BBC World are currently chasing Sonisphere around Europe in a little rented car, making a documentary film about the world's greatest touring rock festival – to be screened shortly after Knebworth. At the most recent stop in Basel, Switzerland, none other than Bruce Dickinson himself was on hand to contribute his own insights to the film, from a headliner's perspective.
Iron Maiden are currently on their second lap of the globe, 20 dates away from the end of a mammoth world tour that has seen them play pretty much everywhere there is to play on the planet. As well as their own arena and stadium shows, they have plugged into Sonisphere which has bolstered the tour with a run of massive open-air festivals, spread across two summers. Last year saw them close a packed-to-capacity Knebworth before appearances at the Sweden and Finland festivals. This year they will have added Poland, Czech Republic, Turkey, Greece, Switzerland, Italy and Spain to their Sonisphere wings.
Clearly, considering this is a band that has no trouble selling out its own shows in any continent, being one act among many at Sonisphere offers a band of Iron Maiden's stature a refreshing break from just going it alone all the time. According to Dickinson, the keywords here are camaraderie and variety.
"It's great fun", enthuses the legendary frontman to the BBC, adding: "And what's nice is that it's such a diverse mix on offer to the audience."
A case in point here is that Maiden have shared an audience at their last few Sonispheres, including this weekend's double whammy of Switzerland and Italy, with Iowa's sickest, Slipknot - a most unlikely pairing that shouldn't work on paper, but has done and continues to do so spectacularly well.
"Obviously we do what we do for two hours, and a lot of our stuff now is semi-theatrical and proggy", explains Bruce, "Whereas Slipknot is theatrical but much more rrrraaaaahhhh!!!! The audience get a really good variation of stuff."
But it's not just in mixing up different ends of the rock spectrum that Sonisphere excels. According to the new singer Sonisphere also offers a particularly good platform for nurturing new blood.
"There's A-stages and B-stages", he points out, "Lots of opportunities for smaller bands to come along and get into it."
The BBC are keen to hear how Iron Maiden adapts its set for the festival crowd. Turns out, they don't…
"We're the headliners so we are doing our usual set", he asserts, although they are treating festival-goers to some additional features: "We've got ourselves some new toys for it, so there's one or two spectacular monsters and things like that, but I think everybody brings their toys out for a festival! I mean, Slipknot have got some fabulous kit. I'm very jealous of their flames and fire! We haven't gone with any pyro at all on this tour. I think the next time we go out we will. We like to alternate it every other year because if you get the reputation that you've got to go and see a band because of the pyro and then you don't do the pyro people think 'oh I won't bother then.'"
Although it's always a careful balancing act between production and music: "The main emphasis is always on the music but the show varies around the kind of music you're doing. That seems to have worked for us, anyway and it's certainly helped our longevity that we haven't based anything on any particular gimmick, although you could call Eddie a gimmick, but he is a bit special!"
Over the years, Iron Maiden have earned a reputation for being one of the more adventurous stadium bands, having played in as far flung and exotic locations as India, Istanbul (with Sonisphere recently), Jocarta and even Bali on this tour.
"Yeah I never thought I'd play Bali!", Bruce says. So where's left for Eddie to tread?
"There's a few places we haven't got round to playing yet, like Thailand and everybody always says 'you've got to play China' but the trouble with that is they censor everything left, right and centre and put you in some little club or something daft. It would be terrific to play some of the places in the Middle East that we haven't got around to playing yet because we've got a lot of metal fans over there.", Dickinson explains, "It's a big underground metal thing in Iran and Iraq and there's also The Lebanon and even Morocco, where we have a big following."
Surely Iraq would be a tad ambitious in these times, even for Iron Maiden?
"Well I'm sure some of the guys in the band would be like 'I'm not wearing bullet proof vests on-stage!'", laughs Bruce, before telling the camera crew: "One of the big organisers of the Egypt protests was actually texting our manager Rod and sent a picture of him in the square with a Maiden shirt on! We were looking at doing Egypt on this tour and it was just too dodgy. We sent our tour guy down to meet the promoter and look at his ideas but it was obvious the guy did not have a clue so we thought 'let's not do that'".
So the biggest hurdle playing in these kinds of places is the local event organisation?
Bruce: "Yeah, it's getting the infrastructure together and knowing that it's reasonably secure and thatou won't have issues with crowd security and people getting hurt, because it could turn into a real mess. You've got to have that confidence that organisers are capable of controlling what might happen if you get 30,000 people suddenly turn up and there's a barrier made of tissue paper and it all collapses. Suddenly the troops start wading in with batons and you've got some horrendous mess on your hands. We want to try to make it as safe an environment for people to go nuts in as possible so everyone walks out alive as opposed to the old Doors' song!"
So if it's a matter of professional expertise on the ground, Sonisphere could be the ideal vehicle to take Maiden into these places…
The singer looks pensive and then says: "Well, for Sonisphere to go to China, there'd have to be some pretty major negotiations with the powers that be! I could see it doing Taiwan or somewhere like that."
And on the subject of Sonisphere's organisation Dickinson seems sufficiently assured: "I've gotta say, it's pretty together which really helps. It all runs to time which is handy because it starts getting messy in this day and age when things go, like four hours late and people trash the place. You don't want that sort of thing happening becasue it gives festivals a bad name and the next thing you know, there's no more rock music in town!"
Finally, one interesting revelation, and a positive for green enthusiasts, that comes out of Dickinson's dialogue for the film is that, contrary to popular conception, air travel is only used as a necessity by the band.
"Well this tour does hop around a bit", he says, "Last week we went from Istanbul, then St. Petersburg to Faro – that's a bit of a blind man with a dartboard and a map of Europe, isn't it! So a few of them do have to be by plane. All of our equipment is going by truck, though. For some, we potter around on the train, like in Paris – nice and convenient. If I'm in England I can't be arsed to fly there – just jump on a Eurostar, much more convenient."
Regardless of how they get there, one thing is for certain – the Iron Maiden express will blow you away when it comes to your town. Miss this unbelievable show at your peril.
Iron Maiden's next and final Sonisphere 2011 headline appearance will be at Sonisphere Spain, in Madrid, on 16th July.
Read our full review of their Sonisphere Switzerland show here.
Special thanks to Emma Jones and Chris Scott @ BBC World Television.
What happens when two legendary rock bands come together and go on tour? Pure magic! For fans of Def Leppard and Heart this will be the summer to remember as the two bands, who have never played together before, set out on a 48 City U.S. Summer Tour which kicked off June 15th in West Palm Beach, Florida. Tickets for the Live Nation produced tour are currently on sale at Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com.
With classic hits such as Hysteria, Pour Some Sugar On Me, Photograph, Animal and Love Bites, it is no wonder the band still garners significant airplay on radio waves to this day. Fans range in age from the very young to the much more experienced in life and their popularity shows no signs of dissipating anytime soon.
Current Leppard members include Joe Elliott (Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards), Vivian Campbell (Rhythm/Lead Guitar, Vocals), Rick "Sav" Savage (Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals), Rick Allen (Drums, Percussion, Vocals), and Phil Collen (Lead/Rhythm Guitar, Vocals).
Def Leppard's Vivian (Viv) Campbell opened up about the upcoming voyage into rock history as well as the current state of the music industry.
So, how exactly did this tour with Heart come about?
These things really have nothing to do with us. The nature of touring is packaging acts together that have strong catalogues of music. It's about making sure that it's a winning combination. It's really about giving people value for their money.
So, it's about putting catalogue bands together to ensure filled seats?
Yes, people want to hear hit songs. In 2005, we toured with Bryan Adams, which was very successful, and in 2006, we toured with Journey. This will be our first time playing with Heart.
Do you like touring or is it hard to leave your lives behind and go on the road?
Touring is our life. It's been a year-and-a-half since we have played live; we didn't tour last year and it was kind of weird. I miss it. We all bring our families with us on tour and the kids love the tour bus; it's like a big pajama party for them. We like to make sure it is as much of a normal family environment as we can make it.
Sounds fun!
It is. We are like a travelling circus; we have a real family vibe. For instance, our tour manager, Malvin, has been with the band since 1983. He was a band tech and after Steve died (Guitarist Steve Clark), we hired him in 1992 as Tour Manager with zero experience because he just has this great personality. Now his daughter, Leslie, does our wardrobe.
What is it like to be rock legends and a part of such an iconic band?
We don't really think of it that way. We are just regular guys with regular lives and families. We surround ourselves with like-minded people.
