Tuesday, May 2, 2017
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's Brian Johnson To Receive Walk Of Fame Honor AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson is set to be tha...
Today's Day In Rock News!
Today's Day in Rock Stories
AC/DC's Brian Johnson To Receive Walk Of Fame Honor
AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson is set to be that latest music star honored with a plaque on the NewcastleGateshead Initiative's Local Heroes Walk of Fame.
Johnson, who was born in Dunston, Gateshead, will be joining previous music recipients including Police frontman Sting and Dire Straits' Mark Knopfler, some time this month, according to BBC.
The inductees are selected by a public vote and aside from the hard rock icon, other members of the class of 2017 will include British television presenters John Grundy and Mike Neville, as well as actor Tim Healy.
Journey And Anthrax Stars Launch New Band
Former Journey and Anthrax stars Deen Castronovo and Dan Spitz have teamed up to form a new thrash metal band and are making plans for their first album.
Spitz original revealed the new band via his Instagram page and then discussed the new group during an appearance on Talking Bollocks podcast.
The guitarist shared a series of videos on the social media site, one was captioned "The Riffage begins. Watch how songs are made in Thrash Metal. From the instant God give's me the music. Don't steal my riffs. CASTRONOVO (OZZY, JOURNEY) DRUMS / SPITZ new Thrash band. Coming soon"
He has since posted several new clips and may have revealed the title with "The pieces are falling together. The Architect of Metal ----------> Channeled from God as it was taped. May your day be filled with Metal!!"
Spitz praised his bandmate Castronovo on the podcast (stream it here). "Deen is one of the world's most incredible drummers walking the planet. You first think of him as Journey. Deen's also a lead singer. He sings the ones that Steve Perry wouldn't even sing live.
"17 years in Journey, he played for Ozzy, he played on early Ted Nugent albums. I mean, it goes on, dude. He's pulling out stuff, and I'm, like, 'Are you kidding me, dude? I used to sit and just do bong hits and blast my guitar listening to that album. Are you crazy? I didn't know it was you.'"
Sammy Hagar Supergroup The Circle and Collective Soul U.S. Tour
The Sammy Hagar fronted supergroup The Circle will be hitting the road for a U.S. tour this September, which will feature support from Collective Soul.
Apart from Hagar, the band also features his former Van Halen bandmate Michael Anthony on bass, acclaimed drummer Jason Bonham and guitarist Vic Johnson.
The tour is scheduled to kick off on September 10th at the Glen Helen Amphitheater in San Bernardino, CA and will be wrapping up on September 30th in Maryland Heights, MO at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre. Read more here.
Deftones Cancel Show After Chino Moreno Injured
The Deftones announced that frontman Chino Moreno broke his foot which forced the band to cancel Monday (May 1st) night's concert in Cologne, Germany.
The band broke the news to fans with the following social media post, "Regretfully, we have to cancel our show tonight due to Chino breaking the top of his foot. He needs to stay off it for the next day or two.
"No other shows as of now are in jeopardy of being cancelled. We hope to make it back soon to perform for you again. In the meantime, all tickets will be refunded. Thanks for your understanding."
The next stop on the tour is a two night stand in Paris at the Olympia tonight and tomorrow (May 3rd)
Metallica Releasing Limited Edition 3 Disc Album This Week(hennemusic)
Metallica have announced that they are releasing a limited edition three LP vinyl package this Friday (May 5th) that was captured during their sold-out Fifth Members-only show at New York's Webster Hall last fall.
The release will be on 140-gram vinyl - accompanied by a digital download - delivers the band's September 27th, 2016 concert that previewed the November release of their tenth album, "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct."
The set list includes the first ever live performance of "Moth Into Flame", alongside a mix of classic tracks from the band's catalogue. "As we get ready to hit the road and kick off the North American tour," explains Metallica, "we thought it might be cool to revisit the very beginning of Hardwired… by pressing one of the live release celebrations on vinyl."
The 3LP set will be available exclusively online at Metallica.com as well as in the group's pop-up stores in select tour cities this summer. A full track list is available here.
dada Returning With First Song In A Decade And Tour
California rockers dada have announced that they will be releasing their first new single in over a decade and will be hitting the road for a 25th Anniversary tour.
The new song is called "The Bluebird" and was recorded last month with producer/engineer David Way (Pink, Paul McCartney, Foo Fighters, more) at The Waystation in Los Angeles.
The band plans to release the new track this summer to coincide with the launch of their summer and fall anniversary tour and they will also be offering a signed limited edition vinyl 45 of the single. Read more here.
Godsmack Pushing Back New Album Plans To 20th Anniversary
Godsmack have decided to push back the release of their new studio album until next year to coincided with the band's special plans to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their self-titled debut.
Frontman Sully Erna shared a rough outline of the group's plans during an interview with The Rod Ryan Show (via TeamRock). The singer told the show, "We were going to drop a record this year as we didn't want the records to be so spaced apart. But it seems like a theme with us - it's always three or four years before another record comes out.
"Part of that is because by the time it takes you to write and record and tour an album, it's 18 months to two years. But this time, we wanted to do something this year, but we were like, 'You know, let's just wait another second,' because if we release this at the top of 2018, it will be our 20 anniversary of the first record - and we want to do something special." Read more here.
The 1975's New Album May Be Their Last
The 1975 will release their next album, Music for Cars, in 2018. But frontman Matty Healy suggested during a recent interview that the new studio effort may possibly be their last, according to Radio.com.
Healy made the revelation during a recent interview on Beats 1 where he said, "We were always gonna do a trilogy of records. I'm not saying that after this album it's the end of The 1975, but it's the end of an era."
Healy shared the album title and projected 2018 release via a social media post earlier this year. The new album will be the follow-up to their 2016 album "I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it." Read more here.
The Juliana Theory Add Dates To 20th Anniversary Tour
The Juliana Theory had good news for fans on Monday. The reunited band has announced several additional dates to their upcoming 20th Anniversary tour.
The trek will be kicking off on July 29th in Columbus, OH at the Double Happiness and is now scheduled to run until September 10th where it will conclude in San Francisco, CA at The Regency Ballroom.
Frontman Brett Detar had this to say about the band regrouping for this special tour, "You step away from something for seven years and you realize you miss the small stuff - all the joking around with your buddies. Even just the band text chain that started once we decided to do this tour - full of us all making fun of each other and kidding around - that kind of stuff.
"It's hard to quantify the relationship you have when you're in a band with people you've known forever - some since you were 5 or 6 years old. You literally grow up with these guys. Every failure and every success you share for so long and I think that forms a very deep bond that doesn't really diminish over time." See the dates here.
The Afghan Whigs Announce North American Tour
The Afghan Whigs have announced that they will launching a North American tour this fall in support of their forthcoming album "In Spades", which is set to hit stores in various formats this Friday, May 5th.
The U.S. and Canadian trek is scheduled to kick off on September 6th in Orlando, Fl at The Social and will be concluding on October 26th in Houston, TX at Heights Theater.
The band will also be launching a European tour this summer which is set to get underway on May 26th in Manchester at the Cathedral and will be running until August 13th where it will wrap up in Helsinki at the Flow Festival. See all of the dates here.
Adrenaline Mob Release 'King Of The Ring' Video
Adrenaline Mob have released a new music video for their track "King Of The Ring". The song comes from the group's forthcoming album "We The People," which is set to be released on June 2nd.
"King Of Ring" is the first recording revealed from the new lineup of the group featuring recent additions Jordan Cannata (drums) and Dave Z (bass). Watch the Ron Cote directed video here.
The band will be hitting the road next month to promote the new album. The U.S. tour is scheduled to begin on June 16th in Poughkeepsie, NY at The Loft and will wrap up on July 22nd in Clifton, NJ at Dingbatz. See the dates here.
Sacred Reich Announce 30th Anniversary Tour
Sacred Reich have announced that they will be launching North American and European tours this summer and fall to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their debut album "Ignorance".
The U.S. and Canadian leg of the 30 Years Of Ignorance Tour will feature support from Byzantine on all but the final two dates and is scheduled to begin on September 14th at The Observatory in Santa Ana, CA.
The European leg of the anniversary trek will be kicking off on July 26th at The Underworld in London and will be concluding on August 22nd at the Kyttaro Club in Athens. See the dates here.
Motionless In White Streaming New Song 'Rats'
Motionless In White have released an online stream of their new track "Rats". The song comes from the band's debut studio album "Graveyard Shift", which is scheduled to be released this Friday (May 5th.)
The band premiered the song on BBC Radio 1's Rock Show With Daniel P Carter, and it follows the release of their current Active Rock top 20 single "LOUD (F*ck It)," and the songs "570" and "Eternally Yours".
They will be hitting the road to promote the new album with music festival appearances and joining the second leg of In This Moment's Half God Half Devil Tour this summer. Stream the new song here.
Queensryche Making Progress On Music For Next Album(hennemusic)
Queensryche vocalist Todd La Torre revealed an update on the band's work on the follow-up to 2015's "Condition Human" during an interview with The Metal Voice.
"Right now, we have around fifteen songs," he said. "Not all of them are completed. There are many that are. There are many that have all the arrangements. I went to Seattle and stayed there for a week to ten days, and we just worked on arrangements. Like, 'Okay, here's a good intro, here's a verse, here's a bridge, here's a chorus.' 'Cause once you have that established, there's pretty much your song."
The Seattle rockers were originally aiming to hit the studio earlier this year, but La Torre explains that schedule has been revised. "Right now the tentative recording timeline is to get into the studio September," he says. "It was supposed to be March. But we did a hundred shows last year, and when you only have four days off at home, you're not locking yourself in your studio to work. And you can't force creativity - good stuff." Read more here.
This Wild Life Release Cover Of Nirvana's 'Heart Shaped Box'
This Wild Life are paying tribute to Nirvana with the release of their cover of the grunge icon's classic hit "Heart-Shaped Box", which has been released as a digital single and can be streamed online.
Singer and guitarist Kevin Jordan revealed why the group decided to cover the song, "Growing up in the 90's I think every kid loved Nirvana, but as I grew older I started to appreciate the songwriting and artistry more. While digging back into these old records this song really jumped out at me due to the beautiful but simultaneously haunting melody in the verses.
"I thought it would be a fun and challenging project to approach this song 24 years later with a dark and cathartic arrangement without the huge drums and guitars. Anthony (del Grosso) and I produced the track ourselves after our last US Tour and we hope it comes across as an ode to a songwriter who left this place far too soon." Stream it here.
Mark Mackay Announces Album Release Party
Country-rocker Mark Mackay has announced a special release party for his brand new album "Trials & Tribulations," which will be taking place on May 11th in Los Angeles.
Mackay will be joined at the special show at Lucky Strike Live with performances from Tina Michelle and the Rhinestone Cowboys and Bleeding Harp.
Mark had this to say about the Phil Dixon produced album, "This album compiles my personal songwriting and co-written material, along with outside finds, but all of the tracks remain true to my artistry.
"I think the flow of this album has a quality that traditional country fans will appreciate, while including enough mainstream influence for today's audience." Read more here.
Mastodon's Brent Hinds Does Marriage Proposal Onstage(hennemusic)
Mastodon vocalist/guitarist Brent Hinds proposed to his girlfriend Raisa Moreno on stage during the band's April 28 show at Iron City in Birmingham, AL, and video of the event has surfaced online.
Hinds delivered his proposal at the end of the concert, while his grandmother watched from her seat on stage after rocking out during the evening. The Birmingham stop comes just two weeks into Mastodon's North American tour in support of their seventh album, "Emperor Of Sand."
Recorded last year with producer Brendan O'Brien at the Quarry in Kennesaw, GA, the project recently scored a US Top 10 debut when it entered the Billboard 200 at No. 7. Watch the video here.
Singled Out: The RPMs's Oh My God
Brighton rockers The RPMs are gearing up to release their new EP "Agents Of Change" on June 2nd and to celebrate we asked frontman Jack Valero to tell us about the lead single "Oh My God." Here is the story:
I've always been interested in current events and social commentary and music that reflects it's time. I'd spend most of my late teens listening to songs from the sixties singing about Vietnam, civil rights and the many other issues of that period. I would almost feel jealous of the singer-songwriters back then for having so much to right and talk about, but you know what they say 'be careful what you wish for'. And of course in the last few years I've had no end of things to write about, however what hasn't seemed to change is my generation's lack of identity. Most of the generations before us especially in the previous century have had something to define them such as war or cultural changes. But my generation seems more lethargic and blasé when finding something that brings us all together. Which made me feel somewhat alone. And one day I was thinking all this through and feeling pretty helpless in the face of it all. As I watched the world seem to twist and change out of shape and go backwards completely out of my control I felt somewhat foolish for even caring. I mean what was the point? Even with all my faith in humanity and all the emotional energy put in it all seemed to just end up the same way. And that is where I got the first line of 'Oh My God'.
It was literally what I said in my head, 'Oh my god, what even is the point of it?'. Just a sincere and honest question I kept asking myself, expressing my exasperated frustration at the world. I kept saying it over and over again as I was driving down the road on my own late one night. Then a girl I knew suddenly popped into my head and I thought about how all the girls I'd been with had smoked and how they all tasted like ash when I kissed them. Thats when the final part of the chorus appeared in my mind 'Stuck here counting my regrets, another girl that tastes like cigarettes'. Then the chords came rushing to me, I was humming the top line and the song came into existence! I actually got so excited that I did't realise I was speeding and ended up getting caught by a camera, but the 5 hour long speed awareness course gave me lots of time to think up more lyrics.
As I continued to write the rest the lyrics they very naturally began to from around my frustrations with the world and my feelings of helplessness already set up by the sentiment of the chorus. They came fast and smooth, almost like I'd already written it and was copying it down. Every lyric absolutely nailing the worries and feelings I had been wrestling with. I then brought it to a rehearsal with the others, who began to add their own musical flares to it. Callum (drummer) made the great suggestion we hit the chords once and let them ring out on the chorus as to emphasise the emotion it was expressing and Miguel (bass player) adding bass licks that made the simple chord structure far more interesting. We played it together and made some changes here and there, but we pretty much had the thing done in a week.
It's weird creativeness and inspiration, it's not something you can just switch on and off. It just appears out of nowhere and flows like a river before disappearing again. It's always there on the peripherals of your mind and if you focus on it too much, it'll never work. But ignore it and it'll come and find you and your best work yet may just fall into your lap when you least expect it.
Thursday, April 27, 2017
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 Former Guns N' Roses Star Cut Ties To Axl Rose Former Guns N' Roses guitarist Ron "B...
Today's Day In Rock News!
