Kathy Flynn, WickedGoddessPhotography.com Nikki Sixx is a man of many passions, as evidenced by his career as a successful author, photographer and radio host as well as the musical work he’s best known for as a member of Motley Crue and Sixx: A.M . On Saturday (Jan. 26), Sixx was able to reveal his latest creative venture, the new ‘Schecter Sixx’ signature series bass , during the NAMM convention in Anaheim, California. In a roundtable discussion with a handful of media outlets, including Loudwire, Sixx spoke about his transition from being a longtime supporter of Gibson to taking an active role in the creation of his new bass with Schecter. The bassist revealed, “I was very loyal to Gibson for a lot of years, [but] towards the last few years it sort of became … the quality of the instrument became not very consistent and it became frustrating for me … some would sound great and some wouldn’t.” Over time, Sixx says he began to consider making a change and after meeting with Schecter, he knew he had found a kindred spirit. “When I met with Schecter it was like an instant fit where we really seemed to understand each other,” says Sixx. “[We agreed on] what was best for the consumer, the player, as well as for me, as for the fit of what I feel the bass is about and we put together this bass and this is it. I’m really excited.” The bassist says that making an all-purpose instrument was the big key for him, adding, “I wanted to have it not only for me in recording, but for other players to have a little bit of versatility. I loved the kill switch in my other basses. I just hotwired everything past the volume and the tone so that I could just on-off. But when I get in the studio that didn’t necessarily work for me, so I would reach for another bass at times. So I wanted this bass to be the bass while I’m recording and I’m always recording. I think with technology we’re always laying down ideas now, so I didn’t want to have to search out a different instrument for that.” Sixx says he also loved incorporating the P Bass pickups in the rear position with the EMG’s up front to provide a little more flexibility. He’s also fond of the sleekness of the instrument and how the weight-distribution has made it less neck-heavy. Overall, Sixx says he’s very satisfied making the transition to Schecter, concluding, “I just enjoy being creative. Whenever I can get in a circle with other creative people and just jam and see stuff happen, it’s really exciting. What’s been really exciting about Schecter and working with the design of the bass, we’re talking about the sound and the feel and how the company works together in delivering the message, that’s all creative stuff. It’s all good stuff.” Check out the details and specs of the ‘Schecter Sixx’ bass here , and stay tuned for more from our roundtable discussion with Nikki Sixx, including the latest on Motley Crue and Sixx: A.M. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-nikki-sixx-songs/” title=”Next: 10 Best Nikki Sixx Songs” align=”center”]
Germano Roratto/AFP/Getty Images Nearly 10 years after the tragic 2003 fire in which 100 people died at The Station nightclub in Rhode Island during a show by the rock band Great White , an eerily similar nightclub blaze Sunday morning (Jan. 28) in Santa Maria, Brazil, has claimed the lives of more than 230 people. According to an Associated Press report, witnesses stated that a flare or firework lit by a band member during country pop group Gurizada Fandangueira’s performance started the fire, though officials are still investigating the exact cause. After the blaze broke out, partygoers began to panic while rushing toward the Kiss nightclub’s solitary entrance. The exit was reportedly partially blocked by people who had already perished attempting to escape. Many of the deceased were found in a bathroom after it was apparently mistaken for an exit. One of the survivors, Luana Santos Silva, told the Globo TV network, “There was so much smoke and fire, it was complete panic, and it took a long time for people to get out, there were so many dead.” Another survivor, Michele Pereira, told the Fohla de S. Paulo newspaper, “The band that was onstage began to use flares and, suddenly, they stopped the show and pointed them upward. At that point, the ceiling caught fire. It was really weak, but in a matter of seconds it spread.” The band’s guitarist, Rodrigo Martins, told Radio Gaucha that he thought that Sputnik, a machine they used to create a luminous effect with sparks, might have caused the fire. He stated, “It’s harmless. We never had any trouble with it. When the fire started, a guard passed us a fire extinguisher. The singer tried to use it but it wasn’t working.” Martins confirmed that the band’s 28-year-old accordion player Danilo Jacques died in the incident, while the five other members escaped unharmed. At last count, 233 people had been counted among the dead and 117 had been treated at hospitals for smoke inhalation and burns. Sunday’s incident was the worst nightclub fire since December 2000, when an accident led to 309 people dying in a venue in Luoyang, China. In the United States, the Great White club fire at The Station in Rhode Island is the most notorious incident. One hundred people were killed after a combination of pyrotechnics and cheap foam soundproofing led to the February 2003 blaze. Loudwire offers its condolences to all the family and friends of those who lost their lives as well as thoughts for those injured in Sunday’s Brazil nightclub fire. CNN Report on Brazil Nightclub Fire [button href=”http://loudwire.com/radiohead-stage-collapse-kills-one-person-and-injures-three-in-toronto/” title=”Next: Stage Collapse Kills One and Injures Three” align=”center”]
Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Black Veil Brides and their Church of the Wild Ones tour make a stop in New York City on a snowy Friday night (Jan. 25) for a sold out show. As the front row was lined with screaming girls, a couple of them even started to cry as Black Veil Brides graced the stage. BVB kicked off their set with ‘I Am Bulletproof’ and performed other new songs from their latest album, ‘Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones,’ including ‘Overture,’ ‘Shadows Die,’ ‘Nobody’s Hero’ and the title track ‘Wretched and Divine.’ In addition, the BVB Army sang loudly to favorite tracks ‘Knives and Pens,’ ‘All Your Hate,’ ‘Perfect Weapon,’ ‘The Legacy’ and ‘Fallen Angels,’ among numerous others. The band’s set came to an end with an encore consisting of their current single ‘In the End.’ William Control , who offers the voice of F.E.A.R. on the new Black Veils record, donned a wicked pompadour as he served as support. He got fans bouncing with his electronic rock vibe, not to mention some serious mic swinging skills. New York City natives Wildstreet opened up the show with a solid performance and warmed things up the for frigid fans who waited hours on line just to be front and center. For a full list of dates where you can catch Black Veil Brides on tour, go here . Check Out Photos of Black Veil Brides, William Control and Wildstreet in NYC: Black Veil Brides: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire William Control: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Wildstreet: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire
Stephen Lovekin, Getty Images / Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Who will be the next Ozzy Osbourne or Linkin Park ? That remains to be seen but it may actually be Osbourne or Linkin Park that helps them on the way. Both acts have agreed to be curators for the new Grammy Amplifier competition. Osbourne recently tweeted , “Are there any undiscovered musicians in the house?,” urging those interested to take part in the Grammy Amplifier program. There’s a three-step process to the competition, with the musicians first uploading a Soundcloud file to the website, then alerting their social networks to get fans voting for the music. The votes are known as “amplifies” and those with the most “amplifies” will have their music then passed on to the Grammy Amplifier curators — Ozzy Osbourne, Linkin Park, Rza and Kelly Clarkson . The four artists will then give the “most amplified” acts a greater platform by promoting the music they choose on their own social networking sites. The competition is limited to legal residents of the 50 United States who are at least 13 years of age. Musicians who currently or in the past have enjoyed a Billboard Hot 100 song or received Gold, Platinum or Multi-Platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America are not eligible. All entries must be submitted by Feb. 1. To get started and check out all of the rules, visit the GrammyAmplifier.com website . [button href=”http://loudwire.com/ozzy-osbourne-suffers-injuries-house-fire/” title=”Next: Ozzy Osbourne Suffers Injuries in House Fire” align=”center”]
