Mark Tuomela - Vocals & Guitars

(as known by Pasi)

My first encounter with Mark was when he was putting together a band in Rastila, which must have been back in 2003. I remember I was waiting for him at the underground station and Mark came walking towards me looking like he had just gotten off the time machine from the eighties and I thought: `Yeah, that must be him; skinny, pasty, loads of hair, and he looks cool!

As I got to know Mark, I realised that he is a very intense guy. When he gets a great idea, he won’t let it go and he works through the night until either him or the song gets finished. His creativity amazes me. He really is a wizard. He is also pretty hopeless when it comes to anything concerning the real world- but he seems happy in his own one!

Despite his position as the lead singer and guitarist there is suprisingly little in the way of ego. He has a lot of confidence for his age, though. He is the frontman of the band, and you can’t be the rocking frontman of a band like Feral Burn and be timid and weak. Before getting onstage, however, he's always on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

What comes to his playing, I can say that I've played with quite a few guitarists in my time and very few come even close. He trains hard and I like how that pushes me and Jouni to keep up. I really admire how he has an impeccable vision about all things related to the band, and lately I've been finding out that he gets it right most of the time. Vocally, I think his finest moment on ‘Backstage’ has got to be on ‘Saturday Night's Alright For Rockin'’, because it is delivered with such intensity. It really makes you want to hit the bar and party to dawn.

Equipment:

Kramer Pacer Custom 1 87'

Kramer/Warmoth Superstrat 84/88'

Peavey Wolfgang QT Special

Yamaha CPX-12 12-string acoustic

Yamaha acoustic 6-string

Shure SM-58 

AKG D7

Marshall JCM 800 + Marshall 1960 vintage 4x12 cab.

Tech 21 trademark 10

Boss SD-1 808 mod

MXR microamp

Digitech digidelay

Danelectro Chorus

Favourite bands:
Van Halen, Whitesnake, Skid Row, Twilightning, Brother Firetribe, Lita Ford, Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Cult, Airbourne, The Answer, Iron Maiden, Bon Jovi, Black Sabbath, Stratovarius, Rush, Thin Lizzy, Jerusalem Slim, Alice In Chains, Pink Floyd, Texas Tupolev etc...

Primary musical influences:
Mostly my friends and bandmates who always shred my ass out :), my guitar and vocal teachers (past and present).  To name a few "big name": Sebastian Bach, John Sykes, Eddie the shreddie Van Halen, Tuomas Wäinölä, Heikki Pöyhiä, Stevie Ray Vaughan, David Coverdale...  

Interests: Classical music, Horror films, Hair metal, Blues, Lazing on a sunny afternoon...