Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Killswitch Engage have had an incredible year to say the least, on top of reuniting with original vocalist Jesse Leach , touring nonstop and recording a new record, the band celebrated the 10 year anniversary of their album ‘Alive or Just Breathing’ with a headlining tour. We had the recent pleasure of catching Killswitch Engage along with Shadows Fall and Acaro in Brooklyn, N.Y., at a sold-out show. Acaro kicked off the night with an incredible set, frontman Chris Harrell had complete command of the stage and when he wasn’t getting the mosh pit he wanted, the vocalist jumped into the crowd and started one himself. Guitarist Felipe Roa shredded it up in front of his family, who flew in all the way from Chile just to attend the show. Shadows Fall took the stage next and put on an explosive set – there’s nothing like seeing, and for many fans in front, feeling singer Brian Fair’s lengthy dreads whipping back and forth. Fans moshed around to tracks such as ‘The Light That Blinds,’ ‘Destroyer of Senses’ and ‘Still I Rise.’ The band also performed new tracks ‘Weight of the World’ and ‘Divide and Conquer’ off of their new record ‘Fire From the Sky.’ Killswitch Engage got a warm welcome from their New York fans. They not only performed ‘Alive or Just Breathing’ in full but they kicked off their stellar set with ‘A Bid Farewell’ and ‘Rose for Sharyn.’ Jesse Leach’s vocal abilities are out of this world and his lyric delivery is intense and extremely powerful. The entire band gave their full attention to fans as they worked the stage left and right. Of course, guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz showed off his toned legs by donning his infamous short shorts. He also teased fans and made hilarious faces, not to mention he entertained fans by doing some jumping jacks and push-ups while his guitar was being tuned. Killswitch ended their set with an invigorating performance of ‘My Curse’ and ‘End of Heartache’ which had fans crowd surfing and belting out lyrics word for word. This show was one of the best the Music Hall of Williamsburg has ever been graced with, as these bands rocked Brooklyn so hard, their sound resonated throughout all five boroughs. Photos of Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall + Acaro Performing in Brooklyn: Killswitch Engage: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Shadows Fall: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Acaro: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire
Saturday Night Live With all the excitement that’s come from the surviving members of Nirvana writing and performing and recording an original song with Beatles icon Paul McCartney , there are a million questions about the musical collective’s future. Will the spontaneous collaboration lead to more material? Will there be a tour? How exactly do you persuade Sir Paul McCartney to come jam in your basement? To list off the mental ramblings of Nirvana and Beatles fans would fill an encyclopedia, but bassist Krist Novoselic has got some inside info to share via his official blog. Paul McCartney himself has told the tale of how he found himself in the middle of a “Nirvana reunion,” but Novoselic has now documented his side of the story as a casual musician who was offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “The collaboration came out of the Sound CIty film that was produced and directed by Dave,” writes Novoselic. “He asked me if I wanted to play with him, Pat and Paul? I said YES! It was a wonderful day — Paul came in with this cigar box guitar and started playing some mean slide on it. He said it was in a “D”. Hearing that, Grunge instincts took over my left hand and I dropped the E on the bass to D. Pat and Dave got into it and the tune took shape. Paul flashed a riff and we picked it up. I busted another one out and everyone picked it up. Things started coming together.” Novoselic continues to recount the dream jam session, while offering his view on exactly what the track ‘Cut Me Some Slack’ represents for the future of the impromptu band. “It was so exciting to play with Paul,” gushes the Nirvana bassist. “I became seized with thoughts, for I hadn’t played like that with Pat or Dave since the last Nirvana show in 1994. Wow, it was emotionally and musically heavy! Some other things brought me back; there was a Lefty on guitar who was a heck of a songwriter. Anyway, words can’t really describe it and I returned to the task at hand. A new song was born! And that’s about it. That’s all it is — a new song by some players who have doing it for a while.” ‘Cut Me Some Slack’ has been performed live twice by the group, debuting the track at the ’12-12-12′ Hurricane Sandy benefit, with an encore on ‘Saturday Night Live’ soon after … not bad for a band without a name. According to Novoselic in a separate blog post , although the project has been called many names, the bassist’s personal favorite seems to be ‘Sirvana,’ which offers a nod to the Beatle legend’s status as Sir Paul McCartney Sirvana’s sole original song is now available to purchase via iTunes . Paul McCartney + Nirvana Members Perform at ’12-12-12′ Benefit
Papa Roach courtesy of Guitar Center. Papa Roach are keeping busy this holiday season by releasing a new single, ‘Where Did the Angels Go,’ off the band’s ‘ The Connection ’ album, as well as prepping for a co-headlining North American tour with Stone Sour scheduled for early 2013. Now, Papa Roach are set to appear on a new episode of ‘ Guitar Center Sessions ,’ airing next Friday (Dec. 28) at 9 p.m. on DirectTV’s Audience Network (Ch. 239). But, why wait? Check out an exclusive clip of Papa Roach performing ‘Still Swingin,’ the first single off ‘The Connection,’ in the video below. Papa Roach recently took time off from the road to allow lead singer Jacoby Shaddix undergo throat surgery and rest his vocal cords. Along with the performance clip, an interview portion of ‘Guitar Center Sessions’ that features Shaddix speaking about those medical battles and getting his voice back can also be seen below. “It feels great, man,” Shaddix said of getting his prized voice back. “I couldn’t talk for 10 days. I was losing my freaking mind! I got like a white board. I’m, like, trying to mouth the words. Text. To me, that was the longest silence since my birth!” Papa Roach’s ‘Still Swingin’ is currently nominated for Rock Song of the Year in the Loudwire Music Awards. Place your votes here . Watch Papa Roach Perform “Still Swingin’ on ‘Guitar Center Sessions’ Watch a Papa Roach’s Interview on ‘Guitar Center Sessions’
Lostprophets: Facebook Following the arrest of Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins for various unfathomable charges involving children, the rock world has held its breath with an unhinged discomfort. Facing some of the most heinous charges in recent memory, Watkins now finds himself sitting in a jail cell. Now, his bandmates have offered an official statement, citing their current “state of shock.” The official charges brought against Watkins include conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a 1-year-old female, two incidents of “sexual touching” involving young children and possession and distribution of “indecent images of children,” along with “extreme” animal pornography. These charges are enough to cause any human being’s jaw to drop, and Watkins is now scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 31 after he and his two alleged female conspirators, aged 20 and 24, were denied bail. Lostprophets have just offered a written statement addressing the situation via their official website: Following charges made today against Ian Watkins, we find ourselves in a state of shock. We are learning about the details of the investigation along with you. It is a difficult time for us and our families, and we want to thank our fans for their support as we seek answers. Jamie, Lee, Luke, Mike and Stu Stay tuned for further developments as news continues to break. [button href=”http://loudwire.com” title=”Lostprophets Singer Arrested for Child Sex Offense Charges ” align=”center”]
