Duo Paparazzi

Interview with Zebrahead

2010-04-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

Shit-rock is what they call it. I prefer to say that it’s a combination of energetic punk-rock with a twist of rap and hip hop. These guys from the Orange county produce just the right formula to get the audience to go wild. After being launched over the stage quite a few times it occurred to me that I found myself on a serious rock-gig. Including serious stage diving, serious moshing and not so serious rock-stars. During the interview it became obvious that Matty isn’t supposed to be taken too seriously. Don't expect to get informed about their fantastic music and interesting influences. Prepare yourself for ultimate funny answers and unbearable nasty fantasies…

Interview with Matty (guitar & vocals)
Interviewed by Pearl
Photo by kentaro kambe

Are you excited to play here tonight?

I am , absolutely!

You’ve been to Holland quite a few times right?

Yes, I can’ t tell you how many, but many.
How has 2010 been for you so far?

What month is it today? April?
It has been very good. We’ve started this tour on March 16th and it has been fantastic. We’ve started a bit of writing for the new record and other than that it has been fantastic.

How was the Punkspring festival?

It was rad. It was great, except I had to go to the doctors. I was ill, I had to get medicine and I got infusion. It was the first time I had to get infusion. But I feel a lot better now.

What do you think of the Dutch audience?

I think that they’re superior dressers and they are wild and crazy and very open to good music, they don’t throw things and they don’t spit. It’s good.

What is the difference between the Dutch audience and the American?

They throw things and they spit. It all depends, you may get one or two jerks that spit outside and I don’t like spitting. Why don’t they just swallow their own spit?

What was the first thing you did when you where in Holland?

Yesterday we flew in and the first thing I did was go to the bathroom and threw up. Other than that I’ve had some of these stroopwafels (Dutch waffles).

You didn’t go to the coffeeshop or the red light district?

No no...

What kind of rockband are you?!

I went to bed, I got the flu!

That’s too bad.

I know, but we got in really really super late and we parked right here at the venue so we didn’t have a chance. Although I think tomorrow is the only day off we have I think so then we might go down town.

What are you looking forward to the most on this tour?

I am looking forward to stroopwafels here, coffeeshops here and red light girls here.
I’m looking forward to the hotdogs and beer in Germany and then I’m looking forward to the mountains in Austria.
The ladies in Spain, I guess there would be a lady in Spain. I haven’t found her yet, but I guess there will be one. Don’t tell my wife!
In Paris I’m looking forward to the Eifel tower.
In Belgium I’m looking forward to the real waffles, these are mini waffles.
But these are way better, they are nothing compared to your stroopwafels!

What do you think of Attack! Attack!?

Cool, Attack! Attack! They’re a fantastic band, great fellas. The only problem is, they’re Welsh and I can’t understand some of them! It’s almost like the Scottish guys, but with a twist. But they’re a great band and it’s great that they’re on tour with us.

How would you describe your sound to people that don’t know you?

I would say, it is shitrock. Sure why not? Lets see, Zebrahead and shitrock go hand in hand. Absolutely. Or a cross between Jezus and Fergie singing. You know, a little bit of heaven and a little bit of hell maybe.

You’ve been in this band for quite a while, what has changed during these years?

I like to say I haven’t really changed that much. I buy a lot more videogames, I love videogames. We got customsguitars build for us by this Japanees guitar company and you will see them tonight. Plus I am able now to get a haircut every couple of months.

Last year you’ve released an album, what made you decide to do an album with covers only?

Those are all of the girls that have restraint orders against me. I have a thing for Amy Winehouse I shouldn’t have and it got out of control. She now has a restraining order. Same thing with Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera. and Gwen Gwen has two ironicly enough, that why she is on there twice. Sounds like a good answer, sure it’s a great answer!

What song on that record reflects your personality the most?

I would say the Christmas song. I am jolly and holly and I’m a big fat guy.

The album is called panty raid, what is your favourite kind of panty?

Besides none, I would say a g-string.

Have you ever worn it yourself?

No

Would you ever do that?

It depends if there was three or five hot girls wearing them and they had milk and put it all over me. Not in my mouth though, cause I have a lactose intolerance. I don’t want any of that in my mouth. Then they had butterscotch and they put butterscotch on me. Then I would wear a g-string.

Besides letting hot girls sprinkle you with milk, do you have any guilty pleasures?

I love videogames, porn, more videogames and Britney Spears. I have a thing for the shaved head Britney Spears. Who doesn’t? Come on, you haven’t thought of Britney Spears with her head shaved before! Not even with that red suit she wore in Toxic?

Not really.

You seem really connected with your fans and you also answer fan-questions on your website. What is the weirdest question you’ve ever had to answer?

There is always a repeating question. There is this guy that keeps asking if I can sign his balls.

Would you?

No I won’t! My pen only touches girl private parts.

Did it ever?

Many times! So therefore if someone wants anything of their girl parts signed I would definitely do that! Tonight!

Do you have anything to say to the fans that are waiting outside?

Wait a little longer and you’ll get inside. It’s a nice day; so enjoy the day while you’re outside. We’ll see you inside and thank you very much for coming. We do appreciate every single fan in Holland. You guys have been fantastic since day one.

The Cubical in Utrecht

2010-04-04T03:36:00.001-07:00

After being disoriented in the rain for a while, I arrived at this tiny hippy café called ACU. Anti-racism writings on the wall made me wonder where I had ended up this time. I guess it was time to board the good ship of Cubical. The Cubical was ready to welcome all of their fans in the country of tulips and weed. In Utrecht the Cubical offered them a pleasant surprise by throwing an amazing gig. Someone must have given the time machine a turn because for a second it felt like we got back in he 60s. This band, which is certainly influenced by Creedence Clearwater Revival, would have been a great addition to the Woodstock line-up. They’ve got stuck in the 60s and that shows off in their psychedelic sound, their recognizable dance moves and authentic appearances.
Psychedelic blues might not be a popular music scene in The Netherlands right now, but that is about to change with the exceptional raw voice of Dan and the bursting energy of this band. Songs like “Like me I’m a peacock” and “Edward the Confesser” bring out the best in Dan’s voice. His raw voice sounds even more amazing live than on the album and it made me realise that I haven’t heard something with such an edge since Kurt Cobain. Alex who plays the guitar got really absorbed in the music, which resulted in an ultimate intense experience of their gig. It was just too bad that there were so few people to enjoy this amazing concert. Although it might have felt like a semi private gig for me, it probably felt like a bummer for this band. Despite of that, they did finish their set and performed like if they were in a sold out stadium. Nothing will stop these guys from playing their crippled tunes for the people that really care about them. Nothing will stop you from being swept off your feet by the sheer power of this steaming band once they get in overdrive. Are you ready to board the good ship of Cubical? Don’t forget to bring your dancing shoes and be prepared to scream your heart out!

The Cubical

2010-03-19T02:10:00.000-07:00

It's time for a revolution... It's time for the Cubical. This band from Liverpool is ready to blow your mind with their refreshing garage, psychedelic bluesy sound. They've already got a cultish following in bizarre pockets of the UK. It seems like the UK is getting too small for this great band though. At this point they're preparing themselves for a European tour! They will be fulfilling one of their unfulfilled dreams, which is touring in Holland...
So come and sing these crippled tunes with the Cubical!

31.mrt.2010 20:00
ACU (With DEAD MOUSE WALKING) Utrecht, Netherlands

01.apr.2010 20:00
Cafe XL Wageningen, Netherlands

02.apr.2010 20:00
NDRGRND (With My Boot Heels) Nijmegen, Netherlands

03.apr.2010 20:00
Muziekcafe Helmond (With Automatic Sam) Helmond

04.apr.2010 20:00
Paaspop Festival Zieuwent, Netherlands

Interview with Twin Atlantic

2010-02-03T13:49:00.001-08:00

Twin Atlantic is the new sensation of Scotland. A mental crowd in Amsterdam welcomed them with open arms, cause this is a band that you simply can't ignore. Interviewing these guys has been an pleasure and not only because I've got the honour to give them their first Dutch interview, but because I've never heard anyone talk that passionate about their music as Graig (drummer) did. Twin Atlantic is one the fastest upcoming bands of 2010 and certainly one you should keep an eye on!

Sam McTrusty vocals and guitar
Barry McKenna guitar
Ross McNae bass
Craig Kneale drums

How are you?

Sam: Hungry, but apart from that we’re good. Barry and Ross are extremely happy because thery’re eating caramel waffels.

Barry: Not nessesarily because we’re eating waffels, it’s because we’re eating food.

Did you have a nice time in Amsterdam today?

Sam: Well...We had a day off yesterday, so we spent a day in Amsterdam. Some of us overrelaxed more than others. And because we’re from the UK you don’t get the same liberal attitude about woman in windows and drugs, so some of us went to those different places. I have to say that it was kind of intimidating.

Have you seen the Billy Talent show yesterday?

Sam: Yeah, we went to see that. We we standing at the back just beside the sounddesk.

Did you like the show?

Sam: i thought it was too quiet.
Ross: I think that the volume at a rockshow should be really loud.

Are you excited to play here tonight?

Sam: Yeah, it’s our first time in Holland so I can say that it’s cool to play our first ever show for so many people. If bands come here for the first time they usually play small shows, but we get to play in front of 1500 people, so we’re very lucky!

What do you expect from the Dutch audience?

Sam: I’m not sure...
Ross: The Billy Talent show last night gave us a good indication of the crowd. When the support band was playing, the crowd was really attentive, which was nice because in a lot of places you play people don’t care about support bands. They go to watch the main bands and when the support is on people are doing other things. Yesterday though, people were really watching the band.
Sam: So hopefully it will be the same today!

I’ve read that you think that you belong to the top 5 loudest bands ever...

Sam: Haha that sounds like something I would probably say..
Graig: Did you honestly say that?
Sam: I think I did...That is probably not true to be honest.

What would make you one of the loudest bands ever?

Sam: Probably Graig, he is one of the hardest drummers I’ve ever seen and because of that we then have to turn up our amps to match him. I mean he’s already loud by himself, but we put loads more on top and I’ve got a really loud voice for a rockband. So all those things together and the fact that we love distortion makes us loud. I’ve got five amps, Barry has got five and even Ross has got three. For a bassplayer!! You see what I mean? That enables us to go from really really quiet to really loud! And if we go quiet it makes the loud part sound even louder. Maybe for all those reasons I thought that we belong to the top 5, but we probably don’t.
Barry: My Blood Valentine is really loud. If they play they have to get earplugs for everyone!
Sam: Dinosaur Jr. is also really loud.
Barry: And Slipknot..
Sam: See, we’re not in the top 5. There are too many loud bands!
Graig: You lied. Well, you should stop making bullock statements like that if you can’t back it up!
Sam: I’m an attention seeker, that’s my problem...

You’re Nirvana fans as well, in what ways does Nirvana influence your music?

Sam: I really admire Kurt Cobain’s ability to match the mood in his lyrics with really noisy and horrible guitar. He can change from that to really melodic parts and I admire the way he can mash it all together. He might have been one of the first people to do that, I respect him for that.
Graig: For me it’s the first true rockband and the’ve always been one of my biggest influences. Dave Grohl is my favourite drummer and he is sort of the reason I started playing. He is my main drummer influence.

What things inspire you lyrically?

Sam: It changes a lot. We tend to write our music before the lyrics. I usually think of a story to go along with it, sometimes it can even be based on a joke that one of the guys said and that stucked to my head. I tend to mash it all in the song. When we first started I used to be overly personal about family life and that sort of things. The more shows we played, the more I started to feel a little bit uncomfortable having to talk about my personal life. I started to realize that it was stupid and that we didn’t have to be overly personal. So I started to think about things that everyone could relate to, so that we don’t have any boundries in our music. Everyone can interpretate the lyrics in their own way, it’s a little ambiguous and mysterious.

I really love the song “Lightspeed”, what’s the message in that song?

Sam: As all the songs it’s kind of based on unity and I quess excepting that you need other people to achieve things, like your friends and family. It’s a bit of that, but also a bit of pushed together nonsense.

Did you need a lot of people to come as far as you are now, or did you achieve it all by yourselves?

Sam: We’ve had lots of help.
Graig: I quess that at the start we’ve had a lot of help with getting support and booking shows.
Sam: We do have to do a lot of stuff on our own. Ross has done all the artwork and stuff. So we like to be quit heads on, but there are things that you can do and things that you can’t.
Graig: There is a point that you can get to on your own, but from there you need people to step on. When we first started, we had to save our own money to be able to record an ep.
Sam: Stole..
Graig: We practised during the day and we all worked at night and saved up all our money. We started recording and then people started to enable us to get to a certain point where labels were interested to get on board.

Is it hard to get recognition as a Scottish band?

Sam: i think it’s hard for every band, but being Scottish makes it even harder. It’s because geographically the music industry is based in London. Glasgow is so far north that we didn’t really play that much shows in London when we started off with the band. In London we play for like a 300 people, which is kind of a mismatch with the amount of people we play for in Scotland. In our hometown we play for over a 1000 people, but hopefully it will slowly come and meet in the middle. Ross, the wise man, always says that it helped us to actually become the band that we are. We didn’t have the influence from the English record industry for the first couple of years we were in the band.They try to manipulate you and make you in what would be easy for them to make money with. We were able to be who we would like to be.

Last year you’ve released the album “Vivarium”, how would you describe your sound on that album?

Sam: That’s a good question..
Barry: Eclectic.
Sam: Yes, definately!
It’s rock music, it can be really heavy and technical and it can be really heavy and straight forward.. Others say that they hear pretty little guitar parts and melodic vocals, so it’s pretty divers. I think that’s because we’re still learning about writing songs and how we should play music together. It’s a really natural sound on a first record. We’re pretty proud on it, because we got to record it all together at once. Usually when you record it’s with headphones on and you record it track by track, but we got to do it in an old fashioned way.

That must have been one of the highlights of 2009, what have been the other highlights?

Barry: In the summer we’ve played the T in the Park festival. It was the first time we’ve played a proper stage there and it was the biggest stage we’ve ever played in terms of size. The people that we hoped that would come, were all there. There were like 3000 mental drunk people, so that was definitely amazing.

I’ve heard that you’ve toured with the Young Guns last year as well…

Sam: Young Guns, yeah!
Graig: We did a tour with Taking Back Sunday and they were the first band on. They’re really nice guys! They’re going up right now, they’re everywhere.

You will be touring until the end of April, which should be really hard…

Graig: Yeah, we really knocked it out to the extend. Otherwise we wouldn’t know what to do. Touring is important and we love touring and playing in front of people. And we love to go to all this places we never thought we could go.
Sam: It’s really cool, if you look at our myspace, you have to scroll down to see all the gigs we’ll be playing.

How do you manage to survive such a massive tour?

Ross: We haven’t done it before, so we probably wouldn’t.
Sam: We’re all kind of respectful towards each other and we give each other space. It’s never hard to tour as long as you give each other a little bit space. And I always carry multivitamins with me!

So you never really have fights within the band?

Sam: Only about music really.

What is the best way to relax on tour?

Sam: The time when we actually play is the time that we actually release frustration. If you travel you wait all day and that can be really frustrating. You travel miles and miles and you spent a lot of money to get there. So when we actually play the show and it goes well it is like a silent relieve.
Graig: If you play a good show it can make you so happy!
Sam: We like to watch DVDs on our laptops, but because you do it everyday it starts to become really boring.
Graig: Sometimes we have to drive for 10 hours or more and in America that will be even worse.

You will be touring in America, that should be really exciting…

Sam: Yeah, there are not many people our age that can say that they’ve travelled all over Europe and all over the US. We’re just 22 and 24 and someone else pays for it! Well kind of, it’s like a roundabout.

When the tour is over, what will you be doing next?

Graig: More touring…
Sam: We’re actually a non stop rollercoaster! Touring that much is kind of proving to ourselves and to people that have already heard of our band that we’re a serious band.

I hope that you will be back in Holland soon!

Graig: We hope so too!
Sam: We really want to play Pinkpop! We’ll have a big show tonight and after that we’ll get to come back to Amsterdam to play with another band or maybe play a small show on our own. We’ll definitely come back!

The Betrayed by Lostprophets

2010-01-24T11:03:00.000-08:00

FINALLY! It's done, released and worth all the waiting... The Lostprophets are back, darker, greater and more honest than ever. In the last couple of years frontman Ian promised his fans a darker album, an album that would really represent their personality's. If this is who they really are, it's for sure that they have some heavy burdens on their hearts.

It all starts with a a bombastic and overwhelming "If it wasn't for hate we'd be dead by now". The song tells us that it's serious this time! No more meaningless popsongs, these guys have a mission, a message they're dying to tell us. They are fed up with something although I can't really figure out what.

The second song you're probably already familiar with; "It's not the end of the world", sounds more like one of the popsongs on "A liberation transmisson". But the song has got body, it's not an empty popsong, but again one with a meaning.

After that you're about to hear something that you haven't heard from the Lostprophets in a long while... Dstryr and Dstryr might be the darkest song you've ever heard of this band. It's a heavy song about destroying religion. This song screams HATE HATE HATE! Again, I'm not sure what is bothering this guys so much. Everybody can see that these aren't the goody-goody guys, but I didn't expect this. Even as a huge fan I think this verse is way to shocking: " Destroyer, Destroyer, Religion needs a new employer, I've got the rope to hang your Jesus even higher". Ian Watkins opened up his heart, but I'm not sure if I like what's coming out. Although I like the melody and the overwhelming amount of energy in the song, I think that Ian has crossed the line this time... They have bottled up their hate for too long, the volcano is erupting! Will this make the fans escape LP town? Of course I don't mean to limit dear sir Ian Watkins in his freedom, but I do think that as a singer of a huge band you have some responsibility. Ian is a model for millions of teenagers and it's just wrong to inoculated them with this amount of HATE! Nevertheless, it's an awesome song, the most honest Lostprophets you've ever heard and that benefits the music in a very strong way.

Even so, I'm not completely unfortunate to hear a sweeter song on the next track. "Where we belong" is a driving and catchy popsong. I like to think of it as a cooling down after Dstryr and Dstryr.

Get in the car get in the car you keep on running you won't get far, next stop Atrocity...It won't surprise you that this is again a heavy song. This might be one of the strongest songs I've ever heard of them. This violent song is a combination of bursting energy and lovely catchy choruses.

For he's a jolly good felon proofs that they haven't become too serious. It has a good party vibe and that is a good aternation for the first couple of songs.

The next songs are more serious again. They seem to refer to Ian's insecurities in love. Sunshine is a nice song, it's sensitive and sweet. That's one way to make a lovesong, but "Dirty little heart" is another story. It might be part of my jealousy, but I can't like that song! It's a whining song and it makes Ian sound vulnerable.

Even though Ian pretends to be very honest on this album, I have the hardest time to understand who he really is. Is he vulnerable? is he a hate carrying anti-Christ? Is this the real Lostprophets? Is this the Lostprophets that we want them to be? Even though they've tried to make everything clear, they are more of a question mark than they've ever been before. But one thing is for sure: This mysterious band is back, heavier and darker then ever before!

They are THE BETRAYED...

Eurosonic 2010

2010-01-21T05:36:00.000-08:00

You've probably never ever heard of this small festival in Groningen, the Netherlands. It seems like it's some secret meeting for rapidly upcoming bands and curious journalists. All the bands of tomorrow were on the line-up, bands like Young Guns, We were Promised Jetpacks, The Megaphonic Thrift, Goldhawk, Audrey Horne, Glamour of the Kill and approximately 244 others. Yes, so many bands to see in just two days! I've have seen the best of the best and the worst of the worst. Worst comes first.

Wasting my time on the festival is not really the best thing you can do. Feel free to make your "own" music, just don't make me feel guilty to leave! I've seen this band from Finland, they're called VUK. No, it doesn't refer to f*ck. It's the most goody-goody band I've ever seen or heard. Lets just say that there were seats in the venue and I had to turn my phone off. Do you get the picture? I was forced to sit down and listen to some vocalist that was pretending to be some kind of whinnying horse I guess. When I finally got the courage I escaped, quietly...

Good news was that the next one could only be better and indeed it was! The Goldhawks look like British Next Top Britpop band, great musicians, good looks and a nice style, what more do you need?

I needed something a little bit heavier. Something like Glamour of the Kill. They sound just as bad-ass as their name. Heavily tattooed tough guys. That was exactly what I needed after one day of only soft Britpoppies and female horses. It might be the next trendy myspace band, but what's wrong with that? They really reminded me of Escape the Fate and since I've missed out on them last month, this had been a good alternative. Glamour of the Kill is just a lot of testosterone, tattoos, emo and great music.

Another great band that night was Audrey Horne. A heavy Norwegian band, with the same name as my dear mother. Long haired mysterious Norwegians with a sound and an attitude that resembled Velvet Revolver. I'm not sure if they will ever be huge in the Netherlands, cause they're too heavy for the teenager rock-chicks and too soft for the Scandinavian metal heads. But we'll see, cause they're awesome musicians and they seem to be serious stage animals.

All great bands, but we've saved the best for last. You can't image how much I love this band called Young Guns. It had been the third time that I've seen them, but it was honestly the best gig I've ever been to. They are going to be huge, and that's actually a sad thing to know. They once told me that they would like to be legendary for playing small venues with amazing gigs. I just hope that they would never be legendary for playing HUGE venues with amazing gigs. These guys are just so amazing that I wouldn't want to change them for anything in this world. It's a common phenomenon that bands change when they get bigger. I just wish please please be for always the same, cause you're just perfect the way you are. Their music makes me smile, his smile make me laugh and they just make me happy.

The best and worst of 2009

2009-12-17T14:35:00.000-08:00

Snowflakes are falling down Christmas bells are ringing…
It makes me realize that this year has to be almost over. 2009 has been a year full of amazing new rock bands, powerful albums, surprising videos, amazing gigs and revealing interviews. Though, we have to be honest and as a good critic I can’t just look at the bright sides of this year. There have been a few disappointments, a few horrible bands, some awful song releases and some embarrassing comebacks in 2009. Lets find out about the winners and terrible losers for what has been an amazing year so far!

THE MOST ROCKING ALBUMS…

1. Deep Insight, Sucker For Love
2. The Blackout, The Best in Town
3. Taking Back Sunday, New Again
4. 30 Seconds To Mars, This is War
5. The All American Rejects, When the World comes down

AWESOME SONGS…

1. Young Guns, Winter Kiss
2. Lostprophets, Where we Belong
3. The Blackout, Save Our Saves
4. Placebo, For What It’s Worth
5. 30 Seconds To Mars, Kings and Queens

CRUEL SONGS…

1. Lady Gaga, Paparazzi
2. Metro Station, Kelsey
3. Lamb of God, Set to Fail
4. Zebrahead, Girlfriend
5. The Last Shadow Puppets, The Age of Understatement

BEST NEW BANDS…

1. Young Guns
2. Attack! Attack! (UK)
3. Dinosaur Pile-up
4. The Blackout
5. The Cubical

CALL THAT A COMEBACK…

1. The Rasmus
2. Taking Back Sunday
3. Green day
4. Placebo
5. Michael Jackson

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO…

1. Guns ‘n Roses (comeback)
2. Panic at the Disco
3. Bring me the Horizon
4. Slipknot
5. Lady Gaga

BREATH TAKING PERFORMERS…

1. Ian Watkins, Lostprophets
2. Gustav Wood, Young Guns
3. Jimmy Urine, Mindless Self Indulgence
4. Tyson Ritter, All American Rejects
5. Sean Smith, the Blackout

REVEALING INTERVIEWS…

1. Little Man Tate
2. Young Guns
3. Attack! Attack!
4. Dinosaur Pile-Up
5. The Blackout

BEST VIDEO…

1. Lostprophets, Where we belong
2. Greenday, 21 guns
3. Young Guns, Winter Kiss
4. All Time Low, Weightless
5. Kings of Leon, Sex on Fire

Of course this is nothing more than my opnion and I can hardly imagine that you might have different thoughts about the best and worst of 2009. Though if the strangest thing occurs that we have a disagreement about something, you do have the permission to comment me about that...You can make a difference! Can we? Yes we can...

Interview with the Blackout

2009-11-25T04:05:00.000-08:00

We are the children of the night, we are the children.... I wondered if Sean (vocals) really is a vampire. I was too afraid to stop by at full moon, but I did ask him some dark questions that reveal his dark and naughty thoughts. It seems that Sean talks a lot about “naked” fantasies in interviews, so my goal was to see if there is anything more about this blonde. Truth is, what you see and hear in interviews is really what you get. He may be a bit superficial, but I managed to uncover a bit of his dark and mysterious side. A side of Sean Smith that you would never expect him to have....

