True colours are beautiful, like a rainbow.

Do you ever feel as if you're in a spiral? Things spinning out of control, walls closing down on you and you're just completely helpless? Do you feel hopless because no matter how hard you try you just can't fix your life? I do. All the time. And the things that are out of my control are the things that I should get a grip on. Sometimes I just don't even know what to do anymore, really. Everything I touch seems to fall apart at the seams. It's like I've been cursed. 

Things just seem darker than they are because though I know I'm still blessed and things could be so much I mean SO much worse, there's things that are still missing. Family. Love. Understanding. Safety net. Having someone to lean on when life gets too hard. Alone is good, but lonely is hell. And not just lonely in the usual sense of the word but lonely in the, why the fuck am I so different and can't connect to ''normal'' people kinda lonely. That's just…a nightmare. I feel alien and alone and isolated. And to be fair the place I live isn't helping much, I know I sound arrogant saying this but the stupidity and hatred people radiate here is just too much for me. Yes I do consider myself superior to them. 

Maybe there's a kind of lonliness where you just know you're everyone's second, third, last fucking choice. They got other things going on in their lives and you just don't matter. I guess that's the worst kinda lonely. When you know people you care about…well they only care about you when they got nobody else. Maybe that kinda loneliness hurts the most.

I guess it doesn't help that the saddest music I own is playing on vinyl right now and that my iPod  / iTunes (shut up I'm old school) only has ''sad playlist'' on replay these days. Seems like people want to have their hearts broken even more so they listen to sad music…I know I do anyways.

Let's see how happier music feels. ''Girl power'' and all that. I actually don't own many records with female singers. I don't know why, but there are very few women whos' voices I actually like. Which also means I don't have plenty records with female voices. I love Blondie, Cher, Joan Jett and Pat Benatar and that's pretty much it. 

I really like this one though, mostly because of as cliche as it is Girls just wanna have fun and also Time after time. It's one of my favourite songs I think. It's probably the lyrics. Sometimes I don't know I just like em as sappy as possible.

Did you know that ''She's so unusual'' is actually one of the most successful pop debuts ever? And given that they have Madonna and MJ that's saying something. It's also saying something that I like it. Pop. What's going on with me? I've been having a lot of ''guilty pleasures'' these days. So many pop songs. Sigh. I keep saying I'm broken and maybe this is a clear sign of it. Don't worry, Motley Crue is STILL my laptop wallpaper for now. 

So the album. It had not one but four top five hit songs and if that aint amazing than I don't know what is. Side one first song though is a cover by The Brains ''Money changes everything'' from 1978 and goes straight into ''Girls just wanna have fun''. Don't we really? What do girls want? Boys and money? Bitch please, girls only want concert tickets, to pet all the cats and dogs and to eat anything they want without gaining weight. Am I right ladies? The song though is super fun because honestly yeah. Fun. Something everyone is probably lacking in their lives. Most days I can literally say ''fun. What's that?''

Track list goes on with Prince's cover of ''When you were mine''. Which is great but if you ask me it will always be better in his version. Come on! It's Prince after all. And then ''Time after time''. Hell I really love that song. Gotta be one of the best if not the best pop ballad of the 80's. It's not a masterpiece like the River is but I don't know what it is, maybe the lyrics or the melody which both feel as if they came straight from the heart. I can literally close my eyes and see an entire romantic movie scene playing in my head while that song plays.

''If you're lost, you can look and you will find me, time after time. If you fall, I will catch you, I will be waiting, time after time.''

Sigh. Don't we all want someone saying something like that to us? Someone to catch us, someone to be there, someone that's there no matter what? Maybe that's the appeal I see in the song. It's talking about everything I wish I had. Maybe. While we're at it, the song deserved a win not just a nomination for Grammy. Just saying.

Moving on, side two starts with ''She bop'' which was ''controversial''? because it's supposed to talk about female masturbation. Lol so like men do it all the time and joke about it but god forbid women doing the same. Get over it people. Women do it too. Just look at Blondie ''when I think about you I touch myself''. Which by the way is also one of my favourite songs. Mind in the gutter what can I say.

The song still reached number 3 on the charts and I would pay good money to see mortified faces of uptight people who loved this song before they found out what the lyrics they were screaming along to actually mean. Hell, a view Visa can't buy you.

Next song ''All through the night'' was written by Jules Shear and it's one of the four top five songs. And it's actually a great combo of Cyndi's voice and this synth and electronic rhythm. After that there's also ''Witness'' written by an ex band member of Blue Angel which used to be a band she was in. Anyways ''Witness'' was written by John Turi, great song, Followed by ''I'll kiss you'' which to me is Laupers ''Blaze of glory'', not her best moment if you ask me. That song just rubs me the wrong way. Not in a positive way as She bop might but in a ''my god you're annoying'' kinda way.

And the album closes with ''He's so unusual'' now what I find unusual is that the song is titled ''he'' while the album is titled ''she''. Funny. The song has a couple of sound effects like old record crackling or a scratch or whatever you want to call it, enough to make me roll my eyes thinking here we go again, another deep scrape. Unfortunally it happens more than I'd want it to. I got 90% of my music from my parents and they were both animals, so their vinyl is all scraped, some bad some okay but hell it drives me mad. You won't even see a speck of dust on ANY of my records. Like, imagine a scrape on my GN'R, The Boss, Crue, Skid, Leppard or some shit like that, I think the world might actually stop spinning if that happened.

To conclude this rant. ''She's so unusual'' sold in over 6 million copies and won two Grammy Awards, got a shit ton of critique but hell more than 30 years later it's still a bitching album. I only hate that it seemed to be the only huge succsses for Cyndi. She never came back with a second, better album like so many other bands did. Shame. I think it could be great.

Alright, guys, give your ears a break and listen to some cheesy pop for a change. I promise, it's not all bad. Cheers. Enjoy the week. 

P.S. If you do actually give pop a chance then check out Louis Tomlinson's (yes I know ex One Direction) new song ''Two of us''. Been on replay here all week. It's a beautiful song. Really tugs on all your heart strings and if it doesn't, well then you just don't have a heart at all. Great job Louis, I'm sure your mom IS proud of you. 

I ne znam gdje, ali nać'u te, pregazi'ću mora do tebe, preko vatre i vode ću prijeći, jer te volim.

