Trivium
There's no such thing as a band born to greatness. To succeed in the world of music there's a whole energy-sapping storm of hard work to plough through. Florida's Trivium has surely earned the major contender status that has been afforded them by the international media. After spending the last few years up to their necks in blood, sweat and tears, the formidable foursome, whose 2005 sophomore release (and Roadrunner debut) Ascendancy made them a hit with discerning music fans everywhere, have paid their dues. Relentless touring around the world with over 350 shows in the past two years has sharpened the band's live prowess, making their new album, The Crusade, one of the most hotly anticipated hard rock albums of 2006. The level of charisma and energy that they've harnessed since hitting the global gig circuit has built Matthew K. Heafy, Corey Beaulieu, Paolo Gregoletto and Travis Smith a huge international fan base that is as devoted as it is ever growing.
Formed in Orlando, Florida at the dawn of the 21st century, Trivium was soon picked up by small independent label Lifeforce Records, which released their debut album Ember To Inferno in 2003. One track from this album appeared on a magazine compilation CD, which fell into the lap of Roadrunner Records Senior VP of AnR Monte Conner (Slipknot, Sepultura) who immediately heard the potential in the band. "Monte heard the song, gave our manager a call," recounts the now 20-year-old Heafy. "Of course, we all know who Monte Conner is so we started freaking out. It felt like fate because every time I turned on the radio or the TV, there was a Roadrunner band playing. It felt like some kind of omen." To drive it home for Monte, the band recorded a new demo and shot a video for the song Like Light to the Flies" and sent them to him. "He almost immediately responded, saying 'This is what we're looking for. Let's do this!' It was pretty mind-blowing."
In March 2005 the band released Ascendancy a bold and dynamic statement of intent that confirmed the potency of these young men's precocious talents and charisma. The album garnered a large number of frothing, ultra-positive reviews throughout the music press around the world, including the NY Times, Stuff Magazine, Revolver, Decibel and Metal Hammer, Rock Sound and Kerrang! in the UK, who declared Ascendancy 2005's album of the year. Trivium soon graced the covers of a lot of these magazines and picked up a fistful of coveted awards in the UK, including 'Best International Newcomer' at the 2005 Kerrang! Awards ceremony and several Metal Hammer Golden God statuettes. Suddenly it seemed that the sky was the limit! "The UK just rocked, right off the bat," smiles Heafy. "It all happened so quickly. The first show we had in Wolverhampton, we were the first of three bands. We took the stage to this huge Trivium chant, something we never experienced before. When we finished our set the whole room cleared out and people were running out to get our signatures. It was an amazing feeling. The next thing we know, we were given the offer to play at Download."
Globally renowned, the Download Festival takes place on the hallowed turf at Donington Park - one-time home of the legendary 'Monsters Of Rock' festival. Trivium were eager to make their mark in front of such a huge audience... "We were booked to play on the third stage, playing to maybe two or three thousand people," recalls Heafy. "Then they swapped us to the main stage. We were all really stoked, but I remember that at 10:59am there was no one there at all. 30 seconds after that, 40,000 people came swarming across the hill towards the stage. We were thinking 'What the fuck do we do now?' The next thing I know we've played the biggest show of our lives."
Trivium didn't slow down after that tremendous accomplishment. Instead they continued to traverse the globe seeking to spread their metallic gospel. Festivals and headlining shows around the world followed. They even returned to Download in June of 2006, this time as one of the festival's headliners. In the U.S. they were one of the headliners on the Sounds of the Underground Tour. Upon the release of The Crusade, the band will embark on their first U.S. headlining tour and later, be direct support to Iron Maiden on their world stadium tour. "The ride has been completely awesome," states Heafy. "
"Everything that's happened in America, everything that's happened in the UK, all that has allowed us to make an album like this," says Heafy. "As we got to the end we realized we were making something really special. To me, The Crusade is still Trivium. As a band, you can either release the same album again, keeping the same number of people interested and not really branch out, or you can evolve. I feel that The Crusade is the next logical step in our evolution. We took one big step between the first two albums, but this time we've taken about ten huge leaps forward."
"Every album title has been a statement about the band and where we were at that time," furthers Heafy. "'Ember To Inferno' meant that we went from a spark to something special. Ascendancy was about the dream of domination and a gradual rise to success. The Crusade is literally what we've been doing for the last two years, crusading around the planet and getting our music out to everyone."
Recorded at Audiohammer Studio in Sanford, Florida, The Crusade is a faithful account of a great young band's swift and bewildering evolution, from up-and-comer to world-beating behemoth. With long-time engineer Jason Suecof at the controls sharing co-production credits with Trivium, the album is as distinctive and immense as any other metal record in recent memory. It is a dazzling explosion of neck-snapping riffs, grandiose scream-along choruses and outstanding musicianship from all four members of the band. Drummer Travis Smith underpins the sharp brutality of his band's songs with a startlingly dextrous percussive attack, all machine-gun kick drums and octopoid bursts of round-the-kit athleticism. Bassist Paolo Gregoletto reveals a hitherto unheard depth and maturity to his playing through the album as well his inspired note-heavy runs and earthshaking bottom end providing a devastating counterpoint to his band mates' deft compositions. Finally, both frontman Heafy and his six-string counterpart Corey Beaulieu have reached a new plateau of blurred-finger brilliance, with instantly memorable riffs and ear-searing fret-melting solos. Additionally, on the album, Heafy sounds more raw, aggressive and emotive than ever before.
From the opening future-thrash twin-blast of "Ignition" and "Detonation," with their anthemic refrains and blizzards of lacerating lead work, The Crusade is clearly a body of work that could raise the bar for rock bands around the world. There's the staggering, precocious "Anthem (We Are The Fire)," which blends the scathing thrash riffs of Megadeth with the infectious swagger of Motley Crue at their succinct best. The intricate, rumbling bludgeon of "Becoming The Dragon" has a pummelling, cyclical rhythmic drive and soaring, left-of-centre chorus. The doom-laden, emotion-stuffed "And Sadness Will Sear", reveals a new, darker, edgier side to Trivium's otherwise hook-laden chops. The deceptively accessible "The Rising" is a sumptuous hymn hewn from the juiciest licks that boasts a phenomenal crowd-rousing chorus... imploring the faithful to &lsquoRaise your voices with me...and sing this song of unity!' This collection of gems culminates in the album's monumental, shape-shifting title track a nine-minute instrumental monstrosity that twists, turns and torments the listener with rapid-fire tempo shifts, immaculate musicianship and a thrilling sense of adventure. It's an obscenely brave and ambitious end to a glorious collection of songs that seems destined to cement Trivium's reputation as the heaviest, sharpest, smartest and hardest working band of their generation.
"We're four very determined people," concludes Matthew. "When I was 12 years old and got into metal, I wanted to be in a huge band. That will never change. We don't take anything for granted and will work hard to make that dream come true. And we've only just started."
Shinedown
Jacksonville, Florida, has enjoyed a long and stirring rock and roll tradition. From the time the seminal guitar crunch of Lynyrd Skynyrd first put this vibrant city on the rock and roll map, J-ville has played an integral role in the on-going evolution of contemporary music. Now a young Jacksonville-based hard rock band named Shinedown appears ready, willing, and more-than-able to add another exciting chapter to their home town's noble rock history book.
As proven throughout their debut album, "LEAVE A WHISPER," vocalist Brent Smith, guitarist Jasin Todd, bassist Brad Stewart, and drummer Barry Kerch have fully absorbed influences ranging from the classic sounds of Skynyrd and Led Zeppelin to the soulful stirrings of Otis Redding to the likes of Staind and Tool - and have filtered them all through their own unique musical perspectives. The resulting musical brew is a true feast for the senses, blending bold, strident guitar power, blues-driven vocal fury, and cutting-edge metallic mayhem into a swirling cauldron of bubbling rock reactants. This is heavy music that stands head and shoulders above today's field of cookie-cutter rock practitioners.
Such songs as the powerful first single, "Fly From The Inside," the emotive "No More Love," and the overwhelming "Burning Bright" show that in the 24 year-old Smith, Shinedown sports one of the most talented singers and unconventional songwriters currently operating within a hard rock context.
Shinedown delivers their musical goods with passion, power and a perception that belies their limited time in the spotlight. "I've wanted to do this all my life," says Smith. "Making music and being in a successful band is all I ever wanted to do, but it's never been easy. Music was never a big deal in my family. My parents just didn't understand what it was really all about. They were encouraging... to a point. But I always dreamed of being given the chance to stand up in front of people and try to move them with my music. I'm incredibly thankful every day that I've now been given that chance."
Formed in early 2001 by these fast-found friends - after Smith left his previous band on the eve of landing a recording deal - it hasn't taken long for Shinedown to begin making their mark. First and foremost, there are the songs. Each one stands as a mini-drama unto itself, a full-fledged slice of rock and roll brilliance where the band's varying influences and tastes all magnificently battle with one another for prominence. "We don't like to do anything in a typical way," Smith says with a grin. "To our way of thinking, each song should be different - as far away from a formula as you can possibly get. We pride ourselves in taking some things you might think you know, and then twisting them around. We're not trying to necessarily be different - it's just the way we are. That keeps it interesting for us, and interesting for the fans as well."
Once the members of Shinedown began to fully appreciate one another's talents and fully hit their musical stride, it didn't take long for the labels to take notice. It was early in 2002 that Atlantic sealed the deal, giving the band the opportunity to turn their rock and roll dreams into reality. Shinedown soon found themselves in a Los Angeles recording studio with producer Bob Marlette (known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne, Saliva, and Black Sabbath), laying down the tracks that would eventually form the core of "LEAVE A WHISPER."
From first note to last, this is a disc that shows a band in control of the full spectrum of rock and roll ingredients. Heavy without being overbearing, insightful without sounding preachy, the music created by Shinedown is designed to send those proverbial shivers racing up and down your spine. While their approach on such tunes as "45" and "Better Version" can seem rather dark and bleak, there's always a positive thread running through the music, leaving the listener with the unmistakable feeling that this has been a musical sojourn well worth taking.
"There were so many things that we wanted to try on this album," Smith said. "We approached it in as cool and calm a manner as we could, but there's no denying that a lot of the time we were like kids in a candy store. That's how excited we were. I think a lot of that energy found its way into the music, which was our intent from the very beginning. We want each song to carry the listener on a journey, and we want to make sure the ride is as interesting as possible. The best way I can describe it is to say that this band is a celebration of being alive. We all have our problems, but if you're honest with yourself, you can draw from that darkness and turn it into something great."
Lynard Skynard
In the BeginningRonnie van Zant was the oldest of 3 and hailed from the tough west side of Jacksonville, Florida, in an area where fighting was a normal pastime. He first started singing in a Gospel Church Women's Choir, but there was another type of music that Ronnie Van Zant wanted. One he pieced together from various musical influences in his life: Shorty Medlocke (Father of Rick Medlocke of the band Blackfoot) was a former sharecropper who played a scrappy style of "Swamp Music" that Ronnie Van Zant became familiar with.
At the age of 16, Ronnie Van Zant was approached by the Band called Us. They needed a lead singer for their Rhythm and Blues Band. "US" was a local favorite that had competed in "Battle of the Bands" Contests. Another such band was called the Mods, which catered to the then rampant British Invasion and featured a young man named Allen Collins. Ronnie Van Zant was also influenced by a new long-hair band called The Rolling Stones. The high-energy music of The Rolling Stones and the Southern influences of Shorty Medlocke had created a dream in the young Ronnie Van Zant.
Ronnie first approached Bob Burns, who had a drum set, and 13 year-old guitar player Gary Rossington. Rossington then recruited Larry Junstrom, the guy with the bass. The final member of what was to be known as "The Noble Five" was Allen Collins, who had the only amplifier! They began playing "Psychedelic Rock", patterned after the Yardbirds and Hendrix, among other notable names.
While in High School, their Gym teacher and local Real Estate Agent Leonard Skinner would often hand out suspensions because they had long hair. At the age of 16 or 17, they dropped out of school and began their musical careers. Then, while playing at local high schools, the Band (as a joke) announced itself as "The Leonard Skinner Band". Members of the crowd that knew about the gym teacher laughed and cheered at the joke, but it was the nucleus they needed. With a few alterations, they would eventually become the " Lynyrd Skynyrd Band "
The Burns Family driveway was the hangout and practice area, which drew complaints of "loud music" from the area neighbors. To escape this problem, the Band practiced at a farmhouse they dubbed "Hellhouse", located 20 miles from Jacksonville, Florida. Fishing was one of the favorite pastimes of Ronnie Van Zant. Many of the songs from the "Pronounced" album would be "created" during this time.
..........After winning a Battle of the Bands Contest in Jacksonville, they landed a spot opening for Strawberry Alarm Clock and went on their first tour! In 1970, they cut their first demos at the Quimvy Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. This was where the first recordings of Freebird originated. The song had little response until Allen Collins added a frenetic guitar ending. Freebird eventually became Lynyrd Skynyrd's Anthem.
Jimmy Johnson of Quinvy Studios was sure that Lynyrd Skynyrd had a sound worth promoting and talked them into going to the studio in Sheffield, Alabama to begin recording again. Later, in the fall of 1971, they were joined by Rick Medlocke (Blackfoot) and Leon Wilkinson. The songs One More Time, Freebird, and Gimme Three Steps were among the ones they recorded. Returning to Jacksonville, the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band found the booking agents cold to their brand of music. They eventually commuted to Atlanta to play, borrowing gas money and then repaying the loans.
Enter Producer/Performer Al Kooper, who realized the Southern Rock scene was taking off, and Lynyrd Skynyrd seemed like the right choice. His contacts with MCA Records enabled Kooper to start the "Sounds of the South" Label. They had 3 groups already, and with the endorsement of Mose Jones, Lynyrd Skynyrd was added to the list as the fourth group to sign.
At this point, Leon Wilkinson leaves the band, and they round up bassist Ed King to replace him. Utilizing Al Kooper's abilities as a producer, Lynyrd Skynyrd learns a few tricks of the trade and release their debut Album: "Pronounced leh-nerd skin-nerd". Shortly after the release of their album, Lynyrd Skynyrd was re-joined by Leon Wilkinson and moved Ed King to guitar. It was a way to bring the recorded music to life by reproducing the double guitar effect added in the studio by Allen Collins. Sweet Home Alabama was a message to Neil Young after his slander of the Southern was of life on his "Harvest" album (Southern Man). It was meant as a joke, really, because they were actually big fans of Neil Young!
..........Soon after recording Sweet Home Alabama in 1973, Lynyrd Skynyrd met with the Press, who were amazed at what they heard. They stood on tables and chairs to just to get a glimpse !! They were then contacted by Peter Rutledge of "The Who" to be the opening act for the 1973 Quadrophenia tour. On Opening Night, they were scared out of their wits and got drunk. It was enough to loosen them up, and the premiere was a success! Even with that experience under their belts and Freebird at the top of the charts, Lynyrd Skynyrd was still looking for the recognition they craved. Ronnie Van Zant was sure Sweet Home Alabama was the top 40 song they were looking for, but Al Kooper disagreed. Ronnie Van Zant then made a deal: if the single with Gimme Three Steps didn't make it, they would release Sweet Home Alabama.
So in June 1974 they released it to help the faltering "Second Helping" album. The controversy involving Neil Young and Watergate made it an instant hit. In September, only 3 short months after it's release, "Second Helping" became a certified gold record followed by "Pronounced" shortly thereafter. MCA then included the Civil War Confederate Flag as a backdrop, and the Band's "look" was cemented. Ronnie Van Zant was not a big fan of the term "Southern Rock", but the band's new face was in place. Lynyrd Skynyrd then went on tour themselves, playing one night shows, and then headed to Europe to continue their attempt to rise to the top. Exhausted from the constant travelling, Bob Burns left Lynyrd Skynyrd for health reasons, and Artimus Pyle was his replacement.
This inspired Ronnie Van Zant to write the song Am I Losin'. Lynyrd Skynyrd returned to Atlanta and continued touring with Artimus on drums. In 1975 they went into the studio and came up with "Second Helping" which included the feature song Saturday Night Special. To promote this album, they again went on tour. Many drunken nights during this 90 day gig resulted in Ed King splitting during the night. The "Torture Tour", as it became known to the band was completed by Allen Collins and Gary Rossington sharing Ed Kings job.
