Hard Rock
Mike Patton: “Singers Are Fucking Idiots”
If anyone knows singing, it’s Mike Patton. He fronts numerous bands and has one of the greatest — if not the greatest — vocal ranges of all time. That all said, Patton insists that “singers are fucking idiots.” In a new interview with Bandcamp that focuses on his extensive discography with his various bands and projects — including Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Dead Cross, Fantômas, Tomahawk, and more — Patton discussed his role as a singer. “I still see it as, ‘I am here to help,’” reasoned Patton. “I am a component. I think that’s important, but let’s be honest: Singers are fucking idiots. They think they own the fucking show, but they don’t, okay? That’s one thing I’ve learned over the years: All you’ve gotta do is sit back and be a part of the fucking band.” Advertisement Related Vi...
Alice in Chains’ Dirt Re-Enters Top 10 of Billboard 200 Chart on Its 30th Anniversary
Listen via: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Amazon Podcasts | Stitcher | Radio Public | Pocket Casts | RSS Alice in Chains’ seminal 1992 album, Dirt, has re-entered the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart 30 years after its release. The chart achievement comes thanks in large part to a 30th anniversary remastered reissue of the LP, which was released on September 23rd. Advertisement Featuring such classics as “Would?,” “Them Bones,” and “Rooster,” Dirt is considered by many as Alice in Chains’ masterpiece. It is the subject of the new season of Consequence‘s podcast The Opus, with Episode 1 having premiered earlier this week (listen above). The appearance of Dirt at No. 9 is the first time it’s cracked th...
Ozzy Osbourne Launches His Own Line of Beauty Products
Ozzy Osbourne has teamed with Rock and Roll Beauty to launch his own collection of beauty products. The Ozzy Osbourne Collection features 21 separate pieces inspired by the Prince of Darkness, who’s been known to wear his fair share of makeup and eyeliner over the years. Some of the items in the new line include: 14-pan eye shadow palettes (one shaped like a coffin and another like a bat), candles, Ozzy-styled body tattoos, lipsticks, a cosmetic bag, a gothic mirror, and nail stickers. The new collection is only one of Ozzy’s many endeavors in 2022. Most notably, he released a new studio album, Patient Number 9, which notched the Ozzman his first No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Album Sales chart. Once again produced by Andrew Watt, the record features an all-star cast of guest talent, including t...
Zakk Wylde to Launch Online Instructional Guitar Course
Zakk Wylde has announced an online guitar course, “Zakk Wylde Berserker Guitar Camp,” which launches October 14th via Riffhard. If you’ve ever wanted to shred like the imitable Ozzy Osbourne/Black Label Society guitarist, now is your chance to learn from the man himself. Joined by fellow Black Label Society guitarist Dario Lorina, Wylde will teach aspiring guitarists the secrets behind his iconic pinch harmonics and vibrato, as well as riffs and solos from his most famous songs (including Ozzy Osbourne hits such as “No More Tears”). The complete course is separated into 10 sections with over 94 individual videos overall — a total of 12-plus hours of lessons. Much of the content sees Wylde and Lorina offering personal insight and tutorials straight to the camera, acting as virtual guitar te...
Fever 333 Down to One Member After Guitarist and Drummer Exit Band: “Things Were Pretty Bad Internally”
Fever 333, the trio led by frontman Jason Aalon Butler, are down to just one member (Butler) after guitarist Stephen “Stevis” Harrison and drummer Aric Improta announced their departure from the band on Monday (October 3rd). The surprising news came via Instagram posts from Harrison and Improta. Harrison wrote, “Aric and I have decided to leave Fever 333. I won’t get into the details but things were pretty bad internally. That plus creative differences sort of left me with no choice.” He continued, “That said, I’m so thankful for all the amazing fans, people who helped Fever behind the scenes, and my friends and family who supported me through all of this. Your support means so much! I still plan to make music. Aric and I will probably do something together in the future. Love you guys!! K...
Beyond the Boys’ Club: Ann Wilson of Heart
Beyond the Boys’ Club is a monthly column from journalist and radio host Anne Erickson, focusing on women in the heavy music genres, as they offer their perspectives on the music industry and discuss their personal experiences. Erickson is also a music artist herself and has a new EP and single, “Last Love,” with Upon Wings. The latest edition of Beyond the Boys’ Club features an interview with the legendary Ann Wilson of Heart. As one of the founding members of female-led rock mainstays Heart, Ann Wilson knows just how difficult it was for women to break into rock music decades ago. She also knows what it takes to have staying power as a musical artist, as Wilson is still releasing imaginative new music and playing jam-packed shows. Wilson released her latest solo album, Fierce Bliss, ear...
Nine Inch Nails Reunite With Early Members At Hometown Cleveland Concert
Trent Reznor reunited with several members of Nine Inch Nails’ ’90s lineup, including Richard Patrick, Chris Vrenna, Danny Lohner, and Charlie Clouser, during a special hometown show in Cleveland on Saturday night (September 24th). The reunion took place the night after Reznor and a group of his former bandmates appeared for a live Q&A at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, where only some of the rotating lineup was inducted in 2020. There seemed to be no bad blood on the stage though, as the frontman shared the spotlight for six songs to close out the one-night-only tour stop. The former members collectively took the stage during the tour debut of “Eraser” from 1994’s The Downward Spiral, and they remained there until the conclusion of the show. Their mini-set featured early c...
Ghost’s Papa Emeritus IV Throws Out First Pitch at White Sox Game
Ghost may not seem like a band of particularly sporty people, but hey, you never know. The Swedish metal band’s singer Papa Emeritus IV stopped by Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago on Thursday to throw out the first pitch at the White Sox’s game against the Cleveland Guardians. Decked out in a black-and-white White Sox uniform and matching face paint, Papa Emeritus IV took a break from Ghost’s ongoing arena tour to commence the game, even posing for a photograph with White Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks. Ghost’s latest outing is in support of their March album Impera, one of the best hard rock albums of the year. Joined by Mastodon and Spiritbox, the trek wraps up September 23rd at Green Bay, Wisconsin’s Resch Center (with Carcass replacing Mastodon). Check out our review and photos of the ...
Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard Stadium Tour Grosses $173.5 Million
Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe’s co-headlining stadium tour brought in a whopping $173.5 million, making it the highest grossing tour of either band’s career. The highly anticipated outing finally took place in 2022 after being postponed twice due to the pandemic. The bill was utterly stacked, with the aforementioned headliners receiving support from fellow rock icons Poison and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts. Average ticket sales for each night were 37,520 — more than three times the draw that Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe had previously reached on their own — with an average nightly earning of $4.96 million. Advertisement Related Video Boston was the largest market, with the bands playing a two-night stand at Fenway Park on August 5th and 6th. A total of 64,000 tickets sold for $9.3 million ...
Steel Panther Announce New Bassist Ahead of Fall 2022 North American Tour
Steel Panther have announced their new bassist and a short fall 2022 North American tour. The musician known as Spyder will take over permanent bass duties for the pseudo-parody glam metal act, replacing longtime bassist Lexxi Foxxx, aka Travis Haley, who left the group in 2021. The band’s press announcement declares Spyder “the chocolate to Steel Panther’s peanut butter,” and it’s been a smooth transition for Lexxi’s replacement so far. Sypder first played live with Steel Panther in 2018 and then filled in during a five-week European tour this summer. It apparently went well, as Spyder is now (in the band’s own words) the new “R.O.L.E … Ruler of Low End.” Related Video “We wanted it to be you,” the band remarked via a press release. “We wanted it to be you so badly. So, it’s not gonna be ...
10 Must-See Acts to Catch at Louder Than Life 2022
The 2022 Louder Than Life festival boasts one of the strongest lineups of any rock gathering in the United States this year. Led by legendary acts such as Nine Inch Nails, Slipknot, KISS, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and more, the four-day extravaganza is sure to bring a memorable experience to Louisville, Kentucky. Taking place September 22nd through 25th, Louder Than Life is absolutely jam-packed. Thursday’s lineup will see NIN joined by Bring Me the Horizon, Evanescence, Tenacious D, Ministry, and more. On Friday, Slipknot tops a bill that features Lamb of God, Shinedown, Mastodon, Meshuggah, Clutch, GWAR, and several others. Advertisement Related Video Saturday will see the iconic one-two-three punch of KISS, Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie, not to mention Body Count, Chevelle, Ghostemane, Seven...
Wolfgang Van Halen Announces Deluxe Edition of Debut Mammoth WVH Album, Shares “Talk & Walk”: Stream
Mammoth WVH’s 2021 self-titled debut album is receiving a digital deluxe edition on November 11th with three additional songs, including the Japanese-only bonus track “Talk & Walk” that is now streaming. Considering Wolfgang Van Halen spent many years self-recording the album, it makes sense that there’s a few worthy additional tracks. “Talk & Walk” is a particularly fun tune, shifting from twinkly arpeggios to grungy ’90s power-pop that harkens back to early Foo Fighters. According to the press release, the song was occasionally played during Mammoth WVH’s 2021 tour and became an immediate fan favorite. While “Talk & Walk” was previously released on the Japanese version of the album, the other two additional songs on the deluxe edition (“As Long As You’re Not You” and “Goodbye...
