Page 27 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 102

BV102 pg24-29 michael monroe centre_BV102 pg27 18/09/2019 21:24 Page 4

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like that, so… the song ‘Wasted Years’, ativity in the world, that’s not fun. The ag- realizing that they could change the world
which Nasty Suicide plays a solo on, that gression on stage though, aggressiveness with that kind of money. If I was a billionaire,
song was kinda, originally I was singing it is not necessarily negative. It can be I’d get a big kick out of what I could do with
pretty stiffly. I didn’t really get it yet at first. strength. On stage a lot of stuff comes out in all of that money. Give it to the poor and the
Then I redid the vocal, I felt like something an aggressive way, but I channel it positively. needy ‘cause then you could see how you
was missing with it and I realized ‘Oh, it’s It doesn’t mean it’s dark or evil or anything. could change the world and make people
way too stiff. This song should be really laid I always say ‘Satan sucks, I dig Jesus’s style, happy. There’s no need for so much starva-
back,’ in the style of Mick Jagger, for exam- man’.” tion and suffering. People are suffering un-
ple.” He repeats a lyric from the song - “‘And necessarily. If certain people weren’t so
He sings a line from the song. “Really I ain’t walking on water like Jesus did, but selfish and greedy, the world would be a bet-
more laid back and behind the beat rather I’ve got a couple of tricks up my sleeve’. And ter place. It would be nice. Utopia. I believe it
than trying to stay on it. That was the key to the thing about ‘people pissing in their own can happen. There’s always hope. Enough of
the approach for that song. I was happy to parade,’ that line is really about people vot- my Jesus preaching!”
see, ‘Oh yeah, now it’s happening, so…’ I ing for Brexit or Trump and stuff like that and
was in the studio by myself. Some of the then they complain and whine about how hile on the topic of the world,
time the guys were out of the country, so I everything sucks and why is everything Wthere’s a song on the album called
was in the studio doing some vocals on my going so wrong and why’s the world so ‘Junk Planet’. Michael mentions earthquakes
own with Petri Majuri, the mixing guy. So I screwed up? Yeah, because you voted for and hurricanes in the lyrics.
thought, ‘Wait till Rich hears this’. ‘Rich, that jackass jerk and he’s fucking everything “Oh yeah, that’s a timely song for the en-
what do you think of this now? What do you up now, so whaddaya think!? What do you vironment right now, for sure,” he replies.
think of the approach?’ ‘Oh yeah, this is expect? People should take a look at them- “Jumping off the junk planet.” He sings a
great.’ It was so much fun creating this stuff, selves more, maybe look around and take re- few more lines of the song, refreshing him-
finding new dimensions, stuff like that. Try- sponsibility for their own actions. I think self on how it goes. ‘Skull and bones will
ing it out and especially when it works out at music can be a really powerful tool for posi- never know’. Wasn’t that the American gov-
the end of the day, it’s one of the best kicks tive action, for positive mental attitude, to ernment that had that code? Skull and bones
in life, the best feeling in the world when you make people see some things. A lot of fans and only the President and certain people
create something new and you’ve suc- have come up to me and said this and that know the secret code? ‘I’ve gotta get off the
ceeded in that you can listen to the result song really changed their lives and meant a junk planet’ – that’s a very timely lyric in this
and the outcome and go, ‘Yeah, did a good lot to them and helped them through a time day and age. It’s one of my favourites from
job and we’ve taken it a step further’. It keeps or helped them see something they’d never the album as well; it rocks.”
life interesting and fun. The joy of creation.” thought before. That’s the coolest feedback And speaking of the planet, Michael has
you can get from anybody usually, one of the become an energy ambassador for Loiste
n the title track, ‘One Man Gang’, greatest things to hear is that you have en- Energia in Finland.
IMichael sings ‘I was front of the line-up lightened people with some lyrics or some “Loiste is an environment-friendly elec-
when they gave out attitude’. Black Velvet music that got people into some songs and trical company that uses natural energy,”
asks how his attitude has changed as he’s then they look at the lyrics and they go ‘Wait, says Michael.
gotten older? Has he become more positive there’s some thought behind this,’ and that’s “I would never advertise something or
(there’s a lyric in the song about ‘P.M.A.’ – the coolest thing and that’s the best way I do a deal with a company that would tell peo-
Positive Mental Attitude)? think for me at least to share things with peo- ple to buy some junk food or buy a car or ad-
Michael laughs. “Well, the world certainly ple and maybe get people thinking on a bit vertise something that I don’t condone but
does not encourage me to be more positive more higher spiritual level as opposed to the sometimes things fall into place. The Loiste
by what goes on and what happens usually, physical and material world with all this neg- Energia company, environment-friendly –
but I’ve always worried a lot and always ative shit and violence and beating each ‘cause I don’t have a car, I don’t drive a car, I
kinda been introverted and shy, but I’ve got- other up and getting drunk and being stupid use public transportation. I use the train a
ten much more open. Living with Stiv Bators and getting into fights. If people weren’t so lot. I like it. It’s better than the bus. It’s peace-
for about a year really taught me a lot and re- good at destroying everything, it would be ful. And I ride a bicycle. My bicycle, I have the
ally got me into thinking in a different place. so much better. Instead of destroying the coolest bike, it’s like a Harley almost. I’ll be
To lighten up for example. Stiv has an incred- planet, instead of building weapons and shit, getting into the Harley Davidson club with
ible sense of humour. For me, positive men- in this day and age you’ve got to be crazy to that bike, it’s so cool. It’s like a chopper, an
tal attitude, ‘running on the P.M.A.’, the thing spend any money on weapons for destruc- easy rider with one seat and a back rest, sus-
is, I try to… everyone knows that what you tion. What the hell is wrong with you? Why pension. It really looks like a Harley, but it’s
concentrate on usually multiplies so if you’re won’t you be looking for ways of healing for a bicycle. So I ride my bicycle with pride. You
focusing on everything sucks and the lack medication or some rainforest, some plants stay in shape and there’s one less guy who
and things going away and whining and somewhere or some species of animals of does not have a car, so by my own example
moaning all the time, first of all, it’s no fun which hundreds of them die every day or be- I encourage people to do environmental
for anybody, it’s miserable for everybody to come extinct because of what people have deeds and consider the environment. There
be around you and eventually things will done, and are doing. They should be finding can never be too much of that. Everyone can
start going that way because the power of cures for diseases, for cancer and illness. So make some changes in their own life. Every
your mind is very much underrated, I guess many things that could be better. How the little counts. It’s all for the good. This way I
you could say. The power of the mind is a hell could anybody in their right mind think can try and encourage people to do some-
powerful thing. I’d rather think positive, even about ‘How am I going to destroy these peo- thing for the environment, as it’s obvious
if it wouldn’t work that way I would still rather ple? I’m going to kill this guy cause he’s got that it’s not a threat anymore, it’s an ongoing
give it a shot, so I try to be positive. It doesn’t more than I have’. It’s so short-sighted and disaster. We try to still think that there is
happen by itself, you’ve got to work at it, for crazy to think a lot of people with so much some hope. They said already a long time
sure. You can be sure I don’t wake up every power are thinking that way. If everybody’s ago that it’s too late. There’s going to be a
day and be ‘Wow, I feel wonderful! Every- happy I’m happy and I wish the best for new Ice Age one of these days before too
thing’s great! What a beautiful day!’ you’ve everyone. When I know that everyone’s long, but we’re trying to think and do what
got to work at it a little bit too. So I try to doing well, I’d like to know the people in the we can for future generations. I don’t even
focus on the positive rather than the nega- world are in a good place and enjoying it. We have kids and I still think how can people be
tive cause that way you have a better chance know there would be enough to go round if so ignorant knowing that they have kids and
of positive things happening in your life. I all the food was… I know I sound like a grandchildren and the future generation may
think it reflects that. hippy, but… I really do care about my fellow not have fresh air or clean water, they may
“I’ve always been sarcastic… not bitter… beings and I’d like to have everybody happy. end up in a plastic bubble and can’t have a
sarcastic and cynical in many ways as I’ve I’d be happy if everyone was happy.” walk in the park with nature, with trees and
lived. The longer I’ve lived the more I’ve He thinks the mega-rich ought to be stuff if people continue to be so ignorant and
seen. The more I learn about people, the using their money for better and more posi- short-sighted about the environment. So I try
more I love my pets, and animals in general. tive things. and do that. That’s good for the soul too; try-
Positivity is what you want, and what every- “There are so many people with billions ing to do good. I’m in the position of being
body would want in their right minds. Better and billions of dollars or pounds just sitting in the public eye and a famous person and
to concentrate on that. There’s enough neg- on that money and not doing anything, not the best thing you can do with that is to use
MICHAEL MONROE