Tagged: Billy Idol
STEVE STEVENS: “I’VE SEEN IT ALL”
Steve Stevens – always a pleasure to meet and talk to. As much as I love Billy Idol, whenever I went to Billy’s shows, I ended up being a lot more fascinated by the guitarist than the headliner himself.
They are the perfect combo, much like Mick and Keith (hey, Keith over Mick anytime, Keith is just insanely cool!), Steven Tyler and Joe Perry (Perry – thankyouverymuch!) well you get the drift – Steve was simply the cooler of the two. :)
After meeting Steve at a little jazz club at Broadway with Sebastian Bach a few years ago, I was even more floored – not only by his genuine love for his craft, but also for his warm and positive energy. You feel at ease around that guy. Same thing with his wife Josie, big smile, big heart.
I instantly liked them and it’s simply a pleasure to see them both again. Was glad that they could squeeze this in, eventhough Steve was in high demand, especially that weekend. Thanks guys!
Check out the 2012-Iridium-interview here.
But for the most recent interview from Musik Messe in Frankfurt, check this out. :)
Action packed month
It seems that my schedule has been a little too hectic to stop and post a blog after every concert and/or trip. But, I’m home sick today, feeling pretty crappy, so I have a second to catch my breath and recap at least a few of this month’s happenings.
November was the month where I had something planned for every weekend – but two of those plans fell through. Was supposed to go to Amsterdam to see Billy Idol. I had my flight booked and everything but I didn’t go due to jetlag after visiting Madam X in Detroit and also battling a slight flu. Something had to go.
The next weekend however, I was on a plane to Milan, Italy to see Billy Idol. I met up with my friend Ania and had a great time in Milan. Also met Daniela (nice name! ;) ) who follows this blog, it’s pretty amazing how you meet people from all over the planet that you have something in common with thanks to the internet. :)
The venue was very cool, apparently it’s mainly used for techno-dance events, stuff like that, but it was a perfect concert arena with a light show you don’t usually see elsewhere. Billy was amazing as always, and Steve Stevens is simply the coolest guitarist there is. What a perfect combo.
The weekend after that was supposed to be Metal AllStars-weekend in Leipzig and Berlin, Germany. Once again, flights, hotels and the whole works, booked and planned… but the whole thing had been postponed until 2015… At first I wasn’t sure if I should cancel my trip once again, but then I thought – I never do the “tourist thing”, why not take the opportunity to go and just enjoy not having anything planned at all, just go with the flow.
It was the right decision. I ended up going to Neues Museum and the Nefertiti-exhibition (I love anything Egyptian and if there is a museum with an Egyptian exhibition in the city I go to, I try to go). I also managed to find the Halford rock cafe. Of course, it was closed when I got there but at least I kind of visited it. :)
Spent my Sunday walking around at the Christmas fair at Alexanderplatz, which was pretty amazing with all its unique foods and drinks, the Glühweins, the smoked salmons and all kinds of “wurst”.
I finished my Sunday in the TV tower where I had reserved my VIP table with a guaranteed window-view. You can see all of Berlin from up there and it rotates, so you REALLY get to see every corner of the city from up there. The food was fantastic too. I ordered a glass of slightly more expensive red wine than usual, but I figured that since I was deprived of a good concert, I might as well comfort myself with a glass of nice wine. :)
A few days ago I was invited by my friend Maj-Louise to the Pretty Maids annual Christmas concert at Vega in Copenhagen, Denmark. That was a great gig, that band always delivers.
Another nice surprise was that they invited a guest on stage, mr Soren Andersen. That guy has played with everybody. Last time I saw him was at the Marshall 50 years of loud show in London, sharing the stage with Yngwie, Paul Gilbert, Zakk Wylde, Joe Satriani – the whole creme de la creme of guitarists. He’s played with Mike Tramp, Glenn Hughes, Joe Bonamassa – you name it. So that was a cool surprise.
(I forgot my own camera so this is the only video clip from that show that I’ve been able to find on Youtube)
December will be a quiet month though. Then in January, I’m off to Detroit again and Madam X.
Like I mentioned in my last blog, I’m not even in the band, but I’m really happy and excited to see how well their comeback has been received. 6000 views in about a week and not as much as one “dislike”, that’s pretty rare and says a lot!
The song is great, the video rocks and we’ll see what comes next. It’s different with this compared to most bands, this is a band that gets a second chance after so many years, and it just seems that the timing is perfect because the songs are better, the musicianship is better, everything is simply better than it was before, so this will be great to follow.
Yes, I’m in love!
I was online all evening yesterday, trying to figure out how to make the logistics work for the Gus G/Mats Leven tour in Greece in October. It was pretty frustrating because nothing was going the way I had hoped.
Flights that took 30 hours (with layovers), flights that cost more than it would cost me to fly to the States, cities where the nearest international airport is 4 hours away and basically – nothing went my way. Yet I really want to catch at least one of those gigs.
