HELLYEAH's TOM MAXWELL Talks About His Dean MaxHell Soltero Guitar

HELLYEAH guitarist Tom Maxwell was interviewed by Metal Sanaz at this year's NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show, which was held January 14-17, 2010 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. The chat, which originally aired as part of Dean Guitars' "Live from NAMM" webcast, can be viewed below.

HELLYEAH has set June 1 as the release date for its yet-to-be-titled second album. Drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott told Revolver TV that the record is "a little more Southern, a little more rock and roll" than the band's self-titled 2007 debut, adding that "it's got some very, very metal moments on it, too. It's just a wide variety of all the different kind of influences that all of us grew up on, and I'm really proud of it."

Abbott said that the band is about three-quarters of the way through recording.

HELLYEAH is recording at Abbott's home in Arlington, Texas, where he has a studio set up. Singer Chad Gray gave The Pulse of Radio a quick description of the house. "Well, he lives up on this ridiculous hill," he said. "The driveway's so steep, like, I mean even when it's raining, it's dangerous. I've talked to people that go there and they're like, you just park down at the bottom and you've got to walk up. And I mean, it's a pretty big house. Big high ceilings, he's probably got 45-foot ceilings, I think, in his living room, which is why we're recording drums there, 'cause it makes for good ambience. It's got a swimming pool shaped like a Crown Royal bottle, kitchen, smoker, grill...that's the tour."

Abbott also said in his video interview that HELLYEAH will head out on a two-year tour beginning with a radio show on April 24 in Tampa, Florida.

In addition to Abbott, Maxwell and Gray, HELLYEAH features Gray's MUDVAYNE bandmate Greg Tribbett on guitar, and Bob "Zilla" Kakaha of DAMAGEPLAN on bass.

The group's self-titled debut has sold more than 350,000 copies since coming out in April 2007.