I’ve remained relatively quiet on the whole Randy Blythe/Lamb Of God issue up until now. I have been doing a lot of thinking about this recently. First off, I wasn’t there so everything I read and see is from the other persons point of view, so I can only speak as to how I feel. This whole incident is a great tragedy for everyone involved. I do not think the fan went to the show with the outcome that occurred in mind. Nor do I think Randy took the stage with the intent to cause any one harm. I believe an unfortunate sequence of events led to this tragedy. When Dimebag Darrell was murdered in cold blood on stage it got real for performers. It is unfortunate that now an artist has to fear for his/her life when performing so I can see reacting to someone “invading” your work space (yes the stage is a performers work space). Venues hire security to try and help prevent madness like this from occurring. As fans we need to act responsible as well, I know we are to have a good time, but let’s not ruin it for others by acting a fool. I have witnessed up close fear in the eyes of the performers when a crowd gets to unruly. All in all, an unfortunate sequence of events indeed. Should Randy be punished? In my opinion no, I believe he is punishing himself enough. These are just my thoughts and I do not expect everyone or any one to agree with them.
As news breaks of Randy Blythe’s indictment on manslaughter charges in the Czech Republic, manager Larry Mazer responds with the following statement:
“After a three month investigation, the prosecutor in the Czech Republic has decided to move forward with an indictment of Randy Blythe on the charge of manslaughter with intent to cause bodily harm. Obviously, we intend to fight vigorously against these charges as we feel that in no way did Randy intend to cause bodily harm on the young fan who subsequently died from injuries sustained at the show. As he has stated previously, Randy intends to go to Prague to defend himself at trial.
While it is a tragedy that a Lamb of God fan died following a performance by the group, in no way do I feel that Randy did anything improper that led to the young man’s injuries and subsequent death. The price of a ticket to a show does not entitle audience members access to a band’s stage. In the years since the murder on stage of Dimebag Darrell Abbott, performers of all genres have had to become more guarded while performing in response to the dangers presented by fans trying to become part of the performance. We believe that Randy responded professionally to the numerous amount of fans rushing the stage that day, a number of them captured on videos that have been posted on the internet. We have testimony from the venue operator that acknowledges lax security and an improper barricade being used that evening. Numerous testimonies from fans also were contradictory as to the actions of the multiple fans that tried to access the stage.
At this point, all that the band, myself, and our lawyers can do is to present a defense and try to convince the panel of judges who will hear the case that Randy is innocent of all charges and that his name and reputation need to be cleared and that he be permitted to carry on with his life and career always mindful that a fan passed away after a Lamb of God performance.
Steve Schwartz– Lead Vocals/Guitar, Matt Sprio-Guitar/Back up vocals, Eric Pihl-Bass, Andy Illiano-Drums, make up this band from Long Island New York. The Things They Carried, or 3TC as they are affectionately called by their hometown fans, is a band on a mission. After recording their first EP “Attention Crisis” in spring of 2009, the band hit the road with a vengeance touring the east coast for just over a year. By summer of 2010 3TC knew it was time to head into the studio again and make a record. “We wanted to create something that all of us were equally excited about. We wanted every song to be as good as the next, no fillers!” singer/songwriter Steve Schwartz explains. The band headed to Shoreline, Washington just outside of Seattle to work with famed producer Casey Bates (Chiodos, Pierce The Veil, Isles and Glaciers, Fall of Troy). With Casey on board the band knew that this record would be exactly everything they wanted and everything that there fans would hopefully want. Good stuff to check out, here’s the video for “364 Anniversary” :
Merlin Sutter – Drums, Chrigel Glanzmann – Vocals, Mandola & Mandolin, Tin & Low Whistles, Bagpipes, Bodhràn, Anna Murphy – Hurdygurdy, Vocals, Flute, Meri Tadic – Fiddle, Vocals, Ivo Henzi – Guitars, Simeon Koch – Guitars, Patrick Kistler – Tin & Low Whistles, Bagpipe, Kay Brem – Bass. I was made aware of this band recently by Stevo Richardson a good friend of mine. Calling themselves The New Wave Of Folk Metal this band does stand out. Old meets new in this amalgamation of folk instruments and modern electric instruments. Eluveitie pulls it off stunningly. They combine great imagery with their well composed music. Definitely worth a listen. check out the video for “Havoc”:
Born Of Osiris is: Ronnie Canizaro – Vocals, Lee McKinney – guitars, Joe Buras – keys, David DaRocha – bass, Cameron Losch – drums.