Sean, This will be a bit of a dark interview. It’s all about the night.

My favourite kind of interview!

What did you do last night?

Last night we played a gig in Brussels and then we just went back to the hotel and watched some soft porn, cause we’ve had been travelling all day. So it wasn’t a very eventful night, but hopefully tonight will be better and tomorrow in Amsterdam will be better again.

You’re a child of the night, what’s the difference between children of the night and children of the day?

I guess children of the night are a bit more mysterious and probably in an awful lot of trouble. We are lazy during the day, so I like to do things in the night.

Like?

Anything, go out, have fun and party. That is the kind of stuff I like to get up to during the night.

Where do you like to go out?

I started dj-ing a lot lately, I dj clubs and stuff. So I like to go out in club or gigs if there’s any show up.

What do you like to eat at night?

Anything, I would eat anything you put in front of me, but I love sushi more than anything, it’s so fantastic!

What do you usually do after a show?

Normally we do take a shower and then change. Not together! That would be strange…After that we just go out to a club or whatever is going on and just hang out really. We don’t have to go to work in the morning so we try to have as much fun as possible.

Are you going out tonight?

I’m not sure, but tomorrow we’ll go out in Amsterdam with the Young Guns, they’re a bunch of party animals as well, so that’s going to be messy!

You went to bed early yesterday, did you have a nice dream?

I have no idea, no sorry…

What is the nicest dream you’ve ever had?

I think that we’ve played Wembley Station once and everybody loved us, which is quite nice. I can’t think of any other nice dreams I’ve had. I normally don’t remember dreams, so this is the only one I can remember.

What is the worst nightmare that you’ve ever had?

I have nightmares about plane crashes. Like a week ago, I had this nightmare. I was in a plane and it crashed on a lake and it hit some trees. It doesn’t help that I’m completely scared of planes either. So I woke up less than happy. I dream a lot about planes lately.

Did you travel by plane?

No no no, we drove thank God!

Do you believe in dreams coming true?

I guess so, when we were younger we always used to setup our goals and when the band started we first used to play on the floor of clubs and venues and stuff. After that we were excited to play a stage and we even got to play in different countries. It’s really amazing for us that people like our band. It’s a dream coming true.

Are you spiritual?

Not really, I’m not very religious either. I probably don’t know for a fact what’s comes next. I just think that while you’re here you’ll just have to have as much fun as possible. So that’s kind of my philosophy I guess. You should party hard!

What do you think that happens after your death?

I have no idea. I like the heaven and the eternal party, but I’m not exactly sure. We could just rot in the ground as well. I’m not sure…

Are you going to Heaven or Hell?

Probably Hell, cause I’m evil.

Really? Why?

I do bad things

Like?

I don’t know if I cans say that, but I’ll probably end up in Hell sadly. But at least it is warm and there will be other evil people too to hang out with.

You like to hang out with evil people?

Yeah, they’re probably more fun to hang out with than people that are just to good all the time.

How would you describe your dark side?

It comes out in the night, in the day it’s a little bit better. How would I describe it? Naughty… Mysterious, probably annoying and probably a bit of a pest. At least when I’m in that mood. That’s about it I guess.

You’re not really coming off like a nice person, would you like to say anything nice about yourself?

I treat others like I like to be treated. I know that if I like to see a band I prefer them to be nice rather than miserable dicks. So I try to be nice, until somebody wrongs me I’m fine with a person.

How mysterious are you?

Probably not very, I guess that what you see is what you get and what I say in interviews is what you get. Yeah not very mysterious.

Are you afraid of the dark?

No, not at all. When I was younger my mother told me to eat carrots, so I could see in the dark. I’ve eaten so many carrots that I should be able to see in the dark, but it’s not true yet. I’m still trying.

So when I’ll see you perform tonight, your eyes will glow!

Yes! Hopefully! I recently bought a pair of sneakers that glow in the dark.

If you could be a vampire, whose blood would you drink?

I would like to get my teeth in Megan Fox or there is a girl called Sasha Grey. You’d have to look her up online.

I don’t know her.

No, it’s probably for the best. Yeah, but if you look her up online you will find out who she is and what she does.

Who is she?

Uhhhhm…. She’s an actress, lets say she’s an actress!

What kind of actress?

Uhhhm, she does…She is really good! She’s a really good actress.

Is she the one that you saw last night?

I wish, she could have been involved in that one, yeah that is kind of her work and the stuff she does. She’s fantastic!

Have you celebrated Halloween?

Yes, my friend had a house party and we all went there dressed up accept for Bob our guitar player, because he’s too miserable. He’s too miserable to have fun.

Is he a child of the day?

He’s an old man of the night, that’s what he is. We all dressed up like pumpkins and hang out and people got drunk and stuff. It’s fun!

Like what did you dress up?

I dressed up as a skeleton. I got my face paint, had fake teeth and got my hair up.

You dressed up at the Lowlands festival as well.

Yeah we did that, it was quite fun though. We enjoy dressing up, we’ve done it before though. It will probably happen again, but not tonight. I haven’t got any fancy dress with me.

I can bring you a fancy dress tomorrow.

I’d be the only one then! I’ll be on my own, everybody else will be laughing at me.

Maybe I can even get you six.

Then we’ll all dress as you! Right.

Is the song “I love myself and I want to live” a parody on a very dark Nirvana song?

Yeah, pretty much. The song is kind of about just being positive get on with your live rather then let depression dig you down and eventually killing yourself. That’s what the song is about. It is just kind of a good rocking party vibe.

You sing about how much you love yourself, but what do you like the most about yourself?

Just that I get to be in a band I and that I get to meet people and get to do interviews with people that offer me fancy dresses. Right now I’m just living the best possible life I’ve always wanted.

Would you like to be in a band for your whole life?

If I could yes, it’s not even a job. People say it is the best job ever, but it’s not even a job. It is too easy to be a job. It is just amazing and we work hard and we will keep working hard so we would like to do this for as long as possible.

There is no dark side about this “job”?

Not really, we do have long driving for hours and sometimes we argue and Bob is a dick, but that’s about it really.

You don’t really seem to like him…

No, he’s a dick! He knows it as well.

What would you do if a blackout occurred during your show?

This has happened actually, we played a show in the UK and all the power went out. We were playing with a band called Funeral For A Friend. They had a football, so we just kicked the ball onstage for a bit. Basically that was the show for like ten to fifteen minutes. When the power came back we played again. So we probably try to entertain the audience and ourselves. Probably with some terrible jokes, cause we have terrible jokes as well.

Like?

I can’t think of a joke, you can’t put me on a spot! I can’t think of anything…

What was the last joke that you told to somebody?

I read one in a magazine yesterday. There are two boys, one is twelve and one is seven. They go downstairs for breakfast and father says: What do you want for breakfast? The twelve-year-old says: I want f*cking cornflakes! Father beats him up and says go to your bedroom! Then he turns to the seven-year-old and he asks: What do you want for breakfast? And he says: Well I don’t want f*cking cornflakes! Terrible joke!

How are you going to make tonight the most special night ever?

We’re going to play naked! No we’re probably not going to.

You’re not going to dress up, you’re not going to play naked….

We are going to make all the audience be naked.

Really?

We’ll try

Well good luck!

I hope so! Everyone should ne naked, I don’t discriminate, boys, girls anything! Even animals.

Is there anything more you would like to say, dark stuff or anything about the night?

If you see me in a dark alley, run away! They shouldn’t run to me, I’ll warn them! There is a good chance I’ll bite them. Especially when they look like Sasha Grey.
Sasha Grey...

Interview with Young Guns

2009-11-17T08:15:00.001-08:00

Who would expect that Friday the thirteenth could turn out to be such an amazing day? It had been a day of amazing music and lovely superheroes. It’s actually quite hard to describe my thoughts about this fantastic band called Young Guns, cause my thoughts are wild and all over my brain. Truth is…can’t stop thinking about them. I know that they’ll be a band I would always remember. Just when I thought that I’d know what rock stars were all about, Gustav (vocals) proved me wrong. With his modest, honest and sweet attitude he’s a true superhero to me! And that’s exactly what this interview is about.

Interview with: Gustav (vocals)
Interviewed by: Pearl

So despite of Friday the thirteenth, did you have a good day?

I have had an amazing day! The guitarist said to me today is Friday the 13th and it’s an important show to us. I’m quite superstitious so I was really nervous. The last two shows were amazing, but tonight it was busy and the crowd was really up for a good time. So we’ve had a lot of fun. At least so far Friday the 13th had been a better day than I could have possibly imagined.

Are you a superhero?

Am I a superhero? No definitely not, I’m far too lazy to be as courageous as superhero.

Have you done any good deeds today?

Today? No, I haven’t done anything bad, but I haven’t done anything great today. In my life I would like to think that I’ve done some good things.

Like?

A while ago we had a house party and a girl turned up. I don’t know who she was. Turns out she is quite young and she drank too much and became ill. And it turns out she nearly died. I didn’t know this, but her dad came round next day and thanked me cause she had like slipped into a coma and if I hadn’t given her CPR, apparently she could have been seriously ill or died. I was quite proud of that, but today we’ve done nothing courageous. I’ve just gotten up and been really tired and then played a cool show!

Would you like to be a superhero?

I would love to be a superhero!

Which one?

Spiderman, without doubt! I already knew the answer on that. He has always been my favourite. When I was a kid I had like eight costumes of him. He has this great mix of powers you know. He can kind of fly, he can swing around he’s really strong, but he can also be just a person. So definitely Spiderman!

If we would be in the year 2012 when the world goes under…

Hopefully not

As a superhero which people would you safe?

Who would I safe? Well I’d be selfish and I would firstly safe my mother and my brother cause I come from quite a small family, but we’re very close. I’m lucky that I’m very close to them and they’re very supportive. Without them I wouldn’t be anything. So they would be the first two I would save. And then I suppose logically it will be my friends.

What about your fans?

Well I find it hard to believe that we have any fans, so that’s a difficult question for me to answer. We still are a very small band, but if we have any fans I would gladly save them.

Would you save us?

I would definitely save you two; you’ll be on top of my list.

Do you feel like a superhero on stage?

Well, it’s funny cause in a good show and if things are going well, there are times when I feel different because of the adrenalin, the moment and the attention that people give to you. You do feel a little bit like a superhero, sometimes. And I think that is probably why some people find it addictive, cause it is like a rush really, an amazing feeling. So I don’t know if I feel like a superhero, but I definitely feel something different than I feel when I’m walking around as a person during the day. There is a definite difference between me on stage and me off stage. That’s for sure.

What’s the difference?

I’m offstage a lot quieter and a lot less of a show-off.

What to you is a legendary band?

Well my favourite band of all time is a band called the Police. So they are my favourite band, they are a legendary band to me. I also like The Beatles; they are obviously one of the biggest bands and best bands of all times. When I was a kid my mother was really into the Police. So the Police and the Beatles for me.

Do they influence your music?

Not so much the Beatles, but the Police definitely do. In a way they look at song writing. We may not sound that necessary much like the Police but it’s kind of in the way that they approach their song writing. Is definitely something we try to keep in consideration. They wrote like pop songs in essence like verse chorus, verse chorus, but tried to step outside the band music. I like to say that we’re a pop band, in a kind of popular sense. We just don’t necessarily have like the Britney Spears kind of vocals. Pop music is a lot more than the kind of horrible shit that you see. It’s just popular music that is written with a structured and catchy formula.

I read your lyrics and they’re really beautiful!

It’s funny cause I’m so far of being satisfied with my lyrics you know. I think that they can be an awful lot better. It’s very kind of you to say so though. And I do like the lyrics, but I like to think that I can push myself and get better all the time Do you know a band called Say Anything? They’re an American band. On the surface it’s kind of emo/indie, but his lyrics are like out of this world. Phenomenal! It’s just incredible. When I listen to something like that I just think that I should better give up. So thank you, but I would like to think that we can get a lot better.

How are you going to make your band a legend?

That’s a difficult question, I think…What I would like to be legendary for, if you would like to be legendary for anything, I would like to play small shows, in small venues and everybody has to go as crazy as they possibly can. We would like to be a big band that plays in small venues. So if I could be legendary for anything, it would be for that.

Tell me the truth, are rock stars just desperate womanizers or are they true superheroes?

Well it’s not like that. You know like everywhere else in the world rock stars are mainly guys and because of that they’re interested in girls. But I wouldn’t say that they are superheroes either. If there are superheroes, they would be people like doctors, people that really contribute. I think it’s probably unfair to say that much rock stars are just after the girls, cause there’s a lot more than that. But they’re not superheroes, they’re just somewhere in between.

http://www.myspace.com/youngguns

Interview with the Cubical

2009-11-07T08:21:00.000-08:00

These great guys from Britain managed to be named `One of the coolest bands ever´ by Mojo magazine. I have to admit that they really are... Due to their unique sound, which is bluesy, raw and like nothing else you’ve ever heard. I don’t think there’s need to say anything more. Just find out yourself at http://www.myspace.com/thecubicalthecubical
Listen to their rocking tunes and keep an eye on this amazing band!

Interview with: Dan (vocals)
Interviewed by: Pearl

How was your day? Did you do anything special?

My day has been pretty good, bit of a hangover but just relaxed all day watching True Blood. But nothing special.

You´ve just released your debut album, how would you describe it?

I'm never too good at describing our sound so I'll just say a collection of finely crafted songs, some fast, some slow, mutated blues.

What have been your inspiration sources and influences on this album?

We draw on a wide variety of influences and each member of the band brings something different but we all love the blues, Son House, Howlin Wolf, Captain Beefheart, Tom Waits, Dr John, Nick Cave. We are also into the likes of Hank Williams, Bing, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, all the classic song writers.

Why did you choose for Dead Young Records?

Dead Young Records are a pretty cool label, good guys and into similar stuff so we kinda picked each other really.

How are you going to conquer the British music scene?

Well were just gonna do our thing, play our songs around the country and hopefully people will jump aboard the good ship Cubical. We've already gotta a cultish following in bizarre pockets of the UK.

Do you think that being in a band is a way to escape the everyday life?

Well maybe at first but we've been doing it awhile so its just part of our everyday lives now but yeh it does break up the mundanity of the daily grind.

Have you changed as a person since you were in this band?

I suppose I have yeah I've probably grown in confidence and ability amongst other things. Bad habits too. People change by nature.

Would you change your sound and become more mainstream for the money and the fame?

No I don't think we could ever do that really its not in us. Personally I could only do something if I was interested in it and excited by it artistically and I'd say the same for the rest of the guys.

You´ve already achieved a lot, but do you have any unfulfilled dreams left?

Of course plenty of unfilled dreams. We just want to take this forward to the next level, record a new album and come and play in Holland, hopefully though that will be early next year.

Interview Dinosaur Pile-up

2009-11-02T06:10:00.000-08:00

Interview with: Matt and Steve
Interviewed by: Pearl

It was a complete coincidence that I ran into them on the streets, but something in me tells me that this was meant to be! I’ve had an interesting conversation with them and that’s exactly what made this interview so special...The fact that it wasn’t really an interview! After a mind-blowing gig in a sold out Heineken Music Hall they were still full of adrenalin and full of amazing stories and fantasies which they, kind as they are, would like to share with you! Be prepared to read about some interesting stuff about a band that isn’t a typical rock band in an interview that isn’t a typical interview...

Did you enjoy playing the Heineken Music Hall?

M: Yeah, it was really cool! Amazing!

P: Where do you know the Pixies from? (They played the gig with the Pixies)

M: Where do I know the Pixies from? I kinda have always known the Pixies. They’re just one of those bands of the 90s that inspired bands that we’re into. Mayor bands like Nirvana. I’m not into all their stuff, but I’m into a lot of it! So I don’t know, I’ve known them since I was little. For you it´s probably the same right?

S: Yeah, cause they are an influence for a lot of our favourite bands, so that’s a big deal!

M: They’re just one of those bands that you should know about.

P: How is touring with them?

M: Cool! It’s really cool! The places we play in are really big which is a shock for us, cause we’ve only played in a few big places like the Leeds and Reading festival. And it’s because you’re below the Pixies, that there is a whole crowd…

P: You’re not below the Pixies!

M: Well...

P: I really believe that you’re better than the Pixies.

M: Yeah right!

P: Really.

M: Shit!! That’s kind of a compliment! Well look at you, you’re just saying that...

P: I have to admit that I didn’t really know that Pixies until today, but I really liked your show!

M: Okay cool, thank you very much!

P: Do you hang out together?

M: We haven’t really talked to them much, but Steve has talked to them right?

S: They take a lot of smokes and I smoke too, so the conversations are more like: Can I have a cigarette?

M: We’re not really hanging out together, they go straight from the venue to the hotel, so it’s not like we meet them in a passing.

P: What do you think of touring?

M: It’s wicked!

S: To me it’s the best thing of being in a band! Totally wicked!

M: I really like to sit and write songs and I like to record them. So the hardest thing about touring for me is that I’m always on the road and don’t have the chance to just shut the door and stuff. I did it today for like half an hour or an hour before we left the hotel, but it’s never the same, cause when you write at home you know the room and it is comfortable. So I love touring, but when you’re on tour you have to give something up.

P: Where do you prefer to write your songs?

M: I usually just write in my bedroom, but recently I started writing in another room, it’s really quiet and I go there every day.

P: Does that room give you some special kind of inspiration?

M: It just feels comfortable. Inspiration is just like stuff that happened and stuff you think about. That room just feels easy.

P: So what’s the funniest thing that happened to you on this tour?

M: The funniest thing that happened to me personally was probably last night at 3 am when Tom and Steve banged on the door. Me and Wayne were asleep and I got out in my pants and Steve and Tom walked in head to toe wrapped around everything in maps of Amsterdam, just like a massive map, they had maps everywhere! It was crazy! They found a lot of maps at the reception and they did that..

S: We just wanted to show Matt what we’d made actually.

P: How did you react?

M: It was more of a noise than a reaction actually.

P: Where did you go last night?

M: After we met you we went to a pub that we got recommended. We went to a supermarket and then got a metro to the hotel.

P: I’ve seen that you have a lot of gigs on your tour, how do you manage to survive?

M: I don’t know, this bit right now is the easiest bit. We have Wayne and people that are helping us with getting the equipment and it will get a lot harder when we’re just with the three of us. Then we’ll sleep on peoples floors, so we’ll see how that goes. That will be hard, but this part is easy. This Friday is the last show with the Pixies and then we’ll fly back and from that start it’ll be really hard. We use humour to survive, we’re just stupid idiots at the end of the day and we make each other laugh, that’s what keeps the spirits up between us!

S: We talk about a lot and that’s the key to a band surviving and also a bit of humour. But too being able to talk to each other and being okay with each other.

P: Do you talk about everything?

M: Yeah everything.

P: So you’re best friends?

M: Steve to me is really really close, cause we spent a lot of time with each other in difficult situations, we’re being helpful and I really need this guy!

M: You have to get that right, cause you face a lot of hard times on tour.

P: What do you think of the different music scenes in Britain?

M: Don’t know, because it’s not about how many genres there are it’s all about the genres you like. The trouble we have is that the music we’re into is not really represented in the UK. There is a massive Indie scene that is really shit music!

P: It’s not shit music!

S: Pretty much everybody in England is in a band. Like in Europe this is not the same, but a lot of these bands miss the concentration.

M: When there’s a gig in Europe it’s more special. In England you can go to a gig in every venue in every city at every night and most of these bands are just horrifying. If you would go to London you could go to a gig every night and if you would go to Leeds you can see 4/5 bands every night! But it makes it quite hard for us, cause there’s so much competition, so many bands! So the people that can do things for you are divided so many times. The problem is that the good bands don’t get noticed because there’re sooo many bands...

P: But don’t you think that the competition is good for the quality?

M: Yes that’s good if you’ve made it.

P: But you’ve made it.

M: We’ve not made it, we have a long way to go...

P: It’s a good start.

P: In Holland we don’t have such a music culture as you do in England and the bands that we have are usually really bad, have you heard any Dutch bands?

M: There’s one really nice band, they’re from Utrecht and they’re not a big band yet, but they’re really cool. We’ve played with them last time we were in Holland and after that they’ve played with us in England. It was great!

P: I just bought your ep, the most powerful ep in the universe, why is it the most powerful ep in the universe?

M: Well, because we’re big egos..Just joking. To be honest with you the name is more of a joke than a statement. A lot of people say us: So it’s the most powerful ep in the universe, and we’re like it’s a joke you know. It’s just an ep.

P: I’ve heard that you would like to make people feel like you did at a Foo Fighters gig, can you describe that specific feeling?

M: Well, that was T in the Park and I was just blown away! I love their first two albums, amazing albums! I felt really inspired, it’s just what they do and who they are.

P: You both kind of looked like Dave Grohl on stage with all that hair before your faces.

M: Really? O no..

P: So tell me, how does it feel to go from a member of the audience to a member of the band?

M: We still are members of the audience. We still go see bands that we like. So I don’t know, it’s pretty awesome really! When I was younger I remembered going to the Reading festival and I always felt deep down that I wanted to perform on that second stage. It has such a good atmosphere and the sound is so good! So it was just really cool when we got the chance to play there! Sometimes when we perform I sing really close to the mic, so that I can see the people in the crowd and then suddenly it hits me and I realize what I’m doing. It’s really great, isn’t it?!

P: Are you still capable to sing when that happens?

M: It was a bit like Awahahahwa... It’s hard but well. It’s something you usually just think about afterwards. When you get back on your feet after the show you think hang on, did I just play that?

P: If you could organize the Reading festival, what bands would be on it?

M: Cool,okay.. Torche! They’re amazing! Slayer..

P: That is really hard!

M: But that’s not why. I’m a punk rocker, but they’re obviously one of the best bands technical.

S: I’d have Nirvana, I would bring them back.

M: I’d have the Foo Fighters, short after they’ve released the first album.

P: Wouldn’t it be hard for Dave to play twice?

M: He would play twice. Maybe we could have like two dimensions, that would be awesome! Who would you have to play Steve?

S: I’d have really heavy metal bands!

M: I’d have some very predictable stuff, early Weezer, Smashing Pumpkins, Melvins..

P: No girl bands?

M: There are a few good girl bands,

S: Janis Joplin, P.J. Harvey, Kylie Minoque

P: If you’d be in the audience at your own festival, where would you be?

M: I’d probably be in the front.

S: Definitely!

M: If all those bands played at one festival and I wouldn’t be able to play that festival I would cry. I would literally be crying, horrible, it would be tearing!

P: Have you ever cried during a gig?

M: No, but I’ve felt very near to happen.

P: I’ve cried one time during a gig, it made me feel like a loser.

M: What gig was that?

P: The Lostprophets..

M: Wauw!! Awesome!! I wasn’t expecting that..

P: What do you think of the Lostprophets?

M: They really started off really good, but they ended up not so good. They started off really heavy and technical.

P: They’re making an album that is a lot darker.

M: they started off really really heavy and technical, but recently they’ve just released really bad stuff. You’re a big fan, I can tell!

S: She is like die hard!

M: Yeah, she’s like no no they’re going to do an album that’s darker!

P: But they really are!

M: Hahaha, I can listen to them. There are a couple of songs that I like, but I can’t remember how it goes..

S: Tudududutututududu..

P: Shinobi versus dragon ninja!

M: That was when they were good, I like that song.

P: They usually perform that at the end of the show and then they go crowd surfing.

M: Really? haha

P: Do you ever crowd surf?

M: I’ve crowd surfed as a member of the audience.

S: I haven’t done it in this band yet. You did it at...

M: No, I didn’t it was Tom.

S: But there is a picture of you.

M: Yeah, I ran into the crowd once, but I ended up on the floor.

S: The first time I’ve crowd surfed I was really rocking and kicking ass! Me and Matt did it together.

M: That was a good one!

P: I’ve always wanted to crowd surf sometime.

M: You really should! It’s cool! It’s fun!

P: I’m a bit afraid for the touching..

M: As a girl I should warn you. Boys in crowds aren’t to be trusted and they’ll take advantage you know.

P: So what things keep you busy besides music?

S: I have a dog.

P: Do you take him with you on tour?

S: No

M: Things beside music..There’s nothing else I think.

S: Even if we’re in the van driving to venues we still play the guitar.

M: And we’re all air drumming on Slayer!

P: So what is the name of your dog Steve?

S: Pig, he’s a half-blood terrier and he looks like a pig, so we call him pig. He’s the best dog ever!

M: He’s good, he’s the most handsome dog ever!

S: He’s very cool, he’s the kind of kid that enters the van of a very famous band and would just walk up and say hey. He’s like that in a dog form.

M: If Steve talks to him he just ignores him. The dog is just like; I’m not talking to you.

