VILLE VALO - VALO SLAMS FINNISH SMOKING BAN

VALO SLAMS FINNISH SMOKING BAN

Rocker VILLE VALO has hit out at a smoking ban in his native Finland, branding the policy "c**ty". The Him frontman is disappointed by the government's decision to bar smoking in public places - including the country's restaurants and bars - which came into effect on 1 June this year (07). But chain-smoking Valo insists he will use his status as a celebrity to flout the ban - by claiming the habit "is part of his artistic licence". He says, "I would rise to the barricades just for the fact that it's such a c**nty idea! "I understand totally if restaurants where you eat would be totally smoke free. But imagine you can't sit at the pub, smoke a fag and meet new people? What the f**k are you going to do? Onstage it doesn't really matter because I have the artistic licence of claiming that it's part of my performance. I'll just build it my own bar at home. You can smoke wherever you want in my bar!"