Got to talk to Mikey Carvajal from Islander yesterday as the band is getting ready to head out on their very first headlining run! So happy for these guys from Greenville, SC. Actually, Mikey and his wife now live in Indiana where his wife is a special ed teacher. And while there, who does he run into, but Head from Korn who has family in the area. So what did they do? Went to see the movie “Creed“!!! And he also told me Jonathan Davis of Korn cut some vocals with him for the Islander song, “Watch Me.” They are currently trying to figure out how and when they can release that. Pretty cool
Islander met Korn on the Mayhem run in 2014 and became fast friends. One of Islander’s members is guitarist JR Bareis, who is also a member of Head’s other band, Love & Death. Anyhow, Mikey told me about their new band members, Ezekiel Vasquez on bass from ForeverAtLast and new temporary drummer, so far, Arin Ilejay, most recently from Avenged Sevendfold. They are currently writing new music and plan to record in February after they do Shiprocked. Meanwhile, Mikey said the addition of Zeke and Arin has added a new energy in the band and I am looking forward to checking them out next week when they come to town. The tour kicks off Wednesday night in Atlanta. See the Road Rage page for all the dates.
Well, the BIG NEWS yesterday is Rock On The Range!
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Disturbed and Rob Zombie will lead the lineup of the 2016 Rock On The Range festival, which will be celebrating its 10th anniversary at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, OH on May 20th, 21st and 22nd. Other acts confirmed for the three-day rock spectacular include Hellyeah, Shinedown, Five Finger Death Punch, Bring Me The Horizon, A Day To Remember, At The Drive-In, Lamb of God, Pennywise, Bullet For My Valentine, Ghost, Wolfmother, Sevendust, Pop Evil, Asking Alexandria, P.O.D., Saint Asonia, Sick Puppies, Turbowolf, The Struts, Red Sun Rising, Trivium and many, many more.
Disturbed said in a statement, “We’ve waited long enough and so have you. Get ready, cause Disturbed is back and we can’t wait to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Rock On The Range.” Zombie added, “Rock On The Range is easily one of the best festivals I’ve ever played. Looking forward to doing it again.” Hellyeah’s appearance will mark drummer Vinnie Paul‘s first performance in Columbus since the tragic 2004 killing of his brother Dimebag Darrell in the same city when both were members of Damageplan. Paul said, “12 years after my last performance in Columbus, Ohio, I have decided it’s time to bring the music of Hellyeah to the great rock and roll fans and attend Rock On The Range!! We are looking forward to kickin’ your ass at this great event.”
In addition to three days of music on three stages, the event will include sets from rock’s favorite comedians in the Rolling Rock Comedy Tent, The Music Experience, new art installations, and other unique activities. Rock On The Range ticketing begins this Friday (Dec 4th) at 10 AM ET at Ticketmaster and the MAPFRE box office and you can learn more about the full lineup, ticketing packages, camping packages and VIP opportunities by visiting the official festival webpage. Watch the trailer here! I’ll also be posting in Road Rage.
Breaking Benjamin has announced that it will embark on a headlining North American tour in early 2016, beginning on Feb 18th in Atlanta and ending on Apr 21st in Richmond, VA. Starset will be the special guests on the trek. Tickets for most dates are expected to go on sale this Friday (Dec 4th). The band recently wrapped a fall tour with Shinedown and Sevendust, and frontman Ben Burnley told me on Friday night in Albany, NY at the Times Union Center he couldn’t be more pleased with the response: “The fans have just been absolutely incredible, and the venues that we’ve been playing and all the cities that we’ve gone have just been absolutely warming and welcoming to us and we’re just nothing but grateful as usual, you know. We’re nothing without these amazing people we get to play for, so it’s just an honor to be in their cities and their beautiful states and play some music and have a great night.” Ben also told me his people are working out plans for Breaking Benjamin’s first European tour. But the catch is Ben does not fly. So they are looking into a ship to cross the Atlantic in. This will be huge for the Breaking Benjamin fans to finally be able to see the band after all these years! I am guessing it will be for the summer Euro festival season. Stay tuned for updates.
The Pulse Of Radio says Godsmack frontman Sully Erna has revealed in a new interview a disagreement over the release of the single “Something Different” from the band’s 1000 Horsepower album may have damaged the act’s relationship with its record label, Universal Republic. While Godsmack wanted “Something Different” issued as the disc’s first single, the label convinced them to go with the title track instead.
Erna said on the Jasta Show podcast, “The label made some big promises to us, that (‘Something Different‘) was gonna be the big push, so we went with (the title track) first, to just kind of crack it open, and then they just kind of bailed on us . . . because of that, we don’t think we’re gonna be working with the label anymore. I mean, it was a big mistake on their behalf, we believe, and it’s a song that I still believe in and it reacts live, and you’ll see it every night.” Erna added, “It was a big learning lesson for us . . . never again will I allow that to happen. From now on, we’re gonna launch (each album) with whatever we feel is the biggest song on the record.”
The singer insisted that “Something Different” should have been “the biggest hit on the record,” adding, “If that song would have hit like we hoped for it to, I really, really think it could have maybe put the band onto another level.” As for the next Godsmack album, Erna said that the band intends to move away from the signature sound of past hits like “Whatever” and “Straight Out Of Line,” citing Foo Fighters as a “great example” of the kind of rock music he wants to make. He explained, “When they come out there, they’re great, they’re powerful, but there’s kind of like a more positive vibe to it and energy to it.”
Erna also said that changes in his own life have affected the kind of music he wants to make, remarking, “I’m not the same young, angry kid I was when I first started writing Godsmack records, and I can’t continue to just pretend that I am. I’m in a better place in my life now.” Although Godsmack plans to continue recording and touring for now, Erna also said he can see the band ending at some point. He admitted, “No way do I even want to (keep doing this in 30 years). I’m not interested in doing this when I’m 70 years old; I’m just not. I’m not saying I won’t be playing music in some capacity, but I think I’m kind of grooming myself to go more into the solo career thing eventually.”
The PRP reports four shows have been added to Tool‘s January U.S. tour with Primus and 3teeth, bringing the total number of dates to 12. Among the new additions are stops in Houston on Jan 14th, Kansas City on January 20th, St. Louis on the 22nd and New Orleans on the 31st. Tickets will go on sale this Friday (Dec 4th).
Team Rock reporting Bring Me The Horizon will play a charity show at London’s legendary Royal Albert Hall on Apr 22nd, 2016. They’ll perform at the iconic venue for Teenage Cancer Trust and they’ll be backed by a full orchestra. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the charity, which provides cancer services for young people across the U.K.
Celebrating life today: Brad Delson of Linkin Park is 38! Sarah Silverman is 45. John Densmore of The Doors is 71 and Woody Allen is 80!