A TALK WITH MAYNARD JAMES KEENAN

Puscifer Sets ‘Conditions Of My Parole’ Release Date

By Johnny Firecloud

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

 

Spin sat down with elusive Tool/A Perfect Circle/Puscifer frontman Maynard James Keenan to squeeze a little news from the enigmatic artist, and as a result we now know the new title & release date for the next Puscifer album: Conditions of My Parole.

Keenan’s currently walking down memory lane during a Summer tour with A Perfect Circle, but this fall he’ll return focus to Puscifer, which will release their second album on October 18. “We’re still mixing, but it’s mostly finished,” Maynard tells Spin. “Musically, it’s like Twin Peaks in the desert.”
We’d expect nothing less. The album is being recorded in Northern Arizona, where Maynard lives and owns & oversees vineyards for his Caduceus Wines brand. The man’s so damn enamored with wine these days that he set up a recording studio in the wine cellar.
“It’s different writing music in the outback compared to writing music on Hollywood Boulevard,” he says of the high desert location. “The Verde Valley has so much diversity. You’ve got stories of ghosts and aliens, plus republicans, democrats, conservatives, liberals, vineyards, ranches, horses. It’s hostile territory: You’ve got scorpions, black widows, brown recluse, javelina, rattlesnakes… and hippies.”

For the album, Puscifer members Keenan, Mat Mitchell and Josh Eustis welcome newcomers including Jeff Friedl and Matt McJunkins from Ashes Divide and the latest incarnation of APC, as well as L.A. songwriter Juliette Commagere, Bat for Lashes drummer Sarah Jones and, perhaps most excitingly, Jon Theodore, the former beatmaster for Mars Volta. “He’s got some serious chops,” says Maynard. “Working with different people opens up a whole new set of questions and puzzles and solutions.”
Maynard says the group “put in the right work, put in the hard work, but we didn’t beat ourselves up. This album is us focusing, getting inspired, and then going out for a hike or going out to dinner, then getting back to work on it again.
Later in the interview, Maynard relates his two passions in poetic fashion: “[recording music] is very much like winemaking. Pieces are developing individually, then you bring them together and they either fit together or they don’t. Eventually when you bring it all together, it integrates, then you spend a little bit of time working on it, and then you release it.”
After the October release of Conditions of My Parole, Puscifer will hit the road for a two-month tour. The variety show fans witnessed in previous touring jaunts can be expected, but with “a lot of changes and new approaches. We’ll be doing a lot of filming and posting more videos online, too.”
As for new music from his other projects, after their Summer tour, A Perfect Circle “might put out a track or two,” Keenan says. “The energy is good, so there’s always the potential for a future.” And as for Tool…
“We’re writing,” he says.

CINDERELLA LIVE IN SPAIN:

CINDERELLA LIVE IN SPAIN:
MetalSymphony.com has uploaded photos of Cinderella's June 9, 2011 concert at Sala La Riviera in Madrid, Spain. Also available are pictures of support act Jorge Salán. Check them out at this location: www.metalsymphony.com/galeria/thumbnails.php?album=332.
Cinderella's setlist was as follows: Once around the Ride, Shake Me, Heartbreak Station, Somebody save Me, Night Songs, The more things Change, Coming Home, Second Wind, Don't know what you Got (Till it's Gone), Nobody's Fool, Gypsy Road. Encore: Long cold Winter, Shelter Me.

Kid Rock Says He Doesn't Have The Energy To Become A Full-Time Country Star

6/20/2011 11:36 PM ET

(RTTNews) - Kid Rock says that, while he appreciates country music and notes its influences on his own music, he doesn't believe he would ever do a full-on country album.

The reason? He is too lazy.
"The artists have to do so much stuff in country, and I'm a lazy butt. I don't want to have to sign autographs and go talk to radio about your single," the rap-rocker candidly admitted to TheBoot.com.
He adds that, despite their preconceptions of him, many country fans soon warmed to his music and personality.
"I think people are more surprised that they like me when they meet me. I came down here [Nashville] with an open heart, and I've had people tell me, 'I was surprised that I like you.'"
Kid currently has a genre crossover hit, "Collide," with Sheryl Crow - another rocker who dabbles in country music.

Gold Cobra Rebuttal: Wes Borland Vs. Antiquiet

By Johnny Firecloud

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

 

We started Antiquiet to be a megaphone for criminally underexposed musical greatness, and, equally, a magnifying glass focusing the heat of a dying star on the underbelly of inescapable sonic murder that shines in their place. Every so often however, a dialogue unfolds that can lead to new understandings, whether among writers, readers or even artists. And occasionally, we’ll even have the bullshit flag thrown back at us.

Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland is a schizophrenically diverse talent in a band as polarizing as they come. With rap-rock tilt and a violently aggressive narrative (provided by frontman Fred Durst), LB makes “music for the sneering scumbags who find kinship in the dregs of cultural rot,” as I personally described in my unflattering review of their new album Gold Cobra. Hardly the most favorable depiction of a band that’s sold 50 million albums in their incendiary career, but a reactionary testament to lyrics that run the gamut of variations on “Douchebag, I’ma fuck you up.”
To our surprise, Borland reached out personally to respond – taking specific issue with our one-star rating for Gold Cobra.
“The hatred you have for Fred is part of the reason we’ve succeeded,” Wes DM’d via Twitter. “I could see 1 out of 5 if you were expecting OK Computer, but… As far as LB records go, Gold Cobra is perfect. Your review was smart and I appreciate the kind words towards me, but I’m proud to be here.”
This led to a response loaded with questions and a discussion of the review rating (which changed prior to the conversation), which led to a candid and fascinating email conversation that transpired between last night and this morning. Read the entire transcript below.

 

From: Wes Borland
Date: Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 7:56 PM
First of all, I’ve totally seen where you’re coming from, and I’ve seen it over and over again. I know many people who have a similar attitude towards our band (I was one of them 10 years ago when I quit) and in these weeks leading up to the release of the album, I’ve been promising myself that I wouldn’t succumb to curiosity by reading reviews, and I did. I was told that there were starting to be several great ones, so I read them and they totally got it and hit the nail on the head as far as identifying with our intention. But a few have had a tone similar to yours: the band is OK, but I don’t like FD.
There is no way in Hell that our band would ever have been as successful without Fred as the singer. Period. No matter what effect he has on people in a ‘TMZ Personality’ kind of way, he is an astonishing front man and performer. I’ve never seen anything like it and the feeling I have during our shows can’t be touched by any other experience I’ve ever had. I have talked to folks time and time again who hated us and had all these preconceived notions… after seeing us live they can’t wait to see the show again. We are a ridiculous band. We have fun. We are obnoxious. We provide an escape for ourselves and our fans through what we do and our fans seem to be so happy with this record and so are we. It would be appalling for us to try to come out with some kind of “oh, we’re in our thirties and Fred just turned 40, so let’s make a grown up meaningful record that makes us feel like men” album. We made a record that is 100% not thought out to be anything but other than what it is: a Limp Bizkit record. We went into the studio and did what came naturally to us. I’m pretty sure most of our negative reviews will be from people who always hated the band and are totally disgusted that we came back together to do anything for any reason. I am so proud to be a part of this band. Thanks for your time.

 

From: Johnny Firecloud
Date: Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 8:08 PM
Hi Wes,
Thanks again for reaching out directly and explaining your reaction so thoroughly – I appreciate it.
The one star review was clouded judgement and has been changed. The instrumentation is fucking fantastic, and there’s a wide consensus on that. But the general negating aspect, Fred’s impact, moves beyond the vocals and into the personality of the sounds, which in the writing rationalized my take/rating on the whole. If a kid says “Limp Bizkit sucks because they pander to negativity, hatred and violence,” what is the rebuttal?
To answer your question, I caught you guys in 1998 in New York with… Incubus and Staind? Pretty sure it was ‘98. It was a fun-ass show, without question. I couldn’t get enough of that first record, and you’re absolutely right – Fred isn’t some talentless punk. I don’t mean to imply that he’s coasted to success, by any means. But Break Stuff changed things for me as a fan – shit suddenly got dark and disturbing, and no longer an escape, as you put it. And the people singing the songs & wearing LB shirts were the same people throwing fists where conversations would suffice. The encouraging soundtrack to aggression & intimidation became the Limp Bizkit MO. I couldn’t connect anymore as a fan.
The question I keep returning to is, what brought you back? With your talents, why identify with this monstrosity of character? Of course I don’t refer to your relationship with Durst, but the intentionally flagrant extremes that come to define LB. At what point does the vitriol become radioactively toxic? Is that the Limp Bizkit brand?
And I ask this not as a challenge, but as a fan of your ability in need of perspective: What makes you proud to be a part of the band that you didn’t feel before?
Thanks again, Wes. I appreciate you taking the time to discuss this.

 

From: Wes Borland
Date: Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 8:27 PM
Hey Johnny,
The thing that brought me back is the same thing that may have been off putting to you. There’s something in me that enjoys the feeling of the train about to come off the tracks for some reason. I didn’t get that feeling in anything else I’ve done solo, or when I briefly played in Marilyn Manson or with From First To Last. There’s a chemistry that the 5 of us have that just works. I also feel more creative in this environment as well because it challenges me to be a better artist. My ideas don’t have to fit into any one spectrum and I can truly be as unhinged as I need to be onstage. I’m a sensitive and irritable person that bottles a lot of anger up and LB is the perfect outlet for me to vent. I can do whatever I want when I’m on stage and I never attack anything but inanimate objects, so nobody’s getting hurt. As far as Break Stuff goes, I always looked at that song as an interpretation or explanation of someone’s defenses to outside attacks. It’s not as much of a fight song as it is a fighting back song. I would encourage anyone to fight back and to fight back harder than they’ve been attacked. I hated getting fucked with when I was younger. I cried and cried at home after school and I never wanted to go back. I can identify with wanting to fight back and I feel like Fred has always tried to be communicative about his lyrics being anti-bully in interviews.

 

From: Wes Borland
Date: Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 8:33 PM
And just out of curiosity, would you say for instance a band like Pantera also panders to negativity, hatred, and violence? What about Slayer? Is it the same?

