This Week’s SHAZAM Winner!!
Congrats to Greg Sully in Florence, SC who listens to WYAV Wave 104.1, 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
May 21 Dedication Set for The Station Nightclub Fire Memorial
The Station Fire Memorial Foundation has announced that it will officially dedicate a new memorial site honoring those lost February 20, 2003 in the horrific fire that claimed the lives of 100 people, and seriously injured over 200 others. Fans had turned out to see Great White perform, when pyrotechnics ignited toxic foam on the walls and ceiling of the club, quickly turning the venue into a death trap, making this the deadliest fire ever in Rhode Island.
The dedication ceremony will take place May 21 at the site of the fire in West Warwick, RI. The memorial will feature a courtyard, gardens, a walkway and a stone with each victim’s name shaped like a speaker box. Gina Russo, a survivor of the fire whose fiancé perished, has led the fundraising campaign for The Station Fire Memorial Foundation. Regarding the memorial, Russo says, “Absolutely wonderful, for many reasons: to be able to give it to the families, to finally give them a place to go to, a beautiful place. And for myself personally, to sort of have my life back.”
In October, the foundation finished raising $2 million for construction, but Russo said maintenance and upkeep will require further fundraising.
Two Commemorative Shows Planned as Tributes to Randy Rhoads
March 19, 2017 marks the 35th anniversary of the passing of Randy Rhoads, one of rock music’s most admired guitarists. Rhoads passed away in a tragic plane accident while on tour with Ozzy Osbourne. The Randy Rhoads Remembered shows will feature every song that Randy wrote and played on from the Blizzard Of Ozz and Diary Of A Madman albums as well as select tracks from Randy’s early catalog with Quiet Riot. Each song will feature a different renowned guitarist performing one of Randy’s classics.
Two commemorative shows are planned: The Canyon Club & Special Events Center in Agoura Hills, CA on March 19 and Count’s Vamp’d in Las Vegas on March 24. See bashfest.us for tickets and VIP packages.
The shows feature The Madmen, anchored by Rudy Sarzo (Randy’s closest friend), formerly of the Blizzard of Ozz band, on bass. He was on tour with Rhoads at the time of his death. Rudy, who also played with Randy in Quiet Riot, has been a member of Whitesnake, Dio, Queensrÿche and Blue Öyster Cult. Brian Tichy (Whitesnake, Foreigner, Billy Idol, The Dead Daisies) has also played in Ozzy Osbourne’s band and will be on drums. Additionally, Randy’s brother Kelle Rhoads and his sister Kathy Rhoads D’Argenzio will be there to pay tribute to their brother.
Bobby Blotzer Puts Ratt Feud and Tour On Hold for Back Surgery
Original Ratt drummer Bobby Blotzer posted on Facebook this week:
“Hey all : I got this MRI last week. Having some bad shite coming to the road’s end on my back. A lot of people that have been to shows last year, and 2013 tours, have noticed or folks I’ve talked to, have noticed me having some issues moving about. Not so much in performance mode, too much adrenaline going on at that time, but just generally. I’ve been getting epidural spine injections for 6 years, then went into ‘sound frequency’ nerve burns. That’s fun, I can tell ya. None are working. Now it’s surgery time. So, after the next show on 3/18 at Ft Yates, ND, I’m in two days later. I’ll spare you the details of how they do this, it’s pretty f’d up. So, as we mop up this litigation, I’ll be back out with Ratt around middle late June.”
Blotzer has been in a battle for the Ratt name against former bandmates Stephen Pearcy, Warren DeMartini and Juan Croucier.
In related news, singer Joshua Alan has announced his resignation from Bobby Blotzer‘s version of Ratt, saying:
“As some of you may already know, I have resigned from my position with Bobby Blotzer/Ratt as of January 23. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all of your love and support along the way! I would not have made it through this without you! I will be working and focusing on my original music this year. If you would like to catch me live, I will be doing solo acoustic shows throughout the year as well (what I enjoy most).”
Queensrÿche singer Todd LaTorre Joins Metal All Stars to Record Relief Songs for Steve Grimmett
Queensrÿche singer Todd LaTorre joins a list a of metal all-star artists in the re-recording of three classic Grim Reaper songs that will be made available for purchase digitally and on vinyl. All proceeds of the songs will go to Steve Grimmett‘s (Grim Reaper) medical and recovery costs.
LaTorre said: “Grim Reaper was very much a part of my formative metal years! The music has given so much to me, I am proud to be able to give back in any capacity. Wishing Steve the very best!”
Grimmett had been hospitalized in Ecuador since mid-January; the singer fell ill during a tour in support of Grim Reaper’s latest album, Walking In The Shadows. Grimmett has endured multiple operations that have resulted in the near complete loss of his right leg. As of February 28, Grimmett and his wife Mille are now back in the UK; he is at Great Western Hospital recovering and has been given the green light to go home.
The Reaper All-Stars include Gary Holt (Slayer, Exodus), Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens (ex-Judas Priest), Doro Pesch, Lips (Anvil), Ross The Boss (Manowar), Blaze Bayley (ex-Iron Maiden), Todd La Torre (Queensrÿche), Chuck Billy (Testament), Glen Drover (ex-Megadeth) and many more.
The donation page is here. To date $14,000 has been raised so far.
ON TOUR
Poison Announces First Headlining Tour Dates In Over A Decade
Poison will perform all its greatest hits as they headline select dates for the first time in over a decade. All four original members — Bret Michaels, Bobby Dall, Rikki Rockett and C.C. DeVille — will play limited headline dates in the U.S. and Canada. Although they have co-headlined in the past with Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe and KISS, among others, these will be Poison‘s first headline dates in over ten years.
States Michaels: “I’m really looking forward to the Poison tour. It’s going to be incredible playing all the hits and putting on a hell of a high-energy rock show for the three generations of awesome fans.”
Find all the tour dates on the HOH website.
Reunited L.A. Guns Announce More Reloaded Reunion 2017 Tour Dates
The recently reunited L.A. Guns, featuring vocalist Phil Lewis and lead guitarist Tracii Guns, alongside drummer Shane Fitzgibbon, bassist Johnny Martin, and touring guitarist Michael Grant, have released spring tour dates in the UK, US and Canada. Check out fan filmed concert video from their February 26 gig in Houston.
See all the tour dates on the HOH website.
Slayer, Lamb of God + Behemoth Announce 2017 North American Tour
The six-week North American tour begins July 12 in Bemidji, MN, and ends August 20 in Phoenix, AZ.
“As metal tours go, this is the one that your fellow metal-heads will be bragging about if you miss it!” says Slayer’s Kerry King. “Not very often I get to go on tour where we are all friends to start. That being said, the potential for greatness at these events is mind blowing. I look forward to being a part of it, and hanging with old friends – bands as well as fanatical fans! Let the festivities begin!!”
Check out tour dates on the HOH website.
Yngwie Malmsteen Confirms First World On Fire Tour Dates
Following the release of his latest album, World On Fire, Swedish guitar virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen has announced a spring 2017 U.S. headlining tour. Yngwie and his ensemble of top-tier musicians will perform music throughout his career, from 1984’s Rising Force to the current World On Fire.
More shows will be announced soon; see the current tour dates on the HOH website.
Vince Neil Adds More Solo Tour Dates
Mötley Crüe vocalist Vince Neil has updated his solo tour schedule with gigs scheduled in the US as well as Germany and the Czech Republic. See the current tour dates on the HOH website.
Reunited Ratt Lineup Announce US Tour
Ratt, featuring classic lineup members Stephen Pearcy (vocals), Juan Croucier (bass) and Warren DeMartini (guitar) along with former Quiet Riot guitarist Carlos Cavazo, have scheduled a string of US tour dates for April through June. Check ’em out on the HOH website.
W.A.S.P. Confirm Tour Dates For 25th Anniversary World Tour
W.A.S.P. is commemorating the 25th anniversary of the release of their historic album The Crimson Idol, by performing it on this year’s Re-Idolized: The Crimson Idol 25th Anniversary World Tour. The tour will feature the complete album, as well as the three missing songs originally intended to be part of those recordings, as well as a collection of greatest hits. Find tour dates on the HOH website.
NEW RELEASES
Sammy Hagar Releases Videos for Five Tracks from “This is Sammy Hagar, Vol. 1”
Sammy Hagar just launched a track-by-track video series in support of his album, This Is Sammy Hagar, Vol 1: When The Party Started, released in November 2016.
Hagar said, “This CD is a collection of what I feel are the best songs I wrote post Van Halen that mostly didn’t get a lot of mainstream attention. When I left Van Halen I formed the Wabos as an alternative to the superstar big-time, high-maintenance commercial world I had been living in since I joined Montrose in 1972.
“With the Wabos; Jesse Harms, David Lauser, Vic Johnson, Mona and myself, we locked ourselves in my basement studio. We rehearsed and recorded anything and everything I wrote. I was not interested in the big recording industry machine, well known producers, or major label A&R people telling me what to do. In fact, when I finished some songs I ran them by my friends at major labels, they would all say “this is not what we want from Sammy Hagar”. And I would say “but THIS IS SAMMY HAGAR, this is who Sammy Hagar is today!” I was obviously changing into more of a lifestyle artist – some got it, some didn’t.
“This is when the party started; I played hundreds, maybe thousands, of shows anywhere and everywhere without a set list and built a hard-core following of ‘Redheads’. ”
Check out the promo video and the videos for all five tracks on the HOH website.
Reformed Quiet Riot New Album Road Rage Due in April
Quiet Riot are back with a new studio album, Road Rage, due for release on April 21. The band now consists of drummer Frankie Banali, bassist Chuck Wright, guitarist Alex Grossi, and vocalist Seann Nicols.
“I’m very excited about the release of Road Rage which is the first official Quiet Riot release in eleven years. It contains all newly written and recorded original songs. We stayed true to the great tradition and sound of Quiet Riot while at the same time always moving musically forward”, says founding member Frankie Banali.
Frankie Banali‘s history with Quiet Riot spans over 34 years and he has the distinction of being the only member of Quiet Riot to have recorded on every single Quiet Riot release from 1983’s Metal Health through 2017’s Road Rage. After nearly ten years since the loss of his friend and bandmate Kevin DuBrow, and with the blessings and support of DuBrow‘s family, Frankie has moved forward with the band to bring the fans Road Rage.
The band plans to tour this summer, stay tuned for tour updates. Check out some fan-filmed video of the new Quiet Riot lineup shot last week in Florida.
Vixen Has Possible Live Album Release In The Works
Drummer Roxy Petrucci told Totally Driven Radio in a recent interview: “We have a bunch of demos that we recorded, but we’re not there yet. It’s a timing thing. We’ve just gotta take the time and start buckling down and doing it. It’s just that everybody has lives going on too, so between playing live and then everybody going back to their homes, which is all over the place… We’ll get there. We’ll get there. We’re having a lot of fun, and we love doing the live stuff right now.”
Roxy also said: “We are gonna start playing again. We took a little hiatus. March 25, actually, is our first [show back]. We’re playing Toledo. We recorded some stuff on the ship [Monsters Of Rock cruise] for a possible live release, so we’re gonna see how that goes. But, yeah, we’re gearing up to go back on the road. We’re weekend warriors, but we plan on playing all summer long.”
Petrucci, singer Janet Gardner and bassist Share Ross honored their friend and bandmate, guitarist and founder of Vixen, Jan Kuehnemund (who died of cancer in 2012), by resurrecting Vixen in 2013.
ODDS N’ SODS
The Making of The Roxy’s Mural of Lemmy Kilmister
Check out this video of the creation of the new Lemmy Kilmister tribute mural at Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles. It graces the side wall of the legendary Roxy Theatre where it overlooks Lemmy’s Lounge at the Rainbow.
Last year, the Rainbow Bar & Grill, Lemmy’s favorite West Hollywood hangout, re-named their patio lounge area to Lemmy’s Lounge, and installed a large bronze statue of Lemmy.
Motörhead manager Todd Singerman, said “This is for the fans. Lemmy would always say, at every show, ‘We are Motörhead, and we play rock ‘n’ roll. Don’t forget us.’ That’s my job now.” The statue and mural appear to be only the beginning of a series of plans to honor the band and its beloved frontman. Singerman’s current efforts include working on opening another Lemmy’s Lounge as well as a museum dedicated to Motörhead.
Metalheads Say The Damnedest Things
“I was 23 years old when I finished with UFO in America, and I opened the doors for the Scorpions, who were already 30 years old when I was 23. […] I taught Rudolf how to play guitar, I taught him how to… He learned from me how to write songs. He wasn’t able to write any song. Everything I did with Klaus [Meine] he copied, and basically copied by my melodies, he copied everything. He wanted to present a fake, to be a Michael Schenker, confuse the people. And Michael Schenker was off the scene anyway; he was enjoying himself, having fun with experimenting with music, being out of the spotlight. So, Rudolf had a clear way to do his thing. But I didn’t know about it. So, in the meantime, when people were asking me in the last thirty years, ‘Oh, what do you think of your brother’s success?’ I said, ‘Yeah, more power to Rudolf. I’m happy for him. As long as Rudolf is happy, I’m happy for him.’ One day I heard him coming into the kitchen at my mom’s place, and he said, ‘This f**king rat race.’ So, I knew he wasn’t quite happy, even though he was successful.”
~ Michael Schenker, MSG/Michael Schenker Group, sounds off about his brother, Scorpions guitarist Rudolf Schenker on a recent Music Mania podcast.