How many fan clubs give you what you really want? I bet you can answer that on the fingers of one hand! If like me you are an avid In Flames fan then things are a lot different. That’s if you take the first steps and join In Flames’ own official Jesterhead fan club, The Jesterhead!

I have been part of the Jesterhead since its inception late December 2007 and I personally have found it one of the most pleasurable and friendly sites I could ever have wished for. When you do decide to join, there are various options to choose. There are “online only” packages which allow you to enter the exclusive website that offers the most extensive coverage of all things In Flames including exclusive and not to be seen elsewhere snippets of In Flames goodies. But if you want to fully appreciate the site, for a little more money you can get the special Jesterhead package which comes with a special “one off” T shirt (you get a different one each year when you renew) . . also you get an introductory letter from the band members. Some lucky members might even get an original signed copy instead of one that has been re copied, that’s the look of the draw. .There are also little extras thrown in like guitar picks the band have used during concerts.

As a special treat each month there is a competition open to all Jesterhead members for a chance to win signed In Flames memorabilia but now and again especially during tours there are really special offers up for grabs like the “meet and greet” the band prizes I personally have been lucky to attend.

One actually incorporated an even bigger treat, the chance to watch part of the band’s live performance from backstage just because I made a video to show my appreciation of In Flames.
These meets are not a quick shake hands, sign stuff and move along but you actually get to chat openly with them in a friendly atmosphere where they will sign lots of your stuff and are always happy to oblige for that all important photo opportunities you might like.

The Jesterhead is made up a main site which gives you all the latest and sometimes exclusive news and items, your own personal space to make friends and chat amongst fellow Jesterheads about In Flames and anything else for that matter. There are “fractions” too for that more intense discussion of different topics. The Jesterhead is very simple to negotiate with easy to follow links and a search option which helps you find things in the archives.

The other part of the Jesterhead is the forum, a full on discussion board for all members to use and join in the discussion threads about your favourite In Flames topics like favourite song, best album. Discussions about meeting the band at concerts, meeting fellow Jesterheads to discussions of how the band like to set up their stage and studio equipment. On some occasions a special thread is opened up to give you the chance to “chat” with the band there and then live! The forum does not just have In Flames only chat but the “General Discussion” section allows for that “everything else!” As this is an exclusive forum which is only available for Jesterhead members, the forum is a lot more friendlier than other forums you might have encountered, we are a very friendly group of people!

Don’t take my word for it join now and find out what really goes on behind the scenes. Just click on the link below….you know you want to!

Your friendly neighbourhood Dredmann

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Thursday
The rain has kept away so far. It’s good pitching camp in the dry…except for the fuckin’ midges everywhere.
It’s pretty quiet at the moment but more “happy campers” are arriving every minute. The attempt to make some fresh coffee went drastically wrong as the newly bought “hex” stove burned a massive hole in the wood base I got to steady it in the ground. I might try again later over on the just noticed barbecue pit.

Friday
Its the start of the actual festival today and I’ll be walking round like a total zombie…. I had absolutely NO sleep last night, sleeping in my sleeping bag is like a fly being cocooned in a spider’s web, every time you move it tightens it’s grip on you even more.
Oh well, let’s get it on and see some great bands perform!
Fuck!!! the food is so expensive a teeny sandwich is is £ 6.00 WTF I think I’m going to starve this weekend.
The bands were a bit hit and miss today, some I missed, can’t say I was that bothered any way. A couple of highlights though. Definitely a young up and coming band from Slough I saw in the unsigned tent called Divine Chaos and also an amazing “in your face”performance from Municipal Waste who easily got the crowd in the palm of their hand. History was also created during their set as they achieved a world record of crowd surfing during one of their songs a staggering 428.
Nothing much going on now so a couple of hours relaxing in the hospitality tent, that’s one of the bonuses of an upgraded ticket…. the chance to meet the stars… if they decide to show :O
OK the next two bands to finish the night off, Arch Enemy and Carcass. I have to admit, personally, Arch Enemy were missing something tonight. The music was good, the Amotts delivered the songs impeccably, Sharlee was as dynamic as ever and Angela’s voice was perfect. The just seemed a little still?? Maybe with Michael Amott having to return almost immediately to perform with Carcass he was trying to conserve some energy? Final act of the evening was the re-formed Carcass, a band new to my ears, even though they were formed in the 80′s and split in 95 (I think) their history is laid in stone.

