Nightwish Axe 'Diva' Tarja Turunen

NIGHTWISH AXE 'DIVA' SINGER Finnish goth-metal band NIGHTWISH have dramatically sacked their lead singer at the end of their biggest world tour - branding TARJA TURUNEN as greedy and impossible to work with. Turunen, who is classically trained and already has a solo career outside of the band, was given the written dismissal last month (21OCT05) in Helsinki, after their final tour performance. They accused her of "greed, underestimating the fans, and breaking promises". Turunen insists she had no idea her position in the band was threatened, or that her behaviour over nine years had incited the hatred of her bandmates. She says, "I am devastated. I thought I knew them, but I was wrong." Nightwish plan to replace the singer and continue recording and performing.