7/5/2012
 Organizers for the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, one of alternative music's biggest events, may move the show out of its home at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, California if the city votes to charge an admission tax for the show. A city councilman has proposed a tax that could add $18 or more to the cost of a Coachella ticket, prompting Goldenvoice vice president Skip Paige to tell city officials that if the tax is added, the festival will skip 2014 and relocate to a new venue for 2015. Councilman Sam Torres believes the tax could make up for a $4 million shortfall in Indio's annual city budget. Coachella has taken place in Indio every year since 1999, with the exception of 2000, and the 2013 show is scheduled for April 12th to the 14th and April 19th to the 21st. (Rolling Stone) Read more at Spinner
- The Killers will debut a new song called "Runaways" next Tuesday (July 10th) as the lead single from their upcoming album, Battle Born. The disc itself is due out this fall and has been described as the "difficult fourth record" by drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr. The band has worked with a number of heavyweight producers on the record, including Brendan O'Brien, Steve Lillywhite, Daniel Lanois and Stuart Price. (FMQB)
- Rob Zombie revealed that he was forced to change the cover art of his upcoming remix collection, Mondo Sex Head. The original cover art featured a scantily clad model posing provocatively with her butt in the air, but Zombie ended up substituting a close-up of a cat's face. Zombie told Rolling Stone, "No one would carry the CD. Anything with death and violence is totally fine, but anything with sex, forget about it. So instead of censoring that cover and ruining it, I just removed the ass shot and replaced it with a pussy shot." The set is due out on August 7th and features remixes of classic Zombie tracks by a number of different artists. See the original and current cover at http://tinyurl.com/7e22gc9 Read more at Blabbermouth, Loudwire and Rolling Stone
- U2 bassist Adam Clayton's former assistant was found guilty earlier this week of stealing the European equivalent of $3.5 million from the musician. Carol Hawkins was convicted in Dublin on 181 counts of theft ranging over a four-year period from 2004 to 2008. Hawkins had access to two of Clayton's bank accounts and wrote checks to herself which she used to purchase an apartment, a car, designer clothes, horses and exotic vacations. Hawkins is out on bail and will be sentenced on Friday (July 6th). (Rolling Stone) Read more at Ultimate Classic Rock
- Radiohead has teamed up with the Greenpeace organization for a new ad that shows a homeless polar bear wandering the streets of London as the band's "Everything In Its Right Place" plays in the background. The spot, with narration from actor Jude Law, is part of a campaign to stop oil companies from drilling in the Arctic, which has already decimated by global warming. Radiohead singer Thom Yorke said in a statement, "We have to stop the oil giants pushing into the Arctic. An oil spill in the Arctic would devastate this region of breathtaking beauty, while burning that oil will only add to the biggest problem we all face, climate change. That's why I'm backing this campaign." (Rolling Stone)
CHECK IT OUT: Watch the Radiohead/Greenpeace ad:
- Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine says that his experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs was a valuable experience. He told Q magazine, that it actually got him to understand himself better. He said, "I definitely, firmly believe that the experience I had on mushrooms made me understand certain things about myself that I probably wouldn't have otherwise. What I took away from that experience was valuable and beneficial to me. It really forced me to look at myself. It's so corny to say but it's true; you just get in touch with the wonderment you have as a kid that you tend to lose. Obviously if you abuse a drug like that you'll never come back and end up as a f**king psychotic maniac."
- Adele's boyfriend of nearly a year, Simon Konecki, was reportedly planning to propose to the singer before Adele announced that she was expecting their first child together. According to Us Weekly, Simon was planning to propose anyways and Adele is excited to have a low-key affair where her mother gives her way. Adele is reportedly excited to be a wife and a mom. Adele announced her pregnancy on her website. She said, "I'm delighted to announce that Simon and I are expecting our first child together. I wanted you to hear the news direct from me, obviously we're over the moon and very excited but please respect our privacy at this precious time. Yours always, Adele xx." Read more at Spinner and Rolling Stone
- Blabbermouth reports legendary guitarist Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE) and his wife, Barbaranne, welcomed their fourth child, Sabbath Page Wielandt Wylde, yesterday (Wednesday, July 4) at 11:40 p.m. He weighed in at eight pounds, 1.3 ounces and measured 21 inches long. Zakk and Barbaranne have three other children: Hayley Rae, Hendrix, and Jesse. BLACK SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne is the godfather of Jesse, and baseball slugger Mike Piazza is the godfather of Hendrix. When asked in a recent interview with Zoiks! Online if he had any free time coming up in the next couple of years, Zakk replied, "No. I gotta be honest with you, I love working. My kids, the two oldest are in college, the little guy is nine and Barbaranne is 6 ½ months pregnant right now. My friends are like, 'You must be excited you're having another baby.' 'Yeah, we just extended the tour another twenty years.'" Read more at Loudwire, Ultimate Classic Rock and Rolling Stone
- Blabbermouth reports the members of THE CULT, currently on tour in Europe, experienced a terrifying crash just before 6:00 a.m. local time earlier this week while in their tour bus traveling from Split, Croatia to Ljubijana, Slovenia. "I was the only one awake," said the band's vocalist Ian Astbury, who was seated in the bus's front lounge. "All of a sudden, the bus veered violently, hit the guard rail and tipped on a 45-degree angle, then righted itself and came to a halt. The guard rail was the only thing that prevented us from going over an 80-foot drop." Astbury was thrown into the aisle and suffered injuries to his neck, back and shoulder. The rest of the band and crew were asleep in their bunks, so no one else was badly hurt. Limping down the highway, the driver was able to get the bus to a service station a few miles up the road. Astbury's injuries were iced and he received pain medication. After some temporary patching up of the bus, the band was able to make it to the venue for that night's show, and played a full concert. But it wasn't until 5:00 a.m. the next morning that their fully-repaired bus arrived to take them on the 20+ hour trip to the next gig. "No one has had any sleep, so the guys are pretty beat, and we are still in shock, to be honest," admitted Astbury. "You never think something like this is going to happen to you, and it just did." THE CULT — Astbury, guitarist Billy Duffy, bassist Chris Wyse and drummer John Tempesta — is on tour to support its new release, "Choice Of Weapon", hailed as the band's best work in 20 years. The remainder of THE CULT's European tour dates are below. Following this European trek, THE CULT will kick off leg two of its North American tour. Read more at Loudwire, Ultimate Classic Rock, Noisecreep and Spinner