Saturday
WHY DO PEOPLE HAVE TO BE SO FUCKING LOUD!! JUST GO AND FUCK OFF!!
Yes another restless night in the cocoon called a sleeping bag but to make it worse some guy decided he needed to tell the whole of the camping area his like of a “rock star” ALL FUCKING NIGHT! Oh well I’m up now, lets go and get some breakfast.
Ok its 7pm and the total number of bands viewed is two, yeah just two but two amazing live bands you would not want to miss. Wolf
the best hard rock outfit to come out of Sweden. Their posing is legendary, straight out of the old school book Then to follow my personal highlight of the whole weekend, The Haunted, they were so amazing live that the 40 minute set during lunchtime does them no credit at all. What the fuck are the organisers thinking of slotting them in at that time, Peter Dolving really had his work cut out trying to stimulate the meagre crowd that had come to watch

Well that’s my festival over with! SHIT! There’s another day left! What am I gonna do? Oh yeah I know Amon Amarth tomorrow and Anterior over on the Sophie Lancaster Stage Anyway until then I will be busy……….doing absolutely nada!! until Cradle Of Filth. Let’s see how long I stay for them? The answer…one song! How can such a band have such an effect, I mean even Cradle Of Filth T shirt clad fans were walking away. A sombre note though, I heard through the grapevine that the show was stopped early because a band member was struck by some missile and had to be helped off the stage. Now that is just stupid, I hope they find the culprit and give them what they deserve.

Sunday
Now here’s a surprise, I had quite a better night’s sleep but I did wake up soaking with sweat, these dome tents really feel like a greenhouse when the sun is beating down on them but I have to admit its much more preferable than being soaked with rain!
Ok time for lunch, not much though, I don’t want to have to stop later on the journey home.
That sorted time to take the tent down then we are ready to go as soon as!!
There wasn’t much going on for me today except that great band from Wales I mentioned earlier called Anterior, who I saw last January as support to The Haunted but they are only on a 6 pm. Time to relax in the hospitality suite again!
Ok now its time to go and see my first band of the day. No disappointment at all, Anterior have actually got even better over the few months since the first time I saw them. As soon as they finished their 30 minute set, its time to take a wander over to the main stage, again, for my final highlight of the weekend, What a blistering and fast hour that was, they were fucking awesome I cannot think of any other word to describe them!
Well there you have my Bloodstock 2009 weekend, sorry if you wanted set lists or more bands coverd but I can’t be everywhere at once and I’m not “Mr Memory Man” but I’m sure a quick look in the music press will have all the details you want.
you can view some photos I took during my weekend Amon Amarth Municipal Waste The Haunted Saxon Wolf
See Ya, dredmann!!

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Two days in and getting into the swing of things.
The first was wasted through jet lag, just a quick look around our “base camp” in Higashi Jujo, which is situated in the north of Tokyo in Kita-ku. Its nice little town with plenty of shops, bars and cheap cafes.
Today we headed off to Shimo Kitazawa, which is a short train ride from Shinjuku station. Its very much a young persons town with lots of boutique shops, restaurants of all different foods and clubs for that vibrant night life you might be after. A quick point about travelling on the trains and underground metro (if you don’t have an international rail pass) get yourself a “suica” card, it costs ¥500 to buy from vending machines at every station, you just top up with credit when needed.
If there’s anywhere in Tokyo to go for manga and anime including all the character dolls, you can’t go wrong with a visit to Nakano, which is a 10 minute train ride from Shinjuku station. As you leave from the north exit, cross a road and pass through the town’s bus station to enter a shopping arcade. This sells all kinds of things for any age and there are plenty of cafes and takeaway places to choose from. At the end of this avenue of shops is Nakano Broadway, a modern shopping mall which is dominated by a chain of stores going by the name “Mandarake” which sells everything anyone could ever want about manga and anime. Each shop in the chain specialises in different sections of this craze. If you thought Manadarake was the only company that sold these type of goods here, there are also indivual private sellers too which means that the competition is fierce and bargains are plentiful.

