It’s a 1989 hair metal showdown with the second albums from L.A. Guns and Faster Pussycat duking it out.
The post Fight Fire With Fire: ‘Cocked and Loaded’ vs. ‘Wake Me When It’s Over’ appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Eddie Van Halen’s ex-wife Valerie Bertinelli, who is promoting her new book, “Enough Already: Learning To Love The Way I Am Today”, was asked in a new interview with Greg & The Morning Buzz if it came as a surprise for her to see the outpouring of love for the legendary VAN HALEN guitarist in the days after the news arrived that he had died from cancer in October 2020 at the age of 65. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “It did, because… I guess I just always thought it was just our little family — me and [our son] Wolfie and Ed. You forget when you’re living your life that other people have something to do with it too — that they have some investment in your life and your career. So it did take me… I was shocked at the outpouring and very grateful for it, because I was… It was so loving how people remembered all the good stuff about Ed, because he had a lot of demons as well. And it was really nice to see that people remembered all the good stuff about him.”

Bertinelli split with Van Halen in 2002 after 21 years of marriage. They officially divorced in 2007. Eddie then went on to marry Janie Liszewski in 2009, while Valerie also remarried, tying the knot with Tom Vitale in 2011. Valerie told People magazine that both marriages were struggling before Eddie’s death. She eventually filed for separation from Vitale in November 2021.

Eddie died at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Following his death, fans left flowers at his childhood home on Las Lunas Street in Pasadena, California. Additional flowers, candles and fan mementos were placed on Allen Avenue where Eddie and his brother, VAN HALEN drummer Alex, scratched their band’s name into the wet cement of a sidewalk when they were teenagers.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.

In addition to covering her marriage to Eddie Van Halen, “Enough Already: Learning To Love The Way I Am Today” gives insight into Valerie’s self-doubt and the troubles plaguing her second marriage, as well as her preoccupation with her weight.

Take a listen to our interview this morning with Valerie Bertinelli where we talk about her life and family as part of her new book “Enough Already” available now!

Posted by Greg & The Morning Buzz on Thursday, January 20, 2022

Tony Martin, who fronted BLACK SABBATH from 1987 to 1991 and then again from 1993 to 1997, told the “Metal Mayhem ROC” podcast that he only met Ronnie James Dio once — and he described it as a “short-lived” experience. “Actually, [BLACK SABBATH guitarist] Tony Iommi had invited me backstage to one of the ‘Dehumanizer’ shows here in England,” he recalled. “I was backstage, and Ronnie was not happy — nah, he was not happy. I think he was really angry with Tony Iommi for inviting me back there.

“I tried to catch his eye backstage,” Martin stated about Dio. “It was a relatively big affair, with people all over the place. And every time he walked past me, I went, ‘Ronnie!’ And he disappeared. ‘Ronnie!’ Eventually, I managed to catch his attention. I said, ‘Ronnie! Come here.’ So he walked over, and he just stared at me. And I thought maybe he was gonna hit me or something; he just stared. And I was trying to explain. I said, ‘Ronnie, I love what you do, man. I’m a big fan.’ And I said, ‘You’re a hard act to follow.’ And he said, ‘Good,’ and walked off. That was it. [Laughs] He didn’t stay. He just said ‘good’ and walked off. So that was my only conversation with Ronnie James Dio. [Laughs]”

Martin continued: “[Ronnie] wasn’t happy that I was there. He must have thought he was being put on the spot. Iommi, obviously, hadn’t told him that I was gonna be there. And after the ‘Dehumanizer’ thing is when I rejoined. So there was stuff going on in the background and I don’t know what the issues were. But they hadn’t been getting on well. Tony Iommi told me that it hadn’t gone well with Ronnie. And I was back there after that. So my name has been attached to SABBATH for 11 years, more or less, without too much of a break.”

