Always that sad feeling when you know the NFL season is over for the year. Happy for the Ravens. What a game! What a half-time! I know the haters out there really hated it, but I gotta say, Beyonce‘s show and stage production on it was outstanding! (Loved that her band is also all female!) But I’d like to see that for a band like Slipknot! Or Metallica! (No, not the dancing and skimpy leather outfits, the digital screens and staging! Really well done! Any questions? ;> ) And I wonder if someone is getting fired today over that power outage? Entergy Company, you are in big trouble!. And the Budweiser Clydesdale ad? I needed a kleenex! Samsung wasn’t bad, wanted a better pay-off though…..Great news today! Danish metal band Volbeat has announced the upcoming studio album Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies will be released on April 9th. The band has also shared news former Anthrax and The Damned Things guitarist Rob Caggiano has officially joined the band. Caggiano served as producer on Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies, alongside long-time production partner Jacob Hansen, who produced and mixed the band’s prior four albums. Caggiano’s producer credits include The Damned Things, Bleeding Through and Anthrax amongst others, and he was a member of Anthrax for two tenures from 2001-2005 and again from 2007-2013. Singer and guitarist Michael Poulsen shared, “The band is very proud and happy to announce that he will also be the new guitar player in Volbeat. The collaboration with Rob in the studio was so inspiring and in good spirit that we the decided to keep him. Basically we went into the studio as a three piece and came out as a whole band!” The first single off the record is being chosen as we speak and should be out in 3 weeks. Find the band on tour starting March 6th. I believe Eye Empire is joining the tour…Blabbermouth reports a Slipknot fan site called Opium Of The People recently commissioned the design and creation by S7 Figures of a “new and improved” figurine of late bassist Paul Gray. The site says that the figurine is 10 inches tall and made from polymer clay, modeling putty and resin, while its bass guitar is made of real wood and features real guitar strings. The figurine is based on a 2008 photo shoot featuring Gray in the band’s classic orange jumpsuit. There’s no word on whether this will be available for sale or if it is officially endorsed by the band….Slash was joined onstage by rock legend Alice Cooper during the former’s show at the Dubai Tennis Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Thursday (January 31st). The two performed Cooper’s classic “School’s Out.” Slash previously collaborated with Cooper on the shock-rocker’s 2008 album Along Came A Spider, where he made a guest appearance. Slash just released a new single from Apocalyptic Love called “Anatasia.”… Pulse Content reports Sevendust singer Lajon Witherspoon told Alternative Addiction he plans to start work on a solo project after the band completes the touring and promotion cycle for its upcoming album, Black Out The Sun. Witherspoon revealed, “Once this album has taken its course and Sevendust slows down again, I’ll start working on my solo stuff. I feel that life and music is like a chess game, and so I’m waiting to make my next move.” Asked what his solo material will sound like, Witherspoon replied, “When I sing and people hear my voice, I have to believe they’ll compare it to Sevendust, which I don’t mind, because that’s where my roots are. But I think my stuff will definitely have rock and a lot more soul. Sevendust has a groove, but I think I’ll be a little bit different.” …Happy 5-0 today to Noodles from The Offspring and Happy 65th to Alice Cooper!
