BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi will undertake a select number of signings in the United Kingdom and the East Coast of the United States Of America to promote his upcoming memoir, "Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath". The book will be released in the United States on November 1 in hardback by Perseus Books/DeCapo Press and in Europe on October 13 through Simon & Schuster.
Tony will be signing copies of "Iron Man" at the following locations in the U.K. and U.S. (more events to be announced):
* Monday, Oct. 17 - London, UK @ HMV FOPP
* Tuesday, Oct. 18 - Birmingham, UK @ HMV
* Wednesday, Oct. 19 - Sheffield, UK @ Waterstones
* Thursday, Oct. 20 - Nottingham, UK @ Waterstones
* Tuesday, Nov. 1 - Ridgewood, NJ @ Bookends (6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.)
Bookends
211 E. Ridgewood Ave.
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
201-445-0726
www.book-ends.com
Please note that Tony will only be signing copies of his book "Iron Man". Any memorabilia or outside items will not be signed.
Da Capo reportedly paid a six-figure amount at auction for the rights to the 352-page book, which was described as "'Angela's Ashes' meets 'The Ground Beneath Her Feet' meets 'Spinal Tap'" by Foundry Literary + Media co-founder Peter McGuigan, who completed the North American rights deal for the memoir.
In a recent interview with Guitar World magazine, Iommi explained how his autobiography came together. "I had a chap called TJ Lammers, who I met many, many years ago when he used to work at Phonogram Records," he said. "He later became a journalist and he had his own magazine. He lives in Holland and we've stayed in touch over the years. I've had a few people say, 'Oh, I can write a book for you,' but I wanted a different outlook to the normal music journalist, and that's what happened. He came over to England and stayed with me for a few days. Then he'd write it up, come back again and do more. The whole thing took a couple years to finish."
When asked how his book will be different to the typical rock biography, Iommi said, "I don't know. I don't read rock biographies, so it could be the same, it could be different. It's just my life, really. It's about what happened and what I grew up from, and how I've gone through life to where I am now. It's something I probably should have done a long time ago because there are so many books out now. I've been meaning to do it for many, many years but never got around to it."
The name "Tony Iommi" sends shivers down the spines of guitarists around the world. As lead guitarist and songwriter of BLACK SABBATH, Tony Iommi is considered to be one of the most influential musicians of the past four decades and the inventor of heavy metal. From working-class, Midlands roots, his unique playing style — a result of a disfiguring hand injury he suffered working in a sheet metal factory — created a dark and gothic sound unlike anything that had been heard before and which captured the mood of its time. SABBATH went on to become a superband, playing to massive audiences around the world and selling millions of records, and Iommi led the life of a rock star to the fullest — with the scars from all the drug-fuelled nights of excess and wildness to show for it.
"Iron Man" is the exclusive account of the life and adventures of one of rock's greatest heroes. It chronicles the story of both pioneering guitarist Tony Iommi and legendary band BLACK SABBATH, dubbed "THE BEATLES of heavy metal" by Rolling Stone magazine. "Iron Man" reveals the man behind the icon yet still captures Iommi's humor, intelligence, and warmth. He speaks honestly and unflinchingly about his rough-and-tumble childhood, the accident that almost ended his career, his failed marriages, personal tragedies, battles with addiction, bandmates, famous friends, newfound daughter, and the ups and downs of his life as an artist.
Everything associated with hard rock happened to BLACK SABBATH first: the drugs, the debauchery, the drinking, the dungeons, the pressure, the pain, the conquests, the company men, the contracts, the combustible drummer, the critics, the comebacks, the singers, the Stonehenge set, the music, the money, the madness, the metal.
Brian May (QUEEN): "Tony Iommi is the true father of heavy metal, a continuously creative genius riff-meister, and one of the world's great human beings."
Eddie Van Halen (VAN HALEN): "Without Tony, heavy metal wouldn't exist. He is the creator of heavy! Tony is a legend. He took rock and roll and turned it into heavy metal."
James Hetfield (METALLICA): "Mr. Iommi, aka . . . The Riffmaster. It's all his fault I am where I am."
Ozzy Osbourne (BLACK SABBATH): "Tony Iommi should be up there with the greats. He can pick up a guitar and play a riff that'd knock your fucking socks off."
Tony will be signing copies of "Iron Man" at the following locations in the U.K. and U.S. (more events to be announced):
* Monday, Oct. 17 - London, UK @ HMV FOPP
* Tuesday, Oct. 18 - Birmingham, UK @ HMV
* Wednesday, Oct. 19 - Sheffield, UK @ Waterstones
* Thursday, Oct. 20 - Nottingham, UK @ Waterstones
* Tuesday, Nov. 1 - Ridgewood, NJ @ Bookends (6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.)
Bookends
211 E. Ridgewood Ave.
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
201-445-0726
www.book-ends.com
Please note that Tony will only be signing copies of his book "Iron Man". Any memorabilia or outside items will not be signed.
Da Capo reportedly paid a six-figure amount at auction for the rights to the 352-page book, which was described as "'Angela's Ashes' meets 'The Ground Beneath Her Feet' meets 'Spinal Tap'" by Foundry Literary + Media co-founder Peter McGuigan, who completed the North American rights deal for the memoir.
In a recent interview with Guitar World magazine, Iommi explained how his autobiography came together. "I had a chap called TJ Lammers, who I met many, many years ago when he used to work at Phonogram Records," he said. "He later became a journalist and he had his own magazine. He lives in Holland and we've stayed in touch over the years. I've had a few people say, 'Oh, I can write a book for you,' but I wanted a different outlook to the normal music journalist, and that's what happened. He came over to England and stayed with me for a few days. Then he'd write it up, come back again and do more. The whole thing took a couple years to finish."
When asked how his book will be different to the typical rock biography, Iommi said, "I don't know. I don't read rock biographies, so it could be the same, it could be different. It's just my life, really. It's about what happened and what I grew up from, and how I've gone through life to where I am now. It's something I probably should have done a long time ago because there are so many books out now. I've been meaning to do it for many, many years but never got around to it."
The name "Tony Iommi" sends shivers down the spines of guitarists around the world. As lead guitarist and songwriter of BLACK SABBATH, Tony Iommi is considered to be one of the most influential musicians of the past four decades and the inventor of heavy metal. From working-class, Midlands roots, his unique playing style — a result of a disfiguring hand injury he suffered working in a sheet metal factory — created a dark and gothic sound unlike anything that had been heard before and which captured the mood of its time. SABBATH went on to become a superband, playing to massive audiences around the world and selling millions of records, and Iommi led the life of a rock star to the fullest — with the scars from all the drug-fuelled nights of excess and wildness to show for it.
"Iron Man" is the exclusive account of the life and adventures of one of rock's greatest heroes. It chronicles the story of both pioneering guitarist Tony Iommi and legendary band BLACK SABBATH, dubbed "THE BEATLES of heavy metal" by Rolling Stone magazine. "Iron Man" reveals the man behind the icon yet still captures Iommi's humor, intelligence, and warmth. He speaks honestly and unflinchingly about his rough-and-tumble childhood, the accident that almost ended his career, his failed marriages, personal tragedies, battles with addiction, bandmates, famous friends, newfound daughter, and the ups and downs of his life as an artist.
Everything associated with hard rock happened to BLACK SABBATH first: the drugs, the debauchery, the drinking, the dungeons, the pressure, the pain, the conquests, the company men, the contracts, the combustible drummer, the critics, the comebacks, the singers, the Stonehenge set, the music, the money, the madness, the metal.
Brian May (QUEEN): "Tony Iommi is the true father of heavy metal, a continuously creative genius riff-meister, and one of the world's great human beings."
Eddie Van Halen (VAN HALEN): "Without Tony, heavy metal wouldn't exist. He is the creator of heavy! Tony is a legend. He took rock and roll and turned it into heavy metal."
James Hetfield (METALLICA): "Mr. Iommi, aka . . . The Riffmaster. It's all his fault I am where I am."
Ozzy Osbourne (BLACK SABBATH): "Tony Iommi should be up there with the greats. He can pick up a guitar and play a riff that'd knock your fucking socks off."
The first annual Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund Gala will be held on Tuesday, November 1 at the world-famous Playboy Mansion in Holmby Hills, California. There will be a special performance by ASIA (featuring John Payne), a gourmet dinner, a tour of the grounds (including the grotto) and a full hosted bar. Single tickets are $750.00, "gold" tables are $10,000 and "platinum" tables are $15,000.
Honorees include:
** Tony Martell
Founder, T.J. Martell Foundation
Man on the Silver Mountain Award
** Mike Carden
President, North America, Eagle Rock Entertainment
Rainbow in the Dark Award
** Geezer Butler
Bassist, Black Sabbath/ Heaven & Hell
King of Rock 'n Roll Award
** Sandeep Kapoor, M.D.
Medical Director/Co-Founder, Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund
Sacred Heart Award
** Danny Zelisko
President, Danny Zelisko Presents
Killing the Dragon Award
** Rita Haney
Founder/Widow, Dimebash (in memory of Dimebag Darrell)
Stand Up and Shout Award
Gold Table ($10,000)
* Gold page ad
* Table for 10
* 10 limited-edition commemorative sponsor pins
* Mention on web site and in all event advertising
Platinum Table $15,000
* Platinum page ad
* Table for 12
* 12 limited-edition commemorative sponsor pins
* Mention on web site and in all event advertising
The Ronnie James Dio "Stand Up And Shout" Cancer Fund is a non-profit founded by Ronnie's wife/manager, Wendy Dio, to fund and advocate for cancer research and screenings for society's underprivileged.
For more information, go to <a
href="http://diocancerfund.org/events/"
target="_blank">this location.
Ronnie James Dio was renowned throughout the world as one of the greatest and most influential vocalists in heavy metal history.
The singer, who was recording and touring with SABBATH offshoot HEAVEN & HELL prior to his illness, was diagnosed with stomach cancer in late 2009. He underwent chemotherapy and made what is now his final public appearance in April 2010 at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in Los Angeles.
A free public memorial service was held on May 30, 2010 at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles, attended by more than 1,500 fans, friends and fellow musicians.
This past March, it was announced that the surviving members of the final lineup of DIO would embark on a project with former JUDAS PRIEST frontman Tim "Ripper" Owens under the name DIO DISCIPLES.
Ronnie James Dio, real name Ronald James Padavona, was born in New Hampshire on July 10, 1942.
He moved to Cortland, New York at a young age, where he began playing with local acts. A street in Cortland, Dio Way, was named after him in 1988.
He released his first single, with a band called RONNIE AND THE REDCAPS, in 1959.
His first heavy rock act, ELF, released three albums and opened for DEEP PURPLE, where Dio's voice caught the ear of guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. Blackmore recruited Dio for his own band, RAINBOW, after leaving PURPLE in 1975.
Dio recorded three studio albums and one live set with RAINBOW before exiting in 1978, including "Rising" and "Long Live Rock And Roll".
He replaced Ozzy Osbourne in BLACK SABBATH in 1980, recording the "Heaven And Hell" and "Mob Rules" albums, plus "Live Evil", before leaving in 1982. He rejoined the group 10 years later for an album called "Dehumanizer", and again teamed with the group under the HEAVEN & HELL banner in 2006. HEAVEN & HELL released an album called "The Devil You Know" in 2009.
He has also recorded 10 studio albums with his own band, DIO, including a classic 1983 debut, "Holy Diver", and an equally renowned follow-up, 1984's "The Last In Line".
Dio was also behind the HEAR N' AID project, a collection of metal artists who recorded the track "Stars" in 1985 to raise funds for African famine relief.
</a
Honorees include:
** Tony Martell
Founder, T.J. Martell Foundation
Man on the Silver Mountain Award
** Mike Carden
President, North America, Eagle Rock Entertainment
Rainbow in the Dark Award
** Geezer Butler
Bassist, Black Sabbath/ Heaven & Hell
King of Rock 'n Roll Award
** Sandeep Kapoor, M.D.
Medical Director/Co-Founder, Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund
Sacred Heart Award
** Danny Zelisko
President, Danny Zelisko Presents
Killing the Dragon Award
** Rita Haney
Founder/Widow, Dimebash (in memory of Dimebag Darrell)
Stand Up and Shout Award
Gold Table ($10,000)
* Gold page ad
* Table for 10
* 10 limited-edition commemorative sponsor pins
* Mention on web site and in all event advertising
Platinum Table $15,000
* Platinum page ad
* Table for 12
* 12 limited-edition commemorative sponsor pins
* Mention on web site and in all event advertising
The Ronnie James Dio "Stand Up And Shout" Cancer Fund is a non-profit founded by Ronnie's wife/manager, Wendy Dio, to fund and advocate for cancer research and screenings for society's underprivileged.
For more information, go to <a
href="http://diocancerfund.org/events/"
target="_blank">this location.
Ronnie James Dio was renowned throughout the world as one of the greatest and most influential vocalists in heavy metal history.
The singer, who was recording and touring with SABBATH offshoot HEAVEN & HELL prior to his illness, was diagnosed with stomach cancer in late 2009. He underwent chemotherapy and made what is now his final public appearance in April 2010 at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in Los Angeles.
A free public memorial service was held on May 30, 2010 at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles, attended by more than 1,500 fans, friends and fellow musicians.
This past March, it was announced that the surviving members of the final lineup of DIO would embark on a project with former JUDAS PRIEST frontman Tim "Ripper" Owens under the name DIO DISCIPLES.
