Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Today's Day In Rock News!
Today's Day in Rock Stories
Guns N' Roses Reunion Is Really Lame Says Def Leppard Guitarist 2016 In Review
Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen made headlines in February when he shared his view of the reunion between Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan and Collen does not appear impressed with the Guns N' Roses reunion or their original split back in the day.
"We obviously think it's really f****** lame," Collen tells The Telegraph. "I love Guns N' Roses, I think they're really cool, I'd love to see Slash and Axl and Duff play together, that's great. But I think it's f****** lame considering we've been hardcore. Our integrity's still intact, we've never split up. We've gone through if someone had a little sniffle or something, we soldier on.
"Someone dies, someone loses an arm, someone gets cancer, we soldier on. With Guns N' Roses, if someone has a little barney backstage, they can't deal with each other. I know it's difficult, but I do think it's pretty lame when you compare anyone else to us." Read the original report here.
David Lee Roth Shoots Down Van Halen Break Up Speculation 2016 In Review
David Lee Roth's management has struck down online speculation back in February that a new song that he revealed via his online video series The Roth Show has anything to do with Van Halen and him leaving the reunited group.
Roth recently returned with the online show and a new episode features a somber song called "Ain't No Christmas." The lyrics and the mood of the song led some to question if he was singing about parting ways with Eddie Van Halen and the band.
One person that saw that possible correlation was Van Halen Rising author Greg Renoff who wrote on his blog, "Roth's vocal performance here is mournful and somber. His lyrics express feelings of bitterness and regret," Renoff wrote. "My take is that the lyrics provide a commentary on Roth's recent months with Van Halen and perhaps a window into the future of Van Halen." He then posed the question "Is Roth singing about a lost love? Or is he speaking about Edward?"
The Van Halen News Desk, the leading online source for news and information about the band, reached out to Roth's management to get to the bottom of the speculation. The frontman's reps told the site, "It's poetry. It has nothing to do with Van Halen." Read the original report here.
Deep Purple Refused Rock Hall Reunion With Ritchie Blackmore 2016 In Review(hennemusic)
Deep Purple Refused Rock Hall Reunion With Ritchie Blackmore was a top 16 story of 2016. The band refused to perform with the founding guitarist at the band's April 8 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. After a pair of acrimonious splits in the 70s and 90s, Deep Purple will not turn the clock back to reconnect with one of their founding members.
"We were faced with a hard decision when we heard about the Hall Of Fame inductions," explains singer Ian Gillan. "It was a surprise to us that [current members] Steve Morse and Don Airey did not qualify as inductees.
"Ian Gillan, Ian Paice and Roger Glover decided upon the offer of a compromise which has been agreed with the Hall Of Fame and enables us to turn up on the night. Deep Purple inductees will accept the awards and then the living breathing Deep Purple will perform.
"It should be stressed that there is no slight intended nor any desire to upset anyone regarding this decision; it is purely a mark of respect to Steve and Don. I spoke with David Coverdale last week and he expressed complete understanding of the way it was being handled. Thanks, David. You're a gent.
Outside of this event, there are no circumstances under which a 'reunion' could or would take place. So, let's all get up there, shake hands, smile for the cameras and get it done with dignity and respect for all the existing and past members of a very special family."
Blackmore's camp issued a response to the news by informing fans via social media. "Ritchie was honored by the offer of induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame," read the official statement. "He was discussing the possibility of attending, until we received correspondence from the President of the Rock Hall of Fame, who said that Bruce Payne, management for the current Deep Purple Touring Band, had said "No"..........!!!!!" Therefore Ritchie will not be attending the ceremony. He sincerely thanks all the fans that voted for him for their support." The Rock Hall also addressed the claim that Blackmore was "banned" from the ceremony. Read their comments here.
Corey Taylor Might 'Step Away' From Slipknot At Some Point 2016 In Review(Metal Hammer)
Corey Taylor made news in February when he stated that it is possible he could quit Slipknot one day - because he might not have the energy required to keep fronting the band. And he admits he's only begun to consider the possibility after realizing that he's "not young any more."
Taylor tells BBC Radio 1's Daniel P Carter: "If you'd asked me a year ago I would have said 'no.' But just now, I'm just starting to… I'm 42. And as willing as my will is, I'm just beat up, man. I might as well be 60 in Slipknot years."
But he doesn't think he'd ever fully retire. "I might step away from Slipknot at some point, just because the way the music is, that energy, I don't know if I could do that into my 50s.
"I would never want the band to feel like I was holding them back because I couldn't physically do it. I wouldn't completely quit music - I'd probably just step away from Slipknot." Read the original report here.
The Doors Reunite For Ray Manzarek Tribute Event 2016 In Review(hennemusic)
Surviving members of The Doors - guitarist Robbie Kreiger and drummer John Densmore - reunited in Los Angles on February 12 for a performance tribute to their late bandmate Ray Manzarek and several videos from the show have been posted online.
Billed as "A Celebration For Ray Manzarek", the show at the Fonda Theatre took place on what would have been the keyboardist's 77th birthday; he passed away from bile duct cancer in Rosenheim, Germany in 2013 at the age of 74.
With all proceeds from the event going to benefit Stand Up To Cancer, Friday's concert saw Krieger and Densmore joined by a cast of guests including Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters, Warren Haynes of Gov't Mule, Exene Cervenka and John Doe of X, Annika Rose of Breaking 27, Rami Jaffee, Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots, Krieger's son Wayne, and Jane's Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins, among others.
Lead vocals were shared among several artists throughout the show, including: Hawkins on "Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)" and "Love Me Two Times", Haynes on "When The Music's Over", Krieger's son Wayne on "Break On Through (To The Other Side)", Doe on "Riders On The Storm", and a shared ensemble vocal on the night's finale "Light My Fire."
"A Celebration For Ray Manzarek" marked the first time Krieger and Densmore shared the stage together in over 15 years. Check out the videos from the show here.
David Bowie Turned Down Dave Grohl Collaboration 2016 In Review(Radio.com)
Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl had a top 16 story of Feb 16 after he revealed in a interview segment for Playboy that he approached David Bowie to join a film song project he worked on in the 90s, but the legendary star politely turned him down.
Bowie declined--stating after he watch the film, that is was not "his thing." Grohl remembered a night around 1997 when he played a 50th birthday celebration for Bowie at Madison Square Garden.
"About two years ago, I got approached by this movie to do a song for the movie, so I thought, 'Maybe I'll have someone else sing, I'll do the music and then have another vocalist.' And then I thought, "Maybe I'll ask and see if David would want to do it.'
"So the next day I get an email and it says, 'David, I watched the movie and I got to be honest, it's not my thing.' He said, 'I'm not made for these times.'" Watch the video segment to find out the funny way Bowie signed off on the conversation here.
Eagles Of Death Metal Return To The Stage In Paris 2016 In Review(Classic Rock)
Eagles Of Death Metal Return To The Stage In Paris was a top 16 story from Feb 2016: Jesse Hughes lead the Eagles Of Death Metal through an emotional but triumphant concert in Paris, and told the crowd: "You're stuck with me - I'm a Parisian now."
The concert, in the city's Olympia venue, was the band's first full-length show in France since the terror attack during their performance at the Bataclan in November, during which 89 people were shot dead.
Hughes had vowed to "finish the show" before it took place, but he admitted: "I don't want to fall to pieces in front of everyone. It's overwhelming. I just don't want to let anyone down."
EODM were joined on stage by co-founder Josh Homme, who hadn't been present in November. The band opened with I Only Want You, then stopped partway through for a moment of silence. They didn't perform Kiss The Devil, the track they'd just completed when the Bataclan massacre began.
Hughes, who spent much of the night blowing kisses to members of the audience, said at one point: "Let's make a deal - this is an emotional moment for me. So if I f*** this song up, ain't no one going to get mad at me." He used a guitar painted with the French tricolour for some of the show, and also held up a shirt that read "I really wannabe in Paris." Read more and see photos and video from the show here.
Ex-Nightwish Singer Anette Olzon Violently Attacked 2016 In Review(Prog)
Ex-Nightwish Singer Anette Olzon Violently Attacked was a top 16 story of 2016. The Former Nightwish star was taken to hospital after being attacked by a woman near her home in Sweden, she's reported. And she says the situation could have been worse than it was if passers-by hadn't stopped to help her.
Posting a picture of her head injuries, Olzon says: "I got beaten down and robbed by a junkie on my way home from my car. She hit me hard and I fell onto the stony street on my head. I'm shaken and bruised.
"The worst thing of all was that were were two adul men standing feet away, watching me get beaten, doing nothing. Thank God a girl ran after, and finally two real men took the junkie down. She is now with the police."
She adds: "Drugs people are really dangerous. Please be careful out there." See her post including the photo here.
Two Jefferson Airplane Stars Died On Same Day 2016 In Review(hennemusic)
The death of original Jefferson Airplane vocalist Signe Anderson was a top 16 story for Feb 2016. Anderson died Jan. 28 at the age of 74 - the same day bandmate and guitarist Paul Kanter passed away.
"One sweet Lady has passed on," wrote Jefferson Airplane co-founder Marty Balin on Facebook. "I imagine that she and Paul woke up in heaven and said 'Hey what are you doing here? Let's start a band.'"
"She was a real sweetheart with a terrific contralto voice coming from a solid folk background," posted Airplane bassist Jack Casady on Facebook. "Listen to how she made the three part harmonies of 'JA Takes Off' (first album) sound so thick … her wonderful tone between Paul's and Marty's."
"Signe was one of the strongest people I have ever met," wrote Airplane lead guitarist Jorma Kaukonen on his blog. "She was our den mother in the early days of the Airplane … a voice of reason on more occasions than one … an important member of our dysfunctional little family." Read more here.
Black Sabbath's Disturbing Inspiration Recalled By Geezer 2016 In Review(Classic Rock)
Black Sabbath's Disturbing Inspiration Recalled was a top 16 story from Feb 2016: Geezer Butler has recalled seeing the apparition that inspired Black Sabbath's name and signature song - and he says it's one of the last disturbing visions he ever saw.
He woke up in bed one night in 1969 to see an indefinable creature at the foot of his bed, and later recounted the experience to bandmates Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward about it.
Butler says in a new interview: "I woke up in a dream world and there was this black thing, staring at me. It just lasted a second, but it freaked me out. I told Ozzy, Tony and Bill about it - it was pretty scary at the time. I think that's what inspired Ozzy to come up with the lyrics that open the song: 'What is this thing that stands before me?'"
Osbourne says: "When I sang that song the line just came out of nowhere. It was born, not written." Butler continues: "As I child I always had a lot of psychic experiences. That was one of the very last ones I had. That was before I did drugs - maybe doing drugs killed that part of my brain." Read more here.
Jimmy Page Defends Himself In 'Stairway To Heaven' Lawsuit 2016 In Review(Classic Rock)
Led Zeppelin dominated the news in 2016 with the Stairway To Heaven trial. A top 16 story from Feb was about guitarist Jimmy Page defending himself against the claim that he based Stairway To Heaven on Spirit track Taurus by saying he first heard the other band's piece in 2014.
And although he's admitted to finding a copy of the 1968 record in his collection, he insists that he'd never listened to it. Spirit released Taurus three years before Led Zep launched Stairway, after the bands had toured the US together. Spirit bassist Mark Andes launched legal action two years ago, saying he wanted recognition for the work of late guitarist Randy California.
Page said in a California court declaration last week: "Prior to hearing a recording of Taurus in 2014 in connection with this matter, I have never heard Taurus or even heard of it. I am very good at remembering music and am absolutely certain that I never heard Taurus' until 2014."
He admitted to having a copy of the record, but added: "I had not previously seen it in my collection and do not know how or when it got there. It may well have been left by a guest. I doubt it was there for long, since I never noticed it before. But, again, I know I did not hear Taurus until 2014." Read more here.
Metallica Expanded Kill 'Em All and Ride The Lightning For Reissue 2016 In Review
Metallica had a top 16 story of Feb. 2016 when they revealed that fans helped them expand their first two album "Kill 'Em All" and "Ride The Lightning" for reissues that are set to be released on April 15th in CD, vinyl and limited edition deluxe box sets.
The band revealed the following details about the special reissues of the landmark albums, "A while back you may remember that we reached out to you for a little help as we began putting together reissues of both Kill 'Em All and Ride the Lightning. We are psyched to announce that the releases you've been helping us assemble will finally be hitting the streets on Friday, April 15 just in time for Record Store Day!
"Both albums have been remastered for the most advanced sound quality possible and will be available in three formats - CD, vinyl and a deluxe box set. The deluxe box sets include original source material from the band's personal collection with many never before heard or seen recordings along with books including rare photos and essays from those who were there." Read more here.
KISS Star Gene Simmons Grants Dying Teen's Final Wish 2016 In Review(Classic Rock)
KISS icon Gene Simmons had a top 16 story in February 2016 after it was learned that he granted a dying teenager's wish by visiting him in his hospital bed. The bassist and singer spent time with 17-year-old Dilan Kohn at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at the Children's Hospital of Nevada in Las Vegas. Dilan died a few days after Simmons' visit, but staff have thanked him for making the youngster's dream come true.
A statement from staff at University Medical Center, where the Children's Hospital is based, says: "Last week, one of our patients, Dilan Kohn, got his final wish. The critically ill 17-year-old desperately wanted to meet and hang out with the rock'n'roll musician, Gene Simmons, from the band Kiss.
"Mr Simmons had not only been Dilan's idol, but also his inspiration growing up. Mr Simmons was sent an email request last Thursday afternoon and flew into Vegas the next morning. He showed up with a big bag full of signed memorabilia just for Dilan.
"The two hung out, shared stories and laughed together for well over an hour while staff looked on with tears in their eyes. Thank you Mr. Simmons for making this wish come true just in time.
"Unfortunately Dilan passed away peacefully a couple days later." See the online post along with photos here.
Santana Calls Out NFL Over Lip Synced Super Bowl Halftime Show 2016 In Review(hennemusic)
Carlos Santana made headlines in Feb when he challenged the NFL to feature live music performances during the Super Bowl halftime show after six straight years of pop music acts accompanied by accusations of lip syncing.
The guitar icon - who was featured momentarily during Sunday's Super Bowl 50 broadcast - took to Facebook to thank the companies for his inclusion before suggesting a local Bay Area lineup could have delivered "real live" entertainment for fans on site and tuned in around the world.
"Dear NFL/CBS, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you both for including me as a part of your Super Bowl entertainment," Santana writes. "I do feel compelled to point out to you that the Halftime Show should have included some of the local iconic bands that the World would have loved to see perform. Bands like Metallica, Steve Miller, Journey and yours truly. We would have rocked the Half Time Show and done the SF Bay Area proud.
"This is just an invitation for you to consider iconic bands as part of your Half Time entertainment. Real live music, real live vocals, and give the audience real live chills."
"Thank You Carlos," added Journey, who shared the guitarist's note on their own Facebook page, "and yes we would have all Rocked it!" Read more here.
Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson To The Rescue 2016 In Review(Classic Rock)
Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson earned a top 16 story of 2016 by coming to the rescue of an endangered turtle after it washed up on a beach in Jersey with a broken shell and a nasty infection.
Dickinson's personal Eclipse jet flew Terri the turtle from the New Era Veterinary Hospital on the largest of the Channel Islands to a sanctuary in the Canaries after a crowdfunding campaign raised more than £6500 for the cause.
The jet proved a much cheaper alternative than the £22,000 originally needed to fly Terri to rehab. New Era Veterinary Hospital says: "Terri the turtle is doing well in Gran Canaria, is eating more and will hopefully be strong enough to be released in the next few weeks. We couldn't have got her to this point with a massive amount of help from everyone and for that we are so very grateful." Read more here.
Anthrax Hit With Lawsuit Over Ugly Sweater 2016 In Review(Classic Rock)
Anthrax had a top 16 story of Feb 2016 when it was revealed that they were hit with a $1 million copyright infringement lawsuit over the band's Ugly Hanukkah Sweater. Detroit artist Aaron Cummins claims he created the original design for the seasonal product in 2012, filed copyright papers on it in 2013, and has been selling it through his company Wet House.
Anthrax launched a limited edition of their Ugly Hanukkah Sweater last November through online retailer Rockabilia.com, who are also being sued. Frankie Blydenburgh, a Minnesota-based buyer for Rockabilia.com, tells the Detroit Free Press:
"This is the first I've heard that there's any issue with it. It's up to the merchandising companies we buy from to get the items cleared and make sure there's no copyright issues."
Blydenburgh adds Rockabilia bought the Anthrax Hanukkah sweatshirts from a company called Global Merchandising Services, which is also a defendant in the Detroit lawsuit. Read more and see the sweater
Friday, December 23, 2016
Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!
Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!: Today's Day in Rock Stories Phil Anselmo Says He Was Sexually Abused As A Child Former Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo says in a new ...
Today's Day In Rock News!
Today's Day in Rock Stories
Phil Anselmo Says He Was Sexually Abused As A Child
Former Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo says in a new interview that he was the victim of sexual abuse during his entire childhood from "numerous people, both men and women".
Anselmo made the revelation while speaking to Rolling Stone about his controversial outburst at the Dimbash event in Hollywood back in January.
"This is sh*t I've never f***ing opened up about until now," he told the publication. "But when people constantly talk about being a victim or something, there are going to be certain points where I have to step back and go, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa.'
"Especially when people shout and scream about us living in a rape culture and men are this evil product. ... Guess who was molested his entire child-f***ing-hood by numerous people, both men and women. ... " He pauses, and then reveals, "Me." here.
Nickelback Insulted By Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg
The Nickelback hate train rolls on with the latest insult to the melodically driven-rock group coming in a new video published by Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Zuckerberg took aim at the often derided Canadian band in a new video that he posted to demonstrate his work in-progress artificial intelligence system called Jarvis.
In the clip, which can be seen here, Zuckerberg asks the program to "play us some good Nickelback songs" only to be answered with "I'm sorry Mark, I'm afraid I can't do that." Jarvis continues, "There are no good Nickelback songs." The controversial social media figure then says "Good! That was actually a test." Read more here.
Nine Inch Nails Stream New Song 'Burning Bright (Field on Fire)'(Radio.com)
As promised, Nine Inch Nails have returned, and they're in blazing form on the new song "Burning Bright (Field on Fire)." The track comes from the band's new EP Not the Actual Events, which comes out today (Dec. 23).
The song opens with a deep, brooding melodic line that anchors the rest of the music. As it progresses, guitar noise, industrial percussion and chaotic sound effects swarm through the mix as frontman Trent Reznor rants.
Then, the volume level drops and Reznor sings the chorus, "Break through the surface and breathe." As the song draws to a conclusion, he intones "I am forgiven, I am free, I am a field on fire" over and over. Read more and stream the song here.
AC/DC Dominated Rock Music News In 2016(hennemusic)
AC/DC swept top honors in the 2016 hennemusic Rock News Awards, captured the titles of Rock News Artist Of The Year and Rock News Story Of The Year, the daily rock music news site announced Thursday.
The Australian-based rockers made headlines during a tumultuous 2016 that saw the band lose longtime singer Brian Johnson over hearing loss issues, only to have Axl Rose step in for the remaining European and US dates on the Rock Or Bust world tour.
AC/DC were the most read-about artist in both hennemusic categories, which are determined by music fans: numbers are based on the combined total page views of the top 50 hennemusic rock news stories of the past twelve months.
In the tradition of the weekly hennemusic Hot 10, the Top 10 in both categories were counted down over the past two weeks. "AC/DC were a priority for hennemusic readers throughout the year," says Bruce Henne. "The ongoing drama with lineup changes - especially the addition of Axl Rose in place of Brian Johnson - was palpable as the group landed four of the top 10 rock news stories of 2016, while their future remains a mystery."
Previous hennemusic Rock News Awards honorees include Van Halen, Pearl Jam, KISS, Guns N' Roses and Jimmy Page. See the Top 10 lists here.
Aerosmith Farwell Tour May Not Be The End For The Band(hennemusic)
Steven Tyler has expressed his doubt that Aerosmith's upcoming farewell tour, "Aero-Vederci Baby!", will really be a farewell for the band, in a new interview with Billboard.
The Boston rockers recently announced the first series of dates for the farewell run, with European shows starting May 17 in Tel Aviv, Israel. "The European tour is booked, locked and cocked and that's ready for next summer. And then we're coming back and we're doing the rest of the world," explains Tyler.
"Farewell? I'm not sure, but truth is, who knows how long we'll be touring as the original band? I don't think that needs to be said, I think that we're all freak of natures and Joe and I were talking on the phone yesterday and he said to me, 'We have no right being as healthy as we are after what we've been through.'
"Whether it's through the abuses of being on tour for 40 years or the abuses of substances or the abuses of life on life's terms, there's been a lot of abuse. But we're both looking pretty damn good for what's going on."
Tyler spent much of the past year and half recording and touring behind his solo debut, "We're All Somebody From Somewhere", which gave him some new perspective on things.
"Aerosmith is something else you'll never see again," he says. "We all love each other, five of us are still alive, every one of us is still playing better than ever - and I'm not just saying that because we just came off a South American tour. Yes, we have ups and downs. But one of the things I'm learning in life is that being away from each other is sometimes the healthiest thing we can do. You know? I dare to say that being away from each other may have saved a few marriages on this planet." Read more here.
Lars Ulrich Reads 'The Dinosaur That Pooped Christmas'(Radio.com)
Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich stopped by the BBC studios for a bit of holiday ribaldry, reading The Dinosaur That Pooped Christmas aloud for fans around the world.
He brought Metallica's characteristic quiet introspection to the subtle tale of a dinosaur who devours a boy's home and family, only for it to pass through his digestive system. In the tradition of Dickens and Dr. Seuss, this holiday yarn is best enjoyed in the company of young people who still believe.
The story was written by McFly's Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter, and uses sophisticated poetic devices like internal rhyme: 'So big Santy C said, 'I'll leave a present, but this year his present might just be unpleasant.'" Read more here.
American Hi-Fi and MxPx's Mike Herrera Stream Christmas Song
American Hi-Fi have announced that they have teamed up with MxPx's Mike Herrera for new a punk inspired rendition of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)", which is now streaming online.
American Hi-Fi frontman Stacy Jones had the following to say about the collaboration, "I've always been a fan of MxPx. I did Mike's podcast a few weeks ago and afterwards we discussed collaborating on something. I was driving around L.A. Christmas shopping and I heard 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)' on the radio…the U2 version. That cover is one of my favorite holiday songs, and that's when the idea of recording it with American Hi-Fi and Mike occurred to me. I think it turned out killer!"
Herrera adds, "I grew up listening to Bono sing this every Christmas so when I was invited to sing on this with American Hi-Fi, I was beyond excited! Now if only some other kid grows up listening to us, we've completed the circle and found the meaning of life. Merry Christmas y'all!" Listen to the song here.
The Kinks' Dave Davies Announces First Concert Dates For 2017
The Kinks icon Dave Davies has a very busy release schedule in 2017 and he is increasing his workload with the announcement of his first solo dates of the new year.
Davies plans to release his new solo album next year, his long-awaited documentary, Dave Davies: Strangers, as well as a collaborative album with his son Russ called "Open Road."
The guitarist has announced three U.S. live dates that will be taking place next April including St. Charles, IL at the Arcada Theatre on the 8th, Provincetown, MA at Provincetown Town Hall on the 15th and Londonderry, NH at Tupelo Music Hall on the 20th.
Earlier this week, Davis published a Christmas video message to fans that shows him in a pub toasting his fans with "Cheers! Happy holidays, everyone!" Watch the video here.
Voivod Release 'Post Society' Music Video
Voivod have released a new music video for their track "Post Society." The song is the title cut to the band's Post Society EP, which was released back in February.
The new promo clip was shot by Dirk Behlau / Beastwood Film Production (Spiritual Beggars, Dark Tranquillity, Arch Enemy, etc.) during Voivod's appearance at Leafmeal Festival in Germany. Watch it here.
Voivod drummer Michel "Away" Langevin had the following to say about the new video and he took back at the band's busy year, "This video is the best ending of a very productive and crazy year! It started in February-March with a North American East Coast tour with Vektor, Eight Bells and Black Fast. Then the West Coast and across Canada in May-June with Child Bite and King Parrot. We were joined by Jason Newsted in San Francisco for a two basses rendition of the song Voivod." Read more here.
The Fluffy Jackets Donate New Song Proceeds To TeamRockers
The Fluffy Jackets hope to pay back the help they received from Classic Rock early in their career by donating the proceeds of their new single to the TeamRockers that were laid off earlier this week.
As we previously reported, TeamRock (publishers of Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog) went into the British equivalency of Chapter 11 bankruptcy, leaving over 70 staffers jobless without pay days before Christmas.
The Fluffy Jackets have since announced that they will be donating the proceeds from their new single "44 Blues" to the staffers. Lead vocalist and guitarist Helge Rognstad had the following to say, "Classic Rock Magazine was the first publication to support The Fluffy Jackets when we started out. It is now our turn to give something back."
Manny Charlton, who is the producer for the upcoming Fluffy Jackets album, worked double-time to get the single ready on short notice. Says Manny: "I am very happy to be producing The Fluffy Jackets, and it is also heartwarming that the rock community is pulling together to help out those who have lost their jobs just before Christmas". The single is available at iTunes and at Amazon digital here.
Metallica Release Video Of Classic Song From Intimate Concert(hennemusic)
Metallica have released video footage of their 1983 classic, "Metal Militia", as performed at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on December 15th.
Proceeds from the band's 15-song set at the intimate venue were donated to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, with fans encouraged to bring a donation of a canned good or other non-perishable food items to assist with local efforts to feed those in need.
"Metal Militia" first appeared on Metallica's 1982 demo tape, "No Life 'Til Leather", before its inclusion on their 1983 album debut, "Kill 'Em All." The Los Angeles charity event was followed by the group's final 2016 live show at the Fox Theater in Oakland, CA on Deember 17.
Metallica will resume their world tour in support of "Hardwired…To Self Destruct" next month with shows in South Korea, China, Hong Kong and Singapore. Watch the video here.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Pitrelli and Allen Unplug For Alice Cooper
Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Al Pitrelli and Russell Allen took a short detour from their 2016 North American tour for an interview and performance on the syndicated radio show Nights With Alice Cooper.
Pitrelli and Allen performed an acoustic version of the song, "Find My Way Home" which can seen here. They also discussed their new rock opera, The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve, and played the song "This Christmas Day". Check out that portion of the show here.
As we previous reported, the acclaimed group kicked off their 61-city tour on November 17th in Youngstown, OH at the Covelli Center and Council Bluffs, IA at the Mid America Center. The trek is set to conclude with special New Year's Eve performances in Seattle and Cleveland. here.
Black Star Riders Release New Trailer For 'Heavy Fire' Album
Black Star Riders have released a third video trailer to promote the upcoming release of their new studio album "Heavy Fire" which is set to his stores on February 3rd.
The new clip features band members Damon Johnson, Ricky Warwick and Scott Gorham discussing returning to the studio to work with "The Killer Instinct" producer Nick Raskulinecz (Rush, The Foo Fighters, Mastodon).
Warwick had the following to say about the producer, "Well you know we had such a good time making The Killer Instinct with him. Nick's a great guy, he's a musical genius, he's sonically very together and has great ears.
He's got a great passion for music, 24/7 he never switches off. The Killer Instinct was a very successful record for us and we felt there was no need to change the teams because we were happy. I think that has helped develop our own sound." Watch the video here.
Sepultura Release 'Phantom Self' Video
Sepultura have released a new music video for their track "Phantom Self". The song comes from the group's forthcoming album "Machine Messiah", which is set to be released on January 13th.
The video can be streamed here and guitarist Andreas Kisser had this to say about the song, "'Phantom Self' starts with a short intro based on the Brazilian rhythm 'Maracatú', original from the Northeast region of Brazil.
"We mixed this very Brazilian sound with violins performed by a Tunisian violin ensemble, the Myriad Orchestra. This was a suggestion from Jens Bogren, the producer of the album, who worked with this orchestra before and he thought it could be a nice combination." Read more here.
Status Quo Announce Their Next Vinyl Collection
Status Quo may have just released 'Aquostic II' but there is already another collection coming from the veteran UK band early next year with the next installment in their Vinyl Collection series.
UMC have announced that they will be releasing a new 10-LP box set entitled "The Vinyl Collection 1981-1996" on February 24, 2017, which follows their 2015 1972-180 collection.
The new set will feature nine complete albums and a rarities album that have been remastered from their original tapes. They will be pressed on 180-gram vinyl and include the original covers and inserts. Read more here.
Mutiny Within Stream New Single And Confirm Album Release
Mutiny Within have announced that they will be releasing their third full-length studio album, entitled "Origins," on February 10th, 2017 and they have launched a stream of the effort's first single "Archetype Of Destruction".
Listen to the new song here. Bass player Andrew Jacobs had the following to say, "At the end of last year, we found some old demos we thought had been lost, which led to a discussion about putting together an EP.
"We planned on releasing the demos along with a couple of new songs but once we got started, we had more and more ideas for new songs and the plan quickly evolved into making an EP of brand new tracks." Read more here.
Immortal To Begin Recording Their First Album Without Abbath
Immortal's Demonaz and Horgh have revealed that they plan to enter the studio in January to begin recording their first album since they parted ways with founding frontman Abbath.
The band released the following statements about their plans for their ninth studio album, "The songs have been ready for some time, but we wanted to record it at the right place and time.
"We will once again work with Peter Tägtgren at Abyss Studio who produced our four last albums. The band will enter the studio during wintertime to have the right atmosphere." here.
J Geils Band In The Studio For 'Freeze Frame' Anniversary
The latest espied of the syndicated radio show In The Studio with Redbeard: The Stories Behind History's Greatest Rock Bands celebrates the 35th anniversary of The J Geils Band's chart topping album "Freeze Frame." The show sent over the following details:
Hailing from Boston, The J Geils Band went from regionally successful club act to one of the most popular live bands of the '70s. After fourteen years on the road and 11 albums the #1 Billboard single "Centerfold" gave the band its just reward, a HIT album. Peter Wolf reminisces with In the Studio host Redbeard about what fueled The J Geils Band for all those years and how it felt to finally be on top.
Peter Wolf had this to say, "One of the things about the Geils Band, we really weren't that ambitious about having a zillion seller or something. We never really went into rock'n'roll to make money, we went into rock'n'roll so maybe we didn't have to work 9 to 5.
"It was probably the happiest time in my life, because we were doing tours where every place was sold out and that's a performers dream... All the touring, all the one nighters and all the driving in station wagons and sleeping in funky hotels and funky dressing rooms, finally, there was a certain sense of respect coming back to the band." Stream the episode here.
Rogue Wave's Zach Rogue Premieres Song From Rogue + Jaye Project
Rogue Wave frontman Zach Rogue has announced that he has teamed up with singer-songwriter Courtney Jaye to form the new music duo called appropriately enough Rogue + Jaye and they are giving fans their first taste of the new partnership with a song stream.
We were sent the following details about the new project: Stemming from a songwriting session between Rogue and Jaye that took place in December 2013, the two forged an easygoing spirit of collaboration and mutual respect over those sessions, all of which comes through on Pent Up, the duo's debut album that will see a 2017 release.
"Forces Of Decay," the first song from the forthcoming album to be released and that is now premiering on Rolling Stone Country, is a track about seeking out safety and security in an otherwise turbulent world. "'Forces Of Decay' is about intimacy with another person protecting you from the chaos outside the door," says Jaye. "The world, now more than ever, seems to be a dark and confusing place. But you can build an insular world that no one can touch when you have love in your life."
The upcoming release of Pent Up symbolizes a fresh start, creatively, for Jaye, whose path has taken her to Nashville, Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles and beyond. "My decision to move back to Los Angeles after living in Nashville for nine years was because I needed a change," she continues. "I think both places will always feel like a home to me and will forever occupy equal space in my heart and equal influence over my music and sound. I've never been a traditional Pop, Americana, or Country artist, and living out west right now represents for me the freedom to be untethered to one particular musical sound, scene, or genre. And I feel this project is an extension of that." Check out the premiere of "Forces Of Decay here.
HammerFall Recruit Gloryhammer and Lancer For Winter Tour
HammerFall have announced that they have recruited Gloryhammer and Lancer as the opening acts on their upcoming European tour in support of their brand new album "Built To Last."
The tour will be kicking off on January 12th in Bremen, Germany at Aladin and is scheduled to conclude on February 8th in Copenhagen, Demark at Amager Bio.
HammerFall guitarist Oscar Dronjak had the following to say, "We got exactly the support bands we wanted. There is no doubt in my mind that Lancer will be thoroughly enjoyed by all our fans, and Gloryhammer's mighty and epic music will be the perfect lead-in to the HammerFall show that will follow."
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!
Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!: Today's Day in Rock Stories Journey Win Fan Vote For Rock Hall Induction(Classic Rock) Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame bosses have conf...
Today's Day In Rock News!
Today's Day in Rock Stories
Journey Win Fan Vote For Rock Hall Induction(Classic Rock)
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame bosses have confirmed that Journey won this year's public vote for induction in 2017. Neal Schon's band, who'd led the poll from the start, finished ahead of the Electric Light Orchestra, Yes, Pearl Jam and The Cars.
It doesn't guarantee entry into the Rock Hall - the vote only counts as one in over 600 ballots. But every band who's won the poll since it began four years ago have gone on to be inducted.
The Hall Of Fame say: "You voted. We tallied. We're proud to present your official fan's ballot group. Each artist who made it into the top five spots will receive an extra vote in the overall Class of 2017 Induction vote thanks to you."
The induction announcement is to be made later today (December 20). If Journey are included it will lead to increased speculation on the chances of a reunion with classic-era singer Steve Perry. Read more here.
Guns N' Roses Icon Izzy Stradlin Streams New Recording
Izzy Stradlin may have opted out of the Guns N' Roses reunion but that hasn't stopped him for recording new music. This weekend he revealed a new cover of J.J. Cale's "Call Me The Breeze".
The rock icon recruited Lauren Barth (vocals) and Jesse Aycock (guitar) to join him on the new version of the track. According to the YouTube description, Stadlin and his guests recorded the cover late last summer at the Brotheryn Studios in Ojai, California and Fellowship Hall Sound in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Stradlin announced the release with the following tweet on Saturday (Dec 17), "Call Me the Breeze" features special guest appearances by Lauren Barth and Jesse Aycock . Two very talented artists ....check them out !" Check it out here.
Metallica Star Responds To Dave Mustaine's Big 4 Comments(Classic Rock)
Metallica's Rob Trujillo says he'd like to tour with Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax under the Big Four banner again in the future. The four thrash metal acts shared the bill for seven shows in the Sonisphere festival series in 2010. Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine - a former member of Metallica - recently said he wants all of them to hit the road together again.
Responding to Mustaine, bassist Trujillo says he's also keen to team up for another Big Four tour in future - but Metallica must focus on promoting their new album, Hardwired... To Self Destruct first.
He tells Loudwire: "The Big Four tour was really great. We had a great time - it was special and fun and I love Dave. Dave is amazing. Right now, the main focus is we've got this new album and we're going to go out and we're going to tour this and get into these new songs and take this journey right now."
He adds: "Maybe after we get this sort of out of our system, we can dive into Big Four mode and try and do that. I can see us doing it again. It was definitely a lot of fun. It makes me feel good that Dave wants to take that journey again." Watch the full interview clip here.
Phil Anselmo Lashes Out At Scott Ian Over Racism Accusation(Metal Hammer)
Former Pantera man Phil Anselmo says it's "infuriating" that Machine Head's Robb Flynn and Anthrax's Scott Ian accused him of being racist. The vocalist hit headlines after he made a Nazi salute and shouted "white power" at the end of his performance at Dimebash in January.
He faced a backlash from the music world, led by Flynn - who challenged Anselmo's claims that it was an "inside joke" which he had with friends backstage prior to the event.
Ian also condemned Anselmo, saying he needed to truly realize the power of his words to be forgiven. But the Down and Superjoint vocalist has called out the pair's 'virtue-signaling' - and tells them to take a long, hard look at their own lives before judging him.
Anselmo takes Ian to task for his work on Stormtroopers Of Death's 1985 debut record titled Speak English Or Die, adding: "If that record would have come out this year, last year, f***ing forget it. You think he'd get pounced on? You're damn right he would, and he knows it.
"He wrote me some email, saying 'And if you're really sorry, donate to this Nazi hunter Jewish cause' or whatever,' I did it in an hour. Did you ever hear about that story? Of course you didn't. You know why? It doesn't make good headlines. I donated that hour, if not that goddamn second." Listen to the interview in full here.
Judas Priest Expand Turbo For 30th Anniversary Reissue(hennemusic)
Judas Priest will mark the 30th anniversary of their 1986 album, "Turbo", with the release of an expanded reissue on February 3. The "Turbo 30" reissue will be available as a 3CD set, LP and via digital download.
The package will include a remastered version of the original album alongside audio of the band in a May 1986 concert at the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, MO.
"The 80's is considered to have been the best decade for heavy metal," says the group. "Judas Priest roared through it and at the half way point went into unchartered territory with 'Turbo'. Always believing that metal should have no boundaries, Priest challenged themselves taking on board new technical inventions to create fresh ideas and push their sound forward. The combined songs show another side of Priest's range of creativity that captures a theme and energy infused with the over the top sensibilities of that era.
"The 'Fuel For Life' tour certainly encapsulated the decadence of the times! 'Turbo' remastered and accompanied by a pedal to the metal live recording from Kansas reveals Priest on high octane - Raising fists and devil horns to the next level." Read more here.
Iron Maiden's Eddie Animated For Christmas Video(Classic Rock)
A fan has used Iron Maiden's track The Book Of Souls to soundtrack an animated Maiden-themed Christmas video. Val Andrade's clip is called A Christmas Cheers 2 and featured a story centred on Iron Maiden's mascot Eddie. It's set to the title track from the band's recent album The Book Of Souls.
Andrade has also released an animated video for Maiden's track The Wicker Man. Iron Maiden recently wrapped up a world tour in support of the album and the band issued a Christmas jumper featuring a festive Eddie.
