FROM TOM ARAYA, KERRY KING, PAUL BOSTAPH AND GARY HOLT
“Thanks to the fans for celebrating this day with us for the past 12 years…keep it going!”

AND, Slayer would also like to thank Jeff Tandy who, 12 years ago, on 6/6/06, launched the “National Day of Slayer” site. It grew so big, it became the “International Day of Slayer.” Jeff built the site and maintains it to this day. Thanks, Jeff!”

The “International Day of Slayer” is the annual heavy-metal holiday that celebrates the uncompromising, loud and defiant music of the iconic thrash/punk/metal band Slayer. To find out exactly how to celebrate the Day of Slayer, go HERE.

For more information on Slayer and the band’s Final World Tour, go HERE.

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• Guns N’ Roses Debuts Previously Unseen Video for “It’s So Easy”
• A Sound of Thunder Announces Details of New Album “It Was Metal”

Killswitch Engage signs with Metal Blade Records and Columbia/Sony Music Germany; kicks off European tour with Iron Maiden

Metal Blade Records is proud to welcome Killswitch Engage to its roster! Partnering with Sony Music Entertainment outside of North America, the band will be releasing their upcoming album in 2019 worldwide.

Metal Blade’s CEO/founder Brian Slagel comments: “I have been a huge fan and friend of Killswitch for a long time, so it is truly an honor to be able to work with them. So happy to welcome them to the Metal Blade family.”

Jesse Leach (vocals): “I’m beyond stoked to sign with the legendary Metal Blade Records and Columbia/Sony Music. It’s clear they truly understand and believe in what we do as a band, and we’re psyched to have them on our side. It’s an exciting new chapter for KSE and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Adam Dutkiewicz (guitar): “I’m very excited to say that Killswitch Engage will be joining forces with Metal Blade Records and Columbia/Sony Music! Super stoked to join the ranks with a long list of many epic metal acts, as well as a team of excellent human beings who truly have a genuine love for metal music. Here’s to an awesome future with awesome labels!”

Benjamin Voss, Senior A&R Manager Columbia/Sony Music Germany: “I am very happy and proud to work with such an amazing band like Killswitch Engage in the future. We are absolutely excited about releasing their new album on Sony Music outside North America.”

Currently finishing work on their upcoming album, Killswitch Engage have taken a break from recording to embark on a summer European tour with Iron Maiden. The trek will also see the band appear at various premier festivals (Sweden Rock, Graspop Metal Meeting, Hellfest, etc.), along with a few special headlining shows. Then in the fall, the band will be touring across Australia with Parkway Drive. See below for all dates!

Killswitch Engage tour dates
w/ Iron Maiden
May 26 – Saku Arena – Tallinn, Estonia
May 28 – Hartwall Arena – Helsinki, Finland
May 29 – Hartwall Arena – Helsinki, Finland
May 31 – Pustervik – Goteborg, Sweden ***
June 1 – Tele2 Arena – Stockholm, Sweden
June 2 – Rockefeller Music Hall – Oslo, Norway ***
June 3 – Trondheim Rocks @ Dahls Arena – Trondheim, Norway **
June 5 – Royal Arena – Copenhagen, Denmark
June 7 – Sweden Rock Festival – Solvesborg, Sweden **
June 9 – Rockavaria – Munich, Germany **
June 10 – Expo Plaza – Hannover, Germany
June 11 – Live Music Hall – Cologne, Germany ***
June 13 – Waldbuhne – Berlin, Germany
June 14 – Kwadrat – Krakow, Poland ***
June 16 – Akvarium Klub – Budapest, Hungary ***
June 17 – Novarock Festival – Nickelsdorf, Austria **
June 19 – Proxima – Warsaw, Poland ***
June 20 – Letnany Airport – Prague, Czech Republic
June 22 – Graspop Metal Meeting – Dessel, Belgium **
June 24 – Hellfest – Clisson, France **
June 25 – Den Atelier – Luxembourg, Luxembourg ***
June 26 – Geneva Arena – Geneva, Switzerland
June 28 – Rock in Rome @ Ippodromo Capanelle – Rome, Italy *
June 29 – Rock the Castle @ Villafranca Castle – Verona, Italy **
June 30 – Messe Freiburg – Freiburg, Germany
July 1 – GelreDome – Arnhem, Netherlands
July 31 – Metro Radio Arena – Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Aug. 1 – The Academy Dublin – Dublin, Ireland ***
Aug. 2 – SSE Arena – Belfast, UK
Aug. 4 – Aberdeen Exhibition & Conf. Centre – Aberdeen, UK
Aug. 6 – Manchester Arena – Manchester, UK
Aug. 7 – Genting Arena – Birmingham, UK
Aug. 10 – 02 Arena – London, UK
Aug. 11 – 02 Arena – London, UK
*=w/ Megadeth (no Iron Maiden)
**=festival off-date
***=Killswitch Engage headlining off-date

Killswitch Engage tour dates
w/ Parkway Drive
Oct. 25 – UC Refectory – Canberra, Australia
Oct. 26 – Hordern Pavilion – Sydney, Australia
Oct. 27 – Nex – Newcastle, Australia
Oct. 28 – Riverstage – Brisbane, Australia
Nov. 02 – Margaret Court Arena – Melbourne, Australia
Nov. 03 – Entertainment Centre – Adelaide, Australia
Nov. 06 – HBF Stadium – Perth, Australia

Formed in 1999 out of western Massachusetts, Killswitch Engage is often credited as one of the most influential metal acts in the last 20 years. Spending much of their career on the road, the band has enjoyed premium slots on major USA tours, including Ozzfest, Warped Tour, Taste of Chaos, Rockstar Energy Mayhem Fest, Music As a Weapon, and Trespass America, as well as countless international festivals around the globe. Having shared the stage with acts ranging from Rise Against to Slayer, the diversity and versatility of their touring is unparalleled. Their songs have been featured on Guitar Hero III, Rock Band, John Madden, the Resident Evil III soundtrack, and as entrance music for WWE wrestling champ CM Punk.

Twice Grammy-nominated, Killswitch Engage has sold over 3 million records worldwide, with The End of Heartache and As Daylight Dies both certified Gold in the U.S and Silver in the UK. The band’s latest album – 2016’s Incarnate – landed at #6 on the Billboard Top 200, #1 on the Current Rock Albums chart, and debuted at #1 overall in Canada, #5 in Australia, and #10 in both the UK and Germany – a testament to their international reach.

2018 will mark the end of the Incarnate album cycle, which saw the group reach new heights with its collection of anthems that set the heavy music world ablaze. Co-founders of Killswitch Engage – guitarist/backing vocalist Adam Dutkiewicz, guitarist Joel Stroetzel, bassist Mike D’Antonio, and lead vocalist Jesse Leach (who returned six years ago after a decade-long absence) – plus longtime drummer Justin Foley, are currently working on a new album, with Adam Dutkiewicz handling producer duties once again. Employing their usual unrelenting determination to continually release powerfully potent work, Killswitch Engage plans to deliver another trend-resistant, timeless record that feeds the soul, touches the heart, and strengthens the mind. Stay tuned for more news about this new album coming soon!

Killswitch Engage line-up:
Jesse Leach – Vocals
Adam Dutkiewicz – Guitar
Joel Stroetzel – Guitar
Justin Foley – Drums
Mike D’Antonio – Bass

Killswitch Engage online:
http://www.killswitchengage.com/
https://www.facebook.com/killswitchengage/
https://twitter.com/kseofficial
https://www.instagram.com/killswitchengage

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BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE have released “Letting You Go,” the third track from forthcoming album, Gravity. The album is available for pre-order HERE.

Watch it HERE.

“‘Letting You Go’ was a very challenging song to write in so many ways,” said vocalist + guitarist Matt Tuck. “It’s by far the most experimental track I’ve ever written – musically and lyrically. I really wanted to make a track that stood out from the crowd and separated us from any other band in our genre, and that’s exactly what ‘Letting You Go’ does.”

Gravity, out June 29, is BFMV’s first album under the Search and Destroy/ Spinefarm Records banner, and aptly sees the band rewriting their own future – finding new ways to invent heavy noise and remaining unshackled by the legacy that comes with being masters of their trade.

BFMV will play second to headline on the Friday of Download (UK) Festival – their first home-turf festival performance in five years. The band will then headline European summer festivals and venues before travelling to Japan for the Summersonic event.

The band will return to the U.S. in the fall with support acts to be announced. Dates are below.

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE ON TOUR:
FALL 2018:
SPECIAL GUESTS TBA:
9/13: Kansas City, MO @ Harrah’s
9/15: St. Paul, MN @ The Myth
9/18: St. Louis, MO @ The Paegant
9/20: Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom
9/21: Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
9/22: Austin, TX @ Emo’s
9/24: San Antonio, TX @ Aztec Theater
9/25: Houston, TX @ House of Blues
9/27: Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre
9/30: Grand Rapids, MI @ 20 Monroe Live
10/2: Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
10/3: Syracuse, NY @ SI Hall
10/4: Boston, MA @ House of Blues
10/7: Detroit, MI @ Fillmore Detroit
10/9: Wichita, KS @ Cotillion Ballroom
10/10: Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
10/12: Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
10/14: Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock Festival*
10/16: Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
*FESTIVAL

For More Info Visit:
https://www.facebook.com/BulletForMyValentine
https://twitter.com/bfmvofficial
http://bulletformyvalentine.com/
https://www.instagram.com/bfmvofficial/

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“Rats! on the Road”
Ghost
Wednesday, May 16th, 2018
Crouse-Hinds Theater, Syracuse, NY

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Grammy award winners Ghost brought their love of theatrics and Lucifer to the city of Syracuse, NY on May 16th as part of their current “Rats! on the Road” tour. The tour which features Ghost with no opening act is an intimate fan pleasing experience that needs to be seen in-person to truly understand the bands power of performance.

The evening was filled with spectacular moments featuring several new songs from the bands upcoming release “Prequelle” including “Rats”, “Spirit “and, “Dance Macabre”. Fan favorite Papa Nihil made an appearance on the song “Miasma” providing a smooth saxophone solo that would have brought Kenny G to tears. The nameless ghouls shined throughout the night, each interacting with one another for some great moments including a stellar and a good ole fashion acoustic sing along to “Jigolo Har Megiddo”. All of the hits were present in the extended 24 song set which was nicely split into two acts complete with an intermission.

Despite all of the drama that unfolded within the band last year, Ghost is still steamrolling forward and staying very true to themselves. The band continues to up their game each time they embark on. If “Rats! On the Road” comes to your town we suggest clearing your schedule and grabbing some tickets.

Set List:
1.) Ashes
2.) Rats
3.) Absolution
4.) Ritual
5.) Con Clavi Con Dio
6.) Per Aspera ad Inferi
7.) Devil Church
8.) Cirice
9.) Stand by Him
10.) Miasma
11.) Jigolo Har Megiddo
12.) Pro Memoria
13.) Dues in Absentia
14.) Spirit
15.) From the Pinnacle to the Pit
16.) Faith
17.) Year Zero
18.) He Is
19.) Prime Mover
20.) Mummy Dust
21.) If You Have Ghosts
22.) Dance Macabre
23.) Square Hammer
24.) Monstrance Clock

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GUNS N’ ROSES DEBUTS
PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN FULL-LENGTH VIDEO FOR
“IT’S SO EASY”
IN CELEBRATION OF THE FORTHCOMING APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION REISSUES

Available June 29, Configurations Include:
1CD Remaster / 2LP 180-gram Heavyweight Vinyl Edition / 2CD Deluxe Edition / 4CD, 1Blu-ray Audio Super Deluxe Edition / Expansive Five-Disc Set, Seven-LP, Seven 7-inch Box Set

Geffen/UMe continues its celebration for the release of Guns N’ Roses’ forthcoming Appetite For Destruction reissues with the debut of the original, newly discovered video for “IT’S SO EASY.”

Filmed live in 1989 at the infamous Cathouse, “IT’S SO EASY” was never completely finished and has remained in the vaults, unseen and unreleased. The footage was recently uncovered for inclusion in the box set and has been digitally restored in 4K UHD from 16mm film transfers with the original conceptual scenes edited back in with the live footage, just as the band had originally intended.

“IT’S SO EASY” can be viewed HERE.

In addition to “IT’S SO EASY,” Geffen/UMe will also officially roll out Guns N’ Roses’ 14 seminal music videos spanning the band’s career all in newly upgraded 1080p HD pillarbox video. “Welcome To The Jungle,” “Paradise City,” “Patience” and two versions of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” will also feature newly remastered stereo audio.

Following the group’s 1985 formation, Guns N’ Roses injected unbridled attitude into the burgeoning Los Angeles rock scene. They went on to captivate the entire world with the July 21, 1987 release of Appetite For Destruction, which remains the best-selling U.S. debut album ever, moving over 30 million copies globally. Appetite features such indelible tracks such as the No. 1 single “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Welcome To The Jungle,” “Nightrain,” and “Paradise City.”

The band’s ongoing success of the ‘Not In This Lifetime’ worldwide tour has elevated it to the 4th spot on the list of the most successful tours in music history, from its first two years alone – with no sign of slowing down. The next leg of the highly successful and anticipated World Tour continues in Europe in June & July 2018 and from what we hear, onto the fall.

Preorder all versions of Guns N’ Roses’ Appetite For Destruction here.

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If I mention the name Peter Asher I’m going to guess that the first thing that comes to mind is his musical career as half of the popular 1960s British duo Peter and Gordon.  Teamed up with schoolmate Gordon Waller, Mr. Asher, who already had success as a child actor, placed 10 songs in the US TOP 40, including the #1 hit “World Without Love.”  Other hits include “I Go to Pieces,” “True Love Ways” and “Lady Godiva.”

Mr. Asher’s sister Jane, also an actress, had a boyfriend who was also a musician and even wrote “World Without Love” for Peter and Gordon to record.  His name was Paul McCartney and for a time Macca lived with the Ashers, sharing the second floor with Peter.

When Peter and Godon stopped recording in 1968, Mr. Asher became the head of A&R for the Beatles‘ record label, Apple.    It was here that he signed an unknown singer/songwriter named James Taylor, also agreeing to produce his first album.  Though the album was not a success, Mr. Asher believed in Taylor’s abilities so much that he quit his gig at Apple and moved to the United States, where he became Taylor’s manager.   For 15 years he would produce Taylor’s albums, including “Sweet Baby James,” “Mudslide Slim and the Blue Horizon” and “JT,” the latter helping him win the Producer of the Year Grammy Award in 1977.

In the early 1970s he took another young singer under his wing;  Linda Ronstadt, who would go on to sell over 30 million albums in her career.  While managing both Taylor and Ronstadt, Mr. Asher also produced classic albums for artists like Cher (“Cher,” ” Heart of the Stone”), Neil Diamond (“Lovescape,” “Up on the Roof: Songs from the Brill Building”) and soundtracks for such films as “The Land Before Time,” “The Mambo Kings” and “Armageddon.”  He also won two more Grammy Awards.  One was for Producer of the Year for Ronstadt’s “Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind” album in 1989.  He also took home the award for producing the Best Comedy Album of 2002 – “Robin Williams: LIVE.”

