Sat
21
Mar

RIP Drummer AJ Pero

Artist: 
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Categories: 
News Feed
 
It's been a horror week. Another black day for metal, with the sudden passing of drummer AJ Pero of Twisted Sister and Adrenalin Mob, who he was currently touring with. AJ died in his sleep on the band's tour bus following a gig earlier.
 
This from the Adrenalin Mob guys:
 
"We write this with tears in our eyes & our hearts broken to pieces.. our beloved brother AJ Pero peacefully passed away in his sleep this morning on the bus. We are in complete shock & our hearts & prayers go out to his family. It has been nothing short of an honor to have shared the stage with such a beautiful soul & legend! We love you AJ, rest in peace.
We will cherish this last picture we all took together on tour forever! What a great night we had... we'll miss you buddy!"
 
And from the Twisted Sister guys:
 
“Today I lost a brother. Anthony Jude Pero passed away. A.J. was the final piece in a band that would become an international sensation and one of the greatest live rock acts to ever hit the stage. His sledgehammer assault on the drums helped drive Twisted Sister and I to greatness and inspired me to rock every single show. My heart breaks knowing I will never feel the power of his beat behind me, or turn to see his face smiling broadly from the sheer joy he got from doing what he loved. I will always remember that smile. RIP my friend.”
Dee Snider
---------
“AJ Pero was a force, the likes of which I doubt I will ever have the chance to play in front of again. His drumming was legendary but his heart, as a human being, was even greater.
This April 1st would have been his 32nd year as a member.
In the Twisted Sister world he was always affectionately known as “the new guy”. That is how long and deep our history was/is.
In our hearts he will always be the engine that drove the train. I loved him and today my heart has been ripped out. RIP”
Jay Jay French
----------
My family, extended Twisted Sister family, and I are heartbroken and devastated to hear the news of Anthony Jude Pero’s passing. A.J. was a dear friend and brother to me, and in my opinion, one of the most talented drummers of all time. I will always remember the amazing experiences and great laughs we shared. A.J. always had an amazing sense of humor and did his best to please everyone he came in contact with.
Back in the day, when the band first started touring, we were often room-mates and he never failed to keep me smiling. It’s very difficult for me to talk about this right now. However, I feel that out of respect for his legacy, it’s important for us to let the world know how we all felt and will always feel about him. I know I will dearly miss him, but I’m grateful to have been his friend and musical partner for thirty-eight years.
At this time, my sincerest sympathies go out to his family. Heaven just got a great drummer, one that will live forever in our hearts.
Eddie Ojeda and The Ojeda Family
----------
This morning I received the tragic news about AJ’s passing. As anyone would be, I am devastated. With such a loss, even I broke down and cried, allegedly the tough guy in the band. One statement says it all, “AJ was my band mate, my friend and my brother and I will miss him forever”.
Mark ‘The Animal’ Mendoza
 

R.I.P AJ.

 

 
Fri
20
Mar

THE BABYS Live In Los Angeles (Report)

Artist: 
Friday, March 20, 2015
Categories: 
Tour News

By Gerry Gittelson
Melodicrock.com Los Angeles correspondent


LOS ANGELES, Calif., USA -- Once the darlings of rock radio in the 1970s, The Babys are back together after a long absence, and the former teen-idol band took a big step forward on Jan. 31 in a sold-out concert before a crowd of about 700 at the Lido Theatre in Newport Beach south of Los Angeles.

With a legion of baby boomers crowded up front and pumping their fists, The Babys tore through a nearly two-hour set that featured all the biggest hits like "Head First," "Midnight Rendez-Vous" and an especially well-executed version of "Isn't It Time."

Originals Wally Stocker (guitar) and Tony Brock (drums) still have the chops, and both still look pretty cool --  Brits never age, right? -- and The Babys have welcomed new singer John Bisaha, a redhead just like John Waite, who is not an easy man to replace.

The Babys have legitimized their comeback with a new album called "I'll Have Some of That!" that includes a new Billboard hot sales hit called "I See You There."

