Soundgarden: Official Instagram When Dave Grohl isn’t working on his ‘Sound City’ documentary and jamming with Foo Fighters , Queens of the Stone Age , Them Crooked Vultures, his former Nirvana bandmates or Paul McCartney , he’s hanging out with his friends in Soundgarden to direct the band’s latest video. Perhaps the hardest working man in the world of rock, Dave Grohl’s latest project is behind the camera, directing Soundgarden’s upcoming video for ‘By Crooked Steps.’ Not a great deal of information has been released about the video’s concept, but through a number of pictures posted on Soundgarden’s Instagram page , ‘By Crooked Steps’ will showcase a biker theme. Following a motorcycle club called “Crooked Steps,” the patches on the back of biker gang members depicts the grim reaper armed with his trusty scythe, and if you look closely, you’ll even see some patches with a middle finger flipping the bird. Scenes depicted in the available still images show frontman Chris Cornell playing a rousing game of cards, some seedy dive bar moments and shots of Soundgarden performing ‘By Crooked Steps.’ Soundgarden are set to embark on a 2013 North American tour, beginning in New York City on Jan. 16 and concluding in Los Angeles on Feb. 16. Check out the full list of tour dates by clicking here . [button href=”http://loudwire.com/soundgarden-jesus-christ-pose-banned-music-videos/” title=”Next: Soundgarden – Banned Music Videos” align=”center”]
Ian Gavan, Getty Images In shocking news out of the United Kingdom, Lostprophets lead singer Ian Watkins has been charged with conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a female under 13, along with the possession and distribution of “indecent images of children.” This story comes as a major shock to fans of the longtime singer of the Lostprophets, who have sold 3.5 million albums worldwide throughout the band’s 15-year history. The Welsh group had a No. 1 alternative rock hit in the United States with ‘Last Train Home’ in 2004. According to The Guardian and other reputable sources like BBC News, two women, ages 20 and 24, have been charged alongside Watkins with similar offenses. The three are currently being held in police custody, having already appeared before Cardiff Magistrates’ Court today (Dec. 19). Bail applications from all three parties have been denied. Watkins will remain in police custody until his next scheduled court appearance on Dec. 31. A statement from a police spokesperson reads as follows: A Pontypridd man has been charged with sexual offences against children and is due to appear at Cardiff magistrates court today. The 35-year-old has been charged with conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a female under 13 and possession/distribution of indecent images of children. In order to assist their investigation, South Wales police has named the man as Ian Watkins, a member of the rock group Lostprophets.” South Wales police are encouraging those who may have information about the charges to come forth. “Specially-trained staff are available to speak to anyone with concerns or information regarding this investigation and a dedicated telephone number has been set up,” says Senior Investigating Officer Peter Doyle. “I want to encourage anyone who has any concerns or information which they think may be relevant to contact us … Safeguarding children involved in such cases is always a high priority and as such measures have already been taken.” Update: The UK newspaper The Independent is reporting that Watkins is being accused of conspiring with one of the arrested women to sexually abuse a 1-year-old girl. In addition, the publication also reports that the singer is accused of two incidents of “sexual touching” involving young children. Moreover, Watkins is alleged to have possessed “extreme” animal pornography. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/shocking-rock-stories-of-2012/” title=”Next: More Shocking Rock Stories of 2012″ align=”center”]
Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Motionless In White literally shook the foundation of New York City’s Irving Plaza on Sunday night (Dec. 15), along with Chelsea Grin , Stick to Your Guns, The Witch Was Right and Upon This Dawning. It was a big night for Motionless In White, who stopped in New York City for their first North American headlining tour. Not one person in the venue was standing still during their set as fans went crazy as the band performed ‘Creatures,’ ‘Abigail,’ and ‘Immaculate Conception,’ among other tunes. Irving Plaza felt as if were about to cave in as fans moved with force as Motionless in White played new tracks such as ‘If It’s Dead We’ll Kill It,’ off of their latest release ‘Infamous.’ Earlier in the evening, Chelsea Grin took the stage and gave an energetic performance which had the crowd bouncing to songs such as ‘The Second Coming,’ ‘The Foolish One,’ ‘Recreant’ and ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,’ among others. Stick to Your Guns preached positive messages in between songs but during their performance fans voraciously crowd surfed so much that security guards could barely keep up with them. The Witch Was Right and Upon This Dawning also served as support for the night. The show as a whole gave off a Warped Tour like atmosphere inside the intimate space of Irving Plaza. Although Motionless In White’s 2012 headlining tour has wrapped up, the band is set to hit Europe with Asking Alexandria in 2013. Check out a full list of dates and countries here . Check Out Photos of Motionless In White and Chelsea Grin in New York: Motionless In White: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Chelsea Grin: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire
Liz Ramanand, Loudwire In Flames frontman Anders Friden was the guest on Full Metal Jackie’s radio show this past weekend. Friden spoke about touring all over the world, plans to write for a new album and his overall fondness for golfing and beer. Read Full Metal Jackie’s full interview with Anders Friden below: How are you? It’s great to see you again. I’m excellent. I’m good, extremely jet-lagged. We came from Japan a few days ago but I’m waking up at like seven in the morning but I’m happy. It must be crazy, your body doesn’t know what time zone that you’re in or if you’re supposed to be sleeping or awake. The thing is, we were in Japan just recently and we were there for two nights and three days and came from Sweden – just as I got adjusted to Japanese time it was time to come over here. So I’m totally f—ed in my head, more than usual. What an amazing place to play though. Yeah, I love being in Japan. I love being here as well, we play pretty much anywhere and enjoy it. What makes In Flames such a good fit on a bill with Hatebreed and Lamb of God, in your opinion? We can play with anyone, we are a metal band and we fit in with everyone. We play anywhere, with everyone – I mean we’ve known those guys for a long time. We all have history together so I think it’s really cool and a very relaxed atmosphere. Last night was the first night and there was no tension, no nothing, it was awesome. In Flames have been on and off the road, you guys have only been to the States twice this year? Yeah, we’ve been pretty busy doing Europe. We’ve been in America twice but we’ve been pretty much touring constantly – we had a month of prior to this but it’s been a busy year. Offstage, what do you think the difference is with your comradery with U.S. bands compared to other European bands? We’ve been to America so many times and we have a lot of friends over here and we have a history with them, as I said and we feel a bond somewhere. I believe we are pretty easygoing as people and hopefully they see that. We don’t pretend like we’re someone else, we are who we are and we let the music talk. You guys are on the road now and everyone’s always wondering about a band’s activities when they travel and when they’re touring. What would you say the most essential non-musical item you must have to have with you while you’re on tour? Beer. [Laughs] Well, beer you got anywhere you go. Well it is music and beer, that’s what it is – that’s my life. When I’m on the road I try to get away and play golf once in a while. I love to play golf, I didn’t bring my clubs this time because I thought the weather would be not as good but I do miss them today. It would have been great to go to a course, a golf course – a part from that just walking around a little bit and looking at the city you’re in, shopping for some vinyls, that’s what me and Niclas [Engelin] did today. It was expensive but fun. [Laughs] It’s funny because for us, you’re buying what’s considered an import for you. Yeah, but in Sweden it’s so expensive. You mentioned you were a golfer, is golfing a big deal in Sweden? I think it is, we’re like 9 million and there are a half million people golfing so I consider that a pretty big thing. I’ve never been to Sweden, I just imagine that it’s cold. Right now it’s extremely cold – it’s below zero I think. It’s nice to be here. Rather than write on the road, In Flames seems to be more interested in enjoying the romance of being on tour, good food, good beer and good company. What about such experiences do you think will affect new music once you’re back home? I highly doubt it will affect music whatsoever – I mean I guess you work better if you’re in a good music, somehow. It’s really hard to say what affects our music because I can’t really say what we have as an influence these days, anymore. When we started out it was like “We want to be like our heroes” and a few albums in – I don’t know anymore. Obviously, you guys are still working off the last record ‘Sounds of a Playground Fading.’ What’s the plan in terms of new music? Do you guys have anything new written or a timeline for when you’re going to go back? I wish we can write on the road but we can’t. We have all the time in the world but I don’t know – too much beer to drink. We’re looking into writing and recording something at the end of the next year, I think. So we’re hoping to have a release 2014 – it seems so far away but it’s not. Full Metal Jackie will welcome the legendary Henry Rollins to her program this coming weekend. She can be heard on radio stations around the country — for a full list of stations, go to fullmetaljackieradio.com .
