25/01/04
I have got so much to tell ya’ll that it is gonna come out in the wrong order and over the next couple of days. I think that we all ran on about 2 hours sleep a day and pure rock love. Well, as always I can only speak for myself. Before I get any further I wanna thank our crew,our sonic family…
Karen Marree : TM Supreme.
Britt Young : PA / Shitkicking princess.
Chris: Soundman
John : Guitar tech.
And most of all to all the Sikfuks who made it in and got us to where we are today. Just knowing that you guys made up the front line ? I cant fully articulate how that made me feel without repeating all that I have told you so many times before.All I can do is thank you….
Oh Man! We got a dressing room and all! Little sign on the door with our name on it…such a buzz! We got out there mega early and I was greeted by so many old faces from the Lock and load crew which made it more like some kind of amazing homecomming as they were all so happy for us. We dumped all our shit and greeted our new neigbours for the next 2 days….Fear Factory! Star struck we made our way to the stage.
I have imagined walking up that ramp as a card [ or in this case, laminate ] carrying contender my whole life. I know that you know the daydream that I am talking about. It was so still under the low clouds.I kept my eyes to the floor,steping over deadly looking cables coiled like sleeping snakes as thick as a childs arm, through the door and out into the open…22 steps to the front of the riser.And then I looked up…… I tell you now that at that moment everything for one chrystal second was perfect. I have never felt so small in my life, I mean, the whole world was still asleep and I was standing in the middle of any fans version of the Sistine fucking Chaple!!!!!!! There were a few people riding bikes out in the stadium and the ground crew doing what they all do so well. So quiet! You equate size like that with noise so to see it as such was amazing. I just plonked down on the edge of the stage and swooned. Your about 15 feet off the ground and gobsmacked. It was enough for me even at that point. It was also as close to religion that I have come in a long while.
I dont think that I could ever be or get jaded with this. Not just the big shows but being able to get out there and play at all. It is all that I have and my only love….
After that time flew. I was heading back to the dressing room to get what little of my mental shit I could find at that point together when the sound check followed me. The 3 men who had made this journey with me,My brothers….THAT loud! Nanda told me later that she could hear us from the car park! My moniters alone where about the size and power that we play thru at a club gig. Very heady shit indeed! There was nothing left to say by the time that we all made it back.We all stood around feeling like we had pulled off the great rock and roll swindle. It hit me like a truck. Where we were and what we were about to do.
How did I feel?
“FUCK YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
There we are.Side of stage.Me jumping round like a ritlin baby,swinging my arms like a chopper.Over comes the stage manager “2 Minutes guys” he solomly intones. Gulp! We didnt say anything we all just ran for it.I jumped up on the riser and took a photo grinning like a loon while my boys locked in. the mike in front of me like a challenge,an enemy, a lover…..
“Good morning Sydney and welcome to your Big Day Out!”
To tell you the truth it was all a noisy blur after that. I heard the opening riff for “Small Enemy” and I just went with it. I can tell you one thing though, I NEVER wanted it to end! The people that were there seemed to dig it and we were all having a good time so it was great.
Telling that many people to throw the goats? Perfect!
Oh yeah! I did not drop my pants which was a major act of restraint on my part and for the 1st time PC from Duster kept his dacks on as well so I feel that the world has alot to be greatful for! So great seeing ‘Duster out there on the road at this level. I gotta admit that they were the 1st crew that I ran for after we played. They have been a huge influence in me and great friends so you can imagine how cool it was for me to see them warping the minds of all those metal virgins!
Just sat here for 5 min looking out into nothing. I am buggered but I cant sleep! I shut my eyes and my brain wont shut up. I want to tell you as much as I can but I keep drifting off!
Ok…Backstage. It is one huge pavillion with portibles set up as dressing rooms..Pooltables,Ping pong, Pinball, sofas….Like Rock camp! I cannot grasp the scale of everything. I can see why stars can become such rat bags! Anything you want? Just ask man and it is yours! No shit! I have never eaten so well in my life!!! No wonder people come off the road with such an ass shattering thump! I was walking round and seeing all these artists who were wonder who the hell I was! our neigbour on the other side was Poison the well! we were up on the top level with a view of all that lay below and right above……
METALLICA!
They had a whole side of the pavillion,it was like a compound down there. Fucking awsome to say the least. I tried not to hang around like a bad smell too much but I was not alone. I saw all the biggest stars reduced to quivering fan boys much like yours truly here. It was a sight to behold alright. Right there infront of you are 21 years of Brutal bay area Gods . I had the same conversation a few times over the weekend with other metalhead musicians and road crew , How they are the sound track to so much of what we are.I planted my best friend to “One” and “Enter Sandman”. I hoped that where ever he was that he could see me now. Nothing can prepare you for seeing James Hetfeild siting on a sofa 50 feet away from you.Nothing.Take my word for it! I have NEVER seen bodyguards that big!
It was the coolest before they went on. They got in and jammed the Fuck outta it at full volume for about 25 min while we all hung around swooning!
I got to see most of the band on the second day. Britt and I ran from stage to stage all day. Rossco knocked himself out seeing EVERY band!
Fear Factory came down to watch us the second day which was amazing.Peaches and her super dancers Billie Lime and Miss Annabell in the pit,Billie in her Tourettes t-shirt! Bobby the superman of The Black Eyed Peas. Now That was a buzz! As I oozed off stage falling over my kilt,Burton shook my had gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek and said ” Michele you have got an amazing voice! That was Brutal!” I tell ya, if Britt was not there to hold me up I would have fallen over!
Miss Karen has just arrived and as she is going home soon you will hafta excuse me while we hang out the front and have a big fat gossip!
Later SF4L.
Michele.
