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