So, the term rock star doesn't resonate with you at all?
We don't think of ourselves as rock stars, no.
The music industry has changed profusely due to the Internet over the last several years. Do you feel that it is easier or more difficult to make it these days as an artist?
It is completely different now than when I started. The Internet has definitely opened doors and leveled the playing field for musicians. There is really no filter now, which also means that there is a lot of crap. You really have to hunt for the good stuff.
Your thoughts on all of the new technology now available?
Technology has made it much easier to make and manipulate music. Studio-driven, machine-driven music does not always transcend into being a good live act. Many current acts are great live, but many cannot cut it live. The music is not organic.
In your opinion, are these changes then damaging to new artists?
These are very difficult times for new artists. Back in the day, a hit song could really seep into a person's DNA with radio and MTV. A hit today is not the same as a hit twenty years ago. Now there is so much competition, it is very hard to reach the people. The music scene is so overly saturated. There are no gatekeepers like there used to be.
The solution?
Live music. Live music is the last frontier. This is why I personally love to play in front of a live audience. I started by playing live shows and immediately loved it. There is just no feeling like the instant satisfaction of real music in real time in front of real people. Nothing is greater than that type of instant gratification.
One more issue that the Internet has created is piracy. Your thoughts on this?
Now, this is just my personal opinion – not a Def Leppard opinion. Many people may think this sounds crass, but again, just my personal opinion. I don't necessarily think of music piracy as a bad thing for bands like us. It is very hard on new bands, however. But, for us it has brought us younger fans. The Internet is not a bad thing in this way. I know there are kids out there who have our entire catalogue on their iPods, and I am pretty sure they didn't all pay for it. But, maybe those same kids will buy a ticket and come to a concert.
So, piracy for a band like Def Leppard may not be a bad thing, but for new artists, this can obviously cause some problems.
Absolutely which is why I made sure to say for bands like us it is not so bad. We do not expect to sell a lot of records, we are just thankful to have people listening to our music. That is more important than having people pay for it. It will monetize itself later down the line.
If they steal it, they must like it, right?
Yes, that is most certainly a form of flattery.
What is your advice for emerging musicians trying to make it during these challenging times?
First and foremost, you need to put your time in. My biggest advice is that you have to do it for the right reasons. Don't do it to become rich and famous because the chances of that are slim. Do it for the pure love of the music and because you enjoy expressing yourself in that way.
Equally as important is to work on your people skills. It is really just as important to do this as it is to work on your music skills; as in any job. You have to work with all sorts of people and I have met a lot of great musicians who are A-holes and people just don't want to work with them. Being on tour is really submarine duty – you are in close quarters sharing dressing rooms and tour buses. So, it is important to really work on your attitude.
I agree 100%. It is just as important to treat people with respect.
Yes, the band does not tolerate BS. Life is really about balance. Some other advice I always give to guitar players is this: when you first start out learning music, many guitarists try to emulate other great guitarists. In doing this, you tend to overlook your own personal idiosyncrasies which are the very things that make us each unique and therefore human and relatable. It is very important to learn to find your own voice and unique abilities and work with those.
•••••
Def Leppard stands as one of the world's best-selling bands. Over the past thirty years they have sold more than 65 million albums worldwide and have two prestigious albums with RIAA Diamond Awards (for sales in excess of ten million units) for Pyromania and Hysteria. Def Leppard is among an elite few which includes Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and The Eagles. They are one of only five rock bands with two original studio albums selling over 10 million copies in the U.S.
Def Leppard also has a new first ever live album (a three disc package including a DVD) MIRRORBALL (Bludgeon Riffola/Mailboat Records) set for release June 7th. The album will be available exclusively at Walmart and Sam's Club locations in the United States and Canada. This release marks the first official LP from the band that will be available digitally.
In addition to a new album, "Def Leppard: The Definitive Visual History" featuring photos by legendary rock photographer Ross Halfin is available through Chronicle Books as of June 15th.
For more information on Def Leppard's US Tour dates, to hear their new single "Undefeated" and to learn more about their new live album, Mirrorball, please visit the band's web site at www.DefLeppard.com.
Carol Anne Szel of Goldmine magazine recently conducted an interview with Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER, DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Goldmine: How do you balance a normal home life and family in the often-hectic lifestyle in music?
Duff: Well, I've been through a lot of crap. And I met Susan [Holmes McKagan, Duff's wife], frankly, honestly, after I got sober. Not that I haven't had trials during our marriage, and I've had challenges. But we've been together now for a long time, and I know she's got my back. We have fun with it, you know, my family goes on the road, my little daughters have been all over the world. It's just the glass-half-full syndrome with us. It's like "OK. Check it out, we can go to Europe!" or if it's in America, we can go and bring our dogs. We do what we can do and make this work and make it a family vacation. It's great for the girls and their education, because they've seen the world. Many times. So they understand that we live in a world, not just the United States, and all that stuff's really good, I think. They understand that if I'm spitting onstage, they let me have that space. They know I need to release from another angle, they know that it's not
personal, and all that kind of stuff.
Goldmine: I understand you are also releasing a feature film, "The Taking", this summer?
Duff: It's just one of those coffee ideas. A lot of times I'll have some amazing coffee ideas. Coffee ideas are when we're all sitting around drinking coffee or we're on the phone and drinking coffee and we'll solve all the world's ills and come up with some of the best ideas that, thank God, by 10 a.m., they've gone by. A lot of them are just insane ideas. But this film thing — it was at the same point as we were listening to this record and we realized this thing sounds cinematic: "We gotta make a movie!" People love our sense of humor in our webisodes, so we'll make a real long webisode and it will be about Issac getting kidnapped and we have to raise money to get him back because we have a gig that night. So it's kind of a nod to "Hard Day's Night". Just a madcap journey through a day of us trying to raise ransom for Isaac, and it's all to the soundtrack of the record. We'll see how it comes out, there's some really, really great vignettes already.
It's mostly done, I think.
Goldmine: So you get theatrical with all this?
Duff: I guess. It's not really theatrical. We had some fun and we had a great filmmaker who got our vision and we did the film for beg, borrow, and steal, so here we are.
Goldmine: Who is producing it?
Duff: Jamie Chamberlin. He worked on the series "Sex & the City" for five years, and he's a Seattle guy. He did a little indie movie. Billy Gibbons and Iggy Pop saw whatever it was and got a hold of this guy Jamie. He loves rock music. He did a ZZ TOP movie-like DVD and was with the band for two years. We're managed by the same people as ZZ, and came up with this idea for the movie. Our manager said, "You know, this guy Jamie Chamberlin lives in Seattle and he might be a guy to talk to." Jamie came down and loved the idea, and he's been the champion of this thing, really.
ANTHRAX's long-awaited new album, "Worship Music", will be released on September 13 through Megaforce Records (one day earlier internationally via Nuclear Blast Records).
In a brand new Twitter post, ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian writes, "'Worship Music' is finished. I just listened to it LOUD in sequence. Our 10th studio record is fucking killer. Sept 13 my friends!"
"Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't", a brand new song from ANTHRAX, can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below. The track is also available for free download at this location.
Not only is "Worship Music" ANTHRAX's first studio release in eight years, but the album marks the return of vocalist Joey Belladonna, whose last full-length studio work with the band was 1990's "Persistence of Time". Belladonna is now firmly back in the ANTHRAX lineup with drummer Charlie Benante, guitarists Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano, and bassist Frank Bello.
The 11-track "Worship Music" was produced by ANTHRAX, Rob Caggiano and Jay Ruston and recorded over a four-year period at studios in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Belladonna's return to the band prompted some of the songs originally recorded to be re-crafted with fresh lyrics or tweaked to better suit his overall vibe and energy. Some of the songs were completely replaced with brand-new songs and, of course, all have Belladonna's inimitable vocal stamp on them.
"Worship Music" is loaded with stand-out tracks. While "Judas Priest" is a nod to the huge influence that band has had on the members of ANTHRAX and metal heads everywhere. "I'm Alive" is beautiful and grand with a build that demands audience participation. "Crawl" is dark and moody, and filled with a lot of the emotion and stress the band was feeling when it was written. "Fight 'em 'til You Can't" is a song about killing zombies, and who doesn't love a good zombie song? It's the one new track that ANTHRAX has played live since they started touring with Belladonna a year ago, and has been getting tremendous audience response. The song "Earth on Hell" is classic ANTHRAX thrash. "The Devil You Know" is best-described as "an AC/DC groove filtered through an ANTHRAX lens," while "In The End" is epic-sounding and ANTHRAX's way of remembering the late Ronnie James Dio and Darrell "Dimebag" Abbott.
SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser will fill in for ANTHRAX axeman Scott Ian at 11 ANTHRAX shows in July while Ian spends time with his family following the birth of his first child.
The first shows that Scott will play with ANTHRAX after his "paternity leave" will be the July 23 Heavy T.O. festival in Toronto, Ontario and July 24 Heavy MTL festival in Montreal, Quebec (both in Canada).
Canadian rock legends RUSH have landed at position No. 2 on this week's Billboard.com "Hot Tours" rankings with $12 million in box office grosses reported from 16 performances on the "Time Machine" tour,. The totals reported during the past week are from North American dates in April and June as well as three concerts from European markets during May. The top gross among the North American shows came from the Los Angeles market with $1,289,447 in ticket sales from two concerts at Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal City (June 20 and June 22). The highest-grossing European venue was London's O2 Arena with £756,910 in ticket sales from a May 25 performance. Top numbers from the band's home country came from the Bell Centre in Montreal, grossing just over $1 million (US$) from a packed house on April 20.
* Artist/Event: RUSH
* Total Gross: $12,085,395
* Show Dates: April 12-June 22
* Show Venue/City:
- United Center, Chicago, Illinois
- Huntington Center, Toledo, Ohio
- Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
- Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
- Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- 1st Mariner Arena, Baltimore, Maryland
- O2, Dublin, Ireland
- Manchester Evening News Arena, Manchester, U.K.
- O2 Arena, London, U.K.
- New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, Lousiana
- Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas
- Don Haskins Center, El Paso, Texas
- U.S. Airways Center, Phoenix, Arizona
- Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre, Chula Vista, California
- Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City, California
* Total Attendance: 152,085
* Capacity: 158,426
* Artist/Event: MÖTLEY CRÜE
* Total Gross: $3,472,743
* Show Dates: June 7-19
* Show Venue/City:
- Gexa Energy Pavilion, Dallas, Texas
- AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas
- Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
- Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, California
- Red Rock Casino Amphitheatre, Las Vegas, NEvada
- USANA Amphitheatre, West Valley City, Utah
* Total Attendance: 54,532
* Capacity: 54,532
According to Musictap.net, Concord Records will release a RUSH DVD and Blu-ray titled "Time Machine" on September 27. The disc will most likely contain footage of RUSH's April 15 concert at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio filmed by the award-winning documentary makers Banger Productions from Toronto in Canada, who have received international critical acclaim for their previous movies "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey", "Global Metal" and the RUSH documentary called "Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage".
RUSH's Cleveland performance of its "Time Machine" show was filmed as a tribute to the U.S. city that first played the band's music.
Cleveland is remarkable for being one of the very first U.S. cities where RUSH performed, in addition to being the first city to provide American airplay. This also marked RUSH's first live full-length filming on U.S. soil.
SAXON, QUIET RIOT, UFO, MOXY, STEPHEN PEARCY and AXE are the first confirmed bands for the South Texas Rock Fest, set to take place October 7-8 at Sunken Gardens in San Antonio, Texas.
For more information, visit www.southtexasrockfest.com.
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/southtexasposter.jpg
"Call To Arms", the new album from British heavy metal legends SAXON, will be released in North America on September 27, with distribution from EMI. More details will be made available soon.
"Call To Arms" was issued in Europe via Militia Guard Music, UDR and EMI. Recorded at Chapel Studios in Lincolnshire, U.K. and Brighton Electric Studios in Brighton, U.K., the 11-track album was co-produced by singer/songwriter Biff Byford and Toby Jepson (LITTLE ANGELS). Featuring Byford on lead vocals, Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt on guitars, Nibs Carter on bass and Nigel Glockler on drums, "Call To Arms" is bang on-the-money brilliant SAXON music, a confident embrace of the aura and writing values from their early years married perfectly to a modern SAXON crunch.
"This is probably the best album we've written and recorded in the last 20 years," stated Biff Byford unapologetically. "I know a lot of bands say that, but 'Call To Arms' really does feel like that to me. It's the perfect embrace of our past with a great modern edge."
Between the furious riffage of "Hammer Of The Gods" all the way through to "Ballad Of The Working Man", SAXON also found time to invite fans to sing on the nostalgic stomp of "Back In '79" thanks to a Byford brainwave the night before recording.
"We put something up on our website 24 hours before recording the track in Brighton, and funnily enough we had exactly 79 people show up on time to sing on the song," Biff said. "It was a fantastic result which is a direct tribute to 'Denim & Leather' where we did the same exact thing."
There is also a guest appearance from keyboard legend Don Airey (RAINBOW, ELO, OZZY OSBOURNE, DEEP PURPLE) on "When Doomsday Comes".
"Call To Arms" track listing:
01. Hammer Of The Gods
02. Back In '79
03. Surviving Against The Odds
04. Mists Of Avalon
05. Call To Arms
06. Chasing The Bullet
07. Afterburner
08. When Doomsday Comes (Hybrid Theory)
09. No Rest For The Wicked
10. Ballad Of The Working Man
11. Call To Arms (orchestral version)
"Get Started", the new video from Seattle progressive rockers QUEENSRŸCHE, can be seen using the widget below. However, in order to view the clip, you must first "validate" your purchase of the band's new album, "Dedicated To Chaos".
"Dedicated To Chaos" was released on June 28 in North America via Loud & Proud Records, a Roadrunner Records imprint focusing on established artists.
In a recent interview with the U.K. branch of Roadrunner Records, singer Geoff Tate stated was asked if there is a particular theme or concept running through "Dedicated To Chaos". "What we tried to do on this record was really just tap into our creative side and to celebrate the creativity with having a varied record," he said. "It's a collection of songs that is indicative of the band at this point in its career. We have a lot of variety in the music on this record."
When asked whether the band approached the recording of the new album in a different way than they did previous releases, Tate said, "In some ways yes, in some ways no. We usually try to sit down and kind of map out a little bit of an outline or game plan as to what we wanna try to accomplish with a record. And this one was really about trying to capture a wide variety of music. We wanted to explore the freedom of not having a theme or a concept to adhere to, but to really explore our creativity and see where we could take our music."
Regarding the title of the new album, Tatesaid, "The title 'Dedicated To Chaos' is really a statement from the band. We're dedicated to creativity. Chaos is the place where creativity lives, it's the beginning, the origin of creativity, and we're dedicated to that, no matter what the cost. We define ourselves with each record and I think that's something that's very rare in today's world where everyone is very concerned about conforming to a stereotype to become a product in order to be sold. And I think that's one of the things that's kept QUEENSRŸCHE going all these years — that reluctance to conform to somebody else's idea of who we are supposed to be."
Tate has made his own video for QUEENSRŸCHE's new song "Wot We Do" featuring footage from the group's 2010 Queensrÿche Cabaret tour. Check it out below. The track comes off "Dedicated To Chaos", which will be released on June 28 in North America via Loud & Proud Records, a Roadrunner Records imprint focusing on established artists. The band is currently touring in support of the new opus, which was recorded in the group's hometown and produced by Kelly Gray.
"Dedicated To Chaos" track listing:
01. Get Started
02. Hot Spot Junkie
03. Got It Bad
04. Around The World
05. Higher
06. Retail Therapy
07. At The Edge
08. Broken
09. Hard Times
10. Drive
11. I Believe
12. Luvnu
13. Wot We Do
14. I Take You
15. The Lie
16. Big Noize
For an artist to re-invent themselves after emerging from a successful band is tricky enough, but when the band in question is Soundgarden, and 'success' is defined as co-pioneering the last great movement in rock'n'roll , the weight of expectation would be formidable. But whether Chris Cornell has treated his legacy as a founding father of grunge with careful respect (Audioslave) or deliberate disregard (the 2009 Timbaland collaboration Scream), there is one aspect in which his work has never failed to astound and inspire. And this is, quite simply, his voice.
Spine-tinglingly high and with an unmistakable, razor-sharp edge, Cornell undeniably possesses one of the most iconic voices in modern music. If nothing else, his output over the last decade has proven it's a voice capable of bringing an intensity to genres and styles quite far outside the agro-rock paradigm… even if old-school fans have had their reservations about how far outside this paradigm Cornell has dared to tread. These fans, of course, can now rest easy, knowing that Soundgarden are back together, working on a new album, and getting ready to take off again in a big way. But before they do, Australian audiences will have the opportunity to appreciate that iconic voice in the most stripped-back form possible, when Cornell brings his solo acoustic Songbook tour to our shores.
