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Lordi Mr. Ox: I like to be a monster!

Lordi are on the road again, after a little break, the Band returns to the stages of Europe, like that night at Z7 Pratteln (see concert review here ). The Finnish Monster-Rockers released their new record “Babez for Breakfast” in September, and just a few weeks later they parted ways with their long-time drummer Kita, because he chose to attend the Eurovision Song Contest again, without mask and with his own band. STALKER talked with The Hellbull, MR. OX about their new family Member Otus, about the good and bad sides of being a Monster and Kita´s departure.



How are you doing today?
Mr. Ox I’m fine. I’m very good. It’s nice to be here in this venue, because it’s very nice.

Have you been here before?
Mr. Ox I haven’t actually been here, cause I joined 2005 and I think LORDI has played before here. Before me. Always when we have been in Switzerland we have been in Zürich. Since I’ve been in the Band.

Kita is no longer a member of the Band, what is the reason for that and was it his choice to leave the band, or did he get fired?
Mr. Ox He got kind of fired. The thing is, you know, trying to make a long story short. If you think back to those times when we won the Eurovision Song Contest, it was a big thing in Finland and those papers who tried to unmask us, when they where doing that, all the Finnish people turned against them. Stopped subscribing their paper and even turning the papers Upside-down in all the stores, everywhere.
And they said “Let them hide their faces!” You know, now, how could we accept it, now he is going to the Eurovision song contest with his own band, obviously without the mask on. So how would all the people feel that where on our side that time, when we just let this happen without anything? And he knew it, he made his own decision, he knew that he’s going to be fired.

So you are not happy with his decision that he is attending again at Eurovision Song Contest ?
Mr. Ox If I think of LORDI then not. But I don’t really wanna comment that thing.


You have a new member in the Monster-Family now , can you tell us more about Otus?
Mr. Ox (Starts laughing) Yeah, he is quite a character, I have to say! He is a really good drummer, a really good guy. He sleeps a lot, he is almost always a sleep. (laughs) I mean there’s been many funny things with him. For example, I think it was in Prague, after the show and he went to the shower and he just found some liquid, and he washed himself with that. (laughs again) Later he found out that it was actually contact lines liquid and he just said “Oh, I wondered why it didn’t foam!” He didn’t even notice. (both laugh)

So you have a lot of funny time together.
Mr. Ox Yeah, lot of this kind of funny things

You are now part of Lordi since 2005, how has this time until now been for you? And what do you like/ hate the most of being in this Band?
Mr. Ox Of course I like the most this thing that my dream came true. Really touring everywhere around Europe and America and stuff and play the music that I like so much and always did. I like travelling so much, to see new places so that’s perfect for me.
What I don’t like …mhhh is (longer break) nothing really comes to my mind that I don’t like. Of course, you know, sometimes things might go a little wrong or something but there is nothing that I REALLY don’t like.


So you are not getting tired with dressing up the costume,make up and so on every night?
Mr. Ox No, well, ok that’s one thing. Of course you get a little tired of putting it on all the time but then again that’s not a big thing. That’s why we are, what we are, pretty much. You know, I like being a monster on stage, there is nothing really wrong with that. Seriously!

But I think it’s extremely hot in the costume?
Mr. Ox It’s extremely hot, yeah!

Like a private sauna you can carry around!
Mr. Ox Yeah! (laughs) I remember at the Prague Show, it was soooo hot! Seriously on stage, I was thinking, When I pass out and the ambulance comes, how are they going to take my mask off and my shoes off (both laugh) Because I was really thinking I’m gonna pass out! Nothing happened but you know…

I think Amen already passed out once in USA?
Mr. Ox I don’t know if he passed out! But almost after every Show in USA. He was always laying on the floor. We took oxygen and stuff like that…

Babez for Breakfast has been released in September, how has the feedback been so far?
Mr. Ox Well, I have heard lot of good comments about it. The feedback has always been pretty good, I think the Fans like it. I like it very much, it is really fresh, it just sounds fresh to me, you know. All the elements are there, Michael Wagner did a great job. I am happy with it.

