BONNAROO MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL REVEALS 2019 LINEUP WIDE-RANGING BILL SPANS EXTRAORDINARY SELECTION OF ARTISTS AND GENRES.

TICKETS ON SALE THURSDAY, JANUARY 10 AT 12 NOON ET/11 AM CT EXCLUSIVELY VIA BONNAROO.COM

Superfly and A.C. Entertainment are excited to reveal the initial lineup for the 2019 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. The 18th annual four-day multi-stage camping festival will take place June 13 – 16, held as always at Great Stage Park, the spectacular 700-acre farm and event space located just 60 miles southeast of Nashville in Manchester, TN. Tickets – including General Admission (4 Day), VIP (4 Day), Platinum (4 Day) and more – will go on sale Thursday, January 10, at 12 noon ET/11 am CT, exclusively via www.bonnaroo.com/tickets. Bonnaroo has never been more accessible with GA ticket layaway plans available for just $47.

The 2019 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival will see a truly extraordinary range of artists performing around the clock across more than 10 unique stages over the four-day event. Friday, June 14, will feature Phish (Late Evening Set), Childish Gambino, Solange, The Avett Brothers, Brockhampton, GRiZ, RL Grime, Beach House, GRiZ SuperJam, NGHTMRE, Gojira, Courtney Barnett, Girl Talk, AJR, Catfish And The Bottlemen, K.Flay, Anoushka Shankar, Nahko & Medicine For The People, Liquid Stranger, Deafheaven, Parquet Courts, Rival Sons, Ibeyi, Jade Cicada, Las Cafeteras, Cherry Glazerr, The Teskey Brothers, Medasin, Tyla Yaweh, Ducky, Monsieur Periné, Mersiv, and Crooked Colours.

Saturday, June 15, will include Post Malone, Odesza, Hozier, Kacey Musgraves, The National, The Lonely Island, ZHU, Juice WRLD, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Gucci Mane, John Prine, Jim James (Full Band), Maren Morris, Gramatik, Shovels & Rope, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Quinn XCII, Clairo, Bishop Briggs, Hippo Campus, Space Jesus, Tokimonsta, Chelsea Cutler, The Record Company, SNBRN, Ruston Kelly, Whipped Cream, Rubblebucket, Little Simz, Memba, Deva Mahal, and DJ Mel.

Sunday, June 16, will see Phish (2 Sets), The Lumineers, Cardi B, Brandi Carlile, Illenium, Walk The Moon, Mac DeMarco, King Princess, Lil Dicky, G Jones, Trampled By Turtles, The Wood Brothers, Hobo Johnson & The Lovemakers, Princess (Featuring Maya Rudolph & Gretchen Lieberum), The Soul Rebels, The Lemon Twigs, Two Feet, AC Slater, CID, Dombresky, Bombino, Faye Webster, Ripe, Kikagaku Moyo, and Igloohost.

In addition, the lineup for Thursday, June 13, includes Grand Ole Opry Featuring Special Guests, Saba, Space Jesus b2b Eprom b2b Shlump, 12th Planet, Sunsquabi, All Them Witches, Magic City Hippies, The Nude Party, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, The Comet Is Coming, Jack Harlow, Eprom, Caroline Rose, Donna Missal, Peach Pit, Hekler, and Dorfex Bos. The complete Bonnaroo 2019 lineup is below.

Bonnaroo has continually sought new ways to enhance the fans’ onsite experience and the 2019 event will emphasize this with an array of remarkable new features and improvements. In 2018, Bonnaroo made significant upgrades to the site’s communal areas, known as Plazas. Strategically located and well-lit public places throughout the campgrounds, Plazas include shade, free public Wi-Fi, showers, activities, charging stations, Clean Vibes Trading Post redemption centers, misting stations, medical, safety stations, information and portable restrooms.

NEW FOR 2019

This year’s event features a “Sanctuary of Self-Love” campground experience curated by Hayley Williams of Paramore. Also, “The Yes Barn” presented by House of Yes and Little Cinema will once again feature jaw-dropping circus acts, mind-bending immersive cinema shows, wild theme parties, and Bonnaroo’s first-ever Pride parade. And, located at Plaza 7, The Ville – presented in partnership with Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. and local maker-space Fort Houston – will showcase Music City’s most creative, most entertaining and most delicious food with surprise performances, interactive and illuminated art installations, and late night fun. The ever-popular Grove, also at Plaza 7, will return in 2019, offering a shaded retreat during the days with art installations, hammocks and more. The evenings will see the beautiful tree-filled space transformed by Nashville’s Fort Houston with more lights and inventive musical experiences than ever before. For more information, please visit www.bonnaroo.com/experience/camping-plazas. In addition, a pristine new wooded hangout is also being installed in a section of Bonnaroo’s Eastern woods that has never been publicly available to fans before.

With tickets purchased in all 50 states and over 40 countries around the world, Bonnaroo is a truly universal event. Since its very first day, Bonnaroo has lived up to its responsibility as one of the planet’s principal musical congregations by constantly pushing forward in its efforts towards environmental friendliness and sustainability. The only major event in the world with its own permanent solar array and compost waste on site, Bonnaroo has twice been recognized by the state of Tennessee, winning the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award as well as the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Pursuit of Excellence Award. Complete details, as well as Bonnaroo’s annual report to the fans, can be found at www.bonnaroo.com/experience/sustainability.

In addition, the Bonnaroo Works Fund, a 501c3 nonprofit organization serving as the philanthropic division of Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, recently announced $236,000 in grant awards from its 2018 cycle. Formally established in 2009, the Bonnaroo Works Fund (BWF) – administered by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee – supports nonprofit organizations that spearhead Tennessee-based initiatives with a mission of advancing arts, education and environmental causes. Since the inception of the festival in 2002, Bonnaroo and the BWF have generated more than $7 million in support, largely benefiting Manchester, TN, Coffee County and surrounding areas. Forty organizations received funding in 2018, including Musicians on Call, Notes For Notes, Nashville Ballet, Nashville Children’s Theatre, National Museum of African American Music, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, Historic Tennessee Theatre Foundation, the Nashville Food Project, and more. For more information, please visit www.bonnaroo.com/information/get-involved/bonnaroo-works-fund.

THE COMPLETE BONNAROO 2019 LINEUP IS BELOW:

THURSDAY, JUNE 13
Grand Ole Opry Featuring Special Guests
Saba
Space Jesus b2b Eprom b2b Shlump
12th Planet
Sunsquabi
All Them Witches
Magic City Hippies
The Nude Party
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
The Comet Is Coming
Jack Harlow
Eprom
Caroline Rose
Donna Missal
Peach Pit
Hekler
Dorfex Bos

FRIDAY, JUNE 14
Phish (Late Evening Set)
Childish Gambino
Solange
The Avett Brothers
Brockhampton
GRiZ
RL Grime
Beach House
GRiZ SuperJam
NGHTMRE
Gojira
Courtney Barnett
Girl Talk
AJR
Catfish And The Bottlemen
K.Flay
Anoushka Shankar
Nahko & Medicine For The People
Liquid Stranger
Deafheaven
Parquet Courts
Rival Sons
Ibeyi
Jade Cicada
Las Cafeteras
Cherry Glazerr
The Teskey Brothers
Medasin
Tyla Yaweh
Ducky
Monsieur Periné
Mersiv
Crooked Colours

SATURDAY, JUNE 15
Post Malone
Odesza
Hozier
Kacey Musgraves
The National
The Lonely Island
ZHU
Juice WRLD
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead
Gucci Mane
John Prine
Jim James (Full Band)
Maren Morris
Gramatik
Shovels & Rope
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Quinn XCII
Clairo
Bishop Briggs
Hippo Campus
Space Jesus
Tokimonsta
Chelsea Cutler
The Record Company
SNBRN
Ruston Kelly
Whipped Cream
Rubblebucket
Little Simz
Memba
Deva Mahal
DJ Mel

SUNDAY, JUNE 16
Phish (2 Sets)
The Lumineers
Cardi B
Brandi Carlile
Illenium
Walk The Moon
Mac DeMarco
King Princess
Lil Dicky
G Jones
Trampled By Turtles
The Wood Brothers
Hobo Johnson & The Lovemakers
Princess (Featuring Maya Rudolph & Gretchen Lieberum)
The Soul Rebels
The Lemon Twigs
Two Feet
AC Slater
CID
Dombresky
Bombino
Faye Webster
Ripe
Kikagaku Moyo
Igloohost

Richie Cavalera is the vocalist for the heavy metal band Incite. The Phoenix, AZ based group is set to release their fifth full length studio album on January 25th titled “Built to Destroy”. Media Mikes spoke with Richie recently about the upcoming release, their new video and, the groups subsequent tour which kicks off on January 25th as well.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the bands upcoming release “Built to Destroy”?

Richie Cavalera: We have two tracks from the album out now. The first is “Ruthless Ways” and then we have a video for the title track “Built to Destroy”. This was a killer record to make as it is the third one with this same lineup. We have been touring a lot and getting more comfortable with one another so I think that helped the process quite a bit. When people hear it they are going to know what it’s like to hear us live as I think this album captures our live sound quite well. There are lots of great solo spots as wells as two guest spots. One features Kirk Windstein from Crowbar and the other has Chris Barnes of Six Feet Under. From beginning to end this is a no bullshit record.

AL: This being your third release with the same lineup was there anything different you set out to accomplish?

RC: I think the biggest thing right off the bat was that we let Dru (Rome) our guitarist really write. In the past we had always pieced things together but for the first time we sat back and let Dru present us with full songs. It was a cool move which added a killer feel. People will notice that guitar work on this album is like nothing we have ever done before. Seven or eight of the albums eleven songs have solos and there is a lot of dynamic. This album was a lot of fun to make.

AL: What was it that led you to the decision of having Dru take control of a bigger part of the writing?

RC: I think there were quite a few things that led us to that decision. In the past we had done a lot of the email stuff by just sending parts back and forth to one another. We would assemble songs from riffs. This time things were presented as full songs. We had been touring a lot so a bunch of the work was done in venues and dressing rooms. Basically where ever we could get work done we did it. I think that helped add to the albums live feel. Switching things up worked out really well.

AL: Even though the process worked well for you did you find it difficult to write/record while on the road?

RC: It was defiantly difficult. At this stage of all of our lives there is a lot going on and there isn’t ever a real stopping point. The cycle between recording and touring never seems to end so you just have to go with it. We found a time where we were stopped and just went full bore while keeping our fingers crossed that no tours would come up. Thankfully we were able to get everything done the way we wanted it.

AL: What was it that made you decide to work with producer Steve Evans again?

RC: We had known him from working on our last album “Oppression”. Steve has worked on so many great albums so when we got to work with him on the last record we were very excited and it was just a great time. We knew going into the record for the new record time was going to be a big factor so being we were comfortable with Steve we wanted to work with him again. He actually came out to Arizona and sweat it out with us this time around. To be able to have a good bond with your producer really helps the process.

AL: Can you tell us about the video for the title track “Built to Destroy”?

RC: That song is the opening track on the album. It is a full on explosion of everything this band is. We feel we are at a point to take on the metal world and be that band to help carry the metal torch. We have always done crazy videos in the past but this time we wanted to showcase what the band is about. I think the video shows a great image of the band. We are rocking out with nothing else crazy going on. This is actually one of two video we shot. The other is for the song “Resistance”. We shot that one on skid row in Los Angeles and I think it will be out around the time the album comes out.

AL: Can you tell us about the upcoming tour which starts on the same day the album releases?

RC: We lucked out and things lined up quite nicely with that. We will be out opening for Kataklysm and Soulfly. We haven’t toured with those guys since we first got this band going. The tour is going to be a lot of fun and we will be going all over. I think there are around twenty eight shows scheduled on this run then we head over to Europe with Septic Flesh and Krisiun. We are also working on some things in June and July here in the states before heading back to Europe for the summer festivals. This will be our first time getting to do the big festival shows so to be able to play in front of twenty five thousand people is going to be amazing. We have been dreaming along time about what we could in front of that many people and now we are finally going to be able to do it.

For more info on Incite you can visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/INCITEband/

JOHN 5 AND THE CREATURES Release “Zoinks!” Music Video + Upcoming Album and Music Video Details

Watch Video + Stream/Download the Track Here

New Full-Length Album, Invasion, Coming Summer 2019 + More Music Videos!

Upcoming North American Tour Begins February 22, 2019 in Anaheim, CA

JOHN 5 and The Creatures – comprised of world-renowned guitarist JOHN 5, bassist Ian Ross and drummer Logan Miles Nix – released a brand new music video for the new track “Zoinks!” January 1! The full video – featuring an innovative blend of classic 2D hand drawn animation, 3D computer generated imagery and a live action performance – clocks in at just over eight minutes. In the tradition of Scooby Doo and Groovie Goolies, the video is written and directed by Disney animator Brett Boggs (Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph), with live footage shot by Matt Zane. Watch the full video and download/stream the track here: http://smarturl.it/zoinksJ5Creatures

As previously announced, the video features a cameo from Nikki Sixx voice acting as himself, as well as additional voice acting from Susan Olsen (known for her role as Cindy Brady on The Brady Bunch), and Fred Coury. Coury also is credited for scoring the video alongside JOHN 5.

Just like 2017’s Season of the Witch, Invasion – produced and mixed by Barry Pointer and scheduled for release during the summer of 2019 – will be entirely released via a series of music videos. Now that “Zoinks!” has been unleashed to the world,JOHN 5 is announcing the release dates for his next two music videos.

JOHN 5 adds that his new album will feature a very special guest. He says, “My new album will be out this coming summer, and will feature a very secret, special guest that I will reveal in the coming weeks. Up first, on February 1, we’ll release the next music video for the track “Crank It”. Then, on March 1, we’ll release the video sequel to “Zoinks!”, for the track entitled “I Am John 5”. This video, like “Zoinks!”, will also be animated and directed by Brett Boggs.”

