Bush Return With New Album

07/12/2011
. Bush have set a September 13th release date for The Sea Of Memories, their first new studio album in 10 years. Recorded with producer Bob Rock (Aerosmith, Metallica), The Sea Of Memories is first album to be released via their own imprint, Zuma Rock Records, through an exclusive partnership with eOne Music.
On July 21st, the band will perform lead single "The Sound of Winter" on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Last week, Bush announced that they'll be playing the Bowery Ballroom in New York City on July 28th and the show literally sold out in under a minute. On Saturday, August 20th, Bush will also be among the headliners performing with the Sunset Strip Music Festival in LA. About the album, Rossdale says, "When making music, you have a choice to repeat what you've done or move on. It would've been safe to just rework (1994's debut album) 'Sixteen Stone' over and over, but what kind of life would that be? When you're driving down the road, you're focused on what's in front of you; you don't really think to keep checking in your rear view mirror. I like the idea of art changing, developing and morphing."

The World According To... Richie Sambora

|

 

 

07.11.2011

Richie Sambora turns 52 on July 11. Typical of a guitarist in a band that was 2010’s top grossing live act, Sambora will have to squeeze in any celebrations between Bon Jovi mega-shows in Romania and Germany, halfway through the band’s current Circle tour. “My daily planner is the size of a Bible, man!” he recently quipped.  And 1959 wasn’t just the year of Sambora’s birth, it was also the year of his most treasured guitar, a sunburst ’59 Gibson Les Paul.
In 28 years of Bon Jovi rockin’, Richie Sambora has experienced many ups and a few downs A member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame since 2009, Sambora is always a generous and witty interviewee, as happy to talk about songcraft, heroes and inspirations, the Bon Jovi “family”, technique and his love affair with the guitar as much as his own considerable talents.
Here are some choice quotes from a guitar-man who has seen a million faces and rocked them all…
On learning to play the guitar…
"I was 14 years old when I decided to teach myself. Some kids are talented at things like sports; well, I had to work really hard at sports, even though I pulled it off OK. Musical instruments, though, were always easy for me because of my ear. I have a good ear. If I hear a song on the radio, most of the time I can go into the dressing room and within five minutes, I know it."
On whether he ever gets bored playing Bon Jovi’s numerous hits…
"No, no, no. Rock 'n' roll is a contact sport,” he told Musicradar.com. “The rush is to take it in front of 70,000 people and have that happen. That's what makes it great. It's like having sex with your clothes on - it's the best thing you can possibly do.
"It's the adjoining of the band and the audience that makes it still really good. And you know what? They're really good songs. Both Jon and I are pretty proud of them. We've discussed it, and we say, ‘Hey, people wanna hear those songs? We're gonna give it to 'em.’ That's it."
On the skills of Jon Bon Jovi…
“Jon is an amazing front man. Every night I walk on stage with him and I just go, "Wow, this guy is just amazing!” He can make a place with 70,000 people feel intimate. It's a very special thing. There's not many people who know how to do that.”
On the Bon Jovi songwriting method…
“With Jon and I, the songwriting always starts with a conversation, how we're feeling and what's going on with our families or in the world,” he told Star Bulletin. “It's been that way from day one - we sit in the same room with two guitars and a tape player. It's very old-school. Inspiration? There's a story on every street corner, my friends. All you have to do is open your eyes.”
On what makes a great musician…
“I’m open to whatever the song calls for. I can play acoustic, I can play blues, there’s a little bit of Al Di Meola in me too,” he told Guitar magazine. “You’ve got to try and have broad and balanced tastes. Being a great musician is like being a great scholar: to be a great scholar you’ve got to read a lot books. Same with music – listen to lots of different musics, draw from different things. Even listen to stuff you think you don’t like – it will help you decide what you don’t want to do.”
On his love of Les Pauls…

