Sweden Rock Festival 2001, the day after

Sunday June 10th. Early morning. Breakfast. Freak Kitchen whom turned in quite early compared to the rest of the rockers had a good time, surrounded by friends and crew. While everyone else looked hungover and was speaking in low voices they were laughing and having a good time... I don't know who it was that decided he'd go outside, to the terrace for a smoke - but I'm sure he regret taking up smoking, as opening the door set off the alarm! Imagine all the hungovered headbashers - the poor guy rushed out with a bloodred blushing face :-)

After breakfast people started to make their way back home... Myself I catched a ride with John Norum's gear. The van was driven by Fredrik (ex-Talisman) and his girlfriend. Didn't take half the time compared to the train.

Sweden Rock Festival 2001, day 2

Saturday June 9th. Last day of the festival and the BIG day music wise. Shared a van with Jeff Scott Soto and some of the other guys in Talisman to the festival area. It was clear that he was eager to watch Freak Kitchen play. Arrived just in time to hear them begin. Tony, tourmanager with the Mann Charlton Band, had come with me - determined to watch some good music - and he loved it. Watching Mattias Ia Eklundh play with a fake mobilephone as well as a dildo can make any american gasp for air. Young Johan made a success, playing with them - replacing Ia on guitar. Freak Kitchen is Sweden's best band, all categories. Gotta love them. Thanx to Mattias Eliasson for introducing me to this band, I owe you a big one (and HAPPY BIRTHDAY - wish you'd been there)!

A quick rush from the Sweden Stage to the Festival Stage where my favorite Danish band's playing it loud. Pretty Maids. It's been 2 years since I saw them the last time, in Copenhagen before I moved to Gotland. They were awsome. Just as good as ever. Shouldn't be surprised really, but I am - they definitly had the audience in the palm of their hands. They made a sort of Best of... gig which was well taken by the starved Swedish fans - it's been 9 years since they played in Sweden the last time, on the Sin-Decade tour 1992.

Ronnie, Ken, Kenneth & Michael - it was great to see you guys again, wish you'd stayed for the party at the hotel, you'd loved it! Michael and Ken wanted to come with me to watch Dokken play (both are fans of John Norum), Michael was the only one who made it though and I lost touch with him as we got closer to the stage - after the gig they'd all gone, probably left for Copenhagen. If you want to see more of my photos, check out Savage Heart!

Dokken with Mickey D on bass, Mick Brown on drums, John Norum on guitars and Don Dokken on vocals was a dream come true. The bassplayer however left things to wish for and Don could have been singing with more feelings and maybe cut some of the unnecessary "do you like to get high?" and "we'll that's it - we have to go now" (after only 3 songs)... But all'n'all it was a good show and John Norum did one of his best performances ever. I was so proud of him afterwards. To me, he was the winner of the festival.

Time for a supposed food-break, but unfortunately the food ran out so I was stuck with some breadrolls! Had a walk on the grounds with my new pals in Stockholm-based band Nerved (they're friends of the Manny Charlton guys) - but when they left to check out Rose Tattoo I went to find a ride back to the hotel.

And, at the hotel there was a party going on. A quick shower to get back some warmth and then party, party, party... The Southern Rock Allstars, Helloween, Seven Wishes, Moxy, Angel, Nitzinger, Demon among others were partying all night long!

Sweden Rock Festival 2001, day 1

Friday June 8th. I'm off to the festival, sharing a van with the Manny Charlton Band. I watch them play before I move on to the WASP press conference where Blackie shows up alone. He answers the questions asked and is just as gorgeous as ever. He doesn't sign many autographs nor posing for photos other than those taken at the conference. He's about to jump straight into the white limo waiting for him when I gather the nerves to ask him if I can have a photo taken with him - he says yes!! My friend Rickard Nilsson from Bildbyrån take it and off Blackie goes (I don't have to tell you anything about the killing looks I get from just about anyone present)! I'm happy and Rickard is a great photographer so I'm sure it's a good picture..

Food's next on the plan. Hanging out with Daniela and her boyfriend Pär. Seeing one of my oldest friends, Pekka - now this is what festivals are all about - meeting lost and distant friends, swap e-mail adds and phonenumbers :-) Then the scheduled Network Of Wild Ones meeting in front of the Rockstage at 20.00 pm. Lasse and I are the only ones meeting up, which meant he was forced to drink the free beers I brought, all alone :-) By the way, got introduced to Don Dokken and his ladyfriend in the VIP-tent. Very nice!

Saw WASP play, I loved it. Lots of tracks from my favorite album "The Crimson Idol" - and not that much blood and no gore at all. Abso-fucking-lutley fantastic!

