In advance of the Wednesday, August 24 and Monday, August 29
nationwide screenings of "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne",
producer/filmmaker Jack Osbourne and Eagle Rock Entertainment will host a special private preview of the documentary Monday, August 22 at the
ArcLight Cinerama Dome in Hollywood that will benefit the MusiCares MAP Fund.
"God Bless Ozzy Osbourne" will be broadcast to more than 400
movie theaters nationwide on Wednesday, August 24 and Monday, August 29 at 7:30
p.m. (local time). Shot over the course of three years, audiences will
experience the life story of Ozzy, as seen through the eyes of his
youngest child, producer/filmmaker, Jack Osbourne, who worked alongside
directors Mike Fleiss and Mike Piscitelli.
During the documentary, Ozzy will recount his troubled youth, his early
career with BLACK SABBATH and the impact of fame and addictions on his
first marriage. Viewers will also witness the second chapter of his life as a
family man with Sharon,
during which his addictions grew to a frightening level, as well as hear Ozzy and his children explain his attempts at staying clean, ultimately resulting in
more than five years of sobriety. Music fans will also see live performances
from around the world, including rare behind-the-scenes clips of Ozzy on
and off stage, in his dressing rooms pre-show, to his nights in a series of
hotel rooms. Throughout "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne", audiences
are given an inside look into the life of a rock star, from the good times to
the bad.
Tickets for "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne" are available at
participating theater box offices and online at FathomEvents.com.
For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the NCM Fathom web site (theaters and participants are subject to change).
Presented by NCM Fathom, Omniverse Vision and Eagle Rock
Entertainment, "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne" will be broadcast
to nearly 400 select movie theaters across the country through NCM's
exclusive Digital Broadcast Network.
"This is the most honest portrait of my father. I set out to tell the
truth — regardless of how raw it might be — and I think we accomplished just
that," said Jack Osbourne.
"During this exclusive Fathom event, Ozzy's son, Jack,
will take the legion of Ozzy fans on an unbelievable journey
experiencing a side of the music legend most have never seen," said Dan
Diamond, vice president of Fathom.
Click here for a list of all participating theaters.
"God Bless Ozzy Osbourne" was co-produced by Jack Osbourne and is the first film released by Jack's production company, Jacko
Productions. The documentary, which was originally titled "Wreckage
Of My Past: The Ozzy Osbourne Story", was directed by Mike Fleiss and Mike Piscitelli.
"God Bless Ozzy Osbourne" premiered on April 24 at the Tribeca
Film Festival in New York City and received a positive review from Entertainment
Weekly, which said, "What could have been a glossy, fawning tribute to
the most visible face in heavy metal music history — especially considering it
was co-produced by his son, Jack — actually turned out to be a
remarkably evenhanded look at Ozzy's monumental musical influence as
well as his less exemplary life as an addict and often-absent father."
Critic Joseph Brannigan Lynch added, "'God Bless Ozzy Osbourne' may not answer the question 'What makes Ozzy act so... Ozzy-like?',
but it's hardly a fluffy tribute. This documentary succeeds in offering a
balanced portrait of a man who made many mistakes over the course of his
addiction-riddled life and also happens to be one of the most influential hard
rock singers ever."
Lynch also wrote that the film "starts with Osbourne's poor
childhood in the cramped quarters of inner-city Birmingham, England, and goes
up to his long-sought sobriety following the end of the water-cooler fodder
reality series 'The Osbournes'."
While the movie does not delve into certain aspects of Ozzy's life —
such as his attempted strangulation of wife/manager Sharon years ago —
frank interviews with his five children "portray him as an absentee father
even when he was physically present due to his mind-numbing abuse of pills,
cocaine and liquor," according to Lynch.
The film features interviews with many of Ozzy's family members, friend
and colleagues, including Paul McCartney, the members of BLACK
SABBATH and MÖTLEY CRÜE's Tommy Lee.
British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST have
released the following statement:
"There has recently been some nonsense and propaganda posted on the Internet,
including on Rob's [Halford, JUDAS PRIEST singer] web
site, regarding the band and management. (Rob currently is not
controlling his web site and absolutely does not agree with the comments.)
"We refuse to get drawn into any public arguments — it is below us and
will be dealt with legally.
"The band have always jointly made any major decisions and have been with
the same management team for over 25 years. Everyone knows and respects them in
the music business and we have ultimate faith and trust in the way they have
always guided us.
"We are totally focused now on the 'Epitaph' tour and the reactions
every night have been incredible. The shows have been amazing and we're having
the time of our lives! Our intention now is to travel the world one last time
and perform JUDAS PRIEST-style heavy metal for all the fans out there.
The mood and atmosphere in the band has never been better!
"We have just completed the European/U.K. first leg of our world tour and
now after a short break are going to South America
and then the States. Come along — join in and keep the faith!!"
The "nonsense and propaganda" JUDAS PRIEST is referring to is
a message allegedly posted on July 29 in the forum section (The Metal God's
Quorum) of Rob Halford's web site by the singer's longtime personal
manager John Baxter, which accused PRIEST's management team of
"unprofessional" and "unethical" conduct as it relates to Halford's
business matters "for much of the last six years." (Although the
original message has been removed from Halford's web site, a copy of it can
still be found here.) A follow-up message purportedly from Baxter appeared on the site on August 1 in which he stated that he
had "resolved all matters" related to his dispute with PRIEST's
management and he promised to "share general details of the resolution
once the lawyers clean up." He added, "Rob Halford's
participation in the ['Epitaph'] tour was never an issue, and he will
continue to tour with JUDAS PRIEST on its farewell tour."
Bassist Nikki Sixx of California rock veterans MÖTLEY
CRÜE, who are currently completing a North American tour with support from POISON and NEW YORK DOLLS, tweeted the following earlier today:
"You can tell the die-hard CRÜE-heads from POISON fans
because they run like scared little mice when the blood comes out... Sadly,
they've lost the plot on why rock 'n' roll exists. It's not built on fear, it's
about pushing buttons."
In her review of MÖTLEY CRÜE's July 15 concert at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, Lorraine Schwartz of Examiner.com wrote, "Now, one might wonder, how do you
know when a MÖTLEY CRÜE show is over? Is it when they play the last
chord of 'Kickstart My Heart'? Is it after the last blast of pyro flame
has extinguished? No. It's when you're bathed in blood. Front-row CRÜE fans, consider yourself warned: if you didn't get sprayed by prankster Sixx's
blood spit during the main part of the show, that doesn't mean you can breathe
a sigh of relief. Let's just say if you're standing near one of the buckets
quietly placed along the stage edge, you should think about running soon.
That's all I will say."
Video footage of Sixx and MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee spitting
and throwing fake blood on the crowd at several of the concerts on the current
tour can be seen below.
MÖTLEY CRÜE's current headlining trek with POISON and NEW YORK
DOLLS kicked off on June 7 at Gexa Energy Pavilion in Dallas, Texas
and will hit approximately more than 40 cities before coming to a close later
this month.
The initial tour announcement by Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee and NEW
YORK DOLLS' David Johansen was made on the syndicated radio show "Sixx
Sense With Nikki Sixx"on March 1.
During a May 1 press conference at Bamboozle in East Rutherford, New
Jersey, MÖTLEY CRÜE's veteran production manager and set designer, Robert
Long, presented graphic renderings of the new set design, which he
described as "a hard-hitting CRÜE rendition of a rock 'n' roll
burlesque theatre." According to Long, the entire stage is
enveloped in red velvet drapery and a damask printed wall of guitar amps.
Continuing to integrate the input of their fans, MÖTLEY CRÜE conducted a
survey by listing every song they have ever recorded. Fans voted at Motley.com for the final set list, which includes tracks band hasn't performed live
together in almost 20 years.
Like
many a virtuoso who has come before him, Chris Broderick has every
reason to gloat about his skills as a musician. But when we met with the Megadeth guitarist at one particular stop on his Rockstar Mayhem Festival circuit, it was quickly obvious that his technical mastery had not affected his
modesty and/or humility. When you sit down with someone like Broderick – who
has the ability to play pretty much any classical or metal piece you place
before him – you immediately want to start picking his brain. And that's
exactly what we did.
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Ultimate-Guitar.comfirst wanted to get the
inside scoop on Megadeth's highly anticipated 13th studio album, aptly titled TH1RT3EN (due for release on November 1). Broderick explained the new record would draw
from a little bit every style that Megadeth has delved into over the years,
with Mustaine penning the core song structure for the majority of the material.
