When Tommy Stinson joined Guns N' Roses way back in 1998, there were many people who didn't have a clue who he was. Stinson's career path just hadn't taken the route that one would think might lead to playing on stage with Axl Rose.
Starting out in the Replacements when he was barely a teenager, Stinson learned quite a bit from that band's leader, Paul Westerberg. When the 'Mats decided to call it quits in 1991, Stinson surprised many by forming Bash & Pop, a high quality alternative rock four-piece that seemed to pick up where his old band left off.
Sadly, neither Bash & Pop nor Stinson's next outfit, Perfect, made any commercial inroads, and Stinson found himself a session musician looking for a gig. Luckily, Rose called and the continued concert appeal of Guns N' Roses has allowed Stinson to record two solid solo albums.
Speaking from a tour stop in Mexico City and in anticipation of Guns N' Roses performing on Saturday at Gexa Energy Pavilion, Stinson talked with DC-9 about his current gig and the interesting path that led him into the waiting arms of Axl Rose.
Who is easier to work for, Axl Rose or Paul Westerberg?
They are both about the same to work with. There are things about both of them that I admire. They are both very similar. They have their way of doing things. Sometimes, things haven't worked out so good with either of them, and that is part of the deal.
They are both about the same to work with. There are things about both of them that I admire. They are both very similar. They have their way of doing things. Sometimes, things haven't worked out so good with either of them, and that is part of the deal.
What do you think about all the criticism Axl got for starting Guns N' Roses over with the new lineup?
Here's the way it went down. He didn't start over. The other guys just kind of vacated the band. They said, "Fuck it, I don't want to work." Axl just decided to go on. He called me and asked me to do it and got the other guys to do it as well. Axl just wanted to keep working. He didn't want to start completely over after everything the band had been through. I think it was a pretty ballsy move.
Here's the way it went down. He didn't start over. The other guys just kind of vacated the band. They said, "Fuck it, I don't want to work." Axl just decided to go on. He called me and asked me to do it and got the other guys to do it as well. Axl just wanted to keep working. He didn't want to start completely over after everything the band had been through. I think it was a pretty ballsy move.
When you were in the Replacements, you played in front of some big audiences, but those can't compare with some of the crowds you've seen with Guns N' Roses. Do you sometimes walk out on stage and go, "Oh shit!"?
Not really so much. I have gotten used to it. I've been doing this now for 13 years. The cool thing and the amazing thing is that the people still come. After all of these years, there's no Slash, no Duff, they still keep coming.
Not really so much. I have gotten used to it. I've been doing this now for 13 years. The cool thing and the amazing thing is that the people still come. After all of these years, there's no Slash, no Duff, they still keep coming.
2008's Chinese Democracy took forever to come out. Does the band have a lot of songs in the can? Is a new album in the works?
I'm not going to say a whole lot about that, but I tell you right now that I certainly hope we do another album. I would love to get everyone back into the studio and make some more stuff happen. I think we have a good band, and each of us has something interesting to offer. I hope we get on this project sooner than later.
I'm not going to say a whole lot about that, but I tell you right now that I certainly hope we do another album. I would love to get everyone back into the studio and make some more stuff happen. I think we have a good band, and each of us has something interesting to offer. I hope we get on this project sooner than later.
People might not realize that you still have a solo career going. Where did you find the time to write and record your most recent effort, One Man Mutiny?
It's been kind of tough to find the time. I take down time very seriously and I use it to work on my own stuff. It's a slow process and I am into so many things, whether it's Guns or whatever. I'm hoping that next year will help me simplify a few things and play my own music more often. I need to find a way to make more of my music.
It's been kind of tough to find the time. I take down time very seriously and I use it to work on my own stuff. It's a slow process and I am into so many things, whether it's Guns or whatever. I'm hoping that next year will help me simplify a few things and play my own music more often. I need to find a way to make more of my music.
Mutiny has a classic-rock vibe. Is that the kind of album you set out to make?
Not really, it just came out that way. Whatever comes to me comes to me. I never sat down and though that I was going to make this kind or that kind of record. I let the songs come to me.
Not really, it just came out that way. Whatever comes to me comes to me. I never sat down and though that I was going to make this kind or that kind of record. I let the songs come to me.
Some songs like "Zero to Stupid" and "Match Made in Hell" have quite a bit of twang in them. Is alt-country a genre you might pursue more in the future?
You know, I don't know, but I have been listening to a lot of Johnny Cash lately. But it's not like I want to be a country singer or anything. There always seem to be classic country music in the background when we are driving from place to place. Perhaps that influenced me. Even in the Replacements, we listened to a shitload of Merle Haggard, George Jones and a lot of Hank Williams as well.
Your solo debut, 2004's Village Gorilla Head, definitely had a Westerberg feel to it. How much of an influence is he on your writing?
You can't help but be influenced when you grow up with the guy. I was a kid and, of course, I learned from him. He taught me a lot. It couldn't be helped. I take everything in. I think you can listen to that album and hear a lot of different influences.
You know, I don't know, but I have been listening to a lot of Johnny Cash lately. But it's not like I want to be a country singer or anything. There always seem to be classic country music in the background when we are driving from place to place. Perhaps that influenced me. Even in the Replacements, we listened to a shitload of Merle Haggard, George Jones and a lot of Hank Williams as well.
Your solo debut, 2004's Village Gorilla Head, definitely had a Westerberg feel to it. How much of an influence is he on your writing?
You can't help but be influenced when you grow up with the guy. I was a kid and, of course, I learned from him. He taught me a lot. It couldn't be helped. I take everything in. I think you can listen to that album and hear a lot of different influences.
In 2005, the Replacements got back together to add some songs to a compilation album. Any plans to work with those guys again?
Not in the immediate future, but I never say never. You never know.
Not in the immediate future, but I never say never. You never know.
How did you end up doing "You Can't Always Get What You Want" on Californication?
You know, that was an interesting thing. My manager at the time had some connections with people who worked with that show. I knew they wanted to use one of my songs and then they ask me to cover "You Can't Always Get What You Want." It was an interesting idea and a fun thing to do.
You know, that was an interesting thing. My manager at the time had some connections with people who worked with that show. I knew they wanted to use one of my songs and then they ask me to cover "You Can't Always Get What You Want." It was an interesting idea and a fun thing to do.
You are also a full-time member of Soul Asylum. Are you the hardest-working guy in music?
No, I just went to school with the guys in Soul Asylum, and I like to play with those guys whenever I get the chance. They are good guys, and we make good music together.
No, I just went to school with the guys in Soul Asylum, and I like to play with those guys whenever I get the chance. They are good guys, and we make good music together.
Guns N' Roses perform with The Sword on Saturday, November 5, at Gexa Energy Pavilion.
