Today's Day in Rock
Judas Priest's Rob Halford To Undergo Surgery
As Judas Priest prepare to release their first new studio album in six years, "Redeemer of Souls," frontman Rob Halford reveals that he plans to have a hernia operation.
Halford tells ABC that he is not having the umbilical hernia operation because he is in pain, but he will instead be undergoing the procedure because "it looks like the alien just burst forth!"
He tells them, "My doctors always said, 'We can take care of it,' and I said, 'I'll get around to it.' [The doctor said,] 'If it's not giving you any discomfort then you should leave it as it is,' but it's not very appealing to look at, is it?"
The operation will follow the back surgery that he had last year. ABC reports that he taking his aging in stride. "That's life," he says. "The wonderful thing about heavy metal music is that it's immortal. The music is immortal, but the creators are not bestowed with that attribute."
Read the report here.
Ozzy Osbourne Faces New Problem With Bats
(Classic Rock) Ozzy Osbourne once again has a problem with bats - after their presence in his countryside barn led to council bosses refusing his application to convert it into a home.
The Black Sabbath frontman - who famously bit the head off a bat while onstage in 1982 - applied for permission to turn a building on his Buckinghamshire property into a two-bedroom house.
But Chiltern District Council refused, saying there was evidence that bats, a protected species in the UK, live in the barn's rafters. The authority will not consider any application for the conversion until Ozzy can prove the animals' welfare will be protected. more on this story
Page and Plant Agree That Led Zeppelin Is Over
(Gibson) With the Led Zeppelin remasters and expanded deluxe album editions starting June 2014, there have been more persistent rumors the band may reform. Forget it.
Singer Robert Plant, who has been very vocal about his lack of interest in going back, has emphatically told Rolling Stone magazine. "You're going back to the same old s-. A tour would have been an absolute menagerie of vested interests and the very essence of everything that's s-ty about about big-time stadium rock. We were surrounded by a circus of people that would have had our souls on the fire. I'm not part of a jukebox!"
Of other (un-named!) reunion acts, Plant jibes "Good luck to them," he says sarcastically, "I hope they're having a real riveting and wonderful late middle age. Somehow I don't think they are."
Jimmy Page continues. "People ask me nearly every day about a possible reunion. The answer is 'no.' It's been almost seven years since the O2 (show). There's always a possibility that they can exhume me and put me onstage in a coffin and play a tape."
Page adds that the forthcoming Zeppelin archival releases have been a lot of work. "There's certainly more things that can be done," he says. "But this took a lot of time and I don't want to start proposing another project because it will take me another six months or a year."
Still, Jimmy Page may not be done onstage. He cryptically concludes, "I'd rather spend time practicing my guitar and going out to play." more on this story
Peter Gabriel Cancels Kiev Show Over Safety Concerns
(Classic Rock) Peter Gabriel cancelled a planned performance in Kiev after deciding he couldn't guarantee the safety of his band and crew, he's confirmed. The move comes amid continuing violence unrest across Ukraine as opposing political forces fight over the nation's future.
Aerosmith, Motorhead and Depeche Mode have recently called off planned appearances in Ukraine. Gabriel said in a statement at the weekend: "The security of the touring personnel and equipment cannot be guaranteed during the planned visit to the country. This has presented us with significant logistical difficulties that we have been unable to resolve.
"Any delays or damage as result of the situation in Ukraine would not be insured, and would also potentially jeopardise future shows on the tour - something which we feel we also have to consider." more.
Mark Tremonti Planning New Solo Album
(Classic Rock) Recording of Mark Tremonti's second solo album is due to get started this year. The follow-up to 2012's All I Was is well underway, with 10 songs already written, according to the Alter Bridge and Creed guitarist, who also fronts and sings in his own Tremonti project.
After the success of the debut album, the hard-working axeman is keen to put out a second batch of songs as soon as possible, on the back of a busy summer with Alter Bridge.
He tells The Front Row Report: "I'm working on that now. I've got about 10 songs ready for pre-production. Slash and Myles are going out with Aerosmith in July and August so I'll take that time to get back into writing more. Then we'll go back on tour with Alter Bridge in September and October and later his year we'll finish up tracking the new Tremonti record." more on this story
Prog Cover Artist Patrick Woodroffe Dead At 74
(Prog) Prog sleeve artist Patrick Woodroffe has died at the age of 74, his friends in Pallas have confirmed. Renowned for his fantasy-themed work in paintings, etchings and sculpture, he created covers for Pallas' The Sentinel, the Strawbs'_ Burning For You_ and Stratovarius' Fright Night.
He enjoyed a long collaboration with Greenslade mainman Dave Greenslade, which culminated in the release of The Pentateuch, a double-album complete with 48-page book of illustrations.
Pallas say in a brief online statement: "We have some very sad news from the family of Patrick Woodroffe: 'After a short illness, Patrick died before 3am in the early hours of Saturday morning.' Our thoughts are with his family. We are honoured to have been associated with his amazing artwork." more on this story
Robert Plant Reveals New Album Release Plans
(hennemusic) Robert Plant has revealed that his new solo album will be released on September 9th. The Led Zeppelin singer worked on the project with The Sensational Space Shifters at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios in southwestern England.
"It's really a celebratory record, but it's very crunchy and gritty, very West African and very Massive Attack-y," Plant tells Rolling Stone. "There's a lot of bottom end, so it might sound all right at a Jamaican party, but I'm not sure it would sound all right on NPR."
Many of the musicians on the disc played with Plant on his 2005 album, "Mighty ReArranger", including keyboardist John Baggott, bassist Billy Fuller and guitarist Justin Adams. more on this story
Rex Brown Says There In No Bad Blood With Appice Over Kill Devil Hill
(Classic Rock) Kill Devil Hill's Rex Brown insists there has been no fall-out with drummer Vinny Appice. The former Pantera man says Appice was unavailable to tour with Kill Devil Hill and all parties were happy enough for Johnny Kelly to take over the sticks.
Brown tells Metal Nation Radio: "It was kind of a mutual thing where Vinny had some other stuff he wanted to do and we wanted to go tour. So everything was cool, there was no problems."
The band announced in March that founder member Appice had left, to be replaced by former Type O Negative drummer Kelly. Appice can still be heard on the band's latest album Revolution Rise. The former Black Sabbath man is working on a new project called WAMI, with an album due out this year. more on this story
Julian Lennon Introduced Glenn Hughes To California Breed Guitarist
(Classic Rock) Glenn Hughes says Julian Lennon introduced him to the young guitar wizard who would go on to join his new band California Breed. Andrew Watt was introduced to Hughes by John Lennon's son and he impressed the former Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Trapeze man right from the off.
Frontman Hughes and drummer Jason Bonham decided to continue working together after their previous band, Black Country Communion, called it a day in 2013 when guitarist Joe Bonamassa walked out. And rather than go down the expected route of calling on one of his many famous guitar playing friends, Hughes wanted to bring in someone relatively unknown and who wouldn't leave them high and dry to pursue other projects.
Hughes tells Planetmosh: "Julian Lennon, one of my dear friends, was in LA in February 2013, the day before the Grammys and I was with him. He said 'there's someone here I'd like you to meet, a young man called Andrew Watt from New York city'. Andrew came over and spoke about his love of how this guy plays, or how this guy writes a lyric. I gave him my email and said to send me some music.
"It was not California Breed's type of music, but more Americana singer solo songwriter stuff, and I heard a good writer, a good guitar player, and a good singer, three things that are important. So Jason and I thought it would be a good idea to choose him instead of choosing a famous guitar player, who would bring into the band baggage of his own band and the unavailability to play." more on this story
Nightwish Star Writes Song For Finnish Live Aid
(Prog) Nightwish mainman Tuomas Holopainen has written a single for the Finnish Live Aid project. Lohtu - translated as "Comfort" - has been recorded by a group of his country's leading musicians with the aim of raising €3m for a children's hospital to be built in Helsinki.
But it retains many of the trademark styles that Holopainen has put into Nightwish, and recent solo album Music Inspired By The LIfe And Times Of Scrooge.
He says: "Life is a miracle of the greatest privileges, and nurturing it is a shared responsibility among all of us. I wanted to capture something which every listener, regardless of age, would be able to empathise with."
Read more and check out the track here.
Eric Burdon, The Yardbirds Added To British Blues Fest
(Classic Rock) Eric Burdon, The Yardbirds, Groundhogs, Dr Feelgood and many others have been lined up for the 25th annual Great British Rhythm And Blues Festival, which takes place on August 22-25.
They're joined on the bill by the Band Of Friends, Lucky Peterson, Eric Sardinas, Otis Grand, Mike Sanchez, Andy Fairweather Low, the Martin Barre Band, Caravan, Grainne Duffy and the Yardbirds, with many more besides.
An additional feature of this year's event is the headline appearance of the Snake Davis Jazz Band on a new jazz stage. A total of 600 artists will perform over the four-day festival in Colne, Lancashire, which last year won Best Blues Festival at the European Blues Awards 2013. more on this story
Billy Corgan Compares Tommy Lee To John Bonham
(Classic Rock) Smashing Pumpkins mainman Billy Corgan says working with Motley Crue's Tommy Lee has given him a new appreciation of the drummer's abilities.
And he's said the only other man who could play like Lee is late Led Zeppelin icon John Bonham. Corgan revealed last week he'd brought in the sticksman to play on Monuments To An Elegy, one of two Pumpkins albums under production.
Now he says: "I've had the fortune of being in the room with some of the all-time greats, and when you're that close to someone who is the best at what they do, you gain insight into the way they are able to communicate to so many.
"Let's call it a universal language - which music is, obviously. In applying it with heart and soul they present intangibles that give dimension and depth to a composition which otherwise would not be as kaleidoscopic.
"Tommy hits the drums in a crushing manner; but as many fans know, this is not without nuance or reaction. He has a fantastic ear for music and plays with the songs in a means that only enhances excitement. The only other place I've heard this phenomena is with John Bonham, where heavy drums can sound soft and expressive. Good company indeed!" more on this story
Neal Schon Wants To Make Another Journey Album
(Classic Rock) Neal Schon wants to make another Journey album - but first the guitarist has to persuade his colleagues to get on board with the idea. Frontman Arnel Pineda has previously stated he'd like to do more.
However, keyboardist Jonathan Cain last year said he thought their studio career was over following 2011's Eclipse, saying: "We're not convinced the market will bear another CD from us."
But Schon wants to keep writing new material. He says: "Nobody's really all that jacked up about recording new songs right now. I am - but I'm trying to get everyone else motivated.
"We'll have to see what happens. I know Arnel is game for anything. We'll have to see where Jonathan is at. For Journey, it's a different beast."
Schon has another idea if his bandmates don't want to write new music.
White Stripes' 'Seven Nation Army' Covered by Cruise Ship
(Radio.com) The White Stripes' 2003 single, "Seven Nation Army," has evolved from one of the band's biggest hits into something of a cultural phenomenon. Now a bona fide "jock jam" that's routinely chanted by sports fans at events around the world, the tune has been covered and played around the world.
Apparently, that includes cruise ships - and not the cruise ship band, either. An ominous and unconventional take on the song by the MSC Magnifica occurred last week (May 9) in Hamburg, Germany, during celebrations for the 825th birthday of the city's port, with the annual event billed as "the greatest Harbour Festival in the World."
As the ship floats past onlookers, its horn blares the infamous bassline from the song - three times in all. Those watching from the crowd cheer on in support. Check it out here.
Metallica's Kirk Hammett Releases Daisy Bell Video
(hennemusic) Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has issued a video for his performance of the 19th century pop standard "Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two)", as featured on the new limited-edition charity album release, "The Gay Nineties Old Tyme Music: Daisy Bell."
The project includes different versions of the 1982 song, which was later popularized in the 1968 film "2001: A Space Odyssey", in which it is sung by the HAL 9000 computer.
Other artists appearing on the CD include "Weird Al" Yankovic, Tyler The Creator, Nick Cave, Katy Perry, Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh and ex-Oingo Boingo mastermind Danny Elfman.
Watch the video here.
The Black Keys Perform On Live On Lettterman
(hennemusic) The Black Keys performed on the Live On Lettterman online series Monday night from just outside the Ed Sullivan Theatre on the eve of the release of their new album, "Turn Blue."
The band ripped through an 8-song set comprised of three tunes from the new project and five from their catalog, including rock radio hits "Howlin' For You" and "Gold On The Ceiling."
"Turn Blue" was recorded last summer and co-produced by Danger Mouse and the band. The Black Keys will kick off a European tour at the Southside Festival in Neuhausen, Germany on June 20.
Watch the Letterman performance here.
Chris Cornell Looks Back At Soundgarden's Superunknown
(Radio.com) Superunknown was both Soundgarden's most commercially successful album, and their most highly acclaimed. In an era obsessed with stringent notions of underground credibility, the band took risks by bringing a new sense of melody into the mix. Also helping: Chris Cornell added singing to his previously abrasive vocal repertoire. Soundgarden achieved the rare combination of sales and respect: Superunknown debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts in the spring of 1994, going on to sell five million copies in the U.S. It got five-star reviews in Rolling Stone and metal mag Kerrang!; even the mainstream-leaning Entertainment Weekly gave it an A.
