Category : LATEST NEWS

ACE FREHLEY’S “SPACE INVADER” DEBUTS AT NUMBER NINE ON THE BILLBOARD TOP 200 CHART

Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame inductee and former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley has made history with his new album, Space Invader, which debuted at number nine on the Top 200 Chart this week. The LP scores the highest charting position of ANY KISS solo album ever, and marks Frehley’s first return to the Top 10 since KISS’s 1998 Pyscho Circus reunion album. The album has also sold better in its first week than KISS’ recently released Kiss 40 album. Internationally, Space Invader has debuted number one on the Independent Chart and number sixteen on the Top 200 Chart in Canada, Top 40 in Switzerland and Sweden, and hit a historic benchmark for the first time ever as a solo artist in Germany.

Space Invader, Frehley’s first studio album in five years, has also received praise from critics. Rolling Stone wrote, “Gene Simmons has claimed Ace Frehley doesn’t deserve to wear KISS’ Kabuki clown paint, but the former Spaceman’s first solo LP in five years says otherwise,” while the Associated Press hailed, “…the original KISS lead guitarist has recorded his best solo album since his groundbreaking self-titled album in 1978.” Paste also confirmed, “Space Invader is a good rock album, and it’s an even better guitar record.”

Frehley stopped by The Tonight Show prior to his album release to sit in with legendary house band The Roots to perform his classic hit New York Groove. Watch it below.

Space Invader features nine brand new original songs, including the first single, Gimme a Feelin’, as well as a cover of Steve Miller’s classic rock staple The Joker. Frehley also tapped long time friend and artist Ken Kelly to create the album art for Space Invader. Kelly created the iconic cover art for two of KISS’s best selling LPS, Destroyer (1976) and Love Gun (1977).

Widely known as the original “Space Ace” and founding guitarist for 16 cumulative years (over two tenures) of the multi platinum selling rock band KISS, Frehley is demonstrably the most popular original member. In addition to having the best selling solo album career (vintage or current) among the original foursome, Frehley’s self titled Ace Frehley (1978), went on to sell over one million copies, producing the only Top 40 single, New York Groove, from any of the legendary KISS solo albums. The massive hit was most recently featured in an episode of cult show Entourage and was also KISS’ second best selling download in 2012, besting such KISS Army anthems as “I Was Made For Lovin’ You, Beth and Calling Dr. Love even after 36 years.

Since departing from KISS, Frehley went on to release four more solo albums and one live EP including his most recent effort, Anomaly in 2009, which debuted at #27 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. Ace also released an autobiography titled No Regrets, which debuted at #10 on the NY Times Hardcover Non-Fiction best seller list in November 2011.

SINGER RALPH MORMAN PASSES AT AGE 66

Singer Ralph Morman died peacefully on Sunday, August 17th, following an extended illness in Ashland, Kentucky.

He is best known as lead vocalist for the Joe Perry Project from 1979 through 1980. The Project was formed shortly before Joe Perry left Aerosmith. They immediately signed a record deal with CBS Records and released their debut album Let The Music Do The Talking, produced by legendary producer Jack Douglas. The group toured extensively in the USA and the album peaked at #47 on Billboard selling over 250,000 copies. After the Joe Perry Project, he joined the English Blues Rock band Savoy Brown featuring guitarist Kim Simmonds. He recorded two albums with them. The first was 1981’s Rock ‘N Roll Warriors which included the single Run To Me and became the band’s highest-charting single in the USA. The band performed several major arena shows in the USA alongside Judas Priest. The second album was Greatest Hits-Live In Concert released in 1982.

Between 1972-1974 Ralph was in the band Bux which included future Angel members Punky Meadows and Mickie Jones as well as drummer Rocky Isaac (ex-Jimi Hendrix). Their album We Come To Play was released in 1976 (two years after they disbanded) on Capitol Records and was produced by Jack Douglas. His first “professional band” was The Outcasts who released the single Loving You Sometimes on Plato Records.

Ralph Morman went on hiatus from the music industry for almost 25 years, but announced he was working on a solo project in 2011. Some recordings were made and may be released in the future. He leaves behind his wife, 4 sons, 1 daughter, and 5 grand-children.

ANTHRAX’S “CHILE ON HELL” LIVE DVD TO BE PREMIERED AT L.A. AND N.Y. THEATRES ON SEPTEMBER 15TH

Before you get down to moshing in the privacy of your own home, do some serious partying in either Los Angeles or New York when Anthrax’s Chile On Hell live DVD is premieres on Monday, September 15th, the day before its general release. And, not only will attendees be among the first to see the thrash-masters performing an extended set that features all the fan-favorites in front of a sold-out, rabid crowd in Santiago, Chile, but each event will feature a special Q&A – Scott Ian and Chile On Hell‘s producer Jay Rustin at the L.A. screening, and Anthrax’s Frank Bello at New York’s.

The premiere is free to fans who pre-order the Chile On Hell Blu-ray or DVD from either Vintage Vinyl in Fords, NJ, Looney Tunes in West Babylon, NY, or Amoeba Records in Los Angeles, CA. Each pre-order comes with one wristband that entitles the holder to attend the premiere. Wristbands are limited, and when they’re gone, they’re gone.

The New York premiere will take place at 9:00PM ET at Cinema Village, 22 E. 12th Street; go to ltcds.com or vvinyl.com for all details.

..and the L.A. premiere is set for 9:00PM PT at the Downtown Independent Theatre, 251 S. Main Street; more details are available here.

Chile On Hell will be released on Tuesday, September 16th (Megaforce), and features Joey Belladonna/vocals, Scott Ian/guitar, Charlie Benante/drums, Frank Bello/bass and Jon Donais/lead guitar performing at the Teatro Caupolican in Santiago, Chile on May 10, 2013. The band performed an extended set that featured songs from Anthrax’s entire catalog including I Am The Law, Indians, Madhouse, Caught In A Mosh, The Devil You Know, and I’m Alive. Chile On Hell was recorded in 5.1 Surround Sound, and will retail for $16.98.

“Santiago was the perfect place to film the show for this,” said Anthrax’s Charlie Benante. “When we’d played there in the past, we’d finish our set, play our encore and go back to the dressing room. But every time, the fans would continue to scream and cheer and clap. I mean, they went on and on, they wouldn’t stop. One time Scott and I walked out to the side of the stage just to watch what was going on in the audience, it was intense. Why wouldn’t we want to film a DVD in front of an audience like that?”

THE METAL GOD, ROB HALFORD, LISTS THE TEN ALBUMS THAT CHANGED HIS LIFE

When asked by MusicRadar which ten albums changed his life, his list included Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie and the Beatles.

His top pick was Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Halford said, “Listening to this music at the time it was being made is something I’ll never forget. Simply because of the sheer audacity of this extraordinary guitar player and artist. He made the room light up so vividly. To listen to the sounds that he made with the electric guitar was unbelievably special.

Things were changing at this time. The music in general was getting louder. Marshall amps were being made, speaker cabinets were being used – everything was getting bigger, louder, more impactful. I think Jimi had something to do with that.”

He also praised Led Zeppelin II, describing it as the “roots of heavy metal.” Halford explained, “When I heard the riffs that Jimmy was doing, I got a real sense of where things were going. Even though Led Zeppelin never expressed, ‘We’ve got some heavy metal in us,’ it’s quite apparent that it was there all along.

The riffage and the way they played live – they were a bit like Cream on steroids. John Bonham smashed those drums, and along with the powerful musicianship of Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, they made a sound that was simply incredible. And then you’ve got Robert Plant, screaming and wailing in a way we’d never heard before. Led Zeppelin were such an important band.”

He continued, “The music that touches you in your youth is magnified as you get older. Each record can be a virtual time machine – all you need is to hear a second or two and you go back to that place and time when you first heard it. It’s a brilliant feeling when music touches you so profoundly and stays with you through time.”

The 10 records that changed Rob Halford’s life:

1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Electric Ladyland
2. Cream – Disraeli Gears
3. The Beatles – Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
4. Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin II
5. David Bowie – The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars
6. King Crimson – In The Court Of The Crimson King
7. The Rolling Stones – Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out
8. John Mayall – Blues From Laurel Canyon
9. Alice Cooper – Billion Dollar Babies
10. Queen – Queen

Also, Happy Birthday to the Metal God who celebrates his 63rd year today (August 25th). Judas Priest’s Redeemer of Souls was released on July 8th through Epic Records.

additional source: classicrockmagazine.com

GUITARIST TONY MACALPINE ADDS ADDITIONAL DATES TO HIS FALL U.S. TOUR

As previously reported, guitarist Tony MacAlpine has announced tour dates. MacAlpine has added a few more shows in the U.S. dates. MacAlpine will be playing his album Maximum Security in full as part of the set, along with a preview of his upcoming solo album Concrete Gardens. For more information about MacAlpine’s tour, please click here.

Skype Lessons August/September

MacAlpine has also announced that he will be giving private one-on-one webcam guitar lessons through Skype between now and our US Tour in October. I accept any level of student, and lessons are tailored to fit the things you’d like to work on with your playing. Lessons are $120 for 45 minutes. Payment via Paypal is accepted. Discounts available if you buy a block of 2 lessons or more. Spaces are limited. Please email tmaclessons@gmail.com to book lessons.

Tony MacAlpine tour dates, a * denotes added dates:

August:

1 Studio City, CA – The Baked Potato (2 shows: 9:30 and 11:30)
2 Studio City, CA – The Baked Potato (2 shows: 9:30 and 11:30)
8 San Francisco, CA – Biscuits & Blues (2 shows: 7:30 and 10:00)
9 Lebanon, OR – Guitars Under The Stars Festival
13 Hermosa Beach, CA – Saint Rocke
15 Ramona, CA – Ramona Mainstage

October:

6 Denver, CO – Quixote’s True Blue
8 Kansas City, MO – Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club
10 Chicago, IL – Reggies
11 Westland, MI – Token Lounge
12 Cleveland, OH – Beachland Tavern
13 Pittsburgh, PA – The Hard Rock Cafe
14 Philadelphia, PA – North Star Bar
16 New York, NY – The Iridium (2 shows: 8:30 and 10:30)
18 Cambridge, MA – TT The Bear’s Place
19 Vienna, VA – Jammin’ Java
20 Raleigh, NC – The Pour House Music
21 Atlanta, GA – Smith’s Olde Bar
22 Nashville, TN – The High Watt
*24 Denton, TX – Dan’s Silverleaf
*25 Houston, TX – CPN Metal Fest @ Concert Pub North
*26 Austin, TX – To Be Announced
*29 Scottsdale, AZ – Pub Rock Live