These days you can catch Mr. Asher on Sirius Radio’s Beatle Channel, where he hosts a weekly show called “From Me to You.,” where he spins some of his favorite records (from the Fab Four and others) and shares some amazing stories from his almost six decade career in music.

I recently had the great honor of speaking with Mr. Asher about his career.

Mike Smith:  Most music fans remember you as half of the popular duo Peter and Gordon…

Peter Asher:  The old ones do. (laughs)

MS:  How did you two get together?

PA:  We met in school.  We both played the guitar together and sang.  Gordon was more of a rock and roll fan and I was more of a folkie.  I was singing Woody Guthrie songs while he was singing Eddie Cochran songs.  So we tried singing together to see what it sounded like.  It coincided that we were both huge fans of the Everly Brothers.  They were our original idols and that’s who we were trying to sound like.

MS:  You were an early champion of artists like James Taylor and Linda Rondstadt.  How do you know, as a producer, when you’ve found that rare talent?

PA:  I think you just do.  I mean, when I first heard James, everything about him was remarkable.  He had great songs, he was a terrific guitar player with a unique style all his own.  He combined a sort of folk style of guitar playing with some jazz chords.  An amazing combination.  And he was a great singer.  And the songs he sang to me, the ones he wrote, were just amazing.  I don’t know HOW you know.  You just kind of do.  It’s the same now.  When I hear somebody brand new.  I think it’s just an instinctive thing.  When they’re original and great and a pleasure to listen to.  “Who’s this?  What’s that?”  It’s great.

MS:  Some great music trivia is that both James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt appear on Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold.”  Did you have a hand in that?

PA:  i know Neil Young and I’m friends with his manager but I think that was just Neil asking James and Linda to come and sing.  They all knew each other.  I think James also played banjo on one cut.  (he did).

MS:  One thing I always took notice of growing up in the 70s is that the majority of Linda Ronstadt’s hits were covers of previous hit songs.  “That’ll Be the Day.”  “Blue Bayou.”  “Heatwave.”  Was that something that was intentional?

PA:  As a producer we look for great songs everywhere, and that includes songs that other people had done before as well as brand new songs.  And we did some of each.  But, yes, quite a few of them became cover versions.  People seemed to like them and they became hits.  We didn’t shy away from a song just because someone had already done it.  But basically we would look at all songs equally.  And if we found an amazing song that was brand new, something like “Heart Like a Wheel,” or a favorite song from out past, like a Buddy Holly song, we did it.  We look everywhere for great songs, old and new.

MS:  You’ve also produced a few film soundtracks.  Are they easier to produce as opposed to a musical group’s album?

PA:  It’s very different.  I’ve produced some tracks for a soundtrack that Hans Zimmer has been working on.  Working with Hans is a particular pleasure because he’s brilliant.  But it’s very different then making a song with an artist.  In Hans’ case sometimes it’s a song that I will fit into a soundtrack.  I will work with Hans.  One time he was recording 12 drummers all at the same time.  I was there to just help the session go smoothly and that Hans got what he needed.  But you can’t guarantee which sessions (a soundtrack or a musical group) are going to be easy or hard.

MS:  You’re now hosting your own show on the Beatles channel.  As someone that has been in the business for as long as you have, can you explain their continual appeal?

PA:  Not in any way that adds anything new to the equation.  They’re just better than any other band, before or since.  That’s why.  It’s pathetically simple, I know.  But their songs are amazing.  Their singing is amazing.  Their playing is amazing.  What they came up with as a group was greater than the sum of its parts.  The answer to your question lies in listening to it.  If you listen you know not to turn away from that channel because you know the next song is going to be another song that you love.

MS:  You often mention on your show that you used to share the 2nd floor of your parent’s home with Paul McCartney.  Any housekeeping secrets you can share?  Did he make his bed every morning?

PA:  (laughing)  I don’t really remember.  Sadly, I have no intimate domestic details.

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CONCERT REVIEW AND PHOTOS BY DAN LYBARGER

Poison/Cheap Trick/Pop Evil

Sprint Center – Kansas City, Missouri

May 25, 2018

Thirty years ago, I wanted to kill a fellow editor at my college newspaper because he went missing the night before the semester’s final edition was due at the printer. When I woke him the next morning, I became even more enraged because he and decided to catch a concert without telling me or my peers, and it was Poison.   Had he abdicated his responsibility for Todd Rundgren, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones or The Smiths, I might have excused him. But no, it had to be that silly hair band whose songs about partying were relatively easy to play.

Another friend who had seen them play, lamented their musical limitations by dubbing guitarist C.C. DeVille “C.C. Distortion” for his sloppy solos, and an another buddy laughed when he saw concert footage of them on MTV and observed they were playing beginners’ instruments. Because my own musical chops are stunted, I’m not sure what was so embryonic about what axes Poison used to play. Nonetheless, we both felt smug as we continued to watch them perform on television.

After finally seeing the band play for myself on May 25 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, I think I can now easily forgive the other editor. Of course, we still made our deadline. I can also say I don’t envy him because the performance I caught might have been better than the one he saw. Now that their hair has grayed (where it still remains), the band has actually developed some skill and showmanship that wasn’t in their old videos.

Lead vocalist Bret Michaels constantly thanked the crowd and rattled off other area venues where he played with the band or as a solo act. It’s always nice when the band knows they’re on the Missouri side of the state line and can recall something about your town other than a stage.

Cheap Trick, who played before them, one-upped the headliners by claiming they had written a recent tune after eating at Gates Barbecue, a blue collar eatery when the clerks greet you as loudly as if they were playing the Sprint Center.  Unlike the musicians, the clerks don’t need microphones.

Michaels and the rest of Poison gave the crowd high fives throughout the set and genuinely seemed to enjoy being in the barbecue capital of the world. The band have had personnel changes and breakups, but the original lineup were all performing that evening. The set seemed oddly touching when Michaels briefly mentioned that drummer Rikki Rockett had survived cancer.

Both he and bassist Bobby Dall looked healthy and enthusiastic, so it was a jolt to hear that Rockett, who regularly tosses his drumsticks in the air and twirls them between beats, almost didn’t make it to the stage.

Because I was attempting to photograph the show from a pit at the bottom of the stage, I almost felt sorry for people in the back of the arena who couldn’t see what he was doing. When he later played an extended toward the end of the set, it made Michaels’ revelation all the more touching.

Michaels, who had a series of frightening health problems of his own in 2010, is also lucky to be alive. Perhaps that’s why their enthusiasm seems genuine. Playing in front of a house that can hold 19,000 people sure beats lying in a hospital bed or worse.

While Poison can play their old hits like “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” or “Talk Dirty to Me” with more technical assurance than they used to, they do little more than plow through their old catalog.

Their fans didn’t object.

They did supplement their set with a large video screen that featured cartoons of the band before they took the stage. Their cover of Loggins and Messina’s “Your Momma Don’t Dance” proved to be a great excuse to feature the late pinup queen Bettie Page shimmying as they played. With Bettie just about any band would sound as good as the Stones on their best day.

Following a typically lively set by Cheap Trick requires a masochism few bands have. The three original members are all in their sixties and still have their old skills. Whereas DeVille impressed the crowd by mimicking Eddie Van Halen’s finger tapping and slipping in a bit of Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen switched genres, playing styles and even guitars. The 69-year-old ax-man didn’t need a featured solo break because just about every song gave him a workout.