Speaking with Cornell, it's practically inevitable that the Soundgarden reunion be our initial focus; not just because of my own burning curiosity, but because our interview was deferred a day so that Chris could complete one of the few remaining recording sessions for the new album. "For this one, I was by myself, doing vocals, and also writing," Cornell explains. "In terms of material, I think we're good now. I think we're done."
As for how the new material might compare to the band's genre-defining albums of the 90s, Cornell maintains an air of mystery. "Well you know, what we do always feels new," he says. "We never repeated ourselves, ever. If anything was too reminiscent of something else we'd done, we wouldn't bother spending time on it.
"Having said that, everybody has their sensibilities. Anyone who writes songs has their sensibilities, and those are [still] recognisable. That's all intact. And I feel like it's also very vital, because that's how we are together. When a certain amount of time goes by, some people lose their... I guess the best word for it is 'passion'. But we all still have that. You never know if that's going to be there or not. And fortunately, in my life, it always has been."
When asked how the band (or, more specifically, Cornell and lead guitarist Kim Thayil) have managed to overcome the creative differences widely believed to have caused their breakup in 1997, Cornell not only denies that this was the cause of the breakup, but even declares that a breakup never really occurred.
"Well, that's kind of BS," he sighs. "I feel like that's a script written by other musicians or bands, or from how other people look at it. Tensions between the guitar player and the singer, you know..." he laughs. "Whenever those kinds of characterisations would creep up, we would always look at each other thinking: 'It's like we're on a completely different planet.'
"It probably didn't even need to be called a breakup," he adds, "but just an indefinite hiatus. That's really what it's ended up being."
Another thing that has apparently returned from 'indefinite hiatus' is the vocal gymnastic ability Cornell displayed in songs like Slaves And Bulldozers. YouTube clips of Soundgarden's recent reunion shows support his claim that he has maintained (or perhaps, regained) command over the same astounding range as the early days.
"I think I went through a period where I wasn't singing in the highest range," he says. "So over the last couple years, since I've been writing songs that are in that range again, it's been a test to see whether it would come back. And I can say that it was just a matter of doing it, for it to return completely. On some of the songs I'm doing now... there's stuff that is as high-range as anything I've ever done."
In performing a solo retrospective of his catalogue, then, Cornell has found no difficulty in meeting the vocal demands. But translating some of his band material to acoustic format has brought some of its own challenges.
"It's not that easy to take an aggressive rock song, and make it work in the context of an acoustic setting," Cornell says. "Now, I might do it, but sometimes it might take a while to sit with the songs and re-interpret them. Burden In My Hand is one that even I was surprised could actually work in that context. But some of the songs people think would never work were actually written on acoustic guitar. For example, the original demo I did of Spoonman was recorded in my closet at home, just with acoustic guitar, and me beating on pots and pans."
"With some of the cover songs I've done, and tried to approach from a completely different place, it's also been kind of unexpected how well they work," Cornell adds. "Like that acoustic version of Billie Jean: When I originally did it in Audioslave sets, it was kind of intended as a prank. But as I sat with it, changed the time signature and a couple of the chords, it became kind of a heavy song. I'd never even bothered to look at the lyrics before, but they're beautiful, and it turned into this almost gospel-style lament. And it reminded me of other points in my career where I was surprised by how malleable music can be. Like, when Johnny Cash did Rusty Cage, I thought that was a stupid idea, to be perfectly honest. Then when I heard his version, it made complete sense. And I got a lot of comments about the lyrics from people, only after they heard him sing it."
"Doing a two-plus hour set of acoustic music every night really is a great opportunity to crack open different songs and see what they'll do. And that's a continual process. As I'm on tour, I'm also daily figuring out how I might be able to do other songs the audience have asked for. I don't really follow a setlist, and I'll end up doing requests for pretty much every show. Part of what I like about it is being able to communicate with people; to hear what they're saying, and speak back to them. It's easy to get used to the ability to slow down, speed up in the middle of a song, stop playing guitar, move into a capella, change the rhythm and then do it completely differently the next night. That kind of becomes the second-nature thing, so that playing with other people again takes some getting used to."
Listening to Cornell belt out re-arranged Soundgarden classics and obscure covers certainly has its appeal but I can't help but be concerned that his solo itinerary in Australia falls between Soundgarden dates in the US. Could it be that the Songbook shows are to be taken in lieu of an Australian Soundgarden tour?
"Absolutely not," Chris assures. "We will find an opportunity to come together as a band and tour Australia, for sure."
CHRIS CORNELL's Songbook tour stops in at The Palais Theatre on Wednesday October 19 and Thursday October 20. Tickets now on sale with ticketmaster.com.au.
This week: Kerry King, the burly and tattooed guitarist for heavy metal outfit Slayer. The Huntington Park, CA, quartet are touring all summer with Rob Zombie. On September 14, King & Co. will join Anthrax, Megadeth, and Metallica for a Big Four show at Yankee Stadium.
FAVORITE SONG:
"'Becoming' by Pantera. Whenever you get asked a question like that this, the answer is whatever comes to mind first. But it's Pantera and [guitarist] Dimebag Darrell was my boy. It's one of my favorite Pantera tunes."
FAVORITE ALBUM:
"AC/DC live with Bon Scott, but I did see the movie Beyond The Thunder, and it seems like he would be a cool dude to party with!"
FAVORITE WEBSITE:
"Moreliapythons.com. Because I am a better snake breeder than I am a guitar player!"
Family Guy, 'Dinner with Jesus Scene'
FAVORITE TV SHOW:
"Family Guy. It's just intelligent comedy. Some of it is so fast paced, I sometimes have to rewind and figure out why it's so funny."
FAVORITE MOVIE:
"Seven. It's a real heady horror flick."
FAVORITE FOOD:
"Blue Cheese crusted Filet Mignon. Because it's delicious!"
FAVORITE RESTAURANT:
"St. Elmos in Indianapolis and Dickie Brennan in New Orleans. It's fun when you are on tour to go a place you are familiar with in any given city. It's like being home away form home."
FAVORITE DRUG:
"I don't do drugs, but I am the town drunk! Period."
FAVORITE VIDEO GAME:
"Angry Birds. It's a great tour time consumer and I play it so often I got Gary Holt hooked on it!"
FAVORITE GADGET:
"Smartphone. Without one I couldn't play Angry Birds."
FAVORITE BOOK:
"NOT the Holy Bible!"
FAVORITE STORE:
"Best Buy. I heard recently they are downsizing and I got sad! I remember when Circuit City was around, I never understood why people would shop there. I always thought Best Buy had a better selection and cheaper prices."
FAVORITE PET:
"My snakes. It's a great pet to have if you're a touring musician because they don't need daily care."
FAVORITE CELEBRITY:
"Ryan Reynolds. How can you go wrong with Van Wilder! Just watched it again last night."
FAVORITE PIECE OF MUSICAL GEAR:
"My Marshall Signature Amp. I helped design it. In the crazy world of touring if something gets stuck at customs, I can do a show with just my amp!"
FAVORITE KEEPSAKE:
"Original artwork of Christ Illusion. It was the first record that Dave did with us since he had been back and the first art we had Larry Carrol do for us since Seasons! Thought it was a cool thing to purchase."
FAVORITE ESSENTIAL ITEM FOR TOURING:
"Alcohol. Enough said."
FAVORITE WAY TO PASS TIME ON THE ROAD:
"Alcohol. Enough said."
FAVORITE MANTRA/QUOTE/PIECE OF ADVICE:
"Christians are out of their minds."
FAVORITE PLACE ON EARTH:
"Australia. Because I am a reptile breeder that specializes in Carpet pythons that are from Australia. Being an island continent, their wildlife is so much better than anywhere else in the world."
FAVORITE PIECE OF CLOTHING:
"Camouflage pants or shorts. I'm always wearing them. I think it started when I was on a charter fight with Pantera years back. I had a bottle of vodka in one pocket and a bottle of orange juice in the other. I was like a walking bar!"
FAVORITE PICK-UP LINE:
"I never needed one."
FAVORITE BODY PART:
"Tits!"
FAVORITE LIE:
"Jesus died for our sins. Now that's a great ending!"
Tonight's (Thursday, June 30) BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION concert at Killersberg in Stuttgart, Germany has been moved to July 11 due to the band's vocalist/bassist, Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, TRAPEZE, BLACK SABBATH), "being very under the weather." According to a statement released by the group, "Glenn has seen a doctor and is doing slightly better." The statement adds, "We all regret the inconvenience that I know this causes, but we all want a healthy Glenn. We are looking forward to reconvening tomorrow for the shows."
