Today's Day in Rock
Metallica, West Memphis 3 Filmmaker Bruce Sinofsky Dead at 58
Bruce Sinofsky, a filmmaker behind the Metallica "Some Kind of Monster" documentary and the West Memphis Three/Paradise Lost film trilogy, died in his sleep on Saturday (February 21) from diabetes complications. He was 58.
Metallica, who recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of the award winning "Some Kind of Monster," paid tribute to Sinofsky on their website on Saturday. The band posted the following message, "We lost a valued member of our family today as award winning filmmaker Bruce Sinofsky passed away this morning.
"Bruce, along with Joe Berlinger, was the architect of our film Some Kind of Monster. Smart, funny and dedicated, Bruce was with us almost every day in the early 2000′s and was an integral part of helping us to navigate the rough waters during those times. Although not very welcomed at times, he was there through some of the darkest times of Metallica. He became a dedicated comfort and visual lifeboat, while objectively observing the unraveling and rebuilding of our inner and outer selves. We admired Bruce and Joe's work in Brother's Keeper, but of course were blown away by what Bruce and Joe accomplished with the Paradise Lost trilogy of films. With their relentless work and attention to detail, Bruce and Joe's films drew attention to the miscarriages of justice associated with the trial of three teens accused of murder and helped to lead to their eventual release from prison after over 18 years behind bars.
"After Some Kind of Monster, Bruce went on to do more brilliant work on the Sundance Channel series Iconoclasts, and History's 10 Days that Unexpectedly Changed America along with numerous other film and television projects.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Bruce's family and friends. We will miss Bruce. A courageous man with deep empathy and wisdom who wasn't afraid to dig deep to tell the story. RIP Bruce."
Geddy Lee Addresses Rush's Final Tour Speculation
Rush frontman Geddy Lee discussed the band's upcoming tour and elaborated on the speculation that it would be the band's final "big tour" during his appearance on the season premiere of VH1′s That Metal Show this weekend.
"It's very hard to answer that question for a lot of reasons," Lee responded when asked the tour would be a farewell trek. "First of all, you know, the three guys in this band have very different opinions on this point in our lives. Everybody's in a very different space right now.
"We've done a lot of touring for the last 10 years, a lot of writing, a lot of working. (Drummer) Neil (Peart), for example, has a young child at home and he's said publicly, numerous times, that it's very hard for him to leave his daughter. She needs him.
"So, it's clear that we are at a point in our career that we have to slow down - and slow down dramatically. So, I'm not a guy who's in love with the farewell tour idea, but it's clear that this is going to be the last big tour that we're going to do for a while, anyway. I can say that."
He also talked about what he sees in the future for Rush. "In terms of 'are we still a band?,' yeah, of course we're still a band. Do we talk about writing? Yes, we talk about writing. Will we do gigs in the future? I don't see why not. But, when you are talking about a tour that's 35 shows, 40 shows, 50 shows at our age at this point in our lives, I don't know how many of those are still left in us."
The show also posted an exclusive backstage interview with Geddy that you can watch here.
Stone Temple Pilots Say New Music Is More 'R-A-W-K-I-N'
(hennemusic) Stone Temple Pilots guitarist Dean DeLeo and drummer Eric Kretz are sharing an update on the band's first full album with Chester Bennington of Linkin Park.
The band are currently in the studio working on the follow-up to their 2013 EP, "High Rise." DeLeo explains the sound of the new music in a new interview with WAAF Boston.
"Although we've been trying for many, many years to get away from ourselves, we always keep coming back to our same spot - that person in front of the mirror," says the guitarist. "It kind of sounds like us. I'd like to think it's not anything we've done before; we definitely don't wanna repeat ourselves. It's just about kind of stumbling and writing some new musical terrain we haven't really explored before. But it's definitely R-A-W-K-I-N. Rawkin'."
"When we were writing these songs, it was just, like, 'Man, what gets us off on stage live?'," adds Kretz. "We wanna make sure that it has those elements where we're excited not just to present a good song, but something that has great performances on all our parts and something that the audience can just really enjoy." Read more here.
Grateful Dead's Bill Kreutzmann Releasing Memoir This Spring
Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann has announced that he will be releasing his memoir, which was written by him and Relix and Esquire contributor Benjy Eisen.
Entitled "Deal: My Three Decades of Drumming, Dreams and Drugs with the Grateful Dead" is set to be released on May 5th by St. Martin's Press. The hardcover will include 416 pages.
The synopsis says in part, "Everything a rock music fan would expect is here, but what sets this apart is Bill's incredible life of adventure that was at the heart of the Grateful Dead experience. This was a band that knew no limits and Bill lived life to the fullest, pushing the boundaries of drugs, drums and high times, through devastating tragedy and remarkable triumph.
"But at this book's beating heart is the music--theirs and others. Some of the greatest musicians and concerts were a part of the Grateful Dead's career, from sharing the stage with Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, and The Who, to playing in the Acid Tests, The Monterey Pop Festival, Woodstock and Altamont.
"Bill's life is a chronicle of American music and pop culture history and his epic personal journey is one of sonic discovery and thrilling experiences." You can preorder the book, read more and see the cover art, here.
Former Yngwie Malmsteen Bandmate Mats Olausson Dead at 54
(Classic Rock) Former Yngwie Malmsteen keyboardist Mats Olausson has been found dead in a hotel room in Rayong, Thailand. He was 54. His body is reported to have been discovered among empty whisky bottles and beer cans.
He'd been staying in the hotel for a week, but an employee said he hadn't paid for his room and hadn't taken meals since his arrival. The musician is believed to have died in the 24 hours preceding his body's discovery.
Olausson joined Malmsteen for his fifth album, 1990's Eclipse, and remained until 2000's War To End All Wars. He appeared on a total of 70 albums and also performed with Kamelot, Iron Mask, Nemo, Geff, Ark and others. Read more here.
Rod Stewart's Guitarist Jim Cregan Has Prostate Cancer
(Classic Rock) Rod Stewart's guitarist Jim Cregan has confirmed he's battling prostate cancer. The 68-year-old, who has also recorded with artists including Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel and Family and produced albums by Glass Tiger and Quireboys, has postponed a run of shows planned for next month with his band Cregan & Co. as he begins treatment to fight the disease.
He says in a statement: "Like a lot of guys, my life is paved with good intentions. My dear friend Ian Wallace, who played drums for so many famous names said to us all before he died, 'Get checked out before it's too late.' And of course, true to form, I did absolutely nothing.
"Fast forward to last year when another old pal, drummer Kenney Jones asked me join him in a charity event called Rock 'N' Horse Power benefiting Prostate Cancer UK. I said yes and then realised Kenney was in treatment at the time for the disease. Happily he is recovering very well. But did I get checked? Not likely."
He continues: "As of today I'm waiting for the final results of an MRI which will tell the doctors how to treat it." Read more here.
Allstar Benefit Planned For Wings Guitarist Henry McCullough
(TeamRock Radio) Wings guitarist Henry McCullough is the subject of a star-studded fundraising event at the Half Moon, Putney, next month. The Spooky Tooth, Joe Cocker and Pink Floyd collaborator is unlikely to recover fully from his illness and requires 24-hour care and attention.
Tim Hinkley has gathered Nick Lowe, Paul Carrack, Andy Fairweather Lowe, Neil Inness, Suggs, Graham Parker and others to perform a show in support of McCullough, 71, who suffered a severe heart attack in 2012.
Hinkley says: "The heart attack has left Henry with a certain amount of brain damage, which has resulted in memory loss and functional instability. He's wheelchair-bound and the prognosis for the future is not good." Read more here.
Doug Aldrich Was Surprised At Dee Snider Insult
(Classic Rock) Former Whitesnake guitarist Doug Aldrich says Dee Snider "didn't know what he was talking about" when he went on a recent Twitter attack challenging his contribution to the band.
Twisted Sister frontman Snider called Aldrich out on Twitter, saying he was "tired of musicians who joined famous bands after their heyday claiming they are from those bands."
Aldrich tells Eddie Trunk: "We've done gigs together, Twisted and Whitesnake, but I never really met Dee that I can remember. I've got no problem with the guy."
