Ghost Cult caught up with comedian Don Jameson at The Watering Hole in New York City to hang out and talk about his comedy album, Communication Breakdown, which came out in April on Metal Blade Records. Don is known for his hilarious comedy, as the co-host of That Metal Show, and much more. We knocked back a few with Don and talked about a lot of topics close to his heart. Videography by Omar Cordy/OJC Photography.Continue reading
Metallica kicked off the final leg of their massive North American tour this past weekend at The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Not only did the icons perform a killer set that spanned their career, but they also threw in a quick cover of Van Halen‘s “Runnin With The Devil” for the lucky fans in attendance. Continue reading
One of the nice things about a band like Steel Panther is that, like a box of chocolates, you always know what you’re gonna get. And with the Panther, you get the chocolate too; vocalist “Michael Starr” dips right in on the opening track of Lower the Bar (Open E), dropping this little nugget of wisdom: “Sometimes the back door is the only way in.”Continue reading
South Park will be kicking off their 20th season tonight at 10pm/9c on Comedy Central. Throughout their 267 episodes, Matt Stone and Trey Parker have taken on anyone and everyone they want, and even involved heavy metal royalty in some episodes. To celebrate it’s 20th season, I’ve compiled together a list of my favorite “metal” moments I’ve ever seen on South Park. Continue reading
The Winery Dogs self-titled debut album arrived back in 2013 to little fanfare – it was (yet) another side project for the hardest working man in music, the ridiculously prolific Mike Portnoy. Partnering with bass guitar legend Billy Sheehan and Mr Big (amongst others) guitarist Richie Kotzen, it became the latest “supergroup” to attempt to charm us with their wares. Winery Dogs debut was nothing if not efficient and, at times occasionally inspired, hard rock with a blues edge and infectious sense of melody. This should have hardly been a surprise, given the extensive CVs of the main protagonists; what really did surprise was how easy and effortless this all was, suggesting that the artists had found a common bond and sense of purpose whilst working in the studio.
Suspicions that The Winery Dogs do indeed have “legs” is confirmed by the arrival of Hot Streak (earMUSIC) a second dose of Winery songcraft and it’s every bit as good as it predecessor: in fact, the broadening of its styles and the accomplishment of its execution means it surpasses the charms of the debut.
There is a 1980s rock sensibility running through much of Hot Streak but it’s probably most noticeable on the catchy ‘Captain Love’ which sounds like an outtake from Van Halen’s 5150 (Warner). It’s got a tongue in cheek set of lyrics and a lightweight, don’t-take-this-all-too-seriously mentality which probably means that it’s going to be something of a live favourite.
Hot Streak is not an 80s pastiche though. Much of the record sounds like it was conjured live in the studio with each musician taking the lead at various points and then bandmates joining in with chords, choruses and licks as needed, though nowhere near as clunky as my writing would suggest. Far from it; there is a lightness and warmth to how the songs come together and it’s all done, as you would expect, professionally and with several tonnes of gusto. The highlight of the album is the brilliant ‘Fire; which has a haunting melody, gossamer light chord progression and a real, instant sense of belonging and heart.
What these Dogs do is not fantastically original or groundbreaking but things don’t always need to be fantastically original or groundbreaking. Hot Streak is a step up from the debut, and a solid rock album played wonderfully well; it has charm and warmth and is very welcome round my way.
7.0/10
MAT DAVIES
Motor Sister
Within the parameters of Los Angeles, rock music often spawns in the most unlikeliest of places. For Motor Sister, it came together at a birthday party with five people performing music from a defunct band which was brought back to life. Their début album Ride is the result of the love of one band’s music that they felt more people needed to hear.
Motor Sister is the somewhat alter ego of the long time Los Angeles based musician Jim Wilson’s band Mother Superior. The band called it quits in 2009, but the interest in their music from fans was still there. Then came Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian’s 50th birthday party at his home. Wilson explained how the whole scenario took place.
“When Scott started hassling me about the original idea, they made a poster that said Mother Superior and that’s what they sent out to their friends. We weren’t making a new band. We were having a party and having a good time. By using Mother Superior lives, it’s kind of saying we’re playing these songs and with a skeleton head on the flier.”