JOHN 5 adds that the “Crank It” video is directed by Israel Perez and produced by Nicole Hatley, with art direction by Cody Varona. Wardrobe and masks are provided by Forgotten Saints LA, with additional masks by Scott Blake.

Stay tuned for more details on the new music videos and new album, coming soon.

JOHN 5 and The Creatures will kick off the second leg of their North American Invasion Tour on February 22, 2019 in Anaheim, CA. The tour will feature support from blues-rock guitarist Jared James Nichols. Tickets and VIP packages are available now via www.john-5.com/store.

JOHN 5 and The Creatures Invasion tour dates:
2/22 – Anaheim, CA @ The Parish at House of Blues
2/23 – Las Vegas, NV @ Count’s Vamp’d
2/24 – San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick
2/26 – Mesa, AZ @ Club Red
2/28 – Albuquerque, MN @ Launch Pad
3/1 – Lubbock, TX @ Jake’s
3/2 – San Antonio, TX @ Rock Box
3/3 – Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
3/5 – Austin, TX @ Come and Take It Live
3/6 – Dallas, TX @ Trees
3/7 – Oklahoma City, OK @ 89th Street
3/9 – Indianapolis, IN @ HiFi
3/10 – Akron, OH @ Empire Concert Club
3/12 – Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theater
3/13 – New York, NY @ Iridium
3/14 – Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Loft at The Chance
3/15 – Teaneck, NJ @ Debonair Music Hall
3/16 – Hampton Beach, NH @ Wally’s
3/17 – Lebanon, NH @ Lebanon Opera House
3/18 – New Bedford, MA @ Vault at Greasy Luck
3/20 – Quebec City, QC @ L’Anti Bar & Spectacles
3/21 – Montreal, QC @ Piranha Bar
3/22 – Ottawa, ON @ The Brass Monkey
3/23 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
3/24 – London, ON @ Rum Runners
3/26 – Thunder Bay, ON @ Crocks
3/27 – Winnipeg, MB @ Pyramids
3/28 – Regina, SK @ The Exchange
3/29 – Calgary, AB @ Dickens
3/30 – Edmonton, AB @ Starlite
3/31 – Vancouver, BC @The Rickshaw Theatre
4/2 – Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Cafe
4/3 – Portland, OR @ Star Theater
4/5 – Sacramento, CA @ Holy Diver
4/6 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Whisky

About JOHN 5:
JOHN 5 has worked with a varied range of artists, performing as guitarist for some of the biggest headlining rock bands in the world such as Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson, as well as playing session with Paul Stanley, Rod Stewart, Lynyrd Skynyrd and more. Slash has called JOHN 5, “one of the most mind-blowing guitarists around” and Rob Zombie has dubbed him “a fucking shredder”. JOHN 5 has released seven solo albums to date, as well as a remix album, and has written music for the likes of Avril Lavigne, Garbage, Ricky Martin and others. Season Of The Witch followshis previous solo work, Careful With That Axe, which debuted on the Billboard Heatseekers chart upon release in 2014.

JOHN 5 and The Creatures is:
JOHN 5 – guitars
Ian Ross – bass
Logan Miles Nix – drums

JOHN 5 online:
www.john-5.com
www.facebook.com/John5official
www.twitter.com/john5guitarist
www.instagram.com/john5official

Adam Lawton: Give us a little background on the band if you could?

Will Ash: Los Angeles is kind of a funny place. Everyone has their own things going on so you tend to explore a lot of different avenues when you are trying to be creative out here. I think we are lucky in this band as we have a bunch of guys who are all adventurous enough to want to try a number of different things such as theater, comedy, stunt work and pod-casting. Being that we all come from these different areas of entertainment we are able to use those different experiences to help us create this music. The band sort of started when our singer Geordy came into where I teach guitar lessons. We started talking and had some of the same ideas. He and I coming together kind of solidified the start of The Crown Remnant. The name was already in place and everything so from there we started to audition people. We reached out via Facebook and a bunch of other avenues to get the lineup that we have now.

AL: The new album is titled “The Wicked King: Part II”. Can you tell us about that and how you built on the concept established from the first record?

WA: This was a good creative experience. I like music that is thematic and records that keep a theme throughout the individual tracks. We actually wrote part 1 and part 2 in tandem with one another. We started with a very wide perspective. We knew we wanted an album that was cohesive from the first track all the way to the last track. From there we chose to do a split release. Part 2 is the answer to the call sounded by part 1. The first record has a brighter more idealistic approach and this new album is the antithesis of that. It’s a little crazier, a bit darker and somewhat bigger.

AL: With both records being written at the same time how did you decide what songs went where?

WA: That was a question that went through all of our brains for quite some time. Initially we were very starry eyed and wanted a full 13 track release. The more we thought about it the more saw the benefits two releases could bring. We wanted to keep things consumable so the decision to do two releases was really the first decision we made. From there it was just a question of what songs were going to make it into the records. We looked at the concepts and ideas of each song to see where they would best fit. Geordy and I do a lot of writing together and each of our writings comes out in a certain way. I think that was a big help also when it came time to split things up.

AL: You also score music for video games. How did the writing of this record compare or contrast to that of your game work?

WA: I love video games! It does end up being a little different. I get very excited when I have the chance to mix in more orchestral pieces with the type of music we play in this band. I am very much in to symphonic music so to be able combine these styles is very enjoyable. When I sit down and work on game pieces I am looking a whole different set up instrumentation. Fundamentally things are the same when it comes to writing however beyond the basics there tends to be much more going on within the game pieces. It becomes a different task in that the playing style is more emotive. With the band I have to balance things to be able to include a vocalist and different percussive elements so you have to look at how you approach things to ensure you achieve the feel you are looking for.

AL: What are the bands plans to tour going into 2019?

WA: We are certainly going to be out there! We are very excited to get out there on our first tour. We have not been around very long as a band so it’s a nice feet to be able to string together a multi-state tour. The tour kicks off January 23rd and I believe runs through Mid-February. The record releases on January 18th so it’s going to be a great time to be out there supporting the record. I am looking forward to being out there on the road with my buddies playing music and eating junk food. Hopefully we will be able to get the band’s name out there more help generate some excitement around this new record.

AL: Do you have any other projects outside of the band we can also be watching for?

WA: I try to stay busy as much as I can. Being a young guy I try to juggle quite a few things at one time. I am at the point now where I am very driven so there is not just one project that I am working on right now that I can announce. I do have one project I am heading which falls more on the composing side coming out soon. More details on that should be coming out after we get done with this first run of shows.

For more info on The Crown Remnant you can check out their official website at www.crownremnant.com

The Vans Warped Tour® Prepares For A 25^th Anniversary Celebration

Location & Venue Details To Be Announced Monday, January28^th

Artist Lineup Announced & Tickets On Sale Early March

Following the announcement that 2018 would be its final cross-country run, the Vans Warped Tour headed out for a final summer of music, philanthropy, and community.

Looking back on it now, Lyman shares, “It was truly an honor to do a final cross-country run of Warped in 2018; to see fans from all eras of the tour come out for a day to celebrate an event that meant so much to them. I walked away from the final show with a true sense that the Vans Warped Tour became the community I had always hoped for.”

The location and venue details for the Warped Tour 25^th Anniversary shows will be announced on Monday January 28^th.  Tickets and the artist lineup will be available by early March.

For many, this announcement comes as no surprise; the Vans Warped Tour 25^th Anniversary Celebration was eluded to in Lyman’s original statement about the end of the Vans Warped Tour:

“I sit here reflecting on the tour’s incredible history, what the final run means for our community, and look forward to what’s to come as we commemorate the tour’s historic 25th anniversary in 2019. […] The enduring spirit of the Vans Warped Tour remains as bright as ever, continuing to inspire creativity and ambition in new and exciting ways as we prepare for a 25th anniversary celebration in 2019.’”

VANS WARPED TOUR 25^TH ANNIVERSARY DATES:

6.08 CLEVELAND, OH
6.29 “EAST COAST” (LOCATION TBA)
6.30 “EAST COAST” (LOCATION TBA)
7.20 “WEST COAST” (LOCATION TBA)
7.21 “WEST COAST” (LOCATION TBA)

About Vans Warped Tour:

The Vans Warped Tour was the largest traveling music festival in the United States, and the longest-running touring music festival in North America.Originally conceived by founder Kevin Lyman in 1995 as an eclectic alternative rock festival, with a focus on punk rock, over the years the tour grew to include a multitude of genres, including metal, hip hop, reggae, pop and more.It established itself as one of the best tours to attend to discover emerging acts, to learn more about wonderful non-profits and companies who are working to make a positive impact on the world that surround them, and to meet like-minded friends.

The tour also cemented its place in history by bringing alternative rock and skate culture from the underground to the forefront of global youth culture, while at the same time helping those in need through non-profit and eco initiatives.

Over the past two decades, Vans Warped Tour built a legacy as the must attend summer festival for rock and music lovers alike. Since its start in 1995,it provided a platform for established as well as up-and-coming artists, with alumni including blink182, No Doubt, Sublime, Beck, Katy Perry, NOFX, Limp Bizkit,Black Eyed Peas, Green Day, Eminem, Yellowcard, Bad Religion, and countless others.Alternative Press readers voted the Vans Warped Tour as the “Best Tour/Festival” and Rolling Stone called it “America’s Most Successful Festival”. 

Learn more about theVans Warped Tour:
www.vanswarpedtour.com

Follow the VansWarped Tour: 

www.facebook.com/warpedtour

www.twitter.com/vanswarpedtour

www.instagram.com/vanswarpedtour

Human Scum! Once you have finished gorging yourself with plate after plate of holiday slop, your Lords and Masters GWAR summon you to worship their majesty live and in person on their final five tour dates of 2018. The run kicks off December 27th in Indianapolis, IN and wraps up on New Year’s Eve in Norfolk, VA. and features special guests Iron Reagan and Against the Grain. VIP upgrades are available HERE.

“HO! HO! HO! Merrrryyy What-ever-the-fuck! GWAR are coming and it doesn’t matter who has been naughty or nice, we will eat you all! This little holiday jaunt will be the last time you can see us this year! So come on out for some cookies, cakes, and decapitations, says the band.

In additional GWAR news, to make sure the digital airwaves stay polluted with the Scumdogs of the Universe, the band recently teamed up with GIPHY. So now you can send GIFs via Facebook, Twitter, Outlook, Slack, Tinder, and more to your so-called friends. GWAR even has some stickers available on Instagram Stories and Snapchat, so all those millennials can keep their fingers locked to their digital devices. Check out GIPHY.com/GWAR to see all the GIFs and Stickers.

GWAR W/Iron Reagan and Against the Grain:
12/27: Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue*
12/28: Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s
12/29: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club*
12/30: Philadelphia, PA @ North Seventh*
12/31: Norfolk, VA @ The Norva^

*No Stonecutters
^No Iron Reagan

For More Info Visit:
http://www.gwar.net
http://www.gwartv.com
http://instagram.com/gwar
https://twitter.com/GWAR
http://www.youtube.com/gwar
http://www.facebook.com/gwar
http://www.gwarbq.com
http://www.gwarjapan.net
http://www.metalblade.tv/tv

LAMB OF GOD’S MARK MORTON ANNOUNCES NEW COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
SIGNS WORLDWIDE DEAL WITH WPP RECORDS/SPINEFARM RECORDS
STUDIO ALBUM ANESTHETIC OUT ON MARCH 1, 2019
LEAD TRACK “THE TRUTH IS DEAD” AVAILABLE TODAY HERE

Mark Morton, the prolific guitarist of Lamb of God, has announced a new project that sees him further explore his creative drive for writing and collaboration. Joining forces with WPP Records and Spinefarm Records on a worldwide basis, Morton will release a 10-track album under his own name and titled Anesthetic. It arrives on March 1, 2019, but CD and vinyl pre-order and merch bundles are now available HERE.

Listen to the lead track “The Truth Is Dead,” featuring his Lamb of God bandmate Randy Blythe and Arch Enemy vocalist Alissa White-Gluz, HERE.

The full track listing, complete with the list of guest artists is below. The album was made alongside a dream team of highly respected musicians from a multitude of musical worlds; some friends and some who would never be expected to collaborate with metal genre leaders Lamb of God.

Starting as idea between Jake (leader of heavy rock band Oni and founder of WPP Records), producer Josh Wilbur (Lamb of God, Trivium, Oni, Gojira), and Morton, the project quickly gathered steam – with Mark at the creative center, Josh Wilbur co-writing, recording, mixing, and producing, and Jake Oni also co-writing and performing.

Morton had been writing some of this debut for years. “This album wasn’t a concerted effort to start something outside Lamb of God,” he explains. “Music is always in my head, and until I write and record it, it’s stuck there. But once I record it, it’s out. It’s a catharsis, more for my own sanity.”

Singers on the album include Chester Bennington, Randy Blythe, Jacoby Shaddix, Myles Kennedy, Alissa White-Gluz, Mark Lanegan, Chuck Billy, Jake Oni, Josh Todd, Mark Morales, and Naeemah Maddox. Musically, Morton performs all guitars, with Roy Mayorga, David Ellefson, Ray Luzier, Paulo Gregoletto and Alex Bent, Mike Inez, Jean-Paul Gaster, Steve Gorman, and Marc Paul rounding out the band.

