Leatherwolf - Behind The Gun - Video Clip

By Elric on 12:04 PM 31 May 2007

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California heavy/ power metallers Leatherwolf have posted a video of the song "Behind the Gun", directed by Karpis Makusdian, on their MySpace page. "Behind the Gun" comes off the group's latest album, "World Asylum", which was released last June and features original members, guitarist Geoff Gayer and drummer Dean Roberts, alongside singer Wade Black (Crimson Glory, Seven Witches), guitarist Eric Halpern (Krucible, Z-LOT-Z), and bassist Pete Perez (Riot, Spastic Ink).

In related news, Leatherwolf has signed a South American deal with Dynamo Productions for the release of "World Asylum" and the group's eponymous 1984 debut. A tentative release date has been set for early July.

The classic Leatherwolf lineup, including vocalist/guitarist Michael Olivieri and guitarist Carey Howe, is slated to co-headline the ninth edition of Germany's Keep It True festival, scheduled for November 3 at the Sporthalle in Dittigheim.





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Iced Earth's New Guitarist

By Elric on 6:05 PM 30 May 2007

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Iced Earth posted the following post in their website:

"Our new guitar player's name is Troy Seele. Troy did a few solos on the new record and will be touring with us. He's been a friend of mine for about 10 years and is from the Indianapolis (Indy) area. He's by far the best guitar player in Indy and will be bringing some cool vibes to the table."

"Overture of the Wicked", is due on June 5 via SPV (one day earlier internationally). A video for the song "Ten Thousand Strong" will be filmed during the coming weeks, most likely in early June right around the band's appearance at the Sweden Rock Festival.

"Overture of the Wicked" track listing:

01. Ten Thousand Strong
02. Prophecy
03. Birth of the Wicked
04. The Coming Curse


Regarding the songs that appear on the "Overture of the Wicked" EP, Iced Earth mainman Jon Schaffer recently stated, "First, the song 'Ten Thousand Strong' is the single track, and it will appear on 'Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1)', albeit a bit different than the single version. Second, the 'Something Wicked' trilogy that is comprised of the songs 'Prophecy', 'Birth of the Wicked', and 'The Coming Curse' has been completely re-recorded. From the ground up this is a more vicious and more atmospheric version of the epic piece. I played all of the guitar tracks with a baritone guitar and Brent [Smedley, drums] and I are locked up like a machine gun with the double kicks following many of the detailed picking patterns. This makes for a more intense- and wicked-sounding rhythm section. All of the vocals have been redone, obviously by Tim Owens, who did a masterful job at retaining the passion and honesty of the original, and still put his stamp on it and made it his own. We also put in some teaser atmospheric things that will give you a hint of things to come on Part 1. But just a hint... we don't want to spoil any surprises."

2007 will see the arrival of Iced Earth's eighth full-length studio release, "Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1)", which expands the "Something Wicked" storyline first introduced in the trilogy of the same name appearing on the 1998 release, "Something Wicked This way Comes". "Framing Armageddon" will be followed in February/March 2008 by the band's ninth full-length studio release, tentatively titled "Revelation Abomination (Something Wicked Part 2)", continuing where "Framing Armageddon" leaves off. In addition, Iced Earth will start its headlining tour in Europe in October and then will hit the road in the U.K. as the support act for Heaven And Hell in November. 2007 will also mark the return of Iced Earth to a select few of Europe's biggest festivals, including Sweden Rock, Rockwave in Greece and Germany's largest metal festival, Wacken Open Air. The tentative plan is for the North American leg of the world tour to kick off after the holidays in January of 2008. The year 2008 will also see Iced Earth spreading its brand of metal to Australia, Japan, South America, and Russia as well as headlining many of Europe's biggest festivals.

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And the Winner is...

By Elric on 9:51 AM

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An era in Nightwish's history (finally) came to its end in October 2005, and now in 2007, it's time to start a new one!
The new vocalist of Nightwish has been the source of a lot of speculation over the past year and a half - but now all the speculations can end. After going through over 2000 applications, Nightwish has now chosen their new frontwoman!

She's Swedish, her vocal talent and lovely personality made a lasting impression on Nightwish's members upon her very first visit to Finland, and her name is: Anette Olzon

Anette grew up in a very musical family, and she's been performing and singing all her life. She has also studied music and performing at the Goteborg Balettakademie, Copenhagen Conservatory and Malmo Music University. Anette lives in Katrineholm, Sweden.

The new Nightwish single featuring Anette Olzon on vocals is called "Eva" and will be the first chance to hear the band's new singer.

"Eva" can only be bought as a downloadable e-single from digital music stores and all its profits will be directed to the child charity organisation called "DIE ARCHE".

To learn more about Anette check Nightwish official site by clicking on Anette's image above. There you can find an interview of Anette, as well as her biography file and a video-greeting from her. You can also check the cover of the band's new single, as well as a small audio shample of the single.

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Unearth Part Ways With Mike Justian

By Elric on 9:31 PM 26 May 2007

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Unearth have officially parted ways with drummer Mike Justian:

"Last night marked the end of the line for Mike Justian with Unearth. There are many reasons why we decided it was time to move on without him, but we are not in the business of airing dirty laundry. We will say that we grew apart as individuals and as musicians and the split will be best for both the band and Mike.
In true Unearth fashion, we will continue on without skipping a beat. We are pleased and honored to say that Gene Hoglan of Strapping Young Lad is filling in for the rest of our tour with Dimmu Borgir, Devil Driver and Kataklysm. He will take the stage for the first time with us tonight in Vancouver, BC. Gene is an unreal musician and has learned a set in extremely short notice. We can not thank him enough for lending his skills to our band for this tour.
Mike is an amazing drummer and will surely turn up in another band soon. We traveled the world with him, shared some of the best experiences of our lives and can call him a brother forever. It was just time for both parties to split, plain and simple. We wish him the best of luck with all of his future endeavors."

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OPETH And PETER LINDGREN part ways

By Elric on 4:18 PM 25 May 2007

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Peter Lindgren has stepped down from his guitar wielding duties after 16 years in Opeth. Below is an open letter from Peter addressing the issue:

"It is with sadness I announce that Opeth and I are going separate ways after almost 16 years. The decision has been the toughest I've ever made but it is the right one to make at this point in my life.

The reason behind this is that I feel that I simply have lost some of the enthusiasm and inspiration needed to participate in a band that has grown from a few guys playing the music we love to a world-wide industry. The love of music has always been, and still is, our motive, but I personally have lost something along the way. The massive amount of touring has taken its toll. Opeth has worked extremely hard to get where we are right now and in order to persist and maintain the quality of the music, it is necessary that we continue to work hard and always stay focused. But in doing so, it means that we nowadays spend 18 or 19 months on the road and I don't feel the same enthusiasm for the upcoming world tour that I have felt earlier. I have come to a point where I realize I won't be able to give the band 100%, and from both sides this will not be good enough for what Opeth stands for. I will always love playing, listening to, and living music, but I will do it differently from now on.

These years has easily been the best of my life and I will always cherish the memory of what we have experienced together. I would like to thank the band, our management, record label people, all the bands I've made friends with for everything. Most of all, I would like to thank the fans from the depth of my heart for the support throughout the years.

I wish Mikael, Martin, Per and Axe all the best and I am confident they will continue doing the greatest music in the world!! /Peter"

Fredrik Akesson has been confirmed as being the new guitarist in Opeth.
Says Mikael Akerfeldt: "Well, I think it's too soon right now to fully be able to explain what I feel. Peter and I had been working in this band together for almost half of our lives and we shared some unforgettable experiences together all over the world. We will obviously remain friends and this "break up" has been on very good terms from both sides. We all wish him the best of luck with his future ventures!

Fredrik was the only name that popped up thinking about a replacement for Peter. In my opinion he's one of the top 3 guitar players out of Sweden. We all get along great as we've known each other for maybe 4 years + he already has the experience to take on the circus-like lifestyle we lead as members of Opeth.

I can't wait to see what he can bring to the table musically and also to get out on the roads touring together. His first gig will be at the Ilosaari festival in Finland. I'm sure he'll shit his pants before that one, but then again...so will I!"

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Velvet Revovler - She Builds Quick Machines - Videoclip

By Elric on 1:54 PM 24 May 2007

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Velvet Revolver's video for "She Builds Quick Machines", the first single off the band's upcoming "Libertad" album, has been posted online. According to MTV.com, the clip, which was directed by Dean Karr (Manson, Deftones), pits Velvet Revolver against a crew of bad men who kidnap a fallen angel — literally a chick with wings who falls like a meteor from high above the Earth, crashing into the desert sand with atomic force. The VR boys use explosives, Molotov cocktails and powerful six-shooters to exterminate the evildoers and rescue the winged woman.

In a recent interview with MTV.com, Velvet Revolver singer Scott Weiland said of the video, "We came up with this idea, and it just sort of coincided with the album idea and title.It originally started as just a spaghetti Western and then morphed into a combination of a spaghetti Western married to this freedom-fighter concept," with a splash of "City of God" thrown in for kicks. "We spoke with several different directors, and no one could wrap their head around that concept. It was a two-day shoot, and we had no idea if it would look like crap or if it was going to look amazing. We knew it had to be cool, that it had to have a vibe and it couldn't look cheesy. ... And it came out looking badass.

"I've always been such a huge fan of those spaghetti Westerns. I always thought it would be cool to do a remake of 'A Fistful of Dollars', so it was kind of a childhood dream to be able to do something like that."




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Nightwish New Singer Revealed ?

By Elric on 11:23 AM 23 May 2007

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A short audio sample of Nightwish's new single, entitled "Eva", has been posted online at this location. "Eva" will be an Internet-only single release, all profits from which shall be donated to charity. In Finland, the single will be available exclusively from NetAnttila. The identity of the group's new singer will be revealed simultaneously in a press statement and on the band's web site, www.nightwish.com, on the
same day.

Due to the leak of the new Nightwish single, "Eva", via an as-yet-undisclosed source in the United Kingdom, Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish will begin selling the Internet-only single "Eva" and reveal the name of the new singer earlier than was previously planned.

"Eva" will be released in Finland via NetAnttila on Friday, May 25. "Eva" will receive a Finnish radio premiere on Radio Rock and YleX Friday morning at 7:00 a.m.

The identity of the new Nightwish singer will be revealed on Thursday, May 24 at 5:00 p.m. Finnish time. First the news will appear on www.nightwish.com and soon after Spinefarm Records will send a bulletin to all media.

The band is carefully guarding her identity. However, according to some rumors and from the short audio sample, the new vocalist is none other than former Tristania frontwoman Vibeke Stene.

There are a number of signs pointing to the fact that Vibeke is Tarja's replacement in Nightwish. For example, Vibeke quit Tristania last month "due to personal reasons," making the timing of her departure perfect if she were to join Nightwish.

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Stone Sour Cancel Dates

By Elric on 6:45 PM 22 May 2007

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Due to an "unexpected family obligation," Stone Sour has been forced to pull out of the last four shows on their upcoming European tour. "This was not an easy decision and the band is extremely sorry for disappointing the European fans," the group writes in a statement. The affected dates are as follows:

Jun. 30 - Gothenburg, Sweden, Metaltown
Jul. 01 - Leipzig, Germany, With Full Force
Jul. 03 - Athens, Greece, Rockwave Festival
Jul. 06 - Turku, Finland, Ruisrock

Stone Sour will issue an expanded edition of its 2006 sophomore album, "Come What(ever) May", on June 26. The new digipak version will feature six acoustic tracks that were either recorded at the same time as the album or have been laid down since the original CD's release. The package will also include a DVD containing all the videos from the disc as well as Stone Sour first live performance in Russia, filmed in Moscow last fall.

One of the bonus songs is a cover of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game". Stone Sour guitarist Jim Root told Launch that the group has played that and The Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses" as part of its live show. "Yeah, Corey plays that one on his own, he's quite into that song. We're music fans, you know, and if it weren't for bands like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, where would we be today? Corey, you know, he really is into 'Wild Horses' and he wanted to play that tune, and we're not afraid to play cover tunes every once in a while, you know."

"Come What(ever) May" has sold over half a million copies since its release last August. The CD's latest single is called "Made of Scars".

Meanwhile, Corey Taylor told MTV.com that his and Jim Root's other band, Slipknot, has no concrete plans yet to write and record its next album. Taylor said, "Nothing's really been written yet, and it's just kind of up in the air right now. We're definitely going to do at least one more Slipknot album, let's put it that way. But after that, who knows?...I want to at least make one more, and then I don't know what's going to happen."

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3 Legged Dogg - Give And Take Away

By Elric on 4:17 PM 21 May 2007

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The first-ever video from 3 Legged Dogg, "Give and Take Away", has been posted on the MySpace.com. Shot in Los Angeles, the clip was directed by Raz, who has worked with a wide variety of renowned artists. Additionally, the clip was edited by Allison D. Gill.

The clip that accompanies the Zeppelin-esque tune is refreshingly unlike the majority of overblown videos nowadays — no "Lord of the Rings" reenactments here, just the quintet jamming away on a sound stage.

Comprised of ex-Quiet Riot guitarist Carlos Cavazo, ex-Rainbow/Dio bassist Jimmy Bain, ex-Black Sabbath/Dio drummer Vinny Appice, ex-Bonham singer Chas West, and David Lee Roth guitarist Brian Young, 3 Legged Dogg issued its debut album, "Frozen Summer", late last year. 3 Legged Dogg hopes to play some live dates in support of its new video and debut album.

3 Legged Dogg :

Chas West (Bonham) - vocals
Carlos Cavazo (Quiet Riot) - guitar
Brian Young (David Lee Roth) - guitar
Jimmy Bain (Rainbow,Dio) - bass
Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath,Dio, Heaven And Hell) - drums


3 Legged Dogg ~ Give and Take Away

Add to My Profile | More Videos

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New Line Up For Evanescence

By Elric on 2:42 PM

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Continuing the multi-platinum success of their sophomore album, "The Open Door", Evanescence welcomes drummer Will Hunt and guitarist Troy McLawhorn — both from Dark New Day — to the band this week. "I am a big fan of Dark New Day and can't wait for the fans to see what the guys bring to our live show," says frontwoman Amy Lee.

Evanescence will debut their new formation on Saturday, May 19 at Columbus' sold out Rock On the Range festival, along with ZZ TOP, Hinder, Velvet Revolver and Buckcherry. Following this performance, Evanescence will perform at WMMR (Philadelphia) on Sunday, May 20 at Camden's Tweeter Center, along with Velvet Revolver, Buckcherry and Chevelle. The group will then embark on a one-month European tour making stops in Belgium, France and Russia at select festivals and headline dates. Beginning July 20 in St. Louis, Missouri, Evanescence will co-headline the U.S. leg of The Family Values Tour with Korn.


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Iced Earth - Overture Of The Wicked - CDS - 2007

By Elric on 10:51 PM 20 May 2007

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"Overture of the Wicked" is the new single from Iced Earth. It consists of of four songs. The first song, "Ten Thousand Strong" is the single track, and it will appear on "Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1)", albeit a bit different than the single version.

A powerfull song with the classic rhythmic parts that Iced Earth put in every song. Great melody and a catchy refrain. A good appetizer for the upcoming album.

The other three songs are the "Something Wicked" trilogy, "Prophecy", "Birth Of The Wicked" and "The Coming Curse". The songs are rerecorded with Tim "Ripper" Owens in vocals who left his personal mark in the songs. The trilogy now is more atmospheric and more dark. The sound production is amazing. Especiallay "The Coming Curse" is a complety different songs

Although "Glorious Burden" was one of the worst albums I ever heard, I can't wait to listen to "Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1)"

The Band
  • Jon Schaffer - Rhythm, Bass, and Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
  • Tim Owens - Lead Vocals
  • Brent Smedley - Drums
Guest Musicians:

  • Tim Mills - Lead Guitar

Tracklist


  1. Ten Thousand Strong
  2. Prophecy
  3. Birth of the Wicked
  4. The Coming Curse


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Velvet Revolver New Single Available For Download

By Elric on 9:43 PM 19 May 2007

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Velvet Revolver's new single, "She Builds Quick Machines", is available for download in its entirety at FMQB. The song comes off Velvet Revolver's second RCA album, "Libertad", due on July 3.

In other news, all of Velvet Revolver's previously announced tour dates in Europe after June 17 have been cancelled because of scheduling conflicts with promotional activities for the release of "Libertad". It is expected that the band will come back to Europe later this year to make good on these cancelled shows.

Velvet Revolver bassist Duff McKagan recently told Billboard.com fans can expect songs from its members' old bands (Guns N' Roses, Stone Temple Pilots) to crop up occasionally, but less frequently than in Velvet Revolver's early days, when it barely had enough originals to play a headlining set.

"I don't know whether we'll do it the whole tour or once in awhile," he told Billboard.com. "But I know people like to hear them and sometimes we really like to play them. It's songs we wrote, so why not?"

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Homo Iratus Line Up Change

By Elric on 10:11 AM

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Bassit/vocalist Angelos of the Greek extreme metallers Homo Iratus has left the band. His official statement on the matter reads as follows:

"After seven years of dedicated soul deposit to Homo Iratus, bucketloads of fun, recordings and live shows it has come to the point where I have to part ways with the band. I did not feel comfortable with the band's new musical orientation and therefore I could not continue on playing since the change was not there for me anymore and our musical tastes where now in somewhat of a contrast. And since there's no reason of doing something you don't like as much, it was only logical to come to this.

"I'd like to thank everybody who stood by the band all these years and has helped us both as a whole and personally, our fans, all the people we cooperated with, Sifis from Wizard Live Productions, George Briggos and Eugene Tsaridis for the killer sound at recordings and shows...damn!...you're too many to mention! though last but not least a big HAIL to the guys at STU (whose walls were my home) who made the whole trip mean the world to me. Thanx guys."

Homo Iratus is currently seeking a new bassist. Interested parties can contact the group at homoiratushavoc@gmail.com.

Homo Iratus's latest CD, "Fall of the Locust", came out in 2006.

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Ozzy - I Don't Wanna Stop - Video Clip

By Elric on 11:49 AM 18 May 2007

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MTV2’s Headbanger’s Ball will broadcast the new video clip of Ozzy, "I Don't Wanna Stop" at Saturday May 19th at 11pm! But don't worry you can watch the video here. The track comes from the upcoming album "Black Rain".

Regarding the song, Ozzy recently told WWE.com: "I'm 59 this year. People keep saying to me, 'You'll be quitting soon, retiring.' I don't wanna stop! You'll know when I want to stop because I won't be doing it anymore. I've tried not doing it, but it's not like I've got a job. I'd miss the fans. I'd miss the buzz, seeing the crowd going crazy."

Due on May 22, the Japanese edition of "Black Rain" will include two exclusive bonus tracks, entitled "I Can't Save You" and "Nightmare". Apple's iTunes Store is offering a special "pre-order" version of "Black Rain", featuring the bonus track "Love to Hate". (I hate these little tricks from the music industry!!!!)




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Nightwish's Eva Artwork

By Elric on 11:27 PM 17 May 2007

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The cover artwork of Nightwish's new single, entitled "Eva", has been posted online. Due on May 30, "Eva" will be an Internet-only single release, all profits from which shall be donated to charity. In Finland, the single will be available exclusively from NetAnttila. The identity of the group's new singer will be revealed simultaneously in a press statement and on the band's web site, www.nightwish.com, on the same day. A radio promo of the Internet single will also ship on May 30.

The sixth Nightwish album will be released on September 26, preceded by a second, regular single release in August. Nightwish leader Tuomas Holopainen (keyboards) recently told Finland's Soundi magazine that the group's upcoming album will include a 14-minute song entitled "The Poet and the Pendulum" featuring the following lyrics in the chorus: "I cannot cry / 'Cause the shoulder cries more / I cannot die / I, the whore for the cold world."

Nightwish fired its original singer, Tarja Turunen, via an "open letter," which was given to the singer immediately following their final concert together, which took place on October 21, 2005 at the Hartwall arena in Helsinki, Finland. The Helsinki show was filmed and recorded for the "End of an Era" DVD and CD, which entered the German chart at a No. 3.

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Morgana Lefay - Delusions - Video Clip

By Elric on 6:21 PM 16 May 2007

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Swedish power metallers Morgana Lefay have posted their video for the song "Delusions". The track comes off the group's latest album, "Aberrations of the Mind", which came out in March via Black Mark. The clip was directed by the band's drummer, Owe Lingvall of Village Road Films.

According to a press release, "Aberrations of the Mind" contains "a new level of aggression while still maintaining the traditional Morgana Lefay sound." The album also features the debut of the band's new skinbasher, Pelle Åkerlind (Bloodbound, Lednote).

Morgana Lefay's last CD, 2005's "Grand Materia", was a concept CD about Nicholas Flamel, a 14th-century alchemist who supposedly lived on forever.




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My Dying Bride, Chris Cornell Confirmed For Rockwave

By Elric on 1:33 PM

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My Dying Bride, Chris Cornell have been confirmed for the 11th edition of the Rockwave Festival, set to take place on June 29, July1 and July 3 in Terra Vibe, Malakasa, Greece. The festival billing is shaping up as follows:

June 29:

Robert Plant And The Strange Sensation
Chris Cornell
Europe

July 1:

Heaven And Hell
Dream Theater
Iced Earth
Anathema
Kinetic

July 3:

Metallica
Mastodon
My Dying Bride
Dirt Spawn Disease

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Iron Maiden, Deep Purple Skip Mumbai Cuase Of Taxes

By Elric on 9:49 PM 15 May 2007

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The Times of India reports: It seemed great news for Mumbai's rock music aficionados when they heard that international band Aerosmith was set for a June 2 performance in the city. Then came the disappointing news that the band would be giving the city the skip, in favour of Bangalore. And that's not all. British rock groups Iron Maiden, Deep Purple and Jethro Tull also gave Mumbai the skip — all thanks to the entertainment tax in Mumbai. But can the tax structure bear the sole brunt of the blame, or are there other reasons?

To rewind a little, event management companies promoting music concerts had suffered a setback because of the tax on admission rates and on sponsored events, which had led to a near complete closure of live entertainment in the city. Adding to it is the rule which makes organisers pay on complimentary tickets issued. The contrast in policy is evident in comparison with other states — Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have no entertainment tax at all, while Karnataka, New Delhi, West Bengal and Goa have reduced tax rates to 10, 20, 20 and 15 per cent respectively.

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Devin The Hermit

By Elric on 1:48 PM

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The following report was posted on the U.K. web site Jukebox:

"[On May 2, 2007] InsideOut Music and the Tora! Company held an exclusive media showcase for the new Devin Townsend solo album 'Ziltoid The Omniscient', including an appearance and Q&A session with the man himself. This turned out to not in fact include a musical performance from Devin, but a hilarious puppet show using Devin's superb hand-made rubber Ziltoid puppet he uses in the videos on the Ziltoid MySpace page, and held a press conference from a booth on the stage of the Underworld in Camden, London. Ziltoid took questions from the audience and during his answers he mentioned Devin would be moving into the mountains, never to be seen from again.

"The audience thought it was part of the Ziltoid act, but after a while a tired looking Townsend emerged and confirmed that he is, indeed, quitting and moving to a remote town in Northern Canada. He plans to continue to make 'a ton of music,' some of which will be heavy, some ambient, like his other new CD 'The Hummer', and everything in between. He's going to build a new studio at his new house, and will be keeping his studio in Vancouver where he produces other bands. So every now and again a Devin Townsend album will emerge, possibly on the Internet, but he won't tour and won't be doing any other kind of public appearances, like interviews etc.

"Eight months ago he and his wife had their first child, Reyner Liam Johnstan Townsend, and his arrival has accelerated Devin's decision to back away from the limelight, but is not the sole reason for it. He said these are feelings he's had for some time, and is just so tired of touring and doing interviews and being the focus of things. He also said he's tired of Strapping Young Lad. The last tour was a real struggle for him to muster any enthusiasm, mostly because SYL was initially created to vent all his frustrations, which no longer exist. He's not the angry early-twenties nutter anymore. He's a mellow mid-thirties nutter, and doesn't feel the need to be screaming at everyone.

"So, Strapping Young Lad is over for good. So is the Devin Townsend Band. Devin's music will be made solo from now on, and he will continue to produce other people's music, but will not tour."

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Within Temptation - Frozen - Videoclip

By Elric on 9:22 AM

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Within Temptation's video for the song "Frozen" has been posted online. According to a posting on the group's web site, the clip's storyline is based on events that take place at the turn of the 20th century, dealing with a pretty heavy subject: violence and abuse within a family.

Commented the band: "We decided to raise this subject because it is still a very shocking issue in our society today. It is a subject that we feel is not discussed in public enough. The victims of abuse suffer their whole life and the dark figure of abuse is extremely high, for the reason that in the majority of the cases it happens within the very close family circle. The victims sometimes feel guilty when they would accuse a close relative and fear revenge as they were obviously threatened by the abuser.

"When you become a parent you are more aware of this subject because if you think for one second it could happen to your child, you start losing your mind.

"Abuse exists in many forms, for example sexual abuse or violence. It's not easy to discuss this subject, as we realized when we wrote the song and then again when we finalized the video.

"At the time our video for 'Frozen' plays, it would have been almost impossible for the mother to get help for her child and herself, therefore she decided to poison her husband. This is of course not what we want to suggest to anyone.

"Today there are organizations that help abused children and mothers. Still, it's a tough decision for someone who is abused to overcome his fear and ask for help. But we would like to encourage people who are being abused to seek for outside help and we would like to encourage people who see evidence of abuse not to remain silent. Abuse is only to stop when you decide to talk about it.

"There are telephone help lines where you don't have to reveal your identity and you still get help. We have decided to support one of these organizations by donating the income we receive from our record company Sony/BMG for the 'Frozen' single.

"Child Helpline International is a global network of child help lines working in over 150 countries.

"For more information, go to this location.

"All of Continental Europe with release 'Frozen' as the next single on June 8th.

"The exact single formats and track listings will follow soon.

"Roadrunner Records in the U.K. have decided to release 'The Howling' as the second single of our album 'The Heart of Everything' on June 11th.

"We filmed a video for 'The Howling' at the same time as we shot the clip for 'Frozen' in Romania. More information about both releases will follow soon."




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New Singer For Therion

By Elric on 12:01 PM 14 May 2007

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Swedish metallers Therion have issued the following update:

"From Wacken Open Air and onwards, Mats Leven (Krux) will no longer be singing with the band. It was a decision taken by the whole band in discussion with Mats. This change of lineup is on friendly terms and the remaining shows before Wacken will be performed with the same energy and passion as if nothing had happened. There are no bad feelings. Therion will continue to develop even further into the direction we set on the last tour and Mats will focus on his new projects".

"Every time there was a change in the Therion lineup, it caused a lot of discussions. Some will always prefer the previous line-up because for some reason or another. Those who was with us back then probably remember the discussions after Martina, Anders 'the bald guy' Engberg etc. Some fans fell in love with the high-energy vitamin injection that Mats gave to the band, while others thought he was too much rock 'n' roll for Therion (which by the way was totally our intention when engaging him for the 'Lemuria'/'Sirius B' tour). Without a doubt though, it is clear that a majority will think back of the period with Mats on stage with a huge smile. Each stage in Therion's development has had its own unique charm and strengths and it is therefore a good thing when people are missed, but the good part is that it does not mean one has to be disappointed with the next step".

"And the part you all have been waiting for... The new guy will be Thomas Vikström, a singer who has been singing both opera, operettas and musicals as well as rock, metal and loads of other stuff. He is probably most known in the metal world for singing on a Candlemass album ('Chapter VI' — which is actually far from his best effort). Here in Sweden he is also know for the melodic hard rock band Talk Of The Town. His great vocal abilities will for sure be more known at least among the Therion fans after the tour."

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Queens Of The Stone Age Suprise Show

By Elric on 7:24 PM 13 May 2007

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Launch Radio Networks reports: Queens Of The Stone Age played a last-minute surprise show in London on Thursday night (May 3), unveiling both the band's new lineup and seven songs from its upcoming new record. According to NME.com, the group's latest incarnation now includes bassist Mikey Shoes, a.k.a. Michael Shuman, and guitar/keyboard player Dean Ferlita. Among the songs the band previewed from its "Era Vulgaris" album were "Misfit Love", "Battery Acid", "I'm Designer" and first single "Sick, Sick, Sick".

The small club show was arranged to break up the monotony of the band's current promotional tour. Frontman Josh Homme explained, "I only wish we could have played for longer. We had to do this promo tour so we just begged them, 'Can we put some shows in?'"

"Era Vulgaris" is due out on June 12. It follows up 2005's "Lullabies to Paralyze".

The group recently shot a video for "Sick, Sick, Sick".

Tracks from "Era Vulgaris" are slated to show up in the Madden 08 and NASCAR 08 video games, as well as both the upcoming Guitar Hero III and Rock Band.

The band has lined up some radio festival appearances and will begin a U.S. tour on July 23.


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New Avantasia Album - The Scarecrow

By Elric on 10:25 AM 12 May 2007

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As previously reported Tobias is working on a new album of his Rock-operatic Avantasia project. The album will have the title "The Scarecrow".

"I am right now in the studio doing some vocal sessions. In about two weeks I am going to fly to England to work with a friend of mine on some vocals. Fans and record companies who are interested always ask me for the names of my guest musicians. I want you all to know that I am blessed to work with the best musicians, but I don't believe in making names more important than the music itself. I am working with some childhood heroes of mine and most important, with great personalities, true friends, and the greatest musicians you can think of. Producer Sascha and I just checked some new recordings and I have the feeling, that this is the strongest stuff we have ever worked on. It's hard to describe the material in a few words, it sounds very powerful, bombastic, very organic and alive. People who loved especially 'Avantasia part I' will love this one, although this time there is a lot more variation in style on there as well.

Of course it's a Metal album, but we even didn't stop at including some Celtic world music elements. But all that matters to me is that the music has to touch the soul and I swear to god: This material goes straight to your soul, because that's where it comes from. Sounds cheesy, but it's true. I am giving you my everything with this record and you will hear that in late summer! - All the best, Tobi"

Tobias has just returned from a trip to England where he did vocal sessions with Bob Catley, lead vocalist of British Epic Rock legend Magnum, for the upcoming "The Scarecrow" release. Bob Catley had been guest starring on "Avantasia - The Metal Opera pt 2" in 2002 as well.

"Bob is one of the nicest people I've ever met. He's a great singer and true friend. Magnum have always been an incredible influence for me." Magnum producer Mark Stuart tracked and recorded the session at Madhat-Studio in Wolverhampton where the new Magnum Album "Princess Alice And The Broken Arrow" had been recorded as well.

Former Masterplan/Ark frontman Jorn Lande has been confirmed as one of the guests on "The Scarecrow". The album is being produced by Sascha Paeth, who also played the rhythm guitar on the CD. The drums were laid down by KISS/Alice Cooper drummer Eric Singer and the bass is being handled by Tobias himself.

The new Avantasia album will be a concept album featuring different singers singing different characters in a story. But the concept itself won't be a sequel to the first two Avantasia albums.

Avantasia's last release was the two-part epic called "The Metal Opera" (issued in 2001 and 2002), which featured an impressive array of guest vocalists playing the various characters of the opera, including Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween), David DeFeis (Virgin Steele), Sharon Den Adel (Within Temptation), Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray), Andre Matos (Angra, Shaaman), Timo Tolkki (Stratovarius), Rob Rock (Warrior), and others.

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Twisted Sister The Video Years

By Elric on 1:32 AM

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Big hair, big hits and even bigger riffs — the era of big metal returns as Rhino presents the DVD debut of hard-to-find and out-of-print video collections from one of the biggest-selling bands of the '80s: Twisted Sister. The DVD offers a clear digital picture along with Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound mixes that capture the band at the height of their popularity. Twisted Sister's "The Video Years" will be available from Rhino on June 26 at all retail outlets and at www.rhino.com.

"2006 marked the 30th anniversary and 9000th live performance of Twisted Sister," says Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French. "In reaching this historic milestone, it is only fitting that this DVD, encompassing some of the most legendary videos ever made, finally will be commercially available. This intense renewed interest in Twisted Sister comes at a time when the band is performing to its greatest audiences around the world, proving once and for all that not only did the band help create the MTV era, its shows have become the stuff of legend."

Twisted Sister — singer Dee Snider, guitarists Jay Jay French and Eddie "Fingers" Ojeda, bassist Mark Mendoza and drummer A.J. Pero — took the country by storm in 1984 thanks to the band's breakthrough album, "Stay Hungry" and its follow-up "Come Out And Play". The band's music videos including the hit "We're Not Gonna Take It", their first television performance and a legendary 1984 concert performance "Stay Hungry" have been combined into a single DVD entitled "The Video Years". The DVD also includes new interviews with the band, actor Mark Metcalf who played the father and teacher in "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock" respectively, Lemmy Kilminster and much more.

DVD track listings:

"The Video Years":

01. It's Only Rock 'N' Roll (But I Like It)*
02. You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll
03. We're Not Gonna Take It
04. I Wanna Rock
05. The Price
06. Leader Of The Pack
07. Be Chrool To Your Scuel
08. Hot Love

"Stay Hungry":

01. The Kids Are Back
02. We're Not Gonna Take It
03. I Wanna Rock
04. Under The Blade
05. The Beast
06. You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll
07. The Price
08. Stay Hungry
09. Burn In Hell
10. S. M. F

DVD Extras include video commentaries for each of their videos with all five band members and Mark Metcalf.

*Twisted Sister's first-ever television performance in 1982.

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Solitude Aeternus To Release Live DVD

By Elric on 12:31 PM 10 May 2007

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Metal Mind Productions will release Solitude Aeternus' first DVD, entitled "Hour of Despair", in Europe on June 11. MVD will issue the DVD in the U.S. on June 26.

"Hour of Despair" will include concert footage shot on February 12 at Stodola Club in Warsaw, Poland. The DVD will also feature an interview with John Perez and Robert Lowe as well as the "Live at On the Rocks 1992" and "Live at Joe's Garage Fall 1987" bonus video footage. A limited swing case edition, featuring a bonus CD containing the audio of the Warsaw concert, will also be made available.

"Hour of Despair" track listing:

DVD:

01. Scent of Death
02. Haunting the Obscure
03. Mental Pictures
04. Destiny Falls to Ruin
05. Sightless
06. 9th Day
07. Phantoms
08. Is There
09. Pawns of Anger
10. Waiting for the Light
11. Days of Prayer
12. Tomorrow's Dead

Bonus videos:
* Live at On the Rocks, 1992
* Live at Joe's Garage fall, 1987

CD (available only with limited edition swing case DVD+CD):

01. Scent of Death
02. Haunting the Obscure
03. Mental Pictures
04. Destiny Falls to Ruin
05. Sightless
06. 9th Day
07. Phantoms
08. Is There
09. Pawns of Anger
10. Waiting for the Light
11. Days of Prayer
12. Tomorrow's Dead


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Rush - Far Cry - Videoclip

By Elric on 10:33 AM 09 May 2007

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Rush's video for the band's new single, "Far Cry", directed by Chris Mills, posted on the internet yesterday. To watch the video click here.

According to Hits Daily Double, Rush's "Snakes & Arrows" is poised to sell under 90,000 copies in the United States during its first week of release to land at No. 3 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"Snakes & Arrows" is the Canadian band's first new collection of original material in nearly five years. Rush Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart — will trumpet the release of "Snakes & Arrows" with a full-scale 48-city North American amphitheater tour, the renowned trio's first since 2004's "An Evening With Rush: 30th Anniversary Tour". The tour begins mid-June and is slated to traverse the continent through the summer.


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Evanesence Fires Guitarist And Drummer Quits

By Elric on 5:19 PM 08 May 2007

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Who care about Evanesence but I'll post this one anyway... Evanesence guitarist John LeCompt said Friday (May 4) he's been fired from the band, and he also said drummer Rocky Gray has quit.

"I'm done, and I'm pretty upset about it. (Singer) Amy Lee called and fired me today. There's absolutely no loyalty in this band."

Evanesence, touring in support of its second major release "The Open Door", is on a short break after returning from South Africa. The group has two dates scheduled later this month before plans to tour Europe, beginning in Paris on May 25.


LeCompt said he and Gray plan to pour all their energy into a new band, Machina, managed by Chris Long (Crossfade). Gray wasn't available for comment.

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Trouble - Oly And Bruce Interview

By Elric on 10:35 AM

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Mark Fields of GASPetc.com recently conducted an interview with Trouble co-founders Bruce Franklin (guitar) and Jeff "Oly" Olson (drums).Trouble are set to release their long-awaited full-length return, "Simple Mind Condition".


GASPetc: Up front, just forgive me for any gushing that may go on here. It's been a little over two decades of emotional buildup that've culminated tonight...

OLY/BRUCE: (laughter)


GASPetc: I suppose some folks might be curious as to what transpired between the initial splintering in the mid/late nineties, the sporadic live activity that happened a while after that, and how it came about that you decided to reunite and record a new album?

B: I can tell you exactly what happened. Trouble...we were broke up. We did a number of one-off shows like you said with a different singer. It wasn't really "back together," it was just a couple of one-off things that people requested and we had a friend of ours sing; but we were, for all intents and purposes, broke up. This friend of ours from Chicago who has a radio show and promotes concerts...every year he has a birthday party at this club and he lines up bands to play. He asked us how much money it would cost him to get all the Trouble guys back together to play a show, and...(to Oly) were you in Aurora then?

O: No, I was in Massachusetts. I flew out.



GASPetc: Did you name a ridiculous price so that he wouldn't bite?

O/B: (laughter)

B: Not really! But we didn't play a whole show, either. We played about as many songs as we played tonight. We said, "OK." We just thought it would be fun like a one-time thing, and we played like 8 songs or something. It was basically all the original band - well, it's hard to say what's "all original", but - [Oly] played drums, Ron Holzner played bass - he'd been with the band since "Run To The Light". We did the show and we all had such a great time, we actually started thinking that maybe we could do this again. So being asked to do that one show led to us getting back together.



GASPetc: But by that time you had other things going on in your individual lives. (to Bruce) You had the Supershine project and (to Oly) you've got ties to Berklee (School of Music, in Boston); what freed you up to be able to commit to touring and recording?

B: There hasn't been touring, really, until right now.

O: We take small leaves of absence from life.

B: All we've done, so far, is probably not more than two weeks at a time; and it's not easy. I've got a job; Oly teaches.

O: I teach music, and so my partner substitutes for me all that she can. I have a substitute, so that gives me time. And I have another job, and they're a family company. They're like, "Go ahead! Get out there!" and I can always go back to that. So I'm really lucky in that way.

B: It's hard for me, too. I have two jobs. They have to get someone to cover for me at one job, and I have to find someone to cover for me at the other job. One is an independent contractor and one is my own business, so for my own business I have to find someone to work for me. We made it happen for at least two weeks, right now.



GASPetc: (to Bruce) There was talk of another Supershine album in the future; is that something that might happen at Supershinesome point? Have you and Doug (Pinnick, of King's X) talked about that?

B: I would almost venture to say that it's probable. We've definitely talked about doing it; we've written songs together that're done...probably about two thirds of an album. It's just a matter of when and who it's gonna be released with.



GASPetc: How did that work the last time? (to Oly) You played drums on half the tracks on the album, didn't you?

O: Yeah. Bruce flew to Houston from Chicago; I flew from New England...

B: Doug has his own recording stuff. He actually had his own studio at that point; now he does everything out of his house, which is just as good. Since he had everything, we went down there to record.



GASPetc: I know that for "Simple Mind Condition" you've resurrected some material that was recorded in previous sessions, but as for the newer songs on the album, can you offer some insight into the writing process? Did the ideas come quickly, or was there a lot of rust to work off the gears?

B: It was very spread out. There were a few songs, like you say, that are kind of old songs...

O: Everybody brought in tunes...and then we all...(laughs) we actually voted this time. The voting was really a new process. And it was a weird process.



GASPetc: You had that many songs to choose from?

O: We had a lot of tunes...

B: ...More than an album's worth, anyway.

O: A lot of tunes got axed.

B: [Oly] brought in a couple of songs; our new bass player Chuck brought in a couple of songs, which was kind of different than what we've had before.



GASPetc: (to Oly) In terms of practice sessions, how did it work out that work out with you being tied to New England?

O: I come out just a little early. Back to that previous question! When [Bruce] gets two weeks off from his work, I have to take about a month, because I'll come in a little ahead of the schedule, "pre-pro" it, and then his two weeks picks up there.



GASPetc: (to Oly) I think it was on your live DVD that I learned about you and Chuck getting together a lot to work things out...

O: Yeah, Chuck and I warm up every day - sometimes twice a day - and it's pretty cool. There's no guitars; there's no vocals, and it's pretty intense! You have to know where you are, so sometimes I shout counts or sing Eric's parts or something. It's cool.



GASPetc: Vince Wojno was again the guy you recorded with for the new album...

B: I guess you could say he co-produced it. I would say, for the most part, that we did; but he engineered it and I guess co-produced it.


GASPetc: It's been a while since you first announced the release of the Unplugged EP. Why the long wait?

O: Ugh...



GASPetc: Is there any simple answer to that?

O: HA! HA! No! (more laughter)



GASPetc: I'm just eager to get my hands on any new Trouble stuff, being a Trouble geek.

B: Well, the original plan was to put that out before we ever had a new record. When we started dealing in our talks with our record company, they wanted to buy that from us, too. So we said, "OK." Then our idea was, "Well, we'll make a full-length one"; but we only had, like, 6 songs - which wasn't full-length - done. And they said, "Well, that's OK. We don't want to put that out until after your new record, anyway." So that's why it kind of got shelved. Supposedly we're gonna work on that this summer, sometime.



GASPetc: Back to the writing process again, is there any typical way that a Trouble song comes into being? Does Eric bring lyrics to the table and the band work from that? Does he bring a finished tune home and work lyrics from scratch or maybe pull lyrics that match the song's mood from an existing notebook of his ideas, and work out melodies from there?

B: I'd say about 85% of the time we give him a completed tune and he writes something to it.

O: There is more than one way that the band writes. In the older days, we would "chicken pick." We'd sit on a couch with no amplification but just electric guitars, and we'd present riffs and phrases that someone already had. Like if Bruce had a tune - or Ian Brown, the old bass player, had a tune - we'd sit and learn the riffs and parts; and then we'd jump on the amps - that was one way. And then sometimes, we'd all be behind the amps and we would fire it raw from the stage; and Barry wrote that way, as well, on a couple of tunes from Manic Frustration, right? You guys just started playing a beat...

B: On "'Scuse Me" yeah.

O: Yeah, "'Scuse Me" was written that way, where the beat is started; "Bastards Will Pay"...I just started playing this fast beat and they kind of just started 'chunkitta-chunkitta', and then what happened was we grabbed sections of it and then it went back to the couch...

B: Yeah, we've done it all those ways, but those ways that he's saying right now are few and far between.

O: Right; those are the old techniques.

B: Most of the time somebody has a song he brings in.

O: Now it's different, yeah. And when I bring in a recording, most of the time it's on piano and drums or sequencers or whatever...

B: Speaking of that, there's a song on the new album that's VERY different sounding for Trouble. There's lots of keyboards, and no guitars really even 'til halfway through the song.

O: There's brass on this album. There's French horn; there's trumpet...but it's not -



GASPetc: I'm excited to hear it! At this point, I kind of trust you guys to come up with something that's gonna be good, you know what I mean? With your track record...you guys are 7-for-7. And even on Run To The Light...I didn't like the production too much; for you, it seemed kind of watered-down...

B: Too much effects.



GASPetc: ...but the tunes themselves, I think, hold up really well! Especially on the Stockholm DVD, where you did the title track, and the hair on my arms stood up and I thought, "Wow! I can't believe how powerful this is!" After your first two albums, which laid a really solid foundation, what made you decide to go in the more polished direction you went next? Did Metal Blade push for that?

B: No. It wasn't even really planned that way. First of all, we recorded that album in Chicago; and it was the first album we recorded in Chicago. We ended up using this engineer that was doing a lot of the 80's commercial metal type bands with lots of reverb; and he ended up mixing it, and I guess we just let him do it and maybe we should've stuck our nose in more. [Oly] wasn't there for that, but...I don't think it's a favorite album of anybody's, to tell you the truth.

O: Run To The Light?!

B: Yeah.

O: No! Wrong! It's my favorite Trouble album! I always say that and it's not fair, and these guys always harp on the sound - it was recorded in Chicago, blah blah; they didn't like it, and stuff; but I don't listen to the sound of the pieces, I listen to the what the music is! I like "Born In A Prison", "Misery," yeah...

B: I do have basic tracks that we rough mixed and it does sound much, much better, with like really crunchy guitars and not all that delay...

O: "Peace Of Mind", "The Beginning"...that's my favorite Trouble album! I don't know why he would say that! (to Bruce) Don't you know that's my favorite?! I've told you!

B: Well, it might be YOURS...

O: (laughter)



GASPetc: Well, the guy on your website who rated your albums (Martin Popoff) gave it higher marks than he gave to The Skull...

B: But usually, universally, Trouble fans will say that's our weakest record.



GASPetc: It's not a BAD record; I just think the production kind of steals some power from the music.

O: We played a lot of that live. I've played "The Beginning" live; I've played "Misery I"; I've played "Born In A Prison" live...and that SLAMMED, man. That was HEAVY. If we were to play that..."Run To The Light" - I got to use a tympani in that! I didn't get to play "Peace Of Mind" live, and I didn't get to play "Tuesday" or "Borrowed Time." And those three are probably my three favorites, too! But, that album; there's something about it. It's just heavy! It's metal, and it's really good; and it's a transition of what happened into the Rubin days.

B: THAT'S what it was. We started to experiment on that album. In some ways we lost direction, but in other ways it helped us get to where we wanted to go, you know? Like he said, it was a transitional record.



GASPetc: I was pleasantly shocked when I first heard the self-titled album. Man, "The Wolf" came on and I was flipping out (hums the rhythm riff during the bridge/solo section of the song), and then the rest of the album was just as mind-blowing. And I thought, "Somebody's finally captured what I think these guys deserved to get across! Rick Rubin is a really good producer! He did a really good job with these guys!"

B: We had good engineers and good studios for that record, which has a lot to do with it. We were in the best studios in L.A., and...I don't want to take away from Rick Rubin being a good producer - because obviously his track record has proven out that he is, you know - but he was NOT THERE for 80% of the record. We recorded our own guitars - he was never even there. We recorded our own guitars, our own solos, our own bass...

O: We recorded the Hammond organ parts...

B: [Oly] never even MET him! Oly flew in, played the organ on the record, and never even met Rick Rubin! Rick Rubin was there for the drums...



GASPetc: Fantastic. And now we know the true story...

B: I communicated in the mix with Rick every day; but if he wanted to do something, then he did it, you know?

O: I have a mix of that record where he added a baby cry in "Misery," in the doom part.

B: Well, WE told him...



GASPetc: ..."No freaking way. Take that out!"

B: Exactly.



GASPetc: I can't imagine that working. I wonder what possessed him to do that?

B: It was irritating and annoying.



GASPetc: Well, thanks for asserting yourselves before it got immortalized that way.

O: It was pretty funny. I wish I had it here so you could hear it.



GASPetc: Do multitrack masters still exist for Run To The Light so that we might hear a mix of it more to your liking, or will it otherwise be given some kind of special reissue treatment in due time like the first two albums?

B: We don't own them. Metal Blade owns them, so it's in Brian Slagel's hands. That's the one record he still owns, and of course Rick Rubin owns the two on Def American.



GASPetc: What's the fate of those? They're are sought after, but no one can seem to get hands on them.

B: They're sought after by US, too. Our record company would love to buy those records from him. They've contacted him about doing it, and...I don't know.



GASPetc: Doom has exploded since you checked out in the nineties, and you're perhaps more appreciated now than you were when you were around the first time...

O: This music may still be on the rise. We're seeing it right now and don't know when it's cresting. It may still be relatively weak compared to where it's going. The New York Times reviewed a Sunn O))) show and in this article, it's great! It's got a history of doom, in a way; but it also has this other tier that talks about Steppenwolf, Blue Cheer, and Sabbath...kind of showing historically kind of what's maybe happened to music. But they split thrash and "headstrong" metal into categories. Thrash went one way, and the put Metallica there; and then they go, like, "But another set of music with the likes of Trouble..." in this Sunn O))) article, because they're trying to bring it up to how this form of music evolved because now it's this long, sustained sounds, samples, droning guitar; it's this slow-motion stuff and light show by just two guys. So it's this art form that evolved from something and the article describes these two tiers of heavy metal music: one was groove-oriented; one was thrash, and that turned into death metal and grindcore...and these categories pop branches...here's the New York Times talking about metal! And the Chicago Tribune had an article called "'Heady' Metal" on how metal is 'smarter' now. I don't know if that's true...



GASPetc: I read a recent article at msn.com that said that heavy music is preferred by a lot of kids in gifted and accelerated programs. I guess, unfortunately, that might mean simply Slipknot and not much beyond that particular style, which happens to come with its own set of trappings.

O: Yeah, there's a lot of weird concepts in art!



GASPetc: So, looking forward with Trouble, do you just take things one day at a time? Have you sat down and discussed anything beyond this album and tour?

B: Not really. As far as we can see, there's nothing happening past that at the moment. Like you say, it's a day at a time.

O: I've been working for like, a thousand years on trying to do something; so I've finally started writing songs by myself. I have a thing called Retrograve and right now I've got four tunes that I'm ready to throw like on Tundra Trash. Music seems to be turning free; and where you earn a dollar on it is in merch. I don't know what's happening right now with music. It's very strange as far as making a living at it with your art. I don't know if that's negative or positive, but I think the industry's changing, so I don't know how Retrograve is gonna come out. The old way is you go and you try to get signed on a record label, and you put it out, you know?



GASPetc: Now you can do everything yourself.

O: Yeah, now we can just put it on MySpace. It's changed a lot!



GASPetc: Some kids download everything, legally or illegally; but no matter what, it does take money to go into a studio to record.

O: Stores are closing because of it. Look at Tower Records.

B: "Success" in sales is so much less units than it used to be. I mean, what they'll call a success now would've been a stiff 15 years ago.

O: Whenever change occurs, if you get on board with that, it could be interesting. I've been wanting to put out a heavy form of music. The reason I chose that is because that's who I am as a person who's on recordings. It's really heavy and low-tuned.



GASPetc: Do any bands, inspired by your work years ago, in turn inspire you these days? You guys have been around long enough, and your body of work has had enough impact, that it kind of begs the question.

O: That's a great question.

B: I don't mind listening to some of them, but I wouldn't say they inspire me like in changing what I do...



GASPetc: So you still reach back to those albums you grew up loving as opposed to anything that's come after you? Does any new music speak to you?

B: Oh, there's stuff that I like, yeah! I'm just saying I don't know if they'd influence what I'd do, just because I like them, you know?



GASPetc: Your "influences" are pretty well in place by now.

B: Yeah, they're in concrete, you know?

O: Bruce likes all the organ bands, too...Night Sun...

B: Deep Purple is right up there...if not my favorite, then right up there, and similar type bands. I like Atomic Rooster...I was talking to this guy and I said, "I'm looking for Atomic Rooster's first album on CD." And he goes, "Oh, but the good one is..." And I said, "Well, I've got that one; I want the first album." He said, "But there's no guitar on the first album." I said, "I don't CARE!" That dude is one of my favorite keyboard players, man! That's heavy, man!

O: But for me, see that question is different for him. For me, yeah! I did this later in life, but I started listening to everything I possibly can. And it's an impossibility for me to play, like, a Gene Hoglan blast...



GASPetc: He's a phenomenal player.

O: He has the fastest feet I've ever seen in my life, and yet the strangest grooves. It's just amazing! So that influences me to study my feet a little more, as far as a drummer goes in a single instrument situation. And then there's Brann Dailor from Mastodon; I've been warming up to one of my favorite grooves he does. That man's a major influence to me, Brann Dailor. That dude is just an amazing drummer, man, and he's so fun to study!



GASPetc: Gene Hoglan is working on an instructional DVD...

O: Oh good! So am I!



GASPetc: When can we expect it?

O: Within the next year. I've shot 40 angles of all the rudiments and stuff that I'm doing. I've just gotta get the professional studio edges. I've done home camera shots that are close-ups on digital camera so they look OK. And that guy Bobby Jarzombek who plays for Halford is another current influence on me. On Resurrection and Crucible...that dude is phe-NOM-enal!!



GASPetc: There's some great stuff on those discs.

O: There's certain death metal and things like that that've influenced me, and some prog...and there's always the big names who're just great players. So a lot totally re-influences me.

B: One band that me and him both like: Type O Negative.

(After Type O Negative got brought up, things kind of derailed onto a few tangents and we never got back on track before they needed to split...Doom on!!)


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