Today's Day in Rock Stories
Former Guns N' Roses Star Cut Ties To Axl Rose
Former Guns N' Roses guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal reveals that he has not spoken to Axl Rose since he left the group but he is happy to see the current reunion with Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan.
Thal has moved on since leaving the group in 2014 and is now part of the supergroup Art Of Anarchy. He was asked in a interview if he has spoken to Axl since his departure from the group.
He answered, "No. The relationship is over between me and them. They're doing fine and I'm doing fine and that's the way it's supposed to be. I don't regret leaving. I wish it could have smoother on a personal level.
"I'm happy to see what they're doing now and I'm glad I was able to be part of their world that makes people so happy at the shows. It was a gift. I'm grateful and I thank them for it."
Bauhaus's Peter Murphy Suffering Serious Vocal Cords Issues
Bauhaus icon Peter Murphy has revealed that doctors have discovered nodules on his vocal cords, which has forced him to postpone his upcoming Residency at the Chapel in San Francisco until early next year.
Murphy will be receiving treatment for the nodules but it will also require a lengthy recovery. He had this message for fans, "As you can see, I am not allowed to sing or speak for a while, doctor's orders. I must rest my vocal cords. See you when this is over. Love, Peter."
The residency has now been moved to January and February of 2018 and will include special shows that are each focused on a different album from his career.
Peter also announced that he has expanded plans for the series of concerts with two additional shows called Mr. Moonlight" which will focus of Bauhaus classics. Read more including the rescheduled dates here.
Darkest Hour Frontman Slams Victory Records
Darkest Hour frontman John Henry has criticized Victory Records and says that despite releasing five albums with the label and selling hundreds of thousands of copies, he has yet to see a royalty check from the record company.
Henry isn't the first artist to be critical of the Chicago based label. A Day To Remember won a lengthy legal battle against Victory last year with a jury awarding the band $4 million in alleged unpaid royalties, according to Altpress.
On a recent episode of the Lead Singer Syndrome podcast with Silverstein's Shane Told, Henry had this to say (via Lambgoat), "We were one of the few bands that completed a Victory contract. Five albums, yeah, ten years baby. Still haven't seen a royalty check. Hundreds of thousands of units SoundScanned, you know? Not one penny.
"So, maybe someday, we'll get something from them, I don't know... not that it's all about the money or anything … Feeding yourself is pretty tight." Listen to the full podcast here.
Mastodon Offshoot Arcadea Stream New Song 'Infinite End'
Mastodon star Brann Dailor's cosmic synth/psych side project called Arcadea have released an online stream of a brand new track entitled "Infinite End."
The song comes from the group's forthcoming self-titled debut album which is set to be released on June 16th. Aside from Dailor, the band also features Zruda's Core Atoms and Withered's Raheem Amlani/
The cosmic synth/psych collective known as Arcadea has premiered a new song called "Infinite End" today. The song is found on the band's debut, self-titled album that's set for release on June 16th via Relapse Records.
According to the announcement, the trio "tell the story of a future 5 billion years from now where galaxies have collided, leaving catastrophic disorder in its wake as war is waged among gods and planets, and Arcadea reign supreme as the last surviving space wizards since the final extinction." Stream the song here.
Avenged Sevenfold Release 'God Damn' Video
Avenged Sevenfold have released a new music video for their track "God Damn". The song comes from the group's latest album "The Stage", which they released last fall.
Frontman M. Shadows had these comments about the new Anders Rostad directed clip (via TeamRock), "There's a bunch of ideas that were thrown into the mixing bowl there - but the main idea was to get fans involved and make sure the kids knew this is a song full of energy first and foremost.
"But at the same time, we wanted the technological hint in there, so as the video progresses you start seeing things glitching out and all of a sudden the world turns digital."
He adds: "By the end, there's a little nod to the lyrics - you see an eyeball kind of in there as an Easter egg, which is kind of big brother watching what we do the whole time as the humans turn into a digital world." Watch the video here.
The Melvins Announce Massive North American Tour
The Melvins are in an epic mood lately. Not only will they be releasing a new double album this summer, they are planning to hit the road for a massive North American tour.
The tour will span the summer into the fall and is scheduled to kick off on July 5th in San Diego, CA at the Casbah and will run until October 3rd where it will wrap up in Flagstaff, AZ at The Green Room.
The band has recruited Spotlights to support them on the trek and The Melvins will also be taking part in Tool's special one-off festival like show at the Glen Helen Amphitheater in San Bernardino, Ca on June 24th.
The Melvins are launching the tour in support of their forthcoming double album "A Walk With Love & Death" which is scheduled to be released on July 7th. See the dates here.
Converge Begin Recording New Studio Album
Converge have entered the recording studio to begun work on their new studio album, according to a new social media post from drummer Ben Koller.
He took to Instagram on Wednesday and shared with fans, "Well this is intimidating. 0 down, 18 to go. Please post your favorite inspirational quotes to guide me through this difficult time. "
The new album will follow the group's 2012 effort "All We Love We Leave Behind". The band will also be hitting the road this summer for a series of music festival appearances and a short tour with Neurosis and Amenra. See the dates here.
The Afghan Whigs Release 'Oriole' Video
The Afghan Whigs have released a brand new video for their track "Oriole". The song comes from their forthcoming album "In Spades", which is set to hit stores on May 5th.
The NSFW video was directed by Amy Nicole Hood and can be streamed here. The new studio effort will be offered in a variety of formats including CD, a 180 gram vinyl and digitally.
The band has also revealed the first round of live dates in support of the new album, beginning with a sold out show at the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem on May 23rd, followed by a European tour. Read more here.
The Church Announce U.S. Summer Tour Dates
Alternative rock icons The Church have announced that they will be visiting the United States this summer where they will be launching a short series of live dates.
The run of summer dates is scheduled to begin on June 28th in Ann Arbor, MI at The Ark and will be wrapping up on July 8th in Pawling, NY at Daryl's House.
The trek will include a performance at this year's Summerfest in Milwaukee on June 29th, stops in Cincinnati, Nashville, a two night stand at the City Winery in Chicago, Richmond and Ardmore, PA. See the dates here.
Sevendust Announce 20th Anniversary Tour
Sevendust have announced that they will be hitting the road this summer for a short run of shows where they will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album.
The band released their self-titled album in 1997 and will now stage some special concert in the eastern U.S. this June where they will be performing the effort in full.
The shows are scheduled to kick off on June 21st in Baltimore, MD at Rams Head Live! and will be concluding on June 25th in Worcester, MA with a show at The Palladium. Read more here.
Halestorm's Lzzy Hale Warns Bands Of Wrong Motivations
Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale says bands should pursue music because they love it and warns up and coming groups to avoid any other motivations including greed.
Hale was asked by Rawkus Radio (via NRT) what advise she would offer to young bands and she responded, "Number one is absolutely do it because you love it," said Lzzy. "Don't do it for any other reason. We've seen so many bands just crumble because their idea of success is money or getting people to know you and all this stuff.
"We're all perpetually, like, 14 inside; we haven't really grown up. And we still get that same feeling right before a show, and it's like we're 14 again. And it's because we love it. It has nothing to do with any of the petty things." Read more here.
In This Moment Announce North American Summer Tour
In This Moment appear to be having so much fun on their current North American tour that the band has announced plans for a new summer leg and revealed most of the new dates.
The run of shows are currently scheduled to kick off with a special show on June 19th in Mt Pleasant, MI at Soaring Eagle Casino where they will be supporting Avenged Sevenfold.
