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Memorial services for iconic MOTÖRHEAD frontman Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister was held at the Rainbow Bar And Grill in West Hollywood, California 1-9-2016.
Lemmy, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Christmas Eve (December 24-2016), learned two days later, on December 26, that he was afflicted with an aggressive form of cancer. He died two days later, on December 28 at his home in Los Angeles.
MOTÖRHEADwas revered by both metal and punk fans, and Lemmy was considered an icon for his musical talent and his embodiment of the rock n’ roll lifestyle.
The Rainbow Bar And Grill on L.A.'s Sunset Strip was known as Lemmy's hangout, made it an obvious place for friends and family to say goodbye to the legend.
Read more at: www.blabbermouth.net/news/overhelming-response-to-lemmys-...
Fonte Official Skindred web page :
The music world may be in a permanent state of panic and flux, but one basic principle of rock’n’roll remains true: the key to longevity is to always deliver the goods. No band has better encapsulated this ethos of integrity and determination over the last decade than Skindred.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most devastating and enthralling live bands on the planet, the Newport destroyers have been a perennial force for musical invention and remorseless positivity since emerging from the ashes of frontman Benji Webbe’s former band Dub War back in 1998. Over the course of four universally praised studio albums – Babylon (2002), Roots Rock Riot (2007), Shark Bites And Dog Fights (2009) and Union Black (2011) – Skindred’s reputation for producing the ultimate spark-spraying state-of-the-art soundclash, combining all manner of seemingly disparate musical elements into an irresistibly exhilarating explosion of energy and cross-pollinated cultural fervour has rightly earned them a reputation as a band capable of uniting people from all corners of the globe and making every last one of them tear up the dancefloor with a giant shit-eating grin plastered across their faces.
With the toughest and most infectious metal riffs colliding with the biggest, phattest hip hop and reggae grooves, cutting edge electronics and a razor-sharp pop sensibility guaranteed to encourage even the most curmudgeonly music fans bellow along with rabid enthusiasm, Skindred are both the ultimate thinking man’s party band. And now, with the release of their fifth studio album Kill The Power, Benji Webbe and his loyal henchmen – bassist Dan Pugsley, guitarist Mikey Demus and drummer Arya Goggins – are poised to spread their gospel of good times and badass tunes to an even bigger global audience.
“We know that everyone recognises us as one of the best live bands around,” says Arya. “We’re really proud of all of the albums we’ve made, but we all felt that we needed to make an album that would be as powerful and effective as the live show. That’s what Kill The Power is all about. This time, we want everyone to sit up and listen and join in the party.”
“I started DJ-ing a little while ago and it’s taught me a lot,” adds Benji. “Now I feel like I wanted to make an album where every intro to every song makes kids think ‘Fucking hell, they’re playing that song!’ Every middle eight on this album is a banger. Every chorus is massive. On this album, the lyrics are deep and the songs are just bigger than ever.”
In keeping with their tradition of making people move while singing about universal issues and spreading a message of positive action and social unity, Kill The Power is an album bulging with fury at the state of the modern world. Never afraid to tackle important topics head on, while never forgetting his band’s mission to entertain and leave the world in a sweaty, sated heap, Benji’s notoriously insane energy levels seem to be creeping up with every album and Kill The Power showcases his most furious and impactful performances to date.
“The world’s getting worse so how can I get more mellow?” he laughs. “Of course I’m getting angrier! People normally stay in a bag when it comes to lyrics. Stephen King stays with horror and he’s brilliant at it, you know? With Skindred, it’s always about encouraging an uplift. It’s about a sense of unity. Lyrics can change people’s lives, you know? You can be going down one road and hear a song and have a Road To Damascus experience and become someone else.”
On an album that has no shortage of invigorating highlights, Kill The Power takes Skindred to new extremes at both ends of the lyrical spectrum, reaching a new level of fiery intensity on the lethal cautionary tale of “Playin’ With The Devil” and the euphoric end-of-the-working-week celebration of “Saturday”: both songs proving that this band’s ability to touch the heart and fire the blood remains as incisive and potent as ever. As if to enhance their songwriting chops more than ever, Kill The Power also features several songs written in collaboration with legendary songwriting guru Russ Ballard, the man behind such immortal rock staples as Since You’ve Been Gone and God Gave Rock & Roll To You, and this seemingly perverse team-up has led to Skindred’s finest set of lyrics and melodies to date.
“Basically, I try to write songs that people can interpret however they like,” says Benji. “When I wrote ‘Playin’ With The Devil’, I originally wrote some words down on a piece of paper thinking about friends I’ve had who smoke crack and live on the pipe, you know? I wrote the song about that kind of thing, but then a couple of days later the riots happened in London and so it became about that as well. When you shit on your own doorstep, your house is going to smell of shit. You’ve got to clean that up! With ‘Saturday’, it’s not a typical Skindred song; it’s a big celebration. We got Russ Ballard involved on that one and he helped me structure the lyrics in the right way so when the chorus hits, it hits like a hammer. It’s an upbeat song but when you listen to the lyrics it goes on about how people all have different reasons to be out and partying. Some people are celebrating, some people are drowning their sorrows, and we all come together on a Saturday. When this record comes out and people go to a club on a Saturday, that’s when it’s gonna go off! The chorus is huge!”
While Skindred’s previous album Union Black was dominated by the bleeps, booms and squelches of British electronic dance music, albeit balanced out by Mikey Demus’ trademark riffs, the new album sees the band return to a more organic sound that amounts to the most accurate representation of the Skindred live experience yet committed to tape. From the huge beats and stuttering samples of the opening title track and the laudably demented Ninja through to the insistent melodies and rampaging choruses of “The Kids Are Right Now” and “Saturday” and on to the thunderous, metallic throwdowns of “Proceed With Caution” and “Ruling Force” and the cool acoustic breeze of the closing More Fire, Kill The Power is Skindred cranked up to full throttle and revelling in their own febrile creativity like never before.
“It’s all about making an album that moves people in the same way that our live shows do,” says Arya. “We love what we achieved on Union Black and we still used a lot of those basic ideas on Kill The Power, but this time it’s a more organic sound. All the drum loops you hear were originally played by me before we started chopping them up, and there are a lot more guitars on this record too. We love combining all the music that we love in Skindred but we all love heavy music and we’re a rock band at heart and that really comes across this time.”
“We’ve delivered an album that’s gonna make people rock for the next few years,” states Benji. “You know what? I can’t do anything about record sales, but if people come to a Skindred show they’re gonna know they’ve been there, you know? Ha ha! The music we make is not about Christians or Muslims, straight people or gay people, black or white or any of that shit. When people are in that room together it’s just Skindred, one unity and one strength!”
Having conquered numerous countries around the world, Skindred could easily be taking a breather and resting on their laurels at this point. Instead, this most dedicated and hard-working of modern bands are preparing to launch their most exuberant assault on the world ever when Kill The Power hits the streets. Anyone that has ever seen the band live before will confirm that it is impossible not to get fired up and drawn into the joyous abandon of a Skindred show and with their greatest album to date primed and ready to explode, the best live band on the planet simply cannot fail to conquer the entire world this time round. Wherever and whoever you are, Skindred are coming. Open your ears and get your dancing feet ready…
“There’s nothing better than being on stage with these guys,” says Arya. “Skindred is my favourite band and I’m so lucky to be part of this thing we’ve created. We’ve been all over the world but there are always new places to visit and new crowds to play for. We just want to keep getting bigger and better.”
“We’re a global band. We’ve played in Colombia and India and everywhere and it’s the same energy,” Benji concludes. “I get letters from people in Hawaii and people in Turkey. It’s all the same. We resonate globally and it’s the greatest thing ever. It seems funny to us sometimes because we’re always kicking each other’s heads in and saying ‘You’re a wanker!’ to each other before we go on stage, but as soon as it’s time to play the show the oneness this band creates together and the unity we bring is unique. I’ve never experienced anything like it and we can’t wait to get back on the road and do it all again.”
Fonte Official Skindred web page :
The music world may be in a permanent state of panic and flux, but one basic principle of rock’n’roll remains true: the key to longevity is to always deliver the goods. No band has better encapsulated this ethos of integrity and determination over the last decade than Skindred.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most devastating and enthralling live bands on the planet, the Newport destroyers have been a perennial force for musical invention and remorseless positivity since emerging from the ashes of frontman Benji Webbe’s former band Dub War back in 1998. Over the course of four universally praised studio albums – Babylon (2002), Roots Rock Riot (2007), Shark Bites And Dog Fights (2009) and Union Black (2011) – Skindred’s reputation for producing the ultimate spark-spraying state-of-the-art soundclash, combining all manner of seemingly disparate musical elements into an irresistibly exhilarating explosion of energy and cross-pollinated cultural fervour has rightly earned them a reputation as a band capable of uniting people from all corners of the globe and making every last one of them tear up the dancefloor with a giant shit-eating grin plastered across their faces.
With the toughest and most infectious metal riffs colliding with the biggest, phattest hip hop and reggae grooves, cutting edge electronics and a razor-sharp pop sensibility guaranteed to encourage even the most curmudgeonly music fans bellow along with rabid enthusiasm, Skindred are both the ultimate thinking man’s party band. And now, with the release of their fifth studio album Kill The Power, Benji Webbe and his loyal henchmen – bassist Dan Pugsley, guitarist Mikey Demus and drummer Arya Goggins – are poised to spread their gospel of good times and badass tunes to an even bigger global audience.
“We know that everyone recognises us as one of the best live bands around,” says Arya. “We’re really proud of all of the albums we’ve made, but we all felt that we needed to make an album that would be as powerful and effective as the live show. That’s what Kill The Power is all about. This time, we want everyone to sit up and listen and join in the party.”
“I started DJ-ing a little while ago and it’s taught me a lot,” adds Benji. “Now I feel like I wanted to make an album where every intro to every song makes kids think ‘Fucking hell, they’re playing that song!’ Every middle eight on this album is a banger. Every chorus is massive. On this album, the lyrics are deep and the songs are just bigger than ever.”
In keeping with their tradition of making people move while singing about universal issues and spreading a message of positive action and social unity, Kill The Power is an album bulging with fury at the state of the modern world. Never afraid to tackle important topics head on, while never forgetting his band’s mission to entertain and leave the world in a sweaty, sated heap, Benji’s notoriously insane energy levels seem to be creeping up with every album and Kill The Power showcases his most furious and impactful performances to date.
“The world’s getting worse so how can I get more mellow?” he laughs. “Of course I’m getting angrier! People normally stay in a bag when it comes to lyrics. Stephen King stays with horror and he’s brilliant at it, you know? With Skindred, it’s always about encouraging an uplift. It’s about a sense of unity. Lyrics can change people’s lives, you know? You can be going down one road and hear a song and have a Road To Damascus experience and become someone else.”
On an album that has no shortage of invigorating highlights, Kill The Power takes Skindred to new extremes at both ends of the lyrical spectrum, reaching a new level of fiery intensity on the lethal cautionary tale of “Playin’ With The Devil” and the euphoric end-of-the-working-week celebration of “Saturday”: both songs proving that this band’s ability to touch the heart and fire the blood remains as incisive and potent as ever. As if to enhance their songwriting chops more than ever, Kill The Power also features several songs written in collaboration with legendary songwriting guru Russ Ballard, the man behind such immortal rock staples as Since You’ve Been Gone and God Gave Rock & Roll To You, and this seemingly perverse team-up has led to Skindred’s finest set of lyrics and melodies to date.
“Basically, I try to write songs that people can interpret however they like,” says Benji. “When I wrote ‘Playin’ With The Devil’, I originally wrote some words down on a piece of paper thinking about friends I’ve had who smoke crack and live on the pipe, you know? I wrote the song about that kind of thing, but then a couple of days later the riots happened in London and so it became about that as well. When you shit on your own doorstep, your house is going to smell of shit. You’ve got to clean that up! With ‘Saturday’, it’s not a typical Skindred song; it’s a big celebration. We got Russ Ballard involved on that one and he helped me structure the lyrics in the right way so when the chorus hits, it hits like a hammer. It’s an upbeat song but when you listen to the lyrics it goes on about how people all have different reasons to be out and partying. Some people are celebrating, some people are drowning their sorrows, and we all come together on a Saturday. When this record comes out and people go to a club on a Saturday, that’s when it’s gonna go off! The chorus is huge!”
While Skindred’s previous album Union Black was dominated by the bleeps, booms and squelches of British electronic dance music, albeit balanced out by Mikey Demus’ trademark riffs, the new album sees the band return to a more organic sound that amounts to the most accurate representation of the Skindred live experience yet committed to tape. From the huge beats and stuttering samples of the opening title track and the laudably demented Ninja through to the insistent melodies and rampaging choruses of “The Kids Are Right Now” and “Saturday” and on to the thunderous, metallic throwdowns of “Proceed With Caution” and “Ruling Force” and the cool acoustic breeze of the closing More Fire, Kill The Power is Skindred cranked up to full throttle and revelling in their own febrile creativity like never before.
“It’s all about making an album that moves people in the same way that our live shows do,” says Arya. “We love what we achieved on Union Black and we still used a lot of those basic ideas on Kill The Power, but this time it’s a more organic sound. All the drum loops you hear were originally played by me before we started chopping them up, and there are a lot more guitars on this record too. We love combining all the music that we love in Skindred but we all love heavy music and we’re a rock band at heart and that really comes across this time.”
“We’ve delivered an album that’s gonna make people rock for the next few years,” states Benji. “You know what? I can’t do anything about record sales, but if people come to a Skindred show they’re gonna know they’ve been there, you know? Ha ha! The music we make is not about Christians or Muslims, straight people or gay people, black or white or any of that shit. When people are in that room together it’s just Skindred, one unity and one strength!”
Having conquered numerous countries around the world, Skindred could easily be taking a breather and resting on their laurels at this point. Instead, this most dedicated and hard-working of modern bands are preparing to launch their most exuberant assault on the world ever when Kill The Power hits the streets. Anyone that has ever seen the band live before will confirm that it is impossible not to get fired up and drawn into the joyous abandon of a Skindred show and with their greatest album to date primed and ready to explode, the best live band on the planet simply cannot fail to conquer the entire world this time round. Wherever and whoever you are, Skindred are coming. Open your ears and get your dancing feet ready…
“There’s nothing better than being on stage with these guys,” says Arya. “Skindred is my favourite band and I’m so lucky to be part of this thing we’ve created. We’ve been all over the world but there are always new places to visit and new crowds to play for. We just want to keep getting bigger and better.”
“We’re a global band. We’ve played in Colombia and India and everywhere and it’s the same energy,” Benji concludes. “I get letters from people in Hawaii and people in Turkey. It’s all the same. We resonate globally and it’s the greatest thing ever. It seems funny to us sometimes because we’re always kicking each other’s heads in and saying ‘You’re a wanker!’ to each other before we go on stage, but as soon as it’s time to play the show the oneness this band creates together and the unity we bring is unique. I’ve never experienced anything like it and we can’t wait to get back on the road and do it all again.”
The Amazing Race frontman Phil Keoghan, a loyal Cantabrian, was feeling the pain of Christchurch yesterday as he walked its streets.
He is in the city to film a personal reaction to the quake which will screen tomorrow on the prime time news bulletins of US network CBS, the channel which screens his hit show The Amazing Race.
"You are never going to take the fight out of a Cantabrian – but people here are really scared. This is brutal."
Flogging Molly frontman Dave King, presiding over his subjects. King is a phenomenal subject on stage. I think he threw his hands up like this on three separate occasions during as many songs while we shot.
What I wouldn't give for some big, bad arena lights blowing up in the background, though. Come on LD, sometimes you gotta hit it from the back, too.
Check out the full set, bigger images, and the complete with shooting notes at ishootshows.com/.
Goo Goo Dolls' frontman, John Rzeznik, performed their latest single, "Come To Me" at Alice Now and Zen concert. You can hear this song here.
www.youtube.com/user/thegoogoodolls
Camera Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Lens EF 135mm F2L USM
Extender EF 1.4x III
Exposure 0.003 sec (1/400)
Aperture f/2.8
Focal Length 189 mm
ISO Speed 100
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Fonte Official Skindred web page :
The music world may be in a permanent state of panic and flux, but one basic principle of rock’n’roll remains true: the key to longevity is to always deliver the goods. No band has better encapsulated this ethos of integrity and determination over the last decade than Skindred.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most devastating and enthralling live bands on the planet, the Newport destroyers have been a perennial force for musical invention and remorseless positivity since emerging from the ashes of frontman Benji Webbe’s former band Dub War back in 1998. Over the course of four universally praised studio albums – Babylon (2002), Roots Rock Riot (2007), Shark Bites And Dog Fights (2009) and Union Black (2011) – Skindred’s reputation for producing the ultimate spark-spraying state-of-the-art soundclash, combining all manner of seemingly disparate musical elements into an irresistibly exhilarating explosion of energy and cross-pollinated cultural fervour has rightly earned them a reputation as a band capable of uniting people from all corners of the globe and making every last one of them tear up the dancefloor with a giant shit-eating grin plastered across their faces.
With the toughest and most infectious metal riffs colliding with the biggest, phattest hip hop and reggae grooves, cutting edge electronics and a razor-sharp pop sensibility guaranteed to encourage even the most curmudgeonly music fans bellow along with rabid enthusiasm, Skindred are both the ultimate thinking man’s party band. And now, with the release of their fifth studio album Kill The Power, Benji Webbe and his loyal henchmen – bassist Dan Pugsley, guitarist Mikey Demus and drummer Arya Goggins – are poised to spread their gospel of good times and badass tunes to an even bigger global audience.
“We know that everyone recognises us as one of the best live bands around,” says Arya. “We’re really proud of all of the albums we’ve made, but we all felt that we needed to make an album that would be as powerful and effective as the live show. That’s what Kill The Power is all about. This time, we want everyone to sit up and listen and join in the party.”
“I started DJ-ing a little while ago and it’s taught me a lot,” adds Benji. “Now I feel like I wanted to make an album where every intro to every song makes kids think ‘Fucking hell, they’re playing that song!’ Every middle eight on this album is a banger. Every chorus is massive. On this album, the lyrics are deep and the songs are just bigger than ever.”
In keeping with their tradition of making people move while singing about universal issues and spreading a message of positive action and social unity, Kill The Power is an album bulging with fury at the state of the modern world. Never afraid to tackle important topics head on, while never forgetting his band’s mission to entertain and leave the world in a sweaty, sated heap, Benji’s notoriously insane energy levels seem to be creeping up with every album and Kill The Power showcases his most furious and impactful performances to date.
“The world’s getting worse so how can I get more mellow?” he laughs. “Of course I’m getting angrier! People normally stay in a bag when it comes to lyrics. Stephen King stays with horror and he’s brilliant at it, you know? With Skindred, it’s always about encouraging an uplift. It’s about a sense of unity. Lyrics can change people’s lives, you know? You can be going down one road and hear a song and have a Road To Damascus experience and become someone else.”
On an album that has no shortage of invigorating highlights, Kill The Power takes Skindred to new extremes at both ends of the lyrical spectrum, reaching a new level of fiery intensity on the lethal cautionary tale of “Playin’ With The Devil” and the euphoric end-of-the-working-week celebration of “Saturday”: both songs proving that this band’s ability to touch the heart and fire the blood remains as incisive and potent as ever. As if to enhance their songwriting chops more than ever, Kill The Power also features several songs written in collaboration with legendary songwriting guru Russ Ballard, the man behind such immortal rock staples as Since You’ve Been Gone and God Gave Rock & Roll To You, and this seemingly perverse team-up has led to Skindred’s finest set of lyrics and melodies to date.
“Basically, I try to write songs that people can interpret however they like,” says Benji. “When I wrote ‘Playin’ With The Devil’, I originally wrote some words down on a piece of paper thinking about friends I’ve had who smoke crack and live on the pipe, you know? I wrote the song about that kind of thing, but then a couple of days later the riots happened in London and so it became about that as well. When you shit on your own doorstep, your house is going to smell of shit. You’ve got to clean that up! With ‘Saturday’, it’s not a typical Skindred song; it’s a big celebration. We got Russ Ballard involved on that one and he helped me structure the lyrics in the right way so when the chorus hits, it hits like a hammer. It’s an upbeat song but when you listen to the lyrics it goes on about how people all have different reasons to be out and partying. Some people are celebrating, some people are drowning their sorrows, and we all come together on a Saturday. When this record comes out and people go to a club on a Saturday, that’s when it’s gonna go off! The chorus is huge!”
While Skindred’s previous album Union Black was dominated by the bleeps, booms and squelches of British electronic dance music, albeit balanced out by Mikey Demus’ trademark riffs, the new album sees the band return to a more organic sound that amounts to the most accurate representation of the Skindred live experience yet committed to tape. From the huge beats and stuttering samples of the opening title track and the laudably demented Ninja through to the insistent melodies and rampaging choruses of “The Kids Are Right Now” and “Saturday” and on to the thunderous, metallic throwdowns of “Proceed With Caution” and “Ruling Force” and the cool acoustic breeze of the closing More Fire, Kill The Power is Skindred cranked up to full throttle and revelling in their own febrile creativity like never before.
“It’s all about making an album that moves people in the same way that our live shows do,” says Arya. “We love what we achieved on Union Black and we still used a lot of those basic ideas on Kill The Power, but this time it’s a more organic sound. All the drum loops you hear were originally played by me before we started chopping them up, and there are a lot more guitars on this record too. We love combining all the music that we love in Skindred but we all love heavy music and we’re a rock band at heart and that really comes across this time.”
“We’ve delivered an album that’s gonna make people rock for the next few years,” states Benji. “You know what? I can’t do anything about record sales, but if people come to a Skindred show they’re gonna know they’ve been there, you know? Ha ha! The music we make is not about Christians or Muslims, straight people or gay people, black or white or any of that shit. When people are in that room together it’s just Skindred, one unity and one strength!”
Having conquered numerous countries around the world, Skindred could easily be taking a breather and resting on their laurels at this point. Instead, this most dedicated and hard-working of modern bands are preparing to launch their most exuberant assault on the world ever when Kill The Power hits the streets. Anyone that has ever seen the band live before will confirm that it is impossible not to get fired up and drawn into the joyous abandon of a Skindred show and with their greatest album to date primed and ready to explode, the best live band on the planet simply cannot fail to conquer the entire world this time round. Wherever and whoever you are, Skindred are coming. Open your ears and get your dancing feet ready…
“There’s nothing better than being on stage with these guys,” says Arya. “Skindred is my favourite band and I’m so lucky to be part of this thing we’ve created. We’ve been all over the world but there are always new places to visit and new crowds to play for. We just want to keep getting bigger and better.”
“We’re a global band. We’ve played in Colombia and India and everywhere and it’s the same energy,” Benji concludes. “I get letters from people in Hawaii and people in Turkey. It’s all the same. We resonate globally and it’s the greatest thing ever. It seems funny to us sometimes because we’re always kicking each other’s heads in and saying ‘You’re a wanker!’ to each other before we go on stage, but as soon as it’s time to play the show the oneness this band creates together and the unity we bring is unique. I’ve never experienced anything like it and we can’t wait to get back on the road and do it all again.”
Fonte Official Skindred web page :
The music world may be in a permanent state of panic and flux, but one basic principle of rock’n’roll remains true: the key to longevity is to always deliver the goods. No band has better encapsulated this ethos of integrity and determination over the last decade than Skindred.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most devastating and enthralling live bands on the planet, the Newport destroyers have been a perennial force for musical invention and remorseless positivity since emerging from the ashes of frontman Benji Webbe’s former band Dub War back in 1998. Over the course of four universally praised studio albums – Babylon (2002), Roots Rock Riot (2007), Shark Bites And Dog Fights (2009) and Union Black (2011) – Skindred’s reputation for producing the ultimate spark-spraying state-of-the-art soundclash, combining all manner of seemingly disparate musical elements into an irresistibly exhilarating explosion of energy and cross-pollinated cultural fervour has rightly earned them a reputation as a band capable of uniting people from all corners of the globe and making every last one of them tear up the dancefloor with a giant shit-eating grin plastered across their faces.
With the toughest and most infectious metal riffs colliding with the biggest, phattest hip hop and reggae grooves, cutting edge electronics and a razor-sharp pop sensibility guaranteed to encourage even the most curmudgeonly music fans bellow along with rabid enthusiasm, Skindred are both the ultimate thinking man’s party band. And now, with the release of their fifth studio album Kill The Power, Benji Webbe and his loyal henchmen – bassist Dan Pugsley, guitarist Mikey Demus and drummer Arya Goggins – are poised to spread their gospel of good times and badass tunes to an even bigger global audience.
“We know that everyone recognises us as one of the best live bands around,” says Arya. “We’re really proud of all of the albums we’ve made, but we all felt that we needed to make an album that would be as powerful and effective as the live show. That’s what Kill The Power is all about. This time, we want everyone to sit up and listen and join in the party.”
“I started DJ-ing a little while ago and it’s taught me a lot,” adds Benji. “Now I feel like I wanted to make an album where every intro to every song makes kids think ‘Fucking hell, they’re playing that song!’ Every middle eight on this album is a banger. Every chorus is massive. On this album, the lyrics are deep and the songs are just bigger than ever.”
In keeping with their tradition of making people move while singing about universal issues and spreading a message of positive action and social unity, Kill The Power is an album bulging with fury at the state of the modern world. Never afraid to tackle important topics head on, while never forgetting his band’s mission to entertain and leave the world in a sweaty, sated heap, Benji’s notoriously insane energy levels seem to be creeping up with every album and Kill The Power showcases his most furious and impactful performances to date.
“The world’s getting worse so how can I get more mellow?” he laughs. “Of course I’m getting angrier! People normally stay in a bag when it comes to lyrics. Stephen King stays with horror and he’s brilliant at it, you know? With Skindred, it’s always about encouraging an uplift. It’s about a sense of unity. Lyrics can change people’s lives, you know? You can be going down one road and hear a song and have a Road To Damascus experience and become someone else.”
On an album that has no shortage of invigorating highlights, Kill The Power takes Skindred to new extremes at both ends of the lyrical spectrum, reaching a new level of fiery intensity on the lethal cautionary tale of “Playin’ With The Devil” and the euphoric end-of-the-working-week celebration of “Saturday”: both songs proving that this band’s ability to touch the heart and fire the blood remains as incisive and potent as ever. As if to enhance their songwriting chops more than ever, Kill The Power also features several songs written in collaboration with legendary songwriting guru Russ Ballard, the man behind such immortal rock staples as Since You’ve Been Gone and God Gave Rock & Roll To You, and this seemingly perverse team-up has led to Skindred’s finest set of lyrics and melodies to date.
“Basically, I try to write songs that people can interpret however they like,” says Benji. “When I wrote ‘Playin’ With The Devil’, I originally wrote some words down on a piece of paper thinking about friends I’ve had who smoke crack and live on the pipe, you know? I wrote the song about that kind of thing, but then a couple of days later the riots happened in London and so it became about that as well. When you shit on your own doorstep, your house is going to smell of shit. You’ve got to clean that up! With ‘Saturday’, it’s not a typical Skindred song; it’s a big celebration. We got Russ Ballard involved on that one and he helped me structure the lyrics in the right way so when the chorus hits, it hits like a hammer. It’s an upbeat song but when you listen to the lyrics it goes on about how people all have different reasons to be out and partying. Some people are celebrating, some people are drowning their sorrows, and we all come together on a Saturday. When this record comes out and people go to a club on a Saturday, that’s when it’s gonna go off! The chorus is huge!”
While Skindred’s previous album Union Black was dominated by the bleeps, booms and squelches of British electronic dance music, albeit balanced out by Mikey Demus’ trademark riffs, the new album sees the band return to a more organic sound that amounts to the most accurate representation of the Skindred live experience yet committed to tape. From the huge beats and stuttering samples of the opening title track and the laudably demented Ninja through to the insistent melodies and rampaging choruses of “The Kids Are Right Now” and “Saturday” and on to the thunderous, metallic throwdowns of “Proceed With Caution” and “Ruling Force” and the cool acoustic breeze of the closing More Fire, Kill The Power is Skindred cranked up to full throttle and revelling in their own febrile creativity like never before.
“It’s all about making an album that moves people in the same way that our live shows do,” says Arya. “We love what we achieved on Union Black and we still used a lot of those basic ideas on Kill The Power, but this time it’s a more organic sound. All the drum loops you hear were originally played by me before we started chopping them up, and there are a lot more guitars on this record too. We love combining all the music that we love in Skindred but we all love heavy music and we’re a rock band at heart and that really comes across this time.”
“We’ve delivered an album that’s gonna make people rock for the next few years,” states Benji. “You know what? I can’t do anything about record sales, but if people come to a Skindred show they’re gonna know they’ve been there, you know? Ha ha! The music we make is not about Christians or Muslims, straight people or gay people, black or white or any of that shit. When people are in that room together it’s just Skindred, one unity and one strength!”
Having conquered numerous countries around the world, Skindred could easily be taking a breather and resting on their laurels at this point. Instead, this most dedicated and hard-working of modern bands are preparing to launch their most exuberant assault on the world ever when Kill The Power hits the streets. Anyone that has ever seen the band live before will confirm that it is impossible not to get fired up and drawn into the joyous abandon of a Skindred show and with their greatest album to date primed and ready to explode, the best live band on the planet simply cannot fail to conquer the entire world this time round. Wherever and whoever you are, Skindred are coming. Open your ears and get your dancing feet ready…
“There’s nothing better than being on stage with these guys,” says Arya. “Skindred is my favourite band and I’m so lucky to be part of this thing we’ve created. We’ve been all over the world but there are always new places to visit and new crowds to play for. We just want to keep getting bigger and better.”
“We’re a global band. We’ve played in Colombia and India and everywhere and it’s the same energy,” Benji concludes. “I get letters from people in Hawaii and people in Turkey. It’s all the same. We resonate globally and it’s the greatest thing ever. It seems funny to us sometimes because we’re always kicking each other’s heads in and saying ‘You’re a wanker!’ to each other before we go on stage, but as soon as it’s time to play the show the oneness this band creates together and the unity we bring is unique. I’ve never experienced anything like it and we can’t wait to get back on the road and do it all again.”
Fonte Official Skindred web page :
The music world may be in a permanent state of panic and flux, but one basic principle of rock’n’roll remains true: the key to longevity is to always deliver the goods. No band has better encapsulated this ethos of integrity and determination over the last decade than Skindred.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most devastating and enthralling live bands on the planet, the Newport destroyers have been a perennial force for musical invention and remorseless positivity since emerging from the ashes of frontman Benji Webbe’s former band Dub War back in 1998. Over the course of four universally praised studio albums – Babylon (2002), Roots Rock Riot (2007), Shark Bites And Dog Fights (2009) and Union Black (2011) – Skindred’s reputation for producing the ultimate spark-spraying state-of-the-art soundclash, combining all manner of seemingly disparate musical elements into an irresistibly exhilarating explosion of energy and cross-pollinated cultural fervour has rightly earned them a reputation as a band capable of uniting people from all corners of the globe and making every last one of them tear up the dancefloor with a giant shit-eating grin plastered across their faces.
With the toughest and most infectious metal riffs colliding with the biggest, phattest hip hop and reggae grooves, cutting edge electronics and a razor-sharp pop sensibility guaranteed to encourage even the most curmudgeonly music fans bellow along with rabid enthusiasm, Skindred are both the ultimate thinking man’s party band. And now, with the release of their fifth studio album Kill The Power, Benji Webbe and his loyal henchmen – bassist Dan Pugsley, guitarist Mikey Demus and drummer Arya Goggins – are poised to spread their gospel of good times and badass tunes to an even bigger global audience.
“We know that everyone recognises us as one of the best live bands around,” says Arya. “We’re really proud of all of the albums we’ve made, but we all felt that we needed to make an album that would be as powerful and effective as the live show. That’s what Kill The Power is all about. This time, we want everyone to sit up and listen and join in the party.”
“I started DJ-ing a little while ago and it’s taught me a lot,” adds Benji. “Now I feel like I wanted to make an album where every intro to every song makes kids think ‘Fucking hell, they’re playing that song!’ Every middle eight on this album is a banger. Every chorus is massive. On this album, the lyrics are deep and the songs are just bigger than ever.”
In keeping with their tradition of making people move while singing about universal issues and spreading a message of positive action and social unity, Kill The Power is an album bulging with fury at the state of the modern world. Never afraid to tackle important topics head on, while never forgetting his band’s mission to entertain and leave the world in a sweaty, sated heap, Benji’s notoriously insane energy levels seem to be creeping up with every album and Kill The Power showcases his most furious and impactful performances to date.
“The world’s getting worse so how can I get more mellow?” he laughs. “Of course I’m getting angrier! People normally stay in a bag when it comes to lyrics. Stephen King stays with horror and he’s brilliant at it, you know? With Skindred, it’s always about encouraging an uplift. It’s about a sense of unity. Lyrics can change people’s lives, you know? You can be going down one road and hear a song and have a Road To Damascus experience and become someone else.”
On an album that has no shortage of invigorating highlights, Kill The Power takes Skindred to new extremes at both ends of the lyrical spectrum, reaching a new level of fiery intensity on the lethal cautionary tale of “Playin’ With The Devil” and the euphoric end-of-the-working-week celebration of “Saturday”: both songs proving that this band’s ability to touch the heart and fire the blood remains as incisive and potent as ever. As if to enhance their songwriting chops more than ever, Kill The Power also features several songs written in collaboration with legendary songwriting guru Russ Ballard, the man behind such immortal rock staples as Since You’ve Been Gone and God Gave Rock & Roll To You, and this seemingly perverse team-up has led to Skindred’s finest set of lyrics and melodies to date.
“Basically, I try to write songs that people can interpret however they like,” says Benji. “When I wrote ‘Playin’ With The Devil’, I originally wrote some words down on a piece of paper thinking about friends I’ve had who smoke crack and live on the pipe, you know? I wrote the song about that kind of thing, but then a couple of days later the riots happened in London and so it became about that as well. When you shit on your own doorstep, your house is going to smell of shit. You’ve got to clean that up! With ‘Saturday’, it’s not a typical Skindred song; it’s a big celebration. We got Russ Ballard involved on that one and he helped me structure the lyrics in the right way so when the chorus hits, it hits like a hammer. It’s an upbeat song but when you listen to the lyrics it goes on about how people all have different reasons to be out and partying. Some people are celebrating, some people are drowning their sorrows, and we all come together on a Saturday. When this record comes out and people go to a club on a Saturday, that’s when it’s gonna go off! The chorus is huge!”
While Skindred’s previous album Union Black was dominated by the bleeps, booms and squelches of British electronic dance music, albeit balanced out by Mikey Demus’ trademark riffs, the new album sees the band return to a more organic sound that amounts to the most accurate representation of the Skindred live experience yet committed to tape. From the huge beats and stuttering samples of the opening title track and the laudably demented Ninja through to the insistent melodies and rampaging choruses of “The Kids Are Right Now” and “Saturday” and on to the thunderous, metallic throwdowns of “Proceed With Caution” and “Ruling Force” and the cool acoustic breeze of the closing More Fire, Kill The Power is Skindred cranked up to full throttle and revelling in their own febrile creativity like never before.
“It’s all about making an album that moves people in the same way that our live shows do,” says Arya. “We love what we achieved on Union Black and we still used a lot of those basic ideas on Kill The Power, but this time it’s a more organic sound. All the drum loops you hear were originally played by me before we started chopping them up, and there are a lot more guitars on this record too. We love combining all the music that we love in Skindred but we all love heavy music and we’re a rock band at heart and that really comes across this time.”
“We’ve delivered an album that’s gonna make people rock for the next few years,” states Benji. “You know what? I can’t do anything about record sales, but if people come to a Skindred show they’re gonna know they’ve been there, you know? Ha ha! The music we make is not about Christians or Muslims, straight people or gay people, black or white or any of that shit. When people are in that room together it’s just Skindred, one unity and one strength!”
Having conquered numerous countries around the world, Skindred could easily be taking a breather and resting on their laurels at this point. Instead, this most dedicated and hard-working of modern bands are preparing to launch their most exuberant assault on the world ever when Kill The Power hits the streets. Anyone that has ever seen the band live before will confirm that it is impossible not to get fired up and drawn into the joyous abandon of a Skindred show and with their greatest album to date primed and ready to explode, the best live band on the planet simply cannot fail to conquer the entire world this time round. Wherever and whoever you are, Skindred are coming. Open your ears and get your dancing feet ready…
“There’s nothing better than being on stage with these guys,” says Arya. “Skindred is my favourite band and I’m so lucky to be part of this thing we’ve created. We’ve been all over the world but there are always new places to visit and new crowds to play for. We just want to keep getting bigger and better.”
“We’re a global band. We’ve played in Colombia and India and everywhere and it’s the same energy,” Benji concludes. “I get letters from people in Hawaii and people in Turkey. It’s all the same. We resonate globally and it’s the greatest thing ever. It seems funny to us sometimes because we’re always kicking each other’s heads in and saying ‘You’re a wanker!’ to each other before we go on stage, but as soon as it’s time to play the show the oneness this band creates together and the unity we bring is unique. I’ve never experienced anything like it and we can’t wait to get back on the road and do it all again.”
Fonte Official Skindred web page :
The music world may be in a permanent state of panic and flux, but one basic principle of rock’n’roll remains true: the key to longevity is to always deliver the goods. No band has better encapsulated this ethos of integrity and determination over the last decade than Skindred.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most devastating and enthralling live bands on the planet, the Newport destroyers have been a perennial force for musical invention and remorseless positivity since emerging from the ashes of frontman Benji Webbe’s former band Dub War back in 1998. Over the course of four universally praised studio albums – Babylon (2002), Roots Rock Riot (2007), Shark Bites And Dog Fights (2009) and Union Black (2011) – Skindred’s reputation for producing the ultimate spark-spraying state-of-the-art soundclash, combining all manner of seemingly disparate musical elements into an irresistibly exhilarating explosion of energy and cross-pollinated cultural fervour has rightly earned them a reputation as a band capable of uniting people from all corners of the globe and making every last one of them tear up the dancefloor with a giant shit-eating grin plastered across their faces.
With the toughest and most infectious metal riffs colliding with the biggest, phattest hip hop and reggae grooves, cutting edge electronics and a razor-sharp pop sensibility guaranteed to encourage even the most curmudgeonly music fans bellow along with rabid enthusiasm, Skindred are both the ultimate thinking man’s party band. And now, with the release of their fifth studio album Kill The Power, Benji Webbe and his loyal henchmen – bassist Dan Pugsley, guitarist Mikey Demus and drummer Arya Goggins – are poised to spread their gospel of good times and badass tunes to an even bigger global audience.
“We know that everyone recognises us as one of the best live bands around,” says Arya. “We’re really proud of all of the albums we’ve made, but we all felt that we needed to make an album that would be as powerful and effective as the live show. That’s what Kill The Power is all about. This time, we want everyone to sit up and listen and join in the party.”
“I started DJ-ing a little while ago and it’s taught me a lot,” adds Benji. “Now I feel like I wanted to make an album where every intro to every song makes kids think ‘Fucking hell, they’re playing that song!’ Every middle eight on this album is a banger. Every chorus is massive. On this album, the lyrics are deep and the songs are just bigger than ever.”
In keeping with their tradition of making people move while singing about universal issues and spreading a message of positive action and social unity, Kill The Power is an album bulging with fury at the state of the modern world. Never afraid to tackle important topics head on, while never forgetting his band’s mission to entertain and leave the world in a sweaty, sated heap, Benji’s notoriously insane energy levels seem to be creeping up with every album and Kill The Power showcases his most furious and impactful performances to date.
“The world’s getting worse so how can I get more mellow?” he laughs. “Of course I’m getting angrier! People normally stay in a bag when it comes to lyrics. Stephen King stays with horror and he’s brilliant at it, you know? With Skindred, it’s always about encouraging an uplift. It’s about a sense of unity. Lyrics can change people’s lives, you know? You can be going down one road and hear a song and have a Road To Damascus experience and become someone else.”
On an album that has no shortage of invigorating highlights, Kill The Power takes Skindred to new extremes at both ends of the lyrical spectrum, reaching a new level of fiery intensity on the lethal cautionary tale of “Playin’ With The Devil” and the euphoric end-of-the-working-week celebration of “Saturday”: both songs proving that this band’s ability to touch the heart and fire the blood remains as incisive and potent as ever. As if to enhance their songwriting chops more than ever, Kill The Power also features several songs written in collaboration with legendary songwriting guru Russ Ballard, the man behind such immortal rock staples as Since You’ve Been Gone and God Gave Rock & Roll To You, and this seemingly perverse team-up has led to Skindred’s finest set of lyrics and melodies to date.
“Basically, I try to write songs that people can interpret however they like,” says Benji. “When I wrote ‘Playin’ With The Devil’, I originally wrote some words down on a piece of paper thinking about friends I’ve had who smoke crack and live on the pipe, you know? I wrote the song about that kind of thing, but then a couple of days later the riots happened in London and so it became about that as well. When you shit on your own doorstep, your house is going to smell of shit. You’ve got to clean that up! With ‘Saturday’, it’s not a typical Skindred song; it’s a big celebration. We got Russ Ballard involved on that one and he helped me structure the lyrics in the right way so when the chorus hits, it hits like a hammer. It’s an upbeat song but when you listen to the lyrics it goes on about how people all have different reasons to be out and partying. Some people are celebrating, some people are drowning their sorrows, and we all come together on a Saturday. When this record comes out and people go to a club on a Saturday, that’s when it’s gonna go off! The chorus is huge!”
While Skindred’s previous album Union Black was dominated by the bleeps, booms and squelches of British electronic dance music, albeit balanced out by Mikey Demus’ trademark riffs, the new album sees the band return to a more organic sound that amounts to the most accurate representation of the Skindred live experience yet committed to tape. From the huge beats and stuttering samples of the opening title track and the laudably demented Ninja through to the insistent melodies and rampaging choruses of “The Kids Are Right Now” and “Saturday” and on to the thunderous, metallic throwdowns of “Proceed With Caution” and “Ruling Force” and the cool acoustic breeze of the closing More Fire, Kill The Power is Skindred cranked up to full throttle and revelling in their own febrile creativity like never before.
“It’s all about making an album that moves people in the same way that our live shows do,” says Arya. “We love what we achieved on Union Black and we still used a lot of those basic ideas on Kill The Power, but this time it’s a more organic sound. All the drum loops you hear were originally played by me before we started chopping them up, and there are a lot more guitars on this record too. We love combining all the music that we love in Skindred but we all love heavy music and we’re a rock band at heart and that really comes across this time.”
“We’ve delivered an album that’s gonna make people rock for the next few years,” states Benji. “You know what? I can’t do anything about record sales, but if people come to a Skindred show they’re gonna know they’ve been there, you know? Ha ha! The music we make is not about Christians or Muslims, straight people or gay people, black or white or any of that shit. When people are in that room together it’s just Skindred, one unity and one strength!”
Having conquered numerous countries around the world, Skindred could easily be taking a breather and resting on their laurels at this point. Instead, this most dedicated and hard-working of modern bands are preparing to launch their most exuberant assault on the world ever when Kill The Power hits the streets. Anyone that has ever seen the band live before will confirm that it is impossible not to get fired up and drawn into the joyous abandon of a Skindred show and with their greatest album to date primed and ready to explode, the best live band on the planet simply cannot fail to conquer the entire world this time round. Wherever and whoever you are, Skindred are coming. Open your ears and get your dancing feet ready…
“There’s nothing better than being on stage with these guys,” says Arya. “Skindred is my favourite band and I’m so lucky to be part of this thing we’ve created. We’ve been all over the world but there are always new places to visit and new crowds to play for. We just want to keep getting bigger and better.”
“We’re a global band. We’ve played in Colombia and India and everywhere and it’s the same energy,” Benji concludes. “I get letters from people in Hawaii and people in Turkey. It’s all the same. We resonate globally and it’s the greatest thing ever. It seems funny to us sometimes because we’re always kicking each other’s heads in and saying ‘You’re a wanker!’ to each other before we go on stage, but as soon as it’s time to play the show the oneness this band creates together and the unity we bring is unique. I’ve never experienced anything like it and we can’t wait to get back on the road and do it all again.”
Ghost - Tobias Forge
A Pale Tour named Death
Le Zénith de Paris, Paris, France | 07/02/2019
Live report soon on MusicWaves
Philippe Bareille
Playing host to the rescheduled Foo Fighters concert at Wembley (that was cancelled after frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg falling off stage at a show in Gothenburg, Sweden), the National Bowl in Milton Keynes came alive on Sunday, September 6, 2015 with the sound of 65,000 screaming fans. Following sets from rock duo Royal Blood and the eclectic propo-punk icon Iggy Pop, the Foos knew they had to deliver. From the moment the curtain sucked into a black hole vortex to the end of the show, it was obvious it was going to be one hell of a night to remember. Debra, Karl and I had arrived relatively early for the show and, being among the first to enter the MK Bowl, were offered "Inner Pit" passes. Issued on a first-come-first-serve basis, these gave fenced-off access to the stage and were an excellent surprise. We had a great view of the day's action and I was well positioned for photographs. "All My Life" opened the two and a half hour set, with Grohl spending the entire show seated on a most gloriously over-the-top throne, designed by Grohl himself and adorned by guitar necks. It transported the front-man up and down the runway, and was in itself a crowd pleaser! I have wanted to see the Foo Fighters for about two decades - and desperate to do so since "Wasting Light"- and they did not disappoint. A shredding version of "White Limo" alone justified the ticket price, and the rest was a wonderful (and sometimes nostalgic) tour through their back-catalogue. All in all, it was a triumphant, heart-warming singalong set that showed why, for so many, the Foo Fighters have been the soundtrack to the last two decades. Here's the Foo Fighters' set list for the Milton Keynes "Broken Leg" concert.
If I was desperate to see the Foo Fighters, I was absolutely aching to see 69 year old rock legend, Iggy Pop. I narrowly missed one of his gigs in Amsterdam at the end of 1978 and, after this initial disappointment, Iggy stayed on my Bucket List through the late-80's in London, the 90's in Prague and the naughties in the UK. When he was in town, I was always travelling, had other commitments or just had bad luck (i.e. the cancellation of the Foo's concert at Wembley in June where Iggy was on the supporting bill). Well, I finally got to see James Newell Osterberg, Jr. in full, topless, action in Milton Keynes on a fine evening in September 2015! Iggy brought his old school punk snarl to the party, prompting mass singalongs to classic tunes, some of which he penned with his old mate David Bowie in Berlin in the 70's. If I'm still as active as Iggy when I'm almost 70, I'll be more than happy! He made fine use of the runway before him, skipping, kicking, twisting and turning as only Iggy can. He took a breather every now and then, but Iggy still has more energy than any new breed act you care to mention. Fucking hell - he's the man that wrote "Lust for Life"! The snot-noses in the audience didn't know what hit them :-) FYI, here's the Iggy Pop's set list for the night.
A wonderful, sunny day and balmy evening with my family, and a fine way to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of my first date with my future-wife on September 7, 1983.
Check out... 'LOUDER THAN WAR' Interview with 'The One & Only' Glam Rock icon and former Hanoi Rocks frontman, Michael Monroe -during his stunning performance at the HIGH VOLTAGE FESTIVAL, 2011...
MICHAEL MONROE IN CONVERSATION...
Author: JOHN ROBB 06 Aug 2011
Interview with: MICHAEL MONROE
Interview By: MARIJA BRETTLE
Photos by: JADRANKA JADE
Date of interview: 23.07.2011
The last time I had spoken with Michael Monroe was in Nottingham, January 2008, before the final break up of Hanoi Rocks. There and then, probably I was the first – witnessing the beginning of the end of the band. When he already was enthusing over his new solo project and new direction. So, to say at least, I wasn’t surprised when at the end of the 2008, Michael and Andy McCoy announced that they have had decided, Hanoi Rocks would be permanently disbanded.
No for too long, Michael was busy again, talking to the press, that the Michael Monroe band would soon be back with the set of talented musicians, who are all capable enough to lead their own band. Michael Monroe band, with the direction he intended to take the music, and just how he saw the future unfolding.
With the new album “Sensory Overdrive” produced by the legendary LA producer, Jack Douglas, and his all star band featuring guitarists Steve Conte and newly recruited Dregen, , bassist, Sami Yaffa and drummer, Karl Rockfist, the iconic Finnish rocker, Michael Monroe is back touring and playing Festivals before he head out on a U.S. and Canadian tour.
So here I am again with the legendary Hanoi Rocks ex-frontman, the man who loves to talk and plenty to talk about. The man who despite his stage persona and reputation for being a ‘the prima donna’ of rock, in fact is one of the most down-to-earth guys in rock, through and through…
LOUDER THAN WAR, caught up with Michael at the London’s High Voltage Festival ,Press Area, talking about his new album ‘Sensory Overdrive’, his newly recruited guitarist, Dregen, his current and next projects and tour.. And all about his love of cats!
LTW: Hi Mike, You are running a lot today?
Michael Monroe: “Running‘s gooood!”
LTW: Yeah, just feel sorry for Dregen and Adam (from Universal/press) who are trying to keep up with you all day…
Michael Monroe: (Laughs) “Well, all is part of the game…”
LTW: Great reception from the crowd earlier today. And true to form, you got everyone dancing in the sun. Seeing you on stage today (during the opening of the main stage) once on site, you got the crowd really rocking. I can see, once again, why your fans here love you and are loyal to you?
Michael Monroe: “Yeah, it was great joy to see all those guys in front of you – sing-along with you all the way…British crowd is the toughest audience to please, you know. And they can be brutally honest…I mean, if they think your record is crap they will told you so!”
LTW: Having recruited a new guitarist in the band, sure contributed to some of the dynamic changes within a band?
Michael Monroe: “Oh yeah…plenty of new dynamic and positive energy! Getting a new gang sure brings new excitement and new ideas... new life in the band! It’s really exciting time for the band! And it’s only getting better and stronger. One of the best things is we’re getting responds for the record! Our live shows been phenomenal! Everybody seems to love the band. Now it’s just to get out there and playing to people as much as possible. Get the opportunity to expand our theme, our band. That’s all we try to do right now. After I finished with Hanoi Rocks, I wanted to go to another level, higher level. I just wanna get better in what I do. So, yeah…I am happy about my new direction and all the feedback we’re getting from people, magazines and reviews.”
LTW: And you should be?
Michael Monroe: “Yeah…I know… after the Hanoi Rocks broke up there was a big question; ‘What next for Michael Monroe..?’ Well, at first I was very lucky to carry on working with a great bunch of guys, who were also my old mates. The rest just felt in place.”
LTW: You are often described as a lead singer who has rock in his veins and the frontman who stuck to his roots...
Michael Monroe: “I am a performer and it’s something that runs in my blood…literally! (Laughs) Well, I came from the musical family. My grandfather was professional classical musician. He played the Cello and double bass in Orchestra. My father plays instrument, my mother plays piano and she works for the Finnish radio. So music was something that came natural to me at the very early age. And I got hooked on rock’n’roll soon I started hearing stuff from bands like Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, Little Richard, Faces…great stuff! So when I was listening to this guys I know how important it was for me. They stick and stay true to the music I fall for in the first place. Yeah, it’s all down to the integrity for me as an artist …For me performing and delivering my best, connecting with the crowd is something that keeps me on high at all time!”
LTW: Well, healthy way of keeping yourself on high?
Michael Monroe: (Laughs) “Yeah…despite all those stories about me being deeply involved into drugs, my way and best way of getting on high, is my music! Or, when I climb on the latter. (Laughs) Last year I was jamming with Slash at the Festival in Finland and Osaka. In Michael style I landed on one of the steel bars. Yeah, I managed to break two ribs, but that didn’t stop me to solder on and carry on with the show.”
LTW: I hear Ginger saying that there is not bad blood between him and the band…no hard feelings… very comrade?
Michael Monroe: “Absolutely, yeah! Ginger is still very good friend of mine and we still goanna write songs together and stuff…and nothing really changed, except that he went to do his own stuff and we did replaced him in a band. He is happy doing what he is doing. Yeah, definitely no bad feelings, any animosity, whatsoever! In fact, right the opposite. Actually It was never planned for him to join the band in a first place…he was originally suppose to write with us, with me…He just started writing songs for the band, then surprisingly wanted to join us, as a guitar player. And that worked out for a while, and then it’s run his course. So now we are at this point. We end up with Dregen.”(Laughs)
LTW: Well, you sure done brilliant work choosing Dregen as a new guitarist, considering the fact that he is a very talented guitarist and already well proven and popular guitarist in Sweden?
Michael Monroe: “I could not imagine picking any better guy…He sure is the one!”
LTW: And may I just say, in some ways, he could be easily mistaken with Andy McCoy…there even people already compare him with Andy and wonder if there is the same chemistry between you and Dregen? And he is good looking guy?
Michael Monroe: (Laughs)…”Oh really, isn’t he…like I already proposed to him. Uh, shame, he’s already married…No really, I could not think of any better guy to join the band. But any comparison with Andy is just good thing!”
Dregen: “Oh well, I am super happy…I do not even know what to add to this…It couldn’t be better! And I can’t wait to go off on tour…Now we gonna tour again and I am already excited! This album is killer, and we gonna tour as much as possible. We gonna released the album in the States on 23rd of August, and we will do all tour over there and Canada. Then Japan here we come! (Laughs) And maybe for next year you know…there will be a new record. I can’t wait to get in the studio and start working on our next project together with the band.”
Michael Monroe: “Yeah, yeah, we will!”
LTW: In the mean time Dregen, just enjoy ‘the ride’ with the band…
Dregen: “Yeah…like I say, we ‘r….like you said Michael…’We’re like ‘Brothers from another mother…’”
Michael Monroe: Yeeeah, ‘Brother from another mother! You’re my brother from another mother’…” (Laughs)
LTW: hear a lot lately from your fans referring to your new record, as ‘One of the best product from Michael? What would you say to that?
Michael Monroe: “I would say, thanks to all fans out there for supporting my band…I would not disagree, I would say, if it’s not the best, it’s one of the best I have ever done! To me right now it’s stud the test of time already, you know…To be able to say that now is a lot… yeah… I am happy to say, ‘It’s the best record I have ever done, to the best of our ability, for sure! At this point of my life and my career it’s great achievement as a musician and performer. That’s what we try to do as a band; get better in what we do… You know, when you are in this business, you’re never good enough, you always gonna try and try harder to improve. This moment sure is the best moment in my life…Feel very happy, blessed to do something that I love most…well, apart from my wife. And my cats, who I love with the passion.” (Laughs)
LTW: Tell me more about the whole process of making the ‘Sensory Overdrive’ record?
Michael Monroe: “We started rehearsing with this band beginning of 2010, but the writing process started in the summer 2009 when I hooked up with Ginger. Sami came to join us and then we started talking about putting the band together with Sami. Then I start talking with Ginger about writing the album and that’s when we started working on the first song, ‘All You Need’, which actually ended up on the new album. At the end of the 2009, in December, Ginger actually asked to join the band as a guitar player. Up till then, me and Sami have got this other guitar players we been talking with and working on our stuff…Ginger come to us like, ‘I want to join the band’. And me and Sami at first we were like ‘Are you really serious man’!? Then Sami said, ‘Why not, maybe will be the best thing for the band’…So we checked it out, it work out perfect. At the beginning of 2010, we started working together as a band with Ginger! Throughout the year, whenever the band was together in one place and the same time, we took advantage of it… you know, booking out some extra dates and work on some new ideas. Some of the songs were written together... some of just two- or three of us…There were no rules. We just wanna to write some great songs! (Laughs) At the end of the summer we went to make some demos in the studio in Finland. At that point it felt like we have the album…So we did call Jeff Douglas, the producer and went to LA and recorded in two weeks in September. Yeah, we got one week pre-production, and two weeks recording it. However the album was mixed in Finland, at the end of the year. That’s when the final touch and sound came together…Yeah, we wanna to make it good old authentic rock’n’roll, punky, raw, ‘in your face ‘record, with all the ingrediance of a great rock record! Also it was a great pleasure working with these guys… great two guitar players! Also Ginger and Steve are great singers on backing vocals…We all had a great time together…I thought it was great fun working with such a fine and talented guys.”
LTW: Well, the album was testament of that… grabbing a great reviews?
Michael Monroe: “Yeah and when you get great response from people…fans on top of that…you get really excited. And you find that, not only from the fans but from album reviewers, Magazines…Seems to be such a great response. That is the best part of it, the best possible things in this business!”
LTW: How things with your newly released single, ‘Superpowered Superfly’? And what was the reason of choosing this track?
Michael Monroe: “Is going strong! Both singles represent the band whatever way you look at it, you know… is not about nostalgia, it’s about the spirit in the late ‘70’s…can be about ’77… you know, or ’78. But ’78th seems to rimes best…And I just figured…we figured that would be the best way to start with the present band… you know. I love all the songs..Like, ‘Gone Baby Gone’, great song or ‘Trick Of The Wrist’ it’s brilliant song, great opener, really. Our single is just our way of showing what we’re really about. Well, the rest let the music talking."
LTW: With this record you gone far more punky and sure there is more pumping energy and killer guitar riffs. From legendary glam rock Hanoi Rocks – to - hear comes punk/ rock Michael. Where the element of Punks comes from?
Michael Monroe: “I read somewhere like; “Michael Monroe, the guy who put the Punk into the Glam” Or, wherever! I don’t care what I am called. To me, it’s all rock’n’roll! Actually, whenever something becomes a name, like a grunge or punk, then it’s over, basically. Because everyone tries to fit into a certain style, genre or package or category, which Hanoi Rocks always defied all that? So this time around, I did it in my own way, done the opposite…I am very proud of this album! Its authentic rock’n’roll project, with a great choice of songs and cool lyrics… killer riffs. Yeah, it’s, punky, raw ‘in your face’ record!. I think it’s boring if everyone would want to sound the same, like, ‘here comes the band alike’… So to me is more exciting when bands doing their own stuff… instead of trying to fit in to any new or old trend. Just be individual! ‘Viva la difference’! “(Laughs)
LTW: Can you see yourself in a film playing yourself Michael?
Michael Monroe: “What, my life as a movie…!? I living it, I’m being it; I don’t need to make a movie about me. I would say documentaries are interesting… Whenever they make movies with someone acting a guy hardly ever works….In any case, what you suggesting we make it movie about me?"
LTW: Yes, or maybe you playing Mick Jagger or David Lee Roth?
Dregen: “Actually I like the idea! Would be a great movie!” (Laughs)
LTW: Yeah…there is one Michael Monroe who really multitalented and charismatic?
Michael Monroe: “Yeah…depense what you like. To me is like… I don’t like to watch movies…I like The Doors movie. I think Jim Morison is the coolest guy, but nobody can really be him! So, I rather watch documentary.”
LTW: Do you mind when people compare you with David Lee Roth or Mick Jagger?
Michael Monroe: "To me, it’s a compliment you know to be compared to these two guys…Mick Jagger is a best singer of his time! Incredible singer and performer…it is like without him the rock world would be veeery different..But I do my own thing. So I am not concerned or insecure when people compare me or accuse me stealing his stage moves or stage persona. Or that I am copying Davidi Lee Roth style…Nooo, I got my own style. But then I have been influenced by Jagger for sure in a way…well, the more singers and artist around like them the better! (Laughs) As I said, ‘Viva La Difference’! It’s all for good old rock’n’roll…try to keep it alive and spread the word.. Keep it fun!”
LTW: You often say that, Black Sabbath was one of the most influential bands for you?
Michael Monroe: “Black Sabbath was first rock band I saw on TV when I got hooked into rock’n’roll. When I was just eight years old I saw Black Sabbath and I thought…wait the minute, what’s this? So far, at that point all I want to hear was classical music. So I go like; ‘O wow, what a sound! Look the face of that singer! I wanna be that guy…That’s what makes me wanna start, make me wanna be a singer!”
Dregen: "It was different generations for me, you know…For me was, when I saw Kiss for the first time as a kid…And it was just like, ‘Hey mum, I wanna do this, this is what I wanna dooo… when I get home.”
Michael Monroe: “Right, so later on I got into Little Richard, Ramones, Stones, The Pistols, The Rats…The Faces…then Alice Cooper, Stooge and Iggy… all those bands… When you hear The Ramones, or AC/DC, that genius. The Black Sabbath was just the first band I got hooked on…so I still love them.. I was actually listening today on the way here. I haven’t heard it for ages… still sounds great!”
LTW: Well, I grow up listening to Sabbath a lot…
Dregen: "Also they are unique bands. You hear things like Stones, when they play instruments separately; you would say; ‘Maybe they are not the best players in the rock’, but they sound the best when they play together. It is magic…nobody else can do it like they do when on stage.
Michael Monroe: "Like Ian Hunter… he actually told me he once asked Keith Richards; 'When you hear you separately, you all sound like crap, pretty much, but when you play all together, is like magical…what’s the secret?' Keith then replay; 'Practice. Lots of practice mate'" (Laughs)
LTW: You recently admitted that you were delighted to play together with Foo Fighters, which happen to be one of your favorite bands? And yet, once you were the man that Axl Rose and the guys of Motley Crue and Foo Fighters modelled themselves on?"
Michael Monroe: “Naturally, I am very proud to know that they love my music and all that I stand for. It’s flattering and cool to hear them now saying that I was the reason why they got into this business. But then I am their biggest fan now and love hooking up with people like Foo Fighters. Great band, truly talented guys!”
LTW: You lyrics often describe you as a rebellious…where do you draw your inspirations these days?
Michael Monroe: ”My lyrics…they actually reflect my feelings, my life in general. My integrity…Rebellious…I just think I am an individual with emotions, views…well I don’t expect anyone to buying into my opinions, my feelings about the world …passing over to people…If people can relate to it then, that is one of the best feelings, best rewords out of doing this! When people come to you and say, ‘I love your lyrics man, really meant a lot to me…I can relate to…you know, that’s the best feeling you can get! Knowing that I am not just talking to the walls! (Laughs) People seems to connect with you and your feelings, opinions…That’s when you know why you doing this.”
LTW: Well, you often been described as a unique, multi-instrumentalist and all –round musician. But also somebody who leads a colorful life style, at least in your early HR days? And yet, during one of my earlier Interview with you, I found out that you are nothing like the guy I always thought you are. You don’t smoke, don’t drink and during the after-show parties, you go back to your hotel rooms to wash your shirts or saw the loose beeds on your stage belts. So who is really Michael Monroe?
Michael Monroe: “Just the guy who before all takes good care of himself. “
LTW: So all those stories, names calling in the past, it’s just part of the image you have created in the first place, during your time with Hanoi Rocks and later?
Michael Monroe: “Ah…my reputations of being ‘one of the wackiest, craziest sex, drugs and rock’n’roll guy’ (Laughs)…Well, I am not really! I am anti- stereotype of an lead singer, not your usual and it is surprising that I am not into your usual cliché life style of an typical rock star… superficial life style, That phony rock star I am usually called. That’s not real life to me…I am just not your average stereotype rock singer. I think a lot of singers and bands that given rock’n’roll bad name is because they act like a jerks! (Laughs) You don’t after be an idiot to be a rock singer!”
LTW: Thank you Michael for making time for us…now you can carry on running and join Thin Lizzy on stage? (Mike joined Thin Lizzy on stage-on saxophone during Lizzy’s performance of ‘Dancing In The Moonlight’),
Michael Monroe: "Yeah…"
INTERVIEW BY: MARIJA BRETTLE
One Response to Michael Monroe in conversation…
August 7, 2011 at 2:53 pm
MrWriting III says:
Nice interview. Excited to try to see Michael on his U.S. tour – I wish it hit a few more cities in the middle of the country but at least he’s touring here. I hope it is a great success.
Want to format your comment?
Fonte Official Skindred web page :
The music world may be in a permanent state of panic and flux, but one basic principle of rock’n’roll remains true: the key to longevity is to always deliver the goods. No band has better encapsulated this ethos of integrity and determination over the last decade than Skindred.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most devastating and enthralling live bands on the planet, the Newport destroyers have been a perennial force for musical invention and remorseless positivity since emerging from the ashes of frontman Benji Webbe’s former band Dub War back in 1998. Over the course of four universally praised studio albums – Babylon (2002), Roots Rock Riot (2007), Shark Bites And Dog Fights (2009) and Union Black (2011) – Skindred’s reputation for producing the ultimate spark-spraying state-of-the-art soundclash, combining all manner of seemingly disparate musical elements into an irresistibly exhilarating explosion of energy and cross-pollinated cultural fervour has rightly earned them a reputation as a band capable of uniting people from all corners of the globe and making every last one of them tear up the dancefloor with a giant shit-eating grin plastered across their faces.