Bisaha, who also plays bass, proved in fine vocal form. He hits all the notes, and though he does not sound exactly like Waite -- no one does -- Bisaha comes close, and what's definitely clear is the new singer is overflowing with natural talent.

Another guitarist named Joey Sykes is also on board, and two female backup singers plus side keyboard player Francesco Staglietti add autenticity.

The Babys opened with "Back on My Feet Again," and that gave the band momentum from the very beginning. Some of the other highlights were "Every Time I Think of You," "Postcard," "Love Don't Prove I'm Right" and "Wrong or Right."

The standing-room-only crowd was really into it. The Babys have a good chance to make an impact -- the group is playing in New York and Philadelphia in June -- so they're definitely a classic-rock band to keep on eye on.

Check 'em out on thebabysofficial.com
 
  
 
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Fri
20
Mar

VAN HALEN To Appear On "Ellen Show" April 2

Artist: 
Friday, March 20, 2015
Categories: 
News Feed
 
VAN HALEN will promote their new live album release and most likely their upcoming US summer/fall tour on the April 2 edition of The Ellen Show. No, the date is not a typo...
 
 
"They are "what dreams are made of"... a legendary, "Unchained,” world renowned rock band that continues to tear up the stage four decades since their beginning. VAN HALEN is here! In a daytime exclusive, the California rockers will take over Ellen's stage to perform one of their favorite songs as they embark on their Greatest Hits Tour! They're some of the most talented, wildest and most exciting musicians of all time. Nearly all of Van Halen's albums have gone triple platinum, featuring iconic records like "You Really Got Me," "Runnin' with the Devil" and "Dancing in the Street." Ellen and her audience will be dancing through the aisles when Van Halen brings the heat to the room!"
 
Fri
20
Mar

"They didn't want to pay Night Ranger,' says JACK BLADES of KISS and Def Leppard Tour

Artist: 
Friday, March 20, 2015
Categories: 
Podcasts & Radio

http://www.spreaker.com/user/talkingmetal/one-on-one-98-blades-katrina

NIGHT RANGER's Jack Blades joins Mitch in this episode of ONE ON ONE WITH MITCH LAFON to discuss the great new band REVOLUTION SAINTS which includes guitarist Doug Aldrich and JOURNEY's DEEN CASTRONOVO. Jack discusses how the band, the songwriting and album came together, the infamous 1995 Night Ranger album 'Feeding Off The Mojo', his friendship with Styx's guitarist Tommy Shaw, Damn Yankees, Shaw/Blades and explains why the 2014 Night Ranger summer tour with KISS and Def Leppard didn't happen explaining in part that, "They didn't want to pay Night Ranger".

Russ Dwarf of the Killer Dwarfs co-hosts. Follow RUSS DWARF on TWITTER: @RussDWaRf and his band the KILLER DWARFS: @KillerDwarfs

This Episode of One On One With Mitch Lafon is brought to you by the Heavy Montreal Festival taking place on August 7th, 8th and 9th at Parc Jean Drapeau in Montreal. This year featuring Lamb Of God, Slipknot, Korn, Faith No More as well as '80s artists Dokken, Lita Ford and Warrant. Visit:  http:// www. heavymontreal.com

REVOLUTION SAINTS on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RevolutionSaints

Follow Jack Blades & Night Ranger on TWITTER: @JackBlades & @nightranger  and on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/nightranger

This episode's second interview is with Katrina (formerly of Katrina And The Waves). She discusses her current album BLISLAND, the 30th Anniversary of their smash hit Walkin' On Sunshine, her 2015 North America tour, Attic Records and much more.

NOTE: Attic Records was the early home for such artists as the Killer Dwarfs, Anvil, Lee Aaron, Goddo, Haywire, Triumph, Katrina And The Waves, George Thorogood, Razor, and Motorhead's The Watcher live album (Live At The Roundhouse 1978).

Follow Katrina on Twitter: @KatrinasWeb and online: http://www.katrinasweb.com

Follow Mitch Lafon on Twitter: @mitchlafon
One on One With Mitch Lafon's Official Twitter is: @1On1WithMitch
And Official Facebook page is: http://www.facebook.com/OneOnOneMitchLafon
 
Fri
20
Mar

NARNIA Back At Work On 7th Album

Artist: 
Friday, March 20, 2015
Categories: 
News Feed
 
Swedish melodic metal band Narnia made a great impact when they headlined Elements Of Rock festival last weekend in Switzerland. Fans from Switzerland, USA, Mexico, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Finland, Norway and even Swedish fans came to the festival to see a nearly 2 hour exploding show by Narnia.

CJ Grimmark - guitars (Rob Rock, Empire 21) Andreas Passmark - bass (Royal Hunt, Rob Rock) Andreas Johansson - drums (Rob Rock), Martin Härenstam - keys and the working hard frontman and vocalist Christian Liljegren (Audiovision, Golden Resurrection, Modest Attraction) proved that they are one of the finest melodic metal band these days and they how to rock the crowd. It was Narnia´s first big show in 7 years with Christian Liljegren fronting the band again

The band are currently working on their 7th studio album, but no deal is signed yet. Interested labels please contact info@narniatheband.com

Vocalist Christian Liljegren also held a workshop about his career in the hard and heavy scene for over 25 years and together with guitarist CJ Grimmark they did an acoustic session of Narnia songs from their biggest album Long Live The King.

The band has sold over 250000 albums worldwide.
Enjoy the Youtube video clip of Shelter Through The Pain.

http://youtu.be/qbtRalol-Yo

For more info about Narnia
www.facebook.com/narniatheband
www.narniatheband.com
 
 
Fri
20
Mar

MR. BIG 'The Vault' Expanded & Release Date Delay

Artist: 
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Categories: 
News Feed
 
Japanese label Wowow Entertainment have updated the release date for the amazing MR. BIG Box Set The Vault, which is now due for release April 8 (and that may still be pushed back!)
 
 
The company has warned that the announcement cannot be re-printed or translated (who knows why), but that doesn't prevent interested folks taking a look for yourself! The UPDATED AND EXPANDED press release and track listing is here: http://wowowent.co.jp/news/detail/134 
 
A Google translation of that page can be seen here: https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?act=url&depth=1&hl=e...
 
 
 
To summerize, the Box Set will contain a 100 page color book, a laminate pass, a neck strap and other replica items from the band's history. It also contains 20CDs and 2DVDs, featuring original demos, instrumentals, outtakes and unreleased tracks from across the band's history, including demos for the debut album, Lean Into It, Bump Ahead, Hey Man and What If!
 
Then there are several live CDs from shows not previously released and rehersal/soundcheck recordings.
 
It's realy an incredible set of material for Mr. Big fans.
 
 

 

 
Thu
19
Mar

STEVEN'N'SEAGULLS Ready To Shake Fans With Debut

Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Categories: 
News Feed
STEVE'N'SEAGULLS GO FROM VIRAL SENSATION TO SIGNED ACT

SPINEFARM RECORDS' DEBUT FARM MACHINE OUT MAY 12
BAND REVEALS NEW VIDEO AC/DC's "YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG"
What became a genuine international viral phenomenon, actually started out on a farm  in central Finland; in a barn, to be precise..
There, a bunch of like-minded countrymen with the emphasis on "ccountry" played a customized version  of AC/DC's "Thunderstrucck," using homespun instrumentation, everything from banjo picking to anvil bangin' to achieve their original take on a classic. They filmed the event, posted the results on YouTube, and within a couple of weeks, the clip had accumulated over five million views. It's now topped out at 10 million.

Pretty impressive, right? For Steve'N'Seagulls, this was a bolt from the blue, but then, as history shows us, the greatest stories ever told tend to start in a stable... Yes, a stable.
Now, the band is gearing up to release Farm Machine on Spinefarm on May 12. "Finally it's complete!" exclaims the band. "And the fruits of our labour please us. We are now preparing to take on the world!"

The band has just revealed the video for its version on another AC/DC stalwart "You Shook Me All Night Long." Video features hilariouss moments in the barn, as well as awkward moments at the ice hockey rink. Shakin’ Steves all night long!

Watch the video here

If you need a refresher on who, exactly, Steven'N'Seagulls are, then settle in and get schooled.

Sporting possibly the greatest band name in history, S'N'S, comprised of an acoustic guitarist/vocalist; a banjo player; a double-bassist; a big dude wearing overalls and a beaver hat playing mandolin/keyboards/accordion/whatever-he-gets-his-hands-on; and a cajon-straddlin' percussionist, have delivered a 13-track album featuring rural riffs and villager vocals, filled to the brim with "hillbillified" versions of immortal heavy metal standards; the track listing is below.

It's a body of work best enjoyed with a bathtub of moonshine close at hand, but really, as foot-stompingly  enjoyable as S'N'S are on record, you ain't seen nothin' 'til you've experienced The 'Gulls live.

The redneck show tours nonstop, rocking the honky-tonks overseas... for now. Steve'N'Seagulls will skedaddle off to Swedish and Norwegian soil, before raisin' hell at European festivals.
In September, they are planning to head over to the U.S. and Canada before returning to Europe for further merriment and mayhem.

Let the hillbillification commence...

Track Listing:
"Grand Opening"
"Black Dog"
"Thunderstruck"
"The Trooper"
"Ich Will"
"Paradise City"
"Nothing Else Matters"
"Over the Hills and Far Away"
"Seek and Destroy"
"Holy Diver"
"Run to The Hills"
"You Shook Me All Night Long"
"Cemetery Gates"

Pre-order the album here and here.
 
Thu
19
Mar

WORLDVIEW Release Debut Album 'The Chosen Few' May 22

Artist: 
Friday, May 22, 2015
Categories: 
News Feed

The debut album entitled "The Chosen Few" from the US melodic metal band WORLDVIEW will be released on May 22nd in Europe and on May 26th in North America through M24 Music Group.

Worldview features members from iconic bands like Sacred Warrior, Deliverance and Recon.

"The Chosen Few" is packed with a host of celebrity guest players: Oz Fox (Stryper) playing a blazing lead guitar, Les Carlsen (Bloodgood) laying down a dramatic guest vocal, Jimmy P. Brown (Deliverance) cutting some low and powerful background vocals.
Larry Farkas (Vengeance Rising, Die Happy) shredding with his tasty licks, Armand Meinbardis (Rob Rock) dazzling with his violin and piano playing, and Niki Bente gracing the record with her lovely voice on the title track.

The artwork was created by Felipe Machado Franco [Blind Guardian, Rhapsody of Fire, Jorn] and the album was mixed and mastered by Bill Metoyer [Fates Warning, Slayer, W.A.S.P.]

Check out an album teaser at YouTube here: https://youtu.be/8oZTM-wCmZY

"The Chosen Few" can be pre-ordered at the bands website: www.worldviewmetal.com

Worldview line-up
Johnny Gonzales - Drums, Percussion
Todd Libby - Bass guitar, Keyboards
George Rene Ochoa - Guitars, Keyboards, Background Vocals
Rey Parra - Lead Vocals

"The Chosen Few" track listing
01. Mortality
02. Illusions of Love
03. Back in Time
04. The Mirror
05. Why?
06. Prisoner of Pain
07. Two Wonders
08. Walk Through Fire
09. The Chosen Few
10. The Last Cry

Worldview online:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldviewmetal
Website: http://www.worldviewmetal.com
 
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Thu
19
Mar

RED DRAGON CARTEL Swaps Darren Smith For MICHAEL THOMAS BECK

Thursday, March 19, 2015
Categories: 
News Feed
 
RED DRAGON CARTEL earlier today parted ways with vocalist Darren Smith. Now they've just announced a replacement, albeit perhaps only a temporary one:
 
"Red Dragon Cartel and singer Darren James Smith have officially parted ways. All scheduled shows will still take place as planned with Michael Thomas Beck on vocals. We would like to welcome Michael to RDC and we look forward to getting back on stage!"
 
Darren had this to say about the move: "IT IS TRUE I LEFT RDC, KINDA COMPLICATED BUT I THINK IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. ONE DAY ILL COMMENT MORE, FOR NOW "THATS ALL FOLKS!!!"
 

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