“I first had a Univox Les Paul copy because I couldn’t afford a real one,” Sambora told Rolling Stone. “For my first Les Paul, I worked as a janitor at a hospital for six weeks and I finally made enough money, 500 bucks, to buy my first Les Paul. And I went down to a place called Lou Rose Music in Edison, New Jersey, and got him to sell me my first Les Paul. And I had it from the time I was 17 all the way until I was 23. I was in Bon Jovi. And we were rehearsing, and we didn’t have a lot of money. And we were rehearsing in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and it got stolen. It was my first professional guitar.
“All my heroes were playing Les Pauls, I thought it was the most powerful guitar. It was sexy. It’s got the most output. You plug it into a good amplifier, you’re going to get more out of it. That’s my staple when I go to a session, my ’59 Les Paul. I’m lucky enough to have two of them. When you put that rhythm pickup in and clean it up, there’s so much dexterity in the Les Paul. It has so many different sounds. You listen to guys like Jimmy Page, the textures they use… the tapestry that was created with a Les Paul was just singing.”
And on his admiration for the man Les Paul…
At The Les Paul Tribute concert of 2008; Sambora remembered: “He gave me this special white Les Paul - he wound the pickups himself - for my birthday, first time I met him [during the recording of Bon Jovi’s New Jersey]. I play everything from heavy metal to blues to jazz on it. He just hit it right on the head when he designed the Les Paul. I like it better than most girlfriends I've had. Without him, none of us would have a job."
On crafting his underrated solo albums, Stranger In This Town (1991) and Undiscovered Soul (1998)…
“For Stranger in this Town I wrote everything in this “stratospheric” [vocal] key for myself,” he told Guitar in 1998. “It was still good, but I felt that I sounded like an 18-year-old boy. For Undiscovered Soul I wanted to sound like me. I did more vocal training for Undiscovered Soul, made sure I sung a lot. Same with the songwriting. I wrote 30 songs to get to 12 on Undiscovered Soul. Songs are like houses: the more you live in them, the more they’ll tell you what makes you happy… and whether it needs a few repairs or a whole new roof. I have a few houses, so I know!”
On living rock’n’roll 24/7…
"I'd have to say it’s been mostly hard work, with a little bit of luck as well,” he told reporter Anne Raso. “You live rock 'n' roll, man, it's not one of those 9-to-5 jobs where you leave it. Even if you go home, you're still a rock 'n' roller. It's a lifestyle. You brush your teeth with it before you go to bed and you wake up with it in the morning, 'cause it's hanging on your shoulder. You gotta give it 100% devotion and then some. And if you don't think you've got that much dedication in you… well, you should choose another career."
On his true addictions…
“I’m a firm believer in a simple rule,” he told Guitar magazine. “A man can never have too many pairs of sunglasses or too many guitars.”

The Gibson Interview: 3 Doors Down Guitarist Matt Roberts

Mississippi-based band 3 Doors Down have come a long way since the band’s 2000 hit “Kryptonite” served as the catalyst to push them headfirst into the mainstream.
“Kryptonite,” a radio-ready post-grunge nugget recorded in the band’s home studio, completely changed the game for 3 Doors Down, and the guys have balanced a string of hard rockers and ballads since, including “When I’m Gone,” “Away from the Sun,” “Loser,” “It’s Not My Time” and “Duck and Run.”
3 Doors Down return July 19 with their fifth studio album, Time of My Life, recorded with producer Howard Benson (Daughtry, P.O.D., Chris Cornell).
Amidst wrapping up the last chords on their new album, lead guitarist Matt Roberts checked in with Gibson.com to talk about the writing process behind Time of My Life, switching up producers and why Gibson guitars “have such different personalities.”
When you first picked up guitar, what players captured your attention?
I picked up when I was 7 or 8. My mom was a pianist and taking guitar lessons, and I found her guitar in the closet and started messing with it. One of first cassette tapes I got was Led Zeppelin, Houses of the Holy, so Jimmy Page was one of my favorites off the bat.
Describe 3 Doors Down’s early days.
We basically weren’t well-known. We were just a local band, and we went from playing our local club scene to flying to New York when “Kryptonite” took us. It was a whirlwind, so it was a fun ride.
Let’s fast-forward to the new album, Time of My Life. This was the first time 3 Doors Down have worked with Howard Benson. What was that like?
Yes, we kind of use a different producer on almost every different record, so we basically find whoever is in touch with the project. We interview at least a dozen producers, and Howard has talked with us before on past records, and he was in touch with what we wanted to do with this. So, it was a great experience.
What was the writing process like for, Time of My Life?
Most of the time what happens is the music comes first. I’ll sit down and write a guitar riff and bounce it off the other guys and develop music, or Chris [Henderson, guitarist] will come in with guitar riff and give it to me. The melody and music get built, and then Brad [Arnold, vocals] comes in and writes the lyrics. Sometimes he writes the lyrics and melody first, but most of the time, the lyrics come at the end.  
3 Doors Down have crafted so many blockbuster hits. What’s the secret to writing a hit song?
Geez, I wish I knew. [Laughs] I don’t know. There’s no real formula or secret. We just get in there and write songs and try to write what sounds good to us. There’s definitely some blur in there, and it’s something I can’t really explain. It’s built inside of you. It just happens.
Congrats on “When You’re Young” debuting at #1 on the rock chart. What’s the theme you were trying to get across in that song?
It’s about that when you’re young, people have to find our own way and deal with the challenges of growing up. I think you can listen to it from an adult perspective and a young person’s perspective. It captures both viewpoints.
Your rig is made up of a slew of Gibson guitars. What do you think makes Gibsons unique?
I’ve been playing Gibson Les Paul Standards and Customs since day one. I think what makes them special beyond any other guitar manufacturer is that their guitars have such different personalities. A lot of other guitar companies may have perfected their way of making a guitar, but if you pick up one of their guitars, every model sounds the same. With Gibson, they all have different personalities. I have eight Les Pauls, and they all sound different.
What draws you to Les Pauls?
The good thing about the Les Paul is you can go to it for anything. It’s an all-around guitar. I have a white chambered Les Paul I use for solos that has a more mid-to-high-end tone, and others that are a little bit more weighted are good for more dark stuff. They have different personalities, so I can take the same model guitar and each one can be used for something unique. I use Les Pauls on 90% of our records and playing live.
Do you have a favorite Les Paul?
I have a natural finish, ’57 reissue that’s a custom. I bought it for the Seventeen Days record. That’s my all-around guitar. For some reason, it just has the perfect weight and balance, and it’s good for anything. If I had to pick one guitar I had to use, that would be it. I also have a flame maple red, ’68 custom that weighs a little less, and it’s one of my favorites for guitar solos. It just cuts through everything. The flame has some black on there, so it’s a beautiful guitar.
3 Doors Down do a lot of charity work. Tell me about the Better Life Foundation.
It was something we started in 2003, and we did our seventh event last year. It was one of those things where we certainly wanted to be able to help out, because we had been so fortunate with our career and we just felt compelled to give back. If you have the power to help, you should. It’s a responsibility. We’ve raised 3 million dollars, and it’s a dollar in, dollar out organization. The mission is to help underprivileged children and whatever projects in the community we feel like are helping the community. Most is for children; that’s 75 percent of the goal. The other 25 percent is that we try to find things other ways to help; maybe buying instruments for a school program.
It must feel rewarding to see your impact on those children’s lives.
It certainly is. I couldn’t image being in a lot of the conditions those kids are in. It’s cool to be able to go and give your time, and it’s a great experience all the way around. It’s as rewarding for us and for them.
Any playing tips for our readers?
Practice makes perfect. If you’re a kid out there trying to work your way up and trying to become the musician you want, I definitely found that playing through my major and minor scales every day helped me develop my technique. You have to practice to be able to get where you want.

New Van Halen album on fire, says producer

But Hogarth claims current lineup is “the original band” despite Anthony’s absence – and reveals why he avoided DevilDriver disagreement

---

The new originals? Van Halen with Wolfie, right, instead of Anthony

Van Halen producer Ross Hogarth says the band have completed recording their new album and they’re “at the top of their game.”
But he describes the current lineup – founding members Eddie and Alex Van Halen and David Lee Roth alongside Eddie’s son Wolfie – as the original band.
Many fans eager for news of the outfit’s long-awaited comeback will be disappointed to speculate that bassist Michael Anthony is still being treated like he was never there.
Hogarth tells Ultimate Guitar: “The new Van Halen record has been recorded and we’re all excited. We’ve just started mixing the record.
“it’s the killing side of Van Halen at the top of their game again with Diamond Dave, and the band on fire.
“I’m really stoked about it as it is the original band, Eddie and Alex with Wolfie playing bass and David Lee Roth singing.”
Followers were unhappy after Van Halen had Anthony airbrushed out of album covers for the band’s website. He later replaced the original sleeves; but in 2009 they released their edition of the Guitar Hero game with Wolfie appearing instead of Anthony – playing on songs which had been written and recorded before he’d been born.
Anthony is now playing with Chickenfoot alongside fellow ex-VH member Sammy Hagar.
Meanwhile, Hogarth reveals he’s learned from experience to pick his fights carefully, and that’s why he didn’t kick off with DevilDriver when he was working on their debut album.
He explains: “That record had its highs and lows. We felt all along the bass player was not really going to cut it. Eventually he didn’t and they had to replace him.
“But Dez Fafara was very committed to having him, and because Dez is a very headstrong person I decided to go with the flow instead of fighting it.
“I’ve learned that at times when things are difficult, anything I resist will persist.”

VAN HALEN - ALBUM & SINGLE STILL COMING; WORLD TOUR BEING BOOKED:

Welcome to Monday folks... My last Van Halen update was rumours and gossip, but this time around I have some Van Halen FACTS for you. Well...as factual as anything ever gets in VanHalenLand, delivered by a known and trusted source close to ground zero - who, up until this point hasn't had any info at all, as they are not in the habit of delivering rumours to me. Let's go...

- The new Van Halen studio album has NO release date at this point as it is not yet 100% finished. Yep...they are still working on completing it. John Shanks did his bit and now Ross Hogarth, after working with the band in 2010 is back at 5150 to finish the job. There is a single imminent however, but again a date for that arriving at radio or retail is also not yet firm. I'm told "they" are still working on a final mix for the single.
As for a date for the album - I have said all along my money is on October. I'm sticking to that, but with this info, I'd say late October now. No way will the album drop while the band are in Australia and it is desired to have the album out by November because...
- Van Halen's US tour will commence in NOVEMBER!
- Van Halen's 2011/2012 tour will commence in November and I'm told it is likely that the band will stay on the road thru the next Northern summer (mid-2012) with the tour taking in Asia, South America and Europe (watch for the band to possibly headline some festivals in Europe 2012).

That's it for now folks.....short, but concise. Work continues on this album and a single might appear next month. Tour plans are being locked in for a sizeable world tour starting in Australia in September then re-launching in the US in November.

Speaking of the Australian dates coming up, the guy in charge of the Soundwave Festival here in Oz (A.J.) that Van Halen will headline has voiced some frustration at dealing with the band over these dates. On his Twitter account (twitter.com/#!/iamnotshouting) the following two messages:
- "I must say, for one of the world's biggest bands, Van Halen are surrounded by idiots." and "2 months after announcement still can't get the dates on their site despite daily promises...".

A look back at David Lee Roth’s Solo Career

Six chart topping albums as one of the biggest bands in the world (Van Halen), a messy break-up, and a rumored reunion? This is a different story. Today, a look at the paramedic, talk-radio host, and one of the biggest personalities from eighties rock and roll. This is the story of David Lee Roth, the solo artist years.
The founder of the ‘It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how good you look’ club, solo Diamond Dave begins before his years with Van Halen officially ended, when he released ‘Crazy From The Heat’. Most notably the EP contained two covers, “California Girls” and “Just A Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody”, and both would generate moderate success due to Roth’s humorous videos that included Dave in a fat suit, extremely beautiful women, and either monkeys or little people — or in some cases both.
After the famous split with van Halen Dave teamed up with guitarist Steve Vai, bassist Billy Sheehan, keyboardist Jesse Harms, and drummer Gregg Bissonette for what would be his first initial solo record, ‘Eat’em And Smile’. No one needed a hit more than Diamond Dave, and he didn’t disappoint. The lead single “Yankee Rose” was a rocker accompanied by a video with the famous line: “I’ll take a glazed doughnut and a bottle of anything — to go.” The videos for “Yankee Rose” and “Goin’ Crazy” may be the definitive height of the spandex era thanks to Roth’s numerous costume changes, most incorporating spandex with thongs worn on the outside. ‘Eat’em And Smile’ was a well balanced album with rockers like “Shy Boy” as well as the ‘slow it down and show Dave’s seductive side’ with “Ladies Nite in Buffalo?”. There’s even a cover of Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life”, displaying Roth’s show biz nature, a side only he has been able to portray without coming off too corny, or cheesy, or both. To top it all off Roth appeared on the very first episode of The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers in October of 1986.
It was 1988 when David Lee Roth would release his second full length album titled ‘Skyscraper’. Apparently between albums Dave had done a lot of rock climbing and this became either the inspiration for the album, or just an outlet for Roth to showcase his feat. The album (Brett Tuggle joined on keyboards) was more ‘pop’ than his first, including the hit “Just Like Paradise”, a drive-with-the-top-down radio-friendly ditty with a video showing Dave inside a boxing ring as well as flying through the crowd on top of a surfboard. It was already somewhat clear, but for me, this is the album that solidified the circus act Roth’s performances had become. For many, the act characterized as a circus would symbolize a downfall, but for David Lee Roth this was a positive. However Billy Sheehan split and was replaced by Matt Bissonette on bass during the ‘Skyscraper’ tour while Steve Vai left for Whitesnake shortly after.
It was 1991, the height of glam/hard rock, when David Lee Roth released his third full album ‘A Little Ain’t Enough’. This album featured Todd Jenson on bass with Peter Lewis, Steve Hunter, Joe Holmes, and Jason Becker all contributing guitar on the album and/or supporting tour. This album was far heavier than the previous effort and may be, from the first to last track, Roth’s most magnificent. Starting off with the rocking title track through a made-for-David Lee Roth closer titled “Showtime”, the album delivers heavy guitars with great sounding vocals accompanied by gritty lyrics of sex, power, and more sex.
‘A Little Ain’t Enough’ didn’t generate the sales of his first two albums due to the lack of major ballad (“Sensible Shoes” just didn’t get the ladies wet) and it’s straight-up rock sound, but it did put Roth in that rare group of bands able to put out three consecutive great albums in the glam/hard rock genre. Looking back, ‘Eat’em And Smile’, ‘Skyscraper’, and ‘A Little Ain’t Enough’ hold their own against any three consecutive albums put out by Ozzy Osbourne, Motley Crue and Ratt, and separates from some of the others who were not as consistent with their releases during the late eighties/early nineties.
In 1994, with Ron Wikso on drums, James Hunting on bass, and Terry Kilgore and Rocket Ritchotte on guitar, Roth released ‘Your Filthy Little Mouth’, an album that failed to garner critical and commercial success because in 1994 flannel didn’t match with spandex and thongs — a duet with country star Travis Tritt likely didn’t help either. An album titled ‘DLR Band’ was released in 1998, and featured Mike Hartman, John Lowery, and Steve Hunter playing guitar at various times, B’urbon Bob (aka Bob Marlette) on bass, Ray Luzier on drums, and Patrick Howard on keyboards. This is one of those albums that on paper works with song titles like “Slam Dunk”, “Lose The Dress (Keep The Shoes)”, “King Of The Hill”, “Right Tool For the Job”, and “Weekend With The Babysitter”, but apparently Roth wasn’t that confident as he refused to tour to support the album. In 2003 Roth released ‘Diamond Dave’, a collection of covers that is best not to discuss.
Between albums David Lee Roth took time out for medical training in order to become a paramedic, was a Vegas lounge singer, wrote an autobiography titled ‘Crazy From The Heat’, was elected (as part of Van Halen) into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (he did not show), played with the Boston Pops, hosted a radio show, released some of his paintings and other artwork, and appeared in an episode of The Sopranos where he played in a card game with Tony.
Since the 2007 Van Halen reunion tour there have been rumors of new music coming from the band, the latest gossip has late 2011 as a potential release date. Other projects include Roth’s on-going paintings he has released to the public, a rumored follow-up book titled something along the lines of ‘The Tao Of David Lee Roth’, and we can only hope more random appearances by one of the greatest rock stars of all time.
David Lee Roth is undeniably an original. They broke the mold, and the others that have tried to copy him have been unsuccessful. A true inspiration to many of the eighties top rock stars — there would be no Vince Neil, no Bret Michaels without David Lee Roth — he is the definition of an artist and an entertainer. Sometimes it is unclear which comes first for Diamond Dave, the artist or entertainer — and that’s what makes him fun.
About the Author:
David S. Grant is the author of several books including Rock Stars (Oak Tree Press), Corporate Porn (Silverthought Press), The Last Breakfast (Brown Paper Publishing), and Happy Hour (SynergEbooks). David lives and works in New York City. For more information go to www.rockstarbooks.net follow David S. Grant on Twitter: @david_s_grant.

Sebastian Bach Reveals Full Album Details

 

 

 

Sebastian Bach has announced the full track listing and artwork for his new album, Kicking & Screaming.Due out in late September on Frontiers, it was produced by Bob Marlette and has the following track listing:

1. Kicking & Screaming
2. My Own Worst Enemy
3. Tunnel Vision (featuring John 5 on guitar)
4. Dance On Your Grave
5. Caught In A Dream
6. As Long As I Got The Music
7. I’m Alive
8. Dirty Power
9. Live The Life
10. Dream Forever
11. One Good Reason
12. Lost In The Light
13. Wishin’
The album cover is below.
Find out more at www.sebastianbach.com

Motorhead’s Wurzel dies of heart failure

Guitarist Michael Burston, 61, who joined Lemmy’s band in 1984 and left in 1995, passes away suddenly from long-standing illness

---

Fourth man: Wurzel, left, with Motorhead

Former Motorhead guitarist Wurzel has died of heart failure at the age of 61.
Wurzel, real name Michael Burston, joined Lemmy’s outfit in 1984 and appeared on nine albums before leaving in 1995.
He got his nickname while serving in the British Army as a corporal, when colleagues compared his appearance and character to kids’ TV scarecrow Worzel Gummidge.
He first appeared with the band on No Remorse in 1984, followed by Orgasmatron, Rock’n'Roll, No Sleep At All, The Birthday Party, 1916, March or Die, Bastards then finally Sacrifice in 1995.
When he arrived with fellow recruit Phil Campbell he extended Motorhead’s lineup to four members. Their first public appearance together was on the cult alternative sitcom The Young Ones. After his departure Campbell remained, and with drummer Mikkey Dee makes up the three-piece outfit who have been together since
Frontman Lemmy’s bass tech Tim Butcher says: “RIP Wurzel, a great guitarist and a complete gent. We will miss you. We’ll have a drink for him.”
Wurzel was suffering from cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle which often leads to the organ’s failure.
He was recording an album with his new band Leader of Down before his death.

Drum machines are for pop

Foo Fighter Grohl celebrates his heroes’ “inconsistencies” and slams high-tech studio gear which gets in the way of human interaction

---

No-tech: Dave Grohl

Foo Fighters mainman and ex-Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl says drum machines are alright for pop music – but they have no place in rock’n'roll.
He believes other high-tech gadgets are destroying the feeling of recorded music, and doesn’t think albums should be pixel-perfect.
Grohl says: “All that shit ruins music these days. Drum machines work for pop artists but when it comes to rock’n'roll, don’t fuck with the human element.
“I had favourite drummers because of their inconsistencies – modern production has robbed drummers of personality and it really pisses me off.”
By way of avoiding high-tech pitfalls Grohl and producer Butch Vig recorded the Foos’ recent album Wasting Light in the frontman’s garage, and used analogue tape instead of digital recording.
The tape was then cut into a million pieces and inserted in early copies of the finished album, although Grohl admits the work had been backed up to digital storage before the original recordings were destroyed.

Flea Talks New Red Hot Chili Peppers Album And New Guitarist

7/7/2011 12:48 PM ET

(RTTNews) - With a new album, I'm With You, due out August 30 and a new guitarist, Josh Klinghoffer, in the bands ranks, there are some 'huge differences' between the Red Hot Chili Peppers now and the band that last released Stadium Arcadium in 2006, according to bassist Flea.

"Well there are a few huge differences [between this album and the last]," Flea told Stereogum.com. "The number one difference is John Frusciante left the band, and he was a huge part of our creative process for a long time."
Flea continued that Frusciante leaving the fold almost broke the band up.
"We took two years off from the band during that time he left, and I didn't think I'd want to continue the band without him. A big difference is having Josh Klinghoffer as our guitar player, because he's a much different guitar player than John."
He went on to tell what people can expect of the new lineup: "We still sound like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but it's really a lot different."

Van Halen Voted “#1 American Rock Band of All Time” in Gibson.com’s READERS POLL

Tuesday, 5 July 2011

Over the July 4th Weekend, Gibson.com’s editorial and writing staff voted Van Halen the #6 American Band of All Time.
But when the PUBLIC spoke in their READER’S POLL, VAN HALEN topped ALL other bands! The people have spoken!


From Gibson.com:
Gibson.com Readers Poll – Top 25 American Rock Bands
The readers picked many of the same bands that made the final list – although certainly not in the same order – with Van Halen coming out on top. They made cases for higher placements for CCR, Wilco and Mountain and showed love for a few bands that missed out on the final tally, including Poco, Steppenwolf and Alice in Chains.

1. Van Halen

2. Guns N’ Roses
3. Allman Brothers Band
4. Creedence Clearwater Revival
5. Aerosmith
6. Wilco
7. Mountain
8. Poco
9. The Replacements
10. The Byrds
11. ZZ Top
12. Grateful Dead
13. KISS
14. The Ramones
15. The Doors
16. The White Stripes
17. Metallica
18. Nirvana
19. Steppenwolf
20. Talking Heads
21. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
22. Buffalo Springfield
23. Alice in Chains
24. Cracker
25. Foo Fighters

Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of David Lee Roth’s ‘Eat ‘Em and Smile’

Thursday, 7 July 2011

From UltimateClassicRock.com:
David Lee Roth, ‘Eat ‘Em and Smile’ – Classic Album Review

by: Matthew Wilkening

.

Twenty-five years ago today, on July 7, 1986, David Lee Roth released his first full-length solo album, ‘Eat ‘Em and Smile.’ For a brief moment, it seemed possible he would capture the “King of Hard Rock” title all for himself after a nearly a decade sharing that crown with his former bandmates in Van Halen.

After Roth was, depending on who’s talking and what day it is, fired from or quit Van Halen following the world tour for their massive hit album ’1984,’ some people may have assumed that guitar pioneer Eddie Van Halen, his drummer-extraordinaire brother Alex, and bassist Michael Anthony would leave the singer in the dust creatively, particularly after hiring talented and charismatic solo star Sammy Hagar to take his place.
The massive success of the new Van Halen’s ’5150? album, released four months prior, had to give even the unnaturally cocky Roth a moment of pause.
Or so you’d think.
Fact is, “Diamond” Dave had already assembled his own all-star rock band, featuring not just former Frank Zappa guitar whiz Steve Vai, but an equally dexterous and dynamic bass player, Billy Sheehan, as well as drum prodigy Gregg Bissonette. Clearly, Roth had decided not to deliver another pop-history nostalgia trip along the lines of his 1985 ‘Crazy from the Heat’ EP, which produced a pair of massive radio and MTV video hits with ‘California Girls’ and ‘Just A Gigolo,’ in addition to most likely accelerating his exit from Van Halen.
Thankfully, instead of going the lounge-music route, or following the path laid out by the massive, keyboard-heavy hits from ’1984,’ as his former mates did with hits like ‘Dreams’ and ‘Why Can’t This Be Love,’ Roth primarily stuck to swaggering, four-piece rock ‘n’ roll throughout ‘Eat ‘Em and Smile.’
First single and lead track ‘Yankee Rose’ finds Vai employing a trick even Eddie had never recorded before, literally talking with Roth via guitar as our hero dismisses the months of media gossip regarding the VH split (“Guess who’s back in circulation / Well, I don’t know what you may have heard…”) and focuses on admiring a woman walking down the street minding her own business. Another glove is thrown in the direction of his former bandmates later on, when Sheehan’s thunderous bass is introduced as a truly equal partner during the song’s instrumental climax.
The spinning, dizzying, dual-fretboard gymnastics of ‘Shyboy,’ a hard-charging cover of a song from Sheehan’s former band Talas, solidify the band’s rock “bona fides” before they take a quick dip into retro-’Heat’ territory with ‘I’m Easy.’ Gratefully, this group can’t help but approach the material with a more aggressive bite then the all-star session players featured on Roth’s previous solo effort.
Side one closes out with perhaps the most sophisticated, tasteful song Roth has ever recorded, the jazzy, smoldering and humorous late night travel journal ‘Ladies Night in Buffalo?,’ and then, arguably the album’s weakest track, second single ‘Goin’ Crazy,’ ironically dominated by Hagar’s former keyboard player Jesse Harms.
The first four of the five tracks on side two are so well linked, sequenced and spaced that they could be nearly be considered Roth’s own ‘Abbey Road’ medley. First up is a turbo-charged take on the soulful rock standard ‘Tobacco Road,’ featuring a particularly strong and impassioned lead vocal performance, particularly for a guy who’s at least partially famous for forgetting the words to his biggest hits in concert.
The already-upbeat pace doubles with the quick-witted ‘Elephant Gun,’ then it’s onto the magnificent ‘Big Trouble,’ which revs and slightly dirties up the jazzy strut of ‘Buffalo’ while at the same time setting David free on a stream-of-consciousness lyrical journey the likes of which hasn’t been seen since AC/DC’s ‘What’s Next to the Moon:’
“And off they drove / Late night still life / Paper moon shining brilliantly / And Cherry thinks that’s cool / Cause any moon or mouse says he’s a friend of hers / And this one will do just fine / So what do you say we go looking?”

Van Halen Update 7/6/11

Wednesday, 6 July 2011

Not much new here, but here’s a quick update on the new Van Halen album. Some new rumors have surfaced since our last update, but we are hearing that most of them are not true. Here’s what we know as of now:
Album Release Date: We are hearing it is tentatively September or October, 2011.
First Single Release Date: Unknown.
Album Title / Song Titles: Unknown. (We hear that the rumored titles, “Hurricanes”, “Stop Talking” etc. are NOT real song titles).
Album Cover: Unknown. (There’s a rumor that the artwork will feature a brown M&M, emblazoned with the VH logo. We are hearing that this is NOT the artwork that will be used for the CD).
Producer: The vocals were produced by John Shanks. The music was produced by John Shanks and possibly also Eddie Van Halen.
Engineer: Ross Hogarth, who is back on board after being off the project for some time. He recently described the unreleased record as “the killing side of Van Halen at the top of their game again with Diamond Dave.”.
Tour: Their will definitely not be any tourdates before the 5 announced Australian dates from Sept 24th through Oct. 3rd. There are no other rumored dates at this point.
We’re excited to hear Mark Tremonti claim that new music sounds like “old school Van Halen”, and of course the recent “Get Ready” message from Diamond Dave is further heightening our unbridled anticipation! Stay tuned to VHND.com.

YouTube saved Journey

Co-founder Rolie says hiring fan as singer was smart move as mainman Schon says they won’t mark Escape anniversary… yet

---

Smart move: Gregg Rolie

Journey mainman Neal Schon made his smartest move ever when he hired fan Arnel Pineda to front the band, says former member Gregg Rolie.
Filipino Pineda got the job in 2007 after Schon saw YouTube videos of him performing the band’s songs in the style of classic-era singer Steve Perry.
And Rolie, who co-founded the band with Schon but left in 1980 just before Perry took them to new heights, says their latest move couldn’t have worked out better.
He tells Artisan News: “I like Arnel – I met the guy and he’s a great guy.
“They got the chance to change his life and his family’s life. If you’ve been to the Philippines you’d know what I’m saying: it’s amazingly poor.
“It’s the smartest thing Neal ever did, finding him on YouTube and making a story out of it. I’m glad for him and I’m glad for the band – it’s a whole resurgence for Journey.”
Rolie is currently promoting his new acoustic EP, Five Days, which he recorded in his living room with his son as producer. Meanwhile, Journey are touring latest album Eclipse, which has brought new acclaim for its different approach to the band’s classic sound and the power of Pineda’s vocals.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of landmark Journey album Escape, which propelled them into the major leagues with hit tracks Don’t Stop Believin’, Open Arms and Who’s Crying Now.
But Schon says fans shouldn’t expect to hear them performing the LP live in full – not yet anyway.
He tells Pulse of Radio: “Sure, we could do that at some point, but it’s not going to happen this year or next. We’re here to support our new record, and play bits and pieces from Escape and all the other records.”

WHITESNAKE LIVE - IN THE CHARTS AND ON VINYL:

Whitesnake Live at Donington 1990, released worldwide on Frontiers Records, entered in the CD edition at # 32 in the German official sales charts with excellent Top 100 entries in the UK, Italy and Sweden on the week of release. The DVD edition topped at # 11 in the USA top DVD Music Video Charts and at # 14 in Italy.
The album is now available in Europe also in a limited edition 3LP vinyl edition with the following tracklisting:
LP1: Side A: Slip Of The Tongue; Slide It In; Judgement Day - Side B: Slow An Easy; Kitten's Got Claws. LP2: Side A: Adagio For Strato; Flying Dutchman Boogie; Is This Love; Cheap An' Nasty - Side B: Crying In The Rain (Featuring Tommy Aldridge Drum Solo); Fool For Your Loving. LP3: Side A: For The Love Of God; The Audience Is Listening; Here I Go Again; Bad Boys - Side B: Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City; Still Of The Night.
In North America the release is scheduled for August 23rd.
You can enjoy a visual presentation of this lavishly packaged 3LP set following the link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBGTPUGzZFk.

Leppards don’t change their spots

Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell says the revolving door policy in some of his previous bands will never happen in Leppard

Reported by Cameron Pirie

Published: July 6, 2011. © Rock AAA.

Vivian Campbell (photo by Steve Brinkman)

Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell says that the band’s longevity is down to a mix of stability and genuine friendship.
Speaking with Postcrescent.com ahead of their appearance at the Milwaukee Summerfest, Campbell was open about his experiences in previous bands where line-up changes were more frequent than Fridays, making Def Leppard a different proposition to what he experienced in his time with Dio and Whitesnake in particular. He said:
“Primarily, Def Leppard really is a band. It’s five guys and we’re not a revolving door of musicians, which those other bands are.
“Whitesnake especially — I mean, has anyone actually counted how many musicians have been through Whitesnake? (laughs) I know it’s over 50.
“It’s ridiculous, and even Dio, like after I left Dio, there were several other guitar players, a couple other drummers, quite a few bass players (and) a couple of keyboard players.
“Def Leppard, if Steve Clark were alive, he’d still be in the band today. Def Leppard is not the kind of band that just goes out and swaps members.
“It also has a much higher standard than other bands I’ve been involved with. When it comes to songwriting, good isn’t good enough, it has to be great. The band is notoriously meticulous in the studio, and even going to our live performance, we take what we do very, very seriously, so there’s a very high standard of work that goes into the band. We show up sober and on time and do our job.”
Campbell also suggested that it takes more than just talent for a band to continue to be successful for the length of time Leppard have been at the top of the rock tree. Speaking about the advice he might offer to young musicians he said:
“There’s a certain level of talent, but I think more importantly when young musicians ask me for advice like, how do you do it? How do you make it in the music business? One of the first things I would always say is that you’ve gotta remember that as with any other job, you’re interacting with people.
“So work on your people skills as much as your guitar chops because a lot of great guitar players are just real (expletive), so you don’t wanna work with them (laughs).
“That’s one thing I can’t say about Def Leppard; we genuinely do like each other. We get along. It’s not like we go out camping all day together and wear matching pajamas, but we can tolerate each other’s company and have enough respect for each other as human beings to work together and keep it together.
“So many other bands, frankly, they (expletive) hate each other. They have separate dressing rooms, stay in separate hotels and it’s painful for them to come onstage and pretend like they like each other. It’s not an act for us.”
Def Leppard are currently on a North American tour with Heart which runs until September 15 before the band head for Japan in November

Aerosmith Back in the Studio

Bryan Wawzenek

|

07.08.2011

Aerosmith have announced that they've gone into the studio to record a new album of original material. Drummer Joey Kramer tweeted about the first day, calling it "inspiring." He also wrote: "No words can describe how inspired I'm feeling in the studio right now. It's a beautiful thing."
Kramer tweeted a picture of him working with Jack Douglas, who will produce the band's 14th studio album. In a video update on Aerosmith's official site(Aerosmith.com), bass player Tom Hamilton talked about the collaboration with Douglas.
"For those of you who don't know who Jack is, he's the guy who we worked with, producing our best albums of the '70s – Get Your Wings, Toys in the Attic and Rocks. And it's really gonna be cool, because there's no one that knows more about the soul of this band and the creative part of this band [than] Jack. We worked with him on [2004's covers CD] Honkin' on Bobo, but that wasn't all original material… This time it's gonna be all-new Aerosmith songs."
The as-yet-untitled album will be the band's first of new material since 2001's Just Push Play.

Unreleased Van Halen Song Now Online

Unreleased Van Halen Song Now Online

07/08/2011
. We end what has turned out to be a heavy Van Halen news week with this big news for fans, some new rarities have gone online! Earlier this year, we told you that Chris Gossett had posted his massive Van Halen rarities and live collection online, which has now grown to 101 song videos including a complete concert from 1978. Three of new editions are indeed rare including one previously unreleased, unheard original song. Here is what Chris had to say about these additions along with links to check them out.
I have recently added another rare song - a nearly unheard, original, unreleased song from Van Halen called "Goodbye To Jane" in a long, complete version. Previously I released the only YouTube video of it as part of a medley. Check it out here

"Voodoo Queen" LIVE, from 1977. As far as I know it's unable to be found. I got it five years ago. Its enhanced audio made to sound twice as good as the original song file. Listen here
Also, here is another demo that never had the live version on the internet - Babe Don't Leave Me Alone (live) again, with enhanced audio. Listen hereWhat was 75 song videos is now 101 song videos total! Also I added an entire 1978 Tokyo Van Halen show from number 91-100 here.

VIDEO: Lita Ford joins Poison in Florida

VIDEO: Lita Ford joins Poison in Florida

Poison were joined by special guest Lita Ford during their set Tuesday night in Hollywood, Florida.

The Seminole Hard Rock show was part of the Mötley Crüe /Poison/New York Dolls tour, which is currently winding its way through the southern US.

Ford joined the band for their classic, “Nothin' But A Good Time," as the band rocks its way across North America in celebration of their 25th Anniversary.

Ford is reportedly working on a comeback album due for release sometime later this year.

Poison

Poison – Talk Dirty To Me / Nothin’ But A Good Time
With guest Lita Ford on “Nothin’”
Seminole Hard Rock - Hollywood, FL – July 5, 2011

DEF LEPPARD To Reschedule Cincinnati Date Due To Family Illness

Rock Hard

Posted on Wednesday, July 06, 2011 at 16:30:21 EST

DEF LEPPARD announced today that their upcoming performance at Cincinnati, OH’s Riverbend Music Center on July 7th will be rescheduled due to a family illness. The concert date, with special guests HEART, will now take place on July 27th.

"Def Leppard regrets the inconvenience and looks forward to returning to the Riverbend Music Center in several weeks."

Tickets purchased for the July 7th date will be honored for the new date.



Def Leppard's new live album, Mirror Ball (Live & More), is available exclusively at Walmart and Sam's Club locations in the United States and Canada. The triple disc package features two CDs and a 50 minute DVD containing live performances and intimate backstage footage of the band captured on the road. The album also brings together three brand new studio tracks - 'Undefeated', 'Kings Of The World' and 'It's All About Believin'.

Buy Your Metal Here