Sanctuary has set a May 30 release date for the deluxe-edition reissue of BLACK SABBATH's "Born Again" album.
"Born Again" was the only album by BLACK SABBATH featuring Ian Gillan — who was at the time a solo artist and former singer for DEEP PURPLE — on vocals.
Gillan had first turned down the offer to join BLACK SABBATH but his manager later convinced him to a meeting with Iommi and the band's bass guitarist, Geezer Butler. Iommi and Butler met with Gillan at The Bear public house in Oxford and Gillan officially joined the band in February 1983.
Released in October 1983, "Born Again" was a commercial success. It was the highest-charting BLACK SABBATH album in the United Kingdom since "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" and became an American Top 40 hit. Despite this, it became the first BLACK SABBATH album to not have any RIAA certification (gold or platinum) in the U.S.
"Born Again" deluxe-edition reissue track listing:
Disc 1:
01. Trashed
02. Stonehenge
03. Disturbing The Priest
04. The Dark
05. Zero The Hero
06. Digital Bitch
07. Born Again
08. Hot Line
09. Keep It Warm
Disc 2:
01. The Fallen
02. Stonehenge
03. Hot Line
04. War Pigs
05. Black Sabbath
06. The Dark
07. Zero The Hero
08. Digital Bitch
09. Iron Man
10. Smoke On The Water
11. Paranoid
According to TMZ.com, the IRS filed a document last Monday with the L.A. County Recorder's Office, claiming Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne owe $718,948.25 for the 2008 tax year, and $1,024,175.03 for 2009.
Sharon had a tax lien issue in 2009 when she owed $23,000 to the State of California for the 2007 tax year.
Ozzy and Sharon recently listed their Malibu beach house on the market for $10 million.
The 4,500-square-foot, three-story oceanfront residence has five bedrooms and five bathrooms, along with a library, office, hot tub, walk-in closets and a backyard with a view of the Pacific Ocean.
The couple bought the house in March of 2003 for $5.1 million and first placed it on the market in 2006 for $14 million, with the place going on and off sale several times since then.
It's also available for rent starting at $40,000 per month.
SCORPIONS drummer James Kottak will perform with the SCORPIONS tribute band SAVAGE AMUSEMENT on Friday, April 29 at The House Of Rock in St. Louis, Missouri.
For more information, visit www.savageamusementstl.com.
Polish musician Pawel Maciwoda, who has been the bassist for German hard rock veterans SCORPIONS since 2003, revealed during a brand new interview with the "Dzien Dobry TVN" show on Polish TV that the band will enter the studio in the fall to lay down a collection of re-recorded versions of SCORPIONS classics. The CD is tentatively due early next year.
The current farewell tour by the iconic band — Klaus Meine (vocals), Matthias Jabs (lead guitar), Rudolf Schenker (guitar), James Kottak (drums) and Pawel Maciwoda (bass) — is in support of their latest album, "Sting In The Tail" (Universal Music Enterprises).
The SCORPIONS' trek — in celebration of 40-plus years in music — has been a massive success in a soft touring economy, with the group filling many of the arenas they performed at in the United States and Canada.
"Sting In The Tail" sold 18,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 23 on The Billboard 200 chart. This marks the band's highest chart debut in over 20 years. The CD also landed at No. 6 on the Rock Albums chart.
British heavy metal vocalist Blaze Bayley (IRON MAIDEN, WOLFSBANE) will embark on his first-ever U.S. headlining tour in October/November. So far only one date has been revealed: October 30 at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City.
Blaze recently parted ways with the rest of his band in order to pursue a career as a solo artist and the lead singer of WOLFSBANE. He explained the decision by saying that "the mental, financial and emotional strain of keeping the BLAZE BAYLEY band together has proven to be too much for me and has taken a terrible toll on my mental health. . . It has been an upsetting, frustrating and sad time because the BLAZE BAYLEY band will not be going on any more, but it is also for me a huge relief and a time to look forward."
The 47-year-old Bayley, who was born in Birmingham, was the original frontman in WOLFSBANE, but left in 1994 to replace Bruce Dickinson as the lead singer of IRON MAIDEN.
Blaze's latest album, "Promise and Terror", was released on February 1, 2010.
The singer's double live album and live DVD, "The Night That Will Not Die" — recorded on December 13, 2008 at Z7 in Pratteln, Switzerland — were released on Blaze Bayley Recordings; the concert was filmed by director Kris McManus and all audio mixed and mastered by producer Jase Edwards.
Renowned Scottish singer Doogie White, who has worked with such bands as RAINBOW, CORNERSTONE, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, MIDNIGHT BLUE and PRAYING MANTIS and TANK, will be a special guest on PARADISE INC.'s debut album, entitled "Time". Doogie will duet with German singer Carsten "Lizard" Schulz (EVIDENCE ONE, MIDNITE CLUB, ex-DOMAIN) on the song "Not In Paradise', which closes the CD.
PARADISE INC., featuring Brazilian musicians Rick A. (bass), Allan Juliano (drums), Marcos Peres and De Grigo (guitars), along with singer Carsten "Lizard" Schulz, is putting finishing the touches on the album, which is currently being mixed by Scottish composer and producer Paul Logue (EDEN'S CURSE, CRY HAVOC, DAVID READMAN).
"Time" features the Italian keyboard player Alessandro Del Vecchio, who has worked with GLENN HUGHES, EDGE OF FOREVER, EDEN'S CURSE, TIME MACHINE and MOONSTONE PROJECT.
A clip of Doogie White talking about PARADISE INC. can be viewed below.