 

From: Johnny Firecloud
Date: Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 9:37 PM
The outlet you find in LB is undoubtedly the same outlet sought by much of your fanbase – and that’s by design. But seeing how the band bore the brunt of the Woodstock ‘99 fallout, I’m sure we’re covering dusty ground in discussing how the fans don’t take the aggression out on strictly inanimate objects. Aggression and discontent are as deep a part of the mainstream climate as ever, so of course there’s going to be a market for explosive & controversial. This isn’t about indecency, so much as artistic ownership of yelling “Fire” in a crowded theater and a perceived imbalance of impact on the record (singer vs. the band). Why do the guitars drop so often when the vocals begin? It may be the copy the label sent me, but Fred’s voice seems so prominently above the rest. I have a few more production questions on the album as well if you’re up for it (that don’t center on vocals).
Fred may have discussed anti-bullying in interviews, but the work speaks loudest and longest, and he comes off as a textbook bully. Not many hormone-rocket teenagers are going to grasp the subtlety of violently lashing out against the right people / the bullies / etc. when chanting “douchebag I’ma fuck you up.”  And when you’re such a talent on your instrument, how does one defend the creativity of such lyrics, in their total consistency on the album? It’s harder than ever to buy into the White Male Angst these days, no matter where it’s coming from.
I was never much of a Slayer fan, though I was in awe of their musicianship. The whole Satanic thing kept it at an arm’s length for me, because it seemed even to the ten year old I was when I discovered them that there was a schtick involved. A part played. Would I call it the same? Only to the extent that I’d compare the poorly-drawn [pentagrams] carved into arms & torsos with highly violent attitudes and perpetually clenched fists in high school hallways.
Which brings us to Pantera. Did they stir up the hate pot? Definitely. There’s a discrepancy in the Pantera comparison, however – and here’s where it gets sticky. Setting the words aside entirely, in my ears Fred’s lyrical designs and vocals fall far short of someone like Phil Anselmo. Fred’s spectrum seems far more narrow and consistent in destructive lyrical design. Though to be fair, the people wishing for an instrumental version of the record & that you’d “just get a new singer” aren’t fans who’ve stuck around over the years.
I chose to review the record because your work demands more than dismissive kneejerks, regardless of the final outcome. At the very least, with your permission, this conversation can be a balancing counter-argument to my own, from the horse’s mouth.

 

From: Wes Borland
Date: Tue, Jun 21, 2011 at 10:30 AM
OK. Woodstock. Dusty ground for sure, but you’re basing your idea of our involvement there on the media’s slanted view of what happened. We were the poster child, in a nutshell, because we have a song called Break Stuff. The crux of that whole fiasco didn’t take place until the next day, yet news stations everywhere were broadcasting images of our set immediately followed by the fires burning and fences being taken down 24 hours later. We’re going to have to agree to disagree on what happened there, because my view and the popular view (which basically uses us as the scapegoat and excludes a plethora of additional problems: overpriced vendors, ATMs running out of money, alcohol influenced mayhem, and general mob mentality behavior) don’t match up. We never said: “please fight each other, burn everything, and rape.” We didn’t even allude to it. We did our thing.
White male angst. I think his vocals are beyond that now. Fred is one of the most hated people in music and he has to constantly put up with a slew of negativity thrown his way. Things he did began it and the more he fought it, the worse it’s gotten, so what do you expect? Of course a guy like that is going to be angry. It’s a cycle. He’s grown a lot and I personally find him easier to be around than ever. We’re friends. The hatred of our band at this point has been accepted and infused into what we are. I think that’s why I’m able to discuss it this easily now. It comes with the territory.
Heavy music should be made as an expression of violence in order to keep the maker and the listener from going on psychopathic killing sprees. I’ve found through talking to other people over the years, that as humans, many of us need to express a repressed hunter-gather primitive side that is no longer accepted in civilized modern society. Some people do it through video games, some love horror and violent movies, some people play paintball, whatever. I have a part of me that needs to go to war, but I’m not a soldier. I have a need to punish myself and flip out, but I don’t really want to cause permanent damage to my body or anyone else’s. I truly feel that LB is that outlet for many many people. It’s important. You didn’t like Slayer because of the satanic thing. See, for me, that was what really drew me to them. It was evil and forbidden and it made me feel something that I had never felt before. I could express feelings in my mind by listening to their music.
Brass tacks: this is really just a matter of opinion at the end of the day and because of that, we aren’t really ever going to get anywhere. I never thought once about the guitars coming down or the vocals being too loud, because I’m not biased in the same way that you are when I’m listening to it. To me it sounds like a snappy bombastic mix. I like the bragadocious, in-your-face vocals because they’re crucial as a part of the hip hop element we have. I absolutely love our record and I love our singer. I’m fine with you publishing this, I think it’s an interesting dialogue to be sure.
Thanks,
-Wes
Photo by Neilson Barnard / Getty Images

Judas Priest Add Over A Dozen North American Dates and Plan New Album

06/22/2011
. Judas Priest have added over a dozen dates to the upcoming North American leg of their 'Epitaph' world tour.Last week the band assured fans that this isn't the end for them with the following statement: "We would like to clarify a situation that seems to be confusing a few people out there. When we issued our press release to announce the farewell tour - we stated that it was the last major world tour for Judas Priest - nothing has changed - we didn't say it was the end of the band or that we were going to retire or the band was going to break up........... Just that it would be the last major world tour we would be doing which is still the case.

