Tuesday, September 07, 2010

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News

Jack Douglas To Produce Next Michael Monroe Release

Former HANOI ROCKS singer Michael Monroe has tapped legendary producer Jack Douglas (AEROSMITH, JOHN LENNON, CLUTCH, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT, NEW YORK DOLLS) to helm his new solo album, tentatively due in early 2011. Monroe and his band spent a week earlier this month writing and recording demos at the Seawolf Studios on the Suomenlinna Island, about a 15-minute ferry ride from the Helsinki, Finland harbor. Michael said, "We chose about 16 out of over 20 songs we had written for the record.

"The newest stuff sounds especially great, and we now have a pretty clear picture of what our new studio album will sound like.

"We sent the demos to our producer, who also loved the material and can't wait to start digging into it with us.

"Needless to say, we're all really excited about the recording sessions.

"We're flying to L.A. this Sunday to get started and will record through September."

In other news, Monroe revealed in a new online posting that he broke two ribs while making a guest appearance during Slash's performance at the Summer Sonic festival in Osaka, Japan in early August. Michael said, "I sang one song with him, 'We're All Gonna Die'. During the guitar solo, I ran along the aisle all the way to the mixing board, which I had already done a couple of times during my own show, but this time on my way back I slipped and fell, hitting my back on the metal barricade."

He added,"I've never had a broken a rib before, so I didn't know how it would feel. I just figured I had banged my back up real hard, so I just kept putting ice on it, but realized that I could only sleep laying on my back due to the pain."

Professionally filmed video footage of Michael Monroe's performance at this year's Summer Sonic festival — which was held August 7-8, 2010 in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan — can be viewed below.

As previously reported, Michael Monroe will release a new live album, "Another Night In The Sun", in Europe and Japan on September 22. The CD was recorded in early July during a private concert at the Tavastia club in Helsinki and will be mixed and mastered by Niko Bolas (NEIL YOUNG, FRANK SINATRA, KEITH RICHARDS, KISS, SPINAL TAP) in Los Angeles.

"Another Night In The Sun" features highlights from Monroe's solo career, a few HANOI ROCKS classics and two brand new songs: "You're Next" and "Motorheaded For A Fall".

Michael Monroe's solo band features bassist Sami Yaffa, who has played with a remarkable variety of bands including HANOI ROCKS, NEW YORK DOLLS and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS, and guitarist Ginger, who has dazzled audiences over the world with his band THE WILDHEARTS. Also on guitar is Steve Conte, the NEW YORK DOLLS master fretman who has played with Willy DeVille and his own bands THE CRAZY TRUTH, CROWN JEWELS and COMPANY OF WOLVES. Rounding out the band is drummer Karl "Rockfist" Rosqvist, whose resume includes providing rhythm for the likes of CHELSEA SMILES and DANZIG.

Byzantine Announces New Tour Dates

Reunited West Virginia metallers BYZANTINE have scheduled the following dates:

Sep. 18 - X-Fest – Huntington, WV
Sep. 19 - 123 Pleasant Street - Morgantown, WV (w/ MUTINY WITHIN)

BYZANTINE recently parted ways with guitarist Tony Rohrbough and replaced him with Brian Henderson (SPLIT NIXON).

BYZANTINE played three reunion shows in March 2010 in the band's home state.

Fan-filmed video footage of the group's March 6 concert at The V Club in Huntington can be viewed below.

Shortly following the January 2008 release of "Oblivion Beckons", the quartet announced that it was disbanding. This announcement came as an unpleasant surprise to the band's fans, particularly due to the fact that it meant the group would not be touring at all in support of its latest album.

Joe Stump To Release New DVD Before End Of The Year

Guitar virtuoso Joe Stump (HOLYHELL, REIGN OF TERROR) has issued the following update:

"I've compiled quite a bit of high-quality concert video footage over the last several months, so some type of full-on concert DVD of my solo stuff will be released before the end of this year. It'll be a two-DVD package. DVD one will be me performing tracks from [Stump's latest solo album] 'Virtuostic Vendetta' in a combination performance/instructional type of thing, and the second DVD in the package will be a full concert with maybe some bonus clinic and bootleg concert footage in there as well."

Three-camera video footage of Joe Stump shredding the axe at a guitar showcase at Sam Ash in Cincinnati, Ohio in June 2010 can be viewed below.

Stump's latest solo album "Virtuostic Vendetta", was released in April 2009 via Lion Music.

Commented Joe, "On this record, I kind of went back and re-introduced myself to myself. Two of my early albums, 'Guitar Dominance' and 'Supersonic Shred Machine', were real favourites among my fans, and this new record is quite similar in that it's fairly diverse with a cool mixture of tunes stylistically, but it all has my stamp on it. I'd like to think it's my best overall effort as every aspect of this record is better than anything I've ever done — playing-wise, guitar tones, compositions, production — it's all steps beyond any of my past releases . It's also a very entertaining and listenable record considering there are no vocals."

According to a press release, a strong Ritchie Blackmore (BLACKMORE'S NIGHT, ex-DEEP PURPLE) vibe is prevalent on the LP, indeed inspiring one track title "Blackmore's Boogie" as well as an original ode to the RAINBOW classic "Gates Of Babylon" in "The Dance Of Kashani". To his credit, Joe doesn't shy away from hiding his influences. "I never claimed to be re-inventing the wheel," he said. "I just take the great influence of all my heroes Blackmore, Yngwie, Bach, Vivaldi, Gary Moore, Jimi Hendrix, Uli Jon Roth, Schenker, Paganini and try to craft my own thing with it. I love guitar and I always try to make records that guitar fans and hard rock/metal fans will love as well."

Yet there is more on offer than the neo-classical influence such as "Old School Throwdown", which is a nod to players such as Hendrix, Frank Marino and Robin Trower. Joe also throws down thanks to his influences with the use of subtle phrases from well known classics which the keen ear will spot in a few places.

"Virtuostic Vendetta" recording lineup:

Joe Stump - Guitar
Jay Rigney - Bass
Jay Gates - Drums

"Virtuostic Vendetta" track listing:

01. Chasing The Dragon
02. Pistol Whipped
03. The Dance of Kashani
04. Fire and Brimstone
05. The Beacon
06. Blackmore's Boogie
07. Old School Throwdown
08. Allegro #2 in A Minor
09. Trigger Happy
10. Symphonic Pandemonium
11. The Witching Hour
12. Strat Sorcery

Zao Working On New Material

Influential Greensburg, Pennsylvania-based heavy music act ZAO has commenced work on material for its next studio album, which the band plans on releasing through its own label. The group explains, "The music industry has made enough money off of bands and wasted it. Why not put it out ourselves and sink the 'profits' back into future releases?"

Regarding the progress of the songwriting sessions for the next CD, ZAO states, "We are writing, we have been exchanging songs. We have tossed songs that are 'too standard for ZAO,' we are trying new things. It's liberating. We are doing our best to get Russ [Cogdell, guitar] on the album (as we tried with [2009's] 'Awake?'). Needless to say, we are taking our time because we can.

"So as of right now, ZAO is writing, self-managing and planning on self-releasing."

"Awake?", the latest album from ZAO, sold around 2,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The CD debuted at No. 19 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

Released in May 2009 via Ferret Music, the follow-up to 2006's "The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here" was recorded in Latrobe, Pennsylvania (near Greensburg); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Encinitas, California; and San Marcos, California. AS I LAY DYING frontman Tim Lambesis and Daniel Castleman headed up the proceedings, along with ZAO's Scott Mellinger.

ZAO's "Where Blood & Fire Bring Rest" was hailed as "one of the most the most influential albums of 1998" by Alternative Press magazine. That album, which introduced frontman Dan Weyandt to the heavy music scene, and follow-up "Liberate te ex Inferis", which introduced guitarist and songwriter Mellinger, continue to be cornerstone albums to a new generation of bands drawing influence from ZAO's dark, passionate and creative music.

Living Loud Working On New Material

LIVING LOUD , which features legendary bassist Bob Daisley — of OZZY OSBOURNE, URIAH HEEP, GARY MOORE, BLACK SABBATH and RAINBOW fame — alongside Australian superstar Jimmy Barnes, the DEEP PURPLE duo of guitarist Steve Morse and keyboard player Don Airey plus URIAH HEEP drummer Lee Kerslake, is working on material for its long-awaited second album. Barnes tells Australia's Undercover, "Bob Daisley and Steve Morse are actually getting together to write some stuff and then they are going to send it to me to write vocals."

LIVING LOUD's self-titled 2004 debut created a stir as it included re-worked versions of the Daisley/Kerslake co-composed OZZY OSBOURNE "Blizzard of Ozz" staples "Mr. Crowley", "I Don't Know" and "Crazy Train", originally from the "Blizzard Of Ozz" album and "Over The Mountain", "Flying High Again" and "Tonight" from the 1981 album "Diary Of A Madman".