For more than forty years, THIN LIZZY has been delivering its brand of rock 'n' roll to audiences all over the world. Even with the untimely passing of legendary frontman Phil Lynott twenty-five years ago, the band has continued on. Over the years, many rock luminaries have graced the ranks of THIN LIZZY, including the likes of Brian Robertson, Snowy White and the late Gary Moore. Most recently, DEF LEPPARD's resident guitar wizard Vivian Campbell joined the band for their 2011 European tour. When DEF LEPPARD called Vivian back to their camp, GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Richard Fortus joined the boys on their European festival run this past summer. Continuing on in the tradition of top-notch performers, the members of THIN LIZZY are proud to announce that veteran guitar player Damon Johnson has joined their ranks as a permanent member.
Damon's pedigree is impressive, having first gained notoriety with his own band, BROTHER CANE in the '90s. For the past six years, Damon has lent his skills to veteran rocker Alice Cooper, helping the master showman deliver his legendary show to fans all over the world. But when GUNS N' ROSES called Richard Fortus back for tour dates this fall, THIN LIZZY knew there was only one man that they wanted to replace Richard's formidable talents.
"When Scott Gorham called me and asked me to play with my favorite band of all time, I didn't even hesitate," Damon said. "I have always loved THIN LIZZY and their music is a huge part of my life. Hell, I even named my daughter Sarah after one of their songs!"
Added THIN LIZZY guitarist Scott Gorham, "Damon brings back the classic feel THIN LIZZY had when Phil was still with us. He has been kicking ass every night and asking him to join was a no-brainer."
When the metal masters JUDAS PRIEST asked THIN LIZZY to join them on their North American "Epitaph" tour, Damon was a natural choice to fill Richard's spot. The chemistry with Damon has been incredible. He has fit in so well that the band decided to ask him to join the band permanently.
Singer Ricky Warwick chimes in: "Damon is a phenomenal guitar player, a great guy and a LIZZY fanatic. He was willing to commit to the band full time making this an easy choice."
Damon's pedigree is impressive, having first gained notoriety with his own band, BROTHER CANE in the '90s. For the past six years, Damon has lent his skills to veteran rocker Alice Cooper, helping the master showman deliver his legendary show to fans all over the world. But when GUNS N' ROSES called Richard Fortus back for tour dates this fall, THIN LIZZY knew there was only one man that they wanted to replace Richard's formidable talents.
"When Scott Gorham called me and asked me to play with my favorite band of all time, I didn't even hesitate," Damon said. "I have always loved THIN LIZZY and their music is a huge part of my life. Hell, I even named my daughter Sarah after one of their songs!"
Added THIN LIZZY guitarist Scott Gorham, "Damon brings back the classic feel THIN LIZZY had when Phil was still with us. He has been kicking ass every night and asking him to join was a no-brainer."
When the metal masters JUDAS PRIEST asked THIN LIZZY to join them on their North American "Epitaph" tour, Damon was a natural choice to fill Richard's spot. The chemistry with Damon has been incredible. He has fit in so well that the band decided to ask him to join the band permanently.
Singer Ricky Warwick chimes in: "Damon is a phenomenal guitar player, a great guy and a LIZZY fanatic. He was willing to commit to the band full time making this an easy choice."
Last year, when it was announced that original Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson was returning to his four string duties in time for the Rust in Peace 20th anniversary tour, many assumed it was a temporary situation. The two Daves, Mustaine and Ellefson, side by side once again? It was too good to be true. Eight years of legal wrangling and barbed tongues had irreparably fractured the once solid foundation of the Rattlehead household. Or so we thought. Over a year and a half later, the pair seem no worse for wear. On the eve of Megadeth's latest studio effort, Th1rt3en, Dave Ellefson talked to Joshua from Lambgoat about his return, the remasters collection, and his rekindled friendship with the other Dave.
Dave, it's been a decade since your last Megadeth studio album, The World Needs a Hero. How does it feel to put your stamp on a new Megadeth record?
I am very happy about it. It's great to be back working, putting, as you said, my stamp on the new record. More importantly, all of us really working together to really carve out what the next chapter of Megadeth is going to be.
How much writing did you get to do for Th1rt3en?
As far as creation goes, "New World Order" was the main one. As a bass player, this is probably the most liberated I've ever been on a record. I think a large part of it was because the song ideas were laid down. Dave and Jonny K. [producer] laid them down. That allowed for each of us to come in and bring our best to the table. As opposed to when you write in a room together and then you make demos, then you finally go record the record. Sometimes the songs just get worked to death and it loses a lot of its spontaneity and its freshness. So I think that's what you're hearing on Th1rt3en. You're hearing a lot of the spontaneity and it's a very fresh sound. Because these were all the first original ideas we came up with for the songs.
Songs like "Whose Life (Is it Anyway)" have almost a punk edge. Was that an angle you were going for or was that part of the spontaneity?
That was definitely part of the spontaneity. We went back and listened to a bunch of old riff tapes, old things that were sitting around, old song ideas that were still there like "New World Order," "Millenium of the Blind," and "Black Swan." But we really went in to it wanting to start from scratch, knowing that there were some songs that we wanted to include on the record. The rest of the record was just shoot from the hip, spontaneous creations.
Did going back over old riff tapes help erase some of the time gap between your tenures?
Yeah. And I think doing the Rust in Peace tour last year brought forward a lot of music from 20 years ago and made it fresh in everybody's mind. So when we went back and visited, say "New World Order," which was actually written on the [original] Rust in Peace tour. When we go back and revisit that and bring that forward it doesn't sound out of character and it doesn't sound like something from a different generation. It sounds very modern and timeless again.
Speaking of the Rust in Peace anniversary tour, have you talked about playing another album in its entirety? Peace Sells… maybe?
There was talk about the Peace Sells… thing, just because we'd just come off of Rust in Peace, so everybody kind of thought, "wow, does that indicate another anniversary tour?" But I think the Rust in Peace album is such a fan favorite. And half of those songs we never ever played live after we recorded the album. That was just a triumphant moment for us and our fans.
I think Peace Sells…, the way the album was repackaged, had some goodies in there that you couldn't get anywhere else, I think that was the right way to play that. Plus right as the Peace Sells… album was coming out in July, we were putting the finishing touches on Th1rt3en. I think at that point we were already heading into new album mindset.
When the band originally ended in 2002, were you upset or relieved to take a break from it all?
It was a little bit of both. All around there was probably a lot of misunderstanding about it. For me, when I understood that the band was over, that was it. It was done. I moved on into other ventures in my life.
As it turns out, looking back, they were really good experiences for me to have for when I came back to the band. When things reformed and I was not a part of it, that wasn't the right season for me to participate back with the band yet. I had already been involved with other ventures and I think it was good that I saw those things through.
Timing was everything in coming back to Megadeth. The timing of it was something that none of us had predicted, for sure. It was something that just landed in our laps. And I think to some degree that's what really made it so much easier and made it just that much smoother too, not just for the band, but for the fans.
What was your initial reaction to the Megadeth albums that you didn't play on?
Well, I had heard them all a little bit when they first came out. They sounded like Dave's music for sure. Obviously the cast of the band had changed, so it was hard to really do a direct comparison to any other record because they were all different line-ups playing on each one of those records.
