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Elegy to Call it a Day
IAN PARRY, who fronted the Dutch progressive metallers over the later half of their eight album career (State Of Mind, Manifestations Of Fear, Forbidden Fruit and Principles Of Pain) contacted BW&BK with the somber news that the band has decided to call it a day.
"We are trying to get a deal to do a farewell CD and tour," he announced. "Maybe Sanctuary will do it (formerly Noise Records, from Berlin, who worked with Elegy in the past). We are discussing the possibility of the original guitarist (Henk van der Laars) to join us on tour."
To date, the only North American show remains their appearance at the inaugural BW&BK 6-Pack Weekend, earlier this year. Outside of ELEGY, Parry has busied himself with the multi-guest musician CONSORTIUM PROJECT discs, the final part of the sci-fi trilogy, Terra Incognita, is currently available through Century Media Europe.
"We are trying to get a deal to do a farewell CD and tour," he announced. "Maybe Sanctuary will do it (formerly Noise Records, from Berlin, who worked with Elegy in the past). We are discussing the possibility of the original guitarist (Henk van der Laars) to join us on tour."
To date, the only North American show remains their appearance at the inaugural BW&BK 6-Pack Weekend, earlier this year. Outside of ELEGY, Parry has busied himself with the multi-guest musician CONSORTIUM PROJECT discs, the final part of the sci-fi trilogy, Terra Incognita, is currently available through Century Media Europe.
| Band profile: | Elegy |
Royal Hunt Split with Bassis And Guitarist
Bassist Steen Mogensen and guitarist Jacob Kjaer have officially left Danish melodic/progressive metallers ROYAL HUNT. No reason was given for their departure.
Mogensen is expected to continue his collaboration with ex-RAINBOW/current YNGWIE MALMSTEEN vocalist Doogie White in CORNERSTONE, whose third album, "Once Upon Our Yesterdays", was released last month through Germany's Massacre Records.
ROYAL HUNT's most recent CD, "Eye Witness", was issued in June through Frontiers Records.
Mogensen is expected to continue his collaboration with ex-RAINBOW/current YNGWIE MALMSTEEN vocalist Doogie White in CORNERSTONE, whose third album, "Once Upon Our Yesterdays", was released last month through Germany's Massacre Records.
ROYAL HUNT's most recent CD, "Eye Witness", was issued in June through Frontiers Records.
| Band profile: | Royal Hunt |
Ozzy: The Real Iron Man
OZZY OSBOURNE is to have a 7-inch steel plate fitted to the back of his neck, it was revealed Monday (Dec. 15), according to Mirror.co.uk.
Surgeons will perform the delicate operation as soon as the former BLACK SABBATH frontman is strong enough.
It is understood they will insert the plate and take bone grafts from the 55-year-old singer's pelvis to reinforce the area in a three-hour operation.
The plate will help stabilize the vertebrae Ozzy cracked in a quad bike crash.
Doctors fear that without it Ozzy could suffer permanent damage if he fell on his head or neck again. He also broke eight ribs and his collarbone in the accident at his mansion in Buckinghamshire eight days ago.
Spinal surgeon Alan Gardner said the operation could be carried out only by "the country's top 100 surgeons".
Mr. Gardner, who works at Hartswood Hospital, Essex, added: "The plate will be used to stabilize the area and bone grafts put in so it will be like reinforcing rods in a concrete building, with bone forming all around it.
"The plate will be secure for the rest of the patient's life." It would prevent any pressure being put on the spinal cord.
Ozzy was breathing unaided after doctors at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, Berks, took him off a ventilator and he chatted to wife Sharon for the first time.
Surgeons will perform the delicate operation as soon as the former BLACK SABBATH frontman is strong enough.
It is understood they will insert the plate and take bone grafts from the 55-year-old singer's pelvis to reinforce the area in a three-hour operation.
The plate will help stabilize the vertebrae Ozzy cracked in a quad bike crash.
