This is Gonna Hurt: The Documentariesis a six part series based on the photo book and album by the same name. There are interviews with Nikki Sixx which explain the entire photo/music concept as well. It is interesting that Nikki and SIXX: AM are really making their new projects so multi-dimensional.
The first two parts are on HULU now. Check it out.
(part two is for mature audiences. You've been warned).
Did you know that you front one of my all-time favorite bands? When I saw Poison's video for "Fallen Angel" on MTV when I was, oh, nine or so, that did it - I was a Glam fan for life. And Poison's other videos never disappointed! I still love them all. That's why this letter is hard for me.
I suspect, Bret, you are getting some bad information. Someone (cough, Donald Trump, cough) is telling you to constant grab headlines - and not for being the bad boy rocker we all love. No, it's for just being...I don't know...famous?
Look, I get fame. Man, we live in a world of 24/7 chaos. The hottest thing one day is nothing the next. What captures headlines one day is relegated to the back page the next...if it is even covered at all. And you have to be "all-platform" famous now. It is freaking insane, I know. It is hard to stay on top of Twitter, Facebook, TV and People magazine. Plus, you've got all those reality shows. Kids today know you from your TV stints more than your music. I think that is a little sad.
Free will means, dear Bret, you can do absolutely whatever you want. I pretty much support you fully but the lawsuit against the Tony Awards is a bit much, no? I'm no doctor and I never claimed to be very smart either, but I suspect the fact that you never showed up for dress rehearsal has something to do with the fact that a piece of staging whacked you on the head. Did that hard whack cause your subarachnoid hemorrhage? Well, again, I'm no doctor so I have no clue. But if you hadn't been doing a solo gig and had practiced with the rest of Poison instead, you probably wouldn't have gotten hurt.
Is this summer's jaunt with Motley Crue really Poison's farewell tour? I've heard that rumored a few places. Word on the street is that you are not interested in making new music with Poison. I think that sucks, but again, free will. But I think when push comes to shove, you identify yourself as a musician: not an actor, a celeb-reality star or whatever. And really, wouldn't you want to leave a complete legacy with a final album of new material? After all, 25 years at any one job is amazing - but when you're talking about a rock band, forget about it - you and I both know how hard it is for bands to stay together five years let alone 25.
Here's the big question: does it matter if your name fades from the headlines for a few months while you work on a new Poison record? Would Rolling Stone care about a new Poison record? Probably not but your die hard fans would - and they put you in that mansion before all the TV shows and pitchman deals came along.
This past Saturday, the Stryper tour made a stop at Showcase Live in Foxboro, Mass. I have seen the band a few times before and they have always impressed me, so it was a no-brainer and I made the one and a half hour trek up the show. I had never been to the venue before, but it was large, had excellent lights and sound, was clean and was well run.
MASS was the opening band. I have never heard them before and apparently I am the only one because the place was full of people singing along and going crazy for this band. Apparently, they have been around since the 1980s and are old friends of Michael Sweet. They played a tight set with a lot of energy. They were really good, but just not my style (but again, I was clearly in the minority on that one, and the crowd loved them). MASS did impress me with their cover of Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir." The band nailed the music and the singer sounded perfect, so much so that it actually made the hair on my arm stand up.
Stryper had an early start time, and took the stage at just about 9:00 p.m. I had a spot standing about 10 feet in front of Oz Fox. As I wrote above, they have never let me down live, but far and away, this was the best I had ever heard the band sound. They opened with "Sing Along Song," which I never would have thought was a good opener, but it worked perfectly. From there, they pick and chose songs that ran the length of their career, and really, there was not a bad song played all night. Since they are touring in support of the new album of cover songs, The Covering, they did play a few songs off that album; specifically, "Over the Mountain," "Shout It Out Loud" and "Heaven & Hell." The band played together so well, and Michael's voice is so strong, that you just can not help but get sucked into the energy of the show.
I did have a few thoughts and observations watching the show this time around. Regarding Robert Sweet, I have always heard that he is an amazing drummer, and being a drummer myself, I always watch him play. He has always been solid, but has never quite blown me away. That changed this past Saturday night. Robert played with such power and intensity, and in a way I have never personally seen him play before, that I now understand how he earned that reputation. Another thing I really enjoyed was watching Oz Fox play. Sure the guy is a very talented guitarist and singer, but that is not why he kept drawing my attention. The reason is because, of all the four on stage, he seemed to be the most genuinely excited and happy to be up there playing. You could just get the sense by watching him that he truly loves what he does, appreciates the people that are there to see him, and really cares about delivering a great show every time. In this day and age, when 80s bands just don't put the effort in, it is nice to someone who actually cares as much as he clearly does. That is not meant as a knock at the rest of the band either, as all of them put on a show as well as a performance, it was just that Oz, in particular, stood out to me the most.
Finally, I had an observation about the crowd. Everyone knows Stryper is a band with a message, and whether you are there for a combination of the message and the music, or just the music, you know what to expect when you go see Stryper live, and there should be a certain amount of respect for their beliefs (and those of many others in attendance) when you walk in the door. I am not particularly religious, but I, along with 95% of the audience, was respectful of the views expressed. However, inevitably, at every Stryper show, there is always someone yelling out Satan references and sarcastic hallelujahs, trying to either (1) be funny, or (2) get a rise out of the band. For the most part, a Stryper crowd is older, and really should have matured past this level of juvenile humor. Do they really think they are being original by yelling those things out? Do they really think that in 28 years of performing, Stryper have never heard those "jokes" before? I simply do not understand why someone would pay to see a show, only to try to insult the band and ruin the enjoyment of those around them. In fact, I recently read a review of a Stryper show earlier on the tour where the review said he wore a Danzig shirt (specifically Danzig, because they question religion, and not Slayer because Tom Araya is a Christian), and that he got a dirty look from the band's tour manager. Again, why go to the show wearing specific clothes to try to cause a problem. It is a concert, not a debate, so the band is not going to notice, or quite frankly care, about your shirt. It is a level of immaturity that most leave when they graduate high school, but man, for those 5%....they just can not let it go.
One last note is just an observation of a culture clash from that same night. The club was double booked that night, and immediately following the Stryper show was an all-male tribute to Lady Gaga, called Rad Bromance (yes, that is funny). Well, the Stryper show ran a little long, and several of the Gaga fans showed up during the last few songs of their set. There were guys in full-on drag with half shirts, make-up and teased hair. (The irony of which is that such attire was actually typical of the 80s rock scene when Stryper was having their hey day). I even saw one guy in a Native American headdress. The costumes and effort that they put into their outfits was fantastic, and to see them standing amongst the Stryper fans, mostly in jeans and leather, was great. You have to love it when worlds collide.
Well, kids, it is Monday yet again. As we all start yet another week of school or work or whatever - it is time to ponder a serious question: could Mama Kin of Sweden be any more glam?!
I think being from Sweden has just about everything to do with the band's sound. Sure, the influences are clear (Guns n' Roses much?) but there's also something about modern Swedish bands...the vocal tone just lends itself to Glam. It's like, you could have a Swedish group dream of recording country tunes...but I'm pretty sure it would end up something like "Youth Gone Wild" with a twang or something. Here, check out Mama Kin. Their songs are available now on iTunes.
This is a very cool project: musicians helping the residents of quake and tsunami-ravaged Japan. Bon Jovi is on the album, as is Lady Gaga, Lady Antebellum, John Lennon and Norah Jones meaning just about every major genre of music is represented here. The album is only ten bucks, so buy the record and do some good... and get some good music to boot!
NEW YORK, March 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In what stands as a major global music relief effort to benefit those affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, over 30 of the biggest names in contemporary music have joined together for the worldwide release of "Songs for Japan," an unprecedented compilation of 38 chart-topping hits and classic tracks, available worldwide on the iTunes Store for $9.99 starting today (www.itunes.com/songsforjapan). Proceeds from the album's sale will benefit the disaster relief efforts of the Japanese Red Cross Society.
The "Songs for Japan" track listing features an all-star lineup:
1. John Lennon "Imagine" (Remastered) 2. U2 "Walk On" (Radio Edit) 3. Bob Dylan "Shelter From The Storm" 4. Red Hot Chili Peppers "Around The World" (Live) 5. Lady Gaga "Born This Way" (Starsmith Remix) 6. Beyonce "Irreplaceable" 7. Bruno Mars "Talking To The Moon" (Acoustic Piano Version) 8. Katy Perry "Firework" 9. Rihanna "Only Girl (In The World)" 10. Justin Timberlake "Like I Love You" 11. Madonna "Miles Away" (Live) 12. David Guetta "When Love Takes Over" (feat. Kelly Rowland) 13. Eminem "Love The Way You Lie" (feat. Rihanna) [Clean Version} 14. Bruce Springsteen "Human Touch" 15. Josh Groban "Awake" (Live) 16. Keith Urban "Better Life" 17. Black Eyed Peas "One Tribe" 18. Pink "Sober" 19. Cee Lo Green "It's Ok" 20. Lady Antebellum "I Run To You" 21. Bon Jovi "What Do You Got?" 22. Foo Fighters "My Hero" 23. R.E.M. "Man On The Moon" 24. Nicki Minaj "Save Me" (Clean Version) 25. Sade "By Your Side" 26. Michael Buble "Hold On" (Radio Mix) 27. Justin Bieber "Pray" (Acoustic) 28. Adele "Make You Feel My Love" 29. Enya "If I Could Be Where You Are" 30. Elton John "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" 31. John Mayer "Waiting On The World To Change" 32. Queen "Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)" [Remastered] 33. Kings Of Leon "Use Somebody" 34. Sting "Fragile" (Live In Berlin) 35. Leona Lewis "Better In Time" 36. Ne-Yo "One In A Million" 37. Shakira "Whenever, Wherever" 38. Norah Jones "Sunrise"
Proceeds from "Songs for Japan" will be directed to the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) to support its disaster relief efforts. The society will use the funds for the ongoing provision of immediate relief and for eventual recovery support to the affected population. The artists participating on "Songs for Japan," the music labels and music publishers have waived their royalties and proceeds from the worldwide sales of the album to ensure that the JRCS receives as much support as possible from this global initiative. iTunes will also donate its proceeds from the album's worldwide sales to the benefit of the JRCS, and has prominently featured the project throughout its stores worldwide.
For those interested, details on Vince Neil's annual Skylar Neil Memorial Golf Tournament are below.
SIMI VALLEY, CA - March 21, 2011 - Mötley Crüe front man Vince Neil will host the 15th Annual Skylar Neil Memorial Golf Tournament on Saturday, May 7th at the Pete Dye and Fred Couples designed Lost Canyons Golf Club in Simi Valley, California. All of the proceeds from the event will again benefit Neil’s Skylar Neil Foundation, created in memory of his young daughter Skylar, who succumbed to a long battle with cancer in 1995. Since it’s inception, the Skylar Neil Memorial Golf Tournament has raised well over a million dollars to fund research and treatment for childhood illness and disease. Those efforts have been assisted in large part by the generous contributions of corporate sponsors such as Quality One Wireless, Budweiser, Thrifty Car Rental, Monster Energy, Crocs Shoes, Star Die Molding, Oneota Ranch, Taylor Made, HP Plastics, Callaway Golf, EA Sports and more. Numerous other companies, such as Pin-Up Golf, Hooters, Jägermeister, Playboy, Hustler Hollywood, Déjà Vu, Hawaiian Tropic, Bacardi, La Isla Bikini, and Leblon Mojito have generously provided promotional product, as well as assigned some very attractive company representatives to greet golfers on the golf course throughout the day.
Those who wish to participate in the tournament should visithttp://www.skylarneil.org/golf to download and submit a player registration form. The cost to play is $450 per individual or $1800 per foursome, and there are several levels of sponsorship available, inclusive of foursomes. All individual and team entries are reserved with payment only, on a first come first served basis, as the event sells out very quickly.
Individuals or companies who are interested in sponsoring the tournament, or would like to donate items to participant gift bags, charity auction or raffle, should contact event coordinators Alan Koenig at alan@ask4entertainment.com, or Jon Scott at jonpaulscott@gmail.com.
Yesterday, one of my readers sent me a message, mentioning some "static" about a RATT show this summer.
This doesn't make any sense because 1) RATT are on hiatus and 2) Stephen Pearcy is working on a solo record and playing dates on his own. So what gives?
So, I dunno. I'm going to email a person very-in-the-know and if I find out anything, I'll post an update. I love RATT and I want the band to get along and make music together. Their live shows are always a lot of fun...but I know things have been tense for the guys, so this one leaves me baffled.
Thursday, March 31, 2011 at 12:01AM 
