TWISTED SISTER singer Dee Snider recently announced his steadfast support of the people of Ukraine using the band’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” as their battle cry anthem, and within just days, became heavily involved at the forefront of World United Live. The platform operates with the goal of raising awareness that may otherwise be shielded from the Russian people, to digitally, simultaneously protest in support of Ukraine, and to eventually coordinate the world’s largest aid concert to help them rebuild.

Today, in support of World United Live’s initiatives and the people of Ukraine, Snider released a brand new, reworked music video for his “Leave A Scar” solo track “Stand”, specially renamed “Stand (With Ukraine)”. The video, featuring various pieces of current sourced footage, can be viewed at www.worldunited.live.

Snider explains: “About a month ago, someone on social media told me people in Ukraine were using TWISTED SISTER’s ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’ as a battle cry and asked if I was cool with it. Of course I was. My response elicited someone asking me why I was okay with Ukrainians using my song and not some other groups. I won’t repeat my exact response (it was a bit political), but that tweet went internationally viral. Every news agency in the world suddenly wanted to talk to me.

“At that very moment, some great people (who were all friends of mine) were hatching the idea for World United Live and asked me if I would spearhead the organization. How could I say no? Since then, we have been beating the drum for the free world to come together, not only in support of Ukraine and condemnation of Putin, but in sending a message to the Russian people that they are misinformed and not being told the truth. Now, with the help of the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and many others, we are doing just that!

“About a week ago, it hit me that the song ‘Stand’ from my last Napalm Records album ‘Leave A Scar’ fit the crisis in Ukraine perfectly… but I had already released a video for ‘Stand’ recently. Yet I just couldn’t get around how well the lyrics resonated with Putin’s attack on these innocent people. Ukraine was the furthest thing from my mind when I wrote the words for that song, yet it was like I had done just that. So, I had a couple of incredibly talented people (Scott Pitek and Steve Sage Goldberg) cut together a new video using some live concert footage and news clips. The result is devastating. Please watch and share ‘Stand (With Ukraine)’ and join us at www.worldunited.live. Help save the world. Together we can.”

Other World United Live “messengers” include DISTURBED singer David Draiman and FOZZY frontman Chris Jericho.

“We come from all walks of life,” reads the info on the World United Live web site. “We are artists. We are combat war veterans. We are software engineers, journalists, and music producers. We come from every nationality, background, and way of life. We banded together to use our technology platform, storytelling, and influence in order to not stand idly by as the Russian-Ukraine war unfolds.

“We are organizing the world’s largest mass protest in record time. A worldwide concert event to raise money and provide support for the brave people of Ukraine. In addition, a campaign to use the voices of artists to speak on our behalf to the people of Russia. There is no later, time is of the essence. If we do not stand up now and if Ukraine falls it is too late and evil entrenches itself. We must act together today to send this message. The alternative is World War and mass suffering.

“Your involvement in this event can truly change the course of the world. Are you with us? Do you stand with freedom loving people everywhere? We beseech you to be our voice, to carry our message to peoples in Ukraine and in Russia upon whom this struggle will fall. We want people in villages, cities, squares, parks, and arenas around the world to be out in the streets. This is the only way change will come, when we can all unite and tell despots and dictators that ‘We’re NOT Gonnna Take It!'”

In a recently posted YouTube video, Snider outlined the main goals of the World United Live campaign. Check it out below.

Photo credit: Randy Frieder

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Gibson TV, the iconic, American guitar maker’s award-winning, worldwide online network — features original series about music and culture from the world’s best storytellers. Today, Gibson TV has unveiled the brand new original series “Metal And Monsters”, the network’s first show dedicated to the worlds of heavy metal and monster culture. Throughout the 60-minute episodes of “Metal And Monsters”, viewers are treated to different segments that explore the worlds of heavy metal, film, and tales from the dark side.

The host of Gibson TV’s “Metal And Monsters” is Matt “Count D” Montgomery — bassist for the King Freak himself, musician and filmmaker Rob Zombie. Count D has been a staple of the Zombie band and live show for the last 16 years and will share his deep knowledge of music and film with metal and monster fans worldwide.

In the first episode of “Metal and Monsters”, Count D takes us to Elm Street as he reunites Robert Englund, a.k.a. Freddy Krueger, and Don Dokken of the hard rock band DOKKEN to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the film “A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors”. DOKKEN wrote the song “Dream Warriors” for the movie and it was released as a single from the film and also appeared on DOKKEN’s album “Back For The Attack”. Featuring never-before-seen photos from the “Dream Warriors” video shoot which features Freddy Krueger as well as clips from the film, Robert and Don share stories from their musical influences, to behind-the-scenes tales of one of the most successful horror franchises in film history.

Each episode of “Monsters And Metal” will feature segments and interactive opportunities for horror and metal fans who tune-in around the world including:

* “Tunes From The Crypt”: Host Count D revisits METALLICA’s 1991 groundbreaking release The Black Album and gives fans a chance to win exclusive prizes from the band.

* “Terror Trek”: The show takes a field trip to the San Francisco-based Super7 — the renowned maker of action figures and collectible toys — to talk with founder Brian Flynn and his team. Tag along to learn more about their creations with MOTÖRHEAD, IRON MAIDEN and MEGADETH.

* “Exhumed From The Tomb”: Count D sits down with legendary CARCASS guitarist Bill Steer to explore the band’s 35-year history and their influence on the metal genre.

* “Fang Mail”: Fans can interact with “Metal And Monsters” and enter to win some epic METALLICA merch, sweet Super7 figures, and suggest future guests and topics. Send a letter to: Fang Mail and Contest Metal And Monsters, P.O. Box 70191, Pasadena, CA, 91117. No purchase necessary. Terms and conditions apply. Void where prohibited. 18 years old to enter. U.S. and Canada residents only. Winners will be announced on Gibson TV.

Filmed on location in downtown Los Angeles, the backdrop for “Metal And Monsters” is the historic 2,000-seat Los Angeles Theatre. Constructed in 1930, Charlie Chaplin helped fund the completion of the building so it would be ready to premiere his film City Lights in January of 1931. After closing its doors in 1994, the Los Angeles Theatre sat vacant for many years until serving as a film and television location for productions including “Man On The Moon”, “Charlie’s Angels”, “Mad Men” and “The Lords Of Salem”.

“We are always trying to push the boundaries of what we can do with Gibson TV as a platform,” says Mark Agnesi, director of brand experience at Gibson Brands. “As a guitar brand, it would be easy to just make product demos and call it a day, but that was never our vision. Our goal was to create TV shows that could compete with any network or streaming service, and ‘Metal And Monsters’ is our most ambitious effort to date. This show has been a passion project of ours for over two years now and we are so excited to unleash it onto the world.”

“With 2022 being the 35th anniversary of the film ‘A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors’, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than reuniting two pillars of the metal and monster genre,” says Todd Harapiak, Gibson TV content and director. “Robert Englund and Don Dokken have meant so much to all of us for decades and having them appear in the first episode of ‘Metal And Monsters’ is a dream come true.”

“We’ve really taken our time to make sure this show feels exactly like the campfire it’s supposed to be for metal and monster fans of the world,” explains Montgomery. “As a full-time monster and musician, I’m so humbled and honored to take this journey with such an incredible team into the darkest and heaviest corners of the universe. Hit the lights! Here we go!”

All Gibson TV original shows are streamed for free on Gibson.com.

Below: Freddy Krueger and Don Dokken on the set of the video shoot for “Dream Warriors”. Photo by Mark Weiss.

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RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS have released another new single, “Not The One”. The song, which can be streamed below, is taken from the band’s upcoming album, “Unlimited Love”, which will arrive on April 1 via Warner.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS’s first new LP with guitarist John Frusciante since 2006’s “Stadium Arcadium” was once again produced by Rick Rubin who previously worked on “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” (1991), “Californication” (1999), “By The Way” (2002) and the aforementioned “Stadium Arcadium”.

The band stated about the new record: “Our only goal is to get lost in the music. We (John, Anthony, Chad and Flea) spent thousands of hours, collectively and individually, honing our craft and showing up for one another, to make the best album we could. Our antennae attuned to the divine cosmos, we were just so damn grateful for the opportunity to be in a room together, and, once again, try to get better. Days, weeks and months spent listening to each other, composing, jamming freely, and arranging the fruit of those jams with great care and purpose. The sounds, rhythms, vibrations, words and melodies had us enrapt.

“We yearn to shine a light in the world, to uplift, connect, and bring people together. Each of the songs on our new album ‘Unlimited Love’ is a facet of us, reflecting our view of the universe. This is our life’s mission. We work, focus, and prepare, so that when the biggest wave comes, we are ready to ride it. The ocean has gifted us a mighty wave and this record is the ride that is the sum of our lives. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy it.”

Frusciante said: “When we started writing material, we began by playing old songs by people like Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson, THE KINKS, THE NEW YORK DOLLS, Richard Barrett and others. Ever so gradually, we started bringing in new ideas, and turning jams into songs, and after a couple of months the new stuff was all we were playing. The feeling of effortless fun we had when we were playing songs by other people, stayed with us the whole time we were writing. For me, this record represents our love for, and faith in each other.”

On lead track “Black Summer”, ethereal guitar underlines introspective lyrics as the rhythm unlocks a hypnotic drum groove highlighted by evocative bass. It quietly inhales only to exhale with a massive refrain, “It’s been a long time since I made a new friend, waiting on another black summer to end,” before a guitar solo echoes to the heavens and back. For the music video, the group teamed up with acclaimed director Deborah Chow (Disney+’s “The Mandalorian”, “Obi-Wan Kenobi”). The result continues a tradition of captivating cinematic visuals — with a twist.

The interplay between the band borders on intergalactic once again — yet elevated to another stratosphere altogether. “Unlimited Love” represents the united spirit of four individual souls still fearlessly exploring the future of their eternal friendship and musical congregation.

“Here Ever After” follows a staccato bassline down a rhythmic wormhole as the hook promises, “She’s the kinda girl that make you wanna go faster now.” And whether it be wrangling wild horns and boisterous bass on “Aquatic Mouth Dance” or the poetic dreamscape of confessional ballad “Not The One”, the album twists and turns with gleeful unpredictability. On “Poster Child”, a funky riff spiked with wah pedal magic wobbles in tandem with the delivery as a blissful chorus takes hold. “The Great Apes” charges forward towards a primal clarion call. For nearly six minutes, “It’s Only Natural” slips in and out of hypnotic harmonies and magnetic grooves. The slinky funk of “She’s A Lover” bleeds into a chantable gang vocal and dancefloor-ready refrain, while “These Are The Ways” sees a soft melody give way to guitar and vocal catharsis.

“Whatchu Thinkin'” leans on head-nodding percussion as the vocals flutter with the tempo only for guitar to ignite the chorus. An analog synth choir colors the intro of “Bastards Of Light” while a heavenly crescendo elevates “White Braids & Pillow Chair” beyond the clouds. Hitting the highways, “One Way Traffic” revs up funk at an intersection of airy bass and drums. “Veronica” trades the band’s sunny Los Angeles for the South Side of Chicago and a near-cinematic story about the title character. Then, there’s “Let ‘Em Cry” where trumpet punctuates the momentum before peaking on an emotionally charged guitar solo. “The Heavy Wing” takes flight on a climactic burst of distortion and vocal conjurations. The ride culminates on “Tangelo”. Threaded together with delicate guitar and emotionally charged vocals, this otherworldly lullaby leaves off on a vibrant, vulnerable, and vital final note as it slips into the arms of feedback.

“Unlimited Love” track listing:

01. Black Summer
02. Here Ever After
03. Aquatic Mouth Dance
04. Not The One
05. Poster Child
06. The Great Apes
07. It’s Only Natural
08. She’s A Lover
09. These Are The Ways
10. Whatchu Thinkin’
11. Bastards Of Light
12. White Braids & Pillow Chair
13. One Way Traffic
14. Veronica
15. Let ‘Em Cry
16. The Heavy Wing
17. Tangelo

Last fall, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith told Rolling Stone that the four members of the band were “getting along great”, and were “really listening to each other in a new way”.

“All of our records are just real good snapshots of where we’re at that time,” he said. “You can’t really go, ‘Oh, gee, I hope it’s as good as…’ Then you’re starting to have preconceived notions about what you want to write.

“Look, John hasn’t been in our group in 10 years. That’s a long time. So of course it’s going to sound different, but it’s going to sound like the four of us because we do have this special chemistry together. It sounds like RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, but it’s different and new, and to me that’s great.

“We really like it and we’re proud of it and it has to start there. If other people like it, great. If people compare it to this or [say] it doesn’t sound like that, we have no control over that. But yeah, we’re all really happy with the record.”

Regarding the return of Frusciante, Smith said: “He is so dedicated. He’s so into it. He’s working so hard. We’re all working hard, but he’s in there with all the overdubs and the magic that he brings.”

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS will embark on a world tour this summer. The North American leg will kick off in Denver, Colorado on July 23 at Empower Field at Mile High. It will conclude in Arlington, Texas on September 18 at Globe Life Field.

Frusciante originally joined RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS following the death of founding guitarist Hillel Slovak in 1988. This lineup recorded two highly successful albums that brought the group mainstream popularity: “Mother’s Milk” and “Blood Sugar Sex Magik”. Sadly, Frusciante fell into a deep heroin addiction that caused him to leave the band while touring to support “Blood Sugar Sex Magik”. Frusciante rejoined CHILI PEPPERS six years later, playing on 1999 album “Californication”, 2002’s “By The Way” and 2006’s “Stadium Arcadium” before quitting the band again in September 2009.

In October 2020, Frusciante told the Australian digital radio station Double J that playing with his RHCP bandmates Anthony Kiedis, Flea and Smith once again was like “returning to family. I’m extremely comfortable with those people. It was as if no time had gone by at all when we started playing, pretty much, with a couple of minor exceptions, like how Chad and I gradually got our communication together in a new way. Basically, we’re all just as comfortable with each other as we ever were, and it just felt like that right off the bat.”

Photo credit: Sandy Kim

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