Bazillion Points Books Last week saw the release of ‘ We Got Power! Hardcore Punk Scenes From 1980s Southern California,’ a massive book packed with photos and essays chronicling the second generation of Los Angeles punk bands. Loudwire has teamed up with our friends at Diffuser.fm to offer a sneak preview, and what follows are 22 of the more than 400 photos included in the volume. All were snapped by David Markey and Jordan Schwartz, the scene vets behind the era’s ‘We Got Power!’ fanzine. Click through the collection of gritty images — then be sure check out Bazillion Points Books to learn more about this essential punk history. ? ? Jordan Schwartz Marlon Whitfield in leather cap and Joe Baiza in fedora, Mari Castelli caught somewhere in the middle, Santa Barbara. ? Jordan Schwartz Punk mom with injured son and daughter—the family that stage dives together stays together. ? David Markey Left to Right, Greg Ginn, Henry Rollins, and Chuck Dukowski of Black Flag, SST Phelan office, on Phelan St. in Redondo Beach. ? Jordan Schwartz The Minutemen, Grandia Room, Hollywood, CA, 1982. Most of the few people in the crowd played in other SST bands. At left is Earl Liberty from Saccharine Trust, center is Henry Rollins, and at right (in trucker hat) is Chuck Dukowski from Black Flag. ? David Markey Fresh ink on Henry Rollins, the birth of an icon, 1984. ? David Markey Youth of America Unite! The rear of the Punk Shack during demolition. Local anti-punk surfers crossed out our Black Flag graffiti as part of an ongoing war. A year or two later, these same culprits would cut their long surfer hair and don Suicidal Tendencies shirts. ? Jordan Schwartz Snickers from the Simpletones and the Stain gets the last dance, Dancing Waters, 1982. ? Jordan Schwartz Mike Ness, Social Distortion, playing the kitchen of Meg and Becca’s apartment, Silver Lake, 1982. He had stitches in his mouth from some sort of fight accident. ? Jordan Schwartz Janet Housden, the newly rechristened Redd Kross, Dancing Waters, July 30, 1982. ? Jordan Schwartz Vox Pop, Cathay de Grande, January 20, 1982. ? David Markey Mike Roth in the Punk Shack during demolition, 1982. [button href=”http://diffuser.fm/we-got-power-hardcore-punk-photos/” title=”Next: More ‘We Got Power!’ Photos” align=”center”]
Kevin Winter, Getty Images We now know that Black Sabbath ‘s as-yet-untitled new album is set to be released in April of 2013. Last night (Oct. 31), guitarist Tony Iommi was interviewed at the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund awards in Hollywood, and he gave an update on the album’s progress. Iommi told Eric Blair (watch below) that previous reports that he had finished the guitar parts for the album are not true. “That’s wrong. When Ozzy said it [in a recent interview], I think he meant what we’ve done. We’ve written 15 songs and we’ve played them all. But now, at the moment, we’re recording them. We recorded them at my house first, in England, just as demos, but now we’re doing them for real. So we’re about six tracks in now, at the moment.” Geezer Butler, Ozzy and Iommi are all part of Sabbath’s new album, but after a contract dispute, drummer Bill Ward is not. Iommi says although they might play together in the future, it won’t be on this album. “We’ll always have a heart for Bill, but I think it’s gone past that now, because it’s gone on so long that I don’t see that happening at the moment. Maybe at some point we might [play together again].” The purpose of last night’s event was to raise money and awareness for the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund. Having battled cancer himself recently, Iommi was happy to receive the ‘King of Rock N’ Roll’ award. “Well, I’m a survivor up until now. I’m still very new to it. It’s great that there’s somebody doing something about it and trying to get rid of this awful disease. You can’t praise it enough. Things like this is what is needed to make people aware of what is going on.” Iommi shared a favorite memory of Dio. “Oh, I’ve got a lot of memories of Ronnie. We had some great times. Particularly when we’d done the last album with Ronnie [‘The Devil You Know’] and the last tours, it was a whole new world. We had such a great time and we were looking forward to doing another album. So there’s a lot of great memories of Ronnie.” In addition to the album release month, Sabbath also announced they will be doing an Australian tour in late April and early May of 2013. And if that weren’t enough Black Sabbath news for one day, they also confirmed that they will be headlining the second night of the inaugural Ozzfest Japan in May of 2013. Watch Eric Blair Interview Tony Iommi [button href=”http://loudwire.com/black-sabbath-new-album-april-2013-australian-tour-dates/” title=”Next: Black Sabbath Announce April 2013 Release for New Album” align=”center”]
