Black Sabbath Reveal Drummer For Farewell Tour(hennemusic)
In a new online video, Black Sabbath have revealed that Tommy Clufetos will be behind the drum kit for the band's upcoming farewell tour, which they will be kicking off on January 20 in Omaha, NE..
The group shared a preview clip of a run-through of their 1970 classic, "Paranoid", from rehearsals for The Final Tour, with Clufetos on drums behind Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler.
Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward continues to sit out a reunion with his bandmates over contractual disputes and a nasty exchange with Osbourne over remarks he's made in recent years.
Ward previously declined to participate in the group's 2013 album "13", which was ultimately recorded with Brad Wilk, while Clufetos - Ozzy's solo drummer - handled live dates for the tour. Watch the video here.
Metallica Stop Legal Move Against Tribute Band(Classic Rock)
Metallica have given their blessing to a tribute band who were sent a 41-page cease and desist letter by an "overzealous attorney." Canadian band Sandman - fronted by Warmachine singer Joe Di Taranto - were told to stop using Metallica's registered trademarks on their promotional material. Sandman's logo uses the same font adopted by Metallica on their 2003 album St Anger and they refer to themselves as "Canada's tribute to Metallica."
The legal papers were delivered to FitzRay's, a venue in London, Ontario, where Sandman were due to perform at the weekend. It reads: "We are kindly writing to request that Sandman stop using the name Metallica, the phonetic equivalent of Metallica or any of Metallica's logos on or to identify or promote live musical performances."
Di Taranto posted an image of the front page of the letter on Facebook, adding: "So as some of you may or may not know, in my spare time from Warmachine, I play in a couple of tribute acts - one being a Metallica tribute called Sandman.
"Last night when we arrived at the venue for our show in London, we were served with cease and desist papers courtesy of Metallica's lawyers. Quite funny."
But when Metallica heard about the legal action, they immediately rescinded the letter and gave their backing to Sandman, joking that their lawyer was "permanently ice fishing in Alaska." Read what Metallica had to say here.
Ozzy Shocked By David Bowie's Death(Classic Rock)
Tributes poured in from the worlds of music and film in the wake of David Bowie's death, and Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne is among the latest to speak about his impact.
Ozzy tells Rolling Stone: "It knocked the sh*t out of me. I had no idea that he was so ill. I don't think anybody knew how sick he was. I'd heard the reason he stopped touring was because he had two heart attacks or something. But apparently it was cancer.
"Anyway, he's gone. It's a terrible hole in the f***ing business. He was such a talented guy, man. When you go from Ziggy Stardust to his tours, and he's a fashion guy, he was always trying to beat himself and he pulled it off time and time again."
Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx adds: "Bowie not only inspired me as a songwriter but inspired me to add layers to my creativity as an artist. People are meant to evolve. It's a natural part of life, but so many artists become stagnant. Bowie showed us that it's not only important to evolve as artists but mandatory.
"Funny thing is what David was doing all along was teaching us to expect more from ourselves and never settle for less that extraordinary. Proving all along he was the teacher and we were all just his students. He taught us well. Bowie was my hero and always will be." Read more here.
Dave Mustaine Talks Megadeth's Grammy and Rock Hall Snubs(Classic Rock)
Dave Mustaine says he still hopes Megadeth will eventually win a Grammy and be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The band will release their 15th album Dystopia on January 22 and the mainman hopes it'll help in his quest for Grammy and Rock Hall recognition. Having released their debut album in 1985, Megadeth became eligible for the Rock Hall in 2010.
Mustaine's previous band, Metallica, were inducted in 2009. He tells Noisey: "In the beginning, the Grammy thing was really important to us. Then, we started to see that it wasn't really as easy as somebody would think, because the people that are on the board, they've gotta listen to 45 Latin records and a bunch of Hawaiian stuff and then Weird Al Yankovich kinds of records.
"So when it comes time to listen to metal, they just go, 'Oh f***, I ain't listening to that, what's the name that I recognize there?' That's why they saw Jethro Tull and went, 'Okay, give Jethro Tull the metal award.'