Michael Loccisano, Getty Images After spending a good portion of the year in the studio recording the upcoming Alice in Chains album, singer-guitarist Jerry Cantrell is in the mood to get out and play. Cantrell was a surprise guest of the Walking Papers during their performance at the Crocodile Café in Seattle Saturday night (Dec. 15). Seattle station KISW 99.9 FM reports that Cantrell joined the band, which features Duff McKagan , the Missionary Position’s Jeff Angell and Ben Anderson, and former Screaming Trees drummer Barrett Martin, for two songs during their performance. Cantrell rocked guitar on ‘Your Secret Is Safe With Me’ (which can be seen below) and ‘Two Tickets.’ Walking Papers released their debut disc back in October. It features a guest appearance from another Seattle favorite — Pearl Jam ‘s Mike McCready — lending some guitar assistance. As for the upcoming Alice in Chains disc, Cantrell told Revolver (excerpted by Grunge Report ) that the as-yet-untitled album stays true to form. He explained, “I don’t think you’ll be surprised by anything you hear. It’s us. It’s also really unique. It’s got all the elements of any record we’ve put out, but it’s unlike any record we’ve put out. Basically, it’s the next chapter in the Alice in Chains book, and it’s going to be a big one.” Though a release date and title have yet to be announced for the new Alice in Chains record, the new song ‘ Hollow ‘ just arrived, complete with a fan-generated lyric video. Watch Jerry Cantrell Join Walking Papers for ‘Your Secret Is Safe With Me’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/jerry-cantrell-confirms-completion-upcoming-alice-in-chains-album/” title=”Next: Jerry Cantrell Discusses Completed Alice in Chains Album” align=”center”]
Robert Cianflone, Getty Images Black Sabbath guitarist and master of the riff Tony Iommi has been welcomed into the National Guitar Museum Board of Advisors. Iommi strives to help preserve the legacy of the guitar through the traveling institution, which will showcase its unique exhibit in six different cities between now and September 2015. The National Guitar Museum ‘s traveling instillation, ‘Guitar: The Instrument That Rocked the World,’ launched its first show in 2011, proclaiming the guitar as “The Most Popular Instrument. Ever.” As metal music’s most important six-string strummer, Tony Iommi is a natural fit to bring additional credibility to the museum and exhibit. “I welcome the opportunity to be part of the National Guitar Museum’s goal to highlight the history of the guitar — the instrument that has been part of my life since I was a teenager,” states Iommi. “There is so much more to the guitar than six strings and a slab of wood. Everything about it is fascinating, from how it is crafted to the legion of people who have played it.” Adds HP Newquist, executive director of the NGM, ”Tony is one of the most important rock guitarists to ever pick up the instrument. His guitar playing has defined the sound of heavy metal for more than four decades, and he has influenced countless thousands — if not millions — of players. Tony’s also had a huge affect on the instrument itself, from establishing the Gibson SG as an iconic guitar on to his own innovations in pushing the boundaries of string and pickup technology.” Iommi has joined a legendary group of guitarists already on the museum’s Board of Advisors, including Steve Vai, Ritchie Blackmore ( Deep Purple , Rainbow), Johnny Winter, Joe Bonamassa, Steve Howe (Yes), Liona Boyd, Pat Kirtley and Pete Huttlinger. Once the National Guitar Museum completes its string of instillations, one U.S. city will be named the permanent home of the Museum. Meanwhile, Tony Iommi is currently competing for Rock Titan of the Year in the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards. Place your vote here . [button href=”http://loudwire.com” title=”Former Black Sabbath Drummer Voices Tony Iommi Audiobook” align=”center”]
Thousand Foot Krutch press photo. Thousand Foot Krutch are hitting the road in 2013, and they’re taking along a lengthy list of openers, including former Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch ‘s band Love and Death along with the groups the Letter Black and the Wedding. The U.S. trek, billed as the War of Change Tour, is named for TFK’s current single ‘War of Change,’ off the band’s current full-length album, ‘The End Is Where We Begin.’ The 2013 jaunt launches Feb. 21 in Columbia, Md., and closes out March 17 in Huntington, W.V. Find a complete list of tour dates below. Thousand Foot Krutch, Love and Death, the Letter Black and the Wedding Tour Dates: 2/21 — Columbia, Md. 2/22 — Allentown, Pa. 2/23 — Lancaster, Pa. 2/24 — Asbury Park, N.J. 2/28 — Pittsburgh, Pa. 3/1 — Toledo, Ohio 3/2 — Flint, Mich. 3/6 – Dallas, Texas 3/8 — Lubbock, Texas 3/9 — Helotes, Texas 3/10 – Corpus Christi, Texas 3/14 — Joliet, Ill. 3/15 — Louisville, Ky. 3/16 — Chattanooga, Tenn. 3/17 — Huntington, W.V.