Heaven & Earth Signed CDs & Vinyl Giveaway for New Album “Dig” [ENDED]

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED AND WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL. PLEASE CHECK BACK EACH WEEK FOR NEW GIVEAWAYS!

To celebrate the release of Heave & Earth’s latest album “Dig”, Media Mikes would like to giveaway TWO SIGNED CDS and a VINYL of the album. If you would like to enter for your chance to win one of these great prizes, please leave us a comment below or send us an email indicating what is your favorite Heaven & Earth song? This giveaway will remain open until May 3rd at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to all fans of Media Mikes, worldwide!! One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

Heaven & Earth have just released their official video for the single “No Money, No Love”. The video features performance footage of the band, along with an old Hotel packed with a motley crew of midgets, magicians, and scantily clad temptresses. The video was directed by acclaimed photographer Glen Wexler, who has worked with Van Halen, Black Sabbath, and Michael Jackson.

“No Money, No Love” is featured on the band’s forthcoming studio album ‘Dig’, which is available April 23rd on Quarto Valley Records. The album was produced by Dave Jenkins, who’s worked with everyone from Metallica to Tower of Power – and features special guests Howard Leese (Heart, Paul Rodgers), Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi), and David Paich (Toto).

The track listing for ‘Dig’ is as follows:
1. Victorious
2. No Money, No Love
3. I Don’t Know What Love Is
4. Man & Machine
5. House of Blues
6. Back in Anger
7. Waiting for the End of The World
8. Sexual Insanity
9. Rock & Roll Does
10. A Day Like Today
11. Good Times
12. Live as One

To stay current on all things Heaven & Earth be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
Official Site: www.heavenandearthband.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/officialheavenandearth
Twitter: www.twitter.com/heavenearthband

Eddie Jackson talks about the future of Queensrÿche and their new album

Eddie Jackson is the bassist and a founding member of the progressive metal group Queensrÿche. In the past year, the group parted ways with original singer Geoff Tate and brought in former Crimson Glory front man Todd La Torre to fill the vacant spot. The band sounds better than ever and Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Eddie recently about the split and the group’s upcoming album.

Adam Lawton: Can you clear up any misconceptions from the past year about the two different versions of Queensrÿche going around?
Eddie Jackson: There are currently two bands out there. Geoff has his version of the band and Michael Wilton, Scott Rockenfield and I have our own version of the band. We are just focusing on us and moving forward. We want to keep doing what we are doing and that is playing music and performing live. The transition away from Geoff as the lead singer was something that Michael, Scotty and I felt needed to happen.

AL: How has the band been received since the change was made?
EJ: Fans have been enjoying it and have really embraced Todd. We have enjoyed welcoming him in to our family. Fans have been very receptive and have enjoyed hearing some of the older material that we are now able to perform. With Todd’s vocal style he is able to sing and perform stuff from albums like “Rage For Order” and “Operation Mind Crime”. Things are going really great. We think it’s been great having fans connect with Todd.

AL: What has it been like revisiting that older material in a live setting?
EJ: It’s interesting. One of Todd’s favorite albums is “The Warning”. Going back and playing some of that stuff has been really fun. It may have taken us a few practices to relearn some of that older material but it’s refreshing. We have been having a lot of fun with everything.

AL:Can you give us an update on the new album?AL: What led to the band signing recently with Century Media Records?
EJ: It was kind of a mutual thing between the band and Century Media. We collectively sat down and we both wanted to create a new relationship. So far they have been a class act and we are very happy to be working with them.

EJ: The new album will be released on June 11th. We are all looking forward to having the fans check it out. Things are pretty much completed but we are still tweaking some things here and there. It has been nice working with James “Jimbo” Barton again. We have a great relationship with him from the past and we wanted to put out an album that captured the style of our previous albums. James was a blast and our first day back together was like no time had passed.

AL: What type of creative process did you take towards the new album?
EJ: We all sort of came in with our own pieces. There may have been a song or two that was already written but for the most part it was a collective effort. Todd is a great musician that not only sings but he plays drums and guitar. We all just threw out ideas and began working on the ones that we thought were the best and fit our style the most. When you can sit down and talk through what you are going to be working on it makes things a lot easier. We haven’t been able to do something like that in quite awhile.

AL: Can you tell us about the first single off the album?
EJ: The song is titled “Redemption” and it was released a few weeks ago. Stylistically this felt like the first song that we should release. This song was the one that we all thought would most identify with what the band is doing now.

AL: What types of tour plans are in the works to support the new album?
EJ: We have some US dates in the works right now. We also will be performing over in Europe and are working to get to a few other countries. We are going to be very busy this year and we are looking forward to it.

Lita Ford talks about music, touring and album “Living Like a Runaway”

Lita Ford got her first taste of success with the 70’s all-girl group The Runaways. After the groups break up Lita ventured out as a solo act in the 1980’s penning such hits as “Kiss Me Deadly” and the legendary duet “Close My Eye’s Forever” featuring Ozzy Osbourne. In 2012 Lita released a new album titled “Living Like a Runaway” which has thrust her back in to the spotlight. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Lita recently about her career and her upcoming spring/summer tour.

Adam Lawton: In the past year or so your career has undergone a resurgence. What do you think has caused that?
Lita Ford: My career has taking this leap for I think many reasons. I had been in the industry for many years and then I disappeared. In the time I was away raising my two boys people still hadn’t forgotten who I was. I am a part of the soundtrack to people’s lives. That’s something that just never goes away. Coming back I feel like I am on a more adult level now and the music has matured.

AL: Personally what do you think has been the biggest change in the industry from when you first started in 1975 to how things are now in 2013?
LF: Things have kind of come around in one big circle. That seems to be how a lot of things are. I started my career during the punk era with bands like The Sex Pistols, Blondie and The Ramones. That was a really awesome time. That led in to bands like Van Halen and Motley Crue which was the beginning of another heavy metal era. This new era of heavy metal was similar in how it came about in the way Black Sabbath did in the mid/late 60’s. The metal in the 80’s was a new kind of metal but still metal.

