Tagged: Sebastian Bach
New York, New Yooooork, here I come! :-))
All done. My weekend-trip to NYC to see Steve Stevens with Sebastian Bach is now booked. And I’m really looking forward to it!
Steve is a true showman and so is Sebastian – watching those two guys in a jazz-club on Broadway is the coolest thing and another early Christmas-present to myself.
I’m leaving from Copenhagen on the 27th of January, coming back on Monday (with the time-difference, I’ll be leaving New York on Sunday, and be back in Denmark early Monday morning) – and then straight to work. Another zombie-week, but at least it’s all done in my own spare time. :-))
I can’t believe how lucky I was with the flight. Been checking regularly and it was a little bit too expensive AND the itinerary sucked. Too many changes and long waits at airports.
Then from out of nowhere THIS option appears, says that there are very few seats left. Non-stop flight to New York and I get to work Monday morning, no problem. Best of all – the cheapest flight up until now has been 3600 SEK for weeks. Today it was 2900 SEK (=about $400) roundtrip!
Then again, that’s why I’m always booking Tuesday-Thursday. That’s when you get the best deals.
Not only that… It was my lucky day. Hotel right on Times Square, AC, Wi-Fi… the whole deal, 2 nights, really nice room, less than 200 bucks! For a hotel in New York City with that location, that’s a bargain!
I’m so excited that I’ll get to see this unique show with the most unbacked combo I never thought I’d see on a stage together. :-)
Hopefully I’ll get hold of Baz again for a short interview, but time is very limited so… that’ll have to be improvised.
But first Athens, January 14.
My Sebastian-interview from earlier this summer:
and the crazy Q & A session he did the next day:
Rock’n’roll Travels 2012
2011 is coming to an end, and I’m already planning my rock’n’roll travels for 2012.
The biggest challenge right now is the preparations for my trip to Russia. Or maybe I should say my “possible” trip to Russia, cause I had no idea it would be so complicated to go to a country that’s not that far away and only for a short visit.
I’ve found myself in a paper-mess with visa-applications and special insurance instructions and what have you. To top it all off, they aren’t exactly helpful at the Russian Embassy, so if I can’t figure things out on my own, I’ll have to skip the trip.
But I would love to go for at least two reasons: Because I’ve never travelled in that direction before, I’ve always gone to the west, never to the east (if you don’t count Eastern Europe such as the Czech republic). So, Russia feels a bit exotic. :-)
Second reason being visiting my friend Vera, who I met at Sweden Rock Festival that she’s been visiting a few years because she’s been covering the festival for the Russian edition of Classic Rock Magazine.
It would be very great to visit her and go see a cool show. The band playing (I rarely go anywhere unless there’s a show, as I’m sure you know by now :-)) is Judas Priest.
I saw them in Tallinn, Estonia back in 2006, it was a pretty weird concert. The security guards looked like an army, very intimidating. The opening act was some embarrassing, goddamn awful local band… Just one of those places you never forget.
And now – maybe, St. Petersburg, Russia, if I get my papers in order!
But before that – Athens, Greece in a few weeks. Firewind playing. Check out my Firewind-tour diary from this summer here.
After the past summer, it has become my “house band”, and seeing them from now on is like coming home. I liked the gigs with Mats Levén singing and I liked the US-shows as well with Apollo back as the frontman.
Firewind may not be a Motley Crue-sort of entertaining band, but for a music-nerd like me, they give me kicks just by being amazing at what they do – each musician in his own right.
I love the new drummer Jo, he kicks major ass, unbelievably talented. Nobody cares much for bassplayers unless it’s Billy Sheehan, but only watching Petros‘ fast fingers gets you dizzy, fucking hell that guy can play...! Don’t even get me started on the Virtuoso-Duo Bob Katsionis and Gus G (keyboards, guitar)…!
[Instrumental “SKG” – amazing if you’re into virtuosity…!]
The reason why I even started going to all those shows was Gus G. He is unreal. He’s not just another guitar geek, he’s a true old-school ROCK STAR on stage as well, I could watch him do his thing every week.
Somebody said that “there’s a lot of Gus in your videos” after watching my uploads on Youtube from this summer. Of course there is. There is no reason why there shouldn’t be. The guy rules.
But I’m slightly nervous going to Athens. When I went to Thessaloniki back in July, I got lost after the show at the stadium – and took for granted that there would be buses back to the city after such a big event. Never been anywhere where there haven’t been buses after a sports- or music event at a large stadium.