According to a recent new Twitter post from Hughes, the shows on the current BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION tour are being professionally filmed for Blu-ray release in October.
BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION is the Anglo-American rock supergroup featuring the talents of Hughes, blues rock guitarist/vocalist Joe Bonamassa, drummer Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN), and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER). The band's second album, simply titled "2", sold more than 8,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 71 on The billboard 200 chart.
Last year's self-titled debut CD from BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION opened with 7,100 copies to land at No. 54.
"2" was released in Europe on June 13 via Mascot Records and in the U.S. on June 14 through the J&R Adventures label.
BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION initially came to fruition when producer Kevin Shirley saw Hughes and Bonamassa join forces on stage in Los Angeles in November 2009 for an explosive performance at Guitar Center's King of the Blues event. Shirley then recruited Bonham and Sherinian for the project, which is named after the industrial area in the British Midlands where both Hughes and Bonham were born and raised.
A track from WOLFPAKK — the new melodic metal project led by former CRYSTAL BALL vocalist Mark Sweeney and Michael Voss (MAD MAX, CASANOVA) — will be premiered on "The Metal Madman Radio Show" on Wednesday, July 6 between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. EST. You can listen to the program via the Internet at www.themetalmadman.com.
With the help of 30 world-class guest musicians, Voss and Sweeney (who composed all the songs) have created a very special album.
These are the involved guest musicians:
Vocals:
* Paul Di'Anno (ex-IRON MAIDEN)
* Tony Martin (ex-BLACK SABBATH)
* Jeff Scott Soto (ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, TALISMAN)
* Rob Rock (IMPELITTERI)
* Mark Boals (ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN)
* Tim "Ripper" Owens (ex-JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH)
* Paul Shortino (ex-QUIET RIOT)
* Mark Fox (ex-SHAKRA)
* Michaela Schober (TANZ DER VAMPIRE)
* Jean-Marc Viller (CALLAWAY)
* Pearl
* Molly Duncan
Bass:
* Tony Franklin (ex-BLUE MURDER, ROBERT PLANT)
* Mat Sinner (PRIMAL FEAR, SINNER, VOODOO CIRCLE)
* Matthias Rethmann (ex-LEEZ, SILVER)
* Nils Middelhauve (XANDRIA)
* Neil Murray (WHITESNAKE)
* Barend Courbois (VENGEANCE)
Guitar:
* Igor Gionola (U.D.O.)
* Andy Midgeley (POWER QUEST)
* Ira Black (ex-VICIOUS RUMORS, LIZZY BORDEN)
* Torsten Koehne (EDEN'S CURSE)
* Doc Heyne (BISS)
* Tommy Denander (DAN REED, PAUL STANLEY)
* Nadja Kossinskaja (PETER MAFFAY)
* Freddy Scherer (GOTTHARD)
* Olaf Lenk (AT VANCE)
* George Solonos (TOMMY LEE)
Keyboards:
* Alessandro Delvecchio (GLENN HUGHES, IAN PAICE)
* Ferdy Doernberg (AXEL RUDI PELL, ROUGH SILK)
Drums:
* Gereon Homann (EAT THE GUN)
"Wolfpakk" will be released on August 26 via AFM Records.
For more information, visit www.wolfpakk.net.
"Transformers" star Shia LaBeouf will reportedly shoot a documentary about the making of MARILYN MANSON's new album.
The actor, who recently shot and edited the video for "Marijuana", a song from Kid Cudi's "Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager" CD, describes his recent meeting with Manson during an appearance on the talk show "Live With Regis And Kelly". "He's a real sweet guy," Shia said. "He's an eccentric human being. He lives in West Hollywood above a liquor store. There's no lights in the room. And there's sort of these big metal doors and he opens the door and he's in a kimono, a big pink kimono... It's sort of like a lair. No lights, so you have to use your cellphone to guide you around... We sat and watched movies for a while.... and talked about what kind of visuals he wanted on his album. Which are all really eccentric ideas. All things I can't really say out loud because this is morning television."
LaBeouf previously directed Cage's "I Never Knew You" video. He appears in the third "Transformers" movie, "Transformers: Dark Of The Moon", which opened on June 29.
Marilyn Manson last month released a 26-second video teaser for what he calls "an undisclosed song with an unreleased title." You can check out the clip below.
The singer's eighth studio album is set for release later in the year through Cooking Vinyl Records.
Drummer Ginger Fish (real name: Kenneth Robert Wilson) quit MARILYN MANSON in February and has since joined ROB ZOMBIE.
MARILYN MANSON in 2009 parted ways with longtime record label Interscope following the disappointing sales performance of the shock-rocker's latest album, entitled "The High End Of Low".
"The High End Of Low" was Manson's first album with longtime bassist Twiggy Ramirez since 2000's "Holy Wood".
We caught up with Machine Head front man Robb Flynn last week at Green Day's Jingletown Studios, where he was putting the finishing touches on the Grammy-nominated Oakland group's upcoming seventh studio album, "Unto the Locust." There was just one problem. "We can't seem to write a damn song under six minutes," he said. Flynn wasn't kidding: The band's latest single, "Locust," clocks in at over eight. Machine Head, by some estimates the second-biggest heavy metal act in the Bay Area, plays the main stage at the Mayhem Festival at Shoreline Amphitheatre next Sunday.
Q: You're recording your seventh album at Green Day's studio. Does Billie Joe Armstrong ever drop by and offer advice?
A: I think he's got better things to do than offer us advice. It's a good studio. We've been in a bunch of corporate spaces with Art Deco couches you can't really sit in. It's cool to be in a place that's world-class but has punk rock posters on the walls and pictures of the Avengers and the Clash and the Beatles. It's also got Martin Luther King's mug shot in the bathroom.
Q: I'm sure Billie Joe would have told you that, at eight minutes, "Locust" is probably six minutes too long to get on the radio.
A: Yeah, we're not exactly trying to reach the Alice crowd with this one. It's got a solo section that's over two minutes long - most pop songs now aren't even that long. We're conditioned that everything needs to be three minutes or it's not going to connect. I think music should take you on a journey. Riding a train is cool, but riding a roller coaster is more fun.
Q: Is the rest of the album stacked with epics?
A: I think we've really taken our music to next level with this. We feel super excited about it. I started taking some singing lessons with the guy who worked with Mick Jagger and Lady Gaga. And then I took some classical guitar. I wanted to feel like a beginner again and not be comfortable and see what that brought out. There's definitely a big neoclassical vibe on the record between all the brutality.
Q: What's the scene like backstage at the Mayhem Festival? I imagine there aren't too many guys sipping Chardonnay and playing pingpong.
A: There's a lot of testosterone in the air, that's for sure. But it's a good vibe. They did this great thing where every band on the tour is in charge of throwing a party every three days. There are just two conditions: You have to have an alcoholic beverage that sums up your band in some way. The second (rule) is the party has to have a theme. Last time, ours was the Fourth of July, even though it was in August. We got all these fireworks and shot them up until the cops came.
Q: How long does it take for the backstage shower to get clogged with man hair?
A: I never worry about that. My biggest fear is how many crew guys had athlete's foot before I go in the shower and how long before my foot is covered over with it. {sbox}
Machine Head at the Mayhem Festival with Disturbed, Godsmack, Megadeth, Testament and others: 2:15 p.m. next Sun. $33-$58. Shoreline Amphitheatre, 1 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View. (800) 745-3000. www.ticketmaster. com.
Follow Aidin Vaziri at twitter.com/MusicSF. E-mail: avaziri@sfchronicle.com.
Massacre Records has set a July 15 release date for a new compilation from Texas doom metal veterans SOLITUDE AETURNUS. Entitled "In Times Of Solitude", it features "demos, early days footage and rare tracks," according to a press release.
A song from the collection, "It Came Upon One Night", is now available for streaming on the Massacre Records MySpace page.
"In Times Of Solitude" track listing:
01. It Came Upon One Night
02. Transcending Sentinels
03. Into Battle
04. Sojourner
05. Where Angels Dare To Tread
06. Rememberance Of A Life
07. And Justice For All
08. Sojourner
09. Mirror Of Sorrow
SOLITUDE AETURNUS's latest album, "Alone", was released in November 2006 through Massacre Records. The CD was recorded at Nomad Studios in Carrolton, Texas with Sterling Winfield (PANTERA) and J.T. Longoria (KING DIAMOND) sharing engineering duties.
