What needs to be said here that Metal Blade Records hasn't already covered. As I Lay Dying's future still lies in limbo and as such, the remaining band members NOT behind bars will have to find other ways for their creative outlets to take place. While we have waited quite a bit of time regarding Tim Lambesis' future, the other four members were hard at work figuring out a game plan since they had a feeling how this was going to go down. So the label did what they would probably do for any of their artists, sign them!
"Metal Blade Records is pleased to announce that JORDAN MANCINO (drums), NICK HIPA (guitar), PHIL SGROSSO (guitar) and JOSH GILBERT (bass) of San Diego, California based metal act As I Lay Dying, have teamed up with vocalist SHANE BLAY (previously lead guitar/clean vocals in Oh, Sleeper) to create the new band WOVENWAR." -Metal Blade Records (press release)
So when did all this go down? Seems like they have been working at this for some time now and have launched it with precision and accuracy. It seems that they had some good hands working with them to produce this new single and album.
"Over approximately the last year, the band completed work on new material recorded with producer Bill Stevenson (Descendents, Black Flag) with mixing duties currently being handled by Colin Richardson (Slipknot, Machine Head, Trivium)."
Chances are though, the guys want to make a solid album and try and veer away from the negativity that surrounds As I Lay Dying currently. They are talented, have lots of experience, and have a huge fan base to tap into. Crossing fingers for a great debut single. Put the best foot forward! So far so good. I am loving the new track!
"On Monday April 21, fans will get their first full listen of WOVENWAR’s debut single “All Rise”. While not the final mastered version, the song will be a proper representation of what’s to come when WOVENWAR’s self titled debut drops late summer 2014."
Track listing for the debut album is:
1. Foreword 2. All Rise 3. Death To Rights 4. Tempest 5. The Mason 6. Moving Up 7. Sight Of Shore 8. Father / Son 9. Profane 10. Archers 11. Ruined Ends 12. Identity 13. Matter Of Time 14. Prophets 15. Onward
Stay tuned to MetalBlade.com, wovenwar.com, and the members’ personal accounts below for more information regarding album artwork, touring, pre order info, new music, videos, social sites, etc.
"Wovenwar will be available in North America on August 5th, in the UK/Europe on August 4th, and in the European GAS territories on the 1st of August. Additionally, exclusive pre-order bundles are available with a t-shirt, girls’ tee, and a tank top. The album will also available for pre-order on iTunes." -Metal Blade Records
While not following every move the man made, he was a well respected musician and a very talented one at that. He was an influence to many, including myself and my music endeavours. It's a shame to see major potential like him pass away so soon. Going to be playing some stOrk music and Korn DVD's today for a tribute. Cheers to the music you made Shane!
"It is with deepest sadness and regret that we must confirm that stOrk founding member and lead guitarist Shane Paul Gibson passed away at 5:45 AM on April 15th, 2014 in the UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama as a result of complications from a blood clotting disorder. He was 35 years old. He was one of the best guitar players the world has ever known and his virtuosity was matched only by his wit and generosity of spirit. He will be missed beyond measure.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and all those who loved him as much as we did." -stOrk
I threw on some tunes from these albums yesterday and was quite happy to find my niche with Ray Bonneville and Sevendust. While those are only two of the albums listed for release today, I just happened to be in the mood for some mellow attitude and a stripped down version of what I am regularly used to listening to. You know... that chugging, breakdown, down-tuned, upbeat metal!
A well rounded list I must say for this week. Like stating before, Bonneville along with some other notable released like Ian Anderson, NEEDTOBREATHE, Strunz & Farah, and Ziggy Marley give off some great mellow vibes to sit back and relax to. Something to feed your brain when you first wake up and in need of that slow build up to the afternoon. Then you can move into the more erratic stuff such as Emmure, I Declare War, and Teramaze.
So be sure to show some love to the artists by purchasing their album from your local record store (yay Record Store Day this weekend) or from an online retailer. If digital is more your thing, then be sure to purchase it from an authorized legalsource. Cheers and have a great new release Tuesday!
(Ray Bonneville - Easy Gone)
There aren't any extended guitar breaks. His pace is unhurried and deliberate, rhythm and melody parts of the same animal. Produced with Justin Douglas, Bonneville's band is small and his grooves are tight. The settings in these songs are the American highway, the road in all its seduction and fury. His traveling characters are all vulnerable to the gnawing hole of loneliness; they're hungry for connection but can only inhabit it for a moment if at all, because they're haunted -- or pursued by -- the spirits of restlessness and movement. Bonneville has always been drawn to hard-bitten characters, not for what they signify, but simply for who they are.
Bonneville skillfully strips the veneer from popular illusions about the freedom of the road. His characters choose it or are cursed by it, but either way, they accept it as the price of doing business. Easy Gone is not just another chapter in his remarkable late-blooming saga, but the finest one to date. -All Music
(NEEDTOBREATHE - Rivers In The Wasteland)
NEEDTOBREATHE have found their feet. This is an album with soul… this is an album with heart… this is an album with history without burdening you with all the dirty details… this is an album of songs that have been crafted by experience, by pain, by laughter and by faith.
This is the most complete album that NTB have brought to the table. There was a Reckoning (their last album) and from the ashes of that a phoenix has risen, that not only has lit a new fire and a renewed purpose for NTB but brought water into a wasteland. NTB have had a weight lifted from their shoulders and it shows. If you are looking for an album that encourages you to be lifted during the driest of places, then stop here for a drink. -Screaming Goose
(Ian Anderson - Homo Erraticus)
I must admit upon first listen I was not too sure about this album but after several more subsequent spins it grew on me a few notches upon the ladder of approval. This is not music you can listen to in the background; it demands your complete attention to be appreciated as an entire work of art. It’s never cut and dried with Mr. Anderson and you will find once you consume every bite of this full course meal that Homo Erraticus is yet another triumph. This is indeed a musical story that deserves repeated listens. Is this another prog rock classic? I have no doubt that it is. You must add the album to your collection if you have a place in your heart and soul for progressive music. -Prog Rock Music Talk
(Strunz & Farah - Moods and Visions)
Moods and Visions is Strunz & Farah's 20th release and 15th studio recording. With all new material, this album celebrates 35 years of the Grammy-nominated guitar duo's highly successful collaboration, continuing and evolving their original synthesis of multicultural elements into a flowing, melodic and rhythmic acoustic guitar style of high virtuosity. Spectacular improvisations flash through always colorful sonic weavings. These renowned master instrumentalists are accompanied by a top flight ensemble of rhythm section and flute. -Amazon
(Tuomas Holopainen - Music Inspired By: The Life and Times of Scrooge)
It should also be clarified The Music Inspired by the Life and Times of Scrooge is not a metal album, but a symphonic soundtrack. The orchestra heard throughout the album is The London Philharmonic Orchestra, arranged by Pip Williams, who has also arranged the orchestral portions of the last three Nightwish albums.