I’ve been following Gus G’s every move for the past three-four years, so it feels strange to suddenly NOT be able to make it to even ONE show that’s after all in Europe. Shouldn’t be too difficult. But as it turns out, it can’t be done, can’t get the parameters to fit… :-(
I’ll also be missing the US-shows because of bad timing – I’m over in the States for Rob Zombie and meeting up with Madam X in Detroit the week before and don’t have enough vacation days to stay there and wait for the Gus-tour.
And then I’m missing the Metal AllStars South America-shows too because I’ve already booked a few gigs with Billy Idol at that same time!
And THAT would have been a great reason to go to South America, as I’ve been wanting to go there for quite a while, but just needed a good reason to go.
Gus G is my “random travel-generator” and I love that. He tours everywhere, all the time – the perfect artist for someone like me.
It doesn’t hurt that he’s a cool guy who I enjoy hanging with as well – and the same goes for his crew and band members. Super sweet people, the lot of them. All of that is a bonus.
In my Facebook status the other day, I mentioned that I was slightly annoyed that I couldn’t make it to some of those shows, cause I really want to go. One guy left a comment saying: “It sounds like you’ve got a crush on Gus, Daniela”.
I can’t say that I was surprised to get that comment. I can imagine that to the outside world, that would be the only explanation why someone would act as “crazy” as I do. I’ve heard that for every single band that I’ve followed. Even going way back to my days in school, hanging “with the guys”. It was interpreted as “she’s got a crush on so-and-so“.
But that’s not what it is. Not like that. It’s a combination of music, travel and friendship. To me, that’s the ultimate kick.
Another guy replied to that first commenter with the words:
“Daniela is in love with good music! Many great and long lasting relationships”.
That was SPOT ON.
I love the life that I have chosen for myself. Sometimes I can just walk down the street and smile, because I suddenly remember a really great gig or a trip that lies ahead, or a journey that I’ve made in the past – and all the interesting people I’ve met along the way, places I’ve seen, experiences I’ve had… It’s a lifelong love – no doubt about it. But it’s not the kind of “love” some people may think. :)
I’m in love with life, with music, with everything that surrounds it. Sometimes I might even be attracted to some people for about two seconds, but it’s nothing I’ve ever acted upon. Some awesome people I meet along the way catch my interest every once in a while, but it usually doesn’t last very long. What DOES last long however, is all that other stuff. LIFE – that’s what. :)
Seeking happiness in individuals is one thing, but I think that seeking happiness within yourself and the kind of lifestyle you want to live, makes you happy in the long run and is not as fragile as “regular relationships”. Or at least that’s my take on it.
So – am I in love? Do I have a crush? Hell yeah – I love my life and I love my music, and that’s a marriage that’s going to last forever. :D
Sweden Rock Festival – where people never age!
Four days of LOUD! Sweden Rock Festival is now over and this is when work begins for me (and many others). Reviews to hand in. Articles to write. Videos and photos to upload. Blogs to write.
All of that, just not enough hours in a day to do it!
But I will be back as soon as I’m done with the Priority One assignments. Mainly the Rob Halford interviews that I did recently – face to face in London and by phone during the festival, that I really want to do my best with.
One of the most lasting impressions of the festival this year, is that ROCKERS NEVER seem to AGE!
I guess one can always speculate in what the reasons might be that a 50-year old rocker usually looks way younger and cooler than a 50-yeear old non-rocker.
My guess is that when you have a passion for something, when you have something that you love to do – you forget to grow old. The grandfathers of metal, Black Sabbath, dispite living tougher lives than most (drug- and alcohol abuse, deadly diseases and what have you…) they look cool as hell and they’ve all still got their HAIR!
Tony Iommi is 66 years old, it’s hard to believe. Very classy, still looking good.
Billy Idol is easily the sexiest 58-year old dude I’ve ever seen…! And I don’t even like blonde guys (or guys older than me for that matter!). But come – ON…! Are you kidding? Most people his age look older – Billy Idol never got the memo.
Last year the festival had Rick Springfield visiting. He is 64! Yes. Sixty-fucking-FOUR!!!
Madam X reunited after 30 years and I remember their “outrageous” look from way back when. That tall, monster-looking bassplayer guy Godzilla was, in my teenage mind, a metal version of Chewbacca with that crazy “fingers in the socket”-do.
Now, all these years later, when he’s passed 50 with one, two or six years, he looks like THIS:
Doesn’t look like a “fifty-something” to me.
Some people seem to age in the opposite direction and just look better and better as the years go by.
These dudes are more fit than some guys in their freaking twenties! Man…!
And it’s not only the MALE rockers. The FEMALE ones are not getting a day older either. Since we’re on the subject Madam X – this is drummer Roxy Petrucci, 52 – and cooler than ever! Her sister Maxine never let herself go either.
And last but not least, for now – Robin Beck, 59 (!!!!) years old. Yeah right?!
They sold their souls to rock’n’roll… For eternal youth!
Where in the world are you going to be THIS weekend?
One of my colleagues at work was asking people, quite randomly, what their plans were for the weekend. He got replies along the lines of “I’m just going to take it easy...”, “I’m going out with a few friends...” – then he turned to me and went: “So, Daniela, where in the world are you going THIS weekend?” with a big grin.
Guess it’s been like that back and forth since I ran out of vacation days. I’ve had to do everything on weekends!
Athens, Greece the first weekend in January (for Firewind), New York City two weekends later (for Steve Stevens and Sebastian Bach on Iridium, Broadway), Tampa, Florida for just one day to see Van Halen… And probably some European dates inbetween that I already forgot about.
I didn’t do this a few years ago. I guess that the general opinion is that you “can’t” do crazy shit like going overseas for a weekend, unless you’re a millionaire with nothing better to spend your money on.
But then I realized that you CAN.
Maybe it’s crazy, but really, the only “crazy” part is the short time-frame. Nothing else. And if you think about it, it’s not that crazy at all, because usually HOTELS cost a lot more than the actual trip, so going for a weekend is SAVING money, not the opposite. Two hotel-nights equal a flight ticket, most of the time. For that, you get to visit more countries instead of just one. :)
And going several times a year means that you don’t have to squeeze in everything you want to do in a few days and then think that you’ll never come back. You do what you need to do – well knowing that you WILL be back, and probably pretty soon too. :-)
There are different ways of making it possible – apart from living on crispbread and noodles.
I just applied for an American Express card with flyer miles. If you get approved, you get 20,000 miles as a welcome-bonus, which is enough for a roundtrip somewhere within Europe. With my 10,000 current miles on the bonus card, that makes 30,000 miles which is enough for an upgrade to business class. Never flown business class but always wanted to – and so for my next overseas-trip I’ll use the miles for that! :-)
The best thing about a credit card that offers miles for everything you buy, is that it’s effortless! I need food anyway, I will buy concert tickets abroad and trains, flights, buses, whatever, every 100 SEK gives 20 flyer miles (100 SEK equals 1 loaf of bread, butter, milk, a piece of cheese and a pack of chewing gum – now you do the math how fast you get to collect miles to get free flights!).
But for now… A “regular” vacation in Split, Croatia. Three weeks of getting pissed off at crappy internet-connections, no car, no cable TV (just regular, standard TV which is like 4 channels I think….) expensive phone, so I can’t call friends anywhere else in the world like I’m used to. And most of all – no rock’n’roll. GAAH! It’s going to drive me NUTS!
The highlight last year was hanging with this dude – the only person I got to talk music with during my stay in Split last year. I hope there’ll be an opportunity to hang out this year as well. Was nice of him to travel all the way down to Split eventhough he lives in the north part of the country, I think maybe about 4 hours travel or something like that.
[A Justin TImberlake-song never sounded this cool, lol!]
I’m just not cut out for “regular vacations”. If it doesn’t include music in one way or another, I’ll most likely not going to enjoy it. Maybe a week, tops.
Was checking tour dates for Ozzy, Steel Panther, Billy Idol, Firewind, Lita Ford, and wrote them all down in my calendar. And all the festivals of course. That’s the only way to keep track of the bands I want to see. Otherwise I have no clue what day it is, yet alone who plays where!
But I’m getting pretty good at this, I get away with the travelling fairly cheap, simply because I’ve learned how. I wrote a few tips last year, but I might write a little book about it someday. :-)
Here are the travel-tips blogs from 2011:
http://lita77777.posterous.com/the-rocknroll-travellers-best-tips-part-1
http://lita77777.posterous.com/the-rocknroll-travellers-best-tips-part-2
http://lita77777.posterous.com/the-rocknroll-travellers-best-tips-part-3
An internet friend e-mailed me the other day asking if I was going to see Ozzy in Dortmund, Germany in June, cause she wants to go and figured we could split hotel costs and go to the show. It’s never difficult to persuade me to something like that. :-)
I wanted to go to that gig anyway because it’s at Westfalenhalle, a venue that I remember from my very early days, beeing a teenage rocker in 19something….. [mumble….].
Ozzy, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard…. Those are only a few of the bands that were playing there back then, and it was aired LIVE on TV at the time. It was a big deal when something was aired live back in those days, so I remember it as a big event.
[Def Leppard back in the day when they were really cool:]
As it’s only two days from the Ozzy-gig in my home-town Malmo, I need to know when my friend Bianca who’s visiting me for THAT, is going back home, so I’ll have to wait before I book any trains or flights. I’ll probably take that whole week off and go to Germany and then to Sweden Rock Festival two days after THAT.
Yeah, the madness is about to begin. Soon. Very soon. :-D
I love my life. :)
IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR 