Above: Guitar World – May 2000
“Dimebag” Darrell Lance Abbott, was murdered by a cowardly monster, back on December 8th, 2004. We shall never forget nor stop loving Dimebag. He’s forever with our Metal community; within our hearts, souls and ears.
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(Los Angeles, CA) Perhaps the most revered lead guitarist in thrash metal history, MARTY FRIEDMAN– whose groundbreaking work with Megadeth, Cacophony and as a solo artist has influenced legions of players around the globe — is currently putting the finishing touches on a new studio album, “Inferno.”
Tentatively set for a spring release, the album — FRIEDMAN’s first original material in four years, and his first album in more than a decade that will be released simultaneously worldwide — will feature what FRIEDMAN feels is the heaviest, most intense playing of his career. A one-minute teaser can be heard below:
“I’m extremely proud of the work I’ve done with Cacophony and Megadeth, but I was never interested in stopping there,” FRIEDMAN says. “‘Inferno’ is the album that fans of my work with those two bands have always wanted me to make. I’ve finally made it, and completely on my own maniacal terms.”
As Guitar World recently revealed in an exclusive in-studio feature, “Inferno” will include several collaborations with players influenced by FRIEDMAN, including Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom), Revocation guitar whiz David Davidson and the flamenco/metal acoustic duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. In addition, the album includes FRIEDMAN’s first songwriting collaboration with Jason Becker since the pair played together in the pioneering duo of guitar mayhem, Cacophony.
“On the guests’ songs, each would write a song from scratch, and then I would arrange it and add my parts to it,” FRIEDMAN says. “That way, we were both invested in it, and it’s a little bit of a deeper experience than just banging out a guest solo.”
Make no mistake, though — “Inferno” is unquestionably a MARTY FRIEDMAN album, and one he plans to tour behind extensively (including his first U.S. performances since 2003). Furthermore, it features what FRIEDMAN told Guitar World is “the most intense writing and playing I can do,” with the goal of “go(ing) completely ape-shit and smok(ing) everything else I’ve ever done.”
“I wanted to create a new landmark to which my future music will be compared,” FRIEDMAN elaborates further. “That idea of just going completely balls-out — knowing what the full potential of my music and my playing could possibly be, and actually making it a reality — was what drove me through the whole process.”
Just as he changed the game in the worlds of metal and guitar once before with his revered solo debut “Dragon’s Kiss,” FRIEDMAN now raises the bar to a new level for a new generation with “Inferno.” More information on the album will be revealed in the coming weeks.
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(Source: MAD Ink PR)
* For more info MARTY FRIEDMAN.
Facebook: Marty Friedman
Website: http://www.martyfriedman.com
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NEWSTED METALHEADS!!! Guitar World is giving you the chance to win a copy of HEAVY METAL MUSIC on vinyl and a signed poster! Two runners-up will win HEAVY METAL MUSIC on CD and an unsigned poster.
Click here to enter: http://www.guitarworld.com/enter-win-new-newsted-album-heavy-metal-music-and-signed-poster
Get your hands on the new issue of Guitar World! The November, 2013 issue features Dream Theater’s legendary John Petrucci. Order your copy now, right here: online store.
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(Source: Jason Newsted Facebook)
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From Frontiers Records:
Multi-platinum guitar icon TED NUGENT will release ULTRALIVE BALLISTICROCK, a new 2 CD+DVD release available in three formats (2CD+DVD deluxe edition digipak, DVD/Blu-Ray and digital download), on October 18 in Europe and October 22 in North America on Frontiers Records. The live footage was captured and recorded by 7 cameras in 5.1 audio mix on the “I Still Believe Tour” at Penn’s Peak on August 14, 2011.
The lineup on the album consists of the legendary-and-still-raging NUGENT on guitar and vocals, Derek St. Holmes (rhythm guitarist and the voice on Stranglehold) on guitar and vocals, Greg Smith (Rainbow) on bass and Mick Brown (Dokken) on drums. The set-list is killer (see below), packed with the songs that forever changed the face of rock, and the performances are razor-sharp and electrifying, adding up to a sonic and visual extravaganza that’s not to be missed.
Says NUGENT: “To be surrounded by such world-class passionate virtuosos is every musician’s dream and I live it every song, every concert, every night, every lick, every tsunami of soul sweat. You dogs deserve me!”
CD1: Free For All; Stormtroopin; Wango Tango; Just What The Doctor Ordered; Wang Dang Sweet Poontang; Need You Bad; Turn It Up; Raw Dogs & War Hogs; Dog Eat Dog. CD2: Hey Baby; Fred Bear; I Still Believe; Motorcity Madhouse; Cat Scratch Fever; Stranglehold; Great White Buffalo.
DVD (Blu-Ray): Free For All; Stormtroopin; Wango Tango; Just What The Doctor Ordered; Wang Dang Sweet Poontang; Need You Bad; Turn It Up; Raw Dogs & War Hogs; Dog Eat Dog; Hey Baby; Fred Bear; I Still Believe; Motorcity Madhouse; Cat Scratch Fever; Stranglehold; Great White Buffalo.
*First time available on an album (previously only available as a digital download)
DVD/Blu-Ray Bonus Footage:
“Spirit of the Wild”
“The Making of ULTRALIVE BALLISTICROCK”
About Ted Nugent:
Ted Nugent has carved a permanent place in rock & roll history as the ultimate guitar-shredding showman, selling more than 40 million albums, performing more than 6,500 (!) high-octane concerts, and continuing to set attendance records at venues around the globe. Ted’s no-holds barred career spans five decades of multi-platinum hits. From the ground breaking Amboy Dukes’ hit “Journey to the Center of the Mind,” to classics like “Stranglehold” (ranked in the Top 100 Classic Rock Songs and #1 Guitar Lick), “Cat Scratch Fever,” (32nd Best Hard Rock Song of All Time) Damn Yankees’ chartbuster “High Enough,” and cult classic “Fred Bear” (the most requested song for radio airplay in Michigan & Wisconsin), Ted and his inimitable sound have been featured on VH1’s Behind the Music, A & E’s Biography and more.
Nugent was named Detroit’s Greatest Guitar Player of All Time by readers of MLive! For millions of passionate music lovers everywhere, Ted delivers the Ultimate Life Soundtrack. A Ted Nugent show is not just a performance – it’s a firebreathing celebration!
For the latest on TED NUGENT, including tour dates, visit:
Facebook: Ted Nugent
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FRONTIERS RECORDS:
Facebook: Frontiers Records
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As Reported By AXEL RUDI PELL:
Here are the dates for the first and second leg of the 2014 Headlining tour. More dates / Festival appearances will be announced soon, stay tuned !
07.02. D-Hannover – Capitol
08.02. NL-Weert – De Bosuil
09.02. GB-London – The Garage
11.02. D-Nürnberg – Löwensaal
12.02. CH-Pratteln – Z7
14.02. D-Memmingen – Kaminwerk
15.02. D-Erfurt – HsD
16.02. D-Hamburg – Markthalle
18.02. D-Langen – Neue Stadthalle
19.02. D-Ludwigsburg – Rockfabrik
20.02. D-Bochum – Zeche
21.02. D-Bochum – Zeche
20.09. NL-Zoetermeer – Boerderij
21.09. D-Cologne – Essigfabrik
23.09. D-Aschaffenburg – Colos-Saal
24.09. D-Munich – Backstage
26.09. D-Vienna – Szene
27.09. CZ-Zlin – Masters Of Rock Cafe
28.09. CZ-Prague – Matrix Music Club
30.09. D-Berlin – Huxleys
01.10. D-Bremen – Aladin
03.10. D-Karlsruhe – Substage
04.10. B-Vooselaar – Biebob
05.10. D-Bochum – Zeche
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Axel Rudi Pell – Guitar
Johnny Gioeli – Vocals
Ferdy Doernberg – Keyboards
Volker Krawczak – Bass
Bobby Rondinelli – Drums
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LIVE ON FIRE – Double DVD / Double Live- CD / Triple Vinyl Releases Are Available Now! Released March, 2013, via Steamhammer.
* For More Info On AXEL RUDI PELL:
Facebook: AXEL RUDI PELL OFFICIAL SITE
Website: http://www.axel-rudi-pell.de
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London, UK – Rainbow Bridge was a peculiar 1972 film featuring Jimi Hendrix (who had died two years before) and a cast of local eccentrics using Hendrix’s music and a whole slew of UFO sightings to explore their spirituality. 41 years later, musician and filmmaker Merrell Fankhauser revisits the film to explore its message more fully. The Rainbow Bridge Revisited documentary was really Maui journalist Steve Omar’s idea, and Merrell and Steve produced it together. The two had fun looking up and interviewing the original cast of the 1972 Jimi Hendrix movie ‘Rainbow Bridge’ that was filmed on Maui. It was interesting to hear what they had to say about hanging out with Hendrix making the movie. The one-hour DVD documentary also features some great surfing and music by Merrell Fankhauser, The Space Patrol and Omar and The Wavespies. The package includes a 12-song soundtrack.
Merrell explains: “As you know I lived on Maui for 14 years and I moved there in ‘73 just a year after the Jimi Hendrix ‘Rainbow Bridge’ film came out. And when I moved there I met a lot of people that were in the movie, and a lot of them were hippies, surfers and cosmic people that were seeing UFOs, and they said Jimi was really into the whole UFO thing, and that there were even some hovering about when they were shooting over there. So we contacted the ones that we still knew were on Maui and we went over and interviewed them and it was really interesting what some of them had to say about hanging out with Hendrix and everything. Then we went down to Southern California, because some of them lived down there, and we interviewed a few of those, so we’ve got some really interesting interviews with an insight into some of the things that were going on with that movie with Hendrix that didn’t come out. In the original ‘Rainbow Bridge’, it follows Pat Hartley the actress from the Sunset Strip over to O’ahu and then to Maui where she meets all these characters, and ultimately Jimi. And the message, because of all of her travels and the way it was put together, kind of got lost a little bit in the different scenes and things. I talked to one of the guys from Warner Brothers who was in on the editing and he said that when they brought the film over it was in all of these bags and there was sand in it and they were almost afraid to put it on their machine, and had to clean it all and they kept going through this stuff and it was just a lot of hippies talking about cosmic stuff and getting high on drugs, and everybody kept saying ‘Where’s Jimi, where’s Jimi? Where’s the concert’ You know they were afraid they weren’t going to have enough to make the movie really good, but finally they got to the ‘Concert’ footage. So what we did, we kind of condensed these interviews down and we segue into some really great surfing on big waves over there, because a lot of the people that were interviewed were surfers and we have old footage of them surfing, and then we cut to surfing footage from now. I have about ten of my newer instrumental surf songs in there with the surfing, and then it goes to a couple of band performances – there were two Maui bands featured on the soundtrack: Omar and The Wavespies and The Space Patrol – the lead singer, Les Potts, was in the original ‘Rainbow Bridge’ movie.”
Rainbow Bridge Revisited CD Tracks: 1. All Along The Watchtower, 2. Last Wave at Hanalei, 3. Wild Gyrations, 4. Surfin 101, 5. Waterfall, 6. Hookipa, 7. Mother Sea, 8. The Wind Cried Maui, 9. Monster Swell, 10. Surf Rage, 11. The Wall, 12. Calling From A Star.
Merrell Fankhauser is considered one of the main innovators of surf music and Psychedelic Folk Rock, and is widely known as the leader of the instrumental surf group The Impacts who had the international hit Wipeout. His travels from Hollywood to his 15 year jungle experience on the island of Maui have been documented in numerous music books and magazines in the US and Europe. Merrell has gained legendary international status throughout the field of Rock music; his credits include over 300 songs published and released. Merrell Fankhauser has presented a number of television programs over the years including ‘California Music’, ‘Route 66 TV Live’, and in 2001 he began hosting a music show called ‘Tiki Lounge’ that airs on the California Central Coast, Southern California, Hawaii and parts of the East Coast.
To purchase Merrell Fankhauser ‘Rainbow Bridge Revisited’ CD/DVD set:
For more information: http://www.merrellfankhauser.com/
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(Source: Glass Onyon PR)
Stone.
The July 2013 issue of Guitar Player is on the newsstands now!
Cheap Trick’s legendary Rick Nielsen is the featured cover story! Metal be thy name!
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* For more info on CHEAP TRICK, click on the links below!
Facebook: Cheap Trick
* For more info on GUITAR PLAYER, click on the links below!
Facebook: Guitar Player Magazine
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(Los Angeles, CA) Joe Satriani has been an unstoppable force on the music scene for over 27 years. Now, the guitar great announces his full U.S. tour and first ever cross-Canada tour, supporting his latest album Unstoppable Momentum. The tour is set to launch on August 29th in San Diego, CA before crisscrossing its way across the US, in addition to a trans-Canadian tour where Satriani will be hitting many Canadian cities for the very first time. The North American tour will end with a show on October 26 in Oakland, CA.
Joining Satriani on the road are veteran band mate Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa, Steve Vai) on keyboards, along with an entirely new rhythm-section, featuring bassist Bryan Beller (Dethklok, Dweezil Zappa) and drummer Marco Minnemann (Adrian Belew, Steve Wilson).
Satriani is celebrating Unstoppable Momentum, his 14th studio album, which was released on May 7, 2013. The album debuted at # 42 giving Satriani his highest chart position in over 20 years. The World Tour launched on May 18 in Istanbul, Turkey and continues on through July 13 in Krasnodar, Russia. Critics are raving about the guitar great’s new album with Total Guitar saying “…(Satriani’s) momentum truly seems unstoppable. The best we can do is to hang on tight,” while Classic Rock declares, “Satch nails it on 14th solo sweep!”
For two decades, Satriani has traveled the world, playing to sold-out crowds as both a headliner and as founder of the all-star “G3” guitar extravaganza. His studio and live recordings have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide to date and of his many solo albums, two have gone platinum and four others went gold, with 15 Grammy nominations between them. His side project, Chickenfoot, featuring former Van Halen front man Sammy Hagar, former bassist Michael Anthony, and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith saw their debut album certified gold and their second studio album debuted at #9.
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Joe Satriani’s Unstoppable Momentum Tour Itinerary (* featuring Steve Morse Band as support thru Portland, ME).
August 29 @ Balboa Theatre – San Diego, CA *
August 30@ Pearl Concert Theater @ Palms Casino Resort – Las Vegas, NV*
August 31 @ Orpheum Theatre – Los Angeles, CA *
September 1 @ Talking Stick Resort Ballroom – Scottsdale, AZ *
September 2 @ Kiva Auditorium – Albuquerque, NM *
September 4 @ Historic Paramount Theatre – Denver, CO *
September 5 @ Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center – Midland, TX *
September 6 @ Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie – Grand Prairie, TX *
September 7 @ House of Blues – Houston, TX *
September 8 @ Austin City Limits – Moody Theatre – Austin, TX *
September 10 @ House of Blues – New Orleans, LA *
September 11 @ Ruth Eckerd Hall – Clearwater, FL *
September 12 @ Parker Playhouse – Ft. Lauderdale, FL *
September 13 @ Hard Rock Live – Orlando, FL *
September 14 @ Saenger Theatre – Pensacola, FL *
September 15 @ Symphony Hall – Atlanta, GA *
September 17 @ War Memorial Auditorium – Nashville, TN *
September 18 @ Chicago Theatre – Chicago, IL *
September 19 @ Lakewood Civic Auditorium – Lakewood, OH *
September 20 @ Taft Theatre – Cincinnati, OH *
September 21 @ Wings Stadium – Kalamazoo, MI *
September 22 @ Macomb Music Theatre – Mt. Clemens, MI
September 24 @ Carolina Theatre – Durham, NC *
September 25 @ Warner Theatre – Washington, DC *
September 26 @ Beacon Theatre – New York, NY *
September 27 @ Orpheum Theatre – Boston, MA*
September 28 @ Tower Theatre – Upper Darby, PA *
September 29 @ Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead – Munhall, PA *
October 1 @ Center for the Arts – Buffalo, NY *
October 2 @ Palace Theatre – Albany, NY *
October 3 @ State Theatre – Portland, ME *
October 4 @ Casino New Brunswick – New Brunswick, NB
October 5 @ Rebecca Cohn Auditorium – Halifax, NS
October 7 @ Le Capitole De Quebec – Quebec City, QC
October 8 @ National Arts Centre Southam Hall – Ottawa, ON
October 9 @ St. Denis Theatre – Montreal, QC
October 10 @ Centre in the Square – Kitchener, ON
October 11 @ Massey Hall – Toronto, ON
October 14 @ Burton Cummings Theatre – Winnipeg, MB
October 15 @ TCU Place – Saskatoon, SK
October 16 @ Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium – Edmonton, AB
October 17 @ Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium – Calgary, AB
October 19 @ Vogue Theatre – Vancouver, BC
October 21 @ The Fox Theater – Spokane, WA
October 22 @ Paramount Theatre – Seattle, WA
October 23 @ Historic Elsinore Theatre – Salem, OR
October 25 @ Vina Robles Amphitheatre – Paso Robles, CA
October 26 @ Fox Theater – Oakland, CA
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(Source: MAD Ink, PR)
* For more info on JOE SATRIANI, click on the links below!
facebook: Joe Satriani
Stone.
“A Door Into Summer” Debuts at # 8 on Classic Rock Radio Chart
More U.S. Tour Dates Announced
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(LOS ANGELES, CA) – Joe Satriani’s 14th studio album, Unstoppable Momentum, has earned the multi-Grammy nominated guitarist his highest chart debut in over 20 years. The album debuted on the Billboard Top 200 chart at #42. The first single, “A Door Into Summer,” debuted at #8 on the Mediabase Classic Rock airplay chart.
Satriani now embarks on a much-anticipated world tour, which kicked off May 18th in Istanbul, Turkey. U.S. dates will begin on August 29th in San Diego, CA, before winding its way back to the west coast, concluding with a show on October 26 in Oakland, CA. Joining Satriani on the road are veteran band mate Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa, Steve Vai) on keyboards, along with a new rhythm-section, featuring bassist Bryan Beller (Dethklok, Dweezil Zappa) and drummer Marco Minnemann (Adrian Belew, Steve Wilson).
For two decades, Satriani has traveled the world, playing to sold-out crowds as both a headliner and as founder of the all-star “G3” guitar extravaganza. His studio and live recordings have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide to date and of his many solo albums, two have gone platinum and four others went gold, with 15 Grammy nominations between them. His side project, Chickenfoot, featuring former Van Halen front man Sammy Hagar, former bassist Michael Anthony, and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith saw their debut album certified gold and their second studio album debuted at #9.
Go to satriani.com for the complete list of tour dates and individual markets on-sale and ticket information.
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(Source: MAD Ink PR)
* For more info on JOE SATRIANI, click on the link below!
facebook: Joe Satriani
Stone.
JOE SATRIANI – New (June) issue of Guitar Player Magazine has Joe Satriani on the cover and a feature story on his new album Unstoppable Momentum.
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For more info on JOE SATRIANI’s new album and U.S. tour, click on the links below! Metal be thy name!
JOE SATRIANI ANNOUNCES U.S. TOUR STARTING AUGUST 29th IN SAN DIEGO
The above links are for posts featured on Metal Odyssey on March 20th and April 27th, 2013.
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* For more info on JOE SATRIANI:
facebook: Joe Satriani
* For more info on GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE:
Stone.
TOUR WILL CRISS-CROSS THE COUNTRY THROUGH OCTOBER 26th ENDING IN OAKLAND, CA
UNSTOPPABLE MOMENTUM TO BE RELEASED MAY 7, 2013
Appearing on Nationally Syndicated “ROCKLINE” – May 8, 2013
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(Los Angeles, CA) Joe Satriani has been an unstoppable force on the music scene for over 27 years. Now, the guitar great is announcing a new U.S. tour, supporting his latest album Unstoppable Momentum. The tour is set to launch on August 29th in San Diego, CA before hitting Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Denver, Texas and heading east to New York, Boston and Upper Darby, PA before winding up in late October back on the west coast with a show on October 26th in Oakland, California.
Joining Satriani on the road are veteran band mate Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa, Steve Vai) on keyboards, along with a new rhythm-section, featuring bassist Bryan Beller (Dethklok, Dweezil Zappa) and drummer Marco Minnemann (Adrian Belew, Steve Wilson).
Satriani is ready to celebrate the release of Unstoppable Momentum, his 14th studio album, on May 7, 2013. The Epic Records release will highlight the first single, “A Door Into Summer,” at radio this week, while the video for “A Door Into Summer” premiered exclusively on Rollingstone.com. Satriani will be a guest on the nationally syndicated radio show, “Rockline” hosted by Bob Coburn on May 8th.
Fans are encouraged to pre-order Unstoppable Momentum via Sony Music and Satriani’s own website store. When pre-ordering through the Epic Records store at http://www.myplaydirect.com/joe-satriani fans will be given the chance to bundle new signed copies of the album with exclusive t-shirts and guitar straps. At http://www.satriani.com, fans will receive an exclusive, never before seen art book featuring years of drawings, doodles and sketches that Satriani has done over the years.
“Some of my drawings have made their way on to guitars, straps and picks, LP and CD booklets, t-shirts, hats, keychains, etc and even my live stage productions,” explains Satriani. “This book represents my first effort to finally compile my oddly drawn friends into one place, a wildly colorful portfolio of sorts. A collection of drawings meant to inspire and entertain.”
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Joe Satriani’s U.S. Tour Itinerary (featuring Steve Morse Band as support):
More dates TBA.
Go to http://www.satriani.com for individual markets on-sale and ticket information.
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(Source: MAD Ink PR)
* For more info on JOE SATRIANI, click on the link below!
facebook: Joe Satriani
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* For more info on YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, click on the links below!
facebook: Official Yngwie Malmsteen
http://www.yngwiemalmsteen.com
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Tampa, FL – One of the most talented and innovative guitarists to emerge from Florida, Todd Grubbs has released two new albums digitally in March 2013 – ‘Best Of The Guests’ and ‘Toddities volume 2’. Todd Grubbs, who studied at Berklee College of Music, has been voted ‘Most Outstanding Guitarist’ at the Tampa Bay Music Awards, as well as winning the ‘Most Outstanding Video’ two consecutive years in a row. His guitar prowess has been touted by critics and fans worldwide, and can be witnessed on all his solo albums. Todd has surrounded himself with an array of legendary music artists and musicians which is the inspiration behind the album ‘Best of The Guests’.
‘Best of the Guests’ features Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Black Country Communion), Bryan Beller (Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, The Aristocrats), Mike Keneally (Zappa, Solo), Sean Malone (Cynic), Blues Saraceno (Poison, Transmission OK), Chris Poland (Megadeth, Ohm), Don Preston (Zappa), John Wesley (Porcupine Tree), Jerry Outlaw (Bogus Pomp), Pattrick Bettison (Acoustic Alchemy), Mark Prator (Iced Earth), and Ralph Santola (Obituary).
Says Todd, “I have had quite a few amazing players make guest appearances on my albums over the years, so I decided it would be cool to put them all together on one release. I have always been honored that these great musicians would agree to perform on my compositions and their contributions have been stellar across the board. The CD includes one new track I recorded featuring Byran Beller on bass.”
Along with Frank Zappa, Grubbs influences, which can be heard throughout both his new releases, range from Steve Vai, John Coltrane, The Beatles, Kate Bush, Jeff Beck, Michael Schenker, Ulli Jon Roth and Adrian Belew.
“Todd takes us to some places we have not been with his playing as well as giving us some of that Zappaesque influenced wild arrangement sensibility that has been a part of his playing for years.” – John Wesley (Porcupine Tree)
The second release is ‘Toddities volume 2’, a collection of esoteric recording by Todd Grubbs. Todd explains, “The CD includes some of my more ‘out there’ recordings that did not fit on other releases. It is really cool how these orphaned songs come together and form their own continuity as if it was a planned out project.”
Currently, Todd is working on a couple of albums worth of vocal tunes with a lot of great singers. Says Todd, “I plan to release at least one of these in 2014. Beyond this I am producing writing and recording with a number of young artists and bands covering a wide variety of styles.”
In closing Todd imparts to his fans and listeners, “I would like to thank everyone who has enjoyed my music over the years, I really love making music and to have people out there that support what I do is amazing esp… with the current music industry situation being in a state of flux so to speak. I have always created my music on my own terms and I am very proud of my work to this point.”
Listen to and watch: Todd Grubbs ‘Best Of The Guests’ medley below!
To purchase Todd Grubbs ‘Best of the Guests’ and ‘Toddities volume 2’:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/best-of-the-guests/id598534525
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/toddities-vol.2/id599096369
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/toddgrubbs6
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/toddgrubbs7
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/tcgrubbs?feature=mhee
ReverbNation:
http://www.reverbnation.com/toddgrubbs
For more information:
http://www.myspace.com/toddgrubbs
http://www.facebook.com/todd.c.grubbs
https://twitter.com/ToddGrubbs
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(Source: Glass Onyon PR)
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Following his debut solo album, as well as a collaborative LP with Doom legend Scott “Wino” Weinrich, German singer/songwriter CONNY OCHS is now gearing up to release his second solo studio full-length, Black Happy, once again via Exile On Mainstream. Having produced music for over a decade, local fans have endorsed and worshiped the man’s efforts for years. Yet, it was OCHS’ album co-written with Wino and the heavy touring across Europe and North America in support of the record that put him on the international map.
This leads into this new album Black Happy, the title an absolute indication to the atmospheres CONNY OCHS is able to create. Deeply rooted in the blackened parts of the human soul he carves a mixture of melancholy and catharsis into the rough edges of songs that come out so natural, so organic and sonically sparkling. While keeping his approach pure to the heart and the creation limited to just him and his guitar, OCHS reaches a stark authenticity that can only be worshipped. It draws you in, makes you a part of the music and leads to a deep admiration of the tunes, the pain and beauty relatable to everybody who hears them.
Bound to a tradition and history of great acoustic craftsmanship drawn from but not limited to the American continent, CONNY explores the realms of what of your inner self can sonically portray once you are on your own and armed with a guitar and voice. The path has been walked by many before, but that doesn’t make it a worn-out road.
Just like his previous solo album Raw Love Songs and the Heavy Kingdom album with Wino, Black Happy was engineered, mixed and mastered by Thommy Krawallo in Berlin in pure analog fashion. The album is set for official release in Germany on March 1st, throughout the rest of Europe on March 4th, and in North America on April 2nd, on LP, via digital download, and limited wooden box CD. Preorders are available here.
CONNY OCHS is currently embarked on a European tour in advance of the album’s release, with many more live excursions to be confirmed in the coming weeks. View the current list of dates here.
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1. Exile
2. No Sleep Tonight
3. Die In Your Arms
4. Faces In The Crowd
5. Stable Chaos
6. Trust In Love
7. Borderline
8. Phantom Pain
9. Lead-Out
10. Blues For My Baby
11. Mouth
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(Source: Earsplit PR)
* For more info on CONNY OCHS, click on the links below!
facebook: Conny Ochs
Stone.
Guitarist/vocalist Masaki Murashita of Arizona-based extreme thrash act, HEMOPTYSIS is set to appear on KGRG 89.9 FM’s Late Night Death radio show on Tuesday, February 5th at 10PM PST. Masaki will be on the air live discussing the band’s as-yet untitled upcoming album, what 2013 has in store for HEMOPTYSIS and much more. KGRG 89.9 FM broadcasts out of Green River Community College in the Seattle, WA metropolitan area. The interview will also be streaming at www.kgrg.com.
Hemoptysis is currently running a fundraising campaign to help fund the band’s follow-up to 2011′s widely-praised Misanthropic Slaughter. The band has penned five new songs for the release and plans to re-record two tracks which originally appeared on the 2008 Who Needs A Shepard EP. Funds are being sought to help cover recording, production, layout and pressing costs, with perks such as drum heads, cymbals, HEMOPTYSIS merch, private shows, jam sessions and more being offered to contributors.
For more details and to contribute visit www.indiegogo.com/hemoptysis2.
This campaign will run through March 31st.
Upcoming HEMOPTYSIS Live Dates:
Friday, March 15 @ Rocky Point Cantina in Tempe, AZ.
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* For more info on MASAKI MURASHITA & HEMOPTYSIS, click on the links below!
www.facebook.com/murashitamusic
Stone.
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* MARC RIZZO is the guitarist for Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy and of course, his Marc Rizzo Band.
* For more info on MARC RIZZO, click on the links below!
facebook: Marc Rizzo Band
Stone.
Plano, TX – Much to the excitement of guitarists around the world, guitar virtuoso James Williams has released his new solo CD Eclectic Shred on October 20, 2012. Featuring guest appearances by Mike LePond from Symphony X and Matt Guillroy from James Labrie/Yngwie Malmsteen and released on the Eclectic Shred label, the new CD by James Williams is an exercise in guitar wizardry, the likes of which have not been heard before!
“Quality songs, quality players. Just an honor to work with James Williams and be part of this kick-ass project.” – Mike LePond, Symphony X
Hailing from Tulsa, Oklahoma, James Williams was raised on classical music; his mother was a singer in the church choir and sang Opera locally, and sister sang professionally for the San Francisco Metropolitan Opera for ten years. Composers such as Bach, Vivaldi, Stravinsky, Mozart, Carl Orf, Chopin were all part of James’s early musical vocabulary. By the age 12, Jimi Hendrix became his fascination, followed by guitarists Robin Trower, Larry Carlton, Al Dimeola, Gary Moore, Jeff Beck, Alan Holdsworth, Frank Marino, Yngwie Malmsteen and bands like Thin Lizzy, Deep Purple, Scorpions, ELP, Yes, Boston and Kansas.
James has appeared in Guitar Player Magazine with Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records, who said, “James’s impressive guitar pyrotechnics are highlighted by arpeggios, speed picking, vibrato and guitar harmonies that work together to create inspiring high level passages that sometimes remind me of Yngwie Malmsteen.” James has recorded with the late bassist Wyman Tisdale and also legendary bassist/composer/arranger Marcus Miller. Performances with guitarist Norman Brown, saxophonist Gerald Albright and many other top artists, along with years of exposure to classical, jazz, metal and R&B, James has created a diverse sound that is on the cutting edge of today’s guitarists. Says James,“My inspiration is always to achieve something musical that will last and inspire others.”
In 2011, Magna Carta Records released the critically acclaimed album by James’s under the name X Opus titled ‘The Epiphany CD’; the band was essentially James on all instruments with two vocalists. Sea Of Tranquility raved about the album, “If you like heavy progressive music with celestial lyrical themes you most certainly won’t go wrong if you invest in this one.”
In regards to the outcome of his latest album ‘Eclectic Shred’, James explains, “There is so much diversity in this record it should satisfy the solo hungry guitar fans, the song composition fans, and anyone who likes fusion with odd time signatures, power Symphony X rhythms to Hendrix, Ynwie and classical lovers of guitar and keys.” Adding to his impressive guitar virtuosity, James also plays bass, keyboards, drum programming, along with composing all the symphony arrangements. He also produced and mixed the album at his personal recording facility, X Opus studio.
Says James, “As far as the players on ‘Eclectic Shred’, I am really happy with how that turned out, as it can be a challenge to communicate to guys that are in other parts of the US and can’t come to your studio. However, the players I used were great at doing their thing. I am so happy to be able to have gotten my good friend Mike LePond from Symphony X to play bass on the album – he is a bass god! His timing and interpretation is masterful, and he wrote his own lines and played the way he wanted as he heard it. Mike is the best prog-metal has to offer – Symphony X is my favorite modern metal band and the best out there musically. I got in touch with Matt Guillroy through my good friend Mike Varney, the famed progressive guitar producer who brought us Yngwie and Jason Becker. Matt plays keyboards for James Labrie and has worked with Yngwie – he is better on keys sounding like a guitar than most guitar players. He is a master of the keys and I was so glad to get him on the record shredding solos!” Also included on the recordings are guitarists Dave Thomas and Richard Tull.
In conclusion, James has this to impart to his fans and listeners, “I hope that people benefit spiritually as well as musically from this record.”
To purchase James Williams ‘Eclectic Shred’: http://cdbaby.com/cd/jameswilliams12
For more information: www.jameswilliamseclecticshred.com
http://www.facebook.com/jameswilliamseclecticshred
http://www.facebook.com/jameswilliamsguitar
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(Source: Glass Onyon PR)
Stone.
Photo Credit: Helen L. Collen
NEW ZEALAND BUSINESSMAN – MURRAY BOLTON – IS THE WINNING BIDDER
ALL PROCEEDS DONATED TO THE GERSON INSTITUTE SUPPORTING HOLISTIC CANCER THERAPY
Guitar Played Exclusively Throughout Def Leppard “Rock of Ages” Tour This Summer
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(Los Angeles, CA) –In early September, PHIL COLLEN, lead guitarist for the iconic rock band DEF LEPPARD, announced plans for the charitable auction of “Wings” a custom Jackson PC1 guitar that COLLEN had played throughout this summer’s Rock of Ages tour. The auction began exclusively through eBay’s “Giving Works” on September 5th and ended on the morning of September 15th.
Reaching beyond all expectations, the highest bidder paid an amazing $15,000 for the one-of-a-kind guitar. The lucky winner is New Zealand businessman Murray Bolton. COLLEN personally handed “Wings” over to Bolton a few weeks ago when Murray visited COLLEN’s home.
In an extraordinary act of charity Phil included $5000 of his own to the auction’s total in order to deliver a $20,000 check this past Thursday, November 15th, when he performed live at the San Diego based Gerson Institute.
“I am very excited to present this check to the people at the Gerson Institute”, said Collen. “Meeting Murray and handing over “Wings” was bitter-sweet. I really grew to love that guitar but am so happy that it’s going to a great home and the money will help so many more people.”
November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, a more than appropriate time for COLLEN himself to introduce the auction’s winner and present the check to the Gerson Institute, a San Diego based non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the Gerson Therapy, an alternative treatment for cancer and other degenerative diseases.
In early 2012 Jake Willoughby, a guitar and music store owner, asked COLLEN if he would assist in helping to raise money towards the fight against cancer with Jake’s mother Connie having just passed away from pancreatic cancer after a courageous 13-month fight. By tragic coincidence Phil’s own father, Kenneth succumbed to the same disease in 2004. Jake donated a PHIL COLLEN signature guitar, the Jackson PC1 from his music store. In the spirit of hope it was named “Wings”. Mike Learn, a noted artist whose graphics are well-known in the guitar world, donated the graphic custom paint job on the guitar. Ironically, Mike also lost two family members to the same disease.
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About The Gerson Institute:
The Gerson Institute is a non-profit organization in San Diego, California dedicated to providing education and training in the Gerson Therapy, an alternative, non-toxic treatment for cancer and other chronic degenerative diseases.
http://news.cancerconnect.com/november-is-national-pancreatic-cancer-awareness-month/
For more information on the auction and images of “Wings”, visit:
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(Source: MAD Ink, PR)
LONG LIVE PHIL COLLEN.
LONG LIVE MURRAY BOLTON.
MAY THE GERSON INSTITUTE CONTINUE ON HELPING.
Stone.
SUICIDE SILENCE fans can now win one of guitarist Mark Heylmun’s signature LTD MKH-7 guitars! Simply head over to Mark’s official Facebook, like the page, and then enter your details to be placed into the drawing to win one of these awesome guitars. This competition is open to anyone in any country. Contest ends November 15th.
SUICIDE SILENCE recently announced that they have inked a deal with Nuclear Blast Entertainment, the new division of Nuclear Blast formed by Nuclear Blast owner Markus Staiger and former Roadrunner A&R chief, Monte Conner. As one of the leaders of the Extreme Modern Metal movement, it is only fitting that their new home be one of the biggest Metal labels on the planet. It’s a union that is sure to bring much success to both parties in the not so distant future.
SUICIDE SILENCE’s Nuclear Blast Entertainment debut is tentatively scheduled for a Summer 2013 release.
Go to Mark Heylmun’s facebook by clicking on link below!
(Source: Nuclear Blast)
* For more info on Mark Heylmun and SUICIDE SILENCE, click on the links below!
https://twitter.com/MarkHeylmun
facebook: Suicide Silence
Stone.
Ike Willis works with friends and fans to bring his story to life
Los Angeles, CA – The Ike Willis Book, an upcoming literary release from The Project Scrutinizer, will be published later this year. The Ike Willis Book will chronicle the life and times of Ike Willis, who played guitar and sang with Frank Zappa for fifteen years.
Ike Willis is featured on a number of classic albums including Joe’s Garage, Tinseltown Rebellion, You Are What You Is, Them or Us and Shut Up & Play Yer Guitar. Mr. Willis has lived a long, star-studded, Rock and Roll version of “the American dream” before, during and after his time with Frank Zappa. Since Zappa’s death in 1993, Willis has continued paying tribute to the incredibly detailed and academic arrangements of Zappa’s original music while performing in Europe and South America with a variety of tribute bands including Project/Object at the Zappanale festival in Germany for the last three years.
The book is derived from highlights of weeks of interviews with Ike, his family and friends, plus key contributions from prominent Frank Zappa alumni such as Bobby Martin, Don Preston, Denny Walley, Ray White, Ed Mann and many others. This is the story of Ike Willis, the son, the father, the musician, the singer, the intellectual and kid from St. Louis, MO who made it big. Many of these exclusive, personal stories about Mr. Willis’ life and his career with Frank Zappa have never been told before. Ike’s story includes people from all walks of life and is a truly fantastic piece of Rock and Roll history.
Mr. Willis commented on the book; “Now that I am so far into the process of telling my story, all I can say is that I never expected to do something quite like this. The experience has been so powerful and I really feel fortunate to get this unique opportunity. This book will have something interesting for every type of fan – even the ones who have known me forever. I have a large number of Frank Zappa alumni who have contributed to the interviews and we spend plenty of time talking about how many of the most famous songs originated, as well as what life inside the Zappa Universe was really like. We were all so lucky to have had the opportunity to perform the music he wrote and get to spend countless hours with him in the studio, on the road and basically in his world. This book is as important to any piece of music I played with Frank because it really explains how we did it!”
The book is slated to be available in late December to coincide with the holidays and Frank Zappa’s birthday. Mr. Willis is booked for an extensive touring schedule with a number of his tribute projects beginning later this year and has a new solo album heading to the studio with several special guest appearances planned.
The Project Scrutinizer, the international group of Ike Willis’ friends and fans heading the project, has branches in Los Angeles, New York, New Jersey, Portland (Oregon) and Europe. A Kickstarter funding effort is currently underway and contributing fans will be recognized within the book.
* For more info, click on the links below!
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(Source: Glass Onyon PR)
LONG LIVE IKE WILLIS.
REST IN PEACE, FRANK ZAPPA.
Stone.
If you’re a band or musician and would like your music reviewed or be interviewed by Stone, please click the link under the “ALBUM REVIEWS ARCHIVES” section below!
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