“Word got back via Neil Zlozower (veteran LA photographer). He did all of the old Van Halen and the Motley Crue album covers. He was at the party. He did two of the Mother Superior covers – the one on Triple X (2001’s Mother Superior) album and the Deep (1998 on Top Beat Records) album. When it came time to have the party, he was on the list. Neil had to be there. So he was the one who made the call to Metal Blade on the Monday morning after the party. He made the call on our behalf to Mike [Faley] from Metal Blade and talked about the party and seeing us. He hyped it up. So he dug further and approached us about making a record. There were some hardcore Mother Superior fans there. I’m not lying but there were some people tearing up because they hadn’t heard it for so long and joy was in the air. We finished the first song and the band looked at each other and laughed. Some people hadn’t experienced anything like it. They were emotional. A friend of ours had a list of every Mother Superior show she had been to, and she thinks she’s seen about 95% of every show from the earliest days. That’s how long she’s been following us. That kind of fan was really touched. We didn’t know where to begin. We just figured let’s just get together and do this. But when the Metal Blade thing came around, they asked Scott first. Scott said it’s all up to Jim if he wants to go back there or not.”
“I had such a good time and I had nothing but respect for Mother Superior. It’s been a little difficult with the old members… I’m sure they’re happy the music’s getting out again. We didn’t part as the greatest of friends. It’s hard to go to them and say ‘hey guys everything’s great.’ But it wasn’t me trying to form a new band. This kind of happened organically and the response is what’s keeping it going, and more so than anything it’s been the music. We can’t complain about that.”
Their début album Ride was based on the set list of songs played at that party, and somewhat of a Mother Superior best of record. The band who performed then (Wilson, Ian, co-vocalist Pearl Aday, bassist Joey Vera and drummer John Tempesta) became the band who recorded the album, with producer Jay Ruston (Anthrax, Steel Panther) overseeing the recording sessions.
“I know the twelve songs that are on the album is the actual twelve song list that Scott came up with himself for his birthday party. So those are the ones that he came up with off the top of his head, and after he sent the email to myself, Johnny, Joey and Pearl saying these are the songs for the party, a week later he said ‘oh shit, I forgot ‘Rolling Boy Blues.’ I forgot ‘Five Star.’ We kept it at those original twelve. We did “Rolling Boy Blues” as the encore for the New York show. We are open to other ones. We are starting to write new songs as well. The album’s been done for six months now recording wise. We need to get the cover and the release schedule. It takes a little while for the label to get it all together. In that time, we’ve been talking about making another record with some original tunes too. So maybe the next album might be 75% all brand new and a couple that we left off.”
While the twelve songs chosen for the set list that evening were compiled by Ian, Wilson himself talked about songs left off that evening he may have also added.
“The one I was surprised that we didn’t pick was from our very first album (1993’s Right in a Row) called “The Wiggle.” It seemed like one of those rock songs and every time we play it someone would yell ‘The Wiggle!’. We always ended up playing it. It’s a good jam. We were so young. I was in my early 20s and barely had any beer in that time. It was many beers ago!”
Wilson shared how he first met Ian, which he knew was a Mother Superior fan from the early years.
“It was the Viper Room. It was around the Deep album in 1998,” he said, recalling that moment. “I do remember when we played and where the Club Lingerie was on Sunset Boulevard, and at one point it was taken over by John Bush (Armored Saint/ex-Anthrax vocalist) and some of the Armored Saint guys when John was in Anthrax. They sponsored the club. Scott was probably at that show because I remember meeting John Bush. I remember meeting Scott at the KNAC Anniversary show at the Palladium in 1999. It was Skid Row, Rollins Band and Anthrax played. I met Scott backstage.”
Ironically, Wilson shared a story about him nearly becoming a touring mate of Ian’s.
“I heard a rumor. I’ve never confirmed this with Scott before but Henry told me that when we were about to go on our first Rollins Band tour and according to Henry, Scott said ‘what’s Jim doing this summer? We might need a replacement Anthrax guitarist because our guitarist can’t make the tour.’ Henry said we’re going out and doing our first shows. Henry told me that at the time and I was tripping like ‘what?! I could have had the chance to play with Anthrax! Hey Henry – shouldn’t you have asked me first? – just kidding!”
Wilson also nearly got to share the stage with another idol of his, but due to scheduling conflicts, it ended after a few rehearsals. But the fact he got to audition meant a lot to him.
“Another friend of mine was playing with Dave Davies of the Kinks at the same time. Dave Davies was looking for a bass player and my friend asked if I had a good choice for that. I said of course. I went to audition for Dave Davies and I got the gig, and they were supposed to go out a month before the Rollins shows started. I told Dave that I was playing with Henry, and Dave was a big Henry fan. He was super excited to have me in his band. When I got the call from Dave Davies, saying he had to push the tour back to this time. So I told him I was going out with Rollins, so I didn’t get to tour with Dave Davies but was in the band for a minute. I got to rehearse with him a couple of times and play 35 different Kinks songs.”
From the outside looking in, it can be easy to judge people we don’t know. Take Danny Worsnop as a prime example… the last Asking Alexandria album From Death To Destiny (Sumerian) was widely seen as a step back at best, and tepid filler at worst (though hardly a commercial failure, nonetheless), so jumping ship to a more commercially viable band, the cynic would say, prolongs his stay in the limelight and at the top, and gives him a better chance of maintaining the Sunset Strip lifestyle. The cynic will be shot down in flames by joie de vivre of We Are Harlot (Roadrunner). ‘Blame It On The Love Of Rock n’ Roll’ as someone fairly successful once sang…
While first track ‘Dancing on Nails’ is decent and rocky enough, second track ‘DLT’ (Dirty Little Thing, not a defence of disgraced UK DJ Dave Lee Travis) is one helluva fuel injection turbo boost that prompts an face-splitting grin, as the guitars rock out and Worsnop belts out the chorus, and it all makes sense; whatever you perceive his motives to be, you can’t fake energy, you can’t fake fun and you can’t fake rock n’ fucking roll, and We Are Harlot has all three in spades.
I don’t know Worsnop, but any doubts I had are banished by the genuine, honest, uptempo and spirited rock n’ roll on display throughout.
From that moment on, the album flies by in a conveyor belt of Joe Perry-on-speed chord-bashing guitar liveliness and vocal exuberance. Worsnop brought the rock to AA at times, but here he’s set free and has never sounded better, and it must be said, it’s great to live in a world without breakdowns. He may not have the distinctiveness of an Axl or a Jon Bon Jovi but there is a touch of blues, a touch of pop and a bucketful of rock, and a nice gravelly tone to Worsnop’s voice, particularly on the bourbon-ballad ’I Tried’. ‘The One’ swaggers, ‘Flying Close To The Sun’ and ‘Never Turn Back’ have radio hit written all over them while ‘One More Night’ is head-on smash (hit) of Appetite For Destruction (Geffen) and The Wildhearts.
However, don’t think for a second this is a retro-by-numbers homage to The Legends Of Rock. Yes, you can hear Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Guns N’ Roses have had their influence in the sound, but this is a flying by the seat of its pants, gregarious, germane, gratifying, gratuitous and genuinely great album.
8.0/10
STEVE TOVEY
Alter Bridge and Creed guitarist Mark Tremonti will be releasing his second solo release Cauterize with his solo band Tremonti on June 8, 2015 via Fret 12 Records. The album was produced by Michael “Elvis” Baskette, and features Tremonti (vocals and guitars), Eric Friedman (guitars), Wolfgang Van Halen (bass) and Garrett Whitlock (drums).
Stream the album trailer below.
Stream the lyric video for “Another Heart”
Cauterize Track Listing
01: Radical Change
02: Flying Monkeys
03: Cauterize
04: Arm Yourself
05: Dark Trip
06: Another Heart
07: Fall Again
08: Tie The Noose
09: Sympathy
10: Providence
Tremonti are also looking forward to hitting the road in support of the new album. However, the band will need to initially tour without bassist Wolfgang Van Halen due to the recently announced Van Halen US tour. “I am still part of TREMONTI and very excited for the release of ‘Cauterize’, but unfortunately am unable to participate in the upcoming dates due to my prior commitment with Van Halen for the summer tour in support of the Tokyo Dome Live In Concert album,” states bassist Wolfgang Van Halen. “Look forward to seeing all of the TREMONTI fans on the road as soon as my schedule permits!”
Confirmed tour dates are posted below:
Apr 25: Earth Day Birthday – Orlando, FL
Apr 26: Metropolitan Park (Welcome To Rockville) – Jacksonville, FL
Apr 28: The National – Richmond, VA (with Seether)
Apr 29: Machine Shop – Flint, MI (with Man The Mighty)
Apr 30: Bogart’s – Cincinnati, OH (with Seether)
May 02: Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ (with Seether)
May 03: Carolina Rebellion – Concord, NC
May 06: The Paramount – Huntington, NY (with Seether and Red Sun Rising)
May 09: Rise Above Fest 2015 – Bangor, ME
May 11: Highline Ballroom – New York, NY (with Shaman’s Harvest)
May 12: House of Blues – Cleveland, OH (with Seether)
May 13: The Egyptian Room – Alexandria, VA (with Seether)
May 15: Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL (with Man The Mighty)
May 16: Rock On the Range – Columbus, OH
May 17: Freakster’s Roadhouse – Pontiac, IL (with Man The Mighty)
May 19: Nashville War Memorial Auditorium – Nashville, TN
May 21: Iron City Bham – Birmingham, AL (with Black Stone Cherry)
May 22: Soul Kitchen – Mobile, AL (with Black Stone Cherry)
May 23: Club LA – Destin, FL (with Black Stone Cherry)
Mark Tremonti on Facebook
Mark Tremonti on Twitter
Mark Tremonti on YouTube
Van Halen has announced an upcoming Summer/Fall North Americans tour with Kenny Wayne Shephard Band as support, and will kick this off with a special concert on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on March 30, 2015 on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, CA. Featuring some of the band’s essential rock and roll classics, the concert will be broadcast over two nights, March 30 and March 31, on the late night talk show and marks Van Halen’s first U.S. television performance with original lead singer David Lee Roth. Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. / 10:35 p.m. Central time on ABC. Enjoy Jimmy Kimmel Live on the web at www.abc.com/JimmyKimmeLive and at www.youtube/JimmyKimmelLive.
Van Halen will be releasing their first ever live album featuring original singer David Lee Roth called Tokyo Dome Live In Concert, which was recorded on June 21, 2013 in Tokyo, Japan. It is being released as a double CD, four-LP set on 180-gram vinyl and digitally beginning March 31, 2015.
Also being released beginning March 31 are remastered versions of Van Halen and 1984, with remastered versions of Diver Down, Women and Children First, Van Halen II and Fair Warning due out later this spring. Each album has been cut straight from the quarter-inch tapes for CD, 180-gram vinyl and for the digital version by mastering engineer Chris Bellman, who remastered the original albums for Bernie Grundman Studios, Hollywood, CA. These albums are being released beginning March 31 with pre-orders available now through Amazon and iTunes now.
VAN HALEN 2015 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
Jul 05: White River Amphitheatre – Seattle, WA
Jul 07: Amphitheater Northwest – Portland, OR
Jul 09: Concord Pavilion – Concord, CA
Jul 11: San Manuel Amphitheater – San Bernardino, CA
Jul 14: Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre – Irvine, CA
Jul 16: Shoreline Amphitheatre – Mountain View, CA
Jul 18: USANA Amphitheatre – Salt Lake City, UT
Jul 20: Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
Jul 22: Cricket Wireless Amphitheater – Kansas City, MO
Jul 24:, First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre – Chicago, IL
Jul 26:, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, MO
Jul 28:, First Niagra Pavilion – Pittsburgh, PA
Jul 30:, Darling’sWaterfront Pavilion – Bangor, ME
Aug 01: Xfinity Center – Boston, MA
Aug 03: Blossom Music Center – Cleveland, OH
Aug 05: Western Fair District – London, ON
Aug 07: Molson Canadian Amphitheatre – Toronto, ON
Aug 09: PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ
Aug 11: Xfinity Center – Hartford, CT
Aug 13: Nikon At Jones Beach Theater – Wantagh, NY
Aug 23: Hershey Park – Hershey, PA
Aug 25: Darien Lake Performing Arts Center – Darien Center, NY
Aug 27: Susquehanna Bank Center – Camden, NJ
Aug 29: Jiffy Lube Live – Washington DC
Aug 31: Riverbend Music Center – Cincinnati, OH
Sep 02: Klipsch Amphitheatre – Indianapolis, IN
Sep 04: DTE Energy Music Theater – Detroit, MI
Sep 06: Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – Bethel, NY
Sep 09: Walnut Creek Amphitheater – Raleigh, NC
Sep 11: PNC Music Pavilion – Charlotte, NC
Sep 13: MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre – Tampa, FL
Sep 15: Coral Sky Amphitheatre – West Palm Beach, FL
Sep 17: Oak Mountain Amphitheatre – Birmingham, AL
Sep 21: Austin360 Amphitheater – Austin, TX
Sep 23: Gexa Energy Pavilion – Dallas, TX
Sep 25: Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion – Houston, TX
Sep 28: Ak-Chin Pavilion – Phoenix, AZ
Sep 30: Sleep Train Amphitheatre – San Diego, CA
Oct 02: Hollywood Bowl – Hollywood, CA
Van Halen on Facebook
Van Halen on Twitter
Van Halen is going on tour in 2015 & will shut down Hollywood Blvd March 30th for a special performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Click here for details: van-halen.com/vhtour2015.html #Kimmel
Posted by Van Halen on Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Tobias Sammet vocalist, composer, keyboard player and main man of Edguy (he also somehow finds time to do the same for Avantasia) recently stated that Space Police – Defenders of the Crown (Nuclear Blast) is “the album Edguy will be measured against in the future”. A bold statement considering not only do they have a hat-trick of genuine power metal classics in their ten-album canon (Vain Glory Opera, Theater of Salvation and Savage Poetry), but also bearing in mind the German power metal quintet have failed to reach those heights of recent years.
The dual title-tracks wade in early, setting the tone for the album; a bouncy keyboard-line with a hook the size of the Allianz Arena launches ‘Space Police’ bringing things to a great catchy chorus, off to a spacey Bowie inspired midsection; ‘Defenders Of The Crown’ picks up where things left off, a fists-in-the-air call to arms; ‘The Realms Of Baba Yaya’ continues with strong verse and even stronger chorus, all the time chugging guitars underpinning the melodies and hooks, while is ‘Do Me Like A Caveman’ (!) is, surprisingly, a quality Bon Jovi ‘In These Arms’ style semi-serious romantic rocker – those crazy Germans!
Sammet’s vocals are superb throughout, equal parts David Lee Roth, Biff Byford and Hansi Kursch, with an uncanny knack of delivering the silly, the serious, the epic and the cheesy with conviction and emotion, none more so than on ‘Alone In Myself’, a change of pace that wouldn’t be out of place on Magnum’s underrated ‘Wings of Heaven’.
The bar is raised even higher with closer ‘The Eternal Wayfarer’; the result of Sabaton covering Tony Martin era Black Sabbath, wading in with symphonic bombast, before opening its epic arms to bring the album home victorious.
Elsewhere, full credit has to go to the Van Halenesque ‘Love Tyger’, a simply great rock anthem that would have dominated MTV in years gone by and will stick in your head for years, while the cover of Falco’s ‘Rock Me Amadeus’ works better than it has any right to.
While Helloween’s Keeper Of The Seven Keys albums may have been the starting point for power metal, Edguy have defined their own, more Hard Rock take on the sound and Space Police forces mouth muscles to grin and horns to be raised as it serves up a slew of hooks, choruses and a joie de vivre, a feeling of unashamed joy, all the way through. Sammet’s bold statement is more than backed up. Space Police is the best power metal album since Sabaton’s Carolus Rex, and Edguy’s best since Theater of Salvation.
9/10
Steve Tovey