Author Archives : Dana

BLACK SABBATH’S TONY IOMMI DEBUTS “HOW GOOD IT IS”

Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi had debuted new music since Black Sabbath retired from touring, and it is a religious experience.

“It’s something we have started from scratch,” Iommi tells the Birmingham Mail, “a completely new piece of music unlike anything I have done before.”

Titled How Good It Is, the song is inspired by Psalm 133. It had its premiere at the Birmingham Cathedral in his hometown of Birmingham, England on January 5th, before a specially invited audience.

Iommi composed the dark piece with the Very Reverend Catherine Ogle, the Dean of Birmingham. It was written for the choir of Birmingham Cathedral and features cellist George Shilling along with Iommi, who performs acoustic guitar on the piece.

“They’re a fantastic choir but the guitar player’s crap!” he says modestly.

The divide between heavy metal and chorale music is vast, but as Iommi explains, there is nothing ironic about a longtime Black Sabbath member writing music for the church. For that matter, he has professed his belief in God, saying he’s a non-church-going Catholic.

“People used to think we were Satanists, but we weren’t,” he says. “The songs were the opposite—they were all about the dangers of Black Magic…”

…Iommi [also] tells the Mail he hopes to explore other new musical challenges after Black Sabbath play their final show.

“I will still be making music, and I have a number of interesting offers and projects that I will look at in good time,” he says. “I would like to do some film soundtrack work, maybe something else for TV, and I would like to resume my mentoring work.”

Listen to, How Good It Is, below.

additional source: guitarworld.com

KXM’S SOPHMORE ALBUM “SCATTERBRAIN” TO BE RELEASED ON MARCH 17TH, BAND FEATURES DUG PINNICK, GEORGE LYNCH AND RAY LUZIER

Building upon the success of their 2014 self-titled debut, KXM returns with their sophomore album Scatterbrain. The new album is scheduled for release on March 17th through Rat Pak Records. Scatterbrain is currently available for pre-order via the Rat Pak Records website in various bundles including signed CD’s and t-shirts. All fans who pre-order the album through the Rat Pak website will be entered to win a one-of-a-kind custom guitar as well as other prizes. The pre-order is available by clicking here.

KXM is comprised of dUg Pinnick of King’s X on vocals/bass, George Lynch of Lynch Mob/Dokken on guitars and Ray Luzier of Korn on drums. Scatterbrain features 13 brand new tracks and was recorded at the Steakhouse studio in North Hollywood California. The album was produced by Chris “The Wizard” Collier (Flotsam & Jetsam/Prong/Last In Line) who also produced the band’s 2014 debut.

From the infectious riff of the album opener Scatterbrain to the outro of Angel, KXM have created something truly special and musically diverse. Songs like Breakout, Calypso, and True Deceivers are sonically different from each other taking the listener on a musical journey. Scatterbrain is thematically a darker record than the debut. The album builds upon the developed KXM rock sound but this time includes some different dynamics drawing inspiration from prog, ska, punk and metal. Through it all, it remains undeniably KXM.

Recorded over the span of ten days, every song on Scatterbrain was the result of a musical jam from all three members playing together in the same room.

Ray Luzier explains on the process, “We wanted to use the same formula as the 1st KXM record: book studio time, come in fresh every day with a new idea & run with it and not over think anything.” George Lynch described the sessions as Record-topia, “We showed up in the studio, camped out with a bunch of gear and let the tape roll. Just like the first album, no pre-production, no rehearsal, no pre-written songs.” dUg Pinnick adds, “The vibe was like a bunch of old friends having fun creating music like the previous record, nothing but fun!”

The track listing for Scatterbrain is:

1. Scatterbrain
2. Breakout
3. Big Sky Country
4. Calypso
5. Not a Single Word
6. Obsession
7. Noises In The Sky
8. Panic Attack
9. It’s Never Enough
10. True Deceivers
11. Stand
12. Together
13. Angel

KXM formed in early 2013 when dUg, George and Ray spoke about trying to jam together. At the time it wasn’t clear what would come from those jams. The only thing that was clear was that these three musicians, at the top of their game, wanted to play together. The self-titled debut, KXM, was released on March 11th, 2014 and debuted at #31 on the Billboard 200. The band takes its name from the combination of the member’s other projects: K from Korn, X from King’s X and M from Lynch Mob. In a world that constantly searches for new and unique music, KXM delivers all the power and punch that one would expect from these high level players.

JACK RUSSELL’S GREAT WHITE STREAMS “LOVE DON’T LIVE HERE”

Jack Russell’s Great White is streaming a new song titled, Love Don’t Live Here, from their forthcoming album, He Saw it Comin’, due January 27th, 2017. Listen to it below.

The band has released two other songs, from this release, for streaming. Click on the highlighted link to preview the songs.

She Moves Me and Blame It On The Night.

He Saw it Comin’ Track Listing:

1. Sign Of The Times
2. She Moves Me
3. Crazy
4. Love Don’t Live Here
5. My Addiction
6. Anything For You
7. He Saw It Comin’
8. Don’t Let Me Go
9. Spy Vs Spy
10. Blame It On The Night
11. Godspeed

Jack Russell’s Great White Lineup:

Jack Russell (Vocals)
Tony Montana (Guitar, Keyboards)
Robby Lochner (Guitar)
Dan McNay (Bass)
Dicki Fliszar (Drums)

DAVID ELLEFSON’S ELLEFSON COFFEE COMPANY OPENS BRICK AND MORTAR COFFEE/MERCHANDISE SHOP IN DAVID’S HOMETOWN OF JACKSON, MINNESOTA

Ellefson Coffee Co., the boutique Coffee brand of Megadeth bassist David Ellefson will open its first brick and mortar Ellefson Coffee Co shop next week in David’s hometown of Jackson, MN. In addition to serving a variety of custom blends of Ellefson Coffee Co brands, including Roast In Peace, She Wolf, Kenya Thrash, and Urban Legend, ECC will also be a retail outlet for Ellefson Coffee products and memorabilia, as well as a satellite retail outlet for titles and merchandise from Ellefson’s EMP Label Group.

The store will also serve as a “Museum of Deth” featuring permanently displayed artifacts and memorabilia from Ellefson’s personal collection , as well as memorabilia from other artists. After teaming up with local Jackson Coffee shop Coffee Choices (one of Ellefson’s personal Jackson haunts) and owner Susan Reiter for their Urban Legend blend, David’s ECC (and EMP) partner Thom Hazaert suggested taking the partnership farther.

“One day Susan and I had a conversation about the idea of sort of re-branding Coffee Choices into something more aligned with the ECC brand, and us coming in as partners.” Says Hazaert. “I pitched the idea to David, we had already discussed the idea of opening a brick and mortar outlet maybe in Phoenix, and we all loved the idea, being David’s hometown, and Susan’s amazing history in Jackson, and her experience running Coffee Choices.”

Adds Ellefson, “I’ve been blessed to travel the world year after year as a musician but my roots have always stayed in Jackson, MN. So, it’s a true honor for our coffee brand to have a retail shop on the main street USA I grew up on, and to serve the very community I was born and raised in. Aside from some great coffee and a fun Rock N’ Roll atmosphere, our store is a go-to destination for coffee that also tells my story of heavy metal and global music history. I look forward to seeing you there!”

Also, any Megadeth fan already knows Jackson well, even if they don’t know it, as the connections to this small Midwest town run deep in Megadeth lore. Loon Lake Cemetery, that spawned the legend of Mary Jane, immortalized on So Far, So Good, So What is a few miles down the street, while the Ellefson family farm that inspired Megadeth hit Foreclosure of a Dream is also a stone’s throw from where ECC is setting up shop.

Hazaert adds, “Not only will Ellefson Coffee Co. now have a permanent face in David’s hometown, but being able to tie in EMP, and everything else we do, and with the huge sense of Megadeth history in Jackson, we are excited to be able to create a really unique and amazing fan (and Coffee) experience, that we are sure will not only be a highlight for the people of Jackson, but a destination for Megadeth fans from around the World.”