Octane California rap-rockers Hollywood Undead are set to release their third album, ‘Notes from the Underground,’ in January, 2013, and they’ve just unleashed the disc’s lead single, ‘We Are.’ Hollywood Undead have released a lyric video (watch below) for ‘We Are,’ along with the song being available for download on iTunes . The fan reaction thus far has been incredibly positive to ‘We Are,’ which hones the band’s trademark radio rock sound with hip-hop influence. Vocalist Johnny 3 Tears explains, “The song is about collective resistance. It’s the silent majority, but we’re using Los Angeles as the backdrop. Every time we work with Danny, he takes our music to the next level. He’s willing to go as far outside the box as we are. As a whole, it’s a good introduction to ‘Notes From The Underground’ because it encompasses the band idealistically. Think of it as an ode to our misled youth.” He continues, ”We’ve maintained an underground identity. When we write songs, we’re coming from a place people don’t like to look at or talk about openly. As people get older, they get used to lying. We have a bond with so many kids because they have a trace of that honesty. They don’t know how bad some things get yet. We tell them the truth.” A few members of Hollywood Undead are currently wrapped up in a legal battle against former member Deuce , who is suing them for alleged assault and battery. “You know when six guys come up and go after you, when you’re drunk – I don’t really see that as a tough lose,” Deuce tells Loudwire. “If they want to grab one person and I grab one person, I’m a small dude I weigh 140 pounds, if they want to go one on one fine – not six guys jumpin’ you out of nowhere. I don’t know what kind of move that is.” Check out Hollywood Undead’s new track ‘We Are’ in the player below. Watch Hollywood Undead’s ‘We Are’ Lyric Video
Larry Busacca, Getty Images Foo Fighters recently announced they were going on hiatus , which made us think it was perfect time to reflect on the band's career so far and count down the 10 Best Foo Fighters Songs. Who knew that the demos that Dave Grohl recorded in 1994 on his own would serve as the spark for what became one of the biggest rock bands in music? With the help of his Foo Fighters bandmates, Grohl has created a string of infectious, yet still hard-rocking hits. So, in their honor, let's rock through the 10 Best Foo Fighters Songs: ? 10 'Learn to Fly' From: 'There Is Nothing Left to Lose' (1999) ? ? If there is a choice for the most melodic, radio-friendly track in the Foo Fighters catalog, 'Learn to Fly' would have to be right up there. The lead single from the band's 'There Is Nothing Left to Lose' album was a critical one for the group, as they were once again in the process of trying to replace a guitarist and working in drummer Taylor Hawkins on an album for the first time. Not so coincidentally, the song itself deals with the struggle for inspiration and “looking for a sign of life.” Listen to 'Learn to Fly' ? ? 9 'This Is a Call' From: 'Foo Fighters' (1995) ? ? 'This Is a Call' is a must for the 10 Best Foo Fighters Songs. The track introduced Dave Grohl as someone other than the guy who played drums in Nirvana , and guess what? He rocked! With the song, Grohl offers, “This is a call to all my past resignation,” which is his way of saying thank you to everyone from who was there for him along the way and announcing his arrival as an artist. Listen to 'This Is a Call' ? ? 8 'Stacked Actors' From: 'There Is Nothing Left to Lose' (1999) ? ? The album 'There Is Nothing Left to Lose' found Dave Grohl escaping the glitter of Los Angeles for his more peaceful Virginia home, and the change of environment worked its way into song on the fan favorite track, 'Stacked Actors.' Dave Grohl told SwayMag.com , “'Stacked Actors' is a response to living in Hollywood for about a year and a half, and my disdain and disgust of everything plastic and phony, which is the foundation of that city.” Listen to 'Stacked Actors' ? ? 7 'Walk' From: 'Wasting Light' (2011) ? ? That never-give-up-spirit is at the heart of the Foo Fighters single 'Walk.' The final track on the 'Wasting Light' album leaves the listener on a high note, as Grohl sings about taking the next steps in life after believing he's “waited long enough” for everything to begin. The video for the song also left a memorable mark, as the band offered up their take on the Michael Douglas film 'Falling Down.' Listen to 'Walk' ? ? 6 'The Pretender' From: 'Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace' (2007) ? ? 'The Pretender' makes the Top 10 Foo Fighters Songs because it represents what the band does best. The opening of the track is a moody, haunting, melodic piece that pulls you in, while the remainder of the song is an amped-up infusion of hard rock goodness. Grohl told England's XFM that the song is about being f—ed over and not getting what they were promised. Listen to 'The Pretender' ? ? 5 'Monkey Wrench' From: 'The Colour and the Shape' (1997) ? ? To intoduce 1997's 'The Colour and the Shape' album, Dave Grohl laid his soul bare on the lead single 'Monkey Wrench.' The track, which was an anthem for those frustrated by their place in a relationship, was penned as the singer's first marriage was falling apart. Grohl lets fly a feverish rant during the bridge that was captured in one shot during the album session, and there's emotion in track not heard on prior tracks. Listen to 'Monkey Wrench' ? ? 4 'All My Life' From: 'One by One' (2002) ? ? There may not be a harder driving song than 'All My Life,' which finds bassist Nate Mendel keeping the band on course while Grohl, guitarist Chris Shiflett and drummer Taylor Hawkins unleash the fury at several points during the song. Grohl revealed that the song started as an instrumental before it evolved into what we hear now. As for the lyrical content, Grohl would reveal to Q magazine , “That song is a little dirty. Use your imagination.” Listen to 'All My Life' ? ? 3 'My Hero' From: 'The Colour and the Shape' (1997) ? ? While some may be quick to attach the song 'My Hero' to any big time star or celebrity, that's not what the track is about. Grohl explained , “That's my way of saying that when I was young, I didn't have big rock heroes … My heroes were ordinary people and the people that I have a lot of respect for are just solid everyday people – people you can rely on.” With the Foo Fighters dealing with the exit of drummer William Goldsmith during sessions, Grohl played hero by returning to the kit on the song. Listen to 'My Hero' ? ? 2 'Best of You' From: 'In Your Honor' (2005) ? ? 'Best of You' makes the Top 10 Foo Fighters Songs list as perhaps the most inspirational song the band has recorded. Filmmaker Mark Pellington, whose wife had died months earlier, reached out to the band to direct the video after the lyrical content helped him through a difficult time. Grohl revealed that the song actually almost never was, as the band had demoed so many tracks that it got lost in the shuffle until the group's manager asked him what happened to it. The song cracked the Top 10 on Loudwire's Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs list . Listen to 'Best of You' ? ? 1 'Everlong' From: 'The Colour and the Shape' (1997) ? ? 'Everlong' headlines our list of the Top 10 Foo Fighters Songs. The track has become a fan favorite over the years, in both fully rocked-out band style and with Grohl playing it acoustically by himself on occasion. The track came about during a low point in Grohl's life, and speaks to the immense feelings brought about by love. The singer told Mojo magazine that Bob Dylan once praised the song, saying that he should learn it, which was one of the biggest accolades he could have ever received. Listen to 'Everlong' ? ? What Is Your Favorite Foo Fighters Song? There you go, one by one we counted down the Top 10 Foo Fighters songs. Did we get the best for you, or is our list a pretender? It was hard narrowing it down to 10, so we know there are tracks you probably thought should have been there. Let us know what you would add and what you would drop in the comments section below: ?
Epochal Artist Records Look for the re-emergence of Trapt this fall, as the band has announced the release details of their new album, ‘Reborn,’ and booked a string of dates to support the effort. ‘Reborn’ is due Nov. 20 from Epochal Artist Records in association with EMI, and the disc will be available in both standard and deluxe edition packages. The deluxe edition will come bolstered with five acoustic recordings of songs from the new album, plus the never-before-released fan favorite, ‘Avelyn.’ Singer Chris Taylor Brown, who co-produced the disc with Matt Thorne, states, “This record is really a new sound for Trapt. With ‘Reborn’ we really wanted to use new sounds and textures as well as experiment with delays, reverbs, synths and many other techniques we have learned over the years or have heard in our influences. Lyrically, this album is as deep and thoughtful as any album that Trapt has done in the past.” The group has chosen album opener ‘Bring It’ as the lead single, and the song has been packaged as a double single with ‘Love Hate Relationship’ at iTunes . Trapt also shot a video for ‘Bring It’ in Las Vegas recently, and the clip will arrive in the coming weeks. Speaking of Las Vegas, Trapt will head to Sin City for the start of their North American tour in support of the ‘Reborn’ album. The trek launches Oct. 24 at Vinyl in Las Vegas, with dates booked through the end of November. Trapt’s ‘Reborn’ Track Listing: 1. ‘Bring It’ 2. ‘Love Hate Relationship’ 3. ‘Experience’ 