KEY POINTS:
Many people think you're out to corrupt minds and spread the word of Satan. It must be annoying how people take you too seriously?
Argh. Yeah. It's all about entertainment. I don't even have any words to describe it. I understand people might think that because of the way we look but come on it's all about entertainment and we have faced this problem all the time. It's just rock'n'roll.
So you're over the stereotyping?
Yeah, and it's the same for everyone. Alice Cooper, KISS, and Marilyn Manson all get it too. I met Marilyn Manson last summer and he was a really nice guy and we talked about girls, not Satan. Normal things.
What did winning Eurovision do for you guys?
There are always good sides and bad sides. Now we are trying to get rid of it and maybe now we are rid of it. But we just have to make a good album and hopefully people will forget that we won Eurovision. You have to prove you're not a Eurovision band and you're a serious rock'n'roll band behind the masks.
So do you think your music would have the same impact without the costumes and the image?
To be honest, of course I understand the power of the mask, because in the world there are so many bands, so you have to pop out some how. And that's one of the reasons we're wearing the masks. We want to be different. And it sounds cliched but if your songs are not that good then people are not going to go to your concerts or buy your albums. So I think without the music you don't have anything but I think it's 50/50.
What is it like being superstars in Finland?
Since this newspaper isn't coming out in Finland I can safely say it f****** sux. Finnish people are really, really jealous people. If something good happens for this country everyone is together. "Yeah, we won Eurovision, we are the best". But in one year it turns against you and they are up there calling you, "Eurovision bastards". You can't even imagine it. It's unimaginable. One minute you are a national hero and then in the morning you're a bastard. It's crazy.
Take us back, why did you want to be in a band like Lordi?
Why I want to be in Lordi? I don't know [laughs]. Every morning I wake up I ask myself the same question. You know we all had a KISS background. We met because of KISS because they were playing in Sweden in '96 or something and we organised a KISS Army Finland tour to see them. On that cruise me, Kita (drum) and Mr Lordi (singer) we met for the first time face to face so we used to say, "Without KISS there wouldn't be Lordi". And Mr Lordi is also a huge horror film fan and me also. And Mr Lordi had this crazy idea and I was like, "Hey, I want to be in a mask band too". I always like bands who don't look normal, but of course I love AC/DC too. But it's great, every day in Lordi is like a day in Disneyland.
So what's the story behind Mr Amen and the costume?
Amen is actually from ancient Egypt. We just thought what would be the coolest and hottest guitar player we thought it's got to be a mummy because mummies are so f****** cool.
You're the most athletic of the band?
Yeah, it's because I don't have the platforms. You know, the other guys have the platforms [boots]. I'm so jealous. I just have sneakers.
Are you looking forward to coming to New Zealand?
It's a dream come true to be on stage with KISS and Alice Cooper. I just can't wait and it's very dark and cold in Finland so it'll be good to go somewhere where the sun rises, you know.
* Lordi play Rock2WGTN on March 22 with Alice Cooper and KISS. Ozzy Osbourne headlines on March 23.
