Category: Uncategorized
Skid Row live 1995
Found a recording from the last show Skid Row did in Sweden (with Sebastian fronting the band). I guess that the Subhuman Race style didn’t quite go down well with their crowd, although it did have some pretty damn good songs on it.
I’ve already written a “rearview mirror” on Skid Row, can be found here: http://lita77777.posterous.com/in-the-rearview-mirror-skid-row
I’m really looking forward to next Saturday, and the Rock Exhibition in Malmo where Sebastian will be attending to sign his new album. I asked for an interview but the problem is that it needs to be done on Saturday – and I will be dead on Saturday after travelling all day. Not the best day to talk to anyone – BUT… Might be possible with Baz, and ONLY Baz, because we know eachother well and because I really don’t need to ask a whole lot. He talks like a machine, all I have to do is sit there and let him do all the talking. :) Every journalist’s dream!
I feel so lucky for having been around when Skid Row had their most successful time, for being a part of their crazy life yet always being treated 100% respectfully by the whole band. I’ll always love them for it.
Only one week to go…! :)
Happy (belated) 60th birthday DAVID COVERDALE!
I can’t BELIEVE I missed out what date it was! Being on vacation does that I guess – you totally lose track of time, don’t even know what DAY it is. And so I somehow completely missed out on one of the most important birthdays of the year – DAVID COVERDALE turned 60!!!
My god, this man, his voice and his music has meant the world to me. Not only that, but in the past 10-15 years or so, he has always – ALWAYS recognized me everywhere, and always acknowledged it. This legendary man who has created music history with Deep Purple and then his own Whitesnake, knows who some Swedish person is, that is amazing to me.
Last time was in Belgium this summer, when he spotted me, smiled and then between two songs went: “Well hello Daniela! So nice to see you again! Looking great as always!” A small gesture like that can make your day. Especially when you feel like anything BUT “great looking” after two days in the rain and the mud. Even if he’s lying, I’m fine with THAT kind of lying, haha! :)
At Sweden Rock Festival back in June, I had the most amazing, mindblowing experience watching Whitesnake – bringing out Bernie Marsden on stage and then – Adrian Vandenberg…! I was so blown away, I just stood there bawling my eyes out! It was incredibly emotional, I cried for days afterwards only THINKING about it! And my video from that show broke every record, 12 000 people watched it in about a week!
A few years ago, he was the one to wish ME a happy birthday in Copenhagen. Those of you who know me have already seen this, those of you who don’t probably don’t give a fuck anyway but the point with this one is to show how the roles have turned this time. Now it’s my turn to wish David a happy birthday, through a video card put together by PurpleSnake. Check it out!
A few years ago it was David….
Now it’s me and all of us in the Whitesnake-choir from all over the world, wishing David a Happy birthday!!
http://users.cjb.net/happy60thdc/birthdaycard.html
BIRTHDAY VIDEO CARD FOR DAVID COVERDALE 2011 from Purplesnake on Vimeo.
Thank you David for your fantastic music, it has meant more than words can describe to so many of us. I can’t wait to see Whitesnake again this fall!
Vacation in Croatia, but still rockin’
Funny to be “back” to writing here again, got used to the Firewind-blog after all the gigs the past few weeks. It’s been hectic travelling from place to place – cause while the band can just pass out whenever they want on their tour bus and have their driver take them to the next venue, I have to take care of the logistics myself. :)
It’s a good thing I got such kicks from the shows, or else I have no idea how I would have survived that crazy lifestyle.
Right now I’ve had a chance to sleep – get LOTS of sleep here in Split, Croatia. For once, I’m NOT travelling to go to any gigs, I’m just having a vacation like normal people.
But I was just sent a video by a young, Croatian singer who I’ve been in touch with back and forth for about a year. That will be the theme of today’s blog. Maybe a bit unusual, but I’m on vacation, that IS unusual, for me. :)
There is a version of American Idol in every European country, and last year I was watching a few of the Croatian episodes when I was here to see my dad. I missed most of it, think I only had a chance to see maybe 3 or 4 episodes altogether. There were two “rockers” in the competition, but one of them stuck out more than the other.
First of all, his crazy NAME! If you think that people in Croatia normally go by names like “Vilibald” you’re wrong. Actually, the hostess asked his dad why they gave him such an unusual name and I think he answered that he and his wife couldn’t decide on a name for their son and so they just picked the name that was in the calendar the day he was born – and went for that. It just so happened to be Vilibald.
Pretty cool when you think about it – cause there’s NO way you’ll ever forget a name like that. Couldn’t be more rock’n’roll. :)
Secondly, the guy had one hell of a voice!! Holy shit, for such a tiny guy, there was a lot of voice and although he seemed very shy in the interviews, he came alive when it was time to rock the audience.