What do you think about today's heavy metal climate?
The mid to late 90's were not very friendly to thrash metal at all. The music scene and the media that was once very favorable to us, we learned pretty quickly that as tastes change [bands] are also changed out with that. The 2000s served a different purpose. A lot of it was sort of the backside of a detrimental wave of the late 90s.
It's kind of cool now and it's interesting how 2010 really launched a whole new trend and breathed a whole lot of life into thrash metal and into Megadeth, and that's why for me it was a great time to come back and participate in it again.
You don't think the younger bands are ripping off you and your peers?
I think it's good that there's a young crop of bands coming out. That they grew up inspired by us is always a compliment. But I like when bands come out with something new. We don't need Megadeth 2. The world always needs inventive and creative new music. So if they take what we did and filter it through their fingers and the fretboards of their guitars and come up with something new and fresh, that's the most exciting part of it.
What was your reaction to the Megadeth remasters that were released in 2002 and 2004?
The idea of it started back in 2001. Well, the idea had been around for a while to go back and remix a couple things. The two albums that were really the impetus for it were Killing Is My Business, which we actually did remix and remaster in 2001. And then the other one we thought would be cool to do was So Far, So Good... So What!. That was an album that was kind of a transitional album because we were coming out of the [Chris] Poland, [Gar] Samuelson Peace Sells… line-up, transitioning ultimately to the Rust in Peace line-up that would be stable for quite a few years. So Far, So Good... So What! had such attitude.
And I think the songs were really good. Unfortunately the original mix from Paul Lani was not knocking us out of the park. The final mix from Michael Wagener we felt was too far of a stretch away from where we wanted it to be. Both those guys are great mixers; we hired them for those purposes. It often becomes a matter of personal taste. That album to be remixed was really what started it. Now as far as the rest of the catalog goes, to me, because I've heard the originals for so many years, I automatically default back to the original mixes. Though I've gotten compliments from several people that the remixes have highlighted the bass guitar a little better.
One instance of the altered bass sound that stands out is the iconic intro to the song "Peace Sells." What are your thoughts on it?
That whole album was originally mixed by the producer Randy Burns. It was mixed very raw. Then when we got signed to Capitol [Records], Paul Lani was brought in to do the remix on it. And he actually created a couple of the edits like muting the band in the chorus of "Peace Sells," muting the bass line at the end of "Wake Up Dead" which actually created anew energy to the arrangement, an arrangement that we would then perform from then on out.
It really is funny how you get used to hearing something a certain way for so many years and that kind of becomes what your ear always wants to go back and hear again. So if you just came into Megadeth and only heard the remastered versions, that becomes your benchmark of ground zero. For me, the original mixes are the ground zero benchmark.
How did you feel about the Big 4 shows in the US?
In Europe you kind of get used to it because they have a real legitimate festival season over there that starts the end of May and pretty much runs through into August. But to do something like that here in America, that just doesn't happen. To me, that was the bigger accomplishment, between the four [bands] we put together our own unique heavy metal festival. And there are enough fans that want to see it that we can only hold it in big outdoor fields or inside a baseball stadium.
I've heard rumors of a third US show. Any truth to those?
You know, I'm not sure where that's at. They usually pop up out of nowhere. For us it's one of those things where Metallica puts the call out and, assuming we're all available, we do everything we can to try and make it work. It's such a huge event for all of us that we are proud to be a part of together as four bands. I think for the fans, they'd love for there to be as many of these as possible.
How about the rumored supergroup with Dave Mustaine, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and yourself?
Dave, I think, has this yearning to, at some point, play some music with James and Lars again. And especially now that things are much more friendly and just amicable with everybody in the Big 4. I think saying that was just kind of an open invitation. I'm certainly glad that he invited me along with it because if it ever did happen I think it would be cool. Now that we all go up and do the big jam together it's kind of like we all played together anyway.
Now that you've been back in Megadeth for almost two years, how is your relationship with Dave Mustaine. Was there a period of walking on eggshells?
Interestingly enough, when I came back it was not walking on eggshells. It was actually very open arms, hugs, big smiles. Just, "Man, let's go out and do this. Let's blow everybody's minds!" And it's still that, which is great, because I get to bring a new perspective to Dave from the outside in. And Dave can also continue to bring a new perspective to me because of all the years that he has been running Megadeth during my time away.
So it really becomes a nice mutual two-way street for both of us, which is really what a friendship is supposed to be.
Decibel magazine presents a "Thrash Metal Hall Of Fame" special issue featuring seven tales from black metal's vast crypt. The Decibel "Hall Of Fame" provides the definitive stores behind the making of extreme music's most important albums. Each month the expanded stories (upwards of 5,000 words) include interviews with every musician who performed on the inducted record.
The "Thrash Metal Hall Of Fame" special issue features three previously unreleased "Hall Of Fame" articles from genre luminaries MEGADETH, PRONG and ANACRUSIS and exclusive new cover art by acclaimed metal artist Andrei Bouzikov (MUNICIPAL WASTE, SKELETONWITCH, CANNABIS CORPSE). This special issue is not included with subscriptions and is available only at select indie record retailers and online.
Here's is the complete list of "Hall Of Fame" articles featured in Decibel's "Thrash Metal Hall Of Fame" special issue.
* SLAYER - "Reign In Blood"
* ANTHRAX - "Among The Living"
* TESTAMENT - "The Legacy"
* METALLICA - "…And Justice For All"
* MEGADETH - "Rust In Peace" *
* ANACRUSIS - "Reason" *
* PRONG - "Beg To Differ" *
* previously unavailable
For more information and to purchase a copy of the magazine, go to this location.
The "Thrash Metal Hall Of Fame" special issue features three previously unreleased "Hall Of Fame" articles from genre luminaries MEGADETH, PRONG and ANACRUSIS and exclusive new cover art by acclaimed metal artist Andrei Bouzikov (MUNICIPAL WASTE, SKELETONWITCH, CANNABIS CORPSE). This special issue is not included with subscriptions and is available only at select indie record retailers and online.
Here's is the complete list of "Hall Of Fame" articles featured in Decibel's "Thrash Metal Hall Of Fame" special issue.
* SLAYER - "Reign In Blood"
* ANTHRAX - "Among The Living"
* TESTAMENT - "The Legacy"
* METALLICA - "…And Justice For All"
* MEGADETH - "Rust In Peace" *
* ANACRUSIS - "Reason" *
* PRONG - "Beg To Differ" *
* previously unavailable
For more information and to purchase a copy of the magazine, go to this location.
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/soulflypremiere/decibelthrash.jpg
"Land Of The Dead", the new album from U.S. power metallers JACK STARR'S BURNING STARR — the band led by former VIRGIN STEELE guitarist Jack Starr — will be released on November 11 via Limb Music. The CD was produced by Bart Gabriel (CRYSTAL VIPER, SACRED STEEL, LONEWOLF), and features cover artwork by Ken Kelly (RAINBOW, KISS, MANOWAR).