''Tvoje ime čuvam tu duboku u srcu, I spomenem te samo kada ne čuju. Čuvam te u duši, kao pjesmu najdražu mada već odavno nisi tu.

A nudio sam srcu neke druge ljubavi, var'o ga ljepotom, samo da zaboravi. Ali ne vrijedi, vjeruj mi, srce se ne da varati, srce k'o srce uvijek je pitalo gdje si ti.

I ne znam gdje, svejedno je, ništa me spriječit' ne može, dok kraja svijeta idem za tobom jer te volim.''

Opća opasnost - Tvoje ime čuvam

So wild and free so far from me, you're all I want, my fantasy.

I mentioned the term ''real fan'' in the post below I believe. But if not, I mentioned it plenty of times before. I've been listening to it on replay non stop these days. So here I am throwing myself into research, let's see what the good old google and tumblr think. What is a real fan?

Urban dictionary, top definition goes like this;

''A person that actually likes a music artist that doesn't use illegal downloads like a a fake weirdo that spends all their time on facebook and trying to get a good playcount, to 'boost' their social status!''

It would appear that all definitions of a real fan means, you spend all your money on the thing you're obsessing over, lose sleep because you're busy obsessing over it, them, her, him, whatever else floats your boat. And clearly defending it till you die. Okay. Not at all psychotic.

Do you want me to tell you what I think a ''real fan'' is? A person that (if we talk about musicians) actually buys their music instead of downloading it, a person that supports the musician to the best of their ability, seeing a show, buying a shirt but without it meaning you will skip a couple of meals or bills. A person that enjoys what this object of adoration does but doesn't obsess over them. And most importantly a person that is mature enough to admit their ''babies'' fucked up when they do something bad.

Here's the deal, I can't for the life of me begin to understand this ''competition'' and comparisons who is the biggest fan. I don't care if you're here since last week or for 30 years, you're just as entitled to enjoy someones music, a book, a movie, a tv show, as the rest of the ''die hard fans'' that have been here since day one do. I find this so stupid. By those standards I could never be a fan of 90% of my favourite musicians because honestly when they started out I wasn't even born yet.

And I've been hearing a lot and I do mean A LOT of this crap lately because of Bon Jovi's last tour. Here's the deal, I love Bon Jovi, really I do. I have all their CD's, couple of vinyl records (want to get all I'm still missing), t shirts, DVD's, other merch, you name it. But I am not obsessed with him. I was not happy when Sambora quit, to me he was a vital member of the band that can not be replaced but I gave the new guy a chance, actually, thank god I did because in Milan few years ago, that was the best concert I was at, but here's the deal, I can't pretend and blindly support something I don't believe in no more.

The last album ''This house is not for sale'', doesn't sound like Bon Jovi at all. And while I support musicians trying out something new, like the Boss did with Western stars which is a stroke of genius, this one isn't. You can literally and painfully see how badly Sambora is missing in the band. Why? The music is just crap. Richie added soul, blues, classic rock sounds the ones you hear on their biggest stadium hits into the songs and now…? The songs are soulless, they sound like they came from a machine, forced to produce music, to satisfy radio listeners who don't care about anything else but a few catchy chords and are too lazy to swich radio chanels anyways.

I mean let's be honest, the album is a disgrace for the band. It fell from number one on the chart to 127 in less than three weeks, I suppose that says something too. So many people were excited for new music after so much touring only to be super disappointed with this monstrosity, not to mention the mixing that is just bad, bad, bad. And the lyrics? Cheesy. Not in a good way like Always, In these arms, Born to be my baby, no those are all amazing, beautiful songs, but cheesy in a way I wanna roll my eyes all the way into my skull and turn off the radio.

And the last tour. Oh my god. I don't even know where to begin. Bon Jovi today are a tiny fucking shadow of the Bon Jovi they were a few years ago. I know what you're going to say, he's not 20 anymore, he sings all the time. I'm sorry, but, Mick Jagger? Joe Elliot? Axl Rose? Fucking AC / DC? And lets not even start with Bruce Springsteen, all that touring, long shows, new album, and 236 fucking shows on Broadway. So don't even start that ''he sings a lot'' crap with me.

Let's make one thing clear, I don't enjoy writing nasty things about Bon Jovi, as I said I love their music, I love Jon as a person, I am completly melted at his smile alone but so help me jesus delusional fans emailing me all the time about ''not knowing shit'' about music really pissed me off.

Here's the deal, if you go, for the vibe which I'm sure is still great, if you go because you love a stadium show where people do most of the singing then that's great, awesome for you. But for the rest of us, I don't know, for tickets with a price tag 100 plus euros, I would expect a bit more than listening to back vocals and the crowd, I can get that listening to my neighbors playing Singstar on Playstation every Sunday for free. So no thank you. It's not true that nobody sounds good on a stadium and it's not true that it's the speakers or the sound guys who are to blame. Not by far, someone like Bon Jovi would afford a sound mistake for about say 10 minutes of the first show not the entire tour.

It's like he says before singing that one song ''my voice is shot''. Yes, yes it is. It just doesn't have the power it used to, doesn't reach the range it used to and to be honest it's painful to watch. Seven or how many people singing now, and he parades around flirting with the crowd, and those desperate housewives with raging hormones, who are most likely slightly tone deaf as well all go crazy. I apologise if some of us were born with a little thing called musical talent and actually listen with our ears not eyes. Though not going to deny this, the Colgate commercial smile? That is damn beautiful and would make me weak in the knees too. And yes I did nearly lose it when he almost touched me in Milano as well, but hell, all that, and my fawning and obsessing was soundtracked with good music.

And the support in Austria, Skid Row? Really? Here's another news flash, I LOVE Skid Row, but they and their music died for me when Sebastian Bach left, so first two albums I listen to non stop, and the rest…well might as well be. So that's that. With all that said it's fairly obvious why I opted out of seeing Bon Jovi last week, even if, I admit, it hurts. I would love to see one of my favourite bands again, but I don't want the perfect picture, of that perfect night in Italy ruined by a show where he's barely struggling through.

