BLACK STONE CHERRY in the hardDrive Video Room: Paulie Walnuts, Jon Lawhon, Ben Wells, Roxy, Chris Robertson, John Fred Young
Happy Thursday! Yesterday, we had a blast hanging with Black Stone Cherry! The band dropped by the new studios to do an acoustic performance and interview, which will also be published on Friday, April 1 as a hardDrive DL podcast! The band performed “In Our Dreams,” which you will on the hardDriveRadio YouTube Channel as soon as it’s edited! The new album, Kentucky, drops next Friday and the boys are stoked, needless to say. We were invited to their kick off party at The Flying Cock (I kid you not) over on 33rd & 3rd. You can see proof below. (Yes, I got to say “Thoidy Thoid & Thoid”!) Be listening for the band next week on hardDrive XL and next weekend on hardDrive!
The Pulse of Radio is reporting our friend Corey Taylor, the Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman, has confirmed two solo shows, at First Avenue in Minneapolis on April 21st and at the Capitol Theater in Clearwater, FL on April 24th. It is not clear whether Taylor will perform with a backing band or acoustically, nor whether he will also be speaking and taking questions as he has done on tours to promote his books in the past.
Taylor said in a recent interview that it would be “super greedy” of him to launch a solo career at the moment, explaining, “I’ve been getting questions about solo stuff forever. But it’s a good problem to have. But, at the same time, I’m in two fantastic bands. Why would I ever?” He added, “I’m very fulfilled by the music that I get to make with both bands. Is there a solo album in me? Yes. But it’s not gonna be for a few more years.”
Taylor has told us a solo album would show a different side of his personality: “You don’t always have to be bummed to make music, and that was kind of the point of doing a solo album, was to show both kind of versions of it and say, ‘Look, this is me too.’ I really want to get to the point where I show all sides of that. I mean, if Mick Jagger and Robert Plant can do solo stuff, why can’t I? I think there are a lot of people out there that would appreciate it.”
Taylor has said his solo music would sound like a combination of Foo Fighters, Social Distortion and the Replacements. Taylor published his third book, You’re Making Me Hate You: A Cantankerous Look At The Common Misconception That Humans Have Any Common Sense Left, last July. He is just starting work on his next one, titled America 51. Check out Corey performing last year in Hawaii. Here he is doing a cover of Sting‘s “King Of Pain.” And a hunka hunka “Burning Love.” LOL
Holy crap! The Pulse Of Radio reports Metallica‘s classic 1986 album Master Of Puppets is among the records that have been selected for induction into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. Every year 25 recordings are selected by the Librarian, with the help of the Library of Congress’s National Recording Preservation Board (NRPB), that are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and are at least 10 years old. The selections for the 2015 registry bring the number of recordings on the registry to 450, only a minuscule portion of the Library’s vast recorded-sound collection of more than three million items.
Acting Librarian of Congress David S. Mao said, “These recordings, by a wide range of artists in many genres of music and in spoken word, will be preserved for future listeners. This collection of blues, jazz, rock, country and classical recordings, interspersed with important recordings of sporting events, speeches, radio shows and comedy, helps safeguard the record of what we’ve done and who we are.”
Master Of Puppets was released in February 1986 and has sold more than six million copies in the U.S alone. It is widely considered the band’s finest album and was Metallica’s first record to be certified gold for sales of more than 500,000 copies. It was also the first album the band ever played live in its entirety, on a 2006 European tour. Drummer Lars Ulrich told us the band wanted to choose which complete albums it played live carefully: “Obviously it’s something that’s a lot of fun to do, but you’ve got to just walk a fine line because you don’t — obviously Metallica’s not interested in being, you know, a nostalgia act only. So we want to just find that right line.”
Master Of Puppets was the last Metallica record to feature bassist Cliff Burton, who was killed later that year in a tour bus crash. The album continues to sell almost four thousands copies a week in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. A comprehensive book on the making of Master Of Puppets, called Metallica: Back To The Front, will be released this fall. The band worked with author Matt Taylor on the book, which contains new and previously unpublished interviews, photos and more.
DOUBLE HOLY CRAP! Remember the other day when an fan’s Instagram post showed this picture, which was taken in the Atlanta-Hartsfield Airport??? A rumor started earlier this week, suggesting that Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose will perform as a guest vocalist with AC/DC, has gained traction after Atlanta Radio 100.5 host Jason Bailey claimed that a “very, very good source” confirmed to him the collaboration was happening.
The rumor began after AC/DC postponed the last 10 shows of its recent North American tour because singer Brian Johnson was in danger of suffering “total hearing loss.” The band promised to make up the gigs, possibly with “guest vocalists.” Rose has been spotted and photographed in Atlanta, where AC/DC is reportedly meeting with potential singers.
Bailey reported, “This is what I’m being told: Axl was meeting with the AC/DC group, because it’s all but a done deal that Axl will front AC/DC for the 10 remaining shows.” Bailey added Johnson was “supposed to retire after the last tour,” adding, “They’re in town, they were auditioning people for the job, and then they flew Axl in. Again, this is from my source.”
Rose was apparently not in Atlanta on any Guns N’ Roses business. That band will make its comeback with original members Rose, Slashand Duff McKagan at six shows next month in California, Las Vegas and Mexico. There is no word on whether AC/DC intends to permanently replace Johnson, who has been the band’s frontman for 36 years. But I gotta say, this news is CRAY CRAY! Here’s a video of GN’R covering AC/DC’s “Riff Raff.” Hmmmm. Interesting!
More bits:
- The lineup for 2016’s Lollapalooza 25 festival was announced on Wednesday (March 23rd), with many of the rumored acts, such as Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, LCD Soundsystem and Lana Del Rey officially confirmed. Also appearing are acts such as Jane’s Addiction, The 1975, M83, Ghost, Bastille, Silversun Pickups and many more. The show will take place on July 28th through the 31st in Chicago’s Grant Park, with Radiohead headlining on the 29th and the Chili Peppers closing the show on the 30th. (Diffuser)
- The 11th edition of the Amnesia Rockfest will be held from June 23rd through the 26th in Montebello, Quebec, Canada. The 2016 lineup includes Blink-182, Bring Me The Horizon, Korn, Rise Against, Jane’s Addiction, A Day To Remember, Puscifer, At The Drive-In, Twisted Sister, Sum 41, Anthrax and many more. Select acts will be playing entire classic albums in full. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the festival’s website.
- The Smashing Pumpkins kicked off their 2016 “In Plainsong” tour on Tuesday night (March 22nd) in Portland, OR with a set list that featured covers of the Rolling Stones’ “Angie,” David Bowie‘s “Space Oddity” and a run through Hole’s “Malibu,” which Billy Corgan co-wrote in 1998. Touring member Katie Cole handled vocals on that number. The “In Plainsong” tour continues Friday night (March 25th) in San Francisco. (Diffuser)