Welcome back to the grind, ladies and gents. The worst part of a four-day weekend is the end, but it ain’t so bad with a little rock and roll music to get you through. So let’s take a look at what’s happening:
Foo Fighters have released a surprise live EP titled 00950025. The three-song effort features “elusive live tracks,” namely performances of “For All the Cows” and “Wattershed” from the band’s headline set at 1995’s Reading Festival, as well as a live recording of “Next Year” from a 2000 concert in Melbourne, Australia.
The band stated on Twitter, “A good day to take a look in the Foo Files. How about a few elusive live tracks?”
The live EP arrives one day after the 24th anniversary of the release of the debut Foo Fighters album on July 4th, 1995, and is reportedly the first in a series of tracks to be released from the band’s archives — possibly tied into the Foos’ upcoming 25th anniversary.
Longtime bassist Nate Mendel told us a while back what he thinks has been a key to the Foos’ longevity: “Well, one of the things, I think, that’s made the band work so well is how we kind of structured it in the beginning and the opportunity we had, because Dave had been in Nirvana, to do things the way we wanted to do it. We didn’t have the pressure that a lot of bands do of having to write the hit song. I mean, thankfully Dave’s a good songwriter and able to write catchy songs, but we don’t have that pressure where you have somebody breathing over your shoulder, and I think that really is something that destroys a lot of bands.”
The group has also asked fans to submit their personal Foo Fighters stories, from Reading ’95 or elsewhere. A post on a newly launched Foos webpage called Tell Us Your Foo Fighters Storyreads: “Did you capture a great photo of your crew at a Foo show? Have a memory tied to a Foo Fighters album or song? Or maybe just want to send a message to the band? Share your Foo Fighters story and include any photos, videos or memorabilia.”
Halestorm singer Lzzy Hale, guitarist Joe Hottinger and bassist Josh Smith played a five-song acoustic set on Saturday night (July 6th) at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge in Nashville, Tennessee. Fan-filmed video footage of their performance has been posted online.
Halestorm will kick off a summer tour with Alice Cooper on July 17th in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The 19-date trek wraps up on August 16th in Camden, New Jersey. Following that, the quartet will join forces with Godsmack on a fall run that launches on September 20th in Green Bay, Wisconsin and ends on October 18th in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Hale told us that seeing fans sing Halestorm songs is one of her favorite parts of playing live: “Now what I get to see is these people singing every word and now it’s about them, you know. And one of the biggest moments is when people started coming and they’re singing it so passionately to you like they wrote it and it makes you feel so good.”
Halestorm continues to tour behind its fourth album, Vicious, which came out in July 2018 and features the rock radio hits “Uncomfortable,” “Do Not Disturb” and the title track.
Godsmack drummer Shannon Larkin and guitarist Tony Rombola have resurrected their defunct side project, The Apocalypse Blues Revue, calling the new band The Apocalypse Blues Revival. Now fronted by singer Shane Hall, the new outfit will release its first song within the next week.
The Apocalypse Blues Revue released two albums, including last year’s The Shape Of Blues To Come, before former singer Ray “Rafer John” Cerbone announced the act’s break-up due to scheduling conflicts.
Larkin wrote online, “I think it’s evident from the first to the second record my path was changing. So with no record deal and no pressure from labels, management, etc. I wrote a bunch of new tunes with Tony and realized it was a different band, and I wanted a different approach and voice for the new material.”
Hall has been Larkin’s drum tech for the better part of 20 years and previously played with him and Rombola in a funk band. Larkin remarked, “We did it for fun for many years, recording over 30 songs together (never released one song or did one show!) . . . (Hall) loves and grew up on all the same music as me, and has a style and flair that is undeniable.”
Godsmack is on the road all summer, next playing this Friday (July 12th) at the Inkcarceration Tattoo And Music Festival in Mansfield, Ohio.
Call +1424-373-VLNC #theviolence pic.twitter.com/evTtgaDJlX
— Asking Alexandria (@AAofficial) July 5, 2019
Asking Alexandria is letting fans hear a sample of new music by dialing 1-424-373-VLNC (1-424-373-8562). The British group tweeted a cryptic video clip of a small television unit bearing the number to dial. When one dials the Compton, California area number, a voice says, “Welcome, due to the high volume of callers we need to place you on a brief hold. Please stay on the line,” over a garage-rock riff. The robotic voice then cautions, “Lock your doors and stay inside. Stay alert. Prepare yourself — the violence is coming. You’ll be hearing from us shortly.” A follow-up text is sent from the aforementioned phone number, imploring fans to sign up for updates.
Pearl Jam‘s Eddie Vedder jammed with his idols The Who on Saturday night (July 6th) during the latter band’s massive concert at London’s Wembley Stadium. Vedder joined The Who during their set to sing along on “The Punk And The Godfather” from the band’s classic 1973 rock opera Quadrophenia. Vedder once told Rolling Stone that the double LP “saved my life.”
Beartooth has recorded a cover of The Troggs‘ “Wild Thing” for the annual MLB Home Run Derby. The game takes place in Cleveland Ohio tonight at 8 PM eastern. Tune in on ESPN to hear the debut. Knowing Beartooth, it’s going to be freakin’ awesome! For those old enough to remember, “Wild Thing” was used in the beloved baseball movie “Major League,” involving the classic Cleveland Indians franchise. Since then the song has been a part of Cleveland history.
