Interview with Synergy
Interview taken from Suomi Finland Perkele Metal Magazine issue 4/98

Translated by Janne Posti

Synergy : Kimberly Goss and Alexi Laiho in one!

In the footsteps of Covenant follows now a new supergroup, which includes
among others ex-Ancient-Therion-Dimmu Borgir-actual Kimberly Goss, In Flames
guitarist Jesper Strömblad, Mercyful Fate bassist Sharlee D'Angelo and in
Finnish-style the most interesting name, the singer-guitarist of Children of
Bodom, Alexi Laiho. Although there's no music by Synergy available - yet -
decided we to take the bull by the horns now when Kimberly was visiting
Finland and find out what this is all about.

I wait for Alexi and Kimberly at the Roadhouse bar in Helsinki a tuesday
afternoon in late June, and at last the couple shows up - only half an
hourlate of the agreed time.
Both complain they didn't sleep much last night. Of decency matters I don't
snoop why the two didn't enjoy a proper night's sleep - that I leave to the
readers' dissolute imagination...
Right in the beginning of our chat I make a major mistake by calling
Synergy a project. Kimberly straightens me up immediately, and underlines
many times during the interview that Synergy is certainly not a project.

- In the beginning Synergy was suppossed to be a project. Last year in
August Dimmu Borgir was touring Europe with In Flames, and I became really
good friends with Jesper. Then we came up with the idea of making some kind of
sideproject the two of us, which would be something totally different than Dimmu
Borgir or In Flames.

- In January - after my departure from Dimmu - I decided, that instead of
joining another band - as I've done the last three years - I would make
a real band out of Synergy. I wanted to start right out of nowhere and not
joining another group and that I'd have to take in a new style, sound and
image. I wanted well-known stars to play on at least the first album, to be sure
that the album would turn out really good.

- But I'm not an idiot, because I know, that most certainly at least some
of the guys will have other things to do when Synergy goes touring. I know
already the replacement musicians for these guys, whom I will, if necessary,
take with me on tour.
It would be cool to tour with this line-up, but probably I'll have to rely
on the session musicians. Finally I would like a constant line-up, because
this is not a project.

- This far Synergy hasn't got other regular members than me on vocals and
keyboards and my drummer Ronny Milianowicz. But you can be sure thet I won't
play keyboard live while I'm singing, because that would look really terrible.

- I don't necessarily have time for a tour, but I certainly have time to make
a record, Alexi promises.

How did you end up in Scandinavia when you left the States?

- In my hometown Chicago I sang in a band called Avernus. We never got big,
but once we played in Knoxville, Tennessee at a festival together with Ancient.
I was on stage with Avernus, when the guys from Ancient walked into the hall.
They heard me sing and asked if I could sing on their next album, which would be
recorded in Sweden. I said yes, because I wanted to get to Europe. I asked
them to get a flight-ticket, with which I would hang around in Scandinavia
after the studio session.

- Those days I was also doing a fanzine, to which I interviewed Christofer from
Therion, after which we became good correspondence friends. During this trip
I went to say hello to Christofer. When I was at his place, he told me that
he would possibly call me in the near future, 'cause they needed a keyboard
player.

- I spent the most part of that time at the Dimmu Borgir guys in Oslo, with
whom I was good friends long before I joined the band. After I got back to
the States, I got a phone call from Christofer, where he asked if I was
interested in a Therion-tour with Amorphis. Of course I said yes. When Nuclear
Blast agreed that they would pay my flight-ticket from the States to Europe, I
decided to move to Oslo at the same time. This way I was close to both Ancient
and Therion.

- When my ways departed with Dimmu's, I called Jesper and asked what he thought
of the idea of me moving to Göteborg and that I'd start Synergy as a real band there.
He thought it was ok, as long as I take care of the work connected to the band,
such as being interviewed. I moved to Göteborg in February this year.

Kimberly and Alexi start smiling and staring confused at each other when I
ask what kind of music we can expect from Synergy.

- What would you call it, purrs Kimberly to Alexi.
- Well at least I wouldn't call it black metal, helps Alexi.
- It's in any case not black- or death metal. It's heavy metal with femae vocals,
but not in the way like some Gathering. Rather you would compare my singing to Doro
or Lita Ford, 'cause I can use my voice very strongly.

But am I right in believing that the music is a bit heavier than Doro or
Lita Ford...?

- Yes, indeed, agrees Kimberly.
- You could compare the music to some Judas Priest, describes Alexi.
- As a player you can't compare your own music to some other band, that's
rather the listener's task.

Synergy's debutalbum's recording session has been planned to take place between
October 12. and November 15. in Studio Fredman in Göteborg. At the time of the
interview are there six finished songs, two by Ronny, two by Alexi, one by Kimberly
and one by Jesper. The record is suppossed to be released early next year.

You already told me how you got to know Jesper, but how did you meet Alexi?

- When Dimmu Borgir played at Lepakko in Helsinki in the end of last year, were
Children of Bodom playing as a warm-up. I was backstage with the Dimmus, when suddenly
there was coming fantastic music from the hall. We thought what cd that might be, but
what we heard was Children of Bodom doing the soundchecking. We were shocked!

- They were the first local band who had been warming us up who kicked
ass. All of us were finally watching them and gaping, because they were so good.
Then I noticed how brilliant Alexi is on guitar. So I decided we still have
to meet, Kimberly clears up.

Kimberly starts giggling hysterically when I state that the two now are a
couple!

- I said to Alexi yesterday, that what if you ask if we're together. But
it seems not to be a secret, Kimberly curls.

- When we were playing in Kouvola at Midsummer, there was a guy among the
audience who was holding a blanket which said "Allu (heart) Kimberly" in the air. I
almost got a heart-attack, sighs Alexi.

- Myself I was in Sweden during Midsummer, where the goings-on are exactly
as crazy. I went to this isle just outside Göteborg along with Dark Tranquillity's
singer (Mikael Stanne), In Flames' bassist and about thirty more guys, and we got
ourselves really boozed.
When we were waiting for the ferry to come, insisted Mikael to play Titanic with
me, but he was so drunk he almost fell from the pier while running towards me,
screaming "Roseeee!"

- Bodom's worst Midsummer gig was surely in Pudasjärvi, where we played at half
past three o'clock in the morning. And because we were in Lapland, the sun was
shining ceaselessly, the audience consisting of walking zombies.
Our best Midsummer gig was although in Kouvola, 'cause they had the best crowd.
It rained in Nummirock, so that banalized the atmosphere. Besides, in Kouvola
we got to meet the Klamydia guys, who are really cool guys - true Finns, Alexi grins.

Kimberly has been visiting Finland at various times all in all more than three months.
What does she think of Finland now that she's had the possibility to examine our
country better?

- I love Finland, it's my favourite country in Europe, Kimberly answers.

Then when will you move to Finland?

- I don't know, I have no plans, but I can tell you that much, that if I still
sometime in the future move, then I move to Finland. Right now as four of the five
members of Synergy live in Sweden, it's more handy to live there, Kimberly tells.


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