Kingzrool
Starter
Spike has timed out. Let's see what you got.
Rock Band Draft - Round 6 (Wrap Up)
- Thread starter Kingzrool
- Start date
Spike has timed out. Let's see what you got.
I'm still trying to dig up a few news articles from the archives about my band The Immortals. It seems they are shrouded in mystery - while initially believed to be nothing more than a tribute band, rumors began to swirl about a mysterious pact with the devil by an insane record producer. These really took off after the mysterious fire that destroyed a Las Vegas nightclub and claimed the lives of a handful of record industry executives.
I'll post the full write up after I go to lunch and retrieve the missing articles, in the mean time I'll let SLAB jump in and name his band in case he's running out of patience.
The Immortals
Keith Moon - Drums / Back-up Vocals
Benjamin Orr -Bass / Lead Vocals
Robert Quine - Lead Guitar
Johnny Thunders - Rhythm and 2nd Lead Guitar / Back-up vocals
Klaus Nomi - Vocals
Little is known about The Immortals. They first emerged on the scene in 2010 when recently acquitted and controversial music producer Phil Spector announced that he would be releasing a new album featuring all new recordings featuring deceased punk and new wave legends with Keith Moon providing the back beat. Most people assumed that this was a publicity stunt by the now wildly unpopular Spector, and that the recordings consisted of nothing more than mimics and clever studio tricks.
Symphony of... was released in July of 2010 to little fanfare in a deluxe gatefold dual vinyl only release with limited pressings (estimated somewhere between 600-700 copies), but the reviews trickled in from the mainstream and indie music mags and they were all raves, yet the press was still under the assumption that this was little more than a tribute act.
The music itself is difficult to describe. Spector pioneered the "Wall of Sound" and that is quite evident in the recorded music. All of the Immortals artist were capable at leading the music - either as singers or through their instruments. Thunders and Orr provided the traditional lyrical structure for most of the tunes, with Thunders leading the way on the edgier tunes while Orr contributed vocally to the up-beat tunes and the album's only ballad. Meanwhile Quine was busy delivering lead work full time throughout the music, skillfully blending the guitar right along the vocal work, while Moon provided solid drumming heavy on fills and frills. But what is most striking is Klaus Nomi's contribution, while his voice is dominant during many of the album's chorus sections, he often contributes vocally as an instrument during other sections giving even the punkest tunes on the album a haunting vibe. The second album featured many re-workings of tunes that the artists had made famous in their original bands in this new style.
Despite all the glowing reviews of the act, there had yet to be a physical appearance of the band well through the summer and early fall of 2010. That was set to change on Halloween night with the grand re-opening of CBGB, relocated to the mall of the Alladin Casino in Las Vegas, NV.
Witness accounts say the show was phenomenal. The band took the stage as a traditional four piece band before Nomi emerged front and center and apparently levitating above the stage in something you would expect from Vegas. While the bland played away Nomi stood above them as if conducting the show, when his vocals were featured the lights focused on him and he was facing the audience. Witnesses insist they had never seen anything like it before and that the live show lived up to the hype created by the album. They also insist that these were no imitators but the real artists. However the show ended in tragedy as during the final song of the night, a charged up re-working of Nomi's "Total Eclipse" the stage and club caught fire. Many record industry executives were trapped back stage where they were hoping to meet the band after the show and perished in the fire. The entire club was destroyed in the fire and there are no plans to rebuild it.
After the fire the band never resurfaced, yet no remains were found of anyone who may have been involved in the performance.
Rumors swirled in the wake of the fire that the band were demons sent to destroy the club which many punk fans considered an embarrassment to the CBGB legacy. They even went so far as to suggest that Phil Spector had made a deal with the devil to get acquitted in his murder trial and that is how he wound up producing the act.
Whatever the case they leave behind one extremely difficult to find album that is highly prized by collectors and plenty of debate and speculation behind what really happened.
Keith Moon - Drums / Back-up Vocals
Benjamin Orr -Bass / Lead Vocals
Robert Quine - Lead Guitar
Johnny Thunders - Rhythm and 2nd Lead Guitar / Back-up vocals
Klaus Nomi - Vocals
Little is known about The Immortals. They first emerged on the scene in 2010 when recently acquitted and controversial music producer Phil Spector announced that he would be releasing a new album featuring all new recordings featuring deceased punk and new wave legends with Keith Moon providing the back beat. Most people assumed that this was a publicity stunt by the now wildly unpopular Spector, and that the recordings consisted of nothing more than mimics and clever studio tricks.
Symphony of... was released in July of 2010 to little fanfare in a deluxe gatefold dual vinyl only release with limited pressings (estimated somewhere between 600-700 copies), but the reviews trickled in from the mainstream and indie music mags and they were all raves, yet the press was still under the assumption that this was little more than a tribute act.
The music itself is difficult to describe. Spector pioneered the "Wall of Sound" and that is quite evident in the recorded music. All of the Immortals artist were capable at leading the music - either as singers or through their instruments. Thunders and Orr provided the traditional lyrical structure for most of the tunes, with Thunders leading the way on the edgier tunes while Orr contributed vocally to the up-beat tunes and the album's only ballad. Meanwhile Quine was busy delivering lead work full time throughout the music, skillfully blending the guitar right along the vocal work, while Moon provided solid drumming heavy on fills and frills. But what is most striking is Klaus Nomi's contribution, while his voice is dominant during many of the album's chorus sections, he often contributes vocally as an instrument during other sections giving even the punkest tunes on the album a haunting vibe. The second album featured many re-workings of tunes that the artists had made famous in their original bands in this new style.
Despite all the glowing reviews of the act, there had yet to be a physical appearance of the band well through the summer and early fall of 2010. That was set to change on Halloween night with the grand re-opening of CBGB, relocated to the mall of the Alladin Casino in Las Vegas, NV.
Witness accounts say the show was phenomenal. The band took the stage as a traditional four piece band before Nomi emerged front and center and apparently levitating above the stage in something you would expect from Vegas. While the bland played away Nomi stood above them as if conducting the show, when his vocals were featured the lights focused on him and he was facing the audience. Witnesses insist they had never seen anything like it before and that the live show lived up to the hype created by the album. They also insist that these were no imitators but the real artists. However the show ended in tragedy as during the final song of the night, a charged up re-working of Nomi's "Total Eclipse" the stage and club caught fire. Many record industry executives were trapped back stage where they were hoping to meet the band after the show and perished in the fire. The entire club was destroyed in the fire and there are no plans to rebuild it.
After the fire the band never resurfaced, yet no remains were found of anyone who may have been involved in the performance.
Rumors swirled in the wake of the fire that the band were demons sent to destroy the club which many punk fans considered an embarrassment to the CBGB legacy. They even went so far as to suggest that Phil Spector had made a deal with the devil to get acquitted in his murder trial and that is how he wound up producing the act.
Whatever the case they leave behind one extremely difficult to find album that is highly prized by collectors and plenty of debate and speculation behind what really happened.
You might get my vote for this alone. Just - awesome.
SLAB
Hall of Famer
::static in::
"...This is Richard 'Dicky V' Valstead giving you your top of the hour rundown on the goings-on of the music world....As you know... There has been an unusual amount of new bands being discovered. Im sure you've heard the story of The Immortals?... ::Ahem:: Well, there are now underground rumblings of yet another supergroup formed and ready to pounce into the limelight. Although the details are sketchy I have been told through an annanymous e-mail that they blend old and new... Flamboyancy and extremity... Hard and soft... I don't know how reliable this source is, but they claim that the band is called Mercury Waters ....And that Mercury Waters is almost ready to claim the spot on top of the music mountain that is quote 'Rightfully Theirs....' (Long pause) More on this story as it becomes available... This is Dicky V, hoping I just rocked your world."
...
"Have you ever wanter to lose weight fast? Well we have th..."
:::Click:::
:::Static:::
I've been pretty swamped with work and school...I try to finish this tonight if I get the chance.
"...This is Richard 'Dicky V' Valstead giving you your top of the hour rundown on the goings-on of the music world....As you know... There has been an unusual amount of new bands being discovered. Im sure you've heard the story of The Immortals?... ::Ahem:: Well, there are now underground rumblings of yet another supergroup formed and ready to pounce into the limelight. Although the details are sketchy I have been told through an annanymous e-mail that they blend old and new... Flamboyancy and extremity... Hard and soft... I don't know how reliable this source is, but they claim that the band is called Mercury Waters ....And that Mercury Waters is almost ready to claim the spot on top of the music mountain that is quote 'Rightfully Theirs....' (Long pause) More on this story as it becomes available... This is Dicky V, hoping I just rocked your world."
...
"Have you ever wanter to lose weight fast? Well we have th..."
:::Click:::
:::Static:::
I've been pretty swamped with work and school...I try to finish this tonight if I get the chance.
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John Galt
Starter
MICAWBER'S DADDY
Paul McCartney - Bass / Back-up Vocals
Keith Richards - Guitar / Back-up vocals
John Bonham - Drums
Stevie Ray Vaughn - Lead Vocals / Guitar
Duane Allman - Guitar
Band is named for Keith's guitar. Up close photo of Micawber is the album cover.
The band is an extension of Keith's musical sensibilities... he is the band leader - as it should be for the guy with the best hair, best wardrobe, best swagger in rock history (not to mention being indestructible in spite of himself). He is Micawber's Daddy.
I invite you to click through each member's description. The way these guys integrate is so obvious that to explain it would insult your intelligence.
Imagine please the opening riff from Brown Sugar. You know Stevie, Paul and Keith are going to deliver the whole shooting match vocally. You have to imagine Keith leaning into the mike for "...sold in the market down in New Orleeeeens".
We are talking the Sticky Fingers/Exile on Main Street vibe only moreso. That is what this band does. No fancy stage theatrics.
The Stones... but moreso. Nuff said.
PS: We're happy to open for any band in the world including whoever wins this contest... so long as they don't mind being shown up by the warmup act
Check it out: http://www.zippyvideos.com/3457165617787706/micawbers_daddy_0006/
Paul McCartney - Bass / Back-up Vocals
Keith Richards - Guitar / Back-up vocals
John Bonham - Drums
Stevie Ray Vaughn - Lead Vocals / Guitar
Duane Allman - Guitar
Band is named for Keith's guitar. Up close photo of Micawber is the album cover.
The band is an extension of Keith's musical sensibilities... he is the band leader - as it should be for the guy with the best hair, best wardrobe, best swagger in rock history (not to mention being indestructible in spite of himself). He is Micawber's Daddy.
I invite you to click through each member's description. The way these guys integrate is so obvious that to explain it would insult your intelligence.
Imagine please the opening riff from Brown Sugar. You know Stevie, Paul and Keith are going to deliver the whole shooting match vocally. You have to imagine Keith leaning into the mike for "...sold in the market down in New Orleeeeens".
We are talking the Sticky Fingers/Exile on Main Street vibe only moreso. That is what this band does. No fancy stage theatrics.
The Stones... but moreso. Nuff said.
PS: We're happy to open for any band in the world including whoever wins this contest... so long as they don't mind being shown up by the warmup act
Check it out: http://www.zippyvideos.com/3457165617787706/micawbers_daddy_0006/
John Galt
Starter
Email from William Miller, correspondent to Rolling Stone magazine:
Sorry boss. I wanted to surprise you with an article and review of the band Micawber’s Daddy. I was anonymously tipped off when I was emailed a slide show promo. I researched exhaustively and through some contacts on a sports fan web site in Sacramento, I learned that the band would be jamming at The Boardwalk in Orangevale last night. Sounded like it would have been a major scoop – a collection of blues-rockers the likes of which nobody ain’t never seen - guaranteed to sound so good it would make you slap your mama.
The place was humming with excitement, but when I got the the door I was stopped by a big guy in a Hells Angel jacket.
I said “what is the cover charge”?
He laughed and said “there is no cover”. The guys play for fun, not for money. But this show, like all Micawber’s Daddy shows, is for friends of the band only!
I said I was a friend of the band, but the bouncer said I had to have some kind of internet printout proving I had actually voted for the band in some sort of cyber battle of the dream bands.
Too bad… everyone seemed to be having a hell of a time. Guess I’ll get on the net, give these dudes my vote, and try again next time…
Bill
William Miller
Correspondent to Rolling Stone Magazine
Sorry boss. I wanted to surprise you with an article and review of the band Micawber’s Daddy. I was anonymously tipped off when I was emailed a slide show promo. I researched exhaustively and through some contacts on a sports fan web site in Sacramento, I learned that the band would be jamming at The Boardwalk in Orangevale last night. Sounded like it would have been a major scoop – a collection of blues-rockers the likes of which nobody ain’t never seen - guaranteed to sound so good it would make you slap your mama.
The place was humming with excitement, but when I got the the door I was stopped by a big guy in a Hells Angel jacket.
I said “what is the cover charge”?
He laughed and said “there is no cover”. The guys play for fun, not for money. But this show, like all Micawber’s Daddy shows, is for friends of the band only!
I said I was a friend of the band, but the bouncer said I had to have some kind of internet printout proving I had actually voted for the band in some sort of cyber battle of the dream bands.
Too bad… everyone seemed to be having a hell of a time. Guess I’ll get on the net, give these dudes my vote, and try again next time…
Bill
William Miller
Correspondent to Rolling Stone Magazine
NoBonus
Starter
My response to the Roaring 90's (aka Nirvana)
[yt=Dave Grohl punched at 1:02 in]ILvkEHQPHHg[/yt]
Kingzrool
Starter
Hoping everyone gets them in by the end, but we will see. I know some people said they were busy, but where is Brick's? He must be working up some photo shop stuff.
BTW, I'd like to say that these have been really great so far and thanx for putting the energy in. It is pretty cool how this thread has developed past my original concept and become as involved as it is. I am looking forward to the next one. The voting should be interesting.
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Pharaoh and Prince:
Prince - Vocals and Guitar
Joe Satriani - Guitar
Geddy Lee (formerly of Rush) - Bass Guitar
Trent Reznor (of NIN) - Synthesizer and Sequencing
Mike Portnoy (of Dream Theater) - Drums and Percussion
When you combine the technicality of Satriani, Portnoy, and Lee with the versatility of Trent Reznor, you have an extremely unique yet satisfying sound. Add the funky stylings of Prince as your frontman, and you have one of the most electric rock bands in the business today!
Pharaoh and Prince's first album, Static Time, takes a journey reminiscent of progressive bands of yesteryear, such as Yes, Kansas, and Rush. The 45 minute epic contains an amazing 12 minute instrumedly arranged by Trent Reznor. If you enjoyed his work on Pretty Hate Machine and Broken, you'll be sure to love this album.
The special edition CD contains an instrumental cover of Purple Rain:
[yt = Purple Rain]2qga1UBwWn0[/yt]
Pharoah and Prince returned with a second album, Rock the Sheets, shortly after releasing the first album.
"We had such a great time jamming during the first recording session, that we took bits and pieces from that effort and it guided us to our next release," said Geddy Lee.
Said Reznor, "I've done Queen covers and Bowie covers, and although I played the saxophone in high school, working with Prince has expanded my funk to another extreme."
Rock the Sheets is an album that you can groove to.
Said Prince, "If Rock the Sheets doesn't work the magic with the ladies, it isn't the music. Uh!"
While the songs are shorter (average time being 4 minutes in length), fans will enjoy such raunchy tunes as "Baby, Funk my Frets" and "No Baby, I Won't Call You." The album's final offering is an 8 minute epic containing various solos by Geddy Lee:
[yt=Geddy Lee]AuMLIHatC9E[/yt]
You may wonder what kind of sound Satriani and Prince would make, look no further than the following example. Notice the underlying funk guiding Satriani:
[yt=Gnaahh!]XY-e1bNKGQU[/yt]
With such amazing success both at home and abroad, Pharaoh and Prince decided to engage on a world tour. Portnoy tells us, "Our appeal is amazing in the far east, and I'm excited to bring our sound to the far east. Dokken will be our opening act in Tokyo, and George Lynch may come on stage to jam with us."
Very few rock icons can make a successfully unique sound while staying true to their roots. Pharaoh and Prince manage to bridge the gap and rock all things holy in this world.
Prince - Vocals and Guitar
Joe Satriani - Guitar
Geddy Lee (formerly of Rush) - Bass Guitar
Trent Reznor (of NIN) - Synthesizer and Sequencing
Mike Portnoy (of Dream Theater) - Drums and Percussion
When you combine the technicality of Satriani, Portnoy, and Lee with the versatility of Trent Reznor, you have an extremely unique yet satisfying sound. Add the funky stylings of Prince as your frontman, and you have one of the most electric rock bands in the business today!
Pharaoh and Prince's first album, Static Time, takes a journey reminiscent of progressive bands of yesteryear, such as Yes, Kansas, and Rush. The 45 minute epic contains an amazing 12 minute instrumedly arranged by Trent Reznor. If you enjoyed his work on Pretty Hate Machine and Broken, you'll be sure to love this album.
The special edition CD contains an instrumental cover of Purple Rain:
[yt = Purple Rain]2qga1UBwWn0[/yt]
Pharoah and Prince returned with a second album, Rock the Sheets, shortly after releasing the first album.
"We had such a great time jamming during the first recording session, that we took bits and pieces from that effort and it guided us to our next release," said Geddy Lee.
Said Reznor, "I've done Queen covers and Bowie covers, and although I played the saxophone in high school, working with Prince has expanded my funk to another extreme."
Rock the Sheets is an album that you can groove to.
Said Prince, "If Rock the Sheets doesn't work the magic with the ladies, it isn't the music. Uh!"
While the songs are shorter (average time being 4 minutes in length), fans will enjoy such raunchy tunes as "Baby, Funk my Frets" and "No Baby, I Won't Call You." The album's final offering is an 8 minute epic containing various solos by Geddy Lee:
[yt=Geddy Lee]AuMLIHatC9E[/yt]
You may wonder what kind of sound Satriani and Prince would make, look no further than the following example. Notice the underlying funk guiding Satriani:
[yt=Gnaahh!]XY-e1bNKGQU[/yt]
With such amazing success both at home and abroad, Pharaoh and Prince decided to engage on a world tour. Portnoy tells us, "Our appeal is amazing in the far east, and I'm excited to bring our sound to the far east. Dokken will be our opening act in Tokyo, and George Lynch may come on stage to jam with us."
Very few rock icons can make a successfully unique sound while staying true to their roots. Pharaoh and Prince manage to bridge the gap and rock all things holy in this world.
LPKingsFan
All-Star
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Kings Faithful
Starter
I'll try to get my write up soon but for now my band name is Destruction Sindrome
SLAB
Hall of Famer
Official Press Release
New Mercury Waters CD and corresponding live tour scheduled!