Ronnie James Dio, real name Ronald James Padavona, was born in New Hampshire on July 10, 1942.
He moved to Cortland, New York at a young age, where he began playing with local acts. A street in Cortland, Dio Way, was named after him in 1988.
He released his first single, with a band called RONNIE AND THE REDCAPS, in 1959.
His first heavy rock act, ELF, released three albums and opened for DEEP PURPLE, where Dio's voice caught the ear of guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. Blackmore recruited Dio for his own band, RAINBOW, after leaving PURPLE in 1975.
Dio recorded three studio albums and one live set with RAINBOW before exiting in 1978, including "Rising" and "Long Live Rock And Roll".
He replaced Ozzy Osbourne in BLACK SABBATH in 1980, recording the "Heaven And Hell" and "Mob Rules" albums, plus "Live Evil", before leaving in 1982. He rejoined the group 10 years later for an album called "Dehumanizer", and again teamed with the group under the HEAVEN & HELL banner in 2006. HEAVEN & HELL released an album called "The Devil You Know" in 2009.
He has also recorded 10 studio albums with his own band, DIO, including a classic 1983 debut, "Holy Diver", and an equally renowned follow-up, 1984's "The Last In Line".
Dio was also behind the HEAR N' AID project, a collection of metal artists who recorded the track "Stars" in 1985 to raise funds for African famine relief.
</a
Paul Stanley, rhythm guitarist of KISS, has been rocking the Starchild for nearly 40 years, over which time the group has accumulated 24 gold albums -- more than any other American band. But perhaps even more importantly, in that time he has managed to shave about an hour and a half off of the two hours he once needed to do his makeup. "I don't know that it's much different than the boxers and the UFC fighters before they go in the ring," he says. "They're in the locker room going through their rituals and their paces to get ready to defend their title. Every time we step out onstage, we have a title to live up to."
Stanley spoke to us in conjunction with KISS' efforts for City of Hope, a National Cancer Institute-affiliated organization located just northeast of L.A. dedicated to curing life-threatening diseases. After all, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, y'all. He also spoke about the launching of the KISS "Navy" and why so many other bands are boring.
KISS fans are intensely devoted. Why do you think that is?
Well, part of it has to do with how boring most bands are. [Laughs.] I don't necessarily want to buy a t-shirt with a guy on it who looks like my neighbor. And I think KISS has always been about celebrating self-empowerment. Celebrating the idea that anything is possible with determination and hard work. We're the proof of that....There are no fans more rabid or devoted than KISS fans. KISS fans are what all other fans are measured against. That's how it came to be known as the KISS Army.
Well, part of it has to do with how boring most bands are. [Laughs.] I don't necessarily want to buy a t-shirt with a guy on it who looks like my neighbor. And I think KISS has always been about celebrating self-empowerment. Celebrating the idea that anything is possible with determination and hard work. We're the proof of that....There are no fans more rabid or devoted than KISS fans. KISS fans are what all other fans are measured against. That's how it came to be known as the KISS Army.
You just announced the title of your new album, Monster. Can we expect a KISS tour in support of the record?
Sure. We ultimately have always seen ourselves as a live band that prides itself not only in playing music but in entertaining. And I say "entertainment" in capital letters with lights flashing around it. We're proud of that. There's nothing worse than going to a concert and paying for a high-priced ticket and seeing somebody stroll out onto stage and sit on a stool. You kind of wonder where your money went.
Sure. We ultimately have always seen ourselves as a live band that prides itself not only in playing music but in entertaining. And I say "entertainment" in capital letters with lights flashing around it. We're proud of that. There's nothing worse than going to a concert and paying for a high-priced ticket and seeing somebody stroll out onto stage and sit on a stool. You kind of wonder where your money went.
The first ever KISS cruise is coming up later this month. What do you think that's going to be like?
Mayhem! [Laughs.] This is a great opportunity for the rabid fans, of which there are multitudes, to buy onto a cruse ship. We'll be doing two shows on it. And as opposed to the KISS Army, it's the launching of the KISS Navy.
Mayhem! [Laughs.] This is a great opportunity for the rabid fans, of which there are multitudes, to buy onto a cruse ship. We'll be doing two shows on it. And as opposed to the KISS Army, it's the launching of the KISS Navy.
This brings to mind a relatively new army of devoted fans -- Lady GaGa's Little Monsters. I know GaGa is a fan of KISS. Any chance of a KISS/GaGa collaboration?
Anything's possible. She's terrific, and it's not improbable.
Anything's possible. She's terrific, and it's not improbable.
What got you interested in working with City of Hope?
Whenever anybody comes to me with a way that I can give something back, it would be ungrateful at this point in my life to not say yes. When you're in a position to have gotten so much, the gift at this point is giving back. There's nothing more heartbreaking than seeing children who are critically ill. And here's a way to make a solid and tangible contribution towards either helping those afflicted or eradicating these devastating illnesses.
Whenever anybody comes to me with a way that I can give something back, it would be ungrateful at this point in my life to not say yes. When you're in a position to have gotten so much, the gift at this point is giving back. There's nothing more heartbreaking than seeing children who are critically ill. And here's a way to make a solid and tangible contribution towards either helping those afflicted or eradicating these devastating illnesses.
Fifty percent of the proceeds from KISS t-shirt's bought at CityofHopeShop.com go to the charity.
According to RadioAndMusic.com, MTV India will broadcast METALLICA's first-ever concert in India. The channel, in association with F1 Rocks, will telecast the one-hour special of historic METALLICA performance one week after the live event.
F1 Rocks and MTV have organized a nationwide band hunt where a lucky band selected through online voting will get an opportunity of a lifetime to perform at the concert. MTV will telecast this nationwide search as four half-hour episodes.
MTV India channel head Aditya Swamy said, "MTV reaches approximately 130 million people across 40 million homes and it's a huge thing for MTV to broadcast the most awaited concert in India in association with F1 Rocks. METALLICA concert will boost the Indian economy as international acts tend to do well in the live-music circuit in an emerging economy like India."
METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo revealed the band's plans to play India in an April interview with the Inland Empire Weekly magazine.
"We are going to play India in October," he said. "That should be interesting, playing a place we never thought in our wildest dreams we'd [go] to play. It's an honor for all of us that we get to be a part of that whole music scene as a metal band sharing our music with fans in India at this incredible concert!
DNA Entertainment Networks, which has previously brought international names like IRON MAIDEN, MEGADETH, SCORPIONS, ROGER WATERS and DEEP PURPLE to Indian shores, was responsible for booking METALLICA's Indian concerts.
F1 Rocks and MTV have organized a nationwide band hunt where a lucky band selected through online voting will get an opportunity of a lifetime to perform at the concert. MTV will telecast this nationwide search as four half-hour episodes.
MTV India channel head Aditya Swamy said, "MTV reaches approximately 130 million people across 40 million homes and it's a huge thing for MTV to broadcast the most awaited concert in India in association with F1 Rocks. METALLICA concert will boost the Indian economy as international acts tend to do well in the live-music circuit in an emerging economy like India."
METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo revealed the band's plans to play India in an April interview with the Inland Empire Weekly magazine.
"We are going to play India in October," he said. "That should be interesting, playing a place we never thought in our wildest dreams we'd [go] to play. It's an honor for all of us that we get to be a part of that whole music scene as a metal band sharing our music with fans in India at this incredible concert!
DNA Entertainment Networks, which has previously brought international names like IRON MAIDEN, MEGADETH, SCORPIONS, ROGER WATERS and DEEP PURPLE to Indian shores, was responsible for booking METALLICA's Indian concerts.
MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine will be interviewed on "The Metal Meltdown With Clutch" radio show this Thursday, October 6. Host Clutch Rocks! will talk with Mustaine about MEGADETH's new album "TH1RT3EN", the recent "Big Four" concerts (where MEGADETH performed alongside METALLICA, SLAYER and ANTHRAX), his autobiography "Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir", his impending neck surgery, life, death, metal, faith and more.
"The Metal Meltdown with Clutch" airs weekly Thursday nights from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central on 106.7 The Source in Austin, Texas and can be heard worldwide on www.thesource.fm. The show brings listeners three hours of metal, hardcore, hard rock and more along with interviews with the biggest names in the scene.
"TH1RT3EN" was recorded at Dave Mustaine's Vic's Garage studio in San Marcos, California with producer Johnny K (full name: John Karkazis), who has previously worked with DISTURBED, SEVENDUST, MACHINE HEAD and STAIND, among others. The artwork was once again created by artist John Lorenzi, who worked on the last two MEGADETH studio albums, 2007's "United Abominations" and 2009's "Endgame", as well as the band's 2007 box set, "Warchest".
"TH1RT3EN" marks the recorded return of bassist David Ellefson who was part of the band's classic lineup from 1983 to 2002. In a move that delighted the band's legion of diehards, Ellefson returned to performing live with MEGADETH in early 2010 and has remained a fixture on the stage ever since. This is the first time Ellefson has played on a MEGADETH record since 2002's "Rude Awakening".
MEGADETH filmed the "Public Enemy No. 1" video on September 17 in Santa Clarita, California. The clip was shot on a movie set where old Westerns are filmed.
"The Metal Meltdown with Clutch" airs weekly Thursday nights from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central on 106.7 The Source in Austin, Texas and can be heard worldwide on www.thesource.fm. The show brings listeners three hours of metal, hardcore, hard rock and more along with interviews with the biggest names in the scene.
"TH1RT3EN" was recorded at Dave Mustaine's Vic's Garage studio in San Marcos, California with producer Johnny K (full name: John Karkazis), who has previously worked with DISTURBED, SEVENDUST, MACHINE HEAD and STAIND, among others. The artwork was once again created by artist John Lorenzi, who worked on the last two MEGADETH studio albums, 2007's "United Abominations" and 2009's "Endgame", as well as the band's 2007 box set, "Warchest".
"TH1RT3EN" marks the recorded return of bassist David Ellefson who was part of the band's classic lineup from 1983 to 2002. In a move that delighted the band's legion of diehards, Ellefson returned to performing live with MEGADETH in early 2010 and has remained a fixture on the stage ever since. This is the first time Ellefson has played on a MEGADETH record since 2002's "Rude Awakening".
MEGADETH filmed the "Public Enemy No. 1" video on September 17 in Santa Clarita, California. The clip was shot on a movie set where old Westerns are filmed.
Norwegian powerhouse vocalist Jorn Lande (MASTERPLAN, AVANTASIA) will support MOTÖRHEAD on the following Scandinavian tour dates:
Dec. 02 - Denmark, Aalborg - Skraeen Multi
Dec. 04 - Denmark, Copenhagen - Vega Main Hall
Dec. 05 - Norway, Oslo - Sentrum Scene
Dec. 07 - Norway, Bergen - Peer Gynt Salen
Dec. 09 - Sweden, Gothenburg - Lisebergshallen
Dec. 10 - Sweden, Stockholm - Arenan
Dec. 12 - Sweden, Örebro - Conventum
Dec. 13 - Sweden, Sundsvall - Sporthallen
Dec. 15 - Sweden, Lulea - Pontushallen
Dec. 17 - Finland, Tampere - Pakkahuone
Dec. 18 - Finland, Helsinki - Cable Factory
South American fans had experienced Jorn Lande live as frontman for MASTERPLAN and recently on the world tour with AVANTASIA "The Flying Opera", but in July he visited South America for the first time under the JORN banner.
JORN lineup for South American tour:
Jorn Lande: Vocals
Tore Moren: Guitar
Trond Holter: Guitar
Nic Angileri: Bass
Willy Bendiksen: Drums
Jorn Lande's "Live In Black" 2-CD/DVD set was released in August via Frontiers Records. The concert was recorded on June 10, 2010 at the Sweden Rock Festival in front of more than 25,000 people.
2010 was a significant year in Jorn's career. Besides releasing a tribute album to his hero Ronnie James Dio, Jorn was invited to perform, alongside Glenn Hughes, with HEAVEN & HELL at their final concert, which was held in July 2010 at the High Voltage festival in Victoria Park, London, England.
Just a few weeks earlier, Jorn appeared at the Sweden Rock Festival, in Sölvesborg and blew the crowd of more than 25,000 fans away.
"The special thing with 'Live In Black' is that it captures a very rough, uncut and spontaneous moment in the band's history," says Jorn Lande. "It was a hectic day, with many interviews and several TV appearances and I also had to do a short speech and statement regarding the great Ronnie James Dio's untimely passing a few weeks earlier. The whole festival became in the spirit of Ronnie, and it was very moving to see everyone there, including the artists honoring his memory."
A new original Jorn album is already in the works and scheduled for an early 2012 release.
Lande performed with the surviving HEAVEN & HELL members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice at a very special tribute to their fallen bandmate, Ronnie James Dio, at last year's High Voltage festival on July 24 at Victoria Park in London, England. The musicians were also joined by legendary former DEEP PURPLE and BLACK SABBATH man Glenn Hughes. Jorn also honored the musical legacy of Ronnie James Dio with a full-length album, which was released on July 2, 2010 in Europe and July 27, 2010 in the U.S. via Frontiers Records.