For more information, visit www.paradiseinc.net.
Legendary guitarist Slash (VELVET REVOLVER, ex-GUNS N' ROSES) has been confirmed as the Friday-night headliner of this year's edition of the Sonisphere festival in Spain. The event, now in its third year, will be held at Getafe Open Air, Madrid on Friday-Saturday, July 15-16.
Friday, July 15:
SLASH
THE DARKNESS
ARCH ENEMY
SÔBER
VALIENT THORR
GOJIRA
ANGELUS APATRIDA
BULLET
Saturday, July 16:
IRON MAIDEN
ALICE COOPER
DREAM THEATER
TWISTED SISTER
MASTODON
APOCALYPTICA
LACUNA COIL
HAMMERFALL
Leading up to next week's release of The Taking, the new record from my band, Loaded, I've been put once more through the endless gauntlet of music-press and rock-radio interviews. I'm not complaining. I suppose there would be a need for a modicum of worry if the interview requests suddenly waned.
Next week also brings to public display a new installment at the Experience Music Project here in Seattle, Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses. My editor here at the Weekly asked me if I could somehow tie these two things together in one single column (Nirvana/EMP, and Loaded/The Taking). I actually think I can. It goes like this:
In doing all of this press for my new record, one constant theme has arisen from almost every interviewer: "This new Loaded record sounds very Seattle." The interviewers then go on to ask me if, by my living back in Seattle, this has given the new Loaded song-making process a Northwest slant. "Uh, no," I answer. I've lived back in Seattle since '93.
One thing that has struck me as obvious ever since I started listening to the early punk-rock singles and records that were coming from places outside of Seattle is that it was totally evident that our wet and cold environs here in the Northwest totally influenced the sound of its rock bands. We play in cold basements with jackets and hats on. The strings are damp. The guitar and drums are made of wood, which is also damp. The paper-speakers in the amp-cabinets are damp. We are playing music with LAYERS on! This makes the actual act of playing much more uncomfortable and a lot less fluid. The "Seattle Sound" is a by-product of our environment. Literally.
When I moved to L.A in 1984, I noticed gear just plain sounded different. I'm not kidding.
Another big difference that I noticed outside of Seattle was a real sense of competition between bands that were playing on the same bill or in the same "scene." In Seattle, there was just really none of that. Bands would loan each other gear and the use of a rehearsal basement and van or pickup for getting to gigs. Musical ideas up here were thought to be a thing to share, not to closet. This really led to a identifiable "sound" of sorts.
I'm not quite sure just why Nirvana has become arguably the most beloved band from this era that made the "Seattle Sound" famous. Alice In Chains were among the first of that era, and have withstood the test of time (and . . . death). Soundgarden pushed the edges of musicianship to the edges of genius, and are seemingly back. Pearl Jam have been the clarion-steady thing--always selling out arenas everywhere they go (no matter if there is a current "radio song" or not). The Melvins? Mudhoney?
This Loaded effort can also be associated with the Seattle sound and some of the aforementioned bands in that it was produced by a fella by the name of Terry Date. Terry produced or recorded a whole slew of these early demos and records, and he produced our new Loaded record. The studio is the same, too (Studio X nee Bad Animals). The way he mikes-up drums and guitar cabinets is the same. The way he pushes a vocal through on his mixes is the same. Dry and hard and tough, and without bluster or shine. Just brutal. In other words: the same old Terry Date. He sorta rules.
So what does the "Seattle Sound" mean today? If you are over, say, 35 years old, well then you probably equate it to these bands above. But one of the great things that happens up here is a change of identity, a constant evolution. Today the "Seattle Sound" is being defined by alt-folks, the likes of Fleet Foxes and The Head and the Heart. And what about bands like Death Cab? They sort of scrubbed the "old guard" rock out of this town. Not in a bad way either. DCFC are fuckin' genius!
I know that I am bouncing around a bit here, and that's just the point. This town has really done a fine job of providing a variety of musical identities. And yes, I didn't even get to the Sonics, Hendrix, Heart, or Queensryche! . . . heh, heh . . or The Fartz.
The Nirvana exhibit is a fitting time capsule of one of the sounds that has defined Seattle. But there have been many sounds that have defined this great musical city.
Loaded will be playing two upcoming gigs in Seattle. At Easy Street Records on Mercer on National Record Store Day (April 16), and a record-release party at Neumos on April 23. The gig on the 23rd will include an auction of rock and sports and fishing items of greatness, to benefit the VA Puget Sound Health Care System.
Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER, LOADED) will fill in for Nikki Sixx (MÖTLEY CRÜE, SIXX: A.M.) on this Monday's (April 11) edition of Nikki's nationally syndicated "Sixx Sense With Nikki Sixx" radio show. Duff joked about stepping in for Sixx, "I guess all of the good alternates are on vacation!" He added, "I'm already putting out all of my best rock duds, and shining up the jewelry. Oh wait..."
Each night on "Sixx Sense", international rock icon, founder/bassist/songwriter of the world-renowned band MÖTLEY CRÜE and chart-topping band SIXX: A.M., New York Times best-selling author, clothing designer, philanthropist and photographer Nikki Sixx discusses music and lifestyle topics as he gives listeners a backstage look at the world and mind of a rock star. Joined by co-host Kerri Kasem, Sixx provides his unique perspective and attitude as the duo welcomes celebrity guests, recording artists and fascinating characters from all walks of life. All this and more are coupled with the radio station's playlist.
