This is a letter written by Tomas, but a large part of it is very untrue
Open letter to Tarja
2005 10 22
Recording of End of Times Live a big success
Nightwish recorded a live version of End of Times at the Hartwall Theater in Helsinki yesterday. As readers can imagine, the atmosphere in the theater was quite hot, but also quite melancholic. This was the final show of Once's year and a half long world tour. Night would like to sincerely thank everyone for this incredible journey.
Unfortunately, there's a deeper layer to the title End of an Era. This open letter to Taja after the show says it all. The full text is as follows:
Written by Thomas Holopainen Emppu Jukka Marco
Translated by wings
(Translated at 051028-29. It's a great pity that this is actually the first document I've translated for. What a success.)
Dear Taja:
The time has come to choose whether to let the Night Wish end or to continue it for an indeterminate period of time.
We've been working with it for 9 years and we're not about to give it up just yet.
Nightwish is a life path, something to live for, and we certainly can't let it end there.
Also of course, we can no longer walk with you and Marcelo (Marcelo Cabuli, her husband, the Argentine entrepreneur - wings).
A lot has happened this year and my mind is haunted by it every day and every night. Your attitude and behavior has been completely at odds with Nightwish.
That is something I never believed I could see in a dear old friend.
People who don't talk for a year can't stay in the same band.
We got involved in an industry where the business side of things here became a necessary evil and something to worry about at every turn.
We're also a band that has always needed to make music with heart, for the sake of friendship and for the sake of the music itself. Spiritual fulfillment should have always been more important than money!
Night Wish is a band that is emotional.
Unfortunately for you, business, money and things that have nothing to do with emotions have become more important, and important. You feel like you've sacrificed yourself and your musical career for Nightwish, without the slightest thought of what the band has given you.
This attitude is shown clearly by two words you said to me on the plane in Toronto:
"I don't need Nightwish anymore."
"Remember Thomas, I can leave the band at any time and only give you a day's notice."
I simply can't write you any more songs.
You said you were just a "guest musician" in Nightwish. Now that the guesting is over, we're going to continue Nightwish with a new female singer.
You told us that the next Nightwish album would be your last, no matter what. However, the rest of us will always move forward as long as the fire stays alive. So there's no point in working with you on this album again.
The four of us have thought the situation through a million times and realized that this is what we're actually going to do, and this is all we can do.
In December 2004, you said in Germany that you would never tour for more than half a month at a time again. And that we should forget about the US and Australia because the pay was too low and the venues were too small.
In an interview I mentioned that if Tatja left the band would be finished. I know people will think that. However, Nightwish is a part of my soul, and I don't intend to let it go because of one person - because of someone who wants to contribute creativity to others, someone whose values don't match mine!
You've never been involved in the creative choreography, never previewed with us before going to the studio to record in those 9 years, always left us to go solo with your husband while touring, always the band's undisputed front man image - all of this never bothered us.
We could accept everything but not greed, belittling the fans and reneging on agreements. The five of us all agreed that in 2004-2005, Nightwish would have to prioritize everything. Yet there are so many other things that are more important to you. The last example is the sold out concert in Oslo that you had to cancel just because you had to rehearse your own solo show, meet friends and go to the movies. These are Marcelo's words in an email explaining his withdrawal. And that's just one of so many things! I really can't think of anything worse in terms of selfishness and rejection of music fans.
Nightwish is a lifestyle that carries a lot of responsibility. It's true for us, and it's true for music fans. With you, we can no longer practice those obligations.
Deep down we don't know which one of you pushed us to this point. Somehow, Marcelo has turned you from a sweet girl into a heroine, thinking and doing things very differently than before. You're a little too confident in your irreplaceability and status.
Obviously you blame the four of us for your nervousness and pain and think we don't respect you or listen to you. Please believe that we have always had the highest respect for you as a wonderful singer and friend. Our plans over the past few years have also often been made only according to your decisions. And it was always only you who wanted to make more money from the concerts. This "money in everything" attitude is what frustrates us the most!
We hope that from now on you will listen to your own heart and not to Marcelo's. The cultural differences and the greed, the speculation, and the lack of a good relationship between you and Marcelo are all part of the problem. Cultural differences combined with greed, opportunism and love can be very dangerous. Please don't let yourself wither away.
