Posts Tagged ‘reunion’

Stone Temple Pilots Officially Fire Scott Weiland

Kevin Winter, Getty Images According to a press release just sent out on behalf of Stone Temple Pilots , singer Scott Weiland has been officially been fired from the band. The troubled vocalist is no stranger to internal conflict, and it seems that those days are far from over for Weiland, as he once again finds himself out of a job. Weiland was dismissed from Velvet Revolver in 2008, and one of his former bandmates in that group,  Slash , unofficially broke the news of Weiland’s latest exit from Stone Temple Pilots during an interview with Minneapolis/St. Paul radio station 93X. While discussing Weiland’s insistence that he was back in Velvet Revolver in December 2012, Slash threw in, “That’s because he got fired from STP.” Although Slash is considered a reliable source, the news was still thought to be hearsay until Stone Temple Pilots officially announced Weiland’s leave in a short press release issued today (Feb. 27) that reads entirely as follows: Stone Temple Pilots have announced they have officially terminated Scott Weiland. Strangely enough, in an interview with Rolling Stone conducted just yesterday (Feb. 26), Weiland insisted that he was still a member of Stone Temple Pilots. ”STP has not broken up,” said Weiland. “I haven’t quit. I haven’t been fired … Slash doesn’t know anything about STP. We’re talking right now about when we want to tour next … No one has ever fired anybody in STP. We’re like a family. It’s also a partnership. I started the band. We’ve always kept things going. We’ve taken time off before. They’ve done their own projects and I fully support that. No one has been fired and I haven’t quit. That’s all hearsay.” Scott Weiland is currently working on his career as a solo artist with backing band the Wildabouts. Weiland and the Wildabouts will be hitting the road on their ‘Purple at the Core’ tour, signifying that the string of dates will focus heavily on Stone Temple Pilots’ first two albums, ‘Core’ and ‘Purple.’ Weiland is also expected to perform Velvet Revolver and solo material. The trek begins March 1 in Flint, Mich. Update: Scott Weiland has responded with his own statement regarding his termination from STP: I learned of my supposed “termination” from Stone Temple Pilots this morning by reading about it in the press. Not sure how I can be “terminated” from a band that I founded, fronted and co-wrote many of its biggest hits, but that’s something for the lawyers to figure out. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to seeing all of my fans on my solo tour which starts this Friday. – Scott Weiland [button href=”http://loudwire.com/slash-scott-weiland-velvet-revolver-reunion-comments-were-not-buying-it/” title=”Slash on Scott Weiland’s Velvet Revolver Reunion Claim: ‘We’re Not Buying It'” align=”center”]

Daily Reload: Tool, Soundgarden + More

Tool Dissectional – Tool ‘s new album may be delayed a little longer as an undisclosed band member suffered serious injuries in a Vespa crash. [ Loudwire ] – Soundgarden have unleashed their ‘By Crooked Steps’ video, directed by Dave Grohl . [ Loudwire ] – Slipknot and Stone Sour vocalist Corey Taylor reveals in our exclusive interview that his love for expletives dates back to a Kindergarten incident. [ Loudwire ] – Rob Caggiano says the primary reason for his exit from Anthrax is that his heart “simply wasn’t in it anymore.” [ Loudwire ] – Brian “Head” Welch discusses his reunion with  Korn and if more U.S. dates and actual recording might follow. [ Loudwire ] – Def Leppard say their upcoming Las Vegas residency may signify the start of writing new material. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – With the Super Bowl coming this weekend, Ultimate Classic Rock chooses the Top 5 Super Bowl Halftime Performances. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Devo , Bad Religion and Flag lead the 2013 Punk Rock Bowling lineup in Las Vegas. [ Diffuser.fm ] – What are the 10 Best College Rock Albums? Diffuser.fm counts ‘em down here: [ Diffuser.fm ]

Daily Reload: Tool, Soundgarden + More

Tool Dissectional – Tool ‘s new album may be delayed a little longer as an undisclosed band member suffered serious injuries in a Vespa crash. [ Loudwire ] – Soundgarden have unleashed their ‘By Crooked Steps’ video, directed by Dave Grohl . [ Loudwire ] – Slipknot and Stone Sour vocalist Corey Taylor reveals in our exclusive interview that his love for expletives dates back to a Kindergarten incident. [ Loudwire ] – Rob Caggiano says the primary reason for his exit from Anthrax is that his heart “simply wasn’t in it anymore.” [ Loudwire ] – Brian “Head” Welch discusses his reunion with  Korn and if more U.S. dates and actual recording might follow. [ Loudwire ] – Def Leppard say their upcoming Las Vegas residency may signify the start of writing new material. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – With the Super Bowl coming this weekend, Ultimate Classic Rock chooses the Top 5 Super Bowl Halftime Performances. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Devo , Bad Religion and Flag lead the 2013 Punk Rock Bowling lineup in Las Vegas. [ Diffuser.fm ] – What are the 10 Best College Rock Albums? Diffuser.fm counts ‘em down here: [ Diffuser.fm ]

10 Best Rage Against the Machine Songs

Sony The best Rage Against the Machine songs showcase the band's unique ability to deftly mix rap and rock to deliver music of the most powerful kind: politically charged, pointed and with a purpose. Frontman Zack de la Rocha's venom and vitriol was wrapped around a message, and he was often seen performing maniacally, with his signature dreads flailing around his head, while Tom Morello's guitar functioned like a turntable, thanks to whammy bars and wah-wahs. The rhythm section of bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk added some bluesy and jazzy heft. All those factors combined were what made the music so explosive and incendiary. While RATM's catalog of studio albums isn't vast by any means, the superb quality of the music the band has produced is undeniable. Here, we present our picks of the 10 Best Rage Against the Machine Songs: ? 10 'Freedom' From: 'Rage Against the Machine' (1992) ? ? 'Freedom' closes out the band's debut album, and it's full of bluesed out, groovy riffing, chippy percussion, pulsing tension, a blunt theme, pregnant pauses and false outros, a jazzy breakdown (starts at 2:09) and mostly rapped lyrical delivery. The slowly builds to a monster breakdown and the moment when Zack de la Rocha screams, “Freedom? Yeah right!,” RATM have you in their musical vice grip. It's one of the 10 Best Rage Against the Machine songs because the music is as combustible as the message. It must've sucked to have been a politician when RATM were in their prime, pointing out all that ails the government machine. Listen to 'Freedom' ? ? 9 'Testify' From: 'The Battle of Los Angeles' (1999) ? ? 'Testify' features an effects-laden performance from Tom Morello, while Zack de la Rocha is as fired up as ever. There is a lot of distortion and chaos all over the song, so much so that it might mess with your equilibrium. The song encapsulates all the elements that Rage fan have come to love: anger, groove, aggressive, turntabling guitars. It's also clearly a band favorite, since they opened several of their reunion shows with the song. Listen to 'Testify' ? ? 8 'Bombtrack' From: 'Rage Against the Machine' (1992) ? ? It could be argued that all Rage Against the Machine tracks are bombtracks, but the actual (and literal) 'Bombtrack' is another exercise in RATM's deftness with rising and falling tension, which is executed with masterful precision. On a purely sonic level, it fuses just the right amount of rap and rock. It's probably the least overly political song of the band's self-titled debut, but it's still fun to scream “Burn, burn, yes you're gonna burn” in the chorus. Fire it up. Listen to 'Bombtrack' ? ? 7 'People of the Sun' From: 'Evil Empire' (1996) ? ? 'People of the Sun' is one of the 10 Best Rage Against the Machine tracks, partly due to the story that Morello dragged a pencil and a wrench against his guitar strings in the beginning to make those definitive sounds. We can't even begin to come up with a name for that sound, but it's inimitable. The song features de la Rocha largely rapping in his clear and concise way. There were other versions of this song floating around prior to 'Evil Empire' being released, but this is the most well known and it made quite the impact. Listen to 'People of the Sun' ? ? 6 'Sleep Now in the Fire' From: 'The Battle of Los Angeles' (1999) ? ? 'Sleep Now in the Fire' addresses the plight of Native Americans in the context of American colonialism. The point is hammered home by de la Rocha's rapid-fire raps, and since his syntax and diction are always clear as a bell, it's hard (but not impossible) to ignore what he's ranting about. Morello drops a feedback-fueled solo and it again leaves us wondering if he moonlighted as DJ Tommy M during the band's heyday. Listen to 'Sleep Now in the Fire' ? ? 5 'Know Your Enemy' From: 'Rage Against the Machine' (1992) ? ? 'Know Your Enemy' opens with funkdafied riffing, before quickly escalating into a punky rock track. Some of Morello's riffage sounds influenced by Metallica in a few parts of the song. It's one of the most noteworthy RATM songs because it features a guest vocal from Tool's Maynard James Keenan, who delivers his distinct, nasally vocal over a chunky breakdown, singing “I've got no patience no / So sick of complacence now.” Two '90s alt metal titans collided in the space of one song. “Legendary” pretty much sums it up. Listen to 'Know Your Enemy' ? ? 4 'Bulls on Parade' From: 'Evil Empire' (1996) ? ? Lyrically, 'Bulls on Parade' addresses the governments usage of military contracts for revenue purposes. Musically, well, Morello whammies like his life depends on it. Then there's the solo (which comes in at the 2:30 mark), where he sounds like he is scratching vinyl, 1985 rap music style. See what we mean about Morello making his axe sound like a turntable? That sound is most prominent on 'Bulls on Parade,' and that's why it is a standout track. Listen to 'Bulls on Parade' ? ? 3 'Bullet in the Head' From: 'Rage Against the Machine' (1992) ? ? Rage Against the Machine raged against the fact that the media is controlled by the government in this fan favorite anthem, easily one of the band's best songs. 'Bullet in the Head' is erected on thudding rhythms, rising and falling tension throughout the song and more of Morello's whammy barring away. It sounds like he is playing a sampler onstage. In 1992, that was unheard of. Take that, Electonic Dance Music fans! The groove-laden breakdown at three minutes in a moshpit igniter. De la Rocha also gets credit for screaming “a bullet in your f—ing head” with such fervor that our blood pressure went up a few notches. Listen to 'Bullet in the Head' ? ? 2 'Guerilla Radio' From: 'The Battle of Los Angeles' (1999) ? ? 'Guerilla Radio,' which earned the band a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance, is more polished than anything on their debut, but it's still frontloaded with chaos, wah-wahs, some '70s bass thwap courtesy of Commerford and Morello's “spinning.” When Zack de la Rocha barks, “Turn that s— up,” the listener is compelled to follow his orders…stat. And damn if Morello's riffing doesn't sound like a MacBook at 2:30 in. He was so ahead of his time and ahead of the curve. Listen to 'Guerilla Radio' ? ? 1 'Killing in the Name' From: 'Rage Against the Machine' (1992) ? ? 'Killing in the Name' is the most explosive RATM song. It's funky, bass-driven opening, it's subsequent build up of tension throughout the verses and choruses, de la Rocha's repeated whispering, “Now you do what they told ya” to Morello's wailing during the 'F— you I won't do what you tell me' crescendo embodies everything that RATM were about. It's not pretty, the music blows up in your face like a nailbomb and makes you stare down things that are difficult. You don't need to see it live to know de la Rocha's veins in his temples are bulging when he spews those lyrics best accompanied by a middle finger salute. That's why 'Killing in the Name' tops our list of the best Rage Against the Machine songs. Listen to 'Killing in the Name' ? ? Favorite Rage Against the Machine Song? Now that you've gone through and combed our 10 Best Rage Against the Machine Songs list, how about you tell us your thoughts. Agree? Disagree? Is there anything we left off, of which you feel you can argue a strong case for inclusion? Let us know in the comments section below: ?

