Stephen Pearcy "It's too bad Bobby Blotzer had to say what he said in his book."

Stephen Pearcy "It's too bad Bobby Blotzer had to say what he said in his book Classic RATT line up - 1983 Blozer, DeMartini, Pearcy, Crousier & Crosby Ratt guitarist Robbin Crosby passed away nine years ago this month from a heroin overdose. Prior to his death, the 42-year old had battled addiction for many years, contracting HIV and eventually full-blown AIDS as a result of his drug use. During Ratt's episode of VH1's 'Behind the Music,' Crosby talked candidly about his addiction. "It's cost me my career, my fortune, basically, my sex life when I found out I was HIV positive," he said during the taping. Noisecreep is on the phone with Ratt vocalist Stephen Pearcy, talking about his upcoming Metal in America tour, when the subject of his late bandmate comes up. "I miss him so much and think about him every day," Pearcy says. Although he was often overshadowed in the press by Ratt lead guitarist Warren DeMartini, Crosby co-wrote hard rock classics like 'Round and Round' and 'Lay it Down.' Noisecreep asked Pearcy how he first met his former Ratt partner. "I knew Robbin from our teenage years in San Diego. When the band was still called Mickey Ratt," Pearcy says. "We still had Jake E. Lee [later of Ozzy Osbourne's band and Badlands] on guitar, and Robbin would come in and jam with us from time to time. Once Jake left the band, I brought Robbin into the lineup. Together we laid down the foundation for what everyone knows as the Ratt sound. In those early years, Robbin was pretty much the main guy, but Warren was progressing so phenomenally that it was hard to ignore. You see, Robbin didn't have an ego about it and was actually brave enough to say, 'I think we should showcase this kid.' Not a lot of guitar players would have done that," Pearcy fondly remembers. Crosby and DeMartini made for a deadly twin-guitar duo. "Robbin had his own style, but he was definitely influenced by Billy Gibbons [ZZ Top] and Jimi Hendrix. He played with great feel. Warren was more of a noodler, a guitar hero type of player. They complimented each other so well," says Pearcy. In addition to his musical style, Robbin Crosby also knew how to dress. If there was a look that captured the essence of an international rock star, Crosby nailed it. "He looked so cool standing on stage with his guitar," says Pearcy. "The guy was 6' 5" [laughs]. They loved Robbin in Japan. He would walk around the streets there looking like some kind of heavy metal god [laughs]. He was a great-looking dude and the ladies loved him." Besides his Metal in America tour and upcoming 'Sucker Punch' solo album, Pearcy will also be releasing his very own hot sauce line. "I can't sit around waiting for stuff to happen. I like to keep busy. While Ratt is on hiatus, I figured I would do all of these other cool projects. Ratt has another album on our Roadrunner Records contract so I'm excited to do that at some point. I just hope it doesn't take another 10 years to get the s--- out," he laughs. Ratt's latest album, 2010's 'Infestation,' was one of the group's finest efforts. Unfortunately, the band went through some internal issues within their ranks and never got to fully support the record. Around the time of the album's release, Ratt drummer Bobby Blotzer released a book called 'Tales of a Ratt,' which contained some harsh words about his bandmates. "It's a shame that things happened the way they did," Pearcy says. "I love what we did on that album. It sold well, doing somewhere in the 150K range. It charted great here and abroad. I was very happy about the album. "It's too bad Bobby had to say what he said in his book. I think of Ratt as our baby and treat it with love. It's sad when you have someone from within the band beating you down, it makes no sense whatsoever. But that's why we're on hiatus and taking care of some business stuff. Once that's done, we could move ahead."