Dec. 02 - Denmark, Aalborg - Skraeen Multi
Dec. 04 - Denmark, Copenhagen - Vega Main Hall
Dec. 05 - Norway, Oslo - Sentrum Scene
Dec. 07 - Norway, Bergen - Peer Gynt Salen
Dec. 09 - Sweden, Gothenburg - Lisebergshallen
Dec. 10 - Sweden, Stockholm - Arenan
Dec. 12 - Sweden, Örebro - Conventum
Dec. 13 - Sweden, Sundsvall - Sporthallen
Dec. 15 - Sweden, Lulea - Pontushallen
Dec. 17 - Finland, Tampere - Pakkahuone
Dec. 18 - Finland, Helsinki - Cable Factory
South American fans had experienced Jorn Lande live as frontman for MASTERPLAN and recently on the world tour with AVANTASIA "The Flying Opera", but in July he visited South America for the first time under the JORN banner.
JORN lineup for South American tour:
Jorn Lande: Vocals
Tore Moren: Guitar
Trond Holter: Guitar
Nic Angileri: Bass
Willy Bendiksen: Drums
Jorn Lande's "Live In Black" 2-CD/DVD set was released in August via Frontiers Records. The concert was recorded on June 10, 2010 at the Sweden Rock Festival in front of more than 25,000 people.
2010 was a significant year in Jorn's career. Besides releasing a tribute album to his hero Ronnie James Dio, Jorn was invited to perform, alongside Glenn Hughes, with HEAVEN & HELL at their final concert, which was held in July 2010 at the High Voltage festival in Victoria Park, London, England.
Just a few weeks earlier, Jorn appeared at the Sweden Rock Festival, in Sölvesborg and blew the crowd of more than 25,000 fans away.
"The special thing with 'Live In Black' is that it captures a very rough, uncut and spontaneous moment in the band's history," says Jorn Lande. "It was a hectic day, with many interviews and several TV appearances and I also had to do a short speech and statement regarding the great Ronnie James Dio's untimely passing a few weeks earlier. The whole festival became in the spirit of Ronnie, and it was very moving to see everyone there, including the artists honoring his memory."
A new original Jorn album is already in the works and scheduled for an early 2012 release.
Lande performed with the surviving HEAVEN & HELL members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice at a very special tribute to their fallen bandmate, Ronnie James Dio, at last year's High Voltage festival on July 24 at Victoria Park in London, England. The musicians were also joined by legendary former DEEP PURPLE and BLACK SABBATH man Glenn Hughes. Jorn also honored the musical legacy of Ronnie James Dio with a full-length album, which was released on July 2, 2010 in Europe and July 27, 2010 in the U.S. via Frontiers Records.
20 years ago, Christopher Joseph Ward was given the opportunity that any fan of any band can only dream about. Ward would become known and loved by fans as CJ Ramone and for seven years injected some youthful energy and fun into the Ramones. CJ also became a huge part of the heart and soul of the Ramones.
I was lucky enough to talk to CJ from his home in NYC and we talked about his opinions on the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame, his love for metal and reggae music and how it is being back on the road after many years of absence from the scene. This was a real treat for me and I just know you all will love this one. Sit back and enjoy it! Hey Ho Let's Go!
CJ, Thanks for doing this man! How are things in NYC today?
Man, not too bad. It's a little overcast today but it's not too bad!
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Are you loving this cool weather or what? Time to bust out the leather.
Oh yeah. This was a pretty brutal summer [laughs].
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You just wrapped up your "American Punk" tour and and the show here in Atlanta was so much fun. How much fun was it to get back out there on the road after so long?
Thanks a lot. This tour was a long time coming. I had kind of sworn off doing any kind of Ramones thing for the longest time. 2009 was my 20th anniversary of joining The Ramones and I just wanted to go out and do some shows just to celebrate that and celebrate the music of The Ramones. It turned out to be a really good time and people dug it a lot and after we did those first couple of shows the requests for more shows started rolling in. We kept it rolling and it just took on a life of its own so I'm just going with it at this point.
You brought back the spirit of The Ramones but you did it in your own way and made it a really cool experience. I've heard a lot of mixed emotions from fans. What kind of feedback did you get from the fans on this tour?
For the most part it's been really positive as far as the fans that I've talked to and the reviews that we've been getting. I know there have been some comments from within the Ramones organization saying that we were just a cover band or something but ya know what? I really don't care. I love The Ramones. I was a huge fan before I ever joined the band. People can call it whatever they like but I'm just trying to keep the legacy going and give some of the fans who weren't even born or were old enough to see The Ramones the opportunity to hear these songs live. I feel like we really capture the energy of The Ramones. I'm not saying that in any way, shape or form that we sound or look just like The Ramones. I sincerely believe that we've done a good job capturing the energy. Realistically every show is just a celebration. It's just me celebrating with the fans how great The Ramones were. That's really how I look at it. They were one of the greatest, if not thee greatest, rock n' roll band of all time. To me it's just a shame for all the fans now to not get an opportunity to get to at least hear some of what The Ramones were like live.
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As a long time fan I thought you did it right CJ. I also have to say that as a fan, I get frustrated and even jaded over all the negative press, litigations and lawsuits so it was nice to see you just out there reminding everyone that it's about the music and those timeless songs.
Thank you man. Since the Ramones retired there has been so much negative stuff going on. There are all these books and documentaries about how Johnny and Joey hated each other and who has control now and who's part of the organization and who's not. There's been so much drama and bullshit. For a band that was so awesome and made so many people happy and to have all that greatness reduced down to a soap opera to me is just so pointless. What made the Ramones great had nothing to do with their personal relationships between each other and the people around them. It had to do with the music and the scene. That's just another reason for me to get out there and keep doing this to remind people that all that stuff doesn't mean anything. What counts is what they put down on vinyl and gave to their fans musically and in the live show. Everything else is just bullshit.
Speaking of the documentaries, have you been approached to do a book about your story as a member of The Ramones?
I actually have been working on a book for a long time. I'm in no way an author so it's taking me a really long time [laughs]. I tried writing it with somebody else but it didn't sound good to me in somebody else's words so I just sat down to write it myself. Life being what it is, I have three kids now so I write when I can so I'll finish it when I finish it. I was all concerned about deadlines and worrying about a book deal but then I just realized I just have to put all that stuff to the side and concentrate on writing. My experience with The Ramones was totally different than everyone elses. My experience was awesome. I went from being in the Marine Corps to being in The Ramones. It was a great experience but it definitely wasn't all candy canes, sunshine and the Easter Bunny [laughs]. There were some negative things about it. My book will just be my take on it and my take on it was awesome. It was really really fun. It will be more of the lighter side of touring than everything else. Most of the things I've seen on the Ramones are either bashing Johnny or talking about Joey being OCD. The two most ridiculous, meaningless things and I'm like really? C'mon.
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CJ, you pretty much lived the dream of any fan of a band by getting to be a member of The Ramones. Can you tell me about how you felt when you got the call that they wanted you in the band?
Oh man. Well, I got the call while I was in military jail [laughs]. It was pretty interesting. Just to have Johnny Ramone calling you while you're in jail alone was surreal to say the least. The only way I can really describe it is imagine if you got that phone call and were told that you got the gig. That's what I always try to get across to everybody. I was a fan just like you and every other Ramones fan so to get the opportunity to be in the band, I'm sure you can relate just how that would feel it would have been you. It was nothing I could ever dream of happening in my life.
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In 2002 The Ramones were inducted into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame. You were not present for the ceremony and it left some of us fans scratching our heads. What happened?
Ya know, I've been asked about that before and honestly, I don't give a shit about the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame [laughs]. It's just a bunch of fat old men in suits. I don't need a pat on the back from them. Johnny and Joey told me what my contribution to the band was and what I meant to the band. The fans have told me me what my contribution to the band was and what I meant to the band and I'm comfortable with that. That's all I ever really gave a shit about. I was never into gold records and all that horseshit. That's the stupid end of the music business that feeds people's egos. I'm totally comfortable and happy as hell to have been part of The Ramones legacy, doing what I did with them and getting to be friends with guys I used to idolize. The last thing I need is a pat on the back from anybody. I appreciate what the fans have to say and I appreciate it when I hear it from my peers. That means the world to me but the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame? Who gives a shit? Look at the bands they induct. It's not even the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame anymore. It's the Music Hall of Fame [laughs]. They put shit in there that has nothing to do with Rock N' Roll.
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Speaking of your former band mates, on this last tour, you played a new song called "3 Angels on My Shoulder." It was a really great and touching dedication to Johnny, Joey and Dee Dee. What else can we expect from the album?
Thanks man. The album really is a tribute to The Ramones. I didn't sit down and say, "I'm going to write Ramones sounding songs." I wrote it as a tribute to Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee and Tommy. It was my moment of thanking them for everything they did before I came along and for all the great times I had in my life as a fan. It's a lot like a Ramones record. It has everything from the Joey and Dee Dee type of pop love songs to more of the hardcore style stuff. These are songs that I've written over the course of the last couple of years and I'm really excited to get it finished up and get it out. It'll be called "Reconquista." That's kind of how I see this album. It's me kind of taking back a little bit of my musical life. I haven't liked any new music for a long time. The stuff that's considered punk rock for a long time just hasn't moved me. The bands look like punk rock but they don't sound like it. The Ramones music started a revolution once before so I'm kind of hoping by me going out and playing these songs that maybe I can get something fired up again with these kids who are kind of getting re-schooled on what punk rock really is.
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Yeah, I agree. To me punk rock was more than just mohawks, piercings and leather. Punk rock was more attitude than anything. The Ramones songs were just good solid rock n' roll songs but with that attitude. I mean, even the Rolling Stones could be more punk than most punk bands out today.
Absolutely. I always say that if you look back in music, Elvis Presley was a punk. Jerry Lee Lewis was a punk. They were just guys who said, "Fuck You" to everybody and to what everybody thought about music or what was appropriate. They just went out there did their own thing and that's what a real punk is.
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When the Ramones called it a day back in 1995, you guys really called it a day. How do you feel about bands who reunite with only a few and in some cases zero original members?
It really depends on what they're doing and how they're putting it out. The New York Dolls just went out this summer with Motley Crue and Poison. I was thinking to myself, "Holy shit. How the hell could the New York Dolls ever be considered in the same category as Motley Crue and Poison?" I understand the marketing concept of it. Get the New York Dolls in front of a crowd of people who like that glam thing and maybe they'll gain a couple of fans out of it. Some bands like them get back together and they've got a couple of new guys and a couple of original members or they bring in a couple of guys from that same time period and scene. To me there's nothing wrong with that.
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As a member of The Ramones, you did three great studio albums and the live album "Loco Live." My personal favorite was "Mondo Bizzaro." That album gets hated on a lot and I just don't get it. What was your personal favorite Ramones album that you were a part of?
It's funny because I really like that one. The only album that I completely hated that I was a part of was "Loco Live." I thought that one was terrible [laughs]. I liked all of the albums that I played on. The fact that I got to sing some songs that Dee Dee (Ramone; former bassist/songwriter) wrote and a lot of the songs, particularly Joey's songs and Dee Dee's songs I really liked them a lot. I liked the records I played on but when I think of my favorite Ramones records they're the first 4 for 5 records. Those are the records I grew up with. I meet fans all the time that tell me that they're favorite album is "Mondo Bizzaro" or that their favorite song is "Scattergun." As they're telling me this I'm thinking, "Jesus. Have you heard the first couple of albums?" [laughs] It really depends on what you hear and where you are in your life.
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That's so true. The first Ramones album I ever heard was "Road To Ruin." That will always be my favorite Ramones album but I really loved those later albums you were a part of. I also loved that as a metal head I could connect with them, especially on "Mondo Bizzaro" where The Ramones were almost crossing into that world a bit. It was such a heavy album. Speaking of metal, I heard that you were approached by Metallica to replace Jason Newstead.
I was approached about joining Metallica not once but twice [laughs]. When Jason first left the band they approached me. A while had gone by and they were having a hard time finding someone so they approached me again. At the time my son had been diagnosed with Autism and there was just no way I could leave him. Johnny (Ramone) was actually the one who hooked me up with the audition because he was friends with Kirk Hammett. I talked to my son's doctor and explained the opportunity and that I could bring my family out on the road and even hire a nurse. The doctor just told me that my son needed to wake up in the same place every day, he needs to have meals at the same time every day and he needs to go to school everyday and be around other kids. He said that anything other than that could be a detriment. I was honored that they asked me but there was just no way I could do it. The beautiful part about it all is that now my son is in regular classes at school. He's on the high honor roll and he's even starting his own band now with a couple of friends of his. The change in him from when he was a kid is amazing. I'm not taking credit for it all. There were a lot of people who helped him along the way. If I had not been here, I don't know that the outcome would have been as good and that totally justifies my decision. I have no regrets. It would've been great to play with Metallica after being in the Ramones. Jesus, that would be just like a too perfect life [laughs].
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One can only imagine what that sound would have been!
Oh yeah. Believe me, it would've been great. I would've really enjoyed it. I've always been a huge metal fan. Black Sabbath is absolutely my favorite band of all time. I loved all that really dark stuff. Playing in Metallica would have been a second dream come true but like I said, things worked out really good for my son and I have no remorse and no regrets.
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Kudos to you man. I'm glad your son is doing awesome and ready to rock out [laughs].
[laughs] Yeah. That's funny because my daughter is a cellist and a piano player and he's also a major punk rock fan. She's wanting me to teach her how to play bass. It's just funny that my kids who were completely uninterested in the fact that I ever played music when they were younger are now totally enamored with it and are looking to be rockstars themselves at some point. It's actually gratifying for me. The fact that the first time they saw me play live was on stage at MSG with Pearl Jam in front of thousands probably had something to do with it [laughs].