With the toughest and most infectious metal riffs colliding with the biggest, phattest hip hop and reggae grooves, cutting edge electronics and a razor-sharp pop sensibility guaranteed to encourage even the most curmudgeonly music fans bellow along with rabid enthusiasm, Skindred are both the ultimate thinking man’s party band. And now, with the release of their fifth studio album Kill The Power, Benji Webbe and his loyal henchmen – bassist Dan Pugsley, guitarist Mikey Demus and drummer Arya Goggins – are poised to spread their gospel of good times and badass tunes to an even bigger global audience.
“We know that everyone recognises us as one of the best live bands around,” says Arya. “We’re really proud of all of the albums we’ve made, but we all felt that we needed to make an album that would be as powerful and effective as the live show. That’s what Kill The Power is all about. This time, we want everyone to sit up and listen and join in the party.”
“I started DJ-ing a little while ago and it’s taught me a lot,” adds Benji. “Now I feel like I wanted to make an album where every intro to every song makes kids think ‘Fucking hell, they’re playing that song!’ Every middle eight on this album is a banger. Every chorus is massive. On this album, the lyrics are deep and the songs are just bigger than ever.”
In keeping with their tradition of making people move while singing about universal issues and spreading a message of positive action and social unity, Kill The Power is an album bulging with fury at the state of the modern world. Never afraid to tackle important topics head on, while never forgetting his band’s mission to entertain and leave the world in a sweaty, sated heap, Benji’s notoriously insane energy levels seem to be creeping up with every album and Kill The Power showcases his most furious and impactful performances to date.
“The world’s getting worse so how can I get more mellow?” he laughs. “Of course I’m getting angrier! People normally stay in a bag when it comes to lyrics. Stephen King stays with horror and he’s brilliant at it, you know? With Skindred, it’s always about encouraging an uplift. It’s about a sense of unity. Lyrics can change people’s lives, you know? You can be going down one road and hear a song and have a Road To Damascus experience and become someone else.”
On an album that has no shortage of invigorating highlights, Kill The Power takes Skindred to new extremes at both ends of the lyrical spectrum, reaching a new level of fiery intensity on the lethal cautionary tale of “Playin’ With The Devil” and the euphoric end-of-the-working-week celebration of “Saturday”: both songs proving that this band’s ability to touch the heart and fire the blood remains as incisive and potent as ever. As if to enhance their songwriting chops more than ever, Kill The Power also features several songs written in collaboration with legendary songwriting guru Russ Ballard, the man behind such immortal rock staples as Since You’ve Been Gone and God Gave Rock & Roll To You, and this seemingly perverse team-up has led to Skindred’s finest set of lyrics and melodies to date.
“Basically, I try to write songs that people can interpret however they like,” says Benji. “When I wrote ‘Playin’ With The Devil’, I originally wrote some words down on a piece of paper thinking about friends I’ve had who smoke crack and live on the pipe, you know? I wrote the song about that kind of thing, but then a couple of days later the riots happened in London and so it became about that as well. When you shit on your own doorstep, your house is going to smell of shit. You’ve got to clean that up! With ‘Saturday’, it’s not a typical Skindred song; it’s a big celebration. We got Russ Ballard involved on that one and he helped me structure the lyrics in the right way so when the chorus hits, it hits like a hammer. It’s an upbeat song but when you listen to the lyrics it goes on about how people all have different reasons to be out and partying. Some people are celebrating, some people are drowning their sorrows, and we all come together on a Saturday. When this record comes out and people go to a club on a Saturday, that’s when it’s gonna go off! The chorus is huge!”
While Skindred’s previous album Union Black was dominated by the bleeps, booms and squelches of British electronic dance music, albeit balanced out by Mikey Demus’ trademark riffs, the new album sees the band return to a more organic sound that amounts to the most accurate representation of the Skindred live experience yet committed to tape. From the huge beats and stuttering samples of the opening title track and the laudably demented Ninja through to the insistent melodies and rampaging choruses of “The Kids Are Right Now” and “Saturday” and on to the thunderous, metallic throwdowns of “Proceed With Caution” and “Ruling Force” and the cool acoustic breeze of the closing More Fire, Kill The Power is Skindred cranked up to full throttle and revelling in their own febrile creativity like never before.
“It’s all about making an album that moves people in the same way that our live shows do,” says Arya. “We love what we achieved on Union Black and we still used a lot of those basic ideas on Kill The Power, but this time it’s a more organic sound. All the drum loops you hear were originally played by me before we started chopping them up, and there are a lot more guitars on this record too. We love combining all the music that we love in Skindred but we all love heavy music and we’re a rock band at heart and that really comes across this time.”
“We’ve delivered an album that’s gonna make people rock for the next few years,” states Benji. “You know what? I can’t do anything about record sales, but if people come to a Skindred show they’re gonna know they’ve been there, you know? Ha ha! The music we make is not about Christians or Muslims, straight people or gay people, black or white or any of that shit. When people are in that room together it’s just Skindred, one unity and one strength!”
Having conquered numerous countries around the world, Skindred could easily be taking a breather and resting on their laurels at this point. Instead, this most dedicated and hard-working of modern bands are preparing to launch their most exuberant assault on the world ever when Kill The Power hits the streets. Anyone that has ever seen the band live before will confirm that it is impossible not to get fired up and drawn into the joyous abandon of a Skindred show and with their greatest album to date primed and ready to explode, the best live band on the planet simply cannot fail to conquer the entire world this time round. Wherever and whoever you are, Skindred are coming. Open your ears and get your dancing feet ready…
“There’s nothing better than being on stage with these guys,” says Arya. “Skindred is my favourite band and I’m so lucky to be part of this thing we’ve created. We’ve been all over the world but there are always new places to visit and new crowds to play for. We just want to keep getting bigger and better.”
“We’re a global band. We’ve played in Colombia and India and everywhere and it’s the same energy,” Benji concludes. “I get letters from people in Hawaii and people in Turkey. It’s all the same. We resonate globally and it’s the greatest thing ever. It seems funny to us sometimes because we’re always kicking each other’s heads in and saying ‘You’re a wanker!’ to each other before we go on stage, but as soon as it’s time to play the show the oneness this band creates together and the unity we bring is unique. I’ve never experienced anything like it and we can’t wait to get back on the road and do it all again.”
Band: Collective Soul - lead vocalist / frontman
Legendary Rock Band - Rockin' Theater! - Age: 60
Late Last Cruise Night - February 25th, 2024
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Roland
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_Soul
Band Four Song Medley - (this show!)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6lRjGeiLRs
"Shine" - Collective Soul - (official video)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m0bI82Rz_k
--------------------------Vertical Portrait Series---------------------------
*[left-click for a closer-look - Day 4 - Royal Theater - 9:51 PM]
*[Collective Soul was a big hit on our cruise! Went to two of their three shows. Fantastic! - Above: early moments of their last show]
OK, so I've done the Sail-Away, the 'Port' in the Dominican Republic, and some sunrises/sunsets along this five-day cruise. NOW, it's time for: The Artists at Sea - Twenty Amazing Bands! Will be posting in no particular order: the wide stage-shots & then the verticals. This was our 7th consecutive Rock Legends Cruise. Epic Music Cruise. Enjoy.
Rock Legends Cruise XI - February 22nd-26th, 2024
------- Annual Rock Music Festival at Sea Benefit ---------
Independence of the Seas - Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_of_the_Seas
---- Miami - Dominican Republic - Miami - (five days) ----
20 Bands! - Five Day Party! - three stages! - 60 Shows!
Concerts all day-and-night from 10:00 AM to 2:00 AM
2024 Bands: Sammy Hagar & The Circle - Billy F Gibbons
Bret Michaels - Rick Springfield - Collective Soul - Geoff Tate
Jefferson Starship - Last In Line - The Immediate Family
The Kentucky Headhunters - Canned Heat - Mononeon
Vanessa Collier - Gary Hoey - Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel
Robert Jon & The Wreck - Anthony Gomes - Two Wolf
Mathew Curry - Jax Hallow - Gary Hoey's All Star Jam
*Rock Legends VII - (Feb 2019) - Cruise Video Montage
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pIMWuGq2WI&feature=youtu.be&...
*ALL proceeds from ALL the Rock Legends Cruises go to NAHA :
Native American Heritage Association, a non-profit organization
dedicated to fighting hunger and providing basic life necessities
to families living on Reservations in South Dakota, U.S.A.
2024 Rock Legends Cruise XI slide-show: flic.kr/s/aHBqjBhjDw
*[this was our 7th consecutive (annual) Rock Legends Cruise
(1-year postponed w/ covid). We already booked RLC XII 2025
w/Robin Trower - Burton Cummings! Next year will be: 8 of 12!]
"And in the end, the love you take, is equal
to the love you make" ---Paul McCartney
Fonte Official Skindred web page :
The music world may be in a permanent state of panic and flux, but one basic principle of rock’n’roll remains true: the key to longevity is to always deliver the goods. No band has better encapsulated this ethos of integrity and determination over the last decade than Skindred.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most devastating and enthralling live bands on the planet, the Newport destroyers have been a perennial force for musical invention and remorseless positivity since emerging from the ashes of frontman Benji Webbe’s former band Dub War back in 1998. Over the course of four universally praised studio albums – Babylon (2002), Roots Rock Riot (2007), Shark Bites And Dog Fights (2009) and Union Black (2011) – Skindred’s reputation for producing the ultimate spark-spraying state-of-the-art soundclash, combining all manner of seemingly disparate musical elements into an irresistibly exhilarating explosion of energy and cross-pollinated cultural fervour has rightly earned them a reputation as a band capable of uniting people from all corners of the globe and making every last one of them tear up the dancefloor with a giant shit-eating grin plastered across their faces.
With the toughest and most infectious metal riffs colliding with the biggest, phattest hip hop and reggae grooves, cutting edge electronics and a razor-sharp pop sensibility guaranteed to encourage even the most curmudgeonly music fans bellow along with rabid enthusiasm, Skindred are both the ultimate thinking man’s party band. And now, with the release of their fifth studio album Kill The Power, Benji Webbe and his loyal henchmen – bassist Dan Pugsley, guitarist Mikey Demus and drummer Arya Goggins – are poised to spread their gospel of good times and badass tunes to an even bigger global audience.
“We know that everyone recognises us as one of the best live bands around,” says Arya. “We’re really proud of all of the albums we’ve made, but we all felt that we needed to make an album that would be as powerful and effective as the live show. That’s what Kill The Power is all about. This time, we want everyone to sit up and listen and join in the party.”
“I started DJ-ing a little while ago and it’s taught me a lot,” adds Benji. “Now I feel like I wanted to make an album where every intro to every song makes kids think ‘Fucking hell, they’re playing that song!’ Every middle eight on this album is a banger. Every chorus is massive. On this album, the lyrics are deep and the songs are just bigger than ever.”
In keeping with their tradition of making people move while singing about universal issues and spreading a message of positive action and social unity, Kill The Power is an album bulging with fury at the state of the modern world. Never afraid to tackle important topics head on, while never forgetting his band’s mission to entertain and leave the world in a sweaty, sated heap, Benji’s notoriously insane energy levels seem to be creeping up with every album and Kill The Power showcases his most furious and impactful performances to date.
“The world’s getting worse so how can I get more mellow?” he laughs. “Of course I’m getting angrier! People normally stay in a bag when it comes to lyrics. Stephen King stays with horror and he’s brilliant at it, you know? With Skindred, it’s always about encouraging an uplift. It’s about a sense of unity. Lyrics can change people’s lives, you know? You can be going down one road and hear a song and have a Road To Damascus experience and become someone else.”
On an album that has no shortage of invigorating highlights, Kill The Power takes Skindred to new extremes at both ends of the lyrical spectrum, reaching a new level of fiery intensity on the lethal cautionary tale of “Playin’ With The Devil” and the euphoric end-of-the-working-week celebration of “Saturday”: both songs proving that this band’s ability to touch the heart and fire the blood remains as incisive and potent as ever. As if to enhance their songwriting chops more than ever, Kill The Power also features several songs written in collaboration with legendary songwriting guru Russ Ballard, the man behind such immortal rock staples as Since You’ve Been Gone and God Gave Rock & Roll To You, and this seemingly perverse team-up has led to Skindred’s finest set of lyrics and melodies to date.
“Basically, I try to write songs that people can interpret however they like,” says Benji. “When I wrote ‘Playin’ With The Devil’, I originally wrote some words down on a piece of paper thinking about friends I’ve had who smoke crack and live on the pipe, you know? I wrote the song about that kind of thing, but then a couple of days later the riots happened in London and so it became about that as well. When you shit on your own doorstep, your house is going to smell of shit. You’ve got to clean that up! With ‘Saturday’, it’s not a typical Skindred song; it’s a big celebration. We got Russ Ballard involved on that one and he helped me structure the lyrics in the right way so when the chorus hits, it hits like a hammer. It’s an upbeat song but when you listen to the lyrics it goes on about how people all have different reasons to be out and partying. Some people are celebrating, some people are drowning their sorrows, and we all come together on a Saturday. When this record comes out and people go to a club on a Saturday, that’s when it’s gonna go off! The chorus is huge!”
While Skindred’s previous album Union Black was dominated by the bleeps, booms and squelches of British electronic dance music, albeit balanced out by Mikey Demus’ trademark riffs, the new album sees the band return to a more organic sound that amounts to the most accurate representation of the Skindred live experience yet committed to tape. From the huge beats and stuttering samples of the opening title track and the laudably demented Ninja through to the insistent melodies and rampaging choruses of “The Kids Are Right Now” and “Saturday” and on to the thunderous, metallic throwdowns of “Proceed With Caution” and “Ruling Force” and the cool acoustic breeze of the closing More Fire, Kill The Power is Skindred cranked up to full throttle and revelling in their own febrile creativity like never before.
“It’s all about making an album that moves people in the same way that our live shows do,” says Arya. “We love what we achieved on Union Black and we still used a lot of those basic ideas on Kill The Power, but this time it’s a more organic sound. All the drum loops you hear were originally played by me before we started chopping them up, and there are a lot more guitars on this record too. We love combining all the music that we love in Skindred but we all love heavy music and we’re a rock band at heart and that really comes across this time.”
“We’ve delivered an album that’s gonna make people rock for the next few years,” states Benji. “You know what? I can’t do anything about record sales, but if people come to a Skindred show they’re gonna know they’ve been there, you know? Ha ha! The music we make is not about Christians or Muslims, straight people or gay people, black or white or any of that shit. When people are in that room together it’s just Skindred, one unity and one strength!”
Having conquered numerous countries around the world, Skindred could easily be taking a breather and resting on their laurels at this point. Instead, this most dedicated and hard-working of modern bands are preparing to launch their most exuberant assault on the world ever when Kill The Power hits the streets. Anyone that has ever seen the band live before will confirm that it is impossible not to get fired up and drawn into the joyous abandon of a Skindred show and with their greatest album to date primed and ready to explode, the best live band on the planet simply cannot fail to conquer the entire world this time round. Wherever and whoever you are, Skindred are coming. Open your ears and get your dancing feet ready…
“There’s nothing better than being on stage with these guys,” says Arya. “Skindred is my favourite band and I’m so lucky to be part of this thing we’ve created. We’ve been all over the world but there are always new places to visit and new crowds to play for. We just want to keep getting bigger and better.”
“We’re a global band. We’ve played in Colombia and India and everywhere and it’s the same energy,” Benji concludes. “I get letters from people in Hawaii and people in Turkey. It’s all the same. We resonate globally and it’s the greatest thing ever. It seems funny to us sometimes because we’re always kicking each other’s heads in and saying ‘You’re a wanker!’ to each other before we go on stage, but as soon as it’s time to play the show the oneness this band creates together and the unity we bring is unique. I’ve never experienced anything like it and we can’t wait to get back on the road and do it all again.”
Fonte Official Skindred web page :
The music world may be in a permanent state of panic and flux, but one basic principle of rock’n’roll remains true: the key to longevity is to always deliver the goods. No band has better encapsulated this ethos of integrity and determination over the last decade than Skindred.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most devastating and enthralling live bands on the planet, the Newport destroyers have been a perennial force for musical invention and remorseless positivity since emerging from the ashes of frontman Benji Webbe’s former band Dub War back in 1998. Over the course of four universally praised studio albums – Babylon (2002), Roots Rock Riot (2007), Shark Bites And Dog Fights (2009) and Union Black (2011) – Skindred’s reputation for producing the ultimate spark-spraying state-of-the-art soundclash, combining all manner of seemingly disparate musical elements into an irresistibly exhilarating explosion of energy and cross-pollinated cultural fervour has rightly earned them a reputation as a band capable of uniting people from all corners of the globe and making every last one of them tear up the dancefloor with a giant shit-eating grin plastered across their faces.
With the toughest and most infectious metal riffs colliding with the biggest, phattest hip hop and reggae grooves, cutting edge electronics and a razor-sharp pop sensibility guaranteed to encourage even the most curmudgeonly music fans bellow along with rabid enthusiasm, Skindred are both the ultimate thinking man’s party band. And now, with the release of their fifth studio album Kill The Power, Benji Webbe and his loyal henchmen – bassist Dan Pugsley, guitarist Mikey Demus and drummer Arya Goggins – are poised to spread their gospel of good times and badass tunes to an even bigger global audience.
“We know that everyone recognises us as one of the best live bands around,” says Arya. “We’re really proud of all of the albums we’ve made, but we all felt that we needed to make an album that would be as powerful and effective as the live show. That’s what Kill The Power is all about. This time, we want everyone to sit up and listen and join in the party.”
“I started DJ-ing a little while ago and it’s taught me a lot,” adds Benji. “Now I feel like I wanted to make an album where every intro to every song makes kids think ‘Fucking hell, they’re playing that song!’ Every middle eight on this album is a banger. Every chorus is massive. On this album, the lyrics are deep and the songs are just bigger than ever.”
In keeping with their tradition of making people move while singing about universal issues and spreading a message of positive action and social unity, Kill The Power is an album bulging with fury at the state of the modern world. Never afraid to tackle important topics head on, while never forgetting his band’s mission to entertain and leave the world in a sweaty, sated heap, Benji’s notoriously insane energy levels seem to be creeping up with every album and Kill The Power showcases his most furious and impactful performances to date.
“The world’s getting worse so how can I get more mellow?” he laughs. “Of course I’m getting angrier! People normally stay in a bag when it comes to lyrics. Stephen King stays with horror and he’s brilliant at it, you know? With Skindred, it’s always about encouraging an uplift. It’s about a sense of unity. Lyrics can change people’s lives, you know? You can be going down one road and hear a song and have a Road To Damascus experience and become someone else.”
On an album that has no shortage of invigorating highlights, Kill The Power takes Skindred to new extremes at both ends of the lyrical spectrum, reaching a new level of fiery intensity on the lethal cautionary tale of “Playin’ With The Devil” and the euphoric end-of-the-working-week celebration of “Saturday”: both songs proving that this band’s ability to touch the heart and fire the blood remains as incisive and potent as ever. As if to enhance their songwriting chops more than ever, Kill The Power also features several songs written in collaboration with legendary songwriting guru Russ Ballard, the man behind such immortal rock staples as Since You’ve Been Gone and God Gave Rock & Roll To You, and this seemingly perverse team-up has led to Skindred’s finest set of lyrics and melodies to date.
“Basically, I try to write songs that people can interpret however they like,” says Benji. “When I wrote ‘Playin’ With The Devil’, I originally wrote some words down on a piece of paper thinking about friends I’ve had who smoke crack and live on the pipe, you know? I wrote the song about that kind of thing, but then a couple of days later the riots happened in London and so it became about that as well. When you shit on your own doorstep, your house is going to smell of shit. You’ve got to clean that up! With ‘Saturday’, it’s not a typical Skindred song; it’s a big celebration. We got Russ Ballard involved on that one and he helped me structure the lyrics in the right way so when the chorus hits, it hits like a hammer. It’s an upbeat song but when you listen to the lyrics it goes on about how people all have different reasons to be out and partying. Some people are celebrating, some people are drowning their sorrows, and we all come together on a Saturday. When this record comes out and people go to a club on a Saturday, that’s when it’s gonna go off! The chorus is huge!”
While Skindred’s previous album Union Black was dominated by the bleeps, booms and squelches of British electronic dance music, albeit balanced out by Mikey Demus’ trademark riffs, the new album sees the band return to a more organic sound that amounts to the most accurate representation of the Skindred live experience yet committed to tape. From the huge beats and stuttering samples of the opening title track and the laudably demented Ninja through to the insistent melodies and rampaging choruses of “The Kids Are Right Now” and “Saturday” and on to the thunderous, metallic throwdowns of “Proceed With Caution” and “Ruling Force” and the cool acoustic breeze of the closing More Fire, Kill The Power is Skindred cranked up to full throttle and revelling in their own febrile creativity like never before.
“It’s all about making an album that moves people in the same way that our live shows do,” says Arya. “We love what we achieved on Union Black and we still used a lot of those basic ideas on Kill The Power, but this time it’s a more organic sound. All the drum loops you hear were originally played by me before we started chopping them up, and there are a lot more guitars on this record too. We love combining all the music that we love in Skindred but we all love heavy music and we’re a rock band at heart and that really comes across this time.”
“We’ve delivered an album that’s gonna make people rock for the next few years,” states Benji. “You know what? I can’t do anything about record sales, but if people come to a Skindred show they’re gonna know they’ve been there, you know? Ha ha! The music we make is not about Christians or Muslims, straight people or gay people, black or white or any of that shit. When people are in that room together it’s just Skindred, one unity and one strength!”
