OVERDRIVE in Japan ' the tour that almost wasn't...
Swedish classic heavy metal band OVERDRIVE are just back from their first Japan tour. A tour that almost ended before it started...
Three days before the band were leaving for Japan, Saturday August 9, they were playing a show in Karlshamn. On the way to the venue, guitarist Janne Stark received a call from drummer Kenta Svensson. Being an actor in a wild west show, he was accidently shot in the hand with a powder gun and badly injured two of his fingers on his right hand making it impossible to play.
Instead of canceling, the band did an acoustic set. Kenta was hoping it would heal before the Japan-trip, but on the Sunday, he received a message from the hand surgeon, he would not be able to play for months, if ever, or even go to Japan. This was a HUGE blow both to Kenta and also the rest of the band.
However, the show had to go on, the band could not cancel the Japan trip! They asked Kenta's son Linus Svensson (Care Of Night) if he could fill in, but unfortunately he had other engagements. The band then asked guitarist Kjell's son Jimmy Lexe (whom Janne had also played with in Locomotive Breath) and also Peter TrumPeter Svensson (Constancia, Mercy, Faith, Locomotive Breath), who both would check the possibility to fill in. Sunday evening Jimmy called and said he could reschedule his engagements, and later on so did Peter. Since Jimmy was first and he's "family" he was in.
Overdrive now only had two days to find Jimmy an air ticket, preferably together with the rest of the band, which they did! Then it was the fact that they had to order and receive a Japan rail pass for Jimmy before the departure two days later! Thanks to Japanspecialisten Sverige it arrived in a registered letter the day before the trip!
Monday the 11th, bassist Pelle Thuresson, guitarist Kjell Jacobsson and Jimmy did a short rehearsal to go through the 14 songs they were to play. On the flight over, on the 13th, Jimmy was only listening to Overdrive. Plugging the songs!
The band arrived in Tokyo late evening on the 14th and the first show in Tokyo was on the 15th. Fortunately Shuji Matsumoto of Rubicon Music had arranged a rehearsal studio, which enabled the band to rehearse for the first time in the morning of the 15th. One rehearsal proved that Jimmy had done an EXCELLENT homework! The band then played a show at Birth Club in Tokyo, at Zeela in Osaka and an in-store unplugged show at the newly opened HMV Record Shop in Shibuya, Tokyo.
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Clips from the band performances in Japan can be seen here:
