Skid Row's New Track 'Time Bomb' Is Catchy

I have to give Skid Row credit: their new music is solid. It doesn't sound like the old days exactly, but it is good for sure. "Time Bomb" is the latest Skid Row single from the upcoming album The Gang's All Here, due October 14. An official video for "Time Bomb" is coming next week.

I like the chorus - it is snappy. A good foot-tapper.

I Find This 'Drum Playthrough' Mesmerizing

I am not a drummer. I do not know how to read drum music and I can't hold the sticks properly. I wanted to play drums when I first started band in fifth grade and my mom said no - I had to play the clarinet. I played that thing until I graduated high school, so years and years. Hated it. All that said, I always appreciated cool drum parts in all sorts of music - but especially metal.

I don't think I've ever watched a "drum playthrough" video on YouTube before today, but Conquer Divide just put one out for "Atonement" so I stopped and watched. "Atonement" is one of my favorite running songs, period. Watching the drum work here is fascinating to me. Samantha Landa is the drummer - I especially love the breakdown part of the track!

'Wings of Steel' Has A True 80s Sound

"Wings of Steel" - the debut video from the band of the same name - is a classic throwback track if I ever heard one. Actually, it is crazy to me that Wings of Steel is a new band. The group formed in 2019 in Los Angeles and released an EP with five songs. One of those tracks is "Wings of Steel" which just became the band's first video, too.

A full-length debut album is also coming soon. The band is making their Whisky A Go-Go debut in a couple days. Check them out!

Steel Panther Announce New Bass Player, Holiday Tour

In what felt like forever, Steel Panther has finally announced a new bass player to fill the spot vacated by Lexxi Foxx.

The new player is a guy named Sypder. He first performed with the band in 2018. A full announcement from the band's website is below:

"THE WAIT IS OVER!!!STEEL PANTHER CROWN EIGHT FINGERED (AND DOUBLE THUMBED) FREAKAZOID SPYDER AS THEIR NEW FULL-TIME BASSIST

Just as England recently announced a new King, California rock legends Steel Panther have crowned Spyder as the new R.O.L.E…Ruler Of Low End.

The story of Spyder and Steel Panther is like one pulled from any great American love story. If you have seen The Notebook or Jaws, then you know exactly what we mean. Spyder and the guys have known each other for decades. But it was in 2018 that Spyder did his first live show with the band. Little did they know that those shows would be a foreshadowing of what destiny had in store for their collective futures. In 2021, the band found themselves in a pickle, they needed a bass player. An exhaustive search brought many submissions and fans were treated to a variety of bassists on different tours. The band had even considered a few well-known bassists to fill the void. Throughout the five-week European tour in summer of 2022, it became quite evident to all four guys that this lineup was unstoppable. A few more months of touring together perfected the new lineup and now anyone that has seen the band recently knows that Spyder is the perfect addition for Steel Panther. In other words, Spyder is the chocolate to Steel Panther’s peanut butter.

“We wanted it to be you. We wanted it to be you so badly. So, it’s not gonna be easy. It’s gonna be really hard. We’re gonna have to work at this every day, but we want to do that because we want you. We want all of you, forever, you and us, every day. To us, you are perfect. You had us at hello. You complete us. We’re gonna need a bigger boat,” explains Steel Panther.

To coincide with the new bassist announcement, the newly whole Steel Panther are announcing a new US tour, Claus & Paws Holiday Party. The eight-city tour will kick off In late November after the band wraps up their recently announced Canadian leg of the Res-Erections tour 2022. The holiday shows will be sure to bring out the ho-ho-hoes to Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, New York and Connecticut."

TITS THE SEASON!! Excited to announce "A Claus & Paws Holiday Party" comin' your way this November/December!!! @FanthersCOM pre-sale kicks off TOMORROW, tickets on sale FRIDAY!! Christmas comes butt once a year...let's make this year one to remember. pic.twitter.com/82CaJIxhPT

— Steel Panther (@Steel_Panther) September 20, 2022

Stephen King Is Apparently A Glam Fan

The master of all horror - and just brilliant writer - Stephen King is apparently a Glam fan. It's well known he loves rock n' roll. Out of the blue earlier today he tweeted about the need for Quiet Riot. You know, it probably is time for Quiet Riot!

I love random things like this.

Time for some Quiet Riot. "Cum On Feel the Noize." Gotta play it loud.

— Stephen King (@StephenKing) September 19, 2022

SCORPS! https://t.co/ujuN8yDbwG

— Stephen King (@StephenKing) September 19, 2022

Both great. Love Slade. https://t.co/OGAz0N1bmM

— Stephen King (@StephenKing) September 19, 2022

Sunday's Best: Week 38, 2022

Today is September 18, 2022 - and the official start of banned book week, sponsored by the American Library Association. Some of my favorite books are on the "banned" list. I remember getting buttons way back in middle school that said "I read banned books."

Reading some banned books is our Sunday's Best for this week.

This got me to thinking - have any of the music-related books we love ended up on the so-called banned list? You would think Motley Crue's The Dirt would have to be right up there. Also Slash's autobiography. Steven Tyler's too... and on and on. This is my recommendation to you to get a library card - I personally like to use the digital downloads from Libby these days. Go read something "banned" and be a rebel. Stand-up against censorship.

Looking for some reading suggestions? My favorites Brave New World (Aldous Huxley), The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins), The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck) and of course my beloved Middlesex (Jeffrey Eugenides) are always good. Middlesex won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2003. But seriously, if you haven't ever read The Dirt...now is the time. Run, don't walk, to the nearest library or bookstore and get a copy because it is so entertaining!

It begins today! This #BannedBooksWeek celebrate the ways that books unite us and make sure people know about the ways censorship divides us! https://t.co/s4OtULTKUr pic.twitter.com/ECNzkWQbap

— ALA OIF (@OIF) September 18, 2022

A Look Inside 'Patient Number 9' - Webisode 1

Ozzy Osbourne's Patient Number 9 is a phenomenal new record. The album is packed with big name rock heroes. When you get Zakk Wylde, Eric Clapton, Chad Smith, Duff McKagan - and more! - together, you know it's going to be good.

Ozzy is releasing little webisodes about the "making of" Patient Number 9. The first one just dropped and it is really interesting and under 7 minutes. I'm looking forward to the next one.