Archive News Aug 08, 2001

As first reported here two days ago, GUNS N' ROSES are scheduled to release their New Year's Eve show at the House Of Blues in Las Vegas to the Japanese market on September 21st 21 on DVD and video. The recording reportedly runs 140 minutes and features a 20-track set list, including four new songs from the GNR's much-anticipated and perennially-delayed forthcoming new album, Chinese Democracy. In related news, former GNR guitarist Izzy Stradlin, whose last two albums were released overseas only, will issue his latest effort, River, through the tiny independent Bilawn Records label. According to online sources, the album—which features a guest appearance by ex-GNR bassist Duff McKagan—will be available on the company's web site (http://www.bilawnrecords.com) in about two weeks, and should find its way into retail stores shortly thereafter.

SPYS4DARWIN, the new project consisting of the ALICE IN CHAINS rhythm section of Sean Kinney (drums) and Mike Inez (bass),ex-SPONGE vocalist Vin Dombroski, and ex-QUEENSRYCHE guitarist Chris DeGarmo, took the stage at Endfest in Seattle on Saturday, August 4th for the group's debut concert performance, which included renditions of tunes from their microfish EP, plus two new tracks from their upcoming full-length album, which is due at the end of the year. The set featured guitarist Bubba Dupree (formerly of MOBY) joining DeGarmo for the guitar chores, and was documented in Hi-8mm b/w by former NIRVANA bassist Krist Novoselic (who also reportedly drove the band's bus—we kid you not!) for possible streaming on the quartet's official website.

ARCH ENEMY vocalist Angela Gossow has spoken out regarding the group's decision to cancel the band's scheduled appearance at this past weekend's Wacken Festival due to her coming down with a “virus infection”. Here is Angela's statement in its entirety:

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“Hi, we made the decision on Thursday afternoon... We really wanted to make it happen, so we waited to the last minute. Unfortunately, I still felt really bad on Thursday and had high fever. The doc was just laughing in my face when I told him I wanna play a show on Saturday. I got a virus infection, that means, Penicilin doesn't help in this case... just lying in bed and be quiet. We announced it immediately on Thursday afternoon on the website and informed the Wacken office. That's all WE could do. Angela'

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“P.S.: I heard, the Wet Stage was pretty shitty and outside the festival area. That's a f.cking joke anyway to treat bands like this.

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“P.P.S.: I still would have preferred it playing there anyway. Wasn't the easiest decision to cancel the gig.”

ICED EARTH have landed the opening slot on the upcoming JUDAS PRIEST/ANTHRAX US tour, which is set to begin on September 14th at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles and is scheduled to run for four weeks, ending in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Electric Factory on October 14th. As a result, the band have been forced to postpone their previously scheduled European tour, which was set to take place during this time. ICED EARTH mainman Jon Schaffer is expected to issue a personal statement regarding the matter within a few days. In the meantime, here are all the currently scheduled tour dates for the JUDAS PRIEST/ANTHRAX/ICED EARTH US tour:

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Sep. 14 - Universal City, CA @ Universal Amphitheatre

Sep. 15 - San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield

Sep. 17 - Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues

Sep. 19 - Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre

Sep. 21 - Dallas, TX @ Smirnoff Music Centre

Sep. 23 - Houston, TX @ Aerial Theatre at Bayou Palace

Sep. 25 - New Orleans, LA @ House Of Blues

Sep. 28 - St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Landing

Sep. 29 - Boynton Beach, FL @ Orbit

Sep. 30 - Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House Of Blues

Oct. 01 - Atlanta, GA @ DeKalb Atlanta Center

Oct. 03 - Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre

Oct. 04 - Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom

Oct. 05 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre

Oct. 06 - Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall

Oct. 07 - Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace Of Auburn Hills

Oct. 10 - Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre

Oct. 12 - New York, NY @ Roseland

Oct. 13 - Washington, DC @ Nation

Oct. 14 - Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory

Former METAL CHURCH and current WAYNE frontman David Wayne has responded to the persistent criticism of his latest project by METAL CHURCH fans and ex-bandmates via a posting on the message board of REVEREND, Wayne's post-METAL CHURCH act who were apparently sidelined as a result of the singer's recent activities. Here is Wayne's message in its entirety:

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“Well,Well,Well...

