Photo by KOBARU Earlier this week it was reported that Behemoth frontman Adam “Nergal” Darski could be facing some jail time in Poland after ripping up a bible and calling the Catholic church “the most murderous cult on the planet” onstage during the band’s performance in Gdynia. But it turns out that the vocalist may have an ally in the European Commission, who have weighed in on Poland’s national blasphemy law. According to the EU Observer , the European Commission has stated that the prosecution of a rock group for “blasphemy” is against European values. They added in a written letter that “national blasphemy laws are a matter for the domestic legal order of the member states.” The letter also stated that EU countries must respect international pacts. The European Commission cited the European Convention of Human Rights that Poland had signed about the freedom of expression, which explains, “This right protects not only information or ideas that are favorably received or regarded as inoffensive or as a matter of indifference, but also those that offend, shock and disturb.” “[The decision] is negative and restricts the freedom of speech,” stated Nergal’s attorney Jacek Potulski to Reuters. “The court decided that this is allowed in a democratic system. We are still arguing that we were dealing with art, which allows more critical and radical statements.” The case will now be taken to a smaller court for another trial. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/behemoth-at-the-left-hand-ov-god-top-21st-century-metal-songs/” title=”Next: Behemoth – Top 21st Century Metal Songs” align=”center”]
Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Linkin Park and their Music for Relief organization are hard at work once again following Hurricane Sandy’s destruction in both Haiti and the U.S. last week. Co-vocalist Mike Shinoda is raising awareness for Music for Relief’s efforts, which will provide assistance to those in need in the aftermath of the natural disaster. Shinoda says, “We really started the organization to provide relief in the wake of natural disasters, so when something like this happens, this is really what Music for Relief is designed for … Following Hurricane Sandy, we’re going to work for people not only in the U.S., but also Haiti.” While most are aware of the destruction in the U.S., Hurricane Sandy also claimed the lives of 66 people in the Caribbean last week, and much like in the U.S., there have been major power outages. Shinoda reveals that Music for Relief has partnered with the Save the Children organization in the U.S. and the International Medical Corps in Haiti in their attempts to help out. The vocalist says that he’s been hearing from those affected by Sandy through Twitter. He says, “I was talking to fans the next morning and they were submitting pictures and telling stories and stuff. One thing that’s nice to see is there are people who are a little more upbeat about it and making jokes about it, and they’re not talking about something light, so that sense of perseverance is cool. But definitely people uploaded some pictures that were horrendous — stuff underwater and cars basically demolished, destroyed by the hurricane. It’s really scary stuff, especially when you see it on homeland soil, and I know that a lot of fans are trying to help out so that’s why we’re spreading the word about MusicForRelief.org.” To make a donation, you can go to musicforrelief.org or mail a check payable to “Music for Relief” to: Attn: Music for Relief c/o GSO 15260 Ventura Blvd. Suite 2100 Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 You can also help by joining Music for Relief by pledging to match donations from other fans and sharing messages via Twitter and Facebook that mirror the following sample postings: SAMPLE TWEETS Join @musicforrelief to help the millions affected by Hurricane #Sandy. Donate today to assist families as they recover and rebuild http://bit.ly/b32gjc Hurricane #Sandy caused extensive damage and flooding. Donate to @musicforrelief to aid the survivors http://bit.ly/b32gjc Music for Relief is raising funds to support those impacted by Hurricane #Sandy in the U.S. northeast and in Haiti. There were millions affected, and they need your help. http://bit.ly/b32gjc SAMPLE FACEBOOK POSTS Hurricane Sandy left 66 people dead in the Caribbean, and an additional 29 (and counting) here in the US. With billions of dollars in damage, the families affected need your help. Donate to support the recovery effort in the U.S. and Haiti. http://bit.ly/b32gjc Hurricane Sandy destroyed homes, businesses and took lives away. Music for Relief is supporting the relief and recovery effort. Donate today to send aid to families affected by this worst storm recorded in the Northeast region. http://bit.ly/b32gjc Watch Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda Discuss Music for Relief’s Efforts [button href=”http://loudwire.com/green-day-shinedown-van-halen-linkin-park-nominated-peoples-choice-awards/” title=”Next: Linkin Park Nominated for People’s Choice Award” align=”center”]