Oh, and while he was playing tunes like “Dream Police,” he was also tossing out picks at the crowd. Somehow his poses, witty asides to the crowd and acts of violence involving small pieces of plastic, never caused him to skip a note or detract from a solo. How he managed to hit me in the pit with a pick and get through the set at the same time baffles me.

Dall treated the crowd to his own version of Henry Mancini’s theme to The Pink Panther, but Cheap Trick bassist Tom Peterson gave his 12-string instrument a thorough workout and even sang a powerful medley of The Velvet Underground’s “Waiting for the Man” and “Heroin.” Nielsen complemented Peterson’s work with some tasteful slide solos, which lead vocalist Robin Zander accompanied with his own acoustic 12 string.

Zander happily took a break because during the rest of the set he still pushed his voice to its limit. Thankfully that limit seems superhuman. If his throat cracked a couple of times, he can still effortlessly reach high notes and make 40 to 30 year old songs sound fresh and committed.

If you’ve caught Cheap Trick in the past or have listed to At Budokan to the point where you’ve memorized all the words, their current shows are still worth catching. Daxx Nielsen, Rick’s son, has ably replaced Bun E. Carlos on drums, and Zander’s son Robin Taylor fleshes out the band’s harmonies and played most of the rhythm guitar parts.

Thanks to That 70s Show, the band have a few songs (like their version of Big Star’s “In the Street”) that are more recent than anything Poison played, and the samples from their newer albums Bang, Zoom, Crazy… Hello (2016) and We’re All Right! (2017) fit seamlessly in with their hits. Radio stations may ignore their most recent offerings, and it’s the broadcasters’ loss.

They also surprised the crowd by featuring the Melvins, who joined them for a rousing version of “Surrender.” Drummer Hayley Cramer from opening band Pop Evil even joined the bands as they gave the 40 year old chestnut all they had.

As lead singer Leigh Kakaty kept reminding the audience, Pop Evil from North Muskegon, Michigan, have been around for a decade. While Kakaty lamented the empty seats on the floor (that were filled when the headliners arrived), and the rest of the ensemble still approached their set with vigor and enthusiasm.

He opined that the newer generation should learn, “There is a difference between a Gibson guitar and a motherfucking Apple computer.” Fortunately, he and his crew of analog performers and the bands that followed made an eloquent case for that argument.

The tour heads to Pryor, Oklahoma for their next gig.  For more information and other tour dates, click HERE.

SET LISTS

CHEAP TRICK

Hello There
You Got It Going On
That 70s Show
California Man
Long Time Coming
Baby Loves to Rock
When I Wake Up Tomorrow
The Summer Looks Good on You
Waitin’ for the Man
The Flame
I Want You to Want Me
Dream Police
Surrender (w/The Melvins)
Goodnight

POP EVIL and POISON’s SET LISTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE

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The heavy metal band Motograter are currently out on the road in support of their most recent release “Desolation” which was released early in 2017 and Media Mikes had the chance to speak with the bands singer James Anthony Legion about the tour, the bands current lineup and their most recent video for the track “Daggers”.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some info the bands current tour and if you will be hitting new areas this time out?

James Anthony Legion: This is a short two week run that we set up to help break in some of our newer members. We will be hitting places like Seattle, Fresno, and Hollywood at the Viper Room which is place we really enjoy playing at. I don’t think we are hitting any new places this time around.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands new line up?

JAL: We have Aeon Cruz playing bass. She is the first ever female member of Motograter. Nuke had met her in Los Angeles and she is a really good bass player with a great look so we brought her in to the fold. We have never had a female in the band before and most of the time we are shirtless covered in body paint. Bringing a female into that situation obviously posed some issues (Laughs). We were able to figure something out and it looks really cool. We have also added Ryan Ramirez on drums. He is just a super sick player!

AL: With this being just a short run what are the bands plans after this leg wraps up?

JAL: We are trying to get a new album put together. In the mean time we are going out and doing a couple short tour runs here and there. We have another one set up with the guys from Terror Universal. That one will start after a festival show we have booked with Mushroomhead. We have a few other things in the works however we can’t announce those just yet.

AL: You just released a video for the song “Daggers” can you tell us about that?

JAL: That song is a real favorite of mine and one that I very much believe in. I think it has a great hook and the lyrics will speak to a lot of people. We are hoping this song will makes its way on to the radio much like “Dorian” did. We want to push this song the same way. It felt good having a song on the charts next to ones from bands like Korn and Stone Sour. With the look of the video we had ideas but Matt the director was really the guy behind that. We shot some stuff that in the end didn’t fit and we kept things to a pure performance type of video.

AL: Do you find it hard selecting one song to stand out above others you have a close relationship to?

JAL: For me it has a lot to do with the meaning behind the song and whether or not it strikes a chord with me. When I am writing I try to think about what is really on my mind and what is important. I try and transfer that to my lyrics. I feel if you are writing lyrics that mean something to you then chances are people will pick up on that and in turn they will mean something to them as well. If I feel I did a really good job getting my thoughts across and things are resonating then that’s a track that’s going to stand out.

AL: Where is the band currently in relation to the release of a new album?

JAL: We work in sort of a unique way. I am based in North Carolina while the majority of the band is in California. With me being a vocalist it’s a little easier for me as I don’t have to necessarily be there jamming on instruments. Nuke generally comes up with song ideas and then will send things over to me to add my stuff. He will then send something that is a little more finished and that’s when I add vocals. We have started working a little bit on things already but in between these two tours is when we plan to really start going.

For more info on Motograter you can visit their official website here.

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The Canadian hard rock group Sumo Cyco first burst onto the scene in 2011 with their debut release “Lost in Cyco City”. A short time later the band released their second full length “Opus Mar” and have been out on the road in support of that ever since. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with the groups lead singer Skye “Sever” Sweetnam about the group’s formation, her transition from pop to rock music and, the bands current tour with Nonpoint and The Butcher Babies

Adam Lawton: Can you give us a little background on the band an how you all came together?

Skye Sweetnam: Sumo Cyco is a four piece band based out of Hamilton, Ontario. I first met Matt who plays guitar in the band when I was fourteen. I was auditioning guitarists for my solo project and we started working together through that and from there we decided to start Sumo Cyco.

AL: Having come from a successful pop career what was that interested you about doing Sumo Cyco which is very much a rock orientated project?

SS: Matt was a big influence on that as he is always giving all sort of different music to check out. When I was younger I had the chance of being the opening act for Britney Spears and after getting off stage all my band mates would be blasting music like Metallica and Pantera. I soaked all that in and when changes started happening with my pop career and as I transitioned from a teenager to a young woman I felt I wanted to try something a little bit different. I really enjoyed working with Matt and felt like this type of project would be a good collaboration for us. From the outside it might look like a really drastic change but during my career as I pop singer I actually got to work with people like Tim Armstrong from Rancid, Mark Hoppus from Blink 182 and a bunch of other great people. For me it was more of a natural progression as I always loved rock and heavy music.

AL: The band has an impressive YouTube following and is putting out some very high quality pieces independently. Can you tell us about your process for that?

SS: I grew up watch B and C movies and it was always a goal to try and find the weirdest movie you could from one of those truck stop bargain bins. (Laughs) I have always loved film and the idea of being able to make a piece that went along with our music without be told from an outsider of how it should look or be. I love being able to come up with these ideas and add something visual to our music. I enjoy turning the music and videos into just one big project. This is another passion of our and we are self taught when it comes to all of it. We knew we could save a lot of money by doing things ourselves and with so much content being released each day this is a fun way for us to attract new fans.

AL: Is this something you see yourself doing more of?

SS: For sure! There have been talks of one day doing a film and there are just so many projects I want to do but right now the band is taking precedence. We have a lot of great opportunities and we are going with the flow of that. We will be expanding things as time go on.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands current tour with The Butcher Babies and Nonpoint?

SS: We first met the Butchers in the UK when we toured with them over there about two years ago. The same thing goes for how we first met Nonpoint. When our name came up for the tour they knew who we were and what we could bring. The tour has been great so far and a lot of fun so far and we still have a bunch of shows left as the tour runs through mid June.

AL: What are the bands plans after this tour wraps up?

SS: We have been working our album “Opus Mar” for about a year and a half now so we are looking to head back in to the studio to record some new material. We did release a single at the beginning of the year titled “Undefeated” but we are getting hungry to back in the studio and record some new material. We are always coming up with new ideas so I think that is our next step. We just started working with a new management and are putting together a lot of new stuff for the upcoming year.

For more info on Sumo Cyco you can visit their Official Facebook page here

Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band – “Son of a Son of a Sailor” Tour 2018
Sprint Center – Kansas City, Missouri

May 19, 2018

When you see people wearing grass skirts and coconut-shell bras, parrots on their shoulders or over-sized Cheeseburgers and Shark Fins on their heads, you can only be in one place:  Margaritaville!  This weekend, Margaritaville was located inside the Sprint Center in Kansas City as Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band debuted the “Son of a Son of a Sailor” tour.

Has it really been 40 years since Buffett released “Son of a Son of a Sailor?”  This is my favorite Buffett album and it solidified Buffett as one of my favorite songwriters.  Like another one of my favorites, the late Harry Chapin, Buffett wrote amazing “story-songs” that took you to places you never imagined you would travel to.  I knew that the night’s events would not disappoint.

Caroline Jones was the opening act.  A very talented singer and musician, she treated the crowd to a small set of songs that showed off both her vocal range and musical talents.  She would later come out during the main show to accompany Buffett  and the band on a couple more numbers.  I have to admit that, though I’ve heard Ms. Jones on Sirius Radio (she hosts a program known as “the Coffee House) I wasn’t aware that she was also a singer.   I recommend you give her a listen,

Finally it was showtime.  Buffett and the band hit the stage and kicked off the show with a rousing “Livingston Saturday Night,” one of seven songs from the “Son of a Son of a Sailor” album he would play tonight.  Afterwards he addressed the crowd, informing them that this was the inaugural show of the new tour and that he and the band had been practicing in Texas for a while.  He also noted the Fin Men, a group of gentlemen that had been patrolling around the venue with illuminated 6-foot shark fins on their heads.  This group of Parrotheads made the show even more entertaining, especially when they circled during the song “Fins.”  My understanding is that they are just a group of fans and aren’t officially part of the show but my advice to Mr. Buffett would be to fly these guys wherever you’re playing.  They are true ambassadors for your music as well as the great time experienced at your shows.

Besides the enthusiasm of Buffett, the show also includes the Coral Reefer Band, made up of some amazing musicians.  Chief among them is Mac McAnally, who has been chosen  the Country Music Association’s “Musician of the Year” an amazing 10 times.  McAnally is also a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, thanks to his having written or co-written such songs as “Down the Road” for Kenny Chesney, “Old Flame” for Alabama and “Thank God for You,” one of many hits he composed for Sawyer Brown.  At the concert’s mid-point – an energetic “Cheeseburger in Paradise” – Buffett left the stage “for some refreshments.”  In his absence, the audience was treated to an amazing mini-concert by steelpan player Robert Greenridge, who performed a beautiful rendition of the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby.”

The audience was not only treated to a barrage of Buffett’s music, but were also entertained with covers of songs by the Beach Boys “Sail On, Sailor”), Alan Jackson (“It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” – a song on which Buffett also appeared on) and Crosby, Stills and Nash (“Southern Cross”).  The band was in top form.  It is hard to believe that this was the first show of the tour, so easily did all of the pieces work.

After a rousing three-song encore, which included Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl,” Buffett said his good nights to a crowd that had hardly sat down all evening.  If you’ve never experienced the magic that is a Jimmy Buffett concert, I urge you to catch him and the Reefers as soon as possible.  For a list of tour dates, or to learn pretty much about everything Buffett, click HERE

SET LIST

Livingston Saturday Night, The Weather is Here – Wish You Were Beautiful, Tampico Trauma, Boat Drinks, Come Monday (w/Caroline Jones), Trip Around the Sun (w/Caroline Jones), It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere, Sail On,Sailor, Volcano, Cowboy in the Jungle, Son of a Son of a Sailor, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Grapefruit Juicy Fruit, Manana, Fool Button, Piece of Work, Coast of Marseilles, Fins, Changes In Latitudes/Changes in Attitudes, A Pirate Looks at Forty, Back Where I Come From (vocals by Mac McAnally), Margaritaville, Southern Cross, One Particular Harbor.

ENCORE

Brown Eyed Girl, Love and Luck, One Love/People Get Ready

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A SOUND OF THUNDER will release its seventh studio album and companion graphic novel entitled It Was Metal on June 15, 2018. Recorded at Assembly Line Studios with producer Kevin ‘131’ Gutierrez (Shinedown, Believer, Raven), the album features eleven new songs and features guest appearances by Mark Tornillo (Accept) and Tony Carey (Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, Planet P Project). The stunning triple-gatefold album cover featuring band mascot Udoroth is provided by artist Dusan Markovic (Powerwolf, Death Dealer).

Opening track “Phantom Flight” features a duet between ASoT vocalist Nina Osegueda and Accept vocalist Mark Tornillo.

“Atlacatl” recants the legend of the titular Salvadorian folk hero and was recorded as a tribute to Osegueda’s father who hails from El Salvador.

“Obsidian & Gold (Desdinova Returns)” features a guest appearance by keyboard player Tony Carey, who in addition to a lenghty and succesful career as a solo artist and with Planet P Project, is best known among metal fans for playing on the seminal Rainbowalbums Rising and On Stage.

“Els Segadors (The Reapers)” is a reimagining of the Catalonian national anthem. It became a viral hit for the band in the aftermath of the fall 2017 Catalonian independence referendum, leading to ASoT’s first European tour.

“Tomyris” tells the true historical tale of the near Eastern warrior queen who defeated and killed Cyrus the Great of Persia in 530 BC.

“Fortress of the Future Race” is a sequel of sorts to the title track of the band’s third album Time’s Arrow.

The band launched a Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign for It Was Metal on Friday, September 22nd with a funding goal of $30,000. The campaign raised over $22,000 in the first 24 hours alone. The campaign ultimately raised $66,246, making it the most successful campaign by a metal band ever on Kickstarter. A SOUND OF THUNDER has become well known as a pioneer of crowd-funding, with over $166,000 raised by its fans to date across several campaigns, making it the most funded metal band ever on the Kickstarter platform.

After a successful collaboration with comics publisher Valiant Entertainment on the dark concept album Tales from the Deadside (based on Valiant’s Shadowman comics) in 2015, and the fan-club exclusive covers album Who Do You Think We Are? in 2016, A SOUND OF THUNDER returns to a faster, traditional metal style with It Was Metal.

Guitarist Josh Schwartz shares his thoughts on the album: “This album is fast, powerful, and catchy as hell.  In short, it’s heavy metal rocket fuel! We are confident it’s going to be a fan favorite. We delved into a darker, more atmospheric sound on the last couple of albums. We set out to do something different this time. The mission statement was to write fast, heavy, catchy songs that are fun to play and fun to listen to. I think we’ve accomplished that goal and then some. This is an album meant to be blasted in your car while you speed down the highway at 100mph singing along at the top of your lungs.”

According to vocalist Nina Osegueda, the album includes “some of the most fun, inspired, adrenaline inducing music we’ve ever written and I can’t wait to play it live.”

The It Was Metal graphic novel features original comic stories by top comic talent from Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Valiant Entertainment. Original stories based on each song from the album take fans on an audio-visual journey that is greater than the sum of its parts. Tales of science fiction, horror, fantasy, and history combine with A SOUND OF THUNDER‘s unique brand of metal music for an unforgettable experience.

It Was Metal is available for pre-order now at all digital music outlets. CD, vinyl, and paperback book formats are available for exclusive pre-order at the band’s website, www.asoundofthunderband.com.

Tracklist:
1. Phantom Flight (featuring Mark Tornillo)
2. Lifebringer
3. Atlacatl
4. The Crossroads Deal
5. It Was Metal
6. Obsidian & Gold (Desdinova Returns) (featuring Tony Carey)
7. Second Lives
8. Els Segadors (The Reapers)
9. Tomyris
10. Charles II
11. Fortress of the Future Race

Total running time: 59 minutes

Vocals: Nina Osegueda
Guitars & Keyboards: Josh Schwartz
Bass & Keyboards: Jesse Keen
Drums & Percussion: Chris Haren

Produced by Kevin ‘131’ Gutierrez
Recorded at Assembly Line Studios

Website: www.asoundofthunderband.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/asoundofthunder
Twitter: @asotband
Instagram: @asotband

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New Album 2018…..Probably
New Tour 2018…..DEFINITELY

Acclaimed rock duo and basically everyone’s favorite band ever Tenacious D– comprised of Jack Black and Kyle Gass– will embark on their first U.S. tour in five years this fall. Tickets for the highly anticipated run go on sale on Friday, May 18th at 10 am in all local markets.

Watch the awesome tour trailer HERE.

Tenacious D are also hard at work at the follow up to 2012’s Rise of the Fenix; stay tuned for more…

The dates are:
6/16/18 Montebello, Quebec @ Montebello Rockfest
10/6/18 San Bernardino, CA @ Cal Jam 18
11/3/18 Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre
11/5/18 Boston, MA @ House of Blues
11/7/18 Washington, DC @ The Anthem
11/8/18 Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore
11/9/18 Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
11/10/18 Columbus, OH @ Express Live! Indoor Pavilion
11/12/18 Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
11/13/18 Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre

The Damned, easily the greatest surviving British punk band, bar none – are back with their first new album in a decade titled “Evil Spirits”. Where their peers either burnt out, or faded away into mediocrity The Damned continue to fire on all cylinders and breaking all the rules along the way. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Pinch (Damned Drummer since 1999) about the new album, the bands recent video for “Look Left” and about the bands upcoming touring plans.

Adam Lawton: With a 10 year lapse between albums, what prompted the idea/creation to go ahead with a brand new full length release?

Pinch: It was the Pledge campaign, which after launch, was so successful we could see there was the demand for a new record that we all knew was there. To see that demand become real was very satisfying and we have to heartily thank our incredible fans for that. After our last (self funded) record, we knew we had to have Dave V fully on board with this one and he stepped up admirably, committing both musically and promotionally, whereas previously he had seemed somewhat reticent to launch himself fully into the project. The record really needed Dave’s touch and I’m happy that he dusted off the cobwebs and got songwriting again. His tunes and vision really drive “Evil Spirits” nicely and I think the mix of song styles by all contributing writers underlines the Damned’s ability to pleasantly surprise both fans and new listeners.

AL: How did the writing process go for “Evil Spirits”? Do you work separately from one another or collectively?

Pinch: It was a funny chess game leading up to this album. Captain seemed to be holding back his contributions, encouraging Dave to feel he had the freedom to create whatever took his fancy. It seemed at one point that everyone was too scared to offer up demos for fear of the wrong direction being taken. Thankfully, when push came to shove and we had a producer and studio time locked down, the songs were popping into the dropbox thick and fast. We ended up with at least a couple of records worth of songs from all writers, and it was decided to let someone else choose the final songs for “Evil Spirits”. I think the record works really well as a collection and perhaps some of the songs that didn’t make it would sound great together too, but as a band, sometimes you are too close to the art to make that call clearly. Captain likes to deliver fully finished demos, very well produced I may add, whereas the rest of us offer up a mostly completed song that benefits from all members adding their personalities. Sitting in a room together with a blank notepad is not the way any of us work best, as the years of pharmaceutical inspiration are thankfully long gone. However, working under the gun, with deadlines looming, seems to drag out inspiration by the bucket full.

AL: You recently released a video for “Look Left”, can you tell us about the story behind that and what made you choose that song for a video treatment?

Pinch: I had the bones of that song kicking around for a few years, hoping that it would eventually develop into something The Damned could use. The phrase- “while everybody’s looking left, what the hell is happening right?” seemed to really sum up where I could see the programming of humanity taking us. Whilst we are being distracted by some nonsensical celebrity twaddle, there would be a vote on a crucially important social issue that would sneak its way into law. Today’s media really have fine tuned the craft of distraction to the point of perfection. When perfectly true, well researched articles are labeled fake news to fit nefarious agendas, AND everybody swallows it, where does that leave the truth? Other than being just another opinion. Ultimately, whose opinion is right and whose is wrong are things we all currently have the liberty to discuss, but with increasing media censorship, I fear for our future ability to make any kind of disagreeable statement without some kind of social punishment. It was the label that chose “Look Left” as a single to have a video, and I really had to leave the interpretation to the video director, as these guys don’t like you stepping on their visions. Also, it was nice to see someone else’s take on my lyrics and sentiment. Ultimately, Radio declined to get on board with the song, stating some kind of half baked excuse about it not fitting the listenership they were “moving toward”. If the most commercial, hooky single the Damned have ever released can’t make a daytime radio playlist, with the album sitting at number 7 in the charts, you have to wonder if that age old Damned phobia hasn’t simply moved through the decades of radio producers and makes me ultimately think- Why Bother? Let’s just go back to the biff boom crash that the band are known for and screw any notion of radio success. Sad really but it’s an unfortunate reality.

AL: The band has a number of live performances booked starting in May. Can you tell us about the upcoming UK run, the few stops you have scheduled in the States and your plans for the remainder of the 2018 tour season?

Pinch: Due to the recording of the album being pushed back, we were kind of scrambling to lock in a good live touring plan. Only WE could release a record with ZERO live dates either side of release but, that is where we find ourselves. We head off to Europe next week starting in Germany and ending in France, by way of Switzerland, Italy and Holland. A short Arena tour of the UK with Hollywood Vampires is set for June, where Mr. Vanain and Mr. Depp can compare hair style notes and the benefits of a fine snifter no doubt. Then another short Pacific North West and Canada run in early July, including Burger Boogaloo in Oakland, which we are all excited to play. It sounds like a whacky thing that we would all enjoy, AND I get to see Devo the night before which is never a bad thing. October sees us embarking on another coast to coast U.S run, starting in Boston and ending in San Diego, before coming back to the UK for our traditional winter tour to wrap up the year. Hopefully we will debut some more songs from “Evil Spirits” at some point on these dates, it’s always good to see how they translate live.

AL: Each of you tends to have a number of projects going on at one time. Can you tell us about some of those and where we can keep up to date with everything?