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“First off, let my apologize for not addressing this sooner and for using the REVEREND discussion board to do so.

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“1) I am not reading the METAL CHURCH Board anymore as I have it on good authority that it has become a place for 'Wayne Bashing'.

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“2) Let me assure all friends and fans that I am not peeved or anything, as I understand how [METAL CHURCH guitarist] Kurdt [Vanderhoof] must feel having his magna opus (2 years in the making) utterly rejected by his record company and the 'WAYNE' band sailing up the charts in Europe. I perhaps would be angry and jealous as well.

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“3) The really perplexing thing to me is why on earth would he say all this trash when he in fact was the first one to encourage me to carry on the METAL CHURCH name and music.

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“4) Turns out that he had (once again) lied about the use of the band name he told all of us that the Masterpeace project [METAL CHURCH's last studio CD] was a one-CD release deal and that was it. The truth, in fact, was that he was up to his old tricks again and had committed us to three.

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“5) By this time, however, the wheels were in motion for the new METAL CHURCH record with myself at the helm and we weren't going to stop it. Kurdt had told me this was fine as long as HE could produce. Well, not only was the name locked down, but when the powers that be heard his conditions, they pretty much laughed, as Kurdt's last few offerings were not quite up to industry standards (I am sorry, Kurdt, but that's the truth). What the hell, we all worked out a compromise and just called the album itself Metal Church, NOT the band, so what's the big deal? I had your blessings, but I guess only if it flopped, eh, Kurdt? Now that your project has been tossed in the refuse heap (you see, he has always needed someone to blame his failures on),you come and try to throw mud on me. You know we could have shared this success and been friends, but as usual, you choose to cut off your nose to spite your face. Your friend, David Wayne”

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“P.S.: It really is amusing that all this bickering you've started has brought more publicity for my new project and so I guess I owe you some thanks. Hmmm....Nahh!

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“P.P.S.: Hey, Kurdt, why don't you and I get together and do an online lie detector test (polygraph)? I would be more than willing to pay for my half.”

COAL CHAMBER resumed the recording process for their upcoming Dark Days CD this past Monday, August 6th, at Rumbo Recorders Studio in Canoga Park, California, with guitarist Meegs and vocalist Dez Fafara laying down additional tracks while bassist Rayna Foss-Rose returned to her home of Atlanta (which she shares with husband Morgan Rose, drummer of SEVENDUST) after completing her portion of the recordings.

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Foss-Rose recently commented on the album's musical direction by saying that “we are coming out with a much heavier, more driving record this time. This record is a direct reflection of the COAL CHAMBER sound that we've paved from the anger and aggression of 'Loco' to the heavy emotions and frustration of Dark Days. As we've always done in the past, we plan to bring everything we've felt while writing this record to the stage for our fans to experience with us.

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“This record is definitely influenced by all of the emotions and turmoil the band has encountered over the past few years. Not only our own personal conflicts, but also a lot external 'losses of trust' and let-downs we've lived thru and learned from. Today we've grown stronger as people and wiser as a band.”

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Among the tracks set to appear on Dark Days are the following:

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01. One Step Forward (formerly 'Three Steps')

02. Drove

03. Alienate Me

04. Beckon

05. Glow

Illinois death metallers BROKEN HOPE have put off the recording of their forthcoming studio album until October/November due to “[guitarist] Brian [Griffin]'s touring and studio schedule with other bands, as well as other important happenings (soon to be announced)”.

TOOL will join SNOOP DOGG and THE BLACK CROWES at the third edition of New Orleans' Voodoo Music Festival, which is set for October 27th in City Park. Also scheduled to appear at the eclectic day-long festival are BETTER THAN EZRA, MISSY 'MISDEMEANOR' ELLIOTT, SPOOKS, G. LOVE &amp SPECIAL SAUCE, GOV'T MULE, KARL DENSON'S TINY UNIVERSE, JOHN MAYER, WILL HOGE, and TUBA. More artists are expected to be added.

NEVERMORE are rumored to be lining up US dates with SAVATAGE during September, with the September 8th date at the Roadhouse in Sacramento, California having already been confirmed and announced. Another US tour and a possible South American tour are currently in the works, but no further information is presently available. Meanwhile, the group's performance at this past weekend's Wacken Festival in Germany was reportedly professionally shot and recorded (using five cameras and a mobile recording unit) for an upcoming DVD/VHS release, which is tentatively scheduled to surface through the Century Media label in early 2002.

Billed as “members of SAVATAGE”, the headlining act at former IMPELLITERRI vocalist ROB ROCK's live performance at The Green Parrot in Largo, Florida, this coming Saturday, August 11th is rumored to be SAVATAGE themselves, who are reportedly looking to warm up for their upcoming headlining tour by playing a “low-key” club gig in their working home base of Florida. More information on this as it becomes available.

DARK TRANQUILLITY's live performance at this past weekend's Wacken Festival in Germany, which was originally supposed to be filmed and released as a live video/DVD and CD later this year, was reportedly not recorded due to the camera crew's schedule changes, which meant that the individuals recording the entire event (who filmed most of the other bands performing on the main stage) were on a lunch break during the group's show.

Due to an unspecified knee surgery, DEEP PURPLE keyboardist Jon Lord will not be joining the rest of the group for the first eight dates on the European tour starting this week. In his place, former RAINBOW/BLACK SABBATH man Don Airey will handle the keyboards. Jon Lord will re-join DEEP PURPLE in Bonn, Germany on August 19th for the rest of the tour.

“Extreme epic metallers” from Rome, Italy, STORMLORD have just finished the recording sessions of their second full-length album, entitled At The Gates Of Utopia. Scheduled to be released in November through Scarlet Records in Europe and Soundholic Records in Japan (who are issuing the CD one month earlier in that territory),At The Gates Of Utopia reportedly features material that “fast, aggressive, heavier than before, and with lots of tempo changes and great arrangements and choirs.” Recorded at Outer Sound Studios in Rome under the guiding hands of NOVEMBRE drummer Giuseppe Orlando, the album features the following track listing:

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01. Under The Samnites' Spears

02. I Am Legend

03. Xanadu (A Vision In A Dream)

04. ... And Winter Was

05. At The Gates Of Utopia (instrumental)

06. The Curse Of Medusa

07. The Burning Hope

08. A Sight Inwards

09. The Secrets Of The Earth

San Francisco Bay Area prog-rockers ENCHANT have delayed the release of their upcoming CD until May 2002 due to “certain deadlines” proposed by the group's record company, Inside Out Records.

FOO FIGHTERS' upcoming gig in Germany at the Bizarre Festival is going to be available for viewing via a webcast, more information on which can be obtained at this location (if you speak German, that is). It will also apparently be aired on TV on the WDR channel in Germany the night after the show. Check local listings for details. The Bizarre festival is scheduled to take place on August 17th.

Mad Men and English Dogs is the title of the first release from legendary rock drummer Nigel Glockler (SAXON, ASIA, GTR, STEVE HOWE, etc.) and current SAXON guitarist Doug Scarratt, who have collaborated on this 11-song instrumental album that “delivers a blend of heavy rock with a blend of contemporary progressive overtones”. Due for release September 2001, this album will be available exclusively from the official Mad Men... and Nigel Glockler web site at this location. Meanwhile, SAXON have announcedthe dates for their upcoming European tour, the group's first in support of their soon-to-be-issued Killing Ground CD. The schedule is as follows:

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Oct. 10 - Coal Exchange – Cardiff, UK

Oct. 11 - Woughton Centre - Milton Keynes, UK

Oct. 12 - Wulfrun Hall – Wolverhampton, UK

Oct. 13 - Mean Fiddler (ex. LA2) – London, UK

Oct. 15 - The Junction – Cambridge, UK

Oct. 16 - Elysee Montmartre – Paris, FRA

Oct. 18 - 013 – Tilberg, NETH

Oct. 19 - Hof Ter Lo – Antwerp, BEL

Oct. 23 - Hard Club – Porto, POR

Oct. 24 - Paradise Garage – Lisbon, POR

Oct. 25 - Revolver – Madrid, SPA

Oct. 26 - Republica – Valencia, SPA

Oct. 27 - Razzmatazz 2 – Barcelona, SPA

Oct. 28 - Sala Jam – Bergara, SPA

Oct. 29 - Bikini – Toulouse, FRA

Oct. 30 - Barrumba – Turin, ITA

Nov. 01 - La Laiterie – Strasbourg, FRA

Nov. 03 - Podium – Hardenberg, NETH

Nov. 11 - Z7 – Pratteln, SWI

Thanks to the help of AC/DC fan Glenn Robertson, a Bon Scott exhibit has been added to the Kirriemuir Museum in Scotland, Scott's birthplace. For more information, Robertson has added a special page to his very own website at this location.

The first single from the forthcoming self-titled debut album from Stockholm, Sweden's MELDRUM (who feature in their ranks former PHANTOM BLUE guitarist Michelle Meldrum) will be the track “Aspartame”. The CD, which will be issued through Record Heaven Records in October, will reportedly include additional, freshly-recorded material, which is currently being tracked in Stockholm. MELDRUM will be playing Pub Anchor in Stockholm this weekend.

As a result of bassist Robbie Merrill's leg injury (reportedly suffered in a motorcycle accident),GODSMACK postponed the August 7th (Tuesday) show with DEFTONES in Atlanta and cancelled the Thursday, August 9th show in Antioch, Tennessee. Merrill is expected to recover fully in time for Friday's gig at the Riverport Amphitheatre in Maryland Heights, Missouri. GODSMACK and DEFTONES will probably reschedule the Atlanta show for mid-September, but the bands reportedly have no plans to make up the Antioch performance.

STEEL DRAGON, the fictitious '80s metal band that was formed for the purpose of appearing in the upcoming Mark Wahlberg movie Rock Star (loosely based on the life story of current JUDAS PRIEST frontman Tim “Ripper” Owens),recorded six original songs for the the movie, due September 7th, and its accompanying soundtrack album, due August 28th. The group, which includes DOKKEN bassist Jeff Pilson, ex-BONHAM drummer Jason Bonham and former YNGWIE MALMSTEEN/current TALISMAN vocalist Jeff Scott Soto collaborated with former VAN HALEN vocalist Sammy Hagar and MARILYN MANSON bassist Twiggy Ramirez on the material for the film, the recordings for which were produced by Tom Werman (CHEAP TRICK, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, MÖTLEY CRÜE). The Rock Star soundtrack album is due to be issued through Priority Records.

PEARL JAM are scheduled to appear at Key Arena in Seattle on October 22nd as part of a week-long series of benefit concerts. Also appearing on the same day will be R.E.M. (who are the headlining act),as well as MANA and FEMI KUTI and the POSITIVE FORCE. Tickets will go on sale via Ticketmaster on Saturday, August 25. Groundwork 2001 is the first North American event in the ongiong TeleFood campaign, an initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FA0) of the United Nations, the world's largest hunger fighting agency.

Joliet, IL-based six-piece band FIVE POINTE O will start the recording of their as-yet-untitled debut CD for Roadrunner Records on September 2nd. Recording will take place in El Paso at Sonic Ranch Studios (formerly Village Recorders),with producer Colin Richardson, who most recently mixed MACHINE HEAD's Supercharger and who had previously worked with FEAR FACTORY and NAPALM DEATH, among others.

Sweden's NECROPHOBIC will enter the Sunlight Studio in September to record their fourth album, tentatively entitled Bloodhymns. Due to be produced by veteran knob-twiddler Tomas Skogsberg (i.e. ENTOMBED, DISMEMBER, BACKYARD BABIES),Bloodhymns will reportedly be a “true Satanic death metal album”.

ROYAL HUNT frontman John West has reunited with original ARTENSION members Vitalij Kuprij (keyboards),Roger Staffelbach (guitars),Kevin Chown (bass) and Mike Terrana (drums) to begin work on the project's brand new studio album, which is currently being tracked at a New York studio. In other news, West has also found the time to form a side project named EARTH MAKER with ex-WITCHDOCTOR bandmate Chris Caffery (now in SAVATAGE) and HALFORD guitarist Mike Chlasciak, and has allegedly been composing material for the group's debut recorded effort, which will reportedly include a keyboard “duel” between ROYAL HUNT mainman André Andersen und Vitalij Kuprij.

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