"There's been some bad ones. But I'm cool with it, if I get the Grammy or if I don't get the Grammy, I've been recognized by my peers a lot, I've been nominated almost a dozen times so at the end of that day it's like, are you satisfied with what you have? I'm content, I'm not satisfied. I'm not giving up yet.
He continues: "I'm hoping that I'll be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, too. But if they don't want me in there, it's okay. I mean, I am in there vis a vis Metallica, and no matter what those guys say or what anybody believes about their induction ceremony, they wouldn't have been there if it wasn't for me being in the band, because I was there in the beginning, so I have some satisfaction." Read more here.
Dave Lombardo Says He Has 'Ended' Philm(Classic Rock)
Dave Lombardo has announced that he's dissolved Philm. The drummer formed the band in 2012 with Civil Defiance frontman Gerry Paul Nestler and guitarist and bassist Pancho Tomaselli of War.
Speculation surrounded the group's future last month, when they pulled two planned shows in Los Angeles and Pomona. The stickman's new punk outfit Dead Cross stepped in to play the dates instead
When asked if the band had split, their label UDR told TeamRock they were still together. But Lombardo says he's no longer associated with the group who released the albums Harmonic in 2012 and Fire From The Evening Sun in 2014.
He tells Let There Be Talk: "I'm not with that band anymore. They didn't want me to promote the band while I was with them, and I'm certainly not going to do it when I'm without them. 'Don't play hard. We want you to play a little softer.' I said, 'Nope.'"
He later posted messages on social media confirming that the band were no more. He says: "To be clear, I did not 'exit' Philm - I ended Philm. Thank you to all who supported that band. Now, I'm off to the studio to do what I love - play the f***in' drums." Listen to the interview here.
Dave Grohl Shares A Favorite Lemmy Memory(Gibson)
Lemmy Kilmister's memorial service took place last weekend in Los Angeles. Many in the rock community were there to honor the late Motörhead frontman, including Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl, who concluded the service with a powerful eulogy.
In his speech, Grohl recalled seeing Kilmister backstage and introducing Kilmister to his family. Kilmister, Grohl said, was smoking and drinking whiskey, but as soon as he came into the dressing room and saw Grohl's baby daughter, he put his cigarette out in his drink.
"To most people, that would seem like nothing, I suppose," Grohl said. "But to me, that was my hero putting out his cigarette into his drink and putting it aside because my daughter was there in the room."
He added, "So I think what everybody has always known or at least learned today is that Lemmy was not only that gun-slinging, whiskey-drinking...rock and roll star, but he had the biggest heart and set such a great example because he was so kind to everyone." Read more here.
Kim Mitchell Recovering From Heart Attack(hennemusic)
Canadian guitarist Kim Mitchell is recovering following a heart attack in Toronto on Tuesday. Mitchell formed the pioneering rock outfit Max Webster in Toronto in 1973.
"Alert Music confirms that Kim Mitchell had a heart attack in the early morning of January 12th," read the official statement on Mitchell's Facebook page.
"After successful emergency surgery, Kim is resting in hospital for another day or two. Doctors tell him it will be 6-8 weeks before he is back to full strength. Kim would like to thank the nurses and doctors at St. Joseph's and St. Michael's hospitals."
Max Webster delivered five studio albums and countless Canadian rock radio classics - including "Battlescar" with Rush - before disbanding in 1981, with the guitarist moving on to a solo career.
Mitchell enjoyed solo Canadian chart success with singles like 1984's "Go For Soda", 1986's "Patio Lanterns" and 1989's "Rock And Roll Duty," among others. Read more and check out some of Kim's hit songs here.
Cage the Elephant Announce Spring Headlining Tour(Gibson)
Cage the Elephant have announced a spring headlining tour behind their latest album, Tell Me I'm Pretty. The Spring Fling Rock AF 2016 tour will kick off on March 11 in Fresno, California, and run through an April 1 stop in Providence, Rhode Island.
Cage the Elephant are bringing a group of musical friends along on Spring Fling Rock AF 2016, including Foals and Beat Hands. Frontman Matt Shultz says the musicians involved with the trek have a lot in common.