Broderick and his other bandmates would then enter the picture to add in
numerous other flourishes. The process flowed rather quickly and naturally for
TH1RT3EN, indicating that the current lineup (complete with founding
member/bassist Dave Ellefson) is in it for the long haul.
With
such a wealth of knowledge accumulated over the years through musical theory
education and hands-on stage metal experience, Broderick had plenty to discuss
about his approach to guitar playing in general as well. The former Nevermore
and Jag Panzer member will be the first to admit that his methods aren't for
every player, but Broderick does believe that you should definitely explore a
variety of techniques – whether it's traditional music theory or the more
forward-thinking notion of visual practice.
UG:
Megadeth has certainly covered some broad ground musically. Do you feel the
latest record gravitates to any particular era of the band?
Chris:I think it borrows
something from a lot of those different elements. There are some songs on there
that hearken back to Peace Sells… and Rust In Peace. There is some stuff that
is a little more like Countdown To Extinction. I've been likening it to a very
diverse CD. It's not one of those ones that you'll put it on and every song
sounds like the last one. It's got everything from anthems to more radio
friendly stuff to hard-hitting thrash and some cool, dark-sounding stuff.
Considering
your eclectic musical background, how did you approach the songwriting on this
album with Dave?
We
all submitted riffs and we all submitted ideas. At the end of the day, you need
to make it sound like Megadeth. I think everything we used on the CD was pretty
much written by Dave. Then we came in and we added our elements over the top of
his riffs. So whether it was harmony guitars or melodies or counterlines, we
were always constructing in that sense.
"Th1rt3en is
not one of those ones that you'll put it on and every song sounds like the last
one."
I
conducted an interview with Dave a few years back and it was actually right
before you were officially announced as the new lead guitarist. Dave had
essentially described you as the best guitarist that he had ever worked with
before.
Wow.
That's very humbling!
If
we rewind the clock a bit, how rigorous was the audition process to get into Megadeth?
And did you have to learn every song within a pretty short period of time?
It
was really more of the latter. The first thing is they called me and they asked
me if I was interested. Of course, I was very interested. We scheduled a
meeting between Dave, myself, and actually James LoMenzo was there at the time.
We all sat down and talked about what each other expected and what would happen
and how things would occur. At that point it was really like, "Let's get to
work." Less than a month away they had a European tour coming up, and I had to
learn 22 songs. So I wanted to be ready for that! I just started knocking the
songs out as fast as I could, just getting them down. That's where we really
started working together. There was no question in my mind whether or not I had
the gig. I just saw the work that had to be done, and that's the way I pursued
it. Things fell into place from there.
You
had previously offered guitar lessons on your personal website, but it was
announced you would have to take a hiatus after you joined Megadeth. Have you
continued those again?
Yeah,
when I have down time. Before this last tour I was able to get in a couple of
months of lessons in between whenever there is downtime. I still teach.
Are
they the same students?
Yeah,
I have a lot of students that I've had for six or seven years. I've got some
students that almost seem like they're lifers. They're great people. They don't
know how much I appreciate them. Hopefully they appreciate what I offer to them
as well.
There
was once a rumor that Dave asked you for guitar lessons as well. Is there any
truth to that?
Not
really, no. We always confer on things, but you'll always find aspects of
playing that one person excels in that another person doesn't. It's just
inevitable with personalities and the way you grow up as a player. If he's got
something that's really cool and really unique to offer, then I'll say, "What
is that?" He'll do the same as well.
You've got some new Jacksons
you've got coming out.
It's
basically a six string and a seven string version of the same guitar in my
Signature Series.
Talk
about the specs that you prefer to have associated with your guitars.
For
me, I had experienced a lot with different fretboard radiuses and things of that
nature. I knew I preferred a curved fretboard radius. So I went with a 12-inch
radius on that. I wanted stainless steel frets because of all the two-handed
tapping that I do. That is pretty hard on frets and will wear them out quickly.
So stainless steel will stand the test of time. There are very tall, narrow
frets. I knew I wanted a really good tremolo on there. The pickups I had
developed specifically for my playing style and my tonal preferences. The body
design is all my own. We spent months together – Mike Shannon and I –
developing the body style and making it as ergonomic as possible. For me, I
think it looks awesome as well. It's great. I wanted the best woods possible,
too. I went with maple, with a mahogany back. There's a maple neck. Other little
touches are the locking auto tuners. They're really, really accurate and they
trim the string for you. So it's an added benefit. I reversed the headstock up
there also.
And
the same specs go for the seven-string model?
Yes,
both. I love the seven strings! I love to play that guitar as much as I can.
There
was a Megadeth forum discussing the woods you selected on the Jacksons, and someone had mentioned the
reason you left Ibanez was because they were not going to supply you with your
requested woods.
No,
it wasn't so much that. It was that they were trying to stick with the status
quo. They weren't really willing to step up to the plate and put out something
that I really wanted – and Jackson
was. Nothing was off the table for Jackson.
Ibanez was like, "Ah, we can't do stainless steel frets." They wouldn't even do
it for me. That's why I love Jackson
so much. Not only will they do it for me, but every guitar that will be sold is
exactly the guitar I play. To me, it's really important. People who are going
to bother to buy a signature series and spend that kind of money want to know
they are going to get the same quality that the person playing it and
representing it onstage has. That's what Jackson
stepped up to the plate and did.
"I'm the type
of person that has to understand everything I play."
Do you
know the price tags on those yet?
They
are going to be releasing a mid-line version and an entry level version. The U.S. customs
are around $2,400 or something like that. I think we're looking at a price
point of around $1,000 for the midline one. We haven't gotten as far with the
entry level one. I just hope that everybody who would like one can at least get
one at some level. I'm going to do my best to make sure that the kinds of
things that are compromised at each price point are more of the bells and
whistles instead of the actual quality of the instrument.
You
have such a wide variety of musical knowledge, whether we're talking about your
classical training or your metal experience. Can you suggest some particular
methods or techniques that you feel will really take someone's playing to the
next level?
I
think the big thing that I always discounted in the beginning even though I
read studies on it was the idea of visual practice. A lot of studies have
stated that visual practice is about 80 percent effective as doing real guitar
in-hand practice. So whether you're sitting down just listening to a metronome
and visualizing yourself playing something or you're actually doing it, it's
actually almost as beneficial. In a way, it's actually started to really help
me – even when I have the instrument on my hands. Instead of looking at my
hands, I'll be looking out at the crowd. I'll be visualizing what I'm playing
as I'm playing it instead of watching what I'm doing on the fretboard. I think
that's a huge thing that people can do or use as an aide. Not only that, in
your mind you can play anything perfect, right? You want to make sure that when
you do visual practice that you always visualize it being played perfectly.
Where
did you originally hear about the idea of visual practice?
There
are studies that I had read about. Some of my prior classical instructors
talked about it. I remember reading an article in which Eliot Fisk was on a
plane to a gig. He had to play a piece that he had never played before. He gets
on the plane and opens up the music, and he starts reading the music and starts
to visualize playing it. By the time he landed, he was actually able to execute
the piece and play the piece. It's a huge benefit because you can't pull your
guitar out when you're in coach!
How
important do you feel that musical theory is?
For
me? It's fundamental because it's the type of person that I am. I believe that
you follow the path that your personality takes you down. For some people
theory is that path. For other, it isn't. For me, I'm the type of person that
has to understand everything I play. I want to know everything about it and how
it functions. Why does it sound this way to our ears? How can we augment that
and extrapolate different tones from that? That's why I like theory so much.
But
you don't necessarily advise everyone to take that path.
No.
I see that certain people don't gravitate toward it. To me, that's cool in a
way. It's going to produce different results than what I would produce. It just
comes back to diversity, and that's something I definitely appreciate.
Who
were a few of your original influences? And who are a few contemporary players
that continue to inspire you?
The
two that inspired me the most to pick it up were Eddie Van Halen and probably
at the time it was Pepe Romero. He was the first classical guitar influence I
had. Early on when I first started playing, I remember the guitarist there at
this place I worked at and he worked on this classical stuff. He kind of
influenced me in a way as well. Now people like Guthrie Govan and Paco de
Lucia, they'll always be an influence of mine. Paul Gilbert will always be an
influence on me. Per from Scar Symmetry. I really like his playing a lot. He's
a newer influence.