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How did your son's battle with autism change your life for the most part?
I would like to say that there was some big moment where the clouds parted and the sun came out and knowledge fell on me. Honestly, I approached that situation the way I approach most things in my life. When he was diagnosed, there was no mourning process or tears or sorrow. I was actually relieved and my first question was, "What do I need to do to give my son the best shot that he's going to have?" In my life, that's just how I approach everything. I would like to say that there is some big spiritual lesson in there but for me it's just a lot of hard work. Any situation you come to in your life can be overcome by just blocking out all of the emotional "whoa is me" and felling sorry for yourself and just concentrate on the work part of it. Instead of looking at the problem so hard, look for the solution and while it may not be spiritually fulfilling, the gratifcation you get at the end knowing that your hard work paid off is worth it. That's really how I do most thing whether it was auditioning for The Ramones or learning that my son was autistic or the military. I know that's probably not the best sounding answer but really for me it was just about hard work and doing what needed to be done.
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CJ, let's have some fun bro. I always try and ask some fun questions to mix things up because I know you probably get asked the same ones a million times. What is the one question that you makes you want to scream every time you get asked it?
There's really nothing that I hate getting asked. There are questions that I've been asked a million times but they are questions that everybody wonders about. Like "How did it feel when you got asked to join The Ramones?" [laughs] The only questions I really dislike are when people ask about personal relationships with Johnny and Joey and how did I feel about it. That's people's personal lives ya know? They say, "When you become a public person, you then make your personal life public." To me that's a media created thing so that they have this opportunity to ask whatever the hell they want. In my opinion, I don't think the fans really care about that. Me, as a fan, I don't care about that stuff. If I like their music, that's all I care about. Do I care if they have a thing for transvestite prostitutes? No. That's not my business and I don't care about that. Do I really care about Angelina Jolie adopting a kid from Africa? Does that make me think that she's a great person? No. It makes me think that she has a good PR person who makes sure she's doing the right thing [laughs].
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CJ, at what point did you know you wanted a life in music?
The bands that made me say, "I wanna play bass and be a rock star" was Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden. It was those two bands that made me want to do it. I started wearing knee braces because I had a growth spurt and it tore up all the connective tissue in my knees so I couldn't play sports any more. I told my dad that I wanted a bass guitar. The first band I ever played in I was like 13 or so. It was just some friends of mine who got together and had a band and needed a bassist. We played everything from The Beatles to Black Sabbath. Whatever we could technically handle, we played. We would do The Cars, Joe Jackson. We did the craziest mix of music [laughs]. We did a bunch of Rush songs, and even did some Yes. If we could play it, we played it. When you're first starting out like I was, you just play what everyone else is going to play and that's what I did. We didn't even have a name [laughs]. I loved it and that's when I realized I really loved playing.
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That is awesome. I'm a huge Maiden fan.
Oh yeah. Most people don't believe I'm a metal fan. When The Ramones were on tour with White Zombie back in 95 or 96, one day their guitar player J (Yunger) came into our dressing room. We were talking and I told him I was a huge metal fan. He didn't believe me so I told him, "Name any Iron Maiden song off of the first three albums." He started naming them and I just started playing them. I probably hadn't played a lot of them since I was 18 or 19 years old [laughs]. He was going for the really obscure older ones like "Genghis Khan" and what not and I was just busting them out one after the other and he says, "Alright. You're a metal head" [laughs].
You always seem to make time for the fans after a show by signing stuff, taking photos and talking to them. Over the past few years, bands like KISS, Alice Cooper and Testament have been charging their fans for the opportunity to meet them. What is your opinion on this.
Honestly, I don't blame them and I'll tell you why. What's happened in the music business is because of the free download thing it's basically turned bands into t-shirt salesmen and entertainers. A huge part of the market has been cut out. When the digital download thing came around it completely gutted the marked. It really did. Now everyone is trying to find a way to make up for lost profits. Do I think it's cool to charge the fans? Not particularly but it also depends on what you're giving them. To sit down at a table and charge people for autographs is kind of eh, ya know? I sign autographs on the way out to the van and if I stop and sign an autograph for free, why should I come in and stand across a table from them and charge them? If they're doing something where the fans pay to come in to sound check and go out to dinner with the band and get backstage passes and stuff like that, I think that's ok. It's still kind of weird though because you're charging people to hang out with you. If you're charging people just to come in and get autographs, no way. You owe that to your fans but something like having them at sound check or to have a meal with you, then you're sacrificing your personal time. On the road you have very little time where you just get to relax and I'm not talking about the time you sit in the van traveling. That's not personal time. Meal time, hotel room, that's personal time so when you start sacrificing that, I can see charging people for it because now you're making your entire day work. Your gut reaction to hearing something like that is always like, "Oh man, what a scumbag. The fans make your career possible." That's absolutely true and I totally understand that but at some point, you have to draw the line.
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Aside from being a metal fan, are there any bands or styles of music that we would be surprised to hear that you are a fan of?
Oh man, I listen to everything. I'm a huge reggae fan. At home I listen to a lot of reggae. I'm also a huge country western fan. I'm a music fan. I'm don't just dig one thing. I'm a music fan and I love music. I love classical music. I listen to a lot of old country and one of my all time favorite artists is Johnny Cash. I love all that old stuff. Hank Williams, Patsy Cline. I totally love it. I love rockabilly. I just love music and that's why I keep playing because it's what I love.
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I'm the same way. I don't really like specific genres of music. I just like good music. If it's good then I'll love it and listen to it.
That's what I try to teach my kids. It doesn't matter what music you listen to. There's always someone that does it really well. There are certain types of music that I don't like. Like I don't like Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber. I don't dig that stuff at all [laughs]. It's mindless music that people who aren't so deeply into music can listen to, it's unoffensive and they dig it. I understand that there's a place for it but personally, I can't stand it [laughs]
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If Hollywood were to call you and tell you that they were making a movie about your life, who would play you?
[laughs] Ah man. [laughs] Oh that's a tough one. Let me think. Man, this is a good one [laughs]. Maybe Ed Norton. That's the best one I can come up with [laughs].
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CJ, if you could do it all again, is there anything you would do differently?
I wish that I would have learned to read and write music. I wish I would've got more into the theory side of it. I also wish I would've written more songs while I was with The Ramones. That would have been cool. Not for the money or anything but because I feel like the stuff I put out like the Bad Chopper record and my new record, I wish I would've had some of these songs while The Ramones were still together because I think it would have made the albums that I played on even better. For the most part, I don't really have any regrets though.
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So what can we expect from CJ Ramone in the rest of 2011 and into 2012?
I'm going to get this new CD finished up and recorded and get that out and I'm going to hit the road early next year and start touring again. There's one thing that we didn't really talk about and I never really had a chance to explain it to the fans as to where I was all these years and why I wasn't out touring. My personal life just got super complicated for a long time. I was caught up in a lot of stuff and it was difficult. Just as of late things have cleared up some. Things have got a lot less complicated and I'm hoping that 2012 will be the year that I get back to doing music as much as I'd like to. With my luck, 2012 will be when the world ends [laughs]. I really am hoping that I will be able to take it on full on. I just want to be able to do this as much as I want to.
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CJ, I can't thank you enough for doing this. This has been a real honor and a treat. I'm really looking forward to the new album and we'll have a beer next time you get to Atlanta!
Absolutely man. Thanks a lot. I really appreciate it.
For more on CJ Ramone, go to http://www.cjramone.com
Maryland rockers CLUTCH have just announced their annual holiday shows for 2011. The guys will be playing five shows starting in Boston, Massachusetts on December 27 and culminating with an epic New Year's Eve performance at the famed Trocadero in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Support on these dates will come from CORROSION OF CONFORMITY and KYNG.
The details are as follows:
Dec. 27 - Boston, MA @ House of Blues
Dec. 28 - Portland, ME @ The State Theater
Dec. 29 - Syracuse, NY @ Westcott Theater
Dec. 30 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
Dec. 31 - Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
Tickets for these special shows go on sale tomorrow, October 4 for the Artist Arena fan club presale, and the general public on sale is this Friday, October 7.
In other CLUTCH news, Weathermaker Music has confirmed the release date of November 29 for the "Blast Tyrant" double vinyl package. More information is available at this location.
American beer masters New Belgium brewing company have teamed up with CLUTCH to brew, bottle and distribute the brand new CLUTCH beer! The 9% alcohol by volume dark sour ale joins New Belgium's Lips Of Faith Series, adding to a beer family which already includes the highly popular Fat Tire Ale, which is now sold in over 32 of the 48 continental United States. The beer is available in 22 oz. bottles and a limited amount of kegs.
New Belgium and CLUTCH (the band) officially unleashed the ale at a very special kickoff event at which members of CLUTCH and their label Weathermaker Music were present.
CLUTCH initially intended to play just a six-or-so-song acoustic set, including a new track at this time called "Newt". But since everyone was in rather good spirits, the crowd was treated to several full-on electric numbers such as "The Devil And Me", "The Yeti", "Elephant Riders", "Big News I" and "Big News II".
The details are as follows:
Dec. 27 - Boston, MA @ House of Blues
Dec. 28 - Portland, ME @ The State Theater
Dec. 29 - Syracuse, NY @ Westcott Theater
Dec. 30 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
Dec. 31 - Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
Tickets for these special shows go on sale tomorrow, October 4 for the Artist Arena fan club presale, and the general public on sale is this Friday, October 7.
In other CLUTCH news, Weathermaker Music has confirmed the release date of November 29 for the "Blast Tyrant" double vinyl package. More information is available at this location.
American beer masters New Belgium brewing company have teamed up with CLUTCH to brew, bottle and distribute the brand new CLUTCH beer! The 9% alcohol by volume dark sour ale joins New Belgium's Lips Of Faith Series, adding to a beer family which already includes the highly popular Fat Tire Ale, which is now sold in over 32 of the 48 continental United States. The beer is available in 22 oz. bottles and a limited amount of kegs.
New Belgium and CLUTCH (the band) officially unleashed the ale at a very special kickoff event at which members of CLUTCH and their label Weathermaker Music were present.
CLUTCH initially intended to play just a six-or-so-song acoustic set, including a new track at this time called "Newt". But since everyone was in rather good spirits, the crowd was treated to several full-on electric numbers such as "The Devil And Me", "The Yeti", "Elephant Riders", "Big News I" and "Big News II".
Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach will be the featured guest on tomorrow night's (Tuesday, October 4) edition of "George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight" (formerly "The Hour"). The program, which airs at 11:00 p.m. on CBC in Canada, is hosted by Canadian television and radio personality George Stroumboulopoulos and is taped at the Canadian Broadcasting Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in front of a live studio audience.
11 years ago, while doing an interview with a young George Stroumboulopoulos, Sebastian's passion led to a dramatic scene: Bach actually walked out on George part way through their conversation, after an unappreciated reference to the band POISON. George and Sebastian haven't spoken since, and have never been able to patch things up; now, they'll finally get their chance. Plus, there's plenty to talk about: Sebastian's got a new record, "Kicking & Screaming", which was written in the wake of a divorce and Sebastian losing his house to Hurricane Irene.
Bach's appearance on "George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight" was taped on September 22.
Sebastian Bach's new solo album, "Kicking & Screaming", was released on September 27 via Frontiers Records. The CD was produced by Bob Marlette (BLACK SABBATH, SHINEDOWN, ATREYU, FILTER) and features young virtuosic guitarist Nick Sterling and drum pro Bobby Jarzombek (HALFORD, RIOT, ICED EARTH). The follow-up to 2007's "Angel Down" was mastered at Precision Mastering in Los Angeles with Tom Baker.
11 years ago, while doing an interview with a young George Stroumboulopoulos, Sebastian's passion led to a dramatic scene: Bach actually walked out on George part way through their conversation, after an unappreciated reference to the band POISON. George and Sebastian haven't spoken since, and have never been able to patch things up; now, they'll finally get their chance. Plus, there's plenty to talk about: Sebastian's got a new record, "Kicking & Screaming", which was written in the wake of a divorce and Sebastian losing his house to Hurricane Irene.
Bach's appearance on "George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight" was taped on September 22.
Sebastian Bach's new solo album, "Kicking & Screaming", was released on September 27 via Frontiers Records. The CD was produced by Bob Marlette (BLACK SABBATH, SHINEDOWN, ATREYU, FILTER) and features young virtuosic guitarist Nick Sterling and drum pro Bobby Jarzombek (HALFORD, RIOT, ICED EARTH). The follow-up to 2007's "Angel Down" was mastered at Precision Mastering in Los Angeles with Tom Baker.
SOULFLY has completed recording its new studio album for an early 2012 release via Roadrunner Records. The CD was recorded at a Phoenix, Arizona studio with producer Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who has previously worked with CHIMAIRA, HATEBREED, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE ACACIA STRAIN, BORN OF OSIRIS and SHADOWS FALL, among others. The band's new drummer, David Kinkade (BORKNAGAR, ARSIS, MALEVOLENT CREATION), described the group's new material on his Facebook page as "crushing, fast thrash, blasting, tribal and fueled by extreme burrito fury. . . The record is sounding fucking SICK. Thrashy as fuck... totally 'Arise' [referring to SEPULTURA's classic 1991 album] on crack and speed."
SOULFLY's follow-up to 2010's "Omen" will incude a guest appearance by DEVILDRIVER/COAL CHAMBER frontman Dez Fafara.
Kinkade joined SOULFLY a few weeks ago following the departure of the group's longtime skinsman Joe Nunez.
Max Cavalera's son Zyon sat behind the drum kit for the band's July 31 performance at the Lokerse festival in Lokeren, Belgium. The concert also marked the debut appearance with SOULFLY of the band's new bassist Tony Campos (STATIC-X, PRONG, ASESINO, MINISTRY, POSSESSED), who replaced Bobby Burns this past spring.
"Omen" sold 6,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 73 on The Billboard 200 chart.
SOULFLY's follow-up to 2010's "Omen" will incude a guest appearance by DEVILDRIVER/COAL CHAMBER frontman Dez Fafara.
Kinkade joined SOULFLY a few weeks ago following the departure of the group's longtime skinsman Joe Nunez.
Max Cavalera's son Zyon sat behind the drum kit for the band's July 31 performance at the Lokerse festival in Lokeren, Belgium. The concert also marked the debut appearance with SOULFLY of the band's new bassist Tony Campos (STATIC-X, PRONG, ASESINO, MINISTRY, POSSESSED), who replaced Bobby Burns this past spring.
"Omen" sold 6,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 73 on The Billboard 200 chart.
In a new post on his newly launched official blog, Randonesia, vocalist Randy Blythe of Richmond, Virginia metallers LAMB OF GOD writes about "sequencing" his band's new album — the process of putting all the songs in the proper order before they can be made into the final album CD or LP.
"So after months of writing, demoing, rewriting, re-demoing, pre-production (a fancy term we musicians like to throw around for, yes, that's right, writing and demoing — makes us feel professional), then finally actually RECORDING these fucking things that seep into our brains, interrupt our sleep, screw up our home life, cause us to have emotional breakdowns and start arguments with anyone who wants to disagree with us at that moment, these FUCKING THINGS CALLED SONGS — it's time to put them in an order and turn them into an 'album.' And if you're in a band like mine, that means arguing over which extra songs will go to exclusive releases with Best Buy, iTunes, and the ever-popular Japanese bonus track (apparently most Japanese labels want an extra track or they won't put out a gaijin record), and which songs will go into the circular file, perhaps to be drug out of the digital dustbin later, touched up, and given to someone who wants yet another 'exclusive' track for their iPhone app or deodorant commercial or whatever.
"This process is known as 'sequencing' the record — i.e. deciding what order the songs go in. I suppose it must be akin to a writer doing his final reread, revision and fat trimming right before he turns his manuscript into his publisher. It's not a lot of fun, but some stuff has got to go.
"Sequencing a record involves (at least in the case of my band, LAMB OF GOD) getting five very different, cantankerous, and aging dudes to kill their darlings for the better of the whole — THE ALBUM. We kill our darlings throughout the writing and recording process — a riff here, a lyric there, a drum fill here — in order to serve the song better. Sometimes it gets heated. Harsh words are said. Egos are bruised. Guitars are slammed around, beers are pounded, cigarettes are furiously smoked, yachts are sunk (OK, so we don't have yachts, but you get the point). Sometimes it's rough. Sometimes everyone magically agrees. Either way, at the end of many days we wind up with a bunch of tunes we are all proud of."
Read the rest of the blog post at Randonesia.
Blythe previously described the band's new album — which is due in early 2012 via Epic Records — as "WAAAAY better than [2009's] 'Wrath' overall."
LAMB OF GOD's new CD is once again being helmed by producer Josh Wilbur who previously worked on "Wrath".
"Wrath" landed at position No. 2 on The Billboard 200 chart back in February 2009 with first-week sales of over 67,000 copies.
LAMB OF GOD performed at the sixth edition of D-TOX Rockfest on June 17 in Montebello, Quebec, Canada. This marked the group's first and only 2011 appearance.
"So after months of writing, demoing, rewriting, re-demoing, pre-production (a fancy term we musicians like to throw around for, yes, that's right, writing and demoing — makes us feel professional), then finally actually RECORDING these fucking things that seep into our brains, interrupt our sleep, screw up our home life, cause us to have emotional breakdowns and start arguments with anyone who wants to disagree with us at that moment, these FUCKING THINGS CALLED SONGS — it's time to put them in an order and turn them into an 'album.' And if you're in a band like mine, that means arguing over which extra songs will go to exclusive releases with Best Buy, iTunes, and the ever-popular Japanese bonus track (apparently most Japanese labels want an extra track or they won't put out a gaijin record), and which songs will go into the circular file, perhaps to be drug out of the digital dustbin later, touched up, and given to someone who wants yet another 'exclusive' track for their iPhone app or deodorant commercial or whatever.
"This process is known as 'sequencing' the record — i.e. deciding what order the songs go in. I suppose it must be akin to a writer doing his final reread, revision and fat trimming right before he turns his manuscript into his publisher. It's not a lot of fun, but some stuff has got to go.
"Sequencing a record involves (at least in the case of my band, LAMB OF GOD) getting five very different, cantankerous, and aging dudes to kill their darlings for the better of the whole — THE ALBUM. We kill our darlings throughout the writing and recording process — a riff here, a lyric there, a drum fill here — in order to serve the song better. Sometimes it gets heated. Harsh words are said. Egos are bruised. Guitars are slammed around, beers are pounded, cigarettes are furiously smoked, yachts are sunk (OK, so we don't have yachts, but you get the point). Sometimes it's rough. Sometimes everyone magically agrees. Either way, at the end of many days we wind up with a bunch of tunes we are all proud of."
Read the rest of the blog post at Randonesia.
Blythe previously described the band's new album — which is due in early 2012 via Epic Records — as "WAAAAY better than [2009's] 'Wrath' overall."
LAMB OF GOD's new CD is once again being helmed by producer Josh Wilbur who previously worked on "Wrath".
"Wrath" landed at position No. 2 on The Billboard 200 chart back in February 2009 with first-week sales of over 67,000 copies.
LAMB OF GOD performed at the sixth edition of D-TOX Rockfest on June 17 in Montebello, Quebec, Canada. This marked the group's first and only 2011 appearance.
BLACK WIDOW — the groundbreaking occult progressive hard rock group which was allegedly "banned" by the BBC and besieged by religious nutters when it originally emerged in 1970 — returns to the Sabbat in 2011 with a brand new studio album, "Sleeping With Demons", released on October 31, distributed by Cargo Records.
"Sleeping With Demons", which marks a massive return to the black magic roots BLACK WIDOW know so well, is packed with anthemic rock songs, huge chants, soaring hooks, and a storyline with a host of new black magic stories to tell. Written, performed, and produced by Clive Jones and Geoff Griffith, "Sleeping With Demons" also features special guests Tony Martin (lead singer with BLACK SABBATH from 1987 to 1997), Kay Garret and Paolo "Apollo" Negri.
BLACK WIDOW took the world by storm in the 1970s. Hailed as the "original" black magic band, they rivalled BLACK SABBATH, were billed with DEEP PURPLE and YES, and played at the Isle Of Wight Festival in 1971, where their set featured "Come To The Sabbat", the rock anthem from their debut album, "Sacrifice". The band's concerts, which featured the mock sacrifice of a nude woman every night on stage, were picketed by religious fanatics, who would preach at the waiting queues warning of the inherent dangers of witchcraft and BLACK WIDOW. But by 1973 the band had imploded and gone their own distinctly separate ways.
Recalling how "Sleeping With Demons" came about, Clive Jones notes, "I had the idea of writing and producing a new BLACK WIDOW album for many years, but that's all it remained until I traced Geoff Griffith through one of his later bands, MOVING FINGERS. I don't think I had seen Geoff for about 30-plus years so when he came to visit we had a lot to chat about; Geoff had the same idea, and the really good part was that Geoff had his own studio in Thailand — Clear Blue Sky Studios. I first recruited a fantastic keyboard player, Paolo 'Apollo' Negri from the band WICKED MINDS in Italy who were signed to the Black Widow Records label. (The label was nothing to do with us; they just loved the band and had used our name.) I then asked Kay Garret from the original band if she would like to help out; Kay had not been in the studio for many years but she was keen to help with lead and backing vocals — I wrote a blues song for her that she loved and that showed off her unique style — 'Even The Devil Gets The Blues'.
"In the very early days we had been friendly rivals with BLACK SABBATH — we even shared the same manager for a few years — and the press were always talking about both bands being involved with black magic (something BLACK SABBATH had always denied). So I thought wouldn't it be a crazy idea to have a BLACK SABBATH member guest on a BLACK WIDOW album? I contacted Tony Martin, lead singer for 10 years with BLACK SABBATH, from a website and to my surprise he came over to see me. We spent a most entertaining day together swopping 'Black' stories. I played Tony a demo of the album and he said he would love to guest if we found the right song. Tony chose to swap vocals with myself on the 'Come To The Sabbat'-styled 'Hail Satan'.
"It's taken many years to complete and lots of 'tears and wine' but at last after 40-plus years, BLACK WIDOW are back. Turn the lights out, the volume up, and enjoy!"
"Sleeping With Demons", which marks a massive return to the black magic roots BLACK WIDOW know so well, is packed with anthemic rock songs, huge chants, soaring hooks, and a storyline with a host of new black magic stories to tell. Written, performed, and produced by Clive Jones and Geoff Griffith, "Sleeping With Demons" also features special guests Tony Martin (lead singer with BLACK SABBATH from 1987 to 1997), Kay Garret and Paolo "Apollo" Negri.
BLACK WIDOW took the world by storm in the 1970s. Hailed as the "original" black magic band, they rivalled BLACK SABBATH, were billed with DEEP PURPLE and YES, and played at the Isle Of Wight Festival in 1971, where their set featured "Come To The Sabbat", the rock anthem from their debut album, "Sacrifice". The band's concerts, which featured the mock sacrifice of a nude woman every night on stage, were picketed by religious fanatics, who would preach at the waiting queues warning of the inherent dangers of witchcraft and BLACK WIDOW. But by 1973 the band had imploded and gone their own distinctly separate ways.
Recalling how "Sleeping With Demons" came about, Clive Jones notes, "I had the idea of writing and producing a new BLACK WIDOW album for many years, but that's all it remained until I traced Geoff Griffith through one of his later bands, MOVING FINGERS. I don't think I had seen Geoff for about 30-plus years so when he came to visit we had a lot to chat about; Geoff had the same idea, and the really good part was that Geoff had his own studio in Thailand — Clear Blue Sky Studios. I first recruited a fantastic keyboard player, Paolo 'Apollo' Negri from the band WICKED MINDS in Italy who were signed to the Black Widow Records label. (The label was nothing to do with us; they just loved the band and had used our name.) I then asked Kay Garret from the original band if she would like to help out; Kay had not been in the studio for many years but she was keen to help with lead and backing vocals — I wrote a blues song for her that she loved and that showed off her unique style — 'Even The Devil Gets The Blues'.
"In the very early days we had been friendly rivals with BLACK SABBATH — we even shared the same manager for a few years — and the press were always talking about both bands being involved with black magic (something BLACK SABBATH had always denied). So I thought wouldn't it be a crazy idea to have a BLACK SABBATH member guest on a BLACK WIDOW album? I contacted Tony Martin, lead singer for 10 years with BLACK SABBATH, from a website and to my surprise he came over to see me. We spent a most entertaining day together swopping 'Black' stories. I played Tony a demo of the album and he said he would love to guest if we found the right song. Tony chose to swap vocals with myself on the 'Come To The Sabbat'-styled 'Hail Satan'.
"It's taken many years to complete and lots of 'tears and wine' but at last after 40-plus years, BLACK WIDOW are back. Turn the lights out, the volume up, and enjoy!"
ORANGE GOBLIN, the heavy-hitting British metal band, has set "A Eulogy For The Damned" as the title of its seventh album, due in early 2012 on CD and vinyl (including limited-edition "clear" vinyl via Candlelight Records. The effort was recorded at The Animal Farm studio in London and features the following track listing:
01. Red Tide Rising
02. Stand For Something
03. Acid Trial
04. The Filthy & The Few
05. Save Me From Myself
06. The Fog
07. Return To Mars
08. Death Of Aquarius
09. The Bishops Wolf
10. A Eulogy For The Damned
Formed in 1995 (as OUR HAUNTED KINGDOM), ORANGE GOBLIN has released six full-length albums, developing an enthusiastic fan base that revels in the band's aggressive sound built on "booze-sodden riffs and attitude." Longtime label Rise Above Records has reissued the group's super-heavy back catalog.
ORANGE GOBLIN is fronted by towering vocalist Ben Ward who leads the charge of the band's live assault which delivers plenty of classic metal hallmarks such as unison-headbanging, hand-clapping and (quite often) out-and-out chaos!
01. Red Tide Rising
02. Stand For Something
03. Acid Trial
04. The Filthy & The Few
05. Save Me From Myself
06. The Fog
07. Return To Mars
08. Death Of Aquarius
09. The Bishops Wolf
10. A Eulogy For The Damned
Formed in 1995 (as OUR HAUNTED KINGDOM), ORANGE GOBLIN has released six full-length albums, developing an enthusiastic fan base that revels in the band's aggressive sound built on "booze-sodden riffs and attitude." Longtime label Rise Above Records has reissued the group's super-heavy back catalog.
ORANGE GOBLIN is fronted by towering vocalist Ben Ward who leads the charge of the band's live assault which delivers plenty of classic metal hallmarks such as unison-headbanging, hand-clapping and (quite often) out-and-out chaos!
