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Tuesday, August 18, 2009
This is some Rush history sinse they're are one of the greatest things to come out of Canada along with Anvil and maple syrup...and they have good ham. Rush is a Canadian rock band originally formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart. The band and its membership went through a number of re-configurations between 1968 and 1974, achieving their current form when Peart replaced original drummer John Rutsey in July 1974, two weeks before the group's first U.S. tour. The original line-up of Rush formed in August 1968, in Toronto, Ontario, consisting of Jeff Jones (bass and lead vocals), John Rutsey (drums and backing vocals) and Alex Lifeson (guitars and backing vocals). It was Rutsey's older brother who suggested the name Rush immediately before the band's first gig at The Coff-In, a local coffee shop in the basement of St. Theodore's of Canterbury Anglican Church. This was a play on words alluding to the frantic scrambling of the band members as they tried to come up with a title. That same summer, Jones was replaced as bassist and lead vocalist by Lifeson's schoolmate Gary Lee Weinrib, who went by the name of Geddy Lee due to the heavily accented pronunciation of his first name by his Jewish mother. After this point, Rush experienced rapid personnel changes and lineup reformations before finally settling on the first officially recognized incarnation of the band. This began in January 1969 when Lindy Young came on-board at the request of Lifeson to play keyboards and occasional back-up guitars. Lee was asked to leave Rush that May, and he went on to form his own band which he first called Ogilvie, but later opted for the name Judd. Rush and Judd were both managed by local friend Ray Danniels. Lee was replaced in Rush by bassist and vocalist Joe Perna, and at this point the name of the band was changed to Hadrian. Lee had such terrific success with his newly formed band that Young made the decision to leave and join Judd, resulting in the final dissolution of Hadrian. However, in September, the members of Judd also disbanded allowing Lee, Lifeson, and Rutsey to reconvene as Rush once again. In February 1971, Mitch Bossi was recruited as rhythm guitarist, however, his tenure was extremely short-lived and he quit in May of the same year leaving behind the three members to carry on as a trio. During these early years, Rush would cover bands that would influence their future sound: The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton. They also began writing original compositions; initial songs would include Keep in Line, Garden Road, Slaughterhouse, and Feel So Good. After experiencing some stability in their line-up and honing their skills on the local bar/high school dance circuit, Rush decided to release their first single in 1973 before attempting work on a full album. Side A contained Not Fade Away, a cover of the Buddy Holly song, while on side B there was an original composition titled You Can't Fight It credited to Rutsey and Lee. To the chagrin of the band, the single did not generate the desired commercial reaction. Because numerous record companies refused to produce and distribute Rush's music, the band was forced to form their own record label, Moon Records. However, despite these early setbacks, Lee, Lifeson, and Rutsey, with the aid of Danniels and newly enlisted engineer Terry Brown, released their first album in March 1974, the self-titled Rush. The entire production cost came to $9,000. Highly derivative of Led Zeppelin, Rush had limited local popularity until the original release, distributed by Moon Records, was picked up by WMMS, a radio station in Cleveland, Ohio. Donna Halper, a DJ and station manager working at the time, selected the seven minute Working Man to be part of the regular play cycle. This song was the band's first release to garner positive commercial feedback. It resonated with hard rock fans in North America; being reminiscent of Led Zeppelin, with Lee sounding similar to Robert Plant, and Lifeson's guitar riffs modeled partly after Jimmy Page's style. This popularity led the album to be redistributed by Mercury Records. The same year, Rutsey resigned due to his affliction with diabetes and a distaste for touring. Rush held auditions for a replacement drummer before finally selecting Neil Peart on July 29, 1974 (consequently ending his tenure in his previous band, Hush). Prior to joining the band, Peart had recently traveled to London, England in order to further his musical career. Unfortunately, he became increasingly disillusioned with the music scene and emigrated back to Canada where he auditioned for Rush. Incidentally, Lifeson has remarked in interviews that his immediate impression of Peart was actually less than favorable (in terms of personality), while Lee was much more accepting. In the end, Lee managed to convince Lifeson to accept Peart. Peart's inclusion led the band to more progressive ethos over the course of the band's next few albums, Fly by Night, Caress of Steel, and 2112. He also became the band's principal lyricist since Lee and Lifeson had very little interest in writing, contributing to only a few songs over the rest of the band's career. Instead, the two of them focused solely on the musical aspects of Rush. Although these early albums were still heavily entrenched in the blues-inspired hard rock that dominated their eponymous debut, more complex song structures and progressive rock arrangements became apparent. Fly By Night (1975), Rush's first album after recruiting Peart, saw the inclusion of the band's first mini-epic tale By-Tor and the Snow Dog, replete with complex arrangements and multi-section format. Lyrical themes also underwent dramatic changes after the addition of Peart due to his love for fantasy and science-fiction literature. Following quick on the heels of Fly By Night, the band released Caress of Steel (1975), a five track hard rock album featuring two extended multi-chapter songs, The Necromancer and The Fountain of Lamneth. The latter was Rush's first full-fledged epic, with side two of the album entirely devoted to the song, while the former, a nod to J. R. R. Tolkien, was a more compact "mini-epic". Caress of Steel sold quite poorly, and the promotional tour consisted of small lackluster venues, which led to the moniker the "Down the Tubes Tour". In light of these events, Rush's record label pressured them into molding their next album in a more commercially friendly and accessible fashion. However, in spite of such urges, the band ignored these requests, and their next album, 1976's 2112, was the band's first taste of commercial success and their first Canadian gold and platinum album. After the success of 2112, the band released a double live album entitled All the World's a Stage in 1976 in order to separate Rush's early work with their upcoming music. After 2112, Rush followed up with 1977's A Farewell to Kings and 1978's Hemispheres. These albums saw the band pushing the prog rock envelope even further than before by expanding their use of progressive elements. Trademarks such as increased synthesizer usage, extended length concept songs, and highly dynamic playing featuring complex time signature changes became a staple of Rush's compositions, while the addition of new instruments and playing styles contributed to the progressive character of Rush's sound. Lifeson began to experiment with twelve- and six-string acoustic and classical guitars, introducing yet another facet to the music. Songs such as A Farewell To Kings, Closer to the Heart, and The Trees make use of finger picking, a common classical guitar technique, while the introduction to La Villa Strangiato featured flamenco Spanish guitar lines. Lee also began to assimilate different instrumentation, such as bass-pedal synthesizers and Mini-Moog, into Rush's songs in order to achieve a broader palette of sound. Likewise, Peart's percussion became diversified in the form of triangles, glockenspiel, wood blocks, cowbells, gong and chimes. Beyond instrument additions, the band kept in stride with the progressive rock movement by continuing to compose long atmospheric songs, usually conceptual in nature with science fiction and fantasy overtones. The two albums that followed after 2112 were linked by a two-part interconnected storyline. Hemispheres contains a sequel to A Farewell to King's Cygnus X-1 titled Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres. While Rush produced a few other multi-chapter songs over the rest of their career, Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres was their last side-spanning epic. The lyrics of this time (most of them written by Peart) were heavily influenced by classical poetry, fantasy literature, science fiction and, in a few cases, the writings of novelist Ayn Rand, as exhibited most prominently by their 1975 song Anthem from Fly By Night and a specifically acknowledged derivation in 1976's 2112. As the new decade approached, Rush gradually began to dispose of their older styles of music in favor of shorter, and sometimes softer, arrangements. During an interview in 1978, Lee stated that Rush felt they had taken the long-song format as far as they could or wanted. Many of their early songs received limited airplay and commercial recognition because of their extended length (in some cases exceeding ten minutes). This partially contributed to the band's apparent change in direction while recording Permanent Waves in 1979. Here, Rush began to opt for shorter songs that still retained their trademark musicianship and complexity. The album began the incorporation of styles such as reggae and new wave that would continue in the band's early 1980s albums. Also, although a hard rock style was still evident, more and more synthesizers were introduced. However, lengthy songs similar to the band's 1970s output made a few final appearances in this period, such as Jacob's Ladder and Natural Science. The nine-minute track Natural Science is considered the band's last true multi-chapter song since it comprises three individual passages as explicitly stated in the liner notes. Yet, even after purposely forgoing the extended song format, many of the band's songs would continue to clock in at five or six minutes, still just outside of mainstream music convention. However, Permanent Waves was able to spawn two radio classics, The Spirit of Radio and Freewill, songs which combined musical complexity with marketable accessibility that allowed Rush to emerge as a more radio friendly band. Both songs continue to make appearances on classic rock radio stations in Canada and the United States to this day. Lyrical themes also changed markedly during this time, beginning to rely much less on science-fiction imagery. Instead, Neil's lyrics took on a more expository tone with subject matter that dwelled less upon fantastical or allegorical story-telling and more heavily on cerebral topics that explored humanitarian, social, emotional, and metaphysical elements. Rush's popularity hit its zenith with the release of Moving Pictures in 1981. Moving Pictures essentially continued where Permanent Waves left off, extending the trend of highly accessible and commercially friendly pop-progressive rock that helped thrust them into the spotlight. The lead track, Tom Sawyer, is probably the band's best known song. In addition to Tom Sawyer, Limelight also received satisfactory responses from listeners, and to this day (along with Tom Sawyer) still remains a relatively popular song on classic rock radio stations across North America. It should be mentioned that Moving Pictures was the very last album to feature an extended song, the 10-and-a-half-minute The Camera Eye. Incidentally, the song also possessed the band's heaviest usage of keyboards and synthesizers up to that point, hinting that Rush's music was veering in yet another new direction. Moving Pictures shot up to #3 on the Billboard Album Chart and has been certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Following the success of Moving Pictures (and the completion of yet another four studio albums), Rush came to release their second live recording, Exit...Stage Left, in 1981. More than anything else, the album delineates the apex of Rush's progressive period featuring live material from the band's Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures tours. As with their first live release, Exit...Stage Left identified the margin of yet another chapter of Rush's sound. The band underwent another radical stylistic transmutation with the release of Signals in 1982. While Geddy Lee's synthesizers had been featured instruments ever since the late 70's, 1982's Signals arguably represented Rush's most drastic stylistic transformation up to that point. Keyboards were suddenly shifted from a contrapuntal background to the melodic front-lines, while traditional guitar solos also became less of a focal point as seen in both Countdown and the lead-off track Subdivisions. Both songs feature nimble lead synthesizer lines with minimalistic guitar chords and solos. Another song, Losing It, features Ben Mink on electric violin, while Lifeson's guitar chords were slightly audible in the mix. Many Rush fans were disappointed with Lifeson's subdued guitar tone and overall diminished presence, but others enjoyed the adventurous musical territory. It must be noted that while the band members consciously decided to move in this overall direction, they felt dissatisfied with long-time producer Terry Brown's studio treatment of Signals and parted ways with him in 1983. Signals contained Rush's only US top-40 pop hit, New World Man, while, musically, other more experimental songs such as Digital Man, The Weapon, and Chemistry expanded the band's use of ska, reggae, and funk. More specifically, Lifeson's guitar tone and playing style on Signals were very reminiscent of contemporary acts of the time who were well known for incorporating such rhythms into their music, The Police and U2 being the most evident; and it is not at all uncommon to still hear comparisons drawn between Alex Lifeson and Andy Summers of The Police. These diverse styles would come into further play on their next studio album. The style and production of Signals were augmented and taken to new heights on 1984's Grace Under Pressure. Although Lee's use of sequencer and synthesizer remained the band's cornerstone, his focus on new technology was complemented by Peart's adaptation of electronic drums and percussion -- a sonic evolutionary step similar to A Farewell to Kings. Lifeson's contributions on the album were also decidedly enhanced. Even still, many of his trademark guitar textures remained intact in the form of open reggae chords and funk and new-wave rhythms; red lenses, Red Sector A and The Enemy Within serving as prime examples. Grace Under Pressure also featured several popular MTV music videos, including the anti-nuclear anthem Distant Early Warning. Lyrically, many of the themes featured on Grace Under Pressure were bleak and hopeless. Peart began to address previously unexplored motifs in his writing such as nuclear war, the Holocaust, deep personal strife, and communism. Such subjects obviously deal with secular, environmental, and humanitarian concerns that were rather unorthodox for Peart at the time. However, from this point on, his lyrics would more or less continue in this vein for the remainder of the band's career, albeit with less despondency. 1985's Power Windows and 1987's Hold Your Fire could be considered the peak of this musical chapter of Rush. Produced by Peter Collins, the music on these two albums give far more emphasis and prominence to Geddy Lee's multi-layered synthesizer work. However, Power Windows still builds somewhat upon the momentum from Grace Under Pressure, even as it involves more sophisticated usage of sequencers and guitar minimalism. However, Alex Lifeson's presence is still palpable on The Big Money, (the album's modest-charting single) with spotlights on Grand Designs, Middletown Dreams, and Marathon. 1987's Hold Your Fire represents both a modest extension of the guitar stylings found on Power Windows, and the culmination of this era of Rush. Lifeson, like many guitarists in the late 1980s, began experimenting with processors that reduced his instrument to echoey chord colorings and razor-thin leads. Most Rush fans now agree that Lifeson's contributions on these two albums were secondary to Geddy Lee's bass playing and keyboard-sequencer arrangements. Whereas the previous five Rush albums sold platinum or better, Hold Your Fire only went gold in 1987. This would convince the group to change record labels from Mercury Records to Atlantic in 1989. A third live album and video, A Show of Hands (1989), was also released by Mercury following the Power Windows and Hold Your Fire tours, demonstrating the aspects of Rush in the 80's. This was followed by the release of a two volume compilation entitled Chronicles by Mercury in 1990 as a chronological repackaging of the band's material between 1974 and 1989. Rush started to deviate from their 1980s style with the albums Presto and Roll the Bones. Produced by record engineer and musician Rupert Hine, these albums saw Rush shedding much of their keyboard-saturated sound.
The band was one of a number of hometown favorites to play Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto, also dubbed SARStock, at Downsview Park in Toronto in August 2003, with an attendance of over half a million people.A triple CD live album and dual DVD, Rush in Rio, was released in late October 2003. It is a full concert performance on the last night of their Vapor Trails tour, recorded November 23, 2002, at Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The audience present represented the second largest crowd that Rush has ever played in front of (40,000 persons), the largest being the previous night in São Paulo to a capacity of 60,000. The DVD which accompanied it won the 2004 Juno for best music DVD recognizing the artist, director and producer. Also, Neil Peart's drum solo, O Baterista, was nominated for the Grammy of Best Rock Instrumental Performance, but lost to Brian Wilson'sMrs. O'Leary's Cow.In order to celebrate their 30th anniversary, June 2004 saw the release of Feedback, a studio EP featuring eight covers of such artists as Cream, The Who, and The Yardbirds, bands which the members of Rush cite as inspiration around the time of their inception. This marked the first official studio release since their first single, on which the band covered the music of other artists. In stark contrast to Vapor Trails, the entire process of recording and mixing Feedback took only a few weeks to finish. The band has been quoted as saying that the project had a very spontaneous feel to it, and that it was very exciting to work on. Several songs, including Summertime Blues, Crossroads, and The Seeker were played on modern and classic rock radio stations across North America, introducing Rush to some new audiences. That same summer, Rush again hit the road for a very successful 30th Anniversary Tour, playing dates in the United States, Canada, the UK, Germany, Italy, Sweden, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands. On September 24, 2004 a Frankfurt, Germany concert was recorded for DVD (titled R30: Live in Frankfurt), which was released November 22, 2005.Rush Replay X 3 is a live DVD by Rush, released on June 13, 2006. It consists of three vintage VHS videos of the Exit...Stage Left (1981), Grace Under Pressure Tour (1985), and A Show of Hands (1988) concerts filmed in the 1980s. For this release, each one was remixed in 5.1 surround sound by Lifeson. It also includes a previously unreleased CD audio version of the Grace Under Pressure tour video (1984), and a set of reprinted tour books for each concert. Rush Replay X 3 debuted at #1 on the Billboard Music Video charts, marking the third consecutive time a Rush DVD has topped the music video charts.Rush's latest album, Snakes & Arrows, was released on May 1, 2007. The band recently finished promoting their latest album, Snakes & Arrows with an intercontinental tour. The second leg began in San Juan, Puerto Rico on April 11, and ended on July 24, 2008 in Noblesville, Indiana. The band's latest live release, Snakes & Arrows Live, is a two disc recording of performances in the Netherlands during the first leg of the tour.Following the band's tour, the band announced that they would be taking a break, with the possibility of getting together in the Fall of 2009.
Friday August 7, 2009
Well it has been a few months since I made one of these mostly because I've been procrastanated. I recently learned that a Runaways movie is being made so here is some background on Joan Jett. Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin September 22, 1958) is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress. She was born at Lankenau Hospital in Wynnewood, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She moved to Wheaton, Maryland in 1967 and attended high school there. She moved to Los Angeles, California. Joan Jett is one of the founding members of The Runaways along with drummer Sandy West. Micki Steele (who was later replaced), Jackie Fox, Lita Ford, and Cherie Currie completed the line-up. While Currie initially fronted the band, Jett also shared some lead vocals, played rhythm guitar and wrote or co-wrote a lot of the band's material along with Ford, West and Currie. The band recorded five LPs, with Live In Japan becoming one of the biggest-selling imports in U.S. and U.K. history. The band toured around the world and some of their opening acts included Cheap Trick, Van Halen and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. They found huge success abroad, especially in Japan. While The Runaways were popular in Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada and South America, they could not garner the same success in the U.S. After Currie and Fox left the band (to be replaced by bassist Vicki Blue and later, Laurie McAllister), the band released two more albums: Waitin' for the Night and And Now... The Runaways. Altogether they produced five albums from 1975 until they disbanded in spring of 1979. In the spring of 1979, Jett was in England pursuing a solo career. While there, she cut three songs with ex-Sex Pistols Paul Cook and Steve Jones (one of which was an early version of a cover song called I Love Rock N' Roll, originally written and performed by The Arrows). Later that year, she moved to Long Beach, New York and ultimately, Los Angeles, where she reluctantly began fulfilling an obligation of the Runaways to complete a film loosely based on the band's career called We're All Crazee Now!, with three actresses standing in for her departed band members. While working on the project in 1979, Jett met songwriter and producer Kenny Laguna, who came in to help Jett with writing some tracks for the film. They became friends and decided to work together. The plug was pulled on the project halfway through shooting. Jett and Laguna entered The Who's Ramport Studios with the latter at the helm. Jett's self-titled solo debut was released in Europe on May 17, 1980. In the United States, the album was rejected by 23 major labels. Jett and Laguna released it independently on their new Blackheart Records label, which they started with Laguna's daughter's college savings. Laguna remembers, "We couldn't think of anything else to do, but print up records ourselves, and that's how Blackheart Records started. It was more or less Joan's idea to do it ourselves. Jett inadvertently became the first female performer to start her own record label. With Laguna's assistance, Jett formed The Blackhearts. She placed an ad in the L.A. Weekly "looking for three good men." John Doe of X sat in on bass for the auditions held at S.I.R. studios in Los Angeles. He mentioned a local bass player, Gary Ryan, that had recently been crashing on his couch. Ryan was part of the L.A. punk scene and had played bass with local artists Top Jimmy and Rik L. Rik. He had been a fan of The Runaways and Jett for years. Jett recognized him at the audition and he was in. Gary recommended guitarist Eric Ambel, who was also at the time part of Rik L. Rik. The final addition to the original Blackhearts was drummer Danny "Furious" O'Brien, formerly of the infamous San Francisco band The Avengers. This line-up played several gigs at the Golden Bear and Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood before embarking on their first European tour which consisted of an extensive tour of the Netherlands, and a few key shows in England including the Marquee in London. Upon returning to the States, Jett, Ryan, and Ambel moved to Long Beach, N.Y. O'Brien stayed behind in England to pursue other interests. Auditions were set up and Lee Crystal, formerly of The Boyfriends and Sylvain Sylvain, became the new drummer. Joan Jett and The Blackhearts then toured throughout the States and built quite a following in New York. Jett and Laguna soon used their personal savings to press up copies of the Joan Jett album and set up their own system of independent distribution, sometimes selling the albums out of the trunk of Laguna's Cadillac at the end of each concert. Laguna was unable to keep up with demand for her album. Eventually, old friend and founder of Casablanca Records, Neil Bogart, made a joint venture with Laguna and signed Jett to his new label, Boardwalk Records and re-released the Joan Jett album as Bad Reputation. After a year of touring and recording, The Blackhearts recorded a new album entitled I Love Rock N' Roll for the label. During the recording process, Ambel was replaced by local guitarist Ricky Byrd. Eric went on to a career as a founding member of the Del-Lords, and later worked as a producer of a wide variety of bands. He currently plays with his band, The Yayhoos, and was a member of The Dukes, Steve Earle's band from 2000 to 2005. With Byrd on guitar, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts recorded their hit album. The new single was a re-recording of the title track, I Love Rock N' Roll, which in the first half of 1982 was number one on the Billboard charts for seven weeks in a row. A string of Top 40 hits followed, as well as sellout tours with The Police, Queen, and Aerosmith, among others. Jett was the second American act of any kind to perform behind the Iron Curtain, the first one being Blood, Sweat & Tears in Romania in 1969. She was among the first English-speaking rock acts to appear in Panama and the Dominican Republic. After receiving her own MTV New Year's Eve special, Jett beat out a number of contenders to appear in the movie Light of Day with Michael J. Fox. Bruce Springsteen wrote "the title song" especially for her, and her performance was critically acclaimed. It was about this time that Ryan and Crystal left The Blackhearts. They were soon replaced by the powerful rhythm section of Thommy Price and Kasim Sulton. Later that year, Jett released Good Music, which featured appearances by The Beach Boys, The Sugarhill Gang and singer Darlene Love. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts became the first rock band to perform a series of shows at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway, breaking the record at the time for the fastest ticket sell-out. Her next release, Up Your Alley, went multi-platinum and was followed by The Hit List, which was an album consisting of cover songs. During this time, Jett co-wrote the song, House of Fire, which appeared on Alice Cooper's 1989 album Trash. Her 1991 release, Notorious (which featured The Replacements' Paul Westerberg) was the last with Sony/CBS as Jett switched to Warner Brothers. A CD single of Let's Do It featuring Jett and Westerberg was also released during this time and appeared in the song credits for the movie Tank Girl. In 1993, Jett and Laguna released Flashback, a compilation of various songs on their own Blackheart Records.Jett produced several bands prior to releasing her debut and her label Blackheart Records released recordings from varied artists such as thrash rock band Metal Church. The press touted Jett as the "Godmother of Punk" and the "Original Riot Grrrl". In 1994, The Blackhearts released the well received Pure and Simple, which featured tracks written with Kat Bjelland (Babes in Toyland), Donita Sparks (L7) and Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill). Jett, a sports fan, remained actively involved in the sports world. Her cover of Love is All Around (the theme song of The Mary Tyler Moore Show) became an anthem in women's sports and was used by the NCAA to promote the Women's Final Four, as well as the song Unfinished Business which was never commercially released. Love Is All Around went into radio play and became a number one requested song without an existing support CD. Jett supplied theme songs for the premiere ESPN X-Games and has contributed music to all the games since. At Cal Ripken Jr.'s request, she sang the national anthem, at the Baltimore Orioles game in which he tied Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played. Jett returned to producing for the band Circus Lupus in 1992 and again, in 1994, for Bikini Kill. This recording was the New Radio EP for which she also played and sang back-up vocals. The Riot Grrrl movement started in the 1990s, with Bikini Kill as a representative band, and many of these women credited Jett as a role model and inspiration. Another Riot Grrrl band, Bratmobile, covered the song Cherry Bomb as a tribute to her. Near the end of the 1990s she worked with members of the punk band The Gits, whose lead singer and lyricist, Mia Zapata, had been raped and murdered in 1993. The results of their collaboration together was a live LP, Evil Stig and a single, "Bob," whose earnings were contributed to the investigation of Zapata's murder. To this end, the band and Jett appeared on the TV show America's Most Wanted, appealing to the public for information. The case was solved in 2004, when Zapata's murderer, Jesus Mezquia, was brought to trial and convicted. Jett performed I Love Rock N' Roll with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra at Madison Square Garden in New York City on December 19, 2005. In November 2007, Jett and the Blackhearts appeared with Motörhead and Alice Cooper in a UK arena tour. Jett opened eight American shows on Aerosmith's 2007 World Tour. Following The Dave Clark Five's induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, on March 10, 2008, Jett, as part of the ceremony, closed the program with a performance of the DC5's 1964 hit Bits and Pieces. She was introduced by actor Tom Hanks, who said, "Ladies and gentlemen - at one time, if I had been lucky, one of the most beautiful 'Mrs. Tom Hanks' you can imagine, but I'm not complainin' - Joan Jett!" Jett is to executive produce the 2009 upcoming film The Runaways, which chronicles the Runaways' career. Floria Sigismondi, who has also directed videos for Marilyn Manson, the White Stripes and David Bowie, is to write and direct. Production of the movie will begin filming around Twilight's Kristen Stewart schedule of filming the sequel "New Moon" then "Eclipse". Stewart is set to play Joan Jett. In order to prepare for the role, Stewart met up with Jett around the 08/09 New Year. In a recent interview Stewart revealed that she hopes to be able to sing some of the songs in the film. The film will explore the friendship and falling out between Jett and Runaways' lead singer Cherie Currie, played by Dakota Fanning. Jett is critical of the Republican Party and supported Howard Dean in the 2004 election because of his position on the War in Iraq and his gay marriage policy. She has been a consistent supporter of the US Armed Forces, has toured for the USO for over 20 years, and even played West Point. On May 15, 2006, Jett visited the Pentagon, and many photographs were taken with personnel. Jett is a vegan. Jett was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in October 2006. In 2003, Jett was named in the Rolling Stone greatest 100 guitarists of all time at number 87. She was one of only two women in this list. The other was Joni Mitchell.
Wednesday April 8, 2009
I just realized i hadn't made a post in quite sometime, don’t know why just hadn't. Well this is about a band who kind of fell under the radar despite the fact that they are a great band named Anvil. Anvil is a Canadian heavy metal band. The roots of Anvil began in April 1973 in Toronto, when high school friends Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner began playing music together. It was not until 1978 that the first lineup that was to become Anvil was formed: Kudlow (lead vocals, lead guitar), Reiner (drums), Dave Allison (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Ian Dickson (bass). Together they were known as LIPS. In 1981, the band released an independent album called Hard 'N Heavy. Shortly after they were signed by Attic Records they changed their name to Anvil and the independent album was released by Attic as their debut album. In 1987 they were approached by American label Metal Blade Records. They released three records with Metal Blade Records starting with Strength of Steel. Anvil was then picked up by Maximum Records, an independent Canadian label that was formed by Helix's manager-at-the-time William Seip. From 1996 they were signed by Hypnotic Records in Canada and Massacre Records in Germany. The band's history has been documented in the film Anvil! The Story of Anvil. The film has helped Anvil back into the public consciousness and has propelled them to playing several festivals including Glastonbury Festival and Download Festival in 2009. Since its first season VH1 Classic's That Metal Show has supported the film and on March 28, 2009 Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner were the show's featured guests. It was picked up for distribution in the US by MTV, and will open on limited release on April 10, 2009. The band will also go on the road with the film starting April 7th for what has been dubbed The Anvil Experience. Anvil has released about 16 albums such as Hard 'N' Heavy (1981), Metal on Metal (1982), Forged in Fire (1983), Backwaxed (1985), Strength of Steel (1987), Pound for Pound (1988), Past and Present - Live in Concert (1989), Worth the Weight (1991), Plugged in Permanent (1996), Absolutely no Alternative (1997), Speed of Sound (1999), Anthology of Anvil (1999), Plenty of Power (2001), Still going Strong (2002), Back To Basics (2004), and This is Thirteen (2007). The current line up for Anvil is Robb Reiner on drums, Lips Kudlow on lead vocals and guitar, and Glenn Five on bass and backing vocals.
