Page 43 - Black Velvet Issue 93

BV93 pg43_BV93 pg43 06/06/2017 23:23 Page 1

BlackVelvetMagazine.Com - 43

F It’s not just bands that work hard, some fans do too! Every issue we shine the spotlight on a fansite. If you
devote your time to working on a website to promote a band, let us know about it... and we may feature you!

A Name: singer) has, for example, stated that Sim-
Dominika Marsová
plePlan.cz is his ‘Google’, Jeff (lead gui-
tarist) often goes on the website to check
N Fansite Name: up on his own tour schedule, as I often post
SimplePlan.cz
about their new tour dates even before the
band does and he's also recently said in an
interview that he believes the band owes
Why and when did you decide to start
S your fansite? their success in Europe, and in the Czech
Republic in particular, to my fansite. David
Initially I used to have a blog about Simple
Plan news from 2005 (the year I became a
(bassist) has previously stated that the
fan), which started as a way for me to ex-
website is much better than any other of
I press my love for the band. Back then I ran their fansites and Sebastien (guitarist) has me tear up a bit. :)
mentioned the website quite a number of
Tell our readers why they should visit
the blog only in the Czech language but
over the course of time I gained a much
times on his radio podcast. As I said - I'm
your site. What's it got?
more international audience and I also
appreciates their fans and their work.
knew that ‘blogs’ didn't have as much cred- very lucky to be a fan of a band that truly SimplePlan.cz, which is celebrating 10
years online this year, brings you the most
T ibility as websites did, so in August 2007 I Coolest thing to happen to you because up-to-date info about Simple Plan every
day. It's not an accident that fans call it their
decided to buy a proper domain and start
of the fansite?
a new website, called SimplePlan.cz, which
SP 'Wikipedia', 'Google' or 'Gossip Girl for
E would be available in two language ver- There were a lot of very cool moments, so SP fans'. Besides regular news that you
I will try to pick out just some that stand out
sions: Czech and English.
can find elsewhere, there's also a lot of
content you won't find anywhere else or
to me the most. Back in 2012, before Sim-
How long does it take you to keep the
site updated? How much time do you ple Plan released their book (Simple Plan: that you will always find on SimplePlan.cz
The Official Story), the band's graphic de-
first - such as tour dates! Due to the sup-
put into it? signer, Fred Jerome, got in touch with me port of many fans all around the world, the
Honestly, at this point, anyone who knows and asked if (for the book) the band could website can bring you setlists, recaps and
me is aware that I treat this as my second use some of the fan tattoos which I have pictures from SP shows just hours after
they ended; you can also enjoy the very ex-
job. After 10 years it's become a vital part
stored on my website. And because of that
F of who I am as a person, so I try to update the website got a credit at the end of the bi- tensive tour section (we’ve even got all the
ography, so that was a very cool thing. A
the website every day, sometimes with sev-
venues' capacities listed!), many other in-
eral news pieces, so that the fans can al-
year later, in advance of Simple Plan re-
teresting sections (e.g. fan tattoos, song
O ways be in the loop of what's happening leasing their EP (‘Get Your Heart On - The meanings), the largest gallery of SP pic-
with Simple Plan. So the answer is... well...
Second Coming’), thanks to a collaboration
tures (40,000+) on the internet and of
with the band's management I got to host
a lot of time. But enough to still be able to
course: the SimplePlan.cz interviews with
have an actual job and some free time.
a world premiere of the first song on that
EP - 'Ordinary Life', on my website and that the band, their opening bands, music video
directors and other personalities linked to
C Does the band know about it? was a very big honor for me. And last but the band in some way. Besides the online
I'm very happy that I can say yes, they do.
not the least, at the last show in Prague
stuff, SimplePlan.cz now also does offline
(March 2016), before he started singing the
The guys from Simple Plan and even their
scavenger hunts for special limited Simple-
U crew members and management visit the fan anthem 'This Song Saved My Life', Plan.cz pins hidden all around the world
website very often and they truly appreci-
Pierre stopped the show for a bit to thank
and every year there is also a big SP fan
ate the support the website is giving them,
meet-up organized by SimplePlan.cz in the
me personally for my work with the web-
site, saying 'I wanna say thank you to Do-
Czech Republic.
as they have told me (and even in a couple
S of interviews to various media outlets) nu- minika who runs SimplePlan.cz which is Website link:
actually better than our own website. And I
merous times. Chuck (drummer) has been
know she's a big reason why everybody's
an amazing and very vocal supporter of the
http://www.simpleplan.cz/en (for the Eng-
website for a very long time, for which I am
incredibly grateful to him. Pierre (lead here tonight. And I wanna say thank you lish version of the site)
very much.' Not gonna lie, that did make
THE DEAD along choruses, you can find them all live and recap from all over the world, including the
DAISIES loud at a hard rockin’ Dead Daisies show, and USA supporting KISS, headline shows in Eu-
LIVE & now on this live disc too. You’ll be wanting to rope and Japan. The members sit down and
LOUDER turn it up to 11 when Doug Aldrich dives into talk about the band and what they do - but you
(SPV/SPIT- one of his masterful guitar solos, you’ll be don’t get any full live videos, which is a slight
FIRE MUSIC) singing along to raucous John Corabi through shame. That said, most of their headline
One of the everything from the inciting opening number shows have been in smallish low-lit clubs, so
best live shows ‘Long Way To Go’ to final song, ‘Midnight maybe they’re not the easiest to capture in
in 2016 was Moses’, and soon enough, you’ll be feeling like high quality. There’s a bonus section which in-
that of The you’re almost at one of their shows. The audio cludes the band’s four music videos released
Dead Daisies. is captured from different concerts around Eu- off ‘Make Some Noise’, plus a slideshow of
And while you’re waiting until the next time rope - everywhere from Vienna to London to photos of the band on and off stage and with
they come back around, you can now listen to Paris. The only slight bummer is that we can’t fans. If you’re loving the band as much as we
and watch this new ‘Live & Louder’ CD/DVD watch a full concert visually on the DVD - in- are, you’ll definitely want to pick up this
package in the comfort of your own home. stead the DVD is billed as ‘Behind The Scenes CD/DVD package pronto.
Whether it’s pounding drums, down ‘n’ dirty Of Live & Louder’ and shows touring footage YYYYY
guitar licks, infinitely catchy hooks or sing- and mini clips from on the road. There’s a tour SBV
FANSITE FOCUS / DVDS