AL: Do you feel the perception of women in heavy metal music has changed it all since the 80’s?
LF: I think it has to a certain extent. It hasn’t changed 100% and is not completely normal. It has progressed and moved down the path a little bit further. When I started there were no real true female metal icons. There was no one to look up to as an artist. These days I have teenagers looking up to me for encouragement and inspiration. Now I am their icon. I never had something like that. I had people I looked up to like Richie Blackmore and Jimi Hendrix but no females.

AL: You have been heavily involved with Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp. Can you tell us how you got involved with that?
LF: The program was started by David Fishof and he invited me to be a part of it. I ended up going down to speak with David and I also got to check everything out. I had a blast! The whole thing was just awesome. I am glad to be a part of it. I am a great teacher which I think comes from being a mom. There is no better teacher than a mom. I get to try and bring out the best in each of the campers who attend the program no matter what level they are at which is really cool.

AL: Can you tell us about you upcoming Spring/Summer tour?
LF: I will be going to Australia which I am very excited about. I love going there. The aussie’s are fucking nuts! I love them. We are also going to be hitting Scandinavia which is another really great place. It’s so beautiful there.

AL: Can you tell us about some of the other projects you have in the works?
LF: We just finished work on a video for the song “Mother” which should be coming out around Mother’s Day. Vicki Blue who played bass in The Runaway’s did an incredible cinematic work on this video. It is very heartfelt and you will probably need a tissue by the time you are done watching it. I am working on a book for Harper-Collins that right now is still in the early stages of things. The idea of the book is the story of a female rocker who faces a number of ups and downs. It’s a different take on Rock and Roll. Most of the books that are out there now are all based on guys. I have quite a few stories from my career that can be written about so the book will be very real. B.C. Rich just released the first Lita Ford signature Warlock guitar which is available at most Guitar Centers around the country and we are also planning some more U.S. shows with Vince Neil and Bret Michaels.

Beyond Dishonor releases first teaser trailer for upcoming album titled “Generations”

If you are not having fun, the crowd isn’t having fun—this sums up the philosophy of Beyond Dishonor. Comprised of five members with very disparate influences, styles and quirks, this stalwart of the resurgent New Jersey Metal scene combines all of those myriad differences between them and, somehow, creates music that is brutal and aggressive enough for the most hardcore of fans and yet groovy enough to be accessible to those on the fringe.The music is wrapped around the lyrics of singer Reese Dunlap, who’s literary, filmographic and intellectual obsessiveness pervades each song with hidden meanings, double entendre’, and tongue-in-cheek jabs. It is their sense of humor, their unabashed desire to be serious without appearing pretentious and a high level of stage experience that has helped shape this 5 piece. Currently they are recording their upcoming 2013 release “Generations” with Andreas Magnusson at Planet Red Studios (Oh Sleeper, Impending Doom, A Life Once Lost, Black Dahlia Murder, This or the Apocalypse).

Pantera’s Rex Brown talks about his book "Official Truth" and new album with Kill Devil Hill

Rex Brown is the former bassist for the Grammy nominated, platinum selling heavy metal band Pantera. After the groups break up in 2003 Brown went on to play with groups such as Down and more recently Kill Devil Hill which features Vinny Appice on drums. Browns memoir titled “Official Truth” has just been released and is a gritty in your face tale from the man who lived it. Media Mikes had the pleasure of talking with Rex recently to discuss his work on the book and to get an update on the second album from Kill Devil Hill.

Adam Lawton: What made now the right time to release this book?
Rex Brown: A friend of mine who runs Bass player magazine in the UK mentioned that he was friends with a guy who writes books and that I should get in to it. At the time it was something I was not interested in at all. I figured I wasn’t dead yet so why write a book now? After thinking about it for awhile I figured it really did make sense to put this out now and then move on down the line. The thing that happened to Dime really fucked me up. I mean he was murdered. This was my best friend who was the best man at my wedding. I lived out of a brown bottle for a long time and doing crazy shit not knowing at the very that that’s not the way to go. I got in touch with my author and started talking about how we wanted to do this thing. I read all of the Rock and Roll books that come out as it’s my passion. That’s what I want to be doing. One thing just led to another and he started writing things down and then submitting them to me. He really had to develop my slang when he put it to print as I don’t line up in ques. I wanted to tell my side of the story, my experiences, and my truths of what went on and it is all true.  My author also brought me the idea of have friends and family write various passages to help fill in some gaps. I have short term memory but my memory of the past is pretty fucking vivid. There’s collaboration and corroborating. It’s all true and that what I wanted the book to about. My author really wanted me to dig and that’s what I did.

AL: What was it difficult looking back on some of these stories and hearing perspectives from other people involved?
RB: When I first read them yes. When I got to know a little more about what they were trying to say no. So it’s a yes and no type answer. My sister is in this book a lot so I called her the other day to tell her that when this thing comes out it’s not a cook book or a kid’s book. I told her she probably wouldn’t want to put this out to all her friends. She is 17 years older than me and didn’t lead the hippy life style like I have. The book is different than most books but it’s real. As real as it is it’s the truth. That was something I had to explain to my 13 year old twins. I told them they may get a little flack over this but not to worry about it because everything is going to be all right. This is just dad’s previous life. What I did then is definitely not what I am doing now. I have come full circle and we all grow and mature.

AL: Being that the book is so truthful are you worried in any way about the backlash it may receive from fans or those mentioned in the book?
RB: I don’t give a fuck! Go write your own book fucking book. This is my truth and my experience. This is the best way I knew how to tell things. I wanted to come honest and clean. I am tight with both Philip and Rita but I don’t talk to Vinnie. You have to read this book as a whole not just take a chapter here or there. You have to go from the very beginning to the very end. The ending tells its own story and there are some really fun parts to this book. I am proud of this book and I wouldn’t have put it out if I wasn’t. Of course somewhere in my mind there is maybe 10% of me that is concerned about some dickhead behind a computer that’s going to blast on me. I am certainly not worried about it though. I was put in the middle of so many situations during the bands career and I never said a word to the press about it. I just did what I had to do to keep things going. It’s now time for me to tell me story. There is always the good, the bad and the ugly and this book is not about ribbing one person more than another. It’s about making a band work and making it go through what we went through. That’s why the book is called “Official Truth”. I could have given you some bullshit book but I didn’t. I gave everyone the fucking truth.

