Page 29 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 102

BV102 pg24-29 michael monroe centre_BV102 pg29 04/10/2019 11:19 Page 6

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of people that are well off, rich and famous be caught up in all these side effects, so to a human being than getting rich and famous
and they’re still miserable and lonely even speak. There are so many crafty people, Yes- and getting caught up in that kind of lifestyle
though they have so many friends and so men around, especially if you’re rich and fa- ‘cause I know you’ll never find real happi-
much money and wealth. Anybody like that mous, you don’t know who your real friends ness that way, so… the most important thing
can easily be very lonely and very miserable, are. People are flattering you, they don’t tell for me was to not become an asshole in the
‘cause that doesn’t get you true happiness. you the truth, so that’s why it never bothered process in this crazy world of rock business
It has to be within you. To me, the most im- me that I was not a megastar, a huge star in and business in general… show business
portant values in life… I always appreciate the world, because that can be really scary has always been crazy. So many things that
the two treasures in life, which is having real sometimes. You never know what people can be damaging at the end of the day and
friends and treating others like you want to want from you. Money doesn’t get you true it’s not always easy to realize, so… I’m just
be treated, the basic things like that. The In- happiness, necessarily. It helps. I don’t mind, staying true to myself, to a fault. And many
dian ten commandments were great. One of I’ve got nothing against making money, but times I’ve made it unnecessarily hard on my-
them was ‘Do what you know to be right’ and first you’ve got to do your own thing on your self and I’d rather do that than take the
‘Treat everything that dwells on earth with re- own terms and be happy with your art. Be in wrong turn and end up lost somewhere.”
spect’. The simple things that make your balance with that. Once you’ve done things No wrong turns have been taken with
lives better.” on your own terms and been stubborn and ‘One Man Gang’, that’s for sure. Make sure
Michael has an intelligent and well-trav- gone through a hard time, still you’re better you don’t make one on October 18th when
elled head on his shoulders. Looking back off at the end of it all if you can look yourself it’s released – pre-order the album now.
again, he says that it was important to him in the mirror with a clear conscience know- Visit www.michaelmonroe.com for more
when he started his career that he would ing that you didn’t compromise for the info. Catch Michael Monroe on tour in Eu-
never lose his self-worth, sell his soul or “be- wrong reasons and didn’t breach against rope and the UK this Autumn.
come an asshole basically”, in life, and es- yourself and along the way you didn’t take
pecially taking the path of being an artist in the easy way out or the shortcut to fame or Words By Shari Black Velvet
the public eye. wealth. It was more important to me to main-
Band Photos By Bobby Nieminen
“The trappings of fame, it’s very easy to tain my integrity and my personality and stay Live Photo By Shari Black Velvet
MICHAEL MONROE