ANESTHETIC TRACK LISTING:

1. “Cross Off” (feat. Chester Bennington)
2. “Sworn Apart” (feat. Jacoby Shaddix)
3. “Axis” (feat. Mark Lanegan)
4. “The Never” (feat. Chuck Billy + Jake Oni)
5. “Save Defiance” (feat. Myles Kennedy)
6. “Blur” (feat. Mark Morales)
7. “Back From The Dead” (feat. Josh Todd)
8. “Reveal” (feat. Naeemah Maddox)
9. “Imaginary Days”
10. “Truth Is Dead” (feat. Randy Blythe + Alissa White-Gluz)

MORTON ONLINE:
https://www.facebook.com/Mark-Morton-Official-341982462499123/
https://twitter.com/MarkDuaneMorton
https://www.instagram.com/mark.duane.morton/

“A Million Degrees”
Emigrate
Spinefarm Records
Tracks: 11

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

“A Million Degrees” is the latest offering from Rammstein guitarist Richard Z. Kruspe’s side project Emigrate. The band which released its self titled debut in 2007 and, the follow up “Silent So Long” in 2014 features with Kruspe, Olsen Involtini, Arnaud Giroux, Mikko Sirén, Margaux Bossieux and drummer Joe Letz . Released via Spinefarm Records “A Million Degrees” is an industrial tinged rocker consisting of 11 tracks with guest performances from the likes of Rammstein’s Till Lindemann & Billy Talent’s Benjamin Kowalewicz.

The latest offering from Emigrate is a mixture of familiar industrial textures and freshly infused rock rhythms which produce an album worthy of repeated listening. Much like its predecessors “A Million Degrees” follows suit with catchy vocal hooks, crunchy guitars and bombastic beats that will rattle your inner most core from start to finish. Tracks like the fast paced, thumping “1234” which features Billy Talent vocalist Benjamin Kowalewicz and the synth filled ballad esque “You Are So Beautiful” were personal favorites of mine as was pinch harmonic filled opener “War” and the call and response filled “Spitfire”. Over the albums eleven track, forty five minute run-time Kruspe and company give listeners a wide range of sound scapes and instrumentation that is familiar enough to draw you in and new enough to keep you listening. Die hard Rammstein fans will be happy to know that you even get a guest appearance by Kruspe’s cohort Till Lindemann on the anthemic “Let’s Go” which has the two trading vocals lines back and forth before joining in together later on in the song. Having been a fan since the mid-nineties this fact alone was enough to peak my initial interest.

Fans of Richard Z’s previous works will clearly already have this on their radar however, if you are just more of a casual listener of either Rammstein or Emigrate I strongly urge you to give “A Million Degrees” a listen. Kruspe appears to have really settled into his dual role in the group and together they have crafted an album that provides listeners with an album that runs the gamut of musical styles which can be listened to time and time again.

Track Listing:
1.) War
2.) 1234 feat. Benjamin Kowalewicz
3.) A Million Degrees
4.) Lead You On feat. Margaux Bossieux
5.) You Are OS Beautiful
6.) Hide and Seek
7.) We Are Together
8.) Let’s Go feat. Till Lindemann
9.) I’m Not Afraid
10.) Spitfire
11.) Eyes Fade Away

REVIEW AND PHOTOS BY DAN LYBARGER

 Brian Wilson

Muriel Kauffman Theater – Kansas City, MO

November 13, 2018

Brian Wilson

At 76, Brian Wilson could still make a crowded auditorium happy, even if he didn’t appear to be doing anything at all.

Having co-written and arranged dozens of hits for The Beach Boys and on his own, Wilson can get away with outsourcing songs he originated to other vocalists. He sat behind a baby grand piano as if he were an audience member instead of the star of the show.

Criticizing Wilson for being odd is like chastising the Beatles for being English. It’s essential to his greatness, even if it can be disconcerting to watch. The distinctive harmonies in the songs he recorded with the Beach Boys are the result of defying convention. The fact that Wilson is deaf in one ear only makes his accomplishments seem even more formidable.

It’s also worth noting that many Beach Boy songs like “California Girls” and “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” sound better in live performances now than they would have when the band and the session players from the Wrecking Crew recorded them over 50 years ago. The amplification to do those songs justice wasn’t around back then, and Wilson’s current band consistently performed them with both fidelity and spirit.

The 11-piece ensemble behind Wilson juggled instruments and skillfully mimicked the harmonies Wilson originally created with his late brothers Dennis and Carl and cousin Mike Love. Fellow Beach Boy founder Al Jardine wound up taking most of the vocal chores that evening and seemed happier with ingratiating himself and the band with the crowd than Wilson did. Then again, Wilson seemed to have had the crowd’s attention by simply uttering “Hello, Kansas City” at the start of the show.

Unlike musicians from the past who might have needed too much chemical help to get on stage, Wilson can at least still read a map.

Rob Bonfiglio

He and the band found a great venue. The Muriel Kauffman Theatre normally hosts classical performances, but Leonard Bernstein praised Wilson’s distinctive compositions as being worthy of the old masters, so they certainly belonged on that stage.

If Wilson seemed only fitfully engaged, the rest of the band were eager to give the songs he had popularized justice. Jardine can still plaintively beg Rhonda to help him forget his ex and can fill in for passages that Carl or Wilson’s cousin and lyricist Mike Love used to sing.

Ben Jones

Wilson’s son-in-law Rob Bonfiglio ably delivers the falsetto portions of the songs that his father-in-law used to sing, and the other instrumentalists in the ensemble change instruments more frequently than most of us change our clothes.

For “Good Vibrations,” the band even incorporated a delightfully eerie Theremin and played acoustic marimbas instead of keyboard samples. Darian Sahanaja, who helped Wilson resurrect long lost Beach Boys album Smile, played keyboards and figured out how to make studio trickery work live.

The set also received a shot of adrenaline when South African singer-guitarist Blondie Chaplin hit the stage halfway through the set. A member of the 1970s incarnation of The Beach Boys, Chaplin tore through “Free Flows,” “Wild Honey” and “Sail On, Sailor,” stopping only to deliver some scorching guitar solos. Chaplin would return to harmonize on later songs, but he left the crowd craving more.

Wilson and Al Jardine

Wilson seemed content to simply let Chaplin, Jardine and Bonfiglio do the heavy lifting. He still managed to deliver moving renditions of “God Only Knows” and his solo tune “Love & Mercy.” If you had written those haunting melodies, maybe you could afford to take it easy during the rest of the set.

Opening band Beat Root Revival offered self-deprecating quips about opening for a titan like Wilson, but delivered a brief energetic set that featured solid covers and some touching originals. Englishman Ben Jones is a remarkably nimble guitarist, while Irish vocalist Andrea Magee provided most of the percussion and found new uses for a pennywhistle in her reinterpretation of Stevie Nicks’ “Dreams.” Her original tune “Forever” may have originated with her parents arguing about a piece of cheese, but it’s catchy and delightful even if you don’t know its origin.

Andrea Magee

Set List (Courtesy of Setlist.fm)

California Girls

Dance, Dance, Dance

I Get Around

Shut Down

Little Deuce Coupe

Little Honda

Surfer Girl

Salt Lake City

Wake the World

Add Some Music to Your Day

California Saga: California

Don’t Worry Baby

Darlin’

Feel Flows

Wild Honey

Sail On, Sailor

Do It Again

Wouldn’t It Be Nice

Sloop John B

God Only Knows

Good Vibrations

Encore

All Summer Long

Help Me, Rhonda

Barbara Ann

Surfin’ U.S.A.

