♦It was the Summer Solstice yesterday, the shortest night and longest day of the year.♦
"Clockwork Angels" is new album by Rush, and "Suicide Solution" is song by Ozzy Osbourne. Someone could ask, how can I listen to Rush and Ozzy at the same time, but I have to aswer that I don't know. I just like them both.
I was cleaning my old school and our town's parliament house for three weeks, that was my summerjob. It was alright, but I had to wake up at four or three every morning, for I needed to be at six or at five at work. Also, I believe that windows have their own mind and thoughts, and they can decide to not to open when I try to open them with the key. Or some evil spirit lives in them. However, I never wash windows again. Now I'm just happy about the holiday which started yesterday.
Here are the albums I've lately bought, from Crüe trip to Helsinki and Vaasa..
Mötley Crüe: Girls, Girls, Girls & Too Fast For Love
Ozzy Osbourne. Blizzard of Ozz & Diary of a Madman
AC/DC: The Razor's Edge
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant: Walking into Clarksdale
And here's what I've been doing on my holiday..
What the fuck, a tea bag? I stole it from hotel and I thought it's still in my hand bag..
Anyway, I've been listening to Rush (actually it's not my CD, it's my dad's..) drawing something and writing some stupid lines up, accessing to tarot cards (I've always been interested in things that link into magic and occult), doing nothing special. I feel like I should do something but I don't know what at yet.
About the coming festivals: Ilosaarirock sounds good, headliners are D-A-D, The Hives and Michael Monroe. I haven't seen any other festival with good line-up this year in Finland, so I checked the London's and other Europe's gigs up:
Public Image Ltd. is making reunion tour in the summer
Robert Plant has booked three shows already to London etc. I believe more are coming 'cause he has a new band now.
Rush starts touring again, and it's coming to Finland next summer (tickets are already on sale)!
Muse is touring too, but the tickets were sold that fast we couldn't get any. Damn.
Alice Cooper is touring aroung Britain next autumn, and Duff McKagan's Loaded is the support act! I gotta get tickets there.. <3
Metal Gods Festival (or something like that) in Italy in August sounds damn good too: Ozzy Osbourne, Slash, Myles Kennedy and Mötley Crüe..
And Black Sabbath, Guns N' Roses and Mötley play in some festival in France..
Now I'm just waiting for that Jimmy Page's annual one gig in Royal Albert's Hall or some other fine and cultured place..
And to the end, happy 70th birthday to Sir Paul McCartney! <3 Actually the official date was 18th of June. I'm just wondering how the "old guys" really start to be old.. or I'm just too young. Happy holidays once more to all of you!
So, I went to Helsinki to see Mötley Crüe. In the morning I woke up at three o'clock, went to work at five, came home at twelve and then left to trainstation. Trains were broken and we arrived to Helsinki late, at half past five, so I couldn't see Crashdïet at all. But I saw the end of Hardcore Superstar show, it was better than I had thought. I don't like any of the Hardcore Superstar songs that are played on the radio, but in the show they didn't play those songs, good for them. Then, they had problems with the sound check, guitars didn't sound right, they checked the sound of guitars about five times. And Mötley had to start late, about half past eight, so their show lasted only one and half hour. Anyway, it didn't really matter.
At first I was a bit worried about songs they're gonna play (in case I wouldn't know any of them) and sceptic about the whole thing. I have to say, musically Mötley isn't very good live band, but they know how to make good rock n' roll SHOW. They had everything, great lightshow, hot girls and USA flags on stage, only motorbikes were missing.
They started with "Wild Side" and then played old stuff from 80's, like "Live Wire", "Shout At The Devil", "Too Fast For Love" and "Same Ol' Situation". The only new song was "Saints of Los Angeles", unsurprisingly. At first, Mick Mars seemed to be quite lost with the songs. Also, the guitar was so hard to hear, so I believe many of the guitar lines had been recorded before. But as sick and thin and pained (in times) as Mick looked, he could move better than I had thought. Good for him ♥
The drum solo was cool, and Tommy Lee is the best live player of that group. Nikki was as cute as always, and he obviously likes Finland. But Vince, he sang alright (his voice matches to songs better live than on records) but he is not good looking, has never been. And there's something annoying in his behaviour and in his manners.
In the end they played their big hits, "Girls, Girls, Girls", "Smokin' in the boys' room", "Dr. Feelgood" and so on, and the last song was "Kickstart my heart". The setlist was basic but good for me, 'cause if they had played more unknown songs, I couldn't have sung with in any of them. So, for the crowd this setlist was good.
