Ex IRON MAIDEN Blaze Bayley played last night at the famous Whiskey a Go Go on May 2, 2019 and joining him on stage for the encore a version of the Iron Maiden song “Man on the Edge” Ex ANTHRAX singer Neil Turbin.
Watch the Performance and Interview at this location.
For The Metal Voice former Anthrax Singer Neil Turbin spoke with Uli Jon Roth in Los Angeles California during on his opening night on his North American tour. Uli Spoke about his different types of guitars that he uses in his during his 3 hour show, talks about working on his new studio album, how he was offered 7-9 million dollars for a Jimi Hendrix guitar and how he finds today’s music uninspiring.
Watch the interview here:
When asked about his triple anniversary tour
“There are three anniversaries that we’re celebrating the first one would be 40 years of Scorpions Tokyo Tapes which was basically in 1978 (we started this tour last December 2018). Then after we recorded Tokyo Tapes I left the Scorpions and did Electric Sun which started in the same year and we recorded the album Earthquake and then the third anniversary is my 50th year on stage which started in 1968. ”
When asked about the Jimi Hendrix guitar Black Stratocaster (nicknamed Black Beauty by Hendrix) that Roth’s former wife Monika Dannemann owned and who was also Jimi Hendrix’s last girlfriend
“A lot of people were after that guitar. Paul Allen the number two guy in Microsoft called Monica up once and offered a million dollars for it but she turned him down. Another guy called me up, some kind of Arab arts dealer offered like seven-eight-nine million dollars for that guitar, I then asked him tell me good reason why we should sell this guitar? And he said, well for the money. I said that’s not a good reason. I said the guitar should stay with Monica’s paintings and it’s not my guitar, it now belongs to the Dannemann’s estate. It’s in a vault as there were too many people after it but one day I think it’s going to be exhibited as it should be. Of course Exhibited with Monica’s paintings because Monica’s paintings are extra special and they tell the story by themselves unlike any other thing that is out there connected to Jimi Hendrix. Monica understood Jimi’s lyrics. I think one day Monica’s paintings will be seen for what they are they’re gonna live on and of course Jimi’s music will live on. I also played that guitar a couple of times when I was in the Scorpions but I was afraid of breaking a string but it was just for a few minutes and then I never played it again as they were the original Jimi Strings. ”
When asked when he will be releasing a new studio album and what the musical style will be
“I know I am long overdue, I have written at least an albums worth of new of material. But making an album there’s always a logistical problem, it takes time you know. I’m always on the road and I always take a long time when I’m in the studio unfortunately. It’s a personal problem that I have, the recording process is fine but I don’t really enjoy finding the sounds because I’m never happy, to me it never sounds as good as I think it should. Every album I’ve ever done was completely different from every other album that I’ve ever done and I’ve never planned it that way. I don’t really like repeats, I always like to explore new territory.”
When asked about his thoughts on the music that is coming out today and if he follows any news bands
“I can see a lot of talent out there but I’m not really seeking new music out. I don’t feel drawn to it. I prefer to explore music in my own way but if somebody comes up with a great idea I’m happy to steal it. I do keep an open mind but I have to say and this may sounds a little negative but the music that I hear whenever the radio is on usually really sucks nowadays. In my mind the music today is completely uninspiring and the one thing it misses is melody. Hit songs of nowadays just got a groove and people are repeating a phrase mindlessly, the songs don’t mean anything. I’m really getting older because it’s not how I grew up, when I grew up I listened to the Beatles and they had melody, harmony the songs were sophisticated and amazing. I listened to what’s out there on the radio and then I just want to turn it off because it’s so boring, it’s painful for me. I’m not mocking the whole scene but in general I think it`s the end of the world as we know it. It’s like so mind-numbing and then I think to myself what’s going on in these peoples musical souls. The problem today, the kids don’t get a chance to wake up because they’re on their iPhones all day, doing the snapchat chat thing and social media is basically like a massive drug. They’re all hooked into it and the result is that it’s almost impossible for them to find themselves, there’s never a quiet moment where they can reflect. So it’s it’s a real problem and then the result is suicide rates go up and a lot of kids are depressed and they don’t know why because they don’t find any answers. Why they don’t they find answers is because they are numbed by the drive of of empty music and of cell phones. That kind of lure them into into a feeling of connectedness when it is all like superficial and shallow and there’s no real touchy-feely connectedness with real people anymore. It sounds pretty cataclysmic and dystopian and some of it is but you never know you know maybe it’s just some weird phase of mankind, I’m still hopeful.”
