Paul Stanley Calls Dee Snider a “Wannabe” …
The battle between Paul Stanley and Dee Snider is heating up and it’s getting ugly!
During a recent podcast interview, Twisted Sister‘s Dee Snider said he’s not a fan of the current state of Kiss in the post-Ace Frehley and Peter Criss era, calling the current Kiss lineup “an insult.” “I don’t see how people could accept this. Tommy Thayer? I’m sorry. It’s insulting. Not only did he play in a tribute band of Kiss, he’s imitating Ace in his entire act!”
The Twisted Sister frontman went on to say that the worst offense is when the current band not only has Frehley’s look on the song “Shock Me” but also copies his stage moves. “Oh my God — that’s disgraceful,” said Snider. “When Kiss replaced Ace and Peter, and they brought in guys [Eric Carr and Vinnie Vincent] who had their own makeup and their own thing, that was acceptable. That was awesome. They were their own characters.”
Asked about Snider’s comments during a separate podcast visit, Stanley didn’t mince words: “Let me put it in the simplest terms. In this case, this guy [Snider] is a wannabe, has always been a wannabe and desperately wants attention and to be taken seriously and that will never happen because he’s obviously clueless to the fact that he and his whole band are a bunch of buffoons.”
…And Dee Snider tells Paul Stanley to “KISS OFF!”
A letter to Paul Stanley of Kiss in response to comments about Twisted Sister and myself he made on a recent Chris Jericho podcast.
Dear Paul, September 9th, 2015
First off, thanks for giving me the attention I—as you noted– so desperately wanted.
Now, I’ve always had nothing but respect for your band, and you as a performer, but it really comes as no surprise that the feeling isn’t mutual. For some reason you are oddly threatened by me. This said, your recent comments about my band and I on Chris Jericho’s podcast was a typical diversionary tactic used in an attempt to change the subject, rather than answer the actual accusation or question. It’s the oldest interviewing trick in the book.
As far as my “whole band being a bunch of buffoons” goes, that’s a pretty ironic statement coming from you. The argument could easily be made that Kiss is the “king of the buffoons”, so in an odd way you’ve paid Twisted Sister quite a compliment. It takes one to know one.
Lastly, on the subject of me being a “wannabe”? Do you really think so? Well then…any time, any stage. But let’s do this old school –no costumes, no pyro, no bullshit – let’s just get up there and rock. I will bury you, son.
Sincerely, the attention getting, wannabe, lead buffoon of Twisted Sister,
Dee Snider
PS: Did I mention that I’m clean, sober, razor sharp and fully capable of defending myself from any kind of lame attack? Just ask Al Gore.
Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister Is Back!
Lemmy Kilmister’s had a host of health problems recently and was treated for a lung infection after canceling or not completing a bunch of recent shows. But, we’re happy to report that Motörhead came roaring back on September 8 with a full performance in St. Louis, MO. Go Lemmy go!
After finishing the St. Louis gig, Motörhead posted on Facebook that Lemmy and the band were back in top form:
Famous Sturgis Biker Bar “Full Throttle Saloon” Burns to Ground
A Tuesday night fire has destroyed a huge nightclub, the Full Throttle Saloon, known for hosting some of classic rock’s biggest names. The club was also the subject of a long-running reality TV show. Luckily, there were no reported injuries and the bar’s mascot, a donkey named “Emmitt,” was also rescued from the blaze. At press time, the cause of the fire is still unknown.
Billed by owner Michael Ballard as the “World’s Largest Biker Bar,” the Full Throttle Saloon just completed a series of concerts during last month’s Strugis motorcycle rally. Foghat, Molly Hatchet, Vince Neil, Bret Michaels, Tom Keifer and Bad Company frontman Brian Howe all participated. Ballard estimates that the number of patrons inside can swell to about 15,000 people a night during the rally. Rental cabins surround the bar, which also includes a zip line, among other attractions.
Tony Iommi on Final Black Sabbath Tour: “I Can’t Actually Do This Anymore”
Guitarist Tony Iommi has made it clear that Black Sabbath‘s recently announced final tour will be the end of the road for the metal godfathers.
In an interview with the Birmingham Mail, Iommi says that his battle with lymphoma continues to take a toll on his body. “I can’t actually do this anymore. My body won’t take it much more,” explains Iommi. “All the traveling involved in Sabbath tours increasingly takes its toll. That’s why we’re going out on one last tour, to say our farewells. And then it very definitely is the end. We won’t be doing it again.”
He adds, “We’ve been doing this for getting on for 50 years now. It’s about time we draw the line, don’t you think? It’s been great but it’s time to stop now. Don’t get me wrong, I still love gigging. It’s all the traveling and the exhaustion that goes with it that’s the problem. That side of things has a big impact on me.”
Brian Johnson Discusses Possibility of AC/DC’s Retirement
AC/DC has survived the departure of co-founding member Malcolm Young, who is suffering from dementia and a host of other health issues, and more recently, their embattled drummer, Phil Rudd. Not surprisingly, they’ve even considered calling it quits.
“Y’know, retirement is like anything,” Brian Johnson tells the Morning Sun.
“A good footballer, a good ice hockey player, they don’t want to retire, but unfortunately sometimes there’s a time when you have to call it quits. So, it’s an ongoing thing with us. We never say no, and we never say never.”
But, the reaction to AC/DC’s first post-Malcolm album, last year’s hit Rock or Bust, and its mucho succesful tour continues to bolster Johnson. “The thing about the boys in AC/DC you’ve got to remember is we’re constantly surprised and amazed at how we keep the success going,” he said. “We don’t know what we’re doing. I mean, we literally don’t know what we’re doing, except what we’re doing is we just play 100 percent every night and give it everything we’ve got. If that’s the secret of success, we’ll pass it on. But we never expect the crowds. We never take anything for granted. How can you? Times change. You’ve just got to keep doing what you’re doing, basically, and just hope they come back for more.”
Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx Not Happy With Fans Taking Selfies at Miami Concert
Some fans’ use of cell phones to take selfies at Mötley Crüe‘s “Final Tour” Miami show irritated bassist Nikki Sixx, who took to Twitter to voice his displeasure at people in the front row snapping pictures of themselves instead of paying attention to what was happening on stage.
Iron Maiden On Track For Fifth U.K. No. 1 Album With “The Book Of Souls”
According to OfficialCharts.com, British heavy metal legends Iron Maiden are on track to have their fifth U.K. Number One album. The band’s 16th studio CD, The Book Of Souls, is currently #1 with a good chance it will end up in that spot when the charts close this Friday.
Released globally on September 4, The Book Of Souls was recorded in Paris, France with producer Kevin “Caveman” Shirley in late 2014, with the finishing touches added earlier this year after Bruce Dickinson’s recovery from throat cancer.
“Empire Of The Clouds” is an 18-minute opus penned by Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson and Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris loves it. He told Kerrang! magazine about the song: “I think it’s a masterpiece, actually. I think I can say that because I didn’t write it! It sounds like Maiden, but it’s totally different from what we’ve done before.”
And pop superstar Lady Gaga has revealed in a new tweet that she was up at 5AM this past weekend because she wanted to make sure she didn’t forget to download the new Maiden album. She added: “MUSIC FANDOM IS ALIVE”.
As we reported last week in BuzzCut, Gaga stated she would rather be called the next Iron Maiden than be compared to pop veteran Madonna.
“They’re one of the greatest rock bands in history, in my opinion,” Gaga said about Iron Maiden. “Some people really don’t know the importance of metal and the scope of it. Those guys were filling stadiums, and they still are. And it’s because of the culture of the music, the poetry that’s so powerful, that whenever the fans come together, they unite in the essence of what Iron Maiden is all about. I always used to say to people, when they would say, ‘Oh, she’s the next Madonna.’ No, I’m the next Iron Maiden.”
Gene Simmons Is Helping Police With Child Porn Investigation
Two weeks ago, Gene Simmons‘ home was searched as part of an investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The Kiss bassist said today that he and the police are working together to try to piece together what took place.
“They’re [police] on the trail,” Simmons told Australia’s news.com, “and we’re actually helping the FBI and the cops track down the bad guy.”
From what he can gather, his home internet connection was used by someone to access child pornography at some point last year. It must be stressed that no member of the Simmons family is considered a suspect in the case. As the Kiss member noted, “They checked the records, found out that I was on the east coast of America — they deemed that from there you couldn’t do that — our kids were off in Canada, Shannon [Tweed, Simmons’ wife] was outside the country.”
Motörhead Launch Branded Sex Toys
They once released an album called Orgasmatron, and now Motörhead are looking to help their fans get a little extra stimulation in the bedroom. The band’s brand has now been extended to include a new line of sex toys.
Sold via online retailer Lovehoney Online, there are four bullet and torpedo shaped vibrators bearing references to the band and their music. “One of the songs on our debut album was called ‘Vibrator,’ so we had to have our own one day, right,” stated vocalist Lemmy Kilmister. “Apparently, it was worth the wait.”
A description on the website reads: “World-renowned heavy metal legends Motörhead have turned their attention to your intimate pleasure with their own range of branded sex toys. Powerful classic vibrators and bullets are amongst the line up, each packing a powerful punch that captures the rock and roll lifestyle of the band perfectly. Prepare for the sort of mind-blowing orgasms you’d expect from the ‘loudest band on Earth.’”
BuzzChic is waiting at the mailbox patiently for her delivery.
Bon Jovi Hires New Guitarist; China Tour Canceled
Bon Jovi has apparently quietly made a switch in their touring lineup. There is a report that they have hired Matt O’Ree as their rhythm guitarist. Phil X will remain the lead guitarist.
A Jersey Shore radio station wrote on their Facebook page, “[We] want to send out a hearty congrats to our local guitar hero Matt O’Ree. Matt has been signed on as the new guitar player for Bon Jovi as they tour Europe and other far lands. Congrats Matt! You deserve it big time! Couldn’t have happened to a nicer or more deserving guy. It helps that Matt can play his ass off!”
O’Ree is replacing Bobby Bandiera, who has been Bon Jovi’s rhythm guitarist since 2005. Bandiera spent 20 years as a guitarist with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, and, in the early ’80s, frequently played the Stone Pony in Asbury Park on nights when Bruce Springsteen would sit in with his band.
In other Bon Jovi news, the band had been scheduled to play its first-ever Chinese concert dates later this month, with shows planned in Beijing, Shanghai and Macau, but the Washington Post reports that the permits have been pulled, adding that Bon Jovi “appears to be the latest American act to run afoul with China’s notoriously opaque Ministry of Culture, the body that approves or denies performances and releases by musicians and others.”
Ace Frehley, Steven Adler, Frankie Banali, Lita Ford To Appear at All Things That Rock Fest
Original Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley, original Guns N’ Roses drummer Steven Adler, Quiet Riot’s Frankie Banali, Lita Ford and ELP/Asia drummer Carl Palmer are among the special guests scheduled to appear at the second annual All Things That Rock Fest, scheduled for October 3-4 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. The artists will be meeting fans, signing autographs, and posing for photos.
Get all the details, here.
Slayer Offer Free Download of “You Against You”
Slayer‘s 11th studio album, Repentless, is due out September 11, but you can download one of the band’s new tracks, “You Against You,” for free right now.
Devil City Angels Release Video for New Song “All My People”
Tracii Guns tells Loudwire.com, “‘All My People’ was the first track we recorded. The moment we listened back, we all agreed we had something special in the chemistry of the band. I suppose you could say this was the song that birthed Devil City Angels.”
Devil City Angels features Tracii Guns on guitar, Rudy Sarzo on bass, (Cinderella‘s Eric Brittingham played bass on the album, but Sarzo has since replaced him), Rikki Rockett on drums and Brandon Gibbs on vocals.
Check out the video here.
“The Ritchie Blackmore Story” To Be Released In November; Four European Tour Dates Announced
Without a doubt one of the all-time great guitar players, Ritchie Blackmore has always been one to let his music do the talking. In The Ritchie Blackmore Story, a documentary film, Blackmore has granted fans extraordinary access, resulting in a truly revealing, in-depth look into his life and career. The package will be released on November 6 on DVD, Blu-ray, Digital Formats and a deluxe 2DVD+2CD edition.
The Ritchie Blackmore Story contains clips from many of his classic tracks with Deep Purple, Rainbow and Blackmore’s Night including: “Smoke On The Water,” “Highway Star,” “Since You’ve Been Gone,” “Space Truckin’,” “All Night Long,” “Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll,” “Hush,” “Black Night,” “Mistreated,” “Burn,” “Man On The Silver Mountain,” “I Surrender,” “Perfect Strangers” and many more.
Richie Blackmore will regroup with members of Rainbow and Deep Purple for four shows next year in Europe.
“I am doing four dates in June, which will be all rock,” Blackmore tells Noisey. “I have the band basically together and it will be [the best of] Rainbow and Deep Purple. It’s just having fun but it’s only four dates in Europe. I don’t want to do anymore because I take what I’m doing now much more seriously.”
Trans-Siberian Orchestra Announces “Letters From The Labyrinth” Album Bundle With 2015 Winter Tour Tickets
Earlier this month, Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) announced the dates of its 2015 Winter Tour based on the group’s cherished Yuletide story, The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve.
Now, TSO is pleased to announce that each concert ticket will come with a digital copy of the group’s upcoming studio album, Letters From The Labyrinth, set to be released November 13. This is TSO’s first full-length album since 2009’s Night Castle, and fans who purchase tickets to the 2015 Winter Tour will be among the first to hear it.
Tour pre-sale tickets are available to fan club members now and tickets for the general public go on sale September 18. Check out Trans-Siberian.com for more information.
Joe Satriani Says Chickenfoot Are Working on a New Song
A handful of issues have kept Chickenfoot on hiatus since the release of 2011′s Chickenfoot III, but according to guitarist Joe Satriani, the band is currently working on a new song — even if it took what he described as some “complaining and foot-stomping” on his part.
“It was really bothering me and I still, philosophically, just felt like there was a really big disconnect there,” Satriani admitted during a visit to the GuitCast podcast. “When I started speaking my mind, I think I realized I rattled some feathers there in the ‘Foot camp.”
“I sent Sammy some stuff, and I was surprised to see him respond so quickly with some creative ideas. And I can happily tell you now that there is a track that is circulating through the band,” said Satriani. “It’s got new drums from Chad on it, it’s got new vocals from Sam, and I think Mike is coming at the end of this week to add bass and vocals.”
As for what that means in terms of a full-length project, Satriani isn’t sure. “There might be something coming,” he hinted. “I know there’s a song in the works, and I’m working on a few others that I think I can get them to do. So yeah, I think there’s hope.”
Metalheads Say The Damnedest Things…
“All you can do is make music that you like yourself and that you want to listen to over and over again. That’s how I do it. How I get to that point, I can say to you that I’m going to make a more melodic album this time or this or that, but if I hear some deadly heavy metal riff, I’m not not going to do it because I have this plan. I’ll do the best music that I can that is interesting and that I want to sing over. However I get to that point is kind of like some weird magic.
“Every one of my records sells exactly the same amount of copies — it is like six or seven thousand in the first week out in the States, and I always seem to chart at either sixty nine, seventy or seventy one. The day I give that record away, I don’t hear from anybody, because it is gone and that’s that. There’s no radio.
“It would be nice to have a plan after I deliver it; that is what I would say to you. It kind of makes me weary when I say, ‘Here we go again,’ to give two years of myself to a project, then once I put it out, it is kind of done. It would be cool to have a radio station get into it or something. That’s the way it is now. In the old days, we would do interviews, radio, magazines and stuff like that, but it is a different world now.”
~ Sebastian Bach, in an interview with Australia’s Across The Ocean.