Lynyrd Skynyrd Guitarist Gary Rossington Suffers Heart Attack
Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington, the band’s last remaining original member, is reportedly under observation after suffering a serious heart attack October 8.
The news comes courtesy of Rossington’s family, via a note posted by his daughter Mary Elizabeth on the Ronnie Van Zant fan page on Facebook. “Please keep him and us in your prayers as well as all the amazing medical staff that have saved his life several times now,” reads one passage. “We were very close to losing him this time and just pray that they will develop even better techniques soon to deal with heart disease.”
As the note explains, Rossington’s been battling heart problems for some time, and one of the many challenges faced by his doctors during this latest round included adding or repairing stents inserted during previous surgeries — including the quintuple bypass he underwent back in 2003: “They went in to repair and unclog the two stents they did previously in the year which had a blood clot, added a third stent to one vein and in two weeks we will need to go in to do a fourth stent in one of his bypassed veins from 12 years ago.”
Iron Maiden Announces Second L.A. Show; No Other U.S. Dates To Be Added At This Time
Live Nation has announced that following the rapid sellout of Maiden’s show at the L.A. Forum on April 15, 2016, they have added a second night on Saturday, April 16, 2016. The band then jets to Tokyo on Ed Force One for the continutaiton of their The Book Of Souls world tour. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Saturday, October 17 at 10:00 AM PST and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com.
U.S. dates for the band went on sale nationally last Saturday with stunning fan reaction. Madison Square Garden sold out in 45 minutes, followed by the Forum.
Fan-club members will again be given the option of pre-sales – details can be found at www.ironmaiden.com.
Journey Drummer Deen Castronovo Pleads Guilty To Domestic Abuse
According to the Statesman Journal, Journey drummer Deen Castronovo has been sentenced to four years probation after pleading guilty to domestic abuse. The 51-year-old musician, who replaced Steve Smith as Journey’s drummer in 1998, was initially arrested last June after an altercation at his Salem, Oregon, home.
Castronovo pleaded guilty to two counts of assault in the fourth degree constituting domestic violence, two counts of menacing constituting domestic violence, unlawful use of a weapon and coercion. He has been ordered by a Salem judge to undergo domestic violence and drug counseling and risks five years in prison if he violates any of the terms of his sentence.
Aerosmith Lodge Legal Protest Over Trump Using “Dream On” at Political Rallies ~ Trump Caves
Steven Tyler’s legal team sent a cease-and-desist order to Donald Trump to prevent the U.S. presidential hopeful from using Aerosmith’s music at campaign events.
The billionaire real estate magnate played the band’s classic “Dream On” at a rally in Alabama in August. He was asked not to do so again but the song was also used at a political gathering in Georgia, prompting Tyler’s lawyers to get involved.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the cease-and-desist letter reads: “Trump for President does not have our client’s permission to use “Dream On” or any of our client’s other music in connection with the campaign because it gives the false impression that he is connected with or endorses Mr. Trump’s presidential bid. […] If Trump For President does not comply with our demands, our client will be forced to pursue any and all legal or equitable remedies which our client may have against you.”
Just 24 hours later, Trump told TMZ that he had read the cease-and-desist letter from Tyler’s lawyer, but claimed that he bought the right to use the song, along with many other tunes, in public assemblies. But, since Tyler has been “such a good friend and supporter over the years,” Trump says he will no longer use the track. Steven Tyler is a registered Republican and attended the first GOP debate back in August. The Hollywood Reporter posted that Tyler’s attorney, Dina LaPolt, explained that Tyler’s problem with Trump’s use of the song goes beyond politics, and has to do with copyright control. “Steven works tirelessly with both Republicans and Democrats regarding copyright reform and his position has always been consistent regarding copyright and intellectual property,” she wrote. “Simply, one must get permission from the music creators. Steven wrote 100 percent of ‘Dream On’, and this is about the unauthorized use of his property.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Tyler and Trump are friendly: “Tyler was once a judge at Trump’s Miss USA Pageant and they reportedly once traveled to Russia together.” Trump tweeted about attending an Aerosmith concert and raved about the show.
Sixx A.M. Guitarist DJ Ashba to Perform National Anthem at 2015 Monster Energy Cup
SIXX: A.M. guitarist and Monster Energy artist Dj Ashba will be performing the National Anthem at The 2015 MONSTER ENERGY CUP on October 17.
The 2015 MONSTER ENERGY CUP features an all-new track design inspired by 5-time Monster Energy Supercross Champion Ricky Carmichael. The Carmichael-inspired track design will consist of supercross and motocross obstacles unlike any other racetrack design in the world.
W.A.S.P.’s BLACKIE LAWLESS Dismisses “Myth” That His Bandmates Don’t Contribute To Songwriting Process
W.A.S.P. frontman Blackie Lawless has praised the band’s longtime bassist Mike Duda, insisting that W.A.S.P.’s new album, Golgotha, “would have never turned out the way it did without [Mike’s] input and his ability to still see and hear music like a 15-year-old.”
In the fourth installment of the ongoing “The Making Of Golgotha” blog series on W.A.S.P.’s official website, Lawless spoke in more detail about the songwriting process for Golgotha and how crucial his bandmates’ input has been in the way the final product turned out.
Lawless wrote: “I know it’s presumed by a lot of people that because I am the main songwriter that the other members of the band just come in and play their parts and they don’t contribute much beyond that. I’m here to put that myth to rest. Although that was true on the some records like The Crimson Idol, nothing could be further from the truth with this band. We go through long and lengthy rehearsal periods where we work on arrangements and overall song structure. This goes on for months before we ever start to record for real. We meticulously take songs apart and put them back together again.
Zakk Wylde: “Without Ozzy Osbourne, I Wouldn’t Be Talking Here With You Right Now”
In a brand new interview with Australia’s Heavy magazine, Black Label Society frontman Zakk Wylde credited Ozzy Osbourne with making it possible for Wylde to have a successful career in the music industry.
“Without Ozzy, I wouldn’t be talking here with you right now,” Wylde said. “I’ve always loved Ozzy. He’s always been one of the coolest guys and he’s like an older brother and it’s truly a blessing. I still talk to Ozzy, ’cause he’s family to me. Just because Black Label Society is full time, it doesn’t really matter. Because if [current Ozzy Osbourne guitarist] Gus G.’s wife was having a baby and Ozzy wanted me to fill in, I’d do it.”
He continued: “The thing is, with Ozzy, he introduces you to the world, and whatever you want to do is up to you. What are you gonna do? We all gotta have jobs and pay bills. Ozzy offered me an opportunity and introduced me to the world, and you just gotta role your sleeves up and get to work instead of sitting on the couch, talking about how you’re gonna be bigger than McDonalds.”
In more Zakk news,
Zakk Wylde has confirmed that he is working on Book Of Shadows Volume II for an early 2016 release. The effort, which will be made available on the 20th anniversary of the arrival of the original Book Of Shadows album, will be followed by a world tour to support that side of Zakk’s music.
Speaking to Louder Noise, Zakk said: “Obviously, the Book Of Shadows thing is more of an acoustic thing and more mellow — the mellow stuff as opposed to the heavy stuff. But yeah, that’s what we’re working on right now. I can’t believe the album is twenty years old. But we’re always writing mellow stuff. I mean, once I get done doing the heavy thing for a while and writing riffs, once you get worn out on that, I’ll just either sit behind a piano or pick up an acoustic [guitar], and then it just puts you in a different state of mind when you’re writing. So that’s all it is to me.”
Black Sabbath’s Bill Ward Says “Never At Any Time Was My Drumming Impaired, My Health Impaired Or My Ability To Play Drums”
Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward has once again insisted in a new interview that he is quite capable of playing a full concert with the group, despite the band members themselves saying the opposite. Ward stepped away from the Sabbath reunion in early 2012, while the group hinted that he was not in good enough physical shape to either record or tour.
Speaking with Ghost Cult magazine, Ward said: “I was never in a position where I was never able to drum. It’s really sad that those statements made about me that inferred that I wasn’t able to drum.
“When I’m in the studio, I can play in the studio. I was laying down tracks. By August 2011, I was already training and getting trained. You have to ramp up to go out on tour so that takes a different attitude. Touring is completely different to me than being in the studio. So I was already doing that work.”
He reiterated: “Never at any time was my drumming impaired, my health impaired or my ability to play drums. I’m so angry about those suggestions and that was going on.”
In The Works
Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine Is Working On Second Book
Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine has revealed that he is working on his second book.
Mustaine’s first book, his autobiography, “Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir”, was on the New York Times “Hardcover Nonfiction” best sellers list.
During a Twitter chat with fans, Mustaine was asked if he ever planned to write another book. He responded: “Yes. In fact, I started over last summer. It will be a while [before it is released] though.”
When one of Mustaine’s Twitter followers asked if the Megadeth leader could recommend any other rock autobiographies, Dave responded: “Sad to say most of my peers’ memoirs are self-promoting f**k/drug-ologues of how high they got or how low they scrape.”
Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister – “We Might Release Another Live Album Down The Line”
Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister was asked recently if they still record all of their shows, and if there would be any new live Motörhead albums released soon.
Lemmy said, “No. We used to, but we stopped doing that. We tape the occasional one just to see that we’re keeping up, you know what I mean? But we might possibly release another live album down the line. We’ve got a European tour in the fall, you know, so we might do something in London for the 40th anniversary. Forty years this year.” HOLY ****!
UFO Guitar Legend Vinnie Moore To Release Aerial Visions Album
The long awaited new album, Aerial Visions, from legendary guitarist Vinnie Moore, will be released on October 23 featuring drummer Richie Monica (Tantric, Poppa Chubby), and bassists Dave LaRue (Steve Morse Band, Flying Colors, The Dregs), Rob DeLuca (UFO, Sebastian Bach), Dorian Heartsong (Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience) and Elliott Dean Rubinson (Uli Jon Roth, MSG).
Says Vinnie, “I have been touring all over the world pretty nonstop for the past 12 years. I started this record about two years ago and have been working on it while at home. I’m totally jacked up about getting it out there for others to hear as well as playing these songs LIVE. Two of the songs on Aerial were written as instrumentals but were included on a UFO record with vocals. I have also done a cover of ZZ Top’s “La Grange” which I have always thought is one of the coolest songs ever.”
The first video trailer for the rockstar-studded Gutterdammerung movie, described as “the loudest silent movie on Earth,” was released this week.
Gutterdämmerung, derived from a portion of Richard Wagner’s “The Ring” that depicts an apocalyptic battle of the gods, appears to be every bit as over-the-top as its title and its star-studded cast would suggest — Slash, Iggy Pop, Josh Homme, Henry Rollins, Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister and Slayer’s Tom Araya are all in the credits.
“Much in the tradition of classic movies of 1920’s Hollywood, the film is mostly silent but instead of a lone piano, a live rock band express the emotions and action whilst special effects from the film explode to life all around the audience,” reads the Gutterdämmerung website. “Think of a deafening rock ‘n’ roll version of Secret Cinema taking place in hell and you might just begin to have an idea of what Gutterdämmerung is.”
Glenn Danzig finally revealed the cover art for Skeletons that he’s been working on for better part of a year and is due November 27. The full track listing has been released, and it has a mix of well known artists like Elvis Presley, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith and ZZ Top as well as lesser known acts like Davie Allan and the Arrows, and the Litter getting the covers treatment by Danzig. In addition, Danzig takes on “Satan,” the theme from Satan’s Sadists.
Metalheads Say The Damnedest Things!
“I was really into rock ‘n roll with Little Richard and Elvis Presley, but that wasn’t the reason I started playing guitar. That came later when I saw The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. I saw in my naive young brain, five friends going around the world making music. That was my philosophy in the beginning. I had that vision and then built a friendship around it. This was the key to making history together. It took so long for us to come out of Germany from 1965 to 1972 to make the first album Lonesome Crow. I was the manager, bus driver, guitarist, singer, roadie; everything until my brother, Klaus Meine, came along. It was the platform for us to start; it was also the right way to start. We didn’t get the fame and success too early in our career.
We went through it the hard way with heart, that’s why we are still at it 50 years later. We didn’t take the easy way. Kids nowadays can’t handle the rockstar lifestyle, when it’s achieved too quickly. Fifty years later we are putting out a new CD, Return to Forever, a documentary Forever and a Day, the deluxe editions of our back catalogue and we are out touring! We have these four things going on and we are so busy with everything. On one hand it’s very good and on the other hand, sometimes it’s too much. In the end the fans will get the best of us and that’s very important. We always look to take care of the fans.”
~ Rudolf Schenker, asked if he thought Scorpions would still be going strong 50 years on, interviewed by Guitar International.