Today, I am heading over to the Highline Ballroom, scene of the hardDrive Live Tour back in September, but this time I will be talking to Three Days Grace members Adam Gontier and Neil Sanderson. Speaking of the band, Loudwire reports Three Days Graceare usually pretty good about signing on for causes, but bassist Brad Walst has a personal reason for participating in the James Fund’s walk-run fundraiser for neuroblastoma research. His young son was diagnosed as having a cancerous neuroblastoma tumor several years ago. Walst will join the group of runners and walkers around the world in taking part in the international event on Oct. 28. He’s started a page where fans can sponsor his participation. It’s his goal to reach $3,000 in donations and at last check he’d raised 46 percent of the figure with just over $1,400 contributed. In the seven years the James Fund has been in existence over $275,000 has been raised for neuroblastoma research. Walst posted a photo of his son James rocking out at the Rockstar Uproar Tour earlier this year, along with his personal appeal for support. His message read:
Hello Everyone…
On October 28, 2012, I will be participating in the Walk/Run for The James Fund.Four years ago, my life was changed forever when I heard the dreaded news that my son James (who hadn’t even celebrated his second birthday yet) had neuroblastoma, one of the most devastating childhood cancers. When I look back on all that he has been through, it is still shocking to know that his tiny spine has been taken apart and put back together again (not once, but twice!) to rid his body of this awful disease.
It has been over 3 years since his tumor has stabilized – James is one of the lucky ones. Not all children with neuroblastoma are as lucky, in fact the majority are not. This is the reason we support the James Fund.
In the past 4 years the supporters of our team James Rocks! have raised over $65,000 for the Walk/Run! There are no words to express our extreme gratitude – THANK-YOU!!
This year’s event will support a national Neuroblastoma Drug Discovery Project to discover new drugs to treat neuroblastoma. This project has many facets, from the lab bench to the clinic. There are no cures for neuroblastoma, and it is the goal of the Drug Discovery Project to discover an effective treatment to save our kids.
Sincerely, Brad Walst — Three Days Grace
To find out more about the James Fund organization and the upcoming walk-run, check here. To make a personal donation sponsoring Walst, visit his sponsorship page here….Bullet For My Valentine will release a brand new track, “Temper Temper” on Oct 30 worldwide. The song will debut live today on Radio 1’s Rock Week. The group will perform it at Maida Vale Studios. This is the first track being revealed from the group’s fourth studio album. The album was produced by Don Gilmore and will be released early next year. The group is set to play the Soundwave Festival in Australia in 2013 and will announce UK & US tour dates soon….Pulse of Radio reports Papa Roach will end a two-month hiatus on Tuesday (Oct 23rd) when the band performs for a worldwide live stream and takes questions from fans via YouTube starting at 5:00 p.m. ET. This marks the first time the band will play live since singer Jacoby Shaddix underwent surgery last month to remove nodes from his vocal cords. Shaddix’s condition forced him to stop singing and led his band to drop off this past summer’s Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival tour. Shaddix told me as a result of his surgery he’s had to learn how to take better care of his voice: “I’ve got to create a new discipline for vocalizing, you know, really concentrate on my warm-ups. Concentrate on what I eat. You know, concentrate on getting proper rest — like, all these things that I never wanted to do before, like, I have to do now. ‘Cause I’m gettin’ old! (laughs)”….The 20th anniversary celebration continues. Pantera fans can now buy the 20th-anniversary edition of Vulgar Display Of Power on red and black swirled vinyl, for the first time ever. There will only be 2,500 copies released on November 6 for $16.98 each. February 25 was the 20-year anniversary for the groups album. To celebrate, they also released a two-disc Deluxe Edition with a DVD of unreleased live performances filmed in Italy and three official music videos. Walk EP: “Walk” (Cervical Edit), “Fucking Hostile” (Biomechanical Mix), “By Demons Be Driven” (Biomechanical Mix), “Walk” (Cervical Dub Extended), “Cowboys From Hell” (Live) and “Heresy” (Live)….For the first time ever, the Japanese installment of Ozzfest will take place on May 11 and 12 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba City, outside Tokyo. The lineup for the event has not yet been announced. Sharon Osbourne said, “Ozzy and I want to tell you that May 2013 we will bringing Ozzfest to Japan for the first time ever. We are so excited. Please be there because we love you Japan.” (One guess on headliner: Black Sabbath!)…See Road Rage for new dates for Black Veil Brides!…Happy 5-0 today to Bob Odenkirk of “Breaking Bad” and “Mr Show.” (and friend of Maynard Keenan!)
