New blog!

Just a quickie to tell you I've started a new blog solely dedicated to reviews. As I already write for FUZZ Magazine (in Swedish), www.metalcentral.net (in Swedish) and www.metalcovenant.com (in English), I decided I'll publish my collected reviews here, all in English. I will most likely publish a couple new reviews every week. As I'm working on the new book, there will be a bit more concentration on the Swedish hard rock/metal releases.

If you feel like sending me stuff, feel free! Just mail me and I'll send you my address. E-mail: stark(at)starkmusic(dot)net.

You'll find the blog, named Stark Music Reviews, here: http://starkmusicreviews.blogspot.com/

Welcome!

Janne

New album out, new songs written!

Finally the new Mountain of Power CD has been released! I'm ever so happy with the result, I must say! Hope it sells a million copies so I become a millionaire!! No, wait, it's only covers... well, I hope the original artists get what they deserve :-)

I'm slowly but safely getting in to the mac and ProTools train! Just transferred a bunch of demos for the forthcoming Overdrive album, from Cubase SX3 to ProTools. Had to bounce down the files in Cubase, save the project to a new fold and exclude all files not used. Import the files in ProTools into a new project and re-program the drums. Fixed 7 tracks in two days, so it worked pretty smoothly.

This week we'll have a meeting about the upcoming Overdrive album, our 30th anniversary disc. Man, I'm not that old!! Well, you're only as old as you feel (or others tell you...). I however feel pretty confident with the new material. Luckily (well...) the Scorpions didn't choose any of my songs so now I can use them for Overdrive instead. This however does not mean the new Overdrive will sound like a Scorpions record.

Been getting into some Swedish stuff I haven't listened to in a while when working on the book. See my list below.

DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA - "The Butcher's Ballroom" - This is just too crazy to describe, but WHAT AN ALBUM!! Metal meets jazz meets, awing meets Mariachi music meets metal again!

DEGREED - s/t(MCD) - Great new Swedish melodic rock hope! Debut album on the way!

AIRBOURNE - No Guts. No Glory - Yepp, these Aussies sure can rock!

DIRTY DAVE OSTI - Voodoo Guitar - Awesome new heavy blues cat!

UPS can kiss my BWA!!!!

OK, today I'm actually slightly mad, angry and aggravated. Before Christmas I ordered three T-shirts from CafePress.com. Great company, I must say. Excellent service! I received the package before Christmas and the t-shirts (with pretty cool prints) made excellent gifts.
Last Friday I receive an invoice from UPS...
Disbursement compensation: 110 SEK (+ 25 % VAT)
Customs fee: 48 SEK
Pay within 10 days (from Dec 23) or interest and 50 SEK penalty fee will be added. (Standard in Sweden is 30 days)

WHAT THE FUCK??!!

This means I should pay UPS 130 SEK for paying my customs fee of 48 SEK!! Plus they send the invoice out so that I receive it AFTER it should be paid!!!

Naturally, I called them. Yes, I was right, they paid my customs fee (which I didn't ask for, plus I had no way of protesting to the customs service) and it was a fee for their "service". She said she would however change the pay date to 10 days from today. I told her - Nope, 30 days. She said that was only for companies. I said - Nope, according to Swedish consumer policies it's 30 days if I haven't accepted 10 days in an earlier agreement or a written consent, which I haven't. I could almost see her mouth looking like a chicken ass when she snapped "Well then, I'll let the economy department know".

So, DON'T USE UPS!!!!

On another note, the iMac is running smoothly, been working a lot on the book lately and the Mountain Of Power "Volume Two" will be released in a few weeks.

Listening to:
SOUL DOCTOR - "Eay Back To The Bone" - Yepp, they still rock
DIAMOND REO - "Dirty Diamonds" - Old classic!
OCEAN - "Ocean" (second album) - Another forgotten French gem!
IMPULSIA - "Expressions" - Great new Swedish AOR

Mac and a prayer

Well, long time no write! Had a great Christmas, even though the flu (nope, not the piggy) struck twise. Got my Mac during the holidays. It made me realize even more how much I hate PC. It all came to the hilt when my PC AGAIN decided it should pack it in. Installed all the software on the Mac without problems, connected the separate hard drive and could just continue working with my PC documents without problems! Man, I'm impressed and it makes me realize, I do love Mac! My fiancée has been right all these years... and I'm not afraid to admit it! At least I'm at home now, computerwise that is. Need to get all my mails and crap organized, though.

