† NillaMora †

According to the Daily Star, James Bond producers have tapped HIM frontman Ville Valo to record the theme for 2008’s “Casino Royale” follow-up flick.

Ville, 30, was approached by the Bond team at the BMI Awards dinner at London’s Dorchester Hotel, where he scooped a gong for his hit “Wings of a Butterfly”.

A Daily Star source stated: “[Longtime 007 soundtrack writers David Arnold, 45, and Don Black, 69] were in deep conversation with Ville on the night.

“They love the song that won him an award. They think he has just the right ear to write a classic Bond hit with them.” After their discussion, Ville even pulled a few suave 007 poses at his dinner table, aiming an imaginary finger gun at pals.

Former AUDIOSLAVE/SOUNDGARDEN frontman Chris Cornell was the first man since Paul McCartney to sing a James Bond theme song when he recorded his throaty, epic ode to…

by Mark Saleski

Hey, let's have another musical genre argument. You know, the one where a band is mis-labeled, followed by incensed fans and ProfessorsOfRock™ coming back with any number of variations on "You idiot!" It's so much fun! Heck, back when I reviewed H.I.M.'s Dark Light, I was informed (without the 'idiot' part) that the band played "goth pop." So be it.

Truth be told, I don't really care what the proper label is because what really matters is this: does the music rock or not? "Yes, hard" is the answer.

Hard, in fact, is the key word here, as this band brings to mind many of the aspects of what, back in the 70's, was called "hard rock." Before we got all hung up on genre specifics, our favorite music was thought of as…

Vocalist Ville Valo of the Finnish "love metallers" HIM was recently interviewed by Rick Florino of JamNow.

To listen to the chat, go to this location (select "HIM Interview" in the Jam Player on the upper right).

As previously reported, HIM will be the featured guests on the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline", hosted by Bob Coburn, airing Monday, November 12 at 11:30 p.m. EST/8:30 p.m. PST. Fans can talk live with HIM by calling 800-344-ROCK (7625). To find a station near you or to listen to the show live via the Internet, go to www.rocklineradio.com.

HIM's new album, "Venus Doom", sold 38,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 12 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Ville Valo recently told the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat that the band wanted to make…

Venus Doom
HIM
Sire

by Mike Villano

Although it's only starting to penetrate the consciousness of U.S. listeners, the past decade has seen Scandinavia become the not-so-quiet center of the hard rock and metal universe. Once better known in musical circles for the spate of early-'90s black-metal-related church burnings than for any actual music, today's scene finds bands as disparate as Turbonegro, Nightwish and Opeth all coexisting under the big tent of heavy rock music.

Finland's HIM has been at it for a decade now, and this, their sixth studio album, finds the band in a bit of a holding pattern. Band leader/Johnny Depp-look-alike Ville Valo's vocals are still as moody as ever and his lyrical themes dark as a Nordic night, but something's missing from the mix this time out. The album centerpiece, "Sleepwalking Past Hope," best illustrates the album's dilemma. An ambitious, sprawling…

HIM rocker VILLE VALO is considering quitting the music industry because songwriting turns him into a suicidal wreck. The Finnish rocker admits penning his band's dark songs drives his depression and he can only envy those who find the process cathartic and therapeutic. He says, "You open the door for the demons, and everything just f**king comes out. "Now the meltdowns are getting worse, and the depression won't go away; it's like being haunted by the most vile creatures ever created. "I've had depression before, but when you're so overwhelmed that it's taking you over... I just don't know if I'm prepared emotionally or mentally to write another song." Valo's bandmates and friends were so concerned about the frontman's mental health they implored him to seek help - and applauded him when he checked into celebrity rehab facility Promises in California. Producer Tim Palmer, who…

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HIM

Venus Doom

2007

As doom merchants go, HIM are pretty easy to take. On their sixth album, the long-running Finnish quintet tops Black Sabbath riffs and grinding, tightly wound grooves with Ville Valo’s lovesick crooning, all of which adds up to a dark, sexy sound the band once dubbed “love metal.”(Its logo is a pentagram mashed up with a heart.) Valo keeps his bleeding heart on his sleeve, yowling about dead lovers and dropping creepy poetry like the title track’s gothed-out lament: “Watch me fall for you my Venus…

HIM rocker VILLE VALO is set to return to his sex shop roots by releasing a new line of dildos. The Finish singer used to work in his father's Helsinki sex aids store Toys For Adults - so he knows the value of a good fake penis. He says, "We're thinking about trying to sell HIM dildos." The group's heartagram logo is already one of the most recognisable symbols in modern rock.

 

source: http://www.contactmusic.com/

 

 

Here’s your big change to ask Ville some questions. Ville will be answering fan questions in an upcoming issue of Revolver magazine. So if you’ve got something to ask him, email it to:
letters@revolvermag.com

with the subject heading HIM QUESTION by October 9.

source: The Street Network