With:	Jonne Aaron [Vocals] & Larry Love [Guitar]
Conducted by:	Malcolm
Published:	01.12.2003
Band profile:	Negative

I went to our capital to meet the guys in "Negative" and I interviewed Jonne and Larry about "Negative" and so.
They have newly released their debut album, "War of Love" in Scandinavia and will probably release in Europe later too.

I started to introduce Metal Storm for the two gentlemen that sat in front of me and then we got started.

1) Can you describe your debut album, "War of Love" a little bit closer?

Jonne: We wrote the most of the material back in 98-99, so it's like our music history in this album.
Larry: Because we have been playing so long we have much material from demos that we putted on to "War of Love".
Jonne: And I have been writing most of the songs, and Larry some and we together some.
It's just us to that have done the songs.


2) The only band, close to the music you play is HIM, you do you feel that I compare you to them? I mean, the sad lyric is the same, but the music it a bit happier.

Jonne: Yeah, we both have sad lyrics.
Larry: Not happier, we are more Rock 'N' Roll than HIM; it's more Rock 'N' Roll in our music. We kind of have our own genre, Emotional Rock.
Jonne: And when I write it's coming from me, it's personal, it's things that going on in my head.

Me: Yeah, I saw in the lyrics that it's sad and about love and stuff.

Jonne: Exactly, it's like reading a diary.
Larry: And on stage we are different.
Jonne: You know, Ville (Valo) just stand there *imitate Ville*, and barely moving and dancing a little. Haha.
Larry: But we have more energy on stage, moving a lot more, as you will see later.


3) How is the reaction from the press and the fans so far?

Larry: I have received a lot of e-mails from fans lately, that's is always fun.
Jonne: Before the press didn't care about us?
Larry: Only when we got drunk, haha.
Jonne: Haha, yes, but now they are really interested and being really nice to us.
Before they cared more about if we had any girlfriends and stuff, but that is something you have to take.


4) How did you guys meet each other? Did you live in the same city or did you go on the same school?

Larry & Jonne: (in choir) Yes.
Jonne: I started the band in 1997 when I was trying the get my friend the play drums, I said to him "You have to start to play drums so we can start a band" and then Antti come in and then Larry.
Larry: I was in another band in Tampere in that time and Jonne and the guys had problems to find a guitarist. And to find anyone that liked the same music.
Then Antti went to the army and we asked Christus to help us with the bass, but we realized that he was a to good guitar player and decided that Jonne should concentrate on singing and let Christus play the guitar.
Jonne: I am such a lousy guitar player, I mean, I play when write songs and so.

Me: Yeah, it most be easier to write of you can play the riffs at the same time.

Jonne: Yes, it's a lot easier.


5) What does the band name, Negative come from?

Jonne: It came from me, because I was so negative to everything, haha.

Me: So it wasn't because of your sad lyrics?

Larry: No, it doesn't have any special reason, but there you have something. But no, it just sounded cool and it is easy to remember and makes people connect the name with the music. Not to long and hard to remember. And there is no one that has something like Negative either.
Jonne: Like Back?.yard ?Babies (had problems to remember), that's a cool name, and it's not like anything else.


6) Do you live on the music or do you have jobs beside Negative?

Jonne: No, we living on Negative.

Me: Like a Rock star then?

Jonne: Yes, haha, I can go hungry for days, but I have both feet on the ground and I don't float around up in the sky.


7) How does the future look like? Any gigs of tours planed?

Larry: No, nothing planes, yet. We have only released our album in Scandinavia yet, but hopefully it will be released in the rest of the Europe soon.
Jonne: My brother, our manager, does a great job to promote us so I think it will be released soon.
Larry: And we hope for Japan too.


8) I know it's a bit early, but do you have something to tell us about a successor to "War of Love?

Jonne: Yes, we are working on that, we have around 10 new songs finish?
Larry: And some old to, we don't want to trash anything.
Jonne: Actually we thought about recording here I Sweden, in the end of year.
Larry: Hmm, it's November now, we never going to get a time in the studio in December.
Jonne: Why not?
Larry: Anyway, it's hopefully going be released late spring 2004.

Me: Oh, great a new album so soon, that was really great new, anyway.


9) So do you think that the Finnish Rock and Metal scene is today? I mean, it have grown a lot lately.

Larry: Well, we are the only REAL Rock band in Finland, the other is more heavy bands, and we are just Rock 'N' Roll.
Jonne: Yes, it's bigger now then before.

Me: But it is much Gothic in Finland too, why's that?

Larry: Melancholy, but yes, there is a lot.

Me: But why? Is Finland a depressive country?

Jonne: I don't know, maybe because of the darkness.
Larry: I think that the Finnish people don't show their emotional they get a beer and feeling sad.
Jonne: Yeah, maybe it's more depressive here, but I don't know, I haven't been anywhere else.
Larry: Denmark is the far away place we have been.

Me: I really like Finnish music, and I listen to a lot of Finnish band to, like Sentenced.

Jonne: Do you like Sentenced?

Me: Yes.

Larry: We actually played on the same festival as them and hanged out with them to, they are really nice.

Me: I have heard that Mika Tenkula is a really depressive guy, is it so?

Larry: Haha, yes he is.
Jonne: But I almost fell in love with Ville, the singer, he is so tall and have so big blue eyes, haha.


10) This is a really interesting question, what is your highest dream?

Jonne: *thinking* well, to become famous with Negative?
Larry: Mine is to stay with Negative, I really like this guys.
Jonne: And to stay alive, I want to live.


11) I got a fan question to, from a girl in Austria; she wonder is you guys had any idols, influences and so.

Jonne: All of us love Guns 'N' Roses, 'cause we are much inspired of them.
And for me, as a songwriter and singer it's Curt Cobain and the rest of Nirvana, Hanoi Rocks, Sebastian Bach? oh and the whole band, Skid Row.

Me: Oh yes, what do you think of the new Skid Row, with Sorlinger on vocals?

Jonne: Not any good, it's not Skid Row anymore.

Me: Ah, okay, I haven't heard the new album yet so.

Jonne: Oh, and I like Aerosmith to.
Larry: And for me, as a songwriter it is John Lennon and Paul McCarthy and as a guitarist, Jimi Hendrix, Slash from G 'N' R, Chuck Berry, Gary Moore?and my dad of course.
Jonne: And Dave (pronounce Daavee) Lindholm.

Me: Lindholm?

Jonne: Yes, he is/was a Finnish troubadour.


12) Is there something you want to say to your fans and the readers on Metal Storm?

(Silence) (Thinking)?
Larry: Well, Bewere we are coming soon.
Jonne: Yeah, the war of love.
Jonne & Larry: (in choir) And don't forgett to love. (looking on each other and laughing).
Larry: And we are hoping to get more gigs.
Jonne: Yes, we want to travel and see new places and meet new people.
Larry: So be patient.

Me: I guess that's everything I have, I'm not so good as this yet, this was my first face to face interview, so I'm still learning, hope you will oversee that.

Jonne: You are learning good.

So then we stop here? and a big thanks to you, Larry and Jonne for doing this interview, and good luck to you and the rest of the band in the future.
And a big thanks to Mia Lundgren at Playground Music Scandinavia AB for making this interview possible.




Around 4 hours after the interview "Negative" played 4 songs acoustic live at Hard Rock Café. A Swedish radio channel (Rock Klassiker) was there too and broadcast their little "concert" live.
But anyway, the songs they preformed was; After All, The Moment of Our Love, Goodbye and Lost Soul.