I've installed ProTools, Addictive Drums etc and it works like a charm. I haven't dared to start recording yet because if I had... I wouldn't be able to stop. New sounds and new system is extremely inspirational... and I need to keep my focus on the book for a while.

In just a few days the new Mountain of Power is supposed to be printed and ready!! I'm soooo longing to see the result. A cool 6-panel digi with an awesome artwork by Sami and Joe!

Listening to:
The Answer - Everyday Demons
RA - Black Sheep
These Crooked Vultures - s/t
Avenged Sevenfold - City Of Evil (RIP James)

Skagarack, Pretty Maids and a working computer!

So, the show at Amager Bio with the re-united Skagarack and Pretty Maids yesterday... was AWESOME!!!
Skagarack may not have looked like the hottest band on the planet, but man, they sounded awesome!!! They looked a little bit nervous in the beginning, but after a couple of songs they looked really comfortable. The sound was killer, Torben sang his ass off and they were all incredibly great musicians! Much heavier than on CD, too! Looking forward to hearing a new release (just hope they have improved a bit in the lyrics department...). They definitely need to do Firefest next year!!





Pretty Maids did an outstanding show! They also played a couple of songs I've never hard them do live before! Ronnie ALWAYS sings his ass off and always performs all the way without any cracks, Ken played great and their drummer is a machine!! A great night indeed!





On another note, finally, my computer is working! My colleague Johan managed to save most of my files and get the damn thing going again. A hard, but effective way, to get a heads-up about back-up...





Last week I picked up my new True Temperament Low Tune Strat (see pic). It's tuned to B (0.014-0.070). Body of swamp ash made by Eugen Guitars in Norway. Rio Grande pick-ups.

New interesting stuff:


EAGLESTRIKE - s/t - Freak Kitchen bass-player gone solo - great melodic hard rock


IMPULSIA - Expressions - Great new AOR w Marel Jacob (RIP) etc


URBANDUX - Eleven Eleven - Starting to sounds really good now!

Mixed mastered and ready!!

Right now the Mountain Of Power "Vol II" album is being mastered by one of my guitar heroes, who also does a guest solo on the album, Ty Tabor (King's X). The test track I received sounded awesome! We're slightly behind schedule but the album should be out before Christmas anyway.

My computer crashed, my entire drive was erased, all my reviews, articles, interviews, lists, book keeping... everything... gone. At least it seemed like it. Currently my computer wiz colleague Johan is restoring the disc, and it's looking good! It's been a couple of nerve wrecking days, I can ssure you!

Listening to right now:
KATATONIA - "Night Is The New Day" - Opeth's got competition!!
CITY BOY - "Dinner At The Riyz" - Great (but cheap) re-issue
CITY BOY - Young Men Gone West - (see above)

Yes, entering the final stage!!

Tomorrow knob wizzard Pelle Saether will put the finishing touch on the new Mountain of Power CD! After this, it's off for mastering by King's X stringsman Ty Tabor (who also does a guest solo on "Waves"). The mixing stage has been an interesting battle of the minds between myself and label owner/co-producer Joe "The Groovedawg" Romagnola where both our patiences have been put to the test. I think we both passed pretty unharmed though ;-). The end result is what matter and the album sounds awesome!! Well, what is less to expect from such outstanding musicians (besides myself, that is :-)). The release is set to early December and it looks like we will succeed!

On another note. The rumours of me leaving Sweden Rock in all it's forms is true. I have also been banned from the message board, so if you don't see me there, you kow why. I will have nothing to do with the festival nor the magazine.

Some new discs to check out:
The Psychics - s/t - Great bluesy UK retro feel!
Sherlock Brothers - s/t - New contemporary Swedes to check out!
Point Blank - Fight On! - Still rockin'!