Metal Mind Productions released a DVD from SOLITUDE AETURNUS, entitled "Hour of Despair", in July 2007. The footage for the disc was filmed/recorded on February 12, 2007 at the Stodola Club in Warsaw, Poland.
"Choking Victim", a new song from FEAR AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, the project featuring James "Munky" Shaffer (KORN) on guitar, Billy Gould (FAITH NO MORE) on bass, and Steve Krolikowski (REPEATER) on vocals, can be downloaded for free at www.fatns.com. The track is also available for streaming in the YouTube clip below.
Shaffer previously stated about FEAR AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, "I started this project because I want to express myself musically and show the world a different side of me creatively."
Other musicians who were involved during the early FEAR AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM recording sessions include Brooks Wackerman (BAD RELIGION, TENACIOUS D) on drums and percussion; Leopold Ross on programming and guitars; and Zach Baird on keyboards and programming.
According to a press release, FEAR AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM is "an exciting project that opens up the boundaries of rock, harkening back to the days when music was fearless."
FEAR AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM's debut album will feature artwork from LIMP BIZKIT guitarist Wes Borland.
CHICKENFOOT's second album, titled "Chickenfoot IV", will be released on September 27. The CD's first single, "Bigfoot", is scheduled to hit the airwaves sometime in July.
Bassist Michael Anthony, who turned 57 this month, described the new CHICKENFOOT album as "a lot heavier than the first record."
CHICKENFOOT is the rock supergroup featuring former VAN HALEN singer Sammy Hagar and bassist Michael Anthony, guitarist Joe Satriani and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith.
The new CHICKENFOOT CD's initial recording sessions were overseen by Mike Fraser, a Canadian producer, engineer and mixer who has previously worked with AC/DC, METALLICA and AEROSMITH. other songtitles set to appear on the album include "Last Temptation", "Something's Gone Wrong", "Dubai Blues", "Different Devil", "No Change", "Who's Next" and "Astral Years".
Hagar in March explained how CHICKENFOOT's second album came to be titled Chickenfoot IV" (Four). He said, "We were all like, 'What are we going to call the second record? Well, 'Chickenfoot II' (Two). And we're going, 'We can't call it 'Chickenfoot II', that's too obvious.' And pretty soon [drummer] Chad Smith, I'm sure was the guy, he's going, 'Let's call it 'Chickenfoot IV'. And we all cracked up and said, 'Right on, that's it.' And we haven't talked about it since."
Chad Smith recently confirmed that he won't tour with CHICKENFOOT this year in support of the band's second album due to scheduling conflicts with his main group, the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.
CHICKENFOOT's self-titled debut disc came out in June 2009 and was certified gold for sales of more than 500,000 copies.
SOULFLY has tapped metal veteran Tony Campos (STATIC-X, PRONG, ASESINO, MINISTRY, POSSESSED) as the group's new permanent bassist following the departure of Bobby Burns.
Campos will make his live debut with SOULFLY on July 31 at the Lokerse festival in Lokeren, Belgium.
In a November 18, 2010 interview with MetalSickness.com, Max stated about SOULFLY's split with Burns, "Well, we're still friends. It was really a friendly split."
He continued, "SOULFLY is a very demanding band that demands of you to really... You've gotta be some kind of soldier to be in SOULFLY and it's really not an easy band to be in, and I'll be the first one to say that. We go to places a lot of people don't go, and we play places a lot of people don't play. But on the other side of the coin, we get to see the world and get to travel the world and meet many people and it's great life for a musician. It was my dream from the beginning to do this. And when somebody is not feeling the same way as us...
"I always said from the beginning: If you're not 100 percent here with us, then you should not be here at all. And Bobby wasn't like that anymore; he was, really... It was a situation where nobody was even talking to him in the end, and he was not talking to anybody. It was really strange. I never had that in a band before like that. It was really kind of, like, 'What's going on with this guy?' And it got to the point where he started to drink a lot, too, and that was another problem. He started missing a lot of notes and not playing the bass so good live.
"That's another thing that cannot happen; we have to make sure that we play good at night — a lot of people want to see us, so we've gotta be... If there's 10 people at the show or 10,000, I want SOULFLY to perform the same; I always that to the other guys. Even though it's hard sometimes — if there's less people there, if there's no vibe, or the vibe sucks, you still [get into] it. Those people there are your hardcore fans because they came here. Maybe there's only 100 of them, [but] they are 100 of your most hardcore fans that came to see you, so it's very special that you play the same. And Bobby was not feeling like that anymore, so it was better for us to say to him, 'We think it's better for you to go and we'll get somebody there that's gonna be hungry again to be in the band,' and that's what we're looking for right now."
In a series of postings on his Facebook page on December 30, 2010, Burns took issue with Max's explanation for Bobby's departure from SOULFLY, writing, "Strike 2, Max... Strike 2. Take some more pills, man."
He added, "[Max is] a fucking idiot. If he keeps talking shit I'm gonna let the whole world know some shit about their cover band leader hero.
"We agreed to have a nice parting of ways and I'm the only one taking the high road, it seems. But I won't tolerate the lies for press. . . . He can bash me all he wants, but it's gonna hurt his fans' feelings if they ever find out how he really is."
Bassist Johny Chow, who has played with SOULFLY's Max Cavalera and Marc Rizzo (guitar) in CAVALERA CONSPIRACY and is a member of FIREBALL MINISTRY, loaned his skills to SOULFLY for the band's recent touring activities.
SOULFLY's latest album, "Omen", sold 6,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 73 on The Billboard 200 chart.
"Gold Cobra", the long-awaited fifth studio album from LIMP BIZKIT, is likely to sell between 23,000 and 27,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to industry web site Hits Daily Double. The estimate was based on one-day sales reports compiled after the record arrived in stores on June 28 via Interscope. The CD was recorded with the band's original lineup of Fred Durst, Wes Borland, Sam Rivers, John Otto, and DJ Lethal and was produced by Durst.
Commented Durst, "We've come full circle to absolutely own who we are as a band, an undisputed five-piece rap rock powerhouse who crushes every stage we play."
"Gold Cobra" comes in several configurations. The standard release features 13 new songs while the deluxe edition (available digitally only) features 16 new songs. Additionally, fans can purchase a physical CD that has 17 original songs exclusively at Best Buy, and that same release of 16 songs is available digitally at Napster.com.
LIMP BIZKIT has sold more than 35 million albums, filled concert arenas around the globe, and has received countless awards and accolades. Formed in 1995, LIMP BIZKIT achieved massive success with its studio album "Significant Other", which debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts and went on to sell over 16 million copies worldwide. In 2000, the band's third studio album, "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water", continued the band's success by selling approximately 1.5 million copies in its first week, making it the fastest-selling rock album of all time. The band has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, and was voted Favorite Alternative group at the American Music Awards. They have also won numerous MTV Video Music Awards, MTV Europe Music Awards, and Billboard Music Awards.
LIMP BIZKIT is known for its strong connection to the fans and has more than 2 million followers on Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms.
"Gold Cobra" album configurations and track listings:
Standard
01. Introbra
02. Bring It Back
03. Gold Cobra
04. Shark Attack
05. Get A Life
06. Shotgun
07. Douche Bag
08. Walking Away
09. Loser
10. Autotunage
11. 90.2.10
12. Why Try
13. Killer In You
Deluxe
01. Introbra
02. Bring It Back
03. Gold Cobra
04. Shark Attack
05. Get A Life
06. Shotgun
07. Douche Bag
08. Walking Away
09. Loser
10. Autotunage
11. 90.2.10
12. Why Try
13. Killer In You
14. Back Porch
15. My Own Cobain
16. Angels
Best Buy Deluxe
01. Introbra
02. Bring It Back
03. Gold Cobra
04. Shark Attack
05. Get A Life
06. Shotgun
07. Douche Bag
08. Walking Away
09. Loser
10. Autotunage
11. 90.2.10
12. Why Try
13. Killer In You
14. Back Porch
15. My Own Cobain
16. Angels
17. Middle Finger (feat Paul Wall)
The band will hit the road this summer in support of the new album.
Atlantic recording group STAIND has announced details of its hugely anticipated new album. "Staind" — which marks the iconic hard rock band's seventh studio album and first full-length release in three years — arrives in stores and at all digital retailers on September 13.
