Changes
As I’ve hinted in sporadic Twitter updates, there have been some big changes going on for me over the past couple of months. One of the biggest is that I’ve quit my job and taken a new one — as personal manager for Arjen Lucassen.
The idea of being any kind of “manager” is massively daunting, to say the least, and because I rate Arjen so highly as a person I’ll be under a lot of self-imposed pressure not to screw up! But luckily I thrive on learning new things, so I’m looking forward to the challenge.
Arjen’s previous manager, the unquenchable and extremely talented Yvette Boertje, was effectively the manager of Stream of Passion when I was in the band, so I know about the high standards people have come to expect from Arjen’s management. Here is her official statement from the Ayreon website:
“After working for Arjen for as a manager for nearly five years, I decided it was time to move on and, among other things, pursue my screenwriting career.
We’ve looked for a replacement and are happy to announce that Lori Linstruth will be taking over my tasks. She recently moved from Sweden to the Netherlands and, after a short transitional period, is now ready to take on the job! Please welcome Lori as the new personal manager, webmaster, messageboard administrator, and shopkeeper for Arjen!”
I wish Yvette the best of luck with her new adventures!
Because everything is so new for me and there is so much to do leading up to the release of 01011001, we’ll actually be making the transition gradually throughout December. But after Jan 1, 2008, the training wheels come off and I’ll have to balance on my own. EEK!
Of course all of this anxiety will (hopefully!) blow over soon. Before you know it I’ll probably be running around in cheap lounge suits, smoking a big cigar…
As new manager of Arjen, you need to encourage him to do more gigs.And if those gigs are in Mexico, a lot better.
hehehe
CONGRATULATIONS!
Congrats on the new job!
I’m sure Arjen will prove a handfull to manage!
But you’ll be ace, I trust.
greetz,
Joop
Good luck Lori, you’ll be great!
:bunny:
Wow! Congrats!!! You deserve it! What a dream job!
Loving the demo by the way! Thanks!
Congratulations Lori hope you have a great time in your new job and that you will get to meet all those great muscicians Arjen works with.
(i will post a message telling him to use Michael Shenker on the next Ayreon)
wow thats awesome news congrats, I wish you well.
Hope you have good fun doing it
Go, Go Lori!
Show them how it’s done.
Hi Lori, Congrats with your new job! I hope it feels good for you — at least I’m very confident that you can do it
See you in two months
Robbo
See ya at the release partay Metal Goddess
And gratz on the new job.
Thanks, everyone! So far it’s a lot of work — really long days! But it’s a lot of fun, so I can’t complain. It’s taking all my willpower not to add the naughty bunny to the forum smileys.
Do it!
Like McOphie said. Do it!
The board is yours now.
Grtz, HT
Do it! You know you want to!
The bunny wants you to!
We all want you to!
The bunny is the new banana!
Wow. This is great!
Will your guitar playing be a part of any of this?
Will you still have time for the odd video lesson from here on out?
Very good, congrats and all that stuff.
I hope this cleared up your malaise, too.
Let us know what the Netherlands are all about. We’ve been thinking of moving somewhere a bit more progressive than the US.
Luv,
Dan
And add it
I’m sure many of us there love it too!! 
Congratulations and all, I’m soo excited to see you as manager! Guitar-Goddess-Manager! 
Let me get this straight………. I have to wait till January to ask you to comp me concert tickets?
Congratulation Lori!
Managing and playing solos for Mr Lucassen!(Like,recording a solo between sending a fax and making a phone call…)
Nice multi-tasking,if i can use that word.
Jocelyn
Wooow! I never would have expected this! Job sounds interesting, but how much playing will you get to do?
Thanks! Right now things are so busy that I barely have time to touch my guitar. I’ve not even set up my practice area yet! But after the promo tour and release party, hopefully things will calm down a good deal and I’ll get back on track with the practicing. Luckily, I know from experience that the feeling comes back within a week or so of dedicated practice!
Jætte-bra! Or however you Swedes say it.
It’s a gutsy move, and I have much respect for that. Best of luck, Lori. Hope we’ll hear you play again soon.
Lori,
These kind of things only happen in dreams but it’s real!!