Often, a guy behind the amplifiers would remind them of which songs they were supposed to play. Still, the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band was not happy. Their new manager, Peter Rutledge, recruited Tom Dowd to take control. The first four songs on "Gimme Back My Bullets" were recorded in Los Angeles, and after another tour, they returned to Georgia in November to complete the album. The huge fan support for Gimme Back My Bullets resulted in the band not playing it, mostly due to the reference to a . 38 Special handgun. Fans a t their concerts would actually throw LIVE bullet s on stage whenever they played the theme song! ( Fearing one might go off caused them to not play it )
..........In July 1976 Lynyrd Skynyrd released their first live album entitled "One More From The Road". Not having to go into the Recording Studio gave them a chance to look for the elusive third guitarist they needed. They found the answer in The Honkettes, a female gospel band. Lynyrd Skynyrd had toured with this group of Gospel singers, and Cassie Gaines, a member of this group, made plans for her brother to play, even before he was introduced to the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band. His name was Steve Gaines. But it seems Cassie forgot to tell him! His familiarity with the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band had influenced Crawdaddy, the band he was in. One of the songs they performed was Saturday Night Special. While Steve was surprised at this turn of events, his guitar-playing ability soon had Ronnie Van Zant and the rest of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band in shock themselves. At the age of 26, Steve Gaines was already a veteran in the music industry, and it showed when he stepped on the stage to jam to T for Texas.
It was the influence of Allen Collins that eventually landed Steve Gaines the job, and he was called two weeks later to accompany the band to Myrtle Beach, NC for a gig. Following this concert, the band began rehearsing for the live album concert. They only had a month before this concert, but it was all they needed. "One More From the Road" is truly a Lynyrd Skynyrd Band classic. Lynyrd Skynyrd then went to the Knebworth Festival in Great Britain to play. They stole the show from another group of long-hairs (and lips) known as The Rolling Stones. Even though they had some problems, when "One More From the Road" was finally released, it climbed to the Top 10 level in no time, and went to Gold and Platinum Record status. This elevated them into the upper echelon of the music business. The Lynyrd Skynyrd Band had finally made it! Lynyrd Skynyrd again entered the studio to record their next album, but they were not satisfied with it. They again hit the road to tour, playing with such artists as Santana, Framptonand "The Outlaws".
The newly found prestige was well accepted and earned. Shortly after the end of the tour, they again went into the Miami Recording Studios -- only to find Tom Dowd unavailable. However, he sent a replacement, Barry Rudolph, to fill in. Rudolph's previous recording experience with Waylon Jennings was well received, and the band was able to re-do You Got That Right and That Smell. Tom Dowd did not return to finish the project, and if you look, you'll see there are no producer credits on the album. The Lynyrd Skynyrd Band released "Street Survivors" in October 1977. It was only 3 days later that the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band's private jet ran out of fuel and crashed in a wooded area near McComb, Mississippi as it attempted to land. Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines and Dean Kilpatrick were all killed instantly. The remaining band members were also injured, but survived the ordeal.
The Lynyrd Skynyrd Band was the premiere Southern Rock band that had yet to reach their pinnacle.
We can only dream of what they might have done...
The Offspring
Vocal/Guitar --- Dexter (Bryan Holland)Drums --- Ron (Ron Welty)(Left the band in 2003) Atom Willard (Atom Willard (Joined the band in 2003)Guitar --- Noodles (Kevin Wasserman) Bass --- Greg K (Greg Kriesel)
By 1984, when what would have become the Offspring formed, the original Orange County punk scene had fractured. We used to go this dance club called Circle City, and there'd be 10 different cliques, " says Kriesel."In our high school there was a rockabilly scene, as well as a mod scene and a New Wave scene, as well as a punk scene," Holland adds. But at Pacifica High, a large public school in Garden Grove, Calif. Holland wasn't a member of any of those groups. The third of four children born to a hospital administator father and a schoolteacher mother, he kept busy being a "good kid" and hoped to be a doctor. sports were a really big thing," Holland says, "I was on the cross-country team." He also happened to be class valedictorian (thus his nickname, Dexter). His senior year, Holland's older brother gave him a Rodney on the ROQ compilation album.
Before then, Holland was a casual listener. But soon after, he was devouring Flipside and Maximumrocknroll, fanzines out of Pasadena, Calif., and Berkeley, Calif., respecively, that are virtual how-to guides to punkdome. His favorite bands were T.S.O.L. (particulary 1981's Dance With Me), the Adolescents and Agent Orange County bands that weren't as hung up on politic as their Bay Area counterparts. Holland's cross-country teammate Greg Kriesel discovered punk even later. His investment-banker father saw law school in his son's future. And for most of high school, Kriesel was a sports fan and self-proclaimed jock (he also played baseball). The first punk records he ever heard were the ones the ones Holland played for him. "Music wasn't something that meant a lot to me," he says. "But I started listening to it because it was around, and I got used to it."
Holland and Krisel formed their first band, Manic Subsidal, with two other cross-country teammates one night in 1984 after failing to get in a Social Distortion show. At the time, the two didn't even own instruments, much less know how to play them. "Bryan and I both learned together," says Kriesel, "and he wasn't even playing chords at the time, so he'd play on one string, and I tried to do the same thing. By the summer we were actually playing songs, but it took a while." Kriesel's house was the site of the band's first gigs. "It's just always a hangout," Kriesel says, "on any given weekend night up to 20 people could drop by. I had a big upstairs that was pretty much mine, and my mom was downstairs. But she's always been really cool about it.
That fall, Holland began premed studies at USC (he's currently a Ph.D. candidate in molecular biology). Kriesel was attending Golden West Junior College and later recieved a B.A. in finance from Long Beach State while working part time in a print shop (he's planning to attend law school). Weekends were the only time the band could rehearse. Once Holland had written a handful of songs with self-explanitory titles like "Very Sarcastic" and "Sorority Bitch," the fledgling band headed for a cheap studio. Momentarily waylaid when its guitarist jumped ship, the band recruited Kevin Wasserman, an older Pacifica grad who then worked as the school janitor. Pretty soon, Wasserman was "not doing a hell of a lot except practicing at Greg's house on weekends and drinking excessively." Being the only member of the band over 21, Wasserman was particularly useful when it came to buying beer.
"I remember being amazed by Bryan," Wasserman says, "He was valedictorian, he was such a math geek. So when I first saw him with black hair and plaid bondage pants, I was like 'What are you doing?' But I thought it was cool, going beyond what I thought was society's role for him." Ron Welty moved to Garden Grove for part of high school, and it was there that his older stepsister introduced him to Holland. "My mom's been through a few divorces," Welty says. "She'd get remarried and we'd move, and then she'd get divorced, we'd move." Welt was only 16 when he begged Holland to let him substitute for Manic Subsidal's drummer who had started medical school and wads missing lots of gigs.
In 1987, the Offsping paid to release their own 7-inch single. Unable to afford the additional quarter per copy it cost to paste the front sleves to the backs, the band bought a case of beer and glue sticks and held a party for its friends. "To this day the covers don't hold together too well," says Holland. It took the band two and a half years to get rid of the 1,000 copies it printed. Two years and a pile of rejections later, the Offspring scored a contract with Nemesis, a small punk label distributed by Cargo.
After tracking down producer Thom Wilson, who had crafted their favorite albums by T.S.O.L., the Vandals and the Dead Kennedys, the Offspring recorded another 7-inch single, called Baghdad, and an album debut titled The Offspring. "All punk bands back in '84 wrote about was police, death, religion and war," says Holland. "So that's what we did." While recording a track for a Flipside compilation with Brett Gurewitz - owner of Epitaph records and then Southern California's biggest punk success story, Bad Religion - the Offspring glimpsed a rosier future. "A little after that, I got a tape," says Gurewitz. "But I have to admit I passed on it."
A year later, when the Offspring began circulating demos for what would become their next album to every punk label they could think of, Gurewitz reconcidered. "It definitely had what people call the Epitaph sound," he says. "High energy, rebelleous punk with great melodies and cool economical song structures. "In 1992 Epitaph released Ignition, 12 brief but energetic Offspring songs that summed up the previous decade of Orange County Punk. Other Epitaph bands include Rancid and NOFX.In 1994 their breakthough single Come out and Play and top hit Self Esteem helped push thier third album, Smash to the best selling independent record of all time (9 million plus), and heavy MTV rotation.
After the success of Smash, new fans discovered Ignition as it reappeared in stores. Due to the amount of overpriced, poor quality bootlegs, they rereleased their self titled The Offspring in 1995 with thier own label, Nitro. Nitro has released albums for several other bands, including The Vandals and Guttermouth. In 1996, the Offspring signed with Columbia records after disputes with Epitaph.Their next album, Ixnay on the Hombre, was released in February 1997. Dexter and Jello Biafra stared their own benefit foundation, FSU this year. They are currently on tour
THE OFFSPRING TIMELINE DISCOGRAPHY
The Offspring (Nemesis/Cargo 1989 reissued on Nitro 1995)Ignition (Epitaph 1992)Smash (Epitaph 1994)Ixnay on the Hombre (Columbia, 1997)Americana (Columbia, 1998)Conspiracy of One (Columbia, 2000)Splinter (Columbia, 2003)
HISTORY
1984: Orange County high school classmates Dexter Holland and Greg Kriesel are inspired to form a band after an Irvine concert by local punk-rock heroes Social Distortion. With Holland the vocalist, Kriesel takes to the bass.
1985: School custodian Noodles joins up, allegedly for his ability to legally procure alcohol for the underage trio. The threesome practice in Kriesel's parents' house and play their first shows in Santa Cruz and San Francisco.
1986: The band, originally called Manic Subsidal, changes its name to The Offpsring. They press up 1,000 copies of the debut vinyl single, "I'll Be Waiting" b/w "Blackball," on their own Black Label. The band pioneers its DIY method by glueing the sleeves together at Kriesel's house.
Sixteen-year-old Ron Welty becomes the fourth member of The Offspring after the original drummer leaves to devote more time to school.
1989: Band signs to independent label Nemesis/Cargo. With punk producer Thom Wilson (T.S.O.L., The Vandals and Dead Kennedys), they release The Offspring, their debut album, which sells 3,000 vinyl copies.
1991: The band put out a 7" EP, Baghdad (Nemesis/Cargo) and records "Take It Like a Man" for a Flipside magazine compilation, The Big One, produced by Epitaph Records owner (and Bad Religion guitarist) Brett Gurewitz.
1992: The band signs to Epitaph and record their second album, Ignition. After a record release party in Fullerton, CA draws 25 diehard fans, the album goes on to sell more than 1 million albums worldwide.
1993-'94: The band tours the U.S. once with Lunachicks and next with Pennywise. They also do a European jaunt supporting NOFX.
1994: Smash, their second album for Epitaph, is released. Featuring the mega-hits "Come Out and Play (Keep 'Em Separated)," "Self Esteem' and "Gotta Get Away," the album is a phenomenon. The disc sells more than 11 million copies worldwide, the most ever for a band on an indie label, after "Come Out and Play" becomes a gigantic MTV hit. The album peaks at #4 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart.
1995: Dexter and Greg start Nitro Records. The Huntington Beach-based label forms a roster that includes such California stalwarts as the Vandals, AFI, Guttermouth and others. Nitro also reissues the band's self-titled debut on CD for the first time. The Offspring's cover of the Damned's "Smash It Up" is featured on the best-selling Batman Forever soundtrack.
1997: The Offspring sign with Columbia Records, and release the Dave Jerden-produced Ixnay on the Hombre in February. The album sells more than 3 million worldwide and peaks at #9 on the Billboard 200, with singles "All I Want," "Gone Away," and "I Choose" all hitting the Modern Rock charts. Spin raved: "Punk-rock zealots can take their rage to the grave, but what this band cares about beyond everything else is what zealots can abide least: songs." The L.A. Times praised the album as "richly varied and thoroughly smart.. a mature, sometimes daring and always enticing effort by a band that constantly offers far more than meets the ear." Jello Biafra makes a cameo appearance on Ixnay and joins the band on-stage to perform version of Dead Kennedy classics "Chemical Warfare" and "Holiday in Cambodia."
1998: An MP3 file of "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)," from the band's yet-to-be-released Americana album is downloaded a record 22 million times over a 10-week period, landing it the #1 spot on Rolling Stone's Top Pirated Internet Songs chart. When Americana is released in November, worldwide sales climb past the 10 million mark, thanks to the catchy single and MTV video. Other singles include "Why Don't You Get a Job?," "The Kids Aren't Alright" and "She's Got Issues." The band's touring schedule takes them to Woodstock '99 for an acclaimed performance captured on film and the 1999 Reading/Leads Festivals in the U.K. "We love what we do," says Holland. "We want to make the best music we can and try to top what we did before."
1999: The group follows its tour of the U.S. with shows in Australia and Japan. The Offspring makes a cameo appearance in the cult horror/comedy Idle Hands, playing a cover of the Ramones' "I Wanna Be Sedated" and "Beheaded" from their self-titled debut before Dexter is killed after speaking his one line.
2000: The group is hit with a cease-and-desist order from file-sharing service Napster after offering T-shirts sporting the company's famed logo for sale on the band's website. The band defends its actions, claiming they were simply "sharing" the logo with fans.
The band spawns more controversy when they decide to offer their new album Conspiracy Of One free of charge via the Internet prior to its initial November release date. Fans downloading the record were automatically registered in a contest to be awarded $1,000,000 directly from the band (live on MTV) on the day of the album's release. Fans who go on to buy the record are awarded membership in the Offspring Nation digital fan club, receiving exclusive downloads of unreleased material, advance ticket sales, guarded chats with the band and more. Sony Music doesn't agree and threatens a lawsuit. The band avoids the lawsuit by making individual singles available on their official website and MTV Online. "The reality is this album will end up on the Internet whether we want it to or not," Holland tells the L.A. Times. "So we thought, 'Why don't we just do it ourselves?' We're not afraid of the Internet. We think it's a very cool way to reach our fans."
2001: The Offspring headline KROQ's Inland Invasion at Blockbuster Pavilion in Devore with Incubus, Long Beach Dub Allstars, Pennywise, Social Distortion, Weezer, Mike D and Mixmaster Mike on July 18. In December, the band record "Defy You" with Brendan O'Brien for the soundtrack to Orange County, starring Colin Hanks and Jack Black. Dave Meyers directs the video.
2002: In March, The Offspring play the Las Vegas premiere of Tony Hawk's Boom Boom Huck Jam, with an array of action sports champions like Hawk, Bob Burnquist, Dave Mirra, Mat Hoffman and Carey Hart, then go on for four more dates that fall. In July, they play a benefit concert with T.S.O.L. at the Anaheim House of Blues for They Will Surf Again and Life Rolls On, not-for-profit organizations formed by professional surfers dedicated to finding a cure for spinal cord injuries. In September, they open the Kerrang! Awards in London before being presented with the Classic Songwriter award by Garbage's Shirley Manson. Said the venerable metal mag: "They have influenced and continue to influence new generations of K!-heads. Tonight's award nails not only The Offspring's glorious past, but their ongoing relevance."
2003: The Offspring cover the Ramones' "I Wanna Be Sedated," which they first did for the film Idle Hands, on the tribute album We're a Happy Family (Columbia), joining Metallica, Eddie Vedder, Marilyn Manson and KISS and among others.
The band lay down demos for the new album at Holland's D-13 studios in his native Huntington Beach, then continue recording with producer Brendan O'Brien in Atlanta at Southern Tracks Recording and Henson Recording Studios in L.A. Drummer Ron Welty leaves the band. Former Vandals and A Perfect Circle drummer Josh Freese takes over duties for the recording process. The group is also joined in the studio by two old-school SoCal punk pals, Pennywise's Jack Lindberg and T.S.O.L.'s Jack Grisham, who takes time off from his campaign for Governor of California to lay down some background vocals.
Holland announces the record will be called Chinese Democracy as an obvious tweak to Axl Rose, who had previously announced that was the title to the new Guns N Roses album he's been working on for much of the past decade. "It was so damn funny," says Dexter. "We felt like we had to do it. The idea of stealing the title of an album someone else has been working on for so long was very funny to us. You snooze, you lose. Axl ripped off my braids, so I ripped off his album title." But ultimately, the band announced on their website that the decision to title the album Chinese Democracy had somehow caused production to come to a halt. "That album title jinxed us," said Dexter.
The band visit Hawaii, where they film a surfing video with Da Hui, a notorious gang of native Islanders who welcome them to their North Shore turf. The footage will appear as extra footage on their upcoming CD.
The group decide to name the album, Splinter, which is now scheduled to come out Dec. 9 and choose the first single, "Hit That." In October, they bring in drummer Atom Willard, who was in Rocket From the Crypt for 10 years as well as playing with Moth and the Alkaline Trio.