Since launching in February 2010, "Sixx Sense With Nikki Sixx" is fast becoming the place to hear it first for guests from all walks of life, including rock royalty, the first man on the moon, authors, actors and everyone in between. Dave Grohl, Jared Leto, Lemmy Kilmister, Perez Hilton, Kat Von D, "CSI" creator Anthony Zuiker, "Four Agreements" author Don Miguel Ruiz, Dog The Bounty Hunter and others have joined Sixx and his Kasem for their special brand of conversation. In addition, they've world-premiered albums and songs for artists and bands like BUCKCHERRY, DROWNING POOL and Slash and hosted the announcement for last summer's Ozzfest.
For more information, visit www.sixxsense.com.
SOUNDGARDEN/ex-AUDIOSLAVE singer Chris Cornell will guest on the Friday, April 15 edition of CBS-TV's "Late Show With David Letterman" at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT. Check local listings for details.
Although Chris Cornell has begun recording a new album with SOUNDGARDEN for the first time in 15 years, he continues to work as a solo artist as well. Cornell kicked off a solo acoustic tour on April 1 in Austin, Texas, and he told Spin.com how it's different from playing with a band. "An acoustic show is all about you, and any little nuance or mistake is amplified," Cornell explained. "I'm very nervous about it, but I love the intimacy. Once you sit in front of people and start playing songs, it's all on you. No matter what happens, it's entirely your responsibility the entire time. I like that intensity."
Cornell told The Pulse Of Radio that he sees working with SOUNDGARDEN again as having a positive influence on his solo career. "One thing about a solo artist is you can just be in a room way too long with yourself and your own thoughts and your own songs, and it feels really good to be working with Ben (Shepherd, bassist) and Matt (Cameron, drummer) and Kim (Thayil, guitarist) again, and it's actually a really nice reprieve also from just being alone, doing what I do," he said. "It's helping with the balance, I think, too."
When asked by Spin.com why SOUNDGARDEN never did an episode of "MTV Unplugged" during the band's heyday, he replied, "It's not who we were. It would have been kind of silly, and, truthfully, a lot of them were silly. "
Cornell has issued three solo albums. The last one, 2009's "Scream", was trashed by critics and fans for abandoning Cornell's rock roots for an urban pop sound.
SOUNDGARDEN announced that it was reuniting in January 2010, but has kept a relatively low profile since then. The band played last August's Lollapalooza and a handful of surprise club gigs, but has not done a full tour.
The group released a compilation called "Telephantasm" last September and issued its first concert album, "Live On I5", on March 22.
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS/ex-VELVET REVOLVER frontman Scott Weiland's long-awaited autobiography, "Not Dead & Not For Sale", will be released on May 17 via the Simon & Schuster imprint Scribner. Weiland, 43, collaborated on the project with David Ritz, the "Sexual Healing" lyricist who has co-written autobiographies for the likes of Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and more recently Don Rickles.
Weiland has confirmed the following signing engagements for "Not Dead & Not For Sale":
Tuesday, May 17 at 7:00 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
33 East 17th Street
New York, NY
Tuesday, May 24 at 7:00 p.m.
Book Soup
8818 Sunset Blvd.
W. Hollywood, CA
In other news, Weiland's producer, business partner and touring guitarist Doug Grean revealed in a Facebook posting that Weiland has plans to issue a new solo album later this year featuring eight previously unreleased tracks and five or six already released songs. Grean added, "It's to go along with the book."
In a November 2007 interview with Reuters, Weiland said that he was feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of chronicling his eventful life to date.
"It's a weird thing," he said. "You make a lot of records, write a lot of songs, but all of a sudden you go into a whole different vein, and it's a little bit scary to dive into."
In the early 1990s, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS — not U2, not NIRVANA, not PEARL JAM — was the hottest band in the world. STP toppled such mega-bands as AEROSMITH and GUNS N' ROSES on MTV and the Billboard charts. Weiland became an iconic frontman in the tradition of Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and Robert Plant.
Then, when STP imploded, it was Weiland who emerged as the emblem of rock star excess, with his well-publicized drug busts and trips to rehab. Weiland has since made a series of stunning comebacks, fronting the supergroup VELVET REVOLVER, releasing solo work, and, most recently, reuniting with STONE TEMPLE PILOTS. He still struggles with the bottle but he has prevailed as a loving, dedicated father, as well as a business-savvy artist whose well of creativity is far from empty.
These earthling papers explore Weiland's early years as an altar boy right along with his first experiences with sex and drugs. Weiland discusses his complex relationships with his parents, stepfather, siblings, and the love of his life, Mary Forsberg Weiland. Readers learn the fascinating stories behind his most well-known songs and what it was like to be there at the beginning of the grunge phenomenon, as Rolling Stone proclaimed on its cover "the year punk broke." "Not Dead & Not for Sale" is a hard rock memoir to be reckoned with — a passionate, insightful, and at times humorous book that reads with extraordinary narrative force.
Arto Lehtinen and Marko Syrjala of Metal-Rules.com recently conducted an interview with SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Metal-Rules.com: When this thing of Jeff [Hanneman, SLAYER guitarist, who was recently forced to sit out shows after coming down with an infection thought to have been caused by a spider bite] came about, you decided not to cancel shows but to hire Gary Holt from EXODUS to fill in for Jeff until he's able to return. How did Gary come into picture?
Lombardo: Me and Kerry [King, SLAYER guitarist] were on the side of the stage at Hellfest, in France. Both me and Kerry, were "Come on, let's go listen to EXODUS. Let's hear EXODUS. We haven't seen them in a while." We saw EXODUS and I was like, "Wow. Now I remember why I liked them so much, when I was young." They were playing the whole "Bonded By Blood" album. So it brought back many memories. I don't know if you've seen pictures of Gary and myself — EXODUS and SLAYER together?
