Liz Ramanand, Loudwire It still doesn’t seem real that Beastie Boys member Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch passed away earlier this year. As a part of one of modern music’s most definitive group, the man was an innovator of the highest order. There has been countless tributes paid to MCA since his death, and the latest homage was delivered with style by GWAR front-thing Oderus Urungus and current tourmates Cancer Bats , as they came together for a performance of the Beastie Boys classic ‘Sabotage.’ GWAR and Cancer Bats are currently on the road with Devildriver and Legacy of Disorder on the ‘Fate or Chaos’ tour. We were lucky enough to see the tour ourselves in New York, along with scoring a video interview with Oderus Urungus in the flesh. Tonight (Nov. 26), the ‘Fate or Chaos’ tour comes to an end in Millvale, Pa., but on Nov. 24 in Toronto, Oderus Urungus made a special appearance during Cancer Bats’ set to perform ‘Sabotage,’ a song the band has been performing throughout the string of dates. Along with a solid showing by the members of Cancer Bats, the voice of Oderus Urungus fit the song perfectly has he projected his trademark slimy yell. Believe us when we say the cover deserves an A+. Additionally, Sum 41 have been performing part of ‘Sabotage’ during their ‘Does This Look Infected?’ 10th Anniversary tour , which also deserves a mention due to its awesomeness. Check out both memorial covers of ‘Sabotage’ in the videos below. R.I.P. Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch. GWAR’s Oderus Urungus + Cancer Bats Perform ‘Sabotage’ Sum 41 Perform Part of ‘Sabotage’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/gwars-oderus-urungus-pustulus-maximus-talk-writing-new-music-2012-election-more/” title=”Watch GWAR’s First Ever Interview with New Guitarist Pustulus Maximus” align=”center”]
John Sciulli, Getty Images Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx is surely all smiles right now, as he’s been revealing a mess of good news during the last few days. Along with the bassist giving fans an update on the progress of Motley Crue’s new material, Sixx has just announced that he popped the question to his model girlfriend Courtney Bingham, officially snatching her up as the future Mrs. Sixx. Sixx is one of heavy metal’s most active musicians when it comes to social media. The bassist’s Facebook and Twitter accounts are both constantly being updated by Nikki himself to keep in close contact with his legions of fans, and those very fans have come out in droves to congratulate Sixx on the engagement. This will be the bassist’s third marriage, having previously tied the knot with Playboy Playmate Brandi Brandt and Baywatch actress Donna D’Errico. Earlier today (Nov. 26), Sixx posted the news of his most recent engagement on his Facebook page: When Courtney and I were in St Bart’s I popped the question and she said YES….We would like to thank everybody who has been tweeting and posting online us congratulations….Both of us and our families are beyond happy….. The warm sentiments from fans have been pouring in since the announcement. Sixx also used Facebook to update fans on the progress of Motley Crue’s new material, writing the following message over the weekend: So glad we recorded the new “Motley Crue” track “Sex” and actually got it out in time for the last tour for you to hear live. Obviously there is much more to come (as always). Mick Mars told me he has so many riffs ready to go too….But “Sex” was just a taste of some “New Crue”. I’ve personally been writing my ass off for months now. Feeling really inspired to follow it up with the rest of the songs from the band too……. Have a great weekend… Rock n Roll…… Congrats to Nikki Sixx and Courtney Bingham and best wishes for their life as husband and wife. [button href=”http://loudwire.com” title=”Nikki Sixx to Create Musical Based on Book ‘The Heroin Dairies'” align=”center”]
Epic A day in advance of its Nov. 27 release, the single-disc 20th anniversary edition of Rage Against the Machine ‘s self-titled debut album is streaming at AOL Music . ‘Rage Against the Machine – XX’ includes three live tracks. There are also other editions of ‘XX’ available. The massive 20th Anniversary Edition Deluxe Box Set includes two CDs, two DVDs, one 12? 180gm vinyl LP, one 40-page booklet and a two-sided poster. The 20th Anniversary Special Edition has two CDs and a bonus DVD featuring six tracks in an oversized softpack. Additionally, a 12? 180gm vinyl edition that has a picture disc and a facsimile reproduction of the original LP has been remastered and will be available, sans bonus tracks. With band members doing interviews to promote the release, the big question has been if there will be any new Rage Against the Machine material. The answer, at least in the short term, is no. Guitarist Tom Morello says some band members just are not ready to start working on a new album. “When bands make albums, it’s because everybody wants to, and that’s not the case with Rage Against the Machine at the moment,” Morello explained recently. “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.” [button href=”http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/#/2″ title=”Listen to ‘Rage Against the Machine – XX’ Here” align=”center”]
Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Opeth have been touring relentlessly in support of 2011′s ‘Heritage,’ and before they wrap up the cycle for that album will likely embark on one more North American run. Frontman Mikael Akerfeldt recently spoke with Roadrunner Records about their 2013 plans. “We still have a few details to work out, but we were supposed to be in the U.S. in the fall [of 2012] and we didn’t do it, so we’re gonna be in the U.S. in the spring, I think. But it’s not completely settled yet, so I’m not sure. I can’t say 100 percent that we’re gonna be there. But 90 percent sure, we’re going on a North American tour, which will be the last lengthy tour that we do for this record.” Akerfeldt revealed Opeth also plans on doing 2013 shows in Australia and Japan and possibly South America, in addition to some summer festivals. He says it will wind down after May of next year. Even though Opeth have legions of fans all over the world, when it comes to their home nation of Sweden Akerfeldt admits they aren’t necessarily a huge draw throughout the country. “If we keep ourselves in the big cities, we’re fine, but if we go into the smaller cities, we can play pubs, or smaller venues. So we’re not really…I think we’re more well-known than popular, if you know what I mean.” The band has been recording shows, but are not sure if and when any live material will be released. “We bought some type of rig, so we can record every show,” Akerfeldt states. “I’m not sure if we’re recording every show, but we did record the London show, and we’re probably gonna continue recording whenever we can.” He adds, “But I’m not sure what we’re doing with that stuff, to be honest. It’s always good to have material, and maybe further down the line, if we have a bunch of shows recorded we can pick and choose the best segments of the shows and maybe put something out, but we don’t know yet.” Opeth are in the midst of a European tour, which wraps up Dec. 7 in Norrköping, Sweden. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/opeths-mikael-akerfeldt-talks-writing-new-material-and-past-lineup-changes/” title=”Next: Opeth’s Mikael Akerfeldt on Writing New Material” align=”center”]
Earache Perhaps the most purely brutal female metal vocalist in modern metal, Simone ‘Som’ Pluijmers , parted ways with Cerebral Bore just 24 hours before the band were set to begin touring with Dying Fetus , Cattle Decapitation and Malignancy. The messy breakup has been addressed by both parties, with Som claiming that she doesn’t feel safe on the road with Cerebral Bore. Cerebral Bore posted a sudden announcement on Nov. 23 via their Facebook page to inform fans that due to “logistical nightmares,” the band had no choice but to cancel their appearance the tour’s opening date in Springfield, Va. The band, with Som, successfully played the very next day in Atlanta, Ga. with seemingly no issues or ill will. Surprisingly, it was the following day (Nov. 25) that Cerebral Bore broke the news of Som’s departure and who her replacement would be during the remainder of the tour: Som walked out on us less than 24 hours before the US tour, and we were forced to either cancel or go ahead with it as an instrumental if need be. We didn’t want to let our US fans down, so we went ahead with our buddy Shawn Whitaker on vocals for the tour. Show us your support and make Shawn feel at home, he saved us from a disaster. Pluijmers, who has been showcased on our Brutal Female Metal Vocalists feature, reportedly posted a statement on her official Facebook fan page, although the post has since been pulled. I decided to leave because Paul McGuire (guitar) treated me bad… And him saying I walked out on them like Im a b-tch is ridiculous. Im not a diva, I had to do this for my own happiness and safety. He woudnt let us have an own opinion or wouldnt let me have friends and screamt at us all the time. Im sorry but I was too unhappy with him and had to leave. There was more going on than this but if hes gonna start bulls–t than im more than happy to tell you guys the truth. I had to do this for me and thought about fans etc. it was a difficult decision… But for the best…Its about the music indeed. I used to think this about other bands too. But we are the ones who have to eat, sleep, travel and are around each other all the time. Living with someone youre scared of is the not good guys, I hope you understand. Please take care. As of this posting, Cerebral Bore are set to perform the entirety of their remaining tour dates with Shawn Whitaker on vocals. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/landmine-marathon-grace-perry-brutal-female-metal-vocalists/” title=”Check out the most Brutal Female Metal Vocalists” align=”center”]