Doctors fear that without it Ozzy could suffer permanent damage if he fell on his head or neck again. He also broke eight ribs and his collarbone in the accident at his mansion in Buckinghamshire eight days ago.
Spinal surgeon Alan Gardner said the operation could be carried out only by "the country's top 100 surgeons".
Mr. Gardner, who works at Hartswood Hospital, Essex, added: "The plate will be used to stabilize the area and bone grafts put in so it will be like reinforcing rods in a concrete building, with bone forming all around it.
"The plate will be secure for the rest of the patient's life." It would prevent any pressure being put on the spinal cord.
Ozzy was breathing unaided after doctors at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, Berks, took him off a ventilator and he chatted to wife Sharon for the first time.
| Band profile: | Ozzy Osbourne |
Bruce Dickinson Begin Work on New Solo Album.
IRON MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson will get together with guitarist Roy Z in January/February 2004 for a songwriting session for a possible new Dickinson solo album, the singer revealed during a Dec. 2 signing session aboard a specially chartered Dublin-London flight filled with MAIDEN fans. Dickinson's last solo album, "The Chemical Wedding", was released in 1998. A two-disc "best of" set followed in 2001.
| Band profile: | Bruce Dickinson |
Phil Anselmo: "Vinne Paul is a cry-baby!"
Ex-PANTERA/current SUPERJOINT RITUAL singer Philip Anselmo has slammed his former bandmates over their suggestion that his ongoing substance abuse and alcohol problem have affected his performance to such a degree that he is now "much less than subpar at what he does" than he used to be during PANTERA's heyday.
Speaking to Revolver magazine for its February 2004 issue, ex-PANTERA/current DAMAGEPLAN drummer Vinnie Paul said of Anselmo, "[In the years that followed Phil's 1996 drug overdose] he was very private about [the fact that he was using drugs again]. I don't know if he was using the whole time or what, but it got to the point where I didn't know which Phil was gonna show up to the gig. One night he would walk in and be a fucking animal. The next night, I'd walk backstage and he'd be lying in the corner and he'd say he was tired. I will never take anything away from that dude from when he was at the top of his game, but where he's at right now, I think he's much less than subpar at what he does. I have a hard time watching him when I see him on MTV talking about SUPERDOPE RITUAL, or whatever they're called, and he can't keep his fucking eyes open."
Asked by SMNnews.com to comment on Vinnie Paul's statement, Philip said, "I just hear a big and sad yellowbelly crybaby fuckin' knowing that his meal ticket is in a different fuckin' band, and? [long pause] You would have to know those fellows to really understand where I was coming from ? they're scared of their own fuckin' shadow. And, all that said, I wish them the best of fuckin' luck. I still love 'em.
"For Vinnie Paul's information and anybody else who would like to know, I've been fuckin' stone-cold sober for fuckin' two years ? I feel like a fuckin' boy scout, for God's sake," he continued. "And fuckin', you know? I can have a couple of beers, let's get it straight.
"There was another thing brought up in that interview where Vinnie Paul said that he knows how to stop drinking, you know, and they can control themselves. And magically [ex-PANTERA guitarist] Diamond Darrell didn't answer a fuckin' thing. You know why that is? Because his fuckin' friends have to carry him fuckin' home every goddamn night ? every night on tour, he gets carried to the fuckin' bus. Now, you tell me ? me fucking up one time in my life compared to his fuckin' three thousand and seven. Give me a fuckin' break, man!"
Read more ››
Speaking to Revolver magazine for its February 2004 issue, ex-PANTERA/current DAMAGEPLAN drummer Vinnie Paul said of Anselmo, "[In the years that followed Phil's 1996 drug overdose] he was very private about [the fact that he was using drugs again]. I don't know if he was using the whole time or what, but it got to the point where I didn't know which Phil was gonna show up to the gig. One night he would walk in and be a fucking animal. The next night, I'd walk backstage and he'd be lying in the corner and he'd say he was tired. I will never take anything away from that dude from when he was at the top of his game, but where he's at right now, I think he's much less than subpar at what he does. I have a hard time watching him when I see him on MTV talking about SUPERDOPE RITUAL, or whatever they're called, and he can't keep his fucking eyes open."
