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

Guns N' Roses Perform Rare B-Side 'Shadow of Your Love' For First Time in 31 Years

Guns N' Roses fans at the band's Not In This Lifetime tour stop in Odense, Denmark, on Wednesday night (June 6) got a surprise when the band busted out a rare b-side from their pre-fame days midway through their set at the Dyrskuepladsen Stadium.

 

The band busted out "Shadow of Your Love," a track written by singer Axl Rose and former GNR guitarist Izzy Stradlin for their pre-fame band Hollywood Rose and recorded during the sessions for Guns' landmark 1987 debut, Appetite for Destruction.

It was the first time the group had performed the track since June 22, 1987; it will appear on the upcoming Super Deluxe version of the Appetite reissue, due out on June 29. A live version of "Shadow" was included on a 12" version of Guns' 1987 "It's So Easy" single and as a b-side to the 1991 "Live and Let Die" single. The hard-charging song has the classic relentless blitz attack of late 90s Guns, with a double-time solo and debauched lyrics to match, including the opening lines: "Took my chances carelessly/Choked on my own cigarette/You can hand me another bottle of whiskey baby/But you ain't seen the worst yet."

The band has been playing its usual assortment of covers lately, including their classic take on Wings' "Live and Let Die," as well as The Damned's "New Rose," the Love Theme from The Godfather, Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" and Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." But they've also added one more unusual cover to the mix lately: a take on "Slither" by Velvet Revolver, the Guns offshoot that featured Slash and Duff McKagan and late Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland.

Gaerea is Your New Favorite Black Metal Band

This Portugese outfit is going to be both your new favorite black metal band and your new favorite band in silly costumes. 

 

As demonstrated by their new single, “Catharsis,” the quintet have a talent for marrying black metal’s ethereal, depressive side with its angry, Satanic side, resulting in something filmic and unexpected. Imagine the lovechild Celeste and Nachtmystium and you’ll have some idea of what I’m getting at. “Catharsis” is the type of song that will make you wonder how something so ugly could be so beautiful.

And, yeah. They look like the long lost cousins of Portal, if that kind of thing matters to you. I have no idea what that symbol on their faces means, but it looks profound, bruh.

Anthrax’s Scott Ian: “I’m Not Old, Nor Am I Out of Touch!”

Several weeks back, Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante made some ill-informed comments about Apple’s role in the decline of the recorded music industry which prompted me to pen the headline, “Anthrax Drummer: ‘I’m Old and Out of Touch.'” Benante understandably took exception to that categorization and contacted me to let me know his displeasure, but ended up being a great sport and agreed to debate me on the topic one-on-one for a special episode of The MetalSucks Podcast. While Benante came across as more open to the role technology plays in today’s music industry during that chat than I’d gathered from his initial comments, he still came off as a bit resistant, preferring the old ways to the new.

Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian, however, seems way more on board the ever-rolling train of technology than his bandmate. In a recent chat with Resurrection Fest, Ian revealed that while he was initially against streaming services such as Spotify, he’s since come to see how they can pan out for artists in the long run (emphasis added):

“I wasn’t a fan of streaming music initially, because I’m in a band and I felt like, ‘Alright, well, I don’t like this idea because the bands are getting ripped off.’
“I still feel like the bands are getting ripped off, but at the same time, I definitely enjoy… I love being able to be in my house and basically have any song ever right on my phone, and I can go on Spotify and I can have it streaming all through my house anytime. Spotify is a good tool for all bands, but streaming doesn’t make up for a loss of record sales.
“If you don’t adapt, then you don’t survive. It’s evolution – that’s really what it is. And in the last few years, we’ve adapted and we’ve accepted what’s going on in the world. You can’t constantly fight a battle against things you’re never going to win and have no control over.
“So you adapt and you accept it and you figure out, ‘What’s the best way this is gonna work for us? And how do we use this new tool to best represent Anthrax?‘ And Spotify has actually worked out really well for us in the last few years – especially on the last record. Because we really embraced it on ‘For All Kings.’
“And kids discover us on Spotify and then they go buy a ticket to come see us. And then they’re a fan for life once they see the band live.“

 

Scott Ian gets it! Look: no one ever said Spotify et al. offered great payouts to artists, although as the number of paying subscribers on those services has grown so too has the payments bands receive (in a big way). The point is that the forward march of technology cannot be stopped — the people have spoken, and this is what they want — so either you get on board and figure out how to make it work for you or you get left behind.

Next time Benante is quoted talking about the downfall of the music biz I’m just gonna have him knock on the ceiling of his tour bus bunk to talk to his old pal Scott about it. Woulda saved both of us a lot of agita!

New Black Sabbath Vinyl Box Set ‘Supersonic Years’ Celebrates Seventies Singles

Clear some space on your record shelf because Black Sabbath have just announced a new vinyl set celebrating their historic first decade.

Supersonic Years - The Seventies Singles Box Set, set for a June 8 release, boasts 10 7" discs spanning material from seven of their first eight albums together with the original lineup, sparing Master of Reality as Sabbath had been against the idea of singles during the album's cycle.

What makes this set unique is that it comes with five rare single edits (see the track listing below) alongside rare or exclusive picture sleeves and new liner notes explaining them a bit further. All tracks have also undergone a remaster from Andy Pearce.

While Sabbath have hung it up, Ozzy is looking at scaling back his touring as well with the 'No More Tours 2' farewell trek. He'll be hitting the U.S. for a full run later this year and if you're looking to see the Prince of Darkness one last time. Meanwhile, Tony Iommi has hinted he'd like to begin writing again.

Black Sabbath, Supersonic Years - The Seventies Singles Box Set Track Listing

Disc 1: Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games With Me) / Wicked World - 1970

Disc 2: Paranoid / The Wizard - 1970

Disc 3: Iron Man (Single Edit) / Electric Funeral - 1970

Disc 4: Tomorrow's Dream / Laguna Sunrise - 1972

Disc 5: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (Edited Version) / Changes - 1973

Disc 6: Am I Going Insane (Radio) (Single Edit) / Hole in the Sky - 1975

Disc 7: Gypsy / She's Gone - 1976

Disc 8: It's Alright / Rock 'N' Roll Doctor - 1976

Disc 9: Never Say Die / She's Gone - 1978

Disc 10: Hard Road (Single Edit) / Symptom of the Universe (German Single Edit) - 1978

KISS’s Paul Stanley on modern rock music: 'Too much is faceless and interchangeable'

KISS vocalist Paul Stanley says “too much” of contemporary rock music lacks the “imperfection and spontaneity” of years gone by.

 

 

In a wide-ranging new interview with Business Jet Traveler, the singer was asked about his thoughts on state of rock music today.
Paul said: “Too much of it is faceless and interchangeable; between that and autotuning and mechanical beats, there’s a loss of what made all the music that came before so great.
“What we loved about Motown and Philly soul and the Beatles era was its imperfection and spontaneity. You’re missing that now.”
The sexagenarian rocker also admitted that it’s harder for bands to make an impact nowadays, explaining: “I was talking to Rod Stewart a couple of days ago, and I said, ‘Boy I wouldn’t want to be starting now,’ and he said, ‘Amen.’
“It’s a very different world. The income stream is so much less and there’s so much grey area and so many bands. I think that social media and the Internet have made for something that, besides the monetary aspect, is very homogenous.
“There was a time where there was much distinction between acts and there were far fewer of them. You didn’t have a situation where, for example, you can either take what’s offered to you in terms of a fee for your music or somebody will take it for free. That’s not how things are supposed to work.”
Paul was also asked who is the real frontman of KISS, after bassist Gene Simmons once declared himself to be the face of the band.
“A frontman is the person who does the talking and who gives a group its identity and communicates to the audience,” Paul explained.
“There’s only one person on the stage who does that. If that’s the definition of a frontman, then it’s undisputable (that I’m the frontman). If you interpret frontman as something else…if it’s being in the media, well then, it’s different.”
Elsewhere, Paul seemingly confirmed that KISS are highly unlikely to ever make an album again, saying: “I don’t know (whether we will make an album again). Invariably when people come to see us live, they want to hear classics.

“If you watch a live DVD of McCartney or the Stones, you’ll see that every time they are playing a new song, the audience sits down. So, if you want to do a new album purely as an artistic endeavour, that’s great, but I am not sure that there aren’t other things I’d rather spend that time doing.”

Billy Gibbons and John Fogerty Accidentally Wrote a Song Together

Billy Gibbons has revealed that a recent meeting with John Fogerty about their joint tour quickly turned into an accidental songwriting session.

 

Gibbons went to Fogerty’s Los Angeles home to make arrangements for the road trip with ZZ Top, which runs across the U.S. from May 25 to June 29, and since the former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman had a studio in the building, they decided to take advantage.

“We went straight to work,” Gibbons told Rolling Stone in a new interview. “It was an exercise in just absolute joy.” The untitled piece was created from an idea Fogerty had come up with, and they worked on it after they jammed some of their own classic tracks, including “Fortunate Son,” “Bad Moon Rising” and “Tush.”

“I’ve been wanting to kind of hook up with Billy or ZZ for a long time,” Fogerty said. “I think we’ve traded emails. I ran into him down somewhere, and I was playing and Billy was playing the next night. I had him come into my show and we did 'Sharp Dressed Man.' It was a lot of fun. He sent me a couple of emails. I think he even gave me a CD or two that he labeled 'Big Ol' Blues.' There was a whole bunch of great old songs on there. We've been trying for a while and it finally has fallen into place, which I'm delighted about.”

As for who will start each night's show on the upcoming tour, Gibbons joked that it was all decided by a coin toss. “Who is going to start, who is going to stop and do we have to stop? That was the real question," he said. "I think it'll work out nicely. It's a collaboration experience, which I think makes a lot of sense, not only for both bands, but for the fans and followers.”

Fogerty expressed interest in playing ZZ Top’s “La Grange,” “Sleeping Bag” and “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide,” among others, while Gibbons named “Fortunate Son” and “Down on the Corner” as CCR songs he'd like to perform onstage. “I rattled off a half a dozen titles from the heyday of Creedence," Gibbons recalled. "[Fogerty] was grinning. He said, 'You gotta remind me. I gotta re-learn all that stuff I'm supposed to already know.' I said, 'Yeah, that's the way it goes, man. We gotta get to work.'"

Metallica announces North American tour dates for 2018-2019

METALLICA has announced the details of the 2018-2019 North American leg of of its “WorldWired” tour in support of the band’s latest album, “Hardwired… To Self-Destruct”.

The 34-date trek kicks off September 2 in Madison, Wisconsin and runs through March 13 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Tickets go on sale to the public starting March 2 at Live Nation and the Fan Club presale begins February 27. Each ticket purchase will be accompanied by a physical or digital copy of “Hardwired… To Self-Destruct”.

Says the band: “Following last summer’s sold-out 25-date stadium run, this year we’re bringing the in-the-round production currently being seen in European arenas to the U.S. and Canada kicking off on September 2, 2018, in Madison, WI. Along the way we’ll be visiting 34 cities we did not go to last year, including a few we haven’t been to in decades, including Grand Forks, ND (nearly 30 years), Sioux Falls, SD, El Paso, TX, Birmingham, AL (nearly 26 years) and State College, PA (20 years). About time, wouldn’t you say?!”

“The fall/winter tour will mark a few firsts for us as each show will get rolling with the Light It Up pre-show party hosted by our very good friend Jim Breuer. Jim, along with a DJ to get the night rocking with some great tunes, hits the stage before us with comedy, fan interaction, giveaways and much more. And if you love to travel and one show just isn’t enough, then perhaps the Wherever I May Roam Black Ticket is for you! For the first time in ‘TALLICA history, you may purchase one ticket that will allow you floor access to any METALLICA show on the 2018/2019 North American tour. Feel like trucking to Tulsa? Booking to Boise? Motoring to Minneapolis? No problem… you pick the show, call us no less than 48 hours before the gig and you’re in! A limited number of 250 of these Black Tickets* will be available for $598 (yes… we are celebrating the re-issue of the ‘Garage Days Re-Revisited’ EP!).

“Of course, some things don’t change! As we have been doing for most of the ‘WorldWired’ shows, every ticket purchased includes your choice of a standard physical or standard digital copy of ‘Hardwired…To Self-Destruct’. Keep it for yourself or gift it to a friend or family member… you’ll receive info via e-mail after your ticket purchase on how to obtain your copy. The enhanced experience options designed to take your METALLI-night to the next level are also returning as we continue to partner with the team that makes it all happen at CID Entertainment. You’ll have three options of special enhanced experiences, including premium tickets and amenities ranging from early access to the venue and the ‘Memory Remains’ exhibit of memorabilia to meeting some of us (!).

“Finally, we’ll continue to raise funds for our All Within My Hands foundation, which supports a cross-section of national, local and Bay Area charities, music education programs and local food banks. Continuing our collaboration with Crowdrise, we encourage you to make a donation when purchasing tickets to the upcoming shows and each time you donate, you’ll be entered to win tickets, pre-show party passes, meet and greet passes, and one lucky winner will be flown to the last show on the tour. 

Tour dates:

Sep. 02 – Madison, WI @ Kohl Center
Sep. 04 – Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
Sep. 06 – Lincoln, NE @ Pinnacle Bank Arena
Sep. 08 – Grand Forks, ND @ Alerus Center
Sep. 11 – Sioux Falls, SD @ Denny Sanford Premier Center
Sep. 13 – Winnipeg, MB @ Bell MTS Place
Sep. 15 – Saskatoon, SK @ SaskTel Centre
Oct. 16 – Milwaukee, WI @ Wisconsin Entertainment and Sport Center
Oct. 18 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
Oct. 20 – State College, PA @ Bryce Jordan Center
Oct. 22 – Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
Oct. 27 – Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center
Oct. 29 – Albany, NY @ Times Union Center
Nov. 26 – Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena
Nov. 28 – Boise, ID @ Taco Bell Arena
Nov. 30 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Vivint Smart Home Arena
Dec. 02 – Spokane, WA @ Spokane Arena
Dec. 05 – Portland, OR @ Moda Center
Dec. 07 – Sacramento, CA @ Golden 1 Center
Dec. 09 – Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center
Jan. 18, 2019 – Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center
Jan. 20, 2019 – Little Rock, AR @ Verizon Arena
Jan. 22, 2019 – Birmingham, AL @ Legacy Arena at The BJCC
Jan. 24, 2019 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
Jan. 28, 2019 – Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena
Jan. 30, 2019 – Cincinnati, OH @ U.S. Bank Arena
Feb. 01, 2019 – Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena
Feb. 28, 2019 – El Paso, TX @ Don Haskins Center
Mar. 02, 2019 – Lubbock, TX @ United Supermarkets Arena
Mar. 04, 2019 – Wichita, KS @ Intrust Bank Arena
Mar. 06, 2019 – Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
Mar. 09, 2019 – Louisville, KY @ KFC Yum! Center
Mar. 11, 2019 – Indianapolis, IN @ Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Mar. 13, 2019 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena

Skindred Announce New Album, Release First Single

Vince likes Skindred, I think; I never really caught on. I also don’t remember them ever sounding like they do on their new single, “Machine.” There’s nary a trace of nu-metal or reggaecore or whatever; hell, except for one brief section, it’s barely a metal song. It really sounds like one of those early aughts bands that tried to bring back cock rock, like Beautiful Creatures.

I don’t mean that as an insult; I think this song is super catchy. If the band’s entire new album, Big Tings (not a typo), sounds like this, and they release an edition with a puppy instead of a kitty on the cover, I might actually have to buy it.

SLAYER's Farewell Stop In Dallas Sells Out In Minutes, Scalpers Are Selling Tickets For $3,000

Slayer's farewell tour is taking place this May and June and will feature support from Anthrax, Testament, Lamb Of God, and Behemoth. The tour is hitting pretty large venues like Holmdel, NJ's PNC Arts Center, which has a capacity of about 17,000 people, but is also mysteriously playing the Bomb Factory in Dallas, TX. According to MetalSucks, The Bomb Factory has a capacity of 4,300 people. This seems like a bit of an odd choice considering all five of these artists together could easily draw way more than 4,300 people, doubly so since this is Slayer's final tour.

Of course, given the size of the club, tickets sold out in three minutes flat and were sold to less-than-reputable people. MetalSucks published a screenshot of the scalpers' prices for the tickets, which are currently sitting at an absurd $3,000 per ticket. The obvious move here is to just change venues to something bigger, but we're also hoping either the tour or The Bomb Factory address this issue.

Raise Your Hands and Pledge Metal Allegiance in Anaheim

Metal Allegiance, the all-star metal band consisting of core members Mark Menghi, Mike Portnoy, David Ellefson, and Alex Skolnick, put on what is becoming their almost annual show during NAMM week at the House of Blues in Anaheim on Thursday, delivering an almost two hour set of not only metal classics, but new material as well.

Mark Menghi, Mike Portnoy, Alex Skolnick, Gary Holt, Mark Osegueda, Cristina Scabbia and Chuck Billy

The NAMM weekend provides a perfect opportunity to find some of metal's finest all in one place at the same time and it was like a class reunion of sorts, with the core group rounded out by a stellar group of guest performers. Joining the core members on this outing were Mark Osegueda of Death Angel, longtime Sepultura guitarist Andreas Kisser, Chuck Billy of Testament, Gary Holt of Slayer and Exodus, John Bush of Armored Saint, Bobby Blitz of Overkill, Nita Strauss from Alice Cooper's band, and Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil.

Opening with Metallica's "Hit the Lights" with Chuck Billy on vocals, the rotating cast performed everything from Exodus' "Bonded By Blood" to Testament's "Into the Pit." It was a full on metal extravaganza throughout the night.

Metal Allegiance also debuted a brand new song, "Mother of Sin," with Overkill's Bobby Blitz on vocals, before wrapping up the evening with a blistering take on Iron Maiden's "Number of the Beast."

Motorhead Guitarist 'Fast' Eddie Clarke Dies at 67

Motorhead guitarist Edward Allan Clarke -- aka "Fast" Eddie Clarke -- passed away peacefully Wednesday night (Jan. 10) after being treated for pneumonia. He was 67.



The official Motorhead Facebook page shared the news in a post. "We are devastated to pass on the news we only just heard ourselves earlier tonight...Edward Allan Clarke - or as we all know and love him Fast Eddie Clarke - passed away peacefully yesterday," the band wrote. "Ted Carroll (who formed Chiswick Records) made the sad announcement via his FB page, having heard from Doug Smith that Fast Eddie passed peacefully in hospital where he was being treated for pneumonia..."

Fellow band member Mikkey Dee responded to the heartbreaking news. "I saw Eddie not too long ago and he was in great shape. So this is a complete shock," he said before adding his condolences to Eddie's "family and close ones."

“Just heard the sad news that Fast Eddie Clark has passed away,” guitarist Phil Campbell said in the statement echoing his sympathy. “Such a shock, he will be remembered for his iconic riffs and was a true rock and roller. RIP Eddie.”

Four more bands added to Steelhouse Festival 2018 line-up

Welsh rock institution Steelhouse Festival has added four new acts to the 2018 bill.

Making their Steelhouse debuts next summer are The Wildhearts, Dan Reed Network, Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons and Mason Hill.

The Wildhearts enthused: “Steelhouse is an amazing festival, run by true music lovers, and we are honoured to bring our brand of rock n roll back to Wales. See you down the front.”

Also waxing lyrical, Motörhead legend Phil Campbell said: “I’ve been hearing lots of great things about Steelhouse Festival over the last couple of years. Can’t wait to play to the great Steelhouse crowd and see you on the mountain”

Dan Reed commented, “I have been hearing for years how great a festival Steelhouse is, and how DRN should one day perform there.

“To be confirmed for 2018 is a not only great honour but we are very much looking forward to finding out in person what all the positive reviews have been about! I can imagine a greater place to perform than on a scenic mountaintop in majestic Wales!”

The newly confirmed artists join an already impressive line-up that boasts Black Star Riders, Stone Broken, The Quireboys, King King, Aaron Buchanon and The Cult Classics, Massive Wagons, The Dust Coda, The Bad Flowers and Those Damn Crows.

Promoter Mikey Evans said of today’s additions: “Personally I think Ginger has been, and continues to be, one of the greatest British songwriters of the last 30 years. To have him finally bring the classic line-up of the Wildhearts - himself, CJ, Ritch and Danny - to the mountain and play that immense catalogue is a dream come true.

“We are also so pleased to welcome the Dan Reed Network to the line-up for the very first time. We saw them live recently and it was a no-brainer. Their sheer musical talent speaks for itself.”

Promoter Max Rhead added: “What can you say about Phil Campbell? Motörhead guitarist for 30 years and Welsh ambassador of rock. He's a local legend. He was destined to make it up the mountain at some point and adding him and The Bastard Sons to the Friday line-up really makes that opening night very special indeed.

We're determined to continue to support new blood. Anyone who has seen Mason Hill will have felt the commitment to their live performance. They were built for big stages.”

Dubbed ‘The Welsh International Classic Rock Festival’, the eighth Steelhouse Festival takes place at Hafod-Y-Dafal Farm in Ebbw Vale, Gwent, Wales from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th July 2018.