This year marks the album's 20th anniversary, and to celebrate the occasion, the band is releasing deluxe editions of the album on June 3. This summer, they're co-headlining a tour with fellow alt-rock legends, Nine Inch Nails. Cornell was thoughtful in discuss both subjects, including why the he doesn't appear on the album track "Half," why "Mailman" still resonates today, and how NIN influenced his band.
Radio.com: You recently performed Superunknown from start to finish at South By Southwest. Did you enjoy it?
Cornell: That's a pretty dramatic concentration of songs. [South By Southwest] was the first time we ever played them in a row. As we performed it live, every song was in a different turning, so we had to swap guitars after every song. That kind of gets in the way of the flow, but it was OK, it worked.
Radio.com: Does the fact that you're coming off of a very strong and well-received album, [2012's] King Animal, make you more enthused about a reissue project?
Cornell: I think that there's some validity to the idea that, had we not made a new album, we wouldn't be so happy about anniversaries and re-releases and repackaging. But in the back of my mind, I always knew that if we got back together, we're gonna start creating something new.
Radio.com: Superunknown was very different from your previous albums. Do you feel that you were progressing as a lyricist?
Cornell: I think I was changing my focus a little bit. I wasn't a lyricist when the band formed, it kind of happened out of default because I was singing. I don't think that I had a lot of confidence as a lyricist, and I don't think that I really wanted to tell my story. To me, Soundgarden was its own entity, this weird, gloomy, psychedelic creature. My lyrics, early on, were more atmospheric and were there to support the atmosphere that the music created. As time went on, I think I yearned to do more with it, and that's when I started opening the door into who I am. Had that not worked, I would have slammed that door. But it worked! I think at some point you have to do that to really connect with your audience, that's a very powerful thing as well. By the same token, always wanting it to be something not so specifically about me or what I think about things, so that whoever is listening to it can adapt it to their life.
Radio.com: "Mailman" was unlike anything you had written before.
Cornell: I think it's like this tiny voice of a forgotten person, or a person who feels forgotten or powerless. I think that there are bedrooms full of those people in the world, and especially here in the U.S., this is a culture that thrives on making a name for yourself, a face for yourself, we're goal oriented, we're achievement-oriented. And so we're growing up in this culture feeling that we have to do something to distinguish ourselves in a country full of 350 million where it's impossible for everyone to distinguish themselves somehow. That is one of the main reasons why we have these horrible incidents of somebody walking into a public place and shooting everyone. What happened to John Lennon was that. This kid that wanted to make a name for himself, he figured out that that was a quick way to do it, at he wasn't wrong. It worked.
Radio.com: When Superunknown came out, some fans didn't like "Half," which [bassist] Ben Shepherd sang. I remember someone saying, it sounds like a B-side.
Cornell: That's what an album is, it's not sixteen singles for radio! It was one of my favorites. I remember getting into a discussion with Ben, where I had to convince him to sing it. He sang the demo and played everything on it. And it was amazing and we all loved it, but I didn't feel like I was going to capture what he was trying to do on it. He said, "If you don't sing on it, and you're not playing guitar on it, then it's a Soundgarden song that you're not even on." And I remember thinking, "That's what we should be trying to do," which is make the song the best song it can be and not worry about anything else.
Read the rest of the interview here.
Singled Out: Prong's Turnover
Today Tommy Victor from Prong tells us about the song "Turnover" from their brand new album "Ruining Lives," which was released in North America today (May 13). Here is the story:
This song was the very last idea for our "Ruining Lives" lp. As usual with how song ideas and riffs are brought into this realm , it started with a click track or a metronome running. The riffs and arrangement came about miraculously in about an hour. It was as some external force dictated the creation of this song. The "Art Gods", as I sometimes refer to this power, were in full effect.
So in conjunction with the ease and flow of this process, I needed to honor this Great Spirit in the lyric. I wanted to express my belief in the potential to tap into this energy. When you surrender, and let the creative realm work through you, without question, you can be sure you'll have success and enjoy the experience considerably.
Left to my own designs, I would fumble around and rework, revisit, and actually disrespect these initial ideas sent to me to be materialized. By letting go and letting this massive engine, "turnover" and start empowering, great results are possible. With incredible quickness and a deafening roar. So, bypass the obstacles and detours and turn it over !
No comments:
Post a Comment