In a new interview with KFC Radio, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee reflected on the fact that he and his bandmates became one of the biggest rock acts on the planet in the late 1980s and early 1990s, despite going out of their way to bring as much decadence, debauchery and depravity down upon themselves and everyone around them as possible.

"I call us shit magnets," Tommy said (see video below). "For some reason, we were just at the wrong place at the right time. I look back and try to figure it out, like, 'What the fuck just happened?' We were these four guys from fucking L.A. that somehow put a band together, and the fucking band blew up and we went around and toured the world and just created fucking mayhem everywhere. And the four of us are still alive. I don't even understand how that works.

"I think we're all extremely, I believe, lucky," Lee added. "There's talent in there, and there's plain fucking just sheer stupidity that just has had us do what we do, I guess."

MÖTLEY CRÜE's "The Stadium Tour" with DEF LEPPARD, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS " was originally scheduled to take place this summer but ended up being pushed back to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

When it happens, "The Stadium Tour" will mark the CRÜE's first live dates since wrapping its 2014/2015 farewell tour. CRÜE toured with POISON back in 2011 and DEF LEPPARD teamed up with POISON for a string of road dates in 2017 — but the upcoming jaunt marks the first time all four acts have hit the road together for an extended tour.

Lee's new solo album, "Andro", came out on October 16. The first two singles from the collection, "Knock Me Down" and "Tops", were released in early June.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star, the company which creates "beautiful lullaby versions of your favorite artists," has just released "Lullaby Versions Of Motionless In White" via Roma Music Group.

"Lullaby Versions Of Motionless In White" track listing:

01. Another Life

02. Voices

03. Brand New Numb

04. Disguise

05. Reincarnate

06. Eternally Yours

07. Necessary Evil

08. Immaculate Misconception

09. Devil's Night

The song "Another Life" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star was born for the parent that wants to pass along their biggest passion to their child, music. Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star transforms popular music into instrumental lullabies perfect for babies, yoga or just relaxation. Now, parents can enjoy the music from LADY GAGA to METALLICA in soothing lullaby style. With over 135 titles to choose from, Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star is the largest line of pop, rock, metal and jamband music lullabies in the world.

These aren't novelty recordings. They are cute, they are soft but these are serious recordings. Roma Music Group, which releases Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star, is run by two music industry veterans who put the fidelity of these recording at the top of the priority list. Let's face it, much like the brand name clothes you buy for your infant, this music is really for you. Whether you are raising a metal baby, rocker or hippie baby, Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star has your music transformed from arena anthems into nursery classics.

Sean Dowdell, the drummer for Chester Bennington's pre-LINKIN PARK band GREY DAZE, has opened up about his late friend's mental state before his tragic death more than three years ago. The singer's passing was ruled a suicide soon after his body was found in July 2017 at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, California.

Bennington had been candid about mental-health battles in numerous interviews over the years, saying he grappled with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and substance abuse.

"We talked about some of those issues he had several times, of course," Sean said in a new interview with Finland's Kaaos TV (see video below). "First of all, he was a very happy person most of the time. And that's the way, I think, depression works — the person that you see outwardly 99 percent of the time are high on life and [in] good spirits and are fun to be around and they're laughing all the time. Guys like [actor and comedian] Robin Williams and [American chef and TV personality] Anthony Bourdain, they had this amazing personality, outward personality, and Chester was very similar that way. He had this brighter-than-the-sun-type attitude when he was around you. The pain he was feeling he didn't outwardly share. I saw it several times, of course, throughout life, but it was not something that stuck around for long periods of time."

Dowdell went on to say that Bennington was very sensitive to criticism from LINKIN PARK's fanbase, something that was amplified in the months leading up to his death.

"I'm gonna say a few things here. It may not be very popular, but it's the truth," Sean said. "And not that I wanna bring the LINKIN PARK guys into the conversation, but I think they would agree with this. When they did the 'One More Light' album [which came out in May 2017, just two months before Chester's death], it wasn't received the way they thought it was gonna be received, or at least the way Chester thought it was gonna be received, and he got a lot of negativity from fans, and it really bothered him. And we talked about that a lot. He would just be so bummed out and he would blast people on Twitter, and he would get upset. And I would tell him: 'Dude, don't let these people bring you down. It's not worth it. The music is good, man. Don't worry about this kind of crap.'

"For those guys, they worked so hard on putting those records together, and they're so used to having these accolades and this adulation from their fanbase," he continued. "And then when they put out an album like 'One More Light', and still 95 percent of the people like the music. But it's that five percent of people that just [complain], and they spend so much time — these losers in their basement, I like to call 'em — where all they have is just time to sit there and write on a keyboard about what a loser you are. It's, like, what have you done with your life?

