First the shocking news: We learned late last night Tim Lambesis, 32, frontman for As I Lay Dying, was arrested yesterday in Oceanside, CA, just outside San Diego, for allegedly trying to hire an undercover detective to kill his estranged wife! What tha wha???? Lambesis’ wife had filed papers to dissolve their marriage in September of last year. Apparently a tip to authorities ,who quickly moved in on the investigation, ultimately diverted the evil plan. Sad & so crazy! Hopefully this is a terrible misunderstanding, and, of course, we don’t know all the facts, so let’s see how this plays out!…. Pulse Content reports Metallica seems to be taking a page out of Tool‘s playbook these days by offering vague or even contradictory statements about the status of the band’s next studio album. Although drummer Lars Ulrich and bassist Robert Trujillo seemed to have indicated in recent interviews at least some writing for the album had taken place, frontman James Hetfield has a different take. Hetfield told Abu Dhabi’s That’s Entertainment, “We haven’t even started writing it. We’re going through riffs. We have, like, 800-and-something riffs we’re going through — lots of ideas. We’re really excited about it, but doing concerts here and there, trying to get back in the studio and get some stuff done, it’s all really exciting. But it gets done on Metallica time, which is not really scheduled. When it’s done, it’s done and when it’s good, then it will be done.” Asked in a new interview with Revolver about the next album, Ulrich said, “We’re in the early stages of writing, and all I can say is there are some good things lurking,” adding, “2014 is a bit optimistic for the album to come out, so ’15 is more realistic. But listen, there’s no rush. It’s gonna take what it takes. I don’t feel stressed about it, but that doesn’t mean we don’t care.” Keep an eagle eye on this website on Monday having to do with our friends Metallica!….Slipknot percussionist Shawn “Clown” Crahan told Loudwire in a new interview 2014 is looking more and more like the year the band comes back. Crahan said, “Slipknot 2014. You can smell it in the air and people can feel it. The energy is out there and you can feel it. People go places we once were and feel it there, but not in full body, and that’s just because we’re returning. You can ask anyone around the world what the culture of the ‘Knot is, who truly knows, and they will tell you that something has changed in the atmosphere.” Crahan told us a while back that he has high hopes for the band’s next album: “When it’s right, there will be a new record, and that record is going to be, I predict, one of the most serious things that we will have ever comprehended that we’ve ever done in our life. And we pretty much say that on every record, but I really feel that when the time comes, what will be on hand is going to be something almost unimaginable.” (Side note: I remember the first time we met the band on their bus at the 1999 Ozzfest stop in Hartford, CT. I will never forget the “smell in the air” of those jumpsuits and masks they wore on that tour. It was nasty! LOL So when Shawn says, “You can smell it in the air”, I had to smile a bit!) …Very happy for Peoria’s own Mindset Evolution, who I got turned on to by the organizers of the Rockstar Uproar tour last summer. They won the Battle of Bands and got an opening slot on the 2nd stage. I told my friends over at Prospect Park (management and label for Korn, Smashing Pumpkins, Jane’s Addiction, and label for Five Finger Death Punch) about them, and next thing ya know, bang, they’ve got management! This year, they recorded their debut album with producer Johnny K in Chicago called Brave, Bold & Broken, which is tentatively due next month. The first single, “Burn It Down,” drops May 21st on iTunes. Be listening for them on hardDrive and the XL soon and see dates for them in Road Rage….Fight Of Flight, the new band started by Disturbed guitarist Dan Donegan and drummer Mike Wengren, has issued a lyric video for “First Of The Last,” the initial single from the group’s debut album, A Life By Design? In addition to Donegan and Wengren, the band also features Evans Blue vocalist Dan Chandler, Sean Corcoran of Ra on bass and Jeremy Jayson on guitar. Mike Wengren told us a little about “First Of The Last”: “Well, that was one of the later songs that was written. I was really excited about it, it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, and it was just exciting to go into the studio and be able to play it. That one’s a really fun one for me as a drummer — it’s a good mover.” Check out the video here…..Happy 60th today to Alex Van Halen and Happy 68th to Bob Seger. Turn the page, indeed!
