This Week’s SHAZAM Winner!!
Congrats to Judy Stroman in Souix City, IA who listens to Z-98, 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
Ronnie James Dio Hologram 2017 Tour Plans Moving Forward
Eyellusion CEO Jeff Pezzuti, the company that produced the hologram of legendary metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio, reveals in a new interview that plans are in the works for a tour.
“For the tour, he’s going to have different looks,” Pezzuti tells Talking Metal via Loudwire. For the Wacken appearance the company used Dio’s appearance from “somewhere around ’88, the Dream Evil era. For this next tour, we’re going to be somewhere later than that for certain songs and maybe earlier than that for other songs.”
Pezzuti promises that the forthcoming tour will be “an over-the-top, mind-blowing experience. We are going to have both live singers with Ripper Owens and Oni Logan as part of the show, as well as Ronnie appearing throughout the show at different parts, some duets. It’s going to be mind-blowing from the fans’ perspective. We are going to bring album covers to life. We are going to bring things that are known to Ronnie to life onstage. Ronnie will be involved in each show from probably six to seven songs a night that he will be singing on. Some of the ones we can expect are ‘We Rock,’ ‘Holy Diver’ and ‘Rainbow in the Dark.'”
Tour dates are not yet confirmed.
Steven Tyler Looks Ahead To More Touring With Aerosmith
“The European tour is booked, locked and cocked and that’s ready for next summer. And then we’re coming back and we’re doing the rest of the world,” Tyler said in a recent interview. “Farewell? I’m not sure, but truth is, who knows how long we’ll be touring as the original band? I don’t think that needs to be said, I think that we’re all freaks of nature and Joe and I were talking on the phone yesterday and he said to me, ‘We have no right being as healthy as we are after what we’ve been through.’ Whether it’s through the abuses of being on tour for 40 years or the abuses of substances or the abuses of life on life’s terms, there’s been a lot of abuse. But we’re both looking pretty damn good for what’s going on.
The one thing that’s never failed is that when we get back together to rehearse the love is there again and I’ve been closer to Joe now in the last three weeks, in the last two months than I think of in our whole career – short of when we started,” he explains. “But I think we see eye-to-eye on why we got together as a band and what the power of our music does for ourselves first and the rest of the world afterwards.”
Read the complete interview at Billboard.com.
Bobby Blotzer’s Ratt Forced to Cancel Show Under Cease and Desist Order
The legal battle for the Ratt name continues to go “Round and Round” as Bobby Blotzer and his former bandmates remain entrenched in the dispute. Most recently, Blotzer was forced to cancel a show billed as Ratt after a cease and desist order was issued. Blotzer’s version of Ratt was stricken from the bill prior to show time at the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan on December 29, because they could not “proceed with the performance of Mr. Blotzer due to the current legal dispute over the Ratt band trademark.”
The two sides have been at odds, both claiming the other does not have the right to tour under the Ratt moniker.
Megadeth Bassist David Ellefson Opens Coffee + Merch Shop in His Hometown
Megadeth bassist David Ellefson’s boutique coffee brand will open its first retail location, Ellefson Coffee Co., next Monday, January 10 in David’s hometown of Jackson, MN. In addition to serving a variety of custom blends including Roast In Peace, She Wolf, Kenya Thrash, and Urban Legend, ECC will also be a retail outlet for ECC coffee products and memorabilia, and a satellite retail outlet for titles and merchandise from Ellefson’s EMP Label Group.
The store will also serve as a “Museum Of Deth”, featuring permanently displayed artifacts and memorabilia from Ellefson’s personal Megadeth collection, as well as memorabilia from other artists.
Said Ellefson, “Aside from some great coffee and a fun Rock N’ Roll atmosphere, our store is a go-to destination for coffee that also tells my story of heavy metal and global music history. I look forward to seeing you there!”
Metallica Focused Music Festival May Be Coming
Metallica’s Lars Ulrich revealed in an interview just before Christmas that the band may resurrect their Orion Music + More event but tweak it so that it is a “full-on Metallica” music festival.
Ulrich said about the event, “Hopefully, yeah. Hopefully. We sort of put that on the backburner when we dove into the record. But I think that we’re gonna tour for years on this record. We just put most of ’17 together, but we’ll be out on this baby at least up through ’19, would be my guess. So I think we’ll try to get another Orion in. We did two Orions in the States. Maybe do one in Europe, maybe look at Canada, maybe look at Mexico, just to vary it a little bit. Maybe it’s just Metallica and some stuff, like museum stuff, and just maybe making it only Metallica for a whole weekend, but making it smaller. We haven’t really dialed it yet, but we’re looking at all the different options.”
Former Scorpions Drummer Has $50,000 Worth Of Gear Stolen
Former Scorpions drummer James Kottak reports that thieves have stolen more than $50,000 worth of gear from his personal storage locker. Kottak wrote on Facebook, “I want to thank the a@$holes who broke in to my storage unit and stole a lifetime of leather/stage clothing, 13+ guitars, etc…also, all my gold & platinum album awards, etc. Thanx…karma is coming for you but I wish you no harm and forgive you for your sins. The peeps who stole this $50,000.00+ items will be judged…I forgive you. Mostly, my guitars are gone and I am heartbroken,” he added. “It’s just things but they are memorable things. If anyone has any info, please contact me privately…thank you.”
Last month, Kottak – who joined the Scorpions in 1996 – thanked fans for their support through his battle with alcoholism and his continued efforts in recovery.
NEW RELEASES
Deep Purple Release “Time for Bedlam” Music Video
Rock legends Deep Purple will release their new album inFinite, the highly anticipated follow-up to their worldwide chart topping album NOW What?!, on April 7. inFinite will be available on CD, CD + DVD, Double Vinyl + DVD, Small Fan Box, and a Large Fan Box that will include the 2 LP’s, CD, DVD, plus three 10″ singles and a t-shirt. Look for it on February 3.
Watch the “Time For Bedlam” lyric video here.
Steel Panther Release New “Anything Goes” Lyric video
“Anything Goes” is from their upcoming fourth album Lower The Bar, slated for release on February 24, but its launch has been pushed back until the following month. Steel Panther says – with tongue firmly in cheek – “It’s because drummer Stix Zadinia recently checked out of rehab after getting treatment for alcohol and Chipotle addiction.”
Zadinia says: “After months of touring the world, my taste for whiskey and Chipotle finally got the better of me and my stomach. I’d like to apologize to my friends, family. Now that I’ve had time to clear my mind, and my intestines, I can get back to doing lines with all of you on the upcoming 2017 Girls in a Row tour.”
Watch the “Anything Goes” promo here.
ON TOUR
Anvil Announce US Tour Kicking Off in March 2017
Hot on the heels of their latest release, Anvil Is Anvil, Anvil are set to return to the road in the US in March,2017. The tour kicks off March 2 in Boston, MA and will run through April 9 in Cleveland, OH.
“Anvil does America. The vibrator king returns. Also looking forward to Golden Corral”, says frontman guitarist/vocalist Lips. Drummer Robb Reiner added, “Anvil is Anvil and we play f**kin’ heavy metal. Looking forward to the return and smashing all the pounders!!!”
Check out an interview with the band, here.
Tour dates are on the HOH website.
W.A.S.P. Announce 2017 Summer Festival Gigs
W.A.S.P. led by Blackie Lawless have just confirmed three European concert appearances in June 2017.
June 16 – Dessel, Belgium – Graspop
June 17 – Clisson, France – Hellfest
June 30 – Barcelona, Spain – Rockfest
Stay tuned for the announcement of Fall tour dates.
ODDS N’ SODS
Metallica Guitarist Kirk Hammett Selling Sea Cliff Estate for $16 Million
The axeman is putting his home in the Sea Cliff community on the block for a reported $16 million. According to Curbed San Francisco, the Spanish Colonial-style house is currently the fourth most expensive listing in the San Francisco area. It’s a four-bed, four-and-a-half bath, three story home perched above China Beach.
Watch a video tour here.
Queensrÿche Frontman Todd La Torre Auctioning Memorabilia
La Torre posted on Facebook this week, “Clearing out closet! I have some stage wear/memorabilia items that will be going up for sale. Each item will also include a hand-written thank you card and an 8 x 10 photo of the item worn onstage. Both photo and garment can be signed.”
Items currently being auctioned via ebay include the red jacket from “Fallout” Queensrÿche music video (currently the high bid at $1,350), a velvet trench coat worn on tour with Crimson Glory and in the Queensrÿche Video “Ad Lucem”, The Who “Peace” t-shirt worn at the first Rising West performances and many Queensrÿche tours and a custom denim tour jacket.
Check out the items here. The auction ends on Friday.
Paul Stanley Offering KISS Limited Edition Hand Painted Guitars in Germany
Paul Stanley will be offering special limited edition Ibanez German Flag guitars during the KISS Dortmund, Stuttgart, Munich, and Frankfurt shows. Only one staged-played and one non-staged played German Flag guitar will be sold per show. These guitars will be hand painted with the German flag.
KISS have announced a series of shows across Europe in May. The band will return for the first time since 2015’s series of sold out shows across Europe, hot on the heels of the bands sixth sold out KISS Kruise.
The complete tour schedule is available on the HOH website.
QUICK TAKES
• Both AC/DC and Bon Jovi released Happy New Year’s themed music videos last week. Check out AC/DC’s “Have a Drink On Me”, and Bon Jovi’s new music video for “New Year’s Day” .
• Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler received the United Nations Humanitarian Award for his work with the non-profit organization Janie’s Fund, which helps young women who are victims of abuse.
• Asked in a recent interview what people might find surprising about him, that they don’t already know, Skid Row’s Sebastian Bach said: “You might not know that I went to an all-boys private boarding school as a kid, that I lived on my own since I was like 10, going to this school… no 12. You might not think I was a choir boy, but that’s how I fell in love with singing.” [at age 8!]
• “Why does anybody give a squat what a guy in a band thinks about, or anything like that? The last thing I want to do is ask President Obama what he thinks about Led Zeppelin.” said KISS singer/bassist Gene Simmons in a new interview with FOX News’ Fox & Friends.
On whether KISS were invited to perform at next month’s inauguration, Simmons says, “Nobody ever called me. I know Donald Trump. I know our president-elect well enough I suppose, but I never got a call.”
Metalheads Say The Damnedest Things
“I think that the @rockhall is opposed to me being in there. It is one of my bucket list items: The R&R HOF and my Grammy.” Despite being Metallica’s original lead guitarist and having writing credits on their first two albums, Kill ‘Em All and Ride the Lightning, Mustaine wasn’t among the founding or principal members inducted in 2009, which included James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, Cliff Burton, Jason Newsted and Robert Trujillo.
When fans wrote back exclaiming how much they loved him, Mustaine tweeted, “Thank you. I just wish that both of those boards felt the same way that you do. I am in there bcuz of Met in a way. But I’d like Megs to go!”
Later, he went back on Twitter to explain that it was Metallica who kept him from participating. “Your story is incorrect. Met[allica] didn’t want me there, not the RNRHOF,” he tweeted.
~ Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine, ex-Metallica lead guitarist