[A heartfelt version of Deep Purple´s “Soldier of Fortune”, one of my favorite songs ever]
I had to go back to Sweden before I knew how the contest ended – but I asked my dad to watch the last episode cause I wanted to know how the Vilibald-guy had done in the finals. Of course, he didn’t win. Rockers rarely do, usually when it comes to business and selling a new artist, they want something more mainstream to sell to an audience consisting of anything from old ladies to teenage girlies.
Maybe he would have done great with the girls, but maybe not so much with the older record-buying audience.
I don’t remember exactly how I got in touch with the guy, but I think I found his dad on Youtube or something, who in turn gave me the contact info to Vilibald and I’ve kind of followed his challenges on and off ever since.
Being an artist in Croatia is difficult to begin with, if you want to make it internationally, and even moreso if you want to ROCK. The guy wanted to record a real hard rock album but, of course, was not allowed to.
However, he sent me this video a few days ago, that he just completed and I guess it’s a good compromise. It’s a power ballad that works with a wide audience and is still rock. He didn’t sell his soul 100%. :-)
Of course, it had to be in Croatian, cause I assume it’s a record company requirement, but I thought I’d share the video with you guys eventhough you won’t understand a word of what he’s singing (just pretend it’s death metal, you never understand a word of any of that either, no matter what language it’s in…!).
So, it’s just interesting to follow a new, up and coming artist this way, and maybe with the new rules of the cyberworld we’re all part of, the guy might actually attract a bit of attention beyond the borders of Croatia. Seems to me like the world is getting smaller each day, who knows. Either way, I’m keeping my fingers crossed! :)
[Vilibald hanging out with Tim Ripper Owens]
The rock’n’roll traveller’s best tips (Part 3)
Travelling for strictly recreational reasons, such as sun/beach-trips or city-shopping trips is quite different from travelling to see rock shows.
For me, it’s important to travel light, not carry around heavy, bulky, impractical baggage – and have quick access to everything I need when I need it.
Packing for a festival is also different from packing for a regular indoor-show abroad. The festival-necessities have already been described in a different blog – but these are the things I always put in my bag when going to a show abroad :-):
- Passport
-
Cameras (I usually bring 2, one that can be dropped or used in the rain, or when Ozzy’s hosing down his audience. Camera 2 being my “good” one, when I’m not risking any of the above. Also, it’s good to always have a backup)
-
Batteries, chargers and memory-cards. Lots of it! :-)
-
Earplugs
-
Tickets (of course)
-
Meal bars/protein bars/nuts (if you’re in front row, and you get hungry, the whole show could get ruined because you’re starving and you can’t go anywhere for hours to buy something. Or you wake up in the middle of the night hungry, and nothing is open. That goes for the entire trip – food is expensive at airports and hotels, and sometimes you just don’t have time to stand in line at McDonald’s for a sloppy burger. Bring bars or nuts – that way you’re always good to go)
-
Aspirins / cold caplets. Better safe than sorry.
-
Nose-spray (if your ears hurt by the pressure at takeoff or landing, that’s your best trick. Nose-spray clears your sinuses and eliminates that uncomfortable feeling when your ears feel like they’re going to explode.
-
Your banking-info. Anything might happen – you run out of money or you didn’t have as much as you thought you did, or just for security – make sure that you’ve got a backup and can transfer cash to your card if there is an emergency.
-
GPS and printed directions/maps. Phone numbers, addresses in your wallet.
Program the addresses you know you’ll be going to and save them in your “favorites” in your GPS before you leave. Then you’re ready to go.
Sometimes your GPS might not work for whatever reason (happened to me in Belgium, didn’t know that the cigarette lighter socket was broken, cause the GPS was still running on battery. But once I realized it, it was a nightmare figuring out how to get from where I was to where I was going. So, always have a Plan B) -
Travel adaptors (it sucks to realize that you can’t charge your cellphone, camera battery, laptop and whatever else… Be prepared)
-
The right currency. Even if you use your credit card for hotels and food, you will always need cash for anything from public toilets in some countries, to buying a hotdog somewhere. It usually costs less exchanging in your own country.
- I keep all my travel documents in a folder in the order I’m going to need them. That way I don’t have to stand there flipping through everything, searching for the right paper.
It’s usually in this order:
a) Boarding pass
b) Rental car confirmation or train/bus/transfer confirmation
c) Hotel confirmation
d) Concert tickets
e) Maps, directions, phone numbers - Not necessary but nice to bring with you – hand wipes, disinfectants or just regular wipes to freshen up when you’re on the go.
- Laptop / iPhone / smartphone I get a local SIM-card (for phones where you’re allowed to switch) A lot cheaper than roaming.
- Emergency rain poncho – cheap, easy to carry with you and believe me – you never know when you’re gonna need it!
I try to be smart about the clothes I bring, some stuff can be washed in the sink and dried near a window or hanging above an airconditioner set to “hot” (be creative, you’ll figure it out).
What I do shove in the carry-on, I roll, because it keeps the garment from getting crinkled – then I roll it Saran wrap. :) Makes it easy to fit anywhere in your bag, and it’s protected in case you happen to throw something in your bag that might have stained it otherwise (such as that mealbar for instance).
Just plan everything ahead, every step of the way. That saves you valuable time once you get to your destination. And, like my friend Vera stated earlier this morning – the most important thing you need to bring is your common sense.
Safe travels! :)
Also check out The Rock’n’roll traveller’s best tips part 1 and 2:
http://lita77777.posterous.com/the-rocknroll-travellers-best-tips-part-1
http://lita77777.posterous.com/the-rocknroll-travellers-best-tips-part-2
The rock’n’roll traveller’s best tips (Part 2)
Back in July I had to figure out a way to pack for a week abroad in two different countries and two different situations.
When you’ve got a hotel, it’s easy. You just keep your stuff there and bring whatever you need to the concert or walk around town. The challenge is when you are going to a festival or concert, and you don’t have a place to store your baggage.
It’s difficult to give general tips but this is what I did for THAT trip. I promised several people to write this someday, as they could not understand how I managed to shove everything I needed for that trip in a carry-on shoulderbag, But it could be done! And here is how…
BREEZING THROUGH SECURITY
The problem is always how to travel with only a carry-on and as few toiletries as possible (roll-on deodorant, perfume or aftershave, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, various makeup…all depending on who you are).
I solved it by making a few changes…
ROLL-ON DEO
Instead of roll-on deodorant = Crystal deo! 
I bought one last year when I was abroad and it lasts for months and months and months…! Click the link to find out more about it. It works really well and is a lot healthier than regular deo.
And as a last solution – just buy a cheap deo when you get to your destination and throw it away when you leave.
PERFUMES / AFTERSHAVES
A lot of times, you get those little sample bottles when you buy your favorite scent. If not, you can get them for almost nothing on eBay. One or two of those is enough for a week abroad.
SHAMPOO/CONDITIONER
Women often get samples of shampoos and conditioners in fashion-magaines or stores. These are really small, flat, weigh nothing, can be packed easily. Then throw it away and you’ve got even less to carry when you travel back home.
Check the link – these are awesome, they smell great, they lather, they weigh almost nothing, can also be used as a regular soap in an emergency. But basically, this is for your HAIR – and it’s NOT a “soap”. I remember a friend of mine being very reluctant, cause she was not about to wash her hair with “some soap“. Try it, you’ll be hooked – and it’s perfect for carry-on travellers. :)
CREAMS & LOTIONS
This is a tip I learned from my friend Bianca. She collected the plastic containers that you get in “Kinder Eggs” and used those as little cream-jars! Perfect size, just enough for a weekend or a week, stores easily – great idea, which can be used for pretty much anything.
(I use the Kinder Egg-containers to organize foreign coins after a trip so I can find the right currency next time I go to that country)
There are travel-size toothpastes and empty spray-bottles that you can buy (unless you’ve got something that you can use at home – be creative!).
As for makeup, for us ladies, I found a few useful SMALL packages of eyeliners, mascaras (also samples) – not sure what you can find in your country, but take a good look around next time you’re out shopping. Instead of my usual liquid foundation, I use an all-in-one powder/foundation or mineral powder/foundation. Mineral makeup is good, cause once again you’ve minimized the need for liquids.I use makeup-remover pads instead of regular remover in a bottle as it doesn’t count as “liquid”, yet in a way, it is. :)
That was the “liquids”-section. Other things that you might want to think about is to get a REALLY good carry on bag/suitcase and make sure it matches the airline’s requirements.
I prefer bags where I can easily take out my laptop when I need to, and where there are easily accessible pockets for my passport, boardingpass and cellphones. A bag that lets you organize these things in a practical way is worth more than gold when you go through security and don’t want to waste valuable time! :-) This is my favorite – that I used for my week in Greece & England – Living Dead Souls messenger bag.
It doesn’t look like anything special but believe me – you can put so much in this and still know exactly where everything is! I love it.
Part 3 of the Rock’n’roll traveller coming up soon!
Also check out The Rock’n’roll traveller’s best tips part 1 and 3:
http://lita77777.posterous.com/the-rocknroll-travellers-best-tips-part-1
http://lita77777.posterous.com/the-rocknroll-travellers-best-tips-part-3
IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR 