HE IS NUMBER ONE!
OK, so some of you followers of the Clergy will get that! The Pulse Of Radio reporting this morning that Ghost, who I can’t wait to finally see perform this weekend, have topped Billboard‘s Top Rock Albums chart! The Swedish band’s new Popestar EP debuted at Number One on the chart yesterday (Sep 28th), marking the first time that they have ever topped that survey. The release is also the first EP to enter in the top spot in the chart’s 10-year history. Popestar‘s first-week sales of 21,000 copies also landed the EP at Number One on the Hard Rock Albums list, and “Square Hammer” is climbing the rock radio singles chart as well.
Popestar includes the original track “Square Hammer” as well as covers of songs by Eurythmics, Echo & the Bunnymen, Simian Mobile Disco and Imperiet. A Nameless Ghoul told us why the band chose such an eclectic group: “We always try to find songs that are interesting for us to work with. There must be some sort of ignition, a spark somewhere, where you want to change it or — I hate to say like make it better, but at least I am drawn to songs to cover when there’s something in there that I feel like, ‘Well, you can definitely do another version of this that isn’t necessarily just a straight-up rock cover that most bands unfortunately end up doing.‘”
Ghost launched a new North American tour last week in support of Popestar, with the trek pulling into Kansas City on Friday night (Sep 30th) and this weekend at Louder Than Life in Louisville and Sonic Boom in Janesville, WI.
The band, whose singer is known as Papa Emeritus III and whose other members are all just called Nameless Ghouls, is debuting a new bassist on this trek, which reports have suggested is Megan Thomas from the New York-based Led Zeppelin tribute band Lez Zeppelin.
Metal Hammer has the world premiere of Korn‘s “A Different World” featuring Corey Taylor from their new album, The Serenity of Suffering, due Oct 21–available to pre-order now – it’s a heavy, brooding, almost sinister track, that is still unequivocally Korn.
Speaking about the song, Jonathan Davis told Metal Hammer lyrically it’s about finding “your happy spot” when “shit gets crazy”, offering a sense of release and escapism.
But how did the collaboration happen?
“When I was working on this song, Corey texted Nick [Raskulinecz, producer] and it popped in my head that he would be the perfect person to collaborate on the record,” reveals Jonathan. “I’ve collaborated with everybody I’ve cared to collaborate with so far in my career, so it was hard trying to think of someone, but it so happened that Corey texted at the right time.
“I’ve been friends with him for a long long time, he’s covered my ass a couple of times, when I got really sick back in 2006 with that crazy blood disorder he came out and did a couple of songs with the band so we could at least show up and say that we tried to play.
“We’ve had a long relationship over the years, he’s a good guy and a great singer.”
Having heard the entire album, I can honestly say, IT FREAKIN’ ROCKS!!!! Which is reminding me of the fact that all these great bands are back with new music: Korn, Metallica, Green Day, Alter Bridge, A Day To Remember, Of Mice & Men, I mean, the list goes on and on. I mean, for those critics who said ROCK IS DEAD, they can start eating some serious crow……CAW CAW!
Today, The Pretty Reckless also premiered a new music video for their scorching single “Take Me Down,” which recently landed #1 on the Rock Radio charts, marking the band’s fourth consecutive #1 single. “Take Me Down” is the first single from The Pretty Reckless’ highly anticipated third studio album Who You Selling For, also due on Oct 21 on Razor & Tie.
The video, shot by Meiert Avis, sees front woman Taylor Momsen and the band at Water Music Studios in Hoboken, NJ, where the album was recorded. Avis has directed videos for artists such as Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, U2 and Avril Lavigne, among many others throughout his illustrious career, spanning over four decades.
The video, shot in black and white with subtle glimpses of red, shows Momsen in top form with her voice as powerful as ever. The 60’s – tinged rock guitar and Taylor’s soulful, smoky delivery makes “Take Me Down” a complete, blistering track that further cements the band at the forefront of rock.
The New York Times recently wrote, “The Pretty Reckless have steadily established itself as one of the most consistently enjoyable rock bands in the country…As rock by and large collapses, how does this group, with its faithful revisiting of louche 1980s power rock, continue to thrive? Find out on its third full-length album, ‘Who You Selling For.’ ”
The Pretty Reckless will hit the road this fall in support of the album, beginning Oct 20th playing major markets in the US before wrapping up on Dec 6th in Los Angeles. See Road Rage for all the dates!
in the name of rock, that happened! Cage The Elephant frontman Matt Shultz and Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach joined Prophets Of Rage onstage in Nashville on Tuesday night (Sep 27th) to perform the MC5’s “Kick Out The Jams.” Dave Grohl has previously performed the song with the band, which features members of Rage Against The Machine, Cypress Hill and Public Enemy. (Alternative Nation)
Mmmmm, I’ll have one please!
Deftones have announced that they have partnered with San Diego’s Belching Beaver Brewery to create a new beer called Phantom Bride IPA – a hoppy West Coast style India Pale Ale loaded up with Mosaic, Amarillo, Simcoe, and Citra hops, all handpicked by Deftones frontman, Chino Moreno.
“Really excited to see our Phantom Bride IPA hit the shelves. As a huge beer connoisseur it was a privilege collaborating with Belching Beaver on the flavor profiles and coming out with a beer that I would put right up with any of my favorites. Good stuff!” –Chino.
The beer ships from the brewery to distribution outlets in Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Hawaii, and California today and will be available to retailers and consumers where all great craft beer is sold on Oct 3rd. Phantom Bride IPA will be available on draft and in 22-oz. bottles. It is brewed and bottled by Belching Beaver Brewery, Vista or Oceanside, California. San Diego County.
The beer is named after the multiplatinum, Grammy Award-winning alt-rock band’s latest single “Phantom Bride,” from their current album Gore, which is currently Top 10 at Rock Radio.
And finally, Sully Erna was in town yesterday to do a promo event for his new album, Hometown Life, which drops tomorrow. We hung out in the video studio for a while and before that, just as ole friends hanging out and catching up. I was very touched when he paid me a huge thank you for being the passionate music person that I am. He’s a good dude. He showed me pictures and told me he is renovating a family property in their hometown in Sicily. He’s pretty psyched about it. I’d be too! If you were a fan of Avalon, then definitely check out his new solo music. (And I didn’t even raze him about his Patriots! lol That was a first!)