I liked the show much more than I had believed. The guys seemed really enjoy of performing and the gig wasn't too serious. Even though I'm not the greatest fan and I went there only for seeing Nikki and Mick (and I'm a great Hanoi Rocks fan!!) I could go again, just for fun. I didn't get the feeling that there would be a problem between Hanoi and Mötley or their fans, there were many people wearing Hanoi Rocks and Michael Monroe shirts. In case Mötley will ever come again,(I don't know of the state of health of Mick) I promise to be in the front line, and get all the fake blood on my face and clothes and hair...
Here's few more photos (I took so much videos too, but the voice and descants broke all the time so videos are horrible to listen to):
The drumset really twirled around at the drum solo
Photo's from "Home Sweet Home", Vince can't sing it live..
Girls, Girls, Girls (I should have taken a video)
My favorite photo of Mick, taken with a killer zoom
And by the way, you have no idea of how difficult it is to take a photo of Nikki Sixx.
So, 9 years are over now, and everything I have to study is studied. Next autumn I'll hopefully be in IB school, but who knows what's gonna happen. From the last three years I really don't have so good memories, even though our principal spoke in the spring party about how great our school is. The time with friends, music lessons and art lessons were the best, everything else was bullshit. I learned in our school how people always look for their own advantage, and how they are two-faced, promise things but don't actually care for carry out them. And that's how I became cynical, thanks to teachers and our principal.
Now, when I finally can get out of here, it feels like the cage would have been opened. The summer vacation is up front and I hope it'll be good time.
The trip to Berlin was almost alright, even though I wouldn't have wanted to go at all. I didn't speak German than just a little, few words. I really don't like that language. But Berlin as a city seemed to be alright, full of life and people. We visited in many of the sights like Checkpoit Charlie etc, and one day we were off to shop. We visited in Hard Rock Café, though we couldn't find the school desk of the cover of School's Out, but drinks there were good. There was also a guitars of Jimi Gendrix and Eric Clapton, stuff from many many bands, shirt of Tony Iommi and so on. That was cool. And I also found a record store I love. Nice city I think but I hate group travels.
In next week on Thursday I'll be in Helsinki seeing Mötley Crüe live! I'm not very keen on about that band, but Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars are cute (and a reason why I'm going there). And next monday I have to wake up at six a.m. for work. I'll work for next three weeks, and with the money I'll earn I'm going to buy a new guitar, amplifier and acoustic bass, that's what I've been dreaming about for long time now. But first the guitar.
By the way, if you travel to Berlin, you should visit in City Music store. It's on Kudamm, nearby that memorial church. But what did I buy from there? The Doors -T-shirt (at last), one shirt with huge pic of Jimmy Page in front, and these albums:
Led Zeppelin I, II & Houses of the Holy
No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded (includes cool version of Kashmir)
Old school rock from the 70's
Lou Reed: Transfromer
Black Sabbath: Vol. 4
The Doors: Waitng for the Sun
Alice Cooper: Billion Dollar Babies
Guitar heroes:
Jeff Beck: Emotion and Commotion
Slash feat. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators: Apocalyptic Love
That new album by Slash is fucking good, I've listened about 10 times through now, and some songs about hundred time already. Myles Kennedy has cool voice, it's said he has the sound range of 4 octaves (!) He can sing as high as Axl Rose´or even higher, but he doesn't sound like him - Myles sounds far better. If you haven't heard a song from the album yet, now quickly run to the nearest record store and buy it, you won't get dissapointed. Happy begin of vacation to all of you! (:
Hey guys, and sorry. Month is too long time to be not writing anything here, I know. I just didn't know what to write, and it always seemed that I don't have time. But now I have a moment, so here I'm writing.
First, any special musical news? The drummer of The Band, legendary Levon Helm died at the age of 71, which was sad to hear. Black Sabbath announced few more tour dates with original line-up (without Bill Ward 'cause they're still fighting) and Tony, and their first gig was yesterday in Birginham. I wish I could have been there. Ozzy comes to Finland next week Tuesday, but I'm in Germany then. Me and my class leave for Berlin in early Tuesday morning, and I'm there 'till Saturday. Class trips are fn' nice, as we all know. Originally I didn't even wanna go to Berlin, I'd rather go to see Bruce Springsteen on stage ( that's no joke). If anybody's been there, can you tell me any good record stores in there or vicinity?
