KISS, Mötley Crüe, Announce $250,000 Donation to National Chamber Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes Program

BRISTOW, VA—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced that rock bands KISS and Mötley Crüe are donating $250,000 to the National Chamber Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes program. The band members from KISS and Mötley Crüe presented a check to Hiring Our Heroes at the kickoff of THE TOUR of 2012 in Bristow, VA.

“We are grateful and excited about the generous gift from KISS, and Mötley Crüe,” said Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Schmiegel (Ret.), executive director of the U.S. Chamber’s Hiring Our Heroes program. “This donation will allow us to hold hiring fairs around the country, as well as refine them to offer transition assistance workshops, ultimately helping us make even a greater difference on the critical issue of veteran and military spouse unemployment.”

The relationship with Hiring Our Heroes began when KISS and Mötley Crüe pledged to hire a veteran as a roadie as part of the National Chamber Foundation and Capital One’s “Hiring 500,000 Heroes” campaign. Army veteran and longtime KISS fan Paul Jordan was selected after a review of 1,900 applications received by Hiring Our Heroes.  Jordan, who is from Buford, Georgia, served three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. The goal of the initiative is to engage the business community in committing to hire half a million veterans and military spouses by the end of 2014. 

In March 2011, the Chamber, in conjunction with the National Chamber Foundation, launched its Hiring Our Heroes program, a nationwide effort to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment. The Chamber started the program to improve public-private sector coordination in local communities, where veterans and their families are returning every day. To date, Hiring Our Heroes has hosted more than 220 hiring fairs in 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, helping more than 10,400 veterans and military spouses find employment.

Asking Alexandria Release Video for 'Breathless'

A few months ago, I asked Asking Alexandria guitarist Ben Bruce if his band was planning on releasing a video for "Breathless," one of my favorite tracks off the album Reckless & Relentless. He said yes... and now the payoff is below. The clip was filmed at a show on Halloween night 2011.

Korn Added to ShipRocked

Multiplatinum rock band Korn has joined the lineup as co-headliner--with Godsmack--for the fourth annual ShipRocked, the ultimate rock music cruise vacation which sails November 27 - December 1. Other lineup additions for ShipRocked 2012--Fueled by Monster Energy--include Pop Evil, Helmet, The Halo Method (featuring Ben Moody, ex-Evanescence/We Are The Fallen; Dave Buckner, ex-Papa Roach; and Lukas Rossi, winner of Rockstar Supernova), Dead Sara, Write This Down and Andy Wood & The Amalgam.

“I did a cruise last year DJing as J Devil, and it was a fucking blast--such a great time,” says Jonathan Davis of Korn. “We’re really looking forward to doing it this year as Korn with Monster Energy and all these great musicians. This is going to be an unbelievable event.”

The current ShipRocked 2012 lineup is as follows: co-headliners Godsmack and Korn, along with Five Finger Death Punch, P.O.D., Sevendust, Filter, Fuel, Black Stone Cherry, Pop Evil, Lit, Helmet, In This Moment, Geoff Tate, The Halo Method, Gilby Clarke, Dead Sara, Write This Down, and Andy Wood & The Amalgam.

ShipRocked embarks from and returns to Fort Lauderdale, FL, providing guests with four days and nights of music and parties, along with a little relaxation, onboard the MSC Poesia. Ports of call are Key West, FL and Nassau, Bahamas (subject to change).

For full details and to purchase tickets, go to www.GetShipRocked.com.

There's a Big ShipRocked Announcement Today

Another ShipRocked headliner will be announced today. It's a big band, too. After the announcement is made public, I'll post here and we'll discuss.(Psst. The photo at the left is a clue to the band announcement).

Remember, ShipRocked already features a slew of bands, including Helmet and The Halo Method, Godsmack, Five Finger Death Punch, P.O.D., Pop Evil, Sevendust, Filter, Fuel, Black Stone Cherry, Lit, In This Moment, Geoff Tate, Gilby Clarke, Dead Sara, Write This Down, and Andy Wood and Amalgam.

ShipRocked sails November 27 - December 1 out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cabins are available for booking now.

What 'Appetite for Destruction' Means to Me

Twenty-five years ago, Appetite For Destruction was released. Of course I have to write something about that. Something like ”It’s the best album ever made.” But where do I start? I have no clue. Why is it the world’s greatest album, according to me? No idea either.

But then I realized: Appetite is the reason why I listen to rock at all! I know that for some people, the release of Appetite For Destruction marks the beginning of the end for Glam. But apparently that’s not the whole truth. Without Guns N’ Roses there wouldn’t be any Mötley Crüe, Skid Row or Van Halen in my life. No Aerosmith, no Kiss, no nothing. So to answer my own question – Appetite For Destruction is the best album ever made simply because it opened the door to every other great album ever made. At least for me, and I will always be grateful.

And then there is of course the inevitable fact that the album is truly amazing. I could go on and on about that too. How Slash tells the story of how the songs ”Almost wrote themselves.” How producer Mike Clink, the brilliant mind, let Guns N’ Roses be Guns N’ Roses in the studio and nobody else. How the record went on the be one of the most successful and best-selling debut albums of all time. But you probably know that already. And you also know the result. Flawless, if you ask me.

So instead of going on and on about just how great I think the record is, I’ll try to sum it up real quick: If I could listen to only one album for the rest of my life, it would probably be Appetite. And if I could choose only one concert that I would get to see, it would be Guns N’ Roses live at The Ritz in New York, February 1988, performing almost the entire album.

It kills me to know that I will never be able to see the original lineup. The Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame spectacle proved that pretty clear. But maybe that’s the reason why this anniversary really calls for a celebration? When today the drama never seems to end (banning t-shirts, come on!) it’s nice to remember what Guns N’ Roses once were and sounded like. And even though I wasn’t born until two years after its release, that debut album changed my life. And 25 years later, I still can’t get enough of it.

Happy 25th Birthday 'Appetite for Destruction'

Guns n' Roses released Appetite for Destruction 25 years ago today. While our very own Kim has requested to write a special piece on the anniversary of the album, I thought it would only be appropriate for me to wish a happy 25th birthday to the best debut album of all time as well. In honor of those 25 great rocking years, here's Guns n' Roses playing "Welcome to the Jungle" back in 1988 at the Ritz in New York City.

Glammest Video of All Time?

Back in the 80s, comedian Sam Kinison recorded a cover of "Wild Thing" included on the album Have You Seen Me Lately? The song isn't spectacular, but the video is over the top. In fact, it might be the single Glammest video of all time. The clip features members of Aerosmith, Motley Crue, Poison, Bon Jovi, RATT, Guns n' Roses, Billy Idol and I don't even know who else. The filming of this clip had to be a party. I'm sure it wasn't "work" if you know what I mean.

You tell me. Is this the Glammest video of all time?