Produced by Johnny K – known for his work with 3 DOORS DOWN, DISTURBED, and SEVENDUST, not to mention his Grammy Award-nominated collaboration with STAIND, 2008's "The Illusion Of Progress" — and mixed by the legendary Chris Lord-Alge, "Staind" stands as STAIND's most intense and powerful work to date. The album is heralded by the new song, "Eyes Wide Open", which can be heard below. "Not Again", the first official single from "Staind", will then impact multi-format rock radio outlets nationwide in mid-July.
Singer/songwriter/guitarist Aaron Lewis recent described "Staind" as "the heaviest thing we have recorded in a long time. It's definitely one of the heaviest collections of songs that we have put together."
"It's completely different than the last record," agrees guitarist Mike Mushok. "It's more of a throwback to where we came from. I definitely think it's fresh. It's a modern-sounding version of a heavy STAIND record. It's pretty cool."
"Staind" has already earned advance acclaim from ARTISTdirect, which hailed the album as a "timeless masterpiece," praising Lewis' vocals for "reach(ing) heights that only legends can touch."
In other news, STAIND will perform at KROQ's annual rock festival, Epicenter 2011, slated for September 24 at Irvine, California's Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre.
"Staind" track listing:
01. Not Again
02. Eyes Wide Open
03. Failing
04. Wannabe
05. Throw It All Away
06. Now
07. The Bottom
08. Take a Breath
09. Paper Wings
10. Something To Remind You
STAIND recently parted ways with drummer Jon Wysocki after seventeen years of playing together. Drummer Will Hunt (EVANESCENCE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, TOMMY LEE) sat behind the kit for STAIND for several shows in May.
Oakland, California extreme metallers ALL SHALL PERISH will release their fourth full-length album, "This Is Where It Ends", on July 26 (North America) and July 29 (Europe) via Nuclear Blast Records.
A pre-order package containing the new CD, an official ALL SHALL PERISH "party tech" 34 oz. mug and shot glass, a new ALL SHALL PERISH shirt, and five ALL SHALL PERISH condoms is now available for "only $32 dollars." A press release states, "For the price of two CD's you can get drunk, have safe sex, and still support an incredible band. What are you waiting for? "
The majority of the follow-up to 2008's "Awaken The Dreamers" was recorded and mixed once again at Castle Ultimate Studios in Oakland with producer Zack Ohren (LIGHT THIS CITY, DECREPIT BIRTH, SUFFOCATION).
"Divine Illusion", a brand new song from ALL SHALL PERISH, is available for streaming on the band's Facebook page. "Like/share" the band on Facebook in order to hear it.
ALL SHALL PERISH has been added to this year's installment of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. The 26-date trek, which is scheduled to kick off on July 9 at the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino, California, will also include DISTURBED, GODSMACK, MEGADETH, MACHINE HEAD, IN FLAMES and TRIVIUM, among many others.
Satanic metal warlords SATAN'S HOST will enter Flatline Studios on July 18 with producer Dave Otero (CEPHALIC CARNAGE, COBALT) to begin recording a "celebration album" to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the band's debut LP, the cult classic "Metal From Hell". The as-yet-untitled compilation will contain a few new songs and revamped versions of classic tunes that span the band's career, with returned original vocalist Leviathan Thisiren (a.k.a. Harry Conklin of JAG PANZER and TITAN FORCE) offering his unique take on the songs. Tracks set to appear on the CD include brand-new songs "For The Love Of Satan" and "Conviction", the title cut to "Metal From Hell", "Witches Return", "Nightside Of Eden", "H.E.L.L.", "Dark Priest (Lord Ahriman)", and the title track to "Satanic Grimoire". A November release via Moribund Records is expected.
In other news, a special "making-of" documentary for SATAN'S HOST's latest album, "By The Hands Of The Devil", can be viewed below.
Released last month by Moribund, "By The Hands Of The Devil" is the first SATAN'S HOST album since "Metal From Hell" to feature Conklin. It has been met with unanimous acclaim all around the world.
According to Terrorizer magazine, Norwegian/Hungarian black metallers MAYHEM have revealed that they recently smuggled in real human remains to use as part of their stage show at Hellfest in Clisson, France.
"They were all human remains — skulls and bones — on the stage of MAYHEM's 'Liberation By Evil' performance at Hellfest," stated frontman Attila Csihar. "It was [done] for spiritual reasons, not for sensation. To stand and sing from the 'Altar Of Death' in front of 8,000 people at Hellfest was extreme and important both artistically and personally — that feeling is just indescribable." He added, "I am not sure if it's the best idea to say officially that we used real human bones on our performance. However, it is the simple truth. We are MAYHEM and I am Attila, I always say the truth, nothing more and nothing less. I would like to thank our people and Hellfest for the help to make this great action happen, and also to our fans for the eternal support!"
Fan-filmed video footage of MAYHEM's June 17, 2011 performance at Hellfest can be seen below.
MAYHEM recently parted ways with French guitarist Silmaeth (ex-VORKREIST) and replaced him with Teloch (NIDINGR, GOD SEED, OV HELL).
Commented MAYHEM vocalist Attila Csihar: "MAYHEM have decided to step forward and invite Teloch into the MAYHEM brotherhood, replacing Silmaeth on guitars.
"Teloch is a longtime friend and a great guitarist.
"MAYHEM would like to thank Silmaeth for his full dedication towards the band for the last two years, we wish him all success in his musical career!"
Teloch added: "After many years in the Norwegian metal scene, doing all sorts of extreme metal in numerous bands, I finally hit the bullseye and joined my old friends in MAYHEM!"
MAYHEM's current live formation is as follows:
Attila Csihar: Vocals
Necrobutcher (a.k.a. Jørn Stubberud): Bass
Hellhammer (a.k.a. Jan Axel Blomberg): Drums
Morfeus (a.k.a. Krister Dreyer): Guitar
Teloch: Guitar
Nuclear Blast Records has announced the signing of the Swedish futuristic and extreme metal act CIPHER SYSTEM.
15 years after the birth of the band, CIPHER SYSTEM returns with what has to be described as a masterpiece in a genre where innovation has become sparse, putting their murderous machinations on public display, forged with fearsome skill and precision: "Communicate The Storm". Packed in the rapturous art of a true genius of darkened visuals, Seth Siro Anton (SOILWORK, PARADISE LOST, SEPTICFLESH), and with a mix once again stemming from the hallowed grounds of Studio Fredman, this colossus of an album is sure to send tremors throughout the scene when it hits the street on September 9.
Commented the band: "When you have been in this business as long as we have, you take everything with a bit of 'this will never happen, but it would be great if it did' attitude. That is how we protect ourselves from not being broken down by all setbacks. So when we finished mixing 'Communicate The Storms', we thought we had an great album in our hands, but after six months of recording and around two years of writing it, we didn't really knew for sure. But when we got contacted by Nuclear Blast, we knew that we were on to something.
"It's a true honor to be signed to the label that gave us 'Storm Of The Light's Bane', 'Jester Race', 'Enthrone Darkness Triumphant', to name a few. Nuclear Blast was our goal and dream label when we started playing in the '90s, and we have finally found our way home. We want to thank all the people, friends and fans all around the world for the support! Let's race to the top!"
CIPHER SYSTEM's debut album, "Central Tunnel Eight", came out in November 2004 through Lifeforce Records.
CIPHER SYSTEM is:
Carl Obbel - Vocals
Johan Eskilsson (ex-DEAD BY APRIL) - Guitar
Andreas Allenmark (ex-ANATA) - Guitar
Henric Carlsson (ex-NIGHTRAGE) - Bass
Emil Frisk - Drums
Peter Engström – Keyboards
Canadian extreme metallers KATAKLYSM will headline the Hatefest 2011 European tour in December. Support on the trek will come from TRIPTYKON, MARDUK, MILKING THE GOATMACHINE and two more "special guests" who have not yet been announced.
The dates are as follows (subject to change):
Dec. 02 - Oberhausen, Germany @ Turbinenhalle - Metalfest Winter Edition
Dec. 03 - Giessen, Germany @ Hessenhalle - Metalfest Winter Edition
Dec. 04 - Paris, France @ Alhambra
Dec. 05 - Pratteln, Switzerland @ Z7
Dec. 06 - Innsbruck, Austria @ Hafen
Dec. 07 - Vienna, Austria @ Arena)
Dec. 08 - Zlin, Czech Republic @ Masters Of Rock Café
Dec. 09 - Leipzig, Germany @ Hellraiser
Dec. 10 - Geiselwind, Germany @ Event Hall - X-Mas Metal Festival
Dec. 11 - Antwerp, Belgium @ Trix
Dec. 12 - Saarbrücken, Germany @ Garage
Dec. 13 - Hanover, Germany @ Musikzentrum
Dec. 14 - Hamburg, Germany @ Markthalle
Dec. 15 - Berlin, Germany @ C-Club
Dec. 16 - Munich, Germany @ Backstage
Dec. 17 - Eindhoven, The Netherlands @ Effenaar - Eindhoven Metal Meeting
Dec. 18 - Ludwigsburg, Germany @ Rockfabrik
KATAKLYSM is nearly done with its highly successful world tour that has taken the band to the four corners of the world. The "Heaven's Venom" mania will continue this summer with the band's appearance at the Wacken Open Air festival this August. The band will headline the Brutal Assault festival in Czech Republic, perform at Metal Mean in Belgium, and play at the 20th anniversary of the Summer Breeze Open Air in Germany to an already sold-out audience of 30,000 metal fans!
In other news, KATAKLYSM recorded the single "The Iron Will" last week in Montreal, Canada with guitarist/producer Jean-Francois Dagenais. It will be mixed this fall by Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, BEHEMOTH, MNEMIC) in Denmark and will be released with a video clip on iTunes one month before the release of the documentary DVD "The Iron Will: 20 Years Determined", which depicts the ups and downs of the band's long, turbulent career... one that made KATAKLYSM one of today's top names in extreme music.
"The Iron Will" DVD will be released in the spring of 2012 and will include this year's live performance from the Summer Breeze festival.
Eagle Rock Entertainment has set a July 26 release date for "Double Live - Northstage Theatre 1982 / New York Steel Benefit show 2001", a two-disc DVD set which couples TWISTED SISTER live shows from the start of the band's recording career in 1982 and the beginning of its reunion career in 2001. The show from the North Stage Theater in Long Island in 1982 was the same year as the release of TWISTED SISTER's debut album, "Under The Blade". It features many of the songs from that record along with some brilliant cover versions and is a stunning snapshot of the band in its early days.
Following the terrible events of September 11, 2001, TWISTED SISTER's classic lineup reunited to headline the New York Steel benefit show at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on November 28 that year. The concert was a fundraiser for the families of New York police officers and firefighters who had lost their lives in the attack on the World Trade Center. The reaction to TWISTED SISTER's set was overwhelming and led directly to the ongoing existence of the band today.
"Double Live - Northstage Theatre 1982 / New York Steel Benefit show 2001" track listing:
Disc 1
01. What You Don't Know (Sure Can Hurt You)
02. Destroyer
03. Tear it Loose
04. Bad Boys (Of Rock 'n' Roll)
05. Lady's Boy
06. Leader of the Pack
07. Under the Blade
08. Shoot 'Em Down
09. Sin After Sin
10. I'll Never Grow Up, Now
11. You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll
12. You Know I Cry
13. It's Only Rock 'N' Roll
14. Rock 'n' Roll Saviors
Disc 2
01. What You Don't Know (Sure Can Hurt You)
02. The Kids Are Back
03. Stay Hungry
04. Burn in Hell
05. You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll
06. Under the Blade
07. Shoot 'Em Down
08. Come Back
09. You Know I Cry
10. I Wanna Rock
11. We're Not Gonna Take It
12. The Price
13. SMF
The official release/listening party for "Double Live - Northstage Theatre 1982 / New York Steel Benefit show 2001" will be held on Saturday, July 23 at Duff's Brooklyn in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
The address is:
Duff's Brooklyn
168 Marcy Avenue (between S 5th & Broadway)
Williamsburg, New York
For more information, visit www.duffsbrooklyn.com.
Swedish black metallers DARK FUNERAL have announced the addition of vocalist Nachtgarm (NEGATOR) to the group's ranks.
Guitarist Lord Ahriman admits that it surely was not an easy task to find a worthy replacement for Emperor Magus Caligula, who has been doing an amazing job for DARK FUNERAL during the past 15 years. The Lord says that he has not only been "the vocalist" for the band, but the also a very good friend of his and he always will be.
Anyway, 10 months of intense search worldwide have finally given result and he is VERY proud to announce and welcome Nachtgarm to the horde.
Commented Lord Ahriman: "I think I can speak for everyone in the band and say that besides completely knocking us down with the strength of his vocals and wide register, what truly blew us away was his presence, energy and the amazing spirit he showed during the final audition. He just came into the rehearsal room, found and took his rightful spot. And then just set the whole place on hellfire! It's really hard to explain 'that' certain feeling one is looking for, but once you get it, you just know that you've found the right man for the job. And that is something we all got 'deluxe.' No doubt about that!
"Mankind has no idea what is coming upon them. And I can't wait to bring this maniac on tour for the world to experience DARK FUNERAL in the most intense and hellish way ever!
"During the 10 month we have been looking for a new vocalist and drummer, we have received over 1000 applications. The interest to join DARK FUNERAL has been way over expectation and quite overwhelming to say the least. And we would like to take this opportunity to thank EVERYONE who applied for the jobs. One thing is for sure: There are a lot of unknown talents out there. And once they've found the right band to deliver their goods, I'm sure we all will hear from many of these guys in the future. Good luck!"
Added guitarist Chaq Mol: "When Emperor Magus Caligula quit the band, my first thought was, 'How the fuck will we be able to find a worthy replacement now?' In my eyes he was the best vocalist in the black metal scene. Anyhow, after we had listened through a couple of hundreds applicants, there were two guys that really stood out and sounded very promising indeed. The question now was, would they nail it on a live audition too, and would their personalities be of that kind we were looking for?! Well, after 10 month search we finally found the right man for the job! And all my previous doubts and concerns are now a memory forgotten. Nachtgarm, welcome to the horde!"
States Nachtgarm: "To me, DARK FUNERAL is the epitome of black metal. To be a member of this institution now, is not only a big honor for me, but is also complementing my work as a lead singer as well as my action at the front of the stage throughout the years. Consequently, I am very glad that DARK FUNERAL put their unholy faith in me and my abilities. As the successor of Emperor Magus Caligula, I am quite aware of the high expectations being directed to my person. However, I can assure every one of you out there, that with every breath I take I will live up to these expectations. Hands down. This is the arrival of Satan's Empire. Now let us set this world aflame!"
In other news, DARK FUNERAL has been confirmed for next year's edition of the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise, which will set sail from Miami, Florida to Cayman Islands on January 23, 2012 and return four days later. A total of 40 acts will perform on the cruise.
NEGATOR, one of Germany's leading extreme metal outfits, has issued the following update:
"It is with great excitement that we recently learned that our vocalist, Nachtgarm, is from now joining our black metal comrades DARK FUNERAL as a permanent member. There he is also in charge of what he is best at: Confronting the world, breathing fire and brimstone and simply hooting down everything around. However, to get one thing clear right away: NEGATOR will, of course, continue the successful path we have taken. Nachtgarm will, of course, lead our battalion further on and will remain the singer of NEGATOR. An assumed double burden is simply non-existent. Consequently, we can assure every single one of you that all confirmed festival shows (With Full Force, Eisenwahn Festival, Wacken Open Air) will happen just as planned. Furthermore, the work concerning the successor of 'Panzer Metal' will continue with great enthusiasm and relentless diligence. That Nachtgarm is now among the ranks of one of black metal's most influential bands of all times is
also complementing his work with NEGATOR. Therefore, we are proud that we with our work as NEGATOR were able to contribute and have a part in this.
"The tank keeps rolling. Irresistible. More than ever. Today until the very end of days, only one thing shall be the law: Panzer Forever Panzer!"
NEGATOR recentlyannounced the addition of drummer Asgard Niels to the group's ranks.
Asgard has previously played in several different bands such IRATE ARCHITECT and HOLY MOSES. At present he is "beating the shit out of his drums" with GOREZONE and INTO OBLIVION. However, it is to be understood that his main focus is now NEGATOR.
Long-running Czech black metal band ROOT will release its ninth full-length album entitled "Heritage Of Satan" in the fall via Agonia Records. Three special guests will appear on the CD: Erik Danielsson (WATAIN), Rune "Blasphemer" Eriksen (ex-MAYHEM, AVA INFERI, AURA NOIR) and Adam "Nergal" Darski (BEHEMOTH). Both Erik and Nergal contribute vocals to two songs each while one track will contain Blasphemer's "Northern" guitar melodies.
ROOT's last album, "Daemon Viam Invenient", came out in 2007.
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