Interview with Juska Salminen

Juska Salminen - a Finnish musician, still best known for playing keyboards with Finland's most successful metal band HIM. At the time known as Zoltan Pluto, Juska shared HIM's raise to fame with their second studio album Razorblade Romance and continued playing with the band until New Years eve 2000 when they decided to part ways. The band found a new member, Janne 'Burton' Puurtinen and Juska started focusing on other projects in his life. 

We caught up with Juska to talk about what's been happening in his life since, how he started his career and what's next for the future.

          -  So, first of all, how are you? What's new in your life?

           Everything is actually great thanks for asking! Occupied most of the day, but can't say I'm in a hurry, since I'm on schedule of what I'm doing.  So we come to the question, what's new in my life? I actually don't even know where to start, but my life is full of adventures! Every day i a challenge, but  challenges are nothing serious. Like being in a game. Sometimes good things happen, sometimes "bad"... But in the end of the day, I can always think... It could be worse. I feel great at the moment! 

        Sort of new in my life is that I play keys in To/Die/For. I do more sports than ever! And just enjoy life...

          -You have a degree in applied science. In music world that's quite rare. What made you decide to go to university and what do you feel you took from the experience?

      Actually I am just about to graduate. As mentioned, Just have to finish my thesis. Thesis is about pre-production of documentary.Economical crisis are shaking up the world, and Greece is pretty much up front, now actually already Cyprus, and other countries are following. However if we talk about economics, it's easy to forget the human side behind it. I went to see the truth, and tell a story of 2 young Greeks. I know we are not to live in utopia, because there will always be snakes. However I think we should always think and search for true answers, before starting to throw knives.

       In one point I was pretty lost in my life. Fair to say and not a secret. Trying to get away from something which hugely impact my life... It took almost 15 years. And I mean the experience at the age of 20, when I got to play in HIM. It changed my life for good. And don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change a day. It was just difficult to understand, why I got to play there in at all. I got to suck into live someone else's dream. Meaning I never dreamed to be a "rockstar". I wanted just normal life... Getting out of HIM, I tried everything to let it go: Alcohol, spending almost all my money... and in the end depression...

        It's different thing to get sucked in the middle of mesmerizing world, than to study something and build your way to be good. If you get fame and fortune, it's just a positive side effect. Maybe when I was younger, I got bit lost with getting quite good paycheck. But at my age now (35) the perspective to life has changed a lot. I value and treasure small joys in life. Like my cats playing together. I treasure the moments, not the money. Only time is limited in world already built.

         -When did you start playing?

        I started to play when I was less than nine. At the age of 9 I took piano lessons for 3 years. Before that I played with my dad's organs. He has always played, and still does in his band. Not evergreen music, but stuff like Jimi Hendrix for example. They got gigs occasionally, sometimes they rehearse more than I do... Have to say I admire him a lot because of many things, but one big thing is, because he rocks!

              - What instruments can you play?

       Well, piano and keyboards naturally. I have started to finally get the idea that I actually can play a bit. I used to think, and I actually was more of a performer behind keys, but lately I've gained a bit more of confidence to actually play. To make sounds and to relax. I guess it comes with knowing who I am. In HIM I will always thought to be the weakest link. I'm not even close, to technically be in top of the world, actually still quite a rookie, but I guess it depends how we measure it. I consider myself to be really passionate, and what comes from heart, I think it counts.

              -If you weren't playing music, what would you be doing?

       Well , this tough one. When I quit playing for awhile, I was kind a searching an answer to life from the bottom of a "whatever alcohol to be used". At least for awhile. I consider myself to be one of the lucky ones to get out of the vortex deep on my way to lose everything. I just needed some time. I've been always wanting to help people somehow, so I guess some sort of work with youths would be nice. I can still do it though. As well I have studied audiovisual communication now, so I guess there is bit of that creativity in me. Producing is nice. Just produce that documentary, which is in pre-production. The whole world is the playground, but I guess I concentrate more on what is happening in my hometown.

             -Who are your favorite musicians?

       It's easy to always start with Mike Patton. My other cat is named after him. For me personally, again to be mentioned that I didn't dream to be in a huge band like HIM. So maybe that is the reason that I haven't been listening Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath when I was young. My taste of music changed from Red Hot Chilipeppers to Pearl Jam and moved on to The Prodigy and jungle beat. Then I found HIM, fell in love with the music and by some weird reason fixed by universe, found myself playing in the band. I highly respect all the players of HIM. They showed me a lot, and gave me a lot. But than again, I highly respect all my mates in To/Die/For. Jape and Antza for example, they have devoted their whole life into music. It's something I have never done. There are so many, so it's easier to mention few bands... Muse, Suburban Tribe... All those bands which make me feel. The list is endless...

