In the new issue of Rockoon! Germany there is a nice article with Lauri. Thanks to Jessica here is the English translation and also a few pictures of how the article looks like . Pictures: 1 2 3

„15 years ago we were jumping wildly on stage and because of that rather hurt ourselves than playing music…”

Rockoon: With your “Best Of” release you celebrate 15 years of The Rasmus. How may we imagine Lauri as an erstwhile schoolboy?
Lauri Ylönen: Oh, this question absolutely fits well, as I’ve just rummaged through a lot of old childhood photos in the house of my mum. A magazine needs some old pictures for the school concert that we do on our anniversary, and I found some old school photos as well. We had these year books that include pictures of the whole class and I had another crazy haircut in nearly every photo. (laughs)
But I very often wore a Metallica shirt, this was possibly kind of constant. In our clique we often did crazy things, the eye-catching styling was just one part of it. But I have to point out that all of us were quite good pupils. That didn’t fit together for most of the teachers. In our leisure time we mostly went snowboarding and skateboarding – there wasn’t anything as good as this for us.

R: Did you have to give up on these sports activities for The Rasmus?
LY: At least I had to constrict it. But if there’s the possibility, we risk going snowboarding or skateboarding. Last summer I was just skateboarding again and badly dislocated my shoulder right there. Great, right? Something like that never happened to me the years before.

R: You lived your entire life in Helsinki. Have you been happy not to grow up in the Finnish loneliness?
LY: It depends. When I still lived with my parents, we stayed outside of Helsinki, and there it was very calm. But I can clearly remember how cool we felt when me and our bassist Eero Heinonen moved into our first flat in the city of Helsinki. The flat was just one room, barely 20 square metres, and had no shower and no toilet. There was just a bathroom on the corridor for the whole level. But that didn’t matter to us most of the time and we just used the sink to pee. I know, quite disgusting, but we were 17 and it didn’t matter to us at all. (laughs) However, we’ve been the coolest kids by far, as we were the first who moved from home. So there often were parties… a very chaotic time.

R: Easy to imagine in this situation. Have you always liked living in Finland? Also before you could visit the whole world because of The Rasmus?
LY: Actually yes. It’s right that I learned to appreciate Finland more since I travelled that much but I always liked this country. I love the clearly definable seasons. In summer you can go skateboarding and when summer is fading slightly you can look forward to snowboarding. I like long winter evenings when it’s dawning at 3 o’clock but also enjoy the long summer days when the sun almost doesn’t disappear.
Los Angeles for example where it’s almost the same weather every day I’d go mad. Of course, as teenagers, we wanted to get out of Finland and went to London to party regularly. But as exciting as it was – here is the most beautiful place.

R: Quite soon after forming the band you decided to quit school for The Rasmus. Was it a hard decision?
LY: Absolutely, it was a really hard one! At that time I was at an eminently respectable music school which only accepts a few number of applicants. Of course my parents had a big expectation of a career there but it didn’t work out as good as before. We already had a certain popularity here in Finland, often played concerts and already went gold the first time. More often I was tired and couldn’t concentrate in school and finally drew the consequences. I would have regretted it if I wouldn’t have done that, as I felt that we could have success with our band. And I was right after all. Fortunately I could also convince my parents, otherwise it would have been difficult. But as my dad always dreamt of his own band it wasn’t so hard.

R: And how did you get used to the life of a professional musician? If you actually can get used to it…
LY: No one of us is a real professional musician. Therefore all of us are too untalented. (laughs) We combine happiness, having fun playing together and this energy that we have. We still respect this thing very much and are happy that we can go through this together as a band. On the one hand it’s better to share the success, on the other hand you can bear reverses easier together. Well, you can’t learn to play in a rock band.

R: Did you have another career aspiration in school?
LY: No, I felt sure that I’d do something with music. After all I was at a music school. I always wanted to play in a band because music already gave me a lot of strength as a listener. Perhaps it’s even my parents’ fault that I quit school, as they were the ones who sent me to piano lessons.

R: Despite of the high expectations, was it a good thing when you created your first band?
LY: Yeah – although first we just played cover versions of Nirvana and Metallica. This was good but not the real deal. This began when we wrote our first own songs…

R: What was the first song you wrote?
LY: It was Myself. Back then I was 15 and the chorus just says “I can’t be myself”, on the one hand the typical “teenager fear” thing, on the other hand I felt exactly like that when I was 15. By the way, we will play this song at our anniversary concert in the gym of our old school. It’s a weird feeling to practice, I was a very different person back then.

R: How did you get the idea of playing a concert in the same gym in which you had your first gig?
LY: I got the idea one day because I just found it fit well to play there after all these years where everything began. So I called the principal which was weird enough, because 15 years ago there wouldn’t have been anyone who I didn’t like to call as much as him. (laughs) First he didn’t want to believe me that it’s really me who’s calling but finally I could convince him. It’ll be fun – we invited some of the audience of that time and will also play one or two very old songs. I just hope that then the show will be better. 15 years ago we were jumping wildly on stage and because of that rather hurt ourselves than playing music…

R: The latest “Best Of” disc and this school concert are a good reason to look back at your career. Which parts stand out the most for you?
LY: A very important event happened not long after we formed the band: we could be the support act of Red Hot Chili Peppers and could perform in front of thousands of people. After this concert we felt sure that we wanted to do this for the rest of our lives. And after a few years in which we were successful in Finland, it went on with In The Shadows. This song was the most important event in our career…

R: … and one of the most successful songs of the Finnish history of music. How did you find out about the fact that In The Shadows hit the charts worldwide?
LY: That was totally chaotic and happened so fast. The song was released worldwide at the same time and made an impact. Earlier we were happy about a good chart position for days and called everyone for hours, with In The Shadows we just got many short text messages: number one in Germany, Poland, wherever. We couldn’t keep up, especially as we were on tour at that time and had to manage not to lose our footing. Of course this is relatively difficult when you’re told about 15 minutes before the gig that the single was selling one million times by that time. That was just beyond our imagination. Today I wish that I could live through this another time so that I can enjoy it more intensive.

R: In spite of everything you managed not to lose your footings and are characterised by a lack of scandals. Or do you just hide them too clever?
LY: It’s possible that we’re just absolutely boring. No, actually I was very careful concerning my private life and I am shy by nature. However, I don’t need to make a big deal out of myself in the media like some Finnish, popular people do. I like to leave that to the persons who need it.

So here’s a quite old article from the beginning of this year with Eero and Aki…you can find here some pictures of the article: 1 2 3 4

Godfathers of the Children Clinics
The Rasmus as best Finnish band
The Rasmus’s Aki and Eero are about to begin a worldwide tour soon.
The Rasmus is the band of the year.
1. Aki and Eero: This is a very great surprise! Finland has very good and tough bands that were mostly present here in the competition, so the winning feels even better. Our supporters were pretty active and voted for us.
2. Aki: The disk was published. When i hold it for the first time in my hands, it was kind of a moment like for a little boy at Christmas. It’s more and more exciting year after year. Will always be a great feeling at every new beginning.
Eero: I made for the album a documentary, which ended on a special edition of the disk. It was a quite new experience, but also a really good one. Probably will continue with something similar.
Aki: When i first saw the documentary i was a little horrified, but on the other hand i was proud of all of us, because it was a pretty good thing for all of us after all these years. The Rasmus will be 15 years old next year, it is a long life for a band.
Aki and Eero: We have now begun a kind of massive tour, that we have done before too. Like let’s go to Finland at the end of January, and then will be back at home sometimes around April. It’s been on our minds like this a lot of times, like how it would be to be away from home so long.
4. Eero: I might have promised to use the Internet. It’s kind of vice, being all the time on Facebook. The tour-bus has Internet too, where supposedly was nice to learn things.
Aki: It is kind of an egoistic job, and i could promise that i will try and be more considerate towards other people, when i’m not supposed to show a figure of myself.
5. Aki ja Eero: Thinking about the welfare of the people in our country i think the “Godfathers of Children’s Clinic” is a good idea. The subject is a basic one, but it’s good.

Here’s a video YleX uploaded with Eero doing an interview with two members of Paramore before their gig in Helsinki. Below the video the text says that Eero is a kind of hard-core fan of the american band. The interview is in English.

Furthermore thanks to Jessica here comes an article from Orkus no.12/01 December 2009/ January 2010. Pictures and translation was made by Jessica. Picture 1 and Picture 2. Please if you take the pictures and the translation don’t forget to credit the person who have done the work to us. Thank You!

„First, I called Tuomas Holopainen as if he was the father and me the guy who wants to ask for his daughter’s hand.”

Then they say something about In The Shadows etc., there’s nothing that we don’t already know.

Lauri Ylönen: Hi, right now I’m in Singapore at the airport and have to kill two hours until my flight to Helsinki will arrive.

Orkus: What did you do in Singapore?
LY: I visited our guitarist to work at new songs for the new album. He’s living there for over a year and has a family by now. It was a wonderful creative time, first of all because we did very much with his native friends and have learnt very much about the culture. But now I really look forward to Finland – these trips open my mind for the beauty of my home country.

O: Is it actually something special for you to visit foreign countries? After all, you have already visited over 60 countries with The Rasmus.
LY: Again and again it’s an adventure. Not least because I absolutely dislike flying! (laughs) No, I really don’t like these “iron birds”. Apart from that I love to travel, especially when I can visit places again of which I know that I liked them. For example, I always look forward to being in Milan. I already know then where I’ll drink a coffee.

O: Which country or which city appealed you the most? Was it something such exotic as India?
LY: India absolutely left its mark, that’s clear. However, I can’t say that I felt really comfortable there. For any reason, I couldn’t relax. I think that was because of the wide difference we encountered. We lived in an unbelievably luxurious seven-star hotel, but when we left it, there was an unimaginable poverty. Indeed, our concert in India was very emotional but I prefer the more calm places. I found Iceland, e. g., breathtaking beautiful.

O: You became 30 years old this year. In which way did this age change your point of view concerning The Rasmus?
LY: Of course very much, I’m not the same person anymore which I was when I was 20. I lived absolutely different when The Rasmus started off internationally, and although I dislike this word, I definitely became more mature, which is for sure also related to the fact that I have a son by now. But in many things I’m still a child, otherwise I wouldn’t play in a rock band. You just have to look at me now: I’m wearing an expensive suit which could be of a business man, but I have this really weird haircut. (laughs)

O: The international success mentioned earlier began 2003 with In The Shadows on a grand scale. Many bands develop something like a love-hate relationship to their most successful track. Is it the same with you?
LY: Well, I never hated this track. Of course sometimes it’s getting on my nerves that people are imitating me with the beginning of the song on the street but you have to live with it. The way I see it is like that: without this song I wouldn’t be in Singapore now, without this song many things wouldn’t have happened.

O: It’s only right that this track is the first on your Best Of 2001 – 2009. Which thoughts crossed your mind when you did this look back at your music?
LY: I instinctively had to think about how many video clips we made in all these years. I remembered all the exhausting and funny shots which we did in Cuba, in the USA, Sweden or Finland. These were really exhausting years! So many unbelievable things happened that we couldn’t do everything some offered us. E. g. at that time, we couldn’t fly to New Zealand although In The Shadows was also there number one in the charts. On the one hand it’s a pity but on the other hand we can still catch it up.

O: With October & April there’s also a new song – a wintry melancholic duet with the Nightwish vocalist Anette Olzon. Why did you choose her?
LY: At any rate I wanted to have a singer of a Finnish band and as right now, Nightwish is Finland’s biggest band, the choice was easy. First, I called Tuomas Holopainen as if he was the father and me the guy who wants to ask for his daughter’s hand. (laughs)

O: There haven’t been other candidates?
LY: Well, actually yes. You have to know that the song already existed a few years ago and that time I wanted to have Tarja Turunen for that duet. But at that time her problems with Nightwish possibly began, so she turned me down. I was rather disappointed, so the song was put off for quite a while. It’s really weird that it now worked out with the next Nightwish singer but also quite funny.

O: Perhaps Tarja would have been a bit too much for this song.
LY: By now I think the same and am very happy about the fact that I worked with Anette. (sings just like a proof some shrill Nightwish beats) No, Tarja’s voice would definitely have been too bombastic for this song (laughs).

O: Was it difficult to get into a romantic atmosphere which is required for this sad love song?
LY: Absolutely no problem! This song has an unbelievable beautiful atmosphere into which you can delve immediately. The story of October who is eternally in love with April but cannot have her is a popular lullaby for children in Finland. We absolutely wanted to keep this magical, dreamy character and because of that we set value on this atmosphere lost in reverie. Even if we finally got a real “murder ballad”.

Today the youngest member of the band joined the team of those of 30 years old guys! Eero is having his 30th birthday today (27/11). We would like to wish him a very happy birthday and all the best that he can ever wish for. Hope that he spends an amazing time with his friends and family.

So…

Hyvää Syntymäpäivää Eero ja Paljon Onnea!!!

Here are some more articles/videos from and about the gig the guys did on Monday 23.11 to celebrate 15 years of being in the music business.

Two videos from IltaLehti: 1 (with Rakkauslaulu sung by two fans Mari and Miku) and 2 (footages from the gig and interview with Lauri).

There is one article from Yle.fi here, which basically tells a short history of the band that in 1994 the band started with their first gig in the school, then still having the name of Anttila. They had two songs of their own and five cover songs which they have played.
Now they returned and they started their gig with the same song as 15 years before, Myself, Lauri telling it is because it’s hard to “be myself”.
Then he talks about the fact that Suutarila High School give a support (and does now too) for those aiming for musical life, they even had two drum-kits.
Eero tells how they were driven by the desire to achieve something and had a burning desire to play music, so at first they did it just because of hobby, but after a while it turned to something more serious.
at the end you can see the data everyone writes about that they had sold over 1.5 million albums of Dead Letters and they own the title for the best-selling Finnish song of all time (guess it’s ITS).
It also has some pictures taken by Yle.
Another article that have appeared on this issue was on the site of mtv3.fi, which tells about that the school was a good place for inspiration and they have spent a lot of their time practicing there after the lessons. And that they have also used the school radio to promote their very first songs.

Also this post have been updated and new gallery links have been added.

As stated in this post, Eero and Lauri have been on Monday (23.11) morning at the YleX Radio and did a small interview about the anniversary gig, compilation album and many other things. The site of the radio is being update continuously and here are some of the videos they have posted up.

In the first video they talked about the compilation album that was released today worldwide. They talk about their first appearance in YleX radio, about the tracklist of the compilation album (the fact that they have picked up more like the singles and those songs that have been hits),about their future plans (they have already been in studio and recorded some demos, but they still have a lot to work).
In the second video they talk about how the song No Fear was born and that they have did Hide From The Sun so soon after Dead Letters because there was a pressure on them to make it. Pauli have come up with the riffs and the demo of the song and then they have developed it more.
In the third video Lauri is telling the story about how October and April was born as a parody song of boy-bands and that he first called Tuomas to ask for Anette’s phone number and then called her, she found it a nice idea. They have talked about everything only through the phone, but they first met only when they made the video for the song.

Here comes some pictures and videos from the gig. As soon as more will appear THIS POST will be UPDATED!

Pictures from the gig: 1; Official Gallery on IRC-Galleria ; Pictures by Voice.fi ; Pictures by Yle;

Videos are available on this account on YouTube by Rafaelinux and audio by thierrocker, members of the International The Rasmus Forum. Thank You to both of them!

There are also some other video interviews available on the site of Nelonen.fi and on YleX.fi since yesterday Eero and Lauri have been doing interview for the radio about the compilation album that is released tomorrow worldwide. They talk about their first appearance in YleX radio, about the tracklist of the compilation album (the fact that they have picked up more like the singles and those songs that have been hits),about their future plans (they have already been in studio and recorded some demos, but they still have a lot to work).
Here is also one picture from the photo-shoot they have  done yesterday in their former high school.

The guys have finished their anniversary gig about half an hour ago. They moved the small crowd from the Gym Hall of the Suutarila High School from Helsinki, Finland. Though the setlist was pretty short, barely reaching an hour, they have managed to cover the same era they did with their compilation album which will be released on the 25th November, on Wednesday. The setlist was the following: Myself; F-f-f-falling ; Ghost of love; Chill; Livin’ in world without you; In my life; No fear; First Day of My Life; Liquid; In The Shadows; Guilty; Rakkauslaulu; Sail Away.

Before the gig they have appeared a few articles with Lauri, and some with both Lauri and Eero. The one appearing first on the site of mtv3.fi claims there will be a longer interview available on their site tomorrow (24.11) and some footages from the gig. The second article presents some facts from Lauri’s past (his changing of hair color, he’s dad and his partner is PMMP’s Paula Vesala with who he has a one and half year old boy). There is also a video on the site of IltaSanomat with the guys doing photoshoots.

As soon as more media will be available from the gig we will let you know in due time .

I’m sick and tired. And not of one thing, but of many of them. I don’t even know where to start, which annoys me the most. Since recently the only thing getting me angry was because of the stealing-sharing thing let’s begin with that one. I confess that i know that i won’t get Oscar or either Nobel prize for translating articles to English from Finnish but i would have expected that at least i would get a Thank you from people, since we are supposed to be friends and not enemies (but recently it turned out that between fans we are more like enemies than united friends whatever). I really wouldn’t mind if people would post my translations on all the sites they have, the only thing i was asking is to give a proper link where from they have it since it was me who have spend time on doing it. It might sound i’m selfish, but if i would be i wouldn’t be doing those articles and post them. The second thing that is keeping me pretty annoyed is when people start insulting my friends without to even know more about them than just a forum nickname. Get a life and insult those you know for a longer time and you know more about them than just that. The third thing that i will write about is the fact some idiot some people can act when it comes to make themselves bigger and bigger in the eyes of someone. I hate those people who think that they know The Rasmus just because they have spent a night with them in a bar (where btw the guys were half -if not fully- drunk), and then come on you and tell this and that. And you know that you have been talking with them when sober and they have told you something totally different and you know you’re right and if you tell them they are wrong they immediately came crashing on you that you just have to shut up because it wasn’t you who have been with them more hours. Yeah right, let’s face they will never show their real personalities to none of the fans, they will always be friendly and nice with us, but we will never truly know the real Lauri Ylönen, Aki Hakala, Eero Heinonen and Pauli Rantasalmi… we’ll always know only the nice and friendly drummer, the smiling singer, the yoga-freak and silent bass player and the always hiding afro guitar player.
I have just found out i’ve been banned from a forum. Wow, i have to be proud of myself. I think i had all my right to fight for what i want and that was the reason why. Who cares? I have another nice forum where to stay how much i want This is just another proof from the admins of that forum that they are running from the responsibilities and problems as Oana said, they can’t face the real life and they just want to live peacefully in their own dream world without to be woken up by anyone. Sweet Dreams Girls! Don’t wait for baby-face Lauri coming to you to ask you in marriage because he won’t… he’s already happy with his family .

Mhmhmhmhm tomorrow 15th anniversary gig of the guys. Maaaan, i can’t wait for it…will be also home alone so partywith 100000000000 I want to jump again around and just forget about the world for a while. I don’t care about the next week, i don’t want to… i just enjoy today and will skip some lessons, as i don’t have some of the essays prepared for them.
Peace out and see you on Tuesday… tomorrow me in on the gig…wait me? Don’t!

Though this video only briefly touches on Eero Saarinen’s connection to Michigan, through Cranbrook, it provides a nice overview of some of his major architectural work, as well as his contributions to furniture design.

From the YouTube description:

“From KETC, LIVING ST. LOUIS, Producer Patrick Murphy explores the work of Eero Saarinen, whose work was the subject of an exhibit at the Kemper Art Museum at Washington University. Best known for the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Saarinen also designed the TWA Flight Center and JFK Airport in New York, the main terminal at Dulles Airport in Washington DC, and the CBS Headquarters building (known as Blackrock) in midtown Manhattan. Saarinens style, which changed from project-to-project to fit the needs of each design, has made him difficult to classify by architecture and art historians, and lead to a decline of his reputation after his dead in 1961. Now, however, he is seen as a source of inspiration for many architects.”

During the last 2 days Eero showed some activity concerning his videos on his YouTube Channel and posted 3 new videos. However they are not The Rasmus connected but still they are nice videos made by a Rasmus member. The serial of the videos is called “Secret Life of a Lamp Post” and as far as understood are smaller parts of an upcoming shortfilm made by him with the title:”Katulampun elämää”, “Secret Life of a Lamp Post” in English.You can check them out on his YouTube Channel here.

There are some new promotional pictures from the guys. They were posted in HQ on the site of Playground Music Scandinavia.

Full credits for taking the pictures goes to Jarmo Kotila.

You can find the pictures by clicking on the links below (by clicking on the picture you can see the original size of them -4256 x 2832 and 3744 x 2572 px):
Press Photo by Jarmo Kotila 1
Press Photo by Jarmo Kotila 2

Please don’t forget about the copyrights and credit the author of the pictures if you are reposting these pictures on other websites.

…you’ll spend alone
Look me in the eyes so I know you know
I’m everywhere you want me to be
The last night you’ll spend alone
I’ll wrap you in my arms and I won’t let go
I’m everything You need me to be

It seems like the last night spent at home came and tonight is that. It seems a little weird that tomorrow will have to sleep at a completely other place that i seen only once for 20 minutes, but will have to get used with it. After all it’s not going to be the first time ever that i will have to sleep at a place that is stranger to me.

Been at the school for the last time before leaving and got back some of my books from the library that i had there, been talking to some old teachers and had a small walk with some shopping, the last things that i need. And now writing the last blog entry. Then packing things into bags and going out to give guitar back, to see my grandpa and then out to a pub with friends before everyone is going into separate towns…

Ahhh, almost forgot…have not been complaining too much lately… i will now: I DON’T LIKE THE COVER OF THE RASMUS’ COMPILATION ALBUM. it sucks big time whoever made it i send the following message to him/her: The Rasmus is not only Lauri, The Rasmus is :Aki, Eero, Pauli AND Lauri. And the compilation album is not going to be the best of Lauri, but the best of The Rasmus you idiots. Anyways see here why i’m complaining. Miss the rest of the guys. Buuuuut 2nd November is the release date so one week later me is going to have it. Me understands the feathers that would represent the ITS (In The Shadows, their big hit from Dead Letters for those who don’t know, google the song)era, but where is the HFTS (Hide from the sun, 2005) era with the butterflies and the new BR (Black Roses,2008) era with the roses and such that they made recently. I mean come on they are not one hit wonder band so why to represent only the ITS thing . Crap RC and PR team!

Looking forward for being there to meet those people i knew online already, well for a year and those that i haven’t seen for a while too, and to learn Finnish (YAYAYAYAY B-) ) and for some nice time.

Peace out people and i’ll be back as soon as i will have Internet there!

That little piece of me would be a small part of my The Rasmus forum messenger bag on the picture… ahem yeah while Lauri is signing it and Aki looking at it like he would have never seen a bag XD or as if he wouldn’t have the chance to see it and hold it in his hands… but sweetie, you had i wouldn’t have missed the chance to give it to you… as you are my daddy, my ShowBiz daddy (it’s a long story, (C) by Leila who called me like this after i explained her the meaning of my nickname); Pauli giving an autograph to Oana, so we were almost all involved in this picture…Eero staring in nothing .

Saturday… erm, is it Saturday? *checks* yeah it is… i’m so lost in time… just been too bored i guess and that’s why. Nothing serious is happening around again. I keep thinking about a single day during this summer most of the time when i walk on the street (not at home cause maybe i find something on the internet to do, in case there isn’t anything reminding of that day), it’s so strange that over 6 weeks have passed then, it was way too unbelievable. Been reading yesterday through my reviews and had to admit that had a few laughs about them and smiles as well. When watching videos even more, noticing something that i can’t remember from the gig.

Anyways, i won’t talk too much for many reasons at least not now… just letting you know that i won’t post here anymore songs at the end of my posts.  And here is the reason too: Out of the blog that i have made a few weeks ago for a radio station of mine (of which i got bored) i made some changes and will post there songs when i find something nice, or at least a HQ footage of some gig video, so to share it with everyone. In case i’ll post here something that will have some special meaning surely for me. You can find the blog here, or in the blogroll (right side) clicking on “Music for your free time!”.

Enjoy Your Day! Peace everyone! XD

Another great looking project from Oakley and Eero Ettela.  This is what happens when snowboarding talent and corporate cash come together.

No, I’m not here to debate the origin of this quotation, but rather to start a new list! For a few weeks now I’ve been talking to my friend (here come a slew of nicknames), Dinosaur, about joining him on an epic roadtrip across the US.  He’s actually already completed two cross-country roadtrips, but this is the first trip where I will be accompanying him.  We will be joined by my very good friend Eero (who is, in fact, neither Finnish nor male) and possibly Dino, Jr. (aka Dinosaur’s brother, who I do not know very well and so will most likely get a more appropriate nickname post-roadtrip).

Look at that natural light!

We’re starting in Seattle, since that’s where Dinosaur is working this summer.  What makes this even more fantastic is that my brother is currently in Seattle, also working for the summer, so I’m going to be arriving a few days early to hang out with the little guy (not so litte – he’s taller than me, though that’s not saying much, since I’m only five-oh) and to, get this, see a Barcelona game!  And I’m sure I’ll also be visiting sights around the city, including the Seattle Public Library (which sounds like a strange place to visit until I tell you I have a thing for REM Koolhaas and used SPL as a case study in my thesis…) and the usual Pike Place Market/Starbucks-y stuff before we head back  home.

Dinosaur suggested a trip down through California and across Nevada, hitting up places in the SW, which I’m very excited about because the furthest west I’ve been is Chicago, and that was when I was probably eight or nine. I’ve booked my ticket and we (Eero and I) leave Roanoke at the break of day on August 4th.  Here’s a running list of cool things I’d like to see on our roadtrip back to Blacksburg.  They’re a bit scattered, and I doubt we’ll be able to hit all of them, but even a handful would make my week!  And feel free to leave suggestions, we’re happy to take them!

1. Seattle
2. Sequoia National Forest
3. San Francisco
4. Sonoma Valley
5. Las Vegas
6. Sedona
7. Grand Canyon National Park + Skywalk
8. The Thing
9. Santa Fe
10. The Alamo
11. Austin
12. New Orleans
13. The World’s Largest Chair
14. A Bunch of Small Buildings
15. A Really Big Peanut
16. Savannah
17. Biltmore Estates

I like

Eero,Gabo,Goya,Greco,Hermes,

Homer,Inigo,Ives,Jasper,Kahlo,

Kenzer,Raphael,Serra,Titian,Valentina

Weee…Monsters Of Rock Tour started yesterday in St Petersburg and i must say that i was afraid of this whole festival style ‘let’s tour with Alice Cooper and The Scorpions’  of the guys and been afraid of them being booed down the stage by the people…and see  wonder exactely the opposing thing have happened. Although they were supposed to play an hour the organizers let them play only for half an hour huh guess why? Because they were the only band playing right… they were the only band with a proper sound during the gig (according to a review i’ve read of a guy who was there)…Kingdom Come was ok…and then the huge and famous and headliner Alice Cooper and The Scorpions sucked big time how come? xD Yeaaahhhh Let’s show guys who are the monsters of the rock … Though Lauri’s new hair is…a … bit…WEIRD!

Well…one more week and school leaving exams start… Duh…me is not looking forward for them…and me is being very very lazy to learn but will have to learn something…i  hate the most maths so that’s what i’m  learning these days and being sick when i see number and shapes

Have i mentioned that in the past days i’m listenint to too much Nickelback?

Listening to: Nickelback – Next Contestant

One now would maybe think that memories of the gig came in my mind and this mad girl is again crying about missing the guys, wouldn’t you think about this? Well, this time is not really about the memories of the gig (ok i must confess i miss them) and in a way it’s connected to them. I spent about 20 minutes to search for the picture you can see in todays’ post between the over 18,000 pictures with The Rasmus that i have on  my computer…If i think a bit it’s about 6 years now in May that  i’m a fan of the band. it’s a bit incredible and time have gone so fast… ok so now i should tell why this picture…actually because this was the first poster ever that i had with the band around June/July, almost 1-2 months after i first listened to them (so didn’t even knew how they look like at first). True that the inscription was something else ( it was: The Rasmus, Lauri Ylönen) but still it’s not what matters. It was the first time when i really started to think about where they came from because at first i thought they may be some american band  (as they sung in English and me naive was small child) and soon i found out where they were from. I still remember the moment when i got my first article about them, it was in Bravo about making of Guilty video, sitting in the car sunny summer day. During that summer everyone told it’s gonna last only a  few months and see me here after 6 years of being a fan: 2  gigs, 4 maxis, 5 albums and 1 DVD, over 18,000 pictures, 2 answered messages by Aki on MySpace, meeting with them, FRIENDS for which i’m probably the most grateful <3 and  a lot  of beautiful memories and healed moments. Thanks for everything guys (i know you don’t read it but still feels nice to express this).

Listening to: The Veronicas – Untouched

(Picture by Manu <3 16.02.2009 Hard Rock Cafe, Bucharest [RO]) Almost a week have passed by and since then i don’t feel any better. Indeed, i feel worse. One reason is because i have a terrible cold, have no voice and it’s useless i take strogs meds i’m not getting better. Afraid i will have to go back to the doc and will get injections ooops. On the other hand i miss terribly some people. I miss Oana, Miha and Mary and i miss that awsome afternoon we have spent together <3 with i could see all 3 of them more often and not once a year . And i miss these 4 finnish awsome guys who showed me that nothing is impossible.  ”Everything is possible for those who believe.”
Thanks for some people who have recorded almost the whole concert i now can listen again and again. But the only bad thing is that it makes things even worse, makes me miss them more. And even though they promised they will come back i hope that will happen only after July cause i don’t want to miss their gig because of my exams.

And i’m still sitting in my bed, just like i did yesterday, watched 3 movies and today watched already one, and waiting for some more to load… or maybe i will search in my collection for some comedies

Listening to: The Rasmus – Ghost of Love

Well, i’m back, true that not really over everything but i’m here. Some say something for something, so in my case it was 3 autographs and photos with the band members for a bad cold with terrible cough and really high fever. Tuesday morning was bad, when i had to wake up after 3 hours of sleep, and Wednesday i felt awful and tadam for the evening i have got already high fever and i’m sitting at home today and even tomorrow. But after all i don’t care, flu or cold or whatever the gig was worth everything. For more details you can check out my review (click on the page link on the right side ).

Even though it was a tiring week all together, i think i could survive a few more like this i wouldn’t really mind more of these kind of gigs which make you shiver, but without the long long hours of waiting xD.
Listening to: The Rasmus – Your Forgiveness Live @ HRC Bucharest

(Picture by www.pluszportal.ro, RabZ gig: 23.07.2007 CokeLive,Bucharest [RO]) The countdown is over and right in 24 hours i’ll already be in Bucharest in the front of the venue waiting for the guys. Oh well, at least should arrive there at about this time tomorrow, so we’ll live and see I still can’t believe and guess will realize what is happening only tomorrow when meeting Oana, or not even then, maybe when the guys arrive there or on the stage. I thought i’m gonna be again super-hyper-over-excited just like i was back in 2007 but honestly i’m not even far that excited.

Good, i still have a lot to do today, having to pack some stuff still, and help some collegue of my mum with some PowerPoint stuff, so i don’t think it will be the day when i relax and charge my batteries for tomorrow. but anyways will charge them for the whole year tomorrow with a nice and rocky party with the guys, no matter what will happen and absolutely NO ONE gonna stop me in having fun.

PEACE PEOPLE AND TAKE CARE, i’ll be back with a review and loads of pictures on Tuesday/Wednesday, depends when i get over my coma

Listening to: The Voice TV : Top 10 VIP -> The Rasmus Eero’s fav Videos