This year marks 20 years since the beginning of Grande Rock! It’s been 20 years already! I still cannot believe it! I remember a young guy back then trying to express his love for music and find a solution to so. A new way was the trick… a webzine! The Internet was not as popular as it is today – no social media – nothing… the basic html websites that only the big and the bold ones used to have. Even though Grande Rock took it first shape in late 2000 as “Metal Abyss” back then, it was only a few months later that changed its name to GR, as we decided to deal with all kinda of rock and metal music and not only the extreme ones.The truth is that only a handful of online magazines that started together back in the day are still active as the majority of them stopped being active along the way. It ain’t easy to run a webzine, as some may think and it was way harder back then, as there was no fast internet speed to download, stream and do your jobs & way harder to contact a band or a management. People were more into the printed media and they weren’t dealing with the webzines that much as they do today. I can remember getting boxes full of promo CDs from the local promoters for presentation… and I really miss the times when personal contact was important.
Unfortunately, when Grande Rock started gaining much reputation, around 2007, I had to inactivate it due to army issues, and it took me around 3+ years to fully recover. This was the second GR era, as the new website was built on CMS and not on html as the first one. After 2006 the internet era was crucial as the majority of the big media appeared around that period and had great supporters, both labels and management behind to make them gain the majority of the internet users. Everything was faster than in the previous years.
Starting anew was really hard for me and my partners as we had to reintroduce ourselves to a sea of webzines and online magazines. The goal was achieved at most part and I’m glad I put Grande Rock back on the rock media map again. Year by year we are getting more and more recognition covering live shows especially in the UK and in the US.
At this point I would like to thank each and every one that has contributed to Grande Rock in one way or another and for being part of the GR team. I’m really fortunate to have cooperated with so many great people along the way. The same goes for every musician, band, manager, and music or PR label all these years. I’m pleased for getting the chance to work with all these music devotees that helped me spread our love for music even further.
I can’t tell what the New Year will bring, since this pandemic has turned the world upside down and people are not as they used to be. Let’s hope that Grande Rock will be around for as long as we can… but always keep in mind that every end is a new beginning! I love music so much that it will be truly impossible to see myself outside of any music activity now or in the future.
PS1: I’ve tried to describe 20 years in brief but that ain’t enough… no matter how many words I write… memories are the most important part of all.
PS2: Reality is flexible just like our lives and our acts… so better think twice before you act, especially these evil times when the media are spreading lies 24/7.
PS3: Regrettably, the vocalist Hank von Hell (Turbonegro, Doctor Midnight & The Mercy Cult) passed away on November 19th, 2021, at the age of 49. It’s so sad to see young and talented musicians leaving us so early. Thx for the music Hank… Rest in Peace…