FULLFORCE — the new Swedish melodic metal outfit featuring Mike Andersson (CLOUDSCAPE, SILENT MEMORIAL, PLANET ALLIANCE) on vocals, Stefan Elmgren (HAMMERFALL) on guitar, Anders Johansson (HAMMERFALL, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) on drums, Carl-Johan Grimmark (NARNIA) on guitar, and Tommy Larsson (HEED) on bass — has issued the following update:
"FULLFORCE will during the rest of 2011 and early 2012 focus on finalizing their remaining songs for their second album. The band is very excited about the new metal tunes and will settle all details about the recording of the album very soon. More concert news 'might' come up soon as well. Stay tuned!!"
FULLFORCE's "Heart And Soul" video can be viewed below. The clip was directed by Rainer Holmgren (PAIN OF SALVATION). The track comes off the band's debut album, "One", which was released on June 20 in Germany, June 23 in the rest of Europe and July 26 in USA/Canada via SPV/Steamhammer.
FULLFORCE describes its music as "a genuine blend of traditional, catchy heavy metal [and] more updated melodic metal with some ethnic touches which will make them a standout within the genre."
For U.K. metallers POWER QUEST have parted ways with Sri Lankan vocalist Chitral "Chity" Somapala (FIREWIND, FARO, AVALON) — a little over a year after the Germany-based singer first joined the group.
Commented the band: "We are sorry to have to announce that Chity Somapala has left POWER QUEST, making the appearance at Bloodstock Open Air his last with the band. Chity decided that, at this stage of his career, he wanted to move away from metal to focus on his solo work which is more rock- and blues-based."
Added POWER QUEST keyboardist/mainman Steve Williams: "Clearly the last thing I wanted after releasing the 'Blood Alliance' album earlier this year was to have another lineup change, having been through so many in recent times. Having said that, we all have to do what is right for us at specific points in time and we part ways with Chity on very good terms and wish him all the very best for the future. Myself, Andy [Midgley; guitar], Paul [Finnie; bass], Rich [Smith; drums] and Gav [Owen; guitar] have been auditioning potential replacements for the past couple of months and we have now decided on who will be the man to take up the frontman role in the band. We would like to thank everyone who has submitted recordings and travelled to auditions as well.
"We are already hard at work rehearsing for the U.K. dates in November and we can promise quite a different setlist to what we have been performing so far this year.
"We will be revealing the identity of our new frontman very soon... This guy blew us away at the auditions!
"The first shows with the new vocalist will be in Bedford on November 25th and Wakefield on November 27th, and the Wakefield show will be streamed live on the web!"
POWER QUEST's latest album, "Blood Alliance", was released earlier this year via Napalm Records. Eleven songs were laid down at Foel Studios (PAUL RODGERS, NAPALM DEATH, THE WILDHEARTS) in Wales for the follow-up to 2008's "Master Of Illusion", including one bonus track. The CD cover artwork was once again designed by Felipe Machado (BLIND GUARDIAN, SILENT FORCE).more information, visit www.fullforce.se.
"FULLFORCE will during the rest of 2011 and early 2012 focus on finalizing their remaining songs for their second album. The band is very excited about the new metal tunes and will settle all details about the recording of the album very soon. More concert news 'might' come up soon as well. Stay tuned!!"
FULLFORCE's "Heart And Soul" video can be viewed below. The clip was directed by Rainer Holmgren (PAIN OF SALVATION). The track comes off the band's debut album, "One", which was released on June 20 in Germany, June 23 in the rest of Europe and July 26 in USA/Canada via SPV/Steamhammer.
FULLFORCE describes its music as "a genuine blend of traditional, catchy heavy metal [and] more updated melodic metal with some ethnic touches which will make them a standout within the genre."
For U.K. metallers POWER QUEST have parted ways with Sri Lankan vocalist Chitral "Chity" Somapala (FIREWIND, FARO, AVALON) — a little over a year after the Germany-based singer first joined the group.
Commented the band: "We are sorry to have to announce that Chity Somapala has left POWER QUEST, making the appearance at Bloodstock Open Air his last with the band. Chity decided that, at this stage of his career, he wanted to move away from metal to focus on his solo work which is more rock- and blues-based."
Added POWER QUEST keyboardist/mainman Steve Williams: "Clearly the last thing I wanted after releasing the 'Blood Alliance' album earlier this year was to have another lineup change, having been through so many in recent times. Having said that, we all have to do what is right for us at specific points in time and we part ways with Chity on very good terms and wish him all the very best for the future. Myself, Andy [Midgley; guitar], Paul [Finnie; bass], Rich [Smith; drums] and Gav [Owen; guitar] have been auditioning potential replacements for the past couple of months and we have now decided on who will be the man to take up the frontman role in the band. We would like to thank everyone who has submitted recordings and travelled to auditions as well.
"We are already hard at work rehearsing for the U.K. dates in November and we can promise quite a different setlist to what we have been performing so far this year.
"We will be revealing the identity of our new frontman very soon... This guy blew us away at the auditions!
"The first shows with the new vocalist will be in Bedford on November 25th and Wakefield on November 27th, and the Wakefield show will be streamed live on the web!"
POWER QUEST's latest album, "Blood Alliance", was released earlier this year via Napalm Records. Eleven songs were laid down at Foel Studios (PAUL RODGERS, NAPALM DEATH, THE WILDHEARTS) in Wales for the follow-up to 2008's "Master Of Illusion", including one bonus track. The CD cover artwork was once again designed by Felipe Machado (BLIND GUARDIAN, SILENT FORCE).more information, visit www.fullforce.se.
This fall, Reprise Records will release a limited edition vinyl box set from Sacramento, California's DEFTONES. "Deftones: The Vinyl Collection, 1995 - 2011" will be available October 25 exclusively via Deftones.com and BecauseSoundMatters.com. The collection is a seven-album (8 LP) retrospective containing the band's six studio albums — 1995's "Adrenaline", 1997's "Around The Fur", 2000's "White Pony", 2003's "Deftones", 2006's "Saturday Night Wrist", and 2010's "Diamond Eyes", and the limited-edition 2011 Record Store Day release "Covers". Each album has been exclusively re-cut for vinyl from the original master recordings and pressed on 180-gram European virgin vinyl. The collection, which includes a unique lithograph and cover art, comes packaged in a hand numbered collector's box pressing of 1,000 copies worldwide.
DEFTONES recently began laying the groundwork for its seventh studio release, tentatively due next year. Vocalist Chino Moreno told Billboard magazine that all five members of the group were recording their own ideas already, but that DEFTONES music doesn't really emerge until the full band gets into a room together and starts jamming.
He explained, "We find that when we actually get together in a rehearsal spot where there's no distractions and we can work together cohesively as a band, that's really when we're writing songs."
2010's "Diamond Eyes" has been one of DEFTONES' most successful outings. The set's latest single, "You've Seen The Butcher", was a Top 15 rock radio hit.
DEFTONES will once again record with Sergio Vega on bass. Vega stepped in for touring purposes after original bassist Chi Cheng was left in a semi-comatose state by a November 2008 car accident, and stayed on to record "Diamond Eyes" with the group.
DEFTONES recently began laying the groundwork for its seventh studio release, tentatively due next year. Vocalist Chino Moreno told Billboard magazine that all five members of the group were recording their own ideas already, but that DEFTONES music doesn't really emerge until the full band gets into a room together and starts jamming.
He explained, "We find that when we actually get together in a rehearsal spot where there's no distractions and we can work together cohesively as a band, that's really when we're writing songs."
2010's "Diamond Eyes" has been one of DEFTONES' most successful outings. The set's latest single, "You've Seen The Butcher", was a Top 15 rock radio hit.
DEFTONES will once again record with Sergio Vega on bass. Vega stepped in for touring purposes after original bassist Chi Cheng was left in a semi-comatose state by a November 2008 car accident, and stayed on to record "Diamond Eyes" with the group.
A Missouri man who peddled more than 1,200 record album covers and sports memorabilia items with forged signatures plead guilty to fraud charges in federal court on Monday.
David Bruce Shryock, 49, used eight different eBay accounts to defraud victims of more than $175,000, according to charges filed in federal court in Springfield, Missouri. One example cited in a plea agreement was the sale of the Van Halen album, "5150," bearing what Shyrock falsely claimed were the artists' autographs, for a winning eBay bid of $177.
Shryock, of Joplin, Missouri, allegedly avoided detection by opening new eBay and PayPal accounts when old ones were suspended. He used names of other persons to create accounts and then cut them a share of the proceeds, according to the charges.
Prosecutors say Shryock carried out his scheme for almost six years, through last December. He plead guilty Monday to wire fraud and illegal possession of a firearm.
On December 15, 2010, police patrol officers caught Shryock burglarizing a lawyer's office in Joplin and gave chase. He drove his car off a cliff, bailed out and was arrested after a foot chase, according to the plea agreement.
A 9mm pistol belonging to the burglarized lawyer was found in the car. Shryock, as a convicted felon from previous forgery and other charges, was not allowed to possess a firearm.
He faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000.
California Exotic Novelties, a major, global manufacturer of adult novelties, has partnered with former SKID ROW and SAIGON KICK drummer Phil Varone to create a line of sex toys, including a realistic toy molded from Varone's manhood, for release in early 2012.
"This is the first time a novelty manufacturer has molded a mainstream rock star or produced a sex toy line bearing a rock star's image. We're proud to add this to our long list of 'firsts' for California Exotic Novelties, and we're thrilled to team up with Phil," said Susan Colvin, president and CEO of California Exotic Novelties.
Phil Varone is an accomplished drummer, best known for his work with the bands SKID ROW and SAIGON KICK, and former MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil. In recent years Varone garnered worldwide attention on VH1's hit show "Sex Rehab With Dr. Drew" and "Strange Sex" on the Discovery channel.
Known for his voracious sexual appetite and for sleeping with thousands of women, Varone recently released through Vivid Entertainment Phil Varone's "Secret Stash", a celebrity sex tape that chronicles many of the rocker's sexual escapades.
"I've always been open to all types of sexual experiences," said Varone. "Extending my personal brand into a line of sex toys is something I've always wanted to do. It fits with everything I've done as a public figure and I'm honored to team up with California Exotic Novelties to make it happen. The company's stellar reputation, along with Ms. Colvin's commitment to excellence, makes this a dream come true."
Varone recently bared it all as the centerfold for Playgirl magazine. He is also the host and producer of the "Sex Stand Up Rock N Roll Show" which tours the United States. Varone was also a featured celebrity on "Celebrity Ghost Stories" and he has been on numerous talk shows including "The Oprah Winfrey Show", "The Tyra Banks Show" and "The Today Show". He also developed a following with his acclaimed, feature-length, documentary, "Waking Up Dead", released in 2007, which chronicled his life as a touring drummer during the SKID ROW and SAIGON KICK years.
Al Bloom, director of marketing for California Exotic Novelties, said, "In addition to being a rock and roll god with a ton of great-looking tattoos, Phil also has something unique about his manhood that has never been replicated into a novelty. I can't reveal too much before the product hits the market, though. You'll have to check back with us when the line is unveiled."
The new line of toys inspired by rock star Phil Varone will be released by California Exotic Novelties in early 2012.
Phil last fall responded to ex-SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach's claim that Varone's decision to pose nude for the cover of the December 2010 issue of Playgirl magazine is "further proof that the name 'SKID ROW' has completely lost all credibility, cool, accuracy and is now devoid of all meaning in every way." Varone told the New York Post, "I'm grateful and proud of my time in SKID ROW and sorry [Sebastian] feels that way." Playgirl representative Daniel Nardicio defended Varone: "This coming from a man [Bach] who preceded David Hasselhoff in 'Jekyll & Hyde' on Broadway? Now that's the epitome of uncool."
Varone joined SKID ROW in 2000 — about four years after Bach parted ways with the group.
"This is the first time a novelty manufacturer has molded a mainstream rock star or produced a sex toy line bearing a rock star's image. We're proud to add this to our long list of 'firsts' for California Exotic Novelties, and we're thrilled to team up with Phil," said Susan Colvin, president and CEO of California Exotic Novelties.
Phil Varone is an accomplished drummer, best known for his work with the bands SKID ROW and SAIGON KICK, and former MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil. In recent years Varone garnered worldwide attention on VH1's hit show "Sex Rehab With Dr. Drew" and "Strange Sex" on the Discovery channel.
Known for his voracious sexual appetite and for sleeping with thousands of women, Varone recently released through Vivid Entertainment Phil Varone's "Secret Stash", a celebrity sex tape that chronicles many of the rocker's sexual escapades.
"I've always been open to all types of sexual experiences," said Varone. "Extending my personal brand into a line of sex toys is something I've always wanted to do. It fits with everything I've done as a public figure and I'm honored to team up with California Exotic Novelties to make it happen. The company's stellar reputation, along with Ms. Colvin's commitment to excellence, makes this a dream come true."
Varone recently bared it all as the centerfold for Playgirl magazine. He is also the host and producer of the "Sex Stand Up Rock N Roll Show" which tours the United States. Varone was also a featured celebrity on "Celebrity Ghost Stories" and he has been on numerous talk shows including "The Oprah Winfrey Show", "The Tyra Banks Show" and "The Today Show". He also developed a following with his acclaimed, feature-length, documentary, "Waking Up Dead", released in 2007, which chronicled his life as a touring drummer during the SKID ROW and SAIGON KICK years.
Al Bloom, director of marketing for California Exotic Novelties, said, "In addition to being a rock and roll god with a ton of great-looking tattoos, Phil also has something unique about his manhood that has never been replicated into a novelty. I can't reveal too much before the product hits the market, though. You'll have to check back with us when the line is unveiled."
The new line of toys inspired by rock star Phil Varone will be released by California Exotic Novelties in early 2012.
Phil last fall responded to ex-SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach's claim that Varone's decision to pose nude for the cover of the December 2010 issue of Playgirl magazine is "further proof that the name 'SKID ROW' has completely lost all credibility, cool, accuracy and is now devoid of all meaning in every way." Varone told the New York Post, "I'm grateful and proud of my time in SKID ROW and sorry [Sebastian] feels that way." Playgirl representative Daniel Nardicio defended Varone: "This coming from a man [Bach] who preceded David Hasselhoff in 'Jekyll & Hyde' on Broadway? Now that's the epitome of uncool."
Varone joined SKID ROW in 2000 — about four years after Bach parted ways with the group.
PUSCIFER, the eclectic music-meets-comedy troupe helmed by Maynard James Keenan (TOOL, A PERFECT CIRCLE), will kick off its first North American tour in support of the band's sophomore release, "Conditions of My Parole", on November 7 in Seattle.
The dates are as follows:
Nov. 07 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
Nov. 09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Capitol Theatre
Nov. 10 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
Nov. 12 - St. Louis, MO - Peabody Opera House
Nov. 14 - Minneapolis, MN - State Theatre
Nov. 15 - Chicago, IL - Cadillac Palace Theatre
Nov. 17 - Cleveland, OH - Lakewood Civic Auditorium
Nov. 18 - Toronto, ON - Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
Nov. 19 - Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre
Nov. 22 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
Nov. 23 - Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theatre
Nov. 25 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Academy of Music
Nov. 26 - Washington, DC - [to be announced]
Nov. 27 - Charlotte, NC - [to be announced]
Nov. 29 - Knoxville, TN - Tennessee Theatre
Nov. 30 - Atlanta, GA - Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center
Dec. 06 - Los Angeles, CA - Orpheum Theatre
Dec. 09 - Las Vegas, NV - [to be announced]
Dec. 11 - Phoenix, AZ - [to be announced]
Tickets for all shows go on sale on Friday, October 7 at 12 (noon) local time via venue box offices, as well as Ticketmaster and Live Nation web sites. A limited number of VIP packages, featuring wine tastings and a more mysterious PUSCIFER encounter, will be available simultaneously via puscifer.frontgatetickets.com.
In other news, PUSCIFER will make its television debut on Halloween with a performance on CBS-TV's "Late Show With David Letterman".
PUSCIFER's live appearance is described in a press release as "a musically driven evening that merges technology, quirky characters and comedy." Spin referred to the shows as an "X-rated episode of 'Hee-Haw'" and the Las Vegas Review-Journal described the set as "a performance art spectacle equal parts comedy cabaret show and guerilla theater."
Keenan has often stated in interviews that his concept for PUSCIFER required nearly two decades to pass before the technology was available to create the live performance.
PUSCIFER's core and touring bandmembers are Maynard James Keenan, Mat Mitchell, Josh Eustis, Carina Round, Matt McJunkins and Jeff Friedl. Carina Round will act as support for all dates.
"Conditions Of My Parole" is scheduled for release on October 18 via Puscifer Entertainment.
"Conditions Of My Parole" track listing:
01. Tiny Monsters
02. Green Valley
03. Monsoons
04. Telling Ghosts
05. Horizons
06. Man Overboard
07. Toma
08. The Rapture (Fear Is a Mind Killa Mix)
09. Conditions of My Parole
10. The Weaver
11. Oceans
12. Tumbleweed
"The Verde Valley is an intrinsic part of what PUSCIFER is," explains Keenan. "It's equal parts 'Twilight Zone', 'Mayberry' and 'Road Warrior'. The ghosts and aliens, Republicans and Democrats, cowboys and artists living side by side with hostile creatures such as scorpions, spiders, rattlesnakes, javelina and hippies are just a few of the spicy ingredients that give 'Conditions Of My Parole' its unique flavor."
"Conditions Of My Parole" was recorded in Jerome, Arizona this spring with tracking done amidst the wine barrels from Keenan's Caduceus Cellars. The album was produced by Keenan, Mat Mitchell, and Josh Eustis. Contributing musicians for the new album include the aforementioned Keenan, Mitchell, and Eustis as well as Carina Round, Juliette Commagere, Matt McJunkins, Jeff Freidl, Gil and Rani Sharone, Jonny Polonsky, Tim Alexander, Devo Keenan, Alessandro Cortini, Sarah Jones, and Jon Theodore.
PUSCIFER's debut album, the infamously censored "V is for V*****" (2007), charted on both the rock and dance singles charts simultaneously (the full album at #9 on the Billboard Rock Album and "C*ntry Boner" at #1 on Billboard's Dance Singles Chart). "V is for V*****" entered The Billboard 200 at #25.
The dates are as follows:
Nov. 07 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
Nov. 09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Capitol Theatre
Nov. 10 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
Nov. 12 - St. Louis, MO - Peabody Opera House
Nov. 14 - Minneapolis, MN - State Theatre
Nov. 15 - Chicago, IL - Cadillac Palace Theatre
Nov. 17 - Cleveland, OH - Lakewood Civic Auditorium
Nov. 18 - Toronto, ON - Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
Nov. 19 - Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre
Nov. 22 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
Nov. 23 - Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theatre
Nov. 25 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Academy of Music
Nov. 26 - Washington, DC - [to be announced]
Nov. 27 - Charlotte, NC - [to be announced]
Nov. 29 - Knoxville, TN - Tennessee Theatre
Nov. 30 - Atlanta, GA - Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center
Dec. 06 - Los Angeles, CA - Orpheum Theatre
Dec. 09 - Las Vegas, NV - [to be announced]
Dec. 11 - Phoenix, AZ - [to be announced]
Tickets for all shows go on sale on Friday, October 7 at 12 (noon) local time via venue box offices, as well as Ticketmaster and Live Nation web sites. A limited number of VIP packages, featuring wine tastings and a more mysterious PUSCIFER encounter, will be available simultaneously via puscifer.frontgatetickets.com.
In other news, PUSCIFER will make its television debut on Halloween with a performance on CBS-TV's "Late Show With David Letterman".
PUSCIFER's live appearance is described in a press release as "a musically driven evening that merges technology, quirky characters and comedy." Spin referred to the shows as an "X-rated episode of 'Hee-Haw'" and the Las Vegas Review-Journal described the set as "a performance art spectacle equal parts comedy cabaret show and guerilla theater."
Keenan has often stated in interviews that his concept for PUSCIFER required nearly two decades to pass before the technology was available to create the live performance.
PUSCIFER's core and touring bandmembers are Maynard James Keenan, Mat Mitchell, Josh Eustis, Carina Round, Matt McJunkins and Jeff Friedl. Carina Round will act as support for all dates.
"Conditions Of My Parole" is scheduled for release on October 18 via Puscifer Entertainment.
"Conditions Of My Parole" track listing:
01. Tiny Monsters
02. Green Valley
03. Monsoons
04. Telling Ghosts
05. Horizons
06. Man Overboard
07. Toma
08. The Rapture (Fear Is a Mind Killa Mix)
09. Conditions of My Parole
10. The Weaver
11. Oceans
12. Tumbleweed
"The Verde Valley is an intrinsic part of what PUSCIFER is," explains Keenan. "It's equal parts 'Twilight Zone', 'Mayberry' and 'Road Warrior'. The ghosts and aliens, Republicans and Democrats, cowboys and artists living side by side with hostile creatures such as scorpions, spiders, rattlesnakes, javelina and hippies are just a few of the spicy ingredients that give 'Conditions Of My Parole' its unique flavor."
"Conditions Of My Parole" was recorded in Jerome, Arizona this spring with tracking done amidst the wine barrels from Keenan's Caduceus Cellars. The album was produced by Keenan, Mat Mitchell, and Josh Eustis. Contributing musicians for the new album include the aforementioned Keenan, Mitchell, and Eustis as well as Carina Round, Juliette Commagere, Matt McJunkins, Jeff Freidl, Gil and Rani Sharone, Jonny Polonsky, Tim Alexander, Devo Keenan, Alessandro Cortini, Sarah Jones, and Jon Theodore.
PUSCIFER's debut album, the infamously censored "V is for V*****" (2007), charted on both the rock and dance singles charts simultaneously (the full album at #9 on the Billboard Rock Album and "C*ntry Boner" at #1 on Billboard's Dance Singles Chart). "V is for V*****" entered The Billboard 200 at #25.
Mikko Laine, the 30-year-old guitarist of the Finnish metal band SOLE REMEDY, was killed in a traffic accident last night (October 2) in the Dutch municipality of Baarlo — just hours after the band's performance at the ProgPower Europe festival. According to a spokesperson for the Sjiwa youth center (where the concert took place), the accident occurred at approximately 1:30 a.m. when Laine, who was sleeping next to a fence, was run over by a truck, which was loaded with the backline, instruments and other equipment, as the driver drove backwards and turned onto the road. The 50-year-old driver, a local man, didn't see the Finn, who died at the site.
Note: The Dutch media erroneously reported that it was the band's drummer, Henry Silmonen, who was killed in the accident.
Formed in 1998, SOLE REMEDY's sophomore album, "Apoptosis", was released in September 2010 via Aftermath Music. The CD was described in a press release as the band's "most ambitious and diverse piece of music to this day. There are moments of pure metal, pop and even an acoustic ballad. Alternative-progressive metal without losing the catchiness."
Note: The Dutch media erroneously reported that it was the band's drummer, Henry Silmonen, who was killed in the accident.
Formed in 1998, SOLE REMEDY's sophomore album, "Apoptosis", was released in September 2010 via Aftermath Music. The CD was described in a press release as the band's "most ambitious and diverse piece of music to this day. There are moments of pure metal, pop and even an acoustic ballad. Alternative-progressive metal without losing the catchiness."
Legendary San Francisco Bay Area gore grind act AUTOPSY has issued the following update:
"AUTOPSY will be entering Fantasy studios in Berkeley, California late October to record a few new tracks for an upcoming collection entitled 'All Tomorrow's Funerals'. This monstrous release will be on Peaceville Records and will contain all of AUTOPSY's EPs remastered by the band themselves as well as the new cuts, totalling 21 tracks all together. Everything from 'Retribution For The Dead' to the now-sold-out 'The Tomb Within' will be presented on CD and DLP with all original artworks, liner notes from the band and a killer new cover from Matt Cavotta. This is something the band has wanted to do for a long time, having all these chunks of material in one cohesive release, with the best sound and packaging possible. AUTOPSY will make every effort to make sure this death metal assault is top quality and worthy of your attention. The release date is tentatively set for March of 2012."
"Macabre Eternal", the first full-length album from AUTOPSY since 1995's "Shitfun", sold around 600 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 67 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
"Macabre Eternal" was recorded at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California and includes AUTOPSY's first 10-plus minute song "Sadistic Gratification".
AUTOPSY drummer/vocalist Chris Reifert previously said about "Macabre Eternal": "We've brewed up the sickest and heaviest material that our rotten souls could possibly spew forth, and we are confident that it's our best stuff yet. The EP was a taste of what's to come, but now it's time for the full assault from beyond the grave."
He continued, "The album contains no repeated EP tracks, no re-recorded old songs, no triggered trickery, and nothing less than the pure death metal brutality that AUTOPSY has always delivered."
AUTOPSY had previously decided to make an official comeback after working together on two songs for the special 20th-anniversary edition of debut album, "Severed Survival", in late 2008; the band having originally split before the release of its fourth album, "Shitfun", in 1995. A five-song EP, "The Tomb Within", came out last September and saw the original trio of Chris Reifert, Danny Coralles and Eric Cutler joined on bass by Joe Trevisano (ex-ABSCESS).
"AUTOPSY will be entering Fantasy studios in Berkeley, California late October to record a few new tracks for an upcoming collection entitled 'All Tomorrow's Funerals'. This monstrous release will be on Peaceville Records and will contain all of AUTOPSY's EPs remastered by the band themselves as well as the new cuts, totalling 21 tracks all together. Everything from 'Retribution For The Dead' to the now-sold-out 'The Tomb Within' will be presented on CD and DLP with all original artworks, liner notes from the band and a killer new cover from Matt Cavotta. This is something the band has wanted to do for a long time, having all these chunks of material in one cohesive release, with the best sound and packaging possible. AUTOPSY will make every effort to make sure this death metal assault is top quality and worthy of your attention. The release date is tentatively set for March of 2012."
"Macabre Eternal", the first full-length album from AUTOPSY since 1995's "Shitfun", sold around 600 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 67 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
"Macabre Eternal" was recorded at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California and includes AUTOPSY's first 10-plus minute song "Sadistic Gratification".
AUTOPSY drummer/vocalist Chris Reifert previously said about "Macabre Eternal": "We've brewed up the sickest and heaviest material that our rotten souls could possibly spew forth, and we are confident that it's our best stuff yet. The EP was a taste of what's to come, but now it's time for the full assault from beyond the grave."
He continued, "The album contains no repeated EP tracks, no re-recorded old songs, no triggered trickery, and nothing less than the pure death metal brutality that AUTOPSY has always delivered."
AUTOPSY had previously decided to make an official comeback after working together on two songs for the special 20th-anniversary edition of debut album, "Severed Survival", in late 2008; the band having originally split before the release of its fourth album, "Shitfun", in 1995. A five-song EP, "The Tomb Within", came out last September and saw the original trio of Chris Reifert, Danny Coralles and Eric Cutler joined on bass by Joe Trevisano (ex-ABSCESS).
Knoxville, Tennessee extreme metallers WHITECHAPEL will release a new EP, "Recorrupted", on November 8 via Metal Blade Records. The effort features a brand new track titled "Section 8", a cover of PANTERA's "Strength Beyond Strength", an acoustic version of "End OF Flesh", and remixes of "Breeding Violence" by BIG CHOCOLATE and "This Is Exile" by Ben Weinman from THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN.
"Section 8" and "Strength Beyond Strength" mark WHITECHAPEL's very first recordings with drummer Ben Harclerode of the Glendale, Arizona band KNIGHTS OF THE ABYSS, who replaced Kevin Lane earlier in the year.
"Recorrupted" is a limited-edition print run and will only be available through the WHITECHAPEL webstore, Metal Blade's webstore, iTunes, and at the band's merch table.
Fans can check out a video that was shot and edited by guitarist Alex Wade, with animations by Vince Edwards, that features studio footage set to the band's brand new track "Section 8".
"Recorrupted" track listing:
01. Section 8
02. Strength Beyond Strength (PANTERA cover)
03. Breeding Violence (Big Chocolate remix)
04. This Is Exile (Ben Weinman remix)
05. End of Flesh (acoustic version)
WHITECHAPEL's third album, "A New Era Of Corruption", sold around 10,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 43 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released on June 8, 2010 via Metal Blade Records, the CD was recorded at Audiohammer studios in Sanford, Florida with acclaimed producer Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER).
WHITECHAPEL's previous album, "This Is Exile", opened with 5,900 copies in July 2008 to land at No. 117.
"Section 8" and "Strength Beyond Strength" mark WHITECHAPEL's very first recordings with drummer Ben Harclerode of the Glendale, Arizona band KNIGHTS OF THE ABYSS, who replaced Kevin Lane earlier in the year.
"Recorrupted" is a limited-edition print run and will only be available through the WHITECHAPEL webstore, Metal Blade's webstore, iTunes, and at the band's merch table.
Fans can check out a video that was shot and edited by guitarist Alex Wade, with animations by Vince Edwards, that features studio footage set to the band's brand new track "Section 8".
"Recorrupted" track listing:
01. Section 8
02. Strength Beyond Strength (PANTERA cover)
03. Breeding Violence (Big Chocolate remix)
04. This Is Exile (Ben Weinman remix)
05. End of Flesh (acoustic version)
WHITECHAPEL's third album, "A New Era Of Corruption", sold around 10,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 43 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released on June 8, 2010 via Metal Blade Records, the CD was recorded at Audiohammer studios in Sanford, Florida with acclaimed producer Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER).
WHITECHAPEL's previous album, "This Is Exile", opened with 5,900 copies in July 2008 to land at No. 117.
Floridian blackened death metal band INFERNAEON has announced the addition of singer Eric Rhodes to the group's ranks.
Commented bassist Kevin Gibbons: "We all think it's great to work with a guy like Eric. His voice and range are amazing and he really contributes to our sound. Jeramie Kling, Steven Harger, Dave Stein, and Taylor Nordberg are all on this next album, too ... so it's going to be brutal."
Added guitarist Steven Harger: "We have a lot in store for the next recording...I'm really convinced it's going to be the best album yet for the band."
INFERNAEON will enter the studio in February 2012 with producer James Murphy (TESTAMENT, DEATH, OBITUARY) of SafeHouse Production and Corey Smoot (GWAR, MENSREA) of Slave Pit Studios to begin recording its new album. The CD will be mixed and mastered at the Abyss Studio in Sweden by Peter Tägtgren (HYPOCRISY).
INFERNAEON parted ways with singer Brian Werner in April 2011. He subsequently released a statement claiming that he was "the sole owner of ALL intellectual property rights, the name itself, all the lyrics, most of the music, all the artwork, the logo, all the social media sites, [and] all the merchandise [rights]" related to INFERNAEON — a claim that was later refuted by the band's keyboardist, David Stein.
INFERNAEON's latest album, "Genesis To Nemesis", was released on August 31, 2010 via Prosthetic Records. The CD was recorded at Erik Rutan's Mana Recording Studios (GOATWHORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, HATE ETERNAL) in St. Petersburg, Florida with producer Brian Elliott. The cover artwork was created by Brazilian artist Marcelo Vasco.
Commented bassist Kevin Gibbons: "We all think it's great to work with a guy like Eric. His voice and range are amazing and he really contributes to our sound. Jeramie Kling, Steven Harger, Dave Stein, and Taylor Nordberg are all on this next album, too ... so it's going to be brutal."
Added guitarist Steven Harger: "We have a lot in store for the next recording...I'm really convinced it's going to be the best album yet for the band."
INFERNAEON will enter the studio in February 2012 with producer James Murphy (TESTAMENT, DEATH, OBITUARY) of SafeHouse Production and Corey Smoot (GWAR, MENSREA) of Slave Pit Studios to begin recording its new album. The CD will be mixed and mastered at the Abyss Studio in Sweden by Peter Tägtgren (HYPOCRISY).
INFERNAEON parted ways with singer Brian Werner in April 2011. He subsequently released a statement claiming that he was "the sole owner of ALL intellectual property rights, the name itself, all the lyrics, most of the music, all the artwork, the logo, all the social media sites, [and] all the merchandise [rights]" related to INFERNAEON — a claim that was later refuted by the band's keyboardist, David Stein.
INFERNAEON's latest album, "Genesis To Nemesis", was released on August 31, 2010 via Prosthetic Records. The CD was recorded at Erik Rutan's Mana Recording Studios (GOATWHORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, HATE ETERNAL) in St. Petersburg, Florida with producer Brian Elliott. The cover artwork was created by Brazilian artist Marcelo Vasco.
Pitch Black Records has announced the signing of the Danish female-fronted melodic death metal outfit ILLNATH. The band's third album, "Third Act In The Theatre Of Madness", will be released on November 18.
Formed in 1999, ILLNATH is a band which has evolved explosively through the years. Initially labeled as a symphonic black metal act their style is now a "mature" blend of melodic/symphonic death metal.
Having released a demo in 2000, IILLNATH's debut album ("Cast Into Fields Of Evil Pleasure") came in 2003 with the follow-up ("Second Skin Of Harlequin") in 2006. The band toured extensively in Europe and has also played in various European festivals.
"Third Act in the Theatre of Madness" is ILLNATH's most melodic yet at the same time extreme offering to date.
The band has a completely new lineup comprised of original member Pete Falk on guitars (also handling the main songwriting tasks), the powerful voice of Mona Beck, the killer basslines of Kenneth Frandsen and session drummer Reno Kiilerich.
"Third Act In The Theatre Of Madness" will be available worldwide through Pitch Black Records and its distribution partners as well as through all major digital music stores. The CD version will also feature a bonus track.
"Third Act In The Theatre Of Madness" track listing:
01. Third Act
02. Scarecrow
03. Lead The Way
04. Snake Of Eden
05. Shorthanded
06. Spring Will Come
07. Tree Of Life And Death
08. Fall Of Giants
09. Vampiria
10. Kingship Incarnate (CD bonus)
Formed in 1999, ILLNATH is a band which has evolved explosively through the years. Initially labeled as a symphonic black metal act their style is now a "mature" blend of melodic/symphonic death metal.
Having released a demo in 2000, IILLNATH's debut album ("Cast Into Fields Of Evil Pleasure") came in 2003 with the follow-up ("Second Skin Of Harlequin") in 2006. The band toured extensively in Europe and has also played in various European festivals.
"Third Act in the Theatre of Madness" is ILLNATH's most melodic yet at the same time extreme offering to date.
The band has a completely new lineup comprised of original member Pete Falk on guitars (also handling the main songwriting tasks), the powerful voice of Mona Beck, the killer basslines of Kenneth Frandsen and session drummer Reno Kiilerich.
"Third Act In The Theatre Of Madness" will be available worldwide through Pitch Black Records and its distribution partners as well as through all major digital music stores. The CD version will also feature a bonus track.
"Third Act In The Theatre Of Madness" track listing:
01. Third Act
02. Scarecrow
03. Lead The Way
04. Snake Of Eden
05. Shorthanded
06. Spring Will Come
07. Tree Of Life And Death
08. Fall Of Giants
09. Vampiria
10. Kingship Incarnate (CD bonus)
French tech-death metallers GOROD have entered the studio with producer Frédéric "Elmobo" Motte to begin laying down their new album for an early 2012 release. Elmobo will oversee the recording of the drums, bass and vocals, while all guitars will be tracked by GOROD's mastermind Matthieu Pascal at his Bud Records Studio. The miix and the mastering will be done at Elmobo's Conkrete Studio by Pascal and Elmobo.
GOROD's latest full-length album, "Process Of A New Decline", came out in 2009 via Listenable Records. The follow-up to 2006's "Leading Vision" marked the recording debut of GOROD's new drummer, Samuel Santiago.
GOROD's "Transcendence" EP came out this past spring. The disc included a 15-minute-long new song, one acoustic track, a CYNIC cover and two re-recorded songs from the band's first two albums.
GOROD's latest full-length album, "Process Of A New Decline", came out in 2009 via Listenable Records. The follow-up to 2006's "Leading Vision" marked the recording debut of GOROD's new drummer, Samuel Santiago.
GOROD's "Transcendence" EP came out this past spring. The disc included a 15-minute-long new song, one acoustic track, a CYNIC cover and two re-recorded songs from the band's first two albums.
Stockholm, Sweden-based death/black metallers NECROPHOBIC have inked a deal with Season Of Mist. The band, which was recently joined by guitarists Robert Sennebäck (DISMEMBER, UNLEASHED) and Fredrik Folkare (UNLEASHED), is currently writing material for its seventh album, tentatively due in late 2012.
NECROPHOBIC 2011 is:
Joakim Sterner - Drums
Tobias Sidegård - Vocals
Alexander Friberg - Bass
Robert Sennebäck - Guitar
Fredrik Folkare – Guitar
NECROPHOBIC will support MORBID ANGEL on the following European dates:
Nov. 19 - Weymouth (UK) Pavilion
Nov. 20 - Wolverhampton (UK) Slade Rooms
Nov. 21 - Sheffield (UK) Corporation
Nov. 22 - London (UK) 02 Islington Academy
Nov. 24 - Hannover (DE) Musikzentrum
Nov. 25 - Glauchau (DE) Alte Spinnerei
Nov. 27 - Budapest (HU) Club202
Nov. 29 - Zagreb (HR) Mocvara
Nov. 30 - Treviso (IT) New Age
Dec. 01 - Milano (IT) Magazzini Generali
Dec. 02 - Marseille (FR) Cabaret Aléatoire
Dec. 03 - Vevey (CH) Rocking Chair
Dec. 04 - Ludwigsburg (DE) Rockfabrik
Dec. 06 - Bratislava (SK) Majestic Music Club
Dec. 07 - Krakow (PL) Kwadrat
Dec. 08 - Warsaw (PL) Progresja
Dec. 11 - Pratteln (CH) Z7
Dec. 12 - München (DE) Backstage
Dec. 14 - Bochum (DE) Matrix
Dec. 15 - Antwerp (NL) Trix
Dec. 16 - Paris (FR) La Machine
Dec. 17 - Eindhoven (NL) Effenaar (Eindhoven Metal Meeting)
Dec. 18 - Saarbrücken (DE) Garage
NECROPHOBIC's latest album, "Death To All", was released in Europe in May 2009 via Regain Records.
NECROPHOBIC 2011 is:
Joakim Sterner - Drums
Tobias Sidegård - Vocals
Alexander Friberg - Bass
Robert Sennebäck - Guitar
Fredrik Folkare – Guitar
NECROPHOBIC will support MORBID ANGEL on the following European dates:
Nov. 19 - Weymouth (UK) Pavilion
Nov. 20 - Wolverhampton (UK) Slade Rooms
Nov. 21 - Sheffield (UK) Corporation
Nov. 22 - London (UK) 02 Islington Academy
Nov. 24 - Hannover (DE) Musikzentrum
Nov. 25 - Glauchau (DE) Alte Spinnerei
Nov. 27 - Budapest (HU) Club202
Nov. 29 - Zagreb (HR) Mocvara
Nov. 30 - Treviso (IT) New Age
Dec. 01 - Milano (IT) Magazzini Generali
Dec. 02 - Marseille (FR) Cabaret Aléatoire
Dec. 03 - Vevey (CH) Rocking Chair
Dec. 04 - Ludwigsburg (DE) Rockfabrik
Dec. 06 - Bratislava (SK) Majestic Music Club
Dec. 07 - Krakow (PL) Kwadrat
Dec. 08 - Warsaw (PL) Progresja
Dec. 11 - Pratteln (CH) Z7
Dec. 12 - München (DE) Backstage
Dec. 14 - Bochum (DE) Matrix
Dec. 15 - Antwerp (NL) Trix
Dec. 16 - Paris (FR) La Machine
Dec. 17 - Eindhoven (NL) Effenaar (Eindhoven Metal Meeting)
Dec. 18 - Saarbrücken (DE) Garage
NECROPHOBIC's latest album, "Death To All", was released in Europe in May 2009 via Regain Records.
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