Airbourne, who’s third album, Black Dog Barking, will be released on May 21st through Roadrunner Records, has released their first single. The tune called Live It Up can be heard below.
The band says, “A lot of thought and effort has gone into this record not only by the band, but by the production crew who worked countless hours, seven days a week, even through Christmas and New Year’s Eve to achieve the best possible performances, backed by real undying tones. Now we’re handing it over to you… so crank it up, crack a beer and stick some rock ‘n’ roll in your ear!”
Inspired by the likes of Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, AC/DC and Motorhead, Airbourne has been winning fans since 2003 with their high-energy, whiplash-inducing, workingman’s rock ‘n’ roll. Their first album Runnin’ Wild was named Best Debut Album at the 2008 Metal Hammer Golden Gods awards.
Hailing from Warrnambool, a small drinking town on the southwestern coast of Victoria, Australia, Airbourne — vocalist/lead guitarist Joel O’Keeffe, drummer Ryan O’Keeffe, guitarist David Roads, and bassist Justin Street — has gained an immense following with their explosive live shows and main stage festival appearances including a headliner spot at Wacken 2011, Rock Am Ring/Park (Germany) and Download (UK).
The Poison rocker — and lifelong road warrior — has put his shocking elimination from All Star Celebrity Apprentice in the rearview mirror and moved on to an even more personal project: Travel Channel’s Rock My RV.
Michaels, who turned 50 last week, has been leading a team of top designers as they broken down campers into over-the-top mobile mansions for the new series, premiering May 26th.
“There’s very few shows that deal with what I have loved to do since I was a child,” he says. “My whole life — and I have got all the baby pictures to prove it — I have traveled in RVs. I have been in a camper not only for my childhood, but for the last 26 years of my professional life. That is all I have known.
Michaels shared more with The Post during an exclusive visit to the set in Northridge, California.
Q: Can you put a dollar figure on what these custom jobs are worth?
Bret Michaels: I would say it’s a minimum $100,000 improvement. They would almost, in some cases — if they had to pay for it — be able to buy a new RV.
Q: So why bother reconditioning them then?
Bret Michaels: The owners are in love with them. There’s sentimental value. A new motor home can cost $250,000 and a lot of people don’t have that kind of money. So they write to us and we go “This is an interesting story.” The guy we are doing today is called The Sausage King. He helped all those firefighters in Colorado Springs. He has a business called Bite Me Sausage but he ran out of money.
Q: You have a new CD coming out. Will your songs be featured on the show?
Bret Michaels: Yes! It’s music from throughout my career. Mostly Bret Michaels stuff, but some from the Poison catalog. Luckily we were one of the bands that held on to the publishing rights. In my contract — like Rock of Love or any show I do — even Apprentice — I always put my music in the show.
Q: You have been doing a lot of TV lately.
Bret Michaels: I love to do TV, provided that it is something I have a true interest in. I have had to turn down a lot of stuff that is technically great and probably the right thing to do, but wouldn’t work for me.
Q: Like Dancing with The Stars?
Bret Michaels: Dancing with The Stars is fantastic. They’ve hinted around for years. I think it is a great show, but I wouldn’t do it. First of all, I can’t dance my way out of a paper bag!
Q: What about scripted TV?
Bret Michaels: I would love to — but my acting skills are very limited. If you said to me “I need you to deliver these lines…” Probably not my forte. I have no learned acting skills. I have been asked to do several things. With really good actors… There is such a natural skill to being able to act natural when there are all these people around watching. For me, reality seems best.
Q: Has Simon Cowell called you yet to be a judge on X Factor?
Bret Michaels: No. And he damn well should! I will tell you now, with all those show.. I have said “If you ever need my expertise for a music show, I played at Dutch’s Bar & Grill and it was so small they had to move the pool table out of the way.” I was my own roadie. I lived it long before there was the internet, so I can give real advice.
Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted’s new band, Newsted has announced some North American tour dates.
Newsted tour dates:
Apr. 19 – Red House – Walnut Creek, CA
Apr. 23 – San Jose Rock Shop – San Jose, CA
Apr. 24 – The Starline – Fresno, CA
Apr. 26 – The Alley – Sparks, NV
Apr. 27 – Ace of Spades – Sacramento, CA
May 1 – The Roxy – Los Angeles, CA
May 3 – Vinyl – Las Vegas, NV
May 4 – KUPD Ufiesta – Mesa, AZ
May 15 – Planet Rock – Battle Creek, MI
May 17 – The Crofoot – Pontiac, MI
May 18 – Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL
May 21 – Highline Ballroom – New York, NY
May 22 – The Middle East Downstairs – Cambridge, MA
May 23 – The Stone Pony – Asbury Park, NJ
Last week Newsted announced that Staind guitarist Mike Mushok had joined the band.
Slayer’s Kerry King has implied that the band could move on without guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who has been sidelined for two years after sustaining a near-fatal spider bite.
The guitarists haven’t spoken to each other in some time, leading King to wonder whether Hanneman has any intention of rejoining the band. With two songs underway for their next album, King reveals he’d be comfortable with stand-in man Gary Holt of Exodus making his presence more permanent.
That could leave Slayer facing the future with just two founding members remaining after they dropped drummer Dave Lombardo for their Australian tour following a contractual dispute. Temporary replacement Jon Dette has already discussed the chances of his return becoming a full-time commitment.
King tells Metal Obsession, “I don’t have an update – I haven’t seen Jeff in forever. He’s always been a recluse, and he’s even been more of a recluse since he’s not going on tour with us. Our manager talks to him from time to time and sees him in LA just randomly. But I’m far from LA, so I’m not in that loop.”
Hanneman could be on the road with Slayer if he wanted to be, King suggests, “He can do anything in life – he could be hanging here having a good time with us.” But he accepts a full-power show might not be forthcoming, “He can probably play South Of Heaven, but he’s not gonna be playing Jihad, you know what I mean?”
The band plan to mix the tracks they’ve already recorded then continue with work on the rest of the album over the summer – and King believes it could easily be completed without Hanneman’s input. “It’s just all my stuff for now,” he says. “I did that just in case; I don’t know what Jeff’s intentions are. So I wanted to have Slayer covered in case he doesn’t come to the party. If he comes to the party, then we’ve got tons of songs.”
Meanwhile, if Holt’s position were to become permanent, that wouldn’t present a problem. “I think Gary is in for the long haul,” says King. “I haven’t really discussed it with him. But he keeps his schedule free when he knows we’re on tour.
“If Jeff all of a sudden came back in June, we would probably pay Gary for freeing up his time. I don’t wanna treat somebody that’s bailed us out for two years badly. But if Gary played with us for ever? I’m okay with that.”
Black County Communion frontman Glenn Hughes says the band “is over” because guitarist Joe Bonamassa has left, and won’t let the remaining members keep using the name.
The classic rock outfit released three acclaimed studio albums before internal tensions boiled over, with Hughes last year revealing he was thinking of quitting because he wanted to play live, and Bonamassa insisted he wasn’t available.
That led to a series of public outbursts in which the two musicians took pot-shots at each other before both said they were ready to “move on.”
They appeared to calm down later and said they were talking to each other again. But Bonamassa continued to insist he’d always said he wouldn’t have time to tour in support of 2012 album Afterglow – while Hughes, drummer Jason Bonham and keyboardist Derek Sherinian suggested they’d been led to believe otherwise before the record was recorded.
Earlier this month the blues axeman said he was “happily not involved any more” and revealed he’d become disillusioned during their 2011 tour because he found it “very tense.”
In reponse, Hughes tweeted, “Just so it’s crystal, BCC is over. Joe left and will not allow us to keep the name. Nice, huh? Jason, Derek and I will continue when the time is right.”
He added, “I have my hands full writing my first solo rock album in five years.” Hughes says he began writing tracks on March 21st, and he reflects, “I choose happiness and have nothing but love to offer. Everything is the way it’s meant to be.”
Last year producer Kevin Shirley told Classic Rock that a series of disagreements had almost led to the band’s third album never happening. But he remained confident that, given time, the dust would settle.
He said, “You can’t take away the fact that these are the ultimate rock stars, and there must be something about that rub that makes the music amazing. There will be another record. I would guess we’ll record it in early 2015 – look for it in October 2015.”
Rock N’ Roll Heaven and the Old Bridge Metal Militia recently announced their highly-anticipated Reunion Concert and Fundraiser to benefit the victims of Superstorm Sandy. It can now be announced that Twisted Sister and a reunited TT Quick have been added to the already stellar line-up of Anvil, Raven, The Rods and NJ local metal band Lords of Mercy.
Twisted Sister guitarist/manager Jay Jay French states, “Playing this show further demonstrates our commitment to our fans and friends in the tri-state area that were affected by Superstorm Sandy. Twisted Sister look forward to a great night of metal, solidarity and, most importantly, much needed financial aid to the great state of New Jersey. Thank you Jon and Marsha Zazula for having us.”
The event will take place on May 11th, 2013 at Encore Event Center in Freehold, NJ (106 Schanck Rd).
Our very own Eddie Trunk will perform Master of Ceremonies duties with special guest hosts and an all-star jam to be announced. Doors will open at 7:00pm and there will be a drinking section for those 21+.
R N’ R Heaven and OBMM ask all attendees to bring canned goods or non-perishable food items for a food drive which will benefit local area soup kitchens and shelters.
Stan Levinstone, President of SLP comments, “Johnny was the purveyor. He was like the Steve Jobs of the metal world, really innovative. He had a vision of hardcore and metal that spread throughout New Jersey and then nationally and internationally. He definitely had a vision; he saw something that no one else saw. A lot of important rock grew out of Jersey. He brought these bands and his record label to a level of national and international attention. All of this stuff started right here in Old Bridge and East Brunswick, NJ. The embryonic days of New Jersey’s metal scene, he took that and developed it into something so significant. New Jersey’s scene developed an international scene. This event supports a great cause and will bring together a scene Johnny helped to create. People will be nostalgic about it and want to experience this together.”
Jon Zazula adds, “Stan Levinstone has been a great help in putting this event together. We’re grateful for his involvement.”
New Jersey birthed heavy metal in the United States in the early 1980’s. The state of New Jersey was an integral part of launching the careers of these bands, as well as everyone from Bruce Springsteen to The Misfits to Bon Jovi and more.
This is an event to benefit the victims of Superstorm Sandy, which wreaked havoc on the Jersey Shore and on the lives of its residents.
Superstorm Sandy has left dozens dead and thousands homeless – making it the worst storm in the regions history. This is a 100% non-profit event.