akihabara

Or “Electric Town” If you want a new pc, laptop, mac
phone or camera, there’s no better place to be. Just remember to bring your passport with you then you have a chance of buying these things cheap AND duty free. I managed to pick up a Nikon S230 Coolpix camera for only. ¥19000 which is about £135

godz

Wanna listen to your favourite metal band AND drink some beer? Then head for Godz in the Kabuki-cho district of Shinjuku. This area is a miriad of narrow streets and alleyways full of clubs, bars and restaurants but also the seedier side of Tokyo so go with a complete open mind. Godz is right in the middle of this area, its only a tiny basement bar but you can’t find a better place for atmosphere. I was told whenever any band is playing in Tokyo, Godz is the place they head for after the show. Inside is the proof as the wall behind the bar is full of thank you notes from band members. As you walk in you are hit by a wall of sound as the music is played extremely loud, not deafening so you can strike up a conversation fairly easily. If there is anything in particular you want to listen to, just pick up a folder on a table, choose the song you want and the bar staff will play whatever you ask for, if you are lucky they might even play the video of the song.
Godz is open at weekends and all night long.

trams n things

would you believe you can actually take a ride on a tram or streetcar whichever you call them. At just 160 yen you can take a ride from Waseda to Minowabashi on the Arakawa Line, we jumped on at Oji and five short stops later, we jumped off at Kumanomae which is near Sugamo. As an extra surprise, on every 4th, 14th, and 24th of the month there is a street market all the way down from Kumanomae to Sugamo station where you can pick up bargain after bargain as well as filling yourself with tasty noodles, okonomiyaki and plenty of nutritious fish As a word of warning though, be prepared to be pushed and jostled as you make your way down the street as its each person for their self and the little old ladies are definitely the worse as we found out when we took a brief stop to sample some free green tea, as soon as they see any hint of a space they take it and get in front of you and beat you to the freebies.

rainy days

don’t be surprised, it does rain in Japan and if it does there are plenty of things to do. One is to spend a full day getting lost in Sunshine City, situated only a 10 minute walk from Ikebukuro station. It boasts over five floors of all kinds of shopping, from famous names like Gucci to small time businesses selling their own personal items. It even boasts a floor dedicated to just eating with all your favourite cuisines from around the world done in a unique Japanese way and let’s not forget all the tasty desserts you can enjoy at speciality restaurants too.
The best part of Sunshine City is its Namja Town play area for kids of all ages. For just 300 yen an adult 150 yen for a child you can explore all the different parts like Gyoza Stadium where you can taste all kinds of gyoza and Ice Cream City which is a sweet tooth’s paradise.

the mountains

Once you get out of the city you are hit by the scenic beauty of of the lush mountainous region of Central Japan. Villages and towns dotted around the area, where people live out their lives oblivious of the hustle and bustle of big city life, apart from areas where technology is rearing its head as we pass a field full of solar panels which was something quite unexpected….the search for alternative energy has no boundaries!
As we travel along a brief glimpse of the snow capped peaks of the Japanese Alps is seen in the distance. our first stop is at a lake near the town of Suwako, the breathtaking scenery juxtaposed by a Starbucks situated in a service station car park….they get everywhere, don’t they!
Suwako itself has a few large hotels itself to cater for tourists who come to use the onsen in the area.
Exiting off the highway. we hit the city of Shiojiri. We see plenty of the same brand stores that are common in Tokyo, the need to reach more customers reaches everywhere. Looking around we see many vineyards suggesting the area is a big wine producing area of Japan.
Back on the highway, we cruise through a valley heading towards Kiso, we turn off the main road and arrive at our destination of Narai where our host, a relative of friends taking us on this excursion, shows us around her beautiful home and invites us to some traditional Japanese cuisine. The house is full of artifacts actually made by her now sadly departed husband from bamboo coated in Japan, a lacquer made from tree sap. Later we take a trip down part of the Nakasendo Highway in Narai-Juku which was once one of the main trade routes between Edo and Kyoto it still has some of the old buildings dating back to the Edo period
The return journey includes a three mile tunnel journey cut through the mountains. Once back in the open air, the scenic beauty is once again amongst us as we gaze upon the southern Japanese Alps. Before long we are back on the highway heading back to Tokyo.