"There's a real sense of camaraderie and a shared philosophy amongst all of us on this tour," Shultz said in a statement. "We come from all over the world, but we share a love of music and being on the road. These shows will celebrate that spirit." See the tour dates here.
Monster Truck Release 'Don't Tell Me How To Live' Video(Classic Rock)
Monster Truck have released a video for their track Don't Tell Me How To Live. It's taken from the Canadian band's upcoming album Sittin' Heavy, set for release on February 19 via Mascot Label Group.
Guitarist Jeremy Widerman says the band's sound has been polished by months of touring alongside some of the biggest names in rock. He says: "Touring the last record we've been privileged to play with a lot of great headlining acts.
"For instance, when we opened for Slash we would pick up on how accurately he controls the wah pedal, and we wanted to include some of that in our own songs. Or touring with Alice In Chains and watching their vocal harmonies and realising that we needed to strengthen up in that area - so we did. There are so many little ways to hone our sound."
The band previously issued an audio stream of Don't Tell Me How To Live and also The Enforcer - a track inspired by ice-hockey's hard men. Watch the video here.
Metal Church Releasing New Album 'XI' In March(Classic Rock)
Metal Church have revealed the tracklist and artwork for their 11th album. The new album, entitled XI, will be released on March 25 via Nuclear Blast on CD and limited-edition double red vinyl.
The new effort marks the band's first record with frontman Mike Howe since 1993's Hanging In The Balance. Guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof had the following to say:
"Mike's voice sounds the same as it did two decades ago when we were writing The Human Factor - and the band is about as tight as you can possibly get." Read more here.
Rolling Stones Release Classic 'Angie' Performance Video(hennemusic)
The Rolling Stones are sharing a performance of "Angie" from their latest project "From The Vault: Live In Leeds Roundhay Park 1982." Issued last November, the set captures the finale of the band's 1982 European tour in support of "Tattoo You."
The lead single from 1973's Goats Head Soup" album,, "Angie" was a No. 1 hit in several countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, France, Norway, Switzerland and the Netherlands, while peaking at No. 5 in the band's native UK.
The latest release in the Stones "From The Vault" series was the group's final live performance for 7 years and pianist Ian Stewart's last show before his passing in 1985.
The band have previously issued performance clips of "Some Girls" tracks "When The Whip Comes Down" and "Shattered" from the Leeds show. The Rolling Stones are currently gearing up for their first South American tour in a decade, with shows starting in Santiago, Chile on February 3. Watch the video here.
Dead Swans Hint At Reunion Announcement?(TeamRock Radio)
Dead Swans are hinting strongly that their mooted reunion will happen this year. The hardcore five-piece uploaded a short video clip to Facebook, along with the caption: "2016... announcement soon."
Dead Swans announced their split in 2012 after six years together, having put out three EPs, one full-length and a split LP with metalcore outfit Architects. Their last studio effort was the Anxiety And Everything Else EP, which was released in February 2012 via Bridge 9 Records.
Explaining the split in a 2012 interview with Rocksound, vocalist Nick Worthington said: "Compared to what we were doing a few years ago, the band had slowed down a lot before we even came to the decision.
"I think the main factors are Pid starting his business in London and me moving to Vienna to work at a skateboard distribution company and live with my girlfriend." Read more here.
Ricky Warwick Streams 'When Patsy Cline Was Crazy' Title Track(hennemusic)
Black Star Riders frontman Ricky Warwick is streaming the title track to his forthcoming solo album "When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues)."
Due February 26, the project is included in a 2CD package that also presents the acoustic record "Hearts On Trees." The singer wrote both albums alongside friend Sam Robinson.
"He handed me these lyrics and my jaw hit the floor," explains Warwick. "They were the lyrics for the title track and that title alone just evoked so many memories for me from my childhood. The strange thing is that Sam and I grew up about a mile apart from each other and supported the same football team, we had the same working class upbringing but never met each other.