Even
though Megadeth has seen its share of lineup changes, is it safe to assume that
you'll be sticking around for awhile?
Yeah.
If I have any say, I'm not going anywhere!
Will
you be steadily touring for the next year or so in support of the upcoming
record?
Definitely
when the new album comes out, we'll have a new touring cycle for that CD. We'll
have a little time off in between the end of the Mayhem Festival and The Big
Four show at Yankee Stadium. That will be a good little break.
"When the new
album comes out, we'll have a new touring cycle for that CD."
How has
The Big Four gone so far?
It's
awesome. The big thing about it was the camaraderie between all the bands and
how open each band was. It wasn't like four individual camps coming in together
to do their own thing and then getting off the stage and them avoiding each
other and stuff like that. To me, that was awesome because I didn't expect
that. I've been on a lot of tours where the bands get up there, do their thing,
and then they're absent. I have to admit I'm kind of that way. I'm a little
more of a recluse than the socialite. I don't do well in social environments.
Do
you foresee The Big Four branching off into a full-fledged U.S. tour?
We
can all hope. I'm as big of a fan as that idea as everybody else is.
Regarding
the business side of a music career, what advice would you offer someone?
I
would say definitely with the way the market is changing, you can't rely on any
one source to get your name out there. You never know where the opportunities
are going to come from. You really need to look at the business side of music
and playing guitar or whatever instrument you play as a nice challenge, too.
You can't have any expectations from it. You want to see it as something else
to develop – whether it's posting video clips or getting your own interviews or
trying to find management that will get you those interviews, gigs, and
opportunities. Finally, just don't turn down any opportunities. You never know
if you're going to get that opportunity again. It's a lot of luck. I would tell
anybody that you can be the best player in the world, but it's still 80 percent
luck.
What
is your favorite and/or most challenging Megadeth song to play?
Challenging…I
definitely like that word because it also refers to nerve-wracking at the same
time. For me, that's probably "How The Story Ends" off of Endgame. I love that
solo and I love to play it, but I'm always a little bit nervous when I first
step into it. I'm always thinking about, "Oh, here comes that part." I love
playing it and I love the idea that it is a challenge. One of my favorite songs
to just go out and play live is "Tornado of Souls." It's a great tune and it
has an epic solo.
Do
you find yourself tweaking it a bit or adding flourishes?
I
try and play it as faithfully as I can. Everybody has their own vibrato and way
of bending notes. Hopefully I do Marty justice in the representation and
hopefully people hear something a little bit unique about it, too.
Interview
by Amy Kelly
Seminal horror-punk band the MISFITS will release its
new album, "The Devil's Rain", in October.
The track listing for the CD is as follows:
01. The Devil's Rain
02. Vivid Red
03. LandOf The Dead (album
version)
04. The Black Hole
05. Twilight of the Dead (album version)
06. Curse of the Mummy's Hand
07. Cold In Hell
08. Unexplained
09. Dark Shadows
10. Father
11. Jack The Ripper
12. Monkey's Paw
13. Where Do They Go?
14. Sleepwalking
15. Ghost Of Frankenstein
16. Death Ray
In 1977, at the dawn of the punk movement the MISFITS set out to make an
impression, and created a legacy that has truly withstood the test of time.
Immortalizing black and white B horror films in their music, the MISFITS
developed a ghoulish and totally unique persona of their own that s
consistently evolved over the years, while remaining true to its roots. The
band s iconic "Fiend Skull" logo has become a staple in pop culture
and an instantly recognizable symbol worldwide. Bands across the spectrum of
rock have covered their material, including METALLICA, GUNS N' ROSES, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE and countless others.
Boasting a massive catalog of music old and new, a new lineup (consistently
helmed by founding member Jerry Only), and an influence felt around the
world, the MISFITS return with their long-awaited, first full-length
release of all-new, original material in nearly a decade!
Rooted in the horror and sci-fi themes their audience craves, "The
Devil's Rain" showcases 16 fiendish, soon-to-be MISFITS classics including "Twilight Of The Dead", "Dark
Shadows", "Curse of the Mummy's Hand" and the title
track itself. Produced by Ed Stasium (whose credits include the RAMONES' "Road To Ruin" and "Too Tough to Die", as
well as the MISFITS 1999 release "Famous Monsters"),
the album showcases a jaw-dropping, two-panel front/back cover painting
featuring the rebirth of the band's iconic Fiend mascot in an epic setting
rendered by Arthur Suydam (known for his immensely popular work on the Marvel
Zombies series, among others). The packaging, designed to emulate a CD
sized gatefold LP, also features some incredible new MISFITS portraits
shot by the legendary Mick Rock. Rock's imagery (which includes David
Bowie, Iggy Pop, QUEEN, Debbie Harry, and the RAMONES,
to name a few), has become part of the very fabric of rock and roll. Having
also served as an on-set photographer for cult-movie classic "The Rocky
Horror Picture Show", Rock lends a perfectly suited eye to view
the band s surrealistic and highly theatrical persona.
"The Devil's Rain" is not just a continuation of a historic
legacy, it's a total reboot ushering in a new era of terror. In a sense, it's
the debut album from the legendary MISFITS of this decade.
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/misfitsreign.jpg
On
September 14th, metalheads from across the East Coast will be converging on the
Bronx as Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax - The Big 4 of thrash metal - play their second ever US date together. This historical show
will be at the new Yankee Stadium, only the third concert to be held there
after last year's Eminem/Jay Z show and June's Paul McCartney two night stand.
The Hard Rock Examiner is speaking with a member of each of the four bands, as
we here in New York
anticipate the heavy metal show of the decade.
Examiner: Hey Charlie, thanks
for speaking with me today. Where are you calling from today?
Charlie: I'm home, I'm in Chicago right now.
Examiner: Anthrax is generally
considered a New York City
band, though, do you feel that's true in 2011?
Charlie: We are, we are. You
don't necessarily have to live in a state to call it home. But Chicago, for us, has always been like a
second home. We've always had the best shows here in Chicago. I don't know why that is, but it's
always been that way, and I decided to move out here a couple of years back.
And you can never take the New York
out of the New Yorker.
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Examiner: So we're talking about
the Big 4, which will be playing here in New York at Yankee Stadium on September 14th.This idea of
the Big 4... it's become this huge blockbuster concept, but do you remember how
you first got word that there might be something brewing with you guys,
Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer a couple of years back already?
Charlie: I'll tell you the
first time it was ever spoken about. Scott and I were invited out to Cleveland
for the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame, Metallica was going to be inducted, and
after the ceremony and everything, there was a party, and Scott, myself, and
Lars were hanging out at the bar having a drink, talking, bullsh*tting about
whatever, and Lars just said to us "Hey, wouldn't it be great to just do a Big
4 show or tour?" And we looked at each other like "wow, yeah that would be
f*cking great you know!" So that's how it happened.
Examiner: It's common knowledge
that you helped Metallica when they were living in New York in the very beginning of their
career, but do you have personal relationships with guys from the other
bands?
Charlie: Oh yeah. We're very
much friendly. I could text message or call anyone and say "what's going on?"
And I think now we're at the point where we're so mature and there's no
competition or anything like that, and it's very "hey what's up," "hey what's
going on," that type of thing.
Examiner: What do you think of
Yankee Stadium as a venue for a show like this?
Charlie: Man, it's like... we
haven't done it yet, so I can't tell you what the experience will be, I can
only tell you the emotion going into it, what it means to me especially, and to
the other guys who are huge Yankee fans, and growing up in the Bronx for me,
this is something that I thought would never happen. For us, playing Madison Square Garden
was it, because we're New Yorkers, and playing the great arena there was it,
that was the top. But now? Yankee Stadium? I don't even know how I'm going to
feel after this. I don't even know if my feet will touch the ground.
Examiner: Some people aren't so
happy about the venue because the seats are so expensive, the top nosebleeds
start at $90, and they're also saying that it should be full general admission,
instead of fans being stuck in seats.
Charlie: Well these are things
we have no control over, because we're not setting up, we're just playing. I
don't know, I haven't heard any negativity about it, maybe it's not directed
towards us, you know?
Examiner: Of course not, the
bands have no direct say in the ticket prices or anything like that.
Charlie: If I told you I had to
pay for tickets for my own family, would you believe me?
Examiner: You know what, I do
believe it. I'm having a hell of a time trying to get my own press ticket.
Everyone I'm talking to is saying there's nothing available, so I really do
believe they're making you pay.
