MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee has told Stereogum that he is not a huge fan of the band’s third album, 1985’s “Theatre Of Pain”. “There’s parts I love, and parts that I don’t,” he said. “I can’t say it’s my least favorite, because there’s some great stuff on it. But as a band, we were still trying to figure out what it is that we all collectively did. I was just coming into the picture with songwriting, and we were in this headspace where we loved David Bowie. Every time you saw him, he had changed into something different. We liked that, so that’s why around ‘Theatre Of Pain’ we really glammed it out — super-bright colors, more makeup. Then we went for a different look on the next record. We were always evolving, but ‘Theatre Of Pain’ was early on enough that we were still figuring out what MÖTLEY CRÜE was.”

“Theatre Of Pain” contained the hit singles “Smokin’ In The Boys Room” (a cover of BROWNSVILLE STATION’s 1973 Top 5 hit) and the power ballad “Home Sweet Home”. The album reached No. 6 on the U.S. chart and No. 36 on the U.K. chart. It was certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA in June 1995.

In MÖTLEY CRÜE’s band autobiography, “The Dirt”, singer Vince Neil expressed his disbelief at “Theatre Of Pain”‘s success.

“Every night, though I loved singing [‘Smokin’ In The Boys Room’], Nikki [Sixx, CRÜE bassist] would complain that the song was stupid and he didn’t want to play it,” he said. “I felt like the only one sober enough to realize how bad some of those [‘Theatre Of Pain’] songs were. I was shocked the record went double platinum.”

Sixx also had less-than-complimentary things to say about “Theatre Of Pain”, calling it “a pile of rubbish, the whole fucking record, with a few moments of maybe brilliance” in 2014’s “The Big Book Of Hair Metal”.

MÖTLEY CRÜE’s “The Stadium Tour” with DEF LEPPARD, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS ” was originally scheduled to take place this summer but ended up being pushed back to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

Lee’s new solo album, “Andro”, is due on October 16. The first two singles from the collection, “Knock Me Down” and “Tops”, were released in early June.

In a new interview with the Phoenix New Times, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford spoke about the impact the coronavirus-related shutdown has had on his and other musicians’ creativity.

“I think the most profound thing for me with this pandemic has been the level of human consciousness, the way that we’re all connecting in a way that we’re probably never aware about,” he said. “That someone in Japan or South America is feeling the same way I do — that is a really important analysis. Each of the respective countries are going through the horrible political dissection of what we’re all suffering. And everyone has lost people. It’s one thing I’ve learned about human compassion and empathy. As far as making it work through creativity and art, PRIEST has always done that anyway, as the vast majority of our songs are about lifting up and positivity.

“The music we make has always been strong and full of optimism. PRIEST has been dealing with that as long as I remember. I’m sure it will filter through me as the songwriter for PRIEST — the emotion of what we’re going through together — into the next PRIEST song.”

Halford is promoting his autobiography, “Confess”, which arrived on September 29 via Hachette Books. The book has been described by the U.K.’s The Telegraph as “one of the most candid and surprising memoirs of the year.”

Last month, JUDAS PRIEST and Rufus Publications announced the publication of the first-ever official JUDAS PRIEST book documenting the band’s extensive history over the last 50 years. Titled “Judas Priest – 50 Heavy Metal Years”, the book has been put together by David Silver, Ross Halfin and Jayne Andrews.

Prior to being canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, JUDAS PRIEST’s spring/summer 2020 European tour was scheduled to kick off on May 30 in Helsinki, Finland and conclude on July 28 in Tilburg, the Netherlands. The band was also slated to headline the U.K’s Bloodstock Open Air festival on August 9 at Catton Park, Derbyshire.

The U.S. leg of PRIEST’s “50 Heavy Metal Years” tour was due to launch September 9 in Oxon Hill, Maryland and wrap up on October 17 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Revisiting Living Sacrifice’s 2000 groove-metal album The Hammering Process to give it the second chance it deserves.
The post The Lazarus Pit: Living Sacrifice’s ‘The Hammering Process’ appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

In the latest episode of Gibson TV’s “The Songbook”, former GUNS N’ ROSES guitarist Gilby Clarke performs a stripped down version of the song “Skin & Bones”, which originally appeared on his 2007 self-titled album.

As previously reported, Clarke will release a new single, “Tightwad”, on October 26. The track, which features MÖTLEY CRÜE’s Nikki Sixx on bass and JANE’S ADDICTION’s Stephen Perkins on drums, is taken from Clarke’s upcoming album, “The Gospel Truth”.

“This song was written around a guitar riff I discovered while trying out a new fuzz pedal,” Gilby said. “Lyrically I was inspired by deceit, treachery and the creative extremes people will go through to get ahead. I tried to get my message through with humor, but if it hits to close to home, maybe we all should take a closer look at ourselves and make improvements.

“I was lucky to have some wonderful musician friends contribute to the recording of this track, Nikki Sixx and Stephen Perkins. Stephen, as always, came through with a beat that drives the song and Nikki found a cool bass groove that accentuates the feel I was looking for. I tried to get my message through with humor, but sometimes the truth hurts.”

“The Gospel Truth” will be released via Golden Robot Records. The disc was produced and written by Gilby at his Los Angeles recording studio, Redrum Recording, where he’s also helmed records for such artists as L.A. GUNS, THE BRONX, BEAT ANGELS, BULLETS AND OCTANE and many more. The album was mixed by Grammy Award winner Chris Lord-Alge and mastered by Maor Appelbaum. Joining Gilby on the LP are Muddy Stardust on bass, Kenny Aronoff (JOHN MELLENCAMP, JOHN FOGERTY, CHICKENFOOT) on drums, along with Matt Starr (ACE FREHLEY, MR. BIG) and Chad Stewart (FASTER PUSSYCAT, L.A. GUNS) on backing vocals.

When asked how his new music may be different to his previous material, Gilby said: “I don’t think it’s very different at all. I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel. I have found the music that I like as an artist and a musician. It’s important that I get better at it and try new things, but I like rock and roll, and loud guitars are good for the soul.”

Clarke also discussed his songwriting process, saying: “I always start with a good guitar riff, then add the devil’s drumbeat. It’s good when you can put some interesting lyrics to it, too. I always try to find a new way of saying something simple. I don’t like to complicate my lyrics, but I never duplicate them either.”

At last year’s NAMM show in in Anaheim, California, Clarke stated about the long delay in getting his new solo album completed: “For me, I can’t do a record unless I feel good about the songs. I wanna make a record that I wanna listen to. So, these songs I’m really excited about. They’re new songs. It really is classic rock. There’s really nothing new on it — it’s just a new version of what I like to do, which is loud guitars, man. So, I went in there. I used guys like Kenny Aronoff on drums, Steve Perkins — some really great players. I played all the guitars and did all the singing on it. But I think it’s good — I think it’s a good fresh approach on classic rock, really.”

Clarke replaced founding guitarist Izzy Stradlin in the GUNS lineup in 1991, during the “Use Your Illusion” tour, and stayed with the band for three years. After exiting GUNS N’ ROSES, Clarke continued as a producer and solo artist, while also playing in SLASH’S SNAKEPIT, ROCK STAR SUPERNOVA, HEART and other acts.

Clarke released his solo debut, “Pawnshop Guitars”, in 1994.

ZAKK SABBATH’s cover of the BLACK SABBATH classic “Under The Sun” is the third digital single taken from the forthcoming MER Redux series installment “Vol. 4 [Redux]”. You can now stream it below.

ZAKK SABBATH is the BLACK SABBATH tribute band featuring guitarist and vocalist Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE), bassist Robert “Blasko” Nicholson (OZZY OSBOURNE, ROB ZOMBIE), and drummer Joey Castillo (DANZIG, QUEEN OF THE STONE AGE), who have been constantly gigging since 2014 with their unique yet respectful take on the Birmingham four’s classic early songs.

“Vol. 4 [Redux]” track listing:

01. THOU – Wheels of Confusion
02. THE OBSESSED – Tomorrow’s Dream
03. HIGH REEPER – Changes
04. MATT PIKE – FX
05. SPIRIT ADRIFT – Supernaut
06. GREEN LUNG – Snowblind
07. WHORES – Cornucopia
08. TONY REED – Laguna Sunrise
09. HAUNT – St. Vitus Dance
10. ZAKK SABBATH – Under The Sun

Magnetic Eye bows at the Birmingham altar to celebrate BLACK SABBATH’s 50th anniversary with an offering of an end-to-end re-imagining of “Vol. 4”, which still remains as one of the most acclaimed albums in the canon of these godfathers of heavy metal.

A pantheon of metal and doom heavyweights, including some of metal’s most famously SABBATH-inspired icons, pay homage to “Vol. 4”, which witnessed the masters expanding their minds over their weighty foundation.

Zakk told Rolling Stone about performing SABBATH’s classic material: “Going back to high-school keg parties, we’d be playing songs by RUSH, SABBATH, [Jimi] Hendrix, whatever [in a cover band], and one person would sing the RUSH stuff, someone could do THE DOORS, and I’d end up doing the SABBATH or Ozzy stuff. It’s hilarious to me, because we were 17 years old playing keg parties at a friend’s house and now I’m 53 years old and I’m still playing ‘N.I.B.’ and SABBATH songs at keg parties, except there’s a couple more people.”

The 30th-anniversary deluxe box set of ALICE IN CHAINS’ debut album, “Facelift”, will be made available on January 29, 2021.

One of the first releases of the pre-grunge era, “Facelift” introduced the world to Layne Staley, Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney and Mike Starr. Certified platinum many times over, the LP includes the hit singles “Man In The Box”, “Bleed The Freak”, “We Die Young” and “Sea Of Sorrow”.

The “Facelift” custom deluxe box set packaging includes:

* Acrylic deluxe box with gel transparencies
* 2XLP vinyl picture disc
* Exclusive cassette
* Custom hardcover photo book
* Two-sided poster (folded, 23.5-inch square)
* 12″ slipmat
* Sticker sheet
* Tour laminate
* Four art prints

01. We Die Young
02. Man in the Box
03. Sea Of Sorrow
04. Bleed The Freak
05. I Can’t Remember
06. Love, Hate, Love
07. It Ain’t Like That
08. Sunshine
09. Put You Down
10. Confusion
11. I Know Somethin (Bout You)
12. Real Thing

“Facelift” was released on August 21, 1990 and peaked at No. 42 on the Billboard 200 chart. According to Wikipedia, it was the first album from the grunge movement to reach the top 50 in America on the Billboard 200, and the first to be certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on September 11, 1991, followed by NIRVANA’s “Nevermind” on November 27, 1991.

ALICE IN CHAINS regrouped in 2006 with William DuVall joining the band, and released its third LP with DuVall in the lineup, “Rainier Fog”, in August 2018.

Over the course of its remarkable career, ALICE IN CHAINS has garnered multiple Grammy nominations, sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, and amassed a diehard international fanbase whose members number in the millions. Their discography features some of the biggest and most important albums in rock history, including 1992’s quadruple-platinum-certified “Dirt”, 1994’s triple-platinum-certified EP “Jar Of Flies”, which was the first EP in music history to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and 1995’s self-titled double-platinum-certified “Alice In Chains”, which also entered the Billboard Top 200 at No. 1. They returned in grand style in 2009 with the critically acclaimed “Black Gives Way To Blue”, which hit No. 1 across the rock and alternative charts, earned a Grammy nomination, was certified gold and hailed by Vice as “a record that’s as powerful as anything the band has done.” The band’s latest album released in 2018, “Rainier Fog”, hit No. 1 across Billboard’s Rock, Alternative and Hard Music charts and No. 1 on the iTunes Rock album chart and earned them a Grammy nod for “Best Rock Album.” ALICE IN CHAINS remains one of the most successful and influential American rock bands of all time.

The Devil’s Blood singer Farida Lemouchi explores a new kind of darkness with occult psychedelic rock outfit Molassess.
The post Full Album Stream: Molassess – “Through the Hollow” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett has collaborated with music director Edwin Outwater two horror-themed instrumentals that were supposed to be played with the Vancouver Symphony next month. Outwater previously worked with METALLICA and the 70-piece San Francisco Symphony on the chart-topping album “Metallica And San Francisco Symphony: S&M²”.

Speaking to the METALLICA fan-club magazine So What!, Hammett said: “I recorded those tracks with Edwin, a small chamber orchestra and some other musicians.” Adding that the songs “feel like the best fucking things I’ve ever done,” he said: “One of them is called ‘High Plains Drifter’ and the other one’s called ‘The Incantation’. They’re not done yet. [They are] still in the rough mix stages. I mean, I have to get the rough mixes, but I have four tracks now. And the four tracks are like four different movies, man. They’re not movie soundtracks; they’re like movies. They tell a story.”

“Metallica And San Francisco Symphony: S&M²” documents METALLICA’s September 2019 sold-out shows with the San Francisco Symphony. The package was made available in various formats, ranging in price from $17 to $300, in August.

The “S&M²” concerts were historic on multiple levels: They served as the grand opening of San Francisco’s Chase Center, reunited the band and Symphony for the first time since the 1999 performances captured on the Grammy-winning “S&M” album, and featured the first-ever symphonic renditions of songs written and released since those original “S&M” shows.

In a recent interview with WaterlooChronicle.ca, Outwater stated about his collaboration with METALLICA: “I’m just so amazed at how METALLICA has cultivated their fan base.

“There are superfans in every genre. The thing that really struck me from this experience is that for people not used to this kind of music, who find it intimidating, violent and negative, the vibe in the concert was so positive and uplifting.

“When you walk in, it’s a welcoming environment. You’re part of a family.”

Regarding his pre-concert strategy sessions with drummer Lars Ulrich and singer James Hetfield, Outwater said: “They’re the most lovely people to work with. They were all up for this adventure. My job was translating ideas for classical jargon to metal jargon.”

He added: “They’re incredibly supportive of each other and comfortable,” comparing the founding duo’s interactions to “an old married couple.”

“They’ve done all that craziness and reached the point of maturity.”