With:	Jape Peratalo [Vocals]
Conducted by:	KwonVerge
Published:	11.07.2005
Band profile:	To/Die/For

- First of all I'd like to ask you to give us a brief information concerning the history of the band for those that haven't heard of you yet!

Before we came to/die/for we had a band called mary-ann.we played 10 years and music style was some kind of "street rock´n´roll. Then we were bored to play that style and we made self-titled cd called "Deeper Sin" and it was the reason we made record deal with Spinefarm records in 1999. We just changed the name of the band because to die for fits much better with our music and lyrics.


- 2005 finds To/Die/For with a new album, "IV", but also with a new line-up. What happened and so many changes happened to the band?

If things doesn´t work then you should do something right? We had lot of fight! Musically we went different directions with the old members... I could say that band is like a football team and if some-ones are playing into the wrong goal then you really need new players!!!! But after all I´m still friend with the old members!


- I am a fan of To/Die/For from their very first steps and I would like, Jape, to congratulate you for recording your most mature work up to date

Well thank you a lot!!! I´m already doing songs for the next albumJ






- You have composed the 8 out of the 10 compositions consisting of "IV". You have poured your heart and soul into this album, something quite obvious since both music and lyrics are very inspired and quite expressive. What made you feel so inspired in this period of your life because we're probably talking about the best To/Die/For album up to date!

In 2004 i was so depressed! I had many problems and life sucked!so?every lyrics I made is from real life? Autumn Forever tells you how I´m apathic here in finland when I look out of the window and everything is so grey?cold?i miss something else all the time but i don´t know what?etc. Etc. In little deaths i sing for those people who is giving bad critic for me all the time and whos are trying to put me down?." Hurt me once hurt me twice I´m not the one who cries later it´s you who feels pain" etc?so my life inspires me a lot!and melodies comes from my head..i hear new melodies everyday in my head?so i use those things of course!


- If you ask me, this album, musically, has no weak moments. How much time did it take you to work on your ideas and put them together forming "IV"?

I´m never totally satisfied with our albums..next one is always better album than this Autumn Forever, world is made for me and no turning back I wrote in the autumn 2004 and other songs took maybe five weeks! I don´t need lot of time to write songs?.

- "IV" is an album both heavy and emotional at the same time, if you ask me, it combines the fragile and emotional atmosphere with the heaviness but still emotional feeling of "Jaded". With "IV", in my opinion, you have mastered the sound you have as band! What's your point of you?

On "IV" we sound more like the band!! I don´t like Jaded album because it´s too "clean" for me! There must be rock and roll on the album?.etc.


- Concerning the lyrics, they remain, as always, melancholic and depressive, quite poetic and expressive, but this time you show a more thoughtful view through your lyrics with songs like "Lies (For Fools)" and "Chaotic Me" pointing your arrows to organized religion, exposing all the lies and preferring to believe in you very own "chaotic" self.

Yes? I don´t hate every believers but some of them thinks that they´re better people than we are!? And that pisses me of really!!!I made "lies for fools" for them?in Finland church is nothing else but place to take money from "believers" to Finlands government?so is it only way to heaven or what? Fucking stupid!!!!






- You had never let me down up to "Jaded" with your covers on "In The Heat Of The Night" and "(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight" and, to tell the truth, I was really curious which song you would cover this time! U2's "New Year's Day" was quite a successful cover on a remarkable song and you succeeded into making it sound as if it was one of your songs, something that is quite obvious on your covers. Why did you choose "New Year's Day"? Did it have to do with the new line-up of the band and, let's say, new era of To/Die/For?

We don´t take seriously our cover songs. New year´s day was our drummer santtu´s idea! He just said for that listen this? I listened it once and next day we recorded it in studio! It´s that simple for us.


- Which bands would you consider as your greatest influences? I guess the 80s synth-pop/pop rock sound has influenced you a lot! What do you think?

I´ve listened lot of duran duran,depeche mode,muse?and bands like this.i just have my own music taste and i never heard music which would be "that thing" in my life!? I really hope that someday I could wrote song that after it I will know that i cannot do better song anymore!!!


- Concerning your sound, I have heard several times that you are influenced by HIM, but, personally, as a big fan of To/Die/For, the only similarity I find is that both bands are from Finland and nothing more. Both bands have different influences and backgrounds and it is quite obvious, if you are willing to listen carefully, that you have nothing in common. What's your point of view?

Musically there´s no much same but maybe those things came from love and death!? I don´t know??????


- The production of the album is just wonderful and helps the very good ideas sound even better enchanting the listener! How much time did you spend in the studio?

I don´t remember?.about one month I think?!






- I guess you are satisfied by Spinefarm Records! Are you continuing with this label? What's your relation with Spinefarm?

They will let us know soon if they want to do our next album? If they don´t..then we don´t have reord company anymore!


- The release of "IV" was followed by a European Tour, right? Which were your impressions from the places you visited? What should someone expect from To/Die/For on stage?

That tour was totally disaster!!! Because of the organizer "bruchstein records" from east-germany!!! They really suck!!!! Now we really need to do new euro-tour and hopefully we get it soon? I don´t wanna talk about that so called "tour" I´m sorry!!!!


- How did the music press and the audience treat "IV"? I guess you heard very good comments from both your fans and the magazines!

There is good and bad reviews!!! But TDF fans likes "IV" and that´s most important for us and hopefully we have more fans in the future!


- Jape thanks a lot for your time! End the interview in any way you like with a lyric of To/Die/For that means a lot to you!

Life is like a poison in me-destroyed my innocence and dreams-i´ve been told life is the gift-that gift makes me sick!!!!!!!!!! Peace and love for everyone
YOURS:JAPE TO/DIE/FOR