Kevin Winter, Getty Images Rage Against the Machine ‘s Tom Morello has continued his video series where he answers fan questions and in his latest installment he revealed a long-secret piece of trivia from the band’s history — the identity of the naked guy in the ‘How I Could Just Kill a Man’ video. In the clip, the offending naked guy is briefly shown standing next to singer Zack de la Rocha, and more than a few fans have asked how that piece of video footage found its way into the clip and why. Morello revealed, “It was a friend of ours who toured with us named MJ Plenty and at the time on that particular tour we were doing this grim, I wouldn’t call it hazing, but we had this outstanding $250 per diem money that was always sitting on the desk. And then someone in the band or someone in the crew would come up with a different task and if you did the task you got the $250.” The guitarist recalls that Plenty accepted the bet, which for that night entailed him going onstage naked, with a few other conditions that needed to be met to achieve the goal. Morello says, “He’s not just naked, he’s naked with his wiener tucked. It you do it frame-by-frame, you’ll see that he has a wiener-tuck going on. And I’m not sure if he’s singing the Maynard [James Keenan] part of ‘Know Your Enemy’ or if he’s just onstage during that part of ‘Know Your Enemy’ while Zack is singing to him, but part of the deal was that he couldn’t laugh. He couldn’t break character, he had to be … stoic. He did it. He got the $250 and he is forever immortalized in the ‘How I Could Just Kill a Man’ video.” With Rage pretty much on break at this point after reissuing a 20th anniversary edition of their debut album last year, Morello is finding other things to keep him occupied. The guitarist says he’s currently working on a new Nightwatchman album and will play a show at New York City’s Lincoln Center Feb. 16. In addition, it was just confirmed that Morello will sit in with Bruce Springsteen ‘s E Street Band during their Australian trek as Steven Van Zandt has requested time off to shoot his TV series, ‘Lilyhammer.’ Watch Rage Against the Machine’s ‘How I Could Just Kill a Man’ Video [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-rage-against-the-machine-songs/” title=”Next: 10 Best Rage Against the Machine Songs” align=”center”]
Ethan Miller, Getty Images – The split between Adam Gontier says Three Days Grace has gotten a bit ugly, as the singer criticizes the creative direction of the band. [ Loudwire ] – Chris Cornell and Soundgarden will be busy with political parties to play during President Obama’s inauguration. [ Loudwire ] – Anthrax are showing off their thrash cover of Rush ‘s ‘Anthem.’ [ Loudwire ] – Tom Morello will join Bruce Springsteen ‘s upcoming Australian tour, filling in for Steven Van Zandt . [ Loudwire ] – Bullet for My Valentine give you a look at the solos from their ‘Temper Temper’ album in our exclusive video preview. [ Loudwire ] – Twenty-five years ago, AC/DC released their ‘Blow Up Your Video’ album. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Has it really been that long? Black Sabbath ‘s ‘Live Evil’ has turned 30. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Sorry Smiths fans. Morrissey says there will not be a reunion of the band at this year’s Coachella Festival. [ Diffuser.fm ] – The Avett Brothers lead an eclectic lineup of acts at the 2013 Kanrocksas Festival. [ Diffuser.fm ]
Schecter Guitar Research Schecter guitars and Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx have teamed up to create a new model of bass. The guitar company is planning to reveal the ‘Schecter Sixx’ signature series bass at the winter NAMM conference in Anaheim, Calif. on Jan. 26. Rock guitarists and bassists with a little extra cash in their pockets have been flocking to Schecter Guitar Research for decades to harness the company’s signature sound. Schecter has created guitars for Avenged Sevenfold ‘s Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance , Disturbed ‘s Dan Donegan and many more. The company is planning to release many new signature models in the near future, but the first of 2013 will be the Nikki Sixx ‘Schecter Sixx.’ “It was an exciting and creative process to work with Schecter on the new Schecter Sixx Signature Series Bass,” says Sixx. “It was important to all of us to design a bass that would feel right as well as sound amazing in the hands of all players, not just me. Every detail about the new Schecter Sixx comes from all of our collective experiences – whether it’s my 30 years of playing live and recording orSchecter’s unprecedented standards for making quality instruments for players of all genres. Simply said, this bass rocks!” Schecter’s Executive Vice President, Marc LaCorte adds, “I really felt as if we instantly gelled and were looking to accomplish the same goal with this project. Above all, it was so refreshing to see an artist of Nikki’s stature be so involved and genuinely concerned about every detail in the creation of this instrument.” Check out all the details and specs on the ‘Schecter Sixx’ bass here . Nikki Sixx is currently working with Motley Crue to create the band’s 10th full-length album, which Sixx is already calling “the best Crue album yet.” He’s also announced plans to work on a new disc from his other band Sixx: A.M. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/nikki-sixx-bassist-of-the-year-2012-loudwire-music-awards/” title=”Nikki Sixx Wins Bassist of the Year in the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards” align=”center”]
