Mr. Vengeance
07-17-2009, 08:19 PM
Seriously...get a life or at least listen to British Steel or Stained Class .....Jeez.
Judas Priest superfan Jim 'Nostradamus' Bartek gets a taste of stardom for himself
by John Petkovic/Plain Dealer Reporter
Friday July 17, 2009, 3:06 PM
COURTESY JIM BARTEK Jim Bartek, left, was the honored guest of Judas Priest, led by singer Rob Halford, right -- when the heavy-metal band played Cleveland Tuesday. Halford sought out Bartek to congratulate him on listening to the band's album "Nostradamus" every day since it came out June 17, 2008.
Jim "Nostradamus" Bartek's heavy-metal dream came true -- but he isn't forgetting what it took to make it happen. The 49-year-old Maple Heights superfan has became a star himself -- for listening to one album at least once a day for 395 consecutive days. Not just any album, but the one-hour-45-minute double disc, "Nostradamus," by Judas Priest.
Members of the British heavy-metal band took notice, requesting to meet with Bartek before their show Tuesday at the Time-Warner Cable Amphitheater in Cleveland.
They posed for photos with Bartek and discussed the life of Nostradamus, the 16th-century seer who is credited with prophesizing cataclysmic events. They also marveled at the listening streak -- and not just Bartek's.
"[Singer] Rob Halford really loved that I listened to the record with Clarence," says Bartek, referring to his furry, metal-loving dog. "I do a lot of listening at midnight, so Clarence will come up to me right on time and be like, "Break out some 'Nostradamus.' "
Halford had long been aware of Bartek, who works in a parts room of a truck shop. Within weeks, friends started calling Bartek Nostradamus. By day 100, he became a cause celebre on heavy-metal blogs around the world.
". . . Halford knew me right away when I came onto the tour bus," Bartek said. "He was like, 'Wow, I read about you in the newspaper this morning."
Halford was referring to an article in The Plain Dealer on Bartek's streak. Versions of the story appeared in more than 100 publications, and on Rollingstone.com.
"It's crazy, but I'm getting so many people calling me about it," Bartek said. "I have interviews with 30 big classic-radio stations across the country booked for next week."
But fame isn't what drives Bartek.
"Friends keep on telling me, 'OK, you got a chance to meet Judas Priest, so how about you put an end to this crazy streak?' " Bartek said. "But to me it's all about the music. I love the record so much that 500 days is not only doable, but seems easy."
Especially after being inspired by Halford.
Bartek had a third-row-center concert ticket that arrived anonymously in the mail. He never found out who sent it to him, but Halford knew where Bartek was sitting. He pointed at Bartek during the show and gave him a thumbs up. Bartek responded by holding up the album.
"Rob was like, 'You have to keep the streak going, because you really get the whole "Nostradamus" concept,' " says Bartek.
Bartek was so pumped when he got home after the concert that he . . . Well, take a guess.
Judas Priest superfan Jim 'Nostradamus' Bartek gets a taste of stardom for himself
by John Petkovic/Plain Dealer Reporter
Friday July 17, 2009, 3:06 PM
COURTESY JIM BARTEK Jim Bartek, left, was the honored guest of Judas Priest, led by singer Rob Halford, right -- when the heavy-metal band played Cleveland Tuesday. Halford sought out Bartek to congratulate him on listening to the band's album "Nostradamus" every day since it came out June 17, 2008.
Jim "Nostradamus" Bartek's heavy-metal dream came true -- but he isn't forgetting what it took to make it happen. The 49-year-old Maple Heights superfan has became a star himself -- for listening to one album at least once a day for 395 consecutive days. Not just any album, but the one-hour-45-minute double disc, "Nostradamus," by Judas Priest.
Members of the British heavy-metal band took notice, requesting to meet with Bartek before their show Tuesday at the Time-Warner Cable Amphitheater in Cleveland.
They posed for photos with Bartek and discussed the life of Nostradamus, the 16th-century seer who is credited with prophesizing cataclysmic events. They also marveled at the listening streak -- and not just Bartek's.
"[Singer] Rob Halford really loved that I listened to the record with Clarence," says Bartek, referring to his furry, metal-loving dog. "I do a lot of listening at midnight, so Clarence will come up to me right on time and be like, "Break out some 'Nostradamus.' "
Halford had long been aware of Bartek, who works in a parts room of a truck shop. Within weeks, friends started calling Bartek Nostradamus. By day 100, he became a cause celebre on heavy-metal blogs around the world.
". . . Halford knew me right away when I came onto the tour bus," Bartek said. "He was like, 'Wow, I read about you in the newspaper this morning."
Halford was referring to an article in The Plain Dealer on Bartek's streak. Versions of the story appeared in more than 100 publications, and on Rollingstone.com.
"It's crazy, but I'm getting so many people calling me about it," Bartek said. "I have interviews with 30 big classic-radio stations across the country booked for next week."
But fame isn't what drives Bartek.
"Friends keep on telling me, 'OK, you got a chance to meet Judas Priest, so how about you put an end to this crazy streak?' " Bartek said. "But to me it's all about the music. I love the record so much that 500 days is not only doable, but seems easy."
Especially after being inspired by Halford.
Bartek had a third-row-center concert ticket that arrived anonymously in the mail. He never found out who sent it to him, but Halford knew where Bartek was sitting. He pointed at Bartek during the show and gave him a thumbs up. Bartek responded by holding up the album.
"Rob was like, 'You have to keep the streak going, because you really get the whole "Nostradamus" concept,' " says Bartek.
Bartek was so pumped when he got home after the concert that he . . . Well, take a guess.