Pinch: Not sure what the other guys have going on at the moment, but when I am not touring, I work a production gig in the United States that sees me working with a mind bending array of legendary artists that constantly makes me chuckle. Did I ever think I would be attending to the needs of Mr. Englebert Humperdinck when I was living in a punk squat in Grantham all those years ago? Well, anything can happen with an open mind, and often does. Think! It’s not illegal …..YET.

For more info on The Damned you can visit www.officialdamned.com

GUNS N’ ROSES CELEBRATED WITH MASSIVE
APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION: LOCKED N’ LOADED EDITION BOX SET

Their Debut Album’s Legacy Affirmed With Expansive
Five-Disc, Seven-LP, Seven 7-inch Box Set & A Bombardment of Collectables
Plus Additional Formats
All Available June 2

GNR set to embark on Massive European Tour this summer

Los Angeles – May 4, 2018 – On June 29, Geffen/UMe celebrates one of rock’s most important bands, Guns N’ Roses, with the release of Appetite For Destruction: Locked N’ Loaded Edition box set. Commemorating the band’s highly influential album debut Appetite For Destruction, this lavish box set is the ultimate GnFnR fan’s dream fulfilled.

Appetite will also be released in concurrent multiple configurations, Appetite For Destruction will be made available in a 4CD/1Blu-ray Audio Super Deluxe Edition with a 96 page book featuring unreleased photos from Axl Rose’s personal archive, a 2CD Deluxe Edition, 2LP 180-gram heavyweight vinyl edition, 1 CD remaster, and digital download/streaming equivalents.

Following the group’s 1985 formation, Guns N’ Roses injected unbridled attitude into the burgeoning Los Angeles rock scene. They went on to captivate the entire world with the July 21, 1987 release of Appetite For Destruction, which remains the best-selling U.S. debut album ever, moving over 30 million copies globally. Appetite features such indelible tracks such as the No. 1 single “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Welcome To The Jungle,” “Nightrain,” and “Paradise City.”

Housed in a custom 12x12x12-inch solid-wood box that’s wrapped in faux-leather and sports embossed, instantly identifiable artwork with a hand-sculpted and hand-painted 3D cross on its front doors, the Appetite For Destruction: Locked N’ Loaded Edition is clearly the one true GN’R Holy Grail. The box encapsulates all content being offered to fans and more, including the Super Deluxe Edition, as well as first-time benchmarks of the album itself being newly remastered from the original stereo analog tapes, 12 remastered tracks compiled from of-era EPs and B-sides, 25 unreleased demos from a 1986 Sound City recording session, and a pair of unreleased tracks from recording sessions by Appetite’s producer Mike Clink: “Shadow Of Your Love” recorded December 1986, one month before the album sessions, as a trial recording session which resulted in Clink getting the producer gig; and “Move To The City (1988 Acoustic Version)” which was from the GN’R Lies sessions.

Additional highlights of the unreleased audio include the first two work-in-progress recording attempts of the 1991 epic masterpiece “November Rain” which was originally penned as the ballad for Appetite, covers of songs like Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel,” Aerosmith’s “Mama Kin,” two distinctly different recordings of the Rolling Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” (one electric, one acoustic) and two never finished tracks/jams “The Plague” and “New Work Tune.”

On the vinyl front, the original Appetite For Destruction album has been broadened to 2LPs for the first time, including expanded gatefold jacket art and a limited-edition foil printed plastic slipcase. The music itself is being presented on three sides only for maximum audio fidelity, with the fourth side featuring a vinyl Hologroove Hologram of the band’s iconic logo. Seven 7-inch singles are also included: the five original singles from the album, plus one for “Patience” and a new song, the aforementioned “Shadow Of Your Love.” All of the bonus tracks appearing on 12-inch vinyl will only be available in the Locked N’ Loaded Edition box including a reissue of the band’s first EP Live ?!@ Like A Suicide.

The Blu-ray Audio disc contains the 12 tracks from the original album as newly mixed in glorious 96kHz 24-bit 5.1 surround sound from the original multi-tracks by legendary producer Elliot Scheiner (Steely Dan, Eagles), plus 5 bonus tracks mixed in 5.1 surround sound by both Scheiner and Frank Filipetti (Billy Joel, Elton John). Additionally, the Blu-ray includes four iconic GN’R music videos that have been newly sync’d to both remastered stereo audio and new 5.1 surround sound mixes, plus a brand-new video for “It’s So Easy” that was shot in 1989 by the band but was never completely finished — until now in 4K HD from 16mm film transfers.

Exclusive collectibles inside the box include a dozen 12×12-inch lithos of new illustrations visualizing each Appetite track, 5 custom buttons with various band logos, 5 custom hand-sculpted metal-cast band skull face rings, 5 custom hand-sculpted metal-cast band skull face lapel pins, a replica of the band’s first stage banner from the ‘85/’86 club days, a bandana, a 2-inch collector’s coin with unique imagery stamped on both sides, 2 24×36-inch wall posters, a 12×24-inch Robert Williams painting litho, 5 never-before-seen band lithos, 6 replica gig flyers, 3 replicas of classic show ticket stubs, two temporary tattoo sheets featuring life-size tattoos of the band members’ tats, 6 iron-on stitched patches, 5 metal-stamped guitar picks of the band skull faces with stamped signatures on the back, a turntable mat, a microfiber vinyl cleaning cloth, a 7-inch large-hole custom adapter, and finally, a 32gb metal-cast USB stick with 192kHz/24-bit, 96kHz/24-bit, and 44.1kHz/16-bit uncompressed audio files of all of the tracks included on the 4 CDs.

The band’s ongoing success of the ‘Not In This Lifetime’ worldwide tour now become the 4th spot on the list of the most successful tours in music history on its first two years with no sign of slowing down. The next leg of the highly successful and anticipated World Tour continues in Europe in June & July 2018 and from what we hear, onto the fall.

NOT IN THIS LIFETIME…Europe: Summer 2018

June 03 Berlin, DE Olympiastadion
June 06 Odense, DK Dyreskuepladsen
June 09 Donnington Park, GB Download Festival
June 12 Gelsenkirchen, DE Veltins Arena
June 15 Firenze, IT Firenze Rocks
June18 Paris, France Download Festival
June 21 Dessel, BE Graspop Metal Meeting
June 24 Mannheim, DE Maimarktgelande
June 26 Bordeaux, FR Matmut Stadium
June 29 Madrid, ES Download Festival
July 01 Barcelona, ES Estadio Olympico
July 04 Nijmegen, NL Goffertpark
July 07 Leipzig, DE Festwiese
July 09 Chorzow, PL Stadion Slaski
July 13 Moscow, RU Otkritie Arena
July 16 Tallinn, EE Tallinn Song Festival Grounds
July 19 Oslo, NO Valle Hovin
July 21 Gothenburg, SE Ullevi Stadium
July 24 Reykjavik, IS Laugardalsvollur

Preorder the Guns N’ Roses Appetite For Destruction: Locked N’ Loaded Edition box set here

GUNS N’ ROSES – APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION: LOCKED N’ LOADED EDITION BOX SET
[4CD, 1 Blu-ray, 7 12-inch LPs, 7 7-inches, Hardbound Book, Ephemera box set]

CD 1 – APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION: REMASTERED

1. Welcome To The Jungle
2. It’s So Easy
3. Nightrain
4. Out Ta Get Me
5. Mr. Brownstone
6. Paradise City
7. My Michelle
8. Think About You
9. Sweet Child O’ Mine
10. You’re Crazy
11. Anything Goes
12. Rocket Queen

