Detritus
Issue #423
Week of August 6, 2007
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*
*** CAST OF CHARACTERS ***
*
Patrick Brower, Editor
patrickbrower@...

Sean P. Gahgan, Editor
lof@...
http://www.lakeoffire.net/

Tim Wadzinski, Owner
tsw512@...

Steve Shumake, Co-owner
vongoober@...
http://www.myspace.com/kdsteve

*
*** LET IT BE KNOWN ***
*
-Yep, late, and in a hurry... :) - Tim

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*** PRESS RELEASE #1 ***
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-Rhino Releases Ratt Pack

CD And DVD Reissues From Hard Rock Faves Due This Summer

LOS ANGELES -- The original heavy metal hit-makers Ratt return to
stores with new DVD and CD releases on July 31 and August 21,
respectively: the first-ever DVD release from the band, VIDEOS FROM
THE CELLAR: THE ATLANTIC YEARS, and the audio collection TELL THE
WORLD: THE VERY BEST OF RATT, which features the hard rockers at their
studio and live performance peak and includes an unreleased track.

Both of Ratt's previously released video collections will be combined
and expanded for the DVD release VIDEOS FROM THE CELLAR: THE ATLANTIC
YEARS. Featuring singer Stephen Pearcy, guitarists Robbin Crosby and
Warren DeMartini, bassist Juan Croucier and drummer Bobby Blotzer,
Ratt released four consecutive platinum records in the mid-'80s. In
addition to compiling some of Ratt's most popular videos -- "Round And
Round," "Lovin' You's A Dirty Job" and "Lay It Down" -- the DVD also
contains several bonus features, including highlights from the band's
triumphant tour of Japan, exclusive new commentary and never before
released videos.

The CD TELL THE WORLD: THE VERY BEST OF RATT features standout songs
from all seven of the group's albums, including such classics as
"Wanted Man," "Back For More," and "Round And Round" from the band's
triple platinum-selling Atlantic debut OUT OF THE CELLAR. TELL THE
WORLD: THE VERY BEST OF RATT will also include a performance from the
band's "MTV Unplugged" appearance in addition to tracks from the Sony
Portrait release RATT and the independently released COLLAGE.

Both VIDEOS FROM THE CELLAR: THE ATLANTIC YEARS and TELL THE WORLD:
THE VERY BEST OF RATT were produced in cooperation with Ratt and will
be available at all retail outlets and at http://www.rhino.com/ for
suggested list prices of $19.99 for the DVD and $18.98 for the CD,
respectively.

DVD Track Listing
VIDEOS FROM THE CELLAR: THE ATLANTIC YEARS

1. "Wanted Man"
2. "You Think You're Tough"
3. "Back For More"
4. "Round And Round"
5. "Lay It Down"
6. "Shame Shame Shame"
7. "Lovin' You's A Dirty Job"
8. "I Want A Woman"
9. "Way Cool Jr."
10. "You're In Love"*
11. "Dance"*
12. "Body Talk"*
13. "Slip Of The Lip"*

DVD extras include commentary with Stephen Pearcy, Warren DeMartini &
Bobby Blotzer.

*Never before released on DVD or VHS.

CD Track Listing
TELL THE WORLD: THE VERY BEST OF RATT

1. "Dangerous But Worth The Risk"
2. "Back For More"
3. "Lovin' You's A Dirty Job"
4. "Nobody Rides For Free"
5. "Heads I Win, Tales You Lose"
6. "You're In Love"
7. "City To City"
8. "Body Talk"
9. "Way Cool Jr."
10. "Round And Round"
11. "Lay It Down"
12. "I Want A Woman"
13. "Dance"
14. "Wanted Man"
15. "Slip Of The Lip"
16. "Shame Shame Shame"
17. "Lack Of Communication"
18. "Over The Edge"
19. "Steel River"
20. "Way Cool Jr." ("MTV Unplugged" version)

http://www.therattpack.com/
http://www.myspace.com/therattpack
http://www.rhino.com/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #2 ***
*
-Brainstorm Enter Studio To Record New CD

[Note: This comes from a Metal Blade newsletter. - Tim]

"All systems 'go' in Brainland. We have entered the Gate Studios in
Wolfsburg together with producers Sascha Paeth and Michael Rodenberg
to record our new CD, which is due on January 25th, 2008. Preceding
the full length CD will be a single CD release on October 19th, 2007
to give you a first shot of new Brainstorm tunes. Be prepared for a
real Brainstorm from head to toe!

"Recordings are going extremely well so far and we are simply
overwhelmed how impressing the new songs sound. These are definitely
the best Brainstorm songs that have seen the light of day yet, no
kidding, no blank phrases -- this is the ultimate Brainstorm album so
far. Really can't wait to let you hear!

"Furthermore, our DVD HONEY FROM THE B'S has entered the Hungarian DVD
charts on #18! Nothing short of amazing I would like to say!

"Last but not least, thanks to all the bass players that have sent in
and are still sending their applications. We received tons of e-mails
and parcels from bassists all over the world plus there's still stuff
coming in and -- of course -- any applications are still welcome under
info@....

"Stay tuned for more news soon!

"Rock hard, ride free & God bless you all!

"Todde & Brainstorm"

http://www.brainstorm-web.net/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #3 ***
*
-Former Skid Row And Saigon Kick Drummer Phil Varone Bares His Soul In
"Waking Up Dead"

Expanded DVD Edition Via Demolition Records And MVD Entertainment
Group Out Now

"My heart's like an open book, for the whole world to read" goes the
famous Motley Crue lyric. But few rockers have followed these words as
closely as drummer Phil Varone, who over a four year period, allowed a
thorough and no-holds-barred window into his personal life -- the end
result being the unflinching documentary on the ups and downs of rock
n' roll, "Waking Up Dead." Directed by Emmy Award winning journalist
and filmmaker Fabio Jafet, the near hour and a half documentary was
first released in 2005, and has now been issued as an expanded DVD,
via Demolition Records and MVD Entertainment Group.

The way that the media often portrays rock stars is one of a dream-
come-true existence. And while quite a few of Varone's rock n' roll
dreams came true, it's certainly not all champagne, caviar, and limos
for a working musician, and Varone and Jafet pull no punches
throughout "Waking Up Dead," as such topics as addiction, how to
support your family on meager earnings, and business betrayal are all
dissected and analyzed. While countless musicians have indulged in
"the rock n' roll lifestyle" over the years, few have had the nerve to
document it all as thoroughly as Varone does, which results in a head-
on collision you just can't turn away from...known as "Waking Up
Dead."

"Phil was incredibly brave and trustful to allow me to tell his
story," explains Jafet. "The only way this movie could have been done
was with all access and no censoring. I was not interested in doing a
'Behind The Music.' There was no point."

What you get is a flick that truly encompasses sex, drugs, and rock n'
roll -- times ten. "I didn't want to make any ordinary documentary. I
think most of them are flat and boring and carry the stigma of being
called 'documentary.' I wanted to break the rules and make something
that stood out visually and emotionally."

For further information and links to cover art, please visit:
http://mvdb2b.com/item.php?s=dr-4571
http://files.dvdnote.com/images/300dpi/dr-4571.jpg

For more information, visit:
http://www.myspace.com/demolitionrecordsus
http://myspace.com/wakingupdeadmovie
http://www.mvdb2b.com/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #4 ***
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-New MVD Exclusive Titles

Iggy Pop - LIVE SAN FRAN 1981 (CD)

Iggy Pop, live and wild from 1981, plus two bonus tracks from a studio
session with Ric Ocasek. Fronting a crack band featuring Blondie
drummer Clem Burke and future David Bowie guitarist Carlos Alomar, Pop
is as unpredictable and dominant as ever. This is a soundboard
recording, taped near the end of their tour supporting his 1981 album
PARTY, Iggy and co. are raw and ready for business. The two bonus
tracks are previously unreleased versions recorded with Ric Ocasek in
1983.