Music Inspired by the Life and Times of Scrooge is an album for every occasion and for every emotion felt. The album has a tranquil effect, similar to that of Classic music, making it not only for true Nightwish fans or metal fans, but for everyone. There is no question Tuomas Holopainen is one of the most talented musical composers of our time and this album proves it. -Cryptic Rock
(Ziggy Marley - Fly Rasta)
'Fly Rasta' finds Ziggy exploring both traditional reggae and new musical territories, often merging the two. Keen to stretch himself beyond his usual frame-of-reference, 'Fly Rasta' incorporates elements of rock, funk, soul and pop over a broad range of lyrical content.
Along with pushing musical boundaries, the album is a call for humans to come together, support one another and treat Mother Earth with care and respect. Marley has been a strong advocate for the environment, the overall health of the planet and its inhabitants. He is a long-time supporter for the industrialization of hemp and recently launched his own line of GMO free, organic coconut oils and hemp seed snacks. -Contact Music
(Sevendust - Time Travelers & Bonfires)
Staying true to the fact that the band has never been situated in a specific genre, Sevendust’s newest album contains a combination of numerous elements from various sub-genres. There is a considerable amount of ‘space’ to the composition of these tracks allowing the rich sound of acoustic and vocal melodies a chance to breathe. More established songs such as the single “Black” - from the band’s self-titled release back in 1997 – gain a breath of fresh air as the acoustics add a rich tone to the band’s classics. Furthermore, I’d personally like to thank the band for NOT writing an album full of ballads; a habit that many other hard rock bands fall into when writing an acoustic album. Simply put, Sevendust’s ninth album is great, refreshing, and pure. -Lithium Magazine
(The Birds of Satan - The Birds of Satan)
That’s the key word with The Birds of Satan—adequate. This record certainly highlights the trio’s musical chops and their songwriting strengths, and yet the overall feeling that this record produces is nothing to write home about. And while it’s good to see a rock and roll band still trying to win fans in an era that has seemingly given the “mother of us all” the boot, The Birds of Satan is neither Nevermind or Revolver—neither groundbreaking or era-making. It is, in short, a sonic ping in a wide ocean that is no longer searching for new grit or new guts from guitar acts. -In Your Speakers
(I Declare War - We Are Violent People By Nature)
The change was from a brutal death metal type of sound, when they had Jonathan Huber as a vocalist, to a guitar chugging, overly loud and heavy, deathcore sound. The album itself is ten songs long and has roughly 35 to 40 minutes worth of listening material.
Of course, in a different light, you can say the album is quite boring with its repetitive instrumentals and lack of diversity in the vocals. This album may be for you for those reasons alone, and that's understandable, but for those who are into the kind of music, they will absolutely enjoy this album. Basically, if you like I Declare War's self-titled album that released back in 2011, you'll like (if not love) this album. If you're into chuggy deathcore, you'll also like this album. But if you're not into either of those things, you will not like this album. -Pig Squeals And Breakdowns
(Teramaze - Esoteric Symbolism)
The album’s concept, while not narrative based centres around the experiential nature of deception; especially by that of governing bodies and the powers that be. I think the title of ‘Esoteric Symbolism’ is perfectly apt as this is not the viewpoint or mindset of everyone and best kept as the worldview of a particular minority of people. I think for some the lyrical approach could border on conspiracy but I like the exploratory nature of them and what is truly the harm in questioning some of the taken-for-granted “truths” we hold in this ever-changing world. Kudos to Teramaze for honestly and whole-heartedly fusing their beliefs with such hard-hitting music in a way that I see as completely lacking pretence. -Metal Obsession
(Emmure - Eternal Enemies)
In all honesty, this chance to fire back should have been the perfect platform for Emmure. Instead it emerges as one of the album’s biggest letdowns. For all the resentment and anger Palmeri and the band air out, it always seems to distill down to the same two themes: A. Palmeri could care less about the insults and disrespect lobbed his way; B. that people should try and say those comments to his face.
But after suffering through an album’s worth of banal, textbook deathcore riffs and stale nu metal leftovers, eternal damnation has already long set in. -The PRP
So of course, when running your own blog it can be tough to keep up with the s**tload of stuff that comes across our ears over a weekend! Some good, some bad, some not even worth mentioning. I guess that's how I use AFGM in general. These articles that I go through everyday from various sites (Blabbermouth, CBC, National Post, AV Club, Exclaim, Music News, Rolling Stone, etc.) and sort of "filter" some of the nonsense news such as the latest fashion design, who's got beef with who and who ISN'T doing music...still.
These articles brought forth are for a few different reasons:
1. It is relevant music information that pertains to you as a reader, no matter the level of intent or the genre.
2. They are relevant to the music I would be currently listening to or a genre I have put some attention and focus on.
3. I am rather patriotic about my Canadian music, so that always comes as a first for me. I enjoy music from all parts of the world respectively, but I still have to promote local if I can. Canadian music rocks!
4. Because it's humorous and we can always use a good laugh. Rarely will it be at someone's expense...but then again I am just the guy talking about it. They're the ones causing the comments.
So in closing, I trust you all will not read EVERY single article posted here. But I hope you find something of use here and keep the conversation going by forwarding it onto someone else. Click on each article heading for redirection to the full article. Cheers!
“They’ve used this very emotional argument to . . . improve the financial position of one particular bar owner and one that so happens to be the bar of choice of the mayor. It’s a harm reduction approach. Some people might not like it, but kids are going to want to dance.” -Mike Layton
The festival (July 18th-20th, 2014) now includes Soundgarden, the Flaming Lips, Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, Modest Mouse, Earl Sweatshirt, Snoop Dogg, Lauryn Hill, TV on the Radio, Schoolboy Q, St. Vincent, Tyler, the Creator, Blondie, Cage the Elephant, Best Coast, Girl Talk, Young the Giant, Baauer, the Violent Femmes, Empire of the Sun, Flying Lotus, Dinosaur Jr., Dan Deacon, Grimes, Metric, Fucked Up, Sloan, the New Pornographers, Stars, Gord Downie & the Sadies, Hayden, Matt Mays, Hey Rosetta!, Purity Ring, METZ, Daniel Lanois, Rich Aucoin, and Gold and Youth, among others.