Wednesday February 18, 2009
Since Kevin DuBrow is awesome here is some Quiet Riot history. The original four members recorded their debut album Quiet Riot, or QR I, which was released in Japan in 1977. Months later, bassist Kelly Garni left the band. The second album Quiet Riot II, or QR II, was recorded at The Record Plant and released in Japan in 1978. Although Garni's replacement Rudy Sarzo was pictured and credited on QR II, he did not join before its recording. Rhoads followed his friend Dana Strum's advice and joined Ozzy Osbourne's band. DuBrow and Forsyth tried to keep the band together following Rhoads' departure, with the addition of guitarist Greg Leon and former Suite 19 bassist Gary Van Dyke. During this period of 1980-1982, the band's name was changed to DuBrow. Following Rhoads' death in a plane crash on March 19, 1982, DuBrow attempted to reform Quiet Riot. None of the other original members were interested, so Tony Cavazo's brother, Carlos, joined as lead guitarist, Sarzo re-joined the band on bass, and Rudy's friend, drummer Frankie Banali, completed the lineup. In September 1982, with a little help from producer Spencer Proffer (who'd produce W.A.S.P.'s 2nd album The Last Command in 1985), they were signed to CBS records in America. On March 11, 1983, their American debut album Metal Health was released. (Their two previous albums, QR I and QR II, have still not been released in the United States). On August 27, 1983, Quiet Riot's second single Cum on Feel the Noize / Run For Cover was released. Their cover of the 1973 Slade hit, which they didn’t want to do, spent two weeks at #5 on the Billboard chart on November 19 & 26, 1983. It was the first heavy metal song to make the Top 5 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart (a.k.a.Pop Chart). The success of the single helped carry Metal Health to the top of Billboard pop album charts, making it the first American heavy metal debut album to ever reach #1 in the USA. It was #1 on November 26, 1983, making Quiet Riot the first heavy metal band to have a top 5 hit & #1 album the same week. Their success was aided in no small part to the Cum on Feel the Noize video's heavy rotation on MTV. A #1 album and a top 5 single was unheard of for a heavy metal band in 1983. The Metal Health album also displaced The Police'sSynchronicity album from #1. Metal Health paved the way for a new, stronger commercial viability for heavy metal. Metal Health's title song, which was released as a single on March 11, 1983, finally charted in early 1984 and peaked at #31. This could be attributed to the song's appearance in the 1984 movie Footloose, as well as another heavy rotation video on MTV. The Metal Health album also sold over 6 million copies in the U.S. It was really rare for a metal album at that time to do so.It was Number 41 on the VH1's Top 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs. In support of Metal Health,Quiet Riot toured North America as the opening act for Black Sabbath on their Born Again tour from October of 1983 through March of 1984. The group's follow-up, Condition Critical, was released on July 7, 1984. It was a relative disappointment, critically and commercially, selling only 1 million units. This release included yet another Slade cover (the single, Mama Weer All Crazee Now - a UK chart topper for Slade) and numerous musical and lyrical nods to the aforementioned act; whether this was a decision made by the band or their producer is still subject to debate as evidenced in their VH1 "Behind The Music" documentary. Reportedly frustrated, DuBrow began letting newer bands on the L.A. metal scene know that their success was in part owed to the past successes of Quiet Riot. This led to Sarzo quitting the group in 1985. (In 1987 the bassist went on to Whitesnake) The bass slot in Quiet Riot was filled by erstwhile collaborator Chuck Wright (of Giuffria) and the group temporarily added keyboardist John Purdell for their 1985 tour and he appeared on their next release, QRIII, in 1986, another commercial failure. Fed up with DuBrow's antics, the rest of Quiet Riot fired him from his own band in early 1987 and replaced him with former Rough Cutt vocalist Paul Shortino. Wright was also fired and was replaced by Sean McNabb. The band released Quiet Riot in 1988, which was another poor seller. This 1988 album technically has the same name as their original first album with Randy Rhoads. After a tour that ended in Hawaii in 1989, the band members went their separate ways; DuBrow fought to keep control of the name. By 1990, tempers had cooled enough for the former bandmates to communicate. DuBrow and Cavazo formed Heat with bassist Kenny Hillery and drummer Bobby Rondinelli, but eventually became Quiet Riot again in 1991 and released Terrified (1993) with Banali rejoining. Quiet Riot, with Chuck Wright again on bass, hit the road in 1994 in support of Terrified with Wisconsin's Slam I Am. That same year, DuBrow released The Randy Rhoads Years featuring tracks from Quiet Riot's Columbia albums and some previously unreleased material (many of which featured newly recorded vocals). Hillery(who'd left the group in 1994) committed suicide on June 5th, 1996. The band released Down to the Bone in 1995 and a "Greatest Hits" album in 1996, which included nothing from the original two Rhoads albums and nothing from the two 90's albums. It did, however, include a few tracks from the 1988 Shortino album. After that, Rudy Sarzo joined up again in 1997, and the band continued touring. The '97 tour was a disaster, as the band was arrested several times; one angry fan sued DuBrow for injuries sustained during a show. The group still managed to release Alive and Well in (1999) which featured new songs and several rerecorded hits. They followed this up with Guilty Pleasures (2001). Quiet Riot officially broke up in February 2003(with Sarzo joining Dio the following year) but reunited in 2005. The line-up included DuBrow, Banali, Wright and new guitarist Alex Grossi. The band was featured on the 2005 Rock Never Stops Tour 2005 tour along with Cinderella, Ratt, and FireHouse. Kevin DuBrow released a solo album titled In For The Kill in 2004. As of January 2006, Chuck Wright and Alex Grossi had left the band and former L.A. Guns/Brides of Destruction guitarist Tracii Guns had joined, only to leave two weeks later under musical differences. Other recent members of Quiet Riot have included guitarists Billy Morris and Neil Citron, and bassists Tony Franklin, Sean McNabb and Wayne Carver. In an interview with rock & roll comic C.C. Banana in August 2006, Frankie Banali attempted to clarify the matter of Quiet Riot's recent rapid-fire membership rotation, indicating that both Alex and Chuck were both back in the band again. Quiet Riot released Rehab on October 3, 2006 with a lineup of DuBrow, Banali, Franklin, & Neil Citron. Former Deep Purple bassist and singer Glenn Hughes also made a guest vocal appearance on the album. On November 25, 2007, The Vegas Eye website reported that Kevin DuBrow was found dead in his apartment that day. Banali confirmed the death in an email to Spain's The Metal Circus Banali wrote:"Please respect my privacy as I mourn the passing and honor the memory of my dearest friend Kevin DuBrow." On January 14, 2008, drummer Frankie Banali issued the following statement regarding the end of Quiet Riot."I have been approached to see if I would be interested in contacting Rudy Sarzo and Carlos Cavazo and to audition singers for Quiet Riot. I have also been approached to see if I would be interested in contacting and reforming the version of Quiet Riot that included Paul Shortino, Carlos Cavazo and Sean McNabb. Let me make this very simple and perfectly clear. While I am still actively involved in the business interests of Quiet Riot and will continue in that capacity, I reject any and all suggestions to have Quiet Riot continue as a live performing entity. My friendship, love and respect for [late Quiet Riot singer] Kevin DuBrow as well as my personal love and affection for Kevin's mother and his family makes it inconceivable for me to ever entertain any ovation to reform or to continue Quiet Riot . Kevin was too important to go on without him. It would also be a disrespect to the fans who have supported Quiet Riot for nearly 25 years. I thank everyone for the wonderful and sometimes unpredictable adventure that I was able to share as a member of Quiet Riot . The only regret that I have is the loss of Kevin. May he rest in peace. I now begin life after Quiet Riot."
Friday January 29, 2009
This is a band that helped define heavy metal with their song Born to be Wild.They’re called Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf had its roots in a Toronto blues-influenced rock band called The Sparrows, which was established in 1964 by brothers Dennis and Jerry Edmonton and Nick St. Nicholas (German born, like Kay). Kay joined The Sparrows in September 1965 to sing and play guitar after the original singer, Jack London, left the group. Shortly thereafter, Goldy McJohn, who had once played in The Mynah Birds with Neil Young and Rick James, was brought in to replace departed keyboardist Art Ayre. The band shortened its name to The Sparrow in May 1966, and somewhat later, simply Sparrow. With some success in Toronto, Stanton J. Freeman became their manager and took them to New York where he booked them into The Barge in Westhampton for a month and arranged a record deal with Columbia Records. One single was released under the Sparrow name, though a full studio album was not released. After Steppenwolf became popular, a live album of Sparrow, recorded May 14, 1967 at The Matrix in San Francisco, was released as "Early Steppenwolf". 17-year-old Michael Monarch and Rushton Moreve replaced Dennis Edmonton and Nick St. Nicholas for a short time in Sparrow before the band changed its name to Steppenwolf. The name-change from "Sparrow" to "Steppenwolf" was suggested to John Kay by Gabriel Mekler, a producer at Dunhill Records. Steppenwolf's first two singles were A Girl I Knew and Sookie Sookie. The band finally rocketed to worldwide fame after their third single, Born to Be Wild, prominently used in the 1969 cult film Easy Rider, heard in the opening credits, with Fonda and Dennis Hopper riding their Harley choppers through the American West. The song, which has been closely associated with motorcycles ever since, introduced to rock lyrics the signature term "heavy metal" (though not about a kind of music, but about a motorcycle: "I like smoke and lightning, heavy metal thunder, racin' with the wind..."). Written by Dennis Edmonton, who had begun using the pen name Mars Bonfire. Then followed albums had several more hits, including Magic Carpet Ride (which reached #3) from their album Steppenwolf The Second. Monster, which criticized US policy of the Nixon-era, and Steppenwolf 7 were the band's most political albums, which included the song Snowblind Friend, another Axton-penned song, about the era and attitudes of drug problems. There were several changes in the group's line up after the first few years. Moreve was fired from the group in 1968 for missing gigs after he became afraid to return to Los Angeles, convinced that it was going to be leveled by an earthquake and fall into the sea. Rob Black filled in for Moreve until Nick St. Nicholas, Kay's old German buddy and former Sparrow member, came aboard. Monarch quit after disagreements with Kay that same year and was replaced by Larry Byrom. St. Nicholas' tenure with the group proved to be brief and he himself was let go in 1970 after incurring Kay's wrath by showing up onstage in a bunny suit and playing his bass loudly and out of tune. The band broke up in 1972 following the release of another political concept album, For Ladies Only, and Kay went on to a successful though inconsistent solo career. Kay toured Europe as The John Kay Band in 1972, and Steppenwolf with Steppenwolf also on the bill, Kay fronting both groups. His rapport with Steppenwolf and the audiences' enthusiastic responses convinced him that maybe Steppenwolf had disbanded prematurely. Steppenwolf reformed in 1974 with its core linup of Kay, Edmonton, and McJohn, along with longtime bassist Biondo and newcomer Bobby Cochran, Eddie Cochran's nephew. The band signed with Mums Records in retaliation for what Kay perceived as a lack of support by Dunhill Records for his solo album. McJohn was dismissed for what Kay described as a decline in the quality of his performances, as well as his erratic behavior. McJohn was replaced by Andy Chapin on Hour of the Wolf in 1975, though McJohn appeared in artwork for the single to Caroline (Are You Ready) and claims that his keyboard work can be heard on many of the album's tracks. After the album peaked at #155, the band attempted to break up, but the label, now having been absorbed by Epic Records, insisted Steppenwolf record one more album to satisfy their contractual obligations. The ensuing album, Skullduggery (1976), featuring Wayne Cook on keyboards, was released without a tour to support it, and Steppenwolf disbanded a second time. After they disbanded there were several bands called Steppenwolf touring. John Kay then took to the road in 1980 with a new lineup as John Kay & Steppenwolf to drive the competing groups off the road and out of business once and for all. John Kay had a couple of meetings with David Pesnell (after his release from rehab for his drinking and drug problems), about management, concert promotions and producing a new album for the band. Pesnell wanted to produce an album featuring new songs on Side A, by the reformed band Three Dog Night and with Side B of the album featuring songs by Steppenwolf. The album's working name was Back to Back, a play on each band having a side of the album and the fact the bands were back together again. Pesnell's concept was simple; each band would record four new songs, with a fifth song on each side featuring a medley of the band's past songs. This would give the Pesnell produced album a double release of singles to support a concert tour featuring the two bands. Many individuals inside the music industry believed the concept was solid and would lead to greater success for the two reunited bands, but Pesnell could not get John Kay or the members of Three Dog Night to agree on the various elements of the project and he eventually dropped the project, much to the dismay of Danny Hutton of Three Dog Night. Even though both bands liked the concept of the album and tour, the arguments included who would be Side A and Side B and which of the two would headline the upcoming concert tour. The reformed John Kay & Steppenwolf lineup featured John Kay, Mike Palmer (guitars, backing vocals), Steve Palmer (drums, backing vocals), Danny Ironstone (keyboards, backing vocals) and Kurtis Teel on bass. The Palmer brothers had been involved with Kay in his solo career in the late 70s. Teel was replaced by Chad Peery and Ironstone by Brett Tuggle by 1981 and the new grouping put out Live in London overseas. Tuggle was then replaced by Michael Wilk and a new studio album, Wolf Tracks, was released in 1982 on the small Attic (Nautilus in the U.S.) record label. Bassist Welton Gite, who appeared on this album, left shortly after its completion and was replaced by Gary Link. Another album, Paradox, followed in 1984. In early 1985 the Palmer brothers and Gary Link departed Steppenwolf and Kay & Wilk decided to continue on with a pared down quartet that comprised: Kay, Wilk, Ron Hurst (drums, backing vocals) and Rocket Ritchotte (guitars, backing vocals). Wilk would also handle bass duties from his keyboards from here on. This lineup released Rock N' Roll Rebels (1987) and Rise & Shine (1990). Ritchotte had departed temporarily in 1989 to be replaced by Les Dudek and then Steve Fister but then returned in 1990 for three more years. Fister(ex- Iron Butterfly) came back in late 1993 but turned guitar duties over to Danny Johnson in ’96. As the band was named after the novel Der Steppenwolf by German author Hermann Hesse, who was born in the Black Forest town of Calw, the city invited them to come over and play in the International Hermann-Hesse-Festival 2002, along with other bands inspired by Hesse, like Anyone's Daughter. The concert drew considerable media coverage, with Kay's fluent German stunning those who did not know beforehand about him growing up in Germany. The band performed its farewell concert October 6, 2007 at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, Maryland featuring Kay, longtime keyboardist Michael Wilk, drummer Ron Hurst, and guitarist Danny Johnson. While the band has a legendary longevity and influence, it has yet to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
