Had a great conversation with Frankie Banali about the new Quiet Riot release Road Rage!
Check it out here:
http://www.frontiers.shop/search?sSearch=Quiet+Riot
https://www.amazon.com/Road-Rage-Quiet-Riot/dp/B071FKGKFC/ref=sr_1_1? ie=UTF8&qid=1501808705&sr=8-1&keywords=Quiet+Riot
it’s LOUD, it’s DIRTY, it’s QUIET RIOT (so bang your head)
-the Hellion
Sometimes people cross your paths and leave a positive impact on you. I found one of those people in Marty Casey.
From first seeing him on Rockstar INXS, then meeting him when he was singing for LA Guns, and now a conversation with him, Marty has had that positive impact on me.
Please take a moment and listen to our conversation and understand who Marty is and the message he brings right here:
After listening do yourself a favor and click the link below the album cover and order the new record.
http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/martycasey
Here’s a couple of videos from the new record, enjoy:
it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s ROCK N’ ROLL!!!
-the Hellion
In the beginning, Rock N’ Roll was underground. It was not mainstream at all. Eventually it became widely accepted and part of our culture.
Rock radio helped to expose us to bands and music in ways like no other. There was a time when that was how we discovered new bands and songs. Record stores popped up everywhere and one could hang out and explore and find new music as well. We then had the arrival of music video channels which gave us another source to discover new bands and music.
Then radio became less user friendly and more commercial, only playing what they were told. The record stores began closing their doors. Music video channels stopped playing music videos. What happened?
The internet had come along and was added into the thick of things. Some people put the blame on that.
What happened to the music world? Is there still great new music being made? How does one find new music these days? I mean with all the music being flooded onto the web how does one find that jewel that reaches out to you?
Do you think that some of the bands we all know and love would have made it if they had just started out in today’s world?
I often wonder if the next Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, etc. etc. is out there lost in the shuffle.
Just some thoughts I was pondering… what are yours?
-the Hellion
Grab a cold one, crank up the volume, and enjoy my conversation with the one, the only, Appalachian Apostle: ADAM JOAD from Scattered Hamlet.
After listening go to www.scatteredhamlet.com and preorder Swamp Rebel Machine!!!
it’s loud, it’s dirty, it Scattered Hamlet!!!
-the Hellion
Had the chance to chat with Justin Manning about some stuff…so check it out:
-the Hellion
Summer of 1977…
I had just met the neighbor kid in the apartment complex we had just moved into. He invited me over to hang out and listen to music one afternoon. He asked me if I liked Black Sabbath and I told him that “Iron Man” was a cool song but that was about all I knew. He then proceeded to play Master of Reality. The music was like an adrenaline shot to my senses. I was hooked immediately and had to have more and find out all I could about Black Sabbath.
Over time I managed to collect their music and it became a part of my regular listening schedule. I couldn’t explain it but the music reached me on many levels. And then, as quickly as I had found them, there was news of a band split.
Back then (before up to the minute news from the internet) rumors began circulating of Ozzy leaving the band. This unfortunately became truth.
It came to pass that Black Sabbath had hired Ronnie James Dio to sing and Ozzy launched a solo career. I was a long time Rainbow fan and was curious to see what Dio would bring. I was positive that Ozzy would have some cool stuff as well.
Let’s talk Black Sabbath first. With the addition of Dio they brought us Heaven and Hell. I like this record but it brought about a sense of change to the Black Sabbath style. I always felt that this record took them in a more pop rock oriented style. It wasn’t bad but it just wasn’t MY Black Sabbath that I’d grown to love. It proved to be the same with the Mob Rules. They had just failed to reach as had been done with their previous work. I like both records and still listen to them today but not nearly as much as the earlier work. And then Dio was gone.
To be honest I left them at that point not even bothering to listen or seek out their music. Black Sabbath was lost to me at that time.
Ozzy went on to great success as a solo artist. He surrounded himself with stellar musicians and made some good records. Like Dio era Sabbath it was different. Ozzy tried to cultivate the Prince Of Darkness image but it failed to reach me. The music while great again, in my opinion, leaned a little more towards the pop rock side.
I know, I know, I can just see some of you rolling your eyes at this. Change is ok and sometimes can be good. It was good for Ozzy’s career and not so much with Black Sabbath. Sabbath eventually reunited with Dio for Dehumanizer before parting ways again.
Eventually Ozzy and Sabbath got over the past and reunited for 13 (without Bill Ward), but, for me, the magic just wasn’t there anymore.
Over time we lost Dio to cancer, Ozzy’s solo career kind of came to a slow down, and Sabbath again had some infighting leading to a permanent split with Bill Ward. But, as I have said in other conversations, that is band business of which we as fans have no part.
All in all, it’s been a good ride with Sabbath and Ozzy. I will always have and cherish the early music they made. Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Master of Reality, Vol. 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Sabotage, Technical Ecstasy, and Never Say Die! will ALWAYS be the definitive Sabbath albums for me. I will still continue to support anything Sabbath or Ozzy does because that’s what we as music fans do. I don’t have to love it but without that support it will go away. The bands that were influenced by Black Sabbath are countless.
Thank you Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward for the hours upon hours of enjoyment you have given to me over the years. You four will forever be Black Sabbath in my heart and mind. To all of the others who have had a hand in the Sabbath legacy: Geoff Nicholls, Craig Gruber, Vinny Appice, Ian Gillen, Bev Bevan, Ron Keel, David Donato, Eric Singer, Dave Spitz, Glenn Hughes, Ray Gillen, Bob Daisley, Tony Martin, Cozy Powell, Laurence Cottle, Neil Murray, Bobby Rondinelli, Mike Bordin, Adam Wakeman, Tommy Clufetos, Rick Wakeman, Gerald Woodroffe, Don Airey, Brad Wilk thank you for being a part of such legends. Zakk Wylde, ZAKK SABBATH?!?!?! That’s what I’m talking about!
Dio, you just rule, period.
It’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s mother#$%*ing SABBATH!!!
-the Hellion
My mom introduced me to music at a very young age. There was always some kind of music playing somewhere in the house. One of my earliest musical memories is running around with my cousins screaming in our tiny off key voices “Yellow Submarine” by the Beatles.
The music my mom listened to was across the map, but mostly rock oriented. My stepfather, however, was a country man and there was no alternative. I learned to appreciate the sounds I was hearing from songs that they both listened to. I felt the stories they were telling, and that was how I interpreted them, as stories. These “stories” would end up becoming my best friends as my childhood took some nasty turns. They were always there and wouldn’t ever let me down. I ultimately developed an affinity for rock and that became my preferred style of music. I never did lose my appreciation for classic country music though.
The 70’s were a great time for music on the radio. I could hear a broad spectrum of artists on one rock station from ABBA to ZZ Top. I LISTENED and devoured all of the music that I could, often staying up until the wee hours with a small radio under my pillow. I remember a conversation with my mom once where I asked her why she liked music so much her reply was “Because the songs take me away to different places.” I got it, and found myself taking the same journeys. The music was fresh and entertaining and never ever seemed to go stale for me. There was no sub, sub, sub genres, just good music.
This was a time when it was cool to one day wear a Bee Gees shirt and a KISS one the next. We just loved the music. We were clueless and we loved it. We used our imaginations to think about what our favorite musicians were doing and what they would do next, there was bliss in our ignorance.
…it was just music and we simply loved it.
-the Hellion
I recently had the chance to talk to my friend Stacey Blades about the exciting new project he’s been working on, Angels In Vein. Check out the conversation right here:
Be sure to visit http://www.angelsinvein.com for all the Latest! Thanks to Rock-n-Roll GangStar for the badass merch on their site!!!
it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s ANGELS IN VEIN!!!
-the Hellion
I have been listening to the new Zakk Wylde release for several days now and want to share my reflections on it with you.
When I received my pre-order in the mail I was excited to hear some new music from Father Zakk. I unwrapped the CD, and quickly threw it in my truck’s player and settled in for a listen…..
Playing this album it felt like i had put on a pair of comfortable slippers, and settled in to my favorite easy chair. While the songs were new, they felt familiar and comfortable like old friends and yet at the same time, not stale and boring. I tried to pick out some standout tracks but was unable to as the flow of the record, for me, needs to be taken as a whole.
So why would Zakk need to make a solo record? Why not another Black Label Society record? Here are my thoughts.
We all know Zakk can grab his fiddle and choke some fantastic music from it that will crush our collective chests like so many packs of cigarettes, and we know he has some tender moments that give us some memorable ballads. With Book of Shadows II, Zakk gives us some reflective music. This CD is full of music that truly comes from a mans thoughts and life experiences and listening to it will transport you into a thoughtful place. I am taken back to the music of James Taylor, Jim Croce, and Don McLean. These guys created art with their words and guitars.
Why then would hardcore, badass, metalhead, rockers, like this record? Because it shows craftsmanship, and talent…lots and lots of talent. The skill set Zakk shows us on Book of Shadows II shows us why he remains so relevant in the vast world of guitarists.
Bottom line, Book of Shadows II feels like a record that I have had in my collection for years and years and yet puts a smile on my face whenever I play it.
While all of the songs stand out to me as a whole Zakk has released a video for “Sleeping Dogs” and you can check it out here:
Whether you are a Zakk Wylde/BLS fan or not you should run out today and pick Book of Shadows II to up, pop it in your player, roll the windows down, and go for a 60 minute drive and just let finely crafted music flow through you and take to a reflective place.
it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s Rock N’ Roll!!!
-the Hellion
in 2008 I was excited to see a show called That Metal Show hit the airwaves. While I felt the show was good, I always felt that there was room for improvements. I was ok with Eddie Trunk as the host but never was satisfied with co-hosts Don Jamieson and Jim Florentine. I always held the opinion that they should have featured a rotating musician co-host. One other thing I think that would have been cool was to randomly pick an audience member to come down and be a featured co-host. I also would have to have seen some up and coming or lesser known musical guests. There are plenty of talented musicians that could have benefited from this kind of exposure. While I also enjoyed the coverage of “classic” rock bands I feel there was plenty of room to give some newer and lesser known bands exposure as well. I did enjoy the “Stump the Trunk” and “Top 5” segments as well.
I watched every show from every season and will miss it although I felt it could have been so much more. I hope it does find a new home and maybe by some miracle I can tell them about my thoughts… Rest In Peace TMS, another casualty of the war on Rock N’ Roll.
Share YOUR thoughts with me!
it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s ROCK N’ ROLL!!!
-the Hellion
the Hellion Rocks 