This has been the strangest and also the best summer ever. So many things have happened around me and us that it has kept me busy from writing any updates here and also some things have been so damn complicated that I really didn’t know what to say about them. I guess I needed some time on my own. And I still do. It’s funny how even if I’m so used to sharing my thoughts with everyone through my blogs, it’s really hard to express myself when things are a huge mess. Even though many of the things are good. Too much is too much.

It’s been a great summer. Not only the weather, although it’s been the hottest summer in Finland ever. And can’t really blame the weather man elsewhere either. The temperature didn’t drop below 24C one single time in the whole July in Helsinki. We can live with that. They sold out all the air-condition equipment and fans in a few days and we’ve been sweating more than ever. I guess that’ll change soon, even though today has still been super sunny and nice.

We have worked like hell with the guys. Even before my trip to Los Angeles in April, the song writing mood has been on most of the time and I must say there are some songs that I am super proud and happy to have for our next step. We have a very much deeper connection with Riku as song writers now and that helps a lot. Especially now that Jukka lives in Paris ands I can’t join him that often with my guitar. Maybe it needs a few years to get to know a new guy better to really let go and to jump into the other guys visions but now I must say that feels great. We / I have also worked with some new producers and especially Mr. Jukka Immonen feels like a full member of the team after a few long sessions. (What is it with us and guys with the first name JUKKA???) The “old” Jukka will also produce many tracks this time too.

On business side the mess has been the biggest. It took very much of my energy to play the song writer, singer, business man, manager, tour planner, lawyer, etc. through the summer but now most of the “office shit” is in better and more suitable hands. It was a good and also a challenging thing putting together a new record label team & management for SA but now all that is in pretty good shape and there’s light at the end of the tunnel. We have some new great partners / friends to join us for the next steps.

I really can’t promise when the next step will be taken, but I have a strong gut feeling that the next album will be ready to go out right after new year. There’s a lot to do before that, but we have time. It’s funny, but I feel very confident with the new stuff and about the next step. And of course all we can do is to do everything as good as we can following our hearts and then just see where it takes us.

I just heard about the presales of the tour in December. It’s so amazing that you people are so loyal and just keep supporting us so great. From what I heard, the tour will be great and we will not have to play for empty rooms at all.We will fix some new cool things for you for the tour. We have a million ideas what we wanna do.

I actually thought about you people many times this summer. I mean what it is that makes you join us every time no matter where we play. You have no idea how much that means to us and how happy you make us. Thank you! Soo… We will inform you about our future plans in the bear future. I am so excited.

I will join Raul, Riku, Sami & some friends on a U2 show at Helsinki Olympic Stadium now. I have been listening to the today’s greatest bands songs for the whole week and I can’t wait to get my E-L-E-V-A-T-I-O-N!!!!! Tomorrow we rock you in Cologne and next week in Greece. JEEEEEEEE .

I love you all. See you very soon.

Samu

06.12.10 Mannheim Capitol
07.12.10 Karlsruhe Durlach Halle
08.12.10 München Tonhalle
10.12.10 Köln Essigfabrik
11.12.10 Berlin Huxley’s
12.12.10 Hamburg Übel & Gefährlich

Tickets Eventim

Samu hat neue Bilder auf Facebook gepostet “Thessaloniki “.
Zu den Bildern

Die Mitteilung des Veranstalters war nur kurz und knapp.

“Das OS rockt Open Air 2010 wurde heute Nacht offiziell von unserem Geschäftsführer abgesagt“

Mehr Infos  unter Neue-Oz.de.

I am on my way home after a super fantastic show in Frankfurt. It was one of the REWE family shows and today, I must say, it was super cool. We’ve done 2 of them before and the one in Hamburg was very good but one week ago in Munich everything went wrong. The whole system supporting us on stage (the stuff we hear etc.) was just f*cked up and fixed totally wrong and we even had to cut down the set because I would have lost my ears. I felt so sorry for the folks in Munich who had dragged their asses over there in the HEAT. But with these problems there’s nothing you can do.

Today was super great. The only little downside was the Sun shining directly on stage and I almost fainted a couple of times when I sang a longer ending to the chorus ( in diamonds for example) but the whole show was super fun. The Rewe shows are a lot of fun also because there are so many new faces along with the super sweet angels who come to our shows time after time. It’s so cool to see this 35 year YOUNG guy first checking us out with a little skeptic look in his eyes, and after three songs he claps his hands a bit- And in the end he screams “Put your hands on me” That makes me happy!

I was all over Central Europe last week. After the show in Munich, I rented a car (a BMW of course;) and I saw Salzburg, Innsbrck, Lake Garda, Lugano, Como, Zurich, a bit of Southern France and a lot of Germany. It’s so cool to drive more than 200 Km/h, we can’t do that in my stupid country with their stupid speed rules ;(

Anyway, even though the summer has been super hot, it’s just amazing how beautiful our continent is. Of course it helps a bit when the weather is as it is but here is one damn proud European Citizen. My plans getting a flat in Germany are one step further. It’s just so hard to choose the city. Hamburg is still on top of the list.

I’m gonna be home only for two days. Tomorrow is a gym & relaxing day after eating all the pizzas & cookies & candy on the road and on Monday I will go to Mr. Jukka Immonen’s studio finalizing our first production “Hollywood Hills.” I got a good feeling about the guy and our work. We will see. It’s funny now that I haven’t had any instruments with me for a week; my head is full of ideas. It’s good to have a break from everything every now and then. I must admit that my life has been pretty Sunrise Avenue focused the last 6 months. And now the batteries are a bit more recharged again.

On Tuesday we will fly to Greece to continue our Amita Motion tour in Thessaloniki. The last trip to Partra (Greece) was super cool and super relaxing and I am sure this will be fun too. Then after hanging out in Greece for 3 days ( I guess) we will fly to Germany (dunno where) for a day off and for a show on Saturday. On the day off we will have the first “Songs of album 3” meeting with the guys, There are already about 20 songs to choose from and more are coming. I have a very good feeling about the next step. I heard there could be a big tour in March-May 2011 if all goes well with the project and a if we can make the release happen early 2011. Now we just gotta work hard and follow our hearts with the musical decisions.

My friend & colleague Mr. Mikko Saukkonen has had my baby car for the week and I am a little bit worried how she is doing. Not Mikko, The car! It must be this feeling when you have babies and they have been at grandma’s place for a week… Soon we will VROOOOOOM together again. Top down <3 <3 <3 LOL LOL OMG BMW

Thank you so much everyone for today. You made me really happy today. Again.
See you all soon,

Samu

PS: If you have iPhone, iPad or whatever apple product, please try the “Agry Birds” game. It’s sooooo damn great!!!!!!! Jaaaahuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!! I have passed most of the fields with 3 stars (maximum). Ok, I got some help from my “personal game assistant” on some of the harder ones, but check it out anyway…;)