Gwar Guitarist Found Dead
Very sad news about Gwar on Thursday, guitarist Cory Smoot, a.k.a. Flattus Maximus, was found dead as the band prepared to embark on a Canadian leg of their North America tour this weekend.
The cause of Smoot's death has not been released and the Gwar camp has not issued a statement at press time about his death or about the fate of the shows which begin tonight. However, Gwar front thing Dave Brockie, a.k.a. Oderus Ungurus, gave a statement to MetalSucks.net. (Billboard.biz reports that they independently confirmed Smoot's death.)
"It is with a sense of profound loss and tragedy that the members of Gwar must announce the passing of their long time guitarist and beloved friend Cory Smoot, also known to thousands of metal fans worldwide as Flattus Maximus. Cory was found deceased this morning as the band prepared for a border crossing. There is no word as to the cause of death and the members of Gwar are completely shocked and devastated that this has occurred.
"At this point there is no word on arrangements and the disposition of the remainder of Gwar's current North American tour, nor are there any details regarding long term plans. At this point we are just dealing with the loss of our dear friend and brother, one of the most talented guitar players in metal today. We ask that our fans and the media be respectful of our request for privacy for those that have suffered this terrible loss. A full statement will be coming in the next day or so, in the meantime please give your thoughts and your prayers to Cory, his family, and all the people that love him."
Detroit Vs Nickelback
(Rock News Desk) Over 20,000 Detroit rock fans have signed a petition calling for Nickelback to be ditched as the half-time entertainment during a high-profile football game.
The Canadian band have been booked to appear at the nationally-televised Thanksgiving game between the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers on November 24. But thousands have come out in support of an online campaign to have them replaced.
The Change.org petition reads: "Do we really want the rest of the US to associate Detroit with Nickelback? Detroit is home to so many great musicians… and they chose Nickelback?" more on this story
Metallica and Lou Reed Set for Live Broadcast and Webcast
(hennemusic) Lou Reed & Metallica move forward with the promotion of their new effort, "Lulu," with a live German radio broadcast that will be simulcast online.
On Friday evening, November 11, Lou and the band will be performing in Germany on 1LIVE that will also be webcast on www.einslive.de and www.metallica.de
400 fans will make up the studio audience, and some will have the chance to ask the guys about the project. more on this story
Next Slipknot Album To Be About The Late Paul Gray
(Gibson) Slipknot's Corey Taylor has announced that the band's next album will be about their late bass player Paul Gray.
According to NME.com, Taylor said that when the band does decide to enter the studio again it will be to make an album that is inspired by Paul Gray, who died last year.
The singer told Billboard: "We know that everything we do on that album is going to be about Paul. It's going to be very melancholy. It's going to be a more saddened form of rage when it does happen, and it'll be a whole path that we've never gone down before." more on this story
New Artists Don't Make Worthy Full Albums?
(Gibson) Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell is currently out on a U.S. tour to promote his upcoming, acoustic solo album, Songbook, which reaches stores November 22.
The album will feature songs from Cornell's work with Soundgarden, Audioslave and Temple of the Dog, as well as his solo work and choice covers from John Lennon and Led Zeppelin.
Cornell recently fielded fans' Twitter questions via American Songwriter and when asked if he listens to any new music that's out there, he gave a fuzzy reply. "[I am] always listening to new music, but [it's] rare to hear new artists who make entire albums that draw me in. I feel it's a dying art." more on this story
Zakk's Wylde Influences Make His Next Move Unpredictable
(Rock News Desk) Zakk Wylde never knows how his next album will sound because he's influenced by so many unexpected sources.
The Black Label Society mainman says: "It's a box of Cracker Jacks. I don't know what I'm going to get until I get to the bottom of it.
"If we listen to some Led Zeppelin right before we go into the studio, we do something riff-based. Or you could hear Heart Of Gold on the way in and do something mellow like that." more on this story
Former Journey Singer Robert Fleischman Returns With The Sky
Former Journey and Vinnie Vincent Invasion singer Robert Fleischman has released the self-titled debut from his new band The Sky this week.
Here is the official word with all of the details: The self-titled debut release from Founded in 2010 by veteran rock vocalist/songwriter Robert Fleischman (Journey/Vinnie Vincent Invasion), The Sky offers music fans a return to handmade, song-driven rock & roll at its very best.
Based in Richmond, Virginia, The Sky features Stephan LaJaunie (guitars); Robert Fleischman (vocals); Andre LaBelle (drums); Steve Barber (bass guitar) and Brady Cole (guitars). Recorded at Montrose Recordings and Sound of Music studios and mixed at The Freezer, The Sky offers up blistering rock tracks fueled by high-octane guitars and rock solid drum grooves - all fronted by Fleischman's charismatic vocals. more on this story
Robert Plant Marries Bandmate?