But hey, what I've been doing for a month? Good question, I have no idea. There's only 2 weeks left of grammar school, and then I'm free to.. it's like getting out of the cage but to be still locked inside. I'm not free to do anything, but to go high school. Anyway, this time's been full of extra things at school, exams, and entrance exam to IB..
I went to movies with the Fish to see Avengers ( Robert Downey Jr. <3) and Dark Shadows. Both were great. If you like Iron Man and Thor and if you think Scarlett Johansson is sexy, you must see the Avengers (she really is hot). And if you like Tim Burton (well, who doesn't?) and Johnny Depp, you want to die for laughing, and you want to see a different kind of vampire movie with 70's (and you love Alice Cooper) go to see Dark Shadows. I highly recommend both.
If you think I've speng a month without buying a record, I must tell you I haven't. It's as hard for me as a month without booze for alcoholic. Here's where I've spent my money in this month:
Velvet Underground from TopTen with only 15€.. you should have seen the shop assistant's face when I walked to checkout..
And CDs of course too..
That Aerosmith album I got for birthday present, thank you for that♥
Robert Plant: Band Of Joy
Led Zeppelin: Untitled fourth album
Led Zeppelin: Mothership ( 2 CD + DVD edition)
Robert Plant: Manic Nirvana
Neil Young: Greatest Hits
Black Sabbath: Master of Reality
David Bowie: Scary Monsters (and super creeps)
All the albums are from TopTen.
Then I've been practising the performing for our school's spring prize day, where the ninth class' students have used to perform some songs. We play few songs too, but I'm playing only in one. And the time for practising is soon up 'cause we're in Berlin for a week, so I think I should take my guitar and amplifier to Berlin with me..
We play "School's Out!" in the spring party, and I practised it few days ago.. I started to play "School's Out!", but few hours later I found myself playing "Whole Lotta Love".. problems at focusing, or I just needed more coffee.
I'm packing for Berlin.. which means I've somehow managed to spread my clothes around our house..
For the Berlin Trip I'm waiting the visit to Hard Rock Cafe the most. In the Hard Rock Cafe of Berlin there is the desk which is photographed to cover of School's Out! album by Alice Cooper, on display.
On Wednesday 16th of May came two years of when Ronnie James Dio passed away. He ded on 16th of May 2010, but was still on tour in December 2009. I should have gone and see him live then, now it's far too late to speculate about that. But one thing's for sure, Ronnie James Dio is still the greatest metal singer who has ever lived on this planet. Rest in Peace.
That's how Janis Joplin sang in the end of 60's.. and still that little song is very clever.
When I listening to Janis Joplin in morning, I started to think about Mötley Crüe, 'cause I realized, that I'm gonna see them live after one and half month. Mötley Crüe is the biggest cliche in rock n' roll world, actually they created that what we call today "a rock n' roll cliche". And, because for them, we know that "the true rockers" drink, do drugs, have sex with groupies, drive drunk, buy houses that cost millions, have parties every weekend, they go often to rehab (in the most expensive hospital, of course). And if they have time, they play music or record new albums. We think, that the most important thing in gigs for musicians isn't playing or meeting fans, but that what happens after the show. Party. Living easy, nothing else matters.
But is that true? Do all of the rockers live like that? Do they really beat up their wives and cheat them with under-age groupies when they're on tour? Of course it's not true, and I think it's so frustrating that many people think like that. Not only violence, sex, intoxicants but satanism is a thing that rockers have been blamed about. That we, you people, are influenced badly because for our idols. Our parents believe that young people starts to drink, do drugs, have sex with random people, beat up kids on the streets and kick over gravestones in the graveyards, all because for our idols. If it's still up to us, I don't think that anyone is that stupid.
I know that many rockers have one drugs. I don't judge them, but you can think what you want. I think it's their own decision, and if they haven't hurt anybody and drugs have been assistance in making music, I don't judge them. But I'm not saying it's alright.
What about groupies, then? Young girls do that only for fame. They don't care about the rockers, only thing they care about is that who is the most popular person at the moment. I also know many rockers who have fucked groupies, but is it cheating? What actually is cheating? Sex or falling in love with other person? Difficult to say.
