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The second time I saw The Hellacopters was at the Stockholm Water Festival. They played on a tiny stage in the middle of Stockholm, by the Sergels torg (square). The PA-amplifying system was small, but I knew that this rock'n'roll band didn't need any massive system to be heard. Overloading the loudspeaker capacity only makes them sound harder, if possible. After the band carried their bier and wine bottles (and the instruments, too) to the stage I had opportunity to talk with Nicke,the guitarist and the lead singer (also drummer and songwriter in death metal band Entombed). I had met him a couple of times now. Nicke was also playing drums with a band called Turpentines, who I know well. Turpentines were planning to record a couple of songs on a compilation album I was trying to put together through It's Alive!, the non-profit-making society in Hälleforsnäs. Still, Nicke could have problems with his record company and probably couldn't use his own name if recording with The Turpentines. I had a solution: There was a guy in Hälleforsnäs named Tomas Jonson who we think looks exactly like Nicke Hellacopter. I told that to Nicke and said: "You can ever pose on the pictures, we use his name instead of yours, nobody can tell the difference!" He didn't like the idea... Well, later when The Hellacopters played in Hälleforsnäs he met Jonson and I have a picture of them together. Tomas is longer than Nicke but I still think they could be twins. Well, the gig in Stockholm went beautifully. I know no other rock band at the moment that gets my blood going in my veins like Hellacopters do. They're shooting tunes out of their instruments with such a rage and love to rock'n'roll. I love it. I still hadn't heard them on vinyl yet but I already knew at least couple of the songs. "(Gotta get some action) Now!" is the one I love most. Well, it's not that far from "Search & Destroy" with the Stooges but who cares. Jesus loves the Hellacopters as well as he loves the Stooges. Robban, the drummer, had injured his right foot and couldn't kick the bass drum with it. So what, he used his left foot instead! Everybody who knows a little of playing drums know that ain't that easy. But I surely didn't hear any difference. Well, he is one of the best drummers I know. By the way, I've also heard that Nicke, the guitar player, can play both left- and right-handed guitars. He is a south-paw but I've heard that he has played "normal" guitars as well when no lefties have been available. Cool. After The Hellacopters Dismember entered the stage. What an anti-climax. Many people in the audience were laughing. The guys on the stage looked so funny, throwing their meter-long hair back and forwards yet they wasn't any loud sound wall that a death metal band needs. We left to see Patti Smith instead, she was playing on the other side of the city festival. I'm sorry to say that Patti Smith was a big disappointment, despite of the fact that Tom Verlaine was playing guitar in her band. No, it was so bad that after an half an hour we went and ate Mexican chicken instead of seeing her sitting on the stage and looking bored. "Dancing Barefoot" sounded like Eagles (and I mean it doesn't sound good), and the first time of my life I heard someone not managing to do a decent version of "Gloria"! Naturally we could read on the papers the day after that Patti Smith was great. And we couldn't find a line about The Hellacopters and the fantastic noise they created the same night. Well, here it comes.
Hellacopters
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