Archive News May 04, 2001

EXODUS and VIO-LENCE reunions are being mentioned as a possibility for a benefit concert that is currently being planned for TESTAMENT frontman Chuck Billy, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. No date has been announced yet, but the show is most likely to occur in San Francisco, and if everything goes according to plan, the above-mentioned acts with reunite for one night only, with former TESTAMENT/EXODUS frontman Zetro Sousa joining the members of TESTAMENT on stage for a few songs. More information on this special concert should be available soon.

HATE ETERNAL, featuring MORBID ANGEL guitarist Erik Rutan and MORBID ANGEL fill-in bassist/vocalist Jared Anderson, are due to enter the studio this fall to begin work on a new studio album, to be released in early 2002.

On or about April 10th, BLACK SABBATH frontman Ozzy Osbourne's mother passed away. Ozzy had the following to say on the subject:

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'Mum died of Diabetes and kidney problems. She went peacefully in her sleep, unlike dad, who had cancer and died in pain. I'd been to see her a week before and she seemed fine. I never thought I'd be affected. I wasn't affected when my dad died. But it's different with mum. It knocks the stuffing out of me. I didn't go to the funeral. They f*** me up to much. I've been to enough funerals to last a lifetime. It might have pushed me over the edge. I thought I was going nuts last year. I was driving around with spears. I was near the dark side. It was like I was waking up with the worlds worst hangover but I hadn't had a drink. I'm glued together with medication. I'm on everything proper psychotic medication. If I don't pop pills, I lose it. I'm a f***ing nutter, I won't last to 85.'

The AXEL RUDI PELL band will play a short 'after-festival relaxing show' at the Kulturfabrik in Krefeld, Germany on July 1st. In other ARP news, Axel is currently collecting ideas for the next studio album which will be recorded at the end of this year and released sometime after March 2002.

Courtney Love's punk rock BASTARD project is said to be in talks with former NASHVILLE PUSSY bassist Corey Parks about her joining forces with the new band, which is also said to include VERUCA SALT guitarist Louise Post, and former HOLE drummer Patty Schemel. According to ROCKIT GIRL bassist Gina Crosley, who was originally lined up to play the bass in the new group, 'There's a good chance that I will NOT be playing in C.Lo's BASTARD project. Courtney and her management want someone more 'high profile,' and, apparently, Corey Parks is that person. Nothing's been confirmed yet, but it's enough to make me turn my attention back to my own project.'

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Parks recently confirmed that she has had discussions with Love and will be meeting with Post, but she has yet to jam with the BASTARD members to see if they 'gel,' and a decision can't be made by either side until that happens.

SLIPKNOT and SYSTEM OF A DOWN will unite for an upcoming tour, kicking off Oct. 1 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas and running for six weeks. Organizers hope to make the Pledge of Allegiance tour an annual event. The tour will include a second stage populated by up-and-coming artists, none of whom have yet been named. Dates and venues are also yet to be determined.

PUBLIC ENEMY frontman Chuck D will be contributing a version of the TWISTED SISTER track 'Wake Up The Sleeping Giant' to the upcoming TWISTED SISTER tribute CD, for which 14 songs have been recorded thus far. These are the confirmed artists and songs that are set to appear on the album:

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CHUCK D - 'Wake Up The Sleeping Giant'

LIT - 'I Wanna Rock'

CRADLE OF FILTH - 'The Fire Still Burns'

NASHVILLE PUSSY- 'The Kids Are Back'

SEVENDUST- 'I Am, I'm Me'

VISION OF DISORDER- 'Don't Let Me Down'

FU MANCHU - 'Ride To Live'

HAMMERFALL - 'We're Gonna Make It'

ANTHRAX - 'Destroyer'

MOTORHEAD - 'Shoot 'em Down'

TWISTED SISTER - 'Sin City' (AC/DC)

OVERKILL - 'Under the Blade'

CRISIS - 'Come Out and Play'

SEBASTIAN BACH - 'You Can't Stop Rock N Roll.'

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The remaining songs that will be recorded are: 'The Price', 'We're Not Gonna Take It',&nbsp and either 'Burn In Hell' or 'What You Don't Know'. The artists who are recording these songs will be revealed soon.

According to MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine, 'Moto Psycho' — the first single from the group's upcoming The World Needs A Hero CD — was voted the 'Number 1 most added record' to CMJ (College Music Journal) last week, with the most adds in the history of the magazine. Of all 191 stations that report to the magazine, all 191 added the record.

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In other MEGADETH news, the band is proceeding with their The World Needs A Hero record releaseacoustic tour, for which five shows have been completed thus far. 'We are watching our friends get filled with excitement as we do this acoustic thingy,' commented Mustaine. 'It really is unbelievable when you try to imagine us doing this. It is not what you may think. We have had [five] really great shows in very intimate settings. And the fans participation, response and the meet-and-greets after have been great for me.'

Portugal's MOONSPELL will preview new material at two live shows that they will be performing in their home country later this month. The dates are as follows:

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May 25 - Bragança, POR @ Queima das Fitas

May 26 - Madeira, POR @ Tecnopólo

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MOONSPELL will be playing classic material as we as songs to be included on the group's forthcoming Darkness And Hope CD, which is currently being recorded at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland with producer Hiili Hiilesmaa.

MASQUERADE guitarist Thomas G:son and Henrik Sethsson co-wrote a song that's competing for Sweden in the Eurovision song contest on May 12th in Copenhagen, Denmark. The title of the song is 'Listen To Your Heartbeat', and it will be performed by the Swedish act FRIENDS.

IRON SAVIOR's scheduled May 5th show in Osnabrueck, Germany has been canceled due to guitarist Piet Sielck coming down with a bad cold earlier this week. Last night's show at Pratteln and tonight's show in Offenbach are going ahead as scheduled, however, after which Piet will be sent straight to bed. IRON SAVIOR and a fully recovered Mr.Sielck will be back in two weeks later for the last gig of the tour in Hamburg, Germany (May 17th),where they are going to play an extended set that will be more than two hours long.

NOTHINGFACE have been added to two dates on the forthcoming STAIND tour. NOTHINGFACE will play right before STAIND on May 15th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and May 16th in Providence, Rhode Island.

SKYCLAD's revamped line-up, featuring vocalist Kevin Ridley (who replaced the departed Martin Walkyier),will be headlining several dates in Holland, supporting the mighty FISH on a few dates of his European Tour, and appearing at a couple of festival shows in Germany.

The dates are as follows:

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June 06 - London, UK @ Mean Fiddler (w/FISH)

June 07 - Dordrecht, NETH @ Bibelot

June 08 - Weiburg, GER @ Windhoffest

June 09 - Helmond, NETH @ Plato

June 10 - Durham, UK @ University (w/FISH)

June 15 - Osterrode, GER @ RockHarz Open Air

June 16 - Hoorn, NETH @ Manifesto

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Martin Walkyier's final ever show with SKYCLAD will take place at the Bloodstock Festival in the UK on Monday, May 28th.

Former GUNS N' ROSES and current SLASH'S SNAKEPIT guitarist Slash did an interview at the beginning of this week with the eYada talk radio network. In the interview, which can be heard via the Internet, Slash covers topics from leaving GNR to starting SNAKEPIT, as well as his Internet fans, his heroin addiction, his bout with pneumonia that stopped the tour and SNAKEPIT's plans for the future. He also said he was going to be playing with SPINAL TAP in June. To hear the interview, go to: http://www.eyada.com/

RATT, LYNCH MOB and THIN LIZZY are joining forces for a US tour that is tentatively scheduled to start on August 1st.

ALL OUT WAR have decided to drop off of their previously announced tour with DEICIDE, MARDUK and GORGUTS in order to complete their forthcoming album.

Philadelphia-based TAPPING THE VEIN is the latest addition to the World Management roster, which also includes MORBID ANGEL and UNLEASHED, among others. Described as 'dark rock with dynamic female vocal and lush electronics', the female-fronted band is currently recording their debut CD for Nuclear Blast Records for a fall release.

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