P: Are dogs your favourite animals?

S: Yeah, dogs and than rats. A rat is an amazing pet. I used to have a rat, his name was Smeagel.

M: Rats are amazing, but I like dogs more. They are so intelligent, really affectionate and laid back.

P: What about dinosaurs?

M: No

P: What would you do if you would live in the Dinosaur era?

M: We would start a rock band called Dinosaur pile-up and play gigs. I don’t really think about time.

S: I think that the world would be a lot more civilised. If a city gets attacked by a massive dinosaur, it would make people a lot closer, cause they would have a band and stuff.

P: Woow you’ve really thought about it!

M: I think a lot about Jurassic Park en Deep Impact things. I also think that I have to make a plan, like an escape route just in case the Dinosaurs come and Grrrrrraaaaahhhhwwwww!!! Oooeeeeaaaaaahhhh!!! If they would come here, what would you do?

P: I would play my guitar so loud that I would just blow them away.

S: Every now and then I feel a bit sad that they’re not still around.

M: Me too!

S: I want to see them so badly! Like knowing that I never will is really sad. I really want to see them!

P: We probably wouldn’t exist if they were still here.

M: That’s very true. Tyradactills were one of those, DANGEROUS!

S: Raawwwwwwwr!!

M: They were really bad.

S: They would eat a lot of people.

M: Yeah they would, they would bite you to death. Imagining being eaten by a Tyrex!

S: It just wouldn’t be like being bitten by a Tyradactill, I would rather be bitten by a Tyradactill.

M: No you wouldn’t, no you wouldn’t! If a Tyrex would bit you, you would be like.. A Tyradactill would beat you up and bite you with his massive deathly uuuhhh (shiffers)...

P: So what is Dinosaur pile-up coming up with in the future?

S: We’ve just released our new ep and in the New Year we would like to do an album.

P: Okay guys, sounds good! Thank you very much for this interview!

Agony Way

2009-10-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

I’m not sure why they picked this name, cause Agony way is everything but an Agony way.
They may even sound a bit cheerful, but that might be just my opinion. One thing is for sure, Agony Way is ready to enrich the alternative rock scene!
This punky rock band from Italy is only a few years old, but they’ve already managed to capture their very own sound in their new record called ‘For rent’. The next Vanilla Sky? No, cause they’re not as poppy and emotional as the Vanillo’s. But they do have potential, cause they sound like no other; Original, energetic, catchy, honest with a punky attitude.
“For Rent” is full of powerful songs that makes you want to dance, jump and scream at the same time. Especially “At terror street” and “The quick brown fox” are very addictive songs, even when you listen to this songs for the first time. I usually need to get accustomed to songs, but this time it was different, special... The songs sticked to my head even after the first time of hearing them. So, that could mean that the songs are catchy, predictable, easy listening or just pretty amazingly special?! Some of the songs on “For Rent” are catchy and some of the choruses are maybe a bit predictable, but that’s okay, cause they’re part of a total called ‘great rock music’. Let me be clear about this: Music doesn’t need to be complex, it needs to be friendly for your ears. And that’s what makes this music so pretty amazingly special! Agony Way is nice and punky, just the way I like it!

Interview Attack! Attack!

2009-09-26T08:31:00.001-07:00

Honesty didn't get me anywhere, but I'm sure it got them far...
I've honestly never met such an honest,nice and relaxed band before. The way that they treat their fans is phenomenal, so gentle, so polite and very sweet! But once they climb the stage they turn into wild animals! The energy and power that they capture in their songs on-stage is mind blowing, something I haven't seen before. It's obvious that great music brings out the best in Neil(vocals), Ryan(guitar), Mike(drums) and Will(bass). Attack! Attack! is ready to Attack! the global rock-scene by stealing millions of innocent hearts by honest, nice and polite raw booming ROCK MUSIC!

Interview with: Neil and Ryan
Interview by: Pearl

Are you excited to play in Rotterdam tonight?

Neil: Very, even more than normal I think, because of what happened last time. We couldn't make it then.

How are you going to make up for that?

Ryan: We'll play naked tonight!
Neil: Yeah...

Really?

Neil: Yes! No that's not making up for that. You don't want to see us naked. There's nothing we can do, we promised to come back and we did, so that's everything we can do. So that's probably the best that we can do, but we always try to do that anyway.

I'm always surprised by the energy that you have on stage. How do you capture the energy and power in your songs?

Neil: that's a good question...I don't think that there's an answer on that, it's just natural I think. Music and the energy that we feel is in the music just brings out the best in us while we are on-stage and playing it. That's probably just what it is. It's just that we enjoy the music so much that we really get into it.

You grew up admiring the Lostprophets and you've got the opportunity to work and tour with them. What did you learn from them?

Neil: I think that they taught us that you can be a couple of average guys of South Wales and still make it in the music industry with hard work and determination.They worked so hard, they believed in what they did and they've achieved their dreams. That gives bands like us the believe that we can achieve our dreams as well.

I've seen the video of "you and me" and it kind of reminds me of the film Charley and the Chocolate factory.

Neil: Really? Cool, I love that film!

Which one is your favorite character?

Neil: My favorite is Grab a Joke!
Ryan: God! I think it's got to be Willy Wonka, Gene Simmons. It's got to be Gene Simmons...
No he's not Gene Simmons! Gene Simmons is definitely not Willy Wonka right?! haha..
Neil: I didn't see the remake, what was the remake like?
Ryan: Nothing on the original...

I haven't seen the original.

Ryan and Neil: O NO! You've got to see that! Get it on the screen now!
Neil: Is Grab a Joke even in the remake? Our answers are based on the original.

The video also reminded me of a time I was afraid of people coming out of the television.

Neil: Like the film the Ring! have you seen that film?

No

Neil: That happens in that film, it's a horror movie, it's scary!

What used to be your fears as a child?

Neil: Still is, fish. I've always been scared of fish and chickens. At least when they're alive, cause I love them when they're dead and tasty!
Ryan: I'm not scared of anything! No.

Never been afraid of the dark or something like that?

Ryan: Maybe afraid of the dark when I was a kid, maybe...
Neil: maybe this time?
Ryan: hehe I'm not afraid of chickens... I used to be scared of dogs, don't know why, I love dogs.

What things inspire you to write songs?

Neil: All different kind of things: Everyday life experiences, touring in a band, being on the road, news things, movies.

Really personal stuff?

Neil: That's coming to it definitely.

Do you write about things that are very close to your heart, or do you prefer to write about things that everyone can identify with?

Neil: I think they both cross over anyway, cause a lot of stuff that happens to you, happen to a lot of other people as well. And you can interpret lyrics in your own way, so we might have written something that means this, but somebody might think it means something else. That's cool, as long as they could relate with it.

What's the nicest song to perform live?

Neil: I really like playing "From now on".

Are you going to play that tonight as well?

Neil: Yeah we will. When we recorded this song we didn't know what the song sounded like. It's hard to explain. The song wasn't finished when we started recording it. It might sound strange, but the first time we played the song from start to finish was actually live. I really like it because of the fresh feeling of playing it. A lot of songs you play hundreds and hundreds of times and then you record them, but this song is differently. We had the ideas, but we didn't actually have the full song.

Is it also your favorite song to perform live?

Ryan: No I like to play "You and Me" I think...I don't know I like them all I think.

Will you be playing all of your songs tonight?

Neil: We're not playing "Lost for Words"

That's too bad.

Neil: Sorry, we've played it only a few times, but it's a little bit hard to sing and that can cause problems. It wouldn't be so bad to sing it at the end of a tour, at the last day, cause if you damage your voice you can have time to recover. But that's not possible when you're on tour. i struggle with that sometimes. We stay away from that and pretend it doesn't exists.

You´ve performed on the London Forum, which is really big, but tonight you´ll be playing in Watt, which is a bit smaller but cosy at the same time. What do you prefer?

Neil: That depends as long as it is full. I definitely prefer Europe in general to the UK. You do get treated better by the promoters and the venues are very helpfull. In the UK, a lot of the time you get at a venue and you're out there on your own. In Europe there're always people to help you and that's cool.

Is there a difference between the British and the Dutch audience?

Neil: Must be..Neither of them understand us, cause we're Welsh, we speak too fast.
It's funny, because in the UK there are different parts with totally different attitudes towards bands in general. So you have places you look forward to more to go and play in the UK. We've played in two different places in Holland, Amsterdam and Nijmegen. The Amsterdam crowd is always really cool. And Nijmegen...You were at the Nijmegen show, it's always good. We've never had a bad reaction anywhere we've been, whether it's Holland, the UK or anywhere. But the Dutch fans always seem to be up for a good time, so that's cool. Enthousiastic! Which is always good.

What would your life look like if there wasn't any music?

Neil: Dark, boring..
Ryan: What our life would look like? No good!
Neil: I would have to kill fifteen hours a day. I don't know, I love listening to music, love playing music. If there was no music...
Ryan: That would have been bad wouldn't it?
Neil: That's why I would say thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing, thanks for all the joy they're bringing. I'll ask in all honesty, what would life be like? Do you know that song? No

Would you be another person if you weren't in a band?

Ryan: I'd probably be in prison right now.
Neil: In Wales you have two choices music or crime.

What kind of crime would you commit?

Neil: Anything! Car theft, drugs, an occaisional murder... Like when Mike and Ryan were younger they were in a crime gang. Ryan, show her your tattoos! They were dark times, but luckily they discovered music and it can pull you out of these things and give you a totally different direction.
If you could kill one person in the world who would that be?

Neil: Sean Smith..
Ryan: Can we kill a band?

SEAN SMITH??

Neil: No joking...I knew I would get a reaction on that!
Ryan: I would kill Scouting for girls.

Really? Why?

Ryan: Because it's a terrible band!
Neil: Are we going to be found out for killing this person?

No

Neil: Okay, this is good..Gordon Brown I think. Gordon Brown is the prime minister of the UK. I got to kill Gordon Brown and give the UK a fresh start in politics.

Wouldn't you kill the other Attack! Attack! band?

Ryan: O yeah, we'd kill them as well!
Neil: No we'd hug and kiss!
Ryan: I'd kill them, definitely!

How would a sixteen-year-old Neil or Ryan look at the person that you've become today?

Neil: I don't think I'd believe it.
Ryan: No I wouldn't believe it, I'd laugh!
Neil: I've totally changed, cause I was very shy as a child. I think I'd be very happy with what I've done with my life from that point of view.

You don't have any regrets?

Neil: There're always regrets, meeting Ryan that was a regret.

If you could have a time-machine, would you go forward in time or would you go to the past?

Ryan: I'd definitely go back.
Neil: I'd go back too.
Ryan: I'd go back to the seventies.
Neil: No I'd go to the sixtees when that whole Beatles explosion happenend, that would have been cool to see.

I've heard that Mike is the father of the band, in what ways does he different from you?

Neil: He's taller and he's kind of sensible I think. When it's time to leave he's always like "comon can we leave now?" He's always thinking ahead of the next show.

Are you a typical rockband? You know where the singer and the guitarist are more with the groupies and stuff, while the drummer and the bassist are more down to earth?

Neil: Well, you can't keep Will away from the girls. He can't stop it. I don't really think it's like that.
Ryan: We're nothing like that at all.
Neil: We like to meet people, but we're not interested in "Do you want to come back to our bus" kind of stuff you know? Forget that. We have our computer games on the bus, what do we need girls for?

Is there any prejudgement about rockbands you would like to get rid of?

Neil: No, it does happen with some bands. Some guys in bands are into that kind of stuff and maybe that's why they go in a band in the first place, cause that's what they wanted to do. But it's different for us, we're just four guys looking to have a laugh. We'll see what happens and we'll be going with the flow. But it does happen, just not to our band.

If you could solve one problem in the world, what would that be?

Ryan: Poverty
Neil: Poverty is a good one. I was going to say disease, but then can you imagine if you get rid of disease that the population will grow absurd! So I would go for poverty as well.

If you could be president of the USA what would you do?

Ryan: O that's too much! I can't go into that one.
Neil: I think Obama is awesome, really really awesome! You just try to do the best you can, it's a job that I wouldn't want. I would not want to deal with such a big country. It's the most important country of the world!

You would be very famous!

Neil: Yeah, but it would still be bad! You wouldn't be able to do anything, everything you do is watched and critisised. Very little praise is coming out of doing that job!

Do you like to be famous?

Neil: No, not to be famous. I like to be in a succesfull band and I quess that will become part and part together. So I suppose yes is the answer, but not to be famous. To be succesfull with the band that's what we want to be. Honestly, we want as many people to come to our show as possible and for every night to be in big venues and to meet loads of new people and have fun everywhere around the world. Which I think you can't really have if nobody knows who you are.

I'm giving you three wishes..What would you wish for?

Neil: Health

For yourself or for the world?

Neil: I was going to say for my family and friends, which sounds a bit selfish. What would you choose Ryan?
Ryan: Succes and inpoverty
Neil: Yeah something like that.
Ryan: What would I wish for? Loads and loads of money!

Always usefull

Ryan: You can do a lot with money!
Neil: You can cause and also solve a lot of problems. I think I would buy a football club if I had loads and loads of money. I think I wouldn't buy a big one, but a small one and try to build them up. I would help a small team to get bigger, maybe our home town Cardiff, that'll be good...

Thank you very much for this interview Neil and Ryan!

Taking Back Sunday in Amsterdam

2009-08-09T07:24:00.000-07:00

Let it be clear, Taking Back Sunday is new again! With their new singer and cd they manage to sound like they've just reborn. And along with this powerful cd called New Again came a glorious and spectaculair gig in the Amsterdam Melkweg.

Starting with one of my favorite songs, this gig was garanteed for a lot of fun. Imagine the intro of "What's it feel like to be a ghost?"and you'd probably know what I mean. Adam, the singer really looks like a performer and apperantly he is. he has the moves, the looks, the attitude, the only thing I was missing was a real honest connection with the audience. Come on rockstars, you know what them girls on the front row like. Take off your shirt! or at least give them some high fives, that shouldn't be too hard right?

But I have to be honest, this had been an exeptional good show. The music was powerful and so full of energy. They've played for one and a half hour in which they performed 17 songs. Almost all of their good songs. Songs that really make you go crazy like spin and liar, but also songs from the new album called New again and lonely lonely. Trust me, you would really like to have this new cd, it's Taking Back Sunday like you've never heard them before, fresher, more energetic and completely New Again.

bye bye blackbird

2009-08-09T01:21:00.000-07:00

There's an ending to every story. It may sound depresssing, but unfortunatly it is. Luckily their is a start to every end as well, although it might be hard to see the light at the tunnel sometimes.I hope you're not expecting a very cheerful story right now, cause this is the time for me I start to realise that some rockbands may sound immortal, but doesn't seem to be.

It has already been a few weeks ago since the announcement of the break-up of Little Man Tate. Right, it 's devastating and so unexpected! The last time I've seen them had only been a few months ago. I've even had a interview with them and nothing, really nothing in the interview, performances or conversations referred to a upcoming break up. They were're really the most cheerful and funny band I've ever met. They were one of the few bands I was sure of that could last, cause of the on and off stage fun they had. Don't people say that fun is the most important aspect of a job? Anyway, apparentely they thought about that in a different way. Or are they just very good actors? It seemed like they had it all....Looks, fun, critical acclaim. Alright, they didn't agree with me on the last part, but as a serious rockband, you have to be a bit realistic too. They sold out arenas, tours, had a lovely and huge fanbase, but still they wanted more. Jon (singer) actually told me that he thought that Little Man Tate was one of the best modern britpop bands. I have to say that I agree, but I'm sure that a lot of people would laugh at him if he tries to compare his band with The Beatles. But it all doesn't matter anymore, cause they quit. They are done! Finished...Over and out.

If it could happen to the most cheerful and fun band I've ever known, what would that mean for the others? Does that mean (I can barely write this down...) the end of bands like Deep Insight? The Lostprophets? Uncommonmenfrommars? It can happen to anyone of them and that scares me a bit...

And the most scary part of it all is that you can't really prepare yourself for it. How do you know if a band is going to breakdown? Or what does a band need to last?
First of all a lot of fun. Most musicians just don't make that much of money, they have to make music cause they love making music and not for the money, groupies or lifestle. They also need some fans, cause they have to get confident with the music that they are making. They need support, otherwise they'll get insecure and lets be honest, they just won't be able to handle it financial. A third and very important point is that the bandmates have to be good friends or family.Someting underrated is the role of the mamagers and promoters. They also play a very important role in the band. I'm sure that there are tons of other important factors for a healthy and long bandlife, but how can I know. I've never been in a band for more than 2 months...

So it's not that I blame them. The important message that I'm trying to tell you is that you always have to be aware that nothing lasts forever.
Eventhough,always remember the that there is nothing more worth than a great memory. Remember that memories never break up. Remember that memories never collapse. Remember that memories never get wasted or addicted. Remember that memeories and music never die.

lyric by me

2009-07-22T05:53:00.000-07:00

CLEAR

Seperate the thoughts of a paranoid mind
You´ll gave me the clear insight of a magical kind
Fantasy walks into reality but never turns back
Confusing my mind and blocking my track

My thoughts are rare
but the answers are there
Seperate love from lust
Affection from trust

Tired of waiting and seeking trough my mind
Concluding that fantasy is what I can´t find
The colours of the wind, the music in my head
Let it never be said

My thoughts are rare
but the answers are there
Seperate love from lust
Affection from trust

The story so far...

2009-07-04T02:32:00.000-07:00

It feels just like yesterday that I went to pre-university education for the first time. Me as a little shy girl inc. braces and a huge backpack! Emberassing? no, cause I think everybody had been that way once and I'm pretty proud of what I'd become out of that little girl...You're probably wondered why I'm so sentimental right now..Well, it had just been graduation day and I am finally finished with my pre-university education!! Congrats to me;)

This day really made me think of all the changes I've been trough... I've gained more sense of style, I've grown a lot, but most important I've leared a lot about music! I've got the chance to meet a glorius phenomenan called rock music...

But let me think...Where did it all start? Right, I remember..you have to promise me though not to tell this to anyone! The first artist I'd been a huge fan of was Jamai. The first Dutch Idols winner. I even made a hat with his name on it. Loving artists had always been in my DNA I quess, but why Jamai? I really don't know...I quess love really makes blind...and deaf!

I went to his gig in a huge venue called Ahoy, he sang there along with several other artists, including The Rasmus. This band impressed me so much. I didn't know if I had to love or hate them. They scared me and pleased me at the same time. For the people who don't know who they are: Finnish gothic/pop band famous for their song 'In the shadows'. They were mysterius and that really attracted me, though I wouldn't admit that to anyone including myself. But at a certain time during second grade I became a Rasmus fan.

When they came to Amsterdam I really had to go and it was going to be my first real rockgig! Dressed like the singer Lauri (feathers in my hair and DYNASTY written on my arm with permanent marker) I went to a Rasmusgig. I know what you're thinking...but be honest, haven't you been just like me, once? a long time ago?

The Rasmus had been great that night, but I discovered something new that night. Something way more exciting than The Rasmus. Something I loved and still love sooo much! Four of the roughest and toughest guys I'd ever seen! Deep Insight... They played before the Rasmus, and I couldn't take my eyes of of them. Especially not of the bass player Miska Holopainen. He looked so wild and handsome and I totally fell in love with him and his music. After the show I asked them for some pictures and autographs and that made me so happy! I couldn't wait till I got to see them again..

About six months after that, they came back to Holland. I was really excited, had become an even bigger fan and couldn't wait to see Miska again!There he stood along with the best band in the world! They blew me away with their gorgeous songs and super energetic performance. Even so much that I needed to see them a few days after that again.

That day the 18th of April 2006 is going into history as the best day of my life until now. Deep Insight performed in a tiny cosy venue in Amsterdam and I was about 45 minutes late, but fortunately they'd just started. They played incredible, amazing! Jukka even sang me a birthday song! And they played my requested song as an encore 'Red Tape'.At the end of this show, I got the chance to talk with them and that was really special. I had always seen rockbands as this unatainable people, but Deep Insight is different and that really makes them special. Although this had been over three years ago, I still know what they said that night. First Jukka gave me a hug when he came off stage and wished me a happy birthday. Then I got a little chat with him about the gig and that he thought wasn't emotional enough. Then I went to Miska for a picture and he apologized for being so sweaty, which I didn't have problems with though;) After that I went to dear Johannes and he kept saying that he liked me name so much. When I turned to Ville he even followed me and told my name to Ville and then Ville told me: Pretty name for a pretty girl... Alright I'm getting too much into detail, I'm sorry...It's just that I get so excited telling this story that I tend to forget what is really interesting...

I quess my rock obsession started with Deep Insight, but not only my music interest! Thanks to them I think about musicians in a different way than I used to do. I'm not afraid to approach them anymore. I'm less shy, I do my interviews, I'm even going to study communication science to become a music reporter or international journalist, because of Deep Insight... They've also given me an interesting approach of life. I'm determinded to marry a rockstar, I'm a huge fan of Finland and I do not drink alcohol, nor smoke or use drugs. And this all had started with Deep Insight in some way...

My interest for other rockbands had also been awoken by DI. Like my second love 'The Lostprohets' Their shows impress me so much! And not only because of Ian Watkins, although he has a lot to do with it. I really can't help it, and it is cliche but I do really think that Ian is really attractive. And that is why I've always said that Ian is going to be my lover and Johannes (Deep Insight) my husband. Believe it or not, I don't care, I will:) Ian is really the driving force behing the Lostprophets, he is a really really good performer! And that is simply why all the girls and boys go wild during a Lostprophets gig. But of course they make terrific music as well (I'm not that superficial!). How much of a fan I really am? I've once waited 11 hours in front of the venue for a gig of them. Convinced? Probably...Was it worth it? Definately! Cause I got a picture with Ian Watkins!

Anyway, you can read more about that gig in another blog called "Lostprophets are heaven". The Lostprophets are the first British band I really liked. But you can't really call it britpop. The first real meeting with britpop had been on the London Calling festival in Amsterdam. Going to festivals is a really good way to develop your taste in music. I've seen a lot of nice britpop bands on the London Calling festivals, like The Pigeon Detectives, The Wombats, The Rifles, Little Man Tate and Look See Proof.

In first instance the Pigeon Detectives impressed me the most. The energy on stage had been an inportant factor for that. I fell in love, again...with the singer called Matthew Bowman. With a head full of curls and his British look, I thought he was irresistable...I've seen the Pigeon Detectives 7 times now, but I still can't wait to see them again! One time I even won a meet and greet with them! Although the best time with this cheeky lads was on the Lowlands festival.

Another nice britpop band that have played a huge role in my life is Little Man Tate. I've interviewed this band as well and they were definately the funniest band I've ever met! Alright I'm sorry but I have to tell this story in more detail... We went to Parafdiso to ask the woman there if we could go backstage for an interview. I have to admit it was only three pm, but the band was already there. This stupid woman told us to come back at 8.30. That wouldn't be a disaster, but it was raining really hard outside... So we had a drink, something to eat, a little shopping expedition and than we went back. While we were walking we walked passed the band! I was so nervous and shocked that I didn't have the guts to walk up to them and asked them for the interview. So we followed them....alright stalked them. They went into an Irish pub and we still stood outside in the rain. Suddenly the bassist Ben went outside for a sigarette. I thought this was my chance, so I went to him and asked him for the interview. He said O you're Pearl! And kissed me on the cheeks:) He said: We will be back in the venue soon, but you can have the interview here as well, if you want... Of course I did, so we went inside and I had an interview with Jon (one of the most charismatic men I've ever seen!) We had the interview and it was so nice to talk with them cause they had a huge amount of british humor! After the interview we talked for over an hour until the last minute till they really had to leave for their gig. We talked about things like pooing in a Dutch toilet."When I have like this huge poo, it just touches my but!" and he was convinced that I kissed Matthew, which I didn't. He told me what Dutch man he thought were attractive, he called some footballers, but I didn't know them... About him standing on the Wallen (red light district), how he would be as a woman and if Jon had to choose between 10 virgins and one gorgeous experienced woman, he would go for the last one...I quess you know what kind of conversations this were, you get the picture... We went to the gig and it was awesome!! Really cosy audience and a incredible band, what more do you need? After the show Ben came to me and he started taking to me. He kept saying "We are friends now":) He was really nice, really a sweet guy. After a while we went downstairs to a party, but me and my friends dind't stay long. I went to Jon to say goodbye and then to Ben to say goodbye. He kissed me on the cheeks and then he asked me to come the next day to the gig in Utrecht as well. I told him that I wasn't sure if I could make it, but he said I really needed to come and then I had to asked for Ben and then he would come and get me. And then he kissed me again:) This had been one of the nicest gigs ever, along with Deep Insight and the Lostprophets. The next day I went to Utrecht and there I met Ben again. The first thing he asked my friend was how old is Pearl? I had told him nineteen the day before..But I actually was 17. Well, he could see that I lied... But he was very sweet and when I left he told me to really keep in touch with him over e-mail! Well that lasted for about two e-mails...

But that wasn't such a disaster, cause while I was e-mailing with Ben, I got this lovely e-mail from my favourite guitarist of my favourite band Deep Insight. Just out of nothing and I was very very very shocked and surprised and definately not worried about the not replied e-mail to Ben anymore. It was the sweetest mail I've ever gotten and I will never forget it in my whole life. Luckily the e-mail contact with him lasts longer than that with Ben, cause I still receive an e-mail now and then. Although I really love it, it makes my life a bit more difficult as well...I really don't know what to expect from him and I'm not sure if I will see him even this year. I'm not sure of anything about him, but one thing is for sure, Deep Insight still plays a huge role in my life. Deep Insight is more than just a band for me, they lead me trough life, personally and musically....

Attack! Attack! and You Me At Six in Amsterdam

2009-06-05T02:12:00.000-07:00

It has been already the third time that I was about to see them. Attack! Attack! from the UK, the good one I´ve been told, cause there seem to be two bands with this slightly powerful name. A.A. definately deserves a name like that. Their music is incredibily powerful and especially live. So that seems like it is going to be a great night!

Walking to the venue, expecting a cosy audience, I kind of fell into an unfortunate shock. There it was, a huge row in front of The Melkweg. I didn't know that You Me At Six (headlining) is such a populair band! But without even knowing this band I was able to predict the sort of music that they were about to play, just from taking a look at the audience. You probably know what I'm talking about, 14 year old girls with their sceptic parents...

Well, at least I was going to see Attack! Attack! too. Cause I wasn't really trilled by the idea of another Forever The Sickest Kids/Metro Station/Mc Fly/Panic at the Disco act.

So, obviously I wasn't garanteed for a spot first row. But luckily these kids weren't full grown yet, so I could easily see over the sea of blond teenage gils (with their parents...). I was wondered whether they knew to sing the words of A.A.

Obviously not. Pretty strange, cause this incredible band had been in the Netherlands for a quite a few times. But still they haven't managed to built up a large fanbase. I have to say I'm very puzzeled about that, cause they play with a certain unusual energy and power that they really stand out. They are the hidden treasure under all these crappy bands nowadays. They would make a perfect festival band, though I haven't seen them on a lot of setlists yet. And I don't want to get to tecnical with you, but the quality of their music is exceptional! Just very good musicians!

I'd decided not to bother about the teenage girls anymore, cause I might be one too (just a little bit older and wiser). Just not wise enough not to sing along... It's just impossible not to, cause these songs are quite catchy too. "This is a test a wake-up call, it's a mission too tall" sing... After a few songs the attackers managed to conquer their catch. Finally the 14 year olds had been convinced, they had transformed A.A. into real rockstars. I was really happy to see that A.A. noticed that as well, cause they got more confident on the stage and they blew everyone away!

Including You Me At Six, although the teenagers didn't agree with me. Though, it was obvious that A.A. had so much more quality to offer than Y.M.A.S. Apparently good looks were enough to convince the audience. Although I could discuss about that as well. The singer might look okay, but that was about it... I think that that the real populairity of You Me At Six lies into a strong performance with catchy songs that are not to heavy, so accesable for a large audience. The singer "Josh" is what you call a real entertainer, he plays the young girls in a very smart way. Which makes me think of Ian Watkins. Not that he can tip that, he's not even close...But certain moves definalely have some resembles.

I might be not to positive about Y.M.A.S. but I definalely appreciate one certain thing about them. I really respect the singer for his lovely attitude towards the fans. When he left the stage to get involved with his fans, he got overwhelmed by a sea of girls that wanted to make a picture with him. He definalely stood there for over an hour just to make sure that everyone that wanted a piece of him got what she wanted. You could see in his eyes that he was tired and didn't really enjoy it. But I couldn't blame him for that. He knew that it was his duty to do so and although he had been treated like a rockstar he didn't act like one. He was polite and patient and that's one thing I could really appreciate. And although it would have been nice to have a picture with him, just for the collection, I couldn't do that to him and to myself, just because I'm not that kind of girl...

(anymore...)

Deep Insight, Sucker for love review

2009-05-05T05:01:00.000-07:00

Heey you! Have you already ordered the new Deep Insight cd Sucker for love? If you haven't, please take a look at their myspace and find out how to order this little piece of heaven;) It is without doubt the best cd I've ever heard, and I'm not saying this just as a fan, I'm telling you this as a fan and a journalist. When you listen to it for the first time, you might think that they've changed a lot. Though that makes sense since we've moved along three years since One Minute Too Late. They sound a bit more accessible for a larger audience, but that doesn't mean that they aren't as rough and emo as they used to be. And don't get me started on the lyrics...The lyrics on this cd are so beautiful! They manage to express feelings I've always had but never understood. These a few of my favourite parts of some of the songs:

"I've got these feelings, they're growing too strong in me they breed from tears and govern with tyranny"

"You cut like a knive. You're the venomous type. Come closer I live for this trill, but you've come for the kill. I know it's over."

"I'm riding on a wave of misfortune, it feels like I'm living my life on distortion"

"I'm not easily troubled cause I've locked my pain in a bubble"

"My heart is a sucker for love, it keeps promising more, it keeps leaving me with nothing"

"My heart is a blackbox"

"I'm crazy enough not to worry about tomorrow"

"My message goes ot through the unknown, to a place I can't reach on my own"

"I've filled my soul with fractions

"I've been living the life of a king, but I'm as hollow as this ring and the promises we've made, I quess the vows have changed"

"The faint-hearted dwell in sorrow"

"Cause every minute every second my heartbeat counts the hours"

What differences Deep Insight from all these other rockbands? I think it's their abbility to express feelings and emotions in their songs in such a magical way. Like in the song "Down to the fire", you can really feel the frustation, anger and grief. The song sounds so powerful, that is makes me want to cry, laugh, scream and dance at the same time. The song Sucker for love really expressed my own feelings and that's what is so magical about that song. I never knew that someone could feel just the way I do. This cd shows their ability to make a perfect balance between different music genres like emo and punk. But in a way you've never heard these genres before, it's in a Deep Insight way. Just perfection and a bit of magic. When people tell me that one day I might be able to write lyrics just as beautiful, I just get angry. You shouldn't think that any band or person can reach the level of Deep Insight. And I know that not everybody understands that, but you as a fan should understand what I mean. So I'm sorry, I know that I can't express my feeling about this cd in a way this cd deserves to be valued. But I can tell you one thing....This cd is perfect

The world is ours and ours alone

2009-05-05T04:58:00.000-07:00

Interview with the Rifles

The Rifles are about to perform here in Amsterdam. This should be their biggest show outside of the UK. They already know he Dutch audience from previous performances including the London Calling festival, so they are qite sure that the gig will be a good lot of fun this rainy evening in the Melkweg. Before the gig I got the chance to have a nice chat with Grant (drummer) and he told me everything that's new and interesting around this great band from London: The Rifles.

We started right at the beginning. He told me about his school period and what it has been like. At his school there weren't a lot of musicians, but still he managed to start his first band there. They played Nirvana covers and things like that. It didn't make them very populair in school, but I started to get the idea that it is really not important for him to be seen as a real rockstar or something like that. He really doesn't have an attitude, he even seems a bit shy!

It's getting really obvious that they are in this just for the music. They are not really interested in everything that is usually associated with the rock 'n roll lifestyle. Especially the fahion, they really don't try to have a specific kind of style. Grant told us that they are nobody but themselves on stage, they don't put up an act and they don't put on stylish clothes just to look cool.

It seems like a very grown up point of view. That's what also comes to my mind when I see them perform. They are different from most of the Britpop bands, because they're more serious and grown up. You can even see it in the audience where the average age is definitely above 25. Which is rare in the Britpop scene.

Despite of the lack of critical acclaim they got with the previous album No Love Lost, they still managed to built up a solid fanbase. Even though this fanbase is growing bigger and bigger, they still realise where they came from and where they once started. That might be one of the ingredients of their succesfull career. It's just like Grant told us: 'You shouldn't act like a rockstar if you would like to be in a succesfull band, you should just keep on going and don't try to be just like the other rockbands.'

But even though the Rifles are different from a lot of other rockbands, they do like to hang out and have fun. Music is definitely the most important aspect of their career, but Grant does admit to enjoy things such as groupies and alcohol. Well, boys will be boys and rockstars will be rockstars.

Another aspect that resembles a lot with many other Britpop bands are the lyrics. Most of their lyrics are about experiences they've had trough everyday life. They don't get inspired by poets and the darker side of life. What you hear is definitely what they're all about.

Although there might be some interesting facts that you couldn't know from just listening to the lyrics. Like the fact that Grant admitted to be terrified for dogs.' They jump on you and they scratch you!'And do you know that Joel is getting married? Fortunatly that wouldn't change the Rifles as a band. They will continue to keep on going and make great music.

Like every band they do have to urge to become bigger and bigger. They want more people to know them, but that might be the only change that this band will go trough during the next years.

The Rifles is the sort of rare grown up Britpop band that sticks to your mind. They are able to stand out in the big Britscene mass and that makes them right about:

The world is ours and ours alone!

Interview with Little Man Tate

2009-01-27T04:59:00.000-08:00

It has just been 4 days ago, but I already mis this amazing band! My voice is still a mess and I can’t stop smiling when I think about them and that’s pretty much all the time... It may be obvious that they’ve made a huge impression on me and I’m sure that you’ll love them too cause... This is britpop like it should be! Sheffield's finest. Little Man Tate rocked Amsterdam and Utrecht and I had the privilege to meet them. Don’t you get jealous girls, you can still listen to their music on their myspace or buy their cd’s. This band makes the most pleasant britpop you’ve ever heard, but there is more about this band, something indescribable. Is it Jon’s on stage charisma? Ben, the sweetest musician I’ve ever met? Or simply the fact that they are the funniest band on the planet? Get a peek into the crazy world of Little Man Tate and find out that they have more to offer than just charm, charisma and good looks...

How are you Jon?

I’m very well thank you very much, how are you?

I’m great thanks. So a new cd, brand new tour, how do you prepare for such a tour like this?

We’ve had a bit of a shopping expedition. We’ve had some rehearsals and picked out the songs that we wanted to play. We just practiced every now and then so we can get into a routine of exactly knowing what is happening. But every gig is different. We get better as the tour goes along basically. We’ve already had our first gig on the way but what is going on tonight should be really good.

How was the gig yesterday?

Great, yeah Belgium, it was really busy as well. We didn’t have any expectations when we went on this tour. When it is busy great, if not that than that’s no problem either.

So what can people expect from a Little Man Tate gig?

Well, hopefully we will be one of those bands that you see and you would like to see again. I mean too many times people go to see concerts and stand at the bar like they don’t really care about the band. We just want to get a bit more. I would like to see a cheer in the eye.

Most rock stars like Amsterdam for the sex drugs and rock ‘n roll, what do you think is the nicest thing about Amsterdam?

Well those three things! I’m not sure if my mom might read this.... Are you going to write this interview in Dutch?

No in English...

So I’m not saying sex or drugs now, cause my mom reads it. What more is nice about Amsterdam? I can say what is not nice about Amsterdam. The pedal boats! We went on a pedal boat and it didn’t work, we fell out. Well, is was a bit of a nightmare. But I think it is a great city, it is great!

Have you been to the red light district?

Never! Ever! Ever! Yeah we’ve been there, we’ve been to the Wallen. We window shopped there. You know just like girls do when they go shopping and love some pair of shoes, which they can’t afford.

You’ve performed here before on the London Calling festival, how did you experience that?

Yeah that was really good, the crowd gave us a really good vibe and a warm welcome. It seemed that when we played people were really interested. London Calling is great, it’s really good, I love the festival and I love the bands.

There are a lot of Britpop bands on the London Calling festival, but still you managed to stand out, what is your secret?

How we managed to stand out? Did we? Thank you! Probably it is just charm, charisma, good looks....I think that the thing with our band is that we have been on the other side of the stage so many times. We have watched bands and that made us know what we wanted to see on stage. When I see a band I would like to see that they want to be there and are happy to be there, I think that is a good thing.There is a voice for everyone if they would like to be there, but we try to be excited. If you stop turning yourself on then you should better stop doing it. Musically....
If you don’t enjoy playing yourself, you shouldn’t play in a band.

What is the relationship like between all those Britpop bands, is there like a lot of competition going on?

Well, not for us. A lot of bands though feel like it is a competition, but we just concentrate on our music and we play it for ourselves and for the people that want to hear our music and not for the other bands. It is too easy to get yourself upset with other bands. There is a lot of jealousy out there, but it is not too bad.

Are you very cultured people?

Are we very cultured? We are a bit more cultured than I think a lot of people think we are! It all depends on what you mean by cultured. I think that a lot of people think that all we do is bing the bells and making love to beautiful woman. But there is a lot more to it than that. We are definitely you know... SHIT! We’re not cultured at all! But in Belgium we went to that little boy (manneke pis). He pissed out a fire. I don’t get why he is so muscled, he is like six years old, it is impossible! On the other hand we knew about other venues and we like to go to places. But most people are not going to be too bothered by a museum or a capital. So no we’re not cultured at all...Shocking!

You’ve released the album: “Nothing worth having comes easy”. What are the main differences between “About what you know”and “Nothing worth having comes easy”?

With the first album we just wrote the songs and played them live. On that moment we never know that we would make an album out of it. With the second album we went to the studio, wrote the album and then played it live. Does that make sense? Completely the opposite way around. So many times you’ve got this songs on the album and you’re like shit how are we going to play that live? I think it is quite interesting doing it the other way around. I think that is a bit more mature. And maybe there are a bit more messages and deeper meaningful lyrics on the second album. With “About what you know” we just took the surface on life, but also we’ve had loads of stories on the first one about growing up and things like that. On the second one we couldn’t do it exactly the same. So we tried to change it, we tried to be little bit more mature and thoughtful. See, I’m f*cking cultured!

What things inspire you to write the lyrics?

It is about real life I think. About things that we’ve experienced and saw. But all the way trough the album we can say that it was worth it. It is quite cool.

If you could be a woman for one day, what would you do?

Stay in all day! Get as many pair of nice shoes and lingerie as I can. I would start the video camera and make my own solo masturbation. Would I find man attractive as I do woman? Would I be attracted to woman? Would I be a lesbian though? So yeah, I want to make love to another woman.

Wouldn’t you make love to a man?

No, I think I would still make love to a woman. But I don’t know what to do if it is a woman. I don’t know, if I like man like I like woman now as a man, then I’d go out and get lots of drinks in bars. But I wouldn’t give myself up, I would play hard to get. That’s like the weirdest question I’ve ever been asked!

If you were president of the United States, what would you do?

If I were president of the United States I would make a phone call to skin records and tell them that I would like to have Little Man Tate over here to do a massive tour. Then I would make a call to mayor radio stations and say: I love this band called Little Man Tate, I want you to play them! I would get free food, free drinks. Do you think they really need me when they’ve got him? I mean he’s good looking! Anyway, it is impossible, I would be kicked to the ground. If I were president of the United States it probably wouldn’t last much more than a day...

So I’ve heard that you would like to become the biggest band of the world, apart from the money, why would you like to achieve that?

We want the critical acclaim, we want what we should have had all along. I still do believe that we are one of the best bands in Britain in the last five/ten years. You know, we’ve sold out gigs, we’ve sold out tours, we’ve released records, but we’ve never really had the critical acclaim. We want to be respected and we want people to talk about us. Forgetting about the money, forgetting about everything else we just want to be recognized as a music force! But with the money I would also be very happy.

How far would you go to achieve that? Matthew, the lead singer of the Pigeon Detectives kissed two guys on stage. Would you do such crazy things just to get attention?

Who would kiss Matthew?! I wouldn’t kiss him, he’s not really my type...I probably wouldn’t kiss just to get attention, but maybe that gets you on radio, maybe that is not about the music anymore. It probably gets you magazines and radio airplays.

Are there any huge festivals planned this year?

Not yet, we’ve got this tour and we’ll have a gig in Sheffield in March, but that is as far as we’ve planned the gigs. Normally the festivals come in around March. We also have the third album to record as well, so we like to do a festival, but we don’t know how may time there is going to be needed to be recording and writing.
I bet she kissed Matthew!

NO! I really didn’t!

Yeah, because when I said those things about him she was like NAAAH... I feel awful now! No, he is a very good looking guy... If I would have that hair I would have it long, definitely! When I was about ten I wanted my hair permanent so much! But my mom is a hair cutter and she wouldn’t do it...

Do you have any tattoos?

Yeah I have six, this one means that something is going to change my world, it is from a Beatles lyric. But the minute I had it done I thought: Well that is bullshit! Cause lots of things changed my world! When I got my very first guitar, I took a picture of it and took it to the tattoo shop and I asked if she could do that.

What is your favorite guitar?

I like playing my Fender, but I like Telecasters as well. But my favorite guitar is my acoustic guitar with which I write the songs. Sometimes I do that when I’m in my room and then I get out at night, have a few drinks and write a song. My favorite guitar is my Taylor, nobody else can touch it, cause it is very expensive. I’ve got plugins too and amplifiers... How did we get from the tattoos to the guitars?

What is the weirdest thing a fan ever gave to you?

Toe socks, when we were in Japan.They were kind of weird! They were like foot gloves.

If this wasn’t your career what would you be?

Probably a politician. Or actually I would say a footballer. But if I wasn’t a footballer, what would I be? Than I would probably work for the government. Then I would get a big cheque!

Are there any more juicy details you would like to share with the Taters?

What happened so far? They’ve lost the key to the room in Belgium. We’ve played there with the Soulwasters, they are great, you should check them out! They could possibly be the nicest people in the world as well.

Jon: Do you have any questions guys?

Dan: What is your favorite food?

Everything! I love food. I would be quite happy if my life could be filled with food, beer and woman. Do you need anything more than that? Is there anything more than that? Why would you need woman if you’ve got all that? No actually you don’t need anything more than food and beer.

Interview Uncommonmenfrommars

2008-12-07T08:05:00.000-08:00

Uncommon, that is exactly what they are! Not only because of the identical twin Daff and Trint, but because they are the nicest band ever! They proof that you can be ‘sex, drugs and rock’n roll’ without being an arrogant rockstar. You can listen to their music on their myspace: http://www.myspace.com/uncommonmenfrommars or buy their new cd ‘longer than an ep shorter than an album’ it’s in stores now! You also have the chance to read everything you always wanted to know about the skate-punk music and rock ‘n roll lifestyle of Uncommonmenfrommars! Lucky you!!

Interview with: Ed Zeppelin (vocals and guitar)
Interviewed by: Pearl

Hi Ed Zeppelin, how are you?

I’m a bit hung-over and I have a sore throat, but that is normal.

Can you still sing with that sore throat?

Yeah, it sounds better when we play. It sounds like shit all afternoon, but after three songs it gets better.

You have performed in the Netherlands a lot! What’s the nicest thing about playing in the Netherlands?

Now we have friends in different places, that’s cool.
People bringing chocolate! And some of us enjoy smoking, so that is also very pleasant.

You are about to perform, are you nervous before you go to perform?

Not really, we get impatient cause we want to play. I don’t think we get nervous, maybe if we play like a big show or if we play with a band we really like. It is just usually a party, it’s party time!

The Undeclinables were supposed to play tonight…

They canceled because one of them is in hospital. We are not sure what happened, but I think he is okay, but he is still in the hospital, we’ll have more information maybe by tonight.

Do you prefer to play for a large audience or a small cozy audience?

We like everything, we love playing in tiny bars, and we love playing huge festivals. It doesn’t really matter, we just love to play!

Do you create the atmosphere on stage or does the audience create the atmosphere?

I guess kind of both. Sometimes you have to create it yourself, because there is no atmosphere. If we play a show and there are not so many people. If you don’t do something to change it, it is not going to change. Those are the harder shows, where we really need to put an effort to get a good vibe. Sometimes the crowd just goes crazy and they create the atmosphere.

What is that like in Holland?

It depends, this is the first show on this tour with Second Shot in Holland, so we will see! It is usually fun, I don’t really see a difference between shows in Germany, France or Holland. I guess it all depends on how many people there are. My best memory was in Holland, at a show with fourteen people, in a two hundred capacity room, but that was like the most fun show of the whole tour.Everybody was smiling and there was a really good vibe. Things happened that usually don’t happen. The crowd went on stage and we went down like you are the band, we are the crowd you know... It is just fun!

I saw that you performed naked...

Sometimes, it can happen...We do that when it gets too hot or when we know that it would be a problem for someone. Like we played in the middle of Paris once, right in the middle of the city on an outdoor stage. It was like old people and kids, families...That is the place where I would get naked.

Are you the typical sex drugs and rock ’n roll?

Not really, I mean I’ve seen worse. But yeah we do like to party. Not all of us,we are all very different. Some of us are not party-freaks, but I am and Jim is. I like sex, I like drugs and I like rock ’n roll, so I guess my answer would be yes! Still looking for sex, gonna find drugs after the interview and the rock ’n roll will be here tonight.

What makes you different from all the other rockstars?

Rockstars? Well I guess we are no rockstars. No, to me being a rockstar is not about how many records you sell, it is about attitude. I know bands that have sold two cd’s in their lives, played three shows and they are the biggest rockstars I’ve ever met! It is just attitude, when a band think they are better than everyone, just because they are on stage and they think they are awesome and some treat people like shit. That to me is being like a rockstar. We don’t do that. We don’t treat people like shit, we only treat each other like shit.

What is the difference between your music on stage and on the cd?

We play better on the cd, probably… A lot of people say that there is a lot more energy on stage.
Daff: Often people don’t get it till they have seen us live. Personally I think that it is important that people that wanna listen to our cd’s see us live first.
Ed: But that is just the drummer’s point of view.

What comes first music or lyrics?

Music, we always write the lyrics at the last moment when we are in the studio. When we have to track vocals we still have no lyrics. We just grab a piece of paper with Trint. That doesn’t mean we neglect the lyrics. We do talk about our lives and experiences, but the music and the vocal melodies come first.

You have recorded an acoustic album called Kill the Fuse, what do you prefer acoustic or electric?

Both, my brother Trint plays a lot of acoustic guitar. He actually just recorded a record with his side project called X-TV. They have just finished the album and it is mastered. It will be free for download on myspace, I can’t remember when, but it is very soon in December, so you should check it out! And the record will be available soon.

You also have a side project called Sons of Buddha, how do you manage to do both?

Uncommonmenfrommars is always the priority, but whenever we don’t tour we book Sons of Buddha tours in between. That is why since September I’ve been home like once or twice. Every time we go home with Uncommonmenfrommars I go on tour with Sons of Buddha and when we get back I go on tour with Uncommonmenfrommars.

Are you coming with Sons of Buddha to Holland?

We want to, maybe in February. We are going to try to hook up with Kevin from the Apers and make something happen.

So you are a skate punk band, do you all skate?

No, my brother Trint skates for a long time, but I don’t do anything that involves hurting myself or breaking bones.

Has he ever thought of being a professional skateboarder?
Daff: No he is not good enough, not crazy enough!

Don’t you think you can be anything you want?

Daff:You can be anything that you want, but I think when you play in a band and you end up being a musician it is not really like you choose to be in a band as like the music kind of chooses you. You just end up doing that and then one day you think: Hey I’ve made it, I’m a musician!Ed: But the difference between being in a punk band and being a pro skater is you have to be really good to be a pro skater, but you don’t have to know how to play music to be in a punk band. That is what punk is all about! Anyone can play in a punk band.

What do you think of the Emo scene?

Well, I’m not really into it, I think there is too much fashion involved…

Too much skinny jeans? Well you don’t have skinny jeans…

Skinny jeans? No they are kind of skinny, they are not slim not super slim, but they are just normal. But they are Johnny Ramone jeans! (Stands up and opens his zipper) Look it says: Hey ho lets go on the inside! So they are kind of slim, but they are still rock ‘n roll cause they are Johnny Ramones!

So you like the Ramones, have you ever seen them live?

No, unfortunately…

Is there any band you would like to see live, but never had the chance to?

Yeah, ACDC never seen them, Metallica, the Descendants, the Real Danger.
Daff: Generally when these bands play, we play also so we can’t see them.

What is the nicest band you’ve ever played with?

A lot of bands, like the Undeclinables we are friends with them. We did a tour with them in France a long time ago. A lot of Dutch bands, like the Heideroosjes, they are cool we’ve played a couple of times with them. They are nice guys. The Apers obviously… NRA from Amsterdam, they are the best Dutch band. One of my favorite bands ever! The Accelerators…The Real Danger, a Dutch band they sound like the Descendents, but we don’t know them I just like the music.

What made you come up with the unusual name Uncommonmenfrommars?

Well, exactly because it is unusual. You know, when we started the band, everyone wanted names like ‘No Effects’ very short names. So we did the exact opposite. Their albums always have names like ‘Dimimisabeble…’ very long names. So that is kind of why we took off the spaces just to make it look long, difficult to read.

Don’t you think it makes it harder to remember the name?

If you say it, but if you read it just once you will remember it forever. Next time you’ll see it you’ll say oo yeah!

So you exist a little more than ten years now, what changed during these years?

We drink more, we sleep less, we tour more, we have a lot more friends. My brothers have wives and kids. We play in different countries and we play a lot more in Germany and Holland.

Isn’t difficult to tour that much?

Sometimes, but I don’t have a wife or kids so I could tour all year, that would be fine for me. But my brothers have wives and kids so after a while they want to see their kids.

When you are on tour, what do you do during the day?

Ed: Drive, loading, soundcheck, put up the merchtabel, change guitarstrings, we try to eat or do interviews and then the show starts

What do you do after you played the show?

Daff: It depends, sometimes we stay up till 10 in the morning. Sometimes we’ll be in bed by three. You can’t go to bed before two, that is the earliest we’ve ever been to bed on tour. Because we don’t have any time, when you’re finished playing, you have to put all your stuff away, you have to get back in the van. When we are all back to where we sleep, it is already two or three. We live like some kind of vampires after a while. We life at night and we sleep during the day.

Do you ever go sightseeing when you are on tour?

We hardly ever have time. I’m gonna go sightseeing after this interview. We’ve played in Vienna like three times, but we have never had the chance to go sightseeing. We play in beautiful cities, but all we see are small rooms.
Daff: We don’t do a lot of sightseeing, but we meet a lot of people and it is just as interesting to hang out with people from the cities that we are touring in. I’d rather hang out with people that live in the city and be in the city like they are. You hang out with some guys and have a drink and talk with them about how their life is, that’s interesting I think about touring.

Is the tour almost finished now?

Yeah, the tour is almost finished.

Are you excited to go home?

Yeah, I mean my brothers are probably more excited than me. When I get home I’m probably just gonna take off and visit some friends. We have friends all over Europe now, so I might go visit the Apers in Rotterdam. We toured with Failsafe, I think I’m going to visit them for New Years Eve in Manchester. And there is Second shot from San Francisco, if I save enough money I’ll go visit them. Sometimes when I’m not on tour I’ll just hop in another band’s van. I have some friends, if I call them: Is there space for me? Yeah I’m coming!

What would you like to achieve in the next ten years?

Daff: Still be around!
Ed: We are totally happy with what we have achieved in ten years. So I think if we just keep on doing the same thing it would be perfect.

Uncommonmenfrommars in Tilburg

2008-12-07T06:49:00.001-08:00

The skate-punk sensation from France! They are back in Holland to play an amazing show with Second Shot and the Undeclinables, unfortunately the Undeclinables couldn't make it because one of them is in the hospital. While I'm writing this I listen to the new Uncommonmenfrommars cd 'longer than an ep shorter than an album'.It's on repeat...This show definitely had been one of the best I've ever seen! First the amazing band Second Shot, after that the even more amazing Uncommonmenfrommars. I know that you should always write some positive and some negative things in a review. Je m'exuse...I can't think of anything negative, cause it just had been awesome!It is obviously that they rock your socks off. With their energy on stage nothing really matters anymore. Even if they would play like shit, I would still think that they are the best punk band ever! Both Uncommonmenfrommars and Second Shot are great musicians, but why did Uncommonmenfrommars manage to drive the audience insane? It's because of their phenomenal performance! They really know how to connect with the audience, with their energetic performance. They drink people's beer, stand on the bar, they just love to drive people crazy...It's not a surprise that some people were totally tripping on songs like Pizza man, noise pollution, you can be evil, life time bus stop, dictionary man, Dinosaur and more... These songs sound like punk songs should sound! These guys are crazy, they look like wild animals on stage! At the end they even moved to play in the audience...Haven't seen that one before...If you'll ever have the chance to see this guys live, I'll force you to go there! I can predict you one thing... It will be quite uncommon...

The perfect band

2008-10-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

Nobody is perfect, at least that's what they say...

Singers, guitarists and other artists may seem to look like Gods, and actually I start to believe that they really are! Anyway the question is: Does the perfect band excists? We need to wonder what the most important aspects of a band are. The music? The hot singer? The performance? I think it is a combination of these (and other) aspects. If I could build my own superband...
On the mic: Ian Watkins (Lostprophets)
On the bass: Tord Overland Knudsen (The Wombats)
On the lead guitar: Johannes Ylinen (Deep Insight)
On the second guitar: Brian (Vanilla Sky)
On the drums: Luca (Vanilla Sky)
Why would this be my superband? Well, they are all absolutely stunning;) Ian Watkins is the best performer I've ever seen and he and Tord will be able to combine the roughness of the Lostprophets with the cheerfullness of the Wombats. Johannes Ylinen may write the lyrics with the mysterious aspects as we only know from Deep Insight. Brian brings with his smile the happy attitude to the band, while Luca makes the fans crazy with his bad boy Italian attitude. To compensate the bad boy we need an honest nice guy, just like Johannes Ylinen. At last Gerard Way may direct the music videos, cause I think that the My Chemical Romance videos are the most beautiful in the world. Doesn't this sound like the ultimate perfect band? If you disagree, please tell me what you think!What will be the best, ultimate, supergroup in the universe?!

Back in the Picture

2008-10-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

They are back! Out of the shadows,'The Rasmus',after staying away for a few years...I start to believe that taking a break is some kind of strange Finnish habit. I haven't seen Deep Insight (the best(Finnish)band ever!)in 2,5 years. I've been to Disco Ensemble two weeks ago, but they too have had a huge break! Anyway, it doesn't matter, cause they do come back harder, stronger and heavier than ever before! I can't wait to buy the new cd 'Black Roses' from 'The Rasmus' and I am very excited about the new single 'living in a world without you'. The song is catchy and heavy at the same time, as we are used from 'The Rasmus'. I haven't heard the album yet, but I think it will be less depressed and goth than 'Hide from the sun'. The melodies will be similair, but the lyrics will be a little bit happier...Not like 'night after night I wake up shaking cause my world is breaking, night after night I wake up crying cause I feel like dying'. But again it is something I quess...I don't think that there is anything wrong with strong emotional songs, I find it very impressive that the Rasmus are able to open up their hearts like this!I also have to admit that they have the most beautiful sad lyrics I've ever heard!'Living in a world without you' sound like an ultimate rockband that has come out of the shadows!

Random stufff

2008-10-24T10:06:00.000-07:00

First of all, thank you for the nice comments! I really appriciate that!! I would love to reply, but it is impossible since they are anonymous. But thank you very much and keep telling me what you think of my stories;) I hope you like the interviews as well. I told you that an interview with the punk rock band Uncommmonmenfrommars would come up, don't worry, it will! Just a little bit later than I expected, probably around 5 December. Have you read the interview with My Future Lies? This amazing band is in deep financial trouble and they try to sell as much merch this week to prevent from going under:( So it would be awesome if you can help!http://www.myfuturelies.com/merch.htm As you might know, Ian Watkins is also selling his stuff from "made in hell" on the internet. He has a great new design, you should check it out! Check out the new episode of the lovely Vanillos of Vanilla Sky on Vanilla Sky tv as well! It is about the daily life of my favourite rockstars, (and about the life they would like to have), about Vinx his secret passion for diving into canals for money and more!http://www.myspace.com/vanillasky Don't you just love the picture I've put above this text?! It is Ville Valo, has nothing to do with this blog, but I just love the pic;) As I'm telling you all kinds of random stuff, I might tell you this as well... just won a great price from the magazine Oor. It contains 22 cd's of amazing bands, so you can expect some cd reviews soon!

Interview with Attack! Attack!

2008-10-01T11:24:00.000-07:00

Attack! Attack!

A fresh new hot Welsh band! A powerful name makes me wonder… The powerful songs make me want to dance! They have already toured with some famous bands like Underoath and the Blackout and they are about to leave for their next tour with Funeral For A Friend. With a hell lot of tour dates you might be able to catch them!!! Until then, turn up your speakers and listen to their amazing songs… http://www.myspace.com/attackattackband

Interview with Neil Starr from Attack! Attack!
Interviewed by Pearl Vink

You have a lot of gigs till the end of the year! How do you manage to survive that?

plenty of drugs! no just kidding, we are just running off pure adrenalin ! we love playing shows and meeting people, and the buzz it gives us keeps us going

A brand new start with a new amazing band…Does that mean the end of Dopamine?

Dopamine is resting right now, its impossible to do both bands at the same time , the other guys in dopamine are very supportive so its cool to know we can do attack attack with no pressure

What was it like to record and produce your debut album by Stuart and Mike of the Lostprophets?

It was cool to hang out with them everyday, we have been friends for a long time but dont get to see each other very often with them living in the US and us living in the UK . Recording in USA was cool too cos its very different to the UK especially the weather :D

The new album will be released the sixth of October, how would you describe the album?

its rocking, full of slamming drums , loads of melodies and harmonies, pumping bass lines! its very energetic and fun to listen too

What had been the influences for the album?

Musically - bands like Nirvana, Foo fighters, Jimmy eat world, ACDC , Linkin Park
Lyrically - life experiences we have had and seen others go through

A few days ago you have had a gig in Amsterdam, did you act like the typical rockstar does in Amsterdam?

Haha we did rock and roll , but stayed away from the sex and drugs haha we love the city , we had plenty of beer on the square, it was good times

What more can we expect from Attack! Attack! in the near future?

Well come see our live shows, its a different side to our band, we put in as much energy as we can and love to get the crowd involved. We are set to demo new songs at christmas , hopefully make a return trip to Europe mainland in April and play festivals in the summer :D

Vanilla Sky in Amsterdam...

2008-08-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

I am already smiling when I think about it... It had been seriously the best concert I´ve ever been to! Panama is such a cosy venue and Vanilla Sky is such an amazing band! I am speechless... I decided not to go to early to this gig. So I arrived at seven ´o clock. Despite that I waited a long time for the band cause they were late. I had the best spot of all! between Brian and Vinx (the singers)... There were not a lot of people, I think maybe 35 or something. That made it even more fun, for me. I can imagine that Vanilla Sky would have liked some more audience. The audience was very silent, I think I was the only one screeming, dancing and singing along...I don't want to talk about the bands that supported Vanilla Sky, cause they suck sooo badly!!!!They were called 'so called celeste'and 'the maple room', well that's the only thing I'm saying about them. I was just shocked when the Vanillos came on stage, not that they did something special. It was just that I have been looking forward to the concert! And they look sooo good! As a joke I told my friends that they were only allowed to flirt with the bassist called Francesco (or cisco) and the drummer called Lucetto (or Luca). These Italian names are sooo beautiful don't you think? Well actually I told you it was a joke, but I was kind of serious about it. I prohibited them to wear skirts, heels or something like that and they were not allowed to make eyecontact or talk to them...I know I am sick, I should find help...It is just that I like Vanilla Sky sooo much! And I am a very jealous person...Vanilla Sky played incredibly well! I could sing along all the songs except for one cover they played of the Cardigans. Songs like Break it out, Devastante,letargo, Cut away and of course umbrella made me feel really good:)He almost kicked me several times, because I was really close to the stage! That was kind of scary, but I rather have a kick from Brian then from any one else;)Unfortunatly Vinx cut his hair, I liked it better before. Vinx does have the most beautiful voice I've ever heard, and that is not a lie! You should listen to the part where he sings in the song 'the fight', incredible;)!After the show I fell in love...with the whole band! I went to Brian first to ask for some autographs and a picture:) We talked about his holiday and Italy and yes, he has had a great holiday on the seaside of Italy! After talking to him I went to Francesco (Cisco) and I said: My sister is in love with you! She is six... No no not a lie, she told me herself, she keeps saying Francesco is sooo romantic!!! He asked how old I am and stupid as I am, I didn't lie... I made a picture with him and he stood on a seat cause he didn't want to look smaller than me... I was a lot taller than him ...Then I talked to Luca, the drummer. Sometimes being tall really sucks, it's usually the first thing people say to me! Luca said that it only had advantages, he said I could be a model and he could only drum. Then he and Cisco almost started kissing, really weird, with their lips like one inch away from each other. I looked at Cisco like what are you doing?? he told me that he and Luca were like brothers...I know that Italian people are close with families and stuff, but this was strange:S Then he and Luca started talking in Italian, the only thing I could say on that was: Italian is a beautiful language... On which he answered 'Do you speak Italian?' No I just know a few words..like Come estai (or something like that), ciao, ciao bello, ciao bella... Then hen said Pizza and something I really didn't understand.. I asked him what he told me, but he said he really couldn't say that to me..Well then you really make me curious! Please tell me? Come on tell me? Cisco said it again in German, but that isn't my best languange either... Finally Cisco told me that Luca said that he has well...a big penis:S That wasn't the kind of information I wanted to know, and I didn't believe it to. So I asked Luca to write it on a paper, he couldn't do that. So he wrote it on my arm: Sei una bella ragazza... I checked it at home, it means you're a beautiful girl, I am very flattered, but I don't believe it is the thing he told me before... Ha but I was soooo happy after and during the concert!!Everything had been perfect. A perfect end to a perfect concert:) Like a fairy tail, we lived happy ever after:)!

Interview with My Future Lies!

2008-08-18T03:01:00.000-07:00

They are the most awesome band of Australia. With their breath taking songs and fast growing fanbase they are ready to conquer the world. This isn't just another rockband, this is a band with personality. They really care about their fans and they offer help where needed. With a charity drive for the Parkinson disease and with their open hearts they seem to be the Spidermans and Supermans of rock! Recently they changed their name from 'Acid Eyeliner' to 'My Future Lies',but they are still the same band and they still rock! That is why you should listen to their songs, tell your friends about them and read the interview! You can listen to their songs on their myspace : http://www.myspace.com/myfuturelies

Interview with Lukey Lukess (My Future Lies)
Interviewed by Pearl Vink
Image by Sheerimage

Since January 2006 you have already made a wonderful debut album called Future lies , released a live DVD, performed twice at MTV and drove an adventures charity drive. How has the ride been so far?

We've had an amazing journey. I can't say it has been easy and the financial burden of being full time musicians not signed to a label has been a heavy weight on our shoulders. That said, we're so lucky to have a great fan base that grows daily on myspace and facebook and these people have supported us at our shows and by purchasing all our merch online all over the world.

I noticed that your songs do not only sound amazing, they have got awesome lyrics as well. How does the writing process take place?

I usually just write songs when something comes out. I tend not to sit down and try write too many songs. A hook line will come to me when I'm driving or laying in bed and then I quickly grab a guitar and work out a melody. Songs such as Kissing you in the Driveway came to me while I was driving over the harbour bridge of all places.

Is there a song on the album you prefer yourself?

My favourite song would be Future Lies. It has a very special meaning to me and the lyrics really reflect a part of my life I'll never forget or regret.

On a trampoline these kids would kiss and talk all night
too young to know their future dreams would turn into future lies.
When you were a kid, which of your future dreams turned out to be future lies?

Well I guess things I thought were pretty secure as a kid can change so fast. From girlfriends to my own family and personal walk through life, so much changed and continues to change. I try to not plan my future anymore, but go where life takes me.

You are probably already living the dream, but what would you like to achieve more with your band in the future?

I'd love to achieve a lot more. We're really only just scraping the surface here in Australia and we're currently getting a lot of attention from fans in the USA and UK. Due to the lack of major labels and people that can support us here we may end up spending a lot more time in the USA. That said, listen to the lyrics from the song "here forever" to know how passionate I am about the country we live in and how much I love Australia. Sadly it isn't giving us the breaks we need though.

You did a charity drive to raise money for Parkinson's Australia. How did you experience that?

It was amazing. To see our amazing country side from the window of my Austin Healey was an adventure I'll never forget. It was also really good that we could tie this into a charity and share information on a disease that hardly gets a mention in day to day media.

I know it is like the biggest distance you can travel, but will you ever come to the Europe for a tour?

I'll do everything possible to come to Europe. We have so many amazing people there already supporting us. We have a street team of 4200+ people in Europe and it only takes someone to pay our airfares and we'd be there doing shows.

Lowlands

2008-08-18T01:37:00.000-07:00

Certainly the best festival of Europe, Lowlands! This yearly festival in Holland ended yesterday and of course it had been a great party again. I´ve seen bands like the Plain White T´s, HIM, The Wombats, The Hives, The Pigeon Detectives, The Frattelis, We Are Scientists, Editors, Sex Pistols, N*E*R*D and a lot more! Three awesome full of great music.

The Pigeon Detectives

It all started with the Pigeon Detectives. Luckily I was just on time for this concert, cause I love the Pigeon Detectives! It was the sixth time I've seen them, but still every gig of them is different. I have to say that they have grown up since the first times I've seen them and I liked them better before. But who can resist this naughty frontman Matthew Bowman? He really knows how to entertain the audience and makes every gig an awesome party! I think the Pigeons are the second best britpop band on earth... So who might be the best?

The Wombats

That is an easy question, the Wombats! The Wombats play with such an amount of energy, that just incredible! The songs sound cheerful, but do have an deeper meaning. It sounds like the perfect combination. The Bats are absolutely charming!

Sex Pistols

The second day I really looked forward to see the Sex Pistols. Not that I like their music so much, but you have to admit that the Sex Pistols are important history. They are legends! The band where all the punk started! I certainly agree with their statement that Punk isn't dead...But I think the Sex Pistols are. I expected a lot more of this band. Te songs were alright, but the didn't perform the way I thought they would do. I remembered the last gig from Iggy and the Stooges on Lowlands and I hoped it to be that kind of performance. But I am happy that I have seen them, just to be able to say: I've seen the Sex Pistols;)

HIM

I am a big fan of Finnish bands and that's why I really needed to see His Infernal Majesty. I really like the attitude that surounds this band. Ville Valo is the ultimate singer for this band and his mysterious look makes me really enjoy his dark romantic music.

The Hives

Another band with another kind of awesome attitude are the Hives. The singer of this band has such a big attitude, that it is soooo funny! One moment he said: It is sooo hot in here, maybe that is because we are sooo hot! Then he made us blew wind to him with our hands and he said: Well I needed a reason to take of my shirt cause it looks soooo beautiful! Absolutely the most funny singer I've ever seen! The songs were great as well. He dared to compare his band with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones...But I have to say that songs like Two timing touch and broken bones and Hate to say I told you so are absolutely punk rock classics;)

N*E*R*D

They were pronounced as the only real rockstars... I don't really get that, cause it ain't real rock what they are playing. Despite that they do rock! Lowlands was singing along, Pharrel really got the audience ready to party!

Plain White T's

The real rockstars on Lowlands were the Plain White T's!!! I love them sooo much:) They were the best band on Lowlands! Their songs are powerful, energetic, absolutely beautiful and their ballads are just breath taking... You might know the song 'Hey There Delilah', I think that the lyric of this song is just brilliant... One moment he sang it without instruments and that was sooo amazingly beautiful, I can't even describe it... I was blowing bubbles at that concert and at one moment Tom, the singer(third one from the left on the picture) said: There are a lot of girls in the front and that girl over there is blowing bubbles:) So I may sound crazy but that made me so incredeble happy!!!So all excited I tried to blow more bubbles, but I blew to hard and he said: Oooow that one didn't work out that well... After the gig I went to get autographs and the guitarist said: hey you are the girl with the bubbles:) When I came to Tom he said the same and I gave him a heart shaped lollypop. He was really happy with it and held it by his heart like a heartbeating, drew me a heart and made me the happiest girl in the world!:)

Have a little patience....

2008-07-21T01:51:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,
I just wanted to say that the interviews are coming as fast as possible. I am very excited about it, cause the bands are great! Acid Eyeliner has recently gone trough a namechange and they are called 'My Future Lies' now. Like the name, but still love the name Acid Eyeliner as well. But I do get their point, cause Acid can be referred to the drugs and Eyeliner puts the band in a box they don't want to fit in. I think that they are a band that doesn't want to be called emo. You know that I have mixed feelings about that, but there is not much I can do about it... If I ever get my own band, in the far far future... I will call it Acid Eyeliner!!

Surprise!!!

2008-07-11T13:03:00.000-07:00

I have a great surprise for you! I am about to put some amazing interviews on this site. As you know I write for 3voor12/Amsterdam but since they don't want interviews from international artists I decided to interview these really interesting bands for my own website. Simply because I love to do this, I love to know more about a lot of bands, about their lifestyle, music... I love to write and interview!I will start with the singer of Acid Eyeliner, Lukey Lukess. Acid Eyeliner is really an amazing band with awesome songs! But I'll tell more about them when I've got the interview. The second interview will be with the singer Mötor Ed from Uncommonmenfrommars, again one of my favourite bands! Uncommonmenfrommars is an amzing punkrockband, they play it in the way punk rock was meant to be. I'm sorry about not telling anything more about these bands now...You just have to wait for the interviews!

Made in Hell

2008-06-26T10:18:00.000-07:00

Ian Watkins has launched his own clothingline called Made In Hell. He lauches a buch of limited edition teeshirts every month with an awesome design. You should check it out!http://www.myspace.com/wearemadeinhell .I read an interview on punktastic with the famous Ian Watkins and he had the perfect answers to two questions..

Are emos to blame for all of the world's ills? Do you think the mainstream media has got it all wrong and overreacted or are kids nowadays taking things all a little too seriously?

I dont think you can pluralise the word emo. Thats what annoys me the most.

And finally - give us all one reason why we should buy, and not illegally download for free, the forthcoming Lostprophets album...

Nah, if you dont want to buy it for whatever reason then cool. I understand that not everyone has the money to buy albums. I didnt when i was younger, i had to tape them off my friends and then nick the covers from Woolworths. Id much rather people listen to it for free than not at all. But if you steal it and like it, then come to a show and support us, or wear our teeshirts, or find some way of helping us carry on what we are doing. Even if its just telling friends and passing on CD's or mp3s.

you can find the whole interview on http://www.punktastic.com/interviews/222

enjoy

Dear Scenekid...

2008-06-20T12:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Scenekid,

I keep wondering about the things that are said about emos on the internet. I just found a website where an American doctor is warning parents for the fenomanen Emo. The site is just ridiculous, it is using every prejudge about emos against their culture. The culture is far not as dangerous as they try to let you believe. Lets start with the prejudges, what are these prejudges? Well the most considerable prejudges are that emos commit suicide and cut themselves. Others are that all emos are gay or at least bi-sexual. That is also the reason that guys wear girl-jeans and eyeliner. All emos have the same haircut and that is the one with the hair before one eye so that they can't see half of the evil world. Emos all listen to My Chemical Romance, or everyone that listens to My Chemical Romance is emo. Not only My Chemical Romance has got that label, also bands like Panic! at the Disco and 30 seconds to mars can't escape the hype. All emos are depressed and the music makes them even more depressed due to the sad lyrics. First I would like to make something clear about the music. The music of bands like My Chemical Romance is not the cause of the suicide and selfdestruction of emos. It may be the consequence of their depression. Children do not become depressed from ´emo´ music, but I can imagine that they go listen to that music if they are depressed. They may find themselves in the lyrics that moment and we all know that rockmusic just gives you a lot of energy and that is the positive thing that depressed people are looking for. Rockmusic can be just like drugs, if you feel good it makes you feel even better. If you feel down it can make you feel downer. That is maybe the reason that depressed emos blame the music for their depression. Although you also hear a lot of people that say ´emomusic´ helped them trough hard times. It is just the way you interpretade the music and the lyrics. The ´doctor´on the site I told you about wrote some of the ´alarming´ lyrics on his page and he underlined the dangerous sentences. We all know Panic! at the disco and I found that a very cheerful rockband, but he doesn´t think so. Do you think that sentences like ´she is not bleeding on the ballroomfloor just for the attention´are shocking? Sure not if you look at the rest of the lyric. If all these pretending doctors and journalists would pay a little more attention then they would see that you don't have to take this lyrics so seriously. Lyrics of Panic! at the disco are called 'there is a good reason these tables are numbered honey, you just haven't thought of it yet', do you seriously think that these lyrics have a deep, dangerous and mysterious meaning? The lyrics of My Chemical Romance aren't that bad as well, you might think of that when you hear titles like 'I'm not okay', but listen to the song, look at the lyric and especially, watch the video. The video is hilarious, not serious at all. These bands do not want emo kids to cut themselves and do horrible things. Bands just want to stand out and sometimes they do that with shocking lyrics, but just to shock people. If you aren't able to shock people it is very hard to climb to the top as a band. You see it in every genre. In hiphop and rap you see a lot of sexual expressions, but do you see fans of that kind of music making love in the middle of the street? No, so if these emobands would tell kids to commit suicide, which they absolutely don't, the kids won't do that! The kids that do that are kids that are in a very difficult period in their life all in the age of 12/13 and they are so depressed that they need to blame something. In this case bands like My Chemical Romance, which is a shame, cause MCR is an awesome band. These kids could have just as easily indentify with an other kind of music. They need a group and unfortunately the media made emos to the kind of group they think they belong to. The media made emo a negative culture, but I think that if you want to know what emo is, you should look at the roots. So you should look at the bands that pretend to be emo, the bands that emos follow. What kind of example do they give the kids? Skinny jeans, all stars, hair before the eye, express your emotions in lyrics... The ani-emos are the ones that put this aspects in a negative sight. Hair for the eye is to see only half of the evil world, I have that to, but just because I think it looks nice and my favourite bands that by the way make me feel really good are wearing it as well. The skinnyjeans according to the ani-emos is too tight for guys, so all emoguys are gay. Media is taking that very seriously and spreads only that news, cause that is shocking, but they are forgeting that that isn't the truth. The thing I want to make clear is that emos aren't that bad. It is to bad that depressed kids identify themselves with this scene and drag each other more and more into a serious depression. The original emo kids though are kids positively obsessed with rockbands, wearing their t-shirts, supporting them in every step, wearing the same clothes like skinnyjeans and all stars, aren't afraid to show their emotions and that is not bad, cause most are just happy cheerful people, they are smiling all day long!

Please comment...

Gigs gigs and more gigs...

2008-06-19T07:33:00.000-07:00

Finally! My holiday just started and I am soooo happy about that! Just bought my ticket for Lowlands a great Dutch festival! So, a few months to go and then I am going to see the Kooks, Anouk, Franz Ferdinand, The Hives, Amy McDonald, N*E*R*D, the plain white t's, the Pigeon Detectives, the Sex Pistols, We are scientists, The Wombats, HIM, The Ting tings and more of those fantasic bands. There are rumours that Fall Out Boy and Tokio Hotel will come as well:) Well I hope so!

I was thinking about all the concerts I've seen and came to find that I've seen a lot! And I am beginning to forget some of them:O *I think* So I'm going to write all the artists I've seen...

*****
The Lostprophets 4 times
Deep Insight 3 times
Vanilla Sky 1 time

****
The Pigeon Detectives 5 times
30 Seconds To Mars 3 times
The Wombats 3 times
Foo Fighters 1 time
Velvet Revolver 1 time
Look See Proof 1 time
***
Uncommonmenfrommars 1 time
Disco Ensemble 1 time
Kaiser Chiefs 2 times
My Chemical Romance 1 time
The Rasmus 2 times
The Rifles 2 times
Assembly now 1 time
Boy Kill Boy 1 time
Iggy and the Stooges 2 times

**
Arctic Monkeys 2 times
Air Traffic 2 times
Good Charlotte 1 time
Jimmy Eat World 1 time
The Killers 1 time
Muse 2 times
Pink 3 times
Metallica 1 time
Stereophonics 1 time
The View 2 times
We are scientists 1 time
The Kooks 1 time
Razorlight 2 times
Marilyn Manson 1 time
Linkin Park 1 time
Dopamine 1 time
Rooney 1 time
*
Alter Bridge 1 time
Foals 1 time
Panic at the Disco 1 time
The Rakes 2 times
Skip the Rush 1 time
Evanescense 1 time
Beyonce 1 time
Alicia Keys 1 time
Wolfmother 1 time
Dirty Pretty things 1 time
Little man Tate 1 time
Less than Jake 1 time
Anouk 1 time
Bloc Party 1 time
HIM 1 time
Floggin Molly 1 time
Julliete and the Licks 1 time
Amy MacDonald 1 time
The Long Blondes 1 time
We are the physics 1 time
Seether 1 time

-
Editors 2 times
Funeral for a friend 1 time
Pete and the Pirates 1 time
The Scissor Sisters 1 time
The Young Knives 2 time
Whithim temptation 1 time
Lagwagon 1 time
The Maccabees 1 time
The Clocks 1 time
The answer 1 time
CSS 1 time
Moke 2 times
Incubus 1 time
The shins 1 time
Gabriel Rios 1 time
Goose 1 time
Alpha Blondie 1 time
Arcade Fire 1 time
Pennywise 1 time
Yeah Yeah Yeahs 1 time
Ziggy Marley 1 time
The Raconteurs 1 time
Placebo 1 time
Massive Attack 1 time
Belle And Sebastian 1 time
Be your own Pet 1 time
The Girls 1 time
Awaiting Seasons 1 time
Ministry 1 time
five 'o clock heroes 1 time
Ilse de Lange 1 time
Jamai 1 time
Daniel Bedingfield 1 time
The Sugarbabes 1 time
The magic numbers 1 time
The Smashing Pumpkins 1 time
Bad Religion 1 time
Sat2d 1 time
Jack Penate 1 time
Scouting for Girls 1 time
The Twang 1 time
The Klaxons 1 time
Cage the Elephant 1 time
Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong 1 time
One night only 1 time
The Rascals 1 time
The Better offs 1 time
San Fransisco 1 time
Go Back to the Zoo 1 time
About 1 time
Fullduplex 1 time
Make Believe 1 time
The Looks 1 time

I am shocked!!!! 140 bands in almost two years! That is insane!!! When I looked up the bands I realised that I remember almost nothing from some of these bands.And I am sure that I have forgotten a lot as well! The ones that stand under the row - are bands I hardly remember or bands that I absolutely disliked... The ones with ***** are the best artists and concerts I've ever seen, these ones I remember every detail of....So 140 bands, that means 140 hours of livemusic, that means poor ears,that means 560 rockstars, that means almost 6 days music without breaks, that means 1 band every 5 days! That is not totally fair, cause I've seen a lot on festivals...Lowlands 2 times, Pinkpop 2 times, London Calling 3 times... And still waiting for that one band to come again...Deep Insight

Lostprophets are Heaven!!

2008-06-11T11:37:00.000-07:00

I love the Lostprophets....I do I do I do! Especially Ian Watkins, he is really one of the hottest guys alive. But enough of that, lets tell you about last Thursday, the day the Lostprophets came to my town... It was 11 ´o clock in the morning and I was sooo crazy to stand in front of the Melkweg at that time. Appearantly I wasn´t the only crazy one over there cause there had been people that stood there since half past six that morning:S So I went to the Melkweg and at first I was afraid to stand over there cause the faces on the emos there told me something like stupid bimbo get out of here you don't belong here you're just here for the Ian Watkins or the fact that rockmusic is hot in fashion nowadays. After an hour I decided to sit there anyway, instead of walking around doing nothing. I could see that they didn't like me, but after a while I didn't care anymore. I was soooo cheerful and those people looked like they had just seen an environmental disaster. I grabbed my mathematics book, cause I would have a very important test the next day. It looked kinda sully, bit geeky, but I was determinded to get a good grade. At half past 12 my friend Natasha came and that was kind of a relief since I didn't have to be alone with the grumpies anymore. At half past two the bus arrove, I ws soooo thrilled. Stuart, Ilan, Lee, Jamie and Mike came out first, but I didn't pay any attention to them. Although I couldn't keep my eyes of Stu's bare but, it seems to be the latest fashion according to the Lostprophets, to wear the pants half way the but and wear no underpants. After 10 minutes or something Ian arrove, he got out of the bus and my heart missed a beat or two... His hair had grown, he wasn't as tall as I thought he would be and he was a little bit skinnier than I thought. I think that he lost some weight. It may be strange but I liked him more with a little bit more fat and I hoped he would be taller. Actually all with all I was a bit disappoited, I aslo saw some grey hairs! So I checked his age when I was at home, he is almost 31! Still he looked very good!I got an autograph and a picture with Ian Watkins can you believe that!?! Then he got inside with his huge Louis Vuiton bag and styish outfit: White skinnyjeans, shoes, that used to be white (I think), a light coloured shirt with some neklaces over it. So there I sat still waiting for the concert four hours to go... Then we heard that the rest of the Lostprophets went to a terras on the Leidseplein and so we went their for some autographs and pictures. They were really nice, adorable! Unfortunately Ian wasn't there cause he was a bit ill:( Poor Ian... When the doors finally opened we went inside with high speed! I got second row, which was perfect, cause I am like a head taller then all the girls in the front. First the band Seether came, which I also had a picture with some hours ago... The band was quite good, but I really coudn't wait till the Lostprophets! They played a Nirvana song which I found very cool! But enough about Seether! The moment was finally there...Lostprophets!!! When Jamie came on stage I realised that I didn't recognised him before cause his hair grow long and turned blond...I mean blonder than blond! When Ian arrove I screemed my heart out! Although I have seen them already four times, this time felt like it was the first time...The started with the song We still kill the old way, which was a perfect song to start with. Powerfull, perfect...The second song ride was one of my favourite songs, an oldie just like the first one. Ian talked a lot, something I really like, it makes the show special and Ian is sooo funny! I think he has talked about his new haircut for like five minutes... And now the moment were all girls will be soooo jealous at me.... Ian took his shirt off!!! His shirt, out, topless! All my dissapointments dissapeared! Ian is Heaven! More than heaven! I was hard to face the fact that I couldn't touch him, till the moment at the end of the show. They started with the great song Burn Burn the song were I cried the last time, tears of happieness! This time he took his neklace off and I knew that he was going to jump! And of course right in my arms, I didn't let him go! NO! I grabbed and hold, his back on my cheek, his belly in my arms, what a great combination! I touched him everywere! Than he stood right in front of me, thirty red nails rubbing his stomach, a very funny sight... It had been an amazing show, soooo awesome! The audience had been very enthousiast and the Lostprophets to. It had been one of the best concerts ever! Especially when I caught a drumstick with Ilan's name on it <3 I aslo caught Ian's water bottle and a pick! What a lucky bastard;) I can't wait for their new album, they played some of the new songs and those were amazing just like all of their songs! I really hope to see the Lostprophets soon again, not only Ian, they are all amazing! The best superstars in world without a doubt!

Pinkpop!

2008-06-10T05:39:00.000-07:00

Pinkpop, one of Hollands biggest festival....It is already a while ago, 30 and 31 Mai, but those were some days I won´t forget soon. Pinkpop is actually three days, but since the weekendtickets were sold out in just half an hour I got two daytickets. So who have I seen, let me think....Metallica, the Foo Fighters, Incubus, Air traffic, Kaiser Chiefs, Sterephonics, Alter Brigde, Bad religion and a lot more that apperantly didn´t make a huge impression on me. The Foo Fighters were definately the best. This old rockers sure know how to play. The performance may be little bit less, but this band doesn´t really need a great performance. The structure of their songs are amazing, you can feel the energy they give to their music. Metallica was also a strong band...I can´t say it is really my type of music, but they do leave a impression on everyone. The show took 2 and a half hours! and was completely with fireworks and all...Kind of spectaculair!Not as spectaculair, but just as fun were the Kaiser Chiefs! Ooo I love them, or actually their music...It makes me smile and that can be also very important in music. I really regret that the Wombats played on the day that I wasn´t there. Their music makes me smile even more and they have the cutest basplayer ever....but whatever, lets stick to the Kaiser Chiefs. They connected with the audience and had a great performance. The singer jumped from left to right, went into the audience and turned the not crowdsurfing board up side down (it was actually kind of funny, but you should have seen it). Incubus kind of upset me, cause I expected a lot from them. I almost fell asleep, cause they were soooo boring! There was no power at all in the music so they were like the opposit of the Foo Fighters. Bands like Stereophonics and Alter Brigde were okay, I don't have to see them again, but it was nice to see them. I can't wait till the next festival, probably Lowlands. Maybe the festival in Lierop with Vanilla Sky ( my lovely Italians ). Lowlands has a great line up this year, with the Pigeon Detectives, the Wombats, The Sex Pistols, We are Scientists and N*E*R*D. I hope that I can buy a ticket before it is sold out! I have aslo been to the Lostprophets las week I will write a huge review about that later, cause that had been sooooooo AWESOME! Ian Ian Ian I love him, my cheek his sweaty back, perfect combination;)Can't wait to tell you about that! But you'll just have to wait...Thursday I will go to the Pigeon Detectives, which will also be very nice...

Bullets and bodybags!

2008-05-27T06:41:00.000-07:00

Hello... I am soo sorry, it had been a long time since I wrote. But I have to admit that I have been veryyyy busy! Next week I have a lot of tests, but after that I promise you I will write more! So, three days till Pinkpop! A Dutch festival, with a lot of good bands! Metallica, Foo Fighters, Kaiser Chiefs, Stereophonics, Air Traffic are a few of the bands I will see:) But to be honest...I am even more excited about the concert of the Lostprophets next week! I am going to see Ian Watkins again WHOOOOOHOOO!!! So after my tests...I go directly to the Melkweg, to wait wait there for 9 hours till the doors open...How crazy am I??? I also wanted to tell you that Deep Insight has a new single!! It is called Bullets and bodybags and as usuall it sounds amazing.You can find it on their myspace, my supportsite or their site: www.deepinsight.net And....I have got a job! I am a writer for 3voor12/amsterdam. So that means that I can write reviews and interviews! I found it a little bit disappointing that they prefer local bands and don't do interviews with international bands. But whatever, it is a good start!

Vanilla Sky...

2008-05-15T08:19:00.000-07:00

You probably know the song ´Umbrella´.... Vanilla Sky is the super fantastic band that gave a new rocking dimension to this song! It is rocking like never before en the video is sooooo funny! They are making fun of little popprincess Rihanna, but I am sure that even she could laugh about it!I mean, face it, everybody would like to see the guys from Vanilla Sky in miniskirts and high heels?! Dancing trough tins of water, so that you can see their thongs! Okay...I can imagine that you might get strange ideas of this band, if you have never heard of them before... But as you might know, I kinda like crazy bands;) So reasons enouph for me to go to the concert! Finally it was Saturdaynight, the day that I had been waiting for the whole week! I had been confident that it wouldn't be very busy, but that had been a wrong suggestion... There I stood in the huge row in front of the Melkweg, next to the tourbus. Words were written into the dust of the tourbus. Things like:Bella Brian... I coundn't agree more...When I looked next to me I saw...You wouldn't believe this... Vincenzo, or Vinx how he is liked to be called. My friend also arrived that moment and she immidiately went to him with the question: Can she have a picture with you? So I went on a picture with Vinx next to all the fans. I found it very stange that I was the only one paying attention to him. My English also lowered to a level of 0, so I couldn't even chat with him a little! I could only say 'thank you', wait, did I even say that??? Shortly after that, the doors opened. We took a look at the merchandise and there I made a huge blooper! I listened to the supportband on myspace and I did not like that a lot...So at the merchandise I screamed to my friend pointing to a teeshirt of them: That band really really sucks!! The 'Better Offs 'are really awfull!!! That moment the guy in front me said: This band is really good actually...I am the manager! Ooops...I quicky went into the hall. At eight thirty the band the Better Offs started and I have to say that with my eyes closed it wasn't even that bad! It actually sounded kinda good! The songs contained a lot of energy and the singer had a really good punk rock sound. But the moment I opened my eyes I could see again that it was a beginning Dutch band. If I had been their manager I would at least give them some skinny jeans! they would take an example of the good looking Italian guys of Vanilla Sky. Vanilla Sky looked great, amazing! They played all my favourite songs like: On and On, break it out, letargo, get away and the beautiful Devastante. Also a few oldies like Umbrella, beat it, a thousand miles and during the time that the drums failed, Vinx imprivised a part of Oasis' Wonderwall. During 'a housand miles', Brian was convinced that we could sing a lot better than he does, so he invited 2 girls on stage to sing a song of Blink 182. The girls sucked...But I guess I would have done it even worse. Despite that their only Dutch words had been: Neuken in de keuken...(which means fucking in the kitchen) It had been one of the best concerts I have ever been to! The music had been great!They looked awesome and they had been very good connected to the audience, they made eyecontact and communicate a lot! And of course the constant laugh of Brian.... Heavenly;) Proud with a caught pick and a drumstick I waited for the artists to come. After a while I saw Brian! He had been very nice. I got a photo and a autograph from him. And groupie likely as I am, I wanted to get more attention;)So I bought him a beer, he had been very surprised and thought in first instance that he could only have a sip. At that moment my friends started shouting that I should kiss him...Yeah, right, like I dare to do that! So a friend of mine went to him and asked if he wanted to give me a kiss! And he did, for like 20 seconds!But after that I saw Vinx standing, so I quicky gave him a kiss on the cheek and went of to Vinx;)I asked Vinx an autograph and he wrote beneath it: Most beautiful eyes I've met in all Holland!!! Maybe you can imagine that I felt very very very happy that moment! After that he didn't mind going on a picture with me again. Due to his enormous sidebeards I didn't dare to kiss him on the cheek... I could talk about this concert forever on and on.... But I think you get the picture;) Vinx, Brian, Francesco and Luca are real rockstars and I just can't get enouph of them!

Geeky freaky London Calling...

2008-05-01T05:38:00.000-07:00

Alright I am not going to say a lot about the London Calling gig I've been last saturday. I used to LOVE London Calling! But this time I was actually very disappointed...I looked like everything had changed, the music the style, the clothes..Is everybody fed up with the nice cheerful britpop nowadays? I undersatnd that there has been an overdosis of new britpop bands, but that is something to be proud of! I love britpop as it uses to be. The britpop from the Wombats, the Pigeon detectives, the Rifles, Look See Proof, The View.....whatever, even the Arctic Monkeys! But I don't like things such as the Klaxons, Cage the elephant, broken records and other stuff that appeared this time on London Calling! Especially the Rascals were horrible...I almost fel asleep while watching them! This new sound is a mix of some kind of rock with electro and dance. It has no remarkable conrous and it contains strange instruments. You won't believe me but I have seen a chello and a violin on stage!!! Not that I didn't have any fun, cause it was fun, but I was also sooo tired cause I just returned from my snowboardholiday that same day...And when the music is terrible I also love to watch the artist..At least when they look good. In seems to be 'hot'to look as a nerd...I am sorry but trust me that is not 'hot'or 'attactive'at all. They all looked like geeks, some made like geeks, some real old fashioned geeks, that should have never been in a band if it wasn't 'hot'nowadays.But well...trends come and go..You will see, just like the skinny jeans that 'should'dissapear according to the fashion desingers...We will strike back...And we will come back harder and faster than ever before!!!

The weirdest dream....

2008-04-15T05:35:00.000-07:00

I had the weirdest dream a few days ago.... And I know that this site is beginning to look like an Ian Watkins fansite...But it isn't:P Although he is in my head a lot!Cause I already start to dream about him...That isn't healthy, isn't it? But it was a very weird, funny dream, so don't stop reading! I'll tell you my interesting adventures with Ian;)

One day I won a meet and greet with Ian Watkins (Lostprophets), it was on the same day as the concert they would be given that night. It was not on the same spot, somewhere in a place on the other side of town. I went there with my friend Lisa and it was nice. Not extremely special, but nice. Ian seemed to be a very normal person, which I didn't expect...Cause in my mind he is some kind of God or something....After the meet and greet we went to the concerthall. This hall was huge!! And it was decorated on a strange way...My mother and I went immidiately to the front, surprised that we were the first. Lisa sat down on a fat boy (a very big pillow) and decided to watch the concert from there. At that moment all kind of small children came into the hall and none of them came to the front. They sat down at chairs in the back...Finally the Lostprophets came up!!!(and we were still the only ones in the front) After a few song they stopped, cause there had been no more electricity. My mother and I were the only ones who cared about that...After the show I went to Ian Watkins and told him that I forgot my shoes at the meet and greet, cause I was wearing heals over there and that wouldn't be smart to wear at the concert...Ian decided to give my friend and I a ride to pick up the shoes. We walked to the car and suddenly I realised that I was walking hand in hand with Ian Watkins!!! Although it felt like I was walking with my dad or something:P While walking I asked Ian: Why didn't you crowdsurf? And he told me:That is part of the rehad I am taking to get off the alcohol... So I said: But i thought you were straight edge???! I am straight edge because you are... And then he almost cried! He was sooo dissapointed in himself! After that we went into his car and I wanted to sit in the front next to him, but someway I did not fit in that chair, cause it was made on Ivy's (his supermodel ex)size. So I sat on the backsead next to Lisa. There had been a huge trafficrow...So it took hours to reach the place and then....

I woke up...

I have no idea if this dream has a meaning or something, if you know the meaning please tell me...Well maybe I am just retarded...

Lostprophets

2008-04-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

My favourite song from the Lostprophets!Everyday combat! DMZ, it means de-militaired-zone, in case you didn't know that! So....the lyric of the month, here it is:

Bar Fight, week night
You don't look right, poor mite, no bite
Wake up, first light
This is what we live and what we see...
Dance club, strip light
Get drunk, no sight, watch it ignite
Live it up tonight
Nobody really cares, but it's not for me...

So raise your glass my son
We're telling everyone

Living in everyday combat
Day to day commuter riot
Shot down, Dancing in the DMZ
(And we)
Walk on, streets on fire
Caged in with razor wire
Shot down, living in the DMZ
Living in the DMZ

Times up, let's go, all that we know
Release tension, you're my hero
After dark, terror in the town high street
And I know you can't stop full throttle
Get involved mate, broken bottle
(Invasion) Panic on the cold concrete

So raise your glass my son
We're telling everyone...

Living in everyday combat
Day to day, commuter riot
Shot down, shot down, dancing in the DMZ
(And we)
Walk on, streets on fire
Caged in with razor wire
Shot down, living in the DMZ
Living in the DMZ
Living in the DMZ
Living in the DMZ

Those are a few of my favourite things....

2008-04-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

Just a list of my favourite things;)

Best band ever: Lostprophets & Deep Insight

Best song ever: Hurricane season, Everyday combat and The mission

Most cheerful song ever: Lets dance to joy division

Nicest guitarsolo ever: The one in November rain

Best guitarist: Slash

Best singer: Jared Leto

Best performer: Ian Watkins

Best old band: Nirvana

Nicest concert: Deep Insight

Best concert: Lostprophets

Kindest band: Deep Insight

Hottest band: Lostprophets

Best video: Famous last words (by My Chemical Romance)

Best style: Ian Watkins (definately;))

Best Cd: A liberation transmision

Just another list just for my favourite bands:

Lostprophets:
Best song: Everyday Combat
Best concert: 27 april 2007 at the Melkweg Amsterdam
Nicest bandmate: Ian Watkins <3
Best video: can't catch tomorrow
Best Cd: A liberation transmision
Strongest in: Performance
Rate: Absolutely 10+/A

Deep Insight:
Best song: Hurricane Season
Best concert: 18 april 2006 at Meanders Amsterdam
Nicest bandmate: Johannes Ylinen
Best video: New Day
Best Cd: One minute too late
Strongest in: beautiful lyrics
Rate: Absolutely 10+/A

Velvet revolver the last fight.....ever:(

2008-04-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

I am totally shocked!!!! When I googled to get some information for this review about Velvet revolver in Amsterdam, I came to find that they are breaking up!!! I've just seen their last concert ever:( It is really a shame, cause I hoped to see this great band more often, but obviously that is not going to happen:( Scott Weiland, singer of the band announced at the gig in Glasgow that they were watching a very special show....A show of the last tour of Velvet Revolver. The band had been shocked that moment, but things weren't going very well between the guys. This had been also very obvious on stage. They were a great awesome spectaculair band, one like I've never seen before....but something was missing, and now I know what! They weren't enjoying it!! They didn't smile or looked happy and now I understand why! You should read what these guys have been saying about their bandmates, it's right here in this article: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1583956/20080324/velvet_revolver.jhtml?rsspartner=rssColdFusion Plus, Scott and (I guess some of (or all) of the other bandmates) have serious drugs problems! Scott has just been out of rehad just before this tour! So I guess I should be happy that they didn't cancelled this tour... I think that the biggest problem in their band is....They all have a huge huge HUGE ego!!! And that just doesn't work...If you see them perform, you get the point... Slash is an amazing guitarist, really the best guitarist of the world!!! But the problem is that he knows that makes him stand more in the middle than the Scott does...And that makes him play at least one or two guitarsolos in one song....And that makes him always want to end the song!!....And (I have to say I was in for that) that makes him play a (at least) five minute guitarsolo, which was awesome (btw).....He totally blew the other bandmates away and that is very ego! The question though is....Is it okay what Slash is doing? I mean he is the best guitar player there is, so is he allowed to be have a huge ego?! Tell me what you think! But of course it is not only Slash' fault...Because they are all bandmates from huge former bands:Guns n' Roses, Stone Temple Pilots, they are frustrated that they are not as succesfull as they used to be...I mean they didn't even sold out the show in Amsterdam...Their last ever show! And it is not even a very big hall!!! A lot of people might think that these guys are old farts now, but that is totally not true! They play real rock and roll, I even think that they are better than Guns n' Roses, they are more underground:)They played almost all their best songs, exept for Spectacles:( They even played some of the Guns n' Roses songs like 'Have al little patience'. Slash played on a lot of different guitars, one of them of course the Gibson Les Paul! The start had been weird..After waiting an hour after a strange band called Sons of Aboil (or something like that) they finally arrove on a hip hop song:P Well they set it straight after that point...They are a selection of the best bandplayers of the world, so sure they make technical awesome music!The sound in the beginning wasn't very good, but that wasn't their fault. The crowd had been very boring and old...(I'm sorry..) The band seems not to attract the youth a lot...But I think that has not to do with their music, their music is ageless, original and energetic...I think it has to do with their attitude, Velvet Revolver is the kind of band, you expect trouble of! They have huge ego's, do not smile a lot, and seem to have not a lot of interest in what they are doing...The youth seems to chose performances above music these days and I think bands just have to go with that! We like to see hot young Ian Watkinskindofmen with nice clothes, movements, smiles and especially pleasure on stage. But I am really going to miss Velvet revolver and I will play their record again and again and again and again and..... Well...It did surprised me that yesterday they didn't say anything about that this would be their last show, should we still have a little hope? I hope so...

