Van Halen producer Ted Templeman says the band’s early material drew on musical influences from outwith the traditional rock genre.
He was behind the desk for the band’s first six albums: Van Halen (1978), Van Halen II (1979), Women And Children First (1980), Fair Warning (1981), Diver Down (1982) and 1984 (1984).
While attending the launch of Greg Renoff’s book Van Halen Rising: How A Southern California Backyard Party Band Saved Heavy Metal, he was asked if a move away from their early leanings towards progressive rock for their self-titled debut had been a deliberate move.
Templeman says, “They had so many facets to what they did – they were always trying to evolve. I liked jazz guys like Jaco Pastorius and I would turn them on to what I liked, and I played them jazz. Guitarist Eddie Van Halen wanted to do something different all the time, he wanted to keep moving. He’s one of the most creative guys I’ve ever met in my life. Ed was always reaching for something else.”
Van Halen wrapped up a North American tour in October.
Former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach’s autobiography, 18 And Life On Skid Row, will be released on April 12th, 2016 through HarperCollins Publishers.
The book is described as: 18 And Life On Skid Row tells the story of a boy who spent his childhood moving from Freeport, Bahamas to California and finally to Canada and who at the age of eight discovered the gift that would change his life.
Throughout his career, Sebastian Bach has sold over 20 million records, both as the lead singer of Skid Row and as a solo artist. He is particularly known for the hit singles I Remember You, Youth Gone Wild and 18 And Life, and the albums Skid Row and Slave To The Grind, which became the first-ever hard rock album to debut at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and landed him on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Bach then went on to become the first rock star to grace the Broadway stage, with starring roles in Jekyll & Hyde, Jesus Christ Superstar and The Rocky Horror Show. He also appeared for seven seasons on the hit television show The Gilmore Girls.
“In his memoir, Bach recounts lurid tales of excess and debauchery as he toured the world with Bon Jovi, Aerosmih, Motley Crue, Soungarden, Pantera, Nine Inch Nails and Guns N’ Roses. Filled with backstage photos from his own personal collection, 18 And Life On Skid Row is the story of hitting it big at a young age, and of a band that broke up in its prime. It is the story of a man who achieved his wildest dreams, only to lose his family, and then his home. It is a story of perseverance, of wine, women and song and a man who has made his life on the road and always will. ’18 And Life On Skid Row’ is not your ordinary rock memoir, because Sebastian Bach is not your ordinary rock star.” See the book’s cover below.
Sebastian Bach will be part of Monsters Of Rock Cruise–Shredders From The Deep which also features 40+ bands including headliners Tesla, Steve Vai, Extreme, Queensryche; Helloween, Y&T and others. The cruise departs from Miami and takes place from February 22nd-26th. Click here for more information.
Greg Prato of Alternative Nation spoke with King’s X drummer Jerry Gaskill. Excerpts from the interview appear below.
Alternative Nation: You have a good singing voice, but I don’t recall you singing on many (any?) King’s X tunes. Why not?
Jerry Gaskill: Why thank you! I sing lead on three King’s X songs…Six Broken Soldiers, American Cheese (Jerry’s Pianto), and Julie. Like I said earlier, King’s X is a totally different thing than making my own record. I don’t necessarily feel like a lead singer in King’s X. Dug is the lead singer of King’s X, yet there are times when it seems appropriate for either me or Ty to sing lead as well. I say whatever works best for the song…
Alternative Nation: Looking back, what is your favorite King’s X album and why?
Jerry Gaskill: I feel like whatever record we’re working on is my favorite. I have fond memories of all the records, and at the same time, a lot of hard work and some maybe not so fond memories come with all the records. There is a part of me that always feels I can do better or I should have done better. The first four records are special to me because they are like a certain era. It was the beginning era for King’s X. Then Dogman came, which was produced by Brendan O’Brien, and a new era was born, along with Ear Candy produced by Arnold Lanni. From there, we did a few records of writing together from scratch. It started with Tapehead then Bulbous and Manic Moonlight. Again, a whole new era. We ended up doing two records with Michael Wagener, Ogre Tones and XV. Again, a whole different vibe. I see all the records as times in my life. I prefer to think of them all as profitable for me in one way or another…
Alternative Nation: How are you doing health-wise?
Jerry Gaskill: I’m doing great great! I feel as though I’m doing better than ever in many ways. I have a better understanding of my body now. I’m learning how to take care of it. I work out every day now and I’m seeing a personal trainer once a week. I’ve been seeing him now for about six months. His name is Danny Weltman and I love him. I started out seeing him two to three times a week. I wake up every day now and start my day with a pretty intense workout. I generally feel healthier and stronger than I did before I died. I wouldn’t change a thing. Our bodies tell us what it wants and what it doesn’t want. I’m learning how to listen. Heart attacks have done me well…
Alternative Nation: What are the future plans for King’s X?
Jerry Gaskill: We’ll be doing some shows in 2016, and we’re also talking about a new record. A new record will most likely happen. I don’t know exactly when. I want to feel ready when we get together to do it. I want it to be right. I want to make the best King’s X record that we can possibly make. I will say though that I’m still very much focused on Love and Scars [Gaskill’s new solo album]. Sometimes I think if anything is holding up the King’s X record it’s probably me. But it’s all good and one day in the pretty near future we’ll get together and do that next King’s X record…
Resurrection Kings, the band featuring guitarist Craig Goldy, singer Chas West, bassist Sean McNabb and drummer Vinny Appice, is streaming the song Distant Prayer from their forthcoming debut album, due January 29th, 2016. Listen to it below.