December 30, 2008
I haven't updated the site in a while and I'll explain why in the words of Johnny Rotten "…because I'm a lazy bastard…" But this isn't about Johnny Rotten or the Sex Pistols; it's about Deep Purple mostly because they have released 18 studio albums and have done 27 tours and so now here is how it all started. In 1967, former Searchers drummer Chris Curtis contacted London businessman Tony Edwards in the hope that he would manage a new group he was putting together, to be called Roundabout: so-called because the members would get on and off the band, like a musical roundabout. Impressed with the plan, Edwards agreed to finance the venture with two business partners: John Coletta and Ron Hire (Hire-Edwards-Coletta - HEC Enterprises). The first recruit was the classically-trained Hammond organ player Jon Lord, who had most notably played with The Artwoods (led by Art Wood, brother of future Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, and featuring Keef Hartley). He was followed by session guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who was persuaded to return from Hamburg to audition for the new group. Curtis soon dropped out, but HEC Enterprises, as well as Lord and Blackmore, were keen to carry on. For the bass guitar, Lord suggested his old friend Nick Simper, with whom he had played in a band called The Flower Pot Men and their Garden (formerly known as The Ivy League) back in 1967. Simper's claims to fame (apart from Purple) were that he had been in Johnny Kidd & The Pirates and had been in the car crash that killed Kidd. He was also in Screaming Lord Sutch's The Savages, where he played with Blackmore. The line-up was completed by singer Rod Evans and drummer Ian Paice from The Maze. After a brief tour of Denmark in the spring of 1968, Blackmore suggested a new name: Deep Purple, which was his grandmother's favourite song. In October 1968, the group had success with a cover of Joe South'sHush, which reached #4 on the US Billboard chart and #2 on the Canadian RPM charts. The song was taken from their debut album Shades of Deep Purple, and they were booked to support Cream on their Goodbye tour. The band's second album, The Book of Taliesyn (including a cover of Neil Diamond'sKentucky Woman), was released in the United States to coincide with this tour. 1969 saw the release of their third album, Deep Purple, which contained strings and woodwind on one track (April). Several influences were in evidence, notably Vanilla Fudge and Lord's classical antecedents such as Bach and Rimsky-Korsakov. After these three albums and extensive touring in the States, their American record company, Tetragrammaton, went out of business, leaving the band with no money and an uncertain future. (Tetragrammaton's assets were assumed by Warner Bros. Records, who would release Deep Purple's records in the U.S. throughout the 1970s.) Returning to England in early 1969, they recorded a single called Emmaretta, named for Emmaretta Marks, then a cast member of the musical Hair, whom Rod Evans was trying to seduce, before Evans and Simper were fired. In search of a replacement vocalist Blackmore set his sights on 19 year old singer Terry Reid, who only a year earlier declined a similar opportunity to front the newly forming Led Zeppelin. Though he found the offer "flattering" Reid was still bound by the exclusive recording contract with his producer Mickie Most and more interested in his solo career. Blackmore had no other choice but to keep looking - elsewhere. The band hunted down singer Ian Gillan from Episode Six, a band that had released several singles in the UK without achieving their big break for commercial success. Six's drummer Mick Underwood - an old friend of Blackmore's from his Savages days - made the introductions, and bassist Roger Glover tagged along for the initial sessions. Purple persuaded Glover to join full-time; an act that effectively killed Episode Six and gave Underwood a guilt complex that lasted nearly a decade. This created the quintessential Deep Purple "Mark II" lineup, whose first, inauspicious release was a Greenaway-Cook tune titled Hallelujah, which flopped. The band gained some much-needed publicity with the Concerto for Group and Orchestra, a three-movement epic composed by Lord as a solo project and performed by the band at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Malcolm Arnold. Together with Five Bridges by The Nice, it was one of the first collaborations between a rock band and an orchestra, although at the time, certain members of Purple (Blackmore and Gillan especially) were less than happy at the group being tagged as "a group who played with orchestras" when actually what they had in mind was to develop the band into a much tighter, hard-rocking style. Despite this, Lord wrote and the band recorded the Gemini Suite, another orchestra/group collaboration in the same vein, in late 1970. Shortly after the orchestral release, the band began a hectic touring and recording schedule that was to see little respite for the next three years. Their first studio album of this period, released in mid-1970, was In Rock (a name deliberately chosen to distance the rock album from the concerto) and contained the then-concert staples Speed King, Into The Fire, and Child in Time. The band also issued the UK Top Ten single Black Night. The interplay between Blackmore's guitar and Lord's distorted organ, coupled with Ian Gillan's howling vocals and the rhythm section of Glover and Paice, now started to take on a unique identity and become instantly recognisable to rock fans throughout Europe. A second album, the more mellow and creatively progressive Fireball (a favourite of Gillan but not of the rest of the band), was issued in the summer of 1971. The title track Fireball was released as a single, as was Strange Kind of Woman - not from the album but recorded during the same sessions (although it was included on the US version of the album instead of the UK version's song Demon's Eye.) Within weeks of Fireball's release, the band was already performing songs planned for the next album. One song (which later became Highway Star) was performed at the first gig of the Fireball tour, having been written on the bus to a show in Portsmouth, in answer to a journalist's question: "How do you go about writing songs?" Three months later, in December 1971, the band traveled to Switzerland to record Machine Head. The album was due to be recorded at a casino in Montreux, using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, but a fire during a Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention gig burned down the casino. The album was actually recorded at the nearby empty Grand Hotel. This incident famously inspired the song Smoke on the Water. Gillan believes that he witnessed a man fire a flare gun into the ceiling during the concert, prompting Mark Volman of the Mothers to comment: "Arthur Brown in person!" Continuing from where both previous albums left off, Machine Head has since become one of the band's most famous albums, including tracks that became live classics such as Highway Star, Space Truckin', Lazy, and Smoke on the Water. Deep Purple continued to tour and record at a rate that would be rare thirty years on: when Machine Head was recorded, the group had only been together three and a half years, yet it was their seventh LP. Meanwhile the band undertook four US tours in 1972 and the August tour of Japan that led to a double-vinyl live release, Made in Japan. Originally intended as a Japan-only record, its worldwide release saw the double LP become an instant hit. It remains one of rock music's most popular and highest selling live-concert recordings (although at the time it was perhaps seen as less important, as only Glover and Paice turned up to mix it). The classic Purple Mk. II line-up continued to work and released the album Who Do We Think We Are (1973), featuring the hit single Woman from Tokyo, but internal tensions and exhaustion were more noticeable than ever. The bad feelings culminated in Ian Gillan quitting the band after their second tour of Japan in the summer of 1973, and Roger Glover being pushed out with him. Auditions were held. Two primary candidates surfaced: a Scotsman Angus Cameron McKinlay and David Coverdale. Angus, not having a high enough voice, was eliminated. They settled on the unknown singer from Saltburn in Northeast England, David Coverdale, and Midlands bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes, formerly of Trapeze. After first acquiring Glenn Hughes, they debated continuing as a four piece with Hughes as both bassist and vocalist. This new line-up continued into 1974 with the heavier blues-rock album Burn, another highly successful release and world tour. Hughes and Coverdale added both vocal harmonies and a more funky element to the band's music, a sound that was even more apparent on the late 1974 release Stormbringer. Blackmore voiced unhappiness with the album and the direction Deep Purple had taken. As a result, he left the band in the spring of 1975 to form his own band with Ronnie James Dio of Elf, called , later shortened after one album to Rainbow. With Blackmore's departure, Deep Purple was left to fill one of the biggest bandmember vacancies in rock music. In spite of this, the rest of the band refused to stop, and to the surprise of many long-time fans, actually announced a replacement for the "irreplaceable" Man in Black; American Tommy Bolin. There are at least two versions about the recruitment of Bolin: Coverdale claims to have been the one who suggested auditioning Bolin. "He walked in, thin as a rake, his hair coloured green, yellow, and blue with feathers in it. Slinking along beside him was this stunning Hawaiian girl in a crochet dress with nothing on underneath. He plugged into four Marshall 100-watt stacks and...the job was his." But in an interview originally published by Melody Maker in June 1975, Bolin himself claimed that he came to the audition following a recommendation from Ritchie Blackmore. The resulting album, Come Taste the Band, was released in October 1975. Despite mixed reviews, the collection revitalised the band once again, bringing a new, extreme funk edge to their hard rock sound. Bolin's influence was crucial, and with encouragement from Glenn Hughes and David Coverdale, the guitarist developed much of the material. Later, Bolin's personal problems with drugs began to manifest themselves, and after cancelled shows and below-par concert performances, the band was in danger. The end came on tour in Britain in March 1976 at the Liverpool Empire Theatre. David Coverdale reportedly walked off in tears and handed in his resignation, to which he was allegedly told there was no band left to quit. The decision to disband Purple had been made some time before the last show by Lord and Paice (the last remaining original members), who hadn't told anyone else. The break-up was finally made public in July 1976. After the break-up most of the past and present members of Deep Purple went on to have considerable success in a number of other bands, including Rainbow, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath and Gillan. There were, however, a number of promoter-led attempts to get the band to reform, especially with the revival of the hard rock market in the late 70s/early 80s. By 1980, an unauthorised version of the band surfaced with Rod Evans as the only member who had ever been in Deep Purple, eventually ending in successful legal action from the legitimate Deep Purple camp over unauthorised use of the name. Evans was ordered to pay damages of $672,000 (U.S.) for using the band name without permission. In April 1984, eight years after the demise of Deep Purple, a full-scale (and legal) reunion took place with the "classic" early 70s line-up of Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord and Paice. The album Perfect Strangers was released in October 1984. The line-up then released The House of Blue Light in 1987, which was followed by a world tour (interrupted after Blackmore broke a finger on stage) and another live album Nobody's Perfect (1988) which was culled from several shows on this tour, but still largely based around the by-now familiar Made in Japan set-list. In 1989, Ian Gillan was fired as his relations with Blackmore had again soured and their musical differences had widened too far. His replacement was former Rainbow vocalist Joe Lynn Turner. This line-up recorded just one album, Slaves & Masters (1990) and toured in support. It is one of Blackmore's favorite Purple albums, though some fans derided it as little more than a so-called "Deep Rainbow" album. With the tour done, Turner was forced out, as Lord, Paice and Glover (and the record company) wanted Gillan back in the fold for the 25th anniversary. Blackmore grudgingly relented, after requesting and eventually receiving 250,000 dollars in his bank account and the classic line-up recorded The Battle Rages On, but tensions between Gillan and Blackmore came to a head yet again during an otherwise stunningly successful European tour. Blackmore walked out in November 1993, never to return. Joe Satriani was drafted in to complete the Japanese dates in December and stayed on for a European Summer tour in 1994. He was asked to join permanently, but his record contract commitments prevented this. The band unanimously chose Dixie Dregs/Kansas guitarist Steve Morse to become Blackmore's permanent successor. Steve Morse's arrival revitalised the band creatively, and in 1996 a new album titled Purpendicular was released, showing a wide variety of musical styles. With a revamped set list to tour, Deep Purple enjoyed success throughout the rest of the 1990s, releasing the harder-sounding Abandon in 1998, and touring with renewed enthusiasm. In 1999, Jon Lord, with the help of a fan who was also a musicologist and composer, painstakingly recreated the Concerto for Group and Orchestra; the original score having been lost. It was once again performed at the Royal Albert Hall in September 1999, this time with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Paul Mann. The concert also featured songs from each member's solo careers, as well as a short Deep Purple set, and the occasion was commemorated on the 2000 album Live at the Royal Albert Hall. In early 2001, two similar concerts were performed in Tokyo and released as part of the box set The Soundboard Series. Much of the next few years was spent on the road touring. The group continued forward until 2002, when founding member Jon Lord (who, along with Ian Paice, was the only member to be in all incarnations of the band) announced his amicable retirement from the band to pursue personal projects (especially orchestral work). Rock keyboard veteran Don Airey (Rainbow/Ozzy Osbourne), who had helped Deep Purple out when Lord's knee was injured in 2001, joined the band. In 2003, Deep Purple released their first studio album in five years, working with new producer Michael Bradford, the highly praised (but controversially titled) Bananas, and began touring in support of the album immediately. In July 2005, the band played at the Live 8 concert in Park Place (Barrie, Ontario) and, in October of the same year, released their next album Rapture of the Deep. It was followed by the Rapture of the Deep tour. In February 2007, Ian Gillan asked fans not to buy a live album being released by Sony BMG. This was a recording of their 1993 appearance at the NEC in Birmingham. Recordings of this show have previously been released without resistance from Gillan or any other members of the band, but he said: "It was one of the lowest points of my life - all of our lives, actually."
Well I don't know about you but I think its amazing the Deep Purple went through so much and through so many line up changes and are still touring and releasing albums.
