Hello,

My name is Andrei, 33, and I’m from Timișoara, Romania. I want to take this opportunity to share some great personal memories involving Manowar, and especially what Manowar has meant in life.

I first started listening to them sometime in the 8th grade (around the year 2000), when I realized I’m actually fond of rock and metal music. I asked a friend from school – the “rocker” of the class – to give me some music, and one of the CDs was a mix of songs from Battle Hymns and Sign of the Hammer.

Needless to say I was instantly hooked. I started looking for other albums and searching for more information about the band. Their songs gradually became part of my life. Some would carry my imagination on an inspiring journey. Others would get the blood flowing and provide an energy boost, pushing me to always give my best effort in all of my pursuits. Manowar has always been for me more than music. It’s not there only when you listen to it, it lives on in your heart. I will not go through my favourite songs, but will just say that if you are a true Manowar fan, you know that life is grand and there is always something important to discover if only you commit to it. You are strong if you believe in yourself and your close ones. Sometimes you need to make sacrifices, set some bridges on fire, but you will find the gold on the other side. And there will always be someone with the same values as you to give you a hand.

The first Manowar concerts I attended were huge ones: Magic Circle Festival 2007 and 2008. The first one included the glorious stage with the viking ship, while for the second one they played the first six albums in their entirety. Two once in a lifetime moments! The amazing MCF 2008 bracelet I kept on my wrist for some years, until it started to come apart and decided to put it away for safe keeping.

I want to take this opportunity and apologise to all fans that are angry that a big Romanian flag is waving right down the center of the stage on the MCF 2008 DVD.

Here is the story: I had hooked up with some people from the Romanian fan club that existed back then. They had this big flag with “Romania awaits the Kings” written on it. Initially we just put it on a branch we broke off from one the trees on the festival grounds, just like all other normal attendees did. (Just want to mention what an amazing feeling it was seeing all those flags from so many countries all around the globe lined up like that. Truly inspiring and humbling that we are part of a global brotherhood) We had also randomly met another two Romanians who hooked up with us. On the second day, one of them went to town and for some reason bought a fishing pole. And we had the brilliant idea that, hey, we could use that, and our flag would fly higher than all the others. And that’s what we did, until a desperate Neil Johnson appeared at the front barrier, waving his arms trying to tell us that he’s actually trying to film a DVD and if we would be nice enough to lower the flag, which we would recover at the end of the show.

So, sorry, Manowar, and sorry Manowar fans! But hey, it worked, because next year Manowar came for the first time to Romania and Joey received that flag on stage from the fan club.

That would be my personal view of Manowar, but there is also a social side. Because I’ve met many wonderful people from all over the world, both online and at concerts, especially at fan gatherings. And I’m always surprised that they always are great people, with a lot to share. It seems like when people put on a Manowar t-shirt it’s not just a statement of what band they like, but of what amazing people they are.

So thank you Manowar for existing and for finding your way in my life. Happy 40th anniversary!