This is a part of the awesome solo Slash played, I've never heard such a great guitarsolo in my life before....

The Wombats in Amsterdam!!!

2008-03-27T10:55:00.000-07:00

I LOVE the Wombats!!! What an amazing band! Two days ago I saw them in concert. I went early cause I wanted to be in the front. So right after school I went to the 'Melkweg', it was 4 o'clock but their were only six people in front of the door..So I thaught I might get to eat something first. I ate a pizza and at six o' clock we went back to the concerthall. We walked and suddenly I saw a guy with funny hair and red sun glasses (it was snowing..). Then I realised it was Murph!!!The singer!!! So I directly looked for the rest of the band, and yes, they were walking after him:) I was shocked, sooo long have I waited for this concert and sooo long I had been lokking forward to it. This moment.... I whispered to my friend: They are the band! That is TORD!!! And she directly went like: Is that TORD?! On a very loud tone... So, I know it's bad, but we went stalking them...My friend wasn't that much experienced as I am, so she walked like three meters behind them, taking pictures with het mobile, and I was 20 meters behind them on the other side of the road...They went to a place were they got a photoshoot with a chessboard, in the snow;) After that they went back to the concerthall, were they got in and we had to wait before it in the snow:( After waiting one and a half hour, we finally got in...but still had to wait for an hour inside, although there the temperature had been more likely....The first band started, a Dutch band called the Hype. The Hype had been okay. The singer was a great performer (for Dutch terms). They have really catchy nice songs that perfectly fit the audience. The guy that played the keyboard was really really weird, he looked and acted like he was totally wasted. Sometimes that just makes an artist funny, but this time it was just horrible to see, cause you see that it is just a beginning band. Beginning bands first need to prove themselves, before going nuts! Exept for the keyboarder and the bassist, was the band fine. They played a cover of the Beatles, which the audience dearly appriciated. The played for half an hour and at half past nine the Wombats came finally!!! Although I had seen them just a few hours ago, it felt like I haven't seen them in decades!!! I screemed my hart out! They started with 'Lost in the post', a very good cheerful song! A great starter:) During the show they played all of their best songs, like 'School uniforms', ' Moving to New York,' Backfire at the disco', ' My first wedding','Little miss pipedream', 'Here comes the anxiety,'Patricia the stripper', 'Kill the director', 'Party in a forest' and of course 'Lets dance to joy division'!!!! Tord also performed his Postman Pat in Norwegian, wich was very cute!!The Wombats are just sooo original! You might think that this is the next of a thousand crappy Britpop bands, but that is totally not true! The funny thing about the Wombats is that the lyrics are actually a little depressing , but due to the melody and the o o o's from Tord it sounds sooo cheerful!!! That is also what they are trying to tell with the song 'Lets dance to joy division', they are trying to say, that although joy division is a depressing band, you should make a joke out of it and dance on it! Which I think is a wonderful thought, look at the bright side of life, whatever happens, keep smiling;) Not all their songs are as brilliant as 'Lets dance to joy division', but the important thing is, that they grew a lot compared to a few years ago! The Wombats make a joke out of everything, but I believe that especially the singer has also a darker side, wich brings a great performance and great lyrics;) And that is probably why this concert had been sold out really early!!! I don't know if they were totally wasted, stoned or just themselves, one thing is for certain, they totally rocked the stage. Everthing was perfect! At the end Tord and Dan jumped into the stage. I caught Tord and he almost fell, but I managed to get him up;) After that Murph kicked the keyboard into the audience, people were really fighting for it! I did not, cause I already had a lot trouble keeping Tords waterbottle for myself;) The big rockout ended with some crazy jelling from Murph and Dan. And then I knew.... This had been one of my best concerts ever! (After Deep Insight and the Lostprophets). Althought it is not the heaviest rock ever, the Wombats rock harder then enyone else;)!! After the show my friend wanted to leave right away...But I had other plans... If you bought a single or a cd you woud get a afterparty bracelet, which alowes you to have a meet and greet!!! And even though my friend didn't want to go, I got two bracelets for the price of one;) I begged her to come with me and finally she agreed to go for ten minutes...The problem was, the band came after an half an hour:O She was not happy with me at all.... I know..I should think a little more about my friends at a concert and a little less about the band...But NO I am not willing to change myself:P I got a photo and authographes, but not from Tord, cause he wasn't there:( And I got a really special authograph, cause Murph wrote under it 'But to the lizard of my own hell!!!' What the hell does that mean???!!! Please if you know, tell me what it means!!! And I was the only one with that:) In the army a Wombat means a waste of money brains and time, but that is definitely not what they are!! They had been worth all my money, brains and time!!! They are my favourite marsupials ever, and if that means I have to be the lizard of his own hell....Well I'll go for it;)

Marsupial love

XO

Alicia Keys in concert

2008-03-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

It is already three days ago since I have seen this beautiful soul princess in concert. After travelling 1,5 hours, we arrived just on time at Ahoy. At first we had to watch a terribly long movie, about how she had been told in church that she was going to be famous. It did not interest me....but well maybe that is because I am not a very big Alicia Keys fan. Finally she arrove, together with her piano, which she plays very good.... It was a huge stage, with dansers and all, but still Alicia managed to get all of the attention. She is a diva, a superstar, a fenomanen...And that kind of annoyed me, especially when the screen behind her started showing magazine covers and pictures of the ooo so famous diva:P But I won't get all negative now, because there is a reason why this huge hall Ahoy had been sold out and why she is able to be such a diva.... Her voice is sooooo beautiful!!! She sings with all of her hart and with lots of passion. She isn't such a dancer as Beyonce or a stage animal as Ian Watkins...but still she manages to get all the attention! It was a big shame that the acoustic of Ahoy had been really really bad. But well....that wasn't her fault, but it made her performance less good. It wasn't one of the best concerts I have ever been to, but she gave everything of herself during two whole hours she rocked the stage and one thing is for certain

Alicia Keys keeps the soul alive!!!!

Slashhhh.....

2008-03-24T08:32:00.000-07:00

The best guitarist of the world if you'd ask me.... The sound, the technic, the guitar..He is brilliant!!Next week I will see him in concert together with Velvet Revolver. I think that this is one of his best guitarsolos, the one in the end. You should check it out yourself....

Here it is: NOVEMBER RAIN from Guns and Roses

A guide to love loss and desperation...

2008-03-18T09:48:00.001-07:00

A guide to love loss and desperation is the name of the latest album of the Wombats. You might not have this awesome cd, so then let me give you a guide to love loss and desperation....

Love....

There is so much of this nice thing in the world, still it's the hardest thing to find...Everybody is looking for it, cause no one seems to get enouph of it.... You have three kinds of love: family love, friendly love and LOVE love;) The first is also the most important and the one that feels most normal. The second is also the second most important, the contradiction between this one and option three is that you can have a lot of it, but it is less intense than the LOVE love. LOVE love is the most betrayal, most fun, most intense and most difficult to find. This one can make you, but can also break you....

Loss....

When you finally found your LOVE love...You might lose it again.That is the danger of the LOVE love....It might hurt you a lot. But remember, after a while you'll find a new one!

Desperation....

Everybody loses a LOVE love at least once in their life. And you have to realise that that is completely normal and that you will find another one. Just don't become desperate!! If he/she doesn't mail you back, you can wait one day, after that the chances that he/she will wirte back are 50%, after day two it is 30%, after day three it is 10% and after a week it is less then one percent.... Unless he/she lives in a village with no computers:P This example gives no need to get desperate, just stop writing! Don't go offend the guy/girl! And just try to forget about it:) YOU can do it!

Bad Charlotte...

2008-03-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

It's one of the most popular punk rock bands of the new generation.... Good Charlotte. Songs like 'The anthem', 'riot girl' and ' lifestyles of the rich and famous' are absolutely awesome!!! If they continued making songs like that...well, they would probably been my favourite band ever!!! With their powerful performances, catchy gitarrifs and rough attitude, they have had everything a young teenage girl would have ever wished for! Their cd ' the young and the hopeless' is honestly one of the best of my collection. But....what a shame, what a shame...After that it all went worse:( 'The cronicles of live and death' had been okay, not bad... I actually love the song ' I just wanna live'. The video of 'predictable' is really beautiful and I love their contradictions between good and bad. It is just to bad that they don't realise that they get worse and worse. Their last album had been a disaster. 'Good morning revival' is not the worst cd of my collection, but it is such a difference between that album and 'the young and the hopeless'! Shouldn't it be the 'old and the hopeless'??Are they too old now to make perfect punk rock music? Sometimes I feel like they should listen to their own song 'lifestyles of the rich and the famous' again...Are they singing a this song for themselves? It is not only their music that have made a terrible change, it's actually their whole attitude....Especially their attitude is annoying me! I hope that I am not offending any Good Charlotte fans here... But you have to be honest, Good Charlotte is not the same anymore...They have become the red carpet superstars with big limousines and famous girlfriends with P.Diddy friends with the attitude that comes with that... Bad bad Charlotte, what have become of you???

Good times, good times....

Holiday music!

2008-03-07T06:18:00.000-08:00

Wooow, I am really sorry that it took such a long time that I wrote something:( It's really a shame...So apologize to all of you! It's just that I've had a lot of crazy weeks lately and a lot of things happend...But I'm not here to talk to you about that, I'm here to tell you about rockmusic:) Last week I went snowboarding in France:) A place called La plagne, you should really go there! It is the most awesome place on the planet (yes even better than Finland;))! I've just had the best week of my life over there!!! If you go, you should go to club med...This is the best hotel in the world, believe me!!! Anyway, at night you could go to the night club at club med...And that was really really awesome! Exept for one thing...The music...The dj played the worst music in the world, things like "video killed the radio star", you get the point?! Actually, I have to be honest, I did like the music, but that was because it was so terrible, that it became funny! The question is...What would you think is the best music to play on a holiday? And I do not only meen, what the dj should play? but also what would you listen on your ipod? There is a totally different ambiance when your in a different country, and I tend to listen to a different kind of music over there...It is really a shame, but I even listened to Madonna and Alicia Keys over there...But I am curious! Tell me, what kind of music do you prefer on your holiday?

30 seconds to mars in Amsterdam...

2008-02-10T11:58:00.000-08:00

After waiting 5 and a half hour, I decided not to wait for my friend anymore and walk to the concert hall, called Heineken music hall. And I asure you that is a long walk!!! I walked for one hour and almost there I arrove at the side of the Heineken music hall. I was about to cross the street when a big and very expensive car crossed my side I looked in it and the first thing I saw was a man with a black lok and a woman sitting next to him... he looked like Tomo Milicevic (the guitarist) and above that he was driving to the back of the Heineken Music Hall... I was not completely sure that he was it, or actually I was pretty sure, but I was completely in shock... And guess what..He waved at me!!! I was totally dressed into the dresscode, with red clothes and all and I was looking so shocked that he might have recognised me as a 30 seconds to mars fan;) I cannot blame him... But stupid as I am, totally shocked, I completely forgot to wave back...Okay after my surprising meeting I went on to what I didn't expect a immense big row... I planned to be there at 3 'o clock, but after some misunderstandings, it became 6 'o clock when I arrived. My friends immidiately got some fries for me cause I couldn't walk any much farther. I quickly went to the bathroom in the cinema next to it and I suprisely saw another row on that side of the building as well, this row was even bigger! After half an hour the doors opened, people were running, like they were running for a bullet, to the inside! So what did I do? Yes gave my coat to my friend and ran for my life! I went together with one of my friends and the rest went to the garderobe, we were supposed to reserve a nice spot, where we had a great view at Jared leto. We did found a great spot, but the other friends became unable to reach for us...I really think that they could have tried harder, but well we went a litlle bit to the back... The fist support act started, a stupid Dutch band called make believe, the singer had a very strange way of moving and they had some good songs, but as you might know, you don´t have to expect a lot of a Dutch band... I mean lets be honest, I don´t want to disrespect my own country, but we only have shit bands over here. Name one good Dutch band...maybe Anouk, but we will not come any furter and above that...I don´t really like bands with women...Sorry! I just like to hear a mans voice and they are more tougher as well...I am a woman and as a woman I just like to see a man perform;) But I don't think that that is just a womans issue, Ian(Lostprophets) also once said it!But I am getting off the subject...O I remember, the supportbands! The next supportband was well....very embarassing, I don't know the name...And I am not willing to look it up for you now as well. It was something German, a kind of electric sort of thing, bit strange but kinda funny! Mostly funny because they were totally tripping!!! At least the singer was, or he must have been a brilliant performer... It wasn't really my kind of music, but I could appreciate it, mostly because of the show they gave. When they finished, I of course screemed my heart out, to prepare my longs for 30 seconds to mars;) But a lot of people were jelling this band out! I never have seen this happen, and I felt very sorry for the band... The waiting became deadly, it became hot and I needed to drink something, but I was unable to leave the audience, cause I would lose my spot... Then my friend fainted, I didn't see it happening, but certain was that she needed to go out of this pushing and sweating mass. Luckily she didn't mind me staying in the front and two of my other friends went to the tribune with her. My other friend who was still with me was having her doubts as well to be standing in the front of a rockconcert, it had been her first rockconcert and she is quite claustrofobic. Finally the concert started! They have had the most impessive start I've ever seen! I don't really know how to explain it, there was like a white curtain before the stage and when they came up you could see all there shadows. They came up with that song, I don't know what it is called, but boxers also use it a lot. After 4 minutes of shadows, a green light appeared and you couldn't even see the cutain fall, but suddenly the band was in front of you! Wow that was a nice special effect! I thought that the started with one of their untitled tracks "Battle of One", but I am not sure... It was just a great opening! But then....my other and last friend that was still with me freaked out, she jelled Pearl please help me, please go with me to the back, I can't go out of here alone, I won't manage! And well, I was like please, please let me stand here, I waited too long for this concert, you can't do this to me! yes, I know, I should have gone with her, it was very mean of me to stay, you can't do that to a friend, she was sooo scared! I still doubted and a few seconds later I couldn't see her anymore I looked everywhere, but she was gone...I send her a sms to say that I was really sorry, but she already found the rest and said that it was no big deal. Jared looked even better than normal! His beard was finally shaved, his hair was nice cut and he had a nice leather jacket on, which he kept on the whole show! He must have had something to hide, cause it was bloody hot over there. They played all the great songs, songs like the kill, from yesterday, attack, was it a dream?, battle of one and some others...then they just left. I was like: If this is it, I never go to one of their concerts again...But of course they came back, first only Jared leto and he played an acoustic sesion, that was soo incredibly beautiful! he played capricorn, the story and a modern myth acoustic. When he started to sing a modern myth everybody was singing along, but not like they usually do, no really beautiful! It sounded like some kind of choir! Luckily they were still not finished after the acoustic session. The played some other songs and Jared and Tomo started wearing bunny ears, looked pretty cute;) And finally they were playing the mission! One of my favourite songs I had not hear yet. They ended with the fantasy, a great song, from which the lyrics were also on my back...I made a shirt with on the back: Do you live, do you die, do you bleed, for the fantasy. This concert was definately worth the money! And it is a shame that it is over already:( Jared had not been as crazy as he was in Utrecht last year, he didn't crowdsurf often (only once a little bit) and because it had been in the big heineken music hall, it wasn't a really personal concert, but I can't blame them for being soooo famous. It does have to do something with the quality. They have been amazing! An all star band!!!!!!

30 seconds to mars

2008-02-09T05:33:00.000-08:00

5 hours and 20 minutes..... Yes, I am counting the minutes until 30 seconds to mars!!! I really can't wait! Actually I already wanted to be there, to be the first in the row, but I have to wait for my friend... I've made a shirt with their logo and I am wearing clothes that match the dresscode, killing red! I'm actually wondering why I am not listening to their songs right now... Okay, this is better, I am listening attack right now, which I think is one of their best songs! It is powerfull, meaningful and beautiful;) I am sure that you know who 30 seconds to mars is...The are very famous, but if you have been living in a box lately I will tell you who they are... 30 seconds to mars is what you can call an emo band. They make emo rock music with beatiful lyrics and great melodies. the singer is called Jared leto, most people know him from the movies he plays in. he is an actor and plays in movies like American psycho, fight club, Alexander and requiem for a dream... yes, a great actor, but even a better singer!!! 30 seconds to mars have made two albums: 30 seconds to mars and a beautiful lie. I have two, no three, no four favourite songs.... The fantasy, the Mission, Attack and the kill! I really hope that they will be playing this songs tonight;) Another 4 hours and 54 minutes to go and my friend is still not here... But this is a perfect way to kill the time... 30 seconds to mars is a band from Los Angeles in California. It is created by Jared leto ( the guy I already told you about) and by his brother Shannon Leto, he plays drums in the band. Tomo Milicevic plays the guitar and Tim plays bass guitar. These 4 guys create the beautiful and mystical sound of 30 seconds to mars.... just like a lot of other bands, 30 seconds to mars has also got a motto.. But because they have to be "different"their motto is in latin..."provehito in altum" it means something like launch forth into the deep... I will be honest...I don't understand it at all! They also have strange symbols which they never explane...I think that they just want to become a modern myth...That is also the name of one of the songs on a beautiful lie. but they deserve to be a modern myth...And not only that, the are the end of the beginning, the fantasy and the name of this story...

Another 4 hours, 29 minutes and 30 seconds to go....

Finland...heaven on earth!

2008-02-03T03:33:00.000-08:00

Finland....The most beautiful country ever!Have you ever been there? it's the country of silence, nature, water and of course....ROCKMUSIC!!! Awesome bands as Deep Insight, the rasmus, Him, Disco Ensemble and Uniklubi are from Finland! If you walk down the streets of Finland, you should not be suprised to see an awesome open air punk concert in the middle of a quite neighbourhood. Things like that just wouldn't happen in lets say The Netherlands. It is the country of style as well, skinny jeans, all stars, haircuts...well you get the picture! And if you (well I can't imagine) are a little tired of all the punk music, you could always relax in a real Finnish sauna or go into the woods. It is the country with the most waters in it...So you can swim or take a trip on a fast boat. You might think that it is very cold over there...But you are wrong, well not totally wrong, cause it might be 30 degrees under zero, but that is in winter. In summer it seems to have a very nice climate, not to warm, not to cold. If you go to Finland you should check out the store of Johannes Ylinen, the guitarist of Deep Insight, it is called Johnny Black sticks, they have really nice clothes! Check out Finnish heaven;)

End of the month winners!!!

2008-01-30T08:41:00.000-08:00

Not one! Not one concert have I seen this month...it's a shame:( It had been a horrible time...But there are going to be some differences in this!!!! In 9 days I am going to see 30 seconds to mars!! And I can't wait!!!! After that The Wombats, Velvet Revolver, London Calling and Vanilla sky are coming:) That's great (ecxept for the fact that it is spread all over spring).. But I bleieve that in spring some other bands will announce a brand new tour:) So, that means I have no concert of the month..... But if you have any suggestions, please tell me about it! But I do have a best band for you! What band will it be? Can I have some drums please? No? Well then I will just tell you... It is Uncommonmenfrommars!!! What? Yes a difficult name, but you will get used to it, if you read my blog more often!!! Uncommonmenfrommars is a nice punk rock band from France and they really rock! I could have seen them this month, but I wasn't able to, it was to far away from my hometown, such a shame:( And what will be the best cd of the month? Well that has to be ' A guide to love loss and desperation' the cd of the Wombats! I have listened to this cd a lot this month, that it actually drives me a bit crazy now...But I enjoyed it! It's a great joymaker in this dark wintermonths.... I think that the best lyric of the month is The kill from 30 seconds to mars, I just came to find what the meaning of the song was and it's really beautiful, although I can't find myself in it. I guess you're courious now, aren't you? Haha you'll just have to wait...It may be a great subject for a next blog!

The Wombats...

2008-01-27T02:08:00.000-08:00

Our favourite marsupials... The funniest band in the world? Guess who! The Wombats!!! This band always knows how to cheer you up with their britpop/pop/punk songs like "let's dance to joy division" and "backfire at the disco". This band from Liverpool (with one exeption) has given already two great performances at London Calling in Amsterdam and they totally blew everybody away! The one exeption is Tord Overland Knudsen, this cute bassist is from Norway. Tord might be the shortest of the three, but he is definately the biggest character from the band! I haven't seen a lot of rockartist that smile that much as he does:) It just fits the music, the songs always make me smile. Especially the accapella song "girls, boys and marsupials" It goes like this: "Tales of girls and boys and girls and marsupials" that's actually the only sentence in the song... But they clap and make funny noises during the song and that makes it completly unique and brilliant! Tord also knows how to entertain, he sings the song "postman pat" accapella on stage, but....in Norwaygan:) Murph, the singer of the band is totally crazy! But in a funny way...He might not be the greatest vocalist, but that doesn't care! This band is not the one to listen critically at, it's the band you should laugh about and have fun with! Sometimes I just don't understand why people can't enjoy a concert, when the atrist don't play brilliant. At a concert you just have to go with the flow, most important is the performance and the Wombats will get an A for that!!!

Here is one of their lyrics and the video of "Let's dance to joy divison"

I'm back in liverpool and everything seems the same
but I worked something out last night that changed this little boy's brain
a small piece of advice that took 22 years in the make
and i will break it for you now please learn from my mistakes
please learn from my mistakes

let's dance to joy division and celebrate the irony
everything is going wrong but we're so happy
let's dance to joy division and raise our glass to the ceiling
'cos this could all go so wrong
but we're just so happy yeah, we're so happy

so if you're ever feeling down grab your purse and take a taxi
to the darkest side of town
that's where we'll be and we will wait for you
and lead you through the dancefloor up to the dj booth
you know what to ask for
you know what to ask for

so let the love tear us apart
I found the cure for a broken heart
let it tear us apart let the love tear us apart

So what does this song mean? I think that it is about having fun, despite of the fact that everything is going wrong.

remember the day...

2008-01-25T10:08:00.000-08:00

It was the happiest day of my life...
With the best band in the whole world..
And the most awesome concert I've ever seen!!!

Deep Insight

Nice video from Look See Proof...

2008-01-25T07:07:00.000-08:00

LOOK at this video SEE it! PROOF me wrong...

Yes that is right, It's the awesome rockband Look See Proof with the song Local hero!

A lyric for Deep Insight...

2008-01-22T13:53:00.000-08:00

This is a lyric I wrote for Deep Insight, it is actually very personal, but I am sure that you will understand the meaning of true feelings towards a band. This lyric reveals my deepest feelings for Deep Insight. It is one of the best lyrics I've ever wrote, that is because I am only able to write when I have strong feelings with it and may sound strange and weird, but I do have those for Deep Insight...

