This Week’s SHAZAM Winner!!
Congrats to Kristy Dickens in Johnson City, TN who listens to WQUT FM 101.5, and is this week’s Shazam contest winner, scoring a House of Hair t-shirt!
Be sure to Shazam the House of Hair Request of the Week when you hear it each week. Whip out your cell phone and open the Shazam app to get info on the song and register to win an official House of Hair t-shirt, too! One winner will be chosen randomly each week.
METAL NEWS
Why Twisted Sister Wouldn’t Let “We’re Not Gonna Take It” Be Trump’s Anthem
In a new article for Forward.com, Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French reveals how and why the band did not allow president-elect Donald Trump to use their classic song “We’re Not Gonna Take It” during his run for office.
Said French, “Over the past 20 years, “We’re Not Gonna Take It” has become one of the most licensed songs in the world for TV shows, commercials and movies. But because the band’s personal political leanings have always been all over the map, we have never allowed the song to be “officially” used by any political group, left or right.
Though it has been sung at mass events in over 30 countries, the band could not allow the song to be associated with Trump’s campaign. Therefore, with the band’s full support, Dee asked, in a private conversation, that the song be withdrawn from the Trump playlist.
It didn’t need the press. It didn’t need public shaming. But our song stopped getting played and didn’t become the anthem of the Trump campaign. For one of the louder, brasher bands of the past few decades, we chose not the loudest way, not the sexiest way, not the PR dream way, to avoid that particular legacy.”
Vince Neil Raises More Than $750,000 for Charity on Celebrity Apprentice
Prior to the airing of the NBC program Celebrity Apprentice, Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil had raised over $200,000 for his charity, Keep Memory Alive.
Thanks to contributions from both star-struck Mötley Crüe fans and wealthy friends such as Carrot Top, Hooters Restaurant and a strip club, Neil’s team raised more than $378,000, and earned an additional $25,000 for having their candy win a taste test judged by Warren Buffett.
That was enough to beat the team led by former NFL star Ricky Williams, and as a result, the entire amount raised by both teams — more than $769,000 — went to the charity Keep Memory Alive.
Keep Memory Alive supports the mission of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. Neil says he was inspired to support the charity because of the 2015 death of his friend Kerry Simon, the “Rock n’ Roll Chef,” from Multiple System Atrophy. “Here was a guy who didn’t drink, no drugs, he worked out every day, and I saw that, and [I thought], ‘we have to find a cure for that.’”
Stephen Pearcy of Ratt Talks About Legal Battle with Bobby Blotzer
Vocalist Stephen Pearcy has been speaking at length on recent interviews about reuniting with Ratt bandmates Warren DeMartini and Juan Croucier, and the ongoing legal battle over the Ratt band name with drummer Bobby Blotzer.
During an interview with The Classic Metal Show, Pearcy said: “You have a cancerous situation, and if you just pick a little of the cancer away, it doesn’t go away. Well, this time we cut it out. Because what happened is somebody was claiming to change the course of history, and it kind of started getting under our nerves. You can sue everybody you want, it doesn’t mean you’re gonna win. But to change the course of history, and especially to disrespect Robbin (Crosby) and what we’ve done… Our audience is not stupid — they’ve been with us for years — so it’s kind of humiliating to them. But don’t take my music and take claim over it. We’re the ones who write it, and we’re the ones who sweated for it.”
Metallica To Rock the 2017 Grammy Awards
Metallica have been invited to perform on the 2017 Grammy Awards, Sunday, February 12 on CBS.
The band posted on Facebook, “First, it was a total honor to be nominated, but now this?!!? We’re beyond excited that we have been invited to perform on the 59th annual Grammy Awards telecast on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017. It’s been three years since we were lucky enough to participate in the awards show when we last performed with world-renowned Chinese concert pianist Lang Lang and we’re thrilled to be asked back. We have something very unique and special planned for this celebratory night, so tune in to watch on CBS-TV… check those local listings for your time zone and keep watching here for more information.”
Metallica earned their Grammy nomination for Best Rock Song; their song “Hardwired” will compete against tracks from David Bowie, Radiohead, Twenty One Pilots and Highly Suspect.
NEW RELEASES
Doro Pesch Releases Tribute Song “It Still Hurts” In Memory of Lemmy Kilmister
Pesch was a close friend of Kilmister, and she offered her personal touch on “It Still Hurts,” a song Kilmister and Pesch recorded back in 2012.
“Today is exactly one year ago since the rock ‘n’ roll world lost Lemmy Kilmister, one of its greatest ever — and one of my best and most beloved friends,” Pesch said on her Facebook page. “One year… and we miss Lemmy so much. The wish to honor him and his remembrance day with a video, showing some beautiful moments, came from deep within our hearts. And here it is: In Memoriam – Lemmy, one of the greatest heroes in Rock.”
All Female Guitarist Compilation She Rocks, Vol. 1 Due For Release This Week
An all-female guitarist compilation, She Rocks, Vol. 1., is due for release on January 20 in cooperation with the Women’s International Music Network (theWiMN.com), hosts of the famed She Rocks Awards. The compilation will be celebrated at the 2017 She Rocks Awards in Anaheim, CA during the annual NAMM Convention.
This collection of kick-ass guitar goddesses is produced by author and former Guitar World editor, Brad Tolinski with guitarist Steve Vai as executive producer, and showcases eleven female guitarists, each a virtuoso in her own right.
It features the amazing talents of Orianthi, Yasi Hofer, Kat Dyson, Sarah Longfield, Lita Ford, Jennifer Batten, Nita Strauss, Steph Paynes, Nili Brosh, Menn, and Yvette Young.
“Through the years women have become more and more interested in ripping it up on the guitar. It’s amazing to watch. Favored Nations is very excited to be working with producer Brad Tolinski in creating a compilation of many of the women who are evolving the instrument in powerful ways. They are wildly raising the bar.” said Steve Vai.
Check out the audio of Orianthi’s “Transmogrify” from the album, here.
First Promo of “We are Twisted F****ing Sister” Documentary Released
Andrew Horn, the director of the Twisted Sister documentary, “We Are Twisted F***ing Sister!”, has uploaded the first ever promo clip he created for the film.
Says Horn: “This is the first promo I ever made for the Twisted Sister movie, using outtakes from the interview I did with Jay Jay for the Klaus Nomi movie and some DVDs that I made from material that Jay Jay had kicking around. How far we’ve come!”
Black Sabbath Members Curate New 31-Track Release
As Black Sabbath approach the final show of their farewell tour on February 4 in their hometown of Birmingham, a new compilation from the metal legends will be hitting stores.
The Ultimate Collection will be released on February 3, which will feature 31 classic tracks and was curated by the Black Sabbath band members. It will be released in standard 2-CD and digital formats as well as a limited edition “Crucifold” 4-LP heavyweight vinyl version that will be housed in a case in the shape of a cross.
Ozzy Osbourne Working On Material For New Album
Ozzy has yet to announce a timeline for the release of his next solo LP. He recently let it slip that he’s been working on new material with Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens. “He’s not gonna be in my band; he’s with Billy Idol. … I said, ‘I’ve got some ideas,’ and we worked it out,” said Osbourne. “I don’t want to say when, because I can’t be working this other thing and my own thing at the same time.”
ON TOUR
Ozzy, Kiss and Korn To Headline Chicago Open Air 2017 Festival
The second annual Chicago Open Air festival will bring together an all-star lineup of rock’s top artists on Friday, July 14, Saturday, July 15 and Sunday, July 16 at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, IL, just outside Chicago.
Ozzy Osbourne’s appearance will be his first solo show after Black Sabbath’s final show.
The three-day music, craft beer and Gourmet Man Food festival will feature over 40 performances, including legendary rock artists Ozzy, KISS, and Korn, along with Rob Zombie, Slayer, Godsmack, Stone Sour, Megadeth, Lamb Of God, Seether, Meshuggah, Anthrax, Clutch, Body Count, and many more.
Tickets for Chicago Open Air go on sale Friday, January 20 at 12 noon, CT at ChicagoOpenAir.com.
Check out the official Chicago Open Air video announcement here.
Def Leppard, Poison + Tesla Announce Massive North American Tour
Def Leppard will be heading out on the road with hair metal legends Poison and Tesla on an exhaustive North American Tour of 37 cities starting April 8 and ending June 25.
“We’re thrilled to be able to take this tour to cities we didn’t play in 2016. The demand for us to return, or rather extend the tour was phenomenal! There’s a great buzz around the band right now and we’re loving the fact that we can do this with the latest album being so well received,” stated Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott.
The tour will also mark the first time in five years that Bret Michaels, C.C. Deville, Bobby Dall and Rikki Rockett will be hitting the stage together under the Poison name.
“I could not be more excited,” began Michaels. “I know all of us will give 1,000 percent onstage and we are looking forward to performing our hits together. I personally could not be more thankful for the three generations of fans and I love the music of Def Leppard and Tesla. This will be an amazing night of rock ‘n’ roll. Don’t wait because god only knows.”
Tickets for the tour will go on sale on January 20 and 21 at Live Nation.
Tour dates are on the HOH website.
Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford Joins Experience Hendrix Tour
The 2017 Experience Hendrix Tour just announced that Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford will be joining the lineup for select dates on the trek which will also include Buddy Guy, Black Label Society and former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Dweezil Zappa, Keb’ Mo’, Doyle Bramhall II, Ana Popovic, The Slide Brothers, Mato Nanji from Indigenous, Beth Hart, and Jimi Hendrix Experience/Band of Gypsys bassist Billy Cox.
Brad Whitford will be taking part at the stops in Jackson (MS), Houston and San Antonio. He said of his previous experience on the tour “It’s such a wonderful atmosphere. Sometimes we’d get on the bus and travel at night and we’re watching old Hendrix videos. It just doesn’t stop. It’s a great group of people. He [Jimi Hendrix] had a really deep understanding and knowledge of blues. I don’t know where it came from. We all try and cop that feel. We can’t quite nail it, but it sure is fun to try and emulate some of what he did. There are a lot of good lessons in that.”
The tour kicks off February 17 in Portland, OR and will finish on March 26 in Prior Lake, MN.
Tour dates are on the HOH website.
Skid Row Officially Name ZP Theart as New Vocalist
During a recent show at the Casino in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Skid Row officially confirmed that ZP Theart is their singer.
Sebastian Bach is the band’s best known vocalist; he left the band in 1996. After a brief run with Sean Mars, the band had Johnny Solinger as their vocalist for 16 years before giving way to ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell. Theart has been handling vocal duties since the end of 2015.
Bassist Rachel Bolan said: “I wanna make this announcement finally formal. He’s been with us for a year, our new lead singer, ZP Theart. We’re going in the studio soon to make a new record. We love this guy. He just lives too far away. We’ve gotta get him to move to the States, but that’s coming down the road.”
Metalheads Say The Damnedest Things
“That’s less of an incentive, because downloading and file sharing. People have convinced themselves they don’t wanna pay for stuff,” he said. “And last time I checked, KISS is not a charity. We’re philanthropic, but I’ll be the one that decides how much I give and where. I don’t want some college kid to decide, ‘You have enough money. I don’t wanna pay for your record.’ Okay, then go download and Radiohead record and see what happ… No, I ain’t about that.”
He added: “Make a distinction between commerce and philanthropy. So the idea of doing another KISS record, unless and if there’s a financial model that works, personally I’m not interested in it.”
~ Gene Simmons of KISS in a recent interview on The SDR Show