BORN OF OSIRIS are mature well beyond their years and this dynamic extreme progressive juggernaut has now perfectly honed all of their collective talents to create what will soon be a pinnacle release for the metal genre. The group’s epic and highly acclaimed third full-length effort, The Discovery, was a huge leap forward for extreme progressive music and they have truly found their definitive sound.
The multitude of chugging and percussive riffs on The Discovery shows that the band hasn’t undergone a drastic metamorphosis, but underwent a serious maturation as songwriters. This growth as musicians and writers is carrying over into crafting their much anticipated new album due in 2013, so certainly expect the unexpected as BORN OF OSIRIS always strives to push the envelope of creativity and innovation. BORN OF OSIRIS completed a highly successful run on the Warped Tour this past summer and will wrap-up 2012 with separate co-headlining runs with The Word Alive and Unearth.
This ground-breaking six-piece group creates an epic mix of intricate and memorable melodies with challenging time signatures that still hold an infectious groove, all while maintaining sheer, tasteful brutality. Check out “Follow The Signs”:
Andrew Ross – vocals, mandolin, Angus Clark – guitar, vocals, Aurelien Budynek – guitar, vocals, Chris Altenhoff – bass, vocals, Jason Gianni – drums, vocals. Metal. Hard Rock. Power Metal. Progressive. Categorize them any way you want, this band rocks with a vengeance and won’t quit until they’ve shown the world what a five-man band can do. Armed with some of the finest songs written in this or any genre, the Squadron combines virtuosity with finesse in order to create an emotional impact on the listener unrivaled by their contemporaries. Substantive and relatable lyrics that draw you in and captivate you. Memorable melodies and rhythmic hooks that stick in your head for days. The sound of rock music as it was meant to be played, loud and unadorned. The members of the DDS are all at the top of their game. Andrew Ross is a singer who has the raw intensity of a young Paul Di’Anno with more range and control. Guitarists Angus Clark and Aurelien Budynek play in lockstep with each other, whether it be on rhythm parts or hyper-speed lead lines. With differing yet complimentary solo styles, this is a guitar duo that will stand up against Tipton and Downing, or Li and Totman. Bassist Chris Altenhoff and drummer Jason Gianni hold it all together, keeping the groove even in the oddest of time signatures. Check out “Out Of The Sun”:
Socionic is a project conceived of the fundamental need for artistic expression combined with the adeptness and appreciation for musical composition.
Drawing inspiration from bands such as Tool, Nine Inch Nails, Alice in Chains and The Deftones, the music emerges as a calculated release of passion and power blended with the diversity and detail of a crafted symphony. Achieving an elusive form of polar dichotomy, the sound seamlessly flows from brutal to beautiful, landing its genre bending classification somewhere between alternative, metal, and rock.
Reflective of the diversity and contrast of the world in which we live, the art of the project is deep, dark, and sometimes difficult. here is “Myopia”:
As we wind down 2012, (which was a great year) we also start looking forward to 2013. We had some new doors open for us this year, we got to cover the 2012 Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar tour, we got to cover the great Skeletonwitch show, we reconfigured Music U-Night into Rock U-Night, and I started this Blog. Bleach Bangs Radio interviewed some great bands, and we saw the CD releases of local NM bands Beard, and Rusty Tramp. I also am going to be attending the dedication of the West Mesa Performing Arts Center to Randy Castillo this December. I also made a lot of new friends and met and heard a lot of new bands. I love you all.
2013 promises to start off on an equally great note. We have been fortunate enough to have obtained media access tot he 2013 NAMM show in Anaheim California in January. We plan on interviewing various instrument/gear companies and bring it to you first hand. We plan on continuing to bring you new bands, new interviews, new CD reviews, and new show reviews. If there is anything you want to see let us know. We are fan driven and here for you, the music lovers.
GONNA TAKE A FEW DAYS OFF TO ENJOY FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!!! I AM THANKFUL FOR ALL OF YOU WHO READ THIS BLOG, THOSE WHO MAKE THE MUSIC THAT WE LOVE, AND THOSE OF YOU WHO MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN! BACK ON FRIDAY, KEEP IT ROCKIN’!
I have a good friend who truly knows the meaning of family, Ish Garcia. This man sacrifices for his family by working out of the country to earn a living in this hard economic time. When he does get the opportunity to spend time at home he makes the best of it by giving back by sharing his passion for music with his family. I truly believe in the healing power of music as does he, Ish uses the power of music to help his autistic son “Matt The Cat”. I got Ish to take some of his rare time to answer a few questions:
1. When did you first fall in love with music?
Ish: I have always loved music, since a baby , really. In love, maybe after I heard and bought a Hendrix album Axis Bold As Love, after that ,I realized I couldn’t go a day without some kind of music.
2. What is it about music that touches you?
Ish: Music just gets inside,- lyrics, rhythm, it just depends on the song.
3. What do you do to support you favorite bands?
Ish: Support ?- Buy the Album-whole album , not just the one you like on the radio, buy the album that’s why they made an album,I’m pretty sure the song are strung together for a reason. Also, buy a shirt, usually bands I like /love have cool merch for sale. Buy a ticket for the show and see ’em live!!! Share that shit with all your friends. Hope fully the small bands you like will make it, like Guns N’ Roses or Alice in Chains, Pantera , they all started doing small gigs and then bang, I would like to witness it first hand.
4. Tell us about some of your favorite bands and your passion for music.
Ish: Jimi Hendrix – Guitar god great lyrics, His cover songs are better than the originals themselves-in my opinion Black Sabbath-Ozzy and Dio for me undecided…,c’mon its Sabbath, need I say more Ozzy-its like crack for my ears Zeppelin, to me its real rock n roll to me a blue print of what rock and roll should sound like. Alice in chains-Lyrics, the sound of Layne and Jerry together , chunky riffs.What is grunge ? Black Label Society-Everything I love all rolled into one-Doom, chunky riffs-blues, melody To me music is magical or spiritual and powerful, its in the air ,it’s a time machine. even when you cant see it, you can feel it, it can make you feel strong when your weak, inspire you, calm you down. I believe music is a super natural living thing, a gift to us. I couldn’t see a world without it. My wife is the one who really introduced me to Alice in Chains, and I’m so grateful. And as far as BLS, I gotta hear at least one song a day, and I have to blow out my ear drums with it.
5. Tell us a little about “Matt The Cat”
Ish: We took him to his first big( not local) concert and meet n greet. in 07 velvet revolver he loved slash from rock band. and then liked guns and roses, they were all cool to him, he got Duffs sweat band at the end of the show. I notice a big difference with Matt when we go to Black Label shows in particular, he’s dressed like everyone, so he feels “in” and true BL family show him respect. He loves the music , he gets exited when we tell him Black Labels in town. He can act like himself without being judged. Taking him to the meet n greets and concerts and seeing him be happy is priceless.
A LIFE ONCE LOST recently finished up a successful run with Revocation and KENmode. If you missed them on this run, you may have another chance to catch them on some select headline dates in December! The band will be stopping Erie, PA, Pittsburgh, PA and Newark, DE next month. See directly below for venues and dates.
A LIFE ONCE LOST Headline Dates:
12/14 – Erie, PA @ Basement Transmissions
12/15 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Thunderbird Cafe
12/16 – Newark, DE @ Mojo Main
The band’s new album, Ecstatic Trance, is available internationally via Season of Mist. You can purchase the album and other merchandise at Season of Mist E-Shop. While you are browsing the web, make sure to visit the brand new, official A LIFE ONCE LOST website at www.alifeoncelostofficial.com.
FARMINGTON NM- After a grueling 4 hour drive (and a few u-turns) we found the venue (thanks to Jonene for driving!). We found a sweet parking spot and walked around the building and WOW!!! There was quite a line waiting to get in to see the AWESOME Jack Russell’s Great White!
We ultimately got into the venue (we were on the guest list thanks to Jack and his management Valerie Ince) and were pleasantly surprised. The venue was surprisingly well put together. The sound system was pumping out some killer rock n’ roll, lights were well placed and had good effect, the stage was set in a good place with views from most places in the bar.
