Category Archives: Blues

Getting reacquainted with Led Zeppelin

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(Photograph by Heilemann/Camera Press/Redux)

     I’ve been spending a lot of time with Led Zeppelin lately. I have been listening to their albums with a new ear. With an 184 mile commute round trip I have the time. My focus has been on different aspects of their albums with each listen. From Led Zeppelin to Coda  a new appreciation has grown within me for a band that has been a part of my life for a very long time. I mean how many of us used to draw the four symbols on everything we had?

     The production and engineering on these albums was way ahead of the time. There is a magical depth to the music Led Zeppelin gave us. The lyrical content combined with the music expands the mind and transports us to worlds far from the ordinary world.

       Led Zeppelin took us from blues to hard rock to reggae, sometimes on the same record. I often hear traces of them in many other bands throughout the years.

     Thank you for the journeys Robert, Jimmy, John, and Bonzo for the friendship and joys you have given me.

     it’s loud, it’s wonderful, it’s Led Zeppelin!!!

     the Hellion

Should keyboards be used in metal?

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Ahhh keyboards in rock music. I have always been a fan of keyboards in rock n’ roll, I mean John Paul Jones in Led Zeppelin, John Lord in Deep Purple, Rick Wakeman in Yes, Freddie Mercury in Queen, the list goes on and on. And then on December 21st 1983, a day that lives on in infamy to me,  Van Halen released the single “Jump”, wait…what just happened? My hard rock driven guitar band released a song with a sickly poppy sounding keyboard in it? If you can’t tell I was sorely disappointed in the boys. People were labeling the song as “pop rock” or “synthrock”, I was aghast a this. I eventually overcame my lament and forgave Van Halen for this travesty (again this is my opinion).

Today on my commute home I heard “Jump” on the radio (no I still don’t like it) and thought to myself I wonder what others think about keyboards in hard rock and heavy metal. I know bands like Sonata Artica, Kamelot, and Nightwish use them, but what are your thoughts?

 

it’s loud, it’s dirty, i might as well JUMP!!!

-the Hellion

My top 10 Rock songs that never get old for me

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There are songs that you have heard a million times and you can’t take them anymore (Post about those songs another time), and those that remain eternally epic. This is my list of those songs I consider most epic.

10. “Tombs Ov Oblivion” – Crowned By Fire

     9. “Back In The Saddle” – Aerosmith

     8. “Breakin’ Down” – Skid Row

     7. “More Than A Feeling” – Boston

     6. “Now I’m Here” – Queen

     5. “Dance The Night Away” – Van Halen

     4. “River Of Deceit” – Mad Season

     3. “No Quarter” – Led Zeppelin

     2. “Love To Love” – UFO

     1. “Spirits In The Night” – Manfred Mann’s Earth Band

     These are the ten top songs which I could listen to over and over without them wearing out on me. I guess of I were to make a Hellion Rocks greatest hits CD these would be the ten songs that would make the cut for me. Why these ten songs? They each represent to me musical craft at its best. I can listen to these and be carried away on musical adventures in faraway lands. I encourage your feedback and responses with your own definitive top ten list.

     it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s ROCK N’ ROLL!!!

     -the Hellion

 

it’s all you

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With all of the news of racial/social/political unrest as of late it has caused me to reflect on things, and I have come to the conclusion it is all because of you.

You have the choice to not hit your child or your spouse. Sure you might have grown up in a home where domestic violence was the norm (I myself witnessed my mother beaten by my stepfather and I was at the end of a few myself), and yet I choose to respect my wife and children. I choose to not follow that path.

You have the choice not to sexually abuse others. Again, I knew  people who were abused by people they trusted and yet they grew up and made choices to help others that were being abused.

You have the choice to not abuse alcohol. Again I have firsthand experience with alcoholism in the home. This is a devastating problem int he country today. I have again made the choice to stay away from that lifestyle.

You have the choice to not abuse drugs. Once more, I have experienced this in my home as a child. This is another choice I am proud to have made in staying away.

You have the choice to obey the law and not run from the police. I am saddened to see all of the death and destruction in the news today regarding this issue. Think of how many would still be alive if they had just obeyed the law and the police. I say again, you have the ability to choose the right thing.

There is only one race, the human race. We are all brethren and should not be afraid to embrace each other publicly and claim our love for one another. We could achieve miracles then.

Choose wisely my friends

-the Hellion

Go home iHeartRadio, you’re drunk

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I used to enjoy listening to the radio. Now it’s just a jukebox with the selector buttons broken so we hear the same songs over and over. While I enjoy all forms of music, I predominantly listen to Rock N’ Roll. Recently one of my favorite long time radio stations, KZRR 94 Rock, was assimilated by the collective known as  iHeartRadio. This assimilation has brought with it inane commercials for  iHeartRadio advertising artists and events that have NOTHING TO DO WITH THE GENRE OF ROCK N’ ROLL!!! I also tried out their streaming of 94 Rock while I was out of state for three months. With their streaming they have something called “Fast Tracks” which turn out to be an abbreviated version of a song…wait, WHAT? PLAY THE WHOLE SONG!!!! Here’s another idea for iHeartRadio, how about playing some of the new artists trying to break through? I mean as much as I love the artists that do get play, there are many others out there.

I get the feeling that iHeartRadio is actually trying to kill off live radio and music as well. Just the other day another station that I listened to, 104.1 The Edge, dismissed its long running morning show personalities. This dismissal has led to an out-crying of support for said personalities. The reason was given as “restructuring” of the radio station…sigh.

I think we need REAL radio stations back with REAL DJ’s who played the music that they loved and had some control over it. I mean think about how many bands you were turned on to by a DJ.

I say now go home iHeartRadio you are not welcome anymore.

-the Hellion.

September Mourning Releases Cover Of “Stand By Me” Paying Tribute To The Late Great Ben E. King

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September Mourning Releases Cover Of “Stand By Me” Paying Tribute To The Late Great Ben E. King

The Dark Alternative, Hard Rock Transmedia Project September Mourning have released their cover of of the classic hit “Stand By Me“, paying tribute to the late great Ben E. King who recently passed away. The band is currently on a U.S. tour with stops at AC Boardwalk Con and Rock On The Range. The band will be making their UK debut later this year at Download Festival.

With dramatic dark lyrics that show glimpses of hope and redemption, I couldn’t resist a reinterpretation of this standard. It begged for a dynamic dramaticism that we couldn’t resist bringing to life. – September (September Mourning)

Check out September Mourning’s “Stand By Me” cover below:

https://youtu.be/8MiSBT7lHf0

September Mourning Tour Dates:

May 05 – Vintage Villains – Danville, Illinois
May 06 – Heating & Cooling Pub – Chicago, Illinois
May 07 – Frankie’s – Toledo, Ohio
May 08 – Diesel Concert Lounge – Detroit, Michigan
May 10 – Slake – New York, New York
May 15 – AC Boardwalk Con – Atlantic City, New Jersey
May 17 – Rock on the Range – Columbus, Ohio
May 21 – Hijynx – Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
June 14 – Download Festival – United Kingdom

Follow September Mourning:
Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram

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About September Mourning:

September Mourning has just recorded her debut album. It tells a story in 12 songs, an epic tale of “heartbreak, loss, pain, joy, love, redemption, but most of all, courage…” Produced by Howard Benson (Chris Cornell, My Chemical Romance) and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge, September Mourning revives the concept of rock star meets superhero. If Marilyn Manson and Lady Gaga had a kid, it would be September Mourning, who also cites influences as varied as David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, KISS, Evanescence and My Chemical Romance.

“For me, the project is a story, a theatrical art piece,” September explains. “Music is the backbone, but for this to work, it has to include the imagery and the narrative all symbiotically linked into the whole. Music taps into your innermost being. There’s something very intimate and personal about it.”

The character of September Mourning is a human-reaper hybrid, who feels the need to give some human souls a second chance, and thus toys with Fate. To expound on this narrative, September is working with iconic comic book artist Marc Silvestri, who started out on the original X-Men comics and went on to form Top Cow Productions (Witchblade, The Darkness). Together, they are putting together the story of September Mourning in graphic form, to accompany, and enhance the musical message.

September Mourning carries positive passions into its music, which is often operatic, but also completely rock ‘n’ roll in all its majestic glory. The album is full of themes that run the gamut, from “Skin and Bones,” which takes on people who would judge you on appearances, and “Chariot,” about those who allow themselves to be consumed by somebody else, to “Paper Dolls,” lambasting a guy “who rips people’s hearts out without regret” and “Before The Fall,” a song that accentuates our common humanity. “When we bleed/We bleed the same,” sings September. September describes “Children of Fate” as a “call to arms for her fans, our families,” which she turned into a 6/8 waltz, “but heavy, eerie and strange, to give it this weird feeling.

Having toured with Marilyn Manson, September Mourning has already built up an impressive fan base, which she calls her “Children of Fate,” constantly encouraging them to have “the courage to embrace their passion… to allow yourself to follow your heart and not be a slave to your fears. To know that the only boundaries that exist in our lives are the ones we allow.”

     it’s loud , it’s dirty, it’s ROCK N’ ROLL!!!

     -the Hellion

“Honky Tonk Metal” Band SCATTERED HAMLET Announce Upcoming U.S. Tour‏

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“Honky Tonk Metal” Band SCATTERED HAMLET Announce Upcoming U.S. Tour

 

Announcing New Partnership with COLDCOCK WHISKEY

 

In the Studio Now Recording the Follow Up to Skeleton Dixie

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SCATTERED HAMLET is what would happen, “If science mutated the genes of AC/DC, Motorhead, Molly Hatchet, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Steven Jones all into one new being, then added a shot of Nashville Pussy for good measure.” – Tony Sison, All Access Magazine

 

SCATTERED HAMLET is pleased to announce their upcoming full U.S. tour and partnership with COLDCOCK WHISKEY. The band, who have dubbed their live act “The Hillbilly Sideshow Extravaganza”, will be headlining several dates on their “Shotgun Shells and Dynamite Run”, while select dates will feature Kingshifter (Pavement Entertainment). The 30+ day tour will also include festival stops at Rocklahoma (Pryor, OK), Hogrock (Cave in Rock, IL) and Trishstock (Hannibal, NY).

 

See below for all confirmed tour dates.

 

SCATTERED HAMLET “Shotgun Shells and Dynamite” U.S. Tour:

May 15 Newhall, CA @ Vu

May 16 Phoenix, AZ @ Blooze Bar

May 17 Midland, TX @ Blue Max

May 18 Austin, TX @ Dirty Dog

May 20 Dallas, TX @ The Boiler Room

May 21 Pryor OK @ Rocklahama Retrospect Kickoff Party

May 22 & 23 Pryor OK @ Camp Jager Stage at Rocklahoma

May 24 Tulsa, OK @ Downtown Lounge

May 25 Fayetteville, AR @ Smoke and Barrel

May 27 Asheville, NC @ One Stop/Ashville Music Hall w/ Gutterhound

May 28 Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern

May 29 Roanoke, VA @ Coffee Pot Roadhouse w/ Media Downfall

May 30 Ladson, SC @ The Hive May 31 Greenville, SC @ Gottrocks

Jun 3   Portland, ME (TBA)

Jun 4   Long Branch, NJ @ The Brighton Bar

Jun 5   Brooklyn NY @ The Shop

Jun 6   Hannibal, NY @ Trishstock Festival

Jun 7   Providence, RI @ Dusk

Jun 9   Akron, OH @ Empire

Jun 11 Cave In Rock, IL @ Hogrock Motorcycle Festival

Jun 12 Algona, IA @ The Afterlife

Jun 13 South Bend, IN @ McCormicks

Jun 14 Madison, WI @ Frequency

Jun 15 Chicago, IL @ Live Wire

Jun 17 Tulsa, OK @ Downtown Lounge

Jun 18 Kansas City @ Aftershocks w/ Kingshifter

Jun 19 Witchita, KS @ The Elbow Room w/ Kingshifter

Jun 20 Tracy, MN @ Bonnie & Clyde’s

 

 

SCATTERED HAMLET is again working with multiple Grammy-nominated producers Jason Dongaghy and Jake Rodenhouse to record their follow up to Skeleton Dixie. The band will be performing tracks off of the highly-anticipated album (due out the end of 2015) throughout the tour.

 

According to frontman Adam Joad, “People are going to be hearing a lot of the new material on this tour. We’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback from the demos so we’re looking forward to seeing the audience reactions come May.”

 

Joad adds, “We’ve upped the ante all around for our live show. We’re pumped to have COLDCOCK WHISKEY right alongside our beer kegs, deer skulls, shotgun mic and the chaos people have come to expect from the HILLBILLY SIDESHOW EXTRAVAGANZA.”

 

Rick Zeiler, founder of COLDCOCK WHISKEY states, “We are thrilled to be working with SCATTERED HAMLET! The guys put on a great live show and have an energy that fits perfectly with COLDCOCK WHISKEY!”

 

 

SCATTERED HAMLET is known for a relentless touring schedule of over 200 shows a year. The band has played in 40+ U.S. states.SCATTERED HAMLET’s music has been featured on CBS, CMT, the Travel Channel as well as VEVO Entertainment.

http://www.scatteredhamlet.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ScatteredHamlet

     it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s SCATTERED HAMLET!!!

     – the Hellion

SOiL on Tour!!‏

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Soil Tour

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Chicago heavy rockers SOiL will embark on a third leg of touring for their newest album “Whole”. This trek takes them across the UK and Europe during May/June in support of the recently reunited Coal Chamber. It also brings them back through the United States in June/July alongside Powerman 5000.

Soil Group

 

Be sure and get out to support live music and help out the music community! Let’s keep kick ass bands like       SOiL out on the road!

it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s ROCK N’ ROLL!!!

-the Hellion

Bleach Bangs Radio discusses Motley Crue, AC/DC, and Van Halen and should they hang it up?

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Well, like that irritating rash, WE’RE BACK!!! We at Bleach Bangs Radio are exploring out options to infiltrate your ear holes and burrow into your brains. This time we decided to discuss some bands and their lifespans. Should they pull the plug? Should the defibrillators be hooked up to them? Check out the show right here:

     Afterwards let us know your thoughts. Pay attention as well because you just might have your chance to participate in an upcoming Bleach Bangs show yourself!!!

     -Bleach Bangs crew

Having a conversation with Red Sky Mary

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Hot on the heels of my review of the upcoming Red Sky Mary release River Child, I was able to score a conversation with Sam and Tom from the band.

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We had a great time talking and I would like to share it with you right here:

     Thanks again to Red Sky Mary and Carved Records! Check them out online at:

https://www.facebook.com/redskymary

http://www.redskymary.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCorWo1Wb0EtFkwy9tODdF6Q

http://www.carvedrecords.com/artists/red-sky-mary/

     it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s RED SKY MARY!!!

     -the Hellion