For the first time since 1991, Metallica will perform at the Grammy Awards this Sunday (January 26), teaming up for a performance with Chinese concert pianist Lang Lang.
Guitarist Kirk Hammett told RollingStone.com that they’ll be doing a “completely insane” version of “One.” He explained, “Lang Lang has interjected himself into the song in a way I don’t think anyone else has ever done in the course of our career. He’s going to be playing major parts of the songs. He’s going to be playing through the melody. He’s going to be weaving in and out of my guitar solos, which is amazing for me. I’ve never played with another instrument that’s been able to do that so effortlessly.”
But they’re not going all mushy on you; said Hammett, “We’re keeping all the heavy parts. And it’s going to be really cool and it’s really dynamic.” The soundtrack to the band’s film, Metallica Through The Never, is nominated for a Grammy for Best Recording Package.
Black Sabbath and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler are scheduled to be among the presenters for the Grammys on Sunday.
Sabbath is also a nominee for three Grammys, including Best Rock Album (for its latest studio album, 13), as well as Best Metal Performance and Best Rock Song for the track “God Is Dead?”
Motörhead’s manager, Todd Singerman, was recently interviewed by Decibel magazine about the band’s cancellation of several European tour dates last year due to singer Lemmy Kilmister’s ongoing health problems. Lemmy was diagnosed with diabetes in 2000, and was fitted for a heart defibrillator last year. Also among Lemmy’s recent health scares was an unspecified hematoma (a collection of blood outside of a vessel).
“He’s been up and down,” says Singerman. “He’s got a really bad diabetic problem, and it changes on a daily basis. A lot of it is just fighting the bad habits, the things that he’s not supposed to do anymore. He’s stopped smoking, but he probably sneaks Jack [Daniels] and Coke here and there. He’d be lying to you if he said he stopped. He’s been trying to substitute it with wine, and I’m sure he’s slowed down on the speed. He thinks wine’s better than Jack, but it’s still got tons of sugar, you know? He doesn’t grasp that he’s just trading one demon for the other. That was the compromise with the doctors, by the way — trade the Jack for the wine. But he doesn’t tell them he’s drinking two f***ing bottles, either. These are the battles we’re up against. Keep in mind, he’s been doing all this stuff on a daily basis since Hendrix. And it’s coming to roost. It’s sad for him, because he’s gotten away with this stuff for all this time.”
He added, “I made them cancel [the tour], because Lemmy’s not ready. He didn’t wanna cancel. But what was gonna go down is what happened in Europe over the summer. See, he f***ed up in Europe. He was supposed to rest for three months, and he refused. He ended up doing that show [Wacken Open Air in August], which he wasn’t supposed to do, and it ended up being 105 degrees out there. He’s playing direct in the f***ing sun. The only thing I’m proud of him for is stopping when it didn’t feel good. That was smart of him. The bottom line is that he needs to find a balance and then live that balance for a few months. But we can’t find the balance yet. He has great days and then he f***s it up. And when you f*** up, you go backwards.” The European tour was moved to next month, with a U.S. tour expected to follow in March.
Epic song choice! That’s Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” in the TV trailer for 300: Rise Of An Empire, the March 7 follow-up to director Zack Snyder’s incredible 300 (Sparrrrtaaaaa!).
The two incarnations of Queensrÿche, one with original singer Geoff Tate and the other without, have asked the court for more time to come to an agreement as to who gets the rights to the trademarked name. The judge agreed, giving both sides two more weeks to come to a decision.
“I hope it doesn’t [go to trial],” said Geoff in a recent interview. “I’m kind of hoping that it will all be settled by the end of the month.” He added, “Either way, it’s in my favor. So I’m just waiting for the paperwork to be dry.”
Heading into the studio next month: guitar great Slash and his solo band, Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators. The band will be recording a follow-up album to its last studio release, 2012’s Apocalyptic Love.
In an online post, bassist Todd Kerns wrote , “Not only do I feel that the material surpasses Apocalyptic Love, I think we are ten times the band we were when that album was recorded. The material on this album is more serious and more fun at the same time, which is a tough balance indeed. The songs are sleazier, tougher and more dangerous. Exactly where I feel most comfortable. We are all very excited to unleash the monster upon you as soon as we can. We enter the studio early February and will work through the next few months. No plans as to when anything will be finished. It’ll be done when it’s done. I know we all hope to be back out on the road sooner than later but we’ll see.
Also returning to the studio: Testament. Guitarist Alex Skolnick recently tweeted about writing for the next studio album (from the world’s most un-metal hotel room).