We are not at all proud to have made this decision, but you left us no choice. There is too much separation between us. This decision was unanimous. Talking won't solve the problem anymore.
Wishing you a happy and successful life
Thomas
Emppu Jukka Marco
Tarja's reply of October 25
Since last Sunday morning, fan clubs and fans from Finland and all over the world have been asking me to make my position known in magazines, newspapers, radio and television. It's impossible for me to find the time to reply to so many people one by one, so I've decided to write here what I want to say to let my fans, family, friends and the public know how I feel after these recent events.
It's a sad and painful time and I find it hard to talk about it.
At this moment I am in Argentina. I hope you will understand that this appalling event is like a divorce and I do not want to be alone in my home in Finland. My husband had booked a flight to Argentina a few months ago and I recently decided to travel with him.
But the fact that I'm in Argentina and the long distance certainly shouldn't be an excuse not to comment on this event.
The whole band waited a long time last Friday, October 21st.
When I started practicing in the morning, I was a little uncomfortable and nervous, and I couldn't even sing during the rehearsal.
The nervousness was because the process for this concert was longer than the previous nightwish ones. And I'll be performing with a special guest star, changing costumes more times than usual and performing on stage for the first time on a big screen and on a large scale.
Never forget that this concert will be recorded and made into a movie.
The five of us ended up putting the show on the Hartwall stage.
Even though each of us knew in advance that the show was sold out, we ended up on the stage to screaming, clapping and people getting up from their seats. It was an incredible feeling at the time.
I'll never forget how amazing it was to be received by a gorgeous Finnish audience.
When the concert ended, I cried happy tears on stage. Happy tears because even though I was sick I managed to do my best, happy tears because we had a successful end to our long performance, and happy tears because there was the best recognition an artist can get - applause and smiles.
At the time I didn't know I would soon be crying again.
After that show, my bandmates invited me backstage for a hug. It felt strange this time because in the old days traditionally we got together at every concert and hugged in the same way. The tradition remained, even though there had been tension and mounting stress for a long time.
My immediate feeling was to thank them out loud, but none of them responded.
After this, they gave me a letter and asked me to read it the next day. The same letter is now public.
I read the letter and was shocked.
I don't know what to say, at this point I'm writing this
I felt great anger in that letter and confusion at the same time. But I don't want to fight back with even more anger. Private things shouldn't be made public.
I know at this moment for everyone, including them, I am sad.
While there were many different possibilities and ways to express what they were trying to tell me in their letter, I still don't understand the way they chose to handle it. I apologize that they misunderstood me. I don't recognize myself as what they described.
Interspersed throughout the letter, they mention shitty things about me, and about my husband, Marcelo, who is someone I love, my friend, and my biggest supporter over the past year.
We've been in a band for 9 years now and have had good times, it doesn't get much better than that. I thought I knew them, but I was wrong.
Nothing that happened would make me see them as bad people.
Now take some time to calm down, all of the following reflects what I just said
I need to sort out my emotions, and I promise that soon I will go out into the open. I will have a press conference to talk about my future. This does not mean that you will think that I will attack anyone at the conference. That won't happen.
The wonderful music we make together will not be affected by these recent events.
Thank you to all those who have supported me during this sad time. My family, friends, coworkers and fans in general. I love you all and I truly feel I have not failed you.
Tarja
As for the reason for Tarja's departure, the truth is known only to his bandmates, and while Tuomas's letter, which described a greedy, selfish Tarja, was directed at Tarja by many, there were some who were careful enough to realize that there were a lot of loopholes in the letter: Tuomas said that Tarja never Tuomas said that Tarja never participates in rehearsals for concerts and album recordings, which means that every NW album is recorded by Tarja without rehearsals, and every concert is performed without rehearsals, which is obviously unrealistic; and it is even more illogical for Tuomas to make a big deal out of how much he loves his money, citing as an example the fact that Tarja has put off concerts in order to go to see a movie.
No matter how much impulsiveness there was in Tuomas' letter, Tarja's reply was calm and did not point fingers at anyone. Indeed, there's no need to point fingers at anyone; every Nightwish fan of the group that brought us great music will regret and miss Tarja's departure.