Author Archives : Dana

BASSIST GLENN HUGHES SAYS “[GUITARIST] JOE [BONAMASSA] AND I ARE VERY FRIENDLY. WE NEVER FELL OUT.”

Bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes says Black Country Communion’s reunion record will be the “big rock album” that the world needs.

He’ll start work next month with guitarist Joe Bonamassa, keyboardist Derek Sherinian, drummer Jason Bonham and producer Kevin Shirley, with the follow-up to 2012’s Afterglow due to arrive early next year.

The sessions come five years after the supergroup imploded when vocalist-bassist Hughes and guitarist Bonamassa disagreed over balancing their commitments with their solo careers.

However, Hughes tells Metalized, “Joe and I are very friendly. We never ever fell out. Joe is a solo artist, as I am now. The fans on the internet thought we were fighting – we never fought. When Joe and I had dinner in March in L.A., we hugged each other and said, ‘We’re friends, we’re family.’ I’m a big fan of Joe as a person and a musician.”

The disagreement arose when Hughes pushed for more live shows, despite Bonamassa’s position that he didn’t want to suspend his solo work for too long.

This time round things will be different, says the frontman, who’s currently recording a solo album. “We’re going to do this one step at a time,” he reports. “Let’s do the album and think about doing some shows. Let’s see what happens – let’s embrace it.”

He adds, “We did 33 shows in all in three years, which isn’t very much. There was no expectations to play any more, but when we broke up there was the factor: If you can’t play any shows, there’s no point making new music.

I was writing all the time. I said to Joe, ‘I think I should go back and make a solo album,’ and he said, ‘Great!’ – and that what’s happened. My first thing is my solo career now.”

Asked what to expect from the next Black Country Communion release, Hughes replies, “I think the world needs another big rock album.”

additional source: Classic Rock Magazine via teamrock.com

STEVEN TYLER STREAMS “WE’RE ALL SOMEBODY FROM SOMEWHERE”

As previously reported, Aerosmith frontman, Steven Tyler, is releasing a country album on July 15th. The title track from the album, We’re All Somebody From Somewhere, can be streamed below.

To read more about this release, please click here.

Tyler recently told Howard Stern that Aerosmith may launch a farewell tour next year. Listen to the interview here.

The singer will be hitting the road on a solo tour in July, see the dates below.

Steven Tyler… Out On A Limb 2016 North America tour

Jul 2: Las Vegas Venetian Theatre, NV
Jul 5: Los Angeles Dolby Theatre, CA
Jul 8: Seattle McCaw Hall, WA
Jul 10: Vancouver Orpheum Theatre, BC
Jul 14: San Francisco The Masonic, CA
Jul 20: Phoenix Comercia Theatre, AZ
Jul 23: Denver Ellie Caulkins Opera House, CO
Jul 26: Austin Bass Concert Hall, TX
Jul 29: Houston Revention Music Center, TX
Aug 1: Dallas Music Hall At Fair Park, TX
Aug 13: Chicago Theatre, IL
Aug 17: Nashville The Ryman Auditorium, TN
Aug 20: Iowa Des Moines Iowa State Fair, IA
Aug 23: Washington Warner Theatre, DC
Aug 29: Clearwater Ruth Eckerd Hall, FL
Sep 1: Atlanta Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center, GA
Sep 4: Boston Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre, MA
Sep 7: Upper Darby Tower Theatre, PA
Sep 13: Toronto Sony Centre For The Performing Arts, ON

DON DOKKEN CONFIRMS THAT THE ORIGINAL LINE-UP WILL BE REUNITING FOR SHOWS IN JAPAN, BUT, ADDS “I DON’T WANT TO DO IT IN AMERICA OR EUROPE OR ANYWHERE ELSE”

During an appearance on The Classic Metal Show (which you can listen to below), Dokken frontman Don Dokken confirmed the long-rumored news that he and longtime drummer Mick Brown have booked a handful of Japanese shows with former guitarist George Lynch and bassist Jeff Pilson — thus temporarily reuniting the lineup responsible for the group’s most commercially successful albums. But just as quickly as he giveth, Dokken taketh away, issuing a stern reminder that this is just a quick break for the current version of the band.

So what convinced the gang to get back together, even if only temporarily? Money — and lots of it. As Dokken explained, he made his terms clear 15 years ago, and it’s only now that someone has stepped up to offer the “one and a lot of zeros” he needed to justify a reunion.

“I approached George and Jeff, and I said, ‘You guys wanna make a s—load of money for about one week of work?’ And I told them the price, and I told them how much I wanted and how much they’d make, and, basically, they could make more money in one week than they’d probably make in several years. And so everybody said, ‘Okay,’” explained Dokken. “So I said, ‘Well, I’ll do it on the condition that I don’t wanna do it in America or Europe or anywhere else. Just six shows in Japan.’ ‘Cause we were very big in Japan, and it’s just a reunion tour. So they agreed, and we’re gonna do six shows in Japan.”

No matter how much money they stand to make, Dokken insists he’s very happy with his current lineup, which is free from the
“drama” that went along with the group’s biggest sales. And besides, he knows Lynch and Pilson are busy with their own projects — even if he couldn’t resist taking a little dig at his old sparring partner Lynch.

“I feel bad for my agents, ’cause they’re getting bombarded from these offers for us to play these big festivals all over the world as a reunion, but I’m just not interested. I’m sorry, I’m just not,” said Dokken. “Jeff’s busy. He plays like crazy in Foreigner. He’s on the road. George is out, you know, playing the bars with Lynch Mob, so everybody’s busy.”

Dokken also voiced his displeasure with his bandmates over their willingness to discuss the reunion before the contracts had been signed, but vowed to stay “removed” from the personality conflicts that split the lineup in 1989 — and even hinted that, while there won’t be any further shows following their six-date Japanese tour, fans could end up getting a live DVD out of all this.

Six shows isn’t a lot, and it’s worth wondering whether Dokken will manage to get through the entire itinerary, given their history of conflict — and the large role money has played in getting them back together. Brown admitted to a certain lack of enthusiasm during an appearance on Mitch Lafon’s podcast last month, saying he didn’t necessarily agree with the reasons for the reunion.

“Listen, if I had to be real honest with you, it’s the money we’re doing it for, and I think that’s the wrong reason,” said Brown. “I think the reason should be we want to play together, and I don’t think anybody wants to play together, but the money we’re being offered to do it, you can’t say no. And, to me, that’s the wrong reason. But there it is.”

source: ultimateclassicrock.com

KISS’ PAUL STANLEY DISCUSSES LED ZEPPELIN SUIT, ACE FREHLEY AND NIKKI SIXX’S CRITICISM OF GENE SIMMONS

Russ Rollins of the “Monsters” recently spoke with KISS frontman Paul Stanley. Excerpts appear below as transcribed by blabbermouth.net.

On Led Zeppelin being accused of copying the iconic guitar riff in Stairway To Heaven from Spirit’s 1968 instrumental Taurus:

Stanley: “Well, it’s pretty strange that this lawsuit came forty-plus years after the fact. That’s a little weird, that somebody would suddenly decide to launch a lawsuit…”

Discussing whether he has ever heard any parts of other bands’ songs that sounded like they were lifted from KISS and whether he has ever been accused of ripping off other artists:

Stanley: “Well, yeah, and a lot of times it’s really unfair, because there are a certain amount of notes and they only get jumbled so many different ways. There’s a [Bruce] Springsteen song that sounds like… There’s a part of the song that sounds like [KISS’s] I Was Made For Loving You, so I’m sure he wasn’t sitting around listening to that. But it finds its way into everybody’s music. You can’t come down on everybody for their creativity…”

Talking about being at odds with Gene Simmons over the KISS bassist/vocalist’s admittedly callous remarks regarding Prince’s death but also taking Gene’s side and lashing out at Nikki Sixx:

Stanley: “You know, to rehash the past, Gene said some things that I think were uncalled for, and also perhaps didn’t bring a filter into the mix, and sometimes perhaps he doesn’t think through before he says something. And I just thought some of the things he said were a little cold and offensive, and I felt that I needed to distance myself from that, because the two of us have been together forty-plus years. That being said, it was over and done. And Gene and I never had a bad word about it; it was just something we both understood. But then to have somebody else harp on it over and over again, I just was… I didn’t like it. I thought it was self-promotion, and I didn’t like it. And I said, ‘Quit.'”

On whether he has gotten a positive response to his reunion with original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley for a cover of Free’s Fire And Water for Ace’s solo covers set, “Origins Vol. 1:

Stanley: “Sure. Everybody — from Paul Rodgers, who originally sang it, who’s one of my inspirations, he loved it, and a lot of people thought it was terrific and were surprised by it. Of course, it leads some people to say, ‘Well, what’s next?’ And I don’t really think… What’s next is that Ace and I are in contact and enjoying reconnecting. It doesn’t need to, and won’t, lead anywhere in terms of… Why would we change the band? The band is great. KISS is great the way it is. And it’s great to be in contact and texting and speaking with Ace. He’s in great shape. Psychologically, you know, he’s clean and sober, and he’s one of a kind. He can be a strange apple, but that’s what makes him so cool. And I’m glad I took up the opportunity to be on his album and also shoot a video with him.”

additional source: blabbermouth.net

TWISTED SISTER RELEASE VIDEO FOR LIVE VERSION OF “YOU CAN’T STOP ROCK N’ ROLL” FROM FORTHCOMING DVD

Twisted Sister have released a video of a live version of their 1983 song You Can’t Stop Rock N’ Roll from their upcoming Twisted Sister: Metal Meltdown Live at the Hard Rock Casino Las Vegas – A Concert To Honor AJ Pero DVD. It was filmed in the city last May. The show was dedicated to the memory of Twisted Sister drummer A.J. Pero, who had died two months previously, and featured Winery Dogs and Flying Colours Mike Portnoy behind the kit.

“Twisted Sister’s late drummer, AJ Pero was literally the beating heart of our band, says frontman Dee Snider. “When the heart stops, the body is dead. But we needed to go on just a little longer to honour our fallen comrade and, with the help of the incredible Mike Portnoy, we did it for AJ.”

“The decision to continue performing all the summer shows in 2015, not to mention the concert that this performance celebrates, was in jeopardy over the days immediately following A.J.’s sudden death,” says guitarist JayJay French. “In the end, I believe we did what A.J. would have wanted us to do and Mike Portnoy was a very big part of that decision in both an emotional and artistic way.

“This performance captured herein just two months after A.J.’s death really was about our way to help memorialise the great A.J. Pero. The front four (Dee, Eddie, Mark and I) have had no one but A.J. behind us since 1982. This concert has A.J.’s influence permeating through our bloodstream in ways that I will never forget and when we cut to A.J.’s drum solo on the rear projection screen, We were all emotionally overwhelmed. Not since our reunion for NY Steel in 2001 ( Eddie Trunk’s concert to honor and raise money for the families of the NYC police and fire department who died on 9/11) have I been moved to tears.”

Twisted Sister: Metal Meltdown Live at the Hard Rock Casino Las Vegas – A Concert To Honor AJ Pero Track Listing:

1. What You Don’t Know
2. The Kids Are Back
3. Stay Hungry
4. The Beast
5. Shoot ‘Em Down
6. You Can’t Stop Rock ‘N’ Roll
7. I Believe In Rock ‘N’ Roll
8. Under The Blade
9. I Am (I’m Me)
10. We’re Not Gonna Take It
11. The Fire Still Burns
12. The Price
13. Burn In Hell
14. A.J. Pero Tribute
15. I Wanna Rock
16. Come Out and Play
17. S.M.F.

source: Classic Rock Magazine via teamrock.com/news

GUNS N’ ROSES BRING DOWN THE HOUSE AT THEIR HISTORIC “NOT IN THIS LIFETIME TOUR” KICKS OFF IN DETROIT

Guns N’ Roses took more than 40,000 fans to Paradise City last night as the legendary band rocked Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan during their 2.5 hour show that kicked off their historic Not In This Lifetime Tour.

Following a blistering rock performance from the acclaimed Alice In Chains, Guns N’ Roses took the stage to perform two dozen songs spanning their multi-platinum selling career including Welcome to the Jungle, Chinese Democracy and Civil War. A full set list is below.

The tour continues on Sunday, June 26th in Washington, DC at FedexField and then move on to another 19 cities throughout North America. Alice In Chains will also perform on the tour on shows scheduled from June 26yj thru July 3rd while Lenny Kravitz will join the line-up from July 19th thru July 24th. Grammy Award®-winner Chris Stapleton will join the tour for the Nashville show on Saturday, July 9th, acclaimed Canadian rock band, Billy Talent, will perform in Toronto on Saturday, July 16th, The Cult, one of the most influential and controversial rock bands of the late 20th century will join the tour on July 27th (Atlanta), 29th (Orlando) & 31st (New Orleans) and Tuesday, August 3rd in Dallas while multiple-Grammy Award winner, Skrillex, is set to join the tour on August 5th in Houston. Demand for tickets to the Not In This Lifetime Tour continue at an unprecedented pace as additional shows were recently announced including Chicago (July 3rd), Boston (July 20th), New York City (July 24th) and two brand new dates in Los Angeles (August 18th & 19th). A full list of tour dates is below.

Set list:

It’s So Easy
Mr. Brownstone
Chinese Democracy
Welcome to the Jungle
Double Talkin’ Jive
Estranged
Live and Let Die (Wings)
Rocket Queen
You Could Be Mine
You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory (Johnny Thunders)
Raw Power (Iggy and The Stooges)
This I Love
Civil War
Coma
Band intros into Slash solo – Speak Softly Love (Love Theme from the Godfather/Andy Williams)
Sweet Child O’ Mine
Better
Out Ta Get Me
Jam (Wish You Were Here/Pink Floyd)
November Rain
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan)
Nightrain

Encore:

Don’t Cry
The Seeker (The Who)
Paradise City

Guns N’ Roses Not In This Lifetime Tour
All dates, cities and venues below subject to change.

June:

23 Detroit, MI Ford Field (with Alice In Chains)
26 Washington, DC FEDEXFIELD (with Alice In Chains)
29 Kansas City, MO Arrowhead Stadium (with Alice In Chains)

July:

1 Chicago, IL Soldier Field (with Alice In Chains)
3 Chicago, IL Soldier Field (with Alice In Chains)
6 Cincinnati, OH Paul Brown Stadium
9 Nashville, TN Nissan Stadium (with Chris Stapleton)
12 Pittsburgh, PA Heinz Field
14 Philadelphia, PA Lincoln Financial Field
16 Toronto, ON Rogers Centre (with Billy Talent)
19 Foxboro, MA Gillette Stadium (with Lenny Kravitz)
20 Foxboro, MA Gillette Stadium (with Lenny Kravitz)
23 East Rutherford, NJ MetLife Stadium (with Lenny Kravitz)
24 East Rutherford, NJ MetLife Stadium (with Lenny Kravitz)
27 Atlanta, GA Georgia Dome (with The Cult)
29 Orlando, FL Camping World Stadium (with The Cult)
31 New Orleans, LA Mercedes-Benz Superdome (with The Cult)

August:

3 Arlington, TX AT&T Stadium (with The Cult)
5 Houston, TX NRG Stadium (with Skrillex)
9 San Francisco, CA AT&T Park
12 Seattle, WA CenturyLink Field
15 Glendale, AZ University of Phoenix Stadium
18 Los Angeles, CA Dodger Stadium
19 Los Angeles, CA Dodger Stadium
22 San Diego, CA Qualcomm Stadium