Posted in Uncategorized on February 28, 2015 by Sara Hammerzmith
Now, this will be about the third place I mention this, but while working today they had this huge re-launch (which was awesome! What a party!) and what caught my attention the most was the circus and variété artists. Sorry, I don’t really know what the last word technically is in English, but maybe you get it. There were everything from ringmasters to fireeaters to clowns to mims casually walking, dancing, running around the place. Having them goof around all over really made my think back of my younger days.
My younger days in the circus.
I think that is one of the things that really NO person knows of. That I’ve been in circus-school, or whatever you wanna call it. I remember I was trained as a clown, which is hysterical because of my fear for clowns, but I did LOVE IT. The circus culture and everything that is circus, much like I mentioned about pirates, is one of my favorite things. The music, the style, the lifestyle, the whole thing.
Watching them goof around and even having a mim come to my table to fake play really made me start to reconsider a thing or two. That you know, maybe, together with the other few things I’m planning, it might be time to get back to the roots.
Posted in Uncategorized on February 27, 2015 by Sara Hammerzmith
This day started off fairly slow, because of work last night “I went to bed too late and got up to soon” since I’m working in the stables tomorrow for the first time in forever, in a pathetic attempt to get the hour-cycle back to normal. I had no hopes, but we’ll see.
However, to have SOMETHING exciting to write about, I had dinner over at Emelie’s. We went to the store to pick up ingredients and then we made our own pizza. Half of it was a paprica/tomatosauce/mozzarella pizza (hers) and mine was paprica/tomatosauce/mushrooms and shrimps. Tasty as fuck, I might add.
The evening was cool. Lots of talking, laughing, catching up and good food and candy. And of course loudly singing my interpretation of the “This is the tale of Kanye West” song. And I don’t think I have ever used the “You got this Travis!” quote as many times as tonight. Oh well.
Fun night is fun, with chance of exaggeration (no you can’t, not with Emelie) and it has to be done soon again. But now, sleep, stable, casino.
Wow, so okay. Sofia hit me up on Facebook chat today with some REAL bad news.
Simon Cruz has left Crashdïet.
First of all, when I read it my eyes almost popped out of my head and I gasped PRETTY loudly. I REALLY, REALLY liked Simon in the band, perhaps not as much as I did Kita, but enough to feel my heart sink. But the more I continued on reading, and the more I’ve thought about it, the whole thing seems absurd. So, this is the message that Crashdïet left:
So, basically, what we have here, is a Fatal Smile 2.0, but without the bitter consequences of having the band disbanded. And you know, of course, we have yet to hear (if we ever will) Simon’s version of it all, but this smells like a rotten cat you know? Leaving the middle of a tour? Without notice? Sounds quite weird and selfish, but I shan’t be too hard already now.
The only thing I DO know, is that the whole situation sucks HARD, both for the band with all the fuck ups that was caused because of this, but also to the fans who lost a pretty good singers. And also for the band, for losing their THIRD singer. At least this one lasted for two albums instead of one, but still.
Posted in Uncategorized on February 25, 2015 by Sara Hammerzmith
Currently listening through Lena Katina’s solo album, solid pop/dance music. Didn’t realize these girls actually DID solo careers after t.A.T.u, but apparently. It’s a happy surprise to find Lenas album to be THIS good, considering she was always my favorite in the group. Might have to write about this album one day.
Talking about pop and amazing women, I finally booked the last piece on the Madrid trip. So now I have a hotel for Katy Perry, and seriously, I can’t tell you guys how BEYOND excited I am to finally see Katy. Steel Panther and Lordi in all it’s glory – I’ve seen them before, and will see them again I guess. Katy Perry on the other hand, that’s a woman I’ve been a fan of ever since the “One of the Boys” days, and year after year after year I’ve waited in vain.
I’ve literally managed to catch Lady Gaga (!!) live like 4 times over the years, and Katy none. But finally – for the Prismatic Tour she’s FINALLY coming here. I was ready to travel, but why travel when you can see her at home?
And I must say. After one night with monster and air forces, and another one with a parody 80’s sexistic band, it’ll be nice to step into the wonder-candy-dreamland that is Katy Perry.
Posted in Uncategorized on February 24, 2015 by Sara Hammerzmith
After all this time, we have FINALLY BEEN ABLE TO BOOK MADRID – so now it’s 110% official – MADRID IS HAPPENING!
It’s always a bit of a hustle when you need everything done in like, one moment, especially when you like, have to book for three different cities on a million different dates. I have yet to think about the pre-trip, and what to do about the hotel in Stockholm, but seriously, this is looking gooood right now!