Well, apparently, it wasn’t self-explanatory in Greece so I ended up wandering the streets in the middle of the night looking for the ONE bus stop where the LAST night bus was supposed to leave. Cause THAT particular day, taxi’s were on strike…..
[Link to the Thessaloniki-adventures…]
It didn’t make things any easier that the signs were all written with Greek letters that I couldn’t understand, so I couldn’t get help from a Greek friend who tried to guide me over the phone. I got back to the hotel eventually, but it has taught me to be WELL prepared when going to Greece next time.
I got a tip from my friends in the JOP-camp, to contact a guy from Athens that they know from the last Oliva-tour. I’m lucky to know people in road crews, as they know the world very well – especially gig-related stuff. MY kind of “stuff”. :-) Let’s see how it goes.
And another thing that keeps me occupied right now is finding a fairly cheap flight to NYC at the end of January, because the coolest “poser-guitarist” ever, STEVE STEVENS is playing – with special guest SEBASTIAN BACH. Two guys I adore seeing live, sharing the stage?! Damn, I don’t want to miss THAT!
I’m out of vacation days until May, so I would have to go just over the weekend, see the show and then head straight back to work. Looks like the tickets aren’t even on sale yet. Guess I could ask Sebastian’s management, but when I’m traveling far, I still feel a lot better having a ticket in my hand, than the stress that always happens when you get to the box office and they go: “Hmmm I can’t see your name here…. what did you say your name was?” The classic. Happens even with bands I know very well, I guess I can always call someone, but sometimes there’s no time for that. So – old-fashioned tickets works fine for me.
Guess I’ll wait for the tickets to go on sale first – and THEN I can start looking for flights.
Started updating my tour-schedule for 2012, check it out, maybe I’ll see you there somewhere out in the world next year! :-)
My tour schedule for 2012….so far.
SEBASTIAN BACH – video interview from Malmö
Sebastian Bach visited Malmo on October 1-2. The very first time he’s been to Malmo. Many, many years ago when Skid Row played in Lund (1991) he was eager to come visit me to see the Skid Row collection. I was a collector back in those days and had the largest collection of Skid Row albums, t-shirts and all kinds of memorabilia. Anyway, Baz wanted to see it.
Well…. Guess it’s not a secret that mr Bach isn’t the most mellow guy in the world, and he certainly wasn’t back in those days. So, his body guard had given him a sleeping pill or something so that he could get some rest himself (at least that was the body guard’s side of the story) and the visit never happened.
Twenty years later, a few weeks ago, when this interview was filmed, I jokingly asked Baz again when the f*** he intended to come visit to see that collection. I’ve still got it, it’s taking up half a room. In his typical Baz-manner, he just went: “How about tomorrow?”
I know him. It wouldn’t have happened. :-) There was just so much happening around him that whole weekend, that something else would have come up that he wanted to do more, and basically, I didn’t pursue it. It was just for fun, I’m just glad he still remembers that whole thing.
I’ve said it before: I had the time of my life with Skid Row in the late 80’s, early 90’s. A time I will never forget. Wherever they went, there was always a party. They were full of energy and curiosity, it was just something about this band that separated them from everybody else. It created a friendship that has lasted 22 years. According to Sebastian it’s been anything from 25 years to “the sixties” but it’s 22 years to be more precise. They were young and hungry, so was I – we were going places…!
Here we are now, like time stood still! I love this guy – how can you not? :) He is still as crazy as he ever was, but if he had been anything but that, he wouldn’t have been Sebastian Bach – THE Sebastian Bach.
Here’s part one of the interview – a large chunk has been cut out because a magazine is going to use it first – but after that, if everything is cool, it’ll be up online. :-) This is just the “warmup”. Enjoy!
No rest for the wicked!
The last “tour-like” trip coming up on Friday. Then I’m done with the travelling for this year. Well, maybe not quite – still going to Manchester to see the Def Leppard/Motley Crue combo and of course Whitesnake this winter. But then you never know what comes along in the meantime! :-))
The Rock Exhibition (Rockmässan) was a great event, unusual and a cool thing for sure. After the interview with Baz day one, I only had time to go home and change and then head down to the afterparty.
I went alone cause I never even had time to call anyone to say that I was home from my vacation, lol! :) But – I know that I’m going to meet friends there. Sure enough – it was a “everybody-was-there”-party. EVERY single band, artist, fan, promotor was there – rock profiles of all kinds. I had a great time! I was so tired I could puke, I felt how my eyes were burning cause of the lack of sleep but I didn’t want to leave.
My colleagues from Sweden Rock, Nasty Idols, Crazy Lixx, Pretty Wild, The Itch, Silver Mountain, whoever else – great evening!
