Timmo Tolkki: bitter about the continuation of Stratovarius

9) Why finally did you choose to yield the rights on the catalogue and Stratovarius's name to your ex-companions?

Well the reason was that when I decided to leave Stratovarius, I had my reasons and I had been thinking about the for over a year already. So I did have very rational reasons for leaving. What I could not even imagine in my wildest dreams was that they
would continue the band without me with the same name. Continue yes, but to call it Stratovarius, that was the problem I had. I never brought myself forward in Stratovarius as a guitar hero or something. I was always one of the guys although I wrote 95% of
the songs and produced the albums. I always said that if Kotipelto, Jens or Joerg leaves the band, it cannot be called Stratovarius anymore. So therefore I think that decision was morally wrong. And my life philosophy is perhaps a bit different than some other people's so when I hear they will continue as Stratovarius, and I owned the name and had contracts with all the musicians, instead of taking them to court, I did the reverse. I gave them everything. Because I really thought, and I continue to think, that the decision to call it Stratovarius without me is morally wrong and I have always stood up for what I believe is right. So I thought, have it all then. full interview

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