Kevin Winter, Getty Images Here’s a look at the top stories of the day on Loudwire and around the Web: – Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich has just confirmed that the legendary thrash band have begun the process of creating their 10th studio album. Check out more details here. [ Loudwire ] – In the most recent update on Tool ‘s highly anticipated 2013 album, it has been declared on the band’s website that the process is “more than halfway done.” [ Loudwire ] – The Devil Wears Prada + As I Lay Dying join forces for 2013 marathon metalcore tour. [ Loudwire ] – Alice in Chains unleash the brand new single ‘Hollow.’ Listen to the track here: [ Loudwire ] – Deftones announce Spring 2013 U.S. Tour [ Loudwire ] – Metallica show their thrash roots with footage of ‘My Apocalypse’ from ‘Quebec Magnetic.’ [ Ultimate Metallica ] – Public Enemy rapper Chuck D calls Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page’s Puff Daddy collaboration a “F—ing Travesty.” [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Top 10 Keith Richards Rolling Stones Songs. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – ‘The Voice’ pays tribute to Sandy Hook shooting victims with Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah.’ [ Diffuser.fm ] – Landmine Marathon re-release two songs with new singer. [ Rock Music Report ]
Former Bury Your Dead guitarist Eric Ellis has just been sentenced to 20 years in prison for an insane list of charges. As an “associate” of Florida gang ‘The Guardians,’ the 28-year-old Ellis was one of five men found guilty of violating the ‘Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Ellis played guitar on Bury Your Dead’s breakout album ‘Cover Your Tracks’ in 2004, along with their 2006 album, ‘Beauty and the Breakdown,’ and the metalcore band’s 2008 self-titled record. The crimes committed by The Guardians are detailed in an official FBI press release : ? The gang committed a series of violent felonies and crimes, including an extortion that left one man nearly dead; the choking of a young woman until she passed out; armed bank robberies; armed home invasions; daily cocaine and opiate sales; and theft of thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise from local stores. Arrests were made in November 2010 when an investigation revealed that the gang was preparing to commit additional home invasion robberies. The robberies committed by the Guardians resulted in the loss of almost $2 million to their victims. According to a Noisecreep interview from 2009, Ellis himself was a victim of a seemingly random gang assault, which he claimed was a initiation for the attackers. “I was beaten with a hammer and a bat,” Ellis described. “I had 56 contusions down the side of my body. I look back and am glad that didn’t happen to a kid at the show, or a girl coming out of the show. I am almost glad it was me.” Bury Your Dead have released two albums, ‘It’s Nothing Personal’ and ‘Mosh n’ Roll,’ since Ellis left the band in 2008. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/shocking-rock-stories-of-2012/” title=”See the Most Shocking Rock Stories of 2012″ align=”center”]
EMI Alice in Chains have unleashed the first taste of their upcoming album in the form of the new single ‘Hollow.’ The track can be heard in the lyric video below. The band’s upcoming disc is the follow-up to 2009′s ‘Black Gives Way to Blue,’ which was AIC’s first album to feature current vocalist William DuVall, who replaced the late Layne Staley. The disc is set for release in the spring of 2013. The song ‘Hollow’ boasts a vintage Alice in Chains sound, with DuVall and guitarist-singer Jerry Cantrell trading harmonies over some crushing guitar riffs. Lyrically, the song offers a series of cryptic phrases, beginning with the lines, “Turning in circles / Slowing down / Pulling against a closing out / Easy to feed off a weaker thing / Harder to say what I really mean.” The tune is accompanied by a lyric video that features Instagram photos that were sent in by fans at the request of Alice in Chains. The band posted a series of lyrics to inspire the photo submissions. ‘Hollow’ will be available for purchase on iTunes beginning Jan. 8, with the official music video for the song set to follow. Alice in Chains, ‘Hollow’ – Fan Lyric Video [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-alice-in-chains-songs/” title=”Next: 10 Best Alice in Chains Songs” align=”center”]