There is no question that Agnostic Front changed the face of New York City Hardcore forever, actually they were one of the first bands that helped shape up the scene over 25 years ago, and to this very day they have been the ambassador's of NYHC. While you may think that at this point of their careers, they are sitting back and relaxing, the reality is that when it comes to Hardcore music the bands never stop writing music, performing all over the world, and flying the Hardcore flag with pride and joy.
With the release of their new album "My Life, My Way", Agnostic Front have proven again that they are untouchable and have plenty of fuel left in their musical arsenal. The record delivers the bands signature sound with more of a Punk Rock feel then their previous albums. This actually happened very organically, and the band didn't go against it. Produced by Freddy Madball and engineered by Erik Rutan from Hate Eternal, the vibe of the album reminds of their legendary album "Victim In Pain".
“After all is said and done we are amazed on how great our new record turned out! It’s by far our catchiest record to date and it’s going to make everyone want to sing along for sure. Freddy killed it on the production end, just capturing that hardcore vibe that only he can get out of AGNOSTIC FRONT. The boys all put nothing but passion into the songs, and Erik Rutan just dialed it all in to make AGNOSTIC FRONT sound as natural and as organic as ever. This one will definitely be a classic once it’s heard worldwide!” - Roger Miret
Track listing:
1) City Street 2) More Than a Memory 3) Us Against the World 4) My Life My Way 5) That’s Life 6) Self Pride 7) Until the Day I Die 8) Now and Forever 9) The Sacrifice 10 A Mi Manera 11) Your Worst Enemy 12) Empty Dreams 13) Time Has Come
The band is currently gearing up for a global takeover that will keep them busy for the next few years. They will also be part of the upcoming Black N Blue in New York City, which will take place on Saturday May 28, 2011. We recently had the chance to chat with Agnostic Front bassist Mike Gallo about the new album, their immediate future, and the state of the music industry. Here is what went down.
We want to thank Agnostic Front, Jon Freeman (Freeman Promotions, and the Black N Blue Productions team.
Today is Record Store Day. Record Store day is an internationally celebrated day, which takes place the third Saturday of April each year. The purpose of the holiday is to celebrate the art of music and to support artists from all calibers. Today hundreds of fans and artists will roam around 700 independently owned record stores in the United States, along with hundreds of independent record stores all over the globe.
Here are some facts about Record Store Day:
- Record Store Day was founded in 2007 by Eric Levin, Michael Kurtz, Carrie Colliton, Amy Dorfman, Don Van Cleave and Brian Poehner.
- It is a global celebration in which recording artists from all calibers participate in by making special appearances, performances, meet and greets, the holding of art exhibits, and the release of special vinyl and CD releases along with other promotional products. The event is also celebrated with cookouts and drinking parties.
- The Official Ambassador for this year is the "Prince of Darkness" Ozzy Osbourne and he has a message for you:
As we all know, last week the country of Japan was hit by a massive earthquake (8.9 on the Richter Scale) and like if that wasn't enough, the earthquake triggered a devastating Tsunami. While there are many ways to help the Japanese people, we wanted to share with you music junkies, a music website called "Hear Japan".
During the next week, "HearJapan" will be donating 50% of all sales to "Japan Platform", which is a relief organization that has been actively involved in the rescue operations ever since the day of the earthquake. Since the team over at "Japan Platform" is on-site in Japan, "HearJapan" is collecting funds and donating them immediately to "Japan Platform" to help all those effected by this terrible tragedy.
Here is a statement from "HearJapan":
"HearJapan will not be making any profit from this. In fact HearJapan will be losing money, in effect adding to the donation itself. HearJapan is a small company, but we are committed to doing everything we can to help. We feel this is a great way to get others involved, make an instantly tangible difference and also give some great Japanese music in return."
Due to the graphic nature of this content, viewer discretion is advised!
Black Label Society has asked former Type O Negative drummer Johnny Kelly to join the band on their current European tour. After working with Will Hunt from Evanescence on their latest album titled "Order Of The Black", who also went on tour with the band, Kelly was asked to sit behind the throne on the current Black Label Society tour.
It was always made clear by Hunt that he was not a permanent member: "In the beginning, all I agreed on was that I would do the record, because I thought at this point, I would be busy with Evanescence. But my singer Amy [Lee] decided to really take the time to make the new record as good as possible. So when the option became available for me to tour with Black Label, I jumped at it."
Kelly will make his live debut tonight in Paris, France at "La Cigale". With the experience that he has, the next few tours be a lot of fun for Black Label Society. Here are some facts about Black Label's new drummer Johnny Kelly:
- Kelly was born on March 9, 1968 and was a vital part of Type O Negative when he replaced Sal Abruscato (Life Of Agony & A Pale Horse Named Death) in 1994.
- He is the current drummer for Danzig and is one of the founders of Seventh Void, were he also plays drums.
- Johnny also plays drums in a Led Zeppelin tribute band called Earl's Court.
- Before stepping in as drummer for Type O Negative he was the band's drum tech.
In the past few years there have been numerous incidents in which human beings have lost their lives after being harassed by some cowards who are too weak to face their own reality and need to feel better by hurting others. This has to stop!
Here in New York City we live in a "melting pot" full of people from all over the world. So to us this is a subject that we don't just hear or read about, but it is something we face daily. This is why New York City is uniting this Saturday February 26th in an event presented by Tim Martinez (A.K.A. DJ Tim No 37). “Hate the Hate” is the name of the event and it will take place at Tammany hall, which is a brand new state of the art facility in the Lower East Side section of Manhattan.
Here is a rundown of what will take place this Saturday, please join the Horns Up Rocks crew and lets make history together!
Live performances by: The August Infinity, KHZ, Acey Slade & The Dark Party, Star Killer, Krista, King Hell and Ghosts of Eden.
Hosted by: Juliya of FUSE TV, Ms Jenncity of Suicide City & Demilitia, Tom Morrisey of Killcode, Jessica Pimentel of Alekhine’s Gun, and Tim Martinez!
DJ sets by: JennCity and Chris Landry.
Sponsored by: Horns Up Rocks, Skull N Bones, No Mercy Metal, Gotham Rocks, Tech 9 Music, Behind the BLue Door and Dana Frank.
Additionally, Chris Santos star of the Food Network's TV hit show “Chopped”, who also owns Stanton Social and Beauty & Essex, will be raffling a home cooked party dinner for the winner and his/her friends.
And like if this wasn’t enough, the creator of the Horns Up Rocks logo Joey James will be raffling off an original piece of artwork as well. Joey has also worked with Type O Negative, Biohazard, OTEP and Duff's Brooklyn.
- When will all this happen? Saturday February 26th (doors at 6 PM) - Where will it all take place? Tammany Hall (152 Orchard Street, New York NY) - How much will this cost? $15 (All proceeds will go to The proceeds of this event will go to: The Hetrick-Martin Institute and The Trevor Project.
Here are some videos created in tribute to this amazing event!
Slayer's legendary guitarist Jeff Hanneman has been forced to miss the Australian Soundwave Festival, which Slayer is schedule to perform at on February 26th after contriving an acute infection known as necrotizing fasciitis (usually caused by a spider bite). The band made this hard decision because they didn't want to cancel on their loyal fans, specially after being forced to postpone or cancel a significant amount of tour dates in 2009 and 2010 after Tom Araya underwent a surgical procedure in order to relieve the extreme pain he had on back and neck. Speaking of Araya, here is his official statement about this new challenge for the mighty Slayer:
"Jeff is our brother, we've all been friends and together as a band for almost 30 years, so we just want him to completely recover as soon as possible."
To this Kerry King added:
"After everything that happened last year, we all agreed that we just can't let our fans down again. Jeff is totally on board with this decision, so we will tour as planned. At this point, we can't pinpoint exactly what day he'll be back, but he'll be back as soon as he possibly can. And we can't wait for Jeff to get better and get his ass back on the road."
In a recent interview that Kerry King did for Australia's Loud magazine, after being asked why Slayer has outlasted so many bands, he said: "Well, the front three people never changed, and I think that's important. You've got to have a nucleus of people where you never wonder who is going to be onstage. As far as a band thing, I think that's important. I don't mean that as a shot on MEGADETH, but at the end of the day, MEGADETH is Dave Mustaine and that's it. It's whoever Dave decides to play with on this record. Could you imagine watching SLAYER without me, Jeff orTom? It just couldn't happen! That's something to be said there, because we're all irreplaceable. The last few years I've noticed people in bands are almost interchangeable. I've seen some of my friends stay home because their wives were going to have a baby and they'd have somebody replace them when they play live, and I think… how can you fucking do that?"
The band has announced that Gary Holt from Exodus will replace Jeff on this tour. This information is official and it comes from reliable sources that are close to the band. Anything else your read or hear, is just a rumor. We wish Jeff a speedy recovery and to the rest of the Slayer team the best of luck with this new challenge!
Since 1987 Deicide has been scaring people thanks to their brutal, controversial and intensified music! After 24 years in the Heavy Music scene, Deicide still stands out for creating some brutal Metal that is not a planned act. With Deicide what you see is what you get, and they definitely don't censor themselves.
Lets not forget that their singer/bassist/mastermind Glen Benton is one of the most outspoken vocalists both on record and on stage. Many have said that if Satan really exists, then Glen is his father. In all seriousness, Glen is a living legend and has bled his soul out in the name of Heavy Metal! There is no question that Glen is Deicide!
Once again, Deicide has unleashed their fury upon us all and nobody is safe. Their 10th studio album is coming out on February 15th via Century Media Records and it crushes! Titled "To Hell With God", Deicide's latest effort is a full blown riot in hell. As you all know the band has always had a satanic element to them, and needless to say they have pushed the envelope once again. If you are not scared of some brutal satanic Deicide Metal (they don't like to call themselves Death Metal), and you are prepared to sin, listen to the new Deicide album right here and then go buy it!
Track listing:
1) To Hell With God 2) Save Your 3) Witness of Death 4) Conviction 5) Empowered by Blasphemy 6) Angels in Hell 7) Hang in Agony Until You're Dead 8) Servant of the Enemy 9) Into the Darkness You Go 10) How Can You Call Yourself a God
The lineup for the 2011 Mayhem Fest was announced yesterday on Sirius XM Liquid Metal, and after analyzing the lineup carefully, its safe to assume that the festival will be killer this summer! However, once the lineup was announced, many Metalheads were asking: "Why aren't Megadeth and Machine Head co-headlining the event?" Our opinion is that while Disturbed and Godsmack are very good bands and have had very successful careers, Megadeth and Machine Head are Heavy Metal legends and they are both very relevant today.
In 2010 Megadeth was part of "The Big Four Tour" and of the "Jagermeister Music Tour", which were considered two of the best tours of the year. On the other hand, Machine Head's latest album "The Blackening", is one of the best Heavy Metal albums of the last 10 years. Alright, now that we have that on the table for you to ponder on, here is the 2011 Mayhem Fest lineup:
MAIN STAGE:
- Disturbed
- Godsmack
- Megadeth
- Machine Head
- In Flames
- Trivium
EXTREME STAGE:
- Suicide Silence - All Shall Perish - Straight Line Stitch
Legendary Heavy Metal band Motörhead took over the "Conan" show this past Wednesday, and as usual brought with them the swag that sets them apart from every other band. When you have Lemmy Kilmister on stage, nobody is safe, so why did CBS decide to book Lemmy and company? Well, Conan has always been a big supporter of Heavy Music, and he is definitely not known for playing it safe.
Before you watch the video of Motörhead on "Conan", here are some facts about Motörfuckinghead:
- The band was formed in 1975 by bassist, singer and songwriter Ian Fraser Kilmister. Yeah, that's Lemmy's real name.
- Lemmy is the only original member, and has always lead the "power trio"
- Motörhead is considered one of the pioneers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, which surfaced in the late 1970s/early 1980s.
- In the early 1980s the band became well known after having several successful singles in the UK Top 40 chart.
- Their albums Overkill, Bomber, Ace of Spades, and No Sleep 'til Hammersmith, gave Motörhead the reputation of being of Britain's most kick ass rock bands in history.
- Lemmy is GOD!
Without further due, here is the video of the mighty Motörhead on "Conan":
Filipino American Thrash Metal maniacs Death Angel unleashed a brand new video for their song "River of Rapture", which is part of their groundbreaking 6th studio album titled "Relentless Retibution". Released in September of last year through Nuclear Blast, and produced by Jason Suecof (Trivium, All That Remains, Devildriver, Chimaira), Death Angel proved that Thrash Metal is alive and well here in the United States.
The video was directed by the band along with Tommy Jones from "The Studio" in New Jersey. Prepare your eyes to be possessed, and your ears to bleed! \m/
The "Big 4" of Thrash Metal are taking over California on April 23rd. After the success of last years tour in Europe, the Metallica camp decided it was only fair to have the 4 American bands performing in US soil. Joining Metallica, will be Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. Start warming up your necks and training your ears, for what will be a historical event in Heavy Music!
Last years "Big 4" was considered by many as the most important happening in Heavy Music!
"The MVP of 2010 in Metal is Metallica, and the reason being the "Big 4". It's Metallica that did that... obviously everyone wanted to be a part of it. But it was Metallica's James and Lars who sat down, because they are in charge of the Metallica corporation, and they made the awesome decision of doing the festival with all 4 bands. That jump started the biggest moment in Metal in 2010, which was the 4 bands performing on stage together." - Jose Mangin (Sirius XM Liquid Metal and MTV2 Headbanger's Ball)
Here is the official trailer:
Tickets go on sale on Friday January 28th at 10am PST!
Today is a good day in Heavy Metal! Behemoth's front-man and guitarist Adam Darski (A.K.A. Nergal), who 4 weeks ago received a bone marrow transplant from a fan, was released this past Monday from the hematology division of Uniwersyteckie Centrum Kliniczne (UCK) in Gdansk. Nergal was diagnosed with leukemia last year, and the only solution at the moment for this disease, is a bone marrow transplant.
Polish pop star Doda (who is engaged to Nergal) told reporters: "Adam feels good and is resting comfortably but cannot see any visitors as he can't risk viral infections."
After posting online that he needed a bone marrow transplant (that could save his life), a Behemoth fan happened to be compatible and offered to help Nergal. This is what Nergal had to say about such act of kindness: "It would have been difficult to achieve if it wasn't for the support of so many people... The concerts for charity have been organized all over the world and people of show business, bands and, most of all, the fans got deeply involved. You are beyond great! One of you made my transplant possible, but remember, your attitude may save many others in need."
Here are some facts about this horrible disease:
- Every year, more than 10,000 people in the United States alone are diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma.
- A bone marrow transplant from an unrelated person (who needs to be compatible with the patients) is the best and only hope for survival.
- Out of the thousands of people that are waiting for a match, only four out of 10 patients receive the needed transplant.
The heavily anticipated new Crowbar record titled "Sever The Wicked Hand", will be in stores on February 8, 2011, via E1 Music. We had the chance to listen to the entire record over a dozen times at the Official CD release party at Idle Hands Bar, and it is everything you can expect from Crowbar: crushing riffs, groovy beats, and killer vocals and lyrics!
On November 3rd, 2008, Deftones bass player Chi Cheng was in a tragic car accident. As a result, he suffered some very serious brain injuries. Ever since the accident Chi has been in a state of semi-consciousness after suffering severe TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury).
Thanks to the work of the International Brain Research Foundation, Chi's condition has improved in the last year. The method that has been used in order to help maintain Chi stable is a pioneering method of treatment that could eventually wake Chi back up. As you can imagine, this is a very expensive treatment so the Deftones family need as much help as possible in order to raise some funds.
Chi’s mother, Jeanne Cheng, her son and Chi’s brother, Ming Cheng, and family friends Gina Blackmore and Dennis Morrow have been raising awareness and money that has all gone towards Chi's long and expensive treatment. Benefit shows have already commenced, and this Saturday January 22nd "Wake Up Fest" will invade Massachussets, Connecticut, Rhode Island, California, and Maryland. All ticket sales will go towards Chi's treatment. Click here for more details!
This is only one of many series of shows that "Wake Up Fest" will put together in 2011. Apart from the benefit shows, national acts are being asked to donate $.25 from their ticket sales, in order to transport Chi to a treatment facility in New Jersey for a 6 month rehabilitation treatment. Relocation is an issue, so anyone who wants to donate a motor home, tour bus, or any other mode of transportation to get Chi from coast to coast is asked to contact the family at One Love For Chi, where you can also make individual donations.
Horns Up Rocks supports "Wake Up Fest" and the "One Love For Chi" foundation. We ask every single one of you to come together and celebrate your lives by helping out one of our brothers! \m/
Here is ONE SONG FOR CHI, featuring Jim Root, Clint Lowery, Wayne Lozinak, Adam Dutkiewicz, James Shaffer, Brian Welch, Reginald Arvizu, Robert Trujillo, Ray Luzier, Dave McClain, Morgan Rose, Noah Bernardo, Mike Wengren and Sid Wilson!
Hellyeah is what you get when you place a group of very talented musicians in the same room, and tell them to let their creativity flow without a set agenda. The whole concept behind Hellyeah is to create a musical blend that is aged to perfection just like a fine bottle of Scotch. While they don't necessarily fit into a musical category, their music is honest and serves as the perfect soundtrack to a night of debauchery.
Recently, our European correspondent Tanja Caciur from Music Photocalypse sat down with Hellyeah's Chad Gray and Vinnie Paul for a very intimate interview. Here is what went down!
You guys have been touring non-stop for a while now. What is it like being on tour with Hellyeah?
Chad: It is blurry.
Vinnie: Yeah, blurry. A lot of press, a lot of drinking, never get to soundcheck… I mean, we would like to have one, but being a support band, usually things are not ready in time for us to do that. But we like to do a lot of things. This is the most I’ve ever gotten to see of Europe, from all the times I’ve ever been on tour. Every day I get out and walk somewhere. On every tour I did with Pantera, I never saw anything. It was just stay on the bus, go to the hotel, and go to the gig. That was it. The other day in Milan I walked around the whole damn square, it is really cool to experience that. We have done a lot of this support stuff in the States. We were recently on tour with Avenged Sevenfold and Stone Sour at the Uproar Festival. We were done at 5.30 in the afternoon every day. So we started drinking at 4… (laughter). That is not really a Rock’N’Roll life style when you are done doing your job at 5.30 in the afternoon. If we have a singing to do, we are done at 7. So there is a lot of looning about that goes on from bar to bar, from place to place, to this to that.
Chad: The worst part about tours like Uproar is those ‘sheds’ that are just in the middle of fucking nowhere, there is literally nothing to do. We headline the 2nd stage; we play, like he said, at 5.30. So we start drinking about an hour before we go on and I am getting up at 3. I am only sober literally like a fucking hour a day for the whole summer, it is amazing. That is how we usually are out here [in Europe] too, but it has been awesome.
How would you describe Hellyeah to people who have never heard the band? Give me some kind of a teaser.
Vinnie: It is a fucking Friday night, a full on freight train. It is all about working class people that bust their fucking asses, living in the real world, not the shit you see on MTV (laughs). And you know, you bust your ass and you cannot wait for Friday night, forget about your problems, drink, have a good time and just enjoy yourself. That is the basic vibe that we put out, that’s kinda it in a nutshell.
Chad: I think Hellyeah as a band… it is more of an attitude; a kind of lifestyle…
You speak about the working class people, but I would assume you have not been a part of the working class for quite a while…
Vinnie: I wouldn’t say that. When you have to do what we do every day… OK, but its not a 9 to 5 kind of job…
Vinnie: No, it is a 24-hour a day job. You cannot take this face off, anywhere you go people will expect something from you. They want an autograph, they want to say hi, they want to shake hands… its part of it, and you don’t get a day off. If I get sick, there is nobody else who’s going to get there to play the drums. But then you can cancel the show.
Vinnie: No you can’t just cancel the show.
Chad: You’ve got to understand that everything is tied down to a budget. If you take one show out of that budget, you are fucking everything up. And we have got to play. You know, I am not going to say that I am laying bricks…
Vinnie: But back in the day you were.
Chad: Yeah, I have done that.
Vinnie: I worked in McDonald’s back in the day. You start off somewhere.
Chad: I have worked in construction, I’ve worked at factories and so has Vinnie. There are great elements to what we do now, there is party, the drinking and shit like that. But when I leave home... I am gone, I go to work. When I grab my suitcase and go out of the door... I am going to work. I’ve got to work for months sometimes before I can go home to my wife, my dogs, sleep in my own bed. Trust me; we’ve got 6 more days now until the end of the tour. We have been out since April and been going really fucking hard since July.
What is the first thing you are going to do when you get home?
Chad: Sit down. (laughter)
You’re sitting down right now.
Chad: It is a whole different sit down.
Vinnie: I will probably go straight to shop for Thanksgiving; we get home the day before probably one of the biggest holidays in the United States. And there are always a lot of people coming over, so there is a lot of work to be done when I get home. Now, with that being said, it is a job that we love and we are lucky. A lot of people go to work and they hate doing their job. This is a job that you love, the music… that is why you are there in the first place... and you find out you can pay your bills sometimes and then you do it. To me it is like being a professional athlete of some sort. It is something you love to do, but it’s not easy. And very few people are lucky enough to get to live their dream and do that kind of thing. So we appreciate it.
How does each of you contribute to writing music in Hellyeah? I know Chad writes the lyrics, right?
Vinnie: He is an amazing lyricist and really great coming up with melodies and stuff, and Greg works with him quite a bit on some of that. And for me, I’ve always wanted to be more than a drummer. I cannot sing for shit, so I don’t try (laughs). I leave that up to Chad. But I do find myself involved in the production process, help arrange the music, sometimes I will come in and work with Chad on some stuff. We all trust each other from the start, we all work together. So I guess everybody truly puts everything they have into the band musically. When I watch Greg and Tom sit down and start riffing, it is the two of them. Somebody’s going to change something along the way and they work it together. Anyways, it all comes together as Hellyeah in the end.
Chad: Mudvayne was coming up on a break when we first started Hellyeah. And I told Greg: “I would really like for you to do this with me”. Because I knew we were going to take a break, we had to take a fucking break. We had been working non-stop for years. And I was like: “You can either go home and sit down on your ass and watch TV or we can go do something else.” Kind of explore the different sides of ourselves. This was before Vinnie actually came in. Greg thought about it and was like: ‘Yeah OK, cool’. And then we got Vince. We went to Dallas and we all got together and I did not even know Vinnie. Then we went to dinner, got drunk and got up the next day and went into the studio. And we wrote a song that night, we wrote 7 songs in the first 7 days. It is weird, because it’s like Damageplan… one guitar-player band, Nothingface… one guitar-player band, Mudvayne… one guitar-player band. I was blown away by 3 different guys from one guitar-player bands who can get together and work amazingly. And we just went like boom! Song, next day… boom! Song, next day… boom! We had no idea what the hell we were even doing. We just started writing music and it became what it is. It is a very honest band. We are not trying to be like anybody. If anything, in the future we will probably try not to be like people who are trying to be like us.
Chad, what is the difference for you between fronting Hellyeah and fronting Mudvayne?
Chad: It is like night and day. Mudvayne is pretty calculated and there is always a deep theme that runs through the fabric of the entire record as a whole. So you have to get the ideas around and then kind of adhere to something. In Hellyeah we just write about whatever, it does not matter what it is. It has been really liberating for me to do this, all I knew for so long was Mudvayne. So with Hellyeah I am be able to just write whatever I want to write about, write whatever kind of songs I want to write. We don’t stick to one theme and I think that has been really awesome. You know, Damageplan, Nothingface, Mudvayne they have to write these types of songs. You can’t really go too far out of that box before everyone will go “What the fuck are you doing?” Hellyeah started that way, so now we can just go wherever. We can write any kind of fucking song. We wrote a country song called “Alcohaulin’ Ass”, which is as country as it gets, and then we can write a rock song like “Pole Rider” about strippers. I have never written a song like that. I never had a reason to, but they started playing the song and that is what came into my head. It is kind of a part of this band’s lifestyle: just partying and barbequing, drinking, we do a lot of this shit.
What would you say “Stampede” is about?
Chad: It is like the dictionary definition of it: a herd of wild animals that are unstoppable. It’s not about one thing; it is the most diverse record I have ever written. There are songs like “Stampede”, there are songs like “Better Man” or “Stand Or Walk Away”, and then there are songs like “Pole Rider”. So many different vibes all the way through the record… every song is different from the previous one. It is just how we write. It’s really hard to put in a box… like what is “Stampede”? Fuck, I don’t know.
Are you planning to sustain this kind of ‘badass cowboy’ style on the upcoming albums?
Chad: Tom and I have been wearing fucking cowboy hats since like 2000; we’ve been wearing cowboy hats since we met. It is not like we are out roping cows or mending fences. People look at us and go like: “What is up with the cowboys thing?” We are not trying to look like cowboys; we’re trying to look like fucking outlaws. It has a Southern vibe to it, of course, but the way we look at it, it is more about being real people. You know, like that is how people really look. We just walk on stage in what we wear.
Both of you have been in the music industry for quite a while. What would you say was the most valuable lesson that you have learned along the way?
Vinnie: Probably the most valuable lesson anybody should learn is never piss on the people on your way to the top, because you are going to have to see them on your way down, some day. That is a very valuable lesson. And another lesson is to try to learn to be somewhat business-minded. You know, it is called the music business. We have all gotten into it because we love the music, and a lot of people end up with nothing at the end of the day, after they have done all of this great music… because they never learned any of the business side. So to be able to pick up on some of that is helpful for sure. Don’t just say: “Well I will just let my accountant handle that”. Still to this day, I pay my own fucking bills, they come to my house, they don’t go to some dude in Los Angeles and he does it. I want to look through them; I want to make sure there is no bullshit.
Chad: The first thing he said about not pissing on people on your way up… I have always been the kind of person who has really kept my feet on the ground. I know that he has been that kind of person too. I think that is why the respect level that we have for each other was so high right from the get go. It’s because when we met each other… there was no bullshit, there was no ego. It was like wow, this is fucking amazing, because it is really hard to find that in this business. Hellyeah has been very humble. Mudvayne saw a certain level of success: we have 3 records out in the States. We make money when we go out in the States, we sold almost 6 million records worldwide and that is a big deal. Hellyeah is like starting over in this new world that we live in with downloading and so on. It has been really humble; it has been fucking awesome too. It’s really taking me back to be able to live a life and make a climb for 10 years and then turn around and come back and start all over again. It just makes you really appreciate all of your work, where you kind of end up. It has been really awesome for me. I never saw the level of success he saw. It is a testament to the headspace of Hellyeah and what we are about. I do not know many people that could do what we are doing right now, and how we are living our lives right now. Trust me; this has been the biggest and the nicest dressing room we have seen on this whole tour. All the props in the world to Stone Sour, they have taken such a good care of us, being really respectful and doing the best that they can.
Vinnie, I have read some speculations online regarding the possibility of you ever re-creating Pantera without Dime. I do not know what triggered these speculations, but what do you have to say to these people?
Vinnie: It is ridiculous. Dime was such a huge part of it; it would be just completely asinine to even consider that. I think it’s pretty disrespectful from people to even suggest it. He left an amazing legacy and it is going to be left untouched. It’s beautiful, it’s pristine and I want to leave it that way. I am really proud of what I do with Hellyeah. Of course the history of Pantera speaks for itself. I want him to always be known as ‘the dude’, you know. Period. Forever!
Yeah, but the comments I have read were actually criticizing you as if you have ever said that this was possible.
Vinnie: No no, I have never said this was possible. Not me. It might have been some of the other clowns that used to be in Pantera, but not me. (laughs)
You are quite accomplished musicians today. Is there anything that you still strive for musically, or it is more like just chilling and playing what you like?
Vinnie: With the economy like this, with the music business like it is and everything else, of course we are striving to be successful. If we get to some level like that, then that is going to be a dream for me. My dream when we put this band together was to scpre a gold record with Hellyeah. We are so close to doing that in the States, it is almost there. Gold records these days are like having a double-platinum record, it really is. It is an amazing accomplishment. So for that and to just, you know, be able to stay healthy, enjoy what we do and keep writing great songs. Our chemistry is incredible, everybody works together, it is a respect thing, you know? You never have to worry about anybody stepping on somebody else’s toes; we all fit together pretty well.
There are many young bands these days who act kind of arrogant, thinking that they basically made history in a way, even though they really just make noise. And then there are guys like you two who have actually made history, but you are really down to earth. So what helps you keep your feet on the ground?
Chad: It is probably that statement that Vince made. That is the greatest thing I have ever learned and I learned that from Ozzy from the “Decline Of Western Civilization Part II” documentary. Do not fuck with people on your way up, because you will meet them on your way down. I remember watching that whole documentary and I was like “that’s it!” I was probably 17 when I saw it, way before I have ever done anything, but I always kept that in my head for some reason. It’s all going to go away, it all ends. Here today, gone tomorrow. If you got the attitude like “I am the fucking shit” for the here today, what happens when you are gone tomorrow? You’re going to look like a fucking fool, when you are working at the record store or flipping fries. Hang on to your integrity as a person. It’s just a fucking job. We love our job, but it is a job.
What is it about music that you love so much, what gives you goose bumps?
Vince: It is just creating it and performing it, you know. There is not a bigger rush in this world then to hear a crowd roar when the lights go down. If you cannot get up for that, you can’t get up for anything. That is what it’s all about… performing. You look out there and whether it is 500 people, or Donington with 100,000 people, or Monsters of Rock with half a million people… you are making these people happy and they are into it.
Chad: For me it starts when we start writing something, putting something together. I listen to a song and I will listen to it over and over again. A lot of times you are kind of holding on, trying to figure it out so you know where to go with it. The more I listen to the song as a singer and a writer, the more I familiarize myself with it, the more I tend to just unconsciously let go off the song. Then it is just in my head, and all of a sudden here comes the melody, here come the lyrics, everything just starts coming in. And I love that feeling when I start writing and everything is just pouring out, I am so fucking excited… I cannot wait to get behind the mike. So you got that one moment. Then you get the moment of getting behind the mike and actually hearing it. And then you get on stage and there is this fucking energy, like what Vince was talking about. We’ll get on stage tonight and there are all these people that have never seen us here in Oslo. And if everything is really cool and everybody is being really open-minded and everybody really wants to give it a shot, there is this energy exchange that happens. We are giving them something and then they go ‘Waaaah!!’ and they give it back. And then we go “Oh yeah!” and we give it harder and then they give it harder. And the next thing you know everybody is fucking partying and fist-pumping and drinking… We fucking bring it pretty hard and I think that is what people receive from us. They see that we are very passionate about what we do. It is a real fucking thing, you can almost touch it. The big thing with us is honesty, we are not out to fool anybody. We just want to share our music and if you like it then take it, if you don’t… OK.
If you could go down in history as the first band that did... what?
Chad: …Drank one billion beers. I think we are close. (laughter)
Vinnie: And tha is just the four of them, because I drink vodka. I drink a lot of vodka. And I have been drinking Finlandia all the time I've been here.
Chad: Yeah well… one thing. I think just to leave any kind of mark, not from record sales or this or that, but actually leave a mark with what we have done, that would be amazing! I mean worldwide mark.
The deftones are taking over New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, The Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Canada, and the United States! Part of the proceeds from this tour will go to their bassist Chi Cheng, who has been in a come after he was in a serious car crash in 2008! So pick up your tickets, rock with the sexy grooves of the deftones, and lets wake Chi back up by letting him know how much we love and care about him! Here are the tour dates:
DOWN UNDER & ASIA: Fri, 01/21/2011 - Auckland, New Zealand (Big Day Out) Sun, 01/23/2011 - Gold Coast, Australia (Big Day Out) Wed, 01/26/2011 - Sydney, Australia (Big Day Out) Thu, 01/27/2011 - Sydney, Australia (Big Day Out) Fri, 01/28/2011 - Sydney, Australia (The Roadhouse @ Uni of NSW) Sun, 01/30/2011 - Melbourne, Australia (Big Day Out) Mon, 01/31/2011 - Melbourne, Australia (Palace) Fri, 02/04/2011 - Adelaide, Australia (Big Day Out) Sun, 02/06/2011 - Perth, Australia (Big Day Out) Tue, 02/08/2011 - Jakarta, Indonesia (Tennis Indoor Senayan) Thu, 02/10/2011 - Tokyo, Japan (Club Quattro) Sat, 02/12/2011 - Manila, Philippines (World Trade Centre) Mon, 02/14/2011 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (KL Live) Tue, 02/15/2011 - Bangkok, Thailand (Thunderdome) Wed, 02/16/2011 - Singapore (Fort Canning Park)
NORTH AMERICA: Thu, 04/14/2011 - Seattle, Washington (Paramount Theater) - Tickets (avail. Jan 15 at 10am) Sat, 04/16/2011 - Portland, Oregon (Crystal Ballroom) - Tickets (avail. Jan 8 at 11:30am) Mon, 04/18/2011 - Vancouver, Canada (Commodore Ballroom) - Tickets (avail. Jan 14 at 10am) Fri, 04/22/2011 - Denver, Colorado (Ogden Theatre) - Tickets (avail. Jan 8 at 10am) Mon, 04/25/2011 - Kansas City, Missouri (Harrah's) - Tickets (avail. Jan 15 at 10am) Tue, 04/26/2011 - St. Louis, Missouri (The Pageant) - Tickets (avail. Jan 14 at 5pm) Thu, 04/28/2011 - Minneapolis, Minnesota (First Avenue) - Tickets (avail. Jan 8 at 10am) Fri, 04/29/2011 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin (The Rave) - Tickets (avail. Jan 8 at 10am) Sat, 04/30/2011 - Chicago, Illinois (Riviera Theatre) - Tickets (avail. Jan 15 at 10am) Sun, 05/01/2011 - Detroit, Michigan (Fillmore Theatre) - Buy Tickets (avail. Jan 15 at 10am) Wed, 05/04/2011 - Montreal, Canada (Metropolis) - Tickets (avail. Jan 15 at 12pm) Thu, 05/05/2011 - Hampton, New Hampshire (Hampton Beach Casino) - Tickets (avail. Jan 14 at 10am) Fri, 05/06/2011 - Providence, Rhode Island (Lupo's) - Tickets (avail. Jan 8 at 12pm) Sat, 05/07/2011 - Hartford, Connecticut (Webster Theatre) - Tickets (avail. Jan 8 at 10am) Mon, 05/09/2011 - Boston, Massachusetts (House of Blues) - Tickets (avail. Jan 8 at 10am) Tue, 05/10/2011 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Electric Factory) - Tickets (avail. Jan 15 at 12pm) Wed, 05/11/2011 - Sayreville, New Jersey (Starland Ballroom) - Tickets (avail. Jan 8 at 12pm) Fri, 05/13/2011 - New York, New York (Best Buy Theatre) - Tickets (avail. Jan 8 at 12pm) Sat, 05/14/2011 - New York, New York (Best Buy Theatre) - Tickets (avail. Jan 8 at 12pm)
After 40 years of influencing thousands of bands worldwide, legendary British Heavy Metal Judas Priest announced that they are calling it a day. Here is the OFFICIAL press release:
"After storming the world for nearly 40 years and taking its very special brand of heavy metal to all four corners of the planet, JUDAS PRIEST (one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time) has announced plans to embark on a final world tour. However, the mighty PRIEST will certainly be going out strong as it rocks the planet starting in 2011 on the massive "Epitaph" trek, hitting all the major cities throughout the world where it will play the songs that helped make the name JUDAS PRIEST synonymous with heavy metal."
Whatever you do, do not miss this tour! Here are some facts about the METAL GODS:
\m/ Judas Priest are originally from Birmingham, UK.
\m/ They were formed in 1968.
\m/ Judas Priest's core line-up: vocalist Rob Halford (THE METAL GOD), guitarists Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing, and bassist Ian Hill.
\m/ The band has gone through several drummers over the years, though Scott Travis has held the position since 1989 and is the band's longest-serving drummer.
\m/ They have been cited as an influence on many heavy metal musicians and bands after Black Sabbath.
\m/ Their popularity and status as one of the definitive heavy metal bands has earned them the nickname "Metal Gods" from their song of the same name.
\m/ They have sold over 40 million albums worldwide.
\m/ The band got its name from the Bob Dylan song "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest", according to original vocalist Al Atkins.
We just wrapped up an amazing holiday bashing weekend, which once again proved the importance of Horns Up Rocks. From the No Mercy Metal bash at Public Assembly in Brooklyn, to the Bronx takeover with Brutal Bitches Productions at Gleason’s Bar, to Death-Mas at The Trash Bar in Brooklyn, to getting Crowbent with Crowbar at Santos Party House in Manhattan… all we can say is holy f%#k Heavy Music is alive and strong here in New York goddamn City!
Thursday's bash at Public Assembly was organized by Tim Martinez (AKA DJ Tim 37), and the Gotham Rocks team. The party got kicked off by Desolate, who brought their usual face melting kick in the ass cowbell Metal. Then we all got burned by Eyes Like Cyanide, a band who recently switched singers without losing a notch of their craft.
All of a sudden we were all forced to find out what Lies Beneath, and what lies beneath is some head crushing furious Metal! Next up, was a band that always ignites the party Metal with the use of Heavy artillery and beer funnels: Slam One Down. Finishing the night was Fin’Amor, who laid down every part of their set with extreme precision. All in all, another night of bringing people together for some head-banging exercises.
On Friday we were invited by Alissa Shimansky of Brutal Bitches Productions, to experience some punishing brutality at Gleason’s bar. After cranking some tunes and getting the house warmed up, our founder Jo Schuftan dedicated the night to Dimebag Darrell Abbott (Pantera/Damageplan) and John Lennon (The Beatles), who were shot on the same date (December 8). Soon after, he introduced Resolution 15: a band that always proofs that violins are Metal as hell! Following Resolution 15 was Everything’s Ruined, who displayed some hard hitting skills that made the bar shake like an earthquake. Then Perish the Thought laid down the law, with some hard hitting shredding sounds. Finishing the night of brutality was Karnage Krew, who brought various flavors of Heavy Music, including Thrash Metal, Hardcore, and good ol' Punk rock. The event was followed by a chaotic after party, and a brutal hangover.
"Brutal Bitches Productions has come a long way since forming in January. Last week's amazing show has proven that heavy music still thrives in the Bronx. The amazing line up of bands absolutely K-I-L-L-E-D I-T. There is so much underground talent out here, and we are glad to be putting our own dent in the history of the Metal scene. We look forward to continuing the tradition for the hungry fans and skilled bands of our area throughout 2011 and beyond" (Alissa Shimansky of Brutal Bitches Productions)
Saturday night we took over The Trash Bar, and the vibe couldn't have been better. From the moment our founder Jo Schuftan started the night with some Lamb Of God, the venue started getting packed. The first band of the night was Death Immortal, who immediately got the crowd going furious thanks to their stage presence and musical power. Then Thinning the Herd did what they do best: make bodies groove with their heavy sludge! Then Delaware's The World Lost rocked the fuck out and managed to leave the crowd hungry for King Hell. The Funk Metal masters always deliver the horns and the leather. Saturday was no exception. They sounded crisp, and made sure nobody stood still. After the intensity of King Hell, the crowd needed some energy. Thankfully, Ikillya made sure to inject every person in the crowd with a lethal dose of adrenalized Death Metal. Ending the night was Oddman In, who delivered a fun and Heavy performance. Once we wrapped things up, we headed to Duff’s Brooklyn and celebrated the life of Dimebag Darrell Abbott. What a night!
What people are saying about Death-Mas 2010:
"Thanks to all you King-Hellions and all the other killer bands we played with Saturday at The Trash Bar: IKILLYA, Odd Man In, Death Immortal, World Lost, and THINNING THE HERD. Also, special thanks to Jo Schuftan and Horns Up Rocks for the excellent promotional work. Everyone involved made it an AMAZING, SOLD OUT F@CKING NIGHT!!! In gratitude, we bought you all a bitchin' bouquet. See ya at Ace Of Clubs on 1/14!" (King Hell)
"Thanks to everyone who came out to the Trash Bar last night! Great show and some awesome bands. See you all soon!" (IkillYa)
"Brooklyn was amazing! We need to thank Evil Steve, King Hell, THINNING THE HERD, IKILLYA, Death Immortal, Odd Man In, and Wyld Chyld Brooklyn. You Packed the house for us and treated us as if we were one of your own. We will not forget that. We can't wait to come back and kick some more ass with you guys and we will be bringing you all to Delaware to kill it with us! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!" )The World Lost)
"Last night at Trash Bar was amazing! So inspiring to see the hard work put in by the artists and the dedication of the crowd to create such an incredible night. Big time thanks to everyone that sweat for this event! To all you headbangers that crowded the place, you 'effin rule \m/" (Daniel Martinez from King Hell)
"The best Brooklyn crowd we've EVER played for... METAL LIVES IN BROOKLYN!!!" (Doc Thompson from King Hell)
"Death-Mas at trash was Awesome! Thanks to everyone who played and came to hang with us." (Bryan Dundon from King Hell)
"Yo! Saturday was off the chain. Thanks for everything!" (Gavin Spielman from Thinning The Herd)
"The gig at The Trash Bar on Saturday night was out of control! Thanks to all the bands that played and hung out with us! Big ups to Evil Steve, Snarky Mamacita, Todd Dupee, Nancy (Kink Magazine Owner), Horns Up Rocks for putting it all together, and of course, all the fans that showed up in full force! Thank you all! :D" (Death Immortal)
"Dude, last night was fucking awesome!!" (Mark Johnson of Death Immortal)
"You fucking rock!!!!! Full house at the Trash Bar!!!! I'd like to thank Joseph Schüftan from Horns Up Rocks for a FANTASTIC night. The Trash Bar was filled to the rim!" (Nancy from King Magazine)
"Great night at the Trash bar. I have NEVER (in the 4 years I've been doing this) seen The Trash Bar that full! What a blast! Awesome job! HORNS UP!" (Bob Marino of FN Radio)
"We get to The Trash Bar and the place is PACKED! I’m talking wall to wall, front to back, shoulder to shoulder packed. We make it into the back room for the show and we had to muscle our way to the bar for a drink. I see some people I know as well as the people who are running the show. Jo Schuftan from Horns Up Rocks and ‘Evil’Steve Ventura who booked the show as a fund raiser for Toys for Tots." (Judge McPoach of Slam One Down)
For videos, pictures, and more about these events, PLUS the Kirk Windstein (Crowbar, Down, Kingdom of Sorrow) interview, stay tuned to HornsUpRocks.com!!!
We want to thank the No Mercy Metal Crew, the ladies from Brutal Bitches Productions, the staff at The Trash Bar, the Death-Mas crew: Daniel Martinez (King Hell/Alekhine’s Gun), Jason Lekbergh (Ikillya), and Alex Dementia (The Resurrection Sorrow). Billy Deluso (Wyld Chyld Tattoo), Evil Steve (OFN Radio), Jimmy Duff (Duff’s Brooklyn), all the bands that participated, the fans, and of course the Horns Up Rocks familia! \m/
There is no question that Agnostic Front changed the face of New York City Hardcore forever, actually they were one of the first bands that helped shape up the scene over 25 years ago, and to this very day they have been the ambassador's of NYHC. While you may think that at this point of their careers, they are sitting back and relaxing, the reality is that when it comes to Hardcore music the bands never stop writing music, performing all over the world, and flying the Hardcore flag with pride and joy.
“After all is said and done we are amazed on how great our new record turned out! It’s by far our catchiest record to date and it’s going to make everyone want to sing along for sure. Freddy killed it on the production end, just capturing that hardcore vibe that only he can get out of AGNOSTIC FRONT. The boys all put nothing but passion into the songs, and Erik Rutan just dialed it all in to make AGNOSTIC FRONT sound as natural and as organic as ever. This one will definitely be a classic once it’s heard worldwide!” - Roger Miret