They are in good company when it comes to getting into the holiday spirit. Guns N' Roses have released a particularly striking Christmas jumper, while Spotify have sent Korn Christmas decorations to fans. Watch the videos here.
Nightwish Release 'My Walden' Video(Prog)
Nightwish have released a video for their track "My Walden." The clip has been taken from the band's recently released live package Vehicle Of Spirit, which features two live Nightwish performances filmed in Tampere and at their sold out show at London's Wembley Arena earlier this year.
Nightwish will go on hiatus throughout 2017, with singer Floor Jansen promising fans "something special" when they return in 2018.
She said: "Well, we'll be back in 2018. We haven't said anything about a record or what we're going to do. We have been keeping it a secret on purpose, because it's something special - something that I really think Nightwish fans will really like.
"But for now, we're taking a break from the whole thing - not because it wasn't good, but maybe because it was good. It's good to reflect on life and take a step back and sit and relax and do something else. And we'll be back with a vengeance in 2018." Watch the video here.
Marillion Announce New Live Double CD, DVD and Blu-ray(Prog)
Marillion are to release Marbles In The Park through earMUSIC on January 20, 2017. The live release will be available on double CD, DVD and Blu-ray.
It was was recorded at 2015's Marillion Weekend in Port Zelande and pays tribute to their 2004 album Marbles. The DVD and Blu-ray editions also include the trailer for Unconventional, the documentary about the weekend conventions.
Marillion's most recent studio album F E A R was released in September and reached number 4 in the UK Album Charts. They recently announced their first concert at the Royal Albert Hall, which sold out in less than an hour.
See the Marbles In The Park tracklisting here.
Anthrax Release 'Suzerain' Lyric Video(hennemusic)
Anthrax have released a lyric video for "Suzerain", a track from their latest album "For All Kings." The New York band's eleventh album, "For All Kings" debuted at No. 9 on the US Billboard 200 earlier this year with opening week sales of 34,000 units.
"Mankind keep making the same mistakes over and over," explains guitarist Scott Ian. "You'd think that after thousands of years of religious, economic and ideologic wars, we'd have figured out how to live with each other, but we haven't. That's what drew me to the idea for 'Suzerain'."
Anthrax will return in 2017 for a winter 2017 European tour to mark the 30th anniversary of their 1987 album, "Among The Living", that will see the group perform the record in its entirety alongside classic tracks.
The band will launch a newly-announced co-headlining North American tour with Killswitch Engage in Montclair, NJ on March 29. Watch the new video here.
Camel Announce Ichigo Ichie Live DVD(Prog)
Veteran prog rockers Camel are to release a new live DVD recorded in Japan. It will be entitled Ichigo Ichie (which translates as 'treasure every encounter for it will never recur').
Ichigo Ichie: Camel Live In Japan 2016 was filmed during the band's most recent Japanese tour, recorded at a show in May at Tokyo's EX Theatre in Rappongi.
The band on the evening featured Camel mainstays Andy Latimer (guitar, flute, vocals), Colin Bass (bass), Denis Clement (drums) and Tiger Moth Tales' Peter Jones on keyboards and vocals. Read more here.
Suicide Silence Going Mostly Clean For New Album(Metal Hammer)
Suicide Silence say their next album will feature "70%" clean vocals. The band have been working on the follow-up to their last full-length album, 2014's You Can't Stop Me - which is due out next February. Vocalist Eddie Hermida previously promised the record would make a "statement."
He tells AltPress: "We decided as a band to do something way outside the spectrum of what Suicide Silence has done in the past. We wanted to maintain a heavy sound while exploring our love of music, and what came out surprised us 100%. Really, the biggest difference is that we stopped giving a f***, and when you do that you feel free, and you learn who you really are."
Drummer Alex Lopez tells MetalShop TV: "There's clean vocals on 70% of the album. It's the first time he Eddie has been confident enough to do it. There's a lot of singing in it, there's a lot of screaming in it. Read more here.
Former Kyuss Frontman John Garcia Releases 'Kylie' Video(Metal Hammer)
Former Kyuss frontman John Garcia has released a video for his track "Kylie". The song comes from the desert rock hero's forthcoming studio album The Coyote Who Spoke In Tongues, which launches on January 27, 2017.
The follow-up to his 2014 self-titled debut was recorded and mixed by Steve Feldman and Robbie Waldman, mastered by Gene 'The Machine' Grimaldi at Oasis Mastering in California and features Garcia's longtime tourmates Ehren Groban, percussionist Greg Saenz and bassist Mike Pygmie.
Garcia had the following to say about the new solo effort: "This record is one of the most important of my career, difficult and challenging to do, but worth every minute of sweat."
As well as his work with Kyuss and his solo efforts, Garcia has performed with acts such as Vista Chino, Hermano, Unida and Slo Burn. The singer said last year he doesn't think there will be a Vista Chino comeback with Kyuss colleagues Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri - and that he'll focus on his solo career for the foreseeable future.
He told Manc Union: "We're all too focused on doing our own things now and I'm more interested in taking the music that I've been working on over the years for myself and seeing what directions I can take it in." Watch the video here.
Sepultura Streaming New Song 'Phantom Self'(Metal Hammer)
Sepultura have released a stream of their new track "Phantom Self". It comes from the band's upcoming 14th album Machine Messiah, which will launch on January 13 via Nuclear Blast.
Guitarist Andreas Kisser recently revealed Sepultura's follow-up to 2013's The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart was "inspired by the robotisation of our society."
He added: "The concept of a 'God Machine' who created humanity and now it seems that this cycle is closing itself, returning to the starting point. We came from machines and we are going back to where we came from. The messiah, when he returns, will be a robot, or a humanoid, our bio-mechanical savior." Stream the song here.
Japan and Porcupine Tree's Richard Barbieri Announces Solo Album(Prog)
Richard Barbieri has announced that he'll release his third solo album early next year. It will be entitled "Planets + Persona," and is set to hit stores on March 3 via Kscope.
Barbieri is known for his work with Japan and Porcupine Tree, Barbieri's follow-up to 2008's Stranger Inside is said to be "his most sonically expansive work to date."
A statement on the album continues: "Vintage analogue synthesisers combine with acoustic performances and jazz elements. Twisted voices are always present, though not in a language we can recognise. Barbieri skilfully utilises the talents of a pan-European core of musicians to produce an album that marries synthesised sounds with organic instrumentation to conjure up vivid, colourful and allusive soundscapes.
"It's a skilful commingling of texture and tone, mood and musicality." To mark the announcement, Barbieri has also issued a teaser video for the record, featuring snippets of all seven tracks. Listen to them here.
Falling In Reverse Return With New Song 'Coming Home'(Metal Hammer)
Falling In Reverse have release a new single entitled "Coming Home." It's their first new material since their third studio album Just Like You in 2015. They announced the release without warning along with the caption "we are coming home." Listen to it below.
Earlier this year frontman Ronnie Radke said their next album would focus on "feeling" and would sound like "nothing they have ever done before." He said: "It's a huge left turn. Every song is very vibey, There's more feeling in it instead of a lot of metal.
"We're challenging ourselves now more than we ever have in the weirdest ways possible, because you would think writing the craziest solo or riffs would be the challenging part.
"But the challenging part is trying to stick to a theme and not go all over the place like we would normally do." Check out the new song here.
Ticket Reseller Law Signed In U.S. As UK Launches Their Own Probe(TeamRock)
The British Government has launched an investigation into suspected breaches of consumer protection law in the online secondary tickets market. The move comes as the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act was signed into law in the U.S., making it an offence across the entire country to use computer software to buy event tickets online.
The government's Competition And Markets Authority (CMA) says the investigation "follows concerns that people are not getting the full range of information required by law when buying tickets put up for resale."
The CMA will specifically look at if information is provided on who the seller is and any connections the seller may have with the platform or event organisers as well as whether there are any restrictions on the use of resold tickets which could result in the person being denied access to the event. It also want it to be clearer to the buyer where a seat is located in the venue.
Andrea Coscelli, the CMA's Acting Chief Executive, says: "A night out at a concert or a trip to a big match is something that millions of people look forward to. So it's important they know who they are buying from and whether there are any restrictions that could stop them using the ticket." Read more here.
Rare 1983 Video Of Ian Gillan Fronting Black Sabbath Goes Online(Classic Rock)
Deep Purple's official YouTube channel have released a live clip of Ian Gillan fronting Black Sabbath in 1983. Gillan replaced Ronnie James Dio is the lineup that year and went on to record Born Again with Sabbath - the only album to feature the Deep Purple man.
In the archive video, Gillan is joined onstage by guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bev Bevan and play the tracks Digital Bitch and Zero The Hero.
Black Sabbath are gearing up for the remaining dates on The End tour, which will wrap up with two shows in their hometown of Birmingham in early February. However, Iommi recently said he hasn't ruled out the chance of festival appearances at some point in the future.
He said: "I wouldn't write that off, if one day that came about. That's possible.
"Or even doing an album, because then you're in one place. But I don't know if that would happen." here.
Motorhead Producer Reveals Nearly Fatal Mistake With Lemmy(Classic Rock)
Producer Cameron Webb has recalled how he nearly talking himself out of his job with Motorhead - by calling them a heavy metal band. Mainman Lemmy, who died in December 2015, always insisted his outfit played rock'n'roll, and resisted any other genre label.
But Webb didn't know that when he first sat down with the band in 2004, with a view to becoming their producer. The meeting was arranged by Motorhead managed Todd Singerman.
Webb tells Produce Like A Pro: "I would always ask, 'When's Motorhead doing a record? I want to do one.' And he'd always say, 'You're too nice of a person. I would never put you in a room with them - they'd tear you apart.'
"All of a sudden, one day I get a phone call. It's Todd: 'Do you want to do a Motorhead record? Here's the deal. You're going to have dinner. If you like them and they like you, you're going to do a record. If they don't like you, you tried and it is what it is.'"
He recalls visiting Tower Records on his way to the meeting, but on discovering how many albums the band had released, he decided not to try to expand his education, but to rely on what he already knew of their 1970s and 1980s output.
Webb continues: "The one thing I wanted to do was make sure they were modern sounding. I didn't want them to sound too trashy - I wanted it to be full and big-sounding. Bands like System Of A Down had great-sounding records at the time. I wanted that for Motorhead.
"So I went up there, sat, ate steak, drank and talked shop. I approached them with, 'I want to make a heavy record, almost a metal record.' Lemmy says to me, 'Cameron, we're a rock'n'roll band. We're not a heavy metal band.'"
The producer knew instantly: "'Oh, man, I just blew it.' I walked out with the manager and he goes, 'Cameron, you almost did a good job. But you shouldn't have brought up that heavy metal thing.'
"Next day I got a call - 'You're on, show up at rehearsal.' And since then I've done every record. I built a trust with those guys." Watch the full interview here.
Killswitch Engage May Focus On New Albums Over Touring(Metal Hammer)
Bassist Mike D'Antonio says Killswitch Engage are considering a future that involves more recording and less touring than their current phase. And he reports they're aiming to start work on the follow-up to this year's Incarnate as soon as they complete their North American tour with Anthrax in May.
D'Antonio tells the Mike James Rock Show: "We're thinking that we've toured out butts off and it might be time for a rest. Maybe doing less touring and more albums might be the way to go for us. That's out mindset right now.
"Having fun and being able to smile on stage is the number-one priority. Granted, you can't make money with records these days - and we're planning to make more of them. But our sanity is definitely in question right at this moment. We need to get back to a reset button."
Despite that, he reports that feelings within the band are generally positive, especially after the fan response to Incarnate, which followed 2013's Disarm The Descent - their first release since the return of frontman Jesse Leach. Read more here.
Red Hot Chili Peppers 's Chad Smith Jams With Babymetal(Metal Hammer)
Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith performed with Babymetal during the Japanese outfit's show in London this past week and video of the jam has been posted online.
The Japanese trio supported Red Hot Chili Peppers on their UK tour and at lats night's (December 18) gig at the O2 Arena, Smith performed a drum solo as part of Babymetal's set.
After a performance of Gimme Chocolate, Babymetal exited the stage and the arena was plunged into darkness - which was when Smith slipped unnoticed onto the stage and behind the kit, replacing Hideki Aoyama and performing a solo disguised as a member of the Kami Band wearing corpse paint and white clothing.
Babymetal then closed their set with Smith playing on their Judas Priest medley of Painkiller and Breaking The Law. Then at the very end of Babymetal's set, Smith reappeared with a birthday cake for Su-Metal, who turns 19 on December 20 - with the audience singing Happy Birthday.
Journey Win Fan Vote For Rock Hall Induction(Classic Rock)
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame bosses have confirmed that Journey won this year's public vote for induction in 2017. Neal Schon's band, who'd led the poll from the start, finished ahead of the Electric Light Orchestra, Yes, Pearl Jam and The Cars.
It doesn't guarantee entry into the Rock Hall - the vote only counts as one in over 600 ballots. But every band who's won the poll since it began four years ago have gone on to be inducted.
The Hall Of Fame say: "You voted. We tallied. We're proud to present your official fan's ballot group. Each artist who made it into the top five spots will receive an extra vote in the overall Class of 2017 Induction vote thanks to you."
The induction announcement is to be made later today (December 20). If Journey are included it will lead to increased speculation on the chances of a reunion with classic-era singer Steve Perry. Read more here.
Guns N' Roses Icon Izzy Stradlin Streams New Recording
Izzy Stradlin may have opted out of the Guns N' Roses reunion but that hasn't stopped him for recording new music. This weekend he revealed a new cover of J.J. Cale's "Call Me The Breeze".
The rock icon recruited Lauren Barth (vocals) and Jesse Aycock (guitar) to join him on the new version of the track. According to the YouTube description, Stadlin and his guests recorded the cover late last summer at the Brotheryn Studios in Ojai, California and Fellowship Hall Sound in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Stradlin announced the release with the following tweet on Saturday (Dec 17), "Call Me the Breeze" features special guest appearances by Lauren Barth and Jesse Aycock . Two very talented artists ....check them out !" Check it out here.
Metallica Star Responds To Dave Mustaine's Big 4 Comments(Classic Rock)
Metallica's Rob Trujillo says he'd like to tour with Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax under the Big Four banner again in the future. The four thrash metal acts shared the bill for seven shows in the Sonisphere festival series in 2010. Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine - a former member of Metallica - recently said he wants all of them to hit the road together again.
Responding to Mustaine, bassist Trujillo says he's also keen to team up for another Big Four tour in future - but Metallica must focus on promoting their new album, Hardwired... To Self Destruct first.
He tells Loudwire: "The Big Four tour was really great. We had a great time - it was special and fun and I love Dave. Dave is amazing. Right now, the main focus is we've got this new album and we're going to go out and we're going to tour this and get into these new songs and take this journey right now."
He adds: "Maybe after we get this sort of out of our system, we can dive into Big Four mode and try and do that. I can see us doing it again. It was definitely a lot of fun. It makes me feel good that Dave wants to take that journey again." Watch the full interview clip here.
Phil Anselmo Lashes Out At Scott Ian Over Racism Accusation(Metal Hammer)
Former Pantera man Phil Anselmo says it's "infuriating" that Machine Head's Robb Flynn and Anthrax's Scott Ian accused him of being racist. The vocalist hit headlines after he made a Nazi salute and shouted "white power" at the end of his performance at Dimebash in January.
He faced a backlash from the music world, led by Flynn - who challenged Anselmo's claims that it was an "inside joke" which he had with friends backstage prior to the event.
Ian also condemned Anselmo, saying he needed to truly realize the power of his words to be forgiven. But the Down and Superjoint vocalist has called out the pair's 'virtue-signaling' - and tells them to take a long, hard look at their own lives before judging him.
Anselmo takes Ian to task for his work on Stormtroopers Of Death's 1985 debut record titled Speak English Or Die, adding: "If that record would have come out this year, last year, f***ing forget it. You think he'd get pounced on? You're damn right he would, and he knows it.
"He wrote me some email, saying 'And if you're really sorry, donate to this Nazi hunter Jewish cause' or whatever,' I did it in an hour. Did you ever hear about that story? Of course you didn't. You know why? It doesn't make good headlines. I donated that hour, if not that goddamn second." Listen to the interview in full here.
Judas Priest Expand Turbo For 30th Anniversary Reissue(hennemusic)
Judas Priest will mark the 30th anniversary of their 1986 album, "Turbo", with the release of an expanded reissue on February 3. The "Turbo 30" reissue will be available as a 3CD set, LP and via digital download.
The package will include a remastered version of the original album alongside audio of the band in a May 1986 concert at the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, MO.
"The 80's is considered to have been the best decade for heavy metal," says the group. "Judas Priest roared through it and at the half way point went into unchartered territory with 'Turbo'. Always believing that metal should have no boundaries, Priest challenged themselves taking on board new technical inventions to create fresh ideas and push their sound forward. The combined songs show another side of Priest's range of creativity that captures a theme and energy infused with the over the top sensibilities of that era.
"The 'Fuel For Life' tour certainly encapsulated the decadence of the times! 'Turbo' remastered and accompanied by a pedal to the metal live recording from Kansas reveals Priest on high octane - Raising fists and devil horns to the next level." Read more here.
Iron Maiden's Eddie Animated For Christmas Video(Classic Rock)
A fan has used Iron Maiden's track The Book Of Souls to soundtrack an animated Maiden-themed Christmas video. Val Andrade's clip is called A Christmas Cheers 2 and featured a story centred on Iron Maiden's mascot Eddie. It's set to the title track from the band's recent album The Book Of Souls.
Andrade has also released an animated video for Maiden's track The Wicker Man. Iron Maiden recently wrapped up a world tour in support of the album and the band issued a Christmas jumper featuring a festive Eddie.
They are in good company when it comes to getting into the holiday spirit. Guns N' Roses have released a particularly striking Christmas jumper, while Spotify have sent Korn Christmas decorations to fans. Watch the videos here.
Nightwish Release 'My Walden' Video(Prog)
Nightwish have released a video for their track "My Walden." The clip has been taken from the band's recently released live package Vehicle Of Spirit, which features two live Nightwish performances filmed in Tampere and at their sold out show at London's Wembley Arena earlier this year.
Nightwish will go on hiatus throughout 2017, with singer Floor Jansen promising fans "something special" when they return in 2018.
She said: "Well, we'll be back in 2018. We haven't said anything about a record or what we're going to do. We have been keeping it a secret on purpose, because it's something special - something that I really think Nightwish fans will really like.
"But for now, we're taking a break from the whole thing - not because it wasn't good, but maybe because it was good. It's good to reflect on life and take a step back and sit and relax and do something else. And we'll be back with a vengeance in 2018." Watch the video here.
Marillion Announce New Live Double CD, DVD and Blu-ray(Prog)
Marillion are to release Marbles In The Park through earMUSIC on January 20, 2017. The live release will be available on double CD, DVD and Blu-ray.
It was was recorded at 2015's Marillion Weekend in Port Zelande and pays tribute to their 2004 album Marbles. The DVD and Blu-ray editions also include the trailer for Unconventional, the documentary about the weekend conventions.
Marillion's most recent studio album F E A R was released in September and reached number 4 in the UK Album Charts. They recently announced their first concert at the Royal Albert Hall, which sold out in less than an hour.
See the Marbles In The Park tracklisting here.
Anthrax Release 'Suzerain' Lyric Video(hennemusic)
Anthrax have released a lyric video for "Suzerain", a track from their latest album "For All Kings." The New York band's eleventh album, "For All Kings" debuted at No. 9 on the US Billboard 200 earlier this year with opening week sales of 34,000 units.
"Mankind keep making the same mistakes over and over," explains guitarist Scott Ian. "You'd think that after thousands of years of religious, economic and ideologic wars, we'd have figured out how to live with each other, but we haven't. That's what drew me to the idea for 'Suzerain'."
Anthrax will return in 2017 for a winter 2017 European tour to mark the 30th anniversary of their 1987 album, "Among The Living", that will see the group perform the record in its entirety alongside classic tracks.
The band will launch a newly-announced co-headlining North American tour with Killswitch Engage in Montclair, NJ on March 29. Watch the new video here.
Camel Announce Ichigo Ichie Live DVD(Prog)
Veteran prog rockers Camel are to release a new live DVD recorded in Japan. It will be entitled Ichigo Ichie (which translates as 'treasure every encounter for it will never recur').
Ichigo Ichie: Camel Live In Japan 2016 was filmed during the band's most recent Japanese tour, recorded at a show in May at Tokyo's EX Theatre in Rappongi.
The band on the evening featured Camel mainstays Andy Latimer (guitar, flute, vocals), Colin Bass (bass), Denis Clement (drums) and Tiger Moth Tales' Peter Jones on keyboards and vocals. Read more here.
Suicide Silence Going Mostly Clean For New Album(Metal Hammer)
Suicide Silence say their next album will feature "70%" clean vocals. The band have been working on the follow-up to their last full-length album, 2014's You Can't Stop Me - which is due out next February. Vocalist Eddie Hermida previously promised the record would make a "statement."
He tells AltPress: "We decided as a band to do something way outside the spectrum of what Suicide Silence has done in the past. We wanted to maintain a heavy sound while exploring our love of music, and what came out surprised us 100%. Really, the biggest difference is that we stopped giving a f***, and when you do that you feel free, and you learn who you really are."
Drummer Alex Lopez tells MetalShop TV: "There's clean vocals on 70% of the album. It's the first time he Eddie has been confident enough to do it. There's a lot of singing in it, there's a lot of screaming in it. Read more here.
Former Kyuss Frontman John Garcia Releases 'Kylie' Video(Metal Hammer)
Former Kyuss frontman John Garcia has released a video for his track "Kylie". The song comes from the desert rock hero's forthcoming studio album The Coyote Who Spoke In Tongues, which launches on January 27, 2017.
The follow-up to his 2014 self-titled debut was recorded and mixed by Steve Feldman and Robbie Waldman, mastered by Gene 'The Machine' Grimaldi at Oasis Mastering in California and features Garcia's longtime tourmates Ehren Groban, percussionist Greg Saenz and bassist Mike Pygmie.
Garcia had the following to say about the new solo effort: "This record is one of the most important of my career, difficult and challenging to do, but worth every minute of sweat."
As well as his work with Kyuss and his solo efforts, Garcia has performed with acts such as Vista Chino, Hermano, Unida and Slo Burn. The singer said last year he doesn't think there will be a Vista Chino comeback with Kyuss colleagues Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri - and that he'll focus on his solo career for the foreseeable future.
He told Manc Union: "We're all too focused on doing our own things now and I'm more interested in taking the music that I've been working on over the years for myself and seeing what directions I can take it in." Watch the video here.
Sepultura Streaming New Song 'Phantom Self'(Metal Hammer)
Sepultura have released a stream of their new track "Phantom Self". It comes from the band's upcoming 14th album Machine Messiah, which will launch on January 13 via Nuclear Blast.
Guitarist Andreas Kisser recently revealed Sepultura's follow-up to 2013's The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart was "inspired by the robotisation of our society."
He added: "The concept of a 'God Machine' who created humanity and now it seems that this cycle is closing itself, returning to the starting point. We came from machines and we are going back to where we came from. The messiah, when he returns, will be a robot, or a humanoid, our bio-mechanical savior." Stream the song here.
Japan and Porcupine Tree's Richard Barbieri Announces Solo Album(Prog)
Richard Barbieri has announced that he'll release his third solo album early next year. It will be entitled "Planets + Persona," and is set to hit stores on March 3 via Kscope.
Barbieri is known for his work with Japan and Porcupine Tree, Barbieri's follow-up to 2008's Stranger Inside is said to be "his most sonically expansive work to date."
A statement on the album continues: "Vintage analogue synthesisers combine with acoustic performances and jazz elements. Twisted voices are always present, though not in a language we can recognise. Barbieri skilfully utilises the talents of a pan-European core of musicians to produce an album that marries synthesised sounds with organic instrumentation to conjure up vivid, colourful and allusive soundscapes.
"It's a skilful commingling of texture and tone, mood and musicality." To mark the announcement, Barbieri has also issued a teaser video for the record, featuring snippets of all seven tracks. Listen to them here.
Falling In Reverse Return With New Song 'Coming Home'(Metal Hammer)
Falling In Reverse have release a new single entitled "Coming Home." It's their first new material since their third studio album Just Like You in 2015. They announced the release without warning along with the caption "we are coming home." Listen to it below.
Earlier this year frontman Ronnie Radke said their next album would focus on "feeling" and would sound like "nothing they have ever done before." He said: "It's a huge left turn. Every song is very vibey, There's more feeling in it instead of a lot of metal.
"We're challenging ourselves now more than we ever have in the weirdest ways possible, because you would think writing the craziest solo or riffs would be the challenging part.
"But the challenging part is trying to stick to a theme and not go all over the place like we would normally do." Check out the new song here.
Ticket Reseller Law Signed In U.S. As UK Launches Their Own Probe(TeamRock)
The British Government has launched an investigation into suspected breaches of consumer protection law in the online secondary tickets market. The move comes as the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act was signed into law in the U.S., making it an offence across the entire country to use computer software to buy event tickets online.
The government's Competition And Markets Authority (CMA) says the investigation "follows concerns that people are not getting the full range of information required by law when buying tickets put up for resale."
The CMA will specifically look at if information is provided on who the seller is and any connections the seller may have with the platform or event organisers as well as whether there are any restrictions on the use of resold tickets which could result in the person being denied access to the event. It also want it to be clearer to the buyer where a seat is located in the venue.
