If this is HELLFEST I don't want to go to HEAVEN(fest?)

Bienvenue!! WOW what a great weekend. We just got back to Hotlanta (fucking 95 degrees here) from Two fabulous shows in France! First we rocked Paris at The Nouveau Casino with none other than the infamous VOIVOD!!!

I was a big Thrash MetalHead in the teen 80's and these guys were definately on my short list of heros. I never had the chance to see them back in the day and as the years progressed I was scared to see them potentially devastate me by A) being a bunch of assholes or B) Suck Live, even worse than being assholes. Thank God it turns out A) they are super cool, friendly, smart and funny and B) RULE LIVE!!!! I was so relieved. Not only do I have a new favorite band I am also justified in loving them all these years. I phoned my mom to tell her VOIVOD STILL ROCKS!! I'm sure she was very relieved. Here's a shot of me and Blackie from the Vods.

Next day we drove to Clisson, only a few (5) hours from Paris, just far enough for us to get there really late and Miss both all our interviews AND our Autograph signing session (we are VERY SORRY) but we did not miss our slot of paying at 3:50 - the hour of ROCK that day! Wholly Shit what a great event. We did our thing, with maybe a little extra this time, because face it - we have no shows for at least two more weeks so what the fuck, whatever I do to myself onstage has plenty of time to heal before the next show!!

Our show was fantastic, a few technical problems, but to quote GIRLSCHOOL, 'that's what you get for being us!' But the Audience was on Fire. All 20,000 of them. The party continued off the stage and into the next day. As usual most of my recollections are one big BLUR but I know we had a ball with MAD SIN, the P-Shockabilly band from Germany. Two Tons of fun, and that's not just the lead singer. Here's Blaine with Hellvis of Mad Sin. And a shot of them on stage.

Some of the other bands playing were Motley Crue, Buckcherry, our homies from ATL- MASTADON, Girlschool, CLUTCH, HEAVEN AND HELL with DIO, DOWN, Backyard Babies, St.Vitus, Anthrax, WASP, The Entombed, Marilyn Manson, Machine Head, Kiling Joke, Misfits, Karma To Burn, Sacred Reich, The Cro-Mags, Manowar, Queensryche, Suicidal Tendancies, Orange Goblin, Napalm Death, KMFDM, and VOIVOD! needless to say, everyone's favorite band was the PASTORS OF MUPPETS - a 12 piece horn band with a drummer that played metal classics with lots of Metallica, done perfectly!

Needless to say - this was one of the most fun times we've had, and we have had our share, and a few other people's share too I'm sure.

The last few photos are of Dez Cadena of Misfits after a job well done and our Amazonian buddy Lucy from London who was in charge of 'artist comfort' - like spending 5 hours decorating Motley Crue's backstage in a Pirate Theme and a Dinosaur themed room for Clutch!

Thanks to everyone who was involved, can't wa it til next time! And finally a photo of 'the Australian Soup' for sale along with the SOUP OF DEATH!!

And by the way, Black is still the new Black.

See y'all down the road!

ruyter

Hot Summer in Atlanta continued... (this got edited out)

We head back to France next week for two spectacular shows, both with none other than VOIVOD!! The first show is in Paris at the Nouveau Casino on the 18th and will be an 'intimate' affair. The next show is the opposite - at one of the biggest Rock Festivals in all France. HELLFEST in Clisson on the 19th with HEAVEN AND HELL headlining. If they are anything like they were when we saw them in Chicago, it will be a spectacular event, I hear 100,000 people come to the three day event.

Summer in Hotlanta!!

Hey Everyone, How the hell are y'all? We are having a blast on our 'time off' here in Atlanta. It is just starting to get really fucking hot. 80-90 degrees if it doesn't rain. I've actually got my garden planted and Blaine and I have even made it to one Braves game so far. We got to see Unplugged/Unwigged Spinal Tap accoutic show at the Fox Theatre which was utterly historic.

  Blaine and I spent 10 days in Lexington KY recording the new NINE POUND HAMMER album. They recorded a bunch of country songs - Hammer style and Hammer songs-Country style. So far sounds excellent. I was even called off the bench to contribute some mandolin. We'll be back this summer to finish up. If you check wikipedia it says the new Hammer album is out already and has a hilarious title.. I ain't gonna tell you. But like Homer Simpson says to Bart, 'Don't worry about Wikipedia, we'll change it when we get home'. Regardless it will be out, but we'll have to finish it first.

  Also on our 'time off' I manged to play an accoutic gig with Mr. Eddie Spaghetti himself here in Atlanta's Gravity Pub in East ATL. Talk about an unexpected blast. We had so much fun and I actually managed to learn 9 songs for the gig. The show sold out  and the audience was on fire. One of the locals closed the show by eating lightbulbs and sword swallowing for the last standing drunks (most of us). It turned out the lightbulb eater and his wife were being filmed for their episode of Wife Swap!! I can't wait to see the show.

  We head back to France next week for two spectacular shows, both with none other than VOIVOD!! The first show is in Paris at the Nouveau Casino on the 18th and will be an 'intimate' affair. The next show is the opposite - at one of the biggest Rock Festivals in all France. HELLFEST in Clisson on the 19th with HEAVEN AND HELL headlining. If they are anything like they were when we saw them in Chicago, it will be a spectacular event, I hear 100,000 people come to the three day event.

  So last week, we're watching this movie called "I'm Through With White Girls' and there's this scene where a guy is buying vinyl records and trying to impress the woman at the store. She comments on his Thin Lizzy purchase and he says "I like Nashville Pussy too". Pretty damn cool. what can I say, the guy's got taste.