"We have plans for a new album (which we have already announced in an earlier press release) plus possible future releases and we would still consider doing the odd live show - if it is something special or for a great cause - but no more world tours."
27 October Sleep Train Pavilion, Concord, CA
8 November US Bank Arena, Cincinnati, OH
9 November Prairie Capital Convention Center, Springfield, IL
10 November The Family Arena, St. Louis, MO
15 November Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
16 November The Armory, Rochester, NY
22 November Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON
23 November Colisee Pepsi Arena, Quebec City, QC
24 November Bell Centre, Montreal, QC
26 November Sovereign Center, Reading, PA
30 November 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre, Tampa
1 December Bayfront Park Amphitheatre, Miami
3 December Hard Rock Biloxi Hotel & Casino, BiloxiPreviously announced dates:
12 October AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX.
14 October Concrete Street Amphitheater, Corpus Christi, TX.
15 October The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston, TX.
16 October Allen Event Center, Dallas, TX.
18 October Ava Amphitheater, Tucson, AZ.
19 October Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre, San Diego, CA.
21 October AZ State Fair, Phoenix, AZ.
22 October San Manuel Amphitheater, San Bernardino, CA.
23 October Hard Rock, Las Vegas, NV.
25 October Gibson Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, CA.
26 October Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA.
29 October WaMu Theater, Seattle, WA.
30 October Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC.
1 November Shaw Conference Center, Edmonton, AB.
2 November Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB.
4 November Maverik Center, Salt Lake City, UT.
5 November 1STBANK Center, Denver, CO.
12 November The Venue at Horseshoe Casino, Chicago, IL.
13 November Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI.
18 November Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ.

Durst wants tour with Korn and Deftones

Limp Bizkit’s Fred misses nu-metal genre vibe – and says sorry for misleading fans over release date for “comeback” album

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Comback: Durst and Bizkit

Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst says he’d love to recapture the nu-metal genre spirit by touring with fellow proponents Korn and Deftones.
And he’s apologised for repeatedly misleading fans by announcing release dates for new album Gold Cobra which turned out to be wrong.
Durst tells Billboard.com: “I miss the whole genre – rap-rock, nu-metal or rapcore, whatever we were called. There was a time there when you had Bizkit, Deftones and Korn. There was something really special about those times.
“I feel like if we all got back together and did something, went on the road together, it could be really big.”
Gold Cobra is finally released next week after the band reunited with guitarist Wes Borland in 2009. The album has been subject to a number of delays, of which Durst admits: “It’s hard not to hear the group of loud voices talking shit because we didn’t deliver when we said we would.
“It seems to be that any time I announce some sort of date, it’s always wrong. They should know that by now – but my intentions are always pure and sincere.
“But we felt that it’s been so long making the album that taking a little bit more time to get it right wasn’t so bad.”
Durst insists Gold Cobra represents “not a reunion, but a comeback. The epiphany was, we’ve got to own who we are and stay true to who we are.
“We’re a rap-rock band. We individually like different things and none of us listen to rap-rock – but when we get together in a band room, that’s what we make.
“There’s no reason to search and find a newer Limp Bizkit, or find an evolved style to fit the radio format. We don’t have to prove anything. We just have to own it.”

'Lost' Actor Doug Hutchison Marries Sixteen-Year-Old Girlfriend

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'Lost' Actor Doug Hutchison Marries Sixteen-Year-Old Girlfriend

6/21/2011 11:11 AM ET

"Lost" actor Doug Hutchison (51) has married his 16-year-old girlfriend, Courtney Alexis Stodden. The couple—who have a 35-year age difference—married in Nevada on May 20. In a statement issued by Hutchinson, he noted: "We're aware that our vast age difference is extremely controversial. But we're very much in love and want to get the message out there that true love can be ageless." The actor last appeared in Fox's "Lie to Me" and previously had parts in "The Green Mile" and "The X Files."

Michael Anthony Birthday message & update

Michael Anthony Birthday message & update

Monday, 20 June 2011

It’s Michael Anthony’s birthday today! (Born June 20, 1954). Here’s an update from his “Mad Anthony” Facebook page:
“Thanks to everyone for all the birthday wishes! The only thing that makes my day better is that mixing on the new Chickenfoot CD is done! It’s a lot heavier than the first record and I can’t wait to get it out there! The first single should hit the airwaves sometime this summer with the full enchilada to follow in the fall. Stay tuned for all the details and we hope to see you all real soon!”
Also, Micheal Anthony was on Adam Carolla’s Carcast podcast last week. Show summary:
Adam Carolla and Sandy Ganz have special guest Michael Anthony and Brad Fanshaw of Bonspeed in the studio. They chat a bit about Van Halen, Chickenfoot, and Hot Sauce, and more Hot Sauce. At some point they steer it back to cars! Michael and Brad head up Bonspeed who supplies custom wheels, apparel and other great products. Michael brings us his Ford GT and Brad shows up in the Bonspeed 1971 El Camino. Both done up with some great looking rims!
Check out the podcast & video & photos here.

Original Mr. Big Lineup Announce First North America Tour in 13 Years

Original Mr. Big Lineup Announce First North America Tour in 13 Years

06/21/2011
. A reunited Mr. Big will be hitting the road in North America this summer in support of the band's new album, WHAT IF... The tour opens in San Diego, June 30th, and marks the first time in 13 years the original line-up of vocalist Eric Martin, guitarist Paul Gilbert, bassist Billy Sheehan, and drummer Pat Torpey, has toured North America!
Produced by Kevin Shirley (Aerosmith, Rush, Iron Maiden), WHAT IF...is now available as a special edition CD + DVD in digipak, regular CD, vinyl and digital download and in a limited edition luxury box including the CD, DVD, LP and exclusive memorabilia.
The DVD includes videos of "Undertow" and "All the Way Up" plus a documentary "making of" the album including interviews and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of the four band members. JULY
30 San Diego, CA 4th & B
31 Agoura Hills, CA The Canyon Club
AUGUST
2 Tempe, AZ Marquee Theatre
4 Santa Ana, CA Galaxy Theatre
5 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
6 Modesto, CA Xclamation Festival
8 Salt Lake City, UT The Complex
9 Denver, CO Summit Music Hall
12 Chicago, IL House Of Blues
13 Columbus, OH Al Rosa Villa
16 Pittsburgh, PA Trib Total Media Amphitheater
17 Cleveland, OH House Of Blues
19 Buffalo, NY Town Ballroom
20 Detroit, MI Harpo's
23 New York, NY BB King's
24 Foxborough, MA Showcase Live
26 N. Myrtle Beach, SC House Of Blues
27 Lake Buena Vista, FLHouse Of Blues
30 Houston, TX House Of Blues
31 Dallas, TX House Of Blues

Don Dokken Speaks Out on George Lynch

Peter Hodgson

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06.20.2011

Vocalist Don Dokken has spoken out on the abandoned plans to reunite his namesake band’s classic lineup one last time, in the face of public comments made by guitarist George Lynch, telling bravewords.com, “It has always been frustrating to try to stay away from responding to the constant character bashing towards myself from George.”
Dokken concedes that even though the chemistry became rapidly frayed, he still stands by the music the band made. “In the end we did some great records together,” Dokken said. “Some people believe our tension made our records better.”
Lynch’s latest album, Kill All Control, will be released on June 21 and includes guests Will Marten (Earshot), Marq Torien (Bulletboys) and Keith St. John (Montrose), as well as the track “Son of Scary,” a sequel to his trademark Dokken instrumental, “Mr. Scary.”

Mountain man West loses leg

Frontman Leslie recovering from amputation of lower right limb following two-day battle to save it from infection connected with diabetes

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Surgery: Leslie West

Mountain frontman Leslie West has had his lower right leg amputated after suffering an infection connected with diabetes.
Doctors spent two days trying to avoid the extreme measure – but surgery was deemed essential to keep him alive as the disease began to spread through his body.
The 65-year-old singer and guitarist was on a flight to Biloxi, Mississippi, to perform with the respected hard rock band when his leg began to swell and discolour.
On arrival he was taken to hospital where doctors identified the infection was complicated by “peripheral arterial disease and blood clotting factors.”
West’s wife Jenni says: “They tried for two days to save it, to no avail. The staff at Ocean Springs Hospital have taken excellent care of Leslie and should be called angels for their efforts and tenderness shown in this time of crisis.”
Mountain formed in 1969 and are generally regarded as a major contributor to the development of heavy metal. They split in 1972 but reformed two years later and have continued to operate since then. Drummer Corky Laing joined a year later and bassist Rev Jones has been a member since 2008.
The band played the Woodstock festival in 1969 although their performance wasn’t part of the movie made about the event. They’re known for the songs Mississippi Queen, and Nantucket Sleighride in the UK.
West has recorded a solo album, The Unusual Suspects, featuring guest appearances by Slash, Zakk Wylde, Billy Gibbons, Joe Bonamassa and Steve Lukathar. It’s set for release in the coming months.

Loverboy Performs New Single On Fox & Friends TV Show

June 19, 2011

Loverboy recently appeared on Fox & Friends to perform their new single "Heartbreaker" and the classic "Lovin' Every Minute Of It". "Heartbreaker" reunited the Canadian rockers with producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Motley Crue) and can be streamed and purchased at www.loverboyband.com.



For 30 years, Loverboy has been "Working for the Weekend," delighting audiences around the world since forming in Calgary, Alberta, when vocalist Mike Reno was introduced to local guitar hot shot Paul Dean, both veterans of several bands on the scene. And now they're back, having reunited with their original engineer, legendary producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Aerosmith, The Cure, Bon Jovi), who worked under Bruce Fairbairn at the time. The band recorded two new songs with Rock, "Heartbreaker" and "No Tomorrow," which could to be a prelude for a new album.

"He phoned Mike and me out of the blue and told us he had a song that might work for us that he'd love to produce," says Dean. "He sent it over and we just flipped out. It's a great, kick-ass Loverboy song.

"It was just fantastic to be on the same page with everybody else in the band again. We had been through several false starts recording-wise over the years. Mike was really inspired this time. It was a great experience. I think these tracks are some of the best work we've ever done."

Not just Canada's greatest rock export, Loverboy made its mark south of the border, with four multi-platinum albums including the four-million-selling Get Lucky, and a trio of double-platinum releases in their self-titled 1980 debut, 1983's Keep It Up and 1985's Lovin' Every Minute of It. Their string of hits includes, in addition to the anthem "Working for the Weekend," such arena rock staples as "Lovin' Every Minute of It," "This Could Be the Night," "Hot Girls in Love," "Heaven In Your Eyes," "Turn Me Loose," "When It's Over," "Heaven In Your Eyes" and "Queen of the Broken Hearts."

Their pop culture credibility was cemented by a recent 30 Rock episode in which Scott Adsit's amateur musician Pete Hornberger revealed he was actually Loverboy's original bassist, showing him inserted into vintage '80s footage of the band wailing away on "Working for the Weekend," which you can see at http://www.hulu.com/watch/217096/30-rock-its-never-too-late-for-now.

