Good morning Radicals, and happy Friday! We’re only a few days away from Thanksgiving, and then before you know it, the year’s over! So enjoy these last few days of 2019, and let’s rock out until the new year!
Charm City Devils release their new EP “1904” today, and are taking over the hardDriveRadio Facebook page all day! Keep your alerts on for an in depth look at this kick-ass EP!
You got to love the humility of Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl. For as accomplished as the guy is, he has a simple description for his band’s music during an interview with the Good For You podcast. Grohl pushed back when host Whitney Cummings called the Foo Fighters “cool,” saying, “You know the whole dad rock thing? We’re totally dad rock.”
Grohl took his explanation one step further, saying, “First of all, we are all dads, and you’re right, we’re a rock band . . . Look, I’m 50 years old, I have f**king gray hair. But you know, the thing is, I have never considered our band cool, and I like that.”
The former Nirvana drummer added that he thought one reason for the band’s longevity was that it’s never been trendy. He explained, “We’ve just never been hip or cool; we just really haven’t. I think that the reason why we’re still here is because we do kind of disconnect ourselves from the popular stuff that’s going on, but also because, what the f**k do we care? I just want to f**king play music.”
Grohl admitted to us a while back that he finds the Foos’ continuing success after 25 years mystifying: “I don’t know what it is, but it just keeps on getting better, you know. And as it all sort of grows and changes, we look at each other every time something happens, like a Grammy nomination or a big show selling out, we look at each other and we’re like, ‘Can you believe that? Isn’t that nuts?’ ‘Cause we don’t feel any different, you know.”
Foo Fighters are currently working on their 10th studio album. The follow-up to 2017’s Concrete And Gold is expected out sometime in 2020. In the meantime, fans can check out a collection of newly digitalized B-sides, demos and live recordings that the band has released over the course of the past year.
Ozzy Osbourne has released the second single from his upcoming album, Ordinary Man. Titled “Straight To Hell,” the track was teased earlier this week and follows up the first cut previewed from the LP, “Under The Graveyard.”
“Straight To Hell” features a guest appearance from Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash. His bandmate, Guns bassist Duff McKagan, and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith both play on the entire album, along with producer/guitarist Andrew Watt.
Ordinary Man is due out in early 2020 and will be Ozzy’s first full-length solo album in a decade, following 2010’s Scream. His “No More Tours 2” trek will resume next year as well, after he postponed all the 2019 dates as he battled illness and recovered from surgery.
Ozzy made his first live appearance since last year on Thursday night (November 21st), when he made a surprise stop at the Forum in Los Angeles to join Post Malone and Travis Scott for “Take What You Want.” Ozzy also sings on the studio version of the track, from Post Malone’s new Hollywood’s Bleeding LP. The trio will perform the song this Sunday night (November 24th) at the American Music Awards.
We were deeply saddened to hear that Martin Hooker, the man who formed Music For Nations – our first UK record label – back in 1983, had passed. pic.twitter.com/InvInkabdV
— Metallica (@Metallica) November 21, 2019
Metallica has paid tribute to the late Martin Hooker, the founder of the influential British record label Music For Nations who died earlier this week. The band wrote, “We were deeply saddened to hear that Martin Hooker, the man who formed Music For Nations — our first UK record label — back in 1983, had passed.”
The band added, “Thanks to Martin’s unwavering support, Kill ‘Em All, Ride The Lightning and Master Of Puppets all went gold in the UK, and just as importantly, he and MFN helped make England a warm and welcoming place for us at a vital time in our career. Thank you for the love, support and memories Martin, rest in peace.”
Drummer Lars Ulrich told us a while back that he remembers Metallica’s early days fondly even if they’re a little hazy: “It was an exciting time and kind of all a little bit surreal. And yes, most of the memories are sort of living in an alcohol-fueled daze, but between the four of us — if the four of us were sitting here we could probably put about 25 percent together each for that puzzle (laughs) and give a somewhat complete picture of what went on.”
Launched in 1983, Music For Nations’ importance to heavy rock cannot be underestimated. The label signed, exclusively distributed or collaborated with such artists as Metallica, Tool, Slayer, Opeth, Poison, W.A.S.P. and dozens of others. MFN also entered into licensing agreements with some of metal and punk’s seminal labels, including Metal Blade, Peaceville and Rise Above.
Music For Nations’ catalog was absorbed by Sony subsidiary Zomba Records when it folded in 2004. Sony revived Music For Nations in 2016, hiring Visible Noise founder Julie Weir to run the imprint. A cause of death for Martin Hooker has yet to be announced.
Lot’s of rockstar birthdays today, including Trivium guitarist Corey Beaulieu, and a slew of excellent drummers: Papa Roach drummer Tony Palmero, Motionless in White drummer Vinny Mauro and Palaye Royale drummer Emerson Barrett! Happy Birthday to all!
