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Welcome to the Sitorum section dedicated to you all... Just a pic, taken after a gig or during a meet&greet, and a few lines to describe that event and the feelings... Many thanks everyone for sharing! :)) |
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FRANCESCA Glasgow, UK, 13th of May 2005 It was in May, last year. The first time at a concert outside Italy, my first flight -the first of many-, the image of the sky above the clouds which now proposes itself to me again if I close my eyes... A wonderful and memorable set of emotions. The concert took place at The Garage, a club in Glasgow centre able to contain maximum 300 people... I had never seen a concert in a smaller place. But it has been a great show! The boys put their soul in playing and in singing once again, and you could have seen all the genuine fun in their eyes. Everything went well, and later, after the show, some friends of mine and I waited for the boys outside to say hello to them. We knew that they would direct themselves that night to Wolverhampton, where they would have next concert two days later, after a deserved day-off. The boys arrived about a hour later, smiling and aware to have done a very good performance. I was able to say hello to them all (we were about ten people waiting for them). John has been the last one, even though it was not the first time that I had met him, it was still difficult for me to realize that my Guitar Hero, the guitarist who had been able to make me fall in love with electric guitar and hard rock music, and whose music had entered in my veins, was no farther than two steps from me. And emotion, we know, plays bad jokes... And that time I wasn't able to tell him what I wanted, to thank him not only for the show of that evening but for all the music he wrote and played and that every day takes me in my life; for his comin’ back together with his eternal friends into the band I have brought in my heart for 20 years... Many thoughts and suddenly shyness and embarrassment in expressing them, despite John was so kind to try to start himself a talk with me... Just some words about the gig, then the pic and a "Thank you!" with all my heart, so strong that I hope it arrived anyway sincere... It is a big regret of mine, I hope a day to have the chance to tell him all that I haven't been able to say yet, and that for the moment I'm trying to communicate through the pages of this site: all the admiration, the devotion and the respect for this ingenious and human artist, who one day, a long time ago, decided to share his passion, the kind of magic in the talent of his fingers, the emotions, the sensations the music was giving him with all of us... God bless his soul, his heart and his beautiful mind... |
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VALERIE West Springfield, USA, 30th of April 2005 It was probably one of THE best nights I have ever had. A bunch of us were standing outside the Jaxx Nightclub that were part of the meet and greet and chatting and having a lot of fun. Then it came time to go in and meet them. Then I got really nervous! ;)
They were all at the bar, all except John Leven, and
our Hero was the last one at the bar. Talk about the
nervousness getting greater and greater! But never mind
LOL We all went and met each one very quickly and when I
got to John, my heart just dropped! I shook his hand and
all I could say was "I love you!! You are my favourite
guitarist and I just love you!!" Oh boy.
After
all that, we all got to spend a few minutes with each of them. I was
so nervous and shaking and I was standing back almost like 'Oh man,
my heart can't take it!', then one of the girls there pushed me
right up next to him! He looked over at me and all I could say was
'Hi.' I had my stuff in my hands which was the famous Fuzz magazine
that came out that had him on the cover and some CD inserts (SFTD,
Optimus, and WOT).
He then asked me what I had and I handed him the
Fuzz mag and he then asked for a pen. My mum was there with me and
had a hold of my bag so I nervously went digging for one and he then
asked me if I was nervous and I said 'Yes, I am so sorry!' He then
said 'you don't have to be nervous' and rubbed my back! OMG! He is
THE sweetest and most wonderful man! :)
So as
he signed my stuff I was telling him that he is my favourite
guitarist and my hero and all and how I have followed him for like
20 years all the way from Solo to Dokken and back again. He thanked
me and said that he really appreciated it and all. Then my
nervousness went
away a bit and I asked him about Jake. I congratulated him about
Jake and he was very happy and thanked
me and all and I asked how Jake was doing. He said that Jake was
doing very well and that it was a lot of hard work. He seemed to
be very happy and excited to talk about him :)
He then asked me 'do you know he is 7 months now?' (Note: he was at
that time) and I said that I did and that I was so very very happy
for him. He then said 'I will give you a hug.' I was so surprised
and I would have asked myself, but I was too nervous!
