For Canada’s The Metal Voice, Singer Neil Turbin (ex- Anthrax, Deathriders) recently conducted an interview with Argentina’s Rata Blanca and Skid Row’s Tony Harnell and Snake Sabo at the Motofiesta Leon festival in Mexico. Rata Blanca recently released their new album Tormenta Electrica. In Argentina they have supported such artists as Graham Bonnet (Rainbow, MSG), Tarja Turunen (Former Nightwish) and Doogie White (former Yngwie Malmsteen).
When asked Rata Blanca about the release of their new album
“We are releasing our new album to Argentina, America and other countries and now this is the first time we are presenting our new album Tormenta Electrica to Leon Mexico.”
When asked about Rata Blanca’s musical influences and their future plans
“Rata Blanca has classic influences from English and American Bands. We will be touring the USA soon.”
When asking Skid Row what it is was like to be in the band
I don’t mind it so much, it’s been a pretty good thing for me, I have been here since 86 so it’s not such a bad thing 29 years. I feel a little older than 29 though having Tony in the band is awesome.” Snake Sabo
“I’m having a great time it’s awesome to be in the band, it’s totally different from TNT a lot of fun.” Tony Harnell
Canada’s The Metal Voice recently spoke to Legendary Rock Author Martin Popoff to discuss his new RIOT book called, “Swords and Tequila”.
When asked about the content in his book
What I did was to write in my usual detail track by track, descriptions of songs, album covers, and production only the first five Riot albums. The Guy Speranza era which is three records worth and then the Rhett Forrester era which is two records. That takes us from Rock City to Narita, Fire Down Under, Restless Breed, Born in America. And there is a long epilogue where I do look at a fair amount of detail on the rest of the catalogue bringing it right up to Riot V and what those guys are doing today in 2015.
This is a band that was ahead of their time if they would have arrived on the scene with Guy Speranza, with all that firepower of Fire Down Under right there in 1983. It might have been Fire down under that went to number 1 instead of Quiet Riot Metal health.
On his thoughts on why Riot never became a bigger band
There were problems with management, they got dropped by Capital famously, where Capital thought they were too heavy for them and ended up on Electra. They had a lot of turmoil along the way and the Guy Speranza just quits the band right in the optimum time when the world is phrasing this amazing classic heavy metal album. Guy decides he wants out of the business and everyone in the band was ticked off at the grind of not really getting anywhere and not making a lot of money
What is one thing he learned about Riot that he did not know about before?
I would have to say it is that Crohns disease situation that Mark Reale died from. Also hearing all the management manoeuvres that had to go on to keep the band going.
For Canada’s The Metal Voice, thrashing reporter Neil Turbin (Deathriders, ex-Anthrax) caught up with KING DIAMOND‘s Andy LaRocque in an exclusive interview. Neil Turbin is also joined by Mike Wead (guitarist of King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Candlemass)
On what it is like to be in the King Diamond band for so many years.
“I have been in the band for about 30 years, it’s crazy, time just flies, it’s been awesome.” Andy LaRocque
If he was ever concerned about King Diamond’s Satanism when first joining the band
“I always was really into the theatrically stuff on stage, like Alice Cooper, Kiss, Black Sabbath, stuff like that. I look at it in a different way I see it more as a theatrical rock horror show than a satanic thing.” Andy LaRocque
On when they will begin work on a new King Diamond Album
“We are going to have a little break after this tour and after that break we are going to start writing music for the next album. We have some riffs but I’m sure once we start getting into the process it’s going to be lots of brainstorming, somewhere around February 2016.” Andy LaRocque
On their favorite guitar solos off the King Diamond Albums
“One that I remember being one of the first solos I recorded on the demo which was actually the solo for Welcome Home. Which I still think is a pretty good solo, we are still playing that song . I still like it”. Andy LaRocque
“In this set list none of my solos are in there. For me it’s the Black Horseman outro solo is really nice. I kind of changed it a bit the way Michael Denner played it on the originally album. That one is pretty good one.” Michael Wead
Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon of Canada’s ‘The Metal Voice’ recently spoke to legendary Rock Author Martin Popoff about his two books, (fan voted) The top 500 Heavy Metal Albums and songs of all time which he wrote a few years back but stand the test of time. Paragraphs dedicated to each album and songs. Both books were mathematically compiled with his father.
“These books are a little old but I would like to update them to see how they have changed over the years. I would ask rock stars, I would go in person to clubs and I would ask the whole road crew and a lot of asking over the internet. I had a mathematical system.”
“The satifying thing was to find out what the acutal anwser was, those answers are pretty steadfast , people would complain about them but I would just write people back and say he man, it’s democracy the people have spoken. “
Both books are a result of a huge, worldwide poll.Included are artist quotes and a review by Popoff, as well many album cover shots.
Canada’s The Metal Voice recently caught up with vocalist, guitarist of Christian metal pioneers, STRYPER‘s Michael Sweet. In the chat Sweet talks about the band’s new album “Fallen” and gives his opinion on W.A.S.P., Van Halen, Iron Maiden, Geoff Tate and Queesnryche’s new albums. STRYPER’s new Album “Fallen” will be released on October 16
When asked about his approach to writing the new album
“Before we make a new album I start listening to new bands, that range from real heavy stuff, to alternative stuff. I listen to the fans and I ask the question what do you guys want to hear on this album, and they tell us. And I kept thinking Heavy, heavy, heavy that’s why we didn’t do a piano ballad. That why we didn’t do pop metal kind of songs. I wanted this album to consistently be heavy.”
When asked about his favorite track on the album Pride
“The song Pride came together very fast as did all the other songs. That is one of my most favorite songs on the album. The reason why it is it’s because it’s a great merge of the old with the new and it’s got all the Stryper qualities you would expect. Pride is going to be the first music video that hits on release date October 16.”
On his thoughts about recording a concept album in the future
“I have thought about doing a concept album and I just haven’t ever gone down that path and made the commitment to do it. But sure, absolutely I thought about it and I think Stryper would be a great band to do that.”
On the highlights and disappointments of recording ‘Soldiers Under Command’ which is celebrating its 30 year anniversary
“Highlights working with Michael Wagner legendary metal producer. We recorded that album in 10-11-12 days tops and the downside of the album is we didn’t get to be there for the mix.”
On Michael Sweet’s plans for a new solo album
” I start recording a new solo in the next 3 weeks, it’s going to come out next year. It’s going to be a metal album. There is not going to be any poppy stuff. It’s going to blow people away I’m going to try to steer clear of the Styper sound.”
On his thoughts on the new Iron Maiden album ‘Book of Souls’
“I have heard bits and pieces of it and in my opinion it’s not as good as Maiden of old but it is certainly a lot better than some of the things they done in the past 15 years. I think they are getting on track and I would like to see the next album get back to the fire they had like Run to the hills and The Trooper.”
On his least favorite album in the past years
“I’m going to go with the Van Helen-A Different Kind of Truth. I am a huge Van Halen fan about as big as they come. I just feel like the last album you know when you feel like a band is going through the motions and they are not just giving it their best and trying, that’s what I felt about this album. It’s got some good reviews. People are saying this is great. I am just sitting here reading I must be hearing something completely different. I didn’t get it. I would love to get a hold of those guys and take them in the studio and take them back to the old school days and help them make an album that basically is comparable to Van Halen one and two.”
The Metal Voice was at this years Cathouse Live Festival celebrating 80’s Hair Metal. Neil Turbin (Deathriders, Ex Anthrax) reporting, caught up with the former host of the Headbangers ball and organizer of the festival Riki Rachtman. Turbin also spoke to 1980’s hair metal bands Autograph, Enuff Z Nuff and drum wiz Bobby Jarzombek from the Sebastian Bach band (Halford, and Fates Warning).
The Cathouse was a famous Rock club in Hollywood in the 1980’s managed and owned by Riki Rachtman where many famous bands like Guns and Roses, Motley Crue etc.. broke ground. It was the cool place to be, now turned into a festival.
On why Riki Rachtman decided to put on the Cathouse Festival
“When I set this thing up I just wanted everyone to have fun and everyone is having fun.”
On plans to branch out and do more Cathouse festivals
“Everybody is asking me. LiveNation is already saying they want to do one next year, Next year is the 30 year anniversary of the Cathouse so I am not really sure what I got planned but I’m gonna do something fun.”
Asked if Riki Rachtman has ever tried to bring back Headbangers Ball
“It’s not gonna happen. I tried, I told them I would do it for free, they never even returned my calls.”
On Autograph’s new album and tour
“We have been touring for a year and a half. We have recorded two new songs and just recorded two more. We did a live recordings for ‘Turn up the Radio’. We are going to have an E.P. with the four new songs and ‘Turn up the radio’.” Steve Lynch
Asking Chip Z Nuff on his Cathouse memories
“I remember Guns and Roses sets, Jet boy I might have played there a couple of times. No Big stories just a great rock club that bands would frequent, eventually a few of them made it.”
Asking Bobby Zarombek on the status of the new Sebastian Bach album and Fates Warning new records
“Sebastian is now starting to work on another record and the label wants him to put something out pretty quick. He’s excited about it. He just mentioned it today. Like come in with your ideas, giving us the go ahead to come up with some cool shit. I have a couple of personal ideas that might work for him and I know everybody in the band does”
‘We are working on a new record (Fates Warning), it’s going to be in 2016 and it’s going to be really cool. All the material is written.”
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s ASA unveil the long-overdue release of "Collective Failure" + first music video for title-track! Check it out and stay tuned for more news! Click image to watch the video
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
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Visionary artist KIMMO KUUSNIEMI's ANCIENT STREAMING ASSEMBLY (ASA) have released “Aurora Nuclearis”, a powerful 12-minute audiovisual experience, dedicated to the Late Keyboardist Esa Kotilainen. - Click image to watch the video
Click image to watch the video
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