CD 2 – B-SIDES N’ EPS: REMASTERED

1. Reckless Life
2. Nice Boys
3. Move To The City (Live)
4. Mama Kin
5. Shadow Of Your Love (Live)
6. You’re Crazy (Acoustic Version)
7. Patience
8. Used To Love Her
9. You’re Crazy
10. It’s So Easy (Live)
11. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door (Live)
12. Whole Lotta Rosie (Live)

CD 3 – 1986 SOUND CITY SESSION
Previously unreleased

1. Welcome To The Jungle (1986 Sound City Session)
2. Nightrain (1986 Sound City Session)
3. Out Ta Get Me (1986 Sound City Session)
4. Paradise City (1986 Sound City Session)
5. My Michelle (1986 Sound City Session)
6. Think About You (1986 Sound City Session)
7. You’re Crazy (1986 Sound City Session)
8. Anything Goes (1986 Sound City Session)
9. Rocket Queen (1986 Sound City Session)
10. Shadow Of Your Love (1986 Sound City Session)
11. Heartbreak Hotel (1986 Sound City Session)
12. Jumpin’ Jack Flash (1986 Sound City Session)

CD 4 – 1986 SOUND CITY SESSION N’ MORE
Previously unreleased

1. Shadow Of Your Love
2. Move To The City (1986 Sound City Session)
3. Ain’t Goin’ Down No More (Instrumental Version – 1986 Sound City Session)
4. The Plague (1986 Sound City Session)
5. Nice Boys (1986 Sound City Session)
6. Back Off Bitch (1986 Sound City Session)
7. Reckless Life (1986 Sound City Session)
8. Mama Kin (1986 Sound City Session)
9. New Work Tune (1986 Sound City Session)
10. November Rain (Piano Version – 1986 Sound City Session)
11. Move To The City (Acoustic Version – 1986 Sound City Session)
12. You’re Crazy (Acoustic Version – 1986 Sound City Session)
13. November Rain (Acoustic Version – 1986 Sound City Session)
14. Jumpin’ Jack Flash (Acoustic Version- 1986 Sound City Session)
15. Move To The City (1988 Acoustic Version)

DISC 5 – BLU-RAY AUDIO
96kHz 24-bit 5.1 Surround Sound & Remastered Stereo
5.1 Surround Sound mixed by *Elliot Scheiner and **Frank Filipetti
Previously unreleased

APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION*
1. Welcome To The Jungle
2. It’s So Easy
3. Nightrain
4. Out Ta Get Me
5. Mr. Brownstone
6. Paradise City
7. My Michelle
8. Think About You
9. Sweet Child O’ Mine
10. You’re Crazy
11. Anything Goes
12. Rocket Queen
BONUS TRACKS
1. Shadow Of Your Love**
2. Patience*
3. Used To Love Her**
4. You’re Crazy**
5. Move To The City (1988 Acoustic Version)**
MUSIC VIDEOS
1. Welcome To The Jungle
2. Sweet Child O’ Mine
3. Paradise City
4. Patience
5. It’s So Easy (Brand New Video From 1989)

GUNS N’ ROSES – APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION: SUPER DELUXE EDITION
[4CD, 1 Blu-ray, Hardbound Book box set]

CD 1 – APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION: REMASTERED

1. Welcome To The Jungle
2. It’s So Easy
3. Nightrain
4. Out Ta Get Me
5. Mr. Brownstone
6. Paradise City
7. My Michelle
8. Think About You
9. Sweet Child O’ Mine
10. You’re Crazy
11. Anything Goes
12. Rocket Queen

CD 2 – B-SIDES N’ EPS: REMASTERED

1. Reckless Life
2. Nice Boys
3. Move To The City (Live)
4. Mama Kin
5. Shadow Of Your Love (Live)
6. You’re Crazy (Acoustic Version)
7. Patience
8. Used To Love Her
9. You’re Crazy
10. It’s So Easy (Live)
11. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door (Live)
12. Whole Lotta Rosie (Live)

CD 3 – 1986 SOUND CITY SESSION
Previously unreleased

1. Welcome To The Jungle (1986 Sound City Session)
2. Nightrain (1986 Sound City Session)
3. Out Ta Get Me (1986 Sound City Session)
4. Paradise City (1986 Sound City Session)
5. My Michelle (1986 Sound City Session)
6. Think About You (1986 Sound City Session)
7. You’re Crazy (1986 Sound City Session)
8. Anything Goes (1986 Sound City Session)
9. Rocket Queen (1986 Sound City Session)
10. Shadow Of Your Love (1986 Sound City Session)
11. Heartbreak Hotel (1986 Sound City Session)
12. Jumpin’ Jack Flash (1986 Sound City Session)

CD 4 – 1986 SOUND CITY SESSION N’ MORE
Previously unreleased

1. Shadow Of Your Love
2. Move To The City (1986 Sound City Session)
3. Ain’t Goin’ Down No More (Instrumental Version – 1986 Sound City Session)
4. The Plague (1986 Sound City Session)
5. Nice Boys (1986 Sound City Session)
6. Back Off Bitch (1986 Sound City Session)
7. Reckless Life (1986 Sound City Session)
8. Mama Kin (1986 Sound City Session)
9. New Work Tune (1986 Sound City Session)
10. November Rain (Piano Version – 1986 Sound City Session)
11. Move To The City (Acoustic Version – 1986 Sound City Session)
12. You’re Crazy (Acoustic Version – 1986 Sound City Session)
13. November Rain (Acoustic Version – 1986 Sound City Session)
14. Jumpin’ Jack Flash (Acoustic Version– 1986 Sound City Session)
15. Move To The City (1988 Acoustic Version)

DISC 5 – BLU-RAY AUDIO
96kHz 24-bit 5.1 Surround Sound & Remastered Stereo
5.1 Surround Sound mixed by *Elliot Scheiner and **Frank Filipetti
Previously unreleased

APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION*
1. Welcome To The Jungle
2. It’s So Easy
3. Nightrain
4. Out Ta Get Me
5. Mr. Brownstone
6. Paradise City
7. My Michelle
8. Think About You
9. Sweet Child O’ Mine
10. You’re Crazy
11. Anything Goes
12. Rocket Queen
BONUS TRACKS
1. Shadow Of Your Love**
2. Patience*
3. Used To Love Her**
4. You’re Crazy**
5. Move To The City (1988 Acoustic Version)** MUSIC VIDEOS
1. Welcome To The Jungle
2. Sweet Child O’ Mine
3. Paradise City
4. Patience
5. It’s So Easy (Brand New Video From 1989)

GUNS N’ ROSES – APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION: DELUXE EDITION [2CD]

CD 1 APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION: REMASTERED

Welcome To The Jungle
It’s So Easy
Nightrain
Out Ta Get Me
Mr. Brownstone
Paradise City
My Michelle
Think About You
Sweet Child O’ Mine
You’re Crazy
Anything Goes
Rocket Queen

CD 2 – B-SIDES, EPS N’ MORE

Reckless Life
Nice Boys
Move To The City (Live)
Mama Kin
Shadow Of Your Love (Live)
Welcome To The Jungle (1986 Sound City Session)*
Nightrain (1986 Sound City Session)*
Out Ta Get Me (1986 Sound City Session)*
Paradise City (1986 Sound City Session)*
My Michelle (1986 Sound City Session)*
Shadow Of Your Love*
It’s So Easy (Live)
Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door (Live)
Whole Lotta Rosie (Live)
You’re Crazy (Acoustic Version)
Patience
Used To Love Her
Move To The City (1988 Acoustic Version)*

* Previously unreleased