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David Ellefson Rejoins Megadeth |
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Written by Blabbermouth Unless Otherwise Indicated
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Tuesday, 09 February 2010 05:23 |
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MEGADETH founder and frontman Dave Mustaine has announced the return of original bassist David Ellefson (1983-2002) to the iconic multi-platinum group. This reunion is appropriately timed to MEGADETH's upcoming historic month-long "Rust In Peace" 20th anniversary tour which launches March 1 in Spokane, WA. At these incredibly special shows, MEGADETH will play their landmark, genre-defining 1990 album "Rust In Peace" in its entirety, in addition to other MEGADETH favorites.
"This shows the power of brotherly love and forgiveness," Mustaine says. "David Ellefson belongs in MEGADETH. Next we are going to show you the power of getting your asses kicked...HARD!"
David Ellefson concurs: "This is a huge moment for all of us, band and fans alike. It is a great celebration of the music from one of the biggest landmark albums of our career."
Ellefson will join Mustaine and MEGADETH band members Shawn Drover (drums) and Chris Broderick (guitar) on tour in support of the group's current CD, "Endgame", which has received some of the highest critical accolades of the band's career.
"We'd like to thank James Lomenzo for several years of loyal service on the bass, and wish him the very best," Mustaine adds.
Ellefson filed suit against Mustaine in 2004, claiming, among other things, breach of fiduciary obligation, libel and emotional distress.
Speaking to Cindy Scull of the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas radio station 97.1 The Eagle Rocks in September 2009, Dave Mustaine stated about Lomenzo's addition to MEGADETH, "When Junior [Ellefson] and I parted ways, I thought, well, even though I don't care for this guy anymore after suing me, I certainly know it's gonna be some big shoes to fill. . . And when James Lomenzo came in... I was comparing James MacDonough [Ellefson's initial replacement in MEGADETH] to Junior a lot, and it wasn't working. But when Lomenzo came in, he plays as good as Junior does, and he sings better, because Junior couldn't sing. James was part of that WHITE LION thing way back in the '80s, and he can sing, man — he can sing really good."
In a fall 2009 interview with Eddie Trunk's "Friday Night Rocks" radio show on New York's Q104.3 FM, Dave Mustaine was asked whether he and Ellefson have mended their differences. "Well, I forgave him, but I'll never play with him again," Mustaine replied. "I talked to him a little while ago about coming back and playing with us when I first took MEGADETH out of the ashes, and then there was a period after that where we discussed it again. It's just not right, [and] it'll never be right. The guy, his butt grew together when I called him Junior, and I'm thinking, 'What the hell is wrong with that?' If it's that nit-picky where you can't even call somebody a nickname he's had for 20 frickin' years, it's like, things have changed. I mean, like I said, he's a good bass player. I'm sure his band... whatever it's called... I think it's F5 or something. There's several F5s, though. So he's the one in the band without the girl singer. But I'm sure that if it's meant to be for him, he's gonna be successful again; if not, I know he's happy doing his thing [working as an as an artist relations representative] with Peavey [manufacturer of musical equipment, gear and accessories]. The bottom line is I still respect and appreciate what he did for me being the bass player in MEGADETH for so long. Although what he did to me was very, very hurtful — especially airing all of the stuff that happened, because a lot of the stuff wasn't true; some of it was true, and I made mistakes — I'm human; I make mistakes — and I made amends for it. But even still, having made amends, it didn't matter; I was still in this lawsuit [that Ellefson filed against Mustaine shortly after Mustaine announced that he was reforming MEGADETH with a new lineup]. And that was kind of hurtful. But the bottom line is I went out to Arizona and I met him, and I said, 'I forgive you.' When I became a Christian, I really, really [didn't wanna] be another one of these idiots that are Christians who walk around and they embarrass themselves. I don't tell people how to live their lives, I don't tell people, 'You need to go to church,' 'cause that's not my place; I've got enough wrong with me right now where I would be a complete hypocrite. But I did know that if I continued to hold on to that bitterness for him, who would be hurting? Me. Because [Ellefson] doesn't care if I forgive him or not. I mean, I'm sure it made him feel better, because when he lost, he lost a lot — he lost me, he lost the band, he lost a lot of fans, he lost a lot of money... He had to pay all my court costs and everything. But the bottom line, again, I forgave him. Now, does that mean we're gonna swap spit and Christmas cards and stuff like that? No." Buy Here |
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Dirty Looks Bassist Killed In A Bar Fight |
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Written by Blabbermouth Unless Otherwise Indicated
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Tuesday, 09 February 2010 05:19 |
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According to DIRTY LOOKS' official European web site, the band's bassist, Gregory Pianka, was killed in a bar stabbing on February 5.
Pianka joined DIRTY LOOKS in 2009 and was working on the group's upcoming CD, "I.C.U."
Millcreek police charged Joseph Lumsden Jr., 64, with criminal homicide and a number of other offenses, according to GoErie.com. Lumsden was arraigned before District Judge Paul Manzi, of Millcreek Township, and taken to the Erie County Prison, where he is being held without bail.
Police said Lumsden stabbed Gregory Pianka, 35, at the Hi & Dri Pub, 3077 West Ridge Road, at about 11:40 p.m. Friday. Pianka was taken to Hamot Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
For more information, visit GoErie.com. Buy Here |
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Slash To Guest On Myles Kennedy's Solo Album! |
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Written by Blabbermouth Unless Otherwise Indicated
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Tuesday, 09 February 2010 05:16 |
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VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash has contributed a guitar solo to the forthcoming solo album from ALTER BRIDGE frontman Myles Kennedy. "As always, he knocked it out of the park!" Myles states. "They don't call him one of the best guitarists of all time for nothing."
Slash recently announced via his MySpace page that he has tapped Kennedy as the lead singer for his upcoming solo tour, which will take place this spring following the release of Slash's self-titled solo debut. Slash wrote, "Myles sang a killer track on the record and I think he is by far one of the best rock and roll singers out there today. I'm really honored and proud to be working with him. I will announce the other band members shortly."
Slash's solo album is due out on April 6 and features a guest vocalist on every track, including Ozzy Osbourne, M. Shadows, Kid Rock, Chris Cornell, Dave Grohl, Fergie and others in addition to Kennedy.
Kennedy was the frontrunner to sing with a possible LED ZEPPELIN offshoot band in 2008, although that project ultimately never got off the ground. ALTER BRIDGE guitarist Mark Tremonti told The Pulse of Radio that he's not surprised that other artists are interested in working with Kennedy. "There's been a few people on his tail, you know, which makes me think that we made the, definitely the right decision on Myles in the first place," he said. "I think he's one of the most talented guys I've ever known."
Slash, meanwhile, added that the routing of his solo tour is underway, adding, "I want all my fans to follow me on Twitter and tell me what city/country they're from and to tell all their friends and family in that city/country, who are fans, to do the same. I want to get a really good idea on where my fans are, even the obvious major cities and focus the tour around that."
The former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist played a benefit to raise money for victims of the Haitian earthquake on Thursday night (February 4) in Los Angeles. Buy Here |
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High On Fire Announces US Tour |
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Written by Blabbermouth Unless Otherwise Indicated
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Tuesday, 09 February 2010 05:14 |
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Oakland, California-based power trio HIGH ON FIRE has premiered the eight-minute title track from its forthcoming album, "Snakes for the Divine", via SPIN.com. The song sees the band at the peak of its powers, injecting a progressive mien into its steamroller sound while guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike conjures symbols describing "venomous reptiles, night goats, ancient crimes and endless time."
When asked for comment on "Snakes for the Divine", Pike described the song as "A tale of the atmospheric union of alien crossbreeding with man's DNA and the creation of all Earth's religion by the reptilian agenda." He continued, "It will also kick your ass!"
HIGH ON FIRE has announced a spring U.S. headlining tour. The three-week trek will launch on March 31 in Minneapolis, Minnesota and will include support from PRIESTESS, BLACK COBRA and BISON B.C.
The dates are as follows:
Mar. 31 - Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club
Apr. 01 - Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon
Apr. 02 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall
Apr. 03 - Columbus, OH - Skully's Music Diner
Apr. 05 - Morgantown, WV - 123 Pleasant St
Apr. 06 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
Apr. 07 - Cambridge, MA - Middle East
Apr. 08 - Milford, CT - Daniel St
Apr. 09 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theater
Apr. 11 - Washington, DC - Black Cat
Apr. 13 - Charlotte, NC - Tremont Music Hall
Apr. 14 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
Apr. 15 - New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jack’s
Apr. 16 - Houston, TX - Walter’s on Washington
Apr. 17 - Austin, TX - Emo's
Apr. 18 - Dallas, TX - The Loft
Apr. 20 - Boulder, CO - Fox Theater
Apr. 22 - Tempe, AZ - Club House
Apr. 23 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre
Apr. 24 - Costa Mesa, CA - Detroit Bar
Apr. 25 - San Diego, CA - Casbah
"Snakes for the Divine" will be released on February 23 via E1 Music. The follow-up to 2007's "Death is This Communion" was recorded at The Pass Studios in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman and is described in a press release as "HIGH ON FIRE's magnum opus, capturing every nuance of the legendary band's ongoing musical progression and evolution into one of heavy music's all-time greats. Sharper, faster and darker than anything the group has ever recorded, 'Snakes for the Divine' is an unrelenting tour de force, showcasing cult guitar hero Matt Pike's utterly unique and inventive musicianship and the band's epic, thundering sound. Premium production by Fidelman — the man who produced SLAYER's 'World Painted Blood' and is mixing the upcoming METALLICA live album — boosts HIGH ON FIRE's strength and power while blackened lyrical tales of ancient wars, frozen planets and doomed societies emerge from Pike's bellowing barks and throaty war cries. From the moment the leviathan-like title track explodes to kick off the album, it is immediately evident that HIGH ON FIRE is determined to push modern heavy metal into new and uncharted realms."
"Snakes for the Divine" can be pre-ordered at iTunes now. The pre-order version will include two bonus tracks; a live version of "Blood from Zion" (a song from the band’s 2000 release, "The Art of Self Defense") recorded at the 2009 Bonnaroo music festival as well as a demo version of the new track "Fire, Flood & Plague". The new album will also be a part of Best Buy's "Find 'Em First" program and will be a specially priced at $7.99 for a limited time. The version will exclusively feature three extra bonus tracks, including the new song "Mystery of Helm" plus live versions of the HIGH ON FIRE favorites "Eyes and Teeth" and "Cometh Down Hessian".
"Snakes for the Divine" track listing:
01. Snakes for the Divine
02. Frost Hammer
03. Bastard Samurai
04. Ghost Neck
05. Fire, Flood & Plague
06. How Dark We Pray
07. Holy Flames of the Fire Spitter
08. Mystery of Helm
The "Snakes for the Divine" album artwork, which can be viewed below, was brought to life by longtime HIGH ON FIRE cover artist Arik Moonhawk Roper. Buy Here |
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Gilby Clarke To Have Second Surgery Following Hit and Run |
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Written by Blabbermouth Unless Otherwise Indicated
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Tuesday, 09 February 2010 05:11 |
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Former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Gilby Clarke is recovering at home from injuries he sustained in a hit-and-run accident on his motorcycle on January 10. He suffered three broken bones in his left foot/ankle and a broken bone in his right foot. He had his second surgery last week during which "they put in a rod, plate and lots of screws," he writes on his blog. He adds, "Everything is healing well; it's a good thing I was healthy going in. I had my check up on Friday [February 5] and they took off my cast and removed the staples. In a month I can start trying to walk. Once again, all the support from my friends has made the bad days good."
Former MTV "Headbangers Ball" host Riki Rachtman posted a message on Twitter last month asking people to contact him if they know anything about the accident.
According to Riki, the incident occurred at around 5 p.m. PT when Clarke was making his way through Sherman Oaks, California. "He was riding south on Woodman and at the intersection of Moorpark, some idiot turned left right in front of him," Rachtman explained. "Gilby hit the passenger side of the vehicle. The driver took off."
He added, "Here is what we know so far. [The vehicle was a pickup] truck, light color tan perhaps silver. There was a male driver and possibly a female passenger [who] could be Hispanic, but not sure. The truck looked fairly new and has damage on the passenger side."
Photo below courtesy of Street Chopper. Buy Here |
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