Halford: Live In Anaheim Due In September
Rob Halford's Metal God Entertainment has struck up a new Canadian distribution alliance with Conveyor/Universal Music Canada. Beginning April 7, Metal God Entertainment and Conveyor/UMC will release the following titles from the HALFORD band:
* "Resurrection World Tour Live At Rock In Rio III" (50 GB Blu-ray)
* "Resurrection – Remastered" (CD)
* "Live Insurrection – Remastered" (2–CD Live Performance from HALFORD's 2001 world tour)
The "Halford Crucible World Tour – Live In Anaheim" film will follow in September. Additional details to be announced in August.
Metal God Entertainment and Conveyor/UMC will also debut on April 7 Rob Halford's FIGHT titles:
* "K5 - The War Of Words Demos" (CD)
* "War Of Words – The Film" (Digi CD + DVD)
* FIGHT box set "Into The Pit" featuring "War Of Words – Remixed & Remastered" (CD), "Mutations – Remastered" (CD), "A Small Deadly Space – Remixed & Remastered" (CD 2008), a rare DVD "Fight Live In Phoenix" and 28-page full-color booklet.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=44252386
King Diamond Interview
Carlos Ramirez of IGN recently conducted an interview with Danish heavy metal singer King Diamond (MERCYFUL FATE, KING DIAMOND) about his involvement with the forthcoming Guitar Hero: Metallica game. An excerpt from the chat follows below.
IGN: First off, I have to ask you, did you ever play Guitar Hero or any other video games before you were approached to do this project?
King Diamond: I actually do play games. It's a great way to relax and not think about everything else going on in your life. I love playing the military type of games. I'm into the ones where you have a mission to run and all of that kind of stuff. Games like Fallout are great. You just get lost in it. But now with this METALLICA game, I have to really start getting good. The company did a great job with it and I know everyone who already plays Guitar Hero will really like it.
IGN: Throughout your career, metal heads have tried to imitate your high pitched singing voice and the results have been disastrous. Now with this game coming out, I'm sure that won't change.
Diamond: [Laughing] Yeah I have heard that through the years from fans and some parents even. I know people get together and have parties at bars and at home playing Guitar Hero so it will be fun to hear them singing along to these tracks.
IGN: One of the things you recorded for the game was the song "Evil" which you first laid down in 1983. Did you do anything different in the tracking?
Diamond: Well, the main thing about that is besides the drummer, we have all of the same people playing on this new version that were there for the original sessions. It was very interesting going back to listen to the records and trying to figure out all of the vocal layering and harmonies. We couldn't find the original tapes anywhere so we started over. Hank (Shermann) might have changed a few things in the guitar solos but they were just improvement types of things. He's obviously playing better these days because that was so long ago but that's really the only big changes. The craziest part of the recording process for me was the technical part of it. Since this was going to be for Guitar Hero we had to have a separate track for every instrument. There was no panning or that kind of stuff going on. I think these new versions came out really great. Once the game is out, I know that the songs will be available on iTunes too.
IGN: How do you feel about video game culture and its impact on music? They are musicians who think it has taken away attention from it and made younger people lazier but some think it has opened up new avenues for their music to get out there.
Diamond: I've always said that video games are positive thing. Like I was saying before, I find it as a really relaxing thing. It's a nice way to escape for a while. For the musicians who are against the whole thing, I think they are crazy. Look how many times people are exposed to music they like that they normally wouldn't have been exposed to. Video games have opened up so many people onto cool bands so I have never understood the argument against them.
Read the entire interview from IGN.
New Signature KK Downing Guitar
KxK Guitars as unveiled the brand new K.K. Downing signature guitar model. With years of R&D refinement, KxK has delivered a guitar that satisfies the needs of one of metals most iconic guitarists. The original two were in K.K.'s hands just in time for the 2008 world tour and now they are available to players and fans in a limited quantity.
All KxK guitars are neck-through guitars built exclusively in the United States using only top-shelf components and craftsmanship.
For this special signature model, the features include:
* 3 Piece Maple neck
* Mahogany body
* Scalloped Maple or Ebony fretboard
* K inlays
* 24.75" scale
* Floyd Rose Speedloader Chrome
* EMG 81/85
* 1 Volume Push/Pull switch for
* Pickup selection
* Dunlop flush mount strap locks
* 24 Dunlop 6120 frets
* Kluson vintage tuners (tuners are for visuals only)
* Battery Box
* Dual carbon fiber rods
* Dual action truss rod
* Available with or without the K.K. Downing pearl body logo
* Each guitar is numbered in order
* Finish options are: Lightning White, Diablo Red, or Black
* G&G hard shell case included
Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: $2,999.00 USD
When asked about his new signature model in a recent interview, K.K. Downing replied: "I can play a whole set without even changing guitars, that's how good it is."
All KxK K.K. Downing signature model guitars will be built to order and only available factory direct from KxK Guitars.
For more information, visit www.kxkguitars.com.
Steven Adler Interview
Sonic Excess recently conducted an interview with original GUNS N' ROSES drummer Steven Adler. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Sonic Excess: In 2005, ADLER'S APPETITE recorded an EP with original material. Do you have any plans on going into the studio and recording a full-length album?
Adler: Absolutely! Next week (first week in April 2009), once we finish this tour up, I am going to go home for a few days and just sleep. We have done 22 shows, so I am going to sleep for a few days, then I am going to have a couple meetings with Slash. I have been working with Slash. I am producing the record and playing on it, of course, so that will be in a week or two that we finish with this (the final date on the tour).
Sonic Excess: Is that going to be Slash's solo record?
Adler: No, that is going to be my record, but I am going to play a song on Slash's solo record too, so I will be doing some recording with him on that, but he is going to be producing my record.
Sonic Excess: Now are you going to have any guest appearance on your record?
Adler: Of course, we want eight cover songs. With each song we do we want at least one person who played on the original version to play on my record. I am thinking about changing the name to ADLER'S GNR too, because you cannot copyright the letters. I am one-fifth of the band just like he is one-fifth of the band (Axl Rose). At least I'm out their playing the songs people want to hear.
Sonic Excess: So this is not going to be just a regular recording, it is going to have everyone on it?
Adler: Yeah. I want to do it old school with a two-inch tape and not with computers. I want an old sound — not perfect and crispy. I do not want to take away the magic of the songs that I redo. Nowadays people go into the studio and record a song, the drummer will play 30 seconds of the beat and type the rest of it in on a computer. I want it all real, that's how we did "Appetite", it was done in one take. It was anything goes, whatever happens happens.
Sonic Excess: The last time I did an interview with you, I had asked you about the new GUNS N' ROSES lineup and you said that "there is no new GUNS N' ROSES." Do you still feel the same way and have you heard "Chinese Democracy" yet?
Adler: Yeah, Axl should have named the band W.A.R. for W. Axl Rose and I think that would have been much better.
Sonic Excess: Axl Rose did a recent interview with Del James and when asked about a GUNS N' ROSES reunion, Axl gave a reason for not considering it and listed why involving every former member Axl said "Steven [Adler] brings assorted ambulance-chasing attorneys and the nightmare of his mother. One gig, or even a couple songs, could mean years of behind-the-scenes legal aftermath." What is your response to that?
Adler: I do not know why he would say that. My mother thing is over and I do not know why he is still going on with that. Now that I'm back in control and have power of attorney, I don't know why he would say ambulance chaser. I don't get it.
Read the entire interview from Sonic Excess. |
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