"Land Of The Dead" was recorded by the same linup that was responsible for 2009's "Defiance" album: Starr on guitar, Ned Meloni on bass, Kenny "Rhino" Earl (ex-MANOWAR) on drums, and Todd Hall on vocals. The CD also features guest appearances by David Shankle and Ross The Boss (both ex-MANOWAR) on lead guitar, and Marta Gabriel (CRYSTAL VIPER) on grand piano and keyboards.
"Land Of The Dead" track listing:
01. Land Of The Dead
02. Sands Of Time
03. Twilight Of The Gods
04. Stranger In Paradise
05. Here We Are
06. Warning Fire (feat. Ross The Boss)
07. Daughter Of Darkness
08. When Blood And Steel Collide
09. On The Wings Of The Night
10. Never Again (feat. David Shankle)
11. Until The End
"Land Of The Dead" was recorded by the same linup that was responsible for 2009's "Defiance" album: Starr on guitar, Ned Meloni on bass, Kenny "Rhino" Earl (ex-MANOWAR) on drums, and Todd Hall on vocals. The CD also features guest appearances by David Shankle and Ross The Boss (both ex-MANOWAR) on lead guitar, and Marta Gabriel (CRYSTAL VIPER) on grand piano and keyboards.
"Land Of The Dead" track listing:
01. Land Of The Dead
02. Sands Of Time
03. Twilight Of The Gods
04. Stranger In Paradise
05. Here We Are
06. Warning Fire (feat. Ross The Boss)
07. Daughter Of Darkness
08. When Blood And Steel Collide
09. On The Wings Of The Night
10. Never Again (feat. David Shankle)
11. Until The End
"Devil's Island", the new single from British metallers ARCHITECTS, will be made available on the following dates:
* Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Italy: Friday, December 2
* U.K.: Sunday, December 4
* Benelux, France, Greece, Denmark, Portugal, Rest Of Europe: Monday, December 5
* Spain: Tuesday, December 6
* Sweden, Finland, Hungary: Wednesday, December 7
* USA: Tuesday, December 13
You can also get "Untitled" (and yes, "Untitled" is the title), another new track that is digitally exclusive to iTunes.
ARCHITECTS' latest album, "The Here And Now", sold around 900 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 47 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
"The Here And Now" was produced by Steve Evetts, who has previously worked with THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN and SEPULTURA, among many others.
"The Here And Now" debuted at position No. 57 on the official U.K. chart.
* Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Italy: Friday, December 2
* U.K.: Sunday, December 4
* Benelux, France, Greece, Denmark, Portugal, Rest Of Europe: Monday, December 5
* Spain: Tuesday, December 6
* Sweden, Finland, Hungary: Wednesday, December 7
* USA: Tuesday, December 13
You can also get "Untitled" (and yes, "Untitled" is the title), another new track that is digitally exclusive to iTunes.
ARCHITECTS' latest album, "The Here And Now", sold around 900 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 47 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
"The Here And Now" was produced by Steve Evetts, who has previously worked with THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN and SEPULTURA, among many others.
"The Here And Now" debuted at position No. 57 on the official U.K. chart.
As the newest member of Opeth, Fredrik Akesson had some pretty big shoes to fill when he replaced former guitarist Peter Lindgren. With the Swedish band since 1991, Lindgren was responsible for playing such memorable solos as the title track from Deliverance, "When" from the My Arms, Your Hearse album and "Moonlapse Vertigo" from Still Life. Not only did Akesson come into replace the departing Lindgren but he had to learn all of Lindgren's parts from the Blackwater Park album—as well as miscellaneous tracks from the various other records—when the entire Blackwater Park album was performed live on the In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall recording. Fredrik was more than up to the task and his playing on that recording was not only faithful to the original songs but gave them an even more modern edge.
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On Heritage, the band's newest album, Akesson truly stamps his style all over the record with solos on "Haxprocess," "The Devil's Orchard" [first single] and "Slither," the Rainbow/Deep Purple-influenced ode to Ronnie James Dio. Fredrik talked about the new record and what it felt like to be the new kid on the block.
UG: You played in a bunch of metal bands before joining Opeth: Arch Enemy, Talisman, Southpaw, Krux and several others. Do you think you brought any of those elements as a guitarist into Opeth?
Fredrik Akesson: I guess I've been fortunate to play with a lot of different type of bands within metal and they kind of differed from each other quite a lot. But with Arch Enemy for instance, I never did record with them on a record. I don't know really; I wouldn't say so. The lead work I did with Talisman was a very different music also.
As the replacement for Peter Lindgren in Opeth, you must have gone back and listened to all the guitars he recorded on the earlier albums?
Yeah, sure. Since Mikael wrote most of all the Opeth riffs, for me it was more to get into Mikael's style of guitar playing. Apart from Peter's solos, on "Deliverance" I play Peter's solo note-by-note because I guess the hardcore fans they wanna hear that solo as it is. And I find Peter's solos pretty original some of them have been quite interesting to learn 'em. But mostly it was about learning Mikael's style because he actually plays the majority of the guitars on all the albums as well. Maybe not on the early ones but the later ones, I think Mikael probably played a little bit more than Peter did.
Your first recording with Opeth was the In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. What was that like playing the entire Blackwater Park album and those songs from the other records?
It's pretty complex stuff but now I've been with the band four-and-a-half years, I feel it's easier for me to understand Mikael's ideas now than in the beginning. I feel more dialed in with the styles and playing the acoustic things. Of course I had to put a lot of time to learn all the stuff. I'm very picky and I want to nail everything as it is. And then if I feel, "Well, maybe this part, the second part of this solo, I could just go a bit on my own here and do something." I'll leave open for some room for some spontaneous kind of improvised stuff as well.
Blackwater Park was your favorite Opeth record?
Yeah, absolutely. Still Life is one of my favorites too of the older stuff. A lot of those songs before the anniversary show, a lot of those songs from Blackwater Park, I already knew before that because we'd been playing 'em. Then again we played a couple songs from the first two records and that was really fun to do new versions with old songs with the new lineup with Ax [Martin Axenrot] on drums. I really enjoyed playing those songs.
How do you learn the older songs?
Usually when we learn a new repertoire, I go to Mike's house and we sit down and go through two, three songs and then we just take it from there basically.
So you'd actually sit there with Mikael and have him show you the riffs and the changes?
Exactly. Because some of that stuff is kind of hard to listen to and beginning when I joined the band I wanted to learn on my own. Then when I meet Mikael, it's like, "It's not that chord, it's that one" 'cause there's so much stuff going on with the twin guitars and one guitar is playing that and one is playing that. A lot of times instead of me sitting and trying to learn on my own, just meeting Mikael saves me a lot of time.
"Apart from Peter's solos, on "Deliverance" I play Peter's solo note-by-note because I guess the hardcore fans they wanna hear that solo as it is."
You obviously knew about Opeth before joining them. What did you know about their reputation as a band?
