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| ::May 6th 2008:: AVANTASIA COMING TO SPAIN! It's confirmed now: Avantasia fans in Spain will have the chance to see the full show at Metalway Festival in Zaragoza, Spain on the 12th of July. Other confirmed bands are Iron Maiden, Iced Earth, Slayer and Rose Tattoo, so you better get your tickets soon. ::April 26th 2008:: AVANTASIA NEWS FROM TOBIAS! Hello friends, How are you doing? It's been a while since I have been speaking to you. I'd like to take the opportunity to thank you for your great support. "The Scarecrow" is an album that means a lot to me and it was quite a commercial risk to just follow my heart instead of doing exactly what people expected. But if I take a look at the chart positions and sales - it went into the album charts in 16 countries, hitting the Top10 in four countries - it seems like you appreciate my honesty! Thank you! Now preparing for the festival summer with Avantasia seems so surreal. Avantasia has never been on stage before and all of the sudden we are headlining the biggest festivals in the world, just been confirmed for the Sziget festival in Hungary on the 13th of August, playing amongst legendary bands such as R.E.M., die Ärzte, Iron Maiden and the Sex Pistols. Amazing! The Avantasia line up will be Jorn Lande, André Matos, Amanda Somerville, Olli Hartmann, Bob Catley (not all shows), Sascha Paeth, Miro, Robert Hunecke, Claudy Yang and Frank Lindenthal who is gonna replace Eric Singer who'll be playing with KISS. Despite all rumors Michael Kiske will not be there, as he didn't wanna do it and I respect that! We'll put on a huge epic show anyway. Nobody has done something like that before and I swear, nobody will ever forget the event, neither you nor us!!! Check the tour section to read all the dates or check www.edguy.net to read some other interesting news about a new Edguy album maybe?! Now I can't wait to hit the road. Love and peace, Tobias ::March 19th 2008:: AVANTASIA COMING TO TOKYO, MOSCOW AND MEXICO! More Avantasia live shows have been confirmed. In June the all-star project will play live in Moscow, Tokyo and Mexico City. 05.06.2008 CH - Huttwil / Rocksound Festival 07.06.2008 S - Sölvesborg / Sweden Rock Festival 10.06.2008 RUS - Moscow / DK Gorbunova 13.06.2008 JP - Tokyo / Shinagawa Prince Stellar Ball 15.06.2008 MEX - Mexico City / Circo Volador 18.06.2008 ARG - Buenos Aires / Obras 20.06.2008 CHILE - Santiago De Chile / Teatro Caupolica 22.06.2008 BRA - Sao Paulo / Credicard Hall 04.07.2008 SERBIA - Castlefest 10.07.2008 CZ - Zlin - Masters Of Rock 26.07.2008 I - Rockin Field Festival 01.08.2008 GER - Wacken Open Air (sold out) ::March 19th 2008:: NEW ALBUM #9 IN GREEK ALBUM CHARTS! The new album "The Scarecrow" has entered the charts in several countries. The most recent chart entry was at #9 in the official international album charts in Greece. The album went Top10 in five countries and it was officially amongst the twenty best selling albums in Europe during the 4th week of January, the EP "Lost In Space" went in the single Top10 in Germany, Norway and Sweden. The album chart positions read as follows: #6 Czech Republic, #8 Germany, #9 Greece, #10 Sweden, #10 Hungary, #16 Austria, #17 Switzerland, #26 Finland, #27 Spain, #29 England (Independent), #36 Norway, #49 Japan, #50 Belgium, #58 France, #65 Netherlands, and #65 Italy. ::March 11th 2008:: MORE AVANTASIA SHOWS ANNOUNCED! The Avantasia management is proud to announce that Avantasia will bring the full production to South America as well. Find all confirmed dates in the tour section! ::February 15th 2008:: AVANTASIA AT SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL! Now it's official: Tobias and his Avantasia-project will make their first ever live appearance at the Sweden Rock Festival. Avantasia will be one of the main bands amongst classic acts such as Judas Priest, Def Leppard, Poison and Whitesnake. Click here for more information! ::February 15th 2008:: "THE SCARECROW" BESTSELLER IN EUROPE! Tobias Sammet's new Avantasia album "The Scarecrow" has been officially one of the 20 best selling albums in whole Europe during the fourth week of January. The record label has just announced that it has also reached #27 in the Spanish album charts and #36 in the official charts in Norway. For the first time one of Tobias' releases has entered the Italian charts as well, on #65. To check the album click here! Official album chart positions so far read as follows:
::February 9th 2008:: "THE SCARECROW" RELEASED IN THE USA NOW! Since February 5th, "The Scarecrow" is officially available in the USA as well. Check your local record store! ::February 8th 2008:: TOBIAS SAMMET RADIO INTERVIEW! To listen to a radio interview with Tobias Sammet follow this link. ::February 6th 2008:: AVANTASIA IN THE CHARTS! Upon its release the new Avantasia album "The Scarecrow" has entered the official album charts at #08 in Germany, #10 in Sweden, #16 in Austria, #17 in Switzerland, #26 in Finland, #49 in Japan, #50 in Belgium and #65 in the Netherlands. The album contains 11 songs that range from Epic Metal to Bombastic Classic Rock. Among the many guest musicians are Alice Cooper, Eric Singer (KISS), Rudolf Schenker (Scorpions), Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween), Kai Hansen & Henjo Richter (Gamma Ray), Roy Khan (Kamelot), Jorn Lande, Bob Catley (Magnum) and many more. The limited edition featuring a bonus DVD with video material, bonus tracks and an interview where Tobias speaks about the conceptual story of the album can be checked here. ::January 30th 2008:: AVANTASIA IN ITALY! After Germany, Serbia, and the Czech Republic the Avantasia ensemble has just confirmed