done before you joined Negative?
Antti: I've sold vegetables and telephones, for about six months. Then I was fired because I'd been to the band's rehearsals for too many times. I had to decide whether to play in the band or to sell phones for the rest of my lifetime. So I decided to become a rocker!
Snack: I've always had something to do with music. But I also worked as a chef and in a record store and so on.
Antti: And Christus used to work as a porno model!
Which three things would you take to a desert island?
Snack: I think I'd take my keyboard, boxes and some nice girl.
Antti: I'd take a pistol with two bullets because you can't stay on a desert island for a long time.
Jonne: I would take these two because then I could eat them!
Antti: There's not much to eat...
Jonne: No, seriously, I'd take a helicopter, lots of petrol and a special human being, a beautiful Lady.
Original article by: N.N.
Published in: Herbroner Echo