Charlie: I have to pay for my
family to come see me play.
Examiner: What's filtering back
to me, is that the Yankees' management is running the show, and not a label or
real band management.
Charlie: Well the Yankees are
promoting it, and of course the Yankees wanna make all the money, so... What do
you do? Not do it?
Examiner: Well, obviously it's a
historic chance. But maybe New Meadowland's Stadium would've been a better
option?
Charlie: Well it's a matter of
the prestige of Yankee Stadium. Metallica has played Giants Stadium before, not
the new one, but they have done it before. And I just think that this has way
more significance. You can say to your kids, "I played Yankee Stadium." And it
rolls off your tongue a lot better than saying "I played some stadium in Jersey."
Examiner: You're the drummer,
but I know you've played guitar on some Anthrax records too. What is it about
the guitar and drum playing that differentiates thrash metal, what you and
Metallica do, from other metal bands like say Iron Maiden or Judas
Priest?
Charlie: I think a lot of
times, with our form of music, and I know it's the same with Metallica, the
drums and the rhythm guitars follow each other, where with other bands the bass
and drums are locked in. But for us it's always been the rhythm guitars and the
drums that have been locked in. So maybe that's where the difference lies. Me
and Scott play off of each other, his right hand is going with my kick drum
most of the time.
Examiner: Can you name your
favorite Megadeth, Slayer, and Metallica songs?
Charlie: Metallica would be
Master of Puppets. If I'm somewhere near the stage and I hear that song
starting, I have to go watch because there's something about it. And it has
another significant meaning, about Cliff Burton to me. Both bands were on tour
in 1986 overseas and they were on the Puppets record, and one day we had a day
off in England,
and it was me, Scott, Kirk, and Cliff, and we went to breakfast. And we sat
down and were just talking about stuff, and I said "In the song Master of
Puppets, right before the lead break comes in, James screams something out, and
I can never understand what he says. What is it?" And Cliff looked at Kirk
like, "I don't even know." And we were ordering breakfast at the time, and
there was a bit of silence at the time, and Cliff said "I think he says
'pancakes.'" And we all started laughing, and it was funny, and then every show
after that on that tour, when I would be on the side of the stage watching and
that part would come up, Cliff would always look at me and mouth the word
"pancakes." So let's go forward 20something odd years, and here we are at the
dinner before the first Big 4 show in Poland, we had this dinner set up,
Metallica had all the bands there. And I was talking to James about some things
and that story came up, and I told him, and he thanked me so much for telling
him that story, because so much from that time is a blur to him, so when he
hears stories it helps him remember the good times back then. So first show, in
Poland,
they did Puppets. But I wasn't on stage. And the next day Robert goes to me,
"Where were you? James screamed out "pancakes!'" So he does it now.
Examiner: That's amazing. So
you're saying that anyone at the Big 4 in September should listen, and they'll
hear James scream 'pancakes' at that point?
Charlie: Well the lyric is 'fix
me,' but you never know, he might blurt out pancakes. So that's another reason
why I love that song.
Examiner: How about Megadeth and
Slayer?
Charlie: Well Megadeth I love
the song on Peace Sells called The Conjuring. It's just a great f*cking
song, great guitar playing on that record, on that song, everything about it I
just love. And of course Slayer I'd have to pick At Dawn They Sleep.
Examiner: Now this Big 4 show is
going on the same time as your new album, Worship Music comes out. I
gotta say, they sent me an advance copy just yesterday, and I've been listening
to it nonstop. It's just hitting me, like the first time you heard Metallica's
Black Album. Every song could be a radio hit, the production is so clean. So
how do you guys decide between playing new songs that you want to, and deserve
to show off, and playing the hits that made you part of the Big 4 til this
point?
Charlie: Well, we talked about
the set we're going to do for the Yankee Stadium show, and of course we want to
do new songs, because for us, it's been building up and building up and
building up, and it's like god, I have to play these new songs, we've been
playing these other ones for forever, and we know that they're favorites, but
we'd hope that the audience would want to hear these new songs now because
there's new life in the band. New energy, new love for these songs.
Examiner: So have you picked a
setlist for the show yet?
Charlie: We're definitely going
to play Fight 'Em Til You Can't, and we're probably going to play The Devil You
Know, and we may pick another one.
Examiner: Do you have a favorite
song on the record?
Charlie: This week it's still
In The End.
Examiner: You also have a song
called Judas Priest, and I listened to it several times this morning trying to
figure it out. Is it about the band?
Charlie: It's not about the
band Judas Priest, but when we were reworking that song, the day we started,
Scott and I were working on it, and Judas Priest announced that they were going
to call it a day, and we were completely bugged out about that headline. So we
just gave that song a working title of Judas Priest, and it just stuck. So
there's a section in that song that we were having fun with, we were emailing
back and forth, we should take a bunch of Priest titles and make a middle
section out of it. There's parts that go "Rapid fire, genocide,
screeeeeaming..." You know, all these kind of Judas Priest references. And when
you do something like that, it's a bit tongue in cheek, but it's also loyalty,
and you're paying tribute to this band that pretty much helped shaped your
careers.
Examiner: So after the
Yankee Stadium show, what's next for live Anthrax shows?
Charlie: We will be hitting America in
October or November.
Examiner: A headlining tour?
Charlie: That will be a
headlining tour, yes.
Examiner: When do you expect to
release dates for that tour?
Charlie: Fairly soon, we're
just waiting for the last two weeks of it before we announce it. And I think
we're going to take some of the second wave of thrash bands, like Testament and
Death Angel with us.
Examiner: How about any more Big
4 shows here in the US?
Charlie: I hope so, I really
hope so. It would be an injustice if we didn't take this to the rest of the
country, and to Canada, and South America. But especially parts of America, the
midwest needs a Big 4 show.
Examiner: Maybe your new
hometown of Chicago.
Charlie: Hey man, two nights at
Wrigley, let's do it!
Check
back for interview with the other three bands of the Big 4, and as always, stay
in the loop with the Hard Rock Examiner for further information on tickets and
all local rock and heavy metal news by subscribing at the top of this page, or
follow me at twitter.com/NYROCKEXAMINER.
Hell-bent for eyeliner and ready to rock the world, TWISTED
SISTER stormed the stage at London's famed Marquee Club in March of 1983
for two intense shows that cemented the band's live legacy in the U.K.
Recordings from those legendary nights reveal the Long Island quintet raw,
hungry and catching fire just a few months before it achieved breakout success
on radio and MTV.
Rhino Handmade taps into that power with "Live At The Marquee
Club", a concert album that collects rare and unreleased recordings
from both nights on a single disc. The music comes in a glammed-up gatefold
made from heavy-duty cardstock and die-cut into the shape of the iconic TWISTED
SISTER logo.
Mirroring the setlists from both shows, the collection's 13 blistering
performances feature singer Dee Snider, guitarists Jay Jay French and Eddie "Fingers" Ojeda, bassist Mark "The
Animal" Mendoza and drummer A.J. Pero. Until now, the only way
to hear some of this historic two-night stand was through a series of
seven-inch and 12-inch records released in 1983 exclusively in the U.K.
Due on September 20, "Live At The Marquee Club" combines those
hard-to-find cuts with five previously unreleased songs, including the title
track from the band's hard-rocking debut, "Under The Blade",
and covers of the SHANGRI-LAS' "Leader Of The Pack" and
the SLADE version of the R&B staple "Let The Good Times
Roll". The album also includes the first-ever public performance of "You
Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll", which would surface just three months later
on the band's second album. Bits of Snider's legendary stage banter —
also unreleased — can be heard interspersed between a few songs.
"Live At The Marquee Club" track listing:
01. What You Don't Know (Sure Can Hurt You)
02. Sin After Sin
03. Bad Boys (Of Rock 'N' Roll)
04. Destroyer
05. Leader of the Pack
06. Tear it Loose
07. Band Rap
08. You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll
09. Run For Your Life
10. Shoot 'Em Down
11. Dee's Rap
12. It's Only Rock 'N' Roll (But I Like It)
13. Band Introductions
14. I Am (I'm Me)
15. Under The Blade
16. Let The Good Times Roll
In April, EMI Music launched a program to help out
victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. German power metallers BLIND
GUARDIAN helped out by offering an exclusive studio session for two at
their own Twilight Hall Studio in Grefrath, Germany. This
studio time was auctioned off on eBay and the winner was David McGregor from Quebec, Canada, who — along with his friend Martin Machado — purchased this unique experience for 1,317.42 euros.