To learn more about this release, and to watch a video for the song, Who Did You Run To, please click here.
Tracklisting for Resurrection Kings:
Distant Prayer
Livin’ Out Loud
Wash Away
Who Did You Run To
Fallin’ For You
Never Say Goodbye
Path Of Love
Had Enough
Don’t Have To Fight No More
Silent Wonder
What You Take
Farmikos, the band featuring former Ozzy Osbourne and David Lee Roth guitarist Joe Holmes and vocalist Robbie Locke (ex-Laidlaw) have released a video for the song, Scapegoat. Watch it below.
Farmikos’ self titled debut album was released on January 15th, 2015. Read more about it here and to watch a video for the song, Facing East, click here.
Farmikos track listing:
1. Scapegoat
2. Am I One
3. Kings Of Dust
4. The Spoon And Sun
5. Fragile
6. The Sound Of My Gun
7. Ascension
8. I Was Them
9. Exit Stencils
10. Facing East
Rock On The Range–the largest and most-acclaimed rock festival in the United States–celebrates its 10th Anniversary May 20th, 21st & 22nd, 2016 at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, OH. The incredible lineup features the legendary Red Hot Chili Peppers, hard rock titans Disturbed (who have returned after a 4-year hiatus), and rock icon/filmmaker Rob Zombie topping a lineup that’s packed with rock royalty such as Shinedown, Five Finger Death Punch, Bring Me The Horizon, A Day To Remember, Megadeth, At The Drive-In, Lamb Of God, Sixx:A.M., Hellyeah, and Pennywise, along with the genre’s hottest developing artists.
With three days of music on three stages, sets from rock’s favorite comedians in the Rolling Rock Comedy Tent, The Music Experience, new art installations, and unique onsite activities, Rock On The Range sets the standard for American rock festivals.
Disturbed says, “We’ve waited long enough, and so have you. Get ready, ‘cause Disturbed is back and we can’t wait to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Rock On The Range.“
“Rock On The Range is easily one of the best festivals I’ve ever played. Looking forward to doing it again,” says Rob Zombie.
Vinnie Paul of Hellyeah says, “Tweleve years after my last performance in Columbus, Ohio I have decided it’s time to bring the music of Hellyeah to the great rock & roll fans that attend Rock On The Range!! We are looking forward to kickin’ your ass at this great event!!”
The current band lineup for Rock On The Range–fueled by Monster Energy–is as follows: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Disturbed, Rob Zombie, Shinedown, Five Finger Death Punch, Bring Me The Horizon, A Day To Remember, Megadeth, At The Drive-In, Lamb Of God, Sixx:A.M., Hellyeah, Pennywise, Bullet For My Valentine, Steel Panther, Ghost, Wolfmother, Death From Above 1979, Machine Gun Kelly, Clutch, The Struts, Sevendust, Pop Evil, Asking Alexandria, Parkway Drive, Trivium, Between The Buried & Me, P.O.D., Saint Asonia, Issues, Highly Suspect, The Sword, Tiger Army, Sick Puppies, New Years Day, Aranda, Wilson, Enter Shikari, Butcher Babies, Texas Hippie Coalition, Red Sun Rising, Memphis May Fire, Lacey Sturm, Turbowolf, We Came As Romans, Miss May I, Crown The Empire, Jelly Roll, Avatar, Code Orange, Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown, Monster Truck, Glorious Sons, Wild Throne, Cane Hill, and Citizen Zero, with more to be announced.
Tickets for Rock On The Range have sold out in advance for three years in a row, with a monumental 120,000 in attendance over the three days of the 2015 festival. Die-hard fans annually travel from all 50 states and around the globe to Columbus for this festival, making it the largest of its kind in North America.
“Everything has been turned up a notch to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Rock On The Range,” says ROTR co-executive producer of the festival for Danny Wimmer Presents, Gary Spivack. “From headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers, to the reunion of fan favorites Disturbed, to the welcomed return of Vinnie Paul and his band Hellyeah to the state of Ohio for the first time in over a decade, and countless others, it’s paramount that we continue to raise the bar so Rock On The Range remains the elite rock festival in America. We feel we’ve accomplished this goal and then some.”
Rock On The Range specially priced weekend pre-sale tickets are available now. Visit the ROTR Facebook and Twitter pages for a password to purchase these tickets (Weekend Field GA: $199.50 + fees, Weekend Stadium GA: $99.50 + fees). Layaway Packages, VIP tickets, Camping, Hotel Packages, and Weekend Stadium GA Ticket 4-Packs ($349 + fees) are also available for purchase. Regularly priced General Admission tickets for America’s premier hard rock festival go on sale Friday, December 4th at 10:00 AM ET at the MAPFRE Stadium Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, and www.RockOnTheRange.com. Tickets will be priced as follows:
Weekend Field General Admission: $219.50 + fees
Weekend Stadium General Admission: $139.50 + fees
A limited number of discounted tickets are also available for active military through Rock On The Range partner GovX.
To purchase pre-sale tickets, and the general admission tickets on sale December 4th, please go to RockOnTheRange.com.
 have released a video for the song, Scapegoat. Watch it below. ... )