You will see this tour and you will like it ! Both Testament and Overkill successfully raided 2012 with awesome new albums, and luckily for thrash fans, the two bands have teamed up to create the must-see ‘Dark Roots of Thrash’ tour, beginning in January 2013. Many veteran thrash bands deserve the utmost respect when it comes to their accomplishments in 2012. Testament released their ‘Dark Roots of Earth’ album and toured extensively with Anthrax and Death Angel throughout the year; both the album and the tour were incredible well-received. Fellow thrash veterans Overkill unleashed their sixteenth studio album, ‘The Electric Age,’ in 2012 and embarked a mass of festival dates along with a monster tour with God Forbid . It’s only right that two of the greatest thrash acts outside of the ‘Big 4′ converge for a tour of mammoth proportions, taking along Arizona thrashers Flotsam and Jetsam along with Australian thrash metal act 4ARM. “It’s a thrill to announce our upcoming dates with Overkill and Flotsam and Jetsam,” says Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick . “It’s a tour that brings together three different metal bands from three different regions: West Coast, East Coast and Southwest. All three bands sound very different from one another yet are highly compatible. All have been around the block (and the world) a few times and all have managed to keep a sound that feels current. This tour will be a ‘must see’ for fans who remember the early days of thrash/speed metal as well as those whose age is younger than the genre itself.” Find out where you’ll be kicking in skulls by checking out the official tour dates below. ‘Dark Roots of Thrash’ 2013 Tour Dates: 01/30 – San Francisco, Calif. @ The Filmore (no Flotsam And Jetsam) 01/31 – Anaheim, Calif. @ House Of Blues (no Flotsam And Jetsam) 02/01 – Tempe, Ariz. @ The Marquee (no Flotsam And Jetsam) 02/02 – Hollywood, Calif. @ House Of Blues (no Flotsam And Jetsam) 02/04 – Albuquerque, N.M. @ Sunshine Theater (no Flotsam And Jetsam) 02/05 – Austin, Texas @ Emo’s 02/06 – Houston, Texas @ House Of Blues 02/07 – Dallas, Texas @ House Of Blues 02/09 – Atlanta, Ga. @ Masquerade 02/10 – Charlotte, N.C. @ The Fillmore 02/12 – Silver Spring, Md. @ The Fillmore 02/13 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Trocadero 02/14 – New York, N.Y. @ Best Buy Theatre 02/15 – Huntington, N.Y. @ The Paramount 02/16 – Worcester, Mass. @ The Palladium 02/17 – Buffalo, N.Y. @ Town Ballroom 02/18 – Toronto, Ontario @ Phoenix Concert Theatre 02/20 – Cincinnati, Ohio @ Bogart’s 02/21 – Grand Rapids, Mich. @ The Intersection 02/22 – Milwaukee, Wis. @ The Rave 02/23 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ First Avenue 02/25 – Denver, Colo. @ The Summit Music Hall 02/26 – Salt Lake City, Utah @ In The Venue 02/27 – Reno, Nev. @ Knitting Factory 02/28 – Sacramento, Calif. @ Ace Of Spades
Gary Livingston, Getty Images Four years have passed since Deftones bassist Chi Cheng was involved in a car accident which left him in a coma. Having only been in a partially conscious state since Feb. 2012, Chi is now able to spend his life out of a hospital despite many return trips due to various infections. In a long post by Chi’s mother, she shares the latest on Chi’s recovery, including a close call concerning oxygen deprivation. Chi Cheng has spent an unfortunate amount of time confined to a hospital bed since the accident, and his family and friends have been fighting to keep him out since his latest release. The bassist is currently recovering in a rented house and is constantly tended to by family and various assistants. Unable to speak although he can move his legs on command, Chi Cheng is on a slow but hopefull path of recovery, with Cheng’s family even considering stem cell therapy to aid the bassist. Chi’s brother Ming tells Revolver, “Once his health gets a little better, we’ll start looking into other options…but they don’t even do it (stem cell therapy) in the U.S. yet. It’s a miracle he’s still with us. He’s alive and kicking and he’s fighting, and I think there’s a reason for it. I’m hoping there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for Chi.” Chi’s mother wanted to let the musician to recover in his childhood home, but sadly, Chi’s father passed away in April, leading to legal complications forcing the Cheng family to sell the home. Here’s the newest update on the condition of Chi Cheng in this latest post from oneloveforchi.com : Hello dear family, Hope your holiday was spent with those you love and was happy. Ours was quiet. Mae, Chris and the kids went to Chris’s family’s for dinner Chi and I were here listening to some tunes and catching up on a few things. Now the Christmas Season is here and the insanity that is shopping. Mae tried to get to the store with Chris last night, took one look at the crowds and said “I’m gonna walk home.” They had gone in to get a really good sale on a TV for the new house and when they fought their way back to that section of the store, it was closed. The TV’s were there and the sale was on but they wouldn’t let anyone in that part of the store. (Yes Sal, it WAS Walmart). So, we have gotten into a routine in the house we are renting. Chi is getting much better care at home and has wonderful assistants (full time for now) as Mae gave birth to a baby boy last month. She still does hours of hands on helping the helpers, as does Chris, but we have someone come nights for now so everyone else gets sleep at night. We had hoped to be able to move Chi into the house that all the kids grew up in. He would have been in the main house with Mae and her family and I would have been in the guest house in back. The yard is so great there with bamboo all ofer and oak and fruit trees and bird songs. Sadly Chi’s Dad passed away at the end of April and things got really complicated legally. I thought it best to just rent a place for he and I when he got back from New Jersey and we ended up having to sell the family home. Now it is sold, Mae and all moved in here and we looked for a house big enough for all of us to live in with more room. We did buy one at a very good price and are having it painted and re-carpeted now. It is not far away and is in a better location. So…one more move and we should be able to settle in. We are so happy at the thought of not moving again! In the new house we will finally put some bookcases up for Chi’s books around him with a few of his own things on the wall. I can’t wait! We will even get a dining room table! So about Chi. He was home for a day when he got back from New Jersey and had to go to the emergency room. He spent (6?weeks) in icu, ccu, icu getting one infection after another. I didn’t think that we would see him get back home. It was scary! I think that is when Gina put out the prayer request 1. for the prayer and 2.ya’ll deserved to know it was critical. When he finally got one blood test that was clear of infection they sent him home. I took pictures of the medic van coming up the road and the 2 gals bringing him in. They wheeled him in the house with their portable oxygen still on him and when we put the finger monitor on him he was hardly getting any oxygen at all to his arms legs etc. The girls said that they couldn’t leave him and went outside to call a fully equipped ambulance. Mae and I decided NO more hospitals and went crazy on poor Chi. I was trying to shake and lift him and he wouldn’t wake or move. Mae grabbed a towel and held it tight over his mouth so that he would have to breathe through his nose (where the oxygen was going in). After a bit his eyes opened wide and he looked at Mae like “REALLY!! You’re gonna snuff me??” She told him to breathe through his nose and he did. His oxygen when the girls came back in the house was a nice (98? or 99?). Something high and he was wide awake. They were baffled but cancelled the ambulance and put him in his bed.It is hard and hard for him but we have decided to deal with things at home. Hospitals are too germy! The last time the Dr recommended taking him in and we told him no, he came out the next day and said that it was the right decision. Again now he is starting into pneumonia in both lungs but we caught it early and he is on day 2 of antibiotics. His Dr and the nurse that come to the house are wonderful and Mae doesn’t miss a thing. She checks him constantly and I never sleep well at night so I peek in on him at night too. All and all, he seems intent on staying around awhile longer. Since you all have been such a huge part of making that possible, we have so much gratitude for your support and prayers! I know this has been said before but again, I feel like you are all our family! Some families don’t get this sort of kindness from their blood relatives. The love and compassion that you give Chi and us makes our world like such a better place. I will post or Gina will post (because she will call every day to check on how he is when he is sick) to let you know when he is well again. I am going to try to send Gina some pictures to post also as we have another addition to Chi’s team. This cat appeared and has adopted me and Dai. She is what Sal calls a “power animal” because of her protective behavior. To donate to Chi Cheng’s recovery fund, visit the OneLoveForChi website to help the family reach their fundraising goal. 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