The place continued to fill up and the mood was ripe for a great rock n’ roll show. The crowd was patient and enjoyed the music as they waited for the show to begin.
To be completely honest I had never heard of Dirtnap prior tot his show. WOW! They took the stage hard and got the crowd fired up and ready. Reminiscent of the sleaze bands from the glory days of the Hollywood Strip, Dirtnap brought it. People gravitated quickly to the stage and fed their energy to the band. Dirtnap is: Vocals- John Dame, Guitar- Darren Mc Kee, Drums- Troy Yahraes, Bass- Joe Nutt. The band threw Twinkies to the crowd (due to the demise of Hostess, and I got it from a very reliable source “Jonene” that the band bought a copious amount of them) who literally “ate them up”. The bands dirty, sleazy, nasty rock n’ roll brought a huge smile to my face and took me back tot he glory days of Rock!
Each band member brought to the stage their own unique character. I found this to be extremely cool as they put a great effort into bringing the crowd an entertaining show. Let’s check them out:
John Dame
John is the mastermind of the chaotic circus of Dirtnap. The Ringleader of this band of hooligans if you will, he leads the crowd into the madness.
Joe Nutt
Joe handles the bottom end and has that devil-may-care mischievous air about him. I bet if you hang out with him some sort of shenanigans would ensue.
Darren McKee
Darren is the guy who gets lost in his music, we all know the guy (in fact, I am one) who when music is on there is no talking to him.
Troy Yahraes
Troy is well…the drummer and we ALL know about drummers right? Awesome guy and keeps the beat to a T!
Thanks to Dirtnap for delivering an AWESOME set and getting out and supporting a class act like Jack Russell’s Great White!
I was personally excited to see Jack and crew in action again. EVERY time I have seen Jack perform in the past he has been spot on. This show was no exception. The band was tight, the crowd was right, and the songs were KILLER! I know Jack is a stickler for perfection and it shows.
Jack Russell pre-show
Jack has assembled a stellar bunch of players to support his iconic vocals. I know this discussion has come up on many levels (even here on the blog) about band members revolving in and out of bands but in my humble opinion, Jack Russell is THE embodiment of GREAT WHITE! I mean no disrespect to other performers who have made an admirable attempt at covering Jacks’ vocal work but there is only ONE Jack Russell. Let’s get into the band:
Jack Russell – lead vocals, percussion
Matthew Johnson – rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
Derrick Pontier – drums, percussion
Robby Lochner – lead guitar, backing vocals
Dario Seixas- bass guitar, backing vocals
The hits came played and sang to perfection, plus we were treated to selections from Jack’s solo releases, and a special song sung by Matthew Johnson. This song led to a surreal moment in the evening for me. during the song Jack was sitting on the stage near me and became totally lost in the song. Closing his eyes and mouthing the words and clapping his hands in rhythm. I reached for my camera and stopped, I decided that I wanted to keep this moment for myself and hold it special in my heart. Sorry all, it was that magical to me. The crowd cheered on as song after song hit them. Jack has put himself in great company with this group of musicians. Matthew and Robby held down the guitar duties to perfection, no sour notes, clean, nice tone, and they played off of each other flawlessly. Dario owned every inch of the stage with both his bass playing and his showmanship, complimenting Jack by engaging the crowd and drawing them even deeper into the performance a great add to the crew. Derrick kept everyone in time and held the beat like clockwork, a solid drummer backing a solid outfit. The evening culminated with “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” which brought the crowd to the brink of insanity with joy. There were some scary moments when I thought the crowd was going to end up on the the stage but it all worked out. A great show indeed!
Jack is Back indeed! I HIGHLY recommend getting out and seeing the show if they come anywhere near you. Thanks to Dirtnap, Jack Russel and crew for an outstanding night of glorious Rock N’ Roll!!!
WARBEAST Set to Release New Full Length Album ‘Destroy’ in Early 2013
Louisiana heavy metal marvel DOWN and Texas thrashers WARBEAST are pleased to announce several U.S. tour dates in 2013. The upcoming tour, dubbed “The Weed & Speed Tour: West Coast Throwdown in the Year of XIII”, will kick off on January 11, 2013 in Houston, TX at Warehouse Live. The tour will make its way through several states, coming to a close on February 1st in Chattanooga, TN at Track 29.
Before the start of the tour, WARBEAST will headline the War of the Gargantuas release party show on January 5th at The Rail Club in Fort Worth, TX. See directly below for all currently released tour dates.
DOWN and WARBEAST 2013 U.S. Tour Dates:
1/5 – Fort Worth, TX @ The Rail Club (WARBEAST ONLY, War of the Gargantuas Release Show)
1/11 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live – Ballroom
1/12 – San Antonio, TX @ Backstage Live
1/14 – Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee
1/15 – Las Vegas, NV @ Fremont Country Club
1/16 – West Hollywood, CA @ Key Club
1/18 – Anaheim, CA @ City National Grove of Anaheim
1/19 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
1/20 – San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom
1/22 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox at the Market
1/23 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
1/24 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory Concert House
1/26 – Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
1/28 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
1/29 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
1/30 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s
2/1 – Chattanooga, TN @ Track 29
DOWN vocalist PHILIP ANSELMO and WARBEAST recently announced that they will be releasing a new split album entitled War of the Gargantuas. The split will be released on January 8, 2012 via Housecore Records and will include two songs from each artist. This album serves as the first release of any solo work by PHILIP ANSELMO during the span of his nearly 30-year legacy. Also, the twoWARBEAST tracks on the split feature former bassist Alan Bovee before his amicable departure from the band. Since then, Dre Karst has joined on bass.
WARBEAST alsorecently announced the upcoming release of their second full-length album, Destroy. The album is scheduled to be released in early 2013 via Housecore Records and is currently in the mastering stages. Stay tuned for more information on Destroy coming very soon.
Wornstar clothing had me hooked by the get go. My good friend Adz Redpath from the band Darksite brought them to my attention. He wore their clothing onstage and swore by it.
ADZ REDPATH
As I looked into getting some Wornstar clothing, I found that I knew several people who also wore their clothes and in turn, I helped others to find out about them and start wearing them as well.
Kurt Arft John Exall Martin Tully the Hellion
Mark Voykin
These guys are just a few of the people I know that wear Wornstar Clothing. I find their products to be of the highest quality and their service world class. The attention to detail is amazing and the support of their customers is awe inspiring. Let’s learn a little about Wornstar from their site:
Wornstar Rock n’ Roll Clothing for Rock Stars and Fans
Originally conceived in 2002 by Sylvia and Stephen Jensen, Wornstar Clothing was launched. Wornstar grew out of Sylvia’s 15 years of experience styling rock star photo shoots for her husband Stephen’s entertainment design and photography studio, F3 Studios. Beginning as altered clothing for photo shoots and album covers, Sylvia’s work quickly gained the attention of Stephen’s Rock Star clients and led to creating custom pieces for them to wear in front of the camera and on stage. Stephen had designed merchandise graphics for his rock star clients and several companies and even some other apparel companies and decided that starting a line with his wife was a natural extension of F3 Studios.
Stephen is responsible for designing guitars and graphics for Dimebag Darrell, Dave Mustaine, Shaun Glass, Corey Beaulieu, and more; album graphics for Dirge Within, Soil, A.M. Conspiracy and many others as well as created amazing artwork and ads for music industry manufacturers. Stephen is also known for his amazing photography and you can learn more about him on his website blog at
This proven combination made the foundation of what Wornstar Clothing is all about.
The Wornstar Clothing line is a combination of exclusive graphic clothing and customized recycled clothing. Our goal is to make clothing for the rock n roll life style that is cool to look at and comfortable to wear. Every piece on this website can be purchased as is or customized to fit your taste and needs, or we can even design something from scratch specifically for you. Wornstar will be constantly updated, changing and evolving, so check back often.
Please visit our onlinestore for wear ready custom clothing or use the contact form to submit a request. http://www.Wornstar.com/
• Image Consulting
• Styling & Wardrobe Coordination
• Custom Clothing featuring designs by
Stephen Jensen, F3 Studios
• Custom Recycled Clothing
• Set Design
• Photography, Hair and Make-up, Design and Printing coordination
Great people, great clothing, great company. Whether you are a performer, or just want to step up your game, you cannot go wrong with Wornstar clothing. Do yourself a favor and check them out and get noticed!
the Hellion Rocks 