So we hugged and then I asked for a photo and my mum took the
photos that I have sent you. Then the show happened and I was
standing right in front of him and he smiled at me a couple of times
too! There
is a reason this man has been my hero and favourite for 20 years and
that experience that night just magnified those reasons by 1 Billion
times! He is THE most wonderful, sweet, amazing, funny, caring man
and I will never forget that night...all because of him!! Thank you
John!! |
GEORGIE
Wolverhampton, UK, 15th of May 2005 |
 ALESSANDRO Bardonecchia, ITA, 13th of August 2005 When I remind of those nights, shivers run over my skin. Bardonecchia, a place I will not forget so easily. First of all I must thank four fantastic girls without whom I would have never known my idols in person: I'm talking about Monica, Sara, Francesca and Alessia. Without them I would have never got the ticket and I would have never slept in hotel, and moreover I would have never met them, yes, really “Them”, in the next morning. It all happened so quickly, I really couldn’t understand anything any more. I was there, talking quietly in the hall of the hotel, when at a certain moment, from behind me, there were comin’ the “brothers”. I turned and I had them beside me, with suitcases in their hands, walkin’ towards the reception. The ones who were there with me could easily read angst on my face. Getting closer to them and telling incomprehensible words I managed to get from Joey before, and then from John N, a smile and a pic that will remain forever in my memory, and immortalized in the beautiful photos that my friends took for me. What a day, guys! Thanks, Europe! |
 SARA Cesena, ITA, 13th of March 2005 When I met John for the first time I didn’t know what to expect; I hadn’t realized yet that those guys were the same that played “my” music, even if I had seen them on stage few minutes before. For me they were just 4-5 pictures of blond guys who looked like the heroes of Japanese cartoons (I was a child when I discovered Europe and the last thing in order of importance was if they were real or not). So meeting John has been like meeting a “common mortal”, a smiling guy in the hall of a hotel, and he turned out to be a very nice man: funny and clever, and very passionate in talkin’ about what he likes (feature that I love the most in people); he joked a lot that night, and told us many funny anecdotes about his and his friends’ life, asking about mine and looking very surprised to have a young fan, but also pleased of that. My friend Monica took some pic of John and me talking and I am very grateful to her, and also to Fran who took probably the best shot, even it’s a little moved (ihih). At the end I left John that morning with a wonderful sensation of having met someone special, a musician who really loves what he does and who does it for the sake of the thing itself; and also a nice guy who doesn’t refuse to spend his time with fans or people, on the opposite! Probably I haven’t completely realized yet that he’s the one who plays “my” music, but that’s good the same: he knows how to make you feel important, and he knows how to transmit his passion to you; you feel the energy of passion flowing through him to the air and straight to you. And that’s pure rock’n’roll! |
 CLAIRE Newcastle, UK, 10th of February 2007 It all started in 1986 when I was 12 years old, and I saw Europe on the TV singing The Final Countdown, from that moment I was mesmerised, and I thought "wow who is this guy on this guitar, I want to meet him", obviously being 12 years old these were only thoughts, and never in my wildest dreams did I think they would ever come true, and that one day I would actually get to meet this great guitarist. The first time I had to meet John was on the 15th of May 2005 before the Wolverhampton show at an organised Meet 'n' Greet, but as I was soooooo nervous to meet John, I saved him till last, and finally when I plucked up the courage to go and speak to him, to my dismay he had gone... I found out at a later date, he had gone to do an interview, so I was a little upset that I hadn't actually even said hello to him. The next time that John and my paths would cross was the gig in Liege - Belgium, I went to the show with some friends, and at night went out with some friends, and John was also in the same place as us, with a couple of other guys from Europe, this was my opportunity to explain to him about the Meet 'n' Greet, and how I hadn't spoke to him, this is when he explained about having to go to do an interview, but it was just so nice to be in his company, that I enjoyed that evening very much so, and we all had a great time, and quite a few beers *lol* John to me is very passionate about his guitar playing, and is a great