"I don't understand what makes somebody be a fan of Chester's, and you love everything he did, or most everything he did, and then he does a song that you don't like, that you feel like you have to badmouth him or tell him he sucks and all this kind of crap," Sean added. "And that stuff really weighed on him. So I think that really contributed to part of his head spot. He had some sexual abuse as a child, and that always weighed on him, and that kind of culminated into this thought process where Chester never felt good enough or never felt appreciated or never felt like he was worth it. He had this emptiness inside that I don't think he could really explain to a lot of people. I got to know this side of him quite well. He could have a thousand people, after a show, wanting to meet him and tell him how great he is and how much he touched their life in a profoundly emotionally positive way, gave them an outlet for their own pain and their own distress, and internally, Chester would not hear that. He would say, 'Thank you,' and he would still feel like he wasn't enough. We'd have this conversation, and he'd be, like, 'I just don't feel like I'm smart enough. I don't feel like I'm good enough.' And I'd go, 'Chester, you are such a good person. Forget the singing. I don't care about you as a singer; I care about you as a human being. I don't care that you are a great singer. I care that you are such a good person.' He was one of the best friends you could ever have."

GREY DAZE's "Amends" album was released in June. The LP contains updated versions of older songs in the group's catalog featuring newly recorded instrumentals accompanying the late Bennington's original vocal takes.

LINKIN PARK headlined an all-star tribute concert for Bennington in October 2017 in Los Angeles but has not announced any future plans for recording or touring.

Photo credit: Tom Preston

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons, who has been open about his poverty-stricken childhood in Israel, spoke to American Songwriter about the immense wealth he has accumulated in the five decades since the band's formation.

"We're not supposed to revel in our riches," he said. "But that's bullshit. That's bullshit because everybody — if I walk around and I walk into a room and said I'm worth a couple hundred million dollars, or a billion, or whatever they say, I don't keep track, people would go, 'Listen to that guy. What an asshole.' But if I just won the lottery and didn't work a day in my life for it, everybody goes, 'Fantastic! You won a shitload of money and you didn't work at all for it.' I've worked for every penny I got. I should be the one that should be able to say, 'Look at all the money I got.' But nope, can't do that.

"So, I don't know how to say this, but it's better to be rich than poor," he continued. "It is. You can create jobs if you're rich. You can give money to philanthropy if you're rich. A poor person never gave me a job. And the person who came up with the phrase, 'Money is the root of all evil' is a moron. Money is not the root of all evil. Lack of money is the root of all evil. The reason people hold up 7-11 is they don't have money. Why would I ever hold up a 7-11 when I could just buy the block?

"The reason for crime is people don't have enough money," Simmons added. "One of the cures for lowering crime is give people jobs, give them something to do so they can feed their families, so they don't have to go out and steal. That's the way out. And don't get me started on drug addicts; that's another thing. There are a lot of rich white boys who are on opioids and crack. That's another story and I'm not qualified to comment."

Simmons lived in Israel until the age of eight, when he emigrated to the U.S. with his mother, a Holocaust survivor.

In a 2011 interview with CNN, Simmons recalled how his family had plunged into poverty after his father left. The family was "dirt poor," scraping by on meager bread and milk rations available in what was then an underdeveloped country.

"My father left us when I was about six or seven and one day a box came in," Gene said. "A cardboard box. Later on I figured out it was a care package. I picked up my first can of food — it was a can of peaches. I had never seen canned food before, we didn't even have a toilet when I was growing up. [My mother] opened it up with a knife and I remember tasting... This gets a little emotional for me... So I remember tasting those canned peaches. [It was the] sweetest thing I ever had. And all of a sudden, I had the idea that somebody cared, and once I grew up, I promised myself that I would make a difference."

Simmons has been recognized for his efforts to give back through various charitable endeavors, including Mending Kids International, which provides surgical care to children in developing countr

Dave Lombardo was recently interviewed on "Speak N' Destroy", a podcast about all things METALLICA, hosted by longtime journalist and METALLICA fan Ryan J. Downey. During the lengthy chat, the former SLAYER drummer once again confirmed that he came close to joining MEGADETH nearly three and a half decades ago as the replacement for Gar Samuelson.

Dave said: "A funny story — I was going to join MEGADETH when I left SLAYER the first time in '86… It was very much on the down low. And probably [MEGADETH mainman Dave] Mustaine doesn't remember this. But they had opened up for Alice Cooper during the 'Peace Sells' tour. And I went to the Long Beach Arena [in March 1987], and I met with the guys. I believe that the main issue at that time was when I saw the guys, they didn't look very healthy. I think it was a very dark period for them. And I had heard rumors of drugs and stuff like that. I was no saint, but I kept it in check, and they just didn't look healthy to me. I didn't see a healthy path for myself.

"Sure enough, Gar Samuelson died [in 1999], and he was an amazing drummer.

"MEGADETH and SLAYER played many times together, and so, yeah, I just didn't see things go well," he continued. "And then I, of course, rethought my position, and with a little bit of coercion from [SLAYER producer] Rick Rubin, I returned [to SLAYER]."

Lombardo's latest comments echo those he made in a 2015 interview with Metal Ireland. At the time, he said that he "was looking to join MEGADETH" in 1987, "to replace Gar Samuelson. I met all of them, but they were really heavily into drugs and I really wasn't into that," he said. "They didn't look too healthy either — they looked pretty bad."

In the Metal Ireland interview, Dave also dismissed the suggestion that he would join MEGADETH as the replacement for Shawn Drover, who had left the band just a couple of months earlier.

"I've been getting phone calls like, 'Are you going to join this band?' No. I refuse to be someone's employee," he said. "I want to work on something I'm a part of, not just a guy that receives a paycheck. I want to be part of the artist development. An artist, not just a hired gun. I've had enough of that. I need freedom."

The 55-year-old Lombardo, who splits most of his time between crossover pioneers SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, horror-punk icons MISFITS and hardcore supergroup DEAD CROSS, was effectively fired from SLAYER after sitting out the group's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other bandmembers. He was later replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001.

Metal Hammer has uploaded its entire METALLICA cover story from the September 2020 issue of the magazine. The article, which can be read at this location, includes a discussion about a possible follow-up to 2016's "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" album, which marked METALLICA's first full-length collection of new music in eight years.

"There's a lot of material," guitarist Kirk Hammett said. "I know I have tons, because I totally overcompensated. You know, last time around, it was a real shock to my system losing all those musical ideas. [Editor's note: Kirk lost a phone with more than 300 pieces of music on it during the creative process for 'Hardwired…'] So, I was very determined to try and make up for lost time. I also felt that, creatively, I have so much more to offer this time around."

Bassist Robert Trujillo added that the songwriting process for the next album could be a decidedly more collective effort compared to "Hardwired…", which was largely composed by guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich.

"I'm not gonna speak on behalf of the other guys, but to me, it feels like this could be a very collaborative [writing process]," Robert said. "And for me personally, I love that. I love that we are in that head space to be more collaborative, and I think that's very exciting for where we're at now, the journey we're about to take, the fact that those doors are opening like that."

"It's taking a couple of months, literally, for me to go through all [my ideas]," added Kirk, who is is not credited on any of the songs on "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct". "I've got a wealth of material, and so, at any given point when we all decide, 'Okay, let's start formulating a schedule to start writing songs and recording it.' I'm ready. I'm there, from day one."

"Kirk has so many ideas," continued Trujillo. "It's funny because sometimes it's literally him in the kitchen and he's cooking, and at the same time he's playing you a riff, or you're sitting on the toilet and he's playing you some ideas. But when we started to understand that [the lockdown] was gonna happen, it was like, 'Hey, let's be creative', you know? Let's just get on it. A lot of times, when there's a band that's been around as long as METALLICA has, you find that one of the biggest problems is, 'Man I can't come up with a riff, I can't come up with any good lyrics, it's just harder to write songs', but that just doesn't seem to be the problem with us. Not taking anything away from any other bands, but sometimes our worst riff might be another band's A-list riff."

The entire article is available at LouderSound.com.

"Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 album chart, selling 291,000 copies in its first week of release.

Hetfield told Metal XS in 2016 that "Kirk's riffs weren't there" when it was time to write the music for the follow-up to 2008's "Death Magnetic" record. He later seemed to dismiss Kirk's missing-iPhone excuse, telling the WRIF radio station: "That's what he claims. I'm sure he did [lose the phone], but it doesn't make sense that he wouldn't have [the music] on his computer, either. But, whatever… Yeah, Kirk had some riffs that he… I guess submitted — ['submit' is] not a very nice word to be used if you're in a band. But you know, we all submit our tapes, and we sit there and we listen to them and we pick the best stuff. There was not much stuff from Kirk. Whether his phone was lost, or whatever…"

Hetfield told U.K. radio station Planet Rock that Kirk "was not present in the studio" while METALLICA was working on "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct". "He was dealing with life," James said. "He had a lot of life things going on for himself, which he'll choose to talk about if he wants. But, you know, [it was] Lars and I steering the ship as usual, going through the riffs, creating the songs. And I got to do a lot of guitar stuff that I was missing around 'Death Magnetic' and 'St. Anger' — some of the harmony guitar things, harmony vocals… You know, a little more layering, like the 'Black' album."

Photo credit: Anton Corbijn




Metallica. Brand new interview. Only in the new issue of Metal Hammer - on sale tomorrow. #Metallica pic.twitter.com/S96hcPdLyM

— metalhammer (@MetalHammer) August 19, 2020

Acclaimed hard rock vocalist Jeff Scott Soto has opened up about his use of using backing tracks for certain songs during his live performances, saying he doesn't "wanna bullshit anybody."

In recent years, more and more artists have been given a pass for relying on pre-recorded tracks, drum triggers and other assorted technology that makes concerts more synthetic but also more consistent. For better or worse, pre-recorded tracks are becoming increasingly common for touring artists of all levels and genres and they're not just used in pop music — many rock artists utilize playback tracks to varying degrees.

Speaking to Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com about his use of backing tracks, Jeff said: "I've always tried to be candid. I don't wanna bullshit anybody. If I'm doing something and we're using some kind of assistance, I would be the first one to say, 'Hey, all those big backing vocals you're hearing, of course, they're being played behind us, because we feel the songs sounded naked without them and because we don't have an arsenal of a choir behind us to be able to pull them off.' And even if I've ever used backing tapes live, I never ripped them straight from the album so it sounds too fabricated. I'll make it so it's just a few voices or a few pieces and a few drum loops and things to kind of to give you a feel of the main record, but not to sound completely false, like we're just miming it up there. Why are you playing live if you're gonna be doing that to every song?"

He continued: "I've done that with SOTO, I've done that with JSS, because there are certain songs that might have a groove under them that without that, like a loop or something that makes that thing swing, it's just gonna sound too straight; it's not gonna have the same feel. So, of course, I have the drummer count off, and you have this kind of movement of a group that you can't really emulate unless you have those things underneath it. Of course, I've done that in the past. There's stuff where there's keyboards in a song, but we also need two guitar players, so I put the keyboards within the context of that loop just to make it sound and swing more. Of course, I've done it, but I'm not gonna lie about it. And if you're at a show and going, 'Wait a minute. There's nobody playing the keys and I hear keys,' I'm not gonna say, 'What are you talking about?' You've gotta be an imbecile to think that your audience doesn't notice that stuff."

Last March, SHINEDOWN guitarist Zach Myers said that "90 percent" of rock artists use at least some pre-recorded tracks during their live performances. He told Rock Feed: "It bothers me that it bothers people. I'm, like, 'Why does this bother you?' It's the way it is. People have been doing this since the '80s. And we want the sound to be the best it can be. Could we go up there, just the four of us, and put on the best rock show ever? Of course. But that's not how we wanna do it."

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has previously said that he is "one of the last people" who are still not using pre-recorded tracks at their live shows. "I don't know how much longer I can say to you that I don't use tapes onstage, because I don't, and I never have," he told Consequence Of Sound. "And I still don't. When I have opening bands, and they're using tapes, and then I come out and I don't use tapes… sometimes, it makes me feel stupid, because I'm like, 'What am I doing, when all these kids half my age can come onstage and do all of my moves, but they don't have to warm up for an hour before the show, or weeks, before the first show?' Sometimes, I'm like, 'Why do I even bother, if the public is so used to this other way?' It's becoming very rare to come see a good band that's actually a real band — that's not miming or doing silly moves while a tape is running. It just becomes more rare as the years go on."

In 2019, IRON MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith said that he doesn't "agree" with certain rock artists relying on pre-recorded tracks during their live performances. "I tell you what, I see it with a lot of younger bands, and I don't think it's a good thing at all," he told the New York Post. "I mean, the music is getting too technical now. You have computerized recording systems, which we use, but I think we use them more for convenience than because we need to. We've toured with a couple bands that use tapes — it's not real. You're supposed to play live; it should be live. I don't agree with using tapes … I think it's a real shame."

One musician who has been open about his band's used of taped vocals during live performances is MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx, who said: "We've used technology since '87." He added the group employed "sequencers, sub tones, background vox tracks, plus background singers and us. [MÖTLEY CRÜE also taped] stuff we can't tour with, like cello parts in ballads, etc.... We love it and don't hide it. It's a great tool to fill out the sound."

In a 2014 interview, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars admitted that he wasn't comfortable with the fact that his band used pre-recorded backing vocals in its live shows, claiming that he preferred to watch groups whose performances are delivered entirely live. "I don't like it," he said. "I think a band like ours… I have to say '60s bands were my favorite — '60s and '70s bands — because they were real, like, three-piece bands or four-piece bands, and they just got up there and kicked it up. Made a mistake? So what? Sounded a little bit empty here or there? So what? It's the bigness and the rawness and the people that developed and wrote the songs and made them and presented them. To me, that's what I really like. I mean, I could put on a MÖTLEY CD and play with it all day long. I don't wanna do that."

KISS lead singer Paul Stanley, who has been struggling to hit the high notes in many of the band's classic songs for a number of years, has been accused of singing to a backing tape on KISS's ongoing "End Of The Road" tour.

Back in 2015, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons slammed bands who used backing tapes for not being honest enough to include that fact on their concert tickets.

"I have a problem when you charge $100 to see a live show and the artist uses backing tracks," Simmons said. "It's like the ingredients in food. If the first ingredient on the label is sugar, that's at least honest. It should be on every ticket — you're paying $100, 30 to 50 percent of the show is [on] backing tracks and they'll sing sometimes, sometimes they'll lip sync. At least be honest. It's not about backing tracks, it's about dishonesty.

"There's nobody with a synthesizer on our stage, there's no samples on the drums, there's nothing," Gene continued. "There's very few bands who do that now — AC/DC, METALLICA, us. I can't even say that about U2 or THE [ROLLING] STONES. There's very few bands who don't use [backing] trac

During an appearance on the "Rock 'N' Roll Icons With Bode James" podcast, MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson was asked if he thinks the recently announced working title for the band's upcoming album, "The Sick, The Dying And The Dead", will stick or it will end up getting changed. He responded (see video below): "Like Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader] said when he announced it, he goes, 'We usually end up changing the title four or five times before it [is released].' We had a saying back in the old days: 'Nothing's final until it's on vinyl.' So everything can change. Probably short of the name of the band, everything can change. It's all just a work in progress, and I think that's the beauty of the creative world. People wanna know answers, like, 'What does it sound like? Does it sound like this album? Does it sound like that album?' And it's, like, 'Hey, man, I can't really tell you.' It's a work in progress until it's done. And then once it's done, you'll hear it, and then we'll all have a little talk about it."

Ellefson also addressed Mustaine's claim that the upcoming MEGADETH album will be "up there with 'Countdown [To Extinction]', 'Rust In Peace' and probably 'Peace Sells' and 'Dystopia'."

"I would very much agree," Ellefson said. "Look, MEGADETH has done a lot of stuff over the years. Some fans go, 'Oh, dude, make it thrash, thrash.' And we do — 'Dystopia' proved that. But you can't just be a one-trick pony. We've never been a one-trick pony. Even on the earlier records — 'Killing Is My Business' started with a piano. 'Peace Sells' had a song on it called 'Good Mourning', which went into 'Black Friday'; it was basically kind of an acoustic guitar bit. We've done a lot of different stuff over the years. So with MEGADETH, you get a lot of diversity. And the musicians that are in the group, I think we challenge each other; we raise the bar for each other. And it inspires us to keep creating next-level stuff. So I think that's kind of the beauty of what you get with MEGADETH — is you get a lot. You get a pretty big bang for your buck, I think."

The early sessions for the LP took place in 2019 with co-producer Chris Rakestraw, who previously worked on "Dystopia".

"Dystopia", whose title track was honored in the "Best Metal Performance" category at the 2017 Grammy Awards, marked Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro's recording debut with MEGADETH.

In a new interview with Jam Man, TESLA drummer Troy Luccketta was asked how he and his bandmates have managed to stay together for nearly four decades. He responded (see video below): "Well, we broke up in '96, and then we got back together in October 2000. It was only gonna be [a reunion] for one show. And now it's 20 years later. And through that process, we learned a lot about how to stay together, how to respect one another.

"Unfortunately, alcohol and drugs play a part in rock and roll sometimes," he continued. "TESLA doesn't have any drugs or alcohol on a tour — not even a beer backstage — since '04. So we're talking 16 years. We had a conference and decided that we didn't even want any alcohol or nothing to get in the way. Because sometimes, if someone drinks too much, there could be a problem and they might do something stupid, and it might affect the band. So we got rid of all of those potential problems, and we learned how to be really respectful of another other.

"35 years is a long time for a band to stay together," Troy added. "We have four out of the five original members in the band, and it's a tough thing to do. But that's how we've managed to do it. It's been a lot of respect for one another, and we genuinely [get along with each other]. When we're sharing one bus, that's a confined space, and people can get irritable after a while. We don't do it perfectly, but we do it pretty darn good."

Asked if it bothers him that former TESLA guitarist Tommy Skeoch has been using the band name to promote his new project RESIST & BITE, Troy said: "No. I'm wishing Tommy well. We were just talking about some of the things that breaks up bands, and that was unfortunate, because that's really what took Tommy out of the band at the time. It was just problems that he had to figure out. And I think he's doing really well now. He's got a new band, and he's gotta promote his band. He was one fifth of the band at the time, and he wrote great songs in TESLA. He's a great talent. So he's always gonna have an association to the name of the band, and that's fair."

Skeoch left TESLA in 2006 to receive treatment for substance-abuse issues.

TESLA spent most of last year touring in support of its latest album, "Shock", which was released in March 2019 via UMe. The follow-up to 2014's "Simplicity" was produced by DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen.


Jam Man Talks with Tesla

Jam Man Talks with Tesla the Band drummer Troy Luccketta about how the band cooped with lockdown, putting out 5 man London Jam and not being able to tour, how touring has affected his life and things he missed out on for the band, how they avoided being a hair band, staying together for over 30 years and the choices they made to continue like having a completely sober backstage and why they had to get rid of Tommy but wish nothing but the best for him and his new band, and when recording new music do they try and keep their sound or adapt to what music is like now, and the controversy over Shock and the different sound they had on that Album produced by Def Leppard 's Phil Collen

Posted by Rocking With Jam Man on Wednesday, October 28, 2020

This year will mark the 45th anniversary of the passing of Tommy Bolin, the supremely talented guitarist and songwriter, best known for his work with DEEP PURPLE and THE JAMES GANG, who captivated the world with his sophisticated and ferocious playing. Bolin's tragic death, when he was a mere 25 years old, has been one of rock music's great "what ifs," forcing critics and fans to grapple with what Bolin might have been able to accomplish in subsequent years were he still alive, given that he managed to produce such amazing works of mature artistry at such a young age. Many point to Bolin's most fully realized, and sadly final, album, the magnificent "Private Eyes", as proof that for all of Bolin's success, the man was just getting warmed up.

Now a new collection of never-before-released outtakes and demos from those recording sessions will be released showing the many sides of Bolin's talent. The collection is called "Shake The Devil - The Lost Sessions" and will be released on February 12 courtesy of Cleopatra Records. Licensed directly from Bolin's estate and with informative liner notes from rock journalist Dave Thompson, these recordings offer both acoustic, instrumental and alternate versions of some of Bolin's best-known tunes, including his most popular song, "Bustin' Out For Rosey". That track is today offered as a special sneak preview of the album, which will be available on both CD as well as a gorgeous gatefold vinyl with your choice of white, purple or red vinyl!

Track listing:

01. Shake The Devil (Alternate Mix)

02. Bustin' Out For Rosey (Alternate Version)

03. Hello Again (Outtake, No Strings)

04. Gypsy Soul (Outtake)

05. Sweet Burgundy (Alternate Version)

06. Someday We'll Bring Our Love Home (Instrumental Demo)

07. You Told Me That You Loved Me (Instrumental Demo)

08. Post Toastee (Acoustic Demo)

09. Tommy's Instrumental (Outtake)

10. Gypsy Soul (Acoustic Demo)

11. Gypsy Soul (Rehearsal Demo)

12. Someday We'll Bring Our Love Home (Instrumental Demo)

Tommy was born in Sioux City, Iowa on August 1, 1951. He loved rock and roll as a young boy, idolizing Elvis Presley. Bolin got his first guitar at the age of 10, and soon was organizing his own band. He and other pre-teen musicians used to attend THE VELAIRES rehearsals. His PATCH OF BLUE band played frequently at the Broadway Ballroom in Centerville, and he appeared several times with the Vermillion-based THE CHATEAUX, led by Bob Ellison. Tommy even played organ with the group at the Varsity Pub as a 14-year-old. He is said to have appeared on guitar on "Reference Man", released by THE CHATEAUX.

This restless, precocious young man grew tired of the local rock scene. As a 10th grader, Tommy was expelled from school because his hair was deemed too long. After getting it cut once, he was sent back home for not having enough trimmed off. With his parents' blessing, 15-year-old Tommy hitch-hiked to Denver to find fame. His brother, Johnnie, refers to the event: "To let a kid hitch to Denver, it's not like they didn't care. They knew that it was what Tommy had to do."

Soon after arriving in Denver, he met singer Jeff Cook and joined CROSSTOWN BUS. Cook said, "Tommy was very humble about his gift, and he never made any of us feel that we weren't as good as he was. We grew and became better players and better people." In 1968, Tommy joined ZEPHYR, but his love for jazz caused problems with the rest of the group. Tommy and Bobby Berge left to form ENERGY. Headquartered in Boulder, ENERGY was one of the first jazz-fusion bands. They backed John Lee Hooker, Albert King and Chuck Berry.

Tommy discovered glam rock. He wore flashy clothes designed by his girlfriend, Karen Ulibarri. His hair was multi-colored and he wore leopard skin platform boots. Tragically, this era started Bolin's attraction to hard drugs.

Drummer Billy Cobham visited Tommy's apartment to ask him to play guitar on his "Spectrum" album. That led to the JAMES GANG asking him to replace Joe Walsh when Walsh left the group. Albums in 1973, "Bang", and 1974, "Miami", featured Tommy's guitar virtuosity.

Jazz-fusion drummer Alphonse Mouzon asked Bolin to play on his 1975 album, "Mind Transplant". That led to an invitation from DEEP PURPLE to join them. He recorded "Come Taste The Band" with DEEP PURPLE, and was able to finish his only solo album, "Teaser", that year. He had begun work on a second solo disc, "Private Eyes", but that was cut short by his tragic premature death in Miami from a drug overdose.

King 810 frontman David Gunn has now issued a statement confirming his attendance at the U.S. Capitol Building protests which took place last week. He posted the below statement on the matter via his Instagram tonight, January 14th:

“Dear internet cucks,
👊🏿👹👊🏿
I admit this is me on the steps of the capital building filming our next video. I’m the singer of the most hated band in America… where else would I be ?
👊🏿👹👊🏿
Sorry to disappoint everyone but I cannot also admit to being a racist, bigot, homophobe, sexist, fascist, alt right (or whatever you whack jobs are on this week) etc. etc.
👊🏿👹👊🏿
I appreciate the compliments on my jacket however it is not for sale (altho our new album is)…
👊🏿👹👊🏿
I was not trying to keep this under wraps. As you can see I’m swagged the fuck out with no mask in front of 100 cameras because I’m doing nothing wrong. The Feds have phoned me already and there isn’t a single image of me “rioting” or going inside the building. I’m not as dumb as my hair style suggests.
👊🏿👹👊🏿
I couldn’t care less if you stop following me or stop listening to my music because I never cared to begin with. (see red queen)
👊🏿👹👊🏿
🇺🇸 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸”

Bad Rabbits will have their new covers EP “Waves Collide: The Live Covers” out on January 29th. That set will find remastered versions of the band’s past live takes on the following songs:

01 – Michael Jackson – “Human Nature”
02 – The Smashing Pumpkins – “1979
03 – Deftones – “Sextape”
04 – The-Dream – “Walkin’ On The Moon”
05 – Rihanna – “Love On The Brain“

In a new interview with Antihero, DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen was asked if he has ever thought about writing a book. He responded: "I have been asked a few times to author a book from publishers, but they all want a rock and roll tell-all book, and that's not something I'd like to do. I'd be interested in telling my story — the challenges, the triumphs, and what resiliency means to me — a book to help others. I suppose one day I will focus on that."

Last month marked 36 years since the life-altering accident suffered by Allen in which he lost his left arm in an auto accident in England. Allen had to relearn how to play drums and drum manufacturer Simmons worked with him to build a kit. The band stuck with Allen through the difficult time and the drummer persevered through an accident that would have ended most people's careers.

Allen spoke about his accident during a recent interview with Modern Drummer. He said: "I remember coming around in the hospital and then realizing what had happened to me after the accident, and honestly, I wanted to disappear. I didn't wanna do this anymore. And then I started getting these letters from all over the world… I got encouragement from everywhere — from my family, from the guys [in the band], from people all over the world. And I don't know what happened, but I discovered the power of the human spirit and just said, 'You know what? I can do this.' It was really a collective thing. It was all this encouragement I was getting from other people, and then it just manifested in wanting to succeed. And that's exactly where it came from."

Rick also talked about the support he received from his bandmates in DEF LEPPARD who stuck by him through his recovery and waited patiently for his return.

"They left the decision to me, whether I wanted to go on or not, and they gave me time to grow and develop, really, a whole new style [of playing]," Allen said. "And that's all I needed — I just needed the time. I needed the time to build my confidence and realize that I could do it. Nobody ever said, 'Well, you have to make a decision now.' I think that was the most important thing — just that time that they gave me just to find myself."

After visiting the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2006, Allen dedicated himself to helping war veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of sustaining injuries similar to his own.

Allen told ABC News in 2012: "I didn't know what my life would be like after that terrible day. It was the darkest time in my life… My desire is to encourage a support system for warriors, de-stigmatize PTSD, share their stories and offers alternative ways to pave the road to resiliency and heal

Iced Earth and Demons & Wizards are no longer listed on Century Media Record’s website following guitarist Jon Schaffer’s participation in the Capitol riot earlier this month.

Century Media seems to have scrubbed all traces of the two bands, both of which include Schaffer as a founding member. Iced Earth and Demons & Wizards can not be found on the label’s current artists list, nor on Century Media’s roster of former artists. Merch from both acts is also no longer available via the Century Media webstore.

An official statement has yet to be released by the record label. We've reached out to Century Media for comment, but have yet to receive a response.

Jon Schaffer is currently under arrest by the FBI and is suspected of discharging “bear spray” during the pro-Trump riot. Schaffer faces six charges, including, Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority; Disrupting the Orderly Conduct of Government Business; Knowingly Engaging in an Act of Physical Violence Against any Person or Property in any Restricted Building or Grounds; Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Engaging in an Act of Physical Violence in a Capitol Building; and Parade, Demonstrate, or Picket in a Capitol Building.

Tiwanaku frontman Ed Mowery recently contacted BraveWords with the news that the band is making a return in 2021. They have checked in with a new press release:

Vocalist and master of the pipes, Daniel Heiman, formerly of Lost Horizon and currently of Warrior Path, will be guest appearing on Tiwanaku's debut album, Earth Base One on the song "Interdimensionsal".
 
In early 2019, Daniel and vocalist Ed Mowery were introduced by Brian "Progcop" Goldsmith. At the time Ed was playing guitar riffs he'd been working on and Brian said "You HAVE to use this on something!" Already knowing he wasnt't the right vocalist for the song, Ed asked Brian who he knew personally that could do it. Brian played three songs when Ed stopped him and asked "Who is THAT?! Lets contact him and see if he is interested." 

Brian got the two together and they all agreed that this was a fit. Daniel is currently in the studio recording his vocals to the music for "Interdimensional". 

Tragically and unexpectedly in August of 2019, Brian passed away, may he rest in peace. In his honor, Tiwanaku is dedicating Earth Base One and  "Interdimensional" to Brian. 

Brian is known for his kindness, dedication and compassion for music, metal radio, his involvement with Crimson Glory, and many other artists across the globe. 

Mowery: "This is your song Brian! I love you brother! I'll see you Interdimensional!" 

Mowery recently trevealed that former Death / Obituary / Testament guitarist James Murphy is part of the Tiwanaku line-up.

"Tiwanaku welcomes lead guitarist James Murphy, formerly of Death, Obituary and Testament. James has joined the band for their debut album Earth Base One. He is recording all the solo work on the album. James will also be making live appearances with the band in 2021/2022 in locations around the globe depending on when things open again. James was already set to be a guest on Earth Base One for one song and the timing worked out just right for him to take the spot.

The band is scheduled to mix and master the album in mid February and is currently in the studio recording Earth Base One for release in mid-2021. We are all siked to hear what James is going to do. Today he started his journey through all the songs and guitar solos. James and I have been friends for years and we've almost played together a couple times. Now we're finally gonna get the chance."

Tiwanaku is:

Ed Mowery - Vocals, Guitar
James Murphy - Lead Guitar
Chris Scales - Bass
Ryan J ONeill - Keyboards
Ryan Hurka - Drums
Liam Hurka - Drums

The Electric Boys are much loved for their idiosyncratic combination of hard rock and other forms of music such as funk beginning with their first album, Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride, in 1989. On April 30th, the band will release worldwide their seventh album, Ups!de Down, which continues and advances this fusion of music styles to make something of their very, very own. 

Recorded at Ghost Ward studios like their successful previous album, The Ghost Ward Diaries, and co-produced with David Castillo the album showcases the songwriting and performing talents of founder members Conny Bloom on guitar and vocals and Andy Christell on bass, while also introducing "Slim" Martin Thomander on guitar. Jolle Atlagic plays all the drums on the album, as the band’s original drummer Niclas Sigevall - still very much part of the band - could not leave LA due to the pandemic.

The album reflects the turbulent times of this year and spontaneously and organically formed into a concept album tackling adversity and fear mongering and championing the human fighting spirit and ability to transcend even the most difficult situations to find hope and victory over life’s circumstances. As such, the album taps into the collective consciousness of 2020, being contemporary while also drawing on a wide variety of influences such as Jimi Hendrix, Deep Purple, Bowie, '50s Rock and Roll, late Beatles and even the Sisters of Mercy. Probably less funky than some of the band’s earlier material it is no less eclectic and provides a potent cocktail reflecting the history of rock and roll and the light and darkness of existence. 

Conny Bloom: “You can see the light at the end of the tunnel rather than simply the runaway train in songs like 'This Is Not The End'. When things are this big and seem out of control you can reverse it and gain control by letting it go.” 

The freethinking and rebellious spirit of the band is alive and well in this latest album and the belief in the power of the message of music and its ability to change the world. 

People commonly mention to the band that Electric Boys songs have changed their lives, inspiring them to take up instruments and how much the band’s songs have meant to their fans. Known for his fine guitar work and languidly cool persona Conny Bloom is also recognized for his work with Hanoi Rocks and Ginger in the Wildhearts. Andy Christell also joined Hanoi Rocks with Conny and with his distinctive top knot is the epitome of steady, bellbottom-fluttering rock bass.

The band has a tour planned in Sweden and is hoping to widen and include more dates worldwide as circumstances permit. 

Ups!de Down will be released in digital, LP (four different formats) and CD formats by Mighty Music on April 30th, 2021.

Tracklist:

"Upside Down Theme"
"Super God"
"Tumblin' Dominoes"
"Never Again Your Slave"
"She Never Turns Around"
"Globestrutter"
"The Dudes & The Dancers"
"Twang 'Em & Kerrang 'Em"
"It's Not The End"
"Interstellafella"

Photo by Sven Isaksson