Asked by SMNnews.com to comment on Vinnie Paul's statement, Philip said, "I just hear a big and sad yellowbelly crybaby fuckin' knowing that his meal ticket is in a different fuckin' band, and? [long pause] You would have to know those fellows to really understand where I was coming from ? they're scared of their own fuckin' shadow. And, all that said, I wish them the best of fuckin' luck. I still love 'em.
"For Vinnie Paul's information and anybody else who would like to know, I've been fuckin' stone-cold sober for fuckin' two years ? I feel like a fuckin' boy scout, for God's sake," he continued. "And fuckin', you know? I can have a couple of beers, let's get it straight.
"There was another thing brought up in that interview where Vinnie Paul said that he knows how to stop drinking, you know, and they can control themselves. And magically [ex-PANTERA guitarist] Diamond Darrell didn't answer a fuckin' thing. You know why that is? Because his fuckin' friends have to carry him fuckin' home every goddamn night ? every night on tour, he gets carried to the fuckin' bus. Now, you tell me ? me fucking up one time in my life compared to his fuckin' three thousand and seven. Give me a fuckin' break, man!"
Read more ››
| Band profile: | Pantera |
Stratovarius: Female Singer????
STRATOVARIUS guitarist Timo Tolkki has issued the following update regarding the group's search for a new singer and drummer:
Dear Friends,
"Since the rumours are wildly speculating about the new STRATOVARIUS singer and drummer I have decided to tell you how things are going at the moment. First of all I have not been in contact with Michael Kiske about being the replacement for Timo Kotipelto. I know Michael well enough not to suggest anything like that to him and I have enormous amount of respect to him and his musical career. He knows what he wants and I am sure it is very different from what I want.
"I have received lot of interest from lots of different singers and drummers, some of them have been quite surprising and some of them are even singing/playing in quite big groups at this writing. Thank you for your interest.
"Also 3 female vocalists have sent me their tapes and I must say that 1 of them sounds unbelievably talented and she has the looks that kill as well. I hope I can give you some news about the replacements as soon as possible.
"I am still writing new songs and it is going very smoothly. New songs seem to have completely different direction compared to those 10 songs that I wrote first. Even I am very surprised about the songs and how different they sound compared to the previous STRATOVARIUS songs. It seems that I am more positive now, since we found the solution that we all can live with. It's not about FUCKING money by the way.
"I have quit the anti depressives and therapy at the moment and I am feeling really good. I was drinking with Jari last weekend and we had a really good time together. We did pass out from drinking too much, but hey, YOU LIVE ONLY ONCE!!!
"The old line-up will play a Spanish Festival [Piorno Rock] on 28.2.2004. I hope we can act civilized there, although the situation is a pain in the ASS. Nevertheless we will try our best to give a good STRATOVARIUS show to the Spanish fans. SEE YOU ALL THERE!!"
Dear Friends,
"Since the rumours are wildly speculating about the new STRATOVARIUS singer and drummer I have decided to tell you how things are going at the moment. First of all I have not been in contact with Michael Kiske about being the replacement for Timo Kotipelto. I know Michael well enough not to suggest anything like that to him and I have enormous amount of respect to him and his musical career. He knows what he wants and I am sure it is very different from what I want.
"I have received lot of interest from lots of different singers and drummers, some of them have been quite surprising and some of them are even singing/playing in quite big groups at this writing. Thank you for your interest.
"Also 3 female vocalists have sent me their tapes and I must say that 1 of them sounds unbelievably talented and she has the looks that kill as well. I hope I can give you some news about the replacements as soon as possible.
"I am still writing new songs and it is going very smoothly. New songs seem to have completely different direction compared to those 10 songs that I wrote first. Even I am very surprised about the songs and how different they sound compared to the previous STRATOVARIUS songs. It seems that I am more positive now, since we found the solution that we all can live with. It's not about FUCKING money by the way.
"I have quit the anti depressives and therapy at the moment and I am feeling really good. I was drinking with Jari last weekend and we had a really good time together. We did pass out from drinking too much, but hey, YOU LIVE ONLY ONCE!!!
"The old line-up will play a Spanish Festival [Piorno Rock] on 28.2.2004. I hope we can act civilized there, although the situation is a pain in the ASS. Nevertheless we will try our best to give a good STRATOVARIUS show to the Spanish fans. SEE YOU ALL THERE!!"
| Band profile: | Stratovarius |
The Crown
THE CROWN have issued the following band update via their official website (www.thecrownonline.com):
"We´re back home again! The European tour went well. We had a blast. Considering that the posters for this tour (mysteriously?) never turned up, the shows were good anyway. I was glad to see how many people follow the tour dates on the website, thanx!!!.
One bad thing that happened on this tour was that we needed to cancel the Paris show. Well, WE didn´t cancel it, it was the local promoters decision, so it was totally beyond our control. Definitely a shame, we were looking forward to Paris and spend our day off there. But then again, TWO days off in Amsterdam was all good.
Next on the schedule is starting the mix of the new Crowned In Terror album, we´ll start mixing the 2nd of January 2004. I´ll keep you posted on news about that. But at this point we haven´t set any release date for it.
And we are working on new live dates as well. As always, as soon as the dates are confirmed you´ll see it on the LIVE page. The Party-San Festival got confirmed a few days ago, so one festival
confirmed so far.
Oh, one more thing. the shop will be up VERY soon. Both new and old designs. Take it easy folks!"
"We´re back home again! The European tour went well. We had a blast. Considering that the posters for this tour (mysteriously?) never turned up, the shows were good anyway. I was glad to see how many people follow the tour dates on the website, thanx!!!.
One bad thing that happened on this tour was that we needed to cancel the Paris show. Well, WE didn´t cancel it, it was the local promoters decision, so it was totally beyond our control. Definitely a shame, we were looking forward to Paris and spend our day off there. But then again, TWO days off in Amsterdam was all good.
Next on the schedule is starting the mix of the new Crowned In Terror album, we´ll start mixing the 2nd of January 2004. I´ll keep you posted on news about that. But at this point we haven´t set any release date for it.
And we are working on new live dates as well. As always, as soon as the dates are confirmed you´ll see it on the LIVE page. The Party-San Festival got confirmed a few days ago, so one festival
confirmed so far.
Oh, one more thing. the shop will be up VERY soon. Both new and old designs. Take it easy folks!"
| Band profile: | The Crown |
My Dying Bride
MY DYING BRIDE have set "Songs Of Darkness, Words Of Light" as the title for their eighth studio album, due on February 16, 2004 through Peaceville Records.
The follow-up to 2001's "The Dreadful Hours" was recorded and mixed at Academy Studio in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire with producer Mags and is said to "[echo] their crowning early '90s album, 'Like Gods Of The Sun', bringing with it a light and shade writing process which has thrown up possibly their most commercial tune to date, the graceful 'My Wine In Silence'."
MY DYING BRIDE are currently working on a promotional video for the track "The Price Of Beauty" with director Andy Green, who was responsible for the artwork on the new CD. In addition, the group filmed their Nov. 2 sell-out show at the Hof ter Lo in Antwerp, Belgium for their second full-length DVD, tentatively slated for a spring 2004 release.
Two low-quality samples from "Songs Of Darkness, Words Of Light" are currently available for download from the Peaceville web site.
The follow-up to 2001's "The Dreadful Hours" was recorded and mixed at Academy Studio in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire with producer Mags and is said to "[echo] their crowning early '90s album, 'Like Gods Of The Sun', bringing with it a light and shade writing process which has thrown up possibly their most commercial tune to date, the graceful 'My Wine In Silence'."
MY DYING BRIDE are currently working on a promotional video for the track "The Price Of Beauty" with director Andy Green, who was responsible for the artwork on the new CD. In addition, the group filmed their Nov. 2 sell-out show at the Hof ter Lo in Antwerp, Belgium for their second full-length DVD, tentatively slated for a spring 2004 release.
Two low-quality samples from "Songs Of Darkness, Words Of Light" are currently available for download from the Peaceville web site.
| Band profile: | My Dying Bride |
Dream Evil - New Album in the Make.
From the Official Homepage:
Hello Evil friends ! For some time we have been working on new songs... And on december 15:th we will enter Studio Fredman to record our third album.
More info about this recordning will appear in this news section as it comes..
Stay very Evil !
Dream Evil
Hello Evil friends ! For some time we have been working on new songs... And on december 15:th we will enter Studio Fredman to record our third album.
More info about this recordning will appear in this news section as it comes..
Stay very Evil !
Dream Evil
| Band profile: | Dream Evil |
Lake of Tears will appear on Summer Breeze.
Lake of Tears is going to play at the Summer Breeze festival.
The festival will take place between 19-21 August in Abtsgmünd, Germany.
The festival will take place between 19-21 August in Abtsgmünd, Germany.
| Band profile: | Lake Of Tears |
Soon you will wear Slayer Shoes...
Vans, a leader in athletic footwear for the skateboarding community, has announced plans to release a limited-edition SLAYER "Old Skool" shoe in the spring.
Watch the shoes here http://www.vans.com/slayer/
From Blabbermouth.net
Watch the shoes here http://www.vans.com/slayer/
From Blabbermouth.net
| Band profile: | Slayer |
Ozzy may never sing again
World Entertainment News Network is reporting that Ozzy Osbourne may never sing again after the horrific ATV accident this week which almost left him paralyzed.
Osbourne broke six ribs, a collarbone and a vertebra in his neck after losing control of the vehicle in the grounds of his Buckinghamshire, England, estate on Monday.
Doctors at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, south England, where Ozzy is being treated in intensive care, say the singer is making slow progress ? but they fear he may never regain his voice.
Medical director Dr. Dick Jack says, "He is not physically able to come off the ventilator yet. While he has got a tube in his throat he can't talk but, while awake, he has been making progress with people. His progress will be slow."
When asked if the 55-year-old former BLACK SABBATH frontman will be able to speak once the tube has been removed, Jack responded, "We don't know."
Osbourne broke six ribs, a collarbone and a vertebra in his neck after losing control of the vehicle in the grounds of his Buckinghamshire, England, estate on Monday.
Doctors at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, south England, where Ozzy is being treated in intensive care, say the singer is making slow progress ? but they fear he may never regain his voice.
Medical director Dr. Dick Jack says, "He is not physically able to come off the ventilator yet. While he has got a tube in his throat he can't talk but, while awake, he has been making progress with people. His progress will be slow."
When asked if the 55-year-old former BLACK SABBATH frontman will be able to speak once the tube has been removed, Jack responded, "We don't know."
| Band profile: | Ozzy Osbourne |
Strato: And now they fight...
STRATOVARIUS guitarist Timo Tolkki has spoken to the Finnish daily newspaper Ilta-Sanomat about the circumstances behind the group's recently announced split with vocalist Timo Kotipelto and drummer Jörg Michael.
According to Tolkki, he and Kotipelto got into a physical altercation three weeks ago. Originally, Tolkki had stepped in to break up a fight between drummer Michael and Kotipelto, but after the latest episode, both he and Kotipelto realized that they would not be able to carry on working together. Tolkki says that the fight was due to Kotipelto wanting to have more involvement in the songwriting process as well as more say in the band's business affairs.
The members of the most recent STRATOVARIUS lineup will be forced to work together one more time as they prepare to play all of the previously announced summer festivals in order to avoid paying out huge cancellation fees. Tolkki has admitted that he doesn't know if they will be able to get along with each other long enough to do the upcoming shows and had made it clear that he would prefer to call off the dates altogether.
According to Tolkki, he and Kotipelto got into a physical altercation three weeks ago. Originally, Tolkki had stepped in to break up a fight between drummer Michael and Kotipelto, but after the latest episode, both he and Kotipelto realized that they would not be able to carry on working together. Tolkki says that the fight was due to Kotipelto wanting to have more involvement in the songwriting process as well as more say in the band's business affairs.
The members of the most recent STRATOVARIUS lineup will be forced to work together one more time as they prepare to play all of the previously announced summer festivals in order to avoid paying out huge cancellation fees. Tolkki has admitted that he doesn't know if they will be able to get along with each other long enough to do the upcoming shows and had made it clear that he would prefer to call off the dates altogether.
| Band profile: | Stratovarius |
Ex Dream Theater Keybardist on movie
Keyboardist Kevin Moore (ex-DREAM THEATER, CHROMA KEY) has recorded the soundtrack to a Turkish horror-comedy movie, "Okul" ("The School"). The film was produced by the famous Turkish producer Sinan Cetin and was directed by popular Turkish directors the Taylan Brothers. "Okul" was written by a DREAM THEATER and Kevin Moore fan, Dogu Yucel.
When the directors and the writer were searching for a musician to score their movie, they learned that Kevin Moore was in Istanbul, Turkey. Moore liked the story so much that he decided to postpone the recording of the third CHROMA KEY CD and begin work on the soundtrack for this low-budget Turkish movie. By coincidence, the film was based on a book called "Hayalet Kitap" ("Ghost Book"), which contained a reference to Kevin Moore's song "Space Dye-Vest".
According to Yucel, a brief outline of the movie's plot is as follows: "A young boy is in love with the most beautiful girl in the school but he doesn't win her heart. So he starts to write stories for her. One day he commits suicide. One year later strange things started to happen around the girl and her friends. Soon it is discovered that there is a ghost in the school."
"Okul" will receive a Turkish release on January 9, 2004. It is planned that the movie will be shown in some foreign countries at later date. Kevin Moore's soundtrack is tentatively set to be released through Inside Out Records. You may download the teaser from the official site, www.okul-film.com. Further details can be obtained through the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com)
When the directors and the writer were searching for a musician to score their movie, they learned that Kevin Moore was in Istanbul, Turkey. Moore liked the story so much that he decided to postpone the recording of the third CHROMA KEY CD and begin work on the soundtrack for this low-budget Turkish movie. By coincidence, the film was based on a book called "Hayalet Kitap" ("Ghost Book"), which contained a reference to Kevin Moore's song "Space Dye-Vest".
According to Yucel, a brief outline of the movie's plot is as follows: "A young boy is in love with the most beautiful girl in the school but he doesn't win her heart. So he starts to write stories for her. One day he commits suicide. One year later strange things started to happen around the girl and her friends. Soon it is discovered that there is a ghost in the school."
"Okul" will receive a Turkish release on January 9, 2004. It is planned that the movie will be shown in some foreign countries at later date. Kevin Moore's soundtrack is tentatively set to be released through Inside Out Records. You may download the teaser from the official site, www.okul-film.com. Further details can be obtained through the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com)
| Band profile: | Dream Theater |
Acoustic Set
Three members of the Australian progressive metal band VANISHING POINT ? guitarist Chris Porcianko, vocalist Silvio Massaro and fill-in keyboardist Leonard Kopilas (MANIC OPERA) ? will be performing an acoustic set live on PBS FM on Tuesday, December 16 during "Screaming Symphony" (www.screamingsymphony.com). The exact time will be somewhere between 10:00 p.m. and midnight (GMT +10:00, Melbourne Time Zone). If you don't live in Melbourne and cannot pick up PBS on 106.7 FM, you can always connect to their live audio stream and listen with your computer.
VANISHING POINT have spent much of the past year recording their third album, "A Life Less", at Palm Studios in Melbourne with producer Endel Rivers. A tentative early 2004 release is expected.
VANISHING POINT have spent much of the past year recording their third album, "A Life Less", at Palm Studios in Melbourne with producer Endel Rivers. A tentative early 2004 release is expected.
| Band profile: | Vanishing Point |