Why MACHINE HEAD 'Fired' City Of San Diego

MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn has revealed that his band has "fired" the city of San Diego, and will never play there again. He tells Rock Radio DJ David "The Captain" Grant, "If we're playing in San Diego, we're not gonna go on a radio station and [say], 'Oh, yeah! San Diego crowds are awesome' — because they're not. They're beat. That's MACHINE HEAD slang for 'We don't like them.' . . . They don't come to a show and, like, rage and go crazy. They come to a show and they're like, 'Oh, okay, this is cool. Oh, I like this song.' That kind of vibe. So we're not into that. . . I don't know why they come to a rock gig with that kind of attitude." MACHINE HEAD drummer Dave McClain interjects, "Well, we don't go to San Diego anymore; let's put it that way." Flynn adds, "Exactly. They're fired."

Meanwhile, McClain says MACHINE HEAD will spend as much time as it needs working on the follow-up to 2007's critically acclaimed "The Blackening" album. He says: "This stuff that's happened with 'The Blackening' has been amazing. When you're in the practice room writing music you never know how people are going to react to it. We knew in our hearts we'd made a killer record, but you never know how people are going to react to it.

"We're stopping touring because we're excited to get the new record written. but we've learned you have to let the songs come into their own. If it takes six months, that's amazing — but if it takes a year, then that's how long it takes.

"We want to do it right. We owe that to ourselves and our fans."

"The Blackening" — which has garnered numerous awards and enjoyed praise from both critics and fans alike since its release in 2007 — received yet another incredible honor in the most recent issue of U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine, having been recognized by fans and magazine staff as the "Album of the Decade"! The CD, which was re-released as a "special edition" in October 2008 via Roadrunner Records, was also certified silver by the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) for U.K. sales in excess of 60,000 copies.

After storming across Europe, MACHINE HEAD's "The Black Procession" tour will hit Japan and Australia, putting an end to three incredible years of roadwork in support of "The Blackening". Continuing the assault with MACHINE HEAD are HATEBREED and BLEEDING THROUGH, with CROSSFAITH opening in Japan and EMMURE providing support in Australia.