Lordi is a Finnish hard rock/heavy metal band, formed in 1992 by the band's lead singer, songwriter and costume maker, Mr Lordi. In addition to their melodic metal music, Lordi are also known for wearing monster masks and using horror elements with pyrotechnics during concerts and music videos. The band rose to fame in 2002 with their hit single "Would You Love a Monsterman?", and won the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 with their song "Hard Rock Hallelujah".

   Personally, I fell in love with them after seeing this music video for the song, "Blood Red Sandman," and the rest is history.


   The band really helped me get through some rough times, and though I'm not as into their newer stuff as I am their older stuff, they still mean a lot to me. I've seen them in concert twice—at Ozzfest in 2007, and again in 2008. And I got to meet them both times!

   Ozzfest had a meet & greet that I almost missed as there was no information regarding where it was taking place. Sadly I didn't have a good camera with me, but I got a rough shot with the band with my powder pink Motorola Razr flip phone.
   After the 2008 concert, which took place at the House of Blues in Dallas, I got to meet them by their tour bus behind the venue. This time we got to chat a little, and I got to tell Mr. Lordi how the band had helped me—and I even got a hug from him! No pictures this time though, since they were out of costume and I respect their desire to not be 'unmasked'.

   Finally, in 2013, while hanging out in Venice Beach, CA one afternoon (for a Hare Krishna event a friend had invited us to, of all things), I had the opportunity to get the tattoo I'd been wanting for several years at that point—my first tattoo, at that!