KISS, Mötley Crüe Announce Tour 2012...

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KISS, Motley Crue Announce Summer 2012 Tour, Gene Simmons Disses Rihanna...


Iconic rock bands KISS and Motley Crue announced their 40-date North American summer 2012 tour on Tuesday -- conveniently titled "The Tour" -- but they caused an even bigger stir when KISS frontman Gene Simmons dissed pop star Rihanna.


"We're sick and tired of girls getting up there with dancers and karaoke tapes in back of them," Simmons told the crowd at the press conference, reports Billboard.com. "No fake bull***t. Leave that to the Rihanna, Shmianna and anyone who ends their name with an 'A.'"


Motley Crue's Tommy Lee seconded Simmons' strong opinions, explaining that he's frustrated by the quality of performances -- and artists -- he now sees at award shows. 


"No disrespect to Rihanna, she's a great singer, but we're in a slump for some s**t that has some personality and appeal beyond a bunch of pop stuff that's floating around out there," he told Billboard.com. "I'm glad he said that actually because I don't think I can bear watching another f**king award show that is just a little bit better than 'American Idol.' It's f**king pathetic to watch people go out and f**king karaoke with a bunch of lights and video. It's all completely watered down."


This isn't the first time the KISS frontman has dissed modern pop music. Simmons was not impressed with Madonna's Super Bowl halftime show and publicly claimed that it would be better off with a "real band."


For more information on KISS and Motley Crue's "The Tour," including tour dates and interviews with the rockers, head to Billboard.com.
-Huffingtonpost.com

The rockers will embark on a 40-plus city jaunt simply dubbed “THE TOUR” on July 20 in Manassas, Va., and visit Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood three dates later on July 24.

While the apparently never-retiring KISS (currently Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer) has toured in the past with fellow longhairs Poison (in 2003) and Skid Row (in 2001 for the, ahem, KISS “Farewell Tour”) and the original lineup of the Crue has also rocked stages with Poison (2011) and Aerosmith (2006), this unholy matrimony of fist-pumping glam rock is seen by many ‘80s rock fans as the ultimate pairing.

KISS and Motley Crue did share a stage in 1982 for the “Creatures of the Night Tour,” when the Crue was in its infancy and KISS was dealing with the departure of Ace Frehley and arrival of Vinnie Vincent. -Blogs.ajc.com

Eddie Money...

"Happy 63rd Birthday"

Eddie Money...

Biography...

Born: March 2, 1949

Eddie Money arrived in the late '70s at the height of album rock's popularity. While Money didn't have a remarkable voice, he had a knack for catchy, blue-collar rock & roll, which he delivered with a surprising amount of polished, radio-friendly finesse. He was able to survive in the early MTV era by filming a series of funny narrative videos, something his AOR peers were reluctant to do. However, he wasn't able to resist the temptations of a rock & roll lifestyle, and his popularity dipped in the mid-'80s as he struggled with various addictions. Once he sobered up, he made a remarkable comeback in the late '80s, with singles like "Take Me Home Tonight" and "Walk on Water" reaching the Top Ten. It proved to be Money's last string of hits -- during the early '90s his popularity faded and, aside from very intermittent returns to the recording studio as an independent artist, he retired to the oldies circuit.

Initially, Eddie Mahoney was going to follow in his father's footsteps and become a Brooklyn cop. He attended the New York Police Academy during the early '70s, but at night he sang in rock & roll bands under the name Eddie Money. After a few years, he decided to pursue rock & roll as a career and quit the academy, moving to Berkeley, CA. Money became a regular at Bay Area clubs, where he eventually got the attention of legendary promoter Bill Graham, who signed the singer to his management company. Graham also secured him a contract with Columbia Records, and Money released his eponymous debut in 1977.

During the late '70s, Eddie Money had a handful of album rock hits and wound up crossing over into the Top 40 with songs like "Baby Hold On" and "Maybe I'm a Fool." During the early '80s, Money began to make funny narrative videos, which became staples on early MTV and made "Shakin'" and "Think I'm in Love" hits. His career hit a slump during the mid-'80s as he struggled with various drug addictions, but he made a comeback in 1986 with Can't Hold Back. Featuring the hit duet with Ronnie Spector "Take Me Home Tonight," as well as the Top 20 "I Wanna Go Back," the album became a Top Ten smash, re-establishing Money as a successful blue-collar rocker. Money followed the album in 1988 with Nothing to Lose, which featured the Top Ten "Walk on Water." Two years later, "Peace in Our Time," taken from the 1989 Greatest Hits: The Sound of Money, reached number 11.

"Peace in Our Time" proved to be Money's last big hit. During the early '90s, his audience slowly faded away, as both 1991's Right Here and 1992's Unplug It In were ignored. Columbia dropped him in the mid-'90s, and he spent the remainder of the decade touring the oldies circuit. He returned with a new album, Ready Eddie, in 1999, followed by the soul-inflected Wanna Go Back in 2007. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi. -Starpulse.com

Money in the media:

"Two Tickets to Paradise" has been featured in numerous forms of media including video games, television, and movies. It was featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on the radio station K-DST in 2004, and also in an episode of The Simpsons, to which Homer remarks "excellent guitar riff". It also appeared in the reality show Paradise Hotel. The song also appeared in the film Operation Situation: Code Name Kill.

"Baby Hold On" was featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories on the radio station Emotion 98.3 in 2006.

"Shakin'" is featured in the hit video game series Guitar Hero on the Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s edition.

Eddie appears in an episode of the CBS sitcom The King Of Queens, when Doug, Deacon and Arthur hire Money to play a personal concert for just the three of them in Dougs living room.

He makes an appearance in the The Drew Carey Show, as the former husband of Mimi Bobeck.

Two of Money's songs ("Get A Move On" and "Open Up Your Heart") were prominently featured in the movie Americathon. While both appear on the vinyl release of the motion picture soundtrack album, the ballad Open Up Your Heart does not seem to have ever been released on CD or on any of Money's collections.

His song "Think I'm In Love" is featured in both Joe Dirt (2001) as well as Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009), starring his friend Kevin James. -Lyricsfreak.com

Yes, This is my all time fav from Eddie, ENJOY !!!!

Lita Ford...

Lita Ford

Music Video For Today...

"Falling In And Out Of Love"

Lyrics:

We've changed, a new change of season
Autumn came, we went, I went insane
Never was winter so cold, no
Look away from the homeward road

I'm feeling love in a daydream
Making love first morning light
Walking slowly in the summer rain
Alone I lie, fantasize

I'm falling in and out of love
I'm falling in and out of love
Slip inside my dream
Dream away with me
'Cause I'm falling in and out of love

Like a diamond, never our love would break
But in a heartbeat thrown us both away
Set me free to live my life like a rolling stone
Look away from the homeward road

I'm feeling love in a daydream
Making love first morning light
Walking slowly in the summer rain
Alone I lie, fantasize

Falling in and out of love
I'm falling in and out of love
Slip inside my dream
Dream away with me
'Cause I'm falling in love

Falling in and out of love
I'm falling in and out of love
I'm falling in and out of love
I'm falling in and out of love

Falling in and out of love
I'm falling in and out of love
I'm falling in and out of love
I'm falling in and out of love... 

A lighter side of Lita emerged with the album Lita...

Pop-metal which she had long favoured had let her brake through to mainstream audiences, which set the stage for her most commercially successful album, 1988's Lita. With Sharon Osbourne as her manager, and again produced by herself, the album featured four commercial hits, including "Kiss Me Deadly", "Back To The Cave", "Close My Eyes Forever", and "Falling In And Out Of Love" (co-written with Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe). The ballad "Close My Eyes Forever", a duet with Sharon's husband Ozzy Osbourne, was her only Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit, reaching #8. -Wikipedia.com

Random Facts about Lita:

Lita Ford was voted by Reader`s Choice Awards in Metal Edge magazine Best female performer and sexiest female in 1987.

Taking up the guitar at age 11, she joined the all-girl band "The Runaways". "Lita" (1988), her fourth solo album, went platinum, and Guitar magazine voted her Best Female Guitarist (1989). 

Once dated Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe in the mid-1980s. 

Is Italian 

Was a Grammy nominee in 1984 for Best Female Rock Performance, alongside Wendy O. Williams and Pia Zadora. 

Her hit singles as a solo artist include: "Kiss Me Deadly" and "Close My Eyes Forever". 

Was in the all girl rock band the Runaways with Joan Jett. 

In 2005, Lita made a rare guest appearance on the LOU album "The Other Side". The track "I Want To Be Loved" featured Lita on guitar and vocal. 

Ranked #95 on VH1's 100 Sexiest Artists. 

She married former Nitro singer, Jim Gillette on May 13th, 1994. Together they have a son named James Leonard Gillette, who was born on May 13th, 1997. He was 6lbs 10oz and 17 3/4 inches. -Imdb.com

Chester Bennington...

"Happy 36th Birthday"

Chester Bennington...

Who was the missing ingredient to Linkin Park's ground-breaking sound? The answer came in the form of a twenty-year-old misfit from Phoenix, Arizona named Chester Bennington. Chester was a vocalist in a locally reknowned band named Grey Daze and was given a mixtape from a band named Xero by a Zomba Music A&R executive in the latter part of 1998. Xero were searching for a new vocalist in the wake of Mark Wakefield's departure and started handing out demo tapes to try and find a replacement. After listening to the tape and liking what he heard, Chester wrote lyrics and recorded them over the tracks, then sent the tape back to the band. On his 23rd birthday in '99, Chester received a phone call from his Zomba contact saying the band were interested to meet him in person to try out for the lead vocalist spot. Chester flew to Southern California and met the Xero bandmates, then proceeded to completely blow them away in the audition. Not only did he impress the band, his performance also intimidated another vying candidate into leaving before his audition! Chester was a shoe-in for the vocalist spot. The band soon renamed themselves to Hybrid Theory and released their first material recorded with Chester on the 'Hybrid Theory EP' soon afterwards in '99. Hybrid Theory would later change their name to Linkin Park.

Bennington is often labeled as the main source of raw emotion found in many of Linkin Park's songs. This stems from a problematic childhood plagued with the divorcing of his parents, sexual molestation, and heavy drug and alcohol abuse. Through writing music, Chester therapeutically released his pent-up frustration and anger. Instead of making the messages of his songs solely about himself, Chester's writing style uses universal emotions and relatable themes instead of situational lyrics to deliver his stories and help others. For this reason, Chester is regarded as a role model for millions of people who can relate to his messages.

Chester has also realized his creativity through a number of musical endeavours besides that of Linkin Park. What initially began forming in 2005, ultimately became Chester working alongside Amir Derakh, Brandon Belsky, Elias Andra, and Anthony "Fu" Valcic of Julien K & Ryan Shuck of Orgy to form the side-project, Dead By Sunrise. The band released their debut album "Out Of Ashes" October 19th 2008 and have played a number of shows in Europe. Chester also performs with his cover band, Bucket Of Weenies from time to time too, a band dedicated to performing classic rock hits. BOW is a collaboration of Chester on vocals, Ryan Shuck on guitar, Mike "Cheez" Brown on bass, Mike Rouse on guitar & Sean Dowdell on drums.

Chester has also devoted his talents to other projects outside of music, which include his very own clothing line in Ve' Cel, a label comprised of edgy designs aimed at embracing uniqueness and individuality in fashion. Chester also has a creative outlet in his tattoo business, Club Tattoo, which is a part-owned enterprise with long time friends Sean Dowdell and Thora Dowdell. -lpassociation.com

Facts about Chester...

Before Grey Daze, when Chester was 15 he played in a band called "Sean Dowdell and Friends" in which he was the lead singer. Currently the only existing evidence of this band is a 3 song tape that includes the following songs: "Painted Pictures" "Kill The Flies" and "God's Afraid".

Chester was the one who came up with the name Linkin Park for his band (taken from the then-name of a park in Santa Monica, California). It was originally supposed to be spelled "Lincoln" but since the band couldn't afford to buy the domain name lincolnpark.com from its owner, they changed the spelling in order to buy linkinpark.com. -Imdb.com

Personal Quotes from Chester~

"What I enjoy most about being in the band is having the opportunity to create and perform music with amazing musicians who have also become closest of friends. I would like to thank all who support us and make all of this possible." 

Chester on high school: "I was a geek who thought I was cool. I didn't hang out with a particular clique, but with different people from different cliques. I was a total nerd, trying to fit in. Luckily, I found music and that was my niche. That sorta took me out of my geekdom. I was never invited to parties as a teenager - I turned up with the popular people. That's where the lyrics to 'Guilty By Association' came from."   -Imdb.com

Just one of my favs...

Skillet...

Skillet

"Monster"

Video for Today...

"Monster" is the second single of the 2009 album Awake by the Christian rock band Skillet, and is the second track on the album. The single went on to become the bands breakthrough single charting at #4 on Mainstream rock charts and #101 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Chart. A radio edit version can be found on the Deluxe Version, which does not include the growling part of the song. It's also the fifth single by Skillet to be released to physical media.

The Single has so far peaked at number #11 on the iTunes Rock charts, #1 on Christian Rock radio, #2 on Christian Hard Rock radio, #20 on the Billboard Rock Songs chart, #7 on the Billboard Heatseeker charts, #4 on the US Active Rock charts, and number #4 on the Mainstream rock charts, making it the most successful single in the band's history. It is also the first single to make the Alternative Songs chart, debuting at #40, peaked at #28. On November 10th it was announced that the song had reached the "Elite 8" on MTV's rotation slot. The song was also the tenth most played halloween song of 2010. -Wikipedia.com

This was the second single from American Christian rock band Skillet's eighth studio album, Awake.
Front man John Cooper explained to StereoTruth.net: "It's a song about being fake and putting on a face for people that's not the real you. But it's basically about the nature of sin and the nature of the divine, which is the duel nature we have as Christians. Everyday we have to strive to throw away the old and be that new person in Christ."
Cooper expanded on the song to Christianity Today magazine: "In a theological sense, the song is about original sin. You are born into the human race, you're guilty or sinful, no matter what you hope to be. "Monster" is about the fact that there is somebody we know we don't want to be. Some people call it the old man or the old self. That guy wants to creep out when you're driving and somebody cuts you off. You wonder as a Christian, how do I keep it at bay? I liken it to the idea of a '50s horror film of this beast inside you coming alive."
This song was used as the theme for the 2009 edition WWE pay-per-view "Hell in a Cell." It is also featured in WWE video game Smackdown vs Raw 2010 and was used in the NBC telecast of Wrestlemania 25, highlighting WWE wrestler Randy Orton's quest to become the WWE champion. -Songfacts.com

I feel it deep within, It's just beneath the skin I must confess that I Feel like a monster I hate what I've become, The nightmare's just begun I must confess that I Feel like a monster - Monster 

Randy Rhoads...

1956~1982

30 years ago today (March 19, 1982), Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist Randy Rhoads was killed in a tragic plane crash in Leesburg, Fla.

After co-founding Quiet Riot at the age of 16, Rhoads went on to become one of the most influential and respected hard rock/heavy metal guitarists in history, despite his relatively short career. After breaking through the late-'70s L.A. rock scene and playing such famed clubs as the Whiskey a Go Go, Rhoads played guitar on Quiet Riot's first two albums ('Quiet Riot' and 'Quiet Riot II'), which initially only saw their release in Japan.

In 1979, Rhoads auditioned in front of a drunken Ozzy Osbourne, who was looking to piece together a new band after his departure from Black Sabbath. Randy played on Ozzy's famed 1980 release, 'Blizzard of Ozz,' and his trademark guitar playing can be heard on such hard rock classics as 'Crazy Train' and 'Mr. Crowley.'

After the 1981 release of Osbourne's 'Diary of a Madman,' Randy contemplated the idea of going on a hiatus from rock music to attend UCLA and study classical guitar. He continued to tour with Ozzy, however, supporting 'Diary of a Madman' into early 1982.

Tragedy struck on March 19, 1982. Rhoads, who had played what would become his last show just the day before in Knoxville, Tenn., was heading to a show in Orlando when the band's tour bus stopped in Leesburg, Fla. Parked next to a small airstrip, the bus driver, Andrew Aycock, took some of the band members for joyrides on a plane he owned there. On the second flight of the day, Aycock took Rhoads and the band's hairdresser/seamstress, Rachel Youngblood, with him.

Aycock decided to "buzz" the bus full of sleeping band members. On the third pass, the plane clipped the bus, and all three who were flying were killed instantly. He was laid to rest at Mountain View Cemetery in San Bernardino, Calif. Since his death, Rhoads has been the subject of tribute albums, has appeared on countless "best of" lists, and has even had a special edition amp and guitar released in his memory.

On the 30th anniversary of his tragic passing, Noisecreep reached out to Rhoads' former Ozzy Osbourne bandmate, the great bassist Rudy Sarzo, who shared, "Though I mourn Randy Rhoads' passing 30 years ago today, more importantly I celebrate his life. His unmeasurable talent and friendship lives on forever in my heart." -Noisecreep.com

A cool tribute video...

Billy Sheenan...

"Happy 59th Birthday"

Billy Sheenan...

Billy Sheehan has changed the way bass guitar is played. Rising to cult status in the 80's with his Buffalo, NY based band Talas, Billy was recruited by David Lee Roth when Roth left Van Halen in '85. He recorded two platinum selling albums with the former Van Halen front man before setting out on his own. Forming Mr. Big in 1989, the band achieved a Billboard #1 single in the US and 14 other countries with "To Be With You" from their 2nd Atlantic Records album release "Lean Into It". While developing his trademark style of playing he has performed over 4000 live gigs on every continent except Africa and Antarctica. 

Voted the "Best Rock Bass Player" 5 times in Guitar Player magazines Readers Poll, an honor which placed him in their "Gallery of Greats" (alongside Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Geddy Lee and Eddie Van Halen to name but a few), he has also won readers polls in Germany, Japan, Korea, Italy, and many other countries. On January 27, 1999 Billy's handprints and signature were preserved in cement on the Hollywood Rockwalk at Guitar Center. An honor attributed to those artists who have made a significant contribution to Rock and Roll. In Japan, Billy has won the prestigious "Player Magazine" (Japan's #1 Music mag) Readers Poll for Best Bass Player an unprecedented 14 consecutive times and Burrn! Magazines (Japan's #1 heavy metal mag) Readers Poll 5 times while selling out Budokan arena 3 consecutive nights with his band Mr. Big.

He started the new Millennium 2000 by performing before 40,000 fans with Mr. Big at the Osaka Dome in Japan then began work on his long awaited solo album. With recording completed, Billy's first solo album entitled "COMPRESSION" was released on April 25, 2001 on the Favored Nations label.

On "COMPRESSION", Sheehan wrote, sang, played Baritone 12 string and 6 string guitar, played bass and programmed drums on the entire record, except for 2 tracks featuring Terry Bozzio on drums and an amazing Steve Vai solo on the song "Chameleon" (the first pairing of Steve Vai and Billy since the David Lee Roth days). Other upcoming records include a new Mr. Big album (their 6th) slated for release in Fall 2001, an all instrumental bass album, an experimental Bass & Drum record w/ Terry Bozzio, and the 5th Niacin album featuring Dennis Chambers on drums (Funkadelic, Steely Dan, and Mahavishnu Orchestra). Niacin is an all-instrumental Bass, Drums, and Hammond B3 band at the cutting edge of a new musical movement. -Yamaha.com

Billy Sheenan Quote:

At night I could hear the bass reverberate through the neighborhood. The guitars and drums were muffled, but the bass traveled everywhere. I loved that, and wanted to have the power to shake buildings. Also, the bass was big and manly; guitars were little and wimpy, with these thin little strings that looked like Velveeta cheese cutters.