The other four members of Stratovarius respond

[adaher]

And I have to side with Tolkki about Kotipelto's songwriting. It's just not one of Kotipelto's talents. If the new Stratovarius features a big helping of Kotipelto songs, it's gonna suck.

 

[Mooseknuckle]

Down at the bottom is the most significant news: Tolkki is going to let the other guys use the Stratovarius name.

I don't see where they ever said they wanted to use the name Stratovarius. Just that they would continue to make music together. I personnaly hope they do not use the name, as I do not believe that the music is going to be Strato music. It may well be good or even great, but it will be different enough to merit a change in name. And hopefully they will not pull a Tracii Gunns and start calling themselv'es Timo Kotipelto's Stratovarius. That would be awful...

 

[AMBR]

As far as the name goes, I think all the negativity surrounding the name now out weights the "brand value". Besides, whatEVER they do will always be compared with Strato music past, and it will never be exactly the same. Not sure if Tolkki stayed and the band continued together, would it ever be really the same. Too many things have changed.

As for Kotipelot's composing, I like his music in a different way from Stratovarius music, or much other power metal. It's more easy listening then gut grabbing metal. IMO they should collaborate and come up with something totally new. I think if Jens worked with another highly skilled guitarist and Kotipelto has some input, something really fresh and exciting could result.

There are so many talented guitarist/composers out there. I hope they put this ugliness past them and land someone really clever and innovative. Example: Chris Caffery's solo stuff really hasn't caught on well enough, yet he has so much talent and so many ideas, maybe if there was a mix of styles and ideas something really different and creative would come out of it. Not just thinking about Chris. There's alot of guys that are currently not heavily engage that could really spark the fire. Tony McAlpine? Rick Renstrom? Surely, you all could come up with a lot more. What do you think?

 

[SyXified]

I don't get the whole 'in debt to the record label' thing. That's something that is essentially impossible despite what most people like to believe. You sign a deal, get a recoupable advance, and then make a certain % of sales. But recoupable costs are not bills - it's just money coming off your earnings. An artist is never obligated to pay a dime out of pocket, if a band breaks up the label just eats it. The only way to get 'in debt' to a record label is to do something stupid or sleazy like borrow additional money as a loan for a tour (which you would be better off doing from a bank) or charging extra recording costs to the label rather than paying it with the advance (which I'm not sure a studio or label would let you get away with in the first place). If for some reason Sanctuary was not paying them correctly for a number of years and the legal battle was to have the correct amount paid to them, then I can understand being upset and they would certainly be entitled to those monies - but it's far from a DEBT. If I paint a fence for $100 and only receive $60, I don't say 'I'm in debt $40', I would say 'I am owed $40 more' - it's account receivable, not accounts payable. There may be something I'm not understanding about their situation because, admittedly, I'm not going to read through every 3 hour rant Timo Tolkki, et alia, spit out - but from what I have read, their phrasing of calling what is likely money yet to be collected a 'debt' is the greediest aspect of the whole saga.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

Who votes this will turn into Gorgoroth v2.0 if they go with keeping the Strato name?

Sorry, this is the first time i've opened this thread... Hahaha, I got J-Dubs in a bad habbit aahaahahahaha