Chris Hyde, Getty Images Craig Nicholls, frontman for the Vines, has been arrested in Australia after an apparent bizarre attack on his parents. The vocalist, who suffers from Asperger’s syndrome, reportedly punched his mother twice in the head and injured a police officer who attempted to detain him. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the rocker attempted to flee when police arrived on the scene and officers eventually used capsicum spray to subdue the singer. Inspector Robert Duncan told the paper, “He tried to evade police and [a] violent struggle ensued. A police officer suffered grazes, cuts and bruises to both elbows and knees and was treated at St. George Hospital.” Nicholls was charged with five offenses, including two counts of domestic assault, stalking or intimidation, resisting arrest and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. His parents took out an apprehended violence order against the singer, which is the Australian equivalent to a restraining order for those who feel they are in danger of bodily harm. The Vines were part of the garage rock explosion of the early 2000s that brought acts like the White Stripes, the Hives and the Strokes to prominence. However, Nicholls’ erratic behavior became an issue and eventually he was diagnosed with Asperger’s. The group’s ability to tour extensively has been hampered as a result, but they still managed to put out several records in the years that followed. Their fifth album, ‘Future Primitive,’ arrived last year. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/musician-mug-shots/” title=”Next: See Musician Mugshots” align=”center”]
Metal Blade New York death metal band Sons of Azrael’s vocalist Joe Siracuse (pictured far right, above) has passed away at the young age of 29. Details regarding the cause of his death have not yet been revealed. Sons of Azrael posted the simple message, ‘Joseph R. Siracuse 1983-2012,’ on their Facebook page late last night (Oct. 9). Canadian hardcore band Liferuiner offered their condolences to the family and friends of Siracuse. “A very old friend of ours Joe has passed away,” the band posts . “We wanna send all our love out to the Sons of Azrael family and friends. We did some of our first tours together with those boys and he will be missed dearly. R.I.P.” Sadly, this is the second tragedy Sons of Azrael have experienced in less than a year. Guitarist Tony Lorenzo was shot in the back during an armed robbery on Oct. 26, 2011, which paralyzed the musician from the waist down. News channel WIVB reported on the incident last year, with Lorenzo offering his explanation of the shooting. “The kid asked me, ‘Give me what you got.” And before I could even get my wallet out, he shot me. I was robbed. I can’t feel my legs right now.” We like to send our condolences to the family, friends and bandmates of Joe Siracuse. To celebrate the life of Siracuse, please take a minute and listen to some of his music. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/adam-yauch-death-2012/” title=”See the Rockers We’ve Lost in 2012″ align=”center”] Sons of Azrael, ‘A Numbing Flood’
Scott Gries / Bryan Bedder, Getty Images Magician David Blaine is known for some pretty outrageous stunts, and his latest will include rocker Andrew W.K. performing a keyboard solo that will send one million volts through his body. W.K. definitely loves to rock and nothing says that more than getting to play a high voltage instrument, but the musician admits he’s not sure how this will pan out. “A 1,000,000 volt keyboard?,” said a wowed W.K. in a statement. “This is absolutely a once-in-a-lifetime musical experience and probably the most dangerous musical instrument ever created! I’m absolutely electrified and terrified by the opportunity to play a keyboard solo with so much energy and to use this incredibly powerful device to send a musical surge through David’s brain! I just hope he can withstand my high-powered party piano playing.” The event, dubbed ‘Electrified,’ will take place at New York’s Pier 54 today through Oct. 8 and is sponsored by Blaine’s partnership with Intel’s Ultrabook. Blaine will reportedly be attached to seven Tesla coils over a 72-hour period and Intel Ultrabook users can play their part by using their Intel Ultrabooks to control the strength of the electrical charge (typing ‘DB’ provides a stronger charge). In a video interview with Google Plus (seen below), Blaine says, “There’s this toy from Sharper Image. It was like a plasma ball, where you touch the side of it and all the static electricity comes off to your fingertips from the center. I always loved that, and I wanted to create that where I would be in the center.” Andrew W.K.’s portion of the event will reportedly find the musician performing on a keyboard that’s powered by the seven Tesla coils that surround Blaine. The W.K. keyboard solo portion will be live streamed Oct. 7 at 7:30PM at Ultrabook’s YouTube channel . Watch David Blaine Discuss His ‘Electrified’ Stunt [button href=”http://loudwire.com/andrew-w-k-party-hard-top-21st-century-hard-rock-songs/” title=”Next: Andrew W.K.: Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs” align=”center”]
Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Sebastian Bach is moving on after coming to a contractual dispute with guitarist Nick Sterling. The singer has named Jeff George as his new guitarist, and the musician stepped in Friday night in Halifax, Nova Scotia for his first performance with the group. George had previously played with Asking Alexandria singer Danny Worsnop, and is based out of Los Angeles. He joins the band after Bach and Sterling had a falling out last month over a live television broadcast. In the interim, the singer has been utilizing special guests to help fill the voice, with Black Veil Brides ‘ Jinx and Wildside’s Brent Woods among those joining Bach onstage. Leading up to the first performance, Bach tweeted , “My new guitar player ROCKS!! We are gonna destroy Halifax tonight! Welcome to the band.” After the first show was over, Bach posted a photo of George on his Facebook page , with the caption: “My new guitar player Jeff George KICKS ASS! We are going to start on new music immediately!” He also posted a photo he took of the new guitarist (which is at the bottom of this story). Footage from the band’s Halifax show with George on guitar can be seen below. At present, Bach has some spacing in his itinerary to begin recording if he wants. The singer will take part in the Las Vegas-based Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp Oct. 13, and there’s a Loudpark Festival stop in Japan at the end of October. There are also three November stops toward the end of the month, with two of them in New York and a third in Wales. Facebook: Sebastian Bach Watch Jeff George Joining Sebastian Bach for ’18 and Life’ Watch Jeff George Joining Sebastian Bach for ‘Youth Gone Wild’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/sebastian-bach-explains-the-absence-of-guitarist-nick-sterling/” title=”Next: Sebastian Bach Explains Guitarist Nick Sterling’s Absence” align=”center”]
As reported recently, Puddle of Mudd frontman Wes Scantlin was arrested on Sept. 4 after an alleged altercation with a Jet Blue flight attendant forced a plane scheduled to fly from Boston to Los Angeles to divert by landing at in Austin, Texas, instead. Now, the musician not only claims that he was wrongfully arrested, but that cops roughed him up in the process. Original reports suggested Scantlin was intoxicated
When Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch of the Beastie Boys passed away earlier this year (May 4), it was a devastating blow to the music community. However, just a few short months later, fans are coming together to celebrate his life. Yesterday (Aug. 4), a day before what would have been the musician’s 48th birthday, fans organized a walking tour of New York City that planned to visit all the local landmarks
Former Queens of the Stone Age bassist Nick Oliveri is breathing a little easier today. TMZ reports that the musician was able to reach a plea deal that will keep him out of jail so long as he remains out of trouble for three years and completes his anger management and community service obligations. Oliveri was facing some pretty serious charges, after a domestic squabble with his girlfriend ended with