Fun, Fun, Fun

Love and Mercy

Romantic Rock Announces Third Annual
Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show
Opening Night Reception on Saturday, December 15 in Los Angeles, CA

Exhibition to Showcase Pieces From Artists In The Music Community
Including Matt Skiba, Hunter Burgan, Soma Snakeoil,
Steve Caballero, Natalia Fabia, Matt Hensley and more!

Romantic Rock is pleased to announce that their Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show will be returning to Los Angeles, CA for its third year. Celebrating the fine art of creatives who share a passion for both music and art, Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show will feature artwork from Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio and Blink-182, Hunter Burgan of AFI, Soma Snakeoil, Warren Fitzgerald of The Vandals, Matt Hensley of Flogging Molly, Carla Harvey of Butcher Babies, Jennie Cotterill of Bad Cop / Bad Cop, Kevin Seconds of 7 Seconds, Mike Gallo of Agnostic Front, professional skateboarders Steve Caballero of The Faction, Mike Smith, and Christian Hosoi, artists Natalia Fabia, Paul Kobriger, The Mad Twins: Olya & Vira Ishchuk, Chris Shary and photographer Madison Stern. Each artist will have multiple original pieces, prints, and much more.

The opening night and artist reception will occur on Saturday, December 15th at Innerspace Gallery in Downtown Los Angeles. From 6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. the Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show will feature music throughout the night from resident DJs and special guest DJs including Noodles of The Offspring, Monique Powell of Save Ferris, Stacey Dee-J of Bad Cop / Bad Cop, and more! The event will also boast a full cocktail bar provided by Bulleit, a coffee cart, red carpet, photo booth, and more. This event is free and open to all ages, but RSVP is required. To RSVP, please visit: www.eventbrite.com/e/punk-rock-paintbrushes-2018-tickets-51212566164

Emily T. Nielsen, founder of both Romantic Rock and Punk Rock & Paintbrushes says, “Punk Rock & Paintbrushes is an incredible event to showcase these talented individuals through art and photography. We are taking their talent from the stage to the walls and showcasing it to the world. I am excited to work with each of these artists to support their art in our punk rock ways.”

“Last year’s Punk Rock & Paintbrushes event was amazing so when they asked if I wanted to DJ again this year I jumped at it,” says Noodles of The Offspring. “There’s going to be even more artists showing their work this year, and I’ll be DJing with Monique Powell and Stacy Dee. Great people, great art, and great music. It’s gonna be a blast.”

Butcher Babies vocalist Carla Harvey adds, “I love being a part of the Punk Rock & Paintbrushes family because of the sheer variety of art involved. You’ll find a fine art oil painting next to one of my glistening copic marker vaginas. The juxtaposition is what art is all about.”

A look at last year’s Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show can be seen here: https://vimeo.com/249004910/adc8080569

Punk Rock & Paintbrushes will also be donating 10% of all sales during their December 15 opening night reception to The Sidewalk Project, a Los Angeles non-profit whose initiative is to enrich the lives of the Los Angeles’ houseless community. Through various mediums including art, music and film, The Sidewalk Project aims to be socially active in houseless communities around the world. They work directly on the street to share in a sense of connection and well-being. A video providing a more intimate look at The Sidewalk Project can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLMoZm9ddCA

Funds donated from the Punk Rock & Painbrushes Holiday Art Show will go directly to the streets and also assist with providing the art mural to Skid Row the very next day, working with houseless artists and the community at the “Holiday Sidewalk Party.” Punk Rock & Paintbrushes will also be raffling off a collaborative art piece created by PRPB artists, with all profits to benefit The Sidewalk Project. More information on the “Holiday Sidewalk Party” on December 16 can be found at: www.instagram.com/The_Sidewalk_Project

The Innerspace Gallery is located in downtown Los Angeles at 110 Winston Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013. The Punk Rock & Paintbrushes group art exhibition will also be open on Sunday, December 16 from 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Sponsors for Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show include: KROQ, Bulleit, Stickevape, The Sidewalk Project, and Romantic Rock.

For more information, visit:
https://www.instagram.com/punkrockandpaintbrushes
https://www.instagram.com/romanticrock/
http://romanticrock.net/

JUDAS PRIEST ANNOUNCE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

With Judas Priest’s latest studio album, Firepower, confirmed as one of the most successful of the band’s entire career – landing in the “top 5” of 17 countries (including their highest chart placement ever in the U.S., at #5) – demand to see the legendary metal band in concert is higher than ever.

And North American headbangers will get their chance to experience the legendary band on a nearby concert stage this coming spring/summer, when Priest will tour throughout the continent – with the classic metal band Uriah Heep as support.

Kicking off on May 3rd at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida and wrapping up on June 29th at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, fans will get an opportunity to catch Priest at the height of their concert powers on any one of the tour’s 32 dates.

“Metal maniacs – Judas Priest is roaring back to the USA for one more blast of Firepower! Firepower 2019 charges forth with new first time performances born out of Firepower, as well as fresh classic cuts across the decades from the Priest world metalsphere. Our visual stage set and light show will be scorching a unique, hot, fresh vibe – mixing in headline festivals, as well as the in-your-face venue close ups. We can’t wait to reunite and reignite our maniacs…THE PRIEST IS BACK!” -Judas Priest

There are few heavy metal bands that have managed to scale the heights that Judas Priest have during their nearly 50-year career – responsible for issuing such all-time classic albums as British Steel, Screaming for Vengeance, and Painkiller, as well as the anthems “Breaking the Law,” “Living After Midnight,” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming.”

And Priest’s presence and influence remains strong, as evidenced by the chart performance of ‘Firepower’ and its glowing reviews, a Grammy Award win for ‘Best Metal Performance’, plus being a VH1 Rock Honors recipient and a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination.

Also, Priest can be credited as being one of the first metal bands to pioneer wearing leather and studs – a look that would eventually be embraced by metalheads throughout the world.

Undoubtedly, Judas Priest’s upcoming North American tour will only add to their ever-growing status of heavy metal legends.