With all that being said, don't think anything changed. I love the band. One of my favourite bands, always was, always will be, maybe I won't be a ''real fan'' like those desperate women are that I mentioned above but at least I'll be a smart fan. And honestly, all I really want is for him to sort out his voice. Not for us, not to give more pleasure to his fans, or to make more music and money or whatever else capitalistic reason there may be. I want him to sort it out for him, he's an artist, a singer, and what's a singer if he can't sing no more? I honestly feel hurt and saddened watching these recent youtube videos and I just wish and hope he gets the help for his voice he needs, and if there's nothing to be done, then take the high road out like Motley Crue did.

Now, this was not the point of todays post. Wanted to do a review of an album I waited for forever. And because I'm all over the place, I just spent 20 minutes on Bon Jovi, the post will continiue with Def Leppard, while I listen to The Offsprings ''Want you bad'' on reply. Believe me, my mind is even more scrambled then these posts are. Like having 50 tabs opened on a computer, one playing comercials, one playing music and you have no idea where it's coming from and what's happening. Kinda like that.

Leppard get a lot of shit too, people talk crap about them, critics do, they're never happy. They say there hasn't been a good album from them after Pyromania but you know, it's their right to feel that way. I love Leppard, always did, always will. And yes, if Joe starts sounding like shit I'll be here admiting that too.

Speaking from the market point of view, Def leppard hit major success with Pyromania, it sold in over 10 million copies in US alone and was certified diamond. Pyromania is actually a big deal from a different point of view. You know how managers, producers, record labels, love to exploit and use their artists? Well Leppard got nothing but major support from their label and their producer which gave them a year and over one million dollars to record this album. Woah huh? That meant that the album HAD to sell over a million just to break even which is actually a big leap of faith for any record label to take. Specially because High n' dry didn't do so well.

The entire sound of this album aint perfect that's a fact, the snare drum is a bit ehhh and the slight AC DC vibe is just out of the context for me, though of course, Elliot and Clark kill it on every single song. Joe's vocals are phenomenal. Strong, powerful and completely harmonic. Though of course the songs are not Springsteen brilliant lyrical vise they are as amazing as any other hair metal from that time period.

Recording Pyromania btw began with Pete Willis but we all know how that ended. His playing still appears on all song but sometime in the middle of recording he was replaced by the amazing Phil Collen (have you seen the man lately? My god!) who actually added his bit for the Stagefright as soon as he came on board, and it's a great song but the fake live crowd is a bit stupid to be honest.

Album actually starts with Rock! Rock! Till you drop and that's about as perfect as it can be. I can imagine that song starting just about any album from this genre of music. Of course that just means if I play it a bit louder my family always complains ''can't you listen to something nicer for a change? How about something soft? Always the yelling and that noise''. Excuse me if I like noise…she said while Keith Urbans Blue aint your color plays in the back for the third time and while Too late for love is actually my favourite song off this album. Oh well. I told you I'm a mess didn't I?

Too late for love is amazing, it's slow, it's dark, it's sang with emotion, and it never really goes into that disgusting cheesy territory which makes it far more tolerable than say ''I will always love you''. shoot me please if I ever have to hear it again. This is a slow and heavy song at it's finest and honestly it's brilliant. I remember hearing it the first time actually, and at that point I had no idea who's song it was. We listened to heavier stuff at home so if I didn't have a vinyl or a CD to listen to the whole thing through it literally flew under my radar. So this song, I heard it first in my first year of high school. A guy I went to school with had it on his phone. A phone mind you that could keep maybe 5 songs and that was enough to make us happy (fuck I'm getting old) and he'd listen to this song during a break. Woah man, love on first note I'd say. I never found out what it was though, because the idiot that I am I never asked. I heard it about a year later again on the radio where I memorised lyrics and literally googled them later to see what it was that I loved so much and got a huge fucking shock seeing it's Leppard, embarrassed not to know Joe's voice as well. Man.

Die hard the hunter on side A though? Not a big fan. The effects like that fake live crowd are a bit much and it's just...I don't know somethings off, can't really even pin point what it is. Maybe it's a bit boring or a bit dragged out. Or just a shot at something that really isn't them. God knows. I just know I don't like it overly much.

You know what's a real highlight besides Too late for love of course? Photograph! Oh my god that song. Obsessed. Nothing but love. I loved it live with old pictures on the screen behind the stage. Amazing. And Joe's voice really peaks there. It's nothing short of spectacular I tell you. That's the song. Not A song but THE song. Like Bon Jovi have Living on a prayer and others, Leppard also have others but Photograph is one of the songs. Vocals that start out slow and grow over the song are amazing as is but then also it's a totally catchy song that has you hooked first time you listen to it.

''So wild and free so far from me, you're all I want, my fantasy.'' Mine too. Most days.

Side B starts with Foolin I believe. Which is some wanna be ballad but I guess the sound works and if nothing else you can hear the bass loud and clear, more than on other songs. And then there's of course also Rock of Ages. The song that musical was named after. It's a good movie despite the critics hating it. They hate everything anyways. And that allusion to Nikki and Vince yeah that's just wild. But this song is one of the strongest moments on the album if you ask me.

Rock of ages is great comparing to the end of the album anyways. It ends with Comin' under fire which could be another hit but what is that ''action not words'' about? It's like…I don't know Steel panthers mockery to hair metal.

After Pyromania we know what's up. Band started writing new material but then in 84' Allen lost his arm in that car accident and it took three years for Hysteria to come out. In any case thank god things turned out the way they did, I mean not Rick losing his arm but all the rest, because Hysteria really is perfect just the way it is and it wouldn't be without him.

Alright that's about it, for this week anyways. I've got a stressful week ahead and believe me vacation can't come too soon. Take it easy guys, a bit for me too. I know I won't.

Opća opasnost u tebi non stop svira.

It's that time of the year again. When I go to a local event and bitch and complain about hating people. Deep sigh. I feel like I should open a bottle of Sauvignon just to get through this post and relive the trauma.

I don't know why I bother. Oh right, because I love music, and I love the bands, and I hate their listeners. There is something fundamentally wrong with concert goers. I get it, you're stressed, you don't give a fuck about music, you just wanna let some steam, you came to ''party'', all nice and dandy but hello could you possibly do that in a local bar where you bother nobody instead of on a concert with thousands of other people that will strangle you if you lean on them one more time? Well I would. The rest probably wouldn't notice. When people are this drunk it doesn't matter if you're a person or a lamp you probably serve the same purpose.

