EDGUY - "The Joke's On You!"

Sometimes the best jokes have unintended consequences, as was the case with the Nuclear Blast publicity machine's April Fool's press release regarding Tobias Sammet acting opposite David Hasselhoff in the remake of The Great Race. Unfortunately, April 1st falling on a Saturday, the label issued the statement a day early and the intended comedic effect (to say nothing of its preposterous nature) were nullified, as internet sources worldwide ran with it as fact. "OK, so how can I explain that," laughs the fun-loving Sammet, sort of chagrined that the joke backfired, but any press is good press. "It wasn't true. Nuclear Blast asked me if it suited me and was it something I'd announce. As long as it's big bullshit, I'd announce anything! I said,'Let's go for it.' We really did meet him (Hasselhoff), but it was two years ago. Isn't it customary to pull First of April pranks in the US as well?"

One rumor/gossip that isn't fictitious is Sammet's on again-off again relationship with AVANTASIA, the all-star lineup, dual concept album he created. Currently, he's finding favor with the alter-ego. "If you would have asked me six or eight months ago, I would have said there's not going to be any Avantasia. To be honest, when we did 'Judas At The Opera' (off Superheroes EP), it reminded me of Avantasia. It was a good time. Recently, I was listening to some of that stuff and thought, 'We could have done this, and that better, or used a full orchestra.' I'm not going to say 'nothing like that will happen again.' It's nothing I'd do at the moment, but I'm optimistic that something like that will happen. I'm so young' well, not SO young, but I FEEL so young and there are so many things I want to do in my life and Avantasia is one of these things. Some people are stuck in that whole story, but it's over, it's been told. I could come up with something in the same direction, more bombastic power metal.
Maybe it's called Avantasia, but I wouldn't want to artificially come up with a continuation that was only a two-album concept."

"These guys haven't been in prison for twenty years and only are coming out because Bush is reigning again, if you know what I'm talking about (veiled reference to QUEENSRŸCHE). I haven't heard the new Mindcrime, so I can't judge, but why is this guy coming out of prison? It's like Star Wars Episode I. They need an idea' 'Oh, we forgot to tell you something. The dog of the neighbor of the main character has an interesting story to tell as well. Back then, we thought we should, one-day, continue telling the story of the dog of the neighbor of the main character!' I think that's a bit strange. I think they wrote some
great albums. I like Rage For Order and Empire, but why don't they just say, 'We felt we should do Mindcrime Part II because we need some money.' (Laughs) At least that would have been rock n roll, because it's honest and shocking!"