Aerosmith: Dream Until Your Dreams Come True
Let’s just say meeting Aerosmith was hardly a night in the ruts. The Bad Boys from Boston are a band I can’t live without. And singer Steven Tyler? My absolute favorite.
Review: Buckcherry’s ‘Confessions’ Reveals Layered New Twists on Sinful Hard Rock
By Metal Dave If Buckcherry admits to anything on new album “Confessions,” it may be a degree of infidelity for straying on “All Night Long.” While that 2010 album idled mostly in Neutral, “Confessions” is a return to Buckcherry’s punch and swagger — albeit with added dynamics and vibe. Ambitious without being Radiohead, “Confessions” is…
Rancid Talks ‘Life,’ Tattoos, Madonna & More, Backstage at Warped Tour 1998
From the do-it-yourself haircuts and crazy quilt of tattoos (guitarist Lars Frederiksen has the word “Beer” carved inside his lower lip) to the shout-along working-class anthems and high-energy stage presence, Rancid is punk rock’s genuine article.
Ask CJ Ramone: What’s Your Favorite Album?
With “Reconquista” serving as his latest calling card (following releases under the band names Los Gusanos and Bad Chopper – look ‘em up), CJ Ramone recently caught up with 2Fast2Die to plug his latest album and share his all-time favorite.
TUFF: Bassist Todd Chaisson Talks Makeover, Tour, Brothers, Thrash Metal & Glam Roots
By Metal Dave With seven kids under one roof, there’s bound to be some commotion. When three of them decide to become professional bassists in hard-rock bands like Keel, Badlands and TUFF, it’s probably safe to assume the cops knew their way to the Chaisson home. “My parents were amazing people!” said TUFF bassist Todd…
Ignitor Rekindles Classic Old-School Metal
By Metal Dave While most tribute albums are obvious contractual jailbreaks, Ignitor’s “Mix Tape ‘85” comes off like a license to kill. Why be Poison when you can be Venom? Looking past overbaked heroes like Van Halen, KISS and AC/DC, Ignitor mines the darker corners of the heavy metal underground and breathes new fire into…
‘Sacrifice’ Lives Up to Saxon’s Power & Glory
By Metal Dave Refusing to follow their British metal peers down the path of “creative” bloat, Saxon returns lean and fierce on upcoming album, “Sacrifice.” A jolting thrill ride of anthemic thrash and crunching, mid-tempo swagger, “Sacrifice” continues Saxon’s celebrated themes of rocking hard, riding free, working-class pride and warrior souls. Even better, it’s all…
Hey, Ho! Uh-Oh! I Pissed Off Joey Ramone
Joey Ramone is on the phone and, man, is he ever pissed – at me! He mumbled something about coming down to Texas to kick my ass. Then he hung up.
Rudy Sarzo’s ‘Off the Rails’ Chugs Along, Offers Unique Insight Into Life With Rhoads
By Metal Dave Written as a heartfelt tribute to his dear friend Randy Rhoads rather than a dirt-dishing tell-all of Ozzy Osbourne excess, Rudy Sarzo’s “Off the Rails,” takes a while to build up steam. Fortunately, Rhoads was such a charismatic soul that any insight at all is still treasured like magical dust. Tedious at…
Un-ACCEPT-able: When Autographs Go Wrong
By Metal Dave I’ve been told my avalanche of rock-n-roll memorabilia could land me on an episode of “Hoarders.” While that’s probably an overstatement (maybe?) from an audience of more-casual music listeners, I’m certainly guilty of clinging to KISS posters I’ve owned for 35 years (and, no, they’re not stored in a box in the…
The Mistakes: Erased Before Making A Mark, Glam-Punks Deliver New CD & Colorful Past
By Metal Dave I first heard about The Mistakes while interviewing Poison singer Bret Michaels in 1999. Always quick with tons of fun stories, Bret was making the point that, despite Poison’s frilly image and blockbuster power ballads, the band still attracted its share of hard-ass freaks. “There’s a band out in L.A. called The…
Motorhead: Getting ‘Hammered’ with Lemmy … And Sparing No F-bombs Along the Way!
Looking for some candy-ass rock star interview? Then run from the room screaming! Looking instead for some unscripted, brutally honest, always hilarious and fully intelligent insight from rock’s most enduring warhorse? Then stir up some Jack and Coke, and enjoy my 2002 Houston Press interview with Motorhead main man Lemmy Kilmister.