Saturday, December 31, 2011

Brief News Update for Saturday December 31st, 2011

Update on the McAuley Schenker reunion tour

 


This is one tour not to be missed, that is in the US at least ..., read on.

Yeah, I know I've already said as much, but I can't say it enough, Michael Schenker (Scorpions, UFO, Contraband), one of the greatest guitarists in the world - My fav! :) - has reunited with vocalist Robin McAuley, who for the last five years has been touring with Survivor, in a line up that produced no new music, simply the promise thereof ..., a number of good live shows.
This update regarding the forthcoming tours, not just the US, but in Japan and Europe too has just been posted on Michael Schenker's website:

Michael Schenker will be touring “Temple Of Rock” with different line ups all around the world.

He will feature each of the three singers from the brand new “Temple Of Rock” album: Michael Voss, Robin McAuley and Doogie White.
The “Temple Of Rock World Tour” will start in the United States in February / March 2012 featuring Robin McAuley - Vocals, Elliott “Dean” Rubinson - Bass, Wayne Findlay - Keyboards and Guitar, and Pete Holmes - Drums.

Then at the end of March, Michael will be in Japan with Michael Voss - Vocals, Herman Rarebell - Drums, Elliott “Dean” Rubinson - Bass, and Wayne Findlay - Keyboards & Guitar.

In April/May the “Temple Of Rock” line up will tour Europe featuring Doogie White - Vocals, Herman Rarebell - Drums, Francis Buchholz - Bass and Wayne Findlay - Keyboards & Guitar. Michael is planning to eventually take each line up to all continents. Don’t miss the new album “Temple Of Rock.”
Perhaps the European dates with three former Scorpions, will provide a number of Scorpions songs in the bands set list?! 

So there you have it, I for one feel very fortunate now living in the US, as when Robin was with M.S.G. the first time around, I never got to see that line up, but I really feel for European and Japanese fans.
I really don't know what to make of this and frankly I'm sure all it serves to do, is confuse fans even more.
Don't get me wrong I think both Doogie White and Michael Voss are good in their own right, but what is the purpose behind having a different vocalist behind each set of tour dates ...?
For more info on Michael Schenkers activities, go to:



H.E.A.T - BRAND NEW SOUND CLIP - NEW ALBUM OUT 2012



The first sign from H.E.A.T is here, so says producer Tobias Lindell, who's been working on the bands current album recording.
A very very short sound clip is up and running for you at the link down below. I think you can hear what´s coming!
This album will kick some ass in 2012.


Direct link:
http://soundcloud.com/tobias_lindell/heat-2012
Swedish rockers H.E.A.T. were formed in early 2007, they released their debut self titled album in 2008 and then their second 'Freedom Rock' in 2010.
They've already caused quite a stir among the rock scene in a very short space of time, with their own brand of hard rock.
The band's line up is:
Erik Grönwall: Vocals
Dave Dalone: Guitars
Eric Rivers: Guitars
Jona Tee: Keyboards
Jimmy Jay: Bass
Crash: Drums
2012 brings a new album from the band, as yet untitled and hopefully for the many fans, new live dates!
Keep up with H.E.A.T. at:
http://www.heatsweden.com
http://www.facebook.com/#!/heatsweden



LIBERTY N JUSTICE: HELL’S COMING …         

Liberty N Justice - Hell is coming to Breakfast (CD Only)


Roxx Productions along with Liberty ‘n’ Justice are very pleased to announce for LNJ’s 20th Anniversary (1992-2012) the release of their 11th studio album ‘Hell is coming to Breakfast’. This marks the bands second release on Roxx Records after a successful partnership on the Limited Edition charity CD entitled ‘Chasing a Cure LP’ that the two teamed up on earlier in 2011. ‘Hell is coming to Breakfast' is set for release on March 1, 2012 with pre-sales beginning now.

Justin Murr of Liberty ‘n’ Justice has this to say about the release… “We recorded so many songs for our yet to be released 2 CD project entitled ‘The Cigar Chronicles’ and with the delay on this release not happening until late in 2012 or early 2013 we didn’t want the fans to have to wait that long to get some new LNJ in their hands. So when Bill (Roxx) and Roxx Records approached me and asked if we had anything else up our sleeves we could release, we realized we had to many songs that were not all going to fit on ‘Cigar’ so we took the 6 songs that we couldn’t fit and then recorded another brand new song which is the title track ‘Hell is coming to breakfast’ especially for this release and added 5 more previously unreleased rare cuts and demos just for this one, I am really excited for our fans to hear this collection”
Bill from Roxx Records had this to say about the new release “We are very excited to be working with Justin and Liberty ‘n’ Justice once again, especially in the bands twentieth year! Justin and all the wonderful artists he works with continue to release nothing but top notch material and after twenty years it is just amazing how they keep coming up with so many great Melodic Rock songs again and again and again”
In addition to the 7 brand new tracks and various demos and rarities we are very excited to be able to include on this release and on CD for the very first time ever the original acoustic demo version of ‘Sin’ featuring the late great Jani Lane of Warrant out front on vocals.

Full Track Listing …
1. "Hell Is Coming To Breakfast" Seann Nichols (Adler’s Appetite / Tarsha), JK Northrup (King Kobra/ XYZ)
2. "Madhatter" Donnie Vie (Enuff Z' Nuff), JK Northrup (King Kobra/ XYZ), Chris Dickens (Mission Of One) and Tommy Denander
3. "Whack A Mole" Johnny Lima, JK Northrup (King Kobra/ XYZ), Jerry Johnson (SAINT) and Richard Lynch (SAINT)
4."Thankful Heart" Philip Bardowell (MAGDALEN/Unruly Child), Lynn Louise Lowrey (Vixen/Testify)  and Anthony Gravley
5. "Nakatomi Plaza" JK Northrup (King Kobra/ XYZ), Greg Bishop (X-Sinner) and Scott Weisenborn (Testify)
6. "Stretch Armstrong" Louis St August (Mass), JK Northrup (King Kobra/ XYZ) and Keri Kelli (Alice Cooper)
. "Get Down" Tony Mills (TNT/ Shy), Mark Allen Lanoue (Chasing Karma/ Bilioxi), and Anthony Gravley
8. "Your Memory Just Won't Do" [Previously unreleased on CD] David Cagle, Alex Grossi (Quiet Riot) and CJ Snare (Firehouse)
9. "Thy will be done" [Demo] Jamie Rowe (Guardian)
10.”What do you believe?" [Original demo of ‘Do what you believe’] Mike Ledesma (FAR CRY), Vic Rivera (Crunch)
11. "Monkey Dance" [Alternate Mix] Jack Russell (Great White)
12. "Sin" [Original Acoustic Demo] Jani Lane (Warrant)

This is a Limited Edition CD Release for full details including pre-sale information and special packages please visit:

About Roxx Productions:

ROXX RECORDS is an indie label specializing in Limited Edition Releases focusing specifically in the Christian Rock and Metal scene. Working with both Brand New Artists and some of the Artists that have helped and continue to help define the genre!


Music documentary on the cards for local Windsor, Ontario band scene

OK, so this one is close to home, but it's certainly interesting stuff about the local music scene in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, right across the Detroit river.
The whole thing is the brainchild of one Jeffrey David, local musician, radio host, perhaps better known as 'Big JD,' the man behind weekly radio show here, "U Talkin' 2 Me" on CJAM 99.1 FM, Windsor / Detroit radio station.
He shared with me a little info on the whole project as follows ...

'Well, I'm currently writing/directing a new music documentary. It's about music being a universal language and it's based on local Windsor bands. We will shoot the actual "gig" - to launch the documentary - January 14th at FM Lounge in Windsor. 
My film company is OMS Entertainment and along with Evil Punkin Productions we are working on this film. We will soon have a page up too for submissions of video and music for the film. Again, it's all Windsor, Ontario based but it's a big deal over here.
It's to be called "4 On The Floor."

Editor's note: There's something special about the whole event, that I better not reveal anymore on, that JD also shared ...

JD went on to say, "Then we will have interviews all about music here in Windsor through the years. Once the submission form is posted online is when I personally feel it's official, but it is official, LOL. We have a production team, the band, the venue, a Twitter page and a Facebook page ...
The submission form is just the final piece to have it put out there.
We have someone we are assigning to man the Twitter and FB pages, lined up ..."

Facebook page - With just the wall active right now:
Follow on Twitter: @4onthefloorfilm
JD's Facebook:
Good luck with it all JD!



And finally .....


So folks, I thought this was kind of cool and as the year wraps up, I wanted to share a related bit of information with you that I feel quite pleased about, but it's not happened yet but hopefully will soon.

Big JD is due to interview yours truly, in due course - i.e. In the coming months. - for his weekly show "U Talkin' 2 Me" - http://www.facebook.com/utalkin2mewithbigjd?ref=nf&sk=wall#!/utalkin2mewithbigjd - I feel kind of honoured to have been asked to do this to be honest, as it's a show that has previously featured interviews with Thin Lizzy's Scott Gorham and Canadian rockers Anvil, to name a couple of artists.
More details on the confirmed date of this event to follow. :)

Well, this will be my last posting ... - Probably ... - for 2011 and I sincerely apologize to so many people, that have sent me promo materials for review that I have not got to post yet ... Heck, half of them I never even got to listen to! Best laid plans etc. With so much personal stuff going on in my life and the last quarter of the year, with family back home in the UK, changing my day job and keeping up with family life, as anyone knows, the latter two are enough stress for any sane person, which perhaps that last point is a tough claim to make! LOL!

I would just like to take the opportunity though to wish each and every one of you a truly Happy or Happier and certainly more prosperous New Year in 2012.
I know the US economy has had a rough time but this past year has certainly shown elements of improvements and I do know that the rest of the world has certainly had more than it's fair share of troubles and tragedies with the various disasters that occurred.

A massive thank you all, once again for all that you have done in sticking with me at 'Chambers of Rock.' I sincerely hope the site moves on to better things and that I can keep you all, relatively entertained in 2012!
So as we say a big old goodbye to 2011, I wish you all a Very, VERY Happy New Year for 2012!
Cheers,
Al and the Williams clan at the Chambers of Rock abode!

  
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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Brief News Update for Wednesday December 28th, 2011


Rik Emmett jams on Rush track 'Red Barchetta'


Track artwork


For the first time Rik Emmett of the classic Canadian rock power trio TRIUMPH sang and played guitar in a unique “virtual collaboration” with a member of another legendary Canadian rock power trio, Rush. Rik performed as a guest artist with fantasy rock band “Sonic Elements” on a cover of the song ‘Red Barchetta’ which features drums performed by legendary Rush drummer Neil Peart via a music software sample library called “Neil Peart Drums” by Sonic Reality.

Dave Kerzner, CEO and founder of Sonic Reality, put together a unique music project called “Sonic Elements” where various singers and musicians of progressive rock perform and record along with sampled musical elements from the music software Sonic Reality creates for musicians.
“At Sonic Reality we record (aka “sample”) the sounds of musical instruments and drum grooves so that musicians can use these deluxe sound elements in their own music on the computer or mobile devices.” says Kerzner “I created the Sonic Elements music project to not only show what these inspiring Sonic Reality sounds are like in musical context but to also explore giving songs an alternate reality with different fantasy combinations of musicians and authentic sounds.”
A premium example of such a fantasy rock scenario is ‘Red Barchetta’ featuring Rik Emmett which is another take on the classic Rush song with new life brought to it by Rik’s passionate performance and interpretation.

Listen to an audio clip preview of ‘Red Barchetta’ featuring Rik Emmett:

Here’s what Rik Emmett had to say about the project:
“It was such a great day in the studio, jamming out to Neil’s incredible tracks, getting to play virtual ‘basement band’ and laying down my versions of Geddy and Alex parts. I felt like I had been transported back to 1980 for an afternoon. ‘Red Barchetta’ is one of my absolute fave RUSH songs… like an exciting, Ray Bradbury-esque SF short story, told by a progressive rock band… so to get a crack at it, with the actual drum takes that Neil performed, was an ‘artistic’ challenge – almost like accepting a dare.” Says Emmett “This is like “Rock Band” for the seriously, deeply committed.”





The full release of the song ‘Red Barchetta’ by Sonic Elements featuring Rik Emmett is coming in Q1, 2012 and is part of a larger collection of songs with Sonic Elements and other guest artists performing with Neil Peart Drums by Sonic Reality.

Follow progress on the Sonic Elements project:

—–

About the Sonic Elements project and Neil Peart Drums:
Dave Kerzner of the music software company Sonic Reality has headed up a unique “virtual fantasy rock band” called “Sonic Elements” combining the sounds and performances captured in Sonic Reality music software and sound library products such as Neil Peart Drums with performances of guest musicians like Rik Emmett on classic covers like ‘Red Barchetta’ by Rush. Collaborating through the use of the sample library “Neil Peart Drums” which was performed by legendary Rush drummer Neil Peart and recorded by top producer Nick Raskulinecz is something that any musician who owns the product can do. Neil’s digitally recreated DW® Snakes and Arrows drum kit in software or soon to be released audio grooves to play along to or loops can be used in any recording software on the Mac, PC or iPad™. To celebrate that concept Sonic Elements have been working up an entire Rush tribute album as well as original songs all built around Neil Peart Drums with various guest guitarists, bass players and vocalists including Rik Emmett (Triumph), Billy Sherwood (Yes, Circa), John Wesley (Porcupine Tree, Marillion) and many other classic and progressive rock musicians.

© Sonic Reality 2011. All Rights Reserved. All trademarks are property of their respective owners.




Marco Mendoza returns home from Europe for hometown gig



After a successful series of European solo dates in Denmark, Austria, Italy and Germany, bassist / vocalist Marco Mendoza returns back to L.A. for a low key gig at his favourite club, The Baked Potato.

This Friday night, December 30th, 2011, Marco will be joined by Jeff Kollman (Guitars) and Joel Tayloer on drums, to kick out some rockin' R 'n' B and jazz jams!
Entrance is $20.00

Baked potato

For more details:
The Baked Potato
3787 Cahuenga Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604
Phone: 818-980-1615

Good luck Marco, so ..., what's new in 2012 I wonder?
Perhap we'll get to see / hear that album with Neal Schon and Deen Castronova ..., I wish!

Keep up with Marco at:



QUEENSRYCHE FRONT MAN GEOFF TATE “AND FRIENDS” TO PERFORM SELECT, ALL-ACOUSTIC DATES ON THE WEST COAST BEGINNING IN JANUARY

Geoff Tate Photo by: Valerie Nerres

After touring extensively in 2011 with his band, Queensryche, lead singer Geoff Tate has announced that he will be doing a handful of acoustic solo dates billed as “Geoff Tate and Friends” beginning on Friday, January 27 at The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, California.

What can fans expect on the brief run of dates?
According to Tate, he’ll be “playing acoustic renditions of songs from my solo album as well as some of my favorite Queensryche songs.” And that certainly gives him a lot to choose from…
Not one to remain idle, Tate is anxious to hit the road again next year despite an incredibly busy 2011 that found the band performing over 75 dates along their 30th Anniversary tour primarily in support of their 12th studio album, Dedicated to Chaos (Roadrunner Records/Loud & Proud), that was released in the summer.
Towards the end of the tour, Geoff and the band pulled out “all the stops” by performing Rage for Order in its entirety for the first time ever (New York City on Halloween) and Operation: Mindcrime from beginning to end on this year’s ShipRocked Cruise (with In This Moment’s Maria Brink handling vocal chores as “Sister Mary”) for the first time in three years.
Both shows were a pure treat for fans!


“Mindcrime” (1988) is universally respected as a classic concept release about rock, revenge and redemption and, ultimately, regarded as one of the most important and essential hard rock records in the genre’s expansive canon. 1990′s follow-up, Empire, yielded a number one single, the Grammy-nominated ballad “Silent Lucidity,” which Queensryche performed at the 1992 Grammy Awards accompanied by a supporting orchestra.
In 2006, the band released Operation: Mindcrime II, a scorching sequel to their original. The band then hit the road performing both albums Operation: Mindcrime and Operation: Mindcrime II back-to-back in their entirety in an incredible theatrical presentation throughout the year. The final performance was recorded at The Moore Theatre in Seattle that October and the Mindcrime at the Moore double CD/DVD release debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Music DVD Chart and eventually reached gold status.
It’s hard to believe it’s been 30 years and more than 20 million albums sold worldwide later…
For 2012, Queensryche has plenty up its sleeve…
Geoff’s acoustic performances are just the beginning of what promises to be another exciting year.
For more information, please view the official Queensryche website at www.queensryche.com

Happy Holidays!

Those live dates are:

Jan-26 Thu San Diego, CA        Anthology
Jan-27 Fri Agoura Hills         Canyon
Jan-29 Sun San Juan Cap         Coach House
Jan-31 Tue Grass Valley, CA     Center for the Arts
Feb-01 Wed Chico, CA            El Rey
Feb-02 Thu Napa, CA             Uptown
Feb-04 Sat Snqoualmie, WA       Finapalooza

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Monday, December 26, 2011

Quick Update for Monday December 26th, 2011

Van Halen Tour 2012 Officially announced!



A very brief update only folks ...

A quick check - Actually - on Facebook revealed this Van Halen news to me!

Yes, folks, here we go, official statement from Van Halen's official website, the 2012 tour is ON and the first tickets go onslae January 10th, 2012!
The EPK captured at You Tube reveals as much:


The down side as of right now, is neither the Van Halen Newsdesk - At this time 5.50am (EST) Monday morning 26th December - or the official Van Halen site, show the dates or cities that the band will play in right now ...

I even tried Pollstar, and the Van Halen search at this time, also revealed nothing:

Anymore updates, I'll of course let you know!
One though, this has been posted throught the www.VHND.com site ... If this is the album cover below though, cheesy or what?!

Van Halen - The Future
Official weblinks:




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