He says the attack "hit me out of the blue," adding: "I was up late scouring eBay, looking for old guitars, as I do at night a lot, and I got a message that Dee had posted something. And I went on there, and I was just like, 'What is up with that?'
"Everybody knows Dee is a super-smart cat. I thought, 'This is weird.' It was like he was not educated at all and just spouted out this thing. So I tried to educate him a little bit of where I came from with Whitesnake, and I just tagged it with a little smackdown quick." Read more here.
Marilyn Manson and Sully Erna Cast In Upcoming Movie
(Classic Rock) Marilyn Manson and Godsmack frontman Sully Erna have landed roles in an upcoming movie, according to reports. The film Street Level has been written by Sons Of Anarchy actor David Labrava - the TV series which also featured Manson as character Ron Tully.
Fellow Anarchy stars Mark Boone Jr and Drea De Matteo are also lined up for parts in the film which is scheduled for a Christmas Day release. Last year Erna revealed his hope to crack Hollywood after landing a raft of roles on television and in movies.
He said: "I started just exploring the acting world and I started doing classes with a lady named Susan Batson, who's a really top-notch acting coach - she does Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman." Read more here.
Rush Releasing Hologram Edition of 2112
(hennemusic) Rush are sharing a preview of the special vinyl Hologram Edition reissue of the band's 1976 classic, "2112", due March 17. Pressed on high fidelity 200gram vinyl, the unique Hologram Edition showcases a custom, hand- of the "Red Star of the Federation" in the album's dead wax runout of side two.
To reveal the spinning hologram, fans can use any focused source of light, such as the LED flashlight on a smartphone, directly above the turntable while playing.
The "2112" special edition will also come with a free download card for the high resolution Digital Audio version. "The first record where we sounded like Rush," says guitarist Alex Lifeson. Watch the video here.
Rob Zombie Releases Live Video From Upcoming DVD
(hennemusic) Rob Zombie has issued a video performance of "Ging Gang Gong De Do Gong De Laga Raga" as a preview to his forthcoming release, "Spookshow International Live."
Due February 24, the package captures the rocker in concert presenting a 19-song set featuring material from his latest album, "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor", and a mix of solo and White Zombie tracks.
"It's been 8 years since our last live album so we figured it was time for another," said Zombie. "Actually we weren't planning on it, but we recorded a few shows and they sounded really great so we thought 'f*** it' let's get it out there."
"For the record," he added, "no overdubs, no fixes, no fake crowd, no nothing. 100% absolutely live. No joke." Watch the video here.
JJ Grey & Mofro Premiere 'Everything Is A Song'
(Classic Rock) JJ Grey & Mofro have premiered a lyric video for their track Everything Is A Song. It's taken from the blues-rock outfit's ninth album Ol' Glory, to be released on February 23 via Provogue Records.
The label says of the follow-up to 2013's This River: "Ol' Glory contains 12 new songs that feature the deep, soulful blend of blues, rock, folk, funk, gospel, gritty R&B and personal, Southern-inspired narratives that have become synonymous with JJ Grey & Mofro.
"The material reflects two themes that run through their entire body of work - a strong sense of place, and finding happiness with where you are in life." Watch the video here.
Yossi Sassi Releases Studio Video
(Prog) Former Orphaned Land guitarist Yossi Sassi has released a studio video to accompany his track Fata Morgana. It's taken from solo album Desert Butterflies, which was released last year following his departure from the Israeli prog metal outfit.
He said of his change in direction: "If there's something stronger than our past it is our future, as we evolve and understand what's right for us in the path ahead."
He's joined on the track by vocalist Sapir Fox, guitarist Ben Azar, bassist Or Lubianiker, drummer Roei Fridman and percussionist Shay Ifrah. Watch the studio video here.
Fall Out Boy Release 'Irresistible' Video
(Radio.com) Fall Out Boy got next in their new video for "Irresistible." In the clip, the guys don neon and some very short-shorts to prove that white men can in fact jump. We only wish Wesley Snipes would have been there to see it.
Or, maybe not. There's a whole lot of sloppy play in this video. Oh, so much traveling and underhand free throws. Snipes would have a field day with this.
Patrick Stumps even loses a hand, making his last name so true, it's almost not funny. What also isn't funny is how the guys were totally snubbed for a Best Song Oscar this year. In an interview with Radio.com, Stump even joked, "Our song was so obviously Oscar-worthy!"
Pete Wentz took the high road though, explaining, "We saw the list of songs that qualified for Oscars, and that was 79 songs. But it was amazing that we were able to work on this Disney film. I would never in a million years have thought that Fall Out Boy, this punk band from the suburbs of Chicago, would be involved in a Disney Marvel film." Watch the video here.
White Willow Reveal Unorthodox Scorpions Cover
(Prog) Norwegian prog outfit White Willow have launched an "unorthodox" cover of the Scorpions' Animal Magnetism, featuring new singer Venke Knutson and a clarinet solo by David Krakauer.
It's the band's first release since 2011's Terminal Twilight, and comes ahead of an album that makes up the first half of a double-length concept work.
White Willow say: "This version melds driving Tangerine Dream-like synths with doomy, motorik rhythms. Venke is a big star in her own right in Norway - that she's chosen to work with us is a great honour. Grammy-nominated David has recorded with John Zorn and released several albums on the prestigious Tzadik label." Check out the cover here.
Melechesh Streaming New Album 'Enki' In Full
(TeamRock Radio) Melechesh have released a full stream of their sixth album Enki in advance of its release on March 2 via Nuclear Blast. It followed the launch of lead track Lost Tribes, featuring Max Cavalera of Soulfly. Other guests on the record include Rob Caggiano of Volbeat and Rotting Christ frontman Sakis Tolis on the project.
Melechesh mainmain Ashmedi says: "Max is a lion - I love his voice. Sakis is an old friend and we toured together in the past, and Rob and I always wanted to collaborate. They all went above and beyond to make it happen despite their busy schedules. Melechesh is more than a band - it's a society!"
He adds: "Enki solicited different approaches and new experiences. I'm flattered and honoured to have esteemed guests appear on this multifaceted album."
Stream the album here.
Rock Goddess Plan First UK Show In 30 Years
(Classic Rock) Rock Goddess have announced their first UK live date in 30 years will take place in London in May. The NWOBHM outfit featuring sisters Julie and Jody Turner and bassist Tracey Lamb reunited in 2013 and will launch their fourth album tentatively titled Unfinished Business later this year.
The new album will be their first since 1987's Young And Free and they've announced they'll take to the stage at London's O2 Academy Inslington on May 14.
The band formed in 1977 and released their self-titled debut album in 1983. After a lineup shuffle, they issued second album Hell Hath No Fury later the same year and toured with bands including Iron Maiden, Y&T and Def Leppard. Read more here.
Metallica's James Hetfield Coming To Grips With Shameful, Dark Stuff
(Classic Rock) Metallica frontman James Hetfield says music saved his life, and that writing and playing is helping him come to terms with his "dark" and "shameful" past.
Earlier this month he revealed he struggled with being "King Sh*t" on stage then being a husband and a dad at home, and earlier spoke about his fear of responsibility.
In a follow-up clip he tells Road Recovery: "You wouldn't really like me if you knew my story - if you knew what horrible things I've done. I'm coming to grips with that, because I have groups of people that I'm able to share all my horrible stuff with - shameful, extremely shameful, dark stuff.
"Some of it is things I've taken from my parents and carried a little further. Other ones I've been able to drop, others I've picked up on my own. Shame's a big thing for me." Read more and watch the video here.
Raven Releasing New Album This Spring
(Classic Rock) British thrash icons Raven will release their new album in April, they've announced. ExtermiNation will launch in the UK on April 27 thanks to a successful crowdfunding drive. They raised $27,000 to help with production costs and offered backers incentives including a full-length covers album titled Party Killers.
The new release is the band's first original album since 2009's Walk Through Fire and will be released on Digipak, 2LP gatefold green vinyl and as a digital download.
Speaking about the decision to launch a Kickstarter campaign, vocalist and bassist John Gallagher told MetalRules: "It seemed more obvious the longer we went into this that it was going to cost more than the budget we have." Read more here.
Less Than Jake Release Four-Volume Live Series
(TeamRock Radio) Less Than Jake have released a series of live albums recorded on bassist Roger Lima's MiniDisc player during shows in the UK, US, Italy and Belgium in the 2000s.
The band say: "This is a four-volume live series we've put together from a time when technology was going through some growing pains and some formats just didn't last very long. Fast forward a few grey hairs down the road and Roger has cleaned them up a bit."
Drummer Vinnie Fiorello adds: "None of these recordings are doctored in any way. We wanted to be archivists of a moment in time - not surgically reconstruct the recording after the fact.
"The first in the series is a show from Glasgow - a city we have now played more than a dozen times. But this is one of the earliest shows when we had just started crossing the big puddle to visit our friends in the UK. Thanks for all the memories!" Read more here.
Steve Vai Announce Live Album and DVD Set
(Classic Rock) Steve Vai has announced details of his upcoming album Stillness In Motion - Vai Live In LA. The 2CD/2DVD set will launch on April 7 after he inked a new multi-album deal with Sony Music Entertainment and Legacy Recordings.
The performance was recorded on October 12 2012 during the guitar maestro's Story Of Light world tour and along with the live set, the package also features a three and a half hour video diary covering the two-year jaunt.
Vai says: "To say that this tour was a powerful life experience would be like saying the sun is hot." Following the live release, he'll launch his latest solo album which is said to "mark a significant next chapter in the musician's growing canon." Check out the track details and the cover art here.
Soilwork's New Music More 'Brutal' and 'Intense'
(TeamRock Radio) Soilwork singer Bjorn 'Speed' Strid says the band are proving more intense than ever as they record their tenth album. The Swedish outfit entered the studio earlier this month with producer Jens Bogren, who oversaw their last two albums, The Living Infinite and 2010's The Panic Broadcast.
Strid tells Metal Wani: "I feel it's pretty fast-paced. It's pretty intense - even more intense, I feel, than The Living Infinite. It might be a little bit more brutal, in a sense, even though that's kind of a stupid word to use. We're definitely not slowing down. It's also a development from The Living Infinite, just slightly faster, in a sense."
He adds: "We've just been developing our sound, and it turned out to be pretty fast-paced and pretty technical, but yet pretty melodic and also atmospheric." Read more here.
Obscura Plan First New Album in Four Years
(TeamRock Radio) German prog metal outfit Obscura will return to the studio in April to begin work on their first material in four years, they've announced. Their last release was 2011's Omnivium and they'll once again hook up with producer Victor Santura on what will be their fourth record.
Guitarist and vocalist Steffen Kummerer says: "We are all pleased with the new material which pairs the songwriting, technicality and arrangements of our previous albums with the creative input of members Linus Klausenitzer, Tom 'Fountainhead' Geldschlager and Sebastian Lanser.
"We'll keep our trademark prog riffing across the fusion and death metal landscape that makes Obscura sound unique. This album sees Obscura move a step further." Read more here.
Tank Releasing New Album
(Classic Rock) Veteran UK rockers Tank have announced their 10th album will launch later this year. Titled Valley Of Tears, the record will be released across Europe on June 8 via Metal Mind Productions. It's the follow-up to 2013's Breath Of The Pit.
Tank mainmen Mick Turner and Cliff Evans are joined on the studio outing by Dragonforce frontman ZP Theart, who has been a member of the group's touring lineup for two years. Completing the band are Blind Guardian bassist Barend Courbois and former Sodom drummer Bobby Schottkowski.
The band say: "The title comes from the famous tank battle during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, where one side was massively outnumbered but fought on regardless and against all odds secured a heroic victory." Read more here.
Shinedown Singer Reveals Some New Album Details
(Classic Rock) Shinedown singer Brent Smith has revealed the band are recording their fifth album, and its theme is "survival." The follow-up to 2012's Amaryllis is expected by late summer.
Asked if it's difficult to choose which tracks will make the cut, Smith replies: "Not this time. It's a devastating album. Beautifully Brutal. We are four weeks into recording. Release by late July, early August."
To the question "What's your all-time favourite songs?" the singer responds: "They are being recorded right now." Smith also reveals the first single from the project would be launched soon. "We are thinking late April", he says. Read more here.
Helloween In Final Stages Of New Album
(Classic Rock) Helloween guitarist Michael Weikath says they're are in the final mixing stages as they prepare their 15th album for a May release via Nuclear Blast records.
He says: "The album mix is currently at full throttle, namely in order to have all that stuff ready so we can conduct a presentation for a select, close circle of media representatives. I can't wait to hear the final result of the mixes."
The band marked their 30th anniversary in 2014 with a return to the label and a re-release of 2000's The Dark Ride and 2003's Rabbit Don't Come Easy – each expanded with the addition of bonus tracks. Read more here.
Rolo Tomassi Announce New Album
(TeamRock Radio) Rolo Tomassi will release their fourth album, Grievances, in June. They revealed details of the follow-up to 2012's Astraea on the 10th anniversary of their formation.
Vocalist Eva Spence says: "I feel more enthused than ever with where we're at. With Grievances we followed on from the sound we developed on Astraea, and pushed that to make an album I consider to be our best to date."
James Spence adds: "We wanted to do something ambitious. We took our time making sure the material was right. We tried new ways of writing, including collaborating with other musicians for the first time." Read more here.
Arch Enemy 'Gelling' With New Lineup
(TeamRock Radio) Arch Enemy's Michael Amott has hailed the chemistry in the band since adding frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz and guitarist Jeff Loomis. White-Gluz replaced Angela Gossow in the group and was on vocal duties for their 2014 album War Eternal, while Loomis was brought in ahead of their live commitments in November to support the release.
And Amott says while the band is coming together as a live outfit, he's also relishing the prospect of spending time in the studio with Loomis. He tells On The Rock: "I think there is chemistry. Sometimes bands don't have any chemistry any more, or they never had it, but they just do it anyway.
"I think everything's kind of gelling. I'm really looking forward to the next album at some point and working with Jeff. The possibilities are pretty crazy." Read more and watch the interview here.
Tim Bowness Reveals New Album Plans
(TeamRock Radio) Tim Bowness has confirmed his third solo album will be released via InsideOut this summer. The follow-up to acclaimed 2014 title Abandoned Dancehall Dreams features guest appearances by Anna Phoebe, Peter Hammill and Andrew Keeling, with more to be revealed. The band includes Porcupine Tree's Colin Edwin.
No-Man and Henry Fool member Bowness - also known for his work with Robert Fripp, Phil Manzanera and others - says: "If Abandoned Dancehall Dreams was something of a bolder and more dynamic extension of No-Man's Schoolyard Ghosts, I'd say that the new album is something of a bolder and more dynamic extension of Abandoned Dancehall Dreams.
"A logical step forward with some surprises, I hope. It's been really exciting working with the band on most of the pieces, and getting some special contributions from Anna, Peter and Andrew." Read more here.
Singled Out: I Fight Dragons' Chicago
Today I Fight Dragons lead singer and rhythm guitarist Brian Mazzaferri tells us about the song "Chicago" from their brand new album "The Near Future". Here is the story:
"Chicago" actually has the distinction of being the oldest song on the album, as well as the one with the most complex backstory. It began life as the 11th version of a melody that I was trying to write over a track that never made it onto our last album KABOOM! I had been banging my head against the proverbial wall with this track for almost a year at that point (I even did a music business case study about the track itself: see the video here), and finally one day I was riding the train downtown and the melody and lyrics all came to me in a rush, a song about losing yourself in the city and finding yourself in the idea of losing yourself.
I loved that version of the song, which ended up being the 11th out of 18, and the version that was my personal favorite, but that track never made it onto the album, and actually it wasn't even in consideration for The Near Future either during the first recording sessions. However, after our explosive band blowup which led to scrapping the entire first set of sessions, we spent months in our practice space mulling over what we really wanted on the album. One day, Chad (the drummer) out of the blue was like, "what about Chicago?" and we all laughed. We had such weird associations with the song, and it was attached in our heads to the old track, but we decided we'd just play through it once the way we'd want to play it instead of thinking of the original track in our heads, and by the end of that play through we all looked at each other an agreed it had to be on the album.
I'm so happy it ended up on there. It's a song about home, about losing yourself and finding yourself, and about being out on a quest but also knowing that you've got someplace, something, someone in your heart to come home too, that's always out there with you in a way.
No comments:
Post a Comment