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.
【开头的就复制了这些 中间是讲的别人就忽略啦】
图片来自: 比尔的眼眸的百度相册

-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.
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
图片来自: 比尔的眼眸的百度相册2000年

-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?

图片来自: 比尔的眼眸的百度相册图片来自: 比尔的眼眸的百度相册
附送新图！