AL: What was the most rewarding part of the writing process for you?
RB: Just telling the truth and being able to open myself up. That was something I had never done before. I am a guy that’s all about the jam and getting up on stage every night. I don’t care about all of the other parts. For me to do something like this and open up took a lot of balls. I am not patting myself on the back or anything like that but this stuff had to come out.

AL: Can you give us a head ups on the second Kill Devil Hill record?
RB: If you like the first album this second one blows it completely away as far as I am concerned. Musically it is more of a collaborative and collective effort between all of us. Everyone is doing their own swing but at the same time from doing so many dates together we know each other really well. I know Vinny like the back of my hand. I watched him every night for 7 months on the Heaven and Hell tour. We have always just been really good friends. He is the baddist mother fucking drummer on the planet. You just don’t screw something like that up. The other two guys in the band Mark Zavon and Dewey Bragg are just as badass as we are but they never made it out of town. Mark is a brilliant writer and a hell of a guitar player. Dewey is on the verge of stardom with the stuff he is coming up with. It is really just amazing. Things have almost come full circle between me and these guys. I took a chance by leaving Down and joining these guys. I could have stayed with Down as Phillip and I had been together for 24 years which is a long time. We don’t talk about each other’s music but we are still great friends. Well I hope so after this book. (Laughs) This stuff in there is all public knowledge anyway. This thing has just given me the hunger to want to play again. I can’t tell you how much stronger my life is. It really couldn’t be better and life is too short to sweat the small stuff. Hopefully people will enjoy the book and the new album when it comes out.

Be sure to check out the Media Mikes review of “Official Truth”, here.

Five Finger Death Punch’s Jason Hook talks about new album and his signature M-4 Sherman guitar

Jason Hook is the guitarist for the heavy metal group Five Finger Death Punch who in the coming months will be releasing their 4th as yet untitled studio album.  More recently at this year’s NAMM convention held in Anaheim, California Gibson Guitars unveiled the Jason Hook signature M-4 Sherman guitar which is the first guitar to bear Jason’s name. Media Mikes was able to talk with Jason recently about the creation of the guitar and several of its aspects.

Adam Lawton: What was your first exposure to Gibson guitars?
Jason Hook: I remember reading the back of the Kiss “Destroyer” album where it said that Kiss uses Pearl drums and Gibson guitars because they want the best. I think that was in 1976. At the time I think the whole band was using Gibsons. I didn’t get my own Gibson until I was in my late 20’s. I bought it in Canada sight unseen. I think I paid about $900 for a used custom. I didn’t know anything about the guitar before I got it. I probably should have held on to that one.

AL: How did the opportunity come about to do your own signature model Gibson?
JH: I know several people who work at the company so I would periodically check in with them. I play explorers which not a lot of people play. I thought that this would be a good lead in to help push this through. It took me a little while to get that point to the right person. Everyone wants something from Gibson so they are very selective about what they give away and who they help out. I had to be patient.

AL: What was it that drew you to the Explorer model?
JH: I own several Les Paul models and they are great guitars however I developed a nerve issue with my right arm. On the Les Paul model there is a hard binding that comes across and falls under that right arm. This was causing my arm to burn while I was playing and really bummed me out. Idecided to try the Explorer and it was perfect.

AL: How much of the design process were you allowed to be a part of?
JH: Surprisingly they wanted to do exactly what I wanted to do. I started off asking them if I could do certain and things and they told me it was my guitar I could do what I wanted. They didn’t resist any of my crazy ideas.

AL: Can you give us the specs on the guitar?
JH: Everything is based off the stock Explorer. I changed the rosewood fret board to a granadillo fret board as it is a very hard and dense wood with not a lot of grain. I wanted a lower profile fret that was also wide. I looked all through the factory but couldn’t find what I wanted. After asking if they had anything else they showed me the wire that’s used on the Zakk Wylde Les Paul’s which was perfect. I literally stole the fret wire out Zakk’s material stash. (Laughs) We are using locking mini Grover tuners which is something different. We also did a bevel on the upper wing of the body as well as

scooping out a portion of the lower wing which allows the player access the higher frets. For pickups we are using a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge and a Duncan 59 in the neck. Other than the special paint scheme the last thing we did was this special wiring harness. This idea came out of when I was still painting guitars in my garage. I would take the pick guards off to paint the bodies and there is  this channel that the wires sat in. I looked pretty gnarly the way it was so I started looking around and found some plastic conduit that I got at Home Depot to wrap around the wires.

AL: When you showed them the wiring what did they think?
JH: They told me that I didn’t have to have that in there as they could route the guitar differently so there would be no channel. I wanted to make it interesting. I think the more bizarre something looks cause people to take notice. I am a big fan of Eddie Van Halen and the stuff he did in the eighties. He was using these pieces of shit guitars that he was making in his garage but, he still played better than everyone else. (Laughs) That I thought was really unique and I said that if I ever got to operate on a professional level I was going to do something similar. My explorer was supposed to be the most unique, ugliest, beat up thing I could create.

AL: Can you give us an update where you are at with the new album?
JH: We are about 65% done. We are shooting for a deadline that is at the end of April, early May. We are working hard every day on this thing. I am at the phase now where I am laying down solos here at my home studio. Generally the first portion of the recording process I am writing and working on rhythm stuff. It’s not till the last quarter that I switch over to doing the other stuff.

As I Lay Dying’s Tim Lambesis talks about Austrian Death Machine’s third album "Triple Brutal"

Tim Lambesis is the vocalist for the metalcore group As I Lay Dying. The group released their 6th studio album titled “Awakened” in September of 2012 after spending the summer performing on the Rockstar Mayhem Festival. Tim’s side project Austrian Death Machine is set to release their third album titled “Triple Brutal” and with the help of indiegogo.com the group is offering fans once in a life time chances to help make the new album a reality. Media Mikes spoke with Tim recently about the upcoming release and found out just how dedicated he is to this record and the fans.

Adam Lawton: How did Austrian Death Machine originally come together?
Tim Lambesis: I wanted to do something that would be light and fun. There are all these great Arnold Schwarzenegger one liners from movies I grew up watching as a kid that I thought would make great song lyrics. The project really started out as more of a joke. I started writing the music and things just began coming together. We have this sort of cult following now which is pretty cool.

AL: In the past you have been responsible for the majority of lyrics and instrumentation. Was this still the case for the new album?
TL: With this being our third release now I kind of wanted to mix things up. I wanted to bring in friends and have them work on various songs. Most of the songs on the new album have been co-written which I think gives the record a more diverse feeling. There are a couple of tracks on there where I did things the old way which had me playing all the instruments and doing most of the vocals. Having those different people come in I think has made this release the best.

AL: I assume things were a little less stressful then for you this time around?
TL: It was. The thing is that even though I wasn’t doing as much song writing I was doing a ton of coordinating. Getting everyone together took some work. We actually are still working on the solos as we speak. Once those are completed we will be able to start the mixing process. I sort of traded one stress for another.

AL: Did the recent resurgence of Arnold Schwarzenegger in films influence the new album at all?
TL: That was definitely one of the motivating factors. We kind of let the project sit for awhile after putting out 2 records. Fans of those records were always asking me when new material was going to be coming out. That is what made me decide to get things up and running again.

AL: Can you explain your involvement with indiegogo.com?
TL: One of the reps for the site had gotten in touch with me and asked if I would be interested in doing something with them as Austrian Death Machine hadn’t done a new album in awhile. Fans of this band are real diehard fans and I thought doing something like this would give those fans more of a direct connection with the group. We have come up with some really special perks that probably wouldn’t happen when working on a normal record.

AL: Can you tell us about some of the unique packages that are available?
TL: We threw a bunch of stuff out jokingly and we actually ended up using some it. It’s one of those things that will get people talking and keep things interesting.  We did have to limit some of the packages like the one where if you pledge $5,000 I will tattoo your name on my ass. That one is limited to two. One on each side will be the maximum. I came up with about 20 initial ideas and brought them to the guy at indiegogo.com I am working with. We narrowed it down to the best ones  and then we fine
tuned them.

AL: Are there plans to tour in support of the release?
TL: That sort of depends on a couple things. First we have to see how the pledging campaign goes. We still have quite a few days left on that. If there are funds and the means to do a tour we will definitely be out there. The shows in the past have always been a fun time and the guys who play with me on those dates are always asking if we can do more shows. It’s one of those things where it’s hard to put together shows when I am gone so long with As I Lay Dying. If the opportunity becomes available I would love to do it.

AL: Has As I Lay Dying confirmed any dates for the coming Spring/Summer?
TL: We are getting ready to release the info for a tour that is going to be really cool. That I think starts in May sometime. After that most of our summer will be spent over in Europe doing festivals.

To help support Austrian Death Machines new album “Triple Brutal” and get your hands on some really cool limited edition stuff head over to http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/336354/ and pledge now!

The Gallery’s Brendan and Ryan Cooney talks about their new album "Restless"

The Gallery is a four-piece indie rock band that originated from the eastern New England area of the United States. The band consisting of Dave Mozdzanowski, Ben Lozan and brother’s Brendan and Ryan Cooney have been making and performing music together all of the states now for almost 5 years. On February 26th the band will release its new full length album titled “Restless”. Media Mikes had the chance to talk recently with both Brendan and Ryan about the bands formation and the making on the band’s new album.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on how you all met?
Brendan Cooney: Ryan and I are brothers, so we have known each-other quite some time now. (Laughs) Ryan and Dave started playing together in a band (under a different name) during high school, which I later joined. After a few member changes we became “The Gallery.” We stuck together through the college years by all transplanting to Florida, until we hit the road for our first national tour in 2009. Now fast forward to 2012. Our new guitarist, Ben, was attending Berkley College of Music when he responded to a Craigslist add we had posted, after recently losing our guitarist, Shea. He was very persistent in getting the opportunity to audition, so we figured there was nothing to lose. He showed up to practice having learned all of our current songs flawlessly. We were all really impressed, but most importantly his personality fit the dynamic of the group perfectly. Long story short, Ben dropped out of school and packed his bags for California. I don’t think he has any regrets as of yet.

AL: How does the new album differ from your previous EP release?
Ryan Cooney: I think one major difference is the addition of our new guitarist Ben. Naturally our sound changed a little bit because of his different influences, tendencies, etc. As a group we decided we wanted to pursue a “rockier” sound for this album while not straying too far from our roots.

AL: Can you tell us how you got involved with indie gogo?
BC: Our producer Warren Huart was encouraging us to get back in the studio, but finances were a concern. We were kind of on the fence of doing a fundraiser, because we felt it is was a lot to ask of our fans, friends, and family who have already done so much for us. But after looking more into it, we decided it wasn’t so bad of an option as long as the rewards were worth people’s donations. In the end we raised the funds needed and we couldn’t be more appreciative of all the support from those who donated. Without all those people this project wouldn’t have become a reality.

AL: What was your initial response to the fans donations?
RC: Well, we have had the opportunity to meet some amazing people over the years through this band. People encourage us with their words all the time, and it’s a whole other level when they trust you with their money to go in and make a record they haven’t heard. It’s crazy when you start to realize that people besides our moms like our music. We are honored to have the opportunity to make this record because of the generosity, and faith that our friends and fans have.
BC: At first we were worried we wouldn’t raise enough. In this economy it’s hard to let go of money for something that you may not reap the benefits for until months later. Our initial reaction to the generosity of our fans was shock. We couldn’t be more thankful that so many would invest their money into something that they haven’t even heard yet. Without that kind of faith, we would still be brainstorming how to fund this project.

AL: What was it like working with producer Warren Huart?
RC: It was great. Warren has such a great ear, and a real ability to translate ideas or a vision into a great sounding recording. We have a lot of fun doing pre-production for songs with him, and seeing them really come together as a team in the studio. He helped us out in so many ways over the last three years, and we wouldn’t be where we are now without the opportunities he’s given us. He has had some great experiences, working with Jack Doulas, Aerosmith, and some newer bands we love like Augustana and The Fray, so after hearing those records we knew he’d be great for the kind of record we wanted to make.

AL: Do you have plans to make a video and or tour in support of the release?
BC: Yeah we are currently brainstorming video ideas for a couple songs with film guru/ friend Mike Barone. Be on the lookout for those shortly after the release.
RC: As for touring, we hope to be on the road more than ever this year. We have 3 CD release shows booked for LA, West Palm Beach, FL, and Western Massachusetts, where we grew up to kick everything off. We can’t wait to play the record for everyone.

Sevendust’s Morgan Rose talks about new album "Black Out the Sun"

Morgan Rose is the drummer and a founding member of the heavy metal group Sevendust. The Atlanta, GA group formed in 1997 and have since released eight studio albums and toured the word over playing their own unique version of melody infused metal. The bands ninth studio titled “Black Out the Sun” will be released in March of this year and Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Morgan about the release and the bands touring plans.

Adam Lawton: What can we expect from the new album?
Morgan Rose: For me personally I think it is my favorite record. Usually when you finish a new record it tends to be your favorite. This was the first time we went in with no expectations and wrote from scratch. We wrote this as a band instead of people coming in chunks of material or fully written pieces. We weren’t going to be second guessing ourselves and we took our time. The record is pretty raw but at the same time the feedback I have gotten so far is that it sounds like old Sevendust.  We didn’t reinvent the wheel but we did semi-reinvent our band.

AL: Did you enjoy working as a group more so than everyone bringing in various pieces?
MR: I liked doing it that way. There have been times when Clint or someone brings in a riff and we would lay some sample beats on top of that. If I end up liking those 80% of my job is done. (Laughs) Other times if I am not completely sold on something I at least have the idea in my head and can go from there. I get excited working both ways. It just really depends on how things play out. We have done everything from me saying a drum part to having Clint show me how to program things as I am a Dinosaur when it comes to that stuff.

AL: With band taking a year off was it hard to get things going again?
MR: Not really. We did change the start date a few times of when we were going to start on the album. Things started off a little strange as we weren’t all ready at the same time. We all have our own lives and Sevendust is a priority but everyone was sort of moving on with other things. It took a little bit to get everyone to agree on a date. Once we did everything went perfect.  The year off did wonders for us. I don’t think anyone really enjoyed the idea of taking a year off but it ended up being a great decision.

AL: Have you guys thought about doing any videos for songs of the new album?
MR: We actually just did one. We shot a video for the song “Decay”. The gods were definitely not trying to let us do that video. I have no idea how we actually got it done. We had to cut our rehearsal schedule short, things cost more than expected, we had some really mysterious weather then there were delays at the airport among other things. Everything was pointing to us not doing the video but we pulled it off. I think it’s going to turn out amazing when it’s all done. We shot it in this 1800’s mansion that I am sure is haunted as shit! The video is sort of based around things that haunt each of the band members. Mine happened to be women. I enjoyed filming my portion of the video quite a bit.

AL: You and Clint did some of the producing on the album. What is the hardest part for you when producing your own band?
MR: There are many different facets to producing. I have dealt with so many things and liked little pieces of each one. There’s producers who get their hands dirty and help with songwriting and things and there are guys who help keep the peace when members get amped up. Then you have guys that are sonically amazing but they couldn’t tell you how they do it. The hardest part when we are doing it is your kind of the boss in a sense. You are putting your trust in someone to make a record according to what your vision is. We have been together for 20 years and we don’t have a boss in this band. People think we have a boss there is not. Everyone has certain roles they take on. When we get in a room together we all have a say but someone does have to take lead. At times things can get testy but we didn’t have any problems this time around.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands upcoming tour with Coal Chamber?
MR: Right now we are out on tour with Lacuna Coil and Avatar which has been great. Once we wrap up with that we hit the road with Lacuna Coil and Coal Chamber. That tour will start towards the end of March. We will be doing shows before then but that line up won’t start until late March. We had some shows in Australia with Devil Driver and Dez Fafara and I were hanging out and he mentioned that he was thinking of doing some Coal Chamber shows. He told me that if they are planning on doing shows in America then the right thing to do would be to do them together.  I was all for that! Things took a little while as Devil Driver tours really hard but this is going to be massive. I think a lot of people are going to be in to it. I think the tour is going to make people scratch their heads.

AL: Do you have any other projects going on right now that you can tell us about?
MR:  I produced an album for a band called Devise. I don’t know if they are going to stick with that name or not though. That project is going really well and I can’t wait to see the reaction of people when they hear it. Candlelight Red’s new stuff is almost done being mixed and their new single should be out very soon. I am really proud of that record. When I get a little bit of free time I am sure me and Clint will be doing some dates with Call Me No One. As we get older I don’t know how much longer we will continue touring. I don’t see us stopping anytime soon but I don’t think I am going to be 60 out here playing like this. I keep dabbling in stuff to see what I could do next. We are just going to be really busy this year.

Hollywood Undead Announce New April Tour Dates & New Album "Notes From The Underground" Available Now

Hollywood Undead have now announced even more new Spring tour dates in April with support from Falling In Reverse kicking off April 17th in Pharr, TX. Those run of dates will follow the March run with Dance Gavin Dance and Abandon All Ships. These dates follow the wrapping up the entirely sold out ‘Underground Tour’ this past January in support of Hollywood Undead’s newest album, Notes From The Underground, which is available on iTunes now. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200, which is the highest debut to date for the band. Make sure to check out the tour dates below to find out when the band will be in a city near you.

For more information on Hollywood Undead including VIP package offers for the tour, make sure to check out their official website, as well as their Facebook and Twitter pages. Pick up a copy of Notes From The Underground available now.

Hollywood Undead Tour w/ Dance Gavin Dance, Abandon All Ships

3/4 – Reno – Knitting Factory Concert House*
3/6 – Boise – Knitting Factory Concert House*
3/7 – Spokane – Knitting Factory Concert House*
3/8 – Portland – Roseland Theater*
3/9 – Vancouver – Rickshaw Theater**
3/11 – Calgary – MacEwan Hall Ballroom**
3/12 – Edmonton – Starlite Room**
3/13 – Saskatoon – Odeon Events Centre**
3/15 – Winnipeg – Garrick Event Center**
3/16 – Fargo – The Venue @ The Hub
3/19 – London – London Concert Theatre**
3/20 – Toronto – The Phoenix Concert Theatre**
3/21 – Guelph – Guelph Concert Theatre**
3/23 – Jonquiere – Theatre Palace Arvida**
3/24 – Quebec – Imperial de Quebec**
3/25 – Laval – Marcellin-Champagnat**
3/27 – Providence – Fete (Ballroom)

* w/ Dance Gavin Dance
** w/ Abandon All Ships

Hollywood Undead Tour w/ Falling in Reverse

4/17 – Pharr, TX – Pharr Event Center
4/19 – San Antonio, TX – Backstage Live
4/21 – Lubbock, TX – Lonestar Ampitheatre
4/23 – Austin, TX – Emo’s East
4/24 – El Paso, TX – Tricky Falls
4/25 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theatre
5/1 – Panama City Beach, FL – Club La Vela
5/3 – Chattanooga, TN – Track 29
5/4 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
5/9 – Madison, WI – Orpheum Theatre
5/10 – Sioux Falls, SD – Sioux Falls Expo Center
5/14 – La Crosse, WI – South Hall @ La Crosse Center
5/15 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Orbit Room
5/18 – Ft. Wayne, IN – Pierre’s
5/19 – Lancaster, PA – Chameleon Club
5/21 – Clifton Park, NY – Upstate Concert Hall
5/22 – Stroudsburg, PA – Sherman Theatre
5/24 – Rochester, NY – Main Street Armory
5/25 – Louisville, KY – Expo 5

######

Notes From The Underground iTunes: http://smarturl.it/gmf2gh

Official Sites:
www.hollywoodundead.com
www.facebook.com/hollywoodundeadofficial
www.twitter.com/hollywoodundead

Brian “Head” Welch talks about reuniting with Korn and Love & Death’s first album "Between Here & Lost"

Brian “Head” Welch is a founding member and former guitarist of the multi-platinum selling hard rock band Korn. Welch left the group in 2005 and embarked on a solo career releasing his first album “Save Me From Myself” in 2008. More recently Brian is back with a new band called Love & Death who recently released their first full length album titled “Between Here & Lost”. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Brian about the new and as well as the recent announcement of him re-joining Korn for several shows.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on the process of the new album?
Brian Welch: I and our bass player Valentine started writing and working with producer Jasen Rauch in 2011. We worked off and on until we finished it last year. The album came together in bits and pieces but it was more of a group effort. When I started as a solo artist I hired the band and we just became friends. From there we all talked and decided we wanted to make an album together and have things be more of a group project.

AL: All the songs were written collectively then?
BW: Yes we all wrote them together. We also had some help lyrically from a few outside writers as well. This was the first time I had ever brought in someone from outside the group to work on songs. I have to say I loved it! There are times when other people hear different things that you didn’t and a lot of the time it’s really good. I enjoyed the experience. Lyrics aren’t my strongest thing so bringing in some other guys really helped a lot.

AL: For you personally what was the hardest part about transitioning back to a group setting after being a solo artist for a few years?
BW: Letting the producer take over. The solo album was all about what I was feeling and what I wanted out of the album. With “Between Here & Lost” I just handed everything over as I didn’t want that producer type role. Jasen was just awesome and I would highly recommend him to anybody. He is really good at making good things great! Everything was new this time around which made for a really creative environment.

AL: This was the second time you had worked with Jasen correct?
BW: Yes. We did an EP with him last year that came out in April. Things were very comfortable being that we had worked together before. Jasen is a guitar player also and has this great ear for making riffs sound up to date and tweaking them to sound really great.

AL: What prompted the idea of covering Devo’s “Whip It”?
BW: I was trying to think of the weirdest New Wave song I could do and that one came to me. I remember those guys as being the weirdest guys on MTV back in the day. It seemed like everyone knows who Devo is because they are so weird and those hats. I wanted the song to be something everyone was familiar with. At first the other guys in the band thought the idea was pretty stupid. When I played them the music and the idea it changed their minds and they thought it could work. It was really fun.

AL: What can you tell us about the bands new video for the song “Abandoning”?
BW: The video just came out within the past week or so and it was cool shooting it as we got to work with Daniel Davison from Underoath/Norma Jean. Being he is a musician he just gets it so the shoot went really good.

AL: Can you tell us how things came about for you to be joining Korn at this year’s Rock on the Range Festival?
BW: I went to a show of theirs last May and ended up jamming a song with them on stage. It was very last minute but it felt so good and it was very emotional. Right after that Munky, the other guitar player asked me if I wanted to come back and do some shows with them. I told him that I didn’t think now was the right time but I would think about it. I just started thinking about how awesome and emotional it was for everybody. I started getting advice from other people and they were all leaning towards this being the right time. This door obviously opened for a reason and there will be some reconciliation going on that needs to happen. I went back to the guys and said let’s do it. Everyone was very agreeable and things came together pretty easily.

AL: Is there any chance drummer David Silveria will be back as well?
BW: No. David has really said some crazy things online about personal things and he’s not in a place where people would really want him around. That happened before I talked with them but I guess the things he said were really crazy. Those guys were in a band together for so long so I don’t know, but for now it’s just not going to happen.

AL: Have you and the guys from Korn started rehearsing yet?
BW: We have been getting together off and on but we will be starting to get things going more in the next couple of months. It’s going to be a lot of fun to play those old songs again. The times we have been together so far have been nothing but positive between everyone. It’s like nothing negative ever happened between any of us. Things were never really crazy between any of us as there were just a few things said here and there. We never had hate for one another as I love my old friends and it feels good to connect again.

AL: Is thing going to be just a short run of shows or will you be fully re-joining the band?
BW: We are going slowing with things right now. We don’t want to rush things and we also aren’t sure how far we want to take it. Anything is possible at this time but we are being really careful not to move to fast and have something happen. Even if I was to fully re-join Korn I will still keep doing Love & Death.

AL: Does Love and Death have any shows lined up in support of the new album?
BW: Yes. We will be heading out on the road starting Feb. 22 for a month long run with Thousand Foot Krutch. We will be hitting everything from Texas to the east coast. After that we have some weekend shows planned and after those there is a chance we will be doing some opening slots for Korn over in Europe. Those details are still being worked out.

AL: In the past few years you have done things like releasing a solo album, writing a book and now you are doing Love & Death and working again with Korn. What do you think has been the most rewarding thing to come out of your time away from Korn?
BW: I would probably have to say my faith. That is really the foundation of my life and it helps me in every way. My book was very liberating and cleansing to my soul. I was able to poor out all of that garbage and live the new life I was given. It’s funny when you find faith like I did as everything turns around for good. Even the bad and ugly stuff gets turned around to use for good purposes. It’s so cool to be able to think back about all your past screw ups and see how now they are now being used to help people. It’s the coolest thing ever.

To check out Love & Hates new video “Abandoning” and to also see a full list of tour dates be sure to check out Brian’s official website at www.brianheadwelch.net

 

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The Smashing Pumpkins’ James Iha talks about new solo album “Look To The Sky”

James Iha was the guitarist and co-founder of The Smashing Pumpkins which were probably one of the biggest and most successful alternative acts to come out of the 90’s. After the band disbanded in 2000 James went on to release his first solo record as well as recording/ performing with bands such as Perfect Circle and Tinted Windows. James recently released his second solo album titled “Look To The Sky” and Media Mikes had the chance to ask James a few questions about the release.

Adam Lawton: What was it that interested you in doing a second solo album after a 15 year break?
James Iha: After the smashing pumpkins broke up in 2000 I needed a break from being in a band. I ended up starting a studio and a label. From there I began representing and producing bands. I think around 4 or 5 years ago I started writing and recording for myself.  It took longer than I thought but there was no deadline and no label so I just took my time until I felt it was right.

AL: For you personally what was the biggest difference working on this record compared to your first solo album?
JI: Time and experience. I have learned a lot by working with different artists over the years. The music scene has changed a lot as well so I felt kind of felt free to experiment and do different things. That sort of sums up my last ten years.

AL: Is the material contained on this release material you have worked on over time or is it newly written material?
JI: There are some older songs that were written maybe 4 or 5 years ago. Then there are some like “Waves” and “Summer Days” which were written right before I turned in the record. Everything was all done in the last couple of years

AL:  How does working as a solo artist compare to working with some of your previous groups?
JI: It’s a big difference. It’s great to work on your own without having to consult or ask anyone’s opinion. You just can go in and make music.  The downside of that is without anyone to bounce ideas off or get someone else’s parts it can be tough but that’s what a solo artist is compared to being in a band

AL:  Do you have any plans to tour in support of the album?
JI: We have been touring across the US and have also made our way over to both Europe and Japan. We hope to be able to do more in 2013!

Samantha Crain talks about new solo album titled "Kid Face"

Samantha Crain is a singer/songwriter set to release her 3rd full length solo album titled “Kid Face”. Samantha describes her sound as a mixture of Folk with some Country elements. Media Mikes had the chance to ask Samantha a few questions about the new album as well as how her background in fiction writing sparked her interest in wanting to perform music.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us a little bit of background on your career thus far?
Samantha Crain: Unfortunately it’s not an incredibly interesting story at all. (Laughs) My dad had bought me a guitar when I was younger however I was never really interested in it growing up. I probably taught myself a few chords on it but that was it. I grew up sort of obsessed with writing stories so when it came time for college I went for writing. A couple of years in to that I had a moment where I wanted to get out of Oklahoma as I was feeling a little crowded. At some point I picked up the guitar again and started teaching myself. I began pairing some of my short stories and poems to music and after a little while I began booking shows for myself. This was sort of a means to travel and see new places. My career really came out of finding a way for me to pay my way around the country. It ended up turning in to something that I really love doing.

AL: Around what time did you become a signed artist?
SC: After writing and touring on my own for some time my first EP found its way to Dolph Ramseur owner of Ramseur Records. We ended up speaking and decided to re-release the EP on his label as a means to reintroduce me to those who maybe weren’t able to get one of the handmade copies. Things really came out of being out there and playing a lot of shows.

AL: How does your latest album “Kid Face” compare to your previous work? And did you try anything different this time around?
SC: With my background being in fiction writing I really held on to that with the first two records. As I have gotten older and been able to experience more things I have been able to shift my writing from being fiction based to being more autobiographical. That’s probably the main difference between my new album and my previous releases. As far as differences go this time around I went back to more of my folk roots. Some of my previous songs had a rock feel to them but I moved away from that and back to how I started. This album is definitely a softer folk/country album.

AL: Does your background in writing tend to lead you to start with the lyrical aspect a song or do you start with instrumentation first and write around that?
SC: When I first started writing songs I had a lot of material lyric wise to work with so I started there. Music was sort of the afterthought. However the longer I do this it seems the songs are less apt to come to me. I have to be really smart about catching inspiration when it comes. I generally collect words or ideas in a notebook.  When I have time to work on songs I will lay all these notes out and try and put them together to form a song.

AL:  Do you have any tour plans set up in support of the new album?
SC: We have a few album release shows scheduled that will feature the entire band that played on the album. Those shows will take us up until the start of the South By South West festival. After that for the full tour we will probably scale the band down some as it is easier to travel that way.

Dokken’s George Lynch talks about new album with T&N called "Slave to the Empire"

Guitar legend George Lynch is probably best known for his work with the popular eighties hard rock band Dokken. After the break-up of the band in 1989 George continued to be successful with his group’s Lynch Mob, Souls of We and T&N which along with George also features former Dokken members Jeff Pilson and Mick Brown. T&N has just released a new album titled “Slave to the Empire” and Media Mikes had the chance to talk with George about the release as well as some of his new signature guitar products.

Adam Lawton: What led to the decision of revisiting the T&N project and to also recording a new album?
George Lynch: The idea of me, Jeff, Mick and maybe even Don Dokken playing together again has always been there. The thing is with everyone being in different bands these days and being busy it’s kind of hard to all get together.  You almost have to have a reason or an avenue to make that happen. We had been trying to put the Dokken thing back together for a few years and it never really happened. Eventually Mick, Jeff and I decided to do this without Don. We did ask him to join us however he declined. When you play with the same group of guys for a number of decades those experiences never go away as its part of your life.

AL: Where there at any time reservations about the project and getting back together?
GL: No. Mick has really been coming back in a big way over the last few years. He has gone out on a couple Lynch Mob tours, he played on this album of course and he will most likely end up being the drummer when we take T&N on the road. Jeff and I have been constantly trying to find ways to work together. We live down the street from one another and really our relationship has never changed. We still inter-act the same as we did in the early Dokken days. We might be 30 years older but when we are sitting in a room playing music together it’s like that time never went by.

AL: What was it like writing new material together and also revisiting the old material?
GL: Those were two completely different animals. Re-doing the old stuff was relatively easy. It didn’t require a lot of brain power as we know the songs really well. That allowed us to have fun with them and change/add in some new parts. With the new material it was more as if we were in a laboratory. A little more thinking was required. Thinking is work for me these days. (Laughs) We did a lot of the writing by the seat of our pants. That’s what’s wonderful about writing with Jeff. I love the trust we have and we have a certain style of writing. There has never been an issue with Jeff and me productivity wise. There is sometimes an issue though when it comes to picking a direction. We may write a trippy acid song one time and a blues song the next. We have to sort of bring ourselves in when it comes to that type of thing.

AL: Has there been any discussion about touring in support of the release?
GL: We intended to go out last year during the fall. We had a really great slot at the Loud Park Festival and there were a few European shows and a few shows in the states booked however due to a number of business reasons things didn’t pan out. Things for this coming year are looking really good and our intention is to get out there.

AL: Being a huge horror fan I have to ask how Dokken got involved with the “Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise?
GL: We had a wonderful manager at the time by the name of Cliff Bernstein. At the time he was probably one of the biggest rock managers and still actually could be one of the biggest today. If I had to credit one person with the success of Dokken I would have to credit him. He brought that opportunity to us. Being involved with that film really propelled the band in to a lot of people’s consciousness. Jeff and I wrote “Dream Warriors” when we were living together in Arizona. For us it was a huge deal even though we didn’t really make any money at it. (Laughs) We were persuaded by our managers to take a buy out on the song. We received a small piece for the song and that was it. It worked for us though.

AL: Were you guy’s fans of the previous films?
GL: I personally was. When the first one came out I thought it was pretty mind blowing. I was in to horror films growing up and I like a lot of the classics. Prior to the movie though I had sort of evolved out of liking the genre but when we did the song for the film it renewed my interest in horror films.

AL: Do you have any new signature guitar gear coming out this year?
GL: I have two things that I can think of off of the top of my head. The first one is a pedal I have been working on with the Cusack Company. The idea is for the pedal to combine everything I think is crucial in a pedal board in to one unit. Over the years I have found running a number of pedals can cause impedance issues. This pedal is being designed so that everything matches up perfectly and all your signals are balanced. The other thing I have been working on is a signature acoustic guitar through ESP. They have come out extremely well and even better than I expected. We worked hard on the project to make a guitar that sounded good and was affordable. Everything on these guitars looks and sounds great!

AL: Do you have any other projects in the works that you would like to mention?
GL: I have a project that we just decided on a name for the other day. It’s titled KXM. The letters stand for Korn, Kings X and Lynch Mob. The lineup is Ray Luzier of Korn, Doug Pinnick of Kings X and me so that’s where the KXM comes from. We went in to the studio not knowing what we would sound like. Things could have gone a number of different ways but what it ended up being is a very dark sounding record with some funk elements. We actually just finished it up. I don’t think there is anything unexpected on the record but it is dark. We have some interesting ideas of how we are going to be releasing the material so people will want to be watching for that. I also have something that is still in the project stage called The Infidels. It features the rhythm section of the band WAR. We are doing some very ass shaking, groove type material that is just instrumental at this time as we are still deciding what we want to do with everything. Lastly is a documentary film titled “ShadowTrain”. On the surface the film appears to be about music and Native Americans but it is really an exploration of human nature. The film is philosophical, historical, musical and spiritual. This is something I have never done before but thankfully I have people working with me on this that know what they are doing. There is also a band involved with this as well that recorded a record. The record is the soundtrack to the film and is mostly improvisational. What we did was to go around to Native American reservations and play music that was completely improvisational. We had no idea what we were going to do. We just would start with a beat or a riff and see where it would take us. People interested in finding out more about the film can visit the official website at www.shadowtrainmovie.com 

 

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Dark New Day’s Will Hunt talks about new album "Hail Mary"

Will Hunt is a hard rock drummer who plays or has played with everyone from Evanescence and Black Label Society to Tommy Lee’s Methods of Mayhem and Static-X. Hunt is also a part of the rock super group Dark New Day consists of Brett Hestla (Virgos Merlot), Troy McLawhorn (DoubleDrive), Clint Lowery (Sevendust) and Corey Lowery of Stereomud. The group is set to release their 3rd full length studio album titled “Hail Mary” in February and Media Mikes had the chance to ask Will about his work on the record and how he juggles working with so many different bands at the same time.

Adam Lawton: What type of approach did you take with your playing on the new album “New Tradition”?
Will Hunt: We were going for a little more of a structured sound this time as opposed to what can be heard on “12Year Silence” where everything is just sort of thrown in. The drum parts on this record were more composition than improvising. I played knowing that I wanted the drums to sound huge, and the way to do that is to give them room to breathe and leave space for that in the parts. Corey Lowery and I wanted the bottom end to be ridiculous.

AL: How does this album compare to the previous releases from Dark New Day?
WH: Like I said, we were going for a more structured sound and that’s what we got. We were really experimenting, which in some ways was liberating, in other ways we now know what we wouldn’t do in the future! (Laughs) All though, we’re very proud of the experimentation and what we got from this album.

AL: Does the band have any plans to tour in support of the release?
WH: No touring plans for this release. I’m not saying there won’t be a couple of shows here and there if our schedules can line up. We obviously would love to rock some shows together, but there no concrete plans at this time

AL: Personally what do you find to be the most difficult thing about working with multiple bands and projects at the same time?
WH: It’s like air traffic control! (Laughs) You just have to make sure to get all the projects in line and land them without crashing!( Laughs) Sometimes it works, sometimes not, but I love it! I can’t play and write enough.

AL: Can you tell us about any of your other projects that are in the works as we speak?
WH: Yes. I am officially a member of David Draimen’s new band, DEVICE. Our 1st single “VILIFY” is hitting radio in February, and the self titled album will be released in April with a tour to follow. Our 1st show is going to be at SXSW in Austin. I’m really excited about this band, I think people are going to freak on how bad ass it is. The music is absolutely amazing, and I can’t wait for people to hear it! I’m also going to record the new Soil album which I’m really looking forward to. That will be a good time making music with some old friends!