Gary Moore was headlining but because of the freazing cold weather I just had to get indoors and Daniela & Pär drove me back to the hotel. The three tunes I saw was alright, but I still feel the blues thing is wrong at a hard rock festival. At another place Gary would have ruled, but here - no, I'm sorry. It didn't work out for me.

Unfortunately no-one I've talked to was pleased with the gig. But Jenny, who arranged all the artist's transports was more than happy cause she got a long conversation with him and moved several steps closer to a radiointerview she's been asking for a long time... :-)

Sweden Rock Festival 2001, the day before

In 1994 I went to Karlshamn for the very first time to visit the Summerfestival as it was called then. On stage was Deep Purple with Joe Satriani on guitar. Other bands I remember was Blackfoot and Mountain. Two years later Deep Purple headlined again, this time the festival was called the Karlshamn Rock Festival. On guitars with Deep Purple was Steve Morse and they did one of the best concerts I ever seen - they even included "Child In Time", although I saw 9 other shows on the Purpendicular tour I never got to hear it again. Then, 1999, Abandon was released and Deep Purple headlined again, the festival had now changed to Norje outside Sölvesborg and as it wasn't located in Karlshamn the festival changed name to Sweden Rock Festival... I also got to see Manowar and Dare wich made my life improve big time (at least by Dare).

Then, rumours about the year 2001's festival made it clear that there wouldn't be any BIG names, that the record label Record Heaven taken over and there was a shortage of money - actually, the continuing of the festival was at stake. I had no plans of going. Deep Purple wouldn't come, nor would I.
Pretty Maids would come they said. Then WASP was added to the bill. And Dokken. And a few days later it was clear that John Norum would play with Dokken.
I just had to go.
So I did.
And it'd turn out to be the best festival ever.

I fell asleep at 02 am on Thursday June 7th. The alarmclock was set on 05.30 but I woke up at 4 am the first time, afraid to oversleep. Local news at 05.30 reports that there's a strike among train drivers. Almost every train going south has been cancelled, they mention my train as one of the cancelled ones. I pack my bag and head for the centralstation in Stockholm - totally focused to get down to the festival *somehow*...

Since I was a kid, and spent every holiday in Stockholm, the trains back home (to Malmö) has gone from track 10, so that's where I am heading. It's 06:45 in the morning and I'm sure I'm still dreaming when I actually SEE a train to Malmö on track 10. I jump onboard without looking around. I find a seat near a retired couple who's train got cancelled last night and they had to spend the night in a parked train and was now finally on the move.

Everyone's nice, we're told that this most likely is the only train southbound today. Everyone's helpfull and promises me to help me find my way down to the festival.
I feel good, soft music in my walkman and a good sleep is my plan.

Yeah right...

Sleep no more. At 8:45 a sharp voice informs us that we have to get off the train at the next stop - the train has been cancelled. I'm in Norrköping.
Not even a quarter of the way down to the festival.
A local train takes me a little bit more south, to Linköping, connecting with another train that will take me to Kalmar.

I realise that this train will take me thru my childhood summerholidays areas. As the train smoothly stops in Kisa (where I spent 2-3 weeks every summer for over 10 yrs) - wam - bam - thank you mam - train's broken. A 30 mins break follows. The clock's only half past 10 so there's still plenty of miles/kilometers to cover... But hey, the festival doesn't start officially until Friday so what's the rush, uh? I'm hungry.

I've checked the running order for the festival for the zillionth time, I now know what to see by heart. I also know what to do when I arrive at the hotel: SLEEP. The bags under my eyes are *huge* I doubt anyone could tell the colour of eyes even.

I fall asleep, finally, but wakes up and find myself going backwards. Slight panik attack - find the train crew, they calm me down, everything's okay, still on our way to Kalmar. Arriving safely just before 13 pm. Get on to a new train, this one's going to Gothenburg (just across Sweden...) - usually this train stops near the festival, but not today. Today I must change train in Emmaboda. Kalmar is usually 5 stops away from Sweden Rock Festival - today it's a lifetime between them. It's insane. I've been on the tracks for 6 hours, usually it'd take 4,5 hours.

Local train takes me from Emmaboda to Karlskrona, on this train I can spot a few metalheads - I'm certainly on the right way, finally. Circle ends, in Karlskrona I climb on a train that goes to Malmö and 30 mins later I'm at the Scene. 9 hours after leaving Stockholm Central Station.

I check in at the hotel.
Fall asleep.
Wake up.
Have a shower.
Take a tour of the hotel.
Meet my room mate, who was sure "Ozzie" was a bloke.
Hear that WASP want to leave for the festival area to hang out.
I feel my nerves cringle up... '
Met my buddies in the Manny Charlton Band, they're all psyched about the festival - just as everyone else.
Having a good time.