Tag Archives: Charlie Owens

Alive on the Road fund

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In this day and age a band on the road faces numerous challenges. Stolen instruments, gas money, vehicle repairs,  feeding themselves, showering, where to sleep, and yet they keep doing it in order to share their music. I am constantly seeing posts about bands getting into some heinous situations every day. Most recover and carry on, others find the situation overwhelming. I am bouncing around the idea of creating a fund based upon donations to help keep bands in need on the road.

I am thinking if we can create a network of people around the USA willing to put their heads together and figure a way to help bands out when they get into a situation in which help is required. Keep in mind this is only in the exploration stage right now and I am open to any and all ideas. We might even be able to get help from some hotel, vehicle repair/rental, food, and musical instrument and supply companies.

My tentative name for this is the Alive And On The Road fund.

If you have an interest in this and wish to provide some input please contact me at janaya@thehellionrocks.com

I can’t do this without the greater music community people so please help to keep young bands on the road.

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

-the Hellion

sadness, hatred, death and sorrow….

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I would like to apologize to my loyal readers. I had to step away from social media for a minute because of the overwhelming flood of mayhem on it. I needed time to reflect on how I can help. We need more positive messages and treatment of each other. Only by looking within and deciding to make a positive impact can we make changes. Never be afraid to care.

-the Hellion

Catching up with Jerry Gaskill from King’s X

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     You know it’s a good day when Jerry Gaskill calls you up to talk about his upcoming solo record. Enjoy our conversation right here:

     Be sure and pick up Love And Scars from Jerry Gaskill on October 30th  preorder here:

http://www.ratpakrecordsamerica.com/jerrygaskill

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

     -the Hellion

Metallica has jumped the shark (in my opinion)

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Many years ago some pissed off disaffected young men decided to tell the world how they were feeling. Their medium: loud, fast, and aggressive music, their name? METALLICA!!!!

When James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich got their shit together and put Dave Mustaine and Cliff Burton in the lineup they were ready to shake up the Rock N’ Roll world. They were loud, obnoxious, and very much what we needed in music at that time.

They then went to New York to record their debut record with which they planned sonic assault on the eardrums of the world, which is when they began their race to “jump the shark” so to say.

Nobody was madder and more disaffected than Dave Mustaine (if you doubt me listen to his music even to this day). When they kicked him out and replaced him with Kirk Hammett from Exodus they started down that road to the shark.

While we got some really good music from Metallica in the early days the clock was ticking for our young anarchists.

Keep in mind these are just my thoughts on Metallica and how I feel they have jumped the shark. Like I stated earlier I believe their path to jumping said shark was with the dismissal of Dave Mustaine. I do indeed own every release by Metallica and I have passed my judgment as this: the so-called Black album was the demise of Metallica in that I feel the loss  of any fire and passion in their music. Yes, there were some great tracks here and there in the subsequent records but none that were solid from open to close.  Now am I saying Metallica sucks? Not a chance, they just aren’t making the music that I fell in love with anymore. I will continue to purchase their future releases and give them a fair listen and hope for that spark to reappear, but I am not holding my breath. I will thank them for the back catalog of music that still put my fist in the air but inside I weep when I listen to St. Anger….

Rest In Peace Cliff Burton, I have always admired and respected you and your style of playing.

 

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

-the Hellion

 

Was Jimi Hendrix that great?

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Hendrix performing on the Dutch television show Hoepla in 1967

     I have had many conversations about Jimi throughout the years. There are those who laud his playing, and those who deeply criticize him. Myself, however, have a different opinion on Mr. Hendrix.

     I believe that Jimi played the heart and soul. He felt the music coursing throughout his every fiber and was able to bring that out through his writing and playing, and that was good enough.

     I don’t feel he was the greatest or most technical player. I feel that he felt the guitar talking to him and he listened to it and not the limitations the musical world had imposed, and that was good enough.

     I have said before and I stand by it, music lives within all of us, some of us listen, and some hit the mute button. Jimi turned it up to 15 and beyond. You can see the magic in his live performances. When Jimi, Mitch Mitchell, and Noel Redding took the stage it was a spectacle to behold.

     In conclusion, Jimi was not the greatest guitarist ever (I don’t think that title can ever be granted to one guitarist) but he did pave the way for others to realize it was ok to experiment and take their music to new levels. He influenced so many guitarists that I to think he is a legendary guitarist but not the best ever.

     If you want to see musicians truly lost in their craft check out this video for “Purple Haze”. Put it on the big screen, turn it up as loud as you can, and stare into their faces, you’ll see what I mean:

     Be true to the music within, it your friend that will be with you no matter what.

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

   -the Hellion

WHAT THE F@#K PEOPLE!!!

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As I sit here and see/hear/read all of the news about racial tensions, the assassination of police officers, and other horrors going on I thought I would talk a little about my feelings to you my loyal readers.

I am going to share some things with you about my life and thoughts. First off, my mother’s father was a Cherokee and a tribal leader, I knew nothing of this life as he passed long before my birth and I only had word of mouth to go by.  I spent the first 9 years of my life with a man whom I thought was my father. This man was abusive as all get out to me and my mom. He was severely racist as well. We lived in neighborhood that was all white and to everyone’s horror a black family moved in. I made quick friends with their son and I was well treated by their family, not so by my stepfather. I could have given a shit about his color. My mom divorced him shortly before I turned 10.

My mom’s next husband came from a family of Mexican descent and I was suddenly thrust into that culture. I embraced it and was accepted into their family with open arms.  I often heard the terms “Spic”, “Beaner”, and other derogatory terms and they hurt me deeply.

As an adult I found out about my birth father and his heritage. They come from Nordic roots and settled in Normandy and then Canada and later America. When I found his family I learned that I had cousins that were a mixture  black and white. This phased me not one bit.

Growing up around racial and cultural diversity taught me tolerance instead of bias. I am of the firm belief that one owns one own actions, period. I could have very easily taken the PTSD crutch and been an abuser myself, or a racist, or a myriad of other horrible things I’ve been exposed to in my life. I, however, chose to do what I felt was right in my heart. I love my wife, children, grandchild, friends,  and family and would do anything for them.

There is stupidity in every race and THAT stupidity belongs to each individual who makes bad decisions.

I thought we were done with racial inequality and it was put to bed. How can we have a black lives matter without a white/yellow/red/brown lives matter? How come there is a NAACP and not a NAACP (insert Caucasian in the place of the C)? Why don’t we just have a NAAP? To quote Depeche Mode, “People are people, so why should it be, you and I should get along so awfully?”

As for the police, like in every job in the world there is corruption and people there for the wrong reasons. For the most part however, the police are there to protect and serve. Police Service is a thankless job for most of the officers, and now we have people assassinating them willy nilly.

I am going to say this right here, right now: IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BE KILLED BY THE POLICE DON’T BE OUT DOING SHIT YOU SHOULDN’T BE DOING!!!!

I am heavily tattooed and have that “Biker” look and have NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE POLICE!!! BECAUSE WHENEVER I HAVE AN INTERACTION WITH THE POLICE I TREAT THEM WITH RESPECT AND COMPLIANCE! An altercation in the field with police can cause nothing but trouble and heartache. Burning, looting, and destruction are not the answer people. Mature conversation and communications can accomplish far more.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the greatest men to advance racial equality and I have always admired him for it. But I feel his work is being unraveled by the actions of people today.

I don’t know about any of you but I bleed red and my outside is just a fancy wrapper. We are all just people and as such we should be caring for each other and brothers and sisters of the HUMAN RACE.

 

People are people…

-the Hellion

 

ANNOUNCING OUR NEW THEME SONG!!!

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The Hellion Rocks has grown and evolved over the years. We have come a long way since the beginning where we were begging for written interviews with anyone we could get. We now have readers in 170 countries around the world, and are now doing phone and video interviews and photographing national acts as well as the up and coming bands we love to promote. It has even progressed to the point where we are being hit up by the bands and their publicists for coverage, which is truly an honor. Recently one publicist mentioned to me in a conversation that people have great things to say about the Hellion Rocks, that my friends, is truly humbling.

Now it is time to evolve yet again, I have been on a personal mission to find the perfect theme song for the Hellion Rocks. I have scoured the earth from top to bottom, had many a phone conversation, sent a myriad of emails, and listened to A LOT of music. I am proud to say: MISSION ACOMPLISHED!

We at the Hellion Rocks are excited to announce “No Way But Down” by Throw The Temple as the official theme song for the Hellion Rocks. This track is from their forthcoming debut CD No Way But Down which drops on Sept. 5th 2015.

Why this track you may ask? I can say all kinds of things like, “it’s so badass”, or “because it has killer licks”, but to be honest with you, it just fit. I happen to know the guys in Throw The Temple personally and know of their hard work and struggles, and yet that had nothing to do with it either. The song just feels right for the Hellion Rocks.  Plus it gives an up and coming band a nod which is one of the reasons we do this in the first place.

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What does this really mean for the Hellion Rocks? Well several things, we will now feature sections of the song as the opener and closer for our audio and video interviews as well as some up and coming podcasts we are in development of. Another project that will hopefully come to fruition soon is a video show (think That Metal Show only geared for bands that are up and coming) where the track will be used again to open and close said show.

So there you have it, I would like to personally thank Throw The Temple for deciding to work with us on this. And we will leave you with a look/listen to what’s to come. Check it out right here:

     well, there’s “No Way But Down”

     -the Hellion

Tasty licks – Queen “Get Down Make Love”

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So I broke out News Of The World today and was captured by the licks in “Get Down Make Love”. This song came out in 1977 and the guitar in it translates directly to 2015. As a whole the track kills all around. Heavy drums, brutal bass, nicely done keys, and of course, Freddie’s magical voice. Brian May handles the guitars like the wizard we know him to be. There is a part in the middle where it gets kind of spacey sounding but Brian does it all with his  Red Special and an Electroharmonix Frequency Analyzer pedal, which he would often do live. The studio cut featured an Eventide Harmoniser. Do yourself a favor and put the good headphones on and give this track a revisit, or a first visit and expand your mind. Brian May’s tone and licks get me every time I listen to this track.

Check it out right here:

     it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s QUEEN!!!

-the Hellion

Guns N’ Roses, my thoughts as of today.

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As I sit here watching Guns N’ Roses Appetite For Democracy, and with the internet buzz of Axl and Slash making up, I am full thoughts and conjecture.

When Guns hit the scene they were so incendiary I predicted imminent flame out, and was correct. The original five members were an alchemic formula that gave us some iconic music though.  Magic happened when those five guys put their talents together. When it all fell apart I was disappointed but not surprised.

Axl, in my opinion became infected with delusions of grandeur which took the chemistry away from the band. I remember reading somewhere that Duff said when he looked across the stage and couldn’t see Slash past the backup singers, keyboards, orchestra and such that he knew it was over.

I, like others, mourned the loss of what could have been another Stones, or Aerosmith rocking us for many years to come.

The demise of Guns was survived well by Slash, Duff, and Izzy, and not so well for Axl and Steven.  (remember I’m only talking about the original five).

The breakup gave us Velvet Revolver, Slash’s Snakepit,  Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds and Adler’s Appetite all of which I still listen to. They continued to evolve and move in different ways Giving us Slash with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, Duff McKagen’s Loaded, The Walking Papers, and Adler.

All the while we waited out the infamous Chinese Democracy from Axl and co. We heard all of the stories of lineup changes and recording shenanigans and waited, and waited, and waited…

When Chinese Democracy finally dropped, so did my jaw. Personally I found the record unlistenable, believe me I tried and tried. There are a couple of ok tracks but that was it for me.

Axl put together to some stellar musicians like Bumblefoot, DJ Ashba, and Richard Fortman and took to the road. Well I am of the opinion that despite the talented players Axl put together, It was nothing but a GN’R cover/tribute band.

I remember having several discussions with peers and friends about the possibility of the reuniting of the original members and at the time I didn’t see it happening.

Now we find out that both Bumblefoot and DJ Ashba have left the band and like I stated earlier, Slash and Axl have reportedly made up.

We have seen Duff and Izzy make appearances with GN’R and Steven has said he would play with GN’R again.

I am now  of the opinion that an reunion is in the making but I don’t think it would last. While we could only hope that some new music and a tour with the original five would happen, I think the old demons would surface and end it all in finality.

Just some thoughts on the current GN’R stuff.

it’s loud, it’ dirty, it’s Guns N’ Fuckin’ Roses!!!

-the Hellion

 

Talkin’ with Marty Friedman!!!

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What a cool experience we had at the Hellion Rocks yesterday. We were honored to have the chance to speak with guitar legend Marty Friedman. I was tied up with mayhem and mischief so Mike Araiza stepped up and took care of business. Mike and Marty had a great conversation that we are sure you will enjoy! So check it out right here:

e sure and pick up the killer new release from Marty Friedman “Inferno” out on Prosthetic Records NOW!!!

Catch up with Marty Friedman online:

http://www.martyfriedman.com/

https://www.facebook.com/martyfriedman.official

http://prostheticrecords.com/?p=3971

     it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s MARTY FRIEDMAN!!!

     -the Hellion and Mike Araiza