I feel like musicians on stage are just a ''distraction'' for these people. They wouldn't notice if it's youtube videos or actual people up there and it's not right nor is it fair. How do they say in Poldark? ''tisn't right, tisn't fair, tisn't fit, tisn't proper''. Or something along those lines anyways. This is a musicians job and worse their love and passion, they give their everything into every show, they love preforming, they love music, they love their fans and this is how we repay them? And people wonder why nobody plays here? Well why should they if a bunch of drunk fucks is all they get?

See I'm no angel if you follow my IG you'll see I like a drink now and then just like any other person. But the difference is that I know how to drink responsibly and actually remember where I was, what I did, who I did, the night before. Which I would say is a virtue most people don't have these days. It's not just them, it's the festival I'm complaining over as well, what can you expect when alcohol is cheaper than water and ID's are a long forgotten myth nobody bothers to check.

I don't really care you know, if you're an idiot you're an idiot, and good music is wasted on you, fine. What actually does bother me that these drunk fucks ruin the fun for everybody else. I can't enjoy a concert where people are constantly walking back and forth stepping on my feet, like can you stay put for one fucking song? Your drink will wait at the bar. Second thing is, does anything, ANYTHING on my polished hair, makeup and leather clothes scream that I want a beer shower? It doesn't does it? So why on earth do people feel like throwing beer around? Why? So I can come home with sticky hair smelling like the dirtiest, smelliest bar or the worst drunk of em all. Ugh. Why do people stand in front of the stage, with their backs turned to the stage fucking chatting? What is that? WHO does that? I'm so confused. Okay if you're not say in love with the lead singer I get you can look around a bit instead of being glued to the stage, but turned away and gosspining? That's like…I can't even. Jesus take the wheel because I've seen enough.

And probably most important question of them all, why? Why do you feel the need to get so drunk that you literally have a black out and the biggest hungover the next day? That's something I'm dying to know. God gave you alcohol to have fun and mingle and meet people and losen up a bit, not to make a complete idiot out of yourself because you don't know where boundaries are. Just like a little news flash, guys you're not cool trying to pick up women while wasted and finally brave enough to say something dumb to a pretty girl, trust me, they are not impressed, and girls there's nothing and I do mean nothing attractive about a girl acting like a bimbo or a total whore while shit face drunk. Nothing cute, cool, attractive or interesting about you at that point. And anyone worth your time would run a mile from you.

I could probably rant for 10 more pages about how I despise people and I only plan to hang out with dogs from now on but that was not the point of this blog post at all. Humans though. Ew. This is why I keep telling people to get dogs. Much nicer personalities than 80% of humans.

I guess if we go back to the post from the same festival last year there's going to be the same complaining and bitching, but honestly I can't even help it. The same things that NEVER change really do annoy me.

Anyways let's move on to music or I'll never get to it. I do keep saying how important it is to support local bands, music you have in your own country, so I never mind paying a ticket and see a local band I love that's trying their best and is really talented. Unfortunally due to all the reasons I listed above and more, managements, producers, etc, there's not many such bands. Shame. Here at least anyways.

And there is just ONE local band I am willing to suffer through literal hell for, to sing along to songs that are probably hardwired in my brain by now. A band whos gigs I'm pretty much always at. Front rown, sidestage, VIP, backstage, whatever works. I may be a bitch but I'm a loyal bitch as my friend would say. I love this band and no other local bands compare. My boys in Šank rock were super amazing as always, playing all the songs I love most except ''Nekaj več''? What was that about?

This year I wasn't a free added program for the security in the front row, I was a bit back enjoying the show from a more distant space and side stage, because as I said, people ew. But I loved this band since I was less than a year old and still love them today. Best band this country has, and probably the BEST guitar player on this side of the planet. No joke. Bor Zuljan is amazing. If you don't believe me ask Ibanez, they'd know, even if somehow they think that Slovenia and Israel share the same flag (what the hell is that about Ibanez? Go change Bor's profile and fix that flag, some official site that is).

There was a lot about the band being ''over played'' because they play at this festival every year. Dumbest thing I ever heard, first of, it's a three day festival, if you don't like them there's surely more music for your taste there and if they really were over played then I'm pretty sure the crowd wouldn't demand them and they sure as hell wouldn't have the biggest crowds at the festival. It's obvious they are absolute favourites. Some songs more than others but you know how it goes, biggest hits are always most loved too. People are sheep. God help them. No wait, Jesus, he was a shepherd no? I don't know, I'm Odins wolf not a lamb of god.

By the way, my huge respects to the bass player Cveto, playing shows with a fractured foot. Respect man, that aint easy and you're a real rockstar.

There was actually a second band I was willing to suffer for Friday night. Fell in love with this band years ago and it's all Bon Jovi's fault. Why? Because they were their support group in Croatia on that concert that probably everyone in Slovenia went to. That was so long ago though, when was it 8.6.2011, had to look up. Hell. 8 years ago. My god. I miss Bon Jovi did I say? It's really tearing my heart apart that I'm not going to see them later this month. And I miss Richie even more.

Right so ''Opća opasnost'' or if I translate ''general danger'', is a band Bon Jovi's management chose as the opening band and though I had no idea who they were at that point, the crowd knew very well. But I liked them, it doesn't happen often that I like a band I never heard of before from the get go but it did with them. They don't tour here at all, so l literally waited for 8 years to see them again. Hell. And you know what? I'm glad I even got the chance to see them again, because just two years ago during what I'd only call a fucking nightmare, the entire band could be killed in a stage accident. I have a weak stomach for those my god.

Good things come  to those who wait or something like that isn't it? Well it paid off. Waiting I mean. I loved their entire set. I loved them being total goofs, I loved the music, I loved the silliness. I loved it all. Loved the ''whitesnake'' moments on stage as well. Kill me I'm a redblooded woman like all the rest, I get hot under my collar when rockstars do a little sexy dance or ''inappropriate'' touching on stage. Or they take it a step further like Jon Bon Jovi does and dance and swap spit with their female fans. Can I just point out that THAT makes me insanely jealous? I'm just saying. What I'd do for a slow dance with Jon Bon Jovi to Bed of Roses. No wait scratch that, what I wouldn't do for a bed of roses with Jon Bon Jovi…sigh…too much info? I suppose so. Let's move on before I get hot under my collar again.

