In Finland there is a conscription so most men go to army or civil service after high school. Army is not a career but more like mandatory "school" for boys in Finland. You might get the mandatory military service postponed until you are around 27 years old, but after that it gets difficult. Jani was 26 years old in 2006 when his problems with the military service started.
Tony Kakko was in army in 1995-1996, Marko Passikoski around 1998 and Tommy Portimo between 2000 and 2001, but it was obvious Jani Liimatainen didn't his duty during his time in Sonata Arctica since he his hair was never short according to military rules or he wasn't away from public eye for long enough for 13 month long civil service. Jani was questioned multiple times by Finnish customs officials on airports when band was travelling on tours. In 2006 Jani had been wanted for not showing up in draft and was arrested for a night after one summer festival. [1]
When Sonata Arctica rehearsing for Unia and started to feign sick and miss rehearsals. Other band members took him to police station where he settled with police officials that he would record album first and do his duty in January 2007. Jani still plays on Unia album and Elias didn't join until tour. He didn't do anything in January and was wanted by the police again which was reported by Finnish tabloids. As humorous response to this some Unia promotional pictures show band members as wild west fugitives in wanted posters.
During long Reckoning Night American tour Jani was drinking heavily. Jani was in his own words "broken inside", both drinking and not talking to anyone about his problems made things worse. Jani knew he was going to be sacked from the band but also didn't want to be in the band anymore. Jani didn't like Unia musically anymore and wanted to make different kind of music [1] as he did rock music in Finnish for Sydänpuu (Sydänpuu songs at mikseri.net in Finnish) and metal with friends for Dream Asylum (Dream Asylum songs at mikseri.net in Finnish).
Janis nickname at mikseri.net and artist name in Sydänpuu is Allan Andersén, which is a combination of his middle name Allan and last name Andersén. Shlager singers stereotypically come up with their artist names in Finland by using combination of middle name and mothers maiden name. Jani thanks family Andersén in Sonata Arctica album booklets so apparently his mothers maiden name is Andersén.
Jani was fired in May 2007 and it was announced in public August 2007 by news on the bands website. [2]
Marko Paasikoski left due to lack of motivation to be a musician and him being often late while on tour worsened his relationship with other band members. By Stones Grow Her name he had become disinterested on touring. After he left Sonata Arctica he quit playing bass completely. [1]
Often when band members and crew had to leave a hotel Marko was still sleeping, some crew member had to go to wake him up and help him due to drowsiness so everyone could leave. After being woken up Marko became angry. By Stones Grow Her Name Japan tour Tony was fed up with Marko's tardiness and started to argue with him. Tony had even said to Marko in anger he (Tony) would leave the band unless Marko does and he meant it. [1]
Later in Copenhagen there was bad case of being late which was the last straw. The band was supposed to leave hotel for airport and Marko had overslept once again. Tommy and roadie Antti Punkki tried to wake Marko in his room and gave up. They left without Marko who missed the plane. On the next venue in Germany others were nervous because his whereabouts were not known. Eventually Marko got himself a flight and arrived to the next gig on time. [1]
Background: in his late teens Mikko Härkin had mental health problems and used lot of alcohol which for example caused him gastritis. Mikko quit drinking completely in late nineties and became christian in the summer of 1999. So by the time he was in Sonata Arctica he was a teetotaller and religious unlike other band members. [1]
On the Silence album European tour Mikko was distressed because rock 'n' roll lifestyle was in odds with his faith and his girlfriend had left him before the tour. His different worldview caused stir between him and other band members. On tour there was an incident where Vanishing Point and Sonata Arctica members sharing the same bus had been drinking. Mikko had gone to bed in the back of the bus and was awoken multiple times by Jack Lukic (the drummer of Vanishing Point) making dog barking sound to bus sound system. Mikko went to the front where people were partying and in anger threw a water bottle towards the people almost hitting Tommy Portimo in the head. [1]
Tony later said he since he was young back then didn't understand Mikko was religious and could have problems in life. Mikko's left the band after Jörisrock in 2002. Later in the same year when Henrik Klingenberg auditioned the band the audition was more about drinking than playing. They wanted to test chemistry between Henrik and the band. [1]
Ex-bassist Janne Kivilahti left because didn't like touring. On the Ecliptica European tour spring 2000 he was homesick and got many thousand Finnish marks worth of phone bills by constantly speaking his girlfriend on the phone. It was during the European tour he had decided to leave the band and told it about the band members later in the summer 2000. His last gig was at Kemi HullunMylly in June 2000. [1]