I was a fan of the band actually. Opeth had a really good reputation as a band and also the reputation was that the band is really original sounding. We discussed that there was a lot of—I wouldn't say—surprises in music but you never really know what's gonna happen in Opeth; it's not predictable.
Mikael must have had an amazing reputation as a guitarist.
Absolutely. It was kinda weird because Mikael told me when I was playing in a pub in Stockholm and doing Judas Priest and King Diamond covers, he wanted me to give him guitar lessons. And I was like, "Dude, get out of here—you're such a great player, it's embarrassing you saying those things."
Did you give him any lessons?
Actually before I joined the band, me and Mikael went to his house and jammed a bit and he wanted me to teach him some like picking stuff and he taught me a couple of Opeth riffs. So I think in a way he was kind of secretly auditioning me.
Because Opeth had such an enormous reputation certainly Mikael could have chosen any guitar player he wanted to replace Peter Lindgren. What do you think it was about your playing that attracted him?
Well, umm, I find it difficult to praise myself or anything like that but he told me he really liked my tone and he thought I was a bit diverse guitar player. I could play more mellow, soothing stuff and more melancholic and it didn't necessarily have to be full shred all the time. I could do the shredding stuff as well and I knew the acoustic stuff but I did have to put a lot of time working on my fingerpicking acoustic-style when I joined the band. So I think it was a combination of many different ingredients that he liked.
A lot of the guitar players you listen to are more classic-type guitarists: Ritchie Blackmore, Jeff Beck, Dave Gilmore, Yngwie and people like that. Do you think your style sort of bridges those older guitar players with newer and more modern techniques?
Uli Roth and Frank Marino; I love that stuff. Yeah, maybe you're on the right track there. I do like more modern type of shreddy stuff as well. I was into Racer X and Cacophony was Marty Friedman and Jason Becker and I have kind of a bit of that era too in a way.
Watershed was your first studio album with Opeth. What was that like?
It was a challenge of course but we did rehearse a lot before so I knew the parts really good. And I think Mikael had a lot of trust in me so I did my parts on my own and it wasn't like he was standing by in the back and checking everything. That made me feel maybe a bit more confident that I knew that he knew and just carried on basically.
Mikael encouraged you to experiment with different guitar parts and sounds?
Yeah. Pretty much before we entered the studio, I did solos at Mikael's home studio so we knew what they were gonna be like. I pretty much learned the solos from the demos and polished them a bit you know. There wasn't a lot of improvisation on the Watershed album; more on Heritage some solos were left for the actual recording. It could be dangerous that thing when you do really good demos and you get used to a solo and therefore when you do the actual recording, it's difficult to try to do something new. It's a bit dangerous in a way I think.
You had a bit more freedom on the Heritage album to experiment?
Yeah, but some stuff is pretty like the demo. Like the "Slither" track what I do is kind of Blackmore-ish. That song was a tribute to Ronnie James Dio and Mikael said, "You need to do like a Blackmore-sounding solo" and I tried to and it came out pretty cool.
You really did nail that Ritchie Blackmore kind of neo-classical, hard rock feel.
Oh, thank you. And I did a more fusion-kind solo on the song "Nepenthe." That one was pretty planned out like on the demo. Mikael wanted to have a fusion-type of solo in that and I just went for it. I'm not like a fusion player but I mixed in a couple of old things and it sounded a bit Allan Holdsworthy.
There are a lot of different sounding solos on the album—they vary from the straight up metal stuff to pretty outside types of playing.
The solos on the album are very different from each other actually, I think.
If you don't really call yourself a legit fusion player, your solo on "Nepenthe" had all the elements. It also had a very unorthodox arrangement.
I got to use the whammy bar a little bit there, which I don't do that often to dig up the notes. And Mikael wanted a part that would get crazy and be very unexpected and we actually used two kinds of drum kits on that song. For the jazzier part, Ax is playing on an old Gretsch kit with brushes and then he switches to his DW kit with sticks for that solo part, which was kind of fun. It gets kind of loud when that hits you that section.
You don't have a whammy bar on your PRS.
No, but as soon as I have a guitar with one, I can't stop using it. And also the solo on "The Devil's Orchard," that came up in the studio by accident; it was an improvised take. It's pretty short but it adds something to the song.
You have your own PRS Signature model guitar—can you describe it?
I'm a bit of a meat and potato kind of guitar player and I wanted a solid workhorse type of guitar and I bounced ideas off the design of the PRS SE for about one-and-a-half years. The guitar compared to Mike's has a thicker body like my body [laughs]—I'm not as skinny as he is. But it's a mahogany body with quilted veneer maple top and the neck is mahogany with an ebony fretboard. The frets are extra fat and it's a single cutaway and it's deeper than the usual cutaway so it's easier to reach those high notes and stuff. The finish on the guitar is unique for this one and it's really dark brownish and from a further distance it could almost look black. And with the quilted top it's a more chaotic kind of pattern in the lines of the wood.
Are you able to describe your guitar sound in Opeth?
I like to have a lot of string sounds; I don't like the pickups when they're too hot. I like to have a sound where you have to fight a little to get the tone. I like to have a sound with a good core. It has to have phantom distortion when I need it but the core is important.
How would your guitar sound different from Mikael's tone?
When it comes to amps and stuff, we sort of have similar tastes. But it's good that we don't use the same exact gear because it probably adds in a live situation that we have slightly different sounds and it makes the whole band sound bigger instead of using exactly the same gear. On this tour, some songs Mike needs to focus on the vocals more so those passages our front-of-house guy widens up my guitar a little bit to make some kind of stereo twist on it.
Do you have any concept about soloing?
When you talk about solos and stuff, I try to do stuff that connects with the song. It doesn't necessarily have to be like, "Hey, look at me" kind of solo.
On "The Devil's Orchard" there is a kind of King Crimson feel to the song.
Yeah, absolutely. The solo in a way I thought a little bit about Uli Roth; I wanted to do something that really cut through. I found this wah-wah pedal from this friend of a guy who owns a studio and he built it. It was really plastic, cheap stuff but the sweep was so huge like wahhhh—it puked out the notes.
"There is a bit of Swedish folk song in the album here and there and having Bjorn play on the album is a bit of heritage kind of thing too."
"The Devil's Orchard" is the first single from Heritage but it has a very non-linear type of arrangement. Different parts come in and out and if a song calls for something different, Opeth aren't afraid to experiment.
Exactly—nobody should be safe. That's also what I like with Opeth that it's not predictable.
"I Feel the Dark" was one of the songs built around acoustic guitars. Where did all the acoustic guitars come from on Heritage?
Since the first Opeth record, Mikael has been writing—even the heavier stuff—on the acoustic guitar. That's the way he come up with ideas; he just strums at his house in the living room messing around with the acoustic. Then when he finds something he goes down to his studio and records it with electric. So it's always been a bit part of Opeth, I think, the acoustic guitars.
Keyboards are also a big part of the Heritage sound. Is it true keyboardist Per Wiberg has left the band?