Chris Hyde, Getty Images Although Soundgarden are in the midst of their current North America tour run, the recently reunited rockers just added a very special appearance to their itinerary. Frontman Chris Cornell has signed on to perform at the Commander-in-Chief’s Ball, helping President Obama and Vice President Biden honor U.S. armed forces, while all of Soundgarden will be providing entertainment at the Inaugural Ball on the same day. Scheduled for Monday, Jan. 21, at the Washington Convention Center, the Commander-in-Chief’s Ball will recognize Medal of Honor recipients and Wounded Warriors with a guest list that includes both active duty and reserve military. In addition to Chris Cornell, the entertainment portion of the evening includes artists and celebs like Alicia Keys, Brad Paisley, Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Hudson. Things get turned up a few notches for the Inaugural Ball, which will feature several artists, including Soundgarden, performing on multiple stages. An all-star cast of stars will join Soundgarden in the celebration, among them Stevie Wonder, Usher, Katy Perry and Smokey Robinson. Many of the artists performing have played a role in helping President Barack Obama get re-elected, including Cornell. Back in September, he joined a rally for President Barack Obama in Des Moines, Iowa, and performed a moving acoustic set. The Inaugural Ball serves to celebrate and unify Americans across the nation from community leaders to grassroots volunteers and elected officials. In addition, U.S. military around the world will be invited to join in the celebration through a live broadcast and everyone is invited to tune in here for a live stream. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/soundgarden-announce-2013-north-american-tour-unveil-been-away-too-long-video/” title=”Soundgarden 2013 North American Tour Dates” align=”center”]
YouTube Korn are one of the more fan-friendly acts going and the group was more than happy to hang out and meet one of their fans after receiving a request from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Korn supporter Tyler Sims suffers from Lupus, an auto-immune disease that leads to excruciating arthritic pain and other physical ailments. The youth says he always wanted to meet the group and was thrilled to finally do so. Last October, Sims and his family traveled to Phoenix where the band was scheduled to perform and he was finally able to meet his hard-rocking heroes. He says in a new video package showcasing his day that he was picked up in a limo and taken to the venue where he got to watch from the side of the stage as the band went through their soundcheck. After a break in the action, each of the band members met up with Sims and signed some merchandise, while singer Jonathan Davis sat down with the young man and they shared stories about their lives. The longtime Korn fan says, “He really connected with me kind of deep. It felt good that they actually cared.” Sims says that his struggles with Lupus have caused him some fairly painful times, but Korn’s music has always been there for him. He adds, “I’ve been a Korn fan since I was 10-years-old. As I got older, I really connected with all the lyrics and I mean every song means something to me. It says something to me and it really gets me through a lot of the rough times I go through.” Watch Tyler Sims’ Visit With Korn [button href=”http://loudwire.com/watch-wounded-warriors-film-korn-jonathan-davis/” title=”Next: Watch Jonathan Davis’ ‘Wounded Warriors’ Short Film” align=”center”]
YouTube It’s not uncommon for bands to give fans a taste of their new music ahead of its release, especially in this download-happy world. But Bullet for My Valentine are previewing their new ‘ Temper Temper ‘ album with a twist on the “album preview” idea. In the first of a four-part exclusive series with Loudwire, the group is showing off some of the solos from their upcoming disc (watch below). The solos video takes the viewer right into the studio as all four band members lay down the music for their new album, with the focus centered on the guitar and bass play. The four-part series will also include videos featuring their riffs, screams and choruses, with a new clip debuting each week leading up to the ‘Temper Temper’ album release on Feb. 12. Be sure to check in weekly to catch the latest installment. ‘Temper Temper’ is already off to a great start thanks to the title track and their most recent single ‘ Riot .’ The band just released the video for ‘Riot,’ which can be seen here . Fans can currently pre-order the deluxe ‘Temper Temper’ album at iTunes . The group will get a chance to support the ‘Temper Temper’ album in North America in the coming months, as they’re headlining the HardDrive Live Tour with support from Halestorm and Young Guns . Dates for the trek are expected to be announced next week. Watch Bullet for My Valentine’s ‘Temper Temper’ Solos Preview [button href=”http://loudwire.com/bullet-for-my-valentine-behind-the-scenes-new-album-temper-temper-exclusive-video/” title=”Next: Watch Behind the Scenes of Bullet for My Valentine’s Album” align=”center”]
Epic It’s been a roller-coaster ride for Korn , but the band has been one of the most productive outfits since arriving on the scene with their 1994 debut disc. This Loudwire Readers Poll asks you to determine which of Korn’s albums is their best. Korn remained still somewhat of an underground band with a growing following with their first two albums. The band’s self-titled debut spawned the hit song ‘Blind’ and fan favorite, ‘Chutes and Ladders.’ Meanwhile, 1996′s ‘Life Is Peachy’ followed with the breakout song ‘A.D.I.D.A.S.’ But it wasn’t until their third album that they became a massive band. 1998′s ‘Follow the Leader’ provided the group with staple hits ‘Got the Life’ and ‘Freak on a Leash.’ The following year ‘Issues’ gave us a trio of singles — ‘Falling Away From Me,’ ‘Make Me Bad,’ and ‘Somebody Someone.’ The 21st century has brought us more solid efforts from Korn. The 2002 album ‘Untouchables’ kept the momentum going with ‘Here to Stay’ and ‘Thoughtless’ enjoying some success. In 2003, ‘Take a Look in the Mirror’ provided fans with ‘Did My Time’ and ‘Right Now,’ but ‘Y’all Want a Single’ was the band’s statement on the changes in the music industry. After breaking for a hits collection, 2005′s ‘See You on the Other Side’ gave us ‘Twisted Transistor’ and ‘Coming Undone,’ and they followed with their untitled album, which featured ‘Evolution’ and ‘Hold On.’ Their last two albums found Korn taking two very different directions. ‘Korn III: Remember Who You Are,’ had them trying to reclaim their early sound, with ‘Oildale’ being the main single. In 2011, the group went completely the opposite direction with ‘The Path of Totality,’ a dubstep-infused effort that spawned ‘Get Up’ and ‘Narcissistic Cannibal.’ That’s ten original albums in 19 years, not counting their greatest hits album or ‘Unplugged’ release. Now it’s your turn to tell us which disc is best. Vote for the best Korn album in the Readers Poll below. Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-kid-rock-song-readers-poll/” title=”Previous Readers Poll: Best Kid Rock Song” align=”center”]