AC/DC will perform during next month’s Grammys ceremony scheduled for February 8th, it’s been confirmed.
Described as “music’s biggest night,” the 57th Grammy Awards ceremony takes place at LA’s Staples Centre and it’ll be broadcast live on US network CBS. The show also features Madonna, Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande and Eric Church.
It’ll be AC/DC’s first live appearance since Malcolm Young was forced to retire as a result of his dementia, to be replaced by nephew Stevie Young. It’s also been revealed that the mainman was treated for lung cancer before he left the band.
But it’s still not known who will be playing drums, since Phil Rudd faces continued legal troubles after being accused of threatening to kill. Despite facing seven years in jail if found guilty, Rudd said last month: “I’m going back to work with AC/DC – and I don’t care who likes it and who doesn’t.”
AC/DC released 17th album Rock Or Bust on December 1st. Vocalist Brian Johnson later admitted he’d been concerned over his ability to perform in the studio, saying, “I went with my fingers crossed and my eyes shut into the singing booth.”
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members Steve Fossen and Mike Derosier are proving that they still have a lot of love left to give to the music world as they announce plans for their latest project – Heart By Heart.
Driven to recreate the songs of Heart, while bringing the essence and purity of the group back to the stage, Heart By Heart was created to offer fans the unique experience that only those who were actually in the original band could offer.
“We don’t consider ourselves a ‘tribute band’ but rather the second incarnation of Heart”, explained Fossen. “With Mike and me at the helm, we can, once again, help bring out those musical nuances and ignite the energy within our own band that made Heart one of the most beloved rock groups of our time.”
To achieve this level of musicianship, Fossen and Derosier surrounded themselves with the best in the industry. Finding the lead vocalist was the easiest as Fossen and Somar Macek had been performing as a duo for years, often times naturally weaving their way into a Heart song as if being guided by a larger force. It was during their duo days, in fact, that Fossen actually started thinking about putting Heart By Heart together. The name would later come from Macek who said it signified their true feelings for one another.
Randy Hansen, who collaborated with Francis Ford Coppola on Apocalypse Now and ultimately helped him win the Academy Award® for Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture, was next to join the band, rounding out the band’s rhythm section on guitar. The group kept rehearsing and eventually asked famous radio personality Bob Rivers, who has earned several Gold records, to lend his skills on the keys for songs like Alone and Magic Man.
But it wasn’t until the group was performing at a local show that they finally found what they were missing – Lizzy Daymont on guitar and vocals.
“We were amazed at how well Lizzy knew the songs and one week later she joined us on stage. In fact, when I heard Somar and Lizzy harmonize for the first time I had to hide my face because I started to cry,” said Fossen.
With the lineup complete, Heart By Heart’s mission was simple – to create music that was authentic, passionate, and true to Heart’s artistic integrity. After all, Fossen and Derosier, who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 as members of Heart, would never do the music any injustice.
“When I first discovered Heart By Heart, I thought they were just a Heart tribute band – a really, really great Heart tribute band. I was excited to meet two rock legends – Steve and Mike – and to hear the band in person. What I wasn¹t prepared for was how amazing this band sounded,” said Tom Moon, of Starleigh Entertainment. “It wasn¹t that they were just amazing players and singers, they were, but what astounded me most was the authenticity with which they played the material. Heart By Heart is way beyond a tribute band, their performance is a real and impactful musical experience, once you hear what they do, you cannot help but be won over.”
With the lineup complete and the band’s mission in sight, they have plans for an upcoming tour.
For more information about Heart By Heart, visit Heartbyheart.com.
Award-winning, legendary guitarist Michael Schenker releases a new studio album entitled Spirit On A Mission. Released by in-akustik, the album of all-new material features Schenker’s Temple of Rock band – ex-Scorpions Herman Rarebell (drums) and Francis Buchholz (bass), ex-Rainbow’s Doogie White (vocals) and Wayne Findlay (guitar, keyboards) and is due for release on in the U.K. on March 23rd.
The new album features twelve classic rock guitar-driven songs that highlight Schenker’s distinctive and dynamic guitar playing, valiantly underpinned by the ferocious rhythm section of Rarebell and Buchholz, the same rhythm section that originally performed together on the Scorpions’ 1979 album Lovedrive.
Michael remembers how he came up with the name of the new album, “A while ago I was asked how I wanted to be remembered, and I said ‘as a spirit on a mission, spreading the joy of music from a place of pure self expression.’”
Scottish vocalist Doogie White, who co-wrote the album with Schenker, soars across every song, and stamps his personality with every note and phrase, while Wayne Findlay adds a new level to Schenker’s classic sound with his Dean 7-string guitar and keyboard arrangements.
Spirit On A Mission is a rapturous, explosive collection of brand new songs steeped in shades of dark and light. Musically and lyrically, the new album shows a re-energized guitarist at the top of his game, surrounded by some of the best musicians in rock.
The new album was recorded at Kidroom Studios, Muenster, Germany; the same studio where 2013’s Bridge The Gap album was recorded. The album was produced by Michael Voss and Michael Schenker, and engineered by Voss.
“After the Bridge The Gap Japan Tour in March 2014, I started to put new material together for what was to become the Spirit On A Mission album,” says Schenker. I went to the recording studio in June 2014 to put down the song arrangements and we finished recording in November.”
During the recording of the new album, the original recordings and guitars were stolen from the recording studio. Did this impact on the recording process of the new album?
“Yes we got robbed (some guitars and some music) and got very upset about it,” recalls Schenker. “Fortunately it was just performances and not compositions. We caught up and performed the music better than before. It forced us to work extra hard and longer but it made it stronger.”
For Schenker, the songwriting and recording process for Spirit On A Mission was very different from the 2012’s Bridge The Gap album.
Says Schenker, “I already knew ahead of time that I wanted to take Spirit On A Mission to the next level by adding more 7-string guitar on some songs to get more of the low heavy sound, and on other songs to keep it very fast and energetic with melodic vocals and a couple of mid tempo’s with more of my writing like in my UFO days.”
“Doogie did an amazing job with his melodies and singing,” adds Schenker. “Even though we had our instruments, music and equipment stolen from the recording studio, we had to re-record a lot of his vocals again, but when we did it the second time around, it got even better.”
“I asked Wayne to come up with a few cool guitar riffs on his 7 string. I added my parts to it and the outcome was very unique. Again, with the addition of Doogie’s vocals, we entered a whole new place that was an extreme pleasurable experience.”
The writing process and overall concept for Spirit On A Mission proved to be a fulfilling experience for Schenker and his band.
Says Schenker, “I always write in the same way but this time, especially driven by a precise concept. The picture was album balance for me and combine many years of emotions in one. I wanted lots of double bass drum to keep the fast songs rolling like a train with lots of energy covered with interesting elements, a couple of my UFO days-type of mid tempos and the 7 string low sound to get a very wide range of sounds and emotions.”
Michael’s Temple of Rock shared ideas and collaborated in a bigger way on the new album.
“All songs were co-written by Doogie and myself,” recalls Schenker. “Wayne co-wrote five songs. I originally wanted to write the album as a group effort, but I had this concept that needed to be focused on differently. However, Herman and Francis did very well by adding there amazing Rock You Like A Hurricane rhythm section parts that gave it all it needed.
The new album also sees guitarist and keyboard player, Wayne Findlay, takes on a bigger role.
“Wayne has been with me (MSG) since 1999,” says Schenker. “In 2004, I met Dean Guitars and they built me a 7 string. I played it for a while but thought it was too much of a sidetrack from what I was doing.”
“I always liked that low sound and asked Wayne to look into developing it on the 7 string. A couple of years ago we started to use a bit of Wayne’s 7 string guitar on Bridge The Gap as a slow introduction. Wayne looks like a Neptune (Ocean God) and he loves the ocean. I saw this as an opportunity to have Dean build him a Trident Guitar in order to make his character complete. I wrote a little piece about Wayne called Neptune Rising on the Bridge The Gap album and now on Spirit On A Mission Wayne was ready to co-write five songs, and has now become an essential part of Temple Of Rock.”
“Coincidentally,” says Schenker, “former Scorpions members Herman Rarebell and Francis Buchholz and myself were out of the loop of rock n’roll around the same time, but for different reasons. When we recorded 2013’s Bridge The Gap album, we had not played together since the Scorpions’ Lovedrive album (1979). Spirit On A Mission is the second Temple of Rock album to feature the former Scorpions rhythm section.
Former Rainbow singer Doogie White is described by Schenker as an “extremely creative individual with a fantastic range and a voice that never stops.”
“How many people do you know that can sing nine shows in a row, without a day off and still have a voice with a range like his?, says Schenker. “He’s a real trooper.”
What are Schenker’s favorite songs from Spirit On A Mission, and why?
Says Michael, “I love Live and Let Live because it has everything. I love Vigilante Man because it’s heavy and melodic with a great tempo and sound. Something Of The Night turned out to be a fantastic outcome especially with that spooky Howler sound I developed awhile ago. Savior Machine is an epic. Rock City, Bullet Proof, Restless Heart – I love the fast melodic stuff, and the other 7 string songs with a touch of ’70s rock.”
What are Schenker’s overall plans to promote the new album? Does he plan on touring the album by relentless touring and playing summer festivals?
“Promotion is definitely the next step,” says Schenker. “Wherever we are needed around the world, we will be there to promote Spirit On A Mission. I want to make Temple Of Rock its own entity. Right now it is still using the Michael Schenker platform but eventually I want it to stand on its own feet as ‘Temple Of Rock’.
Spirit On A Mission track listing:
1. Live And Let Live
2. Communion
3. Vigilante Man
4. Rock City
5. Savior Machine
6. Something Of The Night
7. All Our Yesterdays
8. Bulletproof
9. Let The Devil Scream
10. Good Times
11. Restless Heart
12. Wicked*
Bonus Track on Deluxe Edition + Vinyl Edition: Searching For Freedom (Instrumental)
Motor Sister is comprised of a veritable super group; a team of musicians whose collective musical pedigrees speak for themselves.
Mother Superior founder, guitarist, and vocalist Jim Wilson fronts the band, with Anthrax’s Scott Ian on guitar, Pearl Aday on backing vocals, Joey Vera on bass, and John Tempesta on drums. The group was originally assembled to jam for Scott Ian’s fiftieth birthday party. Thanks to Scott’s wife Pearl Aday, who has been working on her solo career with Mother Superior front man Jim Wilson for years, all it took was a quick phone call and the stage was literally set for Scott’s dream gig. “I wanted to cherry-pick a set list of my favorite Mother Superior songs and get these guys together and have the concert at my house,” Ian says of the event that eventually led to an album.
Enthralled at the idea of making a record of his favorite Mother Superior songs, Ian emailed producer Jay Ruston (Anthrax, Steel Panther) and asked if he thought it was possible to recapture the same spontaneous energy Motor Sister generated at their makeshift gig, and if an album could be recorded quickly. “He said, ‘Yeah, we can make the record in two days and we can make it sound really good.’ So that’s what we did,” Ian says. “A week and a half later, we made the record in LA over a two day period. We recorded the whole thing live in the studio and the set-up was at my house.”
“[Mother Superior] frontman Jim [Wilson] was totally into the idea. Pearl was a huge Mother Superior fan from way back and was in. I asked my good friends Joey Vera (Fates Warning/Armored Saint) and John Tempesta (White Zombie, The Cult) to be a part of it because I knew they were both big fans as well and with no hesitation they said, ‘We’re in.'”
Wilson, too, was stoked by the opportunity to dust off some songs he hadn’t played since his LA rock trio broke up in the early 2000’s after releasing eight albums and playing as Henry Rollins’ backing band. “I definitely didn’t need any arm-twisting,” he says. “I was totally flattered and thought it was a great idea. I figured it would be fun and it was a great opportunity for a new chapter to be established in order to move forward.”
The recordings from those two days are what became to be known as Motor Sister’s Ride. Today, the first single from those sessions, This Song Reminds Me of You, is available for to stream here. Watch a featurette video on the formation of the band and the process behind the record below.
Ride will be released March 10th in North America on Metal Blade Records. Pre-orders for the album are available now at metalblade.com/motorsister/.
In support of the project Motor Sister have scheduled a special show on February 12th in Brooklyn, NY at Saint Vitus. Tickets for the show can be purchased here.
Ride Track Listing:
1. A Hole
2. This Song Reminds Me of You
3. Beg Borrow Steal
4. Fool Around
5. Get That Girl
6. Head Hanging Low
7. Fork in the Road
8. Little Motor Sister
9. Pretty in the Morning
10. Whore
11. Doghouse
12. Devil Wind
Steven Adler, one of the most acclaimed and notorious drummers in rock history celebrates two important milestones – 30 years behind the drums and 50 years of life. As the founding drummer for Guns N’ Roses, Adler is responsible for some of the most celebrated beats in hard rock history.
Utilizing the very rhythms that made him a legend, he’ll unveil a collection of fine art “built” from the new medium of “Rhythm-On-Canvas.” Debuting on February 6th, those interested in learning more about the collection are encouraged to join the interest list at www.stevenadlerart.com.
A project that has quietly been created over the last year in Los Angeles, Adler has been working exclusively with art team and publisher SceneFour on the collection titled “50.”
SceneFour is the team responsible for the “Rhythm-On-Canvas” medium, having released blockbuster art collections over the last five years with a highly select group of drumming legends including Bill Ward (Black Sabbath) , Rick Allen (Def Leppard), Mickey Hart (Grateful Dead), Jose Pasillas (Incubus), and Dave Lombardo (Slayer).
The process of creating artwork from rhythm is an extensive one that begins with the drummer utilizing a bevy of drumsticks that light in a variety of ways similar to that of a painter utilizing brushes with different colors. In the creation process, the drummer is crafting rhythms that translate visually to abstract imagery before they are brought into the SceneFour studio, manipulated meticulously, and laid to canvas. For Adler’s visual work, SceneFour Co-Founder Ravi Dosaj states, “Steven’s rhythms visually look like the way he sounds…dark, gritty, and they even swing. Inside his abstract work, there are elements that seem to connect to his life.”
Steven and his critically acclaimed new band “Adler” are currently in the studio recording new material as well as confirming 2015 tour dates for both the US and overseas.
AC/DC will perform during next month’s Grammys ceremony scheduled for February 8th, it’s been confirmed.
