I was looking over lists of the highest paid people in the industry today. First, to see Michael Bay, director of huge films like Tranformers, whose net worth is $160 million. I mean, I knew him when he was just starting to shoot music videos for bands like Slaughter back in the 80’s, making like $8,000 a shoot, and now look at him! MAN! Then to see Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters (ex-Nirvana) in the top 5 of the highest paid drummers in the world, he’s banked cheese upwards of $225 MILLION! WHAT!???!!!!! And then Danny Carey of tool has made 40 million, and Neil Peart of Rush only 22 million, who’s been doing this longer than Dave and Danny’s careers combined, it makes ya wonder, eh? Ringo Starr of the Beatles is # 1 with 300 Million. And lowest on the ranking is Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac, who in his really long career has only a mere 8.5 million!…..Kid Rock is added to the line up of artists who will be performing this week in Tampa as part of the Republican National Convention. Journey, The Zac Brown Band, Taylor Hicks, Alabama and more will be on hand as well. Even Camp Freddy is getting into the act, doing a benefit show for wounded and deceased soldiers. Unfortunately, Lynyrd Skynyrd had to pull out of their Sunday appearance as the news of Hurricane Isaac forced the outdoor show to cancel….Pulse of Radio reports Stone Sour and Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor told a Minnesota radio station that he is working on a follow-up to his best-selling 2011 memoir, Seven Deadly Sins: Settling the Argument Between Born Bad and Damaged Goods. Taylor told Minneapolis radio station 93X he is about a “quarter of the way” through the book, which is tentatively titled A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Heaven. He explained, “It’s basically my experiences with the paranormal, and ghost sightings and occurrences, and I’ve had a lot, enough that I’m writing a damn book about it. But it’s actually . . . it’s about how can I believe in ghosts, and not in God? So it’s a very interesting conversation. And that’s kind of what I wanted to do with Seven Deadly Sins, was start a conversation and get people thinking about it.”… Speaking of books, Slash: An Intimate Portrait, will be released in October. Written by Richard Bienstock with a forward by Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood and preface by Joe Perry of Aerosmith, the book looks at the rock icon’s amazing career, not only with Guns N’ Roses, but includes all of the amazing artists Slash has worked with over the years from Michael Jackson, Iggy Pop, Ozzy, Fergie, Les Paul, Velvet Revolver and many more!….Nonpoint will release a new, self-titled album on Oct 9th. The band’s ninth studio effort features the debut of a new lineup, with just frontman Elias Soriano and drummer Robb Rivera remaining from the original group. Soriano said in a statement, “We wanted this record to be a punch in the face. There was a lot of stuff I wanted to artistically vent about. It’s a fresh start for us . . . We hit the reset button, and there’s life again. You can hear it musically. We’re not going anywhere.” The first official single, “Left For You”, is for sale now on iTunes and is closing in on the Top 25 at Active Rock radio….Ever wonder how bands stay safe when they carry those huge pyro banks with them, like Slipknot did on the Mayhem tour? Well, here’s your chance to watch Linkin Park go through their paces to learn to stay away from the flash pots when they’re ignited during their set on the Honda Civic Tour. Check it out here. Those flames give off some heat like a large bonfire, and when several go off at once, you know what a burger feels like on the BBQ!….Good news on the Baroness guys who were injured in that horrible bus accident that happened over in England on Aug 15. They are all on their way home to Georgia to recouperate. I am sure their loved ones can’t wait to see them safe and sort of sound and on the mend!….Happy 43rd today to Jack Black, one half of the greatest rock band in the world, Tenacious D!