Yeah, right at the end of the recording unfortunately he was asked to leave or he left; something. And, yeah, it was a sad thing really. It started off good but he wasn't really as dedicated as the rest of us at the end of the recording. I think he wanted to do something else. I played with Per in his own band called Mojobone, which was more like heavy blues, hard rock/metal stuff. In that band he plays guitar and sings lead. He wanted to do something else and he wanted to leave the band two years and we convinced him to stay. We asked him, "Would you have left the band anyways?" and he said, "Yes." I guess he needed to find a new inspiration playing with something else maybe.
"On Haxprocess" there are sections that sound almost psychedelic and are reminiscent of jams from bands like Spirit and Quicksilver Messenger Service. Does that make sense?
Mikeal was into a lot of '60s psychedelic stuff like the Zombies and Wishbone Ash and all that stuff. He's always been listening to that and I listen to it as well. He gets into listening to some stuff that I've never listened to before, which is interesting. He has a huge collection of vinyl and a lot of obscure '70s prog rock stuff and really a lot of rare stuff.
Bjorn J:son Linde plays flute on "Famine." Were you guys Jethro Tull fans?
Absolutely. Initially Mikael actually mailed Ian Anderson if he could play the flute solo on the song "Famine." But he didn't reply and this Swedish guy played on it called Bjorn J:son Linde and he's really big in Sweden and he used to write string arrangements for Abba back in the day. He also used to work with Benny and Bjorn from Abba and he had this '70s kind of prog rock band and did many albums in the '70s. We heard his stuff when we were kids watching kids shows on the television. Music in the '70s was more hippieish and more proggy even with the kids shows. There was some really good music there actually.
Is the album title meant to reflect more organic types of Swedish music? Folk music?
Yeah, there is a bit of Swedish folk song in the album here and there and having Bjorn play on the album is a bit of heritage kind of thing too.
You also had Alex Acuna play percussion on "Famine."
The guy who helped us out with the drums said, "Alex Acuna is in town doing clinics. I know you need some percussion and if you want I can ask him to come down." He came into the studio and Ax has been listening to him since he was 12 years old and almost shit his pants when he showed up. It was like an old wizard because he laid down two first takes and he had some dried up goat's feet and he made these really spooky sounds. We were super happy about that.
"The Lines In My Hand" was one of the first songs Mikael wrote for Heritage. It combines acoustic and electric guitars and is built around this tremendous groove. Did this provide a sort of signpost for the songs that followed?
Yeah, actually because Mikael came up with that riff on some of the Heritage tours that we did. So that intro riff was probably the first little thing that got written. It was played on electric guitar originally and yeah, that might have been the seed. Yeah, I think so—it's when he saw the vision for the new album in a way that, "Wow, we can do it this way."
Mikael's vocals are really passionate and heartfelt and there is none of the growling that has been on earlier albums.
I remember he told me before I had even heard the songs that there wasn't gonna be any growling vocals on this one. I was a bit like, "Wow, are you sure about that?" But when I heard the stuff I was like, "Wow, this is really cool. There is no room for growling vocals on these tracks."
"You never really know what's gonna happen in Opeth; it's not predictable."
So when Mikael first mentioned there wouldn't be those heavier types of vocals you were a bit skeptical? You thought it might have been a mistake?
It just made me go, "Ooh, are you really sure about that?" But I wouldn't say a mistake 'cause I like the fact that you don't have to worry about people what they gonna think is playing music with your heart. 'Cause this is what we sound like now. Before I had heard the songs, it took a while to get used to the idea but as soon as I heard Mike's ideas I was, "Yeah, let's do it."
The album opens with "Heritage," the piano piece and closes with "Marrow Of the Earth," the acoustic guitar instrumental. Are these two tracks meant to act as musical bookends to all the songs between them?
Yeah, you got it right. Exactly. The intro song is very inspired from a Swedish piano player called Jan Johansson who has two sons and is unfortunately dead now [passing away in 1968]. But his son, Jens, used to play keyboards with Yngwie on his earlier stuff and the drummer, Anders, is with a metal band called HammerFall. So that was very much inspired by Jan Hohansson. He did a thing called Jazz In Swedish, which is a classic; really cool melodies there. And "Marrow Of the Earth" is like the end of the album so it's kind of cool to frame it with opening up with an instrumental and ending it with an instrumental.
Have you been playing the new songs live?
Not all of them; we don't play "Haxprocess" or "Famine" but we do play about five of them. We even play a song that Mike and I wrote together called "Pyre," which was a bonus track.
What has the response been to the songs from Heritage?
It's kind of funny because we started the tour the day before the album got released and now it's been about two weeks since it's been out and you can notice the difference. People are more aware of the songs now than in the beginning and it seems like they really dig it. It was really interesting to see that change from the beginning when people's faces were, "What the hell is this?" And now they're more into the songs.
You're such a very accomplished guitarist but have you ever made any mistakes live?
Sometimes it's unavoidable and shit could happen but I try to never do any mistakes. But sometimes like the other day, there was this huge radio station next to the gig and when I pressed my volume pedal, which I use to fade out and fade in a lot of the songs, and when I kicked that in it was like this Brazilian radio show. Really loud! So you can bump into those problems where you have to do like panic-fast solutions. I managed to get the Brazilian radio in the really sensitive parts [laughs]. Sometimes you just gotta laugh about it.
What do you think about some of the other bands out there like Mastodon, Lamb of God and Dream Theater?
I like those bands and I really like Mastodon a lot—they're great and an original band. And Dream Theater's new stuff sounds really cool. I'm playing so much all the time, I don't have time to listen that much to music anymore. It's mainly when I have a few beers in the bus and it's old Iron Maiden and Judas Priest or some old Entombed, Morbid Angel or something like that. Or a bunch of Sabbath and Purple and stuff like that. But I do try to keep track of stuff. But when we're in the studio and we work about 14 hours a day, seven days a week, when I get back home and I just want to clench my head and not listen to music. I do try to listen to records when we're having long flights; that's a good time for me to really dig into some stuff.
According to the web site of the San Francisco, California radio station 107.7 The Bone, IN FLAMES and TRIVIUM will play at the city's The Regency Ballroom on February 6, 2012. The date is expected to be part of a co-headining North American tour the two bands will announce this coming Monday, November 7.
IN FLAMES' tenth album, "Sounds Of A Playground Fading", sold around 14,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 27 on The Billboard 200 chart.
IN FLAMES' previous CD, "A Sense of Purpose" (Koch) opened with 20,000 units to land at No. 28. This was slightly less than the opening tally of "Come Clarity" (Ferret), which shifted just under 24,000 copies in February 2006 to enter the chart at position No. 58.
TRIVIUM's latest album, "In Waves", sold 22,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 13 on The Billboard 200 chart — the highest U.S. chart entry of the band's career. The group's previous CD, "Shogun", opened with just under 24,000 units back in October 2008 to debut at No. 23. The effort followed up "The Crusade", which registered a first-week tally of 31,000 copies in October 2006 to enter the chart at No. 25.
"In Waves" was recorded primarily at Paint It Black Studios in Orlando, Florida (with only the drums having been tracked at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida) with the production/mixing team of Colin Richardson (MACHINE HEAD, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, SLIPKNOT, FEAR FACTORY) and Martin "Ginge" Ford, along with engineer Carl Bown. A two-disc special edition is also available. It features five bonus tracks, plus a DVD with a 40-minute, behind-the-scenes documentary, as well as an exclusive concert filmed in a warehouse located in Orlando, Florida, which is the band's stomping grounds. This concert features the first performances of tracks from "In Waves", along with TRIVIUM classics.
IN FLAMES' tenth album, "Sounds Of A Playground Fading", sold around 14,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 27 on The Billboard 200 chart.
IN FLAMES' previous CD, "A Sense of Purpose" (Koch) opened with 20,000 units to land at No. 28. This was slightly less than the opening tally of "Come Clarity" (Ferret), which shifted just under 24,000 copies in February 2006 to enter the chart at position No. 58.
TRIVIUM's latest album, "In Waves", sold 22,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 13 on The Billboard 200 chart — the highest U.S. chart entry of the band's career. The group's previous CD, "Shogun", opened with just under 24,000 units back in October 2008 to debut at No. 23. The effort followed up "The Crusade", which registered a first-week tally of 31,000 copies in October 2006 to enter the chart at No. 25.
"In Waves" was recorded primarily at Paint It Black Studios in Orlando, Florida (with only the drums having been tracked at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida) with the production/mixing team of Colin Richardson (MACHINE HEAD, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, SLIPKNOT, FEAR FACTORY) and Martin "Ginge" Ford, along with engineer Carl Bown. A two-disc special edition is also available. It features five bonus tracks, plus a DVD with a 40-minute, behind-the-scenes documentary, as well as an exclusive concert filmed in a warehouse located in Orlando, Florida, which is the band's stomping grounds. This concert features the first performances of tracks from "In Waves", along with TRIVIUM classics.
Canadian musician/producer Devin Townsend has recorded a song dedicated to U.K.'s Terrorizer magazine to celebrate the 100th edition of the "Fear Candy" covermount CD. The track, simply called "Terrorizer", was written to celebrate Devin's appearance at this month's Damnation Festival and four-night residency in London – where Devin will perform each of his DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT albums per night. The song is available exclusively with "Fear Candy" 100 in Terrorizer issue 216 (November 2011).
Says Devin: "Terrorizer has been really supportive of me for years. Even in the moments where it was cool to think I'm a douche, you guys have always had my back, and it's a great way to be able for one, to make music, and I guess in a weird way to say 'thanks,' so there you go!"
Parts of the song were recorded at the end of the "Deconstruction" album process earlier this year — with Devin recording guitar parts and drummer Dirk Verbeuren (SOILWORK) recording basic parts. The song's vocals, samples, finished structure and mixing was finished at Devin's own studio in Vancouver last month.
Devin explained: "Dirk and I had a shared love of NAPALM DEATH and EXTREME NOISE TERROR, and all that stuff from that era and we didn't actually realize that we both loved it, so when we were in the studio doing 'Deconstruction', I was, like, 'I have this riff, give me some beats!' It was one take — it shits the bed half way through, then it comes together at the end, it has a vibe and it was perfect! That sound has always reminded me of the whole Terrorizer vibe."
Says Devin: "Terrorizer has been really supportive of me for years. Even in the moments where it was cool to think I'm a douche, you guys have always had my back, and it's a great way to be able for one, to make music, and I guess in a weird way to say 'thanks,' so there you go!"
Parts of the song were recorded at the end of the "Deconstruction" album process earlier this year — with Devin recording guitar parts and drummer Dirk Verbeuren (SOILWORK) recording basic parts. The song's vocals, samples, finished structure and mixing was finished at Devin's own studio in Vancouver last month.
Devin explained: "Dirk and I had a shared love of NAPALM DEATH and EXTREME NOISE TERROR, and all that stuff from that era and we didn't actually realize that we both loved it, so when we were in the studio doing 'Deconstruction', I was, like, 'I have this riff, give me some beats!' It was one take — it shits the bed half way through, then it comes together at the end, it has a vibe and it was perfect! That sound has always reminded me of the whole Terrorizer vibe."
Vince Neil has lived the Rock N' Roll lifestyle in excess on stage and off for 30 years. And while he'll always be known as the notorious bad-boy frontman of Motley Crue -- which most recently toured with Poison and New York Dolls at the AT&T Center on June 9 (see review with slideshow and video footage at bottom) -- Neil more than dabbles as a solo artist.
That's the act he'll bring to town when he headlines the San Antonio Rock 'N' Roll Marathon and Half-Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 13. Neil takes the stage from 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. at the finish line at the Alamodome. The concert is free and open to the public (details at bottom). Neil will be following in the footsteps of marathon alums The Cult and Grand Funk Railroad, the latter featuring former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick (read the SAMME's interview here).
Between Neil's brushes with the law, appearances on "The Surreal Life" and "Skating With The Stars," and the 1995 death of 4-year-old daughter Skylar due to cancer, his solo group has largely flown under the radar.
Neil's 1993 debut album Exposed included the "Encino Man" soundtrack hit "You're Invited But Your Friend Can't Come," the single "Sister of Pain" -- which featured then-porn star Janine Lindemulder in a video that was made fun of on "Beavis & Butt-head" -- and one of the heaviest tunes he's ever sung, "Look In Her Eyes." In 2010, Neil released Tattoos and Tequila, an album of mostly covers that coincided with his book of the same name.
On Halloween Monday, the Associated Press reported Neil was to plead guilty to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge for poking his ex-girlfriend in March -- an allegation in which his defense attorney was quoted as saying, "Mr. Neil is sorry he raised his voice."
Neil, 50, phoned me Tuesday from his home in Las Vegas:
Q: We're looking forward to you headlining the Rock N' Roll Marathon, and of course you were here on June 9 when Motley kicked off the Poison tour in Texas . . .
A: What Poison tour?
Q: The tour this summer with Poison and New York Dolls.
A: Poison opened for Motley. It was Motley's tour.
Q: Right, the tour with Poison. So, do you have any memories of San Antonio over the years?
A: Yeah man, I love San Antonio. I love the River Walk. Great Mexican food there, that's for sure.
A: What Poison tour?
Q: The tour this summer with Poison and New York Dolls.
A: Poison opened for Motley. It was Motley's tour.
Q: Right, the tour with Poison. So, do you have any memories of San Antonio over the years?
A: Yeah man, I love San Antonio. I love the River Walk. Great Mexican food there, that's for sure.
Q: What do you think is more difficult: two hours on stage every night, or athletes and ordinary people running 26.2 miles for two hours?
A: Yeah, it's two different kind of marathons. I use a pedometer, and I run just about 10-12 miles a night. It's different though. One thing that's different is you're singing. And you do stop and talk to the crowd. But what these athletes do, it's amazing.
