I so wish I had VH1 today…! http://www.bravewords.com/news/165406

I like the idea of a Metal Day – although to me, every single day, is a celebration of my love for rock music, one way or another. :)

I was just talking to a friend the other day about why heavy metal in particular has the most loyal fans in the world. The music industry is a pretty insecure place to be (many one-hit-wonders, or no-hit-wonders out there. Here today, gone tomorrow) but metal always stands strong.

It’s always been that way. Well, except for the Great Metal Depression in the mid 90’s where many rockers went through an identity crisis. Hair spray and spandex was not in anymore, party metal was uncool, lyrics were about being depressed and killing yourself (Nirvana: “I hate myself and want to die“…. that sort of thing). Yet, even the grunge-crap sold a lot of records.

Bands like AC/DC, Kiss and Motley Crue have been filling arenas for the past 30+ years, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop anytime soon. Maybe one day when they get too old and retire. But as we all know – metal keeps you young. A metahead can be butt ugly but still look the same when he’s 60 as he did when he was 20. Angus Young was ugly in the 70’s and he’s still ugly, but at least he doesn’t look like he’s really AGED.

So why does metal have the most loyal fans? Maybe because it’s one of the few things that is consistent. You know what you’re gonna get. It’s always like coming home. There’s actually a feeling of comfort, peace and security knowing that the next Kiss or Aerosmith-album is going to sound pretty much like you expect it to. Not too much over the top experimenting there.

But it’s not just that. It’s not just MUSIC. It’s a whole lifestyle, it’s an attitude. A true rocker will always be a rocker. Once it gets under your skin, in your blood – you’re in it for life. It’s a love that lasts forever.

I’ve spent my whole life celebrating rock’n’roll, loving everything about it, living it to its fullest.
I’ve even already “designed” my tombstone in my head, the love for music will go with me to the grave. It will be a guitar.
Everything has come and gone, people, places, schools, jobs, situations, politicians, trends, fashion…. everything has changed through the years, and I’m Gemini – we get bored pretty easily. The ONLY thing that has never bored me, is music – give me my metal and I’m happy. :-)

I remember the day when I first discovered heavy metal. It was like a religious experience, on the same level as people remember their first love, first kiss, first time they had sex, first whatever. Whatever rocks your boat. 

For me, it was Judas Priest – Unleashed In The East.

I’ll never forget that day. I bought the LP at Record Heaven after having checked it out for weeks. I was curious because my best friend Camilla had played British Steel one day when I was over at her house. Her mom worked at Åhlens music-department, so she borrowed LP’s all the time and recorded them on cassette. Criminals back in the 80’s, hah! :)

Record Heaven had all Judas Priest LP’s and I chose Unleashed In The East because of the cover. I thought they all looked so cool, so I wanted that.

For a 13-year old innocent teenage girl who had only listened to the Beatles and Elvis up until then, it was very exciting, cause it felt rebellious to get an album like THAT.
Back in those days girls didn’t listen to heavy metal. That was 100% for guys. Not only that, parents were sure NOT to like it. In other words – all the right reasons to get the record!

It was a summer day, really hot, cause I remember coming home after school, going straight to the balcony to vent the living-room (where the stereo was). My dad was a tech-junkie back then, and had the best Tandberg-stereo from back then. The wooden speakers could blow the roof off anything!

Nobody was home, so I took out the brand new, shiny vinyl and turned up the bass-knob to the max. The pickup slowly touched the vinyl and there it was……. the first teasing sounds of  Exciter.

I turned it up LOUD. It was just somehow natural to do that, I did it instinctively. When the distorted guitars filled the room – then slowed down – and then started again, this time followed by a voice that was like nothing I had ever heard before. Fucking hell….Wow. My jaw just dropped.

There are no words that could describe that feeling. The power, the intensity, the agressive, pure energy, it just charged me like a battery. I sat there like I was about to get high.
Holy f**kin’ shit…! What IS this?! Why haven’t I listened to this before??

I fell in love right there and then. 

It just shook my foundations completely, my life changed in those few minutes. Nothing was ever the same after that. I dedicated my life to metal by being a part of that world in every aspect. I knew everything about every band by the time I was 15. 

My parents were sure it was just a “passing phase” and informed me that it would never put food on the table. Well, when it actually DID, they ran out of arguments. Same thing about that “phase” thing. I never “got out” of the metal-phase and never understood why I should.

Nothing makes me as happy as music and this life that I love so much is all thanks to that. My best friends, my career, my travels – none of that would have happened if I hadn’t bought that Unleashed In The East back in 1982 or whatever it was…. 

I might have gotten a little bit jaded but in general I’m still as enthusiastic as I ever was. Whitesnake is coming to Sweden and Denmark next week. I’m crazy happy about that already! And I’ve seen them a million times. Some things just never get boring. :-)

So…..HAPPY NATIONAL METAL DAY! Hope you’ll all celebrate the rock’n’roll that brought us all together. :)

 

My #1 role-model from the early days – the one and only Lita Ford (a VERY early solo-performance). I couldn’t have said it better!