Hard Rocker Hard Rocker Breaking Season
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HISTORY BREAKING SEASON HARD ROCKER HARD ROCKER BREAKING SEASON It’s December 15, 2007 and I’m enjoying a day answers back with some nice compliments – off during the ongoing tour for the American that I’m experienced and good enough, and band W.A.S.P., where I’m working at several whether it would be better for me to start shows as the tour manager for the Czech thinking about having my own magazine. He support band KREYSON. At that time W.A.S.P. offers me the license for the Czech version of had the same booking agent as DORO, who HARD ROCKER. After reading those words, I felt also served as her manager. We had already like a light bulb flashed in front of my eyes right been working together for a few years and our away. Since that moment, I couldn’t think about relationships were in friendly spirits, so that’s anything else. When we arrived to the venue, I why I had a chance to book KREYSON for some ran straight to Doro and eagerly presented the gigs abroad. I’m on my way to the northern news to her. She supported me and said: “Go part of Germany, to Düsseldorf’s Philipshalle, for it, this is what you have always wanted to where the Metal Christmas meeting is taking do anyway.” It was that moment that I decided place with the headliners W.A.S.P., SAXON my life’s new journey. and DORO later that night. I’m sharing some deep emotions connected with my inner A few days later, all the necessary steps for dissatisfaction about the situation of my life bringing my much dreamed-of magazine to with a friend of mine on the way there. I feel life were already in process. I accepted the unfulfilled because of my underused potential. collaboration license because I could decide Even though I’m collaborating with some about the materials myself, use original work bands, promoters, and festivals, I strongly feel and create articles and columns with my own I need a change. There are not so many rock team. Also, the name HARD ROCKER already magazines on the Czech market, which is a very had a good reputation and was internationally small market. It seems like I had already used known by several promoters and recording up all the possibilities there. I start thinking companies. Another version could make it about writing a review of the Christmas event even stronger. I wasn’t afraid about lacking and offering it to the Polish HARD ROCKER any material, because I had a lot of good magazine. I had already known Bart Gabriel, the connections in the music business myself. editor-in-chief, from various music events. So I Deep down I was more worried about the Czech send him a message with my offer to become mentality and trying not to be overwhelmed an editor for his magazine. He immediately by it. The situation around me wasn’t very 2 GOTTHARD, Sweden Rock 2008 pleasant anyway. I was deciding to start a new business in the times when everyone was talking about the world economic crisis. Rock and metal music were popular enough in our country, but the genres were not supported by commercial media nor by the general public. Some people tried to discourage me from my plan by using logical arguments. Some of them pretended using the tools of hypocrisy, simply due to the reason that they didn’t wish me any kind of success or happiness. Even HEAVEN AND HELL, Wacken 2009 fewer were actual fans of mine and because they are considered “too small” or not just hoped that I was able to fulfill the dreams attractive enough from the commercial point that I had been chasing for years. No matter of view. There was no publishing company what facts or arguments they used back then, behind me and no investor. I jumped straight I simply felt I had to go for it and that it was into things and took out a loan. Maintaining really important to me. high-quality graphic design, paper and printing were the most important aspects for me. I I had no ultimate business plan in my hands – I chose a very expensive option, as in my opinion just followed my heart. There were 3 main, very the design sells the product together with its important goals in my mind: to get a reader base content and I didn’t want to degrade the quality in the Czech and Slovak market, those sharing of the photos by choosing cheap paper and a the same passion and enthusiasm for rock tacky graphic design. I wanted the readers to music as I do, to bring as interesting interviews, get the best possible that I had to offer. I was profiles, reviews and reports to them as becoming the owner of a magazine, editor-in- possible, and also to support unknown artists chief, editor and accountant all in one. I didn’t and new talents who don’t have the chance have a sales representative, so I also negotiated to get attention from other media outlets the adverts and cared for the business side as 3 WHITESNAKE, Karlovy Vary 2008 DORO & KLAUS MEINE, Düsseldorf 2008 well. I created my editorial team mostly from with my request. I don’t think they even friends I had known from shows or previous contacted JUDAS PRIEST’s management, so I collaboration. For understandable reasons, immediately took to writing to JUDAS PRIEST’s Doro symbolically became the godmother of record company in London. Unfortunately, HARD ROCKER magazine. they referred me back to the representative in “my” region. But I wouldn’t accept the fact that I was experiencing the most amazing time I wouldn’t get the headline interview I wanted of my life up to this point, from the creative right from the start. So I started searching on point of view, as I got started with preparations the Internet and got in touch with a close friend for the first issue. I enjoyed every single step and co-worker of Rob Halford who was very and moment while working on it. These were friendly and helpful. Everything was solved the last five months of peace and tranquility very quickly and the interview happened for me in my life before a period of several heavy just a short while later on one Friday around years. I still had no clue about the things I was midnight European time. Rob Halford called supposed to go through and deal with. Step and patiently answered all of my questions by step I prepared the content for the first without limiting the time. I was so happy and issue, where I chose the heavy metal legend satisfied with the interview, no matter the fact JUDAS PRIEST for the cover and an interview that it took place really late at night – I had with their front man Rob Halford as the first no need to sleep as I started rewriting the headline article. I sent my interview request to whole thing immediately after. Visiting the the band’s representative for the Czech market hometown of singer Doro Pesch was another – and surprisingly received an answer with part of my plan. Years of mutual collaboration the question “What is the name of the JUADS had turned into a great relationship between PRIEST front man you wish to interview?” It felt the two of us. We visited Doro together with so strange that they didn’t know the names my photographer and experienced one of the band members, especially such well- unforgettable weekend in Düsseldorf. Doro known names, if they were working for them, showed us around the town and introduced us let alone asking a journalist for it without even the places connected with her childhood and trying to search for the name in their catalogue the beginnings of her career. We also visited themselves. Soon after I received another her home and met her mother! Our visit took message that it would be impossible to comply place just a few months before Doro’s show 4 JUDAS PRIEST, Graspop Metal Meeting 2008 BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, Sweden Rock 2008 honoring her 25th anniversary on the scene. you create or background you come from. The We went through the list of possible guests most important thing is to feel there is some together and she fulfilled my wish and invited soul, heart and honesty behind your work and the front man of NEVERMORE, Warrel Dane, as a personal intention, not just something done one of the special guests. He’s one of my all- for a quick profit or to secure some monopoly time favorite singers and had just released his on the market. I contacted the editor-in-chief first solo album “Praises To the War Machine,” of a competitor magazine shortly before the so I of course wanted to get an interview with first issue was out with the naive intention him too. The recording company responded of satisfying both sides and working towards that his promo days were already over, but mutual collaboration. Nostalgia and a sense of after exchanging some emails and explaining being grateful played the main role in making the whole situation to them, I got my interview this decision. I had worked for this magazine in the end. By the way, I still had a full-time job as an external editor several years back and I as an accountant as I prepared the first issue had a feeling it could work out for us both on in my free time.