Good day! Blabbermouth is reporting Metallica will perform at Band Together Bay Area, a benefit concert at AT&T Park in San Francisco on Thursday, Nov 9th supporting recovery efforts for the recent firestorm that swept through Northern California. Also scheduled to appear are G-Eazy and Dave Matthews Band.
Tickets, which range from $49.50 to $199.50, will go on sale Friday via Ticketmaster, which has pledged to donate all processing fees to the relief effort. Prime seats in the stadium will be reserved for first responders, volunteers and families who were caught in the firestorm.
Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett, who nearly lost his house in Sonoma’s Mission Highlands, told the San Francisco Chronicle: “On the Cal Fire map, the fire ends right on top of my house. The reality is that it ended at my front gate. It’s brutal. The mental and psychological toll is what I always think about.”
The Metallica members said in a statement they were “proud” to take part in the event “to assist the families impacted by the fires and show our immense appreciation to the thousands of first responders who have been working tirelessly since the fires began.”
They explained: “Earlier this month Northern California, the community that we have called home for over thirty-four years, endured devastating wildfires. We’re extremely saddened by the suffering that so many are feeling in the Bay Area, but are also inspired by the enormous outpouring of love and support from all around the country.”
One hundred percent of the ticket price will be donated to Tipping Point Community benefitting low-income, vulnerable communities impacted by the crisis, including vineyard workers, immigrants, displaced young people, and students.
Wow! This is big news! Blabbermouth also reporting Marilyn Manson has fired his longtime bassist Jeordie White, who performs under the name Twiggy Ramirez. The news comes less than a week after White was publicly accused of rape by his former girlfriend, Jessicka Addams of the riot grrrl band Jack Off Jill.
Jeordie has yet to respond to Addams’s Oct 20 Facebook post in which she detailed the physical and psychological abuse in addition to rape while they were in a relationship in the 1990s — a relationship Addams described as being exceptionally turbulent.
Yesterday, Manson released a short statement via his social media accounts, saying simply: “I have decided to part ways with Jeordie White as a member of Marilyn Manson. He will be replaced for the upcoming tour. I wish him well.” On Instagram, Manson added: “This is a sad day.”
White released a statement of his own, writing: “I wish to spend this time with my family and focus on maintaining my several years of sobriety. I will be taking a leave of absence from Marilyn Manson and regrettably will not be performing on the upcoming tour.”
Although the events Addams described happened over twenty years ago, she said she did not go public out of shame and fear that it could damage her band’s career. She later alluded to White‘s behavior in a 2015 interview, but she said she finally opened up now in solidarity with other women who are coming forward with stories of sexual harassment and abuse in the wake of the many allegations made against film producer Harvey Weinstein.
White first left Manson’s band in 2003, but rejoined five years later, in time to record the band’s seventh album, The High End Of Low. He has also played with A Perfect Circle and Nine Inch Nails.
After the initial allegations against White came out, Manson issued a statement saying: “I knew Jessicka and Jeordie had a romantic relationship many years ago and I considered and still consider Jessicka to be a friend. I knew nothing about these allegations until very recently and am saddened by Jessicka’s obvious distress.”
Manson is next scheduled to perform on Nov 5 at Ozzfest Meets Knotfest in Devore, CA. No news on who White’s replacement will be at press time.
Another post from Blabbermouth says Asking Alexandria have posted a new song, “Where Did It Go?,” from their self-titled album, due Dec 15th. This new song, along with the album, was produced by From First To Last’s Matt Good. It is now available on all digital platforms.
I spoke with Danny Worsnop, who stated he and the band are very proud of this new record and it speaks to their maturity as a band. Danny also stated he was having “so much fun writing an album I never thought I’d make with people I never thought I’d make on with again. It’s out of the box, out of my comfort zone, out of the ordinary, and out of this world! This is something totally new and unique that I cannot wait for the world to hear. This album has me proud, humbled, reassured, and affirmed. Welcome to a new era, and a new sound which I’m sure in two years will be ripped off by far too many artists (there’s a song about that on here too).“
“You will not hear songs about partying, or girls, or how rock and roll I am. Instead you will hear some of the most carefully crafted songs I’ve ever made that hopefully will live longer than I do. Thank you to [guitarist Ben Bruce] for writing some phenomenal music for me to create stories with, [bassist Sam Bettley], [drummer James Cassells] and [guitarist Cameron Liddell] for their great talent in making this sound so good, and [producer Matt Good] for heading the operation and fooling the world into thinking I know what I’m doing.”
Interesting to note, Danny said to me although he’s recording and touring with the band, he has not signed a contract to be a full-time member. He said this allows him to do what he wants, when he wants. Hmmmm. I, for one, hope he stays put. I also asked what the status is of We Are Harlot. He seemed to think there would be an opportunity somewhere down the line to do something with the band, but made no firm commitment. Danny also was proud of the music he created for his solo country-oriented album, The Long Road Home, and there is a plan to record more music in that vein.
Founder and guitarist Ben Bruce said, “This album has captured the magic and energy that we had when we first got together and recorded our debut album, ‘Stand Up And Scream’. Cheers to us. Cheers to you. Here’s to the future. Thank you for your ongoing love and support, it means the world to us. We hope this record speaks to you on so many levels. You keep us going and you help us grow. This next step is an exciting one for all of us. Thank you guys.”
Meanwhile, Ben recently became a dad again recently. Congrats to him and his wife, and to the band on their new arrivals! 🙂
I received an advance copy of the new Avatar album yesterday and it is deliciously wonderful! Heavy yet hooky and it even has some country underpinnings to it! According to a post in Blabbermouth, the Swedish metallers will release their seventh full-length album, Avatar Country, on Jan 12 via Entertainment One in North America and Century Media Records Ltd. in the rest of the world. The disc was produced by Jay Ruston (Stone Sour, Anthrax, Steel Panther) this past summer at Spinroad Recording Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden.
The official Johan Carlén-directed video for Avatar‘s new song, “A Statue Of The King”, can be seen above. The track is available as an iTunes instant-gratification track.
Avatar Country track listing:
01. Glory To Our King
02. Legend Of The King
03. The King Welcomes You To Avatar Country
04. King’s Harvest
05. The King Wants You (my fav)
06. The King Speaks
07. A Statue Of The King
08. King After King
09. Silent Songs Of The King Pt. 1 – Winter Comes When The King Dreams Of Snow
10. Silent Songs Of The King Pt. 2 – The King’s Palace
Avatar will embark on a European tour in early March. They are currently out with In This Moment through Nov 8th. See their entire tour here and in Road Rage.
Happy 56th today to Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Happy 36th to former Hinder frontman Austin Winkler!