person, so genuine and lovely, and I have to say it is an honour to sit and chat with him, I guess that 12 year old girl finally grew up into a woman, and her dream of meeting John came true. The next time I got to sit and talk with John was after the Newcastle show this year, at a Meet 'n' Greet that I had organised via the Europe Forum/Management, and I had decided that this time, I would speak to John first, as I didn't want to miss him. The Meet 'n' Greet was fantastic, but I have to say John came in the room last, after all of the other guys, and I was getting a little anxious thinking, "oh no he isn't coming, I'm not going to get to see him again", but this was not the case, and John came in smiling at everyone, and being the perfect gentleman, he was great with everyone, signed lots of things, and let people take lots of pictures with him, then he came and sat down with me on a sofa, and we chatted, and smiled a lot... or should I say, I smiled a lot.... hehe. Then I got an opportunity to meet the guys after the London show, and spoke to John again, and all I can say is, that guy is amazing!!! Thank you John for being you, and for all the cuddles and kisses... =D you are first and foremost a fantastic musician, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the music you have made throughout the years, you have made me very happy, and it will always be an extreme pleasure to see you perform on stage live, and of course thank you for your great achievements. |
 ANNABETH 30th of April 2005 Well, what shall I say first... I had the honour to meet Mr. Norum on April 30th 2005 at a Nordic Storm Meet and Greet with a few of our members/friends. He was sitting at the bottom of the bar. John was talking with other fans. What I remember best of him was how warm and friendly he was with us.. he made us feel so relaxed... And in Baltimore on May the 1st I met John again. I was upset over a phone call I've had and John came up to me and tapping me on the shoulder he told me: "Smile, smile pretty lady"... I replied with a smile and I said "Oh sh**!..." ...He made me forget that phone call and let me having a great time with my friends and with the band.. Thank you John... |
 SARAH, 22nd of August 2009 My first meeting with John was very short but unforgettable. After the gig which began at 3:15 pm, all fans were going to wait for them (Europe band), next to the backstage. Joey, then Ian and Mic are coming out.
Then, we have waited during a long time for 2 Johns to come. Finally
they came at 7 pm, and after having asked an autograph at John
Leven, I immediately rushed towards John Norum. I was so happy to
see him really in front of me!!
When I held a white paper, with an old photo of the band 23 years
ago (the one where they are with a Swedish flag), out to him, he
took the paper and my black marker pen, and he laughed, pointing
this old photo out. It made me all funny and happy to see him
laughing because of my paper, because, it proved that he's
careful...Being next to him, I realized that he was quite tall, and
I noticed, especially, that he was much more beautiful like this
than on stage! Until now I thought that Joey Tempest was the best,
my favourite of the band, but at this moment I discovered that John
was wonderful too; since this day I see him "in a different light".
Then I asked him to take a photo of us, so I put my hand around his
back and he put his around my shoulders; I thought he would stay
like this for the photo, but I was surprised when he put his other
hand around me, to squeeze me. I couldn't believe my eyes. How moved
I was! Besides, before having taken this photo, there is another
where we can see how disturbed I was early (I make a grimace). He
was so nice!
Unfortunately, this moment didn't last for a long time because
others fans wanted to take photos with him too, and he had to leave.
Before having let him, I thanked him, and he told me something that
I didn't understand, but I know it was something nice because he
smiled, looking at me with kindness.
Coming to see this gig, I never thought I'd be so close to my
favourite guitarist! This moment remains in my heart as one of the
best in my life. What a magic day, and man! I hope for live this
dream at next gig again!
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 MARTINA 22nd of August 2004
My
first meeting with John Norum was in Switzerland. It was one of the
first concerts after Europe's reunion. My boyfriend had discovered it by
chance in internet, and, although it was quite far and in a place quite
difficult to reach, we decided to go to see our heroes, afraid that they
would change their minds about their reunion before we had other chances
to see a concert of theirs. |
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