Report: OZZY And SHARON OSBOURNE Living Together Again
According to TMZ.com, BLACK SABBATH frontman Ozzy Osbourne has moved back in with his wife and manager Sharon after convincing her that he has been drug and alcohol free for months.
Ozzy admitted that he relapsed into drug and alcohol abuse for 18 months in a statement posted on April 15 on his Facebook page.
Sharon had reportedly been staying in a Los Angeles hotel, and made it clear that she would not get back together with the singer until he adequately proved his sobriety.
The couple walked the red carpet at the Daytime Emmy Awardsyesterday (Sunday, June 17) and seemed happy and in love. They even shared a passionate embrace and kiss at the award ceremony in Beverly Hills (see video below).
In a recent interview with USA Today, Sharon stated about Ozzy's recovery: "He's doing incredibly well. He is. Eighty-plus days clean and sober. He's working his program rigidly."
She added: "It's amazing to see how somebody in just over 80 days can change their life around. You know, miracles happen all the time and he has (gone from) hating himself, from a place of despair, to being a responsible husband and father again and it's amazing to see. I'm very proud of him. He's a great example, too, for people. He's not the only person that suffers from addiction.
"Tomorrow's a new day and you start all over again. You just don't give up, it doesn't matter what you have, or your position in life, you still have those demons in you.
"This problem affects so many people. It doesn't matter what you have. It's the same battle for everyone."
Ozzy has struggled with drug and alcohol addiction throughout his entire 40-plus-year career, both with SABBATH and as a solo artist, although in recent years he seemed to have achieved a steady level of sobriety.
Ozzy told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that the many years he spent drunk and high took a toll on his relationship with his kids — especially his son Jack. "The one downside about being the crazy guy of rock 'n' roll was the fact that I missed out on my children somewhat and they missed out on me," he said. "I had an argument with my son one time, and I go to him, 'Jack, what are you moaning at me for? You never wanted for a damn thing.' And he goes, 'Oh yeah? What about a father?' And it just kicked me straight between the legs and I was like, 'Good God.'"
Source: Blabbermouth.net
'Lullaby Versions' Of SLIPKNOT Due Next Month
Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star, the company which creates "beautiful lullaby versions of your favorite artists," will release "Lullaby Versions Of Slipknot" on July 2 via Roma Music Group.
"Lullaby Versions Of Slipknot" track listing:
01. Wait And Bleed
02. Psychosocial
03. Before I Forget
04. Dead Memories
05. Duality
06. Left Behind
07. Pulse Of The Maggots
08. Snuff
09. Spit It Out
10. Sulfur
11. (Sic)
12. Vermillion, Pt. 2
A full-length version of "Before I Forget" can be streamed below.
Audio samples of the entire album are available at Amazon.com.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star is the premier pop music lullaby line, with more than a hundred titles to choose from across soundtracks, pop, rock, metal, country, alternative and more.
In its mission statement, Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star says, "We feel our lullaby line fills a vacant musical niche. There are other lines of pop music lullabies but we decided to take the approach of being high end musically rather than simply doing these as a novelty. After all, just because the music is for a baby it doesn't have to sound unsophisticated. We feel we owe it to the artists that we are covering to do their music justice and our standard of quality transcends the lullaby genre. In fact, in addition to soothing babies our fans use our music for yoga, massage and sleep therapy or just general relaxation. We like to call them 'lullabies for all ages' and the diversity of use is testament to that."
For more information, visit www.ttlrs.com.
Source: Blabbermouth.net
Black Sabbath Sets Chart Record in Scoring First #1 Album in UK Since 1970
Black Sabbath's 13 is #1 -- on the U.K. album charts, that is. The legendary heavy-metal band's first full-length studio effort to feature founding frontmanOzzy Osbourne since 1978's Never Say Die debuts at the top of the country's Official Albums Chart according to the U.K.'s Official Charts Company.
The milestone comes 42 years and eight months after Sabbath last reached #1 on the U.K. albums tally -- with their second release, 1970's Paranoid. This sets a U.K. record for the most years between chart-topping studio releases. The previous record for the longest period between #1 studio albums was 38 years, set by Bob Dylan, whose 2009 release Together Through Life was his first #1 on the Official Albums Chart since 1970'sNew Morning.
Sabbath also eclipses Rod Stewart's recently set record for the British artist with the most years between chart-topping studio releases in the United Kingdom. The singer's latest album, Time, bowed at #1 just last month -- 37 years after he scored his previous chart-topping original album, 1976's A Night on the Town.
"I'm in shock!" Osbourne tells OfficialCharts.com about 13's landmark achievement. "The success of this album has blown me off my feet. We've never had a record climb the charts so fast!"
Regarding surpassing Stewart's record, Ozzy adds, "It's great, but Rod's the same as us, we've got something other people haven't got. It's all manufactured bulls**t these days. But the likes of Rod, and Elton John and us have got something different. We know our craft."
Black Sabbath's 13 also is expected to debut at the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart this week. HITS Daily Double estimates that 13 will move somewhere around 120,000 to 130,000 copies. The band's highest-charting album in the U.S. was 1971's Masters of Reality, which peaked at #8. The Billboard 200's new top 10 will be revealed on Wednesday.
Source: Abc ePrep
Papa Roach's Tony Palermo Feels "Privileged" to Perform at Download Festival; Reveals Timetable for Next Album
Papa Roach was among the acts that rocked the crowd at the Download Festival in the U.K. over the weekend. Drummer Tony Palermo says that he's always excited to perform at the annual event, especially because he's been a fan of the fest since he was a kid.
"For me personally, Download has always been that festival that all of my favorite metal bands used to play at," he tells ABC News Radio. "But for us as a band, I mean, it's just one of the biggest festivals that you can play and be part of and we're so privileged to be asked to come back here all the time."
Palermo adds that he's looking forward to getting back into the studio with Papa Roach once their tour is finished so they can begin working on their next album. "I think we're gonna finish out...with the Euro run and then take, like, a month off," he explains. "Then [we'll] reconvene in the studio and start writing and recording hopefully by March, April of next year."
Source: Abc ePrep
Andrew WK to Attempt to Break Guinness World Record for "Longest Drum Session in a Retail Store"
Last year, The Flaming Lips set a Guinness World Record for the most concerts performed in multiple cities in a 24-hour span during MTV's O Music Awards. This year, the event's producers have tapped Andrew WK to take on a new challenge. The singer will play the drums for 24-hours straight at Oakley's flagship retail store in New York City's Times Square with the goal to set the Guinness World Record for "Longest Drum Session in a Retail Store."
"Despite my apparent confidence, inside I am actually a very small, trembling shell of a person, who is not only intimidated, but completely mortified and horrified by the ramifications of this challenge," said the singer in a statement on his website. "Just drumming for an hour -- just drumming for 24 seconds -- can be quite intense. I think it will push me to the very lengths of my strengths."
The notoriously hard-partying singer adds that a number of surprise guests will drop by during his time behind the drum kit, including ?uestlove from The Roots.
The MTV O Music Awards -- and Andrew's drumming challenge -- will stream live at OMusicAwards.com starting Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET.
Source: Abc ePrep
5FDP's Zoltan Bathory Reveals Special Guests Featured onThe Wrong Side of Heaven...
Five Finger Death Punch's upcoming double album, The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, will feature contributions from a number of special guest stars. Guitarist Zoltan Bathory says that while we can expect both albums to include some unique collaborations, he's only willing to tell us about the singers involved on the release's first installment.
"The first single ["Lift Me Up"] was featuring Rob Halford and that was an amazing experience...and we have [Soulfly frontman] Max Cavalera [and] Jamey Jasta fromHatebreed [on The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell Volume 1]," he tells U.K. magazine Kerrang! in a video interview. "We have [singer] Maria Brink from In This Moment and then we have Tech N9ne, who is a rapper. That's the guests on that one, and on the second record we will reveal that when the time comes, but you know we have some good ones on that [album as well]." The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell Volume 1 will arrive at all the usual outlets on July 30 and will be available in a variety of formats, including standard and deluxe digital versions and a limited-edition box set. The second installment of the album will be released sometime in the fall.
Source: Abc ePrep
Rob Zombie to Stage "Great American Nightmare" Halloween-Themed Event in Los Angeles
Rob Zombie is cooking up something special for Halloween this year. The singer has just announced that he'll be putting on an event that will offer fans to chance to experience haunted house attractions based on his films.
Dubbed the Great American Nightmare, the event will feature three fully-immersive haunted house experiences: Lords of Salem Total Black Out, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto 3D, and Haunt of 1,000 Corpses. Each attraction offers a 3D experience with animatronics and effects, as well as lots of chilling surprises.
"This is...the ultimate badass Halloween experience!" said Zombie in a statement. "No one will walk away disappointed. I am thrilled to bring The Great American Nightmare to California and begin a reign of bloody terror!"
In addition, Great American Nightmare will also feature 15 nights of concerts curated by Zombie, including sets by Andrew WK, The Used, Goldfinger, Ozomatli and Reel Big Fish, among others. The full list of artists set to take the stage for the event will be revealed in the coming weeks.
The Great American Nightmare will be held every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from October 10 through November 2 at the Fairplex FEARplex just outside of Los Angeles in Pomona, California. Tickets for the event start at $30 and will go on sale on June 29 at GreatAmericanNightmare.com.
Rock Sound magazine spoke to SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR singerCorey Taylor at this year's Download festival and asked him nine Internet trivia questions about him. You can now watch the chat below.
Taylor's second book, called "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Heaven (Or, How I Made Peace With The Paranormal And Stigmatized Zealots And Cynics In The Process)", will be published on July 16 through Da Capo Press. The same publisher handled Taylor's first book, 2011's "Seven Deadly Sins: Settling The Argument Between Born Bad And Damaged Good", which made the New York Times non-fiction best seller list and came out last year in paperback with additional material.
According to the publisher's description, the new book follows Taylor as he "journeys undercover through various ghostbusting groups who do their best to gather information and evidence about the existence of spirits. Some are more credible than others, and, frankly, some are completely insane, but all are observed with appropriate seriousness as Taylorattempts to better understand some of the spooky things that have happened to him in his life . . . Taylor also touches on his religious background and how it led him to believe in much more than the Man in the Sky."
Taylor said in a recent interview with Loudwire that the new book will be similar to "Seven Deadly Sins" in that he's written it as a "discussion." The singer told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that his first book was meant to feel like a dialog. "People who know me, they call me and it's like, 'Dude, I can't get your voice out of my head when I'm reading this book," he said. "It's like I'm talking to you!' And that, that's the best compliment I could ever get, you know, because that's really what it's supposed to be, is a conversation. It's supposed to be me trying to make a point and trying to make an argument, and apparently I've done pretty well."
He recently said about "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Heaven", "It's me trying to figure out how I can have this deep belief in the supernatural and the paranormal and stuff like that and yet I am still a pretty vocal atheist, you know? So it's me trying to find a new way to figure out what these things are."
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Guitarist Talks 'The Wrong Side Of Heaven' Album In New Interview
Kerrang! magazine conducted an interview with guitarist Zoltan Bathoryof Las Vegas metallers FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH at this year'sDownload festival, which took place June 14-16 at Donington Park in Leicestershire, United Kingdom. You can now watch the chat below.
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's fourth studio album will now be released on July 30. The disc is the first half of a two-record set titled "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell", with the second half due to arrive sometime this fall.
Singer Ivan Moody told The Pulse Of Radio that the band turned down tour offers last year to instead focus on making the new record. "The thought process was, get it while it's hot," he said. "You know, we love what we do, man, and I don't want to be one of those bands that we write an album, tour for two years and then take a year and a half off. That's not what I'm about and we're not getting any younger. It just seemed like the logical thing to do — get back in, really get to the grind, and now that we get to go back and co-headline with ROB ZOMBIE onMayhem Festival this summer, it all kind of ironed itself out."
The deluxe edition of "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell Volume 1" will come with a bonus 15-track live CD titled"Purgatory (Tales From The Pit)", plus a redeemable limited-edition T-shirt.
A box set limited edition will be available for pre-order at the band's webstore on June 18. It contains the deluxe version of the album with the bonus live CD, an early free download of an exclusive new track, a FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH lunch box and assorted other collectible items.
The album features guest appearances from IN THIS MOMENT singerMaria Brink, SOULFLY frontman Max Cavalera, HATEBREED vocalistJamey Jasta and JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford, who contributes to the first single, "Lift Me Up".
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH will co-headline the 2013 Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival this summer alongside ROB ZOMBIE, with the tour kicking off in San Bernardino, California on June 29.
Source: Blabbermouth.net
MEGADETH Drummer Says 'Internet Piracy' Is To Blame For Lower 'Super Collider' Record Sales
EvilG of Metal-Rules.com recently conducted an interview with MEGADETH drummer Shawn Drover. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.
Metal-Rules.com: Tell us a bit about the writing process for ["Super Collider"] and what involvement you had.
Shawn Drover: We recorded "Super Collider" at our recording studio (Vic's Garage) in California over the course of about three months or so. About 4-5 songs were pretty close to being written musically, while the others were created from musical ideas, etc. The tune "Built For War" was a song that I wrote most of the music for along with Chris[Broderick, guitar] and Dave [Mustaine, vocals/guitar]. All in all I have good memories creating this record.
Metal-Rules.com: "Super Collider" debuted at #6 on the Billboard Top 200 albums in the USA and #4 on Canadian Billboard charts. That's the highest ranking since "Youthansia" back in 1994, so congrats! According to sales figures, "Super Collider" sold below "TH1RT3EN" for week one… Do you attribute that to changing times, illegal downloading, etc?
Shawn Drover: Of course it is. We are certainly thrilled to have a #6 record on Billboard in America and #4 in Canada, but sales are way down for the entire music industry right across the board, which is a real drag.Internet piracy, torrent sites and all that are the reason why. Concert attendance for us is still great around the world, so we are definitely happy about that.
Metal-Rules.com: As this is the first MEGADETH album since leavingRoadrunner Records, what has been the biggest difference you've noticed so far regarding promotion, etc.?
Shawn Drover: I have seen a ton of promotion for "Super Collider" in Europe while on tour, which was really cool to see. Just walking around town and seeing an HMV store with huge displays for "Super Collider"was great.
Metal-Rules.com: I believe you are now the longest-serving MEGADETHdrummer. So congrats for lasting so long. To what would you attribute your continued success with the band?
Shawn Drover: I think just respecting the legacy of this band and keeping myself grounded is a big part of it. Knowing how to conduct yourself as a person and as somebody representing this band is also a key factor in longevity, I think. We are all friends in this band, so we respect each other and laugh a lot, which is something I highly recommend to anybody. Life is too short to not have fun and enjoy what you are a part of, believe me.
Metal-Rules.com: Does Dave Mustaine talk about his politics and his other beliefs with the band, or does he keep that mostly to himself, or to interviews where he's asked about such things?
Shawn Drover: Nah, we really don't talk about politics that much, though, like most people, we have opinions about this and that. For me, I would rather just let the music do the talking and keep whatever my beliefs are to myself. I always admired LED ZEPPELIN's mystique they had back in the day and wished more bands would go back to that. I'm not sure if that is realistic in this day and age, though, when anything you say can be spread worldwide within minutes on the Internet, for better or for worse.
Read the entire interview from Metal-Rules.com.
Source: Blabbermouth.net
BLACK SABBATH's OZZY OSBOURNE: 'I Can't Remember The '90s At All
Reuters spoke to BLACK SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler about "13", the first BLACK SABBATH record in 35 years to feature Ozzy, Geezer and guitarist Tony Iommi all playing together.
"The best thing is that we are still fucking all alive to be in a band," Ozzy said.
"I don't know about the rest of the guys, [but] I certainly had a good go at trying to kill myself with the alcohol and booze for all the years.
"I kind of missed the '90s, you know? I must have been in a cocaine haze, because I can't remember the '90s at all.
"We've all come out the other side, the other end. It is good to be back sober and clean [even though I have had] a hiccup now and again along the way.
"I don't get up and the first thing I say is that I will have a shot of brandy. I don't do that or smoke cigarettes anymore.
"We are alive and it is a lot more more fun being sober and enjoying your fellow workers that you are working with."
"13" has entered the official U.K. chart at position No. 1. The CD sold 13,000 copies more than the No. 2 entry, "BE" by Liam Gallagher'sBEADY EYE.
The last time SABBATH topped the chart in the U.K. was nearly 43 years ago — in October 1970 — with the band's second LP, "Paranoid".
"13" has entered the official Australian Recording Industry Association(ARIA) chart at position No. 4. This is the British metal legends' first Australian Top Ten album since "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" back in 1974.
"13" is likely to sell between 120,000 and 130,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to industry web site Hits Daily Double. The estimate was based on one-day sales reports compiled after the record arrived in stores on June 11 via Vertigo/Universal Republic. This marks BLACK SABBATH's return to Vertigo, their original label, and the group's first studio album together since 1978's "Never Say Die!"
The drum tracks on the album were laid down by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE sticksman Brad Wilk following original drummer Bill Ward's decision to bow out of the reunion.