Can’t wait to get back to see the Monstars, the Panthers again and to, after all these years, see Katy Perry again. The only thing that pisses me off A LOT is the fact that we have to leave Madrid at 8 in the morning. I’d have preferred if we could leave like, at 17 or so, because we are losing ALL of Monday to traveling, but I guess you can’t have everything. So we will both be arriving in the afternoon /evening in Spain on Monday and then have Tuesday and Wednesday to explore. I guess it could be worse, huh? I’m just not sure what the HECK we are gonna do in Oslo all day on Friday though. I mean, Norway is like literally the same shit as in Sweden, and you don’t need to queue for Steel Panther in Norway…
I do hope, however, that queueing will be warmer this time around. I mean, come on. It’ll be March. And Spain. Pretty please?
Well, at least I know where our first destinations will be. Tezenis and Disney Store. CAN’T WAIT.
So, instead of a man crush monday, I decided to make it Music Crush Monday. Of course, when I planned this earlier today I didn’t expect Stone Sour to almost rip me off with the idea, but lets just say epic people got the same ideas.
So, anyway. I was really sitting around and pondering to myself, what should I write about? And for some reason my brain yelled “TIGERTAILZ”. I’m not even sure why, because it feels like it’s been ages since I actually listened to them, but you know what? I’m glad my brain reminded me about this amazing band.
So, what is Tigertailz? For those of you who don’t know, Tigertailz is a glam metal band that was formed in Cardiff, Wales back in 1983 with the original lineup featuring Jim Dovey on vocals, Pepsi Tate on bass, Ian Welsh behind the kit and Jay Pepper and Phil Harling on guitars. Jim was replaced fairly quickly by Stevie Jaimz, and in 1988 enters Kim Hooker, who is probably the most known vocalist of Tigertailz. Nowadays we find Jay Pepper on guitar, Rob Wylde on Bas, Jules Millis on vocals and Matthew Blakout behind the kit.
They released their debut album “Young and Crazy” in 1987, but their most famous album is the one coming three years later – “Bezerk”.
And that’s what this entry was supposed to be about to begin with.
To anyone who knows their glam metal, are very much familiar with the song “Love Bomb Baby”, which I guess you could say is the hit of the album. And it’s also one of my personal favorite songs in the genre. But it’s not only this song – the whole album is a really, really, really, REALLY, really good one. It has that bombastic theme about it (which I’m a sucker for, as you know) but it also got those you know, sleaze, naughty tunes (“Sick Sex”, for instance) rounded up by more lighthearted “Twist and Shake”. Pretty much EVERYTHING you could ask for in an 80’s kind of record.
So yeah. If you are as much of a sucker for 80’s glam metal as I am, then this should be right down your alley. I actually had the pleasure to meet Tigertailz back at Stockholm Rocks in 2010, when Sarah Firebrand was still in the band. She’s still one of my favorite people, and role models. Ever. Love her. She was in the band between 2010 and 2011, for those who wonders.
Anyway, the thing with this album is that it seems to be very hard to find. There’s a “Bezerk 2.0” released, but it ain’t the same, so be careful when you get it. But here’s an Amazon link that collects a few who sells it used.
You’re not a lady you’re a love bomb baby, love bomb baby come on blow me away
With all of this said, I also wanna pay my respects to the late Pepsi Tate who passed away late 2007 after battling cancer for a few years. Rest in Peace, you’re a love bomb baby man. Much love.
// Sara
Since I don’t have anything better to write about, I’ll start one of these things again. It hits me I still have the Gravity Falls one going, but it’s been quite a lot Gravity Falls lately and I think this one will be fun. So basically, it’s A-Z and it’s about music. Alright? So lets go!
First is A, 5 bands I love.
This one could be easy. Lordi. Sabaton. Steel Panther. SlipKnot. Lady Gaga. (HammerFall, Amaranthe, H.E.A.T)
But you know what? I’m not going to make it that easy. Instead of repeating the same shit about the bands you all already know I love, I’ll focus a bit more on the bands that you may NOT know I love.
1. Alestorm
Well well well. Where do I begin? First of all, something you all should know about me: I have a very weak spot for pirates. And when I say this I don’t mean “oh I love Pirates of the Caribbean!” but I REALLY like pirates. The legacy, the clothing, the music, EVERYTHING about pirates. They are my favorite kind of… I don’t even know how to put this, but you know about vikings and all? Pirates are preferred. I loved Pirates of the Sea when they were in the Eurovisions, so having a METALBAND making a cover of “Wolves of the Seas” is quite a big thing.
And that’s my first memory ever of Alestorm and how I discovered them. Entering Nöjesfabriken and being greeted with nothing else than “Wolves of the Seas”. I had to sit for a while and comprehend what I was actually hearing. No? It can’t be? Of course it was. Looked it up, pirates bands. PIRATES. Enough to get me sold.
