Friday, August 12, 2011

Brief News Update for Friday August 12th, 2011

Warrant's Jani Lane found dead. He was just 47.
February 1964 - August 2011
RIP

Jani Lane - Photo by Bryan Weber

It's becoming too commonplace these days, as one after another rock star seems to be in the news lately for all the wrong reasons.
Just yesterday I shared the news with you, that Deep Purple's legendary former keyboard man, Jon Lord announced he was suffering from cancer, late last night it appears former Warrant lead singer Jani Lane was found dead at a Comfort Inn, in Woodland Hills, California.

The man was responsible for writing the bands best known and biggest hit, 'Cherry Pie,' but over the last so many years, he and Warrant had parted ways after Lane's constant battle with over indulgence.
Other singers had stepped in to cover for him, such as Black 'n' Blue's Jaime St. James but most recently, Robert Mason ex-Lynch Mob had recorded the band's latest release in May of this year, ironically titled 'Rockaholic.'

Jani Lane had fronted the band from around 1986 and had recorded six studio albums with the band, co-written 'Heaven,' 'Down Boy's,' 'Sometimes She Cries,' 'I Saw Red' and of course 'Cherry Pie,' among many others.
He left the band originally in 1993, rejoining the band just a year later recording 'Ultraphobic' in '95 and recorded one more original studio album 'Belly to Belly,' then a re-recorded 'Greatest and Latest' of new and older songs redone and then a covers album, badly but aptly titled perhaps, 'Under The Influence' in 2001.

His solo album 'Back Down To One,' was released a couple of years later, but he was already having troubles.
He actually joined Great White briefly in 2010, covering for Jack Russell who'd been suffering from some serious health issues.
Lane was sadly arrested twice for DUI (Drunk Under the Influence) in recent years and has struggled in general to get himself back on track and to get clean.

On a slightly better note perhaps to end this piece, Jani Lane had recorded an episode of VH1's 'That Metal Show,' with Eddie Trunk for the new series starting next week.

The episode featuring Lane was due to broadcast on October 1st, but perhaps as a tribute, that episode may be brought forward.
RIP Jani, let's hope that somewhere, somehow, you have finally found some peace from your demons.
My prayers go out to your family and close friends, who must be going through it badly right now.
47 years old is way too young.

Jani Lane RIP
February 1964 - August 2011




 Michael Sweet Departs Legendary Rock Band BOSTON to Devote Full Attention to His Longstanding Role as Frontman of
Re-emerging Rock Band Stryper



(NASHVILLE, Tennessee) -- Stryper frontman and accomplished solo artist Michael Sweet announced his departure from legendary rock band BOSTON today, in order to devote his full attention to his longstanding role as the lead vocalist and lead guitarist for multi-platinum rock outfit Stryper – a band he co-founded in 1983. Sweet joined BOSTON in 2008, sharing lead vocals and playing guitar on a headlining tour of North America, performing the band's classic hits like "More than a Feeling," “Peace of Mind,” “Amanda” and “Don't Look Back.”
Following the BOSTON tour, Stryper released the 2009 studio album Murder by Pride (featuring a cover of BOSTON’s "Peace of Mind"), which led to a yearlong world tour with all of the original members. In 2010, Stryper released The Covering, and another world tour recently concluded.  
Stryper is currently in the studio working on an untitled release for 2011, with tour dates already announced for this fall.

“My focus and my loyalty lies with Stryper, the band that I've committed almost thirty years of my life to,” says Sweet. “The guys in Stryper are my brothers and I’m excited about our future together. The music of BOSTON helped shape who I am as an artist, and the opportunity to be a part of their musical legacy is overwhelming. It’s been an honor to share the stage with them, and a bigger honor to call them my friends.”
In addition to the increasing demands for Stryper, Sweet has been spending some of his time off the road in Nashville, writing with A-list songwriters such as Blair Daly (Rascal Flatts, Uncle Kracker, Lynyrd Skynyrd), Luke Laird (Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw), Britton Cameron (Steel Magnolia, Lonestar, Eden's Edge) and others.

“I’ve always loved the writing process and to be able to collaborate with some of the greatest writers in Nashville is an absolutely amazing experience for me,” explains Sweet. “I’m looking forward to many more successful trips to Music City.”
Stryper has sold more than 8 million albums worldwide. The group’s unprecedented 1986 album To Hell with the Devil went double-platinum and was named one of the “100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music” by CCM Magazine.
Official Stryper website:


Joe Elliott doing live radio broadcast

Def Leppard's Joe Elliott will be doing a live in-studio interview tomorrow morning (Friday August 12th) with the nationally syndicated Bob & Tom show! Joe will go on live at 9:20am (EST) and you can tune in and stream live from WFBQ/Q95's website click HERE




TESLA ON THE CHARTS AND OFF THE HOOK IN CHICAGO
 Tesla are clearly quite a happy band! This from their site.

Hey TESLA Fans,

Thanks to you 'Twisted Wires' is on the Billboard Top 200 chart!!
This weekends' shows in Chicago and Wisconsin showed such enthusiasm that they rank as some of the best shows yet in the band's hearts. You fans are showing such loyalty and support for TESLA and always have, but it sure is showing recently by the response to "2nd Street" in concert.
Be sure to call up your local radio stations and let them know about TESLA'S new single.


TESLA is planning ahead for November to do a limited run of "TWISTED WIRES" tour dates,
and a video for "2nd Street" should be on it's way too.

Thanks
TESLA

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