Swedish glamsters ToxicRose have caused quite a stir around the Sentinel Daily office with their new album In For The Kill, so of course we thought it was a good idea to drag them into this latest round of Metal Origins Q& A’s – Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome the band’s drummer Michael Sweet for a trip around his very well-spent youth…
Welcome to Sentinel Daily and thanks for taking part in this round of Q & A’s! Without further ado, let’s get down to business… What are your earliest memories of heavy metal? “My first introduction to heavy metal or rock music in general was Kiss, I was about five years old and they’ve been my heroes ever since (laughs). Europe was also a big name in our house growing up. It helped having two older brothers that introduced rock music to me at an early age”.
Kiss and Europe is a pretty solid starting point! So too brothers were feeding you early on, but what was the first metal album you bought with your own cash? “I believe it was Iron Maiden – The Best of the Beast. I remember all the other kids went to the record store to by the new CD by the Swedish artist Markoolio. I, on the other hand, saw the Maiden cover with all the different Eddies on it, and decided I wasn’t gonna fall for peer pressure, I made the right choice”.
Watching the video above I’d say you certainly did! Are there any bands you loved as a youngster that cause you to wince now and ask: ‘what was I thinking’? “Hmm, not that I can think of… Poison maybe?” (more laughter)
Now, who were the first band you saw live – please feel free to include no-name local bands if that was your first interaction with live metal. “My first concert was Iron Maiden in 1999. Bruce Dickinson‘s comeback tour. I don’t remember much, Good thing there’s some bootlegs out so I can relive the magic!”
I too got in a bit of a state when I saw Maiden on that tour in London… But that’s another story! How hard was it growing up to get info on the bands you loved- was there much mainstream media coverage where you lived? “We had the local “rock” radio station and some magazines”.
Sounds as sparse as where I lived! As an adjunct to the previous question, do you think the internet has taken away the mystique of being in a big band for young people today? Do we know too much about our heroes in 2021? “Yes probably! Although I love reading autobiographies, that’s my main choice of reading. But it’s true that there’s not much mystery left these days. If you want to know something you can just google it. Unless it’s Blackie Lawless or something, that guy is still a mystery!”
The eternal idol, the eternal enigma! Were you a big festival goer as a junior headbanger? “Yes! Sweden Rock Festival every summer! Went every year but remember maybe three bands? (more laughter). It’s been awhile since I’ve been back though”.
Would you have hitched hundreds of miles to see your favourite bands if necessary? “Yeah sure, never did though. But I did take a ferry to Finland to see Stryper“.
What five albums have stayed with you since your formative metal years? “Five albums? OK… Kiss – Crazy Nights, The Headless Children by W.A.S.P., Metallica‘s Master of Puppets, Iron Maiden – Brave New World and Clayman by In Flames“.
Did you have a metal crush? I had life size posters of Lee Aaron and Doro Pesch on my ceiling in 1986… “I only had guys in makeup on my wall (more laughter)”
Not that there’s anything wrong with that! Thanks for taking part! “Thank you!”
Toxic Rose’s In For The Kill is out now – read Gavin Strickmann’s review of the album HERE
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