I finally got to see my first proper Alestorm show last summer on Skogsröjet, and I enjoyed it TREMENDOUSLY. I’m just waiting to get home my costume, and then I’ll ravage the gigs like no one else. We had planned to do it already for Röjet, but damn money you know. But yes. Conceptbands, you know I’m weak for conceptbands.
2. Butcher Babies
Depending on who you are reading this, you may or may not know about my obsession for Butcher Babies, but as far as this blog goes, not so much. This is a band I discovered while watching Knotfest’s live stream and I was pretty much blown away. I don’t normally listen to this kind of music, but seriously, it was something about it that just had me hooked, and once I got their album I was MORE than hooked. Fucking epic.
They are pretty much the reason I’m going to Graspop all in all, and I CAN NOT WAIT to see them live.
3. Cinderella
Cinderella is no surprise to anyone music-wise, however, this band holds a lot higher spot amongst my favorite bands than most people would know. When I list my like, top ten bands, I usually base the list on first how much I like the bands, but also on what kind of an inpact the band has had on me, for instance why Wig Wam is always on the list despite me not listening to them for so many years.
Cinderella, on the other hand, is one of those bands who are never on the list, yet one of the bands I like the most “outside the ten”. Still to this day, there has been no better moment than Sweden Rock 2010 – sunset going down and it’s a little bit of rain so there’s a rainbow there too, Cinderella is playing Festival Stage and in the midst of this wonder they are doing “Nobody’s Fool”. I had some gorgeous photos of Tom Keifer in the sunset on my camera, but as you guys know, it was stolen on the LAST DAY of the festival. Just my luck isn’t it? And that’s what pisses me off the most, the pictures from that one show.
“Don’t Know What You Got (Til it’s Gone)” is still to this date one of my absolute favorite songs ever, even though I must admit “The More Things Change” are still my number one Cinderella song.
4. Taylor Swift
BUUUHUUU, not a band fair enough but she needs to be mentioned. This one, on the other hand, can come as a complete shock to most of you. Taylor Swift?? But you literally just wrote about Butcher Babies??? What the? Yes people, no need to make some drama over it. She falls in together with Katy Perry, Olly Murs, Lady Gaga, Anki Bagger and all those other amazing non-metal musicians I listen to.
I must say myself, I was in the beginning pretty surprised myself that I fell for her music, but this proves again how much you may miss out on when you’re too busy conning yourself into a corner and saying “nothing else than this”. The song that got me into her was “We’re Never Ever Getting Back Together”, and considering the songtitle I have a certain feeling I know exactly why she stepped into my life. Regardless of reason, I love her tremendously. My terrormaggottwin, commonly known as my platypus, got mer her album “Red” for my birthday and seriously, THANK YOU MICHELLE. All her songs speaks to me, in one way or another. Maybe I’m becoming more and more of a weak cry baby as I write this, but seriously. Taylor and Olly, you speak to me the way no other fucking band has ever done (Perhaps The Ark, but that’s it)
Now I’m just pissed that Graspop is going on Sunday. Who the fuck has festivals on Sundays? Belgium apparently. Taylor has a gig in the Netherlands on Sunday you see..
5. The Ark
This isn’t maybe a too big of a surprise, but I was battling with this one vs Dschinghis Khan, but I decided The Ark needed to get some space. I think I wrote about DK pretty recently, and seriously, The Ark…
The Ark is basically the band that saved my life, nicely put.
The Ark… Where do I even begin. It’s a band I discovered, just as with HammerFall, back in 2005 through Grynets Show but became more active as a fan around 2007. This a band that basically made a career out of giving people better self-esteem, and I know PLENTY of people who have grown from insecure teens to AMAZING strong and wonderful adults, much thanks to this band. So many people, me included, has thanks to this band seen another tomorrow, have been able to pull through the harassment’s, pull through the dark thoughts, get through the other day. I don’t even know how to even put out more about this band without soaking my computer in the tears that are being shed when I think about it, about how I basically owe my life to them. Most bands write angry music you can let go of some energy from, but The Ark took it one step longer and made sure to FIX the problem as well.
“It’s worth being called an idiot if that’s the price for going your own way”.
Still to this day, I put on “It Takes A Fool” whenever I’m feeling low, and my mantra will always and forever be “I’m dangerous, cause I’m ridiculous” and that “if you think I’m corny, then it will not make me sorry it’s your right to laugh at me”. This is a band that has shaped me so much into accepting who I am, that I’ll never be like the others (who become unhappy mother and fathers of unhappy kids, and why is that? Because they’ve forgotten how to play) and that it’s okay. It took this band to make me realize that, and I’m thankful. I’m always gonna be a dork. And a nerd. And a child at heart. And it’s okay. Because it takes a fool to remain sane.
The band disbanded in September 2011 after their very last gig at Gröna Lund. Too many emotions for one show.
This is forever going to be my favorite pic. On their very last gig, that’s when I finally managed to get a picture of Sylle jumping.
