Monthly Archives: June 2012

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK UPROAR FESTIVAL 2012 ‘ERNIE BALL BATTLE OF THE BANDS

Posted by Dante on

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK UPROAR

FESTIVAL 2012 ‘ERNIE BALL BATTLE OF

THE BANDS POWERED BY IMAGEN

RECORDS’ GETS UNDERWAY JUNE 19

The Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival has announced details for the 2012 Ernie Ball Battle Of The Bands powered by Imagen Records. Beginning Tuesday, June 19, unsigned bands can enter to win a chance to play live on the Ernie Ball Stage in their market this August and September. In addition, finalists will compete for the grand prize, which includes a coveted spot on the 2013 Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival, the opportunity to record an EP with legendary producer Jay Baumgardner at NRG Recording Studios in Hollywood, CA, $10,000 worth of music gear and other prizes.

 

This year’s judges for the Ernie Ball Battle Of The Bands powered by Imagen Records include: Jose Mangin from Sirius XM, Zacky Vengeance, guitarist of Avenged Sevenfold, legendary producer/mixer Jay Baumgardner, and music industry veteran Bill McGathy.

Visit www.RockstarUPROAR.com/UPROARTV to see a video clip of Chris Jericho of Fozzy, Shinedown, Godsmack, Papa Roach and more bands from this year’s tour talking about the Ernie Ball Battle Of The Bands powered by Imagen Records.

The third annual Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival will run from August 17 in Kansas City, MO through September 30 in Albuquerque, NM. The trek will include 2011 Ernie Ball Battle Of The Bands winner Mindset Evolution. The Peoria, IL band recorded an EP with legendary rock producer Jay Baumgardner at NRG Studios in North Hollywood as part of last year’s grand prize package and is excited to hit the road in August. Lead vocalist Rob Ulrich says, “Winning the Ernie Ball Battle Of The Bands has been a life changing experience for us. It really kickstarted our career, giving us some amazing opportunities. We had an incredible experience recording our EP with Jay [Baumgardner] and can’t wait to tear it up on UPROAR!”

 Leading up to the Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival, Mindset Evolution will join UPROAR bands Papa Roach and In This Moment for a string of shows from June 25 through July 2. Go to www.RockstarUPROAR.com/bands/mindset-evolution for details.

“We Are Stars,” the brand new single from Mindset Evolution, is available for free download—before it can be purchased anywhere—exclusively at www.revolvermag.com.

Speaking of this year’s Battle Of The Bands, Head of Imagen, Bob Winegard, explains: “Imagen is very pleased to be part of the Battle Of The Bands this year, with the winner receiving a label development deal with Imagen. We look forward to producing some great new music and being a part of their success!”

To enter the Ernie Ball Battle Of The Bands powered by Imagen Records, bands can register by completing a short informational profile and uploading at least one MP3 to the Battle Of The Bands website (www.RockstarUPROAR.com). Entrants should use the Band Promotional Toolkit provided in their profile after logging in to promote their entry on the web and drive fans to vote. Fans can also register at www.RockstarUPROAR.com/battleofthebands to become an official contest judge.

The top 100 bands receiving the most fan votes in each tour market will be judged by a panel of industry professionals and UPROAR artists. This panel will choose the winner for each local U.S. tour market. Winners for each local market will be announced two weeks before that tour date. The winner in each city will perform in the opening slot on the Ernie Ball Stage at the 2012 Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival and will be automatically entered into the grand prize competition.

Each tour market’s winning band will be eligible to compete for the grand prize. One band will be chosen by the panel of judges to win the Grand Prize package from the Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival, Ernie Ball Music Man and Imagen.

The grand prize package includes:

  • A coveted spot to play live on the entire 2013 Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival
  • Record an EP with legendary producer/mixer Jay Baumgardner at world famous NRG Recording Studios in North Hollywood, CA
  • $10,000 worth of music gear
  • Professional photo shoot with rock photographer Lisa Johnson (www.MySpace.com/LisaJohnsonPhoto)
  • Exclusive editorial feature in Revolver Magazine
  • Music video by video director Strati Hovartos (www.stratihovartos.com)
  • Featured content on Loudwire.com
  • One year supply of Ernie Ball Strings
  • One year supply of Rockstar Energy Drink

The 2012 Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival main stage will feature performances from multiplatinum rock bands Shinedown, Godsmack, Staind and Papa Roach, along with breaking band Adelitas Way. In addition, the Ernie Ball Stage and Jägermeister Stage in the festival area will include performances from multiplatinum headliner P.O.D., as well as up-and-coming artists Deuce, Fozzy, Redlight King, Mindset Evolution, In This Moment, Thousand Foot Krutch, Candlelight Red and a local Battle Of The Bands winner.

The Ernie Ball Battle Of The Bands powered by Imagen Records will take place at the tour dates listed below. For the full Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival tour itinerary, go to www.RockstarUPROAR.com.