Two words for the same Ain't artists, genius untouchable art
The melody is desire, passion
The lyric true love, affection

Loaded by Deep Insight
A touch of perfect isn't hard to find
Waves of sound replaces the silence into my mind

Walking trough the beach as you are
Immortal as the dawn
Unattainable as the horizon
Close as sunshine, far away as the sun

I hope that you enjoyed the lyric, and that you understand the feelings behind it. Do you recognise yourself in it? I haven't thaught of a title yet, any suggestions? Please tell me what you think of the lyric!

A Look at the View...

2008-01-17T05:07:00.000-08:00

I've had the same jeans on for four days now, I'm gonna go to a disco.....

Yeah, that's the View!!! The View is a band from (kind of predictable) Scotland!!! They play, well it's difficult to say...But my Ipod says: Britpop, pop, alternative and punk... I guess that they are just very original. When I first heard the song Same Jeans, I thought that this might be a one week band... The song same jeans is nice, but it sounds like every other Britpop song.. Sometimes this Britpop hype drives me a bit crazy...I like Britpop, but there are soooo many of same Britpop bands!!! So I thought that The View was just another... But I was wrong.... I have seen them in concert like a month ago and I have to say, I still wasn't completely impressed.... Then I got their cd: Hats off to the Buskers And I came to find that they really have their own sound! Same jeans is comparable with the song 'Don't tell me', it's nice, but not brilliant. They do have some brilliant songs on the cd... The song 'Skag Trendy' sounds very experimental and very good!! His voice goes from high to low to high to low...Well I don't know how to explain it..You should just listen to it! The song 'The Don' almost sounds like country...It makes you feel like line dancing..Very strange, but you can not say that they are the same as all the other Britpop bands... The song 'Face for the radio' makes me think of 'Hey there Delilah' from the plain white t's. A very emotional, beautiful rockbalad...I love it! And then 'Typical time' ...Well, typical it is... I makes me want to sing pompompom...Yeah actually I don't know how to explain it:P But my favourite song is 'Wasteland', this song has a weird structure (just like the rest of the cd)... It starts with a kind of ska melody, it turns on in somekind of reggae and then it turns over in punk! You should hear it, it's so completly weird, that it becomes great! I can't say that this is my favourite cd ever, but it is definately the most original one...With their rich amount of styles you would think that the cd becomes a mess, but that is not true! Despite their strange structure, they do have their own sound and you would recognise them out of all the Bripop bands! The punk, reaggae, ska, country and Britpop makes the cd original, very funny and above all just brilliant...

Best guitarist...

2008-01-13T01:37:00.000-08:00

What would be the best guitarist of the year 2007? Well, I am not very original with this one... But I have to say... Slash! This guitarist from Velvet Revolver used to play for Gun´s and Roses! His real name is Saul Hudson, he is 42 years old and he knows how to make the guitar cry....He plays with a characteristic sound on his Les Paul guitar, I love the sound of his guitar!!! Although he is drunk most of the time that he plays, he still manage to be one of the most powerfull guitarists of all... I can´t wait till the concert of Velvet Revolver on the first of April! It will be awesome!!!! His best guitarsolo? Well, that has to be the one in November rain...

Best new band...

2008-01-08T09:35:00.000-08:00

Mirror mirror on the wall who is the best new band of all...

... I have seen a lot of new cool bands this year! Most of them I have seen on London Calling, London Calling is a great opportunity for new bands to get famous. I've seen my favourite new bands there; the wombats, the pigeon detectives and look see proof. A choise between those had been very difficult, because they all have there charme.... The Pigeon Detectives are very energetic and have a super great performance! Their songs are catchy and they play cheerful britpop;) Yeah..I know what you think..Another britpop band??? Yes, but they are seriously they kings of Britpop, they leave all the others far, very far behind them!!! The Wombats make britpop as well, but also not in the usual way... They are soooo funny!! And their music is original, in a positive way! I just love them:) Look see proof is, what a surprise......Britpop! Listen to their songs like casualty, discussions and local hero and you will understand why I like them so much:) But one has to be the winner... And the award goes to...tadadada... Ooo it is soooo difficult:( Well you have to know that I actually love them all, so I let some other people decide and the chose.... Look see proof!!!! Congratualions:) They are the only band from those three that isn't quite famous in the Netherlands yet and the only one that hasn't released an album here yet, but I assure you....

They are going to be HUGE!!!!!!!

Best lyric...

2008-01-07T06:28:00.000-08:00

The melody is desire, passion
The lyric true love, affection

What is it that makes a lyric beautiful or even brilliant? Is it the words or maybe the meaning? Or is it just the feeling you get with the lyric? Now...be honest...Do you always listen to the lyric if you hear a song? I don't... It is just like in a relationship, first you just lisen to the melody, that is the desire, passion... After a while you start listening to the lyric, that is the true love,affection... People say a lot of mean things about rock, but one thing is for certain. Rock music does have the best lyrics. If you listen to rnb and stuff like that, you will mostly hear dirty superficial lyrics, it looks like the don't give a damn abourt their lyrics, it is all about the beat. Rock music is more complicated and that is why most people simply don't understand the beauty of it! Currently I am listening to 30 seconds to mars, they have very beautiful lyrics, but it has to fit your mood. I think that a good lyric fits every mood. I think that Deep Insight makes the best lyrics, but you don't have to agree, because I know that it is very personal. For lyric of the year 2007 I choose "Pushover", it is a very beautiful song, with a lot of feeling in it! He made a really good statement with this song and it just makes me very emotional...

Pushover

I find it hard to start something new
You made up your mind but you still never knew
I'm not the judge or the referee
I don't know what's the truth
I'm here just for the debate and that's one thing about me i hate

Lose the sidekick and choose for yourself
At the end of the day you can say:
I did it my way
I did it my way and I am proud of it

What if I am wrong
What 's there to lose?
I don't care whether you win or lose
I'm not the judge or the referee
I don't know what's the truth
I'm here just for the debate and that's one thing about me I hate

Lose the sidekick and choose for yourself
at the end of the day you can say:
I did it my way
I did it my way and I am proud of it

You can't really win a fight without putting youself on the line

Isn't it a beautiful lyric?! What do you think that it means? I think that he wants to make clear that you can only achieve something by taking action. Do what you think is the best and don't just follow the others...Only dead fish go with the flow...Somethimes it will be difficult to know the exact truth, but you need to take action, most of the time you will have nothing to lose...

The best concert...

2008-01-04T07:43:00.000-08:00

Actually....this is an easy one... I have been to a lot of nice concerts in 2007... But what makes a good concert? I think that performance is the most important...Bands with great performances are Deep Insight, Lostprophets and The Pigeon Detectives:) But you don't win my vote with only a good performance. Quality, personality, sound, syle and looks are also very important! I actually don't really know bands that have a great performance , but don't play well. I do know bands with quality, but without performance...That gets us to the worst band I've seen this year... Believe me, Lagwagon! Lagwagon is sooo bad! I've seen them on my birthday and I expected a great punk-rock band! They did rock, they played not bad..But they were soo ugly and their performance was soooo bad!! Please, don't ever go to one of their concerts...I'm sorry I have to be honest...The band that played before them had been a lot better! They are called Uncommonmenfrommars...Yeah, I know very difficult name:P But they rock! They jumped around with a lot of energy, with their green and red dyed hair...You should go see these nice French punkrock skaters!! http://www.myspace.com/uncommonmenfrommars They were awesome! But not as awesome as the Lostprophets! Still love them... As I already said, the Lostprophets are stage animals! I have seen them twice this year.. Yeah.....Awesome!!! http://www.myspace.com/lostprophets But since I allready chose the Lostprophets for best band of the year, I have to choose another for the best concert...This year I have had two favourite concerts...I know that London Calling is more like a festival, but since you don't have to sleep in a the rain and have to eat fast food for a couple of days, I would like to call it a concert... The second London Calling this year had been soooo amazing, that they deserve to be the concert of the year!!! I'm still not sure if I agree with my choice...Cause the Lostprophets had been also very amazing... But the nice thing from London Calling is, is that you get to know new bands, you see a lot of bands instead of just one, you get the chance to talk to some artists and London Calling lasts for two days;)I have seen some great bands on London Calling, like the clocks, The Wombats, Look see proof, Assembly now, the Maccabees, and a lot more!!! The picture is of the nicest guitarist (look see proof) from London Calling;) A tribute to you Jason!!!

And the winners are...

2007-12-31T02:43:00.000-08:00

It is already the end of the week, end of the month and also the end of the year! That means that I have to pronounce you, the winners of the best concert, the best band, best upcoming band, the best lyric, best cd and the best guitarist of the whole year!!! It had been a difficult decission, cause every band has their own charme, every lyric their own meaning and every guitarist their own style... We will start with the best band..

The best band...

This had been the most difficult one...Lets start with the seven best bands... I think that bands like, the pigeon detectives, deep insight, lostprophets, the wombats, my chemical romance and look see proof did a very good job this year. The Pigeon detectives are amazing, they proof that you can achieve a lot with doing simple things. They have simple lyrics like; I am so in love with you, I just don't know what I should do, I'll do nothing and I'll just dream, I never seem to get it right, It seemed that tonight, I don't know how to say goodbye and if I did I surely cried!. Those lyrics may look simple, but I think that they are brilliant! Great singalongs and they just make you feel happy:) They grew a lot in one year and their performace is fenomenal!The Wombats are amazing as well, their songs are also great singalongs and feel good songs! Their performance is in another way than that of the pigeon detectives fenomenal..They seem to be funny and spontanious as well, and I think attitude is also very important for a band, especially for an upcoming band! Look see proof is also a great new upcoming band, also britpop, but a little bit more serious...They are really talented and I think that they are going to be huge! I can't get enouph of their songs, you really should listen to them, they sound great!!! Their performance is very energetic, just really good! And the guitarist is a cutie;) that counts as well!!My Chemical Romance is a very famous, but very good band! Their last cd "the black parade" made a real statement! Song like "dead" and "famous last words" are just very very good! But I have to admit, that bands like the pigeon detectives and the lostprophets have a better performance...The Lostprophets are the kings of the performance! Their songs are awesome and they are just stage animals!!! Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins is according to a lot of fans the most sexy man on this planet, and I can't disagree;) They have so much energy on stage and I have never seen a crowd so wild!! Ian loves to crowdsurf and the fans go wild just to be able to touch him...Their last cd called: "A liberation transmission" is a little poppier than the others, but I love it! Although the next album is going to be darker, the songs become more powerful and sooooo amazingly good!!! New songs like "the dead", " next stop atrocity" and "weapon" are one of the best I've ever heard! They grew a lot this year! Their style changed, musically, but also in their clothes and they have the best style I could imagine;) Deep Insight stays my favourite band! They have everything...the style, the quality, the performance, the sound and the look! They haven't been in the Netherlands this year..It had almost been two years ago, but still I think about them every day...they have something magical and they are soooo nice! The nicest artists on the planet;) I just don't get why they don't break trough in the Netherlands...They are busy making an album right now, I am very excited about that! But I wished that that would come to the Netherlands:( They stay my favourite band ever, because of their music and giving me the best day of my life, but I can't say that they are the band of the year, simply because they didn't give us an album this year and didn't perform for us this year... So for the best band I have to go for.....tadadada....The Lostprophets!!!! If you could make me cry at a gig, you deserve it!!!!

The Pigeon Detectives!

2007-12-29T08:21:00.000-08:00

The Pigeon detectives... Another new, fresh, awesome upcoming band! They are irresistible for every teenager, with their cheerful britpop and the appearance of frontsinger Matthew Bowman. Or the way he likes to call himsef "Matt"... But I have to admit those curls are very cute! Every concert of the Pigeon detectives had been a lot of fun, they play energetic and their songs seem to be great sing a longs;) I've seen them four times this year! Yes...My record for the same band in one year;) The first time was on london calling in march! This was also the very first time I saw them ever and they made a huge impression on me...Matthew started crowdsurfing and kissing two boys!!! Yeah I know what you think, but yes it was shocking and no he is not gay... But funny it was I have to admit...A new fan was born:) A few months later, I was reading a Dutch music magazine, called the Oor. There was a competition in it and the winner would get free AAA bracelets for all the concerts the Pigeon Detectives that they will be giving in the Netherlands and you will get the chance to travel with them in their touringbus! Well, don't you think that are enouph reasons to be in the competition? Yeah..I thought so as well! The only thing I had to do, was sending a card with my email and adress.. To bad..a week before they came to Holland I still didn't hear anything:( I had to hurry to buy some tickets, but I didn't expect it to be sold out. I bought tickets for their concert in Ekko, they would also perform in Amsterdam, but that one was in my week of finals.. I bought the tickets for Ekko just on time, because when we arrived there is was sold out! But I have to admit...Ekko is a very very very small hall. We where a little early, so we waited outside. I was very nervous, because I was only thinking of the cute curls;) I was sitting next to tourbus in the row for the concert, when suddenly someone was walking next to me...My mounth fell open and my friends were looking at me and wondering what was going on...Matthew just walked by! And the strange thing was, that nobody in that row noticed him!!!(or maybe they were not such hysteric fans like I am) After a while, we could go inside. They started playing way too late! But it was worth the waiting!! No boy kissing or crowdsurfing this time, but they played fenomenal!I don't know out of what Matt Bowman gets his energy, it is amazing...After the show my friend and I were scouting for a autograph and a picture, it took a while, but finally I saw him. The only problem was that we both didn't dare to ask him... And the strange thing again was that nobody (again) noticed him walking around the hall! Finally I got over my nerves and asked him. he said we better did that outside, because it was so hot in there. So we walked with him to the outside. Some "funny"fans outside were saying: "hey, there are the groupies". No...despite everybody at school says I am, my earrings say: 'Im with the band', and I might act like one.....I'm not!!! Outside we took some pictures, got some autoghraps and I got to konw what the secrect of his perfect curls is. No, i am not gonna tell you...I told you it is a secret! I also bought their cd: Wait for me, great cd, you should buy it as well! When I arrived my home sweet home, still full of excitement, I could start worrying about my finals:( The whole weekend I couldn't think of anything else....well except for the concert in Amsterdam the next monday...That monday some friends were going to that concert and I was just unable to restist it...When I was allowed to go I checked my email, and what did I see??? The guy from the competition emailed me! I WON!!! Well not everything they promised in first place, but I did won two free tickets for the concert that day! And a meet and greet:)! I was sooooo happy! I immidiately called one of my best friends and she went with me. We arrived a little bit early, so we were able to buy the guys a little present:) We went trough the whole city to look for an orriginal and nice present, but in the end we came up with an ordinary bag of sweets. Well..not really an ordinary, it was very big with a lot of hearts in it! When we came back, we were still to early... And again Matthew just walked by without someone noticed him:S I freaked out (as usually when I see one of my favourite bands) and my friend was like: "Are you kidding? he is soo ugly!". Well everybody their own taste.. When we finally could go in and were able to say:" We're on the guestlist", we had to wait again... Finally some guy took us backstage and there they were, the Pigeon Detectives!!!They were very nice, although they were not very spontanious (except for Matt Bowman). I gave them my bag of candy and Matthew was a little surprised:) Oliver(the guitarist) grabbed something out of the bag and Matt said:"And what do you say?". And Olvivers said on that:"Thank you", but not like thank you, no with a very soft shy voice, very funny!And I talked with Matt about that they should come to Lowlands, and he told me that I should buy a cheap ticket to England, to the Leeds and reading festival. Then Matt got a phonecall and he came to hear that his dog died:( Poor Matthew... But despite of that, they made a great show! After the show I bought Matthew a beer, but by the time I dared to give it to him, it looked more like urine...Despite that he said it was very sweet of me and he thanked me again for the sweets. It had been again a great day and I haven't been thinking of my finals at all. The next morning I made my final physics with a half sleepy head, but it went great, I got an A for it:) the fourth time I saw the Pigeon detectives was on Lowlands, I stood (of course) in the front and they rocked like usual!! I bought them a heartshaped lollypop and trew that on stage while they were playing and Matt said it looked like a picknick:) After the show they had a signing sesion and I was there of course. I let them sign my all star and Matt remembered that he got a bag of sweets at our meet and greet:) Well, that had made a big impression...So remember, when you have a meet and greet...buy them a present! During Lowlands there was being filmed and taken photo's....the result? Almost too emberaced to tell....okay, that's me hugging Matthew...

Skinny jeans and guyliner

2007-12-28T07:20:00.000-08:00

I hate the fact that everybody tries to put everyone in a box! If you wear skinny jeans, eyeliner and all stars, then you are automaticly an emo. If you wear a black dress, you're automaticly a gothic and with baggy clothes you're a hiphopper... as they say... But that is not the worst thing! The worst thing most people do is saying that someone who wears skinny jeans and eyeliner definately cuts hisself! Why? Why do think that? Maybe some emos do that.. But definately not every emo or person that wears skinnyjeans:S Are peolple afraid for emo's or something? Maybe.. But not as half as afraid as they are for gothics! It is a shame!It is a good thing that everyone tries to have their own style! Most people might call me emo, mostly people that have not developed their own style... I won't call myself emo, yes I listen to emo music, but I also listen to other kinds of rock and I love to wear my shiny red pumps, with a short skirt or a lovely dress:) Now, almost everyone is wearing skinny jeans and eyeliner, their is nothing wrong with that... The only thing is, is that only wear it because it is fashion right now, in two years, most of that people will be to afraid to even touch a skinny jeans..Please tell me your opinion in this case! What I appreciate in the most rockers is that they dare to be different! Rock on! As Deep Insight says:

ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW

A tribute to...

2007-12-28T07:04:00.000-08:00

I don't feel so well today... You wanna know why? Well lets start from the beginning... Yesterday I have been looking for my cd from Deep Insight, the first one, called Ivory Tower. I couldn't find it anywhere! When I woke up today, my mother put the cd on my bed, it had been in my little sisters room..When I looked at the back of the cd, it had been full of scratches and almost all songs became unable to play:( Luckily I have the cd on my computer and Ipod as well:). But I thaught that this might be a good reason for a tribute for Deep Insight! I will write down the best song from Ivory Tower for you. Actually there are two best songs on Ivory Tower.. Superficial and Anthem. Superficial is rough and has a great melody. Anthem is a slow but beautiful song with a heavenly lyric! I love the lyric, I think it's one of the best lyrics I've ever heard! Agree?

Anthem

I thought that finally I found something. That would complete my broken soul and could replenish my empty heart. But I was wrong. My love is worthless if you don't feel like I do.

All the wasted emotions have made me stronger. All the wasted emotions.

The moment that we had. I thought that it was something special. Would it last forever? I was wrong. My love is worthless if you don't feel like I do.

But still I hope that someday, someday you would say to me, that you still love me.

This song is written by Johanness Ylinen (the guitarist) and by M. Myllykangas. Tell me what you think of this lyric! Comment me or something:) What kind of feeling does this song give you? You should listen to more lyrics of Deep Insight, I asure you, they are awesome!! Other beautiful lyrics of Deep Insight are; Three-ring circus, red tape, itch, since you resigned, my testimony, hurricane season..Actually all of them! The lyrics of Deep Insight fit all emotions, whether you feel happy, down, romantic or cheerful:)

Some awesome concerts...

2007-12-27T04:00:00.000-08:00

After a dark time, with not more than one nice concert a month, the sun is getting up again! When I checked the incredible site that is always able to tell me what gigs I should go to, I saw a fresh new list of awesome gigs I have to go to! It is just like some people say as an excuse to buy clothes: 'The dress, o my god! it was begging me to buy him!!! Please take me home!' Well that is how the gigs at the site were looking as me as well... I just have to go!! Do you wanna know what bands are coming to the Netherlands? Even if you don't wanna know, I'm gonna tell you anyway;) Well, The Wombats are coming! I absolutely love them! They make cheerful britpop, with funny lyrics;) I have seen them twice on london calling (a festival with upcoming britpop bands) and you just couldn't resist loving them, with their energetic performance, accapella songs (like postman pat) and the never ending smile of the bassist;) A gig from the Wombats means lots and lots and lots of fun!! You should check them out: http://www.myspace.com/thewombatsuk no...you really really really must check them out;) Oo and a legend is coming to Amsterdam! Velvet Revolver!! Velvet revolver makes totally different music than the Wombats. I think you can it call hard-rock, or something like that! You probably know this already, but Velvet Revolver is half of Guns and Roses (also a very great band I think)! For example Slash is in it! Woow I think Slash is the best guitarist ever! He plays sooo incredibly good it always gives me a shiver, when I hear one of his guitar solos! Have you ever heard november rain from guns and roses? I never really listened good to it, until yesterday. That song is sooo amazing!! It starts a little bit soft, then a slowly but incredible solo comes up, the song gains more power due to that and when you think the song ends....Some piano starts playing and an incredibly amazingly awesome solo comes up and the song becomes heavy. Well I was very surprised and I have to say that I have never heard a song before with such a great structure! I have never seen Velvet Revolver before, so I can't wait untill the first of april!http://www.myspace.com/velvetrevolver A week after that the Rifles come to The Netherlands. They are very nice, with their catchy britpop thats sticks in your head forever;) I've seen them twice, one time on london calling and one time on lowlands (the biggest festival in the Netherlands). Check them out! And especially the song local boy! http://www.myspace.com/therifles You might know 30 seconds to mars... No? Well, but you know Jared Leto don't cha;)? Jared Leto is an actor and singer of the very famous band 30 seconds to mars! This band is coming here on the ninth of februari:) I love this band, and not only because of Jared Leto (like a lot of girls do..). 30 seconds to mars makes, well what should I call it.., hard-rock? emo? Maybe I should just call it very nice music! They have their own army of fans, make a real impressive American performance and have magical lyrics. Once you have heard the deep and meaningful voice of Jared Leto, I promise you, you can't stop listening anymore. And if that doesn't make you listen to it, well you should take a look into his eyes... It is like they curse you so you will never be able to forget 30 seconds to mars...

I'm about to explode!!!

2007-12-27T02:49:00.000-08:00

I'm about to explode from the many ideas I've got for this site! Gosh their is so much I would like to tell you! Okay lets start to tell you about my main goals for this site... Well, for you it is just some entertainment... Maybe you will get some knowledge out of it...Discover some new bands, yeah I have a weak for not yet famous bands;) Bands like look see proof, assembly now and of course Deep Insight:) I think that bands like these deseve way more respect and publicity, because they make terrific music and everyone should be able to enjoy that, don't you think so?! I have been telling you about the main goals of this site for you, but it is also a way for me to express myself and get the chance to interview some bands:) There is sooo much I would like to ask some bands, and I hope that I will be able to do that. These interviews can be very useful for the artists as well... If I get the chance, then I will do anything to get the bands publicity in the Netherlands. I can send the interviews to music magazines, I can send the music to some Dutch radiostations or make flyers for them and spread that around at concerts of comparable bands...All to help them, isn't that nice;)? You can ask me anything on this site, anything you wanted to know about punk rock but was always afraid to ask;)! Not that I am an expert...But if I don't know the answer, I will look it up for you, or ask others! Answers 100% guaranteed!!! I will also do some polls and ask your opinion about for example the best band. So it is not only my opinion that counts;) But as you might know, punk rock is not only a type of music, it is a lifestyle! We're about to discuss that as well! By the way, if you are reading this now and think I don't really like punk rock and I am more into britpop, hardrock, metal, emo or whatever kind of rock, don't stop reading!!! I like all kinds of rock, well maybe not all, but I tollerate them all;) Don't worry we're all one big family!! Every week we will have a band of the week and a song of the week and every month we will have a band, song, guitarist, lyric and concert of the month! Will you help me to choose them?!

The best band of my world!

2007-12-25T04:12:00.000-08:00

You might not agree, but I think Deep Insight is the best band of the world! Deep Insight is a Finnish band and they make awesome emo rock music with Scandinavian influences. They have everything you need: the sound, the performance, the qualities and of course the look! You have to check them out!!! Look them up on myspace or check their site: http://www.deepinsight.net/

(or mine:http://www.myspace.com/dutchdeepinsightsupport)

I will tell you more about them later;)

Welcome to the Punk Rocking Chick universe!

2007-12-25T03:52:00.000-08:00

Hi there! Welcome! On this site, I'm going to tell you all you wanna know about my favorite bands, lyrics, concerts. Hopefully I will do some interviews with my favorite artists as well. Who my favorite bands are? Well ... Deep Insight from Finland is my favorite band. WHAT?? You don't know Deep Insight?? Deep insight are: Jukka Nikunen (vocals), Johannes Ylinen (guitar), Jore Rantalainen (bass), and Ville Kinaret (drums). I also like punk rock bands like The Lostprophets, 30 Seconds to Mars, My Chemical Romance, Good Charlotte, and Greenday. But I have a broad taste and I also like bands like The Pigeon Detectives, The Wombats, Look See Proof, Assembly Now.