Me with Dave Lombardo, SLAYER

SHOW NO MERCY - 1983

I think this picture was taken long before the Hell Awaist release, maybe just after Haunting The Chapel. Dave’s drumwork on Show No Mercy was phenomenal. Nice thing about Lombardo and the rest of the band is that they still consider their very first festival appearance in Belgium on Heavy Sound as their one concert NEVER to forget. In fact maybe this festival

can be seen as their real break through into the

Hall of Fame.

Me and friends, together with THE Lemmy, Motorhead’s ACE OF SPADES release Party - 1981

Yes, I know... Lemmy with Orange juice, it doesn’t make sense! But ok, maybe the juice was sponsored by Smirnoff. This picture is taken (if I remember right) at the Ace of Spades release Party, long way back. Of course with my good old friend Eddy Verbruggen and his wife Kathy (meanwhile ex...), I also remember Kurt, but can’t remember the “guess who am I face”.

Sorry, gettin’ old...

No one could or would have thought at that time that Motorhead would ever become one of the biggest names in Rock.

Me and Kirk Hammett, METALLICA just before RIDE THE LIGHTNING was released, 1984.

It looks like only a few people nowadays know that Kirk originally started out as guitarplayer from Exodus. When Kill’em All came out, there was still mention of Dave Mustaine being part of the starting Metallica, but I

remember interviewing the band in those days, Kirk tellin’ me he did all the solo-work on Kill ‘em All already. First BIG appearance came on RIDE THE LIGHTNING on which he (co-)wrote tracks like Fade to black, Trapped under Ice, Escape and Creeping Death. This picture is taken just before Ride the Lightning came out... and still include amazing shots with Lars and James. One of the things I love these guys for, except for some amazing releaases, is the fact that they brought bands of the NWOBHM into the attention of millions of Rock-fans.

I know, I know...

I promissed you “more to come soon”... But time is not exactly on my hands!

We came into the rockscene, releasing our first fanzines in 1979, which is almost 35 years ago.

Talking about “35 years in Rock” isn’t just “an article”... It would ba an anthology.

Fact is... When you read this, I am in the middle of a process writing a book about Nishikigoi, called KOI ZANMAI, which already

took me 3 years and might still take me 3 years...

BUT! One day we will work these pages out, with tons of pictures of the ‘80‘s and 90’s you’ve never seen before.

Bands with which we grew up... Bands which started out and are now million sellers...

1979... The year it started for us!

1979... The year Talas brought out the mighty “TALAS”-album, later on followed by the even mighty-er “SINK YOUR TEETH INTO THAT”.
Why I mention TALAS at this stage?

Well, Billy Sheehan was the bassplayer and driving force on these releases, and today... Almost 35 years later I am hoping to meet Billy

somewhere in Germany, where he tours with Ritchie Kotzen and Mike Portnoy. Winery Dogs... Here we come!

I am sorry, this ANTHOLOGY page has to wait again. But not for another 35 years! Ha!

Me with Cozy Powell, RAINBOW, WHITESNAKE, BLACK SABBATH,...

SLIDE IT IN TOUR- 1984

I am not sure anymore, but I think this picture was taken during Whitesnake’s Slide It In Tour in 1984 or was it the tour of MSG following the double album One Night At Budokan-release?

Fact is... COZY IS MY FAVORITE DRUMMER OF ALL TIME, and I am “afraid” he will carry that title for ever.

Cozy died in 1988 .

Listen to his amazing drum-skills at album releases going from Jeff Beck, over Brian May and Gary Moore towards Yngwie Malmsteen.

(I really wish they would have invented digital camera’s some 30 years earlier! Ha!).

Cozy, RIP!

Me with STEVE LEE and LEON LEONI, GOTTAHRD somewhere in Sweden, 2008

It’s for sure NOT the last time I saw them, but  think it’s the last picture of myself with Steve. Steve Lee, one of the GREATEST voices in ROCK EVER died in a motorcycle accident in 2010... And even up to today I miss this guy, knowing he is not around anymore!

I guess not everyone is familiar with the music of Gotthard, but if not, check out their magical live album Made in Switzerland, released with a free dvd.

Maybe this picture does not really “fit” between the old ones, but I had to pay respect to this guy and the joy he had in and love for music. It’s Forever!

Me with BRENT SMITH, SHINEDOWN

Amaryllis Tour, 2012

Yes, I know...

Gettin’ older and bolder... :-)
But what do you expect after almost 35 years in rock!

I picked up this picture as the one to be the most recent on this page, especially to show my respect towards the things this band is doing nowadays.

They might have sold over 5 million CD’s when you read this, and still... over here they still are searching for the recognition they deserve. If I have to believe Brent, he went to “hell and back again” during his live... But on stage he is one mighty performer which blows EVERTHING and EVERYONE away!

Amaryllis is NOT the best release they did so far, for that you have to go back to the earlier days or “The Sound of Madness”. Well, at lest in my opinion.

Apart from that, “Somewhere in the Stratosphere” is one of the nicest live-packages ever to be released.

Hopefully Belgium will also be on their tourlist in 2014.