'A Dangerous Method' Trailer Pits Freud Vs. Jung

6/23/2011 3:55 PM ET

(RTTNews) - "A Dangerous Method," release unknown:

Coming off the critically lauded gangster films "A History of Violence" and "Eastern Promises," director David Cronenberg is back with "A Dangerous Method," a psychological drama that has already gathered a considerable amount of internet buzz.
The movie looks to dissect the relationship between Sigmund Freud and Karl Jung, the two researchers responsible for revolutionizing the study of psychology. With an all-star cast that includes Viggo Mortensen as Freud and Michael Fassbender as Jung, "A Dangerous Method" promises some intense drama and off-kilter views on sexuality, which would be fitting considering the subject.
Also included in the cast is Keira Knightley, who plays a Russian test subject who begins to complicate matters for Jung. Knightley is a good fit in period dramas without zombie pirates (see "Atonement" and "Pride and Prejudice"), and Vincent Cassel ("Black Swan") appears as another potential influence on the famous psychologists.
"A Dangerous Method" doesn't have a U.S. release date yet but is scheduled to make its debut at the Venice Film Festival in late August/early September.
Box office potential:
Though Cronenberg is a respected director, his movies are often too dark to reach mainstream audiences; something seen with both "A History of Violence" and "Eastern Promises."
A lot will depend on how much critical support "A Dangerous Method" can gather and whether or not distributor Sony Classics can successfully market it as an awards contender.
"A Dangerous Method" will likely launch at the end of 2011 in the U.S. on a limited basis and look to expand slowly to attract its intended adult demographic through positive word-of-mouth.

Nikki Sixx Takes Over Planet Rock

Nikki Sixx Takes Over Planet Rock

Nikki Sixx is to have his own hour on Planet Rock.
The Motley Crue bassist will take over the airwaves from 7pm BST on Sunday, June 26. This is part of the station’s ongoing My Planet Rocks series.

June 24, 2011

Iommi’s surprise at metal label

Tony says he thought Sabbath were hard rock band until he returned from States to discover term had been invented

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Proud: Iommi

Black Sabbath icon Tony Iommi says he was surprised when he first heard the band referred to as a heavy metal act – because he always thought they were a hard rock outfit.
But he’s proud of the label after having lived with it for 40 years.
Iommi tells the BBC: “I wasn’t familiar with the term for quite a few years. I always looked at what we did as heavy rock.
“It was first mentioned to me by a journalist from a well-known magazine. He said, ‘Oh, you play heavy metal.’ I said, ‘What? What’s that?’ He said, ‘Well, that’s what you play.’
“I’d been in America for quite a while and I’d never heard the term. But ever since that it’s been non-stop. I still think we’re heavy rock, but you are put in a bag. I’m quite proud of it now.”
Iommi has been involved in the creation of an exhibition in Birmingham Museum which celebrates the genre’s roots in the midlands area.
He says: “Since we’re so-called inventors of this music, it’s really great for Birmingham and it’s really great for us all.”
The Home of Metal exhibition runs until September 25.

Give away music? Don’t be stupid, says Mustaine

Mainman Dave predicts record industry will resolve its problems – and admits he’d like Megadeth to be a bigger band

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Size matters: Megadeth

Dave Mustaine says bands who choose to give away their music for free are stupid, and predict the music industry will resolve its current problems.
And although he’s happy with his career at the moment, he admits he’d like Megadeth to be bigger than they are.
Mustaine tells the Brandon Sun: “I think the record business is just like anything else – it’s going to regulate itself. It’s going to correct itself.
“The problem is that all the pigs were in there with their hands on the steering wheel. They got what they deserved.”
He believes bands who allow free downloading of their tracks won’t be around long enough to be part of the industry once it’s repaired.
“Musicians who say they don’t care, that’s they’d give it away for free, are stupid,” he says. “They’ve never been hungry.
“If you’re going out there and being careless, and just letting your songs be downloaded for free, it’s probably going to reflect in your longevity.”
Megadeth have nearly completed the follow-up to 2009′s Endgame, with original bassist David Ellefson back in the fold, and Mustaine says he has very few regrets about the way things are going.
“We’re not as big as I’d hope to be right now,” he admits, “But there were some decisions I made while I was growing up that would probably have been better if I’d made the opposite choice.
“But I’m absolutely content with and what I am right now. I don’t wish I was in a bigger band – I’m not discontent with anything.”
He believes the subject matter of songs could help project the thrash act to a bigger audience, saying mainstream rock crowds aren’t interested in many of the things bands sing about. And he cites the two bands ahead of his own on next month’s US Mayhem tour as examples of his argument.
“The average person doesn’t want to hear about killing or savagery or brutality. The potential to play to a new audience is really interesting for me.
“The intent of Disturbed and Godsmack is to be popular and heavy at the same time – and those are two things we are.”

Guns N’ Roses Guitarist: Axl Has ‘Many Songs up His Sleeve’

Anne Erickson

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06.23.2011

Guns N’ Roses are playing a prominent gig at this year’s Rock in Rio festival in Brazil on October 2, but does this booking mean new songs are on the way?
According to Guns N’ Roses and Sixx:A.M. guitarist DJ Ashba, it’s on their minds.
“Axl has so many songs up his sleeve from the Chinese Democracy era,” said the 38-year-old, in an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock. “He has three albums of really amazing stuff. He’s played me quite a bit of it. It’s really good.”
Ashba went on to tell the site he’s been “demoing tons of stuff” in his studio and that the plan is to get together with the guys, go over the material and “put together what he [Axl] feels would be the next best thing for Guns N’ Roses…”
While no GN’R touring is planned yet, Ashba is optimistic: “It’ll be a lot of fun.”
DJ Ashba, who also owns his own graphic design agency called Ashba Media, is beyond stoked about the new Sixx:A.M. record, which he recorded with Nikki Sixx and company.
“We really dumped our heart and souls into it, as we did the last time, but this one is real special to all of us,” he said. “We really tried to step it up in terms of the whole overall message, to make a solid record from beginning to end. I think we did that, and it’s nice to see people are enjoying it!”

SuperHeavy: Mick Jagger supergroup to release debut in September

SuperHeavy: Mick Jagger supergroup to release debut in September

Mick Jagger’s new supergroup – SuperHeavy – will release its debut album this September.

The SuperHeavy lineup features Jagger, Eurythmics founder Dave Stewart, singer Joss Stone, composer A.R. Rahman and reggae artist Damian Marley.

Jagger and Stewart co-produced the album, which was recorded in various studios around the world, including those in France, Cyprus, Miami and India. The majority of the tracks were laid down over three weeks in Los Angeles earlier this year. The quartet wrote 22 songs in their first six days together.

The first single is titled "Miracle Worker" and the band will be recording a video for the track.

Jagger and Stewart had worked together on the 2004 soundtrack to the film "Alfie" and Stewart produced Stone's last album. Both wanted to bring in a Jamaican musician and Marley entered the picture with his rhythm section, bassist and composer Shiah Coore and drummer Courtney Diedrick. They met Rahman while recording in Los Angeles.

According to the band's bio, SuperHeavy came together after Jagger and Stewart wondered what a band of musicians from different genres would sound like. Jagger had his doubts it would come together.

One of the first on the album is Jagger singing in Urdu. He takes lead on Rahman's song "Satyameva Jayate," which translates to "the truth alone triumphs."

"It's different from anything else I've ever been involved in," Jagger told Rolling Stone last month. "The music is very wide-ranging – from reggae to ballads to Indian songs in Urdu."

"We didn't know what the hell we were doing," added Stewart. "We were just jamming and making a noise. It was like when a band first starts up in your garage. Sometimes Damien would kick it off and then Joss would sing something on top of it. We might have a 22 minute jam, and it would become a six minute song."

