Former OZZY, DIO, DEEP PURPLE, AC/DC and QUIET RIOT Musicians Bring BIG NOIZE To Iraq

Vocalist Joe Lynn Turner (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN),bassist Phil Soussan (OZZY OSBOURNE),guitarist Carlos Cavazo (QUIET RIOT) and drummer Simon Wright (AC/DC) will bring their band BIG NOIZE to Iraq and Kuwait in September. This rock and roll invasion is designed to increase morale and solidify the united force that bonds most all human beings around the world: Music!

Turner, who has his first live solo CD coming out in October on Frontiers Records, is enthusiastic about performing for and meeting with the brave men and women from all countries who put their lives on the line every day.

He says, "I have wanted to go to Iraq and perform for the troops for a long time. RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE have always had a lot of fans in the military. I tried to go via the USO as a volunteer musician and was turned down! We were overloaded with emails from service men and women, many who are big fans of this genre of music and wanted me to come over for a show. I know this will be a life-changing experience."

Soussan, currently in the studio in Los Angeles, was thrilled to be performing for the troops. Soussan explains, "I cannot imagine how hard it is to be so far from home and away from so many loved ones in such challenging conditions. And, at this time when there is so much debate and people are questioning what we are doing and whether it is the right thing to do at this moment in world history, our troops have an obligation to make sacrifices, stand strong and defend our country at a moments notice. This is the least thing that I could do to remind them that I think about them all the time and enough to come and visit them in person and bring them a little piece of back home rock'n'roll."

The tour is organized by Jeff Thornton of Lone Wolf Entertainment and is part of the Multi National Corps Iraq program headquartered at Al Faw Palace in Baghdad, to bring entertainment to the multinational forces stationed in Iraq and Kuwait.

Thornton says,"It's great to be taking a stellar group like BIG NOIZE to the Middle East to play for and meet the all-star men and women defending our freedom: freedom that allow the guys in BIG NOIZE to play the music that they want and rock the world."

What makes BIG NOIZE unique is its heritage and concept. All members have a related and connected past. The band plays a power-packed set of favored hits that its individual members were known for because they wrote or performed them during their times of biggest chart success. A BIG NOIZE concert is a tribute to the bands that the members were integral parts of and a reunion for its extensive and loyal fan base. The set list is a explosion of anthems that topped rock and pop charts in the 70s and 80s and includes: "Crazy Train" (OZZY OSBOURNE),"Smoke On The Water" (DEEP PURPLE),"Cum On Feel The Noize" (QUIET RIOT),"Stone Cold" (RAINBOW) and more.

Tour dates:

September
5 - Kuwait
7, 8, 10 and 11 - Iraq

"The five shows that the guys will be doing in Kuwait and Iraq are not only open to the men and women of all U.S. forces," Thornton explains, "But, also to all of the allied forces joining us in the fight against terrorism and the contract personnel stationed at the bases who are performing important jobs in support of our militaries. All of the shows are free of charge to everyone in attendance. BIG NOIZE will truly draw an audience from around the world as personnel from England, Australia, South Korea and even Iraq, to name a few, will be able to rock out to the hits of the classic rock bands represented by the band."

Fan-filmed video footage of an early 2008 concert by BIG NOIZE can be viewed below (courtesy of "mokumeitame").