Yeah I'm not a huge Strato fan now, but I was fairly into them when shit first started going down, and it wasn't cool at all. However, Timo Tolkki is an absolute nutter, whereas while Mike can be impulsive and say what's on his mind too readily, he's a decent, caring guy, so I don't think it would ever get anything like that.
Plus, the full list of questions that JP has answered (later in that thread) fills me with a lot of hope that things will be fine once it all settles down.
Tolkki had mental problems, nobody is sure if he still having that problems or not, but it seems he had (has) some kind of bipolar disorder. the story was more or less:
1- Tolkki's idea about a stunt saying that Stratovarius is no more in 2004 and firing Kotipelto and bringing a female singer (all the band agreed with that stunt). Tolkki simulate an stabbing in a concert in a Spain festival. All was a fake.
2- In 2005 reunion and selftitled album (a mediocre album without spirit).
3- In 2007, announce for a new album called Revolution Renaissance and a promised back to the roots album with Visions style. Bad live performances around that era, specially in Wacken (a horrible performance). Last concert with Tolkki in Madrid. The album was never released by Stratovarius.
4- In April 2008, Tolkki says Stratovarius is no more and a flame wars starts everywhere (the press, official forums, face to face). he says that what happened in 2004 was a stunt and the stabbing was a fake.
5- One month later, the rest of the band says that they are gonna continue. Tolkki got mad and saying that's not fair and that Stratovarius was his creation and he composed 98% of the songs (that's true). But the people (we, the fans) wanted them to continue. (My first topic in this forum was to demand help for an online signature I created, yes a silly thing but I was desperated).
6-They bring a new guitarrist called Matias Kupianen, a young promise from Finland. More prog oriented guy, mixed with typical power metal style.
7-New album Polaris released in May 2009. Very good acceptance and good reviews. People happy again and waiting for the new Polaris tour that ended some months ago. They have been touring a lot around europe and a lot of gigs are scheduled for 2011 (including a tour with Helloween). New album coming on February/March 2011.
8-Tolkki in 2008 formed a band called Revolution Renaissance (yes... the name of the supposed Stratovarius album in 2007). And with an album called New Era, he used Kiske, Sammet and Rantanen to sing the songs that were for the Stratovarius album. Then,in 2009 he released with new members an album called Age of Aquarius. Then he announced for this September another new album called Trinity. Some weeks ago he said Revolution Renaissance is no more because of the poor interest in the band and because nobody was able to get some decent gigs.
9-Now he is wandering without band and have no idea wht the future holds.
10-Stratovarius rules. He wanted to leave, so bye bye.
I recommend you to listen Polaris album (if you feel like, of course). It mix some new ideas with old ideas. It was an strange album for them but very important, cause it was the album that told them "hey, you can do it without the mainman". And they did it, now the band is plenty of new ideas and creativity, everybody is composing (TT was the only composer in Stratovarius).
I see this happening with DT. But I don't want to see bad things and flame wars happening, in Stratovarius that was mad. The official forums had fights with Tolkki and the rest, etc, etc.
Sorry for the off topic, but it's incredible how familiar all this is for me (not the part of the stunt).