My friends Alter Bridge have announced new tour dates and you can find them right now in Road Rage. (I know, I posted the picture yesterday, but as you can see, Myles loves me!) Some of the new dates include In Flames and Metal Church, while the ones down under are with Like A Storm!
In other news, Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti told All That Shreds he is preparing to start work on the fourth album from his solo band, Tremonti, with plans to release it next year, after Alter Bridge’s current tour cycle is over. Tremonti, however, admitted bassist Wolfgang Van Halen from Van Halen will probably not be part of the project this time after working with Tremonti previously. The guitarist explained, “He’s doing his own project right now. It’s either he’s playing bass in somebody else’s band or he’s singing and playing bass and drums and everything in his own project right now, and I’m sure he’s going to want to put all his efforts into promoting that.” (Thanks The Pulse Of Radio.)
Linkin Park: Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Rob Bourdon, Joe Hahn, Dave “Phoenix” Farrell, Chester Bennington
Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington has revealed why he ended his term as singer for Stone Temple Pilots in 2015, just two years after being asked to join the group. During a Tuesday (Feb 21st) appearance on New York radio station Q104.3, Bennington explained, “The only reason why I’m not doing it now is because my kids, they would cry every time I’d go on the road with STP.”
Bennington continued, “When I leave on tour with Linkin Park, they’re, like, ‘Okay, we’ll see you when you get back,’ and they understand what I’m doing. But when I would leave with STP, they would cry. And I started realizing, I think they thought I was choosing to do that over being at home with them, because I would be done with Linkin Park and coming home. So it was just too hard on my family.”
Bennington joined STP in May 2013 after the group fired original singer Scott Weiland. Bennington and STP released the High Rise EP in October of that year. It included the singles “Out Of Time” and “Black Heart.”
The singer said on Tuesday, “Man, let me just tell you, I have the highest respect for Stone Temple Pilots. I love Scott. I’m sad that he’s gone. He was a huge supporter.”
Bennington told us a while back about the one time he got to meet his idol: “That was really exciting for me because I had been listening to them since I was like 14, 15 years old, and to actually have a chance to meet somebody that I admire and look up to as far as his performance abilities and his vocal abilities was really special for me. And that was really cool. He actually had also heard of the band and he was like, ‘Oh you’re in Linkin Park. Great. I heard great things about you guys.’ And then he had to run off and get on stage, but that was really exciting.”
Meanwhile, STP has not yet announced who will be joining the group as their new vocalist. Chester Bennington and Linkin Park will release their seventh studio album, One More Light, in May.
Strike A Pose: A Perfect Circle’s James Iha, Maynard James Keenan, Billy Howerdel, Matt McJunkins, Jeff Friedl
A Perfect Circle has shared their first 2017 group photo, which confirms that the band’s current lineup remains unchanged from the last time it toured four years ago. The lineup includes Maynard James Keenan on vocals, Billy Howerdel on lead guitar, James Iha on rhythm guitar, Matt McJunkins on bass and Jeff Friedl on drums. The band’s first full-fledged trek since 2011 kicks off in Las Vegas on Apr 7th and 8th. (Alternative Nation)
Pearl Jam is one of the acts that has contributed to a new interpretation of Brandi Carlile‘s 2007 album, The Story. Also participating are artists such as Adele, Dolly Parton, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, Kris Kristofferson and more. Titled Cover Stories: Brandi Carlile Celebrates 10 Years of The Story – An Album to Benefit War Child, the all-star tribute will include notes from Barack Obama and will benefit the War Child UK charity, which aims to help children affected in war-torn regions. (Alternative Nation)
Sad news to share. Blabbermouth reporting a stagehand working the Avenged Sevenfold, Disturbed and Chevelle show in Stuttgart, Germany Monday night (Feb 20) was killed after another crewman fell on top of him while trying to take down the front lighting truss. The 26-year-old crewman who fell on top of the 19-year-old is still alive and in critical condition. The accident occurred when the local crew was working to break down and load Avenged‘s set.
Disturbed released the following statement regarding the incident: “The horror and heartbreak felt by everyone on the tour is beyond words.
“Our deepest condolences go out to that poor 19-year-old’s family, and our best wishes for a speedy recovery go out to the surviving crew member that fell.
“We love and cherish all those dedicated crew members that are responsible for making the show happen day in and day out, and this horrible tragedy is almost too much to bear.
“We dedicate the rest of this tour to our fallen brothers. Life is precious and can end in an instant. Make every moment of yours count.”
Jörg Klopfer, a spokesperson for the Schleyer-Halle venue where the concert was held, told Bild: “We have never had a fatal accident since the opening of the Schleyer-Halle in 1983. It is a terrible tragic event. We mourn with the family and friends of the young man.”
It is not clear why the 26-year-old fell from a height of about 20 meters onto his colleague. Police officer Stephan Widmann said: “An expert will try to reconstruct the accident.”
The bands were scheduled to perform in Milan, Italy yesterday (Feb 21), but that show was cancelled. The band’s Italian concert promoter, Live Nation Italy, released a statement blaming the cancelation on the illness of Avenged Sevenfold singer M. Shadows. Very sad indeed. Thoughts and prayers are with the entire tour and the victims’ families.