Last month, BLIND GUARDIAN vocalist Hansi Kürsch and his
bandmates went into the group's own studio in Grefrath to re-record their
biggest hit "The Bard's Song". During the session McGregor directed the members of BLIND GUARDIAN, giving them exact instructions
on how the new version of this 19-year classic should sound. In addition, the
fans sang along and laid down the bass parts on the song.
After six hours of intensive studio work, Kürsch declared the recording
"finished" and added that "everything worked out amazingly
well."
Commented Hansi: "The catastrophe on March 11 in Japan has
affected the whole world and the horrible consequences will be felt for years
to come. We didn't have to think twice when asked by our former record company EMI if we would like to take part in this fantastic relief project."
Proceeds from this and the other EMIfamily4Japan auctions will go to
help the survivors of the tragedies in Japan.
According to TMZ.com, former QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE/KYUSS and current KYUSS LIVES! bassist Nick Oliveri has been charged
with four felonies and faces up to 15 years in prison stemming from his arrest
last month in Hollywood
after a five-hour standoff with police.
Nick Oliveri was booked on July 12 on felony domestic violence. The
police was called to the scene by Oliveri's neighbor who reported a
"disturbance" between the 39-year-old rocker and his girlfriend. A
standoff between a SWAT team and Nick ensued before Oliveri finally agreed to let his girlfriend exit the duplex.
Oliveri was taken into custody about 10:30 p.m. after Los Angeles police officers knocked down his
front door.
Nick's girlfriend reportedly told police Oliveri hit her during
an argument the day before and she had returned to collect her stuff so she
could move out.
During a search of Nick's home on Hobart Boulevard, cops reportedly found a
fully loaded high-powered rifle, cocaine and methamphetamines..
Oliveri is charged with two counts of possession of a controlled
substance with a firearm, two counts of possession of a controlled substance,
and one misdemeanor count of resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace
officer.
If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum of 15 years in prison.
Oliveri was forced to miss several KYUSS LIVES! shows in Europe earlier this month due to his legal troubles. His
temporary replacement was Scott Reeder (GOATSNAKE, THE
OBSESSED, KYUSS).
BOSTON's publicist, Gail Parenteau, has
released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET regarding Michael
Sweet's (STRYPER) departure from the group:
"We truly enjoyed having Michael Sweet sing and play guitar on
stage for the 2008 BOSTON tour along with Tommy DeCarlo, who was
the lead vocalist replacing Brad Delp. However, Michael has not
been involved in the recording of BOSTON's
next studio album, which is now 85% complete. We have always understood his
obvious commitment to his band STRYPER, and wish him and his band the
best of luck with their new endeavors.
"The lead vocals for BOSTON's
soon-to-be-released studio album include Brad Delp's singing on many
songs, along with several excellent performances by our other three lead vocalists.
The album reflects an intentional effort by principal songwriter and producer Tom
Scholz to capture the recognizable sound and energy of his original
releases, combined with the musical sophistication expected from exceptional
players and vocalists all performing within the traditional framework of the
well-known BOSTON sound."
Delp committed suicide in 2007, leaving behind a note in which he called
himself "a lonely soul."
Sweet announced his decision to leave BOSTON on Wednesday (August 10), revealing
that he wanted to dedicate more time to STRYPER, the band he co-founded
in 1983.
He said, "My focus and my loyalty lies with STRYPER, the band that
I've committed almost 30 years of my life to. The guys in STRYPER are my
brothers and I'm excited about our future together.
"The music of BOSTON helped
shape who I am as an artist, and the opportunity to be a part of their musical
legacy is overwhelming. It's been an honor to share the stage with them, and a
bigger honor to call them my friends."
Kristen Dunleavy of myYearbook recently conducted an interview with FIVE
FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory. A couple of excerpts
from the chat follow below.
myYearbook: You've said your upcoming album, "American Capitalist",
"crystallizes the sound of DEATH PUNCH." What does that mean?
Zoltan: The band has been together for long enough now that it really
became a machine. We can guess what the other guys are going to do. On the
first record, I wrote most of the songs, 90 percent of them. In the second
record, it was more teamwork and this is basically what I meant by
crystallizing. It's really a team effort when it's all hands on board and it is
what the band really sounds like. That's pretty much what it means.
myYearbook: What's the concept behind your new single, "Under
And Over It"?
Zoltan: [Laughs] That's such a nice, manicured middle finger for the
haters. When you're becoming successful, you pop your head above the water and
you become a target. For all the fans we have, there are gonna be an equal
amount of haters, the guys who have not much to do in life but hate on bands.
Actually, it's entertaining when we read the online comments. The guy I'm
worried about is the one who's working harder than me. So that's how I look at
it. I thought it was a clever way to throw a grenade back in their direction.
It was more like a fun thing. I don't really have to worry about the haters.
myYearbook: Last time we spoke with you, you discussed your perspective
on life in America
and your view on war. Do you feel your perspective changing as time goes on?
Zoltan: I would say with a big capital N-O, no. I came here from a
communist country and I was sworn in to be an American citizen. When you have
to pass for citizenship, you have to understand the foundation of a country.
I'm here for a reason. When you say anything about freedom, people take it as a
cheap flag-waving thing to get attention and that's pretty sad. I can't really
criticize them because most of the people who were born here were born into the
system. The only time you start to notice things is when they're taken away
from you. They don't necessarily understand the freedoms they have and the
possibilities and how important this system is in this country. I came from
another country where there were no basic human rights. You don't understand
what it's like when the cops can beat you up and you can't do a freaking thing
about it, there's no one to complain to. The government, the police and the
army are the same entity. You can't fight back, you don't have gun rights.
These things are so alien to Americans, they take it for granted. I think it's
a little bit of an education for the people who forgot about it, who forgot
about what they have. The reason I assume you asked is because the title of the
album is "American Capitalist" and it's connecting the same
idea. I'm still all for the same values and that's why the record is called "American
Capitalist".
myYearbook: Is there anything else you'd like to say to your fans?
Zoltan: The record is coming out in October 11th. That's shameless
self-advertising, [and] since it's called "American Capitalist",
I can go for it. The reason we call it "American Capitalist" goes back to question you asked before: how do I feel about the same values? We
call it "American Capitalist" because the capitalist system is
the closest system to nature. Nature is where you didn't make the rules, I
didn't make the rules, it just is. The small things will not survive, the weak
will die. There's a natural selection, a natural evolution. We know the
communist system tried to equalize that, and that's never gonna happen. People
will never stay in line and accept that they are equal, they just won't.
Evolution doesn't allow you to be equal, the best will survive. We took that
concept and dropped it into civilization. You don't go out and chuck a spear at
some animal, you go to the store and buy food, but the process is the same. You
technically hunt, but you're getting money. Money will buy you food, but it's
the same story. You're still a hunter, you're still a survivor and you have to
fight for it. Anybody who doesn't understand that will never succeed in life. A
lot of people say we're "tough-guy" metal. And you know what, it is!
Because that's how we feel. Everyone in this band came from poor families. I
came to this country with a guitar on my back, nothing in my pocket and I
didn't speak English. My singer was a foster child, Jason [Hook,
guitar] was an abandoned kid, literally found in the street and adopted. We had
hard lives and we came here and we fought for it. Now it's a little bit
different, we have pretty good lives, but we have to fight for that. That's
what we try to relate to our fans: this is the lion pride. Yes, it is tough-guy
metal. We write music for the tough guys, we write music for the lions. I don't
care about the victims, cry somewhere else. That's the ideology and we fully
accept that. That's what "American Capitalist" means to us. Is
it a perfect system? No. But from what's available, this is the best we can
choose, and it gives us a fair shot. It gave me a fair shot and I took it. The
system does give you the shot, nobody can complain about their circumstances.
Look at my circumstances, and then let's argue about it. That's what "American
Capitalist" stands for.
In a brand new interview with Revolver magazine , ex-SKID
ROW singer Sebastian Bach spoke about his recent divorce from Maria
Bierk, his wife of 18 years with whom he had been coupled since before
joining his former band. According to Bach, the marriage started
unraveling after tales of his past dalliances began to crop up online.
"When you go on tour starting in the mid-'80s and then someone invents the
Internet in, like, 1996, you're pretty much fucked," Bach said.
He added, "I mean, the shit on these web sites is the reason my three kids
don't have a father right now. You can go online and there's a 'cock chart'
where you can check out my rig, and find these chicks typing whatever they want
to type."