BLACK SABBATH released six albums with Martin on vocals: “The Eternal Idol” (1987), “Headless Cross” (1989), “Tyr” (1990), “Cross Purposes” (1994), “Cross Purposes Live” (1995) and “Forbidden” (1995). Eventually, Martin and his “Forbidden”-era bandmates were ousted when Iommi reunited with SABBATH’s fellow original members.

Earlier in the month, Martin confirmed to Almost Human that he recorded some demos for SABBATH’s “Dehumanizer” album during a period when Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler were having a hard time getting along with a returning Ronnie James Dio.

In a 1992 interview with Guitar World magazine, Iommi stated about the “Dehumanizer” period: “Getting back together with Ronnie James Dio was a little rough in the beginning — there were all kinds of egos bouncing around. We had been separated for 10 years, and it took us a long time to get to know each other again.

“Tony Martin had been our singer for the last three albums, and I must admit, I did feel bad that we had to let him go. But the truth is he wanted to get out. He was getting more into writing for other people instead of performing SABBATH material. He understood the situation with Ronnie, so it really wasn’t a problem.

Six years ago, Iommi told I Heart Guitar that “it’s a shame” that “it took a lot for people to accept” Martin as SABBATH’s vocalist. “It’s taken all these years later for people to say, ‘Oh blimey, that was a good band with good singing.’ So it took a long time to get people to really realize how good it was.”

In 2018, Iommi spent time in the studio remixing “Forbidden” for a future release. The LP, which features Martin, drummer Cozy Powell and bassist Neil Murray, is often regarded as SABBATH’s worst studio recording.

Martin’s new solo album, “Thorns”, arrived on January 14 via Battlegod Productions and Dark Star Records. Among the guest musicians appearing on the LP are Scott McClellan (who helped write the album), Danny “Danté” Needham (VENOM), Magnus Rosén (HAMMERFALL), Greg Smith (ALICE COOPER, RAINBOW, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT) and Martin’s youngest son Joe.

As much as many of us love to wallow in darkness and horror, virtually everybody is susceptible to occasional doses of bright-eyed and bombastic heavy metal joy. BATTLE BEAST are certified experts in this department, of course. From an early run of albums that established the Finns as major contenders, to the near-perfect, wall-to-wall anthem riot of 2017’s “Bringer Of Pain” (the band’s first record without founding guitarist Anton Kabanen, now of BEAST IN BLACK) and its almost-as-good follow-up “No More Hollywood Endings” (2019), they have made a habit of sidestepping the usual power metal cliches, injecting pop sensibilities into a wildly diverse array of thunderous, old-school musical ideas and, thanks to the presence and vocal talents of the extraordinary Noora Louhimo, have increasingly sounded like the pizzazz-drenched last word in singalong, riff-driven bravado. And if that sounds like an overly generous dollop of hyperbole — well, BATTLE BEAST make such a joyous, unpretentious noise throughout “Circus Of Doom” that deadpan analysis feels wildly inappropriate. Authentic misanthropes aside, this record will force a smile out of all who hear it.

As the opening track boisterously proclaims, the circus is coming to town here. BATTLE BEAST have always been great songwriters, but they have embraced a more expansive and pointedly theatrical sound this time, fulfilling the over-the-top promise of the album’s title in the process. Orchestral embellishments abound on “Circus Of Doom”, alongside some of the heaviest riffing the Finns have ever attempted and a huge, spiraling melody that, in the best possible way, reeks of Broadway. It’s a breathtaking start, and one that instantly magnifies the irresistible twinkle in this band’s collective eye: this, it says, is going to be a shitload of fun.

And so it proves, with another dazzling run of absurdly catchy, balls-out metal tunes that might just make you feel slightly better about the state of things. “Wings Of Light” is a lethal and immediate BATTLE BEAST banger, with Noora hitting notes that other heavy metal singers can only dream of, and an instantly memorable chorus of almost indecent size; “Master Of Illusion” takes the band back to infectious disco-metal territory, ’80s AOR vibes high on the agenda, but still awash with big riffs and virtuoso lead breaks; “Where Angels Fear To Fly” is a lush, mid-paced power metal ballad, with a Noora vocal that will pin you to the wall and a brilliantly macabre mid-section that perfectly sets up an explosive, curtains-down finale. The driving and angsty “Eye Of The Storm” is another classic BATTLE BEAST stomper, once again with a chorus of unfeasible enormity; “Russian Roulette” is a fiery and propulsive mini-symphony, brimming with skittering ’80s electronics and synthesized drums and, almost inevitably, blessed with another wildly memorable chorus and all the musical theater trimmings. Powered by a rugged, none-more-metal gallop, “Freedom” is one of the shiniest gems on offer: a jolting dose of pure, hands-in-the-air exuberance that, as Noora stridently declares, delivers “metal for your soul” with rather more intensity than casual observers might expect. The remaining three songs — a “The Road To Avalon”, “Armageddon” and “Place That We Call Home” — are every bit as good as the rest, each boasting a colossal core refrain and vast quantities of conviction and, most importantly, warmth and goodwill.

It’s not a particularly radical notion: ten joyful heavy metal songs, performed with much luster and passion, and rendered in the brightest of sonic shades. But right now, any record this unapologetic in its mission to entertain, liberate and lift the spirits deserves all the credit in the world.

According to InForum, MÖTLEY CRÜE frontman Vince Neil will headline the Red River Valley Fair on July 16 at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds in West Fargo, North Dakota. Also scheduled to appear on the bill are GREAT WHITE and VIXEN. Tickets go on sale on January 28 at 9 a.m.

Neil’s appearance at the Red River Valley Fair is raising eyebrows with CRÜE fans who are concerned that the band’s “The Stadium Tour” will once again be postponed after it was originally scheduled to take place in the summer of 2020 but ended up being pushed back to 2021, and then to 2022, due to the coronavirus crisis. As it stands, Vince is scheduled to perform with MÖTLEY CRÜE one day before the Red River Valley Fair, on July 15, in Cincinnati, Ohio at Great American Ball Park and again one day after the West Fargo gig, on July 17, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at American Family Field.

Last month, Nikki Sixx said that MÖTLEY CRÜE is still on track to finally launch its long-awaited reunion this year. The bassist addressed the status of “The Stadium Tour” while answering a fan question on Twitter. Responding to a fan who wrote, “I’m hopefully going to see The Crue in Houston Tx Aug 2022!”, Sixx said, “We 100% plan on touring in 2022. See ya at the show.”

This past October, Sixx told Germany’s Radio Bob! that he and his CRÜE bandmates will “start rehearsals in May” for “The Stadium Tour” — which also features DEF LEPPARD, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS. “I start training in December,” he said. “Now it’s down to hard work, getting ready, getting the band into rehearsal.

“We rehearse really hard because we will take a song like ‘Dr. Feelgood’ and while we’re building the show — let’s just say the show is… all the lights are moving, they’re green and they’re slowly moving — we’ll build a whole intro in and design the lights and the lasers around that,” he explained. “So it’s a long process and tedious. So we go to rehearsal and we might need to build in those 32 bars. And then we’ve gotta work with the lighting and the laser company. And then we’ve gotta make sure everything is organized so we get our count-ins for where we need to be onstage. So there’s so much going on.”

When it happens, “The Stadium Tour” will mark the CRÜE’s first live dates since wrapping its 2014/2015 farewell tour. CRÜE toured with POISON back in 2011 and DEF LEPPARD teamed up with POISON for a string of road dates in 2017, but the upcoming jaunt marks the first time all four acts — including JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS — have hit the road together for an extended tour.

MÖTLEY CRÜE’s last studio album was 2008’s “Saints Of Los Angeles”, which was followed by a 2009 “Greatest Hits” compilation.

In 2018, MÖTLEY CRÜE recorded four new songs for “The Dirt” movie, including the single “The Dirt (Est. 1981) (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly)”, “Ride With The Devil”, “Crash And Burn” and the band’s own spin on Madonna’s “Like A Virgin”.

?Announcing another Grandstand act of the 2022 Red River Valley Fair….
Vince Neil with special guests Great White and…

Posted by Red River Valley Fair on Thursday, January 20, 2022

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE has postponed the start date of its much-anticipated “Public Service Announcement” to this summer.

The North American leg of the trek was originally slated to begin in March 2020 before it was rescheduled several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The trek will now kick off on July 9 in East Troy, Wisconsin.

19 RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE shows that were supposed to take place between March 31 and May 23 will be rescheduled.

In a statement from earlier today, the reunited quartet — Zack De La Rocha, Tom Morello, Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford — said: “The RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE ‘Public Service Announcement’ North American tour with RUN THE JEWELS will now start on July 9, 2022 in East Troy, Wisconsin.

“Headline shows scheduled for March 31, 2022 through May 23, 2022 will be postponed and rescheduled. All tickets for the moved dates will be honored.

“For fans wishing to obtain a refund for the postponed dates, refunds are available for a 30-day window from the point of purchase only, starting today.

“We will be back to you soon with the rerouted dates.”

The upcoming tour will mark the first time RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE has hit the road together since 2011.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE last played together at L.A. Rising and has resisted calls for a reunion, with vocalist De La Rocha previously believed to be the lone holdout. Guitarist Morello and his fellow RAGE bandmates Commerford (bass) and Wilk (drums) have since teamed up with PUBLIC ENEMY’s Chuck D. and CYPRESS HILL’s B-Real in the similarly styled PROPHETS OF RAGE.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE recorded three original studio albums and one set of covers before breaking up in 2000. The group reformed in 2007 but only played sporadic gigs and never a full tour.

Posted by Rage Against The Machine on Thursday, January 20, 2022

QUIET RIOT has announced the first batch of shows for its upcoming 2022 tour season, which is set to begin on Friday, February 18 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The concerts will feature bassist Rudy Sarzo who recently rejoined QUIET RIOT after an 18-year absence.

Rudy was one of the members of QUIET RIOT’s “Metal Health” lineup. He played bass on the classic LP, which sold over ten million copies and spawned the hits “Cum On Feel The Noize” and “Metal Health” and on the follow-up record “Condition Critical”.

Sarzo appeared in the most notable music videos in the MTV age and toured with the band until 1985 and again from 1997 to 2003. During his years out of the band, Sarzo was a member of OZZY OSBOURNE, WHITESNAKE, DIO, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, QUEENSRŸCHE and THE GUESS WHO.

Joining Sarzo in QUIET RIOT’s current lineup are guitarist Alex Grossi, vocalist Jizzy Pearl and drummer Johnny Kelly.

Drummer Frankie Banali, who joined QUIET RIOT in 1982 and played on “Metal Health”, died in August 2020 after a 16-month battle with pancreatic cancer. A month after Banali’s death, QUIET RIOT announced that it would carry on.

Grossi was in the last version of the band, from 2004 through 2007, before founding singer Kevin DuBrow passed away, and was asked by Banali to return in 2010.

“We can’t wait to get back out there and see everyone,” says Grossi. “The first few shows with Rudy back have gone over really well and the audiences are very excited to see him perform these songs again.”

Adds Sarzo: “I’m excited to be back home and celebrate the QUIET RIOT legacy, which began 40 years ago next year with the recording of ‘Metal Health’, the first heavy metal album to reach #1 on the Billboard top 200 albums chart.”

Initial dates are as follows, with many more to be announced in the coming weeks:

Feb. 18 – Uncasville, CT
Feb. 19 – Redmond, OR
Feb. 20 – Great Falls, MT
Mar. 19 – Coachella, CA
Apr. 01 – Auburndale, FL
Apr. 29 – Bullhead, AZ
May 07 – Dodge City, KS
May 20 – Pompano Beach, FL
May 22 – Nashville, TN
May 26 – Morton, MN
Jun. 01 – San Diego, CA
Jun. 03 – San Bernardino, CA
Jun. 04 – Hollywood, CA
Jun. 24 – Milwaukee, WI
Jun. 25 – Aurora, IL
Jul. 09 – Xenia, OH
Jul. 15 – Ft. Wayne, IN
Jul. 16 – Roanoke, VA
Jul. 22 – Tucson, AZ
Jul. 23 – Las Vegas, NV
Jul. 30 – Beaver Dam, KY
Jul. 29 – Kansas City, MO
Aug. 20 – Crownsville, MD
Aug. 21 – Des Moines, IA
Aug. 25 – Niagara Falls, NY
Sep. 09 – Hinkley, MN
Sep. 10 – St. Charles, IL
Sep. 15 – Hutchinson, KS
Sep. 16 – Hudson Falls, NY
Sep. 17 – Salamanca, NY
Sep. 18 – Warrendale, PA
Sep. 23 – Reno, NV
Oct. 08 – Shelton, WA

QUIET RIOT went through two vocalists — Mark Huff and Scott Vokoun — before settling on Pearl in 2013. Pearl announced his exit from QUIET RIOT in October 2016 and was briefly replaced by Seann Nichols, who played only five shows with the group before the March 2017 arrival of “American Idol” finalist James Durbin. Pearl returned to QUIET RIOT in September 2019.

For a complete list of upcoming QUIET RIOT shows, visit QuietRiot.Band.

Sarzo discussed his return to QUIET RIOT in a recent interview with Adika Live!. He said: “My decision, in addition to [it] being Frankie’s request that I return to the band, was a decision that I had to meditate on it, because it is that important. Not meditate whether it was the right decision to make or not — no, that wasn’t the point — it was to meditate about the timing of it. Because it could not be an abrupt decision that you drop everything you’re doing and you change the band.

“Regina [Frankie’s widow] and I, we sat and we talked about it, and we said, ‘Okay, the best thing to do is to let everybody fulfill their commitments.’ Because I have commitments to the band that I’ve been playing in for the last five years, THE GUESS WHO. And I wasn’t about to tell them, ‘Hey, I’m outta here, guys. Good luck.’ I’ve never done that. So I have commitments with them. And QUIET RIOT has commitments with [longtime bassist] Chuck Wright. And we felt that the only thing that we can do, really — [we felt] that all these commitments must be fulfilled so our agreements with everybody is fulfilled.”

Rudy went on to say that he has been “making the transition” and “embracing again the whole QUIET RIOT consciousness” by going “back and playing the songs” again. “And actually, it’s been wonderful because, I’ve gotta tell you, to be able to go back to something that you did 40 years ago with the musician I am today, I’m looking at the songs a little bit different, as far as my own contributions,” he said. “Of course, it’s not gonna be something that is gonna turn into completely something else, but there are certain note choices that I can improve on.”

Photo credit: Julie Bergonz

THE OFFSPRING guitarist Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman has blasted parents who believe masks are harmful to their children and claim that they reinforce an environment of stress and fear.

Earlier today (Thursday, January 20), Noodles took to his Twitter to write: “It is Covid that is killing people, not masks. If you think masks are more dangerous than Covid, then you are an idiot. If you are for #UNMASKOURCHILDREN then you are an irresponsible parent and a lousy fellow human.”

Because most countries do not vaccinate children under 12, proponents of mask-wearing argue that masks protect the wearer and those around them from COVID-19.

Studies have repeatedly shown that in-school spread of COVID-19 can be contained through masking, sanitation and distancing.

Earlier this week, the Virginia chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement strongly recommending that school-aged children, regardless of vaccination status, wear a well-fitting face mask while attending school.

“Face masks remain safe and reliable, and children have demonstrated their ability to wear them effectively,” the statement read. “In addition to protecting a child, face mask use significantly reduces the spread of SARS-CoV2 and other respiratory infections, thus keeping schools operational and ensuring children do not miss in-person school.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated its mask guidance, stating KN95s offer more protection than surgical and cloth masks and that respirators such as N95s offer the highest level of protection.

On Monday (January 17), THE OFFSPRING shared a three-minute video in which singer Bryan “Dexter” Holland, who has a Ph.D. in molecular biology and wrote his thesis on microRNA in HIV genomes, explained the science behind the band’s decision to scrap its Canadian tour. Specifically, he discussed the R-naught or R0 value, which indicates the number of people an infected person can spread the disease to. A pandemic is considered to end if this value goes below 1.

Although there is no reliable estimate right now for the R-naught value for the omicron variant, figures for other variants vary, but it is estimated at roughly six for delta.

Holland’s 175-page research paper, titled “Identification of Human MicroRNA-Like Sequences Embedded within the Protein-Encoding Genes of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus”, had been published in PLoS One. He had received his Ph.D. from University of Southern California in 2017.

In October, THE OFFSPRING canceled its concerts in Denver and Salt Lake City after Noodles tested positive for COVID-19.

Two months earlier, longtime THE OFFSPRING drummer Pete Parada announced that was being dropped from the band’s touring lineup after refusing the COVID-19 vaccine for medical reasons.

It is Covid that is killing people, not masks. If you think masks are more dangerous than Covid, then you are an idiot. If you are for #UNMASKOURCHILDREN then you are an irresponsible parent and a lousy fellow human.
— Gnudz fears democracy is in decline. ? (@TheGnudz) January 20, 2022

CANNIBAL CORPSE vocalist George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher has released a new solo song, titled “On Wings Of Carnage”. The track is taken from his debut solo album, “Corpsegrinder”, which is due on February 25. The 10-song effort was co-produced by Nick Bellmore (DEE SNIDER, KINGDOM OF SORROW) and Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED) and will be made available through Jasta’s new label, Perseverance Music Group. Another song from the LP, “Acid Vat”, features a guest appearance by Fisher’s CANNIBAL CORPSE bandmate Erik Rutan.

Corpsegrinder comments: “When Jamey approached me to do this record, I was fired up to get into the studio with Erik Rutan and record the vocals. It’s a mix of death metal, thrash and hardcore, and it sounds heavy as hell!!! I’m really excited about it, and I can’t wait for the world to hear it!!!”

Jasta adds: “Working with George has been a dream come true, he’s one of the best dudes in metal and one of the most brutal voices EVER. He’s outdone himself on this album!”

“Corpsegrinder” track listing:

01. Acid Vat (feat. Erik Rutan)
02. Bottom Dweller
03. On Wings Of Carnage
04. All Souls Get Torn
05. Death Is The Only Key
06. Crimson Proof
07. Devourer Of Souls
08. Defined By Your Demise
09. Master Of The Longest Night
10. Vaguely Human

Throughout the years, Fisher has become a beloved figure in the metal scene and beyond, having one of heavy music’s most brutal voices. In addition to having spent more than a quarter of a century fronting CANNIBAL CORPSE, he has been involved in several side projects, including PATHS OF POSSESSION and SERPENTINE DOMINION. He has also guested on various recordings from such acts as SUFFOCATION and SUICIDE SILENCE.

Last year, Fisher told Kerrang! magazine about how he first became interested in extreme metal: “I went from BLACK SABBATH to [JUDAS] PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN, but when we discovered the heaviest shit, it was SLAYER and VENOM and CELTIC FROST and VOIVOD and POSSESSED — it all hit us at once. We were listening to heavy metal and then they dropped a fucking building on us. One of my earliest memories is my friend Steve playing the MERCYFUL FATE EP, and I’d never heard anything like it. King Diamond is my favorite singer of all time, and when we first heard that EP, it was, ‘What the fuck was that?’ I started getting demos and exploring more underground bands. When the CANNIBAL CORPSE demo came out, I believe I was already in my first band, which was called CORPSEGRINDER. We named the band after a DEATH song.”

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