Stratovarius Community

How does stratovarius has affected your life?

Myself: I started playing powermetal since i listened Stratosphere, i think i listened to that song almos 20 times a day! actaully i have 2 bands who are really really influenced by TT and his music....but how does Strato has influenced you?

The single "S.O.S." and the album "Destiny" were the first song I heard and the first album I got. Same time with Destiny, I got an electric guitar (black Yamaha Telecaster).

The band was my first inspiration. As a kid I wanted to be the world's fastest guitarist, thank to Strato. Nowadays I listen very much 70s rock like Led Zeppelin, I want to be the world's best guitarist.

Yep...specially on forums!

Yes, I am intriqued by their peaceful influence in their music. Strato never has had to resort to attention-getting games to get fans, or their attention. Fans like Strato's music for what it represents: tranqulity, harmony, and balance within mankind. The freedom to be oneself in society,to express oneself fully and without hesitation, yet.... caring about ones fellow man and others feelings within the context of that expression. This concept in music, and within the band itself is so beautiful, that is way the recent changes going away from these lofty ideals are shocking and some people are actually mourning the loss of these wonderful traits that brought so many fans to Strato. Be a smartass and call these people childish if you lower yourself to do so, but these Strato models of greatness(whether they were real in the band or not)was the glue that bound Strato together, and the majority of the fans to them.
I just hope the band survives the dissolution of this co-hesiveness.

Man..it's just the music they make....amazing....it sounds very sentimental and powerfull, with a strong voice singing possitive lyrics...Against The Wind....one of the most stimulating songs i've heard....Dream With Me....A masterpiece....i hope that one day i can compose like Tolkki , he's just the best metal composer i've heard....

Mmm, I haven't been influenced too much by Stratovarius because it's not the kind of music I want to play/sing in a band. But they are just the opposite, and that's why I like (love) them!

I have been influenced by Kotipelto and Kiske because of the way they sing (I can reach very high notes) but it's not the music I'm gonna play/sing in the future, I repeat.

NP: Marduk - Baptism By Fire (I want to play something like Marduk )

Strato was the band that made me like melodic metal. I had listened to Helloween before, liked it, but not so much.
Besides that, Stratovarius was the first metal show I attended here in Rio, in august 2003.

Stratovarius was the first metal band, that I liked. Then I've started to listen to other metal bands too, mostly power metal bands. Destiny influenced me a lot, just take a look at my topics.

Of course they had!!!
They were the first metal band that I began to listen.And also I became more interested in music.I started to play giutar and I started to write some lyrics(unfortunetlly I don´t have any band )
So that´s it

I will alway's have alot of respect for Tolkki and Strato what ever happend

Musically, Tolkki gave me the inspiration to keep playing guitar.
Beside that his music, the message at the lyrics gave me, and keep giving me, strenght to carry on throught bad and hard times!

well in the begining i liked a lot the strato style also the stratovarius songs but i think that they should be more heavier all these years ..

......Damn.....i didn't knew how much influenced i was until last night....

You see...i'm making a instrumental song (I've always wanted to do one ) And when i was writing the keyboard part (which i REALLY liked!...you see...i play guitar not keyboards...actually i know almost nothing about keys so that's why i was so excited) I put a Stratovarius CD i friend made to me which contains the most representative songs of Episode, Visions and Destiny....well...back to that night....when i listened Episode...FUCK!!!!!!! What i did on the keyboard...was already written by Jens....I tought...damn....I guess i'm too highly influenced by them

Strato was the very first metal band I have listened to (I used to hear a lot of punk-rock before), and it did influence me.
If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have started playing guitar and would not have formed my own (currently dismantled ) band.

well... actually my songs have some strato flavour, but a little bit heavier...
i can't play like TT or sing like TK, but yes the whole band had influence in my music!
i even recorded Playing With Fire with some friends, i played bass there (not that good... i play guitar, but we were 3 guitarists so i turned that place to my friends )... it turned out pretty acceptable, i'll link that file here sometime if you like

When sometimes I found myself alone in some starlight night on a rocky beach at summer, listening to Visions for the first times was like discovering my soul!! It was the answer to my feelings, both good and bad... That's how my life was influenced by them. If I was angry or sad, I chose their company in my walk-man.... If I was excited, happy and euphorious I chose thir company as well, to be even happier!!!!

Luca wrote:
If I was angry or sad, I chose their company in my walk-man.... If I was excited, happy and euphorious I chose thir company as well, to be even happier!!!!

Great post.

Sure it did! Stratovarius is (or was?!) a band that came in 1998 to play in São Paulo, Brazil when they were not that famous (of course they were, in the metal ground) and they were just great! Fucking great songs, a sound that is melodic but isnt "happy", fast and powerfull songs that bring u up, and the list goes on and on...After the show we followed their bus to the airport to get some autographs and maybe talk to them. There's something about them i call musical memory. Many things in my life can be related to some of their songs, as if Stratovarius was the soundtrack to a movie that is my life.
Cheers to all.

it has a lot of influence in the thing I use to write and also in the stuff I draw..

Dont know about Stratovarius but Tolkki has influenced both my character and my way of living. The guy is really a genius. Alright , he did mistakes...but everyone does. Strato's music is generally outstanding and HYMN TO LIFE is one of the best albums in my record collection!!!

& Stratovarius had inspired me too

Stratovarius inspired me to start playing drums.

People here have talked about how the MUSIC of STRATOVARIUS has influenced them, but for me, the LYRICS have been equally important as the music, if not even more. My thinking was really influenced by a the lyrics of Strato, not so much these days, I'm growing older and leaving things behind, and I'm becoming more calm, not so excited about things anymore.

Their lyrics are masterwork, no doubt.

The spirituality of their lyrics is masterful.....no one else in HeavyMetal could ever hold a candle to their meaningful songs.

Yeah, Rantanen said everything. Stratovarius did help me to learn tolerance, forgiveness, humilty, love, and also gave me conscience about nature and how the world can influence me if I don't let my spirit free. Which other band could do it?
Against the Wind was the first Stratosong I heard and I simply thought: "...fuck... what?!?!?" . At that moment music did take another face in my head. I thought that there could be perfect songs somewhere, some positive, catchy and wonderful melodies, and lyrics which says what I want (and need) to hear... then finally I realized that Stratovarius music would be the soundtrack to my life. And so it is.

Stradi_caster wrote:
a sound that is melodic but isnt "happy"

Right, fucking right, man. That's what differentiate Stratovarius of the other 10.000.000 melodic metal bands around the world.

I think Jorg&Jens have shown a persistence&strength of character that should be an example for us all.

These guys are not letting the problems, and overwhelming adversitys affect the future of this fantastic band.
They are going to give their all to save Stratovarius---that is what I cal loyalty, love, hope,and faith. These are traits which should enligten us, and be our role model.
Never Give up--Never give in!
We are the Legions of Twilight!
And as Legions(with Jorge&jens as our leaders)we shall overcome these problems, and succeed! The Album is coming!

The music of Stratovarius helped me through some very tough times of my life. I was depressed for some time, and their music did to me what no doctors and drugs could ever do! If it wasn't for them, who knows what whould have happened to me. Stratovarius gave me a whole new perspective on life. (Just listen to "I'm still alive")

So ... yes! Stratovarius has influenced me a LOT! They are all GREAT musicians and I hope that they are also good people. Their music is simply amazing, beautiful and I don't know what else. I think that the ideas of TT are very cheap, but in the end of all that composing and other stuff it is MASTERPIECE! I don't know how he does it, but he's genius. Parts for bass guitar are wonderful, keybords and vocals are perfect. Now I play guitar, bass guitar, drums and keyboards and want to try to compose my own music, not lyrics because I don't have ideas for that. So STAY METAL ...