In addition to online accounts, Bach pointed to a 2010 book, "The
Last Living Slut: Born in Iran, Bred Backstage", penned by a
self-professed groupie named Roxana Shirazi, as contributing to the
breakdown of his marriage. "There's all these lies about me in there when
we toured with GUNS N' ROSES in 2006," he said. "You read the
book and it's like, I'm backstage with a case of dildos that I'm using on all
these different women. Dude, can I tell you something? I do not travel
on the road with a case of dildos. That never fucking happened. But my ex-wife
doesn't give a fuck. She's in Barnes & Noble reading this and it's like…
what are you gonna do? I said to my lawyer, 'Should I sue?' And he said, 'All
you're going to do is make the book bigger.'"
Bach was most recently linked to 26-year-old model Minnie Gupta,
who appears in the videos for two songs from Bach's forthcoming album, "Kicking
& Screaming", and serves as the model on the CD's cover art.
Said the singer: "You know, Dave Mustaine wrote in his
autobiography something like, 'If you're gonna try and be married and have a
family and then go on the road and be in a heavy-metal band, just don't.' And I
get it. Because it's tough being in a relationship with a guy who plays rock
and roll. It takes a strong woman to do it." He laughed. "Or at least
a woman who doesn't know how to use a computer."
STONE SOUR and SLIPKNOT frontman Corey
Taylor will take over the airwaves of the U.K. digital radio station Planet
Rock for one hour on Sunday evening (August 14) to share the songs that
have influenced him over the years as part of the "My Planet
Rocks" series. Join Planet Rock at 7:00 p.m. (U.K. time) on Sunday to hear Taylor talk about the effect that growing up in Iowa
has had on him and his work, how he came to share a bottle of Jack with Lemmy and his love for ALICE IN CHAINS. Plus he hand-picks a fine selection of
tracks from the likes of VAN HALEN, THE DAMNED and FOO
FIGHTERS as the soundtrack to his life.
Now in its seventh series, "My Planet Rocks" has seen some of
the world's greatest rock stars take to the airwaves. Since the series first
began, the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, IRON MAIDEN's Bruce
Dickinson, Lemmy from MOTÖRHEAD, THE WHO's Pete
Townshend, Meat Loaf, Alice Cooper, blues legend Gary
Moore and the late, great Ronnie James Dio have all taken control of
the radio station for an hour to play their favorite songs and talk about their
greatest influences.
Planet Rock broadcasts on digital radio, Sky 0110, Virgin Media 924,
Freesat 730, online www.planetrock.com and on iPhone.
Orange County heavy metal "Triple Axe Attack" LEATHERWOLF has announced a free show on September 2 at the Slide Bar in Fullerton, California.
This will be the band's first live appearance in over a year and will mark the
live debut of new guitarist Rob Math who takes over for Greg Erba.
He joins original members Michael Olivieri (vocals, guitar), Carey
Howe (guitar), and Dean Roberts (drums), along with bassist Patrick
Guyton.
LEATHERWOLF is putting the finishing touches on its "Live At The
Galaxy" DVD, which was filmed during the band's 2009 performance at
the Galaxy Theatre in Santa Ana, California. A sneak preview of
the song "Thunder" is available below.
In other news, the members of LEATHERWOLF would like to express their
condolences to the family and friends of vocalist Chris Adams who passed
away last month. Adams joined LEATHERWOLF in 2001 and recorded one demo with the band before partying ways again. Drummer Dean Roberts states, "Hearing of Chris' passing comes as a
shock to us. Even though he was only part of LEATHERWOLF for a short
time and we lost touch over the years, he helped us develop embroynic versions
of a couple of songs, including 'King Of The Ward', which later ended up
on the 'World Asylum' album. Rest in peace, brother."
According to TMZ.com, Canter's Deli — one of the most famous
restaurants in all of Los Angeles
— is honoring late WARRANT frontman Jani Lane by having a sale on
cherry pie.
The delicatessen, which has been open since 1931, is just as well known for its
baked goods as it is for it is corned beef sandwiches. So on Saturday and
Sunday, they are selling slices of cherry pie for just $1.00 each.
During an interview that aired in May 2006 as part of VH1's "Heavy:
The Story of Metal" four-part documentary tracing the evolution of
heavy metal music and culture, Lane was asked about WARRANT's
smash hit "Cherry Pie", widely considered the band's
best-known release. "I hate that song," he said. "I had no
intention of writing that song. The record was done. The record was called 'Uncle
Tom's Cabin'. And Donny Inner [president of Columbia Records]
called up and said, 'I don't hear the single. You gotta give me a fucking
single like 'Love in an Elevator'. I need something like that.' So that
night I wrote 'Cherry Pie'. Sent it to him. He lived with it over the
weekend. Then all of a sudden the album's called 'Cherry Pie'. The
record's called 'Cherry Pie'. I'm doing cherry-pie-eating contests. The
single's 'Cherry Pie'. Right? If I'm lying, I'm dying. And my legacy's 'Cherry
Pie'. Everything about me is 'Cherry Pie'. I'm the 'Cherry Pie' guy. I could shoot myself in the fucking head for writing that song."
Speaking to the "Taz at Night" show on Kalamazoo's 92.5 WZUU radio station in
November 2007, Lani dismissed his "Heavy: The Story of
Metal" comments, claiming, "They [VH1 producers] just
caught me on a bad day. It was a bad moment — I was going through a divorce, my
mom had just passed away, all this stuff was going on — and they sit me down in
a chair and wanna start grilling me with questions, and I didn't wanna be
there, so… You know, push that interview to the side, I'm happy as a clam to
have written a song that is still being played and still dug by so many people.
It's hard enough to write a song, let alone one that sticks around."
VH1 named "Cherry Pie" the 56th best hard rock song of
all time.
On July 23, former WARRANT singer Jani Lane —
who was found dead on Thursday in a Los Angeles-area hotel — took part in a
taping of an upcoming episode of the "That Metal Show" alongside Michael Sweet (STRYPER) and Taime Downe (FASTER
PUSSYCAT) (see photos below). The program featuring Lane was
originally scheduled to premiere on October 1 on VH1 Classic but has now
had its air date moved up to August 27.
"The Very Hairy Rock Show", which airs on 96 Rock radio
station in Raleigh, North Carolina, conducted an interview with Sweet yesterday about his meeting with Lane. That chat can now be streamed in
the YouTube clip below.
In an online posting, Sweet said, "I'm still in shock over the
sudden passing of Jani. I was just sitting in a dressing room with him
less than a month ago. Had I known, I would have spent more time with him. He
was a good-hearted guy with a gentle soul. I know he had a tough life and many
battles, but who doesn't? He seemed to be genuinely working so hard at sorting
things out and getting things in order. It's a true shame."
Former NIGHTWISH frontman Tarja Turunen's
official web site has been updated with the following message:
"There is an old Finnish tradition when it comes to newborns — the baby is
not to be named until the baptism ceremony, when he or she is presented to the
family with the chosen name.
"A few years ago, in 2006, a new project from Tarja was born and,
following the same tradition, the time has come to baptize it, to make the
presentations to the family and to give it a name — HARUS.
"'Harus' is a rather peculiar, uncommon Finnish word that describes the
four tensors that keep a tent together or the tensor that keeps the mast from
falling in a sailing boat. Both of the meanings apply to this musicians'
lineup: four members, four equals, four different backgrounds to tie together
exquisite classical music developed strongly and in a very stable way, with a
taste of experimental, modern feel.
"The ever-changing waters HARUS sails on promise a unique feeling
and combination for each program."
HARUS is:
* Tarja Turunen: Vocals
* Kalevi Kiviniemi: Organ
* Marzi Nyman: Guitar
* Markku Krohn: Percussion
REVAMP, the new band led by former AFTER FOREVER vocalist Floor Jansen, has canceled its participation in the "Out
Of The Dark" tour with VAN CANTO, TRISTANIA, XANDRIA and AMBERIAN DAWN. The trek is scheduled to kick off on September 30 in Karlsruhe, Germany
and run through mid-October.
In a videotaped statement, which can be seen below, Floor explained the
situation by saying, "Some of you might have already read on the Internet
that I have not been doing so well — I'm sick; I'm having what they call a
'burnout' — that already caused us to cancel a couple of shows and even a tour
to South America.
