TOGETHER WE WILL GAIN STRENGTH

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I have been fortunate in my life. I have a solid family, am gainfully employed, and in relatively (there have been some issues) good health, and I have my extended music family. We are a community and we need to stand strong for those in our community. In the last few years I have met some great bands and some great fans. The only way the music community can succeed is by the support given by EVERYONE. We need to remember this every day.  We also need to take the time and try to get to know each other and help each other through our various hard times. Sometimes a crisis can be averted by someone just listening to someone else. There have been many times that a simple phone call has made a difference in my life when I’m feeling down. The world used to seem such vast place when I was a child, not so anymore. As of this post, we are at 121 countries actively reading the blog, 121 countries! Music lovers from around the globe, FAMILY from the four corners of the earth. What does this mean? To me it gives me the ability to share bands that I know and the music they make with people who might not have ever had the chance to hear them. I also get to find and hear bands that I would not necessarily have heard as well. One of the things I am passionate about is helping these various bands break out from their respective “local” areas and bring their music and live shows to the world. Remember: KISS, Motley Crue, Metallica, etc. are ALL local bands somewhere. Do me a couple of favors today in your travels: 1. take the time to stop and tell someone that you care for them, and LISTEN to what they have to say. 2. Share a piece of music or a band with someone that might not have heard it/them. Let us as musicians/fans make a difference and show people the strength of our music community.

 

the Hellion

OUR PRAYERS AND CONDOLENCES GO OUT TO THE FAMILIES OF NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT

     I just learned of the school shooting and we here at the Hellion Rocks, Bleach Bangs Radio, Music U-Night, Rock U-Night, send out our deepest sympathy. Hold your family close and show them love. Let us, the music community, stand strong for those in need.

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http://news.msn.com/us/multiple-deaths-reported-in-shooting-at-conn-school

THE HELLION ROCKS T-SHIRT IDEAS

Thinking about rolling out some T-Shirts for the supporters of the site. Let me know what you think.

FRONT:

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BACK:

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THE NEW LOGO!! (THANKS TO EDDIE’S MATES)

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Hellion logo Proof 1 - Copy

R.I.P. – REMEMBERING JOHN LENNON AND BROTHER DIME

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     John Winston Lennon October 9th 1940 – December 8th 1980

     John Lennon will always be a part of my life. As a small child I  loved his music, as a young man I learned to appreciate his style of writing, as an adult I learned to appreciate the man and his craft. Thank you John for sharing with us and giving up so much for the world. I will do my best to keep your music in the ears of those I can reach.

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Darrell Lance Abbott August 20th, 1966 – December 8th, 2004

     Dime gave me new hope in Rock N’ Roll. He cam and kicked our asses and made us feel good about it. The people who were fortunate to be close to him spoke of his kindness and willingness to give. His guitar playing was innovative and carried on (and, dare I say, improved  upon somewhat) the legacy of his mentors before him. His life was short but impacted the music world and he was taken from us doing what he loved. I will always miss you Dime.

     We remember John, Dime, and all of the fallen people who have given up their lives doing what they love or in protecting others. We humbly thank, and respect you all.

the Hellion

BABYJANE – MAKE IT SICK!

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     http://www.facebook.com/pages/BABYJANE/110902428925603

http://www.babyjane.com.au/

Babyjane – Australia’s rawest and explosive hard rock act – have come out of the rusty gate with all guns blazing…

Andy Smith (no singer comes closer to the swagger of Jagger and the presence of Plant than THIS one); John Gerasolo (rock’s next guitar hero — forget the Top Hat); Paul Judge (a snarling Sid Vicious who can really play the bass) and Nik ‘Animal’ Kats (the bombast of John Bonham meets the terror of Tommy Lee) unleashed their debut scorcher Are You Listening in 2011. Mixed by famed American producer Michael Wagener (Metallica/Janet Jackson/Ozzy Osbourne/Extreme) it features 11 tracks of hard rock at its absolute best (including ‘can’t stop singing it’ classic Can You Keep a Secret?)

A rousing support gig with Skid Row’s Sebastian Bach in Perth (2008) left the word on everyone’s lips that ‘Babyjane are the band to watch’. Recently, they have gone from strength to strength – securing airplay on American radio, global release of the album, a week-long prime-time spot on WA’s number one radio station 96FM and over 5000 Youtube views of their video single (Are You Listening).

Now, Babyjane have stepped it up a notch. 11 track second album, Make It Sick, was recorded in Nashville, 2012 with Michael Wagener handling production duties from start to finish – the end result is what one industry-insider has described as “the most balls-to-the-wall rock album since Guns n’ Roses Appetite For Destruction”… with one-time Motley Crue/Union singer John Corabi making a rousing appearance on the title track.

Corabis’ appearance alone reached first-page news on rock website Blabbermouth.com and unprecedented attention on Google.com in June. Featuring a sound only a world-class producer can muster, hugely commercial tracks like Bad Woman and She’s Just A Liar, and a well-oiled 4-piece band behind it, Babyjane are ready to step into the big league.

Road-tested and set for world domination, Babyjane are just gathering steam. Are you listening? You soon will be…

Here’s the video for the new single “She’s a Liar”:

Full review of the of the record SOON!

the Hellion

LAMB OF GOD/RANDY BLYTHE – MY PERSPECTIVE

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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.

the Hellion

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2013

 

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.

 

yours in Rock

the Hellion!

 

THANKSGIVING BREAK…BRB!!!

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’! 

the Hellion

INXS…The touring ends… The music lives on…

Perth, Western Australia, November 11: It ended fittingly where it began 35 years ago, in Perth, when INXS drummer Jon Farriss declared to a 15,000+ capacity house on the opening weekend of the brand new Perth Arena and the final night of the Matchbox Twenty / INXS Australian tour that from this point INXS would bring down the curtain as a live touring band. In a fitting homage to the band, Matchbox Twenty’s Rob Thomas joined the band (INXS) and vocalist Ciaran Gribbin on stage and performed INXS’s signature closer, Don’t Change, in the band’s encore.

The remaining band members of INXS, Tim, Andrew and Jon Farriss, Kirk Pengilly and Garry Beers issued this statement.

“We understand that this must come as a blow to everybody, but all things must eventually come to an end. We have been performing as a band for 35 years, it’s time to step away from the touring arena”

“Our music will of course live on and we will always be a part of that.”

“We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all the friends and family that have supported us throughout our extensive career. Our lives have been enriched by having you all as a part of the journey”

INXS forged their reputation as one of the world’s greatest live bands, relentlessly touring the US, Europe, South America, and the Far East constantly throughout the 80’s and early 90’s, fuelled by the success of records such as Listen Like Thieves, Kick, X, and Welcome To Wherever You Are.

That hard-earned and hard-won live reputation took INXS to the very pinnacle of the live world touring circuit with such memorable performances headlining iconic venues across the world… in the UK [Wembley Stadium 80,000], the US [Texas Stadium 60,000] and Rio De Janeiro [Rock in Rio 120,000].

But with the high, came a bitter and cruel blow… the loss of their charismatic and irreplaceable front man Michael Hutchence in November 1997.

“It’s been 35 years for INXS as a live touring band and unbelievably it’s been 15 years ago since we lost Michael” said Jon Farriss.

“We lived for each other in the trenches and we loved each other. It was the six of us against the world and then suddenly and inexplicably we were but five. We were lost right at the moment we were on top.”

The band struggled to deal with the enormity of it all and the easy solution was to just call it a day.

“We never took a soft option, it was the adversity, the challenge and the struggle that forged us into the live working band we became. And this was as big as it could possibly get when it came to a challenge” said Andrew Farriss, “and in the end we decided for a whole bunch of reasons to march forward. To us there was no other option, families always move forward.”

The band’s manager Chris Murphy said, “They believed unconditionally in each other and they also believed unconditionally in the music. People fade, sometimes way too early… that is life whether we like it or not. To live to 80 plus is a life well lived. To lose Michael so young was a tragedy for all of us. But with this band, their legacy, their music was just so damn good, it was always destined to live beyond all of us.”

The last 3 years has seen a resurgence of INXS with their songs being hammered on radio and a rise in audience numbers with the live show. The song Original Sin, with Rob Thomas on vocals, reached number 1 on the Billboard dance charts.

As Jon Farriss says,“INXS’ touring days could never last forever. We wanted it to end on a high. And it has”

End statement.