Metal-Rules.com: Yes, we have.
Lombardo: There are lots of pictures – and so much fun. Even with METALLICA, when we were kids. We used to hang out. We used to have fun together. So, when we saw him play and we were enjoying the music, I go, "Look at that guy. That guy's an amazing guitar player. He's a good player." And so, when this happened, the first person that came to Kerry's mind, and myself, [was] Gary. I mean he was there, from the beginning. He knows that style.
Metal-Rules.com: He's a part of the family, kind of?
Lombardo: He's part of the family. At the beginning — the embryo stages of that music — you know, the Bay Area in Southern California.
Metal-Rules.com: There isn't too many guys who can, you know — who have that certain kind of history behind.
Lombardo: No there isn't. He's from that time and we have the common past. And I thought it was a fantastic addition, when we started playing. So he's definitely good.
Metal-Rules.com: How was the first rehearsal with him?
Lombardo: Fantastic. He's very professional. He did his homework. He stepped up, big time. What I have to say about him is that he's a fantastic musician. And there are guitar players and then there are musicians. And he's a fantastic musician. It takes a lot to be that.
Metal-Rules.com: It's been two years since you released "World Painted Blood". Do you have some plans for the next SLAYER album?
Lombardo: Right now, we don't. Right now, what we want to do is fulfill our commitment to our fans. Tom, he's the singer, vocalist and bass player. That's a little more difficult to replace. And Tom needed to heal, so we waited for Tom. Jeff — of course, Jeff is Jeff and he has his own style. We can't take that away from him. But we can get another guitar player to learn the music, like they can get another drummer to learn the parts. So, we chose to do it; because we had already cancelled shows before and we don't want to keep doing that. What is it telling our fans? Can they trust us? No. So we have to show that, "Hey, you can trust us. We're trying to do our best to make the shows."
Metal-Rules.com: Okay, this might be a little bit of a nasty question but I'm realistic now. Because everyone is getting older and getting more aged. Do you think that getting older brings more problems and it becomes difficult for you, playing and stuff like that? Because music is — your style that SLAYER does, is really demanding, you know?
Lombardo: The music is very demanding. Have you ever been to a SLAYER show?
Metal-Rules.com: Several times!
Lombardo: Have you ever sat behind the drummer?
Metal-Rules.com: No.
Lombardo: Okay. Then you really don't know what it is, until you sit behind the drummer. And then you realize what goes through for this music. Yes, it's difficult and it's demanding, you know. But I feel alive when I'm up there. When those lights hit and the music is really loud, it's just pure power. You have control. I have control of the amount of power I push into the people and then I pull back. And to have that, it's fantastic.
Metal-Rules.com: How much your playing has changed during the years, I mean, are you still able to play all parts the same way you used to do in the past? there are many drummers who do keep on skipping over the difficult parts as they get older, you know?
Lombardo: Oh, no, no. I make it more. I do the opposite. I'll create, on stage — I'll improvise. I'll do stuff. I'll play the part and I'll do some parts like they're supposed to be, but there's other parts, I'll change them. And I'll just make it more exciting. Like "Whoa, what was that?" You know, be very creative. I can keep the same, but how boring is that, every day? And if you can't do what you've already recorded, then that's something else.
Former ANTHRAX guitarist Dan Spitz is hard at work on the debut album from his DEUXMONKEY project, which also features ACCEPT bassist Peter Baltes, vocalist Wade Black (CRIMSON GLORY, SEVEN WITCHES, LEATHERWOLF) and drummer Patrick Johansson (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, W.A.S.P. ).
Commented Spitz in an online posting: "For all our fans who have been inquisitive regarding when we will be entering the recording studio... the time has come to let you all know that we are now ready to enter the studio to start tracking. We will start momentarily tracking what I think is just the sickest most wicked riffs I've written to date. A movement forward in time with creative new guitar sounds.
"After the end of my last touring cycle with ANTHRAX, I needed a long break to take care of our identical twins Brendan and Jaden who were diagnosed with autism. I certainly couldn't leave Candi (my wonderful wife) to deal with the daily grind of multiple therapists at the house. We are on a better track now with them and at a point where the recording and touring cycles can start.
"Patrick and I have been hard at work in his KISS room bringing to fruition some great music. His double-bass feet seem connected to my picking in a way I can't explain. I guess it was meant to be.
"We certainly have a legendary CD here in our hands. The song topics are just mind-blowing! The music is by far the best I've ever written."
In a December 2010 interview, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine revealed that he helped fine-tune the songs on DEUXMONKEY's debut album after hearing some of the material in its early stages of development.
"[Dan] was working on a little side project, and I'd heard it a while ago and it kind of went by in passing 'cause he was just starting it," Mustaine said. "And I heard it about three weeks ago; he was almost done. And I said, 'Man, I love this record.' I said, 'And do you think it's done?' And he goes, 'Yeah.' And he goes, 'Why? What do you think?' And I said, 'Well, I would kind of do this and that.' And he goes, 'Really? Go ahead.' And I went, 'Really?' So I rolled up my sleeves and I completely dedicated myself to Danny's record for the last three weeks, working tirelessly in my studio on this record with him. And it's that good. I heard it and I just went, 'Oh my God!' It's like a cross between, say, DISTURBED, SOUNDGARDEN and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE kind of thing. Little bit of some smatterings of ANTHRAX because of the speed stuff, but it's much more modern and much more heavy sounding. It's just great, 'cause he's had such a bad run with his
heart problems and his twin boys have autism severely. So we're just working together as friends. And he's helped me a lot with my life, too, my spiritual walk, because, as everybody knows, I became a Christian."
DEUXMONKEY is:
* Dan Spitz (ANTHRAX) - Guitar
* Peter Baltes (ACCEPT) - Bass
* Patrick Johansson (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, W.A.S.P.) - Drums
* Wade Black (CRIMSON GLORY, SEVEN WITCHES, LEATHERWOLF) - Vocals
For more information, visit the DEUXMONKEY MySpace page.
Spitz was released from the hospital in May 2010 after he received treatment for complications from his 2009 heart attack. He underwent open-heart surgery on June 5, 2009 after it was discovered that the main artery to his heart was almost "completely closed."
Spitz took part in the reunion of ANTHRAX's classic lineup in 2005 and 2006 but left the band after ANTHRAX's most recent split with singer Joey Belladonna.
In a January 2007 interview with Eddie Trunk of the "Friday Night Rocks" radio show on New York's Q104.3 FM, ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian stated about Spitz, "Whether people are aware or not, Danny's, like, a big deal in the really, really fancy, expensive watch world — like crazy, super-high-end watches — and he's got his own line of watches coming out. It's weird, because before the reunion I would read this stuff online, and I would just kind of be like, 'What the hell…?' But then like after hanging out with the guy for 20 months and you actually talk to him and see the watches and what-not, I was like, 'Holy crap!' It's a pretty big deal."
According to Interbridge.com's "The Late Night TV Page", legendary rocker Sammy Hagar will guest on the Tuesday, April 19 edition of NBC-TV's "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon". The program will air at 12:35 a.m. ET (technically early Wednesday morning, April 20).
Hagar's autobiography, "Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock", debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times nonfiction hardcover best sellers list, appearing on the chart dated April 3, 2011. Hagar promoted the book's publication with major press interviews in New York City, as well as a two-week signing tour on both the East and West Coasts. The former VAN HALEN vocalist has been making news thanks to the book's outspoken commentary on both Eddie Van Halen and original VH frontman David Lee Roth, as well as Hagar's claims that he's met with alien beings.
"Red" was published on March 15. Hagar told MTV Hive last week that he hopes the dirt he spills in "Red" will get VAN HALEN riled up enough to make a great record with original frontman David Lee Roth. The band is currently in the studio with Roth for the first time in more than a quarter century.
Hagar also compared Eddie Van Halen to Charlie Sheen in an interview with ABC-TV's "Good Morning America", saying, "There's a similarity in the way they look and everything. I don't know how you get like that."
Hagar has been in the studio himself recently to record the second album from CHICKENFOOT, his supergroup with ex-VH bassist Michael Anthony and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith.
Mark Morton of Heavy Metal Examiner recently conducted an interview with TESTAMENT/ex-SAVATAGE guitarist and leader of ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO, Alex Skolnick. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Heavy Metal Examiner: I recall back when you started [ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO], the metal community immediately wrote it off as a novelty act. And yet you persisted.
Skolnick: I know, I'm still here, dammit! [Laughs] But you know, when I did it, it was not a novelty; it was a true reflection of what I was passionate for. And I am very passionate about sophisticated jazz guitar. I am also rejecting the notion that only people who limit themselves to that kind of music can do it. As well, I am rejecting the idea that people who play in metal bands can only play metal. It's been a battle my whole life, and it is finally starting to feel like I am proving it. It's taken a really long time, but honestly, the skills required to play metal or jazz take a long time to develop. In the case of metal, they were skills I was fortunate enough to develop at a young age. But ever since then, I've been refining my craft of jazz guitar. It has taken a long time, but like I said, it has given me purpose. I think the title of the album, the fact that it's an acoustic jazz album with different genres on it and the consistency that you
mentioned is all a part of that.
Heavy Metal Examiner: Well, after hearing this, if you listen back to the progression of TESTAMENT's catalogue, you can hear the seeds being planted for how you were developing musically. And it wasn't really until you broke from them that you were able to bring it to fruition. And I think it's actually sad that you, as a person, have actually become this polarizing factor with people's enjoyment of those albums.
Skolnick: It's been a very interesting ride. Things did not come easy for me. You could say that I had success at a young age, but I never felt like I was had success. My band was always struggling. All the money that TESTAMENT ever made went right back into the band, and we always had to cut corners and save pennies to survive — through that whole period with the band. I never experienced this big success that some people do at a young age, and I think in some ways that drove me to focus on the art. I realized that the whole rock star thing was pretty much a fantasy, where it happens for some people but not for most. I think it might have happened on a bigger level had we been a million-seller, which we never were – but I think I still would have gotten disillusioned. And I think that the fact that I have become a polarizing figure has given purpose to the whole thing. In a sense, it has been really difficult for me in metal, and entering jazz,
everyone thought I was crazy (in the jazz world and the metal world). But it felt right, and I'm still doing it, and it is starting to feel like there is some acceptance. And I think there are some artists where it takes years and years (sometimes after their lifetime) before they are appreciated. I'm not saying that is going to happen to me, and I'm not going to compare myself to someone like F. Scott Fitzgerald, where "The Great Gatsby" was a complete commercial failure and drove him into depression, and it wasn't until decades later when people woke up and finally took his work seriously. If you are a true artist, you will just do what feels right, and that is what I am doing with this music. Sure it would be nice to have big sales and success; but at least I can look at this album and say, "This album is real!"