Thursday, November 26, 2008
David Lee Roth(born October 10, 1955, Bloomington, Indiana) is the son of the late Nathan Roth, an ophthalmologist, and Sibyl Roth. He is the brother of Allison and Lisa Roth. Roth's paternal and maternal grandparents immigrated to Indiana from Russia. Roth's uncle, Manny Roth, is an influential New York City nightclub owner and entertainment entrepreneur. Manny Roth built and owned the famous New York establishment Cafe Wha? in the early 1960s, when the likes of Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix were working there. Seven-year-old David Lee got his first taste of, and desire for, show business from the inside by hanging out at Cafe Wha?.
Roth moved to Pasadena, California in his teens after living in Swampscott, Massachusetts, and Bloomington, Indiana.
Roth was educated at The Webb Schools in Claremont, California and John Muir High School in Pasadena. He later attended Pasadena City College (as did the Van Halens), although he did not graduate. During this period Roth worked as a hospital orderly.
Roth rose to prominence in the 1970s Los Angeles rock scene as the lead singer of Van Halen. In 1974 Roth rented his PA system to the brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen, after failing a previous audition, and later joined their hard rock band as lead vocalist when the band members decided that letting him join would both save them money and allow Eddie to focus on guitar playing. After finding out that the name Mammoth (which the Van Halens called their band at the time) was being used by another band, Roth persuaded the Van Halen brothers to change the band's name from Mammoth to Van Halen.
In February 1978, Van Halen released their debut album, Van Halen. It quickly established the group as a commercial success, and is credited with establishing Los Angeles as hard rock's unofficial capital during the 1980s and early-1990s.[citation needed]
Soon after Van Halen's debut, Roth became well-known for his flamboyant showmanship and outrageous off-stage behavior.[citation needed] He became a media celebrity; his ribald witticisms were frequently quoted. Establishment criticism came-the 1983 Rolling Stone Record Guide Vol 2. said that Roth was "the most obnoxious singer in human history, an achievement notable in the face of long tradition and heavy competition"-but it had little effect. Although often noted more for physical than for technical vocal prowess, Roth's bluesy baritone voice and distinctive screams, along with his often humorous and campy lyrics, were integral to Van Halen's sound. Roth was able to take his voice into a multi-pitched wheeze/rasp, almost like a train whistle (see Throat singing), that few can imitate successfully.
1979 to 1984 saw Van Halen release five more albums: Van Halen II, Women and Children First, Fair Warning, Diver Down, and 1984, each to increasing popular success and critical acclaim. In 1983, Van Halen was paid $1,500,000 to play one set at the US Festival in California, and thus became one of the two highest paid bands in modern history, along with the festival's other headlining act, David Bowie. Van Halen achieved their greatest commercial success, including their first Billboard #1 single, for the song "Jump", in 1984.
In early 1985, while still a member of Van Halen, Roth released a solo EP of off-beat standards, which became popular. Singles for "California Girls", and "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody" succeeded largely due to their innovative music videos, which featured ridiculous characters created by Roth.
In April 1985, Roth either left Van Halen or was fired, depending on who is telling the story. Reportedly, tensions between Roth and guitarist Eddie Van Halen broke over Van Halen's desire to incorporate keyboards, synthesizers, and power ballads into the group's sound. In his 1998 autobiography, Crazy From the Heat, Roth characterized Van Halen's music just before his 1985 departure as "morose." Roth wished to record an album quickly, tour, and then shoot a movie (the ill-fated Crazy From the Heat), but found his bandmates apathetic, lethargic, and drunk.
Reportedly, Roth also disliked Eddie Van Halen's behavior regarding an appearance on Michael Jackson's 1983 hit "Beat It"-Van Halen did not tell Roth that he had recorded the song, for fear that Roth would prevent him from releasing it. In Crazy From The Heat, Roth writes that he approved of Van Halen's participation on "Beat It"; he believed that the Quincy Jones-produced track provided an excellent vehicle for Van Halen to showcase his talents. Roth later claimed that his issue with Eddie's participation on the track was that Eddie had declined to be paid for his work, receiving only a thank you note. Roth lamented, "We don't think alike at all."
Differing reports persist to this day regarding the causes of Roth's departure from Van Halen. Regardless, since 1985, Roth and his former bandmates have engaged in an acrimonious, if often colorful, feud that has made headlines for twenty years and has become the subject of much popular debate and speculation.
After Van Halen
In late 1985, Roth assembled a band often considered a supergroup, composed of guitarist Steve Vai, bass player Billy Sheehan and drummer Gregg Bissonette. He later enlisted Van Halen producer Ted Templeman to produce the band's debut album. Eat 'Em and Smile saw Roth return to hard rock music, and met with huge commercial success. In interviews around this time, Roth claimed that he had recorded additional Spanish and Portuguese language versions of the album, but to date only one of these, the Spanish language version titled "Sonrisa Salvaje", appeared. The Eat 'em and Smile Tour was one of the most successful concert tours of 1986.
Van Halen's first album with Sammy Hagar, Roth's replacement as lead vocalist, entitled 5150, met with greater commercial success than Eat 'Em and Smile, although it had lost a lot of the heavier rock edge from the previous Roth-era albums. Van Halen allegedly titled their 1988 album OU812 -- a homophone to "Oh, you ate one too?" -- in reference to the title Eat 'Em And Smile. However, the phrase OU812 can be seen as early as 1978 in the TV series Taxi.
In early 1988, Roth released Skyscraper, a more experimental offering than the first solo album. It featured Roth's most famous original solo song, "Just Like Paradise", which was a worldwide hit. Skyscraper was co-produced by Roth and Steve Vai, and displayed the growing influence of the guitarist, featuring on many songs the dense layers of compressed guitars that gave it a unique sound that was to differentiate the album from the more Van Halen-sounding Eat 'Em and Smile. The album was certified platinum, reaching #6 on the Billboard album chart. Nonetheless, it met with a more tepid commercial response than anything Roth had released previously. Roth then went on tour supporting the british metal band Iron Maiden on their 7th Tour Of A 7th Tour in support of their album Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. Soon after Skyscraper's release, Billy Sheehan left Roth's band, who then embarked on a world tour with new bassist Matt Bissonette during most of 1988. The tour was a major production featuring, at various points, Roth surfing above the audience on a surfboard suspended on wires and in a boxing ring, (both parts of the stage show seen in the "Just Like Paradise" video). The show also featured robotic replicas of the band in a calypso segment and all playing Caribbean steel drums and in an unplugged segment where the band performed acoustic covers of some rock and roll classics such as 'Wake-Up Little Susie' by The Everly Brothers. The tour was a huge success and met with ecstatic reviews in many places. A Sounds magazine review of a show on the tour at St. Louis, Missouri (published 5th May, 1988) declared it "the greatest rock show on earth" and Kerrang magazine summed up the tour as "a don't blink or you'll miss it spectacular" that had the reporter Mick Wall "scrabbling to put new batteries into his pacemaker." Despite the critical and commercial triumphs of the Skyscraper Tour, Steve Vai left the band to release a solo album.
In 1991, Roth released A Little Ain't Enough, a more mainstream hard rock album, produced by Bob Rock; it achieved RIAA gold status. Twenty-year old guitar prodigy Jason Becker played on the album, but he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease shortly before the accompanying arena tour. He was replaced by Joe Holmes. The stage for the A Little Ain't Enough Tour featured statues that spat whiskey at Roth's audience, and a pair of giant inflatable legs, positioned 'spread-eagle', wearing ripped, fishnet stockings. Musical tastes changed dramatically by the end of 1991, with the arrival of grunge music, hence Roth's tour did not sell out many venues, as in the past.
In 1993, Roth was arrested in New York City's Washington Square Park for buying what he once described as "$10 worth of Jamaican, bunk reefer maan" from an undercover police officer. The arrest made headlines, and became a late-night television punch-line. When asked by Howard Stern whether the bust was a publicity stunt, Roth said, "Howard, in New York City this small of a bust is a $35 traffic citation. It literally says 'Buick, Chevy, Other'. Your dog poops on the sidewalk, it's $50. If I was looking for publicity, I would have pooped on the sidewalk."
In 1994, Roth released Your Filthy Little Mouth, an eclectic, lyrically intricate album produced by Nile Rodgers. It combined elements of rock, country, reggae, hip hop, lounge, and others; for example, it included the song "Cheating Heart Cafe", a duet with the popular country singer Travis Tritt. It did not sell well, failing to achieve gold status. Roth then began to perform at smaller venues in the United States.
Nevertheless, many partisan fans remained, and the Roth/Van Halen split entered iconic pop culture. For example, in the film Airheads released that year, people who sided with Roth in the Van Halen split were denoted as cool, whereas a character siding with Van Halen was fingered as an undercover police officer. Similarly, in 2001, the title character of the film Joe Dirt declared he was a Van Halen fan, not a "Van Hagar" fan. In Bowling For Soup's song "1985", the narrator sings about the frustrated soccer mom, "Where's the mini-skirt/ Made of snakeskin? Who's the other guy/ Singing with Van Halen?..." And in the 1998 Adam Sandler film The Wedding Singer, set in 1985, Sandler's character tells his cheating girlfriend "Please get out of my Van Halen t-shirt before you jinx the band and they break up". Nerf Herder had a minor hit in 1996 with the song "Van Halen". The lyrics heralded David Lee Roth ("I bought Van Halen I/It was the best damn record I ever owned") and bemoaned Sammy Hagar ("Is this what you wanted, Sammy Hagar? ... I'll never buy your lousy records again").
In 1995, Roth devised and performed an adult lounge act, largely in Las Vegas casinos, with a brass band that featured Nile Rodgers, Edgar Winter, and members of the Miami Sound Machine. It also featured several exotic dancers, who in Roth's words were "so sweet, I bet they shit sugar!"
Living in New York City since the late 1990s, David Lee Roth trained as an Emergency Medical Technician and worked as such for some time. He occasionally told stories about his experiences as an EMT on his radio show.
Career explorations
In June 1996, Roth reunited with Van Halen for a brief time and to great public fanfare. He recorded two new songs for Van Halen's Best of Vol. 1 album, "Can't Get This Stuff No More" and "Me Wise Magic." After an infamous appearance on September 5, 1996, at the MTV Video Music Awards during which Roth and Eddie Van Halen reportedly threatened each other, Roth was passed over for Van Halen's new lead vocalist job in favor of Gary Cherone. (Cherone's previous band, Extreme, had opened for Roth in 1991).
In 1997, Roth wrote a well-received memoir, entitled Crazy From the Heat. The 359-page book was whittled down from over 1,200 pages of monologues, which were recorded and transcribed by a Princeton University graduate who followed Roth around for almost a year. Among the book's revelations, aside from stories about backyard parties, Van Halen, and catching malaria in Third world jungles, was the infamous "Brown M&Ms" clause written into Van Halen's early contract riders. The clause was included in contracts not because of ego, but rather to make sure that structural stage specifications in the contract were read thoroughly and were adequately provided. Roth writes of a time when he found brown M&Ms in a bowl and subsequently had a fit. In the press, he was accused of causing US$85,000 worth of damage to the arena. Most of the monetary damages were due to Van Halen's staging sinking through the floor. Roth writes, "they didn't bother to look at the weight requirements or anything, and this sank through their new flooring and did eighty-thousand dollars worth of damage to the arena floor. The whole thing had to be replaced. It came out in the press that I discovered brown M&Ms and did $85,000 worth of damage to the backstage area. Well, who am I to get in the way of a good rumor?"
In 2001, rumors swirled that Roth and the members of Van Halen had recorded several new songs together and were in the process of attempting yet another reunion. Roth later confirmed this, but nothing became of the music. A box set was also rumored, but never materialized. Instead, Warner Bros. re-released remastered versions of all six early Van Halen studio albums.
In 2002, Roth's Heavyweights of Rock and Roll Tour with Sammy Hagar revived his career somewhat. Despite this, Roth's future with Van Halen seemed uncertain.
Yankee Rose appeared in the 2002 videogame Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, playing on Rock station V-Rock.
In 2003, Roth released Diamond Dave, an album of (mostly) classic rock cover songs ("If 6 Was 9", "Soul Kitchen," and a solo/big band version of "Ice Cream Man").
In 2003, On December 31st, Roth played a one night sold out New Year's Eve show at the House of Blues in Hollywood, CA consisting of Van Halen era songs as well as Roth era songs, and some drunken midgets roaming about the stage.
In 2004, he appeared on The Sopranos as a poker-playing guest of Tony Soprano, to which Roth was quoted on his website as saying, "Mom says I'm going to look like Lee Marvin in 10 years whether I'm in movies or not, so I might as well get after it!"
On July 4 2004, Roth performed with the Boston Pops at Boston's annual Pops Goes the Fourth celebration.
Roth's website has stated that he is also working on the book The Tao of Dave: Rock 'n' Roll Philosophy with David Lee Roth, a follow-up to his autobiography.
On May 25, 2006 in an interview with Billboard magazine, Roth predicted a classic Van Halen reunion. ""There's contact between the two camps..." says Roth, and "To me, it's not rocket surgery. It's very simple to put together. And as far as hurt feelings and water under the dam, like what's-her-name says to what's-her-name at the end of the movie 'Chicago' -- 'So what? It's showbiz!' So I definitely see it happening." In the same interview, Roth also admitted that he hadn't seen Eddie Van Halen "in a couple of years."
During the summer and fall of 2006 Roth toured the United States. He performed classic Van Halen hits as well as selected songs from his solo career. Roth also promoted a new CD, "Strummin' with the Devil," a Van Halen bluegrass tribute album, which features his vocals on two songs, "Jump" and "Jamie's Cryin'". Roth performed a bluegrass rendition of "Jump" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Also in 2006, Roth recorded the album Strummin' With The Devil: The Southern Side of Van Halen - A Tribute which was released on CMH Records. This album consists of tributes to Van Halen performed by David Lee Roth, The John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band, Blue Highway, Mountain Heart, The John Cowan Band, Iron Horse (band) , David Grisman and Sons.
Radio show
On January 3, 2006, Roth began a career as a radio personality, hosting a self titled show that replaced satellite-radio-bound Howard Stern in the morning drive slot on CBS Radio stations in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and West Palm Beach. Roth stated in an October 2005 interview with Stern that his show would be political, but at the same time, not overly serious.
Roth's show developed into a mix of music reviews, interviews with porn stars and strippers, political discussions, and guests from many walks of life. Roth's show featured an in-studio guitarist, Brian Young, referred to on air as "B. Young."
On Feb. 27, 2006, the Dallas, Boston, and Philadelphia affiliates started airing local programming in Roth's morning time slot, rather than repeat airings of "Best of Roth" while Roth was on vacation. When ratings were released on Feb. 28, 2006, certain entertainment bloggers suggested Roth's hiatus would become permanent.[citation needed] However, on March 6, 2006, Roth returned as scheduled, and continued to broadcast on weekday mornings. On March 8 and 9, Roth blasted his management on the air, explaining to his audience that they had asked him to stop catering towards ethnic groups and women, and instead focus on 35-year-old white males.[citation needed] On his March 10 show, he announced that things between him and the management had been settled "for the time being." During the week of March 27-March 31, Roth Radio took its show on the road for the first time, broadcasting from Miami, Florida all week long.
On Wednesday, March 29, 2006, Roth was taken off the air by CBS; affiliates were told to find other programming to air. That day, Karen Mateo of CBS radio released a statement saying that David Lee Roth would return to the airwaves from New York on Friday, March 31. Upon Roth's return on March 31, the format of his show had changed drastically. Many of the show's callers expressed dislike of the new format, saying they felt that the show had "lost its edge." One caller aired his opinion that Roth's tendency to laugh at one-liners was annoying. Starting Monday, April 10, 2006, the Dallas affiliate moved Roth up one hour from 6-10 central to 5-9 by running the show live instead of on an hour delay. The extra hour was given to the newly acquired Jagger Show.
On April 10, 2006, the New York Post reported that CBS Radio would replace Roth with the team of Opie and Anthony "within weeks."On the morning of April 21, 2006, about halfway through the show, Roth began complaining that his show was not able to take calls or emails. He then went on to read the news stories, only getting halfway through a story before commenting that he didn't care about it and going on to the next one. Following a commercial break, Roth chose to play only songs because of his frustration with CBS radio. At 8 AM, Roth returned to the air to interview car salesman "Chop," and then at 9 AM he interviewed actor Jeff Bridges. Roth made an agreement with CBS to address the situation with 15 minutes left in the show; however, when that time came CBS pulled the plug on him, and did not allow him to say good-bye to his fans.
As of April 22, 2006, David Lee Roth was rumored to be in talks with Sirius Satellite Radio to do an afternoon show. This was later denied by Howard Stern and Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin, who stated, "Mr. Roth is still under contract and unable to go to another radio medium whilst still being paid by CBS Radio."Roth is also expected to pursue his full one year payout of approximately $4 million. Howard Stern has come to Roth's defense claiming that he should have been allowed time to grow an audience.
On April 24, 2006, the rumor about The David Lee Roth Show being replaced by Opie and Anthony was confirmed. The duo filled Roth's former timeslot on Wednesday, April 26, 2006. Two days later, an article appeared in the Boston Herald, which stated that CBS, supposedly, never intended for Roth to replace Stern permanently. Reportedly, the company wanted Opie and Anthony to replace Stern all along; however, because of a public feud between Stern and the duo, they selected Roth to 'go first,' so as bear the brunt of fan outrage, and thus ensure Opie and Anthony's success.
During a brief war with Howard Stern, Stern was expecting Roth to show up at his K-Rock WXRK (in New York) station The Howard Stern Show, but when Roth failed to show up, Stern declared war on Roth and told his listeners to call him David Weave Roth. When Stern and Roth buried the hatchet, Roth came on and proved to Stern that he wasn't wearing a weave by having Stern pull his golden locks.
Recent events
On Feb. 2, 2007 The Official Van Halen Web Site released information that David Lee Roth had rejoined the band along with current members Alex, Eddie, along with Edward and Valerie's teenage son, Wolfgang Van Halen. Michael Anthony, Van Halen's original and only bass player up to now (excluding Eddie played bass himself on some of Van Halen III and all the new songs on the Best of Both Worlds compilation), was fired by Edward before the summer 2004 tour with Sammy Hagar and played that tour under a 'hired gun' contract. Michael Anthony's website confirms his firing. David Lee Roth's website has a fan poll asking if Michael's absence will detract from a "reunion" tour. On March 8th the official Van Halen website posted a letter from Edward Van Halen stating that Ed was entering rehab and that the tour with Roth had been indefinitely postponed.
In March 2007 five members of Van Halen, the four original members and Sammy Hagar were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Van Halen brothers did not attend due to Ed's condition. Roth was to perform with the band Velvet Revolver however conflict with the band caused his part to be canceled. Roth subsequently did not attend the induction, leaving only Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar to represent Van Halen. Both Anthony and Hagar thanked Roth publicly for his contribution to the band during the awards acceptance.
I haven't updated the site in a while because other stuff kept coming up so here is Sammy Hagar history. Hagar, also known as The Red Rocker, was born in Monterey, California on October 13, 1947 (if you don't like math, that means he's 61). After a brief career as a boxer in the footsteps of his father, Hagar became interested in the burgeoning Southern California music scene, fronting his first band, The Fabulous Catillas. In 1968, Hagar joined his first professional group, the Johnny Fortune Band, as a vocalist and rhythm guitarist. In 1963, in response to a question on late night radio about who the world's greatest guitarist was, Hagar immediately named Johnny Fortune. Hagar's first major success, however, came from his work with the group Montrose on their debut and second albums, including the Hagar-penned song Bad Motor Scooter. After difficulties with the band's founder, Ronnie Montrose, during a European tour, Hagar departed from the group with bassist Bill Church in tow and drummer Denny Carmassi followed in 1977. Hagar started a solo recording and touring career to increasing success. After moderate success on Capitol Records, with such albums as Nine on a Ten Scale and hits such as Red Hagar made some personnel changes, including enlisting long time friend and former Justice Brothers bandmate David Lauser as his drummer. With these changes, and a change to Geffen Records, Hagar enjoyed hits such as Heavy Metal, Three Lock Box, and perhaps his best-known song I Can't Drive 55, a gripe against the federally-imposed speed limit of 55 miles per hour on all U.S. highways. (The limit was increased on certain roads in 1987, and the law repealed in 1995; the song was updated for NASCAR broadcasts on NBC in 2001 to 65, and is used in NHL Rivals 2004.) During this time, his frequent appearance in his red attire in videos and in concert would lead up to his given trademark nickname of "The Red Rocker". In 1983-84 Sammy Hagar and Neal Schon formed the supergroup HSAS (Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve) along with former Foghat bassist Kenny Aaronson and former Santana drummer Michael Shrieve. HSAS did a small Christmas tour to benefit local charities and released an album, Through The Fire. The tracks which appeared on the album were recorded live, but crowd noise was removed during the mixing process to create the feel of a studio album. As intended from its start, HSAS was a short-lived project. One song in particular, a cover of Whiter Shade of Pale received some airplay peaking at #94 on the Billboard Pop 100 Singles chart. After parting ways with vocalist David Lee Roth, the remaining members of the band Van Halen contacted many potential replacements. Given Eddie's appreciation of Montrose and his car mechanic's suggestion, the band auditioned and quickly hired Hagar to fill the opening. With Hagar at the front, Van Halen produced four multi-platinum, #1 Billboard charting albums: 5150, OU812, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, and Balance, as well as many chart hits, including nine #1 Mainstream Rock hits. Internal disputes eventually led to Hagar's departure from the band in 1996. Hagar disagreed with a decision to record two new tracks for the soundtrack to the film Twister, after the band had agreed to take time off following their 1995 world tour. Hagar was also opposed to the issuance of a greatest hits record at that point in the band's career. These two items were pushed by Van Halen's new manager Ray Danniels, Alex Van Halen's brother-in-law, brought in after the death of their longtime manager Ed Leffler. Hagar wanted instead to record a new studio album, but only after Eddie, Alex, and Hagar's pregnant wife had all dealt with their respective medical issues. Although there are several versions of how the split occurred, Hagar has stated that the final straw came when he was with his wife in Hawaii, where they had arranged for a natural delivery of the baby (meaning outside of a hospital), and Eddie wanted him back in the studio. Hagar claimed to have flown to Los Angeles with his wife only to discover that she couldn't fly back to Hawaii. In the ensuing argument, he claims that he was fired. Eddie, on the other hand, says that Hagar quit. The end came when Eddie started to work with former lead singer David Lee Roth instead of Hagar, and two new songs were made with Roth for Best of Volume I. When Van Halen again parted ways with Roth, instead of rehiring Hagar, the band hired a new singer, Gary Cherone. Hagar went on to produce several new solo records after parting ways with Van Halen in 1996. In 1999, Hagar formed a long term solo band, called The Waboritas, consisting again of David Lauser on drums, as well as former keyboardist Jesse Harms, and new to the mix was former Busboys guitarist Vic Johnson, and former Tommy Tutone bassist Mona Gnader. In 2002, with Van Halen still unreformed at this point, Hagar joined again with guitarists Neal Schon of Journey and later Joe Satriani to form a new side project called Planet Us. Along with Van Halen member Michael Anthony on bass and Deen Castronovo (also of Journey) on drums. Despite big intentions, the band only recorded two songs and played live a few times before dissolving when Hagar and Anthony rejoined Van Halen. After the successful "Heavyweights of Rock" tour (2002), where he co-headlined with David Lee Roth, (and jokingly suggested the name the "Sans Halen Tour") Hagar started thinking about his former Van Halen bandmates, calling Alex in late 2003 from a tip by a mutual friend. In early 2004, Van Halen with Sammy Hagar was announced to the general public, culminating with a highly anticipated summer tour and a 2-CD Best Of album, entitled Best of Both Worlds featuring three new Van Halen tracks fronted by Hagar.The subsequent tour brought on more problems, however, most notably Eddie Van Halen's alleged relapse into alcoholism, which resulted in a somewhat infamous final show in Tucson, Arizona. As the show ended, Eddie smashed his guitar on stage sending shrapnel into the audience. This caused tensions backstage after the show and eliminated the possibility of a new album. Hagar said in an interview that Eddie had changed and wasn't the same person anymore. In 2005, Hagar continued to play with The Waboritas as he toured the Atlantic coast and the Midwest and added ex-Van Halen bass player Michael Anthony, calling the band Los Tres Gusanos (The Three Worms). In August of that year, Hagar went on another mini-tour starting at DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan and then hitting the southwest before finishing at his own Cabo Wabo Cantina. Hagar's 2006 tour with The Waboritas also included a segment with Michael Anthony playing as a band called The Other Half(a reference to Sammy and Michael being the half of Van Halen that was not Van Halen by name) for a set of songs in the middle of the show, including both Hagar- and Roth-era tunes. The band also invited Kid Rock on stage at DTE Energy Theatre for a couple of songs, including covers of Led Zeppelin'sRock and Roll and The Beastie Boys'(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party). Hagar also released an album and DVD called "Livin' It Up! In St. Louis" with the Wabos on July 25, 2006. Sammy has a longstanding and strong relationship with St. Louis. Often in concerts, Sammy can be seen wearing a red St. Louis Cardinals cap. Sammy has said that he credits St. Louis and the longtime rock radio station KSHE in St. Louis with helping to launch his professional career.Hagar is currently developing a side project called Chickenfoot with Michael Anthony, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and guitarist Joe Satriani, which will include a yet unnamed studio album release. Hagar has said the band has written 8 or 9 songs that sound like Led Zeppelin. Hagar says Chickenfoot has nine songs already recorded and the group is headed back to the studio in December to record two more. Hagar also says Chickenfoot will hopefully have the album released in February or March of 2009. Hagar also released new singles entitled Open and I'm on a Roll via digital providers.
Supposedly GNR's new album Chinese Democracy will be released on November 23 and if it released then Dr Pepper will buy everyone in America (excluding Slash and Buckethead) a 20 oz of Dr Pepper. The group was formed in early 1985 by Hollywood Rose members Axl Rose (vocals) and Izzy Stradlin (rhythm guitar), and L.A. Guns members Tracii Guns, Ole Beich (bass) and Rob Gardner (drums). The band created its name by combining the names of the two original groups. A short time later before they even played any gigs, guitarist Tracii Guns walked out on practice and quit to reform L.A. Guns and was later replaced by Slash, after Duff McKagan replaced Ole Beich. Slash had played for Rose and Stradlin during a short stint in Hollywood Rose. The new line-up came together quickly, but after deciding to go on a "tour" from Sacramento, California to Duff's home town of Seattle, drummer Rob Gardner quit and was replaced by Slash's close friend Steven Adler. The band had finally established its first stable line up and it was all credited to the "Hell Tour" as they called it. That tour was what solidified their friendship, chemistry and charisma as a group. According to an interview, Slash insists, "That [trip to Seattle] is really what cemented the band" and established its chemistry. After witnessing a Guns N' Roses show at the Troubadour, Tom Zutaut, a Geffen Records A&R executive, falsely warned other scouts "they suck" so he could have more time and leeway to try to sign them. Axl Rose demanded, and received, a $75,000 advance from Zutaut before revealing that he had promised an A&R executive from Chrysalis that the band would sign with her if she walked naked down the Sunset Strip. For five days, Zutaut nervously watched from his office window for a naked A&R executive before he could close the deal. Alan Niven was subsequently hired as the band's manager, and the team set out to record the band's full-length debut album. Before the first full album was ready Geffen decided to release an EP to keep the interest in the band that had to disappear from the clubs scene to work on the album. For this purpose an "independent label" Uzi Suicide Records was created by Geffen and on December 16 1986, a four song EP entitled Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide was released. The band's first album, Appetite for Destruction was released on July 21, 1987. In the US, Welcome to the Jungle was issued as its first single with an accompanying music video. Initially, the album and single lingered for almost a year without performing well, but when Geffen Records founder David Geffen was asked to lend support to the band, he obliged by personally convincing MTV executives to play Welcome to the Jungle during their after hours rotation. Even though the video was initially only played one time at 4 a.m. on a Sunday, rock and punk fans took notice and soon began requesting the video and song en masse. Overseas, countries were often treated to material that never saw release to the US market, and went unexposed to US fans. The original UK Welcome to the Jungle single was backed with a Marquee Club performance of AC/DC'sWhole Lotta Rosie and a 12-inch (300 mm) single included live renditions of It's So Easy and the Bob Dylan classic Knockin' on Heaven's Door (which would later be covered by the band in the studio on Use Your Illusion II). By the time Paradise City and its video reached the airwaves, the band's touring success and fame had catapulted the album to #1 on the Billboard charts. Welcome to the Jungle, Sweet Child o' Mine and Paradise City were all top ten singles in the U.S. To date, Appetite for Destruction has sold over 26 million copies.
On May 4, 2007 three more tracks leaked from Chinese Democracy; an updated version of I.R.S., The Blues and the title track. All three tracks had previously been played live. Guns N' Roses embarked on the 2007 leg of the Chinese Democracy World Tour in Mexico in June, followed by dates in Australia and Japan. The songs Nice Boys and Don't Cry were played for the first time since the Use Your Illusion Tour. The tour ended on the twentieth anniversary of Appetite for Destruction's release date, in Osaka. During this tour, the band featured Axl Rose, Robin Finck, Ron Thal and Richard Fortus on guitars, Tommy Stinson on bass, Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman on keyboards and Frank Ferrer on drums. On March 26, 2008, several news outlets reported that Dr Pepper will offer a free can of soda to everyone in America - except the band's former guitarists Slash and Buckethead - if the band releases Chinese Democracy this year. In a posting on Guns N' Roses' official site, Rose responded, "We are surprised and very happy to have the support of Dr Pepper with our album 'Chinese Democracy,' as for us, this came totally out of the blue. If there is any involvement with this promotion by our record company or others, we are unaware of such at this time. And as some of Buckethead's performances are on our album, I'll share my Dr Pepper with him." On July 14, 2008, Harmonix, in conjunction with MTV Games, officially announced the release of a new song from the upcoming Chinese Democracy album, called Shackler's Revenge, through their new game Rock Band 2. On October 21st various radio stations announced that the title track of Chinese Democracy would be available to download by U.S radio outlets the next day, subsequently confirmed by a report from Billboard. The single is already in regular rotation nationwide. Finally, on October 22, the band's managers Irving Azoff and Andy Gould, Senior Entertainment Officer for Best Buy Gary Arnold and President of Sales and Marketing for Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Steve Berman, made a joint press release to confirm the much anticipated release of the album in the US on November 23 as a Best Buy exclusive. The album will be available in 3 formats: CD, digital download and vinyl (with a free digital download option).
The music of Guns N' Roses is a fusion of punk rock, heavy metal and classic rock and roll. In the 1990s, the band integrated keyed instruments (played by either Rose or Reed, and accompanied on tour by Teddy Andreadis) into the band, and for roughly half of the Use Your Illusion tour, added a horn section to the stage. While Reed has remained on some of the Chinese Democracy demos, tours since 2000 have not included wind instruments, though the band has employed synthesized horns on some of their new songs. A heavy influence on both the image and sound of the band was Finnish band Hanoi Rocks (singer Michael Monroe and Rose have collaborated on various occasions). Rose has stated that the band was massively inspired by bands like Queen, AC/DC, The Rolling Stones, and Rose Tattoo and also that the sound of Appetite for Destruction was influenced by AC/DC, Aerosmith, The New York Dolls and Hanoi Rocks. Their peers in the music industry often spoke highly of the band: Ozzy Osbourne called Guns N' Roses "the next Rolling Stones." In 2002, Q magazine named Guns N' Roses in their list of the "50 Bands To See Before You Die". Also, the television network VH1 ranked Guns N' Roses ninth in its "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" special, and also ranked 11th on "Top 50 bands". Appetite for Destruction appeared in the Rolling Stone Magazine special issue "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Guns N' Roses #92 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Frontman Axl Rose has become a source of both controversy and criticism since the other founding members left the group. His constant elusiveness, such as the fact that he has not held a press conference since 1994, has led to several stories claiming he is suffering from bipolar disorder. Music critics have blamed Rose for the break-up of the original group, have criticized him for continuing the band after the original members had departed and have questioned the constant change in band members. They also cite his neurotic behavior and sense of perfectionism as a cause of personal conflict and the long delays between albums. However, Rose still has fans who view him as a sort of musical anti-hero.
Some Offspring background since they just came out with a new album. The band was formed in 1984 by guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland and bassist Greg K., who met on their high school cross-country team, under the name Manic Subsidal. The decision to form a band came outside of a Social Distortion concert, when both were refused entry. Doug Thompson was added for vocals, and Kevin 'Noodles' Wasserman, the school janitor, was welcomed into the band, allegedly because he was old enough to purchase alcohol for Holland and Kriesel, both of whom were under the legal drinking age. The band used Thompson's friend, Jim Benton, as their drummer. Thompson was eventually forced out of the band, while Benton left. This led to Holland taking over on vocals, and James Lilja joining as the drummer. The band changed their name to The Offspring in 1985. In 1986, the band released their first single; the 7" I'll Be Waiting/Blackball. They released the album on their self-made Black Label record company, which was named after the brand of beer named Black Label. Lilja quit shortly after the release to pursue a medical career in gynecology and was replaced by Ron Welty, who was only 16 years old at the time. After recording a demo in 1988, The Offspring signed a record deal with a small-time label, Nemesis Records. Then in March 1989, the band teamed up with producer Thom Wilson (of Dead Kennedys, Social Distortion and The Vandals fame) to record their first album, simply titled The Offspring. The album was released in limited numbers by the label, only in a 12" vinyl format, and a proper CD release did not surface until 1995. A six-week national tour followed, but Noodles was later stabbed during their Hollywood anti-nuclear benefit. In 1991, The Offspring teamed up with Wilson again to produce the Baghdad 7" EP. This EP was instrumental to the band's signing with Epitaph Records. Wilson had been trying to get The Offspring to switch to Epitaph, a label run by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. Gurewitz felt that The Offspring was just not quite pronounced enough for his label, but Baghdad convinced him to give the band a shot.In 1992, Wilson and The Offspring returned to the studio to record their second album Ignition, which was released in October of that year. The album exceeded all of the label's and band's expectations. The band went on tour for the next two years with other punk bands such as Pennywise, and ska punk bands like No Doubt and Voodoo Glow Skulls. When The Offspring returned to the studio to work on their third album in 1993, the band's relations with producer Thom Wilson had begun to strain. The band released what would become their biggest selling CD, titled Smash (1994). Fueled by the hit singles Come Out and Play, Self Esteem, and Gotta Get Away, this album set the all-time record for most units sold by an independent label band at 16 million records. Smash has continued to sell consistently well in the fourteen years since its release, and has also been certified 6x Platinum in the United States. The album also sold very well outside the U.S., particularly in Australia, where it debuted #1 on the ARIA Charts in 1995.After the release of Smash, and armed with a newly expanded income, the band decided to buy out the rights to their first album. Holland and Greg K. then created their own record label, Nitro Records, and started signing bands. One of their first releases was a re-release of their first album The Offspring. The label also signed a number of punk bands including AFI, The Vandals, and Guttermouth. Soon after, Nitro Records became solely Dexter's responsibility.
In November 2006, it was reported that The Offspring were back in the studio recording their eighth studio album, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace with producer Bob Rock and "a fistful of demos". In July 2007, Dexter announced that the band had finished "two more songs" and the album was being recorded in Orange County, California. The album, in its entirety, can be streamed online for free at iMeem.com. It was announced on July 27, 2007 that former Saves the Day drummer Pete Parada had been chosen to be The Offspring's new drummer, replacing Atom Willard. The band's first shows with Parada were at the Summer Sonic festival in Japan in August of the same year. It was during these shows that the band debuted Hammerhead which would become the first single from the new album. Parada did not play on the new album however; Josh Freese once again handled drum duties, as he did with Splinter. On April 9, 2008, Dexter announced on The Offspring's official website that the band had finished recording the new album. He also announced that the album would be called Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace and would be released on June 17th. The album's first single, Hammerhead, went to radio on May 6th. Additionally, The Offspring's official site provided an MP3 download of the song to the general public on May 5th. The supporting tour for the album began on May 16th with a performance at the X-Fest festival in California. On May 28th it was announced on the band's website that Scott Shiflett (from Face to Face) will replace bassist Greg K on current tour dates due to a birth in the family. Kriesel returned in mid-June. Epitaph Records also announced that the label would be re-issuing Ignition and Smash; both albums were remastered and Smash contained a new 24 page booklet. The re-issues were released on the same day as Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace, coinciding with the new album's release.
Here is history on the Crüe. Mötley Crüe was formed on January 17, 1981 when bassist Nikki Sixx left the band London and began rehearsing with Tommy Lee and vocalist/guitarist Greg Leon. Lee had worked previously with Leon in a band called Suite 19 and the trio practiced together for some time with Leon eventually deciding not to continue. The bassist and drummer then began a search for new members. Sixx and Lee soon met guitarist Robert "Mick Mars" Deal. Mars was quickly auditioned and subsequently hired by Sixx and Lee. Mars had been playing for a band, White Horse, when one of the members called the group "a motley looking crew." He had remembered the phrase and later copied it down as Mottley Cru-. Modifying the spelling slightly, 'Mötley Crüe' was eventually selected with the inspiration to add the two sets of umlauts supposedly coming from the German beer the members were drinking at the time. The group was still in need of a singer. Lee had known Neil from their high school days at Royal Oak H.S. in Covina and the two had performed in different bands on the garage-band circuit. On seeing him perform with the band Rockandi (pronounced Rock-Candy) at the Starwood in Hollywood, Mars suggested Mötley Crüe hire Vince. At first he refused. However, as the other members of Rockandi became involved in outside projects, Neil grew anxious to try something else. When Lee made one final appeal to audition he accepted.They soon met their first manager, Allan Coffman. The band's first release was the single "Stick to Your Guns/Toast of the Town," which was released on their own label, Leathür Records, which had a pressing & distribution deal with Greenworld Distribution in Torrance. In November 1981, their debut album Too Fast for Love was self-produced and released on Leathür, selling 20,000 copies. Coffman's assistant Eric Greif set up a tour of Canada, while they used the band's success in the Los Angeles club scene to negotiate with several record labels, eventually signing a recording contract with Elektra Records in late spring 1982. At Elektra's insistence, the debut album was then re-mixed by producer Roy Thomas Baker and re-released on August 20, 1982, two months after its Canadian WEA release using the original Leathür mixes, to coincide with the tour.During the "Crüesing Through Canada Tour '82," there were several widely-publicized incidents. First, the band was arrested and then released at Edmonton International Airport for wearing their spiked stage wardrobe through Customs and for Vince's small carry-on filled with porn magazines (both PR stunts) - considered 'dangerous weapons' and 'indecent material', Customs eventually had the confiscated items destroyed. Second, a spurious 'bomb threat' against the band, playing Scandals Disco in Edmonton, made the front page of the Edmonton Journal(June 9, 1982) where assistant band manager Greif and Lee were interviewed. This ended up being a PR stunt perpetrated by Greif. Lastly, Lee threw a television set from the upper story window of the Sheraton Caravan Hotel. Canadian rock magazine Music Express noted that the band were "banned for life" from the city. Despite the tour ending prematurely in financial disaster, it was the basis for the band's first international press. In 1983, the band changed management from Coffman to Doug Thaler and Doc McGhee. McGhee is best known for managing Bon Jovi & Kiss, starting with their reunion tour in 1996. Greif subsequently sued all parties in a Los Angeles Superior Court action that dragged on for several years, and coincidentally later re-surfaced as manager of Nikki's former band, London. Coffman himself was sued by a couple of investors for whom he had sold 'stock in the band', including Michigan-based Bill Larson. Coffman eventually declared bankruptcy, as he had mortgaged his home at least three times to cover band expenses
In 2006, Mötley Crüe went on the Route of All Evil Tour co-headlining with Aerosmith. This was another well attended tour following the "Carnival of Sins" tour of 2005. In June 2007, Mötley Crüe set out on a small European tour. A lawsuit was recently filed by Neil, Mars and Sixx against Carl Stubner, Lee's manager. The three sued him for contracting for Lee to appear on two unsuccessful reality shows the band claim hurt its image. It was reported on Motley.com that the lawsuit has been settled. Mötley Crüe's ninth studio album, titled Saints of Los Angeles was released in Japan on June 17 and in America on June 24. The album was originally titled "The Dirt", but was changed. The album features the band's original lineup. On April 11, Mötley Crüe released the song "Saints Of Los Angeles" in full, and also as a downloadable song for the game Rock Band, on April 15. The song is available on spinner.com. Mötley Crüe had announced that sometime in 2009 is the possible release date for the movie, The Dirt, based on the book written by Motley Crue and Neil Strauss. Rumors about the cast of characters in this movie include Christopher Walken as the famous rock and roll star Ozzy Osbourne and Val Kilmer as David Lee Roth. Mötley Crüe's personal record label has filed complaints that the counting of Mötley Crüe's worldwide record sale was mishandled. When the band was confronted by the company, they immediately contacted their previous label. As it turns out, the band signed their names as rott, rotter, root and rooter as a show of affection towards the two uncooperative sides. Therefore, Mötley Crüe never had a record label for their first album "Too Fast for Love". The band had their own label named "Leathur Records", so the album was produced, however the band did not hire anyone to keep records or documents referring to the album. Mötley Crüe songwriter and bass guitar player Nikki Sixx as well as singer Vince Neil issued a very explicit letter of intent to the Worldwide Music Incorporation on November 12, 2001. After this message was suspiciously not received, the band wrote a new, clean version of the document hoping to receive the credit they deserved for their debut album. On March 6th, 2008 the band received an extra 23 millions copies sold to their record at Worldwide Music Inc. This left the band at a total of 80 million copies sold worldwide, just peaking them over many official lists beginning at 80 million. This caused a nation wide worry for current and past bands that may have encountered the same, or similar, issues. However, no news has spurred since this case with either Mötley Crüe or any other top-selling U.S. Artist. To date, Motley Records has an estimated net worth of over $980,000,000. On June 11, 2008, the band and manager Burt Stein filed suit against each other. Stein was Vince Neil's personal manager and also, according to the band and rival manager Allen Kovac, served as the band's manager at one time. The band and Kovac sued in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claiming Stein was not entitled to a cut of Motley Crue's earnings. Stein sued the same day in Nashville's federal court, saying he is entitled to 1.875 percent of what the band makes.
Since The Who is an excellent band here is some background. The first band that could be considered a parent of The Who was a "trad jazz" band started by Pete Townshend and John Entwistle called The Confederates. Townshend played the banjo and Entwistle the French horn (which he would continue to use in The Who and in his solo career). Vocalist Roger Daltrey met John Entwistle in the street (with his bass slung over his arm) and asked him to join his band. Entwistle agreed and suggested Townshend as an additional (rhythm) guitarist.In their early days the band was known as The Detours. Like many of their British peers, the group was heavily influenced by American blues and country music, initially playing mostly rhythm and blues. The initial lineup of the band consisted of Roger Daltrey on lead guitar, Pete Townshend on rhythm guitar, John Entwistle on bass, Doug Sandom on drums, and Colin Dawson on lead vocals. After Colin Dawson left the band, Daltrey moved to lead vocals and Townshend became sole guitarist. In 1964 drummer Doug Sandom left the band, and Keith Moon became their drummer.The Detours changed their name to "The Who" in 1964 and, with the arrival of Keith Moon that year, their line-up was complete. However, for a short period during 1964, under the management of famed mod Peter Meaden, they changed their name to The High Numbers, during which time they released "Zoot Suit/I'm The Face", a single designed to appeal to their mostly mod fans. When it failed to chart, the band fired Meaden and quickly reverted to The Who. They became one of the most popular bands among the British mods, a 1960s subculture involving cutting-edge fashions, scooters and music genres such as rhythm and blues, soul, and beat music.In September 1964, at the Railway Tavern in Harrow and Wealdstone, England, Pete Townshend smashed his first guitar. Playing on a high stage, Townshend's physical style of performance resulted in him accidentally breaking off the head of his guitar when it broke through the ceiling. Angered by snickers from the audience, he proceeded to smash the instrument to pieces on the stage. He then picked up a Rickenbacker twelve-string guitar and continued the concert. A large crowd attended their next concert, but Townshend declined to smash another guitar. Instead, Keith Moon wrecked his drumkit. Instrument destruction became a staple of The Who's live shows for the next several years. The incident at the Railway Tavern is one of Rolling Stone magazine's "50 Moments That Changed the History of Rock 'n' Roll".The band would soon crystallise around Townshend as the primary songwriter and creative force. Entwistle would also make notable songwriting contributions. Moon and Daltrey contributed a handful of songs in the 60s and 70s. The Who's first hit was January 1965's "I Can't Explain".The song was first played in the U.S. in Flint, where Keith Moon drove a car into a hotel pool during his 20th birthday, he claimed it was his 21st so he could drink. Their debut album My Generation was released the same year. The album included such mod anthems as "The Kids Are Alright" and the title track "My Generation".Subsequent hits "Substitute", about a young man who feels like a fraud, "I'm a Boy" about a young boy dressed as a young girl, "Happy Jack" about a mentally disturbed young man, and "Pictures of Lily", a tribute to masturbation, all show Townshend's growing use of stories of sexual tension and teenage angst. More hits followed, including "I Can See for Miles" and "Magic Bus".
In November 2007, the documentary Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who was released. The two-DVD set included new interviews from Daltrey, Jones, and Townshend as well as Sting, The Edge, and Eddie Vedder. The documentary includes footage not seen in earlier Who documentaries, including film from their 1970 Leeds University appearance and a 1964 performance at the Railway Hotel when they were known as The High Numbers.On 30 October 2007, Roger Daltrey announced plans for The Who to return to touring in 2008 for a set of shows in Japan and Australia. "We don't want to stop..." Daltrey said. "We don't want those long hiatuses that we used to have.... You should at least keep the ball rolling." During this announcement, Daltrey also implied that Pete Townshend was working on new material for the group, and on 11 February 2008, Townshend confirmed this on the band's website. "I am hoping to come up with some songs for a more conventional Who record," Townshend wrote. He also stated that Roger Daltrey is working on setting up album work. A proposed T-Bone Burnett produced album of covers of old R&B songs has been ruled out by Townshend, however. In June, The Who announced a tour of Japan and a Mini-Tour of the United States, with preliminary dates being confirmed in four Japanese cities and nine North American cities. The Who were honoured at the 2008 VH1 Rock Honors in Los Angeles. Taping of the show took place 12 July, followed by a network broadcast on 17 June. That same week, a 12 song best-of collection was released as playable tracks for the music video game Rock Band. The Who performed at the Rock Band party at the Orpheum Theater during the 2008 E3 Media and Business Summit. Pete Townshend notably made a joke regarding the color choices on the game's guitar controller. The Who's awards include their inductation into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and the first annual Freddie Mercury Lifetime Achievement in Live Music Award in 2006. They received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Phonographic Industry in 1988, and from the Grammy Foundation in 2001, for creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording. Tommy was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, "My Generation" in 1999 and Who's Next in 2007. In an April 15, 2004 issue of The Rolling Stones the 100 greatest artists of all time were listed, The Who was listed as number 29 behind Prince and followed by The Clash.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Today in 1986, Cliff Burton, bassist for Metallica, was killed when the band's tour bus overturned in Sweden while the band was on tour promoting Master of Puppets. Burton was born on February 10, 1962, in Castro Valley, California, to Jan and Ray Burton. He had two elder siblings, Scott and Connie. He was raised in the San Francisco Bay area by his parents. Burton's interest in music began when his father introduced him to classical music and he began taking piano lessons.In his teenage years, Burton's interest in music switched from classical to jazz and eventually heavy metal. He began playing the bass at age 13, after the death of his brother. His parents quoted him as saying, "I'm going to be the best bassist for my brother." He practiced up to six hours a day. His early influences varied from classical music to southern rock to country, blues and jazz.Upon graduating from Castro Valley High School in 1980, Burton studied music at Chabot Junior College in northern California. One of his fellow schoolmates was "Big" Jim Martin, former guitarist of Faith No More, with whom Burton played alongside in one of his first bands, Agents of Misfortune. Agents of Misfortune entered a "Battle of the Bands" contest that was recorded on video and features some of the earliest footage of Burton's trademark playing style. The video also shows Burton playing some parts of what would soon be two Metallica songs: his signature bass solo, (Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth, and the chromatic intro to For Whom the Bell Tolls. Burton joined his first major band, Trauma, in 1982. In '82 the band went to L.A. where they played in a night club called Whiskey A Go Go, which James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich attended, two members of Metallica which had formed the year before. After hearing, as Hetfield described it, "this amazing shredding" (which happened to be (Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth), the two went in search of what they thought was an amazing guitar player. When they learned that what they had heard was, in fact, a bass solo by Burton their attitude became one of a drive to initiate him into Metallica as soon as possible. They asked him to replace departed bassist Ron McGovney, and since Burton thought that Trauma was "starting to get a little commercial" he agreed. He did three albums with Metallica before his death, their debut album Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning, and Master of Puppets.
During the European leg of the Damage Inc. tour in support of Master of Puppets, the band had complained that the sleeping cubicles on their tour bus were unsatisfactory and uncomfortable. As a minor solution the members drew cards for the most comfortable bunk. On the evening of September 27, 1986, Burton had won the game with an Ace of Spades. The card game was the last conversation Burton was to have with anyone. He was asleep when, according to the driver, the band's tour bus ran over a patch of black ice, skidded off of the road, and flipped onto the grass in Ljungby Municipality, near Dörarp in rural southern Sweden. Burton was thrown through the window of the bus, which fell on top of him and killed him. A winch that was lifting the bus off him snapped, causing the bus to crush him a second time. James Hetfield later stated that he first believed the bus flipped because the driver was drunk, or at least negligent, and had walked long distances down the road demanding this "black ice" be shown to him. However, drunk driving was never proven, and the driver was determined not to be at fault for the accident. Burton's body was cremated, and his ashes were scattered on the Maxwell Ranch. At the ceremony, the instrumental Orion from the album Master of Puppets was played. Burton hadn't played the song live, and Metallica did not perform it until June 3, 2006 at Rock Am Ring Festival, Nurburgring, DEU (when they performed the album in its entirety to mark the 20th anniversary of its release). Until then, only sections of the song had been used as part of their performance. During the 1990s, Burton's successor, Jason Newsted, would often use the bass line as part of a medley.
For more background on Cliff Burton click here or for Metallica background info click here
9/20/2008
As many of you may or may not know Richard Wright, keyboardist and a founding member of Pink Floyd, died on Monday so here is some background. Pink Floyd evolved from an earlier band that went by many different names. As The Tea Set they consisted of Rado "Bob" Klose and Roger Waters, drummer Nick Mason, and keyboardist and wind instrument player Richard Wright. After a short time with a vocalist named Chris Dennis, Syd Barret became the lead guitarist and vocalist, Waters then moved to bass, and Richard Wright became a full time keyboardist. While on a bill as The Tea Set they found that there was another band with the same name, Syd Barret came up with the name The Pink Floyd Sound after Pink Anderson and Floyd Council, two blues men. For a time after this they oscillated between The Tea Set and The Pink Floyd Sound, until the just decided to go with The Pink Floyd Sound. The word Sound was dropped but "the" stuck with them up until the '70s. Their '69 album Ummagumma albums credit the band as Pink Floyd, produced by The Pink Floyd, while 1970's Atom Heart Mother credits the band as The Pink Floyd, produced by Pink Floyd. David Gilmour is known to have referred to the group as The Pink Floyd as late as 1984.
As the band became more popular, the stresses of life on the road, pressure by the record company to produce hit singles, and a significant intake of psychedelic drugs took their toll on Barrett, whose mental health had been deteriorating for several months. In January 1968, guitarist David Gilmour joined the band to carry out Barrett's playing and singing duties. With Barrett's behaviour becoming less and less predictable, and his almost constant use of LSD, he became very unstable, occasionally staring into space while the rest of the band performed. During some performances, he would just strum one chord for the duration of a concert, or randomly begin detuning his guitar. In 1985, Waters declared Pink Floyd "a spent force", but the remaining members, led by Gilmour, continued recording and touring under the name Pink Floyd. Waters sued them for the name and eventually they reached a settlement out of court, under which Gilmour, Wright and Nick Mason,their drummer, would continue as Pink Floyd. They again enjoyed worldwide success with A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) and The Division Bell (1994). Waters performed with the band for the first time in 24 years on 2 July 2005 at the London Live 8 concert. With the death of Rick Wright a Pink Floyd reunion seems less likely. Shine on you crazy diamond, you will be missed!
Since the new AC/DC album Black Ice is going to be released on October 21, on the 18 in Australia and sold exclusively at Wal-Mart, I figured that I should tell everyone a little background on AC/DC, or as they are popularly known in Australia as Acca Dacca. They were formed in Sydney in 1973 by Malcolm and Angus Young. They got the name from seeing the letters on the back of their sister's sewing machine. The brothers felt that this name symbolised the band's raw energy, power-driven performances, and a love for their music. The band's orignal line up was Larry Van Kriedt on bass, vocalist Dave Evans, and Colin Burgess on drums. Van Kriedt was replaced in '75 by Dave Evan who left two years later and then their current bass player Cliff Williams. Evans was their vocalist for a year before being replaced with Bon Scott who remained their frontman until his death in 1980. Brian Johnson became their new lead singer. Colin Burgess was also replaced in '75 by Phil Rudd. Rudd took Scotts death badly and left the band in '83 and rejoined in '94 and is the current drummer. Black Ice will be released on October 17th in Germany, 18th in Australia, 20th in Europe, 21st in the US and Canada, and 22nd in Japan.
Lately there has been talk of a possible Led Zeppelin tour. Well whenever anyone was asked about it mainly they said that not until September. Well September is here and so I guess we'll find out within the next few weeks or so. Also John Bonham's son Jason Bonham, who has filled in on drums at various performances including the reunion show last December, revealed to a Detroit radio DJ that Zeppelin has been recording a new album. Although, Robert Plant hasn't been in the studio on account of recording and performing with bluegrass star Alison Krauss. So if they are recording they may not release an album under the name Led Zeppelin.
Well this is a new site obviously and for starters I think I should probably explain the name. The domain name was bought shortly after the big earthquake in China and was initially going to be sold to someone if they wanted to buy it and set up a relief fund for China (hence the name China Quake Relief). But no one made any offers and so after a couple months of it just sitting here I decided to make it into a site about rock info…well that and after getting tired of hearing "I like Van Halen not Van Hagar" which brings me right into the first rant. Unless you wanted Eddie to play a synthesizer then it was sort of a good thing the Roth left and basically got that out of his system although his solo songs weren't too bad. If you people had given Sammy a chance then you would have realized Van Hagar almost as good if not as good as Van Roth.
