Show was great for us and Megadeth. Above my head, I hear Priest doing "Breaking The Law" and it sounds like they're having a great one too. Thousands of Spaniards are singing every riff and lyric.
Here's a little quickie from my journal the other day when we headlined a small club, the final gig in Germany of this tour:
Mar. 10th Nurenburg, Germany 5:07pm
I'm sitting here backstage, where I've just greeted a couple dozen nine and ten year olds. They stepped up in groups of two and three as I said hello to each one. The boys waved and the girls giggled. It's something I've never seen at a gig before: a class field trip.
It turns out that these kids are all young musicians. They are being shown a live gig as part of their music class. Our German promoter and his wife have a daughter in the class and invited them to view the club being set up for our show. How cool. I never had a field trip like that.
The promoter's wife asked me if it was okay for the children to take a look. I was happy to oblige. Me typing on my Mac is probably not the best example of a typical scene backstage at a rock gig, but hey, that's what they got. Now they're moving into the main hall to look at the stage.
Just before they left, a small boy with blond hair turned around with a big smile and asked me a question with excitement in his voice. I figured he must be a guitar player. But his German accent was so thick I didn't understand the question.
"Yup lang valda vahkeft onka poota?"
"Can you say that again?" I said, smiling.
"Yup lang valda vahkeft onka poota?"
"I'm sorry, I don't understand" I said, smiling nervously as the boy and the rest of the class awaited my answer.
Just then, their teacher, a librarian like German woman with short brown hair and glasses, stepped to the front. She leaned in and spoke to the boy in a whisper. The boy whispered back to her. Then she looked at me and spoke.
"He iss asking you: 'Are you playing 'World Of Warcraft' on your computer?"
22 comments:
Were u ? playing WOW online ? :-P !
this field trip is a cool idea ! Im sure these kids had great time experiencing something new !
I'd love to go on one as well !
as much as I'd love to open a gig for Testament,and hang out with U guys &get that awesome feeling of "Wow,Im having a good time with my Idols !" :)
Have a great time for the rest of the tour...
all the best,
Huthaifa
Haha, I can imagine Alex is quite the WoW-fiend. ;) I know Chris Broderick used to be one (just randomly put in, yeah).
Haha, I can imagine that kid posting on youtube at a Testament video or AST, sorry, Alex Skolnick Trio one in like, five years.
"Back when I was 10, I went on a fieldtrip to a Testament/Megadeth/Judas Priest gig and got to ask Alex Skolnick a question.. And all I asked was if he was playing WoW! D'oh!"
Love your playing Alex, take care!
/Johan
WOW...Talking about sign of the times. A field trip to a metal concert. Did things like this happen in , let's say...1988? Hopefully one day I'll be able to take my son to a Testament concert.
Mike \m/
That is so cool. I remember when I was about that age I went on a field trip to see the Dallas Symphony and then listen to a convicted felon talk about spending time in "the hole". I wish I could have gone on a field trip like that. The best part is that the experience will remain with those kids for the rest of their lives and maybe one will become a professional in the music industry. Maybe even tour with Testament. It was awesome that you let them look around backstage.
Awesome!! Love your Blog!
Hahahahahaha ... that cute! If you answered that "yes, I'm playing this game" perhaps he had several tips to get you! in exchange, you could offer lessons in guitar.
;)
Children are this: true and transparency ! Have a nice tour.
I was just typing my journal/Blog, not playing World Of Warcraft. In fact, I know nothing about that game other than this: it was the subject of this really weird South Park episode!
Oh yeah, Make Love Not Warcraft? That episode actually got me interested in playing, which I did for a month until I noticed that I wasn't playing guitar more than fifteen minutes a day due to playing WoW instead. I have however decided that when I start touring, in the future, I'll play WoW on the bus. ^^ :D
I would have liked to have a field trip like that when I was in school. I could see my school not liking the idea of going to a concert...to unpredictable (that's what they'd say anyway). We normally went to NYC for a Broadway show (which was also nice, we could go there cause it was close. I'm originally from Saugerties, NY). It would have been fun to go to a concert though. Just recently went to my first in December (TSO in Albany).
