elias viljanen biography
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The story so far...
"When I was eight, in`83, my father introduced me to the guitar. I was a big fan of Kiss so I wanted to be like them and of course learn how to play the guitar. I got my first acoustic a year after. I took a class at that time and learned some basic chords. But my ambition was to play rock ´n roll music, so I had to learn it all by my self. Years went by and I desperately wanted an electric guitar. In ´87 I got one as a Christmas present from my parents. Over a year too late, but still I was very happy. I remember it was a white Leadstar, a copy of Fender Stratocaster."
"As a teenager I was a Metallica fan and really started to find out how to shred. Kirk Hammett was my hero. I formed my first band at the age of 13. It was influenced by thrash metal like early Metallica. Later on I started to play death metal, and we even got a record deal from a French record label. I was only 17. "
"In the early ´90´s I was introduced to the music of Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, but I really thought it was just music for sports. A couple of years later I really started to like Satriani´s music because I found out that it´s all about bluesy rock´n´ roll. Nowadays I´m a really big fan of Vai too. Maybe I´ve grown to like it in some strange way. (In my opinion Steve Vai is close to god!!!). I also like to listen to a little bit more progressive metal like Dream Theater.
"In 2001 I was in a situation where I felt I had to do my own shred demo. I just had to get it out of my system. So I started to work on a couple of songs and some ideas I´d had for many years. Earlier I thought I wasn´t ready for this kind of project because when people listen to shred music they are usually thinking "this guy ain´t fast enough" or "he´s just copying somebody else." Maybe I was a little bit afraid of what people would think of me. But I wanted to do it and I wanted it to be as close to perfect as possible.
So I practiced for 4 months, 2-3 hours every day, for my 3-song demo called "The Axe master" and I thought I wouldn´t give a s**t what people think, this is my dream (...obsession). The demo was made just for the sake of my mental health and I didn´t even dream of getting a record deal. But I sent "Axe master" to a few labels just to get a sense of where I stand as a guitarist. When Lion Music offered me a deal I had to think again... Maybe for a couple of days I thought about it and then I decided to just go for it! So 18 years after the beginning, my first solo album "Taking The Lead" came out.
Fast forward to April ´05...
The feedback from "Taking The Lead" has been very positive. The cd ended up being in the top 10 best-selling hard rock/ shred cd´s at guitar9.com in 2003. Also Steve Vai got my cd, and I got some encouraging feedback from him as well. In late 2004 I had demo versions ready for the next album, which Lion Music again offered to publish. I didn´t want to rush it because I knew this time it has to be better..(it always has to be better than the last time...) I know two and a half years is a long time to wait for the cd to come out, but I just wanted to make things perfect. In the beginning of 2005 me and my band "Evil Spirit" entered the studios for the recording of the next Evil-cd "The Leadstar". (You can read my studio diary for the details.) I´m very happy with the result. The production this time is very professional and like the last time the songs are very catchy and diverse.
I won´t go into it any further, I´ll let the music speak for itself.
How did you become a musician?
My dad trick me to pick up the guitarwhen I was about 9 years old.
Where were you 20 years ago when Tricky Beans started off?
20 years ago I was in the army. I played death metal with my band Depravity.
Where do you see yourself 20 years from now?
In a warm place somewhere!
Musical inspiration:
Steve Vai
What’s in the music folder on your phone/computer/other device?
Whitesnake, Van Halen, Deep Purple, Steve Vai, Zakk Wyllde, Kiss, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Guns and Roses, Joe Satriani, Journey, Metallica, Pantera, Queen, Rainbow etc.
What is your favorite song from each of your albums?
Fullmoon, Last Drop Falls, Gravenimage, Don’t Say a Word, In Black and White, The Last Amazing Grays, Alone In Heaven, Blood
Favorite song ever to play live:
Changes all the time.
Best tour experience off-stage:
Jet boat tour in Sydney.
Best country to tour in:
I really can’t say. Always nice to play to our fans everywhere.
Best thing to get from fans on tour:
To hear great stories how the music has effected their lives, or even changed it for the better.
Warm-up ritual before you go on stage:
1 beer is always nice.
Favorite food/drink:
Fajitas and beer. Thai food also.
Favorite movie/series:
Star Wars/Columbo
Favorite cartoon/comic:
Donald Duck
Favorite game/sports:
Ice Hockey, Football (soccer)
Your kind of heaven:
Warm, sunshine, beer, friends.
Your worst vice:
Don’t do anything I would not.
What you’d do with a shitload of money:
Give it away.
Hobbies, or rather what you do on tour to pass long travel/wait times:
I used to have a PSP. Nowadays, maybe play something on my phone.
Place(s) you’d like to visit:
Iceland.
Wise words:
The one who goes to bed with itchy butt, wakes up with smelly fingers.
Last but not least: Is there something you need??!
Beer and a good night’s sleep.
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