You recorded it this time in USA?
Mr. Ox Yeah, in Nashville.


So is it different to the last one which you recorded in Finland?
Mr. Ox The process? Yeah it was totally different. Like Night and Day. This time we had a really big pre-production and Michael Wagner flew to Finland to practice the songs with us. I mean two times he came for a week or two, and we were just going through the songs and tried to put them in place and changing this and that. We did a lot of things which we didn’t do last time at all. Last time we just picked the songs, went to the rehearsal place and just learned the songs, we practiced them like five times, five days when me and Kita where already in the studio and thinking what should I play, you know, it wasn’t really ready (both laugh) But this time, we knew already what to do! But last time it happened in the studio when I started recording the songs, I started thinking, “Well I should play like this”.

And which one did you enjoyed more the one recorded at home or the one in the USA?
Mr. Ox Going to USA, definitely!

It was more fun?
Mr. Ox Yeah, it was like really easy going and it was just so professional. Of course because of Michael Wagner.

After ESC everyone wanted to see you and the request on your persons have been huge, now 4 years later it became more quiet again around you; do you miss this time right after the ESC, or do you prefer it how it is now?
Mr. Ox NO,NO! I prefer it like it is now. You know, steady! That was like a rollercoaster! It was so chaotic, we where, you know, nothing was ready for that so it became really chaotic. Of course a lot of good things happened and we did a lot of things. Actually there was just one day when we where in three different countries, doing something. I don’t even remember what. Now it’s much easier. You know a little ahead of time, what’s gonna happen, so it’s easier to plan things and it goes much smother. You know, I don’t care if we are not THAT big anymore. But it is easier now!

And you also have more time for yourself again!
Mr. Ox Yeah, exactly!


The song “Devil’s Crashing the Party” will be performed on a Musical can you tell us more about that?
Mr. Ox It was actually one of Mr. Lordi’s demos for the new album. I think it almost made it to the album but not in the final. It’s just one of those song. We never recorded that, it was just a demo.

But he gave it to the musical and they are performing it?
Mr. Ox Yes!

(The Musical is called 1827 Infernal Musical and it tells the story about the great fire in Turku in the year 1827. Premiere will be on January 21, 2011 at Turun Nuori Teatteri. One of the musical artist is former Tacere Front-Lady Helena Happaranta
More Information www.nuoriteatteri.com,www.1827.fi,Tickets: www.lippu.fi)

What are the wishes and dreams that you have, when it comes to your career, that you would like to achieve?
Mr. Ox There are a lot of things. There are still many places that we haven’t been. I would like to go on a tour in South America for example. That would be great.

So you haven’t been there so far?
Mr. Ox No we haven’t! That is one thing. And of course there are many bands that would be great to open for them or tour with them. Of course Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper anything like that. That would be a dream come true. Of course one dream like that already came true, when we toured with Ozzy Osbourne. But there are things, you know. A lot of things.

Final question, What would you like to be asked in an interview, you never been asked before.?
Mr. Ox Ah…well that…uh I have to think a little. (longer break) Never have been asked before. Ah that’s a hard one…wait…. I have to let you decide that question because I can’t think of any (laughs)

Nothing comes to your mind?
Mr. Ox Nothing to my mind right now. It’s like blank. Sorry! (lacht)

Doesn’t matter, it’s ok! It’s a hard question!
Mr. Ox Yeah, it is! I’m sorry I’m speechless!(laughs)

Ha, I made you speechless, that’s something too..Ok, then thank you very much for your time and for the Interview and have a great show tonight!
Mr. Ox Thank you very much! It was a very nice Interview!

http://www.lordi.fi/



Author: Sandy Mahrer, photos: Lordi
Date: 2011-01-07

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