(hennemusic) Rumors out of Austin, Texas suggest Robert Plant may have married his Band Of Joy bandmate Patty Griffin.
Things started with a report by Austin Music Source blog Austin 360 back in May that the two were an item, with writer Michael Corcoran describing a passionate make-out session at the baggage claim area of a local airport as Griffin picked up Robert upon his arrival.
Last week, Corcoran tweeted an update: "Did Robert Plant and Patty Griffin get married? Friends say they're madly in love, but that seems kinda quick. And it's just a rumor." This week, Ultimate Classic Rock received an anonymous tip
Metallica Failed Concert Organizers In Custody
(hennemusic) Four organizers of the cancelled Metallica show in Gurgaon, India have been sent to judicial custody for 14 days by a local court, reports DNA.
Rajesh Kumar (General Manager, DNA Entertainment Networks) and his colleagues Umesh Chinara, Ashok Singh and Savio Faleiro were taken under custody on October 28 against the cheating charges and breach of trust, and were sent to police custody for around six days.
The lawyer for the accused persons said he will move their bail appeal on Friday. The process for obtaining refunds by ticket holders was announced earlier this week, as the mess following last Friday's cancelled Metallica show in Gurgaon is slowly getting cleaned up. more on this story
Nickelodeon Stars Take On The Beatles for New Movie
We would typically run this announcement in the day in pop but we know this might be of some interest to Beatles fans:
Stars of the Nickelodeon hit series Big Time Rush will star in the network's brand-new original TV movie, Big Time Movie which will feature covers of the beloved Beatles classics, Help!, A Hard Day's Night, We Can Work It Out and Revolution, as well as music from Big Time Rush's soon-to-be released sophomore album, Elevate.
In Big Time Movie, currently in production in Vancouver, Kendall (Kendall Schmidt), James (James Maslow), Carlos (Carlos Pena Jr.) and Logan (Logan Henderson) head to London for their first big world tour but instead get mixed up in a mission to save the world. more on this story
Tesseract Giving Away New Song
After Tesseract recently announced a change in vocalists, they entered the studio to record the revamped version of "Eden" featuring the new vocals and a more developed instrumentation.
After the track was completed, the band went directly into shooting a music video for the single, which was premiered earlier this week and can be seen here.
Now, Tesseract is giving the song "Eden" away for free! "We're really happy with how Eden 2.0 turned out, and as a gift to all of our wonderful friends we'd like to share it with you guys for free, as a token of our appreciation for your support over the last few years." Says bassists Amos Williams. "We had always wanted to revisit 'Eden' and Elliot joining our fold gave us the perfect opportunity to do such a thing. We hope that this, along with the beautiful and haunting video for its release directed by Ganesh Rao, is a fitting introduction to the world of the new TesseracT sound ahead of the new album which we aim to start writing soon." Grab the download here
Talking Heads Chronology DVD Coming
(Kayos) Eagle Rock Entertainment have announced the November 21 release of a career-spanning Talking Heads DVD called Chronology.
Beautifully put-together with classic performances and interviews, the viewer gets to see the transition from the early three-piece days (singer/songwriter/guitarist David Byrne, bassist Tina Weymouth and drummer Chris Frantz in 1975) to a quartet (keyboardist/guitarist Jerry Harrison joined in 1977), on into an ensemble of multi-cultural proportions. A deluxe edition of the release will also be available that will include a 48-page hard-cover book with photographs and an essay by the late Lester Bangs, originally published as a review of Fear Of Music for the Village Voice in 1979. The essay is the complete and unexpurgated version, available here for the first time.
The early clips from The Kitchen and CBGB in New York City…the global success in the 1980s…the celebratory reunion performance of "Life During Wartime" when they were inducted into the Rock'n'Roll Hall Of Fame in 2002…it's all here. (Although they continued to record, Talking Heads stopped touring in 1983. They officially broke up eight years later.) more on this story
Alice Cooper Talks Horror and Comedy and Tim Burton Role
(Gibson) Nobody does creepy as perfectly as Alice Cooper. With his commitment to horror makeup, operatic metal music and gory onstage effects, it's no surprise that when director Tim Burton needed a musician to appear in his forthcoming version of Dark Shadows, Cooper was his first choice.
While rumors swirled last summer of the pairing, the L.A. Times' Hero Complex has confirmed that Cooper, indeed, is slated for a cameo in the film. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer will present his chart-topping song, "No More Mr. Nice Guy." Cooper says he finds Burton a kindred spirit. "Rock and horror and comedy work together, that's something I've known a long time and people like Rob Zombie know, and Burton knows that too," he told Hero Complex. "Sometimes the comedy is disguised a little bit, it's dark, but it is there. You can't do horror and rock with a punchline in a way. There's the absurd stuff and there's just that delivery of the 'Oh!' moment that is like a punchline.
"I just saw Final Destination 5 and I was laughing so hard. I mean, it was Wile E. Coyote, all these elaborate things leading up to this moment of impact… there's something like that in our shows, too. Hitchcock would do it too. more on this story
Wildhearts Member Reunite In The Studio
(Rock News Desk) The Wildhearts have reunited in the studio. The band have been on hiatus since 2010, but now guitarist CJ and drummer Ritch Battersby will contribute to singer Ginger's solo album.
The project was funded by fans through an online pledge drive which has raised 400% over its initial target.
Ginger says: "The DIY approach has appealed to me since I watched the original punks gatecrash the charts and infuriate the press. Revolution was born. I want to keep that spirit thriving; music made by the people, for the people." more rock news
Rival Sons Tour Kicks Off Tonight
Rival Sons kick off their European headlining tour tonight, Friday, November 4th, in Nottingham, UK.
Following a string of successful European festival appearances in the summer and a UK tour supporting heavy metal legends Judas Priest, Rival Sons have returned to Europe for their first headlining tour, which will see the band visiting fourteen countries over the course of a month.
Rival Sons frontman Jay Buchanan comments: "Supporting Priest through Europe over the summer was great but it was their audience, not ours. This time around, we're the cock of the walk. Europe's ready, shows are selling out - let's f***ing do this." more on this story
Seven Day Sonnet Announce Dates With Sevendust and Eye Empire
Seven Day Sonnet have announced dates for their upcoming tour with Sevendust and Eye Empire.
The band will enter Groovmaster Studios in Chicago, IL in January with the Johnny K Camp to complete work on their debut full-length, self-titled album set to be unleashed on the world in April 2012 with Big Time Records.
"Before entering the recording studio in early 2012, we are extremely excited to announce that we will be hitting the road in support of Sevendust," states bassist Anthony Lojeski. "We could not have asked for a better end to our touring cycle than to go out with a band that has heavily influenced us over the years, and that we have the utmost respect for. This is the kind of "high note" we want to be on going into the winter where we will be writing and recording for our first full length release since signing with Big Time Records. We have achieved much, been through and done a lot over the past year and are really looking forward to crafting an album that we are proud of and that truly represents what Seven Day Sonnet is all about." more on this story
Peter Frampton Comes Alive 35th Anniversary Tour
(Noble) Peter Frampton will kick off the 35th Anniversary Tour of his album Frampton Comes Alive at the Manchester Bridgewater Hall on Friday November 11th.
Frampton will be performing the hit album in its entirety, along with highlights from his Grammy Award winning career,
Frampton's milestone double live album, which has sold over 17 million copies worldwide, will be performed in the UK for the very first time in its entirety in the UK at the following venues
Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund Awards Gala Recap
We received this recap of The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund Awards Gala which took place on Tuesday (November 1) at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles to raise funds for its commitment to cancer prevention, research and education.
Founded in memory of Ronnie James Dio, the world-renowned voice of Dio, Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Heaven & Hell who died of gastric cancer last year, the Dio Cancer Fund has already raised more than $500,000 in its short history.
Wendy Dio, widow of the late singer and Fund Founder/President, and Gloria Butler, Chairman of the Board of the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund, will present the Dio Cancer Fund's latest pledge to the T. J. Martell Foundation for Cancer, AIDS and Leukemia Research at their annual dinner in New York this week. more on this story
Insomnium Lose A Member
(Rock News Desk) Insomnium guitarist Ville Vanni has left the band to focus on his career as a doctor and his role as a father.
He will play two final shows in their native Finland before being replaced with Markus Valhala of Omnium Gatherum.
Vanni says: "During the last year, I have found myself in a limbo of impossible schedules. Combining a surgeon's career with a busy metal band has already taken years of precise timing. Not being able to give the band – my closest friends – 100% would only be letting them down. My wife is due to give birth to our first son, and it is my responsibility." More Rock News
Waters To Support Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah
Former Port O'Brien frontman Van Pierszalowski new project Waters have announced upcoming tour dates with Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah.
Following two shows with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah next week at the Hawthorne Theater in Portland, OR and The Neptune in Seattle, WA, Waters will join back up with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah on November 29th for nine additional shows beginning with a two-night stand at Lincoln Hall in Chicago, IL.
Since late summer, the band has toured with artists including The Joy Formidable, Vetiver, Mister Heavenly, and Male Bonding, and last month performed multiple times at the CMJ Music Marathon in New York. more on this story
Black Cobra Map Out Headline Tour
(Earsplit) Black Cobra will follow up their tour with Kyuss Lives! and The Sword with a headlining tour.
Black Cobra will bring in Zoroaster and The Body along for the majority of the trek, finishing out the last few shows with local support.
Several more dates will be added to the tour, so be prepared for new announcements in the near weeks ahead, both for additions to this routing as well as other upcoming tour actions through 2012 as Black Cobra's methodology to touring carries through the year; strike, coil, and strike again... more on this story
Kickstart Kip Winger
(Sub) Kip Winger has kicked off an online fundraising drive to record an orchestral piece intended for ballet using Kickstarter.
The $33,000 donation goal will be used to pay the Conservatory orchestra, conductor, and engineer to rehearse and record Conversations With Nijinsky, Winger's follow-up to his composition Ghosts for Christopher Wheeldon at the San Francisco Ballet. Taking place over a two-day period in January 2012, the rehearsals and recording will also be shot for a future documentary film.
The work was inspired by the life and diary of famed Russian ballet dancer and choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky. Winger says: "I conceived the piece as the accompaniment to the unseen dances of Nijinsky, whose career was cut short by schizophrenia." more on this story
Vildhjarta Deliver Chaos and Fantasy
Vildhjarta are set to release their debut full-length album, måsstaden, on November 28th in Europe and November 29th in North America.
To prepare fans for the release, the band has released their new music video for the track "Benblåst".
Inspired by the mythology of the conceptual album, Director Rob Mestas draws us into the obscure world of måsstaden. A nightmarish barrage of chaos and fantasy unfolds as we are confronted by some of its unusual inhabitants.
To watch Vildhjarta's new mind-bending music video for "Benblåst", go here.
Blessed By A Broken Heart Set New Album Release
(BLPR) Tooth and Nail Records have set a January 24, 2012 release date for Blessed By A Broken Heart's new album Feel the Power.
"The whole band is still obsessed with the '80s, and that's bled into our lifestyles. It's not just when we're on tour: We all kind of dress '80s; we still have mullets. It's become part of our lives," explains singer Tony Gambino.
"On the last album, we used more of the cheesy side of the '80s, and this album we used a little more of the mature side. It's a little less fluff, a lot less cheese, a little more serious. We've kind of gone a little more classic metal and heavy rock 'n' roll. It's real organic how it all came together," he adds. "We're not in this to follow the trends—we're in it to do what we love." more on this story
Singled Out: The Dead Leaves' If The Shoe Fits
Today Matt Joe Gow from Australian rockers The Dead Leaves tells us about "If The Shoe Fits" the first single from their brand new album "Cities On The Sea". Here is the story:
The theme of the song is an idea that's prevalent across the entire record - the contrast between simple everyday life and the intense introspective questions that arise for all of us in what might seem an otherwise domestic sanctuary. I find myself drawn to the idea of romanticizing the everyday man. There is just so much content to work with that people can really connect with and understand. I'm not Bon Jovi after all, I was never shot down in a 'blaze of glory', in fact come to think of it I don't think I have ever even been close to a blaze of glory... But I have suffered from the same insecurities as countless others in regards to the state of my relationship, no matter how smoothly it may have been going or how long it had lasted.
So the verse lays out the setting "we had a home, with a spare room... we had a cat, shared the one car" whilst the chorus is driving home these ruminative questions and doubts - "does this shoe fit the foot that will stand next to my foot in line? Does this glove fit the hand that will hold my hand will it in time? Do you mean what you say when you say that you mean what you say to me?"
The main structure was written surprisingly quickly. I wrote it on the piano and then switched it over to the guitar which sometimes makes for interesting voicings as it did in the verse sections. I brought it to the band with the structure fully formed and everyone jumped on board pretty quickly with their own ideas. Cam came up with a bass line which is in part an homage to "Love Will Tear Us Apart". It's subtle but I think really in keeping with the vibe of the song. Andy created the main floating guitar riff which for me absolutely makes the song. It swirls in the most delicious way that never fails to place me in a dream like state whilst delivering the pre chorus on stage.
The beat we kept pretty simple and poppy, it's not a driving rock song after all, the song is meant to envelope you. We did have a heated debate over the use of the somewhat 'twee' drum fill that kicks the song off though. The fill itself was initially conceived as a bit of a joke. The engineer had placed the snare samples at the top of the song, and I think he was having a bit of a laugh by arranging them in a fashion that made for a very random sounding snare fill. The thing is over time half of the band grew to love its quirky nature. We did however have a tough time getting our drummer Joel to recreate the fill live! Let's just say he wasn't overly keen at first and on occasion has been known to 'accidentally' leave it out.. Still, I love the quirk factor it provides, nothing wrong with a bit of quirk I say.
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