But violence is different. It doesn't matter is that person a rocker or normal man with wife and family. It's even worse, if the person is popular, 'cause then media know about it. Violence is wrong. Mötley Crüe is discordant band for me, 'cause I feel I should like it for all they've doen to groupies, how they've driven drunk, how Neil killed Razzle (drunk driving) and so on. Still I like their music, but otherwise they're too cliche for me. I can't like men who have made rehab a media game or fashion, 'cause drugs and booze are dangerous, and making it public entertainment doesn't make it serious. Many rockers have died for those, for example Jim Morrison and Bonzo. What about them?
And the Mercedes Benz. Rockers are rich, as we all know. In America, everything is business and if you're famous enough, you can make money as much as you want, without any limits. Being a celebrity is business in USA. Stars live in huge houses, drive Cadillacs, buy most expensive clothing, hire personal trainers and so on. They can get everything with money. Different thing is that is it fare? I think it's not, if we're talking about "musician" who really hasn't done anything useful, or doesn't even make music herslef/himself. Those todays' superstars earn fucking much money by doing actually nothing, dancing and singing on stage and recording single in a month. I think this is a reason why some people want to end copyrights.
I think if the money really is earned, copyrights are fine. Of course it can sound crazy if Jimmy Page has earned 470 million dollars only from "Sairway to Heaven", but we should think how much that song ha been bought, listened and played. Is it fare then? I think it is.
Of course it's also about that how rockers use their money. If they give million to charity and forget about the new swimming pool in their luxury house, it creates an impression of unselfishness.
Many rockers did drugs when they were younger, but have been home and dry for many years for now. Many of them are vegetarian, do sports, have given so much money for charity etc. Think about this: Duff McKagan was long time on heroin, and lived every way that rock n' roll life nobody admired anymore. But without his investments, we wouldn't know company called Starbucks. So thank Duff for the best coffee in the world.
Or Alice Cooper; he was an alcoholic and almost died for it, but then he stopped drinking, and got religion. He has is own charity project too.
Or Jimmy Page. Everybody know his story from the 70's, drugs, groupies, occultism and so on. What is he doing today? He is the main sponsor of ABC Foundation, which helps Brazilian street kids.
Or did you know that everyone of The Clash were vegetarians, as well as sir Paul McCartney and Brian May?
World is full of good rockers, and I think all these damn bands like Mötley Crüe just ruin their reputation. Rock n' roll is so much more that sex and drugs, but I feel like too many bands have fogotten the "Rock n' roll" term from the slogan. That's why people who don't knwo anything about rock and then first they'll find out is in the same categhory with Mötley, it's no wonder they don't like it. My own opinion is that drugs, sex or money don't make it, but attitude does. That matters how rockers think about their fans or what they think about cheating and relationships, or what they think about the world and charity. I think, that rock has got boring today, and it doesn't seem dangerous the same way it has, but I'm not saying that the musicians should be idiots. They can make rough and dangerous music, but healthy life style isn't anyway away from their rock n' roll ego. I believe that fans are just happier too, when their idols don't die at age of 25, but at the age of 90.
...the thought of Guns N' Roses reunion gig in my head was only fantasy. I realized yesterday, as I was reading Rolling Stone news, that they can hardly come up to the same stage. Why was I believing that it could really be true? Slash told that "it would be great but it's not gonna happen." There's no information of that even the all of the guys would be coming to RN'RHF.. Axl hasn't informed of his coming, Izzy hasn't either. So, I'm not gonna see Guns N' Roses. Yet.
Just wondering, what Sir Paul McCartney has said about this upon the first listen..
You know, I don't like the 5th of April. It's one of the saddest days in the world. Kurt Cobain died on that day in 1994 and Layne Staley on the same date in 2002. And yesterday the master of amplifiers, Jim Marshall, died at the age of 88. Every person who has ever heard about electric guitars, knows Marshall amplifiers. Many world famous guitarists, for example Jimi Hendrix, played with Marshall. I've got one too. So Rest In Peace, Jim.
I've had so much to do on last days, presentations, school stuff etc, and I've played guitar and harp quite a lot. I've also been thinking about something profound, cobination of blues and rock. What's sexy about rock n' roll is actually coming from blues. Sounds simple, but I've been thinking about this for hours (yep, no real life..). All those hot phrases like " I gotta get ya movin", "I wanna be your backdoor man" and "steady rollin woman" are from blues.
And then they're wondering why we women like rock n' roll...
To the end, here's my vacation playlist for ya :*) (nothing to do with Easter, I promise)
