Jonne Aaron w Soundi, luty 2013 [angielski]

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Z poniżej wynika,że zespoł ponownie zacznie działac w kieunku nowej płyty która będzie bogata w melodie w połączeniu z punkiem,będą słyszalne wpłyty Nirvany Razz

This interview was published in a magazine called Soundi on February 2013.

Jonne Aaron - "I Feel Alive When I Can Do Something All The Time"

Last autumn, Jonne Aaron's easygoing essence charmed people in the Vain elämää series. Due to that great popularity it was a propitious time to make a Finnish solo album. Negative, who have been quiet, are supposed to start making a new album next year.

I get a text message a bit before the interview is supposed to begin. Jonne Aaron (Jonne Liimatainen, born in 1983) asks politely if the meeting could be postponed by an hour because he was up late last night. Not in the bar but renovating a sauna.

Jonne arrives to Soundi's editorial office with his hair wet and with the charming moustache that has remained unchanged. The recording label has suggested him to shave it off many times but the singer hasn't agreed to do it.

Last autumn, Jonne was a part of the Vain elämää show that became the biggest Finnish music phenomenon of the 21st century. His emotional interpretation of Kaija Koo's song called Kylmä ilman sua (Cold Without You) rose to be the most moving performance of the show. The series made the whole nation familiar with the rock singer.

Jonne Aaron had dreamed about making a solo album for a long time but now the best possible time to do it came accidentally. The Finnish poptune album will be recorded during February and it will be released on March. He's been also booked many gigs.

He isn't meaning to stick with the solo material eternally, though. It'll be Negative's turn again after that.

At the age of 14, Jonne had to move to the children's home due to his parents' alcohol problem. Pretty much simultaneously he found Guns N' Roses' music and soon a band that consisted of schoolmates was playing in the bombshell of Tesoma's junior high. Negative recorded their first demo in 1998. It sold hundreds of copies in the counter of Tesoma's Makuuni (a video rental store).

Negative's first album, War of Love, came out on March 2003, in other words 10 years ago. Now they have made 5 albums and it's probably time to make the 6th next year. The new single of the band was supposed to come out last autumn but things have been postponed.

In addition to Negative and the solo album, Jonne Aaron has written songs to many other artists during the past years. His songs have been recorded by i.a. Popeda, Olli Lindholm, Joel Hallikainen, Suvi Teräsniska and Katri Ylander. At the moment, Jonne is making songs together with a new singer talent called Peppi Polviander.

Jonne Aaron, who confesses to be a proud fan of Ilves (a Finnish ice hockey team), sometimes goes to play a little with ice-skates and a stick. His wrist shots are still hard and sharp.

You'll turn 30 next summer. Does it feel like a notable boundary marker?
- I haven't thought about it. Or when I start to, the thought lasts for maybe 10 seconds and then disappears.
- For a long time, I've defined my age via Negative's albums. We made albums for years and toured in a row. I don't think about years of life, I think about albums. I don't think that "when I was 23 years old, this and that happened" but that "when that album came out, this and that happened". It's probably pathetic but that's how it goes.
- I still feel that I'm young. Katri Helena celebrates his 50th anniversary this year. There's some perspective.

Negative got a fast-paced start to their career in the beginning of the decade. The youth centers and school halls in Tampere's region were bursting at their seams before even the first album was released. Why did the band provoke so much attention right away?
- Tommi's business sense had its fingers in the game. Of course also our enthusiasm and obsession to succeed and move that thing forward were important.
- Tommi got a realization that while we were making our first album, we made a school tour in some junior highs in Pirkanmaa, Satakunta and Turku. The pupils were forced to go to the hall and the lights were turned off. We took our own PA and light systems there and put the rock to play on the lunch time. In theory, we forcefully brainwashed the Finnish youth.
- I remember that the guys had moonshine canisters with them everywhere back then. We put water, quick yeast and sugar to a Mehukatti can. It was called mash. I never learned to like it, it tasted so goddamn bad.

How's it going with Negative right now?
- I hope that we won't face the same destiny as Nightwish! I hope that there won't be a new singer in the band when I return from this solo stuff! (A week after this interview was made, there was news that Negative will take over-a-year-lasting break -the reporter)
- Actually our situation is good. Songwriting has been a bit slower than before but we have rehearsed new songs for the album. Usually we have made the songs and went to studio immediately but now the guitarist that moved from Turku to Tampere has been waiting what's gonna happen for two years.
- We have rehearsed all the time but I faced all kind of other stuff also in private life and that's why things have been postponed. In a way, I haven't felt motivated about enthusiastically starting to make a new album again. And when it doesn't come from the heart, it isn't worthwhile to do it. Music can be forced but the feeling can't. One has to give it time.
- All the music for the next album exists but some of the texts are... under construction. We have rehearsed six songs with the band but there isn't an accurate schedule. I think that people will heard something new from Negative on 2014. We have already played one new song on gigs. It's called The World Is In Your Arms. It's on YouTube and people can go to click it there.
- In my opinion, new songs broaden the band's limits in every area. A certain kind of lack of prejudice will be heard on the upcoming album strongly. It's stuff rich with melodies but there's also punk attitude. So, the Nirvana roots can be heard, too.

Were you disappointed when Neon (released in 2010) didn't succeed abroad the way you expected it to?
- It was the first album made with Warner. It was great to get to make it in Los Angeles. It was a memorable experience but I'm disappointed with how phlegmatic the recording label was about it in Middle Europe. It would have deserved more attention. And it wouldn't have required much more than some Rudolf hitting the Enter. Actually, we flew to the home office of Germany to meet people with Tommi. They only said that unfortunately rock is in a very bad market situation right now. It gave us the feeling that they hadn't even listened to the album.
- We haven't had enormous radio rotation but we have a hell of a good reputation as a touring band. And I rather take the reputation of a strong touring band than one radio hit that nobody remembers the following year. It's great to be able to sell out some club, for example, in Berlin. That's how you know that people haven't forgotten you or disappeared anywhere.
- In my mind, there's a strong train of thought about a rockband being able to create a long career. We are a bit like Scorpions from Tammela. We'll never quit. Klaus Meine's parable was very good: "Do you know the feeling when you're in a good party and don't want to find the front door."

You'll release a Finnish solo album in the end of March. When did you start to write the songs to it?
- They were written during about three years. The oldest ones are from 2010.
- They are really different stuff, they can't be compared to Negative anyway. They are old guard's stuff, singer/songwriter atmosphere. My poptune roots will be heard there for sure, the Finnish melancholy. That's probably the only combination part with Negative.
- I do turn 30 in August. My secret dream was to release the solo album then but the Vain elämää show changed the schedule. Encouraged by it, it'll be released a bit early as the songs already exist and everything. I'll start touring in the end of March and before that I should get the album to the stores. About 40 gigs have been booked and there are more to come. The demand is huge. I could go like an Irwin, with a helicopter.
- I'll throw my own gigs until autumn, I'll tour festivals and the ordinary gig places in Finland, and then it's Negative's turn. I'm not meaning to freeze only on Finnish solo material but this album is just one of my dreams that will now come true. I hope that it will also make Negative's audience deeper. I hope that the people who have seen me on TV will also become interested in Negative.

Did participating to the Vain elämää show look suspicious to you?
- Of course it did. I was skeptic and wanted to find out what it's all about. I didn't want to join anything scandal-seeking or anything that dislikes other artists.
- I went to the production meeting and heard the names of the other participants. I was already familiar with Katri Helena and I talked about it with her. I decided that this show is an appreciating and positive thing that shows our more mundane side. When I heard all the names, I thought that I'd join, too. At that time, though, there were two other artists who I expected to be involved. For some reason, they didn't come. I didn't hear anything being said about Kauko Röyhkä even though he said himself that he had been asked to join the show.
- Afterwards, I'm proud that I dared to go there. It was a great experience. It brought many good things into my life. I'm sure that when I'm old, I would have regretted listening to some rock Puritan's opinion and not going because of that.

Can you say why Jouni Hynynen and Kauko Röyhkä, for example, hate the Vain elämää show so deeply?
- I understand their opinion in a way but attacking the Vain elämää show is a bit too easy. Maybe they've had a bad hangover or something.
- Even though I'm a sensitive guy, I'm not interested in their opinions. I don't care about them. Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me. Whatever.

How did the Vain elämää show affect your solo album plans?
- It would have come out at some point for sure but of course it affected the fact that the album will come out now. It's a natural continuum to the Vain elämää thing. There'll never be a better time for me to release a solo album. And I can't go to the gigs to sing only some covers. It's now or never!