Date Market Venue
Fri. 8/17 Kansas City, MO Capitol Federal Park at Sandstone
Sun. 8/19 St. Louis, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Wed. 8/22 Chicago, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Fri. 8/24 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Sat. 8/25 Syracuse, NY New York State Fair
Sun. 8/26 Mansfield, MA Comcast Center
Tue. 8/28 Scranton, PA Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain
Wed. 8/29 Buffalo, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
Fri. 8/31 Pittsburgh, PA First Niagara Pavilion
Sat. 9/1 Saratoga, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Sun. 9/2 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live
Wed. 9/5 Simpsonville, SC Charter Amphitheatre at Heritage Park
Fri. 9/7 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
Sat. 9/8 Noblesville, IN Klipsch Music Center
Sun. 9/9 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center
Tue. 9/11 Raleigh, NC Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek
Wed. 9/12 Atlanta, GA Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood
Thu. 9/13 Tampa, FL 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre
Sat. 9/15 Houston, TX Woodlands Pavilion
Sun. 9/16 Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Pavilion
Tue. 9/18 Denver, CO Comfort Dental Amphitheater
Wed. 9/19 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
Fri. 9/21 Spokane, WA Greyhound Park and Events Center
Sat. 9/22 Auburn, WA White River Amphitheatre
Sun. 9/23 Portland, OR Sleep Country Amphitheater
Tue. 9/25 Boise, ID Idaho Center Amphitheater
Sat. 9/29 Phoenix, AZ Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion
Sun. 9/30 Albuquerque, NM Hard Rock Casino Presents: The Pavilion

About Ernie Ball

In 1962, veteran player and teacher Ernie Ball created Slinkys®, the iconic light gauge electric guitar strings widely revered by hundreds of guitar greats including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, The Edge and John Mayer. In addition to hand crafting high-end Music Man® guitars and basses, Ernie Ball Inc. offers state-of-the-art instrument accessories that are carried in more than 6,000 stores in the U.S. and 110 countries worldwide. The family-run company maintains its founder’s dedication to preserving the musician’s playing experience and delivering superior sound quality through the development of new products, such as the revolutionary Element Shield Packaging which hermetically seals guitar strings keeping each set as fresh as the day they were made. The company also fosters artist development through musician-focused programs such as the Golden Pick promotion featuring Slash and Eric Clapton, and the world’s largest and longest running Battle of the Bands, where unsigned bands compete each year for the chance to play on multiple tours and win tons of prizes. Visit them online at www.ernieball.com.

About Imagen Records

Imagen artists represent the best in rock, pop, hip-hop and R&B. Based in the Washington, D.C. area and founded by musician and business person Bob Winegard, Imagen offers their artists a fully collaborative artist development process with a 360 degree perspective. The label was founded in 2007 and employs the newest and most innovative methods to maximize use of new media and technologies, including new fanbase management and content delivery methods.

AND DON’T FORGET TO LIKE ”ROCKNIGHTMARE.COM”  ON FACEBOOK AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

NEW ICARUS WITCH CD RISE JULY 3

Posted by Dante on

NEW ICARUS WITCH CD RISE WILL BE RELEASED  JULY 3

ON CLEOPATRA RECORDS

 Icarus Witch is Christopher Shaner (vocals), Quinn Lukas (guitar), Dave Watson (guitars/keys), Jason Myers (bass), and Tom Wierzbicky (drums)

Pittsburg PA’s own Icarus Witch will release their fifth studio album “Rise” July 3 through Cleopatra Records. I totally love the direction the band has gone in with “Rise” this has every element of what makes a great CD, anthemic choruses mixed with melodic riffs and a killer rhythm. This is one of the best metal albums I have heard this year.

RISE was produced by Dave Watson (Mantic Ritual, Argus) and mastered by Mark Richardson (Baroness, The Black Keys)

RISE Track Listing:

1. The End

2. (We Are) The New Revolution

3. Rise

4. Asylum Harbour

5. Coming Of The Storm

6. Tragedy

7. Say When

8. Break The Cycle

9. Nothing Is Forever

10. Pray

11. In The Dark

12. Last Call For Living

FOR MORE INFO CHECK OUT

http://www.icaruswitch.com/

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/icaruswitch

AND DON’T FORGET TO LIKE ”ROCKNIGHTMARE.COM”  ON FACEBOOK AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

 

JESSE JAMES DUPREE AND SON NIGEL DUPREE CELEBRATE FATHERS DAY WITH SIMULTANEOUS SINGLE RELEASES TO RADIO

Posted by Dante on

 

JESSE JAMES DUPREE AND SON NIGEL DUPREE CELEBRATE FATHERS DAY WITH SIMULTANEOUS SINGLE RELEASES TO RADIO

Jackyl’s “Screwdriver” and Nigel Dupree’s “Tumbleweed” Set June 26 Add Dates

 

JACKYL’S BEST IN SHOW AND NIGEL DUPREE’S DEBUT UP TO NO GOOD TO BE RELEASED ON JULY 31 VIA MIGHTY LOUD, MAKING IT ONE OF THE GREAT FATHER / SON MOMENTS IN THE HISTORY OF ROCK.

Atlanta, GA — Jesse James Dupree has announced the July 31st release of Jackyl’s Best In Show via his label Mighty Loud (Fontana).   The same day, the company will street the debut from his son Nigel Dupree titled Up To No Good.  In celebration of Father’s Day, each will issue a single to radio, Jackyl’s “Screwdriver” and Nigel Dupree’s “Tumbleweed,” each set with an add date at radio of June 26. Jesse James Dupree emphasizes, “You have to raise them to ROCK.”

 

Multi-platinum selling Jackyl has long since validated itself as one of America’s most loved rock bands.  Specialists in down and dirty blue-collar rock and roll, Jackyl’s legacy of its wild, untamed and uncouth approach to rock ‘n’ roll is well established. The band hit the scene in 1990, and immediately began firing off rock radio hits like “Down On Me,” “When Will It Rain,” “I Stand Alone,” and most notably, “The Lumberjack” during which Dupree performs a chain-saw solo. The introduction of Jackyl’s fifth instrument on album and in concert quickly became one of the band’s many trademarks as the group blazed a path to infamy, sharing the stage with Aerosmith, Kiss, ZZ Top, Ted Nugent and Damn Yankees and working with industry heavyweights such as John Kalodner.   C/DC’s Brian Johnson would go on to lend his vocals to the track “Locked And Loaded” which still stands as his only contribution outside of AC/DC recordings.  The band has earned two Guinness Book of World Records citations and the designation “The Hardest working Band in Rock ‘N’ Roll” for performing 100 shows in 50 days as well as 21 shows in 24 hours. Staying true to their working band roots, Jackyl is a staple on the summer festival circuit and maintains their commitment to every show being the sonic equivalent to a man being shot out of a cannon.

Jesse James Dupree shares, “This is our 20th anniversary from our first release and we made sure Best In Show would show we have not let up one bit.”

Dupree’s son Nigel grew up in a home filled with music.  Immersed in the surroundings of his father’s band, and the sounds of those his father produced when off the road, the 22 year-old steps front and center with the release of Up To No Good.  Nigel Dupree presents a glimpse in to his own voice, and sound, that certainly exhibit the impact his father has had on him, but also reveals a presence that is uniquely his own,  Nigel offers, “Everyone is a little like their parents.  For me, it comes as pure and honest as it gets.  There is no question there has been an impact, but I have my own influences, and my own approach to songwriting. The result of which is this new album.”

Jackyl has announced a tour that will keep the band on the road a good part of 2012.  The itinerary is still being locked, but the following appearances are confirmed: 

6/14     St. Petersburg, FL                               State Theater

6/15     Sanford, FL                                        Route 46

6/16     Duluth, GA                                         Wild Bill’s

6/21     Battle Creek, MI                                 Planet Rock

6/22     LaCrosse, WI                                      Oktoberfest Grounds

6/23     Flint, MI                                              Machine Shop

7/06     Lincoln, NE                                        Bourbon Theatre

7/07     Algona, IA                                          Freedom Rally

7/20     Louisville, KY                                                Jim Porter’s

7/21     Petaconia, IL                                       Breast Fest

7/26     Royalton, MN                                     Halfway Jam

7/27     Rhinelander, WI                                 Elbo Room Lounge

7/28     Wateska, IL                                        Wateska Theatre

8/09     Sturgis, SD                                          Full Throttle Saloon

8/18     Connersville, IN                                  Wounded Warrior Project

8/23     Grand Junction, CO                            Rock Jam

9/01     Freeport, TX                                       Freeport Summertime Blues Festival

9/13     Ocean City, MD                                 OC Bike Fest

9/14     Ocean City, MD                                 OC Bike Fest

9/15     Howland, ME                                     Seboeis Stream Campground

Nigel Dupree plans to tour heavily this calendar year as well.  Confirmed dates include:

6/14     Owensboro, KY                                  Panhead Freds            6/15     Anderson, SC                                     Beer Belly’s 6/16     Duluth, GA                                         Wild Bill’s

6/21     Battle Creek, MI                                 Planet Rock

6/22     La Crosse, WI                                     Oktoberfest Grounds

6/23      East Peoria, IL                                   Meadow Ave

6/25     Springfield, MO                                  Outland Ballroom

6/26     Tulsa, OK                                            Old Memorial 6/28     Joplin, MO                                          Bricktown Sliders 6/30     Kansas City, MO                                TBD

 

FOR MORE INFO

 www.jackyl.com

http://www.facebook.com/#!/NigelDupreeBand

Givethemrope CD Release Party Sat June 16th, @ Warehouse 24 – 1936 MacDade Blvd, Woodlyn, PA 19094

Posted by Dante on

 

GIVETHEMROPE CD Release Party

Special Guests: Single Bullet Theory, Alekhine’s Gun, Mother, Travia & Seeds of Perdition

GIVETHEMROPE chose Method of Groove Studio in Brooklyn NY. to record  their self titled debut album.

Method of Groove Studio owned and engineered by Sony/Roadrunner recording artist

Joey Z (Life of Agony)

Givethemrope CD Release Party Sat June 16th, @ Warehouse 24 – 1936 MacDade Blvd, Woodlyn, PA 19094

Doors are 8:00 First band goes on at 8:45!! 

