Sanctuary has set a June 4 U.K. release date for "Iron Man: The Best Of Black Sabbath".
"Iron Man: The Best Of Black Sabbath" is a 14-song collection of classic tracks from across BLACK SABBATH's first eight albums — including tracks from 1970's debut "Black Sabbath" and follow-up "Paranoid", 1971's "Master Of Reality", 1972's "Volume 4", 1973's "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" and 1978's "Never Say Die". The album brings some of the best loved and most influential rock songs of all time together on one album — including such classics as "Paranoid", "Iron Man", "Black Sabbath", "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", "War Pigs" and "Changes".
Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward — four names that resonate throughout rock's recorded history as clear and sublime as the bell that tolls the opening to the bands eponymous debut album from 1970.
Collectively, they formed BLACK SABBATH and forged the most haunting and hypnotic rock sound of all time. From humble beginnings, the Birmingham quartet enslaved the minds and souls of millions of rock fans around the world and continue to do so into the new millennium. The musical genre they created inspired countless musicians and spawned countless bands. Such has been their influence; they have been inducted to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2006 and were included among Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Artists Of All Time.
"Iron Man: The Best Of Black Sabbath" track listing (including original albums):
01. Paranoid (from "Paranoid")
02. Iron Man (from "Paranoid")
03. Changes (from "Volume 4")
04. Fairies Wear Boots (from "Paranoid")
05. War Pigs (from "Paranoid")
06. Never Say Die (from "Never Say Die")
07. Children Of the Grave (from "Master Of Reality")
08. The Wizard (from "Black Sabbath")
09. Snowblind (from "Volume 4")
10. Sweet Leaf (from "Master Of Reality")
11. Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games) (from "Black Sabbath")
12. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (from "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath")
13. Black Sabbath (from "Black Sabbath")
14. N.I.B. (from "Black Sabbath")
Before their headlining performance at this year's Download festival, British heavy heavy metal legends BLACK SABBATH will perform in their hometown of Birmingham for the first time in thirteen years in an intimate homecoming show at the O2 Academy on Saturday, May 19. A donation to Help For Heroes will be made from the proceeds of the show.
As previously reported, BLACK SABBATH has been confirmed for this year's edition of the Lollapalooza festival, which takes place on August 3-5 at Grant Park in downtown Chicago.
"Iron Man: The Best Of Black Sabbath" is a 14-song collection of classic tracks from across BLACK SABBATH's first eight albums — including tracks from 1970's debut "Black Sabbath" and follow-up "Paranoid", 1971's "Master Of Reality", 1972's "Volume 4", 1973's "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" and 1978's "Never Say Die". The album brings some of the best loved and most influential rock songs of all time together on one album — including such classics as "Paranoid", "Iron Man", "Black Sabbath", "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", "War Pigs" and "Changes".
Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward — four names that resonate throughout rock's recorded history as clear and sublime as the bell that tolls the opening to the bands eponymous debut album from 1970.
Collectively, they formed BLACK SABBATH and forged the most haunting and hypnotic rock sound of all time. From humble beginnings, the Birmingham quartet enslaved the minds and souls of millions of rock fans around the world and continue to do so into the new millennium. The musical genre they created inspired countless musicians and spawned countless bands. Such has been their influence; they have been inducted to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2006 and were included among Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Artists Of All Time.
"Iron Man: The Best Of Black Sabbath" track listing (including original albums):
01. Paranoid (from "Paranoid")
02. Iron Man (from "Paranoid")
03. Changes (from "Volume 4")
04. Fairies Wear Boots (from "Paranoid")
05. War Pigs (from "Paranoid")
06. Never Say Die (from "Never Say Die")
07. Children Of the Grave (from "Master Of Reality")
08. The Wizard (from "Black Sabbath")
09. Snowblind (from "Volume 4")
10. Sweet Leaf (from "Master Of Reality")
11. Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games) (from "Black Sabbath")
12. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (from "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath")
13. Black Sabbath (from "Black Sabbath")
14. N.I.B. (from "Black Sabbath")
Before their headlining performance at this year's Download festival, British heavy heavy metal legends BLACK SABBATH will perform in their hometown of Birmingham for the first time in thirteen years in an intimate homecoming show at the O2 Academy on Saturday, May 19. A donation to Help For Heroes will be made from the proceeds of the show.
As previously reported, BLACK SABBATH has been confirmed for this year's edition of the Lollapalooza festival, which takes place on August 3-5 at Grant Park in downtown Chicago.
Zach Shaw of Metal Insider recently conducted an interview with legendary drummer Vinny Appice (DIO, BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN & HELL, KILL DEVIL HILL). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Metal Insider: You previously admitted that it would be "hard" to turn down the opportunity to play with BLACK SABBATH again. I hate to be so direct, but have SABBATH contacted you about possibly filling in for Bill Ward, or at least for the shows they have planned so far?
Vinny: No, I haven't heard a peep. And that's why, even when I'm communicating with Tony [Iommi, guitar], it's on a friendship level. I never write in, "Hey man, what's happening?! Hey how you feeling? Feeling good? Oh, good! Hey, what's going on with the band? I'd love to do that!" I never do that. I never did that with SABBATH at all, or with DIO. I've always been asked to be in a band. I'm not that kind of guy to hound somebody and say "Hey I could really use the money or the gig!" [laughs]. I never did that… But nobody's said anything, and at this point, it's cool. I can understand because we also did four years of HEAVEN & HELL. If I was in the band, it would be like Ozzy [Osbourne] touring with HEAVEN & HELL. People could take it possibly as that, even though it's bigger than that. And then there's all of these political things involved. But with SABBATH, you can never figure out what's going on anyway. So at the end of the day, who knows what happens. There might be a call going "OK, this guy is not working out, would you maybe come back?" That's what's happened in the past. I'd like to see Bill do it. I think Bill being in the band makes it the original band, and how many original bands are left from that era that had such influence? So I'd love to see Bill in there. I love Bill, and I'd love to see the original band. And that's what the fans want to see obviously.
Metal Insider: I hate to press further on this, but if they were to call you asking to join them, what would you say?
Vinny: That's a hard one, because my heart's in KILL DEVIL HILL and I want this band to be successful. And the SABBATH thing, it's hard to turn down something so legendary, like "Hey, you want to play on the next or last BLACK SABBATH album?" It's part of history. So it would be hard to turn down. I would just make it work with both bands coexisting. If I had to do that, I would do it. But maybe it would help KILL DEVIL HILL. Maybe we'd open the tour, if they were touring? If it was like this is going to take the next three years and you can't do anything else, then I would have to think about it. But my main thing is KILL DEVIL HILL. The SABBATH thing, that would be hard for anybody to turn it down. And I'm not talking about money or anything, I'm just talking about being a part of the history of the band and rock. It would be a great opportunity for anybody. But it's not even going to happen. They've gone this long, they're obviously playing and writing. I heard that they were in the studio by March. I don't know who's doing it. I heard maybe Tommy [Clufetos] from Ozzy's band doing it. But I must say this, it was really funny reading all the Internet stuff because when Bill came out [with his statement], people were writing in going "Vinny should do it! Vinny's the next in line!" Then people go "Fuck Vinny! He doesn't belong up there! Bill should be up there!" Then all of a sudden Tommy's name came up, they were going "Fuck Tommy! He doesn't deserve to be up there! Vinny should do it!" It just went down the line. And I was cracking up, like "Damn!" You can't win or lose.
Metal Insider: That's one of the big downsides of the Internet. You just can't win sometimes.
Vinny: Nah, you can't win. Things get out on Blabbermouth, people commenting. People like to rag on people. That's what happens. There's some cool people that make sense and write cool things, but then there's people that just want to vent their anger. You've got to read it with a grain of salt. If it's good, you go "Cool," and if they tell you [that] you suck, you go "Cool." [laughs] You can't let it affect you.
Metal Insider: As you touched upon earlier, you've had the chance to work with a broad range of musicians, from Ronnie James Dio to John Lennon. Is there one particular artist that you worked with who really made an impact on you?
Vinny: It would have to be Ronnie. Ronnie was an incredible person, and I loved that guy. I was fifteen years or so younger than Ronnie, and he was like a father figure to me. He was smart, an extremely bright, sharp person, creative. I watched him a lot. I tried to learn from him. He taught me a lot of things, and he was just really influential in my life. And besides being one of the greatest singers in rock, if not the, he was a cool guy to start at a young age with. He was such a professional, and just seeing him go out onstage and belt it out no matter what happened before or after the show. Whether he's feeling good or not feeling good, he went out and he just killed it. And the way he treated his fans, he loved his fans, and it was just about the fans and the music. A true die-hard person, and it was amazing to be around something like that.
Metal Insider: You previously admitted that it would be "hard" to turn down the opportunity to play with BLACK SABBATH again. I hate to be so direct, but have SABBATH contacted you about possibly filling in for Bill Ward, or at least for the shows they have planned so far?
Vinny: No, I haven't heard a peep. And that's why, even when I'm communicating with Tony [Iommi, guitar], it's on a friendship level. I never write in, "Hey man, what's happening?! Hey how you feeling? Feeling good? Oh, good! Hey, what's going on with the band? I'd love to do that!" I never do that. I never did that with SABBATH at all, or with DIO. I've always been asked to be in a band. I'm not that kind of guy to hound somebody and say "Hey I could really use the money or the gig!" [laughs]. I never did that… But nobody's said anything, and at this point, it's cool. I can understand because we also did four years of HEAVEN & HELL. If I was in the band, it would be like Ozzy [Osbourne] touring with HEAVEN & HELL. People could take it possibly as that, even though it's bigger than that. And then there's all of these political things involved. But with SABBATH, you can never figure out what's going on anyway. So at the end of the day, who knows what happens. There might be a call going "OK, this guy is not working out, would you maybe come back?" That's what's happened in the past. I'd like to see Bill do it. I think Bill being in the band makes it the original band, and how many original bands are left from that era that had such influence? So I'd love to see Bill in there. I love Bill, and I'd love to see the original band. And that's what the fans want to see obviously.
Metal Insider: I hate to press further on this, but if they were to call you asking to join them, what would you say?
Vinny: That's a hard one, because my heart's in KILL DEVIL HILL and I want this band to be successful. And the SABBATH thing, it's hard to turn down something so legendary, like "Hey, you want to play on the next or last BLACK SABBATH album?" It's part of history. So it would be hard to turn down. I would just make it work with both bands coexisting. If I had to do that, I would do it. But maybe it would help KILL DEVIL HILL. Maybe we'd open the tour, if they were touring? If it was like this is going to take the next three years and you can't do anything else, then I would have to think about it. But my main thing is KILL DEVIL HILL. The SABBATH thing, that would be hard for anybody to turn it down. And I'm not talking about money or anything, I'm just talking about being a part of the history of the band and rock. It would be a great opportunity for anybody. But it's not even going to happen. They've gone this long, they're obviously playing and writing. I heard that they were in the studio by March. I don't know who's doing it. I heard maybe Tommy [Clufetos] from Ozzy's band doing it. But I must say this, it was really funny reading all the Internet stuff because when Bill came out [with his statement], people were writing in going "Vinny should do it! Vinny's the next in line!" Then people go "Fuck Vinny! He doesn't belong up there! Bill should be up there!" Then all of a sudden Tommy's name came up, they were going "Fuck Tommy! He doesn't deserve to be up there! Vinny should do it!" It just went down the line. And I was cracking up, like "Damn!" You can't win or lose.
Metal Insider: That's one of the big downsides of the Internet. You just can't win sometimes.
Vinny: Nah, you can't win. Things get out on Blabbermouth, people commenting. People like to rag on people. That's what happens. There's some cool people that make sense and write cool things, but then there's people that just want to vent their anger. You've got to read it with a grain of salt. If it's good, you go "Cool," and if they tell you [that] you suck, you go "Cool." [laughs] You can't let it affect you.
Metal Insider: As you touched upon earlier, you've had the chance to work with a broad range of musicians, from Ronnie James Dio to John Lennon. Is there one particular artist that you worked with who really made an impact on you?
Vinny: It would have to be Ronnie. Ronnie was an incredible person, and I loved that guy. I was fifteen years or so younger than Ronnie, and he was like a father figure to me. He was smart, an extremely bright, sharp person, creative. I watched him a lot. I tried to learn from him. He taught me a lot of things, and he was just really influential in my life. And besides being one of the greatest singers in rock, if not the, he was a cool guy to start at a young age with. He was such a professional, and just seeing him go out onstage and belt it out no matter what happened before or after the show. Whether he's feeling good or not feeling good, he went out and he just killed it. And the way he treated his fans, he loved his fans, and it was just about the fans and the music. A true die-hard person, and it was amazing to be around something like that.
In the fall of 2010, Aerosmith's future was thrown into doubt when news broke that Steven Tyler would become a judge on American Idol. The singer hadn't shared the news with his bandmates yet, even though they were touring at the time, and the fact that Tyler had taken a job that would make him unavailable for a big chunk of the year didn't sit well with the guys.
"It's his business, but I don't want Aerosmith's name involved with it," guitarist Joe Perry famously told the Calgary Herald at the time. "It's a reality show designed to get people to watch that station and sell advertising. It's one step above [Teenage Mutant] Ninja Turtles."
Two years later, Perry seems to have a whole new attitude. In March, he appeared on Idol to sing "Happy Birthday" to Steven Tyler and even sat down at the judge's table. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Perry says that the group will appear on the show's May 23rd season finale to perform their new single. We also spoke with the guitarist about Aerosmith's new album, tour and ever-present backstage drama.
What's the status of the new album at this point?
It's really close. We've started to mix. We've mixed a couple of the songs already, but I guess this week we're really kind of rolling into mix mode. We have a couple of tracks left to finish up, just to put some overdubs on, but we're kind of going from the final, final recording tracks to mixing this week.
It's really close. We've started to mix. We've mixed a couple of the songs already, but I guess this week we're really kind of rolling into mix mode. We have a couple of tracks left to finish up, just to put some overdubs on, but we're kind of going from the final, final recording tracks to mixing this week.
Nice. I'm sure that bringing producer Jack Douglas back into the studio was a nice boost for you guys.
Definitely. This was supposed to be the record that we did with him five years ago, but we ran out of time so we did the Honkin' on Bobo blues record instead. We did that record kind of the same way we did this one, which is we all got in a room with Jack, as we used to back in the 1970s, and just hammered stuff out.
Definitely. This was supposed to be the record that we did with him five years ago, but we ran out of time so we did the Honkin' on Bobo blues record instead. We did that record kind of the same way we did this one, which is we all got in a room with Jack, as we used to back in the 1970s, and just hammered stuff out.
Fans are definitely ready to hear a new Aerosmith album. They've waited long enough.
I've been wanting this record to come out for years, but there's a reason for everything and the timing for this is just right. The pressure for this to be what everyone hopes it's going to be is enormous and I'm starting to feel a little bit of that heat. We've talked about doing a new record and it's kind of like the boy crying wolf the last bunch of years...I just have to wipe out all the expectations that everybody has because we've always done every record on its own, taking its own place, not looking at it in the context of the last record or the next record or whatever is going on in the world or whatever. It's just about getting in and trying to do what we do best and that's it. I'm definitely feeling some of that weight. It's really about keeping he doors locked and finishing this up without letting any of that get to us.
I've been wanting this record to come out for years, but there's a reason for everything and the timing for this is just right. The pressure for this to be what everyone hopes it's going to be is enormous and I'm starting to feel a little bit of that heat. We've talked about doing a new record and it's kind of like the boy crying wolf the last bunch of years...I just have to wipe out all the expectations that everybody has because we've always done every record on its own, taking its own place, not looking at it in the context of the last record or the next record or whatever is going on in the world or whatever. It's just about getting in and trying to do what we do best and that's it. I'm definitely feeling some of that weight. It's really about keeping he doors locked and finishing this up without letting any of that get to us.
Tell me about the tour. How are you guys going to pick a setlist?
We'll probably do it the way we always do it. We have new tunes this time, and there was a short time where we wouldn't necessarily play much from our new records. We tried, but there were just so many songs that Aerosmith fans wanted to hear when they came to see us. When we played something new, something old had to come out.
We'll probably do it the way we always do it. We have new tunes this time, and there was a short time where we wouldn't necessarily play much from our new records. We tried, but there were just so many songs that Aerosmith fans wanted to hear when they came to see us. When we played something new, something old had to come out.
But this time is going to be a little different. We're releasing a new single in three or four weeks, and that is going to open the door. I would like to see us play three or four songs from the new record, kind of sprinkling them into the set as the tour rolls out. We've also been talking about bringing in some other songs that our old fans want to hear that we haven't played in a long time. There are some songs from our early records that used to be the backbone of our set, and we're gonna bring some of them back to the table, too. It'll be a mixture of all of it.
Is there one deep cut in particular that you really want to bring back?
Yeah. I've always liked playing "Woman of the World" [from 1974's Get Your Wings.] I don't know though. We'll see.
Yeah. I've always liked playing "Woman of the World" [from 1974's Get Your Wings.] I don't know though. We'll see.
How would you compare the sound of the new record to the last album, Just Push Play?
Let's say they're polar opposites. The whole attitude of making this record and the way that we went about it is so opposite. I mean, the band stayed in the room and everybody had riffs, songs. I can remember writing some of the riffs 20 years ago; they've been kind of bubbling under. Steven and I would look at each other and go, "We gotta use that one," and they'd always end up somewhere. A lot of these riffs that we love, that are really part of our inner Aerosmith lexicon, are now songs, finally. So the whole process was different. The record's gonna sound modern and hi-fi. We're not sitting around going, "We're gonna do Night in the Ruts again or Rocks again." We want to make a modern sounding record, but the main thing is the energy that the early records had.
Let's say they're polar opposites. The whole attitude of making this record and the way that we went about it is so opposite. I mean, the band stayed in the room and everybody had riffs, songs. I can remember writing some of the riffs 20 years ago; they've been kind of bubbling under. Steven and I would look at each other and go, "We gotta use that one," and they'd always end up somewhere. A lot of these riffs that we love, that are really part of our inner Aerosmith lexicon, are now songs, finally. So the whole process was different. The record's gonna sound modern and hi-fi. We're not sitting around going, "We're gonna do Night in the Ruts again or Rocks again." We want to make a modern sounding record, but the main thing is the energy that the early records had.
The press is always so focused on drama in the band, but you guys seem to actually be functioning relatively well at this point.
Well, we're as dysfunctional as we've always been. Some of it gets out into the press when there's nothing else to talk about. I think the band is doing pretty much what it usually does. I don't know if it's fair to call it dysfunctional. You have to have some really great highs, and you have to have some real deep lows. There's always going to be that give and take in a band like this, and some of it gets thrust out into the public and some of it doesn't.
Well, we're as dysfunctional as we've always been. Some of it gets out into the press when there's nothing else to talk about. I think the band is doing pretty much what it usually does. I don't know if it's fair to call it dysfunctional. You have to have some really great highs, and you have to have some real deep lows. There's always going to be that give and take in a band like this, and some of it gets thrust out into the public and some of it doesn't.
You appeared on American Idol recently, so I assume you've softened your position a bit about that.
It wasn't about the show – it was about how we found out about it. I was pissed off about that whole thing, but I've played on it before and the band is gonna play on it in the last episode of the season to debut the new single. So it's not about the show, it's about how we found out about it. It was a bit of a shock and it took us off balance.
It wasn't about the show – it was about how we found out about it. I was pissed off about that whole thing, but I've played on it before and the band is gonna play on it in the last episode of the season to debut the new single. So it's not about the show, it's about how we found out about it. It was a bit of a shock and it took us off balance.
You guys played Toys in the Attic straight though a few years ago. Are you thinking about doing more complete album shows in the future?
Well, there's a lot of things we've been thinking about doing, and a lot of the ideas that we've had are going to start coming out. We've got a few good years left in us, so I think nothing's out of the question.
Well, there's a lot of things we've been thinking about doing, and a lot of the ideas that we've had are going to start coming out. We've got a few good years left in us, so I think nothing's out of the question.
QUEEN, one of the most innovative, glamorous, and influential bands in rock history, was formed in 1971 when the musical fates brought four creative and cerebral youths together in London. Freddie Mercury was an established fine and graphic artist, Brian May was enveloped in the study of astrophysics, Roger Taylor was enrolled in dental school, and John Deacon was studying electronic. Since then, they have made history with their sophisticated fusion of operatic expression, theatrical performance, and raw rock and roll.
Due on May 29, "Queen: The Complete Illustrated Lyrics" (Backbeat Books, $35.00) is the first book of its kind. Not only has there never before been a complete QUEEN lyrics book, "Queen: The Complete Illustrated Lyrics" also features hundreds of images accompanying the songs, from handwritten lyrics to never-before-seen photographs from the stage to the studio. Also included is a complete discography, pairing each song with the album on which it was originally released.
Beginning with their debut album, "Queen", in 1973, the band took the U.K. by storm, then conquered the United States along with the rest of the world, serving as pioneers of stadium rock and enjoying commercial success and momentum well into the 1980s (highlighted by their show-stopping Live Aid appearance in 1985) through the early 1990s. The whirlwind took a startling pause when Mercury died from AIDS on November 24, 1991, but since then, the living members have forged ahead and remain great music makers until this day.
QUEEN has been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and the Songwriters Hall Of Fame, has songs enshrined in the Grammy Hall Of Fame, and has received BMI's highest honor, the BMI Icon Award. QUEEN's "Greatest Hits", released in 1981, is the U.K.'s best-selling album of all time.
Designed by QUEEN's longtime creative director Richard Gray, "Queen: The Complete Illustrated Lyrics" is as true to the band as can be, carrying with it the flamboyance, expression, and depth that QUEEN embodies.
Due on May 29, "Queen: The Complete Illustrated Lyrics" (Backbeat Books, $35.00) is the first book of its kind. Not only has there never before been a complete QUEEN lyrics book, "Queen: The Complete Illustrated Lyrics" also features hundreds of images accompanying the songs, from handwritten lyrics to never-before-seen photographs from the stage to the studio. Also included is a complete discography, pairing each song with the album on which it was originally released.
Beginning with their debut album, "Queen", in 1973, the band took the U.K. by storm, then conquered the United States along with the rest of the world, serving as pioneers of stadium rock and enjoying commercial success and momentum well into the 1980s (highlighted by their show-stopping Live Aid appearance in 1985) through the early 1990s. The whirlwind took a startling pause when Mercury died from AIDS on November 24, 1991, but since then, the living members have forged ahead and remain great music makers until this day.
QUEEN has been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and the Songwriters Hall Of Fame, has songs enshrined in the Grammy Hall Of Fame, and has received BMI's highest honor, the BMI Icon Award. QUEEN's "Greatest Hits", released in 1981, is the U.K.'s best-selling album of all time.
Designed by QUEEN's longtime creative director Richard Gray, "Queen: The Complete Illustrated Lyrics" is as true to the band as can be, carrying with it the flamboyance, expression, and depth that QUEEN embodies.
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/queenillustratedlyrics.jpg
QUEEN today announced that they will add a third London concert with Adam Lambert at HMV Hammersmith Apollo in July. The band's two dates at the venue — July 11 and 12 — hastily added after the cancellation of Sonisphere festival, sold out instantly.
Promoter Paul Roberts confirmed the two earlier London shows sold out "within minutes."
QUEEN and Adam Lambert's third date will take place Saturday, July 14. Tickets go on sale on at 9.00 a.m. on Monday, May 14.
The added London date will be the final show of five dates QUEEN and Adam Lambert will play together this summer. In addition to the Hammersmith shows, QUEEN and Lambert will also appear at Moscow Sports Arena (July 3) and at The Municipal Stadium, Wroclaw, Poland (July 7).
Speaking at the time of making the announcement, Brian May said: "Adam has an extraordinary voice — no two ways about it. So we'll be exploring new ways to do things. So it will be exciting!"
"We're really excited about it," Taylor told Billboard.com last month. "Adam... of course he has this unbelievable range, like Freddie had range. Adam can really cover it. He's an extraordinary singer and a real talent. I feel he fits into our sort of theatricality."
Regarding the possibility of further activity with Lambert, Taylor said that "we're just going to see what happens, how well it goes, how we get on."
Promoter Paul Roberts confirmed the two earlier London shows sold out "within minutes."
QUEEN and Adam Lambert's third date will take place Saturday, July 14. Tickets go on sale on at 9.00 a.m. on Monday, May 14.
The added London date will be the final show of five dates QUEEN and Adam Lambert will play together this summer. In addition to the Hammersmith shows, QUEEN and Lambert will also appear at Moscow Sports Arena (July 3) and at The Municipal Stadium, Wroclaw, Poland (July 7).
Speaking at the time of making the announcement, Brian May said: "Adam has an extraordinary voice — no two ways about it. So we'll be exploring new ways to do things. So it will be exciting!"
"We're really excited about it," Taylor told Billboard.com last month. "Adam... of course he has this unbelievable range, like Freddie had range. Adam can really cover it. He's an extraordinary singer and a real talent. I feel he fits into our sort of theatricality."
Regarding the possibility of further activity with Lambert, Taylor said that "we're just going to see what happens, how well it goes, how we get on."
METALLICA frontman James Hetfield says that speculation about a possible collaboration between his band and members of MEGADETH is "crazy" talk on the part of MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine.
Mustaine joined his former METALLICA bandmates on stage on December 10, 2011 for the fourth and final intimate show at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of the group's week-long celebration of its 30th anniversary as a band for fan club members only.
Mustaine, who was one of the original members of METALLICA, was fired from the band by drummer Lars Ulrich in 1983. He was replaced by Kirk Hammett and went on to form MEGADETH and achieve worldwide success on his own.
When asked about the status of his proposed "supergroup" with Ellefson (bass; MEGADETH), Hetfield and Lars Ulrich (drums; METALLICA), Mustane told Minnesota radio station 93X in a February interview, "Yeah, that was just me talking. I don't think [James and Lars are] interested in doing that. It would be cool, and I've mentioned it to them before. I just think that they're so busy that they don't have time to do something like that.
"My wife and James' wife are friends, and they talk a lot. From what I know, too, there's a lot of work that those guys do, and they're gone a lot, and they tour a lot, so for them to take on a project like that, I think it would have to really be a labor of love. Of course, David and I would do it, 'cause I think it would be great to play with them again.
"MEGADETH is doing really fine right now. I'm not in the place to be asking for favors from anybody. I like who I am right now, I'm satisfied with where my career's at. But don't kid yourself, if we got together and played, I imagine it would be really cool. It wouldn't be anything like MEGADETH, of course, and it wouldn't be anything like METALLICA. But we'll see what happens. Maybe with enough people asking them, they'll buckle. [Laughs]"
In an interview that is featured in a special edition of METALLICA's So What! magazine called "Metallica The 30th Anniversary Event", Hetfield said, "We learned a lot from the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame about maturity and grace, as far as previous members and things like that — especially after watching other bands get up there and bicker about stupid things. They didn't get the big picture. Excuse me, but there's a lot of people out there that enjoyed that lineup, or a lot of people grew up with that lineup, and why are you not celebrating that? Why are you not embracing that as part of your history? And it's sad and it's selfish. And because we were able to have Dave onstage [at the Fillmore] and Jason [Newsted, former METALLICA bassist] and Bob [Rock, former METALLICA producer] and all these other people that were part of our history, we were able to rise above the bickering and celebrate it."
He added, "I think especially with Dave, with all of his struggles. I see him healthier now. I see him as less of a bitter guy. But I do see a lot of stuff in the press with him talking about jamming with us and making an album. All this other crazy stuff. I read it and say to myself, 'Hold on. This is the Dave that we kind of wanted to forget about. You know, the big-mouth that wants to just go-go-go.' But there is an authenticity about him when he speaks. He doesn't think too much before he does. He just goes off the cuff. Plus, when he says stuff like that, it's well-intended."
Mustaine joined his former METALLICA bandmates on stage on December 10, 2011 for the fourth and final intimate show at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of the group's week-long celebration of its 30th anniversary as a band for fan club members only.
Mustaine, who was one of the original members of METALLICA, was fired from the band by drummer Lars Ulrich in 1983. He was replaced by Kirk Hammett and went on to form MEGADETH and achieve worldwide success on his own.
When asked about the status of his proposed "supergroup" with Ellefson (bass; MEGADETH), Hetfield and Lars Ulrich (drums; METALLICA), Mustane told Minnesota radio station 93X in a February interview, "Yeah, that was just me talking. I don't think [James and Lars are] interested in doing that. It would be cool, and I've mentioned it to them before. I just think that they're so busy that they don't have time to do something like that.
"My wife and James' wife are friends, and they talk a lot. From what I know, too, there's a lot of work that those guys do, and they're gone a lot, and they tour a lot, so for them to take on a project like that, I think it would have to really be a labor of love. Of course, David and I would do it, 'cause I think it would be great to play with them again.
"MEGADETH is doing really fine right now. I'm not in the place to be asking for favors from anybody. I like who I am right now, I'm satisfied with where my career's at. But don't kid yourself, if we got together and played, I imagine it would be really cool. It wouldn't be anything like MEGADETH, of course, and it wouldn't be anything like METALLICA. But we'll see what happens. Maybe with enough people asking them, they'll buckle. [Laughs]"
In an interview that is featured in a special edition of METALLICA's So What! magazine called "Metallica The 30th Anniversary Event", Hetfield said, "We learned a lot from the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame about maturity and grace, as far as previous members and things like that — especially after watching other bands get up there and bicker about stupid things. They didn't get the big picture. Excuse me, but there's a lot of people out there that enjoyed that lineup, or a lot of people grew up with that lineup, and why are you not celebrating that? Why are you not embracing that as part of your history? And it's sad and it's selfish. And because we were able to have Dave onstage [at the Fillmore] and Jason [Newsted, former METALLICA bassist] and Bob [Rock, former METALLICA producer] and all these other people that were part of our history, we were able to rise above the bickering and celebrate it."
He added, "I think especially with Dave, with all of his struggles. I see him healthier now. I see him as less of a bitter guy. But I do see a lot of stuff in the press with him talking about jamming with us and making an album. All this other crazy stuff. I read it and say to myself, 'Hold on. This is the Dave that we kind of wanted to forget about. You know, the big-mouth that wants to just go-go-go.' But there is an authenticity about him when he speaks. He doesn't think too much before he does. He just goes off the cuff. Plus, when he says stuff like that, it's well-intended."
Duff McKagan (VELVET REVOLVER, DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED, GUNS N' ROSES) has penned the latest installment of his column, which appears on Reverb at SeattleWeekly.com. A couple of excerpts follow below.
"Watching [the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony special on HBO last weekend] made me sad — for the very first time, perhaps — that the original GN'R didn't somehow stay together. It would have been a miracle if we did. If I'd known then what I know now, I would have done my part to try and rid that band of the caustic resentments and outside inputs that finally wore us down to a nub of what we once were, and what we could have come back from. Alas, it just wasn't in the cards.
"We really didn't know if we were going to play at all. It wasn't cemented until we actually rehearsed at 2 a.m. the day of the show.
"For Slash and me, it was the first time we'd played our songs with Steven Adler in something like 22 years. We had to wonder: Would it work? Would we be able to get our mojo back with only 14 hours to spare before playing in front of an audience of 7,000, and be filmed for an HBO special!?
"I couldn't have been more proud of the guys I did take the stage with that night (special thanks to guitarist Gilby Clarke and singer Myles Kennedy for their heroic, last-minute efforts). My bandmates composed themselves in the face of so much unneeded drama. We had no resentment, and showed up to pay homage to those fans who did their part for us.
"At the end of the day, I am so very satisfied about the outcome of that night in Cleveland. It was about the music that GN'R wrote way back when. And the fact that a few of us showed up to reciprocate our appreciation was certainly enough for the occasion."
"Watching [the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony special on HBO last weekend] made me sad — for the very first time, perhaps — that the original GN'R didn't somehow stay together. It would have been a miracle if we did. If I'd known then what I know now, I would have done my part to try and rid that band of the caustic resentments and outside inputs that finally wore us down to a nub of what we once were, and what we could have come back from. Alas, it just wasn't in the cards.
"We really didn't know if we were going to play at all. It wasn't cemented until we actually rehearsed at 2 a.m. the day of the show.
"For Slash and me, it was the first time we'd played our songs with Steven Adler in something like 22 years. We had to wonder: Would it work? Would we be able to get our mojo back with only 14 hours to spare before playing in front of an audience of 7,000, and be filmed for an HBO special!?
"I couldn't have been more proud of the guys I did take the stage with that night (special thanks to guitarist Gilby Clarke and singer Myles Kennedy for their heroic, last-minute efforts). My bandmates composed themselves in the face of so much unneeded drama. We had no resentment, and showed up to pay homage to those fans who did their part for us.
"At the end of the day, I am so very satisfied about the outcome of that night in Cleveland. It was about the music that GN'R wrote way back when. And the fact that a few of us showed up to reciprocate our appreciation was certainly enough for the occasion."
With the start of the new Rob Zombie tour with Megadeth just one day away, The Aquarian Weekly sat down with Rob ahead of the first show on Friday. The band also grace the front cover of the magazine. Read the interview here.
Interview with Rob Zombie:
From Hollywood To Broadway?
—by Tim Louie, May 9, 2012
One of the most interesting men in hard rock is none other than Rob Zombie. In fact, he's so interesting, that Dos Equis should've chosen him for their "Most Interesting Man In The World" campaign. Rob has one of the most recognizable voices and sounds in rock 'n' roll that can still be heard in strip clubs across the U.S., and he's also become one of the most prolific horror filmmakers in Hollywood. In the past 20 years since his former band—White Zombie's impressive major label debut, La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Volume One—Rob's hard work and dedication to his craft has left an undeniable mark on pop culture. His cult movie classics such as House Of 1000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects, and the Halloween remakes, have also given Rob a name in the horror movie industry. His name in film became so popular that last year, he was asked to create a commercial for Woolite, and he gladly obliged with his creation of The Torturer! This is something that you'll have to look up on YouTube, but you'll recognize Rob Zombie's work right away!
Rob Zombie is currently wrapping up production on his sixth feature film, Lords Of Salem, and this month, the Rob Zombie band heads out on a month-long tour with Megadeth and Lacuna Coil, which kicks off right here in Holmdel, NJ, at the PNC Bank Arts Center on May 11. As soon as the tour is over, Rob and company head into the studio on June 1 to record a new Rob Zombie CD that should be out later this year. Excited about his very busy year, Rob was able to take a quick break from the action to give me a call to talk about everything! Here's what he had to say:
Hey Rob! So, why didn't Dos Equis choose you to be "The Most Interesting Man in the World? You have so much going on…..
It's probably because my beard isn't grey enough yet. They like that grey distinguished look, but we're working on it. Unfortunately, I'm getting there.
Now, you're kicking your tour off right here in New Jersey with Megadeth and Lacuna Coil. Can we expect to hear any new material on this tour?
No! (Laughs) No way! Nobody wants to hear new material when they buy a concert ticket. I mean, I don't. You? Nothing is worse than a guy saying, "Hey! Here's some new stuff!" It's like, "Really?"
Well, don't you want to test the waters with some of your new stuff? Especially when you're heading into the studio?
Yeah, well, we haven't got enough songs finished yet to play live, and testing the waters with them doesn't really make any sense because they'll change anyway, and if you played them live, I guess you would just come to the conclusion that they're terrible because no one's gonna know what they are anyway. I've never done that, so no sense in starting now.
What song do you look forward to performing live when you're on that stage?
It's all a blur to me, truthfully. I don't really care. For me, the fun of songs is the songs the crowd likes the most. Truthfully! I mean, every once in a while, it's fun to play something new and add a song into the set that we haven't played in a lot because I've played certain songs so many times, it is almost a blur. Like, there will be times when I'm playing a song and I literally won't remember and I'm like "Is this the first verse or the third verse?" It just goes by in my mind like such a blur. We've been playing the song "Pussy Liquor" off of the House Of 1000 Corpses soundtrack for a while, and that's always probably the most fun moment just because it was such a ridiculous, almost throwaway song that has now become so popular. Everyone used to request it, but we would never play it because I thought they were kidding. So then we started playing it and it's become a show highlight. It's pretty funny.
You're heading into the studio in June. Who does the majority of the songwriting? Because I know that you're an amazing songwriter, but you also have John 5 on guitar, who is an amazing songwriter as well…..
We do it all together! Really, the process is everybody is separate right now. Everybody is off on their own, writing bits and pieces. No one will ever go, "Here's a finished song!" I mean, maybe they will, but it will never remain that way. It will get ripped apart, and put all back together. So, everyone just comes in, and the more stuff they present the better. We may use it, we may not use it, but a good way to start it is with John. He'll come in and say "I have like 25 different things going and stuff, so…"
Is it difficult for you to go from director mode into producer mode when it comes to the music?
Sometimes it's difficult to make the switch because you're so caught up in one world and then you make the switch to the other. Luckily, the tour in between is almost the mind eraser. I've been working on the movie for a long time, and am pretty much in that mode. Then if I had to go in to make a record, I might not be thinking in that right mindset or space. Yeah, by going on tour, for whatever we're doing—four weeks or whatever—that'll get us all back crazy into music and the camaraderie of the band. So we'll come right off the road and right into the studio and it will be good.
Are you going to produce this new record or do you have a producer in mind?
Um, I'll probably produce it, I guess. I don't know what's going to happen. We have engineers we like to work with, and maybe other people come in and produce a couple songs. I'm gonna do this one in a different sort of way because I want this record to be really special. So, I'm kind of just like, "Whatever it takes!" If the producer is great, and after a couple of songs, he's burnt out, we'll bring in somebody else for more songs. Whatever it takes to get a great record!
Now, you're just wrapping up on your sixth feature film, Lords Of Salem. Can you tell us what it's about?
This week, I'll be wrapping up the editing, and then from there….Well, there's still a lot of work to do from the color timing and the sound mixing and all that stuff. I won't actually finish before the tour. I'll have to come back to it after the tour to finish it. It's a different movie for me. I hate calling it a horror movie because it's more than that. It's very much like a psychological terror film, and it's a very different style. The other films were very in-your-face violent. This is more like a total mindfuck movie, and it's just very different, but I'm very excited about it because the fans of what I've done will love it, but it's a very different trip than I've tried before because I didn't want to just go and do the same thing again—and after doing two Halloween films in a row, I wanted to break the mold of anything like that—but very, very different.
Well, my girlfriend and I saw a commercial last year called The Torturer, and right away, we said that it had to be a Rob Zombie piece, and it turned out that it was a piece you did for Woolite! Are there any more commercials in your future?
Yeah, I shot three commercials about a month or so ago. They haven't aired yet. They were products that were summer related, so they'll probably air pretty soon. They were for a bug killing product that's called Amdro. I shot three different spots, and they're all pretty crazy, and one of them stars Clint Howard, which was fun. Again, when you see them, you'll know. You won't question it. The people from this company loved the Woolite commercial, and they sort of hired me wanting something similar, I guess.
Here's a weird question for you. Since you're a film director and a musician, would there ever be a chance that we'll see a Rob Zombie Broadway musical? Maybe, House Of 1000 Corpses: The Musical?
I've talked about it before. First, it started off almost as a joke, but then after I talked about it more, I thought it was a good idea. I would like to. I don't know when or how or whatever, but on one hand, it sounds ridiculous, but I think that the reality of it is that it is possible. Because if you look at Broadway now, it's all becoming that sort of pop culture, and I think that House Of 1000 Corpses has very much led itself to that sort of scenario because the whole movie plays almost like a bloody Rocky Horror Picture Show, anyway.
I know that you've always been this huge horror movie fan. Is there any classic horror movie, besides Halloween, you'd like to remake, personally?
Actually, no I don't. Every single movie will be made eventually. There's a chance that there could be other movies I do remake someday because it keeps getting harder and harder to get original films made. Really, the studios only want to do remakes. That's why there's so many. I mean, you're just at a point where you have no choice because you want to work and you want to make movies. I want to avoid it as much as possible. It's a weird scenario especially after doing the Halloween movies. You want to be able to make things where people can judge them based on what they are, and when you're making a remake, a lot of times the movies get judged on what people thought they were supposed to be or what they expected. It just becomes very strange.
One last question for you, Rob, since I know you have movies and music to make! What is the one thing that Rob Zombie fans will be shocked to learn about you?
They'll be shocked to learn that I never answer that question because I don't know (laughs). They'll be shocked to learn everything probably! I mean, nobody knows anything about me, which is kind of good! I keep it that way. Everybody thinks that they know everything, but they don't know anything, and that's the way to be.
In a brand new interview with Loudwire.com, former PANTERA and current DOWN frontman Philip Anselmo was asked if he had any communication with ex-PANTERA drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott while they were both working on the PANTERA 20th-anniversary reissues and taking care of other PANTERA business in the years following the murder of the band's guitarist, and Vinnie's brother, "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott. "I still speak with [bassist] Rex [Brown]," he said. "The Vince thing is unfortunate. I cannot judge where Vinnie's head is at. Anyone who witnessed their own brother being shot to death in front of them, you cannot … I will not judge him or his frame of mind. I deal with it. I cannot and will not lay in this past. I have to move on. Like we all do, for the health of our own minds. Either way, I will not judge Vince. But to answer this question, this lady [business manager] is the go between for all of us. The only time me and Vince are in close proximity is through joint e-mails. We all get the same e-mail regarding what will be on re-release, this and that, we all give our opinions and she takes it from there. That's as close as I get to Vince, but Rex and I are still close."
On the topic of Dimebag and where Philip's head and his heart are nearly eight years after te guitarist's death, Anselmo said. "I probably think about him every friggin' day. Music is music is music, but he was a gigantic part of my growth as a musician and a part of my life, a brother, a person that I loved. I loved him. Dimebag, I can't say enough. I mentioned it before. I am the type that cannot stay put in living in the past and solely in the past. It's not healthy and it doesn't feel right. Yes, I've moved on, for the health of my own goddamn brain, but there s a part of me that will never come to fucking grips like anyone who loses someone to murder. You can't come to a full circle. He will come up in conversation. There are memories of him everywhere. It's all over the walls and the studio. I don't like to dwell on the negative. I get to remember all the fantastic shit the guy brought to my life and to other people's lives. He was an all-around beautiful motherfucker with those piercing blue eyes, eyes that I can see now in my head. They were truthful, loving and caring, and he was insanely talented."
"Dimebag" Darrell Abbott was co-founder and lead guitarist for PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, Dimebag and his brother Vinnie Paul formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by Nathan Gale. He was 38 years old.
On the topic of Dimebag and where Philip's head and his heart are nearly eight years after te guitarist's death, Anselmo said. "I probably think about him every friggin' day. Music is music is music, but he was a gigantic part of my growth as a musician and a part of my life, a brother, a person that I loved. I loved him. Dimebag, I can't say enough. I mentioned it before. I am the type that cannot stay put in living in the past and solely in the past. It's not healthy and it doesn't feel right. Yes, I've moved on, for the health of my own goddamn brain, but there s a part of me that will never come to fucking grips like anyone who loses someone to murder. You can't come to a full circle. He will come up in conversation. There are memories of him everywhere. It's all over the walls and the studio. I don't like to dwell on the negative. I get to remember all the fantastic shit the guy brought to my life and to other people's lives. He was an all-around beautiful motherfucker with those piercing blue eyes, eyes that I can see now in my head. They were truthful, loving and caring, and he was insanely talented."
"Dimebag" Darrell Abbott was co-founder and lead guitarist for PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, Dimebag and his brother Vinnie Paul formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by Nathan Gale. He was 38 years old.
Jay Nanda of the San Antonio Metal Music Examiner recently conducted an interview with bassist Rex Brown (KILL DEVIL HILL, PANTERA, DOWN). An excerpt from the chat follows below.
San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: Congrats on the 20th anniversary of [PANTERA's] "Vulgar Display Of Power". The CD/DVD [reissue] comes out the day before you guys play here and includes a 1992 show from Italy. Anything you remember from that show or period of time?
Rex: That was the first time I met [then-BLACK SABBATH members] Vinny [Appice] and Ronnie James Dio. Ya gotta remember, we're just four guys from Texas. Before their set, we smoked one, and me and Phil [Anselmo, former PANTERA singer] sat behind Geezer's [Butler, SABBATH bassist] rig and watched Vinny play. You've got Geezer on your back, and that was cool as shit. It's funny it's come full circle 20 years later, and weird that it's coming out, and me and Vinny are playing [here] the next day [with KILL DEVIL HILL]. It's weird, isn't it?
San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: I'll ask you something I asked Phil last September: Which song off that album best epitomizes what PANTERA stood for?
Rex: Oh, Lord. Shit, let me brush the cobwebs out of my head. There are so many on that record that are standout tracks. I don't know. For diversity, I would say something like "Hollow". The crushing end of that song, very mellow at the start. Or you have the crushing "Fucking Hostile". Even though it says "fucking" in it, it was still a hook. That whole record, I don't know, now that I'm doing these interviews and stuff, it just brings back memories of how organic it was even though we just went in and did what we do.
San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: What do you think of the lost song "Piss" that's on the 20th-anniversary edition?
Rex: That was one of those that we… I had one metal part, the verse part, that I was sitting around playing in the studio. Vince [Paul Abbott, former PANTERA drummer] was like, "What is that?" "I don't know, I'm just sitting around doing it." We used that one riff for "Use My Third Arm" off "Far Beyond Driven". It was just one of those tracks that we forgot about. To this day, we're scratching our chins going, "Why didn't we put that on the record?" It still holds up. It's a cool track.
San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: Where do you stand on Vinnie and Phil not having spoken all these years?
Rex: Vinnie's just not open to talking to either one of us. Nothing to do with me. I have no problem talking to Vince. We emailed a couple times, but nothing major. You know, we keep hearing rumors about a reunion with Zakk Wylde on guitar, and that is such bullshit. You can't replace my brother.
San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: Do you have a favorite memory or story of Dimebag you'd like to share?
Rex: There are so many. Where do I start? Over the years, there were so many shenanigans and pranks. Dime always had a camera with him. I called him "the irreplaceable arm." He always had a guitar in one hand and a camera in the other and would capture everything on film. Just pulling pranks. It's all been very well documented in the home videos, and I'm saving some of that for the book. As much as he entertained, you know, he had to have entertainment back.
San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: Congrats on the 20th anniversary of [PANTERA's] "Vulgar Display Of Power". The CD/DVD [reissue] comes out the day before you guys play here and includes a 1992 show from Italy. Anything you remember from that show or period of time?
Rex: That was the first time I met [then-BLACK SABBATH members] Vinny [Appice] and Ronnie James Dio. Ya gotta remember, we're just four guys from Texas. Before their set, we smoked one, and me and Phil [Anselmo, former PANTERA singer] sat behind Geezer's [Butler, SABBATH bassist] rig and watched Vinny play. You've got Geezer on your back, and that was cool as shit. It's funny it's come full circle 20 years later, and weird that it's coming out, and me and Vinny are playing [here] the next day [with KILL DEVIL HILL]. It's weird, isn't it?
San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: I'll ask you something I asked Phil last September: Which song off that album best epitomizes what PANTERA stood for?
Rex: Oh, Lord. Shit, let me brush the cobwebs out of my head. There are so many on that record that are standout tracks. I don't know. For diversity, I would say something like "Hollow". The crushing end of that song, very mellow at the start. Or you have the crushing "Fucking Hostile". Even though it says "fucking" in it, it was still a hook. That whole record, I don't know, now that I'm doing these interviews and stuff, it just brings back memories of how organic it was even though we just went in and did what we do.
San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: What do you think of the lost song "Piss" that's on the 20th-anniversary edition?
Rex: That was one of those that we… I had one metal part, the verse part, that I was sitting around playing in the studio. Vince [Paul Abbott, former PANTERA drummer] was like, "What is that?" "I don't know, I'm just sitting around doing it." We used that one riff for "Use My Third Arm" off "Far Beyond Driven". It was just one of those tracks that we forgot about. To this day, we're scratching our chins going, "Why didn't we put that on the record?" It still holds up. It's a cool track.
San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: Where do you stand on Vinnie and Phil not having spoken all these years?
Rex: Vinnie's just not open to talking to either one of us. Nothing to do with me. I have no problem talking to Vince. We emailed a couple times, but nothing major. You know, we keep hearing rumors about a reunion with Zakk Wylde on guitar, and that is such bullshit. You can't replace my brother.
San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: Do you have a favorite memory or story of Dimebag you'd like to share?
Rex: There are so many. Where do I start? Over the years, there were so many shenanigans and pranks. Dime always had a camera with him. I called him "the irreplaceable arm." He always had a guitar in one hand and a camera in the other and would capture everything on film. Just pulling pranks. It's all been very well documented in the home videos, and I'm saving some of that for the book. As much as he entertained, you know, he had to have entertainment back.
ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist Jerry Cantrell spoke to RollingStone.com about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the follow-up to 2009's gold-certified "Black Gives Way To Blue", which debuted in the Top 10 of The Billboard 200 and scored multiple Grammy nominations.
"It's time to get to work and the material is really interesting, the body of work that we've done," Cantrell said. "It'll be as different as any one of our records is to any other, and it'll also be just as recognizable. It's an ALICE record, for sure."
Following its self-titled record in 1995, the once-mighty Seattle-based act went into a long period of inactivity, partially due to the drug problems of singer Layne Staley. Staley died in 2002, but it was another four years until the three remaining members of the band, Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney, first regrouped for a benefit show and then officially returned with new frontman William DuVall.
ALICE IN CHAINS recruited pop legend Elton John to contribute piano to "Black Gives Way To Blue"'s title track, which is written in tribute to Staley.
"Albums, to me, are like snapshots of periods of time, and it's kind of a mosaic of all the people involved. It's a process that you go through to make it happen lyrically and musically," Cantrell told RollingStone.com. "It's always been our style to tell our story."
According to Cantrell, the next ALICE IN CHAINS album will be out either later this year or early next year at the latest.
"We've been very lucky to be able to kind of do things at our own pace for our entire career," he said. "And this is no exception."
ALICE IN CHAINS released "Black Gives Way To Blue" after a 14-year hiatus between full-length albums.
"It's time to get to work and the material is really interesting, the body of work that we've done," Cantrell said. "It'll be as different as any one of our records is to any other, and it'll also be just as recognizable. It's an ALICE record, for sure."
Following its self-titled record in 1995, the once-mighty Seattle-based act went into a long period of inactivity, partially due to the drug problems of singer Layne Staley. Staley died in 2002, but it was another four years until the three remaining members of the band, Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney, first regrouped for a benefit show and then officially returned with new frontman William DuVall.
ALICE IN CHAINS recruited pop legend Elton John to contribute piano to "Black Gives Way To Blue"'s title track, which is written in tribute to Staley.
"Albums, to me, are like snapshots of periods of time, and it's kind of a mosaic of all the people involved. It's a process that you go through to make it happen lyrically and musically," Cantrell told RollingStone.com. "It's always been our style to tell our story."
According to Cantrell, the next ALICE IN CHAINS album will be out either later this year or early next year at the latest.
"We've been very lucky to be able to kind of do things at our own pace for our entire career," he said. "And this is no exception."
ALICE IN CHAINS released "Black Gives Way To Blue" after a 14-year hiatus between full-length albums.
Bob Zerull of Zoiks! Online recently conducted an interview with legendary guitarist Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Zoiks! Online: I read your new book "Bringing Metal To The Children". How did the idea for this book come about?
Zakk: I just figured the world needed another masterpiece, another "Gone With The Wind". (laughs) I can't even say it out loud with out laughing, man. This parchment of stupidity, I just figured it needed to be written. It's just like me and you sitting around, especially back when I was drinking, we'd be laughing and telling these ridiculous stories, just about music business stuff. It'd be like, "Bob, get out of here! That never happened… Did it?" It's like, "Dude, I wish I was making it up, Zakk. I can't even make this up." I always laugh. We always talk about "Seinfeld" or whatever with Larry David. You know those episodes, that one episode with Bob is hysterical where he picks up that hooker so he can drive in the car pool lane. It's like we didn't make that up, Bob actually did that, bro. The guys would be like, "Are you kidding?" and I'm like, "No, we elaborated on the story, but that actually happened." Pretty much with the book, that's how it came about. When we started writing the book, it almost could have been a guitar instructional thing and then it was like me adding bits of humor in there. Then it was us laughing at some stupid stories. It was like two books. Let's just make it so it's ridiculously stupid throughout the whole book. You take this stuff so serious, but it just gets crammed out of your ass at the end of the day. Like we were talking at the beginning of the book, yeah, you practice 24 hours a day, you got your pictures of Jimmy Page up on the wall, ZEPPELIN and SABBATH and all these bands that you love. Once you get out there in the real world, it's not even close, dude. The running joke is you can go to high school, but do they really prepare you for what's going to happen once you get out of there? They don't. I know how to read, write, add, subtract, you know, but nobody told me it was going to be like this when we got out of there.
Zoiks! Online: I may be mistaken, but I could have swore I read that you were working on a movie script, is that accurate and how is that coming along?
Zakk: Well, I've been talking about doing that for years. For me it's just a matter of time where I have a break in what I'm doing. After we just got back from Australia, I had to get everything ready for the tour over in Europe then in a couple days we have the Ozzy rehearsals, then BLACK LABEL rehearsals, then book signings and the Golden Gods, so you know, it's just a matter of having… for me, I've never had six months where there's nothing going on.
Zoiks! Online: Last year you played with James Durbin on "American Idol". Is it possible for somebody coming off a reality show to survive in the very judgemental world of hard rock and heavy metal, even with the support of you, Steven Tyler and JUDAS PRIEST?
Zakk: My whole thing is just like when Eddie (Van Halen) played on Michael Jackson's "Beat It", at first I was like, "Dude?" But then I heard some ripping guitar on the thing. My whole take on it is, "American Idol" is not our party anyways. It's like any of my friends get bummed out because the Grammys doesn't even acknowledge hard rock. It's like when JETHRO TULL beat METALLICA for "Best Metal Band." It just goes to show you. I have friends that get so bent out of shape, but I'm like, "Dude, it's not our party." Would you get pissed off because I'm getting ready to do the Golden Gods out here? If Celine Dion isn't up for best vocalist, do you think she's gonna get pissed? I couldn't care less. It's not my party, who cares? It's not for hard rock or heavy metal, it just isn't. I remember somebody was telling me, "Yo, Zakk, Justin Bieber… fuck him or Lady Gaga." "Yeah, I know, I can't stand them either. You know why? Because they're doing six nights at Madison Square Garden, that's why I can't stand them, because I can't do Madison Square Garden." Yeah, I hate them, too, because of their merch sales, album sales. If somebody goes, "I hate Justin Bieber," I say, "You know who you must really hate too? Joe Pass. You must really hate that motherfucker." Then they go, "Who's Joe Pass?" and I go, "He's a legendary jazz guitar player." And then he goes, "Well, I don't listen to jazz," and I say, "Exactly, and I don't listen to Justin Bieber either, so I don't know anything about him, dude." I don't get bent out of shape over something I don't know anything about or let alone care about.
Zoiks! Online: Do you have any free time coming up in the next couple of years?
Zakk: No. I gotta be honest with you, I love working. My kids, the two oldest are in college, the little guy is nine and [wife] Barbaranne is 6 ½ months pregnant right now. My friends are like, "You must be excited you're having another baby?" "Yeah, we just extended the tour another twenty years."
Zoiks! Online: I read your new book "Bringing Metal To The Children". How did the idea for this book come about?
Zakk: I just figured the world needed another masterpiece, another "Gone With The Wind". (laughs) I can't even say it out loud with out laughing, man. This parchment of stupidity, I just figured it needed to be written. It's just like me and you sitting around, especially back when I was drinking, we'd be laughing and telling these ridiculous stories, just about music business stuff. It'd be like, "Bob, get out of here! That never happened… Did it?" It's like, "Dude, I wish I was making it up, Zakk. I can't even make this up." I always laugh. We always talk about "Seinfeld" or whatever with Larry David. You know those episodes, that one episode with Bob is hysterical where he picks up that hooker so he can drive in the car pool lane. It's like we didn't make that up, Bob actually did that, bro. The guys would be like, "Are you kidding?" and I'm like, "No, we elaborated on the story, but that actually happened." Pretty much with the book, that's how it came about. When we started writing the book, it almost could have been a guitar instructional thing and then it was like me adding bits of humor in there. Then it was us laughing at some stupid stories. It was like two books. Let's just make it so it's ridiculously stupid throughout the whole book. You take this stuff so serious, but it just gets crammed out of your ass at the end of the day. Like we were talking at the beginning of the book, yeah, you practice 24 hours a day, you got your pictures of Jimmy Page up on the wall, ZEPPELIN and SABBATH and all these bands that you love. Once you get out there in the real world, it's not even close, dude. The running joke is you can go to high school, but do they really prepare you for what's going to happen once you get out of there? They don't. I know how to read, write, add, subtract, you know, but nobody told me it was going to be like this when we got out of there.
Zoiks! Online: I may be mistaken, but I could have swore I read that you were working on a movie script, is that accurate and how is that coming along?
Zakk: Well, I've been talking about doing that for years. For me it's just a matter of time where I have a break in what I'm doing. After we just got back from Australia, I had to get everything ready for the tour over in Europe then in a couple days we have the Ozzy rehearsals, then BLACK LABEL rehearsals, then book signings and the Golden Gods, so you know, it's just a matter of having… for me, I've never had six months where there's nothing going on.
Zoiks! Online: Last year you played with James Durbin on "American Idol". Is it possible for somebody coming off a reality show to survive in the very judgemental world of hard rock and heavy metal, even with the support of you, Steven Tyler and JUDAS PRIEST?
Zakk: My whole thing is just like when Eddie (Van Halen) played on Michael Jackson's "Beat It", at first I was like, "Dude?" But then I heard some ripping guitar on the thing. My whole take on it is, "American Idol" is not our party anyways. It's like any of my friends get bummed out because the Grammys doesn't even acknowledge hard rock. It's like when JETHRO TULL beat METALLICA for "Best Metal Band." It just goes to show you. I have friends that get so bent out of shape, but I'm like, "Dude, it's not our party." Would you get pissed off because I'm getting ready to do the Golden Gods out here? If Celine Dion isn't up for best vocalist, do you think she's gonna get pissed? I couldn't care less. It's not my party, who cares? It's not for hard rock or heavy metal, it just isn't. I remember somebody was telling me, "Yo, Zakk, Justin Bieber… fuck him or Lady Gaga." "Yeah, I know, I can't stand them either. You know why? Because they're doing six nights at Madison Square Garden, that's why I can't stand them, because I can't do Madison Square Garden." Yeah, I hate them, too, because of their merch sales, album sales. If somebody goes, "I hate Justin Bieber," I say, "You know who you must really hate too? Joe Pass. You must really hate that motherfucker." Then they go, "Who's Joe Pass?" and I go, "He's a legendary jazz guitar player." And then he goes, "Well, I don't listen to jazz," and I say, "Exactly, and I don't listen to Justin Bieber either, so I don't know anything about him, dude." I don't get bent out of shape over something I don't know anything about or let alone care about.
Zoiks! Online: Do you have any free time coming up in the next couple of years?
Zakk: No. I gotta be honest with you, I love working. My kids, the two oldest are in college, the little guy is nine and [wife] Barbaranne is 6 ½ months pregnant right now. My friends are like, "You must be excited you're having another baby?" "Yeah, we just extended the tour another twenty years."
Frontiers Records has announced that it will release DOKKEN's new album, "Broken Bones", in the fall. The drums for the CD were laid down at MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee's The Atrium studio in Calabasas, California.
DOKKEN frontman Don Dokken stated in a recent interview about the new album title, "[It]is a metaphor that we all have broken bones, be it from an accident, failed relationship, or a broken heart. Everybody gets wounded as we go through life, but, as they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
Dokken previously described the band's new material as "very uptempo and heavy." He added, "We know our fans like the classic DOKKEN sound, and this is where our new music is headed. It's been a band of brothers doing what we love: 'music.'"
Regarding the new songs' lyrical approach, Dokken said, "I write what comes from the heart, I don't believe in writing music trying to repeat what you've already done. I understand what the fans want but as an artist I see no point in painting the same picture over and over."
The cooperation between Frontiers and DOKKEN started with the European release of the group's "Lightning Strikes Again" CD in 2007. The album marked a return to DOKKEN's signature style with melodic hooklines and blazing guitar riffs that epitomized the band's sound on such records as "Tooth And Nail", "Under Lock And Key", "Back For The Attack" and "Dysfunctional".
DOKKEN's current lineup consists of Don Dokken on lead vocals, Jon Levin on guitar, Sean McNabb on bass and Mick Brown on drums.
Don Dokken was interviewed on the March 5 edition of of the "Poolside With Dean Delray" podcast. You can watch video footage of his appearance at this location.
DOKKEN frontman Don Dokken stated in a recent interview about the new album title, "[It]is a metaphor that we all have broken bones, be it from an accident, failed relationship, or a broken heart. Everybody gets wounded as we go through life, but, as they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
Dokken previously described the band's new material as "very uptempo and heavy." He added, "We know our fans like the classic DOKKEN sound, and this is where our new music is headed. It's been a band of brothers doing what we love: 'music.'"
Regarding the new songs' lyrical approach, Dokken said, "I write what comes from the heart, I don't believe in writing music trying to repeat what you've already done. I understand what the fans want but as an artist I see no point in painting the same picture over and over."
The cooperation between Frontiers and DOKKEN started with the European release of the group's "Lightning Strikes Again" CD in 2007. The album marked a return to DOKKEN's signature style with melodic hooklines and blazing guitar riffs that epitomized the band's sound on such records as "Tooth And Nail", "Under Lock And Key", "Back For The Attack" and "Dysfunctional".
DOKKEN's current lineup consists of Don Dokken on lead vocals, Jon Levin on guitar, Sean McNabb on bass and Mick Brown on drums.
Don Dokken was interviewed on the March 5 edition of of the "Poolside With Dean Delray" podcast. You can watch video footage of his appearance at this location.
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/dokkenbones.jpg
John Jeffrey of RockMusicStar recently conducted an interview with TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
RockMusicStar: Your latest CD, "Dee Does Broadway", seems like a very natural progression from the "A Twisted Christmas" album you released in 2006. Do you see the relation?
Dee Snider: The Christmas record definitely led to this, for sure. And hearing the rocking-ness in the Christmas stuff, which I always did — I've always heard (potential) heaviness in non-rock stuff. I've always believed that if Bach and Beethoven were alive today, they would be in SLAYER and METALLICA, respectively. At a young age, I heard these show tunes because I was in the choir, and my parents would always take us to shows. I always loved hard and heavy music, but even this stuff seemed powerful tome, even more powerful than the way that it was being presented.
RockMusicStar: It obviously makes a much more defining point as a solo artist to do a record like this, than to do a straight forward rock record, which ultimately would not be much different than doing a new TWISTED SISTER CD.
Dee Snider: People have been talking about doing a new TWISTED record. Which I feel is like going "back to the future." You'd be making an old record in contemporary times. And I really have no passion in doing that. And there really isn't a marketplace for it. Those records really don't sell, and people have shown that they're not really interested in old bands making new music. If it sounds like new music, they think you gave up and sold out. And if it sounds like your old stuff, they're like, "Yeah yeah, we've heard that already, we just want to hear the original stuff (we know)." This record is definitely a degree of a career move for me in a way, but it's also something that I felt passionate and excited about, and wanted to do it.
RockMusicStar: At the same time that your CD comes out, you also have your autobiography, "Shut Up and Give Me the Mic", being released. What's your angle with the book?
Dee Snider: First of all, I wrote every word myself. Simon & Schuster (the publisher) didn't want me to do that initially, because nobody does. And if you believe the heroin addicts actually took notes.... Really? They couldn't find their dick, let alone a pencil. I never did any drugs and I've never drank. So I'm really a clean and sober participant, and observer, of the "decade of decadence." The book for me, deals with my rise and fall. It starts with the day that I decided I wanted to be a rock star, and then ends with me at my lowest point in my life/career, post-TWISTED SISTER, when I lost everything (in the '90s). I was completely down and out. They made me put an epilogue on it, but I was like, "Everyone knows that I'm doing well now." But yeah, the ending is so depressing. The epilogue skips ahead 15 years, where I'm taking my final bow on Broadway, on opening night, reflecting on how far that I've come back in the past few years. The book is really the story of my struggle, my perseverance, and it sort of examines how things happened, for better or for worse.
RockMusicStar: You mentioned that you have no desire in creating new TWISTED SISTER music. Can you tell us what the status is of the band?
Dee Snider: They haven't read the book yet, and I hope they'll survive that. I didn't talk any dirt about the band, and didn't expose anything personal, it's not my place. But I do talk about the inner workings and relationships, and there's some things in there that they may not be happy that I'm speaking my feelings about. But we have some festivals booked around the world, a couple in the U.S., about 6 or 8 for this summer.
RockMusicStar: Your latest CD, "Dee Does Broadway", seems like a very natural progression from the "A Twisted Christmas" album you released in 2006. Do you see the relation?
Dee Snider: The Christmas record definitely led to this, for sure. And hearing the rocking-ness in the Christmas stuff, which I always did — I've always heard (potential) heaviness in non-rock stuff. I've always believed that if Bach and Beethoven were alive today, they would be in SLAYER and METALLICA, respectively. At a young age, I heard these show tunes because I was in the choir, and my parents would always take us to shows. I always loved hard and heavy music, but even this stuff seemed powerful tome, even more powerful than the way that it was being presented.
RockMusicStar: It obviously makes a much more defining point as a solo artist to do a record like this, than to do a straight forward rock record, which ultimately would not be much different than doing a new TWISTED SISTER CD.
Dee Snider: People have been talking about doing a new TWISTED record. Which I feel is like going "back to the future." You'd be making an old record in contemporary times. And I really have no passion in doing that. And there really isn't a marketplace for it. Those records really don't sell, and people have shown that they're not really interested in old bands making new music. If it sounds like new music, they think you gave up and sold out. And if it sounds like your old stuff, they're like, "Yeah yeah, we've heard that already, we just want to hear the original stuff (we know)." This record is definitely a degree of a career move for me in a way, but it's also something that I felt passionate and excited about, and wanted to do it.
RockMusicStar: At the same time that your CD comes out, you also have your autobiography, "Shut Up and Give Me the Mic", being released. What's your angle with the book?
Dee Snider: First of all, I wrote every word myself. Simon & Schuster (the publisher) didn't want me to do that initially, because nobody does. And if you believe the heroin addicts actually took notes.... Really? They couldn't find their dick, let alone a pencil. I never did any drugs and I've never drank. So I'm really a clean and sober participant, and observer, of the "decade of decadence." The book for me, deals with my rise and fall. It starts with the day that I decided I wanted to be a rock star, and then ends with me at my lowest point in my life/career, post-TWISTED SISTER, when I lost everything (in the '90s). I was completely down and out. They made me put an epilogue on it, but I was like, "Everyone knows that I'm doing well now." But yeah, the ending is so depressing. The epilogue skips ahead 15 years, where I'm taking my final bow on Broadway, on opening night, reflecting on how far that I've come back in the past few years. The book is really the story of my struggle, my perseverance, and it sort of examines how things happened, for better or for worse.
RockMusicStar: You mentioned that you have no desire in creating new TWISTED SISTER music. Can you tell us what the status is of the band?
Dee Snider: They haven't read the book yet, and I hope they'll survive that. I didn't talk any dirt about the band, and didn't expose anything personal, it's not my place. But I do talk about the inner workings and relationships, and there's some things in there that they may not be happy that I'm speaking my feelings about. But we have some festivals booked around the world, a couple in the U.S., about 6 or 8 for this summer.
Who needs pottery wheels and lanyards when you can have electric guitars and headbanging?
From August 19 to 25, young metalheads ages 12 to 18 can get their fix with School Of Rock's first-ever Metal Camp at Camp Lakota in the Catskill Mountains of New York.
This seven-day, six-night experience teaches serious rock music and provides a cool, unique alternative to the traditional summer camp experience. Attendees will receive concentrated music instruction on guitar, bass, drums, keys and vocals and the key tools to master the art of metal.
The kids who join will also get the opportunity to learn from one of the world's most legendary rock idols. For the program's inaugural year, the special guest professor will be "Metal" Mike Chlasciak, who is best known as a long-standing guitarist to The Metal God Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST). Mike has also released several acclaimed solo recordings and writes columns for Guitar World and GuitarWorld.com.
Metal Mike will support an incredible staff of musicians and help prepare the students for a spectacular finale performance, titled the "Big Show." The campers will rehearse some of the genre's biggest hits during their time at Metal Camp and then be joined on stage by Metal Mike for a tremendous culmination of rock music. When they're not prepping for their final concert, the group will participate in fun activities including a zip line, skate park, go carts, swimming, climbing walls, bon fires on the beach and a lot more.
School Of Rock's VP of Marketing, Mark Biondi commented on the camp, "School Of Rock has always viewed metal as an incredible art form. We believe that it is one of the most challenging genres of rock and roll and we have used metal in our curriculum to teach technique and theory for over a decade. We decided to hold a destination camp because the metal community is very strong in our local schools and we wanted to provide a way to connect this community worldwide to share in an amazing learning experience.
"Metal Mike has been a great ambassador to the metal community. He is an amazing teacher, values education and the preservation of metal, and is an all-around badass guitar player. Through some of the camps and workshops he has done locally at school of rock, he has had a great impact on our students. We are thrilled to work with him."
Metal Mike added, "I am excited to work with the young metallers. First of all, the camp will be a lot of fun and ultimately it leads to a great cause of helping develop the reach of heavy metal, and in order to spread it across next generations we have to start with the young hearts. Additionally, I am very happy to be able to help develop the talents of these kids. To be able to make a difference is a great thrill. Let's rock."
Metal Camp will be held on the grounds of Camp Lakota in the Catskill Mountains. The price includes three meals a day, bunks with running water, showers and storage. Space is extremely limited, so sign up today!
For more information, visit schoolofrock.com/metalcamp.
From August 19 to 25, young metalheads ages 12 to 18 can get their fix with School Of Rock's first-ever Metal Camp at Camp Lakota in the Catskill Mountains of New York.
This seven-day, six-night experience teaches serious rock music and provides a cool, unique alternative to the traditional summer camp experience. Attendees will receive concentrated music instruction on guitar, bass, drums, keys and vocals and the key tools to master the art of metal.
The kids who join will also get the opportunity to learn from one of the world's most legendary rock idols. For the program's inaugural year, the special guest professor will be "Metal" Mike Chlasciak, who is best known as a long-standing guitarist to The Metal God Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST). Mike has also released several acclaimed solo recordings and writes columns for Guitar World and GuitarWorld.com.
Metal Mike will support an incredible staff of musicians and help prepare the students for a spectacular finale performance, titled the "Big Show." The campers will rehearse some of the genre's biggest hits during their time at Metal Camp and then be joined on stage by Metal Mike for a tremendous culmination of rock music. When they're not prepping for their final concert, the group will participate in fun activities including a zip line, skate park, go carts, swimming, climbing walls, bon fires on the beach and a lot more.
School Of Rock's VP of Marketing, Mark Biondi commented on the camp, "School Of Rock has always viewed metal as an incredible art form. We believe that it is one of the most challenging genres of rock and roll and we have used metal in our curriculum to teach technique and theory for over a decade. We decided to hold a destination camp because the metal community is very strong in our local schools and we wanted to provide a way to connect this community worldwide to share in an amazing learning experience.
"Metal Mike has been a great ambassador to the metal community. He is an amazing teacher, values education and the preservation of metal, and is an all-around badass guitar player. Through some of the camps and workshops he has done locally at school of rock, he has had a great impact on our students. We are thrilled to work with him."
Metal Mike added, "I am excited to work with the young metallers. First of all, the camp will be a lot of fun and ultimately it leads to a great cause of helping develop the reach of heavy metal, and in order to spread it across next generations we have to start with the young hearts. Additionally, I am very happy to be able to help develop the talents of these kids. To be able to make a difference is a great thrill. Let's rock."
Metal Camp will be held on the grounds of Camp Lakota in the Catskill Mountains. The price includes three meals a day, bunks with running water, showers and storage. Space is extremely limited, so sign up today!
For more information, visit schoolofrock.com/metalcamp.
According to The Pulse Of Radio, ALTER BRIDGE and CREED guitarist Mark Tremonti's first solo single, "You Waste Your Time", has jumped straight up to Number 10 on the iTunes Rock Singles chart shortly after being released. Tremonti said in a statement, "I am overwhelmed by the positive response the song has already received. I never imagined it would hit the Top 10 so quickly and that is a testament to the amazing fans I have. I couldn't have gotten anywhere in my career without them and want to thank each and every one of them for their support. I can't wait until they hear the rest of it."
"You Waste Your Time" is taken from Tremonti's debut solo album, "All I Was", which is due for release on July 10 via Fret 12 Records, a company Mark started with his brother, Daniel Tremonti, and Tom Stanley.
With two bands and a solo career, The Pulse Of Radio asked Tremonti how he knows which project the songs he writes are best suited for. "I've just gotten this filter, this intuition that tells me what songs go to which band, and with my solo stuff, the rhythm section is so different from the other bands, I think it really stands apart," he said. "I think it's a little more aggressive than both the other bands, but you just have to hear it, I guess."
Tremonti has a performance video in the works for "You Waste Your Time".
His solo band, also billed TREMONTI, features ALTER BRIDGE and CREED bassist Brian Marshall in the lineup along with guitarist Eric Friedman and drummer Garrett Whitlock.
"All I Was" track listing:
01. Leave It Alone
02. So You'e Afraid
03. Wish You Well
04. Brains
05. The Things I've Seen
06. You Waste Your Time
07. New Way Out
08. Giving Up
09. Proof
10. All I Was
11. Doesn't Matter
12. Decay
"You Waste Your Time" is taken from Tremonti's debut solo album, "All I Was", which is due for release on July 10 via Fret 12 Records, a company Mark started with his brother, Daniel Tremonti, and Tom Stanley.
With two bands and a solo career, The Pulse Of Radio asked Tremonti how he knows which project the songs he writes are best suited for. "I've just gotten this filter, this intuition that tells me what songs go to which band, and with my solo stuff, the rhythm section is so different from the other bands, I think it really stands apart," he said. "I think it's a little more aggressive than both the other bands, but you just have to hear it, I guess."
Tremonti has a performance video in the works for "You Waste Your Time".
His solo band, also billed TREMONTI, features ALTER BRIDGE and CREED bassist Brian Marshall in the lineup along with guitarist Eric Friedman and drummer Garrett Whitlock.
"All I Was" track listing:
01. Leave It Alone
02. So You'e Afraid
03. Wish You Well
04. Brains
05. The Things I've Seen
06. You Waste Your Time
07. New Way Out
08. Giving Up
09. Proof
10. All I Was
11. Doesn't Matter
12. Decay
After three groundbreaking tribute shows entitled "Bonzo: The Groove Remains The Same", as well as popular demand and a collective passion and respect amongst all the participating drummers, past and present to John Bonham, the greatest rock drummer ever, Brian Tichy and Joe Sutton have decided to go for it once again!
Bonzo's Birthday Bash is taking place on May 31; Bonzo's exact birthday! Many of the past drummers who have performed already are back, as well as some new players!
WHITESNAKE drummer and Bonzo Bash founder Brian Tichy says, "In the past week, we have grown dramatically due to exorbitant amounts of serendipitous occurrences within and around this planet's desire to groove and be grooved!
"We are thrilled to bring you the awesome talent of Gregg Bissonette (DAVID LEE ROTH, RINGO STARR ALL STARR BAND), Virgil Donati (ALLAN HOLDSWORTH, SEVEN THE HARDWAY), Troy Patrick Farrell (WHITE LION), Roy Mayorga (STONE SOUR), Troy Luccketta (TESLA), Mark Schulman (FOREIGNER), Matt Sorum (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES), Yael (THE LOVE PROJECT, UGLY KID JOE), Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW) and Jeff Pilson (FOREIGNER, DOKKEN, DIO)."
Tichy added, "Bonzo's Birthday Bash is the equivalent of a gong on fire on top of an erupting volcano next to a wildebeest migration complete with lurking, starving crocodiles and a fireworks finale across the river that not even the Olympics can rival!!"
Regarding this year's event, Tichy previously said, "When I first thought of this, the idea seemed too cool and simple NOT to try; get a John Bonham replica drum set, complete with gong and timpani, up front, center stage, and have each drummer perform their favorite LED ZEP song with a house band (THE MOBY DICKS). There are no rules other than to have fun putting your own groove and character into your song choice! It's such a unique night, seeing how all these great drummers approach the same drum set making it their own! And THE MOBY DICKS hold their own as a true force to be reckoned with! We have structure and within the structure there is total freedom, making the pace and vibe of this show somewhere between a backyard party and a.... backyard party with a killer band playing LED ZEP songs! Haha! Our previous shows were named 'The Groove Remains The Same', but this tribute falls on Bonzo's exact birthday and we wanted to let that be known!
"I am a tried and true Zep Head; a total Bonzo freak! Bonzo is my lifelong most 'listened to' drummer! This is a labor of love. The camaraderie and ego-less respect amongst all involved is something very rare to be a part of these days. Ask any of us! We've never been part of a show quite like this before! There has never been a tribute like this to a musician before! John Bonham deserves it! Bonzo's Birthday Bash is the ultimate tribute show and that's that! So get a ticket, get a good seat, grab a now classic 'Bonzo Burger' and get into the festivities!"
The following drummers will take part in the event:
* Steven Adler (GUNS 'N ROSES, ADLER)
* Seven Antonopoulos (OPIATE FOR THE MASSES, LEAVES' EYES)
* Camine Appice (ROD STEWART, VANILLA FUDGE, CACTUS)
* Vinny Appice (BLACK SABBATH, DIO, HEAVEN & HELL, KILL DEVIL HILL)
* Frankie Banali (QUIET RIOT)
* Bobby Blotzer (RATT)
* Fred Coury (CINDERELLA)
* Jimmy D'Anda (BULLETBOYS)
* Ray Luzier (KORN)
* Khurt Maier (SALTY DOG)
* Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, ADRENALINE MOB)
* Glen Sobel (ALICE COOPER)
* Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, S.U.N.)
* Joe Travers (ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA)
* Simon Wright (AC/DC, DIO)
* Virgil Donati (ALLAN HOLDSWORTH, SEVEN THE HARDWAY)
* Troy Patrick Farrell (WHITE LION)
* Troy Luccketta (TESLA)
* Mark Schulman (FOREIGNER)
* Matt Sorum (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES, THE CULT)
* Yael (THE LOVE PROJECT, UGLY KID JOE)
Special Guests of Groove:
* Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW)
* Jeff Pilson (FOREIGNER)
THE MOBY DICKS lineup:
* Michael Devin (WHITESNAKE) - bass (Whitesnake)
* Stephen LeBlanc (JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEP EXPERIENCE) - keyboards
* Keith St. John (MONTROSE) - Vocals
* Brian Tichy (S.U.N.) - Guitar, Drums
* Brent Woods (BRENTWOOD FOREST) - Lead And Rhythm Guitars
Tickets are available at www.hob.com. Tickets are $25 and $30 day of show.
Bonzo's Birthday Bash is taking place on May 31; Bonzo's exact birthday! Many of the past drummers who have performed already are back, as well as some new players!
WHITESNAKE drummer and Bonzo Bash founder Brian Tichy says, "In the past week, we have grown dramatically due to exorbitant amounts of serendipitous occurrences within and around this planet's desire to groove and be grooved!
"We are thrilled to bring you the awesome talent of Gregg Bissonette (DAVID LEE ROTH, RINGO STARR ALL STARR BAND), Virgil Donati (ALLAN HOLDSWORTH, SEVEN THE HARDWAY), Troy Patrick Farrell (WHITE LION), Roy Mayorga (STONE SOUR), Troy Luccketta (TESLA), Mark Schulman (FOREIGNER), Matt Sorum (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES), Yael (THE LOVE PROJECT, UGLY KID JOE), Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW) and Jeff Pilson (FOREIGNER, DOKKEN, DIO)."
Tichy added, "Bonzo's Birthday Bash is the equivalent of a gong on fire on top of an erupting volcano next to a wildebeest migration complete with lurking, starving crocodiles and a fireworks finale across the river that not even the Olympics can rival!!"
Regarding this year's event, Tichy previously said, "When I first thought of this, the idea seemed too cool and simple NOT to try; get a John Bonham replica drum set, complete with gong and timpani, up front, center stage, and have each drummer perform their favorite LED ZEP song with a house band (THE MOBY DICKS). There are no rules other than to have fun putting your own groove and character into your song choice! It's such a unique night, seeing how all these great drummers approach the same drum set making it their own! And THE MOBY DICKS hold their own as a true force to be reckoned with! We have structure and within the structure there is total freedom, making the pace and vibe of this show somewhere between a backyard party and a.... backyard party with a killer band playing LED ZEP songs! Haha! Our previous shows were named 'The Groove Remains The Same', but this tribute falls on Bonzo's exact birthday and we wanted to let that be known!
"I am a tried and true Zep Head; a total Bonzo freak! Bonzo is my lifelong most 'listened to' drummer! This is a labor of love. The camaraderie and ego-less respect amongst all involved is something very rare to be a part of these days. Ask any of us! We've never been part of a show quite like this before! There has never been a tribute like this to a musician before! John Bonham deserves it! Bonzo's Birthday Bash is the ultimate tribute show and that's that! So get a ticket, get a good seat, grab a now classic 'Bonzo Burger' and get into the festivities!"
The following drummers will take part in the event:
* Steven Adler (GUNS 'N ROSES, ADLER)
* Seven Antonopoulos (OPIATE FOR THE MASSES, LEAVES' EYES)
* Camine Appice (ROD STEWART, VANILLA FUDGE, CACTUS)
* Vinny Appice (BLACK SABBATH, DIO, HEAVEN & HELL, KILL DEVIL HILL)
* Frankie Banali (QUIET RIOT)
* Bobby Blotzer (RATT)
* Fred Coury (CINDERELLA)
* Jimmy D'Anda (BULLETBOYS)
* Ray Luzier (KORN)
* Khurt Maier (SALTY DOG)
* Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, ADRENALINE MOB)
* Glen Sobel (ALICE COOPER)
* Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, S.U.N.)
* Joe Travers (ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA)
* Simon Wright (AC/DC, DIO)
* Virgil Donati (ALLAN HOLDSWORTH, SEVEN THE HARDWAY)
* Troy Patrick Farrell (WHITE LION)
* Troy Luccketta (TESLA)
* Mark Schulman (FOREIGNER)
* Matt Sorum (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES, THE CULT)
* Yael (THE LOVE PROJECT, UGLY KID JOE)
Special Guests of Groove:
* Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW)
* Jeff Pilson (FOREIGNER)
THE MOBY DICKS lineup:
* Michael Devin (WHITESNAKE) - bass (Whitesnake)
* Stephen LeBlanc (JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEP EXPERIENCE) - keyboards
* Keith St. John (MONTROSE) - Vocals
* Brian Tichy (S.U.N.) - Guitar, Drums
* Brent Woods (BRENTWOOD FOREST) - Lead And Rhythm Guitars
Tickets are available at www.hob.com. Tickets are $25 and $30 day of show.
U.S. metallers SINISTER REALM have commenced work on their third studio album, tentatively titled "World Of Evil". Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Cyber Villain", "Bell Strikes Fear", "World Of Evil", "Call Of The Night Wolf" and "Dark Angel Of Fate".
In other news, SINISTER REALM will perform at the Warriors Of Metal festival on June 30 in Ohio.
The Pennsylvania-based squad released its last studio album, "The Crystal Eye", in July 2011 via Shadow Kingdom Records. In January 2012, the band performed at Germany's Metal Assault festival, where they shared the stage with such acts as SANCTUARY, HEIR APPARENT and PAGAN ALTAR.
SINISTER REALM's traditional heavy metal style with slight doom influences has created a huge buzz among fans of such bands as CANDLEMASS, DIO, TWISTED TOWER DIRE and ARGUS.
SINISTER REALM is:
Alex Kristof - Vocals
John Gaffney - Bass, Guitar, Background Vocals
John Kantner - Rhythm/Lead Guitar
John Risko - Lead Guitar
Chris Metzger - Drums
In other news, SINISTER REALM will perform at the Warriors Of Metal festival on June 30 in Ohio.
The Pennsylvania-based squad released its last studio album, "The Crystal Eye", in July 2011 via Shadow Kingdom Records. In January 2012, the band performed at Germany's Metal Assault festival, where they shared the stage with such acts as SANCTUARY, HEIR APPARENT and PAGAN ALTAR.
SINISTER REALM's traditional heavy metal style with slight doom influences has created a huge buzz among fans of such bands as CANDLEMASS, DIO, TWISTED TOWER DIRE and ARGUS.
SINISTER REALM is:
Alex Kristof - Vocals
John Gaffney - Bass, Guitar, Background Vocals
John Kantner - Rhythm/Lead Guitar
John Risko - Lead Guitar
Chris Metzger - Drums
Veteran Japanese metallers LOUDNESS have inked a deal with FrostByte Media. The band's latest album, "Eve To Dawn", will be released outside Japan this summer. The CD was originally made available in the group's home country last September.
In advance of an extensive North American tour around the release of "Eve To Dawn", LOUDNESS will play select American dates this month, with a special appearance at this year's M3 Rock Festival on Saturday, May 12 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland and a headlining gig at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City on Monday, May 14.
"Eve To Dawn" track listing:
01. A Light In The Dark
02. The Power Of Truth
03. Come Alive Again
04. Survivor
05. Keep You Burning
06. Gonna Do It My Way
07. Hang Tough
08. Ki-Do-Ai-Raku (instrumental)
09. Comes The Dawn
10. Pandora
11. Crazy! Crazy! Crazy!
Audio samples of all the tracks that appear on the CD can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.
In the video clip below, LOUDNESS guitarist Akira Takasaki talks about celebrating the 30th anniversary of the band's formation; the group's most recent album, "King Of Pain"; and what to expect from "Eve To Dawn".
LOUDNESS's previous album, "King Of Pain", was released in Japan on May 19, 2010 via Tokuma Japan Communications. The CD included a 32-page booklet, a LOUDNESS original pick, and application card (valid only in Japan).
LOUDNESS released a CD+DVD set entitled "Live Loudest At The Budokan '91" on December 23, 2009 via Warner Music Japan. The album was recorded on May 31, 1991 in Tokyo, Japan and features Mike Vescera (OBSESSION, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) on vocals.
In advance of an extensive North American tour around the release of "Eve To Dawn", LOUDNESS will play select American dates this month, with a special appearance at this year's M3 Rock Festival on Saturday, May 12 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland and a headlining gig at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City on Monday, May 14.
"Eve To Dawn" track listing:
01. A Light In The Dark
02. The Power Of Truth
03. Come Alive Again
04. Survivor
05. Keep You Burning
06. Gonna Do It My Way
07. Hang Tough
08. Ki-Do-Ai-Raku (instrumental)
09. Comes The Dawn
10. Pandora
11. Crazy! Crazy! Crazy!
Audio samples of all the tracks that appear on the CD can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.
In the video clip below, LOUDNESS guitarist Akira Takasaki talks about celebrating the 30th anniversary of the band's formation; the group's most recent album, "King Of Pain"; and what to expect from "Eve To Dawn".
LOUDNESS's previous album, "King Of Pain", was released in Japan on May 19, 2010 via Tokuma Japan Communications. The CD included a 32-page booklet, a LOUDNESS original pick, and application card (valid only in Japan).
LOUDNESS released a CD+DVD set entitled "Live Loudest At The Budokan '91" on December 23, 2009 via Warner Music Japan. The album was recorded on May 31, 1991 in Tokyo, Japan and features Mike Vescera (OBSESSION, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) on vocals.
Former ANVIL bassist Glenn Gyorffy (a.k.a. Glenn Five or G5) will handle bass duties for Toronto, Ontario, Canada-based metallers WARMACHINE when they perform on May 31 at The Rockpile in Etobicoke, Ontario. Glenn will be filling in for WARMACHINE bassist Alberto Campuzano, who will be on tour in Europe with ANNIHILATOR at the time.
WARMACHINE recently announced the addition of drummer Darren Smith (HAREM SCAREM) to the group's ranks. Smith joins the band as the replacement for Dave Langguth (NELLY FURTADO, RIK EMMETT, GILBY CLARKE), who was in WARMACHINE for less than a year.
WARMACHINE filmed a video for the song "Moving On" in December with director/producer Jeff Hazin of Obsolete Talko Productions.
"Moving On" comes off WARMACHINE's latest album, "Left For Dead", which was released in July 2011 via JMD Records. The CD was once again produced by Murray Daigle and was recorded in Canada.
WARMACHINE's "Raw in the Hammer" DVD contains footage from the band's January 20, 2007 concert at The Underground in Hamilton, a documentary on the band's history, behind-the-scenes footage and more.
WARMACHINE's debut album, "The Beginning of the End", was released in 2006 in North America via Nightmare Records.
"The Beginning of the End" features a guest appearance on three tracks ("Betrayed", "Empty" and "Taunted Souls") by MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson.
For more information, visit www.warmachineonline.com.
WARMACHINE recently announced the addition of drummer Darren Smith (HAREM SCAREM) to the group's ranks. Smith joins the band as the replacement for Dave Langguth (NELLY FURTADO, RIK EMMETT, GILBY CLARKE), who was in WARMACHINE for less than a year.
WARMACHINE filmed a video for the song "Moving On" in December with director/producer Jeff Hazin of Obsolete Talko Productions.
"Moving On" comes off WARMACHINE's latest album, "Left For Dead", which was released in July 2011 via JMD Records. The CD was once again produced by Murray Daigle and was recorded in Canada.
WARMACHINE's "Raw in the Hammer" DVD contains footage from the band's January 20, 2007 concert at The Underground in Hamilton, a documentary on the band's history, behind-the-scenes footage and more.
WARMACHINE's debut album, "The Beginning of the End", was released in 2006 in North America via Nightmare Records.
"The Beginning of the End" features a guest appearance on three tracks ("Betrayed", "Empty" and "Taunted Souls") by MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson.
For more information, visit www.warmachineonline.com.
AXEWOUND, the new project featuring Matt Tuck (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE) on guitar and vocals, Liam Cormier (CANCER BATS) on lead vocals, Mike Kingswood (GLAMOUR OF THE KILL) on guitar, Joe Copcutt (RISE TO REMAIN) on bass, and Jason Bowld (PITCHSHIFTER, KILLING JOKE) on drums, will film a video for an as-yet-undisclosed song later this month.
During the time off between BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE albums, Tuck grew restless. Recruiting Bowld, routinely touted as the best session drummer in the U.K., and engineer Martyn "Ginge" Ford (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, TRIVIUM), Matt set to creating monster riffs and intricate metal melodies at the Atrium recording studios in Cardiff, Wales. The project proved fertile ground for Matt to explore the darker, heavier side of his appetite for metal, and soon enough Matt was recruiting co-conspirators to the cause, including Synyster Gates of AVENGED SEVENFOLD delivering a finger-burning guitar solo on standout track "Vultures".
Choosing a vocalist to match the intensity of the music was easy, says Matt. "The first phone call I made was to Liam [Cormier, of CANCER BATS]. We've toured the world together and I've always admired the furious energy he brings to a performance." Liam flew over from his native Canada to join Matt and Jason at the studio and began recording his trademark searing vocals that took the then-unnamed project to the next level. "That was when it really hit me," continues Matt, "we had something special here, way more than just a studio project. We've gotta take this show on the road!" Guitarist Mike Kingswood (GLAMOUR OF THE KILL) and Joe Copcutt (ex-RISE TO REMAIN) were handpicked to join the lineup and a metal supergroup AXEWOUND was born.
A strict Omerta-like code of silence prevailed around the camp as finishing touches were added to the record and in March the tracks were shipped off to be mixed by Machine (LAMB OF GOD, THE BRONX) at his studio in New Jersey.
AXEWOUND's lead track, "Post Apocalyptic Party", was aired on the BBC Radio 1 "Rock Show" and is available for free download from the band's web site at www.axewounduk.com.
Tuck admitted in an interview with the "Rock Show" that he is looking forward to not being the singer and leader. "It's going to be different, not being the main vocalist, but it's something I look forward to, [to] just enjoy being a guitar player and a songwriter," Tuck said. "It's not something I ever wanted to do, [to] be the frontman of the band. I was always the guitar player who could sing at the same time and that is how I ended up doing what I do."
He added, "It's going to be a different experience. I've never not been in a band without singing so it'll be quite odd to be up there without a microphone in my face for the whole show. But Liam is a dream to work with and one of the most ferocious vocalists."
AXEWOUND is:
Matt Tuck (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE) - Guitar, Vocals
Liam Cormier (CANCER BATS) – Vocals
Mike Kingswood (GLAMOUR OF THE KILL) - Guitar
Joe Copcutt (RISE TO REMAIN) - Bass
Jason Bowld (ex-PITCHSHIFTER) - Drums
AXEWOUND will kick off a European tour on May 31 in Utrecht, Netherlands and will make a number of festival appearances, including at Download (U.K.), Rock Am Ring/Rock Im Park (Germany), Gods Of Metal (Italy) and Graspop Metal Meeting (Belgium).
During the time off between BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE albums, Tuck grew restless. Recruiting Bowld, routinely touted as the best session drummer in the U.K., and engineer Martyn "Ginge" Ford (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, TRIVIUM), Matt set to creating monster riffs and intricate metal melodies at the Atrium recording studios in Cardiff, Wales. The project proved fertile ground for Matt to explore the darker, heavier side of his appetite for metal, and soon enough Matt was recruiting co-conspirators to the cause, including Synyster Gates of AVENGED SEVENFOLD delivering a finger-burning guitar solo on standout track "Vultures".
Choosing a vocalist to match the intensity of the music was easy, says Matt. "The first phone call I made was to Liam [Cormier, of CANCER BATS]. We've toured the world together and I've always admired the furious energy he brings to a performance." Liam flew over from his native Canada to join Matt and Jason at the studio and began recording his trademark searing vocals that took the then-unnamed project to the next level. "That was when it really hit me," continues Matt, "we had something special here, way more than just a studio project. We've gotta take this show on the road!" Guitarist Mike Kingswood (GLAMOUR OF THE KILL) and Joe Copcutt (ex-RISE TO REMAIN) were handpicked to join the lineup and a metal supergroup AXEWOUND was born.
A strict Omerta-like code of silence prevailed around the camp as finishing touches were added to the record and in March the tracks were shipped off to be mixed by Machine (LAMB OF GOD, THE BRONX) at his studio in New Jersey.
AXEWOUND's lead track, "Post Apocalyptic Party", was aired on the BBC Radio 1 "Rock Show" and is available for free download from the band's web site at www.axewounduk.com.
Tuck admitted in an interview with the "Rock Show" that he is looking forward to not being the singer and leader. "It's going to be different, not being the main vocalist, but it's something I look forward to, [to] just enjoy being a guitar player and a songwriter," Tuck said. "It's not something I ever wanted to do, [to] be the frontman of the band. I was always the guitar player who could sing at the same time and that is how I ended up doing what I do."
He added, "It's going to be a different experience. I've never not been in a band without singing so it'll be quite odd to be up there without a microphone in my face for the whole show. But Liam is a dream to work with and one of the most ferocious vocalists."
AXEWOUND is:
Matt Tuck (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE) - Guitar, Vocals
Liam Cormier (CANCER BATS) – Vocals
Mike Kingswood (GLAMOUR OF THE KILL) - Guitar
Joe Copcutt (RISE TO REMAIN) - Bass
Jason Bowld (ex-PITCHSHIFTER) - Drums
AXEWOUND will kick off a European tour on May 31 in Utrecht, Netherlands and will make a number of festival appearances, including at Download (U.K.), Rock Am Ring/Rock Im Park (Germany), Gods Of Metal (Italy) and Graspop Metal Meeting (Belgium).
KORN guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer and his wife of four months, actress Evis Xheneti, are expecting their first child together in November.
Xheneti, who is three months pregnant, tells RadarOnline.com, "We are so utterly elated to announce that we are expecting our first child due late this fall."
She continues, "We have been dying to share this news with everyone."
Shaffer and Xheneti were engaged in May 2011 and married in January in Paris.
The guitarist has a daughter named Carmella Star from his first marriage.
Xheneti, who is three months pregnant, tells RadarOnline.com, "We are so utterly elated to announce that we are expecting our first child due late this fall."
She continues, "We have been dying to share this news with everyone."
Shaffer and Xheneti were engaged in May 2011 and married in January in Paris.
The guitarist has a daughter named Carmella Star from his first marriage.
KORN was joined onstage by ex-guitarist Brian "Head" Welch last Saturday (May 5) at the Carolina Rebellion festival in Rockingham, North Carolina, marking the first time in seven years that KORN played with Welch, who left the group in 2005. The event, which electrified KORN fans everywhere, has naturally sparked talk of a full reunion with Welch to record and tour. But guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer told The Pulse Of Radio that the band isn't rushing into anything. "The whole thing needs to be approached very delicately, because it's such a fragile thing," he said. "It's just something that has to be super well-planned and it has to come naturally. And our experience with him on Saturday has all started from a positive place, and it wasn't forced and it was just natural. So I think if everything optimistically runs like that, that's all I can hope for. I'm really happy just to reconnect with my old friend."
Welch joined the band onstage to perform its classic song "Blind". According to The Pulse Of Radio, Shaffer later said that Saturday night's reunion was the first contact he had with Welch since his former bandmate left the KORN lineup.
Welch is currently on the road with his new band, LOVE AND DEATH, which recently issued a new EP called "Chemicals". KORN is touring behind its 10th studio effort, "The Path Of Totality".
KORN has just unveiled a new round of June tour dates, which will begin on June 15 in Quebec. Singer Jonathan Davis will do an opening set as DJ J. Devil.
Welch joined the band onstage to perform its classic song "Blind". According to The Pulse Of Radio, Shaffer later said that Saturday night's reunion was the first contact he had with Welch since his former bandmate left the KORN lineup.
Welch is currently on the road with his new band, LOVE AND DEATH, which recently issued a new EP called "Chemicals". KORN is touring behind its 10th studio effort, "The Path Of Totality".
KORN has just unveiled a new round of June tour dates, which will begin on June 15 in Quebec. Singer Jonathan Davis will do an opening set as DJ J. Devil.
The next chapter in Relapse's DEATH reissue campaign is an extremely historic and essential release. The label has painstakingly collected all of of death metal legend, pioneer and groundbreaker Chuck Schuldiner's pre-DEATH material from his first band MANTAS into a deluxe collection, entitled "Death By Metal". Compiling the group's first two demos and a rehearsal from 1984, "Death By Metal" is the brutally raw sound of an entire genre being born out of the basement of Chuck Schuldiner's Florida home close to three decades ago. Additionally, this marks the first time these recordings have ever been officially collected into one fully authorized compilation and legitimately available since their original release as the "Death By Metal" demo tape (1984)!
A trailer for this face-ripping collection is available for viewing below.
"Death By Metal" will be released on June 19 in North America , June 22 in Benelux and Germany, and June 25 in the rest of Europe. The collection will be released as a CD, limited-edition deluxe 2CD, LP, digital download and a limited collector's edition containing the deluxe 2CD, LP on an exclusive color, exclusive demo cover T-shirt, and a reproduction of the original "Death By Metal" demo cassette! Pre-order options, including a new line of exclusive MANTAS and DEATH merch plus additional release information can be found here.
"Death By Metal" follows the recent Relapse Records reissues of DEATH's "Vivus!", "Individual Though Patterns", "The Sound Of Perseverance" and "Human". Like those reissues, this collection will contain extensive liner notes, this time featuring renowned metal biographer Ian Christe and former MANTAS guitarist Rick Rozz in addition to never-before-seen photos of the band.
"Death By Metal" track listing:
Disc 1
"Death By Metal" Demo (First Version)
01. Legion Of Doom
02. Evil Dead
03. Mantas
04. Death By Metal
05. Power Of Darkness
"Death By Metal" Demo (Second Version)
06. Legion Of Doom
07. Power Of Darkness
08. Death By Metal
09. Evil Dead
Rehearsal Early 1984
10. Legion Of Doom
11. Mantas
12. Death By Metal
13. Evil Dead
14. Rise Of Satan
Disc 2 (Deluxe Edition Only)
"Emotional" Rehearsal Demo 1984
01. Legion Of Doom (Take 1)
02. Legion Of Doom (Take 2)
03. Legion Of Doom (Take 3)
04. Evil Dead (Take 1)
05. Evil Dead (Take 2)
06. Mantas (Take 1)
07. Mantas (Take 2)
Live at Knights Of Columbus Hall in Orlando, Florida September 1, 1984
08. Legion Of Doom
09. Zombie
10. Demon Flight
11. Death By Metal
12. Evil Dead
13. Power Of Darkness
14. Black Magic
15. Evil Chuck Solo
16. Beyond The Unholy Grave
17. Poison
A trailer for this face-ripping collection is available for viewing below.
"Death By Metal" will be released on June 19 in North America , June 22 in Benelux and Germany, and June 25 in the rest of Europe. The collection will be released as a CD, limited-edition deluxe 2CD, LP, digital download and a limited collector's edition containing the deluxe 2CD, LP on an exclusive color, exclusive demo cover T-shirt, and a reproduction of the original "Death By Metal" demo cassette! Pre-order options, including a new line of exclusive MANTAS and DEATH merch plus additional release information can be found here.
"Death By Metal" follows the recent Relapse Records reissues of DEATH's "Vivus!", "Individual Though Patterns", "The Sound Of Perseverance" and "Human". Like those reissues, this collection will contain extensive liner notes, this time featuring renowned metal biographer Ian Christe and former MANTAS guitarist Rick Rozz in addition to never-before-seen photos of the band.
"Death By Metal" track listing:
Disc 1
"Death By Metal" Demo (First Version)
01. Legion Of Doom
02. Evil Dead
03. Mantas
04. Death By Metal
05. Power Of Darkness
"Death By Metal" Demo (Second Version)
06. Legion Of Doom
07. Power Of Darkness
08. Death By Metal
09. Evil Dead
Rehearsal Early 1984
10. Legion Of Doom
11. Mantas
12. Death By Metal
13. Evil Dead
14. Rise Of Satan
Disc 2 (Deluxe Edition Only)
"Emotional" Rehearsal Demo 1984
01. Legion Of Doom (Take 1)
02. Legion Of Doom (Take 2)
03. Legion Of Doom (Take 3)
04. Evil Dead (Take 1)
05. Evil Dead (Take 2)
06. Mantas (Take 1)
07. Mantas (Take 2)
Live at Knights Of Columbus Hall in Orlando, Florida September 1, 1984
08. Legion Of Doom
09. Zombie
10. Demon Flight
11. Death By Metal
12. Evil Dead
13. Power Of Darkness
14. Black Magic
15. Evil Chuck Solo
16. Beyond The Unholy Grave
17. Poison
Montreal, Quebec, Canada-based melodic death metallers THE AGONIST will release their long-awaited third studio album, "Prisoners", on June 4 in Europe and June 5 in North America via Century Media Records. Produced by Christian Donaldson (CRYPTOPSY) and mixed by Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, DARK TRANQUILLITY, SUICIDE SILENCE), the CD "picks right up where 2009's 'Lullabies For The Dormant Mind' left off, with soaring melodies over complex metal passages that fans of thinking-man's metal can appreciate," according to a press release.
In regards to the album artwork, THE AGONIST frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz states: "We wanted to really include a chaotic visual to reflect the chaotic sound of the band, but we also wanted to show that the lyrics on this album are a lot more introverted…The human face was left non-descript on purpose — it doesn't belong to any particular person, but we could call him the Lonely Solipsist."
"Prisoners" track listing:
01. You're Coming With Me
02. The Escape
03. Predator & Prayer
04. Anxious Darwinians
05. Panophobia
06. Ideomotor
07. Lonely Solipsist
08. Dead Ocean
09. The Mass Of The Earth
10. Everybody Wants You (Dead)
11. Revenge Of The Dadaists
THE AGONIST's new song "Ideomotor" can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below (courtesy of GuitarWorld.com ).
THE AGONIST is selling digital download cards throughout their tour with KITTIE. The brand new track "Ideomotor" and the previously limited-edition EP-only track "The Escape" is available for immediate download, with the remainder of the album available on release date.
In a recent interview with MetalConcerts.net, Alissa White-Gluz stated about the musical direction of the follow-up to 2009's "Lullabies For A Dormant Mind", "I wouldn't say it's heavier or more melodic. I think it sounds more mature. It has the same sort of schizophrenic side that 'Lullabies' has, but it also has some other I guess what you would call classic influences. Like, there's some PANTERA influence, there's some RADIOHEAD influence. I mean, there's a lot of influences that we didn't really have before."
In regards to the album artwork, THE AGONIST frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz states: "We wanted to really include a chaotic visual to reflect the chaotic sound of the band, but we also wanted to show that the lyrics on this album are a lot more introverted…The human face was left non-descript on purpose — it doesn't belong to any particular person, but we could call him the Lonely Solipsist."
"Prisoners" track listing:
01. You're Coming With Me
02. The Escape
03. Predator & Prayer
04. Anxious Darwinians
05. Panophobia
06. Ideomotor
07. Lonely Solipsist
08. Dead Ocean
09. The Mass Of The Earth
10. Everybody Wants You (Dead)
11. Revenge Of The Dadaists
THE AGONIST's new song "Ideomotor" can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below (courtesy of GuitarWorld.com ).
THE AGONIST is selling digital download cards throughout their tour with KITTIE. The brand new track "Ideomotor" and the previously limited-edition EP-only track "The Escape" is available for immediate download, with the remainder of the album available on release date.
In a recent interview with MetalConcerts.net, Alissa White-Gluz stated about the musical direction of the follow-up to 2009's "Lullabies For A Dormant Mind", "I wouldn't say it's heavier or more melodic. I think it sounds more mature. It has the same sort of schizophrenic side that 'Lullabies' has, but it also has some other I guess what you would call classic influences. Like, there's some PANTERA influence, there's some RADIOHEAD influence. I mean, there's a lot of influences that we didn't really have before."
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/agonistprisonerscover.jpg
On May 11, Bazillion Points Books honors mainman Quorthon and the memory of black metal's most influential band, BATHORY, on the 25-year anniversary of the group's incomparable third album, "Under The Sign Of The Black Mark".
Says Jon Kristiansen, author of "Metalion: The Slayer Mag Diaries": "For lack of a better word, BATHORY brought more 'class' to primal black metal. Where certain bands polished their sound over time, you can't really accuse BATHORY of that. They still embraced all their earlier trademarks, but Quorthon took the total darkness concept to a whole new stage. And when I randomly got a copy of the U.S. version, they had printed one of my quotes as a selling point sticker on the cover. I am still extremely proud of that."
Says Daniel Ekeroth, author of "Swedish Death Metal": "BATHORY's most notable aspect still is the aura of complete mystery. Nobody seemed to know anything about them in the mid-'80s, not even in Sweden. The albums featured no band photos and no names except for the pseudonym Quorthon. Interviews were scarce and they never played live. All you had were albums loaded with fiendish music. BATHORY seemed to exist in another dimension, and that made the impact all the greater."
Says Ian Christe, author of "Sound Of The Beast": "'Under The Sign Of The Black Mark' is still the blueprint and point of departure for all black metal. The scorching, all-consuming fire of this record lit the torch that is still passed from hand to hand, year after year. I spent hours talking with Quorthon and his producer Boss Forsberg about the record, and in the end this breakthrough was really a miracle of perfect timing. As far as black metal is concerned, this might as well be the first BLACK SABBATH album."
Rare video footage from the DVD that accompanied BATHORY's career-spanning box set, "In Memory of Quorthon", can be viewed below in three parts.
Released in June 2006 via Black Mark, "In Memory of Quorthon" contains three CDs, one DVD, a book and a poster. Börje "Boss" Forsberg — owner of Black Mark Records and father of late BATHORY mainman Thomas "Quorthon" Forsberg — had previously stated that the package would contain "Quorthon's and BATHORY's complete musical history."
Quorthon was found dead in his apartment in Stockholm, Sweden on June 7, 2004. The 39-year-old, widely considered to be one of black metal's founding fathers, reportedly died of heart failure.
Says Jon Kristiansen, author of "Metalion: The Slayer Mag Diaries": "For lack of a better word, BATHORY brought more 'class' to primal black metal. Where certain bands polished their sound over time, you can't really accuse BATHORY of that. They still embraced all their earlier trademarks, but Quorthon took the total darkness concept to a whole new stage. And when I randomly got a copy of the U.S. version, they had printed one of my quotes as a selling point sticker on the cover. I am still extremely proud of that."
Says Daniel Ekeroth, author of "Swedish Death Metal": "BATHORY's most notable aspect still is the aura of complete mystery. Nobody seemed to know anything about them in the mid-'80s, not even in Sweden. The albums featured no band photos and no names except for the pseudonym Quorthon. Interviews were scarce and they never played live. All you had were albums loaded with fiendish music. BATHORY seemed to exist in another dimension, and that made the impact all the greater."
Says Ian Christe, author of "Sound Of The Beast": "'Under The Sign Of The Black Mark' is still the blueprint and point of departure for all black metal. The scorching, all-consuming fire of this record lit the torch that is still passed from hand to hand, year after year. I spent hours talking with Quorthon and his producer Boss Forsberg about the record, and in the end this breakthrough was really a miracle of perfect timing. As far as black metal is concerned, this might as well be the first BLACK SABBATH album."
Rare video footage from the DVD that accompanied BATHORY's career-spanning box set, "In Memory of Quorthon", can be viewed below in three parts.
Released in June 2006 via Black Mark, "In Memory of Quorthon" contains three CDs, one DVD, a book and a poster. Börje "Boss" Forsberg — owner of Black Mark Records and father of late BATHORY mainman Thomas "Quorthon" Forsberg — had previously stated that the package would contain "Quorthon's and BATHORY's complete musical history."
Quorthon was found dead in his apartment in Stockholm, Sweden on June 7, 2004. The 39-year-old, widely considered to be one of black metal's founding fathers, reportedly died of heart failure.
On April 28, Turbo from RSU Radio and the Metal Meltdown conducted an interview with vocalist/guitarist Adam "Nergal" Darski of Polish extreme metal veterans BEHEMOTH in Oklahoma City during the "Decibel Magazine Tour" with WATAIN, THE DEVIL'S BLOOD and IN SOLITUDE. You can now watch the entire chat in four parts below.
When asked how long fans will have to wait for a new BEHEMOTH studio album, Nergal said, "I've got plenty of stuff written down — not completely finished lyrics, but a lot of ideas and verses here and there and some choruses here and there. It's a slow process. I'm screwing around with some riffs here and there at the backstage of the venue or the back lounge [of the bus], I'm just jamming out. I think there's plenty of ideas, but sometimes it takes me weeks to realize or to come up with something that I consider, myself, 'Wow, this is it. This is the stuff that should be on the next BEHEMOTH record.' It looks like, with the tenth record, it's worse and worse for me to come up with something I will feel that is great.
"I've always said that... Right now we're good musicians, and we could easily fabricate anything. Metal Blade would have the record fucking in three months — if we want that — but it wouldn't be honest. It wouldn't be 'us.' I just tear out a piece of my heart and soul and my skin and I just fucking put it into my art. Otherwise it makes no sense to me. So this process sometimes takes time and energy and experience, and I'm collecting these experiences by now. But you can be sure that the next BEHEMOTH album is coming out next year; that's for sure. I just can't say if it's before or after summer, but we [will] start working [on it] intensively this summer."
The inaugural "Decibel Magazine Tour" kicked off on April 11 at Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio.
BEHEMOTH's "Evangelia Heretika - The New Gospel Three" DVD (2010) — a three-disc set featuring two full shows ("Live In Paris 2008" and "Live In Warsaw 2009"); every BEHEMOTH music video ever made; "Evangelion" tour documentary featuring band interviews plus tons of backstage footage; and a bonus "Live in Warsaw" audio CD — was certified platinum in the Poland for sales in excess of 10,000 copies.
BEHEMOTH released a video for the song "Lucifer", off "Evangelion". The Grupa 13-directed clip features Polish singer, guitarist, and poet Maciej Malenczuk, who also contributed guest vocals to the track.
When asked how long fans will have to wait for a new BEHEMOTH studio album, Nergal said, "I've got plenty of stuff written down — not completely finished lyrics, but a lot of ideas and verses here and there and some choruses here and there. It's a slow process. I'm screwing around with some riffs here and there at the backstage of the venue or the back lounge [of the bus], I'm just jamming out. I think there's plenty of ideas, but sometimes it takes me weeks to realize or to come up with something that I consider, myself, 'Wow, this is it. This is the stuff that should be on the next BEHEMOTH record.' It looks like, with the tenth record, it's worse and worse for me to come up with something I will feel that is great.
"I've always said that... Right now we're good musicians, and we could easily fabricate anything. Metal Blade would have the record fucking in three months — if we want that — but it wouldn't be honest. It wouldn't be 'us.' I just tear out a piece of my heart and soul and my skin and I just fucking put it into my art. Otherwise it makes no sense to me. So this process sometimes takes time and energy and experience, and I'm collecting these experiences by now. But you can be sure that the next BEHEMOTH album is coming out next year; that's for sure. I just can't say if it's before or after summer, but we [will] start working [on it] intensively this summer."
The inaugural "Decibel Magazine Tour" kicked off on April 11 at Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio.
BEHEMOTH's "Evangelia Heretika - The New Gospel Three" DVD (2010) — a three-disc set featuring two full shows ("Live In Paris 2008" and "Live In Warsaw 2009"); every BEHEMOTH music video ever made; "Evangelion" tour documentary featuring band interviews plus tons of backstage footage; and a bonus "Live in Warsaw" audio CD — was certified platinum in the Poland for sales in excess of 10,000 copies.
BEHEMOTH released a video for the song "Lucifer", off "Evangelion". The Grupa 13-directed clip features Polish singer, guitarist, and poet Maciej Malenczuk, who also contributed guest vocals to the track.
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