"I have to tell you that things are not going as fast as I was hoping; I'm
not recovering that fast. A burnout takes quite awhile and that also means that
the coming shows, and even the 'Out Of The Dark' tour has to be
canceled.
"I wanted to tell you a little bit more about this burnout because some of
you might not really know what it is. Some thought that there's maybe something
wrong with my voice, or something else perhaps. But nothing wrong with the
voice, nothing worse than a burnout — I mean, no cancer or other very scary
diseases. A burnout on its own is already a nasty thing, though. You can
compare it to having an empty battery. Everybody has its battery. When you
sleep or when you do something nice, you charge your battery, and when you work
and during the day you use a little bit of your energy every day. When you do
not charge your battery enough, it gets a little more empty — every time a
little more — until you hit sort of the red zone of your battery. And that's
what happens when you're having a burnout — there's barely any energy left. And
that means you get sick, that means you get tired of the smallest things. And
it also means it takes quite awhile for it to charge again. And that's what's
happening now. And every time I do a little bit too much, I become a little bit
too tired. And that makes it even longer, that makes this period of being sick
and having this burnout even longer.
"With a healthy body, it's already quite a heavy thing to do a show or a
tour — a kick-ass thing to do, but energy-wise, it's pretty tough. With a sick
body, or with this empty battery, it's not possible.
"So, again, we have to cancel and I feel very bad about it, 'cause I miss
it so much, I miss you guys very much, I miss my REVAMP guys a lot.
"I know you can't really see that I'm sick — this layer of makeup is
making me look very healthy. And I can do nice things, I can do a little bit
more every day. But for now, it's all about charging the battery, and it's
gonna take a little longer.
"I already read a lot of very supportive messages online — a lot of people
understand and support me and support the band. That's definitely heartwarming
and I definitely hope that you can have a little more patience.
"I can't wait to have my battery recharged, I can't wait to go back onstage
to sing and play music again, and I can't wait to see you again. I really hope
that charging this battery will make me stronger than ever before and that we
can rock again as before."
REVAMP's self-titled debut album was released in Europe
on May 28, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records.
After the breakup of AFTER FOREVER, Jansen decided she wanted to
start over and present a new band to the public as soon as possible. To
accomplish this, she joined forces with two additional songwriters to first
compose, then record an album. A live band formed soon after the CD's
completion, which got her back on stage where she belongs.
REVAMP touring lineup:
* Floor Jansen: Vocals
* Jaap Melman (DREADLOCK PUSSY, PENDEJO): Bass
* Ruben Wijga (INSOMNIA): Keyboards
* Jord Otto: Guitar
* Arjan Rijnen (PENDEJO): Guitar
* Matthias Landes (DARK FORTRESS): Drums
An autopsy performed Friday on former WARRANT singer Jani Lane proved inconclusive pending the results of toxicology tests, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.
Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter says it may take seven or eight weeks
to finalize the cause of death.
Investigators found a half-empty bottle of vodka and prescription medication in
the hotel room where Lane was found dead yesterday (Thursday, August
11), according to TMZ.com.
Lane was pronounced dead by Fire Department personnel who responded to a
call shortly before 5:30 p.m. in the Comfort Inn in the 20100 block of Ventura Boulevard
in Woodland Hills, California, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
"He was discovered unresponsive," said Winter.
Former SKID ROW vocalist Sebastian Bach has
penned the following tribute to WARRANT singer Jani Lane:
"People have been asking me about Jani Lane and I really don't know
what to say. Picturing him by himself in a Comfort Inn in Woodland Hills with a
bottle of vodka and a bottle of pills is so typical of what a rock musicians
life actually is. It is a life marked by extremes. Extreme attention from
people you don't know, while all the work and travel takes you away from those
you actually do know. Playing to thousands of people and then going back to
your hotel room and shutting the door. When the door shuts... the quiet is the
exact opposite of the volume of the concert. The solitude of the empty hotel
room becomes the diametric parallel of the adulation of strangers. For some,
the bottle of vodka or whatever becomes a friend that is always there for you
while others come and go.
"Yes, I have felt these emotions myself.
"If you see me going head over heels over a girl, it's because all I have
ever wanted is to have a girl to love and share my life with, and for the one I
love to be with me wherever I'm at, travel with me to distant locales and stay
in nice kick-ass hotel suites and have fun and sing and dance and see the
world. But so far this is a fantasy. Just like Jani, I spend most of my
time alone in a hotel room dreaming of a girl I love who is somewhere else. I
bet Jani Lane felt exactly what I feel. How could he not?
"I remember decades ago being invited to Jani's house for a
barbeque, which we went to. But Jani didn't show up. So I spent the
afternoon with Jani's dad cooking burgers and steaks and having a
wonderful day with his family.
"My condolences to his family and especially Jani's children who
now only have memories of their dad to hold on to. That is truly heartbreaking.
"Let this be yet another lesson to tell someone some kind words
sometimes... before it's too late... while they are still alive.
"I can guarantee Jani Lane would not have anticipated everyone coming out of the woodwork extolling the
life and times of Jani Lane. Which is why he probably died alone. In a
hotel room. With his only real friend...that killed him in the end."
According to TMZ.com, Lane's death is being treated as an
accidental overdose or a possible death from natural causes.
Lane's family will convene Sunday for a private memorial service, the
singer's manager and longtime friend Obi Steinman told the Associated
Press. A public memorial with performances by fellow metal rock bands
including GREAT WHITE and L.A. GUNS will be held in Hollywood on August 24 at
a venue to be announced later, he said.
"He was one of the great rock-and-roll frontmen and singers of all
time," Steinman said. "His music helped shape the '80s."
Lane had battled alcoholism for years and also had a history of
alcohol-related arrests. Lane's sister, Vicky Oswald-Ley, told RadarOnline.com that the death of their mother seven years ago affected Lane's battles
against alcohol. "She would always talk him into going into rehab and
hospitals," she said. "I think when she passed, that desire to stay
healthy died too."
"He finally succumbed to that," Steinman said. "He lost
his battle over alcohol."
According to the Los Angeles Times, authorities on Friday were trying to
determine why former WARRANT singer Jani Lane was at a Woodland Hills,
California motel
when he died Thursday.
Lane has a home in Redondo Beach, approximately 27 miles south of the location
where he was found, so it is unclear exactly why he was at the Ventura Boulevard
motel, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the case. Alcohol and
prescription drugs were found in the motel room, the sources said, but there
was no indication he took intentionally took his own life.
The source spoke to the Los Angeles Times on the condition of anonymity
because the case is still under investigation.
Jani Lane's
older sister, Vicky Oswald-Ley told RadarOnline.com that neither Lane's
wife of a year, Kimberly, nor his manager have contacted the family
since the singer's body was found.
"It would be common courtesy to call," she said. "We don't even
know if there's a service.
"Why was he in a hotel? Why was he away from her (his wife)? Why was there
isolation?" asked Vicky. "We have so many questions and don't
know where to turn for answers."
An autopsy performed Friday on Lane proved inconclusive pending the
results of toxicology tests, according to the Los Angeles County
coroner's office.
Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter says it may take seven or eight weeks
to finalize the cause of death.
Lane was pronounced dead by Fire Department personnel who responded to a
call shortly before 5:30 p.m. in the Comfort Inn in the 20100 block of Ventura Boulevard
in Woodland Hills, California, the Los Angeles Police
Department said.
"He was discovered unresponsive," said Winter.
Lane's family will convene Sunday for a private memorial service, the
singer's manager and longtime friend Obi Steinman told the Associated
Press. A public memorial with performances by fellow metal rock bands
including GREAT WHITE and L.A. GUNS will be held in Hollywood on August 24 at
a venue to be announced later, he said.
Bassist Shane Embury of British grindcore pioneers NAPALM
DEATH spoke to Decibel magazine about the status of the recording sessions
for the band's next album, tentatively due before the end of the year. A couple
of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Decibel: How much of the record is done?
Shane Embury: It's pretty much done — it's mastered. Barney's [Greenway,
vocals] returned today; he was on holiday in Japan. We got to the situation
where we'd recorded 19 songs and thought, "Right, this is enough
now," and basically, we're just trying to work out the track listing.
Decibel: It's been quite a long time since you put out "Time
Waits For No Slave"; has there been much change in the band as
people/musicians since then?
