WEEKLY MUSIC NEWS

[FH]

Former KINGDOM COME Guitarist Recounts Getting Kicked Off SCORPIONS Tour - Aug. 17, 2003

Former KINGDOM COME guitarist Danny Stag recently spoke to Regis Behe of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review about the experience of playing with VAN HALEN, DOKKEN, THE SCORPIONS and METALLICA as part of the Monsters of Rock tour that took place during the summer of 1988.

"We actually lost money every show," said Stag. "VAN HALEN paid us $4,400 and our expenses were $5,500. We lost $1,100 every show."

KINGDOM COME eventually linked up with THE SCORPIONS again for a tour as a supporting act.

"It was very cool," Stag said. "We were out with them for two months, and they treated us really well. We ate dinner with them with their caterer, and they weren't stingy about stuff."

There were some conditions that every opening band has to deal with — less power, Stag said, so the band didn't sound as loud as THE SCORPIONS — and KINGDOM COME was also restricted to a smaller portion of the stage. Specifically, KINGDOM COME lead singer Lenny Wolf was told by THE SCORPIONS' manager, Paul O'Neil, to stay off the runways.

For a while, Wolf abided this restriction. One night, the runways proved to be irresistible.

"Paul said very nicely, 'Look mate, I really meant what I said about using the runways,'" Stag said. "He said he'd have problems if Lenny continued to use them."

So the next show, the same thing happens: Wolf goes crazy on the runways and O'Neil, a little more adamant but still civil, reminds him of the restriction.

"Lenny said yeah, yeah, whatever," Stag said.

The next night, of course, Wolf went for the runway the first chance he got. Stag said O'Neil was furious and Wolf calmly stood there, smoking a cigarette. Then, Wolf made a remark about Nazis.

O'Neil was half Jewish.

"I don't know if Lenny knew the guy's father was Jewish or not, but we got kicked off the tour the next day," Stag said.

[FH]

RUSH: 'Rio' CD/DVD To Surface In October - Aug. 17, 2003

Veteran Canadian rock trio RUSH have reportedly pushed back the release date of their triple-disc live album and double-disc DVD, titled "Rush in Rio", to late October via Anthem/Atlantic Records.

As previously reported, the DVD version of "Rush in Rio" includes all 28 songs from the CD (recorded last Nov. 23 on the last show of the band's "Vapor Trails" tour), augmented with a documentary with footage from other shows in the Brazilian cities Porte Allegre and Sao Paolo. Fans will be able to view the action from multiple cameras, and will be treated to "extra stuff like pictures of Big Al [guitarist Alex Lifeson] at home in his pajamas and some other unusual things hidden in there somewhere," according to bassist Geddy Lee.

[FH]

MOTÖRHEAD To Issue Career-Spanning Collection In October - Aug. 16, 2003

MOTÖRHEAD will issue a five-CD, 99-song career-spanning overview, titled "Stone Deaf Forever!", on October 7 through Metal-Is/Sanctuary Records. It's the first fully comprehensive box set containing recordings made for multiple record companies during the period 1975-2002. And it's also the first one ever released with full band approval.

The track listing was compiled with input from MOTÖRHEAD and their fan club. Among the classic hits and rarities are 19 previously unreleased tracks.

The 60-page booklet includes rare and unpublished photos and memorabilia from the MOTÖRHEAD archives in addition to an in-depth essay by Mick Wall, the noted heavy metal journalist and editor of Classic Rock magazine. Another special treat is the cover artwork, which incorporates a newly commissioned painting by longtime MOTÖRHEAD artist Joe Petagno.

The complete track listing for "Stone Deaf Forever!" — with cited sources and an asterisk ("*") denoting previously unreleased tracks — is as follows:

Disc One: 1975-1980

01. Motörhead ("HAWKWIND B-side")
02. Lost Johnny ("On Parole")
03. Leavin' Here ("Stiff single")
04. White Line Fever ("Stiff single")
05. The Watcher ("Motörhead")
06. City Kids ("Motörhead")
07. I'm Your Witchdoctor ("Motörhead")
08. Motörhead ("Motörhead")
09. Louie Louie* ("Peel Session '78")
10. Keep Us On The Road* (Peel Session '78)
11. Tear Ya Down* (Peel Session '78)
12. I'll Be Your Sister* (Peel Session '78)
13. Overkill ("Overkill")
14. Stay Clean ("Overkill")
15. Capricorn ("Overkill")
16. Limb From Limb ("Overkill")
17. Dead Men Tell No Tales ("Bomber")
18. Stone Cold Forever ("Bomber")
19. Step Down ("Bomber")
20. Bomber ("Bomber")
21. Over The Top ("Motordam")
22. Shoot You In The Back ("Ace of Spades")

Disc Two: 1980-1986

01. Ace Of Spades ("Ace of Spades")
02. Bite The Bullet ("Ace of Spades")
03. The Chase Is Better Than The Catch ("Ace of Spades")
04. Live To Win* (BBC Session '80)
05. Like A Nightmare* (BBC Session '80)
06. Please Don't Touch ("Ace of Spades")
07. Iron Fist ("Iron Fist")
08. Heart Of Stone ("Iron Fist")
09. Don't Need Religion ("Iron Fist")
10. Shine ("Another Perfect Day")
11. One Track Mind ("Another Perfect Day")
12. I Got Mine ("Another Perfect Day")
13. Snaggletooth ("No Remorse")
14. Under The Knife (Slow Version) ("No Remorse")
15. Ain't My Crime ("Orgasmatron")
16. Nothing Up My Sleeve ("Orgasmatron")
17. Killed By Death* (BBC Session '86)
18. Deaf Forever* (BBC Session '86)
19. Orgasmatron (Spoken Word)* (BBC Session '86)
20. Orgasmatron* (BBC Session '86)
21. Dr Rock* (BBC Session '86)

Disc Three: 1987-1996

01. Rock 'N' Roll ("Rock 'n' Roll")
02. Eat The Rich ("Rock 'n' Roll")
03. Just Cos You Got The Power ("Rock 'n' Roll")
04. Black Leather Jacket* (Channel 4 TV)
05. No Voices In The Sky ("1916")
06. Going To Brazil ("1916")
07. Love Me Forever ("1916")
08. You Better Run ("March or Die")
09. I Ain't No Nice Guy ("March or Die")
10. Hell On Earth ("Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth" original soundtrack)
11. Burner ("Bastards")
12. I Am The Sword ("Bastards")
13. Bad Woman ("Bastards")
14. Devils ("Bastards")
15. Sacrifice ("Sacrifice")
16. Sex And Death ("Sacrifice")
17. Over Your Shoulder ("Sacrifice")
18. Out Of The Sun ("Sacrifice")
19. I Don't Believe A Word ("Overnight Sensation")

Disc Four: 1996-2002

01. Overnight Sensation ("Overnight Sensation")
02. Broken ("Overnight Sensation")
03. Listen To Your Heart ("Overnight Sensation")
04. Love For Sale ("Snakebite Love")
05. Snakebite Love ("Snakebite Love")
06. Take The Blame ("Snakebite Love")
07. Joy Of Labour ("Snakebite Love")
08. Orgasmatron 2000* (Internet download)
09. Stay Out Of Jail ("We Are Motörhead")
10. One More Fucking Time ("We Are Motörhead")
11. We Are Motörhead ("We Are Motörhead")
12. Shoot 'Em Down (TWISTED SISTER tribute)
13. Walk A Crooked Mile ("Hammered")
14. Brave New World ("Hammered")
15. Mine All Mine ("Hammered")
16. Voices From The War ("Hammered")

Disc Five: Live: 1975-2002

01. On Parole ("What's Words Worth")
02. Train Kept A Rollin' ("What's Words Worth")
03. Too Late Too Late* (BBC In Concert)
04. (I Won't) Pay Your Price* (BBC In Concert)
05. Iron Horse ("No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith")
06. We Are The Roadcrew ("No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith")
07. Nadine* ("Beware the Dog" - bootleg)
08. Steal Your Face* (BBC In Concert)
09. Mean Machine ("The Birthday Party")
10. No Class ("The Birthday Party")
11. Stone Deaf In The USA ("Live At Brixton")
12. Dogs ("Live at Brixton")
13. Traitor ("No Sleep At All")
14. Built For Speed ("No Sleep At All")
15. Acropolis ("Metropolis")* (Greek 45)
16. Angel City ("Everything Louder")
17. R.A.M.O.N.E.S. ("Everything Louder")
18. Silver Machine* (Bootleg version)
19. On Your Feet Or On Your Knees ("Everything Louder")
20. I'm So Bad, Baby I Don't Care ("Everything Louder")
21. Born To Raise Hell ("Everything Louder")

[FH]

VELVET REVOLVER Scrap Live EP/DVD, Concentrate On Full-Length Album - Aug. 16, 2003

VELVET REVOLVER, the new band featuring GUNS N' ROSES alumni Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum, David Kushner of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and former STONE TEMPLE PILOTS frontman Scott Weiland, have abandoned plans to issue a live EP/DVD of their June 19 Los Angeles performance and are said to be concentrating on writing the material for their full-length debut, tentatively due in early 2004 through an as-yet-undetermined label. "The EP/DVD project was cancelled a few weeks ago," the group's publicist said. "It didn't make any sense anymore, and since we are negotiating with a few new record labels, they don't want anything to be released before the actual full CD."

The band, who were previously reported to have secured a one-off deal with Immortal Records for the release of the now-scrapped EP/DVD, are believed to be talking to several major labels about the release of a full-length album, including Elektra, Warner Brothers and J Records.

In related news, Weiland was sentenced to three years probation during an appearance in a Pasadena court Thursday (August 14). The singer had previously requested his case be diverted to a drug court program, where his possession charges could be dismissed upon completion of the program. Eligibility is typically based on possession for personal use, not for sale, among other factors.

The 35-year-old musician, who pleaded innocent to two felony charges of possession of heroin and cocaine in early June, was arrested May 17 after a police officer pulled him over for allegedly driving without headlights on and said he saw drugs in the car.

Weiland was arrested on drug charges twice before in California, in 1995 and 1997. He was also busted in New York in 1998, and the next year served prison time in Los Angeles after a heroin overdose that a judge found violated his probation. After his release, Weiland tried to go clean, but was arrested in Las Vegas in 2001 after an argument with his wife Mary over a prescription turned into a domestic violence charge. The Weilands filed for divorce last September.

[FH]

RONNIE JAMES DIO: 'OZZY's Legacy Is Now Incredibly Tarnished' - Aug. 16, 2003

Ronnie James Dio recently spoke to Bob Ruggiero of the Houston Press about the man whom he replaced at the helm of BLACK SABBATH, Ozzy Osbourne. Calling Ozzy "a mumbling, semi-conscious reality sitcom star who shuffles around in his sweatpants scooping up dog shit and being dominated by his shrewish wife and spoiled-ass kids," Ruggiero asked the singer about the effect on Osbourne's legacy in the wake of the MTV reality-TV sitcom that made Ozzy a household name.

"Ozzy's legacy is now incredibly tarnished," Dio said. "I would be more concerned about the people I'm making music for. I thought he was supposed to portray himself better, but now they have him as some guy with an affliction," Dio. "To see this happen...it's sad. But it's what he wants and there's money involved. So who am I to say? It's just sad, because he's one of the guys who invented heavy metal."

In the same interview, Dio spoke about the pinky-and-index-finger extended "devil horns" sign that he is widely crediting for pioneering. According to Ronnie, the horns did not spring forth from the fiery pits of hell or a dark dragon's cave — rather, they came from Dio's Italian grandmother.

"She used to flash that sign all the time. It was protection against the 'evil eye' as well as a way to give it," Dio said. "It was natural for me to do, and it's become a symbol of the bond between me and the audience. But I didn't invent it. Some caveman probably laid it on his buddy, Og!"

Dio also knows the power of the sign in concert. "Sometimes I tease the audience with it, but then when I do it, the place goes nuts," he laughed. "It's like 'Yes! The horns! That's what we came for! And here I thought it was the music..."

[FH]

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COURTNEY LOVE: Whack-y Tale Of A Big Mixup - Aug. 18, 2003

Tracy Connor of The New York Daily News reports that "Courtney Love admits she's got a few problems - but getting slapped in the face by an amorous Virgin Records executive is not one of them.

"A day after police reported that Love had accused Senior Vice President Josh Deutsch of coming on to her and hitting her when she objected, the rock diva told the Daily News yesterday it was all a big mixup.

" 'Josh is a good guy who I like immensely who would never hit another person in his life,' said Love, who recently signed a $10 million deal with Virgin.

"So how did Deutsch, who was out of town, wind up getting named in a police report filed by Love?

"It's a twisted story that starts with Thursday's blackout.

"When the power got zapped, Love, whose outrageous antics and outbursts are legendary, was stuck at her Crosby St. co-op in SoHo, where Nicole Kidman, Lenny Kravitz and other celebrities also live.

" 'I was hot. I was scared. I was terrified. I was the only person left in the building. Kidman left. The concierge left,' she said.

" 'I thought Virgin would send a car for me.'

"But the company didn't send a limo for Love, the widow of NIRVANA frontman Kurt Cobain, and she couldn't call one herself because her credit cards weren't working.

" 'What really blew my cookies was calling MasterCard and finding out my card was at its $15,000 limit because someone had gone into Chanel and spent it all — and it wasn't me or my nanny,' she fumed.

" 'Why do I have a $15,000 limit anyway? I spend millions with them.' "

[FH]

ROB HALFORD Says He Will Sing RIPPER-Era JUDAS PRIEST Material - Aug. 18, 2003

JUDAS PRIEST frontman Rob Halford, who recently rejoined the group after more than 12 years apart, revealed during an online chat Saturday (August 16) that the songwriting process for PRIEST's next studio album has already begun. "We are writing now, slowly bit by bit putting the pieces together," he said. "All I can see is the bar is higher and we will sail over it! It's all ready to go — my work room is awash in paper! All I can say is that all the things you have come to expect from PRIEST will be in the new songs... It's been cool getting the same feelings for songs like I did before. I thought that might be over — it's not."

When asked if he would be willing to sing, on PRIEST's upcoming tour, any of the songs written and recorded during the years when the band were fronted by Halford's replacement, Tim "Ripper" Owens, Rob said, "I will sing any song by PRIEST [including those from the Ripper era], period."

In a separate chat with Halford manager John Baxter, also conducted on Saturday, Baxter once again discussed the reasons for the relatively poor commercial performance of HALFORD's last studio offering, "Crucible", and the lack of touring in support of it.

"Sanctuary [Records, HALFORD's label] were not there for the band," John said. "They were more focused on breaking the band up and trying to reunite JUDAS PRIEST. [HALFORD's 2000 album] 'Resurrection' and the tour went very well. I worked to make sure of it. When I took over last fall, the label decided it would dump the band at the curb. That was the difference. They frustrated every move they could. That's why I stepped in when Rob threatened to retire in the summer of 2002. 'Crucible' had everything we needed promotion-wise, but again, folks were more into breaking the band up in the summer of 2002.

" 'Crucible' is a masterpiece," Baxter continued. "All the HALFORD records are masterpieces. The band members, Pat [Lachman] and Ray [Riendeau] included, will always be proud of the work we did that last four years... 'Crucible' tested very high at radio, etc. We knew we had a great release. The label [Metal-Is, a division of Sanctuary] didn't know what they had. They'd only been in business for two to three years. Fact is, the band needed money and love from a label for it to really have a chance."

With regards to Rob's reunion with JUDAS PRIEST, Baxter said, "It's all Rob wanted. It was tough to park the HALFORD band, but in this biz you always do what your artist seriously wants. Rob wanted to be back in JUDAS PRIEST. We could have produced another great HALFORD recording this or next year, but Rob wanted to return to PRIEST — JUDAS PRIEST was more important to Rob. [Repairing the relationships in the band was] what took them the most time to sort through. It's between four brothers and no one else. He loves his solo band, but at this point in his life he wanted to be a part of JUDAS PRIEST. I don't live in his body or mind, but that is what he desperately wanted."

During the same chat, Baxter revealed plans for HALFORD to release two DVDs in 2004, with both the "Resurrection" and "Crucible" eras of the groups extensively represented.

"The first DVD will encompass the making of 'Resurrection', 'Live Insurrection' and the 2000/2001 tour, with 'Rock in Rio III' being the main performance footage," he said. "The second video will encompass the making of 'Crucible', interviews, live performances from Europe, Japan and the Anaheim June 2003 performance."

With regards to the possibility of releasing a DVD containing videos from Halford's FIGHT and TWO years, Baxter said, "Rob and I have been talking that through. There is no reason to mix the HALFORD and FIGHT material/footage. We'll create a separate package for the FIGHT years. I feel the FIGHT material warrants some attention. There isn't much TWO material. That was a very experimental move by Rob."

[FH]

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS: Greatest Hits Collection, DVD To Surface In November - Aug. 19, 2003

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS will be releasing a "greatest hits" album, tentatively titled "Thank You", on November 4 through Atlantic Records. The album will feature 14 of the bands hit songs, plus an acoustic version of "Plush" and a new track called "All In The Suit That You Wear". The greatest hits set will draw from STP's five albums: "Core" (1992), "Purple" (1994), "Tiny Music - Songs From the Vatican Gift Shop" (1996), "No. 4" (1999) and "Shangri-La De Da" (2001). In addition, the group will issue a DVD containing all of the band's music videos and about an hour of other live performances and photos, as well as some "home" footage the band has shot over the years. The CD will be available separately or as a CD/DVD package, according to the band's web site. In 2000, the group had planned to release a hits compilation called "Big Bang Babies" but scrapped the record after a management shakeup.

[FH]

ROB ZOMBIE: 'Past, Present & Future' Track Listing Released - Aug. 21, 2003

The complete track listing has been announced for ROB ZOMBIE's first-ever career retrospective, "Past, Present & Future", due on September 23 through Geffen Records. The two-disc set brings together a CD of 19 digitally remastered selections — including two new recordings — and a DVD of 10 music videos, including three previously unreleased.

Produced by Zombie, who designed the 36-page booklet, the compilation features six Grammy-nominated tracks and spans his career from 1992 to 2003. CD selections include WHITE ZOMBIE and solo hits plus soundtrack rarities and two brand new songs recorded in July ("Two-Lane Blacktop" and "Girl On Fire"). The earlier 2003 tracks were culled from the soundtrack to the Zombie-directed hit horror flick "House Of 1000 Corpses" ("Pussy Liquor" and a collaboration with Lionel Richie and hardcore female rapper Trina on THE COMMODORES '70s hit "Brick House 2003") and a cover of "Blitzkrieg Bop" from the RAMONES tribute album "We're A Happy Family", produced by Johnny Ramone and Zombie.

All but one of the videos on the greatest hits DVD were directed by Zombie, including "More Human Than Human", a 1995 MTV Video Music Award winner for Best Hard Rock Video. The other previously released videos are for "Dragula", "Living Dead Girl", "Superbeast", "Never Gonna Stop (The Red Red Kroovy)", "Feel So Numb" and the non-Zombie-helmed "Thunder Kiss '65". The never-before-released videos are for the 1998 "Hellbilly Deluxe" songs "Demonoid Phenomenon", "Return Of The Phantom Stranger" and "Spookshow Baby".

The track listing for "Past, Present & Future" is as follows:

01. Thunder Kiss '65
02. Black Sunshine
03. Feed The Gods
04. More Human Than Human
05. Super Charger Heaven
06. I'm Your Boogieman
07. Hands of Death
08. Great American Nightmare
09. Dragula
10. Living Dead Girl
11. Superbeast
12. Feel So Numb
13. Never Gonna Stop
14. Demon Speeding
15. Brick House 2003
16. Pussy Liquor
17. Blitzkrieg Bop
18. Two-Lane Blacktop
19. Girl On Fire

Videos:

01. Thunder Kiss '65
02. More Human Than Human
03. Dragula
04. Living Dead Girl
05. Superbeast
06. Never Gonna Stop
07. Feel So Numb
08. Demonoid Phenomenon
09. Return of the Phantom Stranger
10. Spookshow Baby

[FH]

After releasing his debut solo album Paper Monsters this summer, singer Dave Gahan is thinking about quitting Depeche Mode.
"It's become increasingly difficult for me," Gahan says. "When we go on tour and I'm performing, I know that I contribute a great deal to what we do -- in terms of bringing the songs to life on stage. But in the studio, it's like [keyboardist and songwriter] Martin [Gore] might as well be doing it himself . . . They're his songs, his ideas, and I'm the voice on top of it."

"It's just not fun in the studio if you've got an idea for something and the person you're working with can't even be bothered to pick a guitar up," Gahan continues. "It seems to me like a waste of time."

Gahan is currently touring to support Paper Monsters, released in June. Not only is it his first solo album in twenty-two years of Depeche Mode, it's the first time his own songwriting has made it to disc.

"I played a few demos to Martin during the making of [2001's] Exciter," Gahan says. "He nodded his head and let me know that they were pretty good, but he never turned around and said, 'Great, let's record some of these for this album.'"

Gore released his own solo album Counterfeit2, which consists entirely of covers, in April. "I don't think it would be right for me to use my own material for a solo record while I'm still part of Depeche Mode," he told Rolling Stone at the time.

But Gahan says, "Unless he's open to both me and him coming into the studio with a bunch of songs and supporting each other, I don't see that there's any point in going on and making another Depeche Mode record."

And what are the chances of that? "You know what?" Gahan says. "At this point, I don't really care."

COREY LEVITAN
(August 20, 2003)

[FH]

Chili Peppers Record 15 New Songs




While in the studio to record new tracks for a forthcoming hits collection, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have written and recorded 15 new songs, according to a post by bassist Flea on the band's official Web site.

The band had been working with producer Rick Rubin on the new tracks, and as previously reported, two or three songs were intended for "Greatest Hits," due Nov. 11 from Warner Bros. The album is expected to collect material from the group's Warner Bros. releases, beginning with 1991's "Blood Sugar Sex Magik." It is unknown what will become of the balance of the new recordings.

"We played a wide variety of music arranged into song format that is among the most diverse and dynamic good feeling s*** we have ever done," Flea wrote in the post. "It is the fastest we have ever recorded so much material ... I can't wait for y'all to hear it."

The band is currently touring European festivals and will return to North America with 13 dates beginning Sept. 6 in Washington, D.C., with support from Queens Of The Stone Age and French Toast. The Chili Peppers are out in support of last year's "By the Way," which debuted at No. 2 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 1.7 million copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.


-- Troy Carpenter, N.Y.