The group still includes original members Doug Johnson on keyboards and Matt Frenette on drums, with Ken "Spider" Sinnaeve (a former member of Dean and Frenette's pre-Loverboy band Streetheart), who replaced the late Scott Smith on bass, and continues a healthy touring schedule around the world.

"I look at our concerts as a 100-minute experience," says Dean, who still claims to be able to fit into the same pair of red leather pants he wore on the "Queen of the Broken Hearts" video in 1983. "I'm a normal guy up until 10 minutes before we hit the stage. Then the heart rate goes up and I consciously step into the bubble. And I don't come out of it until 30 seconds after that last cymbal smash and I walk off-stage. It's a great stress release, better than riding a Harley."

Perhaps the band's most famous song is "Working for the Weekend," which has fueled a generation's dreams of toiling every day for the chance to celebrate come Friday night. Dean realizes it has taken on a whole new meaning these days.

"You're lucky if you can work for the weekend now," he says. "We're all fortunate to be doing that."

With four decades under his belt, Dean sees no end in sight for Loverboy... or himself.

"My dream has always been to play guitar and entertain people," he enthuses. "There's no feeling like looking out in the audience and seeing them grinning ear to ear, everyone on the same wavelength. And once we start with the megahits, the place goes crazy. That's why we do what we do and will continue."

Still "Working for the Weekend" 30 years later, Loverboy's catalog includes some of arena-rock's most enduring anthems, and they are about to add to that legacy.

Courtesy of www.sleazeroxx.com and www.loverboyband.com

AC/DC Get Their Own Board Game

AC/DC have joined a growing list of bands to get their own customised version of Monopoly.
This board game will be available from August, and up to six players can take part.
Players will be able to buy, sell or trade AC/DC albums plus international locations.
Find out more at http://www.acdc.com/

JACK BLADES DOES THE SPLITS, BUT SHOWS GO ON:

Night Ranger frontman Jack Blades has suffered a stage accident just two songs into the band's first show of it's highly anticipated European tour. Jack slipped and fell into a 'splits' position and has damaged his hamstring, which will see him confined to a stool for the remainder of the European tour. No dates will be cancelled or altered...the show much go on!
This from Jack himself: "In Switzerland now...just finished our show. I slipped on something onstage in Hannover - the first show and literally did the splits...heard a rip and couldn't get up...Brad had to pull me up. This happened on the second song...Did the rest of the set on a drum stool. I was rushed to hospital right after our show. Thank goodness I didn't tear it, just severely pulled my hamstring muscle. Still doing shows but on a stool...such a bummer for me cause we haven't been here since 1985...oh well...Band still rocking. Day off tomorrow in Milan then show Tuesday there." ~ JB.

Weekend Report: 'Green Lantern' Not the Brightest Bulb

by Brandon Gray

Green Lantern

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June 19, 2011

This weekend, Green Lantern's light was more red than green, but the comic book adaptation still drew an estimated $52.7 million on approximately 7,200 screens at 3,816 locations.

Green Lantern's start landed behind X-Men: First Class's $55.1 million and Thor's $65.7 million, and its Friday-to-Saturday drop of 22 percent was steeper than those movies' eight percent. The gross was also less than The Incredible Hulk and the two Fantastic Four movies, and the attendance disparity was only greater. Green Lantern's estimated attendance was even lower than Daredevil and Ghost Rider.

Green Lantern continued the tradition of B-list superheroes failing to soar to blockbuster heights (with the exception of Iron Man), despite an enormous marketing push that tried to pound people into submission. But an onslaught of ads is not necessarily the same thing as an effective campaign. The bottom line is that Green Lantern simply didn't have that appealing of a premise with its distancing sci-fi fantasy angle, and no amount of ads could make it look less awkward.

3D presentations at 2,711 locations accounted for 45 percent of Green Lantern's gross. The 3D share was close to Kung Fu Panda 2 and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides but down from Thor's 60 percent. Distributor Warner Bros.' exit polling indicated that 64 percent of Green Lantern's audience was male and 63 percent was over 25 years old (19 percent was under 18).

In second place, Super 8 had a decent hold, retreating 40 percent to an estimated $21.3 million (it has a bullish projection for Father's Day) for a District 9-matching $72.8 million haul in ten days. Its percentage drop was much smaller than District 9, Battle: Los Angeles and Cloverfield among others and was on par with Knowing.

Mr. Popper's Penguins slid in to third with an estimated $18.2 million on around 4,200 screens at 3,339 locations. That was tepid for a Jim Carrey comedy or family vehicle and was in the same range as Surf's Up. Distributor 20th Century Fox's research showed that 56 percent of Mr. Popper's audience was female and 58 percent was under 25 years old.

X-Men: First Class ranked fourth with an estimated $11.5 million, which was the lowest-grossing third weekend yet for an X-Men movie. The reboot prequel's tally climbed to $119.9 million in 17 days, also the lowest of the series.

The Hangover Part II rounded out the Top Five with an estimated $9.6 million, off 45 percent for a $232.7 million tally in 25 days. It was followed by Kung Fu Panda 2, which was down a distressing 47 percent to an estimated $8.7 million for a $143.3 million total, also in 25 days.

Midnight in Paris saw the smallest decline among nationwide releases after a slight expansion. The Woody Allen comedy eased ten percent to an estimated $5.2 million, increasing its sum to $21.8 million in 31 days. While usually the best holder on a given weekend, Bridesmaids was the bridesmaid this time, though the comedy was down only 26 percent to an estimated $7.5 million for a stellar $136.8 million total in 38 days.

Meanwhile, The Art of Getting By didn't get by, making a mere estimated $700,000 in its debut at 610 locations. The Tree of Life expanded to 114 locations and made more, coming in at an estimated $1.1 million for a $3.85 million sum in 24 days, but it's no Midnight in Paris.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd News!

With the new record from The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, How I Go, coming on August 2, the band has announced its first round of tour dates. Their extensive schedule in support of How I Go begins on July 29 in San Diego, with dates booked through September 9 in Morristown, NJ. More shows will be announced soon.

‘No Brown M&Ms’: Top Ten Tour Riders of the Stars

 

 

Peter Hodgson

|

06.16.2011

Life on the road is hard. You're away from your loved ones, your neighborhood and all your stuff! When you're far from home for so long, little familiarities backstage can be the only link to home and normal life that you have, so bands can be forgiven for requesting the occasional unusual or specific comfort item - anything to bring some sanity to those weeks or months away. Backstage riders – the contract document that spells out a band’s backstage requirements – are notorious for diva-like demands, but when you get to the heart of it, most rider requests are just about making the artist feel a little more at home.

10. Ted NugentTed Nugent's 2002 rider stipulates that the tour is very environmentally conscious, and as such, no Styrofoam or polystyrene cups, plates or containers are to be used. Catering requirements include one box of MAN SIZED KLEENEX (yes, it’s written in uppercase in the rider for emphasis), and although the Nuge requests a carving knife, carving fork and cutting board for roasted chicken, that chicken is to be supplied by the concert booker rather than caught by Ted's own bare hands.

9. John Mayer TrioAside from requesting a wide variety of oral hygiene products and a box of children's breakfast cereal (one probably being related to the other), the 2005 John Mayer Trio tour rider clearly sets out Mayer's audience audio taping policy: let the audience have at it! Tapers are allowed to record the entire performance as long as they're not obstructing the view of other concertgoers (and even if they are, they are asked nicely to lower their tripod microphones or move to another area). The rider also advises that there is no barricade for the show, as the crowd is “very well behaved,” and suggests where to deposit small gifts and notes left by fans. Awww.

8. David BowieDavid Bowie's backstage food requirements appear quite minimal (although one imagines the elegant Mr. Bowie dining in the finest of gourmet establishments around town and looking super-cool while doing so, rather than tucking into a sweaty tray of deli meets backstage). It seems his main stipulation is a 12-cup Mr. Coffee machine. Temperatures are to be kept at a chilly 14-18 degrees Celsius in dressing rooms, which are to be stocked with rugs, sofas and dimmable lighting.

7. Black SabbathOn the 2001 Ozzfest tour, Ozzy Osbourne kept a semblance of home life around him in amongst the excitement of a reunited Black Sabbath, via a dedicated Osbourne Family dressing room in addition to his own. The family room was stocked with candy bars, ice cream, veggie soup and various beverages and, more importantly for family man Ozzy, little Osbournes.

6. MetallicaThe reigning kings of thrash metal insisted in 2004 that bacon be available at every meal and throughout the day. Interestingly, although Metallica are famous for jamming and writing in their tuning room prior to performances, their tuning room requirements are quite humble: four padded folding chairs with no arms, and three separate electrical outlets. Not even so much as a dimmable desk lamp in terms of ambience.

5. Bret MichaelsThe Poison front man's rider from his 2010 solo Roses & Thorns tour reiterated that his name was to be spelled “Bret Michaels” on promotional materials, not Brett (or, presumably, Bert Miracles, a common nickname among fans on certain online message boards). The rider also points out Mr. Michaels' views on soft drinks, stating in no uncertain terms that that Sprite “is no substitute for Mountain Dew.”

4. RushIn the Beyond The Lighted Stage documentary, the members of Rush talk of their excitement when they first realized they could order alcoholic beverages to be provided backstage by the promoter. Guitarist Alex Lifeson is even pictured posing proudly with a case of Heineken. Lifeson's love of a Heiney must have waned over the years, because by 1990 the rider specifically stated “absolutely no Heineken,” while outlining a selection of fine liquors to provide for the band.

3. Foo FightersFoo Fighters riders are notoriously entertaining to read. The band once famously requested a variety of 'stinky cheeses.' They also request Gatorade in 'wacky colors,’ and their taste in DVDs is relatively broad - with the exception of no Jamie Kennedy, Martin Lawrence or sports movies. A vegetarian soup of the day is requested because "meaty soups make roadies fart." Moreover, the Foo Fighters rider sums up the importance of the document in maintaining a sense of continuity for the band: "The silly items like gum and candy bars make a difference to these boys that are far from their families and friends."

2. Iggy PopFor an Iggy And The Stooges tour, requirements included a monitor engineer who is "not afraid of death," as well as instructions from backline/stage manager Jos Grain for camera crews filming the show as unobtrusively as possible: "At a wet festival somewhere I once saw a guitarist being followed all over the stage by a cameraman and sidekick all covered, in bright fluorescent plastic sheeting, including the camera It looked like he was being stalked by a demented pantomime horse! I personally thought it looked absolutely terrible, and I speak as someone who believes that most rock and roll bands would be improved by the introduction of a pantomime horse." Grain goes on to warn that "Iggy adores breaking cameras, so really it's best not to get too close to him. Of course, I will be on hand to try and prevent him from destroying your equipment; unfortunately, there is only one person I can think of who likes to break cameras more than he does, and that's me."