Comedy is also a big announcement as well, with performances from Trailer Park Boys, Bob Saget, Lisa Lampanelli, Nick Swardson, Norm MacDonald, Doug Benson, Hannibal Buress, Tom Green, Brian Posehn, Jim Breuer, Natasha Leggero, Brian Scolaro, and Kyle Dunnigan.
"The Pono Kickstarter campaign hit its $800,000 funding goal in just one day. Contribution options range from $5 in exchange for a Thank You note on Pono's website to $400 to preorder the device to $5,000 to have a VIP listening party with Young. The campaign is now closing in on $6 million from more than 17,000 backers with four days to go, making it the third most successful Kickstarter campaign ever."
The lineup includes Lady Gaga, Queens of the Stone Age, Soundgarden, St. Vincent, A$AP Rocky, Tegan and Sara, Gogol Bordello, Cypress Hill, Snoop Dogg, the Killers, Daniel Lanois, Billy Joel, Bryan Adams, Journey, Steve Miller Band, John Mayall, Serena Ryder, Blondie, the Pretty Reckless, Young the Giant, Jake Bugg, Local Natives, Gary Clark Jr., Father John Misty, Stars, Radio Radio, Bonobo, July Talk, Royal Canoe, Noah Gundersen, San Fermin, Solids, Badbadnotgood, and many more.
Noisey: What do you think of the current state of rock music?
Mike Shinoda: "There’s so much music out there; there’s so much stuff that sounds like Haim or CHVRCHES or Vampire Weekend that I’m full. The thing I’m hungry for is not that. I turn on the rock station in L.A. and it sounds like Disney commercial music. And I’m confused by that. The dude from Foster the People was literally a jingle writer. No disrespect, but for me to make that stuff was kind of out of the question. I stepped back and said, “What’s the thing I want to hear that nobody else is making, and what’s the thing that we are uniquely positioned to make?” We threw out our old demos, and I talked to the guys and basically asked them to get in touch with who their 15-year-old self was. Not to make songs for 15-year-olds out there now—there are a lot of people out there who’ll make music because it’ll be popular with teenagers, but that’s not what we’re doing. I told our guitarist Brad, “If the kid you were at 15 heard what you made today, would he be proud of you? Or would he say, ‘That guy’s kind of a pussy.’?” Because he was listening to fucking Metallica and heavier at that point. I said, “Write a song that’ll make that kid play guitar.” So that’s what we ended up doing. We wanted to impress our inner teenager. When I was that age I was listening to Public Enemy and N.W.A. and Rakim. And when I did get into rock, it was Metallica and Alice in Chainz. The Nu-Metal thing and the alternative rock thing spawned from people learning from those bands, but those bands never made radio rock.
If you’d asked me this five years ago, I was obsessed with indie rock. A lot of the artists were coming from a place that was, “this is my scene, and this is my shit, and that’s why I’m making it.” But now it’s become pop. It’s not indie, it’s major label."
- LP version containing the original 14 album tracks newly remastered on 180-gram vinyl
- CD version containing the original 14 album tracks from the most recent remastering
- Restyled album package artwork
- Large-format 24-page booklet featuring never-before-seen archive photos by Lisa Johnson
- Firsthand recollections and quotes from the band and others telling the story of that historic time
1. World Peace Is None Of Your Business
2. Neal Cassady Drops Dead
3. Istanbul
4. I'm Not A Man
5. Earth Is The Loneliest Planet
6. Staircase At The University
7. The Bullfighter Dies
8. Kiss Me A Lot
9. Smiler With A Knife
10. Kick The Bride Down The Aisle
11. Mountjoy
12. Oboe Concerto
"The good and the bad must be documented. Life is a serious business, so why pretend it isn't? I'm amused by modern pop artists who can only sing about s.e.x ... as if nothing else mattered on the planet." -Morrissey
"Woke to find out I'm in a new supergroup. Hahahaha. Played on some tracks a few weeks ago with my friends Omar and Cedric for love that['s] all." -Flea
"One thing that might excite fans of the album is that we were able to go back and locate elements from the original sessions that were stored digitally, but never used; such as some of the brilliant work done by Bon Harris. In that fresh mixes have been commissioned, shedding new light on not only the songs hidden foundations, but their futuristic nature as well." -Corgan
"Snoop and close friend and movie co-star Wiz Khalifa have joined forces to bring you the best 4/20 weekend celebrations. The first show kicks off in Seattle on 4/19. Kick it with big Snoop, Wiz, and special guests at the WaMu theater in Washington. On 4/20, Snoop, Wiz, YG, and Smoke DZA take over Red Rocks Theater in Denver, Colorado to help you celebrate the holidays. Tickets on sale now!!"
"Back in July 2013 I was fortunate enough to experience one of the most amazing nights of my career at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. It was a splendid night and as a result we have decided to release it as a special live DVD.
Working with PledgeMusic gives me the chance to make available alternative and interesting offers while allowing me to fill the experience with extra content for you in the ‘Updates’ page above. More on this to come….
This is also the first place you can buy my new album ‘Lion’ alongside the DVD. As well as vinyl, signed product, lyric sheets, sets lists and even one of the microphones I used during the recording my new album.
"I've heard that they use more... like, hard rock, metal... (but not Red Hot Chili Peppers songs). Our music's positive man, it's supposed to make people feel good and that's... it's very upsetting to me, I don't like that at all. It's bulls---. Maybe some people think our music's annoying, I don't care, but you know... (they) shouldn't do that. They shouldn't be doing any of that s--- (torture)." -Smith
Songfacts: How exactly do you approach songwriting?
Kim Thayil: "It varies from song to song. We've written songs in so many different ways, with different combinations of the four of us. Sometimes everybody would partner collectively, or maybe two or three guys, or complete authorship where one guy writes everything. Since everyone in the band writes on guitar, being the lead guitarist I have to learn to play guitar in the style of our drummer, who writes songs on guitar, and our bass player who writes his songs on guitar, and our singer/guitarist who writes songs on guitar. So it's safe to say they start with the riff. They start with a guitar riff and we work the vocals around it. Chris [Cornell, vocals/guitar], at least on a few occasions, started with a vocal melody and built the song around the vocal melody, but that's unusual and even great vocal songsmiths don't do that. Maybe some piano guys do that where they build the chords around the vocal melody, but Paul Simon, for instance, starts with a song riff. THE BEATLES — Lennon, McCartney — those guys probably started the music in a riff and then built the lyric around it."
"PAISLEY PARK AFTER DARK WILL RESUME NEXT FRIDAY/18 AND SATURDAY/19 AS PRINCE WILL B (sic) ATTENDING COACHELLA FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND." -3rd Eyed Girl
Deftones Stream Previously-Unreleased Track “Smile” From Shelved “Eros” Album:
"Chi, We miss you today and everyday." -deftones.
AEROSMITH And SLASH's 'Let Rock Rule' Tour Dates Announced:
July 10 - Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre - Wantagh, NY July 13 - McLennan Park - Kitchener, ON
July 16 - Xfinity Center - Mansfield, MA
July 19 - Rock Fest - Cadott, WI
July 22 - Riverbend Music Center - Cincinnati, OH
July 25 - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre - Tinley Park, IL
July 30 - The Forum - Inglewood, CA
Aug. 02 - MGM Grand Garden Arena - Las Vegas, NV
Aug. 08 - Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena At Harveys - Stateline, NV
Aug. 13 - Sleep Train Pavilion - Concord, CA
Aug. 16 - The Gorge Amphitheatre - George, WA
Aug. 19 - Pepsi Center - Denver, CO
Aug. 22 - American Airlines Center - Dallas, TX
Aug. 25 - The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion - Woodlands, TX
Aug. 28 - Phillips Arena - Atlanta, GA
Aug. 31 - Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall - Atlantic City, NJ
Sep. 03 - Prudential Center - Newark, NJ
Sep. 06 - Jiffy Lube Live - Bristow, VA
Sep. 09 - DTE Energy Music Theatre - Clarkston, MI
Sep. 12 - Open Hearth Park - Sydney, NS
"Producers said Wednesday they have had to postpone indefinitely the off-Broadway opening 'due to production issues.' The show made a splash on Broadway in October and was to open Thursday at the smaller Gramercy Theatre in Chelsea."
SONATA ARCTICA's 'Love' Video:
"I've been at times asked how all SONATA love songs are just cruel and sad and something is, or goes, always wrong. Well: Happiness is boring. That's why all the TV series are full of drama. 25 seasons of fucking sunshine and ice cream does not sell.
Anyway, this is my attempt to navigate the uncharted waters of Happy. Sometimes you see these really old couples, who walk hand in hand, like they've done since they were mere kids. 'Love' is a song about that lifelong love we all would deserve. It's just beautiful. And rare." -Tony Kakko
Godsmack, Volbeat, Seether, Skillet, Pop Evil, Buckcherry, HELLYEAH, Adelita’s Way, and Escape The Fate. More information on these rumors as they become available.
"It needed to be visceral. We need to weed out a lot of the soft, emo kind of approach to our music, and we need to weed out anything that feels aggressive for aggressive's sake. We're not 18-year-old kids making a loud record – we're 37-year-old adults making a loud record. And what makes a 37-year-old angry is different than what made us angry back in the day.
It's probably the hardest stuff he's [drummer Rob Bourdon] ever played on one of our albums. He had to physically work his way up to it. He had to go running, lift weights, work with a trainer. He eventually went to a chiropractor because he threw his back out playing drums. I don't want to put the guy in the hospital, but it was fun for both of us to make something that was challenging to him. And he definitely feels that at the end of the day, he's a better drummer for it." -Mike Shinoda
The Dillinger Escape Plan Release “Happiness Is A Smile” Video:
“So we wrote a song. Rather than wait for a new album, and try to figure out how to make it make sense as part of a group of other songs that would be written later, we recorded it instantly, so it could be captured as it’s own statement. We pressed it on a limited edition 7″ vinyl, in a quantity of 500(never to be pressed again), and have it available on this current tour. It’s called “Happiness Is A Smile”. We’ve been playing it every night. Here it is.
We haven’t said this, but we’ve been filming every show, for something to be released in the future. Come out and be a part….”
Between The Buried And Me Announce May/June Headlining Dates With Trioscapes:
With Trioscapes:
05/29 Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
05/30 Little Rock, AR – Stickyz
05/31 Houston, TX – Fitzgeralds
06/01 Austin, TX – The Mohawk
06/03 Mesa, AZ – The Nile
06/04 San Diego, CA – House Of Blues
With Meshuggah:
06/06 Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
06/07 San Francisco, CA – The Regency Ballroom
06/09 Denver, CO – Ogden Theater
06/11 Dallas, TX – House Of Blues
06/12 Columbia, MO – The Blue Note (no Meshuggah)
06/13 Indianapolis, IN – The Irving Theater (no Meshuggah)
06/13 Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Music Festival (no Between The Buried And Me)
06/14 Sauget, IL – Pop’s
06/15 Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre
06/17 Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore
06/18 Boston, MA – House Of Blues 06/19 Toronto, ON – Sound Academy 06/20 Montebello, QC – Amnesia Rock Fest
06/21 New York, NY – Best Buy Theater
06/23 Philadelphia, PA – Theatre Of Living Arts (no Meshuggah)
"Myself and The Color Morale are very excited to announce we have joined the Fearless Records family! We are currently hitting the studio to record our new record titled Hold On Pain Ends. Stay tuned on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for a ton of new announcements and details about the new record, preorder packages are in the works! Thanks so much for everyone's continued support and love for what we do, we couldn't be more excited for this new record and our future with the Fearless Family! Stay tuned and thanks again so much for your support. This is your band and as always, we're in this together! " -Garret Rapp
Periphery Frontman Spencer Sotelo Clarifies His Involvement With From First To Last:
“There has been a lot of speculation regarding the recent announcement of my involvement with From First To Last. I would like to make it clear that I wanted to join them in creating an EP for fun. I met the guys at Taylor Larson’s studio while recording personal music around the same time the band was in the studio. We got along really well and decided it would be fun to work on something together, which lead to me doing vocals on their EP.
I’m really honored to work with From First To Last and be a part of this EP as something I’m doing on the side while Periphery is writing. However this, in no way, affects my commitment and position in Periphery or any of our new material. Periphery has and will always be my main focus. I’m really excited to have this time and make music with Periphery and From First To Last. Thanks to everyone who has showed me their support. Love you guys!" -Spencer
"After conquering Japan, the band now sets its sights on the rest of the world. A full-length album from the band will see its worldwide release this summer." -Hopeless Records
“Due to unforeseen circumstances involving the health of one of our members we are unable to make this upcoming tour. We will make it up to you in the near future. We were really looking forward to coming and playing to old and new fans. Please go to the shows and support our friends in Unearth and Texas In July.”
Unearth have also officially announced their “The Oncoming Storm” 10th Anniversary Tour With Texas In July, Cruel Hand, Etc.
05/26 Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
05/30 Reading, PA – Reverb
05/31 Rochester, NY – Montage Music Hall
06/01 Pittsburgh, PA – Altar Bar
06/03 Chicago, IL – Reggies
06/04 Grand Rapids, MI – Intersection
06/05 Minneapolis, MN – Skyway Theater 06/06 Winnipeg, MB – The Zoo Cabaret 06/07 Regina, SK – The Exchange 06/08 Edmonton, AB – Pawn Shop 06/09 Calgary, AB – Republik
06/11 Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theater
06/12 San Francisco, CA – DNA Lounge
06/13 Anaheim, CA – Chain Reaction
06/14 Hollywood, CA – The Whisky A Go Go
06/15 Tempe, AZ – Pub Rock
06/16 Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad
06/17 Dallas, TX – Tomcats
06/18 Norman, OK – The Labyrinth
06/19 St. Louis, MO – Fubar
06/20 Newport, KY – Thompson House
06/21 New York, NY – The Studio At Webster Hall
“I shouted ‘Hardcore Lives‘ on Madball‘s first release, ‘Ball Of Destruction‘ – I was twelve then. It wasn’t pre planned or written down… it was an ad-lib that I just threw out there and we kept it! Back then there was no choice really, not the way we were recording – two track live at Don Fury‘s… NYHC style! I feel the sentiment behind the expression still holds true today, maybe even more so.
1. Intro
2. Hardcore Lives
3. The Balance
4. Doc Marten Stomp
5. DNA
6. True School (feat. Scott Vogel of Terror)
7. The Here And Now
8. Nothing To Me
9. My Armor (feat. Toby Morse of H2O)
10. Beacon Of Light
11. Born Strong (feat. Candace Puopolo of Walls Of Jericho)
12. Spirit
13. Mi Palabra
14. NBNC
15. For The Judged
16. The Beast (bonus track)
17. Spit On Your Grave 2014 (bonus track)
Hence the reason we finally chose to use it as a title. Sure, it’s about waving the flag for our genre/culture, etc. – I’ve always felt that ‘we as a scene’ had to scream just a lil louder… to be heard! That said, ‘Hardcore Lives‘ at least to us, is not just about a cool catchphrase- it’s about that rebellious spirit that doesn’t give in… In life, music, whatever. It’s about growing, evolving, and maintaining your integrity in the process. It’s about family, overcoming adversity, and respect. All the things that matter inside and outside of the music realm. It’s for everyone and anyone with an open mind and heart.” -Freddy Cricien
"Hardcore Lives" will be released on July 1st, 2014.
METALLICA's 'Battery' Covered By DRIVING MRS. SATAN:
“There have been a lot of questions from fans over the past year and we’ll hopefully be able to provide more answers over time. However, this update is only to address things related to AILD’s future.
Originally, we said we’d update fans as soon as we knew more. We apologize for not sticking to that. It seemed best to wait until definitive news came in with a specific timeline. However, in light of speculation on other sites, an official update from As I Lay Dying seems to be the best way to clarify some things.
A good starting point is to clarify some things that have often been falsely reported. Tim was not a Christian at the time of his arrest, nor was As I Lay Dying a Christian band in 2013. It hadn’t been for some time and, to the best of my knowledge, only one of the people playing in the band even claimed to be a Christian at that time. The changed view had been written about it in a handful of As I Lay Dying songs and Tim‘s later atheistic view had even been documented in court records. However, it doesn’t make as sensational of a headline to refer to the arrest of the “Ex-Christian Metal Sub-Genre Independent Artist” as it does the “Grammy Nominated Top 10 Selling Christian Rockstar” of the past.
With all that said, we don’t know how each musician from the previous era of As I Lay Dying will think about these topics in the future. For example, Tim has spent much of the last year reevaluating what originally convinced him to abandon belief in God. I have gathered that after much brokenness and repentance he sees things differently, considers himself a follower of Jesus, someone submitted to the will of God, or whatever you want to call it. That’s for him to talk about when he’s comfortable and only time will tell if he is sincere. What is certain though is that it’s impossible to face the events of last year without being changed in some way. Let’s let the guys focus on future music and hopefully the headline driven press will leave this issue alone for a while given some clarification.
Uncertainty ahead… As I Lay Dying was originally founded/owned by Tim and then eventually the ownership was shared with Jordan about six years later. As the only official members, neither would like to move forward at the moment regardless off the upcoming sentencing time (which is still yet to be determined / not 9 years). There has been enough communication to establish some differences in opinion about what to do in the distant future. That keeps AILD’s future in limbo. The hibernating version of the band is just the official band owners, which means As I Lay Dying is Tim & Jordan. This is based on the uncertainty of the future, including who will be performing with the band when/if that time comes. There have been nearly 20 guys who filled the vacant bass or guitar positions in As I Lay Dying history. The current setup is definitely not a closed door on some of the ex-members talking in the future, but it just makes sense for now that AILD is only Tim and Jordan.
Two opinions… Tim has acknowledged his guilt and clearly made some bad decisions in a period of time where he acted contrary to the person he’s been most of his life. He believes AILD should only pick back up if it’s in a form restored to its roots. For Tim, the potential of pursuing AILD again means working on a lot of other more important things in his personal life first.
On the other hand, Jordan feels differently about the future. Even if more discussions were to take place, he would rather take time to pursue other things. That includes releasing new music with three of the guys from the most recent As I Lay Dying lineup. It’s a chance for Jordan to be more involved in the songwriting process and enjoy other styles he’d rather play. In fact, they’ve already recorded their debut album and I’m sure it’ll be awesome. It’s not meant to replace As I Lay Dying because it is something stylistically different under a different name. Interestingly enough, their vocalist is also a former Christian like his new bandmates and was/is the guitar player for Oh Sleeper (Shane Blay). They’ll have stuff to release through Metal Blade relatively soon, which will be an exciting/interesting combination given the band’s more radio friendly sound.
In terms of music, Tim doesn’t want to pursue performing live music full time regardless of what length his sentence ends up being. His sentence certainly won’t be forever, but even so, touring full time doesn’t seem healthy or practical given his new outlook and goals. Creating new music is the part Tim loves most and he will always continue to release albums. That includes a bunch of stuff he has recorded in the past six months that he will announce a project name for soon as well. As an occasional ear behind the scenes, it is good hear him playing guitar again and writing lots of riffs again like he did across the first five As I Lay Dying releases.
Hopefully that addresses the major questions related to As I Lay Dying. AILD is sleeping rather than dead, and there are two separate projects to hold you over whether or not it is awakened again.”
This morning an update was posted over at www.asilaydying.com on the current happenings and individual futures of all the bands’ members. For Jordan, Josh, Nick, Phil, management, and record label, this was an interesting first time read as all parties were oblivious to its construction, intent, and release.
Though Tim is the only one with access to the As I Lay Dying site, the rest of us have been releasing content through our personal social media accounts to reveal that we are carrying on in a new band. Our truest intentions were to make this unveiling interesting and exciting for anyone who has supported us over the past year. With information so instantaneous and disposable these days, we had hoped to show you how things were coming together rather than simply tell you.
We never want to capture attention dramatically, which is precisely why we’ve been off the radar for close to a year. Though the third-person statement released earlier compromises a lot of how we had hoped to unroll things, we remain positive in our outlooks and look forward to sharing new music soon.
With love and gratitude, Jordan, Josh, Phil, Nick“
Well folks, it's Friday and the majority of us are looking forward to heading back to our beds/couches, having a drink, and cranking some tunes to kick off the weekend. While going through my (seemingly) endless subscriptions on YouTube, I noticed a few new videos that will catch your attention, as they did mine.
A few lyric videos, a few music videos, and a few I have never heard before today. I'm sure some (or all) of you will enjoy cranking these when freedom approaches (aka done work) or even sitting at your desk/on your phone. TGIFF!
"Du Hast" (originally performed by Rammstein) is featured on Punk Goes 90's Vol. 2, which was released on April 1st, 2014 via Fearless Records.
"Southtown" (originally performed by P.O.D.) is featured on Punk Goes 90's Vol. 2, which was released on April 1st, 2014 via Fearless Records.
"Interstate Love Song" (originally performed by Stone Temple Pilots) is featured on Punk Goes 90's Vol. 2, which was released on April 1st, 2014 via Fearless Records.
"The Last Sled" is featured on Tuomas Holopainen's "Music Inspired by the Life and Times of Scrooge". It will be released on April 11th, 2014 via Nuclear Blast Records.
"New Demons" is the title song of the new I See Stars album "New Demons". It was released on October 22nd, 2013 via Sumerian Records.
"This Is War" is the latest music video from Austrian metal group Counterweight. They are currently unsigned and looking for representation.
"Sword, Spear, Blood, Fire" is featured on the debut studio album "Fires of Life" from Starkill. It was released on May 13th, 2013 via Century Media Records.
So of course, when running your own blog it can be tough to keep up with the s**tload of stuff that comes across our ears over a weekend! Some good, some bad, some not even worth mentioning. I guess that's how I use AFGM in general. These articles that I go through everyday from various sites (Blabbermouth, CBC, National Post, AV Club, Exclaim, Music News, Rolling Stone, etc.) and sort of "filter" some of the nonsense news such as the latest fashion design, who's got beef with who and who ISN'T doing music...still.
These articles brought forth are for a few different reasons:
1. It is relevant music information that pertains to you as a reader, no matter the level of intent or the genre.
2. They are relevant to the music I would be currently listening to or a genre I have put some attention and focus on.
3. I am rather patriotic about my Canadian music, so that always comes as a first for me. I enjoy music from all parts of the world respectively, but I still have to promote local if I can. Canadian music rocks!
4. Because it's humorous and we can always use a good laugh. Rarely will it be at someone's expense...but then again I am just the guy talking about it. They're the ones causing the comments.
So in closing, I trust you all will not read EVERY single article posted here. But I hope you find something of use here and keep the conversation going by forwarding it onto someone else. Click on each article heading for redirection to the full article. Cheers!
"Bringing top music artists to Muskoka in mid-September is a perfect fit. Muskoka is already world famous for its nature-based attractions, and it's primed to add the cultural overlay of a rockin' music festival. The idea was a no-brainer and long overdue. Muskoka Sound is a festival whose time has come, and I'm thrilled to have received so much support from so many people to help get it off the ground." -Andy McLean (the event's executive director)
“More than 700,000 patrons throughout Toronto will now have access to the service to enjoy on-demand content from their smartphones, tablets, PCs and Apple TV." -Passion Hemphill (spokeswoman for Hoopla)
“E-content is our fastest area of growth, with customers borrowing more than 2 million ebooks, audiobooks and emagazines in 2013. We expect we’ll see even more growth this year with the introduction of online music and video." -Vickery Bowles (director of collections management)
“These types of shows are really experiencing a renaissance of sorts. If you went back five or six years ago, you felt some of these music awards shows were going the same way as beauty pageants, becoming less and less popular, particularly with young viewers.” -Brad Adgate (svp of research at Horizon Media)
Taylor Hawkins' The Birds of Satan Stream Eclectic New Album:
"The Birds of Satan" will be released on April 15th, 2014.
"You could say all this is just the trappings, that the music itself is completely serious. Then again, perhaps it isn’t. The great pianist Alfred Brendel, a man with an eye for the comic in life, once wrote an essay called "Does music have to be entirely serious?" Note the caution. It’s as if he’s saying a tight little smile might be allowed, here and there, when the music does something witty. Wit in music is very like the verbal kind, and Brendel gives some wonderful examples in Haydn and Beethoven. These composers had a genius for making you expect one thing, and then giving you something else, which makes a different and more surprising sort of sense."
Alice In Chains Announce August Ontario Shows:
08/22 Hamilton, ON – Copps Coliseum
08/23 Orillia, ON – Casino Rama
THEORY OF A DEADMAN To Release 'SaVages' In July:
"We went back to where we belong on this record, back to the angst, back to the darkness. We veered off the road a bit on this one but it took us right to where we needed to be. 'Drown' is about being alone, the feeling of being washed away and left to your own devices. We've all felt that way at some point in our lives; unable to stay afloat, we sink to the bottom which always seems easier in the end than fighting your way back to the surface." -Connolly
"SaVages" will be released on July 8th, 2014 via Roadrunner Records.
Justin Timberlake Adds More North American Tour Dates:
11/20 Portland, OR – MODA Center
11/22 Oakland, CA – Oracle Arena
11/24 Los Angeles, CA – The Forum
11/28 Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena
12/1 Houston, TX – Toyota Center
12/3 Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
12/5 Oklahoma City, OK – Chesapeake Energy Arena
12/8 Chicago, IL – United Center 12/10 Toronto, ON – Air Canada Center
12/13 Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun
12/14 Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
12/17 Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
12/19 Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
12/20 Atlanta, GA – Gwinnett Center
"We were lucky as a band in that the record label never lorded too much. But there was always this sort of phantom presence. We want to make good art. I don’t think we’d make the music we make if we were lazy. So we don’t need that phantom menace hovering over us at all times." -Boyd
“In 1971, Andrew and I were thrilled by the first-ever Jesus Christ Superstar tour of the United States. We certainly did not imagine then that 43 years later we would be witnessing another America-wide tour of our first big hit show. We are delighted and grateful that enthusiasm for Superstar has been maintained over the years and this new production presents the work in its most powerful format – as a true rock experience.” -Tim Rice
"The show will use Tupac's music and words as a way to tell a non-biographical story about two friends living in a poverty-stricken industrial city in the Midwest, struggling to realize their dreams. The show will reportedly feature a number of classic Tupac songs including the title track, 'California Love,' 'Keep Ya Head Up' and 'Me Against the World.'"
4/19 Third Man Records - Nashville, TN
5/29 Cain's Ballroom - Tulsa, OK *
5/30 Wild West - Lubbock, TX *
5/31 - 6/1 Free Press Summer Festival - Houston, TX
6/2 Municipal Auditorium - Shreveport, LA *
6/3 Saenger Theatre - New Orleans, LA *
6/5 The Fillmore Charlotte - Charlotte, NC *
6/7 Governors Ball - New York, NY
6/12 - 6/15 Bonnaroo - Manchester, TN
6/25 - 6/29 Glastonbury - Somerset, England
6/26 Royal Hospital Kilmainham - Dublin, Ireland
6/29 L'Olympia - Paris, France
6/30 L'Olympia - Paris, France
7/3 Heineken Music Hall - Amsterdam, Netherlands
7/4 Open'er Festival - Gdynia, Poland
7/5 Eventim Apollo - London, England
7/19 Forecastle Festival - Louisville, KY
7/20 Fox Theatre - St. Louis, MO +
7/21 Eagles Ballroom - Milwaukee, WI +
7/23 Chicago Theatre - Chicago, IL +
7/24 Auditorium Theatre - Chicago, IL +
7/27 Stage AE Outdoors - Pittsburgh, PA +
7/28 Fox Theatre - Detroit, MI +
7/30 Masonic Temple Theatre - Detroit, MI + 7/31 Air Canada Centre - Toronto, ON + 8/1 - 8/3 Osheaga Music & Arts Festival - Montreal, QC
"A lot of people ask us if it kicks off where The Hunter left off. And to a large degree, I suppose yes. We recorded it and took it on the road with us, and then we headed back to our rehearsal space and started working out ideas. I’ve had a lot of time to ingest this record, and it’s solid. It’s a large slab of granite. I’m once again completely proud of these guys." -Troy Hunter
"Once More Round the Sun" will be released sometime later in the year.
SALIVA's 'Rise Up' Video:
"The video for 'Rise Up' takes a different approach than we typically would have taken. Our director, Jon Vulpine, sent a few different concepts over and one of them was a 'Mad Max'-type role and we all were hooked. Basically, it's a revenge piece but based around a group of people who get attacked but get the last laugh when it's said and done. Along with the fire, blood and explosions, we had a lot of fun making the video." -Bobby Amaru
"Rise Up" album will hit the street on April 29th, 2014.
"So much time and energy is being wasted by music services trying to compel people to break out of their listening habits and try something new, when people don’t want to do this, and, in fact, appear to be hard-wired to not do this. These services would be far better served by focusing on delighting their customers by providing more content related to artists they already love, rather than trying to convince them to love something new."
"Rormix has all the common features you would expect in a music discovery tool. You can follow artists on Rormix, like a music video, and browse through a feed of fresh or trending content. About the only thing missing is a "related artists" option that pulls together artists that are similar. Rormix instead uses categories and tags to aggregate similar content, which you can use to find related artists that you may enjoy."
“Going into the writing process, we knew what worked and what didn’t after touring off of Divided By for so long. We definitely aimed to focus on our strengths on this release. We saw the success that came with Divided By, and we just knew in our hearts that we could do so much better and agreed that we would force ourselves to do so on this new record.
We had the mindset that we would put everything we have into it otherwise it would be a waste of our time and we might as well break up. Unfortunately, that mindset came with the decision to make changes within our lineup. We parted ways with Nick, our original vocalist a few weeks before going to record. There were many reasons behind this and we are all still good friends, but we just needed to make a change if we wanted to see the band progress the way we’ve dreamed of.
That being said, we felt like replacing Nick‘s duties on vocals would but unfair and a shot in the dark if we looked outwards, so we collectively made the decision to move Brendon, our guitarist, to vocals. This was a huge challenge for everyone seeing as though only 30% of the lyrics and patterns had been written and we had to enter the studio in 2 weeks.
We literally worked day and night at Brendon‘s house honing in on the new vocal style. In retrospect, without working as hard as we did, the record wouldn’t be what it turned out to be. We’re all very proud of Brendon for stepping up on such short notice and killing it in the studio where he had to track vocals, track guitar, write guitar parts and write lyrics. Not to mention stay mentally stable! All of this time spent on these songs really paid off, so I speak for all of us when I say that we’ve never been happier with something. This album is very special to the 3 of us and really brought us together as friends.
This record is brutally honest in every aspect. It’s definitely a look inside our personal lives and I think people will appreciate how sincere both the music and the lyrics are. This whole line-up change made us grow in many ways and we feel like this is absolutely our most mature release to date. Usually I’ll listen back to a record months after finishing it, wishing we had done things differently, but this time I have no regrets and wouldn’t change a thing. We’re very proud of this album and we’re confident that our fans will enjoy it, as well as people who have never heard us before.”
“Life Through A Window“ will be released on May 13th, 2014 via Sumerian Records.
Devil You Know Debut “A New Beginning”:
“The Beauty Of Destruction” will be released on April 29th, 2014 via Nuclear Blast Records.
"The band have been hinting at their future as early as January, and as recently as last week and today we get the first official tease. Here are the teasers each band member posted.
You'll notice each member's respective video features the musician playing their instrument in the background, except for Josh Gilbert. For Josh's video, you see the back of somebody's head, as they cup their headphones while presumably singing. This, coupled with fan comments in the video lead me to believe that Gilbert is taking over for vocals. He was already relegated to back-up vocal duties before the Tim fiasco."
"Like the National (who also recorded a version of 'Castamere'), Sigur Ros' Thrones love runs deep: The trio even posed with Martin for an adorable gang photo posted on their Instagram. (One can only hope the author joins the band, replacing recently departed multi-instrumentalist Kjartan Sveinsson.)"
Threat Signal Release Preview Of New Song “Nostalgia”:
Their new album is likely to be released in the fall/winter of 2014.
Wayne Static, Otep, Dope, Smile Empty Soul, Etc. Announce ‘The Civil Unrest Tour’:
“It’s going to be a blast, I love all the bands. I’ve toured with all of them before and I’m looking forward to seeing them all again. Also looking forward to hitting the west coast again because it has been way too long. This little run is right in the middle of our Wisconsin Death Trip Tour so we will still be performing all of Wisconsin Death Trip at all of these shows.” -Wayne Static
05/08 Fresno, CA – Strummer’s
05/09 Las Vegas, NV – Hard Rock Casino
05/10 Sacramento, CA – Ace Of Spades
05/11 Chico, CA – El Rey Theater (no Otep)
05/12 Seattle, WA – Studio Seven
05/13 Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre
05/14 Butte, MY – MAC Center
05/15 Spokane, WA – Club 412
05/16 Missoula, MT – The Wilma Theatre
05/20 Pomona, CA – The Glass House (no Otep)
“Really excited to take a short break from working on the new Dope album, “Blood Money“, to play some shows with my old buddy Wayne Static. I just moved out to LA for a while to write some additional songs and continue putting the finishing touches on “Blood Money“, so when we started discussing these dates, the timing & logistics couldn’t have been better.
The last time Dope played a lot of these markets was while on tour with Black Label Society, just after the release of our previous album, “No Regrets“, which was close to 5 years ago. So it will be great to reconnect with the fans on the West side of the US after being away for so long… I’m very much looking forward to getting dirty!!!!!” -Edsel Dope
While there have been no Canadian dates announced yet, we are crossing fingers and hoping for a few venues here and there during the tour!
INSOMNIUM's 'While We Sleep' Video:
"A couple of weeks ago, we travelled to Wroclaw, Poland, to shoot the first music video from 'Shadows Of The Dying Sun'. This time we decided to work with a Polish production company, Grupa 13, whose work includes new BEHEMOTH video, amongst others. The song we chose for the video is called 'While We Sleep'. It's a wistful song with all typical INSOMNIUM elements included — riffs, melodies, aggression, sorrow, grandeur and hope. We shot everything within one day and it was really a pleasure to work with such a professional film group. Everything went smoothly and we are amazed and very happy with the ending result. You really can't complain when the film group provides you vodka schnaps between the takes. We sincerely hope that you'll like the ending result as much as we do." -Ville Friman
"Shadows Of The Dying Sun" will be released on April 29th, 2014 via Century Media Records.
"Free improvisers—as with musicians in pretty much every genre—are increasingly ready to make it (hold for the drumroll) free. But what is happening now is that it’s possible to post recordings of gig after gig after gig, and listeners can have a more accurate sense of improvised music as an ongoing daily practice—and not one defined by a handful of landmark recordings. Who would have known that a greater volume of recordings would arguably better represent improvised music?"
"THE MOST EXCITING ACTS IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY ARE EMBRACING THE BEST OF WHAT TECHNOLOGY HAS TO OFFER AND SOME FRESH NEW TAKES ON TRADITIONAL MARKETING.
1. SHAZAM For naming that tune. All the time. The “Pop-up Video” for everyday life, Shazam has become the de facto method to identify that song on the tip of your tongue. In 2013, it introduced Auto Shazam, an opt-in feature that keeps a diary of your day’s playlists without you even noticing. The company has also started working directly with artists, allowing them to provide exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, and unplugged versions of their tracks. With no interruptions, the guarantee that no audio will be stored, and the opportunity for companies to reach consumers based on their TV show or commercial engagements, Shazam has moved from cool party trick to major music-industry player.
2. YY For reclaiming karaoke and taking it online. While YY started in 2005 as a hub for hardcore gamers, it’s evolved into a karaoke haven and cash cow with $198 million in revenue. Vocalists perform for thousands of viewers live, and popularity leads to rewards. Viewers can give virtual goods to the vocalists, which can be redeemed for cash after YY takes its 60% cut.
3. COLUMBIA RECORDS For staying up all night. A label more closely identified with the old-school music business made two strategic bets in 2013. Without any previous promotion, Beyonce's surprise self-titled release dropped at midnight on December 13th and sparked a downloading frenzy that rocketed it to No. 1 on the sales charts. On the other end of the spectrum, Columbia showed deftness in the campaign behind Daft Punk’s new album, creating a stir with short teasers on Saturday Night Live and at Coachella, hitting overdrive with a clip of Pharrell and Nile Rodgers performing “Get Lucky” and releasing a series of “Collaborator” videos."
Read the rest of the list here.
So the world lost another great wrestling legend yesterday. Three days after his official induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, James Brian Hellwig (aka 'The Ultimate Warrior') collapsed on his way to his vehicle and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. A sad day for wrestling fans as he was at the young age of 54.
The reason I post about someone like him on a music blog happens to be a very small part of his life that he did recently. About 3+ years ago, Hellwig was not wrestling for the WWE anymore and was looking for other business opportunities. A video surfaced on November 6th, 2011 with the following message:
Seems pretty intense doesn't it? So this instantly caught my attention for three reasons. First, it was a new business venture for the Ultimate Warrior and continuing to utilize his skills and knowledge of fitness, health and wrestling. Second, it integrated bands that I have heard about or listened to. And third, it related back to fitness which is another interest of mine. And for those reasons, I was sad when I saw it only last two episodes. Not sure if the business venture was abandoned/cancelled or new episodes were just never produced, but I thought it was a great idea for both a fitness expert such as Hellwig and Sumerian Records to dive more into reality digital media.
So the two bands that took part in "The Warrior Show" were members of Asking Alexandria and I See Stars. Two up and coming bands who probably were watching the Ultimate Warrior when still in their diapers. He puts them through a ringer I am pretty sure would kill me by the end.
"WWE is shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of the most iconic WWE superstars ever, The Ultimate Warrior. We are grateful that just days ago, Warrior had the opportunity to take his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame and was also able to appear at WrestleMania 30 and Monday Night Raw to address his legions of fans. WWE sends its sincere condolences to Warrior's family, friends and fans." -World Wrestling Entertainment
While this may have been a blip on the radar screen, it was a big win in my books for the label, band(s), and Hellwig. R.I.P.