4. ‘Eye of the Storm’ 5. ‘Livewire’ 6. ‘Going Under’ 7. ‘Too Close’ 8. ‘Strength in Numbers’ 9. ‘Get Out of Your Own Way’ 10. ‘When It Rains’ 11. ‘You’re No Angel’ Trapt’s Fall 2012 Tour Dates 10/24 — Las Vegas, Nev. — Vinyl 10/26 — Riverton, Wyo. — The Armory 10/27 — Wheat Ridge, Colo. — Copperfield 10/29 — Colorado Springs, Colo. — The Black Shield 10/31 — Fargo, N.D. — House of Rock at the Hub 11/1 — Rochester, Minn. — Wicked Moose 11/3 — Flint, Mich. — Machine Shop 11/4 — Detroit, Mich. — Sound Board at Motor City Casino 11/7 — Joliet, Ill. — Mojoes 11/8 — Libertyville, Ill. — Austin’s Saloon 11/9 — Fort Wayne, Ind. — Piere’s 11/10 — Columbus, Ohio — Al Rosa Villa 11/20 — West Hollywood, Calif. — The Roxy 11/21 — Scottsdale, Ariz. — Pub Rock Live 11/23 — San Jose, Calif. — Musik Ink 11/24 — Sacramento, Calif. — Ace of Spades 11/27 — Santa Rosa, Calif. — Last Day Saloon 11/28 — Modesto, Calif. — Fat Cat 11/29 — Chico, Calif. — Senator Theatre 11/30 — Reno, Nev. — Knitting Factory
Mary Oullette, SheWillShootYou.com Here’s a look at the top stories of the day on Loudwire and around the Web: – Welcome back Avenged Sevenfold ! The band is continuing their association with the ‘Call of Duty’ video game series by offering up the song ‘Carry On’ for ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops II.’ [ Loudwire ] – Kid Rock is finally ready to roll with the follow-up to 2010′s ‘Born Free.’ ‘Rebel Soul’ is on target for a November release. [ Loudwire ] – On this day back in 1991, Nirvana released their classic album ‘Nevermind.’ Thought you knew everything there was to know about it? Check out 20 Things You Didn’t Know About Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind.’ [ Loudwire ] – Lynyrd Skynyrd fans can settle down, as guitarist Gary Rossington has clarified his Confederate flag comments made on CNN and stated that the flag will still fly “every night” at shows. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Arcade Fire , Thom Yorke and Beck – they’re all part of a new BBC Radio 6 live compilation celebrating the U.K. music source’s 10-Year Anniversary. [ Diffuser.fm ] – The Doors ‘ ‘Live at the Hollywood Bowl’ from their 1968 appearance has been restored for an audio and video release. [ Rock Music Report ]
Eli Roth’s Goretorium Guns N’ Roses and Sixx: A.M. guitarist DJ Ashba recently used a bit of downtime to finish work on a new soundtrack for the Las Vegas horror attraction, ‘Eli Roth’s Goretorium.’ The disc, titled ‘Songs for the Demented Mind,’ will be available beginning this Thursday (Sept. 27). Roth, the director of such flicks as ‘Hostel’ and ‘Cabin Fever,’ created the new attraction that will serve as a year-round horror experience. Included are multi-level mazes, high tech Vegas showmanship, plenty of frightful scares and a vintage hotel setting that rivals that which you would see on a Hollywood set. In addition, there will be the ‘Baby Dolls’ lounge that overlooks City Center and the ‘Bloody Mary’s’ bar with gruesome cocktails for all to consume. Ashba used a backstory to develop the music for his soundtrack. The songs follow the journey of a couple that both come from broken homes where they suffered great tragedy and found a connection through their darkest desires. As the description reveals, “This bond helped lift them out of the hellish pit of addiction, psychological torment and released the demons of their past. As they set off on their honeymoon and they escape from the memories of a previous life, the drifters look to the open road in a stolen Chevy convertible leaving behind their broken dreams, seeking to replace them with the hope and promise of a new future in Sin City, Las Vegas.” Unfortunately the couple arrives at “The Delmont” hotel, where they learn they can’t escape the life of hell and are doomed to a gruesome fate. The guitarist completed a 19-track compilation to help tell the story, with songs like ‘Uneasy Greeting,’ ‘Hellevator,’ ’13th Floor,’ ‘Dancing With Demons,’ and ‘Nightmares Do Come True’ among the song titles foreshadowing what’s to come. The soundtrack is available both through DJ Ashba’s website and at the ‘Eli Roth Goretorium’ website . Watch a Preview of ‘Eli Roth’s Goretorium’ DJ Ashba’s ‘Songs for the Demented Mind’ Track Listing: 1. ‘The Opening’ 2. ‘Welcome to the Delmont’ 3. ‘Vacancy’ 4. ‘The Lobby’ 5. ‘Uneasy Greeting’ 6. ‘Hellevator’ 7. ’13th Floor’ 8. ‘Bitter Suite’ 9. ‘We’re Gonna Die’ 10. ’911′ 11. ‘Bloodline’ 12. ‘Basement’ 13. ‘Ghost in the Machine’ 14. ‘Demise’ 15. ‘Dancing With Demons’ 16. ‘Suicide Party’ 17. ‘Nightmares Do Come True’ 18. ‘Breaking News’ 19. ‘The Closing’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/guns-n-roses-sixx-a-m-guitarist-dj-ashba-celeb-spokesman-bullyville-com/” title=”Next: DJ Ashba Becomes Spokesman for Bullyville.com” align=”center”]