Rock n roll ind mag issue 8

2 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

© 2013 Samson | photo: Neil Zlozower | samsontech.com | billyfgibbons.com

Introducing the Concert 99 UHF Wireless Guitar System. Billy F Gibbons, Samson Wireless user for over two decades.

Samson_Wireless_Gibbons_RocknRoll_2013.indd 1 3/27/13 11:05 AM

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 3

© 2013 Samson | photo: Neil Zlozower | samsontech.com | billyfgibbons.com

Introducing the Concert 99 UHF Wireless Guitar System. Billy F Gibbons, Samson Wireless user for over two decades.

Samson_Wireless_Gibbons_RocknRoll_2013.indd 1 3/27/13 11:05 AM


Barry’s Paladin Maple drum kit is finished in Inca Gold Sparkle with Vintage Nickel hardware. Our 5.3mm maple tom shells and 7mm Vintageblend maple/poplar snare and bass shells provide rich low end and clarity that will complement your music, too.

The sweet sound and feel of our Vintone Elemental 7x14 nickel over brass snare wowed Barry. Its sheer musicality is a joy you should experience for yourself.

“Huge, sensitive, amazing: all you could ever ask for.” Barry raves about our Vintone Arbor 7x14 mahogany snare. We hope you play one soon, and agree.

Find your favorites in our full selection of Paladin kits and Vintone snares at www.ddrum.com – and catch Barry’s masterful use of ddrum on his 2013 tour with Shinedown!

Barry Kerch’s decision to join ddrum is as perfectly timed as his musicianship with Shinedown. His love for classic tone and traditional shell sizes in a modern setting coincides with our release of Vintone Elemental and Vintone Arbor snare drums... and of ddrum’s flagship Paladin Maple, our tonally supreme drum set to date.

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Barry Kerch



The Bonzo Bash has become a regular event each year now since Joe Sutton and Brian Tichy held the inaugural event in 2010. The response from those in attendance is always, we want more! Each time, I get to experience Bonzo, Joe and Brian, their support team and all the artists involved give the audience what they ask for: More lights, more sound, more drummers, more musicians overall. Everyone freely gives of their time and soul to help celebrate John Bonham’s life and the music he left behind. Each drummer took the stage accompanied by a changing as-sortment of musicians on vocals, guitars, bass and keys… What follows are images of some of the artists who performed at this year’s event.

M.C/Drum legend Carmine Appice joined by co-host, Nicko Mc Brain… the give and take between them was quite amusing (and of course, Nicko was a monster on the drums dur-ing “Immigrant Song”

We all know Tichy for his drumming prow-ess but what some of you might not know is; Tich is just as talented on the six-string, which the lucky Bonzo Bash audience got to enjoy through the night, as he performed with a rotat-ing cast of talented musicians.

Jimmy D’anda (Bulletboys) always with the huge grin or goofy faces while pounding away during “Royal Orleans”

Khurt Maier (Salty Dog) pounding away during “Lemon Dog”

Chas West is channeling Robert Plant, with Michael Devin (Whitesnake/S.U.N) having too much fun on bass!

Phil Soussan (Ozzy Osbourne) and Mitch Perry (Lita Ford) performing “Rain Song”

Brian Tichy, co-founder of the Bonzo Bash (Whitesnake/ S.U.N), in full force during “Rain Storm”

Jack Russell (Great White) belting out a great rendition of “Dancing Days” with Brent Woods (The Moby Dicks)

John Hummel (1 of the 2) “We’re All Bonzo Wanna Be” Winners; slamming during “Heartbreaker”

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Jeff Hanneman was an extremely gifted guitarist and lyricist who wrote the most legendary riffs and

words in Slayer’s discography, peri-od. He was a blonde headed thrash machine who liked the Oakland Raiders, camouflage clothing, and Heineken—going so far as to have custom ESP guitars manufactured with graphics done in the Heineken logo, but the beer company logo words redone to read: Hanneman. Hanneman also didn’t give a fuck, and if you met him, or read his interviews, you got that loud and clear. That “undisputed attitude” was an admirable part of his personality that garnered him a higher level of respect—at least in this fan’s eyes. For example, when Slayer signed to major label, Def Jam Records, they didn’t deliver a friendly, mainstream metal album to their new and titanic home. No, they actually went in the other direction and turned in Reign In Blood—most of which Hanneman penned on guitar and in prose. Reign In Blood, the most legend-ary thrash album ever released is 29-minutes of the fastest, most extreme, most horrific, and shortest doses of metal ever collected for release. That whole move is what pure balls is all about. And in my opinion, Hanneman had balls the size of Jupiter.Jeff Hanneman didn’t care about making platinum albums because his modus operandi was to write for himself. Over the years, Hanneman would say he liked to play for fun outside of Slayer. At home he’d record with a drum machine and

lay down whatever he wanted. On some occasions, he’d record riffs that turned into Slayer songs…he’d write riffs that would sometimes never find a place in a Slayer tune until the time was right—he once sat on a riff for 20 years (like some fine wine) and then placed it like some unholy diamond in a Slayer setting. He liked playing guitar because he actually enjoyed it, like a hobby to him (as he actually said in interviews), not because the next “hit” had to be made. Ironically, Hanneman already wrote some of the biggest “hits” metal would ever get…there’s no ignoring the frenzied chanting of SLAYER!!! by thousands of fans at each concert…scream-ing for “Angel of Death” or “Raining Blood,” as Hanneman looked upon the fans, perhaps not giving a fuck that the masses worshipped HIS songs, HIS lyrics, and HIM—yes, Hanneman was a wicked metal deity and the HEART of Slayer, whether we all knew it before his death, we certainly can acknowl-edge it now, posthumously. Who’s going to argue? Hanneman publically maintained a real humble approach to his guitar skills—“humble” being Hanneman’s own self-deprecating point-of-view of his own talent. That’s somewhat honorable, as Hanneman didn’t seem to harbor an inflated ego about his abilities, but it’s also seriously inaccurate, because very few guitarists like Hanneman (and Kerry King included), has created a more identifiable guitar tone or recognizable style of riffing and

soloing. Hanneman’s violently agitated guitar solos are little trips that spiral the listener into subter-ranean circles of Hell. Moreover, the bridge riffs in “Angel of Death” and “Chemical Warfare,” to the intro riffs to “Hell Awaits” and “Raining Blood,” are epic masterpieces that, mark my words, future generations will regard as brilliant compositions on par with Beethoven, Bach, or Hendrix. Hanneman’s contributions and creations are timeless and immortal. Seriously, those Slayer riff-examples mentioned above are already legendary and godly now…again I ask, “Who’s going to argue?” Huh? Huh? Outside of Slayer, Hanneman once told KNAC in 2006 that he “always gravitated to bands that didn’t sound like (Slayer) anyway.” He was a big fan of Alice in Chains, he liked Type O Negative...and in the same interview, Hanneman even admit-ted that he enjoyed listening to the B-52’s. Who would’ve thunk it? I admit, I think that’s cool as hell…as a death metal guitarist who also re-ally likes the B-52’s, I never thought anyone else in extreme metal also held the B-52’s as a guilty pleasure. Knowing Hanneman did makes me smile BIG.I attended my first-ever Revolver Golden Gods awards when I rolled into L.A. for the GG’s 5th annual metal night. I was really charged up and speaking the “Broken Hope” gospel as went to the Golden Gods armed with a new BH album. Just as I was leaving my hotel, I got a text that Hanneman had passed

away. Before I could call more sources to verify this news, Blabber-mouth.net confirmed my fear. This confirmation sucked the wind and enjoyment out of the whole night for me. Hanneman had a profound influence on me that started in 1986 and never left my soul. His death at only 49 years old also has a profound affect on me now.I followed Hanneman’s unfortunate medical story, how he suffered from a tragic necrotizing fasciitis infection that stopped him from playing with Slayer for the last two years. Spider-bites, flesh-eating bacteria, and skin grafts became Hanneman’s dismal reality, and not some lyrical subject matter the gifted guitarist and writer conjured up for the next Slayer album. Just a month prior to Hanneman’s death due to liver failure. Fill-in guitarist, Gary Holt of Exodus said, “We’re just all hoping Jeff gets better. I’m just keeping his seat warm until he’s ready come back and bring the pain.”Unfortunately, Gary Holt stepped into the huge boots of a guitar-god who won’t be coming back…and the only pain here is what us Slayer fans feel the world over—the huge void left from the loss of such a monumental, uncompromising, origi-nal, and magnificent guitarist/lyricist. I think Jeff Hanneman wouldn’t mind—or at least he wouldn’t give a fuck—when I say, “we love and miss you, Jeff, and the world won’t ever forget you.”--Jeremy Wagner (Broken Hope)—

REMEMBERING

JEFF HANNEMAN

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Use the FREE Microsoft Tag reader app for your smart phone to Scan “Tags” pictured here to get extra content throughout the magazine!

28 Rob Zombie - Behind the Demonic Minds with Zombie and John 5

44 70000 Tons -Surviving the 70000 tons of Metal Cruise

Features

25 Jeff Hanneman-Remembering

48 Bonzo Bash - A Celebration of John Henry Bonham

Write ups

Interviews

12 Adler18 Trippy the Clowns “Metal Madness with Zloz22 Mister Sam24 Krash Karma26 Earl Slick34 Dave Mustaine on Dean Guitars54 Orianthi55 Queensryche13 Kix on Fremont St

14 Rock & Roll Roast of Dee Snider15 Spectacle of Carnavlia16 Bjorn Englen35 NAMM38 Dean NAMM Jam39 Schecter Party40 Black Label Society unblackened41 Fishbone50 Doro Live52 Lacuna Coil 56 Guards of Glory Tour59 Maynard’s Wine

Industry

60 Miss Katonic interviews A Band of Orcs62 Fan Favorite -Ivan Mihaljevic & Side Effects64 Intense Guitar66 SXSW with Phil X & the Drills68 Hot Gear for the new Year69 Mud N Music70 Know Your Gear71 Reviews72 Guitar Effects Review74 Sullen Musik76 Black Lodge74 Sullen Musik78 Getting Rocked with David Fishof


Surviving the 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise 2013 By Leah Burlington

I was on my way to not only the biggest metal cruise on the planet, but to cross off the Caribbean from my bucket list. This particular cruise is like the infamous German festival Wacken Open Air but with clean staterooms, all inclusive food and clean bathrooms. It also boasts 40 of the same kind of Euro/Scandi-navian Metal bands with a few from the USA and many other countries. Over 2000 fans travelled from 55 countries across the globe to attend this stellar festival. This was the third year that this cruise has sailed the seas and they are almost ready to start booking for 2014!

What should you pack for a Metal Cruise you ask? First thing you must have is com-fortable shoes or boots as you will be running from deck to deck, every hour on the hour trying to make one of 40 bands that is playing each hour. Then there are the All Star Jams, meet and greets and making time in there to eat. This isn’t your parent’s cruise of rest and relaxation! This is non-stop mayhem for 4 actual days of partying, mingling and rocking the hell out. The good news is that the bands all play twice and there are three venues; a lounge, an indoor theater and the awesome outdoor open air stage at the pool. Many people watch the shows from the two hot tubs that are by the swimming pool, where they have belly flop contests and the infamous 70k pool girls. Don’t forget to pack your Metal Shirts, Camera’s, warm clothes, just in case as it cools off at night and being on deck for a show at 3am might be a bit cold and it could rain as well. Bring a bathing suit for the pool and the beach and of course sun-block. The sun is really harsh down there if you aren’t used to it. Bring your hangover stuff and Airbourne is a must to keep well as is vitamins of some sort. If you get sea sick please bring your sea sickness pills. Bring a power strip because you only have one electric outlet in your room. Drink tons of water and make sure to pace yourself drinking or you won’t have the stamina to enjoy this festival!

Another thing that is a must is having enough credit on your credit card or your debit card as they attach that to your Sail Pass which you will need for anything like alcoholic drinks, coffee, water and merch of any sort. The prices on this cruise were very reason-able. If you buy liquor on ship or on shore you will not get it until after the cruise. It isn’t allowed, so no you can’t smuggle liquor on. The cruise line probably makes most of its money on liquor sales and I am surprised the Metal-Heads didn’t drink the ship dry by the end!

The first thing I see when I am about to board the ship is the huge line of Metal-Heads all dressed in the black uniforms of their fave Metal bands! The first band sightings I have are the Evergrey guys and Snowy Shaw from Sabaton & Therion. The

cool thing about this cruise is that all the bands are doing the exact same thing as us. They are eating, mingling, drinking and seeing bands as well. They are one of us, no backstage pass needed here because this ship is one huge backstage party. We get to all hang together and there is really no-where to go for them so they just enjoy their vacation along with all the fans. It’s pretty special! They don’t mind pictures and autographs and some will sit and visit with the fans the whole night. Don’t be afraid to walk up politely and say hi to your fave singer or guitar player, you may make a friend for life.

The first thing you want to do when you get to your stateroom is find your running order of the bands playing for the day/night and map out who you want to see and where they are. Then find the map of the ship by the elevators and see where everything is. You need to get yourself acquainted with your ship ASAP when you get onboard so you don’t get lost and miss your shows. Ask the friendly staff if you need help because they are there for you and you will get a person appointed specifically to your room. You also have a TV in your room that plays all the bands that are on the ship 24/7, so you


have music while you are in there, but you will probably only be in there for sleep and show-ers. There’s so much going on as the bands go from 10am to 5am and don’t forget Karaoke in Bolero’s lounge starting at 12am every night. The running order of bands we got to choose from: 3 INCHES OF BLOOD, ANAAL NATHRA-KH, ANACRUSIS, ANGRA, ARKONA, CRYP-TOPSY, DELAIN, DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN RE-ITER, DORO, DRAGONFORCE, EKTOMORF, ENSIFERUM, ETECC, EVERGREY, FATAL SMILE, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, GOTTHARD, HEIDEVOLK, HELLOWEEN, HELSTAR, HOLY GRAIL, IMMOLATION, IN FLAMES, INQUISI-TION, KREATOR, LACUNA COIL, LIZZY BOR-DEN, METAL CHURCH, NIGHTMARE, NILE, ONSLAUGHT, RAGE, SABATON, SUBWAY TO SALLY, SINISTER, STEEL ENGRAVED,

THREAT SIGNAL, TIAMAT, TURISAS, TÝR and UNEXPECT.

That first night I got to see: Helstar, Sabaton, Delain, Helloween, Lizzy Borden, Dragon-force, Metal Church, and I ended my night with the exciting Viking band from Finland, Turisas on the pool deck at 2:30am. That band had the crowd of red and black face painted fans going absolutely bonkers! Eight hours of non- stop Metal the first day and I had only just begun.

On Tuesday the second day of the cruise, everything kicks into high gear. I get up at about noon and hit the Windjammer with Danae to have breakfast and started out our day sitting next to the guys in Helloween. We took off to the Spectrum lounge and proceeded to see one of my fave bands from Sweden, Fatal Smile.

These guys put on a fantastic energet-ic show with killer cos-tumes and much flair. Their music hearkens back to the old days of pure heavy metal with wicked guitar solos by Mr. Y and raun-chy vocals of Blade. Alx prowls the stage with a scowl on his face and Phil rounds the band out with his flashy drumming style.

We wandered the ship and saw many guys dressed in Viking and Pirate garb so much that I thought I was at a Ren Faire. I also saw many guys dressed in their metal vests that mostly come from Europe , Scandinavia, and South America. People were already getting their party on at 3pm and drinking pretty heavily. Drinking horns in hand, those Viking guys were having the time of their lives! We wandered into the Ensiferum show at the Theater and watched a whole band in kilts sing their folk metal to the happy crowd. We then went to the All Star band jam in Bolero’s Lounge and saw Doro sing with Cristina Scabbia. They did a killer version of Motorheads “Killed by Death” with Snowy Shaw on drums and the rest of the Doro band rocking through the song! Many musicians were there for the jam, but I had to leave and see Fabio Lione of Angra sing for all my PP friends that have told me how spectacular he is. They were right! This wonderfully talented band from Brazil kicked ass with their new Italian singer Fabio who has sung with bands like Rhapsody of Fire, Laby-rinth, Ayreon, Vision Divine as well as singing on tour with Kamelot, and he commanded the stage with his very presence. We then went to the pool deck to see one of my fave bands ever, Evergrey take the stage. Tom Englund tore the stage up with his amazing guitar prowess and brooding vocals. Soon after, we went to the Theater to see Doro and this was my first actual time seeing her sing live with her kick ass band, which included my good friend Bas Mass who used to play guitar with After Forever. Her amazing band is, Luca Princiotta on bass, Nick Douglas on guitar and Johnny Dee on drums who used to play with Britney Fox back in the day. Doro put on a superb show with her head-banging style of old school metal and she took control of the stage with so much power and passion! I grew a huge respect for the Queen of Metal in this hour and became a huge fan right there. They did a wicked set and ended it with “All We Are.” Her new Cd “Raise Your Fist in the Air” rocks!

I got to see Italian band Lacuna Coil on the pool deck and as many times as I have seen them they get better and better even without Marco playing bass. He wasn’t able to make the cruise,

but they still put on a spectacular performance! Cristina and Andrea really blow me away with their vocal dueling to this day. I finished the second night with Rage and the Ligua Mortis Orchestra in the Theater inside. I know some of the fans were in tears and I heard from my friends how they were looking so forward to see-ing this band live.

I awoke refreshed at 8:00 am to a beautiful day and looking out my window I saw the Caribbean island of Grand Turk awaiting me. Once you get past the duty free shops and tourist crap you walk to the right of it all, you have a lovely beach all to your own to walk. After a much needed rest and time to self I walked back to civilization and looked to find out where the hell everyone from the ship went. When I turned left instead, there was a Mecca of bars and beach lounge chairs with Metal-Heads everywhere lying in the sun, wading in the surf and drinking fruity drinks with umbrellas. Snowy Shaw and Bas Maas took pic’s with us and I watched In Flames and Evergrey frolicking in the ocean

Leah

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EDITOR IN CHIEFMike Smothers [email protected] PUBLICATION DIRECTORJessica Johnson [email protected]

SENIOR EDITOR Angelica Ulloa [email protected]

CONTRIBUTING EDITORChairat [email protected]

Advertising/ Intern Inquires [email protected]: 909 289 8872 www.rocknrollindustries.com

SUBSCRIPTIONSTo order by phone: 909 289 8872 To order online: www.rocknrollindustries.comCheck, money order, Credit and PayPal accepted.Subscribers: Please alert us of any changes of address 6-8 weeks before the date of your move. Rock N Roll In-dustries is not responsible or obligated to re-ship issues missed because of a move we were not informed of.

Rock N Roll Industries (ISSN 2164-9863 print ISSN 2164-9871 online) is published bi monthly, 34955 Cella Ln Yucaipa Ca 92399. Annual Subscription cost is $12.95. Submission of manuscripts, illustrations, media kits and/or photographs will not be returned. The publisher assumes no responsibly for unsolicited materials. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Mike SmothersEditor in ChiefFollow us Facebook.com/rocknrollindustriesmag Twitter @RockNRollind

ILLUSTRATOR CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Zak Hennessey Keith Stixx, Steev Moreno

PETS AND THEIR ROCKSTARSSimi Friedman

WRITERS: Raquel Figlo, Jamie Katonic, Stacey Shaw, Manny Rivas II, Michael G Clark, Peggy Murphy, Julian Douglas, WINJOW, Rob Gainey, Alison “MetalBabe” Cohen, Roger Stoddard, Nicole DeMarco, Taylor Hicks, Laura Chen, Sarah Roberts, Scott Schoenkopt

PHOTOGRAPHERS: Neil Zlozower, Chad Lee, Leah Burlington*, Alex Kluft*, Jazmin Monet Estopin, Simi Friedman*, Gonzo Sandoval*, Enrique Nuñez*, Cyndi Johnson, Lan Nguyen*, Doug Gouge, Larry Dimazio * Photojournalists

EDITORIAL INTERN Andrea Granillo [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORS Gemino Smothers,Mercedes Keveson Steiner

I’m glad you are all happy to see this magazine, because I am happy to get it off my desk! This has been one hell of a task and the longest projected we have had to date! As many companies might know after NAMM it is difficult to get back into the swing of things. On top of this we have to balance personal and family life and run a successful company. So why do we do it you ask? Well, it is simple. At the end of each day the love we all have for Rock N Roll pushes us to be the best at what we do. The countless hours that goes into every Rock N Roll Industries Magazine makes us proud to be a part of this wonderful industry along with all the fans that support the industry as long as there’s people believing in us we won’t give up! In this Issue #8 Rob Zombie graces the cover and talks about his new CD, one of my all time personal favorite artist’s Orianthi set’s the stage on fire at the Whisky A Go Go, the NAMM Show revisited, featuring the very best the show has to offer seeing old friends and making new

ones! This year we rock the booth with Mike Derks from Gwar along with Archer, Trippy The Clown, & September Mourning to name a few, having fun and staying busy signing autographs and taking photos with the fans! You may have noticed our newest RNR Girl Alexandra Soria pictured above with me, if you take a closer look you will see one of our new bikinis, available now on our website.

We also had a great time at the 1st annual Guitar Center Expo in Long Beach April 4th thru the 6th it was a very successful turn out with most of the major companies, live clinics, the GC marketplace- where you can buy the products at a discount, I just can’t say enough about Guitar Center and their staff. I would like to take this moment to thank everyone that came out to support the industry, without you we would be nothing! Your support as always is greatly appreciated, and until next time keep Rock N Rollin’.

Fan Pics

Submit your fan pic at [email protected] please include your name, City & State

Editor’s Words


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ADLER at House of Blues/Hollywood

Every now and then, I hear a band that stands head & shoulders above the pack of overly-clev-er people searching for something new; Adler isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. Having heard their debut CD, I was very much looking forward to this show. It seems that whenever Steven’s name is mentioned, everyone immediately thinks of the past, but for the crowd who showed up December 17th at the House of Blues in Hollywood expecting to hear another version of Adler’s Appetite or a G&R rehash, they were in for a big surprise; Rock & Roll is back...(Back from the Dead).

The four-piece band consisting of Jacob Bunton (vocals/guitar/keys), Lonny Paul (guitar/vocals), Johnny Martin (bass/vocals), and namesake Steven Adler (drums), took the stage to a full house and set the place on fire! This isn’t a piecemeal group of random players with a famous drummer; it’s a tight-knit unit that is hot, sweet and sticky…like a rock band should be. (Good to be Bad) Since I was able to spend some time with them at this event, I saw the camaraderie and respect of a band that actually likes each other.

No gimmicks or sideshows here; just straight-ahead, in-yer-face rock & roll that will have you tapping your foot from the downbeat and singing along by the second line of the first chorus. (The One that You Hated). And from

the titles and lyrics of the songs, could easily be the soundtrack of life for anyone who’s ever lived in the world of music. (Another Version of the Truth) Only a group of rockers who have fought in the trenches and tasted both victory and defeat could write songs like these.

It was incredible to see these cats up there leaving it all on the stage; especially Steven who has had a bumpy ride over the last decade (My Own Worst Enemy), but for those of you who think he may have lost his edge; you are (Dead Wrong)! Front man Jacob Bunton (Mars Electric/Lynam) is a seasoned pro with a great set of pipes and musical hands to fill out Lonny Paul’s (Adler’s Appetite) meaty guitar work over Johnny Martin’s (LA Guns) bullet-proof bass lines; a winning combination when you factor in the “Rock & Roll Hall of Fame” grooves of Steven Adler (Your Diamonds).

After thoroughly digesting this CD and seeing them kill onstage at the HOB, it would be a sin of omission to not mention the outstanding contributions made by producers Jeff Pilson (Dokken/Foreigner) & Jay Ruston (Anthrax/Stone Sour); not only did Jeff lend his bass and writing skills to the project, but appearances by Slash and John5 brought a certain vibe to their respective tracks that made them even more meaningful. (Just Don’t Ask) While there might be a bit of polish in the arrangements of the

songs that adds dimension to them, much of the rawness and honesty was left intact without artificial additives. (Waterfall) Great songs and spirited performances makes this show wanted to be seen again. So if you haven’t had the op-portunity to see and hear this amazing band yet, go to http://www.facebook.com/adlermusic to check for upcoming dates. You won’t be disap-pointed because these guys are the real thing and I will definitely be making it a (Habit) to go to ADLER shows!

-Rob Gainey

While at Rocklahoma this Summer Alex Kluft caught up with Jacob Bunton frontman for Lynam and Steven Adler’s new group Adler. Adler played their first show opening for Steel Panther at the House of Blues.

How’s your day going so far?

My day is going amazing. It started very very early, but I’m not complaining. These festivals are always so amazing, because you get to meet up with a bunch of bands, friends and come together just hang out. It’s just a big family friends and just an awesome thing to be a part of.

Have you played Rocklahoma before?

We’ve actually played Rocklahoma three times. Ale

x K

luft


We were the band in 2008, Lynam that is, when the tornado came through and blew the stages down. That was our equipment onstage when we were told to get off the stage and run. We got off the stage and started running as fast as we could as the whole stage was collapsing. Some of our equipment suffered, some less than desirable damage. That was our first experience at Rocklahoma and that was Oklahoma’s way of telling us to get the hell out of their town, but we came back. You can’t keep us down.

Has Adler played live yet?

No, we haven’t played a show together yet. We recorded the Record. It’s completely done. It’s just gotta get mixed and mastered now, and hopefully it’ll be out by the end of the year. As soon as the records done we’ll start putting together some shows.

What’s it like being in a band with the original drummer from Guns N’ Roses?

It’s insane because growing up Appetite For Destruction was always my favorite record when I was a little kid. I always worshiped Guns N’ Roses, I still do. The craziest thing about doing the record is we had Slash and John 5 play on it. With Slash I remember being in the vocal booth looking out through the glass seeing Slash and Steven and just going wow and pinching myself. That’s amazing.

Do you think it’ll be a big transition from playing shows with Lynam to Adler? I imagine so. As I said we haven’t played any shows yet so I don’t know. We played a lot of big venues with Lynam as an opener. Obviously we’ve never headlined Rocklahoma or anything like that. I’m definitely looking forward to what the future holds. It’s a lot of fun.

What do you think an Adler setlist will be made of?

We’re just going to do Adler stuff, probably no more than two Guns N’ Roses songs. We’ll probably rotate them every night, because no matter what any of the original guys from Guns N’ Roses do, bandwise they’re always going to have to do Guns N’ Roses. To me it’s an honor.

Are you going to do any Adler’s Appetite songs? No, just Adler and a couple Guns N’ Roses songs.

How does it feel to be singing those songs? Amazing, because I’m just as connected to those songs as anyone else. I’ve always loved the music.

What bands did you get to check out?

I got to see The Darkness, who I’ve been wanting to see for a long time. Rob Zombie’s show was absolutely incredible. He gives Kiss a run for their money on production

www.adlerrocks.com -Alex Kluft

Kix on Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas By Leah Burlington

Fremont Street Experience - people couldn’t have created a more odd pairing of having the rambunctious rock n roll band KIX play during the Nascar race weekend. Kix had not played Las Vegas for over twenty years and when they did it was at the notorious Shark Club. Kix was formed in 1977 in Hagerstown Maryland and they have been long awaited by fans to come back to Sin City.

If you have ever been to the Fremont Street Experience, also called Freakmont by the locals, you know that when they have concerts down there you never know what will happen, with all the freaks, homeless and weirdo’s that frequent the place, at times it can be a bit scary, but also a people watchers dream come true. This weekend just happened to be Nascar weekend. As it came closer to show time I realized as the crowd by the stage got more and more thick that there were quite a few Nascar jackets and hats among the attendees. A lot of people I talked to were from Maryland and there were even some people that were just there and when they found out Kix was playing they were stoked by the coincidence. There were also the die hards like me and my Vegas friends that have been waiting to see this kick ass band live for over 25 years. No, I had never seen Kix live! I was about to be blown away!

The band exploded onstage to the drum beat of Jimmy “Chocolate” Chalfant, while front man Steve Whiteman, dressed all in blue, whipped the crowd into a frenzy opening with “Ring around Rosie.” The band has had many lineup changes over the years, but the four members that are from the original 80’s line up remain today. Brian “Damage” Forsythe has an incred-ible old school style of playing and image that hearkens back to the 80’s. Steve Whiteman has the exact same haircut he has had forever! They remain true to their image and their musical style which is fine with the fans. Ronnie “10/10” Younkins shredded up the stage, always with hair hanging in his face but showing that he still has the chops. The newer member since 2003, bassist Mark Schenker was grinning away, just looking like he was having the time of his life as thousands of people were rocking their asses off and feeding off the energy of the band and returning it in back to them. As they played hit

after hit, Steve Whiteman gyrated, convulsed, danced, bounced, rolled around and kept the crowd appeased every second of the show! At one point he rolled on the stage so hard that as he landed on his ass he said “I didn’t know that was concrete.” You know this guy gives every ounce of energy he has to entertain the crowd and that just feeds the fire and makes this band one of the best live rock n roll bands in the world. They have been rocking the east coast mostly for 30 years and tonight we in Vegas were just honored and estatic that Kix finally made it back to the west coast and to Sin City to kick our asses and show us what a real rock n roll band is all about.

They ended the show with Steve Whiteman doing his infamous rap about a groupie chick that came onto the bus and drank all his beer, did all his drugs and then proceeded to get sick.Then they shoot straight into “Yeah, Yeah Yeah,” the finale. I gotta say he had me in stitches and tears during the rap, and the final song just clinched it for me. Kix isn’t for kids, Kix is for grown-ups!!

Set List:

Ring Around Rosie, Lie Like a Rug, Red Hot, Sex, The Itch, Girl Money, Don’t Close your eyes, Laying Rubber, Cold Shower, Cold Blood, Blow My Fuse, Mid-night Dynamite, Yeah yeah yeah

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“Welcome to the spectacle of Carnavalia!”

As the curtains opened and the fans made their way through to take the best spots closer to the stage a melodic renaissance/middle eastern ambient started to embrace the HOB and as soon as the circus-teque (if that term could be used) music faded (it was being played live) after a four-count, the heavy guitars and riffs made their way through as VIZA (formerly known as VISA) began their set with “Carnavalia”. Confused for a moment and not sure for a split second if I was at the House of Blues on Sunset, the Ren Faire or a circus, I was quite skeptic of what to expect of a band with instruments more than just guitars, bass and drums. I know anything is possible these days, but besides the energetic performers the sound and percussions captivated me. Somehow VIZA makes it work and while blend-ing these unusual instruments, their sound is, with all respect, is reminiscent of System Of A Down, which in my opinion, is a compliment.

The eminent energy and pro-fessionalism of putting together a musical spectacle, is, I believe, the result of the constant local and international touring and performances with international acts, which after being skeptic (as I said before) made me take my thoughts back and actu-ally paying attention and allow myself to be capti-vated by “The strangest show on earth”.

“Viza’s fifth album, ‘Carnivalia’ is the band’s most animated

album – a journey through a symbolic theme park derived from satirical and dramatic influences.” –Reads their website, which I agree with. Viza, aside from performing their unique sounds, they are the voice for promoting social consciousness of human rights and community issues and they also try to provide opportunities to fundraise for various chari-ties, homeless shelters and orphanages. 2 Songs I recom-mend and I currently enjoy are “Carnivalia” and “Trans-siberian standoff.” I find them uniquely

addicting, the mixed feelings about this type of rock are what keep me listening to such over and over again. It has been my first and only show, but I’m defi-nitely looking forward to more of their shows here in L.A., I may not see them in “Carniva-lia“ theme attires, (as they did in their cd release show) but I surely expect another great high-energy performance!

-Enrique Nuñez

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What hasn’t the legendary Dee Snider not done?? He has been rocking the

world and singing for metal band Twisted Sister for 40 years, made a movie, “Strangeland,” done the TV shows “Meet the Snid-ers,” and “Growing Up Twisted,” done the radio show “House of Hair,” voiceovers for many TV shows, wrote a kick ass autobiography “Shut Up and Give Me the Mic,” been fired on “Celebrity Apprentice,” sang and acted in the Halloween show “Van Helsings Curse,” and even did a Cd, “Dee Does Broadway.” The man can do anything, but one of the best things he does is Twisted Sister, one of the most underrated bands in the History of Metal. He is the most articulate, and intelligent front-men in metal and even showed congress how eloquent he was at the PMRC hearings that also featured Frank Zappa and John Denver. That single moment in time right there was what has made Dee Snider a hero, by standing up to the censorship of music by our own government.

This year during NAMM the Second Annual Celebrity Roast was to be featuring Dee Snider. Dee has received a lot of crap in his days as the lead singer of the metal band, “Twisted Sister,” for wearing lingerie way back in the 70’s and then as they evolved their image into a hair metal band of the 80’s. With campy hits like “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock,” Dee knows what it’s like to be bullied. He grew to accept it and then savor it and learned to give it right back! He’s as strong as they come with balls of steel. He is an Iconic Metal Front Man after all, and has seen and heard everything that people can dish out to him. Well he knew he was really in for it with celebs on the Dais like Zakk Wylde, Lita Ford, Eddie Trunk, Scott Ian, Jim Florentine, his wife and son -Suzette and Shane, Jim Norton, Criag Gass and Mark Metcalf who had the starring role in those pivotal Twisted videos from the 80’s with the line that we will never forget..”What do you wanna do with your life?” Dee took everything said about him in stride and good humor. The whole thing was hosted by Penn Jillette who is a comedian and half of Penn and Teller, who are Vegas favorites. Dee was basically laughing his ass off the whole time and he appeared to enjoy him-self. He cracked on his dais pretty well and gave the ribbing right back to his peers.

The Red Carpet before the show was jam packed with celebs like, Mark Metcalf, Zakk Wylde, In This Moment, Penn Jillette, Brendan Small from Dethklok, Huntress, Exodus, Geoff Tate, Tony Harnell, Bumblefoot, Eddie Trunk, Dee and his family, Gary Hoey, Lita Ford, Jim Florentine, Craig Gass, Kerri Kassum, Jose Magen, Kyng, Lorenzo Lamas, Tim Ripper Owens, Scott Ian, Rex Brown, and many others. The whole thing was filmed for AXS TV and all benefits went to Music Cares, so if you want to see it you can find it on Youtube.

By Leah Burlington

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I met Bjorn Englen at NAMM where he was doing signings for Carvin and EBS Amplification. Like most participants, he describes NAMM as “always chaotic… a crazy event,” where he played, met up

with friends and made new friends along the way. Bjorn has one of most impressive resumes of all hard rock and heavy metal bass players in the music industry. In addition to having played around 1500 shows and recorded somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 albums, Bjorn has toured many continents with the likes of Uli Jon Roth, Yngwie Malmsteen, and tons of other incredible musicians. He is currently a member of Soul Sign, Dio Disciples, and Tony MacAlpine’s band. Bjorn sat down to chat with me shortly after NAMM to discuss what currently lies ahead for him in the music world, as well as his past musical experiences.

At 13 years of age, Bjorn started playing bass, citing the fact that all the other instruments were more popular, and that bass appealed to him as much, if not more, than guitar or drums. He went on to explain that a few years later, he “was ready to tour the world.” At a very young age, he found himself touring in the band Quiet Riot and ended up performing dozens of shows with them, starting in Texas with a hard rock soiree he described as a “wild gig…almost a riot!” As a member of Dio Disciples, who performed at the Ronnie James Dio benefit last Halloween, Bjorn

discussed the various auction items and top notch event staff, describing it as “very organized, and among the nicest part of (their) US tour.” He had nothing but high praise for Wendy Dio and the entire experience. Though he loves playing Dio’s entire catalogue, Bjorn’s favorite song to play with Dio Disciples is “The Last In Line.”Bjorn’s upcoming plans include playing the Monsters of Rock cruise with Dio Disciples (late update: singer Mark Boals is replacing Tim “Ripper” Owens for the cruise), where they’ll be performing two shows over four days at sea. He is also looking forward to touring in South America for the very first time this June when Dio Disciples stops there on their upcoming tour. Bjorn recently played a show at the Whiskey with Uli Jon Roth’s California touring band, which he was part of in recent years (The band also included current Soul Sign and former Yngwie vocalist Mark Boals). One of many NAMM parties, Bjorn provided a thunderous low end for a very enthusiastic capacity crowd. “It’s always fun playing with Uli,” says Bjorn, who spoke very highly of his incredible improvisational abilities, which “really suit (his) own playing style.” Bjorn went on to say he met Uli at NAMM in 2007, when he was with Yngwie Malmsteen. He then reminisced about touring with Yngwie, describing the gig as “a dream come true.” “I’ve always admired him,” says Bjorn, who grew up listening to his albums, and felt his style of playing would mesh well with Malmsteen’s. One time while on tour with Yngwie in Spain, Bjorn and crew left the stage early when someone became ill (no names were mentioned). This disappointed an arena of fiery Spaniards, who apparently didn’t forget easily- When he returned to Spain on tour with Tony MacAlpine, there were several strongly-worded inquiries about when Yngwie’s band was going to come back and make up for the show that was cut short. Bjorn says emphatically, “Don’t end early in Spain!”

Being in so many bands can be a source of conflict. Bjorn cited unfortunate scheduling issues and his involvement with Tony MacAlpine’s band’s long tour schedule as the reason for his departure from Yngwie’s touring band. These things are bound to happen when you are simultaneously part of multiple world-class projects, and Bjorn has always adapted to new settings and circumstances. As an interesting side note, Bjorn has coincidentally been in several of the same acts as Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Yngwie and Dio Disciples). As for his other current band, Soul Sign, Bjorn is excited to have recently released a new recording entitled, “Life In The Dark” with an impressive line-up that includes his a forementioned band mate Mark Boals (Yngwie, Uli Jon Roth, and also currently Dio Disciples). Bjorn explained how after being “on hold a few years” (the band actually came into existence in 1995), Soul Sign is coming along well and getting the show on the road.

Bjorn endorses the following equipment, and has longstanding relationships with each of these manufacturers: Carvin Bass Guitars, EBS bass amps and pedals (he’s celebrating 10 years), MARI Strings (going on 17 years), Spectraflex cables (5 years), Hipshot De-Tuners and Hardware, Dunlop picks.

-Raquel Figlo

Bjorn Englen Disciple and High Priest to the “Metal Church”

House of Blues Anaheim is a well-known music venue that features both local as well as national bands on their prestigious stage. On Wed, March 6th local talent took the stage for an all ages show put on by Acropolis RPM.Out of Corona, California is an up and coming local band that will rock you to your core. Meet Roadside Ghost. Gary Green - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Erick Holter - Lead Guitar and backing Vocals, Steve “Dino”

Andino - Bass, and Jon Young - Drums make up Roadside Ghost. The band has one interest, “Sharing the music with the world.” They are do-ing it one stage at a time and one show at a time. If you are looking for a band that is rock radio friendly and appeals to the masses this is your band. Self described as “a breath from the 60’s captured by the winds of the 80‘s and 90‘s to form a sound that is familiar but new.” Others have

described them as hav-ing a sound similar to Bob Segar or Nirvana. I would consider them a combo of all the above.It is hard to get people out to a show on any Wednes-day night but to keep them out late, that is a feat all unto itself.

But T4P did just that. Rob T- Rhythm Guitar and Lead Vocals, Cody McCord - Lead Guitar, “Dragon-face” Clay Kindred - Bass, and Steven Poindexter- Drums have the talent and chemistry with each other to do just that. If you want pop rock with a fist full of fun lyrics, take a listen to this band. High energy, melodic and sometimes on the edge of hard rock, this band engages their fans and makes them feel like they are part of the show. In fact they make it seem like you are all at the same party and in a sense you are.There is a sea of local talent in SoCal. It seems that every night offers a local band to feed your craving and style of music. From high end venues to dive

bars there are shows for music fans of all ages and genres. You never know what you will get so get out and catch a show. Support local music...”Today’s locals are tomorrows nationals.”

Melissa Anderson

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Here with my good pal, Legendary Rock photographer, NEIL ZLOZOWER and if you don’t know who he is then you’re dumb. If you look at any magazine in da past forty years, I bet you

fifty grand you will see a photo credited by my good pal ZLOZ. I went

through his bad ass catalogue and chose 5 of my favorite metal shots to discuss with ZLOZ and to find out what went down during the shoot.

TRIPPY – So, Zloz, I gotta tell ya brotha…Dis wasn’t easy man. I almost lost my mind choosing my top 5, but after I drank a case of beer and head banged to SLAYER’S “South of heaven” I found dis awesome shot in your archives. ZAKK WYLDE and KERRY fukun KING. 2 of my favorite metal wizards. These two fuckers are crazy so I’m sure it was an action-packed day. When did you shoot dis photo and what was it for brotha?

ZLOZ – Well Trippy, I shot this photo in 2008. I had brother Zakk and brother Kerry down at my studio one day and I believe we were doing a shoot for EMG Pickups. Zakk is an EMG Pickup guy and so is Kerry King and they are the best of friends. There both guitar gods D’Elegance. Anyway, they came down and hung with father Zloz , that’s what ZAKK calls me, but anyway, we had a great time. These guys are family. I’ve been working with both of them since 1988 and we were all hanging out shooting the shit and probably drinking a lot of beer. Some of these guys that you work with over the years not only do you have a working relationship with but they become your great friends.

TRIPPY - Hell ya Zloz! Last year I came down to hang at your studio while you were shooting Madman ZAKK. Dat was a good time. What’s one of da craziest experiences you ever had with Zakk on a photo shoot cuz I know he’s one crazy fucker!

ZLOZ- Well Trippy he used to be crazier. He’s still crazy but he doesn’t drink anymore so he’s not dancing around the borealis anymore, but Zakk likes to get pretty crazy. We did a Monster Cable shoot and he had these big amps and he was throwing them on the ground so I just went with it. Let me think? Oh… I have a good one

for you Trippy. Zakk lived at my house for 8 days and that’s how I got my little dog COMMANDO. Zakk came back to my place one night with this little thing running around like a nut. He said he rescued it from the Beverly Center Mall and I said “you rescued it from the

Beverly center?” How much did you rescue it for?” and Zakk said,” oh 2,500 dollars,” and then Zakk left the next day and left the dog with me. Oh, that dogs sick. The dog shits and pee’s all over my floor. Sometimes it pees in my bed. He throws up and makes a mess everywhere with his food. He has seizures, but he’s a good dog I guess. Zakk didn’t even have the dog for 24 hours and he left him with me.

TRIPPY – HA HA HA… Ya, I met da dog. Somethins not right about da dog. So Zloz, what about KERRY KING….SLAYERRRRRRRRRRRR RULESSSSSSSSSSSSS….. What’s Kerry like to shoot?

ZLOZ – Kerry’s great. A real pro. He looks

ferocious and intimidating but he’s really a sweetheart. His wife AYESHA, she’s great too. I was just hanging with them in New York not too long ago at the “Samson Metal Masters” event. It’s always a good time hanging with Kerry. One night I was having a feast at my house and DAVE LOMBARDO was supposed to come by, but instead Kerry shows up.

We were eating oysters and stuff and Kerry doesn’t eat seafood but he partied with us and it was great! I love Kerry. It’s always fun going drinking with Kerry because he can keep up with the best of us.

TRIPPY- I gotta tell ya SLAYER is one of my favorite bands ever and they are heavier

den hell. You like em right?

ZLOZ – I love all the guys but hey I’m old man and you know, I like some Rock and Roll but that’s some pretty heavy stuff.

The last time I saw them, it was ANTHRAX, MEGADEATH, and SLAYER at the Universal Amphitheatre and oh my god SLAYER was on fire. The guitar playing and everything was

insane.

TRIPPY – Hell ya Zloz! A friend of mine went to that show and said dat after da show was over, the whole place was torn apart. He said all da seats were ripped out, deare was blood all over da floor, and a lot of irreparable damage

and the whole place was wrecked. Dat makes for a great fukun show! SLAYER has one of da most brutal mosh pits on da planet. Tell me about da pit Zloz? Were you in it?

ZLOZ – I was in the photo-pit for a while until I bailed out of there. It was sort of life threatening being in the photo-pit of a Slayer show. I’m too old and I can’t risk my life anymore but it was fun. It’s always great stuff at a Slayer show. A little chaotic but always fun!

TRIPPY – So here’s my next favorite shot Zloz. DIMEBAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG. I gotta tell ya brotha dis photo of DIMEBAG is bad ass! You have a lot of kick ass photos of DIME, but this one popped right out at me like an unstoppable tank ready to explode and tear shit up! Everything from DIME’S pose, to da metal roaring on his face, to da bad ass camouflage warrior guitar. Dis one rules metal brotha.

ZLOZ – Thanks Trippy. This DIMEBAG shot that

TRIPPY THE CLOWN’S“METAL MADNESS”

With Legendary Rock PhotographerNEIL ZLOZOWER: a.k.a. “ZLOZ”

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you picked Trippy was

from 1997. It had something

to do with the bicentennial

because after we did the majority of

the shot Dime put on this Uncle Sam outfit with the top hat, and

he painted his beard grey like UNCLE

SAM, and so on. You can’t even

tell its Dime. He looks like UNCLE SAM. So

anyway, he came into the shoot alone and

we had fun. Dime was great to work

with and he did everything I

wanted, what I asked of him. He was great! Dime liked to drink. I think he used to drink Jack Daniels,

but we were hanging out and it was fun, cause

he’s a good old

Texas boy and I like good old Texas girls, at least I used to when I used to go to Texas all the time. Dime was a great player, a great guy, and it was a tragic loss what happened to him. I mean everybody misses DIMEBAG. Brother Zakk misses him, I miss him. Unfortunately, Pantera was sort of breaking apart a few years after I shot this but they will be remembered forever and Dime lives on in every body’s memory.

TRIPPY – You got dat right Zloz. All hail DIMEBAG…Da one and only……Dis next photo I picked of yours is brutal brotha…Look ad dis shit… LEMMY…one cool fukur…. holdin up dat bad ass gun. Tell us about dis shot ZLOZ.

ZLOZ- Well Lemmy’s a big cowboy/wild west fan so I can’t remember if he was supposed to be BILLY THE KID or WYATT EARP or whoever. But he came in, alone, and Lemmy is always fun to work with. He’s a living icon, Lemmy. I mean, what can you say about THE LEMMEISTER, He’s a great guy, he makes great music, and he hangs out at the Rainbow five nights a week. They just did a movie about him and I think he’s bigger now than ever. Just make sure you bring ear plugs to a MOTORHEAD show cause he’s about as loud as any human being I’ve ever seen in my life.

TRIPPY – What year was dis shot taken Zloz?

ZLOZ – That was taken Trippy in 1993.

TRIPPY – Zloz, one of da reasons I picked Lemmy’s shot other than its fuckin cool as fuck is becuz of all of this fuckin bullshit goin on with guns rights and shit… LEMMY seems da like guns and so do I. Whats ur thoughts on guns brotha Zloz.

ZLOZ- Well…. you know what Trippy, I don’t own any guns because if I had some guns one of my x girlfriends would have probably blown my brains out a long time ago. You know, some of them were sort of psychopathic and lost their minds pretty easy, especially when it’s that time of the month but…I mean, obviously there’s a lot of violence and trauma that’s gone on the past 3 years. The wrong people having guns, but like the gun fanatics say, “Guns don’t kill, people do.

TRIPPY – YA got dat right Zloz…Couldn’t a said it beddur myself brotha…

ZLOZ - Hey Trippy, I noticed so far you didn’t pick any of my live shots?

TRIPPY - What da hell you want from me, blood? Relax brotha, have a fuckin beer and chill da fuck out.. Im gedden to dat……. Sheeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzz…..

ZLOZ – (laughs) I like this better anyway Trippy because any douche bag can go to a concert and get 3 songs and shoot live. They may not be very good, but almost anybody could do it. Half the people in the pit these days have there I phones and their shooting photos. All this stuff you picked here Trippy is all film except for the Zakk Wylde and Kerry King photo. So I like your choices so far brotha. Your doing good.

TRIPPY – Dats cause I’m DA METAL GOD and I know what da fuck I’m doing Zloz.

ZLOZ – I guess you do. Why do you think I hang with you, because you know what to do, and you like to drink, and you hang with hot chicks! Except I gotta bigger weiner than you do. (laughs)

TRIPPY – Real fukin funny fucker. Just cuz I’m 3 foot one don’t mean shit man…I’m hung like a beast fukur…Ten inches off da ground! Haaaaaaaaaaaa…….Okay… back to FUKUN METAL MADNESS with MARILYN MANSON …Da “SHOCK ROCK” aficionado….Dis specific photo represents the pure insanity of Manson’s earlier days on stage. I love dis photo Zloz! Tell us what da fuck went down man.

ZLOZ – Marilyn Manson, Trippy, I shot in Ohio in 1997. I think I was there for Fernandes Guitars. I was there to shoot the guitar player and that was sort of early in MARILYN’s career and I didn’t know what to expect. I just remember I was getting spit on and people were climbing in the photo pit.

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TRIPPY – ha ha ha… Dat was probably me spittin on ya Zloz.

ZLOZ – Maybe, No you’d just take a shit on me or piss on me Trippy. You wouldn’t spit on me that’s to mellow for you.

Trippy – You got dat rite fukur… Tell us about da pit Zloz…How was it? I love the pit. Was it Brutal?

ZLOZ – It was like any other pit. A photo scum pit, but it was interesting. It was hard to shoot. The lights weren’t that great, Marilyn moved around a lot, but it was a very interesting show but I couldn’t wait to get out of that photo pit to be honest with you and go back to my hotel room and take a shower to wash the spit off.

TRIPPY – You gotta admit Zloz, Manson gives one hell of a performance.

ZLOZ – He puts on a great show. My friend, JASON SUTTER, the drummer with Marilyn tells me it’s just crazy total insanity out there on the road.

TRIPPY – Ya I was there at your studio when you were interviewing John 5 for your bad ass show on You tube called “ ZlOZ HOUR”… Dat anyone can look up and find by da way… And John 5 told you dat “Touring with Manson was like New Years every night.”

ZLOZ – (whispers) I got some crazy stories that I won’t talk about right now Trippy. I’ll tell you later.

TRIPPY – Ya Ya.. Tell me later over more beers. …. Manson’s a great artist all around. I like his dark style. He’s a visionary….. How was he to shoot?

ZLOZ –Well I never shot Manson in the studio. Someone told me he’s supposed to be a big Neil Zlozower fanatic and I guess he grew up looking at my photos but I never worked with him. Other than this shot, I think I shot him at the Wiltern Theatre or somewhere like that. I really havnt worked with Marilyn on a level like I’ve worked with most of the people I’ve shot. Trippy our buddy JOHN 5 used to play with Marilyn.

TRIPPY – You got dat right Zloz! John 5 is one cool fukur. Dat leads me to another favorite shot of yours Zloz..None other den ROB FUKIN ZOMBIE who John 5 plays with now. Dis photo is pure madness brotha. Everyone is gonna love this shot. Tell us about it Zloz! WE NEEDA KNOW….

ZLOZ – Well we shot that in… I think in 1999. WHITE ZOMBIE was already broken up but I first started working with Rob back in the early 90’s when he had White Zombie: JOHN TEMPESTA, SEAN YSEULT, and JAY YUENGER. Anyways , they came down to my studio and I did some work with them, but that band I guess imploded or whatever happened and then Rob went onto do his solo career and got into movies pretty heavily.

TRIPPY – Hell ya…Robs a Renaissance man and everything he touches turns to gold.

ZLOZ- That’s right Trippy. Rob’s a jack of all trade type of guy. This shot I think he was getting ready to go on tour and he brought in these phony arms that kind of looked like tree branches and he put them on for this photo. He wanted to bring them to the photo shoot so I said sure bring them on down, we’ll do whatever you want Rob. We did about 3 different back drops in a really short amount of time. Rob’s a real professional. He doesn’t do many photo shoots. You really don’t see many off stage photos of Rob. Then again, that was about 14 years ago. We did that in 1999. Its 2013 so everything changes, nothing stays the same.

TRIPPY –Great quote Zloz but da coolness of this picture will never change. I love dis picture Zloz. This is definitely one of my favorites! All

your photos rule and were gonna talk about more of your metal shots in upcoming issues of Rock N Roll Industries magazine.

ZLOZ – Well like I said, you always have good taste brotha. Trippy, I shot your ugly mug for all of your metal merchandise and for the cover of your record when it comes out hopefully by the end of this year… and come to think of it, you never paid me…..Where’s my money?

TRIPPY – Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…... WTF ZLOZ…....I forgot man who cares!

ZLOZ – Ya, that’s what I figured.

TRIPPY - You know what Zloz, Im otta here…I’m headen down to da RAINBOW da drink with LEMMY…He’s buying me beers tonight…..…. DIS INTERVIEW IS OVERRRRRRRRRRRRR…….DONE

ZLOZ – Ya I gotta get home and clean up dog piss and dog shit. DOUBLE DONE

To see more of Trippy the clown, a.k.a. “The Metal God”, go to: www.TrippyTV.com To check out Neil Zlozower’s photos go to: AtlasIcons.com

BY…. TIM PHOENIX AND SANDY PLUTE MARTIN

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So, tell us what a Dark Artist is? Dark- Art to me, is something that is subcon-sciously within all of us. It’s a primal under-standing of what it is to fear; the unknown, the unusual, but be intrigued by it. The best forms of dark art are the ones that take you by the hand running, into a pitch black forest and leave you there, the lights go on and you’re in a very familiar place and you’re surprisingly comfortable, though most of us are afraid to admit it... Whether through visual or audio, the ability to ex-pose the desire for fear, the strange, the obscure within... that to me is a dark art.

Tell us about when the spark hit you as a child to become what you are today?I was around six or seven, in England in my first house on the edge of a forest I remember creating a pair of wolf paws out of torn paper that I had ripped into strips and painted brown and black. I made false claws out of cardboard and then taped the whole thing to my hands and went off running. Then all of a sudden, I found myself at the bottom of a staircase. I looked up and in my imagination, the texture of the wall transformed into a thousand illustrations of faces, monsters and it kept spreading like an oil slick. I realized then that the time it took me to create the wolf paws was nothing compared to an entire wall of monsters. From that point on, I was inspired to flesh out what I saw in my mind and share it with the world.

What was your hometown like and what were your fellow classmates like?From the age of ten I grew up in an old Victorian town on the edge of the Irish Sea in the North West of England. The beach is grey, the sky is grey and the sea is black. Every day is like a cross between a Tim Burton movie and Lord of the Rings; Windy dark and unforgiving. Big old stone Victorian buildings and a town where 80% of the population is elderly like some strange ‘Hammer Horror’ film... or something from ‘The Twilight Zone.’ The other kids at school were pretty much like any others I’d guess ‘show and tell’ would involve them bringing in their collections of sports memorabilia or classic car trading cards. I’d bring in my taxidermy and skulls, that always went down well.

Have you always been into “Dark and Occult” things?I remember growing up reading on the one hand, books about ancient Egypt and on the other ghosts and demonology. The same goes for books on British wildlife and then tales from the Congo regarding living Dinosaurs. I can’t remember a time when natural history and the

supernatural were not considered just as important as each other. I’ve always been fascinated with ancient cultures and mysteri-ous monuments found deep in the jungles and forests of the Amazon and India. I grew up walking around museums and so the love for relics and the preservation of the arcane was instilled in me from an early age, my Mother would also encourage my interest in the unex-plained, providing me with books on ghosts, voodoo, vampires and mystery animals such as the Yeti and the Loch Ness monster.

Of all the album covers you have done, what were the most personal and why?I have to say the number one personal favourite was to create the album sleeve artwork for ‘A Pale Horse Named Death’ the brainchild of Sal Abruscato: (Type O Negative / Life Of Agony). I’ve been a huge fan of Sal’s former bands for decades. Sadly T.O.N’s lead singer and front-man Peter Steele, past away in 2010, so to cre-ate artwork in his memory was an honor.

Lets talk about some up and coming collaborations you are excited about?I guess the next creations I have in the pipe-line would be ‘Supermanic’ a new project from guitarist Sin Quirin (Ministry/RevCo), then merchandise and sleeve art for American Head Charge, Pro Tone guitar pedal graphics, ESP Guitar graphics, Jason Charles Miller, stOrk and Powerman 5000. I’m also creating book covers for various authors of the Unexplained and Cryptozoology. Why specialize in Dark art, why not be a jack of all trades?The luckiest man is one who enjoys his job, if I had to paint bowls of fruit I’d probably lose the will to live. Why Dark Art? I just feel pulled and driven towards the genre I don’t even label it that, it’s what I’ve always known. I can’t see things any other way.

What are your thoughts on the grow-ing trend of horror being more action oriented than horror oriented? It has possibly stemmed from the video-game in-dustry. To become a character in a team to take out evil is a formula which sells very easily in the online world of gaming. So to become part of the story itself and to feel as though you’re taking on evil in a battle or fight sense, then it would seem a lot of these films are being written with video games in mind. I could be wrong, but I also think that it could simply be a statistical observation that action movies generally do better at the box office and so even comedies are having action woven into them these days.

If you could make any of your comics into a film or animation, which one?I have several properties in mind that I feel in my gut would be very successful, stemming toys and cartoon television shows and movies... But sadly, these ventures have to sit on the shelf for a year or two as there are far too many industry clients on my books that I have to execute before I can really begin to release my own franchise. I will say however, I’ve always wanted to create a movie regarding Bigfoot... I have a rough screen-play and I would love to flesh that out some day watch this space!

Do you ever feel that you are channel-ling something in your art?I have a large collection of arcane dusty old antique books on the occult, Crowley, Dee, Sum-mers etc. I used to drop a little of my own blood into the paint pots or sculpture work I’d create, or smear it across pages in my sketchbooks. The aim was to create an everlasting connection between myself and my work that would spawn more from these ideas and in turn inspire and encourage people to peer into the black shadow that is, the unknown!

Whats next?Well, aside from the current client list and Zom-bie portraits, I’m finishing off my own website and opening my own store, selling prints, merch and a variety of products displaying my own artwork. So stay tuned for that. You can find all those links via my official Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/MisterSamShearon I’ll be heading to Comic-Con San Diego this Summer to do the yearly signings and live drawings, then, it’s off to New York in October for much of the same. Somewhere along the way I have a few expeditions and adventures in the pipeline regarding Bigfoot searches in the Redwoods and UFO /star-gazing here n’ there in the deserts.

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Krash Karma is based out of Hollywood, California and consists of Ralf Dietel as lead

singer, bass, and guitar (former guitar player of Nine Inch Nails) and Niki Skistimas on vocals and drums. I caught up with Krash Karma for an interview between their world travels and recording a new album with a few questions on what it takes to tour for a living and to work as a DIY (do it yourself) musician in today’s market. How did you become working musicians? By taking matters into our own hands on the business side and making it happen! Most rockers have fantasized about joining a band with their significant other like the singer and drummer in Krash Karma. How do you maintain a relation-ship? We keep the music business and the relationship as separate as pos-sible and try to do things outside of “band stuff” to keep our relationship fresh and fun. With a lifestyle based around touring, what do you do during the off-months? SURF!! The only way we can tour so much is by having new products to sell at the shows, so in our time home, we are writing and recording new material. How do you think your DIY (Do-It-Yourself) lifestyle influences

the face of rock and roll for those who are working as independent musicians?In the studio? In today’s world most people have recording software and can at least record basic demos. We have been building our studio for years with various software and necessary out-board gear to get a more profes-sional studio sound. Shoot-ing music videos? If you have a good idea and a good camera man, you can make a good music video. We’ve done all our videos with a small crew and totally renegade style. We’ve also done all of the post production. In an age where the target market will be watching the video on YouTube, doing a big budget video shoot seems pointless--unless you are Rihanna or someone like that!

On tour? It’s nearly impossible to make a living as a musician if you don’t tour! Get out there and rock the people! The live show is as important as it ever was and there is a demand for it worldwide. Find your niche and roll with it!How about promotion?

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is vital. So, you

record at your house?

Yes, we put some time into converting our ga-

rage into a studio. Drywall, insulation, carpet and that was

it. Two months later we started recording our first demos.What is your recording set up? We record with our DAW from Presonus called “Studio One V2”. The interface is also a Presonus Firetube with 16 inputs. That’s

enough to record a drum kit and then do the overdubs.How does it sound? The quality is great. Our demos sound better than other people’s albums. When we record our album next month we will probably go to a high-end studio to record the drums but will do the rest in our studio.What is one service that you outsource for and why? Pub-licity. There are just some resources they have that you could never get for yourself. Also, a booking agent can be helpful to be put on bigger shows.What is the best tactic to stay current with your fans overseas? Content. Always update the website with news, videos and whatever else we are up to keep everyone interested. What advice would you give musicians who want to treat their band as a business? If you treat your band as a business we are talking money. These days money is mostly made on the road. Write songs that cater to a (your) niche and build a live performance around it that is bad-ass and sets you apart from the other bands in your niche.Lastly, what would you say is the best way to get your music heard? Shoot a music video. YouTube is one of the most used search en-gines. Winnie Jow


Jeff Hanneman was an extremely gifted guitarist and lyricist who wrote the most legendary riffs and

words in Slayer’s discography, peri-od. He was a blonde headed thrash machine who liked the Oakland Raiders, camouflage clothing, and Heineken—going so far as to have custom ESP guitars manufactured with graphics done in the Heineken logo, but the beer company logo words redone to read: Hanneman. Hanneman also didn’t give a fuck, and if you met him, or read his interviews, you got that loud and clear. That “undisputed attitude” was an admirable part of his personality that garnered him a higher level of respect—at least in this fan’s eyes. For example, when Slayer signed to major label, Def Jam Records, they didn’t deliver a friendly, mainstream metal album to their new and titanic home. No, they actually went in the other direction and turned in Reign In Blood—most of which Hanneman penned on guitar and in prose. Reign In Blood, the most legend-ary thrash album ever released is 29-minutes of the fastest, most extreme, most horrific, and shortest doses of metal ever collected for release. That whole move is what pure balls is all about. And in my opinion, Hanneman had balls the size of Jupiter.Jeff Hanneman didn’t care about making platinum albums because his modus operandi was to write for himself. Over the years, Hanneman would say he liked to play for fun outside of Slayer. At home he’d record with a drum machine and

lay down whatever he wanted. On some occasions, he’d record riffs that turned into Slayer songs…he’d write riffs that would sometimes never find a place in a Slayer tune until the time was right—he once sat on a riff for 20 years (like some fine wine) and then placed it like some unholy diamond in a Slayer setting. He liked playing guitar because he actually enjoyed it, like a hobby to him (as he actually said in interviews), not because the next “hit” had to be made. Ironically, Hanneman already wrote some of the biggest “hits” metal would ever get…there’s no ignoring the frenzied chanting of SLAYER!!! by thousands of fans at each concert…scream-ing for “Angel of Death” or “Raining Blood,” as Hanneman looked upon the fans, perhaps not giving a fuck that the masses worshipped HIS songs, HIS lyrics, and HIM—yes, Hanneman was a wicked metal deity and the HEART of Slayer, whether we all knew it before his death, we certainly can acknowl-edge it now, posthumously. Who’s going to argue? Hanneman publically maintained a real humble approach to his guitar skills—“humble” being Hanneman’s own self-deprecating point-of-view of his own talent. That’s somewhat honorable, as Hanneman didn’t seem to harbor an inflated ego about his abilities, but it’s also seriously inaccurate, because very few guitarists like Hanneman (and Kerry King included), has created a more identifiable guitar tone or recognizable style of riffing and

soloing. Hanneman’s violently agitated guitar solos are little trips that spiral the listener into subter-ranean circles of Hell. Moreover, the bridge riffs in “Angel of Death” and “Chemical Warfare,” to the intro riffs to “Hell Awaits” and “Raining Blood,” are epic masterpieces that, mark my words, future generations will regard as brilliant compositions on par with Beethoven, Bach, or Hendrix. Hanneman’s contributions and creations are timeless and immortal. Seriously, those Slayer riff-examples mentioned above are already legendary and godly now…again I ask, “Who’s going to argue?” Huh? Huh? Outside of Slayer, Hanneman once told KNAC in 2006 that he “always gravitated to bands that didn’t sound like (Slayer) anyway.” He was a big fan of Alice in Chains, he liked Type O Negative...and in the same interview, Hanneman even admit-ted that he enjoyed listening to the B-52’s. Who would’ve thunk it? I admit, I think that’s cool as hell…as a death metal guitarist who also re-ally likes the B-52’s, I never thought anyone else in extreme metal also held the B-52’s as a guilty pleasure. Knowing Hanneman did makes me smile BIG.I attended my first-ever Revolver Golden Gods awards when I rolled into L.A. for the GG’s 5th annual metal night. I was really charged up and speaking the “Broken Hope” gospel as went to the Golden Gods armed with a new BH album. Just as I was leaving my hotel, I got a text that Hanneman had passed

away. Before I could call more sources to verify this news, Blabber-mouth.net confirmed my fear. This confirmation sucked the wind and enjoyment out of the whole night for me. Hanneman had a profound influence on me that started in 1986 and never left my soul. His death at only 49 years old also has a profound affect on me now.I followed Hanneman’s unfortunate medical story, how he suffered from a tragic necrotizing fasciitis infection that stopped him from playing with Slayer for the last two years. Spider-bites, flesh-eating bacteria, and skin grafts became Hanneman’s dismal reality, and not some lyrical subject matter the gifted guitarist and writer conjured up for the next Slayer album. Just a month prior to Hanneman’s death due to liver failure. Fill-in guitarist, Gary Holt of Exodus said, “We’re just all hoping Jeff gets better. I’m just keeping his seat warm until he’s ready come back and bring the pain.”Unfortunately, Gary Holt stepped into the huge boots of a guitar-god who won’t be coming back…and the only pain here is what us Slayer fans feel the world over—the huge void left from the loss of such a monumental, uncompromising, origi-nal, and magnificent guitarist/lyricist. I think Jeff Hanneman wouldn’t mind—or at least he wouldn’t give a fuck—when I say, “we love and miss you, Jeff, and the world won’t ever forget you.”--Jeremy Wagner (Broken Hope)—

REMEMBERING

JEFF HANNEMANC

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Earl Slick is a giant among professional musi-cians. He has been doing music all his life and was, it seems, always in the right place at the right time. This writer is always impressed when she interacts with down to earth musicians who are more talented than most and not full of themselves. Earl Slick is just such a man. I was fortunate enough to talk with Mr. Slick during NAMM, but misfortune presented itself in the form of technical difficulties rendering the video unusable. Earl was gracious enough to take the time to talk with me once again from his home in New York.RNR: You’ve played with a lot of big names in music. In fact you’re a big name yourself! Among the list are David Bowie, John Len-non, Yoko Ono, Ian Hunter! How was it work-ing with John Lennon and Yoko?EARL: Well you know, the funny thing about all this is because of peoples outside views of what the listener and the fan sees and what we see is really not similar. I mean when I was working with John.. The fact that I was working with a ‘Beatle’ didn’t get lost on me. You know, there were moments where I would sit there and I would get this really bizarre conscious thought of “Holy Shit, that’s John Lennon in the room singing and here’s my guitar and I’m playing.” I’d get these moments once in awhile. But for the

most part, once you start doing the work and you get into it, you become part of the band and for that moment that’s what it is. It’s just a bunch of guys in a room making a record or a bunch of guys on stage playing music. It’s great and I feel very fortu-nate that I grew up in a period of time when all that was happening and that I was the right age at the right time. Five or six years earlier or later none of this would have happened. How long did you study guitar before you actually ‘made it?’I picked up a guitar sometime around early 1964. That would have made me 13 years old. By the time I was 15 I was starting to play kids birthday parties, like sweet 16 parties or whatever. Then I graduated to high school dances and by the time I was 16 I had a fake ID and was playing at all the bars in New York. When I was 17 I was playing real gigs so by the time I got to Bowie when I was just 22 I’d had about 5 years of extreme experience under my belt. Because when playing in clubs you do 5 nights a week on the average, 52 weeks a year from 9pm ‘til 4am. So I had my 10,000 hours plus in by the time I got with Dave. Plus I was doing other things as well. I landed a couple of professional sessions, made my own demos and I already knew what a recording studio was. So I had more experience by the time I was 21 than most of these guys have now by the time they’re 30 because the opportu-nities were there that they don’t have any more.

Right. Is that because there are so many good artists now?Well, I think there are a lot of reasons for it. We could spend hours on this,

this has been my favorite subject lately. Things are looked at quite a bit differ-

ently than they used to be looked at. Then with the internet and the access to way too much information and way too much availability to get things, the value of what a real Rock N Roll band does is getting lost. It’s too available. If I made gold in my basement and started selling it on my front lawn like a garage sale at two dollars an ounce then gold would be worthless. So when you can get your hands on something too easily the value’s gone.

Right, because now anyone can play in a band.Yes and anything that’s that accessible loses value, period, and it’s a shame.

It is because there’s a lot of good music out there but the absolutely great stuff is watered down now, it seems, because there are so many [artists] out there, just like you said.They were there before. There was the same amount of bands and singers then; the differ-ence was the cream rose to the top by playing out every single day and making it happen as opposed to now, where you can put up either a Facebook page and/or a website and you are officially a pro. That takes value away from the professionals. I’m sorry, I mean that’s just the way I’m looking at it. Just because you own a

horse and a rope doesn’t mean you’re a real cowboy.

Good analogy, I like that one. OK so you’ve done so much in-studio, I know that you’ve played with Ian Hunter, John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Did you ever do anything out of the studio with any of those three?Well we didn’t get to the John Lennon tour for obvious reasons, there was a tour planned. But with Ian Hunter I did a tour. We did a tour called OVERNIGHT ANGELS. We did tour Europe on that one album that we did.

Excellent. Now, David Bowie.. You’ve been on and off with him. I know that you started with him in 1974 for the DIAMOND DOGS tour, you did YOUNG AMERICANS, STATION TO STATION and then management did whatever they did, but then in 1983 you were back at it again with the SERIOUS MOONLIGHT tour. Was there a large difference between the first time you played with him and the second time?You know, there was a gap in there so we both changed a bit and at the time, the LET’S DANCE album which was the SERIOUS MOONLIGHT tour was the most really commercial effort that he’d ever made. So we went from playing are-nas, basically 20,000 seats, to playing stadiums, with seats 60,000. So from that point of view it did change. As far as the working relationship went, that didn’t really change. The venues changed. Things got huge.

How huge did they get? I mean, what’s the largest crowd that you’ve played for?The US FESTIVAL and I think the day we played there were a quarter of a million people there. I’ll tell you what, when you can’t even see the end of it from the stage, you think to yourself, “Just how many people are here?” You know what it is? You know when they say, “Did you just shit your pants?” you want to say “No, you have no perspective.” It’s like being in an airplane. When you’re in one you’re a few miles from the ground, but you get no perspective of that. So when you are looking at the crowd you have no perspec-tive. I actually get more rattled in front of less people.

Okay then. Now, you were working on some stuff with David Bowie?The new single and album are available.

Good to hear. How was your NAMM experi-ence this year?My manager sets up appointments for me with my endorsements and industry people interviews so I am pretty busy. I have a full itinerary before I even get there.

You have been busy, tell us about some of the craziness?I had been in touch with Chuck Berry’s keyboard player, Rob Rower in 2011 while I was out with the New York Dolls, I toured with them almost the whole year of 2011. I was in touch with Rob and as it turned out the Dolls were playing in St. Louis the same night that Chuck Berry was doing a gig so he mentioned it to Chuck and Chuck invited me to play, so I actually sat in and did a whole show with Chuck Berry at this place called Blue Berry Hill. I think he goes down there about once a month and plays since that’s his home town. Then, this past October the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame did a Chuck Berry week culminat-ing in a big gig. They booked a big theater and I was invited to come down. Dave Johnson and D

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I did a couple of Chuck Berry songs along with Joe Bonamassa, Merle Haggard, Rosie Flores, there was a bunch of really cool people there and everybody got up and did a few songs. There was a house band and at the end of the night Chuck got up and did a few songs and then he got his lifetime achievement award and it was so cool! What a treat that was. Keith Richards played on one of my albums, which was amaz-ing. I did a TV show in London with Carl Perkins, Myself, Slim Jim Phantom, and Lee Rocker (the ex-Stray Cats) and George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Rosanne Cash. We spent 3 or 4 days in london rehearsing for this show with Carl Perkins. You can find it on Youtube. I have had the opportunity to play with almost everybody that I learned how to do this from when I was a little kid. It’s phenomenal that I have had these opportunities.

How often do you play? Do you play every day?Oh yeah. I don’t practice. I’ve never practiced in my whole life. Ever. I just pick up my guitar and find new things. The guitar is an amazing machine because the more you’ve got one in your hands, the more little discoveries you make going, “Wow, I’ve never played that before.” I’ve been playing the guitar since I was a kid and I am always finding new things. It’s exciting be-cause it means that I’m still learning and experi-menting things with my guitar. There’s a guitar and amp right by my bed. There are 4 guitars in my bedroom. They’re all over the house.

So you have been able to play with 2 out of the 4 Beatles, George and John?Three.

So was Ringo the other one?Oh did I not mention Ringo at the Carl Perkins thing? Yeah It was like one of those out of body things where I’m looking at the stage and think-ing, “Well, there’s me and behind me, the drum-mer is Ringo and to my right is Eric Clapton.” It was a bizarre moment where I thought, “How the hell did I get here?”

Well that’s awesome.I am still very excited about playing. I wouldn’t trade any of my time in music for all the tea in China. It’s my lifestyle. Musicians now need to grab their instruments and take any gig they can get. That’s how I did it.

People look up to folks like you and they think that you guys just don’t live like the rest of us. But that’s not true.Well, in one sense you’re right and in another sense, we don’t because we don’t have the restrictions that your middle-class American guy has because we kind of run on a different plane. Like, I’m truly an artist at heart by living where I live, the kind of house I have, the fact that there’s more guitars and amps than there is furniture in this building, I don’t punch a time-clock. We look at things a little differently because we’re just not in that world. That doesn’t make my world any better than their world because if they didn’t do what they did, I couldn’t do what I do. Somebody’s got to keep the electric flowing and somebody’s got to make food and I provide the music for them. I have respect for the working man. I wouldn’t have time to do what I do if I had a 9-5 job. I think I took the easy way out. I don’t even like going to the store. I just got back from the store. I’ll starve before I get to the store. I

always have coffee, sugar and cream and dog food in the house, though.

So what is your favorite guitar and is it named?I don’t name my guitars. I name my dogs, but not my guitars. I have a lot of custom Framus guitars because I have a signature model, the Earl Slick Framus model. I have a few variations of that and that gets played a lot. I have a ’72 Fender Telecaster custom shop re-issue that I absolutely love and my Gibson acoustics are priceless to me, I love them.

Do you play a lot of acoustic?Yes and I’ve been a tried and true Gibson acous-tic player since I was a kid. I still have the first acoustic guitar I ever bought.

I bet it sounds great. So on what occasions do you play acoustic, when you play around the house?I play around the house, Actually I produced a singer over the weekend and I did some acous-tic. I use a lot of acoustic when I record. Yeah, it’s not always very present in the mix, but it’s usually there somewhere.Matter of fact, on the new Bowie record I played some acoustic.

Earl, thank you for your time, you are an awe-some person.Thank you.Earl Slick may be found at:http://www.facebook.com/earl.slick

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Earl Slick I wouldn’t trade any of my time in music for all the tea in China.


Behind the Demonic

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Screams in the night, damnation, and scorched witches’ skin. The chilling new movie trailer can only mean one thing: Rob Zombie is at it again. Zombie is one of the few to successfully make it as both rock star and film maker. Having written and directed

six sadistic, sanguinary silver screen sensations, Rob Zombie continues to make every “tiptoe through the tulips” uniquely stomach-churning. With a new album coming out, a new book for his debut as a novelist, and a

new movie, Zombie is always working on a cutting-edge form of shock therapy. His new movie, Lords of Salem, is a mind-numbing tale about the Salem Witch Trials that will terrify all your senses. Always outdoing himself, Zombie is one busy man, but took the time to sit down to discuss what motivates him.

RNR: What was so fascinating about the Salem Witch Trials that made you decide to make a whole movie based around it? Zombie: Well, I mean it is the fact that only 300 years ago, people thought other people were witches and were burning them alive. It is pretty fascinating and I don’t know if you need any more information than that! So that really was the jumping off point. It is really an amazing story. And

the funny thing about it is I can see people doing that now. People are so crazy today it is not hard to believe they would do it again.

RNR: Your new movie has steered away from the “slashers” and gore that you are known for, and has been described by one critic as “terror of the mind.” What are your thoughts on this and do you agree?Zombie: It is pretty different from the other films. Everything about it is different. The pacing of the movie is different. The style of the movie is different. It is a different movie going outside of what I have done before. The other films were more about physical person to person violence, where this movie is not at all - it’s more of a bizarre hallucination. You are not sure if it is happening or not happening. I took a different approach to it on every level.

RNR: So you do agree with “terror of the mind?”

Zombie: Yeah, that is one way of putting it! That’s fine.

RNR: How did you link up with B.K Evenson, for the Lords of Salem book?Zombie: I am not sure where it all started, I think it was the publishing company that wanted to publish the book on the film, thought it would be a good match. That is pretty much how it all happened.

RNR: What can we expect from the Lords of Salem soundtrack? John 5 described it as “One of the best experiences of his life.” Can you elaborate on this?Zombie: The soundtrack is very cool. The music that John 5 did, I knew he would do a great job because I’ve worked with him so much. I knew what he is capable of, but it is not a rock soundtrack in any sense of the word. It’s a very traditional score, it is very memorable. I think John 5 knew the value of keeping it simple, keeping very simple haunting melodies for

An Exclusive Look into the Hardest Working Zombie Known


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the audience to remember them. Sometimes scores become so over blown that people leave the theater and don’t even remember the music at all. Yeah it was great working with John 5. He is a smart guy and he got it right away. We had a good time doing it. It was so easy that there was nothing much about it. It was an easy process.

RNR: When will the soundtrack come out?

Zombie: I think the soundtrack will be coming out a couple days before the movie? Not sure.

RNR: So I wanted to switch gears and talk about the long awaited new album, “Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor” and its debut next month on Zodiac Swan/ T-Boy Records. Congratulations on your new label, Zodiac Swan.

Zombie: Thanks. Yes this is my own imprint on Universal Music.

RNR: What was the reason for starting your own label?

Zombie: Well, I mean, labels are labels. I wanted my own label (laughs). I just wanted to get the music out. Having my own label is cool, it doesn’t affect me that much, but what it does is it gives me the ability to put out other peoples’ music. So my record is coming out no matter what, but now I have the ability to help other acts and other bands. And that is really where it comes into play.

RNR: That leads me to my next question. So what kind of bands are you going to put on your label?

Zombie: I haven’t even thought about it yet! Seriously, since my record hasn’t even come out yet, I am not yet jumping to the next level. Let’s see how this goes first.

RNR: Your website says, “I think for the first time, this new album perfectly merges the old days of White Zombie with the future of what I am doing now. I think fans of both will agree that this is the perfect combo of both worlds.” What was the reason to combine the old sounds of White Zombie and the music you are putting out today?

Zombie: I really didn’t do it on purpose. We just pretty much made the record and the record goes where ever it is going to go. It wasn’t ‘til we were done that other people said that. I wasn’t thinking it at any point. I don’t go back and listen to old records and think about them. I mean, I already did that - I always focus on what’s next, not on what has already happened. So, I wasn’t thinking “oh we gotta go back and revisit White Zombie and try to bring it back some.” It didn’t even cross my mind. But when I played it for other people, they said it. So I guess it must be true then (laughs). You never hear music the same way other people do. It is just not possible. People hear things so differently.

RNR: You are working on a film called “Broad Street Bullies,” and it is said to be your most violent film. How so? Zombie: Well, I was probably joking! (laughs). It is a true life hockey film about the Philadelphia Flyers. They were a very violent team. It takes place in 1974 with the Flyers. The Broad Street Bullies were terrorizing the NHL. So, I say that because there are a lot of hockey fights, but I was really being sarcastic. That was my intention.

RNR: Since you’re a huge hockey fan, is this a film you were waiting to direct? Can we expect more movies from you like this? Zombie: I never really thought about making a hockey film. I have always loved hockey. It wasn’t till a couple years ago that someone who owns the rights to the story came to me, and pitched me on the idea that it became something on my radar. And as far as the next film that I have planned, the one after that one is totally different again. So I guess the point is to keep doing things that are different.

RNR: So many fans have been turning in art work for the Lords of

Salem movie. Have you checked out any of the art (you can see it at www.robzombie.com)? Do you have any favorites? Zombie: I think it is great! I love that the fans are so enthusiastic they would sit down on their own time and do something like that. Some of the art is really good. Some people are really talented. It is exciting to see what they come up with.

RNR: We are also doing a tattoo issue soon for the magazine and people are getting the “TLOS” tattoo - the same tattoo symbol on Heidi from your movie “The Lords of Salem. Have you seen this, and what do you think?Zombie: I am used to that idea because over the years I have seen so many zombie tattoos; I have seen so many tattoos from my other movies that it is not even surprising anymore. But it is cool! I love the level of

enthusiasm. It is no different from how I am. When I love something, I really love it! So to see that fans are reacting that way to the stuff you are doing is a great compliment!

RNR: Tell us a stage story that stands out in your mind- a crazy moment or something memorable. Zombie: Ummmmmmm! (Laughs) I mean, it is all a blur and it is really quite funny! I guess its perception, because if you go to a concert and that one night stands out in your mind, that’s the one concert that you saw; but sometimes, when you are on tour, if we play a concert on Monday and we play another concert on Tuesday, I can’t even remember Monday. You

play, you get back in the bus, and you play again. It is all super-special as it is happening, and it is the greatest thing in the world, but I swear to God, it is such a blur sometimes after the fact. The better the show the more of a blur it is. Usually, the things that stand out in your mind are the problems. When things go great, I just remember nothing!

But truthfully, there is one thing I remember. Maybe three years ago, I can’t remember exactly when it was, we were on tour with Alice Cooper on the Gruesome Twosome tour. Alice would come out, we would watch Alice, and sometimes Alice came out to watch us. This one time, he was standing off to the side of the stage watching us play, and it was very dark. He was standing there in his leather jacket. He didn’t have a shirt on, he was holding a coke or something, but because of the light he looked really young. For a split second, like twenty-year-old Alice Cooper off to the side of the stage drinking a beer! It was a very surreal, sweeping moment during the concert for me. So that is something I will always remember.

RNR: Something I will always remember is the first time I saw you in concert! You played with Danzig and Type O Negative at Irvine

“The biggest inspiration

of all time is not wanting

to have a boring job.”


You’ve been working with Rob Zombie on a new soundtrack tell us about your process and getting that accomplished? John 5: I’ve done some pervious writing for TV and scored work for that; Bay Watch and small little movie spots, but nothing to the full extent of a full length feature film. So, I thought to myself, you know I can do this, it will be fun. I get up there and it has so much to it and it was so many different styles of music and orchestras so it was a big challenge, but I like a chal-lenge because if you don’t challenge yourself you’re just going to stay in the same position that you always are. I’m very proud of it, it had 60 something cues to the movie, I’m happy and proud of how it turned out.

Have you picked up any new styles of music that you may have incor-porated into the new Rob Zombie album or soundtrack?Well not really, but there was a lot of Orchestra pieces and Classic pieces, things like that, and a lot of unorthodox crazy primitive sounding pieces of music. It was really a lot of work, but it was different, a pleasure to do something like this. Robs would give me directions on each cue, without that direction from Rob I would have been really lost, but thank God he was really incredible through the whole thing.

Speaking of Classical, you recently worked on a 3d video directed by Jonny Coffin what was that like shooting? That was fun, I just kind of let Jonny do his thing. Because I didn’t know what it was going to look like or how it was going to turn out. But I knew it was going to be incredible, he’s so creative, and it turned out really cool, I

was surprised the first time I saw the 3D version, at the NAMM Show, I was blown away. I was like this is wild it was just so incredible he had that vision in his head and definitely brought it to the screen.

Have you ever had to overcome any fears in the music biz such as playing live or in the studio?Oh sure, let’s see I still don’t like playing live, playing live TV is always pretty stressful to me, you know like Jay leno or David Lettermen, Jimmy Falon things like that because if something goes wrong you’re SCREWED. Live TV is always pretty tough, but other than that I’m pretty comfortable, which I’m lucky.

What was your most memorable show?Oh boy, there was Rock on the Range, those shows are always great. Rock on the Range shows are really big and exciting, then the Download Festival 2011 was really a big one, that was incredible. I think this one time I was playing with Katie Lang and my family was in the crowd and they were in the front row, it was just pretty incredible, probably those three were pretty incredible.

What equipment did you use on the new CD? I used a bunch of guitars, we use a lot of old vintage gear that’s what makes it sound so beat up and crazy. A lot of old marshalls, old fender twins, and old pedals. I’m a connoisseur of old vintage equipment. I dust them off and bring them to the studio, which is always a pleasure and we recorded it. Rob has tons of houses on all these acres of land and I stayed at one of his houses at the studio, I would wake up in the morning and walk over to the studio still in my pajamas and we would record. There was no distraction which was something else.

Speaking of playing shows what kind of warm up do you do before your shows? All I do is sit and play guitar, I play guitar all day- I’m always trying to learn something new. I usually watch monster movies, play guitar, sit and talk, then start putting our makeup on like two hours before the show. We will be psyching ourselves up and stuff.

That brings me to another question what is your favorite horror char-acter/classic film?I am such a fan of the universe of Monsters and I have been since I was a little kid, just like all little kids, but I love Frankenstein, Wolfman, Creatures from the Black Lagoon, Invisible Man, you know all that stuff. My favorite I would say is probably Creatures of the Black Lagoon or Frankenstein. It’s just comforting to me, that’s what I watch before I go to sleep every night. I have those movies I watch 15 minutes of it before I get sleepy then shut it off. And I do if every single night. Doesn’t matter where I am in the world ( chuckles).

You have a new hand painted guitar from Jason Oberly with the mon-sters, where did that concept come from?

That’s so funny cause I haven’t even seen it, or held it or anything. This guy Chandler, he builds me really cool guitars every once in a while. It’s unbelievable how those guys work, I can’t believe it. I couldn’t even draw a stick figure.

What’s your favorite food?I love Veggie grill, there’s one on Sunset, it’s vegan. Me and Rob love it.

What tips would you give to aspiring musician looking to get started in the industry?Well it depends on what they want to do if they just want to play guitar and really stick to it. I would say, always learn something you love because that will inspire you to play. Learn a Metallica song because you will be so impressed with yourself, that you’ll never want to put the guitar down. You’ll feel like you’re getting somewhere rather than playing happy birthday or Mary had a Little Lamb. And if you want to become a recording artist, you want to move to Los Angeles, or New York, somewhere where you can do work like that it’s easier if you live where a lot of record companies are.

If you had a magical power what would you do with them?I would live forever.

Any last comments to the reader?Be sure to check out the new album and the new movie.

Meadows (Verizon Wireless Amphitheater). After I heard you play, I was a Zombie fan for life! Zombie: Yeah that was like 1995? Yeah I remember that because I only played with Danzig once. Yep, I remember (chuckles).

RNR: As a fan, I want to know what inspires you to write comic books and novels, and produce films, all on top of being a rock star.Zombie: I am inspired by the same things anybody would be. You are inspired to do the things that you like. These are things I have always liked. I love music, I love comic books, I love TV. In life, it could be anything. That’s the stuff that I wanted to do with my life and that was really the inspiration. The biggest inspiration of all time is not wanting to have a boring job. That was my inspiration.

RNR: Now, moving on to the Mayhem Festival Tour that you are headlining, alongside Five Finger Death Punch and Mastodon. What bands are you looking forward to checking out, and what people are you looking forward to running into? Zombie: This tour is funny because there are really that many people on this tour that I actually don’t know. Usually, I know more people. I know the guys from Five Finger Death Punch, Mastodon, but I really don’t know anyone else. There are a lot of young bands that I haven’t actually seen or met before, but I am excited. It is going to be great!

RNR: Is there anything you would like to add, promote, or something exclusive you would like to tell RNR Magazine?Zombie: I got nothin’ (laughs and chuckles)…………..

Nice way to end an interview - straight and to the point. That is why we love Rob Zombie! He is a machine that keeps on creating. Without fail, you can always expect something new and fresh from him, whether it’s a new album, movie, or some crazy project he has in the works. It is no wonder he has so many devoted fans. He obviously appreciates them very much. I am excited to see The Lords of Salem, and to read his book that has already reached number 35 on the New York Times best seller list. We can learn a lot from Rob Zombie - Rule #1: “Be inspired by the things you love to do!”For more information on Rob Zombie visit his website www.robzombie.com and join the zombie street team if you’re a devoted zombie fan! Great perks and prizes! I am with it!

Raquel Figlo


You have been with Dean Guitars for over 7 years. What is it about Dean Guitars that keeps you loyal?Dave Mustaine: Loyalty is really important. At the end of the day, it’s as good as your word. I think in the music business, there are so many people that will just go to where stuff is free. Free strings, free pickups, free booze, free chicks, free, free, free… and at the end of the day, you’re just like one of those dudes that hangs out at Costco by stands, eating little wieners. You sit there and eat blocks of cheese all day, you know (laughs), instead of being original. At the end of the day, you’ve got to be able to live with yourself. You can always go back and say “no one’s original, the only person who ever said an original word is Adam.”

I think when you are going to endorse a product; you need to really believe in it. It can’t be about, you know, what I said before, about getting stuff for free. And we have a really great working relationship, but most importantly, it is the product. The guitar is the best playing and sounding guitar I have ever played. I was with Jackson for a long time, and they had some really great instruments, but I feel that this is superior. It’s not a dig on Jackson in any way. They are a great company. It’s just that to me, this is better. And the most important thing because of the economy, and how hard it is for young guitar players to survive, is to have good customer support. If your guitar breaks, and you have to send it away and it doesn’t come back fixed, or comes back in worse condition or scratched or whatever, that’s not cool! There were times when, even as a main endorser for other companies, I have had issues with customer support. If you are going to give me a hard time, what are you going to do about “the normal guy?” You know, and that means a lot to me.

You debuted the double neck guitar at NAMM. How did that get started? Dave Mustaine: I had a double neck that I had gotten from Jackson Guitars a long time ago, and it was really like kind of hard to play because it was heavy, so I got rid of it. I hadn’t revisited having a double neck for a while. Did one with ESP, didn’t really like it very much, and then we revisited it with Dean, and the guitar played like butter. They made this one that had a really funky paint job that I really didn’t like very much. The guy that works there had said “how do you feel about having graphics on it?” and I said “sure, it is so big you can almost have a whole story on it.” And the guy said, “Well, it’s your guitar, do whatever you want man!” So I said, “Why don’t you put the story of good and evil on it?” Six strings over here, twelve strings over there.... good/evil, you know. You know how so many metal people talk about things spiritual in nature, the dark side, Armageddon, the holocaust. You know, things like that.

Raquel Figlo TRAV

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Megadeth front Man Dave Mustaine answers a few

questions about Dean Guitars


NAMM 2013: Recap

National Association of Music Mer-chants, (NAMM) is a trade show for musicians/businesses to see the latest musical instruments and products available. Thousands of manufactures of musical products, and retailers from around the world, showcase musical instruments, au-dio and visual equipment, computer products, and musical novelties at the convention. Artist signings, product demonstrations, band performances, and professional de-velopment classes are scheduled throughout the event as well.

Attendance at the Anaheim Con-vention Center was down just over 6000 from last year. However, this was due to a deliberate revision to attendance eligibility. I kept hearing about people (guests) not being able to get in this year, and now I know why. Based on member feed-back, NAMM made an effort this year to increase buyers and limit guests in order to create a more business-friendly environment. Their strategy was a success, and buyers increased 4% since last year, and non-industry guests decreased by 16%. This show also had 289 new exhibitors that repre-sented about 700 unique brands.

This was the year of the NAMM 2013 iPhone App, which was awe-some. You could find out where you were, and where you wanted to go within seconds. This was the 1111th year for the convention. I ran into Dave Ellefson from Megadeth at the Hartke booth, he was just finishing an interview, so I jumped next in line. When I asked Dave what his goal at NAMM was, he laughed, and said, ‘I’m here to sign autographs. That’s my goal. He also told me that Megadeth is work-ing on a new record, and that it’s coming along really, really well.

I have a couple Black Stone Cherry CD’s and thought it would be cool to check out their set at Peavey Electronics. I left Peavey just in time to catch Archer’s singer Dylan Nash, who had just finished up a signing at the Rock N Roll Indus-tries booth. Richie Onori had a booth at the show for the 8th year in a row. He showed me a few of his new guitar straps for 2013, includ-ing crocodile, embroidered, quick lock, and woven cotton straps. I attended a seminar first thing Saturday morning (Yes, I went to a seminar. NAMM isn’t JUST about the party!) by Barry Moltz called ‘Boost Your Productivity.’ He gave an informative and interactive pre

sentation that discussed ten ways to be more productive in less time.

Nikki Sixx had two signings sched-uled, one with Schecter Guitars and one with Dean Markley Strings. Nik-ki Sixx’ Helix HD SS Custom Bass strings are made of a special Stain-less Steel that gives each bass string an unforgettable ‘stainless’ tone. And, what is really cool, for all you Nikki Sixx and Motley Crue fans, is that these bass strings are the exact strings and exact gauges that Nikki Sixx uses himself!

Last year Marshall Amplification replaced their classic amplifier line-up (An entire wall of stacked amps) with a cardboard display. It just didn’t have the same feel to it, so I was glad to see they had their classic display back again this year. What really stood out to me, in ad-dition to the ‘great wall,’ was Mar-shall’s new signature refrigerator. It looks just like a Marshall Amp, with genuine logos, and woven black fret cloth, and it even has control knobs that go up to 11. (ala Spinal Tap.) This would be ideal for any band’s rehearsal space.

Marten Andersson (Lizzy Bor-den) and Bjorn Englen (Yngwie Malmsteen/ Soul Sign) were doing a signing at Carvin. Lizzy Borden is gearing up for their 30 Years of American Metal tour, and was actu-ally heading straight to Miami from the show to play the 70000 Tons of Metal cruise.

I stopped by Rock N Roll Indus-tries to see Kimberly Freeman and Jason Rufuss Sewell from power rock duo One-Eyed Doll. Kimberly is so sweet; it was great to see her again. Coffin Case, which is right next to Rock N Roll Industries, had something I had never seen before… A microphone that actually LOOKED like a skull! The micro-phone was inside a metal skull casing, it was awesome.

One thing I noticed this year at NAMM is that there were several companies focusing on kids. Kid’s guitars, kid’s guitar straps, kid’s percussion instruments, etc… Kids are the future of music, and the future of rock n’ roll, so it’s great to see all of these resources available for them. A couple of the booths that stood out were Nino Percus-sion and Rhythm Band Instru-ments, who have been known for their Boomwhacker tuned percus-sion tubes for 50 years. Even Daisy Rock Girl Guitars has guitars

Written by Alison “MetalBabe” Cohen

“Don’t forget to check for your golden ticket”

One of the highlights for attendees for this past National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) was Orange Amplifier’s “find your golden ticket” in your orange gift bag. Golden tickets were placed in three lucky winner’s bags that had the chance to win an autographed Orange Amplifier. RNR met up with the lucky winner Mathew M. at his guitar lesson at Sound-Tech Studio to get his first hand experience of what it was like to be a winner!

Mathew described the event as feeling just like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! He was with his dad walking around NAMM looking at all the different guitars when his dad said, “Let’s go to Orange Amp’s and get a gift bag! There must be something going on, I keep seeing everyone with an Orange bag! ” Man was he right! When they walked up to the Orange booth and got their bag, the lady handing the bags out said, “Don’t forget to look in your bag!” They both looked in their bag and Mathew screamed I have a golden ticket! Security quickly grabbed him by the hand and led him to photo-ops! Mathew has only been to NAMM twice and he already won such an awesome price! When we asked him what he wants to win next year, he exclaimed, “I want to win a cabinet!” We at RNR Magazine wish you the best of luck! Everyone goes home a winner at NAMM! TR

AVIS

SH

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shaped like flowers and stars to ap-peal to kids.

Paul Reed Smith (PRS Guitars) moved up to the 2nd floor this year, in addition to Peavey Electronics, Am-peg, ESP, and Schecter. PRS Guitars always have one of the best displays at the entire show. Even with less space, their guitars were beautifully showcased; each with a shining light of its own. ESP had a bunch of new guitars for 2013, including a series of monster guitars that included some Vincent Price and other monster designs.

I always enjoy looking through the Dean Guitar booth and seeing all their signature designs. Dean Guitars also broadcasted Live from NAMM throughout the entire convention, so people all over the world could expe-rience a part of NAMM firsthand.

Ibanez was showcasing new 7 and 8 String Guitars for 2013. Cort had a display of Gene Simmons guitars including his axe designs. I just happened to look up and see Randy Black from Primal Fear at the Los Cabos booth.

Overall, it was a great show. I really enjoyed seeing all the new products, meeting up with friends, and making new ones. It was awesome to see all the live performances, and par-ticipate in the signings. I am already looking forward to NAMM 2014!

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Whats up rockers? This past NAMM show was really awesome, not only for the heads up on all the new musical equipment, but also for the concerts! This year was exceptional. Dean Guitars put on the Dean Namm Jam at The Grove and what a show it was!!! If you were lucky enough to attend the NAMM show, you may have been lucky enough to get passes to the event from the sponsors, one of which was RocknRoll Industries Magazine. So, I was fortu-nate enough to get in. The show was outstand-ing, one great act right after another, the show got kicked off with Jose Mangin from Sirius radio introducing the acts as they came up, first up on the night was Wayland a killer band with a great sound and awesome interplay with the fans, they rocked everyone to warm the show up, and they did one hell of a job!

Next up was a wild woman, to say the least, Ms. Laura Wilde took the stage and acted like she owned the damn thing! Singing and tearing up the guitar with a fury most men would envy. Match her killer looks with her down south gritty rocknroll attitude, and you have one hell of a show. Up next to the stage was an old friend of mine- Mr. Rusty Cooley the right hand of Doom! A tattoo reference to Rusty’s awesome tattoo work on his right hand, the hand that drives his mind blowing 7- string mastery. This man is so fast on the guitar it is mind blow-

ing he made sure everyone in the Grove was banging their heads as he shredded.

He tossed out sweep arpeggio’s at warp speed! Next up on the 7 string Meltdown was Guitar guru Michael Angelo Batio. Michael touched about every heart in the show with a beautiful tribute to fallen brother and friend Dimebag Darrell. Even my wife was scream-ing hell yea! Then, without effort, Michael switched it up and did a tribute to Led Zeppelin. He continued to crush the crowd with his over the top playing, playing the guitar with either hand, upside down, over the top, under the neck. Next, was Kyng these three bro’s were the closest thing to a young Metallica I’ve seen in twenty plus years in the music industry. For a three piece band to sound that full let’s you know the caliber of musicianship and how long they have been to-gether. You couldn’t tell when the guitar player stopped play-ing rhythm and took a lead, because the bass player was simply killing it. All three in the band were amazing and I would suggest pick-ing up their cd and

checking them out live.

And with that said we had out headliners come out to the stage. Can you say Shinedown kicks ass? I can, because I saw them kick ass that night. Talk about energy!!!! I forgot to mention that between the bands setting up, the fine Mr. Johnny Coffin and his wonderful crew put on another Dean Girls/Coffin Case Fashion show by Toxic Vision, Johnny looking deathly stylish as always led his pack of beautiful Coffin Case models to another wonderful show, if you haven’t seen one of Johnny’s show’s, do your-self a favor and get tickets to the next one that is something to tell your grandkids about. Well metal-head’s, til the next concert, same rock time, same rock channel RocknRoll industries is there for you when you can’t be! Michael G out...

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NAMM Schecter Party 2013

This year, the parties at NAMM were any-thing, but tame, with the all-famous Schecter Party, sponsored by Monster Energy, Jager-meister, EMG Pickups, Tone Pros and Stone Brewery, and our selves, being it’s heaviest party yet by far. Legendary Megadeth lead guitarist Chris Poland opened the show with a striking performance by his band “OHM”. Next up was the unforgettable Jeff Loomis, who kept the crowd in a constant roar. Fol-lowing next was a performance by “Prong”, with Tommy Victor, who unveiled his new signature guitar line onstage. This amazing lineup was finally topped off in closing by the classic thrash titans, “Exodus”, where Gary Holt debuted his new “Damnation” signature flying V guitar. Every year, the highlight party of NAMM is held by Schecter, and in 2013, this heavy groundbreaking event did anything but disappoint!

-Jamie Katonic

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Zakk Wylde at the Nokia Club down-town Los Angeles (2013) was a show to remember forever! From his warm hearted personality and piano playing to his mean guitar riffs. If you’ve never been to a Zakk Wylde show you should treat yourself to an experience like no other. A new video to be released was the set of the show with all Black Label Society members in the front rows and fans on the first floor and 2nd floors. We had to watch our positioning throughout the evening to not get in the way of the video cameras, the publicist for Zakk could not have been more helpful with their schedule through out the evening for all the photographers. There were microphones and cameras everywhere and you didn’t want to bump into any of them, I surely can’t wait to see how the video comes out. Little did I know we had a full set list, Zakk set down twice to play the piano. If you’ve never seen him play the piano and only heard his guitar work you’ll be in for a second treat.

One of the videos was written with his daughter sitting next to him when she was a little girl, this video was played on all the monitors around the club, it was hard to not break a tear because of how beautiful they are together. As the video came to an end he started playing the keys to the video. You could only be proud of Zakk for being a great dad and his daughter for being a great supporter!

Zakk also performed on the acoustic which was also a first, playing some of his favorite electrics which we’ve all come to love. It was an exceptional experience listening to him play the acoustic; almost like you’re

sitting on the couch at times when he would play a solo, there’s no change in perfor-mance as when he plays the electric. With his band also following along without missing a beat, it was one of the greatest shows ever. As some of the BLS members were walking out, I had to ask them how the show was up front, of course they said it was one of the best Zakk shows they’ve ever been to. Knowing it was worth every minute of their time to fly all the way across the nation for one concert should tell you something on the loyalty of Black Label Society!


Fishbone got together in 1979 in Los Angeles, CA when the members were all in high school. They were considered a ska and punk band in the early days but later became more guitar driven, focusing on rock and soul. Fishbone began its journey through music history with founding members John Norwood Fisher on bass, John’s brother Phillip ‘Fish’ Fisher on drums, Angelo Moore aka: ‘Dr. Madd Vibe’ who sang and played saxophones (from soprano to bass) and theremin, Kendal Jones on guitar, ‘Dirty’ Walter A. Kibby II who sang and played trumpet and Christopher Dowd, who sometimes went by ‘Charlie Down’, playing keyboards, trombone and doing vocals. Of these six musicians three remain with Fishbone; John Norwood Fisher, Angelo Moore and Walter Kibby, who actually left the band in 2003 but returned in 2010. From 1979 until the present they have had many musicians come and go as members of this eclectic group.

Fishbone was one of the most distinctive bands in the late 1980s. Their performance featured hyperactive musicians of great diversity, goofy humor and

sharp social commentary. Despite the fact that the group had a sizeable following in the late 80’s, they never acquired a mainstream audience. In 1988 they released the album TRUTH AND SOUL which included ‘leftist’ social commentary lyrics which addressed family breakups, racism, fascism, nuclear war and the oppression in lower income housing projects. I asked three of the current members, “After influencing so many talented and popular musicians and making so many contributions to the music community throughout the years, why do you think it is that Fishbone never received the acclaim and popularity that one would expect from a band that’s been active since 1979?” The general consensus between Angelo, John Norwood and John Steward was that the diversity of the band’s sound and the fact that they chose to point out political and social issues when it wasn’t popular to do so were possible reasons.

The band’s music has been featured on many soundtracks and ‘various artists’ compilations. Band members themselves as well as

Fishbone T-shirts and stickers have been in many film and television appearances. Over the years the band has released numerous music videos, DVDs, EPs, live albums, studio albums and singles.

Angelo Moore, in October of 2012 released an epic collection of 100 one-of-a-kind canvases containing his hilarious rendition of The 10 Commandments. Mr. Moore is working with celebrity fashion stylist and designer Leisa Balfour, and will soon be supporting a few select fashion accessory products for men and women as a spokesperson.

When asked how the many lineup changes affected the bands performance and/or the total chemistry of the group they were in agreement that the band was fortunate enough to have very talented musicians to fill in or replace members who were leaving which made the transitions go smoothly. John Steward likened the band to a family type relationship where one might want to choke another but wouldn’t let any outsider bring harm to them.

It was pointed out by Norwood that chemistry was very important within the band and when it didn’t seem to

be just right, they would all work to make it so. I asked if they felt that Fishbone would be together for a long time. Each one responded positively.

Fishbone continues to perform, touring worldwide as often as possible, keeping their reputation as one of the best live acts in music history intact. As their facebook page states in the ‘about’ section, “Fishbone is still RED HOT!” According to Angelo the band’s style includes reggae, comedy, ska, alternative, adult, funk-rock, punk-rock, hard rock and soul. The lineup consists of Angelo Moore (sax, vocals), Rocky George (guitar), Walter A Kibby II (trumpet, vocals), Jay Armant (trombone, vocals), John Norwood Fisher (bass guitar, vocals), John Steward (drums) and Freddie Flint (keyboards) who replaced Dre Gipson in February 2013 while the band was in the middle of a US tour. It is not known at the time of this writing whether this change will be permanent.

http://fishbone.net -Peggy Murphy

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Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 43One Paw Closer: Pets and their RockStar’s book debut


Surviving the 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise 2013 By Leah Burlington

I was on my way to not only the biggest metal cruise on the planet, but to cross off the Caribbean from my bucket list. This particular cruise is like the infamous German festival Wacken Open Air but with clean staterooms, all inclusive food and clean bathrooms. It also boasts 40 of the same kind of Euro/Scandi-navian Metal bands with a few from the USA and many other countries. Over 2000 fans travelled from 55 countries across the globe to attend this stellar festival. This was the third year that this cruise has sailed the seas and they are almost ready to start booking for 2014!

What should you pack for a Metal Cruise you ask? First thing you must have is com-fortable shoes or boots as you will be running from deck to deck, every hour on the hour trying to make one of 40 bands that is playing each hour. Then there are the All Star Jams, meet and greets and making time in there to eat. This isn’t your parent’s cruise of rest and relaxation! This is non-stop mayhem for 4 actual days of partying, mingling and rocking the hell out. The good news is that the bands all play twice and there are three venues; a lounge, an indoor theater and the awesome outdoor open air stage at the pool. Many people watch the shows from the two hot tubs that are by the swimming pool, where they have belly flop contests and the infamous 70k pool girls. Don’t forget to pack your Metal Shirts, Camera’s, warm clothes, just in case as it cools off at night and being on deck for a show at 3am might be a bit cold and it could rain as well. Bring a bathing suit for the pool and the beach and of course sun-block. The sun is really harsh down there if you aren’t used to it. Bring your hangover stuff and Airbourne is a must to keep well as is vitamins of some sort. If you get sea sick please bring your sea sickness pills. Bring a power strip because you only have one electric outlet in your room. Drink tons of water and make sure to pace yourself drinking or you won’t have the stamina to enjoy this festival!

Another thing that is a must is having enough credit on your credit card or your debit card as they attach that to your Sail Pass which you will need for anything like alcoholic drinks, coffee, water and merch of any sort. The prices on this cruise were very reason-able. If you buy liquor on ship or on shore you will not get it until after the cruise. It isn’t allowed, so no you can’t smuggle liquor on. The cruise line probably makes most of its money on liquor sales and I am surprised the Metal-Heads didn’t drink the ship dry by the end!

The first thing I see when I am about to board the ship is the huge line of Metal-Heads all dressed in the black uniforms of their fave Metal bands! The first band sightings I have are the Evergrey guys and Snowy Shaw from Sabaton & Therion. The

cool thing about this cruise is that all the bands are doing the exact same thing as us. They are eating, mingling, drinking and seeing bands as well. They are one of us, no backstage pass needed here because this ship is one huge backstage party. We get to all hang together and there is really no-where to go for them so they just enjoy their vacation along with all the fans. It’s pretty special! They don’t mind pictures and autographs and some will sit and visit with the fans the whole night. Don’t be afraid to walk up politely and say hi to your fave singer or guitar player, you may make a friend for life.

The first thing you want to do when you get to your stateroom is find your running order of the bands playing for the day/night and map out who you want to see and where they are. Then find the map of the ship by the elevators and see where everything is. You need to get yourself acquainted with your ship ASAP when you get onboard so you don’t get lost and miss your shows. Ask the friendly staff if you need help because they are there for you and you will get a person appointed specifically to your room. You also have a TV in your room that plays all the bands that are on the ship 24/7, so you


have music while you are in there, but you will probably only be in there for sleep and show-ers. There’s so much going on as the bands go from 10am to 5am and don’t forget Karaoke in Bolero’s lounge starting at 12am every night. The running order of bands we got to choose from: 3 INCHES OF BLOOD, ANAAL NATHRA-KH, ANACRUSIS, ANGRA, ARKONA, CRYP-TOPSY, DELAIN, DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN RE-ITER, DORO, DRAGONFORCE, EKTOMORF, ENSIFERUM, ETECC, EVERGREY, FATAL SMILE, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, GOTTHARD, HEIDEVOLK, HELLOWEEN, HELSTAR, HOLY GRAIL, IMMOLATION, IN FLAMES, INQUISI-TION, KREATOR, LACUNA COIL, LIZZY BOR-DEN, METAL CHURCH, NIGHTMARE, NILE, ONSLAUGHT, RAGE, SABATON, SUBWAY TO SALLY, SINISTER, STEEL ENGRAVED,

THREAT SIGNAL, TIAMAT, TURISAS, TÝR and UNEXPECT.

That first night I got to see: Helstar, Sabaton, Delain, Helloween, Lizzy Borden, Dragon-force, Metal Church, and I ended my night with the exciting Viking band from Finland, Turisas on the pool deck at 2:30am. That band had the crowd of red and black face painted fans going absolutely bonkers! Eight hours of non- stop Metal the first day and I had only just begun.

On Tuesday the second day of the cruise, everything kicks into high gear. I get up at about noon and hit the Windjammer with Danae to have breakfast and started out our day sitting next to the guys in Helloween. We took off to the Spectrum lounge and proceeded to see one of my fave bands from Sweden, Fatal Smile.

These guys put on a fantastic energet-ic show with killer cos-tumes and much flair. Their music hearkens back to the old days of pure heavy metal with wicked guitar solos by Mr. Y and raun-chy vocals of Blade. Alx prowls the stage with a scowl on his face and Phil rounds the band out with his flashy drumming style.

We wandered the ship and saw many guys dressed in Viking and Pirate garb so much that I thought I was at a Ren Faire. I also saw many guys dressed in their metal vests that mostly come from Europe , Scandinavia, and South America. People were already getting their party on at 3pm and drinking pretty heavily. Drinking horns in hand, those Viking guys were having the time of their lives! We wandered into the Ensiferum show at the Theater and watched a whole band in kilts sing their folk metal to the happy crowd. We then went to the All Star band jam in Bolero’s Lounge and saw Doro sing with Cristina Scabbia. They did a killer version of Motorheads “Killed by Death” with Snowy Shaw on drums and the rest of the Doro band rocking through the song! Many musicians were there for the jam, but I had to leave and see Fabio Lione of Angra sing for all my PP friends that have told me how spectacular he is. They were right! This wonderfully talented band from Brazil kicked ass with their new Italian singer Fabio who has sung with bands like Rhapsody of Fire, Laby-rinth, Ayreon, Vision Divine as well as singing on tour with Kamelot, and he commanded the stage with his very presence. We then went to the pool deck to see one of my fave bands ever, Evergrey take the stage. Tom Englund tore the stage up with his amazing guitar prowess and brooding vocals. Soon after, we went to the Theater to see Doro and this was my first actual time seeing her sing live with her kick ass band, which included my good friend Bas Mass who used to play guitar with After Forever. Her amazing band is, Luca Princiotta on bass, Nick Douglas on guitar and Johnny Dee on drums who used to play with Britney Fox back in the day. Doro put on a superb show with her head-banging style of old school metal and she took control of the stage with so much power and passion! I grew a huge respect for the Queen of Metal in this hour and became a huge fan right there. They did a wicked set and ended it with “All We Are.” Her new Cd “Raise Your Fist in the Air” rocks!

I got to see Italian band Lacuna Coil on the pool deck and as many times as I have seen them they get better and better even without Marco playing bass. He wasn’t able to make the cruise,

but they still put on a spectacular performance! Cristina and Andrea really blow me away with their vocal dueling to this day. I finished the second night with Rage and the Ligua Mortis Orchestra in the Theater inside. I know some of the fans were in tears and I heard from my friends how they were looking so forward to see-ing this band live.

I awoke refreshed at 8:00 am to a beautiful day and looking out my window I saw the Caribbean island of Grand Turk awaiting me. Once you get past the duty free shops and tourist crap you walk to the right of it all, you have a lovely beach all to your own to walk. After a much needed rest and time to self I walked back to civilization and looked to find out where the hell everyone from the ship went. When I turned left instead, there was a Mecca of bars and beach lounge chairs with Metal-Heads everywhere lying in the sun, wading in the surf and drinking fruity drinks with umbrellas. Snowy Shaw and Bas Maas took pic’s with us and I watched In Flames and Evergrey frolicking in the ocean

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waves. Everyone was in heaven! You never saw so many happy red Swedes!! We partied and enjoyed the sun and surf until 3pm and then re- boarded and went to get ready for another Fatal Smile show at 5:30pm.

After another rocking set with the Fatal guys, we went to dinner and then soon after went to see the always heavy, Metal Church!! Ronnie Munroe took total control of the stage and tore our heads off with his soaring vocals! The lights were so red that it looked like the band was on fire and to us they were! After going to Church, I went to an-other church to see Doro slay the crowd once

more for good measure on the pool deck. The second Helloween, they rocked the ship like they should have. Andi Deris is so amazing live and his shotgun stance just killed me!! The last two shows of my night were La-cuna Coil in the theater and Hel-star on the pool deck which just freakin rocked!!! By that time I had some Mudslides and was feeling NO pain. Helstar was over by 3:15am and we all headed to the Bolero’s Lounge for Metal Karoake and more drinks and fun! There I finally get to meet the amazing Andi Deris who was too kind, and got to chat with him as Ronnie Munroe walks up just in time for a guy ripping into a Priest song. His scream made both singers look up and gave the kid props by yelling Yeah, at him!! That was an awesome moment! We hung out all night watching people get silly onstage with the Fatal guys, Snowy Shaw, Cristina, Andrea and Maus from Lacuna Coil. Fabio came and visited with us, as well as Mike LePond and James Rivera. The Lizzy Borden guys, Lizzy, Dario and Marten, were close by as well as most the Doro band. It was one of the best times ever!

Like I said, you need stamina for this and I was into my 8th day straight from NAMM to this. You must pace yourself. You don’t want to be “That” guy passed out face down in a chair ass in the air.

The first band of the day Lizzy Borden, was on the pool deck at 4:15pm. Lizzy puts on one hell of a crazy show and I was in the pit with my camera awaiting the onslaught of blood and metal. After a few songs Steffi Scott comes out and Lizzy proceeds to slit her throat and blood goes everywhere as he acts out his gory murderer scene. Then he jumps in the photo pit with a bucket of blood and wipes the sticky mess onto the bloodthirsty fan’s faces. He knows I love to be blooded so he bloods my face and then all the photog’s in the pit get the same treatment!

Waiting around for Gotthard I ran into Herman Li from Dragonforce, who let me in on a little secret that I should have believed. He excitedly said he was going to jump into one of the hot tubs at the end of their set and do a solo. I took pictures of him and went to see Gotthard not thinking anything of what he just confided in me.

Dragonforce took the pool deck stage and proceeded to tear up their instruments like gods! Of course when I get back I hear all the ruckus

of how Herman Li jumped into the damn hot tub and ripped out a solo of epic proportions in front of a bunch of people in the tub. The guitar was wireless so he was able to achieve this feat with-out electrocuting himself and his estatic fans!

I ended my final night of shows seeing the extremely heavy band Kreator for a bit and took some photo’s in the dark theater and then went to see In Flames tear up the Deck. The last show was Sabaton, Sabaton is one of the most entertaining and energetic bands I have ever seen. They smile and run amok onstage like no other band out there. The perky singer, Joakim Broden climbed the scaffolding to get a better look at the crowd and yelled, “Hello Boat!” They played an amazing set and at the end Joakim jokingly said that his clothes needed washing so he jumped into the crowd and surfed the crowd all the way back to the pool and got thrown in as the band played on. After that the whole band followed and jumped into the pool while a ton of fans threw themselves into the cold water with their Metal hero’s! Mayhem ensued and I thought that was one of the coolest things I have ever seen at a live concert!

I stayed up for a while after Sabaton and hung with everyone in Bolero’s for Karoake again and then said my goodbyes to all my new and old friends and crashed out one last time in my comfy bed. I awoke at 8am to disembark the ship which was a sad moment.

I have been too many festivals, one even in Germany and I have to say this was one of the best times I have ever had even though I was on my own. There’s nothing like over 2000 Metal fans with 40 bands on a ship with no- where to go but to shows every hour on the hour. It’s grueling but it’s so worth it! It’s just pure mayhem and craziness and you get to hang with your fave bands and make new friends and meet old ones in the process. The staff was friendly to all of us and some even said the Metal-Heads were a joy and polite to be around. The security staff was super cool and it was good to see Taz and Rory Romano heading up the crews for the shows.


Andy Piller, the creator of this whole metal cruise idea, 70,000 Tons of Metal and Barge to Hell, is to be commended for his creativity and foresight to have a metal festival on cruise ships. It makes it a clean and safe way to enjoy a metal fest and you also get a mini vacation on an island some-where. That’s a nice bonus!

I had a total blast, saw 30 sets and 20 bands, met some awesome people and got to hang with some of the greatest bands in the world. Metal fans are the best in the world and they never cease to keep me laughing and having fun! This cruise is something every metal fan should put on their Bucket List. This is something I would try to go to every year. It’s worth the money and the memories that come with it and friendships that last a lifetime.

I survived the 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise and I am alive to tell the tale me hearties...

The most hard core fan, Margie Metalho’s interview:

How many times have you been on 70K of metal and what is it about this cruise that keeps you coming back for more?

I have been on all four Ultimate Metal Cruises, three times on 70000 Tons of Metal and once on Barge to Hell. What keeps me coming back is that it is like be-ing in “Metal-Head land” or in a Metal-Head Uto-pia; In other words, being on a ship with 2000 other people who “Get who I am.” We all share this incredible passion for metal which makes us instantly connected in such a profound way. After the first cruise I described it this way. “It was like I was taken away from my tribe as a baby and then reunited with my true family on that

ship!” I have made some amazing friends from all over the world and I love them dearly. Many of us became friends on the cruise from the year before we even set sail. By the time the very first cruise took place we were al-ready good friends so it was more like a family reunion. The music is the icing on the cake! The lineups have been nothing but awesome. I also love the numerous opportunities of getting to meet and hang out with the

bands throughout the voyage. Way better than a backstage pass!

What is the highlight of 70K of metal for you?

Getting to see so many incredible bands I never thought I would ever get see in my lifetime. Meet-ing so many amazing people from all over the world and being one big happy metal family.

How many bands were you able to see this year on 70K of metal?

I saw 29 bands and 47 sets, plus many hours of karaoke including the mandatory all-nighter the last night. I slept a total of 9 hours the entire cruise. I am a professional at this now. The first cruise we had spread sheets after the running order was announced so we could strategically plan where we wanted to be every waking mo-ment.

Did you enjoy Grand Turk and what was the best part of that afternoon there for you??

I loved Grand Turk! It was my very favorite des-tination so far of all the cruises. We owned that place. We spent the day walking on a beautiful beach while listening to metal playing from the local restaurant, plenty of lounge chairs to relax in, and an island completely taken over by a ship full of Metal-Head friends. What’s not to like? Paradise!!!


The Bonzo Bash has become a regular event each year now since Joe Sutton and Brian Tichy held the inaugural event in 2010. The response from those in attendance is always, we want more! Each time, I get to experience Bonzo, Joe and Brian, their support team and all the artists involved give the audience what they ask for: More lights, more sound, more drummers, more musicians overall. Everyone freely gives of their time and soul to help celebrate John Bonham’s life and the music he left behind. Each drummer took the stage accompanied by a changing as-sortment of musicians on vocals, guitars, bass and keys… What follows are images of some of the artists who performed at this year’s event.

M.C/Drum legend Carmine Appice joined by co-host, Nicko Mc Brain… the give and take between them was quite amusing (and of course, Nicko was a monster on the drums dur-ing “Immigrant Song”

We all know Tichy for his drumming prow-ess but what some of you might not know is; Tich is just as talented on the six-string, which the lucky Bonzo Bash audience got to enjoy through the night, as he performed with a rotat-ing cast of talented musicians.

Jimmy D’anda (Bulletboys) always with the huge grin or goofy faces while pounding away during “Royal Orleans”

Khurt Maier (Salty Dog) pounding away during “Lemon Dog”

Chas West is channeling Robert Plant, with Michael Devin (Whitesnake/S.U.N) having too much fun on bass!

Phil Soussan (Ozzy Osbourne) and Mitch Perry (Lita Ford) performing “Rain Song”

Brian Tichy, co-founder of the Bonzo Bash (Whitesnake/ S.U.N), in full force during “Rain Storm”

Jack Russell (Great White) belting out a great rendition of “Dancing Days” with Brent Woods (The Moby Dicks)

John Hummel (1 of the 2) “We’re All Bonzo Wanna Be” Winners; slamming during “Heartbreaker”

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© 2013 Hartke | Photo: Neil Zlozower | hartke.com | geezerbutler.com

Iconic bassist, Geezer Butler, of Black Sabbath relies on Hartke for recreating his pioneering bass tone. You too, can experience the same reality that bass legends worldwide have come to trust.

MASTER YOUR REALITY.

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January 4th 2013 was a “Mucho Loco” night! The Roxy hosted the first “Fan Appreciation” show for all METALACHI fans. “Rarely, have I seen the Roxy Theater so packed!” were the words of many fans present that night.

In their typical fun and entertaining way, METALACHI is (one of) the weirdest bands in the world!

At every show, Warren Moscow (MC) introduces this loco bunch as “The First & Only Metal Mariachi Band” and (in case you missed) our interview and article on these south-of-the-border boys, let us tell you; Not only do they have a loyal following, but they also make sure you are entertained and laughing until your sombreros pop off your head.

When I try to explain the concept of this mariachi/metal band, it tends to lose and confuse those who try to grasp the idea. META-LACHI renders mariachi-style homage to all of the head bang-ing classics, such as, Metallica, Guns N Roses, AC/DC, Ozzy and the like.

On this special night, they opened with Ozzy Osbourne’s “ Crazy Train”, featuring Robert Sarzo on guitar. That was not the only surprise of the night, either. Just like a magician, they had an ace up their sleeve! When Moscow said, “You may know our next guest from a little band known as SLAYER!!!” , the crowd went wild …and rightly so! It was (drummer of SLAYER) Dave Lom-bardo, himself, who joined the mix to perform “Raining Blood,” And what better way to pay tribute to one of “The Big 4” in Metal!??!

“Muy bien, Amigos!!” -Enrique Nunez

Metalachi Fan Appreciation Surprise Show

DORO PESCH LIVE AT B.B. KINGS BLUES CLUB NYC

Review by Monni McCleary

German heavy metal legend Doro Pesch ROCKED B.B. King Blues Club in Times Square Monday (Feb. 4th) in support of her 12th solo studio album ‘Raise your Fist.’

It was a trio of metal-babe front women that graced the stage, which was a pleasant surprise; since I sometimes fear women in metal are a slow and dying breed.

NYC based Flames of Fury was the opener, and their melodic/theatrical metal sound won the crowd over by the end of their set. Swedish rockers Sister Sin took the stage with fury, with front woman, Liv Jagrell exuding an obscene amount of energy in her skin tight, leather strapless dress. She head-banged her way into a nice balance of their three albums. Among the songs they performed from their last album ‘Sounds of the Underground’ were ‘End of the Line’ and ‘Hearts of Cold,’ as well as ‘Chosen Few’ and ‘Fight Song.’

It was the 4th leg of her North Ameri-can tour for Doro Pesch, and she did not disappoint.

Fans went mental when the ‘Queen of Metal’ and her band took the stage like a bat out of hell! The blonde bombshell belted out killer tunes from her old band, Warlock, such as ‘I Rule the Ruins,’ ‘Burning the Witches,’ ‘Fight for Rock,’ and ‘All We Are.’ She also sang a song called ‘Hero’ that she dedicated to the late, great Ronnie James Dio. But the highlight of the show was when she sang Judas Priest’s power anthem, ‘Breaking the Law’ with a burning vengeance!

The German maven bounced around the stage and was often shaking hands with the fans. To see Doro’s humble presence and her interaction with fans, it’s no wonder why she has remained such an icon in metal for well over 25 years. With tour dates spanning through the end of the month from coast to coast, don’t miss your chance to check her out live. Best show of the year (so far)! I not only ‘raise my fist’ to you Doro, but also my glass… Cheers to you, to the one true reigning metal queen!

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Dark Adrenaline Tour LACUNA COIL / Las Vegas

On the North American leg of their Dark Adrena-line Tour, LACUNA COIL owned the stage at The Railhead venue in the Boulder Station Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on March 23rd.

Surprisingly, the entire band was not present that night of the performance. Cristina Scabbia (vo-cals), Andrea Ferro (vocals), Marco ‘Maus’ Biazzi (guitar), and Cristiano ‘Pizza’ Migliore (guitar) were on the road, while other fellow band mates Marco ‘Maki’ Coti Zelati (bass) and Cristiano ‘CriZ’ Mozzati (drums) were back home in Italy. Reports say that Maki is busy producing more music, while CriZ is spending time as a father with his new baby girl. Even with the absent musicians, fans have something to look forward to in the meantime: Upcoming releases and an addition to the Coiler family.

Prior to the show, Lacuna Coil hosted a VIP meet and greet with limited availability. Fans who were lucky enough to snag tickets to the event got one-on-one time with the band, a poster signed by each of the members, and a group photo. With sweet smiles on their faces, Cristina and Andrea opened their arms and welcomed Coilers. Following the photo-op, the band hung around to talk to some more fans while other VIP ticketholders grabbed barricade space. As they left to get ready, Cristina walked off with a few gifts from devoted fans.

Despite the fact that Lacuna Coil did not have every member in this performance, the band did not fail to impress on stage. In their time of need, drum tech and fellow musician Ryan Blake Folden graciously stepped in to ward off any show cancellations. His effort has not gone unnoticed, nor has his talent, for he exudes an energy and confidence that not only matches the mood of the band on stage, but helps to carry it as well. Undoubtedly, Ryan has gained many appreciative followers and unwavering respect for his presence.

From the very first entrance, everyone was full of energy. Cristina came out, mic at the ready, head banging, hands pounding the air and thrown out to the crowd, with her signature strut carrying her mere feet in front of the audience. Meanwhile, Andrea ran out and immediately got into the song with an unbelievable burst of adrenaline. What stands out about these two on stage is their interaction with one another. While one is singing into the microphone, the other is getting into it and mouthing the lyrics just as much as the crowd is. That duet-chemistry is a vital part of their performance aspect and ties everything together. Moreover, they get right in your face and sing it with you, urging you to get louder with them. It’s obvious that they truly enjoy every bit of performing, which makes watching them that much more engaging.

Throughout the set, the whole house was fo-cused on the high, and all members were reeling it in and throwing it back out with every con-secutive song. It was pure, undiluted seduction. Cristina and Andrea were everywhere on the stage and kept fueling the connection between the audience, the band, and each other. This sort of bond doesn’t simply come without the end result being a sublime experience. They have evolved not only as people, but as musicians. The evolution from album to album is a clear indication of their growth and of what lies ahead. Regardless of where you were in the venue that night, you felt the presence, the pulse of music and the innate loyalty of the Coiler family.

The set was comprised of fan favorites and songs from their latest release*1-I Don’t Believe in Tomorrow*2-I Won’t Tell You\3-ill the Light*4-Heaven’s a Lie5-To the Edge6-Upside Down*7-Fragile8-End of Time*9--Survive- 10-Intoxicated*11-Trip the Darkness*12-Spellbound

Albums:

*Dark Adrenaline Comalies: 4 Karmacode: 5, 7 Shallow Life: 2, 9, and 12

By: Andrea Granillo

Tremonti at the Roxy TheaterYears ago, I remember skipping “The End Is Near” by Alter Bridge in my Ozzfest 10th Year Anniversary DVD. The long guitar intro seemed a tad “cheesy” for my “Metal” taste. Fast forward to March 5th 2013 and here I am, ENJOYING, a TREMONTI show at The Roxy Theater in Hollywood, which by the way is packed!

Being mostly ignorant of Mark Tremonti’s new musical project other than knowing a few songs with his other bands (CREED and ALTER BRIDGE), I walked into the venue somewhat skeptical on what my experience would be at this show. Maybe because I had Myles Kennedy or Scott Stapp branded in my head along w/ Tremonti and him only as a guitarist and backup vocals. This time Mark was the leadman and what a great job he does as a front man. At moments reminding me of Godsmack (Melodic Vocals) and at others of TRIVIUM’s rhythm guitars and drums, this band made sure they brought energy, entertainment and Rock N Roll along with some melody and power to this show being the last of their “All I was” tour, definitely giving the attending crowd a well-deserved show (even the kids in the front row had a great time).

The Set list included: Leave It Alone, Giving Up, All I Was, Proof, So You’re Afraid, Doesn’t Matter, The Things I’ve Seen, All That I’ve Got, Wish You Well, You Waste Your Time, New Way Out, Decay. Encore: Gone, Brains.

At the time of my arrival, I was instinctually drawn to stay on the left side of the stage. But for some reason, the bass guitar seemed somewhat familiar, the pattern and the design rang a bell, but I was too busy trying to

get the best shots possible since I’m vertically chal-lenged (I’m short) and with a sea of fans making it hard for me to take clear shots, I could only focus on my aperture, ISO and shutter speed. It was until the end of the show that I realized that was Eddie Van Halen’s famous stripes pattern of his Frankenstrat and that meant Wolfgang was in the house, as well as Ed-die himself.Overall, a fun show, ener-getic full of sweat and hard-rockin’ fans chanting along Tremonti’s lyrics, one of the aspects I respect most from “big name” bands and performers, is their approach and respect to the fans and for the fans and by signing cds after the set, Tremonti sure got an A for that in my book.

By- Enrique Nunez

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On the eve of her new album release, Orianthi appeared at a “Great Gui-tars” event held at The Grammy Museum housed in the intimate 200 seat Clive Davis Theater. Tickets were next to impossible to obtain for this performance and everyone in attendance was very fortunate as she per-formed songs off her new album [Heaven In This Hell]. It was a very good event for both guitar geeks and casual fans (or, in some cases, both).

Orianthi quit school at 15 to pursue her guitar playing. At that age, she performed in front of an enormous crowd in Australia with Steve Vai without even knowing what songs were being played. She just went for it and with great results.

During her talk, she spoke of being a huge fan of Carlos Santana, whom she cites as the primary reason she endorses Paul Reed Smith (PRS) Guitars. She said she was a rather normal person when she started tour-ing with Alice Cooper (and thus became the first female member of his band.) Orianthi explained that she started to get into the stage theatrics of the tour. She now wears fake blood and plays along nicely with the stage act to the point where Alice Cooper calls her “Goryanthi” and “Scaryanthi”.

One of the highlights of the presentation was when Michael Bearden, the Musical Director for Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” tour, made an im-promptu speech talking about how Orianthi landed the Michael Jackson gig. He explained the buzz from Carlos Santana, her heroic guitar perfor-mance with Carrie Underwood at the Grammys and basically explained that she was the one for the highly coveted guitar slot.

The burning question on everyone’s mind was quickly answered during the talk. Alice Cooper had a show in Switzerland in just two days, so what is she doing in LA? It turns out she departed hours after the show to make the Switzerland gig. Straight from there, she would return to L.A. for her incredible public performance and album release at the Whisky on the world famous Sunset Strip.

Chip Smith

Your album release show at the Whiskey was awesome tell us about the process of creating and writing ‘Heaven in This Hell?’ How was it working with Dave Stewart (of the Eurythmics)?

“Making this record was so much fun. I started writing for the record about a year and a bit ago, maybe two years ago with Dave Stewart – two acoustic guitars, just writing riffs, and we had so many songs by the end. Dave, when he was in Nashville said ‘Hey Ori, you should come over and check out the studio, Blackbird. He had the idea of doing his album over there. The musicians there are incredible. Literally a week or two afterwards I was back there making my own record. We did eight songs in one day, and then went on tour with Alice Cooper, came back and completed the record, actually via Skype to Dave’s studio in Nashville.

We wanted to capture live energy, so it was really about performing, and we didn’t just write. The instincts were amazing, they did their own thing with the ideas they had, which I was really happy about because such great players and they added a bit of flavor to the songs.

What is the meaning behind the name Heaven in This Hell?

Music and playing the guitar is my heaven in this crazy world. Everything gets, you know the bills I’ve got and what’s going on, it always has been through school as well, my guitar and writing, it wasn’t always the greatest of places . For me, music it’s just something so powerful, especially the blues music which I always gravitate towards playing. That’s what this record’s about – not running away from that and doing something that really suits me and who I am. I feel like this is the kind of record that I wanted to put out there, this is me and I hope people dig it.

Heaven in This Hell is a departure from your previous album Believe. I’ve read you describe the sound as “voodoo rock blues”. Discuss some of the artists that influenced the sound that you have on this new album.

“Robert Johnson, Jimmy Hendrix, Eric Clapton. I’ll just listen to a lot of Robert Johnson because I really dig the Delta Blues Flumpiness and I kind of wanted to fuse that with rock, and have this sort of eeriness around it. And it was just the blues, I wanted it to sound really different from my last album and something that’s going to sound big live. When we were writing the tracks we were just thinking about the audience and playing big shows. With Alice, he’s very theatrical, and I want to do the same thing with my touring and have this start in hell then go to heaven, like musically and visually. So that’s kind of the way the record is.

What’s your goal for this album? Will you be touring to promote it this year?

“I’m shooting a music video for the first single ‘Frozen’ next week, and then we’re going to be touring in Japan and then we’re sort of figuring out right now a bunch of shows, then touring with Alice and Marilyn Manson, and a bunch of people so it’s going to be crazy.

Rock N Roll Industries Magazine 55“In the late 70’s we moved to New York to get away from the disco scene and pursue the music we love.”

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The Heavy Metal Band Queensryche is loaded with seasoned talent and ready to hit the road hard this year. Heading up the band is multi- plati-num selling Geoff Tate, known as the incredible front man and songwriter for Queensryche. Geoff has backed himself with amazing talented musi-cians such as Robert Sarzo (guitar), Rudy Sarzo (bass), Simon Wright (drums), Randy Gane (keyboards) and Kelly Gray (guitar).Queensryche originally started in 1981 out of Bel-levue, Washington. The band is known worldwide and has survived through all the changes in the music industry. They have sold over 20 million albums, 6 million in the US alone. In April of 2012 there was a separation of the band. There are currently two bands that are performing under the name Queensryche. Rock n Roll Industry Magazine was privileged to speak with the band headed by Geoff Tate. We are so excited that the band is going on tour here in the US and will be releasing their new album “Frequency Unknown” on April 23, 2013. Check their website: queensryche.com for updates on the tour, album release and all the current band news.Geoff Tate is known as one of the top metal vocalist. He was ranked #2 in the top 5 by “That Metal Show”. In 2012, received the “Voice in Progressive Heavy Metal Award”, from Vegas Rocks Magazine. He has been nominated for a Grammy and has toured to over 46 countries. He brings a beautifully melodic voice to a hard core metal sound, when combined becomes explo-sively amazing.Randy Gane from Michigan is the keyboard-ist. He is known for being a Progressive Metal Keyboardist and brings original sounds that must be heard! He has toured with Queensryche, Geoff Tate and Sweet Sister Sam. Randy is well sought after for his session work and has also recorded with Queensryche, Sweaty Nipples and Candlebox.Kelly Gray, guitarist has previously worked with Geoff and Randy in the band Myth. Kelly has become a recording engineer and has worked with bands such as Dokken, Slave to the System and several more including Queensryche as a producer. Kelly is ready to duel guitars with Rob-ert Sarzo on stage. Simon Wright from Manchester, England was asked this year to join Queensryche. He is cur-rently finishing his tour with Dio Disciples and he ready to join the band on tour. Simon is a veteran performer, having started his touring career at the tender age of 16. He performed with AC/DC for 7 years then left and became Ronnie James Dio’s drummer. Simon was with Dio until he left us all too early. His powerful hard hitting drums will propel the tempo that Queensryche fans love.Rudy Sarzo known for his bass playing for Quite Riot will be an amazing addition to Queensryche. Rudy and his brother Robert are from Cuba and are living the American dream! Rudy has been one of the hardest working Bass Players in rock. He has been a member of Ozzy Osbourne’s band until he joined Quiet Riot. He has the recognition of being on the first Heavy Metal album to reach #1 on Billboard charts. Then he moved on to an-other well known band White Snake, from 1987- 1994. In 1997 he returned to Quiet Riot until they broke up in 2003. Rudy then joined with Simon in playing for Dio. This is going to be the first time in several years that he will be sharing the stage with his brother Robert.Robert Sarzo (guitarist) has had a lengthy career as well, spanning over 40 years. Robert has worked several years with Jimmy Iovine of

Interscope. He has built a nice career with movie soundtracks as a composer and a producer. In the 80’s Robert and bassist Tony Cavazo formed the band Hurricane. Robert also recently finished recording, mixing and producing the song that Christian Slater lip syncs during the movie “Guns, Girls and Gamblers”. He is currently working as a counselor for the reality show “Rock’n Roll Fantasy Camp” with his brother Rudy. They have also opened a recording studio in Sherman Oaks. Robert has a solo album coming out this summer which her wrote and produced in both English and Spanish called “After the Storm”. This album brings in his Cuban background with his passion for heavy metal. We talked with Robert Sarzo before he left for their tour:What is like to work with Geoff?Robert: I am so pleased to work with both Geoff and his wife Susan. I find them both very profes-sional. It is great to work with someone that likes the same type of music I do. The music is melodic but with a heavy metal vibe. The experi-ence to perform with one of my favorite singers is incredible.How are the other members of the band to work with?I have played with Simon before but only on a local basis. Now that we are actually getting to work on a larger scale we will get to put our own twist on the music. Everyone in the band is so professional and well prepared; it just makes everything so much easier.Tell us about performing on stage with your brother.Well we grew up playing together in Miami. In the late 70’s we moved to Ney York to get away from the disco scene and pursue the music we love.

I started working with Jimmy Iovine and then Rudy decided to move to LA. I am so excited to be able to be on a stage with my brother after all these years. This is the first time ever we will be performing on a national tour!What can the Queensryche fans expect at your concerts?Loyal fans of Geoff will want to come out and support him and see how he is moving on. It is a fresh start for the band and Geoff. The shows will have a lot of passion and energy. They will be there for Geoff and we want to give them every-thing they expect and more. What is your favorite Queensryche song to play?That is a tough question. The songs are like my pets, they are all my favorites especially the one I am with at the time. Sweet Sister Mary and Mis-sion have so much emotion and are very theatri-cal, which I love. All of the songs have their own magic, own mood and movement. Silent Lucidity is an example of how peaceful and moving these songs are. I just love the passion and heaviness of all of the songs.Can you tell us about the equipment you will be using on tour?I am so proud to be using a guitar that is built for me by Line 6. It is the Variax guitar made by James Tyler. This is the state of the art guitar that can be programmed by your computer to get the tones you like and then you just press a button and the preset tone is there for you on stage. They are also putting on a Floyd Rose for me. I will be using an Ovation for the acoustic portions. The Line 6 Bogner Amp with the EL 34 tubes and a HD 500 pedal board. The sound that comes out is huge and has a lot of balls.

-Mercedes Steiner

Hitting it Hard in 2013


The Women’s International Music Network Awards

Orianthi Rocked the Woman’s International Music Networking Awards with an All Girl Band; Orianthi -Vocals and Guitar, bassist- Nik West and Brittany Maccarello on the Drums.

Deserving Powerful Women were given 2013 “She Rocks Awards,” for their accomplish-ments in the Music Industry, along with gratitude for opening doors for other woman to experience the best that the world of music has to offer at the first She Rocks Awards held in Anaheim during the NAMM show convention. There was an attitude in the room of when all working together, we all feel success. Laura B. Whitmore the founder of WiMN seemed to have a flare for putting everyone at ease. Every one that stepped up to the podium offered great advice. Ali Handal played and encouraged all girls to play guitar, afterwards Laura had vocal coach Susan Carr teach us a little about the art of screaming; as she had us do a warm up.

Honorees included producer, songwriter and artist Holly Knight, who received the “Mad Skills,” award. She offered advice and insight on how she writes songs. Some of the songs by Knight and Chapman are: Pat Benatar’s “Love Is a Battlefield,” as well as “Invin-cible.” They also wrote Tina Turner’s “Better Be Good to Me,” and “The Best,” which was a #1 single around the world for Tina Turner. On her own and in collaboration with others, Knight wrote songs with Heart, Aerosmith, Bon-nie Tyler, Rod Stewart, and many more. Tish Ciravolo, received the “Vision” award. President of Peavey Electronics Mary Peavey, received the “Icon” award and shared her experiences during the 60’s, proud to have burned her bra so she and other woman can be where they are today! President of Daisy Rock Girl Guitars Tish Ciravolo, received the “Vision” award. Senior Vice President of Operations for Guitar Center Laura Taylor, received the “Champion,” award. Musicians For Equal Opportunities for

Women (MEOW) Founder Carla DeSantis Black, received the “Endurance” award. Pauline France of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation’s corporate PR department received the “Next Generation” award. Guitar prodigy Orianthi, received the “Inspire” award and performed for us. Everyone left feeling inspired and ready for a day at NAMM!

~ Cyndi Johnson More information at:http://www.thewimn.com/events/she-rocks-awards/

Guards of Glory Tour Turisas, Firewind Constellation Room, Santa Ana

by Viking Mike (Michael Taylor)

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Saturday, February 23rd in Santa Ana, at the The Observatory two concerts were set to play. One

is DJ Quik and Suga Free, the other Turisas and Firewind, doors are only 30 minutes apart, but the difference in crowds is staggering. In one line, concert goers are dressed in mostly black with battle paint, chain mail and kilts mixed in. The other line consists of collared shirts, baggy jeans, glitter and skimpy dresses. Eventually we are allowed admittance and once inside, we were delegated to a rather small room dubbed The Constellation Room, off to the side of the main room was DJ Quik ready to play. I’ve always believed the intimacy between crowd and a band in a small venue produces the best shows, so I was excited. Helsott was the first up, a carry-over from the previous night at the Key Club in Hollywood; which

had six opening acts. If you haven’t heard of them, you soon will. They are a blend of death/thrash metal with a heavy dose of pagan metal thrown in, a fantastic opening act for the Guards of Glory tour. They arrived on stage with red and black paint on them, akin to Turisas, but not as fully covered. I had seen these guys the night before and was prepared for what was to come, and once again they didn’t let down and got the crowd moving. They played, “Vandals Divide Part Two,” and “Cessation,” for the first time in two years; which was a nice treat for those who’ve seen this local pagan act before. After a short set of six songs they cleared the stage for the headliners of the night. Be sure to check Helsott out on the Paganfest IV Tour.

With a brief pause as Firewind’s tech crew began setting up

the room filled to near capacity. Firewind began as Gus G’s project to show off his technical abilities, but has grown into a monster all its own, although they’ve been through many lineup changes, their brand of epic power metal and skill keep the band moving forward. This tour marked Kelly Sundown Carpenter’s first with the band and although Gus G played front man for much of the show, Kelly delivered an outstanding performance, and by the end of the show Kelly had won me over as Firewind’s new leader singer. Gus G lived up to his super high standards flowing through solo after solo and interacting with the crowd between songs. At one point he even jumped down into the crowd during a solo and continued to shred without missing a beat with people closing in from every side. Just as


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impressive, was Bob Katsionis playing both rhythm guitar and keyboards for many of the band’s songs. My eyes were constantly drawn toward him between Gus’ solos to see him playing both instruments at the same time. Firewind had people singing along and shouting back enthusiastically throughout their set. Be sure to pick up Firewind’s latest album “Few Against Many.” After a small break Turisas hit the stage and the crowd exploded when they started with “March of the Varangian Guard” and from that point onward the night consisted of battle metal and headbanging. With a pit behind me and Mathias singing, dancing and acting in front of me, the room had to be louder than anything DJ Quik had going on next door. In fact, Mathias even touched upon that, during one of his rants “While those guys may be having the times of their lives next door, they have no fucking idea what’s going on in here!!” Shouted Mathias about DJ Quik, after that the crowd erupted with roars of glee. You could really tell these guys love what they do. Olli was masterful with his violin solos, even shredding through the horse hair of his bow. If the rest of the guys weren’t putting on such amazing performances, the antics of keyboardist Robert Engstrand were superbly funny.

“In the Court of Jarisleif” was a crowd favorite and accurately portrayed what it would be like to party with these pagans after a concert. Starting off at a blistering pace and moving with abandon it is a true moshing song, but then the guys began to slow down and pass out with Mathias struggling to sing and much less stand, he ended up rolling around on stage letting out wimpy la la la’s. Eventually they recovered and finished the song with enthusiasm, back to their boisterous pagan ways. After a few more songs, Turisas left the stage and I heard a few grumbles about what songs they haven’t played. Then the Turisas chant went up in hopes these gallant warriors would return to battle with us once more. Shortly after the chanting slowed down the crowd got its wish and Turisas came back on stage with “Stand Up and Fight,” which had everyone shouting along as if it were still the first song instead of the end. The night was rounded out with “Rasputin,” their Boney M cover which has become a fan favorite and always has everyone shouting Ra-Ra-Rasputin at the top of their lungs when called upon, which was a spectacular way to end the show. Don’t forget to pick up Turisas album coming out later this year.

Guards of Glory Tour Continued


SeaLeg’s backstage pass to Merkin’s Vineyard

There are many different elements that attract a person to a restaurant, bar, or speak easy. What makes us call it our favorite place? A home, away from home? Is it the waiter who gives you undi-vided attention as he serves you another glass of the sweetest wine? And the funny joke he cracks, just to make you feel more at ease as you wait for your date that is already fifteen minutes late? Or is it the beautiful crystal chandeliers that glitter right above you and remind you of the days you used to visit your grandmother’s house as a child? The love and care that goes into these places comes straight from the heart of the enthusiastic busi-ness owners who endlessly strives to make you happy. These little touches make a world of differ-ence and keep you coming back time after time. SeaLegs is my new favorite home away from home, my new after-work stop, romantic date night, or girl’s night out! And now, I love the place even more because it has introduced some edgy flair you won’t find in many other places.

Last week, I made a spontaneous trip to Sea-Legs Wine Bar in Huntington Beach after brows-ing facebook one evening. I saw a post about two things I love: wine and Heavy Metal music. Could it be true? Legendary Tool front man, May-nard James Keenan, is a winemaker? As a fan of his, I was excited to see what this rough and tough singer could bring to the table. As I did my research, I found out that Maynard’s wine is very exclusive. Only a handful of wineries carry it, and SeaLegs is one of them. Located at 20122 Beach Blvd in downtown Huntington Beach, this rustic and classically cozy hideaway is a great setting for anything from a group outing to an in-timate night. World renowned designer Kenneth Ussenko is the man behind the mystique of Sea-Legs Winery, with its rich, dark cherry wood table tops and romantically lit dining rooms.

Created at Merkin’s Vineyard, one of the wines I had the privilege of tasting is called Chupaca-bra Blanca. It combines the fla-vors of a CA Vermintino and NM Malvasia. For the lay person, that means bright and refresh-ing (Vermintino) combined with smooth and sweet (Malvasia). One sip and my senses im-mediately began to dance- It’s no wonder Chupacabra Blanca is the brainchild of a rock star. Maynard can now add “wine-maker” to his resume, right next to “lead singer of Tool and A Per-fect Circle.”

How ironic that the same man behind such moody and dark music can create a wine that really makes your taste buds sing!

“We are excited to carry his wine,” Sea Legs owner Alicia Whitney says. “His passion for wine making speaks to our generation. Wine making is an art, and you can taste it in every glass.”

Lisa, co-owner of SeaLegs had this to add,

“From the first taste of the Chupacabra Blanca I was sold! His wines are amazing! We absolute-ly love being one of the only places in Orange County that feature wines in his portfolio and we

look forward to him coming back to host a “Meet the Vinter” event!”

How did Alicia get a backstage pass to Merkin’s Vineyard? I sat down with her to learn how Sea-Legs and Maynard crossed paths.

She told me that one of her servers is a rep for Maynard’s Winery. It’s no wonder Alicia would have something so exclusive in her establish-ment. Starting out at Hurricane’s in Huntington Beach as a server, she worked her way up to throwing well known events like “Swank Wednes-days.” If you were out on the town at the time, you know this was one of the hottest clubs to attend.

Her reputation in OC caught the attention of Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas. Here, she revolution-ized the concept of a country western bar. Her venue, “Revolver,” was named the Number One Country Bar by Las Vegas Times. She eventu-ally returned to her loving family in OC, and opened SeaLegs with Lisa Nonemaker, a fellow Huntington Beach native. These two young entre-

preneurs’ feature many unique wines, creating a diverse rep-ertoire of spirits. Maynard is excited to have his wine as one of the newest additions to the SeaLegs collection, and be-lieves this quaint yet edgy spot will be his top selling account in Southern California.

It is exciting that a charming local place like SeaLegs has revolutionized the standard of a speak easy by trying something unconventional.

Manayrd’s wine turned out to be a big hit at SeaLegs. As I was finishing my de-licious plate of Pig & Fig Flat bread that Alicia or-dered for me while she went to entertain clients, I noticed a mother and daughter sitting next to me, sipping on some white wine and sharing a glan-dulous portion of carrot cake! I introduced myself and asked them what they liked about SeaLegs. The mother said “the carrot cake (giggles)!” And the daughter said, “The ambiance. You see more women visiting Sea legs. The ratio is always more women than men because the atmosphere has little feminine touches, yet still rustic and red like

a bar (for men).” Amid the beauty and elegance that draws the women to SeaLegs, men can feel just as comfortable, with a cold glass of their fa-vorite beer to unwind after a long day. So ladies, bring your special man to SeaLegs! And men, take note of this heart-winning date destination.

When the night ended, I got to take home a bottle of Chupacabra Blanca. Not only can you drink your favorite wine at SeaLegs, but you can also take it home at a price that is just as deli-cious! It doesn’t get any better than that. What’s next for SeaLegs? Lisa told me the inside scoop, “Alicia and I have SO many upcoming events and collaborations up our sleeves! We are extremely passionate about tasting new wines and we love musicians/artists that have sort of made a shift in their lives and are now producing wine.”It is an exciting timer indeed!

Come find out for yourself, and get bitten by the Chupacabra!

By Raquel Figlo

Maynard can now add “wine-maker” to his resume, right next to “lead singer of Tool and A Perfect Circle.”


MISS KATONIC: Hello! And welcome back to The Miss Katonic Show, where humans and other earth-bound creatures are kidnapped in their living bodies via their nightmares, pulled into the Dreamlands... and toyed with endlessly, deep inside the monstrous living castle of Katonic. Tonight, I’ve stumbled upon a group of creatures that peaks my curiosity. They are A Band of Orcs, called forth unwillingly into that delicious waking Earth realm, and have cleverly embraced the sheer evil of metal to forge demonic choir and summon forth their god, Gzoroth. I’ve had the Shadow Vixens pull the sleeping bodies of these creatures through the shad-ows of night and into my realm.How delightful! Creatures from yet ANOTHER realm are, once more, looking to wreak havoc, pain and ultimate destruction upon humanity. This universe is infinite, and we shall forever feed, it seems… Vixens…and my precious Yaag...MISS KATONIC: Orcs! Tell the miserable humans watching how you first came to be pulled into their realm:Gronk!: Usses just finish happy blood work of adding buncha heads to pile, humie king included. Stupid humies hire orcs do dirty work and fight giants for them. Us kill giants then come back kill humies who dare use sorcery for bind usses to them. Grunts stack every last body in wall. Bodies stacked to sunset. Glorious mounds of bod-ies. Many piles of heads. Elf heads, giant heads, humie heads, gnome heads, dwarf heads. Heads all the way down. Heads of all oppose us. Then us War Chiefs have council for celebrate victory, drink blutrarch, tell tales of daring-do. Mighty strong blutrarch that moon-eve. Then, bright-blinding blue light appear over camp pyre. First, me think just blutrarch make me see stuffs. But me soon know it blue light of sorcery when me see Cretos ‘pop’ go disap-pear. Me try beseech Gzoroth with chants, ward off blue light of sorcery, but Gzoroth say in Gronk!’s head, “Flow.” Gronk! grab staff and say, “Hail Gzoroth, whatever Dragon wants.” So usses hold breath, let blue light suck ussses all into Vortex. Usses fall through nether-realm forever and an instant usses get spit out in living cave of some humies play what usses now know as “Dungeons & Dragons.” Usses slaughter them humies, of course, not knowing them got



used by Gruesom Grimp, inter-dimensional travel-er, trickster and gremlin-imp. Poor kidlets, humies. Them roll “A Band of Orcs” ahahahhahah!!! Gogog: Haha, good times! Yes…Gronk!: Then usses hear most brutal, haunt-ing, soul-melting beauty from chamber upstairs. Gogog kick in door and find dumb-face humie, staring. Stink like pig-pen in his pants.All: *Sinister laughter.*Gogog: Remember it like it’s tomorrow. Jed shit his pants, ahahhahahhahah!!!!! Oh, his face, hahahahhahahah!!!!Hulg: His face make nice battle cozy for coffee mug. Slaaaaaaaaayerrrrrrr. Tasty, tasty, crunchy riffs.Gronk!: Yes, Hulg, usses run upstair and find Jed listen to what uses now know as brutal epic of metal lore called “Raining Blood.” Greatest story ever told, save it not mention Gzoroth, but usses change that error when us make own tales.Gogog: Gogog tell the useless piece of inflated skin before us that I, Gogog, would spare him if he taught the WarChiefs how to craft such exquisitely evil evilness.Hulg: That make him useful then.Gogog: Shut up, Hulg. I’m telling this tale. No more sarcastic brains for you for dinner.MISS KATONIC: Explain to the bloated filthy masses the purpose behind why you fuse metal and lyrical incantation.Gronk!: …yes, usses Jed told him spared if him show us how make magic called metal. Jed make more noise and stink in his pants, then take us in his mechanical wagon on raid for instruments. Jed play many metal tales for us on way using magic box. Usses remember it well… “Breaking the Law,” “Ride the Lightning.” Also, Gzoroth give sign, when us raid Guitar Mart. “Invaders” by Iron Maiden play on magic air box thingy in store. It describe just what usses do to Guitar Mart. Glori-ous! Usses become bards of Gzoroth that day. Take up guitar axe as well as battle axe. Grimp avatar of Gzoroth come to help uses establish

Domination. It him, Gruesom Grimp, what cast inter-dimensional spell summon A Band of Orcs for joke. Gruesom Grimp become interim band man-ager, summon earth elemental to build Orc Tower in Vortex of Santa Cruz Mountains, then us lock away to learn heavy metal with Jed. So, me thinks Gruesom Grimp idea, but acting out chaos-will of Gzoroth/Mother Chaos. Now, just not so long ago, usses make treaty with Romans. Legate Maurizio become manager of A Band of Orcs. Grimp shuffle off mortal cat-coil a fews back. Usses now spare all cats when Domination comes and before. Hail Gzoroth!!!All: Hail Gzoroth!!!Gogog: We will make a noise so loud to awaken Gzoroth, with this Heavy Metal.MISS KATONIC: Assuming there are enough humans left to help you awaken your god while I am consuming Earth, do you plan to kill the remaining people or simply enslave them? We may have to work out some arrangement on this. *Smiles*Gogog: No! No arrangements. Gogog LEEEEEDEEEEER. You take what Gogog LEEEEEDEEEEER gives. If Gogog decides give. Gogog taketh and Gogog taketh away, ahahah-hahha!Gronk!: Usses spare you to consume humies. You n Hulg can feasty on brains together and raise more human-cattle stock for usses. Okay, deal? Brains sometimes make Hulg smarter more, sometimes dumber more. Depend on what brains Hulg eat. Usses gotta be careful what feed him.MISS KATONIC: Spare ME? Hahahahahahaha!! That’s too humorous! However, it is quite endearing. Tell us more about the role each of you play in this monstrous audio maleficence. What is it about your specialty that pleases you most?Gogog: I, Gogog, the Bloodthroat am LEEEEEDEEEEER. Vocals. And power pres-ence, yes…and holder of the Tribal Axe, the Gore-stained Axe. Pointer of war finger. And this

is—what the? Hey, where’s Cretos?Gronk!: Blue light take him. *Shrugs* Oops. When him not stricken by light, him grind filth on guitar. Me Gronk! Me basses and shaman, hurler of fire balls. Me hear Gzoroth and tell other orc-ses what great dragon say. Him say Domination.Hulg: Hulg play crunchy, crunchy guitar. Tear flesh from bone. Consume brains, tasty, tasty brains. Cross-sword puzzles, too...Oog: Oog smash now?Gogog: Ahahahahha, no, not now, Oog. Oog likes smash drums, unicorns, wack-a-mole…whatever he can crush with his bone hammer, ahhahahah!MISS KATONIC: What is the next brutal assault you plan to lay upon humanity? When can we expect its release?Gronk!: Usses just assault ear-drums with “Add-ing Heads to the Pile” on Halloween in 2012. Usses not plan next brutal audio assault yet. But usses just sign treaty with legate Maurizio Iacono on his Hard Impact Management and Rock the Nation USA Talent Agency. So, usses plan tour-raid soonish. Hail Gzoroth!!!All: Hail Gzoroth!!!MISS KATONIC: Warn the humans, in your own baleful words, what they can look forward to in their bleak and ominous future.Gogog: Nothing they don’t already do to them-selves. Blood. Fire. Death. Destruction. We’re just better at it, ahahaha, when we’re not all fucked up on their water, ahahahhaha!!!Gronk!: water make Gronk! want old days of drink blutrarch…blutrarch not keep here. Water strong, blutrarch stronger.Hulg: Some humans spared, some Hulg food for now later. Crunchy humans tricks are for Gronk!.MISS KATONIC: Well, the night is growing short and there is much hunting still to do. Humans, until next time... keep your dreams close to you. You never know when we shall come looking for you in the night.



As I was working this past Friday night two guys parked themselves right in front of my well. One was in his mid to late thirties, possibly early forties. The second was younger, maybe early twenties. Before I was even able to get their drink order the younger one had already hit me with every pick-up line he could think of! My initial response was, “Settle down, Turbo!” but that did very little to deter him. After blatantly ignoring him for a substantial period, I told him that if any of that crap actually worked on a bartender I wanted him to bring her in so I could slap her upside the head! It got me thinking about an article I wrote several years ago for an online magazine. I posed the question to several of my fellow bartenders…”What’s the best pick up line you’ve ever gotten?” Hands down, the best one was, “You wanna go halves on a bastard?”

Bartender crushes are not uncommon. I, myself, have had a massive crush or two. Years ago, I worked with a bartend-er who had said (on many occasions), “I’m not even good looking and I get hit on all the time!” What, exactly, is it that makes a bartender so appealing? My answer is always the same, beer goggles. Kidding aside, I think a better answer is; the majority of bartenders tend to be outgoing, witty and charismatic. These are characteristics that people seem to find appealing in the opposite sex. And, there are those bartenders who are just straight up hot!

So, let’s say you are crushing on your favorite barkeep and you would like to pursue it beyond the bar. First off, skip the cheesy pickup lines…we’ve heard them all. Also, don’t assume that every bartender is nothing more than a “good time.” Yeah, some are, but let them determine that, not you. Also, it’s important to remember, if you get that first date outside the bar, you are now outside of the bar and this is NOT your bartender! The same rules apply as if you were out with anyone else. I am going to skip over all that comes with dating and get to the advance stages. You’re now “see-ing” a bartender. Here are some things you need to know. The “big” money is on Friday and Saturday nights. Unless you’re involved with a day bartender, get used to spending weekend nights minus your other half. I personally think this is a good thing. Date nights during the week are going to be the norm and you can spend weekend nights with your friends that have normal work hours. That way you’ll never be accused of ditching your friends because you’re in a relationship…it’s a “win/win” situation.

Let us now delve into the emotional issues. If you have tendencies toward jealousy or insecurities, a bartender is not your best choice in a mate. Our job is to be friendly to everyone who approaches us…regardless of gender. Your boy/girlfriend is doing their job and sometimes, flirting IS an aspect. Remember, your bartender mate is working that weekend night while you are possibly out with your friends having a good time. As in every relationship, there has to be trust. This is under the assumption that you haven’t chosen a bartender mate who has a reputation of being a notorious bed buddy.

All that being said, a relationship with a bartender is no different than any other relationship...kind of. Being happy is the ultimate goal and truth be told, I think everyone deserves that…even the person responsible for your hangover.

As always, have fun and drink safely.

Fan Favorite

This issue’s winner for the FB event contest “Get Your Band Seen” is Ivan Mihaljevic & Side Effects. A band from Zagreb Croatia with Ivan Mihaljevic on guitar/vocals, Marko Karacic/bass, and Alen Frljak on drums. An amazing talent that can be heard buzzing through radio stations and seen headlining shows on TV as well as festivals. Here are some ques-tions and answers to let us get to know a little on who they are.

How does it feel to have such loyal fans that go out of their way to support you in everything you do?Ivan Mihaljevic- It’s amazing and we’re very grateful! We’re writing songs the way we want to write without compromises and without targeting anyone, but it’s great to know that there are still people who like what we do.

What inspired this solo project?Actually, I don’t consider this to be my solo project at all anymore... It started out as my solo project in the beginning and that’s why my name is in the artist name, but we function as a band. We all work together on songs, we all bring ideas in and we all discuss decisions.

In the beginning, I just had a bunch of finished songs that I liked and that didn’t fit with other bands I was playing with, so I just decided to record a solo album.

Your current album Counter-clockwise- tell us how it came together? The struggles, inspira-tions, and how long it took to put together?The process was different for each song. Alen and I wrote all the music. Some-times we worked on parts individually and sometimes (for example on the song Eclipse) we would meet and work on the song together. We first recorded 6 songs and then we were set back for quite some time by the flood in my studio. A water pipe broke and my studio with all the gear was completely flooded. It took months to get it back in order.

What is your favorite song as a band to perform live and why?I have many favorites. I always enjoyed playing Distant World because I never know where it will take us. We have an extended improvised solo section in the end of the song. I also enjoy playing Your Plane Flew Away and What Is Underneath very much.

What brand instruments do you use and what makes it so unique?I use Ernie Ball Music Man guitars, Engl Powerball amp head and Dragoon cabi-nets. I just bonded with Music Man guitars really well. I love their sound, their feel

and playability and the way they look. My Silhouette Special could be my favorite guitar I’ve ever played.

The Engl Powerball amp works really great for the sound I’m trying to achieve. It’s been modded a little bit through the years - I’m using a NOS Tungsram 12at7 in the second preamp tube socket instead of the original 12ax7. That lowers the amp’s gain a little bit on the drive channels. I don’t like using too much gain, and Powerball has incredible amounts of gain available. It also opens up the amp’s sound a little bit. The output transformer has also been swapped out on my head for a huge and heavy ClassicTone transformer which opened up the high-end of the amp a little bit.

Recently I began using Dragoon cabinets. Dragoon is an Italian company and they make great guitar amp cabinets. Out of the ones I use, one is loaded with 2 Celestion Vintage 30 speakers and the other one with Celestion G12H. The G12H is my new favorite speaker I must say. For years I’ve used Vintage 30s and they work re-ally well, but I was really surprised by the G12H. Awesome speakers!

You won the Ritmi Globali Europe award, tell us a little about what it is, what it took to win it, how it felt to win, and what you were able to accomplish because of it.Our dear friend Paola signed us into the competition and didn’t even tell us about it until we made it into the finals. So, we were very pleasantly surprised. We came to the studio in Preganziol, played a couple of tunes and the jury picked us. We stayed there for a week and we recorded our single Recoil there. It was great work-ing with Andrea Valfre and Bob Benozzo there and it was very cool to visit Venice. It was a really nice experience!

Will you be touring or playing soon?Sure! We’ve got some gigs lined up and we hope to be able to realize a bigger tour soon.

What are your plans for 2013?We don’t have plans…

We just play music, write music and try to do the best we can. We hope to play some nice gigs and festivals.

Anything else you’d like to share with your readers?Sure. If you’d like to hear us, feel free to listen to our new album Counterclockwise free of charge on Soundcloud. And if you want to learn something more about us, please visit www.ivanmihaljevic.com

Thank you for reading this interview!


The Ionian Mode

What’s going on “Intense Guitarist”! Thanks for tuning in this month!! Hey, I really ap-preciate all the E-mails from people

with tremen-dous support of the column. Thanks folks! Way too kool! I’m really glad you guys (and gals) are into it. Keep in mind you can always reach me at [email protected] with any questions or top-ics you’d like me to cover. I always love feedback and suggestions, as well.

Many people ask me, “What’s the best method to improve my chops?”. The answer is an age old tradition. The Ionian mode. Otherwise known as the major scale. It’s formula is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8va. No sharps or flats in the formula.

The fingerings we’ll go over today present different degrees of difficulty or “challenges” as I call them. Some of the fingerings will seem effortless, while others will present some challenges in mastering them. I’ve accumulated several useful fingerings through out the years that I’ve seen other players use and are practical for playing. Like I said, some of these fingerings will indeed seem awkward but keep in mind, the goal here is too overcome ANY technical and physical limitations that may come our way especially if the fingerings are useful and applicable to our playing. For example any time you put the notes C, E, G, B, together in that order, IT WILL be a C major arpeggio. However, that be-ing said, I’ve seen some pretty impractical and flat out almost physically impossible fingerings shown

to players. The fingerings I present to you here are all practical fingerings that have been used or are being used by today’s top players.

I always try to give a players name that actually uses that particular fingering not only for inspira-tion but also so show you that you can play them effectively.

That being said . . . fingering # 1 is a VERY com-mon fingering that I’ve seen everyone from Paul Gilbert to Tony MacAlpine use. Three notes per string shapes are very conducive to fast pattern or sequence type of playing. AKA SHREDDERS.

Fingering # 2 is used by guys like Al DiMeola and Steve Morse. Two of my favorite players. I think Morse was the first guy I “saw” using this pattern in an old ‘Hot Licks’ lesson cassette. He’s still one of my top players, as well as a friend now.

My buddy, John Petrucci of Dream Theater, utilizes finger # 3 on occasion as well as finger # 4. Steve Morse, again, also uses this pattern. As a matter of fact John and I both grew up listening to and being influenced by Steve Morse. We probably, no doubt, bought that same ‘Hot Licks’ cassette! I’ll have to remember to ask him next time I see him.

I know you’re getting tired of hearing this but . . . . yes, Morse uses this fingering, # 5, too. It’s actually a very awkward fingering to get down but I like it because it’s also very challenging to play with au-thority. Most of my students hate this fingering until I persuade them to love the things that are more challenging and difficult.

Pattern # 6 is similar to # 1 but displaces one note which can throw some people for a loop when they then have to descend the scale and hit that B note on the B string with an upstroke.

Fingering # 7 is a horizontal pattern that I re-ally love to get around the fretboard with. Allan Holdsworth uses this shape in his improvisation as well as some cool 3 octave extensions of this same

pattern. We’ll get more into this in a future column.

The last three fingerings all start on the 5th string. Pattern # 8 is our beloved three note per string fingering ala Paul Gilbert and Vinnie Moore. While fingering #9 is an actually Andreas Segovia finger-ing from his great book ‘Diatonic major and Minor Scales’. So it’s not something I made up but a le-gitimate classically influenced C major scale finger-ing. For those of you newbies who don’t know who Segovia is; A) He was, in all probability, the worlds greatest classical guitarist. Redefined the way we all play this great instrument and C) SHAME ON YOU for not knowing who Andreas Segovia is! Ha!

Lastly fingering # 10 is another horizontal fingering that starts on the 5th string and one that I’ve seen Steve Vai employ.

Okay, now that we’ve got the fingerings down, how do we practice them. Good Question! We want to 1) Use a metronome - count 16th notes (four notes per beat), 2) Use alternate picking (Down and up), 3) Play clean and accurately - that should be a given by now for sure! 4) Memorize the fingerings so that you may improvise within them fluently and 5) Practice them in a Cycle Of 4th’s. The notes in a cycle of fourths are: G, C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, B, E, A, D & back to G.

Make sure that every time you go to another note in the cycle you change the fingering and try to utilize all ten fingerings thruout the cycle. You want to start with a different fingering every time you start the cycle as to not get in the habit of starting with the same fingering every time. Remember, we don’t want our fingerings to think for themselves by getting into habits but become little “Musical Ser-vants” who do as we wish at any given command they receive.

Alrighty folks, that about wraps it up. you have your work cut out for you so have at it!! Until next month . . . “Who Dares Wins”!

© 2013 Toshi Iseda


SXSW with Phil X & The Drills

What could sum up an experience where mass musical chaos is the norm and the out of ordinary, is solitude? It would

seem that Austin, Texas has harnessed a musi-cal scene that rivals the glory days of the Sunset Strip & before that, the New York City, CBGB scene.

I was invited by guitar master, Phil X to come out & help out with their last minute gig. Phil has been noted as guitarist for Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, Tommy Lee, Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clark-son & so many more. He just might be the most sought after guitarist.

He would be speaking on a panel along side his long time friend, Dustin Jack. They both helped create one of the most watched guitar channels on the internet with approximately 36 million viewers. Fretted Americana has shown the power of social media. They are not shy about sharing their story & making it clear that with hard work, anybody can achieve the same status.

We had a small group of people that consisted of Phil X, bassist for The Drills, Daniel Spriewald (Dan Spri), production assistant & Dustin’s girl-friend, Maria Renteria, master drummer, Kenny Aronoff & myself serving as a bit of everything. I am not only writing & soon to be recording with Phil, in this case I am helping in any way I can to insure the show runs smoothly.

During our stay I found that music had been separated into two categories, good & bad. There weren’t any visible boundaries between genres. Musicians on the street playing jazz, country, rock & classical mixed in with rappers & metal.

The crowds were responsive & cheered, danced & truly appreciated the talents presented to them. This was a true musical paradise.

Phil X & The Drills were slated to play at Headhunters Saturday night. This was to go disputed by every obstacle that could be thrown their way. Their drummer couldn’t make it & at the last minute, Kenny Aronoff stepped up & the trio was complete. This was to be topped with the loss of back line gear. The Kings of Leon ended up with their gear & all was not right in the world of rock. Calls were made, strings pulled & down to the wire, with Phil himself pushing a Marshall half stack past the crazed crowd & getting a bass rig together, the show would happen.

We get to the venue, load in & await the arrival of Kenny who’s finishing off his show with John Fo-gerty. Kenny made it clear that going from play-ing 8-10 thousand people to a small club was fine because he loved everything Phil played & not one note was ever wasted. He said that he wouldn’t change it for the world.

We caught the last of Andrew WK’s show & we all hung out while the next band loaded in & played their set. There were a lot of great con-versations, laughs & fans interacting.

When it was time to hit the stage it went off without a hitch. They had an almost empty room to start with. It was amazing to see people fill the place within 2-4 song span. They came in & partied their guts out & were very responsive. It was an all out arena show in a club.

Sunday we delivered the backbone gear back to the owners & had brunch. We met up with the other part of our group & walked over a cool district that was like a flee market. There were bands playing & food venders as well as various stores.

We sat down at a small place & made quick friends with a dog that seemed to “sing along” with Dan & of course, Phil & I encouraged it. This drew more attention than the guy playing. Phil received a text during this time asking for us to come out to a party. It was a true Texan gather-ing with food, drinks & music on a ranch. We had an hour & a half before it was time to head for the airport. We looked at one another & said we could make it work...maybe get a quick jam in there.

We take a 15 minute drive to our destination &

arrive at Red Horse Ranch Recording Studio. Yes, it is a ranch, but the “barn” is actually a very cool recording studio. There were people I recognized in the industry as well as people I didn’t know. We were greeted by session & live musician, Stevie Salas. We found our way to drinks and mingling. A group of guys started playing music & it was cool to have live entertainment & people were singing along.

I heard somebody being announced on drums & it was The Stooges drummer, Scott Asheton! Then Michael Des Barres, is talking to Phil & Stevie about jamming and going over changes with Dan. Ten minutes pass and Jimmy Q and Harper Quill (ranch & studio owners) have set everything up and we head into the open barn studio. With Phil on guitar, Michael on guitar & lead vocals backed by Dan on bass and an interesting surprise, Stevie on drums, they im-mediately break into song & the mood quickly changes from laid back to wild party. They are into the second song & people are on their feet & Michael really is working the crowd like it’s 50,000 people & the rest of the band is filling the electric vibe and it shows. We hit the chorus of, “Bang a Gong” and Jimmy has waved me over he and I are now backing them on vocals. The party was turned into a rocking concert right on spot. The three song set, with impromptu gui-tar solos lasted a good 17 minutes and we said our goodbyes that quick and ran off to the hotel.

Phil was receiving text after text asking where we went and we all joked about how we show up, kick ass and leave. We went our separate ways and without question can easily say that this was the most, on the fly, crazy ass kicking fun packed into a few days. Everybody was amazing and the professional courtesy was outstanding. The randomness was packed with great memories and laughs that are still lingering. As a musician & fan, I am truly thankful to have lived this.

(Check out Rock N Roll Indus-tries Facebook & YouTube pages for the Phil X & The Drills video that will give you that behind the scenes to go with this story)

-Arthur Gonzalez

On March 6th, 2013, the 4th Annual LA Com-edy awards event took place in Hollywood

at the M Bar. The night was magical, filled with memorable performances and guest appear-ances by some of Hollywood’s most influential figures. With legendary comic personality Frazer Smith hosting the event, the show proved to be the best production in the brief history of this unique program. Comedians who have appeared onnational television programs like Leno, Conan O’Brien, HBO, Showtime and Comedy Central graced the stage with their talents, with each of them receiving an award for their achievements in the commercial marketplace for comedy. A total of 11 comics performed during the 2hour show, with a special appearance by Bob Mills. Mills presented a retro video presentation from 1987 that featured a clip of Ronald Reagan ap-

pearing on stage with Bob Hope at a military base in front of 10,000 troops. The event featured 20 feet of red carpet and had the usual compliment of free loaders trying to worm their way onto it to get in front of the press. Some of the invited guests to the event included Kat Kramer, White House pianist David Osborne, Hollywood “It Girl” Dustin Quick, multiple award winning musician Lisa Panagos, and a slew of other luminaries from film, television and music. Planning is already underway for the 5th Annual LA Comedy Awards scheduled for early March 2014. This is event is now officially recognized as the closing ceremony to awards show season in Hollywood. For more on the LA Comedy Awards, go to www.lacomedyawards.com Daniel Hicks

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Mud’n MusicMud’n MusicMud’n Music


The title and appropriate name for a night of mayhem in Southern California’s Inland Empire. The first ever Mud ‘n Music went down at Stinger’s Night Club, and Rock N Roll Industries was there as a sponsor and to capture all of the dirty decadence.There was a little something for everyone; local music, ladies in mud, and good times for all. If you missed it don’t feel too bad, it has been promised that there will be more coming from Mr. Dirty D. Here is a quick rundown of what went down and what is to come.“I wanted to throw a show with some of the best bands here in the IE (Inland Empire), and I thought it would be wild to have some ladies mud wrestling; create a fun party vibe for an evening,” this from the creator of the event, Mr. Dirty D. You can hear him nightly on X103.9 doing what he does best; sharing the music and the party with the masses. “I think anytime you bring good talent together that are pas-sionate about what they do and they put all there effort into their performance, the music, promoting...it creates more awareness of local talent and their music,” and that was the recipe that made this event such a success.Dirty D also explained why the chemistry of the event was so perfect, “I have done stuff with all these bands, SANGRE I have played on my metal show “Xtreme X on X1039” for over 10 years. Jeff from “As You Were” I’ve always been a fan of him. He has been in many bands, great front man! One Hundred Proof is just straight Wicked Awesome! Assuming we Survive has a great energy, Grieve for Tomorrow rocks! Low Life Music is doing something different, I like that about them, J King does a great job mixes the rock and beats together. And Lost Cause is coming back. They have a great sound, rock with punk and a tall ass singer who always has his shades on!” All the bands that played are local and at the top of their game. As a music fan I would check any-one of them out and recommend them all as bands to see.Dirty D has been in the scene for a while now and he has seen changes. He had this to say, “There’s a lot of good local talent out here, but ya’ gotta work hard, bands gotta be about the music, there fans, social media, always promoting what they do.”Two very different bands but ones that stuck out in the night were As You Were (a rock band with Pop and Metal influences) and SANGRE (pure Metal). Let’s see what they had to say about the night.“I am Jeff Zazueta and I’m the singer of the band As You Were. We are a modern rock “lower case metal” band out of So Cal. (Inland Empire). If Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet for my Valentine, and Breaking Benjamin had a one night stand with Hinder and Nickelback, we would be the illegiti-mate child of that love fest”. Jeff also went on to say, “Mud n music was a concept created by Daryl “Dirty D” James. And a brilliant concept I

might add! Daryl is a guy

who has a passion for music and a love for pushing the limits on the concept of sex, drugs and rock n roll, and he certainly didn’t fall short of his reputation with this one. I’ve known Daryl a long time and he is one of the best and most talented radio personalities I’ve had the privilege of working with. He took a handful of some of the best local talent knowing that there would be a lot of girls at this type of show already(70% women make up As You Were’s fan base alone) and he combined it with women’s mud wrestling to add to the already amazing

musical lineup. He’s very involved in the local scene. So he really knows who’s who and what’s what when it comes to the talent in our local music scene. And he hit the nail on the head with this one cause it was a big success!! I’m proud to say we were one of the first bands he thought of to do this event, and I was honored to be a part of it...it opens so many doors and brings together bands like As You Were, venues, the radio station, vendors and more to create more than just your typical music show for the fans. And Stinger’s is a big venue with all the amenities to put on such a great event like this. So it really worked out well.”SANGRE, a hard core metal band also took the stage at Mud ‘n Music, giving the fans some in your face metal ear candy. This band appeals to true metal fans. Lead singer Henry Sanchez had the following to say, “My name is Henry Sanchez and I’m the vocalist, manager, and booking agent of the metal band Sangre. I think the event definitely had an impact on our scene, it woke people up and showed them that there is a music scene out here. The reason I say that is because I’m pretty sure a lot of the crowd who was there at the show were new faces. A lot of people I’ve never seen at a local show and I think the advertising and promotion online and on X103.9 were a huge help in getting people out to the show. For us it was definitely not our typical “metal” crowd but we made new fans and definitely turned some people on to our brand of metal. It was cool to play a show with so many different

diverse styles of music, and the mud wres-tling/half naked chicks tied the whole show

together haha!”As you can see the bands and fans alike came

out for something new, not just a show, but an experience. All the bands that played came out in support of the scene and with the diversity of the bands, fans had a chance to see something

new to them. The bands made new fans and fans got a chance to see a little bit of every-thing; Rock, Metal, Hip-Hop, etcetera. Name

your poison and you got it at Mud ‘n Music.By: Melissa Anderson

Photo Credits Top to Bottom: “TOP” As You Were“LEFT” Grieve 4 Tomorrow singer T Rev“RIGHT” 100 Proof Eric Estrada“LEFT” lost cause“RIGHT” As You Were Jeff Zazueta“LEFT” Low Life Music singer Jeff J King “RIGHT” SANGRE singer Henry Sanchez “LEFT” 100 Proof Jimi Estrada“RIGHT” Assuming We Survive Adrian Estrella“Bottom Right” Dirty D with winner Shannon Reeder

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Stonebreed’s Cd Release Show

Southern Hard Rock sound based out of Hollywood, CA, Stonebreed is: Carlos Cruz-Vocals, Steve Samp-son-Guitars, Dave Eggers-Guitars, Don Boads-Bass, and Chris Torrey on Drums. On Feb 23 they had their album release show at the House of Blues on Sunset. With performances by: MAD TEMPLE, THRASHYR, HESTYN, HOTEL DIABLO, and STONEBREED them-selves, packing the house upstairs and downstairs. The crowd left pleased by the end of the night as all

performances were top notch. Stonebreed came out all smiles, pleased at their crowd results. Shredding, sing-ing, and head banging all-together spreading the vibe from member to member, to the crowd. Great band to watch live, connect with on stage as well as offstage.

To hear their music visit:

www.stonebreed.com

“Raiding the Rock Vault” started out as an idea of music producer, David Kershenbaum, Sir Harry Cowell and John Payne, singer/bassist for Asia. Originally, it was going to be called, “Rock Vault: The Greatest Set List Ever”. It would be a history of rock n’ roll with songs played by some of the best musicians in the music business, focusing on hits from the 60’s through the early 90’s. After a couple of years of brainstorming, they arrived at the final edit of the show and found some pretty stellar musicians to pull it off. The first show, in Los Angeles at the Mayan Theatre on Nov 29th 2012, was such a hit they decided to bring this epic show to The LVH in fabulous Las Vegas, signing a contract for one year, to start! The impressive line up for the Ve-gas show grace the stage that ELVIS once called

“home” and certainly keep the entertainment tradition alive with the following artists: How-ard Leese (Heart, The Paul Rodgers Band, Bad Com-pany) Tracii Guns (LA Guns, Guns n’ Roses) Jay Schellen (Badfinger, Hurricane, Asia) John Payne (Asia, Roger Dal-trey) Andrew Freeman (Lynch Mob, The Offspring) Michael T. Ross (Lita Ford, Hardline,

Angel) Robin McAuley (MSG, Survivor) Paul Shortino (Rough Cutt, Quiet Riot) along with a host of special guest singers that will perform for about 2-3 weeks each. The first special guest was Bobby Kimball from Toto and at present, they have Joe Lynn Turner from Deep Purple and Rainbow singing now until April 17th.The show (from start to finish) is a feast of the eyes and ears! It takes you along on a journey of the history of rock n’ roll from the 50’s blues all the way to the 80’s and 90’s era’s of glam rock and hair metal. Narrated by our hippie buddy, Nash, who goes from bell bottoms to a turtle neck wearing yuppie in a 20 year time period, this show displays how music affects our lives every day and how a song can represent a mo-ment in time.

The stunning light show and entire stage design was created by renowned set and light designer, Paul Dexter, who has done incredible work with the likes of Dio and Ozzy. With lasers and an ethereal light show, along with imagery from Hendrix at Woodstock to Van Halen, this show will bring back memories, as well as goose-bumps, complete with our favorite songs and images from our past. Performances include, Paul Shortino singing “Light My Fire”, John Payne and Robin McAuley singing a “Stairway to Heaven”, John Payne tearing up “Watch Tower”, Andrew Freeman and Robin McAuley singing “Armegeddon It” and many more classics. It’s a two hour, non-stop, performance that will send you straight to rock n roll heaven! The musicians, flawless! The lightshow, colorful and powerful! “Raiding the Rock Vault” will leave you wanting to come back for more and more is definitely what you’ll get, as this show will have different talent, as the year goes by. You see it once and you will want to see it again and again! Running nightly from 9-11pm, dark Fridays at the LVH (formerly, The Las Vegas Hilton Resort & Casino) For tickets go to: http://www.raidingth-erockvault.com/

Tattoo Nation:

8.5 out of 10 rating

You can’t go wrong with a documentary that shows how awesome South Cali and the tattoo world is. The entire audience was completely engaged in the film, from the beginnings of the art form when inmates used guitar strings as needles, to the piers of Long Beach where sailors got fresh ink, to the world stage, where

tattooing is an international cultural phenomenon. Tattoo godfathers Jack Rudy, Freddy Negrete, and “Good Time” Charlie Cartwright are your tour guides on this beautiful, rebellious, and often dangerous ride through the streets and storefronts of Tattoo Nation. This story will forever be inked in your memory! Don’t miss it. -Raquel Figlo

Lords of Salem

9 out of 10 rating

Lords of Salem is different from any other Rob Zombie movie. If you’re looking for an exciting slasher film like The Devil’s Rejects, you’re in for one disturbing detour into a maze of mental torment. Never have Zombie’s characters looked so terrifying and morbid. Nothing compares to the cold ache that will fester in the pit of your stomach, as the Yeti-like monster patiently stares at Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), its eyes fixed on her possessed human shell with an intrusive, soul-piercing gaze. The suspense almost made me regurgitate my stomach’s empty contents as its baseball-mitt sized claws waited at its side in serene confidence.

This movie will make you extremely uncomfortable. Constantly. People die, but the nature of tragedy is often ambiguous, leaving the details up to you your own feeble mind. Never is this more chilling than the mass female suicide at the movie’s end. You see the

bodies packed on top of one another in a heaping pile of mortality, but never do you see the actual moment of death. You just know it is the doomed result of their inherited curse. See the movie and you’ll know exactly what I mean.

This movie left me with two things: 1) an undying need to buy the spine chilling sound track, so well produced by John 5 from Rob Zombie’s band 2) Terrible certainty that Rob Zombie is one twisted motherfucker. -Raquel Figlo

Raiding the Rock Vault: The History of Rock n’ Roll

At the LVH, Las Vegas, NVBy: Leah Burlington


Welcome! I guess my first order of business would be to tell you all a little about myself, my love for guitar effects and how it all got started!? I got my first guitar at 17 and was immediately drawn to the store ef-fects counter, as I stared through the glass at the many boxes all marked with different names on them some I understood others I was not so sure about. After using the BOSS Delay and Chorus pedals they had at the store, I knew I must have them and I have been a loyal BOSS user now for 25 plus years. Though some of my pedals have changed, there is always a BOSS hidden somewhere in my rig! Ever since then, I have been on the 25 year search for the best and coolest effects out there. So, I thought I would highlight some of the things I saw at this years 2013 NAMM show in Anahiem,CA enjoy!

First mention this year goes to BOSS for the three new effects units they were demo-ing at this years show. An industry standard used by almost everyone who has ever used any effects for guitar. BOSS has been a forerunner in creative and easy to use guitar stomp boxes since the release of the OD-1in 1977! This year’s special releases were the DA-2, Adaptive Distortion Pedal. The MO-2 Multi Overtone Mutli Dimensional tone genera-tor and the TE-2 Tera Echo Delay pedal...

These three pedals are the product of years of research and develop-ment and employ. Boss’ newest technology Multi Dimensional Proccessing (MDP) which analyzes audio signals in many different ways and applies the right effect to each one in that signal! So, by allowing dynamic changes to your signal in real time, MDP helps the player create amazing new tones never before heard with such an amazing and highly sought after collection of tones that you’ll wonder how you ever played without them before.

First the DA-2, this pedal is pretty amazing I have to admit. This new technology that BOSS has going is something else. This unit basically takes the MDP processing and applies it to the distortion tones you set, so that no matter where you are playing on the neck the tone is pretty much perfect for whatever you are trying to achieve. Now, this pedal also works in REAL TIME as well so that every note you play is heard clearly and best of all musically!!! A great thing about his baby as well is that it is quiet! Not a lot of back-ground noise and lots of tone...SOLD! A great addition to any pedal set up!

Next we have the MO-2, man this pedal is fantastic! It creates a world of tones that are never really pos-sible without a ton of pedals at your feet. A brilliant sound-ing unit with three different modes all of which help you, the player, create and unleash some of the most original sounds you will hear in a while. It is a creative and slick way to shape shift your playing into the sonic landscapes you always heard, but couldn’t quite achieve!!!!

Last we got the new TE-2 Terra Echo. Again this unit uses the MDP technology BOSS just came out with. It can create rich and spacious delays as well as ambient effects. Both a delay and a reverb unit in one this little pedal has a lot going on under the hood! It uses either mono or stereo 1/4’’ jacks for ultra responsive dynamic capa-bilities when playing live or in the studio. There is a FREEZE function; which allows the user to hold certain ambient tones during a solo or dur-

ing certain parts of a song. This unit is the 100th pedal in the BOSS line of effect, so it has a lot to live up to and it delivers!

Now for the coolest part of these three pedals, they are all designed to work with each other!! Using all three combined helps the user cre-ate an arsenal of tones unlike any-thing they got in their line up now. I was impressed with these units and recommend them to players at any level for live or studio use. For more information on BOSS effects pedals go their website: www.bossus.comcheck out their videos on YouTube @ BOSSchannel! Enjoy!

I will be reviewing more effects as I get to try them here at home! When testing effects I use Black Devil Custom guitars through a Maven Peal Zeeta .5-50, Mesa Boogie Reverb Rocket or I will plug directly into my Fractal Audio Axe Effects and bypass the effects on the unit using any one of the amazing ampli-fiers they have in there! For anyone who is thinking about guitar effects in their rig remember this, there are A LOT of great effects out there and many ways to go about adding them to your rig, the best way is the one that works for you!

Til the next time...play like no one else is around all the time!

Guitar Effects Review By - Wolf Navarro


When you think of Sullen clothing what do you think of? Art? Tattoos? Counter culture? Lifestyle? Some of the sickest, well known brands have been born and raised right out of the righteous waves of “The OC!” Volcom, Oakley, Fox, and Sullen. When you think of Sullen, do you think of record label? Bands? Metal? Hip hop? Probably not, but all that is about to change. I recently got schooled on Sullen Musik 101, and why it is going to blow up this summer and change the way we think about the music industry. Sullen has become more than a clothing company. It’s a way of life. After years of marking their territory as a lifestyle brand, Sullen has branched out and made quite a ruckus with Sullen Musik, the new wild child of the Sullen family!

Co-founder Jeremy Hanna’s decade-long run as marketing director has put him in touch with a global network of musicians, who are drawn to the brand’s commitment to TRUE ART. “The art we feature on our apparel is all original, from some of the best artists in the contemporary tattoo, urban and fine art scenes,” says Jeremy. “TRUE ART is all about the respect we have for artists and how the brand presents their work on our apparel.” Jeremy brought on board Sullen’s longtime PR Director Chris Egger, whose background also includes major stints in event production and artist management. For additional expertise and vision, Hanna recruited Mike DeArmond, founder of Eulita Music Group. Add to that mix some creative input and counsel from Sullen co-founder Ryan Smith, songwriting legend and top indie producer Ronnie King, and singer-songwriter Andy Vargas (singer for Carlos Santana Band), and you have Sullen Musik. Pretty sick team indeed!

This new avenue Sullen is taking with Sullen Musik is not surprising because many bands like Cypress Hill have been wearing Sullen clothing for as long as it has been around. “Sullen Musik is an independent music label focused on incubating and launching up and coming talent aligned with the lifestyle established by Sullen Clothing,” says Hanna. Music has always played a major role in the Sullen culture, making the formation of an independent label the next

step in the evolution of the Sullen Family of brands. Sullen Musik stands alongside Sullen Clothing, the Sullen Art Collective, Sullen TV, and the Sullen Angels.

What makes Sullen Musik different from other record labels?

The Sullen brand has a presence in 46 countries and on every continent, with a rapidly growing international following. “We are a dominant force in the tattoo culture,” says Jeremy Hanna, “so we are aligned with a global community that gravitates to our brand through a mutual interest. This community gives us a great audience to launch and incubate talent.” Jeremy’s goal is to make Sullen Musik an independent voice for counter culture, where bands can get the grassroots exposure and business support they need to reach a bigger audience. As it develops, Hanna wants Sullen Musik to be “less dominated by the Sullen Clothing brand, and more of a reflection of it.”

Mike DeArmond adds that “Sullen Musik is an artist friendly initiative (that seeks to) create a support structure for the bands that have already gravitated to the brand, and build some creditability through a strong roster of talent.” DeArmond’s vision is to create a global audience that identifies Sullen Musik as fresh and relevant, that reflects their taste in music. Having spent a few years working at a couple major labels, DeArmond brings a lot of practical experience to the table. He also had the benefit of watching his aunt and uncle build Interscope when he was growing up. “Sullen Musik is on the cutting edge of the new model of music distribution and marketing,” says DeArmond. “The digital age has made the world a much friendlier place for getting music to a global stage. Sullen’s brand identity brings a worldwide audience with it. That’s an invaluable asset. Sullen Musik is an independent platform I’m proud to be a partner with.”

A longtime fan of school punk rock from labels like SST, Epitaph, and Dischord, Chris Egger is confident that Sullen Musik has the resources and know-how to make the brand spread like wildfire. “We’re not that DIY like those labels were in their early days,” says Egger. “We

Sullen Musik-A New Outlet of Artistic ExpressionChris Egger, Jeremy Hanna and Mike DeArmond

Among artists with a keen DIY sensibility in getting their music out to the masses, the green-haired ball of energy that is Matt Toka is a definite force to con-tend with. Having done Warped Tour, and opened for a number of acts that included Breathe Carolina and The All-American Rejects as of late, Toka has built quite a following with his catchy songwriting, magnetic personality, and prowess with a sharpie, he will draw you in. Suffice to say, it was a pleasure having met the man, and to have caught his set at the Fox Theatre.

How would you describe your music?I would say my music has pop/punk roots, and it sounds fucking awesome. Aaand. . . I bet you if you listen long enough, you will get a tingling sensation down South.

With the video for “Get Money,” how long did it take to do, and how many drawings did it take to put it together?Definitely over a thousand, under two thousand, somewhere in that range. I think it took about 200 hrs and 11 days.

Where the heck do you get your ideas from?I don’t know. [Laughs] You know, I started doing dick drawings dur-ing Warped Tour. I was getting bored. I was off tour, and I knew I wanted to animate something for “Get Money.” You know how in “Get Money” it has that [Mimics the opening sounds to the song].

For whatever reasons in my sick fucking head, I pictured a ball sack hitting me in the face. Ums, the point in that is, that the world is surrounded with dicks. There are dicks all around us. Basically the music video is of me ridding the world of dicks, and there is world peace at the end.

While on tour, do you keep a sketchbook around?Usually I just bring regular printer paper. With Warped Tour, I didn’t have paper. So I was just using sharpies and the back of my posters, because I didn‘t have anything else to draw on. That was kind of how it started. I liked how it looked with the markers. I’ve upgraded from the back of my Warped Tour posters to my printer paper. . .

Any formal training?No, not really. As a kid I drew a lot. I watched Disney movies. I actually kind of wanted to be an animator as a little kid. I discov-ered music, and got obsessed with that. I used to draw all the time before I had a guitar. I com-pletely just stopped drawing for years and years, and then just literally picked it up this summer. It’s therapeutic. I like it.

Of the touring you‘ve done, what is your most favorite of tour stops thus far?I like Missouri a lot. I like the landscape. I like the people. Beer is cheap. Texas is really cool, and so is Florida. So I would say Missouri, Texas. . .and Florida. [Laughs]

http://matttoka.com -Lan Nguyen


do have a rock solid international distribution pipeline and global identity established, but we are about building a grassroots scene, and giving our family of artists a platform to release music with some strategic marketing support. We all have high aspirations and a lot of respect for what Epitaph and even Interscope accomplished in terms of keeping some Independent creditability while working on major releases.”

It’s not doubt that Sullen Musik has an incredible amount of experience and strategy, a real method to its madness! So who are the bands on the Sullen Musik roster? Let’s begin with Andy Vargas.

Andy Vargas is a vocal talent and songwriter who is best known as the lead singer of The Carlos Santana Band. A man of great heart, soul, and infinite creativity, Andy is also known for his love for art, tattoos, and ink culture. While maintaining a fulltime and primary commitment to his work with Santana, he is also starting to produce new hits in a solo collaboration project with Sullen Musik. The first track from this effort was “Behind the Lines,” produced for Sullen Musik Vol. 1 compilation and performed with LA’s One Tribe Nation. “Andy’s a true artist, working in the vocal medium, and he brings amazing energy,” says Chris Egger. “As we started collaborating more, hanging out, it became clear that he had a role to play in what we were building.” As part of the collaborative process, Andy teamed with Sullen Musik’s in-house video team at Sullen TV, with plans in the works for an EP slated for Fall/Winter 2013.

Now for a change of pace, let’s move on to The Slow Forward, a thrashing four piece of heavy metal thunder from Fullerton, CA. “We were getting a lot of metal and punk submissions at the time,” says Hanna, “but nothing grabbed us like The Slow Forward tracks (Filthy Little Secrets and Pecan Lies). I knew they would be a fit for what we were doing on the compilation.”

When Sullen started working with The Slow Forward, it turned out they had been in the studio for nearly a year with a full album ready to go. “It was perfect timing,” adds Chris Egger. “When they told us they had an LP in the works, we got interested quick.” Released in July 2012,

Sullen Musik’s first LP came from The Slow Forward. Titled “When We Are All” the label’s intentionally made this sonic onslaught their first official artist release to send the world a message. Hitting on Sullen’s TRUE ART, the 12 song LP plays unleashes a storm of uncompromising, in your face, and even melodic metal. “They have a sound that’s hard to pin down. It has layers,” says Egger. The album is tied together by a captivating narrative, story-telling quality in a dynamic tapestry of energy, expression, and creativity “When We Are All” is available now on iTunes, Amazon, and across the digital spectrum.

Another all-star on the Sullen team is Low Life Music, a fusion of West Coast punk rock and hip hop roots. Their debut album “Paychecks and Pocket Change” will be Sullen Musik’s first release of 2013. The 12-song LP is best described as a mission statement from the Southern California underground. From the opening punch of “Not Alone Anymore” to the soulful reflections of “Coming Home to You,” “Paychecks and Pocket Change” draws its inspiration from a core Southern California counter culture seeking its voice. Low Life Music’s down-to-earth narratives come straight from the beach towns of Orange County, the suburban homes of the Inland Empire, and the 24/7 beast that is Los Angeles. Delivered in smooth raps and gripping melodies, Low Life Music reflects on the highs and lows of life, love and staying true to your dreams, and getting by on good ole’ Paychecks and Pocket Change. “Low Life really put some time into this album, and worked with some great producers to bring it home,” says Chris Egger. “You know you can get behind an LP release when you see more than a few potential singles, and have a band that rocks a live show.” Low Life Music is - Dan (Bass/Vocals); Dj Souless; J-King (MC); Joe Brodii (Guitar/Vocals); Kenny Split (Drums). Produced by Jim Perkins and Craig Nepp, you can find the album on iTunes, Amazon and across the digital spectrum.

Now on to 100 Proof, a band I recently ran into when I was a guest on Brealtv’s “The O’ Brown Show” 100 Proof was on the show too. 100 Proof is a dynamic 5-piece that

blends hardcore, hip hop, alternative rock, and classic blues. Founded two years ago in Redlands, CA, this Southern California band has built an incredibly loyal fan base and local radio presence. Their dedication to building a network of bands and collaborators has made an incredible impact on the local music scene, from their home base in the Inland Empire to Orange County and Los Angeles. Each member of the band brings their own creativity to the writing process, making for a unique blend of rock and hip hop. Combining wah-wah pedal guitar solos and blues-based harmonica with driving, funky hard rock rhythms and hip hop breaks, 100 Proof rocks a decidedly original sound. Keep a look out for 100 Proof’s second EP, set to drop this summer with Sullen Musik.

After the O’ Brown show, I kept in touch with Eric Estrada, a.k.a Double E., who is pretty stoked to be a part of Sullen Musik.“I love the fact that we are surrounded by incredible artists other than just musicians. There are so many talented people in the Sullen Family and we are honored to be a part of that! There are so many different arts/artists collaborating at all times and that’s a beautiful thing!” Eric is excited to be with a label that the band feels has faith in them and their sound. “With Sullen, we get that connection and more, which makes it easier for us to do what we need to do as a band, and that’s to focus on music!” Jeremy Hanna reciprocates the love. “The relationship with 100 Proof is as organic as it gets,” he says. “They were wearing Sullen and playing shows with other family bands. They make it hard not to notice them. If you ever meet these guys, their positive energy is contagious.”

Last but not least, Lords of Ruin is a straight forward hard rock band Featuring Members of Drown, SiX & Motor Gun Hotel. Their five song EP, “Life Is A War,” is full of driving beats and bone crushing riffs. Lords of Ruin is comprised of vocalist Lauren Boquette, formerly of the alt-metal act Drown, as well as Tattoo The Earth’s famous guitarist Jimmy Craig, bassist Travis Dunn, and drummer Eric Dilday. “It seems like everyone in the business knows Lauren,” says Jeremy Hanna. “He’s always been a driver in the

independent music scene. We got a chance to work together on a festival where they opened for Korn at the Orange County Fairgrounds, and started down that good old collaboration road. They were an early pick for Sullen Musik Vol. 1, and this EP is the next step.” The band emerged in 2010 out of Boquette’s former project, SiX, which had released three albums independently and toured for years. Lords of Ruin was an exciting new beginning for all its seasoned members, combining metal and punk rock influences for a fresh and dynamic sound. Released in March, the EP is available digitally at all of your favorite online stores.

What is awesome about Sullen Musik, and really stands out to me, is their openness to diversity and commitment to the brand. This art-driven apparel company went from selling T-shirts to becoming an international counter culture powerhouse of creative diversity. “Sullen Musik supports a variety of music genres by design,” says Mike DeArmond. “That’s what drew me to the project. Metal stands next to hip-hop, rock, punk, dub, reggae. It’s all good. Look at the track list for Sullen Musik Vol. 1, and you’ll see how diverse we are willing to get.” Sullen Musik is growing fast, and has created Sullen Musik Distribution (SMD) as an extension of the brand. This independent global platform provides a gateway to a world-wide network of distribution channels for the broad range of musical talent affiliated with the Sullen brand. With Lords of Ruin EP, “Life is a War,” as the first official release, SDM plans to put out several LPs and EPs with Sullen-affiliated bands in the coming months. Up next will be reggae-rock outfit Inhale’s “Nice N’ Ire,” which is slated for an April 2013 release. So what is next for Sullen Musik? It will be interesting to see what bands they add to their eclectic roster. If I were in a band, I would definitely try to get my music in the hands of Jeremy Hanna. Sullen Musik will be a force to be reckoned with, and might single-handedly change how the recording industry is run today!

For more information on Sullen Musik and to keep up with the bands mentioned in this article please visit www.sullenclothing.com.

By Raquel Figlo

Sullen Musik-A New Outlet of Artistic ExpressionAndy Vargas Slow Forward 100 Proof


THIS BUSINESS OF MUSIC Performing for the AudienceHey, Peeps! What’s going on? Thanks for tuning in!

This month I’d like to talk about the impor-tance of actually entertaining people while performing. I recently had the opportunity to hang out with my friend, Steve Vai, at his show in Nashville, TN. Boy, I was wonder-fully entertained by his musicianship and gui-tar playing, as well as his ability to entertain the spellbound audience. The show was great (and more than three hours long). The perfor-mance really stood out for me because I was able to secure a good spot in the audience and really take in the show.

I got quite an education on the importance of “performing” for the audience. Not just stand-ing there, playing great guitar that goes over the average person’s head, but really putting on a memorable show! I’ve seen many a kill-er guitarist that actually bored me to tears be-cause they simply, on an entertainment level, were NOT ENTERTAINING! Think about it, people. The entertainment aspect needs to be there, right? I mean, THAT IS (kind of) the point, isn’t it? You definitely want to entertain the audience with a well rounded assault to the senses. You must make your presence known not ONLY by the sound of your fingers flying over the fret board but by putting on some kind of visually stimulating show, too. What a concept! (LOL) Keep in mind that, as the one performing, you may even be enter-taining yourself by playing all the great licks that you worked SO hard on and that’s great! Have a good time with it! Just keep in mind that all your hard work could simply fly by the audience’s ear so if your goal is to hold their attention, you better come with more than just your shredder ability!!

I’ve attended many great “guitar hero” shows that, from a studious view, were very educating… Unfortunately, on an entertain-ment level, they left me sleepy and bored. Seriously, when’s the last time you saw an awesome guitarist in a small club and then, a few nights (or weeks) later, went and saw someone like Kiss or Metallica tear it up in a large arena? Of course, I’m speaking of fans of Hard Rock/Heavy Metal music. But seriously, how many times have you had this happen and just had a much more entertain-ing time at the Kiss concert? Or, have you ever wondered why Aerosmith is playing big stadiums while so-and-so, the awesomely great guitarist, is playing some shabby little hole-in-the-wall club getting paid $30.00 a night to play for 10 people?

Most of the time, it’s because so-and-so may be playing great guitar but is not “entertain-ing”. Listen, that’s what this business is about. That’s why it’s called the “Entertain-ment Industry” … because you’re supposed to entertain people! Again, I say… “What a concept!”

Something you may want to try doing is booking a gig at a local club and while you’re doing the show, have it all captured on video. Then, the next day, sit down with a few of your friends and see if you all find it entertaining. A couple days after the Vai show I watched his ‘Live at The Astoria’ DVD and found myself, once again, being very en-

tertained by his performance. When I asked Steve about performing, he commented that he had learned to “play to the people in the nosebleed section” when he was playing with David Lee Roth and Whitesnake. Something many of us may never get a chance to do is play/tour in large venues like the ones the Big Dogs played in during the eighties and early nineties. I say, just take his “advice” and really focus on playing to the guy all the way in the back of the bar/club.

There are different ways to keep the attention of your audience, as well. You don’t always have to perform stage antics and what-not. Check out the Rolling Stones, for example. Keith Richards and Ron Wood are not run-ning around the stage tossing their guitars around there necks like Yngwie Malmsteen. They just . . . look cool. They do, however, have a great light show and large big screen monitors. Now, most of us are not playing venues on that level nor can afford the cost of putting on a major scale production like that. So, in that case, you REALLY have to either be very “active” on stage or be creative when putting on a show.

My band has used large TV monitors (spread out on the stage) all playing the same sce-nario reflecting the instrumental music that we’re doing. Sometimes, we’ll even have all the screens playing different things just to portray multiple moods/feelings/scenarios. We also bring out our own lights and fog/smoke in addition to the house lights. This way we know that, whenever we perform, a certain mood will be reflected on stage (for certain songs) and if we’re using a house’s lighting guy, HOPEFULLY, he will understand the cues & basic rules of lighting, such as don’t have the lights up high or too bright dur-ing the ballads and so-forth. Depending on what kind of lights you get, it can get pretty expensive but it’s really well worth it. It’s a SHOW damn-it! Act like it. Or I should say “perform” like it.

What about posing? I know… you’re saying, “I’m not a freakin’ POSER!” Well, I once read an interview with Randy Rhoads where he spoke about Ozzy teaching him how to pose. “What? Randy Rhoads a poser? NO WAY!” What you do with yourself on stage, when you’re not moving around and such, matters. You want to keep in mind that people have cameras/phones in the audi-ence and take pictures while you’re up there performing. You don’t want to have a really goofy picture of yourself (looking all bored) possibly show up in a magazine, on the Internet, or ANYWHERE else, for that matter! So, when you’re not moving around . . . strike a pose. Hey, you think all those cool pictures of Joe Perry (Aerosmith) or Zakk Wylde are natural. Well, sometimes they are but I can pretty much guarantee that, most of the time, they’re striking poses and looking cool for the cameras. Think about it. It’s more pertinent than you think.

Okay, that about wraps it up for this month’s advice column. Keep sending those letters in with anything in the music industry you might want me to address or cover. I read all the mail so, by all means, don’t be shy!

See you next month!!!Toshi Iseda

“Sneak peek into The Diary of Tomahawk”Earlier this year I attended an exclusive industry party at Creative Realm Studios in Hollywood, were I met Johnny Royal, lead guitarist and founder of the American Industrial Rock band Black Lodge. After listening to their music, I was hooked, and had to know the story being their sound. Their debut album “The Diary of Tomahawk” will be released officially in 2014 as a deluxe compilation, but fans can enjoy them this summer as they tour the US! I got to sit down with Johnny Royal for a sneak peek of what’s to come from Black Lodge. Be on the lookout for the full length article in next issue. Black Lodge is: Johnny Royal: Lead Guitar, Gavin Reign: Vocals, Law Veritas: Guitar, Ventura XIII: Bass, Justin Greene: Drums

What can your fans expect with your upcoming tour? Will there be any surprises?Lots of surprises, especially when we play LA. We have a special guest playing with us. Overall, fans can expect a hard hitting set full of explosive energy. Are there any cities you are really excited to play? Looking forward to?We are definitely looking forward to Vegas, Kansas City and Salt Lake. We have a lot of friends in those markets and looking forward to reconnecting with them. What’s a typical day on the road?We’re always writing new songs so we will be writing a lot on the road. Some of the guys in the band are into the card game Magic so I’m sure they will be playing that. Nerds. (laughs)

How do you get prepared for a show?We pray to Spaceghost. (more laughs)

How did “The Diary of Tomahawk” come about?I’ve been a Freemason and a practicing occultist for a long time and when I put the band together I had a specific goal of conveying a path of working Magic into our music. I pulled a lot of inspiration from the Golden Dawn and the writings of Albert Pike into the symbolism of the record. I set out to tell a story that has multiple layers of meaning such, as being alone and abandoned in the world, empowering the human mind and spirit and exploring the unknown with a protagonist who I named Tomahawk which was based on the Blackfoot Indian mythology. What was the creative process behind “The Diary of Tomahawk”I demo all of the songs out and then Gavin and I start building from there. Then our producers Lee Miles and Jeordie White/Twiggy Ramirez really dig into them and draw out the core of what the song is trying to say into a lush sounds cape. We keep going until the fans in us of our kind of music are really resonating with what we are creating. What are you listening to on your iPod?Marilyn Manson, NIN, Bauhaus, The Misfits, Rob Zombie, The Church and The Cure.

Rock N Roll Industries will be sponsoring Black Lodge’s kick-off concert in Vegas on June 21st. Their music is a true experience. It is very modern, yet would be relevant in any era, regardless of trends. Keep an eye and ear out for Black Lodge at a city near you.For more information on Black Lodge visit their website at www.blacklodgeband.com and “like” them on Facebook.

By Raquel Figlo


What’s up guitar players? Horns up and welcome to another install-ment of Music with Michael G. !!!!!!!!!!!

First and foremost, NAMM show.... Wow! This year was simply put, amazing! So many new guitars, bass’s, amps, strings, picks, cases, damn... you name it, it’s the NAMM show! Over 96,000 people piling in the Anaheim convention center for four amazing days of demo’s with your favorite stars and the baddest gear on the planet. Concert’s with the baddest bands, for now on with the lesson....

Today we will be going over a song progression that goes E-A-B, or what’s commonly called a I-IV-V progression re-lating to the circle of 5th’s in music. The I being your E chord, the IV being your A, and the V being your B, this is a common blues progression, and a fairly easy one to play a solo to. Play each chord in a blues shuffle type of feel, you can make the song your own, that’s what music is about. Once you have the basic rhythm down, you can start to play the minor or major pentatonic scales for the key of E, any note on either of these scales will be in key at anytime you are soloing. Try to do the scale forward, then start it backwards, change the tempo, bend the strings, slide notes, and see how many different places you can play the same notes. This is always a great exercise to gain knowledge of the fretboard of your guitar. On the guitar you can play a middle C note in two places, where as on the piano, you can only play it in one place. Once you have the pattern down switch keys, and play the same progres-sion in the key of C. Then do it in the key of G, but keep playing the same pattern on the scales. This will build muscle memory in your arms and fingers that will become automatic over time. Now again with something that I get asked all the time about, “Should I practice, or just jam?” Even Steve Vai practices, actually he practices more than some people work (40 hours a week). Zakk practices, everyone does because that’s what it takes to become good on the guitar. So, till next time.... keep up the good work. Keep your head up and most of all keep your strings clean and your riffs mean.... Michael G out.

Getting Rocked with David FishofOn November 5, 2012 at Book Soup on the Sunset Strip, David Fishof, CEO and creator of the famous VH-1 television hit show Rock N Roll Fantasy Camp, was the guest speaker to promote his second book “Rock Your Business” in a special book signing event.

David Fishof spent a large part of his career working with top pro athletes along with his work in the music world and he is a true visionary for widely being considered to be the first to do so. In addition to many past accomplishments and prior to becoming the mastermind behind Rock N Roll Fantasy Camp (“Where Rock Dreams Become Reality”) while managing a host of world champion athletes, Fishof created the Monkees reunion in 1986, as well as the tour for Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band in 1988, which has gone on to be one of the most enduring and successful tours ever. His entrepreneurial spirit and techniques serve as great lessons for anyone that wants to live their dreams and pursue their passions.

Rock N Roll is much more than just sex, drugs and groupies - it’s a business – and, as one of the most innovative and creative entertainment producers in the world, Mr. Fishof shares his knowledge about the behind the scenes elements of rock and business itself.

Prior to the start of the event, I had the pleasure of sitting down with David and interviewing him while an admiring crowd patiently waited to hear him tell stories from his latest book.

Rock N Roll Industries: Tell me about “Rock Your Business.” What is it all about? David Fishof: In the book, I tell the story of why I created Rock N Roll Fantasy Camp and stories of my years as a sport agent. I wrote the book because I wanted to give people who had an idea, to take that idea and make it happen. So many people are walking around with these million dollar ideas and 30,000 of them are applying to Shark Tank. They want to know “how do I take this idea that I created and make it happen?” So I decided I wanted to take what I have done, lessons I have learned from Rock N Roll and share them.

Can you share some of those lessons with me? Fishof: If you have an idea and you want to know if it is worthwhile, then try to see if you can barter it. For example, I went to different radio stations and asked if they were interested in doing a promotion for Rock N Roll Fantasy Camp. If they said they were interested, then that was great. I went to instrument companies like Fender, Gibson, Roland and they all said “yes,” so I knew I had a good idea. Now when I produced Mortal Combat as a tour, I couldn’t find anyone to partner with me.

Everyone was afraid of the violence. I said, “Violence?” There is no violence in the show, but, truth is, it didn’t do well for me because I couldn’t find an audience that wanted to attend it. I did find a lot of kids, but their parents wouldn’t let them come because of the (perceived) violence. And it was hard to find corporate sponsors. The book shares a lot of success and some failures because you don’t get through anything in life without some failures.

Who is “Rock your Business” helping - the up-and-coming wannabe rock star or the future businessmen?Fishof: This book is not just about success stories by rock stars, but about how to be successful. Being in a band is

about learning to listen. You learn a lot about creativity. I talk about all the aspects of Rock

N Roll and the music industry. I talk about how to promote. Gene Simmons is a perfect example. He is a genius at promotions. People know him as a businessman. I said to him the other day when he was at the camp, “You’re incredible as a musician. People don’t even look at you that way.” As a producer, he has Simmons Records. His business shines. He said, “There are a lot of musicians out there, not a lot of businessmen.” You can learn a lot from Gene Simmons, U2 and The Dave Matthews Band. In my book, I show a lot of examples of what you can learn from various bands.

RNR: In your book, you also talk a lot about creativity. Why is it so important to you? Fishof: I really believe everybody has some kind of creativity inside of them, but so many people are blocked, and until you can find ways to get rid of that blockage and find freedom, it is hard to be creative. I talk about fear as well in the book and how people are fearful of taking an idea and going with it. I think the book will help people get over obstacles. I have no reason to not tell people the truth. I think sharing my stories will help people.

RNR: What can we be expecting from Rock N Roll Fantasy Camp in 2013? Fishof: Robert Daltrey will be coming back to the camp, as well as Dave Navarro. Steve Vai just signed on. Zakk Wylde will be returning. Sammy Hagar and the Wabos, Mike Portnoy and so many other great musicians are coming to the camp. Every day I am announcing new stars. I think that’s what makes the camp great. It’s not just that the fans love it; that the rockers love it, too. They love meeting the people. Robert Daltrey has been to the camp eight times. They wouldn’t be coming back to the camp if they didn’t love it! Nick Mason from Pink Floyd was supposed to come for two hours - he stayed for two days! Slash was to come in for a few hours and he stayed for ten! So it has been really amazing. I think it reminds these rockers what it was like when they just started and about the love of the music.I highly recommend every reader go out and pick up a copy of “Rock your Business” who knows you might be the next Gene Simmons-type businessman! In parting just before the book signing, David said, “Creativity is the key. You must not only be able to come up with ideas, but you must be able to execute them in order to succeed” (www.davidfishofpresents.com). -Raquel Figlo


Want to see your band here? Submit your digital press kit to [email protected] or mail one to the main office. (not all media will get reviewed)

Flotsam and JetsamThe mighty Flotsam and Jetsam returns with their 11th full length album Ugly Noise, if you cut your teeth on Doomsday for the Deceiver or No Place for Disgrace, you may be thrown off a bit, but in the name of all that is heavy, give this album a chance. Ugly Noise begins with a dark, dramatic intro to build anticipation for the metal storm ahead. The title track kicks off the record with machine-gun rhythm and a catchy chorus that has been running through our metal heads since the first time it was played on stations like Sirius Liquid Metal. Another stand-out is the second track, “GittyUp.” Don’t be fooled by its laughable title. Its gritty rock riff opening, over top a thrashing rhythm section, grabs your attention immediately, so you don’t miss its clever reference to Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s epic poem Rime of the Ancient Mariner (made famous centuries later by Iron Maiden). A melodic and dramatic lead section halfway through gives this song an artistic flavor that makes it unique. After starting off with strong momentum and some interesting guitar chords, the 7th track, “Rage,” becomes repetitive, only to lead into a generic chorus that makes for a predictable song. Not to worry though. Ugly Noise finishes strong with the aptly named “Machine Gun.” This tune is true metal thrashing mad, highlighted by a wicked guitar solo. It’s maniacal energy closes the album with a bang.Overall, I recommend Ugly Noise to any fan of heavy metal. It’s refreshing to see a band from the 80’s emerge with a fresh sound. Though not what you might expect from Flotsam and Jetsam you’ll be glad you gave it a spin. -Raquel Figlo

score 8 of 10

Genre(s): Thrash Metal

Label: Metal Blade Records

Band Members: Vocals: Eric ‘AK’ KnutsonGuitar: Edward CarlsonGuitar: Michael GilbertBass: Jason WardDrums: Kelly Smith

“A departure from old school Flotsam and

Jetsam that grows on you with each listen!”

The Fabulous Miss WendyNo One Can Stop Me is The Fabulous Miss Wendy’s most recent full length al-bum. Wendy wisely chose Kim Fowley to produce her sophomore album. Kim Fow-ley has written and produced many top 40 tunes for numerous artists who went on to become icons in the music industry. There is a marked difference between the first album and this current CD of TFMW’s as far as vocal style and quality and lyrical content. No One Can Stop Me, clearly showcases a glowing maturity in Wendy’s vocals. The improvement is quite apparent as she delivers a well blended balance to her intense guitar style in Violence. She easily demonstrates her mastery of the guitar in the punk-edged Silicon Assassin and again in the fast-paced Alice In Won-derland. The title track No One Can Stop Me allows Wendy’s ability to completely shred a guitar while delivering clearly articulated, spot on harmonies impecably.

The title track choice for this latest work of Wendy’s is sheer genius as it illustrates, without a doubt, that she can reach the next level with ease and confidence and no one can stop her as she climbs to the top.

Peggy Murphy

score 8.75 of 10

Genre(s): Rock/Guitar Rock/Punk

Label: None

Band Members: Wendy Jacobson – Vocals/GuitarCliff Retallick - Keyboards Mike Wolf - Bass Christian Alexander – DrumsSteve Darrow – Drums on Alice In WonderlandLil Kenny – Backup VocalsVersailles & Sylvie Spencer - Backup Vocals on Violence

CD Reviews


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Rust N’ RollMedley

The Official Music Video for “California Sun”, by The Slow Forward, the first single and music video fromt the album WHEN WE ARE ALL. Produced by SullenTV.Directed by : Andrew Barriga

GoodingHey Hey

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The Slow ForwardCalifornia Sun

Octane MobBed of Knives

Featured VideoSullen Musik presents The Slow Forward


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debut single:“Never Clean”

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