Soundgarden Rock ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’

Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Soundgarden are now back in full force after announcing their reunion in 2010, and to help welcome them back in style, the band performed on the Monday night (Nov. 26) episode of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ In front of a standing-room-only crowd, Soundgarden took the outdoor stage to play ‘By Crooked Steps’ and ‘Been Away Too Long’ before surprising the live audience with three extra tracks off the air. The legendary grunge band released their first all-new album in 16 years, ‘King Animal,’ on Nov. 13, selling 83,000 copies in its first week and debuting at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album has received mostly positive reviews from critics and fans, including the ‘Kimmel’ audience, which gave Soundgarden a red-hot reception as they jammed on two of their newest tracks. After plowing through ‘By Crooked Steps’ and ‘Been Away Too Long,’ Soundgarden gave their fans performances of ‘Rowing,’ ‘Rusty Cage’ and ‘Beyond the Wheel.’ Soundgarden may be seen by some as simply a gem from the past, but when checking out the band’s new material, especially played live, music addicts of all ages and backgrounds are sure to embrace Soundgarden in the present. Check out love footage of Soundgarden performing on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ along with fan-shot footage of the band continuing their set after the cameras had been shut off. Soundgarden Performs ‘By Crooked Steps’ on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Soundgarden Performs ‘Been Away Too Long’ on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Soundgarden Performs ‘Rowing’ Off the Air

Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello: Not All Band Members Ready to Make a New Album

Trixie Textor, Getty Images With the 20th anniversary edition of legendary rap-rockers Rage Against the Machine ’s self-titled debut on target to arrive Nov. 27, rumors have been swirling that the band might be planning a new album. Guitarist Tom Morello dashed any of those hopes in an interview with Billboard earlier this month, and now, he’s chiming in on why the band might not regroup for a new set. Speaking with NME , Morello stated that some members of Rage simply are “not ready” to start working on a new studio release. “When bands make albums, it’s because everybody wants to, and that’s not the case with Rage Against the Machine at the moment,” he explained. “Everyone in the band gets along very well, we consider each other friends and comrades in arms, but people sometimes don’t feel ready to do it. I don’t have one minute of one day that’s not filled with music, or politics, or family. If at some point Rage were to get it together to work more, I would be open to that, but that’s not on the table right now.” Rage Against the Machine’s 20th anniversary of edition of their self-titled debut, named ‘Rage Against the Machine – XX,’ can be pre-ordered via this link . [button href=”http://loudwire.com/rage-against-the-machine-best-reunion-tours/” title=”Next: Rage Against the Machine – Best Reunion Tours” align=”center”]

Chris Cornell’s Message for Billy Corgan: ‘Tell Him He Owes Me My $40,000 Back’

Jim Dyson/Matt Roberts, Getty Images Smashing Pumpkins visionary Billy Corgan does not have much of a filter when it comes to speaking his mind. The most recent example of this was his personal commentary on the Soundgarden reunion and the impetus behind it, saying, “They’re just out there to have one more round at the till; same with Pavement and these other bands.” When asked about the incendiary comments on the Area 93.3 radio channel back in August, Corgan went into detail explaining that there was more to the story than he had at first let on. He admitted that it was more of a reactionary comment based on “harsh words” delivered by his one-time close friend and Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell regarding the 2007 reunion of Smashing Pumpkins. Cornell had gone on record to say that he didn’t find the reunion to be “legitimate,” and Corgan took that very personally comparing it to “somebody punching me in the face.” So for those still following along, Corgan called out Soundgarden for cashing in on their recent reunion partly because Cornell had cast a shadow of a doubt on the Pumpkins reunion a few years ago. Now, in a new interview with ABC News Radio , Cornell had a chance to respond to the blow-for-blow exchange. Cornell summed it up succinctly saying Corgan should be thanking him, not bashing him. “When Billy Corgan was completely broke, I got him a movie deal with director Cameron Crowe where he made $40,000,” Cornell explains. “He was very happy about that, and he was specifically happy about the $40,000.” But that wasn’t all. Cornell offered this parting jab, “So next time you see him, tell him he owes me my $40,000 back.” While it’s probably not likely that Corgan will be writing a thank-you check to Cornell any time soon, we have a sneaking suspicion we have not heard the last of this story just yet. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/soundgarden-live-on-letterman-gig-review/” title=”Soundgarden Rock ‘Live on Letterman’ Gig at New York’s Ed Sullivan Theater” align=”center”]