Having conquered numerous countries around the world, Skindred could easily be taking a breather and resting on their laurels at this point. Instead, this most dedicated and hard-working of modern bands are preparing to launch their most exuberant assault on the world ever when Kill The Power hits the streets. Anyone that has ever seen the band live before will confirm that it is impossible not to get fired up and drawn into the joyous abandon of a Skindred show and with their greatest album to date primed and ready to explode, the best live band on the planet simply cannot fail to conquer the entire world this time round. Wherever and whoever you are, Skindred are coming. Open your ears and get your dancing feet ready…
“There’s nothing better than being on stage with these guys,” says Arya. “Skindred is my favourite band and I’m so lucky to be part of this thing we’ve created. We’ve been all over the world but there are always new places to visit and new crowds to play for. We just want to keep getting bigger and better.”
“We’re a global band. We’ve played in Colombia and India and everywhere and it’s the same energy,” Benji concludes. “I get letters from people in Hawaii and people in Turkey. It’s all the same. We resonate globally and it’s the greatest thing ever. It seems funny to us sometimes because we’re always kicking each other’s heads in and saying ‘You’re a wanker!’ to each other before we go on stage, but as soon as it’s time to play the show the oneness this band creates together and the unity we bring is unique. I’ve never experienced anything like it and we can’t wait to get back on the road and do it all again.”
Ed Kowalczyk, lead singer of the American rock band Live, during his perfomance at Parkpop, the largest free popfestival in Europe, held every year in The Hague. At Parkpop Kowalczyk played a solo set, accompanied by a string quartet and a pianist.
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Ed Kowalczyk, de kale frontman van de Amerikaanse band Live, liet op Parkpop 2009 zien, dat hij ook solo goed uit de verf komt. Met zijn krachtige stem, subtiele gitaarspel én met behulp van een aantal bevallige vrouwelijke muzikanten wist Kowalczyk het publiek in vervoering te brengen.
Playing host to the rescheduled Foo Fighters concert at Wembley (that was cancelled after frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg falling off stage at a show in Gothenburg, Sweden), the National Bowl in Milton Keynes came alive on Sunday, September 6, 2015 with the sound of 65,000 screaming fans. Following sets from rock duo Royal Blood and the eclectic propo-punk icon Iggy Pop, the Foos knew they had to deliver. From the moment the curtain sucked into a black hole vortex to the end of the show, it was obvious it was going to be one hell of a night to remember. Debra, Karl and I had arrived relatively early for the show and, being among the first to enter the MK Bowl, were offered "Inner Pit" passes. Issued on a first-come-first-serve basis, these gave fenced-off access to the stage and were an excellent surprise. We had a great view of the day's action and I was well positioned for photographs. "All My Life" opened the two and a half hour set, with Grohl spending the entire show seated on a most gloriously over-the-top throne, designed by Grohl himself and adorned by guitar necks. It transported the front-man up and down the runway, and was in itself a crowd pleaser! I have wanted to see the Foo Fighters for about two decades - and desperate to do so since "Wasting Light"- and they did not disappoint. A shredding version of "White Limo" alone justified the ticket price, and the rest was a wonderful (and sometimes nostalgic) tour through their back-catalogue. All in all, it was a triumphant, heart-warming singalong set that showed why, for so many, the Foo Fighters have been the soundtrack to the last two decades. Here's the Foo Fighters' set list for the Milton Keynes "Broken Leg" concert.
If I was desperate to see the Foo Fighters, I was absolutely aching to see 69 year old rock legend, Iggy Pop. I narrowly missed one of his gigs in Amsterdam at the end of 1978 and, after this initial disappointment, Iggy stayed on my Bucket List through the late-80's in London, the 90's in Prague and the naughties in the UK. When he was in town, I was always travelling, had other commitments or just had bad luck (i.e. the cancellation of the Foo's concert at Wembley in June where Iggy was on the supporting bill). Well, I finally got to see James Newell Osterberg, Jr. in full, topless, action in Milton Keynes on a fine evening in September 2015! Iggy brought his old school punk snarl to the party, prompting mass singalongs to classic tunes, some of which he penned with his old mate David Bowie in Berlin in the 70's. If I'm still as active as Iggy when I'm almost 70, I'll be more than happy! He made fine use of the runway before him, skipping, kicking, twisting and turning as only Iggy can. He took a breather every now and then, but Iggy still has more energy than any new breed act you care to mention. Fucking hell - he's the man that wrote "Lust for Life"! The snot-noses in the audience didn't know what hit them :-) FYI, here's the Iggy Pop's set list for the night.
A wonderful, sunny day and balmy evening with my family, and a fine way to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of my first date with my future-wife on September 7, 1983.
Fonte Official Skindred web page :
The music world may be in a permanent state of panic and flux, but one basic principle of rock’n’roll remains true: the key to longevity is to always deliver the goods. No band has better encapsulated this ethos of integrity and determination over the last decade than Skindred.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most devastating and enthralling live bands on the planet, the Newport destroyers have been a perennial force for musical invention and remorseless positivity since emerging from the ashes of frontman Benji Webbe’s former band Dub War back in 1998. Over the course of four universally praised studio albums – Babylon (2002), Roots Rock Riot (2007), Shark Bites And Dog Fights (2009) and Union Black (2011) – Skindred’s reputation for producing the ultimate spark-spraying state-of-the-art soundclash, combining all manner of seemingly disparate musical elements into an irresistibly exhilarating explosion of energy and cross-pollinated cultural fervour has rightly earned them a reputation as a band capable of uniting people from all corners of the globe and making every last one of them tear up the dancefloor with a giant shit-eating grin plastered across their faces.
With the toughest and most infectious metal riffs colliding with the biggest, phattest hip hop and reggae grooves, cutting edge electronics and a razor-sharp pop sensibility guaranteed to encourage even the most curmudgeonly music fans bellow along with rabid enthusiasm, Skindred are both the ultimate thinking man’s party band. And now, with the release of their fifth studio album Kill The Power, Benji Webbe and his loyal henchmen – bassist Dan Pugsley, guitarist Mikey Demus and drummer Arya Goggins – are poised to spread their gospel of good times and badass tunes to an even bigger global audience.
“We know that everyone recognises us as one of the best live bands around,” says Arya. “We’re really proud of all of the albums we’ve made, but we all felt that we needed to make an album that would be as powerful and effective as the live show. That’s what Kill The Power is all about. This time, we want everyone to sit up and listen and join in the party.”
“I started DJ-ing a little while ago and it’s taught me a lot,” adds Benji. “Now I feel like I wanted to make an album where every intro to every song makes kids think ‘Fucking hell, they’re playing that song!’ Every middle eight on this album is a banger. Every chorus is massive. On this album, the lyrics are deep and the songs are just bigger than ever.”
In keeping with their tradition of making people move while singing about universal issues and spreading a message of positive action and social unity, Kill The Power is an album bulging with fury at the state of the modern world. Never afraid to tackle important topics head on, while never forgetting his band’s mission to entertain and leave the world in a sweaty, sated heap, Benji’s notoriously insane energy levels seem to be creeping up with every album and Kill The Power showcases his most furious and impactful performances to date.
“The world’s getting worse so how can I get more mellow?” he laughs. “Of course I’m getting angrier! People normally stay in a bag when it comes to lyrics. Stephen King stays with horror and he’s brilliant at it, you know? With Skindred, it’s always about encouraging an uplift. It’s about a sense of unity. Lyrics can change people’s lives, you know? You can be going down one road and hear a song and have a Road To Damascus experience and become someone else.”
On an album that has no shortage of invigorating highlights, Kill The Power takes Skindred to new extremes at both ends of the lyrical spectrum, reaching a new level of fiery intensity on the lethal cautionary tale of “Playin’ With The Devil” and the euphoric end-of-the-working-week celebration of “Saturday”: both songs proving that this band’s ability to touch the heart and fire the blood remains as incisive and potent as ever. As if to enhance their songwriting chops more than ever, Kill The Power also features several songs written in collaboration with legendary songwriting guru Russ Ballard, the man behind such immortal rock staples as Since You’ve Been Gone and God Gave Rock & Roll To You, and this seemingly perverse team-up has led to Skindred’s finest set of lyrics and melodies to date.
“Basically, I try to write songs that people can interpret however they like,” says Benji. “When I wrote ‘Playin’ With The Devil’, I originally wrote some words down on a piece of paper thinking about friends I’ve had who smoke crack and live on the pipe, you know? I wrote the song about that kind of thing, but then a couple of days later the riots happened in London and so it became about that as well. When you shit on your own doorstep, your house is going to smell of shit. You’ve got to clean that up! With ‘Saturday’, it’s not a typical Skindred song; it’s a big celebration. We got Russ Ballard involved on that one and he helped me structure the lyrics in the right way so when the chorus hits, it hits like a hammer. It’s an upbeat song but when you listen to the lyrics it goes on about how people all have different reasons to be out and partying. Some people are celebrating, some people are drowning their sorrows, and we all come together on a Saturday. When this record comes out and people go to a club on a Saturday, that’s when it’s gonna go off! The chorus is huge!”
While Skindred’s previous album Union Black was dominated by the bleeps, booms and squelches of British electronic dance music, albeit balanced out by Mikey Demus’ trademark riffs, the new album sees the band return to a more organic sound that amounts to the most accurate representation of the Skindred live experience yet committed to tape. From the huge beats and stuttering samples of the opening title track and the laudably demented Ninja through to the insistent melodies and rampaging choruses of “The Kids Are Right Now” and “Saturday” and on to the thunderous, metallic throwdowns of “Proceed With Caution” and “Ruling Force” and the cool acoustic breeze of the closing More Fire, Kill The Power is Skindred cranked up to full throttle and revelling in their own febrile creativity like never before.
“It’s all about making an album that moves people in the same way that our live shows do,” says Arya. “We love what we achieved on Union Black and we still used a lot of those basic ideas on Kill The Power, but this time it’s a more organic sound. All the drum loops you hear were originally played by me before we started chopping them up, and there are a lot more guitars on this record too. We love combining all the music that we love in Skindred but we all love heavy music and we’re a rock band at heart and that really comes across this time.”
“We’ve delivered an album that’s gonna make people rock for the next few years,” states Benji. “You know what? I can’t do anything about record sales, but if people come to a Skindred show they’re gonna know they’ve been there, you know? Ha ha! The music we make is not about Christians or Muslims, straight people or gay people, black or white or any of that shit. When people are in that room together it’s just Skindred, one unity and one strength!”
Having conquered numerous countries around the world, Skindred could easily be taking a breather and resting on their laurels at this point. Instead, this most dedicated and hard-working of modern bands are preparing to launch their most exuberant assault on the world ever when Kill The Power hits the streets. Anyone that has ever seen the band live before will confirm that it is impossible not to get fired up and drawn into the joyous abandon of a Skindred show and with their greatest album to date primed and ready to explode, the best live band on the planet simply cannot fail to conquer the entire world this time round. Wherever and whoever you are, Skindred are coming. Open your ears and get your dancing feet ready…
“There’s nothing better than being on stage with these guys,” says Arya. “Skindred is my favourite band and I’m so lucky to be part of this thing we’ve created. We’ve been all over the world but there are always new places to visit and new crowds to play for. We just want to keep getting bigger and better.”
“We’re a global band. We’ve played in Colombia and India and everywhere and it’s the same energy,” Benji concludes. “I get letters from people in Hawaii and people in Turkey. It’s all the same. We resonate globally and it’s the greatest thing ever. It seems funny to us sometimes because we’re always kicking each other’s heads in and saying ‘You’re a wanker!’ to each other before we go on stage, but as soon as it’s time to play the show the oneness this band creates together and the unity we bring is unique. I’ve never experienced anything like it and we can’t wait to get back on the road and do it all again.”
Memorial services for iconic MOTÖRHEAD frontman Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister was held at the Rainbow Bar And Grill in West Hollywood, California 1-9-2016.
Lemmy, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Christmas Eve (December 24-2016), learned two days later, on December 26, that he was afflicted with an aggressive form of cancer. He died two days later, on December 28 at his home in Los Angeles.
MOTÖRHEADwas revered by both metal and punk fans, and Lemmy was considered an icon for his musical talent and his embodiment of the rock n’ roll lifestyle.
The Rainbow Bar And Grill on L.A.'s Sunset Strip was known as Lemmy's hangout, made it an obvious place for friends and family to say goodbye to the legend.
Read more at: www.blabbermouth.net/news/overhelming-response-to-lemmys-...
Fonte Official Skindred web page :
The music world may be in a permanent state of panic and flux, but one basic principle of rock’n’roll remains true: the key to longevity is to always deliver the goods. No band has better encapsulated this ethos of integrity and determination over the last decade than Skindred.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most devastating and enthralling live bands on the planet, the Newport destroyers have been a perennial force for musical invention and remorseless positivity since emerging from the ashes of frontman Benji Webbe’s former band Dub War back in 1998. Over the course of four universally praised studio albums – Babylon (2002), Roots Rock Riot (2007), Shark Bites And Dog Fights (2009) and Union Black (2011) – Skindred’s reputation for producing the ultimate spark-spraying state-of-the-art soundclash, combining all manner of seemingly disparate musical elements into an irresistibly exhilarating explosion of energy and cross-pollinated cultural fervour has rightly earned them a reputation as a band capable of uniting people from all corners of the globe and making every last one of them tear up the dancefloor with a giant shit-eating grin plastered across their faces.
With the toughest and most infectious metal riffs colliding with the biggest, phattest hip hop and reggae grooves, cutting edge electronics and a razor-sharp pop sensibility guaranteed to encourage even the most curmudgeonly music fans bellow along with rabid enthusiasm, Skindred are both the ultimate thinking man’s party band. And now, with the release of their fifth studio album Kill The Power, Benji Webbe and his loyal henchmen – bassist Dan Pugsley, guitarist Mikey Demus and drummer Arya Goggins – are poised to spread their gospel of good times and badass tunes to an even bigger global audience.
“We know that everyone recognises us as one of the best live bands around,” says Arya. “We’re really proud of all of the albums we’ve made, but we all felt that we needed to make an album that would be as powerful and effective as the live show. That’s what Kill The Power is all about. This time, we want everyone to sit up and listen and join in the party.”
“I started DJ-ing a little while ago and it’s taught me a lot,” adds Benji. “Now I feel like I wanted to make an album where every intro to every song makes kids think ‘Fucking hell, they’re playing that song!’ Every middle eight on this album is a banger. Every chorus is massive. On this album, the lyrics are deep and the songs are just bigger than ever.”
In keeping with their tradition of making people move while singing about universal issues and spreading a message of positive action and social unity, Kill The Power is an album bulging with fury at the state of the modern world. Never afraid to tackle important topics head on, while never forgetting his band’s mission to entertain and leave the world in a sweaty, sated heap, Benji’s notoriously insane energy levels seem to be creeping up with every album and Kill The Power showcases his most furious and impactful performances to date.
“The world’s getting worse so how can I get more mellow?” he laughs. “Of course I’m getting angrier! People normally stay in a bag when it comes to lyrics. Stephen King stays with horror and he’s brilliant at it, you know? With Skindred, it’s always about encouraging an uplift. It’s about a sense of unity. Lyrics can change people’s lives, you know? You can be going down one road and hear a song and have a Road To Damascus experience and become someone else.”
On an album that has no shortage of invigorating highlights, Kill The Power takes Skindred to new extremes at both ends of the lyrical spectrum, reaching a new level of fiery intensity on the lethal cautionary tale of “Playin’ With The Devil” and the euphoric end-of-the-working-week celebration of “Saturday”: both songs proving that this band’s ability to touch the heart and fire the blood remains as incisive and potent as ever. As if to enhance their songwriting chops more than ever, Kill The Power also features several songs written in collaboration with legendary songwriting guru Russ Ballard, the man behind such immortal rock staples as Since You’ve Been Gone and God Gave Rock & Roll To You, and this seemingly perverse team-up has led to Skindred’s finest set of lyrics and melodies to date.
“Basically, I try to write songs that people can interpret however they like,” says Benji. “When I wrote ‘Playin’ With The Devil’, I originally wrote some words down on a piece of paper thinking about friends I’ve had who smoke crack and live on the pipe, you know? I wrote the song about that kind of thing, but then a couple of days later the riots happened in London and so it became about that as well. When you shit on your own doorstep, your house is going to smell of shit. You’ve got to clean that up! With ‘Saturday’, it’s not a typical Skindred song; it’s a big celebration. We got Russ Ballard involved on that one and he helped me structure the lyrics in the right way so when the chorus hits, it hits like a hammer. It’s an upbeat song but when you listen to the lyrics it goes on about how people all have different reasons to be out and partying. Some people are celebrating, some people are drowning their sorrows, and we all come together on a Saturday. When this record comes out and people go to a club on a Saturday, that’s when it’s gonna go off! The chorus is huge!”
While Skindred’s previous album Union Black was dominated by the bleeps, booms and squelches of British electronic dance music, albeit balanced out by Mikey Demus’ trademark riffs, the new album sees the band return to a more organic sound that amounts to the most accurate representation of the Skindred live experience yet committed to tape. From the huge beats and stuttering samples of the opening title track and the laudably demented Ninja through to the insistent melodies and rampaging choruses of “The Kids Are Right Now” and “Saturday” and on to the thunderous, metallic throwdowns of “Proceed With Caution” and “Ruling Force” and the cool acoustic breeze of the closing More Fire, Kill The Power is Skindred cranked up to full throttle and revelling in their own febrile creativity like never before.
“It’s all about making an album that moves people in the same way that our live shows do,” says Arya. “We love what we achieved on Union Black and we still used a lot of those basic ideas on Kill The Power, but this time it’s a more organic sound. All the drum loops you hear were originally played by me before we started chopping them up, and there are a lot more guitars on this record too. We love combining all the music that we love in Skindred but we all love heavy music and we’re a rock band at heart and that really comes across this time.”
“We’ve delivered an album that’s gonna make people rock for the next few years,” states Benji. “You know what? I can’t do anything about record sales, but if people come to a Skindred show they’re gonna know they’ve been there, you know? Ha ha! The music we make is not about Christians or Muslims, straight people or gay people, black or white or any of that shit. When people are in that room together it’s just Skindred, one unity and one strength!”
Having conquered numerous countries around the world, Skindred could easily be taking a breather and resting on their laurels at this point. Instead, this most dedicated and hard-working of modern bands are preparing to launch their most exuberant assault on the world ever when Kill The Power hits the streets. Anyone that has ever seen the band live before will confirm that it is impossible not to get fired up and drawn into the joyous abandon of a Skindred show and with their greatest album to date primed and ready to explode, the best live band on the planet simply cannot fail to conquer the entire world this time round. Wherever and whoever you are, Skindred are coming. Open your ears and get your dancing feet ready…
“There’s nothing better than being on stage with these guys,” says Arya. “Skindred is my favourite band and I’m so lucky to be part of this thing we’ve created. We’ve been all over the world but there are always new places to visit and new crowds to play for. We just want to keep getting bigger and better.”
“We’re a global band. We’ve played in Colombia and India and everywhere and it’s the same energy,” Benji concludes. “I get letters from people in Hawaii and people in Turkey. It’s all the same. We resonate globally and it’s the greatest thing ever. It seems funny to us sometimes because we’re always kicking each other’s heads in and saying ‘You’re a wanker!’ to each other before we go on stage, but as soon as it’s time to play the show the oneness this band creates together and the unity we bring is unique. I’ve never experienced anything like it and we can’t wait to get back on the road and do it all again.”
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is the sixth studio album by the English progressive rock band Genesis. It was released as a double album on 18 November 1974 by Charisma Records and is their last to feature original frontman Peter Gabriel. It peaked at No. 10 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 41 on the Billboard 200 in the US.
While the band worked on new material at Hedley Grange for three months, they decided to produce a concept album with a story devised by Gabriel about Rael, a Puerto Rican youth from New York City who is suddenly taken on a journey of self-discovery and encounters bizarre incidents and characters along the way. The album was marked by increased tensions within the band as Gabriel, who insisted on writing all of the lyrics, temporarily left to work with filmmaker William Friedkin and needed time to be with his family. Most of the songs were developed by the rest of the band through jam sessions and were put down at Glaspant Manor in Wales using a mobile studio.
The album received a mixed critical reaction at first, but it gained acclaim in subsequent years and has a cult following. The songs "Counting Out Time" and "The Carpet Crawlers" were released as singles in the UK in 1974 and 1975, respectively; both failed to chart. A single of "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" was released in the US. Genesis promoted the album with their 1974–75 tour across North America and Europe, playing the album in its entirety. The album reached Gold certification in the UK and the US. The album was remastered in 1994 and 2007, the latter as part of the Genesis 1970–1975 box set which contains a 5.1 surround sound mix and bonus material.
Before discussions were held regarding the album's contents, the band decided to record a double album, for the extended format would give them the opportunity to improvise and put down more of their musical ideas ] A single album with songs telling "bits" of a story was an option that did not appeal to them.Banks thought Genesis had gained a strong enough following by this point to put out two albums' worth of material that their fans would be willing to listen to. They had wanted to produce a concept album that told a story for some time, and Rutherford pitched an idea based on the fantasy novel The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, but Gabriel disagreed as he thought it was "too twee" and believed "prancing around in fairyland was rapidly becoming obsolete".
Gabriel presented the group with a more complicated and surreal story about Rael, a Puerto Rican youth in New York City, and his spiritual journey of self-discovery and identity as he encounters several bizarre incidents and characters along the way. Gabriel had first thought of the story while touring North America in the previous year, and pitched a synopsis to the group "until they agreed to do the whole thing". It was more detailed and obscure in its initial form, until Gabriel refined it and made Rael the central character. Seeking a name that had "no traceable ethnic origins", he chose the name 'Rael', but later realised the Who had previously used that on The Who Sell Out (1967); this annoyed him at first, but he stuck to the choice.
As the band searched for a name they realised that "Ra" was common in male names in various nationalities. Gabriel was inspired by a variety of sources for the story, including the novel and musical West Side Story, "a kind of punk" twist to the Christian allegory Pilgrim's Progress (1678), the works of Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, and the surreal Western film El Topo (1971) by Alejandro Jodorowsky.[18] In contrast to Selling England by the Pound, which contained strong English themes, Gabriel made a conscious effort to avoid repetition by portraying American imagery, with references to Caryl Chessman, Lenny Bruce, Groucho Marx, Marshall McLuhan, Howard Hughes, Evel Knievel and the Ku Klux Klan. He also expressed some concern over the album's title, but noted that the lamb itself is purely symbolic and a catalyst for the peculiar events that occur.[14]
Much of the album was written at Headley Grange.
During the writing sessions at Headley Grange, Gabriel found himself separated from the rest of the band, which caused some friction. He insisted that having devised the concept he should write the lyrics, leaving the majority of the music in the charge of his bandmates. This was a departure from the band's usual method of songwriting; lyrical contributions on previous albums had always involved the other members.
This situation left Gabriel often secluded in one room writing the lyrics, and the remaining four rehearsing in another. In one instance Gabriel was unable to meet a scheduled deadline to have the lyrics finished, leaving Rutherford and Banks to write words for "The Light Dies Down on Broadway". At other times, Banks and Hackett suggested lyrics they thought would fit their songs better, "The Lamia" and "Here Comes the Supernatural Anaesthetist" respectively, which Gabriel rebuffed.
Further disagreements arose during the writing period when Gabriel accepted an invitation from film producer William Friedkin to write a screenplay; Friedkin had taken a liking to the surreal story by Gabriel that had been printed on the sleeve of Genesis Live (1973). Collins then pitched the idea of having the new studio album be purely instrumental, thinking it would favour the other members as Gabriel had made some of their earlier songs too lyrically dense, but the idea was rejected by the rest of the group. However, Gabriel's offer from Friedkin soon came to nothing and he resumed working on the album. Matters were complicated further when Gabriel spent additional time away in London when his first wife Jill underwent a risky and difficult birth of their first child in July 1974, leaving Gabriel often travelling back and forth. Rutherford later admitted that he and Banks were "horribly unsupportive" of Gabriel during this time,and Gabriel saw this as the beginning of his eventual departure from Genesis
Chris Cornell
Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell played his first show at London’s historic Royal Albert Hall in support of fifth solo album Higher Truth, the tour similar in style to his 2011 Songbook tour, with Cornell playing stripped-back renditions of a selection of songs from his Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple Of The Dog and solo material mixed with covers on a range of acoustic guitars, this time accompanied by Bryan Gibson on cello, keyboards and mandolin ...
Read the rest of this review with more photos over at RockShot Magazine.
Fonte Official Skindred web page :
The music world may be in a permanent state of panic and flux, but one basic principle of rock’n’roll remains true: the key to longevity is to always deliver the goods. No band has better encapsulated this ethos of integrity and determination over the last decade than Skindred.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most devastating and enthralling live bands on the planet, the Newport destroyers have been a perennial force for musical invention and remorseless positivity since emerging from the ashes of frontman Benji Webbe’s former band Dub War back in 1998. Over the course of four universally praised studio albums – Babylon (2002), Roots Rock Riot (2007), Shark Bites And Dog Fights (2009) and Union Black (2011) – Skindred’s reputation for producing the ultimate spark-spraying state-of-the-art soundclash, combining all manner of seemingly disparate musical elements into an irresistibly exhilarating explosion of energy and cross-pollinated cultural fervour has rightly earned them a reputation as a band capable of uniting people from all corners of the globe and making every last one of them tear up the dancefloor with a giant shit-eating grin plastered across their faces.
With the toughest and most infectious metal riffs colliding with the biggest, phattest hip hop and reggae grooves, cutting edge electronics and a razor-sharp pop sensibility guaranteed to encourage even the most curmudgeonly music fans bellow along with rabid enthusiasm, Skindred are both the ultimate thinking man’s party band. And now, with the release of their fifth studio album Kill The Power, Benji Webbe and his loyal henchmen – bassist Dan Pugsley, guitarist Mikey Demus and drummer Arya Goggins – are poised to spread their gospel of good times and badass tunes to an even bigger global audience.
“We know that everyone recognises us as one of the best live bands around,” says Arya. “We’re really proud of all of the albums we’ve made, but we all felt that we needed to make an album that would be as powerful and effective as the live show. That’s what Kill The Power is all about. This time, we want everyone to sit up and listen and join in the party.”
“I started DJ-ing a little while ago and it’s taught me a lot,” adds Benji. “Now I feel like I wanted to make an album where every intro to every song makes kids think ‘Fucking hell, they’re playing that song!’ Every middle eight on this album is a banger. Every chorus is massive. On this album, the lyrics are deep and the songs are just bigger than ever.”
In keeping with their tradition of making people move while singing about universal issues and spreading a message of positive action and social unity, Kill The Power is an album bulging with fury at the state of the modern world. Never afraid to tackle important topics head on, while never forgetting his band’s mission to entertain and leave the world in a sweaty, sated heap, Benji’s notoriously insane energy levels seem to be creeping up with every album and Kill The Power showcases his most furious and impactful performances to date.
“The world’s getting worse so how can I get more mellow?” he laughs. “Of course I’m getting angrier! People normally stay in a bag when it comes to lyrics. Stephen King stays with horror and he’s brilliant at it, you know? With Skindred, it’s always about encouraging an uplift. It’s about a sense of unity. Lyrics can change people’s lives, you know? You can be going down one road and hear a song and have a Road To Damascus experience and become someone else.”
On an album that has no shortage of invigorating highlights, Kill The Power takes Skindred to new extremes at both ends of the lyrical spectrum, reaching a new level of fiery intensity on the lethal cautionary tale of “Playin’ With The Devil” and the euphoric end-of-the-working-week celebration of “Saturday”: both songs proving that this band’s ability to touch the heart and fire the blood remains as incisive and potent as ever. As if to enhance their songwriting chops more than ever, Kill The Power also features several songs written in collaboration with legendary songwriting guru Russ Ballard, the man behind such immortal rock staples as Since You’ve Been Gone and God Gave Rock & Roll To You, and this seemingly perverse team-up has led to Skindred’s finest set of lyrics and melodies to date.
“Basically, I try to write songs that people can interpret however they like,” says Benji. “When I wrote ‘Playin’ With The Devil’, I originally wrote some words down on a piece of paper thinking about friends I’ve had who smoke crack and live on the pipe, you know? I wrote the song about that kind of thing, but then a couple of days later the riots happened in London and so it became about that as well. When you shit on your own doorstep, your house is going to smell of shit. You’ve got to clean that up! With ‘Saturday’, it’s not a typical Skindred song; it’s a big celebration. We got Russ Ballard involved on that one and he helped me structure the lyrics in the right way so when the chorus hits, it hits like a hammer. It’s an upbeat song but when you listen to the lyrics it goes on about how people all have different reasons to be out and partying. Some people are celebrating, some people are drowning their sorrows, and we all come together on a Saturday. When this record comes out and people go to a club on a Saturday, that’s when it’s gonna go off! The chorus is huge!”
While Skindred’s previous album Union Black was dominated by the bleeps, booms and squelches of British electronic dance music, albeit balanced out by Mikey Demus’ trademark riffs, the new album sees the band return to a more organic sound that amounts to the most accurate representation of the Skindred live experience yet committed to tape. From the huge beats and stuttering samples of the opening title track and the laudably demented Ninja through to the insistent melodies and rampaging choruses of “The Kids Are Right Now” and “Saturday” and on to the thunderous, metallic throwdowns of “Proceed With Caution” and “Ruling Force” and the cool acoustic breeze of the closing More Fire, Kill The Power is Skindred cranked up to full throttle and revelling in their own febrile creativity like never before.
“It’s all about making an album that moves people in the same way that our live shows do,” says Arya. “We love what we achieved on Union Black and we still used a lot of those basic ideas on Kill The Power, but this time it’s a more organic sound. All the drum loops you hear were originally played by me before we started chopping them up, and there are a lot more guitars on this record too. We love combining all the music that we love in Skindred but we all love heavy music and we’re a rock band at heart and that really comes across this time.”
“We’ve delivered an album that’s gonna make people rock for the next few years,” states Benji. “You know what? I can’t do anything about record sales, but if people come to a Skindred show they’re gonna know they’ve been there, you know? Ha ha! The music we make is not about Christians or Muslims, straight people or gay people, black or white or any of that shit. When people are in that room together it’s just Skindred, one unity and one strength!”
Having conquered numerous countries around the world, Skindred could easily be taking a breather and resting on their laurels at this point. Instead, this most dedicated and hard-working of modern bands are preparing to launch their most exuberant assault on the world ever when Kill The Power hits the streets. Anyone that has ever seen the band live before will confirm that it is impossible not to get fired up and drawn into the joyous abandon of a Skindred show and with their greatest album to date primed and ready to explode, the best live band on the planet simply cannot fail to conquer the entire world this time round. Wherever and whoever you are, Skindred are coming. Open your ears and get your dancing feet ready…
“There’s nothing better than being on stage with these guys,” says Arya. “Skindred is my favourite band and I’m so lucky to be part of this thing we’ve created. We’ve been all over the world but there are always new places to visit and new crowds to play for. We just want to keep getting bigger and better.”
“We’re a global band. We’ve played in Colombia and India and everywhere and it’s the same energy,” Benji concludes. “I get letters from people in Hawaii and people in Turkey. It’s all the same. We resonate globally and it’s the greatest thing ever. It seems funny to us sometimes because we’re always kicking each other’s heads in and saying ‘You’re a wanker!’ to each other before we go on stage, but as soon as it’s time to play the show the oneness this band creates together and the unity we bring is unique. I’ve never experienced anything like it and we can’t wait to get back on the road and do it all again.”
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is the sixth studio album by the English progressive rock band Genesis. It was released as a double album on 18 November 1974 by Charisma Records and is their last to feature original frontman Peter Gabriel. It peaked at No. 10 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 41 on the Billboard 200 in the US.
While the band worked on new material at Hedley Grange for three months, they decided to produce a concept album with a story devised by Gabriel about Rael, a Puerto Rican youth from New York City who is suddenly taken on a journey of self-discovery and encounters bizarre incidents and characters along the way. The album was marked by increased tensions within the band as Gabriel, who insisted on writing all of the lyrics, temporarily left to work with filmmaker William Friedkin and needed time to be with his family. Most of the songs were developed by the rest of the band through jam sessions and were put down at Glaspant Manor in Wales using a mobile studio.
The album received a mixed critical reaction at first, but it gained acclaim in subsequent years and has a cult following. The songs "Counting Out Time" and "The Carpet Crawlers" were released as singles in the UK in 1974 and 1975, respectively; both failed to chart. A single of "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" was released in the US. Genesis promoted the album with their 1974–75 tour across North America and Europe, playing the album in its entirety. The album reached Gold certification in the UK and the US. The album was remastered in 1994 and 2007, the latter as part of the Genesis 1970–1975 box set which contains a 5.1 surround sound mix and bonus material.
Before discussions were held regarding the album's contents, the band decided to record a double album, for the extended format would give them the opportunity to improvise and put down more of their musical ideas ] A single album with songs telling "bits" of a story was an option that did not appeal to them.Banks thought Genesis had gained a strong enough following by this point to put out two albums' worth of material that their fans would be willing to listen to. They had wanted to produce a concept album that told a story for some time, and Rutherford pitched an idea based on the fantasy novel The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, but Gabriel disagreed as he thought it was "too twee" and believed "prancing around in fairyland was rapidly becoming obsolete".
Gabriel presented the group with a more complicated and surreal story about Rael, a Puerto Rican youth in New York City, and his spiritual journey of self-discovery and identity as he encounters several bizarre incidents and characters along the way. Gabriel had first thought of the story while touring North America in the previous year, and pitched a synopsis to the group "until they agreed to do the whole thing". It was more detailed and obscure in its initial form, until Gabriel refined it and made Rael the central character. Seeking a name that had "no traceable ethnic origins", he chose the name 'Rael', but later realised the Who had previously used that on The Who Sell Out (1967); this annoyed him at first, but he stuck to the choice.
As the band searched for a name they realised that "Ra" was common in male names in various nationalities. Gabriel was inspired by a variety of sources for the story, including the novel and musical West Side Story, "a kind of punk" twist to the Christian allegory Pilgrim's Progress (1678), the works of Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, and the surreal Western film El Topo (1971) by Alejandro Jodorowsky.[18] In contrast to Selling England by the Pound, which contained strong English themes, Gabriel made a conscious effort to avoid repetition by portraying American imagery, with references to Caryl Chessman, Lenny Bruce, Groucho Marx, Marshall McLuhan, Howard Hughes, Evel Knievel and the Ku Klux Klan. He also expressed some concern over the album's title, but noted that the lamb itself is purely symbolic and a catalyst for the peculiar events that occur.[14]
Much of the album was written at Headley Grange.
During the writing sessions at Headley Grange, Gabriel found himself separated from the rest of the band, which caused some friction. He insisted that having devised the concept he should write the lyrics, leaving the majority of the music in the charge of his bandmates. This was a departure from the band's usual method of songwriting; lyrical contributions on previous albums had always involved the other members.
This situation left Gabriel often secluded in one room writing the lyrics, and the remaining four rehearsing in another. In one instance Gabriel was unable to meet a scheduled deadline to have the lyrics finished, leaving Rutherford and Banks to write words for "The Light Dies Down on Broadway". At other times, Banks and Hackett suggested lyrics they thought would fit their songs better, "The Lamia" and "Here Comes the Supernatural Anaesthetist" respectively, which Gabriel rebuffed.
Further disagreements arose during the writing period when Gabriel accepted an invitation from film producer William Friedkin to write a screenplay; Friedkin had taken a liking to the surreal story by Gabriel that had been printed on the sleeve of Genesis Live (1973). Collins then pitched the idea of having the new studio album be purely instrumental, thinking it would favour the other members as Gabriel had made some of their earlier songs too lyrically dense, but the idea was rejected by the rest of the group. However, Gabriel's offer from Friedkin soon came to nothing and he resumed working on the album. Matters were complicated further when Gabriel spent additional time away in London when his first wife Jill underwent a risky and difficult birth of their first child in July 1974, leaving Gabriel often travelling back and forth. Rutherford later admitted that he and Banks were "horribly unsupportive" of Gabriel during this time,and Gabriel saw this as the beginning of his eventual departure from Genesis
Memorial services for iconic MOTÖRHEAD frontman Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister was held at the Rainbow Bar And Grill in West Hollywood, California 1-9-2016.
Lemmy, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Christmas Eve (December 24-2016), learned two days later, on December 26, that he was afflicted with an aggressive form of cancer. He died two days later, on December 28 at his home in Los Angeles.
MOTÖRHEADwas revered by both metal and punk fans, and Lemmy was considered an icon for his musical talent and his embodiment of the rock n’ roll lifestyle.
The Rainbow Bar And Grill on L.A.'s Sunset Strip was known as Lemmy's hangout, made it an obvious place for friends and family to say goodbye to the legend.
Read more at: www.blabbermouth.net/news/overhelming-response-to-lemmys-...
Fonte Official Skindred web page :
The music world may be in a permanent state of panic and flux, but one basic principle of rock’n’roll remains true: the key to longevity is to always deliver the goods. No band has better encapsulated this ethos of integrity and determination over the last decade than Skindred.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most devastating and enthralling live bands on the planet, the Newport destroyers have been a perennial force for musical invention and remorseless positivity since emerging from the ashes of frontman Benji Webbe’s former band Dub War back in 1998. Over the course of four universally praised studio albums – Babylon (2002), Roots Rock Riot (2007), Shark Bites And Dog Fights (2009) and Union Black (2011) – Skindred’s reputation for producing the ultimate spark-spraying state-of-the-art soundclash, combining all manner of seemingly disparate musical elements into an irresistibly exhilarating explosion of energy and cross-pollinated cultural fervour has rightly earned them a reputation as a band capable of uniting people from all corners of the globe and making every last one of them tear up the dancefloor with a giant shit-eating grin plastered across their faces.
With the toughest and most infectious metal riffs colliding with the biggest, phattest hip hop and reggae grooves, cutting edge electronics and a razor-sharp pop sensibility guaranteed to encourage even the most curmudgeonly music fans bellow along with rabid enthusiasm, Skindred are both the ultimate thinking man’s party band. And now, with the release of their fifth studio album Kill The Power, Benji Webbe and his loyal henchmen – bassist Dan Pugsley, guitarist Mikey Demus and drummer Arya Goggins – are poised to spread their gospel of good times and badass tunes to an even bigger global audience.
“We know that everyone recognises us as one of the best live bands around,” says Arya. “We’re really proud of all of the albums we’ve made, but we all felt that we needed to make an album that would be as powerful and effective as the live show. That’s what Kill The Power is all about. This time, we want everyone to sit up and listen and join in the party.”
“I started DJ-ing a little while ago and it’s taught me a lot,” adds Benji. “Now I feel like I wanted to make an album where every intro to every song makes kids think ‘Fucking hell, they’re playing that song!’ Every middle eight on this album is a banger. Every chorus is massive. On this album, the lyrics are deep and the songs are just bigger than ever.”
In keeping with their tradition of making people move while singing about universal issues and spreading a message of positive action and social unity, Kill The Power is an album bulging with fury at the state of the modern world. Never afraid to tackle important topics head on, while never forgetting his band’s mission to entertain and leave the world in a sweaty, sated heap, Benji’s notoriously insane energy levels seem to be creeping up with every album and Kill The Power showcases his most furious and impactful performances to date.
“The world’s getting worse so how can I get more mellow?” he laughs. “Of course I’m getting angrier! People normally stay in a bag when it comes to lyrics. Stephen King stays with horror and he’s brilliant at it, you know? With Skindred, it’s always about encouraging an uplift. It’s about a sense of unity. Lyrics can change people’s lives, you know? You can be going down one road and hear a song and have a Road To Damascus experience and become someone else.”
On an album that has no shortage of invigorating highlights, Kill The Power takes Skindred to new extremes at both ends of the lyrical spectrum, reaching a new level of fiery intensity on the lethal cautionary tale of “Playin’ With The Devil” and the euphoric end-of-the-working-week celebration of “Saturday”: both songs proving that this band’s ability to touch the heart and fire the blood remains as incisive and potent as ever. As if to enhance their songwriting chops more than ever, Kill The Power also features several songs written in collaboration with legendary songwriting guru Russ Ballard, the man behind such immortal rock staples as Since You’ve Been Gone and God Gave Rock & Roll To You, and this seemingly perverse team-up has led to Skindred’s finest set of lyrics and melodies to date.
“Basically, I try to write songs that people can interpret however they like,” says Benji. “When I wrote ‘Playin’ With The Devil’, I originally wrote some words down on a piece of paper thinking about friends I’ve had who smoke crack and live on the pipe, you know? I wrote the song about that kind of thing, but then a couple of days later the riots happened in London and so it became about that as well. When you shit on your own doorstep, your house is going to smell of shit. You’ve got to clean that up! With ‘Saturday’, it’s not a typical Skindred song; it’s a big celebration. We got Russ Ballard involved on that one and he helped me structure the lyrics in the right way so when the chorus hits, it hits like a hammer. It’s an upbeat song but when you listen to the lyrics it goes on about how people all have different reasons to be out and partying. Some people are celebrating, some people are drowning their sorrows, and we all come together on a Saturday. When this record comes out and people go to a club on a Saturday, that’s when it’s gonna go off! The chorus is huge!”
While Skindred’s previous album Union Black was dominated by the bleeps, booms and squelches of British electronic dance music, albeit balanced out by Mikey Demus’ trademark riffs, the new album sees the band return to a more organic sound that amounts to the most accurate representation of the Skindred live experience yet committed to tape. From the huge beats and stuttering samples of the opening title track and the laudably demented Ninja through to the insistent melodies and rampaging choruses of “The Kids Are Right Now” and “Saturday” and on to the thunderous, metallic throwdowns of “Proceed With Caution” and “Ruling Force” and the cool acoustic breeze of the closing More Fire, Kill The Power is Skindred cranked up to full throttle and revelling in their own febrile creativity like never before.
“It’s all about making an album that moves people in the same way that our live shows do,” says Arya. “We love what we achieved on Union Black and we still used a lot of those basic ideas on Kill The Power, but this time it’s a more organic sound. All the drum loops you hear were originally played by me before we started chopping them up, and there are a lot more guitars on this record too. We love combining all the music that we love in Skindred but we all love heavy music and we’re a rock band at heart and that really comes across this time.”
“We’ve delivered an album that’s gonna make people rock for the next few years,” states Benji. “You know what? I can’t do anything about record sales, but if people come to a Skindred show they’re gonna know they’ve been there, you know? Ha ha! The music we make is not about Christians or Muslims, straight people or gay people, black or white or any of that shit. When people are in that room together it’s just Skindred, one unity and one strength!”
Having conquered numerous countries around the world, Skindred could easily be taking a breather and resting on their laurels at this point. Instead, this most dedicated and hard-working of modern bands are preparing to launch their most exuberant assault on the world ever when Kill The Power hits the streets. Anyone that has ever seen the band live before will confirm that it is impossible not to get fired up and drawn into the joyous abandon of a Skindred show and with their greatest album to date primed and ready to explode, the best live band on the planet simply cannot fail to conquer the entire world this time round. Wherever and whoever you are, Skindred are coming. Open your ears and get your dancing feet ready…
“There’s nothing better than being on stage with these guys,” says Arya. “Skindred is my favourite band and I’m so lucky to be part of this thing we’ve created. We’ve been all over the world but there are always new places to visit and new crowds to play for. We just want to keep getting bigger and better.”
