Hits Daily Double, the companion web site of music industry tip sheet HITS, reports: Many are expressing surprise that GUNS N' ROSES' "Chinese Democracy" sold only [261,000] in its first week as a Best Buy exclusive. But those who have closely analyzed the situation say that comparing GNR's total with the 802,000 tallied by AC/DC in its Wal-Mart exclusive is like comparing apples and oranges, in that radically different circumstances surrounded the two projects.
AC/DC outsold GN'R by [more than] 500,000 not because of any particular difference between the two retailers, but as a result of the amount of exposure AC/DC had leading up to release relative to GUNS — and most of the blame for that rests at the feet of Axl Rose. IGA (Interscope Geffen A&M) and Best Buy were handicapped on a number of levels, due in large part to Rose's refusal to participate in the setup — dramatically reducing the ability of the label and Best Buy to market the release.
Read the entire article from Hits Daily Double (free e-mail sign-up required).
Paul Cashmere of Australia's Undercover News reports that filmmaker Eddie Martin is working on a movie about AC/DC legend Bon Scott.
The yet-to-be titled movie is in its early stages. "We've been working heavily on it for a couple of months. It's early days," Martin tells Undercover News. "We are in the writing process. We've been meeting with Gaby, Mary, Irene and THE VALENTINES crew, people like Vince Lovegrove, Bon's early friends." (Irene was Bon's former wife).
Eddie says he is still looking for people from the era who knew Bon. "It is at research stage," he says.
DEMONICAL, the Swedish death metal band featuring past and present members from CENTINEX, GRAVE, REGURGITATE, INTERMENT, AMARAN, WORLD BELOW and DELLAMORTE, has issued the following update:
"On December 17 we will crawl into the pits of Necromorbus Studios in order to start the recordings of our second full-length assault entitled 'Hellsworn'. The album will be mastered at Black Lounge Studios in late January and revealed for the masses in April 2009 (exact release date to be announced).
"The album loaded with pure Swedish death metal darkness will include nine blasphemies such as:
* Baptized in Fire * Gods of the North * World Serpent * Death Metal Darkness * Children of Sin * Bloodridden * Bow to the Monolith
"The 'Northern Death Blow Tour 2009' — an 18-date crusade through Europe alongside Finnish TORTURE KILLER and Swedish FACEBREAKER — will kick off in Stockholm on May 15. Dates to be unleashed soon."
DEMONICAL recently announced the addition of Sverker "Widda" Widgren — also known for his guitar work with DIABOLICAL and as the co-owner of Necromorbus Studios — as the group's new full-time vocalist. His first "official" show with DEMONICAL took place on April 4 at Tantogården in Stockholm with NECROPHOBIC and SPAZMOSITY.
The band's debut album, "Servants of the Unlight", was released in April 2007 via Germany's Cyclone Empire Records. The group toured Europe with NUNSLAUGHTER and NOMINON, and took part in Germany's Up From The Ground festival. They also supported GRAVE on select Scandinavian dates.
The latest issue of Sweden Rock magazine features an interview with the Swedish black metal band NIFELHEIM conducted in late September during the group's Finnish tour with WATAIN.
"MÖTLEY CRÜE and MUNICIPAL WASTE are likely the worst bands in the world. Next to METALLICA," the group's bassist Tyrant (real name: Erik Gustavsson) is quoted as saying in the article.
When reminded that the day before marked the 22nd anniversary of the passing of METALLICA bassist Cliff Burton, Tyrant says, "That's right. I laughed and pissed on a photo of him. Speaking of which, when did that Dimebag Darrell [late PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN guitarist] die? Damn how I cheered! Fucking glamf*g. One - nil to NIFELHEIM. Too bad Phil Anselmo [PANTERA singer] didn't die too; that was probably the only time I wished PANTERA had actually played."
Video footage of NIFELHEIM performing at the Metaltown festival on June 27, 2008 in Gothenburg, Sweden can be viewed below.
NIFELHEIM released its latest album, "Envoy of Lucifer", on November 19, 2007 via Regain Records.
NIFELHEIM in 2006 released a split EP with VULCANO via I Hate Records. NIFELHEIM's songs "Sepulcral Fornication" and "Raging Flames" were recorded at a Swedish studio in May 2006 and were described by NIFELHEIM guitarist Vengeance From Beyond (a.k.a. Sebastian Ramstedt; also in NECROPHOBIC) as "a total attack of satanic black metal." He added that "this split [is] the true synergy of evil."
NIFELHEIM's current lineup features former ENTOMBED drummer Peter Stjärnvind, who left the long-running Swedish metallers in order to concentrate on his membership in NIFELHEIM.
NIFELHEIM last year completed a Scandinavian tour as the support act for British black metal pioneers VENOM.
Italian death metallers MURDER THERAPY have inked a deal with Holland's Deity Down Records for the release of the band's full-length debut, tentatively due next summer.
The quartet — which consists of Francesco D'adamo (guitars, also in CRYPTIC THEORY), vocalist Riccardo Meschiari, bassist Simone Esperti and Andrea Cavalieri (drums) — describes its style as "serial death metal . . . blend[ing] sounds and atmospheres of American death with twisted, irregular and modern patterns."
MURDER THERAPY's self financed four-song EP, "The Therapy" (2008), received good and enthusiastic reviews all over the metal community and was named the "Top Demo" at Metalitalia.com and at XNoizemag.com.
QUEEN guitarist Brian May has dismissed rumors of a split with singer Paul Rodgers, insisting that the group is simply taking a break.
Austrian web site Österreich / oe24.atreported yesterday (Tuesday, December 2) that QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS' concert in Rio de Janeiro last Saturday (November 29) was to be the group's last.
Guitarist Brian May has commented on the rumor at his official web site: "Well, I don't know where anyone got that idea — Roger [Taylor, drums] and Paul and myself haven't made any decisions whatsoever about the future. We just need a rest!"
The new QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS album, "The Cosmos Rocks", sold around 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 47 on The Billboard 200 chart.
"The Cosmos Rocks" arrived at No. 4 on the European Top 100 Albums chart back in September. It delivered a No. 5 U.K. debut on sales of 28,000.
Jennifer Maerz of SFWeekly.com reports that a sewing machine supposedly signed by METALLICA is up for grabs in a raffle at a Wee Scotty shop in San Francisco, California. According to the sign, five bucks gets you a chance at a "Huskystar C20" (a machine that, according to this site, "even has a memory function to remember your favorite pattern combinations and mirroring").
Canadian cult metal band THE EXALTED PILEDRIVER (a.k.a. PILEDRIVER) has been confirmed for the Headbangers Open Air festival, set to take place July 23-25, 2009 in in Brande-Hörnerkirchen, Germany.
The festival billing is shaping up as follows:
ANGEL WITCH BULLET DEATHRIDERS ENFORCER JACOBS DREAM KILLERS LONEWOLF MANILLA ROAD MEMORY GARDEN METAL INQUISITOR NIGHTSHADE PARADOX PORTRAIT Q5 RAZOR SCARAB TANKARD THE EXALTED PILEDRIVER THE RODS TYSONDOG ZED YAGO
Commented guitarist Kinky Pork Cream: "We look forward to playing this festival and look for us to confirm more European dates in the near future as part of our 'Unsuck The Continent' tour 2009. Oh yeah!! PILEDRIVER is returning to Europe."
THE EXALTED PILEDRIVER's first album in 22 years, "Metal Manifesto", was released on November 18. The CD was mixed by veteran Neil Kernon (CANNIBAL CORPSE, NEVERMORE) and it follows up the classic cult discography of the band: "Metal Inquisition" (1985) and "Stay Ugly" (1986).
PILEDRIVER was founded in 1985 by Gord Kirchin. They were known for an over-the-top image and flamboyant song titles/lyrics ("Sex With Satan", "Alien Rape", "Sodomize the Dead", "Witch Hunt", "Human Sacrifice", etc). Probably their best known song was the title track of their debut album, "Metal Inquisition", which featured in the chorus the sound of a falling guillotine blade chopping someone's head off. The album was followed by "Stay Ugly" a year later.
HANOI ROCKS frontman Michael Monroe and Jyrki 69 (vocals) and Jussi 69 (drums) from THE 69 EYES will take part in a signing session on December 4 at Nokia Store (Aleksanterinkatu 46) in Helsinki, Finland.
Monroe recently joined forces with Jyrki 69 and Jussi 69, underground legend Adam Bomb (guitar), WARRIOR SOUL's Kory Clarke (backing vocals) and BACKYARD BABIES' Dregen (guitar) to form the Pirates Of The Baltic Sea, "an anarchistic environmental movement" to save The Baltic Sea, one the most polluted seas in the world.
"Operaatio Maa" (Operation Earth), a new series which aired in November on Finnish TV, featured three separate teams with different environmental causes. Jyrki 69 and Jussi 69 formed one of the teams that manned the barricades for saving the Baltic Sea: they formed Pirates Of The Baltic Sea and invited everyone aboard the ship that sails under the green Jolly Roger.
Monroe joined the Pirates and created a powerful, anthemic call to arms that aims to wake people up from their apathy and to take action: every single living soul CAN take part in saving the Baltic Sea. Michael Monroe has always been an actively aware person, even back in the day: in the '80s he participated in the Sun City project, which was Bruce Springsteen's and Little Steven's worldwide musical protest against apartheid. Besides singing the song along with a bunch of other international rock stars, Michael Monroe can be seen in the legendary Sun City music video.
With the song "Pirates Of The Baltic Sea", Michael Monroe appears at his most aggressive, and punky for quite some while.
A music video for "Pirates Of The Baltic Sea" — directed by Tuukka Temonen — was shot a short while ago on the Baltic Sea aboard the marine research vessel Aranda and can be viewed below.
El Paso, Texas-based melodic hardcore quintet TONIGHT IS GLORY has completed recording its new full-length album, "The Vision and Reality", with producer Grant Beachy (AGRACEFUL). The CD features guest appearances by Nick Moore of BEFORE THEIR EYES, Telle Smith of GREELEY ESTATES, and Chris Roetter of AGRACEFUL. Look for it to street January 20, 2009 via Standby Records. The band will hit the road on December 4 for a month of dates with NOVISTA and look for them to tour extensively in 2009.
"The Vision and Reality" tracklisting:
01. The Allegory Discussion 02. Horizons 03. Exciting Forms of Destruction (feat. Nick Moore) 04. I'm The King 05. It's Never Been This Quiet (feat. Telle Smith) 06. Your Eyes In The Skies 07. The Man In The White Suit (feat. Chris Roetter) 08. Calotype 09. Promise 10. At The End Of The World
In just a little over a year and a handful of member changes, TONIGHT IS GLORY has pushed through a vigorous amount of struggles that helped to mold its original energetic sound. Thanks to its DIY efforts, the band has already created a huge underground buzz with the April 2008 release of its EP, "Horizons", and non-stop touring.
TONIGHT IS GLORY is:
Roman Dieguez (vocals) Christopher Lopez (guitar) Nathan Warren (bass) Gabe Yanez (Guitar) Bert Lagunas (drums)
Vocalist Björn Lodin (SIX FEET UNDER, BALTIMOORE) has announced his departure from BALLS, the Swedish project he formed with Micke "Nord" Andersson (guitar; NORD, ROXETTE, JAMIE WALTERS, SKIFS), Janne Stark (guitar; OVERDRIVE, LOCOMOTIVE BREATH), Björn Lundqvist (bass; SKYRIDE) and Robban Bäck (drums; ECLIPSE, BILLION DOLLAR BABIES, BLACK LADIES). According to Lodin, "Since not everyone involved wants to turn BALLS into a live act, or at least make the effort to meet up and rehearse to see how it'd turn out... I'm leaving the band."
BALLS will release its debut album, "Chameleon", in North American on December 9 via Nightmare Records.
Check out audio samples on the group's MySpace page.
Formed in 2007, the group's moniker is, as you may have noticed, actually the initials of the members' last names.
BALLS describes the music as "ballsy, groovy, classic hard rock with a twist."
Texas-based metallers VEX, who feature in their ranks vocalist Orlando Logan Perez (AGAINST THE PLAGUES), will participate in a split EP with reunited Texas deathlords DIVINE EVE, to be released early next year.
Commented VEX guitarist Ciaran McCloskey: "We are simply honored to be a part of this release because DIVINE EVE is a band that I feel is of great significance to the development of death metal as a viable and creative force in both Texas and America as a whole. I think many of us will agree that the resurgence of DIVINE EVE's dark mysticism couldn't have come at a more appropriate time and we are honored to be a part of it.
"We will be contributing three new songs that we will begin recording next month with the engineering to be handled by our new guitarist Mike 'E.D.' Day. Eoghan [drummer Owen McCloskey] and I have been working on preproduction demos for these songs since the beginning of the year and we feel confident that it's our best material to date.
"Stylistically, the songs will continue in the dynamic extreme metal vein of [VEX's upcoming album] 'Thanatopsis' but will contain a slightly more pronounced emphasis on our folk and death metal leanings. It is very likely that these songs won't be recorded again so this release may be the only chance to hear them."
"Michael from DIVINE EVE is currently in contact with various labels to ensure that this release will be available in multiple formats across the globe."
VEX completed a U.S. tour in 2007 alongside AVENGER OF BLOOD and GODLESS RISING.
"Thanatopsis" is scheduled for release in early 2009 through Terranidon Media.
Legendary vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH) has been writing material for a new solo album, tentatively due in the spring of 2010. According to Glenn, his latest solo CD, "First Underground Nuclear Kitchen (F.U.N.K.)", is "a benchmark achievement... I have raised the bar. I will be writing all next year... compiling all my new songs. Have four or five that are cookin' at the moment... it'll be bootilicious and soul-saturated."
"First Underground Nuclear Kitchen (F.U.N.K.)", received its official North American release on October 7 via Blistering Records through Ryko/Warner distribution. The CD came out in Europe in May via Frontiers Records.
Produced by Glenn in Los Angeles, after countless hours spent writing in his home studio, "F.U.N.K." is another magnificent statement from the "Voice of Rock." "It is a roots album, it is a true account of my musical heritage but also fearless and multi-dimensional," said Hughes. Once again all drums on the record were played by none other than the great Chad Smith of the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, while Luis Maldonado took care of the majority of the guitars (JJ Marsh and George Nastos only appear on two songs each) and Anders Olinder is on keyboards (with Ed Roth guesting on three songs).
Glenn Hughes has announced his first U.S. show of 2009:
Saturday, March 28, 2009 B.B. King's Blues Club & Grill 237 West 42nd Street New York, NY 10036
HEAVEN AND HELL, the band featuring BLACK SABBATH members Ronnie James Dio (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Vinny Appice (drums), MOTÖRHEAD and CARCASS have been officially confirmed for next year's Waldrock festival, set to take place June 13, 2009 in Burgum, The Netherlands. Tickets go on sale on January 17.
HEAVEN AND HELL recently entered Rockfield studios in Wales, England to begin recording its new album, the group's first since SABBATH's "Dehumanizer" (which was also recorded at Rockfield) in 1992. An early 2009 release via Rhino Records is expected.
HEAVEN AND HELL will hit the road in early 2009 in support of the new album. So far the following shows have been announced:
June 3-6 - Sölvesborg, Sweden - Sweden Rock June 13 - Burgum, The Netherlands - Waldrock June 19-21 - Clisson, France - Hellfest
Fan-filmed video footage of HEAVEN AND HELL performing the song "Neon Knights" on August 31, 2008 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California can be viewed below (clip uploaded by YouTube user "rockynhome").
Canadian extreme progressive metal icons INTO ETERNITY shot a video for the track "Time Immemorial" earlier this year with acclaimed director Craig Bernard (THEORY OF A DEADMAN). The clip will finally premiere next Wednesday, December 10 exclusively on MySpace Metal. To whet fans' appetites, the band has posted some behind-the-scenes footage from the video shoot. Check it out below,
Bassist Troy Bleich previously stated about the video shoot, "The location was awesome, as it was apparently a haunted house. Didn't see any ghosts, though. That would've been cool, as it might have filled in the 13 hours of time spent waiting for Stu's [Block, vocals] acting career to take flight! In all seriousness, it was a very cool experience and I think the video is going to be awesome. Thanks to the director Craig and the rest of the crew for making it a time that was truly... immemorial."
"The Incurable Tragedy", the fifth full-length album from INTO ETERNITY, sold 1,900 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
"The Incurable Tragedy" is the first INTO ETERNITY album to feature Justin Bender (guitar) and Steve Bolognese (drums), who came aboard shortly after the group finished Gigantour in 2006.
Guitarist Christopher "Arpmandude" Arp of the Rochester, New York-based tech grindcore/hardcore outfit PSYOPUS is offering "weird guitar lessons" in the Rochester area. Arp says, "I charge $10 a half an hour [and] I live near Culver and Merchants. If you want to meet up, MySpace me with your phone number and when it works best for you to meet up. Include when would work best for you and what subjects you would like to cover."
PSYOPUS has set "Odd Senses" as the title of its new album, due on February 13, 2009 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy; and February 16 in the rest of Europe via Metal Blade Records.
A new song entitled "The Burning Halo" is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page.
"Odd Senses" track listing:
01. .44 02. Medusa 03. The Burning Halo 04. Duct Tape Smile 05. X and Y 06. Boogeyman 07. Imogen's Puzzle Pt. 3 08. Choker Chain 09. Ms Shyflower 10. A Murder to Child
PSYOPUS recently announced the addition of singer Brian Woodruff (AS THIS BODY, I EXIST) to the group's ranks.
The band's new album was recorded between July 20 and August 16 with engineer Doug White at Watchmen Studios in Lockport, New York.
Metal Injection has posted video footage (see below) of PSYOPUS performing two new songs during last month's CMJ showcase.
PSYOPUS's last CD, "Our Puzzling Encounters Considered", was released in February 2007 via Metal Blade Records.
Former KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch and members of UNEARTH and HATEBREED are featured in Fuse On Demand's "Best of 2008" special talking about their favorite movies, artists and albums from the past year. Watch a clip below.
The full special is available all December long only on Fuse on Demand.
Fuse on Demand is available on Cablevision, Comcast, Cox, Direct TV, Insight, Knology, WAVE, Metrocast, Hometown, Midcontinent and a whole bunch of other places across the U.S.
"The Watcher", the new video from Norwegian masters of progressive/experimental metal ENSLAVED, can be viewed below. The clip was shot in Gothenburg, Sweden with Revolver Film Company director and Norwegian award-winner Patric Ullaeus (DIMMU BORGIR, KEEP OF KALESSIN, IN FLAMES).
Commented the band: "When we got the chance to work with Patric and Revolver, we grasped it with all ten hands. His works are very impressive. We were first exposed to him through DIMMU's latest video — the whole thing was very professional and remained 'tasty' within the fantasy framework. Our previous videos have been do-it-yourself and we have never worked with special effects on such a high level before. The video is built upon a dual development: the band performing the song in parallel with a story line. The story is based upon [lead singer/bassist] Grutle's lyrics for 'The Watcher' and the story is written out in a co-operation between Grutle and [guitarist/songwriter] Ivar [Bjørnson] from the band, and director Patric Ullaeus. Without spoiling the surprise, the video story follows the lines of the lyrics — the individual's struggle for truth and liberation, about revealing the real chains of existence and breaking them."
"The Watcher" comes off ENSLAVED's latest album, "Vertebrae", which sold around 1,100 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The CD debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard Hard Music chart and at No. 49 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.
Make sure you also tune in this Friday, December 5, 2008 to www.ligx.de to check out a free online video concert stream featuring ENSLAVED. Everyone around the world will be able to view the band's performance live on the web from Markthalle in Hamburg, Germany. The free concert stream should start around 8:00 p.m. German time, which, in North American time, should be 11:00 a.m. (Pacific), 12:00 p.m. (Mountain), 1:00 p.m. (Central), and 2:00 p.m.(Eastern).
Veteran New Jersey thrashers OVERKILL will embark on a headlining tour of South America in May 2009. The dates are as follows (venue details to be announced):
May 13 - Caracas, Venezuela May 14 - Bogota, Columbia May 15 - Santiago, Chile May 16 - Buenos Aires, Argentina May 17 - Sao Paulo, Brazil
The latest episode of "Talking Metal" features an interview host John Ostronomy conducted with OVERKILL's Ron Lipnicki (drums) and Dave Linsk (guitar).
OVERKILL's second DVD, "Live at Wacken Open Air 2007", came out on February 5 via Bodog Music. The 50-minute disc was shot during the band’s headline set at the festival in front of an audience of 40,000, and features songs that span OVERKILL's 28-year career, including "Walk Through Fire" (which can be viewed below) from the group's new disc "Immortalis", "Rotten to the Core", "Elimination", "Fuck You", "In Union We Stand", "Necroshine", "Skull and Bones", "Old School" and "Wrecking Crew".
"Happy In Galoshes", the sophomore solo album from STONE TEMPLE PILOTS/ex-VELVET REVOLVER singer Scott Weiland, sold 10,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 96 on The Billboard 200 chart.
Scott Weiland celebrated the release of "Happy In Galoshes" by making an appearance at the Virgin Megastore in Hollywood, California on November 24. Scott performed live in the Hollywood & Highland courtyard, and followed it up by taking part in a CD-signing at the Virgin Megastore.
Fan-filmed video footage of the performance from November 24 can be viewed below.
"Happy In Galoshes" was released on November 25 via Weiland's label Softdrive Records and distributed by New West Records/ RED/Sony. The CD, produced by Scott Weiland and Doug Grean (VELVET REVOLVER, SHERYL CROW, CRYSTAL METHOD), with select tracks recorded by Steve Albini, features a collection of songs that bring a revitalizing sound to Weiland's highly praised and unique musical style. The album also features several guest appearances including Adrian Young, Tony Kanal and Tom Dumont of NO DOUBT, who, along with Grean and Weiland, penned "Paralysis", which features Young on drums. "She's so Cold" was co-written by Gary Beers from INXS. The album also includes other standout tracks such as the dynamic "Missing Cleveland" and the catchy hooks of "Talk About Love". A deluxe edition of "Happy In Galoshes" will be made available through Best Buy. The two-disc set will feature 19 songs and a total of 88 minutes of music, along with a 16-page color booklet, a redemption card for a free Scott Weiland T-shirt, and an immediate download of the first single, "Missing Cleveland".
A 30-second teaser for "Traitors", the new video from the Baltimore, Maryland-based quartet MISERY INDEX, can be viewed below. The clip was directed by Dave Brodsky of MyGoodEye in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and will be made available online via HeadbangersBlog.com imminently, with its televised premiere to follow on MTV2's "Headbangers Ball".
MISERY INDEX is currently on tour alongside THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER and SOILENT GREEN in the Midwestern U.S. and then into Canada. MISERY INDEX will follow up this trek with a six-week European run that will include a month's worth of dates alongside HATE ETERNAL in the mainland followed by a headlining run in the U.K.
"Traitors", the new album from MISERY INDEX, was released on September 30 in North America via Relapse Records. The follow-up to "Discordia" was recorded in May at Godcity Studios in in Salem, Massachusetts.
UK's Express & Star reports that Barry Spencer Scrannage, a drummer who worked alongside Ozzy Osbourne after he left BLACK SABBATH, is selling off exclusive Ozzy recordings and other rock memorabilia at an auction on Saturday.
The items on sale in Stourbridge include the iconic crucifix used for lighting for SABBATH tours in the 1970s. There are also programs, posters and photos up for grabs, as well as two exclusive tape recordings. One of the tapes features recordings of Ozzy and his first wife Thelma made at his Birmingham home in 1979 where Scrannage lived with the veteran rocker. The other features John Bonham.
The memorabilia will be sold by Fieldings Auctioneers, based in Mill Race Lane, Stourbridge, as part of their Christmas Sale on Saturday.
Scrannage has made the heart wrenching decision to part with some of his most treasured memorabilia following his 50th birthday.
Former BLACK SABBATH frontman Tony Martin has released an unplugged Christmas song entitled "Who Put The Devil In Santa?" The track, which is available for streaming on Martin's MySpace oage, was recorded entirely by the singer (including all instrumentation) except for the kids' background vocals, which were laid down by Tony's youngest daughter.
Commented Martin: "Y'know... I love Christmas. Which is a kind of strange thing concidering I dont believe there's a Christ. I get a lot out of it as a celebration... and as a message of hope and peace... which is ALSO weird 'cause i just wrote a Christmas song that says NONE of it works!!!! Man!!! Sometimes I worry about my head!! It's ALSO a worry that I wrote a damn Christmas song!!"
You can read the lyrics to the track at this location.
The Pulse of Radio reports: It's hard to believe, but rock and roll's prince of darkness Ozzy Osbourne turns 60 on Wednesday (December 3). The father of heavy metal and former BLACK SABBATH frontman never anticipated such longevity, figuring he'd succumb to his rock and roll excesses long before he was eligible for social security. "Let me tell you, when I was 20 I was going, I'd go, 'I'm gonna die by 40,'" he said. "And that was all right until I was 39 and a half."
Although he's threatened to retire before and is now entering his seventh decade, Osbourne told The Pulse of Radio not long ago that he has no intention of calling it quits these days. "I don't wanna stop, you know," he said. "It's been the biggest love affair of my life. When you reach a certain age in rock 'n' roll, people think, 'Well, this has got to be his last tour,' or 'This has got to be his last tour,' or 'You've got to come next Tuesday 'cause he ain't gonna do it after that.' You'll know when I've come off the road permanently. I mean, you'll know!"
John Michael Osbourne was born in the Aston district of the gritty industrial town of Birmingham, England, one of Jack and Lillian Osbourne's six kids.
John dropped out of school at the age of 15, working as a laborer, plumber, toolmaker and slaughterhouse worker. He also spent a few weeks in prison after being arrested for burglary.
He later formed a band with classmate and guitarist Tony Iommi. The pair decided to play a darker, blues-influenced style of music instead of the psychedelic rock that was all the rage at the time. That group, originally called EARTH, became BLACK SABBATH. Completed by drummer Bill Ward and bassist Geezer Butler, SABBATH became hugely successful with albums like "Paranoid", "Master of Reality" and "Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath".
The group arguably created the template for heavy metal and inspired generations of bands over the past 38 years. SABBATH was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.
Ozzy left SABBATH in 1979 and embarked on an even more succcessful solo career with albums like "Blizzard of Ozz", "Diary of a Madman" and last year's "Black Rain". He reunited with SABBATH in 1997 and the band has toured sporadically since then.
Known for his drug and alcohol abuse for many years, Ozzy was also notorious for such shocking acts as biting the head off a dove, biting the head off a bat, attempting to strangle his wife and manager Sharon and urinating on the Alamo.
He, Sharon and their children Jack and Kelly starred for several seasons in the MTV show "The Osbournes", a landmark in the "reality series" genre. Fans, however, did not care for the show's portrayal of Ozzy as a bumbling, out-of-it buffoon.
Almost 14 years after "Appetite for Destruction" and "Use Your Illusion", music photographer Robert John, known for his work as the exclusive photographer for GUNS N' ROSES during the height of their career, has forged a content partnership through Dark Moon Entertainment with Joost, a global web video service whose broadcasts feature television, film, and music programming via the Internet. The My GNR Home Movies channel is available at this location.
"Because I was so close to GUNS N' ROSES, I had access others didn't — as we did everything together. When I wasn't shooting photos for GUNS on tour, I would take out the video camera on downtime and capture the daily activities and antics on the road, more for memory's sake than anything," explains Robert. “The main thing fans ask me is, 'What are they like in real life?' I think My GNR Home Movies channel on Joost will give fans an inside look at the unique personalities in the GUNS camp, and what it is like to be friends with them. I'm starting out with just a few clips with interpreted details of my memories from each moment in time, and plan to add more content later. I held on to my video diaries for the past 14 years and, aside from a few glimpses on television, fans have never seen the majority of my GNR footage. So, this will be a real treat and I'm excited to share it with them. Also, I plan to launch other channels with other bands I work with in coming months, so check it out and stay tuned."
Joost launched its Flash-based web video service in October and features a number of social tools that are designed to help people communicate with each other, to navigate through more than 46,000 video assets and to integrate user expression directly into the service. A Joost application is also available for the iPhone and iPod touch.
Danny Passman, global head of programming at Joost, said, "Joost is about providing a full experience for fans — and Robert John's GUNS N' ROSES home movies are a perfect example of how we're doing that. It's not just about the music videos, it's a behind-the-scenes look at the artists — and letting fans express their passion through groups and interaction. Oh, and for me, I just can't get enough of Axl Rose doing ballet."
WHITE ZOMBIE's 4-CD/1-DVD box set, "Let Sleeping Corpses Lie" (Geffen/UMe), sold 2,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
A trailer for "Let Sleeping Corpses Lie" can be viewed below.
Released on November 25, the CDs bring together for the first time all 64 original studio recordings released by the band led by Rob Zombie during its 1985-1996 career. The DVD offers nine music videos, 10 live performances, and some hidden gems.
Disc One of "Let Sleeping Corpses Lie" includes all of the tracks released on the New York City band's own Silent Explosion label — the four songs on the 1985 "Gods On Voodoo Moon" EP, of which only 300 copies were pressed; the two songs on the 1986 "Pig Heaven" EP, which had only 1,000 made; and the seven on 1987's "Psycho-Head Blowout" EP, which NIRVANA's Kurt Cobain called one of his favorite albums.
Disc Two encompasses WHITE ZOMBIE's first two full-length albums, 1987's "Soul-Crusher", which began on Silent Explosion but was re-released by Caroline Records the following year, and 1989's "Make Them Die Slowly". Disc Three offers the three-selection "God Of Thunder" EP and the band's 1992 major label debut, "La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Vol. 1", which broke the band into the Top 40, earned double platinum and spawned the Best Hard Rock Performance Grammy-nominated "Thunder Kiss '65" and "Black Sunshine" (with Iggy Pop). Also heard is "I Am Hell" from the soundtrack to the 1993 animated flick "The Beavis & Butt-head Experience".
Disc Four opens with "Children Of The Grave" from a 1994 BLACK SABBATH tribute album and "Feed The Gods" from that year's "Airheads" soundtrack album. The centerpiece, however, is 1995's "Astro-Creep: 2000, Songs Of Love, Destruction And Other Synthetic Delusions Of The Electric Head", which ranked in the Top 10 for two months, was certified triple platinum and spun off the Modern Rock Top 10, Grammy-nominated "More Human Than Human". The 64 "Let Sleeping Corpses Lie" recordings conclude with 1996 soundtrack contributions to "Escape From L.A.", "Beavis And Butt-head Do America" and "The Crow: City Of Angels", with its Grammy-nominated cover of the disco hit "I'm Your Boogieman".
Among the DVD's videos are those for "More Human Than Human", winner of the MTV Video Music Award for Best Hard Rock Video, as well as "Thunder Kiss '65", "Black Sunshine", "Super-Charger Heaven", "I'm Your Boogieman" and "The One". Live performances include "Soul-Crusher", "Spiderbaby (Yeah Yeah Yeah)", "I Am Hell" and "Creature Of The Wheel".
WHITE ZOMBIE officially disbanded in 1998 after the release of the "Hellbilly Deluxe", the triple platinum solo debut for Rob Zombie, who has since enjoyed continued success both on record and as a film director with his vision of the dark side.
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