             -Do you have any hidden talents?

        I've started to play floor ball as a goalie, and I think in one 2 years I've learned a lot. I have always liked sport, espcially soccer and Ice Hockey. As I can't skate, and I always wanted to be a goalie, I just practised outside on the alley without skates. Now I can do it with friends and still without skates. Love it. All the stress goes away. And as I do stretch everyday, I'm pretty flexible.Both with people, and my muscles :)

        

To/Die/For

     -You've been recently playing with To/Die/For. Are you still involved with them?

        Yes very much so. We released an album Samsara more than year ago. It's the 6th. We produced it ourselves, It is not easy to get the label behind you, even you've reached some sort of popularity around the world. Now we have a deal with Massacre Records, and we are humbly trying to work, work and work. We would play more shows, but the business is what it is. You have to be really big name in order to get the living out of it. However it doesn't take away the joy of playing. Vice versa, we really love to play at the moment!

              - Do you prefer to play live or in the studio?

     Live. I used to hate the studio. It was the lack of self confidence, or lack of talent which made me feel really uncomfortable, when the "rec"-button was switched on. I think nowadays it could be different. It's all about how one relates to playing. I'm not so afraid anymore. However playing live... I think it's one of the best things I have been privileged o do. It's always great and the feeling afterwards... I said I never will play in a band around 2006... How wrong was I? Can't get that feeling from nothing else. Playing live, it's all about feeding positive energy. We play and make audience happy, and we really feel the audience. If everything works well, it's orgasmic :D

        -Majority of your fans know you as the keyboard player from HIM. Let's talk about that. How did it all start? How did you all meet?

       This question is most asked ever. Earlier mentioned already that it was fixed by the written rules of universe itself :) To make the story short... I was a huge fan. Went to see the gigs. Beacuse of a common friend I got to know the former drummer Pätkä. By Pätkä I got to meet the whole band. Thna one night in Kouvola after HIM's gig, Ville asked to join him (not me) and the band to play keys in upcoming Germany tour. They had some issues with Antto (the former key player), which I don't actually even know. But it is not my business, so I don't even have to. 

       Any of you readers: Do a mind game now. Think of your dream. Live for that moment for a minute. Than open your eyes and think that tit happened. Of course it didn't, because it is your dream. For me, it wasn't a dream to play in HIM, but that very moment Ville asked me join the band.... There is no way to put it in words. It was a moment I can live again and again and again. No money to measure that moment. Money is just a relative word and number to live in the modern world. I live for those moments.

        -When HIM first became famous and you began playing bigger venues and festivals, how did that feel? 

        Basically the last answer is an answer to this one as well. IF you fullfil your biggest dream, you build another one. It's pretty simple. It felt good of course! And I still have to remind that I was 20 years old, and I had played one year keys in band. So it felt good, but I had to put at least 150% a day. I guess that is the main reason I burnt myself out. I wasn't ready for the major league coming from 6th division.

         -Do you think you changed as the band got more and more successful?

      Actually no. I mean people change every day, and all of us gain experience. But as a band, we gained experience, played better. But as the question is bit open to answer... We definitely kept our feet on ground, even the success came really fast. I walked to already served table, but for other members, it was time to eat the meal they had cooked for many years.

         -What do you feel you learned while playing with HIM?

       I guess leaned meand learned. {sorry} I leaned on my family and friends, when I felt insecure. What I learned... I learnt to respect life, and the mysterious way it throws a little boy from Kouvola to play in front of thousands and thousands of people. I learned that one boy can play really well, and close away the insecurity, by just adjusting to a different situation. I learned that there is always a limit that a individual can take. For me it was 2 years. I learned that one can start to be afraid of something one does everyday. I learned that being famous is challenging, even I was just a guy behind the leader. I learned that it is the hardest job to be the leader. I respect all the members of the HIM crew, because the entity of HIM worked, and lived and breathed well.

 With HIM in 2000

        The success came on 2nd album. Now they have made many albums, so it gets more difficult. I mean for example for Bon Jovi, it is hard to make new music, because it starts to sound so same. For HIM, there is the HIM sound, so there needs to be huge changes to be creative. If you reach the  popularity of HIM, there will always be problems. It makes me sad to see that some of the fans who have openly cheered Ville and HIM as their savior now, when one gig doesn't go well, turn their back and start to spit on the savior. I mean it's ok to pissy, if you pay a ticket to get to Helldone, and even a air ticket to get to Finland, and the gig isn't good. But people should understand that they could enjoy the whole trip, not only the concert. HIM fans all over the world are there. And hey, tough luck guys, one gig was not so good. But come on, some of you could just shut the **** up and give a guy a chance. I challenge any of you to live a day in Ville's shoes.

         -What was your favorite experience with HIM and as a musician in general?

       In HIM... I guess playing in Tavastia for the first time. But than again, I could say the first show in Berlin. Or the main band in Provinssi... Or shaking hands with Scorpions, I mean both of them :D Or eating a nice meal in restaurant. Or reading a book in hotel room, when we all were in constant hurry. OR coming home back from a tour. Or giving a zip of whiskey to Scooter in award show... Or... Meeting all the wonderful people around the whole business. The fans. I always wanted to talk with fans.

      As a musician... Let's keep that one open, before I close my keyboard case. Can't asy a favorite moment of my life, before the coffin is 6 feet under. Or actually should say it before :D

       -Your last gig with the band was Helldone festival in 2000. Hard to believe it's been over 12 years. Do you still get  together with any of the guys?

        It wasn't Helldone back than... Just a gig. We are not in active relationship, if I could put it that way. I mean we share an adventure of a lifetime, but we all have our own things to do. I have my life, they have theirs. We have none what so ever hard feelings, it's the opposite. But as it has been 12 years, we build up another life from there. Of course it would be nice to have a get together someday. But as the guys are releasing a new album, I guess I'll see them on TV :D

         -What do you think of HIM's music now and how much do you think it has changed?

        I'm a big fan of the first album, so I hope someday I hear that HIM again :) It is interesting to see, or hear how  "Tears On Tape" will sound. After 12 years, I can be  that fan again.

        -Last year you attended a HIM party in Slovakia. How was it? Do you get invited to such events a lot?

       Actually no. I used to be really careful not to live in the past. You know not to get that reputation of being a sad loser, who can't let go. I've done couple of these parties, but they have always been with a reason. Friend  organizing the event.I just played Join ME for the first time in 12 years in Greece with Saddols. Few years ago I would never have done it. I was afraid to be that "loser". However to get people happy, it gives a meaning of doing it. I'm not saying that I will jump from a party to another to celebrate my time in HIM, but it was a big step for me to close the circle. Therapy for me.

       Part of me lived the most incredible life at the time of being in HIM. It was so unbelievaable that of course part of me died when I left. The biggest problem came with trying to deal with it. To make a reason why it was me who played there, and why did it end, why I had to stop.  I think by looking back, turning the stones of hidden memories and face my biggest fears... I have finally found myself and I feel really alive. I managed let go the past, be humble in front of the future and really understand the fact that anything can happen tomorrow. To live in the presence as much as I can... It's not easy but worth of try. Maybe my reason was to experience that kind of overwhelming era, and now share it to people? Who knows?

        -What are your plans for the future?

        Baby steps. Enjoy this beautiful gift of life I've been given. To play music, to do sorts. To work with my firm, and to study life itself. From books, or going out for the walk, when the spring is on it's way to Finland. It's pretty simple.

        -Any words for the fans?

        Keep on dreaming. Fan for me is a difficult word, because I'm just Juska. However as I have role models and Idols, I do understand that we need to have words to describe something or someone. 

        Remember that if you stop for a second, you will understand that time is the only  measurement we Really have in this life.If you are in a stress or in a hurry, stop for a second to prioritize. Is it more important to go to bar to drink the stress away, or to spend time with your family or friends? Or both? It all depends of the situation. 

        If you happen to get bored, there just can't be boredom. Read a book, or listen to your favorite band. Check some pics of yourself, when your favorite band was 2Unlimited! (Yes, mine was, and my style... Well, different :D) 

        Like I said, keep on dreaming, Can't get bored if you dream! 

Big thank you to Juska for giving us some of his time and we are wishing you the best for the future.

Also, check out To/Die/For website  http://www.todieforband.net/ . The band is currently  writing their 7th studio album.

|Kristina Light & Hayley Hayward for Team Heartagram and Official HIM street team UK, March 2013|

|Photo credits to Henna Viren, Karen Fader McBride and Juska Salminen|