I. PERSONAL IDENTITY
What are your roots? Where do you come from, how did you grow up?
Born in Finland. Grew up in Canada.
What are important lessons you’ve learned in life so far?
Community is crucial to all areas of success in life. It begins with us as individuals. The health and vitality of our inner community: mind, body, spirit. Fall in love with the process. Use metrics and money to gauge your progress as a human and an artist. Eat plants. No animal foods. Music and art is an endless, infinite journey of discovery and evolution. Instead of focusing on what you can get or what you don’t have, focus on what you can create and give. The more you have, the more you have to give.
Describe your artistic career – what subjects or themes do you respond to most?
I resonate with outsiders and sensitive types. Lost souls, lone wolves. It takes one to know one. I love great musicianship and the spirit of rock’n roll. Not crazy about genres. Music is music. The elements are what matters. Great songs, great players, great albums, great performances. Music becomes this spiritual path. Life or death. Go all in. I want to hear and see musicians who are playing and singing as if their lives depend on it. But also having fun and celebrating life and the great struggle juggle. I have high standards when it comes to sound, musicianship, showmanship and production. I like to drown myself in creative genius.
Describe how you first became aware of your artistic gift.
I was always hyper sensitive. Art was play. I loved it. It was fun. And then I learned more skills and started to create instead of just imitate and later integrating both. Music and lyrics and sound became my sanctuary. But also other musicians and their stories, the images, the visuals, the lifestyle. I knew I was good or at least better than others around me. It was a way for me to get some status and attention because I sucked at everything else.
What are your early musical influences?
In chronological order…
Alice Copper’s Poison. The Beatles. Queen. 90s techno. 90s punk rock. Greenday. Smashing Pumpkins. Nirvana. Oasis. Metallica. Guitar wankers. Guitar gods. Metal. Disco. World music. Hendrix. Stevie Ray Vaughan. Kingston Wall. Radiohead, Coldplay, Muse, indie rock. Mew. Jamiroquai. Classical. Jazz. Drummers like Gadd, Colaiuta, Porcaro, Buddy Rich. Keith Jarrett. Led Zeppelin. Coltrane. Tommy Emmanuel. Satriani. Vai. The Band. Townes Van Zandt. Mastodon. The National. Josh T Pearson. Sun Kil Moon. John Maus. Sturgill Simpson. Dylan. Cohen. Waits.
Who or what has influenced your thinking the most?
Reading books in high school: 1984, Brave New World, Fahrenheit, Siddhartha.My musical heroes and the rocknroll lifestyle and spirit. Taking psychedelics. Traveling the world 30 years. Living in many different countries. Love, loss, death, lust. Creating my own art and staying on the path. Meeting people, places. Books. Coaches. Teachers. Movies. Songs. Spirituality, Failure, meditation, yoga, tantra, advaita, Christ, Buddha, science, occultism, writing, poetry, literature, selfhelp books, love, truth, philosophy, psychology, dance, exploration, sex, drugs, Krishnamurti, Osho, Yourofsky, Durianrider, UFC, F1, friends, lovers, madmen, madness, beauty.
What artists do you admire?
Tom Waits, Chris Martin, Thom Yorke, Gaspar Noe, Terrence Malick, Bukowski, Leonard Cohen, John Maus, Josh Pearson, Mark Kozelek, Markus Nylund, Dali, Picasso, Jesus, Henry Miller, Jonas Bjerre, Nicolas Refn, Petri Walli, Jon Hopkins, Nils Frahm
II. VALUES
What are three important events in your life that have changed the way you think. Describe each of these experiences.
- My best friend’s death when I was 15 → closed down and found solace in art, started writing lyrics and songs because I didn’t know what else to do to process the unbearable sorrow and shock.
- Discovering the spiritual path through books like Power of Now and I Am That → learning that there is a bigger game to be played, not just becoming famous.
- Taking LSD → truly understanding the power of my own mind and what is possible.
III. VISION
What is it I have that is different from others in the same niche?
I integrate different styles and genres that goes beyond music. I create intimacy for my audience and make them feel like they are somehow part of this, like it is their voice that is singing but through me. They are / it is. That energy I get from my audience is what fuels the performance and I am somehow able to feel the collective energy of a room very deeply. Music and creativity is a doorway into other things in life and applying the elements into everything we do and create as humans. Creativity as a way of life. No rules.
Is there a theme that runs throughout my lyrics?
There is no darkness without light and vice versa. Quiet desperation but hope and great power. The Real Thing: love, truth, justice, freedom. Love is violent. Violence is beautiful. Light force penetrating through the cosmos into the heartmind and as it.
If I asked my friends or fans what my music represents to them, what would they say?
Beautiful, epic, powerful, inspiring, virtuosic, dazzling, mind blowing, sad, dark, WOW, wtf, gods climaxing, deep, real, incredible, revolutionary (or so they have said).
Is there a mission associated with my music?
(lyric from Neverending War)
This is a call to all the abandoned boys and girls:
LIGHT ME UP OH BURNING WORLD
Is there anything unique and special about me that attracts fans?
I look like a Neon Viking God. I create music and visuals unlike anyone ever in history. I do what nobody does or can. I am the greatest artist alive and maybe in history. Every artist worth their salt should feel like this. If they don’t, nobody else will either.
What is it people should experience when listening to my music?
Courage to be who they are and create their dream life. ALL IN
IV. INTENTION
How would you define your artist identity in a few sentences?
So much anger, hostility and division in the world. I make songs that save lives. Only beauty can save us now… Nothing else will ever work. Sorry. Your president ain’t coming to save you. Nor is Jesus. TAKE BACK YOUR POWER. My art will show you the way (songs, poems, writings, videos, performances, etc). Keep coming back. FEED ON ME. Let my art feed your starving soul and quench your thirst. Now and forever more. And then give me all your money, I need new Versace boxers lol.
