Interviews: NEON ANGEL

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the  Hard Rock band, NEON ANGEL, from Finland. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

Tuomas: It came to me in a dream. We thought it would be quite cool and fitting name for a hard rock band.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Johannes: This is a totally new genre for me, and in that way it’s a giant leap to unknown.

Johanna: It’s a good opportunity to use the whole range of my voice and play with the dynamics.

Tuomas: Hard rock has the best riffs and melodies.

Juho: Me like sex drugs and rock ‘n’ roll

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Johannes: I knew Johanna from way back 2009, but we hadn’t really been in touch until I moved to Tampere 2018, and found out NA was looking for a drummer. The rest is history, so to speak.

Tuomas: We have ~10 years of mutual history in band activities with Juho and Johanna. Tomas was also known to us from the music circles of Tampere.

4. Each band member favourite band?

Tuomas: Extremely nasty question. If I only have to name one, maybe it would be Sentenced, a Finnish band that started out playing death metal and soon evolved into this melodic metal / gothic rock -hybrid.

Johanna: Type O Negative.

Johannes: Helloween.

Juho: Easy, Judas Priest

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Tuomas: I just pick up the guitar and try to get in the right mood. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

Johanna: My slightly out-of-tune old Soviet piano and the magical nightless summer nights of Finland.

Juho: For me music is the biggest inspiration. When I discover great new music or after I witnessed a great live show, I just have to pick up my instrument and write. 

6. Where was your last gig?

It was a sold out pub in Iidesranta, Tampere. We had this talented new singer-songwriter Jyrki to open up the night.

7. Where would you like to act?

Wacken or other summer festival.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Tuomas: It would be cool to get the legendary guitarist Zachary Hietala of Tarot to lay down a solo for some future song.

Johanna: (laughing) A duet with Till Lindemann, in German.

Johannes: A drum battle with Sami Kuoppamäki. It would be awesome to be the silver-medallist of all the participants.

9. Whom not?

It’s not time to burn bridges or get picky… yet!

10. Any of you has ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

Tuomas: There's always an element of anxiety before hitting the stage. Usually it goes away after a song or two. My tip would be to learn your material, and think about the time you went to see some gig. Probably you enjoyed the music and not paid attention to mistakes. Of course there will be some mistakes in live music, but that's rock'n'roll. My respect goes to everyone who has the courage to perform their music live.

Johanna: There’s always a bit of nervousness in the air before a show, but after the first couple of songs I can just lean into it and enjoy. Routine of rehearsal brings certainty to performing.

Johannes: It would be strange if there were no emotions involved. In rehearsal room you learn to play in rehearsal room but by playing gigs you learn to play gigs.

Juho: Absolutely. The adrenalin and also stage fright is a part of live performance. I used to feel very nervous and anxious before a show, but over time I’ve learned to enjoy more and more the “high” of an approaching gig. Now it’s like a drug that I’m craving for more.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Tuomas: Main influences for Neon Angel come from the golden age of hard rock, the 80’s. Even though many of those artists have quite uneven discography in the terms of quality, many of them also could pull out unbelievable hit songs. Just think of bands like Winger or Saxon. One of my favourite hard rock albums actually comes from a heavy/power metal band. Virgin Steele’s Life Among the Ruins from 1993 is absolute killer. Maybe they should’ve done it ten years earlier, and they would be big.

Johanna: Ann Wilson (Heart) and David Coverdale (Whitesnake) among others.

Johannes: 80’s thrash metal.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Johanna: An elderly lady presenting herself as an opera singer asked me to never turn my back on the audience.

Tuomas & Johannes: An autograph!

13. What do you think of your fans?

We love our fans, both of them!

14. What do you think of our site?

It seems you got all bases covered. We especially liked the possibility to browse bands by country. Nothing beats some Ethiopian psychedelic black metal. Keep up the good work!

15. Something add?

Thanks for the interview. Go and like our Facebook-page for updates and news!