You said that the album doesn't sound like Negative at all. How else would you describe it?
- It will be recorded in a very fast pace because I want to be rid of the pointless Pro Tools thingy. I want the album to be unpolished. I don't want it to sound like the whole thing's been polished up with Pro Tools and Auto-Tune. Rather a bit muddy Moskvitsh than a waxed Mercedes Benz.
- I want to make a human album. I want the playing and the people behind it to be heard. There are good demos of all the songs ready so the album will be recorded in a fast pace. I've had three years to make those demos.

Is it true that in addition to your own lyrics, there are also texts written by Vexi Salmi on the album?
- It is true. Vexi has written the lyrics to three songs and I've written the rest. There's a song called Ravintola Suru (Restaurant Grief). It was supposed to be on Pate Mustajärvi's solo album but then I started to feel like I should sing it myself. I started to regret. I called Jani Viitanen, the recorded of Pate's album, and asked them not to get mad if I record it myself.
- It's been nice to notice what kind of emotional bond there has developed towards these songs. They feel very important. I remember when I called Vexi at some point and said that "I will perform this song someday." It was Sininen lintu (Blue Bird). In my opinion it's an insanely beautiful song.
- There are lots of good texts there. One of the texts written by Vexi is very Eino Leino-ish (Finnish poet). I don't know if Vexi will get mad about this but it is true. The song is called Elämän laulu (Song of Life). It's a timeless text. It could be a-hundred-year-old folk song.

Vexi Salmi is one of the big Finnish songwriters. What have you learned from him?
- Vexi has encouraged me to make music all along. He has told me to be creative and to do a lot. When you do a lot, there come stings. One shouldn't be too self-critical but has to let all the channels to be open.
- I like to do a lot. I feel alive when I can do something all the time, no matter if it's songs or renovation. I'm a restless person who just can't stand staying put. If I spend a long time doing nothing, I start to feel bad. On the other hand, if I do something, at least I try to do it properly.
- I've also realized via writing to others that there are no genre limits in music. It's a Puritan thing. Music is a limitless joy. Most of the people don't think about which genre this and that represents. They just either like it or then don't.
- I don't listen to rock at home. I listen to Juha Tapio, Tom Petty and Elvis. And Sade. My god, what a voice she has! When I'm at home, the best thing to do is to switch the sauna on and put Sade to play.

How did you end up making songs with Vexi Salmi?
- It happened by sheer luck. Olli Lindholm had his fingers in the game. I played a song that in my opinion could be on Yö's album to Teemu Rajamäki from Uniklubi in our rehearsal place. I had lyrics for it and everything. Teemu said that Olli must hear the song. Encouraged by that, I contacted Lindholm and Olli said that he'll come over.
- Olli came to my place and I played him demos. Among them there was the song called Jos menet pois which ended up being on Suvi Teräsniska's album. Olli is to blame also for that. Olli said immediately that it would fit Suvi perfectly.
- Olli sat there in my sofa and I put demos to play. When I played him what we listened to with Teemu, Olli immediately said "I'll do this."
- Later, Olli called me and said that he'll make an album that leans on Vexi's lyrics. Olli asked me if Vexi could change one of my songtexts a little. I said "of course". The song became Surun aika (Time of Grief). It was the first single of Olli's solo album.
- I met Vexi for the first time when we had our photo taken together on the stairs of Poko Records. On the same night, we went to Olli's album releasing party. I was supposed to just visit it because the next morning I went to Russia with Negative. I went to the party by bike and thought that I would leave pretty much right away. I sat there in Vexi and we talked about this and that. Suddenly, it was morning.
- There Vexi said that he has texts in storage because he's damn productive. No matter how hard he tries, he can't stop writing. He asked if I could try composing them. Then one day, I received a brown envelope full of texts typed with a typewriter. I grabbed the guitar and that's how it started.

When you're making a song, do you always know who's gonna perform it?
- Sometimes I know right from the start that the song will go to Popeda or someone else. Sometimes I just make a song and I have no idea who to give it to.
- By the way, it has been hard to accept the fact that sometimes the song just doesn't become a hit or actually anything at all, even though you were positive about it being good yourself. When the recording label can't do anything with that song, it makes me feel like it would have deserved more.
- One of the songs like that is Voima joka meistä versoaa (The Power That Sprouts From Us) by Katri Metso. I think that the song is very beautiful, it has a bit of the same style as Kun katsoit minuun (When You Looked At Me) by Anna Eriksson. I expected something to happen with it. Maybe someone will record it again in 10 years and it'll be found only then.
- What pisses me off more is when I've sent a song somewhere and it comes back all changed. Once I almost threw a CD out of the window. My nerves are as good as a cow's but sometimes, very rarely, I get really pissed off.
- I wrote one song with the blood of my heart to Mervi Koponen's album. It was the kind of song I had thought about recording myself. However, I gave it away in some mental disturbance when the recording label hyped that it would be awesome sung by Mervi. On the album, the song was all different. They had turned the chord cycle into jazz and I didn't even recognize the chorus. Then I was like "what the fuck!"
- I tried to call the recording label but they didn't pick up the phone. Then I sent them an angry e-mail saying that "if you order songs, it would be polite to have the changes accepted by the songwriter if somebody has to start laying hands on it."