Well, that’s that. Haha, this became a LOT more emotional than I originally planned it to be, but I guess there’s where you end up when you write about music and music is your life.
**** SPOLIER ALERT FOR GRAVITY FALLS EPISODE INTO THE BUNKER*****
Today was an exciting day! Or perhaps not, but the morning sure as hell was! Brand new episode from the brand new season of Gravity Falls. Yes, yes, I know you Americans have had this out for like A LONG time, but we are a little behind here in the North, ok?
I’m not sure if this is the first of the new episodes we air here in Sweden, my schedule has been pretty cray cray making it difficult to keep up with new premieres – hello, I even missed out on “The Night of the Living Pharmacists” with Phineas&Ferb… Anyway. Gravity Falls.
So, basically, what happen is that the crew (Dips, Mabes, Wends, Soos) goes out to seek for the author of the books, and end up in a crazy shapeshifiting scientists hideout. Originally they were only snooping around until Mabes pushed Dips into a desinfection kind of chamber with Wends in order to “force him” to tell her he loves her. Obviously, shit got real after this. The ultimate moment of the whole thing is hwne the Shapeshifter takes on the form of Wendy and eventually has her fighting herself. And in the midst of that, Dipper ALSO managed to confess his feelings for her. They weren’t mutual, but they are still good friends. Oh yes, they killed the monster too.
One thing that I really like about Gravity Falls is that it ain’t really like any other Disney series. Alex has this mysterious way of getting his way – and making it a lot more violent than the average series. And now I’m not just talking about the fights, I’m talking about showing blood, paranormal things, legit monsters and things like that. Things that even I as an adult can be a bit “heh” over.
I loved the episoded though. I need to catch Scary-Oke soon enough, or else I’ll go mad. But it’s possible that, again, DisneyChannel in Sweden has turned it around. We’ll see we’ll see. And I’m excited about the new codes to crack. Ahh!
Okay. So, one of the most dangerous things you can do as a professional fangirl, is to look through setlists of a band of the gigs you didn’t go to.
I thought that “Hm, it could be cool to see what songs they played in Oslo and Copenhagen, since we weren’t there”. So first I checked Oslo – the same as Helsinki, “Dead Memories”, “Opium of the People” and “Disasterpieces” + “The Blister Exists”. So I figured, Denmark probably has the same shit we in Sweden had, which is “Three Nil”, “Eyeless”, “Vermillion” + “Wait and Bleed”.
Oh no. They didn’t.
They had “Eeyore”, “Liberate” + “Left Behind”.
And “Purity”.
“PURITY“.
Do you guys… I mean. I LOVE “Eyeless” and “Vermillion”, they are pretty much my TOP TOP TOP SlipKnot songs… but together with them are “Purity”. And they fucking played it. BUT IN COPENHAGEN.
GODDAMNIT. And do you know what pisses me off even more?
I LITERALLY WAS THIS, THIIISSSSS CLOSE to actually do Copenhagen as well, out of boredom of being stuck in Finland for so long without company. I was literally INCHES AWAY FROM DOING COPENHAGEN. But then I was like “no, I won’t”.
Well. Never again. NEVER AGAIN. Next time: Hop on SlipKnots tourbus and follow them all over Europe. Just in case.
Posted in Uncategorized on February 19, 2015 by Sara Hammerzmith
Today has been one of those really slow, yet mandatory days – POST-TOUR LAUNDRY.
You know, when you’ve been away for a week or so at a festival or as in this case, traveled between a few countries, you kinda end up with a lot of laundry. And today was that day. Laundry day. ugggghh.
But I quite like it actually. It’s something real ritual, or how to put it, with putting in all them clothes you were to this and that concert in, in the washing machine and washing away “the old” and preparing them for what is to come. Because seriously. In less than a month, I’ll probably be doing my most INTENSE week, ever. EVER. But I’m looking forward to it, oh how I’m longing for it.
Speaking of Laundry, I took myself the time to repack my drawer with bandshirts. Yes, I have ALMOST all my bandshirts in a drawer, minus KISS, Wig Wam and Lordi shirts that has their own designated shelves for their bands. Question is, how do I even find all the shirts? Well, I’ll tell you.
I read on a website some long time ago that the best way to keep your bandshirts is by folding them one time, and then roll them. By that, you’ll both see what bandshirt it is AND what size it is (if this matters). Helps out a lot, AND in all honesty… it does make the drawer look a lot neater.
Oh right. Michelle was here during the evening as well, and the planning for Madrid is just getting more and more intense as we are getting closer. SOOO many good things coming up ahead of us, I just can’t wait.
Oh one more thing. I have for the first time in my life managed to throw a cactus across the floor while headbanging. With my hair. Metalhead problems….
Sara Hammerzmith 