GIVETHEMROPE

Is:

Rich Books- Vocals
Rian Poltrone- guitar
Dave McCallion- guitar
Tom Prenatt- bass
Chris Hamilton- drums

http://www.Givethemrope.net
http://www.Givethemropeband.com

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH TO PREMIERE “COMING DOWN”

Posted by Dante on

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

June 12, 2012

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH TO PREMIERE “COMING DOWN”

VIDEO ON VEVO TUESDAY, JUNE 12 AT 9:00 A.M. PACIFIC

CHECK BELOW FOR THE VIDEO LINK

 

BAND LAUNCHES SUICIDE PREVENTION INITIATIVE PROMOTING THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE,

Metal Hammer Trespass America Festival Pledges $1.00 For Every Ticket Sold

Las Vegas, NV- Five Finger Death Punch will premiere the video for “Coming Down” on VEVO TODAY TUESDAY,  JUNE 12 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific / Noon E.S.T.  The visually arresting video that addresses teen suicide was directed by Nick Peterson, with Randi Wilens serving as executive producer, in association with NXTdream Films LLC.  The final screen of the music video offers a call to action in sharing, “Don’t ignore the chance to get help for you or someone you know who might be in crisis.  Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline now at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), suicidepreventionlifeline.org.”  To view the video click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptzzU7jFQwo or http://www.vevo.com/watch/five-finger-death-punch/coming-down/US5Z51200268

 

Last week, Five Finger Death Punch announced a suicide prevention initiative promoting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.   In cooperation with the Lifeline, the band has filmed a public service announcement, which will be placed on all broadcast, cable and web outlets interested in supporting the initiative.  The PSA can be screened here:  http://youtu.be/IUY6rohaBBY.

 

Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Zoltan Bathory shared, “Through support and awareness, suicide can be prevented.  Five Finger Death Punch  is promoting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to build awareness that there is support out there for those in need through the Lifeline’s service, and others.  This is an important initiative we have taken on to place it on the consciousness of the public that you are not alone when in need.”  Dr. John Draper, Director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offered, ” By sharing the message with their fans that suicide is preventable, the members of Five Finger Death Punch will undoubtedly save lives. We are thrilled that they are helping get the word out about this valuable 24/7 service.”  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is administered by Link2Health Solutions Inc., a wholly owned affiliate of the Mental Health Association of New York City.

 

The Metal Hammer Trespass America Festival has pledged $1.00 for every ticket sold this summer to provide for its network of crisis call centers .  The 31-date tour, headlined by Five Finger Death Punch, will also feature Killswitch Engage, Trivium, Pop Evil, Emmure, God Forbid, and Battlecross.  The complete itinerary follows below.

 

5FDP’s current single, “Coming Down,” recently debuted as the #1 rated track at Active Rock Rate-the-Music, and is on pace to be the band’s tenth straight Top Ten single at Active Rock Radio going back to “The Bleeding” in the spring of 2008.  Five Finger Death Punch are one of the most heavily played bands at rock radio, as “Never Enough,” “Stranger Than Fiction,” “Hard To See,” “Walk Away,” “Bad Company,” “Far From Home,” “Under And Over It,” and most recently “Remember Everything,” has become an anthem in its own right.  The band’s current album, American Capitalist, continues to sell extremely well with over 400,000 copies sold since its debut at #3 on the Billboard charts October 11th.  The imminent certification of the band’s third record to hit RIAA-Certified Gold status over the last two years, and  cumulative track downloads exceeding one million sold, displays that there are few in rock more relevant than Five Finger Death Punch over the last several years.

 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is an asset for the general public that also provides a special service for veterans and members of the military.  When calling 800-273-TALK (8255) the individual dialing will be linked to the nearest of over 150 local crisis centers across the country to speak with a trained crisis worker.  The caller may “press 1″ if he/she is a veteran, military service member or concerned about one, which will route the call to the confidential national Veterans Crisis Line.   Earlier this year, the band returned from a visit to military bases across Kuwait, where they touched down for performances and or visits on bases that included Camp Moreell, Camp Beuhring, Camp Patriot and others.  This was 5FDP’s second visit overseas to perform for the troops in two years .  At the time, singer Ivan Moody shared, “What a stellar way to start the spring.  Playing for the troops is always an honor and seriously humbling. Can’t say enough about the experience- everyone was so respectful and warm. I hope we helped morale and it was a privilege to give back to those that give so much for us.”

 

The full METAL HAMMER TRESPASS AMERICA FESTIVAL itinerary includes appearances in:

7/13       Broomfield, CO                                                 1st Bank Center  GET TIX

7/15       Billings, MT                                                         MetraPark Arena GET TIX

7/16       Bismarck, ND                                                     Bismarck Civic Center GET TIX

7/17       Sioux Falls, SD                                                    Sioux Falls Arena GET TIX

7/19       Milwaukee, WI                                                 Eagles Ballroom GET TIX

7/21       Fort Wayne, IN                                                                 Allen County Expo Center GET TIX

7/22       Waterloo, IA                                                      McElroy Auditorium GET TIX

7/24       Lubbock, TX                                                                        Lonestar Amphitheatre GET TIX

7/25       Belton, TX                                                                           Bell County Expo Center GET TIX

7/27       San Antonio, TX                                                 Freeman Coliseum GET TIX

7/28       Beaumont, TX                                                   Ford Pavilion GET TIX

7/30       Nashville, TN                                                      Bridgestone Arena GET TIX

7/31       Evansville, IN                                                     Ford Center GET TIX

8/01       Cincinnati, OH                                                    NC Pavilion at Riverbend GET TIX

8/03       Battle Creek, MI                                               Kellogg Arena GET TIX

8/04       Rochester Hills, MI                                          Meadowbrook Amph GET TIX

8/05       Cleveland, OH                                                   Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica GET TIX

8/07       Oswego, NY                                                       Oswego Speedway GET TIX

8/08       Glens Falls, NY                                                                   Glens Falls Civic Center GET TIX

8/10       Scarborough, ME                                             Scarborough Downs GET TIX

8/14       Pittsburgh, PA                                                   Stage AE GET TIX

8/15       Hartford, CT                                                       Comcast Theatre GET TIX

8/17       Worchester, MA                                              DCU Center GET TIX

8/18       Newark, NJ                                                         Prudential Center GET TIX

8/19       Philadelphia, PA                                               Penn’s Landing – Festival Pier GET TIX

8/21       Charlotte, NC                                                                     Time Warner Amph GET TIX

8/22       Knoxville, TN                                                                      Knoxville Civic Coliseum GET TIX

8/24       Oklahoma City, OK                                          Zoo Amph GET TIX

8/25       Rio Rancho, NM                                                Santa Ana Star Center GET TIX

8/26       Phoenix, AZ                                                        Comercia Theatre GET TIX

8/28       Los Angeles, CA                                                Hollywood Palladium GET TIX

AND DON’T FORGET TO LIKE ”ROCKNIGHTMARE.COM”  ON FACEBOOK AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

Interview W/ Xfactor1 Singer Ricky QBall Wolf

Posted by Dante on

Interview W/ Xfactor1 Singer Ricky QBall Wolf

 

Xfactor1 released their new CD “Famous Last Words” June 5th through Megaforce Records. I had a chance to speak with singer Ricky Wolf a few days before the release date. Check it out below

RN: Congratulations on your deal with Megaforce.

Ricky QBall Wolf: Thank you so much. We are a band with a lot of passion and we are really happy to be with a label that stands behind their bands.

RN: Leading up to your deal with Megaforce you already had a solid following. You sold over 50,000 copies of you first 2 CD’s combine. That’s not easy for an independent band to do.

Ricky QBall Wolf: We have always been a D.I.Y. band not that we wanted to be, we didn’t have a foolish sense of pride about it either but with that being said we believe all that hard work like all the shows and regional and national tours and working our CD’s lead up to all the things happening this year with Megaforce.

RN: Is the CD a combination of your previous releases put on to one disc?

Ricky QBall Wolf: Actually it is. We did go back in and rerecord some things. We wanted to put our best foot forward so people would be able to hear everything we have done. We also have six new songs on there. We think it captures our sound and our passion.

RN: You already have 2 videos; “Break You” and “Hope For Tomorrow” are those songs on the new CD.

Ricky QBall Wolf: Yeah they are. Those videos were made not to long ago. They are good videos. A friend of ours stepped up and helped us out.

RN: Do you have any tours in the works?

Ricky QBall Wolf: Yeah, we start the “Feel The Fire Tour” in June and we have a date on the “Mayhem Tour” and then our tour starts back up again that will be called “Welcome To The Madness Tour“.  We are also looking to go out later in the year but we can not confirm that yet. So we will see what happens.

RN: Are there any plans for a radio single?

Ricky QBall Wolf: Yes, once our radio campaign starts on the 19th we are hoping for a home run. We hope the single does great and does all the things we want it to do and move on to bigger and better things. That’s all we can hope for. If it happens great if not we will try again. We are very humble people but we are also animals. We are not going to let anything knock the wind out of us.

RN: What is the single going to be?

Ricky QBall Wolf: “Bring it On” it is getting some good responses and there is some interest from ESPN and the NFL Network. It is a real aggressive song, it’s also the first track on the CD.

RN: I see you covered the Billy Squire song “The Stroke”

Ricky QBall Wolf: I remember Billy Squire being a good song writer and “The Stroke” was one of those songs that got girls asses shaken so we decided to cover it. It’s a fun song to play live and the ladies like hearing it.

RN: Before we end this do you have any thing to say to your fans.

Ricky QBall Wolf: I want to thank them for everything. Our fans, the people we like to call “X Nation” who are hardcore supporters, without them we would not have made it this far. A lot of people have been very supportive, coming to our shows and letting us sleep on their couches and took us in, all these things have helped bring us to the level we are at now. We know their names and faces and we will never forget those people.

RN: Hey thanks for taking the time out to talk

Ricky QBall Wolf: Any time brother. You take care.

FOR MORE INFO CHECK OUT: XFACTOR1

AND DON’T FORGET TO LIKE ”ROCKNIGHTMARE.COM”  ON FACEBOOK AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH LAUNCHES SUICIDE PREVENTION INITIATIVE

Posted by Dante on

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH LAUNCHES SUICIDE PREVENTION INITIATIVE PROMOTING THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE

Campaign Launched Alongside Single / Video Release of “Coming Down”

BAND FILMS PSA AND 31 DATE SUMMER METAL HAMMER TRESPASS AMERICA FESTIVAL PLEDGES $1.00 F0R EVERY TICKET SOLD

Las Vegas, NV- Five Finger Death Punch has announced a suicide prevention initiative promoting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.   In cooperation with the Lifeline, the band has filmed a public service announcement, which will be placed on all broadcast, cable and web outlets interested in supporting the initiative.  The PSA can be screened here: http://youtu.be/X3NcwG87Nxw.  In addition, Five Finger Death Punch has independently filmed a visually arresting video that accompanies the single release of “Coming Down,” which will premiere on VEVO on June 12 at 9:00AM Pacific.  The final screen of the music video offers a call to action in sharing, “Don’t ignore the chance to get help for you or someone you know who might be in crisis.  Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline now at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), suicidepreventionlifeline.org.”

 

Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Zoltan Bathory shares, “Through support and awareness, suicide can be prevented.  Five Finger Death Punch  is promoting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to build awareness that there is support out there for those in need through the Lifeline’s service, and others.  This is an important initiative we have taken on to place it on the consciousness of the public that you are not alone when in need.”  Dr. John Draper, Director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers, ” By sharing the message with their fans that suicide is preventable, the members of Five Finger Death Punch will undoubtedly save lives. We are thrilled that they are helping get the word out about this valuable 24/7 service.”  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is administered by Link2Health Solutions Inc., a wholly owned affiliate of the Mental Health Association of New York City.

 

The Metal Hammer Trespass America Festival has pledged $1.00 for every ticket sold this summer to provide for its network of crisis call centers .  The 31-date tour, headlined by Five Finger Death Punch, will also feature Killswitch Engage, Trivium, Pop Evil, Emmure, God Forbid, and Battlecross.  The complete itinerary follows below.

 

5FDP’s current single, “Coming Down,” recently debuted as the #1 rated track at Active Rock Rate-the-Music, and is on pace to be the band’s tenth straight Top Ten single at Active Rock Radio going back to “The Bleeding” in the spring of 2008.  Five Finger Death Punch are one of the most heavily played bands at rock radio, as “Never Enough,” “Stranger Than Fiction,” “Hard To See,” “Walk Away,” “Bad Company,” “Far From Home,” “Under And Over It,” and most recently “Remember Everything,” has become an anthem in its own right.  The band’s current album, American Capitalist, continues to sell extremely well with 396,125 copies sold since its debut at #3 on the Billboard charts October 11th.  The imminent certification of the band’s third record to hit RIAA-Certified Gold status over the last two years, and  cumulative track downloads exceeding one million sold, displays that there are few in rock more relevant than Five Finger Death Punch over the last several years.

 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is an asset for the general public that also provides a special service for veterans and members of the military.  When calling 800-273-TALK (8255) the individual dialing will be linked to the nearest of over 150 local crisis centers across the country to speak with a trained crisis worker.  The caller may “press 1″ if he/she is a veteran, military service member or concerned about one, which will route the call to the confidential national Veterans Crisis Line.   Earlier this year, the band returned from a visit to military bases across Kuwait, where they touched down for performances and or visits on bases that included Camp Moreell, Camp Beuhring, Camp Patriot and others.  This was 5FDP’s second visit overseas to perform for the troops in two years .  At the time, singer Ivan Moody shared, “What a stellar way to start the spring.  Playing for the troops is always an honor and seriously humbling. Can’t say enough about the experience- everyone was so respectful and warm. I hope we helped morale and it was a privilege to give back to those that give so much for us.”

 

The full METAL HAMMER TRESPASS AMERICA FESTIVAL itinerary includes appearances in:

7/13       Broomfield, CO                                                 1st Bank Center  GET TIX

7/15       Billings, MT                                                         MetraPark Arena GET TIX

7/16       Bismarck, ND                                                     Bismarck Civic Center GET TIX

7/17       Sioux Falls, SD                                                    Sioux Falls Arena GET TIX

7/19       Milwaukee, WI                                                 Eagles Ballroom GET TIX

7/21       Fort Wayne, IN                                                                 Allen County Expo Center GET TIX

7/22       Waterloo, IA                                                      McElroy Auditorium GET TIX

7/24       Lubbock, TX                                                                        Lonestar Amphitheatre GET TIX

7/25       Belton, TX                                                                           Bell County Expo Center GET TIX

7/27       San Antonio, TX                                                 Freeman Coliseum GET TIX

7/28       Beaumont, TX                                                   Ford Pavilion GET TIX

7/30       Nashville, TN                                                      Bridgestone Arena GET TIX

7/31       Evansville, IN                                                     Ford Center GET TIX

8/01       Cincinnati, OH                                                    NC Pavilion at Riverbend GET TIX

8/03       Battle Creek, MI                                               Kellogg Arena GET TIX

8/04       Rochester Hills, MI                                          Meadowbrook Amph GET TIX

8/05       Cleveland, OH                                                   Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica GET TIX

8/07       Oswego, NY                                                       Oswego Speedway GET TIX

8/08       Glens Falls, NY                                                                   Glens Falls Civic Center GET TIX

8/10       Scarborough, ME                                             Scarborough Downs GET TIX

8/14       Pittsburgh, PA                                                   Stage AE GET TIX

8/15       Hartford, CT                                                       Comcast Theatre GET TIX

8/17       Worchester, MA                                              DCU Center GET TIX

8/18       Newark, NJ                                                         Prudential Center GET TIX

8/19       Philadelphia, PA                                               Penn’s Landing – Festival Pier GET TIX

8/21       Charlotte, NC                                                                     Time Warner Amph GET TIX

8/22       Knoxville, TN                                                                      Knoxville Civic Coliseum GET TIX

8/24       Oklahoma City, OK                                          Zoo Amph GET TIX

8/25       Rio Rancho, NM                                                Santa Ana Star Center GET TIX

8/26       Phoenix, AZ                                                        Comercia Theatre GET TIX

8/28       Los Angeles, CA                                                Hollywood Palladium GET TIX

www.fivefingerdeathpunch.com

suicidepreventionlifeline.org

www.mha-nyc.org

 

Interview W/ L.A.GUNS Drummer Steven Riley & Hollywood Forever CD REVEIW

Posted by Dante on

Interview W/ L.A.GUNS Drummer Steven Riley & Hollywood Forever CD REVEIW 

Hollywood Forever

Label: Cleopatra Records

Produced and Engineered: Andy Johns

Release Date: 6-5-12

   Finally after 7 years L.A.Guns led by Phil Lewis has returned with a brand new album. Every now and then a band announces they are going to be releasing a new CD and I get my hopes up and more often then not I am let down. So to be honest I have tried to end all expectations and I try not to fall prey to the pre hype of any new release. That was not the case with “Hollywood Forever”. When I found out the band hit the studio to record this, my expectations where high and I could not wait to hear the finished product. Sometime last week I got my hands on a copy of “Hollywood Forever” and I have to say my expectations were met and then some.

High Lights:

Hollywood Forever is the fourth album L.A.Guns has made with legendary producer Andy Johns. Singer Phil Lewis sounds as though time hasn’t past, Guitarist Stacey Blades is on fire, Drummer Steven Riley still holds the back beat while Bassist Scotty Griffin brings the bands sound together with a killer groove. This CD did not disappoint. Hollywood Forever solidifies L.A.Guns as one of the true leaders among their peers.

　Track List:

1. Hollywood Forever
2. You Better Not Love Me
3. Eel Pie
4. Sweet Mystery
5. Burn
6. Vine Street Shimmy
7. Dirty Black Night
8. Underneath The Sun
9. Queenie
10. Crazy Tango
11. Venus Bomb
12. I Won’t Play
13. Requiem (Hollywood Forever)
14. Araña Negra (Black Spider) [Bonus Track]

I recently conducted an interview Drummer Steven Riley. You can check that out below

Steven Riley Interview

RN: Let’s talk about the new album that’s coming out June 5th “Hollywood Forever”.

Steve Riley: Yeah, the album comes out June 5th and on June 6th we are playing the House Of Blues here in L.A. We are getting ready to start the tour. We are planning on doing a ton of shows this year and really try to push this album. We are real proud of it. It’s our fourth album we did with Andy Johns producing and we are really digging it right now.

RN: Considering it has been seven years since your last album was this processes any different?

Steve Riley: It was different. We went old school on this one. We did a good pre-production on this. We did about a month in the rehearsal hall and put it together there. So when we went in to record, we went in fast because we were prepared and we knew what we wanted to do. It was a nice collaborative effort, and to have Andy Johns produce us again was big. We knew what we are going to get with Andy. He gives us that nice wide sound. And we are happy with the material as well. We had more songs so we had to pick and choose what went on the album. We are happy with the way it turned out, and the out look for it is great. We are going to put our best effort into promoting it. There is no big machine any more. So we have to do our part to make it happen.

RN: From start to finish how long did it take you to complete this record?

Steve Riley: It was all four of us coming off of a very long European tour. We took off for Christmas and went right in to the studio the day after. We started fooling around with some of the songs and we started recording February 1st.

RN: Scotty (Griffin) plays bass on this record as well right?

Steve Riley: O’ Yeah, he has brought in a lot of the material too. He is all over this album. He was very active with this record.

RN: For people that may not know Scotty really is not new. Scotty was in the band before Kenny Kweens. Kenny left and Scotty came back.

Steve Riley: Yeah, that’s right. We are real happy Scotty wanted to come back. Kenny was a great guy but he had a lot of other stuff going on that made it difficult for him to tour. So Scotty is here. Here for good this time. He is all over the album and we are just happy he is back with us.

RN: How did M3 go for you guys this year?

Steve Riley: M3 was great. We were selected to play on HDNet. That went out to like 20 or 30 million people around the world. We tore it. We started off M3 headlining the second stage and now the last three years we have been playing the main stage. We were not scheduled to play M3 this year. But we got the call. Cinderella was supposed to play but were not able to so they called us. They said the fans were very active in telling the people that run M3 that they wanted us there. So that was really cool. It felt good.

RN: How many new songs are going to be added to your set list for this tour?

Steve Riley: We are trying to balance the set out. There are a number of songs that we have to play at every show. Ballad of Jane, Rip And Tear, and Sex Action, there is no way around it. We have to play the staple songs. We are going to play new songs too. We have played new songs but we are limited on how much new stuff we can put in there because we have to play the old material as well. The people that have been our fans through out the years want to hear “I Wanna to Be Your Man“, and “Over The Edge” and that’s ok with us. They’re our songs and we love playing them. I know some bands hate it. But we are proud of what we have done and all the years we have been doing it.

RN: I see you guys are playing the CBGB Festival in New York on July 5th. That’s pretty cool.

Steve Riley: I am so happy you brought that up. The venue has changed a few times since it was posted. Now we are playing Friday July 6th at the Gramercy Theater in New York City.  This should be pretty good. It’s going on all over the city at a bunch of different venues.

RN: If you don’t mind I have a lot of questions that are not related to the new album. Is that cool?

Steve Riley: Go for it. I’ll answer anything you got.

RN: Ok cool. The “American Hardcore’’ album has to be my favorite non Phil Lewis L.A.G. album. Why didn’t you guys change the name of the band? Although I love the record, I think that was the last thing L.A.Guns fans thought they would hear.

Steve Riley: That was in the mid 90’s. That was a really bad time for a lot of U.S. bands. CMC offered the deal. They wanted the name L.A.Guns. Considering it was me and Tracii (Guns) they thought the name would be the selling point for the album. But it was definitely something else. We should have called it something else. It was the furthest thing from L.A.Guns.  I’m glad you liked it. It was something we knew we were capable of doing but it’s also something we knew we would never do if Phil was in the band. So with two new members in the band it was a stab at trying something new. I think the drag about the whole thing was calling it L.A.Guns.

RN: Looking back over the course of your career what are some of your favorite albums that you were apart of making?

Steve Riley: Wow, you know what, it would have to be L.A.Guns “Cocked N’ Loaded” and W.A.S.P “The Last Command”. In both situations we have just come off tours that lasted about a year and a half. And we went right into pre-production. Back then, labels wanted another product right away when you already had steam behind you. Both bands were so tight going into the studio for those records. We captured what we were looking to capture. The songs are great and they jump right out of the speakers at you. Those 2 albums are my favorite. I really loved the vibe that surrounded us while entering the studio on both of them.

RN: Do you have a least favorite album?

Steve Riley: Yeah, you know what? I am proud of every thing I have done. I had a hand in writing on all the albums I have played on. Looking back at the Jizzy Pearl album “Shrinking Violet” and the Ralph album “Wasted” and “American Hardcore” with Chris Van Dahl, I know those albums were not popular with L.A.Guns fans but I am happy with them because I was able to help write that kind of music. I would say my least favorite to work on was the “Hollywood Vampires” album. Not because of the material. I love what we did on that album but I didn’t like the vibe that was around that album. It was kind of like a burn out feeling and we choose a producer that took us to 11 or 12 different studios to record the album. It was a long pre-production it was just a bad time. The same thing can be said about W.A.S.P. when we did “Inside The Electric Circus”. Blackie (Lawless) had just fired Randy Piper. That was a terrible feeling going into the studio to record that album. There is a lot of good material on that album too but we just lost Randy. He was a big part of our sound and I think it was really noticeable. Those two albums were kind of big disappointments for me. Again I love the songs. I just didn’t like the process.

RN: You have had such a long career have you ever thought about writing a book?

Steve Riley: I just finished reading Bobby Blotzer’s book. I read everyone’s books and I noticed that some people write about one specific time in their lives. I have so much to write about. I have to do it some day because I have a pretty interesting story to tell.

RN: How did you make the transition from Steppenwolf to the 80’s glam scene?

Steve Riley: I have been recording with different bands since 1975. I was here in L.A. before that whole thing started.  Before Van Halen started playing clubs. I don’t think anyone really set out to do the glam thing because we were all influenced by it already. People like Bowie and the Rolling Stones. I think we were already doing the glam thing before it was called glam. We were already dressing the part. It was a wild scene out here. I think the glam thing came to most of the bands in a natural way. The shows and the presentation on T.V. got so big, everything got more glammy and things started to get a little to shiny. Back then I wanted to do anything I could do to just play. I was doing some pretty stupid shit just to keep busy all the time. And one of those stupid gigs led to Ron Keel.  You have to put yourself in the situation. If you think you are just going to sit back and it’s going to come to you, you’re dreaming. If you do everything you can do, even the stupid things that you know are going no where you never know who you are going to run into. I was doing a session with Greg Chaisson from Badlands, his brother Kenny Chaisson was in Keel, and he told me that Keel was about to record with Gene Simmons. So I joined Keel. I did their first record. That lead me to W.A.S.P., and that led me to L.A.Guns. I was an eye witness to the whole 80’s thing. I was here before the beginning of it. Before people starting lining the walk ways with all the flyers Quiet Riot was playing the Starwood and Van Halen was playing The Whisky. So I have seen it from the beginning. I have seen so much crazy shit. L.A. was so over the top crazy. If you had something going on, like I was in W.A.S.P and L.A.Guns, you had a green light to do just about anything out here. It was insane. I would say the craziest thing I seen was some of my close friends destroy themselves.  So yeah, I have had an amazing carrier and I have a lot of stories to tell, and I should someday get around to putting the pen to paper and get a book done.

FOR MORE INFO:

NEW VIDEOS

AND DON’T FORGET TO LIKE ”ROCKNIGHTMARE.COM”  ON FACEBOOK AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER