DISTURBED Invites Soldier Backstage Before Cincinnati Concert; Video Available

Footage of DISTURBED members Dan Donegan (guitar) and Mike Wengren (drums) hanging out with a soldier from Cincinnati backstage before the band's show at Bogart's on May 14, 2008 has been posted online at the group's YouTube channel. The guy had just returned from Iraq during the prior month and presented the band with an American flag, while DISTURBED returned the favor with a pair of drumsticks, several guitar picks, and a bass pick. Watch the clip below.

When asked by MSNBC in a March 2008 interview how he feels about the fact that American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan like to play his band's music to get fired up for battle, DISTURBED singer David Draiman replied, "I couldn't be more proud. You have to take it out of the context that they're about to go take lives. To me, it's as simple as these are our fighting men and women over in a foreign part of the world they're not familiar with, in a war not many people understand, and they're doing what they're told to do. If they can get some sort of power from the music and come home safely by utilizing our music, I couldn't be more proud. Whether you're a soldier or an athlete or in any sort of competitive thing, any sort of physical activity that requires mental strength, I mean, that's what this music is meant for. And no matter what I think of the war, I support our fighting men and women with every fiber of my being."

DISTURBED will guest on the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline", hosted by Bob Coburn, on Monday, June 2 at 11:30 p.m. EST/8:30 p.m. PST. Fans can talk live with DISTURBED by calling 800-344-ROCK (7625). To find a station near you or to listen to the show live via the Internet, go to www.rocklineradio.com.

DISTURBED earlier in the month issued an alternate, all-performance version of the video for its new single, "Inside the Fire". The original version of the clip featured scenes based on an actual incident from singer David Draiman's life, in which a girlfriend of his committed suicide while both were in their late teens. The video included a short introduction by Draiman in which he said that anyone watching the clip who is either suicidal or knows someone that is should contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Draiman told The Pulse of Radio that the band has been very gratified by the response to the original conceptual video. "It's been amazing, actually, the outpouring of positivity of the messages and support that we've seen on our own web site since the video's been released," he said. "It's really been very, very reassuring because, you know, God forbid, we never wanted anyone to have the wrong impression from it."

"Inside the Fire" is the first single from DISTURBED's fourth studio album, "Indestructible", which arrives on June 3.