Month: August 2021

Former GUNS N’ ROSES drummer Matt Sorum has told Desert Sun that he is “thankful” for the time he spent in the band, even though he wasn’t invited to rejoin the group when it launched its “Not In This Lifetime” reunion tour five years ago.

“When I get upgraded to a better suite at a hotel because the guy behind the register says, ‘Hey, aren’t you the guy from GUNS N’ ROSES? I’m gonna upgrade you,’ I say, ‘Thank you, Axl Rose.’ That’s the blessing of my life and I thank God for that and and he put me there. I know it’s hard for rock ‘n’ rollers to divulge that kind of information, but I’m at the age now where I don’t care.”

The 60-year-old Sorum, who replaced Steven Adler in GUNS N’ ROSES, recorded the highly successful albums “Use Your Illusion I” and “Use Your Illusion II” (both 1991) and “The Spaghetti Incident” (1994). He also supported the group on the “Use Your Illusion” tour and can be heard on GUNS N’ ROSES’ “Live Era: ’87-’93” (1999) and “Greatest Hits” (2004).

Matt was among the GUNS N’ ROSES members who were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April 2012. He, Adler, Slash and bassist Duff McKagan attended the ceremony, while singer Axl Rose and founding guitarist Izzy Stradlin stayed home.

Sorum told The Pulse Of Radio in a 2009 interview that if the classic GUNS N’ ROSES band reunited, they should perform with both him and Adler. “If it’s me on drums or Steven or whatever, if it happened, it’d be great, you know,” he said. “I would actually say to them, ‘Hey, bring both of us back,’ you know. Let me play the other stuff. We’ll have two drum kits. I don’t care. If ‘Appetite [For Destruction]’ [the band’s debut] sounds better with Steven playing it, have both guys up there. They can afford it.”

Matt is set to release his new book, “Double Talkin’ Jive: True Rock ‘N’ Roll Stories”, on September 7 via Rare Bird Books.

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**UPDATE #3**: Paul Stanley has released the following statement regarding his COVID-19 diagnosis: “A Full Press Release Will Be Issued Shortly about upcoming KISS shows. I had been sick with flu-like symptoms and was tested repeatedly and was negative. As of late this afternoon I tested positive. The crew, staff and band have all tested negative once again. More to follow.”

**UPDATE #2**: KISS has issued a statement confirming Paul Stanley’s COVID-19 diagnosis. The statement reads: “KISS show at The Pavilion at Star Lake in Burgettstown, PA is unfortunately postponed due to Paul Stanley testing positive for COVID. More information about show dates will be made available ASAP.

“Everyone on the entire tour, both band and crew, are fully vaccinated. The band and their crew have operated in a bubble independently to safeguard everyone as much as possible at each show and in between shows. The tour also has a COVID safety protocol officer on staff full-time that is ensuring everyone is closely following all CDC guidelines.”

**UPDATE #1**: According to TMZ, KISS frontman Paul Stanley has tested positive for COVID-19, leading to the cancelation of tonight’s concert.

Paul is fully vaccinated and feeling fine despite testing positive for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Although there were rumblings on Twitter that Paul was having heart issues, he took to Twitter just minutes ago to shoot down that rumor, saying: “PEOPLE!!! I am fine! I am not in ICU! My heart allows me to do 26 miles a day on my bike! I don’t know where this came from but it’s absolute nonsense.”

Just before 7:30 p.m., the venue posted on Twitter that the show “is being rescheduled.” The tweet did not explain why tonight’s show was canceled.

All previously purchased tickets will be honored for the new date, which has not yet been announced.

The original article follows below.

According to TribLive.com and WPXI, tonight’s KISS concert at the Pavilion at Star Lake in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania has been canceled.

A number of KISS fans have posted on social media that they were being turned away at the gates, with no additional information made available.

As of this writing, KISS has not addressed the cancelation via any of its social media sites and no further details have been provided on the web sites of the venue or Live Nation.

KISS kicked off the summer 2021 leg of its “End Of The Road” farewell tour on August 18 at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts. The concert marked the band’s first full-length live appearance in front of an audience since March 2020.

KISS’s farewell trek was launched in January 2019 and was originally scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2021 in New York City but is now expected to last well into 2022.

KISS’s current lineup consists of original members Paul Stanley (guitar, vocals) and Gene Simmons (bass, vocals), alongside later band additions, guitarist Tommy Thayer (since 2002) and drummer Eric Singer (on and off since 1991).

Formed in 1973 by Stanley, Simmons, Peter Criss (drums) and Ace Frehley (guitar), KISS staged its first “farewell” tour in 2000, the last to feature the group’s original lineup.

A Full Press Release Will Be Issued Shortly about upcoming KISS shows. I had been sick with flu-like symptoms and was tested repeatedly and was negative. As of late this afternoon I tested positive. The crew, staff and band have all tested negative once again. More to follow.
— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) August 27, 2021

Tonight’s #KISS show at The Pavilion at Star Lake in Burgettstown, PA is unfortunately postponed due to Paul Stanley testing positive for COVID. More information about show dates will be made available ASAP. Everyone on the entire tour, both band and crew, are fully vaccinated. pic.twitter.com/5UBvXmfWCY
— KISS (@kiss) August 26, 2021

PEOPLE!!! I am fine! I am not in ICU! My heart allows me to do 26 miles a day on my bike! I don’t know where this came from but it’s absolute nonsense.
— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) August 26, 2021

UPDATE: @kiss just postponed concert at the last minute. pic.twitter.com/DWRK7S7FXW
— Gigi (@wpxigigi) August 26, 2021

KISS at The Pavilion at Star Lake is being rescheduled. All previously purchased tickets will be honored for the new date once announced. More information will be emailed to ticketholders directly. pic.twitter.com/uU3ZZ5qg5p
— The Pavilion at Star Lake (@Pav_StarLake) August 26, 2021

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Death-thrashers Oxygen Destroyer channel their love for Vader, Dark Angel and kaiju movies on their new album.
The post Full Album Stream: Oxygen Destroyer – “Sinister Monstrosities Spawned By the Unfathomable Ignorance of Humankind” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

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Kid Rock has scrapped his concerts this weekend at Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth, Texas after most of his band tested positive for COVID-19.

The 50-year-old rocker, whose real name is Bob Ritchie, shared the news of the cancelation earlier today (Thursday, August 26), writing in a series of tweets: “Billy Bob’s Shows This Weekend… I am pissed. Over half the band has fucking covid (not me), and before u shit for brains bloggers and media trolls run your mouths, many of them, like me, have been vaccinated. I was gonna come and rock the house anyway, play acoustic, DJ or even just Juggle…. Deez Nutz!! – or at least try to entertain u good folks. But seriously, shit is way out of my hands on this one. I am beyond upset and you real ones know I would never cancel if I absolutely didn’t have too. For this, I am sorry.”

He added in a postscript: “God bless our military, especially those who lost their lives today in Afghanistan. I am way more upset about that than some stupid virus and missing a couple shows. My heart bleeds for them and their loved ones.

“I hope we bomb the shit out of those fucks and send a clear message…But I am worried Biden is too much of a woke pussy. Say a prayer for the fallen, count your blessings and God Bless America.”

Kid Rock, an ardent supporter of former President Donald Trump, made headlines in 2017 when he announced he was considering a run for a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan.

Last September, Kid Rock hosted an outdoor rally for Trump’s presidential campaign in Michigan. Three and a half years earlier, the musician visited the Oval Office with fellow rocker Ted Nugent and former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Kid Rock was once a contestant on NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice”, which starred Trump.

pic.twitter.com/SE3CqPzS3b
— Kid Rock (@KidRock) August 26, 2021

or even just Juggle…. Deez Nutz!! – or at least try to entertain u good folks. But seriously, shit is way out of my hands on this one. I am beyond upset and you real ones know I would never cancel if I absolutely didn’t have too. For this, I am sorry.
-Kid Rock

— Kid Rock (@KidRock) August 26, 2021

PS – God bless our military, especially those who lost their lives today in Afghanistan. I am way more upset about that than some stupid virus and missing a couple shows. My heart bleeds for them and their loved ones. (cont.)
— Kid Rock (@KidRock) August 26, 2021

I hope we bomb the shit out of those fucks and send a clear message…But I am worried Biden is too much of a woke pussy. Say a prayer for the fallen, count your blessings and God Bless America.
— Kid Rock (@KidRock) August 26, 2021

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Tower Records, the iconic music chain that defined the retail music business in the pre-digital era, is back and celebrating the 30th anniversary of Ozzy Osbourne’s “No More Tears” with an exclusive limited-edition vinyl and t-shirt bundle. This limited run of only 500 units is available now at TowerRecords.com and includes the exclusive Tower Records two-LP colored vinyl set, 7″x7″ photobook with pics from the launch event, and an exclusive “I Was There” t-shirt.

Ozzy first premiered “No More Tears” with a surprise launch at Tower Records in New York City on September 17, 1991.