"Now here was a guy who wrote in this song about the music that his father listened to, which was the same music that my father listened to - about his father working during the week, having a flutter on the horses on a Saturday, winning money, buddies coming over, the whiskey coming out, the cards coming out and we'd get to be the DJs and get to put the records on."
"And when you're 10 years old," continued the singer, "that was a big thing that you were in charge of the record player. You got to put on Sinatra, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and all these greats, and that was magical.
"Sam and I both had that when we were kids. So as soon as he handed me those lyrics I could hear the song, I could hear the music and I could hear the melody." Stream the song here.
Queensryche Release 'Eye9' Video(hennemusic)
Queensryche are premiering the video for "Eye9", a track from their latest album "Condition Human." Produced by Zeuss (Rob Zombie, Hatebreed, Sanctuary), the project marks vocalist Todd La Torre's second album with the group following their 2013 self-titled release and a split with original singer Geoff Tate.
The group scored a Top 30 debut on the US Billboard 200 with their 15th album, as it entered the chart at No. 27 with opening week sales of 14,000 copies. In advance of its release, the Seattle band previewed the record with the lead single, "Arrow Of Time", and follow-ups "Guardian" and "Hellfire."
Queensryche are currently playing dates on a recently-launched US tour, and will join the Scorpions for a five-night residency in May at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV. Watch the video here.
Sunn O))) Announce 'Domkirke' Reissue(Prog)
Sunn O))) will reissue their 2008 live album Domkirke on February 2. The four-track, double LP was recorded at Bergen Cathedral, Norway in 2007, during the Borealis Festival.
The record features a band lineup consisting of Attila Csihar, Tos Nieuwenhuizen, Lasse Marhaug, Steve Moore, Greg Anderson and Stephen O'Malley.
Sunn O))) released their latest studio album Kannon last month - and Anderson gave TeamRock an insight to how the writing process differed from 2009's Monoliths & Dimensions.
He said: "There are no premeditated ideas. Monoliths started out similar, but was developed in a way more complicated way by bringing on extra instrumentation and embracing different musical theories and concepts." Read more here.
Former Yes Stars Anderson, Rabin, Wakeman Confirm New Project(Prog)
More information has been confirmed concerning the plans for the eagerly anticipated supergroup featuring former Yes stars Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman.
Writing on his own Facebook page, Rabin has confirmed: "About the most I can say for now is that we have decided to tour", whilst Jon Anderson has added on his own Facebook page, "at last I will start singing with Trevor and Rick later in the year as ARW, we have been writing some unique songs together, and feel it is time to go out together and perform on stage... all very exciting...".
Meanwhile, Jamie Glaser, who is the guitarist with the Anderson Ponty band has been a little more open on his own Facebook page: "The rumor you may have heard about ARW... Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, and Rick Wakeman.. is entirely true." Read more here.
Mountain Jam To Feature Beck, Gov't Mule, Gary Clark Jr And More(Classic Rock)
Beck, Gov't Mule, Gary Clark Jr, Wilco and the Chris Robinson Brotherhood have been confirmed for this year's Mountain Jam in Hunter Mountain, New York.
The event takes place on June 2-5 and 2016 marks the festival's 12th year. The Chris Robinson Brotherhood say: "Let the CRB set the Mountain Jam Festival free. Pleased to announce that we'll be returning to this raddest of Catskill gatherings in June."
The bill also includes Umphrey's McGee, The London Souls and more. Tickets are on sale via the Mountain Jam website. View a trailer for the event here.
Trivium To Hit Smaller Markets On Upcoming UK Tour(TeamRock Radio)
Trivium have announced a UK tour on which they'll play a number of what they call "smaller" towns. The shows are in support of latest album Silence In The Snow, released last October via Roadrunner.
The metal outfit - who are currently on the road in the US - launch their run of 11 UK dates in Norwich on March 20 and will also perform in York, Kilmarnock and Lincoln.
Frontman Matt Heafy says: "The UK was the first place to ever truly embrace Trivium and make us feel at home. I feel now - at this very moment in time - Trivium is a better live band than we have ever been. For us to pay true homage to the place who took us in first, we can now give them the Trivium they have always deserved."
The decision to play smaller towns came about as a result of repeated requests by fans. See the dates here.
Headspace Stream New Song 'Your Life Will Change'(Prog)
Headspace have released a stream of their track Your Life Will Change. The song comes from their All That You Fear Is Gone album, out on February 26 via InsideOut.
The album sees Threshold frontman Damian Wilson and Ozzy Osbourne keyboardist Adam Wakeman reunite for the follow-up to 2012's I Am Anonymous. They're joined on the record by guitarist Pete Rinaldi, bassist Lee Pomeroy and drummer Adam Falkner.
Wilson says of the track: "We have a natural need to better ourselves, our situation and future. This is part of the human survival instinct and is encouraged and fed by the world we live in.
"Despite being aware that the real value is in the here and now, we find ourselves brushed along. But is it truly possible to opt out from this merry go round?"
He continues: "Your Life Will Change references past civilizations to modern entertainment. We are distracted and controlled by a society. But what happens if we really break away from the group and ignore the ideal we're being sold? Will we become gods or fallen angels?" Stream the song here.
Stevie Nimmo Announces New Solo Album 'Sky Won't Fall'(Classic Rock)
Stevie Nimmo will release his latest solo album Sky Won't Fall on March 4. He and his brother Alan announced in June last year that they'd take a break from playing together in the Nimmo Brothers to concentrated on individual projects.
Alan has been concentrating on King King, while Stevie's been focusing on his solo work. Stevie says: "I wanted Sky Won't Fall to have as broad a musical spectrum as possible to showcase a bit of every side of my song writing.
"There's rock, blues, country, pop-rock and even acoustic. It really is a good representation of what I do." The album, produced by King King drummer Wayne Proctor, will be released via Manhaton Records. Read more and see the artwork and track details here.
PiL Announce European Tour(TeamRock Radio)
Public Image Limited are setting off on a European tour in May, which includes 11 UK dates. Fronted by former Sex Pistol John Lydon, the four-piece are kickstarting the 22-date run in Valencia Noize Club, Spain, on May 6, and wrapping up at Sheffield's O2 Academy, UK, on June 7.
Last year the band released What The World Needs Now, the follow-up to 2012's This is PiL - which was their first studio effort in 20 years after they went on hiatus in 1993.
The band released a video for their track Bettie Page last year, and also performed Double Trouble on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. See the upcoming tour dates and ticket information here.
Behemoth's Nergal Hints At Influences On Next Album(TeamRock Radio)
Nergal says that he has been inspired by the "avant-garde" when writing Behemoth's upcoming record. The frontman previously said that the follow-up to 2014's The Satanist would be a "new chapter" for the band which would redefine their music.
And Adam 'Nergal' Darski reveals he listens to classic rock bands and artists from other genres when writing a record - admitting he's "getting more into blues" as he grows older.
Nergal tells Asq me: "Theres some rigid strength in the punk scene - they have this thing that makes you come back to the origins like a boomerang. I drift away, then come back to classic heavy metal, punk, goth. I'm not a big goth fan but Fields Of The Nephilim is a classic. Once in a while I rediscover them for myself, like Bauhaus and Siekiera, Sabbath, David Bowie coming back with a new record."
Nergal also says that it's "crucial" that younger fans explore the roots of rock and metal by listening to bands such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and the Beatles - and that they should check out blues artists including Howling Wolf, Robert Johnson and Buddy Guy." Read more here.
Hexvessel Release 'Cosmic Truth' Video(Prog)
Hexvessel have released a video for their track Cosmic Truth with TeamRock. The song features on the Finnish psych-folk outfit's latest album When We Are Death, out on January 29 via Century Media.
Singer and guitarist Mat McNerney says: "For our first video from When We Are Death, we chose one of the most poignant and personal songs from the record. This piece called Cosmic Truth goes to the heart of what Hexvessel is about, both lyrically and musically, as we present a track which is direct and pure in its message and sound.
"For a deep enlightening knowledge of real true love, through a close relationship to nature and mother earth, you will be able to experience the Cosmic Truth this universe has to offer."
McNerney says they chose to include time-lapse visuals of Finnish nature by filmmaker Riku Karjalainen in the promo so viewers could "gain a glimpse into the divine spirits of our most beautiful surroundings, which illuminate and inform all our work."
He continues: "We hope this song and video can bring some of nature's light, life and warmth into your winter days and the peace in certainty that nature's death and rebirth can instill in us all." Watch the video here.
Dave Grohl Gets Birthday Serenade From Ethiopian Students(Radio.com)
Dave Grohl turned 47 today (Jan. 14). He received an early birthday gift earlier this week when a teacher posted a video of his students in Ethiopia singing a Nirvana classic.
Peace Corps volunteer Matt Westerberg began teaching his students at Yechelia Secondary School the lyrics to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to help them learn English. The class wrote a message along with the clip that read, "Special birthday wishes to legendary drummer Dave Grohl."
NME reports Westerberg said he originally began teaching his class the lyrics to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" as a joke. "I thought it would be funny to have the kids try and learn it. They laughed their way through it. The next day, they demanded to try it again," he explained. "After a while we went through most of the song day by day as a motivational tool. At first it was all just a joke, but after awhile, the students began to really build confidence through learning the song." Check it out here.
Chris Jericho's WWE Fame A Hurdle To Rock Fans With Fozzy(TeamRock Radio)
Fozzy frontman Chris Jericho says his WWE wrestling fame can make it difficult for potential fans to take the band seriously. The singer juggles his music career with his role as a WWE Superstar and says it can often prove a hurdle to rock fans.
Jericho tells TeamRock presenter Pete Bailey's The Playlist Podcast: "Because I have notoriety from another area, that works against Fozzy. People think it's some kind of a novelty thing. Not as much any more, but you still get people who say, 'Yeah I've heard of them, but I've never listened to them - it's Jericho.'
"Then I get tweets every day, 'I just listened to Fozzy for the first time...why did I wait so long?' And that's just how it goes. It doesn't matter what band you're in, you've still got to hustle. And when you get people interested in your band, you still have to give them their money's worth. You still have to give them more than they paid for." Read more here.
Singled Out: Syvia's Anxious Animal
Indie rockers Syvia will be releasing their new EP next month. To celebrate we asked frontwoman Ruth Mirsky to tell us about their addictive new single "Anxious Animal". Here is the story:
I moved back to Chinatown, NYC to live with my parents in their bohemian loft after college and a brief stint in San Francisco. Unfortunately, our loft had no real walls -- a maze of bookcases that didn't reach the ceiling offered little in the way of sound barriers and privacy. Growing up I was used to it, but it was different in my early twenties when I was trying to be a serious musician. I often had to record demos of songs when my parents were just a couple of feet away. It was frustrating and many of my early songs ended up being about my parents, because I was torn -- I had to work on music but also knew it would disturb the quiet that was needed for my father to write and my mother to paint.
Often I just walked the streets to clear my head from the claustrophobia of the house and to figure out what I was doing with my life. Usually these walks were accompanied by songs like The Knife's "Heartbeats" on repeat. There were many emotional conversations with my parents about why I was choosing music over applying to graduate school or finding another career that was more stable. Despite knowing on an instinctive level that all I wanted was to be a musician, self-doubt would consume me after these conversations. I would wonder whether I was actually making the right choice, whether it was worth the risk that I might fail or "never be enough." Writing about how I felt in "Anxious Animal" was a way for me to come face to face with it and try and overcome its creative paralysis. The track, however, remained just a draft on my computer.
Syvia released our first full-length album FWD in February 2015, and I couldn't wait to work on new material. The band had been evolving over the years ever since I started it with my friend John Majer while I was touring as a backup singer with The Drums. Now, with Frank, Sheldon, and Rich, we were finding a dark, beautiful energy that seemed just right. So when "Anxious Animal" randomly came up on my playlist shuffle one day it dawned on me that it might be perfect for us.
"Anxious Animal," with its corners of shadowy dissonance, has always had a darkness about it, but now, at a different stage in my life and my career, the song seems more like an anthem of perseverance -- and that feels pretty damn good.
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