A Finnish Grammy nominated record producer, songwriter and musician, Timo Tolkki has sold over 3 million records during his 25 year career. He has played over 1500 shows in every continent across the globe and produced around 50 albums. He has released 13 albums with Stratovarius and 2 solo albums.
Timo started playing guitar when he was 7 years old. His early influences were ABBA, The Beatles and The Shadows. Very quickly he progressed to the point where he wanted an electric guitar. After hearing “Smoke on the Water” on the radio the rest was history. As a young teenager, Tolkki practically slept with his guitar and it was not uncommon for him to practice 8 hours a day. He was also playing in some local bands but in 1984 got a phonecall from the Stratovarius camp asking him to join the band. Stratovarius soared to great heights becoming the leading pioneers in progressive power metal. This monumental achievement included 7 world tours, 3 consecutive gold discs in Finland and selling almost 3 million records.
The recent break up of Stratovarius came about because Tolkki felt that the relationships in the band very very badly contaminated and also because everything that was to be said with that band with those members had already been said and to continue would be simply repeating the same form. He also wanted to be able to concentrate on other things, explaining that:“There’s just a time for everything in life and Stratovarius came to the end of a road and there was nowhere to go anymore”. During the composing process of his upcoming solo album “Saana-Warrior of Light” he found many new interests in the form of photography, graphics design and video editing. “It was like a new world to me and I knew I had found something that would determine the course of the rest of my life regarding my art. Now I have these amazing tools available to me to create things I did not know was possible. Lot of studying, but it’s really a lot of fun, which brought me into many different areas in music. On the other hand I can do a production of a dance artist, or a metal artist. Or anyone who I think is real and has it. I rarely do productions outside of my own production company anymore. I am really into finding new talents and developing a project together with an artist, while using enough time for it. Because time is gold in music. I have everything I need here to create a perfect musical and visual experience. Music is the Universal language. Its primary function is to awaken emotions in us. We have no choice. If something doesn’t move me, I know it is not for me”.
Timo is currently running his own Goldenworks production company and has established a comfortable working suite in Helsinki with the latest technology. He calls his place “Santa’s Workshop”. Timo is actively looking for singers and artists who dare to explore the boundaries of themselves and take the step to the unknown.
He is ready to release his new solo album “Saana-Warrior of Light Pt1”. It is a groundbreaking release in many ways. It will only be available from the shop from his Official website http://www.timotolkki.com that is powered by TheGround.com so you will not find it in record stores. Tolkki is happy about these new opportunities to interact directly with his fans and to offer them products at a much better cost.
Since Stratovarius break-up, he has formed a new Power Metal band that continues the legacy of Stratovarius. This band is called “REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE” and its debut album “New Era” will be out on 6.6.2008 featuring Michael Kiske and Tobias Sammet on vocals.
Timo Tolkki is looking forward to new musical endeavours and to the exciting new and fresh future in his art.
Hello Timo. Listened to some of your solotunes and I find them really great. Much wider spectra than Stratovarius. Reminds me a bit of such music I like to compose. I love Heavy Metal but there's so much more out there to do so to speak. I understand Stratovarius splitting up. You've got to move on. I will buy one of your solo albums but I have not decided wich one yet. Be well and take care music brother.
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