Shane Embury: I think we've always wanted to do that; personally, you
have your ups and downs through the years as people, but in a vision sort of
way we are all on the same page. Occasionally, we might listen to the odd riff
and think, "That's a little bit strange," but it always tends to work
out; when you're all looking in the same direction you're not afraid to try
things. I think we know each other so well, in our musical backgrounds as well,
it's not a surprise if Mitch [Harris, guitar] comes up with
something and I don't really question it because I've known him so long as a
person. He's been my friend for like 22 years or something; he's not going to
throw a real mad curveball at me. It's more a question of "Let's try
it." It always works out. Even if I think it's a bit strange, it will work
because, collectively, we'll start practicing, just the two, three of us, and
when it all comes together with Barney's voice on top it just becomes NAPALM
DEATH.
Decibel: 19 songs is a lot to take in.
Shane Embury: I think the main release will have 15 or 16. We'll
probably put a different track on the vinyl, maybe an exclusive download track,
and we have that thing where we license the album to Japan and we'll probably
give them a couple of tracks for the imports. We've actually got a few more
songs that we didn't finish that we're gonna use for splits, because I've been
trying to work on a split with the MELVINS for a while. That's in the
pipeline at some point.
Decibel: Do you have a name for the record yet?
Shane Embury: I've been told by the powers that be that I've got to keep
it under wraps for the time being. I think Barney wants to keep it quiet
— songtitles, though, we have songs like "Quarantine", "The
Wolf I Feed", "Collision Course", "Analysis
Paralysis", "Leper Colony": those are some of the
songtitles we have at the moment. It will be interesting to hear what people
think. I think it's a good continuation from the last record. One of the songs, "Fall on Their Swords", the first couple of riffs on that I
wrote 20 years ago and I've finally finished it. It's kind of a strange track,
it starts of sort of in the vein of "Utopia Banished", with a
really atmospheric SWANS, doomy black metal bit in the middle — not
black metal, but that sort of weird chord. Strangely enough, the first two
riffs on that, I have been playing about with for years. For me it's a good
step on from the last record. I've played them back-to-back and, I dunno, it's
just evolved in its own course. In the time between albums you are always
conscious about making another album and not wanting to repeat yourself. And
you're always scared that you might.
Decibel: When will it be out?
Shane Embury: I'm hoping it will be out before the end of this year, but
I don't know if it will. We were talking about November-ish, but I don't know,
it's a bit of a weird time. That's when I imagine it's going to come out, but
it might even be held on 'til next year. Hopefully, though, it will be
October/November. I originally wanted to do 14 or 15 songs and we ended up
doing 19 and I thought, "Fuck, what do we do?" And Mitch had a
lot of stuff and we were coming up with stuff — we could have probably have
done a double album, but that would have been crazy. No, it's encouraging that
we're confident that we're doing this record and we've already got ideas for
another album. That's obviously encouraging because, obviously, we've been
about for a number of years and ideas still seem to be flowing. It's positive.
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS — singer/guitarist Billy
Corgan, guitarist Jeff Schroeder, drummer Mike Byrne and
bassist Nicole Fiorentino — will return to the road this fall for an
intimate 12-city U.S. tour that will serve as a warm-up to a big year of
touring for the band in 2012. The fall trek launches in Los Angeles on October 5 at the Wiltern Theatre and wraps in Philadelphia on October
22 at the Tower Theatre.
Mixing classics, deep cuts and a few songs from the upcoming album "Oceania" — now due out in early 2012 (exact date to be announced) — the tour encompasses
dates in the band's Chicago hometown (October
14, venue to be announced) and New York City (October 18, Terminal 5). Tickets for the
concerts — which follow the band's 2010 critically acclaimed shows — will go on
sale shortly. At all the shows, the PUMPKINS will be joined by two
support acts: FANCY SPACE PEOPLE (featuring Don Bolles, who
credits include the GERMS, CELEBRITY SKIN and 45 GRAVE)
and LIGHT FM, the band Nicole Fiorentino was in before joining
the PUMPKINS.
The PUMPKINS are now hard at work putting the finishing touches on "Oceania", which will mark their first full album
since 2007's "Zeitgeist". "Oceania" is "an album within an album," part of their in-progress 44-song work "Teargarden By Kaleidyscope". Featuring 13 new songs, "Oceania" will be released in early 2012.
Also this fall, EMI Music will honor the legacy of THE SMASHING
PUMPKINS with an extensive campaign that will see the iconic band's albums
from 1991-2000 reissued in fully remastered deluxe versions, each with bonus
material.
With the full support and guidance from THE SMASHING PUMPKINS — who've
created one of the most acclaimed bodies of work in musical history, selling
over 30 million albums — EMI will roll out the global catalog campaign
with the band's 1991 debut album "Gish" and 1993's "Siamese
Dream", both of which are due in stores November 15.
The excitement will continue into 2012 when EMI will reissue the 1994
compilation album "Pisces Iscariot", 1995's
nine-times-platinum double album "Mellon Collie And The Infinite
Sadness", 1996's five-disc box set "The Aeroplane Flies
High" and 1998's "Adore".
In 2013, their 2000 albums "Machina/The Machines Of God" and "Machina
II: The Friends & Enemies Of Modern Music" will be unified into
one package. A best-of compilation will also be released in 2013. The pivotal
group's many hits defined the alternative music era and continue to resonate on
modern rock radio, influencing a whole new generation.
Tour dates:
Oct. 05 - Wiltern Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Oct. 07 - The Fox Theatre - Oakland, CA
Oct. 08 - Cosmopolitan - Las Vegas, NV
Oct. 10 - Ogdan Theatre - Denver, CO
Oct. 13 - Riverside Theatre - Milwaukee, WI
Oct. 14 – [to be announced] - Chicago, IL
Oct. 15 - The Fillmore - Detroit, MI
Oct. 17 – 9:30 Club - Washington, DC
Oct. 18 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY
Oct. 19 - Lupo's - Providence, RI
Oct. 21 - Orpheum Theatre - Boston, MA
Oct. 22 - Tower Theatre - Philadelphia PA
TANKARD and GOD DETHRONED have been confirmed
for next year's edition of the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise, which will
set sail from Miami, Florida
to Cayman Islands on January 23, 2012 and
return four days later. A total of 40 acts will perform on the cruise.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows:
AMORPHIS
CORONER
DARK FUNERAL
ELUVEITIE
GOD DETHRONED
GRAVE DIGGER
HAMMERFALL
IN EXTREMO
MOONSORROW
MY DYING BRIDE
NIGHTWISH
PESTILENCE
SAMAEL
STRATOVARIUS
TANKARD
THERION
TRISTANIA
Ticket prices start at $666 plus $289 taxes and fees per person and include all
onboard entertainment, non-alcoholic and non-carbonated beverages, all meals at
the dining rooms, most on-board restaurants and even 24-hour room service.
For more information, visit www.70000tons.com.
Chaos Records has announced the signing of
reactivated Swedish death metallers MALFEITOR. The band will release the
vinyl LP version of its new full-length album, "Dum Morior Orior",
during the first quarter of 2012.
MALFEITOR recently announced the addition of drummer Janne (Rudberg) Björkenfjäll (EXCRUCIATE, MORPHEUS, MASTICATION, EXHUMED)
to the group's ranks.
After MALFEITOR split up in 1994, Benny Moberg and Mattias
Parkkila started BLOOD MORTIZED as an old-school Swedish death metal
band in an effort to recapture a small shade of Tomas Skogsberg's famous Sunlight sound.
In 2010, Moberg decided to leave BLOOD MORTIZEDand focus on the
resuscitation of MALFEITOR. What we now will hear is a more intense,
faster and brutal version of MALFEITOR, with influences from such acts
as IMMOLATION and DEICIDE.
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/malfeitorswe.
ABSURD UNIVERSE, the old-school death/thrash metal
band featuring members of SINISTER, will release its debut album, "Habeas
Corpus", in October via Italy's Punishment 18 Records.
The CD was recorded at Flighing Visch studio in Zaandam,
Holland by Gertjan Vis. The cover art was
created by Andrey Kroms from Belarus and can be seen below.
"Habeas Corpus" track listing:
01. Violence Revealed
02. Red Water
03. Flesh Collector
04. Under Command
05. Freedomless
06. Ships Of Enslavement
07. A Stone For Your Skull
08. Boiled By Dead Water
09. New WorldDomination
ABSURD UNIVERSE is:
Bastiaan - Guitar
Adrie - Vocals
Toep - Drums
Mathijs - Bass
Dennis – Guitar
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/absurduniverse.jpg
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