Alright, the band came on stage late, at about 1 am, and if that aint late in my book, their drunk crowd was passed out at that point. Their loss. They lost a great party if they were in fact sober enough to follow along.  The singer has an amazing voice, loves to joke, loves to ''move'', it's too much fun watching them on stage. Their songs are also great. And the little mix of ''Croatian national songs'' they do in between is perfect. Let me point out that the ''Croatian national songs'' are Guns n' roses, Van Halen, Bon Jovi, Metallica, etc. Perfect.

This is actually a band every bikers girl, biker, or just a person hanging out with bikers will know. They play on so many biker meet ups it's insane that I never got the chance to see them before. Match made in heaven really isn't it? Tough bikers, Harleys, rock music? There's a lot in my life I miss right not now just Richie Sambora and Bon Jovi…

I guess it is what it is, I honestly hope I won't be waiting another 8 years for them to come back. Or forever for Richie to come home. Sigh. Let's end this post with a short video shall we?

 

One of my favourite songs, I'll leave you guessing why that may be. Cheers guys. 

Moonlight, moon bright, where's my lucky star tonight?

I think I always feel most inspired or say motivated to write a post about albums and bands that I love most. Which is not that often, bands don't produce new albums each month no matter how much I may want it. Lets face it, a new album by the Boss each month? I'd be spoiled rotten. And I suppose after a while it would get boring. No more anticipation or looking forward to something. Where's the fun in that? 

You probably put two and two together and know already who I'm writing about today. The only real love of my life. The most amazing man on the planet. The kindest soul. The Boss himself.

Western Stars is the nineteenth studio album by the Boss. Sigh. Which means I'm only missing about 10 albums on vinyl. I got everything on CD but I only got about 13 records, 9 studio albums and the rest live or single editions. I need to change that. Like those Pokemon fans say ''gotta catch them all'. Still more likely to happen, having all Boss albums than having all Presley albums. I could probably cover my entire house in his albums and still have some left over.

So! The album came out on June 14th (and I have it already!) and this one is different because it's a new studio album and the first one after Devils and Dust with all original material. And you know what? He will already start recording a new album with the E Street Band in the fall. EXCITED!

I paced myself with this one. I only listened to ''Hello Sunshine'' when it was released in April but the rest I wanted to wait, to experience that whole 80's vibe when you had to wait for the album, put it on, spin it, play it from the first song to the last, no skipping, getting lost in it, and letting it blow your mind. And you know what? It was bloody well worth it. Because it did blow my mind.

I was obsessed with Wrecking ball for the longest time (still am) but I think this album tops it. It has to be Bosses best work in years. If not the best album of all albums in years. It's not that it's amazing, it's that it's mindblowing, perfect, out of this world, orgasmic, insane, beautiful, soulful, touching, inspiring,…there are really not enough words to describe it.

Get ready for a cowboy album. It's a fusion of pop and rock and country music. Almost like creating a completly new style of music. Seriously guys, he is not a musician, he is the Boss. Only he could pull off such a twist in musical genre and make it as perfect as he did. 

Going solo in Springsteens world though means something completely different than it meant say for Queen. We all saw Bohemian Rhapsody right? And what happens after Freddie went solo and ''killed'' Queen? If you read the book Born to run you can read all the details about Bruces relationship with his E Street Band. It's not just a band, not just a couple of hired musicians + his wife. It's obvious that they're family, and apart from that, a family that's been writing and recording with him since 1970's. Now that's not a small thing.

I gotta say though, I despise the term ''real fan'' but lets use it here for a second, a real fan will admit that not everything their ''babies'' do and put out is the most perfect thing after the invention of fire. I am not a fan of the album Devils and Dust it's not my favourite thing at all. Maybe Nebraska put the bar too high but honestly D&D was a bit of disappointment.

And I'm happy to say that Western stars is galaxies away from D&D. Not only it's fresh, and different and something completely new, it's majestic, it's wonderful and it's a journey. A journey which I heard, shocked some fans so much that he had to assure them that he'll be back to ''normal'', recording with the E Street Band ''as soon as possible''. People get upset so easy. Don't they want their favourite musicians to grow and evolve and try different routes? Explore something new? Nobody wants album after album sounding exactly the same without any imagination at all.

It doesn't sound like Springsteen at all but on the other hand if you could expect such a brilliant album from anyone then it's most definatelly going to be him. A brilliant mind, like Bosses is, a brilliant mind that can take you million miles away from his New Jersey beginings and yet make you feel right at home at the same time.

This album brings back memories to more innocent and turbulent times. It has a light tone, gentle, soulful voices, and this peaceful vibe that goes in a strong contrast with the world outside. Horrible, harsh, dark world. The album makes you calm yet troubled as soon as you let yourself get lost in the lyrics.

Boss dusted off a new style and voice he hasn't used in years, some of it sounds like it did on Nebraska and some of it we never heard before. Western stars channels the sound of songs such as Galveston and By the time I get to Phoenix by Webb. The lyrics are light, even though some darkness creeps in from time to time too. About people who's lives aren't really what they expected them to be. But then these songs aren't songs you turn up as loud as it goes and have an entire stadium scream along to, like Born in the USA or Dancing in the dark, these songs….you take a 65' Mustang on top of a hill, put the album on, sit on the hood on a long summer night with an ice cold beer and enjoy the sunset.

What I always did and always will admire most about the Boss is his way of making music. Storytelling. The way he writes his lyrics. In a way where a 3+ minute song could write up an entire movie script, with original characters and real peoples lives. His voice is soft, gentle, intimate, like he's singing to a small theater audience and yet his lyrics are so alive that what he sings can actually play like a movie in your head. Assuming you have at least a bit of imagination. But where Wrecking ball and High Hopes (which really was just a collection of covers and unreleased songs) were angry and a response to the political issues going on in the world right now, this one is a 360 turn away from that. It starts with a song titled ''Hitch Hikin''' which sounds almost like a folk song, sung by a lost man with nowhere to go, someone drifting with the wind wherever the road takes him.  It's a great introduction to a record that brings a new sound and a new look on things.

Most of the songs talk about men who try to numb themselves or lose themselves in work, so they don't think about lost love ''Hard work'll clear your mind and body, the hard sun will burn out the pain''. That's what he sings in Tuscon train and it's one of the few songs on this record where you can actually anticipate a happy ending. Basically, every single song is a story on it's own, and together they're an epic novel.

A press release stated that the album contained a “range of American themes, of highways and desert spaces, of isolation and community and the permanence of home and hope”. Which is the perfect way to describe it. I suppose it hits home to Springsteen too if you consider his struggle with mental health.

The song that I can relate to most, the song that I love most on this album is ''There goes my miracle''. It was the second single released and when you listen to it you can hear a heavy 60's and 70's California pop influence. It's different, it's emotional, it tugs at your every heart string, I mean if you don't feel something listening to it then you might as well be heartless. ''Heartache, heartbreak, love gives, love takes, the book of love holds its rules, disobeyed by fools'' and ''there goes my miracle, walking away''. Don't you think it paints a perfect picture? We all lost someone we loved at some point, we all walked away from our very own miracles not even aware of what we're losing.

And you see the plot twist? Where Tuscon train gives you hope, hope of running away, getting lost in a whole new town, whole new world, starting a new life and making it work, by the end of the album these dreams just float away, like a piece of paper in the wind, or a soap bubble exploding into thin air. He sings about endless roads ahead ''miles to go is miles away'' and you wonder what's the point? Maybe we're all just destined to drift around, never really finding that right place to settle and find our own happiness. The funny part is that the songs are extremly soothing, the voice is soothing and calm but deep down you know, the stories these songs sing about, they're not enough to make things right, they're not happy stories, they're not going to fill you with a warm happy fuzzy feeling. But what they'll give you is probably more important, a sense of understanding and in a way realising that things rarely turn out as you plan them and sometimes it's okay if you're not okay. You pick yourself up and move on like the drifters in Hitch Hikin do. 

It's a record you'll love on the first listen, but it's also an album that grows on you, the more you listen to it the more you'll love it. It's an experience not just a record and I promise you, you'll love all 50 minutes of the ride.

And P.S. can we just point out how brilliant the whole album design is? The front and back covers alone are gorgeous but then there's the inner sleeves and not to mention the inner inner sleves, even they got pictures. How amazing is that? And Boss just looks badass as a cowboy. Don't fight me on that.

Enjoy your week y'all, and go listen to this album. At least on youtube if you're not convinced enough to buy it just yet. Cheers.

Step inside, walk this way, you and me babe, hey hey!

Before I start this post, here's a little heads up. It's written from a point of view of a big fan, who has been pretty much in love with Joe Elliott for the past thirteen years, like I get ''hysteria when he's near'', so things below this point may get…saucy. There you've been warned. Now, moving on…

Don't you just hate it sometimes when you're looking forward to something and counting down days and it seems like the days aren't moving but then the thing you waited for finally happens and it's over in a blink of an eye and then you're left there wondering ''what the fuck am I going to do with my life now?'' 

This is how I feel right now. After last Wednesday post concert depression hit me hard. I mean it always does. You're looking forward to a show for months in advance and they always seem to end too fucking fast. But this one is worse, way worse and you know why? Because Def Leppard are one of my absolute favourite bands (go figure, old and lots of -blond- hair no wonder I like them) and I've been waiting to see them for about ten years. Tours never stopped close enough so it felt like I'll never get the chance to see them live. Each time they announced a UK tour I was basically sobbing and then outta nowhere ''Milano Italy 19.6.2019''. Guys, I lost it when I heard. Screaming, crying, sobbing, freaking out, fangirling. The whole ordeal. 

After all those really rough few months, this was the only thing I was looking forward to and though it was absolutely amazing I am so sad that it's already over. Sure there will be more concerts, there's always a chance of another Leppard show (come one once aint enough) but you can only lose your band virginity once. First show is always special. First one is always the best. Unless it's Bon Jovi, second time around was much better than first, even if Richie wasn't with them no longer the second time.

Milano is a beautiful city as is, but honestly not my favourite concert location, which means it's reserved only for bands I really love, if it's a band I just like not love, then I'd rather not be bothered. I mean I love Italy I really do but hell their subway system would make a nun turn into Satan in ten seconds flat. Not just that I don't actually have subway at home, theirs seems to be especially complicated. Vienna? No problem. Milano? Murder me. Not to mention that right now Milano really isn't the best place to be, hight of the tourist season, awful heat and huge long lines everywhere. Of course even buying tickets to see the famous Cathedral is mission impossible because Italians love to make your life miserable. It's beautiful but hell I aint gonna wait in line for two hours just to see it inside (again) after some genius thought of a really ''great'' ticket buying system. 

It's a good thing that my actual reason for visiting wasn't to see the sights but to see a bunch of sexy old men. A bunch of blonde British hot men. I may as well roll over and die over the hair, the style, the sex appeal. No really I'm good, just is it hot in here?

Of course another thing bothering me with Italians is their punctionality. If the ticket says doors open at 6 pm, well do you mind doing that too? I mean it's all nice and dandy and not a problem to wait in line for a bit longer but when that line is out in the sun and it's well over 30 outside. Well then it's not fun no more. Organisation organisation organisation! I can't scream that loud enough. Security not knowing where which sector is? Of the venue? How? Jesus christ. But hey at least the mix that was playing was great.

Just minutes before Whitesnake hit the stage Depeche modes Personal Jesus was playing and it's that one song by Depeche that I actually like so I was actually singing along. Totally at the edge of my seat all nerves on fire. All I thought about at that point was ''holy fuck, Joe Elliott is in this building somewhere and he's going to be on that stage soon'' hell. 

You know what follows right? Song ends. Suddenly all the lights in the venue turn off, screaming starts, only source of light at that moment are the lights backstage and a few phones lighting the room like sometime ago in better times, lighters did. And it's that adrenaline filled moment that will forever remain my favourite thing on the planet. No matter what you experience in life, no matter how good things are, no sex, no drugs, no nothing could beat that moment. Moment of anticipation in the venue and the curtain falling or lights turning back on and the band is right there. When that first note hits and makes you forget anything and everything and you really live in that very moment. Nothing beats that feeling. That high that that gives. I live for those moments. Those rare moments of absolute happiness. 

