ALLIANCE Return With New Album 'Fire And Grace' May 24 via Escape

Alliance - Fire And Grace

Release date: 24th May, 2019 

 

Band is:

Robert Berry: All vocals, Bass and keyboards  (solo artist, 3, and GTR)

Gary Pihl: All Guitars (Boston and Sammy Hagar)

David Lauser: Drums (Sammy Hagar And The Waboritas)

 

Produced by: ALLIANCE

All Arrangements by: ALLIANCE

Recorded at: Soundtek Studios, Campbell, CA. 

GP Studio Boston

Engineered and Mixed By: Robert Berry

Mastered By: Alan Douches

Cover Artwork and design by: Richard Jones at web-spaghetti, UK 

 

Track listening:

1-DON’T STOP THE WHEEL TURNING 3:39  / 2- GOOD LIFE  4:03 / 3- UNCERTAIN 6:34 / 4- I'LL HAVE SOME OF THAT 4:43 / 5- FIRE AND GRACE 3:26 / 6- RAISE YOUR GLASS 3:24 / 7- TIME  4:38 / 8- REAL THING 4:33 / 9- REASON TO WALK AWAY 4:26 / 10- FAST FORWARD TO LAST NIGHT 3:13 / 11- CHANGE OF HEART 4:21 / 12- THE SAME 4:02 / 13*-YOU ARE THE HEROS 3:27 *bonus track with first pressing only.

 

 

 

It seems people often have differing recollections of important events. Everyone has their perspective or a different point of view. Sometimes it’s hard, even for trained eyes and ears to trace the roots of relationships or find the source of a fire. If you were a serious musical archaeologist or perhaps simply a curious person with a shovel, and you were in San Francisco’s fog shrouded North Beach area, specifically on Columbus Ave. in the late-80s you would have been digging through the ash and sifting through the rubble of Bill Graham’s venue known as Wolfgang’s after the big fire. If you were lucky you might have found crucial evidence, tattered threads or charred clues hinting to the origin of Alliance. It was at Wolfgang’s that long time Sammy Hagar drummer David Lauser and a bandmate, both recently set adrift from the positions they had graced for years until Hagar jumped to join Van Halen, came to see the Robert Berry Band perform. It seems Lauser, along with guitarist Gary Pihl and Gamma / Night Ranger keyboardist Alan ‘Fitz’ Fitzgerald were searching for an allusive missing piece for a new project they were plotting. There was a spark for sure. But would it become a flame or a smouldering match?

 

***“It seems like just yesterday that Gary called me about forming a group for the purpose of having a band outside of our main musical commitments. After several failed attempts with male and female vocalists and bassists, the illustrious A&R man, John Kalodner suggested we contact Robert Berry. Subsequently, Gary, Fitz and I jammed with Robert at Sammy Hagar's home studio. There was a definite spark. An immediate connection. Was that really 30 years ago? Spanning three decades and an ever changing musical landscape, Alliance has been truly a labor of love for all of us.” - David "Bro" Lauser

 

***“I grew up thinking that being in a band would be the coolest thing ever. A musical oasis where everybody contributes creative parts to make a new and unique sound. Bands like Cream or Led Zeppelin had terrific guitar players but the other musicians were just as important in creating a style that was easily recognised and different from anyone else. Even different than the bands those players had been in before. The term, "supergroup" was coined to describe how several well-known players could bring their previous experiences to the melting pot of something new. A match, for sure. I'm very fortunate to be a part of what I think of as a supergroup. Fitz, David and Robert all have long histories with successful groups and Alliance has been our opportunity to take the best of what we have as individuals and create a new and unique identity.

One of my proudest moments with the band was arriving at our first gig and instead of addressing us by our individual names or past affiliations, the promoter just said, "Alliance?" ... our answer; "Yes, We Are!" - Gary Pihl

 

***As I look back on this musical journey called Alliance I can’t help but think that my band mates were, and still are, the best musical partnership I could have ever dream of. But, it almost didn’t happen. Timing is always an important ingredient for success. In 1986 Sammy Hagar left his band to join Van Halen. David Lauser, Alan Fitzgerald and Gary Pihl from Hagar’s band, were determined to continue their musical endeavours together. In their search they had come to see my band at Wolfgang’s in San Francisco. It was complicated by the fact that Steve Howe had just invited me to join him in GTR and I had planned to move to England. Gary had been invited to join Boston and David was still performing solo shows with Hagar. Jump ahead to 1989 and Gary, David and FItz still hadn’t come up with the right combination. I had just returned to the U.S. and the timing was perfect to start this new, yet unnamed band. Now, 30 years later, after all the writing and recording, the many miles traveled, and an honest, supportive friendship, we’ve done what I believe is the definitive Alliance album. Creative, non-compromising, and putting our heart and soul into every song. Alliance has all the ingredients of what a band should be. The fire still burns.

Kirk Hammett talks touring, his horror movie poster collection, burritos and more

Metallica is currently on their “WorldWired” tour in support of their latest album, Hardwired…To Self-Destruct. Baby Huey and Chasta got the chance to sit down in an exclusive interview with guitarist Kirk Hammett before Metallica’s performance at the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival on Saturday, August 12.

 

Chasta: Today is a big day for you. Your poster collection, you’ve got a big deal going on in Salem, Massachusetts:

Kirk Hammett: The show actually opens today, (August 12) in Salem, Massachusetts at the Peabody Essex Museum and it’s the first museum show of its kind, based on horror movie posters. It’s 150 of the best pieces from my collection and today is the opening day and I’m very, very excited. I’m going to be there next week for three days doing a Q&A, showing up with my guitar and playing some music. Only two nights ago I finished the musical accompaniment piece to it called “The Maiden and the Monster.” I gave it to them yesterday and they’re like, ‘Fantastic, it’ll work just fine.’ I’m like (sigh of relief).

C: You hit your deadline.

KH: I only worked on it everyday since April. I had some help with my wife. She actually helped me with parts of it. But yea, I’m really excited about it, I’m going to be there next week doing my thing with my movie posters. I’m really, really excited about it, very, very happy about it. They put a book out; so it’s the second book now that’s based on my collection. I’m pretty happy about that too.

Baby Huey: It’s very well documented your amazing collection of horror movies, all that stuff…What is your most prized possession out of all that stuff?

C: If your house was going to burn down, what would you grab?

KH: I don’t know, it kind of changes every single time. I don’t know if I would grab a movie poster, I don’t know if I’d grab a movie prop, I don’t know if I’d grab one of my guitars. I’d obviously grab family mementos and artifacts, all that sort of stuff, so we wont even get into that. If I had 5 seconds to decide, I’d probably grab that Mummy 3 sheet, which is what my guitar is based on. I love that image; I’m just transfixed with that image. I just love the size of it, it feels like it can just engulf me. I feel like I can just walk into that poster and just get lost forever.

C: So your love of horror films started when you were very young. I was scarred for life by clowns in IT at the same age…Do you like clowns?

KH: You know I kind of have a weird kind of clown thing too. You know its not as bad as other people. I know some people who just can’t even think about clowns who just turn around and start running the other way. You know…I see the creepiness that clowns may have but I just have so many positive memories of going to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus when I was a kid and seeing all those clowns and laughing at them so much. I have a positive reinforcement about clowns.

BH: What is your all time favorite horror movie?

KH: I love the classics from the 30’s. I love the original Frankenstein, the original Dracula, the original Mummy. I love those so much, but then I love horror movies from all periods. I love a lot of relatively new horror films. I have so many favorites it’s hard for me to pinpoint one special one that I like.

BH: What are your thoughts on…Universal is recently trying to bring back the Dark Universe, they just had The Mummy this summer, they’re trying to do more of that. Are you excited for these potential reboots?

KH: I still have yet to see The Mummy, so I don’t really have an informed opinion on that yet. Anytime they pay attention to any of those characters, I think it’s great. I think it’s wonderful. Keep it going, keep the storylines going, because eventually the people who are interested will trace it back to those original films from the 30’s.

C: You told a story about high school being bullied by some dudes that were in a truck with some spider webs on the side, do you remember telling that story?

KH: They were just local neighborhood hoodlums who kind of like cruised around looking for trouble. They picked on anyone who were easy targets who looked different from them. We called them “gravy boys.” What they were…they were people with very low IQs. They had nothing better to do with their time except for bulling other people. They used to terrify us all the time, you know, ‘What the heck?” Then we go down the other side of town and then there were the Mexican gangs we had to constantly worry about as well. It was crazy. We would know the walk if one of those cholos was packing. They’d walk a certain and we’d just try not to like go anywhere near those guys. They’d just walk a certain way.

C: The ‘burbs get gnarly.

KH: This was like 30 years ago.

BH: Just touch on the tour real quick. How everything’s been going, it’s been badass I’m assuming with Avenged Sevenfold, Volbeat, all those bands:

KH: It’s been more than badass, it’s been in-f—king-credible…constantly being blown away everywhere we go. It’s been a while since we’ve been in America doing a tour like this. We were a little bit apprehensive, ‘Are people going to show up with the same enthusiasm that they did last time.’ But they certainly have in droves and then more so. People are showing the love more than ever for Metallica and it’s great. Just as importantly we seem to be reaching a lot of new fans who have never seen us before and to us that’s fantastic.

C: Can you try to put into words what its like to walk out on that stage to that energy that hits you? I know you do yoga before you go out on stage; is that why, because you’re trying to get in a place mentally?

KH: Yoga puts me in the moment, helps me focus and keep my feet on the ground. But walking out onto that stage in front of all those people and feeling all their love and appreciation, because you do feel it in all their excitement and adrenaline. Have you ever just walked into a room that’s filled with friends and family and they’ve been expecting you and they’re like, ‘Alright they’re finally here, hey.’… It’s the same feeling that you get when you see someone and they’re genuinely happy to see you or glad to see you or seeing you finally after a long time. It’s not that much different it’s just amplified a lot more. And then we hit those first few chords and then we’re already into having a good time with everyone.

BH: Matt [Heafy] guitarist from Trivium: What’s his favorite thing to eat, absolute favorite dish on earth, one that tops anything he’s ever had? It can be over the top or something very simple:

KH: I grew up on 20^th and South Van Ness (San Francisco). There was a store a block away that sold burritos for two quarters. This is like in 1968 or ‘69. Ever since I could remember, I’ve always loved Mexican food. I’ve been eating burritos for most of my life. I was thinking about just the concept of the burrito; it’s a perfect meal. It’s everything; It’s so portable. It’s so gratifying. The “food log” rules. We call it the “food log.”

C: What do you love about music?

KH: It makes me feel good. I know that when I play my guitar and I’m feeling good when I’m playing it and I look up and someone happens to be watching me, I can see that they’re feeling good too. So there you go. It all comes down to that. I started playing guitar because you know, ‘I have emotional problems.’ (laughs) It was one of the only things that I found that could calm me down when I was a kid. I was able to use it to ground myself and be more in the moment. And it was also because I have OCD, it kind of fit perfectly into that too. Just like obsessed with it, playing it all the time…It hasn’t changed. For me music basically just… it saved my life. If I didn’t have music, I would’ve just went a route…who knows. I was on a pretty bad path when I discovered music and music kept me from going farther down that path as a youth.

C: If you weren’t a rock god what do you think you’d be doing these days?

KH: I don’t know maybe cooking some food with Matt Heafy [Trivium guitarist] at some restaurant in South Beach going, ‘Hey man, you play guitar too? Let’s get together some time.’ ‘Hey, mind that beurre blanc sauce, ok, don’t let that burn.’

C: I was going to thank you…Whenever I bought that album (Hardwired…To Self-Destruct) and put it on my running playlist…you guys improved my running time by a minute and a half.

KH: How long does it take you to do a mile?

C: I’m like nine and a half, 10 minutes.

KH: That’s better than me, I’m like 10 and a half. Usually it takes me between 31 and 32 minutes to run three miles. But I’m not really trying, I’m just cruise all the way. I put on a podcast, I just space out and just zone on my breathing. But I guess if I really wanted to run faster I probably could.

C: You should listen to Hardwired…To Self-Destruct; it will get you there.

KH: No, no. You don’t understand I listen to it enough, with making it…I only had to make it.

 Interview 1077thebone

AXL ROSE Has Come Up With 'Some Magnificent Stuff' For New GUNS N' ROSES Album

During an appearance (Friday, February 22) on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation", Duff McKagan said that a new GUNS N' ROSES album could happen in the not-too-distant future, remarking: "I heard some new material and there's been some jams going around, and that's the next step for us, for the GN'R thing."

Asked by host Eddie Trunk "how real" the potential is for a new GUNS N' ROSES record, Duff replied: "Oh, it's real. But the fun part and the cool part about GUNS N' ROSES is we don't really talk about it, and what happens next just happens. It's never been that band that there's a direct schedule of how we do things."

He continued: "I've heard some magnificent stuff that Axl [Rose, vocals] has — really cool stuff he'd been working on. So I'm excited about the possibilities with that, of course. I don't mean to get anybody rabid. [A new GUNS N' ROSES album] will happen when it happens, that's for sure."

McKagan also said that he was surprised by the massive success of GUNS N' ROSES' "Not In This Lifetime" tour, which lasted for two and half years. "Anytime I play a gig, if there's three people in there, I'm, like, 'Wow! They came to see me play,'" he said. "Nothing's changed. I'm just always so grateful and astonished. Some of these gigs we played, a lot of 'em — most of 'em, if not all — were astonishing how many people came and were so into it."

Earlier in the month, Slash told Japanese rock critic and media personality Maso Ito on TVK's "Rock City" program that there was "material going on already" for a new GUNS record. But Slash added, "It's just, with GUNS N' ROSES, you don’t go, 'Oh, there is a plan, and it's gonna be like this,' because that's not how it works. So, basically, the only real answer to give is we're hoping to put a new record out, and we'll just see what happens when it happens."

Slash's comments echoed those made by guitarist Richard Fortus the previous week, when the latter told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Slash is on tour [with his solo group] right now. Once he gets back from that, we're gonna get some more recording done and hopefully get an album out soon."

There has been speculation about a new album from GUNS N' ROSES ever since three-fifths of its original lineup reunited in 2016 for the "Not In This Lifetime" tour.

There hasn't been a new GUNS N' ROSES album since 2008's "Chinese Democracy", which featured only Axl from the band's classic lineup.

The last collection of original music to feature Axl, Slash and McKagan was 1991's "Use Your Illusions" albums, and the last LP of any kind to feature the three was the 1993 covers set "The Spaghetti Incident?"

Slash is currently on the road overseas with his solo band, MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS, as they continue to promote their most recent album, "Living The Dream". Axl's plans for the rest of 2019 are less clear, although there has been speculation that he could tour again with AC/DC should that band's singer, Brian Johnson, be unable to perform live again for extended amounts of time.

Lars Ulrich Names His Two Favorite Metallica Album Covers

What's your favorite Metallica album cover? The powerful, symbolic and enduring art that represents Master of Puppets? How about what came next, the equally compelling ...And Justice for All? Maybe even Ride the Lightning for its slightly campy feel that embodied the grittiest of true heavy metal at the time? You'll be surprised to learn that none of those were named as Lars Ulrich's two favorites.

"I'm not much for favorites," the drummer told when asked what his favorite Metallica album cover is. "The Load and Reload albums with the amazing pieces by Andres Serrano. They will always hold a special place in my heart," he went on, adding, "I love him as an artist. I love the imagery. I love the fact that we saw Serrano through as the cover art for those two records. Those are probably my two favorites."

Metallica famously used two of Serrano's unorthodox artwork for the two records, one titled "Blood and Semen III" (Load) and "Piss and Blood XXVI" (Reload).

 

 

When discussing his favorite Metallica t-shirt designs, Ulrich couldn't name one favorite, but instead praised the artist Pushead, with whom they worked with extensively in the past. "A lot of the ones that [Pushead] did for us in the late '80s and early '90s, I think, are iconic. The way that he interpreted the songs, the lyrics, and then drew these incredible images," he commented.

"Most of them were based around what we'd call the 'Damage.' Like the Pushead skull that he introduced in 1986. There was something very iconic about all that, and I think probably looking at all the t-shirts that we've done, those are the ones that still stand out to me when I look at all the different things we've done for the last 30-plus years," Ulrich finished up.

Metallica's "WorldWired" tour continues with another North American leg starting Jan. 18. See the list of stops below and see how we ranked every Metallica song below that.

Metallica 2019 North American Tour Dates

Jan. 18 - Tulsa, Okla. @ BOK Center
Jan. 20 - Little Rock, Ark. @ Verizon Arena
Jan. 22 - Birmingham, Alab. @ Legacy Arena at The BJCC
Jan. 24 - Nashville, Tenn. @ Bridgestone Arena
Jan. 28 - Raleigh, N.C. @ PNC Arena
Jan. 30 - Cincinnati, Ohio @ U.S. Bank Arena
Feb. 01 - Cleveland, Ohio @ Quicken Loans Arena
Feb. 28 - El Paso, Texas @ Don Haskins Center
March 02 - Lubbock, Texas @ United Supermarkets Arena
March 04 - Wichita, Kan. @ Intrust Bank Arena
March 06 - Kansas City, Mo. @ Sprint Center
March 09 - Louisville, Ky. @ KFC Yum! Center
March 11 - Indianapolis, Ind. @ Bankers Life Fieldhouse
March 13 - Grand Rapids, Mich. @ Van Andel Arena

Taking Back Sunday Have Announced A 20th Anniversary Album

To celebrate their 20 year history, Taking Back Sunday have announced a compilation album made up of the past 20 years of releases.



Here's everything you need to know:
01. The compilation is aptly named 'Twenty'.
02. It's set for release January 11, 2019.
03. It's made up of tracks from all seven studio albums.
04. The album artwork looks like this:

 

05. The tracklisting looks a whole lot like this:
01. 'Cute Without The ‘E’ (Cut From The Team)'
02. 'You’re So Last Summer'
03. 'Timberwolves At New Jersey'
04. 'A Decade Under The Influence'
05. 'Set Phasers To Stun'
06. 'One-Eighty By Summer'
07. 'Liar (It Takes One To Know One)'
08. 'MakeDamnSure'
09. 'What’s It Feel Like To Be A Ghost?'
10. 'My Blue Heaven'
11. 'Sink Into Me'
12. 'Everything Must Go'
13. 'Faith (When I Let You Down)'
14. 'Call Me In The Morning'
15. 'Flicker, Fade'
16. 'Better Homes And Gardens'
17. 'Tidal Wave'
18. 'You Can’t Look Back'
19. 'Call Come Running'
20. 'All Ready To Go'
21. 'A Song For Dan'

06. Both 'All Ready To Go' and 'A Song For Dan' are brand new, previously unheard tracks
The band have said on the two previously unheard tracks "hint at the direction that Taking Back Sunday are heading in the coming years."

Metallica’s Kirk Hammett opens up on his horror obsession

Metallica’s Kirk Hammett talks about his love of horror and the influence it’s had on his career in new interview.

The Metallica guitarist appears in a new video by Sotheby’s, who are auctioning a rare movie poster for classic 1932 horror flick The Mummy. Only three are known to exist, with Hammett owning one of them.

In the clip, Hammett talks about what sparked his fascination with horror, and how he began to collect his vast collection of posters, toys, artwork and books – and how the genre has influenced him in his career.

Hammett says: “I’m basically a day-dreamer, always have been, and when I pick up my guitar, which is the most ready way for me to express myself and my feelings, I have a tendency to play stuff that’s dark, haunting and in a minor key.

“I definitely attribute that to my earlier influence of the horror genre. It wasn’t just the movies, but it was also the books.”

Hammett’s collection of horror memorabilia titled It’s Alive! was previously displayed at the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts and will move to the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto from July 13, 2019 to January 5, 2020.

Hammett features in the current horror issue of Metal Hammer magazine, which has been guest edited by Rob Zombie. The guitarist gives you his guide to the essential horror movies you have to watch this Halloween.

Metallica will reissue their 1988 album …And Justice For All on November 2 on CD, 3CD expanded edition, 2 x 180g LP, cassette, on digital platforms and a limited edition deluxe box set.

KORN Announces Launch Of Its New Coffee Brand, 'Korn Koffee'

KORN has launched its new coffee brand, Korn Koffee. Created in partnership with J. Gursey Coffee Roasters.

 

 

Made entirely with certified fair trade whole beans, Korn Koffee is a distinctive blend of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, Guatemalan Huehuetenago and Organic Peru beans mixed with J. Gursey Coffee's popular Vintage Black Diamond blend. KORN personally curated the creation of Korn Koffee, a process that saw the bandmembers tasting multiple variations before ultimately selecting the perfect roast and blend.
Indeed, each bag of Korn Koffee will feature a special message from KORN: "After almost 25 years of touring, making records and playing in front of all of our amazing fans (you), one thing has remained a constant in our daily routine: coffee. The ritual, the brew, the aroma and most importantly, that very first cup every morning that sets the tone, is something we look forward to every day. Because of our passion, we've gotten together with a roaster and handcrafted our very own blend of Koffee. We hope you enjoy, share, and join us in savoring many cups of Koffee for years to come."
Earlier in the month, KORN played three very special shows in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the band's "Follow The Leader" album.
"Follow The Leader" was a massive commercial breakthrough for KORN, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart, selling five million copies in the U.S. and yielding two hits singles in "Got The Life" and "Freak On A Leash".
KORN recently began recording its new album in Tennessee. Drummer Ray Luzier posted an Instagram photo from his session at producer Nick Raskulinecz's Rock Falcon Studio inside the Nashville complex owned by the music and entertainment company Black River Entertainment.

Lynyrd Skynyrd Guitarist Ed King Dead At 68

Former Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Ed King died on August 22 at the age of 68.

 

While the cause of King's death has not been revealed, recent media reports out of Nashville indicate the rocker was battling lung cancer and had been hospitalized for the disease.
"I've just found out about Ed's passing and I'm shocked and saddened," says lone original active Skynyrd member Gary Rossington. "Ed was our brother, and a great songwriter and guitar player. I know he will be reunited with the rest of the boys in Rock and Roll Heaven. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sharon and his family."

"It is with great sorrow we announce the passing of Ed King who died at his home in Nashville, Tennessee," read the statement released on the guitarist's Facebook page. "We thank his many friends and fans for their love and support of Ed during his life and career."

SLASH On Possibility Of New GUNS N' ROSES Music: 'I Think Everybody Wants To Do It'

GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash has not ruled out the possibility of recording new music with the current incarnation of the band, which features three-fifths of the classic lineup. 

During a surprise appearance on Friday, August 3 edition of "Trunk Nation LA Invasion: Live From The Rainbow Bar & Grill" on SiriusXM, Slash was asked if the group has considered going into the studio. He responded: "It's been talked about. I think everybody wants to do it, and we'll just see what happens. We've been busy doing this running around the planet," referring to GUNS N' ROSES' ongoing "Not In This Lifetime" tour, which kicked off more than two years ago. According to Slash, the original plan for the GUNS N' ROSES reunion was to only play five shows. "That's initially what it was gonna be," he said. "We didn't have a big, long-term thing [planned]. Axl and I got together, and we talked for a while and so on, and we thought it would be cool to these Coachella dates, because we [got] offered to get back together and do Coachella every year for years, and we obviously didn't do it [before]. So now that we were on good terms, it seemed like a good idea. So that was the basic focus — just to do those two shows and a couple of warm-up shows, so we did the Troubadour, one show in Vegas, in Mexico and the Coachella gigs. And that went so well, and everything just fell back into place. So we said, 'Okay, we'll do this U.S. run that they're offering us,' and then everything just snowballed from there." Asked if he was surprised by how much of a commercial success the "Not In This Lifetime" tour has turned out to be, Slash said: "The last shows that we did was '94 in South America, so we were at that place where we were playing stadiums. So when this came back around, the first offers were to do stadium-type gigs. So I was, like, 'Okay. That's great.' I think, more than anything, I was just excited about the enthusiasm. Considering, for me personally, being out of it for so long, coming back into it and seeing these insane crowds… It was, in my opinion, better received this time around than it was in the last years of the '90s that I was in it. It was really, really cool. And it's one of those times you can appreciate playing in a stadium, because you're playing for anywhere from 30 to 80 thousand people that are so dialed into your shit that it's like playing in a club — it's got that kind of personal toe-to-toe feel to it. So it was really, really a blast." Slash went on to say that reconnecting with Rose after nearly two decades was "huge." He added: "The most surreal moment was soundcheck at the Troubadour [in April 2016] — that was a very surreal moment. Way before we played the show and everything, just being together with everybody, being in that particular environment, of course stuffing 10 times more gear in there than we had back in the day. And then looking over and seeing Axl and seeing Duff McKagan, that was a very surreal moment. The rest of it seemed very, very new. I'm with a guy who was a partner in crime with me for many years before we had this, sort of, falling-out thing. And then, obviously, Duff. And we were up there playing these gigs. And I know these guys, I know these songs, but something about it was not really reminiscent of, say, the 'Use Your Illusion' tour. So it felt really fresh and new. It's an interesting thing. It didn't hit those tiny moments of, like, 'Oh my God! I remember hitting this chord, and he was there back in 1991,' or anything like that." 

Slash also spoke highly of his new GN'R bandmates Richard Fortus (guitar) and Frank Ferrer (drums), saying: "All in all, it was just a great bunch of people who were really excited about doing what we're doing, and going out there and playing in front of a bunch of people who are glad we're doing it." The guitarist praised Rose for his "amazing" vocal performance at "every single show" during the "Not In This Lifetime" tour, noting that GUNS N' ROSES was playing "three-and-a-half-hour sets" on many nights. "So it was really cool to watch him do," he said. Slash also talked about what it has been like for him to perform songs from GUNS N' ROSES' 2008 album "Chinese Democracy", which he did not play on. "It was cool," he said. 'There's some great songs on that record, so I just sort of adapted my own way of playing them and just made them more my own so I felt more comfortable. And they just kick ass." GUNS N' ROSES launched its long-rumored and long-awaited reunion tour in April 2016 with a club show in Hollywood and been on the road around the world ever since. The "Not In This Lifetime" trek, which ranks as the fourth-highest-grossing tour of all time, based on Billboard's Boxscore archives, features Slash, McKagan and Rose, backed by Fortus and Ferrer, plus keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Melissa Reese. "Chinese Democracy" came out in 2008 and featured only Axl from the classic lineup. The last album on which Rose, McKagan and Slash appeared together was 1993's covers set "The Spaghetti Incident?" Slash will release his fourth solo album and third with his band THE CONSPIRATORS, "Living The Dream", in September.

ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons announces new solo album The Big Bad Blues

ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons will release his new solo album in September - check out his cover of Muddy Waters’ Rollin’ And Tumblin’.

 

ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons has announced that he’ll release a new solo album later this year.

The collection of original tracks and classic covers is titled The Big Bad Blues and it’ll arrive on September 21 via Snakefarm Records. 

And to mark the announcement, Gibbons has shared a lyric video for the lead single – a cover of Muddy Waters’ Rollin’ And Tumblin’ which can be watched below.

The follow-up to 2015’s Perfectamundo was co-produced by Gibbons and Joe Hardy and recorded at Houston’s Foam Box Recordings.

Gibbons says: “We successfully made our way through those uncharted waters with the Cubano flavour of Perfectamundo and completed the journey.

“The shift back to the blues is a natural. It’s something which our followers can enjoy with the satisfaction of experiencing the roots tradition and, at the same time, feeling the richness of stretching the art form.”

The album features a total of 11 tracks with vocalist and guitarist Gibbons joined by Hardy on bass, Matt Sorum and Greg Morrow on drums, Mike ‘The Drifter’ Flanigin on keyboards, while James Harmon contributes harmonica to the record.

Gibbons is expected to announce a run of tour dates in support of the album in the near future.

METAL ALLEGIANCE 'VOLUME II - POWER DRUNK MAJESTY' IS ON THE WAY

Metal Allegiance will release their sophomore album, 'Volume II - Power Drunk Majesty', via Nuclear Blast Entertainment on September 7th 2018.

 

The band tell us that the the thrash worshipping album merges old-school legends with the modern Metallers of the scene to produce groove driven, adrenaline soaked anthems while tackling the frustrating state of the world.

The list of musicians for 'Volume II - Power Drunk Majesty' includes Trevor Strnad (The Black Dahlia Murder), John Bush (Armored Saint), Bobby 'Blitz' Ellsworth (Overkill), Mark Tornillo (Accept), Max Cavalera (Soulfly), Floor Jansen (Nightwish) and Johan Hegg (Amon Amarth). It also marks the return of Mark Oseguesda (Death Angel) and Troy Sanders (Mastodon).

The first single, 'Mother Of Sin' has been released today and features Bobby 'Blitz' Ellsworth.

'Volume II - Power Drunk Majesty' was produced by Mark Menghi and Alex Skolnick while Mark Lewis of MRL Studios handled the mixing and mastering. The cover artwork was created by renowned artist Marcelo Vasco (Slayer, Machine Head, Soulfly, Hatebreed) and Rafael Tavares.

Tracklist:

1. The Accuser (feat. Trevor Strnad)

2. Bound By Silence (feat. John Bush)

3. Mother Of Sin (feat. Bobby Blitz)

4. Terminal Illusion (feat. Mark Tornillo)

5. King With A Paper Crown (feat. Johan Hegg)

6. Voodoo of the Godsend (feat. Max Cavalera)

7. Liars & Thieves (feat. Troy Sanders)

8. Impulse Control (feat. Mark Osegueda)

9. Power Drunk Majesty (Part I) (feat. Mark Osegueda)

10. Power Drunk Majesty (Part II) (feat. Floor Jansen)

​

This summer, Metal Allegiance, in collaboration with Barrage Brewing Company will release a very special premium double IPL (Indian Pale Lager), entitled Lager Of Sin. Named after the first single from the new album, 'Mother Of Sin', the beer will be released on July 27th followed by a weekend full of festivities.

THE LOCAL BAND Feat. CHILDREN OF BODOM, THE 69 EYES, RECKLESS LOVE Members: Video Of June 2018 Helsinki Concert

THE LOCAL BAND, the Finnish covers act featuring Alexi Laiho (CHILDREN OF BODOM), Jussi 69 (THE 69 EYES), Olli Herman (RECKLESS LOVE) and Archie Kuosmanen (SANTA CRUZ), performed on June 10 at Kaisaniemi Park in Helsinki, Finland as the support act for the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES.

Featured songs:

00:00 Lay Your Hands On Me (BON JOVI)
06:24 Looks That Kill (MÖTLEY CRÜE)
11:00 Sunglasses At Night (COREY HART)
17:00 Fallen Angel (POISON)

21:24 Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love (VAN HALEN)
25:47 Nightrain (GUNS N' ROSES)
30:43 Untouched (THE VERONICAS)
35:41 Nothin' But A Good Time (POISON)
39:57 Out Of The Darkness (LITTLE STEVEN)
44:33 Piece Of Me (SKID ROW)
48:24 Panama (VAN HALEN)
53:38 Livin' On A Prayer (BON JOVI)

 

 

THE LOCAL BAND made its live debut in December 2013 and has been playing sporadic shows ever since.


It was a warm dark night before Christmas in Los Angeles in 2013. Jussi 69 and Alexi Laiho met in Hollywood, had a couple of drinks and decided to put together a covers band that would perform songs from POISON, MÖTLEY CRÜE and others classic acts of the 1980s. They shook hands and swore that they really were going to make this happen. The key word and the whole idea behind THE LOCAL BAND would be to have fun. No stress, no pressure, and definitely no business plans.

Right after Jussi and Alexi decided to do this, it was obvious they would need a charismatic singer, one who could handle all the classic hard rock super hits, from "Jump" to "Girls, Girls, Girls", among all their other favorites. Jussi decided to send a message to RECKLESS LOVE's Olli Herman.

"Naturally, I was immediately excited and kept saying: 'Yes — HELLYEAH!!!' over and over again while listening to Jussi talk me through the idea," says Olli. "Nothing could've kept me from taking part after I heard we would only perform killer songs from all the greatest '80s hair metal bands. I couldn't believe it. All my favorites!! I was ecstatic."

To complete the lineup, they got Archie Cruz from SANTA CRUZ to play bass. Now this crazy crew was ready to rock!

Says Archie: "When I got the call from Jussi, my jaw basically hit the floor. I had been watching these guys, these huge rock stars since I was a kid, and never in a million years thought I'd be in the same band with them when I was practising BODOM riffs in my bedroom, or watching a 69 EYES show as a kid. The fact that we're playing pretty much all of my favorite songs makes it even cooler. Being a part of THE LOCAL BAND is a dream come true for me and it's been one of the coolest things in my life to be a part of this."

THE LOCAL BAND was supposed to last for one night only, for a single show at the legendary Tavastia club in Helsinki, with just one interview, no rehearsals and half a soundcheck. But the universe had some other plans for these rock gods, and the mighty quartet decided to spread its good vibes around the world: their "Locals Only - Dark Edition" debut EP, full of all-time classics, was released in December 2015.

If you ask Jussi, the idea of recording an EP was written in the stars.

Jussi: "Some weeks after our first show, I walked into a bar in New York and they were playing 'Shout At The Devil' by MÖTLEY CRÜE — which was our opening song at the Tavastia show — followed by 'Sunglasses At Night' by Corey Hart. I saw this as a sign, and called Alexi to say that we can't leave this cool thing here. We have to do this, we need to record a single, and 'At Night' is the most perfect song for us to cover. Alexi agreed immediately. We didn't want to cover the most obvious songs that every other cover band plays, as those songs are perfect the way those bands originally recorded them. We wanted to surprise people with unexpected, twisted songs. Suddenly recording just one song expanded into an EP. And it's a perverse, totally unexpected collection of songs that me and Alexi came up with. Those are some of our favorites that pretty much nobody knows."

The EP was recorded in four days, and THE LOCAL BAND is very proud of the result.

"It's a killer, mind-blowing party music EP which is going to blow people's minds," said Jussi. "Oh, and the key word, the reason why we did this, even though every one of us is busier than ever with our own bands... We had so much fun doing it, a fucking blast! I know that can be heard from the end result."

THE LOCAL BAND is:

Olli Herman - Vocals
Alexi Laiho - Bass
Samy Elbanna - Guitar
Jussi 69 - Drums
Hohottava Hujoppi - Keyboards