Christmas Countdown: Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Happy Christmas eve! If you're looking for some rocking holiday music, you can't go wrong with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Here's an awesome video of a full TSO concert from 2014. I've never seen them live, but I'm sure it's an amazing experience.

Christmas Countdown: 'Run Rudolph Run'

It sure doesn't feel like Christmas to me, but the holiday is almost here. Maybe we need Lemmy to brighten our sprits? Here's his version of "Run Rudolph Run." From the album We Wish You A Metal Xmas And A Headbanging New Year.

Nikki Sixx Is Right About Social Media

Social media is a huge time waster. The rise of social media has helped a lot of things like marketing and recruiting and newsgathering. On the flip side, if it wasn't for social media, cyber bullying probably wouldn't exist. Then there's the rise of fake news... and the fact that adults all seem to have ADHD now because no one can focus on any one thing for more than two minutes at a time thanks to constant stream updates.

So all that said, I completely agree with why Nikki Sixx deleted his social media accounts. Basically he said he was spending too much time on his phone and not enough time on creative endeavors. It's interesting, because social media is amazing for music marketing and SIXX certainly had a massive footprint (over 700K Twitter followers alone), so I believe this was a calculated risk. He knows his core fans will be there for him regardless of a Twitter account or not. New musicians don't have this luxury. Balance in all things I suppose. 

NIKKI SIXX Explains Decision To Quit Twitter, Facebook https://t.co/pCgx8W08bc pic.twitter.com/X8TqfSkUIb

— BLABBERMOUTH.NET (@BLABBERMOUTHNET) December 21, 2016

Feel Like Intercourse With A Ukulele

Today's post is from our friend HIM. 

The gigantic hits don’t suffer fools lightly. You try messing with an established song, you reap the whirlwind.

Sometimes, though, a band hits on a gentle glide path that fits the song. Take, for instance, Pantera. They did right by Sabbath with this tasty slab of dedication:

It helps that this fits their groove, and came before “white wine” fiascos and tragic deaths. Other bands stumble along the path, spitting up tangled messes of purported celebration. I mean, is it really a good thing for established (and glossy) metal bands to try and muster some punk Megadeth tried:

So did Motley Crue:

Neither version offers a sneer worthy of the original. If anything, they sound as calculated as Malcolm McLaren andVivienne Westwood’s attempts to create punk so as to craft an easy road to commerce. At least Megadeth comes out a bit better. There are no SoCal shades in their version.

Then there are the outliers that somehow make sense. I give the right of way to founders who want to do whatever they want. It is their song. They own it. So do your best. Plant leads the pack in this category. He doesn’t give a grizzled damn what others think:

And that is when he wasn’t so grizzled. He actually just snuck something in. And people lost their minds! But others are a bit closer to the Ur Stone. Simon Kirke has done enough heavy hitting that he makes Chris Brown look like even more of a coward. And, still, he wants you to make love Hawaiian style:

Granted, this is more Sammy Hagar than Bad Company. If anything, it is good company. It is an easy blast of calm. But it works. And, even if it didn’t, you cannot claim right of way. Kirke slammed those skins. Now he plucks (pun potential). You pick which version you want. But you might want both. Variety is, after all, the spice of life.

Just In Time For Christmas: Bret Michaels Edition

Just in time for Christmas, Bret Michaels has released an emoji and "game changing" lyric keyboard. I'm imagining you all downloading this as soon as it hits the Google Play or Apple stores. The package will be available in the app stores tomorrow. How did we go on before this invention?

Rock Legend Bret Michaels To Launch Game Changing #Emoji & Lyric Keyboard – Team Bret https://t.co/Pi1raoGLOM pic.twitter.com/WIDvgj6dXn

— Bret Michaels (@bretmichaels) December 19, 2016

Metallica Raises Money For Food Bank

A few days ago, Metallica played a very intimate gig at the Fonda Theater in Hollywood. The show was a benefit for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, which sounds like an amazing cause to support.

Metallica fan club members got first chance at tickets through a lottery and then the tickets were open to a general sale at $100 a head. The fan club tickets were just $25. All the proceeds went to the food bank.

The venue is small and there were not a lot of people allowed in, so I can only imagine how hard it was to score a ticket for this, but what an amazing experience. Once in a lifetime, for sure.

METALLICA at The Fonda Theater ….. Hardwired…for the Holidays! 12/15/2016 https://t.co/J3jKYIrWnB pic.twitter.com/2JVFvBtZ1t

— Heavy Metal Hill (@HeavyMetalHill) December 16, 2016

Happy Christmas From Rob Zombie

Rob Zombie does a killer live show. I can't say I'm a huge fan in that I just play his songs over and over at my desk or anything like that, but I've always been entertained when I've seen him live.

Now, Rob is out with a Christmas video and stocking unpacking for PETA. Rob has been a vegetarian for 30 years. I've been one for nearly that long. Honestly it isn't a big deal. I eat what I want, and everyone else around me does their thing. So if you have a vegetarian or vegan friend, you might consider this PETA stocking as a gift this holiday. It includes a mug that says "Flesh is for Zombies." How metal is that?!