Right. I  saw Whitesnake for the first time on 12.7.2016 when they actually played in my country. First I didn't plan on going but then rumours came up ''last tour'' and such so I pulled the trigger and went. No regrets. I know David gets a lot of mean comments over his voice that is no longer as it was but jesus christ cut the guy some slack, he's trying the best he can. For himself, for his love of music and also for us, the fans. So how about showing some love instead of bitching? I actually rather like the new raspy, growling voice, what worries me most is that he might damage it permanently if he stressed it too much . So if you're gonna complain ''doesn't sound like he did before'' I will kick your ass to another planet so help me jesus. David is an amazing musician, he gives his all on stage each night he preforms and I got nothing but mad respect towards him for that. Well done sir. 

Show in Milano started with Bad boys. I love, love, LOVE that song. Now it sings about ''boys'' but this part of the song…I can relate to ''I know you, you know me, I'm the black sheep of the family, I'm in an' out of trouble, I'm the talk of the town, I get wild in the street when the sun goes down.'' 

Yep this is how I roll. What's life without a little trouble huh? 

Right after Bad boys there were ''Slide it in, Love ain't no stranger, Hey you, Slow and easy, Shut up and kiss me, Is this love, Give me all your love, Here I go again'' and of course the last song of the night ''Still of the night''.

See what most people don't get is that David has been out there killing it on stage for a good part of the last 50 years. 50! Can you imagine that? It's amazing. And their music never lost it's quality or their value. This current tour is to support their new album titled ''Flesh and blood'', which by the way is totally badass. Shut up and kiss me is actually the first single off their new album and a song they preformed in Milano. I loved it from the first play. Catchy song, great guitar riffs and amazing vocals. And the lyrics! Yes safe to say I really love the song. 

So y'all know where the band name ''Whitesnake'' comes from right? There's been an ''urban myth'' that the name comes from Davids dick? Yeah, he confirmed that. So hey, Whitesnake translates to Coverdales Penis. Fun. Hah. Which brings us to stage presence on the concert. OH.MY.GOD. You guys! Not a David I was used to. All touchy feely. Touching himself on all those places which in turn only made me think ''hell can I come over and touch you?''. Hey don't judge. Long haired rockers? Yes please. Not to mention dance moves, probably making more women in the venue hot under their collars not just me. It was sexy as hell is what I'm trying to say. The combo of the voice, guitars, drums, Davids ''wandering hands''…sweet jesus. I probably died on the spot and went to heaven because all THAT couldn't really be happening could it? 

One of my favourite ballads ''Is this love'' was also as perfect as ever. Sounds different now but that doesn't make it any worse quality wise. I love it even more now because I know just how much effort and love and actual work is put into it, and not just this song, the entire show of course. Is this love is a lighter song. But sad reality is that nobody has Zippos on concerts anymore. They're not allowed and you have to settle for second best. Cellphones. Ugh. It really ruins the mood if you ask me. But it is what it is. The song is still beautiful and David puts just enough emotion into singing it to make it special. With all this David praise let's not forget about Joel Hoekstra and Reb Beach who by the way are both out of this world. Nobody cares about singing 100% the same as 20 years ago and hitting all those high notes when you got two guys like that in your band, with a guitar duel battle that's just out of this world. Tommy Aldridge as well. Great drummer. 

All in all, great support for Leppard and I have to say I enjoyed every moment of their preformance just like I did the first time around. But there's one thing I actually can't skip in this post. The sound! My god what the hell happened there? I mean I've seen it many times before, sound being shit for the opening act but great for the headliners. I hate that so much. Don't they all deserve the same credit? The Forum is actually a great venue, sound vise, so I just can't process why the hell did Whitesnake sound so off on moments. Specially because Leppard were quite a bit louder yet their sound was completely polished. 

It's nice enjoying the ''opening act'' for a change (even if here, Whitesnake can only be a co headliner not support, they're just as big as Leppard are if not bigger) because to be fair, and I don't want to be rude, but in most cases everyone is just itching for support to get off stage soon to see the band you came to see. I admit I'm the same, even if I discovered some great unknown bands this way. 

Whitesnake left the stage with ''We wish you well'' playing on tape and I swear all my nerves caught on fire. Not because of the song but because oh my god! Leppard are in this building, breathing the same air! Holy fuck! They're about to hit the stage any minute. Shit Joe Elliott is right here somewhere. Yes I know, I have an unhealthy obsession with him. I know, but I swear it's really the music I love most. I tend to scream each time Pour some sugar on me is on the radio…more on that a bit later though…great band, great music, perfect lead singer. 

The set started with Rocket (yeah!), and honestly before actually realising what they are playing I was just stunned and starstruck. They're real. They're on the stage. They're right here. Joe is real. His blonde hair is super ''Prince charming'' and he's all smiles and I am hyperventilating. I love that man. Did I mention? 

Def leppard sold over 100 million records worldwide, both Hysteria and Pyromania are Diamond albums which puts Leppard right at the top of most successful UK rock bands, or just bands in general. Their shows are packed with energy, dynamic great music and nothing but rock n roll. I hear people complaining that they're far from rock, that they're closer to pop but hey cmon now ''easy rock'' or what's that word ''Kuschel rock''? Leppard are great to play and relax after a long day or put on after a date if you wanna get some action. Would work for me anyways. Hah. 

It must be quite an amazing feeling when what 30 000 + sing your songs back to you. Though Mediolanum forum in Milano is smaller, I think it holds about 13 000 people. And it was packed! Filled with people to the very last corner and boy were those people loud. Well ha! Who am I to speak, he sings Hysteria and I get literally hysterical. Safe to say my throat is still a bit raw and voice a bit raspy. But like that's the least you can do right? Sing and scream along to those songs that you love so much. Give the bands the credit they deserve. Show them love. I mean yeah showing love must be nicer a bit differently too…I could insert a paragraph here with a very dirty detailed dream from last night, about licking, biting, exchanging body heat, all hands and rough kisses BUT I have a feeling you don't really want to read that. A little side note though, Joe? He's an amazing kisser. What? It was a very vivid dream. 

