Biography of the band Negative

In 1997 the band Negative was founded by Jonne Aaron and Jay Slammer in Tampere. At the beginning it consisted only of three members. Once upon a time Jonne said the boys played their first real shows in 1998. Also the band joined together very slowly and it took about years until all members of today have become part of the band. It was Larry who eavesdroped while Jonne was talking to Antti about the fact that they needed a new guitarist. Immediately the secret listener answered that he would play the six strings and that he would do it as well as Slash. At once Jonne knew that he would be a good choice. The second guitarist Sir Christus was observed by Jonne and Larry while he was playing a gig with his band at that time called "Bloodpit" and after the show they discovered him at the bar surrounded by girls. Again Jonne knew that he had to get this guy for the band. So at first the band has been completed with five members.

But only in 2002 a contract with the record company GBFAM Records has followed. Many experiences the band gained while playing innumerable live-shows should have an effect in the future. Because with their first studio-album "War of love", which was recorded in the Cosmic Studios together with the producer Lex Luthor (who already had worked with Paleface and Ezkimo), the young guys could reach gold in their homeland. Like Jonne said all songs on this successful record were created within the six years before. That´s why this album would sound a little bit chaotic he explained. The oldest song arised in 1997, the year of the emergence of the band. Nethertheless he would love this album very much because it would give a good view into the earlier career of the band and opened the doors to the world for them. As first single-release in Finland the song "The moment of our love" was chosen.

To the question why Negative decided to sing in English instead of their mother tongue the answer had been that English would be the universal-speech of Rock´n´Roll and probably the guys couldn´t reach their aim to become also a huge band abroad if thes had decided to sing in Finnish. So the guys believe that it had been the right decision in the past. This aim, which the guys are hunting, is absolutely comprehensible if you consider that bands like Guns´n´Roses, Hanoi Rocks, Mötley Crue, Kiss, W.A.S.P. and the Finnish 80s Rock/Pop-legend Dingo belong to their biggest idols.

After the release of their first album "War of love" the guys toured intensively through Finland and saw all corners of their homeland.

Then in spring 2004 the second album "Sweet and deceitful" has been released. The first album on which you can also enjoy the sound of a keyboard played by the talented Finnish guy Snack who has joined the band as the last member. For this album Negative worked together with the producer TT Oksala who already had worked for bands like Lordi, HIM and The 69 Eyes. Like Jonne said on this album everthing was thought over and planed in detail in contrast to the first one. He described the alum as very independent and powerful. Furthermore Jonne explained that they had all become better musicians and would have found their own style with "Sweet and deceitful". Finally he mentioned following statement to clarify: ""War of love" brought us from the cellars into the light of the streets and the second album takes us to the stadiums. I mean it in a symbolic way!"

While "The moment of our love" has been released as the first single in Germany in May 2005, which has been a herald of the first album "Sweet and deceitful" in Germany, in Finland "Frozen to lose it all" has been released from this album. They consciously decided to choose this song because it emphasized the keyboard sounds of the new bandmember Snack very clearly and so it should how much Negative has been enriched with it´s new keyboarder. Unfortunately Germany had to forgo their debut-album "War of love". Perhaps this was also the reason why "Sweet and deceitful" also contained the song "The moment of our love" which has been very successful in Finland. In Germany "Frozen to lose it all" has followed as second single too and the third and last single of this album has been "In my heaven".

After their first gig on the festival "Bochum Total" on 07 July 2005, the guys were on tour for the first time in Germany a the end of summer/the beginning of autumn 2005 and at the end of this tour they also came for one gig to Austria. On February 2006 Negative already were on tour with their fellow countrymen HIM and The Rasmus through German cities, after they had been asked for by Ville Valo, the lead-singer of HIM, and could also win lots of fans because of this support in this country. Cause many of the fans of these two bands, HIM and The Rasmus, which have already been famous, discovered also this talented band for themselves.