Green Day
Childhood friends Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar, vocals) and Mike Dirnt (bass; born Michael Pritchard) formed their first band 'Sweet Children' when they were 14 years old in Rodeo, California. By 1989, the group had added drummer John Kiftmeyer (aka: Al Sobrante) and changed their name to Green Day after one of their songs. That year, the band independently released their first EP, 1,000 Hours, which was well received in the punk scene. The band soon signed to local independent label, Lookout! Records (run by Larry Livermore) and their debut album "39/Smooth" was also released that year. Shortly after its release, Kiftmeyer announced that he was going to college and suggested his former drum tutor Tre Cool (born Frank Edwin Wright, III) to take over as the band's permanent drummer. Throughout the early '90s, Green Day continued to cultivate a cult following, which only gained strength with the release of their sophomore album, 1992's 'Kerplunk'.
The underground success of 'Kerplunk' led to a wave of interest from the major record labels. Eventually the band decided to sign with Reprise Records and their major label debut 'Dookie' was released in the spring of 1994. Thanks to relentless touring and somewhat surprising MTV support for initial single "Longview," Dookie became a mainstream hit. The album continued to gain momentum throughout the summer, with the second single "Basket Case" spending five weeks on the top of the American modern rock charts. At the end of the summer, the band stole the show at Woodstock '94, which helped the sales of Dookie increase. By the time the fourth single "When I Come Around" began its seven-week stay at number one in the modern rock charts in early 1995, Dookie had sold over five million copies in the US alone. Eventually this figure would top eight million records sold in America, and selling over eleven million copies internationally. Along with Dookie's commercial success, the band also received critical acclaim when they won the 1994 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Performance.
Green Day quickly followed Dookie with 'Insomniac' in the fall of 1995. Prior to the album's release they again hit number one again on the U.S. modern rock charts with "J.A.R.," (a tribute to their friend Jason Andrew Relva, which appears on the soundtrack to the film 'Angus'). 'Insomniac' performed well initially, entering the US charts at number two and selling over two million copies by the spring of 1996. However, none of the subsequent singles -- including the radio favourite 'Brain Stew/Jaded' -- were as popular as those from Dookie. In the spring of 1996, Green Day abruptly cancelled a European tour, claiming exhaustion. Following the cancellation, the band spent the rest of the year resting and writing new material. The end result is what many call the best album of their career: 'Nimrod'.
'Nimrod' was well received by fans and critics alike, managing to land at #10 on the Billboard charts having sold 80,000 copies in it's first week. However, Green Day's comeback single "Hitchin' A Ride" only made it to #5 on the modern rock charts despite being placed in heavy rotation on MuchMusic and MTV. In response to this the band released what is arguably their most successful single ever. Although it would not make it to number one in the mainstream charts (it's highest position was #2), "Time of Your Life" is now probably the most well known song Green Day have ever written. Featuring Billie Joe on acoustic guitar & vocals, and Petra Hayden (of That Dog) on violin, "Time Of Your Life" became the song to play in any remotely sad situation. The song was even used on the last ever episode of the hit TV show Seinfeld (the most watched finale in the history of TV). Along with Seinfeld, the song was also played during two different episodes of hit drama E.R, making it possibly the most heard song that year on television. Despite gaining the band more critical respect than they would have received with another Dookie or Insomniac, 'Nimrod' only sold about two million copies, and was seen as a commercial flop in comparison. During the 'Nimrod' era the band also vastly improved their live show and even one "Best Live Performance" at the Kerrang awards.
After nearly two years out of the media spotlight Green Day returned in late 1999 to play Neil Young's "Bridge School Benefit Concert", their first live acoustic performance. Green Day began recording their follow-up to "Nimrod" shortly after, which would eventually become "Warning:". Early in the recording process, the band decided to fire producer Scott Litt, and produce the album themselves. This would be the first time since "Kerplunk" that anyone other than Rob Cavallo had produced the band. After they finished recording, Green Day decided to do something else they hadn't done before and headlined the 2000 Vans Warped Tour. Green Day played an amazing set and brought more fans to the tour than any other year in Warped's history (their Toronto performance alone attracted 7,000 more fans than they had any other year).
Released in the fall of 2000, "Warning:" was by far Green Day's most ambitious album to date and first single "Minority" sat at the top of the Billboard Modern Rock Chart after just four weeks. Although "Warning:" contained some of the band's best songs to date (in particular the excellent third single "Waiting"), many fans didn't take too well to the band's new punk-folk sound. Although it has since been certified platinum sales status, "Warning" is arguably Green Day's least successful album. After "Warning:" the band released a greatest hits album entitled 'International Super Hits' and a b-sides compilation called "Shenanigans" as well as their first DVD 'International Supervideos" which chronicles the band's music videos thus far. The band subsequently embarked on a huge 'Greatest Hits' world tour which lead to many people believing the end was nigh for Green Day seeing as most bands only release a "Greatest Hits" albums near the end of their career.
However, these rumours soon died down when after another long hiatus the band announced that a new album was in the works. "What's It Going To Sound Like?" people wondered from all over the Green Day community. "Is it going to be another 'Warning' or are they going to go back to their Punk Rock roots?". Those questions have recently been answered with the explosive new single "American Idiot" which incidentally is also the title track to the new album. For the first time in Green Day's history, Billie Joe has let loose some great politically motivated lyrics and from what we have heard of this album already it looks like Green Day might have made the best album of their career!
Three Days Grace
Adam Gontier - vocals, guitarBrad Walst - bass, vocalsNeil Sanderson - drums, vocals
There's something a little creepy about growing up in a town so small, you can bear witness to indiscretions and trace the causes and effects on people's lives. On the self-titled Jive debut from Three Days Grace, the Toronto-based trio originally from Norwood, Ontario, Canada, has produced a potent hard-edged rock album, filled with melodic choruses and lyrics that explore the darker side of human behavior.
From the first single, "(I Hate) Everything About You," which deals with love-hate relationships; to confronting and fighting for your individuality in "Just Like You," Three Days Grace writes songs of inner struggle and the desire, in a way, for freedom. Musically, there's a range from the eerie "Let You Down," with its near demented vocal to the progressive "Burn" with its intricate rhythms, to a more straight ahead rocker such as "Home."
"We saw a lot of crazy things growing up and a lot of our material comes from that," says drummer Neil Sanderson, the more garrulous of the three.
"I don't find it easy to write about happy shit," admits lead singer-guitarist Adam, somberly. "You don't need a release when you're happy."
Adam and Brad grew up in Norwood, a town of 1500 people, just one set of streetlights, but a city's worth of drama. "You get a different perspective on people," explains Brad. "Everyone knows each other and you can't hide anything. Maybe that's why we can see through the façade that many people hide behind."
Neil hails from Peterborough, just 25 minutes away, a bigger city, which has spawned model/actress Estella Warren and rocker Sebastian Bach. When the band first formed a rock group (under a different name with a different repertoire) in high school, Adam isn't exaggerating when he says, "all 1500 people in Norwood were supporting the band."
The guys didn't strategize about how to get their faces on MTV or land a coveted record deal. They just loved playing live, anywhere. "We opened for a movie once," Neil points out. "We used to cruise up to the Muskokas (Ontario cottage country) in my K car with a tent trailer on the back and play three hour sets at the local bars."While they always threw in a couple of original songs into their set, it wasn't until they relocated to Toronto in 1997 and adopted the band name Three Days Grace that they really came out hammering as an original act. "Like any small community, you get to a certain age, and you feel like you have three options. It's either sports, drugs or, for us, it was music. It was a way to get out," Adam explains.
Once settled in Toronto, they hooked up temporarily with an old manager, who introduced them to local musician, songwriter and producer Gavin Brown. "We played him years of material and he picked out what he called 'the golden nuggets,'" Adam recalls of the 90-minute set they performed for him at their rehearsal space.Together, they sorted through the songs and pulled them apart, improving on them enough for the first set of demos. EMI Music Publishing Canada president Mike McCarty wanted to hear more. The band spent more time with Gavin and came up with "(I Hate) Everything About You," the potential chart-buster that landed 3DG its publishing deal with EMI (Feb./02) and would eventually become the first single from its Jive debut.
"There's a perspective that Gavin has that's really effective. We've learned a lot working with him," Neil says of songwriting. "We're influenced by bands like Kyuss and Sunny Day Real Estate, but Gavin really respects the Beatles and their songwriting standards. He taught us that every part has to be amazing and only then are your songs good enough to matter to others."
Armed with the second set of demos, 3DG's attorney quietly shopped them to record companies. A few came to Toronto to see the band perform, but it was "the Jive crew," as Neil calls them, that made the guys look no further. It started when the label execs made a daring trip in a Canadian snowstorm to see the band perform at Peterborough's Gordon Best Theatre "where we'd played a million times," says Neil. "It's a loyal crowd, a good environment."The clincher was 3DG's trip to meet with Jive in New York. "We were drinking wine with the president Barry Weiss and he was talking about our music as if he hadn't stopped listening to it for weeks," Neil recounts.
"Having the president of the company involved in that sort of way is a big sign of how the company works," adds Adam.In no time, 3DG had convinced the A&R team that to make the best possible recording, it would have to stick with its strong system -- Mr. Gavin Brown, even though few in America had heard of the Canadian musician who did time in the platinum-selling Canadian rock act Big Sugar and played with cool upstarts Danko Jones. He also produced fellow EMI Publishing act Billy Talent, another recent Canadian signing to a different U.S. label.
So in good hands, 3DG and Brown left Canada for greener pastures, literally, to Long View Farms, a live-in studio just outside of Boston. "In the months leading up to Long View, we started to do pre-production for the rest of the record, so by the time we went into Long View we had the whole record pretty well written, except for some minor stuff."Among the material was "Let You Down," about deception, as well as the self-explanatory "Scared." "Some of the songs took years to write; others were put together in a few days," says Brad. "Overrated," the album's closer, he adds, "was written in one day."
Ignoring the temptation to ride the horses at the ranch-style facility, the band buckled down for half the record, before relocating to Bearsville, in Woodstock, NY. Both studios proved to be the perfect environment for these small-town boys easily distracted by big cities. With nothing to do but work, the three got into a creative zone mentally. Bearsville - at which one of Adam's favorite albums was recorded, Jeff Buckley's Grace - was still an isolated studio, but this time on a huge estate. While there were no horses, there were hoards of deer everywhere.
From Gavin's goading of Adam in order to get the most impassioned vocal take (he jumped up and down, banged on the glass or told the singer he sucked) to the ingenious idea of dumping pennies on a guitar to make it sound like a raging fire (check out the album intro), the result is an uncompromising rock release that gets the listener to think. Maybe then, big city folks will find that what makes a small town tick isn't so very different after all.
Tool
Danny grew up in Paola, KS. Relatively normal, an element of mystery was added to Danny's childhood when one day he spied his father with a large sword conducting a Masonic ritual. Danny would later notice himself performing similar movements when he began playing drums at the age of thirteen. As Danny progressed through high school and then college at the University of Missouri in Kansas City he began supplementing his studies in percussion with speculation into the principles of geometry, science, and metaphysics. A commitment to life as an artist brought Danny to LA where he was able to perform as a studio drummer with projects like Carole King and play around town with Pygmy Love Circus. He would later find an outlet for addressing a fuller scope of his potentials in Tool and another project operating under the title of Zaum. Despite not becoming a Mason or aligning himself with any other school of religion, Danny has maintained his heritages interest in occult studies. Endeavors into this realm have manifested periodically, such as the time he achieved insight into a hidden aspect of the unicursal hexagram utilizing an astral journey initiated through meditation and DMT. Danny then set up his drums into proportions utilizing the circle and square of the New Jerusalem and uttered a short prayer relating to the principles of the ace of swords from the book of Thoth. He then performed a ritual utilizing his new found knowledge of the unicursal hexagram to generate a pattern of movement in space relating to Fuller's vector equilibrium model. The resulting rhythm and gateway summoned a daemon he has contained within "the Lodge" that has been delivering short parables similar to passages within the Book of Lies. Danny recommends as a device of protection and containment a thorough study and utilization of the underlying geometry of the Temple of Solomon for anyone purchasing their next record.
Justin began his celebration of life in England where as a child you could often find him playing soccer with his siblings and friends. Sometimes Justin would catch himself mesmerized by the dancing and spinning of the ball sensing the possibilities of worlds within worlds. At the age of eight he began playing guitar and at fourteen started meeting and playing with the friends he would eventually form the band Peach with. Peach released the album"Giving Birth to a Stone" and later appeared as an opening band for Tool on several dates in England. Carrying with him a strange sense of alternate realities, Justin found himself able to access them through music and altered states of consciousness . When Tool needed a bass player in 1995 the journey to America seemed simple compared to the paths he had explored within his own mind. Currently Justin has been practicing entering hypnagogic states facilitated by sonic landscapes and a highly specialized form of tensor yoga. These function as the arc and threads that buoy and retrieve him from the watery matrices and emotional labyrinths he explores. He then utilizes these experiences as a reference point in his riffs and style to induce a holographic depth to Tool's music. Keep your eyes open for the scheduled re-release for Peach's "Giving Birth to a Stone" happening sometime soon.
One reason Maynard was drawn to L.A. in the early 90's was to explore the possibilities of sacred temple architecture and regeneration. Thus it is perhaps easiest to sketch a brief history of Maynard through some of the elements within his living space. The floor has a formation that's round on both sides and hi in the middle that is best measured with the equation DV/D = I (I being incidence); and a pack of gum, mo' happiness, and the apostle. Examining the wall introduces art pieces by Ramiro Rodriquez and themes best grasped through being Jung in Michigan. At the window frame a hairless cat stares intently outside at squawking irish parrots swaying drunkenly. Coast to coast some things never change. In another direction is a calendar of crossed out squares with A Perfect Circle scribed on May 23rd and "NIN tour" written under April 12th.
Adam's journey began in Libertyville, Illinois where, as a child, Adam began skipping Sunday school to read comics books at a nearby store. This rejection of the word of god in favor of the images of the comic microcosm carried over to school where Adam would draw pictures during teacher's lectures and think of music during math class. Adam studied violin as a child, but as Adam grew older he began to move away from the rigidity of a classical music and towards the sonic potentials of guitar playing. While most kids were involved in sports and homework Adam's musical talents and continued interest in comic books and sketching evolved into a desire for integrating and animating his ideas through the medium of film and the manipulation of three dimensional space through sculpture. Despite a film school scholarship offer Adam chose art school where he was able to hone his sculpting and sketching abilities. Still maintaining an interest in films Adam moved to LA and received training in make-up effects. He started a career working for Stan Winston's doing make-up effects and spent a few years working on movies. Maynard and Adam decided to start a band while keeping their day jobs...the rest is history. It has only been through the last nine years, however, that Adam has begun to explore the full potentials of projecting his thoughts and emotions through Tool's songs, videos, and album artwork. Sometimes in this environment, Adam is able to achieve a state of synesthesia where playing guitar invokes visions and images to appear before him and making videos, sketching, or sculpting creates auditory hallucinations of riffs and music. Currently Adam is sculpting a piece for the re-release of the Peach album Giving Birth to a Stone, writing music each day for the next Tool album with Danny and Justin, sketching the images he obtains in these practices, and dealing with the business side of the music industry. One way to perceive the experiences that have led to Adam's state in Tool is as the exploration of contrasting modalities of perception. As the hemispheres of the brain struggle for dominance there is a constant shifting of polarity between the right and left lobes that exists as music vs. number, image vs. word, being vs. doing, and holistic integration vs. linear abstraction.
Pantera
Full name: Darrell Lance AbbottInstrument: GuitarsBirthday: 20th August 1966.Birthplace: Dallas, Texas
Short biography:Darrel Abbott grew up outside of Dallas, Texas, where his father owned a recording studio.He saw many great blues and country artists come through as clients of his father and he learned from them. He learned quickly. So quickly in fact that he was not allowed to enter any guitar contests in the whole state because he'd already won them all... He was 16. Itseems though that, even with this prodigical skill, the band wasn't sure which direction to go artisticly until almost 1990 with the release of Cowboys From Hell. Before the development of their Power Groove, Pantera released a few unknown albums of cheezy-sounding glam rock (if you ever get a chance to hear anything from that era, I suggest you do. Songs like Ride My Rocket off of Metal Magic are quite entertaining. I can only decribe the sound as something like old Bon Jovi or Poison with amazing guitar solos). As far as the change of alias from Diamond Darrell to Dimebag Darrell, the six-string guru claims that it has always been Dimebag, there was just a bunch of confusion about it. Personally, I believe he was coaxed into toning the Dimebag handle down early on strictly for PR purposes.
Anthrax
In the beginning of the 1980s in the US a great many bands were formed who took their inspiration from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Among the most gifted of those were bands like TWISTED SISTER, MÖTLEY CRÜE, WASP, MANOWAR and of course Anthrax.
Anthrax was formed back in 1981 by two guitarists Scott Ian and Dan Lilker. They had been classmates at the Bayside school in the Queens area of New York. Both of them already had a certain experience on stage; they played in FOUR X and WHITE HEAT respectively. Other members of the band were Dave Weiss, Paul Kahn, and John Connelly the lead singer. Problems began to appear from the very beginning. Several members left the band due to their incapability of following the standards set by Scott and Dan. The first three songs they recorded were "Sin", "Antichrist" and "Haunting Dog" with Neil Turbin at the vocals.
Anthrax's first appearance on stage took place at the "Battle of the Bands" that they have naturally won. This permitted the band to win over some local heavy metal fans, but this was not enough for them to obtain a contract with a record label. After a few more line-up changes, Charlie Benante has become the drummer of Anthrax and still remains one today, and Danny Spitz the rhythm guitarist (and has remained one for a long time). A little later, a manger called John Zazula showed a certain interest in ANTHRAX'S, music, but he thought they should work on their sound. He and his wife Marsha were the founders of the Megaforce Records and Crazed Management.
It's thanks to them that the famous Anthrax-Metallica cooperation was made possible as Metallica were also signed on the Megaforce Records. Finally Anthrax could register their first single "Soldiers of Metal" followed by "Howling Furies". The producer if the singles was Ross the Boss from Manowar (they played at the same concert just prior to that). Three thousand copies of the first single were sold in just two weeks. This encouraged John Z. to sign a long-term contract with the band and he sent them on a tour with METALLICA and RAVEN.
Finally, in 1984, Anthrax have recorded their first album entitled Fistful of Metal, that clearly showed the talent of the band thanks to the ultra-fast riffs in the style of thrash and speed metal. A lot of importance must also be attached to the lyrics of the band, who have not followed the fashion of writing about Satan and witches, but rather focused on everyday problems such as drugs and violence.
After this recording, Dan Lilker decided to leave the band and was replaced by Frank Bello, Charlie's nephew. Prior joining Anthrax, Frank was an Anthrax roadie. He still remains a member of Anthrax.
After one of the Anthrax concerts, Neil Turbin showed a highly disrespectful and arrogant attitude towards the public and had to be fired as a consequence. Anthrax have remained without a lead singer for a whole two months. They have worked with Matt Fallon on the Spreading the Disease album for a while, but they needed a permanent member. By a coincidence, they have heard about Joey Belladonna, who ironically sang in a band called MEGAFORCE. He was to greatly mark the history of Anthrax. They have put tremendous pressure on Joey to become a member of Anthrax and he finally accepted. They have completed the Spreading the Disease album with him and it was around then that Anthrax found their own sound.
In February 1985, the Armed and Dangerous album came out. Right after that Anthrax took part in the "Metal Hammer Road Shows" with ANGEL STEEL and OVERKILL.
In summer 1985 Charlie and Scott decided to form a side band called the STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH (SOD). The two other band members were Billy Milano and their former member Dan Lilker who they were still friends with. In only three days they have recorded 21 songs with their producer Alex Perlas. The name given to the album was "Speak English or Die". The record became known for its extremely heavy music and half-serious but nevertheless satirical lyrics.
The band broke up right after that. The Armed and Dangerous album has attracted the attention of the Island Records. They have signed a contract with the band and the next album that was originally entitled Anthrax Kills but was finally renamed Among the Living came out via Island. At the moment this album came out Anthrax were already a mature band. They have toured Europe several times, especially with Metallica, but one of these tours was cancelled due to the tragic death of Cliff Barton.
Among the Living was a turning point for Anthrax. They have introduced several new aspects in their music, making allusions to the works of Stephen King and rap music. "Among the Living", for example was inspired by Stephen King's The Stand. The song "I am the Law" was inspired by a character named Judge Dreadd from the famous comics series. The basic idea behind the "Efilnikufesin N.F.L." song (for those who have me on their ICQ, it sounds familiar, right?) was put forward by Scott Ian after he read the book about the death of John Belushe, the leader of the BLUES BROTHERS, from an overdose. The song entitled "Caught in a Mosh" is not about moshing, but rather the situations you often find yourself in against your own will.
It was inspired by an accident with one of the Anthrax roadies when he stage dived and injured his back. Two more songs on that album deserve particular attention: "Indians" and "One World". The first one talks about the discrimination of the native Americans (Joey is himself a native American) and the second one is about the catastrophic results that could take place if the nations keep antagonizing themselves.
Despite the energy that can be easily taken for aggression by some people, Anthrax remain a pacifist and an optimistic band. By making allusions to violence, they try and stress what the major problems of our time are. According to Scott, that they are not putting their subjective opinions across, but rather an objective reality, it's all in the papers. Among the Living faced a couple of problems. Certain critics accused the band of having sold out and several Christian organizations disliked the somewhat satanic cover, but their success was nevertheless undeniable. It was in the beginning of 1988 that Anthrax could tour with their idols, KISS, and establish friendly links with Gene Simmons.
The 12th September 1988 is the release date of the State of Euphoria. Among the biggest hits on the album are "Make Me Laugh", "Schism", "Antisocial" originally by TRUST, "Now It's Dark", "Who Cares Wins", "Misery Loves Company", "Out of Sight, Out of Mind".
The next year Anthrax made an appearance in England, where they played with LIVING COLOR and were invited to the "Head bangers' Ball".
This appearance permitted Anthrax to open the door to the continental Europe. They toured with legendary bands such as MÖTLEY CRÜE, WHITESNAKE, IRON MAIDEN, METALLICA, HALLOWEEN, and KING X. Their European success was supported by that of the US.
Towards the end of 1989 Anthrax began to work on a new album entitled Persistence of time. Unfortunately, on the 24th of January 1990, fire destroyed most of the records. They managed to get the album out by the 20th of July. Soon afterwards they released a new EP called Attack of the Killer B's. Among those songs is "Bring the Noise" that they recorded with Public Enemy, followed by a tour with the same rap group.
In March 1992 Scott reformed SOD to hold a number of concerts that helped them record a disc called Live at Budokan. It was then that Joey Belladonna began to lose interest in what Anthrax were doing and had to be fired. The new vocalist was John Bush, the former lead singer of Armoured Saint. It was with him that the last three albums were recorded: The Sound of White Noise, Stomp 442 and Volume 8: The Threat is Real. Unfortunately, their last 2 record labels, Elektra and Ignition Records did not do a good job promoting those.
In 1998 the SOD were formed once again and they have currently finished work on their new album Bigger Than the Devil
Disturbed
David Draiman: VocalsDan Donegan: GuitarFuzz: BassMike Wengren: Drums
"What I'm trying to do from a lyrical perspective is bring back the majesty of metal," says David Draiman, defining Believe, the follow-up to Disturbed's multi-platinum debut, The Sickness. "With this album I wanted to speak about important things in a grand way, and even touch on things that may not seem so important, but come at them from a perspective that makes them inviting, delicious--even foreboding in a way."Among his many distinguishing characteristics, Draiman has superb enunciation. As a singer, it provides his voice with scalpel-like precision that razors through the great articulated noise his bandmates generate. Combined with leather-lunged projection, his voice can both bludgeon and slash at a level that transcends his lyrics' literal meaning.
Things get really nasty, though, when his voice joins his bandmates' dexterous rhythmic assault in what Draiman describes as "a constant blend of all the elements." The resulting attack during songs such as "Prayer" and "Liberate" telegraphs contusions along a listener's brainpan. There's a reason Draiman, guitarist Dan Donegan, bassist Fuzz and drummer Mike Wengren named 2001's victory lap around the U.S. the "Music As A Weapon" tour. Sharp enunciation and road-honed chops are merely part of the arsenal.
In conversation, Draiman's voice has the same quality that you hear on disc. But the delivery is... slower... and... more deliberate. The effect lulls rather than cuts. But when he speaks, he doesn't make small talk, he makes pronouncements. The band's second album, Believe, doesn't really require further explanation, in the way that other classic albums don't require explanation. But questions will arise when spinning the disc. Mainly, "How?"" We have a responsibility," he begins. "Two and a half million people invested in us and believed in us with the last album. We owe it to them and to ourselves and to everything we stand for, to respect the lineage and the tradition and the purity of metal. We have to remain faithful to what metal--true, true metal--was first established to be in the name of Black Sabbath and a hundred other great bands: Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Queensryche, Metallica, Pantera, even Soundgarden.... All of those bands had songs that spoke about grand things."True metal groups honor the legacy whose thumbnail history David sketches above. It's one of the genre's endearing traits: fierce loyalty expressed loudly. Metal requires that quality from its best bands and fans in order to survive. As a product of natural selection, the oft-maligned genre has gathered strength from continuously swimming against the current over the course of its Ozzy-and-Iommi-conceived 33-year history.
Snatched by Disturbed from the flow of that tradition, this new brand of metal is like a shark. In their hands, the music is highly evolved, lean and muscular, and has a terrible efficiency and singleness of purpose. None of the twelve songs on Believe, for instance, stretches far beyond the four-minute mark, yet they each possess a strength and epic quality that requires other bands twice as long to convey, if ever.Part of that boils down to simple math: Four musicians campaigning behind one album for 22 months. When Disturbed finally pulled off the road in late 2001, they took a month to recuperate and then began writing Believe. Two and a half months later they were recording the album in their hometown of Chicago with producer Johnny K. Like The Sickness, the disc was then mixed in New York by Andy Wallace.A seemingly Herculean effort? Keep in mind that this is a band that doesn't like to sit idle for long. With the precious month the band had off between the road and rehearsal, Fuzz, for instance, built a garage and poured a driveway for his house. If that's what the band calls leisure time, imagine what they consider work." We've always had to work hard for what we have," explains Draiman. "Nothing comes easy to Disturbed. Such is life. It certainly hardened us. When you're put in the furnace for long enough, it hones you." "Being on the road for 22 months totally increased our playing ability," agrees Fuzz. "It made us much better musicians." "It's a different band," says Draiman. "We were eager to explore new territory and challenge ourselves." "We wanted to prove that there's not just one formula that works for this band," adds Donegan, who conceives the musical framework for the songs before they're arranged by the group. "I didn't want to duplicate what we did the first time around. There's nothing exciting about that."Ironically, in order to explore fresh territory, Disturbed duplicated the working environment that produced such winning results with The Sickness. The band's loyalty--again, the true-metal variety--shines through in that decision, as does its pragmatism. As Fuzz says, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." It's a sentiment echoed by his bandmates." We write what we write without overthinking it," says Donegan. "That's part of the reason we chose to record again in Chicago with Johnny K., who's been a friend of ours since we were a local band. It put us back in a familiar environment where we could just do what we do." "We're our own worse critics," admits Wengren. "We're always pushing each other to become better musicians and I guess better people, too."The results are evident on Believe. If The Sickness put Disturbed on the map with signature cuts like "Stupify" and "Down With The Sickness," the new album refines that signature into an even harder alloy on songs such as the title track, the first single "Prayer" and the pit-ready "Rise" and "Bound."" We're not reinventing the wheel," says Donegan. "But when all of our different playing styles and influences come together, it's a fresh sound. There are old-school elements to what we do, but it's done in a modern way. Even though we're characterized as a metal band, I don't think there are any metal bands out there that sound like us."
Draiman's singular voice burns the final brand on all things Disturbed. This time out, however, he waits until "Intoxication"—a full six songs into the album--before unleashing his signature sound. Robert Plant has his "baby, baby, baby." Rob Halford has his vibrato wail. Draiman has his feral roar, the guttural noise that opened "Down With The Sickness" and subsequently launched a million extreme sporting events.
" The noises... oh, how they love the noises," he says with a chuckle. "When 'Down With The Sickness' broke as a single, some people forgot about the rest of the song. They would say, 'Come on, make the noise!' What the fuck am I? They wouldn't ask me, 'Can you sing that one line?' Or 'What are the words to that part? Or 'How does that melody go?" With this album, I was determined to let people know that I can do much more than just make animal noises."
If that point was already clear to those who listened to The Sickness as an album, the way that work was intended to be heard, it's undeniable now. The scalpel-sharp enunciation, the leather-lunged projection, the rhythmic assault, and, yes, even "the noises," combine to deliver Draiman's grand messages. The arching theme? Belief.
" I encourage self-exploration and internal truth--defining one's own belief. People need to seek out that which they are able to believe in. Do you believe in yourself? Do you believe in the future of humanity? In God? In the death of god? In the things that you cannot see in the spiritual realm? Are you afraid of the dark? The light?"
Tellingly, perhaps, the album closes with a track called "Darkness," whose intense mood is conveyed with a spidery acoustic guitar arpeggio, a pecked piano melody and a haunting cello line. As a final address to his audience, Draiman offers his most tender vocal performance, singing, "Dare to believe for one last time. Then I'll let the darkness cover me, deny everything, slowly walk away to breathe again on my own."" 'Darkness' is a nice closure to the album," says Donegan. "It ends the album in a way that leaves us room to go in any direction we want with the third album. I don't like to concern myself with anyone's expectations but our own."
" For inspiration, we look to any band that has stood the test of time," adds Wengren. "We don't want to be a band that's known for just one song. We had a successful debut album. Now we're building on that and seeing where it takes us."Draiman, being Draiman, puts it more succinctly: "There's so much more to prove."
Guns N Roses
FORMED: 1985
At a time when pop was dominated by dance music and pop metal, Guns N' Roses brought raw, ugly rock & roll crashing back into the charts. They were not nice boys; nice boys don't play rock & roll. They were ugly, misogynist, violent; they were also funny, vulnerable, and occasionally sensitive, as their breakthrough hit "Sweet Child O' Mine" showed. While Slash and Izzy Stradlin ferociously spit out dueling guitar riffs worthy of Aerosmith or the Stones, Axl Rose screeched out his tales of sex, drugs, and apathy in the big city; bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler were a limber rhythm section that kept the music loose and powerful. Guns N' Roses' music was basic and gritty, with a solid hard, bluesy base; they were dark, sleazy, dirty, and honest -- everything that good hard rock and heavy metal should be.
Guns N' Roses released their first EP in in 1986, which led to a contract with Geffen; the following year, the band released their debut album, Appetite for Destruction. They started to build a following with their numerous live shows, but the album didn't start selling until almost a year later, when MTV started playing "Sweet Child o' Mine." Soon, the album shot to number one and Guns N' Roses became one of the biggest bands in the world. By the end of 1988, they released G N' R Lies, which paired four new, acoustic-based songs with their first EP.
Guns N' Roses began to work on the follow-up to Appetite at the end of 1990. In October of that year, the band fired Adler, claiming that his drug dependency caused him to play poorly; he was replaced by Matt Sorum from the Cult. During recording, the band added Dizzy Reed on keyboards. By the time the sessions were finished, the new album had become two new albums. After being delayed for nearly a year, the albums, Use Your Illusion I and II, were released in the fall of 1991. The Illusions showcased a more ambitious band; while there were still a fair number of full-throttle guitar rockers, there were stabs at Elton John-style balladry, acoustic blues, horn sections, female backup singers, ten-minute songs with several different sections, and a good number of introspective, soul-searching lyrics. In short, they were now making art; amazingly, they were successful at it.
While the albums sold very well initially, the band soon fell out of favor. Stradlin left the band by the end of 1991 and with his departure the band lost their best songwriter. Once Nirvana's Nevermind hit the top of the charts in early 1992, there was a distinct division between what was cool in hard rock and what wasn't; Guns N' Roses -- with all of their pretensions, impressionistic videos, models, and rock star excesses -- were very uncool. The band didn't fully grasp the change until 1993, when they released their album of punk songs, The Spaghetti Incident?; it received some good reviews, but the band failed to capture the reckless spirit of not only the original versions, but their own Appetite for Destruction. By the middle of 1994, there were rumors flying that the band was about to break up, since Rose wanted to pursue a new, more industrial direction and Slash wanted to stick with their blues-inflected hard rock.
System of a Down
Not long ago, accepted sonic belief held that rock music, certainly hard rock music, had been stretched, manipulated and tinkered with to its logical end. With no new forms looming, the genre would slip into malaise and the kids would look elsewhere for an outlet. Enter Los Angeles quartet System of a Down, who, over seven years and two albums have revived and revitalized heavy music with their manic brand of post-everything hardcore. Millions of records on, they charge into the new century as living proof that for those brave enough to snub convention, greatness follows.
“I think we're ahead of the game,” says guitarist/songwriter Daron Malakian. “I just feel like this band will be more respected ten years from now when people finally figure out what we’re really doing.”
Malakian, singer Serj Tankian, bassist Shavo Odadjian and drummer John Dolmayan, bonded quickly as friends but also shared Armenian ancestry and mutual disdain for perceived limitations. Their disparate tastes – Jaco Pastorious, Slayer, The Beatles, Faith No More, traditional Armenian folk music – assured from the onset that this would be a band less ordinary.
Malakian says,“We started this band to show people, ‘Look, not everything has been done before.’”
Tankian says, “Humans have been on the earth for millions of years, yet we don’t believe man began thinking until he started building walls. And what good have these walls ever done us?”
System’s 1998 self-titled debut, produced by bearded board whiz Rick Rubin (Slayer, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Public Enemy), was an achievement in pastiche overdrive, a dark carnival of moods punctuated by breakneck tempo shifts and progressive structures. That year, radios rung to the visceral fury of “Sugar” and the spooky tension of “Spiders,” each a fiery baptism for listeners weaned on predictability and rote rhyme schemes.
Serj favors abstract, existential poetry, peppered with politics and personal religion. He says, “No one ultimately knows what they’re saying anyway. Are we really making art? Art doesn’t belong to us. It doesn’t belong to people, it belongs to the universe. It comes FROM the universe. It comes THROUGH us. When I write something, I think I know what I’m saying, but I never pretend to know the full meaning of the words.”
The singer’s quaking wails were the perfect compliment to Daron’s schizoid noodling, Shavo’s inventive lines and John’s potent jazz-cum-thrash rumble. Their first salvo found an instant cult and was heralded as a revolutionary diamond in the homogenous crush of Nü Metal…a label that clearly didn’t (and still doesn’t) fit this foursome.
John says, “I don’t think we sound like anybody else. I consider us System of a Down.”
Shavo says, “You can compare us to whoever you want. I don’t care. Comparisons and labels have no effect on this band. Fact is fact: We are who we are and they are who they are.”
Two years of hard touring followed (OzzFest et al) before the band re-immersed themselves in the studio in late 2000. With Rubin again at the helm, they set about crafting a sprawling blitzkrieg of sounds, one that invited an even wider array of influence and experimentation to the table. Melodies expanded. Riffage went mad. Structure and timing were eviscerated. Deeper lyrical levels were mined and the resulting gems were strewn onto thrashing anthems and careening frenzies of fuzz.
Rubin says, “They really set out to reinvent themselves, to be bigger and better than they were last time. I think they're very proud of their first album and all the touring they did. They wanted to grow from those experiences and expand. They really wanted to write lots and lots of songs and reach in all different directions.”
In August of 2001, System of a Down emerged with their second album, “Toxicity.” As critics scoured their thesauri for ample superlatives, radio and MTV heavily rotated the first single, a harmony-drenched slab of whiplash rock called “Chop Suey.” With the cult of System exploding nationwide, the foursome took to the road where manic throngs of Systemites old and new awaited.
In May of 2002, with the title track from Toxicity in heavy rotation and a third single, “Aerials” fast gaining steam, System accepted the coveted headlining slot on the annual OzzFest circus. The thinking man’s metal troupe aim to give Ozzy’s mobile headbangathon an intellectual facelift.
Shavo says, “It’s time for the bands these kids are listening to to deliver something deeper than just ‘let’s party.’”
Now one year after the triumph of “Toxicity,” System of a Down find themselves in an elite class of rock acts who’ve managed commercial hugeness with dignity in spades and nary a compromise on their resume. They’ve engendered a sound transcendent of trends or labels, a propulsive hybrid destined to flourish in any radio climate from here to forever. What sonic twists await us only they know, but we can rest assured knowing that their next offering, like those that have proceeded, will be born from a primal need to evade classification and emote loudly.
Daron says, “Everyone who knows me knows my music comes before anything. It comes before me. If someone said, "your music will live forever but you won't wake up tomorrow morning, I'd be like, 'Okay.' That's very fair to me.”
Rob Zombie
For 18 years Rob Zombie has been carving out a strange legacy of music in the world of rock, beginning in 1985 with the formation of his brainchild White Zombie. From the start, White Zombie was a bizarre hybrid of hardcore/punk aggression, Lower East Side art-damage and hard rock thunder. As if that weren't enough, these fixations were filtered through Mr. Zombie's love of classic horror/sci-fi films, trash hot rod culture and generally, all things on the dark side.
Zombie oversaw every aspect of the band's journey from their early independent releases to their major label albums. He created the band's unique visual style, designing everything Zombie: album art, T-shirts, stage shows and music videos. This was a man obsessed. "I never saw it as work; I love doing everything," insists Zombie. "How else can you realize a complete vision" After five independent releases, Zombie's efforts paid off in 1990 when the band signed with Geffen Records.
White Zombie's major label debut, entitled La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Vol. 1, was issued in 1991. The band toured long and hard, playing more than 350 shows and eventually hitting pay dirt: The album spawned a hit single, the Grammy-nominated "Thunder Kiss '65," and went on to sell two million copies.
In 1995, White Zombie returned with Astro-Creep: 2000. The album rose to Billboard's Top Ten and stayed there for two months, remaining firmly in the Top 200 for 89 weeks. Astro-Creep: 2000 gave the world "More Human Than Human," an infectious, Grammy-nominated hit.
Also in 1995, Rob Zombie won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Hard Rock Video for the self-directed clip for "More Human Than Human." Soon thereafter, Astro-Creep: 2000 was certified triple platinum.
Supersexy Swingin' Sounds, a full album of Astro-Creep remixes by some of the hottest mixers in the field, followed quickly on the heels of that success: The disc went platinum.
As the Astro-Creep tour was winding its way around the world, Zombie somehow found time to indulge in a few special projects. First off was a duet with his childhood idol, Alice Cooper, for the soundtrack to the hit TV series "The X-Files." Zombie remarks of the collaboration: "Working with Alice was a dream come true. The song, entitled "The Hands of Death," was nominated for a Grammy Award. It was up against another Zombie offering, "I'm Your Boogieman," from the platinum soundtrack to "The Crow: City of Angeles."
While on tour, Zombie also began working with "Beavis and Butt-head" creator Mike Judge on a key scene for the film "Beavis and Butt-head Do America." Zombie designed the classic hallucination sequence for the film between gigs. "Mike was looking for an idea for a hallucination for Beavis," he recalls. "He wanted something that was like the ultimate rock video. I suggested that Beavis should go to hell, and Mike loved the idea." For many, this scene of Beavis hallucinating was a highlight of the film.
Zombie was then sought out by none other than The King of All Media - Howard Stern. Stern wanted to duet with Zombie on a song for his upcoming movie, "Private Parts." "I've been a big fan of Howard for about 18 years," says Zombie, "so being able to work with him was an honor and a pleasure." The thumping "The Great American Nightmare" resulted; it became a theme song for both Stern and Zombie. "Private Parts," meanwhile hit #1 at the box office, as did the soundtrack, which has been certified platinum.
Zombie next began work on his most ambitious album to date: Hellbilly Deluxe: 13 Tales of Cadaverous Cavorting Inside the Spookshow International. The disc was produced by Scott Humphrey (Metallica, Motley Crue) and Rob Zombie. Work on the album began in August of 1997 and was completed 10 months later. Hellbilly Deluxe (released Aug. 25, 1998) is a wild musical and visual journey through the mad, mad, mad world of Rob Zombie. "This is no small, self-indulgent album filled with whining about deep feelings," Zombie declares. "This is a full-blown evil raging beast - a total Zombie extravaganza."
Hellbilly Deluxe entered the Billboard charts at #5. Soon after Zombie hit the road in support of the album, boasting one of the largeststage shows in rock music, incorporating state-of-the-art lights, sound, video and pyrotechnics.
Over the next year Zombie played to over a million fans worldwide and went on to sell over three million copies of Hellbilly Deluxe, certifying the album triple platinum. The song "Superbeast" also chalked up yet another Grammy nomination for best hard rock performance.
Upon returning home, Zombie released an album of remixes from Hellbilly Deluxe called American Made Music To Strip By. This album includes songs featured in the hit movies The Matrix and End of Days.
Soon after the album's release, Zombie was contacted by comic book and toy mogul, Todd McFarlane to create a Rob Zombie action figure. The action figure has become one of the most successful ever released by the company.
In the summer of 2000, Zombie wrote and recorded a new song called "Scum of the Earth," for the Mission Impossible: 2 soundtrack. The soundtrack has sold over three million copies worldwide.
In 2000, Zombie began working on his writing and directing motion picture debut for the film, "House of 1000 Corpses" for Universal Studios. The film features cult stars such as Academy Award Nominee Karen (Five Easy Pieces, Nashville) Black, Sid (Spider Baby, Shaft) Haig and Michael J. (Bonnie and Clyde) Pollard. Production on the film wrapped in April of 2000, but was soon found by Universal Studios to be "too dark and disturbing under their corporate releasing guidelines."
Three years later, the horror film was released by Lions Gate Entertainment and has instantly become a cult classic. The movie has grossed over 13 million dollars since its release and the numbers continue to grow as does the legion of new Zombie film fans.
On the music front, Zombie quickly entered the studio after filming HIK, to begin work on his follow up album, The Sinister Urge. "Getting back into the recording studio was a welcome relief from the grueling movie schedule," Zombie explains. The record was once again co-produced by Scott Humphrey and boasts an impressive list of guest players including: Ozzy Osbourne, ex-Motley Crue drummer, Tommy Lee, Slayer guitarist Kerry King, DJ Lethal and the Beastie Boys' Mix Master Mike. The album is certified Platinum.
Now in the midst of 2003, Zombie's conquests have reached an all-time high. The DVD for House of 1000 Corpses will be released in August of 2003 along with a line of action figures, Halloween masks, T-shirts and other products based on the film.
Due to the success of the film, Zombie is currently writing the script for House of 1000 Corpses 2 (the sequel) which is set shoot in Spring of 2004(Zombie will direct the film.)
In addition, Zombie is gearing up for the release of his first horror anthology comic book series entitled "Rob Zombie's Spookshow International", slated to hit stores October 29, 2003 in conjunction with MVCreations and CrossGen Entertainment. Zombie is also collaborating on a graphic novel with Steve (30 Days of Night) Niles for the successful Dark Horse Comic Company.
On the music front, Zombie recently wrote and recorded the song "The Man Without Fear" for the film Dare Devil, as well as the song "ReLoad" for the blockbuster Matrix 2 Reloaded.
September 23, 2003 will be the release of Rob Zombie's first "Best Of" album entitled: "Greatest Hits: Past, Present and Future," which includes a Bonus DVD with 10 music videos directed by Zombie himself. The two disc set (Geffen/UME) was produced by Zombie and features seven Grammy nominated tracks and spans his early days with White Zombie to his successful solo career...also included are soundtrack rarities and two new tracks.
Stone Sour
As intoxicating as the libation it was named after (1 part whiskey and a splash of orange juice and sour mix), Stone Sour is a Molotov cocktail of an album - 1 part pure rock adrenaline with a splash of melody. “We are melodic hard-rock with content and initiative,” explains Stone Sour vocalist Corey Taylor. “Stone Sour allows me to execute the writing style that I love and can't necessarily do with Slipknot.” While still embracing the heaviness true to the fundamentals of Taylor and Root's other band, Stone Sour offers a more introspective and intimate take on music, thus the absence of their masks while performing with Stone Sour.
Originally formed in 1992 by Taylor and drummer Joel Ekman, Stone Sour is the product of ten years' worth of determination, patience and creative expression. Longtime friend of Taylor's, bassist Shawn Economaki, joined the fold soon after the band's inception. With no real predetermined sonic direction other than writing good songs, Stone Sour played clubs with a multitude of different guitarists, sometimes having someone fill the spot for just one show. The turning point came in 1995 when guitarist Jim Root – who later joined Slipknot with Corey Taylor - found his way to a practice. This was a defining moment in that it signified the completion of a band as a unit. For five years, Stone Sour generated music for the sheer passion of it not concerning themselves with any particular genre, rather maintaining a sound based upon good hard rock, killer melody and emotional peaks and valleys.
But in 1997, disenchanted and burnt out, Taylor quit Stone Sour to join Slipknot, leaving the others to go their separate ways. Joel started a family, while Jim joined Slipknot a year after Corey. Shawn went on to be stage manager for the 'Knot. The legacy that Stone Sour had created remained a glass half full.
Or so it seemed.
In 2000, guitarist Josh Rand, another old friend/collaborator of Corey's and former Stone Sour alumni, approached Corey with some songs he had been working on. Together they would spend a year and a half writing what would eventually become Stone Sour. Upon completion, the duo determined that what they had crafted was of such high quality and so true to the roots of the original Stone Sour that it was only natural to enlist the members who initially made it happen. Almost a full decade after the band's inception and six years after they had played their last show, all of the original members reconvened in Des Moines. Lineup solidified the band faced the task of picking a name. Eventually after a few different ideas (Project X, Superego, Closure) were scuttled, the decision came quickly. With a band of members that already had the chemistry of years of playing together, one option stood out-- Stone Sour was back.
As Taylor states, “The difference this time around is that we lost the fear of trying to compete with what is popular. We are going to stay true to the type of music that we want to make, and no matter who likes it or not, I am still secure that we have produced a great album.” Boasting a surprisingly varied selection of songs, ranging from the poignant “Bother,” which can also be heard on the platinum-selling SpiderMan “Music From and Inspired By” Soundtrack, to the aggressive collage of sound that is “Get Inside”, Stone Sour is in Taylor's opinion, raw, emotive rock in its purest form. “With this band, we just go in to churn out good hard-rocking songs.”
Experience a great band the world has never known outside of Des Moines.
Until now…
Megadeth
This biography is from CyberArmy)Megadeth has remained a vital element in continuing to define and redefine the sound and the fury of metal music. When Dave Mustaine met up with David Ellefson in 1983, several months after Mustaine departed from Metallica, the musical beast they conceiv ed was Megadeth.
As co-founders of the band, Mustaine and Ellefson have devised a musical creature that, with each new album, forges new ground and stretches the very boundaries where metal lives. As the creative genius behind the music, Mustaine writes lyrics that are pr ofound and that analogous to his sharp, cynical view of modern society. "It's not like I am this frustrated bleeding anarchist," Mustaine remarks. "I am just telling a story of how my life is. I grew up in a broken home. I was latchkey kid. I want our fan s to have better lifestyle than the one I grew up in."
Mustaine's intelligence and talent, combined with those of Ellefson and the other players who have graced the formation of the band thoughout the years, have spawned authentic, raw, unruly music. "Our music is very stimulating, aggressive music, that cont ains influences all the way from blue to jazz fusion to speed and thrash metal", explains Mustaine. With intricate, furious guitar licks and heavy drums and bass, Megadeth continues to reign as a premier speed metal band of the 1990's, personifying metal music itself with every song reeling in ferocity, honesty and powerful thrash induced rhythms.
Their meteoric rise to forefront of the metal genre began in 1985 with Killing is my business... and business is good released on Combat records. This powerful debut propelled them straight into a deal with Capitol records. Their next album, Pe ace Sells... but who's buying, was released in september 1985. This sophomore release was a veritable onslaught of pure aggression and went gold.
In 1988 So far, so good... so what was released. The album was harder, more forceful and maintained an even punk feel, unleashing such monsters as "Mary Jane" and "Set the world afire."
After the So far, so good...so what album, with Nick Menza on drums and Marty Friedman on guitar, Megadeth began yielding songs, fueled by Mustaine's fierce intellect and supported by superior musicianship, that spiraled Megadeth towards its best a nd most creative period. "When the four of us got together and made the record Rust in Peace, we knew we were on to something special," says Ellefson. "Since then we have really honed our sound and we have learned how to write and record together." The unique bond that resulted changed the face of Megadeth's future. "This lineup is more successful than any other because the vision is the same," says Dave Mustaine, a sentiment concurred by Marty Friedman who notes, "We are lucky because we are all a similar age, have a similar vision and share a chemistry. When the four of us strap on our instruments it just sounds like Megadeth." The four embrace a soulful commonality, especially regarding what their music is about. "We are focused and in alignment with what we want to do and how we want to do it," says drummer Nick Menza. "We have always been the type of band that makes music for ourselves foremost. That is why there is so much substance to it. It is not contrived. It is real. It is reality."<> Megadeth has done very well at bringing their music to new audiences. Countdown to extinction was released in 1992, taking them on a world tour. The year also saw Mustaine as a host on MTV for "Rock the vote" covering the Democratic Convention - a job which coincided perfectly with Mustaine's penchant for political commentary and social awareness. Also keeping the band in the limelight, the band's single, "Angry Again" from the Last Action Hero soundtrack made a major breaktrough and "99 way s to die", the lead track on the hugely successful The Beavis and Butthead Experience compilation album, became an MTV and metal radio staple.
The release of Youthanasia brought Megadeth to new heights and also to parts of the world never before ventured, including Israel and Eastern Europe. It represented a departure in many ways for the band. "Killing is my business... and business i s good" up to Countdown to Extinction were all written while performing previous material," explains Mustaine."Youthanasia was written totally and 100% in the studio. We weren't playing any old cataloged material. None of the past influenced the new record." The album contains songs that explore the depths of Mustaine's darker, deeper thoughts and feelings - songs such as, "The Family Tree" a song about child abuse and the deep pain of lost love described in "Addicted to Chaos" while also delving into his inner fear of nuclear war in "Black Curtains."
The band withstood controversy after controversy with the release of Youthanasia, "A tout le monde" being banned by MTV for its suicidal overtones. "This is coming from an institution that is supposedly for your mind and says that censorship is un- American," says Mustaine. "We don't write music that makes suggestions of taking one's own life. It's more saying - we have a problem here, let's be part of the solution." The cover art for the album, decipting babies hanging from clotheslines, caused a m ajor stir as well. "We never do anything for shock value or to get controversial press because that is basically a pain in the ass," says Marty Friedman. "We like it and that is what we wanted our album cover to be." Youthanasia has gone platinum.
The band released a new album, Hidden Treasures, in the UK an March 13, 1995 to coincide with the European leg of the Youth tour. In addition to a new Sex Pistols cover, the album contains songs only previously released on complation and soundtrack albums. A version off Hidden Treasures was released in Japan and the U.S. as well.
1995 also found the band on-line with Megadeth Arizona. "We use it as a communication tool between us and our fans. We are more accessible and more able to communicate with include our fans within Megadeth's world," says David Ellefson.
On Cryptic Writings (1997), Megadeth's eighth album, the band's unwavering conviction mixes with a desire to explore new territory, characteristics which mark their career as true musical pioneers. Recorded in Nashville, TN, Cryptic Writings ranges from Mega-rock (the melodic "Trust" and "Almost Honest" with their relationships-going-to-hell vulnerability), balls-out powerful (the monsterous thrash of "the Disintegrators" and the fight for freedom of "FFF") and hard pummeling metal ("Masterm ind" and the edgy "I'll get even").
Cryptic Writings was written during 1996 and the last three months of the year were spent in the recording studio with producer Dann Huff. When Megadeth went in search of a cutting edge, not necessarily well-known producer - They found Huff, the si nger-guitarist of hard rock's Giant in the late '80s to early '90s, who was also a student of famed producer Mutt Lange.
"I wanted to take guitar lessons from Dann six years ago. I'd heard a Giant record and said, 'Here's a guy who knows where to put the notes.' He sounded awesome," Mustaine says. But Huff instead offered to jam with him. Recalls Mustaine, "I didn't realize that he was a session player and what he meant was 'I'll give you a free lesson.' So I turned him down." Now Mustaine wanted him as a producer and flew to Nashville. "I never heard anything he'd produced or even any music from him recently. He had really short hair and he got us lost driving from his house to the studio. But I thought, 'He's the guy.'"
Recording far from home, he says, was the best it's ever been for a band that has been nothing short of volatile over the years. "There was a congeniality and a level of trust in each of us created an enviroment of cooperation. This was the most painless experience we ever had in a studio."
In the time between Youthanasia and Cryptic Writings, the members of Megadeth kept their fierce work ethic in full tilt. Mustaine collaborated with Lee Ving of Fear on MD.45, the full length album, The Craving, on Capitol. Marty Frie dman released a solo album entitled, True Obsessions. In addition to contributing regularly to Bass Player Magazine with the column "The Real Deal," Ellefson's book "Making Music Your Business" is now available, published by Miller Freeman. Nick Menza put together a band called SOMA, which has recorded 14 songs, played a gig opening for Dokken and has yet to release any material.
Megadeth touring plans for Cryptic Writings have the guys on the road for much of 1997. After promotional touring of Europe and the US, and then rehearsals, the havoc began in Mesa, AZ on friday, June 13. The summer of 1997 included rock festivals such as the Waldrock Festival in the Netherlands, Graspop festival in Belgium and Midtfyn Festival in Denmark. With Megadeth's dedication to their fans, they fit in gigs at smaller venues as well. July through September marked Megadeth's return to the US where they continued their onslaught from state to state, leaving sold-out venues in their wake. Additional dates will take Megadeth all around the world where they can expect to remain as the reigning beasts of metal music.
Lamb of God
The roots of Lamb of God were planted in 1990 when Mark Morton, Chris Adler and John Campbell were floor mates at Virginia Commonwealth University. The trio began playing at Adler's house in Richmond weathering chilly conditions. "There was no heat at the house," recalls Campbell. "We would freeze our asses off, get really drunk and hang around the kerosene heaters trying to write metal songs. Kerosene fumes and Black Label beer were definitely what fueled our early days."
After graduation, Morton moved to Chicago to pursue a master's degree, but the band continued. A new guitarist, Abe Spear, replaced Morton as the band retired its instrumental sound and added Blythe on vocals.
The quartet, known then as Burn the Priest, became a fixture in the tightly-knit Richmond music scene. To compete with the high-level of musicianship displayed by their contemporaries, the band adopted a rigid practice schedule. "To this day, we practice five days a week out of necessity," says Campbell. "The bands in Richmond can flat outplay you and if you don't practice, they will blow you off the stage. Bands like Breadwinner and Slanglouse - two local math-metal bands - could play insanely complicated music note perfect. They inspired us to raise the bar musically and taught us the work ethic we needed to be a success."
The band was playing around Virginia when Morton moved back from Chicago and re-joined the group. Soon after, Burn the Priest released a self titled full length album on Legion Records. Abe left soon after, which opened a spot for guitarist, and brother to Chris - Willie Adler.
A year after the second Adler joined, Burn the Priest changed its name to Lamb of God and signed a record deal with Prosthetic Records. The band's independent-debut, New American Gospel, was released in 2000. "This album was all about creating a rhythmic and pummeling musical landscape with riff after riff," explains Morton.
Two years of extensive touring to support the album raised Lamb of God's profile before the band released the critically acclaimed, As The Palaces Burn (2003). ATPB won record of the year honors in such notable Magazines as Revolver and Metal Hammer while garnering mainstream press in Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly.
The band hit the road again and began headlining tours before signing with Epic Records. In the fall of 2003 Lamb of God was a co-headliner on the first ever MTV's Headbanger's Ball Tour which elevated Lamb of God's profile beyond the underground. As it entered the studio to record Ashes of the Wake, the band released Terror and Hubris, a DVD featuring live performances, videos for "Ruin" and "Black Label" and behind-the-scenes footage highlighting the work ethic, humility and sense of humor of one of the most respected and influential bands around today. The DVD proved to be a commercial success as it entered the Billboard Music DVD Charts at #32.
After writing and recording three independent releases at a deliberate pace, Lamb of God was shocked to finish its major-label debut, Ashes of the Wake, in just five months. The Virginia-based progressive metal quintet agrees this is its most natural sounding album.
"During the 10 years we've been playing together, this band has never stopped pushing the boundaries of what a metal band is supposed to sound like," says drummer Chris Adler. "With this record we allowed our instincts and experience to shape each song as a piece of the larger picture. We let the songs dictate their own direction instead of pushing individual agendas."
Lamb of God was not only a headlining act on the Second Stage at Ozzfest 2004 this summer but their first single, "Laid to Rest," from Ashes of the Wake also appears - in demo form - on the Ozzfest 2004 Sampler. The songwriting process for 'Laid to Rest,' illustrates Lamb of God's accelerated creative process for their new CD Ashes of the Wake. "This song came together so quickly it gave us chills," recalls Chris Adler. "Let me put it this way, it can take up to a year for the entire band to agree that a song is finished, but it only took two days for everyone to put their stamp of approval on 'Laid to Rest.' We couldn't believe it then, or now.
Lamb of God does not create the typical "heavy metal" verse/chorus/verse/chorus/solo/outro type of music. The songs are diverse, progressive and intelligent. Songs like the instrumental "Ashes of the Wake" show how wide a net of influence and ability Lamb of God are able to cast. Keeping "a musician's band" aura and credibility and headlining countless sold out shows are two things that don't often run together. Lamb of God is an anomaly to the system.
"We play music that straddles the line between prog and traditional rock," explains Campbell. "I think we make prog-rock more listenable without cheapening the progressiveness of it. The complexity of our music appeals to people who like technical playing, but the arrangements are not so extreme that they fly over the average listener's head. It's a good balance."
The political angst that fueled the lyrics on As The Palaces Burn continues unabated on Ashes of the Wake. However, Blythe admits that his plans to write songs about personal responsibility quickly changed. "Mark and I write most of the lyrics together, and at the start of this album we agreed that we wanted to concentrate on internal instead of external politics," he explains. "But as we got into it, considering the condition of the world today, we felt obligated as responsible artists to give accurate social commentary, and that meant writing a few indictments against the powers that be."
Mixing a call to arms with a sneering disdain for the White House's current occupant balances Ashes of the Wake. "In the end, I think the album is stronger because we show the relation between internal and external politics instead of just focusing on one or the other," Blythe says. "These songs are a reality check for everyone because they rail against a wrong-headed government and against the apathetic people that ignore the government and allow it to exist."
Ashes of the Wake captures Lamb of God taking comfort in musical risks. "We'll always be a thrash metal band," explains Morton, "but I'm interested in exploring what we can get away with within the boundaries of the genre."
Cradle of Filth
The cradle is rocking, the dead are rising, the seas will boil and the skies will fall. As the world stands poised on the edge of mass destruction, the freaks, fools and monsters who rule us are about to be taught a real lesson in the use of power, for Cradle of Filth have created the greatest album of their career to date. 'Damnation and a Day', has been carved out of the darkness that is about to engulf what we know as civilisation.
The recordings, spawned from the loins of five of the most controversial Lords of darkness ever to walk the earth grew to their full strength at Parkgate, a studio set in the blood-soaked town of Battle, set in darkest Hastings. Inspired by their surroundings, the five Horsemen of the Apocalypse fed on the blood of Doug Cook who was unwittingly drafted in to co-produce and engineer the album. Little did he know that he was merely a victim.
Cradle sucked the knowledge out of their hapless victim and used his withered shell of a body to help direct them in their quest to create the darkest album they could possibly imagine, before disposing of his corpse in a ritualistic shooting. The bullet still lays lodged in his face. The corpse of course has never been found.
But the blood letting did not stop there. Daniel Presley, was hung, drawn and quavered after scoring the final pages of music for the live orchestra.
The death toll now standing at 10 (that's including the rest of the staff at Parkgate, who died slowly over the five months of recording), Cradle still weren't satiated, so a week spent in Budapest saw the death toll rise to 82 as they massacred the 40 piece orchestra and the 32 piece choir.
Hungary has once again fallen under the shadow of evil. Elzabeth Bathory will pale into comparison when this news gets out.
'Damnation and a Day' was scripted by the prince of darkness Dani Filth, whose quest to decipher the truth behind the Bible, brought him to summon forth Lucifer during a ritualistic killing. The once expelled angel willingly gave his side of the story from beginning to what will be the inevitable end for us. You will bear witness to his tale, during the 17 tracks of the concept album 'Damnation and a Day' which lies before you. Your death is nigh, so listen carefully and then offer your soul to the Filth and you might be saved, deny them and your destruction will come in many forms.
They will choose it, they will watch it and they will undoubtedly laugh in your tortured face.
The sonic soundscape that encapsulates the satanic readings were finely crafted from the cries that resonate from the depths of Hades by lords Dani, Paul, Martin, Adrian and Dave. The final stage was the mix. The two disciples known as Rob Caggiano and Steve Regina were called upon to aid the dark lords in their quest, along with the reanimated tortured soul of Doug Cook.
Once you have listened to what is to come, you will bow your heads to one of the finest albums to rise from the cradle.
Sony have now embraced the darkness and under the influence of evil have become slaves to the dark powers that have been engulfing them for over a year, all have committed their souls to spreading the message and will by the March 10th 2003 release unto us the future.
So go forth and cut out the tongues of the unbelievers, lay waste to the trash that assaults our ears every day, for that is merely a smoke screen to numb your minds from the truth, and beg forgiveness for your past sins. For if you don't, you're fucked.
World domination takes apart society as we know it in mid March when the Cradle swings into action and takes to the road to hell, first into Europe and then back to the US to follow up last year's sell out tour. So all the petty little people out there with their bombs and their guns better run away now, because it's show time and they haven't got a hope in hell, even if they do have an access all areas pass.
Cradle of filth have finally arrived at the palace of righteousness, ready to drain the blood from your face and whatever is left of your miserable pathetic carcass.
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Love him or hate him, the self-proclaimed "Antichrist Superstar" Marilyn Manson was indisputably among the most notorious and controversial entertainers of the 1990s.
Celebrated by supporters as a crusader for free speech and denounced by detractors as little more than a poor man's Alice Cooper, Manson was the latest in a long line of shock rockers, rising to the top of the charts on a platform of sex, drugs and Satanism. Though widely dismissed by critics, his brand of metal nevertheless struck a major chord with the youth market -- on the strength of a masterfully orchestrated marketing campaign, he became a mainstream anti-hero, much to the chagrin of conservative politicians and concerned parents. Manson was born Brian Warner in Canton, Ohio; at the age of 18, he relocated to Tampa Bay, Florida, working there as a music journalist. In 1989, he became friends with guitarist and fellow outsider Scott Mitchell; they decided to form a band, with Mitchell rechristening himself Daisy Berkowitz and Warner adopting the name Marilyn Manson.
With the addition of bassist Gidget Gein and keyboardist Madonna Wayne-Gacy, the group -- originally dubbed Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids -- begin self-releasing cassettes and playing gigs, their Gothic stage show notable for Manson's elaborate make-up and homemade special effects. Jettisoning their drum machine in favor of one Sara Lee Lucas, the band's sound began taking on a harder edge, and by 1992 they were among the most popular acts in the South Florida area. In 1993, Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor came calling, offering both a contract with his Nothing Records label as well as the chance to open for NIN the following spring; Manson accepted both offers, and the group's debut LP, Portrait of an American Family, appeared during the summer of 1994. With new bassist Twiggy Ramirez replacing Gein, the group's notoriety began to soar -- most infamously, during an appearance in Salt Lake City, Manson ripped apart a copy of the Book of Mormon while on-stage. The Church of Satan's founder Anton LaVey also bestowed upon him the title of "Reverend."
While some onlookers dismissed Manson's behavior as crass audience manipulation, his cult following -- comprised almost entirely of disaffected white suburban teens -- continued to swell, and with the release of the 1995's Smells Like Children EP the band broke into the mainstream, propelled by their hit cover of the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)." Berkowitz quit a short time later, and was replaced by guitarist Zim Zum; their next LP, 1996's Antichrist Superstar, debuted at the number three spot on the pop album charts. As Manson's popularity grew, so did the furor surrounding him -- his concerts were regularly picketed by civic groups, and his music was the subject of widespread attacks from the right-wing and religious fronts. Again, however, his quick embrace of the media spotlight called into question the true sincerity of his revolutionary aims -- with a cover story in Rolling Stone and a best-selling autobiography, The Long Hard Road Out of Hell, some onlookers doubted whether Manson had sold his soul to Satan, or just sold his soul, period. The glam-inspired Mechanical Animals followed in 1998, with the resulting tour yielding the live Last Tour on Earth a year later.
Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death) came out at the end of 2000. The band toured to support the album in 2001 and during a July show in Michigan, Manson was charged with criminal sexual conduct after performing an alleged offensive act on a security guard. December saw Manson's version of "Tainted Love" appear on the Not Another Teen Movie soundtrack while another security guard filed a civil suit alleging Manson had rubbed his pelvis on the guard's head. The July 2001 sexual conduct charges were lowered to a misdemeanor in January of 2002 and the civil suit was dropped soon after. May of 2003 saw the release of The Golden Age of Grotesque, which spent a week on top of the album charts and ended up on more than a few critics' year-end Top Ten lists. In April of 2004 the album Lunch Boxes and Choklit Cows appeared, credited to Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids -- Spooky Kids being the name of Manson's earliest band. Manson fought the release and court-ordered some artwork removed that was too close to the art to which the singer owned the copyright. At the end of September the Lest We Forget collection was released, covering the highlights of Manson's career and including a new cover version of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus."
Slayer
FORMED: 1982, Huntington Beach, CA
The Beginning...Slayer came to life in the LA. Surburb of "the Huntington Beach Area". Soon they won the reputation of "the Huntington Hooligans". The band was started by Kerry King, a guitarist who was looking for other muscians to start a band. Prior to that, he had been in another band, with Tom Araya. Kerry discovered Jeff Hanneman, another guitarist, who was very interested in the punk movement that was going on at the time. Later the two teamed up with a very skilled drummer by the name of Dave Lombardo.
Slayer became a reality when singer and bassist Tom Araya joined the band after Jeff Hanneman talked to him about joing the band. By the time, Jeff asked Tom, Tom worked in a nearby hospital as a respiratory therapist.
Slayer first played in 1982, performing other artists songs. Artists such as Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. At first, Slayer started playing at small clubs, later they also played in weekends and so the snowball started rolling...
Action...However, it was first in 1983 things really started to happen for the band. While performing in a local club called "Woodstock", a guy named Brian Slagel who owned Metal Blade records, watched them perform. After the show, Brian Slagel went backstage with an offer to Slayer about making a number for the upcoming compilation "Metal Massacre III". Tom & co. was hooked on the idea and they agreed to make a song but only if Brian would help them record a record. Slayer then did the number "Aggressive Perfector" for the compilation lp.
Brian Slagel then helped Slayer producing their own record, it was called Show No Mercy and it came out in December 1983. Show No Mercy was instantly hailed as a masterpiece by heavy freaks and magazines around the US. and Europe. Many critics laughed of it though. The cover shows a goat/satan type thing and it looks like some sort of a cartoon figure. But ok, back in '83 all that satan stuff was new and exiting.
In 1983, another classic album also came out - you guessed it, Metallica's "Kill 'Em All". Metallica started in 1981, just as Slayer did.
Show No Mercy consisted most of a lot of screams, guitar solos and fast drumming. One thing was clear for everyone; Tom, Jeff, Kerry and Dave was appreciated as fine muscians who could play their instruments very well. For example, in one magazine it said: "Dave Lombardo is a far better drummer than Lars Ulrich". No Shit!
While Show No Mercy came out in the US. late '83, it first came out in Europe in '84 due to unknown reasons. That same year, Slayer also recorded "Chemical Warfare", a song that was hailed as the fastest and heaviest song ever recorded. They also brought us "Captor Of Sin" - another Slayer classic.
Hell Awaits...In 1985, Slayer moved on, and recorded the album Hell Awaits. That album was also produced by Brian Slagel and also came out on Metal Blade Records. Hell Awaits, which - as the title says - is more satanic and "dark" than its predessor. With a 100.000 copies sold in a very short order in the US. alone, major record companies began to take notice of Slayer. Hell Awaits is more mature and shows us a more mature band - a band which also can handle the slow-paced material. Classics such as "At dawn they Sleep", "Kill Again", "Necrophilliac" and "Hell Awaits" can be found on the album. What a treasure!!!!
To say it short: Hell Awaits is made out of broken glass and rusty razorblades and only the stupid were laughing anymore.
Because of all that success of Hell Awaits, Slayer was contacted by producer Rick Rubin, a producer who's been involved with such artists as "Run DMC" and "Beastie Boys". When Slayer joined Rick's label, Def Jam - it was Rick's first metal band.
The almighty Reign In Blood - the finest Thrash Album Ever!
The year 1986 brought something special to the world. What it was it needless to say really, but I'll say it anyway:"REIGN IN BLOOD".
An album that killed speed metal as we know it, because no other band could come even close to touch it. It still stands as The Ultimate ThrashSpeed Album.
The opener of the album is the notorious "Angel Of Death" which deals with the cruelties of Joseph Mengele, the infamous Auschwitz doctor, who's terrible tests with human beings never will be forgotten. The song was written by Jeff Hanneman. The blond guitarist have long had the interest of Nazi Germany (SS - Waffen SS etc.). He also has a fairly big collection of German war- and nazi medals.
Because of that (and the song "Angel Of Death"), many people have accused Jeff and the rest of Slayer of being nazists (which they aren't!). But in a way it is understandable that some people think Slayer are nazizts. They use an iron eagle as a band logo and thier fanclub is called "Slaytanic Wehrmacht". In the US. and Canada, Slayer also experienced concertbannings and CBS, a major record-distribution company refused to have anything to do with Reign In Blood. That is why Reign In Blood came out on Def Jam Records in October 1986. Actually, I've tried writing to the Wehrmacht several times, but I've never received an answer. I know that I am not the only one facing that problem. Unfortunately!!
However, Slayer fans in Europe had to wait till January 1987, before they could lay their hands on the album.
It is pointless to mention which songs on the album that are classics, because they all are!! Lyric wise, Reign In Blood consisted most of satanic + gore infected lyrics.
The first Gold-Record, a step to glory Reign In Blood resulted in Slayer's first gold-record. It surpassed everyones expectation and sold well over 500.000 copies in the States, despite being one of the most uncompromising musicial-efforys ever being recorded. With actually no airplay, it also came on the US-Top 100.
That same year Slayer also recorded a cover of the Iron Butterfly song, "In A Gadda Da Vidda", for a soundtrack for the movie "Less Than Zero".
The LA-Quartet also won very quickly the reputation of being super-energetic on a stage - resulting in amazing concerts whereever they performed. No other band dare taking Slayer as a support band, because the headliners would simply be blown out of the sky.
By the way, the "Grr" picture on the back of Reign In Blood was shot during the "Heavy Sounds" festival in Holland. Short after, many other bands did the same kind of "Grr" pictures on their records.
Reign In Blood was and is a very influcial album and a vast number of other speed/thrash metal bands followed in Slayer's wake.
Another band, Metallica, had also brought something special - the "Master of Puppets" album, which is a very good album!. Personally I prefer Reign In Blood.
Problems!However, all is not well in Slayer. In some time there has been problems within the members of the band. Tom, Kerry and Jeff on one side, Dave on the other. The problems got so serious, that Dave dropped out of the band for a while and was briefly replaced by Tony Scaglione from the thrashband "Whiplash". He did not do very well though and luckily for Slayer, Dave returned to the fold and the band resumed their tour in the US. and Canada.
The yeay 1987 was one long tour for Slayer, and the year after, 1988, a new Slayer record came out.
On and on South Of Heaven..."South Of Heaven" came out in 1988. South of Heaven was not, as many at that time expected, as brutal and fast as Reign In Blood. It was a lot slower and heavier that Reign In Blood. Because of that South of Heaven was at first dismissed by many, but was later accepted by the fans. South of Heaven was mostly written by Jeff Hanneman and Tom Araya. Kerry King have always been a "faster" songwriter than Jeff, so that may be one of the reasons why South of Heaven is a slower album. South of Heaven was also Tom Araya's first major songwriting input.
Different lyrics!Instead of all the gore, South of Heaven was about topics such as nazism, war, abortion and tv-preachers. "South of Heaven", "Mandatory Suicide" and "Silent Scream" are songs everyone knows.
Like Reign In Blood, South of Heaven was also produced by Rick Rubin. Slayer then did some massive touring around the US. and Europe, and that finally brought them to Denmark. They delivered a killer-concert in Saga in Copenhagen. Unfortunately I did not attend to the show.
Personally I think South of Heaven is a brilliant album and also somewhat overlooked by many, which is a damn shame. Despite the circumstances South of Heaven sold well, and Slayer also received a gold-record for that album.
A sizeable reputation...Slayer had now built a reputation as one of the premier thrash bands of all time and they also belonged to the so-called "big-four", Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer.
Slayer had now existed in 7 years. And still they were impressive live performers. In 1988 they did a show at the Hollywood Palladium. The show was totally sold out and nearly a 1000 people had to stand outside and listen. It resulted in a major fight and the police was alarmed. It the news it was said that it was Slayer that started the problems! (Which they did not!). There was some problems though.
Because of all the controversal songs like "Angel of Death" and "Behind The Crooked Cross", Slayer had now been the unwilling idols for a growing band of white supremacists and neo-nazists all over the US. and Europe. In some German neo-nazi magazines, Slayer was (and is) rated as a cult band. A band that "supported the reich" (or something like that!). Slayer is very controversal, no doubt - and that is very cool. They dare to say things, noone else does.
Jeff Hanneman also wore an iron cross and a German eagle on his jacket. And he still has some "nazi" stickers on his guitars. But he is no nazi, just interested in that time period - like myself. As mentioned before, many people can't deal with that (Slayer's so-called "nazi" image). Fuck Them!!!. It must be their problem and not Slayer's.
All seasons come to an end...The year 1990 was (as 1986) a benchmark for Slayer. Why? Seasons In The Abyss came out. Seasons was an album that combined old and new influences. An album alot heavier than South of Heaven and also features an aggressive vocal from Tom Araya, who's singing on the album is just stunning. Tom contributed alot with a lot of his own lyrics. It is wellknown that Tom is very fascinated with serialkillers and the classic "Dead Skin Mask" is about Ed Gein, a(nother) serialkiller. The song "War Ensemble" is about strategic warfare and that song is just perfect at a concert. The mid-paced tune "Expendable Youth" is about gangviolence. There is also some fantasy-lyrics from Kerry King, "Spirit In Black", "Born Of Fire" and "Skeletons Of Society" to name some.
Seasons In The Abyss is Slayer's biggest selling album to date and it very quickly sold gold. I think it also has sold platinum in the States which is great (1.000.000 copies). Seasons was well received by the fans and magazines around the world and the album received rare and brilliant reviwes.
The Clash Of The Titans That same year, 1990, a well-known tour was undertaken. The "Clash Of The Titans" tour. As far as I know it was Slayer who took the initiative but Megadeth claimed it was their idea! The bill in Europe and in the US. was not the same. In Europe it was as followes: Suicidal Tendencies, Testament, Megadeth and Slayer. In the US. it was: Alice In Chains, Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer.
Slayer and Alice In Chains got along very well. They even shared dressing rooms! Slayer and Megadeth was fighting constantly - verbally offcourse.
It was also Slayer who walked away as the clear winners of that tour. As soon as (co) headliners Slayer started slaying the audience completely changed. The other bands couldn't keep up with Slayer and Slayer have always been blessed with somewhat fanatical fans. During some shows, the audience shouted "Slayer, Slayer" while Megadeth was playing!!! Megadeth was simply blown away by Slayer and their fans. Great! Since then, Slayer and Megadeth has not been the closest friends.
A Decade Of Aggression With SlayerIn 1991 Slayer wanted to celebrate their 10th anniversary. That's why the double cd came out. With the 2 cd's, there was also a booklet which contains some various photos of the Slayer dudes. Decade Of Aggression features songs from their whole career uptill 1990, including such classics as "Angel of Death", "Mandatory Suicide", "South of Heaven", "Chemical Warfare", "Raining Blood", "Black Magic" etc.
The album has a killer sound and Decade is probably the best heavy-live recording ever made! On disc 1 there is 11 songs, on disc 2 there is 10. Needless to say, it sold gold very quickly. I think it also did platinum. In support of the Decade Of Aggression discs, Slayer did a concert video. However, the guys in Slayer are very critical about what they do, and they decided not to release that video because they thought the quality was too low. The MTV videos, "Raining Blood" and "Black Magic" is taken from that video.
Problems (again)In Febuary/March 1992 all hell broke loose. The thrash world was shocked and with a reason; Dave Lombardo was kicked out of Slayer. There had been problems for a long time and now things have come to an end.
Unofficialy Tom, Kerry and Jeff referred to Dave and his wife Thresa as "Ken and Barbie" because Dave and Thresa spend alot more time together than with rest of the band. Dave didn't practice so much either as he used to because of some back problems he had and that affected his drumming .
Early 1992 was the time when Slayer had no drummer. Now what? Fortunatly for Slayer, Poul Bostaph had just quitted his band Forbidden. When Slayer knew that, Kerry King phoned Poul Bostaph and invited him to jam with Slayer. Poul was given a list of songs and 3 weeks later, he was tested as approved by Tom, Jeff and Kerry. Poul fitted well with the band, unlike Lombardo which has in later interviews accused Slayer and branding them for being lazy and beer-drinking alcoholics who watched tv all day long.
Dave Lombardo was not missed by his former bandmates. In fact, Slayer had such scant liking for Lombardo that they gave Poul Bostaph the platinum records that Dave played on and told Dave, that if he wanted a platinum disc, he could buy one himself!
The Monsters Of Rock: SlayerThe next challenge for Slayer was the Monsters of Rock concerts in Poland, Tjekkoslovakia, Germany and England. The year 1992 was the first time Slayer did the famous Donnington Festival. Some of the other bands on that day was: Iron Maiden, Skid Row and Wasp. Slayer did well on that day but unfortunately it was a very louy weather and most of Slayer's power dissapeared in the stormy/rainy weather. I've seen "War Ensemble", "Dead Skin Mask" and "Seasons In The Abyss" on MTV from that show and that looks really cool. I also have a bootleg from Slayer at Donnington '92 (It's called "Devils Desciples") and it has an absolutely divine sound.
Prior to the Donnington show, Slayer also did the Mannheim Super Rock Show, where they simply blew the other bands away with that power that had made them so famous. In 1992 they showed that there is plenty of hate and anger left in the old demon (if there should be any doubt).
Vanished without a trace...Slayer then "dissapeared from the face of the earth and millions of fans began to wonder and fear the worst...
When Slayer was gone - some other bands tried to capture their throne of thrash. Bands like Sepultura and Pantera became very successfull and they reached the same level of Slayer. In 1992 Pantera also released "Vulgar Display Of Power" a cd which did the same for them what Reign In Blood did for Slayer 6 years earlier.
The world of metal also changed drastic about that time. Thrash was a dying genre and only very, very few thrash bands survived. For example bands like Violence, Death Angel and Dark Angel did not survive.
Slayer came back to life.Late 1993 was the time when Slayer finally emerged. The emerged with a soundtrack for the movie called "Jugdment Night" with Emilio Estevez. The song was a medley with songs from "The Exploited". They did it with singer/actor Ice-T. The song is really 3 (!) songs: "War", "UK 82" and "Disorder", but Slayer decided to make the song as one.
Ice-T fits in great with Slayer and the whole song (which is called "Disorder") is the best 5 min. of music made in 1993!
News from the Slayer camp!Late '93/ Early '94 there was also news from the Slayer camp. A new Slayer cd! It was said that it would be released in Febuary 1994. But then it was March 1994, June/July 1994 and August 1994. But in September 1994 the new record finally was here.
In August '94 Slayer played some monsters of rock concerts in Brazil. They played in 40.000 capacity stadiums with Kiss, Suicidal Tendencies and Black Sabbath + a few local bands. Slayer advanced to the next level of glory. All over the world, fans was exited to see and hear from Slayer again - that is understandable. No band can't even come close to Slayer's energy, rage and intensity.
The new cd was called "Divine Intervention" and show us a very brutal Slayer. Divine Intevention was being described as Reign In Blood in the 90s. It became very porpular and has sold 700.000 - 800.000 copies in little over 1 1/2 years in the US alone.
On its first week it sold nearly 100.000 copies and appeared on the US top 10, as number 8.
On the album Tom and Kerry was doing most of the work - Jeff did not do as much as used to because of unknown reasons. That is also why "Divine Intervention" is a very fast record. Classics such as "Killing Fields", "Dittohead" and "Divine Intervention" can be heard on the record.
Problems part III"Divine Intervention" also features some material wtitten by Jeff Hanneman, and the song deals with SS-Hangman Reinhard Heydrich. The song is called "SS-3" and again there was many critics who said Slayer was nazists. Sepultura vocalist Max Cavelera started by attacking the Slayer and said they attracted neo-nazists at their shows. He also said that Slayer has a nazi-image. Then the ball started rolling and suddenly the Slayer - Sepultura disputes was a big media thing. On a French Tv-show, Slayer said that Sepultura was a bunch of lowlife cocksuckers from Brazil.
Slayer and Sepultura could have been a killer bill.
Recently I heard that Ozzy Osbourne, Slayer and Sepultura has been linked to some sort of a festival, very exiting news.
The European Tour 1994In the fall of 1994, Slayer began their European tour. Slayer was supported by the much hyped band "Machine Head". In an interview Max Cavelera also said: "Machine Head will blow Slayer away because Slayer are old and tired". It was not a surprise that it did not happen that way. I would rather say, that Slayer blew Machine Head away! But Machine Head did ok, but if it wasn't for their own fans, noone would have payed any attention, fine band but it means nothing when Slayer are in the house! But the Slayer dudes like and enjoy Machine Head, like Kerry King said: "Machine Head is the perfect opening band for us".
On the European tour, Slayer also brought with them a very advanced high-tech show. There was alot of computers and that kind of stuff. On the 17th of December 1994 Slayer played in the KB-Hall near Copenhagen. It was my first concert ever and Slayer did not dissapoint. I totally blown away and overwhelmed by Slayer's force and power. Machine Head did good but was totally overshadowed by the gods.
Late December 1994 Slayer ended their European tour after playing at sold-out shows almost everywhere they went.
Slayer's fansBack to "Divine Intervention". It was also a very controversal album because of the cd-inner sleeve that most knows by now. The fan that had sliced "Slayer" in his arms with a razor. As, I think it was Kerry, said: "He did it to show hia dedication to us, but also to get pussy..." It was now clear to anybody that Slayer have very dedicated fans - very loyal fans. Very, very few bands can match Slayer when it comes to fan-dedication. The scarification thing can also bee witnessed on Slayer's home video, "Live Intrusion"
Another fan is also very dedicated. Even the Slayer guys find the incident totally bizarre: A Slayer fan has sliced "Slayer" in his back in a tribute to his heroes. When a representative from American Recordings (Slayer's current label) asked him why he scarred himself, his only reply was: "SLAAAYERRRRR". Slayer have really fanatical fans.
The tour 1995By January 1995 Slayer toured in the States, supported by Biohazard and Machine Head. In January 1995, American Recordings also threw a party to celebrate Slayer's sales of more than 4.000.000 records for American Recordings. All in all they received 32 gold records. Pretty cool pictures from that party can also be seen on "american.recordings.com .
After that Slayer toured in the States and it was a very successfull tour for Slayer with soldout houses everywere. They also got great along with Biohazard and Machine Head...
In late March 1995 they toured in the far East + Australia.
Metallica also emerged in that year, starting by choosing the bands for the Donnington '95 bill. Among them was Slayer and Machine Head. A usual Slayer put on an impressive show. As a magazine wrote "It seems like 65.000 people only are here to see Slayer!". Slayer themselves however, liked their Donnington performance in '92 better. I also have a bootleg from '95 with an amazing sound.
Slayer's "Live Intrusion"The "Live Intrusion" home video, which was long awaited, came out in the fall of '95. As mentioned before, it opens with the scarification scene with the Slayer fan. The video contains 12 Slayer songs + a cover of Venom's "Whitching Hour", performed by Tom and Kerry + Rob and Chris from Machine Head. In between songs, there are private clips with Slayer.
The video became very successfull and landed on the US sales video chart as # 1.
An Undisputed Album with sad news in its wakeSlayer have always liked punk and in we all got the news that Slayer was going to release an album of punk-covers. An album of punk covers? That was not typical for Slayer to do such a thing.
Many people thought that Slayer in Poul Bostaph had found the perfect drummer, that was going to be in the band forever. But no! After the recording of the cover album, Poul quitted Slayer. He was bored with metal in general and wanted to work with the band "The Truth About Seafood". Short after, Slayer got the Testament drummer, John Dette. Prior to that, rumours circulated that Slayer, had invited former Machine Head drummer to join Slayer. Not true. There was also rumours that Slayer wanted to rejoin with Dave Lombardo, but that was only a rumour. As Kerry King Said "We did not even think of that, even as a joke!!"
One thing is very typical for Slayer and that is that most of their records are delayed. "Undisputed Attitude" was no exception. "Undisputed Attitude" was first called "Selected and Exhumed". "Undisputed Attitude" was available in May '96.
"Undisputed Attitude" features covers of such artists as: "T. S. O. L." , "D. I" and "Verbal Abuse". It also features 3 new Slayer cuts: "Can't stand you", "Drunk Drivers Against Mad Mothers" (DDAMM) and"Gemini". The "Gemini" is a very cool and slow-paced song with deals with the cruelties of a serialkiller (the "Gemini" killer). "Gemini" was originally recorded for a soundtrack, but was later dumped due to unknown reasons.
The two songs from Jeff Hanneman : "Can't stand you" and "Drunk Drivers Against Mad Mothers" are not real Slayer songs. It is two songs he once wrote for a punk-side project in 1984, that never came to be. All the 3 new songs are extremely cool, and I like them alot.
Slayer also made a video for "Undisputed Attitude", it is "I Hate You", and the song (and the video) is really great.
European summerfestivalsIn May 1996 they also headlined the legendary heavy-festival "Dynamo Open Air" in Holland. The also appered on the largest rock festival in northern Europe, the Roskilde Festival in Denmark. From what I heard, they blew Sepultura away, who played just after Slayer. 2 days after, Slayer co-headlined the "Graspop Metal Meeting" in Belgium with Iron Maiden.
A new - yet to be titled - Slayer album should be out in the first quarter of 1997. Personally, I do not think the new one is going to be as fast as "Divine Intervention". Jeff has allready written 3 songs and I know they currently have 4 or 5 songs done by now.
I don't know how much "Undisputed Attitude" has sold by now, but I do not think as well as the real Slayer records, but I really like "Undisputed Attitude", most of the songs are killer.
I also heard that a new Slayer home-video is due fairly soon (late '96). It is going to be more of a home video than a concert video. I am really looking forward to that video, because the guys in Slayer are very funny. Among others it should feature some stuff from Egypt, where they recorded the "Seasons In The Abyss" video.
In October, Slayer also did the OzzFest, arranged by Ozzy Osbourne. Among others played: Neurosis, Fear Factory, Biohazard, Sepultura, Danzig, Slayer and Ozzy Osbourne. I heard from reliable sources that Slayer performed good (as usual).
What Slayer do, they do best and no other band can match them in terms of fanloyalty, intensity, rage, power and controversy.
Interesting FactsIn 1986 Dave Lombardo quit Slayer, he was quickly replaced by ex-Whiplash drummer Tony Scaglione, unfortunately Scaglione did not fit in with the band and was replaced when Lombardo returned later in the year.
Interestingly enough, a similar situation occured in 1996 when Paul Bostaph quit the band and was replaced by former Testament skinsman John Dette. Dette did not fit in with the band and has since been replaced by Bostaph.
Not all Slayer songs are fictional, Blood Red is about the Tiananman Square Massacre, 213 is based on Jeffrey Dahmer (213 being his room number), Angel Of Death is about Nazi-doctor Josef Mengele and Gemini is a song about the infamous Zodiac killer.
The video for Seasons In The Abyss was recorded in Egypt during the Persian Gulf war.
The original title for Undisputed Attitude was Selected And Exhumed.
Motorhead
1975: After being fired from Hawkwind, Lemmy Kilmister decides to form a band called Bastard. When his manager informs him that a band by that name will never get a slot on "Top of the Pops," he changes it to Motorhead. The lineup consists of Lemmy on bass and vocals, Larry Wallace on guitar and Lucas Fox on drums. The band hits the studio by the end of the year, and during the recording sessions, Lucas is replaced by Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor.
1976: Motorhead's then-label doesn't like the recordings (the company releases them, however, as On Parole three years later when the group starts achieving success). The guys decide a second guitar player is in order, so they ask "Fast" Eddie Clarke to try out. For reasons still unknown, Larry Wallace quits during the audition. Fast Eddie stays however, thus completing the trio that sees Motorhead through its ground-breaking early years. The band gigs, records, and finds a new manager (or two).
1977: Motorhead (Chiswick) is the band's first album to see the light of day. The guys' fan base builds and they start earning a reputation for being very loud, raw, dirty and all those good things heavy rock 'n' roll should be.
1978: Motorhead's manager pulls them out of the Chiswick deal. Yet another manager gets them a contract with Bronze Records. Before making their own album, they record a few tracks with the Damned, including a cover of the Sweet's "Ballroom Blitz." At the end of the year, Motorhead enters the studio with producer Jimmy Miller (of the Stones' Exile on Main Street and Goat's Head Soup fame). Life is looking much better.
1979: The resulting album, Overkill, is an immediate classic and hits the charts very strongly. The band tours all over England and lands in jail after some playful destruction at a Finish festival. Without taking a breather, Motorhead goes back into the studio with Miller, this time producing Bomber, which charts even higher than Overkill . More touring and insanity ensues.
1980: After touring Europe and appearing on "Top of the Pops" for the umpteenth time (maybe that manager did have a point), the band teams up with Vic Maile for perhaps their best known studio album, Ace of Spades . The record peaks at number 4 in the charts. The accident-prone Philthy ends the year by breaking his neck while engaging in a bit of horseplay with a large Irish fan.
1981: While waiting for Philthy to heal, Lemmy and Eddie team up with the members of Girlschool and producer Maile. The result is The St. Valetines Day Massacre EP, which includes the hit single, "Please Don't Touch." After the two groups perform on "Top of the Pops" as Headgirl, Motorhead hits the road and makes its first trek to the States as special guest on Ozzy Osbourne's Blizzard of 0z tour. While in the U.S., No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith - perhaps one of the greatest live albums ever - is released. It instantly charts in at Number One. Motorhead are now bonafide rock stars.
1982: The guys begin the year by recording Iron Fist , which they produce themselves. The record sells well and they return to their natural habitat - the road. There is trouble in paradise, however, and Fast Eddie leaves the band during their second U.S. tour, not long after Lemmy records the Tammy Wynette song, "Stand By Your Man" with Wendy 0. Williams. To replace him, Motorhead enlists Brian "Robbo" Robertson from Thin Lizzy. They conquer Japan and re-conquer Europe.
1983: The band records Art Another Perfect Day , their first - and only - album with Robbo. The guitarist's strange penchant for shorts and ballet shoes, and his refusal to play Motorhead's most popular songs does not sit well with the fans. He leaves the band near the end of the year.
1984: Motorhead finds not one but two guitarists-Phil Campbell and Wurzel. Unfortunately, they lose Philthy. He's replaced by Saxon's Pete Gill. They break new ground in Australia and New Zealand, but they also part ways with their record label, Bronze. No Remorse - a "greatest hits" package with four new tracks-is their last album for the company.
1985: Because of legal hassles with Bronze, Motorhead is not able to make a new album, so the band spends its tenth year of existence touring and appearing on various radio and TV shows in England, Scandinavia and America.
1986: The legal trouble with Bronze now resolved, the guys hit the studio with Bill Laswell for the GWR label and record the mighty Orgasmatron . Motorhead is back in action and massive touring ensues, including a powerful show at the Monsters of Rock in Castle Donnington.
1987: Motorhead performs in Eat the Rich, the black comedy by the makers of the English TV show The Young Ones (a show the band appeared on frequently). Lemmy has a featured role in the movie, and Motorhead also records the soundtrack album. Just before filming starts, Pete Gill leaves the band and Philthy returns. They record an album with title that says it all: Rock ‘N’ Roll.
1988: The guys barrel on as road dogs, beginning with America as special guests for Alice Cooper. Another live album, No Sleep at All , is released. Lemmy somehow finds the time to co-write a song, "Can't Catch Me" with Lita Ford for her album, Lita. He also writes lyrics for "Head Over Heels," a song by his old friends, Girlschool. He also appears in The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years. The band finishes up the year with another American tour-Slayer opens.
1989: The boys break new ground, playing in Brazil and Yugoslavia, along with many other old, familiar countries. Lemmy sings and plays bass with Nina Hagen on her self-titled LP. There is no new Motorhead studio album this year because of litigation with GWR.
1990: The legal trouble with GWR is finally resolved, and Motorhead signs its first full-on major label record deal with WTG - Sony. Lemmy relocates to West Hollywood, just a couple blocks from the Rainbow. The band obtains new management, and enters the studio for another crushing LP.
1991: 1916 is released and it's Motorhead's best album in years. The band goes through a couple more managers and play the "Operation Rock 'n' Roll" tour with Judas Priest and Alice Cooper-a review calls our boys "the tangy mustard in an otherwise bland noise sandwich." An appearance on The Tonight Show' - the first time a heavy band is featured-adds to their already rock-solid credibility. Lemmy writes lyrics for four songs on Ozzy Osbourne's No More Tears album.
1992: 1916 is nominated for a Grammy (but loses to Metallica) and Lemmy attends the festivities. When the band goes into the studio to record March or Die , they change drummers-Philthy is out and Mikkey Dee comes in. The guys play some dates with a couple of bands they've influenced-Metallica and Guns N' Roses, on their stadium tour.
1993: Inexplicably, Motorhead is dropped by WTG, which goes belly up not long after. Amidst much anger and frustration, the band records Bastards on their own. They work out a deal with ZYX for distribution, but this great album does not hit the stores like it should. Nevertheless, it gets more radio play than either 1916 or March or Die.
1994: Tours for the year include a trek with Black Sabbath and a concert in Argentina, where Motorhead co-headlines with the Ramones for 45,000 fans. They record a version of "Born to Raise Hell" (originally on Bastards ) with Ice T and Ugly Kid Joe's Whitfield Crane for the movie Airheads . Although the band is temporarily without an American deal, they hit the studio once again, and the result is the fearsome Sacrifice.
1995: This banner year-Motorhead's 20th anniversary-sees changes and celebrations. Wurzel leaves the band at the end of making Sacrifice . Motorhead is a three-piece once again and their shows are stronger than ever. CMC signs the guys and releases Sacrifice Stateside. There is an historic party at year's end, marking two decades of Motor-mania and Lemmy's 50th birthday. Metallica flies down especially for the tribute at the Whisky. The Bay-Area behemoths call themselves "The Lemmys" (and dress the part!) and rip through a set of Motorhead's greatest songs.
1996: After the usual world-wide trek, the group settles back into the studio once again to create yet another slab of sheer volume and power for CMC. The past 21 years have contained glorious highs and dastardly lows, but absolutely nothing can stop Motorhead.
Slipknot
Slipknot's mix of grinding, post-Korn alternative metal, Marilyn Manson-esque neo-shock rock, andrap-metal helped make them one of the most popular bands in the so-called nu-metal explosion of the late '90s. But even more helpful was their theatrical, attention-grabbing (some critics said ridiculous) image: the band always performed in identical industrial jump suits and homemade Halloween masks, and added to its mysterious anonymity by adopting the numbers zero through eight as stage aliases. Add to that a lyrical preoccupation with darkness and nihilism, and an affectionately insulting name for their fans ("Maggots"), and Slipknot's blueprint for nu-metal success was set.
Slipknot were formed in late 1995 in the unlikely locale of Des Moines, IA; after some early personnel shifts, the nine-piece lineup settled around (in order from number zero to number eight): DJ Sid Wilson, drummer Joey Jordison, bassist Paul Grey, percussionist Chris Fehn, guitarist James Root, sampler/programmer Craig Jones, percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan, guitarist Mick Thompson, and lead vocalist Corey Taylor. The music scene in Des Moines wasn't much to speak of, and the band's big-time ambition was usually met with disbelief and ridicule, which provided the initial spark for its mostly anonymous stage visuals. On Halloween 1996, Slipknot self-released an album called Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat., which began to build a buzz around the group once it found its way to several labels. It was picked up for distribution by the Nebraska-based -ismist label, and also caught the attention of Roadrunner Records, which signed Slipknot in 1997. Working with producer Ross Robinson, Slipknot recorded their official, self-titled debut album, which was released in 1999. They gradually built an audience through near-constant touring, working their way up to the summer Ozzfest package tour, which really expanded their audience. Their live shows were a much-discussed hit with metal fans, and the band performed with such energy that Crahan gashed his head open on his own drum kit twice that summer, requiring stitches both times. The tracks "Wait and Bleed" and "Spit It Out" got the band some airplay, but most of the buzz came from touring and word of mouth. Finally, in the spring of 2000, Slipknot was certified platinum; the first such album in Roadrunner's history.
The anticipation for Slipknot's follow-up was intense, and many industry observers predicted that it would debut at number one; however, faced with some stiff competition that week, the band's sophomore effort, Iowa, bowed at number three upon its release in 2001. More heavy touring followed, including another, more prominent slot on that summer's Ozzfest. After a long spell on the road, Slipknot took a break while the members worked on side projects. The band set up its own label, Maggot Recordings, and signed a band called Downthesun, whose lead singer had served as Crahan's drum technician. Wilson, meanwhile, began DJing solo under the name DJ Starscream, and Root and Thompson both worked on solo material. Drummer Jordison worked with a side group called the Rejects, where he'd actually served for quite some time as guitarist. Taylor, meanwhile, started a side band called Superego, and also contributed a solo song, "Bother," to the soundtrack of the 2002 blockbuster Spider-Man. That May, the band got some amusing press when some of its fans discovered the website of a British crocheting group also called "Slipknot," and flooded the members' in-boxes with excessively rude e-mails. Guitarist Joey Jordison and Static-X guitarist Tripp Eisen teamed that summer for the Murderdolls project, while Taylor reformed his old band Stone Sour and released an album. By the winter, Slipknot had still not reunited and Taylor wrote a commentary on the band's website stating that they had not spoken in months, and that they'd rather break up than become "the next Gwar". The statement sparked a quickly resolved minifeud between Taylor and Gwar frontman Oderus Urungus. but it also sent many of the Maggots into a tailspin. By early 2003, Taylor had retracted his comments, and announced plans for a new Slipknot album. By August, the entire squad had decamped Iowa for LA, where they began work on the new record with famously bearded producer Rick Rubin. "Pulse of the Maggots" appeared in early 2004 as an exclusive download; it was followed by a full track listing for Vol. 3: [The Subliminal Verses], which was slated for a May release. Slipknot then embarked on a brief tour as a warm-up for their dates headlining Ozzfest that summer. The group also debuted a fully-redesigned third generation of their famous masks. On May 25th, the Subliminal Verses finally dropped, to the usual clamor of great fanfare and furious anger. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide.
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