SKU #: MVDA4612
UPC: 022891461227
SRP: $13.95
BOX LOT: 25
RUN TIME: 60 mins.
LABEL: MVD AUDIO
PRE-BOOK DATE: 08/14/2007
STREET DATE: 09/18/2007
HI-RES IMAGE: http://files.dvdnote.com/images/300dpi/mvda4612.jpg
SALES SHEET (PDF): http://files.dvdnote.com/pdfs/mvda4612.pdf

MARQUEE CLUB: 25TH ANNIVERSARY (DVD)

London's Marquee Club celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 1983. This
DVD features performances from that year by legendary bands and
artists such as Dr. John, Wishbone Ash, Osibisa, Alexis Korner, Man,
Ten Years After, and Status Quo. Excerpts from the following artists
are also included: Climax Blues Band (1984), John Watts & The Cry
(1984), Mezzoforte (1984), Cherry Bombz (1986), and Ian Matthews
(1984). Additional interviews include Phil Collins, Kenny Jones, Dave
Dee, Alexis Korner, and Chris Barber reflecting on their appearances
at The Marquee: one of the longest established venues in rock history
over that period. It was also a launching pad for many of the world's
biggest acts.

SKU #: NJPDVD632
UPC: 5055011706323
SRP: $19.95
BOX LOT: 30
RUN TIME: 60 mins.
LABEL: MVD VISUAL
PRE-BOOK DATE: 08/14/2007
STREET DATE: 09/18/2007
HI-RES IMAGE: http://files.dvdnote.com/images/300dpi/njpdvd632.jpg
SALES SHEET (PDF): http://files.dvdnote.com/pdfs/njpdvd632.pdf

MVD
on the web - http://mvdb2b.com/
phone - 800-888-0486

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #5 ***
*
-"Get Thrashed": Screening At Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame; Exclusive
Interview With Director Rick Ernst On "Robb's Metalworks"

Following a packed house screening in San Francisco and a sold out
screening in New York City, "Get Thrashed: The Story Of Thrash Metal"
will screen at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame And Museum in Cleveland,
Ohio as part of the Backseat Film Festival. The FREE screening is on
Wednesday August 15 at 3 p.m. The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame And
Museum is located at One Key Plaza, 751 Erieside Ave in Cleveland, OH
44114 (East Ninth Street at Lake Erie, phone: 216-781-ROCK).

In addition, "Get Thrashed" director Rick Ernst will be a guest on
"Robb's Metalworks" on Sunday August 19 at 10 p.m. CDT. The interview
was taped in June 2007 at the San Antonio Underground Film Festival,
at which "Get Thrashed" took home to SAUFF Grand Prize Award. Fans in
the San Antonio area can tune in to the show on Time Warner Cable
Channel 50.

"'Get Thrashed' was all that I hoped it would be," said Robb Chavez,
creator and host of "Robb's MetalWorks." "It's a film that stares deep
into the metal hearts of fans and reminds them that integrity, honesty
and brutality is where the thrash movement came from. As a metal fan
this film is about all of us."

"Robb's Metalworks," San Antonio's premiere metal show, was the
official sponsor for the San Antonio Underground Film Festival and
also sponsored Ernst's appearance at the screening. The ever-growing
metal program has been promoting metal in the San Antonio area for 10
years and is aired at 10 p.m. every third Sunday of the month on STUF-
TV, Time Warner Cable Channel 50.

The details for the "Get Thrashed" episode on "Robb's Metalworks" are:

- Videos from: Overkill, Anthrax, Death Angel, Megadeth
- Interview with Director, Rick Ernst
- The presentation of the grand prize award from the SA Underground
Film Festival to Rick Ernst; plus Rick's comments
- Snippets from the actual "Get Thrashed" film

"I saw many San Antonio fans leave the film utterly speechless, in awe
of what they'd just seen," said Chavez. "We spoke to many of them on
camera and they had nothing but praise for the great work Rick Ernst
did in representing thrash metal."

"Get Thrashed: The Story Of Thrash Metal" traces the rise, fall and
impact of thrash metal, an extreme style of heavy metal popularized in
the early 1980s by bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax,
Suicidal Tendencies and others. It is the story of the heaviest,
hardest music of the '80s and early '90s as told by the bands that
lived it, the fans and bands that grew up on it and by the artists
that carry the "thrash metal" flag today. The documentary throws new
light on an overlooked, yet incredible music scene and how it went
from a simple rumbling in the underground to a loud, obnoxious and
constant roar in the (almost) mainstream. The trailer and more
information can be found at http://www.GetThrashed.com/ . The
documentary is produced by Saigon1515 Productions in association with
Kundrat Productions. "Get Thrashed" was directed by Rick Ernst and the
documentary's Associate Producer is Rat Skates, founder and former
drummer of Overkill.

http://www.getthrashed.com/
http://backseatfilmfestival.com/
http://www.robbsmetalworks.com/

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*** PRESS RELEASE #6 ***
*
-Akashic's Guitarist Takes South Americna Guitar Matsers Tour To
Bolivia And Chile

In May, Marcos De Ros, guitarist of the progressive metal band
Akashick made 15 shows in Argentina with the guitarist Pablo Soler,
during the South American Guitar Masters 2007 tour. Now, in July and
August the tour is going to a new country, Chile.

The tour already started, with a brief visit to La Paz (Bolívia). In
the first two concerts, Marcos and Pablo played with Alejandro Silva,
one of the best guitarists of Chile. Check the dates:

- 27/07 - La Paz (Bolivia)
- 28/07 - Arica (Chile)
- 04/08 - Iquique (Chile)
- 06/08 - Antofasta (Chile)
- 08/08 - Mejillones (Chile)
- 10/08 - Calama (Chile)
- 11/08 - Copiapó (Chile)
- 13/08 - Los Andes (Chile)
- 15/08 - Teodoro Schmidt (Chile)
- 16/08 - Temuco (Chile)
- 17/08 - Linares (Chile)
- 18/08 - Talca (Chile)
- 20/08 - Concepcion (Chile)
- 22/08 - Chillean (Chile)
- 23/08 - Rancagua (Chile)
- 24/08 - Santiago (Chile)
- 25/08 - Santiago (Chile)

Meanwhile, untill Marcos comes back to Brazil, Akashic is promoting
their second album, A BRAND NEW DAY, and the video clip made for the
song "Dove," which can be watched through the band's MySpace page at
http://www.myspace.com/akashicrock .

http://www.akashic.com.br/
http://www.myspace.com/akashicrock

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #7 ***
*
-Columbia Records Announces The Stateside Release of David Gilmour's
REMEMBER THAT NIGHT – LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL On Tuesday,
September 18

Double DVD Set, Directed By David Mallet, Features More Than Five
Hours Of Material Including An On-The-Road Documentary And Guest
Appearances by David Bowie and Robert Wyatt

David Gilmour To Premiere One-Time Theatrical Presentation of REMEMBER
THAT NIGHT – LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL To 111 Movie Theatres On
Saturday, September 15, At 3 p.m. (Eastern)/12 p.m. (Pacific)

LOS ANGELES -- One critic described David Gilmour's ON AN ISLAND Royal
Albert Hall concert, as "a near-perfect gig, where the magic kept
coming, as did the surprises.'" Now music fans, who may have missed
Gilmour's 2006 tour, get a chance to share in that magic with the
release of REMEMBER THAT NIGHT – LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL, a
double DVD commemorating Gilmour's highly acclaimed SRO tour. Lasting
more than five hours, REMEMBER THAT NIGHT – LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT
HALL includes Gilmour's rave-reviewed London concert -- featuring
special guest appearances from David Bowie, Robert Wyatt, David Crosby
and Graham Nash -- as well as two hours and 40+ minutes of extras,
notably a revelatory fly-on-the-wall documentary following Gilmour and
his band on tour. A 20-page booklet accompanies the DVD.

Gilmour's two-and-a-half-hour concert features band members Richard
Wright of Pink Floyd, Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music, new band member
Steve DiStanislao on drums, plus Pink Floyd regulars Dick Parry, Guy
Pratt and Jon Carin.

David Gilmour, the legendary guitarist and voice of Pink Floyd, will
premiere an 85-minute theatrical version of REMEMBER THAT NIGHT – LIVE
AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL to 111 movie theatres on Saturday, September
15 at 3 p.m. Eastern/ Noon Pacific. This exclusive, one-time event
will also include a one song live performance by David Gilmour prior
to the concert and end with a special question and answer session --
both live via satellite from London.

Disc 1 of REMEMBER THAT NIGHT includes Gilmour's critically-acclaimed
concert featuring songs from his #1 U.K. chart-topping album ON AN
ISLAND as well as Pink Floyd classics such as "High Hopes," "Shine On
You Crazy Diamond," "Comfortably Numb" and the first filmed
performance (since Pink Floyd's LIVE AT POMPEII) of the epic 20 minute
tour de force, "Echoes." The concert's state-of-the-art production
comes courtesy of lighting genius Marc Brickman. The show was filmed
by David Mallet, one of the world's leading music directors. For the
23-camera shoot, David Mallet used the latest in high definition
digital technology to create a film that is nothing less than
stunning. A groundbreaking must-have DVD, David Gilmour's REMEMBER
THAT NIGHT – LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL in Standard DVD, HD-DVD and
Blu-ray Disc formats.

Disc 2 of REMEMBER THAT NIGHT is packed with rarities and previously
unreleased material including "Breaking Bread, Drinking Wine," a 46-
minute road movie filmed during the 2006 tour. Allowing fans a unique
"seat on the tour bus," "Breaking Bread, Drinking Wine" gives viewers
a rare glimpse of David Gilmour, the man and musician, his band and
crew enjoying and enduring the highs and the lows of life on tour:
from flashfloods, a collapsing stage, a Russian wine-glass player, and
problems with German trains!

Other DVD extras include bonus tracks from the Royal Albert Hall,
Gilmour's first-ever performance of the Syd Barrett classic "Dark
Globe," "Astronomy Domine" Live From Abbey Road, and the AOL sessions
recorded while on tour in L.A. Five songs from the BBC Mermaid Theatre
concert are also on Disc 2, along with a five-minute documentary shot
on tour in L.A. The DVD also includes a photo gallery featuring the
tour crew, shot by tour photographer Polly Samson.

REMEMBER THAT NIGHT – LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL comes with a 20-
page booklet featuring more than 80 photos selected from studio
recording, touring, and time off.

REMEMBER THAT NIGHT – LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL gives fans an
exclusive virtual backstage pass allowing them share many of the
musical highlights from David Gilmour's 2006 tour, including the
making of his #1 U.K. chart-topping album, ON AN ISLAND, released in
March 2006. Tours in Europe, the U.S. and the U.K. followed the
release of the album, with the concerts held in theatres chosen by
Gilmour, preferring the intimacy of such venues after a lifetime of
stadium rock. In response to his first tour, his first since Pink
Floyd's 1994 DIVISION BELL global jaunt, David Gilmour remarked, "It's
an extremely enjoyable tour, fantastically good fun and very, very
satisfying."

"It's probably the most fun, most professional and easiest tour I've
ever done in my life," concurred Gilmour's longtime bandmate and co-
member of Pink Floyd Rick Wright.

http://www.davidgilmour.com/

Technical Information:

Track Listing:

DISC ONE – Live At The Royal Albert Hall:

1. Speak To Me
2. Breathe
3. Time
4. Breath (Reprise)
5. Castellorizon
6. On An Island featuring Crosby & Nash
7. The Blue featuring Crosby & Nash
8. Red Sky At Night
9. This Heaven
10. Then I Close My Eyes featuring Robert Wyatt
11. Smile
12. Take A Breath
13. A Pocketful Of Stones
14. Where We Start
15. Shine On You Crazy Diamond featuring Crosby & Nash
16. Fat Old Sun
17. Coming Back To Life
18. High Hopes
19. Echoes
20. Wish You Were Here
21. Find The Cost Of Freedom featuring Crosby & Nash
22. Arnold Layne featuring David Bowie
23. Comfortably Numb featuring David Bowie

DISC TWO – Bonus Features:

Performances from the Royal Albert Hall:

1. Wot's... Uh The Deal
2. Dominoes
3. Wearing The Inside Out featuring Richard Wright
4. Arnold Layne featuring Richard Wright
5. Comfortably Numb featuring Richard Wright

Documentary: "Breaking Bread, Drinking Wine"

Performance from the Summer Tour 2006: "Dark Globe"

Recorded at Abbey Road Studios: "Astronomy Domine"

Performance from the AOL Sessions: "This Heaven"

Performances from the BBC Mermaid Theatre concert:

1. Castellorizon
2. On An Island
3. The Blue
4. Take A Breath
5. High Hopes

Documentary: "The Making Of ON AN ISLAND"

Documentary: "The West Coast"

Music Videos:

1. On An Island
2. Smile

Bonus Track: "Island Jam 2007"

Photo Gallery

Technical Specifications:

Director: David Mallet
Total Duration: 5 hours, 13 minutes
Label: Columbia Records
Subtitles: English, Francais, Espanol, Deutsch, Nederlands, Italiano,
Portugues, Polski.

Standard DVD:

Language: English
Region: 2
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Number of Discs: 2
Classification: Exempt
Release Date: 17th September 2007
Run Time: Disc 1: 151 mins; Disc 2: 163 mins; Total: 314 mins
Available Audio Tracks: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1
Surround
Disc Format: DVD-9 (Dual-Layer)
DVD Features: Bonus Tracks (14), Documentaries (3), Music Videos (2),
Photo Gallery

Blu-ray Disc:

Language: English
Region: B
Aspect Ratio: 16x9 (1920 x 1080)
Number of Discs: 2
Classification: Exempt
Release Date: TBC 2007
Run Time: Disc 1: 151 mins; Disc 2: 163 mins; Total: 314 mins
Available Audio Tracks: LPCM Stereo, Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround
Disc Format: BD 50 (Dual-Layer)
DVD Features: Bonus Tracks (14), Documentaries (3), Music Videos (2),
Photo Gallery, Lyrics Subtitles

HD DVD:

Language: English
Region: TBC
Aspect Ratio: 16x9 (1920 x 1080)
Number of Discs: 2
Classification: Exempt
Release Date: TBC 2007
Run Time: Disc 1: 151 mins; Disc 2: 163 mins; Total: 314 mins
Available Audio Tracks: Dolby Digital Plus Stereo, Dolby Digital Plus
5.1 Surround
Disc Format: HD 30 (Dual-Layer)
DVD Features: Bonus Tracks (14), Documentaries (3), Music Videos (2),
Photo Gallery

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #8 ***
*
-Rockin' Selection Of Kiss Photos Available @ Pictopia!

Check out the Kiss Gallery where you can search through a huge stash
of rare photos! From vintage shots of the band and photos from their
most memorable LIVE performances, to portraits of Paul, Gene, Ace, and
Peter ... you'll find it all here. And more!

Select your favorite Kiss shots in a variety of sizes. Then frame them
to your exact preference with our great selection of wood and metal
frames! You can even choose your desired mat color, too!

A huge stash of photos is available -- from promotional shots of the
band, LIVE shots from Kiss' 2006 tour and their 2004 Rock The Nation
Tour -- PLUS more Kiss Klassics, including individual shots of Kiss
band members and much more!

Visit Kiss' online Pictopia gallery to customize your photos and build
your very own, exclusive Kiss collection to your exact desire!

Gallery link:
http://kissonline.pictopia.com/perl/gal?provider_id=447&trackerid=62

Pictopia is a trusted partner of Fanfire.com.

Check out an incredible assortment of Kiss Gear from featured apparel
items, Kiss art, collectibles, vintage Kiss Army items and more,
available at Fanfire.com.

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #9 ***
*
-A "Ghost Opera" To Be Performed By American Melodic Metal Leaders,
Kamelot!

Prefacing a European and Japanese tour, Kamelot will take the United
States and Canada by storm, basing in the glory of their newest full
length CD GHOST OPERA, released on SPV in the beginning of June.
Gathering together from around the world, the members of Kamelot
demonstrate immaculate musicianship, allowing for continuous growth as
a band. A listen to their previous successful release, THE BLACK HALO,
or most recent, GHOST OPERA, one can immediately identify the
intricate and detailed songwriting technique used to create their
material. Along with their impressive songwriting skills, Kamelot
gives life to those songs through an enormous amount of energy on
stage. To get an idea of what this promising band has to offer, you
can catch their video for "Ghost Opera" on MTV's "Headbanger's" Ball,
or on the SPV YouTube Channel located at
http://www.youtube.com/SPVAmerica . Their 18 U.S. and Canadian tour
dates will be with special guests Leaves' Eyes.

The tour dates are as follows:

8/15/07 - New Port Richey, FL - Club Bourbon St.
8/17/07 - Springfield, VA - Jaxx
8/18/07 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance Theater
8/19/07 - New York, NY - B.B. King's
8/22/07 - Montreal - Le Medley
8/23/07 - Quebec - LÌmperial
8/24/07 - Toronto - The Opera House
8/25/07 - Cleveland, OH - Peabody's
8/27/07 - Mokena, IL - The Pearl Room
8/28/07 - St. Paul, MN - Station 4
8/30/07 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
9/1/07 - Santa Ana, CA - Galaxy Theatre
9/2/07 - Los Angeles, CA - Key Club
9/4/07 - Tempe, AZ - The Clubhouse
9/5/07 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad
9/7/07 - San Antonio, TX - White Rabbit
9/8/07 - Ft. Worth, TX - Ridglea Theater
9/9/07 - Houston, TX - Meridian

Don't let this band pass through your town without catching their
show. For more information, go to http://www.MySpace.com/SPVUSA or
http://www.GhostOpera.com/ .

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #10 ***
*
-Cruz Del Sur Music: New Albums From Slough Feg & Widow -- A
Futuristic-Atavistic Metal Doubleheader

Slough Feg - HARDWORLDER

HARDWORLDER is the sixth studio album for American legend Slough Feg.
This band has the ability of progressing further year after year, tour
after tour, album after album. Where this ability comes from it's easy
to say, it can be simply found in their perseverance, in their
normality somehow, in their being true a belief: to play Heavy Metal
outside of schemes, of momentary trends. Today they are finally
recognized as one of the leaders of the U.S. metal community, claimed
as "influence" by young bands and artists.

The cover artwork, by American cartoonist James E. Lyle, strengthens
this concept; the HARDWORLDER is a man who's been through lot of
perils but still keeps on ticking... It can be seen as a metaphor of
what Slough Feg was during all these years in metal. But the album
itself is a tribute to Rock Music, with the best guitars ever heard on
a Slough Feg album, and the precise and always present rhythmic
section.

Producer Justin Phelps, incidentally an original member of Slough Feg
himself, gave the right '70s focus on an album which also delivers two
delicious cover songs, the Irish Folk Rock classic "Dearg Doom"
(originally performed by Horslips) and the Manilla Road's
"Streetjammer."

Lineup:
Michael Scalzi - Vocals/Lead guitar
"Don" Angelo Tringali - lead guitar
Adrian Maestas - bass guitar
Antoine Reuben-Diavola – drums

HARDWORLDER is part of the "Try Before Buy" Cruz Del Sur campaign. It
can be heard fully online:
http://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com/hw/prev_hardworlder.htm .

"Picture the amphetamine-addled spirit of Phil Lynott entering the
body of Slaine the Celtic barbarian and driving a tank down a crowded
street on Friday night while holding a flaming guitar over his head."
- The Village Voice

"...HARDWORLDER is as much as guitar lover's delight as it is a
wonderfully quirky platter of vintage sounds, Celtic folk flourishes,
and monster jams... unlike any other heavy metal album you'll heard
this year. Believe the hype!" - Blabbermouth

"HARDWORLDER is a weird breed of Heavy Metal, as if it's a merge
between their previously strong balls-to-the-wall Heavy Metal combined
with cosmic-ish Progressive Rock. All I am sure about is that the end
result is truly devastating, and leaves you only wanting more." -
MetalCrypt

"...Slough Feg can still deliver the music that makes them one of the
best current bands in metal." - SonicFrontiers

http://www.sloughfeg.com/
http://www.myspace.com/sloughfeg

Widow - NIGHTLIFE

Since the release of their first album MIDNIGHT STRIKES, Widow has
represented a sort of melting-pot of the '80s Hard Rock / Heavy Metal
culture and the modernity of melodic death metal mainly expressed by
their fast guitar-riffing and vocals.

Lyric-wise they always liked to play with werewolves and witches burnt
at stakes, with the great tradition of '80s horror movies ("Basket
Case" and the such), movies that in a moment were vulgarly despised as
"B movies" but which in the end, have influenced a whole generation of
young Americans. With NIGHTLIFE, Widow returns today, going even
further back into American hard rock history, back to the late '70s,
dragging their inspiration from the most-glamorous Big City Nights!

Widow are the bastard sons of Alice Cooper, their sharp guitar-riffs
the heirs of the glorious smoking-axes of Rhandy Rhoads and Eddie Van
Halen, to whom they pay their tribute covering their classic "Ain't
Talking 'Bout Love," not forgetting the Masters Kiss' with "I Stole
Your Love."

NIGHTLIFE is an album that smells of fast cars, neon lights and Son of
Sam -- the ideal soundtrack for the heat of Summer 2007!

Lineup:
Chris Bennett - Lead Guitars & Death Vocals
Peter Lemieux - Drums & Backing Clean Vocals
Joshua Pantke - Bass & Backing Grind Vocals
John E. Wooten IV - Clean Vocals & Guitars

"...Widow are still willing to fly the flag for the ballsy,
traditional stuff; NIGHTLIFE is a swift kick straight out of the past,
and desperately needed. Ending on that note, I highly recommend you
track this down if you can find it, as this might be the sleeper hit
of 2007 in the metal world." - ThrashPit

"The riffs are fueled with a bit more rage and the drums just go
absolutely for broke. There is nothing stopping the band as Widow
wants you to take notice of their homage to early '80s metal when
things were primitive..." - Live4Metal

"The band's third album is NIGHTLIFE, an unusual but compelling
combination of retro '80s Sunset Strip style glam, modern power metal
and harsher elements." - About.com

http://www.widowusa.com/
http://www.myspace.com/widow

Cruz Del Sur Music
http://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/cruzdelsurmusic

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #11 ***
*
-Burning Star - July / August 2007 Newsletter

Metal Healing Festival: Lunarsea On Stage

What a great time we had in Metal Healing Festival! Lunarsea appeared
on stage on the second day of the festival (alongside bands such as
Nightrage, The Haunted, Moonsorrow) and performed for more than half
an hour. Sweet surprise was the first ever live performance of a brand
new track! What is left is only to thanks everyone from the organizers
team that did their best to help us. See you all next year Metal
Healing Festival!

Ragenheart: Will Deliver The Goods Through Burning Star Records

We are proud to announce that another fine Greek band has joined our
ranks. Ragenheart, the neoclassic metal team from Athens has signed a
long term deal with our label. Their debut demo CD was more than
enough to convince us that this band will offer lots of amazing music
to the fans of the genre. The band's debut album is scheduled for a
late 2007 release. Stay tuned.

New Signing: Persefone

Another amazing act joins the family! Persefone will deliver their
eagerly awaited album CORE (already released in Japan) through our
label. This is a band that fans of unclassified metal should look out
for.

Kinetic: Samples From The New Album Posted Online...

Here's a message from singer / bass player of Kinetic:

"Hello everyone again! Here is Savvas Betinis from Kinetic with some
more news.

"Since June 2006 we announced that we have a new six-member lineup
including keyboards and female vocals, we announced the recordings of
our new CD CORROSION, we made enough live shows, most important our
last one at Athens RockWave Festival...but what about Kinetic's new
sound? Well, now that CORROSION is at mix level it's time for you to
have a first idea on it. Check the first track 'Unmixed Sample From
CORROSION' in our MySpace profile at http://www.myspace.com/kineticgr
, or even check our 'third-party' audio profiles at
http://www.audiostreet.net/kinetic ,
http://www.numberonemusic.com/kinetic , http://www.isound.com/kinetic
and http://www.garageband.com/artist/kineticgr . Feel free to send us
your comments."

Everwood: Huge Success On The Broadcasting Of THE RAVEN'S NEST

As you already know in collaboration with http://www.heavylaw.com/
Everwood's latest attempt THE RAVEN'S NEST went on public streaming
few days ago (July 8th). Well to our surprise more than 1.400 people
took part in the listening of the album! This is a really amazing
number considering the size of the band. General rating was also
amazing (general vote 8/10).

Everwood's latest attempt THE RAVEN'S NEST is a fascinating concept
album that includes the amazing power ballad "Like A Miracle" amongst
others.

New Signing & Release: Olethrio Rigma Joins Burning Star Records

One of the most cult Greek metal bands is now part of the Burning Star
Family! Olethrio Rigma is one of the longest living and most active
metal bands in Greece. So what a best way to start our collaboration
with a luxurious "best of"!!! ANTHOLOGY includes, apart from the
classic tunes of the band:

- DIGIPACK Release with luxurious booklet
- Never Seen Before photos
- Brand new songs
- A bonus DVD featuring the entire Rockwave 2005 (amongst other
things!)

Greek fans of the band should stay tuned for lots of live appearances
of the band (as always) in order to promote this release.

Deathfall: Learn All You Need To Know...

We tracked down two great and in-depth interviews with Ramon across
the Internet. Check out the interviews at:

Metal Express Radio
http://www.metalexpressradio.com/menu.php?main=interviews&id=699

Metal Temple
http://www.metal-temple.com/interview.asp?id=343

Deathfall's debut release REBORN is available some time now from our
label. Check out this kick-ass act!

Kinetic: Delivering The Goods On Rockwave Festival

Technical prog deathsters Kinetic delivered the goods on Rockwave
Festival. Opening the second day of the festival the band performed
for more than half an hour a mix of old and new material. With tunes
like "Neverending Winter" and "Venturing High And Low" setting the
mood for the next bands. This was a huge step ahead for the band that
currently putting its finishing touches upon their second long
anticipated CD CORROSION.

Subliminal Fear – UNCOLOURED WORLD DYING Is Ready

Italian Subliminal Fear have completed work on their debut album
called UNCOLOURED WORLD DYING, recorded at 16th Cellar Studio in Rome
with producer Stefano Saul Morabito, will be released through Burning
Star Records after this summer.

The final track listing for the CD is as follows:

1. Insane Archetype
2. Destroy My Ruins
3. Crawls Into The Depths
4. The Silence That Remains
5. I've Lost My Control
6. Stare
7. Leave Your Eyes In This Burning Sky
8. My Pain Unfold
9. Uncoloured World Dying

L'artwork is been realized by Nerve Design (Nile, Threshold, Sadist,
Blinded Colony, Vision Divine, Eldrich, Enemynside), a cover preview
is online at http://www.subliminalfear.it/download/Cover_600.jpg .

Visit our online store:
http://www.burning-star.net/store

Burning Star
http://www.burning-star.net/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #12 ***
*
-Till We Die To Hit The Road With Powerman 5000

Massachusetts-based metallists, Till We Die, are preparing to hit the
road alongside Powerman 5000, in support of their just released full-
length debut, PRESSING ON. Released via Screaming Ferret Wreckords,
the album sees the band touching upon both Tool's prog explorations
and melodic rock. But despite this being the group's debut album, Till
We Die are already an experienced live act, having played with Ra,
Lacuna Coil, Staind, Tantric, Sevendust, and Drowning Pool. The group
welcomes the opportunity to open for Powerman 5000, a group they have
played with previously.

"This will be our fourth national tour and I can't express how excited
I am to be playing a support role for a band like Powerman 5000,"
gushes Till We Die guitarist Joe Demarco. "That band has done it all
and we are so excited to be a part of this tour. We will be playing in
some new markets which we have been dying to play -- as well returning
to some cities that have been supporting us since the beginning."

Drummer Dave Stewart is also looking forward to the tour as he hopes
it is an important stepping-stone to widespread success. "Powerman
5000 is a band that we all grew up listening to and supporting their
shows. The fact that they are from the same area as us is a very cool
feeling. It seems New England has always been a breeding ground for
bands that have built up huge fan bases and have exploded onto the
national music scene. From bands like Shadow's Fall, Staind, Fuel,
PM5K, and of course Godsmack. We hope that with our continued efforts
we might have the same success as these bands did."

For more information, go to http://www.myspace.com/tillwedierock .

Dates for Till We Die/Powerman 5000 Tour:

Sep
8 - Mesa Theater, Grand Junction, Colorado
9 - Bluebird Theater, Denver, Colorado
10 - Vnuck Theater, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
12 - Static Bar, Topeka, Kansas
14 - The Reverb, Cedar Falls, Iowa
16 - The Rock, Maplewood, Wisconsin
18 - Pops, Sauget, Illinois
19 - Forest Hills Theater, Rockford, Idaho
20 - Madhatter, Covington, Kentucky
21 - Harpos Ballroom, Detroit, Michigan
22 - Al Rosa Villa, Columbus, Ohio
23 - Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, New Jersey
25 - Highline Ballroom, NYC, New York
26 - Webster Theater, Hartford, Connecticut
27 - The Silo, Reading, Pennsylvania
28 - Northern Lights Ballroom, Clifton Park, New York
29 - Lucky Dog, Worcester, Massachusetts
30 - Mark's Showplace, Bedford, New Hampshire

Oct
2 - TBA, Boston, Massachusetts
3 - Ultra Lounge!, Orono, Maine

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #13 ***
*
-Vote For Cassette On German Radio

Cassette needs your support. Please vote for them on German Radio Star
FM.

http://www.starfm.de/berlin/aktionen/2007/06/band_battle.php

If you don't spreche die Deutch, then simly click on band 2 and enter.

Their SAMA Award winning album WELCOME BACK TO EARTH is released in
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands and Belgium on the 31st
August 2007 through RoughTrade/2Feet Records. The rest of the world on
the 1st of October 2007.

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #14 ***
*
-NMB Records Presents Avichi

Avichi - THE DIVINE TRAGEDY

The first cooperation between Earsplit PR and Illinois' Numen
Malevolum Barathri Records is the debut album by Avichi; a strikingly
cryptic album dealing with profound metaphysical subjects; subjects
that reflect the extremities of the left-hand path. Avichi is the
outcome of years of distress and turmoil within Aamonael, and the
result of his unwavering pursuit of his higher self. It is a band
destined to transcend genres, creating a sound that is fresh and a
vision that proves to be foreboding.

Features the artwork of Ba'al Graphics and the percussion of Xaphar
(Matt Block). Recorded on analog at Electrical Audio in Chicago.
Mastered at Golden Mastering.

"...Avichi should be whispered in the same breath as Ruins Of
Beverast, Krohm, Deathspell Omega and whatever other amazing black
metal hordes you may happen to know." - Vampire-Magazine

NMB Records
P.O. Box 782
DeKalb IL 60115
http://www.nmbrecords.com/

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #15 ***
*
-Whitechapel's Sonic Slaughter Via Siege Of Armada & Candlelight

THE SOMATIC DEFILEMENT is the debut album from rising extreme metal
band Whitechapel. The album is from the new American cooperation
between Siege Of Amida (U.K. indie metal label) and Candlelight
Records.

Named for the famed London district in which serial killer Jack The
Ripper stalked his prey, Knoxville's Whitechapel are sure to quickly
impress the masses with their blistering death grind. Mastered by Alan
Douches (Nile, The Red Chord, The Acacia Strain) THE SOMATIC
DEFILEMENT fuses together the sheer brutality of death metal, the
chaos and technicality of grindcore, the bludgeoning heaviness of
sludge, with an added dash of groove on top.

A noted characteristic is Whitechapel's three guitar assault; without
a doubt and impressive apocalyptic sound. Propelled by the band's DIY
ethics, Whitechapel is a driving force that will continue to grow
through hard work and determination. A video has already been
completed for the song "Vicer Exerciser" and tons of tour dates are
planned through the next few months with more to come.

"Think The Red Chord mixed with some Deicide, as well as splash of
Black Dahlia Murder thrown in for good measure. The band's dual vocal
attack brand of death grind will pummel you senseless, devastating any
notion you had of innocence." - mouthforwar.net

"Perhaps one of the more evil sounding groups to debut this year,
Whitechapel is one gore-grind/death metal hybrid that you should pay
full attention towards." - smother.net

"Three guitars assault the listener's senses on their release THE
SOMATIC DEFILEMENT, while varied death and grind vocals further the
audio disaster." - HardrockHaven.net

Whitechapel U.S. tour
with My Children My Bride, Impending Doom, At The Throne Of Judgement

August
24 - Sheffield, Alabama - The Rave w/ Death Before Dishonor, Dead
Hearts, Daggermouth
25 - Tallahassee, FL - The Beta Bar
26 - Jacksonville, FL - Fuel Coffee House
27 - Ocala, FL - The Capitol
28 - West Palm Beach, FL - Ray's Downtown
29 - Orlando, FL - Island Oasis
30 - Tamba Bay, FL - Transitions Art Gallery
31 - Augusta, GA - Sector 7G

September
1 - Goosecreek, SC - Stella Blue Coliseum
2 - Thomasville, NC - The Soundvent
3 - Virginia Beach, VA - Club Relevant
4 - Farmingdale, NY - Crazy Donkey
5 - Manchester, NH - American Legion Hall
6 - Poughkeepsie, NY - Club Crannell
7 - Utica, NY - Skate-A-Rama
8 - Rochester, NY - The Penny Arcade
9 - Milton, PA - The Masonic Temple
10 - TBA
11 - Cleveland, OH - Peabody's Down Under
12 - Mt Clemens, MI - The Hayloft
13 - Lansing, MI - Mac's Bar
14 - Arlington Heights, IL - Knights Of Columbus
15 - Strafford, MO - The Griffyn
16 - Tulsa, OK - The Pinkeye
17 - Oklahoma City, OK - The Conservatory
18 - Hutchinson, KS - McGraw's
19 - TBA, Utah
20 - TBA
21 - Santa Cruz, CA - 418 Project
22 - Roseville, CA - The Underground
23 - Corona, CA - Showcase Theatre
24 - TBA, CA
25 - Bakersfield, CA - Jerry's Pizza
26 - Victorville, CA - The Trilogy Theatre
27 - Lancaster, CA - Cedar Center
28 - Fullerton, CA - The Alley
29 - Las Vegas, NV - Leatherneck's
30 - Tuscon, AZ - The Rock

October
1 - TBA
2 - TBA
3 - TBA
4 - San Antonio, TX - The White Rabbit
5 - Corpus Christi, TX - The Underground
6 - Houston, TX - Java Jazz
7 - Lewisville, TX - Fat Daddy's Sound Shack
8 - Metairie, LA - The Higher Ground
9 - Sheffield, AL - The Rave
27 - Greenville, NC - Bullet Music Hall

November
3 - Asbury Park, NJ - Saints And Sinnners Fest - Asbury Park
Convention Hall

http://www.whitechapelmetal.com/
http://www.myspace.com/whitechapelmetal

*
*** PRESS RELEASE #16 ***
*
-Om New Album Info And Shows + Boris And Hidden Hand Live Actions

A new dawn awaits!! Southern Lord Recordings and Om have set October
2nd as the official release date for their third (first on Southern
Lord) full-length album!! This beast is entitled: PILGRIMAGE and was
recorded at Electrical Audio in Chicago, IL. by Steve Albini. The
album is currently being mastered by Bob Weston (also in Shellac) at
Chicago Mastering Services.

PILGRIMAGE expands on their unique use of riff...cadence...chant as
heard on previous recordings yet finds the band expanding their vision
into new territories. Of particular note is how much the song writing
has developed and in turn makes the dynamics of the songs much more
intensely powerful.

The track listing for PILGRIMAGE is as follows:

1. Pilgrimage
2. Unitive Knowledge Of The Godhead
3. Bhimas Theme
4. Pilgrimage (reprise)

A gatefold LP version of the album will also be released sometime
shortly after the CD release.

Om will also be performing live on the following dates:

9/13 - Beachland Ballroom - Cleveland, OH
9/14 - Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL - w/ Circle
9/15 - Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL - w/ Daniel Higgs
9/16 - Southgate House - Newport, KY
9/19 - Marquee Theatre - Tempe, AZ - w/ Pinback
9/20 - Sunshine Theatre - Albuquerque, NM - w/ Pinback
9/21 - Bricktown Live - Oklahoma City, OK - w/ Pinback
9/22 - Palladium Ballroom - Dallas, TX - w/ Pinback
9/23 - Emo's - Austin, TX

...stay tuned for East Coast dates in November and West Coast in
December.
...samples of the new recording will be made available on Southern
Lord in the near future!

http://www.omvibratory.com/

Yezzzz!! Boris returns to the state! This time they will be playing a
collaborative set with Kurihara. Material from their latest release
RAINBOW will be featured and in Boris fashion...many surprises!
Supporting Boris with Kuirhara will be Damon & Naomi! This will be a
very interesting tour!

Boris and Damon & Naomi with Kurihara

9/30 - Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
10/2 - First Unitarian Church - Philadelphia, PA
10/3 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY
10/4 - Kelly-Strayhorn Theater - Pittsburgh, PA
10/5 - Wexner Center For The Arts - Columbus, OH
10/6 - Mad Planet - Milwaukee, WI
10/7 - Triple Rock - Minneapolis, MN
10/8 - TBA
10/9 - TBA
10/10 - Nightlight Lounge - Bellingham, WA
10/11 - Chop Suey - Seattle, WA
10/12 - TBA - Portland, OR
10/13 - TBA
10/14 - The Independent - San Francisco, CA
10/15 - Echoplex - Los Angeles, CA
10/16 - TBA - Phoenix, AZ
10/17 - TBA
10/18 - The Ballroom - Marfa, TX
10/19 - Scoot's Inn - Austin, TX
10/20 - The Spanish Moon - Baton Rouge, LA
10/21 - Bottletree - Birmingham, AL
10/22 - The Earl - Atlanta, GA
10/23 - 40 Watt Club - Athens GA
10/24 - The Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC
10/25 - Satellite Ballroom - Charlottesville, VA
10/26 - Black Cat - Washington, DC
10/27 - Bard College Chapel - Annandale-On-Hudson, NY
10/28 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
10/29 - Middle East Downstairs - Cambridge, MA

http://www.inoxia-rec.com/boris

The Hidden Hand will be tearing it up in New York City with the
almighty jam-masters Clutch and super-spoof rockers Beatallica at the
end of August, along with a local show at the Ottobar and one in New
Jersey the same weekend. More info to follow shortly on additional
shows in September and onward.

8/30 - The Ottobar - Baltimore, MD - w/ Chowder, Filthy Rotten Sex
Machine
8/31 - Bowery Ballroom - Royal Flush Release Party -- New York, NY -
w/ Clutch, Beatallica
9/1 - The Brighton Bar - Long Branch, NJ - w/ Solace, Black Irish,
John Wilkes Booth

http://www.thehiddenhand.com/

*
*** NEWS/RUMORS ***
*
-Check out a new interview with Foghat drummer Roger Earl at
http://www.rhino.com/rzine/StoryKeeper.lasso?StoryID=1096 .

-There's a "Hot Spot" feature on Great White's BACK TO THE RHYTHM
online now at http://musicbuymail.eu/?r=39&l=2 , complete with band
and album info, a photo gallery, and samples of the tracks "Back To
The Rhythm," "Here Goes My Head Again," and "Take Me Down."
Interestingly, it appears the European version of the album replaces
"Cold World" with "30 Days In The Hole," which is listed as a "bonus
track."

-The latest "Gene Simmons Family Jewels" videos from A&E TV:

"Gollum Simmons"
http://newsletters.aetv.com/cgi-bin15/DM/y/hZ1f0LaPaA0DuT0azJ0En

"Nick the Comedian"
http://newsletters.aetv.com/cgi-bin15/DM/y/hZ1f0LaPaA0DuT0ctP0Ep

"Packing Pleather"
http://newsletters.aetv.com/cgi-bin15/DM/y/hZ1f0LaPaA0DuT0bzS0Ex

-BBC.com reported Queen guitarist Brian May recently turned in his
48,000-word "astronomy doctoral thesis," nearly 40 years after he
stopped working on it.

-Check out http://www.strangers-in-the-night.com/msg2007alan.htm for
an extremely interesting interview between Batttttty and Michael
Schenker's friend Alan Walsh, about the recent MSG tour mishaps in the
U.S. and U.K., including rumors of a backstage "altercation" between
Michael and his brother Rudolf, of Scorpions fame.

-Reuters reported the Van Halen reunion tour -- with David Lee Roth,
Eddie Van Halen, Wolfgang Van Halen, and Alex Van Halen -- is back
"on," with a 50-date U.S. "arena trek" supposedly to be announced at a
Hollywood press conference next week. See
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20160745/ for the complete article. In
related news, Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony's upcoming tour will
reportedly feature an opening set of old Van Halen songs by Mad
Anthony Express, then a set of old Hagar songs by Los Tres Gusanos,
and a closing set of Van Hagar songs by The Other Half (Hagar and
Anthony together).

Thanks to Bill "VOA" Kotowski for help gathering some of this
information.

*
*** ROCK HARD RIDE FREE ***
*
by Tim Wadzinski (tsw512@...)

-As a fan of both Ratt and Michael Schenker, I was dismayed to uncover
some information about Ratt's 1990 album DETONATOR. I say "dismayed"
because I am shocked I never heard this before! While doing a little
research to prep for my review of TELL THE WORLD: THE VERY BEST OF
RATT (see below), I came across a bit in the liner notes that credited
Schenker with the "tag" in the DETONATOR track "Shame Shame Shame." I
didn't know what that meant so I asked a few buddies for help: Neal
turned up a Wikipedia entry (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detonator_%28album%29 ) that talks about
how Schenker performed on DETONATOR, uncredited, as a fill-in for the
ailing Robbin Crosby, and Steve said his copy of DETONATOR *does*
credit Schenker. Weird weird weird... Now, I know Schenker joined Ratt
for their "MTV Unplugged" session and eventually played with drummer
Bobby Blotzer in Contraband, but I'd never heard he pulled a Bob
Kulick and played on any Ratt albums. I guess you're never too old to
learn something, eh? :)

-Lately I've been jamming Pharaoh's THE LONGEST NIGHT (2006) in
preparation for the band's upcoming newie. (Thanks, Dave at Earsplit!)
Good stuff -- kind of like a mix of Alcatrazz and Iron Maiden,
perhaps? -- that's got an old school flair done right. There are guest
solos from Chris Poland and Jim Dofka, and Dofka's outro solo on the
track "Fighting" literally put a smile on my face the first time I
heard it. I was getting off the train, heading to my car after a long,
lousy day at work, and this thing kicked in and my 36-year-old self
almost broke out into spontaneous fits of air guitar right there in
the parking lot!

-I still really do not like Pearl Jam but, as with the whole
TicketMaster thing years ago, I have to give the guys their props.
Apparently during their set at Lollapalooza last Sunday here in
Chicago, some of Eddie Vedder's anti-George Bush lyrics in "Daughter"
were edited out of the show's webcast. The band was not happy about
this and will make the unedited performance available at its site.
Check out an article with more details at
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-
thu_jam_0809aug09,0,1496960.story
.

-Two of my uncles saw Ted Nugent's gig in Milwaukee last Friday. At
the entrance, security told one of them to go put his digital camera
back in the car. Fine. But the other uncle, who was carrying a
pocketknife, wasn't stopped. I guess weapons are allowed at Nuge
shows? Never know when a hunt might break out... :)

-Check out a cool article about vinyl's comeback, complete with a
video tour of some indie Chicago record shops, at
http://www.chicagotribune.com/recordstores .

-Now in my current playlist: U.D.O. - MASTERCUTOR (Candlelight USA),
Pharaoh - THE LONGEST NIGHT (Cruz Del Sur Music), Ratt - TELL THE
WORLD: THE VERY BEST OF RATT (Atlantic/Rhino), Scelerata - DARKNESS
AND LIGHT (Nightmare Records).

*
*** REVIEWS ***
*
BLACK MAJESTY - TOMORROWLAND (A-/B+) LMP/SPV, 2007
10 tracks, RT: 49:45
[ http://www.blackmajesty.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/blackmajesty ]
[ black_majesty@... ]
[ http://www.limb-music.de/ ]
Three albums in and no sign of letting up -- it's all good for Aussie
power metal band Black Majesty. TOMORROWLAND fits right in with its
predecessors, 2003's SANDS OF TIME and 2005's SILENT COMPANY, from
sound and vibe right down to the cool, thematic artwork. There's
basically no let-up on this album, save for a simmering cover of Deep
Purple's "Soldier Of Fortune," as drummer Pavel Konvalinka pummels
throughout and guitarists Stevie Janevski and Hanny Mohamed take
boatloads of extended lead breaks. (It must be said, though, that it's
not all fire 'n' brimstone. Additional slower moments can be found on
the limited edition version of the disc, which offers two bonus tracks
-- "Memories" and "Kingdoms" -- that are more mid-paced than the rest
of the album.) The band's sound is deeply rooted in the worlds of
vintage Helloween and a bit of Iron Maiden but, for some reason, I
still detect kind of an American power metal feel. With noteworthy
vocalist John Cavaliere leading the way it all adds up to a solid
approach that's distinctive within the power metal genre. Kudos once
again, mates! Standout tracks: "Faces Of War," "Forever Damned,"
"Wings To Fly," "Evil In Your Eyes."
- Tim Wadzinski (tsw512@...)

HELLOWEEN - KEEPER OF THE SEVEN KEYS - THE LEGACY WORLD TOUR 2005/2006
- LIVE IN SAO PAULO (B+) SPV, 2007
Disc 1: 9 tracks, RT: 59:12
Disc 2: 7 tracks, RT: 59:08
[ http://www.helloween.org/ ]
[ http://www.spv.de/helloween ]
[ http://www.spv.de/ ]
Man, that has *got* to be the longest and most cumbersome live album
title of all time. (Although, to be fair, a casual glance at the cover
art kinda makes you think it's just LIVE IN SAO PAULO, which is just
fine!) I wasn't sure I'd like this based on the track list, since five
songs are from the last two albums and I still haven't really warmed
up to them yet -- 2003's RABBIT DON'T COME EASY and 2005's KEEPER OF
THE SEVEN KEYS - THE LEGACY. I shouldn't have worried, of course,
because this thing rocks! Truly, my only complaint is they buried the
"band intro's and short solos" and "mandatory crowd sing-along"
segments inside "Future World," padding it to over 10 minutes and
making repeat listens a bit of a drag. But, that sort of thing is
going to happen on virtually any live album these days so it's not a
big deal. The newer stuff (the absurdly titled epic "King For A 1000
Years," "Hell Was Made In Heaven," "The Invisible Man," "Mrs. God,"
and mini-epic "Occasion Avenue") fits right in with the all-time
classic stuff ("Eagle Fly Free," epic #2 "Keeper Of The Seven Keys,"
"A Tale That Wasn't Right," "Future World," "I Want Out," "Dr. Stein,"
and epic #1 "Halloween") and the earlier Andi Deris-era stuff ("Mr.
Torture," "Power"), and the bottom line is this band has stood the
test of time, weathering (too many) lineup changes along the way, and
still puts on a hell of a show. The production is top-notch and the
inclusion of the complete "epic trilogy" of "King For A 1000 Years,"
"Keeper Of The Seven Keys," and "Halloween" is a nice touch. (Note:
"Occasion Avenue" (live in Tokyo) and "Halloween" (live at the Masters
Of Rock festival in Vizovice, Czech Republic) are technically included
as bonus tracks. I'm sure listing them as "real" tracks would've
changed the album title to something paragraph-length.)
- Tim Wadzinski (tsw512@...)

RATT - TELL THE WORLD: THE VERY BEST OF RATT (A) Atlantic/Rhino, 2007
20 tracks, RT: 79:49
[ http://www.therattpack.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/therattpack ]
[ http://www.rhino.com/ ]
My first thought was, as usual, "*another* greatest hits album?" I've
always felt Ratt's first one, RATT & ROLL 8191 from 1991, was one of
the best metal/hard rock greatest hits discs but I was a little
surprised to sit down and look at it and realize 16 years have gone
by... I suppose in lieu of new studio material this release is
somewhat mandatory, since Stephen Pearcy has regrouped with Warren
DeMartini and Bobby Blotzer and the band is currently tearing it up on
the road with Poison. Gotta have something to promote, after all! This
new package has 15 core tracks in common with RATT & ROLL 8191, and
for some reason (record company b.s.?) has nothing from the band's
original s/t EP from 1983. Odd that, considering they titled this
thing after an EP track! Dropped from RATT & ROLL 8191: "Tell The
World" and "You Think You're Tough" from the EP, and "Givin' Yourself
Away" and "One Step Away" from DETONATOR. They were replaced with:
"Dangerous But Worth The Risk" from INVASION OF YOUR PRIVACY, "City To
City" from REACH FOR THE SKY, "Steel River" from 1997's COLLAGE, "Over
The Edge" from the 1999 s/t, and -- the real gem here -- the
previously unreleased "Way Cool Jr." from the band's early 1990s
appearance on "MTV Unplugged," with Michael Schenker sitting in for
Robbin Crosby. You really can't go wrong with this collection --
"Round And Round," "You're In Love," "Lay It Down," "Lack Of
Communication," "Body Talk," "Back For More," etc. -- it's a virtual
soundtrack to the '80s L.A. metal scene. And I know the band got
slagged a bit for it's last couple (pre-breakup) albums, but I also
really dig "City To City," "Shame Shame Shame," and "I Want A Woman"
from those discs, plus the kinda laidback "Nobody Rides For Free" from
the "Point Break" movie soundtrack. The two icky late-'90s tracks
could just go away though. :) Two more notes: 1) The liners feature
cool track-by-track breakdowns from Pearcy and DeMartini. 2) I've seen
some online reports indicating "No One Can Stop You Now," from the
REACH FOR THE SKY sessions, would be included here but nope -- the
only previously unreleased track is the "MTV Unplugged" song.
- Tim Wadzinski (tsw512@...)

U.D.O. - MASTERCUTOR (A-/B+) Candlelight USA, 2007
12 tracks, RT: 50:37
[ http://www.udo-online.de/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/udoonline ]
[ http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com/ ]
[ http://www.candlelightrecords.co.uk/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/candlelightrecordsusa ]
You won't find a bigger fan of Accept / U.D.O. / Udo Dirkschneider
than me, but honestly I've been a little hit-or-miss with the last
several U.D.O. albums. It's basically been an every-other-album-is-
good situation starting with 2002's MAN AND MACHINE -- I felt that one
and 2005's MISSION NO. X were sub-par, whereas 2004's THUNDERBALL was
cool. (Not that any of his albums are necessarily *bad*, but
occasionally Udo & Co. can sound like they're just going through the
motions, and that'll happen after 21 studio albums in 28 years.) So by
that rambling logic I should dig newie MASTERCUTOR...and I do. The
band dabbles in some conceptual trappings -- the "Mastercutor" is the
host of a sadistic TV show, or some such -- but this isn't exactly
high-falutin' "rock opera" territory. There's a token ballad ("Tears
Of A Clown") but basically the disc is full of the expected macho up-
and mid-tempo rockers built around razor guitars and Udo's snarling/
gnarly vocals. The opening 1-2-3 punch of the title track, single "The
Wrong Side Of Midnight," and "The Instigator" is as good as any other
U.D.O. album's, "Master Of Disaster" has a nifty, driving "bubbling"
keyboard effect, "Dead Man's Eyes" has a killer, storming/stomping
riff, and closer "Crash Bang Crash" is a rollicking rave-up. A worthy
addition to Mr. Dirkschneider's extensive catalog, to be sure.
- Tim Wadzinski (tsw512@...)

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