For The Metal Voice, Neil Turbin (Deathriders) Former vocalist of Anthrax conducted an in- depth interview with Scott Gorham former guitarist for THIN LIZZY current guitarist for BLACK STAR RIDERS in Los Angeles. Gorham talks, Black Star Riders, his time in Thin Lizzy and Phil Lynott as a leader and songwriter.
Watch the interview here:
When asked about the 150 unreleased Thin Lizzy songs (2:32)
“It wasn’t actually individual songs, there are reels not only from a friend of Phil Lynott’s but there is another warehouse of all these tapes and there are names on them that I don’t recognize at all. There is one song called G.I. Joe which became the Boys are Back in Town. Phil Lynott had written this whole anti-Vietnam war song but after I am Brian Robertson (guitarist) and I put the harmonies guitar on there, Phil kind of flipped and said the Anti-War theme doesn’t really go with the mood of the song.”
When asked about his audition with Thin Lizzy many years ago (11:45)
“Apparently I was the 25th guy to be auditioned, they recorded the whole audition and they sat in Phil’s place and listened to it and said he is the guy and I got the call that night. I was just about 22 years old and I had been only playing guitar for 3 years I used to play bass. A friend of mine who played guitar taught me a few things. So I had only been playing guitar for 3 years before I joined Thin Lizzy I don’t think a lot of people now that. ”
When asked how Huey Lewis was encouraged to become a singer by Phil Lynott and Scott Gorham (33:90)
Huey Lewis was in a band called Clover and they were supporting us on the European and British tour, we were on the road with them for a couple of weeks and I had just happen to be out in the auditorium during their sound check. I guess the singer of the Clover was some place else and Huey said he would check the singers microphone and he started to sing. I was shocked and said this guy wow and all they are making him do is play harmonica? So I went back to the dressing room and told Phil, Huey Lewis that guy can really sing and tomorrow at sound check have a listen and Phil heard him so we were just pounding Huey and said trash that harmonica and you got to get into the spot light and you got to start singing until eventually he came up with Huey Lewis and the News number one all over the world.”
When asked if they have started work on a new Black Star Riders album
We are going into the studio in February 2019, so we are all ready, I think Ricky Warwick (Lead Vocals) has already got the lyrics done, he is like the ATM machine, he is like that prolific
When asked about working with the late producer Chris Tsangarides
Chris was a great guy to work with, there was a guy who could get you really good guitar sounds, great to work with a guy who could not take very long to get what you need, to get what you want to get done. he was somewhere in between a Heavy Metal guy and a hard rock producer.”
When asked if there will be a Thin Lizzy Reunion in the near future with original drummer Brian Downey
“Yeah there is always that chance we are thinking next year we are talking about possibly doing another six shows like we did a couple of years ago. But there has to be a reason to come out and do it not because you want to make some money, their has got to be a reason, an anniversary of some sort. There has to be a point.”
Former ANTHRAX Vocalist Neil Turbin (Deathriders) talks Fistful of Metal 34 year anniversary with stories from the making of the album and how ex Anthrax guitarist Dan Spitz hair caught on fire during that time.
Watch at this location.
Neil Turbin told The Metal Voice, “We went to have a drink at the bar when the whole band was up there to celebrate and say hey here we are we are in the studio together. The bartender was really cool he poured everyone a shot on him and it was like flaming 1/51 shots and when we went to do the shots Dan Spitz hair caught on fire, his eyebrow was on fire. So I threw water at his face and then I started swatting his hair and eventually the flames went out, but my hands started burning, that’s some of the memories recording the first album.”
For Canada’s The Metal Voice former Anthrax singer Neil Turbin (Deathriders) interviewed DESTRUCTION Frontman Schmier in Los Angeles on June 11 2017.
Watch the interview here:
When asked about some lyrical themes off their New Album Under Attack
“One song is about the backing track situation in playing live, a lot of bands go out there and don’t play live anymore, they have backing track running through the vocals, through tape, it’s fake. It’s an important matter right now cause many fans don’t know this. Fans go to the show and say hey you were so great tonight but it was playback, it’s F**** cheating the fans to have playbacks, if you cannot do it live, don’t do it.”
When asked when they will begin writing and recording a new album
“We have learned last year that overworking new material is not good for the spirit and for the creativity, so we will start writing an album next year. We finish this tour, I think 2018 we start writing, then release 2019 or so, maybe earlier.”
When asked about giving advice to bands touring South America
“I think the most important thing is you need to trust promoters and you need all the money upfront. Bands go down there, they don’t get paid and they are stranded with no money, no flight tickets. The advice I can give is get your fees before you fly over or at least 50% of the money so you have something in your pocket to go back home.”
For Canada’s The Metal Voice, former Anthrax singer Neil Turbin (Deathriders, Bleed the Hunger) spoke with legendary and former guitarist Uli Jon Roth at the Whisky, in Los Angeles on Feb 21 2017. Roth Spoke about his time with the Scorpions, Jimi Hendrix influence and theories behind his death as well as weighed in on Michael Schenker‘s verbal attacks on his Scorpions brother Rudolf.
Watch the interview here:
Uli Jon Roth had this to say about former UFO guitarist Michael Schenker‘s war of words towards his brother Rudolf, “It was a little strange, I couldn’t follow it. I don’t know what got into Michael, I thought Rudolf always did good things for Michael. Certainly I cannot second any of that stuff. I’ve been with Rudolf for 5 years extremely closely he is the greatest guy I totally respect him on the human level and as a musician. Maybe he is not like a virtuoso guitar player but he is sure heck of a songwriter and that is rare. Very few people in rock can write a riff like Rock you like a hurricane or stuff that really stays in your mind forever. Rudolf has that gift and that should not be undervalued. I don’t know whats with Michael I don’t know what the problem was maybe he knows something I don’t know but i doubt it. It’s all about different perspectives different people see things, different parts in their lives.”
Roth Continued, “Sure some of the stuff Michael said I could understand where he is coming from, yeah ok maybe he plays a flying V. But then again that’s also natural they are brothers, they come from the same kind of background and Rudolf did start the Scorpions. Without Rudolf there would be no Scorpions. Rudolf was the motor from the beginning, he was the only one with the real vision, in that band to go forward, to do that and that’s a tremendous achievement threw thick and thin. The whole thing was a little sad maybe it will all blow over. I love them both, greatest respect and love for Michael who was one the greatest guitar players of all time. but there is no need to go up against your brother. if there is a problem don’t do it publicly and that’s my opinion.”
In a prior interview with MICHAEL SCHENKER on THE METAL VOICE on May 26 2016 MIchael said
“When they approached me just recently for the SCORPIONS [50th-anniversary deluxe edition reissues of their albums], I found out that they put a bio out that was a complete[ly] wrong story. I found out that there was not a picture of me on ‘Lovedrive’, there was no mention on ‘Holiday’ who wrote and played that intro, and, of course, Rudolf persuaded me to give him the ‘Coast To Coast’ melodies. And so I’m very disappointed with that. And I must say I’m now finding out more and more weird stuff about Rudolf.”
Michael added: “I have to stay away from him and I can’t trust him anymore — period.”
Old Interview and source here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwFMsO1ebyw
Uli Jon Roth was a member of the SCORPIONS from 1973 through 1978, playing on five classic SCORPIONS records, “Fly To The Rainbow” (1974), “In Trance” (1975), “Virgin Killer” (1976) and “Taken By Force, “Tokyo Tapes”.
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Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 