1. Van HalenBy far and away the most legendary concert rider requirement was Van Halen's 1982 request for a bowl of M&Ms with the brown ones removed. Far from a mere flaunting of ego, this was actually a clever trick planted within the rider to raise a red flag if the staging requirements had been ignored by local crew. As David Lee Roth explained in his autobiography Crazy From The Heat, if brown M&Ms were found in the backstage area, it would be a good bet that some important technical aspect of the contract had also been overlooked (although a glance at the actual document casts doubt on Dave's story that the M&M requirement was placed amongst the staging schematics - it was actually within the catering menu between the pretzels and the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups).

More riders can be seen at thesmokinggun.com

Soundgarden take it heavy

Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil gives an update from the studio: “The vibe of the songs is definitely very heavy”

Reported by Bruce Henne

Published: June 20, 2011. © Rock AAA.

Soundgarden: Kids in a candy shop

Soundgarden are getting set for their month-long North American summer tour, which kicks off July 2 in Toronto.
The live dates give the band a break from the studio, as the reunited unit continues work on new music.
“Well, our interest is in being a vital band,” guitarist Kim Thayil tells Stereogum.
“We want to write songs and record them. We’re still like kids in a candy shop when it comes to writing songs and hearing them recorded. It’s funny; once again [drummer] Matt [Cameron] is really the person who seems to be driving us forward with all this. He’s very enthusiastic and eager, which really motivates all of us. We’re all really excited. Being creative is far more satisfying than just playing the old songs. It’s been very natural. We just started jamming and it very gradually and naturally progressed.”
Thayil reports that the recording sessions are going really well:
“We’re recording. We’re kind of doing it in stages.
“We have about 14 songs in various stages of completion. Previously, we’d just block out a bunch of time and go and track everything at once, but we can’t really do that right now. Matt has commitments to Pearl Jam, Chris [Cornell] has a solo tour happening and Soundgarden is touring in July.
“So we do the studio thing around those other engagements, which actually is turning out to be a lot better for us. It takes the pressure off in some ways. It’s not like, OK you’ve got three weeks and everything needs to get done in those three weeks. We can work at our own pace and take things one step at a time. We’re really enjoying it. We don’t have a record company or management pressuring us to hurry up, so we can really savor the process this time.”
It’s still early in the project, but Thayil shares his thoughts on the new material.
“The vibe of the songs is definitely very heavy,” says the guitarist.
“We’ve always tried to explore how to make this really heavy, aggressive music without sounding like a bunch of knuckle-dragging meatheads. I think these songs are kind of exploring that idea. Ways of emoting aggression and anger and hostility in ways that feel new.
“You know, we never were really chipper guys. We were never the party band, or even a particularly social band. We were always really just hard workers and a kind of musician’s band. That’s what we wanted to be that. We wanted to play for an audience that reminded us of ourselves back when we were young, I always liked the idea that our fans were that guy or girl who collected records and wanted to start a band of their own and play good music.
“I always imagined we were the band that made the party end. Like, ok guys it’s time to leave now, someone just put on Superunknown! I always felt like we made music that was good for driving, good for listening to really loud. The new songs sound really heavy. I’ll just say that.”
And Soundgarden aren’t letting the grass grow beneath their feet
“Touring next month, finishing our record sooner rather than later,” Kim explains. “You know, it just feels good to be doing this stuff. I like the idea that we’ve all come back together to tie up the loose ends and sort of attend to our legacy, such as it is. We want to see that our back catalog is treated with care, that our fans aren’t ripped off, and we want to make really vital, creative, excellent new music together.”
“Also, as the sort of unofficial custodian of the Soundgarden archives, I want to make sure that our unreleased material is handled in the right way,” adds Thayil.
“It really bums me out to think about all the material that never got released by Nirvana. They were one of my favorite bands ever — a band that felt like our little brothers and were simultaneously our peers and also an incredible influence on us. To think that there was all this unfinished work that can’t be shared and people will never hear, it’s just a shame.
“It really makes me want to do the right thing with Soundgarden. It makes me thankful to be in a band. For a long time I just didn’t want to think about record contracts and managers and publishing—I just wanted to jam with my friends and drink some beer and enjoy my life. But it feels good to be doing this again. I think we all feel that way.”

Adele Dominates The Billboard Charts This Week

6/18/2011 1:36 PM ET

(RTTNews) - Adele once again reigns supreme at Billboard this week. The British singer took the top spot on the both the Hot 100 singles chart and the Billboard 200 album chart. Adele's current single "Rolling in the Deep" has held on for sixth straight week atop the Hot 100.

The track is included on her sophomore release, 21, which reclaimed the number-one position, climbing back up from number two. This week "Rolling in the Deep" held off a continued push from Pitbull's "Give Me Everything" and Party Rock Anthem's "LMFAO," which tagged in at numbers two and three, respectively.
On the 200 chart, Adele reclaimed the number-one position from Lady Gaga, whose highly-anticipated new album Born This Way was in the top spot last week. The soundtrack to Trey Parker and Matt Stone's Broadway music The Book of Mormon came in at number three this week.
Tech N9ne's All 6's & 7's took the forth spot and country crooner Ronnie Dunn's solo self-title solo release came in fifth this week.