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5 ôåâ 2020
METALLICA Release "Now That We're Dead" HQ Performance Video From Lubbock, Texas
 Metallica performed "Now That We're Dead" at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, TX on March 2, 2019. Pro-shot footage can be seen below:
Metallica's next scheduled live performance is on March 28 for the All Within My Hands Helping Hands Concert & Auction at The Masonic in San Francisco, CA. Find the band's live itinerary here.
Metallica recently issued the following message in regards to the Metallica Scholars Initiative: "After an amazing first year with results including 95% job placement rates, we’re very proud to announce that All Within My Hands has just launched year two of the highly successful Metallica Scholars program, a major workforce education initiative. The grants provide direct support to community colleges offering skills and services to students who are looking to enter a traditional trade or other applied learning program.
"Year two of the Metallica Scholars Initiative will add five more community colleges, bringing the total number of schools to 15. It will also receive matching grants from new partners, supplementing All Within My Hands' cumulative $1.5 million contribution.
"Once again AWMH has partnered with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), a Washington, D.C. based organization that represents the nation’s 1,103 community colleges. The awards are designed to provide support of relevant job skill training for community college students and reinvest in communities that supported us during our recent US tours.
"Our 2019 Metallica Scholars have exceeded all expectations and inspired us in more ways than we could have possibly imagined when this program was launched last year. You can read some of their stories on AWMH’s Scholar Spotlight page.
"Thanks to your continued support, we’re able to expand this program while we remain focused on the fight against hunger and aiding communities around the world who have suffered in natural disasters."
Visit AllWithinMyHands.org to learn more about the program and view a list of the colleges receiving grants.
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5 ôåâ 2020
SNAKEYES Reveal New Album Details; Video Trailer Streaming
 SnakeyeS, the band started by José Pineda, Justi Bala, and Carlos Delgado (members of the recently reunited Spanish band Sphinx) together with Romanian singer Cosmin Aionita, has revealed the title, artwork, and tracklisting for their new album. Also, a video trailer can be found below.
The cover artwork for the new album, titled Evil Must Die, was designed by artist Leo Traverso and is a representation of the music and themes found on this new album all related to one concept: the continuous spread of Evil in our world. Evil Must Die consists of ten new songs, produced and mixed by José Pineda, which will take you on a journey through several scenarios, both real and fictional: war, politics, religion, literature and horror - all present throughout the album. The new record is a natural evolution of the musical style developed by SnakeyeS on its previous albums: pure and solid heavy metal, dedicated to the genre’s true fans.
Evil Must Die, SnakeyeS’ third full length record, will be released March 28, during a launch party in Madrid, Spain. The event will take place in the Honky Tonk club and will feature a live performance from the band, as well as a press conference. Access to this release party will be free and fans will be able to pick up new the new album, as well as brand new SnakeyeS merchandise.
A special pack pre-order, limited to 200 copies, is available for Evil Must Die, only via the band's website.
The special pack includes:
- CD of new album “Evil Must Die”
- CD of “The Evil Dead” E.P. with one special song only available on this disc
- Color t-shirt with album artwork
- Poster
- Double-sided postcard
- Guitar pick with album artwork
Evil Must Die tracklisting:
"War Machine"
"The Evil Dead"
"New World Order"
"Lose Control"
"I Am Evil"
"Dead Don’t Ride"
"The Clown And The God"
"Death Stranded"
"Sign Of Our Times"
"All Gods Are Dead"
Trailer:
"The Evil Dead" video:
"The Clown And The God" teaser:
"New World Order" teaser:
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5 ôåâ 2020
OKILLY DOKILLY Announce When The Comet Gets Here Tour 2020; New Single “Slaughterhouse” Available Digitally
 Viral sensations - and the world’s only “Nedal” band - Okilly Dokilly will spread Nedly positivity in the face of impending doom this spring on their latest trek across America, the When The Comet Gets Here Tour 2020.
Says the band’s Head Ned, “We're exci-diddly-ited to announce the When The Comet Gets Here Tour. The apocalypse may be looming over us, like a drooling Homer over a box of donuts, but that's no reason to lose all hope. Some hope, but not all hope. So grab your green sweater and what remaining hope you have left and come rage with us Neds. End times are always better as Ned times.”
Just last week, Okilly Dokilly revealed their first new music since last year’s Howdilly Twodilly album, a single entitled “Slaughterhouse”, and the quintet is currently prepping for a trip down under to play a week’s worth of show.
“'Myself and the rest of the Neds are very excited to release ‘Slaughterhouse’ ahead of our first-ever Australian/New Zealand tour,” Head Ned says. “’Slaughterhouse was a song we recorded during the Howdilly Twodilly sessions. It never made the record because of a grievous error. I recorded the quote wrong.”
The lyrics to “Slaughterhouse,” like the vast majority of Okilly Dokilly songs, are composed of direct Flanders quotes. “Just before we sent the record to press, while doing an editorial check, I realized the quote was originally written down wrong,” explains Head Ned. “We immediately pulled it from the record. After a re-record in December of 2019, ‘Slaughterhouse’ was ready to go. ‘Slaughterhouse,’ at its core, is a song about gratitude, and us Neds sure do have a lot of gratitude for all the Neighborinos who came to our shows last year, and for the neighborinos who plan to come see us in Australia and New Zealand.”
“Slaughterhouse” features artwork by Adam Rose, and is available via iTunes, Spotify, Bandcamp and all digital outlets.
Tour dates:
April
3 - Phoenix, AZ - The Rebel Lounge
16 - Tulsa, OK - The Shrine
17 - Memphis, TN - Hi Tone
18 - Nashville, TN - EXIT/IN
19 - Greenville, SC - The Radio Room
21 - Durham, NC - Motorco Music Hall
22 - Vienna, VA - Jammin Java
23 - Brooklyn, NY - Kingsland Bar & Grill
24 - Boston, MA - Hard Rock Café Boston
25 - New Brunswick, NJ - Blackthorn Restaurant and Irish Pub
26 - Pittsburgh, PA - The Crafthouse Stage & Grill
28 - Columbus, OH - Rumba Cafe
29 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop
May
1 - Detroit, MI - The Sanctuary
2 - Cudahy, WI - X-Ray Arcade
3 - Chicago, IL - Beat Kitchen
5 - St. Louis, MO - Red Flag
7 - Oklahoma City, OK - 89th Street - OKC
8 - Dallas, TX - Three Links Deep Ellum
9 - Austin, TX - Empire Control Room
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5 ôåâ 2020
FIREWOLFE Return With Permanent Lineup; Band Prepares New Album
 US traditional melodic metallers, FireWolfe, are back! With two critically acclaimed albums (FireWolfe, 2011 and We Rule The Night, 2014) planting a firm flag, marking their place in metal history, the band that originally formed as "strictly a recording project" now secures and introduces its permanent lineup, prepares a new album and promises to bring the powerful music of FireWolfe to the world through long awaited live dates.
Guitar virtuoso Nick Layton, founder and principle songwriter for FireWolfe, has hand-selected a world-class group of metal veterans to complete the extraordinary lineup including bassist Bobby Ferkovich (Presto Ballet, Heir Apparent, Pamela Moore Band), who appeared on the sophomore FireWolfe album, lead guitarist Michael David (TKO), drummer Jeffrey McCormack (Q5, Fifth Angel, Heir Apparent, TKO) and last but certainly not least, amazing new vocalist, David Lyon.
Writing of the new album is nearing completion in Seattle, Washington with hopes of a late summer / early fall release, and tour dates to follow. First confirmed dates to be announced in mid-March 2020.
Members of FireWolfe will be appearing as Guest DJs on Norway's Metal Express Radio February 7, and will be appearing on New York's The Heavy Metal Mayhem Radio Show with Mike Catricola on February 9.
Fans worldwide can keep up with all things FireWolfe, the new album and future performance dates via the band's brand new official website, or their official Facebook page here.
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5 ôåâ 2020
SMASHING PUMPKINS To Release New Double Album This Year
 SMASHING PUMPKINS frontman Billy Corgan spoke to Tennessean about the band's upcoming studio album, which is currently being recorded in Nashville for a late 2020 release. The new disc will be the follow-up to 2018's "Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun." , which was SMASHING PUMPKINS' first in over 18 years to feature founding members Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin and James Iha, along with longtime guitarist Jeff Schroeder.
Speaking about how he is approaching the SMASHING PUMPKINS' new effort, Corgan said: "When we got back together with James, we went in with Rick Rubin and did eight songs. It was put out as a formal album, but I said at the time — and I did mean it — in my eyes, it wasn't an album. We didn't approach it like we've approached every other album we'd ever done, which is more like making a movie.
"In many ways, this is the first real album [since the reunion] where we've hunkered down and made a classic, 'Let's throw it all at the wall and see what happens' type of PUMPKINS record. I've been working on it for over a year. It currently is at 21 songs, and we're going to release it as a double this year.
"This is the first album since the album that came out in 2000, 'Machina', where me, James and Jimmy worked on something for a very long time. It's got a greater conceptual base, and it's probably a wider swath of music. The last one was kind of like, 'Let's just jump in, record some stuff real fast, and let it be what it is,' ... so I'm excited about this, because we're kind of back in the lane of taking a risk, and trying to bring something new to the table, as opposed to just aping what we're known for."
When asked why the PUMPKINS are recording the new LP in Nashville, he explained: "It's a bit of a lot of things. Certainly Nashville affords studios that still run like old-fashioned studios, which I prefer. There's obviously a lot of musicians here you can work with, and the people I work with live here. Plus, the NWA office, my wrestling company, is out of Nashville, so I'm down here a lot anyway just for wrestling business. And I like it. It's no surprise that it's one of the fast-growing cities in America, and certainly has great history — nothing that you don't know. But for me, as a Chicagoan that would come here in the early '90s when there were tumbleweeds rolling down [Broadway], it's great to see the city be revived and totally on fire."
PUMPKINS' 2018 "Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour" reportedly sold over 300,000 tickets across North America and saw them playing sold-out arena shows at venues, including The Forum, United Center and Madison Square Garden. The tour was the band's first in nearly two decades to feature Corgan, Chamberlin and Iha, alongside Schroeder, bassist Jack Bates and keyboardist Katie Cole.
Corgan released his latest solo album, "Cotillions", in November via his own Martha's Music label. Like 2017's "Ogilala", the disc was issued under his full name, William Patrick Corgan. | +2 | |
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5 ôåâ 2020
MESHIAAK Release Official Music Video For "City Of Ghosts"
 Meshiaak have released a video for "City Of Ghosts", a track from their new studio album, Mask Of All Misery, released back in November via Mascot Records / Mascot Label Group. Watch the clip below.
Tracklisting:
"Miasma
"Mask Of All Misery"
"Bury The Bodies"
"City Of Ghosts"
"Face Of Stone"
"Tears That Burn The Son"
"Doves"
"In The Final Hour"
"Adrena"
"Godless"
"City Of Ghosts" video:
"Bury The Bodies" video:
Meshiaak, as well as The Black Dahlia Murder and Municipal Waste, will be supporting Testament on their North American 2020 tour. The 30-date trek will kick-off in Phoenix on April 20 and will make stops in Austin, Mexico, and Toronto before concluding in Anaheim on May 28.
Tickets for the tour go on sale Friday, February 7 at 10 AM, local time. Tickets and VIP Meet & Greet Package are available to be purchased at testamentlegions.com.
Tour dates:
April
20 - Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren
21 - Albuquerque, NM - El Rey
23 - Houston, TX - House Of Blues
24 - Dallas, TX - House Of Blues
25 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom
26 - Austin, TX - Emo's
28 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl Music Hall
29 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
30 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz
May
2 - Mexico City, MX ^ Festival - Testament only
5 - Silver Springs, MD - The Fillmore
6 - Philadelphia, PA - TLA
7 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount
8 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
9 - Boston, MA - House Of Blues
10 - Montreal, QC - M'Telus
11 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Hall
13 - Pittsburgh, PA - Roxian Theatre
14 - Detroit, MI - Saint Andrew's Hall
15 - Columbus, OH ^ Festival - Testament only
16 - Joliet, IL - The Forge
17 - Minneapolis, MN - The Fillmore
19 - Denver, CO - Summit Music Hall
20 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
22 - Portland, CA - Roseland Theater
23 - Vancouver, BC * w/o Municipal Waste
24 - Seattle, WA * w/o Municipal Waste
24 - Las Vegas, NV - Punk Rock Bowling + Festival - Municipal Waste only
26 - Sacramento, CA - Ace Of Spades
27 - San Diego, CA - House Of Blues
28 - Anaheim, CA - House Of Blues
* - Municipal Waste not appearing
^ - Festival - Testament only
+ - Festival - Municipal Waste only
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4 ôåâ 2020
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4 ôåâ 2020
METALLICA Drummer's Mansion In San Francisco Bay Area Sold For $10.3 Million
 According to The Mercury News, a mansion in Northern California tied to METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich has sold for $10.3 million, under its original listing price of $12 million.
The 13,000-square-foot, six-bedroom, nine-bathroom home in Tiburon, just a short ferry ride across the Bay from San Francisco, features a recording studio, underground sport court, pool and sauna, and an aquarium over a bathtub, among many other amenities.
The property sits on a 20,000-square-foot-plus lot, and the sale included an aggregate of three separate parcels totaling more than two acres.
Public records list Ulrich as a past owner of the property, which is now under a trust.
METALLICA came to San Francisco at the beginning of 1983 and Ulrich has lived in Marin County, north of the city, since the 1990s. His passport and citizenship are still Danish, but he is very passionate about San Francisco.
"It's a brilliant city," he told Scandinavian Traveler. "It feels like the future is being created in the San Francisco region, with the entire tech world here. It's an exciting place to live and I couldn't imagine living anywhere else in America," he said.
A year ago, one of two properties METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett once called home in Sea Cliff, a neighborhood in northwestern San Francisco, sold for $11.7 million. The home, located in an exclusive enclave by the beach, first came on the market in 2018.
Photos: Metallica mansion in Tiburon sold for $10.3 million https://t.co/8KAsAEtTZq pic.twitter.com/WflV9Ikmg3
— East Bay Times (@EastBayTimes) January 23, 2020
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4 ôåâ 2020
Video Premiere: RICHIE KOTZEN's 'Devil's Hand'
 "Devil's Hand", the new video from singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Richie Kotzen, can be seen below. The track is taken from his his 22nd solo album, "50 For 50" — which is now available via his own custom label, Headroom-Inc. The three-disc collection is just what the title implies: a collection of 50 previously unreleased compositions produced, performed and written by Kotzen in honor of his birthday. It's the follow-up to his critically acclaimed "Salting Earth" album, which was released April 14, 2017 via Headroom-Inc.
Kotzen says about "Devil's Hand": "The song touches on loss and regret while romanticizing a past that may or may not have been as it is being remembered in the present."
When a person turns 50, they usually spend that entire year celebrating in as large of a way as possible to make it their biggest and most memorable birthday yet. Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Richie Kotzen is taking the concept literally, as he gears up for the release of his most ambitious album to date, and he wants to share this big birthday present to himself with his fans around the world.
Although Kotzen has been hailed as a guitar virtuoso since the release of his first album, it is his emotional lead vocal delivery and diverse songwriting style that separates him from his peers thanks in large part to artists that influenced him in the Philly soul R&B to jazz, rock, funk, and fusion guitar genres. "50 For 50" captures the full artistic scope of what makes Kotzen such a unique artist.
"The idea of a 50-song album came to me while I was on tour sometime last year," Kotzen explains. "I had completed what would have been your typical 10-to-12-song album and was anticipating a 2020 release. Somewhere along the line, I discovered a few completed songs that for whatever reason were never released. Along with that, I found a massive collection of material that was in various forms of completion. Some songs had drums bass and piano with no vocal, other songs were nothing more than a bass line and a vocal melody and so on. I decided to take that summer and fall, stay in the studio, and see how many of these ideas I could bring to completion. The concept was to include the already completed works and finish the other ideas and then stop once I reached 50 songs. Reality is we've got way more sitting on the hard drives waiting for attention. I figured if I can walk out of the studio with 50 songs (that I like) mixed and mastered, I can release a 50-song package on my 50th birthday."
Kotzen will continue to celebrate his big birthday with fans all over the world starting with an appearance at the Monsters Of Rock cruise kick-off party on February 7 in Miami, Florida at the Magic City Casino. His North American tour will commence with a three-night engagement in New York City at the Iridium Jazz Club on June 23, 24 and 25. The worldwide tour will take the birthday celebration to Mexico, Europe, Latin America, Japan and Southeast Asia.
Photo credit: Larry Dimarzio
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4 ôåâ 2020
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Release European Tour 2020 Recap Video: Oslo, Copenhagen & Amsterdam
 Five Finger Death Punch launched their European tour with Megadeth on January 20 in Helsinki, Finland. The band have released this new video recapping shows in Oslo, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam.
Says the band: "Our European Tour has been incredible so far. Thank you all for coming out and thank you for all the love!"
Upcoming dates are listed below:
February
3 - Berlin, Germany - Max-Schmeling Halle
4 - Hamburg, Germany - Sporthalle
6 - Frankfurt, Germany - Festhalle
8 - Oberhausen, Germany - Koenig-Pilsener Arena
9 - Stuttgart, Germany - Schleyerhalle
10 - Munich, Germany - Olympiahalle
12 - Warsaw, Poland - Torwar
14 - Prague, Czech Republic - Tipsport Arena
16 - Milan, Italy - Alcatrazz
17 - Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion
19 - Vienna, Austria - Stadthalle
20 - Budapest, Hungary - Budapest Sportarena
Five Finger Death Punch have released a lyric video for the new song, "Full Circle", featured on the band's eighth studio album, F8, out globally on February 28 and available for pre-order now. Watch below.
Fans who pre-order the album digitally will receive instant downloads of the "Full Circle" and “Inside Out”, along with one more new track before the release on February 28. The album will be available in the following formats: CD, digital download, mastered for iTunes download, double gatefold vinyl and picture disc vinyl. The band also curated special F8 merchandise bundles of albums with exclusive t-shirts, hoodies and more available for pre-order now as well.
Says Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Zoltan Bathory: "We had an extremely successful, yet tumultuous couple of years as a band. We didn't just weather the storm but came out on the other side better than ever. It was a focused sober group recording, our most important album to date and without a question it shows.
This album represents rebirth, progression, transcendence both personally and musically." Vocalist Ivan Moody adds, “This record to me is ‘absolution’ - everything I’ve done in my life has led up to this moment."
F8 was produced by Five Finger Death Punch with long time producer Kevin Churko (Ozzy Osbourne, Disturbed, Slash, etc).
Tracklisting:
"F8"
"Inside Out"
"Full Circle"
"Living The Dream"
"A Little Bit Off"
"Bottom Of The Top"
"To Be Alone"
"Mother May I (Tic Toc)"
"Darkness Settles In"
"This Is War"
"Leave It All Behind"
"Scar Tissue"
"Brighter Side Of Grey"
"Making Monsters" (bonus track)
"Death Punch Therapy" (bonus track)
"Inside Out" (radio edit - bonus track)
"Full Circle" lyric video:
"Inside Out" video:
"Inside Out" lyric video:
Five Finger Death Punch will kick off the second leg of their US arena headline tour in April, featuring special guests Papa Roach, I Prevail, as well as Ice Nine Kills. The tour is co-produced by Frank Productions and Live Nation. See all dates below. Tickets on sale now.
Information on all tour dates including links to tickets and VIP packages can be found here.
Tour dates:
April
8 - Sunrise, FL - BB&T Center
10 - Duluth, GA - Infinite Energy Center
11 - Pelham, AL - Oak Mountain Amphitheater
13 - San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center
14 - Ft. Worth, TX - Dickies Arena
16 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
18 - Phoenix, AZ - Talking Stick Resort Arena
19 - San Diego, CA - Viejas Arena
21 - Los Angeles, CA - The Forum
23 - Tacoma, WA - Tacoma Dome
25 - Portland, OR - Veteran Memorial Coliseum
27 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
29 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
May
3 - Baltimore, MD - Royal Farms Arena
5 - Worcester, MA - DCU Center
6 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Center
8 - Cincinnati, OH - Heritage Bank Center
12 - Detroit, MI - Little Caesars Arena
14 - Pittsburgh, PA - PPG Paints Center
15 - Camden, NJ - BB&T Pavilion
17 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
19 - Rosemont, IL - Allstate
20 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
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4 ôåâ 2020
THUNDER AND LIGHTNING Streaming Metal Cover Of CYNDI LAUPER's Smash Hit "Girls Just Want To Have Fun"
 German metal band, Thunder And Lightning, are streaming their cover of Cyndi Lauper's smash hit single, "Girls Just Want To Have Fun". Listen below:
Thunder And Lightning's new album, Demonicorn, is out now and available here.
Tracklisting:
"All Your Lies"
"Demonicorn"
"Demmin"
"The Temple Of Death"
"God For A Day"
"Heaven's Gate"
"Salt To The Wounds"
"Telltale Signs"
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4 ôåâ 2020
HONEYMOON SUITE Check In From The Studio With New Music Tease
 Platinum-selling Canadian rockers Honeymoon Suite are currently working on new music. Frontman Johnnie Dee and guitarist Derry Grehan have checked in from the studio at an undisclosed location in England with a taste of one of the songs.
The band recently released a new single entitled "Tell Me What You Want". Check out the official video for the song below.
Honeymoon Suite guitarist Derry Grehan recently checked in with the following update:
"Great news. I am going to be working with Godin Guitars to design and build the first ever 'Derry Grehan Tread Model'. Godin is a great company and we have worked with them for years. I can't wait! The guitar should be available in early 2020."
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4 ôåâ 2020
SIMULACRUM Sign With Frontiers Music Srl; Third Album In The Works
 Frontiers Music Srl announces the signing of an exciting progressive metal band from Finland, Simulacrum.
The roots of the band go back to 1999 when Christian “Chrism” Pulkkinen started writing his first batch of songs, which a few years later would end up on the band’s debut album, The Master And The Simulacrum (2012). In 2015, the band's sophomore album, Sky Divided, a concept album revolving around a classic War Of The Worlds type story with an alien race attacking planet earth for its resources, was released. The album was a big evolutionary step for the band, with some straightforward power and thrash metal tunes joining 10 minute epics that payed homage to the prog giants of the '70s and '90s. The album was a bit more polished compared to the debut, from how the songs were performed to continuity throughout the album. As with the debut, Simulacrum received quite a bit of praise in the metal media and showed that they were becoming a force to reckon with.
After the release of Sky Divided, a lot happened to slow down the creation of a new album. Simulacrum parted ways with drummer Henri Kallio and enlisted Tatu Turunen as their new drummer. The band also started thinking outside of the box and instead of having one frontman, they decided to make the move to have two lead vocalists. After extensive auditions, Erik Kraemer was chosen to join the band. He has a tone that varies enough from original frontman Niklas Broman's style and also has the range required to sing the sometimes very difficult vocal lines, which makes for a perfect combination between the two.
The band's yet untitled third album is currently in the works and will be released by Frontiers Music Srl.
"Frontiers has always been the top label for us to sign to and we are very happy in this point of our career to have found such a great partner in crime,” says Christian Pulkkinen. "With a large record company in our corner that believes in what we do, we can continue to produce the high quality music we all love: strong harmonies and melodies without letting the listener off too easy. As a band, we strive to make music that compels the listener long after the first spin of the album. The new album we are diligently working on, will be hard hitting melodic progressive metal. It will pay homage to the great vintage prog bands we all love, without forgetting to blend in the best elements the modern bands are doing. You will find influences by such bands as Dream Theater, Kansas, Symphony X, ELP, Periphery, and Haken, but our music has a very strong self-identity and most of all sounds like Simulacrum. We can't wait to release the new album and we are delighted to do it in collaboration with Frontiers!”
For a taste of the band's sound, check out these clips:
"Embrace The Animal Within" (features old lineup):
"Sky Divided" (Live, 2017):
Lineup:
Christian "Chrism" Pulkkinen - Keyboards
Nicholas "Solomon" Pulkkinen - Guitar
Petri Mäkilä - Guitar
Niklas Broman - Vocals
Erik Kraemer - Vocals
Olli Hakala - Bass
Tatu Turunen - Drums
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4 ôåâ 2020
QUEENSRŸCHE's MICHAEL WILTON: 'We Want To Keep Evolving'
 Joel Barrios of Sonic Perspectives conducted an interview with guitarist Michael Wilton of Seattle progressive metallers QUEENSRŸCHE prior to the band's January 17 concert at Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. You can listen to the entire chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).
On why QUEENSRŸCHE has opened for SCORPIONS so many times over the years:
Michael: "I think it's actually a good mix of music. I think our music complements the SCORPIONS' music, and it's just a smooth transition. We get along. They like us, obviously, and, we respect their tour and we know it's their tour, so we're fast, we get off the stage fast and get out of their way. But, yeah, we've developed this relationship. It's great to consider them friends and for them to consider us for tours and special events like this residency [in Las Vegas]."
On why QUEENSRŸCHE is accepted among such a variety of rock and metal audiences:
Michael: "I think, for the most part, we're more of a heavy, power rock, power metal [band], but we're melodic and I think our music is somewhat unique to itself that it can fit in on a SCORPIONS show and it can fit in on a MEGADETH cruise with heavier bands. There's elements of QUEENSRŸCHE that fit with all audiences. I think that's why we do these tours. It's just the fact that we've done progressive cruises and we're very noticed in the progressive side of music, but we're also very melodic. We write songs and that's what people want to hear."
On whether QUEENSRŸCHE will ever record a live album with vocalist Todd La Torre, who has been in the band since 2012:
Michael: "There's a possibility. We do have a lot of recordings of all the shows that we've done, so, I know that is very much a possibility, audio-only. But we could always do something in the making. It kind of all depends on our scheduling, what the record company wants. We have many, many songs recorded live that we could release. I know it's just a matter of figuring it all out. There's a lot of things that you have to do to get access and use it for live recordings."
On what resonates with him the most from the creation of their latest studio album, 2019's "The Verdict":
Michael: "For me, it's all about having a group of guys that get along, that are willing to take musical chances and to not be intimidated, but to input their creativity, and to build that and meld that into a QUEENSRŸCHE song. To me, that's what's fun about being in a band. When everybody is contributing and you don't know the outcome. Songs can go one way or the other. It's always really interesting to see the end result."
On whether he feels QUEENSRŸCHE is still defined by their 1980s and early '90s classic era, or, has been redefined for the 21st century:
Michael: "Obviously, there's no denying our past. We're going to be played on classic radio just because of those hits. But we take it all in. It's all good for us. But it's great that when rock radio stations are playing the new music as well. The fact that we are putting out new music and touring on it, enables us to tour different parts of the world and to get on tours and to do festivals and to be keeping the fans interested in us. I know there's a lot of bands that just tour on their past and never put out new music, but we're the opposite. We want to keep evolving QUEENSRŸCHE and we're having a fun time doing it."
QUEENSRŸCHE's current tour will end on February 27 with a show in Orlando, Florida. After playing a couple of dates in May, the group will support the SCORPIONS on the German hard rock legends' Las Vegas residency in July.
QUEENSRŸCHE's latest album, "The Verdict", was released in March 2019 via Century Media Records. The disc was produced, mixed, and mastered by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (ROB ZOMBIE, ICED EARTH, HATEBREED) at Uberbeatz in Lynwood, Washington; Planet-Z in Wilbraham, Massachusetts; and Watershed Studio in Seattle, Washington.
The current QUEENSRŸCHE lineup features two original members, bassist Eddie Jackson and Wilton, along with La Torre and guitarist Parker Lundgren.
"The Verdict" marks QUEENSRŸCHE's third full-length release with La Torre, following the departure of original singer Geoff Tate in 2012. | +4 | |
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4 ôåâ 2020
Former MEGADETH Bassist JAMES LOMENZO Joins Forces With Ex-LAMB OF GOD Drummer CHRIS ADLER In 'Metal-Oriented' New Project
 Former MEGADETH and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY bassist James LoMenzo has announced the formation of a new project with Chris Adler.
LoMenzo broke the news of his collaboration with the ex-LAMB OF GOD drummer during an interview with "The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Show" at last month's NAMM show in Anaheim, California.
James said (see video below): "I'm making some music with [Chris] right now and a couple of other really talented fellows. And we're actually putting together music as we speak. And it's more metal-oriented, which I didn't dip my fingers in that for a couple of years. So that's exciting."
Asked what it is like playing with Adler, Lomenzo said: "He's an extraordinary drummer. Not only is he a modern metal drummer in that he has speed and he has accuracy and, obviously, energy, but he's got a lot of soul, too, in his playing. He's able to kind of pull back on the beats in a way that some other drummers these days don't even consider. He's got a wide variety of music that he likes. And he's a wonderful guy. I first met him when I was in MEGADETH on the Gigantour, and he was a swell guy. And my jaw hit the floor when I saw [LAMB OF GOD] play and saw his drumming. So I was really delighted to get to know him this year and play music with him."
Regarding how his project with Adler came together, LoMenzo said: "Chris and I got off tour [with HAIL!], of doing this overseas thing [last October], and he called me up and he asked me for some numbers of musicians. I said, 'What do you wanna do?' He goes, 'Well, I'm doing some music, so I thought I'd try a few things.' And I said, 'Well, don't forget I play bass.' And he was, 'Oh, I didn't wanna ask you. But, of course.' And so he started sending me some tunes. This fellow Pat plays guitar. Another fellow he ran into in India, a guy named Girish [Pradhan] — an amazing singer. He's just been tripping over these things. So I think his path is kind of putting this all together. We've been demoing music together, and we're just seeing what it is."
James also spoke about the new project's musical direction, saying: "What I think it is right now, I think it's a perfect blend of modern music and classic metal music, which I think is just based on the elements that are put into it. So I'm really excited about it. I think it's really exciting music. I think it's accessible music. A lot of older metal fans and younger metal fans will be able to grab on to both parts of it. And so we're gonna see if we wanna take it any further right now. We're still just making music and seeing how it sounds."
Asked about the "vocal sound" of the new project, LoMenzo said: "I can tell you straight away, this singer can sing like Paul Rodgers or like Ronnie James Dio or like JUDAS PRIEST. Chris, he was doing a clinic, and they set him up with these guys to play with. He immediately, like a little kid, he didn't call me, but he texted me to keep it on the low, and he goes, 'I found this singer who's just amazing.' And he sent me some stuff that the guy was doing. And I was going, 'Yes!' And then he sent me a photo, and I go, 'My God! He doesn't even look horrible or anything.' That still matters, folks. So, anyway, we have all that together. Let's see if anything happens. You never know. But, musically, I'm very thrilled about it, and I know Chris and the other guys are as well."
LoMenzo joined MEGADETH in 2006 and appeared on two of the group's studio albums, 2007's "United Abominations" and 2009's "Endgame". He was fired from the band in 2010 and replaced with returning original MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson.
In addition to MEGADETH, LoMenzo has played with Ozzy Osbourne, Zakk Wylde and WHITE LION. For the past six years, LoMenzo has been performing with iconic rocker John Fogerty.
LAMB OF GOD officially parted ways with Chris last July. His replacement is Art Cruz, who has previously played with PRONG and WINDS OF PLAGUE, and filled in for Adler on several LAMB OF GOD tours in 2018 and 2019.
In addition to LAMB OF GOD, Adler has played drums with a number of metal artists, including MEGADETH, NITRO, BLOTTED SCIENCE and PROTEST THE HERO.
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4 ôåâ 2020
ADRIAN VANDENBERG Recruits RAINBOW Singer RONNIE ROMERO For New Lineup Of VANDENBERG
 Vandenberg is back! Or should we say: VANDENBERG are back? The man himself, Adrian Vandenberg has never really been away, but the band that carries his proud name has returned, after an absence that lasted for more than three decades VANDENBERG is very much alive again in a young, fresh and all-revised 2020 version.
Adrian Vandenberg can already look back on a rich career. He played in WHITESNAKE for over 13 years, having been part of this seminal band's most legendary lineup. He was the driving force behind MANIC EDEN and, more recently, VANDENBERG'S MOONKINGS, but equally proud he looks back on VANDENBERG, the Dutch band that put him on the map, internationally. "So many people still come up to me and speak about those glory days and the albums I've made with that band," he says.
All these compliments have inspired Adrian to bring VANDENBERG back to life, albeit in an all new lineup. Together with renowned producer Bob Marlette (ALICE COOPER, BLACK SABBATH), he is currently putting the finishing touches to a new album that will be in stores later this year. A first taste of what is to come can be heard online as of today; "Burning Heart", which you can check out below. A brand new version of the classic hit, it is sung by none other than Ronnie Romero, who first came to prominence when Ritchie Blackmore recruited him for a RAINBOW tour in 2016.
Romero's impressive vocals can be heard on all songs on the upcoming VANDENBERG album and he will also be part of the touring band. Together with Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, WHITESNAKE) on bass and Brian Tichy (SLASH, OZZY OSBOURNE, FOREIGNER) on drums, the band have recorded nine all new, original songs. Backed by Koen Herfst (crowned as the best drummer of the Benelux, six times in a row) and Randy van der Elsen on bass (TANK) the band plan to hit the road, soon. Says Adrian: "First get the album done and then I want to get out there and play. We want to play this music to audiences all over the world."
About his decision to relaunch the band VANDENBERG, Adrian says: "Going with the band name VANDENBERG was a logical decision. Rock fans would know right away what they are dealing with. I felt that I wasn't done with the style of music I wrote for my band VANDENBERG at the time and wanted to pick up the thread where I left it when I joined WHITESNAKE. But to me, that would only make sense if I'd come up with a brand new, testosterone-driven version of VANDENBERG with a kick-ass, world-class lineup. VANDENBERG 2020 on steroids. So that's exactly what we did. BAM! Here I go again."
Romero adds: "To me, it's kind of a dream come true. I've followed Adrian's career since for years and he always was one of my favorite guitar players, so to work with him is nothing but amazing to me. Adrian is an exceptional musician, and it's really easy to work with him. The energy when we work together was fantastic. We had great times at the studio with our producer Bob Marlette; very exciting time.”
Marlette is equally enthusiastic. "Working with Adrian has been a real pleasure," he says. "The man is working around the clock and his well of new riffs and melodies never seems to dry. With a powerful singer such as Ronnie Romero behind the microphone, I was some true magic expecting to happen and let me tell you... it has."
In short, these guys mean business. 35 years may have passed since the final studio album "Alibi", Vandenberg 2020 sounds just as fresh, relevant and at least as HEAVY as back in the day. Fun times will revive with a brand new album, and an agenda filling up quickly with festivals and other touring plans. Or as the man himself Adrian Vandenberg puts it: "Fasten your seatbelts, VANDENBERG is here to stay." | +10 | |
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4 ôåâ 2020
SACRED REICH's PHIL RIND: Why I'm A Big Fan Of BERNIE SANDERS
 In a brand new interview with Australia's "Scars And Guitars" podcast, SACRED REICH frontman Phil Rind was asked if he still stands by his previous comment that Donald Trump has no idea what he is doing in his capacity as President of the United States. Phil responded (hear audio below): "I think he's in over his head. I don't think he's intellectually curious. I don't think he pays attention. He may have some broad ideas as far as just wanting to enrich himself and his friends. But I don't think he's really cut out for it or really knows what it's like to work or to pay attention to people or to listen or to read or any of the skills someone would need to try to do that job efficiently."
Rind went on to say that the day-to-day responsibilities of the president's job are "too much for one person" to handle. He said: "I can't even imagine wanting to do that job. Imagine you don't sleep — there's always something going on in some part of the world. And the amount of pressure and what it takes to get to that position.
"This is why I'm a big fan of Bernie Sanders [the democratic socialist candidate competing in the Democratic primaries]," he continued. "All these other people are saying what they have to say — they're beholden to their donors. It takes a great deal of money to run. So, I understand — these people give you money to run, [and] they're expecting something in return. So the system is corrupt. And even if you want to try to change things, once you get… You know the phrase, 'When you lay down with dogs, you get fleas.' So when you're put into this corrupt system, what choice do you have? So we need to just rethink how we run elections and what's important."
Phil then laid out a couple of specific steps that he feels can help set in motion a change in the way we run elections. "The first step is participation, because you need everybody to participate," he said. "The less people that participate, the more the concentration of power happens. So if you get people to participate, that's number one. And then if you take the influence of money and run public elections, where people can run and they don't have to bother themselves with raising money all the time and being beholden to these people, that would be two. I think those two things are incredibly important.
"The thing is, why would these people vote against the interests of the people that helped them get elected?" he asked rhetorically. "But if we change who helps you get elected to the people versus the corporations, then you change the dynamic. But we'll see. It's just an idea."
SACRED REICH's comeback album, "Awakening", arrived last August via Metal Blade Records. The band's first LP in 23 years marked SACRED REICH's first release since the return of drummer Dave McClain. | 0 | |
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4 ôåâ 2020
TOMMY VICTOR Says PRONG's MTV-Era Videos 'Cost An Unbelievable Amount Of Money' To Produce
 Keefy of Ghost Cult magazine conducted an interview with frontman Tommy Victor of veteran metallers PRONG prior to the band's October 6 concert at Brooklyn Bazaar in Brooklyn, New York. You can watch the entire chat below (video by Omar Cordy of OJC Photography). A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).
On the benefits of releasing an EP versus a standard full-length album:
Tommy: "We got lucky with Steamhammer Records. They've been very supportive. Anything we do, they're, like, 'Right on' and he's very excited about it, [SPV/Steamhammer A&R manager] Olly Hahn. If it wasn't for him, we'd really be in a lot of trouble. I really have to hand it to him. He's been very creative with the making of the records. Their art department, the guy from the actual label, is the one who is helping out with the actual art, which is such a big part of the whole thing nowadays. The t-shirts, the whole thing, the whole look of the experience outweighs the actual product or something because people don't buy CDs anymore. What are you going to do with them? The artwork has to provide for shirts and other things.
"As far as the music business, I like this EP thing. I think I really spent a lot of time on getting these songs dialed in right. When you have, 'Oh my god. We have 13 songs. We got to put this together.' The mixes are shorter. With this one, we spent a lot of time on the mixes. I think you're going to find, I guarantee people will say, 'Holy crap! This sounds really good!' It's up another level because it's only two songs, two new ones."
On the video for PRONG's breakout 1994 single "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck":
Tommy: "We were sort of gluttons for punishment in a way because our lawyer at that time said, 'You guys think you're hot crap right now being on a major label.' He goes, 'You guys don't know what you're in for.' We're always, like, 'Wow, this is cool.' All those things cost money. Then we were one of the last bands where [the label] is not going to buy us out of our contract; they're going to try to make us recoup anything before they pay us anything. I'm still paying those expensive videos to this day. We will never recoup; it cost so much to do those. We were happy about it back then. It was, like, 'Wow, we're on MTV. This is amazing!' I never took full advantage of it. I don't know… To me, to go around and say, 'Hey, look at me! I'm on MTV' to a bunch of chicks was never my style. I was married, but it was cool. At least my mother had something to be proud of at that point. We're still paying the consequences. All those expensive videos that were on MTV have cumulatively cost an unbelievable amount of money."
On the video for 1996's "Rude Awakening":
Tommy: "That was a Rob Zombie video. He jacked up the price. They wanted Rob Zombie. It's like 'Anything Rob Zombie.' It was his first video. That was really weird. I remember I was living in Silver Lake [California]. I call him up and I was, like, so out of it. They set this date that we were going to do the video. Then I woke up, 'I haven't heard from anybody about this thing.' I call him up, 'Aren't we supposed to be doing a video today?' He goes, 'That's right. Come on down. Everything's hooked up. No one told you?' 'Damn, man. I didn't even know.' That was before the Internet or anything. No one even told me about it. I just went down to this thing. I go 'What about clothing?' He goes, 'I got clothes for you to wear.' Then we dressed up and looked like a bunch of idiots in that video. It's a good video, but I don't think it represented the band at all."
PRONG's "Age Of Defiance" EP was released November 29 via SPV/Steamhammer. The five-track effort, which was produced by Chris Collier, includes two new studio songs, the title cut and "The End Of Sanity", along with live recordings of three tracks: "Rude Awakening", "Cut-Rate" and "Another Worldly Device".
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4 ôåâ 2020
JAMES HETFIELD On METALLICA's Future: 'I Don't Know What's Gonna Happen Next'
 In his first interview since entering rehab in late September, METALLICA frontman James Hetfield spoke with Petersen Automotive Museum executive director Terry L. Karges this past Thursday night (January 30) prior to the unveiling of "Reclaimed Rust: The James Hetfield Collection", which opened to the public today in Los Angeles, California. You can watch the entire 45-minute chat below.
Asked when fans can expect the next studio album from METALLICA, Hetfield said: "That's a great question. We don't know. Right now, I'm sitting in Petersen Museum [laughs], and I don't know what's gonna happen next. That's the beauty of this. We'll sit down and figure out what works best for us. Whatever is coming up, we don't know. And we kind of thrive off of the fear of the unknown — a bit — and being scared just enough to feel alive."
During the interview, Hetfield also reflected on his early years as an aspiring musician in Los Angeles, particularly the time just prior to METALLICA's formation when he first picked up a guitar and eventually started singing.
"I wanted to be in a band," James recalled. "I just knew it. It was gonna happen. And I was gonna make it happen. And I started playing with some friends — local friends — in a band called OBSESSION. And we played cover songs at school parties. And from there on, after I moved, I hung out with people who were a little better than me. And that's how I learned to get a little bit better. I just knew that's what I wanted to do, and I was gonna do it at any cost.
"In the '80s, in L.A., guitar players, everyone was trying to be Eddie Van Halen, and there was millions of guitar players," he continued. "Every band was looking for a singer: 'Singer needed.' 'Singer wanted.' So I sold my guitar, sold my amp and bought a P.A. and a mic, and I wanted to be a singer. That was the next goal. And then when I met Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] again, I told him, 'Oh, I'm not playing guitar anymore. I'm just singing.' He was, like, 'Well, we'll look for a guitar player.' And then no one could play the guitar like we needed, so I [went back to playing] the guitar. 'We'll just look for a singer now.' And then no one could sing like [we wanted them to], so I [said], 'Okay, I'll sing until we find a singer.' … It just became out of necessity. There was a need. It was challenging for me to do, but I pushed through it, and I got a lot of support. And a lot of people said, 'This is cool. You don't need a frontman running around. Why don't you do that?' And then it kind of stuck. So, people around me gave me the confidence to grow in that."
Hetfield has been largely out of the public eye since last fall when METALLICA canceled an Australian tour and announced that James was returning to rehab to battle his addictions. The singer/guitarist first got treatment in 2002, a process that was chronicled in the 2004 documentary "Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster".
As previously reported, METALLICA will headline five major North American festivals this year, all of which are produced by Danny Wimmer Presents. The events are Epicenter, Welcome To Rockville, Sonic Temple Music + Arts, Louder Than Life and Aftershock. The band will play two separate headlining sets at each stop, with a unique setlist for each performance, resulting in 10 different shows.
These shows will be METALLICA's only U.S. festival appearances of 2020. The quartet will play on Friday night and Sunday night at each event.
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4 ôåâ 2020
STYX Is 'Pretty Well Into' Writing A New Album, Says TOMMY SHAW
 STYX vocalist/guitarist Tommy Shaw recently appeared on "PodKats!", a podcast hosted by John "Kats" Katsilometes of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The full conversation can be streamed below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).
On living in Nashville:
Tommy: "There's a Southern way of life — Southern attitudes. It's a friendly place. It's encouraged — that kind of thing is just in the culture. When people move here, they tend to want to assimilate into that instead of bringing the culture with them from the last place they lived. You get a certain attitude when you're driving in Chicago or New York or Los Angeles, and when you come here, you notice right away that you don't hear anybody blowing their horns... People are polite. It's just a Southern way. We lived in Los Angeles for almost 24 years. It just got so crowded. Parking was hard to do. To go one place and get one thing done would take you two or three hours because of traffic... The other thing is, Nashville is pretty centrally located. If you're a musician that gets on the road a lot, the trip home or the trip out there is a lot shorter."
On getting his big break:
Tommy: "Back when I was still living in my hometown, what you did was you played in clubs. There were lots and lots of clubs where live music was the center thing. That's how I got my break — playing in a club on Rush Street in Chicago. The tour manager for STYX came and saw us play and came back and introduced himself. When they were looking to replace John Curulewski, he remembered me, but he didn't have my phone number. I had forgotten to make it unlisted when I moved back to Alabama, so he got my number from directory assistance — but it was because I was playing in that club."
On auditioning for STYX:
Tommy: "It was kind of urgent to find somebody who could mainly sing those high parts. You had to look the part. You had to fit in. Everything else was gravy. I had a reputation in that city for being a guitarist and a singer and a songwriter. The main thing was, 'All right, we're going to do 'Lady' now, and you take the high D.' There was actually a high E in it [too], and I sang it, and I'm still singing that high D and E now. Everything we do is in the original key. It sounds better that way, and we can [still] do it."
On the band's musical catalog:
Tommy: "Most of our fans, they haven't quit — they haven't stopped living their lives and doing the things that they love. It's only natural for us, because we haven't stopped creating. It's the continuing story of STYX, and now we have current music that we can play, but we have music that goes all the way back to the early '70s. It's quite a night, spanning time. There are certain songs that people [expect to hear] or they're going to go, 'What happened?' — 'Come Sail Away', 'Renegade', 'Foolin' Yourself', 'Blue Collar Man', those kind of songs. We always want to have that there. It's our identity, but we like bringing people along and we like to go back and do some deep tracks. We've been doing 'Snow Blind' lately. We did 'Pieces Of Eight' the other night. We can really make create some great little musical landscapes by mixing all those type of songs together... We did wind up getting songs that went up the charts as singles, but they were never written as singles. We weren't those kind of songwriters. We were more interested in telling stories with an album. Certain songs just emerged because they were a little catchier than others."
On "Renegade":
Tommy: "It started as almost a dirgey kind of Alan Parsons thing. I wrote it on piano. I had taught myself how to play the harmonies of 'The Raven', an Alan Parsons song... I was all proud of myself. You know how some people type with one finger? I'm like that on piano. Then after I did that, I started jamming around on that and I wrote 'Renegade'. It was this dark, dirgey little thing, and when I got with the band, we were always, 'Let's take it up a little bit,' and then it became the rock song that it is. We had those harmonies in it, and we said, 'Let's start the song with those harmonies.' That little thing that I pecked out on the piano became the opening."
On the current state of rock:
Tommy: "It's very exciting. It's just a different time. When I was in high school, it was CROSBY, STILLS & NASH. Even before that, it was BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD. Those bands were emerging, and I was just, 'How are they doing that? How are they getting those sounds?' Now, it's the younger bands, and it's like, 'How are they getting that sound?' You keep being influenced.
On STYX:
Tommy: "It's such a great thing to do and be able to make a living at it, and most importantly, to have the opportunity to go out there and continue to do it... The band is such a joy to work with, and it's a dream for me. I always wanted to be in a band where I felt like I was the least talented guy there. I just get blown away by these guys night [after] night. It was like that the other night — I was looking at these guys like, 'How did I end up in this position?'"
On the band's 2017 concept album "The Mission":
Tommy: "There was a time when it seemed like there wouldn't be a place or an opportunity to have new music, but the new music kept coming. 'The Mission' was like a storm of ideas that just all stuck together one after another, and you just had to get out of the way and let it come down and record it. It so wanted to be created. It was amazing."
On when to expect the group's next album:
Tommy: "We're pretty well into it. Lawrence [Gowan] will be coming to Nashville, and our producer, Will Evankovich, we're going to be doing the writing demos for the songs that we have so far and finishing up a few things. Mainly now it's just a matter of scheduling between times that we're on the road and times that we need to be home. That's the hardest thing — just getting us all together in a room."
In addition to Shaw, STYX's current lineup features James "JY" Young (vocals, guitars), Lawrence Gowan (vocals, keyboards), Todd Sucherman (drums) and Ricky Phillips (bass), along with the occasional surprise appearance by original bassist Chuck Panozzo.
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4 ôåâ 2020
ANTHRAX Drummer Blasts Senate Republicans For Rejecting Witnesses In TRUMP Impeachment Trial
 ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante has reacted to the news that President Donald Trump is set to be acquitted in his impeachment trial after senators voted against calling witnesses or admitting new evidence.
After Democrats pleaded to hear testimony from former national security adviser John Bolton, just two Republicans voted in favor of hearing new testimony, making the final vote 51-49 against witnesses. This move all but ensured Trump's acquittal in just the third trial to threaten a president's removal in U.S. history.
In response to the Senate Republicans' refusal to call witnesses and compel the administration to hand over documents related to the delayed Ukraine aid, Benante took to his Twitter to share a graphic containing photos of the 51 senators who rejected Democratic demands and included the caption: "Maybe your team won but the league lost #ImpeachmentTrialSham" He then added in a separate tweet: "We need another party in this country and maybe this shit wouldn't happen"
In response to Charlie's comments, one of his followers wrote: "All due respect, why wouldn't they call the additional witnesses (dems called 17 and allowed the Reps 0 while not allowing the 17 to be crossed) when they were supposed to during the House investigation? Doesn't that tell you something?" to which Benante replied: "Omg!!! The WH blocked them all, I really wish people would start looking elsewhere for information"
This is not the first time Benante has spoken out against the Trump administration. Last month, the drummer implied that Trump was authorized the killing of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force, to distract the public from impeachment proceedings.
Back in November 2018, Benante told Ireland's Overdrive that he no longer shared his political views online because he didn't want to come under criticism from his fans. "I've stopped posting things about my own beliefs and political standpoint on things because of the bashing I think I'll take for it, and I don't think that's fair," he said. "I'm an American, I pay my taxes and all of this stuff affects me just as much as it affects the next person."
Benante went on to say that he got slammed for voicing his opinion "just because other people happen to work in an office or work construction and no way shape or form do what I do or understand that playing music is also a job. I get the same shit that other musicians or actors get for expressing their opinions and I think it's really unfair," he said. "It's like they think we should just shut up and play our music or whatever, like it's not a real job. The feeling from this people is, like, 'We don't want to hear your views, just play music.'"
He continued: "The whole thing that they misunderstand is that I'm not trying to bash anyone in the political field; I just have my own opinion on things, and if they keep an open mind, it may open some new ideas or thoughts of which they haven't thought of before, just like when I listen, watch or read some other person's opinion, it makes me think and assess my own feelings.
"Don't get me wrong — I'll say shit about Democrats just as much as I'll say things about Republicans, and at the end of the day, that's my opinion," he added. "Those other people that can't handle any other opinions but their own are just ignorant. These are the same people that don't own a passport. They don't travel abroad and have just one very closed-minded view on life. That's just so depressing when you think about it. How are they going to understand the world or other cultures if they have never travelled anywhere? It's just bizarre."
Four years ago, the drummer spoke about the 2016 presidential election, saying that it was "a very, very scary time out there" and slamming the Republican party for "never [giving] Obama a bit of a chance to really do things." He added: "Maybe this whole Donald Trump thing is meant to destroy the Republican party, what it's become. Maybe this is what he's trying… Because he was a Democrat, and he went over to the Republican party. Maybe this is… He's sabotaging them without them even knowing it."
At the time, Benante went on to criticize the two political parties for being unwilling to work together, both sides wanting things to go their own way entirely. He said: "Things have been heating up and heating up. I always thought that the Republicans never gave Obama a bit of a chance to really do things. And, of course, even me just saying that, if people read what I just said, they would come down hard on me for saying that, because they hate Obama so much. And, I mean, he has done some things that have been good, but other people would look at it as, 'No. He's the worst.' But I don't think anyone was as [bad] as the way George [W.] Bush fucked this country over. And these Republicans don't even acknowledge that — that he fucked this country up so much. He put us in a war that we didn't have to be in. And I truly think that ISIS and all that is because of that whole situation."
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4 ôåâ 2020
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's ZOLTAN BATHORY Says 'F8' Was 'A Focused Sober Group Recording'
 Zoltan Bathory told ITV News in a new interview that sobriety brought a new focus to FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH when he and his bandmates were making their eighth album, "F8" (pronounced "fate").
"We were growing exponentially — arena after arena, just bigger and bigger shows," the guitarist recalled (see video below). "It became this juggernaut touring the world, while inside the band there was this tornado of insanity. So, while the band was growing, from the inside, it was also falling apart. And it came to a head. It was highly publicized, so I can talk about it — it's not something that we can hide from the world. But two years ago, that was when we hit the wall."
Some of the bandmembers, including frontman Ivan Moody, went to rehab — and came out the other side.
"It was absolutely crazy, because we hid it from the world — most of it," Zoltan recalled. "And when your peers, especially peers like the guys from MÖTLEY CRÜE, like Nikki Sixx, and people like that, who have been in the middle of that, comes over to your dressing room. … We were on tour with SIXX:A.M., with his band, and he was just shaking his head, like, 'Oh my God, guys. This is insane. You guys have everything in the world. Your band is blowing up. This is the position everybody wants to be. What the hell are you guys doing?'"
He continued: "One way or another — some of them went to rehab, some of them kicked it on their own. It's a pretty common thing, because it's easy. It's almost like a thing; it's a lifestyle. Like, 'You're a rock star. You have to throw out a TV from a hotel room.' 'Let me see… Hotel room. Okay. TV. Bam!' It's almost like there's a script. Everybody kind of falls into the same stuff; it just happens."
Due on February 28 via Better Noise Music, "F8" is described in a press release as representing "rebirth and progression." Zoltan concurred, saying: "We had an extremely successful, yet tumultuous couple of years as a band. We didn't just weather the storm but came out on the other side better than ever. It was a focused sober group recording, our most important album to date and without a question it shows."
Elaborating on how Moody's newfound sobriety had a positive impact on FIVE FINGER's creativity, Zoltan said: "Anger is a useful emotion, as long as you control it. If you wanna change a job, if you're not progressing in life, sometimes you've gotta get angry. Because you're dissatisfied with something and anger starts boiling, and you say, 'You know what? I quit. And I'm gonna do something that I love.' Or, 'I just don't wanna do this.' So you need that anger, but it has to be channeled. So, anger channeled is energy. And if you look around in the world, especially today, man, there's plenty of things to be angry about, and some crazy stuff is going on. So you can use that energy, and that's kind of what happened with [Ivan]."
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's new disc was once again helmed by Kevin Churko, the Canadian record producer/engineer and songwriter who currently lives in Las Vegas, where he works out of his private studio, The Hideout Recording Studio.
The drums on the disc were laid down by Charlie "The Engine" Engen, who made his live debut with the group during its fall 2018 tour with BREAKING BENJAMIN. He stepped in for original drummer Jeremy Spencer, who left the band in December 2018 due to a back injury.
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH recently announced the dates for a new spring North American tour. The trek kicks off on April 8 in Sunrise, Florida, winding down on May 20 in St. Paul, Minnesota. PAPA ROACH, I PREVAIL and ICE NINE KILLS will join FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH on the upcoming road trip.
ITV Wales - Sat down with iTV’s Mike Griffiths for an Interview on New Music, Sobriety and Touring Life
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The online version:
ITV.com/news/Wales
Posted by Zoltan Bathory - Official on Sunday, February 2, 2020 | +2 | |
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4 ôåâ 2020
Guitarist KEE MARCELLO Might Consider Rejoining EUROPE, But Would Refuse To Play Their Recent Material - "That Wouldn't Work For Me"; Audio
 Guitar legend Kee Marcello guests on Episode 12 of the 80's Glam Metalcast. He talks about his upcoming projects and his days in Easy Action and Europe.
Asked why he wasn't brought back into the Europe fold, Kee responds, "That's a good question. I mean, first we talked about doing a two-guitar version of the band, but that didn't happen, I don't know why. But the thing is also, I had an idea of how I wanted to not really care about what was happening in music around 2000, whatever it was, but to do "your" thing. I wanted to do those melodic songs again, and it didn't feel like anybody was into that, definitely not Joey Tempest. So, I think that's the major reason I'm not in the current lineup."
Does he still talk to his former Europe bandmates? "No, I really don't have any contact with Joey, but (drummer) Ian Haugland I meet all the time, because he works for a radio station, are you aware of this? He works for Classic Rock Radio in Stockholm, so every time I'm there I bump into him.
What if Europe called him up and said John Norum was out, and they wanted Kee back? What would he do? "NO. Well, it depends. The thing is, I would not be in if I had to play all the new albums they did since the reunion - that wouldn't work for me. But, if we were to do something new, Europe with me in it, I'd think about it."
Listen to the full interview below:
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4 ôåâ 2020
MARK MORTON Confirms LAMB OF GOD's New Album Is 'Done': 'I Really Couldn't Be More Excited About It'
 LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton has confirmed that the band has completed work on its new album. The follow-up to "VII: Sturm Und Drang" will mark LAMB OF GOD's first recordings with Art Cruz, who joined the band last July as the replacement for the group's founding drummer, Chris Adler.
Mark spoke about LAMB OF GOD's upcoming disc during an appearance earlier today (Thursday, January 30) on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation". He said: "We've got new music coming soon. And I really, really couldn't be more excited about it. There's a whole fresh new energy in the band. It's our first recordings with Art. Art's been playing drums with us now for a couple of years, but these are our first songs that we've written and recorded with him there. And it's just a thrill to see these things come to life. And I couldn't be happier with how the record is turning out, and I'm excited for the world to hear that. There's gonna be a lot of touring around that, so we're gonna be super busy on the road."
Asked if there is a tentative release date yet for the new LAMB OF GOD album, Mark said: "There's not. There's a time frame. I don't actually know a date — they haven't announced yet. But I would think — first half of the year, I think."
Pressed about whether the new LAMB OF GOD LP is "done," Morton replied: "I'm done with it, that's for sure," he joked, before clarifying: "I'm pretty sure [the other guys are] done with it too. I think it's been printed at this point. I think the last mixes and masters are printed."
"VII: Sturm Und Drang" was released in 2015 to global critical acclaim. LAMB OF GOD later issued the celebrated "The Duke" EP in 2016 as well as the cover album "Legion: XX" under its original name, BURN THE PRIEST, in 2018.
Cruz previously played with PRONG and WINDS OF PLAGUE, and filled in for Adler on several LAMB OF GOD tours in the past couple of years.
When Adler's absence from LAMB OF GOD's summer 2018 tour was first announced, he released a statement saying that he had been undergoing physical and occupational therapy for injuries he sustained in a motorcycle accident in late 2017.
Cruz made his live debut with LAMB OF GOD in July 2018 in Gilford, New Hampshire.
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4 ôåâ 2020
GRAVESLAVE Issue “God Of Slaughter” Video; Devotion EP Out In March
 Minneapolis death-grind stalwarts Graveslave have revealed a riotous new video for “God Of Slaughter,” the first single from their upcoming Devotion EP, available March 6 via Trvasfuk Music. Preorders are available on Bandcamp
Contrary to the song’s title, the video for “God Of Slaughter” is narcissistically fun.
“We like doing goofy videos,” says guitarist/songwriter Roman Non. “For this one, we kinda went with an ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ theme, where we're all acting like assholes and ruining everyone's good time. It was a blast to shoot.”
Devotion, the first of two “sister” EPs, features five tracks of razor-sharp riffs and blindingly fast drum work, blending elements of death metal, thrash and grind. Each of the EP’s tracks were inspired by the cult card game Magic: The Gathering.
Says Non, “The name of the record is a reference to all the sacrifice and perseverance that comes with the life of a musician, and how much dedication and belief in yourself it takes to see this dream take off. But the title is also a ‘Magic’ cards reference.”
Founded in 2014, Graveslave has been on the grind since inception. The group was formed by Non, drummer Ben Fagerness (Gloryhole Guillotine) and bassist Josh Burke, whom all share a mutual love for gutturals and blast beats. From humble beginnings at local Twin Cities shows and DIY tours all the way to trekking across Europe in support of Origin, Rings of Saturn, and Hideous Divinity, Graveslave kept consistently active, also releasing two EPs and a single, until the untimely death of vocalist and key member Don “Doombringer” Durkee in 2019. After a brief hiatus, the group began quietly rebuilding and recuperating. After adding new vocalist Ashton George and guitarist Joel Sigsbee (Oklahoma Caddyshack), Graveslave began putting finishing touches on Devotion, a record that now bridges two distinct eras of the band.
Tracklisting:
“God Of Slaughter”
“Grotesque Hybrid”
“Surgical Extraction”
“Underworld Connections”
“Fatal Push”
“God Of Slaughter” video:
Graveslave is:
Ashton George - Lead Vocals
Roman Non - Guitar, Vocals
Joel Sigsbee - Guitar, Vocals
Josh Burke - Bass
Ben Fagerness - Drums
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3 ôåâ 2020
GENE HOGLAN On 'Gracious,' 'Complex',' Open-Minded' CHUCK SCHULDINER: 'He Was A Very Brave Person'
 During a recent conversation with Andrew McKaysmith of the "Scars And Guitars" podcast, veteran drummer Gene Hoglan (TESTAMENT, DARK ANGEL, DETHKLOK, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD) discussed his time in the pioneering metal band DEATH, with whom he played from 1993 to 1995.
"Chuck [Schuldiner] was very open-minded, and he was into having his musicians that were playing with him just reach out for the best stuff that they had," Hoglan said. "Every time I'd come up with some crazy beat, he'd be like, ' I'm good. I can play my riffs over your beats, so if that's the one you want, go with it. Go sick; go nuts. I'm good over here, so you keep doing your thing.' In that regard, Chuck was always a real pleasure to work with in that way. You had no handcuffing whatsoever — and it was pretty apparent [that] nobody handcuffed me on the drums. I played everything on 'Symbolic'. There definitely is some overplaying, [but] he never said, 'Hey, don't play that,' or, 'That's not working.' The only time I remember anything like that happening was two different times. One was in the 'Individual Thought Patterns' sessions, and that's where [producer] Scott Burns, while I was tracking 'Jealousy', I remember Scott saying, 'Hey, man. I'm not feeling that beat. Maybe can you simplify it?' I was like, 'Yeah, no problem.' Then on 'Symbolic', [producer] Jim Morris had pretty much said the same thing — like, 'I'm not sure about that one.' What was funny was, on the beat that Jim Morris said 'That's not happening,' it was a beat I robbed from Sean Reinert. It was something off of 'Human'... as for Chuck, he was always real gracious, like, 'Yeah, man. Do your thing. It's going to be great.
"Chuck was a pretty complex guy," Hoglan continued. "Some days, certain things would affect him that might not affect you or I... Chuck did not have a lot of trust for the music industry. I understand that — I get that, totally... He was generally real cool to work with, and we had a good time up until he had to make the moves that he had to make in order to keep himself sane. When he had to put DEATH aside after the 'Symbolic' album, he broke DEATH up, and he had to move forward. The best way for Chuck to move forward was the statement that was CONTROL DENIED."
Hoglan also discussed how 1995's "Symbolic" was initially received. "The hardcore death metal fan, the attitude was very pervasive throughout the scene — 'What the fuck happened to DEATH?' Chuck did not care, and I appreciate that absolutely," Hoglan said. "That's the way I am. I play music for me. If you guys enjoy it, that's a bonus, but it's not going to make me stop playing music if nobody cares and I'm the only one who does. I'm still going to play music, and that's kind of the way Chuck was. He was a very brave person. He could have just gone the safe route and put out another 'Scream Bloody Gore' or 'Leprosy'. He had to go with how he was feeling. Any true musician can appreciate that, absolutely."
Hoglan joined DEATH in 1993. He replaced Sean Reinert, who — along with guitarist Paul Masvidal — quit the band to focus on CYNIC. He appears on the group's albums "Individual Thought Patterns" and "Symbolic".
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3 ôåâ 2020
MIKE TRAMP To Perform '100% Vintage Songs Of WHITE LION' Set On 2020 Tour
 Mike Tramp will embark on a special tour this year during which he will perform a set consisting exclusively of "100 percent vintage" WHITE LION songs.
The former WHITE LION singer broke the news of his touring plans in a social media post earlier today. He wrote: "One time only…… I have decided that in 2020, I will exclusively be touring with my musical partner in crime and brother Marcus Nand, doing a 100% vintage 'Songs Of WHITE LION' set. Many of you have been calling out for this for a long time, and since a reunion of any kind will never ever happen. I'd like to show you that I have not forgotten the many songs that I wrote with Vito Bratta in the 80's. And now with this power duo, and specially Marcus great guitar playing. I am able to take this show to places that I could not bring a full band. We are now booking the USA for April, May, June. The United Kingdom for September, and Germany/Benelux and other European countries in October. With all that being said. Nov/Dec in Denmark will be with BAND OF BROTHERS. TBC. Tramp."
Less than a year ago, Tramp revealed in an interview that he had apologized to Vito Bratta for trying to resurrect his former band without his onetime songwriting partner and bandmate.
The Danish-born singer hasn't played with Bratta since WHITE LION performed its last concert in Boston in September 1991.
In the 29 years since WHITE LION broke up, Bratta's public profile has been virtually nonexistent, while Tramp has remained active, recording and touring as a solo artist and with the bands FREAK OF NATURE, THE ROCK 'N' ROLL CIRCUZ and, more recently, BAND OF BROTHERS. Tramp also attempted to revive WHITE LION with the 2008 album "Return Of The Pride", featuring new members. Two years later, Tramp ceded ownership of the name WHITE LION to Bratta in an out-of-court settlement.
Speaking to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation", Tramp said that he and Vito are once again on speaking terms following his ill-fated attempt to bring back WHITE LION more than a decade ago.
"I have, over the past couple of years, been the one out there basically both admitting and apologizing that the only thing that I never planned to do in my career and wanted to do was go back and rehash a version of WHITE LION that had nothing to do with WHITE LION, nothing to do with the guys that played in the band," Mike said. "Mike Tramp's heart was not in it. It was just a moment of weakness, not believing enough in my solo albums. [You listen to] some guys saying, 'Hey, if you put a new WHITE LION together, you can play festivals and get much more money.' And then you fall for that and you engage in it and you go out there, and then you realize it's not what you wanna do. And then, of course, Vito did not want the name WHITE LION to be used without him being in the band. And it actually took a couple of years for me to really understand how much it meant to Vito. And when Vito one day told me in one of these conversations… First of all, he told me, 'Mike, I'm not against you. I just don't wanna turn YouTube on and see the title 'WHITE LION live in so and so,' and somebody doing 'When The Children Cry' solo and it's not me. WHITE LION was you and me, it was our band, we wrote the songs. That is the memories I want for the rest of my life.' And when he told me that, I had tears in my eyes and I totally understood it, because I had also gotten to that point that when we closed WHITE LION, we felt that this is where we wanted to stop it. There was something, going into the '90s, that didn't agree with the things we were looking at, and we wanted to somehow end it on a higher level than something that would not represent us in the future. But it just took many years to really understand it."
Asked if he understands why Vito doesn't want to play music professionally anymore, Mike said: "Yes, I do, because there are actually times when I also don't feel like doing it anymore. When all the magic around us, the stuff that made us fall in love with rock and roll — first of all, our heroes, then the industry, then the touring stuff — when all of that was really exposed that it was a two-faced kind of thing, that the people we thought loved us — and I'm not talking about the fans; I'm talking about the people that made money from us, and stuff like that — turned their back on us and stabbed us in the back, it really ripped us apart. And maybe it's just that I came from a different background than Vito, that I maybe was a little bit stronger or just of a different nature that I just fought back, but Vito just said, 'I just don't wanna deal with this.' And I understand now — I understand it from every conversation that I have with him."
Tramp also once again closed the door on a possible WHITE LION reunion, saying: "I can't be Mike Tramp 1988. I can't sing like that, and I'm not going up on stage and doing a half-assed job, which most of the bands out there are doing."
Mainly active in the 1980s and early 1990s, WHITE LION released its debut album, "Fight To Survive", in 1985. The band had its breakthrough with the double-platinum-selling "Pride" album, which produced two Top 10 hits: "Wait" and "When The Children Cry". The band continued its success with the third album, "Big Game", which achieved gold status.
By the time WHITE LION released its final album, 1991's "Mane Attraction", alternative rock was in the ascendancy, leading to a swift decline of the so-called "hair metal" scene in terms of sales, popularity, radio play, and most importantly, relevance.
One time only……
I have decided that in 2020, I will exclusively be touring with my musical partner in crime and brother...
Posted by Mike Tramp Official on Sunday, February 2, 2020 | 0 | |
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3 ôåâ 2020
MÖTLEY CRÜE And DEF LEPPARD's 'Stadium Tour' Has Already Sold More Than One Million Tickets
 According to Billboard, MÖTLEY CRÜE and DEF LEPPARD's stadium tour has already sold more than one million tickets. The trek, which also includes POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS, has grossed $130 million, with another $5 million generated from VIP seats. The tour saw the fastest sellout in Miller Park history in Milwaukee, with additional shows selling out instantly in Atlanta, Seattle, Charlotte, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Chicago and Denver.
"[DEF LEPPARD] was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and [MÖTLEY CRÜE] has one of the biggest rock books ever that was turned into a film ['The Dirt'] and the film was seen by tens of millions," said CRÜE manager Allen Kovac. "We knew co-headlining would dramatically lift the ticket sales."
"The Stadium Tour", which kicks off June 18 in Jacksonville, Florida, will mark CRÜE's first live dates since wrapping its 2014/2015 farewell tour. The band 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.
CRÜE fans who shelled out for the band's 2014/2015 "farewell" tour were led to believe that the group would never return after playing its final show on December 2015 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The band touted the signing of a pre-tour "cessation of touring" agreement as cementing the fact it truly was the end of CRÜE's life on the road.
On November 18 — three years and 11 months after the band played its last show — CRÜE posted a video with Machine Gun Kelly, who portrayed Tommy Lee in the band's biopic "The Dirt", explaining that due to the band "becoming more popular than ever" and "gaining an entirely new legion of fans" in the four years they've been off the road, the band felt the need to blow up their previous contract in order to come out of retirement.
At a press conference in Hollywood announcing the CRÜE's stadium tour, bassist Nikki Sixx explained the band's decision to return, saying: "Honestly, I don't think any of us thought, when we were on 'The Final Tour', we would ever get back together. We weren't really getting along at that point. We had been together 35 years, and it had been a lot of years on the road. I don't think we took a lot of time for ourselves off; we were just constantly touring for all that time. And when it came to the end, we broke the band up and everybody went their own ways."
Sixx continued: "It was during the making of 'The Dirt' movie, we started working on the script, started being on the set, we started hanging out again together. And I think we really started to realize — without even talking about the music — how much we missed each other. And then that got us to go in the recording studio, which is where the whole thing always starts for all of us."
"The Dirt", a film adaptation of the CRÜE's 2001 memoir, featured four new songs recorded by the band expressly for the soundtrack. | +6 | |
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3 ôåâ 2020
DAVID LEE ROTH On VAN HALEN's Future: 'I Wouldn't Hold My Breath'
 Prior to the kickoff of his ongoing Las Vegas residency, VAN HALEN vocalist David Lee Roth spoke with "PodKats!", the weekly hang with the biggest names in entertainment, hosted by man-about-town columnist John "Kats" Katsilometes of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The full conversation can be streamed at this location. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).
On his Las Vegas residency:
David: "Las Vegas is the epicenter of modern show business today. What you're used to in the local theaters and drive-ins adjacent is 10-hour bus rides and people trying to accommodate soundchecks in drafty basketball halls in four hours. That's the best bands possible. You beat the hell out of your fingers; you beat the hell out of all your wind instruments and your dancers. It's like the NFL — everybody's playing hurt. Half of your crew is taking pain pills, and the other half actually have a prescription for those pain pills. I'm talking about everybody, from the country acts, the blues, urban, hip-hop, rock n' roll — you're playing games like doing the old Gene Krupa bands, 19 nights in a row...
"When I go to a show, I'm a crybaby, whiny-ass little bitch. I want everything perfect — I want it better than perfect. I want boom in the room. I want my ass getting bumped when the bass man thumps appropriately. I want visual. Bring me a new haircut, pair of shoes, and I'm going to grade unflinchingly, like a New York City film critic — hard, baby... Las Vegas delivers, delivers, delivers. I'm a [Lady] Gaga fan, I'm a Bruno Mars fan, I'm a METALLICA fan. I love JOURNEY. I'm going to go see AEROSMITH. I love the UFC. My whole life is mixed martial arts, and it's all really better there. I'm telling you as a complainy, crybaby, whiny-ass, you know — as a fan, I'm a fan, but the fans who are truly fans complain all the time. I'm a troll. Its keeps the bar nice and high."
On how he prepared for his return to the stage:
David: "If you can't bring it in a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt under one bulb on a string, then you can't bring it. If you can, then you've got a good, strong sturdy tree, and now we can bring the tinsel. Whatever 'it' is, whether you're spinning batons or juggling or whatever Cirque du So-Dave-style, 40 Shades of Dave... I started getting myself ready like a boxer or a ballerina or a tap dancer. I'm kind of a combination of all of it. I'm depending on my body completely, 100 percent. I started getting that ready around my birthday last October. That being the case, it's not all cupcakes, tinsel and glamour... VAN HALEN, we did our 10,000 hours before we made even our first record. We were the result of really unsmiling, unfriendly European music teachers. When we brought it together, we brought craft — thousands and thousands of hours, just working together as a team and working together as individuals. That's where our spirit and our drive, and maybe some of our arrogance, came from. We approached it like a South Pacific rugby team, or the way the American female soccer team did — we brought it, the way people at the MGM Grand Garden bring it when they go, [imitates boxing ring announcer Michael Buffer] 'Let's get ready...' That kind of an attitude comes into it.
"I put together a double-guitar, three-guitars approach, because we're not making any effort to replicate VAN HALEN live. That's guitar, bass, drums, Eddie [Van Halen] — wonderful. No, this is the album. We start the way the album sounds, and man, that's a high hurdle. It requires multiple guitars. This will change your haircut. I told the band, 'Let's not give the band a name. It's not the DAVID LEE ROTH BAND. This has its own sound. The sound is serious — give it a serious name. Why don't we call the sound HORSES OF GOD? Let's see if you fucking add up to that'... I take it very seriously when I get out there in the music department. This is not a tribute band; it's not a backup band. This has taken me about four years to really bring it around. Most acts take six, eight weeks to bring the full production together. We'll have put in eight months in preparation for the music in the same spirit that the original VAN HALEN was built. The average age in this band now is 25 years old, and they're ready to plug in."
On how playing arenas with VAN HALEN contrasts to the more intimate House of Blues at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas:
David: "When was the last time you went to a [Bruce] Springsteen gig and saw eyebrows? I went to a Springsteen gig — I've been to four or five of them at a stadium with my father. It turns out I was watching the wrong guy for two hours. I was watching the guitar tech. I didn't know it wasn't Bruce — they're all wearing black. You've got to watch the screen...
"The spirit of Elvis [Presley] is way bigger than the music. I don't know how many Elvis records I actually bought. It wasn't my generation, but the spirit, the attitude, the vibe, the cool of Elvis? Elvis had many phases, many stages. Depending on who you are and how old — are you military Elvis with the perfect complexion? Were you beginning Elvis when he upset everybody with [imitates Presley's voice]? Or were you end-stage Elvis, which frankly, I enjoy that as much. I like Keith Richards for all the same reasons. I dig end-stage Keith every bit as much, and I'm prepared to spend $1500 to go see him as well — and if he plays in Vegas, I'll spend another $1500, because I can see his eyebrows. If you can see somebody's eyebrows, then you have a connection, face-to-face. In most of the venues in Las Vegas, it is as simple of that. Whether it's Gaga, Bruno, me, we're expressive motherfuckers. When you talk about Garth Brooks, nobody has better-selling records. I think he has seven diamond[-selling] records — more than THE BEATLES. Why? Because of his personality, because of who he is, his character. From what I can tell, half of his show is him telling stories. What a better place to hear it than in one of those [Vegas] rooms."
On VAN HALEN:
David: "I just called Ed to find out who the guitar tech I need to talk to is and some of the gear I need. Everybody's fully aware [of the residency]. We live in small circles here. We have the same manager, everything. The stuff you sing along with, I wrote. I'm a part-owner. It's in the DNA. Whatever happens with VAN HALEN, it's not for me to guess. I wouldn't hold my breath."
Listen to the entire interview at this location.
Roth's Las Vegas residency kicked off on January 8 with a 15-song set that included 10 VAN HALEN classics and five songs from his solo career. Backing the 65-year-old singer at the House Of Blues were lead guitarist Al Estrada from the VAN HALEN tribute band ERUPTION, rhythm guitarist Frankie Lindri, bassist Ryan Wheeler, keyboardist Danny Wagner and drummer Mike Mussleman.
Roth will play six more Vegas shows in March, in addition to performing as the opening act for the upcoming North American legs of KISS's "End Of The Road" farewell tour starting on February 1 in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Roth's Vegas residency isn't be the first time he has set up shop in Sin City. Back in 1995, Roth completed a Las Vegas engagement at Bally's Hotel and Casino and another short run at MGM Grand.
VAN HALEN has been inactive since it finished its U.S. tour in October 2015 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California.
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3 ôåâ 2020
NEIL FALLON Reveals Two Songs CLUTCH Refused To Cover
 Prior to CLUTCH's December 13 performance in Madrid, Spain vocalist Neil Fallon spoke with GoetiaMedia.com. The full conversation can be seen below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).
On whether the band has obsessive fans:
Neil: "There's a point where you can be very flattered by someone and how much they like your band, but then there's, like, a meter goes off where it goes from flattering to a little bit freaked out. I can't think of any one [example] in particular. Most of our fans seem pretty level-headed. It's not like we're a K-pop band. We don't have that burden, and I'd like to keep it that way. We're very lucky in that regard that we don't have a lot of those horror stories."
On his lyrics:
Neil: "I always liked in music the escapism. That's one of the things I always liked about heavy metal. It's fun to sing about dragons, and then in hardcore, which we also listened to growing up, it was the complete opposite, lyrically. It was very reality-based. I think sometimes, I go between those two, even at this age. Politics sometimes creep in accidentally. I try not to, because I almost think music's too good for it. I don't want to pollute it in certain ways, and it can also date a song. There are classic songs like CCR's 'Fortunate Son' which you can sing in any decade, but if you mention certain names or are too specific to a time period, the song kind of just lives there and doesn't live anywhere else. I try to stay from that, and also too many personal things. I don't like lyrics that sound like a diary entry, but I think there's a time and place for that if it's done thoughtfully."
On covering other bands:
Neil: "I think learning a cover song is a good exercise, because what you're doing is learning to get into the brain of the other musician. It can be very challenging — 'Why would they do that?' 'Why would he sing it this way?' It's a good exercise. I think that's the spirit of why we learned some of these songs as opposed to sometimes a major label might push a band to cover something that's been a hit before, because it's a surefire way to get it a lot of listeners... I'd rather have something our own."
On an act he regrets not seeing live:
Neil: "I've missed so many shows because I'm on tour. This is pretty embarrassing — I've never seen BLACK SABBATH. I've seen HEAVEN & HELL. I've seen Ozzy Osbourne. I never saw the original lineup... My son saw them when he was six years old. I was on tour and he was at home. I also remember years ago, in 1989, NIRVANA came supporting their 'Bleach' album. I said, 'You know what? I just don't feel like going out tonight. I'll see them next time they come around.' Next time they came around, it was at RFK Stadium, and that was that. I never got to see them either. I guess the lesson is, don't assume anything. Take advantage of it while you can."
On the band's early music industry experience:
Neil: "In the '90s, we signed to major labels. We had a manager at the time who was like, 'This is your one chance. You've got to do it this way and this way.' We grew up thinking, 'Maybe we can do it like Ian MacKaye and Dischord [Records] ourselves,' but no one knew who we were. We did that dance for a while, and there were plenty of times where they wanted to push us to do things we didn't want to do. They pushed us very hard to cover LL Cool J's 'Mama Said Knock You Out' and 'My Sharona' by THE KNACK, and we said no. They just wouldn't take no for an answer, and that's kind of when we lost our minds with that. Then we signed that deal with DRT and went to court and won those masters back. We were like, 'You know what? Let's not do this again.' This way, if we get mad at somebody, it's ourselves... We have to live with our mistakes."
On the band's late manager, Jack Flanagan:
Neil: "I remember the day I met him. We were in Texas, and our manager at the time said, 'This band doesn't know what the hell they're doing. You need to get the fuck out there.' He was right, so Jack showed up... He looked at us like, 'Oh, fuck.' I don't think he wanted to be out there with us, but then all of a sudden, it was 25 years [later]. He was a member of the band. When Tim [Sult] broke his wrist, he filled in and played guitar for six weeks. A hysterically funny man. He could keep us up all night cracking jokes... I think we're still kind of processing it."
On his collaboration with VOLBEAT, "Die To Live":
Neil: "I am always up for a challenge. I think it's flattering and I think saying no, it would have to be a pretty extreme thing. I like trying things that are not in my comfort zone. To do things that are too familiar, you don't really ever grow or get challenged."
On whether there are any songs in the CLUTCH catalog that he's vowed to never play live again:
Neil: "No. I think it's like picking your least-favorite child. There might be one that you think it's a real pain in the ass... I listen to some of the tracks on 'Transnational [Speedway League]', and I think it sounds like a different band, particular with [my] singing. My singing style has changed quite a bit since then, and I don't know if I could sing like that if I tried. It would be very, very difficult, but it's not because I hate the song. It doesn't sound like me. I think any time you perform music, it should be fun. It should not be work."
CLUTCH's latest album, "Book Of Bad Decisions", was released in 2018.
The band will support VOLBEAT on the Danish group's spring U.S. tour, which kicks off in Phoenix, Arizona on April 4. | +3 | |
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Metallica