A: Yeah, it's two different kind of marathons. I use a pedometer, and I run just about 10-12 miles a night. It's different though. One thing that's different is you're singing. And you do stop and talk to the crowd. But what these athletes do, it's amazing.
Q: Exposed is still one of my favorite albums, period, by anybody . . .
A: Thanks, man.
Q: And you have mostly covers on Tattoos and Tequila. How much of your solo material will you mix in with the Motley songs at this show?
A: Well, I mean, we mix it up a bit. Of course people wanna hear the Motley hits, and I play some obscure stuff that Motley doesn't even play. So it's a good mix.
A: Thanks, man.
Q: And you have mostly covers on Tattoos and Tequila. How much of your solo material will you mix in with the Motley songs at this show?
A: Well, I mean, we mix it up a bit. Of course people wanna hear the Motley hits, and I play some obscure stuff that Motley doesn't even play. So it's a good mix.
Q: Who's in your band these days?
A: I have the same guys that have been together for 5-6 years: Dana Strum (ex-Slaughter) on bass, Jeff Blando on guitar, and the drummer is a guy named Zoltan.
A: I have the same guys that have been together for 5-6 years: Dana Strum (ex-Slaughter) on bass, Jeff Blando on guitar, and the drummer is a guy named Zoltan.
Q: I interviewed your former guitarist Jason Hook in 2009 and asked him what it was like to be in your band.
A: Oh, cool.
Q: This is what he said: "Vince Neil was probably the most fun I've ever had in a band. It was a small band. I was the only guitar player, and one of my best friends was the drummer, so we were pretty much in control of the whole thing. All Vince wanted to do was get girls and party. Just lots of girls. It's nothing to brag about, and not necessarily a bad thing, but all he wanted to do was bang chicks. When you play a Rock and Roll show with Vince, it's like a party. And a party without girls is not a good party." Would you agree with that?
A: Well, I don't know if there's anything to agree to. One thing is on stage, and one thing is off stage.
A: Oh, cool.
Q: This is what he said: "Vince Neil was probably the most fun I've ever had in a band. It was a small band. I was the only guitar player, and one of my best friends was the drummer, so we were pretty much in control of the whole thing. All Vince wanted to do was get girls and party. Just lots of girls. It's nothing to brag about, and not necessarily a bad thing, but all he wanted to do was bang chicks. When you play a Rock and Roll show with Vince, it's like a party. And a party without girls is not a good party." Would you agree with that?
A: Well, I don't know if there's anything to agree to. One thing is on stage, and one thing is off stage.
Q: I remember a TV interview you did in the '80s or early '90s where you said Motley wanted to be the "crudest, rudest, lewdest, sleaziest band that ever took the stage or ever thought of being onstage." Motley's still going strong today, of course, but do you feel it's mission accomplished?
A: Well yeah, if you read the book "The Dirt" that came out about 10 years ago, you'd probably know that (chuckles).
A: Well yeah, if you read the book "The Dirt" that came out about 10 years ago, you'd probably know that (chuckles).
Q: In 2008, before the inaugural Cruefest, Guitar Center sponsored a contest to see which band would open for Motley. The Last Vegas won, but another band in the finals that played before you, Tommy (Lee), Nikki (Sixx) and Mick (Mars) was a band from San Antonio called The Heroine. Do you remember them or how the voting process went down?
A: Nah, I really don't. I remember we were all at the Whisky-A-Go-Go and just let the bands play, and we voted for whoever we thought was the best.
A: Nah, I really don't. I remember we were all at the Whisky-A-Go-Go and just let the bands play, and we voted for whoever we thought was the best.
Q: My condolences to you regarding Skylar. I know you do an annual golf event in her name. What are other ways people can contribute?
A: Well, you can go to skylarneilfoundation.org. That's pretty much it.
A: Well, you can go to skylarneilfoundation.org. That's pretty much it.
Q: How was it being on "Skating With The Stars?"
A: Eh, it was painful. I had no idea you had to be on the ice every single day, eight hours a day, seven days a week. It's hard work, really tough. It's not like "Dancing With the Stars" when you get hurt. I think everyone got hurt. My partner fell on top of me, and we thought we'd have to go to the hospital. Fortunately, we didn't. But everyone on that program got hurt.
A: Eh, it was painful. I had no idea you had to be on the ice every single day, eight hours a day, seven days a week. It's hard work, really tough. It's not like "Dancing With the Stars" when you get hurt. I think everyone got hurt. My partner fell on top of me, and we thought we'd have to go to the hospital. Fortunately, we didn't. But everyone on that program got hurt.
Q: Who was your favorite housemate on "The Surreal Life?"
A: Oh dude, that was 15 years ago. I don't remember.
Q: Ah, well, I thought it was about 2003. Didn't (housemate) MC Hammer preside over your wedding?
A: Yeah, yeah, he's been a friend of mine. That was after the show, and I'd been married 10 years, so it was about 10 years ago.
A: Oh dude, that was 15 years ago. I don't remember.
Q: Ah, well, I thought it was about 2003. Didn't (housemate) MC Hammer preside over your wedding?
A: Yeah, yeah, he's been a friend of mine. That was after the show, and I'd been married 10 years, so it was about 10 years ago.
Q: So what's next for Motley after your solo run?
A: We're on tour right now. We did the States and just finished up Australia and Japan. We leave in December for England.
Q: Oh, I wasn't sure if the marathon here was a one-off or if you were on a solo run.
A: No, I do 2-3 shows every week. We're just taking a 2-3 month break from Motley, and then we can continue.
A: We're on tour right now. We did the States and just finished up Australia and Japan. We leave in December for England.
Q: Oh, I wasn't sure if the marathon here was a one-off or if you were on a solo run.
A: No, I do 2-3 shows every week. We're just taking a 2-3 month break from Motley, and then we can continue.
Q: Will Motley be making another album next year or go on another Cruefest?
A: We're looking at another Cruefest. This tour doesn't end until November of next year.
A: We're looking at another Cruefest. This tour doesn't end until November of next year.
- WHO: Vince Neil
- WHEN: 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
- WHERE: Finish line of the San Antonio Rock N' Roll Marathon and Half-Marathon (Alamodome)
- TICKETS: Free and open to the public
- OF NOTE: Meet-and-greet will take place in VIP tent at 9:45 a.m.. Click here to see a schedule of the bands that will play along each mile of the course and here for a closer look at some of the musical acts.
CADAVERIA, the Italian band featuring former OPERA IX vocalist Cadaveria and ex-OPERA IX drummer/NECRODEATH vocalist Marçelo Santos (a.k.a. Flegias), has inked a deal with Bakerteam Records, a division of Scarlet Records which aims "to discover and offer support to the best talents of the hard rock and heavy metal international scene." The group's long-awaited follow-up 2007's "In Your Blood" (released on French extreme metal label Season Of Mist) has been described by Cadaveria as "the most obscure, raw and horror-filled work ever produced by the group." An early 2012 release is expected.
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