TIMO TOLKKI Wishes New STRATOVARIUS Lineup 'Best Of Luck'

Former STRATOVARIUS and current REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE mastermind Timo Tolkki has issued the following update:

"I took some time off after working with VISION DIVINE for something like six weeks. I went to Thailand for two weeks. When I returned, I noticed some weird things in the RR forum. I have no energy in this moment to moderate that place, so whoever is visiting there, please try to keep it civilized. Above all, please try not to divide the STRATOVARIUS fans into two groups as some people seem to be doing using the opportunity for their pervert needs. Please let us all continue our paths as we are doing and respect the legacy of the STRATOVARIUS has created. It will always live in the music of all of us who played in that band. From my side, I wish Timo, Jens, Jörg, Lauri and Matias the best of luck with their music and with their future. I hope it will be happy and prosperous. No matter what has happened, no matter what has been written, no matter what rumors are circulating, set aside those. We made magic together and I am thankful for all the years with the guys and I am thankful for all the years of wonderful support all the STRATOVARIUS fans all over the world gave us. If there was a message in the music and lyrics of STRATOVARIUS, then it was to unite rather than divide. So please try to remember that."

Remaining STRATOVARIUS members Timo Kotipelto (vocals), Jens Johansson (keyboards), Lauri Porra (bass) and Jörg Michael (drums) have officially recruited Finnish guitarist Matias Kupiainen to replace Timo Tolkki. The news of Kupiainen's addition to the band was broken exclusively by Petri Silas of Finland's Soundi magazine, who spoke to both Kotipelto and Kupiainen for the publication's August 2008 issue.