Liz Ramanand, Loudwire No matter where your personal musical taste falls, you’ve got to give some serious respect to Machine Head frontman Robb Flynn . Soon after an emergency surgery to take care of two hernias in the area of his giggleberries, Flynn was hit in the family jewels by a New York City cab. After a four-hour hospital stay, Flynn rushed to the Best Buy Theater to perform that night’s set with his band, leading to an onstage diss in the direction of All That Remains for apparently refusing to switch set times despite Flynn’s debacle. Machine Head have experienced an odd month during the tail-end of 2012. Along with the metal act receiving a ban from the Orlando, Fla. House of Blues by The Walt Disney Company, Machine Head have run into some bad luck with Flynn’s hernia issues. The howling frontman toughed it out and returned to his band’s tour with Dethklok , All That Remains and the Black Dahlia Murder a few weeks after his surgery, and was almost taken out again by the NYC cab in a hit-and-run. However, there seems to be yet another issue in the life of Flynn, this one situated between himself and the members of All That Remains, as evidenced by a rant directed toward the New York City audience. Flynn addressed the crowd: About two days ago we played and the All That Remains guys asked us to flip-flop with them because their singer got stuck in traffic. And you know, we’ve been flip-flopping this whole tour so we were like, “Yeah, man, you know what? It’s no big deal, we’ll flip flop.” Because that’s what you do, you look out for your brothers, right? And today, I got hit by a cab, right where I had surgery four weeks ago, in my nuts. I got clipped in a hit and run. I spent the last four hours in the f—ing hospital and unfortunately I had to f—in’ rush back here — and actually, it is fortunate, because I’m very happy to be standing on this stage — but I had to fucking rush back here because nobody could f—ing switch, man, nobody could flip-flop, because that’s just how it is, I guess. That’s how it is when you look out for your brothers some of the time. This tour, I’ll tell you what, this tour has been so f—ing insane for us, man, we’ve had so many crazy things, and even things that affected you people: Hurricane Sandy. We’ve had surgeries, we got banned by f—ing Disney, all this f—ing bulls–t and you know what? Nothing is gonna f—ing stop us, nothing is gonna f—ing stop us, because we live to do this. We’re so f—ing honored, we’re so f—ing proud to be able to do this for you. According to one of our reporters, who was covering the New York City concert, All That Remains singer Phil Labonte addressed the issue onstage, claiming that he would have agreed to swap sets if he had been informed of Robb Flynn’s situation. Was Flynn in the right to air his frustrations? Check out video footage of Robb Flynn’s speech below and let us know what you think in the comments section. Machine Head’s Robb Flynn Slams All That Remains Onstage Stay tuned for Loudwire’s full recap + photo gallery of the show.
The History Channel Want to town a piece of Guns N’ Roses history? All you’ve got to do is track down this dude who has Slash ‘s driver’s license. Yep, some guy has Slash’s driver’s license, and the man claims it was given to him by a friend of his, whose girlfriend had been a longtime bartender at a joint where the classic Guns lineup used to go get sloshed. Featured on an episode of the History Channel reality show ‘Pawn Stars,’ a man named Travis entered Las Vegas’ ‘Gold & Silver Pawn Shop’ in search for some big bucks in exchange for Slash’s license. When asked exactly how he came to possess the driver’s license of Saul ‘Slash’ Hudson, Travis has quite a story to tell. “A good buddy of mine actually had it years ago,” begins Travis. “He got it from his girlfriend, who was a bartender, and she ended up being there serving these guys all long long. And the whole group were trying to get her to flash for ‘em. So she did, she flashed one, and he threw it on the bar. I took it when I was about 18 and used it for my fake ID until I was 21.” So how much is Slash’s legitimate driver’s license worth? According to Travis, the rare item is worth $50,000 … but the man’s projection was shot down by shop employee Austin ‘Chumlee’ Russell and the store’s owner Rick Harrison, who only offered Travis $1,000 for the license. “If [Slash’s] driver license was worth 50 grand, I guarantee you he would be losing his license once a month and showing up at DMV, ‘Ah, sorry, guys, I lost it again,’” Harrison remarks. “‘Cause he would be selling that many.” Travis refused to accept any less than $15,000 for the license, so no deal was made on the show. Check out the full episode of ‘Pawn Stars’ by clicking the button below. Skip ahead to the 8:40 mark to see the Slash drivers license negotiation in full! [button href=”http://www.history.com/shows/pawn-stars/videos/pawn-stars-sweet-pawn-of-mine” title=”Slash’s Drivers License Makes an Appearance on ‘Pawn Stars'” align=”center”]
Brendon Thorne, Getty Images / Nuclear Blast This week in irritating poser news (we assume), R&B singer Chris Brown was recently spotted in a leather jacket covered in the logos of legendary punk and crossover thrash acts. Brown, who once made headlines for physically abusing then-girlfiend Rihanna, spent a night on the town adorned with both blue and zebra-striped patches, along with the logos of Municipal Waste , Suicidal Tendencies , Cro-Mags , Corrosion of Conformity , D.R.I., The Exploited and more. The world of someone like Chris Brown is deeply rooted in fashion, so apparently the sarcastic adoption of underground passion is in this winter. Obviously we can’t prove it, but it seems pretty safe to assume that Chris Brown has never listened to any of these pulverizing, aggressive, circle pit-starting acts. Predictably, fans who have found genuine purpose and solace within the underground scene aren’t pleased with Brown’s jacket, with a sentiment of bastardization shared between proud supporters of their favorite bands. Municipal Waste tweeted a reaction to their inclusion on Chris Brown’s jacket: For the record. Chris Brown can sport our shit all he wants. We still think he is a fucking moron. — MUNICIPAL WASTE (@MUNICIPALWASTE) November 18, 2012 There’s always the chance that Brown is an out-of-the-closet metalhead, but we doubt that. Click below to check out the pictures of Chris Brown in his ironically hip jacket. [button href=”http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/tfTvYMl7KLM/Chris+Brown+Steps+Out+Flashy+Jacket/1JhsKqP7_aQ” title=”See Pictures of Chris Brown’s Jacket” align=”center”]
Metal Blade Technical death metal masters Cattle Decapitation have dropped of the ‘Autumn Apocalypse Tour,’ which features Six Feet Under and Wretched. According to Cattle frontman Travis Ryan, the band’s sudden exit from the tour was caused by former Cannibal Corpse and current Six Feet Under vocalist Chris Barnes sucker punching Ryan during a verbal confrontation. According to Ryan, Chris Barnes was dissing Cattle Decapitation while onstage the previous night. After Ryan approached Barnes to challenge him on why the Six Feet Under singer would smack talk the band, Barnes reportedly punched Ryan mid-sentence and ran away. Travis Ryan took to his personal Facebook page to vent about Barnes and the hostile situation. “Chris Barnes is a f—ing hack,” begins Ryan. “I’ve personally passed on at least 5 Six Feet tours over the last 8 or so years because he pulls so much nonsense on the support bands because his ego is astronomical. We’re leaving the Chris Barnes Show tour today. Go to the Chris Barnes show and buy some of their merch. They need it desperately.” Ryan continued his tirade in a series of posts: He couldn’t handle the fact that we were destroying him nightly on merch and talked s–t about us on stage last night. I went to confront him about that and he sucker punched me as I was talking. He immediately RAN out the door and fled to his bus like he does every night when the two fans that are left for their show are trying to get him to sign something. We’re leaving because we have no interest in bringing more people to the chris barnes show. There was no ‘fight’. He punched me, RAN away and a few people saw it. I just walked out told his tour manager the deal, wrapped up the merch and left. Just don’t go to the show and please get the word out. Cattle Decapitation is not doing this tour as we no longer wish to bring people to his show. Cuz its HIS show. More than enough people have drilled that fact into us. He says ‘what about showing some respect’ I laughed, said ‘respect?’ And proceeded to tell him about the time where he spent all night with me outside their bus @ the tail end of the butchered at birth tour in 93 and that respect was paid long ago and he’s since proved to the metal world how much of a b-tch he is… I got ‘dude, in 1993…’ In there and he punched me as I was talking. Ran out the door and seriously thinks he’s a bad ass still? Hahaha… Here’s how chris barnes works: punches. Runs. Does the Rocky dance like he’s a badass on his tour bus he’s about to not f—in afford. Chris Barnes tweeted a short response to the statements of Travis Ryan, which has now been deleted from Barnes’ Twitter page. “If you eat tofu you’ll get you’re ass kicked in a fight. #knocked out.” Six Feet Under and Wretched are continuing with the remainder of their U.S. dates, finishing the tour in Atlanta, Ga. on Nov. 18. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/top-hard-rock-smackdowns/” title=”Next: Top 10 Hard Rock Smackdowns” align=”center”]
Roadrunner Machine Head are currently on tour with Dethklok , All That Remains and the Black Dahlia Murder . With a lineup that is sure to both draw and excite metalheads, one unfortunate part of the United States is going to miss out on the full show, as Machine Head have been banned from ever performing on property owned by the Disney corporation. Thus, the Orlando, Fla. stop of the tour on Dec. 4 will be Machine Head-less. In 2007, Walt Disney Properties banned Machine Head from the ‘House of Blues’ venues in both Anaheim, Calif., and Orlando, the respective cities that are home to Disneyland and Disney World. Machine Head were banned by the company to due the band’s “violent imagery,” “inflammatory lyrics” and the group’s “undesirable fans.” These accusations come from the company that created ‘The Lion King,’ which features antagonist Scar plunging his claws into his brother Mufasa’s paws before allowing him to fall from a cliff only to be trampled to death by a heard of wildebeest. Disney also included the song ‘Savages’ in the film ‘Pocahontas,’ where the character Ratcliffe sings the lyrics, “They’re savages! / Barely even human … Dirty redskin devils,” about Native Americans. “Violent Imagery?” Check. “Inflammatory lyrics?” Massive check. Additionally, the entertainment company was happy to allow Motorhead to write the song ‘Dog-Face Boy’ for the animated film ‘Bolt,’ surely in an attempt to appeal to those same “undesirable fans” and lure them into movie theaters worldwide. The band released the following statement regarding the continuation of the Disney ban: For the third time in a row, the corporate powers behind Walt Disney Properties have once again pressured promoter Live Nation into canceling Machine Head’s performance at a House of Blues venue on Disney property, this time the December 4th show in Orlando, FL. While no one is willing to provide evidence that would prove unfavorable to Disney, sources close to events have suggested that Machine Head remains on a “banned list”, and while Dethklok, All That Remains and Black Dahlia Murder will still be allowed to play, the corporate powers at Disney have refused to allow Machine Head to perform. In 2007, Walt Disney Properties banned Machine Head from the House Of Blues venues in both Anaheim and Orlando, citing “violent imagery”, “inflammatory lyrics” and most appallingly “undesirable fans” as the reason. The diversity-impaired corporation began pressuring the promoter with vague threats of liability and reduced job security before placing Machine Head under an internal “review process”. Five days later, Walt Disney Properties would convey their alarming decision to the band, less than 48 hours before the first date of 2007′s anti-war, anti-religion, anti-conservative-themed “The Blackening” album headline run at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, CA. A stunned Machine Head announced the details and disgust regarding the situation and let fans know of the then-rescheduled show 70 miles away at The Glass House in Pomona. In retaliation for that public announcement, Disney cancelled the band’s then-upcoming performance at the House Of Blues in Orlando, citing the same absurd reasons, though they would only publicly state that they had “changed musical formats” at the venue. Machine Head wish to once again extend their gratitude to Live Nation and the House Of Blues for their poise and tolerance throughout these ridiculous developments, unbelievably transpiring here in these United States Of America in this year 2012. As they are not on Disney property and therefore not subject to the corporation’s alleged coercionary tactics, the current dates with Dethklok, All That Remains and The Black Dahlia Murder at the Dallas and Houston House Of Blues will go on as scheduled. Unfortunately, Machine Head’s Florida performance will not be rescheduled in an effort to avoid creating any conflict with the existing dates on the tour. All refund requests will be honored. Machine Head assure fans that all refund requests for the Dec. 4 show will be honored. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/machine-head-to-unleash-machine-f-ing-head-live-double-album/” title=”Next: Machine Head to Unleash Live Double Album” align=”center”]
Jason Smith, Getty Images Creed singer Scott Stapp has just released his official memoir, ‘Sinner’s Creed.’ You might not think Stapp’s bio would be as interesting as noted works by rockers such as Nikki Sixx and Keith Richards, but you might want to read the book with your eyes wide open . For instance, did you know the singer once fell 40-foot from a balcony while on a multi-day drug binge, fracturing his skull, breaking his hip and nose, before finally being discovered by his “guardian angel” — rapper T.I.? Stapp dropped by VH1′s ‘Big Morning Buzz Live’ to promote his new book, offering the incredible story for all who want to listen. Now sober and a mentor to various individuals who are struggling with addiction, Stapp begins to describe the cryptic night, which begins in the penthouse suite of Miami’s Delano Hotel. “I’ll never forget it,” begins Stapp. “The rooms were all white and I remember in one of the stages of my being awake for three days, I thought I was in ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’, in an asylum. I started hearing things, like the cops were coming through the door and I started thinking, “I can’t embarrass my family.” I was trying to climb over the balcony and fell 40 feet.” Stapp continues, “I had met T.I. back in 2004, we were both writing songs for ‘The Passion of the Christ’ soundtrack and we had briefly interacted there and knew what each other looked like. We’d talked about being fans of Alabama [Crimson Tide] … he came out, and as I’m laying on the ledge, blood fell to his feet and he looked up and he had an Alabama hat on. I said, ‘Roll tide,’ and then he looked at me and put two and two together and really saved my life.” Check out VH1′s video footage of Scott Stapp telling the story of his near-death experience. To buy Stapp’s book, ‘Sinner’s Creed’, click here . Scott Stapp on How T.I. Saved His Life
Tim Whitby / Andrew H. Walker, Getty Images Actress Lindsay Lohan is in trouble with the law again, thanks to a late-night hit-and-run that left a New York pedestrian with a wounded leg and earned Lohan another trip to the hoosegow on Wednesday (Sept. 19). But if Slash is to be believed, the whole thing is a big misunderstanding. The legendary guitarist took to Twitter to express his support for Lohan, claiming that “The situation last night w/Lindsey was a lame paparazzi stunt” and insisting, “She didn’t do anything. it’s being blown out of proportion.” Lohan had attended Slash’s show at NYC’s Hammerstein Ballroom earlier that night (check out our review + photo gallery of the gig). As TMZ points out, paparazzi weren’t involved in this particular incident, and Slash wasn’t even present when it occurred, so while his tweet is certainly the 21st-century equivalent of gallant, we may want to take it with a grain of salt. On the other hand, he was with Lohan immediately prior to the accident, and can therefore counter claims that, as TMZ put it, she “reeked of booze” when she clipped a pedestrian with her car. The NYPD’s version of events actually backs this up; according to the New York Daily News , police didn’t administer a Breathalyzer at the scene, and they “don’t think she was impaired” — but she’s still being charged with leaving the scene of an accident. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/slash-featuring-myles-kennedy-spread-apocalyptic-love-at-new-hampshire-gig/” title=”Next: Slash Concert Review + Photo Gallery” align=”center”] ?