their fourth live show. On Saturday, July 26th they will headline the Rockin Field Festival in Adro (Brescia) Italy. More dates tba! ::January 26th 2008:: AVANTASIA SIGNING SESSIONS! On Jan 26 at 2:00 pm (Saturn, Nuernberg) and Jan 28 at 5:00 pm (Saturn, Hamburg, Moenckebergstrasse) Tobias will have an in-store signing session. Make sure you are there to get your album signed! ::January 25th 2008:: NEW AVANTASIA ALBUM OUT NOW! The new Avantasia album “The Scarecrow” has now been released worldwide. The album contains 11 regular songs that range from Epic Metal to bombastic Classic Rock. Among the many guest musicians are Alice Cooper, Eric Singer (KISS), Rudolf Schenker (Scorpions), Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween), Kai Hansen & Henjo Richter (Gamma Ray), Roy Khan (Kamelot), Jorn Lande, Bob Catley (Magnum) and many more. The limited edition featuring a bonus DVD with video material, bonus tracks and an interview where Tobias speaks about the conceptual story of the album can be checked here. I know it’s the best and most ambitious project I have ever worked on and I am absolutely pleased with it, no matter if it sells or not. I have worked on ten albums and some of them are really great, but this one is the most majestic piece of music. I expect my fans to love it as much as I do. And I expect some people to complain. As always, hahaha.
The opinion of self acclaimed experts is totally invalid to me. I play music for myself and I rather focus on the lovely comments of those who feel the magic of the album. Imagine, you cook a delicious dinner with healthy high-quality ingredients. You love the taste and a lot of your friends love the taste too. And then there is a little group of monkeys that refuse to eat it. Would you seriously care? The only difference is that in our case the monkeys can write, but for some of them it would be less embarassing if they couldn’t. How would you describe the new album in your own words? It’s a visual album. A mystic fantasy movie for your hearing. It’s melodic and bombastic, it’s Rock and Metal and it’s been played by some of the best musicians in the world. Everyone who loves Avantasia, Meat Loaf, Queen and Ludwig van Beethoven should check it out. It’s a visionary epic Heavy Metal album of the 21st century. I may come across cocky, but I am just happy and honest! Although the songwriting reminds us of your epic roots, the production sounds very fresh and up to date. Was it your intention to refurbish the classic Avantasia sound? I didn’t plan anything. It’s a strong album, an intensive one, and it deserved a modern high-end production. Sometimes you forget about ecconomic aspects when you are a true artist, so we spent a lot of money on the production. Only the mixing of the album took 48 days for example but we knew the album was worth it. You can ask the producer Sascha Paeth, he will tell you that it’s probably the best album he has ever worked on. And he knows what he’s talking about. Isn’t it frustrating then if people just download or copy an album that you have been working on for almost two years? Metal fans are quite loyal and support the artist! Anyone who downloads music illegally is an enemy of true art and the Metal spirit. It is frustrating because in a few years it will be impossible for most bands to produce albums, which will kill our music in the long term. Thencheap and crappy Hip Hop-productions produced at home will take over completely. I just hope that people will buy my album if they like it. You just don’t steal, it’s a matter of morality! Lying, stealing, cheating. Anyone who does it is a cocksucking asshole. Sorry, but I have no respect for people who don’t show respect for other people’s work and property.
I think big names are only important if the material is good. That being said, it was never too important to have big names. Alice Cooper has been one of my heroes when I was a little kid. This is not Chris Norman, this is fucking Alice Cooper! He is an idol. As for Rudolf, I love the Scorpions and I love his working ethics. As far as I know, he was the maniac that I am. He was a young man with a vision. Everybody must have laughed about him when he planned to make the Scoprions one of the biggest Rock bands in the world. And that’s what he did. Without the Scorps, Edguy wouldn’t be able to play 30 countries on a tour. They have been ploughing the way for all German Rock bands. I remember a conversation when some of our younger fans didn’t know about the Scorpions, it made me furious. Because they are a fucking legend! In Germany they don’t get the respect they deserve because they had like 20 hit-ballads on radio, so they are considered a pop band. What a heavy load of crap! Their ballads are great, and so are their early Metal songs! In America they are heroes and I am proud they are a German band. Rudolf rocks! And he is a nice guy. You must have been talking about your new album a few thousand times, so we end this interview here with your last words for the fans: I thank you for being so loyal. I really love the new album and I am so fucking proud of its honesty and quality. Check it out, you won’t regret it. Take care, don’t drink and drive and have a happy birthday.
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The reactions to the album were overwhelming, the most enthusiastic in a long time. But certain people seem to complain about whatever you do. After 16 years in this business, do you still bother? 
On the first two Avantasia albums you already had some big names as special guests, now you even managed to get Rudolf Schenker of the Scorpions and Alice Cooper for “The Scarecrow”. How important are big names for the album?