“We’re a global band. We’ve played in Colombia and India and everywhere and it’s the same energy,” Benji concludes. “I get letters from people in Hawaii and people in Turkey. It’s all the same. We resonate globally and it’s the greatest thing ever. It seems funny to us sometimes because we’re always kicking each other’s heads in and saying ‘You’re a wanker!’ to each other before we go on stage, but as soon as it’s time to play the show the oneness this band creates together and the unity we bring is unique. I’ve never experienced anything like it and we can’t wait to get back on the road and do it all again.”
Memorial services for iconic MOTÖRHEAD frontman Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister was held at the Rainbow Bar And Grill in West Hollywood, California 1-9-2016.
Lemmy, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Christmas Eve (December 24-2016), learned two days later, on December 26, that he was afflicted with an aggressive form of cancer. He died two days later, on December 28 at his home in Los Angeles.
MOTÖRHEADwas revered by both metal and punk fans, and Lemmy was considered an icon for his musical talent and his embodiment of the rock n’ roll lifestyle.
The Rainbow Bar And Grill on L.A.'s Sunset Strip was known as Lemmy's hangout, made it an obvious place for friends and family to say goodbye to the legend.
Read more at: www.blabbermouth.net/news/overhelming-response-to-lemmys-...
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin gives it all during the band's Mylo Xyloto Tour at the Emirates Stadium, London.
Playing host to the rescheduled Foo Fighters concert at Wembley (that was cancelled after frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg falling off stage at a show in Gothenburg, Sweden), the National Bowl in Milton Keynes came alive on Sunday, September 6, 2015 with the sound of 65,000 screaming fans. Following sets from rock duo Royal Blood and the eclectic propo-punk icon Iggy Pop, the Foos knew they had to deliver. From the moment the curtain sucked into a black hole vortex to the end of the show, it was obvious it was going to be one hell of a night to remember. Debra, Karl and I had arrived relatively early for the show and, being among the first to enter the MK Bowl, were offered "Inner Pit" passes. Issued on a first-come-first-serve basis, these gave fenced-off access to the stage and were an excellent surprise. We had a great view of the day's action and I was well positioned for photographs. "All My Life" opened the two and a half hour set, with Grohl spending the entire show seated on a most gloriously over-the-top throne, designed by Grohl himself and adorned by guitar necks. It transported the front-man up and down the runway, and was in itself a crowd pleaser! I have wanted to see the Foo Fighters for about two decades - and desperate to do so since "Wasting Light"- and they did not disappoint. A shredding version of "White Limo" alone justified the ticket price, and the rest was a wonderful (and sometimes nostalgic) tour through their back-catalogue. All in all, it was a triumphant, heart-warming singalong set that showed why, for so many, the Foo Fighters have been the soundtrack to the last two decades. Here's the Foo Fighters' set list for the Milton Keynes "Broken Leg" concert.
If I was desperate to see the Foo Fighters, I was absolutely aching to see 69 year old rock legend, Iggy Pop. I narrowly missed one of his gigs in Amsterdam at the end of 1978 and, after this initial disappointment, Iggy stayed on my Bucket List through the late-80's in London, the 90's in Prague and the naughties in the UK. When he was in town, I was always travelling, had other commitments or just had bad luck (i.e. the cancellation of the Foo's concert at Wembley in June where Iggy was on the supporting bill). Well, I finally got to see James Newell Osterberg, Jr. in full, topless, action in Milton Keynes on a fine evening in September 2015! Iggy brought his old school punk snarl to the party, prompting mass singalongs to classic tunes, some of which he penned with his old mate David Bowie in Berlin in the 70's. If I'm still as active as Iggy when I'm almost 70, I'll be more than happy! He made fine use of the runway before him, skipping, kicking, twisting and turning as only Iggy can. He took a breather every now and then, but Iggy still has more energy than any new breed act you care to mention. Fucking hell - he's the man that wrote "Lust for Life"! The snot-noses in the audience didn't know what hit them :-) FYI, here's the Iggy Pop's set list for the night.
A wonderful, sunny day and balmy evening with my family, and a fine way to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of my first date with my future-wife on September 7, 1983.
Playing host to the rescheduled Foo Fighters concert at Wembley (that was cancelled after frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg falling off stage at a show in Gothenburg, Sweden), the National Bowl in Milton Keynes came alive on Sunday, September 6, 2015 with the sound of 65,000 screaming fans. Following sets from rock duo Royal Blood and the eclectic propo-punk icon Iggy Pop, the Foos knew they had to deliver. From the moment the curtain sucked into a black hole vortex to the end of the show, it was obvious it was going to be one hell of a night to remember. Debra, Karl and I had arrived relatively early for the show and, being among the first to enter the MK Bowl, were offered "Inner Pit" passes. Issued on a first-come-first-serve basis, these gave fenced-off access to the stage and were an excellent surprise. We had a great view of the day's action and I was well positioned for photographs. "All My Life" opened the two and a half hour set, with Grohl spending the entire show seated on a most gloriously over-the-top throne, designed by Grohl himself and adorned by guitar necks. It transported the front-man up and down the runway, and was in itself a crowd pleaser! I have wanted to see the Foo Fighters for about two decades - and desperate to do so since "Wasting Light"- and they did not disappoint. A shredding version of "White Limo" alone justified the ticket price, and the rest was a wonderful (and sometimes nostalgic) tour through their back-catalogue. All in all, it was a triumphant, heart-warming singalong set that showed why, for so many, the Foo Fighters have been the soundtrack to the last two decades. Here's the Foo Fighters' set list for the Milton Keynes "Broken Leg" concert.
If I was desperate to see the Foo Fighters, I was absolutely aching to see 69 year old rock legend, Iggy Pop. I narrowly missed one of his gigs in Amsterdam at the end of 1978 and, after this initial disappointment, Iggy stayed on my Bucket List through the late-80's in London, the 90's in Prague and the naughties in the UK. When he was in town, I was always travelling, had other commitments or just had bad luck (i.e. the cancellation of the Foo's concert at Wembley in June where Iggy was on the supporting bill). Well, I finally got to see James Newell Osterberg, Jr. in full, topless, action in Milton Keynes on a fine evening in September 2015! Iggy brought his old school punk snarl to the party, prompting mass singalongs to classic tunes, some of which he penned with his old mate David Bowie in Berlin in the 70's. If I'm still as active as Iggy when I'm almost 70, I'll be more than happy! He made fine use of the runway before him, skipping, kicking, twisting and turning as only Iggy can. He took a breather every now and then, but Iggy still has more energy than any new breed act you care to mention. Fucking hell - he's the man that wrote "Lust for Life"! The snot-noses in the audience didn't know what hit them :-) FYI, here's the Iggy Pop's set list for the night.
A wonderful, sunny day and balmy evening with my family, and a fine way to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of my first date with my future-wife on September 7, 1983.
Playing host to the rescheduled Foo Fighters concert at Wembley (that was cancelled after frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg falling off stage at a show in Gothenburg, Sweden), the National Bowl in Milton Keynes came alive on Sunday, September 6, 2015 with the sound of 65,000 screaming fans. Following sets from rock duo Royal Blood and the eclectic propo-punk icon Iggy Pop, the Foos knew they had to deliver. From the moment the curtain sucked into a black hole vortex to the end of the show, it was obvious it was going to be one hell of a night to remember. Debra, Karl and I had arrived relatively early for the show and, being among the first to enter the MK Bowl, were offered "Inner Pit" passes. Issued on a first-come-first-serve basis, these gave fenced-off access to the stage and were an excellent surprise. We had a great view of the day's action and I was well positioned for photographs. "All My Life" opened the two and a half hour set, with Grohl spending the entire show seated on a most gloriously over-the-top throne, designed by Grohl himself and adorned by guitar necks. It transported the front-man up and down the runway, and was in itself a crowd pleaser! I have wanted to see the Foo Fighters for about two decades - and desperate to do so since "Wasting Light"- and they did not disappoint. A shredding version of "White Limo" alone justified the ticket price, and the rest was a wonderful (and sometimes nostalgic) tour through their back-catalogue. All in all, it was a triumphant, heart-warming singalong set that showed why, for so many, the Foo Fighters have been the soundtrack to the last two decades. Here's the Foo Fighters' set list for the Milton Keynes "Broken Leg" concert.
If I was desperate to see the Foo Fighters, I was absolutely aching to see 69 year old rock legend, Iggy Pop. I narrowly missed one of his gigs in Amsterdam at the end of 1978 and, after this initial disappointment, Iggy stayed on my Bucket List through the late-80's in London, the 90's in Prague and the naughties in the UK. When he was in town, I was always travelling, had other commitments or just had bad luck (i.e. the cancellation of the Foo's concert at Wembley in June where Iggy was on the supporting bill). Well, I finally got to see James Newell Osterberg, Jr. in full, topless, action in Milton Keynes on a fine evening in September 2015! Iggy brought his old school punk snarl to the party, prompting mass singalongs to classic tunes, some of which he penned with his old mate David Bowie in Berlin in the 70's. If I'm still as active as Iggy when I'm almost 70, I'll be more than happy! He made fine use of the runway before him, skipping, kicking, twisting and turning as only Iggy can. He took a breather every now and then, but Iggy still has more energy than any new breed act you care to mention. Fucking hell - he's the man that wrote "Lust for Life"! The snot-noses in the audience didn't know what hit them :-) FYI, here's the Iggy Pop's set list for the night.
A wonderful, sunny day and balmy evening with my family, and a fine way to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of my first date with my future-wife on September 7, 1983.
I was walking down the street on a nice sunny day in Prague, in a good mood, minding my own business, when all of a sudden a very familiar face came into my line of vision directly opposite of me. We both did a double-take and instantly recognized one another! It was Phil Shoenfelt, former frontman of the New York band Khmer Rouge, who I thought I had left for dead who I thought I had left for dead back in New York. The last time I had seen Phil was back in the ol ´80s in New York. He was with his then wife Marcia and they were both major junkies. I can remember the sight of them holding onto one another for support, looking a bit green around the gills, coming out of some seedy hotel and approaching me asking for some money. They made Sid and Nancy look like amateurs. I told them the old story about being broke and shuffled away. I had not seen either of them since that time. At the time, I thought that they would not last much longer in this world and did my best to forget. I was in shock to see a somewhat healthy looking Phil standing in front of me. I was then pleasantly surprised to find out that Phil was happily married to a Czech woman, played in several bands in Prague and Berlin and wrote several books that were published.
Phil and I are now very good friends once again. I went to see his bands and were inspired by both. In fact I was so inspired, I have been making a documentary film about his Berlin based band Fatal Shore for three years now. I am in the process of going through all of the footage on tapes for editing. I have over 50 tapes, which means over 50 hours of looking for the best bits for editing. My eyes are tired, but I am looking forward to completing this film. It was because of meeting Phil on that fateful day in Prague I got to know so many inspiring people. I hope to do justice with the Fatal Shore film for Phil, Chris Hughes and in respect and Honor for the incredibly talented Bruno Adams, who passed away in 2009. I filmed Phil´s band and interviewed him for Richard Lowenstein´s documentary about Rowland S. Howard. I would write Phil´s bio information, (I always do the writing about people, but I make an exception in this case) but fussy Phil would find some objection to it I am sure, so I will let write Phil Shoenfelt introduce himself in his own words.
Phil Shoenfelt is an English musician/singer/songwriter/author who has lived in Prague since 1995. He is a veteran of the UK and New York punk and post-punk scenes, and during the early 1980’s was the front man and principle songwriter for the New York-based band Khmer Rouge. In the five years the band was together, Khmer Rouge was a favorite on the NY club scene, and toured in the USA supporting such acts as The Clash, Tom Verlaine, Alan Vega, Nico and Billy Idol. Returning to the UK in 1984, the band did two UK tours with The Fall before finally splitting in 1986.
Phil then began his solo career. His first single was released on Mark E. Smith’s Cog Sinister label in 1989. A support slot with The Fall followed, as well as several concerts supporting Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds on UK tours in 1990 and 1991. Two solo CDs were released on UK independent labels in 1990 and 1993. After a Czech tour in 1994, Phil decided to move to Prague on a full time basis. Since moving here, he has recorded several more CDs, both with his Prague-based band PHIL SHOENFELT & SOUTHERN CROSS and with the Berlin-based Australian band FATAL SHORE. Although Fatal Shore ended with the death in 2009 of founder member Bruno Adams, Phil continues to play regularly with Southern Cross at venues across Europe. To date, he has had a total of 13 CDs of his music released on various labels in the UK, USA, Czech Republic, Germany and Greece. The latest is Golden Vanity, a collaboration with the late Nikki Sudden, which was released in 2009 on the UK label Easy Action. At the moment Phil is mixing the new PS & Southern Cross CD, which will be released in October 2010 by Easy Action.
As well as these musical activities, Phil has had two books published to date: Junkie Love (a fictionalized autobiography) and The Green Hotel (poetry and song lyrics). Junkie Love was first published in Czech translation in 1997 (as Feťácká Láska) by Maťa Books of Prague, and has become something of a cult book for young Czech readers. The book was published for the first time in English in 2001 by Twisted Spoon Press, and went on to win the Firecracker Alternative Book Award (NYC, 2002) for best book in the Drugs Books section. Since then it has it has been translated and published in Italian by Fazi Editions of Rome. A Greek translation is being prepared for publication by Electra Books of Athens, and an extract has appeared in Erotika – Drogen und Sexualitat by German philosopher Wolfgang Sterneck. In 2006 Junkie Love was licensed to Ebury Press/Random House for UK and Commonwealth distribution, and this new edition was published in July 2007. Phil’s writing has also appeared in literary magazines such as Gargoyle (USA/UK), Garageland(UK), the Prague Literary Review, Optimism (Czech Republic), Hele (Czech Republic), Blatt (Czech Republic), Apple Of The Eye, (Greece), Morgana (Germany) and Vlna (Slovakia). He is also included in the The Return of Král Majeles, a recently published anthology of post 1989 Prague writing put together by the Philosophic Faculty of Charles University. At the moment Phil is working on a new book (Stripped), an autobiographical novel set in downtown New York in the years 1979-84.
Memorial services for iconic MOTÖRHEAD frontman Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister was held at the Rainbow Bar And Grill in West Hollywood, California 1-9-2016.
Lemmy, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Christmas Eve (December 24-2016), learned two days later, on December 26, that he was afflicted with an aggressive form of cancer. He died two days later, on December 28 at his home in Los Angeles.
MOTÖRHEADwas revered by both metal and punk fans, and Lemmy was considered an icon for his musical talent and his embodiment of the rock n’ roll lifestyle.
The Rainbow Bar And Grill on L.A.'s Sunset Strip was known as Lemmy's hangout, made it an obvious place for friends and family to say goodbye to the legend.
Read more at: www.blabbermouth.net/news/overhelming-response-to-lemmys-...
Playing host to the rescheduled Foo Fighters concert at Wembley (that was cancelled after frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg falling off stage at a show in Gothenburg, Sweden), the National Bowl in Milton Keynes came alive on Sunday, September 6, 2015 with the sound of 65,000 screaming fans. Following sets from rock duo Royal Blood and the eclectic propo-punk icon Iggy Pop, the Foos knew they had to deliver. From the moment the curtain sucked into a black hole vortex to the end of the show, it was obvious it was going to be one hell of a night to remember. Debra, Karl and I had arrived relatively early for the show and, being among the first to enter the MK Bowl, were offered "Inner Pit" passes. Issued on a first-come-first-serve basis, these gave fenced-off access to the stage and were an excellent surprise. We had a great view of the day's action and I was well positioned for photographs. "All My Life" opened the two and a half hour set, with Grohl spending the entire show seated on a most gloriously over-the-top throne, designed by Grohl himself and adorned by guitar necks. It transported the front-man up and down the runway, and was in itself a crowd pleaser! I have wanted to see the Foo Fighters for about two decades - and desperate to do so since "Wasting Light"- and they did not disappoint. A shredding version of "White Limo" alone justified the ticket price, and the rest was a wonderful (and sometimes nostalgic) tour through their back-catalogue. All in all, it was a triumphant, heart-warming singalong set that showed why, for so many, the Foo Fighters have been the soundtrack to the last two decades. Here's the Foo Fighters' set list for the Milton Keynes "Broken Leg" concert.
If I was desperate to see the Foo Fighters, I was absolutely aching to see 69 year old rock legend, Iggy Pop. I narrowly missed one of his gigs in Amsterdam at the end of 1978 and, after this initial disappointment, Iggy stayed on my Bucket List through the late-80's in London, the 90's in Prague and the naughties in the UK. When he was in town, I was always travelling, had other commitments or just had bad luck (i.e. the cancellation of the Foo's concert at Wembley in June where Iggy was on the supporting bill). Well, I finally got to see James Newell Osterberg, Jr. in full, topless, action in Milton Keynes on a fine evening in September 2015! Iggy brought his old school punk snarl to the party, prompting mass singalongs to classic tunes, some of which he penned with his old mate David Bowie in Berlin in the 70's. If I'm still as active as Iggy when I'm almost 70, I'll be more than happy! He made fine use of the runway before him, skipping, kicking, twisting and turning as only Iggy can. He took a breather every now and then, but Iggy still has more energy than any new breed act you care to mention. Fucking hell - he's the man that wrote "Lust for Life"! The snot-noses in the audience didn't know what hit them :-) FYI, here's the Iggy Pop's set list for the night.
A wonderful, sunny day and balmy evening with my family, and a fine way to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of my first date with my future-wife on September 7, 1983.
Playing host to the rescheduled Foo Fighters concert at Wembley (that was cancelled after frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg falling off stage at a show in Gothenburg, Sweden), the National Bowl in Milton Keynes came alive on Sunday, September 6, 2015 with the sound of 65,000 screaming fans. Following sets from rock duo Royal Blood and the eclectic propo-punk icon Iggy Pop, the Foos knew they had to deliver. From the moment the curtain sucked into a black hole vortex to the end of the show, it was obvious it was going to be one hell of a night to remember. Debra, Karl and I had arrived relatively early for the show and, being among the first to enter the MK Bowl, were offered "Inner Pit" passes. Issued on a first-come-first-serve basis, these gave fenced-off access to the stage and were an excellent surprise. We had a great view of the day's action and I was well positioned for photographs. "All My Life" opened the two and a half hour set, with Grohl spending the entire show seated on a most gloriously over-the-top throne, designed by Grohl himself and adorned by guitar necks. It transported the front-man up and down the runway, and was in itself a crowd pleaser! I have wanted to see the Foo Fighters for about two decades - and desperate to do so since "Wasting Light"- and they did not disappoint. A shredding version of "White Limo" alone justified the ticket price, and the rest was a wonderful (and sometimes nostalgic) tour through their back-catalogue. All in all, it was a triumphant, heart-warming singalong set that showed why, for so many, the Foo Fighters have been the soundtrack to the last two decades. Here's the Foo Fighters' set list for the Milton Keynes "Broken Leg" concert.
If I was desperate to see the Foo Fighters, I was absolutely aching to see 69 year old rock legend, Iggy Pop. I narrowly missed one of his gigs in Amsterdam at the end of 1978 and, after this initial disappointment, Iggy stayed on my Bucket List through the late-80's in London, the 90's in Prague and the naughties in the UK. When he was in town, I was always travelling, had other commitments or just had bad luck (i.e. the cancellation of the Foo's concert at Wembley in June where Iggy was on the supporting bill). Well, I finally got to see James Newell Osterberg, Jr. in full, topless, action in Milton Keynes on a fine evening in September 2015! Iggy brought his old school punk snarl to the party, prompting mass singalongs to classic tunes, some of which he penned with his old mate David Bowie in Berlin in the 70's. If I'm still as active as Iggy when I'm almost 70, I'll be more than happy! He made fine use of the runway before him, skipping, kicking, twisting and turning as only Iggy can. He took a breather every now and then, but Iggy still has more energy than any new breed act you care to mention. Fucking hell - he's the man that wrote "Lust for Life"! The snot-noses in the audience didn't know what hit them :-) FYI, here's the Iggy Pop's set list for the night.
A wonderful, sunny day and balmy evening with my family, and a fine way to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of my first date with my future-wife on September 7, 1983.
Fonte Official Skindred web page :
The music world may be in a permanent state of panic and flux, but one basic principle of rock’n’roll remains true: the key to longevity is to always deliver the goods. No band has better encapsulated this ethos of integrity and determination over the last decade than Skindred.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most devastating and enthralling live bands on the planet, the Newport destroyers have been a perennial force for musical invention and remorseless positivity since emerging from the ashes of frontman Benji Webbe’s former band Dub War back in 1998. Over the course of four universally praised studio albums – Babylon (2002), Roots Rock Riot (2007), Shark Bites And Dog Fights (2009) and Union Black (2011) – Skindred’s reputation for producing the ultimate spark-spraying state-of-the-art soundclash, combining all manner of seemingly disparate musical elements into an irresistibly exhilarating explosion of energy and cross-pollinated cultural fervour has rightly earned them a reputation as a band capable of uniting people from all corners of the globe and making every last one of them tear up the dancefloor with a giant shit-eating grin plastered across their faces.
With the toughest and most infectious metal riffs colliding with the biggest, phattest hip hop and reggae grooves, cutting edge electronics and a razor-sharp pop sensibility guaranteed to encourage even the most curmudgeonly music fans bellow along with rabid enthusiasm, Skindred are both the ultimate thinking man’s party band. And now, with the release of their fifth studio album Kill The Power, Benji Webbe and his loyal henchmen – bassist Dan Pugsley, guitarist Mikey Demus and drummer Arya Goggins – are poised to spread their gospel of good times and badass tunes to an even bigger global audience.
“We know that everyone recognises us as one of the best live bands around,” says Arya. “We’re really proud of all of the albums we’ve made, but we all felt that we needed to make an album that would be as powerful and effective as the live show. That’s what Kill The Power is all about. This time, we want everyone to sit up and listen and join in the party.”
“I started DJ-ing a little while ago and it’s taught me a lot,” adds Benji. “Now I feel like I wanted to make an album where every intro to every song makes kids think ‘Fucking hell, they’re playing that song!’ Every middle eight on this album is a banger. Every chorus is massive. On this album, the lyrics are deep and the songs are just bigger than ever.”
In keeping with their tradition of making people move while singing about universal issues and spreading a message of positive action and social unity, Kill The Power is an album bulging with fury at the state of the modern world. Never afraid to tackle important topics head on, while never forgetting his band’s mission to entertain and leave the world in a sweaty, sated heap, Benji’s notoriously insane energy levels seem to be creeping up with every album and Kill The Power showcases his most furious and impactful performances to date.
“The world’s getting worse so how can I get more mellow?” he laughs. “Of course I’m getting angrier! People normally stay in a bag when it comes to lyrics. Stephen King stays with horror and he’s brilliant at it, you know? With Skindred, it’s always about encouraging an uplift. It’s about a sense of unity. Lyrics can change people’s lives, you know? You can be going down one road and hear a song and have a Road To Damascus experience and become someone else.”
On an album that has no shortage of invigorating highlights, Kill The Power takes Skindred to new extremes at both ends of the lyrical spectrum, reaching a new level of fiery intensity on the lethal cautionary tale of “Playin’ With The Devil” and the euphoric end-of-the-working-week celebration of “Saturday”: both songs proving that this band’s ability to touch the heart and fire the blood remains as incisive and potent as ever. As if to enhance their songwriting chops more than ever, Kill The Power also features several songs written in collaboration with legendary songwriting guru Russ Ballard, the man behind such immortal rock staples as Since You’ve Been Gone and God Gave Rock & Roll To You, and this seemingly perverse team-up has led to Skindred’s finest set of lyrics and melodies to date.
“Basically, I try to write songs that people can interpret however they like,” says Benji. “When I wrote ‘Playin’ With The Devil’, I originally wrote some words down on a piece of paper thinking about friends I’ve had who smoke crack and live on the pipe, you know? I wrote the song about that kind of thing, but then a couple of days later the riots happened in London and so it became about that as well. When you shit on your own doorstep, your house is going to smell of shit. You’ve got to clean that up! With ‘Saturday’, it’s not a typical Skindred song; it’s a big celebration. We got Russ Ballard involved on that one and he helped me structure the lyrics in the right way so when the chorus hits, it hits like a hammer. It’s an upbeat song but when you listen to the lyrics it goes on about how people all have different reasons to be out and partying. Some people are celebrating, some people are drowning their sorrows, and we all come together on a Saturday. When this record comes out and people go to a club on a Saturday, that’s when it’s gonna go off! The chorus is huge!”
While Skindred’s previous album Union Black was dominated by the bleeps, booms and squelches of British electronic dance music, albeit balanced out by Mikey Demus’ trademark riffs, the new album sees the band return to a more organic sound that amounts to the most accurate representation of the Skindred live experience yet committed to tape. From the huge beats and stuttering samples of the opening title track and the laudably demented Ninja through to the insistent melodies and rampaging choruses of “The Kids Are Right Now” and “Saturday” and on to the thunderous, metallic throwdowns of “Proceed With Caution” and “Ruling Force” and the cool acoustic breeze of the closing More Fire, Kill The Power is Skindred cranked up to full throttle and revelling in their own febrile creativity like never before.
“It’s all about making an album that moves people in the same way that our live shows do,” says Arya. “We love what we achieved on Union Black and we still used a lot of those basic ideas on Kill The Power, but this time it’s a more organic sound. All the drum loops you hear were originally played by me before we started chopping them up, and there are a lot more guitars on this record too. We love combining all the music that we love in Skindred but we all love heavy music and we’re a rock band at heart and that really comes across this time.”
“We’ve delivered an album that’s gonna make people rock for the next few years,” states Benji. “You know what? I can’t do anything about record sales, but if people come to a Skindred show they’re gonna know they’ve been there, you know? Ha ha! The music we make is not about Christians or Muslims, straight people or gay people, black or white or any of that shit. When people are in that room together it’s just Skindred, one unity and one strength!”
Having conquered numerous countries around the world, Skindred could easily be taking a breather and resting on their laurels at this point. Instead, this most dedicated and hard-working of modern bands are preparing to launch their most exuberant assault on the world ever when Kill The Power hits the streets. Anyone that has ever seen the band live before will confirm that it is impossible not to get fired up and drawn into the joyous abandon of a Skindred show and with their greatest album to date primed and ready to explode, the best live band on the planet simply cannot fail to conquer the entire world this time round. Wherever and whoever you are, Skindred are coming. Open your ears and get your dancing feet ready…
“There’s nothing better than being on stage with these guys,” says Arya. “Skindred is my favourite band and I’m so lucky to be part of this thing we’ve created. We’ve been all over the world but there are always new places to visit and new crowds to play for. We just want to keep getting bigger and better.”
“We’re a global band. We’ve played in Colombia and India and everywhere and it’s the same energy,” Benji concludes. “I get letters from people in Hawaii and people in Turkey. It’s all the same. We resonate globally and it’s the greatest thing ever. It seems funny to us sometimes because we’re always kicking each other’s heads in and saying ‘You’re a wanker!’ to each other before we go on stage, but as soon as it’s time to play the show the oneness this band creates together and the unity we bring is unique. I’ve never experienced anything like it and we can’t wait to get back on the road and do it all again.”
Puddle of Mudd frontman Wes Scantlin screams out lyrics during his rock band's performance at BayFest 2011 on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, July 16, 2011. Celebrating its twenty-second year as Hawaii's largest summer music festival, the three-day event, sponsored by Marine Corps Community Services, opened the base's gates to the local community, featuring concerts by Cecilio and Kapono, Hoobastank, Puddle of Mudd and Joe Nichols in addition to contests, carnival rides, food booths and military static displays.
Marine Corps Base Hawaii – Kaneohe Bay
Photo by Cpl. Reece E. Lodder
Date Taken:07.16.2011
Location:MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HI, US
Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/s4f56f
Playing host to the rescheduled Foo Fighters concert at Wembley (that was cancelled after frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg falling off stage at a show in Gothenburg, Sweden), the National Bowl in Milton Keynes came alive on Sunday, September 6, 2015 with the sound of 65,000 screaming fans. Following sets from rock duo Royal Blood and the eclectic propo-punk icon Iggy Pop, the Foos knew they had to deliver. From the moment the curtain sucked into a black hole vortex to the end of the show, it was obvious it was going to be one hell of a night to remember. Debra, Karl and I had arrived relatively early for the show and, being among the first to enter the MK Bowl, were offered "Inner Pit" passes. Issued on a first-come-first-serve basis, these gave fenced-off access to the stage and were an excellent surprise. We had a great view of the day's action and I was well positioned for photographs. "All My Life" opened the two and a half hour set, with Grohl spending the entire show seated on a most gloriously over-the-top throne, designed by Grohl himself and adorned by guitar necks. It transported the front-man up and down the runway, and was in itself a crowd pleaser! I have wanted to see the Foo Fighters for about two decades - and desperate to do so since "Wasting Light"- and they did not disappoint. A shredding version of "White Limo" alone justified the ticket price, and the rest was a wonderful (and sometimes nostalgic) tour through their back-catalogue. All in all, it was a triumphant, heart-warming singalong set that showed why, for so many, the Foo Fighters have been the soundtrack to the last two decades. Here's the Foo Fighters' set list for the Milton Keynes "Broken Leg" concert.
If I was desperate to see the Foo Fighters, I was absolutely aching to see 69 year old rock legend, Iggy Pop. I narrowly missed one of his gigs in Amsterdam at the end of 1978 and, after this initial disappointment, Iggy stayed on my Bucket List through the late-80's in London, the 90's in Prague and the naughties in the UK. When he was in town, I was always travelling, had other commitments or just had bad luck (i.e. the cancellation of the Foo's concert at Wembley in June where Iggy was on the supporting bill). Well, I finally got to see James Newell Osterberg, Jr. in full, topless, action in Milton Keynes on a fine evening in September 2015! Iggy brought his old school punk snarl to the party, prompting mass singalongs to classic tunes, some of which he penned with his old mate David Bowie in Berlin in the 70's. If I'm still as active as Iggy when I'm almost 70, I'll be more than happy! He made fine use of the runway before him, skipping, kicking, twisting and turning as only Iggy can. He took a breather every now and then, but Iggy still has more energy than any new breed act you care to mention. Fucking hell - he's the man that wrote "Lust for Life"! The snot-noses in the audience didn't know what hit them :-) FYI, here's the Iggy Pop's set list for the night.
A wonderful, sunny day and balmy evening with my family, and a fine way to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of my first date with my future-wife on September 7, 1983.
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Sono tornati! Tobias Sammet, frontman di Edguy, è tornato in studio al lavoro su un nuovo capitolo discografico dei suoi Avantasia. Si tratta del successore di “The Mystery Of Time”. Il nuovo album di Avantasia si intitola “Ghostlights” uscito a gennaio del 2016. Poi, a Marzo 2016, Avantasia saranno in tour che partirà da Berlino il 4 marzo e la tappa italiana è prevista per il 22 marzo all’Alcatraz di Milano.
Ospite della serata Michael Kiske, cantante tedesco, famoso nell'ambiente heavy metal e power metal per essere stato il cantante degli Helloween dal 1987 al 1993. Nella seconda parte della carriera si è dedicato invece a sonorità distanti dall'heavy metal e più orientate all'AOR, pur continuando a collaborare con band del calibro di Gamma Ray, Avantasia, Edguy, Timo Tolkki.
Tobias Sammet ha dichiarato: “Ho passato molti mesi in studio, lavorando segretamente ed in maniera ossessiva su qualcosa che rappresentasse un vero capitolo nella carriera di Avantasia. Devo dire che Avantasia sono una fantastica valvola di sfogo per la mia creatività. Il nuovo materiale scritto dalla band è dinamico e decisamente differente ma il marchio Avantasia è presente. Sono orgoglioso di quanto fatto finora. E non vedo l’ora di tornare on the road e calcare i palchi europei. In passato è stato molto difficile organizzare un tour con Avantasia, visti gli impegni di ciascuno di noi nelle altre band. Ma adesso tutto ciò si sta concretizzando e siamo prontissimi! Si tratterà di un grande show, della durata di tre ore abbondanti, che porterà i fan nel mondo di Avantasia. I brani che eseguiremo dal vivo comprenderanno tutte la storia del gruppo: a partire da ‘The Metal Opera’ fino a ‘Ghostlights’ e tutto ciò che c’è stato in mezzo!”
Tobias Sammet - voce
Michael Kiske - voce
Amanda Somerville - cori
Sascha Paeth - chitarra
André Neygenfind - basso
Michael Rodenberg - tastiere e cori
Felix Bohnke - batteria
Playing host to the rescheduled Foo Fighters concert at Wembley (that was cancelled after frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg falling off stage at a show in Gothenburg, Sweden), the National Bowl in Milton Keynes came alive on Sunday, September 6, 2015 with the sound of 65,000 screaming fans. Following sets from rock duo Royal Blood and the eclectic propo-punk icon Iggy Pop, the Foos knew they had to deliver. From the moment the curtain sucked into a black hole vortex to the end of the show, it was obvious it was going to be one hell of a night to remember. Debra, Karl and I had arrived relatively early for the show and, being among the first to enter the MK Bowl, were offered "Inner Pit" passes. Issued on a first-come-first-serve basis, these gave fenced-off access to the stage and were an excellent surprise. We had a great view of the day's action and I was well positioned for photographs. "All My Life" opened the two and a half hour set, with Grohl spending the entire show seated on a most gloriously over-the-top throne, designed by Grohl himself and adorned by guitar necks. It transported the front-man up and down the runway, and was in itself a crowd pleaser! I have wanted to see the Foo Fighters for about two decades - and desperate to do so since "Wasting Light"- and they did not disappoint. A shredding version of "White Limo" alone justified the ticket price, and the rest was a wonderful (and sometimes nostalgic) tour through their back-catalogue. All in all, it was a triumphant, heart-warming singalong set that showed why, for so many, the Foo Fighters have been the soundtrack to the last two decades. Here's the Foo Fighters' set list for the Milton Keynes "Broken Leg" concert.
If I was desperate to see the Foo Fighters, I was absolutely aching to see 69 year old rock legend, Iggy Pop. I narrowly missed one of his gigs in Amsterdam at the end of 1978 and, after this initial disappointment, Iggy stayed on my Bucket List through the late-80's in London, the 90's in Prague and the naughties in the UK. When he was in town, I was always travelling, had other commitments or just had bad luck (i.e. the cancellation of the Foo's concert at Wembley in June where Iggy was on the supporting bill). Well, I finally got to see James Newell Osterberg, Jr. in full, topless, action in Milton Keynes on a fine evening in September 2015! Iggy brought his old school punk snarl to the party, prompting mass singalongs to classic tunes, some of which he penned with his old mate David Bowie in Berlin in the 70's. If I'm still as active as Iggy when I'm almost 70, I'll be more than happy! He made fine use of the runway before him, skipping, kicking, twisting and turning as only Iggy can. He took a breather every now and then, but Iggy still has more energy than any new breed act you care to mention. Fucking hell - he's the man that wrote "Lust for Life"! The snot-noses in the audience didn't know what hit them :-) FYI, here's the Iggy Pop's set list for the night.
A wonderful, sunny day and balmy evening with my family, and a fine way to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of my first date with my future-wife on September 7, 1983.
Playing host to the rescheduled Foo Fighters concert at Wembley (that was cancelled after frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg falling off stage at a show in Gothenburg, Sweden), the National Bowl in Milton Keynes came alive on Sunday, September 6, 2015 with the sound of 65,000 screaming fans. Following sets from rock duo Royal Blood and the eclectic propo-punk icon Iggy Pop, the Foos knew they had to deliver. From the moment the curtain sucked into a black hole vortex to the end of the show, it was obvious it was going to be one hell of a night to remember. Debra, Karl and I had arrived relatively early for the show and, being among the first to enter the MK Bowl, were offered "Inner Pit" passes. Issued on a first-come-first-serve basis, these gave fenced-off access to the stage and were an excellent surprise. We had a great view of the day's action and I was well positioned for photographs. "All My Life" opened the two and a half hour set, with Grohl spending the entire show seated on a most gloriously over-the-top throne, designed by Grohl himself and adorned by guitar necks. It transported the front-man up and down the runway, and was in itself a crowd pleaser! I have wanted to see the Foo Fighters for about two decades - and desperate to do so since "Wasting Light"- and they did not disappoint. A shredding version of "White Limo" alone justified the ticket price, and the rest was a wonderful (and sometimes nostalgic) tour through their back-catalogue. All in all, it was a triumphant, heart-warming singalong set that showed why, for so many, the Foo Fighters have been the soundtrack to the last two decades. Here's the Foo Fighters' set list for the Milton Keynes "Broken Leg" concert.
If I was desperate to see the Foo Fighters, I was absolutely aching to see 69 year old rock legend, Iggy Pop. I narrowly missed one of his gigs in Amsterdam at the end of 1978 and, after this initial disappointment, Iggy stayed on my Bucket List through the late-80's in London, the 90's in Prague and the naughties in the UK. When he was in town, I was always travelling, had other commitments or just had bad luck (i.e. the cancellation of the Foo's concert at Wembley in June where Iggy was on the supporting bill). Well, I finally got to see James Newell Osterberg, Jr. in full, topless, action in Milton Keynes on a fine evening in September 2015! Iggy brought his old school punk snarl to the party, prompting mass singalongs to classic tunes, some of which he penned with his old mate David Bowie in Berlin in the 70's. If I'm still as active as Iggy when I'm almost 70, I'll be more than happy! He made fine use of the runway before him, skipping, kicking, twisting and turning as only Iggy can. He took a breather every now and then, but Iggy still has more energy than any new breed act you care to mention. Fucking hell - he's the man that wrote "Lust for Life"! The snot-noses in the audience didn't know what hit them :-) FYI, here's the Iggy Pop's set list for the night.
A wonderful, sunny day and balmy evening with my family, and a fine way to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of my first date with my future-wife on September 7, 1983.
Playing host to the rescheduled Foo Fighters concert at Wembley (that was cancelled after frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg falling off stage at a show in Gothenburg, Sweden), the National Bowl in Milton Keynes came alive on Sunday, September 6, 2015 with the sound of 65,000 screaming fans. Following sets from rock duo Royal Blood and the eclectic propo-punk icon Iggy Pop, the Foos knew they had to deliver. From the moment the curtain sucked into a black hole vortex to the end of the show, it was obvious it was going to be one hell of a night to remember. Debra, Karl and I had arrived relatively early for the show and, being among the first to enter the MK Bowl, were offered "Inner Pit" passes. Issued on a first-come-first-serve basis, these gave fenced-off access to the stage and were an excellent surprise. We had a great view of the day's action and I was well positioned for photographs. "All My Life" opened the two and a half hour set, with Grohl spending the entire show seated on a most gloriously over-the-top throne, designed by Grohl himself and adorned by guitar necks. It transported the front-man up and down the runway, and was in itself a crowd pleaser! I have wanted to see the Foo Fighters for about two decades - and desperate to do so since "Wasting Light"- and they did not disappoint. A shredding version of "White Limo" alone justified the ticket price, and the rest was a wonderful (and sometimes nostalgic) tour through their back-catalogue. All in all, it was a triumphant, heart-warming singalong set that showed why, for so many, the Foo Fighters have been the soundtrack to the last two decades. Here's the Foo Fighters' set list for the Milton Keynes "Broken Leg" concert.
If I was desperate to see the Foo Fighters, I was absolutely aching to see 69 year old rock legend, Iggy Pop. I narrowly missed one of his gigs in Amsterdam at the end of 1978 and, after this initial disappointment, Iggy stayed on my Bucket List through the late-80's in London, the 90's in Prague and the naughties in the UK. When he was in town, I was always travelling, had other commitments or just had bad luck (i.e. the cancellation of the Foo's concert at Wembley in June where Iggy was on the supporting bill). Well, I finally got to see James Newell Osterberg, Jr. in full, topless, action in Milton Keynes on a fine evening in September 2015! Iggy brought his old school punk snarl to the party, prompting mass singalongs to classic tunes, some of which he penned with his old mate David Bowie in Berlin in the 70's. If I'm still as active as Iggy when I'm almost 70, I'll be more than happy! He made fine use of the runway before him, skipping, kicking, twisting and turning as only Iggy can. He took a breather every now and then, but Iggy still has more energy than any new breed act you care to mention. Fucking hell - he's the man that wrote "Lust for Life"! The snot-noses in the audience didn't know what hit them :-) FYI, here's the Iggy Pop's set list for the night.
A wonderful, sunny day and balmy evening with my family, and a fine way to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of my first date with my future-wife on September 7, 1983.
Playing host to the rescheduled Foo Fighters concert at Wembley (that was cancelled after frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg falling off stage at a show in Gothenburg, Sweden), the National Bowl in Milton Keynes came alive on Sunday, September 6, 2015 with the sound of 65,000 screaming fans. Following sets from rock duo Royal Blood and the eclectic propo-punk icon Iggy Pop, the Foos knew they had to deliver. From the moment the curtain sucked into a black hole vortex to the end of the show, it was obvious it was going to be one hell of a night to remember. Debra, Karl and I had arrived relatively early for the show and, being among the first to enter the MK Bowl, were offered "Inner Pit" passes. Issued on a first-come-first-serve basis, these gave fenced-off access to the stage and were an excellent surprise. We had a great view of the day's action and I was well positioned for photographs. "All My Life" opened the two and a half hour set, with Grohl spending the entire show seated on a most gloriously over-the-top throne, designed by Grohl himself and adorned by guitar necks. It transported the front-man up and down the runway, and was in itself a crowd pleaser! I have wanted to see the Foo Fighters for about two decades - and desperate to do so since "Wasting Light"- and they did not disappoint. A shredding version of "White Limo" alone justified the ticket price, and the rest was a wonderful (and sometimes nostalgic) tour through their back-catalogue. All in all, it was a triumphant, heart-warming singalong set that showed why, for so many, the Foo Fighters have been the soundtrack to the last two decades. Here's the Foo Fighters' set list for the Milton Keynes "Broken Leg" concert.
If I was desperate to see the Foo Fighters, I was absolutely aching to see 69 year old rock legend, Iggy Pop. I narrowly missed one of his gigs in Amsterdam at the end of 1978 and, after this initial disappointment, Iggy stayed on my Bucket List through the late-80's in London, the 90's in Prague and the naughties in the UK. When he was in town, I was always travelling, had other commitments or just had bad luck (i.e. the cancellation of the Foo's concert at Wembley in June where Iggy was on the supporting bill). Well, I finally got to see James Newell Osterberg, Jr. in full, topless, action in Milton Keynes on a fine evening in September 2015! Iggy brought his old school punk snarl to the party, prompting mass singalongs to classic tunes, some of which he penned with his old mate David Bowie in Berlin in the 70's. If I'm still as active as Iggy when I'm almost 70, I'll be more than happy! He made fine use of the runway before him, skipping, kicking, twisting and turning as only Iggy can. He took a breather every now and then, but Iggy still has more energy than any new breed act you care to mention. Fucking hell - he's the man that wrote "Lust for Life"! The snot-noses in the audience didn't know what hit them :-) FYI, here's the Iggy Pop's set list for the night.
A wonderful, sunny day and balmy evening with my family, and a fine way to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of my first date with my future-wife on September 7, 1983.