Author Archives : Dana

BLACK SABBATH GUITARIST TONY IOMMI TO UNDERGO SURGERY FOR A LUMP IN HIS THROAT

Tony Iommi is to undergo surgery to have a lump removed from his throat, just in case it’s cancerous.

The Black Sabbath icon will receive treatment before the final leg of the band’s farewell tour begins next month.

He was told in August that his cancer was in remission after revealing in 2012 that he’d been diagnosed with lymphoma.

Now he’s recalled how his illness, combined with the disagreement that led drummer Bill Ward to leave the band, came close to shutting them down.

Iommi tells the Irish Times, “I went for a check four weeks ago and the doctor said that, at the moment, there’s no activity where I had the cancer before – but there is activity in the throat.

When I get back to England I have to have an operation to remove this thing at the back of my nose. The doctors found a lump and we don’t know if it’s cancer or what. But I feel okay at the moment.”

The guitarist has previously confirmed that his health is one of the main reasons Black Sabbath are retiring. He says, “I was knocked for six when doctors told me it was stage-three cancer. It really did change my life as far as what I have to do now. I have to live what life I’ve got. I’ve been on the road for nearly 50 years – I need to be at home more and I need to pay more attention to my friends and family.”

He describes the experience of being told he had cancer as “the lowest moment” and says it was different from the factory accident that left him with two fingertips missing from his right hand, which took place when he was a teenager.

“The thing with the fingers, you can carry on,” he reports. “But with cancer you just don’t know. You don’t know how long you’re going to be here and how bad it’s going to get.”

Black Sabbath will complete their last shows without original drummer Bill Ward, who dropped out of the reunion that was announced five years ago, saying he hadn’t been offered a contract he felt was “signable.”

Iimmi says, “It’s a shame Bill wasn’t involved. What can you do? It’s one of those things that happened. It just got silly. He got into a legal battle with the management, pulled out and did not come back. It was very difficult. Also, we were concerned about how Bill was going to play and he was going to handle things. Then, of course, I came down ill. It was almost falling apart and we pulled it back together. Bill made his choice not to do it, and that was that.”

Iommi recently said it was possible that Black Sabbath could continue in a less active form after the farewell tour. Asked about making another album he says, “We haven’t talked about it. This is my view thinking it would be nice. At the moment I think there’s call for a bit of time off. I think anything is possible, if people want to do it. It is the end as far as touring is concerned.”

Black Sabbath: The End world tour remaining dates

Jan 20: Dublin 3 Arena, Ireland
Jan 22: Manchester Arena, UK
Jan 24: Glasgow SSE Hydro, UK
Jan 26: Leeds First Direct Arena, UK
Jan 29: London O2, UK
Jan 31: London O2, UK

Feb 2: Birmingham Genting Arena, UK
Feb 4: Birmingham Genting Arena, UK

additional source: Classic Rock via teamrock.com

SEBASTIAN BACH ON A POSSIBLE SKID ROW REUNION, “[OUR MANAGERS ARE] TALKING”

During an appearance on Eddie Trunk’s SiriusXM show, Trunk Nation, earlier this week, Sebastian Bach was asked if there have been any updates on his long rumored reunion with other members of the classic lineup of Skid Row. He responded (as per blabbermouth.net), All I can say is that [my manager] Rick [Sales] is talking to [Skid Row’s early manager] Doc [McGhee]. That’s all I can say. That is what is happening, and I don’t have anything else to tell you. All I can tell you is we’re not getting any younger, folks. [Laughs] Let’s put the hair band back together while we’ve got hair. [Laughs]”

On the flip side, according to a new tweet from Skid Row bassist Rachel Bolan, the band is several days into a writing and demoing session with the group’s current touring lineup, which includes the South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart (Dragonforce, Tank, I Am I). Nolan writes, “Things are going amazing!”

Even though Skid Row has been playing shows with Theart since the beginning of this year, guitarist Dave “Snake” Sabo recently stopped short of calling him the band’s official new frontman.

“We haven’t even discussed it yet,” Sabo told News-Press.com this past October. “We just said, ‘This feels really good and let’s just do it.’ It’s who we are right now.”

AFTER 15 YEARS, L.A. GUNS, WITH PHIL LEWIS AND TRACII GUNS, REUNITE FOR 2017 ALBUM AND LIVE PERFORMANCES

In a year that has seen reunions that were said could never happen, L.A. Guns have saved the best for last by closing out 2016 with a bombshell…band leaders Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns decided that special year end performances such as September’s Hair Nation Festival in Los Angeles for thousands of fans along with their explosive set at the Cathouse 30th Anniversary show on the Sunset Strip once again sparked the unmistakable chemistry that earned L.A. Guns acclaim from their explosion onto the 80’s metal scene until they went their separate ways 15 years ago.

2017 brings back the classic L.A. Guns sound that fans know and love, with Lewis and Guns not only returning to the road for their first full blown tour in over a decade but also new music for the first time since 2002. Rounding out the lineup are longtime L.A. Guns collaborators guitarist Michael Grant, bassist Johnny Martin and drummer Shane Fitzgibbon.

The new album to be released on Frontiers Records features material that brings a long awaited return to the classic formula that made L.A. Guns among the most beloved and critically acclaimed bands to rule the heyday of Metal, and the select 2016 live shows have proven that the upcoming tour will feature Lewis, Guns and the rest of the band delivering the smash hits such as The Ballad of Jayne, Rip and Tear, No Mercy, Never Enough plus many more performed the way they are supposed to be and by the key songwriters themselves.

“When you put Phil and I together, that’s the sound of L.A. Guns. There’s no way around that!” says Tracii Guns regarding the reunion. ” Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns, the band’s gotta be L.A. Guns. It can’t be anything else.”

Phil Lewis adds “I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. What’s the point of making records or playing shows if you don’t have fans for feedback, and I feel blessed to have so many cool people who treasure the music as much as I do as a part of our fan base.”

Confirmed 2017 dates (more TBA):

January:

28 Corona, CA M-15

February:

9 Seattle, WA Studio Seven
10 Portland, OR Rock Hard PDX
11 Lewiston, ID 3rd Wheel Concert Hall
17 Salt Lake City, UT Liquid Joe’s
18 Denver, CO Herman’s Hideaway
23 Houston, TX Proof Bar
25 Reno, NV RockBar Theater

March:

3 W Hollywood, CA Whisky A Go-Go
4 W Hollywood, CA Whisky A Go-Go

UK Dates:

March:

10 Belfast, Ireland Limelight 2
11 Pwllheli, Wales Hard Rock Hell Festival @ Mor Holiday Park
12 Swansea, Wales Scene Club
14 Norwich, UK The Waterfront
15 Buckley/Flintshire, Wales The Tivoli Venue
16 Bristol, UK Bristol Bierkeller
18 West Midlands, UK Wolverhampton Civic Hall
19 Chester, UK Live Rooms
20 Doncaster, UK Diamond Live
22 Sheffield, UK 02 Academy Sheffield
24 Glasgow, UK 02 ABC Glasgow
25 London, UK 02 Academy Islington

Additional US Dates:

April:

8 Santa Ana, CA Yost Theater
22 Wantagh, L.I., NY Mulcahy’s

August:

11 Three Forks, MT Rockin’ The Rivers Music Festival

October:

28 Pekin, IL Rock N Skull @ Avantis Dome

This statement comes on the heels of singer Phil Lewis’ announcement, a week ago, that he was leaving the Steven Riley version of L.A. Guns.

BOBBY BLOZTER’S LAWYER SAYS PEARCY, DIMARTINI AND CROUCIER, DO NOT HAVE “PERMISSION” TO USE THE RATT NAME

As per a November 29th news story, Ratt band members, Stephen Pearcy, Warren DeMartini and Juan Croucier had won the legal rights to use the band name while cutting out former drummer, Bobby Blozter.

Now Blozter’s attorney, Drew Sherman, has responded by stating that, Pearcy, DeMartini and Croucier, do not have the legal rights to use the name, either. He tells Mitch Lafon on his podcast (via blabbermouth.net), that no judgment has been entered either against or in favor of Blotzer. “Essentially, WBS owns the name,” the attorney said. “They — meaning Stephen, Juan, Warren — whatever they’re going out as, they do not have permission to [go out as Ratt]. So right now they’re infringing the trademarks of Ratt owned by WBS. The ruling that we have, there are many legal strategies that will be employed in order to change and bring to the court’s attention various other pieces of evidence as well as prior rulings,” he continued. “So it’s a long time before this is done. We’re not even at the appeals part yet, because there’s no judgment to appeal. So there’s a lot of time. Status quo will remain, and WBS owns the marks.”

Sherman also addressed the fact that Pearcy, Croucier and DeMartini recently announced that they will perform — as Ratt — at next year’s edition of the M3 Rock Festival, set to take place on Friday, April 28th, 2017 and Saturday, April 29th, 2017 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. He said, “They do not have permission to play the M3 [as RATT], they do not have permission to advertise it as such. And I’ll just say this: right now, to throw that out there, to make these announcements, these press releases, without having a [court] judgment, I would say is very ill-advised. And I’ll leave it that for now.”

EMERSON, LAKE AND PALMER’S, GREG LAKE, PASSES AT AGE 69

Rock singer/bassist/lyricist Greg Lake, has died at age 69 following a battle with cancer. Best known as the bassist for King Crimson and guitarist/singer for Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Lake scored one of his biggest solo hits in 1975 with I Believe in Father Christmas.

In a statement, Lake’s former bandmate, Carl Palmer, paid tribute to his friend and collaborator. “It is with great sadness that I must now say goodbye to my friend and fellow band-mate, Greg Lake,” wrote Palmer. “Greg’s soaring voice and skill as a musician will be remembered by all who knew his music and recordings he made with ELP and King Crimson. I have fond memories of those great years we had in the 1970s and many memorable shows we performed together. Having lost Keith this year as well, has made this particularly hard for all of us. As Greg sang at the end of Pictures At An Exhibition, “death is life.” His music can now live forever in the hearts of all who loved him.”

As alluded by Palmer, it has been a difficult year for the fans of the pioneering band, as their third member, Keith Emerson, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in March of this year. Lake’s manager told the BBC that Lake died on Wednesday (December 7th) after fighting a “long and stubborn battle with cancer.”

source: Billboard

DEE SNIDER SHOWS SUPPORT FOR PROTESTORS AT STANDING ROCK IN NEW VIDEO FOR “SO WHAT”

Not one to shy away from any political or social cause that he wholeheartedly believes in, legendary rocker Dee Snider is now showing his support for the thousands of men and women at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota who are protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline.

In a video for So What that premiered earlier today exclusively on Noisey.com, Dee and son/director Cody Snider beautifully exhibits the faces of the courageous men, women and children that are fighting for their land and offers a glimpse at the resistance and tribulation they are faced with as they stand their ground. The song can be found on Dee’s new solo album, We Are The Ones, which was released October 28th on Red River Records (distributed by BFD/RED). Watch the video below.

As Snider recently told The New York Post’s Page Six, “To see U.S. government state and local authorities, along with hired private security, use this type of extreme violent force against unarmed American citizens in peaceful prayer is the saddest, most disturbing thing I have ever experienced. I’m glad we were there to capture the truth for all to see.”

Earlier this summer, Dee Snider took part in the unveiling of the new Rock & Roll Hall of Fame exhibit, Louder Than Words: Rock, Power And Politics, featuring memorabilia related to his 1985 Senate hearing regarding the PMRC. To commemorate the Hall of Fame exhibit, Dee performed a new acoustic version of Twisted Sister’s legendary song, We’re Not Gonna Take It. This moving new version of Dee’s epic anthem is also currently available on his new album.

In September, superstar magician Criss Angel joined forces with Snider for the first time ever to release a music video featuring the new acoustic version of We’re Not Gonna Take It. Directed by Angel, the video aims to raise awareness of pediatric cancer. It sent a powerful message to viewers as Snider belts out the iconic lyrics, while the mother of a young girl—who is a cancer survivor—allows her head to be shaved in solidarity with her daughter and in support of the fight all of these children must endure. The video also features heart-wrenching footage of Criss Angel’s son, Johnny Crisstopher, going through treatments after being diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in 2015.

While in April 2016, he was called to Capitol Hill for the second time—the first at the infamous 1985 Senate hearing instigated by Tipper Gore and the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC)–to speak on behalf of The Recording Academy’s Fair Play Fair Pay initiative.

In 2014, Snider was the recipient of the prestigious Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award for his charitable work spanning several decades. Most notably, he spent twelve years as the national spokesman and Grand Marshal of the March of Dimes Bikers for Babies initiative (for whom he raised $325,000 with his Celebrity Apprentice win), established his annual Ride to Fight Hunger for Long Island Cares, and donated his Gold and Platinum album awards to Broadway Cares for auction.

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