More than 30 years after its release, “No More Tears” will be celebrated with an expanded digital audio album due out September 17 (Sony).

Upon its release, “No More Tears” yielded four Top 10 singles on the Billboard Rock Tracks chart, “Mama, I’m Coming Home” (#2), “Road To Nowhere” (#3), “Time After Time” (#6) and the title track (#10). In addition, the album’s “I Don’t Want to Change The World” earned Ozzy his first Grammy for a live version of the track that was featured on his 1993 “Live And Loud” album. The Grammy-winning track was one of the album’s four songs co-written with Ozzy’s longtime friend and colleague Lemmy Kilmister; the others include “Mama, I’m Coming Home”, “Desire” and “Hellraiser”. The album has remained an Ozzy classic, earning a spot (#22) on Loudwire’s “Top 90 Hard Rock + Metal Albums of the ’90s” with Ultimate Classic Rock including “No More Tears” on their list “Top 100 ’90s Rock Albums.”

“I have a lot of great memories of making the album,” Ozzy says. “We worked hard on the record with John Purdell and Duane Baron, who became extra two members of the band. Before we went into the studio, we discussed what we were going to do — everything was planned. It’s so nice when you get a producer who’s more like a part of the band than them saying, ‘nah, you do it this way.’ Because we write them and when you write the songs, you have a mental picture of how you think you want it to sound. Sometimes you’re surprised for the better, but other times you’re disappointed, but John and Duane did an extraordinary job on the album. It was really, really well done. Every song was worked on for a long time and we spent extra time trying to get things right. But there was also lots of goofing around and we had a good time making it. And Zakk’s playing on it is spectacular.”

Zakk Wylde adds: “On the first record, it was, like, ‘I can’t believe I’m here.’ I had definitely crawled into the fire and kept thinking. ‘You gotta produce. You got to come up with some cool stuff.’ On ‘No More Tears’, I guess I was more relaxed. With Ozzy, whenever we’re playing riffs, he would be like ‘keep playing that riff.’ Pretty much every time he just gets up there and starts singing what comes to him naturally, he knocks it out of the park all the time. I mean, there’s very, very few times where he’s actually said, ‘No, let me come back to that. I don’t like what I’m singing. I’ll come up with something better.’ Whatever you’re hearing on the record is pretty much first thing he started singing that naturally came out of him, that he started hearing in his head. Which is amazing. My love for him and admiration for him has just gotten even stronger and bigger over the years. It’s bigger than the music. It’s always a good time whenever we’re together, it’s always like it’s a laugh fest, and then making the records is beyond hilarious as well.”

“Mama, I’m Coming Home”, the album’s biggest hit which Ozzy co-wrote with Kilmister, started with Zakk at a piano, has gone on to become not only a rock anthem, but a classic song among soldiers.

“At that time, a lot of people were going to Iraq war,” Ozzy notes. “We heard that the GIs were sending that song to their wives. Soldiers still love that song.”

“I remember when we were working on the album, I originally wrote ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home’ on a piano,” Zakk says. “I had the music, and then when we got to the studio, I transposed it to the 12-string guitar. I was like ‘oh let me try it on the 12-string and see what it sounds like.’ That’s how it evolved into the song, originally it was just me and Ozz noodling on the piano.”

The “No More Tears” expanded digital audio album track listing is as follows:

01. Mr. Tinkertrain
02. I Don’t Want to Change the World
03. Mama, I’m Coming Home
04. Desire
05. No More Tears
06. Won’t Be Coming Home (S.I.N)
07. Hellraiser
08. Time After Time
09. Zombie Stomp
10. A.V.H.
11. Road to Nowhere
12. Don’t Blame Me*
13. Party With the Animals*
14. I Don’t Want To Change The World (demo)**
15. Mama, I’m Coming Home (demo)**
16. Desire (demo)**
17. Time After Time (demo)**
18. Won’t Be Coming Home (S.I.N) (demo)**
19. Mrs J. (demo)**
20. I Don’t Want to Change The World (live)†
21. Road to Nowhere (live)†
22. No More Tears (live)†
23. Desire (live)†
24. Mama, I’m Coming Home (live)††

* bonus tracks currently on the digital album at DSPs
** demos from the 1991 promo CD “The No More Tears Demo Sessions” (also the “Prince Of Darkness” box set), not currently at DSPs
† live audio from “Memoirs Of A Madman” DVD, San Diego 1992, not currently at DSPs
†† live audio from “Memoirs Of A Madman” DVD, MTV 1992, not currently at DSPs

Photo credit: Jeff Katz

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THE WINERY DOGS have regrouped in Los Angeles to resume writing material for their long-awaited third album.

Earlier today (Thursday, August 26), guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen shared a new photo of him, drummer Mike Portnoy and bassist Billy Sheehan, and he included the following message: “The DOGS are back in town on national dog day none the less! Round 2 of writing sessions!”

In a recent interview with Tulsa Music Stream, Sheehan spoke about the upcoming LP from THE WINERY DOGS. Asked if the band is still writing material for the follow-up to 2015’s “Hot Streak” or if it has begun recording, Sheehan said: “A little of both, but it’s mostly writing. We write like people used to write in the old days: the band gets together in a room and we start figuring things out. And I love it that way as opposed to getting outside writers or having one guy be the writer and everybody plays his songs. So we work together as a band quite well.”

Sheehan went on to say that the last THE WINERY DOGS writing session in Los Angeles in early July “went really swimmingly. We weren’t killing ourselves, but we were working hard,” he said. “We’ve got about eight or 10 things ready to go. We’re gonna go back and do it again at the end of this month for another session. And if, at that point, we feel we’ve got a great record, in our humble opinion, we wil go ahead and [record] it. If not, we’ll write some more.”

Billy also addressed the long gap between “Hot Streak” and THE WINERY DOGS’ upcoming album, which is not expected before 2022, saying: “THE WINERY DOGS, we did really great. That first record [2013’s ‘The Winery Dogs’], we got lucky. Eddie Trunk was a huge help to us. And it sold great. Our attendance at shows was amazing. And we’re very, very grateful for it. Then, not long after, we did our second record, ‘Hot Streak’, and that did really well too. Usually the second record, it’s a little bit more iffy, but it was fantastic. So we thought instead of just doing record, tour, record, tour, record, tour, record, tour and burning out, let’s all go off and do our thing and meet back up here in a couple of years when we have some stories to tell again. I think that was the beauty of the first record, and even the second record — the stories that we had saved up for years were the basis of songs. [The songs were] not necessarily about those things, but [they] were the inspiration for songs. And so it enabled us to open up a broad spectrum of subjects to write about. So now that we’ve all gone off and lived our lives for a few years and done a lot more things, back together we’ve got a lot more stories to talk about. We’re very happily inspired.”

THE WINERY DOGS were founded in 2012 after Portnoy and Sheehan — who initially aimed to collaborate with former WHITESNAKE and BLUE MURDER guitarist John Sykes — reached out to Kotzen, who played with Sheehan in MR. BIG from 1997 to 2002. The group’s self-titled debut reached No. 27 on the Billboard 200 after selling more than 10,000 copies in the U.S. during its first week of availability. The initial sales of follow-up effort “Hot Streak” were even better, as the album debuted at No. 30 in late 2015 after shifting 13,000 equivalent album units in America during its first week of availability.

In January 2020, Portnoy told Sonic Perspectives that THE WINERY DOGS’ 2019 tour was done “just for the fun of it — just for no other reason than to play together again, because it had been a few years. I think it reignited our love for each other, and I think it showed us that there’s still so many fans out there that love this band,” he explained. “It reignited our desire to make another record, so I think as soon as we can, we will.”

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A post shared by Richie Kotzen (@richie_kotzen)

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California hard rock band SMILE EMPTY SOUL has announced plans to cancel “a couple” of its previously booked shows because the concert venues in question are requiring a COVID-19 vaccine for fans. A number of bars and clubs have adopted the new protocol because the owners say the music industry and the artists demand a safe environment to perform.

On Wednesday (August 25), SMILE EMPTY SOUL guitarist and lead singer Sean Danielsen released the following statement via social media: “Hey guys, I just wanted to let you know that we will be canceling a couple of shows here and there moving forward due to vaccine requirement rules.

“I stand 100% for freedom, and medical freedom is especially important to me. I believe that you should get the vaccine if you want it, but should not have to if you don’t want it.

“I don’t think for a second that my tiny little band can make a difference in these weird times, but I don’t want to be the reason that even 1 person gets a medical procedure they don’t feel comfortable with……. especially when the accepted science says that the vaccine doesn’t prevent transmission of the virus, and it even appears vaccinated people are carrying a higher viral load than those that are not.

“Why punish a particular demographic of the population when there’s not even a health benefit from doing so?……. it’s unamerican in more ways than I can count, and people that get off on punishing others just because they don’t believe the same things need to take a long hard look in the mirror.

“I’m sorry to anyone disappointed by one of these cancelations….. it’s not what we want, and definitely not something we can afford doing, but some things matter more than money, and I am not the type to sell out what I believe in for a buck.

“I’m sure I will get a bunch of weird hate from cyber bullies everywhere for this post, but I feel like a lot of you are too wrapped up in fear to see that freedoms are being removed from our society right now, and once freedom goes, it’s gone for good.

“I want more than anything for my daughter to grow up with the same freedoms that I’ve enjoyed, and the world is changing rapidly in a way that doesn’t look good for us, or the next generations.

“I encourage all of you, vaccinated or not, to realize that the right of the individual to choose what happens to their own body, is something much bigger than this one situation……. and the things that happen now will set a precedent for the future moving forward. Give tyrants the ability to take power during an emergency, and they will create emergencies to take power. I encourage everyone out there to stand for freedom above all else, no matter where you are on the issue of this vaccine.

“I will not be engaging in any argumentative comments left on this post as I have said what I needed to say, and am not looking for conflict.

“I keep my opinions to myself on here almost 100% of the time because of how confrontational people are these days, but I wanted to explain why some of these shows will be dropping off our schedule in the future. So far there are only a couple shows in Oct that are effected, but I expect more of our fall shows to follow……. we shall see, and I will keep you updated”.

A number of hard rock and heavy metal artists have canceled shows or whole tours as the concert industry is rethinking its approach to live shows while the delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading nationwide.

Earlier in the month, Live Nation Entertainment, one of the country’s largest concert and ticketing companies, announced that it will require all artists and concertgoers to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test starting in early October.

Live Nation’s announcement came one day after AEG Presents said that it will be requiring proof of vaccination for entry into its owned and operated clubs, theaters and festivals. The decision was made on the heels of the dramatic surge in COVID-19 cases as the delta variant spreads throughout the United States.

While vaccines are exceptionally effective in preventing death and severe illness from the coronavirus and its known variants, some are far from foolproof in preventing infection altogether.

Most of the people with so-called “breakthrough” infections are asymptomatic.

According to Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC), large-scale clinical studies found that COVID-19 vaccination prevented most people from getting COVID-19. Research also provides growing evidence that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna) offer similar protection in real-world conditions. While these vaccines are effective, no vaccine prevents illness 100% of the time. For any vaccine, there are breakthrough cases.

A recent study found that people who contract the delta variant of COVID-19 after being fully vaccinated carry a similar amount of the coronavirus as those who catch the disease and have not been inoculated. But the researchers stressed that vaccination still offers good protection against catching the disease in the first place, and protects against getting seriously ill with it.

Hey guys, I just wanted to let you know that we will be canceling a couple of shows here and there moving forward due to…

Posted by Smile Empty Soul on Wednesday, August 25, 2021

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THE ROLLING STONES will go ahead with their previously announced U.S. tour next month despite the recent passing of drummer Charlie Watts.

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood will resume the “No Filter” trek in St. Louis on September 26.

A source told The Sun: “The band wants to make the show a celebration of his life. He was like a brother to them but they know he would have hated the thought of them canceling shows. Charlie had given them his blessing to tour without him following his operation, so they will honor his wishes.”

Stepping in for Watts on the trek will be his “great friend” Steve Jordan. Jordan previously played with THE ROLLING STONES guitarist Keith Richards.

Not everybody was happy about THE ROLLING STONES’ plans to carry on without Watts. On fan tweeted: “Charlie Watts, the drummer for THE ROLLING STONES died. He was 80 years old. They were planning another tour. When your band members start to die of natural cause, maybe you should quit touring.” Another user added, “They can and will continue to tour but without Charlie it’s not THE ROLLING STONES.” “I think THE ROLLING STONES should call it quits. Still tour and play the songs but not as THE ROLLING STONES. Isn’t the same,” a third fan wrote. “THE ROLLING STONES are scheduled to go on their No Filter Tour 2021. I guess Charlie was the filter,” another fan added.

Watts’s publicist said that he “passed away peacefully in a London hospital [on August 24] surrounded by his family.”

Charlie’s death came just weeks after THE ROLLING STONES announced that Watts would be missing several U.S. tour dates while he was recovering from an unspecified medical procedure.

Although Watts wasn’t a founding member of THE STONES, he had been with the band since January 1963.

He battled throat cancer in 2004 but got the all clear after undergoing two operations.

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For this Fight Fire With Fire installment, we go proto-metal and pit Blue Cheer and their 1968 debut Vincebus Eruptum, against the more obscure Randy Holden and his Population II.
The post Fight Fire With Fire: ‘Vincebus Eruptum’ vs. ‘Population II’ appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

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