SINGER MICHAEL SWEET TALKS ABOUT HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY, COLLABORATION WITH GUITARIST GEORGE LYNCH AND STRYPER

michaelsweet400 Greg Prato of Brave Words spoke with Stryper frontman Michael Sweet. Excerpts from the interview appear below.

BW: Let’s discuss your book, Honestly: My Life and Stryper Revealed. Did things come back to you that you hadn’t thought about in many years?

Michael Sweet: Oh yeah, definitely. And to this day, I’m thinking of things that should have been in the book. There’s so much that’s happened. I tend to focus on one thing at a time. It’s very difficult for me, I’m not a multi-tasker, so it’s hard for me to think of a hundred different stories. I’ll just think of one. But I did my best to just hit all the key points and all the stories that I felt people would want to know and want to hear. A lot of question marks over the years by fans, like, why did Tim not play on To Hell with the Devil and In God We Trust? What happened during Against the Law? We heard the rumors, but what really happened? Why did you leave the band? Why did you remarry so soon? All these things that people have really come at me with serious questions – deep questions – over the years, that I wanted to address. And that’s what I did in the book. But at the same time, tell my life story – from the time I was born until now. I talk about being arrested as a kid and a lot of things that people might not expect to hear from Michael Sweet.

BraveWords: I heard there is going to be an upcoming project with George Lynch, too.

Michael Sweet: It is going to be released on Frontiers. I was really blessed with the opportunity to produce it and to co-write it with George. It’s myself, George Lynch, Brian Tichy, and James Lomenzo. And that will come out roughly this time next year, maybe a little earlier.

BraveWords: And what is the name of that band?

Michael Sweet: We don’t have a name yet. It’s been a real difficult decision for some reason. I can’t tell you why. The good thing is we have probably five or six months to do so, so we’re all good.

BraveWords: Lastly, what is the current status of Stryper?

Michael Sweet: The current status is we’re very busy. We’re prepping for some touring. We’ve got a live album coming out in October or November on Frontiers. We are starting on a new album next year, I’m already writing for. We’ll start recording that in January/February. That will come out next year. And then the Sweet/Lynch album that’s coming out – that’s being mixed right now. So I’m juggling a lot of different stuff. I’m literally on the phone calling in mix tweaks while I’m going downstairs with a cup of coffee and putting in my in-ears and running through the set with Stryper. They’re all here at the house right now. So it’s just been a little crazy around here. And the biggest thing for me to overcome is I’m OCD, and I’ve got to keep cleaning toilets and picking up after people. I want to definitely get in the ring with some guys in the band right now!

Read more at Brave Words.

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SAXON’S BIFF BYFORD DISCUSSES MUSIC, SONGWRITING AND HIS FAVORITE SAXON ALBUM

saxon400 Greg Prato of Songfacts spoke with Saxon frontman Biff Byford. Portions of the interview appear below.

Songfacts: Let’s start off by talking about the new Saxon album, Unplugged and Strung Up. How did the idea come to do this album?

Biff Byford: Well, it’s a mixture of different projects that we were doing. I had the idea to do an unplugged album, and then we moved off that to more general projects. I just thought it would be a good idea to put all our projects together on one album and try to make it interesting for the fans. I think it’s a good package.

Songfacts: Looking back, how would you say that you write your best songs?

Biff: I’ve usually come in with a couple of ideas. We all play instruments, so we can all write. We have a lot of ideas, and then we’ll just bash them around a bit and I’ll usually take them away and arrange them and put down some melodies, maybe write some lyrics, and we’ll take it from there.

We don’t really consider the guitar riff a song, if you know what I mean. We have to work a lot harder than that. So it’s just basically bouncing around from different members, I suppose.

Songfacts: Something that I’ve always felt about Saxon is that the band is very underrated when it comes to the amount of great guitar riffs, especially songs like Strong Arm of the Law, Wheels of Steel, and Princess of the Night. Were those parts entirely written by Paul [Quinn] and Graham [Oliver] back in the day, or did you ever have a hand in coming up with those melodies for those riffs?

Biff: I wrote some of the stuff in 747. I wrote a few of the riffs. We all play, you know. I think the Strong Arm of the Law riff is Graham Oliver’s originally. But the thing is, when I’m writing melodies, we sometimes change the guitar part to put on a melody. So I suppose it’s a bit more of a group thing. We tend to split the songs into 50/50 melody, lyrics, and usually the melody goes with the lyrics with this band. So that’s usually how we work.

Songfacts: What do you remember about the writing and recording of the song Princess of the Night?

Biff: Well, Princess of the Night, I remember exactly. I had two titles. I had a title of Wheels of Steel and I had a title Princess of the Night. And I didn’t use Princess of the Night on the first two albums. But Paul Quinn came up with a riff and it sort of fit my lyrics. So that song was written very quickly, very quickly indeed. I already had the lyrics and the riff went together so simply, really smooth.

Songfacts: And you just mentioned the song Wheels of Steel.

Biff: I was heavily into AC/DC’s first album, and a few of their bootleg things that we found. I turned the band on to AC/DC. And I think although that track doesn’t sound like AC/DC, it’s a bit more rugged, I suppose. Wheels of Steel has definitely got an AC/DC influence in that.

Songfacts: What about the song Strong Arm of the Law?

Biff: Strong Arm of the Law, I think that was Graham’s riff, the verse riff. We were stopped by the police on numerous occasions when we had this huge American car, and that’s basically what it’s about. It’s a story about the police stopping us on London Bridge in London and it stuck in my head. So I wrote some lyrics about it when I got the opportunity.

Songfacts: You mentioned coming to America. What were your initial impressions of America when Saxon first played there?

Biff: The very first tour we did was with Rush in the ’80s. Which was great, since we’re huge Rush fans. It was a fantastic place to come. It still is, actually.

We were very busy in them days. We were playing with Rush, we were doing the Whiskey A Go Go and we were all over the place, really. We were doing gigs on the West Coast in America. We were flying backwards and forwards all over the place. So it was quite an exciting time, those early ’80s.

Songfacts: From a songwriting perspective, what would you say is your favorite Saxon album and why?

Biff: It’s always got to be the last one, hasn’t it? I think Sacrifice is a great album. I’ll leave you to that, really. [Laughing].

Read more at Songfacts.

source: songfacts.com

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SINGER GEOFF TATE ON SETTLING HIS LAWSUIT WITH FORMER QUEENSRYCHE BANDMATES: “I’M VERY HAPPY IT’S OVER AND WE CAN ALL MOVE ON WITH OUR LIVES”

geofftatevest400 Christa Titus of Billboard spoke with former Queensryche vocalist Geoff Tate about the bandmembers finally settling their lawsuit in regards to who owns the band’s name. Portions of the interview appear below.

Billboard: How are you feeling now that the announcement is out about the settlement?

Tate: I think it’s great. I’m very happy that it’s over and done and we can all move on with our lives. It’s been a long, bitter two years, I’ll tell you. I’m glad it’s over.

Billboard: What was the turning point when everyone started getting on the same page with the settlement? I understand that for a while you guys were trying to work something out.

Tate: We’ve been trying to work something out for months and months and months, and it’s like any kind of lawsuit, it’s just slow going. But finally I think the realization that going to court over the whole thing was going to be a huge nightmare and huge financial mess for everybody that [we] really started to look at it more seriously and realistically.

Billboard: Once you filed the suit, that would say to me you were ready to go to court over it.

Tate: Yeah, that’s typically what it means.

Billboard: Some people are confused by the joint statement both parties released regarding who could do what. One of the points was being able to perform both Operation: Mindcrime albums live. Queensryche is permitted to play selections, but they can’t do a front-to-back version of either one live, correct?

Tate: It’s pretty similar to the Pink Floyd settlement where one group got the name and Roger Waters got The Wall. It’s very similar to that. I retain Operation: Mindcrime and everything revolving around that, and they got the name, so it’s a win-win for everybody.

Billboard: I don’t know what you are limited to discuss in terms of terms of the agreement. Is there anything you can mention in terms of being entitled to, say, future payments from the band? There were the three band corporations and things of that concern.

Tate: Honestly, I’d really don’t feel comfortable commenting on the details of the settlement. I think what’s out there is sufficient. I’m just really happy to be done with it all, and I think the other side is probably happy as well so we can turn the tide in this episode in our lives and move on to nicer things.

Billboard: One thing that does remain in question is, since you still have dates booked under the Queensryche name, on your Queensryche website you have dates into May.

Tate: We’re both allowed to do all of our pre-contracted dates as they were advertised, so once those dates are over then it all changes.

Billboard: I know that this has been a really long two years. Is there anything you think you would have done differently, looking back on it now?

Tate: Oh gosh, you know, the whole experience was such a betrayal and so negative that I’m really ready to get past it, not think about it anymore, and it doesn’t really bear looking back on in my mind right now. [laughs] That’s the last thing I want to do is think about it some more.

Read more at Billboard.

source: billboard.com

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EXTREME FRONTMAN GARY CHERONE’S HURTSMILE TO RELEASE NEW CD “RETROGRENADE” IN JUNE

Garycherone-Hurtsmile400 Gary Cherone (Extreme, Van Halen) is back with Hurtsmile and, teaming up with Pledgemusic.com to release Retrogrenade on June 2nd with a public release to follow.

Available now at Pledgemusic.com, is a free download of the single Rock & Roll Cliché.

Following up their 2011 self-titled debut, the band’s second release Retrogrenade pays homage to almost every genre Cherone has presented in the past and still finds room to give you something new. Inspired by their classic rock roots, “it is the collective effort of the Band flexing their musical muscle” says Gary. Diverse tracks include the Aero/DC inspired Rock & Roll Cliché, the hook laden Hello I Must Be Going, the epic blues of Where Do We Go From Here, to the sweet acoustic broken-hearted harmonies of Goodbye. Hurtsmile rebels against traditional cohesiveness and does not attempt to capture a specific mood. It rather bombards you with a multitude of emotions and challenges you to go along for the ride.

To download Rock & Roll Cliché please click here.

Retrogrenade track listing:

Rock & Roll Cliché
Hello I Must Be Going
Big Government
I Still Do
Sing A Song (My Mia)
Anymore (Don’t Want My Love)
Where Do We Go From Here
A Melody For You
Wonder What
Walk Away
Good Bye
Pump it Up

Hurtsmile is:

Gary Cherone (Vocals)
Mark Cherone (Guitar)
Joe Pessia (Bass)
Dana Spellman (Drums)

Hurtsmile on the web:

Official website
Facebook
Twitter

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SCORPIONS DRUMMER JAILED IN DUBAI

scorpions400 The Associated Press is reporting that Newspapers in the United Arab Emirates are reporting that the American drummer for the rock band Scorpions has been sentenced to one month in jail after being convicted of offensive behavior in Dubai.

The government-backed National newspaper reported Tuesday that James Kottak was convicted of insulting Islam, raising his middle finger, and being under the influence of alcohol while in transit at Dubai airport.

The Gulf News daily says he was arrested April 3rd en route from Russia to Bahrain, where the German band was scheduled to perform at a Formula One race. Kottak was a no-show at the April 5th concert.

The newspapers say Kottak admitted to drinking but denied other charges.

The Scorpions’ manager did not respond to requests for comment. Kottak’s local lawyer couldn’t immediately be reached.

source: myfoxny.com

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WINERY DOGS DRUMMER MIKE PORTNOY ON GUITARIST/VOCALIST RICHIE KOTZEN: “HE’S AN UNBELIEVABLE TALENT”

winerydogs2 Brian Aberback of NorthJersey.com

After playing with several bands in recent years, former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy has found a permanent home with The Winery Dogs.

“At this point in my career I’ve been doing lots of different things with lots of different people and I’ve definitely been looking for the right group of guys,” Portnoy said by phone. “The Winery Dogs is fulfilling, enriching and inspiring. There’s incredible potential for the future.”

The Winery Dogs also include bassist Billy Sheehan (Talas, David Lee Roth, Steve Vai, Mr. Big) and guitarist-singer Richie Kotzen (Poison, Mr. Big), and they perform on Wednesday in Englewood. The band released its self-titled debut album last year.

At first glance The Winery Dogs appear to be a virtuoso supergroup. The band members have been praised for their technical wizardry and won dozens of critic and fan awards from musician magazines. But Portnoy said The Winery Dogs are more concerned with writing solid songs than fretboard and drumming acrobatics.

“Stylistically it’s the first thing I’ve ever done that’s not rooted in metal or prog-rock,” said Portnoy, a Long Island native. “The Winery Dogs are a straight-up rock band, a song-and-vocal-oriented band, and it’s refreshing. You can listen to it for the songs or the musicianship or both. There’s a great balance.”

The band’s debut album’s many standout tracks include the driving “Elevate,” the soulful “You Saved Me” and the groove-laden “Not Hopeless.” The disc hit No. 27 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. This month the album was re-released in two formats: with a bonus live CD and with a live CD and DVD.

The Winery Dogs also marks the first time that some fans are hearing Kotzen on lead vocals. While he has sung on his solo records, Kotzen was not the singer in Poison or Mr. Big.

“People had no idea Richie could sing the way he does,” Portnoy said. “He’s an unbelievable talent. It was the best-kept secret of the band.”

Portnoy had known Sheehan for more than 20 years when the two began working on a project in 2012. Radio personality Eddie Trunk suggested that Portnoy and Sheehan call Kotzen to round out the band.

The Winery Dogs are Portnoy’s first trio. He said the arrangement has advantages on and offstage. “There’s so much space sonically,” he said. “Personally it’s such a different dynamic too. Everything is so much easier with only two other people, from having more space on the tour bus and in the dressing room to making musical decisions.”

In 1985, Portnoy co-founded highly popular prog-rockers Dream Theater. He played on 10 studio albums and several live records before leaving the band in 2010. Before forming The Winery Dogs, Portnoy played with modern and traditional metalers Avenged Sevenfold and Adrenaline Mob, respectively. In addition, he plays in several side projects, including Transatlantic with singer-keyboardist Neal Morse, and Portnoy-Sheehan-McAlpine-Sherinian, which includes guitarist Tony McAlpine and ex-Dream Theater keyboardist Derek Sherinian.

Portnoy said The Winery Dogs will spend the spring and summer on tour before taking a break. “We plan on regrouping around Christmas or New Year’s to make album number two and continue to introduce the world to The Dogs,” he said.

source: northjersey.com

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