[Andy Pierce from Nasty Idols, with the All Star Band consisting of people from Pretty Wild, The Itch, and then of course former Nasty Idols-drummer Stanley]
Got home maybe around 2 or 3 am, passed out on the couch – and woke up only a few hours later. Met up with my friends Henrik (mr Cameraman who’s filmed all the video interviews we’ve done) and Mari and went down to the exhibition again.
Talked with Johan Nylén, “Dr AOR” a bit about rock clubs (he runs the club Stairway to Heaven for instance) and a few words with Orjan who runs Club Distortion. It’s funny to see how they want to outdo eachother with better, cooler ideas – but that’s just great, cause it keeps the fire burning and the competition drives them to make their clubs even better.
Gilby Clarke was there for one day only. A very down-to-earth guy. Davy Vain was there as well but all I ever saw him do was talk to chicks. If he signed anything to anyone it couldn’t have been a whole lot, he was doing his “rockstar thing” so to speak… Jorn on the other hand was signing like there was no tomorrow – he kept busy both days, for sure!
And then…. the Main Attraction – Sebastian Bach. He had a Q & A-session in the afternoon, so I went there to check it out. My videos from that once again made it to Blabbermouth and Bravewords – 600 views in two days. Not too shabby. :) It doesn’t beat the record with the Whitesnake video from Sweden Rock but few videos ever will. :-)
[Hi Daniela! I’ve known her since like the 60’s! The day before he said that we had known eachother 25 years (it’s actually 22…) What are we – 100 years old?? Lol!]
Friday it’s time for more adventures – and those who want to tag along will have to bookmark www.firewindtour.posterous.com or “Like” my page on Facebook for the newest updates! :)
Three cities in one week, and five different hotels – it’s gonna be stressful but also fun. Maybe, with a bit of luck, I’ll get a good nights sleep sometime before Christmas! ;)
One big rock’n’roll family
The past week I have seen how rock’n’roll can truly bring out the best in people. In this case, it’s more indirectly, but still – the common denominator is the love for music, and the relationship between the people who create it, and the ones who listen to it.
It feels like a family, and I guess in a way it is.
I read one of the nicest messages I’ve seen on Facebook the other day.
This message was sent out by legendary bassplayer Neil Murray about two days ago:
“When I win the lottery, I’ll get everyone together who wished me a happy birthday and have the best party ever! Thanks again for all your kind wishes – I’m a lucky guy to have you as Facebook friends!”
Very short, but a very cool gesture and I loved the part about “winning the lottery“. :) He could just as well have thought “I don’t know those people” and just have settled for a short “Thanks for the b-day wishes” – period.
Anyway… I loved what he wrote.
Then a more sad situation but also a very sincere and wonderful message from another rock-legend, Jon Lord:
“Just a quick line or two from an absolutely overwhelmed, gratified and humbled musician.
“Your responses to the news of my condition have touched my heart in a way that has truly helped to make my life a better place to be than it had occasionally threatened to become these last few weeks. “Your wonderful messages wishing me strength and courage have given me even more strength and courage — and so much more than you can ever know. “I read many of them with tears in my eyes, grateful for this cast-iron proof of the innate goodness of the human being, and grateful to every single one of you for your invaluable support. “This message goes out, too, to all the similarly wonderful folk on other websites whose support has been equally warm and strong and I want you all to know how greatly heartened and comforted I am by all this. “The treatment continues and I am confident and being supported by my glorious family and an amazing group of friends. “See you soon.”I think the same kind of support is what kept Ronnie James Dio around for a while longer. We love our music and we love our heroes for giving it to us. It all comes back somehow, goes in circles, just as it does at a rock’n’roll-show. The exhange of enegy from the crowd to the band and right back again continues in a sort of way off-stage as well.
Sebastian Bach lost his house, his posessions in the hurricane – everything. Including the Skid Row mastertapes… People who are usually calling him every bad name in the book, finally showed a more human, decent side, and said they were truly sorry to hear about his loss.
I sent an e-mail through the management offering him some of his memorabilia back, if he was interested. Back in the day I used to collect Skid Row stuff, and Sebastian has acknowledged that collection several times. I wouldn’t get rid of it for any reason, just because of all the memories that go along with it, but in this case it felt like I could and would.
I saw that other people offered something similar, so I guess he will get part of his collection back eventually.
As much as we’re all strangers by the definition of the word, we’re also close to the artists whose music has touched our hearts. And when there’s a crisis, people seem to really step up and show what they’re made of. A day like this, I’m really proud of the global metal community. :-)
IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR 