Slayer is devastated to inform that their bandmate and brother, Jeff Hanneman, passed away at about 11AM this morning near his Southern California home. Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure. He was 49. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his sister Kathy and his brothers Michael and Larry, and will be sorely missed.
In 2011 the guitarist had reportedly suffered from a spider bite on his arm which led to necrotizing fasciitis. Now word on whether this complication may have contributed to his passing.
Hanneman co-founded the thrash metal greats with Kerry King in 1981; their breakthrough came in 1986 with the landmark album Reign in Blood. Hanneman wrote or co-wrote the set’s standout tracks, Angel of Death and Raining Blood.
Adler, the new band led by former Guns N Roses drummer Steven Adler has postponed its Summer tour due to Steven checking into an undisclosed rehabilitation center to continue working on his sobriety.
“We are truly sorry to all of the fans and promoters who were looking forward to seeing us on the road, but right now Steven’s health is the most important thing” states frontman Jacob Bunton. “We hope to make it up to everyone when Steven recovers.”
U.S. dates are currently being rescheduled to early fall.
Adler’s debut album Back From The Dead was released November 26th via New Ocean Media. Recorded in Los Angeles with producer Jeff Pilson (Foreigner, Dokken), the CD consists of 11 tracks, ranging from adrenaline-pumping rockers (Back From The Dead, Own Worst Enemy, Another Version Of The Truth) to arena-rock anthems (Good To Be Bad,Blown Away) to powerful, heartfelt ballads (Waterfall, Just Don’t Ask). The album features guest appearances by Adler’s former Guns N’ Roses bandmate Slash and Rob Zombie/ex-Marilyn Manson guitarist John 5.
Adler is comprised of Steven Adler, frontman Jacob Bunton (Lyam, Mars Electric), guitarist Lonny Paul (Adler’s Appetite), and bassist Johnny Martin (Chelsea Smiles).
Judas Priest have announced additional Epitaph screenings along with the previously announced dates in London and New York.
Eddie Trunk will be hosting the New York screening on May 14th along with frontman Rob Halford and guitarist Richie Faulkner in attendance.
Below are a list of all US screens currently confirmed. More being added daily:
Bridgeport, CT/Showcase
Chicago, IL/Marcus Orland Park
Cleveland, OH/Capitol Theatre
Denver, CO/Landmark Greenwood
Detroit, MI/Landmark Main Art
Los Angeles, CA/Laemmie Music Hall
Lowell, MA/Showcase
Moreno Valley, CA/Harkins Moreno Valley
New York, NY/Clearview Chelsea
Phoenix, AZ/Harkins Tempe Marketplace
Providence, RI/Showcase Providence Place
San Antonio, TX/Alamo Drafthouse San Westlakes
San Diego, CA/Landmark Hillcrest
San Francisco, CA/Landmark Embarcadero
Springdale, OH/Showcase Springdale
St Louis, MO/Landmark Tivoli
Tuscon, AZ/The Loft
Worcester, MA/Worcester North
Former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing has posted the following message at his official website:
“Hi everyone!
Well, it has been a while. I haven’t been hibernating this winter but often thought of doing so. Hopefully the worst of the weather is behind us and we can look forward to a great festival season.
I had a call from one of the world’s great singers Geoff Tate who I guess knew that I would be available to guest on one of the tracks of his new album. Despite the sad division within the band at the moment, in the name of music I decided to go ahead. Queensryche as you know have long since galvanized their position in the world of Metal and are known and respected for the hard work that they have dedicated to music over so many years. Priest have had the pleasure many times to have played alongside the band and I can say openly that I have many great memories of the fun and crazy times that we shared whilst on tour. I remember one incident that nearly killed or at least maimed me – that was DEATH BY SOFA!
Let me explain. One night after the show – mentioning no names – one of the Queensryche- guys suggested levitating a ginormous sofa between just four of us using just one finger each. After quite a few beers something was destined to go wrong. Anyway, we proceeded and it was amazing until the thing was over our heads. Then two of the guys dropped out. As the thing came careering in my direction, I had immediate visions of a hospital bed. By the skin of my teeth I somehow managed to escape the flying sofa. My tour could have well and truly ended there! Anyway someone said: “who’s for a beer?” and the night went on. However, I often think of what the headline might have been: “Rock musician killed by a sofa! ”
Anyway, now back on safer ground in the UK I have been trying to create a circuit that unsigned bands can tour without paying to get on. It is not easy but I guess it’s early days. So if you are close to Wolverhampton Slade rooms on the 16th of May or Birmingham Asylum on the 17th please swing by for a full on metal night with Hostile, Moray Firth (from France), Under Blackened Skies and Left Unscarred for the start of Future of Metal.
Talking of great singers I was speaking to Ripper recently and he told me of his plans to open his own bigger and better venue soon in his hometown. So watch this space for updates on that. I am sure the opening party will be very metal and one not to be missed.
Have a great summer festival season and thank you for feeding the flames!”
Legendary Seattle rockers Queensrÿche are back with their new record simply titled Queensrÿche. The album will be released on June 25th via Century Media and is the latest addition to the band’s multi-platinum musical catalog. From the opening sound of the intro of X2 to the final notes of the closer Open Road, it is apparent that the signature sound that captivated fans for over 30 years is alive and well. Fans were treated to a taste of the new album when the band released Redemption in March and have been garnering praise since it was released. The song has been listened to over 150,000 times on YouTube since it was released last month. The cover for the album was designed by Craig Howell who has worked on designs for Star Wars, Slipknot and American Idol to name a few. Queensrÿche was mixed and mastered by famed Queensrÿche producer James “Jimbo” Barton who is known for working on the band’s classics Operation: Mindcrime and Empire. Originally slated for June 11, Queensrÿche marks the debut from the lineup comprised of Todd La Torre (Vocals), Michael Wilton (Guitars), Parker Lundgren (Guitars), Eddie Jackson (Bass) and Scott Rockenfield (Drums).
“This gets said often by a lot of bands, but we believe we have recorded some of our finest music in years. The collaborative effort of everyone on this album is something we are extremely proud of. Working with Jimbo and the addition of Todd has revitalized the band in ways we never knew until we heard the final results. We know you have to wait a little longer but are excited for all of our fans to hear it. Queensrÿche wouldn’t be in this position if not for your unwavering support,” exclaims drummer Scott Rockenfield.
Queensrÿche first burst onto the music scene in 1982 with the release of their self-titled 4 song EP Queensrÿche. They very quickly gained international recognition and performed to sold out audiences around the world. With the follow up first full-length album The Warning in 1984, and the ground breaking 1986 release of Rage For Order, Queensrÿche continued to prove their worldwide dominance as one of the most respected and creative bands of the 80’s. In 1988 the band turned out yet another monumental album Operation: Mindcrime, which would go on to become one of the TOP 10 best selling concepts records of all time, and set the stage for continued sold out performances around the world. With the release of the critically acclaimed and commercially successful Empire in 1991, the band earned multiple Grammy Award nominations and won the MTV “viewers choice” award for the #1 chart topping hit Silent Lucidity. During the next ten years, the band continued to release albums and tour the world to sold-out audiences. Queensrÿche has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and have continued to break new ground and push their creative process.
The track listing for Queensrÿche is:
1. X2
2. Where Dreams Go To Die
3. Spore
4. In This Light
5. Redemption
6. Vindication
7. Midnight Lullaby
8. A World Without
9. Don’t Look Back
10. Fallout
11. Open Road
Cinderella frontman Tom Keifer’s first solo album, The Way Life Goes, comes out April 30th, but it’s been in the making for nearly 18 years.
Keifer, who now resides in Nashville, tells Billboard that he got the idea for a solo album “in the mid-90s, when the band broke up after we were politely asked to leave our record company during all those shifts in music trends during the ’90s. I started thinking about the record then, but it got put on the back burner” as Keifer dealt with vocal problems (paralysis of his left vocal cord that requires continuing treatment) and Cinderella ultimately regrouped as a touring entity. “I finally got back around to it in 2003,” he adds, “and by then I had this big pile of songs and just started recording tracks.”
Keifer says he did everything on his own ” ’cause I didn’t want anybody breathing down my neck. I wanted to take the time and get it to where I wanted to. The idea from the beginning was when it’s done, it’s done and then I’d shop the finished product. I didn’t think it was going to take 10 years, but every record has its path. There were a variety of things that took me away from it and brought me back, and I think that provided some objectivity. It was kind of a piecemeal labor of love process, but it worked.”
Fans will notice a characteristically broad stretch of styles on the album, reflected by its first two singles — the rootsy, melodic The Flower Song, which went to AAA radio stations in early February, and the swaggering Solid Ground, which was serviced to rock stations on March 11th.
“I always like to try to do that,” explains Keifer, who wrote some of the songs with his wife, fellow songwriter Savannah Snow. “I grew up on bands that always had a lot of dynamics on their records and took you on a journey. The (Rolling) Stones and (Led) Zeppelin would go from acoustic music to driving rock and everything in-between. I think that makes for a more interesting album. Even with Cinderella, starting with our second album (1988’s Long Cold Winter) and even moreso on (1990’s) Heartbreak Station we started mixing it up more. Those are the kinds of records I like, so I’m trying to keep that tradition alive.”
Keifer is currently on the road previewing The Way Life Goes, and he hopes to do more touring following its release, though he notes that he’s taking the proverbial “one day at a time” approach. Meanwhile, Cinderella is slated to return after taking a hiatus this year, and Keifer isn’t ruling out the possibility of the band recording another album, its first since 1994’s Still Climbing.
“We would certainly welcome the opportunity,” Keifer says. “We actually signed a deal in the late 90s to record with one of those big record companies, who will remain nameless. The deal wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be and we wound up in the courts, which left a pretty bad taste in our mouths. So we’d be very cautious about entering another deal, but we’d be open to it. I’ve been part of that band for many years. They’re my brothers. This (solo) album is just something else I’m doing.”
Watch the videos for The Flower Song and Solid Ground below.