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only one boy to ask such a thing ..... ahahahh in front of one of the best guitarists in the world and asks if he is to play WOW ahahaha ..... caught you unaware that you could ..... ahahaha you expect any thing,less this question ah ah ah
And what Alex said .... it simply shrink the shoulders eheheheh
In a few years ago he´s gona think ... I was in front of one of the most influential musicians of guitar and asked him if he was playing WOW .... what a that fool I was.
keep cool Alex
N.Guerreiro
Portugal
Alex,
Very cute story!
Haha! That's awesome, man I wish we would of had field trips like that when I was in school.
The closest thing I got to a music field trip was doing nationals for band when we went to Disney World. =P
Anyway, I loved the story. So cool.
Wish we had field trips like that when I was a kid. (I would have giggled like all the other girls.)
Kudus to the little boy! Later on, he may regret his choice of question. However, he was the only one with the kahunnas to ask a question. Perhaps there’s some metal in his future.
Big shout out to Warrior and Teykal! Have a rocking good time at the concert tomorrow!
Warrior, I hope you get your picture with Alex. Horns Up!
Because that's what all Guitar Hero's Do!!
Hi
I'm still so happy ehehehe i´m still singing after the concert last night ..... incredible!
I could not get there right in front of Alex because security did not aloud...I was screaming like a fool for you eheheheh.
What do you think of lisbon? Did you had time to leave the hotel and walk around or not?
If I knew where was your hotel,I had brought you a bottle of Portuguese good wine for to offer you but was not possible,maibe next time, I hope TestAmenT come back for the next year and if that happens, I will be there again.
Thank you for those 45 minutes so spectacular.
I still have my head completely destroyed .... I have to put in the shop to get new one eheheheh
Alex, a hug and thanks to all the guys of testament.
Nuno Guerreiro
Portugal
Hi Alex -
Cute story! I'm sure you get asked the same questions over & over again so it was probably refreshing to have someone ask you something so off the wall.
I had met you briefly after one of your Trio shows and was so nervous to talk to you.....I came up with something really lame to ask you just so I'd have something to say other than "Can you sign this?" As I was waiting to talk to you all I could think about was Wayne & Garth dropping to their knees & bowing to Steven Tyler chanting "I'M NOT WORTHY, I'M NOT WORTHY!!" and hoping I wouldn't do the same to you!
On another note, when I was in Jr. High school they actually had a local hard rock cover band come into our school and do a concert for us during the school day which I thought was a pretty cool thing for them to do. I'm quite sure it must have been the highlight of that band's musical career...lol!
Take care & I hope to catch you in Philly next month! (I will try hard not to bow.....)
Sherry
Awesome blog Alex !
If Alex permit: one link to Lisbon show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJQapR5g-U4
Warrior: Where are you in vid? :P
Hi MR...
No. .. unfortunately I was on the 1st floor.
I recorded 1 video "Electric Crown" that i will put it on youtube soon as I can...
something I am sure...these guys, after so many years, are better day by day
It's a surreal experience, getting to interact with the people that used to decorate your walls when you were a child! I've had the pleasure of talking with Nadia Comaneci at gymnastics meets over the years...the first few times I felt like I was seven years old again, watching her win the gold in the 1976 Olympics! I kind of feel like that now just thinking about it.....:)
What an amazing experience for the kids to see what happens at a live gig!! Europe is just cool that way.
I saw Alex take the time to make some kid's night at a Denver show. Let him play on his guitar, chatted with him, etc. Classy guy.
Gonna see Testament in June in Denver again, we're trying to find someone to let us play an opening slot :D
I just came back from their last show of the tour, in London at the Islington Academy
Man, they blew my balls off! Best live show I've ever seen, hands down!
I was right at the front for pretty much half of it, too. Just wish I was there early enough to put my leather jacket in the cloakroom! I was cookin' like an egg!
Alex, man, you always prove to be such an inspiration, man. I've got so many ideas in my head since leaving the gig!
All the best, man, and I'll see you next time you come to London!
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