The Avedis Zildjian Company has announced that Jason Bittner of SHADOWS FALL has joined its family of artists. Regarded as one of the best metal drummers of his generation, Bittner is widely recognized for his double bass skills, ability to play complex patterns at high speeds, and extensive knowledge of jazz and Latin drumming styles. He is often credited with "bringing the groove back to metal drumming." An accomplished teacher and author, Bittner will headline Zildjian's U.S. clinic tour in May 2011.
"I've been attracted to Zildjian cymbal sounds for years," said Bittner. "I bought my first 18" A Zildjian crash ride when I was only 11 years old. I feel that I'm coming home with my new relationship with Zildjian, and I look forward to spending the next decade and beyond with them."
Commenting on the upcoming clinic tour, Bittner said, "The clinic tour will feature play-alongs, free-form playing, educational content, and fun. I'm hoping to have a few SHADOWS FALL tracks from my new record to share with fans on the tour. Zildjian cymbals are featured in these new recordings. They've already become a part of my sound. It's really been a seamless transition for me."
"We're absolutely thrilled to welcome Jason to the Zildjian family," said John DeChristopher, VP artist relations and event marketing worldwide. "He's the complete package: a phenomenal player and student of the instrument, a great educator and role model for younger players, and a highly respected artist among his peers and the drumming community overall. We're very excited about his future with Zildjian, and we're looking forward to hitting the road in May for Jason's first clinic tour as a Zildjian artist."
A native of Albany, New York, Bittner attended Berklee College Of Music and played with STIGMATA, one of the biggest hardcore bands on the New York scene, for seven years. In the fall of 2001, Bittner joined SHADOWS FALL. For the past 10 years, he has toured extensively with the band and released "The Art Of Balance"; "The War Within" (debuted at #38 on Billboard and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance"); "Fallout From the War"; "Threads Of Life" (Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance"); and "Retribution", one of the band's most powerful albums to date that debuted in Billboard's Top 40.
Bittner has been nominated for numerous awards, including the 2004 Modern Drummer Reader's Poll for #1 Up-And-Coming Drummer; the 2005 Modern Drummer Reader's Poll for #1 Best Recorded Performance for the SHADOWS FALL album "The War Within" and #1 Metal Drummer; and for the second consecutive year, the 2006 Modern Drummer Reader's Poll for #1 Metal Drummer. Bittner's book, "Drumming Out Of The Shadows", which was co-authored by Joe Bergamini, received the #2 award in the DRUM! magazine reader's poll for Best Educational Book
On April 8, Aniruddh "Andrew" Bansal of Metal Assault conducted an interview with LIFE OF AGONY/ex-TYPE O NEGATIVE drummer and Brooklyn, New York native Sal Abruscato about Sal's new project, A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH. You can now listen to the chat below.
Abruscato played drums on three TYPE O NEGATIVE albums ("Slow, Deep & Hard", "Origin Of The Feces", "Bloody Kisses"), as well as four LIFE OF AGONY releases ("River Runs Red", "Ugly", "River Runs Again", "Broken Valley").
A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH recently inked a worldwide recording deal with Steamhammer/SPV. The group's debut album, "And Hell Will Follow Me", is scheduled for release in June.
Commented Abruscato: "I am so stoked about joining SPV, I'm Looking forward to a fruitful and successful relationship with such a reputable label as SPV."
A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH made its live debut on February 20, 2011 at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey as the support act for MONSTER MAGNET and SEVENTH VOID.
A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH's lineup for the show was as follows:
* Sal Abruscato (Life OF AGONY, TYPE O NEGATIVE) - Vocals, Guitar
* Matt Brown (SEVENTH VOID) - Guitar
* Bobby Hambel (BIOHAZARD) - Guitar
* Johnny Kelly (TYPE O NEGATIVE, DANZIG, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) - Drums
* Eric Morgan - Bass
Abruscato previously stated about A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH's debut CD, "This is my first album where I composed and play all instruments, including vocals. Along with co-producer/guitarist Matt Brown (SEVENTH VOID), we have accomplished a very fresh sound and it includes guest appearances by Bobby Hambel (BIOHAZARD), Keith Caputo (LIFE OF AGONY) and Ulrich Krieger (LOU REED).
"It is the darkest music I have ever written and recorded in my life, back to my sinister roots and I believe the fans will learn a completely different side of me."
For more information, visit www.apalehorsenameddeath.com.
"The Unforgiving", the fifth studio album from Dutch symphonic metallers WITHIN TEMPTATION, has registered the following first- and second-week chart positions:
Netherlands: #2, #2 (second week)
Finland: #3
Belgium (Flanders): #5, #3 (second week)
Belgium (Wallonia): #27, #14 (second week)
Germany: #7
Austria: #7
Sweden: #7, #17 (second week)
Switzerland: #9
Czech Republic: #12
Poland: #12, #6 (second week)
Spain: #16
France: #18
UK: #23
Australia: #27
Denmark: #34
Norway: #40
Greece: #42
USA: #50
Italy: #57
Ireland: #87
"The Unforgiving" sold around 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release.
Released on March 29, "The Unforgiving" was produced by Daniel Gibson and is based on a comic book story written by script writer Steven O'Connell (BloodRayne, Dark 48). The band asked comic artist Romano Molenaar (Witchblade, Darkness, X-Men) to draw the characters and scenery of "The Unforgiving", which was made available via Sony Music in Continental Europe and Roadrunner Records in the U.S., U.K. and Ireland, Japan and Australia.