After Negative came for some festivals to Germany again in summer and presented their new single "Planet of the sun", they finally have released their third album "Anorectic" for which the fans had longed all the time and which has been released in Germany almost at the same time. As the producer they chose Hiili Hiilesmaam for this album. Like Jonne said it was really good work with him because he considered exactly the wishes of the band. Jonne also said that Negative finally had found their own style with this album and that instantaneous it definitely would be their best album. And those who listen to the album straight through from start til the end knows what this young guy is talking about and will just confirm this. Cause "Anorectic" seems to be one whole in it´s totality. Every second is thought over, from the Intro to the last sound. It has become a varied album and like Jonne says it has got more power than the two predecessors and shows the harder sides of Negative. Also Jonne calls this album as the "ugly sister" of "War of love" and "Sweet and deceitful". The long time it took to produce this album is just absolutely legitimated, in which Jonne said in an interview that it also was a hard time and put the band and their team spirit on a hard test. However a test which the band passed like it can be seen.

In November 2006 the guys were on tour for the second time in Germany, this time without their fellow countrymen from HIM and The Rasmus. In addition three gigs in Switzerland and three further gigs in Austria followed. In Germany this tour has been the best one ever until now like Jonne said.

In winter 2006 the second single from "Anorectic", "Sinner´s night/misty morning", has been released in Finland. Unfortunately up to now fans in Germany are vainly waiting for this release. And the same kind of disappointment the fans had to receive a few times again, cause the third "Anorectic"-release "Fading yourself" has only been released in Finland in March too and a release of the "War of love"-Track "Lost soul", which was especially planned to be released in Germany, had been cancelled before the day of release came in the end.

But ain spite of these disappointments the guys soon gave a new reason for being happy. Because in the year 2007, after they had played some summer-festivals in Germany, Austria, Hungary and also in their homeland, another big tour was following through Germany. So in September finally we could enjoy the unbelievable live-power from Negative and after this they directly travelled to China and Russia, where also many fans were very happy about this. Though the year 2007 therewith could have been finished as successful, the six guys could even manage something more: At the beginning of November totally unsuspectedtly they won at the Europe Music Awards the price for "Best Finnish Act". And even against big bands like Nightwish and HIM! So this year could have been finished more than only successful.

But in the year 2008 already in January there has been a big shock for the fans. The band heralded that they would go on without guitarist Sir Christus in the future. This decision was made together, like Jonne said, and everybody, who has been involved, thought it has been the right decision. The pleasant anticipation for the 4. Album of the band, which was announced by now and for which the band is planning to back out into the studio for recordings in February, obtained a bitter smack because this will be the first thing which Negative will record without Sir Christus. Already two weeks after this sad message at the end of January the first official Double-DVD of the band-history has been released with the name "In the eye of the hurricane", which contains a concert from Dcember 2006 and much more extras. Though it hasn´t been released in Germany as well, the band promulgated at their official Homepage how to get it from Finland directly, no matter from which country.

On March 31st of 2008, Negative finally announced their new guitarist Gary, after an almost two-and-a-half months search, who should play at the band as a second tour-guitarist instead of Sir Christus in the future. Also the new song "Won´t let go" was announced as new Single and the month May was named for the release of the fourth Album, which will be called "Karma Killer". And at the beginning of July 2008 the second single "Giving up!" already has been released, but only as digital-single.

But Gary´s job as a tour-guitarist wasn´t for a very long time regrettably, because on July 28th 2008 Negative announced that they wanted to go on with their old formation as a five-piece in the end. For many fans this had been as sad message, cause they already wanted the talented, new tour-guitarist to become a full member of the band. You can read more about the time-guitarist Gary here
->Gary Keskinen!

Eftsoons there was a reason to be happy for the European fans. They got the information that the fourth album "Karma Killer" will also be released in autumn 2008 over here finally, as well as the DVD "In the eye of the hurricane". And with a following tour, which was starting in December 2008, no fan-wish should have stayed unfulfilled for this time.

The year 2009 purely became a "tour-year". Different countries have been visitied and the latest album "Karma Killer" became more public.
Before the year 2010 got a time of many news: The band changed their record label into Warner Music, which should release all albums now. The special thing, there was announced this changed should make it possible to do releases worldwide at the same time. That's how it should have happened with the fifth album "Neon" immediately. But in the end this couldn't happen after all and just Finish and Japanese people were able to hold the CD in their hands on schedule. Germany, Austria and Switzerland had to have patience again until the album would be released also here at a later date, which couldn't have been announced clearly yet. First single for this album became "End of the line", which also just had been released as a digital-single.

And so we are waiting again for the time when we will hear about news from the guys within the next year. Both, on CD and on stage. ^^

According to this…Let´s fuck and rock on ^^…