Category — News

System of a Down offshoot band Scars on Broadway are preparing to launch their first US headlining tour. The tour is to support the groups self-titled album, which will be released through Interscope Records on July 29th.

The band also has a new music video for their hit single “They Say” which was directed by Paul Minor (Muse, Queens of The Stone Age).

While I’m not a huge fan of either Serj Tankian’s solo material or Scars on Broadway, it can’t be denied that John Dolmayan is a monster drummer. His work in System of a Down shows more of his skill with his huge drum kits and wide array of cymbals as opposed to what I’ve heard so far from Scars on Broadway. I’m curious to see what kind of drumming he displays on Scars on Broadway’s debut album.

Check out tour cities, a clip from Scars on Broadway’s “They Say” video and more information here…

Source.

There are now a ton of annual American music festivals. One you may have never heard of though is Chicago’s Wicker Park Fest.

I’m mentioning it here because there are going to be some great bands, with great drummers playing this year…including Isis, Red Sparowes, Russian Circles and many more. *(Don’t mind the “2007″ in the pic above).

This year the fest takes place on July 26th and 27th. Get this, not only does the festival have some pretty cool bands but the entrance fee is a $5 donation! (Proceeds benefit the Wicker Park & Bucktown Chamber of Commerce. For more info, go to www.wickerparkbucktown.com)

Check out the full lineup and more info here.

While I kind of disagree with Pitchfork Media’s opinions, oh, 98% of the time and their choice of bands to cover…they do some cool things. I guess the site has gotten so big now that they have a lot of priority and access to all kinds of stuff.

Courtesy of “Pitchfork TV” check out Josh Freese totally killing his DW drums, on this live-in-studio footage, of NIN playing their new song “1,000,000″ off of their new album “The Slip.” Really cool…

NIN: Live-In-Studio Rehearsal

This is the first of 3 parts, so make sure to check out the other 2 when they become available.

Thanks to one of my blog readers…Matt, who commented yesterday, I learned that the new Slipknot track is already available for your listening pleasure online. (Thank you again Matt!)

Check out the full song here.

As I suspected, Joey Jordison does not disappoint on this new track. It features incredibly fast double-bass parts, the BPM is just insane, I’m not sure how fast…but it’s pretty amazing. He also plays a bunch of blast beats. The descriptions that have come out in the press are not far off, “Iowa” meets “Vol. 3 (the Subliminal Verses)” is definitely the sound on this track.

The production is thick and sounds a lot more metal, due to the band using Dave Fortman instead of Rick Rubin’s production team. I should also mention that Jordison has even got some slower groove based drum parts in the song as well. I’m pretty sure this album is going to please a lot of Slipknot/Joey Jordison fans.

Slipknot will be gearing up to release their new record this year, which now has a title.

“Slipknot’s fourth album has been christened “All Hope Is Gone” and will arrive Aug. 26 via Roadrunner. A first single and track list have yet to be announced.”

“We have made an album that will show the road behind, the road ahead, and where we are as men,” group member Corey Taylor says in a statement. “I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever made. And I challenge anyone to prove me wrong.”

Taylor previously described the new album to Billboard as a “very dark” cross between “Vol. 3″ and 2001’s “Iowa.” “It has so much power in it and yet there are so many great spots for melody,” he said. “It’s a controlled chaos that hits you right out of the gate.”

This album should also see Joey Jordison returning with some ridiculous, crazy and super fast beats being played on his awesome Pearl drum kits, I am sure. A lot of us drummers will be looking forward to it. As soon as any sound clips or samples become available, I’ll post them here.

Source.

Nine Inch Nails released their new album “The Slip” (which features the famed Josh Freese), for free in May. Now Trent Reznor has decided to release a physical version to coincide with Nine Inch Nails upcoming US arena tour.

“Each of the 200,000 discs arrives with a DVD of the band rehearsing Slip tracks live, plus a 24- -page booklet and stickers. The set hits Canada and the States July 22, with a Japanese release date is still TBA. A virtually identical set– sans the limited/numbered business– is due in the UK and Europe July 21, and whenever the Australian edition is released, it, too, will be available in this manner.

In addition, an unnumbered/unlimited gatefold vinyl set, featuring a single 180 gram LP of the disc and a 24-page booklet, is due August 4 in the UK and Europe and August 5 in the States. Further info on the Japanese and Australian releases can be expected shortly.”

The 180-gram vinyl version sounds the most interesting to me, as I’ve already got the free version on my iPod. This should also sell well as vinyl is making a resurgence. Nonetheless, very cool way of doing things. Release your record for free to your fans as a sort-of thank you, and then if people still want to buy the physical copy, make it available. Nice work Trent.

Source.

Here are NIN’s current tour dates…

07-25 Pemberton, British Columbia - Pemberton Festival
07-26 Seattle, WA - Key Arena at Seattle Center *
07-28 Edmonton, Alberta - Rexall Place *
07-29 Calgary, Alberta - Pengrowth Saddledome *
07-31 Winnipeg, Manitoba - MTS Centre *
08-02 Minneapolis, MN - Target Center *
08-03 Chicago, IL - Grant Park (Lollapalooza)
08-05 Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre %
08-07 Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena %
08-08 Worcester, MA - DCU Center %
08-09-10 Baltimore, MD - Pimlico Race Course (Virgin Mobile Festival)
08-12 Knoxville, TN - Knoxville Civic Coliseum %
08-13 Duluth, GA - Gwinnett Arena %
08-15 Oklahoma City, OK - Ford Center #
08-16 Houston, TX - Toyota Center #
08-18 Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center #
08-20 Saint Louis, MO - Scottrade Center #
08-22 Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena
08-23 Auburn Hills, MI - Palace of Auburn Hills #
08-25 Toledo, OH - Seagate Convention Center #
08-27 East Rutherford, NJ - Izod Center $
08-29 Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center $
08-31 Lexington, KY - Rupp Arena ^
09-02 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater %
09-03 Salt Lake, City UT - The E Center of West Valley %
09-05 Oakland, CA - Oracle Arena %
09-06 Inglewood, CA - The Forum %
10-24-26 New Orleans, LA - Voodoo Music Experience

* with Crystal Castles
% with Deerhunter
# with A Place to Bury Strangers
$ with Does It Offend You, Yeah?
^ with White Williams

This is not a Metallica blog. Just had to put that disclaimer out there, as I’ve been doing a lot of Metallica related posts, just because they are in the press so much lately. The band plays the Bonnaroo Festival today in Manchester,TN where they will probably “kill the festival” (according to esquire magazine).

Last night though, the band (with honorary 5th member - Lar’s Ulrich’s crappy sounding Tama Drum kit), played a surprise 175-capacity club show for fan club members and club employees.

The band played 9 songs as a warm up for tonights headlining show in front of an estimated 130,000 people, which will also be broadcast on the Fuse TV channel.

More info and video footage of the band’s small warm-up show can be found over at Billboard…

Source.

Around 2 weeks ago, listening parties were held for Metallica’s forthcoming, still untitled new album. Member’s of the music press were allowed in and permitted to write down their thoughts on the record, which a lot of people are calling a “return to form” and even praised, in various publications such as Kerrang! Metal Hammer and more.

The band, or the band’s management then instructed all of these publications/websites to take anything regarding Metallica’s new album down. This seemed to defeat the purpose of the listening parties and everyone wondered, why are Metallica retarded? Don’t they want people to get excited about their new album? Don’t they want coverage in the press?

Well now the band has responded, check it out here.

It turns out it was their management, who would’ve thunk it?

If you can make it, this should be amazing, you can catch Jason Bonham playing his awesome Ludwig Kit up-close and personal.

Harmony-Central.com reports…

“Fresh from playing in the Led Zeppelin reunion tour Jason Bonham today confirmed he will officially open The London International Music Show next week. The son of drumming legend John Bonham will cut the red ribbon and welcome crowds next Thursday 12 June at 10am at ExCeL London.

Europe’s largest drumming festival, Drummer Live, is part of the overall music show and has a truly world class line up of drummers to play the show.” Line-up is now as follows:

Drummer Live Stage (Saturday & Sunday):

Saturday 14th June

• 11.15 George Barnett (Young Drummer of the Year) (mikedolbear.com)
• 11.30 Ray Luzier (Korn & Jonathon Davis)
• 12.45 Derico Watson (Victor Wooten Band)
• 14.00 Trevor Lawrence (Snoop Dogg, Independent)
• 15.15 Jojo Mayer (NERVE)
• 16.30 Chad Smith (Red Hot Chilli Peppers)

Sunday 15th June

11.30 Josh Devine (Mapex Drummer of Tomorrow)
• 11.45 Roy Mayorga (Stone Sour)
• 13.00 Pete Ray Biggin (Mark Ronson)
• 14.15 Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree)
• 15.45 Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin & Foreigner)

This isn’t an amazing new piece of drum hardware or even a huge advancement in anything drum related, its just pretty cool (and yes, a little cheesy).

A company called Firestix has created “Light-Up Drumsticks” which are essentially, glow-in-the-dark drumsticks. Check out the page and the accompanying video demoing the product…Firestix Light-Up Drumsticks.

The sticks look really nice in complete darkness, but I can imagine them looking kind of lame at an actual club show. Anyway, cool nonetheless. I wonder about their playability and reliability though…