birdlass t1_j90rpco wrote on February 18, 2023 at 10:13 AM

Reply to comment by Nightgasm in Bands who's OG line-ups aren't the first? by NicolasCagesKneeCap

>Nightwish - their best lineup was 2012 to 2020

While I don't disagree that it was a great period for them, IMHO their best album was Dark Passion Play.

A shame they went through so many singers, I wonder why.

thisgirlnamedbree t1_j91nd4x wrote on February 18, 2023 at 3:34 PM

I knew of Nightwish back in the early 2000s when they had their original lead singer but really didn't listen to them. I rediscovered them during Covid with their third singer Floor and heard the supposed stories of why the band fired the first singer, Tarja, due to conflicts with her husband/manager who allegedly tried to get her to leave to be a solo act. The second singer Anette was radically different and while they had the most success with her (Imaginareum is my favorite album from them), she was also fired for what exactly I don't know why, but I do know she wasn't the best live singer. (She still sounds miles better than me on a good day). They hit gold with Floor though. If she ever left the band would probably be done.

Nightgasm t1_j91tiv1 wrote on February 18, 2023 at 4:18 PM

>The second singer Anette was radically different and while they had the most success with her (Imaginareum is my favorite album from them), she was also fired for what exactly I don't know why, but I do know she wasn't the best live singer. (She still sounds miles better than me on a good day). They hit gold with Floor though. If she ever left the band would probably be done.

Anette got pregnant in the early part of a world tour and was going to need to take time off. She and the band could not come to an agreement on what to do. The story the band gives and Anette gives is actually pretty similar. They discussed either canceling the world tour or getting a temporary replacement singer. Anette was okay with a replacement singer as long as it was not Floor Jansen but Floor was the bands top choice as she was available and they had a preexisting relationship with her as Floors prior band After Forever had opened for Nightwish. Floor was actually their top choice to replace Tarja in 2005 but After Forever was still going and Floor was unavailable. Anette in her own words didn't want Floor because she knew fans would love Floor and reject her.

So then one night in Denver about an hour before showtime and after the opening acts had played Anette is rushed to the hospital with stomach / pregnancy issues - I believe she was only about 4 months along at this point. Band is faced with choice of canceling or playing without Anette. Elize Ryd and Alissa White Gluz were both part of Kamelot at the time (they are now the lead singers of Amaranthe and Arch Enemy) who had opened. They agreed to try and sing for Nightwish that night. They didn't know the songs beyond having heard them but with printed out lyrics they then fronted Nightwish for the night. There is a documentary on YouTube called The Denver Debacle but I think it would be better called The Denver Miracle given how great the two sounded given they only had an hour to try and learn the songs. Here is a fan video of them doing Storytime while holding papers with the lyrics on them. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OQsON8D6--U

Anette was furious though they replaced her like that and a huge argument erupted. She played one more show with Nightwish and was done. Whether fired or she quit is unclear. Then with just 48 hrs to go Floor Jansen flew from Europe and joined the band for their first show in Seattle.