Such great news! congratulations!!!!!!!!!!
We are all looking forward to your new CD with Arjen. Also really expect you guys to tour again.
Again, my sincere Congratulations!
Chen
That’s quite good news for money.
That’s pretty insane. If you’re already good friends with ‘em that makes everything so much easier on the personal level and they will trust you. The only thing you will need is to remember where everything is numbers and connections.
Ha, I met one manager who lost the DVD that contained the bands projection screens XP but still has the job…
You should do fine ^_^
hi Lori,
first of congratulations, and I know you will do a wonderfull job
)
what I see of you you are very driven, so I have no doubts whatsoever
(hoping that came out right
aah, moving to the netherlands, nice country , not being prejudice hahaha
best of luck, hope to hear more from you in the future
hugs
Gwen
That’s so awesome!! I am really happy for you! I wish you the best and all the luck in this world! xxxxxxxxxx
Well, that’s good news!!!
Congratulations Lori!!!
I know you will do a god job as Arjen’ manager, it wouldn’t be easy, but what’s is easy in this life?
Good luck!!!
And good to hear about you!!!
PD: As Paranoid said, we expect at least one gig in Mexico, so we waiting to hear that soon…
Ciao!!!!
Great for you! I wish you good luck and don’t get stressed, it will work out fine!Everything works out fine
Good luck Lori. New challenges are good.
I hope you don’t lose too much Axe time smoking all those cigars and wheeling and dealing.
Muttley
CONGRATS Lori!!! Good Luck and best wishes!!!
Yay Lori..
I think it is about the best thing that could happen and I definitely know for sure that you are up for it..
I will see you in Utrecht, wiouldn’t wanna miss it for all the world..
Hi Lori,
Welcome to the Netherlands! And all the best of luck with your new job. I bet we’ll meet each other rather sooner than later…
Cheers!!
Eric
SoP
This is a good news. We will hear more nice music
from the great team of Arjen & Lori~ Wish you have a pleasant life in Netherlands 
Just wanted to say CONGRATS!!! Very exciting news!!
hi Lori welkom in nederland
are you going to learn dutch now.
if ya need help there are a lot of people here that are willing to help ya
groetjes uut kampen
Congrats
Lori, darling,
Personally I feel it’s a mix of – “CONGRATS!!!” and “Damn Lori, what a waste of talent. You should get YOUR OWN manager and display yourself to the public with the great talent and musical skills you have. We want a Lori Linstruth solo/project/band/whatever album, NOW!!”
I wish you all the best, as always
Janne
Can’t agree more. And even managers need managers!
I’m up for that position
You know people ,
if we are lucky enough and genius does trasmits by ossmosis and some Of Arjen`s goes into Lori she is going to give us music so great we can`t imagine.
And who knows maybe Arjen get`s a litle bit of Lori`s intensity and gorgeous phrasing and it will be a double gift.
Patience people it`s whort the wait.
(however lori you should know we are waiting)
BTW – GREAT solos on the 10100… 1100… 1001… DAMN, the new Ayreon album”"
Hi Lori,
you will not give up playing I hope, you’re to good
hugs
Gwen
Congratulations and good luck with the new job
Hello Lori,
Congratulations with your new job as manager!The guitar solos from the new Ayreon album are great!I hope that you will soon make lots of time for guitar practice and that we’ll get to hear much more of your new material.
Good luck with the new job,wish you all the best.
Ag.
Thanks for the nice comments! Sorry I’ve not been writing here or reacting, but this promo tour is KICKING MY ASS. We’ll be back home on Dec 14, but I’ll try to post an update before then.
Hey Lori! This is your French admirer again!
I’m very very curious about your new job.
Could you tell us more about your daily tasks/duties and what it is like to be a manager? What are the difficulties? What are the most enjoyable parts?
Also, since you have webmastering skills (I’m a pro webmaster myself), I hope that you’ll redesign Arjen’s websites because they really need an upgrade (both design and functionalities).
Lastly, the guitars on the trailer are awsome! That’s the sound I love. Clean and highly powerful!
Bye
Good luck with the career change. Sometimes in life a change is as good as a rest
.
Really love your playing, very soulful.
All the best
Dan