It's New Years' Eve 2019. We had just been online with our friends DJ Grant, producer Barbara Harkins and our friends Viking Queen, a band from Norway.
It was actually Grant and Barbara who had initially introduced us to Viking Queen and we immediately became fast friends. We would sit together via Skype to share a drink n' smoke, and make plans for a New Zealand Tour speaking across three different time zones regularly! But this particular meeting was exceptional. It was New Year after all and we were celebrating what was to come. Little did we know that a world pandemic had other plans for us.
So it was about 5 am PST and I'd nodded off for a while as the party continued in Norway and New Zealand. Through the fog of far too many cocktails and lack of sleep, I became aware of a voice calling my name. It was Geir Miranda, manager of Viking Queen. tim....tim...Tim..TIM!! I was back! "What is it, my friend?" I asked.
There had been a discussion going on between Geir, Grant, and Barbara while I was temporarily resting. "Tim, we NEED to write a Christmas Song" he exclaimed! "What would it be called?" I retorted trying to catch my bearings.
"Christmas In The North" he stated matter of factly.
And there it was. I started writing it the next day. It came together quickly however, over the next couple of months everything changed and the world, and our tour planning, came to a frustrating standstill.
The song and the music video for "Christmas In The North" were released in December 2020 and it was a huge success, with the song being added to international playlists and radio around the world.
We, The Mighty One, released our album "Torch Of Rock and Roll" in March of 2021 with plans for a worldwide tour being discussed. But the world was still very unsure. What we thought would be over in a matter of weeks, was now threatening to go into a second year. The cold hard facts of this COVID reality had officially and completely derailed everything.
Fast forward to Summer 2022. I am now the host and production manager of a reality TV show, Rise UP TV. We are planning a European Tour and I start floating around the idea of tagging a show with Viking Queen onto the end of the filming in France, England, and Ireland. Geir quickly makes it a reality with his friend, and owner Martin at The Note in Sandefjord and we set the date for the innagural Rise Up Festival.
In the meantime, our guitar player Stacy has an incapacitating stroke. I reach out to another Galaxy 107 hookup, guitar virtuoso Jorg Klein from Germany, and inquire if he'd be open to learning our music and flying in for a couple of rehearsals and then the show. He says yes!
Though drummer Bob Wagner and myself are on the European Rise Up TV tour together we still need to get our bass player Chris to Norway from Canada for this one show, and he agrees.
This is going to be a momentous event and we plan to have the Rise Up TV videographer there to capture it all!
So we all finally meet in Norway! There is much Viking carousing and celebration. After 3 years we have finally made this a reality!
But now our videographer leaves us for personal reasons. But the show must go on!
On October 15, 2022, we deliver a successful festival with The Mighty One, Viking Queen, and Norwegian classic metal bands Northwind and Nordadrag with plans for the next Rise Up TV Festival 2023, bigger and better than the first.
They say that all good things come to those that wait.
From my experience, I can honestly say sometimes "they're" wrong.
This raw and real piece of video proves it.
I believe that all good opportunities come to those that reach out, create, and F'N grab 'em.
As our friends in Journey say...Don't Stop Believin'
Merry Christmas!
Tim Steinruck
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