SuperHeavy – An Introduction (2011)

Tesla & Soulmotor to Release New CD's

Tesla & Soulmotor to Release New CD's

Posted on Jun 22, 2011

Tesla will be releasing 'Twisted Wires & The Acoustic Sessions' on July 12th.
The album will feature 6 tracks that were recorded back in 2005 at bassist Brian Wheat's J Street Recorders studio (which are the last recordings with original member Tommy Skeoch), 6 newly recorded tracks which include acoustic remakes of songs from their entire catalog, and two brand new songs called "Second Street" and "Better Off Without You." 'Twisted Wires & The Acoustic Sessions' is the follow up to 2008's 'Forever More'.
2011 also marks the 25th anniversary of the band! To stay updated on everything Tesla visit their Official Site at www.teslatheband.com and the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/teslatheband.
In related Tesla news, you can now pre-order SoulMotor's album 'Wrong Place At The Right Time' on iTunes. The project with Tesla's bassist Brian Wheat, the new SoulMotor album will be officially released on June 28th.

Warren Beatty Readies Howard Hughes Movie at Paramount

Warren Beatty Readies Howard Hughes Movie at Paramount

 

 

Big news today but under-reported: Warren Beatty has indeed signed to make a movie at Paramount Pictures. He’ll write, direct and star. But what hasn’t been said: Beatty will finally deliver his Howard Hughes biopic, in the works for at least 25 years. Beatty first got involved with a Hughes project in the mid 1980s. He even had a script back then, written with Elaine May–with whom he’d endured the interminable “Ishtar.”
But Beatty, the perfectionist, moved on to other things–like “Bullworth,” “Love Affair,” and “Town and Country.” Now he’s ready. I had even heard a story recently that he was offered a chance to act in a romantic comedy that sounded very promising. But Beatty declined, saying he was embarking at last on “Hughes.”
At least two studios were interested. But I do think Warren made a great choice with Paramount–he’ll need a big, organized studio to pull off this ambitious film. He could have another “Reds” on his hands–one of the great films of all time, and one for which he won an Oscar.
PS The casting for “Hughes” should be pretty competitive. The script would call for a younger Hughes to be cast at least for flashbacks, if nothing else. A young Warren Beatty–that’s a tall order for any actor!

Ron Howard will be directing the true-life Formula 1 racing pic "Rush."

(RTTNews) - Ron Howard will be directing the true-life Formula 1 racing pic "Rush."

The director—who was slated to begin working on his planned "Dark Tower" film trilogy and television adaptation—will direct the film (based on "Frost/Nixon" and "The Queen" scriptwriter Peter Morgan's script) on the rivalry between drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda in the 1970s. The film will cover Lauda's horrific crash and return to the track six weeks later.
Howard is expected to produce the film with partner Brian Grazer, with the film's material reminiscent of his first film, 1977's "Grand Theft Auto." Shooting is expected to begin this fall.
Howard's representative, Missy Davy at CAA, has noted that Howard will still be working on "The Dark Tower" project, with shooting slated to start early next year.

Billy Gibbons: New ZZ Top Album is ‘Loud, Fast’

Michael Leonard

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06.22.2011

ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons says the Texan trio plan to release their first studio album since 2003’s Mescalero before the end of 2011.
“This year’s going to be a banner year on a number of levels, but we’re throwing our hat in the ring,” Gibbons told Houston’s Fox 26, shortly before leaving for the band’s summer European tour.
Gibbons confirmed that producer Rick Rubin was on board for the as-yet-untitled album, which has now “finished tracking” and awaits mixing.
“Rick has successfully brought in his particular piece of magic in offering a few suggestions,” Gibbons said. “Basically he stepped back and said, ‘You don’t have to get much better, just do what you do.’ So that’s what we’ve been up to.” Gibbons also mentioned that tracks so far recorded are “loud and fast” and “a return to the roots.”
“There’s always that Tex-Mex accompaniment,” Gibbons added. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we lean that direction again.”

Blink-182 Almost Done with New Album

Bryan Wawzenek

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06.23.2011

Blink-182 bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus has issued an update on the status of his band’s new album, according to NME.com.
Hoppus posted on Facebook: “I’m very excited. We’re getting to the point of the album where we talk about mixers and finishing up the songs.”
He said that fans can expect the new album before year’s end. “We deliver the album to the label on July 31, so it will be coming out during the tour,” he wrote. “The most recent batch of songs are some of the best of the entire record. Very happy it’s all coming together.”
The tour that Hoppus is referring to is an upcoming U.S. trek with My Chemical Romance. The reunited pop-punk group, which also includes Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker, postponed their summer U.K. dates in order to complete the new album. It will be the first Blink-182 album since 2003’s self-titled release.

