Hard Rock
Sammy Hagar on Covering David Bowie, The Who, and Van Halen
Kyle Meredith With… Sammy Hagar Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher | Radio Public | RSS Sammy Hagar catches up with Kyle Meredith to talk about his new album, Lockdown 2020. The album was recorded in quarantine with his bandmates in The Circle that includes Michael Anthony, Jason Bonham, and Vic Johnson as they run through covers of their heroes, peers, and his own Van Halen catalogue. The Red Rocker talks about tackling the scream on The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and regretting writing such a high vocal part for Van Halen’s “Dreams”. He also discusses the way Van Halen’s “Right Now” still speaks to today’s environment and tells us about sharing music with Eddie Van Halen during the guitarist’s fina...
AC/DC’s Angus Young Conceived “Highway to Hell” While on the Toilet
A nasty bout with food poisoning can lead a poor soul on a highway to hell right to the toilet, but for Angus Young, a visit to the toilet led to one of AC/DC’s signature songs. That’s right, the legendary guitarist conceived “Highway to Hell” while sitting on the porcelain throne. The revelation came in a new interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, who had Angus and singer Brian Johnson share the stories behind a few of AC/DC’s best-known tunes. “We had started with the Highway to Hell album … we’d been in Miami, and we’d been in a rehearsal room and that’s what we were doing,” began Angus about the 1979 hit. “We were putting together new tracks. And we’d been there a couple of weeks and we were going a bit slow. And then I had come in one day with [my brother Malcolm] and just before we ...
Lzzy Hale’s Powerhouse Vocals Highlight Halestorm’s Cover of The Who’s “Long Live Rock”: Stream
Halestorm have covered The Who’s “Long Live Rock” in conjunction with the recently announced documentary of the same name. The rousing rendition is fueled by frontwoman Lzzy Hale’s powerful vocals. The new documentary Long Live Rock … Celebrate the Chaos focuses on the culture surrounding hard rock, with appearances by members of Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Rage Against the Machine, Slipknot, Halestorm, and many others. It was filmed at a number of U.S. rock festivals in recent years, and also spotlights fans of the music, as they “commune with their ‘rock families’.” In promotion of the movie, Halestorm have tackled “Long Live Rock”, which was released on The Who’s 1974 rarities collection, Odds & Sods, and also featured during the credits of the legendary UK band’s 1979 documentar...
Dee Snider: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Committee Is Made Up of “Arrogant Elitist Assholes”
Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider has slammed the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame committee as “arrogant elitist assholes,” citing a lack of respect for hard rock and heavy metal acts. Snider went on a rant against the Rock Hall during a Q&A session with fans on Twitter over the weekend. The subject popped up when a fan asked about Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson’s declaration in 2018 that he would refuse induction if the legendary metal act was ever voted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It just so happens that Iron Maiden are among the acts recently nominated for the 2021 class. Faced with the question, “Why would [Dickinson} or anyone for that matter refuse [induction]?”, Snider responded, “The RnR Hall committee members are arrogant elitist assholes who look down on metal &a...
Eddie Van Halen Photo Book by Noted Rock Photographer Ross Halfin Due in June
A new Eddie Van Halen coffee-table photo book by renowned rock photographer Ross Halfin is arriving in June via Rufus Publications. The 356-page book, titled Edward Van Halen, will retrace the career of the late guitar legend through the lens of one of rock’s most storied photogs. Halfin’s photo credit can be spotted next to some of the most iconic images in the genre’s history, having also worked with Black Sabbath, Metallica, and more over the years. Like with many of the great band’s of their era, Van Halen were often the subject of Halfin’s visual documentation. His shots of the group are the definitive images of their career, and the pictures of Eddie perfectly captured the virtuoso’s kinetic guitar skills on film. According to the publisher, the book includes classic and unseen photo...
Chevelle Unveil Anthemic New Single “Remember When”: Stream
Chevelle have unleashed the latest single from their upcoming album NIRATIAS, and it comes in the form of the anthemic track “Remember When”. NIRATIAS (an acronym for “Nothing Is Real and This Is a Simulation”) arrives on March 5th. “Remember When” marks the third tune released from the album, following the songs “Self destructor” and “Peach”. The new single is a grand musical statement from Chevelle. Recording as a duo of brothers Pete and Sam Loeffler for first time — following the departure of bassist Dean Bernardino — the Chicago rockers prove they can still pack a sonic wallop. “Remember When” delivers on the otherworldly themes of the album, with Pete’s soaring vocals and a driving guitar riff throughout. Editors’ Picks NIRATIAS marks Chevelle’s first album in five years, follo...
Rare Footage of Deftones Performing on Public-Access TV in 1992 Surfaces Online: Watch
Rare footage of Deftones performing the song “Answers” on TV in 1992 has surfaced on YouTube via a fan channel dedicated to live clips of the band. Sourced from a professionally filmed broadcast on the Sacto Active Rock community-access TV show, the clip captures Deftones during their formative years. The band even had a different lineup, with drummer John Taylor behind the drum kit in place of Abe Cunningham, who left the group in 1990 prior to rejoining in 1993. For Deftones fans, it’s an invaluable glimpse into the pre-Adrenaline era. Chino Moreno had yet to grow his goatee; the late Chi Cheng didn’t have his signature dreadlocks; and guitarist Stephen Carpenter went wild on the soloing — not a style he’s known for. The song performed on the broadcast, “Answers”, has a more dub/reggae s...
Serj Tankian on His Film Truth to Power, the Chaos Around Toxicity, and the Time He Feared for His Life
Serj Tankian’s life as an activist and musician is captured in the new documentary, Truth to Power. The just-released film offers a fascinating look at the singer’s journey inside and outside of his multiplatinum rock band System of a Down. Following Tankian’s path from his childhood to to his pre-SOAD band Forever Young to the present day, Truth to Power features testimonials by Serj and his bandmates, along with such associates as producer Rick Rubin and Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello. The film also uses archival video to tell Tankian’s story of activism, while also touching on the origins and highlights of System of a Down’s career. Interspersed are newly shot scenes that include the singer visiting his old high school in Hollywood and voyaging to Armenia during a revolutio...
Marilyn Manson Abused and Threatened to Kill His Current Wife, Claims Ex-Assistant
Dan Cleary, a former personal assistant for Marilyn Manson, alleges that the rocker abused and threatened to kill his current wife, Lindsay Usich. The revelation comes weeks after Manson’s ex-fiancée Evan Rachel Wood, former girlfriend Esmé Bianco, and several other women accused the singer of abuse. Cleary, who initially worked as a a keyboard tech on Manson’s touring crew, served as his personal assistant from 2014 to 2015. He claimed on his Rare Form Radio podcast (via Huffington Post) that during that time he saw Manson be abusive to his “then girlfriend” and “now wife”. “I saw some physical abuse as far as like pushing and throwing things at her and a lot of like violent outbursts around her ― breaking things,” Cleary claimed. “A lot of mental abuse and name-calling and thr...
Myles Kennedy (Slash, Alter Bridge) Announces New Solo Album, Shares Single “In Stride”: Stream
Slash co-conspirator and Alter Bridge singer Myles Kennedy has announced his second solo album, The Ides of March, due out May 14th. In anticipation, Kennedy has shared the lead single, “In Stride”. The Ides of March follows Kennedy’s debut solo effort, 2018’s Year of the Tiger. The singer-guitarist first told Heavy Consequence about the new album in our interview last year, where he revealed “a lot of it is blues-based.” The single “In Stride” definitely has some bluesy elements, with a bit of a country-rock tinge. Throughout the song, Kennedy’s soulful voice is front and center. The single’s chorus of “take it all in stride” could be considered Kennedy’s advice for coping with the pandemic, as he wrote the lyrics during the panic of the first wave of lockdowns. “Chill out. That pretty mu...
10-Year-Old Nandi Bushell Honors Keith Moon with Rousing Drum Cover of The Who’s “My Generation”: Watch
Having owned 2020 and conquered Dave Grohl in an epic drum battle, 10-year-old Nandi Bushell has now set her sights on the Mount Rushmore of rock drummers. Her latest YouTube video sees her dedicating a drum cover of The Who classic “My Generation” to the late, great Keith Moon. Moon is in the pantheon of drumming gods along with the likes of Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham and Rush’s Neil Peart, among others, but that didn’t stop young Nandi from tackling the iconic Who song. As she’s shown us in her previous videos, she’s incredibly talented. What’s more, she’s a bundle of energy and joy behind the kit. “My Generation” is a fitting choice for Nandi, as she represents a new generation of young rockers. It was also, in many ways, one of the first punk songs before punk rock was even a thing — w...
Wolfgang Van Halen Performs “Distance” on Kimmel as Tribute to Eddie Van Halen: Watch
Wolfgang Van Halen paid tribute to his late father, the legendary Eddie Van Halen, with a performance of his debut solo single, “Distance”, on Thursday’s Jimmy Kimmel Live. The song, which was released in November, appears as a bonus track on Wolfgang’s upcoming debut solo album under the moniker Mammoth WVH. While Wolfgang played all of the instruments on the album, he debuted his backing band for the Kimmel gig. The group includes Ronnie Ficarro (bass/vocals), Jon Jourdan (guitars/vocals), Frank Sidoris (guitars), and Garret Whitlock (drums). During the Kimmel performance, Wolfgang sang and played guitar as home videos of him and Eddie were projected behind him. The footage was similar to the music video he unveiled upon the single’s initial release. Editors’ Picks The late-night T...
