3/28: WHATEVER HAPPENED TO…
Whatever happened to… It’s a question I get all the time and for a while a segment we were doing on That Metal Show. But it is also something that makes me nuts on a daily basis when I hear it from some fans about most artists. If you listen to my SiriusXM show, which is as much talk, interview and calls as it is music, you know I get calls from people all over the US with some pretty insane questions. Examples? Whatever happened to Ted Nugent, Queensryche, Jake E Lee, Mark Slaughter. And that was just last week’s show! I even once had whatever happened to Iron Maiden! I shit you not! It’s a big country and I get not everyone is as invested in this stuff as I am. I also appreciate that these people are listening to or emailing me and they are fans, and I appreciate that. But is is insane to me in the age of the internet that anyone could wait on the phone 45 minutes to ask Whatever Happened To any artist when Google is a click away. 99% of the artists I get asked about the answer is the same, NOTHING happened to them! They are still touring and likely making new music as well! Why does this make me so nuts? Because many of these artists are struggling greatly to get people to come see them and to buy their new music.It’s not 1988. They aren’t going to be on MTV, have a poster up in the mall, or be front page news. But if you are a fan of any artist there is simply no excuse for not bookmarking their site and knowing everything they are doing, how to buy their new music, and if they are playing near you. If you just check the music news on this site you will have a big leg up on everything going on daily. It could not be easier in this day and age and there is simply no excuse if you are a fan of an artist to not know what they are up to. This doesn’t mean I won’t take calls on it or sometimes engage in it on TV. I love discussing this stuff. But the bigger issues is that we have rock and metal artists dying out there to get a ticket or CD sold. So if you are wondering about your favorite artist catch me if you can and I am happy to discuss. But for the love of rock PLEASE search online and you will know everything, and you can about what they are up to. 9 times out of 10 they are active and looking for YOU to help them keep going!
PS: I am also aware there are some artists that are off the radar completely these days like Vito Bratta (who I get asked about all the time and is simply out of music), or more recently Jason Newsted (who apparently has once again checked out of music). There are some valid questions asked. But the huge majority of the questions are about artists who are 100% active and have online profiles. No excuse if you are a fan and care about them to live under a rock and not make a couple clicks on a keyboard to learn all and support them!
My guess is that a lot of those questions are from people hoping that either (A) you have some insider information not easily found on Google or (B) the question might prompt a visit by the artist on TMS or something.
There are also probably people who just want to irritate you.
Eddie, I can’t speak for everybody, but I just think a lot of people just want to hear your opinion. I think most people know they can find out just about anything about anybody, but knowing that you are friends with most of these bands, maybe some people would still rather hear “whatever happened to” from you, the Trunkster! Just my 2 cents. 🙂
What ever happened to the guys in Mr. Reality (Highway 9, or Samhill)? They seemed to have such great talent and a NJ band to boot! As a local, have you ever caught where they may have moved on to?
I often also wonder about Edgar Cayce. With those guys from Prophet. Great NJ metal guys.
Shame about Newsted….that is easily one of my favorite albums to come out in recent memory. I was hoping the touring would have involved them on their own doing a decent length show, but it seemed to consist of 40 minute festival appearances way off from me.
Eddie, not really a whatever happened to but…
I know mark slaughter has recently released solo songs and I heard him on your Sirius show,
But I saw slaughter live twice in the last 5 years or so and both times they played a new song from an
Upcoming cd. Any idea what happened or if slaughter is planning on a new cd?