JUDAS PRIEST TOUR DATES:

DATE/ CITY/ VENUE
05/03/19 Hollywood, FL Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
05/06/19 Nashville, TN Nashville Municipal Auditorium
05/08/19 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
05/09/19 Biloxi, MS Beau Rivage Resort & Casino
05/12/19 Washington, DC The Anthem
05/14/19 Huntington, NY The Paramount
05/15/19 Huntington, NY The Paramount
05/16/19 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
05/18/19 Albany, NY Palace Theatre
05/19/19 Albany, NY Palace Theatre
05/22/19 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theater
05/23/19 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theater
05/25/19 Rosemont, IL Rosemont Theatre
05/28/19 Austin, TX ACL Live at The Moody Theater
05/29/19 Austin, TX ACL Live at The Moody Theater
05/31/19 Dallas, TX The Bomb Factory
06/01/19 Little Rock, AR First Security Amphitheater
06/03/19 St. Louis, MO Stifel Theatre
06/05/19 Colorado Springs, CO Broadmoor World Arena
06/08/19 Saskatoon, SK SaskTel Centre
06/10/19 Lethbridge, AB ENMAX Centre
06/11/19 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place
06/13/19 Dawson Creek, BC Encana Events Centre
06/14/19 Prince George, BC CN Centre
06/16/19 Kelowna, BC Prospera Place
06/17/19 Abbotsford, BC Abbotsford Centre
06/19/19 Airway Heights, WA Northern Quest Resort and Casino
06/21/19 Kent, WA Accesso Showare Center
06/22/19 Portland, OR Moda Theatre of the Clouds
06/24/19 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre
06/25/19 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre
06/27/19 Los Angeles, CA Microsoft Theater
06/29/19 Las Vegas, NV The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel

Photo By Travis Shin

For more information, please visit judaspriest.com

“Generation Axe”
Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Yngvie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt, Tosin Abasi,
Saturday, December 1st, 2018
Kodak Performing Arts Center, Rochester, NY

Our score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Generation Axe” made a stop in the flour city on December 1st as part of the super group’s current US tour. Fresh off a successful tour of Asia the guitar dominant tour featuring Steve Vai, Yngvie Malmsteen, Zakk Wylde, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi is total emersion in to all things guitar. From head spinning solo performances to face melting group jams “Generation Axe” packs a punch like no other.

Given the reputation of the five guitarists who make up “Generation Axe” going in you can sort of guess what you are going to be in for however, it isn’t until you see the thirty plus Marshall amplifiers and various other gear that adorns the stage does it really sink in that “this might get loud”! From the opening notes of the Focus song “Hocus Pocus” (which featured all five talents shredding out of the gate) to the closing notes of Deep Purples “Burn” some three and a half hours later the near capacity crowd which filled the Kodak centers multi level venue were left slack jawed the near entire time. The performance moved rather smoothly as each of the five featured guitarists performed some of their more notable material before switching off with one of the other players. Animals As Leaders, Tosin Abasi opened the solo portion of the night with a furry of slap-tastic notes and uniquely timed transitions setting the stage nicely with songs from his bands catalog such as “Woven Web” and the popular “Physical Education”. Though he may have been the lesser known of the five Abasi let his music and technique speak earning him an impressive response from the audience.

Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt would take the stage next opening with the always fun to sing along to “Get The Funk Out”. Nuno interacted sporadically with crowd and at one point teased them with the opening of the ballad “More Than Word” which he quickly stopped and joked that he would not be playing that tonight. Probably the most impressive of Bettencourt’s session was the piece “Extreme Melody” which was taken from a You Tube fan compilation consisting of all of his solos. Before leaving the stage Nuno invited the bearded berserker Zakk Wylde up to play on “Sidewayst” which then gave way to the Ozzy Osbourne/Black Label Society guitarists own solo portion. Wylde’s set consisted mostly of Black Sabbath songs such as “NIB” and “War Pigs” before being closed out with an amazing rendition of Gary Moore’s “Still Got the Blues”. Wylde’s set was pure energy and crowd interaction as the golden haired front-man left the stage several times to jam in the audience and at one point even made his way to the over-hanging balcony to jam for the higher up fans. Steve Vai (the man behind Generation Axe) would follow taking the stage with a lighted guitar to the tune of “There’s a Fire in Here”. Vai’s solo portion was quite brief in that it only consisted of three songs however the man with six fingers delivered tenfold.

Closing out the solo portions of the night was “The Maestro” Yngvie Malmsteen. Doused in a glow of red the long haired leather clad shredder from Sweden took listeners on a neo-classical voyage courtesy of his signature fender Stratocasters and wall of Marshall amps. From “Into Valhalla”, “Apreggio From Hell” and, “Paganini’s 4th Adagio” Malmsteen kept his foot on the gas and did not let up one bit. The night ended with a handful of songs featuring the entire line up. Easily my favorite from the three was the group’s all guitar rendition of the Queen track “Bohemian Rhapsody” complete with falsetto breakdowns. This alone made the ticket worth the price of admission. The night was closed out by Deep Purples “Burn” featuring Yngvie on vocals and I have to say it was nice to hear something from Purple’s catalog other than “Highway Star” or “Smoke on the Water”

“Generation Axe” is a great night of guitar playing and music. Vary rarely do you get to see two of these performers in the same place at the same time let alone all five. Equally impressive is the groups backing band consisting of Bassist Pete Griffin, Keyboardist Nick Marinovich and drummer JP Bouvet. The band performed a wide range of complex material the entire night never missing a beat and gave the five virtuoso guitarists the perfect foundation to build on. If “Generation Axe” is coming to your town get you and/or that loved one tickets to the show as you won’t be disappointed.

Set List:
1.) Hocus Pocus (Full Group)
2. Tempting Time (TA)
3.) Woven Web (TA)
4.) Physical Education (TA)
5.) Get The Funk Out (NB)
6.) Midnite Express (NB)
7.) Extreme Melody (NB)
8.) Sidewayst (NB/ZW)
9.) Into the Void (ZW)
10.) NIB (ZW)
11.) War Pigs (ZW)
12.) Still Got the Blues (ZW)
13.) There’s a Fire in Here (SV)
14.) The Animal (SV)
15.) For the Love of God (SV)
16.) Into Valhalla (YM)
17.) Baroque & Roll (YM)
18.) From A Thousand Cuts (YM)
19.) Apreggio From Hell (YM)
20.) Far Beyond the Sun (YM)
21.) Badlinere (YM)
22.) Paganini’s 4th Adagio (YM)
23.) Trilogy Suite Op 5 (YM)
24.) Black Star (YM)
25.) The Star-Spangled Banner (YM)
26.) Frankenstein (Full Group)
27.) Bohemian Rhapsody (Full Group)
28.) Burn (Full Group)

Jeff Timmons is a founding member of the pop group 98°. Together with Justin Jeffre and brother’s Nick and Drew Lachey the group has sold over 10 million albums worldwide since their debut release in 1997. The group is currently out on a Holiday Tour which runs through December 22nd and Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Jeff about the tour, the possibility of new music, and what’s at the top of his wish list this year.

Adam Lawton: Tell us about the decision to bring back the holiday tour for a second year?

Jeff Timmons: It gives us a chance to get back out there and perform. Prior to the last holiday run we had done some summer touring and it was a pretty grueling schedule. Three of us have families so to be away from them is hard. This tour allows us to go out and perform while our kids are still in school and then when we are done be home with them for the holidays. This is really something different because there are not a lot of pop groups doing holiday tours. We have a real blast doing this and helping get everyone in the holiday spirit. Last year’s response was great and this year has been even better. This is something I see us doing for as long as we can.

AL: Was there anything you guys wanted to change from last year’s performance to help bring something different to the show?

JT: I think you always want to tweak things in an effort to make the show better for the fans and for things to move smoother. The overall format from last year is basically what we are going with. We have two albums worth of Christmas material that we do and of course we have to throw in our hits or it wouldn’t be fair to the fans. We don’t take each other too seriously so there is quite a bit of comedy going on. We are playing in smaller venues which allows for a more intimate setting and it gives us a chance to be a bit more theatrical with our performances. These shows are much different than a typical concert and that was really our plan.

AL: How much pre-production and planning go in to a tour like this?

JT: We do a lot of stuff via email. We know basically what songs we are going to pull from each album but then we also throw ideas back and forth of personal favorites that we might want to add to the list as well. From there we can figure out how long the show is going to be and we can start rehearsals. Being that we are all super busy we don’t have as much time as we would like to rehearse together. We generally have about seven to ten days to get everything together before that first show so each of us has to come in ready to go. Fortunately we have been together so long that we know each other very well and that defiantly helps.

AL: You have added a few more stop to this year’s run. How do you guys select which stops you want to add?

JT: A lot of it has to do with routing. We work with an agency that looks at all the logistics which go in to a tour and then things go from there. It never is really up to us. We always want to include each of our home towns and we really campaigned to include the Mid-West and a few other areas this time out. We missed some fans last year and we got a lot of responses about that so we are trying to make sure we hit those spots. We certainly are covering more area this year and we feel very positive about all the stops.

AL: Has there been any talks of new material and possibly more touring in the coming year?

JT: There have been some talks about recording some new songs. We are not sure if it’s going to be an album or an EP. With today’s technology you can be more single driven and stream it all over so we will have to see. As far as more touring goes with everything each of us has going on we have to see how we can balance all of that while being on the road. When we first started dipping our toes in the water to see if people still wanted to see us we weren’t sure what we were going to be able to do. With the reception having been and continues to be so great that presents a lot more possibilities so we just have to see what we can make work. What I can tell you is that we enjoy doing music together and there are going to be some new things on the horizon.

AL: Being the holidays are right around the corner is there anything special you have at the top of your wish list?

JT: This is going to sound corny but I just want to be able to home for Christmas. It’s a grind out here on the road and we miss our families. Fortunately we are able to build in some off days so we do get to see them but when you’re out there getting everyone excited for the season it makes you miss them more. The tour wraps up on December 22nd so we will get to be home and just enjoy our time with one another. I think that will be the best gift.

For up to date info on 98° you can check out their Instagram at @98degrees

Sam Rivers is best known as a founding member and bassist for the band Limp Bizkit. His new band Sleepkillers which includes Damien Starkey, Bobby Amaru and Adam Latiff is set to release its debut self titled album on January 25, 2019. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Sam recently about the group’s formation, the new album and their video for the song “Dirty Foot” which premiered Nov. 2.

Adam Lawton: How did Sleepkillers come together?

Sam Rivers: As far as the writing that went into this first record goes it was me and Damien Starkey. I was living in Jacksonville at the time and we had been talking on the phone about getting together and doing some jamming. I ended up going over to his studio and after a couple of hours of just having fun we had the basis of three songs. We wanted to keep going so we just dove in. Soon after that Limp Bizkit was going back on tour and Damien had some stuff of his own going and we kind of lost touch. During that time we had both played the tracks for people and they kept saying we should turn what we had into a full length record. About a year and a half later we reconnected and after a couple bumps in the road we are here now with a finished record.

AL: At what point in time did the rest of the band come together?

SR: Bobby Amaru came in when we were still working on some of the songs. He helped us really turn things around. Adam Latiff didn’t come in until later. This was going to be just a small project for Damien and me but we took it further and needed people to play live. Bobby wanted to play drums and we couldn’t disagree. He may be the singer of Saliva but he is one hell of a drummer! Adam was a friend of Damien’s for a long time and now he and I are friends and he is just a great fit and an amazing guitarist.

AL: Did returning to the material over a year later cause you to change any of the initial recordings?

SR: I think the sound was really already there so we just rolled with it. We worked really hard at making sure everything blended together and matched up and I think we did a good job. We had that initial vision from when Damien and I first got together and that’s what we stayed with.

AL: Do you see Sleepwalkers as being more of a side project or, something you hope to do full time?

SR: I think we are going to go with it. Right now it’s just a great time. Our plan for right now is to push out as much material and content as we can. That will help us find our core fans which we can build tour and things like that around. I think the biggest thing right now is for us to get this record out and show people that we are a band. As time goes on we are going to evolve so this will be something we do full time but it’s going to be wrapped around our other work.

AL: What can you tell us about the first single “Dirty Foot”?

SR: That was a hard decision. Damien and I kept going back and forth between two or three different songs and we just couldn’t decide. We played it for a few close friends and they all had different picks. This was really odd because we had thought they would choose at least one of these three. That wasn’t the case so that didn’t really help. We took it to some of our peers and people who we really respected and let them listen to it and then sit on it for a bit. That gave us a different view on things. We still hadn’t agreed that “Dirty Foot” was going to be the one but after everything we decided that it had everything we wanted to showcase in our first single and we went with it.

AL: Can you tell us about the video you just released for the song?

SR: We had been trying to find someone who was not only in our budget but someone who was going to put their one hundred and ten percent in to this as well. We talked with David and gave him some of our ideas and from there he just ran with it. We just gave him the clearance so from there we could see what he could come up with. Our biggest thing was once we found someone we wanted to get behind them and stick with them. That’s not to say we won’t ever work with anyone else but we wanted to really see what David could do and open it up to keep going.

AL: Has there been any talks of touring in support of the release?

SR: That’s something we are planning and look to do at some point. We do have a few shows currently lined up which we will be streaming worldwide. There is no way we can hit Europe and all those places at one time so we thought this would be a cool way for us to get to those places and give them a feeling for what one of our shows is like.

For more in on Sleepwalkers you can visit their official website at www.sleepkillers.com

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CKY RELEASE GG ALLIN COVER, “BITE IT YOU SCUM”
RECORD STORE DAY VINYL EXCLUSIVE EP TOO PRECIOUS TO KILL OUT ON BLACK FRIDAY 11/23/18
WEST CHESTER, PA IN-STORE SCHEDULED FEATURING PHIL MARGERA AS SANTA CLAUS
ON TOUR NOW WITH NEKROGOBLIKON IN THE U.S.

CKY have released a cover of GG Allin classic “Bite It You Scum” today ahead of their exclusive Record Store Day release. The song is from a vinyl-only EP called Too Precious To Kill, which will be released in stores on Black Friday, November 23, 2018 (Record Store Day).

“Nobody knows fucking GG Allin!” says frontman and guitarist Chad I Ginsburg. “CKY will kill you!!!…with this relentless and quite vicious studio version of this classic punk rock song. It has been a longtime staple in the CKY live show and highly requested for over a decade! Here it is in studio quality, only available as part of our record store day exclusive. Crank it up and take a shit on someone!”

CKY will make a hometown in-store appearance at Creep Records in West Chester, PA at 2 PM EST on November 23, 2018, with none other than Phil Margera participating as Santa Claus. Visit www.creeprecords.com for more info.

CKY is currently wrapping up their North American run of dates with Nekrogoblikon.