Andrea Coscelli, the CMA's Acting Chief Executive, says: "A night out at a concert or a trip to a big match is something that millions of people look forward to. So it's important they know who they are buying from and whether there are any restrictions that could stop them using the ticket." Read more here.
Rare 1983 Video Of Ian Gillan Fronting Black Sabbath Goes Online(Classic Rock)
Deep Purple's official YouTube channel have released a live clip of Ian Gillan fronting Black Sabbath in 1983. Gillan replaced Ronnie James Dio is the lineup that year and went on to record Born Again with Sabbath - the only album to feature the Deep Purple man.
In the archive video, Gillan is joined onstage by guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bev Bevan and play the tracks Digital Bitch and Zero The Hero.
Black Sabbath are gearing up for the remaining dates on The End tour, which will wrap up with two shows in their hometown of Birmingham in early February. However, Iommi recently said he hasn't ruled out the chance of festival appearances at some point in the future.
He said: "I wouldn't write that off, if one day that came about. That's possible.
"Or even doing an album, because then you're in one place. But I don't know if that would happen." here.
Motorhead Producer Reveals Nearly Fatal Mistake With Lemmy(Classic Rock)
Producer Cameron Webb has recalled how he nearly talking himself out of his job with Motorhead - by calling them a heavy metal band. Mainman Lemmy, who died in December 2015, always insisted his outfit played rock'n'roll, and resisted any other genre label.
But Webb didn't know that when he first sat down with the band in 2004, with a view to becoming their producer. The meeting was arranged by Motorhead managed Todd Singerman.
Webb tells Produce Like A Pro: "I would always ask, 'When's Motorhead doing a record? I want to do one.' And he'd always say, 'You're too nice of a person. I would never put you in a room with them - they'd tear you apart.'
"All of a sudden, one day I get a phone call. It's Todd: 'Do you want to do a Motorhead record? Here's the deal. You're going to have dinner. If you like them and they like you, you're going to do a record. If they don't like you, you tried and it is what it is.'"
He recalls visiting Tower Records on his way to the meeting, but on discovering how many albums the band had released, he decided not to try to expand his education, but to rely on what he already knew of their 1970s and 1980s output.
Webb continues: "The one thing I wanted to do was make sure they were modern sounding. I didn't want them to sound too trashy - I wanted it to be full and big-sounding. Bands like System Of A Down had great-sounding records at the time. I wanted that for Motorhead.
"So I went up there, sat, ate steak, drank and talked shop. I approached them with, 'I want to make a heavy record, almost a metal record.' Lemmy says to me, 'Cameron, we're a rock'n'roll band. We're not a heavy metal band.'"
The producer knew instantly: "'Oh, man, I just blew it.' I walked out with the manager and he goes, 'Cameron, you almost did a good job. But you shouldn't have brought up that heavy metal thing.'
"Next day I got a call - 'You're on, show up at rehearsal.' And since then I've done every record. I built a trust with those guys." Watch the full interview here.
Killswitch Engage May Focus On New Albums Over Touring(Metal Hammer)
Bassist Mike D'Antonio says Killswitch Engage are considering a future that involves more recording and less touring than their current phase. And he reports they're aiming to start work on the follow-up to this year's Incarnate as soon as they complete their North American tour with Anthrax in May.
D'Antonio tells the Mike James Rock Show: "We're thinking that we've toured out butts off and it might be time for a rest. Maybe doing less touring and more albums might be the way to go for us. That's out mindset right now.
"Having fun and being able to smile on stage is the number-one priority. Granted, you can't make money with records these days - and we're planning to make more of them. But our sanity is definitely in question right at this moment. We need to get back to a reset button."
Despite that, he reports that feelings within the band are generally positive, especially after the fan response to Incarnate, which followed 2013's Disarm The Descent - their first release since the return of frontman Jesse Leach. Read more here.
Red Hot Chili Peppers 's Chad Smith Jams With Babymetal(Metal Hammer)
Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith performed with Babymetal during the Japanese outfit's show in London this past week and video of the jam has been posted online.
The Japanese trio supported Red Hot Chili Peppers on their UK tour and at lats night's (December 18) gig at the O2 Arena, Smith performed a drum solo as part of Babymetal's set.
After a performance of Gimme Chocolate, Babymetal exited the stage and the arena was plunged into darkness - which was when Smith slipped unnoticed onto the stage and behind the kit, replacing Hideki Aoyama and performing a solo disguised as a member of the Kami Band wearing corpse paint and white clothing.
Babymetal then closed their set with Smith playing on their Judas Priest medley of Painkiller and Breaking The Law. Then at the very end of Babymetal's set, Smith reappeared with a birthday cake for Su-Metal, who turns 19 on December 20 - with the audience singing Happy Birthday.
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!
Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!: Today's Day in Rock Stories AC/DC Announce Their Very First Official Book(Classic Rock) A photo study focusing on AC/DC's Rock Or...
Today's Day In Rock News!
Today's Day in Rock Stories
AC/DC Announce Their Very First Official Book(Classic Rock) A photo study focusing on AC/DC's Rock Or Bust world tour is to be the band's first official book, they've announced. The title is set for release in the summer of 2017 with pre-ordering beginning in the spring. A limited-edition leatherbound version will be presented in a case with a light-up band logo.
It features Brian Johnson, Angus Young, Cliff Williams, Stevie Young and Chris Slade - but there's no mention of Guns N' Roses vocalist Axl Rose, who stepped in when Johnson had to bow out for health reasons.
Publishers Rufus Stone Limited Editions say: "Currently in production, The Rock Or Bust Tour Book 2015 will cover the full extent of AC/DC's groundbreaking 2015 world tour supporting the multi-million selling Rock Or Bust album released in 2014.
"Starting in Coachella, the Rock Or Bust tour has played to millions of fans around the world, setting records for attendance and sell-out times." Read more here.
Video From Megadeth's Secret Club Show Goes Online(hennemusic)
Megadeth played a secret show at the Saint Vitus bar in Brooklyn, New York on Monday night, December 12th, and video from the rare event has been posted online.
Billed as Vic & The Rattleheads - a long time pseudonym used by the band that is named after their mascot - the band powered through an 8-song set of classics that included the title track to their latest album, "Dystopia."
The club show landed the day before Megadeth performs at the Revolver Music Awards at the city's Webster Hall, co-hosted by frontman Dave Mustaine and SiriusXM's Jose Mangin.
The group - who recently wrapped up a fall US tour - have a busy schedule this week as they will also perform on NBC-TV's Late Night With Seth Meyers on Thursday before Mustaine plays a special acoustic concert on Friday at the Hard Rock Cafe in Boston, MA in support of the charity Music Drives Us. Check out the video here.
Grammy VP Attempts To Justify Beyonce 'Rock' Nomination(Metal Hammer)
Pop star Beyonce deserves her nomination for Best Rock Performance Grammy at the 2017 awards ceremony, one of the event's bosses has stated. And part of the reason she does, he argues, is that her track Don't Hurt Yourself features Jack White and samples of Led Zeppelin music.
Bill Freimuth has responded to comments by Disturbed frontman David Draiman, who queried why his band were up against Beyonce in a category he described as "too diverse."
Now Freimuth, Senior Vice President (Awards) of the Recording Academy, who hand out Grammys, tells Metal Injection: "When you exclude metal, the rock category is one of our biggest umbrellas.
"Not quite as broad as pop, but maybe next up. I think what we found this year is that so many artists that were in rock or adjacent to rock were taking more sonic risks this year than ever before. It made for a really exciting dynamic landscape."
He says of Beyonce's track: "That recording has Jack White in it and it has Led Zeppelin samples in it. I think it's Beyonce really stretching. It's an artist at the height of her music powers, really reaching in different directions, and we're all the better for it." here.
Avenged Sevenfold Hire Cirque du Soleil Producers For Tour(Metal Hammer)
Avenged Sevenfold have hired the company behind Cirque du Soleil to manage the production on their upcoming live shows. The band launch their next wave of tour dates next month, starting in Glasgow, UK, on January 10 before a string of appearances across Europe.
And frontman M Shadows says the band will consider restructuring entire venues to realise their vision for a unique stage setting. Canada-based Cirque du Soleil is the biggest theatrical producer in the world and is known for its spectacular shows.
Shadows tells Metal Hammer: "The production that's being built is different for us, different for anyone I've ever seen, the people we've hired don't do tours, they do Cirque du Soleil.
"This is gonna be drawn out into different types of touring, we're not going on tour for six months, it'll be two weeks on, two weeks off. It'll be a longer cycle but we're gonna roll with the punches." Read more here.
Metallica's Hardwired Named Best Metal Album Of 2016(Gibson)
Rolling Stone has named Metallica's new chart topping studio album, Hardwired...to Self-Destruct, as their No. 1 metal album of 2016. Coming in at No. 2 Meshuggah's The Violent Sleep of Reason, and at No. 3 is Sumac with What One Becomes.
Also appearing on the list are Megadeth's Dystopia at No. 6, Deftones' Gore at No. 7 and Black Sabbath's tour-exclusive EP The End which landed at No. 20.
Hardwired...to Self-Destruct, Rolling Stone says, is a "two-act psychodrama of sorts about the devolution of humanity" full of "machine-gun tempos, crushing riffs and apocalyptic lyrics delivered in drill-sergeant barks." Read more here.
Guns N' Roses Put The Ugly In Ugly Christmas Sweaters(Classic Rock)
Guns N' Roses have put the ugly in ugly Christmas sweaters. They are the latest band to release an ugly Christmas sweater and this one could well be the ugliest yet.
The green and yellow jumper features the band's classic logo and traditional festive design. It costs $65 and is available now from the band's official merchandise website.
Last month, Iron Maiden unveiled a fetching festive sweater featuring their iconic mascot Eddie. And The Dillinger Escape Plan, Between The Buried And Me, Every Time I Die, August Burns Red, Cro Mags, Sikth, Bury Your Dead, Stick To Your Guns and Tesseract recently unveiled their own sweaters on Merch Limited. here.
Emmure Cancel 2017 Torch The Earth Tour(Metal Hammer)
Emmure have cancelled their 2017 European and UK tour. The band say they've been forced to postpone the Torch The Earth trek due to "unexpected delays" in the lead-up to their seventh record launch.
It will mark the band's first new material since frontman Frankie Palmeri revealed a new lineup featuring bassist Phil Lockett, guitarist Josh Travis and drummer Josh Miller.
The overhaul came after Palmeri was left as the last man standing when the rest of Emmure left in December of last year. Emmure say: "It is with our most sincere apologies that we will need to cancel the upcoming Torch The Earth tour.
"Upon the initial planning of this tour our goal was to return to Europe in 2017 pairing a new record with the tour. Unfortunately some unexpected delays have hindered our chances of releasing the record in this time frame." Read more here.
Last In Line To Start Work On New Album In January(Classic Rock)
Last In Line will record their second album in 2017, Vivian Campbell confirms. The guitarist, who was part of the original Dio lineup with drummer Vinny Appice and bassist Jimmy Bain, says he's already started jotting down ideas for the follow-up to this year's Heavy Crown.
Campbell tells Eon Music: "There will be a second album. I've certainly started writing for it. I've got ideas for it. I think in January we'll probably go in the studio together and we'll start jamming song ideas.
"I don't know when we're going to record it, but definitely sometime in 2017 we will finish another Last In Line record, because we're really encouraged by the response Heavy Crown got."
He continues: "I think we hit the target that we aimed for, which was we wanted to make a record that was reminiscent of that era, and we went about writing and recording it in the spirit that we had approached the original Holy Diver album in, without being contrived.
"There is an undeniable sound when Vinny Appice plays drums, it raises my game as a guitar player, and when Vinny and I play together, and especially when Jimmy and Vinny and I played together, it was 75% of the original Dio band, and it was a sound that we naturally had. It is very Dio-esque, and everybody really shines." Read more here.
Jethro Tull Stream Pass The Bottle (A Christmas Song)(Prog)
Ian Anderson's Jethro Tull have released their new track, Pass The Bottle (A Christmas Song). It's lifted from their forthcoming String Quartets album, a full-length of reworked classic tracks with the Carducci Quartet which launches next March.
Anderson said of the record: "A couple of years ago I came up with the idea of recording a dedicated string quartet album in a contemporary but classical setting, with brief appearances from myself.
"John came up with a few suggestions of his own which presented challenges. All had an intimacy and presence which I looked forward to recapturing in the cosy and very personal space of my office desk where I did the overdubs." Read more and listen to the son here.
Alice Cooper Announce First UK Headline Tour In 5 Years
Shock rock legend Alice Cooper has announced that he will be crossing the pond next November to launch his first UK headline tour in five years.
The trek will feature support from Sisters of Mercy offshoot The Mission as well as acclaimed theatrical rock veterans The Tubes who will be touring to promote their latest album Mondo Pulp.
The tour is scheduled to kick off on November 11th in Leeds at the First Direct Arena and will include stops in Glasgow, Birmingham and Manchester before wrapping up in London on the 16th.
Cooper may be touring in support of his forthcoming studio album. According to the announcement, Alice will be working on the new effort with producers Bob Ezrin this winter and it is expected to be released sometime next year. See the dates here.
Rolling Stones Top UK and Australian Album Charts(hennemusic)
The Rolling Stones have topped the UK charts with their covers album, "Blue & Lonesome." According to The Official Charts Company, the project debuts at No. 1 in the band's native UK with first-week sales of 106,000 (95,000 in traditional album sales).
The veteran rockers also earned a No. 1 debut in Australia, while snagging a No. 4 entry on the US Billboard 200. Billboard reports the band's first new album in a decade enters the chart with opening week sales of 123,000 equivalent album units, of which 120,000 were real album sales.
The project also extends the Stones record-extending 37th top 10 album on the Billboard 200, ahead of second-place Barbra Streisand with 34; no act has earned more top 10 albums in the history of the prestigious music industry chart. Read more here.
Devildriver, Death Angel, Winds Of Plague, The Agonist and Azreal Tour
Devildriver have announced that they will be kicking off 2017 by launching the Bound By The Road North American tour that will feature support from Death Angel, Winds Of Plague, The Agonist and Azreal.
The trek is scheduled to launch on February 8th at the Observatory in Santa Ana, Ca and dates have been announced through March 5th in Seattle, WA at Studio 7 with additional dates still to be announced.
Frontman Dez Fafara had the following to say about the tour, "Devildriver is heading out on our first headline run in over three years with a killer set list and full production, AND we are bringing some heavy bad ass bands along with us! Get your tickets early and come out with some friends, 'cause this tour is going to be a monster banger!" See the dates here.
Butch Trucks and The Freight Train Announce Holiday Tour
Butch Trucks and The Freight Train, lead by Allman Brothers founding member Butch Trucks, have announced their Second Annual Holiday Tour.
The U.S. trek is scheduled to kick off on December 27th in Stuart, Fl at Terra Fermata and will be concluding on January 6th in Rocky Mount, Va at the Harvester Performance Ctr.
The band has also announced a series of Spring tour dates beginning on March 25th in Fest Bethlehem, Pa at the Blast Furnace Blues Fest and run until May 20th where they will be playing at the Chesapeake Bay Blues Fest in Annapolis, MD. Read more and see the dates here.
Skillet Announce 2017 U.S. Tour Leg
Skillet have announced that they will be launching the second U.S. Leg of The Unleashed Tour in February which will feature support from Sick Puppies and Devour The Day.
The new 26-city tour leg will be kicking off on February 8th in Clifton Park, NY at the Upstate Concert Hall and will be finishing on March 24th in Little Rock, AR at Metroplex.
Skillet will be hitting the road to promote their latest album "Unleashed" and in addition to their headline dates they have also announced a couple of music festival appearances including Carolina Rebellion on May 7th and Rock On The Range festival the weekend of May 19th - May 21st. See the headline dates here.
Joey Jordison's Vimic Announce Their First 'World Tour'
Vimic, the group founded by former Slipknot star Joey Jordison, have announced that they will be embarking on what they are billing as their very first world tour.
The group has announced a handful of U.S. dates later this month as well as the dates for their 2017 European tour which will be kicking off in Stockholm on March 7th.
The Euro tour will also include stops in Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, France and will conclude with three dates in the UK. Read more and see the dates here.
Five Finger Death Punch Tricked Temp Singer Phil Labonte(Metal Hammer)
Five Finger Death Punch tricked their stand-in vocalist Phil Labonte into singing about male sex organs at their recent concert in Duluth, Georgia.
The All That Remains man had been filling in for Ivan Moody on their North American trek, and they certainly had their fun with the temporary recruit during their final tour stop at Duluth's Infinite Energy Center.
The band and crew changed the words in their song The Bleeding from "I remember when all the games began" to "I remember when all the dicks began" on the screen.
Given the last-minute nature of stepping in for Five Finger Death Punch, Labonte ended up singing the lyrics. Watch the clip here.
Tom Petty Added To 2017 Summer Time Festival Lineup(Classic Rock)
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will play next year's edition of the British Summer Time festival at London's Hyde Park. It's the band's only European appearance during their 40th anniversary year - and it could be their last year of hitting the road on a large scale.
It's also been confirmed that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are to be joined on July 9 by special guests Stevie Nicks and The Lumineers, with a full supporting lineup to be announced.
The British Summer Time festival has already revealed Phil Collins, Kings Of Leon and the Pixies for the 2017 run of events. Petty this week revealed a run of North American anniversary dates but told Rolling Stone: "It's very likely we'll keep playing - but will be take on 50 shows in one tour?
"I don't think so. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was thinking that might be the last big one. We're all on the backside of our sixties. I don't want to spend my entire life on the road." See the dates here.
Ronnie Baker Brooks Streams New Song 'Long Story Short'(TeamRock)
Ronnie Baker Brooks has made his new track Long Story Short available to stream exclusively with TeamRock. It's taken from his upcoming album Times Have Changed. His first new album in 10 years launches on January 20 next year via Provogue/Mascot Label Group.
Brooks worked with Steve Jordan on the album, which was recorded in Memphis. Jordan says: "I decided to go to Memphis and Nashville for the particular musicians and studios I wanted to engage. As it turns out, Ronnie had done a few of his previous recordings in Memphis, so he felt right at home."
Brooks refers to Jordan as "a walking encyclopaedia of music detail and equipment." He adds: "Once we got the ball rolling, my confidence went higher and higher. I'm a better musician for this experience." Stream the song here.
Dream Theater Announce Images And Words UK Tour(Prog)
Dream Theater have announced that they have added a five-date UK leg next April to their upcoming 2017 Images And Words European anniversary tour.
The UK leg of their tour will see Dream Theater celebrating the 25th anniversary of their album Images And Words, which they will perform in full on the dates, alongside a selection of fan favorites.
Dream Theater start the European tour in Rome on January 30 before arriving in the UK on April 18. The band released their 13th album The Astonishing in January of this year. See the dates here.
The Black Dahlia Murder Lead Tech-Fest Lineup(Metal Hammer)
The Metal Hammer-sponsored Tech-Fest has announced its 2017 lineup. The Black Dahlia Murder, Obscura, Aborted, The Arusha Accord, Hacktivist, Ingested, The Algorithm, Oceans Ate Alaska and Carcer City are among a raft of acts added to the bill.
They'll also be joined by Exist Immortal, Sarah Longfield, Alaska, The Fine Constant, Within Destruction, Aenimus, Toska, The Royal, Hieroglyph, FRCTRD, Fraktions and Nycosia across the weekend July 6-9 at Newark Showground in Nottinghamshire.
Organizers say there are 40 bands yet to be announced, adding: "Tech-Fest 2017 is starting off with their heaviest line-up to date - and this looks set to be the festival's best year."
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!
Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!: Today's Day in Rock Stories Yellowcard Announce Final Farewell Shows(Gibson) Yellowcard have announced the final two show of thei...
Today's Day In Rock News!
Today's Day in Rock Stories
Yellowcard Announce Final Farewell Shows(Gibson)
Yellowcard have announced the final two show of their career before they retire the band. The band had been on a two-year hiatus from 2008-10 and now, in June 2016, the band announced that they would be breaking up after the tour to support their 10th album, the eponymous Yellowcard, released this September.
Now, as they wrap up their ongoing final tour of the United States, the band have just announced two more shows to close out their career. The two new dates are March 24th, 2017 in Los Angeles (where the band will perform their classic 2003 album Ocean Avenue in full) and March 25th in Anaheim, where the band played their first-ever sold out show.
The band's frontman Ryan Key said, "Due to incredible demand, we have decided to add two final shows in Southern California to the tour. On March 24th, we will be performing Ocean Avenue in full at The Nova in Los Angeles.
"On March 25th, at the brand-new House of Blues Anaheim, we will be ending the story in the city where we played our first sold-out show." Read more here.
Rush's Family Guy Guest Appearance Goes Online(Prog)
Rush have appeared on the latest episode of hit animated TV show Family Guy, playing their track Tom Sawyer, and the clip from their appearance has been posted online.
This past weekend the iconic Canadian band appeared on season 15's seventh episode, entitled High School English, which sees Family Guy characters acting out a brief version of Mark Twain's classic book The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn.
In one of the show's typical cutaway scenes, the characters end up at a Rush concert. In a brief clip which can be viewed below, Peter Griffin, in the role of Huck Finn, asks Tom Sawyer, played by Chris Griffin what he's doing so far from home. Sawyer replies: "Rush is playing here tonight. They wrote a song about me."
It's not the first time Rush have featured in animated form. They have previously shown a brief clip of the South Park cast playing Tom Sawyer on a big screen as an introduction to the track at live shows. A clip of that and the Family Guy appearance can be viewed here.
Slipknot Making New Album Plans(Metal Hammer)
Slipknot percussionist Shawn 'Clown' Crahan says the band will begin writing new material in February of next year. The band have only recently wrapped up touring in support of 2014 album .5: The Gray Chapter - which arrived six years after fourth album All Hope Is Gone.
But Crahan is hinting that fans won't have to wait as long for the sixth album. He tells Rolling Stone he plans to meet up with Slipknot guitarist Jim Root in February 2017 to start writing new music "because we want to write."
Crahan also says he wants to make another film after the success of his directorial debut Officer Downe, which is based on a comic book and stars Sons Of Anarchy actor Kim Coates.
He says: "I was born to make movies. I'm into fashion, death, sex and clothes. I work really hard to portray things that you're not going to see at Walmart." Read more here.
Evanescence To Live Stream Paramount Concert(Metal Hammer)
Evanescence have announced that they will be streaming their upcoming performance at The Paramount in Huntingdon, New York live on November 23rd.
It will be the band's final show of 2016 - and will be available to view at Live Nation's Facebook, Live Nation TV and their Youtube channel. Watch their announcement video below.
The band have been touring the US in the lead-up to the launch of their vinyl box set, The Ultimate Collection, which arrives on December 9. The collection features all of Evanescence's studio records along with their previously unreleased demo album Origin. Read more here.
Page and Plant In The Studio For Led Zeppelin IV Anniversary
A new episode of the syndicated radio show In The Studio: The Stories Behind History's Greatest Rock Bands celebrates the 45th anniversary of the landmark album Led Zeppelin IV. The show sent over these details:
In a matter of four short years Led Zeppelin had delivered four groundbreaking albums each destined to top the other. Widely considered a hard rock, heavy metal band by many, Zeppelin would astonish everyone by creating one of hard rock's first epic ballads, the most played record in rock radio history "Stairway To Heaven". Jimmy Page shares with In The Studio host Redbeard just how immediate the reaction was.
"We were out touring and that album (IV) hadn't come out and we played "Stairway" in the Forum (Los Angeles) and we got a standing ovation." - Jimmy Page
Anyone assuming that Led Zeppelin's allure was limited to the decade of the Seventies, or even the 20th century, simply has not been paying attention: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction 1995; Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award 2005; one-off 2007 London O2 Arena performance that had over six million ticket requests; and recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2012 awarded by U.S. President Barack Obama, proving that the Led Zeppelin legacy and their music has certainly not diminished.
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant share their views In The Studio as to why Led Zeppelin IV has stood the test of time to become the third highest selling album in music history.
"I wanted to make music that people would respect... I knew it was good, but I hadn't got the faintest idea that it was ever going to become as big as it did... I wanted to do something that could stand the test of time." - Jimmy Page
"We just did whatever... whenever it was most appropriate, with amplifiers, without amplifiers, in a desert, on top of a Welsh mountain, wherever it was which could be indicative and show what we were all about." - Robert Plant. Stream the episode here.
AC/DC Star Phil Rudd Previews Head Job Video(hennemusic)
Former AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has released a preview of the forthcoming music video for the title track to his recently re-released solo album, "Head Job."
Rudd originally issued the album in 2014, just months before a series of legal troubles led to an 8-month home detention - on charges of threatening to kill a contractor, possession of methamphetamine and possession of cannabis - that sidelined him from joining AC/DC for a world tour in support of the "Rock Or Bust" album.
The Australian group brought in former member Chris Slade to handle drums for the trek, which eventually saw Axl Rose step in to handle vocals in place of Brian Johnson after the longtime AC/DC singer risked permanent hearing loss.
Rudd was a member of AC/DC from 1975-83 and again from 1994 to 2014. "Head Job" was first previewed with the lead single, "Repo Man"; the album's reissue and plans to tour the UK and Europe in 2017 are part of Rudd's plan to launch a comeback following his recovery from a heart attack in New Zealand this past summer.
"I made mistakes, but I am really good now," says Rudd. "Life is good. I'm positive and healthy. I really appreciate the support of the fans around the world, which kept me going through, you know, some of the dark times, and I cannot wait to play the music for them, it is going to rock." Check out the preview here.
Slayer Were Offended By Fake 1990s 'Punk' Groups(Metal Hammer)
Slayer's Kerry King says he didn't like the direction of heavy music in the 90s and "couldn't understand why things were popular." He points to Slayer's 2001 album God Hates Us All as the moment the band refocused their efforts after a period in the 90s when groups such as the Offspring were on the rise.
King tells the new episode of Metal Hammer: In Residence: "I think we refocused on God Hates Us All. I think in the 90s, me and Jeff Hanneman just didn't pay any attention to anything.
"In particular didn't like where music was going and I let it get to me for the only time in my career - and that was basically the 90s. I couldn't understand why things were popular and it just bummed me out completely and I had to forget about it and refocus because it was just bringing me down.
"I'm not talking about pop and stuff like that. Heavy music - I didn't like where heavy music was going." He continues: "I remember in particular when we did Undisputed Attitude in 1996, we did that in rebellion to Green Day and the Offspring.
"It's not their fault but everyone called them punk bands and me and Jeff were, 'This isn't punk, guys.' We just took offence to it and Undisputed Attitude was that coming out." Read more here.
Pierce The Veil Release 'Dive In' Video(TeamRock)
Pierce The Veil have released a video for their song "Dive In". The clip was filmed on the San Diego band's last few tours and includes footage from their Made To Destroy Tour this summer with Neck Deep and I Prevail.
The band released their fourth album Misadventures earlier this year. Frontman Vic Fuentes said he travelled across the US to find inspiration for the record.
He said: "I felt like the four walls that I was looking at every day were not gonna inspire an amazing record, so I got out of there. We went on tour - which was very conducive to the record - and when we did get back and it was time to work on the lyrics and finish the thing, I wanted to do the exact opposite of what I had been doing."
"I wanted to travel instead of being stuck in a room. I wanted to stimulate my brain, go to different cities, stay in different houses and work in different studios." Watch the video here.
Steve Harris' British Lion Writing Heavier New Music(Classic Rock)
Iron Maiden's Steve Harris says British Lion have gone in a "heavier direction" with their new material. The newly incarnated British Lion was announced in 2012 - 20 years after the first lineup dissolved. They've been "road-testing" their new songs on tour, which are to be included on the studio follow-up to their self-titled 2012 album
Harris tells Kerrang: "The band's been evolving and the songs have been evolving with it, or vice versa. We're finding our feet as a band, finding more of a sense of what we are.
"Without analysing it too much, I think the new songs are really probably going, if anything, maybe in a heavier direction perhaps. I mean, Spitfire to me sounds like really heavy Thin Lizzy. But others might think something different about it." here.
Kate Bush Releases 'And Dream Of Sheep' Video(Prog)
Kate Bush has released a video for her live track "And Dream Of Sheep". It's taken from upcoming three-disc set Before The Dawn, recorded during her sold-out 22-date residency at London's Hammersmith Apollo - her first full-scale shows since 1979.
A statement reports: "This is a special piece of film to accompany the release of the live single And Dream Of Sheep. The vocal was performed live while filming Kate lying in the huge water tank at Pinewood Studios.
"This was to create a sense of realism, as the character in the song is lost at sea - however, it became more realistic than Kate had imagined. She spent so long in the water during the first day of filming that she contracted mild hypothermia. She recovered after a day off and carried on filming.
"This film was then projected onto a large oval screen which hung above the stage during the performances of her live show." Watch the video here.
Nightwish's Floor Jansen To Join Ayreon Onstage(Prog)
Nightwish singer Floor Jansen will appear onstage with Ayreon for two shows in the Netherlands next year. The performances will be held at the 013 venue in Tilburg on September 15 and 16, 2017, and will see Arjen Lucassen also joined by a raft of guests for the shows, which are being billed as the Ayreon Universe experience.
Nightwish's Marco Hietala, Symphony X's Russell Allen, Threshold's Damian Wilson, Blind Guardian's Hansi Kursch, Kamelot's Tommy Karevik, Katatonia's Jonas Renkse and Anneke van Giersbergen have so far been confirmed, with further names to be added in due course.
Ayreon Universe has been organised and arranged by Lucassen and Joost van den Broek, and will see music from all Ayreon albums and a selection of tracks from Star One showcased.
Lucassen says: "After the huge success of the four sold-out Ayreon theatre shows in 2015, Joost and I decided to boldly go even bigger. This is a full-on 'best of Ayreon' rock show in a big venue with as many original Ayreon singers and musicians as possible." Read more here.
Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson Shaves Heads To Cancer Charity(Classic Rock)
Bruce Dickinson helped shave the heads of a group of ice hockey players over the weekend, to support their cancer charity activities. The Iron Maiden frontman took clippers to the head of Cardiff Devils player Patrick Asselin as team-mate Josh Batch continued his bid to raise £3000 for MacMillan Cancer Support.
Dickinson as become an active supporter of the Welsh squad after launching his Cardiff Aviation firm in the area, and he's taken some of the players to try out his company's flight simulator, while accepting a custom shirt from them - numbered 666.
He told Wales Online: "Devils are doing really well. I like the name and I'm delighted with my shirt.
"The guys who came down to try out the simulator were able to take-off, fly around a little bit and they also landed it a few times."
Devils boss Todd Kelman, an avid Iron Maiden fan, said: "I saw them in Calgary when I was a teenager and have followed the band my whole life, so this is very, very cool." here.
Phil Anselmo Compares Stage Persona To Pro-Wrestling(Metal Hammer)
Phil Anselmo believes his aggressive vocal style and "pro wrestling" stage persona may give people the wrong impression of him. The former Pantera frontman hit the headlines earlier this year with his "white power" outburst at an event paying tribute to late bandmate Dimebag Darrell. He apologized for the incident and has repeatedly denied that he is a racist.
Now he says that if people look closely enough at this career, they will see that he has "nothing but love" in his heart. And those who still see a hateful man could be mistaking his vocal style for hatred, he says.
Anselmo tells Clrvynt: "I want people to understand that I have nothing but love in my heart. It is what it is, but hopefully the truth comes out in the wash, and I love everybody. I do. The sad truth of it all is I love everybody, almost to a fault.
"I am no rustic fool, despite what I might get sometimes get into on a stage. That part of my personality is like pro wrestling or something. It's part of me - I don't know where that came from.
"But 'racist' is a very strong word. Look at my track record and you'll see a lot of love there, I do believe. If you see the loathe part - well, maybe that's my expression as an angry vocalist.
"Still, that doesn't equate to someone that hates someone else for their f***ing skin colour. That is absurd." Read more here.
Mikkey Dee Recalls Rocky First Motorhead Gig(Classic Rock)
Former Motorhead drummer Mikkey Dee has recalled how mainman Lemmy stood up for him in his earliest days with the band - while some people thought the Swedish sticksman was a "wanker."
Dee joined up in 1992, replacing classic-era member Philthy 'Animal' Taylor, and remained on board until the band ended with Lemmy's death last December.
He remembers his first show with Motorhead. Dee tells Music Radar: "If eyes could kill I would have been murdered right away. A lot of people didn't know me and they literally stood pointing at me going, 'How can you bring this wanker into the band?' I was the wrong guy completely. They hated me."
"But Lemmy stood up for me. He said, 'Get out of my dressing room. Mikkey's unbelievable, you wait and see!' After the show the same guys wanted to shake my hand - 'This was the best Motorhead show we've ever seen!' And I got accepted."" Read more here.
Avenged Sevenfold Changed Approach With Brooks Wackerman(Metal Hammer)
Bassist Johnny Christ says Avenged Sevenfold took a "reverse process" approach to latest album The Stage, thanks to the arrival of new drummer Brooks Wackerman.
The record was sneak-released last month as the band made a point of exploring new ways to express themselves both onstage and off. In the behind-the-scenes , Christ says: "Having Brooks when we were writing was great. A lot of the riffs would actually come off of beats and ideas he would bring to the table."
He adds that writing became "more of jamming and playing off of each other, rather than coming up with parts and fine-tuning them - getting the feel of it first and then going back. It was kind of a reverse process from the album before." here.
James Kottak Making Post Scorpions and Rehab Plans(hennemusic)
Former Scorpions drummer James Kottak is thanking fans for their support through his battle with alcoholism and his continued efforts in recovery.
"Hello to all my family, friends, and freaks," writes Kottack on his website. "I want to send a HUGE thank-you from the bottom of my heart for the thousands of messages of hope and positivity during my time of healing! I am humbled and honored by your love and gracious offerings. I am healthy & happy living in the now…grateful for yesterday, excited for the future.
"As one chapter of my life closes…a thousand new doors of adventure have opened. I have been given the ultimate gift of life with my personal REboot. To quote one of my fav songs 'Tomorrow is a Brand New Day'. With the support of Athena and my three wonderful kids, today IS the first day of the rest of my life! I look forward to reconnecting and seeing you all SOON! Rock & Roll Forever!"
Kottak - who joined the Scorpions in 1996 - made international headlines in 2014 following an alleged drunken incident in Dubai that resulted in a month-long sentence in jail in the country; the rocker was released after serving less than 10 days and promptly entered rehab to treat his alcoholism. Read more here.
Nikki Sixx Says Sixx A.M. Focused On Performance Not Glory(Classic Rock)
Nikki Sixx says he is cool with his band Sixx A.M. not being the headline act while on tour. They're currently on the road across North America with Five Finger Death Punch and Shinedown, who are co-headlining the trek. But the bassist says he is too focused on their performance on the night to think about their slot on the bill.
He tells Music Feeds Australia: "I've never really thought about it. I like to perform. I enjoy playing my instrument and being in a band and trying to push myself, watching my singer grow as a front man, watching us grow as a band every night.
"So whether I'm at the bottom of the bill or the top of the bill I never really look around and go, 'Oh look at me.' It's more about what I'm doing when I'm on stage.'
"All of the work, all of the songwriting and the lyrics and melody, the guitar parts and the mixing and the artwork. You step on stage and that's kind of what it's really about." here.
Obituary, Decapitated and Brujeria Added To Bloodstock(Metal Hammer)
Obituary, Decapitated and Brujeria have been added to the bill for next year's Bloodstock festival. They join previously announced headliners Amon Amarth, along with Blind Guardian, Testament, Hatebreed, Whitechapel, Possessed and Hell.
Bloodstock 2017 takes place from August 10 to 13 at Catton Park, Walton On Trent, England. Obituary will take to the main stage on the Sunday in support of their upcoming 10th studio album, which is expected to launch in March.
Guitarist Trevor Peres previously called Obituary's follow-up to 2014's Inked In Blood "brutal" and added: "Our new album is going to come out in March. We just finished recording before this tour started. There's some leads that still have to be finished.
"So the actual title - we haven't made a decision what to title the album yet. I think there's going to be eleven songs on the album, including Ten Thousand Ways To Die." Read more here.
Amplifier Release Trippin' With Dr Faustus Trailer(Prog)
Amplifier have released a short video to announce their upcoming sixth album titled Trippin' With Dr Faustus. The follow-up to 2014's Mystoria is scheduled for an early 2017 launch, with the new trailer featuring cryptic lyrics along with audio from the record.
The lyrics read: "Hey, Mona Lisa. How's it hanging? Smile on your starman in the operating room. Well, have we lost our way up to your city clouds? Or are we still dreaming? Well who's to know?
"And it's been on my mind. In fact, it is totally clear that life brings you suffer time - and jokers that you know. Supernova, I'm waiting for your call."
The band are also asking for fans to send images for inclusion on the Trippin' With Dr Faustus cover art. Amplifier say: "Last call for submission of photos for the artwork for Trippin' With Dr Faustus.
"The cover is made entirely from various peoples pictures - a lot of them taken while they were travelling around the world. Your image will almost certainly be boiled down deconstructed and then retooled into something completely different." Read more and watch the trailer here.
Steel Panther Announce 360 Degree Concert Live Stream(Classic Rock)
Steel Panther have announced that they will release a 360-degree virtual reality stream of their show at Los Angeles' Roxy Theatre on November 22 (Wednesday).
The rockers follow Machine Head, Testament, Megadeth and Five Finger Death Punch in their use of immersive visual technology. Fans can watch the video on the band's website or on the YouTube mobile app.
The band revealed they'll issue their fourth album Lower The Bar on February 24. It's available for pre-order now.
They also released a video for their cover of Cheap Trick's She's Tight, which features cameos from Cheap Trick's Robin Zander, Paris Michael Jackson, Bobbie Brown and Papa Roach drummer Tony Palermo.
Monday, November 21, 2016
Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!
Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!: Today's Day in Rock Stories Brian Johnson's First Post AC/DC Music Goes Online(Classic Rock) Former AC/DC singer Brian Johnson ...
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