Bryan Bedder, Getty Images Japanese hard rock favorites Dir En Grey have been busy of late, completing a new seven-song mini-album called ‘The Unraveling’ that’s due to be released on April 3. According to the band’s website , the disc will be available in three packages. There’s the original CD only version that comes with the songs ‘Unraveling,’ ‘Karma,’ ‘Kasumi,’ ‘Karasu,’ ‘Bottom of the Death Valley,’ ‘Unknown.Despair.Lost’ and ‘The Final.’ There’s also a limited edition two-disc version that features the seven-song CD plus a DVD that includes documentary footage from the recording of ‘The Unraveling’ disc. The final version is a limited order-only deluxe version that comes with a pair of CDs and a DVD. In addition to the original CD and the DVD with the documentary footage, those who purchase this package will also get a three-track disc featuring the non-album song ‘Macabre,’ plus unplugged versions of ‘Unraveling’ and ‘The Final.’ The new mini-album will arrive just four months after their most recent single release. ‘Rinkaku’ was served up just before Christmas for the band’s fans. You can hear the track by clicking the red button below. Dir En Grey’s ‘The Unraveling’ Track Listing: 1. ‘Unraveling’ 2. ‘Karma’ 3. ‘Kasumi’ 4. ‘Karasu’ 5. ‘Bottom of the Death Valley’ 6. ‘Unknown.Despair.Lost’ 7. ‘The Final’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/dir-en-grey-new-single-rinkaku/” title=”Next: Listen to Dir En Grey’s ‘Rinkaku'” align=”center”]
Liz Ramanand, Loudwire / Ethan Miller, Getty Images There are a lot of happy people out there rejoicing that Korn ‘s former guitarist Brian “Head” Welch is playing some shows with the band again. But before all the festivals and summer touring kicks off, there was a Korn preview of sorts at the NAMM Convention in Anaheim. Korn’s drummer Ray Luzier was performing as part of a Sabian-backed jam session with bass and guitar greats Billy Sheehan and George Lynch. During a break in the action, Luzier grabbed the microphone to reveal the performance’s special guest. He told the audience, “I’m really, really extremely happy to announce that Brian ‘Head’ Welch, the original guitar player of Korn, will be touring in Korn this summer, for the tour, European, States and all.” And with that, he introduced Welch who was in attendance at the event. The guitarist took the stage for a brief performance of Korn’s breakthrough hit ‘Blind,’ while visibly enjoying his surroundings. During the lead-in on the song, Welch turned to George Lynch and told the crowd, “I wouldn’t even be playing guitar if it wasn’t for that dude,” which got a chuckle from the longtime Dokken and Lynch Mob axeman. Korn recently revealed that Welch would be joining them for their European trek and it was announced this week that he was also pulling double duty at this year’s Rock on the Range festival, playing with Korn as well as his current band Love and Death . The summer dates mark the first extended touring for Welch with Korn since 2004. Watch Brian ‘Head’ Welch With Ray Luzier, George Lynch and Billy Sheehan Performing Korn’s ‘Blind’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/brian-head-welch-really-excited-reuniting-korn-2013-gigs/” title=”Next: Brian ‘Head’ Welch Shares Excitement Over Korn Return” align=”center”]
Evening Standard – Hulton Archive, Getty Images Led Zeppelin great John Bonham has long been one of the most revered drummers in rock and roll and for the last couple of years a number of top skinbeaters have gathered for the “Bonzo Bash” to celebrate his musical legacy. The event, which has been held in Los Angeles on the anniversary of Bonham’s birthday in the past, shifted venues this year to take place as part of the NAMM Convention weekend in Anaheim, allowing for more participants to join in. The 2013 Bonzo Bash was held at the Observatory in Anaheim Thursday night (Jan. 24) with a star-studded lineup rocking out for those in attendance. For instance, Adrenaline Mob ‘s Mike Portnoy came out to rock the crowd with the assistance of former Megadeth bassist James Lomenzo on Zeppelin’s ‘How Many More Times.’ Iron Maiden ‘s Nicko McBrain pounded away on a cover of ‘Immigrant Song’ and Slayer ‘s Dave Lombardo provided a more swinging drum sound on Zeppelin’s ‘Down by the Seaside.’ Fan-shot video of all three ‘Bonzo Bash’ performances can be seen below. The evening also featured such top drummers as Steven Adler , Anthrax ‘s Charlie Benante , Testament ‘s Gene Hoglan, Korn ‘s Ray Luzier, Buckcherry ‘s Xavier Muriel, Jane’s Addiction ‘s Stephen Perkins, Poison ‘s Rikki Rockett and more. In addition, fellow musicians like the previously mentioned Lomenzo, Tesla’s Frank Hannon, Great White ‘s Jack Russell , Black Country Communion’s Derek Sherinian, Mr. Big’s Billy Sheehan, Warrant ‘s Robert Mason, Whitesnake’s Doug Aldrich and S.U.N.’s Sass Jordan also joined in the jam. Watch Mike Portnoy and James Lomenzo at the 2013 Bonzo Bash Watch NIcko McBrain Perform at the 2013 Bonzo Bash Watch Dave Lombardo Perform at the 2013 Bonzo Bash [button href=”http://loudwire.com/alice-in-chains-2013-must-see-rock-concerts/” title=”Next: Check Out 2013’s Must-See Rock Concerts” align=”center”]