Sharon den Adel gave birth to a beautiful baby boy on March 30. Logan Arwin Westerholt, who weighed in at five pounds, 8.7 ounces and measured 47 centimeters long, came into the world a little over five weeks early but both mother and son are doing fine.
Logan is the third child of Sharon den Adel and Robert Westerholt. The couple has a one-year-old son, Robin Aiden Westerholt, and a five-year old daughter named Eva Luna den Adel.
WITHIN TEMPTATION North American tour dates:
Sep. 07 - Sound Academy - Toronto, ON
Sep. 08 - Metropolis - Montreal, PQ
Sep. 09 - Palladium - Worcester, MA
Sep. 10 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY
Sep. 12 - Ram's Head Live - Baltimore, MD
Sep. 13 - Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA
The vocal recording sessions for the new NIGHTWISH album, "Imaginarium", finally began on April 4 after being postponed for a few weeks in order to allow the band's singer, Anette Olzon, a longer recovery period after she suffered broken ribs in a fall. According to the band's keyboardist and main composer Tuomas Holopainen, "seven songs [are] done so far. [Anette] hasn't quite cured from her broken ribs yet, but fortunately it doesn't affect her singing at all. She's never sounded better."
NIGHTWISH is not only putting finishing touches to its new album, "Imaginarium", but also planning a movie of the same name. If all goes well, the CD will be released in early 2012, to be followed by the movie at some point further down the line. The first single off the album as well as the trailer for the film should arrive well before the end of 2011.
For the movie, NIGHTWISH has teamed up with director Stober Harju's production team and Solar Films.
NIGHTWISH will kick off the "Imaginarium" world tour in Los Angeles. The very first show of the trek will take place at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California on Saturday, January 21. This will be the biggest NIGHTWISH show production ever on North American soil and strictly a one-off — there will be no U.S. tour until later in 2012.
SYSTEM OF A DOWN wants to know which songs you most want to hear when the reunited band hits the road later this spring. As a reward for telling SYSTEM your Top 6 setlist requests, one winner from each tour city will win a pair of tickets to his/her local show. They will also win a setlist from the show they attended, signed by all four members of the group. Click here for more information.
Participating shows:
May 10 - Edmonton, AB @ Canada Rexall Place
May 12 - Vancouver, BC @ Canada Rogers Arena
May 13 - Seattle, WA, USA @ Key Arena
May 15 - Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
May 18 - Denver, CO @ Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
May 19 - Albuquerque, NM @ Hard Rock Casino presents The Pavilion
May 21 - San Diego, CA @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
May 22 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Pearl
May 24 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum
May 25 - Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
June 04 - Nürnberg, Germany @ Rock in Park
June 05 - Nürburgring, Germany @ Rock am Ring
June 06 - Paris, France @ Omnisports de Bercy
June 08 - Paris, France @ Omnisports de Bercy
June 09 - Interlaken, Switzerland @ Greenfield Festival
June 11 - Castle Donington, UK @ Download Festival
June 13 - Nickelsdorf, Austria @ Novarock
June 15 - Berlin, Germany @ Wulheide
June 17 - Gothenburg, Sweden @ Meltdown Festival
June 19 - Seinajoki, Finland @ Provinssirock
June 21 - Moscow, Russia @ Olympisky
The contest will close on April 28 at 11:59:59 EDT.
SYSTEM OF A DOWN officially announced its return on November 29, 2010, with the band confirming that it will headline or co-headline several prominent European festivals this summer.
Bassist Shavo Odadjian told The Pulse of Radio a while back that he could never envision SYSTEM OF A DOWN going away permanently. "We're brothers, man, we'll take bullets for each other," he said. "So it's like, you kind of miss each other after a while and you, one guy makes the first move, then another starts making phone calls....this is a juggernaut, man. SYSTEM OF A DOWN is my lifeline. It'll never go away. We could not make a record for 10 years — that's not gonna happen, but I'm just saying we could — and we'll come back strong."
Odadjian hinted in a 2010 interview that financial problems and creative differences led the band to take a break and prevent a permanent split.
There is no word yet on whether SYSTEM plans to record a new album.
SYSTEM OF A DOWN went on hiatus in late 2006 after touring behind its two 2005 albums, "Mezmerize" and "Hypnotize". All four members of the group expressed a desire to work on separate projects.
Singer Serj Tankian has issued two solo albums, while guitarist Daron Malakian and drummer John Dolmayan launched a short-lived band called SCARS ON BROADWAY in 2008. Odadjian worked on a project with RZA from the WU-TANG CLAN called ACHOZEN, but no music from that has surfaced.
Californian rockers WARRANT will release their new album, "Rockaholic", on May 17 via Frontiers Records. The CD was produced by Keith Olsen, who has previously worked with OZZY OSBOURNE, WHITESNAKE and SCORPIONS, among others.
In a recent interview with the Phoenix New Times' "Up On The Sun" blog, WARRANT/ex-LYNCH MOB singer Robert Mason stated about WARRANT's new material, "We really took our time, and, through a couple years of doing 'fly' dates, we kinda said, well, the band works, we're all doing it for the right reasons, we're all really happy on stage. It's great playing this legacy of music, and the fans love it, so why not [write some new songs] — but we were careful about it. We didn't just throw a record together. We test-marketed a couple of these songs live last summer, just springing them on the audiences. 'Hey this is something you've never heard before,' and by the end of the song, everyone is singing along, or buying into it. So we figured we should put the record out."
When asked if WARRANT felt a lot of pressure writing the new material to live up to the hit songs the band had scored, Mason replied, "We're just musicians. I'm just a songwriter/singer in a rock band. I was writing songs for this record, and personally, did I feel like they had to fit into an old-school WARRANT mode? To a degree, but I don't really think you write songs like that. The fact that we are all from the same headspace, it kind of worked out that way. Some of these songs sound like a bit of a departure, but there are tracks on this new CD that we played live in the rehearsal room, and they came together through pre-production and shit, for the year prior or so to this record, and they sound like WARRANT songs to us. It's just me singing. My voice is a little different than the original singer, but it's just a thing were you go on, and you write songs. I turned over things I had written, and say, do your thing, play it the WARRANT way, and they
could do nothing else, and I would ask nothing else. So, is that the long way of answering yes? (laughs) I didn't feel pressure, or intimidation, but there was a certain responsibility."
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/warrantrockcd.jpg
Former WARRANT frontman Jani Lane has issued the following update:
"I will be back on the road by June. In the meantime, I'm staying holed up in my studio writing for myself and other artists.
"I will be releasing a remastered and possibly re-recorded version of 'Jabberwocky' by September. [Between 1997 and 2000, demos of Lane's solo material began surfacing on the Internet, with some bids on eBay reaching an estimated $100.00 per copy. The project, titled 'Jabberwocky', represented a significant musical departure from Lane's previous work. The CD has never been officially released. — Ed.] Tired of hearing bastardized versions floating all around the world... Guess it's time to put it out there properly.
"I'll also be releasing a five-six song EP on my new website, JaniLane.net. This is, in my humble opinion, some of the best songs I've ever written (I'm not the only one who has said this)!
"I'm planning a RADIOHEAD-type experiment where I will make the entire download free, give you a chance to check it out and several ways to kick me back what you think it's worth... or tell me it sucks and to go back to the drawing board!
"Hope you all have a great spring break and see you this summer!!"
In February, Lane canceled all of his previously announced solo tour dates two days before the first show was due to take place. No explanation was offered for the cancelation.
Lane was scheduled to be joined on all dates by returning keyboardist Shawn Zavodney, guitarist Patrick Kennison and former WARRANT guitarist Billy Morris.
WARRANT announced in September 2008 that it was splitting with Jani Lane six months after the band first reunited with the troubled vocalist. He has since been replaced by Robert Mason (LYNCH MOB, CRY OF LOVE, BIG COCK).
On July 19, 2010, Lane pled no contest to DUI stemming from his most recent arrest back in May 2010 — and was ordered to serve 120 days in jail. In addition, Lane lost his license for three years and had to complete a 30-month alcohol-education program.
Lane originally left WARRANT in 2002 to pursue a solo career. He released a solo album, "Back Down to One", in 2003, but shortly after was admitted to a rehab center for alcohol and drug-related exhaustion. He also appeared on VH1's reality series "Celebrity Fit Club".
Swedish metallers PREY will release a new digital single, "Heal Me", on April 20 via GMR Music. The track will be premiered on the PREY Facebook and MySpace pages and various radio stations on Monday, April 18.
The "Heal Me" artwork was created by acclaimed cover artist Monowasp, who has previously worked with TNT, HOUSE OF LORDS and OVERDRIVE, among others.
"Heal Me" comes off PREY's forthcoming album, "Seven Deadly Sins", which will be released later in the year.
PREYs' sophomore album, "Knights of the Revolution", came out in May 2009 through GMR Music.
The band's debut CD, "The Hunter", was released in September 2005 via Mausoleum Records. Sitting behind the kit during the recording sessions for the album was drummer Patrick Johansson (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, W.A.S.P., STORMWIND). He was subsequently replaced by Robert Bäck.
PREY is:
Thomas Nystroem - Guitar and Vocals
Peter Baecke - Bass
Robert Bäck - Drums
Fredrik Plahn - Keyboards
For more information, visit www.prey-nation.com.
Former WEHRWOLFE/DARKMOON drummer Scott Pletcher has joined forces with ex-WEHRWOLFE guitarist Art Taylor, guitarist Eric Stewart, vocalist Dave Cowgill, and bassist Wes Studebaker in a brand new band called SHRINE OF SUFFERING. The group has completed a three-song demo CD and a video for the song "Blood Of The Infidel" .
SHRINE OF SUFFERING is currently seeking label support and booking opportunities.
The band can be contacted at shrineofsuffering@yahoo.com.
Danish five-piece SCARRED BY BEAUTY will release its debut album, "Sutra", in Germany/Benelux on June 10 and in the rest of Europe on June 13 via Mighty Music. According to a press release, the CD "follows in the path of the band's previously released EP 'We Swim' and clearly shows how SCARRED BY BEAUTY has grown and developed new sides to their music. On 'Sutra', the group combines a range of various styles, in a new and playful way. From pounding punk and hardcore passages, into vast and melodic landscapes the band mixes noise rock, metal and core genres with minimalistic lyrics, in a graceful, unique and refreshing way. 'Sutra' stands as a solid and personal product from a young and ambitious band. In 2010 SCARRED BY BEAUTY played both a Danish and a European tour, and have supported GOJIRA in Copenhagen as well as Berlin."
After the Danish release of "Sutra", the Copenhagen act toured as a co-headliner on the "New Era Tour", which included 11 dates at some of Denmark's finest venues.
"Sutra" track listing:
01. Indika
02. Circle The Reservoir
03. We Swim
04. Oh Brother, I Believe
05. Embers
06. About Words
07. Top Of The Morning
08. A Million Metaphors
09. Woman
10. Mountain
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