Mark Metcalfe, Getty Images When Soundgarden got back together, they started by touring and playing the old hits and getting back in the habit of performing their music again. But now, a couple of years later, the group is preparing to move forward in their career with their first full original studio album since 1996, and frontman Chris Cornell says that they’re looking forward and evolving with their next record. Cornell tells Spin , “We don’t feel nostalgia trying to remember who played what parts on a song that we recorded in 1988. It doesn’t feel like looking at baby pictures of me. It’s nice that we have fans that were fans in 1988. That’s great, but that’s not enough for us. And I would’ve never expected that to be enough.” Earlier this year, one of Cornell’s contemporaries, Smashing Pumpkins vocalist Billy Corgan , called out the group for cashing in on a reunion, stating, “When Soundgarden came back and they just played their old songs, great. I was a fan of Soundgarden, but call it for what it is. They’re just out there to have one more round at the till.” Corgan would add that it’s important for bands to make music for the present rather than relying on their past, and Soundgarden are definitely of the same mindset by moving forward with their new record. Though not addressing Corgan’s comments specifically, Cornell says, “If we’re writing and recording new and vital music, it’s taking care of itself. I definitely feel like there’s a place for who we are and what we do. We’re doing what we’ve always done as a band and we’re fortunate enough to have a long enough history that someone could actually suggest that we’re a nostalgia act. Good for us.” If anything, Soundgarden may actually be coming from a creative space where many new bands come from, as the group has been away long enough that all of the label entanglements and outside pressures that weighed on them at the height of their fame have fallen by the wayside. The singer adds, “We’re writing and recording an album ourselves. We do everything, from choosing producers to picking packaging, until it’s done. Then we find a label to put it out on [Universal Republic], and communication’s what it used to be. It’s almost like it was in the beginning of the band.” Soundgarden returns with their ‘ King Animal ‘ album Nov. 13. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/soundgarden-unleash-new-king-animal-track-non-state-actor/” title=”Next: Listen to Soundgarden’s Song ‘Non-State Actor'” align=”center”]
Gareth Cattermole Not only is Iron Maiden one of most popular metal bands in the world, they are also a global business. Not to mention, frontman Bruce Dickinson is doing pretty well for himself as a pilot and aviation entrepreneur. The singer spoke with Your Business Channel (in the videos posted below) about the challenges of starting a new business. Dickinson, who started Cardiff Aviation Limited, says that creativity of music and the technicality of business do have something in common. He explained, “I’ve had a bit of experience at lots and lots of different arenas as it were, some of them completely creative, some of them quite technical. The interesting thing is, is that I found that the technical arenas actually are also very creative or can be very creative. You can use creativity to approach those in much the same way as you write a song.” He also spoke about the philosophy he tries to convey to his employees. “Business is just about enabling human beings, nothing more, nothing less. Businesses need to recognize this fundamental fact,” says Dickinson. “Too often businesses are blinkered into getting the job done. If the job is no longer enabling anyone to do anything, then what is the point? When you cut human beings down to size, we’re really quite simple creatures; food, shelter, warmth, light, heat and you build it up from there really until you finally go Gucci shoes or whatever it is or whatever your consumer desires are. All those desires are ultimately, they’re about gratification.” Dickinson will have to juggle both his musical and business careers for at least a few more years. His Maiden bandmate Steve Harris recently said he thinks the band has at least another five years in them. Watch Bruce Dickinson Offering Business Advice on Your Business Channel
Kevin Winter, Getty Images / Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Metallica ‘s Kirk Hammett is making the rounds showing off his ‘Too Much Horror Business – The Kirk Hammett Collection’ book of horror memorabilia, but during a stop in San Francisco to promote his page-turner, he worked in some music for those in attendance as well. Hammett welcomed Death Angel as guest performers at the event and joined them for a set. The show took place at San Francisco’s Public Works Thursday night (Nov. 1), with Hammett hopping onstage to jam. The set included a performance of the Metallica classic ‘Trapped Under Ice.’ As for the new ‘Too Much Horror Business’ book, Hammett made sure to not only include the items he owns, but also a little conversational background on how the items came to be in possession. Speaking about the interview portion of the book, the guitarist explained , “It was important for me to be able to interject some of my own personality into the book, to bring it to a different place. I didn’t want it to be a stock coffee table art book, I didn’t want it to be a reference book, I didn’t want it to look like an auction catalog, which a lot of art books end up looking like, at least to me. It was important to me to interject some of my own personality and some of my own humor and my own opinion on this stuff. How and why I’m into all this stuff. It was a way for me to make it more my book than just another coffee table book.” He added that while it’s hard to narrow down his favorite horror films to just a few, he rates the original ‘Mummy,’ the ’70s low-budget ‘Dracula Vs. Frankenstein,’ and the 1935 film ‘Mad Love’ among the best. As for Death Angel, they too have something to promote as their ‘ A Thrashumentary ‘ DVD is expected to arrive in early 2013. Watch Death Angel Play ‘Trapped Under Ice’ With Kirk Hammett Watch Death Angel and Kirk Hammett Jam at the ‘Too Much Horror Business’ Launch [button href=”http://loudwire.com/kirk-hammett-next-metallica-album-3d-film-2013-orion-music-festival/” title=”Next: Kirk Hammett Discusses Metallica’s 3D Film + Orion Festival Future” align=”center”]
Jason Merritt, Getty Images / Facebook: I See Stars Falling in Reverse singer Ronnie Radke has courted his own amount of trouble over the years, but he’s doing his best to change that path and that means distancing himself from up-and-coming rockers I See Stars . Radke reveals that the young band has been kicked off ‘The Thug in Me Is You’ tour at his request. Radke, who previously dealt with substance abuse issues of his own, says that the time had come for I See Stars to go after failing to live up to the second chance they were given after their own arrest for drug possession earlier this year. The singer offered a full Facebook posting to explain his reasoning for the band’s exit from the tour. It reads as follows: I wanted to let everyone know I See Stars is no longer on the tour. We had offered them the tour several months back and then not long after we sent the offer, the entire band was arrested for drug possession. If you have been following my story, you know I am very serious about my sobriety and have been sober for 4+ years now. I decided to remove them from the tour at that time as I did not want drug users in my environment. After we informed them they would no longer be on the tour for that reason, their label approached us and asked us to give them a 2nd chance, they assured us the band would not use drugs and they would be professional on my tour. We came to an agreement and I gave them their 2nd chance. Throughout this entire tour, they have been unprofessional. They have rarely showed up on time and have caused undue difficulty on my crew plus employees of the various venues. It’s been next to impossible to keep the show running on time. I feel at this point we have no choice but to continue on without them. We’re simply trying to deliver the best possible show to all you guys and we don’t feel like we can do that with I See Stars. We’re stoked to continue on with Enter Shikari, Letlive and Matt Toka (on select dates). I’ll see you at the shows. Love and respect, Ronnie. Back in late August, multiple members of I See Stars were arrested in Kansas for alleged possession of hallucinogenic drugs. At the time, singer Devin Oliver tweeted about it, calling it “the worst 13 hours of my life” and vowed it would be his “first and last time in jail.” [button href=”http://loudwire.com/falling-in-reverse-ronnie-radke-reportedly-arrested-throwing-mic-stands-into-crowd/” title=”Next: Falling in Reverse’s Ronnie Radke Arrested for Microphone Throwing” align=”center”]
Sire Records H.I.M. are in the homestretch of getting together their follow-up to 2010′s ‘Screamworks’ album. Singer Ville Valo, who entered the studio with his band in September to begin working on a disc titled ‘Tears on Tape,’ says they’ve got a feel for the album that’s a blend of “melancholy” and “Motorhead.” Valo tells ARTISTdirect , “‘Tears on Tape’ is going to be really organic, straight-in-your-face, super melancholy bulls— [Laughs]. It’s going to be something nobody’s heard before. I’m really happy about it. It sounds great. Remember the soundtrack for ‘Twin Peaks’ that Angelo Badalamenti did? It’s got that similar forlorn, melancholy quality but mixed up with Motörhead . That’s where we’re at! We’re really happy. It’s got that dreamlike quality. It’s like Roy Orbison meeting Metallica .” As for the ‘Tears on Tape’ album title, Valo explains, “The point behind that is I grew up with music so music has been my safe haven in good and bad situations. Those tears that the artists put on tape are the ones that carry us on. The ‘Tape’ in the title is symbolic. It’s about the fact you actually put your heart out. When you pour your heart into whatever you’re doing, it’s valid. Nobody can take that away. It’s so tough to start writing. When you get the flow, it revitalizes you and gives you the opportunity to feel you do have the reason to exist.” While we wait for the new album, H.I.M. have a hits collection placeholder. ‘ XX: Two Decades of Love Metal ‘ arrives in stores this coming Tuesday (Nov. 6). The vocalist says of being able to put out a hits collection, “It makes us feel really f—ing old. [Laughs] At the end of the day, we’re proud of what we’ve done, and there’s an opportunity to do something like this. I belong to the Black Sabbath school that albums are albums. You have your bad tracks, you have your good tracks, you have your sentimental tracks, you have your heavy metal tracks. You have to have that yin and yang going on.” He goes on to add, “It’s a reminder that we do exist. I think that was the most important thing with the compilation, per se. Nine out of ten bands don’t get this far. I’m not talking about success. I’m talking about the fact [that] bands actually stay together. It’s a long time to be in a band and still appreciate everybody you’re playing the music with.” Look for the ‘XX’ hits collection next week, with the upcoming ‘Tears on Tape’ record tentatively expected sometime in 2013. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/h-i-m-right-here-in-my-arms-top-21st-century-hard-rock-songs/” title=”Next: H.I.M. – Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs” align=”center”]