Riot V, the band featuring the remaining members of the band Riot, released their debut album, Unleash The Fire, in October 2014 via SPV/Steamhammer. The band has released a video for the song, Bring The Hammer Down, from the album, and which can be viewed below.
Unleash The Fire is the band’s first release from without founding guitarist Mark Reale, who passed away in early 2012.
Michael Christopher of Vanyaland spoke with Sebastian Bach. Portions of the interview appear below.
Michael Christopher: When you started writing this book [18 and Life on Skid Row], what did you want to do to make yours different from all the other rock star memoirs out there?
Sebastian Bach: I wasn’t necessarily out to make it different,I just wanted to make it good, and I wanted it to be a book that you could read and think it was a good, well-written book, regardless of whether you’re a Skid Row fan or not. A lot of the reviews start off saying exactly that. It’s a good book. And maybe I haven’t said this in an interview yet, but taking calls and talking about my second book [laughs]. It’s amazing [laughs].
Michael Christopher: What was it like revisiting a lot of those stories; what sort of memories did it bring up?
Sebastian Bach: Well, it made me change my setlist. Writing about all these times made think about the records that came out; most notably the first Skid Row record. I’m always out on tour, so I was thinking about them songs and I’ve added songs into the set that I haven’t done in years like Sweet Little Sister and Rattlesnake Shake and Quicksand Jesus, Breakin’ Down. Writing about those albums and tours made me reminisce for those songs.
Michael Christopher: I’ve interviewed people that I’m a huge fan of, and sometimes — and it’s extremely rare — they pull an attitude or act like a dick, I mean, maybe they are having a bad day, but it taints my opinion of them a little bit. You talk in the book about how bummed you were that Paul Stanley didn’t stick around when he came to see Jekyll & Hyde and in fact left mid-performance. Did that do anything to dim your love of KISS?
Sebastian Bach: No… I won’t let anyone take my love of KISS away from me, not even — anybody — at all [laughs]. I flipped a switch in my head when I was a little kid… I love that, it’s my favorite kind of thing, I collect it. I was just sad because I’m the biggest fan and I just wanted to tell him how much I respected him and looked up to him and all that. But I really think this book, at the end of the day, one of the things about it, it’s like a love letter to KISS. I was really inspired when I saw the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Tom Morello’s speech where he inducted KISS and the way that speech hit me, I was like, electrified and in tears like when I was a kid because he really captured the excitement of that feeling. I said, “Oh my God… I have got to f–king write down and put into words my side of that,” because I was a freak [laughs]. And I know I did, because every time I read that, it’s always emotional and very hard for me to read — there’s a bunch of parts of the book that are like that — that’s how I knew I was done the book.
Michael Christopher: Have you gotten any negative blow-back from people; I mean, that Ted Nugent section is just brutal. It’s honest — but it’s brutal.
Sebastian Bach: Well, Ted can say whatever he wants in life; he has no filter on what he says. He’s not the only one like that — I could say what I want to say. The only blow-back I’ve gotten is from Eddie Trunk [laughs].
Michael Christopher: Is it because you didn’t mention him by name? [Trunk is referred to as “the DJ” while the story is told of how Bach got Axl Rose on the air for what became a legendary radio interview in 2006.]
Sebastian Bach: I actually did mention him by name in a version that somehow didn’t get in the final version…
Michael Christopher: This book’s release has been really high profile, and of course it’s got people talking about the topic of a Skid Row reunion. My question about that, which I haven’t seen asked, is, obviously there is some resentment or anger from certain members preventing it from happening. Would it matter to you if the reunion did happen, but it wasn’t based out of burying the hatchet, but because various managers were able to work it out? I mean, the fans win either way, but personally, would you rather you be on great terms rather than five separate dressing rooms?
Sebastian Bach: I can’t answer that. All I can say is in recent days, when I said before that the managers [of Bach and Skid Row] “are talking,” I have to say now that the managers “were talking” [laughs]. I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Wah, wah, wah, wah, wah. It’s kind of actually… I don’t know really why, but it’s taken a turn in the other direction, unfortunately. You can bust the bad news to everybody. I’m really so busy, that it’s beyond comprehension. I would love to do that, but if it doesn’t happen, I’ve got a lot of other things on my plate to tackle. So whatever happens, happens, but it’s not even up to me whatsoever at all — it has nothing to do with me — it’s just me [laughs].
Michael Christopher: There’s already talk about a second book. Now, some things in the book were left out, for instance you being considered as a replacement singer for both Mötley Crüe and Van Halen. And I know it’s way too early to have even thought about it, but do you think there’s a second book in you?
Sebastian Bach: I know for a fact there’s a second book in me. I could’ve kept going on this one, I could’ve made this one longer, but they cut me off because it’s already pretty f–king long [laughs]. I like to write — I really like it, and I enjoy it. I enjoy making stuff, but the next thing I make will be a record, a vinyl record.That’s the next thing that I’m gonna make. But after that, yes, I’ll do a book, because they want me to and I enjoy it.
Michael Christopher: You just mentioned, and you’ve said this in a bunch of interviews, how you are a fan of rock and roll biographies and memoirs. Is there anyone out there who you’re waiting to put one out?
Sebastian Bach: Yeah, Eddie Van Halen would be good. I would love to read that. I would like to read Eddie Van Halen’s book as much as I would like to see the new [former W.A.S.P. guitarist] Chris Holmes reality show [laughs]; that sounds like a good show to me. To go with his new record Shitting Bricks — that’s a good title [laughs]. That was the title when I saw it on the internet that caught my eye. His record’s called Shitting Bricks? I said, “Damn, I got my work cut out for me, topping that one.” I like that, very catchy [laughs].
Read more at Vanyaland.
18 and Life on Skid Row by Sebastian Bach is out now and can be purchased at Amazon.
source: vanyaland.com
Andy Greene of Rolling Stone reports:
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has officially announced next year’s inductees: Pearl Jam, Tupac Shakur, Journey, Yes, Electric Light Orchestra and Joan Baez will all join the class of 2017. Chic’s Nile Rodgers will be given the Award For Musical Excellence.
The induction ceremony will be held at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on April 7th, 2017. An edited version will later air on HBO and there will be a radio broadcast on SiriusXM. Ticket details will be announced in January…
…Progressive rock giants Yes are entering on their third ballot, 26 years after first becoming eligible. “It’s a bit like waiting for a train,” says guitarist Steve Howe. “Maybe it’s on time and you just noticed waiting. I don’t regret the wait. I just feel this must be the right time.”
Journey didn’t appear on a ballot until this year. “I kind of feel like we were already in with our fans and the amount of records we’ve sold all over the world,” says guitarist Neal Schon. “I wasn’t expecting anything at all. I’ve learned to be that way. If you don’t expect something and it comes, then its good news. I’m honored. I think we’re all honored…”
…The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is also known for providing an occasion for band members to reunite. This year’s class has two potential reunions on the horizon with Journey and Yes. Journey haven’t performed in public with singer Steve Perry since a Bill Graham tribute show in 1991. Schon hopes Perry will take the stage with the band on the big night. “I would be surprised if it didn’t happen,” he says. “But I’ll deal with it whichever way … I’m going to try and reach out [to Perry], as I’ve done many times. And [our current singer] Arnel [Pineda] is so gracious. He says, ‘Any time he wants to come on and do anything, I’ll very gladly step aside and let him sing.'”
Perry’s manager said the singer would not be available for interviews, but he did release a very short statement on his behalf: “I’m truly grateful that Journey is being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.” Whether or not he’s grateful enough to get onstage with Journey remains unclear.
A Yes reunion is a safer bet. The current lineup of the band hasn’t performed with original singer Jon Anderson and keyboardist Rick Wakeman since 2004, but guitarist Steve Howe isn’t opposed to the idea of playing with them on Hall of Fame night. “It just depends on how it feels and what the communication is and what the spirit is,” he says. “It’s gotta be discussed and gotta be considered. Obviously it’s a consideration…”
…Most induction ceremonies end with a huge all-star jam. Steve Howe is open to the idea of having it be Roundabout this time. ” It could be a little bit chaotic,” he says. “It really deceives you into thinking it’s in 4/4 because it’s easy on the ear, but of course it isn’t and there’s a little trick in there that catches many musicians up.”
Trevor Rabin, the Yes guitarist who replaced Howe in the 1980s, has his own idea: “Playing ‘Helter Skelter’ with Neal Schon would be a lot of fun.”
Read more at Rolling Stone.
source: rollingstone.com
TMZ reports:
Metallica made a deli dude’s day when they rolled by his counter blaring their classic, Enter Sandman … and he didn’t hesitate to take lead vocals.
All of the metal legends — James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo — were in a Hollywood Gelson’s supermarket Thursday with Billy Eichner from Billy on the Street … and we were lucky enough to happen upon the live action. Heads were banging for sure, mostly behind the deli counter.
Think Carpool Karoake — with a 1/2 pound of shaved turkey. To go. Watch the video below.
British metal legends Judas Priest announce the reissue of their 10th studio album, Turbo.
The album has been remastered and will be released via Sony Music on February 3rd, 2017 on 3 CD (the original album and two bonus discs) as well as 1LP 150g vinyl.
Originally released in 1986, Turbo features all the hallmarks of classic Priest on tracks such as Turbo Lover, Parental Guidance and Locked In. Included on disc 2 and 3 of the CD reissue is, previously unreleased, Live in Kansas City, a live recording from the band’s 1986 Fuel For Life tour in support of Turbo.
The band add “The 80’s is considered to have been the best decade for heavy metal – Judas Priest roared through it and at the half way point went into unchartered territory with Turbo. Always believing that metal should have no boundaries, Priest challenged themselves taking on board new technical inventions to create fresh ideas and push their sound forward. The combined songs show another side of Priest’s range of creativity that captures a theme and energy infused with the over the top sensibilities of that era. The Fuel For Life tour certainly encapsulated the decadence of the times! Turbo remastered and accompanied by a pedal to the metal live recording from Kansas reveals Priest on high octane – raising fists and devil horns to the next level.”
Track listing:
Disc One – Turbo: Remastered
Turbo Lover
Locked In
Private Property
Parental Guidance
Rock You All Around The World
Out In The Cold
Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days
Hot For Love
Reckless
Disc Two – Live At The Kemper Arena, Kansas City:
Out In the Cold
Locked In
Heading Out To The Highway
Metal Gods
Breaking The Law
Love Bites
Some Heads Are Gonna Roll
The Sentinel
Private Property
Desert Plains
Rock You All Around The World
Disc Three- Live At The Kemper Arena, Kansas City:
The Hellion
Electric Eye
Turbo Lover
Freewheel Burning
Victim Of Changes
The Green Manalishi (With The Two -Pronged Crown)
Living After Midnight
You’ve Got Another Thing Coming
Hell Bent For Leather
To purchase, please click here.
Judas Priest online:
Official Website
Facebook
Twitter
Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine was a guest on Eddie’s Sirius/XM show, Trunk Nation, on 12/14. The singer discussed the possibility of other Big Four (the tour featuring Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax) tour dates.
Mustaine said (courtesy of blabbermouth.net), “If the conditions were right, I think it would be great. I think that when it’s just the four of us, I think it’s great. If you do the Big Four and you’ve got four or five other sh—y little opening bands, that takes away the phenomenon that is the Big Four. We should all have relatively similar set times, we should all have relatively similar staging and really allow the four of us to be presented as equals and see where the chips lie. Instead of you’ve got three openers and another band, or you’ve got ten openers and another band.”
He continued, “It needs to be just about the four of us. And I think it would be really great if all four of us kind of had an even shot at how we were gonna perform in front of the audience. I think that when we did some of these other festivals and there were so many other different bands, it just messes things up. There were a couple of times where we weren’t even all on the same stage. And I’m not stupid — when you’re at a festival and one headlining band ends, there’s no way you get from one field, when you’re paying attention and enjoying the band, to another field on the side of the site before the first note starts up of the next band. Unless there’s a set time where they don’t do that, they don’t start ’em, but they never do that; they start right away. So you miss something by doing that. And I don’t think it’s fair. I think if it’s gonna be the Big Four, it should be just the four of us, and everyone is, like, right there and they get to see everything.”
The Big Four played together for the first time in history on June 16th, 2010 in front of 81,000 fans at the Sonisphere festival at Bemowo Airport in Warsaw, Poland.
