IÕve understood that you were founding The Black League with Jarva - how did you get the other guys with, and why these guys?

Well, in the beginning it was just the two of us, and we just played there. We noticed that we need more guys, the songs developed so multiformic. Who was the first we thought? Was it the guitarist or the bassist? Maike Valanne came from JarvaÕs side, we wanted an experienced person to the other guitar. We knew heÕs a cool guy and a good player. I thought the bass player myself, Laurila a.k.a Florida - came to mind from these Impaled times, Ôcause he was with us on the tour then as an session bassist. And then the third guy, this Alexi Ranta, was found from a bar. Tane was in a bar wondering who the hell could we get - a good guitar player, a good solo guitarist for the band. Asked around little and found the man, and weÕve been really satisfied, very working line-up.

Nowadays while reading these articles it feels that quite often the guys are found from bars.

Well itÕs simply almost the best way to find them, there the hippies usually are.

According to rumours the reason why you left Impaled Nazarene was a fight with Jarva - what happened, and how come you decided to play together again?

Well it wasÉ we had too much to drink. ImpaledÕs studio sessions it was and there we clashed a bit, and I thought that IÕm having enough of this, better to walk away. So I just left after the studio session. What was the end of the question?

How come you decided to play together again?

WellÉ on the other hand I had thought for a quite long time that it would be really nice to work with Tane again, that we always played well together in the Impaled times. Then it was Tane who contacted me. How long has it been, 3 years, I think it was spring Õ97 when I got a call and he asked me to the band. Said of course.

It seems that Jarva determines quite lot in the band - is The Black League JarvaÕs solo project, or a real band?

This is a real band, this first record is of course quite much JarvaÕs handwriting, the musical side. He developed so many ideas after leaving Sentenced, and why desert them, lots of hell of a good ideas, still many unused.

How does this fit to you, after all youÕve got used to being in control in Legenda?

Really well. ItÕs sometimes great just to play drums, you donÕt need to wonder things even nearly that much. Lyrics & stuff like that, itÕs great to have someone else taking care of them. IÕve mostly played drums, so itÕs always been my main instrument, itÕs good to have more experienced guys in other instruments.

Almost all songs on Ichor were written by Jarva - can we expect songs written by others in the future?

Well it depends will they be good enough, why not. All ideas will be used, if they are good enough, and fit the Black League mold, which on the other hand is quite wide.

YouÕve written half of one song - have you others affected the songs on the album?

ThereÕs all kinds of stuff - guitarists have their self-made solos of course, and adapting the songs to your own way of playing is necessary, itÕs impossible to copy exactly what Jarva shows. The same way I made more stuff with the drums, what felt good.

IchorÕs name means the blood of gods - why this name?

That you have to ask from Jarva (laughs). I donÕt know, itÕs JarvaÕs idea like all lyrics. ItÕs hard for us others to talk about them.

This record was apparently recorded in December - February, a.k.a 3 months, and two studios - why?

Yes. Tico Tico didnÕt have enough time that we could have recorded the guitars at the same time. At first we recorded the drums & bass in 10 days at Tico, and then before Christmas the guitarists went to Helsinki. There at Lala records, were they there 2 or 3 weeks, and took guitars. Then in the end of January we came to Tico Tico, took the synths we had, and part of the vocals. Then at the end of February we took more vocals, and then mixed at Finnvox. It took lots of time. It was just that Tico Tico didnÕt have enough time at once, so that we could have taken the guitars at the same time.

Nuclear Blast releases Ichor at least in Germany, Austria and Switzerland - Is European tour expected?

I have no idea, very hard to say. We have to check that we get enough money for it. ThereÕs no use in going just after the free booze, something should be left over. But in the end itÕs Blast who decide do they want us to tour there or not. WeÕll see.

Some people have compared Ichor to Sentenced on Amok, what do you think of that?

There is some similarities, but this is much more developed. From the sounds could be said that Amok sounds almost like a demo compared to Ichor, but itÕs a good record, so I donÕt mind if it sounds a bit similar.

Apparently you are working on a video for Winter Winds Sing - why this song?

ItÕs already finished. I first got this idea for a video in my head, and I directed it myself, and then (Juhani) JylkkŠ shot it and (Jari) Nenonen lit it. Two great persons to make a music video. So I first had the idea, and then started wondering what song I should choose there. What would fit the view that developed, this haunting nightmare-like atmosphere that the video has. First I thought of the song Deep Waters, but it somehow didnÕt fit, it produces different kind of images. The vocals in this Winter Winds Sing -song were redone at the end in the studio, Jarva figured out how it would sound the best. I hadnÕt heard at all how he had sung it until I afterwards got the record in my hand, (I was like) christ this sounds good, it was in a fitting haunted style, so it fit the idea of the video well.

(The idea for the video came from an ad of the movie the Bone Collector (or what ever the English title for it isÉ), where a man sits tied to a chair, a murderer in front of him. The video was shot without a script on paper during two days on an old deserted sawmill in Martinniemi. The earlier (LegendaÕs Rev.66) video was an experiment, now he had to make one that gets through, he would still rather make one with lots of blood.)

You apparently directed also the video for LegendaÕs Rev.66, what do you think of the result?

It wasÉ practice, funny practice. Black humor, and itÕs given many laughs, so rather successful result.

Has it been shown anywhere?

Just here at school, LŠnsi-Lapin Ammatti-Instituutti, and at the Music video festivals in Oulu. There it got smiles on peopleÕs faces. It happened that it came after these some really expensive videos. After 100 000 budget videos comes this Rev.66, it causes cheerfulness.

(If I remember right, Luttinen is wearing the black metal make up (or then his face was all bloody, not sure) and has a skull in his hand, there was blood somewhere, and a group of people, who jump like theyÕre worshipping himÉ SchoolÕs management apparently didnÕt get the humor, they had given comments like "How was that let done?! People who do that kind of stuff will not anymore be taken to our school!")

LegendaÕs contract to Holy Records ended with Eclipse, it wasnÕt a time to weep though, IÕve understood that you didnÕt like the companyÕs workÉ

NoÉ IÕm a rather hard-to-deal-with person myself, so when thereÕs a little setback, ItÕs rather easy to get pissed off with record companies. Holy - theyÕre French, they have a different work moral than Finns. Sometimes I wonder that why the hell they are in this whole business, nothing is done in time, some shirts may come almost a year after the release of the record, when thereÕs no use to make them anymore, they wonÕt sell anymore. Weird company. Been there.

What does the future of Legenda look like, will you continue with some other company?

Well IÕm alone in Legenda now, Karppinen left - has it been couple of years now. I donÕt know, have to see what comes. Some little different songs have proceeded, that canÕt be even thought for The Black League. When thereÕs enough, I might try to thrust them somewhere, try to get someone to release them.

So Legenda hasnÕt taken you with it so much that you wouldnÕt continue in The Black League on other albums.

No, Legenda is cooling off completely at this moment, now I play in Black League and Catamenia. IÕm completely satisfied with the situation, that I can just bang the drums. DoesnÕt need to be writing complete songs all the time, itÕs rather rough work.

Since we talked about these record companies, how have you liked Spinefarm, since League records for them?

Excellent company, they handle marketing well, and all stuff like that. ItÕs different to be on a Finnish label, you can communicate in Finnish all the time, everybody understands what youÕre talking. With Holy, at the times they didnÕt understand English at all, itÕs terrible the mess in that end. Spine has done a great job at least for now, so I have been pleased.

You have Legenda in some degree, and Catamenia, do other League members have bigger projects going on right now?

WellÉ projects and projects, real bands they are. Maikki has Terveet kŠdet and AlexiÉ Fatus Ingis, if I remember correctly. Florida thenÉ actually has no project at the moment. Or band.

So how does this work if League goes for a longer tour, wonÕt these others be left aside?

Yes of course, and we have to check other things too, what kind of life situations people are in, that we canÕt just go off the road. Some of us are working, so it ainÕt that easy to leave at least for a longer tour. And at the moment I personally am not even interested doing a long tour. Rather some single gigs, they are nice. Tour life is so hard.

You also used to have some sort of Manowar project, is it still alive?

No. Great project it was. There was in vocals Sami Huotari, who also sang Sister Shadow Sister to LegendaÕs Eclipse. Natural singer, high voices come out well. There just came lots of other stuff and the project just was left behind, and hasnÕt been brought back to life. It will again be seen in the future - maybe a couple of gigs could be done.

What records have you been listening to lately - what is the playlist right now?

Now I havenÕt listened to music that much - been in the studio that much and everythingÉ Really hard to say, some Danzig records I listen to sometimes. Maybe DanzigÕs new one, I think thatÕs what IÕve mostly been listening to.

How did you get interested in music in the beginning? As a kid and so?

The rhytm was in my blood, as a little boy I already beat tins and stuff with some sticks. I was about 11 or 12 when my parents bought me the first drums. That was the beginning. Then I found other guys who played guitar and stuff - founded all kinds of pathetic bands and then to gigs to make a fool of ourselves.

I was asked to ask you do you often get mixed with your brother or the Magician Luttinen?

Well I donÕt get mixed with Magician Luttinen, but people always ask are we related (no, they aren't). To my brother only by name, many people think Sir Luttinen is Mika Luttinen. It was funny to read something, think it was some chat of Suomi Finland Perkele where someone wrote that Sir Luttinen is bald, and then someone else is there like fuck you, heÕs not, Sir Luttinen is Kimmo Luttinen and Kimmo Luttinen has hair. I was like jesus christ, all kind of topics they have for conversation. (laughter)

What would you like to say in the end?

Come to the gigs when ever there is some. Buy lots of records, buy to your friends, too. Buy records as gifts to all people, itÕs worth it. ItÕs good music.

Of course The Black League and Legenda records.

Well Legenda doesnÕt matter, buy The Black League, itÕs a top product.