THE SCORPIONS ANNOUNCE MIKKEY DEE AS THEIR NEW DRUMMER

The Scorpions have announced that former Motorhead drummer, Mikkey Dee, will be their new full time drummer. Dee has been filling in for Scorpions percussionist, James Kotak, who was dealing with addiction issues.

Kottak had stepped aside to deal with an alcohol-abuse problem after spending eight months in jail in the United Arab Emirates over an incident at a Dubai airport. Swedish drummer Johan Franzon initially filled in for Kottak before Dee was invited to sit in. Kottak had been a member of the band since 1996.

“We would like to thank James for so many years of lasting participation in the band and personal friendship,” Scorpions said in an official statement. “We understand and respect his need for time as he makes his way through the final stages of his healing process. After our incredibly successful shows in the U.S., Europe and Asia, we are sure to have found a fantastic drummer with Mikkey Dee. He brings a fresh energy to the band, and we look forward to the exciting time together that lies ahead.

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GUITARIST NUNO BETTERNCOURT SAYS EXTREME HAS 17 SONGS WRITTEN FOR THEIR NEXT RECORD

Extreme have confirmed they’ve written “about 17 songs” for their upcoming album.

They band reported in July that work on the follow-up to 2008’s Saudades De Rock had begun. Now guitarist Nuno Bettencourt says the material is beginning to take shape.

He tells Gearphoria, “We’re about 17 songs into it. We’re just wrapping them up. We’ve got to do vocals and some guitar – slowly but surely.

We’re going to release it early next year – whether that’s February or early spring. This thing is coming out, even if I’ve got to leak this f–king thing.”

Bettencourt adds, “I’m trying to incorporate this [signature guitar] N7 that I have — the seven-string. I struggle enough with six strings, but I’m trying to get some different sounds going. In a way, I’m also trying to go back a bit, simplify stuff. I’m not trying to do an album of the past, but I want it to be rock and roll, you know? I think that is what we need more than anything is to get some raw rock and roll out there.”

When asked how he feels about their 1990 single, More Than Words, that went on to become a global hit, he says, “I’ve always had a pretty good relationship with that song. People ask me all the time if I’m sick of it, is it a curse? I tell them, ‘We put it out, it’s a hit and it turned new fans on to the Pornograffiti album.’

“…I’m proud of it – there was no evil ballad plan. We wrote as comfortable and relaxed as any other song. I’ll take any song that connects with that many people. I’ll write as many as I can – whether it’s ballads or rock tracks.”

Loud And Proud Records will release an Extreme package titled Pornograffitti Live 25/Metal Meltdown on September 23rd. It’ll arrive on DVD, Blu-ray and audio CD and was recorded at the band’s show at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Casino on May 30, 2015, where they performed the record in full. It’s available for pre-order from Amazon.

Extreme have a handful of live dates in the Far East planned over the coming weeks.

Pornograffitti Live 25/Metal Meltdown track list:

1. Decadence Dance
2. Li’l Jack Horny
3. When I’m President
4. Get the Funk Out
5. More Than Words
6. Money (In God We Trust)
7. It’s (a Monster)
8. Pornograffitti
9. When I First Kissed You
10. Suzi (Wants Her All Day What?)
11. Flight of the Wounded Bumble Bee
12. He-Man Woman Hater
13. Song For Love
14. Hole Hearted
15. Play With Me (DVD, Blu-ray only)
16. Cupid’s Dead (DVD, Blu-ray only)

extremelive25porno500

additional source: Classic Rock via teamrock.com

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GUITARIST RICHIE SAMBORA ON THE POSSIBILITY OF RETURNING TO BON JOVI, “NEVER SAY NEVER”

Former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora won’t rule out a return to the band in the future – but he says he has something to prove first.

He’s gearing up for the release of his album with girlfriend Orianthi under their RSO banner, which he hopes will demonstrate that there’s more to both artists than the public currently believe.

Sambora tells News.com.au, “There’s not a lot of male/female duos going on in the world right now – especially two guitar players like us two. First of all the world doesn’t know how good Ori sings and writes. The world knows how amazing a guitarist she is, but she’s more amazing than people think.

“Then on the other hand you’ve got me. I’m just Jon Bon Jovi’s sideman for most people. That’s what they know me as…Together, I think we’ve reached something that is a new sound.”

…Sambora left Bon Jovi under a cloud in 2013, to be replaced by Phil X – but he says it’s all water under the bridge now. “We just talked a week ago. Everything is cool,” he reports. “They’re on a different trajectory, I’m on a different path. Plus I wanted to go out and sing.”

When asked about a reunion he replies, “Never say never. There’s no malice. You spend 30-something years in a band, that’s a long time. Not a lot of bands had that kind of longevity. We weren’t a band who took any breaks.

The Rolling Stones or U2 will take three years off so they have a life – we didn’t really do that ever. The 30 years we put in probably felt like 50 years.”

additional source: Classic Rock via teamrock.com

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GUITARIST RITCHIE BLACKMORE SAYS HE THINKS HIS FORMER BAND, DEEP PURPLE, SHOULD “TAKE A REST”

Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore was interviewed by Dutch radio station, Radio Veronica, back in July 2016.

Blackmore was asked what he thinks about his former band, Deep Purple, still touring and making albums, more than twenty years after he left the group.

He replied, “I don’t really have much say in it. I left them twenty years ago. But I think, personally, they’re milking it a bit too much. And I hear that from a lot of people — that they just keep going. If I was them, I would give it a five-year rest or something. Some of them are not very happy at home, so they like to be on the road. For me, they’re doing their thing, which is… What I told them at the time when I left, I said, ‘Just get another guitar player. It’s no big deal.’ So they do their thing.”

He continued, “I think they kind of work too hard. And I blame their agent. I know their agent, and I think he’s a bit of a whip. They’ll work in North India, then be in Australia, then South America, and, of course, now it’s showing — a couple of them are starting to become very sick. Ian [Gillan], the singer, he gets sick very often, so I really think they should take a rest, but that’s up to them.”

Blackmore added, “I remember [late keyboardist] Jon Lord saying, when he was in the band, ‘I don’t know if this band will ever know when to stop.’ I thought that was quite funny.”

Listen to the interview below.

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ORIGINAL Y&T DRUMMER, LEONARD HAZE, PASSES AWAY AT 61

Leonard Haze, original drummer for legendary Bay Area rock band Y&T, passed away Sunday evening, September 11th, 2016, at his home in Hayward. He was 61 years old.

Haze had been battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for several years, making breathing difficult. Even so, he had fought to keep playing drums, performing regularly with his band, HazeXperience, and joining Y&T on-stage at the Fillmore in San Francisco in both 2015 and 2016. HazeXperience was scheduled to open for Y&T at the Mystic Theatre in Petaluma November 18th and 19th, and had been in the midst of recording an EP of new material.

“Leonard was not only a bandmate, but a close friend, sharing not just a passion for music, but also our appreciation for fast cars and cool RC planes,” said HazeXperience guitarist Jim Bradley. “Leonard was taken from us way too soon.”

“Leonard was a good friend, a great drummer, and a true ambassador for the world of rock ‘n’ roll,” said Jeffrey Winslow, lead singer for HazeXperience. “I’m shocked that he’s gone, but thankful I got to know him while he was here.”

Haze was a founding member and one of the principal songwriters for the Bay Area hard rock band Yesterday & Today, later known as Y&T. He co-wrote some of their biggest hits, including Hurricane, Black Tiger, Mean Streak, Rescue Me, Dirty Girl, Forever, and MTV staple Summertime Girls.

It was Haze’s bass drum prowess that made his powerful drumming style legendary and, thanks to it, Y&T quickly developed the reputation as a must-see live band and musical powerhouse, headlining shows with opening acts such as Van Halen, Mötley Crüe, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and many others. Y&T’s hard-driving style helped them land worldwide tours alongside such acts as AC/DC, Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, and Rush, which resulted in the development of a strong following throughout Europe.

In the early Nineties, Haze played drums on Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan’s solo album, Toolbox. Gillan subsequently asked him to join the band, and Haze was part of one of the first rock bands ever to not only perform, but tour, behind the “Iron Curtain,” traversing the Soviet Union during the cold war. After that tour, Haze became a permanent member of the Ian Gillan Band, continuing with a two-year world tour and performing in 71 countries.

In 2002, Haze reunited with Y&T and went back on tour with them throughout the United States until they parted ways in 2006.

Haze’s final performance took place August 20th with HazeXperience at the Quarter Note in Sunnyvale.

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SINGER GEOFF TATE SAYS HE WILL RELEASE ANOTHER TWO RECORDS IN FIVE YEARS

Ruben Mosqueda of Metal Titans spoke with Geoff Tate about his band Operation: Mindcrime’s second album, Resurrection, due September 23rd. Portions of the interview appear below.

MetalTitans: You have a new album ‘Resurrection’ which is the second installment of the trilogy. ‘The Key’ left ended with a cliffhanger.

Geoff Tate: Yeah, it continues the storyline on this record you see the lead character regrouping and gathering all his energy after being left for dead. He’s at a crossroads where he can either give in to the people who took advantage of him or get back on his horse and ride. That’s essentially what Resurrection is about. It’s an interesting record as there are a number of musical variances. There a number of musical trips on this one which I found challenging.

MetalTitans: I know this is jumping ahead but what’s the status of the third album? When we last spoke the plan was to issue that one next fall.

Geoff Tate: Yeah, that’s got a ways till it’s release but that just needs to mixed then mastered.

MetalTitans: Geoff is time the enemy in the sense; if you come up with another idea that you think will fit within the storyline? Has that taken place?

Geoff Tate: [Laughs] Well, if I came up with another idea I would simply start on another record.

MetalTitans: Wait, so you’re telling me you already have ‘songs’ that are ready for a standalone record?

Geoff Tate: [Laughs] Ruben, I’m constantly working on a record! [laughs] If you can believe this I have a record that I started, actually there are two other records that I will release in the next 5 years. I haven’t decided if those records will be solo albums or if they will be Operation: Mindcrime albums…it’s the Geoff Tate ‘five year plan!’ [laughs]

MetalTitans: You ever listen to your own music?

Geoff Tate: As far as recreational purposes? No, I don’t listen to my own music. It’s what I do. I have music in my head all the time. That also applies to music in general; the only time that I listen to music is when I’m travelling. When I was riding out to Sturgis, I listened to some music. I took a bunch of my favorite albums, which I hadn’t heard in over 20 years. I added them to my playlist and just hit go.

MetalTitans: So let’s say you’re driving in your car listening to the radio either satellite or terrestrial and one of your songs comes on. What do you do?

Geoff Tate: I listen to it of course! [laughs] I don’t listen to music that I have recorded. I only listen to music that I’m in the process of recording; once it’s completed I hardly listen to it at all. If a song comes on the radio I will listen to it because I’m hearing it with fresh ears. It’s fun to do that.

Read more at Metal Titans.

Related posts:

Operation: Mindcrime Streams “The Fight”.
Operation: Mindecrime Stream New Single, “Left For Dead”.

geofftateoperation mindcrime resurrection500

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