The final announced dates will be taking place on August 5th in Lincoln, NE at the Centennial Mall & M Street. In This Moment have recruited Motionless in White, former Slipknot star Joey Jordison's new band Vimic, and Little Miss Nasty as the support acts for the trek. Read more here.
Red Fang Star Intimidated Sharing Stage With Slayer
Red Fang's Bryan Giles was a featured guest on the latest Wikimetal podcast and revealed during the interview that he finds sharing the stage with Slayer intimidating.
Giles on what it is like to play a festival with Slayer and he responded, "There are Metal fans and there are Slayer fans. I love Slayer, I'm a huge fan. It's intimidating [playing with them] because if you ask me, they're the best Metal band in the world.
"They have consistently put out some of the best Metal records and they never compromised their sound for changing styles. They stayed true to what they're doing. Even the best Metal bands in the world, they moved with the fashion. And Slayer never did that." Listen to the full episode here.
Paradise Lost Reveal New Details For Forthcoming Album
Paradise Lost have revealed some new details about their forthcoming album, which they are planning to release towards the end of this coming summer and will be entitled "Medusa".
Greg Mackintosh promises, "The new album will be slower, sludgier and more doom filled than ever before. Eight riff laden monster tracks of sheer Northern misery."
The band is currently wrapping up work on the album which they recorded at the Orgone Studios in Woburn, England. It will following their 2015 record "The Plague Within" and the group plans to reveal more details soon.
Pearl Jam Announce Complete Scores Book(Gibson)
Pearl Jam announced the release of Pearl Jam Anthology -- The Complete Scores, a 800-page hardcover book with lyrics and instrument transcriptions for each one of the group's album tracks, all the way from "Ten" to "Lightning Bolt."
Pearl Jam Anthology -- The Complete Scores, which will run $75 retail, is available for pre-order on Pearl Jam's website and Amazon at lower price. The book will arrive next month.
In other news, Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready is gearing up to release a photo book, called of Potato Heads and Polaroids, on May 30. McCready will also host some live events to promote the book, including a date May 30 in Seattle and June 7 in New York City. Read more here.
Enslaved Enter The Studio For New Album
Enslaved have announced that they have begun studio work on their forthcoming 14th studio album, the follow-up to their 2015 release "In Times".
The group is recording the new effort at Duper & Solslottet Studios in the city of Bergen in their native Norway and mixing and mastering will be handled by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios.
Ivar Bjornson had this to say, "It is absolutely fantastic to be in the studio with these new songs. So many doors were opened with In Times and the times (sic) that followed; for us as a band, for me as a composer and I guess for us all on a personal level." Read more here.
Mark Slaughter Launches 'Halfway There' Video Series
Mark Slaughter has launched a new video series where he is offering fans a behind the scenes look at his forthcoming solo album "Halfway There", which is set to be released on May 26th.
The first episode of the new in-studio video series gives fans a look at a song called "Conspiracy". The new album was produced and co-mixed by Slaughter with John Cranfield (AFI, Andy Grammer).
Fans can also catch Slaughter live this spring with appearances at some of the leading music festivals including Rocklahoma and the Outer Banks Music Festival. Watch the new video clip here.
Justin Symbol & The God Bombs Release 'Godhead' Video
Justin Symbol & The God Bombs has released a music video for their new track "Godhead". The song is the title cut from their forthcoming sophomore album, which they plan to release in October.
The new clip is said to be "an homage to 70s psychedelic/occult film makers such as Alejandro Jodorowsky and Kenneth Anger" and was filmed in Joshua Tree last June.
According to the announcement, the song "tells the story of Justin Symbol's quest for a mystical cactus shaped microphone atop a mountain in Joshua Tree. He is challenged along the way by various evil forces attempting to thwart his conquest." Watch the video here.
Skillet's John Cooper Takes Part In Marvel's Playback
Skillet's John Cooper is featured in a new installment of Marvel's Playback series where he shares his love for comics, and the revealed lessons he's learned from their stories and heroes.
"What makes a hero is someone who does something selfless…Someone who stands up for someone who is weak," says Cooper. "Working in rock and roll is good, but being a hero is better."
In other Skillet news, the band's latest single "Back From The Dead" is set to be used in SyFy's new series, Blood Drive. The episode featuring the Skillet track will be the premiere of the show on June 14th. Watch the Marvel's Playback video here.
Singled Out: Onesie's Daytime King
Onesie just released a video for their song "Daytime King" and to celebrate we asked the group's mastermind Ben Haberland to share the story behind the track with us. Here is the story:
Like most Onesie songs, "Daytime King" one was born from a guitar idea I stumbled on while noodling around on my couch. The cyclical, climbing riff was likely inspired by Blur's "There's No Other Way", a song I've loved for many years. I wanted to evoke a loose kind of shuffling feel with that guitar hook weaving around a repeating bass and drum groove. It needed a twist, so In the verse there's a wall of Big Muff guitars that sort of interrupts the flow ands disappears pretty quickly. I made a casual bedroom demo of the song back in 2013. I remember overdubbing the shaker and really getting into "snare hunter" mode to stay on beat. There's that great moment in the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers doc where he talks about how vital the shaker was in mixing "Refugee". I have a tendency to write too many parts but thankfully the shaker helped temper that and glue the disparate pieces together. I was worried that the overall feel landed somewhere between Kool and The Gang and Spin Doctors but when the band played it we really dug into the dynamics and enjoyed how different it was than the rest of the songs.
I keep an ongoing notepad file of lyrical ideas on my phone. When I'm demoing, I'll pull out a line that works with the music and it generally flows from there. Though this set of lyrics are kind of random and whimsical, the line "you're right there with me, jingling the keys" is pretty close to my heart. It was inspired by working on photo shoots and watching the trick of the jingling keys to make toddlers look in the direction of the camera. The same trick actually terrifies my cat into coming back into our apartment when she gets too curious about the hallway. Life is constantly sending you distractions that make you second guess your choices. You can either react to the jingling keys or you can put on your blinders and persevere. It's an ode to staying focused on your own long game through the ceaseless noise.
Since the guitar/bass relationship was kind of busy, I went for a vocal cadence that is less lyrically dense than than something I would typically write. With vocals piping in and out like horns over the groove, I got into the frame of mind of Steely Dan and layered in some harmonies that made everything smoother. The actual phrase 'Daytime King' became lodged in my brain after going to a Late Show with David Letterman taping a few years ago. Regis Philbin was the guest, and it was great because he was not promoting anything. It was a very relaxed, friendly visit, with stream of conscious chatting. At some point the term "King Of Daytime" came up and I wrote it down. It's one of those perfectly hollow titles of celebrity nobility. I mean, I associate daytime TV with boredom or failure- something negative. He was just so self-assured and charming about accepting his role as THE Daytime King. A few weeks later there was a big Winter storm in New York, and as the song says they did indeed "close the city".
This song has a fun extended breakdown with both two of my favorite things happening at once- a mosh beat and a harmony solo! I have a tendency to go crazy with layering those Thin Lizzy guitar parts. They're just so tasty. I'll end with a little trivia. The spoken line in the bridge right before the solo is pretty much a direct quote from a moment of punk rock triumph in a lesser celebrated John Hughes movie. It's one of those lines that drifted around my subconscious for decades and it just came out when we were overdubbing and sounded right.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
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 Ozzy Osbourne Leads Music Festival Lineup Ozzy Osbourne leads the big names lined up for the second annu...
Today's Day In Rock News!
Today's Day in Rock Stories
Ozzy Osbourne Leads Music Festival Lineup
Ozzy Osbourne leads the big names lined up for the second annual Chicago Open Air festival, which will mark the metal legend's first solo concert following the retirement of Black Sabbath.
Apart of Ozzy, the festival will be calling out the big guys with sets from Megadeth, KISS, Rob Zombie, Anthrax, Korn, Godsmack, Stone Sour, Slayer, Lamb Of God, Seether, Meshuggah,Lamb Of God, Seether, Meshuggah and more.
The festival is set to take place on July 14th, 15th and 16th at the Toyota Park in Highland, IL with KISS headlining the opening night, Korn leading the lineup the second night and Ozzy closing out the final night. here.
Grim Reaper Frontman Has Part Of His Leg Amputated
Grim Reaper frontman Steve Grimmett has had part of his leg amputated as he battles a serious infection, according to posts made by his wife Millie on social media.
Grimmett was hospitalized following a Steve Grimmett's Grim Reaper concert in Guayaquil, Ecuador on Saturday night (January 14th). His wife posted the following initial message on the band's Facebook page, "As many of you know steve was taken Ill at Saturday nights gig and he sung most of it sitting down.
"After the show Steve was taken to hospital where he had an operation to remove an infection from his foot and bones. He is still in hospital in Guayaquil but this is all I know right now. Once I have more information I will let you know. Thank you for all your support and kind words. It means a lot."
Unfortunately, she revealed in a later update that the surgery did not work and he had to have part of his leg amputated. She wrote Tuesday, "unfortunately the operation didn't work and steve is currently in the operating theatre having limbs removed." Read more here.
Radiohead Announce U.S. Spring Tour Dates
Good news for Radiohead in the U.S., the band has announced that they will be playing a string of tour dates in various cities across the United States this spring.
The dates surround the acclaimed British's band's headline set at this year's Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival where they will be leading the lineup on April 14th and 21st.
Apart from the two weekend music festival appearances in Southern California, the band revealed plans to play additional shows in Miami, Atlanta, New Orleans, Kansas City, Seattle, Portland (OR), Santa Barbara, and Berkeley. Read more and see the dates here.
A Perfect Circle May Reveal New Music This Year
Tool fans may patiently be waiting for a new studio album but it appears that another of Maynard James Keenan's other bands A Perfect Circle may be releasing new music this year, according to comments from Billy Howerdel.
The band cofounder Howerdel sat down for an interview to discuss A Perfect Circle's recently announced U.S. tour dates, their first in six years and he revealed that fans may soon get the first new music from the acclaimed group since their 2004 album "Emotive".
He said cautiously, "We're not promising anything, but I have every intention of doing my best to have us playing some new tracks during this run, with the idea that new music is coming very soon after." Read more here.
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds Announce U.S. Tour
The Dave Matthews Band may be taking this year off from their annual blockbuster summer tour but that will not keep the band's namesake from hitting the road.
Dave Matthews has announced that he will be teaming up with his frequent collaborator Tim Reynolds to launch acoustic tours of the United States and Europe this spring.
They will kick things off with the previously announced Dave & Tim Riviera Maya three day event that will be taking place in Mexico on February 23rd through 25th. Read more here.
Billy Corgan Fuels Hope For Smashing Pumpkins Reunion(New Rock Times)
Billy Corgan has fuelled hopes of a potential Smashing Pumpkins reunion by revealing he is in regular contact, and on good terms with some of his ex-band members.
The Pumpkins frontman and founder has patched up his differences with each of his founding member band mates in recent years, including D'Arcy Wretzky who he didn't speak to for almost 20-years.
Chicago Radio station WLUP report that a reunion could happen but it wouldn't be a long term thing. "I just talked to guitarist James Iha the other day, things look good for us getting together to play. We're talking about it, we'll see," he said.
"The reunion thing is always a bit weird, because then people come in with their expectations. So my whole thing is if we're going to do it, I think we do it to make people happy, and not go against the tide of what people would want to hear and that type of stuff, but my interest in it is sort of limited. I'm not going to do it for 14 years of my life." Read more here.
KISS Won't Make New Albums Due To Filesharing(New Rock Times)
Gene Simmons says illegal file sharing and downloading is the reason KISS are reluctant to record a new record insisting the band are not a charity and he has no interest in making a new record unless there is 'a financial model that works' for them.
The KISS mainman was speaking on The SDR Show and when questioned as to what keeps the band recording new music after four decades in the industry he responded.
"That's less of an incentive, because downloading and file sharing. People have convinced themselves they don't wanna pay for stuff," he said. "And last time I checked, KISS is not a charity. We're philanthropic, but I'll be the one that decides how much I give and where. I don't want some college kid to decide, 'You have enough money. I don't wanna pay for your record.' Okay, then go download and Radiohead record and see what happ… No, I ain't about that."
He added: "Make a distinction between commerce and philanthropy. So the idea of doing another Kiss record, unless and if there's a financial model that works, personally I'm not interested in it." Read more here.
Aerosmith and Los Lobos Stars Join Experience Hendrix Tour
The 2017 Experience Hendrix Tour just added more star power with the announcement that Aerosmith's Brad Whitford and David Hidalgo And Cesar Rosas from Los Lobos will be joining a few of the stops of this year's installment of the annual tribute tour.
They will be joining the lineup for select dates on the trek which will also include Buddy Guy, Black Label Society and former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Dweezil Zappa, Keb' Mo', Doyle Bramhall II, Ana Popovic, The Slide Brothers, Mato Nanji from Indigenous, Beth Hart, and Jimi Hendrix Experience/Band of Gypsys bassist Billy Cox.
Brad Whitford will be taking part at the stops in Jackson, MS, Houston and San Antonio. He had this to say about his previous experience on the tour "It's such a wonderful atmosphere. Sometimes we'd get on the bus and travel at night and we're watching old Hendrix videos. It just doesn't stop. It's a great group of people." Read more here.
Metallica's Hetfield Sees No Reason For Bad Blood With Mustaine(New Rock Times)
Metallica frontman James Hetfield says there is no reason for any ill feeling to remain between him and former bandmate and Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine.
Mustaine was famously kicked out of Metallica in the early 1980's but Hetfield insists it is all ancient history with each man making their own journey to the point in their lives where they sit today.
"There's no reason [for things] to not be good [between us]" he said. "At this point, we've all freakin' fell off the wagon, we've all gone into the ditch, we've all gotten back on track, we've all learned from our stuff. And at the end of the day, it's just journeys - everyone is doing a different journey - and why would you hold a grudge with someone or vice versa?"
In an interview with WTF with Marc Maron podcast Hetfield explained the catalyst for the historic 'Big 4' shows the band took part in alongside fellow thrash legends Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer. "It really started [when Metallica was inducted into] the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame [in 2009]," he commented.
"Getting nostalgic and thinking, 'My God, look at all the people that have helped us along the way, and look who are still around. Let's say 'thank you' to them.' And so the 'Big Four' was kind of that thing. We're all still playing after thirty… whatever it was… thirty-two years. "Let's go do a gig together. I mean, why shouldn't we?" Read more here.
Black Sabbath Members Curate New 31-Track Release
As Black Sabbath approach the final show of their farewell tour on February 4th in their hometown of Birmingham, a new compilation from the metal legends will be hitting stores.
Rhino has announced that they will be releasing "The Ultimate Collection" on February 3rd, which will feature 31 classic tracks and was curated by the band members.
The compilation will be released in standard 2-CD and digital formats as well as a limited edition "Crucifold" 4-LP heavyweight vinyl version that will be housed in a case in the shape of a cross.
The tracks on the release were remastered by renowned engineer Andy Pearce (Motorhead, Deep Purple, Lou Reed, Iggy & The Stooges). See the tracklisting here.
George Harrison Vinyl Box Set Announced(hennemusic)
Late Beatles legend George Harrison's complete catalog of solo albums will be released in a new box set, "The Vinyl Collection", on February 24.
In sync with the late Beatle guitarist's 74th birthday the next day, the package includes all twelve of Harrison's studio albums - from 1968's "Wonderwall Music" to 2002's "Brainwashed" - complete with exact replicas of the original release track listing and artwork.
The project also delivers the 2LP "Live In Japan", as well as two 12" single picture discs from 1987's "Cloud Nine" - "When We Was Fab" and "Got My Mind Set On You."
Material for the catalog reissue has been newly-remastered from the original master tapes and pressed onto 180-gram heavyweight vinyl. The individual albums from the collection will also be available separately, with "All Things Must Pass" as a limited-edition title. Read more here.
Rolling Stones Documentary Coming To TV Next Month
Cable and satellite network AXS TV have announced that they will be broadcasting the Rolling Stones documentary "Crossfire Hurricane" on February 14th at 9pm E/6pm P.
The film, helmed by Brett Morgen, examines the legendary rock group's first twenty years from 1962 to 1981 and features exclusive interviews with past and present members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Ronnie Wood, and Bill Wyman.
The movie was originally released on DVD and Blu-ray in 2013 and is available here. The synopsis reads: "Taking its title from a lyric in Jumpin' Jack Flash, Crossfire Hurricane gives the viewer an intimate insight into exactly what it's like to be part of The Rolling Stones as they overcome denunciation, drugs, dissensions and death to become the definitive survivors." Read more here.
Arch Enemy Release As The Stages Burn Trailer
Arch Enemy have released a trailer for their forthcoming DVD/Blu-Ray live release "As The Stages Burn!," which is set to hit stores on March 31st, 2017.
The release will feature footage that was captured by 13 cameras during the band's headline performance at Wacken Open Air music festival back in 2016 and the bonus material will include behind the scenes footage, the music videos from their "War Eternal" album, a previously unreleased "Time Is Black" video, as well as portions of their "Tokyo Sacrifice" live DVD.
"As The Stages Burn!" is set to be released in the following formats" limited edition CD+DVD Digipak, Gatefold 2LP+DVD and as digital album. Europe will also be offering fans a Ltd. Deluxe CD+DVD+Blu-ray Box Set. Watch the trailer here.
Sanctuary Streaming Rare 1986 Demo
Metal veterans Sanctuary have released a stream of a newly remastered version of their 1986 demo "Die For My Sins", which is just one of the tracks from their forthcoming "Inception" album.
Guitarist Lenny Rutledge had this to say about the demo, which can be streamed here, "Die for My Sins was always one of my favorite Sanctuary songs to play live. On the Inception version we left off the intro and the song starts right into the main riff. I think this version has a real 'in your face' edge to it.
"I'm excited that after much effort we were able to restore these nearly destroyed master tapes. Now we can share the proper audio versions with all of our fans!" here.
ONI Release Horror Themed Video Featuring Lamb of God's Randy Blythe
ONI have released a new music video for their track "The Only Cure", which features guest vocals from Lamb of God's Randy Blythe. The song comes from their 2016 album "Ironshore."
The video was directed and edited by Abraham Roofeh and was created as mini serial killer-themed horror film. Blythe had the following to say about the new clip:
"What a super creepy video! Horror fans will love it - the production is Hollywood film-quality. It looks like something out of a SAW or Hostel movie. I had a lot of fun with the ONI guys recording this track, and it's cool to see the music set to such dramatic scenery. Nightmares..." Watch the video here.
Walls Of Jericho Release 'Forever Militant' Video
Walls Of Jericho have released a new music video for their track "Forever Militant". The song comes from the group's 2016 studio album "No One Can Save You From Yourself."
The band had this to say about the new clip, "We shot this over the summer of 2016 at With Full Force Festival as a headliner of the main stage. The band really wanted to show the world what our live shows are live no matter what stage we play big or small.
"Getting ready to support Suicidal Tendencies in 2017 brings us back to Europe in a large club setting and we can't be more excited to see everyone up close and more personal. Forever Militant is a stand out track on our new album so be ready to see us play this song every night on The Persistence Tour." Watch the video here.
Corey Taylor Wants Full Guns N' Roses Reunion?(New Rock Times)
Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor nailed his musical colors to the mast last week with an Instagram post showing his love for the classic line-up of Guns N' Roses.
A posted on his Instgram showed Taylor sipping from a coffee mug with the names of each of the classic line-up across the front. The reunited Guns N' Roses line-up, currently touring the wildly successful 'Not In This Lifetime' tour, has seen Slash and Duff McKagan reunite with frontman Axl Rose for the first time in more than 20-years.
Classic-era drummer Steven Adler has made a couple of guest appearances on the sticks but is not a fully-fledged member of the band while classic-era rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin has not been involved at all. See the photo here.
Ozomatli Announce Special Album Release Event(Glass Onyon)
Ozomatli have announced that they will be debuting their new album, Non-Stop, with a special event at the Troubadour in West Hollywood on Tuesday May 2, 2017.
The show will include appearances and performances by special guests including featured performers on the record and the inspirations behind the music.
Non-Stop was born from the concept of fusing two of music's most powerful traditions: classic and contemporary Mexican songs and signature Jamaican riddims. This record will be released by Cleopatra Records and consists of 14 iconic songs from the past century, re-imagined and re-born with the help of producers Sly & Robbie, one of Jamaica's most accomplished and respected drum and bass duos. here.
Deserted Fear Release 'Open Their Gates' Video
Deserted Fear have released a new music video for their track "Open Their Gates". The song comes from the group's forthcoming album "Dead Shores Rising", which is set to be released on January 27th.
They had the following to say about the new clip, "While you guys are freezing your asses off, we are reminiscing about our last summer. With our latest video, we would love you to take part in our trip to nature - maybe this will distract you from those low temperatures.
"It got pretty hot and sometimes things happen to be different than you thought, but see for yourselves. One thing is for sure, summer will come! With these words in mind, enjoy 'Open Their Gates'!" Watch the video here.
Singled Out: Karabas Barabas' Being A Man
Karabas Barabas' Werdna tells us about their new single "Being a Man" from their new album "Return of the Sexy Demon", which was produced by Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies, The Breeders, Foxy Shazam). Here is the story:
The whole concept came from an incident a couple years back. When a drunk ex roommate asked me "What you know about being a man?" I started to think about the contrast between the old way of being a man--tough, brave, invincible--contrasted with the pressures of the modern man, who's become more emasculated, and about the social pressures and the parameters set on what a man should be.
One day at rehearsal Phranque was playing the main riff. I knew as soon as I heard it that it was going to have to be "what you know about being a man". So we started chanting it. Later that night on our way up to Massachusetts we wrote the verse's in the car. We wanted to capture the psyche of the modern man vs a man from the 40s.
Ozzy Osbourne Leads Music Festival Lineup
Ozzy Osbourne leads the big names lined up for the second annual Chicago Open Air festival, which will mark the metal legend's first solo concert following the retirement of Black Sabbath.
Apart of Ozzy, the festival will be calling out the big guys with sets from Megadeth, KISS, Rob Zombie, Anthrax, Korn, Godsmack, Stone Sour, Slayer, Lamb Of God, Seether, Meshuggah,Lamb Of God, Seether, Meshuggah and more.
The festival is set to take place on July 14th, 15th and 16th at the Toyota Park in Highland, IL with KISS headlining the opening night, Korn leading the lineup the second night and Ozzy closing out the final night. here.
Grim Reaper Frontman Has Part Of His Leg Amputated
Grim Reaper frontman Steve Grimmett has had part of his leg amputated as he battles a serious infection, according to posts made by his wife Millie on social media.
Grimmett was hospitalized following a Steve Grimmett's Grim Reaper concert in Guayaquil, Ecuador on Saturday night (January 14th). His wife posted the following initial message on the band's Facebook page, "As many of you know steve was taken Ill at Saturday nights gig and he sung most of it sitting down.
"After the show Steve was taken to hospital where he had an operation to remove an infection from his foot and bones. He is still in hospital in Guayaquil but this is all I know right now. Once I have more information I will let you know. Thank you for all your support and kind words. It means a lot."
Unfortunately, she revealed in a later update that the surgery did not work and he had to have part of his leg amputated. She wrote Tuesday, "unfortunately the operation didn't work and steve is currently in the operating theatre having limbs removed." Read more here.
Radiohead Announce U.S. Spring Tour Dates
Good news for Radiohead in the U.S., the band has announced that they will be playing a string of tour dates in various cities across the United States this spring.
The dates surround the acclaimed British's band's headline set at this year's Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival where they will be leading the lineup on April 14th and 21st.
Apart from the two weekend music festival appearances in Southern California, the band revealed plans to play additional shows in Miami, Atlanta, New Orleans, Kansas City, Seattle, Portland (OR), Santa Barbara, and Berkeley. Read more and see the dates here.
A Perfect Circle May Reveal New Music This Year
Tool fans may patiently be waiting for a new studio album but it appears that another of Maynard James Keenan's other bands A Perfect Circle may be releasing new music this year, according to comments from Billy Howerdel.
The band cofounder Howerdel sat down for an interview to discuss A Perfect Circle's recently announced U.S. tour dates, their first in six years and he revealed that fans may soon get the first new music from the acclaimed group since their 2004 album "Emotive".
He said cautiously, "We're not promising anything, but I have every intention of doing my best to have us playing some new tracks during this run, with the idea that new music is coming very soon after." Read more here.
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds Announce U.S. Tour
The Dave Matthews Band may be taking this year off from their annual blockbuster summer tour but that will not keep the band's namesake from hitting the road.
Dave Matthews has announced that he will be teaming up with his frequent collaborator Tim Reynolds to launch acoustic tours of the United States and Europe this spring.
They will kick things off with the previously announced Dave & Tim Riviera Maya three day event that will be taking place in Mexico on February 23rd through 25th. Read more here.
Billy Corgan Fuels Hope For Smashing Pumpkins Reunion(New Rock Times)
Billy Corgan has fuelled hopes of a potential Smashing Pumpkins reunion by revealing he is in regular contact, and on good terms with some of his ex-band members.
The Pumpkins frontman and founder has patched up his differences with each of his founding member band mates in recent years, including D'Arcy Wretzky who he didn't speak to for almost 20-years.
Chicago Radio station WLUP report that a reunion could happen but it wouldn't be a long term thing. "I just talked to guitarist James Iha the other day, things look good for us getting together to play. We're talking about it, we'll see," he said.
"The reunion thing is always a bit weird, because then people come in with their expectations. So my whole thing is if we're going to do it, I think we do it to make people happy, and not go against the tide of what people would want to hear and that type of stuff, but my interest in it is sort of limited. I'm not going to do it for 14 years of my life." Read more here.
KISS Won't Make New Albums Due To Filesharing(New Rock Times)
Gene Simmons says illegal file sharing and downloading is the reason KISS are reluctant to record a new record insisting the band are not a charity and he has no interest in making a new record unless there is 'a financial model that works' for them.
The KISS mainman was speaking on The SDR Show and when questioned as to what keeps the band recording new music after four decades in the industry he responded.
"That's less of an incentive, because downloading and file sharing. People have convinced themselves they don't wanna pay for stuff," he said. "And last time I checked, KISS is not a charity. We're philanthropic, but I'll be the one that decides how much I give and where. I don't want some college kid to decide, 'You have enough money. I don't wanna pay for your record.' Okay, then go download and Radiohead record and see what happ… No, I ain't about that."
He added: "Make a distinction between commerce and philanthropy. So the idea of doing another Kiss record, unless and if there's a financial model that works, personally I'm not interested in it." Read more here.
Aerosmith and Los Lobos Stars Join Experience Hendrix Tour
The 2017 Experience Hendrix Tour just added more star power with the announcement that Aerosmith's Brad Whitford and David Hidalgo And Cesar Rosas from Los Lobos will be joining a few of the stops of this year's installment of the annual tribute tour.
They will be joining the lineup for select dates on the trek which will also include Buddy Guy, Black Label Society and former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Dweezil Zappa, Keb' Mo', Doyle Bramhall II, Ana Popovic, The Slide Brothers, Mato Nanji from Indigenous, Beth Hart, and Jimi Hendrix Experience/Band of Gypsys bassist Billy Cox.
Brad Whitford will be taking part at the stops in Jackson, MS, Houston and San Antonio. He had this to say about his previous experience on the tour "It's such a wonderful atmosphere. Sometimes we'd get on the bus and travel at night and we're watching old Hendrix videos. It just doesn't stop. It's a great group of people." Read more here.
Metallica's Hetfield Sees No Reason For Bad Blood With Mustaine(New Rock Times)
Metallica frontman James Hetfield says there is no reason for any ill feeling to remain between him and former bandmate and Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine.
Mustaine was famously kicked out of Metallica in the early 1980's but Hetfield insists it is all ancient history with each man making their own journey to the point in their lives where they sit today.
"There's no reason [for things] to not be good [between us]" he said. "At this point, we've all freakin' fell off the wagon, we've all gone into the ditch, we've all gotten back on track, we've all learned from our stuff. And at the end of the day, it's just journeys - everyone is doing a different journey - and why would you hold a grudge with someone or vice versa?"
In an interview with WTF with Marc Maron podcast Hetfield explained the catalyst for the historic 'Big 4' shows the band took part in alongside fellow thrash legends Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer. "It really started [when Metallica was inducted into] the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame [in 2009]," he commented.
"Getting nostalgic and thinking, 'My God, look at all the people that have helped us along the way, and look who are still around. Let's say 'thank you' to them.' And so the 'Big Four' was kind of that thing. We're all still playing after thirty… whatever it was… thirty-two years. "Let's go do a gig together. I mean, why shouldn't we?" Read more here.
Black Sabbath Members Curate New 31-Track Release
As Black Sabbath approach the final show of their farewell tour on February 4th in their hometown of Birmingham, a new compilation from the metal legends will be hitting stores.
Rhino has announced that they will be releasing "The Ultimate Collection" on February 3rd, which will feature 31 classic tracks and was curated by the band members.
The compilation will be released in standard 2-CD and digital formats as well as a limited edition "Crucifold" 4-LP heavyweight vinyl version that will be housed in a case in the shape of a cross.
The tracks on the release were remastered by renowned engineer Andy Pearce (Motorhead, Deep Purple, Lou Reed, Iggy & The Stooges). See the tracklisting here.
George Harrison Vinyl Box Set Announced(hennemusic)
Late Beatles legend George Harrison's complete catalog of solo albums will be released in a new box set, "The Vinyl Collection", on February 24.
In sync with the late Beatle guitarist's 74th birthday the next day, the package includes all twelve of Harrison's studio albums - from 1968's "Wonderwall Music" to 2002's "Brainwashed" - complete with exact replicas of the original release track listing and artwork.
The project also delivers the 2LP "Live In Japan", as well as two 12" single picture discs from 1987's "Cloud Nine" - "When We Was Fab" and "Got My Mind Set On You."
Material for the catalog reissue has been newly-remastered from the original master tapes and pressed onto 180-gram heavyweight vinyl. The individual albums from the collection will also be available separately, with "All Things Must Pass" as a limited-edition title. Read more here.
Rolling Stones Documentary Coming To TV Next Month
Cable and satellite network AXS TV have announced that they will be broadcasting the Rolling Stones documentary "Crossfire Hurricane" on February 14th at 9pm E/6pm P.
The film, helmed by Brett Morgen, examines the legendary rock group's first twenty years from 1962 to 1981 and features exclusive interviews with past and present members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Ronnie Wood, and Bill Wyman.
The movie was originally released on DVD and Blu-ray in 2013 and is available here. The synopsis reads: "Taking its title from a lyric in Jumpin' Jack Flash, Crossfire Hurricane gives the viewer an intimate insight into exactly what it's like to be part of The Rolling Stones as they overcome denunciation, drugs, dissensions and death to become the definitive survivors." Read more here.
Arch Enemy Release As The Stages Burn Trailer
Arch Enemy have released a trailer for their forthcoming DVD/Blu-Ray live release "As The Stages Burn!," which is set to hit stores on March 31st, 2017.
The release will feature footage that was captured by 13 cameras during the band's headline performance at Wacken Open Air music festival back in 2016 and the bonus material will include behind the scenes footage, the music videos from their "War Eternal" album, a previously unreleased "Time Is Black" video, as well as portions of their "Tokyo Sacrifice" live DVD.
"As The Stages Burn!" is set to be released in the following formats" limited edition CD+DVD Digipak, Gatefold 2LP+DVD and as digital album. Europe will also be offering fans a Ltd. Deluxe CD+DVD+Blu-ray Box Set. Watch the trailer here.
Sanctuary Streaming Rare 1986 Demo
Metal veterans Sanctuary have released a stream of a newly remastered version of their 1986 demo "Die For My Sins", which is just one of the tracks from their forthcoming "Inception" album.
Guitarist Lenny Rutledge had this to say about the demo, which can be streamed here, "Die for My Sins was always one of my favorite Sanctuary songs to play live. On the Inception version we left off the intro and the song starts right into the main riff. I think this version has a real 'in your face' edge to it.
"I'm excited that after much effort we were able to restore these nearly destroyed master tapes. Now we can share the proper audio versions with all of our fans!" here.
ONI Release Horror Themed Video Featuring Lamb of God's Randy Blythe
ONI have released a new music video for their track "The Only Cure", which features guest vocals from Lamb of God's Randy Blythe. The song comes from their 2016 album "Ironshore."
The video was directed and edited by Abraham Roofeh and was created as mini serial killer-themed horror film. Blythe had the following to say about the new clip:
"What a super creepy video! Horror fans will love it - the production is Hollywood film-quality. It looks like something out of a SAW or Hostel movie. I had a lot of fun with the ONI guys recording this track, and it's cool to see the music set to such dramatic scenery. Nightmares..." Watch the video here.
Walls Of Jericho Release 'Forever Militant' Video
Walls Of Jericho have released a new music video for their track "Forever Militant". The song comes from the group's 2016 studio album "No One Can Save You From Yourself."
The band had this to say about the new clip, "We shot this over the summer of 2016 at With Full Force Festival as a headliner of the main stage. The band really wanted to show the world what our live shows are live no matter what stage we play big or small.
"Getting ready to support Suicidal Tendencies in 2017 brings us back to Europe in a large club setting and we can't be more excited to see everyone up close and more personal. Forever Militant is a stand out track on our new album so be ready to see us play this song every night on The Persistence Tour." Watch the video here.
Corey Taylor Wants Full Guns N' Roses Reunion?(New Rock Times)
Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor nailed his musical colors to the mast last week with an Instagram post showing his love for the classic line-up of Guns N' Roses.
A posted on his Instgram showed Taylor sipping from a coffee mug with the names of each of the classic line-up across the front. The reunited Guns N' Roses line-up, currently touring the wildly successful 'Not In This Lifetime' tour, has seen Slash and Duff McKagan reunite with frontman Axl Rose for the first time in more than 20-years.
Classic-era drummer Steven Adler has made a couple of guest appearances on the sticks but is not a fully-fledged member of the band while classic-era rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin has not been involved at all. See the photo here.
Ozomatli Announce Special Album Release Event(Glass Onyon)
Ozomatli have announced that they will be debuting their new album, Non-Stop, with a special event at the Troubadour in West Hollywood on Tuesday May 2, 2017.
The show will include appearances and performances by special guests including featured performers on the record and the inspirations behind the music.
Non-Stop was born from the concept of fusing two of music's most powerful traditions: classic and contemporary Mexican songs and signature Jamaican riddims. This record will be released by Cleopatra Records and consists of 14 iconic songs from the past century, re-imagined and re-born with the help of producers Sly & Robbie, one of Jamaica's most accomplished and respected drum and bass duos. here.
Deserted Fear Release 'Open Their Gates' Video
Deserted Fear have released a new music video for their track "Open Their Gates". The song comes from the group's forthcoming album "Dead Shores Rising", which is set to be released on January 27th.
They had the following to say about the new clip, "While you guys are freezing your asses off, we are reminiscing about our last summer. With our latest video, we would love you to take part in our trip to nature - maybe this will distract you from those low temperatures.
"It got pretty hot and sometimes things happen to be different than you thought, but see for yourselves. One thing is for sure, summer will come! With these words in mind, enjoy 'Open Their Gates'!" Watch the video here.
Singled Out: Karabas Barabas' Being A Man
Karabas Barabas' Werdna tells us about their new single "Being a Man" from their new album "Return of the Sexy Demon", which was produced by Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies, The Breeders, Foxy Shazam). Here is the story:
The whole concept came from an incident a couple years back. When a drunk ex roommate asked me "What you know about being a man?" I started to think about the contrast between the old way of being a man--tough, brave, invincible--contrasted with the pressures of the modern man, who's become more emasculated, and about the social pressures and the parameters set on what a man should be.
One day at rehearsal Phranque was playing the main riff. I knew as soon as I heard it that it was going to have to be "what you know about being a man". So we started chanting it. Later that night on our way up to Massachusetts we wrote the verse's in the car. We wanted to capture the psyche of the modern man vs a man from the 40s.
Tuesday, December 27, 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 Guns N' Roses Reunion Is Really Lame Says Def Leppard Guitarist 2016 In Review Def Leppard guitaris...
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."
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