The first day of business officially as Ellefson Coffee Co. will be Monday, January 10th, with a grand opening coming later in the Spring. You can pay ECC a visit at 404 Second St, Jackson, MN, 56143.

FORMER KEEL GUITARIST MARC FERRARI WRITES A CHILDREN’S BOOK

Robyn Flans of the Ventura County Star reports:

Whether it’s songs for a big hair, heavy metal rock band in the 1980s or a children’s book, Marc Ferrari of Agoura Hills knows that “writing is writing.”

After spending years composing songs in the rock world, Ferrari has authored the book Don’t Dilly Dally, Silly Sally, which came to him after he found himself repeatedly reciting the phrase to his 3-year-old daughter Sierra, who had a propensity for taking her time getting ready for just about everything.

“It was apparent very early on that my daughter, who is an amazing daughter, was marching to the beat of her own drummer,” Ferrari said. “She was time-challenged…”

…The phrase stuck with him, and one day when the two of them were late for a party, the story about a little girl who was always running behind poured out of him.

“One day she misses an event she had counted the days for, and she learns the secret to being on time: by allowing more time to get ready,” Ferrari said of the story’s message.

He began the book, then let it sit for five years while he was working on other projects, including writing music for TV and film and authoring his 2002 published book Rock Star 101: A Rock Star’s Guide to Survival and Success in the Music Business.

“I kept coming back to it,” Ferrari said. “I wanted this to be kind of a love story to my daughter…”

…It took time to find a publisher, but Ferrari likened the process to being in a band and shopping demo music to a record company.

“A lot of rejection, but it only takes one yes,” he said.

The publishers liked the idea that he was a former rock star. As a member of Keel from 1984 to 1988…the band toured with the likes of Dio, Aerosmith and Bon Jovi, including three nights at Madison Square Garden…

…Ferrari admits his time-challenged daughter has taught a valuable lesson to her time-centric father.

“She’s taught me that we don’t have to be the first ones there all the time,” he said. “She’s taught me to mellow out.”

Read more at the Ventura County Star.

If you would to purchase Don’t Dilly Dally, Silly Sally now, you can buy a copy directly from Marc at Marc@marcferrari.com. The guitarist will personally inscribe a message and provide you with ordering details. Additionally, the book will be available on January 5th through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

source: vcstar.com

BOBBY BLOTZER’S RATT SHOW CANCELLED DUE TO LEGAL DISPUTE OVER BAND’S NAME

Bobby Blotzer’s Ratt December 29th concert at the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort was cancelled just hours before showtime after the Michigan entertainment venue received a cease-and-desist letter from his former bandmates. Blotzer is in the midst of a dispute over control of the group’s name with Stephen Pearcy, Warren DeMartini and Juan Croucier.

The casino writes on its Facebook page that they were “recently notified of a trademark dispute” and after reviewing the letter “from the parties claiming rights to the Ratt trademark …. concluded that it cannot proceed with the performance of Mr. Blotzer, due to the current legal dispute.” Co-headliner Night Ranger were set to play the sold-out show as scheduled, according to the casino and resort’s official statement.

The Blotzer camp’s response, also posted on Facebook writing, the venue “would not allow Ratt to perform unless Soaring Eagle Casino was allowed to take control over the performance and presentation of Ratt’s show for its fans. This was a violation of the contract.” They say that “Ratt’s artistic integrity and demand to bring the fans the best show possible” dictated that they could not go forward with the performance.

Blotzer started off touring as the Ratt Experience last year, and then began booking 2016 shows simply as Ratt. DeMartini immediately pushed back, arguing Blotzer had no right to go forward alone – then took part in a surprise October reunion with fellow surviving classic-era alumni Croucier and Pearcy. By November, lawyers had gotten involved.

Soaring Eagle says Ratt will be booked again “on a later date if and when the dispute regarding the trademark is resolved.”

additional source: ultimateclassicrock.com