Glen Campbell Has Alzheimer’s

Andrew Vaughan

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06.23.2011

Guitar great and country music legend Glen Campbell has revealed that he is suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
The Country Music Hall of Famer, who has scored more than 80 top 10 hits and sold more than 45 million albums, just recorded his final CD, Ghost on the Canvas, with help from rock luminaries like Jakob Dylan, Billy Corgan, Dick Dale, Chris Isaak and Rick Nielsen.
But with a final tour also being planned, Glen and his wife Kim decided to go public with news of Campbell’s condition.
Kim told People magazine,“Glen is still an awesome guitar player and singer. But if he flubs a lyric or gets confused on stage, I wouldn’t want people to think, ‘What’s the matter with him? Is he drunk?’”
Glen Campbell has dealt with short-term memory loss for some time, but was only diagnosed with Alzheimer’s six months ago.
“I still love making music,” said the seventh son of a seventh son. “And I still love performing for my fans. I’d like to thank them for sticking with me through thick and thin.”

Poison Tossing Ideas Around For New Album Says Rikki Rockett

Poison Tossing Ideas Around For New Album Says Rikki Rockett

June 22, 2011

"Twenty-five years is a long time for any relationship, but especially a rock 'n' roll band," Poison drummer Rikki Rockett tells BND.com's Scott Keifer.

"We've been through a lot together, but honestly, I think we are all playing better than we ever have."

It has been two years since the group (still with all original members, guitarist C.C. Deville, bassist Bobby Dahl and front man Bret Michaels) have toured together, but Rockett feels fans are in for a treat.

"We were in rehearsals for this 25th Anniversary Tour, and we sound really, really good," Rockett said. "I know that I am playing better, and I think every one of us is getting better as we go along."

Rockett had hoped the band would have some new music by the time this tour came along, but that never happened for many reasons.

"When you take a band like us, we all live separate lives when we're not together. Getting it all together to record an album is a daunting task," Rockett said. "It's just a hard thing to do. We finished our last tour after nearly a year and a half on the road, and we needed a break."

New music is still in the offing.

"We are going to finish this tour, take a little time off and then, hopefully, we can begin writing and recording new material," Rockett said. "We have been tossing things around, for sure."

The two-year hiatus of the band does not mean that they have been relaxing on a beach somewhere. Michaels has been busy with the "Rock of Love" and "Life As We Know It" television series and touring solo with the Bret Michaels band. Rockett has been busy with his own small company, Rockett Drum Works, and collobarting with his wife, Melanie Martel,and her music.

"Oh yeah, I haven't been lounging around being a bum, that's for sure," Rockett said. "My drum company, which I am not striving to be a huge company to begin with, is taking off at the speed I want. We make custom drum kits designed by myself, specifically tailored to the person who orders them. I mean from the wood type, drum type and paint design. They are custom, and not cheap, as you won't be finding them in stores across the country. We deal directly with the person who orders them, and each set is a one-of-a-kind. So, actually, I get my creative release out of that when I am off the band thing."

Read the entire interview with Rikki Rockett at www.bnd.com/2011/06/22/1757993/poison-gets-more-potent-over-time.html#ixzz1Q4hw38Tt.

A TALK WITH MAYNARD JAMES KEENAN

Puscifer Sets ‘Conditions Of My Parole’ Release Date

By Johnny Firecloud

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

 

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

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

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

CINDERELLA LIVE IN SPAIN:

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

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

6/20/2011 11:36 PM ET

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

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

Gold Cobra Rebuttal: Wes Borland Vs. Antiquiet

By Johnny Firecloud

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

Durst wants tour with Korn and Deftones

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

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Comback: Durst and Bizkit

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