I'm a fan (and you should be too) because...
Apocalyptica is inspiring. They approach their music, their performances, and even their fans with such energy and enthusiasm that it's almost impossible not to get caught up in it. Before Apocalyptica, most people probably would have thought, "Why on earth would anyone try to play heavy metal on the cello?" The founding members of Apocalyptica thought, "Why not?" That creativity, originality, and determination have continued to make their music fresh and interesting over the years, and the obvious dedication they have to continue to grow and evolve as musicians and as a band keep us all looking forward to their next project, next album, next concert, whatever.

People joke that being a rock star isn't as easy as it looks. Well, I'm sure it isn't. If you've ever seen Apocalyptica in a live performance, you can see how hard they are working every moment that they are on stage. What you can also see, though, is how much they seem to be enjoying themselves, despite the hard work. (Paavo in particular looks like he is having the time of his life on stage.) They really seem to love what they do, and we--their audience, listeners, etc.--benefit from that as well. It may sound awfully hokey, but since I became a fan of Apocalyptica, their music has been inspiring me to work towards and achieve a number of personal goals, from running a faster mile to taking my own musicianship more seriously. After all, Apocalyptica started with one improbable idea, one moment of someone asking himself, 'Why not?" and deciding to try something new...and look where they've ended up. You never know, when you start out with what seems like a crazy idea, how far you may be able to go, if you have the guts, the enthusiasm, and the determination to pursue it.

And it doesn't hurt to have some kick-ass music to listen to on the way. ^_~