Metal News Recap – Week of October 30, 2015

Judas Priest’s Rob Halford Says “Retirement Isn’t In My Vocabulary”

In a new interview with the Toronto Sun, Judas Priest singer Rob Halford was asked if his recent back surgery has changed his perspective on touring and performing live. He said: “The determination kicks in even stronger when you’re faced with those challenges. I’ve seen ’em face to face. But like any difficulty with anybody in any walk of life, you just deal with it, don’t you? You just get on with it. And honestly, we only think about things like this when friends like you ask these questions; we never really go there with each other. We’re just a bunch of guys getting in the van and going to the next gig and playing. And they’ll have to drag me off that stage. Retirement isn’t in my vocabulary.”

Megadeth To Release 12” Single On Record Store Day

Megadeth will issue a 12” single as part of Record Store Day’s Black Friday on November 27. The single will include two new tracks from the band’s upcoming Dystopia album – “The Threat Is Real” and “Foreign Policy“.

Now in its eighth year, Record Store Day is an annual day-long celebration of record store culture taking place on the third Saturday in April, with an annual Black Friday event occurring the day after Thanksgiving. This year, RSD has named Dave Grohl as Record Store Day Ambassador 2015.

Megadeth will kick off 2016 with the release of their 15th studio album, Dystopia, on January 22nd.

Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine Moved to Nashville for Daughter’s Country Music Career

In an effort to support his daughter’s aspiring country career, Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has picked up and moved to Nashville, where the rest of country’s biggest sensations hang their hats (and guitars).

In an interview with Rolling Stone India, Mustaine explained the reason for the move. “The reason we moved out here was because I’ve made four records out here and all those times I was recording, I did live here. It really was comfortable to be here. The last time we were here, Electra was only two years old. We didn’t know that she had the gift and once she started singing — I heard her sing one time and I was really convinced.”

He added, “I don’t profess to be a singer first and foremost — I’m a guitar player that sings more than a singer who plays guitar. But with her, she really is. That’s her strong point. For her, this is music city. It’s all about country. It’s where she’s flourishing.”

Dave Mustaine Fires His “Stupid Ass” Guitar Tech

In more Dave Mustaine news, Mustaine abruptly fired his guitar tech after the band’s concert in Brisbane, Australia, on October 21, and then posted a furious message explaining why. You can watch the video here.

Claiming that the former employee was a “total waste of skin and life,” Mustaine then apologizes to Megadeth fans, saying that they “deserve way better than this jerk-off did tonight. Megadeth is much better than what we appeared tonight. But you know what the funny thing is? He has to live with himself. And as of, like, right now, I’ll never see his stupid ass again.” Glad to see Dave’s managing his legendary anger issues…

Bret Michaels Is “Sure” Poison Will Do “Something Special” Next Year

Poison frontman Bret Michaels told the Lancaseter Eagle-Gazette that the band is still together, despite the fact that is focusing on his solo career.

“We have never broken up, even though we all go on and do other things,” he said. “We are brothers. Next year will be the [32nd] anniversary and I’m sure we’ll do something special.”

In a recent interview with Sleaze Roxx, Poison and Devil City Angels drummer Rikki Rockett said he doesn’t have a clear idea as to why Bret is continuing to avoid any touring and recording activity with Poison, but he makes the following educated guess: “I just think… I don’t know for sure, actually. I haven’t spoken with Bret in months and months. I just think that at this point in time, he just prefers to do his own thing. Bret has his own way of doing things and I’m getting the feeling that he’d prefer not to deal with the three of us if he can avoid it. Look, I’m making that up in my head. I can’t think of any other reason.”

Lemmy Mocks Radiohead, Calls Metal “The Best Music in the World”

After more than four decades of playing ear-splitting metal with Motörhead and a recent series of health scares, what keeps Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister coming back for more?

“This is the best life in the world,” he told Consequence of Sound during a recent interview, which you can listen to here. “You travel around the world, places you never would have got to in any other job, and you leave people happier than they were when you got there. That’s all right. I’d say that’s a pretty good job.”

Motörhead recently released its 22nd album, Bad Magic. Asked to contrast his band’s unvarying approach to making music with the more adventurous aesthetic of a group like Radiohead, Lemmy merely shrugged, responding to the observation that all of Radiohead’s records sound different by chuckling, “None of them are very good.”

Billy Sheehan Shares His Real-Life ‘Spinal Tap’ Moment

Bassist Billy Sheehan shared his real-life Spinal Tap moment story in an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, explaining that it all started when he agreed to join UFO for their 1983 European tour after Pete Way left the lineup following 1982’s Mechanix album. “We did that tour, and a lot of things happened — so much so that when I got home and first saw the movie Spinal Tap after that tour, it was not funny at all. I didn’t think it was funny a bit — I was wondering why I was even sitting in the theater watching it, when I had just lived that completely on the entire tour.”

One particularly painful memory stems from the band’s stop in Athens, where the promoter gifted the group with a massive amount of Metaxa, a liqueur consisting of brandy blended with wine and assorted flavorings, in a huge bottle with a spigot at the bottom. “About halfway through the day, we’re walking down the hotel hallway, and it’s outside [singer Phil Mogg’s] room, empty,” chuckled Sheehan. “He’d already emptied the whole bottle of Metaxa, so we knew it was going to be a particularly good show.”

Sure enough, when the band took the stage, Mogg was thoroughly inebriated, and after a few songs of slurred vocals, the audience started to get unruly — even tossing a lit M-80 onstage at one point. Emboldened by the Metaxa, Mogg walked over to Sheehan with a plan: “Phil comes back to me and says, ‘Billy, I think if we move to the front of the stage, we can get them.’ I said, ‘Okay.’ So I went up to the front of the stage and — pow! — something hit me in the head so hard, I thought an M-80 blew off in my face.”

As it turned out, Sheehan hadn’t actually been pelted with an explosive — just a heavy can fashioned into a projectile weapon, which struck him on the scalp and left him bleeding down the side of his face. “Thank you, Phil, for bringing me up to the front of the stage so we could ‘get them,’” smirked Sheehan. “And that was one of about 40 stories like that.”

Glenn Danzig Confirms His Retirement From the Road

Glenn Danzig has confirmed that he will retire from touring after completing a series of dates in North America with Superjoint.

Danzig broke the news in an interview with Loudwire before performing this week at the Playstation Theatre in New York City’s Times Square. You can watch the entire interview here.

“I think this is going to be it,” Danzig says. “I’ll do some shows here or there, but I don’t think I’m going to tour anymore.”

Queensrÿche Announce North American Headline Tour

Queensrÿche will kick-off the New Year with a bang embarking on a North American tour. The tour runs January 7 – February 5. Queensrÿche just wrapped up a successful run with the Scorpions.

Check out all the dates on the HOH website.

Black Sabbath Announces Second Batch Of “The End” U.S. Tour Dates

Due to overwhelming demand, the road to “The End” just got longer. On the heels of their much-anticipated performances in North America, Australia, New Zealand and Europe, Black Sabbath will end the epic journey they began nearly five decades ago with 18 North American dates in Fall 2016. These shows will follow a mix of summer headlining and festival performances throughout Europe. The dates start in Wantaugh, NY and end in Phoenix, AZ in September.

The massive 2016 Black Sabbath “The End” farewell tour marks the end for Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler.
Check out all the dates on the HOH website.

Metal Allegiance Members Offer Thoughts on Black Sabbath Touring Without Bill Ward

With the announcement of Black Sabbath‘s final tour, the metal community is again wondering if the band will ever feature original drummer Bill Ward in its ranks again. There has been a lot of back and forth between Ward and the rest of the band with issues being raised from unfair contracts to Ward’s physical inability to endure the demands of performing every night on tour. Fans are not the only ones wondering if Ward will ever join the band and the members of Metal Allegiance gave their thoughts on the situation.

In an interview with Louder Noise, David Ellefson, Mike Portnoy, Alex Skolnick and Mark Menghi all answered the question, “Should Black Sabbath play its final shows without Bill Ward?” All of them remain hopeful that the drummer will join the band on stage, but Ellefson gave some insight from the musician aspect, stating, “If it can’t come together and everybody really feel it in the room either musically or just as a brotherhood then it’s better to leave it alone and let everybody have the memory of what was great back in a previous glory day. Don’t taint that glory by forcing a reunion to happen.”

Drummer Mike Portnoy had a messy split with Dream Theater, but has found success in new endeavors, including his upcoming work with Twisted Sister after A.J. Pero’s passing. He says, “I love Bill Ward and he should be there. Whatever, if there’s physical reasons that he can’t be there then okay, that’s understandable, but if it’s strictly a financial thing, that’s inexcusable.”

Check out the full interview, here.

Black Sabbath Have Reportedly “Opted Against” Recording a Final Album

In yet MORE Black Sabbath news, after originally planning to go out with one last album on their final world tour, the members of Black Sabbath have reportedly “opted against” recording a new LP. Based on Osbourne’s comments, it seems the band is content to go out with 2013’s chart-topping 13.

“It’s the end of Sabbath, believe me,” said Osbourne of the band’s upcoming The End tour. “In December, I’ll be f—in’ 68 and I think it’s time to call it the end of the day. I’m not saying I won’t get on stage with … any of them some time, but officially we’re going to be done. I don’t want it to dwindle and dwindle and play just for the sake of making another f—in’ sack full of cash. So it’s time, and then I’ll go back to doing my own thing.”

Joe Satriani Adds More “Surfing to Shockwave” Tour Dates

Joe Satriani has extended his retrospective Surfing to Shockwave tour, adding a list of new dates that will keep him on the road through late April.

The new stops pick up where Satriani’s previously announced tour dates left off, starting March 21 in Durham, N.C., and continuing through April 24 in Vancouver. For detailed information, as well as opportunities to purchase VIP packages, visit Satriani’s official website.
Timed to mark the 30th anniversary of Satriani’s first album, Not of This Earth, the Surfing to Shockwave tour will see him performing fan favorites and deep cuts from throughout his extensive catalog. According to the press release announcing the shows, the set list “will highlight music over Satriani’s entire career, including songs the legendary guitarist hasn’t played live in over 20 years.”

Check out tour dates on the HOH website, here.

Ritchie Blackmore Confirms Second Best Of Rainbow/Deep Purple Show

In September Ritchie Blackmore announced that he would regroup with members of Rainbow and Deep Purple for four shows next year in Europe.

Blackmore recently announced a show for June 18 at the Festplatz am Viadukt in Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany. He has now been confirmed to play June 17 as well at Freilichtbühne in Loreley, Germany.

“I am doing four dates in June, which will be all rock. 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 (his current band, Blackmore’s Night, with wife Candice) much more seriously.”

Metalheads Say The Damnedest Things!

“I don’t judge drummers based on their technical ability – I judge them based on the overall package and what they bring to the music they’re part of,” Portnoy explained during a recent interview with Sticks for Stones. “What Lars brings to the music of Metallica is absolutely invaluable. So I could care less if his meter might be slightly up and down, or if his fills are slightly sloppy. I don’t care about that. There’s way more to being a good drummer than precision and technique.

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Lars, even though he takes a beating in the drum community. He’s been a tremendous asset to Metallica — not only as a writer, but as a businessman, his abilities to market things, his ability to arrange music and his performance on stage. He’s a very animated player onstage.”

~ Winery Dogs and Dream Theater veteran, and current Twisted Sister drummer Mike Portnoy praising Lars Ulrich of Metallica’s drum skills.