ramen museum and chinatown, yokohoma

A short walk from Shin-Yokohama station will get you to the famous ramen museum, where you are taken back in time to 40′s and 50′s Tokyo and Yokohama. The museum has tried to and achieved authenticity in its approach, the murals and structures really give that feel about the place. Once you arrive down in the main place, there’s plenty of choice of cafes to sample the lovely ramen being served and at only 1100 yen for a huge bowl. its a bargain.
Another famous feature of Yokohama is its Chinatown, not for from the station of Motomachi-Chukagai station. It is believed to be one of the oldest in the world. The area has abundant gift shops and cafes as well as outside stalls selling steamed dumplings with a choice of fillings.

osaka

なんでやねん – Osaka, full of glitz n glam and bright lights.
This city is a place where you can easily get lost in if you don’t come prepared. There are plenty of places to eat, drink and be merry. One place is the Rock Rock Bar in American Village, which is in the Shinsaibashi distict of the city, we only managed a couple of hours in the place but it was enough to want to go again. The walls are full of memorabilia from rock concerts and there are plenty of photos of band members taken over the years. There is a regular DJ who keeps the music going throughout the night but unlike Godz in Shinjuku there is a stict no request policy.
American Village itself is a maze of streets full of boutiques, bars and clubs a point though, the majority of the stores tend to sell either hip hop style clothing or those just for the girls!
To get around Osaka it best to use the Osaka Metro underground train system.
One of the better places to visit is Osaka Castle, a massive structure built in the 16th century by Hideyoshi Hashiba aka Toyotomi, < who after unifying the whole of Japan built the castle on the grounds of the Hogani temple. A tour around the building is only a few hundred yen and once at the top the views of the city literally take your breath away.
One thing I have noticed about Osaka is that they seem to be less image conscience as those from Tokyo, you do see more larger people walking around, I don't mean obese but compared to Tokyo there is a distinct difference. Also they tend to be a little more impatient, when waiting to cross busy streets they are more likely to take a chance and cross before the indicators say it is safe to cross. On the whole though, Osaka people come across as very warm and friendly
Osaka is a three hour train ride on the Shinkansen bullet train.

You are welcome to view more photos of my latest Japan trip at Japan images

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Also at the moment I am finding the sentence structure a little difficult to follow. Am I aiming too high too soon?  When I ask Japanese friends about it, they can’t really answer because when you actually speak the language, you don’t think how it’s said you just say it! Maybe I shouldn’t think too hard, just learn a few more useful words and just make it up as I go along. I am sure they will be corrected once I try them out in Japan, which coincidently I’ll be going in October.

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  It all started out so innocently in the early years, a browse here a browse there. Then I discovered I could get to know things a lot quicker than other media sources. As my main interests are music based it. meant tour dates record releases of my favourite bands were at my fingertips. Then inevitably band forums raised their ugly head and their tentacles had me trapped to their bosom, pressurising me to contribute more and more.
   As friendships developed, I needed to find more ways to communicate. This networking phenomenon  had me hooked. My first venture into this craze was Myspace, it has the tools to tell the world of my loves, hates and other plights. This has snowballed into more and more options to make myself more available to the world, although not really knowing or caring if anyone out there actually bothered, it was a “me” thing going on.
  Now five years down the line I frequent more band forums some even paid subscriptions too, internet messengers. are a must and now the final nail in the coffin I have just subscribed to Facebook This means everything has stopped until I have completed the rigmarole of networking. It really is getting out of hand I am truly chained to the pc chair!!  Now to make it worse, I can even do it on the move. My recent aquisition of an internet phone means I can network 24/7!
   You know the real scary thing about it, is I actually have started to enjoy it

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