Well, two of the fellows in this picture here have changed me into being a Seahawks fan. How could I NOT! This was backstage before the Foo Fighters‘ set at the Bud Light Party on Saturday night here in NYC. Alice In Chains’ Jerry Cantrell and Loaded & Guns ‘N Roses Duff McKagan flew in for the Super Bowl where they had 50 yard line tickets. Die-hard in the wool fans, those two. Weather was great, except after the game when the snow started. (Right now there seems to be a white out.) Also backstage I met tennis legend John “You Can’t Be Serious” McEnroe and Hollywood Access Live’s Billy Bush. It was a great night of the best rock, I mean, Foos, what can I say! Dave and the boys brought their usual killer A-game and I took, I dunno, 365 pictures standing on the side of the stage! I heard a bit about the plan for the new album, and it’s cool. And I am sworn to secrecy. (Actually listening back to the replay of the Stern Birthday party and Dave is playing acoustically “Everlong” & “My Hero” and he’s been doing shots! Love him!) I also have to say I was very impressed with the opening act at the Bud party (which I thought was going to be on that cruise ship, but it was in a huge tent instead), Zac Brown Band. Not only did they include a Metallica song, “Enter Sandman,” in there set, they also played a cover of Rage Against The Machine‘s “Killing In The Name,” and THAT takes some balls, my friends! It was great, and even the preppy crowd that was in the audience was into it! Friday night, The Black Keys were also in excellent form, my first time seeing them, at Roseland Ballroom. (Check out this clip.) I am so sad to learn the building will be torn down in April (Lady Gaga will be the final performer there) and it will turn into a condo building. UGH! So freaking sad!….Onto the news: Shinedown isn’t just making a new album this year — a movie about the band is also in the works. But frontman Brent Smith hesitates to call it a documentary in the usual sense: “It’s a little bit of a difficult thing to describe, because it’s such a unique concept, the way that we’re shooting it and the way that we’re putting together the life of the band over the past 15 years. But we’re doing it in a very impactful way, especially with how we’re gonna edit it and how we’re gonna release it.” The new Shinedown disc, meanwhile, will follow up 2012’s Amaryllis. Smith and Shinedown guitarist Zach Myers released a digital EP called (Acoustic Sessions) last Tuesday (Jan 28th) under the name Smith & Myers. The disc consists of six cover songs, including the Clash‘s “London Calling,” Metallica‘s “Nothing Else Matters,” Otis Redding‘s “Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay,” the Black Crowes‘ “She Talks to Angels,” Soul Asylum‘s “Runaway Train” and Kenny Wayne Shepherd‘s “Blue on Black.” The final selection was chosen from thousands of submissions by fans and narrowed down through daily voting on Facebook. (Thanks Pulse of Radio)……And sad news out of NYC yesterday was the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman. Very sad. Huge talent. Huge waste. Heroin addiction = direct route to grave.
