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.
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.
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!!!
Several years ago I was invited to see Murder FM at a local venue. I had a few minutes prior to their set and was able to talk with them and found them to be focused and driven individuals. When they took the stage they owned it and let everyone in attendance know this. I thoroughly enjoyed their set and have kept them on my radar ever since.
The stars finally aligned and Norman”The Gnar” Matthew and I were finally able to schedule to time together and talk. We had a great conversation about a ton of things and you can listen in right here:
So you wanna be a promoter huh? Well you better put your big boy/girl pants on and get ready to work. If you think it’s a cool thing to do and you get to hang out with the band, you have another thing coming.
What exactly is a promoter? According to the internet it says: Tour promoters (also known as concert promoters or talent buyers) are the individuals or companies responsible for organizing a live concert tour or special event performance. The tour promoter makes an offer of employment to a particular artist, usually through the artist’s agent or music manager. The promoter and agent then negotiate the live performance contract.
Let’s be real, most bands these days deal with local “in town” promoters. This means a lot of work for the small time promoter because most don’t really have the money or staff to back them. This also means a lot of upfront money out of pocket for said promoter. First things first, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE FUCKING MONEY TO PAY THE BANDS!!!!!!! The minute you book a show you should set aside your guarantees. There is nothing more heinous than for a traveling band to get stiffed on their guarantee. Most of these bands are getting show to show on the money from the previous show. Now, let’s talk venue. Make sure you completely check out the venue and ensure load in/out locations, if there is a “green room” for the band, if there is sound equipment and a person to man it (here’s a tip: a good promoter should be able to put their hands on a PA and sound guy in a minute. ALWAYS HAVE A BACK UP, AND A BACK UP BACK UP!) The MINUTE you book a show PROMOTE THE SHIT OUT OF IT!!! This does NOT mean just create a Facebook event page and sit back and expect the masses to show up. Make flyers, call people, hand out said flyers at other shows, hit up the local radio shows, HIT THE STREETS!!! Night of show, BE THE FIRST PERSON THERE!!!! You are the director of traffic for the evening, period. Make sure everything and everyone has a place and they are in it. Make the bands feel welcomed and appreciated (THEY WILL TELL OTHER BANDS HOW THEY WERE TREATED!!!) and they will do their best and will love to work with you again. The fans will come to know that your shows are well run and incredible and the word will spread. There are no excuses for putting on a lame show.
I have been doing a lot of thinking about the songs that have staying power. What makes them great? Why can certain songs be listened to over and over again, yet others drive you batshit. One of the things that has come to light in my thoughts is the alchemy between the musicians and the studio wizards. I have decided to seek out some of these wizards and try to get in their heads.
I now present to you the first of my conversations with said wizards, Mr. Sterling Winfield. If you have been living under a rock and do not recognize the name let me educate you. He has worked with: Pantera, Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, Nightranger, Pissing Razors, Hellyeah, and Damageplan to name a few.
Sterling also clues us in to a new band he is working with: A Rebel Few. Check them out at: http://www.arebelfew.com/
Grab yourself a cold one, put your headphones on, and check out our interesting chat with Sterling right here:
It’s loud (and it sounds great), it’s dirty, it’s ROCK N’ ROLL!!!!!
What can I say about Motörhead? Well, having witnessed them live, and meeting the immortal Lemmy, they will remain a favorite of mine eternally.
June 16th 2015 – Grammy Award winning iconic rock band Motörhead, who are embarking on a 40th anniversary world tour in support of their upcoming release Bad Magic, have announced a US tour. These North American shows start in mid-August, with Saxon and Anthrax as special guests on select dates, before ending with the now-legendary Motörboat Cruise between Sept 28th – Oct 2nd from Miami, Florida to Nassau, Bahamas. The cruise also features Slayer, Anthrax and a bumper line-up of bands including three exciting new acts, Others, Budderside, and No Words.
Bad Magic is the band’s 22nd studio album and is slated to be released August 28th via UDR Music / Motörhead Music. The album was recorded at NRG Studios in Los Angeles, CA with long-time producer Cameron Webb. Bad Magic is the follow up to the band’s highly successful album Aftershock which saw Motörhead enjoy their most successful year yet, including a fourth Grammy nomination.
Sometimes less is more. When a band puts out a release every year, year after year, the music and excitement can grow stale. Now, after a four year absence Disturbed is returning to kick our collective asses with some new music. the Hellion Rocks is really looking forward to this release!
DISTURBED ANNOUNCE RETURN FROM HIATUS WITH
NEW ALBUM IMMORTALIZED DUE AUGUST 21 WORLDWIDE
OFFICIAL VIDEO FOR FIRST SINGLE “THE VENGEFUL ONE” OUT NOW
ALBUM AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER EVERYWHERE TODAY
June 23, 2015 – Burbank, CA – After a four-year hiatus, Grammy Award-nominated, multiplatinum hard rock titans Disturbed have announced their return with their sixth studio album, entitled Immortalized, to be released August 21 through Reprise Records. Lead single “The Vengeful One” is out now, along with the accompanying animated video from award-winning filmmaker Phil Mucci, and Immortalizedis available for pre-order everywhere today. The upcoming release follows 2010’s gold-certified Asylum, Disturbed‘s fourth consecutive #1 on the Billboard Top 200, and the group’s subsequent four-year hiatus, which gave members David Draiman [vocals], Dan Donegan [guitar], Mike Wengren [drums], and John Moyer [bass] the necessary reprieve to make this imminent and deliberate return.
Watch/share the official video for “The Vengeful One”:
“The idea was to leave when we were at our peak, which we were, and to come back when we felt reinvigorated,” asserts Draiman. “We had basically been going nonstop since 1998,” adds Wengren. “We got to do our own things. It didn’t take too long until the itch started coming back.” And Donegan agrees: “We wanted to return when we collectively had that fire underneath us. We missed it so much that we could tap into this energy and deliver the right album. We did it on our own terms.”
In January 2014, Draiman, Donegan, and Wengren met for dinner in their hometown of Chicago. Shortly thereafter, without notifying friends, families, or their label, the three began to fly back and forth to each other’s respective home studios for writing sessions, marking the beginnings of Immortalized and the first time they collectively wrote together since 2001.
“For this album, everything was written in the same room,” Draiman remarks. “It was wonderful experiencing how it used to be back in the day for us. That became apparent in the material, whether it was the passion of the performance, the power being harnessed, or the feelings evoked. We could feel the difference.”
To push themselves further, the group headed to Las Vegas’ Hideout Recordings to work alongside producer Kevin Churko [Ozzy Osbourne, Five Finger Death Punch]. “The goal was to find a producer we felt creatively comfortable with, but who could challenge us and spark a new evolution,” said Donegan. “Churko did that.”
The resulting record features the unshakable first single “The Vengeful One” – “Musically, it’s got that old school metal sound,” says Donegan. “It’s definitely Disturbed!” – along with an outside-the-box cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence,” unlike anything in the group’s catalog.
“I think the fans will feel like it was worth the wait,” says Donegan. “We’ve been planning this for the past year and keeping it a secret so we can’t wait to hear the response. I hope fans realize we have a lot more left in us. This album reassured me of that. To be away from it for almost 5 years, get back in a room, write together, and tap into that fire is awesome. Part of me didn’t want to leave the studio! We still have a lot more to say. We still have a lot more to do. We’re returning stronger than ever. I think Immortalized shows that.”
Formed in Chicago in 1996, Disturbed have sold 12 million albums globally, scored nine No. 1 singles at Active Rock Radio, and had four consecutive albums debut at #1 on the Billboard Top 200, a feat shared only with Metallica and Dave Matthews Band. Their quadruple-platinum 2000 debut The Sickness formally announced their arrival as hard rock leaders, with that status solidified by their subsequent gold-, platinum- and double platinum-certified records as well as a Grammy Award nomination in the category of “Best Hard Rock Performance” for “Inside the Fire” in 2009.
Pre-order the album, including deluxe limited edition bundles:
I have been hearing lately that guitarist Vinnie Vincent has gone missing. I did a Google search and found a couple of atricles regarding this but nothing concrete. Interesting how a former member of “The Hottest Band In The World!” can just fall off the earth. Is it a conspiracy? Did people from the planet Jendell abduct him on Ace’s command? Did Gene and Paul stash him with Jimmy Hoffa? Has fallen under the spell of the Cat People? Or is he just done with the limelight and rat race and just living life? I’m gonna keep digging and will keep you updated.
the Hellion Rocks 