What was the first song you wrote to some other artist?
- I helped in some songs of Flinch, my little brother's band. I think Katri Ylander, the Idols artist, was the first one I made songs to. I still wrote them with the name Freddie Verne back then. It comes from Jules Verne and Freddie Mercury, I checked the names on my bookshelf.
- I started to test the water carefully. I was maybe thinking too much about what other people think. And above all, I tried to keep it hidden from my bandmates!
- Katri Ylander was the first one and then they just started to come. The first composition and songtext that succeeded properly was Elän itselleni (I Live To Myself) to Popeda. It was born when Costello called me and said that Won't Let Go sounds good. He said that it would be interesting if Mustajärvi sang it. I started to think if there were any leftover songs. I had kept the riff somewhere and then I started to pick it out. When I heard the finished song for the first time, I was like "Goddammit, Pate is singing my song!"

Why did you start to offer your songs to other artists?
- There are seven days in a week and they have to be filled somehow. I sat around at home and played the console. Then Tiger Woods started to feel boring and I thought that now I have to come up with something. I thought that I'd try to make music in a format that differs a bit from Negative. I try to do my own thing in a bit new way. There's no bigger story than that.

Last autumn, the gossip press said that you spent 10 000 euros on alcohol in two months. You've always talked openly about your parents' alcohol problems. Wasn't it a warning enough example?
- I don't want to believe that the children of alcoholics have more problems with alcohol than the others. I think about it like Juice said: "You get a tattered life if you order it."
- The atmosphere was kinda damp indeed. I had a phase during which I didn't go to the rehearsal place to make new songs with my head boiling. I wanted more of my own time and it became drinking. Sometimes there just are more restless phases. Of course it had to do with the ending of my relationship.
- When I was left alone in this apartment, gradually there started to be quite a lot of friends. It was a bit like an inn. There was always the afterparty and the buzzer rang in the middle of the night. It was a bit agonizing to have to hide my debit card and passport when I noticed that I didn't know all those people. It no longer was innocent partying with good friends.
- Luckily I have the kind of buzzer with which I can see who's coming over. When there started to be all weird people with a taxi in the wee hours of the morning, I started to think that I have to stop doing this and do something more sensible instead. Tommi called me on November and said that "Midsummer passed already." That's how things became clearer.

Tommi, your brother, has worked as your manager since Negative's beginning. What are the good sides and the bad sides of that kind of relationship?
- The best thing is that Tommi cares about me and I care about him. We love each other as brothers. Due to that, I can trust in Tommi in every single thing. He's also the kind of person who stands up to the people close to him until the end like a terrier.
- I've often thought that I wouldn't be where I'm now if it wasn't for Tommi. I would never have achieved what I've dreamed of. When you think about Tommi's role in this, it is remarkable. He was a father figure to me when I was younger and later on, I've gotten to focus on the music thing and trust that Tommi takes care of the rest. When you take everything else away, you see that in the end, it has always been the two of us. I've tried to be loyal towards the band but in the end, it's me and Tommi who make the decisions.
- The bad side is the fights. We are so stubborn. We both have a strong vision about how things should be done. That's why we have quite hot-headed conversations. I'm sure the people around me have suffered about that more than about my partying. We can throw all kinds of shit on each other's necks when we're under pressure. Fortunately that hasn't been so common lately.

What kind of terms are you in with your parents these days?
- Very good. I've had the pleasure of getting a new time with my dad. Dad has been sober for 6 years and lives close to me these days. Dad often comes to take a sauna to my place. We cook and watch movies.
- I'm in good terms also with my mom. I'm happy about having a good atmosphere in all ways.

Do you see yourself continuing to make music until you're an old grandpa?
- Music will be involved somehow for sure if I get to grow old. It's hard to imagine anything else. Or well, I am interested in renovating.

Justinne Anna

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