I swear there were moments on the concert where it felt like the sheer screaming will blew the roof right of off the venue. Joe took a moment to say it's a shame they didn't come sooner, if they knew what kinda crowd there is in Italy they would. Why? ''because you are loud, and we love loud'' (cough cough…). Right after that he tells us to get just a bit louder…if that was possible. And to be honest suddenly I felt like I walked into a One Direction show right at their height of the career where teens were so hysteric your ears would bleed from screaming alone. 

The way Phil and Vivian play that riff of Rocket is just about orgasmic and of course right after Rocket you've got Animal, to be quite honest looking at Phil, half naked, those damn toned muscles, guitars with scarves hanging from them and that attitude? Totally ''animalistic'' like a wild animal on the loose. In a good way. The man is incredible. He didn't take his vest off though. And I was just ''complaining'' how he never wears shirts. See that's what I get hah. 

And then there's Savage. Hell the man has some serious style and sex appeal. Did you see all that hair and glitter? Cher would envy him. And yeah I'm dying. Again. The rockstar moves aren't helping my case either. Great musician just like the rest of them. Bass is so on point as is his singing. 

But my actual issue is Mr. Elliott. Oh lord. That man will be the death of me. Literally. He has this charisma about him and this larger than life persona not to mention his singing. The man leaves his blood, sweat, tears and lungs on that stage. His voice holds so much power and he sings all those different ranges without a problem. Doesn't break a sweat and every note is completely on point. Of course a bit more intimate approach would be nicer too, I don't mean anything dirty here, calm down, I mean more communication with the crowd. More talking, like the boss and his speaches.

Right after Animal there was Let it go and then, first tears of the evening ''When love and hate collide''. Full on fountain mode. This is such a beautiful song. The lyrics, the melody. The way Joe sings it, emotionally, his voice almost breaking at a couple of different parts of the song, you can feel the emotions the song sings about. It was like all my nerves caught fire. All my emotions were scrambled and all my hairs were up even the ones I don't even have anymore. Don't ask. The crowd was signing along to every line and then the very last verse, it was was just Joe, no music, no nothing just his amazing voice. Sweet jesus take the wheel because I am done for.

Show goes on with Let's get rocked. I'm sorry Joe but do you want to get rocked? Because I am all for it, any day any time. Of course there's also Armageddon it, David Essexs Rock on, Two steps behind with the entire band together on the ''cat walk'' singing together too. BEAUTIFUL. Followed by Man enough, newer song, came out in 2015, made me instantly fall in love with them even more, as if that was possible. But to be fair ''are you man enough to be my girl?'' yeah, yeah I am, but are you man enough to handle me? That's a better question. 

Love bites! (I can too, if you're in to it Elliott, just putting that out there…) laser effects, Joe's perfect voice that sounds exactly as it does on vinyl if not better, the guitars, man it's a surreal experience. And did you know that Love bites was supposed to be a country song before it got ''Lepparded''? Thank fuck it never turned country because that would be a disaster. It's one of my favourite Leppard songs and though I do love country, a little bit of ''jump on the hood of my daddy's tractor'' I have a hard time imagining Love bites as country. 

Right after Switch 625 followed and of course Hysteria. Seriously the whole ''I get hysterical, hysteria…''? Yes that's me. Full on hysteria. Howling along, as loud as I can and screaming. The album that shares the name with the song Hysteria was aparently one of the most expensive albums ever recorded in UK because they had numerous problems and issues with it. Delays and accidents.  But honestly, and this is hard for me, picking favourite albums is like picking a favourite amongst children, you shouldn't nor you couldn't do it. Yet Hysteria is on my top five. Obsessed. In love. Entire album. All songs are perfect and I am so glad they ''suffered'' through all their issues and released this master piece in the end. It desereved all the love (and more) it got.

Delays and accidents bring us back to Rick Allen. He lost his arm in a car accident so young. A drummer. It feels like a complete disaster but let's point out how much I love the guys for basically going ''we're doing this record with Rick or we're not doing it at all''. I mean more often than not money is the only thing that matters. But here friendship did and giving a chance to Rick proved to be the right thing to do, given how Hysteria broke all records. 

I loved watching Rick on stage, not only is he an amazing drummer but I loved watching him smile, I loved how all the other band members were pretty much celebrating his talent, urging the crowd to erupt in another fit of screams and claps to praise the best (and only?) one armed drummer. The man is a legend, and so are his band mates for being there, for never giving up on him and honestly that is what makes me love them so much more. The love, the friendship, the brotherhood, you can feel it on that stage. Nothing but positive vibes. And Rick is still so humbled by all the love he gets. Warms your heart not going to lie. 

You know what's next right? That moment that I've been waiting for all night. But they took their SWEET time with it. POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME! I am literally obsessed with that song, it's not as brilliant as Bohemian Rhapsody or as romantic as Always, but sweet jesus that's my song. Absolutely lost it when the first note hit. I am quite certain that the entire venue heard my hysterical screaming (maybe also the people outside) despite the loud music. Not just me though, you could see it even the people that kinda kept back, took it easy to this point, they all lost it, Sugar pulls everyone to their feet. Everyone was howling that song along at the top of their lungs. 

Can I take a moment here to say, that I would absolutely NOT mind Joe pouring some sugar on me? Did you see him in that promotional video where he's ''pouring sugar'', that ''woof'' he does? How dare you do that to me? How do you expect me to recover from THAT! My god. Beyond attractive. I'm good, really, just give me about a week to recover from the shock that is Joe Elliott and Def Leppard in person. Holy hell. Maybe a month to be on the safe side. 

After Sugar they said ''thank you, good night'' but came back for two more songs which were Rock of ages and Photograph.  Classics of course. I liked a cute small moment of tribute to Steve Clark who played on Hysteria but died in 91' when he was barely 30. Sad story really. After that the show ended with a promise of another one soon. They all say that to be honest but I really hope he meant it because I really really REALLY want to see them again and this is about as close as I can get them (about 1000 km). 

All in all despite all the pain and troubles and struggles this was a perfect night, a night the kind I wish I had more in my life. It's relaxing, recharging, inspiring, full of love and positive vibes. It's all I'm missing in daily life to be fair. Less stress, less drama, more love, more positivity. 

Safe to say I got bitten by Leppard and I never loved them more. Guys, don't be strangers, please come back. And soon. Till then I'm still gonna be here, day dreaming about pouring sugar over a certain blond haired man. 

Cheers mates