Source: Blabbermouth.net
Kings of Leon Says Mechanical Bull Was Inspired by John Travolta Movie Urban Cowboy
Kings of Leon's Nathan Followill has revealed that the title of the band's upcoming album, Mechanical Bull, was inspired by one of John Travolta's biggest films.
"We were so early in on the process of it, we had narrowed it down to three names, andMechanical Bull won out," the drummer tells MTV News. "I know we watched a lot of [the 1980 film] Urban Cowboy during the making of this record, so that definitely probably had something to do with it."
While the group has unveiled "It Don't Matter" and "Supersoaker" from Mechanical Bullduring recent festival appearances, Followill hints that the band is likely to debut more new tracks during their upcoming gigs.
"The record's been done for a few months, so we're chomping at the bit to play the new stuff every chance we get," he notes. "We felt pretty confident about the first two [songs]; it's great to use festivals as a testing ground to how kids are going to respond to it." Mechanical Bull is set to arrive at all the usual outlets on September 24.
Source: Abc ePrep
Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme Says He's Ready to Make Follow-Up to …Like Clockwork
Riding high from the success of Queens of the Stone Age's first #1 album on the Billboard 200, …Like Clockwork, frontman Josh Homme says he's ready to head back into the studio.
"I think we should make a record right away -- but I think we'll know when that is," he tells Billboard. The singer adds that while he has a plan in mind for the group's next album, he'd prefer to keep the details secret. "The future is always out there," he notes. "Isn't that the minimum obligation of a band, to try to enthrall and surprise and, with as much mystery as possible, appear to its fans."
Homme says that he's thrilled with the way …Like Clockwork turned out, and that the band grew closer during the recording process. "[…Like Clockwork is] the tightest, bond-wise across the board, we've ever been," he explains. "Everyone trusts each other. Everybody has each other's backs, and I think that solidarity really helped to sort of stabilize the sort of more vulnerable moments of the record."
QOTSA is currently on tour overseas, but the band will return to North America for an appearance at the Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago, IL, on August 2.
Source: Abc ePrep
Imagine Dragons' Night Visions Scores Platinum Certification
Congratulations to Imagine Dragons on the platinum certification of their debut album, 2012's Night Visions, which has sold one million copies in the U.S., according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
The set, which includes hits "It's Time" and "Radioactive," debuted in the #2 slot on the Billboard 200 album chart its first week out. Night Visions scored the best first-week sales for a full-length debut by a new rock band in more than six years, selling over 83,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
In other Imagine Dragons news, the band has scheduled a number of TV appearances to further promote Night Visions. They'll perform on ABC's Good Morning America on July 5, and on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on July 26. The group also recently recorded an episode for the Live from the Artists Den public television music series, which is scheduled to air the weekend of August 9-11 on PBS.
Source: Abc ePrep
Watch Metallica Perform "Hit the Lights" as Dehaan During Second Annual Orion Music + More Festival
During their recent Orion Music + More festival, Metallica thrilled fans who showed up early to the fairgrounds by performing a special set under the moniker Dehaan. The surprise concert featured the band performing their entire 1983 debut studio album, Kill 'Em All, just in time to celebrate the album's 30th anniversary.
If you weren't able to join the sweaty masses at the fest, the band is now offering you the chance to watch some of the footage of their performance as Dehaan.RollingStone.com is currently streaming a four-minute video of the group performing Kill 'Em All's opening track, "Hit the Lights."
The next big thing coming up for Metallica will be their 3D concert film, Through the Never, which will premiere exclusively at every IMAX theater across North America for a full week starting September 27. After the flick has its run in the IMAX theaters, it will expand into additional theaters starting October 4.
Source: Abc ePrep
Jane's Addiction to Release Live CD/DVD set, Live in NYC, in June
Jane's Addiction will release a live CD/DVD set that documents a free concert the band performed at New York City's Terminal 5 on July 25, 2011 to celebrate the launch of their latest album, The Great Escape Artist. Titled Live in NYC, it'll arrive at all the usual outlets on June 25.
The collection boasts 12 career-spanning tracks, including hits "Been Caught Stealing," "Jane Says" and "Stop!," as well as the debut live performance of "Irresistible Force (Met the Immovable Object)" from The Great Escape Artist.
While Live in NYC will be available separately on CD, DVD and vinyl formats, a package featuring both the CD and DVD of the release will also be available.
Here's the track list for Live in NYC:
"Whores"
"Ain't No Right"
"Just Because
"Ted, Just Admit It..."
"Been Caught Stealing"
"Irresistible Force (Met the Immovable Object)"
"Up the Beach"
"Ocean Size"
"Three Days"
"Mountain Song"
"Stop!"
"Jane Says"
Source: Abc ePrep
Alice in Chains-Themed Pinball Game App on Sale Now for Apple Devices
A new Alice in Chains-themed app that's sure to excite gamers is now available for Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices. Alice in Chains Pinball Rocks serves up plenty of crazy virtual flipper action backed by a soundtrack that features a number of the band's classic hits. It also includes a bonus game that unlocks the single "Hollow" from their latest album, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here. The game boasts a variety of high-definition graphics and camera angles, including a 3-D perspective.
Players also can enjoy various Alice in Chains-related elements that have been incorporated into the game, such as the three-legged dog from the cover of the group's 1995 self-titled album. Alice in Chains Pinball Rocks can be purchased for $2.99 at the iTunes store.
Source: Abc ePrep
Five Finger Death Punch's Ivan Moody Hints at Hiatus Following Tour; Reveals Plans for New Side Project
Frontman Ivan Moody says that Five Finger Death Punch is planning to take some time off after they're done promoting their upcoming double album, The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell.
"I talked to the guys [in 5FDP] and after doing five records like this, it's time to take a little bit of space from each other," he tells Metal Shrine. "That way, when we come back to do the next album, it'll be fresh to us again."
Moody adds that he'll be keeping busy during the break, announcing that he has plans to go solo after 5FDP's tour ends. "I'm actually going to do a side project after this next album cycle," he reveals. "I've already got a few guys on the line, that I'm really proud to say I'm gonna work alongside with." The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell Volume 1 will arrive at all the usual outlets on July 30 and will be available in a variety of formats, including standard and deluxe digital versions and a limited-edition box set. The second installment of the album will be released sometime in the fall.
SHINEDOWN: 'I'll Follow You' Video To Premiere On Friday
"I'll Follow You", the new video from SHINEDOWN, will make its online debut on June 14 at VH1.com. A teaser clip can be seen below.
"I'll Follow You" comes off SHINEDOWN's fourth album, "Amaryllis", which was released last year. The CD debuted atop Billboard's "Rock Albums" chart and at #4 overall on The Billboard 200 — SHINEDOWN's biggest chart debut thus far — with over 105,000 units sold its first week out.
"Amaryllis" arrived in stores almost four years after the band issued "The Sound Of Madness". SHINEDOWN frontman Brent Smith told The Pulse Of Radio that even though the band really came together on that last effort, they didn't want to rest on their laurels while making "Amaryllis". "We're never really a band that's gonna ever be satisfied," he said. "We're never gonna be complacent with 'Oh, well, that'll do.' We're the band that's looking for the doors that everyone is afraid to find, because we like that. We like pushing the envelope constantly. It keeps us on our toes."
The release of "Amaryllis" was accompanied by an e-book called "For Your Sake: Inside The Making Of Amaryllis", a 75-page, "completely interactive" e-book that contains commentary, photos, video footage and other content exclusively chronicling the creation of the new record.
SHINEDOWN will headline the 2013 Carnival of Madness tour, which will kick off on August 13 in Cleveland, Ohio. In addition to SHINEDOWN, the bill will feature PAPA ROACH, SKILLET, IN THIS MOMENT and new act WE AS HUMAN.
Source: Blabbermouth.net
MEGADETH Mainman Wants To 'Let The Music Do The Talking' On 'Super Collider'
MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine tells Billboard.com in a new interview that he wanted to steer the lyrical themes on the band's new album, "Super Collider", away from both domestic and global politics that have dominated much of the group's output over the years.
"I thought it's just not the same climate anymore where you can really talk about stuff like that," he explains. "People are so polarized they'll chuck a musician that they really like because of them being a Democrat or them being a Republican or whatever. I'm not a partisan guy, and I seem to always get lumped in as a Republican, which I'm not. So I was trying to walk away from all this controversy and stuff that seems to follow me and let the music do the talking."
"Super Collider", which sold 29,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart, focuses "a little bit more [on] human politics, like my mother-in-law having Alzheimers and things like that," Mustaine says. "Not everybody watches the news, so when you tell somebody that this is going on, that's going on, this guys is part of a cover-up, this guy is a philanderer, they don't want to hear it. But if you say, 'Hey, my mother-in-law has Alzheimers or something they might have going on in their life, too, all of a sudden you've got that bond. So I figured I would write about what goes on inside my heart instead of inside my head this time, and I think it really came across that way."
"Super Collider" arrived in stores on June 4 via Dave Mustaine's new label, Tradecraft, distributed by Universal Music Enterprises (UMe).
The album is available as a limited-edition CD with 3-D cover and bonus tracks, regular CD, regular LP, limited LP plus a bonus colored seven-inch single with two bonus tracks, and a download voucher.
"Super Collider" is MEGADETH's first release since the band's recent split with Roadrunner Records.
MEGADETH filmed a video for the "Super Collider" title track on May 10 in the Los Angeles area. California-based model, actress, singer and songwriterHunter Elizabeth was cast in the lead role in the clip, which she says is "about a high-school couple still loving each other after all the years after graduation, and at the 10-year reunion, both characters find themselves successful (a model and a mathematician) and still very in love."
Source: Blabbermouth.net
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Singer To Launch Side Project After Next Album Cycle
Niclas Müller-Hansen of Sweden's Metalshrine recently conducted an interview with vocalist Ivan Moody of Las Vegas metallers FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Metalshrine: What was it that made you come into this creative flow that resulted in two albums ["The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell Volume 1" and "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell Volume 2"]?
Ivan: At first, it was really difficult for me to get into the studio. We had just gotten off the road and I had a lot of rust on me and anybody who knows me knows that I do not like to be in the studio. They guys were in there for about the first two months and they threw together like 17 or 18 tracks and then they started throwing them at me and I'm just going, "Man, this is overwhelming!" I dug in and ripped my chest open and let the monster out and I just started writing. Piece by piece, it started coming out, and by the time I was done, six months later, we had 27 tracks. We were all sitting at the table discussing how we wanted to go about this and if we were gonna shelf some of them, but the reality of it was that they were all amazing to us. We didn't wanna make it so that two years from now, we release these tracks. They were special to us so it just seemed more realistic to make two albums and it came out fantastic, man. We're really enthusiastic to get it out to the world. Not to mention the guest vocalists on the first album. It's gonna be an experience, for sure.
Metalshrine: Did you discuss releasing it as a double disc or was the idea from the beginning to have them released separately?
Ivan: We were gonna do a double disc at first, but with money being tight these days and being the season that it was in, we just thought it was more realistic to digest the first one instead of force feeding it to them and give them a chance to sink their teeth into the second one later on in the year. Overall, I think it's a better idea. Don't get me wrong, though, we were really looking forward to having it like a double disc, but in the long run, this just seems like a better idea.
Metalshrine: Did you really feel that all the songs had what it takes?
Ivan: It's a catalog in itself, bro. I'm just so impressed with it and they guys were, too. I really truly think this is our best material ever, and there wasn't one throwaway track and that was the benefit of it all. If there was a couple of them, we probably would have shelved them or whatever, but we put our hearts and souls into this one and I think it's gonna show.
Metalshrine: Releasing albums these days when record sales are down the drain, do you ever kinda wish that it was 1990 again, when bands were still selling a lot of records? It's gotta be difficult these days?
Ivan: I'd say yes, if we didn't have the fanbase we have. Our fans are militant, man. They're probably the best in my book, ever. They stick by our side through thick and thin and they still purchase albums. It really hasn't had that affect on us. I see what you're saying, and don't get me wrong, I'd love to sell two or three million albums.
Metalshrine: Do you write stuff that is not for FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH?
Ivan: Most definitely. I'm actually going to do a side project after this next album cycle. I've already got a few guys on the line that I'm really proud to say I'm gonna work alongside with. I talked to the guys (in the band) and after doing five records like this, it's time to take a little bit of space from each other and that way, when we come back to do the next album, it'll be fresh to us again. I'm definitely looking forward to do this side project.
Metalshrine: How do you stay sane on the road? You're on a bus and wake up in a new town every other day, you do a show and then it's the same thing all over again.
Ivan: Well, first off, to answer that I would have to be sane and obviously I gave that up when I decided to become a vocalist. [laughs] We've been doing this for a while now, and I think the hardest part is the family and friends we constantly have to leave behind. I myself have kids and that's the hardest thing for me. Other than that, I live and die for that experience and I've worked my whole life for it.
Metalshrine: What made you end up in Vegas?
Ivan: I got tired of commuting from Denver. [laughs] The guys all lived in Vegas, so every time we had to do something, or we had somewhere to go, you're talking about a three-hour flight just to get out there, spend three or four days in pre-production and then fly back. It just got a little bit too chaotic, so to me, it seemed like a no brainer being closer to my boys. That, and that there's no state tax. [laughs]
Metalshrine: I recently read an interview with you where you said you consider yourself a bit of a recluse and still you're the frontman. How does that work?
Ivan: Well, I figured being the frontman, you're exposing everything about yourself to the world, so they get enough of me when I'm up there and when I'm on the road. When I'm at home, I shut off, turn the switch off and spend as much time as I can with my kids and I stick to what I know. Not to mention that I TiVo a whole bunch of television shows, so I can catch up.
Kings of Leon, Flaming Lips to Perform at Oklahoma Tornado Relief Concert in July
Kings of Leon and The Flaming Lips are among the artists who have signed on to perform at a benefit concert to help those affected by the deadly tornadoes that ripped through Moore, Oklahoma last month. Dubbed Rock for Oklahoma, the event will take place on July 23 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
"We couldn't be more proud to lend a hand to our home state," said Kings of Leon bassist Jared Followill in a statement. "We were all devastated by what happened there. We have family and friends that were affected by the tornadoes...this is the least we could do."
Lips frontman Wayne Coyne adds, "Shakespeare said 'It is not enough to help the needy up, but to support them after' and in our small way we are trying to not just be here at the moment of immediate need, but to stay and help with the rebuilding. After all, this is our home and they are us and we are them."
Other artists to take the stage at the event include Jackson Browne, Built to Spill and a number of special surprise guests.
Tickets for the Rock for Oklahoma concert will go on sale on Friday at 10 a.m. CT through Ticketmaster. All of the proceeds from the show will be given to central Oklahoma community organizations and local charities.
Incubus' Brandon Boyd to Release EP as Sons of the Sea; Previews New Single "Where All the Songs Come From"
Incubus frontman Brandon Boyd has a new solo project headed our way. The singer is set to drop an EP under his new moniker, Sons of the Sea, on June 25. Titled Compass, the upcoming release will feature four new songs: "Space & Time," "Come Together," "Lady Black" and "Where All the Songs Come From."
To give you an idea of what you can expect from Compass, Boyd has posted a stream of "Where All the Songs Come From" at RollingStone.com. Brandon tells the magazine that the song is about self-awareness: "This is a piece about the moment when you understand that as good or as bad as something seems, it's exactly where you are supposed to be," he says. "If perceived as such, one can have access to a limitless inspiration, a 'place' of sorts that is the wellspring of creativity!"
Source: Abc ePrep
Coheed and Cambria, Jimmy Eat World, Gaslight Anthem & More: 50 Concerts in 50 States on a Single Day
If you've ever been to a music festival, you know how hard it is to figure out which act you want to see at any given time because so many are performing simultaneously on different stages. Now imagine that same scenario, except instead of taking place in the same location, all the acts are performing simultaneously across all 50 U.S. states. That's the concept behind Budweiser's "50/50/1" concert event, scheduled for August 1. Coheed and Cambria, Jimmy Eat World, The Gaslight Anthem and Sevendust are among the acts who'll be taking the stage in every single state in the union on August 1st. For example, Coheed and Cambria will be performing in Honolulu, Hawaii, while Jimmy Eat World will take the stage in St. Louis, Missouri. The Gaslight Anthem will perform in Burlington, Vermont, and Sevendust will rock the stage in Lawrence, Kansas. Other artists involved include Portugal. The Man, Alex Clare, Capital Cities, The Flaming Lips, Halestorm and Sublime with Rome. Get the full lineup on Bud Light's MySpace hub.
Tickets for some concerts are available for purchase at LiveNation.com, but many more are available to win through the Bud Light app, Bud Lights' Facebook page or Bud Light's MySpace hub. Select performances will also be streamed on the MySpace site.
Here's the bad news: all concert attendees have to be 21 years of age and older.
Source: Abc ePrep
Black Sabbath's 13 Expected to Nab #1 Debut in US and UK
It appears that Black Sabbath's long-awaited album, 13, reuniting the band with original frontman Ozzy Osbourne, will make a big splash on both sides of the Atlantic.
According to HITS Daily Double, 13 is expected to dominate the top spot on the Billboard200 chart next week, with sales estimated to come in somewhere around 120,000 to 130,000 copies. Black Sabbath's highest-charting album in the U.S. to date is the band's third studio effort, Masters of Reality, which peaked at #8 back in 1971.
As for the U.K., 13 is expected to beat out Beady Eye's sophomore album, BE, for the #1 slot on the country's Official Albums Chart next week. That's according to the U.K.'s Official Charts Company, which keeps track of record sales. If the predictions are true,13 will be the group's first album to score the top spot on that tally since its sophomore release, Paranoid, did so in 1970. 13 is the first full-length Black Sabbath studio album to feature Osbourne since 1978'sNever Say Die.
The new Billboard 200 chart's top 10 will be revealed on Wednesday, while the Official Albums Chart will unveil its latest rankings on Monday.
BLACK SABBATH's '13' Projected To Sell 120K-130K First Week
"13", the first BLACK SABBATH record in 35 years to feature singer Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler all playing together, is likely to sell between 120,000 and 130,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to industry web site Hits Daily Double. The estimate was based on one-day sales reports compiled after the record arrived in stores on June 11 viaVertigo/Universal Republic. This marks BLACK SABBATH's return toVertigo, their original label, and the group's first studio album together since 1978's "Never Say Die!"
"13" is in a race with U.K. act BEADY EYE (featuring former OASISmembers) for the No. 1 spot on next week's U.K. album chart. The Official Charts Company reports that there are just 4,500 sales between the two albums.
Details of the album's deluxe edition surfaced on April 19, with the band revealing that the eight-song effort is accompanied by three bonus tracks called "Methademic", "Peace Of Mind" and "Pariah".
Several versions of "13" are available for order, including a standard CD, a double CD that includes a second disc of exclusive bonus audio, a heavyweight vinyl album in a gatefold sleeve and the aforementioned "Super Deluxe Box Set", which contains the double CD, the vinyl album, an exclusive DVD documentary on the band's reunion, 13 photographic prints and hand-written lyrics.
"13" track listing:
01. End Of The Beginning (8:05)
02. God Is Dead? (8:52)
03. Loner (4:59)
04. Zeitgeist (4:37)
05. Age Of Reason (7:01)
06. Live Forever (4:46)
07. Damaged Soul (7:51)
08. Dear Father (7:20)
Deluxe-edition bonus tracks:
09. Methademic (5:57)
10. Peace Of Mind (3:40)
11. Pariah (5:34)
Total running time (with bonus tracks): 68 minutes, 42 seconds
The drum tracks on the album were laid down by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE sticksman Brad Wilk following original drummer Bill Ward's decision to bow out of the reunion.
Osbourne went on the BBC in England to discuss the band's new single,"God Is Dead?" and the inspiration behind the track. Ozzy explained, "I was in somebody's office and there was a magazine on a table and it just said, 'God Is Dead', and I suddenly thought about 9/11 and all these terrorist things and religion and how many people have died in the name of religion. When you think about the tragedy that's happened throughout time, it just came in my head. You'd think by now that their God would have stopped people dying in the name of, so I just starting thinking that people must be thinking, 'Where is God? God is dead' and it just hit me."
Ozzy added that the question mark at the end of the title is his way of showing that he's not sure about the answer himself, saying, "At the end of the thing, there's still a bit of hope because there I sing that I don't believe that God is dead. It's just a question of when you see so many dreadful people killing each other with bombs, and blowing the tube trains up and the World Trade Center."
Ozzy told an Australian radio station that "13" is "mind-blowing," adding, "It's better than my wildest dreams; it's so good."
SABBATH kicked off its world tour in support of "13" on April 20 in Auckland.
BLACK SABBATH's OSBOURNE Explains Why Drummer TOMMY CLUFETOS Doesn't Play On '13'
Kory Grow of SPIN.com recently conducted an intervow with BLACK SABBATH members Ozzy Osbourne (vocals) and Geezer Butler (bass). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
SPIN.com: Rumor has it that [producer] Rick Rubin made you all listen to your self-titled debut album before recording "13". Did that make you cringe?
Osbourne: I remember going to [Rubin's] house, and he was going on about the first album. I was like, "What the fuck's the deal, man? Why the first album? We've all done a billion albums since then." He goes, "You're not a heavy metal band. The first one was a blues album." And I go, "Yeah." And he goes, "That's what I'm looking for." I said, "A blues album?! You want us to do a blues album?" I didn't know what the fuck he was on about. I thought he was fucking nuts. But I got the fucking punch line three weeks later. It wasn't that he wanted a blues album so much as he wanted the blues feel from us.
SPIN.com: [Drummer] Bill Ward didn't play on "13". Let's set the record straight: What happened?
Osbourne: To be absolutely truthful with you, I can't really remember. It was such a long time ago. There was the business side of it and the money side of it. We just didn't have the time to keep the people waiting another fucking ten years. The drummer thing was a pain in the butt. We would have loved Bill Ward to step up to the plate, but it never worked out. I still love him to death. It's sad that it didn't work out. But hey, we've got an album, we're all really happy. I don't suppose Bill is that happy.
SPIN.com: Was Brad Wilk [RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE] your first choice to replace Bill [during the "13" recording sessions]?
Osbourne: I don't really want to go into it. We had Tommy [Clufetos,SABBATH's touring drummer and member of Ozzy's solo band] on hold. And it just didn't work out. The way it was dealt with was wrong, because you can't keep people waiting for nothing. We were going to use Tommyat the beginning, and Rick was against it. And then it turned out that it wasn't dealt with professionally and I got a bit pissed off. Anyway,Tommy's doing a great job on the road with SABBATH.
Queens of the Stone Age Scores First #1 Album onBillboard 200; Megadeth at #6, Barenaked Ladies #10
It's official: Queens of the Stone Age has scored their first #1 album on the Billboard 200. …Like Clockwork secured the #1 slot this week with over 91,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. QOTSA's highest-charting release before now was 2005's Lullabies to Paralyze, which both debuted and peaked at #5 on the list with 97,000 copies sold its first week out, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
In addition, …Like Clockwork got the top spot on Billboard's Vinyl Albums chart. …Like Clockwork racked up 12,000 LPs sold in its first week, making it the second-biggest sales week for a vinyl album since SoundScan launched the chart in January 2010. The biggest-selling vinyl album so far is Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, which sold 19,000 LPs when it debuted two weeks ago. Megadeth and Barenaked Ladies also scored top-10 positions on the Billboard 200 this week. Megadeth's fourteenth studio album, Super Collider, clocked in at #6 on the tally with 29,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The last time Megadeth visited the top 10 was with 1994's Youthanasia, which debuted and peaked at #4 on the list with 143,000 copies sold its first week out.
Barenaked Ladies' eleventh studio album, Grinning Streak, clocked in at #10 on the tally with 26,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The group's previous album, 2010's All in Good Time, debuted at #23 on the tally with 23,000 copies sold in its first week.
Source: Abc ePrep
Black Sabbath's 13 Expected to Nab #1 Debut in US and UK
It appears that Black Sabbath's long-awaited album, 13, reuniting the band with original frontman Ozzy Osbourne, will make a big splash on both sides of the Atlantic.
According to HITS Daily Double, 13 is expected to dominate the top spot on the Billboard200 chart next week, with sales estimated to come in somewhere around 120,000 to 130,000 copies. Black Sabbath's highest-charting album in the U.S. to date is the band's third studio effort, Masters of Reality, which peaked at #8 back in 1971.
As for the U.K., 13 is expected to beat out Beady Eye's sophomore album, BE, for the #1 slot on the country's Official Albums Chart next week. That's according to the U.K.'s Official Charts Company, which keeps track of record sales. If the predictions are true,13 will be the group's first album to score the top spot on that tally since its sophomore release, Paranoid, did so in 1970. 13 is the first full-length Black Sabbath studio album to feature Osbourne since 1978'sNever Say Die.
The new Billboard 200 chart's top 10 will be revealed on Wednesday, while the Official Albums Chart will unveil its latest rankings on Monday.
Source: Abc ePrep
Stream Sublime's Live CD, Three Ring Circus: Live at the Palace -- October 21, 1995
While Sublime's live CD album, Three Ring Circus: Live at the Palace -- October 21, 1995, won't be released until Tuesday, the band is giving us something to tide us over until then. RollingStone.com is currently streaming every song from the upcoming release.
As the title suggests, the upcoming release documents a concert by the band's original lineup, which includes late frontman Bradley Nowell, at the Palace in Hollywood, California on October 21, 1995. The collection boasts 27 tracks including performances of hits "Date Rape," "Badfish," and "40 Oz to Freedom," as well as covers of Toots and the Maytals' "54-46 Was My Number," Bad Brains' "House of Suffering," and "Scarlet Begonias" by the Grateful Dead.
While Three Ring Circus: Live at the Palace -- October 21, 1995 will be available separately on CD and DVD formats, a deluxe edition of the release will also be available. In addition to the CD and DVD, that package includes an exclusive poster, laminated backstage pass and an additional live concert video of Sublime performing at the Las Palmas Theater in Hollywood, California from February 17, 1995.
Here is the track list for Three Ring Circus: Live at the Palace -- October 21, 1995:
"Great Stone"
"We're Only Gonna Die for Our Arrogance"
"Don't Push"
"Garden Grove"
"Don't Push"
"Right Back"
"New Thrash"
"Saw Red"
"Badfish"
"All You Need"
"Hope"
"Foolish Fool"
"Falling Idols"
"Caress Me Down"
"40 Oz to Freedom"
"Ebin"
"54-46 Was My Number"
"Date Rape"
"D.J.s"
"I Love My Dog"
"Pool Shark"
"Work That We Do"
"Greatest Hits"
"Smoke Two Joints"
"Scarlet Begonias"
"Ring the Alarm"
"House of Suffering"
OZZY OSBOURNE: 'I'm A Garbage Can' When It Comes To Drugs
BLACK SABBATH members Ozzy Osbourne (vocals) and Geezer Butler(bass) were interviewed on this morning's (Tuesday, June 11) edition of "The Opie & Anthony Show" on SiriusXM satellite radio.
A four-minute clip in which Ozzy talks about his drug use with Opie andAnthony can be seen below.
After 35 years, three original members of BLACK SABBATH release a new disc on Tuesday called "13". The first SABBATH record since 1978's"Never Say Die!" to feature Ozzy, along with guitarist Tony Iommi andButler, it's their second attempt at new music together after a previous effort failed in 2001. Butler told The Pulse Of Radio why it worked this time. "When we tried it in 2001, we just went in, like, completely without any idea of what we were gonna do," he said. "We got about six reasonable songs out of it, but we knew that we had to come up to, like, a certain standard, and we didn't feel that it did so we didn't carry on with it. This time we got together and Tony, like, accumulated all these hundreds of riffs, so we had a starting point this time. There was a certain point where we went, 'Yeah, that's it, we can do it.'"
The new disc does not feature founding drummer Bill Ward, who has sat out the reunion over contractual issues.
Brad Wilk of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE played drums on the whileOzzy's solo drummer Tommy Clufetos is behind the kit for live work.
Asked by Billboard if this will be the last SABBATH album, Butler said, "I guess you should never say never. It could be, though. We'll see how this album goes, see what happens."
The reunion was almost derailed twice, first by Ward's exit and then byTony Iommi's cancer diagnosis, for which the guitarist continues to receive treatment.
A video for the first official single, "God Is Dead?", premiered online Monday (June 10).
BLACK SABBATH will launch a North American tour on July 25 in The Woodlands, Texas.
MEGADETH's new album, "Super Collider", sold 29,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart. The record arrived in stores on June 4 via MEGADETHmainman Dave Mustaine's new label, Tradecraft, distributed byUniversal Music Enterprises (UMe). The disc follows up "TH1RT3EN", which opened with 42,000 units back in November 2011 to enter the chart at No. 11. The band's 2009 CD, "Endgame", premiered with 45,000 copies to debut at No. 9. This was slightly less than the 54,000 first-week tally registered by 2007's "United Abominations", which entered the chart at No. 8. 2004's "The System Has Failed" premiered with 46,000 copies (No. 18) while 2001's "The World Needs A Hero" moved 61,000 units in its first week (No. 16).
"Super Collider" track listing:
01. Kingmaker
02. Super Collider
03. Burn!
04. Built For War
05. Off The Edge
06. Dance In The Rain
07. Beginning Of Sorrow
08. The Blackest Crow
09. Forget To Remember
10. Don't Turn Your Back…
11. Cold Sweat
The album is available as a limited-edition CD with 3-D cover and bonus tracks, regular CD, regular LP, limited LP plus a bonus colored seven-inch single with two bonus tracks, and a download voucher.
The track "Super Collider", which was premiered on Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio metal show on April 20, was released digitally on April 23 via iTunes.
"That song kind of came from that 'Symphony Of Destruction' corner of my mind," Mustaine told Guitar World magazine. "You can't always play aggressive, thrashy stuff. Sometimes those aren't even songs; they're like musical rams. But because I'm not a pop guy, I'm also not really comfortable playing sing-along songs. To me, 'Super Collider' made sense like a normal song — a verse-chorus-verse-chorus kind of thing. It's written the way a real songwriter would write the song, instead of just taking all these musical twists and turns."
"Super Collider" is MEGADETH's first release since the band's recent split with Roadrunner Records.
MEGADETH filmed a video for the "Super Collider" title track on May 10 in the Los Angeles area. California-based model, actress, singer and songwriter Hunter Elizabeth was cast in the lead role in the clip, which she says is "about a high-school couple still loving each other after all the years after graduation, and at the 10-year reunion, both characters find themselves successful (a model and a mathematician) and still very in love."
"Forget To Remember" audio stream courtesy of New York Public Radio
"Built For War" audio stream courtesy of Grammy.com
"The Blackest Crow" audio stream courtesy of RollingStone.com
"Kingmaker" audio stream
"Super Collider" (song) audio stream
Source: Blabbermouth.net
BLACK SABBATH Town Hall Now Available Online
Rock legends BLACK SABBATH marked the release of their new album,"13", with a special live event the day of the album's release (Tuesday, June 11). All three members — Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler — participated in the Black Sabbath Town Hall via Google+ Hangout streamed live on YouTube and Google+ and broadcast live onOzzy's Boneyard on SiriusXM. Ozzy and Geezer appeared from the live event at Angel Orensanz Foundation For Contemporary Art, with Tony Iommi beaming in from Birmingham, England, while "13" drummer Brad Wilk (of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE) and Ozzy's son Jack Osbourne(who directed the clips to launch the album) joined live face-to-face viaGoogle+ Hangout from Los Angeles. The event was hosted by comedian Jim Norton (a host on Ozzy's Boneyard and a co-host on "The Opie & Anthony Show" on SiriusXM).
Video footage of the Black Sabbath Town Hall is now available below.
"13" is the first BLACK SABBATH record in 35 years to feature Ozzy,Tony and Geezer all playing together. This marks BLACK SABBATH's return to Vertigo, their original label, and the group's first studio album together since 1978's "Never Say Die!"
Details of the album's deluxe edition surfaced on April 19, with the bandrevealing that the eight-song effort is accompanied by three bonus tracks called "Methademic", "Peace Of Mind" and "Pariah".
Several versions of "13" are available, including a standard CD, a double CD that includes a second disc of exclusive bonus audio, a heavyweight vinyl album in a gatefold sleeve and a "Super Deluxe Box Set" containing the double CD, the vinyl album, an exclusive DVD documentary on the band's reunion, 13 photographic prints and hand-written lyrics.
The drum tracks on the album were laid down by Wilk following original drummer Bill Ward's decision to bow out of the reunion.
Source: Blabbermouth.net
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's '...Like Clockwork' Tops U.S. Album Chart
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's new album, "...Like Clockwork", sold 91,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 1 on The Billboard 200 chart. Issued on June 4 via Matador Records, the disc follows up "Era Vulgaris", which opened with 52,000 units back in June 2007 to enter the chart at No. 14. The band's 2005 offering "Lullabies to Paralyze" registered a first-week tally of nearly 97,000 copies, to debut at No. 5.
"...Like Clockwork" track listing:
01. Keep Your Eyes Peeled
02. I Sat By The Ocean
03. The Vampyre Of Time And Memory
04. If I Had A Tail
05. My God Is The Sun
06. Kalopsia
07. Fairweather Friends
08. Smooth Sailing
09. I Appear Missing
10. …Like Clockwork
Described by QUEENS principal Joshua Homme as "an audio documentary of a manic year," "...Like Clockwork" is the band¹s first full-length collection of all new material since 2007's "Era Vulgaris", as well as its debut release on new label partner Matador. The record can be pre-ordered on CD and vinyl. iTunes pre-orders will immediately receive"My God Is The Sun", which has been generating some early heat.
"…Like Clockwork" features guest appearances from Trent Reznor,Dave Grohl and other luminaries, including the legendary Elton John.The Pulse Of Radio asked QUEENS frontman Josh Homme how he snagged the iconic singer/songwriter to play on the record. "It actually stemmed from an old roommate of mine, who drives really high-end folks around now, and Elton was in the car listening to THEM CROOKED VULTURES, I guess," he said. "And his assistant was saying, 'Oh, you've got to hear QUEENS, the other band of this guy,' you know. And because my old roommate was driving the car, it was like, 'Do you want to talk to him?' And I just got a phone call at my house on a Sunday. You know, he said, 'The only thing missing from your band is an actual queen,' and I said, 'Honey, you have no idea.'"
The track that Elton plays on is called "Fairweather Friends".
Although it was initially reported that Dave Grohl played all the drum tracks on the new CD, Grohl only appears on selected songs. The rest of the drums are handled by Joey Castillo and Jon Theodore.
Other guests on the record include SCISSOR SISTERS singer Jake Shears, ARCTIC MONKEYS frontman Alex Turner and one-time QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE members Mark Lanegan and Nick Oliveri.
Source: Blabbermouth.net
Tom Morello, Kid Rock, Mumford & Sons Cover Protest Songs to Fight Extreme Poverty
Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello and Kid Rock are among the artists participating in agit8 [agitate], a music-based campaign designed to help to create awareness of issues related to extreme poverty.
The initiative, which was launched Tuesday by U2 frontman Bono's anti-poverty organization ONE, features videos of a wide variety of artists covering protest songs. Tom Morello offered up an acoustic version of his Nightwatchman track, "Flesh Shapes the Day," while Kid Rock donated his rendition of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" to the program. In addition, Mumford & Sons teamed up with Elvis Costello to record a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "The Ghost of Tom Joad."
Morello says that main goal of the agit8 program is to get the politicians who are meeting at next week's G8 summit in Northern Ireland to take steps toward ending global poverty.
"The theme of the event is protest and progress and the idea that our efforts historically and currently are not in vain," Morello tells Rolling Stone. "Extreme poverty has been halved over the course of the last 20 or so years and there's the good chance with continued pressure of the 99 percent that extreme poverty can be eliminated."
Other artists lending their music to the program include Green Day, fun., Arcade Fireand Bloc Party. You can check out the videos at the ONE campaign's YouTube channel. Visit one.org/protestsongs for more information.
Source: Abc ePrep
Drummer Nathan Followill Says Kings of Leon Felt "No Pressure" While Recording Mechanical Bull
Kings of Leon are set to drop their sixth studio album, Mechanical Bull, on September 24. Drummer Nathan Followill says that the band enjoyed making the upcoming release, noting that they felt "no pressure" during the recording process.
"We weren't coming off the heels of a multi-Grammy winning, multi-million selling record," he tells MTV News. "It was fun just to get back in there and everybody have a creative say-so, and just start from scratch. And the result is this new record."
Followill adds that fans shouldn't have any preconceived notions about the upcoming album. "I think a lot of people were expecting a minivan record [because] our wives are all soccer moms, and we're just out with the kids," he explains. But, he says, the band members didn't worry about anyone's expectation but their own. "And that's when it really does feel good, when you go to bed at night knowing you made the record you wanted to make."
Source: Abc ePrep
Black Sabbath Celebrates Release of New Album, 13; Ozzy Praises Producer Rick Rubin
More than 34 years after Black Sabbath last released a full-length studio effort with singer Ozzy Osbourne, the band is back with a brand-new album, 13. The eight-song collection is packed with the heavy, infectious riffs and melodic vocals the rockers' fans have come to worship.
To celebrate the arrival of 13, Black Sabbath hosted a special "Town Hall" event that was streamed live over the Internet on Tuesday. Osbourne and founding Sabbath bassistGeezer Butler took part in the festivities live from New York City, while guitarist Tony Iommi participated via satellite from Birmingham, England.
The album features songs that hearken back to the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers' classic sound, albeit with a modern dynamic sheen, courtesy in large part of Grammy-winning producer Rick Rubin.
Speaking before the event, Osbourne says he was very pleased with how the album came out, and praised Rubin for the way he helped the band creatively.
Osbourne recalled, "Rick Rubin was a really good guy to have do the album, 'cause he'd had a plan for it for a long time. And, when we were writing it, coming into the studio and he'd say, 'I like that one, I'm not so sure about that one,' he guided us in the right way."
Osbourne said the band turned out a finished product of which he is proud. Calling 13 a "good all-around album," he noted, "I always felt when I left Sabbath in 1979 it wasn't a finished thing, you know? So, if for whatever reason we never do an album again, this album is going to round it off nicely. But...I'm not opposing another album."
Osbourne emphasized that he was clean in the studio as he worked on 13, despite his admission in April that he drank alcohol and took drugs during the previous year and a half. Osbourne insisted, "I've been clean and sober for about three or four months. I never let it affect my work."
Source: Abc ePrep
Hear Skillet's New Single, "Not Gonna Die"
Skillet is ready for you to check out another cut from their upcoming ninth studio album,Rise. The band has just offered up a stream of "Not Gonna Die," the next single from the release, at USAToday.com.
Singer/bassist John Cooper says he feels the track is a fair representation of what fans can expect from Rise. "It feels like, to me, what the normal Skillet fan is hoping the album sounds like," Cooper tells the newspaper. "It's very dramatic, but it's also inspiring. It's a song that basically refusing to give up on finding that hope and taking that control of your life, even if it feels like you're losing the fight."
You'll get your chance to hear "Not Gonna Die" performed live when the band hits the road for the Carnival of Madness Tour, which kicks off on August 13 at the Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica in Cleveland, Ohio. Other bands set to take the stage at the event includeShinedown, Papa Roach, In This Moment and We as Human. Visit CarnivalofMadness.com to view the full itinerary.
Source: Abc ePrep
Five Finger Death Punch Previews New Track, "You," from Upcoming Double Album
Less than a week after unveiling a snippet of "Dot Your Eyes," a cut from the first installment of The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Five Finger Death Punch is now offering a preview of another new track. On Monday, the group posted a 36-second snippet of "You," which will be available on the upcoming release. The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell Volume 1 will arrive at all the usual outlets on July 30 and will be available in a variety of formats, including standard and deluxe digital versions and a limited-edition box set. All versions will include the standard album, while the deluxe edition will include a 15-track live CD, PURGATORY [Tales from the Pit]. The limited-edition box set includes everything from the deluxe edition, along with a 5FDP lunch box and a free download of an exclusive new track from the upcoming release.
You can pre-order the deluxe edition of The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell on iTunes starting June 18, but if you buy the physical version, you'll get a limited-edition t-shirt. The box set will also be available for pre-order on the group's website the same day.
Source: Abc ePrep
Zakk Wylde to Be Honored by Vegas Rocks! Magazine in August
He's shredded for Ozzy Osbourne and Black Label Society, and now Zakk Wylde will be honored for his contributions to rock at the Vegas Rocks! Magazine Awards 2013 this summer. The guitarist will be presented with the Riff Monster award at the event, which will take place August 25 at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
The award show will also feature appearances by a number of special guests, including founding Queensrÿche singer Geoff Tate, ex-Ozzy Osbourne/Quiet Riot bassist Rudy Sarzo, former AC/DC and Dio drummer Simon Wright and longtime Scorpions drummerJames Kottak.
Tickets for the Vegas Rocks! Magazine Awards 2013 will go on sale on Friday at 12 p.m. PT at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel box office or via Ticketmaster. Visit VegasRocks.com for more details.
Kings of Leon to Release Mechanical Bull in September; Previews New Single "Super Soaker" at Governors Ball Fest
Kings of Leon have revealed the name and release date for their sixth studio album.Mechanical Bull is set to arrive at all the usual outlets on September 24, reports Billboard.
Bassist Jared Followill had previously stated that the new tracks will sound similar to their earlier work. "I thought we were going to make a really mature album but I'm amazed how youthful it sounds," he told NME. "It's like a mix of [our 2003 debut album]Youth and Young Manhood and [2007's] Because of the Times."
While their headlining performance at New York's Governors Ball Festival was canceled on Friday due to severe weather conditions, the band took the stage on Saturday and debuted Mechanical Bull's first single, "Super Soaker," during their rescheduled set. Fan-filmed footage of the performance can be seen on YouTube. Billboard reports that "Super Soaker" will be released sometime around mid-July.
Black Sabbath Marking Release of 13 with Live Event That Will Stream Online Tuesday
Black Sabbath's long-awaited studio album 13 arrives in stores on Tuesday and to celebrate the occasion, the band will be taking part in a special live event that will stream online on YouTube and Google+. The Black Sabbath Town Hall, which begins at 7 p.m. ET, will feature singer Ozzy Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler speaking in person from New York City, while guitarist Tony Iommi will participate via satellite from Birmingham, England.
In additional, Rage Against the Machine's Brad Wilk, who played drums on 13, and Ozzy's son Jack Osbourne will be beamed in via Google+ Hangout from Los Angeles. Comedian Jim Norton will serve as the event's host. 13 is Black Sabbath first full-length studio effort featuring Ozzy since 1978's Never Say Die. The record finds the band revisiting its epic heavy-metal sound while bringing it into the 21st century. Produced by Grammy-winning studio whiz Rick Rubin, 13 contains eight songs, five of which exceed eight minutes in length. A deluxe version also is available with three extra tracks.
Watch Official Video for New Black Sabbath Single "God Is Dead?" Online Now
The official video for "God Is Dead?," the first single from Black Sabbath's just-release studio album 13, can be viewed now online. The clip, which was directed by controversial filmmaker and social activist Peter Joseph, got its world premiere this past Thursday in Hollywood.
The provocative video features various photos and archival film footage of Black Sabbath incorporated into its narrative, which takes an abstract and artistic look at song's titular theme. Among the recurring images in the clip are semi-animated scenes of various people standing in the bustling center of New York City's Times Square as Black Sabbath members are projected on the screens that tower above the street.
Other segments show scenes of war, destruction and human suffering; a Bible covered by a U.S. flag; an apparently affluent couple gorging themselves food and wine; several men of different religious faiths who drop various items of religious significance onto the ground; and a droplet of blood that expands into a river that threatens to drown people on the street.
As the video nears its finale, throngs of people are seen lining a city street in protest in front of some official building protected by riot police. Things come to an ambiguous end as a bright light illuminates the world, possibly signaling apocalypse or salvation.
Director Joseph's credits include a counterculture-inspired trilogy of films titled Zeitgeist, and he used scenes from the movies in making the "God Is Dead?" clip.
He explains of the video, "The gesture of the song 'God Is Dead?,' with its subtle reflection on the often dark world we inhabit and questioning of how such a world can be if there was a god, resonated with me."
Kirk Hammett Says Metallica's Filling Up "Riff Bank" for New Album
Despite the distractions of their constant touring schedule and their upcoming 3D flick,Through the Never, Metallica is still focused on the task of creating songs for their follow-up to 2008's Death Magnetic. Guitarist Kirk Hammett says that in their spare time, the band has been stockpiling a large number of heavy riffs for their tenth studio effort.
"We do have a lot of musical ideas, we have something called 'the Riff Bank,' and the Riff Bank keeps getting bigger and bigger, still, to this day," he tells MTV News. "I'm writing stuff, [bassist] Rob [Trujillo]'s writing stuff, [frontman] James [Hetfield] is writing stuff, [drummer] Lars [Ulrich] is writing stuff, continually expanding the Riff Bank."
Hammett adds that while the band is coming up with lots of material, fans will need to wait about two years before they can get their hands on it. "I think it's a more sober statement to make to say that the album will probably come out in 2015," notes the guitarist. "We have a lot of ideas but no actual finished songs…but we're looking forward to making it as heavy and as high-energy as possible, because that's what we want."
In other Metallica news, Through the Never will premiere exclusively at every IMAX theater across North America for a full week starting September 27, after which it'll expand into additional theaters starting October 4.
Tenacious D Reveals Lineup for Comedy-Rock Event, Festival Supreme
Tenacious D has unveiled the full lineup for their inaugural comedy-rock music festival, Festival Supreme, which takes place October 19 on the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, CA. In addition to a headlining set by the D, the bill features a host of other well-known comedy-rockers including Zach Galifianakis, Adam Sandler, Sarah Silverman,Fred Armisen, and Eric Idle.
"We've been trying to put this thing together for years," says the band in a statement. "The comedy + music event of the century. Festival Supreme! It will shake the heavens and bring this town to its knees...in a good way."
You can score pre-sale tickets to Festival Surpreme at Ticketmaster on Wednesday at 10 a.m. PT with the password "SUPREME." General ticket sales for the event will go on sale on Friday at 10 a.m. PT.
Here is the full list of Festival Supreme performers:
Tenacious D
Tim and Eric
The Mr. Show Experience
The Mighty Boosh
Sarah Silverman
Zach Galifianakis
Adam Sandler
The Gregory Brothers
Tig Notaro
Hannibal Buress
Eric Idle
Fred Armisen
Princess (Maya Rudolph and Gretchen Lieberum)
Will Forte
Demetri Martin
Dynasty Handbag
Reggie Watts
Beardyman
Craig Robinson and the Nasty Delicious
Garfunkel & Oates
Triumph the Insult Comic Dog
Neil Hamburger Band
The Abe Lincoln Story
Nancy and Beth (Megan Mullally and Stephanie Hunt)
STONE SOUR: Pro-Shot Footage Of Entire ROCK AM RING Performance
Professionally filmed video footage of STONE SOUR's June 8 performance at the Rock Am Ringfestival in Nürburgring, Germany can be seen below.
"House Of Gold & Bones - Part 2", the second part of STONE SOUR's two-album series, "House of Gold & Bones", sold 35,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 10 on The Billboard 200 chart. The record arrived in stores on April 9 viaRoadrunner.
The "House Of Gold & Bones" albums were recorded at Sound Farm Studios just outside of the band's native Des Moines, Iowa with producer David Bottrill (TOOL, MUSE) at the helm.
STONE SOUR has issued a new music video for "Do Me A Favor", the first official single from "House Of Gold & Bones - Part 2". A four-issue comic book series adapted from singer Corey Taylor's story is being released this spring and summer, with the first issue having arrived on shelves on April 17 and the second one on May 22.
Source: Blabbermouth.net
Marilyn Manson Dedicates Song to Paris Jackson, Performs Shocking Tribute at Los Angeles Concert
Marilyn Manson gave a unique tribute to Michael Jackson's teenage daughter, Paris Jackson, at his concert at the Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal City Walk in Los Angeles on Thursday. According to Billboard, the singer dedicated his single "Disposable Teens" to Jackson and then simulated "a suicide attempt by dragging a meat cleaver across his forearm."
The incident occurred the same day that Manson extended Jackson a standing invitation to his shows, following numerous unconfirmed reports that Jackson's alleged suicide attempt was triggered by her being denied the opportunity to attend the singer's Gibson Amphitheatre concert. TMZ previously reported that Manson offered this message to Jackson several hours before the Los Angeles show: "I hope you feel better. You will be on my guest list anytime you want."
Manson is currently trekking across North America on his Masters of Madness co-headlining tour with Alice Cooper.
Muse's Matt Bellamy Reveals The 2nd Law Was Inspired by World War Z
It's no coincidence that tracks from Muse's The 2nd Law are featured in the soundtrack to the upcoming flick, World War Z. Frontman Matthew Bellamy says that the songs on the album were directly inspired by the Max Brooks novel on which the film is based on.
"When we were making the album, I was reading the book World War Z, so it was kind of ideal," he tells MTV News. "The album's got a lot of themes about the apocalypse; the end of the world, surviving in bleak circumstances… it was just a lovely coincidence that we had these tracks that are inspired by the book." World War Z will arrive in theaters on June 21. It stars Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos and Matthew Fox.
Five Finger Death Punch Offers Preview of New Single, "Dot Your Eyes"
Five Finger Death Punch may have pushed back the release date for the first installment of their upcoming double album, The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, but the group is making it up to us by offering a preview of one of the new cuts. On Thursday, the group posted online a 34-second snippet of "Dot Your Eyes," which will be featured on the upcoming release. The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell Volume 1 will arrive at all the usual outlets on July 30 and will be available in a variety of formats, including standard and deluxe digital versions and a limited-edition box set. All versions will include the standard album, while the deluxe edition will include a 15-track live CD, PURGATORY [Tales from the Pit]. The limited-edition box set includes everything from the deluxe edition, along with a 5FDP lunch box and a free download of an exclusive new track from the upcoming release.
You can pre-order the deluxe edition on iTunes starting June 18, but if you buy the physical version, you'll get a limited-edition t-shirt. The box set will also be available for pre-order on the group's website the same day.
James Hetfield Says Metallica Moved Orion + More Fest to Detroit to Avoid Price-Gouging
It appears that Metallica had a good reason for moving their Orion Music + More festival from Atlantic City, New Jersey, to its new home at Belle Isle Park in Detroit. Frontman James Hetfield says the guys decided to change locations because the band didn't think Atlantic City hotels were very nice to their fans.
"I thought Atlantic City was going to be a lot better than it was," he tells Rolling Stone. "There was some gouging going on in hotels, ripping people off, crap like that. We're trying to make this affordable for people, so that wasn't a great thing."
Despite the fact that the band lost money on the inaugural edition of the event, Hetfield notes that he's not concerned about the festival's finances as much as the happiness of their fans. "At the end of the day, it's not about us making money," he explains. "It's really about creating some kind of mark in history, and after, eight, 10 years, if this thing starts breaking even, then that will put a little more of a smile on our faces and it won't be as much of a personal investment."
Guitars Signed by Papa Roach, Guns N' Roses & Others Available in Charity Auction for OK Tornado Victims
The people who put on the annual Rocklahoma festival are stepping up to help those affected by the deadly tornadoes that ripped through Moore, Oklahoma last month. Producers for the event have announced that they'll be offering some exclusive products for a charity auction, the proceeds from which will go to support tornado victims.
The sale features guitars autographed by Papa Roach, Guns N' Roses, Hollywood Undead, Dokken and Skillet, as well as signed music memorabilia from the likes of Alice in Chains, Bush and Halestorm, among others.
Bidding runs through June 14 at Auctions.ReadySetAuction.com/Rocklahoma.
Coheed and Cambria Add More Tour Dates
Coheed and Cambria have added two more dates to their busy 2013 touring schedule.
The newly scheduled shows will take place at The Pageant inSt Louis on August 26 and at the House of Blues Las Vegas on September 3. Circa Survive will support the band on both dates.
Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.com. Tickets for the St. Louis show go on sale today, Friday, at 5 p.m. CT. Tickets for the Las Vegas show will be available tomorrow, Saturday, at 10 a.m. PT.
The new dates are additions to Coheed and Cambria's schedule which includes 27 previously reported appearances as part of the Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival withAlice in Chains, Jane's Addiction and more.
OZZY OSBOURNE On New BLACK SABBATH Album: 'It Worked Out Better Than Our Wildest Expectations'
Paul Lester of The Guardian recently conducted an inter view with BLACK SABBATH members Tony Iommi (guitar), Ozzy Osbourne(vocals) and Terry "Geezer" Butler (bass). A few excerpts from the chat follow below.
On whether they believe in God:
Butler: "I do when I'm on a plane — the first thing I do is say my prayers."
Ozzy: "I've done a good job of trying to kill myself for 64 years. But something's kept me alive. I don't know if it's God, fate or whatever. I'm open-minded. But I don't believe in organized religion at all."
On the few myths surrounding BLACK SABBATH, including the one aboutOzzy biting off the head of a live bat, which he had presumed was rubber, in 1982:
Ozzy: "We were never really into the occult. It was a hobby, until we started getting invites to black-magic rites in cemeteries. Then I got accused of doing this and biting that and there would be people picketing the arena with banners. But if you listen to the lyrics, there's nothing that's pro-black magic or pro-satanic worship. It's like God Is Dead? — at the end it says: 'I don't believe that God is dead,' but they only hear the words 'God is dead.'"
On Ozzy not being focused in the studio during the band's early years:
Butler: "You can't write or play songs if you're out of your brains . But because [Osbourne] didn't have to play an instrument, while we were writing he'd be in the bar getting legless or doing all kinds of things." The latter included relentless pleasure-seeking, leading to blackouts."
Ozzy: "I didn't believe it when they said I had blackouts. I'd look at my watch and it would say four o'clock. Then I'd look again and it would say 9:30. I'd totally forget where I'd been or what I'd done. But then you don't think about that before you start drinking. You don't think: 'I wonder what jail I'll wake up in tomorrow?' Because that's not your intention."
On BLACK SABBATH's "13" being the most important record of Ozzy's career:
Ozzy: "Yes, we've had our disagreements. We all said bad things and did our different trips, but it's great to be with the guys. The last time [2001] it didn't gel. But this time it worked out better than our wildest expectations. For Tony to come up with riffs like these is unbelievable. He deserves a medal because if I'd been diagnosed with lymphoma I'd have gone 'Fuck this,' and gone back to bed with a bottle of morphine. But we kept on going because we knew this was probably our last hurrah."
Read the entire interview from The Guardian.
ALICE IN CHAINS Drummer: 'People Don't Value Music The Way They Used To'
Natalie Zina Walschots of Exclaim.ca recently conducted an interview with ALICE IN CHAINS drummer Sean Kinney. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Exclaim.ca: I've just found it fascinating how you have resisted labeling, and despite how long you have been around, how consistently hard it is to apply a single label to ALICE IN CHAINS. You seem determined to occupy a very nebulous space between several genres. Is that one of the strengths of the band?
Kinney: I would say this, after being in this band for a long time: the reason that it's one of our strengths is that you're only shiny and new once, and then people like to move on and find another new thing. But because we've always focused on songwriting and melody, and we're a very vocal-based band. I mean, to me, the heaviest song we've ever written was "Nutshell", which is also our quietest song. It's the content of what we're saying and what we're doing that makes us heavy. One thing I will say about being somewhat metal is this: metal fans are the best. They fucking live and breathe it, and they're dedicated, and they support the fucking bands that they love. They're not trend-hopping hipsters, trying to find the new hot thing to follow to impress people, they are dedicated to what they love. And because there is a set of them who find something in our music that they dig, they stay with it and they support it. That never gets lost on us. Even when we were super hip in like 1990 or whatever, a lot of the bands around us don't exist anymore, but we do.
Exclaim.ca: So you credit your particular fan base with the fact that you have been able to continue to find success.
Kinney: Of course, I think a lot of bands would have a better chance of surviving and sticking it out a little longer if the music industry wasn't so screwed up. People don't value music the way they used to; they don't even buy it. So if it doesn't take up your energy and your time and doesn't mean more to you than filing up gigabytes on your phone, then it devalues the whole thing. There are all these bands now who don't have the chance to become a better band, to grow, because it's financially impossible to continue. You can't survive in this business. So, whenMETALLICA and these bands who still play big stadium shows, real rock shows that aren't radio shows or have like 50 bands, when they can't do it anymore, who is going to take their place? No one. Rock doesn't have a place like it did in the '80s and '90s. It's all going back underground. The rest of it is all [Justin] Bieber all the time.
Read the entire interview from Exclaim.ca.
FILTER: 'What Do You Say' Video Released
"What Do You Say", the new video from the rock act FILTER, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's sixth studio album, "The Sun Comes Out Tonight", which was released on June 4 via Wind-Up Records. The CD was recorded in Los Angeles at Blue Room studios with producer Bob Marlette (BLACK SABBATH, ATREYU, SALIVA). The follow-up to 2010's "The Trouble With Angels" was written and recorded by leader Richard Patrick and guitarist Jonny Radtke, as well as collaborator Marlette. There are also performances from touring membersJeff Friedl and Elias Mallin (drums) and Phil Buckman (bass).
"The Sun Comes Out Tonight" track listing:
01. We Hate It When You Get What You Want
02. What Do You Say
03. Surprise
04. Watch The Sun Come Out Tonight
05. It's Got To Be Right Now
06. This Finger's For You
07. Self Inflicted
08. First You Break It
09. Burn It
10. Take That Knife Out Of My Back
11. It's My Time
12. It's Just You
In a recent interview with ABC News Radio, Patrick said that the unique album title was inspired by his former drug use.
"In my lifetime, the sun definitely came out at night," he said. "I'm a recovering drug addict and a recovering alcoholic, but when I was taking drugs, there were a few nights where my blood turned into golden, beautiful sunshine. It was all chemical-based, and I knew it was a lie, but it was completely overwhelming, and it was like the sun had come out at night."
Patrick added that the CD deals with some heavy themes, which mirror issues that he's been forced to confront in his personal life. "Right now, I'm in a dark place," he explained. "I personally have been going through some really intense stuff and it's easy to just sit there and write about betrayal and no one listening, you know, so there's a lot of that on the record."
TONY IOMMI On Original BLACK SABBATH Reunion: 'It's Like We've Never Been Apart'
Martin Boulton of Australia's The Age recently conducted an interview with BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
On the making of the new BLACK SABBATH album, "13":
Iommi: "When we started this project, we went to [producer] Rick's [Rubin] house and he played the first [BLACK SABBATH] album and said, 'How long is it since you've heard it?' So he was just trying to get us back into that vibe and we got it … getting back to the basics.
"Over the years, you do get carried away with doing different things … changing your sound, and god knows what else, but with this one, there's a lot of elements of those first albums, and while there's a lot of different stuff going on, it worked out really well."
"Rick was saying it doesn't matter how long they [the songs] are, so we played a lot of the tracks live, and I haven't done that for a while. I kept thinking 'we can re-do this part or that part', but Rick was saying 'no, we'll keep that, that's good', so it was very peculiar, but just a different way of doing things for us.
"He didn't want Ozzy [Osbourne] doing any harmonies, he just wanted it basic and singing in a lower pitch. We got into a stage on 'Never Say Die!' where Ozzy would be singing high in the studio and when we got on stage, he couldn't do it, but on this [album], he kept it at a range he can do [on stage]."
On working with other singers under the BLACK SABBATH banner, including Ronnie James Dio, Glenn Hughes and Tony Martin:
Iommi: "It's been really good for me to work with all those people,.Ronnie [who died in 2010] was great, and Glenn is an old friend with a great voice, and they're the sort of people who don't exist that much. I like working with different people and people like that … just all class."
On what it feels like to be playing with Ozzy Osbourne and bassistGeezer Butler again:
Iommi: "It's like we've never been apart, to be honest. We've all been friends for so long and it's been great getting back together — really good — and a really good way to finish off, I think, with the original lineup."
Read more from The Age.
MEGADETH's DAVE MUSTAINE: 'I Don't Really Put A Lot Of Value In What People Say About Me'
In the three-minute clip below, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine talks to Fuse about running for president and mean tweets.
Asked what the nicest tweet was that he ever got from someone,Mustaine said: "I think it's all kind of relative, where you're at in your day. 'Cause if you're having a good day and somebody writes something stupid about you, it's kind of water off your back. If you're having a bad day and someone writes something stupid about you, it can affect you. If you're having a bad day and somebody writes something really nice about you, it can totally pull you out of it. But I kind of look at it like that's up to you on how long that moment's gonna last — if it's gonna be a bad moment, a bad minute, a bad hour, a bad day. So, for me, I don't really put a lot of value in what people say about me. 'Cause if I did, man, I would be a basket case by now."
He added: "People like to talk about me; they either talk good or they talk bad, but they talk.
"But I mean, the fun thing, too, is I think a lot of the fans know they can kind of joke around with me a little bit and that I don't take everything as an offense. Sometimes it kind of pushes the limit a little bit; I don't think a lot of them would say a lot of the stuff that they say to my face. But some of them would, because it's [stated in a] tongue-in-cheek [way]. It's just that sometimes it doesn't look the same in print."
MEGADETH is touring in support of its new album, "Super Collider", which is likely to sell between 28,000 and 32,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to industry web site Hits Daily Double. The estimate was based on one-day sales reports compiled after the record arrived in stores on June 4 via Mustaine's new label, Tradecraft, distributed by Universal Music Enterprises (UMe).
Source: Blabbermouth.net
Adrian Belew Bows Out of Nine Inch Nails
His official website's homepage features a quote from Trent Reznor calling him "the most awesome musician in the world," but apparently that awesomeness was ultimately a poor fit for Reznor's Nine Inch Nails. Adrian Belew has announced he's leaving the band.
In a post on his Facebook page, the veteran guitarist writes, "Concerning me being a part of the 2013 Nine Inch Nails band: it didn't work out."
Apparently, that brief bulletin is a shorter version of an earlier, longer statement Belew posted to Facebook, which Consequence of Sound grabbed before it was deleted. The earlier post reportedly read, "hey folks, before this goes too far let me say this: I greatly respect trent and the music he makes. no one is at fault. we both agreed it just was not working. I'm sorry to disappoint anyone. that really hurts. but NIN will do an amazing show and I am back where I belong: creating FLUX." FLUX is Belew's longtime musical project.
The irony is, it was Belew who's said to have inspired Reznor to reform NIN, after spending the past few years on other projects, including composing film soundtracks and releasing new music as How to Destroy Angels with wife Mariqueen Maandig, Atticus Ross and Rob Sheridan.
Belew's resignation comes just one day after Nine Inch Nails announced an upcoming North American tour in support of the forthcoming album, Hesitation Marks. It also comes less than a month after former Jane's Addiction bassist Eric Avery announced he was leaving NIN. Avery was replaced with longtime NIN collaborator Robin Finck.
Marilyn Manson to Paris Jackson: "You Will Be on My Guest List Anytime You Want"
Michael Jackson's teenage daughter, Paris Jackson, won't ever need to buy a ticket to a Marilyn Manson concert. According to TMZ, Manson has extended Jackson a standing invitation to his shows following numerous unconfirmed reports that Jackson's alleged suicide attempt was triggered by Paris being denied the opportunity to attend Manson's concert at the Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal City Walk in Los Angeles on Thursday.
The gossip website says that Manson has offered this message to Jackson: "I hope you feel better. You will be on my guest list anytime you want."
Manson is currently out trekking across North American on his Masters of Madness co-headlining tour with Alice Cooper.
Queens of the Stone Age Expected to Score First #1 Debut on Billboard 200 with …Like Clockwork
It appears that Queens of the Stone Age's ...Like Clockwork will knock Daft Punk'sRandom Access Memories from the top of the Billboard 200 album chart next week. ...Like Clockwork is expected to nab a #1 debut on the list, with projected sales putting it somewhere around 80,000 copies.
If the predictions are true, this will be the band's first #1 album on the tally. QOTSA's highest-charting release before now was 2005's Lullabies to Paralyze, which both debuted and peaked at #5 on the list with 97,000 copies sold its first week out, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
The new Billboard 200 chart's top 10 will be released Wednesday.
Lostprophets' Ian Watkins to Stand Trial for Alleged Sexual Offenses Against Children
Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins is headed to court in the fall to face allegations that he committed a total of 23 sexual offenses against children, according to BBC News.
On June 3, Watkins pleaded not guilty when he appeared via video link before a judge in Cardiff, Wales at a hearing on charges of allegedly "conspiring to engage in sexual touching with two young children; possessing, making and distributing indecent images; and possessing 'extreme' animal pornography." The singer is also being accused of conspiring with a woman "to rape a one-year-old girl." In addition, two women -- ages 20 and 24 -- are facing charges in connection with the child sex allegations.
"I want to thank my family, friends and all the fans for the continued support throughout this whole ordeal," Watkins said in a recent statement. "Your support gives my strength. I deny all the allegations made against me and I will continue to fight to clear my name."
Watkins' trial is scheduled to start on November 25 and is expected to last about a month.
Metallica Looking to Make Detroit the Permanent Home for Orion Music + More Festival
Metallica's second annual Orion Music + More festival takes place this weekend at Belle Isle Park in Detroit, and if the band has their way it will be there for years to come. Drummer Lars Ulrich says that if all goes well this year, the band expects to make Detroit the official home of the fest.
"Detroit doesn't really have a yearly festival and we have a lot of history there," Ulrich tells Businessweek.com. "Detroit as a city itself has an incredible musical legacy. We feel this really has a shot at turning into something permanent here."
Ulrich adds the band has worked hard to create a "sense of connection" with fans at the festival, which he hopes will keep them coming out to support the event year after year. "There was a very cozy family spirit significantly different than other festivals we've played," he explains of Orion Music + More. "If we treat this right over the next couple of years, maybe we'll be able to establish a long-term type of thing."
This year's Orion Music + More festival lineup includes headlining sets by Metallica andRed Hot Chili Peppers, as well as performances from Rise Against, Deftones, Silversun Pickups, Dropkick Murphys and Foals.
Nine Inch Nails Reveals New Album Title, First Single, Tour Dates
Last week came the unexpected but welcome news that Trent Reznor has spent the last year working on a new Nine Inch Nails album. Today, we have a name, a release date and more. Hesitation Marks, due out September 3 on Columbia Records, is the first new music from Nine Inch Nails since 2008's The Slip and finds Reznor again teaming with musical partners Atticus Ross and producer Alan Moulder. Even better, the first single off the new album, titled "Came Back Haunted," is streaming now on Soundcloud and available now for purchase on iTunes. Pre-order Hesitation Marks on iTunes and you'll get a digital copy of "Came Back Haunted" for free.
NIN will also hit the road to support Hesitation Marks. In a statement, Reznor calls the fall outing, dubbed Nine Inch Nails: Tension 2013, "the full-on NIN live experience realized as we never could before." The tour kicks off September 28 in St. Paul, Minnesota and run through November 25 in Calgary, AB, for a total of 31 dates.
Tickets for the tour go on sale Friday, 6/13 via LiveNation, though fans who register atNIN.com are promised exclusive first access to tickets, before the general public.
Here are the Tension 2013 dates so far:
9/28 -- St. Paul, MN, Xcel Energy Center
9/30 -- Kansas City, MO, Sprint Center
10/1 -- St. Louis, MO, Chaifetz Arena
10/3 -- Montréal, QC, Centre Bell
10/4 -- Toronto, ON, Air Canada Centre
10/5 -- Cleveland, OH, Wolstein Center
10/7 -- Auburn Hills, MI, The Palace of Auburn Hills
10/8 -- Pittsburgh, PA, Petersen Events Center
10/11 -- Boston, MA, TD Garden
10/14 -- Brooklyn, NY, Barclays Center
10/15 -- Newark, NJ, rudential Center
10/18 -- Washington, D.C., Verizon Center
10/19 -- University Park, PA, Bryce Jordan Center
10/21 -- Raleigh, NC, PNC Arena
10/22 -- Nashville, TN, Bridgestone Arena
10/24 -- Atlanta, GA, Philips Arena
10/30 -- Sunrise, FL, BB&T Center
10/31 -- Orlando, FL, Amway Center
11/5 -- San Antonio, TX, AT&T Center
11/8 -- Los Angeles, CA, Staples Center
11/9 -- Phoenix, AZ, US Airways Center
11/11 -- El Paso, TX, Don Haskins Center
11/13 -- Broomfield, CO, 1stBank Center
11/15 -- Las Vegas, NV, The Joint
11/16 -- Las Vegas, NV, The Joint
11/18 -- Portland, OR, Rose Garden Arena
11/19 -- Spokane, WA, Spokane Arena
11/21 -- Vancouver, BC, Rogers Arena
11/22 -- Seattle, WA, KeyArena
11/24 -- Edmonton, AB, Rexall Place
11/25 -- Calgary, AB, Scotiabank Saddledome
Five Finger Death Punch Pushes Back Release for The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell Volume 1
Five Finger Death Punch fans, you'll have to wait an extra week to get your hands on the first installment of the band's fourth studio effort, The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell. The record's release date has been pushed back to July 30. The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell will be available in a variety of formats, including standard and deluxe digital versions and a limited-edition box set. All versions will include the standard album, while the deluxe edition will include a 15-track live CD, PURGATORY [Tales from the Pit]. The limited-edition box set includes everything from the deluxe edition, along with a 5FDP lunch box and a free download of an exclusive new track from the upcoming release.
You can pre-order the deluxe edition on iTunes starting June 18, but if you buy the physical version, you'll get a limited-edition t-shirt. The box set will also be available for pre-order on the group's website the same day.
5FDP recently gave fans a taste of the new album by posting a lyric video for the release's first single, "Lift Me Up," which features vocals from Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford.
Pearl Jam/Soundgarden Drummer Matt Cameron Forms New Band, DRUMGASM
Pearl Jam/Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron has revealed that he's partnered withDeath Grips/Hella drummer Zach Hill and Sleater-Kinney/Wild Flag drummer Janet Weiss to form a new band called DRUMGASM.
While the group's self-titled debut effort is set to be released on August 27, you can pre-order it now on vinyl at JackpotRecords.com. The release will run you $14.99 and comes with a free download card so you can enjoy the tracks on your digital devices, too.
Queens of the Stone Age Animated Promos to Become a Feature Film?
Last month, Queens of the Stone Age previewed new cuts from their recently released album, ...Like Clockwork, in a series of short animated films created by U.K. artistBoneface. Now, it appears that there is some interest in turning those clips into a feature-length film.
A source close to QOTSA tells NME that a number of "major Hollywood studios" have pitched both the group and Boneface about the project, and that they are looking to snag Quentin Tarantino or Tim Burton to direct the flick. In addition, the source reveals that producers would like the movie to feature some of the guest artists who appear on the release, which includes Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails, former Screaming Trees frontman Mark Lanegan, former Mars Voltadrummer Jon Theodore and Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner.
Foo Fighters, Gaslight Anthem Donate Music to Hurricane Sandy Documentary, Beach 119
Foo Fighters and The Gaslight Anthem are among the artists who have donated their music to be used in a new documentary, Beach 119, which chronicles the lives of the residents of Beach 119th Street in The Rockaways as they deal with the aftermath from Hurricane Sandy.
"This documentary is to give these survivors a voice to tell their story," said the film's co-director, Marcie Allen, in a statement. "Beach 119 is a story of humanity. Strangers came together in a time of need."
Included in the soundtrack are Foo Fighters' "Home, The Gaslight Anthem's "National Anthem" and some original music by Staind guitarist Mike Mushok.
Smashing Pumpkins to Reissue The Aeroplane Flies High in July
Following the reissues of 1991's Gish, 1993's Siamese Dream, 1994's Pisces Iscariot and 1995′s Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, The Smashing Pumpkins will now re-release their 1996 box set, The Aeroplane Flies High, in July.
The set will be available in a variety of formats, including standard and deluxe digital versions and a vinyl package. All versions will include a remastered edition of the original album, while the deluxe versions will include more than 60 previously unreleased and alternate versions of tracks, as well as live recordings. The physical version of the deluxe package will also include a live DVD documenting a July 4, 1997 concert in Belfort, France.
"Listening to the music gathered here is a little bit like seeing what goes on behind the walls of Disneyland," says frontman Billy Corgan in a statement. "You look over that gate and notice that things on the other side are not well painted -- or maybe you spot that guy dressed as some character sneaking a smoke on his break. At least for me, the behind the scenes feel heard on The Aeroplane Flies High represents something revealing not found on the main album." The Aeroplane Flies High reissues will be available July 23. To view the full track list of each box set and DVD, visit SmashingPumpkins.com.
SERJ TANKIAN On New SYSTEM OF A DOWN Album: 'It's Not Something I Can Do Right Now'
SYSTEM OF A DOWNsingerSerj Tankian spoke to ARTISTdirect about the band's current status, including its continued lack of new music.
"Of course, we have a lot of fans and people interested in getting a record sooner rather than later," Serj said. "Things take time though. Everyone has a life and has to have the right frame of mind to make a record at the same time… I've been touring with SYSTEM, The FCC, and orchestras around the world. I haven't stopped. There hasn't been much time off. I want to make sure I have time for myself and my family."
He continued: "Only the four of us can decide what SYSTEM means. I know the fans agree that's what SYSTEM is, and that's amazing.
"I can't write a forced record. It's like romancing someone at a time you don't want to be romantic. It's not even a choice. We've enjoyed touring a lot. All of the tours have been well received. We play really tightly — probably better than we ever have. It's been cool.
"A new record requires three years. It's not something I can do right now. When I can commit to a three-year album cycle, I'll be down to do it.
'You can't take orders. We're not making pizza. [laughs] You can't do it on anyone else's timeframe.
SYSTEM OF A DOWN bassist Shavo Odadjian last month posted a series of statements at his Facebook page in which he directly blamed Tankianfor the band's lack of new material, saying that the vocalist was holding the group back. Odadjian wrote in a post riddled with spelling errors, "I'll come clean.. It's not us, meaning Daron [Malakian, guitar], John[Dolmayan, drums] or Shavo!! It's Serj, who doesn't want to do a new album . . . now he might hate me for exposing the truth but I had too. Sorry folks!!! We're trying to get a new album out, it's just not passingSerj's RULES!"
Odadjian hinted that he would be happy to work with a new singer, saying, "I'm ready to release (a new album) with someone who wants to be the singer of SYSTEM, not someone we have to beg to be a part ofSYSTEM!! So with that in mind, what do you guys (think we) should do? Just remember, he's been holding us back for 7 years so far — wanna wait another five years? Or shall we release a record without Serj?"
Odadjian added, "No diss to Serj . . . If he wants to be in the band, then he's welcome, but if he's not? What do you expect us 3 to do??"
Odadjian told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that he could never envision SYSTEM OF A DOWN going away permanently. "We're brothers, man, we'll take bullets for each other," he said. "So it's like, you kind of miss each other after a while and you, one guy makes the first move, then another starts making phone calls....this is a juggernaut, man. SYSTEM OF A DOWN is my lifeline. It'll never go away. We could not make a record for 10 years — that's not gonna happen, but I'm just saying we could — and we'll come back strong."
SYSTEM OF A DOWN released a statement shortly after Odadjian made his remarks, saying, "Earlier today, Shavo posted a few statements on his personal Facebook page that do not reflect the sentiments of SYSTEM OF A DOWN as a collective band. These were misleading statements that were made during a temporary state of bad judgment on his part alone."
The statement added that the full lineup of SYSTEM will be performing its upcoming live dates, which will take place mostly in Europe but include a July 29 gig at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
As for a new album, the statement from the band said, "Although we have not agreed on a timetable for a new album, we all believe that having the four of us do it together is the way to be true to the band and our fans."
Tankian has been the busiest of all four SYSTEM members since the band went on indefinite hiatus in 2006, releasing three solo studio albums and one live set, with a jazz disc and a symphony on the way this summer.
Dolmayan and Malakian started the on-again, off-again SCARS ON BROADWAY, while Odadjian collaborated in a project called ACHOZEN.
NINE INCH NAILS To Release 'Came Back Haunted' Single
NINE INCH NAILS will release a new single this Thursday (June 6) to radio at 11:30 a.m. PDT.
The new song, titled "Came Back Haunted", "harkens back to early NINE INCH NAILS," says Lisa Worden, Music Director for Los Angeles alternative station KROQ.
"I think it's in line with the first two albums," Worden continues. "It's got a great beat, it's not the experimental material [NINE INCH NAILSmainman] Trent's [Reznor] done in the last five years." Worden indicated the song didn't strike her as angry. Rather the beat is what made an impression. "I wouldn't say that it's dance-y, but it does have a great beat, a groove. Trent really brought it with this song. It's going to sound amazing to new fans and old. It's just cool."
Six years after his NINE INCH NAILS contract with Interscope Recordsexpired and he became an independent artist, Reznor has signed a new deal for NINE INCH NAILS with Columbia Records, marking NIN's return to the major label industry. Reznor's other act, HOW TO DESTROY ANGELS, made a deal with Columbia last year, so extending the partnership to NINE INCH NAILS doesn't seem like much of a stretch. A new NINE INCH NAILS album will arrive later this year.
Reznor said, "For the last year I've been secretly working non-stop withAtticus Ross and Alan Moulder on a new, full-length NINE INCH NAILSrecord, which I am happy to say is finished and frankly fucking great. This is the real impetus and motivation behind the decision to assemble a new band and tour again. My forays into film, HOW TO DESTROY ANGELS and other projects really stimulated me creatively and I decided to focus that energy on taking NINE INCH NAILS to a new place."
Reznor officially resurrected NINE INCH NAILS a few months ago after a four-year break for an extended tour that will kick off this summer.
The band is performing at a number of festivals, including Lollapalooza,Outside Lands, Leeds, Reading, Made In America and the Voodoo Festival.
The new band lineup will debut on July 26 at the Fuji Rock festival in Japan. The show will mark NINE INCH NAILS' first live performance in nearly four years.
Reznor officially put NINE INCH NAILS on hiatus after the final shows by the last version of the group in September 2009.
Since then, Reznor and collaborator Atticus Ross have scored two films, including "The Social Network", for which they won a Golden Globe and an Academy Award in 2010.
Along with Reznor's wife, singer Mariqueen Maandig, Reznor and Rossalso launched HOW TO DESTROY ANGELS, whose debut disc, "Welcome Oblivion", came out in March.
DAVE MUSTAINE: Some People Want Me To Keep Recording 'Black Friday' For The Rest Of My Life
MusicRadar.com recently conducted an interview with MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
On lineup changes in MEGADETH:
Mustaine: "It would be predictable to say this is the best line up. If you go down the list, it was great to play with James Lomenzo and James MacDonough to remember how good I had it and to see different playing styles.
"They were both really good players but Dave [Ellefson] is the right bass player for MEGADETH. Shawn [Drover, drums] has been in MEGADETHlonger than Nick Menza was and I think on this new record he's played better than he ever has in his life.
"It sounds like he's a certain metal drummer with a lot of Dave from theFOO FIGHTERS. He was pretty flattered. I didn't want to say, 'Hey, you sound like Dave Grohl' and he be like, 'I hate alternative!' You never know with drummers, they're unpredictable creatures.
"Then you've got Chris Broderick. We had other guitar player come in after Chris Poland and there always was resistance in that shotgun position. They had to play other people's guitar solos and a lot of the time they would complain and want to improvise it. There is no improvising inMEGADETH. These fans love these guitar parts.
"What would you think if someone went up to do 'Comfortably Numb'and did 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'? I remember when Ozzy had come out after Randy Rhoads died. A couple of guys filled in for him and they were good players but they wouldn't play Randy's solos and I thought, 'Shame on you, guys. You can do these solos, respect his legend by learning his stuff.' Chris plays all the solos note for note."
On MEGADETH's new album, "Super Collider":
Mustaine: "We have a two-album thing that we do with people. We try to keep things fresh. Sometimes when you have an artistic relationship, it can be chemical in nature and it can become predictable and lose its artistic merit.
"Some people don't want music, they want me to record 'Black Friday' 12 times on a record for the rest of my life. I get it, that's a ferocious song, but there's some great stuff on ['Super Collider'], like 'Built For War'. I love that. I don't know how I'm going to sing it live, but I love it!"
On writing process for "Super Collider":
Mustaine: "When I write, I'll try to figure out how to capture it. Sometimes it'll be my phone or a recording device. I'll transfer it to somewhere until I can sit back and listen to it again.
"Part of the first process is locating everything. I'll be laying in bed and call my voicemail and I'll go, 'na na na, na na na, na na,' with my hand over the phone so I don't wake my wife up. Several times she'd wake up and say, 'Who are you calling?!' So locating the riffs is first and then playing them and translating them to guitar. Then it's piecing it together. It's pretty fun.
"Lyrics are usually the last thing that gets done. I'm a stickler for lyrics. I don't want to sound arrogant, but guitar is fun for me, so it comes natural. The lyric part is where I challenge myself because there's a lot of people that respect how I write."
Read the entire interview from MusicRadar.com.
JANE'S ADDICTION Guitarist Paints Mother's Portrait With Own Blood
According to The Pulse Of Radio, JANE'S ADDICTION guitarist Dave Navarro recently participated in an art ritual in the California desert.Navarro took part in a bloodletting ceremony, with his blood used to paint a portrait of his late mother, Constance Navarro. Dave was bled through a cut on his forehead, with the blood collected in a wine glass to use in the painting. Navarro is no stranger to bizarre practices: he has undergone flesh hook suspension through his back, which he still practices, and also recently went through some scarification.
Constance Navarro was murdered by boyfriend John Riccardi in March 1983. Dave was only 15 years old at the time of his mother's death.Riccardi was arrested in 1991, thanks to a viewer tip after Navarroappeared on the television series "America's Most Wanted".
JANE'S ADDICTION will release a concert document called "Live In NYC"on June 25. The set will be issued on DVD/CD, Blu-ray and double LP vinyl, as well as standalone DVD and CD. The show was filmed and recorded at New York City's Terminal 5 on July 25, 2011, while the band was touring in support of its first studio album in eight years, "The Great Escape Artist".
The group and ALICE IN CHAINS will co-headline the fourth annual Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival, which kicks off on August 9 in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Photos below courtesy of the Instagram profile of The Spread Groupand the Tumblr page of Samppa Von Cyborg.
KORN's FIELDY And HEAD Talk About Rocking Out For Fans And For 'The Lord'
KORN bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu and guitarist Brian "Head" Welch were interviewed by the St. Louis Christian radio station The Rockabout the good and bad things about being in and out of the "Christian bubble."
Fieldy's 2009 memoir, "Got The Life: My Journey Of Addiction, Faith, Recovery And Korn", details his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction during KORN's early years and how he became a born-again Christian to help get his life together and get sober.
Welch abruptly quit KORN in early 2005 and announced that he had been saved by Jesus Christ. His announcement in front of 10,000 people in Bakersfield, California set off a media frenzy, as people from around the world sought to understand what led this rock star into the "light."
KORN played its first full concert since 2005 with Welch in the lineup on May 15 in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, where the group kicked off a string of spring North American dates. Welch joined the group onstage for one song last year at the Carolina Rebellionfestival, sparking rumors that more shows together and even a full reunion were in the pipeline. The band has also just finished recording its first studio set with Welch since 2003's "Take A Look In The Mirror".
ALICE IN CHAINS' 'The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here' Lands At No. 2 On BILLBOARD Chart
ALICE IN CHAINS' fifth studio album, "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here", sold 62,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on The Billboard 200 chart. The disc follows up 2009's"Black Gives Way To Blue", which was the group's first all-new collection of material in 14 years. That CD opened with 126,000 units back in October 2009 to debut at No. 5.
ALICE IN CHAINS was last in the Top Two with its self-titled 1995 set, which debuted at No. 1 on that year's November 25 chart, according toBillboard.com. It would be their final studio release with singer Layne Staley, who died in 2002.
Although "Black Gives Way To Blue" was a huge comeback success for the band, guitarist/singer Jerry Cantrell told The Pulse Of Radio that they wiped the slate clean when it was time to make something new. "You should start from a zero every time, and we started from a zero with this record just like we've done with every record we've made," he said. "You've got a blank canvas, and you and your band are in the room and there's the canvas and there's no other pictures of the old albums hanging up. You know, those are put away in a closet somewhere, so you're not thinking about them or drawing from them or trying to repeat them or whatever. It's impossible to do that. That is what it was, now what do we do?"
"The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" is ALICE IN CHAINS' second album withWilliam DuVall on vocals.
DuVall began touring with the group in 2006, four years after the death ofLayne Staley from a drug overdose.
ALICE IN CHAINS began working on the new disc in 2011, but the sessions for the album were delayed when Cantrell had to undergo shoulder surgery.
"The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" features the singles "Stone" and the chart-topping "Hollow".
ALICE IN CHAINS heads to Europe this month and Canada in July before co-headlining the fourth annual Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival with JANE'S ADDICTION, kicking off on August 9 in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Queens of the Stone Age to Rock Live at Letterman Webcast on Wednesday
Queens of the Stone Age will be the next band to take part in the exclusive CBS Interactive webcast series Live on Letterman. The band's performance will stream live on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.com and VEVO.com.
During their set at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City, the group is expected to play some tunes from their newly-released album …Like Clockwork, as well as a selection of their classic songs. Following the live event, the concert will be available for viewing on demand at the official Live on Letterman website. Previous artists who have performed on the Live on Letterman series include Soundgarden, Depeche Mode, My Morning Jacket and Coldplay.
QOTSA will also be the musical guest on The Late Show with David Letterman for two nights in a row on June 5 and 6. The program airs on CBS at 11:35 p.m. ET/10:35 p.m. CT.
Jack White Donates $142,000 to Save Detroit's Masonic Temple; Gets Venue Named After Him
Jack White has been revealed to be the anonymous donor who paid the $142,000 in taxes to save Detroit's Masonic Temple from foreclosure, the Detroit Free Press is reporting. In honor of his generosity, the Temple's Cathedral Theater will now be renamed the Jack White Theater.
"Jack's donation could not have come at a better time and we are eternally grateful to him for it," says Detroit Masonic Temple Association President Roger Sobran. "Jack's magnanimous generosity and unflinching loyalty to this historic building and his Detroit roots is appreciated beyond words."
White, a native of Detroit, has a long history with the 1,586-seat theater: he performed at venue several times and his mother had previously worked there as a usher.
Filter's Richard Patrick Says The Sun Comes Out Tonight Was Inspired by Past Drug Use
Filter released their sixth studio album on Tuesday, The Sun Comes Out Tonight. Frontman Richard Patrick says that the unique title was inspired by his former drug use.
"In my lifetime, the sun definitely came out at night," he tells ABC News Radio. "I'm a recovering drug addict and a recovering alcoholic, but when I was taking drugs, there were a few nights where my blood turned into golden, beautiful sunshine. It was all chemical-based, and I knew it was a lie, but it was completely overwhelming, and it was like the sun had come out at night."
Patrick adds that the newly released album deals with some heavy themes, which mirror issues that he's dealing with in his personal life. "Right now I'm in a dark place," he explains. "I personally have been going through some really intense stuff and it's easy to just sit there and write about betrayal and no one listening, you know, so there's a lot of that on the record."
Filter is currently out on tour promoting The Sun Comes Out Tonight.
Items Signed by Linkin Park, Red Hot Chili Peppers & Others Available in Grammy Charity Auction
Some goodies autographed by Linkin Park, Red Hot Chili Peppers, My Morning Jacketand other artists are up for grabs in an online auction benefiting the Grammy Foundation and MusiCares.
The Get Ready to Rock auction includes framed magazines signed by Linkin Park and Red Hot Chili Peppers; guitars signed by My Morning Jacket, fun. and Soundgarden; and autographed vinyl copies of Jack White's Blunderbuss and The Lumineers' self-titled album.
Also up on the block are VIP packages, where the lucky bidder gets a pair of tickets and meet-and-greet experiences at concerts for 311, Fall Out Boy and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.
Bidding runs through June 10 on eBay.com/Grammy.
Black Sabbath to Perform on Late Night with Jimmy FallonThis Monday
Black Sabbath will be on hand to rock NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Monday, the evening before the heavy-metal legends unleash 13, their first full studio album to feature original singer Ozzy Osbourne in 34 years. No word yet on what the band will perform on the show. Late Night airs at 12:35 a.m. ET/11:35 p.m. CT.
Meanwhile, Black Sabbath has revealed that the official video for 13's lead single, "God Is Dead?," will premiere June 17 on the group's official Facebook page. As previously reported, fans can listen to 13 in its entirety at iTunes until the album's June 11 release.
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY mainman and ex-OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Zakk Wylde will join the LES PAUL TRIO on Monday, June 10 at The Iridium in New York City for a very special performance. Call 212-582-2121 for further details (long-distance charges may apply).
Les Paul, who passed away at the age of 94 on in 2009, was "the father of the electric guitar." To honor Les, the legendary LES PAUL TRIO continues to play every Monday night featuring best-of-breed guitarists honoring Les in their own special way. Guest artists create the setlist and they range from Les Paul material to covers to original. It's incredibly eclectic and an opportunity to see the world's best guitarists up close and personal.
The Iridium donates 20 percent of ticket sales every Monday to The Les Paul Foundation, which supports music education, engineering, and innovation as well as medical research.
Source: Blabbermouth.net
Alice in Chains Headed for Big Debut on Billboard 200 withThe Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
Alice in Chains is set to make a big splash on the Billboard 200 album chart this week. The band's fifth studio album, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, is expected to grab the #2 slot, with projected sales of around 60,000 copies. Daft Punk's Random Access Memoriesis expected to keep the #1 spot on the tally for the second week in a row.
If the predictions are true, this will be the band's highest-charting album since their 1995 self-titled release, which debuted in the top spot on the Billboard 200 its first week out. The group's previous album, 2009's Black Gives Way to Blue, debuted and peaked at #5 on the tally with 126,000 copies sold in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
The new Billboard 200 chart's top 10 will be released Wednesday.
Scott Weiland Launches Countersuit Against Former Stone Temple Pilots Band Mates
Last week, the members of Stone Temple Pilots filed a lawsuit with the Los Angeles Superior Court claiming that former frontman Scott Weiland used STP's name and assets to promote his solo career, allegedly in breach of their partnership agreement. Now, TMZ is reporting that Weiland has filed a countersuit against his former band mates, alleging that they conspired to have him expelled from the group.
Weiland is also asking the judge to dissolve the band's partnership so that his former band mates can't use the STP name for any future recordings. In addition, the singer is suing the band for $7 million in damages.
STP is currently in the studio working on new music with their new frontman,Linkin Park's Chester Bennington, while Weiland is out on tour with his new band, The Wildabouts, where they perform tracks from the STP's first two albums: 1992's Core and 1994's Purple.
The Killers and Kings of Leon to Headline Life Is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas
The Killers, Kings of Leon, Imagine Dragons and Beck are just some of the acts that will be in Las Vegas this October for Sin City's Life Is Beautiful Festival, an outdoor music, art and food event that will be held on the streets of downtown Vegas.
Other acts confirmed to be appear include Passion Pit, Pretty Lights, Childish Gambino,Purity Ring, Living Colour, Capital Cities, Jurassic 5, STS9, Youngblood Hawke,Danny Brown and Allen Stone.
The Life Is Beautiful Festival will be staged at a number of indoor and outdoor venues spread over 15 downtown blocks.
The festival is scheduled for October 26-27. Tickets go on sale this Friday, June 7. Visit LifeIsBeautifulFestival.com for complete details.
Metallica Offers Free Download of "Star-Spangled Banner" Performance
Last month, Metallica took time off from their busy schedule to participate in the first-ever Metallica Night at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California to support their local baseball team, the world champion San Francisco Giants. During the pre-game festivities, guitarists James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett played "The Star-Spangled Banner" to a sold-out crowd of over 41,000 fans. Now, you can experience their patriotic tribute for yourself: the band is offering a free download of their performance, via LiveMetallica.com.
In other Metallica news, the group will kick off their second annual Orion Music + More festival on Saturday at Belle Isle Park in Detroit, Michigan. In addition to headlining sets by Metallica and Red Hot Chili Peppers, the event also includes performances from Rise Against, Deftones, Silversun Pickups, Dropkick Murphys and Foals.
Avenged Sevenfold Posts Trailer for New Album
Avenged Sevenfold whetted everyone's appetite Friday for their new album by posting a trailer online for the upcoming follow-up to 2010's Nightmare.
The one-minute clip, titled #allhailandronikos, features footage of the band working in a recording studio and includes a snippet of one of the new tracks, which features a horn section.
While a title and release date for the album has yet to be announced, you'll get a chance to hear some of the new cuts performed live when the band headlines the Rock USA festival. That event takes place July 17-20 at Ford Festival Park in Oshkosh, WI. Among the other acts set to perform at the event are Godsmack, Van Halen and Poisonfrontman Bret Michaels, plus Buckcherry, Chevelle and Sevendust.
To see the complete festival artist roster, head over to RockUSAOshkosh.com.
Black Sabbath's Upcoming Album, 13, Streaming in Its Entirety Now on iTunes
Black Sabbath's long-awaited reunion album, 13, won't hit stores until next Tuesday, June 11, but you now have the chance to preview all of the new songs online. The entire 11-track deluxe version of the album currently is streaming on iTunes. 13 is available for pre-order now at the iTunes store. Fans who place an advance order for either the standard eight-song edition or the deluxe collection can immediately download the album's lead single, "God Is Dead?," for free.
Produced by Rick Rubin, 13 features original Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler, as well as Rage Against the Machinedrummer Brad Wilk.
Black Sabbath will support 13 with a North American summer tour that kicks off July 25 in Houston.
Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Pleads Not Guilty to Sexual Offenses Against Children
Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has pleaded not guilty to allegations that he committed a total of 24 sexual offenses against children, according to WalesOnline.co.uk.
Watkins appeared via video link before the Recorder of Cardiff Judge Eleri Rees in Cardiff, Wales on Monday at a hearing over charges for allegedly "conspiring to engage in sexual touching with two young children; possessing, making and distributing indecent images; and possessing 'extreme' animal pornography." The singer is also being accused of conspiring with a woman "to rape a one-year-old girl."
In addition, the singer released a statement to thank all those who have offered their support to him. "I want to thank my family, friends and all the fans for the continued support throughout this whole ordeal," he said in a statement. "Your support gives my strength. I deny all the allegations made against me and I will continue to fight to clear my name."
Watkins is expected to appear before the Cardiff Crown Court again on Thursday. His case is expected to be tried sometime before the end of the year.
Carnival of Madness Tour, Featuring Shinedown, Announces First Batch of Dates
The Carnival of Madness Tour returns this year, and the event's producers have just unveiled the first set of tour dates. The traveling festival, which will feature headlining sets by Shinedown, will kick off on August 13 at the Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica in Cleveland, Ohio. Other bands set to rock the main stage at the event include Papa Roach, Skillet, In This Moment and We as Human.
Shinedown frontman Brent Smith recently revealed that fans who attend the upcoming event can expect much more than just a concert. "It's gonna be a real carnival this year for the first time," he told ABC News Radio. "We're actually gonna have circus performers and a whole different team of people that are gonna be involved in making this a massive spectacle. We want people to come in and see not just, you know, a rock show, but this is an experience, this is an event and...we wanna wow people."
Tickets for the event will be available starting Friday. Visit CarnivalofMadness.com for more information.
Here are the dates:
8/13 -- Cleveland, OH, Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
8/14 -- Philadelphia, PA, Mann Center for the Performing Arts
8/16 -- Canandaigua, NY, Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center
8/17 -- Cincinnati, OH, PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center
8/18 -- Bloomington, IL, US Cellular Coliseum
8/20 -- Burgettstown, PA, First Niagara Pavilion
8/21 -- Bristow, VA, Jiffy Lube Live
8/23 -- Tinley Park, IL, First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
8/25 -- Cedar Rapids, IA, U.S. Cellular Center
8/27 -- Clarkston, MI, DTE Energy Music Theatre
8/28 -- Big Flats, NY, Tags
8/30 -- Charlotte, NC, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
8/31 -- Virginia Beach, VA, Farm Bureau Live
9/1 -- Raleigh, NC, The Red Hat Amphitheater
9/6 -- Allegan, MI, Allegan County Fair
9/10 -- Morrison, CO, Red Rocks Amphitheatre
9/14 -- Sacramento, CA, Discovery Park
Puscifer to Release Remix Album, All Re-Mixed Up, in August
Puscifer is about to get remixed. Frontman Maynard James Keenan says he's chosen a number of electronic artists, rappers and producers to create their own interpretations of tracks from the group's 2011 album, Conditions of My Parole.
Titled All Re-Mixed Up, the album will feature new and unique remixes by producer Alain Johannes, rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot and Telefon Tel Aviv's Josh Eustis, among others.
"All Re-Mixed Up is the continuation of the Puscifer tradition to release alternate versions, reworks, and remixes of what we consider initial thoughts," says Keenan in a statement. "It's extremely liberating in the digital age to approach composing and creating [with] infinite paths to explore, reinterpret, and re-present." All Re-Mixed Up will arrive at all the usual outlets on August 27. Here's the track list:
"Monsters (Deconstruct)" -- Mat Mitchell
"The Green Valley (Verde River Maestro 507 mix) -- Rani Sharone
"Monsoons (JLE Motorik mix)" -- Josh Eustis
"Telling Ghosts (Giorgia O'Queef mix)" -- Carina Round
"Horizons (Dream of a Lie remix)" -- John Fryer
"Man Overboard (11AD remix)" -- Alain Johannes
"Toma (Burn Out remix)" -- Five Knives
"The Rapture (JLE Needs Service mix)" -- Josh Eustis
"Conditions of My Parole (F.U.B.A.R. remix)" -- Sir Mix-a-Lot
"The Weaver (Virtual Vacuum remix)" -- Aaron Harris
"Oceans (Green Mussel Mix)" -- Zac Rae
"Tumbleweed (Delusions of Grandeur mix)" -- The Beta Machine
Megadeth Previews New Track, "The Blackest Crow"
Megadeth's upcoming album, Super Collider, won't hit stores until Tuesday, but fans can hear a little preview of the release now. The band has just posted a stream of "The Blackest Crow," a new cut from the album, on RollingStone.com.
Frontman Dave Mustaine tells Rolling Stone that while "The Blackest Crow" was originally inspired by his mother-in-law's battle with Alzheimer's disease, it was "altered to be more about a tragic loss and the depression that follows."
Mustaine notes that he tried to get country stars Willie Nelson and Miranda Lambert to contribute the track, but both stars weren't able to make it happen. "Although [Lambert] declined, her manager was polite enough to reportedly say she didn't feel she could make the song better," he reveals. "I was very flattered."
SMILE EMPTY SOUL To Release 'Chemicals' In The Fall
Los Angeles rock act SMILE EMPTY SOUL will release its new album,"Chemicals", in the fall. The CD will mark the band's first release through their own imprint, Two Disciples Entertainment, in conjunction with a unique business venture through Chicago's Pavement Entertainment. Distribution and marketing will be handled through Pavement via RED (a division of Sony Music Entertainment) and MRI in North America and through RSK Entertainment in Europe and the rest of the world.
Pavement Entertainment president Mark Nawara states: "I am happy to be a part of the new SMILE EMPTY SOUL album. I've been a huge fan of the band for years and look forward to big things to come from these guys."
Pavement's director of A&R Tim King adds: "I've been close to these guys and a strong supporter of them since the early 2000s. It's great to finally be working with them on a much larger scale."
Says SMILE EMPTY SOUL's Sean Danielsen: "With all that the band has been through over the years, we finally feel at home with forming our own imprint and calling all our own shots. We are also pleased to announce that we will finally have a proper European release this time around and look forward to getting overseas to the many fans that have waited to see us over the years."
SMILE EMPTY SOUL is currently putting the finishing touches on"Chemicals" and will embark on a summer tour before the album is released.
KORN Drummer Talks About Balancing Touring And Family Life
MikeDolbear.com recently conducted an interview with KORN drummer Ray Luzier. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
MikeDolbear.com: You're certainly one for doing your homework; apparently you learnt 35 songs for your KORN audition! Have you always been that way?
Luzier: I was auditioning for a lot of bands around the time I was at MIand I wanted something national. I was a huge Ozzy [Osbourne] fan and I found out [former Ozzy guitarist] Jake E. Lee was holding auditions. He was one of my favourite guitar players and I was number 50 in line; the same drum set, everyone plays the same three songs. When you're in a situation like that, it's smart to bring a different element to it, because it gets quite boring for them, playing the same thing all day long. I always do more homework than needed. I learnt all the BADLANDS records that Jake played on, every Ozzy song that he played on. I did my research. I went in and said, "Jake, I love BADLANDS. Can we do 'Soul Stealer'?' And he said, "Let's just play the songs you learned," and I'm like, "Man, I love that song." The bass player's like, "Does it go like this?" and Jake says, "Let's just do the songs," and next thing I know they're figuring out "Soul Stealer" and all of a sudden everyone is concentrating on it. The manager walks in and goes, "What are you doing?" and it's nothing off the list that everyone else had learned. Sometimes that works, when you do your research because it makes you a little different. Sometimes you can't; a talent scout might call and say that there's a new artist who just got a record deal. There might be three songs, she's unknown so that's all you can learn but if they're a known artist do your homework because you never know what you could get tested on. With the ARMY OF ANYONEaudition, I learnt the six songs from off their demo and we ended up playing almost the whole [LED] ZEPPELIN "Physical Graffiti" record cos I knew they were ZEPPELIN freaks. I went to the bathroom, came back and they said, "You've got the gig." I said, "Can we play the songs?!"
MikeDolbear.com: How was it for you when you joined KORN and stepped into take over from another drummer?
Luzier: It was intense, especially with someone as powerful as KORN. This morning, there was a girl, a diehard fan, who had Jonathan's face tattooed from her shoulder to her elbow and my signature is tattooed on her arm. There are a lot of diehard fans out there. I'm up to 27 pictures of my name on people's arms and I'm just a farm boy from Pennsylvania! When a band like that sells 38 million records, and it changes so many musicians… it's scary what they've done. People will come up to Jonathan[Davis, KORN singer] and say, "You saved my life. I was thinking about suicide but KORN got me through it." It's more powerful than people think, and to be honest, I was a big KORN fan but I wasn't like, "I have to play for KORN some day." It was too big for me and no one could ever touch them because they're such unique musicians. Nobody on the planet plays like them, the way they attack and the feel they have… To be that identifiable is huge and no one sings like Jon Davis. Dave Silveria is quite a different drummer. The original five are what made KORN and I always respect that, but we're totally different drummers. It doesn't matter how technically good you are; you get the gig on whether you understand what's going on or not. There were no rehearsals after my audition forKORN, so for two months I was calling the manager and he was saying it was fine, but I didn't know what songs to learn or anything! We rehearsed one time. We flew to Dublin, I learnt the set list and we ran the set the day before at the venue and jumped in to the fire. I was nervous as shit!
MikeDolbear.com: Let's talk a bit about being a dad. Has it changed your outlook on music and band life?
Luzier: Absolutely. Everyone says that when you have kids, it changes your life. It's ten times more than what anyone ever says! I'm not a selfish, conceited guy, but when a kid comes along, it's really not about you at all. He took over the house; I'm just the dude that pays the bills. I'd just become an official member of KORN and had started doing press. I showed up and there's a football guy, Warren Moon, a legendary football player. They said a model, Aspen Lee, was going to interview me. I was like, "Great. A model and a football guy." I saw the model, who is my girlfriend now, and I said to the publicist, "If I don't marry her or have a child with her, I'm done. I'm tired of dating; I'll be single and I'll be happy." I was so over the whole scene. She had a boyfriend at the time and I was a gentleman. I said, "Here's my number and if you are ever in L.A…." Three months later, and I couldn't stop thinking about her. I got a text, "I'm in Austin, the same place that we met. I broke up with my boyfriend," and that was it. We started dating and she lived in Florida as a full-time model, seven days a week. It got quite annoying flying backwards and forth and flying her out. Five months into the relationship, she told me she was pregnant, so obviously I wanted to live with her and take care of her. We moved her out from Miami and when he was born, it was the best thing that ever happened. Everyone always says that, but it truly is. If you're not in the situation, you can't really know it.
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH: Why We Decided To Cover LL COOL J's 'Mama Said Knock You Out'
Metal Covenant recently conducted an interview with guitarist Zoltan Bathory of Las Vegas metallers FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Metal Covenant: What's new about [FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's forthcoming fourth studio effort, a double album that the band will release in two installments, "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell Volume 1" and "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell Volume 2"] and what are your expectations for these coming releases?
Zoltan: Well, you know, we were in a situation when this is our fourth record, right?! In every record we do, we progress somewhat. The first record was pretty heavy and I pretty much wrote the record by myself, like 95 percent. You have to start somewhere. Then we became sort of a real band and started to record the second and third album. That was the progression of everybody's writing. We even had a couple of member changes and everybody's influence was shaping the music to what it became. The first record is always your ticket in, to see if people like it or not, and the first record was extremely successful, so obviously that meant that we could stay around for a while and make a second record. The second record will be an answer to the question if this was a fluke or are these guys really good. The second was even more successful, so that sort of answer the question if we mean this and for the third record comes the question if we still have something to say. We did "American Capitalist" and it was even more successful than the previous one, so obviously we had something to say. Then comes the fourth record, and that is the motherfucker, because this is what happens. We already have three records and even though there is progression, this is our sound. This is about the time people may get bored with what you do or you have to do some kind of a change or some kind of a progression. It's kind of a damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don't scenario. If we don't change and just keep doing what we do, people are gonna go, like, "Okay, I've heard this three times before. Do I care for another frigging record of the same band?" So you have to progress, but if you progress, where are you going? If we going to progress into maybe more commercial, then people would say, "Oh, that's their sound now, they've got money and wanna do and whatever." If we go heavier, then they're like "They're losing their commercial edge. They don't get radio time and this band is going down. They don't have songs now." So whatever you do, people are going to think something's wrong. So for us, it actually came out in a really interesting way, because we said we can't really care about much and we just have to do what we do. So we kept on writing and writing, and we were, like, "Just write everything that comes to us and then decide what ends up on the record," and we ended with 20 or something songs. So when we are looking at these songs, we sort of realized that there's nothing we wanna throw away. This is all good stuff, there were no fillers. We gotta put all out, and that actually brought us a really interesting opportunity that this will take away that stigma, because we're not doing what we always do. So the fourth record is a double record and two things happen with this. One, it's interesting because this is a double record, which is not the norm. Second, when you have 24 songs, you can experiment, because if you have 10 songs and you experiment with three, that's one third of the record and immediately people are gonna go, like, "Oh, they're changing their sound. What is that shit about?" So simply you don't have enough slots on the record to experiment, but when you have 24 songs, it's enough material to "sacrifice" 5-6 songs and expand in directions that I normally wouldn't do, like covering a hip-hop-song, which is very unpopular in these days. So we can do things that people will raise their eyebrows to, and we can do it because we have enough songs and enough slots for two records and people are not gonna question that we change. We won't change, we're just branching out. We are the same band, the same guys with the same music. We're not gonna play jazz fusion; it's not gonna happen. We are FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, but we can do these interesting things, so that's what this scenario gave us and that's where we are with this.
Metal Covenant: [JUDAS PRIEST's] Rob Halford. It's rather unusual to have a guest vocalist on the opening track ["Lift Me Up"]. They usually end up somewhere around track 7 or 8 or something.
Zoltan: Well, this was another thing again, you know. We don't wanna do or don't care what's the norm. I think it's a good position we have, to really do whatever we wanna do. It's funny though, the lyrics to the song is "we just do what we do," so we'll do what the fuck we wanna do, and that's actually the lyrics to that song. We heard somewhere, somehow, I think it was on TV, where he said that FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH was one of his favorite bands. So when we wrote that song, I think maybe it was me who said that this sounds like old-school JUDAS PRIEST, you know. That kind of clicked, like, "Wait a minute, what if we could get Rob Halford to sing this since it's already kind of old-school JUDAS PRIEST?" We reached out to their management and originally they said "No, he doesn't have time and he's recording." But then Rob heard the song, because the management still passed it to him, and he was, like, the one who called us. You know: "I'm singing on the fucking track," so he really liked the track. A week later, he was in Vegas recording with us. That's kind of weird. You know, this is fucking Rob Halford — are you kidding me? He's in the studio, singing on our song. Jesus! It was very cool, yeah.
Metal Covenant: What about the other guests, like Max Cavalera[SOULFLY], Maria Brink [IN THIS MOMENT], etc.?
Zoltan: Everybody is good friends with us. It was only Rob we didn't know personally, obviously. Max has already sung with us before. He came out and sang one of our songs when SOULFLY was supporting us on a Canadian tour. During that [tour], we became friends and he came out and sang our song live, so that was kind of obvious to happen and Ivan[Moody, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH singer] loves Max. Ivan's a big fan, so we reached out to Max. [HATEBREED's] Jamey Jasta, same thing — a good friend of ours for a long time. We have toured together many times. And then Maria from IN THIS MOMENT. Actually, we just needed a female voice for our low piece and we thought, "Just get Maria." She's a friend and she can do it. But then she came to the studio and we said, "Sing these parts too." She ended up singing more parts than what we actually wanted and it then became a duet instead of the low parts we wanted, because it was so good and we wanted to keep it. And then the last one was [American rapper] Tech N9ne. Today it's not okay to collaborate with anybody in hip hop. 10-15 years ago, that was the norm and then we wouldn't have done it. Now, when it's not okay, when it's taboo, I wanna do it. That's the point — when you rebel, when you give that middle finger, because today this is a sacrilege. You don't touch hip hop, but fuck that, we're gonna and we did it. We had an idea to cover [LL COOL J's] "Mama Said Knock You Out". We thought it was the irony of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, when people said "Mama Said Knock You Out", it just kinda went hand in hand. LL Cool J was always somebody who was cool. Even metalheads are okay with him. Everybody's heard that song and everybody knows that one and people are down with him. He's cool, he's okay, right? He's an artist that everybody accepts. Then we made the song heavy and when Tech N9ne came in, we thought, "Oh yeah, this is happening. Fuck it, Let's put it on the record."
Czech Republic's Muzikus.cz recently conducted an interview with formerMETALLICA, VOIVOD and FLOTSAM AND JETSAM bassist and current NEWSTED frontman Jason Newsted. You can now listen to the chat in three parts below.
Speaking about his decision to leave METALLICA in 2001, Jason said: "I don't know if this is selfish, and anybody can take it the way they want, or maybe it's egotistical — I'm not sure — but I truly feel that I saved [METALLICA] in 1986 by being the right choice [to replace lateMETALLICA bassist] Cliff Burton] and being able to take all the shit [from the other guys in the band]… and take all the good, too. And I also saved their band 12 years ago by stepping aside and letting them carry on with what they wanted to carry on with.
"I was not able to be on the same page with them anymore; they were taking too much time away from the band. We hadn't plugged in our amps for months and months and months by the time that I made the decision and called the meeting to talk to them. There had been so much distraction from actually playing the metal that I couldn't take it anymore. I was busy with my other project — I already started recording. I was already going forward with another project that I was gonna do a worldwide release with, because they weren't spending any time playing any music."
He continued: "It's great to [spend time with] your family, and it's great to do all those things, but METALLICA is still a fucking priority, and it always was a priority for me. And I think that, over time, it became not just a priority for them. It was always, and my band is still right now the priority for me — even though I have [other things] going on, it's still what I put first. And anybody around me, anybody in my circle, [like] my wife, or anyone, knows that that's coming first. And I always put METALLICAfirst. When those guys stopped putting it first all the time — like we all used to do together — it changed things for me. They weren't able to give the same amount of time to play at volume and remember why we were doing this.
"When we played loud together, it transcended everything — all the rest of the world went away, all the issues, all the shit. When we went loud, nothing existed except our power.
"In August of 2000, when we stopped playing live, James [Hetfield,METALLICA guitarist/vocalist] had injured himself — he couldn't be the same player, he had to wear his guitar different, he couldn't stand at the mic the same, it was a different approach on things. He wasn't spending as much time on music because of life, and I understand that — I don't have anything against that. But if you're committed to having this thing, this giant fucking thing that we worked so hard for to be the priority, if all of a sudden other things are more important than that, I can't do it. It's got to be the priority the whole fucking time. And it was for me, but it wasn't for them. Ultimately, at that time in our career, I had to step off, because I had things to do; I had music to play and share with people, and they had a different vision of how they were gonna go about things at that point.
"James was in a serious emotional and [alcohol-abuse] trouble, and I knew that. And I had to step off. And when I stepped off, I do believe that was the catalyst for him to realize that there was trouble. 'Cause I was always his brother. Dressing-room-wise, Kirk [Hammett, guitar] andLars [Ulrich, drums] [always shared a] dressing room, James and Jason[shared the other] dressing room — for years. We were brothers. We were like-minded. We liked trucks, we liked guns, we liked the outdoors, we liked the mountains. We were like-minded people. We are brothers — strong brothers, like that. I mean, my family took James on as a family member. My mom sent… my mom probably still sends him birthday cards. We were that close. So when that kind of thing comes about where you don't have that same commitment anymore, or whether I'm misreading it or not, but we weren't committed the same way that we had been in the past, and I just wasn't feeling it; it wasn't right. And I was pretty well fucked up on some substances at that point too. So nobody was in their right mind.
"We should have kind of… Like Lars said awhile ago, we didn't take any time to assess the mental stability of the members of the band and the individuals. After so much hard work and not being home for 10 years, pushing and pushing and pushing it to be the biggest thing ever, we forgot about everything else. And it makes people unstable. And if we sat down and actually addressed people's mental issues… and I was addicted to painkillers and James was all drunk… It was a mess. If we would have addressed it as people instead of bringing in an outsider, then we could have probably done it. But because of what happened, and what transpired, and the managers bringing in an outsider and trying to fix it, and all that kind of shit, I was not gonna be a part of that."
Interview (audio) part 1:
Interview (audio) part 2:
Interview (audio) part 3:
Source: Blabbermouth.net
Stone Temple Pilots Post Open Letter to Fans Explaining Reasons for Lawsuit Against Scott Weiland
Last week, the members of Stone Temple Pilots filed a lawsuit with the Los Angeles Superior Court claiming that former frontman Scott Weiland used STP's name and assets to promote his solo career, allegedly in breach of their partnership agreement. Now, STP has posted an open letter to fans to offer a detailed explanation about why they've decided to take Weiland to court.
"Our purpose in taking this action is not to hurt Scott," writes the band in a group statement on their website. "We want to move forward productively, and Scott's choices and actions have prevented us from doing that."
The band goes on to claim, as they do in their lawsuit, that Weiland sabotaged last year's plans for a tour commemorating the 20th anniversary of their debut album, Core, by heading out on a solo tour. "The plan was for a big tour where we'd perform the album in its entirety, along with some other favorite STP songs," writes the group. "So, you might imagine our shock and disappointment when, without any notice, we learned that Scott had seized this tour for himself as his solo tour, and decided to do exactly what we as a group had planned."
STP further states that "many of the decisions" Weiland made during this period were in violation of agreements the group made in 1996 and 2010, and that they were "harmful to the band."
The group adds that they're looking forward to moving on and making new music with their new lead singer, Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington. "It was beyond time we made some new music, which was impossible in the dysfunctional environment we were in," writes the band. "We wish Scott well. We're really excited about the new music we've been making with Chester, including the song we just released, 'Out of Time.'"
As I Lay Dying's Tim Lambesis Posts $2 Million Bail; Preliminary Hearing Set for July 10
Tim Lambesis is out on bail, but not out of trouble. The As I Lay Dying frontman posted two million dollars bail on Thursday, and is expected to be back in court July 10 for a preliminary hearing on charges he tried to have his wife killed, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune. Upon being released from jail in Vista, California, the singer was told to surrender his passport and ordered to stay away from his estranged wife, 32-year-oldMeggan Lambesis, and their three adopted children.
Prosecutors say Lambesis thought he was hiring a hitman last month when he gave an undercover officer an envelope containing one thousand dollars plus pictures of his wife and information regarding her home. He also allegedly gave the officer some dates when he would be with the couple's three children, to give him an alibi. Lambesis recently pleaded not guilty to the charge of solicitation for murder, with his attorney Thomas Warwick claiming that the singer's thought processes were "devastatingly affected" by his use of steroids.
Megadeth Previews New Track, "The Blackest Crow"
Megadeth's upcoming album, Super Collider, won't hit stores until Tuesday, but fans can hear a little preview of the release now. The band has just posted a stream of "The Blackest Crow," a new cut from the album, on RollingStone.com.
Frontman Dave Mustaine tells Rolling Stone that while "The Blackest Crow" was originally inspired by his mother-in-law's battle with Alzheimer's disease, it was "altered to be more about a tragic loss and the depression that follows."
Mustaine notes that he tried to get country stars Willie Nelson and Miranda Lambert to contribute the track, but both stars weren't able to make it happen. "Although [Lambert] declined, her manager was polite enough to reportedly say she didn't feel she could make the song better," he reveals. "I was very flattered."
Muse's Matt Bellamy & Kate Hudson to Launch Signature Wine, HudsonBellamy
Muse frontman Matt Bellamy and his fiancée Kate Hudson are going into the winemaking business. According to Life & Style, the couple is bottling a signature rosé wine called HudsonBellamy, which they have described as "crisp, bright and perfect for upcoming summer."
While the couple has yet to announce when the wine will arrive in liquor stores, they said they plan to sell it to restaurants and bars sometime soon.
Chester Bennington Has "Tons of Great Ideas" for New STP Music
Riding high from the success of the new Stone Temple Pilots single, "Out of Time,"Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington says he's ready to get into the studio and record more new tracks as the group's new lead singer.
"For us the creative juices have just been flowing -- we've been writing, we have tons of great ideas," Bennington tells Rolling Stone. "Next week we're going back in the studio and hammering out some more music."
Bennington adds that while fans shouldn't expect to get their hands on a full-length album anytime soon, the band expects to release singles on a regular basis. "Everything we're doing is on our own, so we're just taking it one track at a time," he explains. "We would love to sit down and hammer out a record, but the reality is we're gonna make music, we're gonna make a lot of it, and we're gonna be in a position to release a single at a time, go out and really give people music the way they want to get it."
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