- Blabbermouth reports a snippet of the song "Red", the new single from Helsinki, Finland-based gothic metallers THE 69 EYES, can be streamed on the band's Facebook page ("Like" required). The full track will be made available in August. "Red" comes off THE 69 EYES's 10th studio album, "X", which is scheduled for release in late September through RCA/Sony Music in Finland and Nuclear Blast in the rest of Europe and North America. The cover artwork for "X" can be seen below. Commented THE 69 EYES lead singer Jyrki69: "The cover is pure goth 'n' roll: a psychedelic mirror image of old wild animal bones with our X-tagram projected over all. It's good, evil, magic and voodoo all together! Something to stare at when tripping on the album." "X" was mixed by Stefan Boman (THE HELLACOPTERS, BULLET). "The sound is the most melodic, yet melancholic, we've ever had," says Jyrki69. "Listening to the pre-mixes have been giving goose bumps to everyone here. This is the best THE 69 EYES album ever done!" Regarding the album title, Jyrki69 said, "We've never really celebrated anything, not that we've been playing 20 years or so (vampires don't count decades). Thus this time we thought to celebrate a bit: the new album is entitled as tenth in Roman numbers, it'll be called 'X'." THE 69 EYES will film its first video in three years later this month in Gothenburg, Sweden with Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company, who has previously worked with DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE and KAMELOT, among others. To coincide with the new album release, THE 69 EYES will also launch its own vampire-style red wine, simply called as "Red," which will mainly be distributed in Sweden and Finland. While waiting for the album, the Helsinki vampire enthusiastic can go to listen to singer Jyrki's DJ skills as he hosts his goth'n'roll club nights in Barcelona's Undead club on July 7 and Fangtasia II event in New Orleans on July 21.
- Blabbermouth posts while at last month's Orion Music + More festival in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Metal Injection asked members of RED FANG, THE SWORD, BLACK TUSK, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, BARONESS, CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED, KYNG, LANDMINE MARATHON and THY WILL BE DONEabout what the most metal way to celebrate Independence Day is. You can watch their answers below. The annual Independence Day celebration across the United States was capped off Wednesday with the traditional nighttime fireworks displays. This year's celebration marked the 236th anniversary of the country's declaration of independence from Britain, making it the United States' most cherished symbol of freedom.
- Blabbermouth reports an attorney for LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe, who was arrested in the Czech Republic in connection with the death of a fan two years ago, tells Blesk.cz that the singer is very sorry and he wants to meet the fan's family upon his release, which is expected early next week. Blythe, 41, is accused of causing the fatal injury that occurred at LAMB OF GOD's May 24, 2010 show in Prague. The singer allegedly either pushed or struck a 19-year-old fan named Daniel N. — a guitarist in a local metal band — and that person died almost a month later of bleeding in the brain. Randy has been charged with causing "bodily harm of the fourth degree, resulting in the death of a fan" and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Blythe remains in detention at Pankrác Prison in Prague even after his manager posted 4 million Czech Koruna bail (approximately $200,000), as set by the court last Saturday. But the bail system in the Czech Republic is not as rapid as in the U.S. Although bail has been posted, the decision to release the singer is still subject to appeal and so it will take some time for the state prosecutor's office to give approval. Despite previous reports that Blythe was considered a flight risk, the musician will be allowed to leave the Czech Republic, said his defense lawyer Martin Radvan. LAMB OF GOD manager Larry Mazer told The Prague Post said that he and Randy's bandmates were shocked to learn of the incident. According to Mazer, neither he nor the band heard about the case until they arrived in Prague last week for a June 28 performance in the city. "We are stunned," he said. "We flew in from Norway and were looking forward to putting on a great show. We would never have come out here if we knew this was going to happen." Mazer added that he couldn't understand why he hadn't been contacted earlier with information related to the case. "I would raise blood and hell trying to find the person who killed my son. The whole thing is a crock of shit," he said. Another one of Blythe's Czech attorneys, Tomáš Morysek, told Blesk.cz that his client would have immediately cooperated with the police had he learned of the incident earlier. Read more at Classic Rock
- Blabbermouth reports Richmond, Virginia metallers LAMB OF GOD have released the following statement: "As many of you know, Randy [Blythe, vocals] is being held in Czech jail for a crime we believe he did not commit. We are still learning about the legal system there and the situation is fluid. We have retained local legal counsel, have support from the U.S. embassy and we are flying over additional lawyers to try and assure that Randy has the best representation possible. As many of you have pointed out, the simple fact is that the legal fees are adding up very quickly. "While we appreciate the outpouring of support, we are not interested in trying to profit or gather press or sympathy from this event. We have assembled this page to make it possible for people that feel so inclined to donate to the expenses incurred in defending this case. One hundred percent of the money raised will go to the legal fees and any remaining balance will be given to a charity of Randy's choice upon his release." To donate, go to this location. Blythe, 41, is accused of causing the fatal injury that occurred at LAMB OF GOD's May 24, 2010 show in Prague. The singer allegedly either pushed or struck a 19-year-old fan named Daniel N. — a guitarist in a local metal band — and that person died almost a month later of bleeding in the brain. Randy has been charged with causing "bodily harm of the fourth degree, resulting in the death of a fan" and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Blythe remains in detention at Pankrác Prison in Prague even after Mazer posted 4 million Czech Koruna bail (approximately $200,000), as set by the court last Saturday. But the bail system in the Czech Republic is not as rapid as in the U.S. Although bail has been posted, the decision to release the singer is still subject to appeal and so it will take some time for the state prosecutor's office to give approval. Read more at Loudwire
- Blabbermouth reports LAMB OF GOD guitarist Willie Adler has posted a message on his Facebook page inviting all of the band's supporters in the Richmond, Virginia area to attend the "Free Randy Blythe Vigil" on Sunday, July 8 on Browns Island from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. LAMB OF GOD singer Randy Blythe, 41, is accused of causing the fatal injury that occurred at the band's May 24, 2010 show in Prague. The singer allegedly either pushed or struck a 19-year-old fan named Daniel N. — a guitarist in a local metal group — and that person died almost a month later of bleeding in the brain. Randy has been charged with causing "bodily harm of the fourth degree, resulting in the death of a fan" and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Willie writes: "I want to thank all for the support first and foremost. I also want to share the link to the event this Sunday on Brown Island here in Richmond. An event spearheaded by Mr. Tommy Streat. It’s a get-together for all who care to attend to show support for our brother Randy Blythe, and to voice our concerns over the travesty of justice that is currently unfolding. I hope to see you all there." Blythe remains in detention at Pankrác Prison in Prague even after Mazer posted 4 million Czech Koruna bail (approximately $200,000), as set by the court last Saturday. But the bail system in the Czech Republic is not as rapid as in the U.S. Although bail has been posted, the decision to release the singer is still subject to appeal and so it will take some time for the state prosecutor's office to give approval. For more information on the "Free Randy Blythe Vigil", go to this location.
- Blabbermouth reports guitarist Joel Stroetzel of Massachusetts metallers KILLSWITCH ENGAGE is one of a number of musicians who have come out in support of LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe, who is facing manslaughter charges in the Czech Republic. Blythe, 41, is accused of causing the fatal injury that occurred at LAMB OF GOD's May 24, 2010 show in Prague. The singer allegedly either pushed or struck a 19-year-old fan named Daniel N. — a guitarist in a local metal band — and that person died almost a month later of bleeding in the brain. Randy has been charged with causing "bodily harm of the fourth degree, resulting in the death of a fan" and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Writing on KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's Facebook page, Joel said, "Everyone in our camp was shocked to hear about what Randy has been going through. LAMB OF GOD have been longtime friends and tourmates of ours. Our thoughts are with them and we all hope everything gets resolved soon! A death is always a tragic thing, but Randy certainly does not deserve such accusations."
- Blabbermouth reports Nuclear Blast Records made DN Journal's Top 20 Sales Chart this week with its acquisition of the NuclearBlast.com domain for $12,000. Asif Salam of SoundShock.com recently travelled to the Nuclear Blast Records headquarters in Donzdorf, Germany, where he interviewed the label's vice president, Jochen Maass, and A&R representative/product manager Jaap Waagemaker. You can now watch the report below. Nuclear Blast was founded in Donzdorf, Germany in 1987 by Markus Staiger. Since 2000, Nuclear Blast has maintained U.S. staff and operations in Los Angeles via a successful and long-running production and distribution deal with The Century Family, Inc., parent of Century Media Records. Century Media currently maintains a distribution deal with Caroline/EMI which it manages for Nuclear Blast under the arrangement. Artists currently signed to Nuclear Blast include EXODUS, DIMMU BORGIR, ACCEPT, DEATH ANGEL and KREATOR.
- Blabbermouth reports rock legends KISS played an intimate showlast night (Wednesday, July 4) during at London, England's Forum. The concert served as a benefit for the British "Help For Heroes" organization, which raises money for its wounded, sick and injured troops. The band owes its own debt of gratitude to the English, admitting that its new album, "Monster", is influenced by the country's great, legendary rock groups who influenced and inspired them to pick up their instruments in the first place. "We're all Anglophiles in this band," says KISS bassist/vocalist Simmons. "America may have invented rock and roll, but England knew what to do with it. They gave us THE BEATLES, THE ROLLING STONES, LED ZEPPELIN and THE WHO."
The band's setlist was as follows:
01. Detroit Rock City
02. Hell Or Hallelujah
03. Deuce
04. Shout It Out Loud
05. Makin' Love
06. I Love It Loud
07. Shock Me
08. Calling Dr. Love
09. 100,000 Years
10. Love Gun
11. Black Diamond
Encore:
12. Crazy Crazy Nights
13. Lick It Up
14. Rock And Roll All Nite
A two-and-a-half-minute video report on last night's concert from the Associated Press can be seen below. KISS' 20th studio album, "Monster", is scheduled for release in October through Universal Music Enterprises. KISS guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley calls the track, "a battle cry that encapsulates the entire record...one way or another, we're going to do it our way." Described in a press release as a "12-track, straight-ahead rock 'n' roll album," "Monster" features collaborations among all four members — including co-founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons and longtime members guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer — in an album that shows the band at the top of its game. And that's saying something, considering their illustrious, 40-plus year history — 28 U.S. gold albums, the most gold records for any American rock band, 40 million sales in the U.S., and a total exceeding 100 million worldwide.
- Blabbermouth reports the release of the deluxe 35th-anniversary edition of KISS' classic fourth album, "Destroyer", is scheduled for August 21 via Universal Music. The two-disc set, dubbed "Destroyer/Resurrected", will feature remixes of the original LP by producer Bob Ezrin, outtakes from the 1976 album sessions as well as the LP's original cover art. Ken Kelly's original version of the album cover for "Destroyer" was rejected by the record company because they felt the scene was too violent-looking. Also, the original version had the members of KISS wearing the "Alive" costumes. Released in March 1976, "Destroyer" was the second consecutive KISS album to reach the Top 20 in the U.S. The LP was certified gold by the RIAA on April 22, 1976. It was certified platinum on November 11, 1976, the first KISS album to achieve that distinction. Read more at Ultimate Classic Rock
- Blabbermouth reports German hard rock veterans SCORPIONS spent the first three months of this year in the studio with producers Mikael "Nord" Andersson and Martin Hansen resurrecting a dozen unfinished songs from what some people believe was the band's best and most creative period — leftovers from the albums "Blackout" (1982), "Love At First Sting" (1984), "Savage Amusement" (1988) and "Crazy World" (1990) — for an album that is tentatively scheduled for release in 2013.
"We will dig in again and maybe have a selection of 16 to 18 songs and pick the best 12 from those," Jabs tells Billboard.com. "It's actually very good material." He adds, "We're doing it the way we are recording albums today, but the basic ideas, the riffs, the feel, the way they were written and arranged, we try to keep as much from the old recordings as possible. Thirty years later no one would come up with these ideas we came up with when we were younger, so we want to keep that spirit in there." According to Jabs, the idea for the project "came from the fans. They were the ones saying, 'There must be some extra material from those days,' and they were right," he says. The guitarist recently told ArizonaRepublic.com about the project, "There's so much strong material, but it hasn't ever been finished, especially the lyrics. They're like 'Blah blah blah blah blah.' It was recorded like you would record a demo, no click track, anything. But the vibe is great because it's from the time when we were starting out. Everything I played back then, I remember when I found a new riff, I would get excited. It's slightly different today because I know it all. I've heard it all. So it's much harder to get excited about the simplest or sometimes half-genius riff. But there was a definite spark in those old recordings and the idea is to redo them with today's technology and take it further as a tribute to the fans." Read more at Ultimate Classic Rock and Rolling Stone
- Blabbermouth reports Artists Den Entertainment and Universal Music Group will release "Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy: Live From The Artists Den" on 5.1 Blu-ray and DVD in the U.S. on July 10. On July 9, these products will be released internationally under exclusive license through Universal Music Group international. This epic show was filmed as a rare, intimate performance at the historic War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Selections from the show aired nationwide on public television's "Live From The Artists Den", the hit music series featuring acclaimed artists performing in extraordinary settings. Now released in full for the first time, the DVD features bonus interview clips and concert footage not included in the television broadcast, including six LED ZEPPELIN classics, three of which have never been shown before. The DVD will also be presented as a featured story and product release for public television's "National Pledge" starting July 26, The series is a production of Artists Den Entertainment in association with WNET New York Public Media, and is distributed by American Public Television. The show was filmed at the magnificent War Memorial Auditorium, a landmark building established in 1925 as a tribute to the thousands of Tennesseans who gave their lives during World War I. A rare snowy day in Nashville set the stage for an even rarer event at the one-of-a-kind venue — a career-spanning concert by icon Plant and the BAND OF JOY, featuring LED ZEPPELIN favorites, traditional songs, hits from Plant's solo catalog, and new material. Robert Plant explains the excitement of the evening in his own words in the liner notes included with the DVD: "Some years back I was propelled by chance, with little planning or expectation into an American way...with a lean and pull into a new direction...voices and harmony, restraint and explosion, tight and loose, great joy in great company....in a blizzard in Nashville. My thanks to one and all for aiding and abetting this exciting bend in the road." "Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy: Live From The Artists Den" is the sixth concert DVD release from the Artists Den.
Track listing:
01. Black Dog
02. Angel Dance
03. Houses Of The Holy
04. House Of Cards
05. Cindy, I'll Marry You Someday
06. Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down
07. Somewhere Trouble Don't Go
08. Tangerine
09. A Satisfied Mind
10. Move Up
11. Down To The Sea
12. Ramble On
13. Gallows Pole
14. In The Mood
15. Rock And Roll
16. I Bid You Goodnight
The "Gallows Pole" performance clip can now be seen below. A one-and-a-half-minute video clip featuring snippets of the "Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy: Live From The Artists Den" performance can be seen below. Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Robert Plant has over 40 years invested in his legendary career in music — and he's still going strong. In 1967, he formed a group called the BAND OF JOY with drummer John Bonham, before the two joined with guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones the following year to form the world-renowned LED ZEPPELIN. After his 2007 "Raising Sand" collaboration with Alison Krauss garnered him six Grammy Awards, Plant created a new BAND OF JOY, which features Nashville native Buddy Miller and Artists Den alumna Patty Griffin. Their widely acclaimed album, "Band Of Joy", was nominated for "Best Americana Album" and "Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance" at the 2011 Grammy Awards. Read more at Rolling Stone
- Blabbermouth reports "This Is War", the new EP from HALFORD guitarist "Metal" Mike Chlasciak, will be released in August via iTunes, Amazon MP3 and all major digital retailers. It will feature the second single from Mike's upcoming solo album, "The Metalworker", as well as additional tracks from the full-length CD. An audio sample of Chlasciak's last single, "Hell No!", is available for streaming at CDBaby.com. "Hell No!" features Chlasciak and vocalist Carlos Zema (OUTWORLD, VOUGAN) alongside Kevin Talley (DAATH, CHIMAIRA, HATE ETERNAL, SIX FEET UNDER) on drums and Mike LePond (SYMPHONY X) on bass. Produced by Mike, "The Metalworker" was mixed by Orlando Villasenor at Dead Room Studio in San Antonio, Texas. Artwork was provided by Guilherme Sevens of Sevens Design Studio (ADAGIO, PAINSIDE). "I am excited that 'The Metalworker' is nearing the shore," says Mike. "I am extremely proud of it. I must confess that it is everything I wanted it to be not only as an artist, but also as a fan of heavy metal. I wanted to make the absolute best album that I could make with no compromises, no matter how long it took and I did that."
"The Metalworker" will feature the following songs:
* On Leather Wings
* Don't Shoot The Crown
* Silence Of The Steel
* Tonight We Ride
* We Are The Cross
* This Is War
* M Is For Metal
* Hell No
* Weight Of The Heart
Talley previously stated about his involvement with "The Metalworker", "As a full-time studio drummer, it is sometimes overwhelming to constantly track ultra-technical brutal death metal songs. But, while tracking 'The Metalworker' album for Metal Mike, it reminds me why I got into metal in the first place … straight-forward brutal catchy riffs without any of the B.S. associated with most metal bands today. This is the 'meat and potatoes' of metal, if you will. It's not one of those 'Can I have a side salad, please?' type of bands. The album plows with killer riffage, ragin' leads, and ultra-sick double bass for days."
- Blabbermouth reports former KITTIE and current SUICIDE CITY bassist Jennifer Arroyo is one of 12 brand-new houseguests featured on the new season of CBS reality show "Big Brother", which kicks off next Thursday, July 12 at 9 p.m. ET. The heavily tattoed Arroyo, who played with KITTIE from 2002 to 2005, lives in Brooklyn, New York and describes herself as "smart, sexy and funny." She also says that she is "a very proud gay woman" and that her journal entries often end up as song lyrics. She said, "I'm so very proud of every album I've ever worked on. A piece of my heart and soul are located within." When asked what she would do if "Big Brother" made her famous, the 37-year-old said, "Head right back into the studio and record a full-length album and then head out on the road with my band and tour. Start a music program to help underprivileged kids stay focused." She added, "Music has saved my life and I want to give back to what has been so good to me." A couple of separate video interviews Arroyo about her appearance on "Big Brother" can be seen below. Read more at Loudwire
- Blabbermouth reports "Sandpaper", the lead single from "Sin And Bones", the new album from FOZZY — the band featuring WWE wrestling superstar Chris Jericho and STUCK MOJO mastermind Rich "The Duke" Ward — is now available for streaming at RevolverMag.com. It can also be heard using the SoundCloud player below. "Sandpaper" will be released via iTunes on July 17. Fan-filmed video footage of FOZZY performing "Sandpaper" at the pre-awards show boat party that cruised up the Thames to the Metal Hammer Golden Gods awards on June 11 at Indigo2 in London, England can be seen below. "Sin And Bones" will be released on August 14 (one day earlier internationally) via the group's new label, Century Media Records. The cover artwork for the CD can be seen below. Speaking to U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine, Jericho stated about how the new album title came about, "It's actually pretty funny. It's such a deep title and it can mean a lot of things. But how it really came about was Rich was texting me, saying, 'Man, I've gotta eat something on this tour. I'm all skin and bones.' And 'skin and bones,' he missed the [letter] 'k' and it came out [as] 'sin and bones.' And I showed it to him. I go, 'Dude, what do you think of this as an album title?' And he was like, 'Yeah, it's perfect.'" FOZZY last year parted ways with bassist Sean Delson and replaced him with Paul DiLeo (ADRENALINE MOB). Read more at Loudwire
- Blabbermouth reports veteran hard rockers BANG TANGO, along with videographer Drew Fortier, are working on a documentary of the band for release later this year. The documentary will contain interviews with current and original BANG TANGO members as well as most of the in-betweeners who have performed with the group over the years. The film will explore the history of the band and what the original members are up to now, but for the most part it will give insight into the recording of the group's latest release, 2011's "Pistol Whipped In The Bible Belt". "The BANG TANGO documentary will be a great insight on where the band has come from and where the band is now," Fortier said, "and also bridge the gap for the fans of the original lineup to allow them to know what the original guys are up to now. Also there will be interviews with original members, current members, and a few previous members such as Alex Grossi and Mark Tremalgia, etc. It will give people a reason, fan or not, to care about BANG TANGO, and the current lineup in general — how hard these guys actually work when they're on the road, in the studio, etc." "Another reason, of course, is the comedy," Fortier continues. "I have over 100 hours of footage, and most of it is like 'Animal House' in a recording studio. A lot of it will also concentrate on the recording sessions for their latest release, 'Pistol Whipped In The Bible Belt'. Another thing I wanted to touch on was what happened with the long lost album 'Love After Death', which is a hidden treasure in the world of rock and never got released in the U.S. — only in Europe in 1994." "They actually brought the idea up to me, for the most part, to do a short studio documentary while they were recording here in Chicago," stated Fortier when asked what the members of BANG TANGO thought of a documentary. "But the more footage I got, the more we knew we had something special here. And when I dug deeper into the actual story of BANG TANGO, and everything that went along with that, I knew that this could easily be a great movie. So then I started contacting people, and traveling for interviews. Overall its going to be something special — a little bit different, off the cuff, insightful and funny as hell!" While an official release date for the currently untitled project is unconfirmed, Fortier is hoping to unveil it later this year. In the meantime, the third trailer for the film has been posted, viewable below.
- Blabbermouth reports DREAM THEATER's August 19 and August 20 concerts at Estadio Luna Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina will be professionally filmed and recorded for the band's next live DVD, to be released sometime next year. DREAM THEATER — James LaBrie (vocals), John Myung (bass), John Petrucci (guitar and vocals), Jordan Rudess (keyboards and continuum) and Mike Mangini (drums) — launched a major North American headlining summer tour on June 15 in Rochester, New York. The tour includes stops at the Gibson Amphitheater in Los Angeles and the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey plus a two-night engagement at the Paramount Theater on Long Island, New York. They are touring behind their 11th studio album, "A Dramatic Turn Of Events", which had 14 Top 10 debuts around the world. It also produced the band's first-ever Grammy nomination for "On The Backs Of Angels" in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category. Joining DREAM THEATER, starting June 16 in Columbus, Ohio and for the rest of the tour, is special guest CRIMSON PROJEKCT featuring Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto, Markus Reuter, Julie Slick and Tobias Ralph. They are performing the songs of progressive rock legends KING CRIMSON. DREAM THEATER was among the nominees in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category at the 54th annual Grammy Awards, which was held on February 12 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
- Blabbermouth reports Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM were forced to cancel their July 3 concert in Oslo, Norway and July 4 show in Malmö, Sweden after the band's guitarist/vocalist Alexi Laiho was rushed to the hospital with extreme stomach pain. The group has since issued the following update: "This is not an easy letter for us to write. Alexi is suffering from a serious infection. He is still in hospital in Oslo under supervision of the doctors and we don't know yet when they will release him. "We have no choice other than canceling Ruisrock in Turku on Saturday as well. This is a very bitter pill for us to swallow. We had decided to do only two festivals in our homeland this summer to make it real special, and now this. We hope that we will be able to make up for this very soon. "To all our fans who had been looking forward to rock with us at Ruisrock this weekend, take our apologies and enjoy the festival. In our spirits, we will be there, too." CHILDREN OF BODOM recently inked a worldwide deal (excluding Japan) with Nuclear Blast Records. The band, which kicked off a year-long celebration of its 15th anniversary with a successful North American tour alongside labelmates ELUVEITIE, has a new studio album planned for release in 2013. "Holiday At Lake Bodom (15 Years Of Wasted Youth)", a very special CD+DVD career retrospective in celebration of CHILDREN OF BODOM's 15th anniversary, spotlights specially selected tracks from every one of CHILDREN OF BODOM's critically acclaimed albums (1997's "Something Wild", 1999's "Hatebreeder", 2000's "Follow The Reaper", 2003's "Hate Crew Deathroll", 2005's "Are You Dead Yet?", 2008's "Blooddrunk" and 2011's "Relentless Reckless Forever"), plus two newly recorded (and undeniably fun) cover songs and detailed liner notes penned by the members of CHILDREN OF BODOM themselves. The DVD portion of the package includes "candid touring and backstage footage from around the world”, plus the "Shovel Knockout" video. Read more at Loudwire
- Blabbermouth reports bassist Matt Camacho has left San Francisco Bay Area metallers FORBIDDEN. In addition, the band's singer, Russ Anderson, has decided to take a break from the music business. Commented FORBIDDEN guitarist Craig Locicero: "I am extremely saddened to have to announce that our bassist and brother since 1986, Matt Camacho, has decided to retire from the music business and leave FORBIDDEN permanently. "For those that know and love Matt, this may be a shock to you. Matt's always been gung-ho for the band since the beginning and was a positive guy. But ever since he went to law school after FORBIDDEN split up the first time, he was on a career path that would eventually take him to this day. His job position keeps getting better and taking care of our families is the most important thing. "With that being said, Russ Anderson has made the decision to take a break away from music to get his bearings back and rekindle his fire for FORBIDDEN. Russ is not quitting, but has decided that he needs to do this for himself. We support him and his decision to not fake his way through what needs to be real. "I had always said since we reformed in 2008, that as soon as things become tedious or a grind we'd either stop doing this or take a break. But we'd never say never again! FORBIDDEN is not through yet. Russ simply needs to recharge his thrash metal batteries! "So then there is the unfortunate reality that under these circumstances FORBIDDEN will not be appearing at the Wacken Open Air festival this year. This breaks my heart as much as anything else! Steve [Smyth, guitar], Sasha [Horn, drums] and myself were very much looking forward to playing in front of that crowd and we had been holding out hope for Russ to change his mind. But he feels strongly that he just can't do it right now. So we must respect his wishes and let him have his space. "We'd like to apologize to our fans, Continental Concerts, the Wacken Open Air organizers and everyone at Nuclear Blast Europe. You've all stood by us for so long and we understand how bad the fans in Europe want to see FORBIDDEN again. But you deserve to see FORBIDDEN at its best. Not under these circumstances. "This is our promise to you we'll come back with stronger and with new material! We've already got half of the new record written and we'll finish it up when Russ feels good enough to thrash it up again! "Thanks to you all from the bottom of our hearts..." Added Matt Camacho: "Playing in FORBIDDEN has been a dream come true for me. It has allowed me to tour the world, play with and meet some of the most amazing bands, make friends for life, perform some phenomenal shows, and, most important, experience the most amazing FANS... I'll truly miss the inspiration and love that people from around the world have shown towards the MUSIC. As I leave for a new endeavor, I want to express my thanks and gratitude for all the incredible musicians both past and present who have graced their magical touch on FORBIDDEN's music. To be a part of this band and to have these guys as friends and family for life is a true blessing. Thanks guys for the support and I look forward to seeing FORBIDDEN carry on for years to come." FORBIDDEN's latest album, "Omega Wave", was released in Europe on October 22, 2010 and in North America on October 26, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD landed at position No. 27 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
- Blabbermouth reports former ARCH ENEMY guitarist Christopher Amott has set "Impulses" as the title of his new solo album, tentatively due before the end of the summer. He says, "There's been a few delays, but that's what happens when you strive for perfection! Can't wait to release this one — I am really pleased." The cover artwork for the CD can be seen below. Amott in March issued a statement explaining that he left ARCH ENEMY to pursue his solo career. He said, "I'm gonna continue to be very active in music, working with all kinds of styles — this does not rule out metal." ARCH ENEMY recruited 26-year-old American guitarist Nick Cordle (ARSIS) to replace Christopher. Christopher Amott started his career in music in 1995 as a founding creative force and guitarist in ARCH ENEMY. In this context, he is known for his tastefully technical guitar work and memorably emotive playing style. After garnering his early success, Christopher had the desire to express himself on a personal level in the same genre. At this time he began writing albums under the name ARMAGEDDON. Christopher wrote and recorded three albums over the next few years as ARCH ENEMY grew into an internationally recognized act, with his compositions featuring his own vocal stylings on the last album. This would be Christopher's first foray into singing and a spark of inspiration for his later musical ventures. In 2008, Christopher began to consider his creative options as a mature musician. He began writing songs of an entirely different atmosphere, which saw his guitar playing focused less on technical ecstasy and more on a chord-based blues rock ambience as a foundation for more prominent vocal and lyrical ideas. These compositions developed into his next solo project; the album would be called "Follow Your Heart", released under his own name in 2010.
- Blabbermouth reports German thrash metal veterans DESTRUCTION will enter the studio at the end of July to begin recording their 30th-anniversary album for a November release via Nuclear Blast Records. Vocalist/bassist Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer states, "[We are] recording the demos for the new album now. Eight songs are written and it feels great... Amazing teamwork so far! [I] can't wait to nail down the new shit in the studio! [Drummer] Vaaver [real name: Wawrzyniec Dramowicz] will make the job of a lifetime. The new record will be much more intense than 'Day Of Reckoning'! And that wasn't a blues album ...haha!" DESTRUCTION recently completed the North American "30th Year Anniversary Tour" with support from WARBRINGER, VITAL REMAINS (who were alternating each night) and PATHOLOGY. Inspired by IRON MAIDEN, MERCYFUL FATE, MOTÖRHEAD and VENOM, DESTRUCTION was formed as KNIGHT OF DEMON in 1982. The band's original lineup included vocalist and bassist Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer, drummer Tommy Sandmann, and guitarist Mike Sifringer. They soon changed their name to DESTRUCTION and released a demo titled "Bestial Invasion Of Hell" in 1984. "Day Of Reckoning", the latest album from DESTRUCTION, sold around 800 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 58 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200. "Day Of Reckoning" was the first album to feature DESTRUCTION's new drummer Vaaver (INDUKTI, ex-UNSUN).
- Blabbermouth reports guitarist Steven Bradley of IWRESTLEDABEARONCE — the Shreveport, Louisiana quintet now transplanted to Los Angeles, California — has issued the following update: "The day before our [Vans] Warped Tour show in Dallas, Texas, we had a day off in the [Dallas/Fort Worth] area. Krysta [Cameron, lead vocals] lives there now, so she went home to relax and do some laundry. The next day, we received word from her minutes before our set that she discovered she and her fiancé are expecting a kid and she would not be returning to finish Warped Tour with us. Obviously, this is an insane curveball for everybody, but in typical IWRESTLEDABEARONCE fashion, we will press on. And no matter what happens, Krysta has been our best friend for years and we want her to be happy. "So what the fuck is the plan then, you ask? Well on literally a few minutes notice, our friend Courtney LaPlante [UNICRON] flew her ass down to meet up with us today so that won't miss a single show of this tour. Courtney is a beast in both the singing and screaming departments and is also an incredibly awesome person. We wouldn't tarnish the years of work that we've put into this band by having somebody half-ass it on stage with us, so please come to a show and give her a high-five and make her feel welcome for doing us this huge favor. It makes it feel even better and more natural since she has been a long-term fan of our band and already knows the material. "So long story short; Fear not, friends and Bear Fuckers... We will continue to play Warped Tour and we hope that you will continue to support us. Getting to play for and talk to so many of you on a daily basis is honestly what we live for, and we will definitely continue with our plan to high-five everybody on Earth. We will update you with more info soon, including some new tour dates and info on our recently-finished full-length horror/comedy/whatever film 'A Beary Scary Movie'! "And finally, thank you so much to everybody who has been so supportive of us for all these years and we hope to see you again soon!" IWRESTLEDABEARONCE's latest album, "Ruining It For Everybody", sold around 5,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 80 on The Billboard 200 chart. IWRESTLEDABEARONCE's "I'm Gonna Shoot" video can be seen below. The clip features footage from the band's first-ever shows in Mexico, which took place on May 26 in Guadalajara and May 27 in Mexico City. Read more at Loudwire
- Blabbermouth reports ATTIKA 7, the Los Angeles-based band featuring vocalist Evan Seinfeld (ex-BIOHAZARD) and lead guitarist Rusty Coones (famed motorcycle builder), has announced the addition of guitarist Zach Broderick (formerly with NONPOINT), drummer Tommy Holt (ex-UPO) and former KYUSS bassist Scott Reeder to the group's ranks. ATTIKA 7's debut album, "Blood Of My Enemies", will be released on July 31 via Rocket Science Ventures/THC:MUSIC in North America and Membran/Ninetone in Europe. Commented Evan, "Both Rusty and I feel extremely privileged to have found such killer guys and accomplished musicians to be members of ATTIKA 7. "We can't wait to get out on the road and blow away audiences with our unique brand of melodic heavy metal. "We have been enjoying working on the live show with Scott, Tommy and Zach. "The album has been getting a lot of positive reviews so far, but I know that the real work begins now. "It was super-important to us to find band members that were not only masters of their instruments but REAL team players and guys who were willing to make the commitment to dedicating themselves to the hard work it takes to break a new band nowadays. These guys are seasoned veterans who all believe in 'Blood Of My Enemies' and are all hungry to go out and destroy!" ATTIKA 7 recorded "Blood Of My Enemies" with producer Mudrock (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, GODSMACK). The bass and drum tracks on the CD were laid down by Tony Campos (SOULFLY, POSSESSED, STATIC-X, ASESINO, MINISTRY) and Devin Lebsack, respectively, but due to scheduling conflicts they were not able to make the required commitment to ATTIKA 7.
- Blabbermouth reports Swedish epic power metallers SABATON have unveiled the "Swedish Empire" online game. Check it out at this location.
SABATON's new album, "Carolus Rex", registered the following first-week chart positions:
Sweden: #2
Poland: #7
Germany: #7
Finland: #9
"Carolus Rex" sold around 950 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 29 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200. "Carolus Rex" was released on May 22 via Nuclear Blast Records. The lyrics for the CD, which was made available in both English and Swedish, deal with the Swedish Empire (referring to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721). The band previously stated about "Carolus Rex": "For the first time ever we have had an expert to help us out with the theme, the well-known Swedish historian Bengt Liljegren. We have also added some extra time in the studio to find the absolute right sound on 'Carolus Rex', and our producer, Peter Tägtgren, says that this album will mark a brand new standard for how a heavy metal album should sound like!" Liljegren's published works include acclaimed biographies of Adolf Hitler and Karl XII. He also appeared in the popular Swedish TV series "Boston Tea Party". SABATON recently parted ways with guitarists Oskar Montelius and Rikard Sundén, drummer Daniel Mulback and keyboardist Daniel Mÿhr. The band's new touring lineup is as follows:
Joakim Brodén - Vocals
Pär Sundström - Bass
Chris Rörland (NOCTURNAL RITES) - Guitar
Thobbe Englund (WINTERLONG, RAUBTIER) - Guitar
Robban Bäck (BALTIMOORE, PREY) - Drums
- Blabbermouth reports San Diego death metallers PATHOLOGY have revealed the cover art for their new album, "The Time Of Great Purification", due on September 25 via Victory Records. PATHOLOGY putting the finishing touches on the new CD at Lambesis Studios with Daniel Castleman. "This is definitely our heaviest and most technical album to date," states drummer Dave Astor. "The Time Of Great Purification" features artwork by Pär Olofsson, creator of the cover art for PATHOLOGY's last two albums, 2010's "Legacy Of The Ancients" and 2011's "Awaken To The Suffering". The concept is simple: the doctor is controlling the 2012 apocalypse and destroying the world! PATHOLOGY is gearing up for a twenty-six city headlining run on the "Slaughter Survivors Tour" with ENFOLD DARKNESS, FALLUJAH, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY and AEGAEON. The tour kicks off in Santa Cruz, California on July 21. PATHOLOGY will perform three brand new tracks on the upcoming trek.
- Loudwire posts an interview with Dave Lombardo about his other band Philm
- Loudwire reports Billy Corgan wants "Today" by the Smashing Pumkins played at his funeral
- Loudwire posts Rob Zombie releases Jonathan "J Devil" Davis remix of "Thunderkiss 65"
- Loudwire reports Deftones bassist Chi Cheng may return home from the hospital imminently
- Ultimate Classic Rock posts video of "We Will Rock You…" from Queen plays for 15 seconds as San Diego fireworks all explode at once
- Ultimate Classic Rock reports Paul Stanley of Kiss on Ace Frehley and Peter Criss "I Was Never Really Friends With Them"
- Classic Rock reports how Jimi Hendrix changed his style for Stephen Stills
- Classic Rock reports watch The Answer's live performance from Belfast tonight
- Noisecreep posts an interview with Asking Alexandria's Danny Worsnop on his Bon Jovi memories
- Spinner posts a preview of Festival d'été de Québec with Bon Jovi and Aerosmith
- Spinner posts a review on the book "Ticket Masters"
- Spinner posts a reports on concert censorship
- Rolling Stone reports CBGB Festival brings veteran bands back to the stage
- Rolling Stone reports New Found Glory will mark their tenth anniversary of "Sticks and Stones" with a club tour
- Rolling Stone posts an interview with Lisa Marie Preslley on her new album and the Elvis hologram
- Rolling Stone reports the Dave Matthews Band debutes "The Riff" on tour
- Rolling Stone reports former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic talks Nirvana and election reform in CBGB festival keynote. Read more at Loudwire
- Blabbermouth posts new studio video footage from Black Country Communion
- Blabbermouth posts video of Gwar frontman going off on Randy Blythe's detention in the Czech Republic. Read more at Classic Rock
- Blabbermouth posts behind the scenes video shoot footage of "Memories" from Dirge Within
- Blabbermouth posts a trailer for "Results" from Murder Construct
- Blabbermouth posts new videos from Tankard "A Girl Called Cerveza" (Lyric Video) Read more at Classic Rock and Slayer's drummer's Philm "Mild" performance video
Read more quick hits at Classic Rock, Noisecreep and Spinner
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