Way back in the day when I first put out a call for submissions for my Reader’s Choice series, one of the entries I got back was today’s song, “The Bliss” by Volbeat. The nomination came from a former student of mine. Among the best things about being a teacher are the personal connections that you are fortunate enough to be able to make with students and their families. In the case of Livy Lu (as she is known on social media), I not only got a chance to meet a terrific student and person, but I also got to work alongside her aunt (who was a fellow staff member). As well, Livy’s father, Jay, came along as a parent volunteer on class trips and her grandmother was often the one who picked her up after school, so I got to know most of Livy Lu’s family fairly well. Once I retired from teaching, I came across Livy Lu’s aunt and dad on social media and was encouraged by them to stay in touch. Eventually, Livy Lu, herself, grew old enough to make contact with. I have thoroughly enjoyed being connected to Livy Lu and her family because they are all nice people, but more than that, I like them because they are all into music. Over the course of the past few years, I have had a front row seat to the birth of a new local band. Jay, his brother, his brother-in-law and one other friend named Rocky joined together in Jay’s basement to form a band called Nitetime Drive. In the time since they first started posting their jam sessions, the band has released a CD of original rock n’ roll music, they have played their first paid gigs in small local music venues and now have reached the point where they recently found themselves opening on a bill at the famous El Mocambo nightclub in Toronto. Through it all, Livy Lu has posted her own favourite songs on social media, has learned to play several instruments and has produced several excellent videos that showcase her father’s band. It has been an absolute pleasure to watch Livy Lu and her family grow and develop their love of music, turning it into something tangible like a real live band. And speaking of real live bands, let’s talk about Livy Lu’s nominated band, Volbeat.
Volbeat is a Danish band. They have been together for over a decade now. Initially, the core members of Volbeat were in a Danish death metal band called Dominus. Eventually, the death metal scene grew tiresome so lead singer Michael Poulsen left to form a new band that could play a wider range of music. His new band became Volbeat. Volbeat got its name from the title of Dominus’ final album called Vol. Beat. As Volbeat started out, they played a combination of heavy metal, hard rock, regular rock and some rockabilly, too. Because the members of Volbeat were already familiar to music lovers in the Danish music scene, Volbeat got a boost right off the bat when they released their debut album. Sales were solid for this band who ended the year being named Best New Metal Band in Denmark. Like many new bands, Volbeat paid their musical dues by opening for other like-minded but more established acts such as Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax and others as they toured Europe. The connections Volbeat made as a result of these touring opportunities allowed them to grow their own base, and subsequently, it gave them the freedom to experiment with musical styles and broaden the range of music they were writing and playing for audiences. This resulted in a song that was released in two versions. First, it was released in Danish and was called “For Evigt” (which means “forever”). Then, the same song was released in English and was called “The Bliss”.
“The Bliss” is a pure rock song. It has lots of guitars and a strong vocal presence by Poulsen. The song was written by Poulsen about his feelings surrounding his new girlfriend. “The Bliss” speaks to those mysterious powers of attraction that seem to exist between two people that cannot be logically explained. There is a power to the intensity of the connection being made that, at times, can be exhilarating and frightening at the same time. But, one thing for sure, that feeling is always memorable and remains with you forever, which is what “The Bliss” is all about. Volbeat are much loved in their homeland (even a cursory glance at the comments that accompany this song will bear this out). “The Bliss” has become a song that is played for lovers, but, as well, it is played for those for whom a loving relationship exists such as between parents and their family, thus it is not uncommon for “The Bliss” to be played at funerals, too.
All in all, Volbeat stands as yet another example of a local band creating music from their hearts and, as a result, they are building strong bonds with their audience. I am grateful to Livy Lu for allowing me to be a fly on the wall of her life and, as part of this, to be able to watch as she and her own family enjoy their own musical journey with their band, Nitetime Drive. 2023 began with an appearance at the El Mocambo. Who knows where it may end up? But, one thing is for sure, as long as they continue to create music from the heart and play with passion on stage every night, Nitetime Drive will discover that their audience will follow them wherever they go, too, just like Volbeat has done in Denmark. A second thing I can confidently predict is that my pal, Livy Lu, will be there to witness it all. I look forward to seeing how it all turns out. Livy Lu, I wish you and your family all the best in the year to come. May all of your musical dreams come true.
The link to the video for the song “The Bliss” by Volbeat can be found here. ***Lyrics version is here.
The link to the official website for Volbeat can be found here.
The link to the official website for Nitetime Drive can be found here.
The link to the video for the song, “Dirty Little Angel” by Nitetime Drive (their first ever music video!!!) can be found here.
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