New Mercury Waters CD and corresponding live tour scheduled!
September 28, 2008
We are proud to announce the new CD and corresponding World Tour for Mercury Waters. The CD will drop in accordance with the start of their tour, Halloween Night at the World's Most Famous Arena...Madison Square Garden.
Please check back for updates and reviews.
-The Mercury Waters Team
We are proud to announce the new CD and corresponding World Tour for Mercury Waters. The CD will drop in accordance with the start of their tour, Halloween Night at the World's Most Famous Arena...Madison Square Garden.
Please check back for updates and reviews.
-The Mercury Waters Team
Mercury Waters is...
On vocals/piano/keyboards and onstage excellence...
[yt=FREDDIE MERCURY!]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zBUJztI884M&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zBUJztI884M&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/yt]
On bass with supporting Vox...
[yt=ROGER WATERS!]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VZbM_MIz4RM&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VZbM_MIz4RM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/yt]
Guitarist with an attitude...
[yt=SYNYSTER GATES!]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RCv6cvPezws&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RCv6cvPezws&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/yt]
Drum Expertise...
[yt=STEVE SMITH!]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qJxXux4ceMc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qJxXux4ceMc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/yt]
Guitarist to save the chickens...
[yt=BUCKETHEAD!]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8akmP6Sjv2o&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8akmP6Sjv2o&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/yt]
.
On vocals/piano/keyboards and onstage excellence...
[yt=FREDDIE MERCURY!]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zBUJztI884M&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zBUJztI884M&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/yt]
On bass with supporting Vox...
[yt=ROGER WATERS!]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VZbM_MIz4RM&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VZbM_MIz4RM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/yt]
Guitarist with an attitude...
[yt=SYNYSTER GATES!]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RCv6cvPezws&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RCv6cvPezws&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/yt]
Drum Expertise...
[yt=STEVE SMITH!]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qJxXux4ceMc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qJxXux4ceMc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/yt]
Guitarist to save the chickens...
[yt=BUCKETHEAD!]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8akmP6Sjv2o&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8akmP6Sjv2o&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/yt]
.
Photo Credit goes to my sister. Great photographer she is!
Last edited:
tradepeja
Starter
Blender Blog -- September 28, 2008
Tour Alert! Solar Royal
Word has it that progressive rock band, Solar Royal is embarking on an impromptu worldwide tour with big stops in cities like London, New York, and Chicago and much more. Word is still developing, but we hope to have the full story by later today.
To tide you loyal fans over for the moment, here is their brand new tour poster.
Update!: My visit with legendary progressive rock band Solar Royal at renowned Abbey Road recording studio has left me all but a new man. I have been a fan of the band for years, but 20 years into their history, I wasn't about to expect too much from my impromptu visit. Only hearing from my execs about this meet a mere two months ago, I did the best I could to catch up entirely on the band. I ignored my family, stopped walking my dog, stopped following sports and politics, and worst of all, went on a low-carb diet. Alright, I digress, even Solar Royal aren't enough to force me to take up the latter.
When I finally walked into Abbey Road Studios, I was immediately frisked for any sort of recording device. No, any sort of electronic. Truthfully, there was no physical frisking, just a glaring eye and a show of my pockets. Two months ago when this meet was set up I was notified right away that no sort of recording device or laptop would be allowed in for my interview and that my, if I chose to bring one, cell phone would have to be left at the door. While I've never been to such a face-to-face with any band of this caliber, it seemed precautionary tactic and did not pique my interest quite as much as it should have.
Because of my forced electronic silence, the members of Solar Royal decided to run a few takes of a couple new songs while I was there. I wasn't privy to the titles of either of the songs. In fact, it could have been more than two, some of the different takes were almost entirely dissimilar. Despite that fact, sitting there in that control room mustering as much cool up as possible, listening to these five musicians form the sort of enchanting and seemingly impossible blend of blues-rock, electronica, psychedelic rock, grunge, and heavy metal was almost too much. On a particularly bluesy and psychedelic take I found myself closing my eyes and being transported to the moon with no physical, or chemical, assistance. A long drum solo by Peart (in which he briefly, as on albums before, layed down a nasty xylophone riff) was followed by an even longer solo by Frank Zappa underlayed by two powerful repeating riffs from Kim Deal and Eric Clapton. Both takes included Yorke on keyboard, as he does on nearly half of Solar Royal's tracks.
On the second (or third?) song, a strings and horn section that had been laying in wait was brought into the studio with the band. They recorded a few takes for their next epic orchestral piece, and from what I heard a truly monumental track is in the making. The section of violins, saxophones and trumpets created a fusion of classical, jazz, and rock rarely seen the world over. Word at the studio was that the piece was written in its entirety by Frank Zappa himself, and his writing style is evident. A few minutes into the song a juvenile thought struck me. I feared the power of the song was somehow taking control of me. I feared my whole being was being altered by some higher musical form. I feared I would come home to a family who didn't only not know my just because of my two-months of neglect, but because of some other, more eminent reason. Somewhere, I snapped out of it.
Sadly, no dubbing was done on the day of my visit, so I heard nary a single lyric, not that I would have been able to report one to you, and information was skim on vocal assignments. Drummer Neil Peart did have this to say, however on the subject:
Peart: "I know for a fact I won't be singing on the album (chuckles). We are thinking each other member will get at least one lead song. I mean, we couldn't get rid of Thom, so he'll still be doing most of the work (laughs). "
I also had a brief opportunity to talk to bassist Kim Deal after the few takes, she had this to say:
Deal: "I know a few songs I have wrote are real contenders for the album. Two of them I wrote for myself to sing, but I'm thinking one will sound better for Eric. We have only done a few takes on the one so far, but Eric did write one for me that we already recorded that is almost a for sure on the album. So, I sort of want to pay him back, you know. "
But, I knew all along that Blender didn't pay for me to fly out to London just to have my ears blown off, chit-chat with the band members, and reawaken my inner teen. There was still something in the midst, just out of my range of knowledge. It wasn't long before band leader, Thom Yorke laid it on me:
Yorke: "We're going on tour."
This much I could have surmised, a new album, a new tour. But that wasn't it at all.
Yorke: "Not just after the album is out, but before. We have so many loyal fans that have supported us for a long while, we feel we need to give something back. Just something extra. We're gonna go on a short seven-city tour and we'll show off some of our new tracks in lots of different different versions we're thinking about and just see which ones feel the best. Just the best on stage, the best with the fans, the best overall. Obviously, we're going to leave quite a few songs here at the studio, and come back and record even more before the release, but we want to get a direct response to our fans. Let them be part of our creative process, you know?"
Thankfully the question was rhetoric. I have heard of bands playing unreleased songs at concerts years before they get pressed to an album, but never this. From what I gathered, Solar Royal intends to show off, according to Clapton, "at least a dozen" new tracks each of which could have up to "four vastly different compositions." I haven't taken a high school math class in decades, so I am not even going to begin to try to figure out the math on combinations of unreleased songs there. Once they complete the tour, they will immediately return to the studio at Abbey Road and take the best tracks and versions, then record them according to whatever cosmic understanding they gain while on tour. When that's done they will finish up any remaining songs and release the album including several more songs not even played while on tour.
While I am sure this isn't a totally revolutionary concept, I came away from the studio with an even heavier respect of the volatile band. It might be just my prog rock fanboyism, but I haven't this excited about a tour, album, or band in my entire life. On my way out from my seemingly all-too-short visit I was notified that their new tour poster (above) would be in my inbox momentarily. My cell phone was then handed back to along with the only disappointment of the whole trip. I was given a gift, a commemorative Solar Royal t-shirt (below), brand new, off the line, for their new tour. It was black, my favorite t-shirt color. However, I quickly noticed a glaring flaw and thought to myself, "Whoever pressed the pattern of the band logo dropped the ball. The colors on the edges of the logo smear and jump around a little bit."
Opening the door of Abbey Road Studio, I stepped out towards the illustrious graffiti-colored walls that line the road road and breathed a sigh of relief.
Alas, my fears from earlier in the day were quelled. I was still the same man from before I entered the studio. Not an ounce of pessimism lost.
Tour Alert! Solar Royal
Word has it that progressive rock band, Solar Royal is embarking on an impromptu worldwide tour with big stops in cities like London, New York, and Chicago and much more. Word is still developing, but we hope to have the full story by later today.
To tide you loyal fans over for the moment, here is their brand new tour poster.
Update!: My visit with legendary progressive rock band Solar Royal at renowned Abbey Road recording studio has left me all but a new man. I have been a fan of the band for years, but 20 years into their history, I wasn't about to expect too much from my impromptu visit. Only hearing from my execs about this meet a mere two months ago, I did the best I could to catch up entirely on the band. I ignored my family, stopped walking my dog, stopped following sports and politics, and worst of all, went on a low-carb diet. Alright, I digress, even Solar Royal aren't enough to force me to take up the latter.
When I finally walked into Abbey Road Studios, I was immediately frisked for any sort of recording device. No, any sort of electronic. Truthfully, there was no physical frisking, just a glaring eye and a show of my pockets. Two months ago when this meet was set up I was notified right away that no sort of recording device or laptop would be allowed in for my interview and that my, if I chose to bring one, cell phone would have to be left at the door. While I've never been to such a face-to-face with any band of this caliber, it seemed precautionary tactic and did not pique my interest quite as much as it should have.
Because of my forced electronic silence, the members of Solar Royal decided to run a few takes of a couple new songs while I was there. I wasn't privy to the titles of either of the songs. In fact, it could have been more than two, some of the different takes were almost entirely dissimilar. Despite that fact, sitting there in that control room mustering as much cool up as possible, listening to these five musicians form the sort of enchanting and seemingly impossible blend of blues-rock, electronica, psychedelic rock, grunge, and heavy metal was almost too much. On a particularly bluesy and psychedelic take I found myself closing my eyes and being transported to the moon with no physical, or chemical, assistance. A long drum solo by Peart (in which he briefly, as on albums before, layed down a nasty xylophone riff) was followed by an even longer solo by Frank Zappa underlayed by two powerful repeating riffs from Kim Deal and Eric Clapton. Both takes included Yorke on keyboard, as he does on nearly half of Solar Royal's tracks.
On the second (or third?) song, a strings and horn section that had been laying in wait was brought into the studio with the band. They recorded a few takes for their next epic orchestral piece, and from what I heard a truly monumental track is in the making. The section of violins, saxophones and trumpets created a fusion of classical, jazz, and rock rarely seen the world over. Word at the studio was that the piece was written in its entirety by Frank Zappa himself, and his writing style is evident. A few minutes into the song a juvenile thought struck me. I feared the power of the song was somehow taking control of me. I feared my whole being was being altered by some higher musical form. I feared I would come home to a family who didn't only not know my just because of my two-months of neglect, but because of some other, more eminent reason. Somewhere, I snapped out of it.
Sadly, no dubbing was done on the day of my visit, so I heard nary a single lyric, not that I would have been able to report one to you, and information was skim on vocal assignments. Drummer Neil Peart did have this to say, however on the subject:
Peart: "I know for a fact I won't be singing on the album (chuckles). We are thinking each other member will get at least one lead song. I mean, we couldn't get rid of Thom, so he'll still be doing most of the work (laughs). "
I also had a brief opportunity to talk to bassist Kim Deal after the few takes, she had this to say:
Deal: "I know a few songs I have wrote are real contenders for the album. Two of them I wrote for myself to sing, but I'm thinking one will sound better for Eric. We have only done a few takes on the one so far, but Eric did write one for me that we already recorded that is almost a for sure on the album. So, I sort of want to pay him back, you know. "
But, I knew all along that Blender didn't pay for me to fly out to London just to have my ears blown off, chit-chat with the band members, and reawaken my inner teen. There was still something in the midst, just out of my range of knowledge. It wasn't long before band leader, Thom Yorke laid it on me:
Yorke: "We're going on tour."
This much I could have surmised, a new album, a new tour. But that wasn't it at all.
Yorke: "Not just after the album is out, but before. We have so many loyal fans that have supported us for a long while, we feel we need to give something back. Just something extra. We're gonna go on a short seven-city tour and we'll show off some of our new tracks in lots of different different versions we're thinking about and just see which ones feel the best. Just the best on stage, the best with the fans, the best overall. Obviously, we're going to leave quite a few songs here at the studio, and come back and record even more before the release, but we want to get a direct response to our fans. Let them be part of our creative process, you know?"
Thankfully the question was rhetoric. I have heard of bands playing unreleased songs at concerts years before they get pressed to an album, but never this. From what I gathered, Solar Royal intends to show off, according to Clapton, "at least a dozen" new tracks each of which could have up to "four vastly different compositions." I haven't taken a high school math class in decades, so I am not even going to begin to try to figure out the math on combinations of unreleased songs there. Once they complete the tour, they will immediately return to the studio at Abbey Road and take the best tracks and versions, then record them according to whatever cosmic understanding they gain while on tour. When that's done they will finish up any remaining songs and release the album including several more songs not even played while on tour.
While I am sure this isn't a totally revolutionary concept, I came away from the studio with an even heavier respect of the volatile band. It might be just my prog rock fanboyism, but I haven't this excited about a tour, album, or band in my entire life. On my way out from my seemingly all-too-short visit I was notified that their new tour poster (above) would be in my inbox momentarily. My cell phone was then handed back to along with the only disappointment of the whole trip. I was given a gift, a commemorative Solar Royal t-shirt (below), brand new, off the line, for their new tour. It was black, my favorite t-shirt color. However, I quickly noticed a glaring flaw and thought to myself, "Whoever pressed the pattern of the band logo dropped the ball. The colors on the edges of the logo smear and jump around a little bit."
Opening the door of Abbey Road Studio, I stepped out towards the illustrious graffiti-colored walls that line the road road and breathed a sigh of relief.
Alas, my fears from earlier in the day were quelled. I was still the same man from before I entered the studio. Not an ounce of pessimism lost.
Last edited:
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Ok, my apologies. You guys went all nutty onthe writeups, and I was not prepared + did not have time to come up with that level of introduction. think I have it now though, and will put it up in a bit once I work the kinks out.
tradepeja
Starter
My band update has been posted here:
http://www.kingsfans.com/forums/showpost.php?p=571616&postcount=680
Please note since I used current dates, in my fantasy world Frank Zappa is still alive, and my band has been around for more than 20 years.
Enjoy the read, I actually put some time in it. Competition brings the best out in everyone
http://www.kingsfans.com/forums/showpost.php?p=571616&postcount=680
Please note since I used current dates, in my fantasy world Frank Zappa is still alive, and my band has been around for more than 20 years.
Enjoy the read, I actually put some time in it. Competition brings the best out in everyone
SacKings7
Starter
A.p.o.c.a.l.y.p.s.e.
Kickin' A$$ & Takin' Names!
By Art Vandelay, KF Digest
Last night's Rolling Stones concert was more shocking than originally thought. Perhaps the greatest band in the world, they were outplayed last night by a band that virtually nobody has ever heard of: A.P.O.C.A.L.Y.P.S.E.
A.P.O.C.A.L.Y.P.S.E. were supposed to be opening for The Rolling Stones, not outplaying them in every way, which was the case last night in Las Vegas. The Stones were amazing in their own right, but they had a tough act to follow. 5 guys who nobody has ever heard of(and only one name that has been confirmed by multiple sources) displayed great rock 'n' roll instincts, with fast-paced, in-your-face hard rock style music all the way to slowed down, relaxing easy listening. The band opened with "Our Destiny", followed by a crowd favorite "A Little Too Late". After that was the slow-paced "Traffic Jam" and "Lift You Up", then finally closing with "The Break Of Night".
The drummer, David Lombard, showed excellent speed and agility with his playing. He wowed the crowd of over 40,000 with lightning-fast drum solos, and steady beats. What was even more amazing was his ability to switch from slow to fast, and vice versa.
Peter Send, one of the band's guitarists/synthesizer players, was the busiest of the bunch. He would provide rhythm and even solos from time to time with his guitar. At one point, he even tuned his guitar down and acted as a smooth bass player. But beside that, Peter provided excellent backup vocals that just seemed to sound right, as well as play a synthesizer which made the group very unique in that it displayed potential to play many different styles of music.
Another guitarist, James Page, helped with the rhythm and lead guitarist roles. He displayed amazing potential, playing unbelievable solos at just the right time. His guitar riffs suited the other members perfectly as he appeared to hold down the fort. It appears everyone will soon know who James Page is.
The crowd favorite and lead guitarist, Jimi Hendrix, was a story of his own. He would play amazing solo after amazing solo, followed by cheers and chants from the Vegas crowd. Feeding off the crowds energy, Hendrix, I believe, even played a great solo using only his teeth, something that has never been done before! But when his teeth were in his mouth and not on his guitar strings, Hendrix also supplied occasional backup vocals.
But perhaps the most unique member of the band was John Scott, the band's lead singer. His shrill, high-pitched voice suited the music perfectly, and he displayed a lot of potential as well. If he wasn't getting the crowd jumping with one of his brilliant lyrics, he was dancing all over the stage, yelling at the crowd to make some more noise. During "A Little Too Late", Scott displayed even more talent by adding a set of bagpipes to the equation. Nobody has ever used bagpipes so efficiently in that style of music before, and that was what really surprised the crowd. It just sounded natural. And right.
So there it is; A.P.O.C.A.L.Y.P.S.E. For one night, at least, they felt and acted like the best band in the world today.
[/article]
Band Members:
Jimi Hendrix - Lead Guitar / Back-up Vocals
Jimmy Page - 2nd Lead Guitar / Rhythm
Bon Scott - Lead Vocals / Bagpipes
Pete Townshend - Lead Guitar #3 and Rhythm Guitar / Back-up Vocals
Dave Lombardo - Drums
Youtube Videos:
[yt=Jimi Hendrix]Bk3SfT8weUc[/yt]
[yt=Jimmy Page]AhBlj8M_dNY[/yt]
[yt=Bon Scott]eiBMltWg2RQ[/yt]
[yt=Pete Townshend (later in his career)]L8Va0NO8nEk[/yt]
Note that Townshend is playing guitar in the video, but he also did the synth.
[yt=Dave Lombardo]j0MCCirp32o[/yt]
Note: I suck at graphics, so I can't really do a poster or anything. If anyone is bored and wants to make one, that'd be fine
Kickin' A$$ & Takin' Names!
By Art Vandelay, KF Digest
Last night's Rolling Stones concert was more shocking than originally thought. Perhaps the greatest band in the world, they were outplayed last night by a band that virtually nobody has ever heard of: A.P.O.C.A.L.Y.P.S.E.
A.P.O.C.A.L.Y.P.S.E. were supposed to be opening for The Rolling Stones, not outplaying them in every way, which was the case last night in Las Vegas. The Stones were amazing in their own right, but they had a tough act to follow. 5 guys who nobody has ever heard of(and only one name that has been confirmed by multiple sources) displayed great rock 'n' roll instincts, with fast-paced, in-your-face hard rock style music all the way to slowed down, relaxing easy listening. The band opened with "Our Destiny", followed by a crowd favorite "A Little Too Late". After that was the slow-paced "Traffic Jam" and "Lift You Up", then finally closing with "The Break Of Night".
The drummer, David Lombard, showed excellent speed and agility with his playing. He wowed the crowd of over 40,000 with lightning-fast drum solos, and steady beats. What was even more amazing was his ability to switch from slow to fast, and vice versa.
Peter Send, one of the band's guitarists/synthesizer players, was the busiest of the bunch. He would provide rhythm and even solos from time to time with his guitar. At one point, he even tuned his guitar down and acted as a smooth bass player. But beside that, Peter provided excellent backup vocals that just seemed to sound right, as well as play a synthesizer which made the group very unique in that it displayed potential to play many different styles of music.
Another guitarist, James Page, helped with the rhythm and lead guitarist roles. He displayed amazing potential, playing unbelievable solos at just the right time. His guitar riffs suited the other members perfectly as he appeared to hold down the fort. It appears everyone will soon know who James Page is.
The crowd favorite and lead guitarist, Jimi Hendrix, was a story of his own. He would play amazing solo after amazing solo, followed by cheers and chants from the Vegas crowd. Feeding off the crowds energy, Hendrix, I believe, even played a great solo using only his teeth, something that has never been done before! But when his teeth were in his mouth and not on his guitar strings, Hendrix also supplied occasional backup vocals.
But perhaps the most unique member of the band was John Scott, the band's lead singer. His shrill, high-pitched voice suited the music perfectly, and he displayed a lot of potential as well. If he wasn't getting the crowd jumping with one of his brilliant lyrics, he was dancing all over the stage, yelling at the crowd to make some more noise. During "A Little Too Late", Scott displayed even more talent by adding a set of bagpipes to the equation. Nobody has ever used bagpipes so efficiently in that style of music before, and that was what really surprised the crowd. It just sounded natural. And right.
So there it is; A.P.O.C.A.L.Y.P.S.E. For one night, at least, they felt and acted like the best band in the world today.
[/article]
Band Members:
Jimi Hendrix - Lead Guitar / Back-up Vocals
Jimmy Page - 2nd Lead Guitar / Rhythm
Bon Scott - Lead Vocals / Bagpipes
Pete Townshend - Lead Guitar #3 and Rhythm Guitar / Back-up Vocals
Dave Lombardo - Drums
Youtube Videos:
[yt=Jimi Hendrix]Bk3SfT8weUc[/yt]
[yt=Jimmy Page]AhBlj8M_dNY[/yt]
[yt=Bon Scott]eiBMltWg2RQ[/yt]
[yt=Pete Townshend (later in his career)]L8Va0NO8nEk[/yt]
Note that Townshend is playing guitar in the video, but he also did the synth.
[yt=Dave Lombardo]j0MCCirp32o[/yt]
Note: I suck at graphics, so I can't really do a poster or anything. If anyone is bored and wants to make one, that'd be fine
Prophetess
Gallifrayain
John Scott???? 
SacKings7
Starter
John Scott????
Intentional misspelling
John Galt
Starter
architects aren't known for their spelling
dukeswh
Bench
Epic
The Story Behind The Best Rock Concert Ever - by DukeSwh, Staff Writer
The year was 1995, after working together on the Ozzmosis Album, Ozzy Osbourne wanted Steve Vai to be his next guitarist. After much talk and discussion between the record labels of the two Superstars the negotiation bogged down, and it seems that this merger was not to be.
But these two living legends were not to be denied, they had to play together, and nobody can stop that. So they concocted a plan, if they cannot be together on a music record then it will have to be on a live concert. They planned the project in secrecy and recruited other band members that were not involved with any of the two.
First the Bassist. Each made a list of their preferred bassist, writing down names in no particular order. Upon completion, they compared their list and eliminated names that were not on both lists(as they had agreed that only bassists that they both agree on should be left for the final list). After much arguing and deliberation they were left with two bassists to choose from: Flea and Les Claypool. Both are excellent musicians, both perform at the highest level and excels most during live performances(a must). They approached both bassists, thinking that it would be one of the hardest decision they would ever have to make, but alas, the choice was made for them. Flea, had declined saying that he had already committed to another band other than RHCP for that year. So Les Claypool, it is.
Next, the Drummer. They followed the same process as they did when selecting a Bassist. Each compiled his own list, until the candidates were narrowed down to two(names are withheld by request). Sadly, both of them were not available at the time. Nevertheless both suggested a drummer that they think would fit with the band, and as it turns out they only have one drummer in mind: Tommy Lee. Steve and Ozzy were both dumbfounded, how could they have overlooked Tommy Lee on their list? He was perfect for their band – great energy, excellent musician, and excels during live performances. So Tommy, it is.
At first they were planning to make it a simple four man band, but during rehearsals they felt that their sound was somewhat missing something. So they decided to add another band member, the only problem was, should it be a keyboardist or another guitarist? So they agreed to have a brainstorming session and finally decided to add another guitarist. This was going to be one of the best shows ever so what better way than to add another guitarist for Steve Vai to duel with? Again they discussed and argued which guitarist to select. Who else is there that can rival the blazing speed, enthusiasm, stage presence, and skill of Steve Vai? Well for sure, the list was very short, and the decision was very easy. It is to be John Petrucci.
Finally, the lineup was settled.
Next comes the songs. They had to prepare a list of songs, for that one night concert. They had to decide, are we going to write songs specifically for this concert or will this be a cover concert? But writing new songs means releasing a record album and promoting it, they could not just write a number of songs and let the public hear them for the first time at the concert. So strike that. They were left with just one option, but which songs were they going to cover? This was relatively easy, since Ozzy is a solo performer they can perform all his songs and some Black Sabbath tunes to boot. The band was set, the songs were set and the date was set. The only remaining thing is they had to decide if they were going to name the band. Again, they had a discussion and finally decided that since this was a collaboration and not just a solo project, they would name the group. They wanted a simple name, a short name, but a name that would reflect their status in the music industry and would describe that one night show, and they came up with one – EPIC.
The group practiced/met day and night without the knowledge of anybody except a select few, but still the media smelled something was in the air, since these guys have become very less active in the music scene. As the days went on, paparazzi pictures has started popping up on the internet and on tabloids. Pictures of Vai, parking his car outside Ozzy’s house. Les and Tommy, leaving together from the house of John Petrucci, and at one time there was all five of them, coming out of Les’ home. Suddenly, the music industry was buzzing. What were these five music greats up to? After several denied interviews and TV guestings, finally the group decided to announce their plan.
The group gave an exclusive interview with Rolling Stones magazine and explained what they have been doing for the past month.
“The plan started when Steve and me were denied the opportunity of playing together in my music record,” Ozzy, explained. “I don’t know which !@@#@$# ego is bigger, our record labels or ours. So we said, ‘The hell with it, if we can’t work together on a record then let’s play together on a concert and give everybody the best damn concert in music history!’” he added. One by one each of them recounted in the interview how the band was formed, the rigors of practicing without letting anybody know what was going on, etc. The group also revealed that the show will be held in Madison Square Garden, on the 9th of December, at exactly 8 pm. However when asked about their long term plans, the group declined to give an answer and just said that for sure this will be one of the best Rock Concert, who else is better to watch than the Godfather of Rock himself – Ozzy Osbourne? This will be one of my most memorable nights ever. If you were there, i’m sure it will be yours too.
Epic
1.07 - Ozzy Osbourne - Lead Vocals
2.10 - Les Claypool - Bass / Back-up Vocals
3.07 - Steve Vai - Lead Guitar / Back-up Vocals
4.10 - Tommy Lee - Drummer / Back-up Vocals
5.07 - John Petrucci - 2nd Lead Guitar
The Story Behind The Best Rock Concert Ever - by DukeSwh, Staff Writer
The year was 1995, after working together on the Ozzmosis Album, Ozzy Osbourne wanted Steve Vai to be his next guitarist. After much talk and discussion between the record labels of the two Superstars the negotiation bogged down, and it seems that this merger was not to be.
But these two living legends were not to be denied, they had to play together, and nobody can stop that. So they concocted a plan, if they cannot be together on a music record then it will have to be on a live concert. They planned the project in secrecy and recruited other band members that were not involved with any of the two.
First the Bassist. Each made a list of their preferred bassist, writing down names in no particular order. Upon completion, they compared their list and eliminated names that were not on both lists(as they had agreed that only bassists that they both agree on should be left for the final list). After much arguing and deliberation they were left with two bassists to choose from: Flea and Les Claypool. Both are excellent musicians, both perform at the highest level and excels most during live performances(a must). They approached both bassists, thinking that it would be one of the hardest decision they would ever have to make, but alas, the choice was made for them. Flea, had declined saying that he had already committed to another band other than RHCP for that year. So Les Claypool, it is.
Next, the Drummer. They followed the same process as they did when selecting a Bassist. Each compiled his own list, until the candidates were narrowed down to two(names are withheld by request). Sadly, both of them were not available at the time. Nevertheless both suggested a drummer that they think would fit with the band, and as it turns out they only have one drummer in mind: Tommy Lee. Steve and Ozzy were both dumbfounded, how could they have overlooked Tommy Lee on their list? He was perfect for their band – great energy, excellent musician, and excels during live performances. So Tommy, it is.
At first they were planning to make it a simple four man band, but during rehearsals they felt that their sound was somewhat missing something. So they decided to add another band member, the only problem was, should it be a keyboardist or another guitarist? So they agreed to have a brainstorming session and finally decided to add another guitarist. This was going to be one of the best shows ever so what better way than to add another guitarist for Steve Vai to duel with? Again they discussed and argued which guitarist to select. Who else is there that can rival the blazing speed, enthusiasm, stage presence, and skill of Steve Vai? Well for sure, the list was very short, and the decision was very easy. It is to be John Petrucci.
Finally, the lineup was settled.
Next comes the songs. They had to prepare a list of songs, for that one night concert. They had to decide, are we going to write songs specifically for this concert or will this be a cover concert? But writing new songs means releasing a record album and promoting it, they could not just write a number of songs and let the public hear them for the first time at the concert. So strike that. They were left with just one option, but which songs were they going to cover? This was relatively easy, since Ozzy is a solo performer they can perform all his songs and some Black Sabbath tunes to boot. The band was set, the songs were set and the date was set. The only remaining thing is they had to decide if they were going to name the band. Again, they had a discussion and finally decided that since this was a collaboration and not just a solo project, they would name the group. They wanted a simple name, a short name, but a name that would reflect their status in the music industry and would describe that one night show, and they came up with one – EPIC.
The group practiced/met day and night without the knowledge of anybody except a select few, but still the media smelled something was in the air, since these guys have become very less active in the music scene. As the days went on, paparazzi pictures has started popping up on the internet and on tabloids. Pictures of Vai, parking his car outside Ozzy’s house. Les and Tommy, leaving together from the house of John Petrucci, and at one time there was all five of them, coming out of Les’ home. Suddenly, the music industry was buzzing. What were these five music greats up to? After several denied interviews and TV guestings, finally the group decided to announce their plan.
The group gave an exclusive interview with Rolling Stones magazine and explained what they have been doing for the past month.
“The plan started when Steve and me were denied the opportunity of playing together in my music record,” Ozzy, explained. “I don’t know which !@@#@$# ego is bigger, our record labels or ours. So we said, ‘The hell with it, if we can’t work together on a record then let’s play together on a concert and give everybody the best damn concert in music history!’” he added. One by one each of them recounted in the interview how the band was formed, the rigors of practicing without letting anybody know what was going on, etc. The group also revealed that the show will be held in Madison Square Garden, on the 9th of December, at exactly 8 pm. However when asked about their long term plans, the group declined to give an answer and just said that for sure this will be one of the best Rock Concert, who else is better to watch than the Godfather of Rock himself – Ozzy Osbourne? This will be one of my most memorable nights ever. If you were there, i’m sure it will be yours too.
Epic
1.07 - Ozzy Osbourne - Lead Vocals
2.10 - Les Claypool - Bass / Back-up Vocals
3.07 - Steve Vai - Lead Guitar / Back-up Vocals
4.10 - Tommy Lee - Drummer / Back-up Vocals
5.07 - John Petrucci - 2nd Lead Guitar
Last edited:
