Occult Invasion: The Subtle Seduction of the World… and Church
Back in the late 80′s when all things rock and heavy metal dominated MTV and the Billboard Charts, I ran across some [extremist] religious propaganda that linked the usual sex, drugs and Satanism to various forms of music and specific bands. I couldn’t remember the exact name or details of the paper as it was originally only available as a [xerox] copy. This was way before the internet folks!
The “list” appeared to be a well-worn 20th generation copy that was given to me by a family member who presumably thought I was going straight to hell by listening to Metal and or hanging around metalheads/heathens and by going to rock concerts and such.They were singling out AC/DC and said the lightning bolt in their logo signified the devil and on and on about how lewd Bon Scott (R.I.P.) was.
Something made me think of that silly paper recently, and so I typed some various phrases into Google in an effort to find said propaganda and share it with you. It was outrageously funny and I am sure many of you would get a kick out of it. Well, unfortunately I did not succeed in finding it, but I did find something similar that I will share with you now. It’s a 23-year old paperback book entitled: Occult Invasion: The Subtle Seduction of the World and Church by Dave Hunt. Before I go any further, let me state that I am not against any religions and I would like to send condolences out to the authors family; he just passed away a few days ago oddly enough. Evidently he was a popular character and published many books and spoke on syndicated radio shows…even though I only learned about him this week!
*I am not promoting the book in any way shape or form, feel free to check it out online if you’d like (there’s plenty of used copies for $0.90). I really liked the various quotes with bands and creative artists (from John Lennon to Jim Morrison to Strauss) that it featured. I assume they were included as examples on why you shouldn’t listen to them and or what they are doing was wrong. If the first part of the sample doesn’t tickle your fancy, then skip to the Identifying the Modern Muse section below.
Here’s the book’s short description:
“Channeling, extraterrestrials, mystic religions, and psychology are infiltrating our schools, homes, and churches. Hunt gives signs to look for and practical steps for countering this invasion.”
Sample Excerpt
In Greek mythology the arts were under the direction of the nine daughters of Zeus by Mnemosyne. These nymphs, or lower deities, also known as muses, inspired writers and artists. The Muse Euterpe was the inspirer of lyric poetry; the Muse Terpsichore inspired music and dancing. Johannes Brahms felt that at times when composing he was “in tune with the Infinite.”
Although he believed that his inspiration came from God, the fact that he admitted having to be “in a semi-trance condition… [with] the conscious mind… in temporary abeyance,”‘[Willis Harman and Howard Rheingold, Higher Creativity (Jeremy P. Tarcher, 1984), pp. 46-47; cited in Knlimo, Channeling, p. 314.] as with a spirit medium, betrays another source. God does not inspire trance mediums. Tchaikovsky confessed that under similar inspiration he “behaved like a madman.” [P.E. Vernon, ed., Creativity Selected Readings (Penguin Books, 1970), p. 57.]
Richard Strauss was sure that at least some of the music he wrote was “dictated” to him by “Omnipotent Entities” not of this earth. [Harman and Rheingold, Higher Creativity, p. 46.] The great opera Madame Butterfly, Giacomo Puccini was convinced, was dictated to him “by God.” [Ibid.] Gustav Mahler claimed that he was compelled by other powers to compose what he hadn’t chosen to write. George Gershwin testified that Rhapsody in Blue came to him suddenly, that he heard and saw as though on paper “the complete construction of the Rhapsody, from beginning to end.” Of his hit song “The Blizzard,” country-western composer Harlan Howard said his pencil just kept on writing, surprising him as it went, and he wondered, “Did some great songwriter in the sky use me as a medium?” [Klimo, Channeling, pp. 314-15.] Operetta composer Rudolf Friml said:
“I sit down at the piano, and I put my hands on the piano. And I let the spirit guide me! No, I never do the music. I never compose it; oh no, no!
“I am a tool. I am nothing. I am being used. It comes from someone, a spirit perhaps, using me.” [Ibid.]
We can only conclude that, just as they all believed, some entity or entities not of this world have guided these composers. But who are these entities? And what about Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and other charismatic leaders who claim that the Holy Spirit inspires them to speak forth some prophecy that proves to be false? And what of the claims that Christ has even appeared to some of them?
Would Jesus really appear to [David] Yonggi Cho in a red fireman’s uniform, or to Oral Roberts in a form 900 feet tall, as these men claim? And could the countless apparitions around the world really be the Mary who gave birth to Jesus, when they speak forth so many lies and continually contradict Scripture? Who or what are these beings? What is their purpose? The question of the identity and purpose of these entities requires a careful answer.
Identifying the Modern “Muse”
Music has had a key role in the occult as far back as history records. The pulse-beat of drums and rattles is vital in voodoo and most shamanism, to which rock music is closely related. “Christian rock groups” mimic the beat that shamans have long used to call up demons. Ray Manzarek, keyboard player for the rock group The Doors, explains the relationship between shamanism and modern rock:
“When the Siberian shaman gets ready to go into his trance, all the villagers get together… and play whatever instruments they have to send him off [into trance and possession]….
“It was the same way with The Doors when we played in concert… I think that our drug experience let us get into it… [the trance state] quicker….
“It was like Jim [Morrison] was an electric shaman and we were the electric shaman’s band, pounding away behind him… pounding and pounding, and little by little it would take him over….
“Sometimes he was just incredible. Just amazing. And the audience felt it, too!” [Jerry Hopkins and Daniel Sugerman, No One Here Gets Out Alive (Warner Books, 1980), pp. 158-60.]
Many rock stars have been involved in the occult and admit to a mysterious source of inspiration. John Lennon told of mystical experiences as a young teenager: “I used to literally trance out into alpha… seeing these hallucinatory images of my face changing, becoming cosmic and complete.”
[The Playboy Interviews with John Lennon and Yoko Ono (Berkeley, 1982), p. 169.] Of his songwriting Lennon said, “It’s like being possessed: like a psychic or a medium.” [Ibid., p. 203] Much credit for fomenting rebellion and turning millions of youth against God and the Bible belongs to the many rock stars beginning with Elvis Presley. The Beatles’ own press agent, Derek Taylor, confessed:
“They’re completely anti-Christ. I mean, I am anti-Christ as well, but they’re so anti-Christ they shock me…” [Saturday Evening Post, August 6, 1964.]
According to Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, “The Stones’ songs came spontaneously like an inspiration at a séance. The tunes arrived ‘en masse’ as if the Stones as songwriters were only a willing and open medium.”[Rolling Stone, May 5, 1977, p. 55.]
Of the Beatles Yoko Ono has said, “They were like mediums. They weren’t conscious of all they were saying, but it was coming through them.” [Playboy Interviews, p. 106.]
Of the inspiration process Marc Storace, vocalist with the heavy-metal band Krokus, told Circus magazine:
“You can’t describe it except to say it’s like a mysterious energy that comes from the metaphysical plane and into my body. It’s almost like being a medium….” [Circus 1984]
“Little Richard” said, “I was directed and commanded by another power. The power of darkness… that a lot of people don’t believe exists. The power of the Devil. Satan.” [Charles White, The Life and Times of Little Richard (Harmony Books, 1984), p. 206.] Jim Morrison called the spirits that at times possessed him “The Lords,” and wrote a book of poetry about them.
[James Douglas Morrison, the Lords and New Creatures (Simon "Schuster, 1970).] Folk rock artist Joni Mitchell’s creativity came from her spirit guide, “Art.” Nothing could detain her when he “called.” [Time, December 16, 1974, p. 39.]
Contemporary musicians offer the same consistent testimony regarding inspiration by otherworldly entities that we find among the most famous composers from the past. Today’s musicians, however, admit that much of their inspiration comes from an evil source. Why should we doubt their testimony? David Lee Roth, who wrote “Running with the Devil” and called himself “toastmaster for the immoral majority,” admitted that the goal in the world of rock was to conjure up evil spirits and surrender to them:
“I’m gonna abandon my spirit to them, which is actually what I attempt to do. You work yourself into that state and you fall in supplication of the demon gods…” [Rock, April 1984, p. 30.]
Superstar Jimi Hendrix was not so eager to be possessed but seemed rather to have been a victim. Called “rock’s greatest guitarist’ and known as the Voodoo Chile of the Aquarian Age, Hendrix “believed he was possessed by some spirit,” according to Alan Douglas. His former girlfriend, Fayne Pridgon, has said:
“He used to always talk about some devil or something was in him, you know, and he didn’t have any control over it, he didn’t know what made him act the way he acted… and songs.. just came out ……… He was so tormented and just torn apart . . and he used to talk about …having…somebody… drive this demon out of him.” [Sound track from film Jimi Hendrix, interview with Fayne Pridgon (side 4).]
Steven Halpern, one of the best-known New Age composers, testifies, “I started recording what I received in trance or altered states…. I ended up being guided.” [Ibid.]
This type of spirit guidance is widespread. In Chapter 1 we referred to the nuclear scientist who was taught advanced concepts by spirit beings. We noted that Chester Carlson, inventor of the Xerox photocopying process, received guidance for his invention from the spirit world. [Chester Carlson, New Frontiers Center newsletter, Fall/Winter 1986, p. 9.] Medical scientist Andrija Puharich, holder of more than 50 patents, gave his opinion about these strange inspirations:
“I am personally convinced that superior beings from other spaces and other times have initiated a renewed dialogue with humanity. While I do not doubt [their existence] … I do not know what their goals are with respect to humankind.”
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About the Author
Since 1973, Dave Hunt has steadfastly addressed the incursion, into Western culture and the church itself, of Eastern, psychological, mystic, and selfist philosophies, ecumenism, and other un-biblical teachings. At least 4 million copies of his books have been sold and have been translated into more than 50 languages.
For more than a decade, Dave challenged listeners weekly on the radio program Search the Scriptures daily, broadcast over 350 stations in the U.S. and worldwide via shortwave radio.
Spring Forward: Chicago St.Patricks Day
Are You Chi-Rish?
No one has more fun on St. Patrick’s day than Chicagoans! Come celebrate all that is Chi-Rish – you could win the chance to help dye the river green.
It’s that time of year again – when the Chicago River is turned emerald-green (and local radio station XRT plays the best Irish rock you’ll hear anywhere). Your ultimate St. Patty’s Day soundtrack kicks off this Friday with Lin Brehmer’s Morning Show and the Shamrock n’ Roll continues thru the weekend with our annual Shamrock & Roll Party starring Churchill LIVE from Mystic Celt Saturday afternoon.
Wrap up your St. Patrick’s Day celebration with a Sunday Night Concert Special starring the ultimate Irish rock band, U2. This historic appearance at New York’s intimate Irving Plaza (originally aired as a live XRT Concert Exclusive in December, 2000).
Event Details:
Do you want to be the first person to pour that famous green dye into the Chicago River this year? Join 93XRT at Declan’s Irish Pub at 1240 N Wells St., on Saturday, March 9th from 9 – 10pm and win the chance to do so.
The Chicago Journeyman Plumbers Local 130 proudly bring you the official Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and dying of the Chicago River. Join this year’s grand celebration this Saturday at Noon, and come early to see the river greening magic.
Ever heard of the band GREEN RIVER?
Vintage 80′s Kramer Focus Guitar Advert
Any of you metalheads ever start out on one of these back in the day?
Dave Lombardo Out of SLAYER (Again!)
It’s hard to believe that something like this can happen to a veteran band like SLAYER. But here it is nonetheless!
So here’s a big F**K YOU to the manager or management team that drafted this [lopsided] touring contract and the weasel entertainment attorney(s) that allowed this to be signed by the band in the first place. Of course I am purely speculating here – based upon what you are about to read, so if it was all legit and or a big cover up to screw over Mr. Lombardo (sic) then lets move the barrel over and set the sights on the remaining three band members.
SLAYER is only SLAYER, when all four original band members are together and firing on all cylinders. SLAYER without Dave Lombardo is a pale imitation. To say that Dave’s stellar groove, sound and power are key integral parts of this power puzzle would be an understatement. I thought they had figured that out the hard way over the decades, but I guess not. It’s really a shame that bad business decisions continue to haunt such insanely talented/legendary bands as SLAYER.
Read On…
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Statement From Dave Lombardo Regarding Slayer Australian Tour 2013
“I want to personally apologize to all of our fans in Australia who have bought tickets for the tour expecting to see me in my usual place on the drums.
So that you all know the truth, as of the end of the business day on February 14th, I was notified that I would not be drumming for the tour in Australia. I’m saddened, and to be honest I am shocked by the situation.
Last year, I discovered 90% of Slayer’s tour income was being deducted as expenses including the professional fees paid to management, costing the band millions of dollars and leaving 10% or less to split among the four of us. In my opinion, this is not the way a band’s business should operate. I tried rectifying it by letting my band mates know, and Tom and I hired auditors to figure out what happened, but I was denied access to detailed information and the necessary back up documents.
I spent the Christmas and New Year holidays realizing I had toured all over the world in 2012, but yet, had not been paid (except a small advance) or provided a proper accounting for a full year’s sweat and blood. On top of this, I was told that I would not be paid until I signed a long form contract which gave me no written assurance of how much or on what basis management would deduct commissions, nor did it provide me access to the financial budgets or records for review. It also forbade me to do interviews or make statements having to do with the band, in effect a gagging order.
Last Monday, I sat down with Kerry and Tom to rehearse for Australia and to propose a new business model that I felt was the best way forward for Slayer to confidently protect itself so we could do what we do best . . . play for the fans. Kerry made it clear he wasn’t interested in making changes and said if I wanted to argue the point, he would find another drummer. On Thursday, I arrived at rehearsals at 1 pm as scheduled, but Kerry did not show. Rather, at 6:24 pm I received an email from the lawyers saying I was being replaced for the Australian dates.
I remain hopeful that we can resolve our issues. But once again, I sincerely apologize to all of our fans in Australia who spent their money expecting to see the 3 of us original Slayer members.
I look forward to seeing you in the future.”
Sincerely,
Dave Lombardo
*At press time Slayer confirmed that Jon Dette will drum for the band on its Australian tour.
Heavy Metal management – The Wisdom of Motherfuckers Goin’ Apeshit
There is no arguing that today’s business world suffers from a severe lack of METAL. And thus it has been for quite some time now, despite the fact that, for the past 50 years or so, Heavy Metal Musicians have created lucrative global brands from basic four-chord progressions and… denim jackets. And not exactly in silence.
Why is it that modern business people have so profoundly failed to embrace more metal in their everyday journey to the Top Management Levels?
Frankly, we don’t know. We sense that there is some “fear of flying”, some “nobody has done it that way before” and “I’m so uncool I HAD to go to business school to compensate” involved in the matter. But even more frankly, we might just not give a shit.
We act, instead. And this is where it all begins.
Heavy Metal Management is a comprehensive, yet easy-to-read, management guide-book that takes a realistic view on what can be accomplished with a few (or a shitload) doses of Heavy Metal in the management stew.
You want fame and success, right? You want people to throw themselves at your feet, buying T-shirts with your picture and name, and you want to have it all, right now, right?
Good news: it CAN be done!
Bad news: It takes work. There ain’t no getting anyplace with some “one minute management” here and some “search for excellence” there.
Back to good news: it’s still attainable. You’re probably already working your butt off, right? So why not do it with a bit of Hell Bent For Leather-Attitude?
After all, if the Great Heroes of Heavy Metal are, as your mom and dad probably claimed in the seventies, a bunch of no-good half-wits, how come it’s them laughing all the way to the bank in their Ferrari’s and not you?
Well?
Regardless of your sex, it takes BALLS to pull that off.
And here’s the best news: We’re gonna help you all the way.
Just buy our book and let’s get rolling!
/The Authors
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Hans-Olov Öberg is a reformed Investment Banker turned Crime Novel Writer and Publisher. He began his career as a Business Intelligence Analyst with seb, and then spent a several years as a Financial Editor with Affärsvärlden.
In the mid-nineties, he dived headfirst into the financial markets and a several years with Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, Folksam Asset Management—and worse firms— ensued. Since 2008 he devotes full-time to his crime novels and running the publishing company Bullet Point Publishing.
He plays a multitude of musical instruments in many styles and is equally likely to be found playing heavy metal guitar, be-bop saxophone or even classical recorder.
Pär-Jörgen Pärson is a Venture Capitalist with one of Europe’s leading firms, Northzone. He is on the Board of online music sensa- tion Spotify, Russian online classifieds giant Avito.ru, payments provider iZettle and other fast growing technology companies in Europe and United States.
In the early nine-ties he spent five years at McKinsey & Co but then turned consumer goods entrepreneur and subsequently into a venture investor.
Pär-Jörgen likes to put his collection of vintage guitars to work through his Marshall stack and gladly belts out his signature version of Hendrix’ Purple Haze for anyone who dares to listen.
*Re-blogged from: Heavy Metal Management
The New Business of Making Music?
The music industry (as we once knew it) seems to be in a constant state of flux. There are more bands than ever, more web sites and yet most fans or listeners prefer to be spoon fed from traditional outlets such as radio stations, I-Tunes or You Tube. There’s nothing wrong with that, but there is so much great music out there that is just begging to be discovered. Basically, in 2013 you are only limited to the amount of time or effort that you invest in searching for new music.
We realize folks are busy (and quite lazy these days) when it comes to hunting down fresh/creative talent. Luckily, the internet is infinitely flexible and several crafty beavers out there are inventing new models and offering some very cool services for the bands and the fans.
Replacing the indie record label scene from back in the day, are newer crowd-sourcing sites like Kickstarter.com and PledgeMusic.com. These sites offer a chance for the fans to get involved in the making of the your favorite bands next album or music projects. This model has proven to be highly effective for established acts and a few notable artists from all over the world.
New album “Ugly Noise” due in 2013
I was first introduced to the Pledge site when FLOTSAM and JETSAM used their site to help fund their latest release. Luckily, their goal was achieved at 157%! Looking forward to their new music.
Check out a fact sheet below from Pledge Music below and see if there are any bands you would like to get involved with to further their career and or lend a hand.
PledgeMusic for Artists
PledgeMusic is a music company offering you a new way to take control of your career. We’re not interested in being a rights owner – Pledge does not want ANY rights to your music, live income, merch etc. We just help you fund whatever type or format of record you want to release next.
PledgeMusic is a music company offering you a new way to take control of your career. We’re not interested in being a rights owner – Pledge does not want ANY rights to your music. We just help you fund, market, and release whatever music you want to make.
We help and encourage you to participate with your fans in an exciting and unique way. Pledge allows artists to easily create an irresistible customised menu of exclusive content and experiences that integrate your email database, Facebook fans, Twitter followers and various other social networking sites. You decide how much money you’d like to raise and your fans pledge money for whichever item or experience they want. In a direct-to-fan campaign, fans are only charged once the full target amount has been raised. We also offer preorder campaigns, perfect for marketing and releasing your album without targeted fundraising. And there’s even the option to build a charitable donation into your campaign. We charge a flat 15% fee and we have no hidden fees or transaction costs whatsoever.
PledgeMusic for Fans
PledgeMusic is a way for you to help your favorite artists make and release their records. It helps artists and bands design a tailored fundraising campaign to raise money for their next release. As a pledger, you will gain access to exclusive content and experiences, available only through PledgeMusic. The options can be anything from DJing at your house party, to attending a rehearsal, or even a movie and dinner with the band!
For traditional direct-to-fan campaigns, there is no risk to you as your money will only be taken once the artist’s target amount has been raised, and PledgeMusic will keep you informed of the project’s status every step of the way.
In a pre-order campaign, you’ll be charged immediately upon pledging, and will receive the record on release date, much as with other e-commerce pre orders.
So please get involved and have a good time helping your favorite bands create more great music!
What are you waiting for?
New Music: T&N (featuring Dokken members)
Back in my hard rockin’ high school days, I enjoyed the sounds of 80′s chart-toppers DOKKEN and the [criminally underrated] melodic sounds of KING’s X. When I found out that Doug Pinnick (singer/bassist from Kings X) was collaborating with all three original members of DOKKEN—minus Don Dokken, I was pretty stoked to say the least. The fact that these musicians are still around making great music in 2012 is a testament to their individual skills as players and popularity among die-hard rock/metal fans.
The group is simply called “T&N” now, which any long-time DOKKEN fan will know [un]officially stands for “Tooth and Nail.” For what it’s worth, Tooth and Nail is my favorite DOKKEN album as well. They found out another label has that name trademarked and so they had to shorten the name. Not sure if that was a good move or not as that might prove difficult to market or help brand this project. Insiders and true fans will likely figure out the connection (which is the main draw IMO); lets hope the newbies get a taste of this interesting release.
Describing this band gets a little tricky as it features former and current DOKKEN members George Lynch, Jeff Pilson and Mick Brown. Mick being the only “current” member. Not sure why the boys couldn’t work it out with Don Dokken, but he is continuing on with the official DOKKEN band and has a new album with different members that just came out last month. To be fair I haven’t heard that release yet!
The new T&N album came together from original collaborations between Pilson and Lynch for a Lynch Mob record, but morphed into this new project. Rat Pak Records will be releasing their new album entitled Slave To The Empire on October 31st.
T & N’s Slave To The Empire offers seven new original songs and five re-recorded classic DOKKEN songs that feature kick-ass vocal performances by:
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Tim “Ripper” Owens (Judas Priest, Iced Earth, Dio Disciples)
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Doug Pinnick (Kings X)
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Sebastian Bach (Skid Row)
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Robert Mason (Warrant, Lynch Mob, Big Cock)
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Also the multi-talented drumming of Brian Tichy
*Tichy is the one who suggested they take the original stuff and put it together with re-recordings of Dokken classics with guest vocalists.
This 12 song release is described as “progressive, heavy, dark and bluesy.”
Track Listing:
Slave to the Empire
Sweet Unknown
Tooth and Nail (featuring Doug Pinnick of Kings X)
It’s Not Love (featuring Robert Mason of Warrant)
Rhythm of the Soul
When Eagles Die
Into The Fire
Alone Again (featuring Sebastian Bach)
Mind Control
Kiss of Death (featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens)
Jesus Train
Access Denied
Chad Bowar – About Metal [Industry Spotlight]
Continuing our popular [behind the scenes] features on various industry people: This month Kinger chats with Metal journalist Chad Bowar about all things Metal and his daily activities.
Tell us about your position with the Heavy Metal division @ About.com please.
About.com has hundreds of sites in all sorts of topics. There are several music sites, and I’m in charge of the heavy metal section.
How did you land that and was it’s surprising that they wanted a dedicated Metal editor or web presence; since they are a part of the New York Times Company etc.
About.com has been around for more than fifteen years and has had a few owners. The heavy metal section is at least a decade old and I have been the editor since 2005. I was writing for a different web site at the time (along with some print publications), saw the job posting and applied. After going through a testing and training period, I was selected to be the editor.
What do you like best about your job there?
I have a lot of freedom in terms of content. I decide who and what we cover, which allows us to showcase both unknown and extremely well-known metal artists.
The site offers a lot of Heavy metal news, reviews – how many people work there with you or do you have freelancers who submit the reviews and or material you post?
In the beginning it was just me writing all the content. A few years into it I brought aboard some contributing writers, which have steadily increased. Right now we are up to about ten writers and me. We have a team of extremely talented and dedicated writers, and I’m very proud to work with them.
I see you use Twitter to promote various things, how has that affected the Metal industry or music scene or in general?
Social media in general has dramatically changed how things are promoted. A well-known band can post something on Facebook or tweet to their million plus followers and it is instantly read by a vast number of people. Communication is now direct and instantaneous. It also provides a great avenue for interaction that wasn’t there in the past.
Congrats on having almost 10K followers. How long did it take to build that audience?
A few years. The number of Twitter followers has grown steadily. People just find us, I find and follow people who follow back, and it is promoted in our weekly newsletter. It’s been a bit more challenging to build Facebook fans, but continue to work on it. Feel free to follow us on both platforms. We’re on Facebook, and @aboutheavymetal on Twitter.
Tell us about your custom Twitter profile page background. It says: “Need, Know, Accomplish.” I like that.
It’s the same background as all About.com Twitter pages.
Can you believe what was happening with singer Randy Blythe overseas? That is a popular topic in Social Media lately. Yikes!
It has got a lot of attention in the metal and music press, but the mainstream media has pretty much ignored it except for some outlets near Blythe’s home in Virginia. It’s a scary situation, and from the outside it seems he is getting a raw deal. The justice system in other countries can be far different from ours in the U.S.
What do you think of the strength and renewed popularity of Metal in 2012! I mean all the 80’s bands are back and there is such a plethora of younger bands as well!
Metal has never gone away, and seems to be thriving more than ever in 2012. Nostalgia is driving a lot of the ‘80s hair band revival, and it’s cool to see bands like Poison still able to draw a crowd. The biggest names in the genre like Metallica and Iron Maiden are still making relevant new music, and there’s a giant crop of young talented bands. The future of metal music is bright, but the state of the music industry is another story.
I see you are based in Charlotte, NC – how is life there and is there a strong music scene there perhaps?
Charlotte is a great city. The climate is good and we’re close to both the coast and the mountains. We get our fair share of big name concerts, although our proximity to Raleigh and Atlanta means we don’t get them all. There’s a good local music scene as well.
Chime in on the internet downloading and the future of music or CD sales. I read somewhere that there has only been one single artist to sell a million copies thus far in 2012! That is amazing to me, but I am an old dog from the 80’s as well. But the industry has certainly changed in the last decade!
The whole music industry has been in a free fall the past few years. Illegal downloading has accelerated the decline. Labels are struggling and artists aren’t making any money on album sales. I think you’ll see more and more well-known bands abandon record labels and release albums on their own. Getting distribution is easy, and by using social media and contracting a publicist they’ll be able to get the word out. Even if they don’t sell as many copies, their profits will be higher because they keep a higher percentage of each album or download sold.
Describe a typical work day for you.
- I get up at 3:30am to go to my radio job.
- I’m usually home by 11am. I grab lunch and do some writing for About.com
- some Loudwire assignments
- then back to About.com after that.
- I usually stop for the day around 5
- then eat dinner and do whatever.
- I check email constantly
- …am in bed by about 9pm.
You’ve interviewed hundreds of bands over the years – Who was your favorite interview subject or band over the years and why?
I always enjoy interviewing Rob Halford of Judas Priest. He’s a great guy, very down to earth, and tells interesting stories. I’ve spoken with him several times and it’s always a great interview.
The Metal God
Who was the worst…and why?
It was a fill-in hair band singer who was releasing a solo album several years ago. He was just unpleasant and didn’t seem interested in speaking with me. Recently I had another awful interview with an up and coming singer who gave such short and worthless answers I couldn’t even publish it. I thought it might be me, but I spoke with another writer who had the same experience with her.
I like your weekly Retro Recommendation; that might be how I found you. Who’s idea was that? Thanks for that. It gives the younger fans something to hear and research and discover some of the great music in the “Heyday of Metal” (i.e. 80’s).
It has been a Friday staple of the site for the past few years. Dan Marsicano writes that feature, and sometimes I’m amazed at the obscure stuff he comes up with. It’s an awesome way to rediscover older releases you might have forgotten about or missed the first time around.
I see you recently interviewed Metal Blade CEO Brian Slagel for their Anniv. Can you believe it’s been three decades?! Who are your all time favorite bands on Metal Blade?
My top five Metal Blade bands past and present would be (in no particular order):
- Amon Amarth
- Primordial
- Slayer
- Voivod
- Fates Warning
How many digital press releases do you get weekly? I have hundreds of emails from PR companies in my inbox and I cannot possibly read all of them. What’s your method for digging through all that “news”?
I receive dozens per day. We don’t really do news posts, since that niche is covered well by sites like Blabbermouth and Brave Words. I look for the album release emails, since our release calendar page is extremely popular. I put a ton of work into that calendar.
Do you still accept old-fashioned/old school printed press releases?
I would accept them, but nobody sends them!
Do you still like the 80’s music best or are you a fan of any modern metal, extreme metal or other micro-genres?
I still love the music from my youth, but also enjoy a lot of modern stuff. My tastes are pretty eclectic when it comes to genres. It’s more about the band than the style, but I would say thrash, traditional, progressive, power, folk and melodic death metal are genres I tend to like. I’m not as much of a fan of grindcore, metalcore, black metal or brutal death metal, but there are certainly bands within those styles that I like.
Speaking of genres, it used to be easier for writers when describing a bands sound. A band was either Hard Rock or Heavy Metal [laughs]. Then came Power Metal, Speed, Thrash and Death. That’s where I stopped with the genres in the late 80’s. It got to be ridiculous after that! Thoughts?
The sub-genres have gotten out of control. New wave of this, post that, it’s getting hard to keep up. Genre titles are used to categorize bands, but so many of them cross multiple genres that it doesn’t always work.
I liken the Metal blogosphere to the old tape trading days and all the fanzines that were being put together all over the world! This is great…What blogs do you like?
I don’t have as much time as I’d like to read other sites, but there are a few that I enjoy. Angry Metal Guy, Blistering.com and Hellbound are a few that come to mind.
My favorite rag was always Metal Forces! They are posting old reviews and interviews from the
past on their site.
RIP (and Lonn) was cool too…miss that one.
As a teenager I read all the magazines I could get my hands on. I subscribed to Rolling Stone, and always purchased RIP, Circus and Hit Parader. Probably should have held onto them, they might have been worth some money now!
Do you think Revolver [“The World’s Loudest Rock Magazine”] and Decibel [“America's only monthly extreme music magazine”] can hang with Kerrang! And Metal Hammer?
Decibel is my favorite metal magazine. I’m also a big fan of Metal Hammer and Terrorizer. Revolver is definitely more commercial, but they have some good stuff as well. I don’t read Kerrang!
It seems readers are always obsessed with lists – esp. die-hard Metal fans (who you know are “some of the most passionate people around, who aren’t afraid to make their opinions known”). It seems those must be really popular on the site?
Without a doubt. Lists are some of the most popular pieces of content on the site. It’s always fun putting them together and then seeing readers weigh in on them.
What advice would you give to any aspiring writers or reviewers out there? The publishing and world of journalism has changed through the years as well.
When it comes to writing reviews, too many reviewers miss the point. It’s not about being cute and clever and using your thesaurus to come up with obscure phrases and references. Tell us what the music sounds like and what your opinion of it is. I read too many reviews that look like a creative writing project and are extremely well written, but don’t say anything. People don’t read reviews for their literary value, they want to garner useful information from them. Develop a style and voice, but give the readers what they want.
When it comes to places to write, they are almost unlimited. Just start writing. Submit a review to a metal site and see if they want to publish it. If not, start your own blog. Build some experience that way. You may draw your own following and not want to write for somebody else. You may aspire to write for one of the larger metal sites (like ours) or a magazine. Just be warned that there’s little to no money to be made writing about metal.
Are you into reading any music/band books or Kindle e-books?
I read and review as many music books as possible. Most of them are hard copies, but a few have been sent to me in digital format, which is fine. Some of the best music books I’ve read recently include Metalion: The Slayer Mag Diaries by Jon Kristiansen, Crazy Train by Joel McIver, No Sleep Til Sudbury by Brent Jensen and Dirty Deeds by Mark Evans.
Are you able to fully support yourself by writing/editing for the site?
Not even close! Metal writing is a passion, but not enough to make a living. My “real job” is in radio, which I’ve been doing for more than twenty-five years. It’s not a traditional nine to five gig, which gives me the time and freedom for writing. There are people who make their living writing about metal and hard rock, but not many.
What are some of the magazines or places you contribute too?
Right now Loudwire is about the only other place I’m writing for in addition to About.com. Over the years I’ve written for magazines such as:
- Outburn
- Hails and Horns
- Amp
- And several that are unfortunately no longer in existence
What’s a pet peeve of yours as far as other journalists or metal writers when you read their interviews?
Doing interviews can be daunting, and preparation and research is vital. That’s always a good first step, and allows the conversation to go in many different directions. Don’t be afraid to stray from your list of questions, and make sure to actually listen to their answers instead of thinking about your next question.
As far as pet peeves, my main one is when interviewers inject themselves into the conversation and make it as much about them as the artist. When I read an interview where the questions are longer than the answers, it’s not going to be a good one. The readers want to know about the artist, not the interviewer.
Do you download your music now or still buy CD’s?
I’m lucky enough to get pretty much all metal releases for free. Most of them are digital downloads, but a few labels still send real CDs for review. I buy stuff in other genres, and it depends on the price. If a download is cheaper, I’ll do that instead of the CD, or vice-versa. I have so many CDs it’s ridiculous, so I should be doing only digital to save space!
Hats off to you for being involved in Metal for the past 25 years…any last parting words?
Thanks for the interview Curt. Always a pleasure.
Chad is a longtime music journalist specializing in heavy metal and residing in Charlotte, North Carolina. Though he may appear to be an accountant, looks can be deceiving.
Chad has been involved in metal for over twenty-five years. He writes or has written for several national music publications including Outburn, Hails and Horns, AMP, Lollipop, Loud Fast Rules and more. He’s done hundreds of interviews over the years with members of bands such as Judas Priest, Metallica, Cannibal Corpse, Queensryche, Sepultura, In Flames and more.
In addition, Chad has covered events like Ozzfest, Warped Tour and the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. He’s also worked in radio for the past two decades at stations all over the country.
30 Richest Drummers In The World
I ran across this online and thought it was rather interesting. I am not sure how accurate it is, but I am posting for your enjoyment or amusement.
There are a few drummers on there who really surprised me and a few that repulsed me!
Without further ado, here are the 30 Richest Drummers in the World!
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Ringo Starr: $300 Million
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Phil Collins: $250 Million
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Dave Grohl: $225 Million
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Don Henley: $200 Million
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Lars Ulrich: $175 Million
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Charlie Watts: $160 Million
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Larry Mullen Jr.: $150 Million
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Roger Taylor: $105 Million
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Joey Kramer: $100 Million
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Chad Smith: $90 Million
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Travis Barker: $85 Million
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Stewart Copeland: $80 Million
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Alex Van Halen: $75 Million
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Nick Mason: $75 Million
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Tommy Lee: $70 Million
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Bill Ward: $65 Million
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Jon Fishman: $60 Million
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Carter Beauford: $55 Million
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Rick Allen: $50 Million
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Tre Cool: $45 Million
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Danny Carey: $40 Million
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Tico Torres: $40 Million
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Max Weinberg: $35 Million
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Mickey Hart: $30 Million
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Bill Kreutzmann: $25 Million
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Neil Peart: $22 Million
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Taylor Hawkins: $20 Million
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Questlove: $16 Million
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Steven Adler: $15 Million
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Mick Fleetwood: $8.5 Million
*Source: Drum Mag.
Zwarte Cross Festival: Photos
Lichtenvoorde, The Netherlands
20th to 22nd July 2012
Over the years, the Zwarte Cross or “Black Moto-Cross” festival has grown to become the biggest festival in The Netherlands and the largest motor cross festival in the World with over 152,500 visitors in 2011. The festival is a mixture of motocross sports, music, camping and bizarre stunts. This year’s 16th edition of the festival was held from July 20th to 22nd.
The program was full with over one hundred national and international acts performing on twenty stages!
Although there were DJ’s, rock/pop and blues bands, it was the Metal stage that got our attention.
Here is a partial list of the heavier bands.
- Dog Eat Dog
- Suicide Angels
- Exodus
- Satan
- Lizzy Borden
- Doro
- Municipal Waste
- Kreator
- Textures
- Sonata Arctica
- Suicide Tendencies
- Hell
Please enjoy a selection of pic’s from this years festival.
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*Click on any image to view the slide show. Use arrows to navigate. Esc when finished.
All photos ©Bartolomy
Kinger chats with NONPOINT Drummer Robb Rivera (2012)
Kinger recently caught up with NONPOINT drummer Robb Rivera, who gave us a detailed band update and some history behind this great band.
KINGER:Although you guys were originally from Florida; when did you move to Chicago please?Are you a permanent resident now? Welcome!
ROBB: I have been in Chicago since May of 2010, Elias is in the Michigan area so we are all pretty close to each other.
I am playing a Gretsch to record in the studio. The “K” cymbal was there at the studio so I used it! I was playing Sonor drums but i am currently playing a Pearl Reference Kit. Love that thing!
“Change is the essence of life. You have to be willing to surrender what you are for what you know you can become.”
Well, after our change in our lineup last year Elias found that quote and posted it online.
Well it was only intended to be a teaser for our die-hard fans and whoever else just wanted to check out a free track. It is not the first single but quite a few stations have picked it up and have played it. Sirius Octane has played the hell out of it. The response has been incredible, our old school fans that may have lost a bit of interest from the last few albums are really happy. A lot of people who have heard have said that it’s going back to our old school roots which was the goal for this album.
The new guys are Dave Lizzio on Guitar, Adam Woloszyn on the bass and Rasheed Thomas on guitar and vocals. The all come from the Chicago area. Really great guys who are hungry to be in a band and possibly some of the most laid back people we have ever met.
Working with Johnny was amazing. His ideas were really what shaped up this album. He wanted a vibe on the album that we have never really been able to accomplish. We decided on him for many reasons. His track record was one, also being in Chicago it was really convenient for all of us. All in all it was the production and vibe we have ever had in our career.
Mixing and mastering is done and we are looking at a September release.
Well I think our brand name was what attracted the deal with them, with six records under our belt it was really cool to have such a killer company interested in us. They have been nothing short of amazing to us.
I believe they are yes.
You know all bands like to experiment so I do not fault them for trying to do so, that is what is part of being in band. As for us, we have always wanted to mix up Heavy grooves but with melodic vocals. We always felt it sounded heavier with the melodic vocals but that is my opinion you know.
NP has over a decade of extensive road experience under your belts, hats off for the hard work/dedication! Peeps don’t realize what it takes to “make it” or survive in the crazy music biz in modern times. What’s your take?Honestly it’s very physical but most of it is mental. You have to be wired a certain way to do this. We have always compared our career to bands like Sevendust who tour relentlessly. That has been our same work ethic. Just go out there and do it and whether it is ten people or a thousand people…we go out there and do our thing.
That is tough to respond to [these days] because of the many changes that have happened since we started. With the internet, downloading and concert attendances has declined so it is almost impossible for a young band to get out there and survive. All I will say is that if you truly believe in what you are doing then absolutely go for it. I think the most important thing is to find the right members to do it with, without that you will [for sure] not survive.
Love for our craft, music is just in our DNA. We have been absolutely blessed to have such an amazing fan base of people who come see us and buy our albums for us to continue to do this. Without them there is no us.
I think connecting with fans is the most important thing for any band and that is another way you will continue in this industry. Fans love that personal connection. I mean you have sites like Twitter that you can just get an account and start following your favorite artist/band and sometimes they will even respond and one hundred and forty characters can go a long way to make a fan really happy. Back in the day it was impossible to talk to your favorite bands and now it just seems extremely easy. Of course there are those who are extremely negative and love to give opinions (about stuff they have no clue about which makes for entertaining reading).
Nothing beats live because of the connections you have with your fans but in the studio is the time to be creative and make that record that you can take out to the world to play live. Both have their pros and cons but it is needed to continue your career.
Well usually set up sideways and I see the crowd looking to my left. I got the idea many years ago when I saw Stryper in Puerto Rico and Robert Sweet set up that way. He looked like he was part of the show and that is what I wanted as well.
I am excited because it has been a long time since we have toured. We are going out with our good friends Call Me No One and Eye Empire. We are stoked for sure. On the other hand I am a little sad because I just became a first time father and leaving my little girl and wife will be really hard.
Honestly the same ones we had once we got into that garage in Fort Lauderdale in 1997 and that is to continue to make music and play shows!
Go to www.nonpoint.com for all tour dates, release dates etc…
No thank you man for taking time out to talk to me!
Member Profile
What are your Top 5 favorite Metal albums?
- Metallica Master Of Puppets
- Iron Maiden Piece Of Mind
- Mercyful Fate Melissa
- Black Sabbath Master Of Reality
- The Cro Mags Age Of Quarrel (Yes I know it’s not metal but a killer album)
What do you think “makes” a good song?
Amazing vocals
How long have you been playing drums and who are your influences?
Been playing since I was 16 and influences are a lot but the most important are Rush, Sabbath, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Only Living Witness, Journey, Anthrax, Slayer, Biohazard, The Cro Mags, Slayer, VoiVod, Machine Head, Testament, Scorpions, Judas Priest, Armored Saint, Boston, Venom, Sick Of It All, Alice In Chains, Sepultura, Kings, X etc. Jesus man, I could go on forever!
Who are your Top 5 favorite drummers?
- Neil Peart
- Bill Ward
- Alex Van Halen
- Eric Stevenson (Only Living Witness)
- Shannon Larkin
What’s wrong with the Metal Scene [if anything] today and why?
Don’ think there is really anything wrong with it to be honest
What’s right with the Metal Scene these days and why?
Well metal is still alive and well and that is what is right about it. No matter what kind of metal you play – Heavy, Thrash, Power, Hardcore or Rock; music is still alive!
Mark Tremonti – New Solo Album
Mark Tremonti, best known as the lead guitarist of the American rock bands Creed and Alter Bridge. He is a founding member of both bands, and has also collaborated with many other artists over the years.
“The bands are so different,” he said of his two current main projects. “And I write so much. I’m going to do a solo record because there are some songs that I’d hate to think wouldn’t see the light of day because they don’t work for Creed or Alter Bridge.” He is playing guitar as well as singing lead on all of the songs himself. Former Submersed members Eric Friedman and Garrett Whitlock will perform on the record as well.
Although these tracks are certainly melodic, don’t let that fool you as there is some heavy [almost thrash/speed metal] riffing going on with this solo outing!
For sure it’s heavier than either Creed or Alter Bridge. It’s what I like to call melodic AMP (American Power-Metal).
All I Was, the first solo album by Mark Tremonti will be available July 17th, 2012. The album features the first single “You Waste Your Time” which is available on iTunes.
Mark Tremonti performs “You Waste Your Time” from his début solo album “All I Was.” The performance was recorded live at Groovemaster studios in Chicago.
Track listing:
1. Leave It Alone
2. So You’re Afraid
3. Wish You Well
4. Brains
5. The Things I’ve Seen
6. You Waste Your Time
7. New Way Out
8. Giving Up
9. Proof
10. All I Was
11. Doesn’t Matter
12. Decay
Also check out previews of other songs
Lineup:
Mark Tremonti – Vocals, lead guitar
Eric Friedman – Backing vocals, guitar, bass
Garrett Whitlock – Drums
Virgil Donati Live at Stockholm (Drum Master)
by Kinger
This is one for all the speed Metal drummers out there!
A lot of folks are playing amazingly fast these days and that’s cool – as a HEAVY-ass beat or drummer is what contributes greatly to the overall “power” in Metal music (regardless of sub genre). Ever since the early pioneers such as Dave Lombardo (Slayer), Charlie Benate (Anthrax) and Gene Hoglan (ex-Dark Angel) set the standard for speed and power on their massive double bass kits in the eighties; the youngsters have tried to out do them and play catch up [laughs].
What I am about to show you is a bit different however.
Check out Virgil’s unique “L L – R R” way of playing his double kick drums in the video clip below. That takes some talent peeps! For the non-drummers out there, this is what us drummers usually do with our hands. Virgil is kickin’ it [pun-intended].
Playing single strokes on the double bass ‘has gotten a bit tired’ ~Virgil Donati
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The video was recorded live at the 2005 Bass n’ Drum Festival, where Virgil certainly rose to the occasion with a performance full of relentless energy and creative excitement. The electricity in the air after the performance was magical and this DVD revives the intense application, dynamism and drama of this special evening in Stockholm.”
Credit to: www.drummerworld.com
Double bass drumming or the use of two kick drums was not invented by the 80′s Metal drummers – far from it actually. One of the earliest known users was one Mitch Mitchell (July 9, 47′ – Nov. 12, 2008), drummer for the JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE.
I know Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge, Cactus), Cozy Powell R.I.P. (Jeff Beck, Rainbow, MSG) and Neil Peart (Rush) all manned kits with double kicks as well. There are many others, but you get the point – sh** ain’t new.
Honorable Mentions for Modern “Extreme Metal” Drummers
- Joey Jordison (Slipknot)
- Mario Duplantier (Gojira)
- Brann Dailor (Mastodon)
- Chris Adler (Lamb of God)
Virgil Donati is an Australian drummer, frequent drum clinician and a producer. He is currently playing with the band Planet X and Seven the Hardway among other projects.
Virgil is perhaps most well-known for his fast, highly technical drumming skills. He holds the drum sticks in the traditional style and is also proficient at the keyboard.
Regarding his approach to playing double beats (per foot) on the kick drum, he says that playing single strokes on the double bass ‘has gotten a bit tired,’ and so as of 1999, has managed to ‘squeeze through’ 200 beats per minute playing double beats on each foot. He has gone a long way since then.
Death to All Tour 2012
Sick Drummer Magazine/Grind Percussion LLC and Perseverance Holdings Ltd. introduce DEATH TO ALL 2012 – In benefit of Sweet Relief. This 5 city tour will feature a majority of DEATH’s amazing musicians, as well as special guests. This tour is to celebrate the life and music of Chuck Schuldiner, as well as to raise awareness of Sweet Relief Musicians Fund – a charity that provides financial assistance to career musicians faced with illness, disability or age-related problems.
This benefit for Sweet Relief is a gathering of some of the best talent in the Death metal genre. Featuring such legendary musicians as:
- Gene Hoglan
- Sean Reinert
- Steve DiGiorgio
- Scott Clendenin
- Paul Masvidal
- Shannon Hamm
- Bobby Koelble
With a vocal assault from Steffen Kummerer and Charles Elliott. These shows will pay homage to their roots and celebrate music with the fans, even some who have been behind them for decades.
DEATH TO ALL 2012 TOUR DATES:
*Fans (and ticket holders – all 10 of you in Texas and Georgia) please note:
It’s ironic that while promoting a tour to help Sweet Relief (a foundation that helps musicians in times of need), that one of the musicians on this DEATH TO ALL tour finds themselves with a health issue. Sean Reinert suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon while training for the tour a couple of weeks ago. He has had the necessary surgery and has started rehabilitation. Sean will remain a drummer on the tour, but to what extent depends on his progress. We are fortunate enough to have Gene Hoglan and tour drum-tech Danny Walker (Intronaut/Exhumed) on the team to help make the most of the situation.
From Sean: “This is a horrible injury, the pain has been off the charts but I think it’s meant to be. I think the grand plan here is to use this as an example for a reason to raise awareness & have an outlet for musicians in need. Although I am devastated that I can’t perform at 110% I am grateful that my injury is a minor one (one that will heal over time) and still allows me to be a part if this wonderful tour and cause.”
There will be guest appearances in each city and some cities may have more than one surprise in store. You never know when or where these guests will be showing up, but you can expect to be seeing the following musicians somewhere on the tour: Richard Christy of Charred Walls of The Damned (ex-DEATH), Alex Skolnick and Chuck Billy of Testament, Paul Ryan of Origin, Craig Locicero of Forbidden, Travis Ryan of Cattle Decapitation, Trevor Strnad and Ryan Knight of The Black Dahlia Murder and Emil Werstler of Daath/Chimaira.
Cry Baby: The Pedal That Rocks The World
This mini documentary tells the story of the “wah-wah” effect pedal, from its invention in 1966 to the present day. Musicians, engineers, and historians discuss the impact of the pedal on popular music and demonstrate the various ways it has been used, as well as how its evolution has improved the ability of artists to express themselves musically.
The film features interviews with Brad Plunkett, the inventor of the pedal, plus many other musical luminaries such as Ben Fong-Torres, Eddie Van Halen, Slash, Buddy Guy, Art Thompson, Eddie Kramer, Kirk Hammett, Dweezil Zappa, and Jim Dunlop. These professionals explain how a musical novelty transcended convention and has become timelessly woven into the fabric of modern pop-culture.
Some of the artists’ take on imitating the sound of the pedal will crack you up! Most non-musicians will know of this sound from “cheesy porn music” [if you were from the 70's], “disco and blaxploitation films” [if you were from the 80's] and in more modern times it is simply known as: chicka-chicka wow-wow or bow-chicka wow-wow!
Produced by Joey Tosi
Directed by Joey Tosi & Max Baloian
Edited by Max Baloian
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Pic Ron Howard/Redferns
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*All music licensed courtesy of: Concord Music Group; Working Man Music; Bird & Egg Studios; Dan Cantrell; and Hindsight Records.
Images provided courtesy of: Getty Images Archive, Billboard Magazine Archive, Neil Zlozower, National Music Museum-University of South Dakota, and Lynn Wheelwright.
Archival Footage provided courtesy of BuyoutFootage.com, The Welk Music Group Inc., and Oddball Film & Video-San Francisco.
Queensrÿche Members Speak Out (the rumor mill of the internet)!
Core Queensrÿche members were recently interviewed by hometown Seattle radio station KISW 99.9 FM on “The Men’s Room” show. I was really anxious to listen to this (I am sure you all were too) to see if they would actually talk about any of the rumors and or elaborate on the future of Queensrÿche and what’s up with their new side project called RISING WEST.
Unfortunately The Men’s Room show was a typical “shock rock” broadcast and their attempt at comedy was so far off the mark it wasn’t even funny (pun intended)! The two DJ’s tagged teamed and never let the band speak and most of their questions were a waste of time. I decided to re-edit and give you some sound bites below so you did not have to sit through the full recording or podcast of the event. Hat’s off to the station for having the guys on though, I appreciate that. If you think you can stomach it; DOWNLOAD the full Podcast.
Michael Wilton stated [about the formation of RISING WEST and the status of QUEENSRŸCHE], “We have some time off this year, so we put a project and this kind of turned into this monumental, epic band. And we’re doing that as kind of a side thing away from QUEENSRŸCHE.” He added, “We still very much are QUEENSRŸCHE, and QUEENSRŸCHE will be continuing on. We want to just have some fun, play some old ‘RŸCHE, bring back some memories and just kick it.”
Michael Wilton
*click to listen: What’s New?
*Rumors and future of Queensrÿche
Todd LaTorre
Todd LaTorre stated: “Well a lot of people, you know we’ve got tours and some shows coming up in Europe/ coming up in August and we’re [Crimson Glory] writing a new album.
I met Michael at NAMM. We met there, and had dinner and talked and it just kind of morphed from there and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
The fans are in for a real treat – we’d love for them to come out. Their gonna’ hear songs that some of these the band has never played before love and it if they have it’s been 20 + years. We’re all having a great time, we crack up, it’s a great time.
It feels you know – even Michael today said, man, you’re taking me way back!”
Scott Rockenfield
*The road ahead.
*The fan response thus far?
On Bands First Shows
The band performed rare and classic hits from the first five QUEENSRŸCHE albums — from the 1983 EP through 1990′s “Empire” — as well as a cover version of the IRON MAIDEN staple “Wrathchild.”
*How do you decide what to play?
*Legalities and band advice
*On Rocklahoma incident and Brazil rumors
RISING WEST‘s set list:
01. Queen Of The Reich
02. Speak
03. Walk In The Shadows
04. En Force
05. Child Of Fire
06. The Whisper
07. Warning
08. The Needle Lies
09. Take Hold Of The Flame
10. Prophecy
11. My Empty Room
12. Eyes Of A Stranger
Encore:
13. Wrathchild (IRON MAIDEN cover)
14. Roads To Madness
Visit: RISING WEST on Facebook
Rising West features Michael Wilton, Eddie Jackson, Scott Rockenfield and Parker Lundgren of Queensrÿche, with powerhouse vocalist Todd La Torre of Crimson Glory. The band plan on hitting the studio sometime early summer 2012 to begin recording their first release.
FEAR FACTORY – New Messiah (2012)
*USE YOUR EARS AND NOT YOUR EYES (for a change)!
Official FEAR FACTORY Website
Metal Moment #5
From 1991
Kirk H.[Metallica], Slash [G'N'R], Lars U. [Metallica], Geoff T. [Queensryche] & Gonzo S. [Armored Saint].
Photo pretty much sums it up.
It’s not often that band folk such as this get together.
- Kirk is happy!
- Slash – where’s the top hat dude?
- Lars is pretty snug with Tate…
- Tate is prepped out – un tuck that shirt bro
- Gonzo seems glassy-eyed!
*Photo (unconfirmed) R. Stone
A Tribute to Mercyful Fate: Metal Kickstarter Project
I ran across this nifty Kickstarter project from some of the Demolish Twitteri recently. For those of you who are not familiar with the Kickstarter website; basically it’s a new way to fund creative projects and arguably one of the most innovative platforms to emerge for the creative community.
Every week, tens of thousands of people pledge millions of dollars to projects from the worlds of music, film, art etc.
About this project
Satan is Alive: A Tribute to Mercyful Fate is a proposed 5.5×7″ 152-page, black & white (2-color cover) book featuring comics, prose and illustration inspired by the music of Mercyful Fate. They’ve assembled an impressive lineup of underground artists/writers including:
- Tom Neely (Henry & Glenn Forever/The Wolf/Popeye/The Blot)
- J. Bennett (Decibel/Terrorizer/Revolver Magazine/Ides of Gemini)
- Bruno Guerreiro (Decibel Magazine)
- Kim Holm (Pickman’s Model/ Hole in the Sky 2010 Memories)
- Chuck BB (Black Metal Part 1 & 2)
- Tim Sievert (That Salty Air/Clandestinauts)
- J.T. Dockery (In Tongues Illustrated)
- Ed Luce (Wuvable Oaf/ Henry & Glenn Forever and Ever)
- Kevin Cross (Barbarian Riot Squad/ Pitch Black/ Nerve Agents)
- Johnny Ryan (Prison Pit)
- Stephanie Buscema (The Little Tales of Otto & Olive/ Web of Spider-Man)
- Sara Turner (Ghosts of Pineville)
- Nick Green (Decibel Magazine)
- Roger Langridge (Popeye/ The Muppet Show/ Fred the Clown/ Snarked!)
- Tim Shagrat (Acid Witch)
- Ben Marra (Lincoln Washington: Free Man!/Henry & Glenn Forever and Ever)
- Vasilis Lolos (The Pirates of Coney Island/Spider-Man Family)
- Mark Rudolph (Dagon/ Metal Hammer/ Decibel/ Tombs of the Blind Date)
Specifics:
As of June 2012, I have about 85% of the content from contributors and have found a printer that can do exactly what I’m looking for. What I’m looking for here is funding to print the book. I have done print-on-demand in the past, but I want this book to look as great as it possibly can, so Satan is Alive will be done offset, with perfect binding.
The money raised here will go toward: paying the printer, shipping supplies/cost, and compensating contributors. This is a passion project, so I’m not making a payday here, just trying to get the best quality book printed as soon as possible. Thanks so much for your support!
~Mark Rudolph
Only 25 Days to go to support this project
RISING WEST: New Band feat. Queensrÿche Members
I am sure everyone’s heard all of the rumors, gossip and other goings on in the Queensrÿche camp as of late.
I’m not going to get into all the juicy details (or rumors) surrounding the band but I will say that original members Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson, along with Parker Lundgren and singer Todd La Torre (Crimson Glory) have formed a new band called Rising West (named after a lyric from the Queensrÿche album The Warning).
Much to the delight of some fans they will be playing songs from the first five Queensrÿche albums; many the band has never played live before.
This may or may not come as a surprise to many long time QR fans regarding a stand in for Geoff Tate, however Mr.Tate (and friends) is currently on a solo tour performing select all-acoustic dates. Although he is performing special versions of QR songs for this side project, it’s certainly not Metal or Hard Rock—so that’s got some peeps’ panties tied in a knot I suppose as his solo material is a bit more experimental.
I’ve read many favorable reviews and watched some videos online and I think this more unplugged/acoustic/loungey vibe is pretty interesting and is perhaps a much-needed departure from all things Queensrÿche; whose last few albums have been slightly average. I think the band peaked with Operation Mindcrime and I pretty much lost interest around 94′ with Promised Land. Everything up until that point was definitely stellar though!
pic Marabeth Kime
“The problem when you’re in a creative environment is keeping things fresh and invigorating, and after working with the same people for twenty years, it gets very difficult—You walk into the room, and everybody knows what everybody is going to do,” explains the front man. “There’s no spark of new blood, the chemistry is very tried and true, and you just keep coming up with the same ways of expressing yourself. What’s nice about doing a side project with new people, is that it’s a whole new breed, and a bunch of new ideas, musical backgrounds, emotional baggage, and whatever else it takes to create. It’s a whole new set of parameters, so it’s all new, everyone has ideas you haven’t heard before, and everyone is throwing them against the wall. It takes on a whole new life.”
~Geoff Tate
Let me remind all of the online gossipers and media outlets who like to sensationalize and or throw gas on the fire; Queensrÿche still have several dates scheduled throughout the summer on their 30th Anniversary Tour and just came off the heals of two pretty high profile gigs at the recent M3 Festival and Rocklahoma Festival.
| 30th Anniversary Tour | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/11/12 | Queensryche | Valley City, UT | USANA Amphitheater | United States |
| 06/11/12 | Queensryche | West Valley City, UT | USANA Amphitheatre | United States |
| 07/06/12 | Queensryche | Holmdel, NJ | PNC Bank Arts Center | United States |
| 07/07/12 | Queensryche | Wantagh, NY | Jones Beach Amphitheater | United States |
| 07/28/12 | Queensryche | Royalton, MN | Halfway Jam Festival | United States |
| 08/10/12 | Queensryche | Roseburg, OR | Douglas County Fair | United States |
Future of Queensrÿche?
Only time will tell, but I think it’s pretty cut n’ dry; Geoff is doing his solo side project (and the above QR dates) and so the remaining members wanted to keep on playing and creating. I am sure they just don’t wanna’ sit around and rest on their laurels. Just as G.T. likes to experiment around with various projects and other business ventures (he has recently introduced his own signature red wine called Insania), the band wants to make some new music and have some fun as well. And what’s wrong with that? More power to them.
So, contrary to popular belief these are merely side projects and “biz as normal” according to band publicist [Jeff Albright]:
“There’s really no ‘situation’ other than the fact that Geoff Tate is concentrating on his acoustic solo performances this summer while the other members of the band have formed a new outfit called Rising West with Todd La Torre of Crimson Glory. Everyone wants to stay busy, try new things and do what they do best . . . and, of course, that’s rock in front of the masses. Queensrÿche are slated to perform select dates throughout the year.”
Even new RISING WEST vocalist Todd La Torre says that despite rumors, he is not leaving Crimson Glory!
“I am embarking on another musical endeavor with the members of Queensrÿche. I am proud and honored to be a part of this!” Todd stated. “Crimson Glory is still writing new material for our record, DO NOT WORRY. This is going to be an amazing new chapter. Thank you for all of your support!”
HISTORY in the making?
Be a part of HISTORY in the making…
“On Friday June 8th and Saturday June 9th, the core members of Queensrÿche will debut their new band “Rising West” at the Hard Rock Café in Seattle WA. Rising West features Michael Wilton, Eddie Jackson, Scott Rockenfield, and Parker Lundgren of Queensrÿche, with powerhouse vocalist Todd La Torre of Crimson Glory. The band will be performing rare and classic hits from the first 5 Queensrÿche albums and plan on hitting the studio sometime early summer to begin recording their first release.”
~Scott Rockenfield [QR | RISNG WEST drummer]
*If you enjoyed the article you may like to read the worldwide exclusive interview one of our foreign correspondents conducted for Demolish with Geoff Tate before the first Operation Mindcrime was even released!
MACHINE HEAD: 20 Years and Counting
Hats off to Machine Head for putting in a solid 20+ years of heavy music!
So how did MACHINE HEAD come about?
Unto The Locust (Listening Party Chicago)
Robb Flynn: At “Day On The Green” [#19—featuring Metallica, Queensrÿche, Faith No More, Soundgarden], I started Machine Head.
Well, sort of… it was more of a figurative thought as I didn’t have a band yet, but after watching [being blown away by] Metallica for the umpteenth time, I decided that I was going to start a side project, as I was unhappy in my then-current band Vio-Lence. Later that night backstage (or maybe while Metallica was still playing and we were watching from the stage-right backstage bleachers?) I turned to my friend, partner-in-crime and long time Vio-Lence fan Adam Duce, and said I was going to start a then-unnamed side project and asked if he would like to play bass. He eagerly agreed!
I had two songs written by then, the heavily Godflesh-inspired “Death Church”, and “Blood For Blood” (both songs that I had already brought to Vio-Lence, but they were not interested in jamming either of them). Vio-Lence had gone through numerous label changes, were unsigned again, thrash was dead, and the vibe in the band at the time was that the new tunes were going to take a more heavy rock/grunge approach—which seemed a bit crazy to me. Though I wasn’t thrilled with our new direction, I said I would stay on, and though no one seemed happy about me doing it; starting a side project seemed fairly reasonable considering our circumstances.
Four months later following a [thoroughly documented] AM/PM gas station brawl after an Unjust/Deftones show at the Omni in Oakland, I quit Vio-Lence and focused on Machine Head full time…Although that was still four months away, and for now, it was just a thought, an idea, a dream—that metal could be taken to a different, heavier place.
- Did I think that 21 years later Machine Head would be a Top 25, Top 10 or Top 5 charting band throughout the world? Hell no.
- Did I think Machine Head would even be going 21 years later? God no!
- Did I think that we could become one of the best American metal bands on the planet? Yes.
21 years ago, Machine Head was born!
*Machine Head‘s music crosses several genres such as thrash metal, groove metal, and heavy metal. The band is influenced by Bay Area thrash metal bands such as: Metallica, Exodus, Slayer, Testament, and perhaps 90′s “groove-metal kings” Pantera.
Their early albums Burn My Eyes and The More Things Change show a more thrash-inspired approach and feature some kick-ass drumming by Chris Kontos and Dave McClain. The band changed their musical direction a bit for the albums The Burning Red and Supercharger, which resulted in some criticism because of the popularity of “nu-metal” at the time. However, they returned to form with the album Through the Ashes of Empires, which proved to be more popular with fans.
The band increased the complexity and technicality in their sound for the next album, The Blackening, which feature similar styles to the earlier albums, with complex song structures and guitar riffs. Their latest, Unto the Locust features heavier and faster riffs by both Robb Flynn and Phil Demmel supported by some faster drum patterns [blast beats] by Dave Mclain.
“[MACHINE HEAD] was just a thought, an idea, a dream—that metal could be taken to a different, heavier place.”
~Robb Flynn
Official MACHINE HEAD Website
*above diary entry reprinted by permission
Maiden in America! 2012 Tour Dates
Following the massively successful Final Frontier World Tour 2010-11, IRON MAIDEN are back on the road this summer with a series of Arena, Amphitheater and Festival shows in the U.S.A. and Canada, opening in Charlotte, NC, U.S.A. on June 21, and finishing in Houston, TX, on Aug 18 [see below], to be followed by further dates around the World in 2013.
*The MAIDEN ENGLAND WORLD TOUR will closely mirror, in terms of production and content, the original 1988 concert video of the same name, shot on the “Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son Tour”. This opening section of the World Tour is the band’s most extensive visit to North America for many years and includes a number of cities the band have not played in a very long time, such as Charlotte, Atlanta, Buffalo, Indianapolis and Salt Lake City.
MAIDEN ENGLAND 2012 TOUR DATES
| Thur | 21st June | Charlotte, NC | Verizon Wireless Amphitheater |
| Sat | 23rd June | Atlanta, GA | Aarons Amphitheater |
| Tue | 26th June | Boston, MA | Comcast Center |
| Wed | 27th June | Wantagh, NY | Jones Beach |
| Fri | 29th June | Philadelphia, PI | Susquehanna Bank Center |
| Sat | 30th June | Washington, DC | Jiffy Lube Live |
| Mon | 2nd July | Newark, NJ | Prudential Center |
| Thur | 5th July | Chicago, IL | First Midwest Bank |
| Sun | 8th July | Quebec, QC | Colisee Pepsi Arena |
| Wed | 11th July | Montreal, QC | Bell Center |
| Fri | 13th July | Toronto, ON | Molson Amphitheater |
| Sat | 14th July | Sarnia, ON | Bayfest |
| Mon | 16th July | Buffalo, NY | Darien Lake Performing Arts Center |
| Wed | 18th July | Detroit, MI | DTE Music Theater |
| Thur | 19th July | Indianapolis, IN | Klipsch Music Center |
| Tues | 24th July | Winnipeg, MB | MTS Center |
| Thur | 26th July | Calgary, AB | Scotiabank Saddledome |
| Fri | 27th July | Edmonton, AB | Rexall Place |
| Sun | 29th July | Vancouver, BC | Pacific Coliseum |
| Mon | 30th July | Auburn, WA | White River Amphitheater |
| Wed | 1st August | Salt Lake City, UT | USANA Amphitheater |
| Fri | 3rd August | San Francisco, CA | Shoreline Amphitheater |
| Mon | 6th August | Phoenix, AZ | Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion |
| Thur | 9th August | Irvine, CA | Verizon Wireless Amphitheater |
| Sun | 12th August | Albuquerque. NM | Hard Rock Pavilion |
| Mon | 13th August | Denver, CO | Comfort Dental Amphitheater |
| Wed | 15th August | San Antonio, TX | AT&T Center |
| Fri | 17th August | Dallas, TX | Gexa Energy Pavilion |
| Sat | 18th August | Houston, TX | The Woodlands |
Very Special Guest Alice Cooper to July 21, Coheed and Cambria after July 21.
**Maiden England 1988 Long form Video VHS Track-listing:
Moonchild, The Evil That Men Do, The Prisoner, Still Life, Die With Your Boots On, Infinite Dreams, Killers, Can I Play With Madness, Heaven Can Wait, Wasted Years, The Clairvoyant, Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son, The Number Of The Beast, Hallowed Be Thy Name, Iron Maiden.
…………………….
Kinger (ex-SLEEPY TRIP, KURU-AMA drummer), Demolish Mag. Editor/Owner/Publisher etc.
